Dauphin County Edition
July 2014
Vol. 16 No. 7
Green-Thumb Therapy Horticultural Therapy Helps Seniors Grow Well-Being By Megan Joyce In horticulture therapy, a very tangible activity is used to create intangible healing. Much more than simply planting flowers, horticulture therapy is “the engagement of a participant in horticultural activities facilitated by a trained therapist to achieve specific and documented treatment goals,” according to the American Horticultural Therapy Association. Increasingly, this type of therapy is a highly effective practice for both seniors and adults with mobility challenges. Physically, the therapy strengthens muscles and boosts coordination, balance, and endurance. And when it comes to those improved intangibles, horticultural therapy has been shown to increase memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. Paula Swearingen, M.Ed. and owner of Floral Touch Horticultural Therapy and Floral Design, is a registered horticultural therapist who has seen the evidence firsthand. “Like most horticultural therapists, I came into this vocation as a secondary career path,” she said. Swearingen spent 17 years as a mental health and special education professional, working with children, youth, and adults with various disabilities. please see GREEN-THUMB page 14 Registered horticultural therapist Paula Swearingen, seated, often treats seniors and people with mobility issues using a ground garden or raised garden table, such as these offered by certified square-foot gardening instructor Joe Manotti, standing.
Inside:
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Special Focus: Celebrating Life page 8
Dauphin County 50plus EXPO Highlights page 12
The Squint-Eyed Senior
Baseball Today Theodore Rickard few weeks ago the news marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Wrigley was and still is the home of the so-often last-place Chicago Cubs. Despite this, Wrigley still retains a sacred, cathedral-like status to anybody raised, as I was, on Chicago’s Northside during the ’30s and ’40s. Summer days with the Cubs in town were special. On game days, the front car on the Rapid Transit “El” trains bore detachable metal signs that read, in capital black on white, “BASEBALL TODAY.” For kids, the best baseball day was a weekday since there’d be lots of empty seats, even in the bleachers. This was the ’30s. The baseball fans who had jobs were at work and the ones that didn’t have jobs didn’t have any money either. My baseball buddy, 10 years old as I was, was David Schwarzen, who went by
A
the name of “Yankee.” His parents had come from someplace in central Europe and his repeated insistence on his citizenship as a nickname seemed somehow related to that. In the ’30s, 10year-olds were not exactly flush with pocket money. Most were thankful their fathers were wielding shovels on WPA projects while their mothers waited for the precinct captain to bring the next “Kelly basket” full of canned goods, oatmeal, and flour so she could cook something for dinner. My baseball buddy and I were lucky. Our fathers had jobs. And so did we.
Yankee had a break-of-dawn paper route and I had developed a group of regular customers to whom I sold the Saturday Evening Post every Thursday. When the Post went from 5 cents a copy to 10, the commission on each copy bounded from 1.5 cents to 3 cents. I was simply rolling in the stuff. The alternative to walking 20 blocks was to ride the El to the Addison Street station, a block east of the Wrigley Field bleachers. Half fare on the El was only 3 cents, but you had to be accompanied by an adult. The trick, of course, was to wait in the El Station until an adult came along
and then to follow immediately behind and plunk down the three pennies at the cashier cage and just keep going. Somehow we convinced ourselves that the cashier didn’t guess what we were doing. Once past the cashier, we’d dash to the platform and pretend to be breathless with having escaped pursuit, even though we knew there really was none. On game days, the old wooden cars built for the 1892 Columbia Exposition would be put into service and we would ride on the open platform of the last car. From here, to the passing world, we’d whoop cheers for the Cubs on our way to Wrigley Field. The game would have started before we got there. There was no point in getting there earlier since the bleacher ushers didn’t abandon their posts until sometime in the sixth inning. Then they would wander into the stands to watch
Sweating Bullets Over Your Home Repairs List?
WE CAN HELP! Yard Clean Up Lawn Mowing Replace Electrical Outlets and Switches Hang Pictures, Curtain and Shower Rods Repair Leaky Faucets and Toilets Install Hand Rails and Grab Bars Install Handicap Fixtures and Access Ramps Painting Interior and Exterior Tile Re-grouting and Sealing Small Building and Remodeling Projects
Patch or Repair Drywall Install Window AC Units Repair or Replace Windows/Doors/Screens Replace Locks and Door Knobs Repair Fencing and Gates Clean & Repair Gutters and Down Spouts Pressure Wash Home and Deck Seal and Stain Deck Trim Shrubs, Hedges, and Small Trees Weeding and Planting Mulch Flower Beds Prep Home For Sale/We Buy Homes
717-545-8747 Dedicated to helping the senior generation live independently in their homes.
July 2014
“A Community Outreach of Homeland Center”
Provider and leader of quality healthcare in Central PA for more than 147 years.
Exemplary personalized care that enables patients and families to live each day as fully as possible.
50 renovated Personal Care Suites.
Focused on pain relief, comfort, and support for patients and families.
Applications being accepted for a limited number. Skilled Nursing Care Unit accommodates 92, including a 21-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.
Providing hospice care in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Adams, Franklin, and Juniata counties. Call us for details on our full array of services.
www.SeniorHomeRepairs.com
717-221-7902
717-221-7890
Harrisburg, PA – PA029774
1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 www.homelandcenter.org
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 Harrisburg, PA 17110 www.homelandhospice.org
Home Repairs – Clean Up – Lawn Mowing 2
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community”
50plus SeniorNews +
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
the game or simply sit on the steps and smoke cigarettes. But before dashing in, Yankee and I would pool our financial resources to patronize Louis’s hot dog wagon. Louis’s hot dogs were 15 cents. This was a premium price for a hot dog, but Louis’s were extra long as well as extra fat, or at least that’s how they looked to us. Louis would cut the hot dog in half for us. We always ordered “ever’thing on it.”
Usually by the time we’d polished off the hot dog and licked the last of the “ever’thing” off our fingers, the ushers had given up and we slipped into the stadium and up the stairs that led to bleacher seats along the right-field foul line. We were convinced that lefthanded batters hit most homeruns and by being past right field, we would have a better chance of retrieving a homerun ball. But we never did.
The Cubs right fielder was Bill Nicholson. You could yell “Hi, Bill” to him from the bleachers. “Big Bill” was considered a homerun threat, although we never saw him hit a homer. He was said to be fond of chewing tobacco. Avid adult fans would throw packages of chew to him in dull moments, and at the end of a slow inning, he’d trot back into the dugout with a bulging shirtfront full of Plow Boy or Red Man
Plug. These treats cost at least 15 cents each. The display of such adult extravagance was a wonderment to both of us. In fact, there are moments when it still seems so — at least to me. A collection of Ted Rickard’s family-fun essays is titled Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids. It is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.
Labor Dept. Awards $3.2M in Grants The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a one-time demonstration grant award of $3,224,509 to 14 community service organizations to improve services to low-income older workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program. “Older workers are essential to the fabric of our nation, but it can be difficult for many of these Americans to access good jobs,” said Portia Wu, assistant
secretary of labor for employment and training. “The federal grants we’re announcing … will help these individuals overcome challenges in re-entering the workforce and attaining economic stability.” The grantees awarded will develop programs focused on the following three priorities: improving unsubsidized job placements through increased employer engagement, enhancing services to SCSEP
Resource Directory PACE (800) 225-7223
Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering 5435 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-6103
Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Funeral Directors Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001
Home Modifications 3-D Consultants (717) 651-5133
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Senior Home Repairs (717) 545-8747 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments 130 S.Third St., Harrisburg (717) 232-7516
community service-based job training for low-income, unemployed individuals 55 and older. SCSEP participants gain work experience in a variety of community service activities at nonprofit and public facilities, including schools, hospitals, daycare centers, and senior centers. Participants also have access to employment assistance through American Job Centers (http://jobcenter.usa.gov).
This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Cremation Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001
Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130
participants through development or improvement of partnerships, and expanding training options for SCSEP participants. Grant recipients included AARP Inc., Experience Works, Goodwill Industries, National Able Network, and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, among others. The SCSEP (http://www.doleta. gov/seniors) provides part-time,
Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325
Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 The Middletown Home 999 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown (717) 944-3351 Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 Pharmacy CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 or (800) 827-1000 Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100 Travel Wheelchair Getaways Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey (717) 921-2000 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
3
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
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL VICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sherry Bolinger Angie McComsey Jacoby Amy Kieffer Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Christina Cardamone Anne Hill SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp EVENTS MANAGER Kimberly Shaffer
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall Member of
Member of
Winner
50plus Senior News 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.
4
July 2014
Marine General ‘Chesty’ Puller Made Him an Offer He Couldn’t Refuse Robert D. Wilcox
L
uke Wise grew up in a family of six boys and six girls. All the boys but Wise went in the
Army. His oldest brother served in the artillery in World War II, and at Fort Sill he trained under Marine artillery officers. So he gave his kid brother some sage advice that Luke never forgot: “If you ever go into the military, choose the Marines.” So when Wise was 21, that’s exactly what he did. The Korean War was on, so after his basic training at Parris Island, S.C., he shipped out to Korea. There, he was to have an experience that every Marine might have dreamed about. He was to hear, “Wise, the general wants to talk to you.” The general was the legendary Marine “Chesty” Puller, who had earned an unheard-of five Navy Crosses for valor in combat— although he was best known for his comment, “We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” Now, “Chesty” wanted to see Sgt. Luke Wise. “The only thing that came to mind,” Wise says, “is, ‘What could he possibly want to talk to me about?’” He was about to find out. “Sergeant,” the general said, “they tell me your IQ is off the charts … and that you have a photographic memory. I have a hazardous assignment that I won’t order you take, but I’m sure hoping you’ll volunteer for it.” He then explained that they needed someone to make repeated forays behind enemy lines and report details of ammunition dumps the enemy had spread out over several miles (and one even across the Yalu River in Manchuria). What did Wise say? “What do you think I said? You think I could stand in front of a man like ‘Chesty’ Puller, who had specifically asked for me, and tell him, ‘No, General, I think I would
50plus SeniorNews +
really rather not’?” So then, how many missions did he run, and what were they like? “Well, there were 15 of them in all, and they were all pretty hairy. They always meant moving only at night, because the North Korean troops were everywhere. I was forbidden to make notes … everything had to be memorized. I
Sgt. Luke Wise upon his return to the U.S. in 1953.
was to zero-in on the ammunition dumps that our air observers could see but could not come close enough to target on. “When I got back from missions, the general had me use my code name, ‘Sgt. Dutch,’ and send the exact coordinates for best bombing to the carrier, USS Oriskany (“The Mighty O”). Her aircraft would then fly the missions to flatten those ammo dumps. We could often see the dumps erupt in terrific blasts.” Wise had to extend his tour to finish the job, and he says, “When it was over, Gen. Puller asked me what kind of assignment I’d like next, saying, ‘You name it, and you’ve got it.’ I figured I ought to go for it, so I said, ‘Sir, I’d like to chauffeur for an admiral.’ “And the next thing I knew, I was assigned to the USS Pocono, the flagship for the Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. Sure enough, I was the admiral’s chauffeur and in charge of the ship’s orderlies.”
One more thing about Gen. Puller: Wise later got a personal letter from the general, thanking and commending him for the work he did in his clandestine missions. Aboard the Pocono, Wise toured the Caribbean, with stops at many exotic ports, from Jamaica to Trinidad. And yes, he was the admiral’s chauffeur whenever the admiral was ashore. Wise left active duty in July 1954 but stayed in the Reserve until 1959 as a staff sergeant. He then returned to Central Pennsylvania and worked in construction and cabinetry before retiring in 1999. In retirement, he had one almost unbelievable “small world” experience. He was shopping one day at a local farmers market, wearing his Marine Corps cap. A man stopped him and said, “We sure needed you Marines in Korea.” When Wise asked him how he knew about that, the guy said, “I was flying off the Oriskany, bombing the ammo dumps that you guys pinpointed for us.” When Wise asked him if he could remember the code name of the spotter who gave him the info, the guy said, “I’ll never forget it. His code name was ‘Sgt. Dutch.’” To which Wise said, “Well … I’m Sgt. Dutch.” Wise laughs and says, “You should have seen that guy’s jaw drop. He couldn’t believe he would ever actually run into Sgt. Dutch. And at the [farmers market], of all places. Turned out he was from Florida, just passing through. What were the chances of that? Maybe one in a billion.” Wise now lives in retirement with his wife, Collette, in a comfortable retirement community in Central Pennsylvania. But he keeps a collection of Marine Corps caps that he wears … always glad for the chance to meet other vets with whom he swaps stories of those terrible— but wonderful—days in the Marines. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Savvy Senior
Connect with the people How Reverse Mortgages you need most – customers! Work in 2014
Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about reverse mortgages? I was considering one last year, but now I hear they are more difficult to get. – Ready to Reverse
part of your loan into an escrow account to pay future bills. If the financial assessment finds that you cannot pay your insurance and taxes and have enough cash left to live on, you will be denied.
Dear Ready, That’s correct. Tighter rules on reverse mortgages that have recently gone into effect have made them harder to get, especially for seniors with heavy debt problems. The reason the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) made these changes was to strengthen the product, which has suffered from a struggling housing market and a growing number of defaults by borrowers. Here’s a rundown of how reverse mortgages now work in 2014.
Loans: Nearly all reverse mortgages offered today are home equity conversion mortgages (HECM), which are FHA insured and offered through private mortgage lenders and banks. HECMs also have home-value limits that vary by county but cannot exceed $625,500. See the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development online (hud.gov/ll/code/llslcrit. cfm) for a list of HUDapproved lenders.
Overview: The basics are still the same. A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows senior homeowners to borrow money against the equity in their house. The loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the homeowner dies, sells the house, or moves out for at least 12 months. It’s also important to know that with a reverse mortgage, you, not the bank, own the house, so you’re still responsible for property taxes, insurance, and repairs. Eligibility: To be eligible for a reverse mortgage, you must be at least 62 years old, own your own home (or owe only a small balance), and currently be living there. You will also need to undergo a financial assessment to determine whether you can afford to make all the necessary tax and insurance payments over the projected life of the loan. Lenders will look at your sources of income, your assets, and your credit history. Depending on your financial situation, you may be required to put www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Loan amounts: The amount you get through a reverse mortgage depends on your age, your home’s value, and the prevailing interest rates. Generally, the older you are, the more your house is worth, and the lower the interest rates are, the more you can borrow. A 70-year-old, for example, with a home worth $300,000 could borrow around $170,000 with a fixed-rate HECM. To calculate how much you can borrow, visit the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association’s website (www.reversemortgage.org). Loan costs: Reverse mortgages have a number of upfront fees, including a 2 percent lender origination fee for the first $200,000 of the home’s value and 1 percent of the remaining value, with a cap of $6,000. There is also a 0.5 percent initial mortgage insurance premium fee, along with an appraisal fee, closing costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. Most fees can be deducted for the loan amount to reduce your out-of-pocket cost at closing. please see MORTGAGES page 13
$100 OFF SPONSOR/EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION UNTIL JUNE 30, 2014!
E October 4, 2014 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Lebanon Expo Center 80 Rocherty Road Lebanon There is no bu$ine$$ ... like your bu$ine$$! Please join us as a sponsor or exhibitor for the second annual women’s expo this fall. Women of all ages have enjoyed these annual events, finding helpful information for all the hats they wear in their everyday lives, including:
Health & Wellness • Finance • Home Shopping • Technology • Beauty Nutrition • Fashion and more!
Talk to us about sponso r and exhibitor opportunities .
717.285.1350
FREE advance guest registration online. ($5 at the door.)
aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com 50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
5
Tinseltown Talks
Here’s to You, Mrs. Robinson Nick Thomas hen NASA honored June Lockhart last October, it would have been quite fitting to borrow the above lyrics from a popular Simon and Garfunkel song to salute the 89-year-old actress. Best remembered by sci-fi fans for her role of TV space mom Maureen Robinson in the ’60s series Lost in Space, Lockhart told me recently that the NASA recognition was a highlight of her long career, which includes a Tony Award, an Emmy nomination, and a couple of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I was presented with the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for my work with the space agency,” she explained. “I’ve been to two space shuttle launches and worked with NASA since the 1970s, addressing their employees and traveling on NASA’s behalf to promote the agency. “So I’m absolutely thrilled by this recognition,” she said. “No other actress has received this honor.” One of her memorable experiences occurred during a space shuttle mission in 1992. “I called NASA one day and spoke with astronaut Ken Reightler and told him I had a good wake-up song for them to use,” recalled Lockhart. She was referring to “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” a catchy ’50s hit by Les Paul and Mary Ford. The song held special significance because the lyrics were written by her father, beloved character actor Gene Lockhart. “So I went to mission control in Houston, and at around 2 a.m. they
W
The1960 cast of Lassie. Pictured are June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly, Jon Provost, and Lassie.
National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emil de Cou, right, listens to Lockhart introduce a set of space-themed music during the “Salute to Apollo” ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
played the song for the crew of the Columbia mission,” she explained. “Then a voice from space came over the speaker: ‘Some of us up here want to know what Lassie’s mother is doing in mission control at 2 o’clock in the morning!’” Lassie, one of TV’s longest-running shows (1954-1973), was Lockhart’s other big hit in which she dispensed maternal wisdom, this time for six seasons as a farm mom. Later, she morphed from matriarch to medic as Dr. Janet Craig for three seasons on Petticoat Junction. “Petticoat Junction was a delight to do
with wonderful scripts,” said Lockhart. “It was great playing comedy after Lost in Space, which was more dramatic, and Lassie, which didn’t have many laughs.” On the big screen, 12-year-old Lockhart made her debut in the 1938 holiday classic A Christmas Carol, alongside both her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, who played the Cratchits. While she went on to costar with greats such as Gary Cooper in Sergeant York and Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis, A Christmas Carol is special since it was the only time she appeared with her parents in a motion picture.
EAST COAST GOSPEL BEST 2014
Are you 62+ or Older?
Singles gospel singing competition
COME LOOK US OVER
Aug. 30 & Sept. 6, 2014 Audition in person on Aug. 9 Auditions on CD accepted until Aug. 16 All ages welcome! Hosted by New Hope $1000
Living Baptist Church First-place Registration fee – $25 of Steelton Prize! For more information, event tickets, or audition guidelines, contact Valerie Waller at (717) 233-2364 or yalchay@msn.com
www.eastcoastgospelbest.com 6
Publicity photo of Guy Williams and June Lockhart promoting their roles on the television series Lost in Space.
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
Look at all we have to offer... Meal Programs, Beauty Shop, Grocery Store and More... Give us a call and check out our fabulous facilities
B’NAI B’RITH APARTMENTS 130 South Third Street • Harrisburg (717) 232-7516
But it was memorable for other reasons, too. “My daughter, Junie, and granddaughter, Christianna, have never let me forget that the first words I ever spoke in movies were: ‘I know, I know– sausages!’” said Lockhart, referring to her on-screen guess for the contents of a food package Mr. Cratchit brings home. “We all shriek with laugher when we watch it now.” In addition to being an advocate for NASA and many other causes, Lockhart continues to work and co-starred in the comedy spoof Zombie Hamlet, which had its world premiere at the 2012 Palm Beach International Film Festival and was released on DVD in December 2013. In 2013, she appeared in the interactive movie series Tex Murphy, a gaming platform that combines animation with full-motion video of real actors. “That was a new experience, and I really enjoyed it. And in December, I also celebrated my 80th year as a paid performer in the business! I made my debut at the age of 8 in Peter Ibbetson at the Metropolitan Opera House.” While actors are used to receiving accolades for career milestones, Lockhart admits to still being quite overwhelmed by the NASA recognition and is, she says, “over the moon about it!” Congratulations, Mrs. Robinson! 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
Visit Our Website At:
50plusSeniorNewsPA.com Central Pennsylvania’s Award-Winning 50+ Publication www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Social Security News
Q&A’s for July By John Johnston My name is John Johnston and I am a public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration. Every month I get questions from people all over Pennsylvania on all aspects of the Social Security program. I offer this column to share some of those questions and answers with the readers and to strengthen their understanding of Social Security. To contact Social Security by phone, call (800) 772-1213 or visit our website (www.socialsecurity.gov). Question: What is a Social Security “credit”? Answer: During your working years, earnings covered by Social Security are posted to your record. You earn Social Security credits based on those earnings. The amount of earnings needed for one credit rises as average earnings levels rise. In 2014, you receive one credit for each $1,200 of earnings. You can earn up to a maximum of four credits a year. Most people will need 40 credits (or 10 years of work) to be eligible for retirement benefits. Learn more by reading the online publication How You Earn Credits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Question: I’ve heard you can apply online for retirement benefits. But isn’t it easier just to go into an office? Answer: Retiring online is the easier way to go. There’s no need to fight traffic to travel to a local Social Security office and wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. You can apply in as little as 15 minutes. Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov. Once you submit your electronic application, you’re done. In most cases there are no forms to sign or documents to mail. Question: I pay my monthly premium directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider. Why can’t I also pay my income-related www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
monthly adjustment amount directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider? Answer: By law, we must deduct your income-related monthly adjustment amount from your Social Security payments. If the amount you owe is more than the amount of your payment, or you don’t get monthly payments, you will get a separate bill from another federal agency, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or the Railroad Retirement Board. Read our publication, Medicare Premiums: Rules for Higher-Income Beneficiaries, for an idea of what you can expect to pay. You’ll find it at www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Question: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits? Answer: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify for benefits. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked under Social Security long enough to earn the required number of work credits, and some of the work must be recent. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits each year. The amount of earnings required for a credit increases each year as general wage levels go up, and currently, the amount is $1,200. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on the age you become disabled. For example, if you are under age 24, you may qualify with as few as six credits of coverage. But people disabled at age 31 or older generally need between 20 and 40 credits to qualify, and some of the work must have been recent. For example, you may need to have worked five out of the past 10 years. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/ disability. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
+
Veterans’ expo and Job Fair + November 14, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster
They served us — now let us serve them! Reserve your space today! The Expo brings federal, state, and local agencies together with area businesses to provide information and resources to veterans and their families. The Job Fair brings veterans and spouses who need jobs together with employers who can benefit from this rich source of talent to aid their organizations.
2 events — 1 location At the Expo Veterans Benefits & Services Community Services Thank-a-Vet Participants Medical/Nonmedical Resources Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs
At the Job Fair Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Education/Training Services
Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available To become a sponsor or exhibitor, please contact your account representative, call (717) 285-1350, or email info@onlinepub.com
www.veteransexpo.com 50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
7
Celebrating L i f e Living Will vs. Durable Healthcare Power of Attorney — What You Should Know By Lori M. Myers Whether you are a caretaker for a family member or the person putting your own personal papers in order, it is important to realize the importance of two basic documents: a living will and a durable healthcare power of attorney. There are similarities between the two, but there are also some differences you should know about. Both the living will and the durable power of attorney for healthcare allow an individual to specify their wishes for the type and extent of medical care they wish to have if they should become unable to speak on their own. Both allow you to choose someone you trust to make certain medical choices on your behalf. You must be at least 18 years of age to create either document and be of sound mind, meaning that you are able to understand what the document means, what it contains, and how it works. No
one can coerce you into creating either document. Together they are often called an advance directive. Now let’s look at how the two are different. The living will details the type of care you want or don’t want if you become incapacitated. It answers the question whether or not life-prolonging measures are to be given if there’s no hope of recovery. Such procedures typically include transfusions of blood and blood products, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, diagnostic tests, dialysis, administration of drugs, use of a respirator, and surgery. We’ve all read instances of patients who are brain dead or have a terminal illness, and how heartbreaking it could be for family members who become emotional, perhaps guilt-ridden, when no living will is present and they are forced to make this ultimate decision for a loved one. Having this document would avoid this scenario.
Estate Planning Legal Documents You Need in Preparing for Life and Death Let the experienced estate planning attorneys of Daley Zucker Meilton & Miner, assist you in developing a plan to protect you and your family throughout and after your life. s Wills s Powers of Attorney s Living Wills s Trusts Don’t forget ALL members of your family! DZMM also offers Pet Trusts.
Call for an appointment today! 635 N. 12th Street, Lemoyne, PA 17043 717.724.9821 Additional offices in Harrisburg and Carlisle
While the living will generally covers very specific issues like “do not resuscitate,” it may not deal with other important medical concerns that arise. That’s where a durable power of attorney for healthcare comes into play. This document covers all healthcare decisions and lasts only as long as you are incapable of making decisions on your own. You would appoint someone you trust to be your healthcare agent to make any necessary healthcare decisions for you and to make sure that doctors and other healthcare providers give you the type of care you wish to receive. The healthcare durable power of attorney allows the agent to consent or refuse consent to any medical treatment that affects your physical or mental health, hire or fire medical personnel, make decisions about the best medical facilities for you, visit you in the hospital even when other visiting is restricted, gain access to medical records, and get
court authorization if for any reason a hospital or doctor does not honor your living will or the authority of the healthcare agent. Under a durable healthcare power of attorney, most of the agent’s authority ends upon your death, but more and more states give the agent permission to oversee the disposition of the body, including authorizing an autopsy or carrying out any wishes for organ donation. If you want your agent to have these powers, you should say so in your power of attorney document. A good thing to do is to consult with your attorney, your physician, and your family about your advance healthcare directive documents. The advantages of making these decisions early and putting them in writing are that you have a greater assurance your specific wishes will be carried out and that family conflicts can be avoided.
For more than 18 years, 50plus LIVING has been the guide to living and care options. Will they find your services there? Your guide to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one: • Active adult and residential living • Independent and retirement living communities • Assisted living residences and personal care homes • Nursing and healthcare services • Home care, companions, and hospice care providers • Ancillary services
Online & In Print. onlinepub.com
Call about Early Bird Savings! Must reserve by Aug. 29, 2014
dzmmlaw.com 8
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
To include your community or service in the 2015 edition or for a free copy of the 2014 edition, call your representative or (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Celebrating L i f e Help Through Hospice By Lori M. Myers Hospice has become a way to die with dignity and receive appropriate care in the last phase of life. It has become part of the care continuum for patients, and medical interns and residents are being made aware of this option and the necessary empathy needed toward not only the patient, but also the family. Hospice is not a place. It is a special kind of healthcare focused on keeping the patient comfortable once the patient and physician have decided that the underlying disease, despite all efforts, can no longer be treated or cured. It helps the patient, their families, and other caregivers during a most stressful time; it is care that could take place in a variety of settings and is focused on the belief that quality of life is as important as length of life. But it’s more than reassuring family members or providing emotional and spiritual support. Hospice staff members
also help manage pain and symptoms and can make those last months, weeks, or days more comfortable. The patient is relieved of discomfort, yet still alert enough to enjoy the people around them. According to the American Cancer Society, all hospices must provide certain services, but they have different approaches and types of support offered. Along with pain and symptom control, the hospice can arrange for inpatient care and will stay involved in your care and your family. Spiritual care can be arranged to meet the patient’s specific needs and/or requests. It might include helping you look at what death means to you, helping you say goodbye, or helping with a certain religious ceremony or ritual. A hospice nurse or social worker also sets up regularly scheduled family conferences to keep family members informed about your condition and what to expect. These conferences give
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community.”
everyone the opportunity to share feelings, find support, and realize stress relief. Hospice is a seven-days-a-week, 24hours-a-day service that may also include other community professionals such as the pharmacist, clergy, and doctors. This “team” can be contacted at any time — someone is always on call to help or answer any questions, assuring you and your family that you are not alone during this time. If a doctor has certified the prognosis as not longer than six months, an individual is eligible for hospice. This applies to anyone of any age, with any type of illness, including Alzheimer’s disease. It generally costs less than inpatient care in a hospital, nursing home, or other facility because with home hospice, you pay only for the specific care that you need. In addition, volunteers may be able to provide many services at little or no cost. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private
insurance plans cover hospice services. Medicare regulations require that your hospice care be provided at home, with only short stays in an inpatient facility. In order to qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit, your physician must recertify you at the beginning of each benefit period, and you must sign an elective statement indicating that you understand the nature of your illness or condition and of hospice care. By signing the statement, you surrender your right to other Medicare benefits related to your illness. If you are unable to sign the document, a family member may sign the election statement for you. While patients usually pay out of pocket for any services not covered by insurance, hospice services are generally provided without charge if you have limited or nonexistent financial resources. Don’t think of hospice as simply dying. Think of it as dying with dignity, grace, and support.
“A Community Outreach of Homeland Center.”
Provider and leader of quality healthcare in Central PA for more than 147 years.
Exemplary personalized care that enables patients and families to live each day as fully as possible.
50 renovated Personal Care Suites. Applications being accepted for a limited number.
Focused on pain relief, comfort, and support for patients and families.
Skilled Nursing Care Unit accommodates 92, including a 21-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.
Providing hospice care in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York, Adams, Franklin, and Juniata counties. Call us for details on our full array of services.
717-221-7902
717-221-7890
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 • Harrisburg, PA 17110
www.homelandcenter.org
www.homelandhospice.org
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
9
Celebrating L i f e Funeral Preplanning – Emotional and Financial Security for Loved Ones By Lori M. Myers We planned our careers, our children’s lives (much to their chagrin), and our travels. But thinking about planning for own death makes us uneasy. We know we should preplan, get it down on paper, and make it official. It’s important. But why? First, it removes the burden of doing so from our loved ones. A death can be an emotional time without the added stress of organizing and paying for those final arrangements while in the midst of grief. It’s even worse if the death is a sudden one, leaving loved ones unprepared and confused. They may rush to pay for a cemetery plot or grave without careful thought. Second, it ensures our own specific wishes will be carried out. Preplanning allows us to have the funeral reflect who we are and what we want. Do you want to be cremated or buried? If cremated, how should the remains be scattered and where? Who
should keep them? If buried, where do you want your final resting place to be? What sort of memorial service do you want? Do you wish something simple with only close family in attendance? Or is more of a large celebration something you feel comfortable with? Are there favorite songs or readings you wish to share with those who are present? Are there photos you want displayed as mourners enter the service? Depending on one’s religious beliefs, some funerals have to be conducted within 24-48 hours. Others have a little bit more time. Funeral preplanning saves a family much time agonizing over what they “think” your wishes could be as well as how to pay and who will pay. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer information, you may wish to make decisions about your arrangements in advance but not pay for them in advance.
If you decide to take this route, keep in mind that over time, prices will fluctuate and businesses may close or change ownership. It’s a good idea, they say, to review and revise your decisions every few years, and to make sure you communicate any and all plans and changes of those plans to your family. Any preferences should be put in writing and copies given to family members and your attorney, with one copy in a place where it can be easily found. Avoid putting the only copy of your preferences in a safe-deposit box in the event arrangements have to be made on a weekend or holiday before the box can be opened. According to the Federal Trade Commission, if you do prepay some or all of the funeral expenses, it’s important to consider the following: • What are you paying for? Are you buying only merchandise, like a casket and vault, or are you purchasing funeral services as well?
• What happens to the money you’ve prepaid? States have different requirements for handling funds paid for prearranged funeral services. • What happens to the interest income on money that is prepaid and put into a trust account? • Are you protected if the firm you dealt with goes out of business? • Can you cancel the contract and get a full refund if you change your mind? • What happens if you move to a different area or die while away from home? Some prepaid funeral plans can be transferred, but it could be at an added cost. Whatever planning you do, let your family know the details. Let them know where the documents are filed, whether or not you have prepaid. You may also wish to consult an attorney on the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed.
Please join us for these free events! Newly Remodeled and Expanded
Proudly Family Owned & Operated Funeral Service Cremation Options Pre-Planning for Peace of Mind Veteran’s Benefits
12th Annual
• Exhibitors • • Health Screenings • • Seminars • • Entertainment • • Door Prizes •
Sept. 17, 2014
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue York
YORK COUNTY
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center
18th Annual
15th Annual
Traditional
10
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Carlisle Expo Center
LANCASTER COUNTY FREE PARKING!
Nov. 5, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim
(Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
4100 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg 17109
www.zimmerman-auer.com
Oct. 22, 2014 100 K Street Carlisle
Dale A. Auer, Supervisor Amanda J. Seiders, Funeral Director
(717) 545-4001 • Fax 547-6970
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Easy Access Off of I-83, Exit 50B
(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
www.50plusExpoPA.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The Way I See It
My Workshop Mike Clark here’s a place just off our family room that I like to call my workshop. Workshop is a misnomer, however. There’s hardly room to move in there, let alone do work. It’s become a place where I go only to look for tools when something in the house breaks, leaks, or falls apart. Sometimes I even think about making stuff—until I turn the lights on. I look there because I know I put tools in there at one time or another. I just don’t remember which ones or where. I store tools in other places, too (which exacerbates my problem), but the shop is the principal place for the essential implements that I need to maintain our home. Halloween decorations and paint cans (filled to various levels with paint and
T
dried paint scum) are out in the open on a shelf toward the back of the workshop. I haven’t used either in years, but at least they are easy to find. I don’t know why Halloween decorations are in there. I certainly didn’t make them. And the paint colors are outdated. Easily finding things that are no longer of any use to me indicates another problem, as of yet undefined. Hoarding? But specific tools, when I am in urgent need of them, are hard to find. Not all tools, mind you, are hard to find; large,
cumbersome tools are difficult to misplace, after all. There’s a 10-inch table saw right about in the center of the shop. It acts as an anchor and is a symbol of the possibilities and potential of what could someday be a viable workshop. To get to it, I must step over a chain saw, a circular saw, a jigsaw, and a router. All these power tools are in their original, moldedplastic cases, which enhances the size of each obstruction. Therefore, they offer a challenge when trying to climb over them.
The router, by the way, is brand new; I forgot I had it. I also forget why I bought it. I would like to move everything aside while walking to my table saw and the workbench beyond, but pushing these ungainly objects to and fro just jams them more tightly against other articles that should not be on a workshop floor. These power tools can only be stored in the spaces in which they sit. I pick them up, and I set them down. Hand tools are not always so visible, however. And therein lies the gist of my troubles. Any relatively flat surface in the vicinity of a job I’m doing is a potential storage spot for a small hand tool. It is also a convenient spot to deposit wood please see WORKSHOP page 13
Calendar of Events
Dauphin County
Programs and Support Groups
Senior Center Activities
Free and open to the public.
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002, www.hersheyseniorcenter.com July 16, 1 p.m. – Book Club: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand July 18, 11:30 a.m. – Social with Zembo Shrine Orchestra
July 8, 6 to 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Graysonview Personal Care Community 150 Kempton Ave., Harrisburg (717) 561-8010
July 20, 7 p.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance Schaffner Park Poplar Avenue and Water Street, Hummelstown www.nctownband.org
July 8, 7:30 to 10 p.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance Dauphin Lions Carnival 202 Church St., Dauphin www.nctownband.org
July 23, 7 p.m. Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Middletown St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Spring and Union streets, Middletown (717) 915-5555 gsk1308@gmail.com
July 16, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group on East Shore Jewish Home of Harrisburg 4004 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 441-8627
July 29, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232
AARP Driver Safety Programs For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. July 21, 5 to 9 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682, www.rutherfordhouse.org Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – Zumba Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – Aerobics Thursdays, 10 a.m. – Healthy Steps in Motion Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Dauphin County Library Programs East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 July 22, 9:30 a.m. – Friends of the East Shore Area Library Meeting William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 July 1, 6 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club July 15, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club
50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
11
From left, Valerie Pritchett, abc27 news anchor and the EXPO’s honorary chairperson; Claire Zeiters, recipient of the 2014 Dauphin County Outstanding Senior Award; Donna Anderson, president of On-Line Publishers; and Robert Burns, executive director of the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging.
Music, Gardening, Travel Highlighted at 50plus EXPO By Christina Cardamone Visitors arrived at the Hershey Lodge on May 27 for the 15th annual Dauphin County 50plus EXPO. The event was cohosted by OLP EVENTS and the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging. Guests were able to attend this oneday event for free and peruse nearly 80 exhibitors, who presented information on traveling, finances, home improvement, retirement, and wellness. The day began with the opening ceremony where Donna Anderson, president of On-Line Publishers, welcomed the crowd and introduced Valerie Pritchett, abc27 news anchor, who presented Claire Zeiters of West Hanover Township with the 2014 Dauphin County Outstanding Senior Award. A longtime volunteer for the
Dauphin County Area Agency on by Hearing Aid Associates, Orthopedic Aging, Zeiters has served as coordinator Institute of Pennsylvania, and Take of the senior transportation program for Shape for Life. 14 years. AAA Central Penn helmed a travel Zeiters fair with commented on information and feeling resources for folks “overwhelmed” looking to get away. after accepting They also presented the award. Under five seminars on the direction of trips such as “AAA her co-workers at Holiday Time on the Area Agency the Danube,” DAUPHIN COUNTY on Aging, Zeiters “Celebrity Cruises,” thought she was and “AAA National only attending the Park Wonders.” Ascendant Home Health Care EXPO to help. provided tote bags for each attendee’s “You don’t do it alone—you can’t,” convenience. Participants were also able Zeiters said of her volunteer efforts. “It to sample free Turkey Hill ice cream takes other people who are willing to and relax by the event’s stage, where give their time as well.” As the day continued, attendees took entertainment was held throughout the day. advantage of health screenings offered
Proudly Sponsored By:
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Travel Fair Sponsor:
Principal Sponsors: A Continuing Care Retirement Community
Brought to you by:
&
The entertainment started with a chorus of Dutch Apple Dinner Theater’s current cast. Performers sang hits from Shrek, The Music Man, and Hairspray. Other entertainment included Zumba Gold, in which instructor Judy McMillen encouraged audience members to participate from their chairs or the floor. The day’s events also included a gardening demonstration by Certified Master Gardener and greenhouse sales specialist Sarah Riling and vocal performances by Barry Surran, who won the PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition in 2008. The 50plus EXPOs, presented by OLP EVENTS, will return in fall 2014: on Sept. 17 at the York Expo Center; on Oct. 22 at the Carlisle Expo Center; and on Nov. 5 at Spooky Nook Sports, Manheim. For more information, call (717)-2851350 or visit www.50plusexpopa.com.
Supporting Sponsors: Gateway Health The Middletown Home USAA
Visitor Bag Sponsor: Ascendant Home Health Care
A Community Outreach of Homeland Center
Patron Sponsor: Country Meadows Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania
Media Sponsors: abc27 • WHP580 • WIOO
Thank you, sponsors!
The 50plus EXPO is FREE to the community due to the generosity of our sponsors. 12
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
MORTGAGES
from page 5
In addition, you’ll also have to pay an annual mortgage insurance premium of 1.25 percent of the loan amount.
required to get face-to-face or telephone counseling through a HUDapproved independent counseling agency before taking out a reverse mortgage. Some agencies are awarded grants that enable them to offer counseling for free, but most charge around $125 to $250. To locate a counseling agency near you, visit HUD’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgages for Seniors webpage (hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/ hecmhome.cfm) or call (800) 569-4287.
Payment options: You can receive the money in a lump sum, a line of credit, regular monthly checks, or a combination of these. But in most cases, you cannot withdraw more than 60 percent of the loan during the first year. If you do, you’ll pay a 2.5 percent upfront insurance premium fee.
Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
Counseling: All borrowers are
WORKSHOP
from page 11
scraps, bent nails, stripped screws, and other, larger tools. It happens often enough that a significant supply of important hand tools can end up concealed under mounds of things that should have been discarded long ago. Oh, the tools and gadgets that I’ve taken the time and care to hang on my large, brown peg-board are fairly neat and in order. I attribute that to the fact that I seldom use those things. They consist of screwdrivers, chisels, nutdrivers, pliers, wrenches, hand saws, hand drills, leftover plumbing supplies, and miscellaneous doodads that are all the wrong sizes and types for the tasks that I need to tend. I must have needed them at one time. I mean, why else would they be there? I have often searched an inordinately long time for a tool that I know I have. And in my frustration, I give up looking. Then I go to the hardware store and buy a new tool. It saves me a lot of time, and the tool I need is usually inexpensive. The hours I waste looking could be spent repairing, I always say.
In the latest episode, my garbage disposal jammed. You’ll have to ask my wife why, though. Fine, it could have happened to anyone (as she says). So I went down to my workshop to fetch a quarter-inch Allen wrench to jog the flywheel back and forth, which usually clears the jam. I searched until I found an array of Allen wrenches lying scattershot in a place far from where they should have been. There was no quarter-inch wrench in the pile, although I know I have one—somewhere. In the meantime, I went to the hardware store to get a new one. Someday I’ll clean out and organize my workshop. And when I do, I’ll more than likely find two of everything. I’m going to plan a yard sale. 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.
Visit
50plus Senior News on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/50plusSeniorNews “Like” us to receive a free 6-month subscription! Plus, you’ll receive event updates, story links, and more! www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Home Modifications Aging-in-Place Specialists Helping people live independently and safely in their homes
We provide installation of: •Handrails, grab bars, walk-in showers and tubs, and support systems •Barrier-free bathrooms and kitchens •Walkway and ramp installation Threshold ramps (rentals available) •Automatic door openers •Door widening/structural alterations/room additions •Stair lifts
Please call for a free, in-home consultation.
3-D Consultants Keith Davis PHIC#012495 MHIC#100216
(717) 651-5133 (Office) (717) 433-2143 (Cell) www.3-DConsultants.com
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the Dauphin County dining favorites for 2014! Breakfast: Skyline Family Restaurant
Fast Food: Burger King
Lunch: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: The Brownstone Café
Steak: The Glass Lounge
Ethnic Cuisine: Passage to India
Outdoor Dining: RockBass Grill
Celebrating: Tavern on the Hill
Romantic Setting: Alfred’s Victorian
Bakery: Schenk’s Pastry & Ice Cream
Smorgasbord/Buffet: Hoss’s Steak and Sea House
Coffeehouse: The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
Caterer: Rubinic’s Catering Service
Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Sharon Gettel Congratulations!
50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
13
GREEN-THUMB
from page 1
“As the new millennium approached, it became more important to me to create a more balanced life—one where I could experience joy and pleasure while still serving others.” More than a decade ago, Swearingen resigned her job as an assistant director of special education in a public school district, sold her house, and started from scratch working as a landscape gardener at a local retirement community. After completing coursework and interning under the direction of a horticultural therapist, Swearingen earned a certificate in horticultural therapy from Temple University, effectively combining her background in human services with her love of plants and flowers. The therapeutic benefits of gardens and gardening have been documented for centuries, but it was Dr. Benjamin Rush, the “father of American psychiatry” and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who first recorded the positive effects the therapy had on patients with mental illness in the 1800s. In the mid-20th century, horticultural therapy was used to aid the rehabilitation of hospitalized war veterans, expanding the practice beyond the confines of mental-illness treatment. “Seniors often find themselves facing loss of all types,” Swearingen said. “They may often find that they are offered fewer opportunities to contribute to the happenings within their family, their churches, or their communities.” Swearingen cited the example of a pastor’s wife named Jane who had created the flower arrangements for her church for 40 years. After her husband died, she moved to a skilled nursing care community and her health deteriorated. She also became withdrawn and clinically depressed, refusing to leave her room for months until she gradually
began participating in flower-arranging perfect height for those unable to bend programs. over to garden. “Eventually, she proudly found her Manotti was inspired to offer raised designs on display in the main lobby. She garden beds after his aging father, a became recognized by the entire lifelong gardener, had not gardened in 15 community for her beautiful creations,” years due health issues and limited Swearingen mobility. recalled. “She “Two years improved ago, we built emotionally him a garden and physically table, and this to the point has enabled that she was him to do what able to leave he had done the skilled care almost all of his community life, and that and move in was to grow his with her own family.” vegetables,” Swearingen Manotti said. also recounted “We thought, if her experience he needed this, with three men so did a lot of who regularly other people.” Seniors gardening in raised garden beds. grew and Your Garden harvested Solution’s vegetables for the local food bank, raising garden tables are created by local Amish many pounds of food for their craftsmen out of Douglas fir, sassafras, community “despite having ailments and cedar woods. Manotti recommends a such as congestive heart failure, technique called square-foot gardening, dementia, and limited mobility,” she where the 4-foot by 4-foot garden bed is said. filled with 6 inches of soil and “They grew all of their vegetables in subdivided into 16 square-foot sections. raised garden beds, harvesting from the Each square foot grows different comfort and stability of their chairs.” vegetables or flowers, enabling a gardener Raised garden beds are the specialty to grow a lot of plants in a small space. A and passion of Joe Manotti, certified square-foot garden bed typically yields square-foot gardening instructor for Your many more vegetables than traditional Garden Solution, with locations in row gardening and with fewer weeds. Camp Hill and Harrisburg. These “The average person quits gardening gardens consist of soil enclosed by a after 2.5 years. Why? Because of the square frame, usually made of wood, maintenance involved, such as weeding,” which is raised above the surrounding Manotti said. “Raised beds eliminate soil. much of the maintenance since the soil Raised garden beds are available in [we offer] is formulated to provide plants two types: a ground garden is raised with the optimal growing environment.” about 8 inches off the ground, and a Manotti said that garden tables can garden table stands on legs 3 feet high, a grow most vegetables, with the exception
You can have 50 plus Senior News delivered right to your home! Simply mail this form and $15 for an annual subscription to: 50 plus Senior News • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Or, subscribe online at www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com! Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ City:__________________________State: _____ Zip: _________________
Please specify edition: Chester Cumberland Dauphin Lancaster Lebanon York
14
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
of some deep-rooted plants like potatoes or garlic, which need more than 6 inches of soil. Raised garden beds—both ground gardens and garden tables—have become important elements of horticultural therapy, enabling horticultural therapists to bring the practice to patients with physical limitations. “Seniors and those with limited mobility love the garden tables! It enables them to enjoy gardening again,” Manotti said. Manotti shared the story of a Central Pennsylvania woman with severe arthritis in one knee that prohibited her from kneeling to tend to a vegetable garden. As a result, she had not had a garden for many years and missed it greatly— until her son told her about square-foot gardening and purchased her a garden table, which quickly yielded so many vegetables she was able to share them with others. Swearingen noted that horticulture therapy is often used as a complement to traditional therapeutic treatments. Therapists, she said, are trained to support participants who have physical limitations through the use of adaptive tools and proper body mechanics. “Horticultural therapy is unique in that it involves tangible outcomes that are valued by the participant and the community. The activities provide opportunities for decision making, creative expression, and contribution to others,” she said. Avid gardeners as well as those who have never tended a garden in their lives can benefit from horticulture both in and out of a therapeutic setting. “Plants are not influenced by poverty or wealth, by age or ability,” said Swearingen. “Nurture them, and they will grow. The same is true for us—if we nurture ourselves, we will grow. It is never too late.”
Time is a Priceless Gift Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’
Volunteer Spotlight!
Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Did This Player Deserve to Be Tossed from the Casino? Dear Mark: I was asked to leave a casino by security for, if you can believe this, playing someone else’s leftover $12 worth of credits that they had left on a slot machine and didn’t cash out. Although not banned for life, I was rudely told it was against the law, made to return the $12, and told not to come back for 30 days. You have got to be kidding me! Whatever happened to “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers?” – Matt N. For starters, Matt, the casino made you give back the money simply because it didn’t belong to you. “Finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” is not a defense for taking credits discovered on a slot machine. You are basing your newly found booty on the premise that when something is abandoned, whoever finds it can claim it. Unfortunately, within the casino walls, this raises ethical and legal challenges. On the casino floor, credits left on machines do not belong to the person who finds them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they belong to the casino either. Casinos, as well as some gaming jurisdictions, have specific policies on how to handle abandoned credits. The children’s rhyme, “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” may apply in children’s games but doesn’t pass muster in gambling establishments. Like a pair of sunglasses left at a blackjack game, in the joints where I
When you patronize our advertisers, please let them know you saw their ad in
worked, we regarded credits left on a slot machine specifically as “lost property” and did our best to find their rightful owner. Today, especially if one uses his or her Player’s card, it is relatively easy to track the previous player. Nevertheless, a tip to you and other slotplaying patrons: before you walk away from any slot machine, don’t forget to press the cash-out button. As for you being 86’d from the casino, well, that might have been a bit over the top. I have never heard of any leftovercredits-playing player being given the heave-ho. That said, that doesn’t mean there are not swindlers who make a living scavenging the millions lost each year by gamblers who forget their stored credits (winnings). The pretender who purposively circles the casino floor looking for orphan credits on a slot machine, or even change on the floor for that matter, can warrant the dreaded permanent 86 for making a full-time occupation of cruising the casino eyeing easy pickings. I will buy, however, that you weren’t a credit conniver looking for an easy score. So, playing slot manager for just a
moment, my casino-management style would not have even warranted a wrist slap. I was one to operate more in the spirit of the law, not the letter of, although, I must acknowledge that every gaming supervisor will handle your scenario their own way. All I would have told you was that the next time you find credits remaining on the machine, you should inform some slot-floor personnel, and then I would have gone on my merry
way. Had we found the previous player, I just would have credited him or her $12. Now let’s look at the positive here, Matt, of which there is one. For the next 30 days, you won’t be playing on a machine that has a house edge of up to 20 percent. Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “I have seen a pregnant woman stand at a 21 game, oblivious to labor pains, until we thought we were going to become midwives, and leave only when we summoned an ambulance.” – Harold S. Smith Sr., I Want to Quit Winners (1961) Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
10%
Senior Discount
on materials only
Sheet Viny l • Floor Til e • Carpet Ceramic Til e • Hardwood Flooring Hours: Mon.-Wed.: 9-5; Thurs.-Fri.: 9-5 & 6-9; Sat.: 9-3 5435 Jonestown Rd. Harrisburg
FLOOR & WALL COVERING PA009846
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
545-6103
GipeFloorAndWallcovering.com
50plus SeniorNews +
July 2014
15
16
July 2014
50plus SeniorNews +
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com