Dauphin County Edition
April 2012
Vol. 14 No. 4
For the Love of the Limelight Annual PA State Senior Idol Competition Gears Up for 7th Year By Megan Joyce
This year’s hopefuls for the PA State Senior Idol competition include, from top, Steven Albright, Victoria Newcomer, and Robert Long.
As in years past, the contestants for the 2012 PA State Senior Idol competition will celebrate their diversity: different musical styles, different stage presentations, and—with ages ranging from 50 to 80 or better—a few decades between them as well. But the common thread woven amongst them all seems to be an essential, cherished love for performance: for the joy it brings both them and their audiences, for the thrill of connecting to strangers through something as intangible and evanescent as a song, a dance, or a comedic routine. It’s like that for Steve Albright of Jacobus, a retired Maryland native who works part-time as a pharmacy delivery driver. Though he played the trumpet for about 10 years during his school years, it wasn’t until his daughter took up the French horn that his love for his own long-silent brass instrument was rekindled. And it wasn’t until a few years even later that his passion for performance was reawakened as well. Albright was delivering medications to an area retirement community when he observed a gentleman playing the accordion for then community’s appreciative residents. “This just struck a chord with me,” he said. “I remembered the gratification that I used to get from doing that, because [seniors] are the best please see LIMELIGHT page 19
Inside:
The 5 Best Senior Acting Performances page 5
Special Section: Living Your Best Retirement page 10
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Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Traveltizers
The Secrets of San Francisco By Andrea Gross Left: The best way to understand San Francisco is to visit its neighborhoods.
lived in California for many years, but it wasn’t until last year that I began to learn the secrets of one of its greatest cities—San Francisco. Oh, I’d walked the Golden Gate, noodled around Chinatown, and shopped in Union Square, but I’d never heard the gossip. Then I took three neighborhood tours, each led by residents who showed me the hidden places and told me the scandalous stories. Finally, I feel like a native.
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North Beach The American Planning Association calls North Beach one of 10 “great neighborhoods in America,” and it’s easy to see why. It’s a community in every sense of the word—a place where people walk, talk, and eat. That’s exactly what my husband and I do during our award-winning Local Tastes of the City Tour. Tom Medin, owner and guide, begins by giving us the history of the area. It was, he says, settled
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Above: A visitor who wanders the back streets of Chinatown gets a much different perspective than one who stays on Grant Avenue.
Chinatown We’re walking through San Francisco’s
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April 2012
by Italians, and then became a hangout for members of the Beat Generation and a risqué nightclub district. But now it’s relaxed into an area of small shops, eateries, bakeries, and delicatessens. He leads us from one to another, feeding us fascinating facts to digest along with the food. By the end of the tour, when we go into Café Trieste, a coffeehouse frequented by the likes of Steve Allen, Woody Allen, Pavarotti, and Bill Cosby, I’m feeling like I am an inthe-loop San Franciscan. That night, to solidify our city-wise credentials, we go to Beach Blanket Babylon, a San Francisco staple since 1974. We sip wine and watch performers, who wear outrageous hats that are 4 or 5 feet tall as they spoof all things political and most things sacred. The man next to me laughs so hard that he spills his wine into my lap. I barely notice because I’m laughing equally hard.
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Chinatown, but the bustling crowds of Grant Avenue seem far away. On the back streets men are playing mah jong, women are folding disks of dough into fortune-cookie packets, and a man is weighing medicinal herbs for a customer who has a hacking cough. “Nee haw, hello,” I say, trying out my one phrase of Chinese. Our leader—she doesn’t like to be called a “guide”— laughs. “No, no, no,” she says. “That’s Mandarin Chinese. Here in San Francisco, most of the Chinese speak Cantonese. It’s nay ho.” That’s only the first of many things we learn as we follow Shirley Fong-Torres, a.k.a., the Wok-Wiz, through the part of Chinatown where, as she says, “real people live, work, and play.” She points to a mural on an alley wall and explains the custom it depicts. “That’s not just a pretty painting,” she says. “It’s a picture of one of our Chinese New Year activities.” Next we go into a store filled with
The cable car always has been— and still is—the best way to get to Nob Hill. (Photo courtesy of Hobnob Tours)
imitation cell phones, television sets, food, and clothing, all made out of paper. The Chinese, we learn, want to make sure their relatives have all the comforts of this world when they journey to the next one. Again, without Shirley, we’d have missed the real meaning of what we were seeing. We’d have thought the items were simply cute children’s toys. Nob Hill We take a cable car to the Fairmont,
the grand dame of hotels atop San Francisco’s Nob Hill. It seems apropos since the cable car is what allowed the 19th century’s most privileged folks to live in rarefied hilltop air, far above the “lowlife” who frequented the docks. The street was simply too steep for horse-drawn carriages. Valerie Huff, owner of Hobnob Tours, meets us and leads us first through the public rooms of the grand hotel, then on a two-hour, flat-ground tour of the neighborhood. Before the earthquake of 1906, the area was filled with grand mansions and luxury hotels, all but two of which were destroyed by the postquake fires. Today the area is again filled with homes of the affluent. Valerie laughs as she dispenses gossipy
tidbits. I learn, for example, that two feuding barons each hired bodyguards to protect one from the other, and that a rich widow disinherited her son when he opposed her marriage to a younger man. By the time the tour ends, I know why Nob Hill is sometimes called “snob hill,” and I’m reveling in my insider status. We’ve only begun to explore the neighborhoods in depth, but for now my mind is full and my feet are sore! For more information: North Beach – www.localtastesofthecitytours.com, www.beachblanketbabylon.com Chinatown – www.wokwiz.com Nob Hill – www.hobnobtours.com Photos © Irv Green except where noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com)
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Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 Legal Services Keystone Elder Law PC (717) 691-9300 Medical Equipment & Supplies GSH Home Med Care (717) 272-2057 Orthotics & Prosthetics The Center for Advanced Orthotics & Prosthetics (800) 676-7846 CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Rehabilitation Spring Creek Rehabilitation & Health Care Center (717) 565-7000 Retirement Communities Country Meadows of Hershey (717) 533-1880
Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790 The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678 Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325 National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 (800) 827-1000 Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100 Travel Wheelchair Getaways (717) 921-2000
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Savvy Senior Corporate Office:
Tips and Treatment for Snoring Seniors
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
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My 60-year-old husband has become a terrible snorer, especially over the past few years. It’s gotten to the point I can’t stand to sleep in the same room as him anymore. What can help us? – Sleepless Sandy
EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce EDITORIAL INTERN Alysa Poindexter
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee Geller PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
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CIRCULATION
Self-Help Remedies While there’s no surefire cure for snoring, there are a variety of things your husband can try to help reduce or eliminate the problem, including:
PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall
• Slim down: If he’s overweight, a 10 percent loss of body weight can help open up his airway and reduce snoring.
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50plus SeniorNews is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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Dear Sandy, Most people don’t think there’s much they can do to fix their snoring problems, but that’s not true anymore. Today, there are number of viable tips and treatments that can make a big difference for snorers and their suffering spouses. Here’s what you should know. Snoring is very common. If fact, it’s estimated that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. snore at least occasionally, and 25 percent snore habitually. But men are the ones who tend to be loud problem snorers, as well as people who are overweight. And snoring often gets worse with age.
• Stop smoking. If your husband’s a smoker, quitting will help. Smoking causes inflammation in the upper airways that can make snoring worse. • Avoid alcohol and sedatives: Sleeping pills, painkillers, tranquilizers, and alcoholic beverages all relax the muscles in the throat, which makes snoring more likely. He should avoid all of
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these three to four hours before bedtime. • Change sleeping positions: Snoring is more common when you sleep on your back. To prevent this, sew a tennis ball in the back of a t-shirt or his pajama top. This will make sleeping on his back uncomfortable and teach him to
sleep in a more breathing-friendly side position. Or, buy a snoring pillow that’s designed to promote side sleeping. • Tilt the bed: Raising the head of the bed by 4 inches can also help reduce snoring by helping him breathe easier. He can do this by placing some bricks or boards under the headboard legs, or purchase some inexpensive bed raisers. Or insert a foam wedge under the head of the mattress. • Clear nasal passages: If nasal congestion is causing your husband to snore, nasal strips may help, or if allergies are the cause, try steroid or saline nasal sprays. Antihistamines can help with allergies but can worsen snoring. Also consider purchasing a humidifier for the bedroom. This can help to reduce congestion and moisturize the throat. When to See a Doctor Loud snoring can be a sign of
obstructive sleep apnea (see www.sleepapnea.org), a serious condition in which the snorer stops breathing many times a night. Left untreated, it can cause high blood pressure and can sharply increase the risk for stroke and heart attack. If your husband is frequently sleepy during the day, stops breathing during sleep, or snorts awake, gasping for breath, then it’s time to see an otolaryngologist or a sleep specialist who may recommend an overnight study at a sleep center. Even if he doesn’t have these symptoms, these types of doctors can help ease his snoring if the other remedies have failed. A common treatment for sleep apnea and severe snoring is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. This involves sleeping with a snorkel-like mask that’s hooked up to a machine that gently blows air up your nose to keep the passages open. Other treatment options include an oral appliance that fits into the mouth over the teeth like a removable mouth guard or retainer, as well as Provent therapy (www.proventtherapy.com), which involves small nasal devices that attach over the nostrils to improve airflow and breathing. If these don’t work, surgery is an option too. There are several procedures that are offered today that can help, including the new minimally invasive pillar palatal implant that has a 75 percent success rate. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.
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Older But Not Wiser
The 5 Best Senior Acting Performances Sy Rosen
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George Burns – Going in Style. He was terrific in this poignant yet funny film about three seniors, struggling to live on Social Security, who decide to rob a bank. By the way, Lee Strasberg and Art Carney, the other two seniors, were also great in this film. There is one scene when George Burns is sitting alone in his room looking through photos of his past that just breaks my heart. Ruth Gordon – Harold and Maude. From the first time we see the 79-yearold Maude having the time of her life at a stranger’s funeral, she grabs the screen and never lets it go. Maude had an undeniable zest and joy for life, and it’s no wonder that the depressed Harold falls in love with her—we all did. I loved when she said, “Harold, everyone has a right to make an ass out of themselves. You just can’t let the world judge you too much.” Since I often make an ass of myself, I figure these are great words to live by. By the way, Gordon was out-of-hermind scary in the movie Rosemary’s Baby. Scary and joyful—the only other person I know of with that range of emotions is my wife. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
ALLAN_WARREN
he Academy Burt Lancaster Awards were a – Atlantic City. couple of He was months ago, and I marvelous was happy to see so playing Lou, a many seniors winning small-time or being nominated. numbers runner There was Max with a big-time Von Sydow, Nick love for the Nolte, Glenn Close, much younger Christopher Susan Plummer, and Meryl Sarandon. It’s a Streep, and even tremendous George Clooney is acting AARP eligible. It performance as made me feel like I Lou’s false was at the early bird bravado turns buffet. into real Anyway, it got me dignity. George Burns thinking about what I This was consider to be the five Lancaster’s last all-time best acting performances by Oscar nomination and Sarandon’s first. seniors. And so, without further ado (I On a side note, Sarandon herself is now always wanted to use the word ado in an a senior (and the circle of life article), here’s my list: continues). Cast of Cocoon. I’m listing the entire senior cast because they were all so wonderful. What I especially liked was when they touched the alien cocoons and the years started to fall away, they weren’t replaced by younger actors. However, it definitely seemed like they were getting younger, and this was accomplished by their terrific acting. A special nod goes to Jack Gilford as the senior who decided not to join the others in the rejuvenation process. He decided instead to let nature take its course for him and his ailing wife. He is magnificent in his wrongheaded dignity.
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Beyond the Battlefield
A Champ in Seniors Tennis and Directing Artillery Fire – Part 1 Alvin S. Goodman Last August, 50plus Senior News published a veteran profile of William Nicolai, 90, of New Cumberland, who was a finalist in tennis singles and champion in doubles at the National Senior Games in Houston, Texas. As the late Paul Harvey, well-known radio commentator and journalist, used to say, “Now here’s the rest of the story.” illiam H. Lentz Jr., 92, of Camp Hill, Nicolai’s partner in the 90-95 doubles tournament who also brought home a gold medal in June, is a World War II veteran with a distinguished Army career. As a passenger in a Piper Cub, Lentz as a field artillery observer flew low over hostile territory to relay information of German troop locations and other military targets to our artillery units on the ground. At times, during inclement
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Battalion being weather and at organized at Camp night, he worked Swift, Texas, with more from tall buildings, than 500 draftees from such as church California. steeples or the roof After basic and of abandoned artillery training, the factories or hotels. unit became a training A native of battalion at the Artillery Allegheny County, School at Fort Sill, firing Lentz graduated the 105mm Howitzers from St. Joseph and the old French 75s. High School, In the spring of 1944, Natrona Heights, in the unit moved to Ft. 1938 and Duquesne Polk, La., and became a University, “Long Tom” 155mm Pittsburgh, in 1942 Gun Battalion with a as a 2nd Lieutenant William H. Lentz Jr. in uniform. with an ROTC range of 18 miles. commission in On Oct. 4, they Artillery. He completed the Officers Basic sailed to Europe, arriving in time to move Artillery Course at Fort Sill, Okla., and into Germany and support the relief of st was assigned to the 261 Artillery the Battle of the Bulge.
Lentz entered combat there with the 261st Infantry Battalion with 12 “Long Tom” guns. “My first air mission was to Bastogne with Major Merrill, the chief pilot of the 202nd Group.” The air observer’s job was to direct artillery fire on targets and to register the battalion’s guns whenever they changed location so that the Fire Direction Center (FDC) could move artillery fire to nearby targets with great accuracy. “My primary job from December 1944 to April 1945 was directing 80 percent of the battalion’s fire missions from the air and from forward observation points. Our first gun positions were in Searsdorf, Germany, where we were attached to the 202nd Artillery Group of the XIII Corps, Ninth Army.” Lentz completed 76 air combat missions and was awarded the Air Medal
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with an Oak Leaf in seconds.” Cluster and the In April 1945, Army when the Russians Commendation were closing in on Medal. His unit was Berlin, Lentz looked involved with across the Elbe River supporting crossing and saw hundreds of points of the Roer fleeing German and Rhine rivers and civilians and soldiers the drive to the Elbe along the shore. River, 42 miles from “When I reported Berlin. this to my group When the Ninth commander, Col. Army was preparing Billings, he said, ‘I to cross the Rhine, a am sending Lt. request was made to Wilhelm and you in register our artillery a small pontoon Lentz at his induction into the on a windmill that boat across the river, Sports Hall of Fame. was close to a and my unit will be railroad bridge and a major highway the first one to meet the Russians.’ The bridge. The Army wanted the capability German soldiers and the civilians offered of destroying the two bridges in case of a us guns and jewelry to let them use the German counterattack but saving the boat to cross the river.” bridges for our own use if possible. While Wilhelm guarded the boat, Lentz could not see the windmill Lentz walked to the foot of a 15-foot from the Allied side. He and his pilot, dike. Climbing the slope, he looked up Lt. Leland Wilhelm, crossed the river 10 and saw two German soldiers pointing feet above the ground and hedge-hopped their rifles at him. He told them the war all the way, only to find the windmill was over; Germany had surrendered. An had been removed, but they noticed a older sergeant came down the line. He stopped freight train a half mile away. refused to surrender, saying he knew Lentz sent the coordinates to the what the Russians would do to his FDC. country. “The first shell landed just 5 feet from “We are going to stay and fight to the the train and the 19 boxcars began last man!” Lentz said. exploding in both directions like two “Good luck,” saluted the sergeant, rows of dominoes. Large German then turned and walked away, hoping he artillery shells were flying through the air would not be shot in the back. At that as we headed for the friendlier side of the moment, three P-47s strafed the dike Rhine, passing surprised German soldiers and Lentz “ran like hell” to the boat and and an 88-gun crew eating lunch. the two paddled across the river. “When our own Artillery began using Seventeen days later, Victory in proximity fuses, we were the last to Europe was declared. know,” Lentz said. “Flying so low Continued next month … between our flat-trajectory 155mm guns If you are a mature veteran and have and the targets put us very close to the flight of our own shells. These new fuses interesting or unusual experiences in your military or civilian life, phone Al Goodman explode when they come close to at (717) 541-9889 or email him at anything. A Piper Cub, covered in klezmer630@comcast.net. canvas and shellac, can burn completely
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Photo ID Soon Required at Polls a military ID card. A driver’s license or ID card issued by PennDOT, military ID cards (including ones from the Pennsylvania National Guard), and cards issued by an accredited Pennsylvania university or a licensed nursing home will all be accepted. For those with
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If an individual does not possess any of the allowable forms of ID, he or she may obtain a free photo ID from PennDOT.
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A new law is now in place in Pennsylvania that requires all voters to present valid photo identification at the polling place in order to cast their vote. Voters will be asked to present ID at the April 24 primary election, but identification will not be required by law until the general election in November. Act 18 of 2012 requires all registered voters to present a valid form of identification at the polls that must include a name, photo, and expiration date, except when an individual presents
religious objections to being photographed, a valid without-photo driver’s license or a valid without-photo ID card issued by PennDOT will be acceptable forms of ID at the polls. If an individual does not possess any of the allowable forms of ID, he or she may
obtain a free photo ID from PennDOT. The voter must first affirm he or she has no other form of ID and may then proceed using PennDOT’s existing procedures for obtaining a non-driver ID. Voters who appear at the polls in November without photo ID will have the opportunity to vote by provisional ballot. They will then need to present valid identification within six days of the election to the appropriate county board of elections.
This Month in History: April Events • April 3, 1887 – The first woman mayor was elected in the U.S. as Susanna M. Salter became mayor of Argonia, Kan. • April 6, 1994 – Genocide began in Rwanda as a plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot down. They had been meeting to discuss ways of ending ethnic rivalries between the Hutu and Tutsi. After their deaths, Rwanda descended into chaos, resulting in the genocidal conflict between tribes. More than 500,000 people were killed with 2 million fleeing the country. • April 12, 1981 – The first space shuttle flight occurred with the launching of Columbia with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen aboard. Columbia spent 54 hours in space making 36 orbits, and then landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Birthdays • April 4 – American social reformer Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) was born in Hampden, Maine. She founded a home for girls in Boston while only in her teens and later crusaded for humane conditions in jails and insane asylums. During the American Civil War, she was superintendent of women nurses. • April 9 – African-American actor and singer Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was born in Princeton, N.J. Best known for his performance in The Emperor Jones, he also enjoyed a long run on Broadway in Shakespeare’s Othello. In 1950, amid ongoing anti-Communist hysteria, Robeson was denied a U.S. passport after refusing to sign an affidavit on whether he had ever been a member of the Communist Party. • April 25 – Radio inventor Gugliemo Marconi (1874-1937) was born in Bologna, Italy. He pioneered the use of wireless telegraphy in the 1890s. By 1921, Marconi’s invention had been developed into wireless telephony (voice radio).
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Homeland Center Marks 145 Years ew south-central Pennsylvania continued into the 21st century, institutions and organizations Homeland has kept ahead of the pace can boast of a heritage that dates with new modalities and new back nearly a century and a half. Yet it equipment. Today, directed by boards was 145 years ago this May that its of managers and trustees and other founders laid the dedicated groundwork for volunteers, a today’s Homeland highly Center in professional Harrisburg. staff of medical, The aftermath nursing, and of the Civil War therapeutic A personal was causing havoc specialists care suite for Americans provides a from both sides of continuum of that long and care for senior Main building bloody conflict, citizens, and battlefield including casualties were personal care not the only services, skilled human losses. nursing care, Soldiers’ wives, hospice services, widows, and and a safe and The Dorothy S. Hollinger Conservatory parents struggled secure to provide for dependent family environment for persons with members without the support of dead Alzheimer’s disease. and disabled husbands and sons. In short, Homeland continues to Scribes of the mid-1860s took note, for meet the changing medical and social example, of “the large number of needs of the area’s residents. children who are daily to be seen on For all of the people who need these our streets in a ragged, forlorn services, Homeland is what the condition.” founders intended it to be: a home. Discussions by representatives of Homeland Center looks back to the nine Harrisburg churches led to the values and idealism of the 1860s. At conclusion that the city needed a the same time, it looks forward to new “Home for the Friendless” to shelter ways of living and new ways of caring those women and children. in a beautiful, homelike setting. Thus, under the direction of a In keeping with the spirit of “Board of Lady Managers,” was begun benevolence on which Homeland what continues today as Homeland Center was founded, and because of Center—still located at the house the generosity of friends, families, and erected in 1870 at Fifth and Muench community organizations over the streets in uptown Harrisburg after three years, all residents’ needs are met years of renting downtown. regardless of government funding or For the first 40 years, the home did limited resources. indeed care for both children and No individual has ever been asked to elderly women, but as society’s and leave because funds are exhausted. people’s needs changed, Homeland To mark the 145th anniversary, a gala dinner with entertainment will be held changed and expanded as well— on Sunday, May 6, at the Harrisburg subsequently assisting in managing Hilton. Information on attending the chronic disease or impairment and skilled nursing care in the aftermath of gala and otherwise supporting acute illness or injury, while continuing Homeland Center is available from Development Director Betty to provide the personal care services it Hungerford at (717) 221-7727 and had offered for a century. online at www.homelandcenter.org. As advancements in healthcare have
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April 2012
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NurseNews
Embracing Your ‘Third Age’ Gloria May, M.S., R.N., CHES ot long ago I met a gentleman who proudly announced that at age 71, he had just passed his state’s bar exam. He said he recognized that having his law license would greatly enhance his business, so he went to law school. Obviously, how others might define retirement isn’t how he defines it. And apparently it wasn’t how Harland Sanders defined it either, as I understand that his little fried chicken business was inspired by a family recipe but funded by his Social Security checks. Why do retirees keep working? Sure, the extra income, but research indicates that continuing to work, even part-time paid or volunteer, is the way many choose to stay physically active, engaged in social interactions, and challenged. (It is said that the three M’s of successful aging are moving, mingling, and mastery.) After all, retirement at 65 sounded reasonable back when we didn’t live another 20 or 30 years afterward, but now? Decades of pursuing only leisure activities may sound terrific to some, but certainly not to all.
Living Your Best Retirement
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Sociologist William Sadler coined the term “Third Age” to refer to the time in life when, after the “First Age” (our youth, when we are dependent on others and pursuing our education and careers) and after the “Second Age” (the parenting and working years), we can stay involved in our careers or we can explore different opportunities and learn new skills. The Third Age is the time when we can actively work toward making the most of the life we have left. But are we physically and emotionally up to this challenge? After all, half of us have at least one chronic health concern, and three-quarters of us have two or more. Can we actually do this? Well, just as the stereotypes of retirement are changing, so is the approach to healthcare for those who are of retirement age. There’s an increased emphasis on what’s called “selfmanagement healthcare,” and for those who are enthusiastically taking on their Third Age, it seems a good fit. After all, if we are going to take charge of our Third Age life, why not take charge of our Third Age health? Of course, in truth, our entire adult lives we
have self-managed our health; this is really nothing new. Ever since we moved out on our own, we have chosen and controlled what we ate or drank, whether or not we smoked, if we exercised, fastened our seatbelts, or saw the dentist twice a year. So, the issue is not how to start self-managing our health in this Third Age, but how to get better at it. You may find that your doctor is shifting away from telling you what to do and leaning more toward asking you how he or she can help and suggesting ways you can take on more responsibility. Be it how to prevent or how to manage, your doctor might be eliciting more of your active participation in the pursuit of better health. You, after all, are your own primary health provider and now, in this Third Age, it’s time to get fully involved. Gloria May is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in adult health education and a Certified Health Education Specialist designation.
Social Security News
Trying to Decide When to Retire? By Doris Brookens t’s never too early to start thinking about your retirement. When you do, one of your first questions may be, “When’s the best time to start receiving retirement benefits?” There’s no one “best age” for everyone and, ultimately, it is your choice. You should make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits based on your individual and family circumstances. With that in mind, Social Security has published a new fact sheet to help you make the decision that’s best for you. When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10147.html. Things to consider are your current cash needs, health, family longevity, whether you plan to work after you retire, future financial needs and obligations, and the amount of your benefit and other income, such as pensions and deductions from retirement funds. Do you have investments to draw from when you need extra
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money? Will it last as long as you expect to live? Keep in mind that people are living longer than they used to. About one out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one out of 10 will live past age 95. If you decide to retire early, at 62 or any time before your full retirement age, you’ll get your benefits sooner—but you’ll get a reduced benefit for the rest of your life. Your monthly benefit will last as long as you do. So the reduction in monthly payment for taking early retirement can add up to a big difference over the life of your benefits. Your decision can affect your spouse and family, too. If you die before your spouse and dependent children, they may be eligible for survivors benefits. But if you took early retirement, their payments would be based on your reduced benefit amount. When you reach your full retirement age, you can work and earn as much as you want and still receive your full Social Security benefit payment. If you are younger than full retirement age and if
your earnings exceed certain dollar amounts, some of your benefit payments during the year will be withheld. On the other hand, if you put off retirement benefits until after your full retirement age, your amount will increase. In fact, your benefit amount will continue to go up until you reach age 70 or start receiving benefits, whichever comes first. And when thinking about Social Security, don’t forget Medicare. You should sign up for Medicare three months before reaching age 65, no matter when your full retirement age is—even if you decide to delay retirement benefits. Otherwise, your Medicare medical insurance, as well as prescription drug coverage, could be delayed, and you could be charged higher premiums. Learn more and make an educated decision about when to retire. Doris Brookens is the Social Security office manager in Harrisburg.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
A community outreach of Homeland Center
Who We Are ... It takes a special kind of person to be a part of hospice, and that is why Homeland has built a team of highly trained, compassionate, caring individuals to provide the highest quality of care to its patients and their families. Our competent staff consists of nurses, physicians, social workers, clergy, volunteers, and bereavement support. Our hospice team focuses on the patient as a whole to address all physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. We work closely with loved ones serving as an educator, resource, and support in any way possible. Homeland Hospice is private, nonprofit, and is accredited by The National Institute of Jewish Hospice. We accept Medicare, Medicaid, and some private insurance plans.
What Is Our Goal ‌
Living Your Best Retirement
Homeland Hospice
The longstanding tradition of quality associated with Homeland Center is embedded with our goal of being respectful and considerate to all at the end stages of life. We understand the difficulties end-of-life issues present, and we are fully committed to addressing all the needs of our patients and their loved ones. At Homeland Hospice, we work in a team approach to provide care to patients with a life-limiting illness, encouraging patients and their families to live each day as fully as possible. Our focus is on symptom and comfort management, believing everyone has the right to die pain-free while retaining their dignity.
Those We Serve ‌ When a medical cure is no longer possible or the patient and family decide to stop pursuing treatment, hospice provides high-quality, compassionate care. We serve any individual over the age of 18 who is in the end stage of life, regardless of race, gender, or creed, and who resides in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry, or York counties.
www.homelandhospice.org 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 • Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 221-7890 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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All-Electronic S.S. Payments Required Next Year A Legacy of Service Funerals • Cremation • Pre-Planning Ask about our: Cremation with Memorial Service Package - $2,485 Sunset Funeral Package - $3,885 Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485 Cremation with Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485 Dale A. Auer, Supervisor 4100 Jonestown Road • Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 545-4001
“At the 11th hour” On a 12-hour clock (rather than the 24-hour clock used by scientists, the military, etc.), the hours of noon and midnight seem to hold special significance. Because they mark the transition from morning to afternoon and the end of the day, they are often used as deadlines (“high noon,” “the stroke of midnight”). To come at “the 11th hour” implies that it comes in the last hour before the deadline.
Are you struggling to keep up with your home?
WE CAN HELP! Repairs • Home Cleaning • Lawn Care The following list is only an idea of the many services we offer and in no way should be considered complete. If you need something and do not see it listed, PLEASE do not hesitate to ask — our business is being built around you. Weekly/monthly home cleaning Lawn mowing/snow removal Replace electrical outlets and
Patch or repair drywall Install and remove window AC units Repair or replace
switches Install or replace light fixtures/ceiling fans
windows/doors/screens Replace locks and door knobs Repair and install mailboxes Repair fencing and gates Clean or repair gutters & downspouts
Hang pictures, curtain & shower rods Repair leaky faucets and toilets Install hand rails/grab bars Install handicap fixtures/access
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April 2012
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Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios recently started an official countdown clock, marking one year until the March 1, 2013, deadline when all federal benefit recipients must receive their Social Security and other federal benefit payments electronically. Currently, about 90 percent of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are being made electronically. “The switch to electronic payments is a win-win for federal benefit recipients and for taxpayers,” Rios said. “It provides a safer, more secure, more convenient way for Americans to access their federal benefits, while also improving government efficiency and delivering more than $1 billion in savings. The sooner everyone makes the switch, the sooner we’ll realize those benefits.” The Treasury Department published a final rule in December 2010 to gradually phase out paper checks for federal benefit payments. Since May 1, 2011, all people newly applying for federal benefits— including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Personnel Management benefits, and other nontax payments—have had to choose
direct deposit or the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® at the time they sign up for their benefits. The Treasury Department included information in all check recipients’ March 2012 payments, reminding them to switch ahead of the deadline and offering them information about their electronic payment options. Federal benefit recipients can switch to electronic payments online at GoDirect (www.godirect.org) or through the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center toll-free at (800) 333-1795. Check recipients should have the following information on hand when making the switch to an electronic payment option: • Social Security number or claim number • 12-digit federal benefit check number • Amount of most recent federal benefit check If signing up for direct deposit to an existing financial institution account, individuals will also need: • Financial institution’s routing transit number (often available on a personal check) • Account number and type (checking or saving)
Honor Bus Headed for DC Area World War II veterans are invited to come on the seventh Honor Bus trip to Washington, DC, on Sunday, April 29, to visit the World War II Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. There is no cost to veterans and all meals are provided. Each veteran is limited to a single trip. Reservations are now also being taken for Korean War veterans. Deluxe motor coaches with lifts and restrooms will leave from and return to
Mechanicsburg Middle School or the Dauphin County Technical School, Locust Lane, Harrisburg. The deadline for signup is April 15. For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Beckie Lacey at (717) 691-4560 ext.7241 or Dr. Kevin Lacey at (717) 652-3170.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
By Myles Mellor and Sally York
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 17
WORD SEARCH
Across 1. Measure 4. Belt the ___ 9. Iota 14. Old NOW cause 15. Come from behind 16. Certain student 17. Deck (out) 18. Succeed 19. Bad loan 20. “Audition,” et al. 23. Jack 24. Thumbs down Down 1. Move 2. Roughly 3. Disheveled 4. Cousin of a loon 5. Doctor Who villainess, with “the” 6. Not to mention 7. Ballyhoo 8. Ogler 9. Tope 10. Like some mothers-in-law 11. Needle holder 12. Wrap up 13. Florida has them 21. Wear oneself out
25. 26. 30. 33. 35. 37. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 49.
The __ of Night (old soap) Ever, old-style Start of a giggle Echo Thirst Gardner tomes Monastic officer Apprehensive Econ. figure Scratch Some auction bids Enzyme ending
51. Acquiesce 52. Angela’s Ashes, et al. 59. 1935 Triple Crown winner 60. Capital of Ecuador 61. Make a lap 62. Clemson athlete 63. Of an arm bone 64. Catullus composition 65. Great balls of fire 66. Roll top? 67. Surfing site
22. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
Whichever Visa statement, abbr. Long-tailed primate Detroit’s county Befuddled Skater Babilonia “___ Time transfigured me”: Yeats Dash widths Suffix with pamphlet Survey choice Decorative plant Car ad abbr. Samovar Van Winkle
40. 44. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58.
32. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.
Little ’un Vereen Prayer Mock Sonnet section Son of Jacob Takes off Lifeless, old-style Cookers Utter Eastern music Prefix with plane Break in the action Series opener? Greek letters
Would you like to see your ad here? Sponsor the Puzzle Page! Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.
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April 2012
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Home Care Services & Hospice Providers Agency Name Telephone/Website
Alliance Home Help (800) 444-4598 (toll-free) www.alliancehomehelp.com
Year Est.
Counties Served
2010
Lancaster
Central Penn Nursing Care, Inc. (717) 569-0451 www.cpnc.com
1984
Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York
Garden Spot Village (717) 355-6000 www.gardenspotvillageathome.org
2006
Lancaster
1911
Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill
1979
Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill
Good Samaritan Home Health (717) 274-2591 www.gshleb.org
Good Samaritan Hospice (717) 270-7672 www.gshleb.org
RNs
LPNs CNAs
HomeCare of York/ White Rose Hospice (717) 843-5091 www.mhyork.org
1988
York
Homeland Hospice (717) 221-7890 www.homelandcenter.org
2009
Cumberland, Dauphin, York
Hospice of Lancaster County (717) 295-3900; (717) 733-0699 (877) 506-0149; (717) 391-2421 www.hospiceoflancaster.org
1980
Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York
Home Medicare Aides Certified?
Other Certifications and Services
Providing non-medical companion, respite, and personal care services throughout Lancaster County. Caregivers matched specifically to you and your needs. Compassion, 24/7 on-call availability, trained, competent, and reliable. Medicaid Waiver approved.
No
Providing all levels of care (PCAs, CNAs, LPNs, RNs), in the home, hospital, or retirement communities with specifically trained caregivers for Alzheimer's and dementia clients. Home care provided up to 24 hours a day to assist with personal care and housekeeping. A FREE nursing assessment is offered.
No
Personal care and companionship services in your home with all the professionalism, friendliness, and excellence you expect of Garden Spot Village. Contact info@gardenspotvillage.org.
Yes
Good Samaritan Home Health is a Pennsylvania-licensed home health agency that is Medicare certified and Joint Commission accredited. We work with your physician to provide nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, and specialized care as needed.
Yes
Good Samaritan Hospice provides services to patients and their families facing a life-limiting illness. We are Pennsylvania licensed, JCAHO accredited, and Medicare certified. We provide services 24 hours per day with a team approach for medical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs.
Yes
When your physician recommends part-time or intermittent care, or the emotional support and pain control of hospice care, we can provide quality, professional medical care that allows you to stay at home. We provide individualized services by skilled registered nurses, therapists (physical, occupational, or speech), medical social workers, and home health aides.
Yes
Exemplary care provided by a highly trained staff who address all patient and caregiver needs.
Yes
Not-for-profit hospice providing physical, emotional, and spiritual end-of-life care at home, nursing home, or at one of our two inpatient centers located in Lancaster County. Palliative care and bereavement support services. JCAHO accredited. Massage therapy, music therapy, and pet therapy available. Referrals 24 hours a day: (717) 391-2421.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
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April 2012
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Home Care Services & Hospice Providers Agency Name Telephone/Website
Year Est.
Counties Served
RNs
LPNs CNAs
Home Medicare Aides Certified?
Other Certifications and Services
2004
Lancaster, Lebanon, York
No
Two- to 24-hour non-medical assistance provided by caregivers who care. Companionship, meal prep, bathing, cleaning, organizing, and personal care needs. Respite care, day surgery assistance. Personal organization services. Assistance with VA homecare benefits. Fiscal management services. Clutter Stopperssm Organizational Services. PA license #10053601.
Live-In Care of Pennsylvania (717) 519-6860 (888) 327-7477 (toll-free) www.liveincareofpa.com
1997
Adams, Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York
No
For everyone’s peace of mind, 24-hour personal care in the home you love, yours! Premier, professional caregivers. Extensive background checks. Free home evaluations.
Sadie’s Angels (717) 917-1420 www.sadiesangels.vpweb.com
2011
Lancaster
Safe Haven Quality Care, LLC (717) 258-1199; (717) 238-1111 (717) 582-4110; (717) 582-9977 www.safehavenqualitycare.com
2005
Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, York
Seniors Helping Seniors (717) 933-2077 www.seniorshelpingseniors.com
2010
Dauphin, Lebanon
Keystone In-Home Care, Inc. (717) 898-2825 (866) 857-4601 (toll-free) www.keystoneinhomecare.com
Visiting Angels (717) 393-3450; (717) 751-2488 (717) 630-0067 www.visitingangels.com
VNA Community Care Services (717) 544-2195; (888) 290-2195 (toll-free) www.lancastergeneral.org/content/ VNA_Community_Care.htm
2001
Lancaster, York
1908
Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, York
Locally owned and operated. On call 24/7. We offer non-medical in home assistance, errands, yard work, companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation. No long-term contracts. Independence is only a phone call away.
Yes
Owners Leslie and Sandra Hardy are members of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors. We have contracts with the VA and the Area Agency on Aging. Private insurance and self-payment are also accepted. Friendly faces, helping hands, warm hearts. Skilled nursing also available.
No
We have active, caring, and compassionate seniors who can relate to your parents’ needs. We provide meal prep, light housekeeping, companionship, and so much more.
No
Up to 24-hour non-medical care including companionship, respite care, personal hygiene and laundry, meal prep, and errands. Choose your caregiver from a list of thoroughly screened, bonded, and insured caregivers. Nurse owned and operated.
Yes
Home care specialists in physical, occupational, and speech therapy; nursing; cardiac care; and telehealth. Disease management, innovative technologies, and education help you monitor your condition to prevent hospitalization. Licensed non-profit agency; Medicare certified; Joint Commission accredited.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Dauphin County
Calendar of Events Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
April 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Wildwood Cleanup, Wildwood Park April 15, 1:30 to 3 p.m. – Flower Walk: Dutchman’s Breeches and Trout Lilies, Wildwood Park April 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Wetlands Festival, Wildwood Park
Bistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633 Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221 Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547
AARP Driver Safety Programs
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860
For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. April 13 and 20, 8 a.m. to noon – Lower Paxton Senior Center, 5000 Commons Drive, Harrisburg, (717) 657-1547 April 19, 5 to 9 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002
Highspire Area Senior Center – (717) 939-4580 Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833 Hummelstown Senior Center – (717) 566-6855 Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555
Dauphin County Library Programs East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 April 9, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Dr. Henry Greenawald Room Dedication April 26, 10 am. to 8 p.m.; April 27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; April 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Friends of East Shore Area Library Book Collection
Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388 Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985 Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657
Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 April 26, 1 to 2 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. – Friends of the Elizabethville Library Book Collection
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002, www.hersheyseniorcenter.com
Harrisburg Downtown Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976
Royalton Senior Center – (717) 944-4831
Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682, www.rutherfordhouse.org Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics April 10, 9 a.m. – Older & Wiser Seminar: “Protection Through Power of Attorney and Living Wills” April 24, 10:30 a.m. – Bingo Blast
Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934 Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library, 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286 Northern Dauphin Library, 683 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315 William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 April 3, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club April 17, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too!
Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693 Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
Programs and Support Groups Free and open to the public. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. Free Art Classes Thrive 100 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg (717) 238-1887 or cglover@jumpstreet.org April 19, 1:30 p.m. Hershey Area AARP Monthly Meeting Spring Creek Church of the Brethren 335 E. Areba Ave., Hershey (717) 832-3282 April 21, 10 a.m. Teamster 776 Retirees Club Meeting Union Hall 2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg (717) 233-8766
April 22, 7 p.m. Guest Speaker Sharon Earnest Agape Fellowship in Christ 7150 Sandy Hollow Road, Harrisburg (717) 671-1094 www.agapefellowshipinchrist.org
April 2012
Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Dauphin County!
April 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Parental Loss Support Group AseraCare Hospice 75 S. Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg (717) 541-4466
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
16
Give Us the Scoop!
April 24, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232
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(717) 770-0140 (717) 285-1350
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LIMELIGHT
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audiences—they really are.” In fact, in his youth, Albright had once been a member of a band that used to play at facilities and hospitals in Baltimore County, Md. And so, two years ago, he dusted off his trumpet, warmed up his vocal chords, and began assembling his “Songs of the ’60s” program, which he now performs regularly for thankful crowds at York County assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and retirement communities. “One time an elderly woman and her husband came up to me and said how much they enjoyed [my program] and said it reminded them of years ago, listening to their old Bert Kaempfert Christmas album,” Albright said. As for Senior Idol, Albright hopes to make some connections with other local performers who might be interested in joining him to produce a Christmas album of their own—its proceeds benefiting cancer and Alzheimer’s disease research, which afflicted his father and mother, respectively. “It gives me satisfaction to know that at least I can do something: I can provide pleasure for folks that definitely are much less fortunate than I am,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be healthy and have a healthy family … They say laughter is the best medicine, but I think music is awfully good medicine too for the soul.” Victoria Newcomer would likely agree to music’s soul-stirring capabilities. The Mount Joy resident has been a nursery school teacher for almost 20 years but also has a “weekend job” as the singer in a small classic-rock band. Her parents started cultivating their daughter’s vocal chops early on, calling on her to perform for their guests whenever they entertained at their Pittsburgh home.
“From the time I was 4—whether [the guests] wanted to hear it or not— my parents actually had me sing,” she laughed. “People seemed to enjoy it.” In her teens she participated in her high school’s choruses and musicals as well as a top 40 band she formed with five friends. At age 16 she started to sing at weddings, a practice she continued for the next 25 years. Then, five years ago, she and a friend began singing in restaurants, bars, and local establishments around Lancaster County on weekends. “I pretty much stick to classic rock and blues, but I enjoy all music,” Newcomer said. “I have an appreciation for everything.” She is eager to satisfy her performance bug at this year’s Senior Idol competition, hoping her “nonconformist” and “a little edgy” style and song choice help her stand out from her fellow competitors. “I am a little bit of a ham,” she admitted. “It’s just an exciting time when you actually perform and people are responding to what you’re doing.” Describing herself as “truly a people person,” Newcomer is also looking forward to meeting new people and anticipates a fun overall experience at PA State Senior Idol. “It’s a cool way to showcase those of us who have made it to the half-century mark,” she said, then added with an audible smile: “And my younger son convinced me to do it.” Robert Long of Reading, on the other hand, will be reviving the standards at Senior Idol, much like he revived his musicality after a 17-year hiatus. Long started out with the acoustic guitar at age 11 and took lessons for 12 years, switching to the steel guitar after being told his “fingers were too short for a
regular guitar.” But the change paid off unexpectedly in 1959. “The steel guitar came in handy because, when Hawaii joined the Union, then they had Hawaiian parties and people would call me to play Hawaiian music,” Long remembered. Through his early adulthood and beyond, Long played with different musical groups, including one formation where he took up electric bass and another where he sang harmony behind the band’s female vocalist. After marrying his wife, a pianist, the Longs set out as a duo with the accompaniment of a drum machine, playing cocktail music in area restaurants. When, at age 63, Long retired after a 45-year career at a pretzel plant, he retired from his music as well. Fastforward 17 years, and Long suddenly rediscovered his vocal gifts while singing along to some jazz records. Soon, a friend helped him record 20 songs— classics like Sinatra—against prerecorded background music. “It sort of amazes me with my voice,” he said. “I haven’t sung in 17 years and all of a sudden—I’m amazing myself, the way it sounds. I’m just having such a
good time with it.” The end result was a complete CD as well as three sets of 20 practiced songs that Long now rotates between two steady, monthly gigs at assisted living and nursing homes. “I like to sing for the seniors because they really enjoy it,” he said. “It makes you feel good, to see them tapping their toes and their mouths are going; they’re humming along with you. It just gives me a lot of pleasure.” And, judging by the grateful welcome he has received from his peers already, his reception at PA State Senior Idol promises to be just as friendly. “I had a lady in a wheelchair last month come up to me,” Long recalled, “and she says, ‘You can sing for me anytime.’” For more information on the 2012 PA State Senior Idol competition, call (717) 285-1350 or check out www.SeniorIdolPA.com to see clips from previous years or to download an application. If your business would like to support the 50-plus community, please call to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Good for a Laugh Questions teachers hope students won’t ask: How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings? Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes? Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways? Why does monosyllabic have five syllables?
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50plus SeniorNews e
April 2012
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Can you belt it out like nobody’s business? Do you belong on Dancing with the Stars ? Are you wild and crazy like Steve Martin? Pennsylvanians over 50 are invited to audition for the seventh annual PA STATE
SENIOR IDOL competition!
Auditions held at regional locations Tues., April 24 Body Zone
Wed., April 25
3103 Paper Mill Road Wyomissing, PA 19610
York Little Theatre 27 South Belmont St. York, PA 17403
Wed., May 2 Broadway Classics Theatre at the Harrisburg Mall
NEW LOCATION!
3501 Paxton Street Harrisburg, PA 17111
Thurs., May 3 The Heritage Hotel Lancaster 500 Centerville Road Lancaster, PA 17601
Win a limousine trip to New York City with dinner and a Broadway show! Reserve your seats now for this annual sell-out! Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA • (717) 898-1900 June 4, 2012 • 5:30 p.m. – Dinner; 7 p.m. – Show
Brought to you by:
Presented by:
911 Photo Graphics
Dinner & Performance: $43 Adults; $32 Children 18 & Under Performance Only: $28 (Limited Number Available)
Media Sponsors:
Emcee:
Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications
For more information or an application:
717.285.1350 20
April 2012
50plus SeniorNews e
www.SeniorIdolPA.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com