Resilience is defined as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity.

And in these last four weeks, I’ve seen so much resilience here in Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County as we face significant adversity from COVID 19. 

Seeing people and businesses adapt has helped me stay hopeful and optimistic. Here’s a few examples…

My wife purchased, picked up and has planted beautiful pansies in our backyard from Sunnyside Gardens without ever seeing anyone.

Racing City Brewing delivered a growler of beer to my front porch. They left me a kind note indicating that I was their first Take Out delivery.

Impressions of Saratoga is delivering Porch Packages with local products to brighten up your day.

Today is Day 25 of the Max Level Fitness daily workout program. Every day, they have shared a workout routine anyone can do from home.

Just one week ago on a conference call with local bankers, the SBA referred to the roll out of the Paycheck Protection program as building an airplane while it is flying. 

Yet the next day and all through the weekend, local bank employees did everything they could to get our local small businesses approved for these loans.

Wellspring expanded its efforts to support survivors of relationship and sexual abuse by offering an internet based chat hotline since they can’t meet in person and because incidences of domestic violence and sexual assault increase during times of uncertainty.

CAPTAIN Community Human Services established three completely separate employee teams to ensure redundancy should a staff member become sick at a time when the need for their services has doubled.

Employers who are still hiring moved almost entirely to using virtual interviews as they sought to provide local jobs to those now suddenly looking for one.

The Holiday Inn and Shelters of Saratoga created a temporary shelter in the hotel for those among us who are homeless.

Employees at Saratoga Hospital who are on the front-line of this fight vs COVID 19 have adapted and become heroes among us for their bravery, skill, and compassion. And in return, local volunteers teamed up with the Saratoga Hospital Foundation to raise money to purchase meals for these Hospital employees from local restaurants.

Local breweries crafted a new local brew called Negative Input with the proceeds from all sales being donated to help local hospitality workers who are
now unemployed.

The Children’s Museum at Saratoga hosted their 30th Anniversary Gala “To Go” and reported that it was a huge success.

In the face of adversity, these organizations and so many, many others in our local communities are adapting. 

We’re doing business differently. We’re raising money differently. We’re helping others differently. We’re finding opportunities where we can be in control. We’re collaborating. We’re then doing something good and positive.

It is these actions that prove we are resilient. That we can and will overcome this threat.

That’s why I remain hopeful and optimistic and you should too. 

Getting your estate planning documents together can be challenging during the best of times.  You need to make a variety of important decisions, such as what documents to obtain, who to leave your assets to, and who to pick as agents and fiduciaries. 

The recent public health crisis has added additional complications.  If you have made all your decisions and your documents are ready to sign, how do you meet with professionals to accomplish the signing?  Given current social distancing recommendations and workplace personnel restrictions, in person conferences seem almost impossible.

Essentially, there are two main challenges.  First, how can an attorney appropriately supervise document execution if he or she is not there in person?  Second, how can notarized documents be signed if the Notary Public is not present with the signer?  The following questions and answers will help you understand how to successfully navigate these two challenges.

Does a lawyer need to supervise the signing of my documents?
There is no such legal requirement, however, it is advisable that an attorney supervise the signing of your documents.  The attorney serves two primary functions at a document signing.  First, the attorney explains the documents and answers any questions you may have.  This allows you to fully understand exactly what you’re signing.  Second, the attorney ensures compliance with all formalities of execution.

What types of things would the attorney explain?
For example, the New York Statutory Power of Attorney and Statutory Gifts Rider form is ten pages long and presents the principal with two places to sign and twenty-four potential places to initial.  Depending on your needs and goals, you may want to initial in certain places and not in others.  In addition, your agents also need to sign after they understand their fiduciary responsibility.  If the document is not executed properly, you could be left with a Power of Attorney that does not allow your agent to help you when you most need it.  Unfortunately, there are many reported cases where critical mistakes were unknowingly made in the execution of Powers of Attorney.

What do you mean by formalities of execution?
For example, a Last Will and Testament in New York must be signed pursuant to specific rules in the presence of two witnesses.  If the signing ceremony is improperly done, then your Will could potentially be invalid.  In addition, there are rules as to who can serve as witnesses.  If these rules are not obeyed, it could affect the validity of your Will or impair a gift to a beneficiary.

If I can’t personally meet with my attorney, what do I do?
The good news is that modern technology may allow an attorney to properly explain and supervise the signing of your documents.  Using FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, or similar video conferencing technology, the attorney can virtually speak to you face to face.  It also allows the attorney to view the actions of you and your witnesses in order to ensure compliance with the formalities of execution.

Are there other considerations if the document execution is virtual?
Yes.The attorney should confirm you have obtained two appropriate witnesses for your Will, Health Care Proxy, and/or Statutory Gifts Rider.  In addition, the appropriate social distancing recommendations should be observed by you and your witnesses.

What do we do if we need a Notary Public?
Governor Cuomo recently signed Executive Order 202.7, which allows for remote notarization utilizing audio-video technology, such as Facetime, Zoom, or Skype.  There are certain rules to abide by, including having a copy of the notarized documents faxed or electronically sent to the Notary on the same day it was signed.  Although somewhat complicated, the process does allow the Notary to notarize the signer’s signature despite not being physically present.

How do I obtain the services of a Notary Public?
Most attorneys are Notary Publics and can do the remote notarization, in addition to supervising the execution of your documents.

What documents require a Notary Public?
Your Power of Attorney and Statutory Gifts Rider require notarized signatures.  Your Will and Health Care Proxy do not.  Your Will should be accompanied by a notarized affidavit signed by your witnesses, however that does not need to be done at the same time as your Will. 

If I sign a Power of Attorney, my agents must sign as well?
Yes, but they need not sign at the same time as you do.  Your agents cannot use the Power of Attorney, however, until they sign the document before a Notary Public.

As you can see, signing your estate planning documents is best done under the supervision of an attorney.  Given the current public health crisis, it has become challenging for attorneys to provide that service.  Thankfully, through the appropriate use of technology and the recent authorization by the Governor of remote notarizations, there are options to get your documents properly executed despite these challenges.

Matthew J. Dorsey, Esq. is a Partner with O’Connell and Aronowitz, 1 Court St., Saratoga Springs.  Over his twenty-three years of practice, he has focused in the areas of elder law, estate planning, and estate administration. Mr. Dorsey can be reached at 518-584-5205, mdorsey@oalaw.com and www.oalaw.com. 

Long (long, long) before Meatless Monday was a thing (in its current iteration as an initiative to reduce meat consumption for personal health and the health of the planet), there was Meatless Friday (dating back to the first century as a Christian religious observance). Despite some confusion regarding whether or not the centuries-old weekly practice was done away with in the 1960s (it wasn’t), most people have a sense that Catholics still don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent (the six-week time of penance leading up to Easter), which is true. 

It’s easier than ever to find family-friendly meatless meals (and I’d love to hear your favorites!), but I thought you might like to know some of the ones I make for my family, which all of my boys do pretty well with and my husband and I really like:

LENTIL SLOPPY JOES
The key, for me, is to disguise the lentils as much as possible! (I try very hard to like beans and legumes, but so far I haven’t been too successful. This dish, however, is a good one.) I start this recipe, like so many other delicious ones, by sauteeing onions and peppers in butter in the pot I want the whole dish to finish in. You certainly don’t have to use butter, but I find that it really adds an important something to this meal. While the onions and peppers are sauteeing on a low to medium flame, I prepare the lentils by rinsing them, then boiling them in a separate pot according to the instructions on the 16oz. package, then draining them and dumping them in the pot with the onions and peppers. I stir it all around and let it hang out for a minute, then I add a jar of barbecue sauce, a quarter to a third cup of ketchup, and a few squirts of yellow mustard. I mix it around and let it simmer for a few minutes, and it’s done! It’s wonderful over rice, or with tortilla chips, or on a hamburger bun, and I even had leftovers on toast with eggs on top last week. My husband likes to have sour cream with his, and I often like shredded cheddar on top and pickles on the side as well.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN
Funny enough, making this is so time consuming that I really only do it for Fridays during Lent (I consider the making of it to be a penance), which is hilarious, because it’s one of my family’s very favorite meals—we definitely don’t miss meat while eating this! I peel two eggplants and slice them thin, then dredge each slice first in cornstarch, then in beaten egg, then in panko or regular bread crumbs, then fry them in vegetable oil, then put them on a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack over a cookie sheet while I continue frying the rest. This is the time-consuming part! Once all the slices are fried, you have some options: you can serve it with pasta and sauce, or put it in a sub roll and melt cheese on it, or layer it with sauce and cheese in a casserole pan and bake it like lasagna. 

FISH TACOS
Fish is the traditional food people think of when they think of Catholics not eating meat—it’s not for nothing that fish fries do their best business on Lenten Fridays, and McDonald’s filet-o-fish sandwiches were actually invented to boost sales on Fridays in the heavily Catholic Cincinnati area. While we love a good fish fry (the Knights of Columbus is one of our favorites), our budget doesn’t allow us to do that very often. My boys love frozen fish sticks and fish filets, and fish tacos are one of my favorite ways to serve them. Earlier in the day I’ll mix a cup or so of sour cream with the juice of a lime (more or less) and put it in the fridge so the flavors can meld. Later, while the fish is cooking in the oven, I warm tortillas either on a dry pan or over the burner flame, or I’ll fry them in vegetable oil and bend them into taco shapes while they cool. And that’s really it! I serve the tortillas and fish with shredded lettuce and lime sour cream, which is exactly the way I like it best; you can certainly add salsa and cheese, and sometimes I have sliced or mashed avocado to offer as well.

Of course, pizza, pasta, and cereal are all easier than these dishes and just as delicious (depending on who’s eating them; some of my boys go crazy over cereal dinners!), so it’s plenty easy to find options for the Fridays in Lent that won’t make you crazy and might even pleasantly surprise you. (Although, no matter how delicious the meatless meal is, you might find yourself being like myself and many other Catholics I know, as represented in a meme I’ve seen online: “I don’t always crave meat, but when I do, it’s on Fridays during Lent.”)

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 15, 13, 11, 10, 8, 5, and 1. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

All we have to do is turn on the news and look at social media to be bombarded with images and words that induce panic, fear and anxiety.  How can we keep ourselves emotionally safe during an uncertain time?  What can we do to not fall into the rabbit hole of paralyzing anxiety?

STICK TO THE FACTS:
Wisdom is wisdom.  Be wise in your choices and follow the basics to stay healthy.  Use wisdom to help you make good decisions that will keep you safe and healthy.

AVOID THE HYPE:
I understand we can’t put our head in the sand and avoid all news coverage. However, we can limit our exposure to the hype. Know the facts of the situation, take the necessary precautions and move on. 

Do not spend hours analyzing the latest coverage and panicking about the safety of your community.  Turn off the TV and shift your focus to an activity that will promote relaxation and peace.

CONNECT SPIRITUALLY:
Research shows that patients who meditate before medical procedures and engage in setting intentions for favorable outcomes and quick recoveries do much better in the recovery process than patients who do not prepare in any way emotionally or spiritually. 

Now would be a great time to learn how to connect with your body and engage in some meditation exercises that promote feelings of peace and well being which will strengthen your immune system!

Take less than five minutes a day to connect to your body and meditate on its perfect ability to heal from the inside out.  You can find quick meditations focused on bolstering your immunity on YouTube. 

Resist the urge to fall into fear-based thinking and the doom and gloom mentality.  Keep yourself healthy emotionally, physically and spiritually and stay away from any person, place or thing that steals your joy, peace and energy.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing in State College, PA. For more information visit changeyourstoryllc.com and enter Saratoga Today for free downloads of the latest audio courses. 

Some 83 percent of American adults own cell phones and three-quarters of them (73 percent) send and receive text messages. Text messaging users send or receive an average of 41.5 messages per day, with the median user sending or receiving 10 texts daily. 

As technology advances, allowing us to do more tasks on smaller equipment, our bodies often pay the price. With a growing potential for injuries from tools we rely on, it’s a good time to learn how to minimize the risks. One problem that is becoming more and more prevalent is neck strain from the overuse of these mobile devices, or “text neck.” 

What Causes Text Neck? 
Text neck is caused by poor posture when using a mobile device. It’s all too common to become hunched over with your head drooping forward and your shoulders rounded as you become engrossed in your messaging or games. This poor posture puts excessive strain on the muscles at the back of your head and neck and weakens the other postural muscles responsible for maintaining correct posture. This can lead to muscle strains and create the potential for more serious or chronic problems down the road.

How to Avoid Text Neck 
• Sit up straight with your chest out and your shoulders back. 
• Bring your arms up in front of your eyes so that you don’t need to look down to see the screen. 
• Tuck your chin into your chest to look down rather than dropping your head forward. 
• If you must use your mobile device for lengthy typing, invest in an external keyboard. 
• Rest your forearms on a pillow while typing to help minimize neck tension. 
• Avoid using mobile devices while in bright sunlight. Straining to see the screen leads to jutting the chin forward, shifting work from the spine to the muscles that hold up the head. 
• Avoid texting for long periods of time while traveling in the car.
• Take breaks to stretch and mobilize your neck. 

The best way to avoid text neck is to limit the use of your mobile device. If you need to send an e-mail, wait until you have access to a computer. If you need to share some information, call the person rather than texting them. 

See Your Chiropractic Physician 
If you find yourself aching despite your best efforts, your doctor of chiropractic can treat any injuries and teach you ways to improve your posture. 

2019 MAY BE OVER BUT, FOR MANY OF US, THE BOOKS ARE NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED.

As we open the tax filing season, options may exist to sock extra funds away and keep a little more of your hard-earned money away from Uncle Sam.

You may not realize it but you may be able to make contributions to your Roth IRA for 2019 up until the earlier of your tax filing date, or April 15.  If eligible, the contribution limit is $6,000 ($7,000 for those age 50+), but don’t be discouraged if you are not able to fully fund your account for the year. Every bit you can save will help provide for your lifestyle in retirement, so a partial contribution is better than no contribution at all. 

Just because one spouse may be a homemaker or already retired, doesn’t mean that they can’t take advantage of a Roth IRA.  IRS rules also allow for contributions to an account for a homemaker or retired spouse, as long as the working spouse has sufficient earned income, even if the spouse is older than 70 ½.

Since Roth IRAs provide tax-free distributions and are not subject to Required Minimum Distributions at age 70 ½, they can be an extremely beneficial retirement funding option!

For those who are self-employed, and don’t have access to a retirement plan through an employer, you may think you’re being disadvantaged when it comes to saving for retirement. The opposite, however, may be true. As a self-employed person, you could have the options of contributing up to $56,000 to a retirement plan for 2019, and deducting the full contribution!

Anyone whose earned income is reported to them on a form 1099, K1, or other similar non-employee form, may be eligible to establish and fund a retirement plan for 2019. The IRS rules allow this to be done up until the filing deadline (including extensions) for the previous year. Popular plan options include a SEP IRA and Individual 401k. 

A SEP IRA can allow you to contribute up to 25% of your income with a maximum contribution of $56,000, and can be appropriate for workers with high income and no employees. Because of the 25% limitation, your income would need to exceed $224,000 in order to fully contribute.

An Individual 401k has the same funding limit of $56,000 for 2019, however there is not a 25% limitation. In other words, a self-employed worker (with no employees) earning $56,000 may be eligible to contribute all of their income to an Individual 401k without being limited by the 25% cap. So, if you have a working spouse, or other means of making ends meet, an individual 401k may be a great option for supercharging your family’s retirement savings!

Individual 401ks require more in the way of record keeping and compliance, so they can be more expensive and cumbersome than a SEP IRA. Remember, you don’t have to be able to fully fund a plan for it to still make sense. Don’t rule out an Individual 401k because you can “only” afford to contribute $30,000 to it.

As a point of disclosure: Your circumstances are unique and tax regulations can be very complex. Before implementing any tax strategy, we recommend working closely with your independent financial advisor and tax preparer to determine eligibility and funding limits, and to ensure your retirement funding and tax strategies comply with all appropriate regulations. 

Stephen Kyne, CFP® is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial in Saratoga Springs and Rhinebeck.

Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor or Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc. Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret, Grant are separate entities.

Many people are interested in Medicaid Planning and have heard of the term “look back period.”  They often are unsure what it means and how long the period lasts.  Below is a series of questions and answers to help demystify the operation of the Medicaid look back period.

What is the Medicaid look back period?
The Medicaid look back period is the period of time for which you have to provide financial records if you apply for Medicaid to pay for nursing home care.

How long is the look back period?
The look back period is five years from the date of a Medicaid application.  If you apply for Medicaid to pay for nursing home care on April 1, 2020, you would need to provide the Department of Social Services (DSS) with financial records going back to April 1, 2015.

What type of records would I need to provide?
It depends, but generally all your financial statements, i.e. bank statements, annuity statements, retirement account statements, and any other statements you receive that show the details of your financial history for the prior five years.  Additional required records may include items like copies of checks, statements of sale for real property, or cash value statements for insurance policies.

Why do I need to provide all this information?
DSS is looking to see if you gifted away any of your assets during the five year look back period.  For example, if they see a check for $10,000 from you to your child one year ago, they will want to know if that represents a gift from you to your child.

What happens if I did make a gift to my child in the last five years?
Generally speaking, gifts to your child during the look back period will result in a penalty period.

What is a penalty period?
A penalty period is an amount of time which will delay the onset of your Medicaid coverage.

How are penalty periods calculated?
The amount of the gift you made is divided by the transfer rate for our region, which is set by the state.  In our region, the transfer rate is $11,295.  In order to calculate a penalty period, you take the amount of the gift and divide it by the transfer rate.  The resulting figure is the penalty period, in months.  For example, if you made a gift of $22,590 to your child in the last five years, then your Medicaid coverage will be delayed for two months ($22,590/$11,295 = 2 months).

Are all gifts considered when calculating a penalty period?
No.In our area, gifts less than $2,000 are generally not considered when DSS calculates the penalty period.  The $2,000 level is not a legal limit, but rather a general guideline customarily used.  As a result, smaller gifts – the type of which most people might make in the course of their life, are not counted.  An example would be regular gifts to friends and family of $50 or $100 for birthdays, holidays, and other special events.

Do all gifts in excess of $2,000 result in a penalty period?
No.Gifts made to a spouse are exempt transfers and are not subject to a penalty period.  However, you cannot simply make gifts to a spouse in order to reduce your assets and become eligible for Medicaid.  If you are applying for Medicaid, your spouse will only be able to have a certain amount of assets in his or her name.  If you gift your spouse an amount over that limit, those funds will generally need to be spent down on your nursing home care before Medicaid coverage will start.

Are there any other people that can receive exempt transfers?
Yes.Any transfers you make to your disabled child are exempt.  You must take care, however, not to transfer an amount of assets to a disabled child that would make them ineligible for benefits they are receiving in their own name.

Are there any other types of exempt transfers?
Yes.It is an exempt transfer if you transfer your interest in your home to your spouse, your minor child, your disabled or blind child, your caregiver child, or your adult sibling who has an equity interest in your home. 

What is a caregiver child?
A caregiver child is a child who has lived in your home with you for at least two years and has provided care to you that has allowed you to stay at home and not move to a facility, such as a nursing home.

When does an adult sibling have an equity interest in my home?
When he or she has lived there for a year and is on the deed or has made other certain significant contributions to the property.

Understanding and navigating the Medicaid rules on gifting can be very challenging.  If you or a loved one is considering applying for Medicaid for nursing home care or engaging in Medicaid planning, it is advisable to contact an experienced professional to discuss how the Medicaid rules apply in your situation.

Matthew J. Dorsey, Esq. is a Partner with O’Connell and Aronowitz, 1 Court St., Saratoga Springs.  Over his twenty-three years of practice, he has focused in the areas of elder law, estate planning, and estate administration. Mr. Dorsey can be reached at 518-584-5205, mdorsey@oalaw.com and www.oalaw.com. 

WE’VE ALL HEARD OF THE STEREOTYPES around the dreaded relationship with  your “Monster-in-Law,” we chuckle and make light of the reference but the truth is, the relationship you have with your in-laws does not have to be a source of stress for you in your marriage.

One of the best rules you can set for yourself in establishing healthy communication patterns with your in-laws is to eliminate all triangulation.  For example, if you have a question about what your in-laws want for Christmas, do not ask your spouse to do the investigative work. Pick up the phone and have a direct conversation. Notice I didn’t say send an email or a text message, eliminate any possibility that your words could be taken out of context by calling to address your questions and or concerns. 

Having a triangle pattern of communication puts you at risk for having words taken out of context. You also run the risk of creating conflict in your marriage if your spouse feels pressure to keep the peace between his/her parents and you.

Shut down any middleman in your discussions and take full responsibility for the relationship you have with your in-laws.  If there is a situation that is causing conflict, address it immediately with the in-law directly, NOT your spouse.

When you take responsibility for your feelings and the relationship you have with your in-laws, you immediately diffuse conflict and stop the cycle of drama and dysfunction. If your spouse shares with you that their parent is upset with you, use this as an opportunity to teach your in-laws that you will not engage in triangulation of any kind.

Pick up the phone and state, “Meghan mentioned you were upset with me and I wanted to call you directly to address your feelings. Can you tell me more about what upset you?” 

This does two things: 1) It sets the tone that you will honor direct and clear communication without the involvement of your spouse.  2) It paves the way to resolution for any hurt feelings. When someone knows that you will call them out in a direct way you will put an end to any drama that they are trying to start.

When it comes to addressing issues with the grandchildren, be direct-NOT passive aggressive.  If your spouse says his/her parents would like to take you to dinner, call and respond directly and be clear about what works for you. 

“We would love to go to dinner, but Charlie’s bedtime is at 7 so we would have to plan an early outing.”

Pay attention to any resentment that is building up and make sure to address it when possible.

If your in-laws have low emotional intelligence and can’t participate in the conflict resolution process, state your feelings factually and follow up with a factual solution. Stay away from lengthy explanations about why you feel the way you do or why you do things in a certain way. Overexplaining only adds fuel to the drama and shows your in-laws that you will jump through hoops to gain their acceptance and approval.

If you struggle with people-pleasing behaviors, you will set yourself up for seething anger and resentment towards your in-laws. Be honest with yourself and get some help breaking your own dysfunctional communication patterns.

Eliminate triangulation, pick up the phone and be clear and direct.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing in State College, PA.  For more information visit changeyourstoryllc.com 

Today is Valentine’s Day, and I wish I had something Valentines-y to share with you — but I have something even better! “Unforgettable in every way” crooned Nat King Cole in his romantic hit, and I’m going to share with you just how to be unforgettable … as the host of a birthday party for a child.

I need to start out by saying that we don’t do birthday parties for our boys where we invite their friends, and this is one hundred percent because of my limitations as a person and a mother. I can’t even come up with a scenario where I’d feel capable of hosting the birthday boy’s friends for a party, even a small one. We do, however, have a family party for each of the boys for their birthdays; it’s really just one of our normal Sunday dinners (we have dinner each Sunday night with whoever of our extended family can make it) that’s been “birthday-fied” by allowing the birthday boy to choose the menu, and having birthday cake for dessert. My boys have been brought up knowing we don’t do friend parties, and as a result they get really excited for their family party (which I’ve heard them telling their friends about — “I’m having my birthday party this weekend!” — and I’m always worried it will be misunderstood as a *friend party*! To all of the parents of my boys’ friends, please know I would never not invite your children! And I’m ever so grateful that you continue to invite my boys to your children’s parties, even though we can’t reciprocate!)

I think the menu is really the most exciting part of the party for my boys — it’s not every day they can choose what everyone eats! They ask for their favorite foods, and I’m totally committed to allowing them free rein here (within reason, though my parameters are broad). Whether they want to do something easy, like order in pizza, or something more complicated, like for me to make a certain dish, I do what I can to deliver. And when they’re too young to ask for something specific, I try to figure out what their current favorite food is and build a meal around it.

Hands down, our most memorable party was the one we had for our No. 5 when he was turning two. 

Hands down, his favorite food at that time was liverwurst (just liverwurst, no bread).

This particular boy has always been the pickiest of picky eaters. Historically, he’s hated all breads, sauces, gravies, and cheese, which takes away a lot of options that are crowd- and kid-friendly, like pizza. How such a boy ended up loving liverwurst, I’ll never know, but love it he did, and since I like it as well, I didn’t think it would be hard to figure out a liverwurst-themed menu.

I was pretty thrilled with how it turned out! I got those small loaves of pumpernickel bread, and I buttered and grilled half of them with cheese, so those that eat liverwurst had a choice of cold sandwich or hot, and those that didn’t like liverwurst (including the rest of my boys) could have grilled cheeses. I sautéed onions, which I thought went well with both liverwurst and with grilled cheese for those with a more adult palate. I offered other things as well — chips and veggies and dip — and of course there was cake. I was terribly impressed with myself.

To this day, six years later, every time one of the boys’ birthdays is coming up, it’s not unusual for a family member to ask what food the birthday boy has requested, because they’re bracing themselves to hear “liverwurst.” Bracing themselves! As if the liverwurst party was that bad! As if they were forced to eat something they didn’t like! As if there weren’t lots of other tasty non-liverwurst options!

Anyway, doesn’t everyone want to throw the kind of party that’s talked about for years afterward? I didn’t know that was a goal of mine, but I’m totally owning it. Yes, I threw a liverwurst party and I’m not sorry. The birthday boy loved it, which was the whole point. And now you know how to throw an unforgettable party! (But I will admit that if you’re looking to throw a Valentine’s Day party, liverwurst might not be your best option.)

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 15, 13, 11, 9, 8, 5, and 1. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

Osteoporosis affects 55 percent of the people aged 50 and older in the United States. 

Osteoporosis is diagnosed when a person has decreased bone mineral density. This diagnosis literally means “porous bone.” Therefore, instead of a bone being filled with a strong matrix inside, it is more sponge-like, causing it to become weak. 

Although there are many diseases and medications that can increase your risk of Osteoporosis, the most common cause is due to the body’s hormonal changes. With decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in post-menopausal women, there is an increased rate of bone resorption and no change in the rate of bone formation, leading to weaker bones. 

A majority of treatment today focuses on the change in hormone levels and acts to decrease the number of osteoclasts (i.e. cells that break down bone) to decrease the rate of bone breakdown. However, this method can often lead to secondary bone mineral loss because it interferes with the body’s natural responses. 

Normally, when there are increased osteoclasts, the body will produce increased osteoblasts (i.e. cells that make more bone) in order to maintain balance. Therefore, although the medication decreases the body’s rate of breaking down bone, it can also interfere with the body’s ability to build new bone. 

The most common areas of Osteoporosis include the spine and the hips, and it is important to be aware that not all those diagnosed with decreased bone mineral density will have pain. However, due to the fragility of the bones, there is a very high risk of fractures. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will experience at least one osteoporotic fracture. 

As physical therapists, we are educated on Wolf’s Law, which states that a bone will adapt to the loads under which it is placed. This means the more force put through a bone, the stronger it will become, due to increased osteoblast activity.

There is substantial research showing that strength training leads to increased bone mineral density. The exercises in the studies talk about performing fewer repetitions with heavier weights. Heavier meaning weights that are “almost” maximal for someone to be able to lift. Most women over the age of 50 are not lifting heavy enough weights, if it all. In order to see changes in bone mineral density on a DEXA scan, the technology used to measure bone density, it takes about 6-8 months of heavy, consistent loading. 

That is why FysioFit PT has developed a specialized program for individuals with Osteoporosis to teach foundational lifting patterns as well as provide progressive loading in a comfortable, small-group setting. The lifting component focuses on three major, functional lifts. These include the squat, overhead press, and deadlift. These movements were chosen since they are seen throughout our day-to-day activities including lifting things over our heads or picking up heavy groceries or laundry baskets.  Often times, we perform these movements without thinking or moving with correct form, causing increased stress through our backs. By learning the proper lifting techniques from our PTs, there is a significant reduction in future injury risk. The FysioFit program is not only designed-by but also led by doctors of physical therapy. This ensures correct form with each lift as well as the ability to modify when needed on an individual basis. 

Each class starts with a movement prep, which differs from a generalized warm-up that you see with most fitness classes. These are carefully selected movements that will help to activate the correct muscles and introduce the proper movement patterns to complete the lift for that day. In order to maximize the load put through the bones, we often use a weighted vest to directly load the spine with these various movements. A weighted vest will distribute load primarily through the spine and hips. Although dumbbells are great too, they won’t have as big of an impact through the spine and hips. 

Our Phase 1: Foundations class has been a big success this past winter season. We expect to have another foundation class starting in Spring 2020.  In addition, a lot of our participants will continue with Phase 2 to continue to progress in weight used as well as building confidence to perform these exercises on their own. Our program does not have to be performed as an alternative to medical treatment but rather in conjunction with for best results. In addition to strength training for building bone density, our program also focuses on loading using a yoga program. The yoga program was designed to also load the spine and hips as well as improve balance, stability, and posture. These are very important for those with Osteoporosis to decrease the risk of falls as well as improve posture to reduce the risk of compression fractures in the spine. To learn more about the yoga portion of the program, read Dr. Sarah Avery’s article on www.FysiofitPT.com. 

Our comprehensive, research-based program is truly one of a kind. We cap our classes to 4 people to ensure more individualized attention as well as start the program with an evaluation of each person’s past medical history, strength, and body mobility. The program focuses on your goals and our job is to guide you there! For more information call us at 518-306-6894 or email us at Fysiofit@gmail.com.