Dauphin County Edition
December 2013
Vol. 15 No. 12
A Colorful Marriage On Canvas and Off Couple Blends Artistic and Domestic Living By Alicia Morrissey Something about Barbara Pillette caught Robert Buchanan’s eye at an art show in Mount Gretna in 1981. Maybe it was her beautiful artwork, or perhaps it was her kind smile. Either way, neither of them had any idea what was in store for them at the moment their eyes locked. “She was in one booth and I was in another,” Robert reminisced. “I helped her carry her work out to her car.” After that sweet gesture, Robert and Barbara began dating, despite the two-hour commute it took to see each other. A couple of years later, they tied the knot. After that, the two artists had to figure out how to mesh not only their lives, but also their artistic styles and habits. “I always have to have music on—Barb doesn’t,” Robert said. “I enjoy music, but I do like complete quiet,” Barbara agreed. Laughing, Robert added, “Barb cooperates. She just acquiesces.” Despite their differing preferences for work environment, Robert and Barbara have found they coexist quite well. They both continued to thrive in their artwork, often asking each other advice on how to improve a piece. please see CANVAS page 15 Robert and Barbara Buchanan in the studio in their home.
Inside:
Chicago’s Christmas Magic page 8
He Hobnobbed with the Rich and Famous page 10
Savvy Senior
Simple TV Remotes Designed for Seniors Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some easy-to-use television remote controls for seniors? I got my 74-year-old mother a new HDTV for her birthday, but the remote control is very confusing for her to operate. – Shopping Son Dear Shopping, It seems like most television remote controls today come with dozens of unnecessary buttons that make them very confusing to operate. Add in the fact that many people use two or three remotes to operate their home entertainment equipment (TV, cable box, VCR, DVD player, etc.) and it compounds the problem even further. Fortunately, there are several universal TV remotes available today that are specifically designed for seniors and the technically challenged. These remote controls have bigger buttons and fewer
options that make them much easier to see, program, and operate. Simplified Remotes Two popular seniorfriendly products to consider are the Flipper Remote and the Super Remote SR3. The Flipper (www.flipper remote.com) works all major TVs, including cable, satellite, and digital TV receiver boxes with only one remote. Available for $25, it offers a tapered design that makes it easy to hold, and for simplicity it has only six large, colorcoded buttons that are exposed (on/off, channel up and down, volume up and down, and mute).
All other buttons are accessed by sliding the top panel down, so they won’t get in the way during day-to-day TV watching. Flipper also has an optional feature that lets you program up to 30 of your mom’s favorite channels for easy access. The Super Remote SR3 from Universal Remote Control, Inc. (sold through Amazon.com for around $13) is a slightly more sophisticated, user-friendly remote that can control three devices: TVs, cable or satellite boxes, and DVD players. It offers a lightweight, ergonomic design; large, easy-to-see numeric buttons, each in the shape of the number
it represents; and a centrally located “my button” that gives your mom the ability turn on the TV and set the tuner to her favorite channel with a single button press. It also provides four “favorite” buttons for one-touch access to her favorite channels and an “all off ” button that lets her shut down the entire homeentertainment system with a single button press. Super-Sized Remotes There are also a number of oversized TV remotes that are ideal for seniors with vision problems. The Tek Partner, Big Button, and Tek Pal remotes, all made by the Hy-Tek Manufacturing Company (www.bigbuttonremotes.com, (630) 4667664) in Sugar Grove, Ill., are three solid options to consider. please see REMOTES page 4
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Lancaster Lebanon York
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December 2013
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Christmas Traditions: The Real Story The December holidays are a time to honor traditions handed down over the centuries. You might be surprised to learn that many Christmas customs actually originated in older traditions and pagan celebrations. Here’s a quick look: Christmas Day. Dec. 25 was designated as Christmas Day by Pope Saint Julius I in the fourth century, reflecting a decision to combine several pagan festivities into one Christian celebration. Dec. 25 previously marked the Roman Saturnalia, as well as the purported birth date of Mithra, the Persian sun god, and the mythical first appearance of the Norse god Odin to the world.
Food and drink. Parties, overeating, and general mayhem are also related to the Saturnalia. This Roman festival was named for Saturn, an agriculture god, and was celebrated with feasting and general revelry. Christmas pudding. The Celts celebrated their god of the harvest by
Resource Directory Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130
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 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 PACE (800) 225-7223 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
symbol of the sun’s energy. Christmas stockings. The first Christmas stocking was supposedly derived from the charity of a kindly Turkish bishop, who slipped a bag of gold into the stocking of a girl in need of a dowry. Christmas trees. Decorating Christmas trees has its origins in Germany. During the winter, the populace wanted to encourage tree spirits to return to the trees and reawaken them in the spring. The practice originally focused on oak trees but later came to be associated with fir trees by Christians, who associated the triangle outline of the firs with the Holy Trinity.
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
Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering 5435 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-6103
making a pot of porridge and stirring it for him. Later, plum pudding was made by adding prunes to the porridge, which evolved into what we now know as Christmas pudding. Tradition says that each member of the family should stir the pot in an east-west manner (as the sun moves across the sky). Flaming brandy poured onto the pudding is also a
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531
Home Care Services Home Care Assistance Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties (717) 540-4663 Safe Haven Quality Care Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties (717) 238-1111 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 Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Homeland Center Cumberland and Dauphin counties (717) 221-7727 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325
Nursing/Rehab Colonial Park Care Center 800 King Russ Road, Harrisburg (717) 657-1520
Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
The Middletown Home 999 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown (717) 944-3351 Pharmacy CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Retirement Communities Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 StoneRidge Retirement Living (717) 866-3204 Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
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
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678
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December 2013
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The Green Mountain Gardener 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 PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Jessica Johns
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Karla Back Angie McComsey Jacoby Valerie Kissinger Susan Krieger Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall
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December 2013
Dr. Leonard Perry lthough any aromatic herb is ideal for holiday decorations, wreaths, and table centerpieces, four have biblical links with Christmas. Many crafts shops and florists carry these dried herb plants along with the baskets, bowls, and other trimmings needed for decorating. You may find live, cut sprigs of them at florists and garden stores during the holidays, perhaps even plants in pots. English pennyroyal, a perennial herb, was said to have been placed in the manger on the night of the Christ child’s birth and burst into bloom the moment the child was born. English pennyroyal adds a fragrant aroma to wreaths but can be toxic if ingested, so keep out of reach of pets and children. It is often used in potpourri and cosmetics and is native to southern Europe and western Asia. Rosemary is one of the most beautiful and fragrant of the seasonal herbs. According to folklore, rosemary will bring happiness for the coming year to anyone who smells it on Christmas Eve. During the flight into Egypt, Mary is said to have spread her child’s garments on a rosemary plant to dry. The flowers, originally white, turned blue and acquired the sweet scent they have today. Another legend claims that at midnight on Jan. 5, the “old
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REMOTES
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.
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Herbs with a Holiday History
Rosemary plants are one of the most common holiday herbs you can find in pots, often trained into various shapes, such as wreaths, hearts, or topiaries. Look for the trailing or pendulous selections, which you can try training on a wire or support into such a shape. Given a cool location with light— such as a minimally heated hallway with windows or an unheated room or garage (but not freezing, around
50 to 60 degrees F is ideal)—they can be kept indoors over winter. You’ll be rewarded with their lightblue flowers through much of fall. Put your potted rosemary outside in summer, gradually increasing the amount of light over a period of weeks to help them acclimate. Keep watered but not too wet. Wild thyme, a pungent herb and member of the mint family, was collected from the fields outside of Bethlehem to make a soft bed for Mary during the birth of her child. It is thought to have antiseptic properties and was burned as incense later in history by the Greeks. Today thyme is a popular culinary seasoning but can be used in dried-flower arrangements, bouquets, and potpourri during the holiday season. Plant thyme next spring in raised beds or rock gardens. It is said the Virgin Mary dyed her newborn’s swaddling clothes by spreading them on a bed of wild lavender. This herb, also of the mint family, grows as a small evergreen shrub (but isn’t hardy outdoors in much of the cold North). It has gray-green leaves, lightpurple flowers, and a sweet, floral scent. When dried, it can be used whole for wreaths and centerpieces or crushed to use in sachets for closets or drawers or to scent a bath. Dr. Leonard P. Perry is an extension professor at the University of Vermont.
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If you’re interested in an extralarge remote control, the $40 Tek Partner—which is 5.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches long—is their biggest. It offers huge, brightly lit buttons with big, readable characters and a narrowed center (3.5 inches), which makes it easy to handle for a big remote. It also contains only the essential functions, making it easy to use and program, and it operates any
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Christmas Eve,” rosemary plants will simultaneously burst into flower in celebration of Christmas. Rosemary plants add attractiveness and fragrance to holiday wreaths and are especially suitable for tussie mussies, which are small bouquets made with dried flowers, doilies, and ribbons for use at individual place settings on the holiday dinner table.
combination of TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cable boxes, and satellite dishes. If you’re looking for something a little smaller (2.5 by 9.5 inches) there’s the $25, rectangular-shaped Big Button remote that offers the same large and illuminating buttons as the Tek Partner and the exact same features. Or, if you only want a basic remote for the TV, there’s the Tek
Pal that comes with just six large buttons (on/off, mute, channel up and down, and volume up and down buttons) that light up when pushed. Available for $19, the Pal will only work with televisions that have cable wired directly into the TV. 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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The Beauty in Nature
Wintering Chickadees and Titmice Clyde McMillan-Gamber n a cloudy, windy afternoon in mid-December, I entered a local bird blind to experience birds coming to feeders. Cold wind sighed through pine needles and rattled deciduous tree limbs. Permanent-resident Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice dominated the feeders that blustery winter afternoon, as they always do in those 2 acres of secondgrowth trees on the edge of maturing woodland. The small, closely related chickadees and titmice have much in common, except their handsome appearances. Both species are mostly gray, allowing them to blend into the color of winter, deciduous woods. But chickadees have jaunty, black caps on their foreheads and black bibs. The slightly larger titmice have peachcolored flanks; large, black eyes; a gray crest on their heads; and a dark “smudge” of feathering above their beaks.
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Both kinds of birds are lively and entertaining all day when searching for food, “deedeeing” cheerfully all the while. And because they aren’t raising young and trees are defoliated, they are most visible in winter. Chickadees and titmice seek dormant insects and insect eggs in trees in woods,
thickets, and older suburbs in all kinds of winter weather. And both come to feeders, often when someone is standing nearby. The seemingly joyful chickadees and titmice seem unconcerned about weather and human activities around feeders.
Black-capped chickadee
Tufted titmouse
Chickadees and titmice prefer eating sunflower seeds at feeders. Several birds often dart to the feeder at once. Each bird grabs a sunflower seed with its beak and flies away to open the shell and eat the meat inside. When finished, the bird dashes to the feeder for another sunflower seed. Watching those animated little birds helps take away winter’s cold. Chickadees and titmice spend winter nights in tree hollows and empty bird boxes. They must stay warm and dry all night to be in good condition the next day to look for food. Birds caught in the open overnight in winter die from exposure. There probably are as many of these tiny, gray birds as there are dry cavities. The tiny chickadees and titmice help cheer winter days. Enjoy those at your home.
Premiere Event in Dauphin County
omen’s Expo us o t r Talk ponso ts u tor o ab exhibi s. and rtunitie o opp
March 22, 2014 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive, Hershey
The premiere women’s expo in Dauphin County will be held in spring 2014. It features lively demonstrations, shopping, free spa treatments, and a fashion show. A wide variety of exhibitors provides information that embraces the many facets of a woman’s life, including:
Health & Wellness Finance Home Shopping Technology Beauty Nutrition Fashion and more!
717.285.1350
FREE advance guest registration online. ($5 at the door.)
a G r e a t W a y To S p e n d M y D a y . c o m www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Bethany Village — Maplewood
Homeland Center
325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: Yes Private: 100 Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 50 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: 1-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Exemplary care in a caring, beautiful environment has been provided for more than 140 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program.
Brandywine Senior Living at Longwood
Homewood at Plum Creek
301 Victoria Gardens Drive • Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-734-6200 • www.brandycare.com
425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 98 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
On-call Medical Service: No Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: At Brandywine Senior Living – life is beautiful!
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Excellent care in a lovely environment. Call to schedule a visit.
Chapel Pointe
Lakeview at Tel Hai Retirement Community
770 South Hanover Street • Carlisle, PA 17013 717-249-1363 • www.chapelpointe.org
1200 Tel Hai Circle • Honey Brook, PA 19344 610-273-4602 • www.telhai.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 53 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: No Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: No Pets Permitted: No
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Come discover a wonderful, faith-based community that has been voted No. 1 retirement community by readers of the Daily Local newspaper!
Colonial Lodge Community
Mennonite Home Communities
2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519 717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com
1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 150 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: A veteran-approved “home for heroes” facility all in a beautiful, rural setting.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Supportive, encouraging environment. Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.
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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December 2013
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community
VibraLife
1700 Normandie Drive • York, PA 17408 717-764-6262 • www.normandieridge.org
707 Shepherdstown Road • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-591-2100 • www.vibralife.net
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 55 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 46 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Private or shared living in spacious rooms with private baths. Friendly staff assist where needed to help maintain your independence.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Gorgeous new construction. Short-term rehabilitation center and personal care apartments including secured memory care.
St. Anne’s Retirement Community 3952 Columbia Avenue West Hempfield Township, PA 17512 717-285-6112 • www.stannesrc.org Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Minimal Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Pending Approval Pets Permitted: Yes
If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your account representative or call (717) 285-1350.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Such is Life
The Help Was a Source of Love Saralee Perel llen, the woman who raised me, had live-in quarters in our 15room, red-brick house. I do believe that my mother would have enjoyed tending to me, but she conducted herself in ways that Caucasian women in her society were taught to behave. Nonetheless, I don’t think she liked it. Within five minutes of Ellen serving dinner in the formal dining room, I’d become such a whiny irritant that my mother would let me leave the table and eat supper with Ellen in the kitchen. We’d talk and laugh and put together cardboard puzzles while we ate. I bet Mom would have loved to be excused from the table and have had her meals with us instead. In the night, I’d run, frightened, to
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me giggling while having Ellen’s room. I’d be afraid me perform a pirouette. to go back to sleep after Then I’d do a goofy, long, having a bad dream. She’d drawn-out bow to which say, “Baby, God gave us she’d respond by dreams so he’d have a enveloping me in her place to talk to us. When arms. God talks to us, there’s I think Mom would nothing to be scared of.” I would then fall asleep have gotten a big kick out next to her in her bed. of dressing me for parties. Whenever my mother I also bet she would have Saralee and Ellen discovered me there, she wanted to be the one who never made me go back to my bedroom. I put Mercurochrome on my constantly think she not only loved Ellen, but was scratched knees or who’d raid the also happy for me that I received maternal refrigerator with me in the night and eat love from someone so wonderful. the tuna noodle casserole right from the Ellen put up with my fidgeting when baking pan. she’d dress me to go to girlfriends’ My mother’s main undoing was that birthday parties. When done, she’d get she was convinced her lot in life was laid
out for her. And that there was not a damned thing that she thought she could do about it. I married someone who was not like my relatives—not Jewish, not wealthy, not even employed. What did I have that my mother didn’t? Love. Happiness. And society’s support that it was OK to make my own path. I know that Mom would have been just as nurturing as Ellen. I wish for her sake she had known that too. Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. Her new book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. To find out more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email sperel@saraleeperel.com.
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Traveltizers
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Chicago’s Christmas Magic department stores in the world. It offered the first bridal registry, he day is frosty cold, and I the first personal shopping say a silent thanks to the assistants, the first department-store unknown goose that restaurants, and the first escalators donated his feathers to fill my and was the first store to create parka. holiday window displays for the My husband hands me a mug sole purpose of spreading joy. filled with Glühwein. The hot, This holiday tradition, which spicy drink burns my throat in a began in the early 1870s, holds true nice, cinnamonny way and, as the today. There are no windows filled name implies, makes me glow with with glitzy clothes, new appliances, holiday cheer. or tempting foods, no attempt to We, along with several hundred lure folks to the cash register. The other folks, are braving the weather displays are meant to bring smiles, Bugles herald the holiday Diners at Macy’s historic The mall at Water Tower Place at Christkindlmarket, Chicago’s not to extract cash. Now how nice season on State Street. Walnut Room sit under a draws crowds with a largest open-air Christmas festival. is that? 45-foot-tall tree. combination of festive decorations and popular stores. The atmosphere is distinctly When, in 2005, after a series of European, with chalet-style stalls corporate changes, the iconic store offering a mind-boggling selection was acquired by May Company, the of the Christkindlmarket crowd, I’m theaters, public art, parks, restaurants, of Alpine delicacies and crafts. skyscrapers, and, yes, retail establishments terms included the requirement that more interested in having fun than in We taste-test a variety of wursts, many Marshall Field’s traditions be seriously shopping. both big and small. schnitzels, strudels, and chocolates and continued. Afterward, well fortified with another But again, we’re not here to shop. gaze longingly at the imported cuckoo So although the Chicago store, which We’re here to see the former Marshall mug of Glühwein, we move on to “The clocks and nutcrackers. I buy a small is the third largest department store in Field’s, which was once one of the most Loop,” where we walk along streets lined ornament for my brother, but, like most the world, now goes by the name of renowned and most innovative with government buildings, museums,
By Andrea Gross
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10%
Senior Discount
on materials only
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Hot spiced wine helps people stay warm as they enjoy Christkindlmart.
Providing skilled nursing & non-medical in-home support The display at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry features trees that represent Chicago’s—and the world’s— various cultures. Macy’s window displays capture the magic of Christmas.
Macy’s on State Street, their Christmas windows continue to delight hundreds of onlookers. We walk slowly, carefully admiring each animated scene, and then enter the store to view the celebrated domed ceiling that’s made of more than 1.6 million pieces of iridescent glass. Designed by Louis Tiffany in 1907 and hand-set over a two-year period, it’s a glorious mosaic of serpentine swirls and graceful ovals in tones of amber, blue, and gold with touches of red. I stare in awe until my neck begins to hurt, after which we take the escalator up to the fifth floor, where I can see the details more clearly. Eventually we make our way to the historic Walnut Room, known for the classic chicken potpie that was first served in 1907. As always during the Christmas season, a 45-foot tree festooned with more than 1,000 ornaments brightens the room. We try to get a table, but no luck. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, and the wait, according to the very nice hostess, will be more than an hour. Instead we satisfy our hunger by purchasing—and devouring—some Frango chocolates. The minty truffles have been associated with the store since Marshall Field’s acquired the original candy company in the late 1920s. Although they are no longer made instore, in my mind there’s no doubt about it: Chocolate beats chicken potpie any season of the year! Our final stop is at the Museum of Science and Industry, which hosts www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Christmas Around the World, an annual exhibit that celebrates the world’s—and Chicago’s—cultures and traditions. The first such display took place in 1942 when Chicagoans of all ethnicities wanted to show that they supported America’s World War II allies. The museum placed a single pine tree in the rotunda, and volunteers representing various nationalities changed the decorations on a daily basis. The result: a rotating display that honored diversity as well as community. In the 70-plus years since then, that single pine has morphed into a 50-tree exhibit that lasts from mid-November until the end of December. We walk slowly, admiring the ornaments on each tree. The tree representing Kenya is adorned with wood animal carvings. The one from Denmark is laden with woven hearts, while the one from Bosnia-Herzegovina has miniature dolls and skis. And on it goes … Russian matryoshkas (nested dolls), Romanian snowmen … an international display for an international city. As we head back to our hotel, a gentleman who is sitting behind me on the train begins humming an old Frank Sinatra lyric, “Chicago is my kind of town.” My sentiments exactly. For the latest information on Chicago’s 2013 Christmas activities, go to www.choosechicago.com Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
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December 2013
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Beyond the Battlefield
He Hobnobbed with the Rich and Famous Alvin S. Goodman Veteran Profile of David Press continued from last month … uring and after World War II, David Press tried to keep in touch with his brother Charles. He was able to get a pass and hitchhike across Germany to visit Charlie, who was stationed at Flossenbürg (site of a liberated concentration camp). “He took me for a tour of the camp and I took pictures of the gas chambers, ovens, and piles of shoes stacked as high as a two-story house. Unfortunately, they and other pictures were lost at my mother’s house in Harrisburg during the Tropical Storm Agnes flood of 1972. “In the last town we were in before going home, the war in Japan was still being fought and our Commanding General Bolling volunteered our division to train for battle in the Pacific if it became necessary to invade Japan.”
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This was before the atomic bomb was known, so the training began again. Discharged from Army in 1946 Press was honorably discharged from the Army at Ft. Meade, Md., in March 1946 and took a bus to Baltimore, where D&H Distribution Co. had a branch. There he met Harry Spector, one of the company’s owners, who offered to give Press a ride
Dave Press, right, visits his older brother, Charles, in eastern Germany after hostilities cease.
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home to Harrisburg. On the way, Spector convinced Press to return to D&H and take a job as a record salesman in the Coal Region. Press accepted the offer, and a few months later took over as head of the firm’s record department, which distributed phonograph records to large retailers throughout a fivestate area. “My first experience with celebrity recording stars was when I
started working at D&H, pulling record orders,” Press said. “I was 18 years of age when Alvino Rey & the King Sisters, who were appearing at the Hershey Ballroom, stopped in to meet the RCA Victor record distributor.” Alvino Rey was married to one of the four King sisters. At Hershey, Press danced with the youngest King sister, Yvonne, who was his age. Elected Head of Trade Association In 1970, Press was named to the board and in 1973 was elected president of the National Association of Record Merchandisers (NARM), which included all of the record manufacturers, distributors, and large retailers in the U.S. He was the first non-CEO of a record company to hold that position. During his term of office, Press presented NARM’s Presidential Award for
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Sustained Executive Achievement posthumously to Judy Garland (192269). The award was accepted by her daughter, Liza Minnelli, at the 1974 NARM annual convention in Los Angeles. Whenever a recording artist had an appearance in the area, Press would meet and escort him or her to radio and TV stations to promote their recordings and to their concerts and personal appearances, sometimes even wining and dining them. Over the years he met many famous celebrities. Among them were Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Mario Lanza, Harry Belafonte, Eddie Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor, Dick Clark, Merv Griffin, Johnny Mathis, Neil Sedaka, Jack Benny, Perry Como, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, Jan Peerce, Robert Merrill, Eddy Arnold, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry. He also met band leaders Louie Prima, Spike Jones and His City Slickers, Arthur Fiedler (Boston Pops), Tex Beneke (Glenn Miller Orchestra), Hugo Winterhalter, Al Hirt, Ralph Flanagan, Vaughn Monroe, Claude Thornhill, and Harry James and his wife, Betty Grable. Add to that list such vocal groups as The King Sisters, The Andrews Sisters,
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The Modernaires, and The Ames Brothers, among others. “When Spike Jones appeared at the Zembo Shrine Center in Harrisburg, I made arrangements for some of the band members to appear on the Pete Wambach radio program. The promo was great, but Pete was suspended for three days because he let out an expletive remark.” Press has many stories to tell about celebrities he met, some of which were reported in Life magazine, Time, and The New York Times. Press and his wife, Sonny, were dinner guests of Johnny Mathis at his home in Los Angeles.
Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops to his concert in Scranton, a fire engine passed us on the way to a fire. Mr. Fiedler, a fire buff, wanted us to turn around and follow the fire truck,” Press said. “I said, ‘Mr. Fiedler, you have a concert in 30 minutes.’ He said, ‘Dave, we’re going to a fire.’ So we went to the fire and Dave Press on the were half an hour late for June 1973 cover of Music Retailer Magazine. the concert. “The audience applauded when Mr. Fiedler explained why he was late. The next day, the fire chief presented him with a fire helmet and made him an honorary fire chief.” Fiedler and the Boston Pops also did two concerts in Singer Liza Minnelli accepts the Presidential Award given to her late Harrisburg, one at mother, Judy Garland, from NARM the Zembo Temple president Dave Press, right. She was and the other at introduced by Clive Davis, president of The Forum,
Fire Delays Fiedler Concert “Once, while taking conductor
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Merv Griffin in Scranton One day while working in Scranton, Press ran into Merv Griffin outside the Hotel Jermyn. “I had met him years earlier in Hershey when he was the pianist with Freddy Martin and His Orchestra,” Press said. Griffin said he was trying to promote his first single recording for Columbia Records. Press said he would be glad to introduce him to disc jockeys in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre area, and they spent the day calling on DJs. “Merv was appreciative and invited me to spend time with him in New York, where he was living at the time, rooming with Roddy McDowall.”
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sponsored by The Wednesday Club. When The Jack Benny Program appeared in Scranton, an RCA executive called and told Press that CBS was trying to get Benny to leave NBC and put his TV show on CBS. “They asked that we meet Benny at the airport and romance him, telling him how much CBS loved him.” Press met him with a sound truck, a large horseshoe made of flowers, and signs, but without success.
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December 2013
11
My 22 Cents’ Worth
Silver Linings on Our Aging Shadow Walt Sonneville o mark the International Day of Older Persons in 2012, several organizations, including some United Nation agencies, collaborated in a report entitled “Ageing in the TwentyFirst Century: A Celebration and a Challenge.” That intriguing title provokes one to question: What is there to celebrate about aging, and what are the challenges? The report limited examination of celebration and challenge to a single perspective: “access to, and enjoyment of, the full range of human rights.” Let us look at a broader spectrum of challenges and the silver linings on the shadow of aging that we care to celebrate. Human rights, which we seniors generally enjoy as Americans, are left aside. From our own personal experiences we can easily identify several physical,
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mental, and social challenges commonly associated with aging, some of which worsen as age increases. What we recognize less easily is that most elderly Americans are self-reliant, leading content and productive lives. The American Psychological Association’s report (April 1998), from its “Working Group on the Older Adult,” states that only 9 percent of those between ages 65 and 69 need personal assistance, while up to 50
percent of those over 85 need assistance with everyday activities. The implication is that fewer than half of those over 85 may not need personal assistance. The comforting data for those under 85 are supported in detail by the federal government’s Administration on Aging in its report “A Profile of Older Americans – 2011.” The profile shows that for noninstitutionalized elderly ages 65-74, 6 percent have difficulty bathing or
“... emotional happiness improves with age.”
showering, 5 percent have difficulty dressing, 2 percent eating, 9 percent getting in/out of bed, and 17 percent walking. For those ages 75-84, the respective percentages are 14, 10, 4, 15, and 28 percent. The statistical odds significantly favor the absence of such dependencies for those under the age of 85. Before our celebration carries us too far, one should acknowledge the commonly reported challenges of aging. They include diminished hearing and vision, higher blood pressure, diabetes, a decrease in muscle mass, and, on average by the age of 80, a loss of 2 inches in height and almost half of our sense of smell. For most of us, these are limitations with which we can function adequately, please see LININGS page 14
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Calendar of Events
Dauphin County
Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Through Dec. 22, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Festival of Trees, Fort Hunter Tavern House
Programs and Support Groups
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682, www.rutherfordhouse.org Mondays, 11:30 a.m. – Sign Language Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – Aerobics Thursdays, 10 a.m. – Healthy Steps in Motion
Free and open to the public.
Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Through Dec. 22, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Toy Train Exhibit, Fort Hunter Centennial Barn Dec. 11, 7 p.m. – Holiday Harp Concert, Fort Hunter Centennial Barn
Dec. 6, 1 to 7 p.m. Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 13th Annual Crèche Festival Colonial Park United Church of Christ 5000 Devonshire Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-3782 Dec. 10, 6 to 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Graysonview Personal Care Community 150 Kempton Ave., Harrisburg (717) 561-8010 Dec. 18, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group on East Shore Jewish Home of Harrisburg 4004 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 441-8627
Dec. 19, 1:30 p.m. Hershey Area AARP Meeting: Holiday Music Spring Creek Church of the Brethren 335 E. Areba Ave., Hershey (717) 832-3282 Dec. 31, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Dauphin County Library Programs Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Elizabethville Library Meeting Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934 Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Kline Library Meeting William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of Alexander Family Library Meeting Dec. 17, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club
Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Silver Cleaning Tips Lori Verderame oliday time means making your antique objects look their best, particularly your silver serving pieces, flatware, and collectibles. You figure that cleaning silver is pretty straightforward—silver polish, cloth, elbow grease. Well, actually, it is not that simple. First of all, do you know if you have a piece of sterling silver or a piece of silver plate? This matters because sterling silver and silver plate have different properties. Silver plate is a piece of metal, usually copper, that has been plated with a thin layer of silver. If you polish too hard, then you may polish away the silver layer and reveal the copper beneath the silverplated surface.
is no stopping this process. And, once you notice even the slightest bit of tarnish, it is time to clean your silver. If you don’t want to use commercial polish, you can try this natural method, but go easy on the salt because salt can damage your silver if you are overzealous.
5. Leave tarnished items in the solution for no more than five minutes. Once you see your silver piece looking clean, remove the piece from the tub.
1. Line the bottom of a plastic tub with a sheet of aluminum foil.
The Don’ts • Don’t use rubber gloves because rubber can damage silver plating.
How-to As silver oxidizes, it will tarnish. There
4. Place silver items into the tub atop the foil.
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2. Fill the tub with steaming hot water atop the foil. 3. Add 1 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. baking soda to the hot water. Do not use too much salt because salt is corrosive to silver and silver plate.
6. Rinse and gently buff dry using a soft cotton towel.
• Don’t use steel-wool pads because they may scratch metal surfaces. • Don’t use sponges as they may scratch silver surfaces. • Don’t over-polish silver plate. It is very easy to rub away the thin layer of silver plating and reveal the copper or other
base metal underneath. • Don’t serve certain foods—eggs, mustard, onions—that will wear away silver plating. If you prefer a specialty commercial silver polish, be sure to choose either a sterling-silver or a silver-plating polish. Many commercial polishes do the job well. Read labels and consult the manufacturer’s website if you need more information. Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s Auction Kings. To learn about your antiques: www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook. com/DoctorLori, @DrLori on Twitter, and (888) 431-1010.
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December 2013
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Social Security News
If You Can’t Work Due to a Disability, Social Security Can Help By John Johnston f you are disabled and you’re no longer able to work, you should learn how Social Security can help you. Disability is something most people do not like to think about; however, the unfortunate reality is this: The chances that a person will become disabled are probably far greater than most people realize. Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a more than one in four chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age. Social Security pays benefits to people with disabilities through the Social Security disability insurance program, which is financed by Social Security taxes. If you qualify, you can receive a monthly disability benefit from Social Security for as long as your disability keeps you from working. The amount of your benefit is based on your average lifetime earnings. Potential Medicare coverage is dependent on several factors and usually starts after
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you receive disability cash benefits for 24 months. When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits. The number of credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age, and some of the work must be recent. For example, if you become disabled after age 31, you need to have worked at least a total of 10 years, including five of those having been worked within the past 10 years. But if you become disabled before age 24, you need only 1.5 years of work in the past three years. If you have a disability that keeps you from working, the time to get started
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with your application is now. That’s because it takes time to determine whether you qualify for benefits. It usually takes about three to five months for a medical decision from the state agency that evaluates your condition. If your application is approved, your first Social Security disability payment will be made for the sixth full month after the date we determine that your disability began. Given the time it can take, it’s in your best interest to do everything you can to speed up the process. The best first step is for you to read our online publication, Disability Benefits, at www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs. It will tell you all about the
LININGS
process, including the information you will need to apply for benefits. Then, take advantage of our online disability starter kits. You will find them on our disability website at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability. From that page, simply select the option to apply for benefits online, and on that page you will find the disability starter kits. There is one kit for children and one for adults. Each kit is available in both English and Spanish. The starter kits help you begin the process by providing information about the specific documents and the information that we will request from you. Take a look at the disability starter kit now at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability. Once you complete the online disability starter kit and you’re ready to apply, the most convenient way to do that is also online. Just go to the same disability website at www.socialsecurity. gov/disability. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
from page 12
thanks to prescribed health products and services and to an increased capacity to cope with routine adversities. Seniors 65 years of age and older apparently are more satisfied with their lives than those in the 50-64 age group. This is the conclusion of a survey asked of respondents, aged 50 years or older, in all 50 states, conducted in 2006 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its study “The State of Mental Health and Aging in America: Life Satisfaction” (2006). Nationally, 5.8 percent of respondents in the 50-64 age group said they were “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with their life. Only 3.5 percent of respondents among those 65 years or older said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. The two states having the highest percentages of dissatisfied or very dissatisfied respondents, among those 65 years or older, were California (4.7 percent) and New Jersey (4.6 percent). Hawaii (1.8 percent) and Iowa (2.1 percent) had the lowest percentages for
this age group. In every state, the 50-64 age group had higher percentages of those dissatisfied than the 65 or older group. The elderly may have more health issues than those younger, but they find more satisfaction with life. A United Kingdom publication, The Telegraph, cited research that “the elderly brain has the ability to let negative memories fade more quickly than the young.” Other studies, reported by the same source, found that “older adults report less distress than other age groups … and emotional happiness improves with age.” It seems true, as John Webster wrote (Westward Ho) in 1607, “Old wood does burn brighter.” Walt Sonneville, a retired market-research analyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth: The Higher-Valued Opinion of a Senior Citizen and A Musing Moment: Meditative Essays on Life and Learning, books of personal-opinion essays, free of partisan and sectarian viewpoints. Contact him at waltsonneville@earthlink.net.
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CANVAS
from page 1
Occasionally, Robert and Barbara combine their distinctive skills and create a work of art together. When they do this, Robert does the basic painting before letting Barbara take over with the details. Robert prefers to work in watercolor and oil; Barbara prefers to work in pastel and oil. They both do a lot of realism and frequently paint general scenes, such as farmhouses or nature scenes. They have found people have a connection with those pieces because the scene reminds them of their childhood home or a place they used to vacation. Even though Robert and Barbara are both successful painters now, their journeys to their success were quite divergent. In his undergraduate years, Robert studied illustration at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Later in 1990, he got his master’s degree in illustration from Syracuse University. Robert has truly been making a name for himself through his work. He has received numerous awards, has been published countless times, and is included in many collections, such as his pieces in the corporate collection at The Eastman-Kodak Corporation and in The
Harley-Davidson Art Institute of Museum. Pittsburgh. In addition to It wasn’t until creating pieces 2000, when the for others to York Art enjoy, Robert Association has also been contacted her to sharing his teach drawing knowledge classes, that she through began doing art on Various examples of Robert’s sketches. teaching. For a regular basis. more than 30 Once she started, years, he has taught courses in fine art, she didn’t rest. She stopped doing graphic illustration, painting, and life drawing at design and began teaching and painting the Art Institute of York. full time. His teachings and work have not gone Barbara taught at the Lancaster unappreciated; the school’s art studio was Museum of Art for a few years and has recently named the Robert E. Buchanan done a great amount of commission work Illustration Studio. for a variety of clients, including It is his work as a teacher, out of all Pfaltzgraff and the Hope Lodge in the honors and recognitions, that Robert Hershey. deems his greatest accomplishment. He “Art is the focus of my life now,” feels pride in knowing he helped students Barbara said. “The older I get, the get a start to a successful career by stronger my desire to create in the form increasing their knowledge of the field of painting becomes.” and honing their skills. Aging seems to have had a great effect Barbara’s background, on the other on Barbara’s confidence as well. As her hand, hasn’t always included painting. interest in painting has increased, so has For 24 years she worked in graphic her knowledge of the field. design, and before that, she took a two“You have to keep growing and learn year course in fashion illustration at the new things,” Barbara said. “There’s always
going to be more to learn, and I’m never going to learn it all. “Every time I do a painting, I try to do it better than I did before. Doing the artwork has made me very content and happy in my life.” Robert has found that aging has given him a new drive to produce artwork. When he was younger, he was impatient; he always wanted to be doing something and going somewhere. He was not as motivated to paint as he is now. “You know you don’t have forever,” Robert explained. “[Age] drives you a little harder to realize you want to make a statement.” When they got married, Barbara and Robert combined not only their love for each other, but also their love for art. And through their marriage, they saved each other emotionally. “My greatest satisfaction,” Robert said, “is I’ve changed and helped one life on this earth, which is my wife.” Barbara and Robert will be showing their work in December and January at the Blue Moon Restaurant at 361 W. Market St., York. For more information, email Robert at rbuchanan@aii.edu, call at (717) 2240973, or visit www.robertebuchanan.com.
Thank You,Columnists! 50plus Senior News continues to bring important information as well as entertaining articles to the 50+ community. We at On-Line Publishers would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the editorial contributors of 50plus Senior News: Mike Clark (The Way I See It) Angelo Coniglio (The Search for Our Ancestry) Wendell Fowler (Preventive Measures) Al Goodman (Beyond the Battlefield ) Andrea Gross (Traveltizers) Dr. Lori (Art and Antiques) Gloria May (NurseNews) Gamber (The Beauty in Nature) Clyde McMillan-G Jim Miller (The Savvy Senior)
Victor Parachin (Fragments of History) Saralee Perel (Such is Life) Dr. Leonard Perry (The Green Mountain Gardener) Ted Rickard (The Squint-Eyed Senior) Sy Rosen (Older But Not Wiser) Pat Sinclair (Recipes for Two) Walt Sonneville (My 22 Cents’ Worth) Robert Wilcox (Salute to a Veteran) Judith Zausner (Creativity Matters)
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