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By John Selick IV

There is a lot of truth to the old adage “it takes a village to raise a child.”

My wife and I welcomed a daughter to our already full house of children, a fourth child to a blended family of preteen siblings. We may have been running out of room in our home, but we had plenty of room in our hearts to welcome this little girl into our lives. She is surrounded by a loving family of parents, sisters and a brother, and her grandparents. The grandparents are important members of this village.

You’ve probably heard how hard the chef career is: they’re rarely home, they work long weekends, they miss holidays. It’s all true. It’s a tough career where I’ve had to make family sacrifices. To make it more complicated, my wife is in this business, too.

We couldn’t be successful in our careers if it wasn’t for our parents, who are able to help with the children. The kids are lucky to have grandma and grandpa be there for them while we are at work. They genuinely care about how the kids are doing in school and what they want to eat. The grandparents spoil them with foods they love, but of course we have some preferences we want for them, as well.

A Gentle Clash

I’m into fresh ingredients when I cook at work and at home. I also prefer organic for some ingredients. She won’t say it, but I could see the look in my mother-in-law’s eyes when I loaded the fridge with homemade baby food – she thought I was nuts. She raised her own children with store-bought baby food and they turned out just fine. Who does this guy think he is with his sweet potato-spinach-apple concoction?

By John Horton

Cuyahoga Community College culinary instructor Giovanna Mingrone has “rescued” more than 135,000 pounds of food through Stone Soup CLE, a nonprofit she established in 2015 to help the hungry. The organization stocks local soup kitchens with excess food from restaurants, grocery stores and vendors.

“By limiting waste, we’re limiting hunger,” says Mingrone, who collects the food with the help of a small group of volunteers. “It’s just a matter of delivering the right food to the right place at the right time.”

The name of her organization grew from an old folk tale in which people share small amounts of food to create a delicious meal for the masses. She said it reflects the power of a community coming together for the benefit of many. For more information, visit stonesoupcle.org.

Come See Our CIFF Movie
Well, it’s Not Ours Exactly…

Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond is in the movie business.
Full disclosure: we don’t know any movie stars and we’ve not actually made any movies. But we like movies and to prove it, we’re media partners for the 43rd Cleveland International Film Festival, which runs March 27-April 7.
Our film is “Very Senior – Attitude is Everything.” Showtimes are Thursday, April 4 at 4:25 p.m., (Tower City), Friday, April 5 at 11:40 a.m. (Tower City) and Saturday, April 6 at 12:40 p.m. (Cleveland Museum of Art).
The film is one of 212 feature films and 237 shorts that will be screened throughout the festival at Tower City Cinemas downtown and at satellite locations.
“Very Senior – Attitude is Everything” is a documentary film about Sun City, Ariz., a 55+ community and the residents who live there. Directed by Susan Gluth, the film is described as “a bright look at the process of aging gracefully and honestly while making one’s own choices.”
See you at the movies – see you at our movie.




Pentameter Envy
A Month Made for Poetry

If it’s been decades since you’ve worked on your iambic pentameters, or you ’ve forgotten what the heck that is, you’re in luck. April is National Poetry Month and Northeast Ohio is crazy full of poets.

One of them is nationally recognized poet George Bilgere, who describes himself as the poet of aging. Several of his poems have been broadcast on Garrison Keillor’s “The Writer’s Almanac.” His latest poetry collection, “Blood Pages,” was published last year.

We figured he’d be the perfect person to ask about poetry, specifically some of his favorites, for Boomer readers.

“(Some) I’d highly recommend to older readers are, of course, the great Billy Collin, a wonderful poet named Tony Hoagland, (and) everybody loves Mary Oliver.

As we age, it becomes even more important to pay attention to our dental health. After all, all of our nutrition comes from what we take in through our mouth, whether we are drinking or eating – even swallowing vitamins. As AARP Magazine recently noted, without Medicare and limited benefits for dentistry, getting dental work done while being relatively healthy and before retirement can be a lifesaver, both physically and financially.

Early Care Matters

Having practiced dentistry for nearly 40, following three years serving as a captain and dental resident in the United States Air Force, I have followed and cared for many patients and their families. Some of these patients were seen by my late father, Dr. Sam Marsh, and continued in the practice when he retired and when I took over following my military service.

Thankfully, many of these people and their families have remained with us and are dedicated to taking care of their teeth, having them examined, cleaned, and radiographed (x-rayed) on a regular basis, along with routine checks for oral cancer. They not only have beautiful smiles with a full complement of teeth, but also remark that compared to many of their friends and peers, they have had little to no pain with their teeth and can chew quite well – not avoiding any foods because of issues with dentures or partial dentures.  

This consistent care also has saved them money; most have had very few major or expensive procedures. Though dentistry does have a number of options to replace missing teeth, such as implants and bridges, the techniques and materials take time and are costly.  

There also is an emotional component. Many times, I have sat across from a new patient whose chief complaint is that they won’t smile for pictures or when they meet someone because they are ashamed of their smile.

Under Construction

The Montrose area near state Route 18 and Interstate 77 is the site of a new senior living complex now under construction by Omni Senior Living.

The continuum care facility in Copley Township will include independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments, along with independent living villas.

The VITALIA Senior Residences of Montrose will open later this summer.

New Logo and Website

Ohio Masonic Home, a non-profit, 55-plus living community and healthcare provider that owns and operates three campuses in Ohio, including one in Medina, has refreshed its corporate branding with a new logo and the launch of its newly designed website, ohiomasonichome.org

Originally founded by the Masonic Fraternity to care for Ohio Masons, their families and children, Ohio Masonic Home evolved over time into a senior living provider. While still serving Ohio Freemasons and their families, Ohio Masonic Home, and its subsidiaries, opened its doors to the public over 20 years ago.

Learn More

Hilltop Senior Living in Euclid has started College Course Fridays by joining Cuyahoga Community College’s Encore 55 program. Every Friday, residents can take as many courses as they choose from 9 a.m-3 p.m. Encore 55 is available to others, too. Check it out at tri-c.edu.

Hispanic Senior Help

Catholic Charities through the Diocese of Cleveland operates the Hispanic Senior Center at St. Augustine Towers, 7800 Detroit Ave. The program is free and open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:40 p.m. The Hispanic Senior Center serves seniors in the Greater Cleveland area with an emphasis on the culture and linguistic needs of the older adults of the Hispanic community.

Funding is provided in part by the City of Cleveland Community Development Block Grant, Community West Foundation, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, and Catholic Charities donors. To learn more, go to ccdocle.org.

The Board of Directors of Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging has named Orion H. Bell IV as President and CEO of the 110-year-old Cleveland-based nonprofit organization. Bell, who will join Benjamin Rose April 22, 2019, was selected through a national search facilitated by Waverly Partners.

Bell comes to Benjamin Rose from CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Indiana’s largest Area Agency on Aging, where he served as President and CEO, overseeing a staff of 240 and an operating budget of $27 million.

“We are happy to welcome Orion Bell to Cleveland and look forward to working with him on leading Benjamin Rose as we continue to grow in our second century,” said Board Chairperson Cynthia H. Dunn.“He brings a breadth of experience in nonprofit management and aging services to Benjamin Rose and understands the challenges and opportunities in the field of aging.”

“I am honored and grateful to the Board for this opportunity to serve the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and its mission to advance support for older adults and caregivers,” said Bell. “We will continue to build on the existing foundation of excellence and innovation to address the challenges before an aging population and to promote better care and better health outcomes for a diverse population.”

Bell has more than 25 years of leadership experience in not-for-profit management. During his tenure at CICOA, the organization grew to have an annual economic impact of more than $100 million through services, grants and vendor payments. CICOA’s care managed population grew from 2,753 to 8,528, and the organization achieved accreditation for its Flourish care management service.

In addition to CICOA, before joining Benjamin Rose, Bell served the American Red Cross in a variety of capacities including the Director of Chapter Operations Support for the Great Lakes Service Area; CEO of the Fort Worth, TX, chapter; Executive Director of the Topeka, KS, chapter; and Assistant General Manager of the Louisville, KY, chapter.