2017 Editions

Life is a river, and we’re all in it together. Some people float merrily along with the current. Others get stuck in motionless eddies, and yet others find themselves in rough rapids, fighting to stay upright.

It’s only those who assess their current position while keeping an eye on the obstacles or preferred tributaries ahead who can successfully use their paddles to choose a new direction.

That’s how clinical psychologist Dr. Mary Malek illustrates the way people handle trauma (defined as “anything unexpected”) in their lives. From her practice in Twinsburg, she specializes in helping clients “cope with the challenges of life, transform relationships, achieve personal goals and gain a sense of hope for the future.”

GET READY

Malek recognizes that the period after midlife is inherently traumatic. Children grow up, become independent and leave home; the work environment forces us to adapt or move on; relationships can stagnate; and the physical body ages, offering up unwelcome wrinkles, weaknesses and possible illness. All of this can be summed up in one word: pain. Pain forces us to either give in to the power of life’s current or to seize the opportunity to set new goals and to experience a new season of fulfillment.

“Pain gets a bad rap. It’s the single biggest motivator for change,” Malek says. “We’re wired to be stubborn and stick with old patterns long after they have outlived their usefulness. We need to listen to our pain. It’s telling us to change direction.”

GET SET

When we get to the point of acute pain, we need to stop pretending we can muddle through all alone. “Humble yourself enough to ask for help,” Malek advises. “You don’t have to be such a rugged individualist; community matters. We all need someone to come alongside us as we go through life.

REMEMBER GETTING CARDED? We couldn’t wait to be old enough to see an R-rated movie or buy a beer without showing proof of age. “The Exorcist” is on TV and 3.2 beer is a relic from the ’80s. But an I.D. is still fun to flash if you’re looking for a deal. Check out aarp.org for member discounts at national chains. We’ve got plenty here in Northeast Ohio, too. Savings on food, fun, travel, services and more abound for older adults. We’ve put together a local list of places that are free or have reduced prices or other benefits. Don’t be shy; it never hurts to ask about senior discounts.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

U.S. residents 62 and older can purchase a lifetime pass for admission to over 2,000 sites for $10. The pass admits the owner and passengers in a noncommercial vehicle to pay-per-car sites, or admits the owner and three adults (under 16 is always free). Passes can be purchased online (nps.gov) or at sites.

GET ENTERTAINED

Concerts, plays and sporting events at local high schools are often free for seniors. Come and watch these hard-working kids turn hours of practice into great performances. The Cleveland Institute of Music (cim.edu) also offers free concerts by students and faculty throughout the year.

Community and even some professional theaters such as Karamu House in Cleveland and Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland Heights offer ticket discounts for seniors.

Churches also sponsor free concerts. The Rocky River Presbyterian Church hosts an artist series, which during the holidays featured the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. Next up is variety show vocalist Logan Wells.

GET SMART(ER)

Ever want to learn a foreign language or create a masterpiece? Ohio’s four-year universities and two-year colleges allow residents 60 or older to audit classes at no cost depending on space availability (paying students get the first chance) and instructor approval.

A cavity or decay is the main reason for a dental visit. Every patient wants to feel comfortable, be without pain and have the decay stopped before it damages a valuable tooth.

In addition to the health of their teeth, many patients have a major concern for the appearance of fillings.

Having a mouthful of visible fillings can make patients self-conscious, and they may avoid smiling openly. Having multiple visible fillings could suggest that a person is unhealthy or that they have been irresponsible with their dental health. This, of course, may not be the case.

Ceramic and/or composite fillings solve this problem gracefully.

Tooth-colored fillings — sometimes also known as porcelain or composite restorations — are designed to match the color of the tooth or teeth they are used on, unlike fillings made of silver, gold or amalgamations of silver and other minerals.

Porcelain is the primary material used in ceramic fillings. It can be mixed to match the exact color and hue of any tooth. Ceramic fillings can be used in teeth that are under great chewing pressure such as molars and bicuspids.

Because of improved technologies such as “directed shrinkage” of the ceramic polymer material used to fill cavities, porcelain fillings are reliable and are fast becoming a standard dentistry material.

Composite fillings, which are a type of reinforced plastic, also do a wonderful job in restoring teeth in an esthetic manner. Conservative tooth preparation, following removal of decay, is a major advantage of these restorations, and it costs less than porcelain fillings. The porcelain fillings, however, are extremely durable and may last longer than composites.

A GOOD CHOICE

The biggest benefit of using either porcelain or composite fillings is the completely natural appearance of the repaired tooth or teeth once the procedure has been completed. Many patients are so happy with the appearance of their treated teeth that they may eventually have all their old fillings replaced with ceramic fillings.

In 2003, Elaine Geller moved back to Cleveland after many years in California. Her husband had recently died and she had just retired from her position as a vice president of the Federal Reserve System. She was looking for a meaningful, supportive community to get involved in, and she found it in the National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland.

Geller liked that she did not have to “put in her time” before she could start making a difference. NCJW has more than 18 community service projects with which she could immediately start volunteering. She also liked that though the organization is inspired by Jewish values, its mission is to help improve the lives of all women, children and families throughout Cleveland.

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

Elaine Geller is the embodiment of the Jewish philosophy to “speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.” She’s been NCJW/Cleveland’s vice president of finance and treasury (four years), and recording secretary (two years), among other work. In recent years, Geller has felt that her responsibility as a NCJW/Cleveland volunteer extends beyond the community in front of her, to the wider community in which she lives.

This ideal drove her to learn about — and then lead — the Stop Human Trafficking committee two years ago, the first Jewish Cleveland organization aimed at advocating for and protecting trafficking victims, a $32 billion annual criminal industry.

Each year an estimated 1,078 Ohio children become victims, and 3,016 more are at risk.

BATTLING A SINISTER INDUSTRY

Geller and her committee drive to local hotels monthly to drop off pictures of missing children, to distribute posters listing signs to look for to identify trafficking victims, and to hand out free soap — labeled with the human trafficking hotline — to cleaning and hotel staff.

Geller and her committee have spoken to more than a dozen local organizations and businesses about human trafficking.

Leasing a car is a popular option for many of us. Others steer clear because they fear what will happen at the end of the lease contract.

It doesn’t need to be stressful if you understand your options. You will get a ton of mail saying that the dealership can release you from your lease six months early or that “they want your car.” That’s not usually true.

I call that “fly fishing.” Car dealers spend a lot of money to send advertisements and letters to customers to see who is going to bite. There are occasions when a leaseholder can get out of a contract about three months early, but it depends on the bank, the buyout and the condition of the vehicle.

DETAILS MATTER

Depending on condition, market demand and miles on a vehicle, some retain much of their value throughout a lease period. The dealer can wholesale or trade in the vehicle at the end of the lease for more than the residual amount printed in the lease contract.

This benefits consumers who lease because that retained equity can go toward another lease or back into their pocket.

Some manufacturers waive payments or have so-called pull-ahead programs to keep customers loyal to a carmaker. It’s important to clarify that some payments really are being waived and not just rolled into another lease or loan. This is a marketing ploy some dealers use, often as seasonal promotions.

Many manufacturers have damage waivers in the contracts. Check on damage waiver allowances before spending money on repairs prior to the vehicle turn-in deadline.

Consider getting the lease-end inspection if the manufacturer offers it ahead of time. This inspection, completed before turning in a leased vehicle, is usually by a third party and is free of charge. The person doing the service will come to you.

You don’t have to go far to find the antidote to the winter doldrums. Here are three Northeast Ohio inns that pamper both body and soul. Gather with friends. Cuddle with a sweetheart. Indulge in a solo retreat. Any way you want to get away can be a luxurious respite. Close and cozy, consider a mini retreat at one (or all) of these terrific destinations and embrace winter — on your terms.

Red Maple Inn is a hybrid Inn/bed and breakfast, with a touch of Grandma’s house.

General Manager Gina Holk has everything covered. Drop your bags on the carpet and grab a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. You’re home, only better — you don’t have to clean your room. This 18-room rural getaway is like going to Grandma’s if she had rooms for all the cousins, local gifts to buy in her foyer and Jacuzzi tubs in each bathroom.

The Amish carpenter-built Red Maple Inn is warm and homey, yet refined and indulgent. You’ll feel comfortable cozying up in a tapestry chair in a sweater (dare we say Snuggie) in front of the fireplace and overlooking the snowy Amish countryside.

Don’t grow roots into the chair. You’ll want to tour the fourth-largest Amish settlement in the country. Call ahead for details and booking. Guide Robyn Morris loads guests into a white van, distributes a comfort package and trundles guests to a number of places, depending on the day.

Destinations may include an Amish schoolhouse, private homes, a cheese factory, interesting retail businesses and more. Dress warmly for cold days because heating tends to be primitive in Amish buildings. Bring cash because you’ll have an opportunity to purchase handcrafted goods such as cutting boards, jelly, cheese, quilted items and more. Venturing out on your own? Smaller shops may not take credit cards — no electricity, no cards.

QUESTION: The osteoarthritis in my hip is getting worse. Is there a way to avoid a replacement?

••••••• •••••••• ••••••• •••••••• ••••••• •••••••• ••••••• ••••••••

ANSWER: First let’s define osteoarthritis. Sometimes referred to as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage in the joint and is a very common condition, especially as we age. It’s the result of wear and tear on our joints and can result in inflammation, stiffness and pain.

There are some factors that may increase the speed at which the joint develops osteoarthritis, such as overuse, an injury to the joint, previous surgeries, obesity and other health issues. The cartilage in the joint breaks down through a combination of time and any one of these factors. The severity of the arthritis will determine how much intervention may be required to ease pain.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Osteoarthritis is first treated with over-the-counter or prescription pain medications. Physical therapy also can be helpful to strengthen the weakened joint and improve range of motion. Short-term relief may also be found through cortisone shots for pain and/or gel injections that lubricate and increase the shock absorption of the joint.

When these conservative measures are no longer helpful, surgical intervention through a joint replacement may seem like the only option. However, advancements in regenerative therapies are providing a new hope for many patients struggling with arthritis pain and can delay or possibly even prevent the need for a joint replacement. These newer treatments use biologic elements such as your own adult stem cells and platelets to ease pain. In many cases, they may regenerate lost cartilage and strengthen the joint.

Regenerative medicine procedures activate your body’s own stem cells to encourage healing and to speed repair for bone, muscle, joint, soft tissue and nerve injuries. With this treatment, doctors can concentrate a sample of your stem cells taken from your bone marrow and fat tissue.

The older we get, the better the ’70s look.

“When We’re Singin’ — The Partridge Family & Their Music” is an extensively researched book with a full-color 64-page section of photos. The best part? It’s written by Canton-area author Johnny Ray Miller.

Miller spoke at length with the cast. David Cassidy wrote the Tiger Beat favorite David Cassidy foreword, his first ever.

The book is focused on the music of The Partridge Family but also features the essentials from the TV show, with fun stories from the set. Until now there have been only episode guides for the show.

Fans of the show, David Cassidy, and ’70s music in general have a comprehensive look at that era with this recently published book.

“I think we all have something from our childhood that we latch onto that serves as an escape for us when we need to get away from the craziness of today’s world,” Miller says.

“We like to reflect back on whatever that innocence was of that time in our childhood. For a ton of us out there, that innocence was ‘The Partridge Family.’”

“When we’re Singin’ — The Partridge Family & Their Music” is available online at whenweresingin.com.