Cumberland County Edition
March 2014
Vol. 15 No. 3
Dedication and Dance through the Ages Women’s Club Benefits from Program Director’s Arts Pedigree By Megan Joyce Our 21st-century dance styles would likely leave the ragtime-dancing, Edwardian-era female founders of The Iris Club confused at best. But those progressive-for-their-time ladies would be pleased by their modern club’s continuing dedication to community service, women’s empowerment, and artistic and enlightened entertainment—spearheaded by its current program director, Priscilla Kaufhold. “She is always full of great ideas,” said Carol Szutowicz, The Iris Club’s first vice president. “While many people have that talent, the difference is Priscilla works to make those ideas happen and sees projects through to the end.” The Iris Club formed in 1895 when Alice Nevin, daughter of Franklin & Marshall College President John Williamson Nevin, invited 70 women to her home to initiate a club to encourage women’s socialization and community involvement. The club’s downtown building was purchased in 1898 and still hosts the club’s twice-monthly meetings, where members enjoy lunch, entertainment, friendship, and high tea. In October 2013, the club celebrated its 115th please see DANCE page 14 Priscilla Kaufhold, program director for The Iris Club, on the club’s grand staircase. Over her shoulder is a portrait of Alice Nevin, who founded the women’s club in 1895.
Inside:
Are Your Social Security Benefits Taxable? page 6
Special Section: Living for the Long Term page 7
Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates Remain Low About one in three adults aged 50 to 75 years have not been tested for colorectal cancer as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite research that shows colorectal cancer screening tests save lives, screening rates remain too low. “There are more than 20 million adults in this country who haven’t had any recommended screening for colorectal cancer and who may therefore get cancer and die from a preventable tragedy,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Screening for colorectal cancer is effective and can save your life.” Colorectal cancer is the secondleading cancer killer among men and women in the United States, after lung cancer. Screening tests can prevent cancer or detect it at an early stage, when treatment can be highly effective. Adults aged 50 years and older should get tested with one or a combination of these screening tests: • Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community”
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immunochemical test (FIT) done at home every year • Flexible sigmoidoscopy, done every five years, with FOBT/FIT done every three years • Colonoscopy done every 10 years A colonoscopy can detect cancer early, and it can find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. An FOBT/FIT is a simple at-home test that can detect cancer early by identifying blood in the stool, a possible sign of cancer. People are not always offered a choice of colorectal cancer tests, but studies
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
• Among adults who were screened as recommended, colonoscopy was by far the most common screening test (62 percent). Use of the other USPSTFrecommended tests was much lower:
fecal occult blood test, 10 percent, and flexible sigmoidoscopy in combination with FOBT/FIT, less than 1 percent. • The highest percentage of adults who were up to date with colorectal cancer screening was in Massachusetts (76 percent). • Blacks and whites had similar screening rates, but a higher percentage of blacks across all income and education levels used FOBT. The authors noted that increasing use of all tests may increase screening rates. Furthermore, research shows that more people may get tested if healthcare providers use an organized approach to identify people who need to be screened; contact them at their home or community setting; advise them of each test; and carefully monitor to make sure they complete their test. For more information about preventing colorectal cancer, please visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Respectful, considerate, heart-felt care for those with a life-limiting illness. Providing care for hospice patients in the setting they consider their home. Clinical and bereavement staff provide support for the patient and family before and after the death of your loved one. Providing service in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties.
717-221-7902
717-221-7890
1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 www.homelandcenter.org
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 Harrisburg, PA 17110 www.homelandhospice.org
March 2014
have shown that people who are able to choose the test they prefer are more likely to get the test done. CDC researchers reviewed colorectal cancer screening data from CDC’s 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to estimate the percentage of people aged 50 to 75 years who reported getting screened as recommended by type of test. Major findings:
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Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751 Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Cumberland County Assistance (800) 269-0173 Energy Assistance Cumberland County Board of Assistance (800) 269-0173 Eye Care Services Kilmore Eye Associates 890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 697-1414 Funeral Directors Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc. 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg (717) 432-5312 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223
Home Care Services Home Care Assistance Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties (717) 540-4663 Senior Helpers Serving the Greater Harrisburg Area (717) 920-0707 Home Improvement Senior Home Repairs (717) 545-8747 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890
Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011 Newville (717) 776-5251 Shippensburg (717) 532-4904
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Organ Donor Hotline (800) 243-6667 Passport Information (888) 362-8668
Toll-Free Numbers Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237
Smoking Information (800) 232-1331 Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
Consumer Information (888) 878-3256
Travel Wheelchair Getaways Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey (717) 921-2000
Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228
Housing Assistance Cumberland County Housing Authority 114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 249-1315
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228
Salvation Army (717) 249-1411
Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040
Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
Liberty Program (866) 542-3788
Veterans Affairs (717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371
Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274
Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Healthcare Information Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G, Mechanicsburg (717) 766-1500
Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110
Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707
Drug Information (800) 729-6686
Veterans Services American Legion (717) 730-9100 Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681
Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
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Salute to a Veteran Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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March 2014
He Has a Bullet from the Rifle of the First Man He Killed in Combat Robert D. Wilcox hen Richard Lawrence Then his unit was moved north to what the gas was, but I remember graduated from high help recapture Hue, the major city having seizures. Fortunately, I was school in 1967, he had that was once the capital of Vietnam. able to get an atropine shot, and that already heard a lot about the “The city was a shambles, and probably saved my life. Marines. there was nothing but the most “Just about everybody got jungle His father had been a Marine in brutal, house-to-house fighting,” rot, an infection that came from the World War II, and his older brother Lawrence says. inevitable scratches we got. It was was a Marine corporal. So he had He later was transferred to H easy to get cut up by the elephant nd rd heard many war stories centered on Company, 2 Battalion, 3 Marine grass that was just as sharp as a razor Division for frontline fighting as a what it meant to be a Marine. blade. And there were bugs rifleman. He could hardly wait to share in everywhere. Believe it or not, there some of that glory himself, were centipedes that were a so, as soon as he graduated foot long. from high school, he enlisted “During the monsoon in the Marine Corps and months, the rain and the heat headed for boot camp at would rot the clothes right off Parris Island, S.C. He soon you. So we had to get them found that grinding replaced all the time.” toughness was fundamental In January of 1969, in becoming a Marine. Lawrence got hepatitis and was Then it was to Camp med evacuated by C-141 from Lejeune, N.C., to learn all Saigon to Alaska and then to a there was to know about hospital in Fort Dix, N.J. firing rifles, machine guns, From there, he spent two and rockets. That was months in the Philadelphia followed by a flight to Camp Naval Hospital. Pendleton, Calif., for When he recovered, he training specific to warfare in returned to Parris Island, Sgt. Richard G. Lawrence with South Vietnamese Vietnam. where he worked in the brig. soldier and captured enemy flag. Ready for combat, in Then he was transferred to the Philippines, where he served December 1967 he was flown for 18 months as a platoon sergeant to Da Nang, Vietnam, which was the with the responsibility of helping to site of the main U.S. airbase in secure the base. Vietnam, with U.S. Army, Air Force, There, the rebel Huks would try Navy, and Marine units. to steal anything in sight. One night, What was it like to find yourself he broke the arm and a leg of a Huk in Vietnam? who was trying to steal copper wire. With a thin grin, he says, “It told Then his hitch was up, and he us it was going to be rough, since the was flown to a hospital in Treasure base was under rocket attack as we Island, San Francisco, where he was arrived. I remember that a single treated for cluster warts that were the rocket killed everyone in two squads result of an infection he got while of Marines in one of the barracks serving in Vietnam. After two that night.” months, he was discharged from the He was assigned to Headquarters Richard Lawrence recuperating hospital and from the Marine Corps. Company, Service Battalion, 1st in Philadelphia Naval Hospital in January 1969. Marine Division. And the job of his He returned to Central unit was to provide protection for Pennsylvania and worked in military vehicles moving back and “We had a ton of equipment,” he construction for a while, but he was forth on Highway One, south of Da says, “and you had to carry it all. suffering from post-traumatic stress Nang. Ammo for your rifle and for a and was having recurring nightmares. Was that dangerous work? machine gun, one mortar round, cHe received treatment at the “Well,” he says, “it got pretty close rations, plastic poncho and liner, gas Harrisburg Outpatient Center and to me when one night I wasn’t able mask, and four canteens of water. then for four years at the Lebanon to pull my duty of guarding the main Believe me, it was a load! VA Medical Center, where he was gate of our camp, and the guy that “I headed a five-man fire team deemed to have a 100 percent replaced me got killed.” that once got gassed. I don’t know disability.
W
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It was then he turned to his lifelong interest in art. As a teenager, he had won a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art Show in high school. And even during his days in Vietnam, he had continued sketching, as he had time. Now he was able to pursue his art in earnest, and he became an established artist, with 20 of his pieces exhibited in the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. His work has been displayed at the art
museums of several states, and he also provided the art for the book, Soldier’s Heart, which told the story of survivors’ views of combat trauma. He says that his time in Vietnam has led to the use of the very strong colors he uses in his artwork. So those years, as difficult as they were at the time, are very much with him today. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
Leaving a Tip? Here’s How Much How much to tip can seem as complicated as calculus. You don’t want to seem cheap, but you don’t want to overdo it—especially if money is tight. Here’s a quick, basic look at what’s expected in a variety of everyday situations: Waiter/waitress (full service): 10-15 percent of the bill, before tax Bartender: $1-$2 per drink, or 15-20 percent of the total tab Cleaning service: 15-20 percent per visit Hairstylist/barber: 15-20 percent
Cars. The world’s most expensive automobile is the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, made with gold and jewels. Price tag: 4.6 million British pounds (about $7.4 million). No word on the gas mileage. Cocktails. The Winston, named for Winston Churchill, is made with Grand Marnier Quintessence, Angostura bitters, and a shot of 1858 Croizet cognac ($157,000 a bottle). The Australian bartender who mixed it up charged $12,916. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
15th Annual
Two of your favorite events, together!
26th Annual
15th Annual FREE!
DAUPHIN COUNTY &
May 27, 2014
Masseuse: 15-20 percent
May 5, 2014 May 5–9, 2014 Car valet: $2$10 when picking up your car
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Spooky Nook Sports
FREE!
NEW LOCATION!
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Room service: 15-20 percent
11th Annual
Skycap: $2 for the first bag, then $1 for each additional bag Hotel housekeeper: $2-$3 per night (or more for a highend hotel, or if you’ve got more than two other people staying with you)
Home offices. Your typical telecommuter probably couldn’t afford this: The Lehman Mansion, a five-story commercial townhouse in New York City, sold for $40 million last fall, a price of $2,410 per square foot. Sporting events. Tickets to Game Six of the World Series, in which the Boston Red Sox faced the St. Louis Cardinals in Boston with the prospect of winning the World Series at home, cost anywhere from $900 for standing-room-only to $10,000 for actual seats close to the plate, making them the most expensive baseball tickets in sports history.
12th Annual
CHESTER COUNTY
YORK COUNTY
June 10, 2014
Sept. 17, 2014
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. FREE! Church Farm School
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center FREE!
1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton
Taxi driver: 15 percent (depending on the city); an extra $1-$2 if the driver helps with any bags
Have Money to Burn? Quality may be priceless, but it’s sometimes quite expensive. Take a look at some of the most costly luxury items available these days:
Lancaster
Celebrates Seniors
Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue York
15th Annual
18th Annual
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
LANCASTER COUNTY
Oct. 22, 2014 FREE!
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Carlisle Expo Center
Nov. 5, 2014 FREE!
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim
100 K Street Carlisle
(Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Entertainment • Door Prizes (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
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March 2014
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Social Security News
Are Your Social Security Benefits Taxable? By John Johnston f you’ve recently begun receiving Social Security benefits or plan to apply in the near future, you may be wondering this tax season: Are Social Security benefits taxable? The short answer is: sometimes. Some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends, and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your Social Security benefits. There is never a case when a person pays tax on more than 85 percent of his or her Social Security benefits, based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules. Now, let’s get down to the numbers.
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• If you file a federal tax return as an individual and your income is between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to
pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. • If your income is more than $34,000, then up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable. • If you are married and you file a joint return, and you and your spouse have a combined income that is between $32,000 and $44,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. • If your combined income is more than $44,000, then up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.
Support, assistance, and services for today’s caregiver — Let them know there’s help View the 2013 edition onlin at BusinessWomanPA.com e
Why advertise? • Your focused message reaches its targeted audience • Multi-venue promotion — online, in print, and social media platforms • Year-round distribution — annual women’s expos and 50plus EXPOs, local offices of aging, and other popular venues Articles • Directory of Providers • Ancillary and Support Services
CAREGIVER A key resource for individuals who SOLUTIONS work and provide care to a loved one. Deadline to Reserve Space is May 16, 2014 Inserted into the July issue of BUSINESSWoman magazine.
Call your representative or 717.285.1350 or email info@businesswomanpa.com.
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March 2014
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Note that your “income” for the purpose of determining whether you must pay taxes on some of your Social Security benefits includes your adjusted gross income, your nontaxable interest, and one-half of your Social Security benefits.
In January, you should have received a Social Security benefit statement showing the amount of benefits you received last year. You can use this statement, or SSA1099, when completing your federal income tax return to find out whether some of your benefits are subject to federal income tax. If you didn’t receive yours, you can request one at www.socialsecurity.gov/1099. So, are your Social Security benefits taxable? Maybe. To learn more, read page 14 of our booklet, Retirement Benefits, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs or visit www.irs.gov to obtain more detailed information on the subject. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
Free Tax Assistance Offered Through April 15 of each year, the AARP Tax-Aide program offers free oneon-one counseling as well as assistance on the telephone and Internet to help individuals prepare basic tax forms, including the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, and other standard documents. The following are locations in your area. Please call for an appointment or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxaide for more information.
Mechanicsburg Senior Center 97 W. Portland St., Mechanicsburg Mondays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (717) 697-5947
Carlisle Baptist Church 701 Walnut Bottom Road, Carlisle Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. (717) 243-5523
Presbyterian Church of Mechanicsburg 300 E. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (717) 697-0351
Chapel Pointe at Carlisle 770 S. Hanover St., Newville Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (717) 249-1363
South Middleton Township Municipal Building 520 Park Drive, Boiling Springs Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (717) 258-5324
The Cottages of Shippensburg Community Room 200 Cottage Drive, Shippensburg Mondays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (717) 530-1573 East Pennsboro Community Center 98 S. Enola Drive, Enola Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (717) 732-3915
New Cumberland Firehouse 319 Fourth St., New Cumberland Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (717) 697-4117
Trinity Lutheran Church 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill Mondays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (717) 737-8635 West Shore Senior Center 122 Geary Ave., New Cumberland Mondays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (717) 774-0409
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Living for the Long Term
A special section featuring some of Central Pennsylvania’s many options for long-term care.
Savvy Senior
Paying for Nursing-Home Care with Medicaid Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What are the eligibility requirements to get Medicaid coverage for nursing-home care? – Looking Ahead Dear Looking, The rules and requirements for Medicaid eligibility for nursing-home care are somewhat complicated and will vary according to the state you live in. With that said, here’s a general, simplified rundown of what it takes to qualify, along with some resources you can turn to for help. Medicaid Rules Medicaid, the federal and state joint program that covers healthcare for the poor, is also the largest single payer of
America’s nursinghome bills for seniors who don’t have the resources to pay for their own care. Most people who enter nursing homes don’t qualify for Medicaid at first but pay for care either through long-term care insurance or out of pocket until they deplete their savings and become eligible for Medicaid. To qualify for Medicaid, your income and assets
will need to be under a certain level that’s determined by your state. Most states require that a person have no more than about $2,000 in countable assets that include cash, savings, investments, or other financial resources that can be turned into cash. Assets that aren’t counted for eligibility include your home if it’s valued under $543,000 (this limit is higher—up to $814,000—in some
states), your personal possessions and household goods, one vehicle, prepaid funeral plans, and a small amount of life insurance. But be aware that while your home is not considered a countable asset to determine your eligibility, if you can’t return to your home, Medicaid can go after the proceeds of your house to help reimburse your nursing-home costs, unless your spouse or other dependent relative lives there. (There are some other exceptions to this rule.) After qualifying, all sources of your income, such as Social Security and pension checks, must be turned over to Medicaid to pay for your care, except for a small personal-needs allowance— please see MEDICAID page 13
Have you noticed that Mom is getting more than a little confused? Is your spouse’s health more than you can safely handle at home? “Doing the best for your family member isn’t always keeping them at home,’’ says Debbie Haas, Homeland Center’s director of skilled care. “Sometimes, transitioning to a care facility is the best answer.” Haas recommends enlisting the help of your loved one’s doctor, whose opinion can go a long way to ease concerns. Then it’s a matter of finding the right facility. One step inside Homeland Center will instantly dispel the outmoded mental image still conjured by the words, “nursing home.” Take a tour and talk to our residents and staff. See firsthand what sets us apart. Homeland has met the needs of Central Pennsylvania since 1867 and holds Medicare’s coveted 5-star rating for quality of care. Call us today at 717-221-7902 and discover all Homeland Center has to offer.
1901 North Fifth St. • Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 221-7902
www.homelandcenter.org www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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March 2014
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The Way I See It
March Madness Mike Clark o, I’m not talking about the NCAA basketball tournament overtaking the airwaves of every sports fan in the nation. I’ve never been at all interested in that. And those diagrams of teams, who they play, and where they end up is like contemplating those convoluted sentence diagrams in English class. I didn’t pay much attention to those, either. Actually, the only way these diagrams seem to resemble each other is that there are subjectively important words on outspreading lines. The exception is that there are no dangling lines on the basketball charts. Maybe there should be for the teams whose chances of advancing are slim. To those danglers we could add short, horizontal lines with gloomy-face icons. But what do I know? Well, I know one thing (my wife says that’s about all I know), and so do you.
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The days are getting noticeably longer; and soon, the crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, irises, and other early-spring bloomers will push through the sodden earth to show off their vivid splendor. I’m amazed that some of these plants withstand the wild vagaries of March and early-April weather. It is striking to see crocuses and daffodils emerge from a patch of snow, don’t you think? We planted two eastern red bud trees last year on a sweltering summer day. Doing so nearly crippled my wife and me. Why we picked the spots where two
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previous trees had once grown is inexplicable. Much of the old root systems still lurked roughly 4 or 5 inches below the surface. That should have been easy enough to surmise, but those trees were gone long enough that I just assumed rot had done its job. It did not. Rot only takes place where it is least welcome, such as landscape timbers, wood house trim, and tires on my barely used truck. The first shovelful of dirt gave us a false sense of ease. By the second shovelful I was well aware that I was going to need a hatchet, a reciprocal saw with a toothy pruning blade, a hefty digging iron, 2
gallons of cold drinking water, and a shady place for frequent breaks. We persevered, though, and the trees were in-ground by the end of the day. It was a satisfying accomplishment, in spite of my wife and me being scuffed bloody. Anyway, the new buds should soon appear, assuring us that our struggle paid off. Since March winds can really knock the spindly things around, I might have to stake them. I didn’t stake them after planting because I was told that if trees were planted properly, they wouldn’t need staking. And then we watched in horror as heavy storms whacked away at them in late summer, and the November winds made valiant attempts to uproot them. They endured it all, but I am still uneasy about that theory. The weather is what creates March madness. One day it is sunny and very
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March 2014
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warm, almost summerlike; other days can be cold and blustery, seeming as though snow is imminent. This unsettled condition is essentially what causes March to be so windy. It is also why November is the same. I’m no meteorologist or earth scientist, so I am hardly qualified to go into all the details of the forces that come together to make the wind kick up such a fury. But it’s one of the things I like about March. I love how the dramatic, wind-driven clouds move swiftly overhead on a bright day, creating fluid forms on the ground; walking along the mushy banks as turbid trout streams rush along, swollen from the snow and ice-melt; and the plethora of regional garden shows that inspire us to start planning for the inevitable arrival
of spring. We have our shows in York, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. I’ve heard many people say that they dislike March because it feels so gloomy. Really? Gloominess is in the mind. Think about it a bit more. Think of things that you can like about this month. I’ll bet you can come up with something surprising; maybe it will change your perspective. After all, a positive outlook makes the transition to spring a lot less fretful. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
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Medicare Manuals Updated to Rule Out Suspected ‘Improvement Standard’ The Center for Medicare Advocacy recently announced that the Medicare policy manuals have been revised as a result of December’s Jimmo vs. Sebelius settlement. Published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in December, the manual revisions clarify that improvement is not required to obtain Medicare coverage for skilled nursing facilities (SNF), home healthcare (HH), or outpatient therapies (OPT). The manual revisions also improve coverage for people who require intense rehabilitation in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF). Medicare determinations for skilled nursing facilities, home health, and outpatient therapy turn on the need for skilled care—not on the ability of an individual to improve. For patients in inpatient rehabilitation facilities, the manual revisions and CMS education campaign clarify that coverage should never be denied because a patient cannot be expected to achieve complete independence in self-care or to return to his/her prior level of functioning. “As with all components of settlement agreements, the Jimmo revisions are not perfect,” says Judith Stein, executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. “But they do make it absolutely clear that skilled care is covered by Medicare for therapy and nursing to maintain a patient’s condition or slow decline—not just for improvement.” The Jimmo case was brought in 2011 by the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Vermont Legal Aid on behalf of a www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
nationwide class of Medicare beneficiaries who were denied Medicare coverage and access to necessary healthcare or therapy because they did not have sufficient potential for improvement. As a result of the Jimmo settlement, Medicare cannot be denied in a nursing home, home care, or outpatient therapy setting based on an “improvement standard.” As CMS states in the transmittal announcing the Jimmo manual revisions: No “improvement standard” is to be applied in determining Medicare coverage for maintenance claims that require skilled care. Medicare has long recognized that even in situations where no improvement is possible, skilled care may nevertheless be needed for maintenance purposes (i.e., to prevent or slow a decline in condition). The Center for Medicare Advocacy encourages people to appeal if they are told Medicare is not available for skilledmaintenance nursing or therapy because they are not improving. Information and self-help material are available on the center’s website (www.medicareadvocacy .org). Patients can also contact the Center for Medicare Advocacy or its website to obtain a card with key provisions from the new Medicare manuals to show their healthcare providers. More information is available on the center’s website (www.medicareadvocacy .org/medicare-info/improvement-standard) or by calling their national office at (860) 456-7790.
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The Nature of Spring
omen’s Expo
As March winds blow winter into the past And the Belle of the Seasons makes her debut, Indigo skies or showers may be forecast And the grass, in the morn, will be silver with dew Robin Red Breast returns, to warble his greeting From high in a tree—once laden with snow. Ah, spring! King Winter is fleeting. Soon budding trees will nod their “hello”; Gentle breezes will bring sweet essence of clover, At the edge of the woods, purple violets reside. Yes, nature’s slumber soon will be over For it’s the nature of spring— To put winter aside. Written and submitted by Marilyn Beeman
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Spring can be a stream of water, Gushing ’neath the hillside rocks, Giving drinks to thirsty people, Cooling, as we wade in socks. Spring can be an able athlete As he runs, pole vault in hand, Watching him spring overtop the high bar, Then on two feet hope to land. But the spring we’re awaiting Comes in March of every year. Winter’s over, days grow longer, Weather’s warmer, skies are clear. Crocus flowers lift their blossoms Through the recent snow-lined ground. Soon the daffodils and violets Add their colors all around. Birds’ songs trill for ears that listen, Bright spring birds flit through the air, Fruit trees burst in flowery splendor. Green leaves touch the trees left bare. Farm equipment roams o’er valleys, Farmers plant each summer crop. Gardeners till their nourished topsoil, Veggie seeds they sow or drop.
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Gone the stormy blasts of winter, Gone the coats, warm caps and mitts, Out some scooters, kites, and baseballs, Swinging bats that hope for hits. Restless children sit in classrooms, Count the days till school is out. Spring is here! It’s sunny playtime! Hear the children’s joyful shout! Written and submitted by Mary Wingerd
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Calendar of Events
Cumberland County
PA State Parks in Cumberland County
Senior Center Activities
March 10, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Get Ready for the Bluebirds, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – Zumba Gold at First United Presbyterian Church Fridays, Feb. 7 through April 11 – Income Tax Help by Appointment March 4, 9 a.m. – Learn Counted Cross Stitch
Support Groups
Free and open to the public.
March 4, 7 p.m. CanSurmount Cancer Support Group HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd. Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786 March 6, 6:30 p.m. Too Sweet: Diabetes Support Group Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road Camp Hill (717) 557-9041
March 11, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer Support Group The Live Well Center 3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle (717) 877-7561 sirbrady12@gmail.com
March 18, 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880
March 12, 1 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group HealthSouth Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd. Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Free and open to the public. March 9, 2 p.m. One Book, One Community Celebration of Readers Lebanon Valley College Zimmerman Recital Hall 101 N. College Ave., Annville RSVP to (717) 867-6976 or onebookpa@gmail.com
March 5, 1:30 p.m. The Story of the Englishman Who Squandered James Hamilton Jr.’s Fortune Cumberland County Historical Society 21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle (717) 249-7610
March 12, 11:30 a.m. NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465 VFW Post 6704 4907 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg (717) 737-1486 www.narfe1465.org Visitors welcome; meeting is free but fee for food.
Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Cumberland County Library Programs
Community Programs Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 12:45 p.m. Silver Sneakers Class: Muscular Strength and Range of Movement Living Well Fitness Center 207 House Ave., Suite 107 Camp Hill (717) 439-4070
Southampton Place – (717) 530-8217, www.seniors.southamptontwp.com 56 Cleversburg Road, Shippensburg March 4, 9 a.m. – Fat Tuesday Doughnuts March 17, 9:30 a.m. – St. Patrick’s Day Celebration March 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Celebrate Spring
March 12, 6:30 p.m. Amputee Support Team Meeting HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (610) 867-9295 rbuck18015@verizon.net www.astamputees.com March 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local Author Book Signing: John Tyler History on High – The Shop 33 W. High St., Carlisle (717) 249-1626 March 27, 1:30 p.m. Preserving Your Memories Cumberland County Historical Society 21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle (717) 249-7610
AARP Driver Safety Programs For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. March 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Elmcroft of Shippensburg, 129 Walnut Bottom Road, Shippensburg, (717) 532-4165 March 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 March 20, 8 a.m. to noon – Messiah Village, 100 Mt. Allen Drive, Mechanicsburg, (717) 591-7203
Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 March 3, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Monday Bosler Book Discussion Group March 12, 1 to 2 p.m. – Wicked Wednesday Book Discussion Group March 28, 1 to 2 p.m. – Just Mysteries! Book Club Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 Thursdays, 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Blood Pressure Screenings March 11, 7 p.m. – Fredricksen Reads Book Discussions: Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks March 18, 7 p.m. – A Celtic Concert with Seasons New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 March 8, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Write-On Writers Workshop March 9, 3 to 4 p.m. – Celtic Music by Seasons March 17, 6 to 8 p.m. – Great Books Discussion Group: Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
Remember to Spring Forward! March 9
What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Cumberland County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Tinseltown Talks
The Real Rod Serling Nick Thomas t’s been called one of the most influential programs in the history of television drama. The Twilight Zone, an anthology series that aired in the early 1960s, was created by Rod Serling (1924-1975), a veteran of radio and World War II. Both influenced his career as a writer. “When he returned from war in the Philippines, he went to college and wrote for the campus radio station,” daughter Anne Serling recently recalled to me. “He later wrote plays for commercial radio, then television. He said writing was a way to get the war trauma ‘out of his gut.’” During the show’s five-year run, Serling was executive producer and chief writer, penning more than half the approximately 150 episodes. But he is best remembered as the program’s stonefaced host, whose foreboding narrations
I
introduced the show each week. In biographies after his death, the master storyteller of chilling sci-fi and fantasy tales was often described as dark and depressed, inaccuracies that led Anne “to set the record straight” in her own book about her father. “He was described as a tortured soul, but that wasn’t my father at all,” said Anne, who published As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling in 2013. “Although the war left scars, he was also a very positive, fun, down-to-earth person. My friends adored him, and any apprehension they had about meeting him would instantly dissolve because he could make anyone feel at ease. He was brilliantly funny at home, a great practical joker, and was always at the dinner table each night.” As a child, Anne had little knowledge of her father’s career.
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“I knew he was a known to fans of My writer but didn’t Fair Lady as Henry know what he wrote Higgins’ rival about until I was linguist, the nosey about 7. Some Zoltan Karpathy. mean boy on the In July 1960, school playground Austrian-born Bikel asked if I was appeared on a ‘something out of Hollywood TV talk The Twilight Zone,’ show, Caucus with but I had no idea Backus, and was what that meant verbally assailed by because I wasn’t fellow guests: allowed to watch glamorous silent-film Photo courtesy of Anne Serling Anne Serling with her father, much TV during actress Corinne Rod Serling, in the early 1970s. the week—my Griffith and beloved mother’s rule! character-actor “A few years Adolphe Menjou. later, we watched “We were ‘Nightmare at talking politics 20,000 Feet’ and they said I together, the had no right to episode where open my mouth William Shatner because I wasn’t sees a gremlin on born in this an airplane wing. country,” recalled I remember Bikel. looking at my Appalled, father and Serling appeared thinking, ‘This is on a later program Photo courtesy of Jerry Sroka what you write?’ Mariette Hartley and Robert Lansing in the defending Bikel’s It was a bit scary.” right to freedom Twilight Zone episode, “The Long Morrow.” Praised for his of speech. original fiction “I will never writing, Serling forget how Rod was also highly came to my respected for defense. I later raising social appeared in The issues in some Twilight Zone episodes, episode ‘Four although O’Clock’ in Serling and the Twilight Zone icon. controversial 1962.” topics were Ann Jillian and subject to the Mariette Hartley censors’ whim. So he were teenagers when they frequently concealed his first met Serling. intent in fantasy. “I was 13 when I “He famously once starred in the episode said he could have aliens ‘Mute,’” Jillian recalled. “I say things that was very excited about Democrats and doing the popular show. Republicans couldn’t,” Mr. Serling made me feel Anne recalled. at ease and didn’t talk Several Twilight Zone down to me.” actors also shared vivid And after seeing him memories of Serling. on TV, a gutsy 14-yearTheodore Bikel is well Rod Serling CBS press photo old Mariette Hartley www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
telephoned Serling and asked him to speak to her Connecticut high school drama club. “He said he would be delighted, and I can still see him sitting in the teacher’s desk at the front of the classroom talking to us,” Hartley said. “Years later, when I started working in Hollywood, I met him again when his limousine pulled up as I was walking out the studio. He remembered coming to my class. I told him I was looking for work, and within a couple of months he gave me the wonderful gift of working in ‘The Long Morrow’ episode.” Today, Serling continues to inspire
other moviemakers. J.J. Abrams, director of the new Star Trek films, has called The Twilight Zone a big influence on his career and reportedly has secured the rights to adapt Serling’s last, neverproduced script, The Stops Along the Way. Until then, Rod Serling’s work is still available for your viewing pleasure, almost nightly, on classic TV cable channels … in The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling chats with Charlton Heston on the set of Planet of the Apes with director Franklin Schaffner.
Happiness May Depend on Where You Live Are you happy? The answer may depend on where you live. The United Nations’ World Happiness Report measures well-being across a range of economic, psychological, and statistical factors. The United States came in at No. 17 in the 2013 report. Here are the top 10:
MEDICAID
Spousal Protection Medicaid also has special rules for married couples when one spouse enters a nursing home and the other spouse remains at home. In these cases, the healthy spouse can keep one half of the couple’s assets up to $117,240 (this amount varies by state), the family home, all the furniture and household goods, and one automobile. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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from page 7
usually between $30 and $90. You also need to be aware that you can’t give away your assets to qualify for Medicaid faster. Medicaid officials will look at your financial records going back five years to root out suspicious asset transfers. If they find one, your Medicaid coverage will be delayed a certain length of time, according to a formula that divides the transfer amount by the average monthly cost of nursing-home care in your state. So if, for example, you live in a state where the average monthly nursing-home cost is $5,000 and you gave away cash or other assets worth $100,000, you would be ineligible for benefits for 20 months ($100,000 divided by $5,000 = 20).
Celebrate Those Strongly Tied Knots!
4. Netherlands 5. Sweden 6. Canada 7. Finland 8. Austria 9. Iceland 10. Australia At the bottom of the list, the five least happy nations are Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic, Benin, and Togo.
1. Denmark 2. Norway 3. Switzerland
The cover of Anne Serling’s book, As I Knew Him, which she wrote to set the record straight about her father.
Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
The healthy spouse is also entitled to keep a portion of the couple’s monthly income—between $1,938 and $2,931. Any income above that goes toward the cost of the nursing-home recipient’s care. What about Medicare? Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities, does not pay for long-term care. It only helps pay up to 100 days of “rehabilitative” nursing-home care, which must occur after a hospital stay. Get Help Again, Medicaid rules are complicated and vary by state, so contact the local Medicaid office (call (800) 633-4227 for contact information) for eligibility details. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free counseling on all Medicare and Medicaid issues. To find a local SHIP counselor, visit www.shiptalk.org or call (800) 677-1116. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
We welcome your anniversary announcements and photos. Anniversaries may be marking any number of years 15 and over. (Fields marked with an * are required.) *Anniversary (No. of years) _________________________________________ *Contact name __________________________________________________ E-mail ________________________ *Daytime phone ___________________ *Husband’s full name _____________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Wife’s full maiden name __________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Couple’s current city and state __________________________________________ *Marriage date_____________ Location ______________________________ Children (name and city/state for each)_________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Number of grandchildren________ Number of great-grandchildren___________ Photos must be at least 4x6'' and/or 300 dpi if submitted digitally. Completed information and photo can be emailed to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mailed to:
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DANCE
from page 1
anniversary at the same location, greater than any other club in the state. Kaufhold has an extensive career in dance, theater, and performance direction. She runs the Millersville Costume Shop, where she began working shortly after graduating from American University in 1984 with a degree in performance/dance. She earned a graduate degree in dance and design at George Washington University while starting her family and continued to manage the costume shop during the 15 years she worked as professional company director of Kinetics Dance Theatre in Ellicott City, Md. “The Costume Shop combines all of my interests in crafts, sewing, design, theater, dance, etc.,” Kaufhold said. In 2013, Kaufhold expanded her creative foothold further when she started the Barefoot Dance Company, which includes dancers ranging in age from 13 to 55. Born in Boulder, Colo., with a childhood spent in Williamstown, Mass., Kaufhold’s family moved to Central Pennsylvania in 1968 when her father accepted a geography-professor position at Millersville University. Kaufhold’s artistic genes come
honestly. Her mother directed and choreographed high-school musicals, operas, Girl Scout jamborees, and shows at the Fulton Opera House. She also taught modern dance at the YMCA and as a dance professor at Franklin & Marshall College. “I grew up going to my mom’s shows with my brothers and father to support my mother’s work,” Kaufhold said. “This has shaped my goal to create dances and shows that are entertaining—not just to people who want to attend, but their brothers, fathers, sisters, and other relations who come to shows because they have to.” Kaufhold connected with The Iris Club four years ago when a member invited Kaufhold to perform one of her dance shows, “Dancing through the Decades,” at a club luncheon. Originally her written thesis project that compared women’s fashion with concurrent dance styles through the first half of the 20th century, the show has since been expanded to include additional decades and renamed “Fashion and Dance through the Ages.” “It’s turned out to be an entertaining history lesson through music, dance, and costumes,” said Kaufhold, also a talented seamstress. “[The show] is popular at
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Scenes from retirement villages volunteerism “Fashion and Dance through the Ages”: as well as through schools.” partnerships with After her first other Iris Club community performance, organizations. Kaufhold said she In 2012, was flattered to be while teaching at asked to become a the local school member. (Unlike of ballet, a century ago, Kaufhold learned however, that the tenants Feathered and fringed flappers from the 1920s membership is no of the old longer by armory building, invitation only.) which included Since then, the the ballet school, highly popular would have to show returned in relocate as the spring 2013 as an building was Iris Club going up for fundraiser. sale. “The people “I knew The Two dancers truckin’ in the 1940s are great, the Iris Club had building is a lovely wooden lovely mansion, floors, and the and I really enjoy club was looking meeting other for rental artists through income,” she their programs said. “I thought and events,” she the ballet said. company and At its height in The Iris Club the ’50s, the club would be a great had about 600 fit and benefit members. Today, mutually.” the number is The ballet The polyester and disco dance fever closer to 90, but it company now of the 1970s is still a dedicated splits its class and productive time between its group of women. nearby studio and The Iris Club. “It makes me feel good to have the Kaufhold is grateful for the support chance to work with ladies who care of her husband, Jeffrey, and their three about their community and give back to children, who have followed in their the community,” said Kaufhold. “They mother’s volunteer path. have knowledge that I can grow from.” “All three have helped out with Now in her second year as program costumes backstage, crafts with camps, director, Kaufhold’s main duty is to find and Pancakes with Santa and the Easter and schedule interesting artists, poets, Bunny over the years,” said Kaufhold. craftspeople, musicians, historians, and “Other children love them, and I just dancers for the club, which offers its like having my kids around while I’m members opportunities for community working on a show or project.” service by promoting educational She also enjoys being around the pursuits and creativity. other members of The Iris Club and is In addition to its internal thankful that the women have entrusted programming, which Kaufhold her with bringing in entertaining and coordinates, The Iris Club hosts events educational programming. and fundraisers open to the local public. “Their energy seems endless, and I “I also help plan special weekend realize I can’t complain around them,” events throughout the year, such as she laughed. “I’m constantly in awe of Pancakes with Santa, Pancakes with the these ladies. I’d be happy to accomplish Easter Bunny, the Fairytale Ball, themed half of what most of these Iris Club dinners, and dance concert fundraisers,” ladies have accomplished in their life!” Kaufhold said. For more information, contact The Kaufhold is also a board member of Iris Club at (717) 394-7811 or visit The Iris Club and promotes the arts and www.irisclublancasterpa.com.
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Literacy Tutor Says 90 is Just a Number Central Pennsylvania Literacy English, reading, and math while Council tutor John Eichorn took a volunteering with the Central PA break recently in the adult literacy Literacy Council. They have improved program’s Lemoyne office to celebrate their skills, found jobs, and gone on to his 90th birthday. schools. “Ninety is just a number,” the He tutored Brenda on Monday Newberry Township resident says. He mornings and found she had a great takes a casual love for history. approach to his They enjoyed senior milestone reading about but is serious Pearl Harbor about the Day. success of the Eichorn adult learners he remembers tutors each hearing about week. the invasion Eichorn, a when he was a World War II 17-year-old high Army Air Corps school senior in veteran, is the Ramsey, N.J. father of five He later became John Eichorn with Ousmane, adult children, an instructor one of his adult learners. grandfather of pilot on B-26 eight, and greatMartin grandfather of three. Marauder medium bombers at He majored in marketing at New Barksdale Field, La. York University and graduated in 1965, Ousmane, Eichorn’s Friday-morning after 42 consecutive months of night adult learner, is a native of Birkina Faso study. in West Africa. Ousmane passed the He retired from AMF Bowling citizenship test in Philadelphia on Dec. Centers, Inc. in 1975 and spent 20 years 16, 2013, after he studied the 100 serving the Pennsylvania Chamber of citizenship questions, practiced writing Business and Industry. His SIX-LUV sentences in English, and worked on license plate recalls his tennis-playing improving his English pronunciation. days. Central PA Literacy Council was “But I just couldn’t sit around after I incorporated as a nonprofit adult stopped playing tennis a couple years program in 1972 and offers free, ago,” he says. “So I thought I should use individualized tutoring, by all my education to pass it along to appointment, to adults in Cumberland, people who need it.” Dauphin, eastern Perry, and northern Because of his experiences as an York counties. airman, his deep respect for education, For more information, email and his understanding of the persistence centralpaliteracycouncil@comcast.net or it takes to become educated, Eichorn cplc.adultliteracy@gmail.com or call remains committed to the educational Carole Sawchuck, executive director, at goals adults set for themselves. (717) 763-7522. He has tutored several people in
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