Author Archives for Herb Weiss

It Takes a Village to Age in Place

Published in Senior Digest, February 2015

The simple act of joining his good friend, Reverend James Ishmael Ford, of the First Unitarian Church of Providence, for a quick cup of coffees piqued Cy O’Neil’s curiosity and led him on a journey to learn more about a new care option popping up around the nation, one that allows aging baby boomers to age in place right in the comfort of their home.

During their coffee chats, Ford, a native of California, began talking about his upcoming retirement, planning to return to his home state to be near his children.  But, he stressed the importance that his new California community must be located near a village.

O’Neil was intrigued and began Googling for information on specific villages, one was the The Beacon Hill Village.  He quickly got the concept.  Villages are created by membership-driven grass-roots organizations, with volunteers and paid staff, who coordinate access to affordable services, transportation, health and wellness programs, home repairs, social and educational activities, and other day-to-day needs enabling older persons to remain connected to their neighborhood community throughout the aging process.

According to Village to Village Network, there are now over 120 villages operating across the nation, in Canada, Australia and the Netherlands, with over a 100 additional Villages being developed.

Like many aging baby boomers, sixty-five-year old O’Neill did not want to leave his comfortable home in his later years, but stay put in his long-time Oakhill neighborhood.  The Village on Providence’s Eastside might just be the way to assist neighbors working together to successfully keep each other right in their homes, far away from assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Creating Providence Village

Last February, O’Neill and several friends, over pot luck dinners, began  brainstorming how the Village concept could be brought to the Ocean State. One of the oldest Village organizations, The Beacon Hill Village, was established in Boston in 2001.  Why couldn’t the successfully run, The Beacon Hill Village, be replicated right here in Rhode Island, they asked.

Three pot luck dinners along with a larger event that drew over 30 attendees, resulted in a group of nine people who decided to launch an effort to create what they call the Providence Village.  This group consisted of a writer, editor, a geriatrician, college educators and administrators, people with business backgrounds, and artists.

“Rhode Island is the only state that does not have a village yet,” quips O’Neil.  There have been other attempts to bring The Village concept to Rhode Island but the failed,” he believes.

O’Neil, Boston College’s associate director for long-range planning and capital, notes that the Providence Village is still in the exploratory phase, gathering information.  The Steering Group is reaching out to Eastside Community in Providence through a survey on its website (http://providencevillageri.org/take-our-survey/) to identify the types of programs and services needed and identifying potential partners.  When completed, the Steering Group will move the organization into development phase where “serious planning begins to take place,” adds O’Neil.  At this phase, member benefits will be determined, organizational partners identified, and an operational, business and marketing plan developed.  .

“So far our responses have been very positive,” observes O’Neil.  “We’re energized by these responses and are very committed to rolling up our sleeves to make Village Providence work,” he says, noting that the Steering Group wants to create more opportunities to get more people involved to make Providence Village a reality.

Thoughts From Steering Group Members

Pat Gifford, MD, a retired geriatrician who is certified in hospice and palliative care who has practiced for over 30 years, brings her medical expertise and understanding of aging issues to the Steering Group.  The sixty-six year old Laurel Mead resident sees the village movement targeted to aging baby boomers.  “The Village is not a social service agency to take care of frail people,” she notes, but a “way of organizing people to take care of each other, often involving volunteering and a measure of paying-it-forward.”

Gifford, who brings extensive experience about the Village movement to the Steering Group, would like to write and teach on health and wellness issues for the members of the Providence Village, especially providing support to self-supportive groups for those with chronic diseases.  “It’s up to the Board of Village members if they are interested in these efforts,” she says.

According to Gifford, the key to Providence Village being a success is garnering strong grass roots support.  “It is important for people to go to visit our web site and complete our survey, so that we can understand the needs and desires of our unique community,” she adds.

A Final Note…

“The village movement is one of many approaches to senior living that AARP encourages,” said AARP State Director Kathleen Connell. “It’s impractical for many people to simply remain in the family homestead forever. It’s not ‘Aging in Place’ if the place isn’t right for you. Most people talk about downsizing as if it is all there is to be said about housing options. It’s not true, and we’re happy to see growing awareness that less house to maintain is really only part of the solution.

“One’s house and one’s home are two different things. You can choose another house, but people are most comfortable when they make a new home in an environment where they feel comfortable and live in proximity to the services and support they require as they age. AARP calls these livable communities and they are aligned with the thinking behind the village movement.

“Rhode Island does not have unlimited space to build new retirement communities. We need a balance of traditional senior housing development and the creative thinking and the adaptive use of existing housing.“

For more details about Providence Village go to http://providencevillageri.org/.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12, is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues.  He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

 

This Book Offers an Important Life Leason

Published in Pawtucket Times, January 30, 2015

Sometimes you may just pick up a good book to read, especially during a storm when the Governor’s call for a State of Emergency three days ago because of the blizzard. Yes, being homebound because of bad weather does have its advantages. It gives you time to read books, especially if you still have electricity.

For years, my wife has gently suggested that I read a book, lying on her night stand. She told me that “it’ll help you put life’s priorities in order.” But, I never did, until this week when I finally picked up that nationally acclaimed book, “The Last Lecture” coauthored by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow. I quickly devoured the 206 page book, published by Hyperion in 2008, in just one day.

Thoughts of a Dying Professor

Doctors gave Pausch, a 47-year-old father of three, from three to six more months of “good health” when they diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer in August 2007. Just one month later, the dying Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) professor would address a packed auditorium for his afternoon lecture, addressing over 400 students, colleagues and friends. His talk was part of an ongoing CMU lecture series where top academics gave their “final talk”, revealing what really matters to them and the insights gleaned over their life if it was their last opportunity. Sadly, Pausch literally got his last chance.

Pausch was an award-winning professor and researcher, in the Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at CMU in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He passed away from complications from his disease on July 25, 2008. Zaslow, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, attended the last lecture, and wrote the story that helped fuel worldwide interest in it.

According to Wikipedia, “The Last Lecture became a New York Times bestseller in 2008, and remained on the prestigious list for 112 weeks, continuing into the summer of 2011. The book [ISBN: 978-1-4013-2325-7] has been translated into 48 languages [including Italian, German, Chinese, Arabic and more] and has sold more than 5 million copies in the United States alone, states the free internet encyclopedia.”

The CMU shot a video (one hour and 16 minutes in length) of Pausch’s last lecture—and soon the footage began spreading across the internet, on You Tube, popping up in tens of thousands of websites. Pausch’s inspirational talk, which has been viewed today by more than 17 million people today on You Tube can now be seen on CMU’s website, at http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/. His book and e-book can also be purchased on this website or at any bookstore, including your favorite neighborhood store.

Pausch’s Last Hurrah

Pausch’s lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” wasn’t about his dying. But, he freely admitted that he would rather have terminal cancer than being hit by a bus and suddenly killed because if he was hit by a sudden accident he would not have time to spend with his family and getting his house in order. He moved from Southern Virginia to Pittsburg so his wife, Jai, and his children could be near family.

Meanwhile, the CMU lecturer humorously begins by noting that while he had cancerous lesions throughout his body, outwardly he looked healthy. At one point, to prove his point, he dropped down to the floor and did push-ups on stage.

Throughout his talk, Pausch reeled off his unique insights gained from his four plus decades of life experience, specifically surmounting the challenges in your life he calls “brick walls.” He says, “Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something,” he said. Seize the moment, he adds, because, “time is all you have…and you may find one day that you have less than you think”

One of his dreams was becoming a Disney Imagineer. Three rejection letters and a Dean who attempted to block his efforts were an insurmountable “brick wall.” He ultimately would accomplish that childhood dream. He met William Shatner, won large stuffed animals, floated in zero gravity and even authored an article in the World Book encyclopedia. Although he never played for the NFL, he learned about life from his football coaches in his early school years.

So, while Professor Pausch stresses his talk was about achieving childhood dreams, it’s really about how to lead your life, he admits. “If you live your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself,” he believes. Oftentimes referring to ‘head fake’ throughout the lecture, meaning we tend to gain the most experience or lesson when guised by something else. But, at the lecture’s conclusion, Pausch freely admits the ‘last lecture’ was the biggest head fake of them all – for it wasn’t for those in the room but for his children, all under 7 years old. His talk is sprinkled with things he wants his children to learn and wants them to know about him, including personal stories of his growing up, his courtship with their mother, and ways to succeed in life. So, there are many levels and points Pausch gets across in his lecture, detailed in his bestselling book.

Pausch practiced what he preached, telling the packed auditorium to enjoy life and just have fun, like he did. Live life to the fullest because one never knows when it might be taken away, the terminally ill professor warns, who has just months to live.

Loyalty is important so “dance with the one who brings you,” says Pausch. He quotes Seneca, the Roman philosopher born in 5 B.C., “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. With this quote, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” He reminds us not to focus on the little issues while ignoring the big ones. “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand,” he says.

Pausch tells a story of his father’s “heroic achievement” for bravery awarded to him by the commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division in War II. The 22 year old solider, like many of the Greatest Generation, never mentioned his bronze star, which he only discovered after his death. It just never came up, stated Pausch, but revealed volumes about the importance of being touted their awards, never revealed to mother.

The CMU Professor would even award the “First Penguin” to students who failed to achieve their goals in his “Building Virtual Worlds” course, even though they took a risk using new technology or ideas in their design. He says this award was for “glorious failure” and “out-of-the-box thinking and using imagination in a daring way.”

The Last Lecture is a great read for those who seek a road map for living a better more productive life. It’s jam-packed with Pausch’s wisdom that will certainly come in handy throughout one’s journey in life especially when you confront the “brick walls” or challenges in your personal and professional careers. Take time to live your dreams to be crossed off your bucket list. Sometimes life can be unexpectedly too short, just like Pausch ultimately found out.

DEA’s Grimaldi Hangs Up His Spurs

Published in Pawtucket Times, January 25, 2015

With 40 years in state government under his belt, including 29 years at Elderly Affairs, Larry Grimaldi begins to move into his next stage of life, publicly announcing his retirement earlier this week. The retirement date, Feb. 6, is set in stone, his papers to personnel filed.

Sixty-five year old Grimaldi, who currently serves as Chief, Program Development at the state’s Division of Elderly Affairs (DEA), looks forward to his retirement next month, but with “mixed emotions.” While the North Providence resident is satisfied with his professional accomplishments over his career, in retirement “there is an anticipation of the unknown.” It’s not an uncommon experience for those planning to “hang up their spurs” after successful careers, he says.

Once retired, “I will take a little time to breathe and look around for things I just might want to do,” says Grimaldi, noting that first on his short list is to drive across the country in April with his wife, Katherine, in a small SUV. Not a bad decision with lower gas prices.

Grimaldi has no regrets as to how his career at DEA panned out. “It was marvelous,” he tells this columnist.

Throughout the Years

After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 1970 with a Bachelors degree in Journalism, Grimaldi worked for Providence-based companies Davol Rubber Company as a Quality Control Inspector and, three years later as a technical writer at BIF Industries. But he would leave the private sector to work as a Revenue Officer for the state’s Division of Taxation from 1975 to 1986.

A job advertisement for the position of Communications Coordinator at the state’s Department of Elderly Affairs (now a Division within the Department of Human Services) would catch Grimaldi’s attention. He jumped at the chance to apply. “It would really allow me the opportunity to put my college education and communication skills to good use,” he remembers.

Grimaldi learned a lot about the state’s aging network, honing his communication skills and building relationships. The late William Speck took him under his wing, teaching him the art of disseminating information to seniors and their caregivers, elected officials, and to the aging network, too.

According to Grimaldi, the statewide DEA information and public outreach campaign for the roll-out of the Medicare Part D program in 2006 received an Innovations in Health Care Award from RI Quality Partners (the federally designated Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Rhode Island).

Putting his writing skills to good use, for over 27 years Grimaldi penned over 600 “Rhode Island Senior Beat” columns that appeared in many of the state’s daily and weekly newspapers. Since last year, the prolific writer produced over 60 weekly columns, “Taking Charge,” that appeared in the Providence Journal.

Grimaldi is also responsible for producing the nationally acclaimed ‘Senior Journal’ on the state’s public access cable. Since he took the helm as DEA’s information officer, more than 620 programs have been broadcast. Over 75 older volunteers have “lent their ideas, time, talent, and unique perspective” to this effort, he says, noting that this November the show celebrated 25 years on the air.

In 2012, DEA’s cable show received the “Volunteers Matter Award” from the Washington-based National Association of State Units on Aging and Disabilities, says Grimaldi, noting that it was one of three programs recognized at that conference that year.

During his DEA career, Grimaldi was responsible for providing an estimated 300 monthly trainings to the state’s Information and Referral Specialists and professionals in the aging network. He brought DEA’s greetings and information to United Way and the POINT (Aging and Disability Resource Center for Rhode Island) events and to local health fairs and expos.
As his final retirement day approaches on February 6, 2015, Grimaldi says that he will miss his DEA relationships and those in the aging network that have developed over the years. “They are exceptionally dedicated people,” he says, noting that they now have to do more work with less resources.

Colleagues Say Their Goodbys

Grimaldi “has been the face of DEA for decades,” says DEA Director Charles Fogarty. “He is a warm, caring, and energetic man who has a real passion for helping older Rhode Islanders live full and productive lives. To thousands of seniors over the years he became a trusted friend on matters they cared about most. He really represents the best in public service in Rhode Island,” notes the newly appointed DEA Director.

Former DEA Director Corinne Calise Russo, who now serves as Deputy Director of the state’s Department of Human Services, describes Grimaldi as the “consummate professional.” He is a “great trainer with exceptionally strong people skills,” says the Warwick resident who was former director at the North Providence-based Salvatore Mancini Senior Center.

According to Russo, Grimaldi was key to getting DEA’s widely used pocket manual out to the public on a timely manner each year. “He was actually like a one person production line for this manual, compiling information, ensuring accuracy, and designing it, even negotiating with the printer for a good price and product. It is a “wonderful resource for families, physician offices, community partners and elected officials”, she says.

Susan Sweet, a passionate advocate for older Rhode islanders, says that Grimaldi “fulfilled his responsibilities admirably because he took those responsibilities seriously. He has been the information guru at DEA. Nothing could be more important”

His columns provided accurate information and guidance to older persons, people with disabilities, their families and the general public, Sweet says, giving “trustworthy and helpful tips and thoughtful advice with a cheerful lilt and a timely presence.”

Paula Parker, LCSW, Assistant Director at DEA, agrees with Sweet’s assessment of Grimaldi’s writing skills. “I have been awed by his commitment to accurate, current and effective communication about aging issues for both the public community and for his colleagues at DEA and other state agencies”, she says. “I think that Larry’s most impressive skill is his ability to re-frame complex issues (such as Medicare Part D, Social Security retirement benefits, and other governmental programs) in language that is clear, concise and understandable to most people”, adds Parker.

Grimaldi certainly earned his spurs serving under eight DEA Directors. He has earned the right to hang them up.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket writer who covers aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.