DECEMBER 2014

FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH THE NFL

IS CAR SHARING FOR YOU?

DON’T BUST YOUR HOLIDAY BUDGET

Page 22

Page 10

Page 34

Patrick Weber, of Shoreview

Creativity is good for your mind and bodyPage 28

Creativity is good for your mind and bodyARTS & ARTS & ARTS & ARTS & AGING

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34 CAR SHARINGMilennials are driving the trend. Here are the drawbacks for older adults.

36CAN’T MISS CALENDAR BRAIN TEASERS36 40

CONTENTS

GOOD HEALTHGOOD START

ASK THE PHARMACIST16 Heavy metals can cause harm

HOUSE CALL18 Osteoporosis and how to fight it

CAREGIVING20 ‘Sandwich generation’ caregivers

FROM THE EDITOR8 The art of aging

MY TURN10 Falling out of love with the NFL

MEMORIES12 Music is the spirit of Christmas

THIS MONTH IN MN HISTORY14 Made in Minnesota: ‘Sex in a box’

GOOD LIVING

FINANCE22 Don’t bust your holiday budget

HOUSING24 Can your housekeeper sue you?

TECHNOLOGY26 Why you should always log off

IN THE KITCHEN27 Italian-striped lemon cookies

ON THE COVER

Patrick Weber, 63, of Shoreview has been playing the electric guitar since 2010, thanks to weekly lessons through MacPhail Center for Music, based in Minneapolis. Photo by Rich Fleischman / MacPhail Center for Music

ARTS AND AGINGFinding a creative outlet — such as music, dance, poetry or visual arts — can be beneficial for mental agility as well as overall physical health.

28

6/ DECEMBER 2014

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PUBLISHERSJanis Hall

jhall@mngoodage.comTerry Gahan

tgahan@mngoodage.com

GENERAL MANAGERChris Damlo

612-436-4376cdamlo@mngoodage.com

EDITORSarah Dorison612-436-4385

editor@mngoodage.com

CONTRIBUTORSTeresa AmbordStarla Clement

Suzy CohenRich Fleischman

Zoe GahanCarol Hall

Skip JohnsonDave Nimmer

Janet Salo Richard Sherman

Bill SiuruDr. Michael Spilane

Terry John Zila

CREATIVE DIRECTORDana Croatt

dcroatt@mngoodage.com

SALES ADMINISTRATORKate Manson

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PAGE DESIGNERKylie Beran

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THE ART OF AGINGI can’t help but grin from ear to ear when I look at our cover this month, featuring

local retired att orney Patrick Weber from Shoreview. He’s smiling, too, rocking one of his favorite things — a guitar (a Gibson ES-335

to be exact), which has clearly brought him a great deal of joy and satisfaction since he took it up about four years ago. It’s so awesome, so creative and — experts on aging say — so very important.

It turns out, aging well isn’t just about exercising and eating right. We need to engage our brains — not only with mental activities such as games and crosswords, but also with truly creative and challenging artistic endeavors, neurologists say.

If we don’t use these important parts of our brains, they can disappear. And if we do engage these parts of our brains, we may be able to delay or minimize some of the ill eff ects of aging (mental and physical).

You can read all about it in this issue in our feature story on arts and aging, inspired by the fi rst-ever Midwest Arts & Aging Conference held earlier this year in St. Paul. I att ended the event and was blown away by the number of organizations off ering arts education to ages 55 and older!

Organized by Twin Cities-based ArtSage, the well-att ended conference was also packed with individual artists who work with older adults in every age category — from young Baby Boomers like Weber to older adults in memory-care facilities.

Aft er seeing the many ways arts engage our minds, spirits and even bodies, I found myself wondering what art I should take up! Something, anything. Arts can not only perhaps delay the onset of Alzheimer’s according to experts, but they can also make us happy — for life.

Th is all reminds me of my grandmother, a joyful woman, who, into her 80s, could sit down at the piano and play by ear for hours. She never lost that skill. And she never lost her cognitive abilities either. (Perhaps this wasn’t a coincidence.) Th at was always impressive to me.

And I know piano brought her as much joy as anything else around her. We grandkids loved it, too.

Guitar and piano, of course, aren’t for everyone. But, I believe, all of us have the potential to be creative in some way. It’s just a matt er of fi nding our art. Dancing, singing, storytelling, painting, poetry? I think it will be singing for me if I can fi nd a choir that’ll take me.

What will you choose?

FROM THE EDITOR ////// SARAH DORISON

Sarah Dorison, Editor

8/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 8

THIS ISPAGE 9

MY TURN ////// DAVE NIMMER

G O O D S T A R T

FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH THE NFLFor most well-adjusted folks, this

is the holiday season. For pro-football junkies like me, it’s crunch time — important, not-to-miss games that decide who makes the playoff s and who packs their bags and heads home.

I’ve been a Green Bay Packers fan since 1952 when my dad took me to my fi rst pro game at old City Stadium, a wooden relic seating 25,000, without box seats or even a locker room. Th e teams dressed in their hotel and took a bus to the stadium. I still remember the Los Angeles Rams clatt ering down the steps in their blue and gold: Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, Tank Younger, Bob Waterfi eld and Norm Van Brocklin.

To me as a 12-year-old, they were bigger than life. Now, I’m afraid of what’s happened to the NFL game. It is, as my grandmother used to say, gett ing too big for its britches, and I’m having trouble tuning in and turning on the pigskin passion, especially aft er hearing an interview on WCCO Radio with Steve Almond, a respected author whose latest book is Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifesto.

VIOLENCE AND INFLUENCE

Almond writes that many fans will dismiss what he has to say as just a load of horse manure, “shoveled by someone who is probably wearing a French sailor’s suit and whistling the Soviet National Anthem. Before you do so, let me reiterate: I am one of you.”

And like Almond, aft er 60 years of watching and worrying (Will the Packers make the playoff s?), I’m troubled over the game’s violence, arrogance, affl uence and infl uence.

Th e NFL is so infl uential it can ultimately put Minnesota taxpayers on the hook for almost a half-billion dollars to build a playground for a family of millionaires from New Jersey.

And the NFL is arrogant enough to tell the city of Minneapolis that, in order to get the Super Bowl in 2018, it must provide free police escorts for team owners, presidential suites at no cost, 35,000 free parking spaces and, oh yes, please tell the hotels that will be housing the teams they should carry the NFL Network on their cable systems for the prior year.

Whoa. Th at’s a long way from my litt le wooden bleachers in Green Bay.

BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

Now, the games I watched as a kid weren’t play-ground aff airs: Leather slapped, noses bled, ankles bent and knees twisted. Since then, the bodies are bigger, faster, stronger — and the fi eld is the same size.

Les Bingaman, a defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions in the ’50s, was an anomaly at 300 pounds — the biggest in the league.

I’m afraid of what’s happened to the NFL game. It is, as my grandmother used to say, getting too big for its britches, and I’m having trouble tuning in and turning on the pigskin passion.

10/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 10

Today it’d be hard to fi nd a lineman on either side of the line of scrimmage who’s smaller.

What I didn’t know when I was watching the collisions back then was the lasting impact they had on the guys’ brains. Players got their bell rung and that was it. Turns out, that’s not quite true: Th e NFL has stated in federal court documents that it expects nearly a third of its retired players to develop “long-term cognitive problems.”

Th at makes it a litt le harder to revel in a bone-jarring, teeth-ratt ing collision between the corner back and the wide receiver on a crossing patt ern. It’s kind of like lighting up a Camel straight aft er reading the Surgeon General’s report.

MEAT-MARKET TRYOUTS

One other thing that’s hard to watch — I’m surprised I ever started — is the NFL combine, the players’ pro tryouts prior to the draft . It’s like a giant meat market. Th ey run, they jump, they start, they stop, they throw, they catch and they lift — and not much more to measure the content of their character or the manner of their minds.

Moving forward, I’ll probably watch the division playoff s on TV. But I think I’ll skip the wildcard games. And on warm, sunny Sunday aft ernoons next fall, I’ll give some serious thought to climbing in my boat and going fi shing. I’ll also tell my cable provider I can do without the NFL Network.

It’s time to get a perspective on a game that turns out to have serious consequences on bodies, brains and budgets.

Dave Nimmer had a long career

as a reporter, editor and professor.

Now retired, he has no business card, but

plenty to do. Send comments or questions

to dnimmer@mngoodage.com.

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MEMORIES ////// CAROL HALL

G O O D S T A R T

CHERISHING HOLIDAY MUSICChristmas music is, well, music to my ears. Sentimentalist

to the core, I play my old CDs repeatedly throughout the season.

But there’s more to it than simply the enjoy-ment of familiar hymns, carols and pop tunes. As always happens, some of them evoke special moments in time.

Whenever I hear Bring a Torch, Jeane� e, Isabella, I’m on stage again with the senior-high chorus, adding my second-soprano voice to the lilting melody of this lovely French folk carol as we perform it at the annual school Christmas concert. Our beautiful music teacher, Miss Laurence, is directing us, and looking resplendent in fl oor-length black velvet.

“I heard the bells on Christmas day, their old familiar carols play, and loud and sweet, the words repeat of peace on earth, good will to men,” is being played on the pipe organ at the midnight Christmas Eve service in our church, and we in the congregation are singing the words.

Away in a Manger still makes me sad. My mother sang it to me as she rocked me to sleep. I distinctly remember how the words — “Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the litt le Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.” — sent me into fi ts of crying because the baby Jesus had no crib. (Th is is my one and only memory from early child-hood.)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer topped the charts in 1949 when I was young enough to delight in its silliness and old enough to have a crush on the singing cowboy, Gene Autry, who recorded it.

Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful always opened our Lutheran church junior

choir’s performance at the nursing home in my small home-town in southwestern Minnesota. A number of the elderly

residents suff ered dementia to the extent they didn’t recognize relatives, but they remembered the lyrics to this and other oft -heard hymns and sang along.

And because many of these people were Norwegian immigrants, we concluded the program with, Jeg Er Sa Glad Hver Julekveld (I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve). Tears fl owed as we sang the familiar words that spoke to them of home.

Years later, I felt their pain. Th e Johnny Mathis LP Merry Christmas had just come out in the late 1950s during a time

in my 20s when I briefl y and unhappily lived in southern California. I still recall my profound homesickness as Mathis crooned “please have snow and mistletoe and presents round the tree,” from the song, I’ll Be

Home for Christmas, while looking out the window at palm trees and sunshine. It made me realize I’m

a Minnesota girl through and through, and the time had come to return.

And, well, the list goes on. But I’ve run out of space. So, I’ll say Merry Christmas, dear

readers. I wish you the beauty and the poetry the music of this season brings.

And I hope my memories stir yours a litt le.

Carol Hall lives in Woodbury. She’s

a longtime freelance writer,

a University of Minnesota graduate

and a former Northwest Airlines

stewardess. Send comments and

questions to chall@mngoodage.com.

“The spirit of

Christmas is in its music.”

— Anonymous

12/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 12

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THIS MONTH IN MINNESOTA HISTORY

SELLING ‘SEX IN A BOX’It was December 1965, when a vice

president at the Milton Bradley Company called the inventors of a new game, Twister, to say they were stop-ping production. The game was simply too risque.

Charles Foley and Neil Rabens created the game while working for the Reynolds Guyer Agency, a promotion and design firm in St. Paul. The pair saw the novelty of using a mat as a game

G O O D S T A R T

Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

board with people as the pieces.After some tweaks, they patented

the game, which they called Pretzel. Foley had a relationship with execu-tives at Milton Bradley and was able to convince the company to buy the rights to market and sell his game, which the company renamed Twister.

Initial sales of Twister were lackluster. Many store owners were uncomfortable with the game’s suggestive connotation.

14/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 14

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Department store giant Sears refused to include the game in its catalog. Milton Bradley was ready to throw in the towel, until a public relations fi rm came up with a winning idea.

On May 3, 1966, Johnny Carson and actress Eva Gabor played the game on � e Tonight Show. As the game evolved, the pair became intertwined. Eva smiled and made suggestive comments in her heavy Hungarian accent, while Johnny responded with priceless facial expres-sions that made the audience roar with laughter.

Th e next day, sales went through the roof and Milton Bradley put the game back into production. By the end of the year, 3 million units had sold, leading some competitors to say Milton Bradley was guilty of selling “sex in a box.”

In 1967, Twister was named Game of the Year, and it’s estimated that more than 65 million people have played Twister since its introduction.

Kate Roberts, developer of the Minnesota History Center exhibit Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, said: “It was the right product at the right time. Social norms were changing quickly Twister was the perfect fi t for ’60s kids, teens and parents.”

In 1985, Hasbro acquired Milton Bradley. Meanwhile, the Reynolds Guyer Agency went on to produce a number of other successful toys, including the NERF ball.

Visitors to the Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s exhibit can play with NERF balls, see a Twister game and discover many other Minnesota-made toys, all while gaining inspiration for the holiday shopping season.

Th e exhibit is on view through Jan. 4. Learn more at minnesotahistorycenter.org.

Minnesota Historical Society Staff

DECEMBER 2014/ 15

THIS ISPAGE 15

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Heavy metals can cause harmASK THE PHARMACIST ////// SUZY COHEN

G O O D H E A L T H

Everyone seems to be worried these days about the levels of heavy metals in their dental amalgams and in

today’s vaccines.But what if I told you that you could be gett ing some in your

morning bowl of cereal?It’s possible, according to Mike Adams, founder of the

Forensic Food Lab (labs.naturalnews.com).Some metals simply aren’t supposed to be in your body.

Symptoms of acute poisoning require immediate medical att ention, whereas chronic low-level exposure can cause symp-toms that may look like an auto-immune disorders, att ention problems or neurological diseases.

Take a look at the startling symptoms of chronic metal exposure:

LEAD

Symptoms can include fatigue, insomnia, trouble concen-trating, irritability, headache, weight loss, stomach pains, low libido and high blood pressure. Lead-related nervous-system damage can cause dozens of muscular and neurological prob-lems. Disturbingly, lead contaminants have been found in a few baby foods and juices.

ARSENIC

Darkening or discoloration of your skin, skin bumps (like corns or warts termed hyperkeratosis), white lines in the fi ngernails (called Mees’ lines) and peripheral neurop-athy are some of the symptoms. Brain fog and mental status changes can occur.

I remember once when my fi ancé was hospitalized about 20 years ago: He was tested for arsenic.

His levels were 500 times higher than normal. His neurologist became alarmed and requested my urine sample, on the spot — worried perhaps that I had poisoned my guy. My levels were 1,000 times higher than normal!

Later on, I explained to the

doctor that he had tested our “organic” arsenic levels (not the poisonous “inor-ganic” sort) and that it would naturally be higher because we both had eaten lobster the night before.

Luckily, we knew we had high levels of the nontoxic form, so we didn’t submit ourselves for unnecessary chelation.

CADMIUM

Cigarett e smoke contains cadmium and so does some fertilizer. Japan has had a problem with cadmium in their water supply and rice fi elds.

Cadmium can raise blood pressure. It can cause emphysema, poor sense of smell, fatigue, osteoporosis and anemia.

MERCURY

Th is heavy metal is usually found in seafood (especially sea bass, swordfi sh and tuna), some pharmaceuticals, old mercury thermometers and some dental fi llings.

When coal is burned, mercury is

Heavy metals can be present in water, household chemicals, fertilizers, medication and food.

16/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 16

released. Symptoms include mood swings, memory loss, heart arrhythmias, weakness, skin rashes, psychiatric illness and dozens of muscular or neurological symptoms.

Permanent, progressive, disabling conditions may occur if mercury poisoning isn’t uncovered in time.

MANAGING RISKWhile it can be frightening to think about these risks, keep in mind that we’re all exposed to these compounds. Heavy metals can be present in water, household chemicals, fertilizers, medica-tion and food, yes, including cereal.

Mike Adams — aka the Health Ranger — evaluated two dozen cereals using data from metal analysis tests and found varying levels of heavy metals.

Children who grow up eating cereal containing heavy metals every day may accumulate higher levels of heavy metals in their bodies.

KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVETh at may or may not be a problem. According to Forensic Food Lab, heavy metal tolerance can be aff ected by each individual’s overall health: “A high level of metals does not automatically mean the item being tested is dangerous to consume.

“Each individual’s ability to detoxify toxic elements depends on a large number of factors including genetic predisposition, environmental exposure to toxic elements, diet, lifestyle, whether the person exercises and sweats on a regular basis, water consumption and so on.”

Learn more at labs.naturalnews.com.

Suzy Cohen has been a licensed

pharmacist for almost 25 years. Send

questions to info@pharmacist.com.

THIS ISPAGE 17A Great Smile Says It All

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HOUSE CALL ////// DR. MICHAEL SPILANE

G O O D H E A L T H

Know your osteoporosis riskIf I could eradicate one thing from life, it would be hate.

Th e second thing might be osteoporosis. And I don’t hold much hope that either will disappear anytime soon.

Because osteoporosis is such an important health topic, I’ve updated a column I wrote for Good Age in 2009. (Next month’s column will focus on the DXA bone-mineral density test.)

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by loss of the calcium and phosphorus compounds that cement the bone structure. Th e micro-architectural deterioration of the bones leads to increased fragility and a heightened risk of fracture.

GENDER MATTERS

Osteoporosis has many causes, but older age is the major one. Women are at highest risk of developing osteoporosis — a 50-year-old woman in the U.S. has a 40 percent chance of eventually having an osteoporotic bone fracture.

Risk of osteoporosis is increased in those with a family history of osteoporotic bone fractures and in those who have used corticosteroid medications (for example, prednisone) for more than a few months.

Other risk factors include low body weight, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet low in calcium and long-term use of certain anticonvulsant medications.

FRACTURE TYPES

Bones weakened from loss of mineral density are susceptible to fracture, and it’s the fractures that make osteoporosis such a nasty problem. All demineralized bones are weak, but the weight-bearing bones of the spine and hips are the ones that most commonly break.

A hip fracture is a sudden and devastating event. Spinal fractures are oft en more subtle. Multiple micro-fractures of the spinal bones (vertebrae) occurring over many years lead to loss of height, stooped posture and chronic back pain.

A more sudden and larger spinal fracture can cause severe back pain that evolves over days and persists for months.

Whether the spinal fractures are slowly progressive or acute, the end result can be compressed vertebrae, pain, spinal-cord compression, imbalance and a heightened risk of falls.

Too oft en, the imbalance caused by osteoporosis of the spine leads to a fall and a fractured hip.

Once you’ve got osteoporosis, it can be awful.

DRUGS, PREVENTION

So how can you prevent osteoporosis? Th e U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, an assemblage of medical authorities, recommends that all women over age 65, and younger women with known risk factors, undergo a bone-mineral density test. Th is X-ray test is quick, safe and painless.

It doesn’t need to be performed on those who have obvious evidence of osteoporosis (for example, loss of height and stooped posture), those who have suff ered a previous osteo-porotic fracture or the oldest of adults.

If osteoporosis exists, several drugs have proven eff ective in increasing bone-mineral density and reducing the risk of fractures.

Oral biphosphanate compounds such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel) are most commonly prescribed by physicians and have the best scientifi c evidence of benefi t.

Th ey’re costly and, because of caustic properties, shouldn’t be used by people with swallowing problems or esophageal (swallowing tube) ailments.

Most authorities now believe that the maximum benefi t from use of biphosphanate medication is achieved aft er fi ve years of treatment and that use beyond that time period may actually be harmful to the bones.

H E A LT H Y B O N E O S T E O P O R O S I S

18/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 18

HELPFUL SUPPLEMENTS

To help prevent osteoporosis, all post-menopausal women and all people over age 65 should use daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D. Th e recom-mended daily dose of supplemental calcium for older adults is 500 to 1,500 milligrams per day, with the higher dosage advised for those with a low intake of milk and other dairy products.

Th e recommended daily dose of supplemental vitamin D, which promotes absorption of calcium in the gut, is 1,000 to 2,000 units each day.

Many over-the-counter calcium prepa-rations come with added vitamin D, but a separate and additional dose of 1,000 units per day is advisable, especially for those who don’t receive regular exposure to sunlight (sunlight activates the body’s production of vitamin D).

Th ese treatments make a diff erence, but they’re far from a total solution. Wisdom dictates that all older adults presume their bones are britt le and susceptible to fracture.

Prevention of a fall is perhaps the best treatment of all. Now may be the right time to quit climbing — no ladders and no stools. And high heels are perhaps best consigned to permanent retirement.

Dr. Michael Spilane, now retired, spent

more than four decades practicing and

teaching geriatric medicine in

St. Paul. Send comments or questions to

drspilane@mngoodage.com.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?To fi nd out more about

osteoporosis, see the National

Osteoporosis Foundation’s

website at nof.org.

DECEMBER 2014/ 19

THIS ISPAGE 19

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G O O D H E A L T H

Imagine you have grown children and thoughts of retirement running

through your head.Two weeks later, you’re caring for

your grandchildren after an automobile accident left their parents unable to care for their children.

Just as you’re figuring out the finances, medical and educational services for the children, your father begins to need more care due to Alzheimer’s disease. You decide to move him into your home so you can oversee his daily care.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone!

Welcome to the “sandwich” genera-tion of caregivers — people caring for both young children and aging parents.

Caring for a parent, a grandchild and yourself requires a careful balancing act. Being a kinship caregiver, you may find your time and finances are significantly impacted or are inadequate with new additions to the household. Children will need health insurance, access to educa-tional services and perhaps therapy. You may need to access legal resources to obtain legal guardianship of the children.

Aging parents may need an array of therapies and medical care; in addition,

Caregiving times two(the sandwich generation)

CAREGIVING ////// JANET SALO

it may be useful to create a health care directive, a will and other legal documents while they’re still able to make decisions and inform others of their wishes.

Through all this, caregivers need to keep on track with their own health care, social activities and work or retire-ment plans. Community resources and services may be necessary to maintain a healthy balance.

Here are some tips for maintaining balance as a double-duty caregiver:

Get organized. Gather the important paperwork for each person in your care.

A file cabinet or even a cardboard box labeled with the person’s name will work. Keep a calendar with details on contacts made regarding legal, financial, medical and educational services to track what you’ve done. It can become confusing without a tracking system. If the parents visit with their children, track visit times and keep notes on how that’s progressing or if there are issues that need addressing.

Take advantage of community

resources. Accessing public benefits may be a new experience, but these are vital safety nets for families. The Minnesota Family Investment Program Child Only grant provides cash bene-fits, SNAP (food support) and medical assistance for children not living with their parents.

Aging parents may be eligible for care or case-management services through the county or a private-pay agency that can help caregivers access in-home support, medical care and even adult day services.

If a person you’re caring for is a veteran, don’t forget to contact your local veteran’s agency for additional resources, many of which are free.

20/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 20

WHAT IS KINSHIP CARE?Kinship care is typically defined as the raising of children by grandparents, great-grandparents, other relatives or close family friends because the biological parents are unable or unwilling to do so.

Get connected with caregiver

support. In the middle of caring for everyone else, you need to make sure your own needs are being met, that you remain socially connected, healthy and engaged in work/retirement activities.

Support and education groups can be useful to connect with others and share experiences related to coping and succeeding in your caregiving roles.

Lutheran Social Services provides information and assistance with kinship caregiver support services, Family Circle conferences, Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshops and support groups. Call 651-917-4640 or see kinshipcaregivers.org.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a workshop series that offers vital tools and techniques to make the best of your caregiving experience. A Family Circle conference can bring family together to make decisions regarding the children or adults in your care.

The Senior Linkage Line — 800-333-2433; mnaging.org — offers information and assistance in accessing and understanding senior services.

Janet Salo is a family support specialist

at Kinship Caregivers, a program of

Lutheran Social Service of MN. She is also

a member of the Twin Cities’ Metropolitan

Caregiver Service Collaborative

(caregivercollaborative.org).

DECEMBER 2014/ 21

THIS ISPAGE 21

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FINANCE ////// SKIP JOHNSON

Spoil your loved ones (but not your budget)

G O O D L I V I N G

As the song says, this is “the most wonderful time of the year.” Th ere are holiday parties,

family gatherings and gift s to exchange. Th e memories created in this month can last

well into the new year and beyond.For many retailers, this is the most important

time of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, many of its member businesses count

on the months of November and December for 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales. Th e

pressure’s on for those businesses to get you to spend — and spend big! Th ey’ll

be passing that pressure on to you.What you don’t want to do is give into the pressure and end

up with regret when you open your bank and credit

card statements come January.

I’ve put together fi ve tips to help you be generous to your loved ones, and take advan-tage of once-a-year savings, all without spoiling your budget.

SET A SPENDING LIMIT

Before you hit your fi rst store or website, make a list of who you’re buying for and how much you plan to spend. I stress to my clients the importance of budgeting year-round, and that includes the holiday season.

Write up a budget for holiday expenses — including what you plan to spend on gift s, hosting (and att ending) parties and travel to see loved ones. Keeping that budget with you as you shop can help you avoid impulse buys.

TIPPING? GO FOR GIFT CARDS

You probably have people like teachers, babysitt ers, newspaper carriers and doormen on your list. Save yourself a lot of guesswork by gett ing gift cards.

Giving gift cards is a good way to stick to a budget. But buy gift cards only from reputable retailers. Cards sold through online auction sites might be stolen or counterfeit.

BE A SCROOGE

I’m not talking about shopping for your friends and family. I’m talking about shopping for yourself. It’s so easy to impulse buy when you see something you like on a holiday sale, but this is one of the biggest budget-busters!

Th e National Retail Federation says shoppers — while spending a lot of time and energy shop-ping — will spend about $130 on themselves! Stick to your spending limit and try to steer clear of temptation.

Go ahead and be generous this holiday season, but not to the point where you put yourself into debt.

22/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 22

AVOID HIDDEN FEES

Th e average person plans to do 40 percent of their shopping online, according to the National Retail Federa-tion. When you’re using the Internet, you need to be especially careful, or you could end up paying for something you don’t want. Watch for pre-checked boxes next to add-on products and services. Th ese types of hidden fees can really add up, so make sure you read the fi ne print before agreeing to buy anything.

WIN LOYALTY POINTS

Th ere will be a lot of promotions this holiday season, and many stores will off er special deals to loyal customers. Consider signing up for emails from your favorite stores, and also keep an eye on their websites, Twitt er feeds and Facebook pages. And don’t forget the traditional method of scoring coupons — the newspaper.

In October, the credit reporting agency TransUnion released the results of a study that found people in nearly every age bracket had less debt than they did fi ve years ago. Only one group saw an increase — those age 60 and older. Th e study cited generosity to chil-dren and grandchildren as a factor.

I work with my clients toward a goal of being debt-free by the time they reach their 60s so that all of their retire-ment income can go toward paying for the present and the future — not the past.

Go ahead and be generous this holiday season, but not to the point where you put yourself into debt.

Skip Johnson is a partner at

Great Waters Financial in New Hope, Minn.

Learn more at mygreatwaters.com.

DECEMBER 2014/ 23

THIS ISPAGE 23

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HOUSING ////// TERESA AMBORD

G O O D L I V I N G

Could your housekeeper sue you?If you’ve hired household workers such as

housekeepers, nannies, medical helpers or caregivers, you need to be aware of some impor-tant tax and legal problems that can come up if you aren’t careful.

The first thing you need to do is figure out if your hired workers are independent contractors or employees. The implications are important.

ARE THEY EMPLOYEES?

A worker who brings his or her own equipment — for example, a gardener — is most likely an independent contractor. Such a person probably also does work for other people as well. Indepen-dent contractors must supply their own insurance.

Still, it’s up to you to ask to see a certificate of adequate insurance to protect yourself. Otherwise, a contractor who’s injured in your home could still sue you if the cost of his or her injuries exceeds the limits of his or her insurance.

If a worker, such as a housekeeper, comes into your home and you provide cleaning supplies and control the work, chances are he or she is your employee.

If you pay that person at least $1,900 by the end of 2014, you must also pay employment tax on his or her wages and withhold tax from those wages. Depending on the state you live in, you might also be required to cover workers’ compensation insur-ance. Even if the law doesn’t require you to have this coverage, you’d be smart to carry it to protect yourself from serious losses.

PAYING UNDER THE TABLE

More and more, the IRS is cracking down on people who have workers who are paid under the table and are technically employees. If you’re caught, you could be looking at not just back taxes, but substantial penalties as well.

People who pay under the table are frequently caught by accident, when their former workers file

for unemployment. Many of these workers fail to realize that, if you’re paying them under the table, they can’t get unemployment benefits based on those earnings. So when the job ends, they file for benefits listing you as the employer. That’s when the authorities start poking around.

If you’re not sure if your worker is your employee or not, ask your insurance agent. Not only are you risking substantial penalties from the IRS, but you’re also taking even bigger risks by not properly insuring the worker against injury.

INSURANCE OPTIONS

What about your homeowner’s insurance? Many people assume their homeowner’s policy will help if an employee is injured while working in the home. Generally, that’s not true.

Homeowner insurance will cover injuries to guests. It might also cover some injuries to a contractor working at your home, but home-

Many people assume their homeowner’s policy will help if an employee is injured while working in the home. Generally, that’s not true.

24/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 24

owner insurance doesn’t usually cover a domestic worker, like a housekeeper. You might, however, be able to add this coverage.

Other risks to you as an employer include lawsuits for wrongful termina-tion, discrimination, harassment and breaches of privacy.

Lilia Rocha, the vice president of a Los Angeles insurance agency told Bankrate.com: “Personal and general liability coverage primarily deals with bodily injury and property damage. Unless there is a specifi c endorsement, a homeowner policy won’t address these exposures.”

Rocha advises clients who have household workers to carry employ-ment practices liability insurance.

If you already have a personal umbrella or liability policy, you could talk to your agent about gett ing an endorsement added.

A standalone policy, based on the number of employees you have, will cover more risk. But it may come with a high deductible and require a lot of information from you.

An endorsement comes with lower premiums and lower deductibles, and requires less information from you, but of course, the coverage is limited.

Teresa Ambord is a former accountant

and a longtime fi nance writer. Send

comments to editor@mngoodage.com.

MINNESOTA RESOURCESLearn more about Minnesota labor

laws and workers compensation

— and fi nd helpful tips for hiring

contractors — at dli.mn.gov

or call 800-342-5354.

DECEMBER 2014/ 25

THIS ISPAGE 25

A Cure Is In Sight800-610-4558

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TECHNOLOGY ////// MR. MODEM

G O O D L I V I N G

When should you sign out? Always.

FLIGHT RADAR

This very cool fl ight tracker shows current air traffi c worldwide.

FlightRadar24 uses in-air fl ight data from several sources

combined with schedule and fl ight-status information from

airlines and airports to create an informative presentation.

How it all works is fascinating: An aircraft gets its location from

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signal containing the location (and much more) to a receiver

connected to Flightradar24. Click any of the little airplane

icons to view detailed information about the fl ight.

fl ightradar24.com

When I sign in to my bank accounts and other sites, does it make any difference whether I

sign out or just click the X to close the window?

Yes, it makes a huge diff erence — make that a HUGE diff erence!Never ever, ever, ever leave an account that you logged

into without logging out. Failing to log out is tantamount to departing your home and leaving the door open — 99.99 percent of the time everything will be fi ne when you return.

On the other hand, it’s only going to take one time — when you return to a ransacked house or fi nd raccoons have taken up residence — to change your life forever. And then it’s too late.

Always log off .It doesn’t matt er whether it’s an online bank account or

your Gmail account or anything else. You log in for security purposes, and you must log out to close and lock the door behind you, otherwise you’re leaving that account door open and making yourself and your data needlessly vulnerable.

Most log-in venues have an automatic log-out feature so if your account has no activity for a period of time, you will automatically be logged out.

Unfortunately, there are also evildoers out there who know that many users are lazy or simply don’t know any bett er and will walk away from accounts without logging off . Th at creates a golden opportunity for someone to wreak havoc on your accounts and adversely aff ect your life in the process, as well.

It only takes a split second to log out, so it’s well worth the eff ort for the peace of mind alone.

Why would I want to convert a Word document to a PDF fi le format?

Many times people are required to submit documents in a PDF (Portable Document Format).

Th ere are many reasons a PDF format may be selected. For example, PDF documents always look exactly the same for all recipients, regardless of the hardware or soft ware used, which can make it ideal for presentations.

PDF documents can be navigated by keyword search, and hyperlinks can be included within a table of contents, which increases usability.

And the fi le format is compact, so fi les can be easily emailed and archived, too.

Th e PDF format is an industry standard for business docu-ments such as contracts and forms that must retain their exact appearance for legal reasons, such as tax returns, license agree-ments and more.

Where do I fi nd Contacts with the new Gmail interface? They seem hidden!

Aft er logging into Gmail.com, click the arrow next to Gmail in the upper left -hand corner of your Inbox, then select Contacts from the drop-down menu.

Richard Sherman, a nationally syndicated columnist, fi rst

ventured onto the Internet in 1988. Learn more at mrmodem.net.

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26/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 26

* Note: You’ll need to make this recipe three times; once as written without food coloring, once with green food coloring and once with red food coloring.

Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. (This would be the time where you would add the food coloring for the 2nd and 3rd batches.)

Add the egg, lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon extract and beat until blended.

Whisk together the salt and flour in a bowl, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture gradually, mixing on low speed.

Add water, a few drops at a time, if the dough is dry, but only until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.

Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and top with another piece of wrap. Press the dough into a thick flat disc and wrap tightly.

Repeat the above steps twice more so you have three batches of dough, each a different color.

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1st batch: no food coloring*

2nd batch: 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring*

3rd batch: 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring*

1 large egg

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for egg wash

1/4 cup sanding sugar or decorating sugar (optional)

Makes 4 to 6 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

Italian striped lemon Christmas cookiesR E C I P E A N D P H O T O B Y T E R R Y J O H N Z I L A

Refrigerate the doughs for 2 to 3 hours (or overnight). (If you’re chilling overnight, let the dough warm up for about 60 minutes before the next step.)

Roll out each of the three doughs separately between sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of 1/4 inch.

Chill each dough, still layered in waxed paper, until firm, about 30 minutes.

Lay the white dough on a cutting board and peel off the top sheet of wax paper. Brush it lightly with egg wash. Remove one sheet of waxed paper from the green dough. Invert the green dough on top of the white dough, then peel off the waxed paper and brush it with egg wash. Repeat with the red dough.

Wrap the combined doughs in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 1/4-inch-thick, 4-inch-long slices, trimming off any uneven edges. Place the slices on parchment-lined baking sheets about an inch apart.

Sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar, if desired.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to brown.

PRO TIP

To create vibrant red (not pink) and dark green (not mint green) color in your cookies, use soft gel paste color instead of liquid food coloring. See americolorcorp.com or amazon.com.

G O O D L I V I N G

IN THE KITCHEN

Local chef and culinary instructor Terry John Zila teaches cooking classes throughout the Twin Cities. See Zila demonstrate this recipe on KARE 11 TV at tinyurl.com/stripecookies.

DECEMBER 2014/ 27

THIS ISPAGE 27

Participating in creative activities — such as music, dance, poetry, painting and other visual arts — can help ages 55 and older boost joy, improve health, fi ght depression and delay dementia.

Photo by Rich Fleischman / MacPhail Center for Music

28/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 28

Amazing!Arts and aging:

Patrick Weber grew up in the 1960s, an exhilarating era that gave birth to Th e Beatles and Th e Rolling Stones.

Att ending middle school in Hibbing at the time, he was so inspired by the rock ‘n’ roll movement, he decided to take guitar lessons at a local music shop.

“I bought my own guitar with money I had from a paper route,” he said.

Guitar, however, wasn’t easy to learn.“I sold it when I was in my late 20s,” Weber said. “I didn’t play from

that time forward.”Fast-forward about three decades.Today Weber, a 63-year-old retired banking att orney living in Shor-

eview, has triumphantly reclaimed the guitar and is living his passion for music nearly every day.

He been playing guitar since 2010, thanks to weekly lessons at MacPhail Center of Music, based in Minneapolis, plus about fi ve hours of practice a week. He boasts a repertoire of more than 30 songs, including Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman, Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“I thought it would be a good way to engage the brain,” Weber said. “Plus, I just really enjoy music.”

WHY IT REALLY MATTERS

Th ough Weber’s story may sound like a tale of a man exploring a long-lost hobby later in life, experts who study aging say what Weber is doing is extremely important for his overall health.

Engaging the brain in challenging creative activities in midlife

B Y S A R A H D O R I S O N

Retired attorney Patrick

Weber dabbled in guitar

as a youngster. Now,

thanks to lessons through

the Minneapolis-based

MacPhail Center for Music,

he’s been back at it. The

63-year-old Shoreview

resident has been playing

since 2010 and now owns

multiple electric guitars,

including a cherry-red,

semi-hollow-body

Gibson ES-335.

DECEMBER 2014/ 29

THIS ISPAGE 29

and beyond is an essential part of aging well, according to a growing group of neuroscientists.

Being active in the arts, according to recent studies, can delay dementia, fi ght depression and improve overall health (or at least slow its decline), even into our 80s.

Older adults who engage regularly in music, dance, poetry, painting and other visual arts have been proven to age bett er, mentally and physically, said Tammy Hauser, interim executive director for ArtSage, a connector, a convener and a catalyst for arts and aging in Minnesota (formerly called the Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network).

“Mastery of a skill forces your brain to make connec-tions,” Hauser said, adding that the arts are especially powerful among the oldest of adults. “It’s more eff ec-tive than a lot of medications.”

RESEARCH ON ARTS, AGING

Hauser has seen the arts change lives, but she’s also seen research that backs up the anecdotal evidence: According to a three-city study conducted by renowned

geriatric psychiatrist Gene Cohen, George Washington University and the National Endowment for the Arts —� e Creativity and Aging Study — arts-engaged older adults don’t just report bett er health outcomes. Partici-pants in the three-year controlled study who were active in the arts (age 65 to 103 with an average age of 80) required fewer medications and doctor visits than the adults in the control group.

Th ey also suff ered fewer falls.Why? Mastering artistic skills gave participants in

the study a greater sense of control and also boosted their overall social engagement, according to the study, completed in 2006.

Above: Zoe Bird (left), director of the Alzheimer’s

Poetry Project-Minnesota and ArtSage mentor

and presenter Jeanne Bayer, take part in an artists

training initiative developed and led by ArtSage, a

Twin Cities-based organization that supports arts-

and-aging programming in the Midwest.

30/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 30

In his book, The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life, Cohen argues that people involved in creative activities feel bett er, remain more independent and lead more meaningful lives.

USE IT OR LOSE IT

Weber doesn’t need a research study to validate his reasons for playing guitar.

He sought out music partly to keep his brain active in retirement. Aft er a lifetime of daily work in the intense world of fi nance and law, he wanted to stay not just busy, but sharp. He also exercises fi ve times a week.

“I think to be engaged both mentally and physically is extremely important,” Weber said.

Indeed, scientifi c evidence backs this use-it-or-lose-it philosophy.

In the PBS/TPT documentary Arts & the Mind, neuroscientist Dr. Jay Giedd with the National Institute of Mental Health cites the concept of neuroplasticity: Whether young or old, our brains’ neural-pathways constantly adapt to our experiences, especially if the experiences are mentally and physically engaging, such as dancing, painting, singing or playing an instrument.

Opportunities to discover the artsAlzheimer’s Poetry Project-Minnesota, encourages the creativity of elders with memory loss through collaborative, joyful poetry programming. Contact director Zoe Bird at zozettebird@gmail.com or 612-432-9196; alzpoetry.org.

Beyond Ballroom Dance Company offers lifelong-learning opportunities for older adults; beyondballroom.org.

COMPAS, based in St. Paul, helps bring arts activities to all ages, including older adults in a variety of settings; compas.org.

History Theatre in St. Paul offers storytelling and writing workshops for senior living facilities and community centers. History Theatre also offers on-site writing classes for older adults; historytheatre.com.

Kairos Alive! is a Minneapolis-based performing and arts-learning organization offering award-winning intergenerational programming in participatory dance, music and story for older adults; kairosalive.org.

MacPhail Music for Life is a newly expanded program for adults 55 and older looking for a comfortable and inviting place to pursue music, including individual and group lessons; macphail.org.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts offers Discover Your Story tours designed for small groups of visitors with memory loss and their friends and caregivers; tinyurl.com/discoveryourstory.

Music & Memory trains elder-care professionals how to set up personalized music playlists, delivered on iPods and other digital devices, for those in their care; musicandmemory.org.

Northern Clay Center offers Art@Hand courses for ages 55 and older and their families; northernclaycenter.org.

VocalEssence offers a variety of programs for older adults, including Choral Pathways and, coming in 2015, Vintage Voices, at senior centers and assisted living homes in the Twin Cities; vocalessence.org.

WATCH IT!PBS/TPT produced a two-part documentary series, Arts & the Mind, featuring

national and Minneapolis-based experts in the arts, hosted by Lisa Kudrow.

See pbs.org/program/arts-mind or tpt.org/artsandthemind.

DECEMBER 2014/ 31

THIS ISPAGE 31

vocalessence.org.

DECEMBER 2014/ / / 31

“Th e things that we do a lot, the brain will be optimized for those,” Giedd said in the documentary. “And the connections that we don’t use will wither and die.”

Th e same is true for young children, whose brains eliminate pathways that aren’t used through a process call competitive elimina-tion, all part of adapting to life.

“It seems to be in place as long as we are alive,” Giedd said of the phenomenon of neuroplasticity. “Th ere is no age too old to learn.”

SATISFYING THE SILVER TSUNAMI

Th is is all welcome news to anyone serving the baby boomer population, turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 people per day in the U.S., part of a worldwide demo-graphic shift known as the Silver Tsunami.

In Minnesota, that means an estimated one-fi ft h of the state will be over age 65 by 2030.

Boomers — who are expected to live longer than previous generations — are looking for meaning and purpose not just in retirement but also in old age.

Hauser calls baby boomers “the younger old.”“Th ey want engaging experiences,” Hauser said.

“Th ey’re demanding that.”Th ough many facilities are ill-equipped to fi ll

the need for sophisticated creative opportuni-ties, ArtSage is working to change that by training a growing cadre of artists who are interested in working with older adults.

Community centers, libraries and senior housing facilities can contact ArtSage to learn how to off er programming that appeals to a wide variety of older adults. Coming soon is SageConnect, an interactive and searchable database that will function as a one-stop shop for the arts and aging community.

Creating successful arts programming for older adults is a new and special challenge, Hauser said.

Artistic endeavors for boomers and beyond must go beyond traditional craft s.

Programming needs to be personal and tailored to individuals’ needs. Participants need venues for telling their own personal stories, Hauser said, adding: “Th ere’s diff erence between (craft s) and writing a poem or creating a song and singing it.”

Top: Teaching artist and mentor Joey Clark

and artist May Lee-Yang participate in a

training initiative organized by ArtSage, a

catalyst for local arts-and-aging programming.

Bottom: Maria Genne works with older adults

as part of her dance company, Kairos Alive!

32/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 32

Personalized experiences, Hauser said, will go a long way to easing the feelings of loneliness, depression, loss and hopelessness that can come with aging.

Having a creative outlet can be especially benefi cial for older adults, Hauser said. But younger boomers may fi nd now to be an ideal time to start, especially couples whose children have left the nest.

“It’s a crucial piece of human development aft er age 55 when you’re trying to make meaning in your life,” Hauser said. “You have time. Maybe you didn’t have that early in your life. Maybe you’ve always wanted to draw or paint or sing. Th at’s what arts in aging celebrates.”

DANCE: ENGAGING THE BODY

Dance and movement can be particularly powerful for older adults, according to neuroscientist and pathologist Dr. Peter Davies at the Albert Einstein College of Medi-cine in New York. He’s studied Alzheimer’s for more than 35 years.

Davies believes the richest, most resilient parts of the brain are the centers responsible for the arts.

When interviewed for Arts & the Mind, Davies said: “Th e evidence says that participation in dance programs reduces the development rate of dementia by maybe 75 percent. Th ere is no drug around or even on the horizon that can reduce the rate of Alzheimer’s or dementia by 75 percent.”

Maria Genne, the founder of Kairos Alive! a dance company in Minneapolis, said dance — even when done by older adults able to do movements only while sitt ing — can be life changing.

Dance, she said, has the capacity to reconnect older adults through the powerful experience of movement, touch and social interaction.

“Dance is cognitive, it’s social, it’s emotional and it’s physical,” she said as part of her interview in Arts & the Mind. “Dance is a body-brain exercise.”

MINNESOTA LEADING THE WAY

Minnesota’s arts organizations — including the Minne-apolis Institute of Arts, History Th eatre, Northern Clay Center, VocalEssence, Beyond Ballroom Dance Company, the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project of Minnesota, MacPhail and Kairos Alive! — appear to be at the fore-front of the arts-and-aging trend in the U.S.

“Nationally, Minnesota is the leader,” Hauser said. “We really are at the very beginning of this. We’re building a movement.”

Many local arts organizations att ended the fi rst Midwest Arts and Aging Conference in St. Paul earlier this year. Organized by ArtSage, the conference also featured dozens of individual artists (trained by ArtSage) to meet the arts-education demands of memory-care facilities, adult-day programs, independent housing facili-ties, community centers and beyond.

Gary Glazner, the founder of the national Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, gave Minnesota’s burgeoning arts-and-aging movement a pat on the back in his keynote address at the conference.

“You should be really proud of your community and the work you are doing together,” Glazner said. “It really is rich here. Not all places are like this.”

GETTING STARTED?

Not sure what your creative outlet should be? Just start exploring and see what you fi nd.

Weber’s advice: Don’t pursue something you don’t love or something that’s too easy.

Look around until you fi nd the right fi t.“Find out what makes you happy and go for it,” he

said. “Th e good thing about being retired is you can do whatever you want.”

Sarah Dorison is the editor

of Minnesota Good Age magazine.

RESOURCESArtSage offers training programs, consulting

services and online resources to encourage

creative arts experiences for older adults;

artsagemn.org.

Creative Aging Toolkit for Public Libraries,

creativeagingtoolkit.org

National Center for Creative Aging,

creativeaging.org

Opening Doors, opendoorstomemory.org

DECEMBER 2014/ 33

THIS ISPAGE 33

B Y B I L L S I U R U

Unlike baby boomers, Millennials (born between 1980 and the early 2000s) are oft en

more interested in smartphones and social media than owning cars.

Th at’s partly why car sharing is rapidly growing in popularity, especially around college campuses.

Basically, car sharing allows you to rent a vehicle for short periods of time just when you need it, perhaps for only an hour. With car sharing, you can have “wheels” without having to own them.

Are older adults another demographic that could benefi t from the car sharing?

AARP thinks so and recently formed a partnership with Zipcar, the world’s leading membership-based car-sharing network, resulting in reduced member-ship fees for some older adults.

URBAN OPTION

However, the demo-graphics are quite diff erent for seniors. First of all, unlike younger genera-tions, seniors have been accustomed to private car ownership probably since they got their drivers licenses a half-century ago. Secondly, nearly three-quarters of seniors live in suburban or rural areas.

Th is presents a problem for the car-charging business model, which is based on locating vehicles in densely populated urban areas.

Zipcar, now owned by the Avis Budget Group, off ers its car-sharing services in about three dozen U.S. cities,

usually at or near a university or airport. (In the Twin Cites, you can fi nd Zipcars in the urban cores of Minneapolis and St. Paul and at the airport.)

Several other companies off er car sharing including Hertz on Demand,

Is car sharing for you?

Car2Go operates in 11 major U.S. cities, including the Twin Cities, currently served by a fl eet of 500 smart fortwo two-passenger city cars. Learn more at car2go.com/en/minneapolis.

34/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 34

How does car sharing work?Let’s look at Zipcar.

Î First, you have to join Zipcar

to obtain a Zipcard.

Î Eligibility requirements include a

valid driver’s license, a good driving

record and decent credit history.

ÎWhile there are a variety of

Zipcar plans, typically it costs $6

per month and $6 to $8 per hour

depending on location, time and

vehicle type. This includes about

180 miles and insurance; then it

costs 45 to 55 cents per mile.

Î You reserve a car on Zipcar’s

website, by phone or by using

Zipcar’s iPhone or Android app.

Î Next, you have to travel to the

car’s location.

Î At the time of your reservation,

you hold the Zipcard against the

card reader in the windshield

to unlock the doors. The keys

are inside.

Î You use a smartphone or Zipcard

to lock and unlock the doors during

your trip.

Î You have to return the car to the

location where you picked it up with

a 1/4 tank of fuel. Zipcar pays for

the fuel.

Î You can bring a pet along, but it

must be kept in a locked pet carrier,

unless it’s a service animal. Of

course, no smoking.

Learn more at carsharing.net.

Enterprise CarShare and U-Haul Car Share. Car manufacturers have also introduced their own car-sharing services, the most ambitious being Daimler’s Car2Go with services in 11 major U.S. cities and three in Canada (including the Twin Cities).

Car2go uses two-passenger smart fortwo cars. Though most run on gaso-line, some are electric.

LIMITED USE FOR SENIORS

At last count, there were about 1.3 million car-sharing members sharing 21,459 vehicles in the U.S.

There have been proposals to locate car-sharing services near age-55-plus communities, but they never happened.

That’s because there are two basic types of senior drivers.

First there are those with cars they’ve had for years, paid off and don’t drive much; the only major cost is insurance and registration.

The others are “car guys” who buy the latest cars and would never be seen in a rented car.

Drive around many older-adult communities and see almost as many Corvettes as Buicks. Unlike college campuses, the culture for car sharing isn’t strong.

The best way for seniors to take advan-tage of car sharing is when they travel to a city where car sharing is available and they need a car for only a few hours.

Why pay car rental and parking fees for a car that sits most of the time in a hotel parking garage? This is especially true in Europe where car-sharing is even more established and very popular.

Seniors who live in locales with car sharing, especially near college campuses, might even be able to avoid owning a car.

Bill Siuru writes about the automotive

industry and other technology

and how it can affect seniors.

DECEMBER 2014/ 35

THIS ISPAGE 35

DECEMBER CAN’T MISS CALENDAR

DEC. 4–6

36th Annual Old Fashioned Holiday BazaarBrowse 75 booths of local, handcrafted jewelry, wreaths, paintings, lotions and soaps.

When: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Dec. 4–5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 6

Where: Landmark Center, St. PaulCost: $4. Admission is free

for ages 12 and younger.Info: landmarkcenter.org

DEC. 4–29

A Very Die Hard ChristmasBased loosely on the classic movie Die Hard, this play combines action and suspense with touching sentiments of traditional TV Christmas specials, presented by Dana’s Boys and Mainly Me Productions.

When: 10 a.m. Dec. 4–5, 11–13, 19–20, 9:30 p.m. Dec. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and 8 p.m. Dec. 29

Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis

DEC. 25–28

Cirque du Soleil presents VarekaiThe renowned circus-arts group takes audiences to a magical forest at the summit of a volcano, full of high-flying gymnastics, bright costumes and breathtaking acrobatics.

When: Dec. 25–28Where: Target Center, MinneapolisCost: $40–$100Info: cirquedusoleil.com/

varekai or 888-929-7849

DEC. 1–21

God Rest Ye Scary Gentlemen III: Christmas GhostsEnjoy slightly spooky stories about holiday hauntings in this third installment of the Hardcover Theater’s successful series.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 1, 7–8, 14, 21Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl,

MinneapolisCost: $12 in advance, $15 at the doorInfo: bryantlakebowl.com

or 612-825-8949

DEC. 3–18

Letters to SantaComedian and actor Janelle Ranek takes on the personas of a variety of oddball characters in this unique holiday show.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 3–4, 11, 17–18Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl,

MinneapolisCost: $10 in advance,

$12 at the doorInfo: bryantlakebowl.com

or 612-825-8949

36/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 36

Cost: $13 in advance, $15 at the door

Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

DEC. 5–7

Ice Fishing and Winter Sports ShowMore than 190 exhibits will showcase the latest in ice fishing and winter sporting products, plus seminars on various topics.

When: 1–9 p.m. Dec. 5, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 7

Where: St. Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul

Cost: $9 for adults, $5 for children; ages 5 and younger can attend for free.

Info: stpaulicefishingshow.com

DEC. 5–7

Being a Ghost StoryUsing elements from Victorian Theater, the Powderhorn Theatre Arts group presents its take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, incorporating a mummer’s play, holiday music and puppets.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 5–6, 2 p.m. Dec. 6–7

Where: Powderhorn Park Recreation Center, Minneapolis

Cost: Entry is FREE with a non-perishable food donation.

Info: tinyurl.com/powderhornpark or 612-370-4960

DEC. 5–14

Welcome ChristmasChorus group VocalEssence celebrates a Nordic Christmas with carols and traditions from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

When: Dec. 5–7, 13–14Where: Various metro-area

locationsCost: $20Info: vocalessence.org

DEC. 5–20

The Unscripted Minnesota HolidayExperience classic holiday story arcs with a twist, in which the audience supplies the details of the characters and place and the actors improvise the rest, presented by Danger Boat Productions.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20, 10 p.m. Dec. 10

Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis

Cost: $13 in advance, $15 at the door

Info: bryantlakebowl.com or 612-825-8949

DEC. 6–7

Sparkle MartBrowse handmade jewelry from more than 30 local artists at this event hosted by the Minnesota Jewelry Arts Guild.

When: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Dec. 6, noon–4 p.m. Dec. 7

Where: 3rd Floor Gallery, Northrup King Building, Minneapolis

Cost: FREEInfo: tinyurl.com/sparklemart

DEC. 11–21

La NatividadThis unique bilingual production of the Nativity story — inspired by the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas — combines handmade life-size puppets, street theatre, audience participation and a torch-lit procession.

When: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 13–14, 18–21

Where: In The Heart of the Beast Theatre, Minneapolis

Cost: $16–$22Info: hobt.com or 612-721-2535

DEC. 11–15

Christmas With CantusThe renowned nine-member chorus rehearses and performs without a conductor, connecting directly with the audience. Their holiday concert features

contemporary and traditional music, spanning more than five centuries.

When: Dec. 11–15Where: Various locations

in the metro areaCost: $20–$35Info: cantussings.com

or 612-435-0055

DEC. 12–14

The NutcrackerTwin Cities Ballet presents its flagship production of Denise Vogt’s classic, featuring more than 100 dancers, apprentices and students.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 12, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 13, 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 14

DEC. 6

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian NutcrackerIntricate and larger-than-life puppetry, detailed costumes and rich sets make for a particularly engrossing performance of Tchaikovsky’s score.

When: Noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 6

Where: Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis

Cost: Tickets start at $30.Info: hennepintheatretrust.com

or 800-982-2787

Photo courtesy of Moscow Ballet

DECEMBER 2014/ 37

THIS ISPAGE 37

DEC. 6–28

Holidazzle VillageEnjoy a wealth of holiday spectacles at Holidazzle Village including the European-style Minneapolis Holiday Market ($3–$6 season pass), plus free attractions such as live reindeer, a carousel, a skating rink and holiday characters.

When: Open weekends in December from 3–8 p.m. The Holiday Market is open 11 a.m.–9 p.m. through Dec. 24.

Where: Nicollet Mall between 10th and 12th streetsCost: FREE entry to Hollidazzle Village, $3–$6 for a Holiday Market season passInfo: holidazzle.com or minneapolisholidaymarket.com

Where: Ames Center, BurnsvilleCost: $16–$32Info: twincitiesballet.org

or 800-982-2787

DEC. 12–14

Joyful and TriumphantThe Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus performs its annual holiday concert featuring holiday staples and contemporary tunes, along with special guests The Copper Street Brass Quintet.

When: 8 p.m. Dec. 12–13 and 2 p.m. Dec. 14

Where: Ted Mann Concert Hall, Minneapolis

Cost: $25–$48Info: tcgmc.org

DEC. 15

Tales from the Charred Underbelly of the Yule LogNPR’s All Things Considered commentator Kevin Kling presents heart-warming and comical stories both traditional and contemporary.

When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15Where: Guthrie Theater,

MinneapolisCost: $28 in advance, $23

for students and seniorsInfo: guthrietheater.com

or 612-377-2224

DEC. 17–21

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914This production marks the 100th anniversary of the miraculous Christmas truce between Allied and German soldiers during WWI.

When: Dec. 17–21Where: Pantages Theatre,

MinneapolisCost: $28–$39Info: hennepintheatretrust.com

or 800-982-2787

DEC. 18

Schubert Club Courtroom ConcertThis holiday-themed concert features carols from Minnesota composers.

When: Noon Dec. 18Where: Landmark Center, St. PaulCost: FREEInfo: landmarkcenter.org

or schubert.org/concerts

DECEMBER CAN’T MISS CALENDAR

DEC. 6–21

Hill House HolidaysCostumed actors portray servants in the Hill family mansion as they prepare for the holidays during this re-enactment of life in the first decade of the 20th century.

When: 1–3:30 p.m. Dec. 6–7, 13–14, 20–21; Tours begin every 30 minutes.Where: James J. Hill House, St. PaulCost: $12, $10 for seniors and students,

$8 for ages 6–17. Reservations required.Info: mnhs.org or 651-259-3015Photo by Steve Woit,

Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society

38/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 38

DEC. 21

The NutcrackerThe Metropolitan Ballet performs with the Hopkins Youth Ballet and a full symphony orchestra.

When: 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 21Where: Hopkins High School

Auditorium, HopkinsCost: $19–$59Info: metroballet.org

or 866-811-4111

DEC. 22

Winter Solstice in the NorthlandsEmbrace the darkest night then call in the sun with fi lm, dance, songs and stories about the winter solstice with artist and musician Kari Tauring.

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 22Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl,

MinneapolisCost: $8 advance, $10 at the doorInfo: bryantlakebowl.com

or 612-825-8949

DEC. 27

Kwanzaa Family DayCelebrate family, community and culture for Kwanzaa with music, African dance, drumming, storytelling, fashion shows and craft activities.

When: Noon–4 p.m. Dec. 27Where: Minnesota History

Center, St. PaulCost: Free with museum

admission ($11 for adults, $9 for seniors, students and active military, $6 for children, free for ages 5 and younger)

Info: mnhs.com or 651-259-3000

DECEMBER 2014/ 39

THIS ISPAGE 39

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HIT THE ROAD

AirplaneBoatCityContinentCountryCultureCustoms

DestinationExoticExperienceExploreGlobeJourneyLandmark

LanguageSightseeTouristTrainTranslateTravelWander

ANSWERS

WORD SEARCHSUDOKU

CRYPTOGRAMBreak the code to reveal a quote from a famous person. Each letter represents another letter.

Source: John Steinbeck Clue: U = E

B Q T O K L L G E Z O Q U

,

B T S H O Q L V Z Y H H U S ,

B E O Q L Y O O Q U X L J G

L V B E R O U S O L K E N U

.

E O Z B U U O R U Z Z .

WORD SCRAMBLE

Complete the following three six-letter words using each given letter once.

E M B U Y M L I R

SUT___ ___ ___ SU___T___ ___ SU___ ___ ___T

TRIVIA1. Old Faithful erupts about every 91 minutes in Yellowstone National Park. 2. Ralph Waldo Emerson 3. The Nile 4. Sydney Opera House 5. Zimbabwe 6. United States (Dallas, Texas) and Australia (Sydney) 7. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck 8. Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario and Erie 9. China and Russia each share borders with 14 other countries.

C U L T U R E J H A I I N E T

L T E Z U K O C I N G O B E R

E H C I S U D R I O I Y O S A

V T Q O R K P K M T J A A T N

A V X N N L E J A R O Z T H S

R M E D A T M N I L R X W G L

T Y K N O F I R B P K L E I A

E Y E N D T D N T P W M Z S T

K G L B S E X P E R I E N C E

C X A E K R A M D N A L E Y X

Y U D U E J Q E C V T I R Y P

L L S D G T S I R U O T N L L

X D N T Y N T M Q T N R O Q O

J A Q U O Y A G Y U W M Y M R

W K R J N M G L O B E T M S E

Q F W O L B S C S T P H D S K

40/ DECEMBER 2014

THIS ISPAGE 40

SUDOKUCROSSWORD

WORD SCRAMBLESuture, Subtly, Summit

CRYTPOGRAMWhat good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.

ANSWERS

TRIVIAALL AROUND THE WORLD

1. The fi rst national park in the world contains the so-called Old Faith ful geyser. In which park is it located, and how often does this predictable geyser erupt?

2. What 19th century poet penned these words? “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

3. A person could travel through 11 countries staying only on the shores of this river.

4. If someone says they’ve visited “Nuns in a Scrum,” what architectural landmark are they referencing?

5. With 16 offi cial languages, this country is the world record holder for the most recognized languages.

6. The longest non-stop, regularly scheduled commercial fl ight covers over one-third of the circumference of the Earth. Between what two countries does the fl ight travel?

7. Which travel novel by a famous Californian follows the author during a road trip with a pet poodle?

8. The Great Lakes contain more than 20 percent of the world’s fresh water. Can you list them in order from largest to smallest by volume?

9. Which two countries share the highest number of common borders with other countries?

TRIVIATRIVIAALL AROUND THE WORLDALL AROUND THE WORLD

DECEMBER 2014/ 41

THIS ISPAGE 41

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