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Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 HOLLYWOOD | FROM PAGE 1 day’s preparation day and yesterday’s (Thursday, Feb. 24) cleanup. In the comedy-drama movie, Giamatti plays the part of Paul Hunham “a curmudgeonly, universally disliked teacher,” according to the online entertainment database IMDb. Hunham, “his trouble-making 15-year-old student, and the school’s African American cook, who recently lost her son in Vietnam, are thrown together as they remain at Deerfield Academy over the course of the holidays in 1970,” the synopsis notes. A key reason why Miramax approached Kourkoulis about fi lming in his restaurant – now in its 70th year – was because the restaurant remains very similar in appearance and style to the way restaurants were back in the 1970s. And there was very little change to the movie set. Payne, who will be directing “The Holdovers,” won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2004 for “Sideways” and again in 2011 for “The Descendants.” He is also a three-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director for “Election” (1999), “About Schmidt” (2002) and “Nebraska” (2013). Overall, he has received 19 Academy Award nominations. Eighteen years ago, Payne and Giamatti teamed up OBITUARIES Eleanor “Helen” (Martelli) Dittmer Of Peabody, formerly of Saugus, died on Feb. 22 at the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln. She was the wife of the late Myron Dittmer & the late Michael DeBlasio. Mrs. Dittmer was the beloved mother of Michael DeBlasio & his wife Mary ann of Littleton, Lucille Banfi eld & her husband Archie of FL, David DeBlasio & his wife Janice of Plainville, Cora Paquin & her husband William of FL, Myron Dittmer & his wife Rose Marie of Melrose & the late William Dittmer. She was predeceased by 2 sisters & 5 brothers and the cherished grandmother of 16 & 22 great grandchildren. Mrs. Dittmer is also survived by many nieces & nephews. In lieu of fl owers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or at stjude.org BY JIM MILLER How to Convince an Elderly Parent to Stop Driving SUPER SCREENWRITER AND FILM DIRECTOR: Alexander Payne has won two Academy Awards for Screenwriting. (IMDb photos) for “Sideways.” “Ever since I worked with Paul in Sideways, I’ve wanted to work with him again, and this role is tailor made for him,” Payne told Deadline earlier this year. “I came across a writing sample for a pilot set in a prep school by David Hemingson. I called [Giamatti], told him the idea, and he jumped at it,” he said. Giamatti, who grew up in Connecticut, is the son of the late Bart Giamatti, a professor of Renaissance Literature at Yale University who later became the university’s youngest president. Bart Giamatti also became the Commissioner of Major League Baseball at the time that Pete Rose was banned from the game for gambling. Paul Giamatti’s mother, Toni Marilyn Smith, was an acPaul L. Leuci Of Saugus, formerly of Everett, age 78, died at the High Pointe Hospice House in Haverhill on Sunday, February, 20. He was the beloved husband of Cheryl (Cohen) Leuci. AN AWARD-WINNING ACTOR: Paul Giamatti is back working with Film Director Alexander Payne for the fi rst time in 18 years. tress before she got married. Giamatti received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Cinderella Man” in 2005. Of the six times he received nominations for the Golden Globe Awards, he won twice – for “John Adams” (2008) and “Barney’s Version” (2010). He also received seven nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award, winning four times: “Sideways” (2004), “Cinderella Man” (2005), “John Adams” (2008) and “Too Big to Fail” (2010). It’s unusual for movie scenes to be shot in Saugus. “The only movie I can remember that was shot in Saugus was scenes from ‘Grown Ups 2,’” Bob Davis told The Saugus Advocate this week. “They were shot at Stackpole Field in 2013,” Davis said. Theresa Whittredge and four siblings, Anne LeBlanc, Xavier “Jackie” Leuci, Lorraine Nugent, and Barbara Leuci. In lieu of fl owers, donations in Paul’s memory may be made to The Dana Farber Cancer Institute at danafarber.jimmyfund.org. Born in Chelsea and raised in Everett, Mr. Leuci was the son of the late James and Mary (Ruggiero) Leuci. A resident of Saugus for the past 47 years, Paul was a retired police offi cer for the City of Everett. He enjoyed fl y fi shing and was a U.S. Navy Veteran. In addition to his wife, Paul is survived by his two daughters, Patricia “Patty” Rodrigues & her husband David of Mendon and Linda Simpson & her husband Jake of VA; seven grandchildren, Alyssa, Steven, Alex, Cassandra, Tito, Brody and Finley; son-inlaw, Tommy Whittredge of Saugus; three siblings, Marie Levanti of Gardner, Walter Leuci of CO and Robert Leuci of SC. He was predeceased by his daughter, Paula J. (Boyle) Palumbo Age 58, of Saugus, died on Monday, February 21. She was the beloved wife of Henry F. Palumbo with whom she shared 36 years of marriage. Born and raised in Saugus, Paula was the daughter of the late James and Dorothy (Warlock) Boyle. Paula is survived by her three children, Maxwell Palumbo, John Palumbo and Rachel Palumbo; three grandchildren, Christian, Sophia and Vivian; six siblings, James Boyle, Mary Ann Surette, Joseph Boyle, John Boyle, Rose Shea and Bernard Boyle. In lieu of fl owers donations in her memory may be made to The Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration at https:// www.theaftd.org/support-aftds-mission/. Dear Savvy Senior, What is the best way to deal with older drivers who probably shouldn’t be driving anymore? My dad, who’s 86, is bound and determined to keep driving as long as he’s alive. Backseat Daughter Dear Backseat, For many families, talking to an elderly parent about giving up the car keys can be a very diffi cult and sensitive topic. While there’s no one way to handle this issue, here are a few suggestions that can help you evaluate your dad’s driving and ease him out from behind the wheel when the time is right. Take a Ride To get a clear picture of your dad’s driving abilities, a good fi rst step, if you haven’t already done so, is to take a ride with him and watch for problem areas. For example: Does he have diffi culty seeing, backing up or changing lanes? Does he react slowly, get confused easily or make poor driving decisions? Does he drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Also, has your dad had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on his vehicle? These, too, are red fl ags. If you need some help and your dad is willing, consider hiring a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to evaluate elderly drivers and provide safety suggestions. This type of assessment typically costs between $200 and $400. To locate a professional in your area, visit AOTA.org/ older-driver or ADED.net. Transitioning and Talking After your assessment, if you think it’s still safe for your dad to drive, see if he would be willing to take an older driver refresher course. These courses will show him how aging aff ects driving skills and off ers tips and adjustments to help keep him safe. Taking a class may also earn your dad a discount on his auto insurance. To locate a class, contact your local AAA (AAA.com) or AARP (AARPdriversafety.org, 888227-7669). Most courses cost around $20 to $30 and can be taken online. If, however, your assessment shows that your dad really does need to stop driving, you need to have a talk with him, but don’t get carried away. If you begin with a dramatic outburst like “Dad, you’re going to kill someone!” you’re likely to trigger resistance. Start by simply expressing your concern for his safety. For more tips on how to talk to your dad about this and evaluate his driving skills, the Hartford Financial Services Group and MIT AgeLab off ers a variety of resources to assist you. Visit TheHartford.com/lifetime and click on “Publications” on the menu bar, then on the “We Need to Talk” guidebook. Refuses to Quit If your dad refuses to quit, you have several options. One possible solution is to suggest a visit to his doctor who can give him a medical evaluation, and if warranted, “prescribe” that he stops driving. Older people will often listen to their doctor before they will listen to their own family. If he still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles to see if they can help. Or call in an attorney to discuss with your dad the potential fi nancial and legal consequences of a crash or injury. If all else fails, you may just have to take away his keys. Alternative Transportation Once your dad stops driving, he’s going to need other ways to get around, so help him create a list of names and phone numbers of family, friends and local transportation services that he can call on. To fi nd out what transportation services are available in your dad’s area contact Rides in Sight (RidesInSight. org, 855-607-4337), and the Eldercare Locator (800-6771116), which will direct you to his area agency on aging for assistance. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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