Senior Living Fall 2018

The North Shore's 

longest-running 

Senior Resource 

Guide 

FALL 

2018 

HEALTH CARE 

COMMUNITY 

SENIOR 

ORGANIZATIONS 

ELDER LAW 

AND FINANCIAL 

SPECIALISTS 

IN-HOME-CARE 

ASSISTANCE 

NURSING AND 

REHABILITATIVE CARE 

AFFORDABLE 

SENIOR HOUSING 

OPPORTUNITIES 

SENIOR LIVING 

ASSISTED LIVING 

AND 

MUCH MORE 

ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

LYNNFIELD WEEKLY 

NEWS 

PEABODY WEEKLY 

NEWS

2 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP SENIOR LIVING FALL 2018 

SENIOR LIVING FALL 2018 

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

ABC Home Healthcare Professionals .................................................................................................................................... 3 

Adult Foster Care of the North Shore .................................................................................................................................. 15 

All Care ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 

Brooksby Village ................................................................................................................................................................... 13 

Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home .................................................................................................................................................. 5 

Dr. Kozlauska ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 

Law Office of Julie Low ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 

Lynn Economic Opportunity .................................................................................................................................................. 8 

Nichols Village ....................................................................................................................................................................... 16 

Puritan Lawn Memorial Park .................................................................................................................................................11 

Shore Village Apartments ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 

Solimine Funeral Homes......................................................................................................................................................... 2 

A PUBLICATION OF ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 

LYNNFIELD WEEKLY 

NEWS 

PEABODY WEEKLY 

NEWS 

David J. Solimine, Jr.; Joel C. Solimine; 

David J. Solimine, Sr. 

Family Owned and Operated 

Caring for Our Community in Countless Ways 

The caring and experienced professionals at Solimine Funeral Homes are 

here to answer your questions, provide support and guide you and your 

family before, during and after a funeral. 

We offer a range of personalized funeral, memorial and cremation services 

to suit your family’s wishes and requirements. 

Call us today for a free consultation. 

(781) 595-1492 

www.solimine.com 

$1300 

Shore Village is conveniently located near area shops and restaurants, public transportation and 

beach. Our modern 1-bedroom apartments are equipped with full kitchens, washer and dryer in 

unit and walk-in closets. Community room with fireplace and rooftop deck with great views. 

426 Broadway (Rt.129) 

Lynn, MA 01904 

67 Ocean Street (Rt. 1A) 

Lynn, MA 01902 

Managed by Crowninshield Management Corporation

SENIOR LIVING FALL 2018 ESSEX MEDIA GROUP 3 

Living well at home 

As seniors, many of us have spent 

time caring for others. It may have 

been a child, spouse, friend or family 

member. Now that we’re older, 

we may notice that some things that 

were once easy are now more challenging 

– yet we might find it difficult 

to know when or how to ask for 

help. Furthermore, our independence 

is important to us and that makes us 

hesitant to ask for assistance at all. 

Don’t wait 

Asking for help doesn’t mean giving 

up independence. If you consider 

the alternative, you’re actually being 

proactive in supporting your own 

independence! What do I mean you 

ask? Consider laundry, which is a 

chore for all of us. Having someone 

come in for two hours to assist with 

getting the laundry done could eliminate 

a fall that could have lead to a 

debilitating injury and hospital stay. 

Perhaps you have trouble getting out 

of the house? Having someone help 

with the grocery shopping can help 

ensure you have fresh, healthy food 

readily available to eat. When you 

consider the alternative, a little assistance 

really goes a long way and 

that is where ABC Home Healthcare 

can help! 

Why an agency? 

You may have seen an ad for a 

caregiver looking to help seniors at 

home. Sounds less expensive than 

going through an agency right? In 

this day and age, it’s best not to be 

“penny wise and pound foolish”. 

Working with a quality agency like 

ABC Home Healthcare ensures the 

caregiver in your home can be trusted 

and that they are trained to help 

you in the best way possible. All our 

workers are carefully screened, bonded 

and insured. ABC also takes care 

of scheduling, supervision and taxes. 

All you need to do is call! 

What’s the best part? 

You have nothing to lose by calling 

ABC! Just that one call can help you 

build a gradual relationship with a 

reliable agency that can support you 

when you need it most. In establishing 

a relationship with ABC, you are 

giving yourself peace of mind that 

if an event, such as a debilitating 

illness or fall, occurs and you need 

in-home assistance, you can rely on 

an agency that you know and trust. 

Having this relationship will allow 

you to be more in control of your 

decision-making based on the facts 

and your experience rather than an 

impulsive, emotional response in 

the moment. By working with ABC 

Home Healthcare Professionals, you 

can rest assured that you are getting 

the quality care that you deserve. 

For most of our adult lives we’ve 

had the ability to make choices about 

how we want to live. Just because we 

are getting older doesn’t mean that 

we don’t still have choices. The choice 

is yours and the key to being successful 

is being proactive! 

Jeannette Sheehan, MSN, CCM, 

RN, Board Certified Nurse Practitioner 

is founder and owner of ABC 

Home Healthcare Professionals, 

providing private medical and nonmedical 

home care services to Metro 

Boston, North Shore, Merrimack Valley 

and the Cape Ann communities. 

When researching home care services, 

give us a call at 781-245-1880, or visit 

our website at www.abchhp.com. 

Home 

Healthcare® 

Professionals 

Let our trained team of compassionate caregivers 

help keep you safe at home. 

From homemaking to skilled nursing, 

when it comes to home care - trust the professionals. 

Call for your FREE In-home Assessment 

781-245-1880 

www.abchhp.com 

All services supervised by Registered Nurses. 

PART-TIME 

Flexible Hours 

Work Close 

to Home 

ENJOY WORKING 

WITH SENIORS? 

Help our clients in 

their homes 

Light Housekeeping 

Meal Preparation • Laundry 

Shopping • Companionship 

COMPETITIVE 

PAY 

FREE Training 

PAID 

TRAVEL TIME 

Plus Mileage 

Rembursement 

Call 781-914-3283 

or visit abchhp.com 

to learn more.


Your best age 

for everything 

By Lori Borgman 

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE 

A chart titled “The Age You Peak at 

Everything,” published by Business 

Insider, was sent my way and was an 

enjoyable read — if you enjoy waves 

of uneasiness that roll your stomach. 

Lest I sound somewhat despondent, 

which is possible since, according to 

the chart, my last Life Satisfaction 

Peak was at age 23 and my next one 

will not occur until age 69, the selling 

point of the chart is that growing 

older comes with benchmarks of contentment. 

One can only hope. 

Of course, there is a lot of ground 

to cover between youth and age with 

numerous peaks along the way, some 

of which you have probably already 

missed. 

The peak age to learn a foreign 

language? Age 7. Yep, that ship has 

sailed; bon voyage. 

In other bad news, your brain processing 

power peaks around age 18. 

A moment for reflection on that 

one. If brain processors peak at age 

18, but greater life satisfaction lies 

beyond 18, could it be that contentment 

is tied to lower brain capacity? 

Just asking. 

Muscle strength tends to peak at 

age 25, followed by the peak likelihood 

of finding a marriage partner, 

which occurs around age 26. The 

sequencing of those two — peak 

strength followed by marriage — is 

entirely logical as marriage takes 

strength. 

Oh, does marriage take strength. 

Right, honey? 

Honey just shouted, “Yes!” 

The peak for bone mass is age 30, 

for playing chess, age 31, and for remembering 

faces, age 32. Your best 

age for the ability to focus is 43. 

Where was I? 

Let’s be honest; we all know what 

follows peaks. Valleys. The chart does 

not note valleys, but it should. The 

chart uses a straight line marked 

with dots for peaks, but realistically, 

life often looks more like a wild EKG. 

Out of the blue, 

age 69 pops up 

as when many 

experience life 

satisfaction — 

again — 46 years 

after the first 

satisfied life peak. 

For an upswing on the EKG, your 

arithmetic skills peak at 50. Apparently, 

the multiplication tables take 

far longer to gel than previously 

thought. 

Peak points appear increasingly 

sparse as the timeline progresses. 

There is a near dearth of activity between 

ages 52 and 68. If that’s where 

you are and it feels like a long, dry 

stretch, it probably is. 

Out of the blue, age 69 pops up as 

when many experience life satisfaction 

— again — 46 years after the 

first satisfied life peak. 

The two remaining peaks are significant. 

Wisdom really may come 

with age. Psychologists gave groups 

of people a conflict and asked for insights, 

responses and possible outcomes. 

The oldest age group — those 

in the 69-90 age range — did better 

than the other ages on almost every 

count. 

The final peak comes at age 82 and 

is for psychological well-being. The 

82- to 85-year-old age group gave the 

highest average number, which was 7 

on a scale of 10. 

Not a bad crescendo. Not bad at all. 

Repeat after me: The best may be 

yet to come, the best may be yet to 

come. 

Quinn on Nutrition: 

Nourishing healthy hair 

By Barbara Quinn 

THE MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD 

A reader writes: “I am a 70+ woman 

who is losing her hair! I’m not on radiation 

or chemotherapy and am in generally 

good health. A couple of years 

ago, I noticed my hair falling out, and 

now as it tentatively grows back very 

slowly, it is even thinner and finer 

than before (and continues to shed). 

I began taking biotin at my (doctor’s) 

advice. It doesn’t seem to have 

done anything to correct the loss. Can 

you give me any advice about supplements 

other than biotin, or any foods 

I might be missing for hair growth? 

My nails are very thin and subject 

to splitting as well. Both my parents 

died with hair on their heads, but I’m 

not sure I will!” 

— Linda K. 

Dear Linda, 

You did right to consult your doctor 

on this, since he or she hopefully 

knows your total health history. Nutrition 

experts say a deficiency of biotin 

is extremely rare. That said, a deficiency 

can cause a gradual thinning 

and loss of hair all over the body, according 

to the NIH Office of Dietary 

Supplements. Other symptoms of biotin 

deficiency can include skin rashes 

and brittle nails. By the way, there 

PHOTO | TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE 

Nutrition experts say a deficiency of biotin is extremely rare, but a deficiency 

can cause a gradual thinning and loss of hair all over the body. 

is more evidence that biotin supplements 

may help brittle nails than 

there is about their effect on hair loss. 

A woman your age needs about 30 

micrograms of biotin a day, according 

to the latest recommendations. Good 

sources include eggs, fish, pork, beef, 

sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. 

And steer clear of too much alcohol; 

it can interfere with the absorption of 

biotin. 

Nutritionally, our hair follicles — 

the cells in our skin that grow hair 

— use a variety of nutrients to produce 

healthy hair. A deficiency of one 

or more key nutrients can affect the 

structure as well as the growth of 

hair, say experts. 

Nutrients that can literally make 

your hair fall out if they are deficient 

in the diet include iron, protein, niacin 

and zinc. Foods that possess all of 

these nutrients include fish, poultry, 

lean meat, eggs and legumes. 

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, 

flax and walnuts are also essential to 

shiny, healthy hair. 

I like that you asked about foods 

— not just supplements — that may 

benefit hair growth. Concentrated 

doses of some nutrients, such as you 

find in some dietary supplements, 

can backfire if you take too much.


CUFFE-McGINN 

FUNERAL HOME 

By JoNel Aleccia 

KAISER HEALTH NEWS 

Of all the indignities that come 

with aging, excessive earwax may be 

the most insidious. 

Don’t laugh. 

That greasy, often gross, buildup 

occurs more often in older ears than 

those of the young, experts say. And 

when it goes unrecognized, it can pose 

serious problems, especially for the 2.2 

million people who live in U.S. nursing 

homes and assisted living centers. 

“The excessive amount (of earwax) 

can cause hearing loss or ringing in 

your ears. Some people experience vertigo, 

which increases the risk of falling,” 

said Jackie Clark, a board-certified audiologist 

who is president of the American 

Academy of Audiology. “Right now, 

we see some correlation between hearing 

loss and cognitive decline.” 

Earwax — which is not really wax 

at all, but a substance called cerumen 

that binds with dirt, dust and debris 

— is normally produced by the body 

as a way to clean and protect the 

ears. In most people, the self-cleaning 

process works fine. 

But in others — including about 10 

percent of young children, 20 percent 

of adults and more than 30 percent of 

elderly and developmentally disabled 

people — the wax collects to the point 


Janie York examines the ear of Elaine Martin at the SilverRidge 

Assisted Living facility in Gretna, Neb. 

Earwax, of all things, poses 

a risk in long-term care 

where it can completely block the ear 

canal. 

Up to two-thirds of people in nursing 

homes may suffer from that condition, 

known as impaction, according 

to 2017 guidelines for removal of 

impacted earwax issued by the American 

Academy of Otolaryngology- 

Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. 

In 2016, federal Medicare recipients 

logged nearly 1.7 million earwax 

removal services at a cost of 

more than $51 million, according to 

payment records analyzed by Kaiser 

Health News. 

“In elderly patients, it’s fairly common,” 

said Dr. Seth Schwartz, a Seattle 

otolaryngologist who led the most recent 

update of the guidelines. “It seems 

like such a basic thing, but it’s one of 

the most common reasons people present 

for hearing-related problems.” 

It’s so bad that Janie York, of Omaha, 

Neb., started Hear Now mobile 

hearing solutions, one of a growing 

number of businesses devoted to 

cleaning hearing aids and checking 

the ears of elderly people living in 

residential care settings. 

“It’s epidemic,” said York, whose 

clients now include 10 local centers. 

“About 3 in 5 people I see have some 

degree of impaction and most are 

completely impacted.” 

781-599-3901 

157 Maple St., Lynn | cuffemcginn.com 

781-334-2520 

700 SUMMER STREET 

LYNNFIELD 

LIFE WELL CELEBRATED 

Serving the community since 1934 

Proud member of the 

Dignity Memorial network 

JOHN KOZLAUSKA 

D.M.D. 

• All phases of general dentistry with emphasis on prevention 

• Tufts Dental Clinical Instructor for 8 years 

• Readers #1 Choice 

• Affordable treatment options 

• Complimentary consultation 

• Senior discounts 

• Call now!


Wondering how to protect your assets? 

The Law Office of Julie Low can help 

The Law Office of Julie Low practices exclusively 

in estate planning and administration, elder law, 

and special needs planning. 

The firm designs customized, comprehensive 

will-based and trust-based estate plans to meet 

each client’s unique needs. Whether your goal is 

to protect assets from future long-term care costs, 

minimize estate taxes and administration fees, 

ensure a legacy for your descendants, provide 

for your needs in the event of incapacity, or protect 

and provide for a family member with special 

needs, the Law Office of Julie Low can design an 

estate plan that meets your objectives. 

Attorney Low opened her Beverly-based firm because 

she had a vision for the way law should be 

practiced — with a focus on the client instead of 

billable hours. 

She believes in creating an inviting, personable 

atmosphere where clients feel comfortable discussing 

very personal subjects. Attorney Low fully engages 

her clients in the design process, educating 

and guiding them to make informed decisions. The 

end result is a comprehensive plan clients understand, 

rather than a set of documents that have 

little personal meaning. 

The firm charges fixed prices instead of traditional 

hourly rates for estate planning. Ms. Low 

believes clients appreciate knowing the cost of services 

up-front and the open communication such 

an approach fosters. 

Client meetings are centered around important 

issues — not the clock — and are handled with a 

touch of lightheartedness, when appropriate, "because 

contemplating disability, incapacity or death 

is not a delightful or pleasant experience for most." 

Clients are invited to contact Julie, or a team 

member, with questions, without worrying about 

being billed for extra time. Daytime, as well as evening 

meetings, are available by appointment. 

One of the firm’s specialties is the creation of 

Long-Term Care Plans to help clients navigate 

the complicated regulations of Medicaid, Veterans 

Benefits, and other government programs. 

Because Julie is knowledgeable in planning for 

both types of Medicaid (traditional nursing home 

and the lesser known, but unbelievably beneficial, 

community programs), she reviews her clients’ options 

with an eye to all programs to ensure each 

plan provides later flexibility. 

In addition to being an accredited attorney with 

the Veteran’s Administration, Julie is a member of 

WealthCounsel, ElderCounsel, The National 

Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), ElderLaw 

Answers and The Academy of Special 

Needs Planners. 

She graduated cum laude from Western New 

England University School of Law. 

In her free time, Julie volunteers with North 

Shore Elder Services’ Money Management Program, 

assisting local seniors with paying bills and 

budgeting, and on Northeast ARC’s Human Rights 

Committee. 

The Law Office of Julie Low provides complimentary 

workshops on the basics of Estate Planning 

and Long Term Care. 

In conjunction with a local Geriatric Care Manager, 

Julie has also produced a free and informative 

guide for navigating Long Term Care on the 

North Shore. 

Call the Law Office of Julie Low today to receive 

a copy, or to sign up for the next workshop. 

Elder Law 

Estate Planning 

Medicaid Planning 

Veterans Benefits 

Wills & Trusts 

Special Needs Planning 

Probate & 

Estate Administration 

For peace of mind, for those you love, estate planning! 

Saturday 

Septemeber 29 

10 a.m.-noon 

Law Office of 

PLLC 

Estate Planning • Elder Law • Special Needs 

Receive a half-price, one-hour consultation after attending 

one of our estate planning workshops. 

Tuesday 

October 2 

6:30-8:30 p.m. 

Saturday 

October 27 

10 a.m.-noon 

Tuesday 

Novemeber 13 

6:30-8:30 p.m. 

Saturday 

December 1 

10 a.m.-noon 

Space Space is is limited •• Registration is is required. Call today! Today! 978-922-8800 

4 Federal St., Beverly • www.lawofficeofjulielow.com 

Tuesday 

December 11 

6:30-8:30 p.m.


All Care’s Palliative Care Program 

continues to grow within the community 

Over a year ago, All Care Visiting 

Nurse and Hospice expanded its services 

in the community to include a 

Palliative Care Program. Since its 

inception, the program has served 

over 300 patients and provides interdisciplinary 

care to patients with 

an advanced terminal illness, while 

providing support to their family and 

caregivers. This interdisciplinary 

team focuses on the physical, emotional, 

social and spiritual needs of 

the patient, and provides individualized 

focus on symptom management, 

goals of care and education. 

All Care’s Palliative Care program 

provides 24/7 support, collaborates 

closely with all members of the patient’s 

medical team and provides all 

services within the comfort of the patient’s 

home. 

All Care’s Palliative Care team consists 

of Program Manager, Laurie 

McFarland RN; Nurse Practitioner 

Nicole Martinez, AGPCNP-BC, MSN; 

Psychologist, Jerry Schwartz, PhD, 

LMHC and Social Worker, Debra L 

Amato, LCSW. Along with All Care’s 

VNA, Hospice, Adult Foster Care, 

Private Pay Resources and Adult 

Day Health, All Care’s Palliative 

Care Program aids in servicing the 

full continuum of care for patients in 

their own home. 

For example, Ruth had been dealing 

with advancing cardiac illness 

over the course of several years, 

finding herself entering the hospital 

more and more frequently. She 

would spend up to a week in the hospital, 

which was often followed by a 

stay in a rehabilitation facility before 

being able to return home. Despite 

Ruth’s advancing medical condition, 

she was a vibrant, intelligent, independent 

woman who did not want 

her life to be based on the never-ending 

cycle of hospitalizations. When 

she was first referred to All Care, 

hospice wasn’t an option, she just 

simply wasn’t “there” yet. By accessing 

services through All Care’s Palliative 

Care Program, Ruth was able 

to better manage her disease and 

be supported in her home. Ruth received 

visits from a nurse and nurse 

practitioner who kept a watchful eye 

on her symptoms and helped her to 

avoided further hospitalizations. 

Ruth also received support from the 

psychologist who helped her come to 

terms with her cardiac disease as it 

continued to progress. Eventually 

Ruth made the decision to transition 

to Hospice, a process made easier by 

the support and symptom management 

of her Palliative Care Team. 

If you are wondering, “When is Palliative 

Care right for me or someone 

close to me?” please ask yourself the 

following questions: 

Have you or your loved one been diagnosed 

with a serious, life limiting 

illness? 

Have you or your loved one been experiencing 

frequent ER trips and/or 

hospitalizations? Has this frequency 

increased dramatically over time? 

Are you or your loved one experiencing 

symptoms that are affecting 

the quality of your life, such as pain, 

anxiety, shortness of breath, fatigue, 

nausea, etc.? 

Are you or your loved one faced 

with making decisions regarding life 

sustaining treatments and need a resource 

to help you navigate through 

those difficult decisions? 

For more information about remaining 

independent and supported 

at home while dealing with a serious 

life limiting illness, or to make a referral 

to our Palliative Care Program, 

please call 781-598-7066 or visit us at 

www.allcare.org. 

Caring for you at home 

Because there’s no place like home. It’s memories of your past, comfort in the present, and the place you want to be, living independently, now and in the future. 

If you or a loved one need assistance living at home, All Care is here to help you. 

For over 100 years, All Care has provided exceptional home care services to many seniors just like you. Our goal is to help 

you maintain a high quality of life, stay active, safe and living as independently as possible in the comfort of your home. 

All Care serves 65 communities throughout the North Shore, Greater Boston and Merrimack Valley with a full continuum of 

home care services that transition seamlessly with each other to fulfill your needs at every level of care. We offer solutions, 

assistance and peace of mind with a personalized plan of care for you through: 

All Care Visiting Nurse Association 

Professional nursing care and rehabilitation 

therapies 

Palliative Care Program 

Pain management, education and support 

All Care Hospice 

Comfort and compassionate 

end of life care 

All Care Resources/Private PayCare 

Supportive care for daily life at home 

If you need help at home, 

ask for All Care... because there’s no place like home. 

www.allcare.org For ALL Your Home Care Needs. 781-598-2454


Heat is a necessity, not a luxury 

No matter what type of heating system you 

have, LEO’s Fuel Assistance program can help 

you pay your heating bills. 1 out of 3 homes 

is eligible; they currently serve nearly 3,000 

households, and over 7,000 individuals. Homeowners, 

renters, and renters with heat included 

can benefit. Many that are not eligible for fuel 

assistance qualify for utility discounts; this benefit 

is just as helpful. 

Birgitta Damon, CEO of Lynn Economic Opportunity, 

Inc. understands that in order to 

serve the community, you must listen to their 

needs. “We know from data sourced from our 

community survey that 50% of respondents 

identified the cost of energy as a primary concern. 

We are committed to reaching all eligible 

residents in order to ease this burden. We can 

help so many more.” 

A New England winter is long. From November 

through April, LEO works to service as 

many eligible clients as possible. Once you have 

been through the intake process, the program is 

simple. Payments are made right to your heating 

company. LEO staff is knowledgeable, considerate 

and careful with sensitive documents. 

LEO’s main goal is to provide assistance to 

those most vulnerable to the cold. 23% of the 

individuals served are children under the age 

of 17 years old. 36% of fuel assisted households 

include a resident 60 years or older. 

Darlene Gallant, Community Services Director, 

sees the doors that open for a household once 

they engage with LEO, “Fuel Assistance is the 

gateway to other benefits. Those who have National 

Grid will receive a 25% discount on utility 

bills. This discount rate may qualify households 

for an energy audit, updated appliances, home 

weatherization and heating systems repair. 

LEO wants to reach working households who 

just need some help with winter heating costs. 

There is a misconception that fuel assistance 

is limited to individuals receiving government 

assistance. That notion is simply not the truth; 

our client base is incredibly diverse.” 

LEO serves residents of Lynn, Lynnfield, 

Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus, Swampscott 

and Wakefield. Stop by Lynn Economic Opportunity, 

Inc. (LEO) at 156 Broad Street, Room 

110 or visit leoinc.org. 

For emergencies, use our 24-hour hotline: 

781-581-7220 x 340. 

Walk-in hours: 

Monday - 8 a.m. to noon 

Tuesday - 1 to 4 p.m 

Thursday - 8 to 11:30 a.m. 

and 1 to 4 p.m. 

By appointment only 

on Tuesday evenings: 

4:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc., (LEO) works 

to alleviate the immediate impact of poverty 

while providing pathways to financial stability for 

individuals, families, and for the benefit of the 

community of Lynn and its surrounding towns. 

156 Broad St. 

leoinc.org 

781-581-7220


Penn and Drexel experts see hope for better lives with dementia 

By Stacey Burling 

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER 

It’s hard to argue that hearing you 

have dementia is not deeply depressing. 

After all, most forms of dementia 

are progressive, fatal and, currently, 

untreatable. 

But Philadelphia aging experts 

Laura Gitlin and Nancy Hodgson see 

hope. “There’s always something you 

can do,” said Hodgson, chair of gerontology 

at the University of Pennsylvania 

School of Nursing. 

Gitlin, dean of the College of Nursing 

and Health Professions at Drexel 

University, said the lack of a medical 

cure doesn’t mean that life for people 

with dementia and their caregivers 

can’t be made better. She is appalled 

that primary-care doctors, who make 

most dementia diagnoses, are still 

telling patients there’s nothing they 

can do for them. “That’s just not acceptable,” 

she said. 

The duo, who previously worked 

together at Thomas Jefferson and 

Johns Hopkins Universities and the 

former Philadelphia Geriatric Center, 

collaborated on a new book, “Better 

Living with Dementia.” It advocates 

for a multidisciplinary approach to 

dementia care that emphasizes helping 

patients find meaningful activities 

they can do at any stage of the 

disease. Gitlin and Hodgson say the 

book is meant for both professional 

and lay audiences, but the academicpress 

price tag — online it starts at 

$76 — will likely deter many family 

caregivers. Broadly, it calls for thinking 

in a systemic way about how 

professionals, family caregivers, and 

society can support people with dementia 

— and caregivers — in their 

homes and communities. 

Hodgson said that medical professionals 

are “typically very deficitfocused.” 

They look for weaknesses 

that can be fixed. Given the lack of 

treatments for dementia, she said, 

it makes more sense to find “preserved 

strengths” and help patients 

use them as long as possible. Strategies 

that focus on using strengths 

to create meaningful activities can 

decrease social isolation, agitation, 

and boredom, Gitlin said. They work 

better than any drug now available. 

“There is no drug for boredom,” she 

said. “There is no drug for resisting 

care.” 

While they sympathize about the 

time pressures many doctors face, 

Gitlin and Hodgson said newly diagnosed 

patients and their families 

need much better education than 

they’re getting about dementia, an 

umbrella term for several types of 

progressive cognitive decline, including 

Alzheimer’s disease. At the very 

least, they should be told how to 

contact the Alzheimer’s Association, 

which has sound educational materials 

and support groups. Other organizations 

also support people with 

frontotemporal or Lewy body dementias. 

Yes, many people can easily search 

for these things online, but, Gitlin 

and Hodgson said, some elderly caregivers 

can’t and many others don’t. 

If caregivers don’t understand the 

disease and how it progresses, they 

have an especially hard time understanding 

a loved one’s behavior and 

responding appropriately. 

Gitlin suggests that caregivers who 

have the money — insurance likely 

won’t cover this — hire a geriatric social 

worker to assess their needs and 

help with long-term planning. Families 

need to think about safety, who 

will provide care, and where their 

loved one with dementia will live as 

the illness worsens. 

Hodgson thinks families can also 

benefit from an evaluation by an 

occupational therapist who is specifically 

trained in cognitive function. 

Insurance might cover this if a doctor 

writes a prescription. This kind of 

therapist can help people know what 

someone with dementia can still do 

and what is no longer safe. 

Families often learn the hard way 

that someone with dementia should 

no longer be driving or using the 

stove. Guns should be locked and 

monitored, if not banished from the 

house. Gitlin said families find it very 

hard to get rid of guns when, say, a 

former police officer gets dementia. 

“People struggle with this because 

they feel it’s a way of taking away a 

person’s identity,” she said. 

People with dementia often just sit 


Nancy Hodgson, left, and Laura Gitlin have written a book on living with dementia, in Center City, 

Philadelphia. 

around all day, Hodgson said. 

This is where an evaluation can 

help families create meaningful activities. 

They may seem time-consuming, 

Hodgson said, but they pay 

off in better behavior. 

Gitlin said an occupational therapist 

learned that an agitated man 

in an adult day center had been an 

accountant. The center workers gave 

him a desk and a spreadsheet. Then 

they gave him money from the previous 

day to count and sort. He began 

looking forward to helping out each 

day. 

Another therapist helped a family 

set up a desk for an architect with 

dementia. They asked him to design 

a room each day. Other people might 

enjoy putting a salad together even if 

they can no longer follow a recipe or 

safely chop vegetables. 

Gitlin said doctors need to stop saying 

there’s nothing that can be done 

for dementia. “There’s a lot you can 

do,” she said, “and you can make life 

better.”


Eye exam shows promise 

in predicting Alzheimer’s 

By Michele Munz 

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 

ST. LOUIS — Using an easy eye 

exam, researchers at Washington 

University of Medicine in St. Louis 

were able to detect evidence of Alzheimer’s 

disease in patients before 

they had symptoms of the disease. 

The findings, involving 30 patients, 

were published today in the journal 

JAMA Ophthalmology. 

Scientists estimate that Alzheimer’s-related 

plaques begin accumulating 

in the brain two decades before 

the onset of symptoms. Physicians 

can use PET scans and lumbar punctures 

to detect the plaques, but the 

tests are expensive and invasive. 

Researchers have been looking for 

ways to detect the disease sooner and 

test drugs to intervene. 

“We know the pathology of Alzheimer’s 

disease starts to develop 

years before symptoms appear,” said 

co-principal investigator Dr. Gregory 

Van Stavern, “but if we could use this 

eye test to notice when the pathology 

is beginning, it may be possible one 

day to start treatments sooner to delay 

further damage.” 


Dr. Gregory Van Stavern, seated, and Dr. Rajendra Apte examine 

the eyes of a woman using technology that may one day make it 

possible to screen patients for Alzheimer's disease years before 

symptoms begin. 

Longer studies involving more people 

are needed, but if changes detected 

with the eye test can be used as 

markers for Alzheimer’s risk, it may 

be possible to screen people in their 

40s or 50s, Van Stavern said. 

The 30 study participants had an 

average age in the mid 70s. None 

were experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. 

Out of the study group, 17 had 

PET scans or lumbar punctures that 

showed evidence of accumulating 

plaques. The eye exams of all 17 also 

detected retinal thinning and large 

areas without blood vessels in the 

center of their retinas. 

In the new study, researchers used 

a technology similar to what is found 

in many eye doctors’ offices to measure 

thickness of the retina and optic 

nerve fibers. They added one component 

to the common test –angiography 

– which also allowed them to 

look at blood-flow patterns. 

“In patients whose PET scans and 

cerebrospinal fluid showed preclinical 

Alzheimer’s,” Van Stavern said, “the 

area at the center of the retina without 

blood vessels was significantly 

larger, suggesting less blood flow.” 

Another October, 

another pink month for 

breast cancer survivor 

By Gracie Bonds Staples 

THE ATLANTA 

JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION 

On average, every two minutes a 

woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, 

and one woman will die of breast cancer 

every 13 minutes, according to the National 

Breast Cancer Foundation. 

That moment arrived four years 

ago for Bonnie Ross-Parker of Atlanta, 

just two months shy of her 70th 

birthday. 

She’d gone in for an annual checkup 

and there it was. A lump just under 

her nipple. 

An MRI confirmed something was 

there, and after the biopsy, there 

were no more questions. 

Ross-Parker had breast cancer. 

“I never would’ve imagined I would 

be diagnosed with cancer at that 

age,” she said. 

Actually, breast cancer is still a disease 

of older women. Half of newly 

diagnosed women are over 60, and 

more than a fifth are over 70. 

If there’s any consolation in that, it 

is this: While the risk of being diagnosed 

with breast cancer increases 

with age, the chance of dying from it 

declines steadily. 

Ross-Parker will soon be 74 and 

cancer-free. 

Every year, I introduce people to 

women like Ross-Parker who has had 

to confront the C-word. And every 

October, we trot out our pink ribbons 

in hopes of raising awareness and 

funds. 

Ross-Parker has been there, done 

that, too. 

Nearly 20 years before her own diagnosis, 

she signed up for the annual 

Avon Breast Cancer Walk, a 60-mile 

stretch over three days, to show her 

support for a dear colleague. 

“It was tough,” Ross-Parker said. 

“It was very tough. There were days 

I wanted to quit.” 

But she didn’t. When she arrived at 

Piedmont Park that day, it was pregnant 

with women dressed in pink 

shirts. 

“I never lost sight of that experience,” 

Ross-Parker said. 


Bonnie Ross-Parker, 73, of Atlanta, 

wears pink the entire 

month of October. It’s her way 

of celebrating being a breast 

cancer survivor and raising 

awareness about the disease. 

Then in 2014, she was forced to 

deal with the same reality, the best 

change agent there is. 

“Like anything else, our awareness 

increases relative to what’s going on 

in and around us,” Ross-Parker said. 

Sure enough, something clicked 

inside Ross-Parker, and she wanted 

to remember all those sisters who’d 

already been diagnosed and those 

who would follow, while at the same 

time celebrate the survivors, herself 

included. 

Her own cancer journey increased 

her compassion for others and helped 

her realize how uncertain and precious 

life is. It’s why she signed up 

to volunteer at Northside Hospital, 

where she underwent chemotherapy 

and radiation treatment; wrote an e- 

book titled “Discovery and Recovery”; 

and continues doing whatever she can 

to raise awareness about the disease.


Make a Difficult Day a Bit Easier For Your Family 

Planning-Ahead Final Arrangements 

Although planning final arrangements is not 

something most of us want to think about, it is 

one of the greatest gifts you can give your 

family. 

For 85 years, Puritan Lawn has been a leader 

in providing Plan-Ahead information. Making 

cemetery Plan-Ahead programs available to 

our community has continued to be one of the 

cornerstones of Puritan Lawn’s charter. 

Plan-Ahead information is provided to families 

and it is up to them to decide how and 

when it makes sense to start a program. 

Why Consider Planning Ahead? 

The alternative to Planning-Ahead is a partner, 

spouse, or children are left to make all 

the decisions alone and at a very difficult 

time. Taking this step together removes this 

burden from your family at what is already a 

very difficult emotional time. 

What if I Want Cremation? 

We have a state of the art cremation facility 

and offer both traditional burial and cremation 

arrangements. We will customize arrangements 

to accommodate your wishes. 

Do I Save Money by Preplanning? 

On average, cemetery costs double every 8-10 

years. Planning-Ahead secures today’s prices 

and avoids emotional overspending. 

Are Payment Plans Available? 

When a cemetery lot is arranged at the time of 

passing, all cemeteries require full payment 

prior to a burial. By planning ahead, families 

can take advantage of a variety of affordable 

monthly payment plans. 

Will Cemetery Always be Maintained? 

Our professionally managed 85 year old irrevocable 

trust fund assures that park care will 

continue in perpetuity and there will never be 

any assessments to owners or heirs. 

How Can I Learn More? 

Our staff is available 7 days a week to serve 

families. We would be honored to provide 

information or give you a personalized tour of 

the park. If more convenient, we can even 

arrange to bring information to your home. 

It is important that you and your family feel 

comfortable in the setting that you choose. 

Puritan Lawn has one of the most naturally 

beautiful settings in the country and offers 

dozens or areas to select from. We are one of 

the few cemeteries in the area where you can 

Plan-Ahead all necessary steps. 

Over 90% of Puritan Lawn 

cemetery services are by 

families that decided 

to Plan-Ahead. 

Learn More About Planning-Ahead Together 

See for Yourself Why Puritan Lawn is So Unique 

Make a Wise Choice 

Learn About Planning-Ahead Together 

Puritan Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery & Crematory 

185 Lake Street Peabody, MA 01960 (978) 535-3660 Puritanlawn.com


At what age is your self 

esteem at its highest? 

By Karen D'Souza 

THE MERCURY NEWS 


A recent study suggests self-esteem peaks around age 60. 

In our youth-obsessed culture, where 

ageism has never been stronger and 

looking younger is next to godliness, it 

may be easy to assume young people 

feel happier than older ones. Nope. According 

to science, at least one thing 

gets better with age and that’s your 

self-esteem. 

In fact, a paper published recently in 

the journal Psychological Bulletin, selfesteem 

seems to peak around age 60 

and that uplifting feeling may well last 

for an entire decade. So maybe 60 really 

is the new 40? 

“Midlife is, for many adults, a TIME 

of highly stable life circumstances in 

domains such as relationships and 

work. Moreover, during middle adulthood, 

most individuals further invest 

in the social roles they hold, which 

might promote their self-esteem,” 

study co-author Ulrich Orth, a professor 

of psychology at the University of 

Bern in Switzerland, told TIME. “For 

example, people take on managerial 

roles at work, maintain a satisfying 

relationship with their spouse or partner, 

and help their children to become 

responsible and independent adults.” 

Researchers examined 191 articles 

about self-esteem, which included data 

from almost 165,000 people, for a comprehensive 

look at how self-esteem 

changes with age, exploring different 

demographics and age groups. Apparently, 

self-esteem begins to rise between 

ages 4 and 11, as children develop and 

revel in a sense of independence. Those 

feelings level off in the teenage years 

and hold steady until mid-adolescence. 

After that, self-esteem grows substantially 

until age 30, then more gradually 

throughout middle adulthood, before 

peaking around age 60. Unfortunately, 

sometime after age 70, it seems to take 

a hit, a factor which gets more worrying 

as you approach 90. 

It should also be noted that women 

tended to have lower self-esteem than 

men in young adulthood, but gain parity 

as the decades wear on. 

Sadly, it also appears that people in 

happy relationships experience the 

same drop in self-esteem during old 

age as people in unhappy relationships. 

So much for romantic bliss. 

“Although they enter old age with 

higher self-esteem and continue to have 

higher self-esteem as they age, they decline 

in self-esteem to the same extent 

as people in unhappy relationships,” 

said co-author Kali H. Trzesniewski, 

PhD, of the University of Western Ontario, 

as the American Psychological Association 

noted. “Thus, being in a happy 

relationship does not protect a person 

against the decline in self-esteem that 

typically occurs in old age.” 

The upside is that the years between 

60 and 70, generally speaking, 

appear to be as golden as they have 

been made out to be. 

Social Security: You’ll feel 

like you’re on vacation 

with how easy this is 

By Nicole Tiggemann 


August might be the last of the 

months that people think of when we 

say “summer vacation,” but it’s by no 

means the least. People are still taking 

trips and hosting family while 

enjoying America’s beaches and national 

parks. Social Security might 

not be on the top of your to-do list 

when you’re on vacation, but we’ve 

made it so easy to do business with 

us online that you can connect with 

us pool-side or on the go. 

We are constantly expanding 

our online services to give you 

freedom and control in how you 

wish to conduct business with us. 

Our online services help you plan 

for the future and keep you in 

control of your benefits. You can 

go online to: 

• Find out if you qualify for benefits; 

• Use our benefit planners to help 

you better understand your Social 

Security protection; 

• Estimate your future retirement 

benefits to help you plan for your financial 

future; 

• Apply for retirement or Medicare 

quickly and easily; and 

• Open your personal https://www. 

ssa.gov/myaccount/ my Social Security 

account. It is a powerful tool 

to help you stay in control of your 

Social Security record. If you don’t 

receive benefits yet, you can: 

• Get your Social Security Statement 

to review your earnings and 

make sure they’re recorded correctly; 

• Get a https://www.ssa.gov/hlp/ 

mySSA/df-beve.htm benefit verification 

letter to prove you don’t 

receive Social Security benefits or 

that you applied but haven’t received 

an answer yet; 

• Request a replacement Social Security 

card if you meet https://www. 

ssa.gov/ssnumber/#issnrc certain 

requirements; and 

• Check the status of your application 

or appeal a decision. 

If you receive benefits, you can: 

• Change your address and phone 

number; 

• Get a https://www.ssa.gov/hlp/ 

mySSA/df-beve.htm benefit verification 

letter to prove you receive Social 

Security benefits, Supplemental 

Security Income (SSI), or Medicare; 

• Change your direct deposit information 

at any time; 

• Request a replacement Medicare 

card; and 

• Get a replacement https://www. 

ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10057.pdf Benefit 

Statement (SSA-1099 or SSA- 

1042S) for tax purposes. 

Kick your feet up and grab your 

laptop or even your cellphone. You 

can access our online services page 

and do much of your business with 

us when you’re on the go at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. 

Remember, you can easily share our 

webpages and resources by copying 

the link and messaging a family member 

or friend. Now, go enjoy that vacation 

or start planning your next one 

knowing that, at Social Security, we’re 

securing your today and tomorrow. 

"You can access our online services page and do much of 

your business with us when you’re on the go at 

www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices."


Make Your Money Last! 

Brooksby Village is the best 

financial option for your retirement. 

We’ve done the math! Brooksby Village is a smarter choice than senior 

rental communities and other retirement living options on the North Shore. 

Choose Brooksby Village and: 

PRESERVE your hard-earned savings 

PAY LESS for monthly fees 

ENJOY MORE amenities and services 

Brooksby Village apartment homes are more affordable than you think! 

Let us show you why we’re the best decision for your future, your 

family, and your finances. 

Call 1-800-614-6998 to learn more or 

to request your free 54-page brochure. 

12982544-DISS 

North Shore 

BrooksbyVillage.com


Charles 

Bohlinger, left, 

congratulates 

Robert White 

after he was 

presented 

with a Bronze 

Star Tuesday 

afternoon at 

the Hampton 

VA Medical 

Center in 

Hampton, Va. 

PHOTO | TRIBUNE 

NEWS SERVICE 

Long overdue, a WWII 

vet gets his Bronze Star 

By Hugh Lessig 

DAILY PRESS (NEWPORT NEWS, VA.) 

Robert S. White received a Bronze 

Star Tuesday, Aug. 21, during a short 

ceremony at the Hampton VA Medical 

Center, more than 70 years after he 

helped liberate Europe from the Nazis. 

White didn’t seem to mind. In fact, 

he was stunned by the attention — a 

cake, well-wishers, TV cameras, even 

a congressman. 

He figured Uncle Sam would mail 

him a Bronze Star and he’d resume 

his busy life. 

White has been married for 72 years 

and had five children. He worked as 

a sheet metal mechanic at Newport 

News Shipbuilding for nearly four 

decades. He’s run nine marathons. 

He is 94 years old and last jogged on 

Monday, the usual 3 miles. 

The secret to longevity? Clean 

living and a steady diet of “beans, 

greens and sweet potatoes,” he says. 

So he hasn’t exactly been sitting 

around and waiting for his Bronze 

Star to arrive. In fact, he only realized 

his eligibility several years ago. 

With the help of friends at the 

Hampton VA, the Disabled American 

Veterans Chapter 13 of York County 

and Rep. Scott Taylor, the wheels 

went into motion. 

It culminated in Tuesday’s ceremony. 

“I never dreamed it was going to be 

this big,” White said, looking around 

the room. “It’s a shock to me.” 

Army Pvt. 1st Class White fought 

across Northern Europe in 1944-1945 

with the 507th Parachute Infantry 

Regiment. He served as a communications 

lineman. 

The unit was involved in climactic 

offensives that heralded the beginning 

of the end of World War II, including 

the Battle of the Bulge. 

A native of Leland, N.C., White saw 

the worst of the Nazi war machine, 

helping to liberate a forced labor camp 

near Essen, Germany. He came upon 

starving prisoners and remembers a 

concrete wall pock-marked with bullet 

holes “where they mowed them down.” 

He served from 1943 to 1946 and 

moved to Hampton Roads in 1951. 

At the Hampton VA, White belongs 

to a group of World War II and Korean 

War veterans who talk about 

post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Carlson Pendleton, a clinical therapist 

and Vietnam War veteran, facilitates 

the group. He didn’t talk about 

White’s case specifically but said it can 

be difficult for veterans to seek help. 

The tough-it-out attitude in the 

armed forces can discourage some 

people from coming forward. 

“That’s probably the worse advice 

to give anybody,” he said. “It’s the 

same thing with any kind of emotional 

condition. If you deny it, it doesn’t 

go anywhere. You have to confront it.” 

Success tastes that 

much sweeter after a 

long, arduous journey 

By Ana Veciana-Suarez 


“Be not afraid of growing slowly. Be 

afraid only of standing still.” — Chinese 

proverb 

Perhaps it’s envy, perhaps a simple 

function of age, but I’ve grown weary 

(and wary) of stories about precocity. 

The teen who launches a successful 

startup. The college student who publishes 

a bestseller that also happens 

to be lyrical, compelling and wise. The 

20-something who paints masterfully. 

They’re fascinating, these tales of 

early genius, but they make me wonder 

what the heck I’m doing at my 

computer, long day after long day, 

hoping for that big break. Surely I’m 

not alone in trying to figure out why 

success comes quick and easily to 

some, while others, just as talented 

and hardworking, plod and ponder 

for years, even decades. 

Mention genius and we think about 

the young whose proficiency flamed 

early. Mozart composed a famous piano 

concerto at 21 and Orson Welles 

wrote “Citizen Kane” at 25. Picasso’s 

first “serious” masterpiece was 

completed at 20. Saul Aaron Kripke 

thought up his first completeness 

theorem in modal logic — whatever 

that is — at the age of 17. Both Mark 

Zuckerberg and Bill Gates co-founded 

their companies as college students. 

So, yes, the examples of talent flowering 

early are plentiful and nothing 

short of amazing. Yet, I can’t help but 

draw more inspiration from those 

who met their victories with a headful 

of gray hair and a face with its 

share of wrinkles. They give me hope; 

they give me reason to continue believing 

that breakthrough work can 

come at any age, if you have faith in 

yourself and learn, learn, learn, work, 

work, work. 

That’s probably why encountering 

two articles last week about women 

who found success at an age when 

most of us believe the best is behind 

us has proven so encouraging. Sometimes 

good things come to us slowly, 

incrementally. Sometimes it’s about 

perseverance. Sometimes it’s about 

finding your calling after years of raising 

a family or earning a living. How 

you get to The Moment, however, really 

doesn’t matter. At the risk of sounding 

hokey, of eliciting eye-rolling and 

snickers, it’s about the journey; about 

discovery and determination. 

Consider the story of Mary Delany, 

a 72-year-old Englishwoman 

who, in the 1770s, invented a new 

art form as she grieved the death of 

her second husband. On a visit to a 

friend, she met two botanists who 

had accompanied an explorer on his 

journey through the South Pacific. 

Enthralled, she picked up a pair of 

scissors and began cutting pieces of 

paper to create mosaics of plant life. 

Those startlingly accurate mosaics 

are now in the British museum, according 

to an article in Literary Hub, 

and botanists continue to consult 

them two centuries later. 

Then there’s the 21st century version 

of that story. Anne Youngson is 

70 and a debut author. Her novel, 

“Meet Me in the Museum,” is as 

much the story of two older people’s 

budding intimacy as it is about our 

ability to reimagine our lives, regardless 

of age. 

Away from the creative world, where 

maturity is a boon because of the wisdom 

it can confer, many greet success 

in midlife and way beyond. Colonel 

Sanders didn’t franchise KFC until 

he was 62. Cinde J. Dolphin created 

the firm Marketing For Mavericks, to 

help California winemakers with social 

media in her late 50s, when she 

wasn’t getting any callbacks on her 

job applications. And Fauja Singh ran 

his first marathon at 89. 

I suspect, however, that the best 

thing about being a late bloomer is 

not just about receiving lots of money 

or public recognition. It’s also about 

the long and arduous struggle for 

mastery. The recognition for success, 

when tempered with failures, tastes 

that much sweeter.


About the Program: 

This innovative program provides 

caregivers with a monthly 

payment for taking care of a 

disabled or ill adult. Caregivers 

are special, dedicated people who 

may take care of a family member 

or a new friend and welcome them 

into their own home. 

Caregivers are reimbursed up 

to $1,500 monthly, tax-free, for 

personal care services. Each and 

every caregiver is supported by 

Adult Foster Care’s professional 

staff that helps train the individual 

regarding the personal care needs 

of their clients. Adult Foster Care 

carefully and selectively matches 

clients with caregivers to ensure 

compatibility. 

Adult Foster Care of the North 

Shore provides the following 

financial and emotional support: 

Financial Support: Through 

MassHealth, a monthly, tax-free 

stipend is given to the caregiver. 

Health & Social Support: Clients 

and caregivers are assigned a 

nurse and care manager who visit 

the homes regularly. Staff 

members can answer questions 

about health issues and serve 

as a resource for medical 

training, education and needed 

interventions. On call support is 

available 24 hours a day, 

7 days a week. 

General Resource Support: 

Seasoned nurses and care 

managers can identify vital 

resources including: 

• Adult Day Health Programs 

• Specialized work and 

community support programs 

• Mental health counseling 

• Guardianship and health care 

proxy information 

• Transportation services 

Adult Foster Care of the North Shore provides 

financial and emotional solutions to families 

Adult Foster Care of the 

North Shore (AFCNS) is a one of a 

kind organization. For t1he last 

17 years they have been providing 

financial and emotional solutions 

to families in need of care for a 

disabled or chronically ill loved 

one (clients). Many Adult Foster 

Care clients are already living 

with a parent, child or other 

family member who qualifies as 

a caregiver. Others are placed in 

homes with compassionate and 

diligent caregivers. 

In 2000, Dr. Cynthia Bjorlie left 

“Adult Foster Care of the 

North Shore has offered 

unwavering support from 

day one. When I was 

admitted for emergency 

surgery, the AFCNS team 

made sure my brother 

was in good hands 

while I recovered.” 

her private practice of 17 years 

and opened Adult Foster Care 

of the North Shore after reading 

an article in the NY Times about 

“Foster Seniors,” a program in 

New Jersey. Having always been 

interested in the care of people 

who cannot manage alone, she 

decided to develop her own 

program in Massachusetts. 

Since 2001, Adult Foster Care 

of the North Shore has grown 

to a staff of 30 and now serves 

over 400 clients. The difference 

between AFCNS and other 

similar companies is that, even 

though they share the same 

mission, the staff at Adult Foster 

Care of the North Shore actually 

lives the mission. AFCNS 

provides compassionate and 

flexible support for clients and 

their caregiver families. 

If you are interested in 

becoming a paid caregiver 

for a disabled family member 

or qualified disabled adult, 

visit AdultFosterCareNS.com 

or call today at 978-281-2612. 

~ Toots, Caregiver to Brother, George 

978-281-2612 

AdultFosterCareNS.com 

Celebrating 17 Years


Be independent for life at Nichols Village 

Anchored upon a hilltop in Groveland, 

MA, and surrounded by 

90-acres of rolling woodlands and 

fields, you’ll find Nichols Village, a 

unique independent living community 

where active adults 62 years of 

age and better have chosen to make 

their home. 

N. Woodburn Nichols, a businessman 

and philanthropist who was born 

and raised in Groveland, had a vision. 

He dreamt of building a community 

for “aged men and women” within 

the town he lived. After his passing 

in 1925, with his dream in heart and 

mind, The Trustees of the N. Woodburn 

Nichols’ Trust worked to fulfill 

his wish. 

In 2004, Nichols Village welcomed 

its first residents and together with 

staff, created a lifestyle where a 

strong sense of community and independence 

is priority. 

Nichols Village offers 78 apartments 

and 16 cottages with ample 

amounts of comfortable living space, 

one level living, and an abundance 

of bright, natural lighting. Residents 

enjoy maintenance free living and 

bi-weekly housekeeping. Also included 

is exclusive use of common 

indoor spaces including the Cannon 

Hill room with large-screen television, 

fireplaces, community lounges, 

dining rooms, café, library, computer 

room, arts and crafts room, hair salon 

and a game room with a pool table. 

Apartments range in size from a 

1-bedroom up to a 2-bedroom with 

a den, all featuring fully applianced 

kitchens, generous storage spaces, 

master bedroom walk-in closets, assigned 

extra storage units, convenient 

stackable front load washers 

and dryers in every apartment and 

reserved covered parking. 

Cottages feature an open-concept, 

with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, 

beautiful kitchens, three-sided 

gas fireplaces, attached garages 

with electric door openers, and private 

patios for relaxing and entertaining. 

Residents enjoy full-service, restaurant-style 

dining featuring a warm 

atmosphere and meal choices ranging 

from simple to gourmet. There 

is an abundance of social, cultural, 

educational, health and wellness programs. 

Residents may choose a van trip to 

the Boston Symphony or Music Theater, 

strength training or yoga in the 

Cannon Hill room, water aerobics in 

the indoor heated pool, gardening in 

the resident community gardens or 

fix a chair in the resident workshop. 

When you make the choice to live 

at Nichols Village you are committing 

to an independent lifestyle offering 

opportunities that will maximize 

your health and wellness goals. 

In support of your commitment, 

Nichols Village makes available to 

you optional Coordinated Home Care 

services provided by two well-established 

health care agencies, Home 

Health VNA and Right at Home. 

These agencies have assigned professional 

home care specialists dedicated 

to our Nichols Village community. 

Home Health VNA provides 

“skilled” services including nursing 

care and physical, occupational, and 

speech therapies. 

Right at Home provides “supportive 

care” services such as meal 

preparation, bathing, dressing and 

medication reminders. Residents 

may contract with these agencies on 

an as-needed-basis and receive services 

within the comfort of their own 

apartment or cottage. 

Services are only paid for if needed, 

and may be covered by Medicare, 

private insurance, private pay, longterm 

care insurance or Veteran’s Aid 

and Attendance benefits. 

Nichols Village is a welcoming and 

vibrant active adult community with 

rural charm and urban reach. Could 

it be time to discover the Nichols Village 

lifestyle? 

Feel free to call Brenda Burkholder 

to arrange for a personal tour 978- 

372-3930 and visit Nichols Village, 

1 Nichols Way, Groveland, MA, www. 

nichols-village.com 

I 

In 

d 

p 

fo 

Life 

for 

Independent Be 

f 

r Lif 

if 

i 

fe 

Call 978-372-3930 

One Nichols Way, Groveland, MA 01834 ◆ Nichols-Village.com

Senior Living Fall 2018

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