Merrill and Judy Skolnik were overwhelmed by the thought of moving until they enlisted the help of a moving coordinator.

The Skolniks began looking at continuing care retirement communities (CCRC), and after a lengthy search, they selected Roland Park Place in Baltimore, Md. The two native Baltimoreans have a long history in the area and were relieved to find a place in the city and close to their children.

After raising their four children, Judy launched a career as an advisor at Towson University. An electrical engineer, Merrill earned his degree from Johns Hopkins University and worked for nearly 40 years for the U.S. government. When he retired, he was the Superintendent of the Radar Division of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and a widely renowned author and expert in radar technology.

After living in the same home for decades, the Skolniks were overwhelmed by the thought of moving. Even after finding the right retirement community, they had no idea of where or how to start the transition.

The staff at Roland Park Place suggested that the Skolniks enlist the help of Senior Transitions, Inc., a moving coordinating company owned and operated by Charna Kinneberg, RN, MBA. Senior Transitions assists seniors and their families with every aspect of the moving process from planning and downsizing to packing and unpacking.

“We are not a one-size-fits-all company. Each client is unique,” Charna explained. “Our services are tailored to relieve the stress of moving, and our first goal is to determine the exact needs of the client.”

When Charna started helping the Skolniks, relocating began to seem manageable. “She just took the whole burden off; she was in charge,” recalled Judy. “Thank goodness for Charna.”

Instead of worrying about home maintenance or feeling isolated, the Skolniks now enjoy a wide range of activities with new friends and
neighbors.

Charna helped Judy and Merrill make key decisions about what to take with them and what to leave behind. “She’s very decisive,” Judy recalled of Charna. “She knows what should be done and just does it.” She also enlisted help to do the packing and unpacking, so the couple did not have to worry about the physical tasks of the move.

“They were just wonderful,” Judy said of Senior Transitions. “They pack you up, and they bring you here, and they unpack you. They even make up your bed, and you’re ready to begin your new life.”

In addition to being efficient and professional, Charna and her staff also formed a personal relationship with the Skolniks. It was almost a year after they moved that Judy recalled seeing some of Senior Transitions’ staff members in the lobby of Roland Park Place. “A new resident was moving in upstairs with Charna’s help. I recognized the movers, and, to my surprise, they greeted me by name. They remembered everything about us. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Since moving, the Skolniks have enjoyed a much-improved lifestyle. Merrill stopped driving and Judy only drives during the day, so the couple rarely ventured out in the evenings while living in their house. Now, they take the community bus to the opera, theater, concerts and dinners. “There’s something to do here all the time,” Judy said. “I try to take advantage of everything, and it’s been very stimulating.”

Finding a community close to home and the professionals to help them make the move has helped the Skolniks transition to their ideal retirement. From living an isolated life in their increasingly burdensome house to enjoying activities and events with new friends and neighbors, the Skolniks have certainly made a move in the right direction.

The medical and companionship services Mildred Bachman receives from Personal Touch Home Care allow her to continue to live with her son Michael.

Mildred’s fall was the first of several health problems that resulted in her moving into Michael’s home. “It’s nearly impossible to envision the amount of stress and upheaval bringing an elderly parent into one’s home can be—especially when it was a sudden, unexpected event with multiple layers of health issues involved,” he said.

After his mother started living with him, Michael realized that other health problems and her diminishing memory were going to prevent her from returning home. Unsure where to turn, he started researching home care agencies. His research led him to Personal Touch Home Care. “They really just seemed to have their act together,” he said. Personal Touch offered a unique blend of medical services and companionship. “So many of the other agencies were just focused on medical needs, and that wasn’t really what I was looking for,” Michael recalled. “I needed some degree of health services, but I really also wanted social and companionship services.”

Personal Touch assessed Mildred’s needs and devised a care plan that focuses on improving her quality of life. “They have helped her maintain her independence and continue doing the things she was already doing.” Michael said. With the help of her aide, Andrietta Allen, Mildred does puzzles, sketches and takes regular walks. She also received physical therapy and has regained full use of her wrist.

“After Personal Touch started helping us, things got so much better,” Michael said. “So many of my biggest fears about my mother living with me turned out to be non-issues.” He added, “Something that seemed insurmountable and impossible became a routine, then actually enjoyable.”

Today, Michael and Mildred are both comfortable and happy with their living situation. It still requires a lot of work from Michael and his partner Jerome, but with the help they receive from Personal Touch, they are able to maintain busy work schedules while Mildred enjoys the hobbies and activities she has always loved.

As is evident today at her current home, Tudor Heights Senior Living, music has since remained an integral part of Zelda’s life.

She worked to support her pursuit of education by becoming a voice student at the famed Peabody Institute. Zelda sang for the troops at various army camps during WWII, and performed at other venues as well.

Zelda then married a wonderful man, an accountant with whom she would celebrate 56 years of marriage. Her singing career took a backseat while raising their two children. When they were older, however, she found opportunities to sing at their schools and returned to work to support their college educations.

While working for the Baltimore school system, she met a friend who was the supervisor of handicapped programs in the Baltimore City Department of Recreation. She got Zelda involved with entertaining the Baltimore Association of Retarded Citizens (BARC) along with Workshop for the Blind. She taught them formal music, and they in turn taught her gospel. As a result, she became an advocate for the handicapped for many years.

At the age of 65, Zelda was given the opportunity to perform her first opera at Towson University. Almost 15 years later, she decided to pursue the degree she had never completed and graduated from Catonsville Community College in 1999.

After the loss of her husband, Zelda developed a variety of health problems and found she needed assistance with dressing, cooking and household chores. Her children suggested assisted living, where not only her physical needs would be met, but where she would have the opportunity to socialize with others.

She chose Tudor Heights because it enabled her to continue with the familiar cultural traditions she grew up with. The Jewish lifestyle and Kosher dining gave her a feeling of comfort. Now, Zelda can often be seen socializing and participating in the variety of activities and outings, but most notably, sharing her gift in the musical programs and events.

Just as in her childhood, Zelda’s ‘neighbors’ throughout the community love to hear her sing and view her as a true asset in their home.

Les and Arlene discovered the Auburn Society through a Towson University flyer about six years ago, shortly after the program began. Their respective academic backgrounds may have attracted them to lifelong learning in retirement. After trying classes at a local community college, they were looking for something different. Arlene and Les felt that students at the community college got lost in the large and impersonal classes.

Towson’s learning in Retirement program has 300 members. Class sizes are relatively small, so that members have a chance to get to know one another. Under the direction of Jacqueline Gratz, Director and Curriculum Chair of the Auburn Society, members devise and oversee the curriculum and recruit faculty.

Instructors include members with academic and/or specialty credentials, as well as local celebs, such as Jonathan Palevsky and Lou Cedrone. For eight weeks each spring and fall, members are invited to participate in one or more of the courses that are offered each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The wonderful thing about the Auburn Society courses is that there is no homework!

Arlene is a former teacher turned social worker. She currently serves as the Society’s social and hospitality chairwoman, a position that fits her self-described “Jewish Mother” traits very well. She has expanded the Society’s social offerings beyond the daily “before and after” class refreshments. Offerings now include luncheons at a local restaurant and pot luck dinners at members’ homes. These activities encourage members to become friends, rather than just fellow students.

Les’ friends say that he is a poor role model for a retiree. At 82, he is still working as a consultant to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry where he is a Professor Emeritus. He also serves as Senior Consultant to the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.

Les is an occasional instructor at the Society, often in subjects that hold an interest for him, such as humor. Les also brought the Society into the 21st Century by facilitating the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation. In addition to being the resident “techie,” he is the group historian / photographer.

Arlene and Les invite everyone age 50 or older to come take a look at Towson’s Auburn Society program. The Society’s educational opportunities are seemingly endless. Subjects range from music to history and from film to literature, with a variety of options in between.

For more information abut the Auburn Society, visit their website at http://auburn.towson.edu. Article written by Diane Schaefer, a Geriatric Care Manager with Schaefer + Associates

Like Tom, over 1.5 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s Disease, a progressive neurological condition that is second only to Alzheimer’s Disease in prevalence. Parkinson’s Disease is characterized by tremor, rigidity, slow movement, and trouble with balance. “Most patients first notice difficulties with fine motor skills which are affected by tremor and slow movement,” says Dr. Kevin Biglan, a neurologist and Movement Disorder Specialist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. “These include activities such as buttoning buttons, washing hair, and eating.”

Celia Bassich, an Assistant Professor at Towson University, says speech and swallowing can also be affected. “The first voice change usually involves talking in a much softer voice than is typical of conversational speaking. However, the person with Parkinson’s feels that he or she is talking at a normal loudness level.” Says Bruyere, “I recognized that I was slowing down even before I actually knew that it was Parkinson’s. My symptoms were life-changing and continue to be.”

Parkinson’s Disease was first discovered by James Parkinson in 1817 and was chronicled in his early work “Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” It is a neurological disorder characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. When about 50% of these cells disappear, patients start to experience symptoms such as tremor and slow movement. The theory behind the cause of Parkinson’s Disease is still unknown, although several studies suggest exposure to chemicals in the environment and genetic mutations may both play a role. “There are several genetic and environmental factors that may predispose a person to develop Parkinson’s Disease,” says Dr. Ted Dawson, director of the Parkinsons’s Disease and Movement Center at Johns Hopkins. “In addition, specific chemicals used in the agricultural industry have caused Parkinson-like symptoms to occur in animal models.”

Although Parkinson’s Disease eventually becomes debilitating in its more advanced stages, medications are available to help patients with movement. Levodopa (pronounced lee-vo-do-pa), a chemical that has been in existence since the 1960s is still considered the “gold standard” for Parkinson’s patients, and is perhaps the most widely prescribed medication for the disease. In addition, Deep Brain Stimulation surgery has been shown to be very effective in eliminating several of the symptoms of this disease. For most people with Parkinson’s, a comprehensive approach to therapy is the best way to treat the effects of the disease. Says Biglan, “People should see a Movement Disorder Specialist as soon as possible to help them with the primary symptoms and medications of the disease. We can then refer them to other specialties – such as speech pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy – as the need arises.”

Tom Bruyere sees hope for many people with Parkinson’s Disease. He has participated in several clinical research studies for new medications and is on constant watch for new therapies. “I am enthusiastic about some of the new treatments and the research that is going on.” He also participates in area support groups and recognizes the need for patients and caregivers to constantly increase their knowledge about Parkinson’s. “I think there is reluctance on some people’s parts to go to support groups, but once they attend, they learn that they dramatically increase your education. They help people at all levels.”

In searching for a cure for Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Dawson thinks that research is moving in the right direction to find a cure within the next few years. “The advances that we are making in research are very promising for patients with this disease. New treatments are regularly being developed, and it is only a matter of time before a significant breakthrough surfaces.”

As for Bruyere and his wife, Kathy, they are expecting to make a move of their own in the near future to be closer to their children and grandchildren. “I have hope in research but until they cure this disease, we’ll keep pressing on.”

For more information, contact the Johns Hopkins Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center (410-955-8795; www.hopkinspdmd.org), the National Parkinson Foundation (1-800-327-4545;www.parkinson.org), or the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area (703-891-0821; www.parkinsonfoundation.org).