Fifty Plus Advocate

By Victor Block As my wife Fyllis and I contemplated our visit to a tiny town in Florida, the choices we faced were as intriguing as they were varied. Did we prefer to join a healing circle or seek spiritual counseling? Would we opt for a séance or a class in Ancient Wisdom Teachings? This is how planning for a day...

By Mike Festa, State Director, AARP Massachusetts Photo Mike Festa Photo Submitted S.B. 2455: An Act Removing Fees for Security Freezes and Disclosures of Consumer Credit Reports Consumers are now one step closer to having meaningful protections from identity theft. On behalf of 800,000 AARP members in Massachusetts and as the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing the interests of Americans age 50 and...

By Jane Keller Gordon, Assistant Editor Malden - Stephen Lewis is passionate about worldwide workers’ struggles, unions, peace, and the women’s movement. It’s not surprising that stored in his attic of his Malden home, he has 7,100 posters relating to these topics and more. For the past 10 years or so, Lewis has traveled the state mounting poster exhibitions, thanks to...

By Marianne Delorey Photo Marianne Delorey, Photo submitted Low income housing and market rate housing have more in common than not. The leases for these apartments, however, often have notable differences that warrant closer review. This article seeks to describe the general differences between a typical subsidized lease and a typical market rate lease. Since each lease individual’s lease may have...

By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA (Photo Alain Valles, Photo submitted) Many have heard the words “reverse mortgage,” but few have a clear understanding of how it works, the cost, the benefits or the process. As managing director of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc., our mission is to educate people about senior housing options and, when appropriate,...

By Micha Shalev Photo Micha Shalev, Photo Submitted  “I want to go home” is one of the most heartbreaking and confounding phrases people with dementia may say to their caregivers, but the meaning behind that phrase is almost always logical. For the most part, “home” can refer to a place, time or even a person. For those whose vocabulary has deteriorated, “home”...

By Ed Karvoski Jr., Culture Editor Melrose – Larry Gamst of Melrose renewed his health, fitness and life goals within recent years. In 2017, he completed his fourth marathon, fifth half marathon and first Half Ironman, which consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bicycle ride and 13.1-mile run. The triathletes’ organization TriFury voted him the most improved member in 2017. Preparing...

By Ed Karvoski Jr., Culture Editor Worcester County – For some volunteers, “RSVP” stands for more than “repondez s’il vous plait.” It’s also an acronym for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Among the projects of RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers (WAV) are the Senior Fraud Helpline and the Fraud Squad Players, a troupe of performers age 55 and over who...

By Ed Karvoski Jr., Culture Editor Westborough – Sindy Indge-Crosby has collected rocks and expressed herself artistically since growing up in Westborough. Now living in Salem, N.H, she’s doing business as Sindy Rocks and has stayed connected with her hometown through artworks. Her painted rocks are keepsakes for other natives and many townspeople including patrons of the 1717 Shoppe during Westborough’s...

By Ed Karvoski Jr., Culture Writer Southborough/ Worcester – Nick Noble has known that he loves folk music since his childhood. However, it never occurred to him until after relocating to Worcester in 2007 that he would host “Folk Revival,” Thursdays from 7 to 11 p.m. on the primarily jazz National Public Radio station WICN 90.5 FM and streamed live...