August 2018 | DC Beacon

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VOL.30, NO.8

From CIA to pageant circuit

A lifelong dream In her youth, Moore said, “I had aspirations of becoming a model and actress because I was very involved in theater and singing in different places.

“But my parents had a different view because they felt minorities wouldn’t do well at

AUGUST 2018

I N S I D E …

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAREN MOORE

By Barbara Ruben Karen Moore won her first competition at age 4. To reach the microphone in a talent contest at her nursery school teacher’s church, she had to stand on a chair. She crooned a song called “God Bless Us All,” popular in the early 1950s.

Now 69 and a resident of Hyattsville, Md., Moore has continued to wow pageant audiences over the years. She was once a finalist for Cherry Blossom Princess around 1970, and competed in the Miss Black D.C. pageant.

In 2015, she was selected American Classic Woman of the Year (a D.C. pageant), and in 2017 was crowned Ms. Maryland Senior America. Earlier this year, she was crowned Ms. Senior Maryland USA, a different pageant (about which more later).

“I’ve always been a competitive person and, being retired now, there’s not a lot of opportunities to compete for stuff,” Moore said.

“Plus, you meet a lot of very interesting women in these contests. I haven’t really seen divas. It’s very fulfilling experience to me.”

Moore moved back into the world of pageants after she retired from a 43-year career with the CIA in 2011. She’s quick to point out that she wasn’t a spy, but rather worked in human resources, as the agency’s senior diversity manager.

In that role, she traveled to more than 30 countries, talking about personnel issues and training employees.

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L E I S U R E & T R AV E L

Explore the Grand Canyon’s grandeur; plus, visit London on a budget, while watching out for travel scams page 37

ARTS & STYLE Karen Moore tries on her crown as Ms. Senior Maryland USA 2018. The Hyattsville resident also won the Ms. Maryland Senior America pageant in 2017 after retiring from a career in the CIA spanning more than four decades.

that time. [They saw] that there were very few minorities, black, Hispanic or Asian, who were doing very well,” Moore said.

Instead, they wanted Moore to become a teacher. She briefly acquiesced, going to college for a year before dropping out.

Her parents both worked at the CIA. But it wasn’t until Moore discovered that

her mother sang in a lunchtime chorus in the agency’s cafeteria that her interest in working there as well was piqued.

Even then, she didn’t think she’d be at the CIA for long. “I was only going to stay long enough to pay off my car, and then I See MS. SENIOR MD., page 12

A former politician sculpts a new passion; plus, Mamma Mia! onstage at Toby’s, Washington-centric books, and Bob Levey’s ties to his dad page 44 TECHNOLOGY 4 k Good gadgets for older drivers FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k The blood pressure-dementia link k How to pay less for meds SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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LAW & MONEY 28 k Smart way to pick stocks k How to maximize returns on cash ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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A complex subject For most Americans, recent headlines sion (ITC) last August. (The ITC is an inconcerning unfair trade and retaliatory tar- dependent, bipartisan federal agency. Four of its five current commissioniffs seem far removed from ers were appointed by Presidaily life. dent Obama.)

But for papers like the BeaNORPAC, which supplies con, a trade dispute with Canahalf the U.S. market for da — which has led to U.S. newsprint, blames Canadian tariffs that have caused multigovernment subsidies for drivple and continuing increases ing down the price of imported in the price of newsprint since newsprint in the U.S., thereby last fall — could be a life-andhurting its business and its emdeath matter.

So I have chosen to write ployees.

After an investigation, the about this, complex though FROM THE ITC identified 34 separate subthe subject is, because seem- PUBLISHER ingly distant issues like tar- By Stuart P. Rosenthal sidies by Canada of its paper mill industry. This led to tempoiffs are having a serious impact right now on newspapers throughout rary tariffs being imposed on Canadian the country, and therefore affect our read- newsprint in March, with a final determination and permanent tariffs to be announced ers and advertisers as well.

Not surprisingly, the tariffs have been next month.

In response, U.S. newspapers and much widely blamed on President Trump. Though it’s true the Trump administration has im- of the rest of the publishing industry have posed tariffs on a number of Chinese, Euro- banded together to fight the tariffs, argupean, Mexican and Canadian goods, this par- ing that the sharp price increases they are ticular problem cannot be laid at the presi- creating threaten to put many smaller papers out of business. dent’s doorstep.

Printing constitutes the second largest Rather, the cause is an anti-dumping case brought by the North Pacific Paper cost of producing a newspaper, after labor.

Company (NORPAC) against Canada be- The cost for newsprint has already risen fore the U.S. International Trade Commis- more than 25%, and additional increases

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are on the horizon. This has led to a reduction in frequency, circulation and/or page count, as well as staffing, by newspapers across the country, including the Beacon.

These actions, of course, reduce the demand for newsprint which, in turn, could lead to reduced business for the remaining paper mills in the U.S., causing them and newspaper printers to cut their staff and operations in a downward spiral of dire consequences.

Furthermore, these price increases are coming at the worst possible time for newspapers, which are struggling against growing competition from online publications that don’t bear printing costs. In the face of this competition, print publishers cannot raise their advertising and subscription rates sufficiently to offset the price increases.

A bill has been introduced in the Senate (known as the PRINT Act, S. 2835), to require the Commerce Department to pause the tariffs and evaluate their impact on the publishing industry. As a business owner and publisher, I would like to see that law pass.

But NORPAC argues against this, saying U.S. trade laws don’t permit the consideration of such side effects in the case of clear dumping from abroad. And I have to admit, there do seem to be two sides to this debate.

Canada has clearly taken steps to re-

duce the price of its newsprint. This has driven down the price of newsprint in the U.S. for years, benefitting papers like ours with what now seem to be below market paper costs.

At the same time, the unfair competition has driven a number of U.S. paper mills out of business or led them to close down unprofitable mills, which reduces supply and thus contributes to the rising prices sparked by tariffs.

So NORPAC has a case, but its efforts to level the playing field all at once is putting tremendous strain on the newspapers that remain in business, and on the many related businesses that service publishers and their readers (including, ultimately, NORPAC itself).

So you see, as I said, it’s complex. There are so many moving parts in our economy, and in both domestic and international trade, that it’s hard to know who’s right and who’s wrong when there’s a trade dispute.

But it’s not hard to see who loses when there’s an attempt to solve things by imposing a tariff. In the long run, just about everybody.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day.

Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: Thank you for Bob Levey’s article “Learning what counts from ex-teachers” in the July issue. How gratifying, encouraging and truly on-point.

I’m 59 years old and, until recently, never thought of myself as old. For a few years now, my hair has decided it doesn’t like its current residence and has upped and left and, yes, that belly has stretched way beyond where it was when I was a very skinny 22-year-old. Still, I want and need to work, and the teachers mentioned in Levey’s article helped reinvigorate me in my search.

Who knows whether recent decisions to “go with another” candidate after meeting with me or reviewing my qualifications was due to age. It may be suspect, but certainly can’t be proven. And, after reading Levey’s article, does it really matter?

As Levey so aptly pointed out, for employers who recognize and value the insights and experience that mature workers bring to the table, there doesn’t have to be an “exact match” with the advertised role.

Reading the article reminded me of my daughter’s high school counselor who was still working — expertly I might add — in the education system at 90+ years of age. And my current supervisor — 82 years young — who is president and CEO of a national nonprofit.

So please thank Levey for his wonderful article. (It’s very apparent why he is an award winner!) And thank you for giving me another resource to use when my job search leaves me down in the dumps.

I’m convinced that when all is said and done, my greatest source of support will keep His promise to provide. (Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 13:5) And He does so. Levey’s article harmonizes with the kind of support from which old geezers like me can benefit!

Derek Thompson Via email Dear Editor: Thank you for your editorial on Alzheimer’s disease (“Would you want to know?”, July) and its many aspects. You raised awareness among our seniors and answered many questions that cause confusion about testing and diagnoses. But the questions you posed should cause some critical thinking among your readers.

Thank you also for reminding them of the importance of clinical trials which, hopefully, will produce more answers and affirm the information we already have.

Sister Kathy Weber, CSC Holy Cross Caregiver Center Silver Spring, Md. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 53

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations Simple gadgets that can help older drivers Dear Savvy Senior: Are there any specific auto gadgets you can recommend that can help older drivers?

Both of my parents are in their 80s and still pretty good drivers, but due to arthritis and age they’re very stiff, which causes them some driving problems.

— Researching Daughter Dear Researching: To help keep older drivers safe and prolong their driving years, there’s a plethora of inexpensive, aftermarket vehicle adaptions you can purchase that can easily be added to your parent’s vehicles to help with many different needs.

Here are some good options:

with a night vision camera that attaches to the rear license plate, and a small monitor that mounts to the dash or windshield.

When the vehicle is in reverse, it sends live images wirelessly to the monitor so drivers can see what’s behind them.

Seat belt extenders To make buckling up a little easier, there are a variety of seat belt extension products offered by Seat Belt Extender Pros. These include the “Seat Belt Grabber Handle” ($8), which is a rubber exten-

See SIMPLE GADGETS, page 7

RE AL SAVINGS REQUIRE RE AL INTEREST R ATES.

Entry and exit aids To help arthritic/mobility-challenged drivers with getting into and out of their vehicle, there are a variety of portable support handles you can buy. These include the “Emson Car Cane Portable Handle” ($12), which inserts into the U-shaped striker plate on the doorframe, and the “Standers CarCaddie” ($13) nylon support handle that hooks around the top of the door window frame.

Another useful product is the “DMI Deluxe Swivel Seat Cushion” ($22), which is a round, portable cushion that turns 360 degrees to help drivers and passengers rotate their body into and out of their vehicle.

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Enhanced rear vision To help those with limited upper body range of motion, which makes looking over their shoulder to back-up or merge into traffic difficult, there are special mirrors you can add as well as back-up cameras.

For starters, to widen rear visibility, eliminate blind spots and even help with parallel parking, get an oversized rear view mirror like the “Allview Rearview Mirror” ($50) that clips on to the existing mirror. You should also purchase some “Ampper Blind Spot Mirrors” ($7.50), which are 2-inch adjustable convex mirrors that stick to the corner of the side view mirrors.

If your parents’ cars don’t already have built-in backup cameras, another helpful device is the “Auto-vox M1W Wireless Backup Camera Kit” ($110). This comes

sion handle that attaches to the seat belt strap to make it easier to reach, and the “7inch Rigid Seat Belt Extender” ($20) that fits into the seat belt buckle receiver to add

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Clinical Trials ❏ Alzheimer’s Disease Study (see ad on page 21) ❏ C. Diff. Vaccine Study (See article on page 20 and ad on page 22) ❏ Fasting Diet Study (See ad on page 20) ❏ Healthy Research Volunteers (See ad on page 22) ❏ Hearing & the Brain Study (See ad on page 21) ❏ Hearing Research Study (See ad on page 21) ❏ Health Adults 60+ RSV Research Study (See ad on page 21) ❏ Speech Comprehension Study (See ad on page 22)

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I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E ★ I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E ★ I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E

❏ Ashby Ponds (See ads on pages 1, 19) ❏ Beverly Assisted Living (See ad on page 10) ❏ Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page 16) ❏ Crossings, The (See ad on page 10) ❏ Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 49) ❏ Falcons Landing (See ad on page 11) ❏ Greenspring (See ad on page 1, 19) ❏ Gum Springs Glen (See ad on page 32) ❏ Herndon Harbor House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Lockwood House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Morris Glen (See ad on page 32) ❏ Potomac Place (See ad on page 48) ❏ Tall Oaks Assisted Living (See ad on page 12) ❏ Waltonwood Ashburn (See ad on page 23)

★

★

Virginia

I N F O R M A T I O N

I N F O R M A T I O N

❏ Aspenwood Senior Living (See ad on page 17) ❏ Atrium Assisted Living (See ad on page 13) ❏ Brooke Grove (See ad on page 56) ❏ Chevy Chase House (See ads on pages 12) ❏ Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 25) ❏ Five Star Premier (See ad on page 15) ❏ Covenant Village (See ad on page 32) ❏ Emerson House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Gardens of Traville (See ad on page 40) ❏ Homecrest House (See ad on page 29) ❏ Homewood (See ad on page 47) ❏ Landing of Silver Spring (See ad on page 15) ❏ Olney Assisted Living (See ad on page 25) ❏ R Home Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 43) ❏ R Home Park View Columbia (See ad on page 43) ❏ R Home Park View Emerson (See ad on page 43) ❏ R Home Park View Laurel (See ad on page 43) ❏ Riderwood (See ads on pages 1, 19) ❏ Ring House (See ad on page 31) ❏ Springvale Terrace (See ad on page 40) ❏ The Village at Rockville (See ads on pages 13, 17)

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See LINKS & APPS, page 7

Maryland

★

MindMate offers a set of interactive games, daily exercises, music and more for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia or traumatic brain injury.

In addition, users can store and share their memories and life story in the app, along with personal preferences, such as favorite food and music, and reminders of activities and medications.

MindMate also provides physical exercises to try, as well as nutrition information and healthy recipes. For entertainment, the app includes TV shows, movies and music from the 1940s through ‘80s to watch and listen to.

Roger Arellano, one of the app’s three young cofounders, helped care for his grandfather, who had Alzheimer’s. The

❏ Friendship Terrace (see ad on page 35)

I N F O R M A T I O N

An app for those with Alzheimer’s

District of Columbia

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Apps

For free materials on housing communities and health studies, just complete and clip this coupon and mail it to the Beacon.

Housing Communities

★

There are many online fundraising sites today, but CaringCrowd is distinctive because it is solely dedicated to raising money for global public health causes — from projects helping sick moms in Malawi, to repairing children’s hearts in India. More than $900,000 has been pledged to projects so far.

Any nonprofit organization can submit a campaign idea to CaringCrowd, but unlike other fundraising platforms, CaringCrowd has a set of experts who decide whether each campaign idea is a worthy cause.

CaringCrowd works with academic institutions like Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health to get guidance on public health priorities.

Once an idea is approved by the experts, it becomes an official project that can receive funding. The CaringCrowd website allows you to look through different projects and choose which one you want to fund.

Johnson & Johnson is matching donations — up to $250 per person, per project.

After you donate to a project, you can keep track of the project’s progress by checking what percentage of the project has been funded and how much the project has advanced through a detailed timeline that shows you what stages of the project’s goal have been completed. www.caringcrowd.org

MAIL OR FAX FOR FREE INFORMATION

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Links Helping you help others

Opened in 1793, the Louvre — the most popular museum in the world — is home to well-known works like the Mona Lisa.

But you don’t have to travel to Paris or brave the crowds to enjoy some of its holdings.

A section of the museum’s website titled Selections offers virtual tours on various themes, including Napoleon, the French Revolution, the art of portraiture, and jewelry. Another feature, called A Closer Look, lets art enthusiasts explore multimedia presentations on specific works. www.louvre.fr/en/selections

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

★

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

By Erin Yu & Barbara Ruben

The Louvre, vicariously

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Beacon Links & Apps

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Age-Friendly Montgomery “I’m inviting you to enjoy our County’s resources and programs.”

County Executive Ike Leggett

Montgomery County Villages: Sustaining a community in your neighborhood Would You Like to Establish a Village in Your Neighborhood?

Interested in Developing a Village in Your Community?

Villages are local, volunteer-led, grassroots organizations that aim to support community members who choose to age-in-place. Villages foster social connections through activities. Many offer volunteer help at home using a model of neighbors helping neighbors.

Sign up to attend the third annual gathering of Montgomery County Villages to learn how to develop and sustain a community village in your neighborhood. This conference is intended for people who are organizing, operating and sustaining villages in Montgomery County and individuals interested in starting a village.

There are nearly 300 villages around the country.

Montgomery County has over two dozen active villages and there are close to a dozen more in development.

Each village uniquely reflects the character, interests and needs of the community that creates it. The village leadership decides what is offered and how it operates.

For example, some villages focus on serving older residents; others choose a more intergenerational approach. Some have staff and charge a membership fee; others charge no fee and are all-volunteer. For more information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ village

Who creates Villages?

People like you! Villages are created by community residents who seek an improved quality of life for all.

Every new village starts with a vision and a dedicated core of individuals ready and willing to make it a reality. This is not one person’s job but a community effort.

Montgomery County Villages 3rd Annual Gathering October 22, 2018 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bohrer Park Activity Center 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg The conference is free and open to leaders in active and emerging villages. It will include workshops, resource sharing, and networking with nonprofit providers and other villages.

To register for the conference, contact Pazit Aviv by calling 240-777-1231 or sending an email to pazit. aviv@montgomerycountymd.gov The conference is offered in a partnership with the City of Gaithersburg.

Contact Us Today

• Aging & Disability Resource Line 240-777-3000

• 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 for County programs and services; 9-1-1 for emergency • www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior

• “Seniors Today” airs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. on Comcast/RCN 6, Verizon 30

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Simple gadgets From page 4 a few inches of length, making it easier to reach and fasten the buckle.

Gripping devices If your parents have hand arthritis that makes gripping the steering wheel, turning the ignition key, or twisting open the gas cap difficult or painful, consider these products.

The “SEG Direct Steering Wheel Cover” ($15) fits over the steering wheel to make it larger and easier to grip. The “Ableware Hole-In-One Key Holder” ($9) is a small plastic handle that attaches to the car key to provide additional leverage for turning the key in the ignition or door. And for help

Links & Apps From page 5 other founders volunteered in memory care centers, and wanted to develop a tool to improve the quality of life for those with dementia.

MindMate is free for android and iPhones at Apple’s App store and Google Play

Yard sales galore Are you a bargain hunter who just can’t pass up hunting for Picasso in a pile of mediocre artwork, or acquiring toys for

at the pump, the “Gas Cap & Oil Cap Opener by Gascapoff” ($12) is a long handled device that works like a wrench to loosen and tighten the gas cap.

All of these products can be purchased online on Amazon.com. Just type the name of the products in the search bar to find them.

Safety and security A device that may help ensure your parents’ safety, and provide you and them peace of mind, would be an in-car medical alert system like “splitsecnd.” Offered through Bay Alarm Medical (BayAlarmMedical.com, $30/month), this small device plugs into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter to provide 24/7 roadside and emergency assistance at the push of a button,

The Raven can also summon emergency help, and provide alerts regarding fuel level, vehicle-related maintenance problems and service reminders, if your car offers onboard diagnostics.

The Raven can be purchased on Amazon.com for $299. Service plans range from $8 to $32 a month depending on the amount of video and other services used.

To learn more, see https://raven.is.

Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

the grandkids at a fraction what they would have cost new?

Apps can now help you locate upcoming yard sales, usually with a “near-me” map.

Some can even build a favorites list for a given day and map a route, which lets hardcore shoppers hit multiple sales in one day.

Here are a few yard sale titles to get you started: Yard Sale Treasure Map Garage Sales by Map Varage Sale (that is not a typo), and 5miles.

Most apps are free and available at both the Apple App store and Google Play.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

automatic crash detection and response, and GPS vehicle location and monitoring capabilities.

Another device, called the Raven dashcam, sits on top of your dashboard. It provides turn-by-turn GPS directions, but has many other features. Information can be sent to loved ones to let them know when you’re on the road and when you return home safely. A history of driving trips is also accessible via an app.

Live video from both inside and outside your car can also be sent to family to let them see you and what you’re experiencing, along with your GPS location.

INSTRUMENT DONATION The Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation is

Ride Route 129

collecting instruments to increase student access to instrumental music classes. For more information, contact Yolanda Pruitt at 240-740-3216, email yolanda_j_pruitt@mcpsmd.org or visit www.mcpsfoundation.org/MCPSFoundation.org.

Burtonsville P&R Briggs Chaney P&R Castle Blvd & Castle Blvd Circle Tech Road P&R Stewart Ln & Old Columbia Pike Stewart Ln & April Ln Lockwood Dr & July Dr Lockwood Dr & White Oak Transit Center Lockwood Dr & New Hampshire Ave Lockwood Dr & Northwest Dr Lockwood Dr & Meadowhill Rd Burnt Mills Shopping Ctr on US 29 University Blvd & US 29 (Colesville Rd) Spring St & US 29 (Southbound Only) * Colesville Rd Fenton St & US 29 (Northbound Only) Colesville Rd Paul Sarbanes Transit Center (Silver Spring Transit Center)

Ride On

New Limited Stop Service!

Along US 29 Rush Hours Only Monday - Friday An additional commuting option!

* Stopping at Noyes Street until construction completed

Montgomery County Department of Transportation

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

MORE THAN BRAIN GAMES Staying engaged and maintaining good health reduce risk of memory loss TOO SENSITIVE? Keep a food diary and consult a nutritionist to help pinpoint food sensitivities MULTIPLE MEDS There are risks in taking multiple prescriptions; how to safely cut back VIRUSES AND ALZHEIMER’S Common viruses may provoke a brain response that leads to dementia

Lower blood pressure may prevent dementia

By Marilynn Marchione Lowering blood pressure more than usually recommended not only helps prevent heart problems, it also cuts the risk of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer’s disease, a major study finds.

It’s the first time a single step has been clearly shown to help prevent a dreaded condition that has had people trying crossword puzzles, diet supplements, and a host of other things in hope of keeping their mind sharp.

In the study, people treated to lower their top blood pressure reading to 120 instead of 140 were 19 percent less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. They also had fewer signs of damage on brain scans, and there was a possible trend toward fewer cases of dementia.

“This is a big breakthrough,” said Dr. Jeff Williamson of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina. “It’s more important than ever to work with your physician to ensure that you have good blood pressure control.”

He led the study and gave results in late July at the Alzheimer’s Association Inter-

national Conference in Chicago. They’re considered preliminary until published, expected later this year.

The brain-blood pressure link About 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer’s is the most common type. There is no cure — current medicines such as Aricept and Namenda just ease symptoms — so prevention is key.

Roughly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure under guidelines adopted last year that define it as a top number of 130 or more, rather than 140. Normal is under 120.

High pressure can damage blood vessels and has long been linked to a higher risk for dementia. But it’s not been known if lowering pressure would reduce that risk or by how much. The federally funded study was designed to test this in the most rigorous way.

The study involved more than 9,300 people with high pressure. Half got two medicines, on average, to get their top reading below 140. The rest got three drugs, on average, and aimed for 120. During the study, the top pressure averaged 121 in the intensive-

treatment group and 135 in the other group.

The study was stopped in 2015, nearly two years early, when it became clear that lower pressure helped prevent heart problems and deaths. But tests of thinking skills continued for two more years, and these new results were revealed recently.

Researchers saw a 19 percent lower risk of mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, in the intensive-treatment group — 285 cases versus 348 in the higher pressure group.

About half of people with MCI develop dementia over the next five years.

“It’s really more important to prevent MCI than dementia in some ways. It’s like preventing high cholesterol rather than a heart attack,” Williamson said.

There also were fewer dementia cases in the intensive-treatment group, but there were too few to say lower blood pressure was the reason. Dementia takes longer to develop than mild impairment does, so doctors think the difference may widen over time.

MRI scans on 454 participants showed that those in the lower pressure group had less white matter lesions — areas of scarring or damage from injury, such as inade-

quate blood supply.

“It matches” the other results on thinking skills, and bolsters the evidence that lowering blood pressure helps, said Laurie Ryan, a dementia scientist at the National Institute on Aging.

How low to go?

This study’s previous results led to last fall’s guidelines change, setting high pressure at 130. Some doctors have criticized that as too aggressive. But the new results, showing benefits to the brain, “support and maybe even extend the guidelines,” Williamson said. “The goal of below 130 is extremely important.”

The study did not test specific blood pressure drugs. Instead, each participant’s doctor chose which ones to use from the more than a dozen available.

Getting to the lower level meant using one more medicine, and “90 percent of these are generic and cost less than a dollar a day,” Williamson said. “For a modest cost, this has a tremendously important health benefit for people.”

— AP

How to avoid paying too much for drugs

By Matthew Perrone “Do you have prescription insurance?”

It’s one of the first questions consumers hear at the pharmacy counter, and many hand over their insurance cards in the hopes of getting a good price.

But sometimes using insurance can actually cost you more — and even prevent the pharmacist from saying so.

That’s because of so-called gag rules, which bar pharmacists from telling patients when they could save by paying cash instead of using insurance.

The rules — set by companies that manage prescription plans — are getting new scrutiny after President Donald Trump singled them out for criticism in his plan for lowering drug prices. “This is a total rip-off and we are ending it,” Trump said of the practice.

Here are some key points and tips to help you avoid overpaying for prescriptions:

Escape the gag rule The gag rules are included in contracts

between pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers — companies that are hired to hold down prescription costs for insurers and employers. Some contracts limit the information pharmacists can share, including when a patient’s copay exceeds a drug’s cash price.

“When it comes down to making sure the patient can afford their medication, the gag clause prevents us from having that conversation so they can make the best informed decision,” said Randy McDonough, an Iowa pharmacist.

There are no official statistics on the restrictions, but a 2016 industry survey found that nearly 20 percent of pharmacists were limited by gag clauses more than 50 times per month.

Andy Soileau, a Louisiana pharmacist, recently testified before state lawmakers about the issue. He cited an example of a customer who was required to pay a $50 copay for generic birth control pills that would have cost $18 without insurance.

Last month, Louisiana became the latest

of 24 states to ban the restrictions. (Maryland and Virginia just banned them this past legislative session. Maryland’s law takes effect Oct. 1, 2018; Washington, D.C. has not acted.)

Cheaper drugs, higher fees Americans wind up overpaying for prescriptions because many medicines are now available as low-cost generics.

Nearly 90 percent of prescriptions filled in the U.S. are for generic drugs, some of which cost as little as $4. Meanwhile, the typical U.S. employee faces an $11 copay to fill a generic prescription, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. The copay is higher for brand-name drugs, averaging $33 for preferred brands.

Many pharmacy benefit managers require pharmacists to collect the full copay, regardless of a drug’s cash price.

Stephen Schondelmeyer, who studies pharmaceutical economics at the University of Minnesota, said the pharmacy benefit managers tell pharmacists: “If we catch

you telling patients you can buy this cheaper for cash, we will kick your pharmacy out of our network.”

How often are Americans overpaying?

A recent study in the Journal of American Medical Association estimated that for nearly 25 percent of prescriptions filled, copays were higher than what insurers actually paid for the drugs. That extra money is kept by insurers or the pharmacy benefits manager, according to the authors.

Insurers have long said that copays are used to reduce insurance premiums for all, bringing down overall health costs. And the industry group for pharmacy benefit managers said it opposes gag clauses and policies that lead to overpayments.

“We support the patient always paying the lowest cost at the pharmacy counter, whether it’s the cash price or the copay,” said the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, in a statement.

See DRUG COSTS, page 10

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

9

How to safely buy medications online Protect yourself and your family by using caution when buying medicine online.

There are many pharmacy websites that operate legally and offer convenience, privacy, and safeguards for purchasing medicines.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that there are many rogue online pharmacies that claim to sell prescription medicines at deeply discounted prices, often without requiring a valid prescription. These Internet-based pharmacies often sell unapproved or counterfeit medicines outside the safeguards followed by licensed pharmacies.

These rogue sites often prominently display a Canadian flag, but may actually be operated by criminals from the other side of the globe with no connection to Canada.

Medicines bought from these websites can be dangerous and may put your health at risk.

How can you tell if an online pharmacy is operating legally? The FDA’s BeSafeRx can help you identify and avoid fake online pharmacies.

Signs of a rogue online pharmacy Beware of online pharmacies that: • allow you to buy prescription medicine without a valid prescription from your healthcare provider.

• do not have a U.S. state-licensed phar-

macist available to answer your questions.

• offer very low prices that seem too good to be true.

• send spam or unsolicited email offering cheap medicine.

• are located outside of the United States or ship worldwide.

These pharmacies often sell medicines that can be dangerous because they may: • have too much or too little of the active ingredient you need to treat your disease or condition.

• do not contain the right active ingredient.

• contain the wrong or other harmful ingredients.

The active ingredient is what makes the medicine effective for the illness or condition it is intended to treat.

If a medicine has unknown active ingredients, it could fail to have the intended effect, could have an unexpected interaction with other medicines you are taking, could cause dangerous side effects, or may cause other serious health problems, such as serious allergic reactions.

Also, these medicines may have been stored improperly, such as in a warehouse without necessary temperature controls, which may cause the medicine to be ineffective in treating the disease or condition for which you are taking it.

Signs of safe online pharmacies There are ways you can identify a safe online pharmacy. They: • require a valid prescription from a doctor or another licensed healthcare professional.

• are licensed by your state board of pharmacy, or equivalent state agency. (To verify the licensing status of a pharmacy, check your state board of pharmacy.)

• do not appear on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s “List of Not Recommended Websites.” (However, just because the online pharmacy does not appear on this list does not mean it is safe.)

• have a U.S. state-licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions.

• are in the United States and provide a

street address.

Another way to check on a website is to look for the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Seal, also known as the VIPPS Seal.

This seal means that the Internet pharmacy is safe to use because it has met state licensure requirements, as well as other NABP criteria. Visit the VIPPS website to find legitimate pharmacies that carry the VIPPS seal.

A Wellness Update is a magazine devoted to up-to-the minute information on health issues from physicians, major hospitals and clinics, universities and healthcare agencies across the U.S. Online at www.awellnessupdate.com. © 2018 www.awellnessupdate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Can brain games lower dementia risk?

Dear Mayo Clinic: Do puzzles and other activities or apps that claim to lower one’s risk of developing dementia actually work? Are there other things people can do to decrease the risk?

Answer: Doing activities that stimulate your brain may reduce your risk of developing dementia. But it’s more complex than taking up puzzles or computer games at age 65.

Research suggests that the value of cognitively stimulating activities builds up over a lifetime. That means: acquiring a

good education, working in a job that is mentally stimulating, and engaging in pastimes, hobbies and social activities that are mentally engaging are all part of reducing your risk for developing dementia.

For example, studies have shown that the more years of education a person has, the lower the dementia risk. This appears to be because people who spend more time engaged in learning across their lifetimes tend to develop more robust networks of nerve cells and connections between those nerve

cells within their brains. Those networks are better equipped to handle the cell damage that can happen as a result of brain disorders that may lead to dementia.

What causes dementia?

Before continuing, it would be wise to define “dementia.” Dementia describes symptoms that affect a person’s memory, thinking and social abilities to the point that it’s difficult to perform normal daily activities.

Dementia is caused by brain disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and one of the most well-known.

Diseases that affect the blood vessels — the same diseases that cause heart attacks and stroke — are the second most common cause of dementia.

So, in addition to participating in activities that are mentally engaging, avoiding conditions that increase heart attacks and

Drug costs From page 8

What consumers should do Experts say there are easy steps consumers can take to make sure they aren’t overpaying for drugs: • Always ask the pharmacist for the cash price of the drug. Gag clauses prohib-

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strokes also reduces your risk of dementia.

Maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, avoiding diabetes, not smoking, staying at a healthy weight, and exercising regularly all have been shown to improve cognitive health later in life.

Again, however, it’s best if you make them components of a healthy lifestyle in your younger years and sustain them as you get older. That’s because all of them affect the health of the blood vessels in your brain.

If your brain blood vessels stay in good condition throughout your young adulthood and midlife, they are more likely to be able to remain healthy as you age.

If the health of those blood vessels deteriorates when you are younger, it’s difficult to mend the damage later. And damage to the brain’s blood vessels can be a factor in dementia.

See BRAIN GAMES, page 12

it pharmacists from volunteering this information, but they can generally respond if asked directly.

• Shop around. Some pharmacies offer lower cash prices than others for numerous generic drugs. And use websites or apps like GoodRx to research cash prices at nearby pharmacies.

— AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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Ms. Senior Md. From page 1 was going to go off to seek my fortune, maybe in New York.”

Finding love online Instead, Moore stayed in the Washington area, marrying and raising three daughters. She divorced in her 30s and was single for the next 30 years.

But she had a friend who had met some men online, and Moore eventually decided to take the plunge, signing up with Match.com.

About a month later, a man named Ray Murrell from Dale City, Va., contacted her.

She ignored him, deciding he lived too far away to make a relationship work.

She ignored his second email as well.

But by the third, she answered, telling him they were too far apart. He said he would

come to her.

So they met for lunch at a seafood restaurant and talked so long the restaurant started setting up for dinner. The next day, a car crashed through the restaurant’s window.

“We laughed about it, and said that had to be a sign that this was a significant relationship,” Moore recalled. “I liked how close he was with his family, particularly his grandchildren. That won my heart because often men aren’t close to their families.

“A year after dating exclusively, he started talking about marriage. It was scary for me because of the way my first marriage ended. And I’d been on my own for so long.”

But after five years of dating, the coupled married last August, with Murrell moving to Maryland.

What a pageant is like In June, Moore traveled to Las Vegas to

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

compete in the Ms. Senior USA pageant (not to be confused with the Ms. Senior America competition, which has its own pageant in October in Atlantic City, N.J.).

While she didn’t place in the national Ms. Senior USA pageant, Moore said she had a thoroughly enjoyable time — especially creating a costume that paid homage to her home state, which every contestant had to fashion.

After deliberating for a while, she decided to dress up as a crab, donning a red dress, sparkly red shoes and draped in the Maryland flag. Topping it all off was a red hat with crab legs and googly eyes. Oh, and she also carried a crab net with fake crabs. As Ms. Senior Maryland USA, she rode in Takoma Park’s July 4th parade.

When she’s not competing, Moore stays busy in a number of performing groups.

She is active in several church choirs and has sung with local choirs onstage at the Kennedy Center and Ford’s Theatre. In 2015, she was selected to join the six-member singing group Prince Georges’ Seniors on Stage.

Moore also likes to work as an extra in locally shot TV shows, movies and commercials. Although she’s not supposed to divulge what she has worked on, she shared that readers can find her in the funeral scene in TV’s “House of Cards” finale.

While the work can be fun, it can also be tedious doing take after take. And while the hours are long (up to 14 hours a day), and the pay low ($80 to $100 a day), the food can’t be beat, she said. The craft tables, where production crews are fed during shoots, are always overflowing with high-quality food, including shrimp scampi and steak.

In addition, Moore volunteers her time to give back to the community. She helps Women I Know, an outreach ministry working with abused and homeless women.

Also, she is a guardian for her mentally challenged brother, and serves as a board member, sharing her experiences and advice, with the Wholistic Care Service, a nonprofit that provides services for D.C. adults with disabilities.

All this fits within the realm of Moore’s philosophy of life, which she shared at a recent pageant: “To be loving and helpful to all that I meet….To ease pain, so life is not so hard.

To invest in myself to be healthy and strong. To give of my strength to those who are weak. To lift up mankind with my smile and my song.”

To learn more about pageants for older women, see www.facebook.com/Ms.SeniorUSAPageant, www.facebook.com/AmericanClassicPageant and http://senioramerica.org.

Brain games

will likely have positive cognitive benefits.

Regularly interacting with others — family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, community members — can lift your mood, improve your outlook and engage your brain.

All of these positively affect your cognitive abilities, and being socially engaged has been shown to ease symptoms of dementia. — David Knopman, M.D., Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. © 2018 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 10

It’s never too late to start This is not to say that incorporating healthy choices into your lifestyle if you are older won’t make any difference. They can positively affect your cognitive and physical health. But to gain the most benefit for your brain, it’s best to have them in place as soon as possible.

Social interaction is an area where anyone can make a change at any time, and it

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13

Area pageant winners from D.C. and Va.

By Barbara Ruben izers decided they didn’t like Jordan’s Everything that could go wrong indeed choice of song — Billie Holliday’s “Strange went wrong as Phyllis JorFruit,” a haunting song dan was preparing for about lynching. So at the June’s Ms. Senior D.C. paglast minute, Jordan chose eant. to sing Nina Simone’s She brought a complicat“Four Women,” but she ed pattern for her evening didn’t have a lot of time to gown to a dressmaker that rehearse it. ended up a “hot mess.” She Despite all this, Jordan hired a second seamstress recently recalled, “I said I to start again, but her rewas going to do my very sults were “deplorable.” “I best and enjoy myself.” told her I would absolutely Jordan sees the hand of Phyllis Jordan lose if I wore this,” said JorProvidence in her entering dan, 62. and then winning the D.C. pageant this So she headed off to Neiman Marcus to year. Several years earlier, she had talked find a gown that would work, with her sister about enterand luckily found two choicing the pageant. Since es. Not so luckily, her daughthen, Jordan had been on ter, who had just graduated the fence about it, but then from college, was rear-ended her sister died of cancer. by another car when she “I was thinking about came to pick Jordan up from her, and we were always the store. pretty active in the commuFortunately, her daughnity,” she said. “I got online ter was uninjured, and the and by chance had a few blue, off-the-shoulders days left to send in an applidress’s alterations were fin- Alicia Windsong Diamond cation, so I did.” ished the day before the Like Ms. Senior Marypageant. land USA Karen Moore, Jordan isn’t a But there was more. The pageant organ- stranger to pageants. At age 16, she en-

tered the Miss Black Teenager of America pageant and won, taking her first plane trip from home in Santa Fe, N.M. to New York.

She won a scholarship in that competition, and then entered other competitions while in college to help pay her tuition. Apparently, the talent runs in the family. She says her niece won enough scholarships from pageants to pay for her entire education.

Jordan now works as a contractor with the State Dept., after having a long career traveling the world as a motivational speak-

er. She also once worked as a newscaster for an educational TV station in Oklahoma City.

Regarding the main project for her reign as Ms. Senior D.C., Jordan is working to recruit local houses of worship to offer friendly visitors to residents of care facilities with dementia. She is using her own church as a pilot.

“If you have the misfortune of not having family, you can have a very lonely life,” she See MS. VA & D.C., page 14

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Health Shorts Free daily calls offered to seniors Maryland is the first state in the country to start a free service to check on older residents by telephone. Those who request the service will receive a call every day at a regularly scheduled time pre-selected by the participant.

If the participant does not answer their

first call, their number will be tried two more times.

If those calls also go unanswered, calls will be made to notify an alternative person who is selected by the participant during program enrollment. This could be a relative, neighbor or friend. The alternate will then be encouraged to check on the participant who did not respond to the day’s calls.

Any Maryland resident who is 65 or older may participate using a land line or cell phone. They must choose a preferred time to be called, either between 8 and 10

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

a.m. or 2 and 4 p.m.

To register to be part of the Senior Call Check Program, go to http://bit.ly/ CallCheck or call 1-800-243-3425.

FDA approves drug derived from marijuana U.S. health regulators recently approved the first prescription drug made from marijuana, a milestone that could spur more research into a drug that remains illegal under federal law, despite growing legalization for recreational and medical use.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the medication, called Epidiolex, to treat two rare forms of epilepsy in patients 2 years and older. But it’s not quite medical marijuana.

The strawberry-flavored syrup is a purified form of a chemical ingredient found in the cannabis plant — but not the one that

Ms. VA & D.C. From page 13 said. “It’s kind of sad, that oftentimes in our culture people regarded as no longer useful can kind of be tossed to the side. I hope to be able to play a role in some way.”

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Newly crowned Ms. Senior Virginia Alicia Windsong Diamond used to love to perform as a classical singer. But the painter and therapeutic horse riding instructor hadn’t been onstage for a while.

“I had the evening gowns in my closet. I thought it would be fun to dust off some of those clothes and get out there, but I didn’t have any expectation of the outcome,” she said of her decision to enter the Ms. Senior

gets users high.

FDA officials said the drug reduced seizures when combined with older epilepsy drugs. It’s not yet clear why the ingredient, called cannabidiol, or CBD, reduces seizures in some people with epilepsy.

British drugmaker GW Pharmaceuticals studied the drug in more than 500 children and adults with hard-to-treat seizures, overcoming numerous legal hurdles that have long stymied research into cannabis.

FDA chief Scott Gottlieb said his agency had supported research on cannabis-derived products “for many years.”

“This approval serves as a reminder that sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies,” Gottlieb told reporters.

The FDA has previously approved synthetic versions of another cannabis ingredient for medical use, including severe weight loss in patients with HIV. —AP

Virginia pageant. Diamond lives in Abington, Va., in the southwestern corner of the state.

While living in New Mexico, Diamond had discovered the plight of wild horses at risk of slaughter by the Bureau of Land Management. So she set up a nonprofit organization to help protect them.

She adopted three horses herself, and then began to work with people with disabilities to help them gain self-confidence and strength through therapeutic riding.

“This feels like a moment in my life to get back to the public,” she said.

To learn more about the pageant in Virginia, see http://www.msvirginiasenior.com or call (804) 435-3704. For additional information on the Ms. Senior D.C. contest, see https://dcoa.dc.gov/page/ms-senior-dcpageant or call (202) 724-5626.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

15

How to know if you have food sensitivities

By Esther L. Ellis., R.D. Food intolerances are on the rise. Today more than nine million adults suffer from food allergies.

The Internet is rife with ads for “food sensitivity� testing kits, and some healthcare providers offer quick testing to find the foods that ail you. However, many tests can give false results, which may do more harm than good.

Food sensitivities defined There is no commonly accepted definition for food sensitivity. It’s often used interchangeably with food intolerance, which occurs when a food or ingredient is poorly absorbed in the digestive tract and results in an adverse reaction, such as bloating, diarrhea, skin rashes or hives.

Occasionally, food intolerances can be caused by an enzyme deficiency, which can become more common with age.

Food intolerances usually depend on the portion, meaning the risky food can typically be tolerated in small quantities.

Although symptoms can be like those of a food allergy, the two are not the same. A

food allergy is the result of an immune response: the body recognizes the food as a threat, which results in a range of symptoms, from mild ones like hives or itchy mouth, to serious ones like difficulty breathing or even death.

Pinpointing a food intolerance A food intolerance can be difficult to diagnose because small amounts of the food may not cause adverse symptoms, and there are very few clinical tests that diagnose food intolerances.

A popular test on the Internet and among naturopaths is serum immunoglobulin E (igE), which measures the amount of antibodies in the blood as a reaction to a specific food substance.

However, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recommends against this test, as it has a high falsepositive rate, and dietary modification is not necessary if there are no signs or symptoms.

The NIAID also recommends against basophil histamine release/activation, lymphocyte stimulation, hair analysis, allergen-specific IgG, cytotoxicity assays,

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electro-dermal test (Vega), and mediator release assay (LEAP diet) food sensitivity testing, because they lack scientific evidence.

The best way to determine a food intolerance is to keep a food diary, tracking all foods eaten, portion sizes, and a list of symptoms that occur afterwards. After two to four weeks, determine any patterns or connections between foods, portion sizes and symptoms.

Then, eliminate all distrusted foods for a

week and re-introduce them one at a time to examine your reaction.

Consult a registered dietitian to guide the elimination process, ensure all nutrient needs are met, and assist in finding alternatives to replace banished foods.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. Š 2018 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Cracking knuckles, fighting forgetfulness Questions and answers from Harvard Medical School Q: People keep telling me to stop cracking my knuckles. Does it cause arthritis?

A: Knuckle cracking is a common behavior enjoyed by many. It can become a habit or a way to deal with nervous energy; some describe it as a way to “release tension.” For some, it’s simply an annoying thing that other people do.

Despite how common it is, there has been considerable debate regarding where the noise comes from. Fortunately — at least for those of us who are curious about it — knuckle cracking has been the subject of a fair amount of research.

The “cracking” of knuckle cracking

seems to be produced by increasing the space between finger joints. This causes gas bubbles in the joint fluid to collapse or burst. It’s a bit like blowing up a balloon and then stretching the walls of the balloon outward until it pops.

The reason you can’t crack the same knuckle or joint twice right away is that it takes some time for the gas bubbles to accumulate again in the joint.

Cracking the knuckles is probably harmless. Although there have been occasional reports of dislocations or tendon injuries from overly vigorous knuckle cracking, such problems seem very much to be the exception and not the rule.

One of the most convincing bits of evidence suggesting that knuckle cracking is

The care you need to get you back to your life.

harmless comes from a California physician who reported on an experiment he conducted on himself. Over his lifetime, he regularly cracked the knuckles of only one hand. He checked x-rays on himself after decades of this behavior and found no difference in arthritis between his hands. A larger study came to a similar conclusion.

The origin of most joint noises, such as popping sounds or cracking of the knees when squatting, is uncertain. They may come from the kneecap rubbing on the bones below, or a tendon sliding across an irregular surface.

However, in the absence of pain, swelling or other joint symptoms, these sounds are probably nothing to be concerned about, and there is no reliable way to silence them.

If you want to crack your knuckles, it’s unlikely to cause you harm. But if you want someone else to stop cracking their knuckles, you’ll need a better reason than telling them they’re ruining their joints.

— Howard LeWine, M.D., Q: Why do people become more forgetful as they age?

A: It’s common to have moments of forgetfulness about where we put the keys, why we walked into a room, or what an object is called. This reflects age-related changes in thinking skills. Over time we can expect a decline in all areas of brain function, with the exception of vocabulary.

Memory involves three processes: encoding, recording and retrieval. The brain receives and encodes (takes in) new information; the brain then records (stores) the information; finally, the brain retrieves information when you need it.

Many brain regions are involved in this process. For example, the cerebral cortex — the large outer layer of the brain — acquires new information as input from our senses.

The amygdala tags information as being worthy of storage. Nearby, the hippocampus stores memories. And the frontal lobes help us consciously retrieve information.

Many people notice a difference in memory starting in their 50s. That’s when age-related chemical and structural changes can begin in brain regions involved with memory processing, such as the hippocampus or the frontal lobes. These changes may slow processing speed, making it hard to recall familiar names or words.

Other factors may be at play as well.

Working memory — a mental scratch pad that allows us to use important information throughout the day — is susceptible to depression, anxiety and stress. And a lack of sleep can affect the brain’s retention and use of information.

Here are some tips to make the most of the way your memory works now.

• Repeat what you hear out loud, such as someone’s name, an address or a new idea. Repetition increases the likelihood you’ll record the information and be able to retrieve it later. With each repetition, your brain has another opportunity to encode the information, so the connections between brain cells are reinforced.

• Make notes to remind you of people you need to call, errands to run, and appointments to make/keep. We are much better at recognition than recall. With recognition, such as reading a list, you have additional hooks or hints that help you find the information you’re looking for.

• Divide information into chunks. It’s easier to store little bits through working memory. For example, if you’re trying to memorize a speech, focus on getting only one sentence or idea down at a time, not the whole See FORGETFULNESS, page 19

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

17

Beware dangers of multiple medications

By Eleanor Laise As many aging patients develop multiple chronic conditions, the problem of drug interactions is growing worse. A 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that 36 percent of people age 62 to 85 were taking five or more prescription drugs in 2011, up from 31 percent five years earlier.

About 15 percent of older adults are at risk of major drug interactions, up from 8 percent in 2006, the study found.

Even when older patients are taking only necessary and effective drugs, the dosages may need a second look. As patients age, they tend to metabolize drugs more slowly, meaning the dose that was perfect five years ago may now be too high — perhaps causing dizziness and falls.

“Doses need to be continually adjusted with age, and most of the time that doesn’t happen,” said Kathleen Cameron, senior director of the National Council on Aging’s Center for Healthy Aging.

Cutting back A growing number of U.S. doctors are seeking to combat the problem by “deprescribing” — cutting back dosages or stopping unnecessary medications altogether.

Patients have an important role to play in the process, doctors say, including educating themselves about what drugs

they’re taking and why.

The benefits of deprescribing can include not only fewer side effects and drug interactions, research shows, but also fewer falls, cognitive improvement, higher patient satisfaction and reduced costs.

But the process is not quick or simple.

You shouldn’t stop any medication without consulting your physician. A doctor should assess which medications may be safely cut back, and trim one at a time, monitoring for withdrawal symptoms and the return of any conditions the drug was meant to treat.

“Polypharmacy” — the use of multiple medications — can be an issue not just when your pillbox is overflowing but “anytime you’re on something you shouldn’t be on,” said Ranit Mishori, M.D., professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Perhaps you went to your doctor with a problem that was actually a medication side effect, but your doctor thought it was a new medical problem and prescribed yet another drug to treat it. “It’s a domino effect,” said Chris Hwang, M.D., clinical instructor in geriatrics at Crozer-Keystone Health System in Pennsylvania.

Steps to manage medications Keep an up-to-date list of all your med-

ications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, in your wallet or on your smartphone so it can be easily shared with doctors, Cameron suggested.

Try to use a single pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, she added, so the pharmacist can look for interactions among your drugs.

When your doctor is reaching for the prescription pad, ask if there might be any non-drug treatment options — such as stretching or acupuncture for chronic pain.

When you do get a new prescription, ask how long you’re supposed to take the drug. If you’ve been taking a certain drug for a long time, ask your doctor whether it’s still beneficial to take it.

If you have a Medicare Part D prescrip-

tion-drug plan or Medicare Advantage, you may be eligible for a free program that can help streamline your list of medications.

Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions and total annual drug costs of about $4,000 or more may be automatically enrolled in a Medication Therapy Management program.

A pharmacist will review all of your drugs, assessing their effectiveness, potential side effects and interactions, and give you an action plan to discuss with your doctor.

If you’re not eligible for the program, Cameron said, ask your pharmacist for a comprehensive medication review at least once a year. © 2018, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a mobility device that’s truly unique.

They created a battery that provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. The Zinger features two steering levers, one on either side of the seat. The user pushes both levers down to go forward, pulls them both up to brake, and pushes one while pulling the other to turn to either side. This enables great mobility, the ability to turn on a dime and to pull right up to tables or desks. The controls are right on the steering arm so it’s simple to operate, and its exclusive footrest swings out of the way when you stand up or sit down. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the Zinger is sturdy and durable yet lightweight and comfortable! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat or trunk– you can even gate-check it at the airport like a stroller. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

19

Creative shoe lacing helps ease foot pain Q: I just bought my third pair of gym shoes, and none of them seem to be comfortable. Could I be tying them wrong?

A: Today’s mass-produced shoes often don’t accommodate the quirks of individual feet, which may be wide or narrow, or have arches that are high or low.

Retying your shoes can make adjustments for those differences, and in some cases, ease your pain.

Foot pain might stem from any of a variety of issues, such as bunions, hammertoes, corns, calluses, ingrown nails, pinched nerves or neuromas, and heel pain from plantar fasciitis. Many of these problems can be aggravated by improperly — or even properly — fitted footwear. Women who opt for narrow shoes and high heels are more likely to develop foot pain.

Depending on the source of the pain,

taking a few minutes to adjust the laces of your gym shoes could be a good first step to help alleviate soreness. It is certainly worth a try to see if this would decrease any pain or discomfort during walking or any athletic activities.

While there is no evidence-based medical research to validate that varying your lacing method can bring pain relief, there’s little reason not to give it a shot.

Adjusting your shoelace placement is easy to do by repositioning the laces in the eyelets, which are the small holes that run on either side of the tongue of your shoe through which you thread the laces. You can target your specific foot problem by changing which eyelets the laces pass through.

If your feet are wide, try lacing your shoes horizontally instead of using an overlapping X pattern. If your shoes feel too tight in spots, try skipping a few eyelets at

Forgetfulness

professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

For additional consumer health information, visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2018 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 16 speech in one take.

— Robert H. Shmerling, M.D. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., is associate

intervals to ease pressure at those points.

If you’re having pain in your heels, be sure to tie your laces tightest in the spot closest to your heel and loosen them in the front, toward your toes. Anchor the laces at the top by making a loop at the last eyelet before you tie it closed.

While some achy feet may be helped by a quick shoelace adjustment, in other instances pain may signal something more significant that warrants a doctor’s attention.

Depending on the issue or problem, you

should see your doctor about foot pain if it doesn’t get better despite wearing different shoes and changing how you tie them.

Pay particular attention to symptoms that may signal an urgent problem, such as a foot or toe that is hot, red or swollen.

These symptoms may indicate a stress fracture, infection, arthritis or gout.

— Howard LeWine, M.D. © 2018 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Studies Page

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Vaccine study focuses on C. diff bacteria

By Barbara Ruben The bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. diff for short) exists throughout the environment, and can often be found inside people’s intestines.

While it frequently causes no or few symptoms, it can cause a range of intestinal woes, including frequent diarrhea, inflammation of the colon, fever, nausea and abdominal pain.

In severe cases, it can be life-threatening.

Those most at risk of getting sick due to C. diff are older adults, those who are taking antibiotics, and people being treated in a healthcare facility.

The latter are at risk because the bacteria’s spores can survive outside of the body for months, lingering on surfaces

and resisting cleaning. As a result, they are frequently found in doctor’s offices and hospitals, and patients can become infected by touching surfaces that are contaminated or by coming into contact with healthcare workers or patients who have the bacteria or spores on their hands.

Antibiotics’ role “Antibiotic use is the most common cause of developing C. diff. Although antibiotics are prescribed to fight an infection, antibiotics decrease the amount of ‘good bacteria’ in the intestinal tract. This creates an environment where a decrease in the good bacteria gets ‘overrun’ with C. diff,” said Steve Poretz, a registered nurse with Clinical Al-

liance for Research & Education — Infectious Diseases (CARE ID), which is helping test a new vaccine to prevent the infection.

“Despite excellent infection prevention hygiene in the hospital setting, it is very challenging to prevent the transmission between patients,” Poretz continued. “Patients also can develop C. diff by taking oral antibiotics in the outpatient setting from managing a simple sinus infection,” he said.

In addition, “C. diff has become increasingly challenging to treat due to more severe strains and resistance. Prevention is always better than having to treat,” he said.

CARE ID is now looking for patients to join the CLOVER (Clostridium Difficile Vaccine Efficacy Trial) that may help de-

crease the chance of getting sick due to C. diff. Since the bacteria is found most often in healthcare settings, people who have been hospitalized more than two nights over the last year, made more than two visits to the ER in the last year, or have had at least 10 outpatient doctor visits in the last year qualify to participate, although other patients may also qualify.

“The main qualifying criteria for our patients is any use of antibiotics within the last 12 weeks prior to enrollment. They can be currently taking antibiotics and still enroll,” Poretz said.

Participants must be 60 or older and not have had a previous infection with C. diff.

They also cannot have had a transfusion of blood products or immunoglobulins in the last six months, have cancer, end-stage renal disease, or be taking drugs that suppress the immune system.

Taking part in the study Those in the study will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will get the C. diff vaccine, while the others will get a sham vaccine with an inactive ingredient.

Participants will get three doses of the vaccine. They may also have a physical exam, urine tests and submit stool samples.

Participation in the study lasts between 18 and 42 months. Participants will make five office visits within the first seven months.

During the study, they will be given an electronic diary and asked to record any symptoms they might be having. They will also receive periodic contact from the study team, including regular electronic reminders about participation, as well as routine telephone calls after 12 months and at the end of the study.

“This is a phase III trial, so it is the last phase to determine if the vaccine is effective. The previous phases have not revealed significant side effects to the vaccine. In our participants, we have not seen patients report fever, redness or systemic side effects after receiving the vaccine,” Poretz said.

Participants receive a $50 check at each completed visit. There are a total of six visits.

For more information, call (703) 5604821 or see www.clovertrial.com.

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Ongoing

FREE EXERCISE CLASSES

Herndon Senior Center offers free SAIL (Stay Active & Independent for Life) exercise classes on Tuesdays and Thursday now through Thursday, Sept. 6 at 2:30 p.m. There is no registration or assessment. For more information and a complete list of classes, call (703) 464-6200.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

21

Viruses may play a role in Alzheimer’s

By Lauran Neergaard Viruses that sneak into the brain just might play a role in Alzheimer’s, scientists reported in a provocative study that promises to reignite some long-debated theories about what triggers the mind-robbing disease.

The findings don’t prove viruses cause Alzheimer’s, nor do they suggest it’s contagious. But a team led by researchers at New York’s Mount Sinai Health System found that certain viruses — including two extremely common herpes viruses — affect the behavior of genes involved in Alzheimer’s.

The idea that infections earlier in life might somehow set the stage for Alzheimer’s decades later has simmered at the edge of mainstream medicine for years. It’s been overshadowed by the prevailing theory that Alzheimer’s stems from sticky beta-amyloid plaques that clog the brain.

The study has even some specialists who never embraced the infection connection saying it’s time for a closer look, especially as attempts to block those plaques have failed.

“With an illness this terrible, we cannot afford to dismiss all scientific possibilities,” said Dr. John Morris, who directs the Alzheimer’s research center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He wasn’t involved in the new research but called it impressive.

Dangerous immune response The study also fits with mounting evidence that how aggressively the brain’s immune system defends itself against viruses or other germs may be riskier than an actual infection, said Alzheimer’s specialist Dr. Rudolph Tanzi of Massachusetts General Hospital.

With Harvard colleague Dr. Robert Moir, Tanzi has performed experiments showing that sticky beta-amyloid captures invading germs by engulfing them — and that’s why the plaque starts forming in the first place.

“The question remained, OK, in the Alzheimer brain what are the microbes that matter; what are the microbes that trigger the plaque?” explained Tanzi, who also had no role in the new research.

The team from Mount Sinai and Arizona State University came up with some viral suspects — by accident. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, wasn’t hunting viruses but was looking for new drug targets for Alzheimer’s.

The researchers were using complex genetic data from hundreds of brains at several brain banks to compare differences between people who’d died with Alzheimer’s and the cognitively normal.

The first clues that viruses were around “came screaming out at us,” said Mount Sinai geneticist Joel Dudley, a senior author of the research, published in the journal Neuron.

The team found viral genetic material at far higher levels in Alzheimer’s-affected brains than in normal ones. Most abun-

dant were two human herpes viruses, See ALZHEIMER’S, page 22

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Alzheimer’s From page 21 known as HHV6a and HHV7, that infect most people during childhood, often with no symptoms, and then lie dormant in the body.

That wasn’t unusual. Since 1980, other researchers have linked a variety of bacteria and viruses, including another type of herpes that causes cold sores, to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. But it was never clear if the germs were merely bystanders, or actively spurring Alzheimer’s.

The new study went farther: Researchers used computer models to check how the viral genes interacted with human genes, proteins and amyloid buildup, almost like the viruses’ social media connections, Dudley explained.

“We’re able to see if viral genes are friending some of the host genes, and if they tweet, who tweets back,” Dudley said metaphorically.

They found a lot of interactions, suggesting the viruses could even switch Alzheimer’s-related genes on and off. To see if those interactions mattered, the researchers bred mice lacking a particular gene that herpes seemed to turn off. Sure enough, those mice developed more amyloid plaques, suggesting that herpes might have the same effect.

“I look at this paper and it makes me sit up and say, ‘Wow,’” said Alzheimer’s Association scientific programs director Keith Fargo. He said the research makes a viral connection much more plausible, but cautioned that the study won’t affect how today’s patients are treated.

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Will antiviral drugs help?

If the findings pan out, they could change how scientists look for new ways to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s, said Dr. Miroslaw Mackiewicz of NIH’s National Institute on Aging.

Already, NIH is funding a first-step study to see if an antiviral drug benefits people who have both mild Alzheimer’s and different herpes viruses.

Just having a herpes virus “does not mean you’re going to get Alzheimer’s,” Mass General’s Tanzi stressed. It may not even have penetrated the brain.

But in another study soon to be pub-

lished, Tanzi showed biologically how both HHV6 and a cold sore-causing herpes virus can trigger or “seed” amyloid plaque formation, supporting the Mount Sinai findings.

Still, he doesn’t think viruses are the only suspects.

“The Mount Sinai paper tells us the viral side of the story. We still have to work out the microbe side of the story,” said Tanzi, who is looking for bacteria and other bugs in what’s called the Brain Microbiome Project. “The brain was always thought to be a sterile place. It’s absolutely not true.”

— AP

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Aug. 13+

GRIEF SUPPORT FOR MEN

Montgomery Hospice presents “Getting a Handle on your Grief,” a two-day session just for men on Mondays, Aug. 13 and 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. This session is also led by male counselors. Montgomery Hospice is located at 1355 Piccard Dr., #100, Rockville, Md. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (301) 921-4400 or email LHorenstein@montgomeryhospice.org.

Aug. 28

DEMENTIA EDUCATION

There will be a free dementia education class called “Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors” on Tuesday, Aug. 28 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The class will be taught by the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter’s programs and services manager Melissa Barber at Germantown Community Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Dr., Germantown, Md. Registration is required by contacting Barber at (240) 428-1342. For more information, or to ask about supervised caregiving for your loved one during the program, contact Karen Miller at (202) 735-3464 or karen.miller@accessjca.org.

Ongoing

WIDOW OUTREACH

Widowed Persons Outreach, a free community service sponsored

by Sibley Hospital, is looking for volunteers to act as one-on-one mentors, submit articles for the newsletter, help with special events, work in the office or with grief support groups. The group also needs volunteers to help mail letters informing recently bereaved spouses about their services. For more information, call Marti Bailey at (202) 660-5658, who will explain the process and training.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

23

Fresh corn shines in salmon corn chowder

By Katie Workman Certain foods just need to be made and eaten at least once a summer. Corn chowder (or chowdah, as my in-laws would say) is one.

And if you are in a place where the ears of fresh sweet corn are piled high at the market (often for pennies an ear), then you must make it more than once.

There are lots of ways to go — simple, seafood, creamy, chunky. This recipe is loaded with nuggets of baked salmon, and qualifies as a main course chowder, if you wish.

If you have other kinds of fish or seafood, you can sub them in. Clams, scallops, cod — all delicious. Just make sure they are in soup-appropriate bite-size pieces.

You can sauté them as directed in the recipe, but if they are left over from another summer meal, then you can skip that step.

Salmon Corn Chowder Servings: 8 Start to finish: 40 minutes 2 pounds skinless salmon fillets 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup minced shallots 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 6 Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice 4 cups corn kernels (from about 8 ears) 1 cup half-and-half 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste For garnish (choose one or both): Sliced scallions Crumbled cooked bacon (optional) Minced fresh dill Cut the salmon into 1-inch pieces. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add half the salmon

and sauté just until the outside turns opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, and repeat with the other half of the salmon.

Over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil in a stockpot or very large saucepan.

Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the potatoes. Partially cover the pot, keep the broth at a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup of the corn kernels with the half-andhalf. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out about 1/2 cup of cooked potatoes and add

those to the bender, and puree until smooth.

Add the mixture along with the remaining corn kernels and the dill back into the pot, and return to just barely a simmer.

Simmer gently for 2 minutes, add the partially cooked salmon, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for another 2 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, and serve hot with whatever garnishes you like.

Nutrition information per serving: 315 calories; 107 calories from fat; 12 g. fat (3 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 53 mg. cholesterol; 331 mg. sodium; 32 g. carbohydrate; 3 g. fiber; 5 g. sugar; 23 g. protein.

—AP

BEACON BITS

Aug.s 29

MILK ALTERNATIVES

Can’t tolerate dairy anymore or thinking of trying new options?

There are many alternatives to choose from. Enjoy a unique opportunity to sample several non-dairy milks in a blind taste test with Jennifer Weber and Nick Englund on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Mill Senior Center, 909 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington, Va. For more information or to register, call (703) 228-7369.

Aug. 9

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

Fairfax County is offering a free Adult Mental Health First Aid certification course on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 9 and 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Merrifield Center, 8221 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr., Fairfax, Va. Learn about the risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, understand their impact, and hear an overview of common treatments. For more information or to register, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/community-servicesboard/prevention.

Luxury Senior Living Community Now Open!

Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care apartments all available for move-in Waltonwood Ashburn caters to seniors who desire social opportunities, luxury amenities, and access to personal care services if needed. With a great location and warm, caring staff, you will feel right at home as soon as you step inside.

Apartments are renting quickly.

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www.Waltonwood.com | www.SinghJobs.com

24

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Aloe vera plant has many impressive uses Aloe vera made a couple of headlines recently. The first was when the actress Drew Barrymore dabbed some on a facial sore and it instantly took out the redness.

The second was when Prop 65 regulations in California called out a known carcinogen in aloe vera called “aloin.”

But don’t worry, aloe will never get banned!

Not to be morbid from the get-go, but extracted compounds from this spiky succulent plant were used in the Middle East during ancient times to clean dead bodies and prepare them for burial.

Plants of aloe give us two very different substances: one is called “gel” and the

other is called “latex.” Both have medicinal value.

The gel is the clear part that comes from the center of the leaf. You know it well. It looks like jelly, and it’s what you put on your skin for cuts and minor burns.

The aloe latex is visible just beneath the plant’s outer skin, and it’s yellow in color.

This has a laxative effect on the body.

Aloe is very useful for psoriasis, food sensitivities, diabetes, gastritis and gingivitis. If these topics interest you, I have a longer version of this article that I’ll email to you if you sign up to receive my free health newsletter at suzycohen.com.

Right now, here are 10 things you can

ucts, marketed as dietary supplements, use your aloe plant for: which might help with constipation. Some 1. Moisturize yourself people like this; others react Mix some into your favorite poorly. lotion and put on your face or 9. Succulent facial arms.

Do you want softer skin 2. Heal bug bites and more radiance without Dab aloe gel directly onto spending a fortune on fancy painful or itchy bug bites, or creams? Apply the gel to your first combine the aloe in the cheeks and forehead and rest palm of your hand with some for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat hydrocortisone cream. dry.

3. Cool off burns 10. Soothe a sunburn Squeeze a dab of aloe vera DEAR Snap off a stalk from your into traditional burn ointment PHARMACIST aloe plant and apply the clear and use on superficial burns.

By Suzy Cohen gel onto the sunburned area 4. Soothe eczema itch You can buy any salt or sugar for a natural cooling balm. It scrub that feels good to you and just mix in helps with redness and inflammation. aloe vera gel.

These uses sound great, and they are 5. Ease dandruff for most people. Occasionally with aloe, Find a selenium sulfide-based shampoo you hear of unexpected problems such and add some aloe vera gel to the sham- as diarrhea, skin or eye irritation, and poo, then massage into your scalp. possibly dehydration from the laxative 6. Fix gingivitis effect.

Squeeze some aloe vera gel onto your This information is opinion only. It is not toothbrush and brush like normal. intended to treat, cure or diagnose your con7. Shave your legs dition. Consult with your doctor before using Instead of using expensive, perfumed any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist shaving cream on your legs, use aloe vera and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist gel. and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To 8. Get moving There are commercially prepared prod- contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

The Village at Rockville presents

2018 Dementia Education Series

These events are part of a series of six events focused on caring for individuals with dementia.

August 14, 3 – 4 p.m. I Cognitive Impairment and Falls: Understanding How Dementia Contributes to Falls - Dr. Ann Morrison, PhD, RN, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

September 24, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I CRUISE Through Caregiving: How to Reduce the Stress of Caring for a Loved One Who Has Dementia - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

October 9, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I Navigating the Mid to Late Stages of Dementia (Without Falling Overboard) - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

November 6, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I Promises in Caregiving: Why You Shouldn’t Make Them and How to Undo Them - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

Space is limited.

RSVP to

The Village at Rockville

sflowerswilliams@thevillageatrockville.org

A National Lutheran Community

Learn more and view more events in this dementia series at www.thevillageatrockville.org/events

9701 Veirs Drive Rockville, MD 20850

301-424-9560

Light refreshments will be served.

The Village at Rockville is sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, !"#$!%#&%!'"()* *+"%,(!$("-.(/01 2.3*413(56"-.%1 (7-6%4-(* (8).%*419(+.%0* 2(&.!&3.(!$(133(:.3*.$+;(

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

25

Some challenges of second marriages band, who’s retired, goes to visit his chilDear Solutions: I’m about to marry a widower (I’m di- dren and grandchildren almost every Sunday because they live vorced) who has a very large nearby. I go with him once in beautiful house. a while, but mostly I don’t My fiancé lived there with because I love to have that his wife and children all day to myself. through the years and even He doesn’t object, but has an of fice there. He other people say it’s not wants me to move into the right, and that I’m showing house, but I’m very nervous disrespect by not going with about it. him. So now I feel guilty I want him to sell it, and every time Sunday comes we’re beginning to argue SOLUTIONS around. I guess people think about it. His wife’s furnishBy Helen Oxenberg, I’m cold. ings are everywhere, and I MSW, ACSW — Amy feel her in every room. His sons definitely feel like it’s “their” Dear Amy: Wrapping yourself in the guilt quilt will house.

He insists that it’s practical to live not make you feel warm. The only person there, and jokingly calls it his “Cozy you should concern yourself with is your Cottage.” It’s tempting because it’s husband, and he doesn’t object.

I’ll bet he likes to have that day to himvery beautiful, but I don’t know if I self also. Don’t worry about what other should give in. What do you think?

— Second Time Around people say. Just smile and say “that’s our arrangement,” or say nothing.

Dear Second: Some people, of course, love to feel Be careful. Sounds like his “Cozy Cottage” could become your “Haunted guilty, so if you’re one of those, here comes Sunday — run for cover!

House”!

A house is not a home unless you can Dear Solutions: I know this probably sounds stupid, make it yours. I believe strongly that when two people are starting a new life together but I can’t help my reactions. I’m dithey should start it in a new place that will vorced, and I’m going out with a man who is constantly doing what I supbe theirs.

Not only do you feel like a stranger in pose is considerate.

He runs to my side of the car to open that house, but even if you refurnish, his sons, who lived there with their mother, the door for me. He takes my arm when may look at you as an intruder and resent we’re about to cross a street. He holds my elbow when I’m walking down the your presence.

Make it an exciting adventure to start stairs and so on.

All of this just annoys me, and I out together in a new environment. A new don’t know why. My husband never marriage deserves a new home. did any of those things, and I always Dear Solutions: I’m in a second marriage. My hus- wanted him to. So why am I angry at a

man who does it all?

— Jane Dear Jane: Because he’s not the man that you wanted to have those things done by — your ex-husband! You’re displacing your anger at your ex onto this poor man who’s trying so hard to please you.

At the same time, this kind of attention or “help” crossing streets or walking down stairs may be making you feel dependent

and old just when you’re trying to become more independent as a divorced woman.

Try telling him that you appreciate his caring, but you want to feel more independent and need to do things under your own power.

If that doesn’t work, please publicize his number for all the women reading this while their mouths water! © Helen Oxenberg, 2018. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

26

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

VOLUME XXIX, ISSUE 8

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

By Laura Newland Executive Director, D.C. Office on Aging Last month, I got a chance to read some incredible stories. Tales of love, loss, finding purpose, and overcoming in the face of adversity. These were the stories of our older Washingtonians. In July, members of the Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center launched their “Stories into Books” project, a collection of memoirs from 15 District seniors, compiled into two books.

It was a privilege for me to learn more about the personal life stories, amazing journeys, triumphs and disappointments of some of the seniors, whom I’ve known for years.

It got me thinking about my own parents and the stories they’ve kept filed away in their memory bank. Like many of us, the realization that my parents actually had a life that went beyond raising me and my siblings was unfathomable throughout my childhood — and admittedly into adulthood. It occurred to me that I’ve only ever known one version of my parents — the version seen through my own experiences.

My dad turns 70 this month, and I hadn’t quite figured out what to do for him for his birthday. After reading these memoirs, I’ve decided that I’d like to help my dad write his own memoir — the way he wants it to be told, and in his own words. The older I get, the more important it has become for me to get to know the version of my dad that didn’t revolve around me and my siblings.

There’s more to his story.

And I know there’s more to your story. How do you want your story to be told? Is it the story of your family? Is it a reflection of your life and the choices you’ve had to make? No matter who you are, you have a story to tell, and you may be surprised that those closest to you are interested in knowing your story, in your own words.

Now I know there are a lot of great story tellers out there — my dad is no exception — but I encourage you to really look at how you can reconstruct your experiences into written words.

Memoirs are not just for the famous. It’s about inviting others to understand your perspective, and that’s just as important. Part of being a community is remembering together and understanding each other.

If you’re interested in learning more about memoir writing, or if you’re interested in working with someone who can help put your story to words, reach out to us at 202-724-5626 or askthedirector.dcoa@dc.gov. Tell us your story. DCOA — with you.

Empowering D.C. Caregivers Join DCOA’s Savvy Caregiver Program (SCP) to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for your family member with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.

The SCP is for caregivers in D.C. who provide care for adults age 60 and over, or for adults with disabili-

ties, age 18 and older, living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. The program is delivered in two-hour sessions, over a six-week period.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Linda Irizarry at 202-5351442 or email Linda.Irizarry@dc.gov.

August 2018

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

Become a DCOA Ambassador

Train to become a DCOA Ambassador, and learn how the D.C. Office on Aging can connect you to services to help residents 60 and older, adults with differing abilities and their caregivers. Call 202-724-5626 to find out more and the next steps.

Whitman-Walker Health AND IONA introduce....

Silver circle

There’S still a few new tricks up your sleeve! !"#$"%&'()*(+,&(-.(/012&("#(345#46 ."!*%54,+(7(89:;(<,5+=>#?<>@A&%(B&>@+,6

Silver Circle is a bi-monthly, peer-led support group for DCJoin residents who us for Silver are over 60 and identify as aLGBTQ+.

Circle, bi-monthly, o Connect with other LGBTQ+ peer-led peers support o Create a safe space to talk about issuesfor thatthose impact you group o Build support to help navigateover challenges 60 who

identify as LGBTQ. Silver Circle will be held at the following locations: WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH 1525 14th St., NW Washington, DC 20005

MAX ROBINSON CENTER 2301 Martin Luther King Jr., Ave SE Washington, DC 20020

IONA SENIOR SERVICES 4125 Albemarle St., NW Washington, DC 20016

For more information on Silver Circle, email mmitchell@whitman-walker.org or call 202.939.7646

Age Well. Live Well.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Spotlight on Aging

Choir Performs Anniversary Program The Senior Community Voices choir of Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center celebrated its 15th anniversary, wearing purple and white and marching in to “We are Soldiers.” The choir is led by Mary McCoy and is accompanied by volunteers Calvin Fields on keyboard and Roger Lee on saxophone.

The 24 members of the choir sang several selections during the anniversary program before featured guest Shirley Ables performed. Ables is a Grammy-nominated Wammy Award recipient, and has been inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame. Ables also

teaches voice and piano locally to students from 8 to 80 years of age.

The anniversary program was well attended by center participants, family members and friends. Florestine Jones and Joseph Harris did an excellent job as the choir chairpersons.

Elsie Miller and Shirley Brown were the oldest members of the choir and among the honorees for the event.

Miller will celebrate her 90th birthday in November.

Congratulations members on 15 years of providing music to your center and for the community!

Wednesday, Aug. 1 11 to 11:30 a.m.

D.C. Office on Aging, Mayor’s Office on Community Relations and Services and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services hosts its monthly Senior Telephone Town Hall Topic: Smart Budgeting To RSVP or to request reasonable accommodations, call 202-442-8150 or email engagement.dc@dc.gov

Monday, Aug. 6 10 a.m. to noon D.C. Office on Aging/Partners will be participating in a workshop at D.C. Jail, Correctional Treatment Facility 1301 E St. SE, Ward 6

D.C. Office on Aging will provide an informational table National Night Out Mary Virginia Merrick Center 5275 4th St. SE, Ward 8 Open to the public

Tuesday, Aug. 7 5 to 8 p.m.

D.C. Office on Aging will provide an informational table National Night Out Montana Terrace 1625 Montana Ave. NE, Ward 5 Open to the public

Thursday, Aug. 9 4 to 10 p.m.

Out & About: Seabury Resources for Aging LGBTQ Older Adults Programs Rooftop Party at Embassy Row Hotel 2015 Massachusetts Ave. NW Contact: Billy Kluttz, LGBTQ program coordinator, at bkluttz@seaburyresources.org or 202-397-1726

Friday, Aug. 10 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Department of Disability Services Kellogg Conference Center, Gallaudet University 800 Florida Ave., Ward 5

500 K St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5626 www.dcoa.dc.gov

Executive Director Laura Newland

Editor Darlene Nowlin

Photographer Selma Dillard

The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

27

Get Involved

Tuesday, Aug. 7 5 to 8 p.m.

Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Saturday, Aug. 11 Penn Branch Block Party noon to 6 p.m.

D.C. Office on Aging will provide an informational table Penn Branch Block Party 3600 Block of Texas Avenue SE, Ward 7 Open to the public

Thursday, Aug. 16 3 to 4 p.m.

Out & About: Seabury Resources for Aging LGBTQ Older Adults Programs Advisory Council Meeting Share your perspectives on the strengths and needs of LGBTQ older adults.

We’ll have an informal conversation, plan future activities, and enjoy refreshments.

Seabury Ward 6 555 Water St. SW

Contact: Billy Kluttz, LGBTQ Program Coordinator, at bkluttz@seaburyresources.org or 202-397-1726

Saturday, Aug. 18 3 to 7 p.m.

Mayor Bowser Presents the 4th Annual Chuck Brown Day D.C. Office on Aging will provide an informational table Chuck Brown Band, Trouble Funk & the Crank Crusaders Chuck Brown Memorial Park 2901 20th St. NE Free to the public

Thursday, Aug. 23 10 a.m. to noon Train to become a DCOA Ambassador D.C. Office on Aging 500 K St. NE Call 202-724-5626 to register.

Thursday, Aug. 23 Noon to 3 p.m.

Out & About: Seabury Resources for Aging LGBTQ Older Adults Programs LGBTQ-Friendly Travel Panel Discussion Travel agents with expertise in LGBTQfriendly travel will share their experiences and tips on LGBTQ-friendly destinations and travel advice.

DC Center for the LGBT Community 2000 14th St. NW Contact Billy Kluttz, LGBTQ Program Coordinator, at bkluttz@seaburyresources.org or 202-397-1726

Tuesday, Aug. 28 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Out & About: Seabury Resources for Aging LGBTQ Older Adults Programs Voices Up Story Hour Seabury Voices Up welcomes Diana from Equality Virginia’s Transgender Advocacy Speakers Bureau as she shares her story with participants. We’ll hear Diana’s story, share Q & A, and enjoy refreshments together.

Mt. Vernon Place UMC 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW Contact Billy Kluttz, LGBTQ Program Coordinator, at bkluttz@seaburyresources.org or 202-397-1726

Saturday, Aug. 25 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nineteenth Street Baptist Church End of Summer Community Fair D.C. Office on Aging & Partners Graciously Supports Nineteenth Street Baptist Church & Great Music on the Lawn from (from 3 to 5 p.m.)

4606 16th St. NW, Ward 4 Contact: Nineteenth Street Church office, 202-829-2774

Saturday, Aug. 25 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

DC Office on Aging will provide an informational table Langston Terrace 80th Year Anniversary Celebration 2101 G St. NE, Ward 5

28

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Money Law &

STAYING ON THE JOB How to cope with age discrimination during a job search and while working BEYOND YOUR WILL A will is good, but a true estate plan helps your wishes get implemented FREE FOR ALL Find out how to get free music lessons, stock trades and even counseling FAMILY TIES Are you legally obligated to support your parents? It depends where you live

Here’s how I size up which stock to buy

By Kathy Kristof I like to buy shares when a company’s price-earnings ratio is less than the sum of its earnings-growth rate and its dividend yield.

My goal is to find stocks that investors have mispriced — when the P in a P/E is too low, given a company’s prospects for increasing profits and its dividend payout.

My formula is a version of the dividend-adjusted PEG ratio, long favored by Peter Lynch and other revered value investors.

Putting my formula to work Publicly traded companies’ price-earnings ratios and dividend yields are widely reported. I use projected earnings for the company’s current year and for the following year.

You can find earnings projections at Yahoo Finance. Call up the stock and click on the tab marked “analysis.” At the top of that page are per-share earnings estimates for the current and next quarter, and the current and next year.

At the bottom of that page, under

“growth estimates,” you’ll find how fast analysts expect earnings to grow.

Before you leave this page, also take a look at the section in the middle titled “earnings history,” which shows what analysts had expected earnings to be in the recent past. What I like to see is that analysts have either been accurate or have projected low, allowing the company to “beat” the projection.

If the column shows a string of negative numbers, it means analysts have overestimated profits and really don’t have a handle on what to expect. It may be time to look for another stock.

If all’s well, click the tab marked “financials” and examine the company’s income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements. You want to see income that’s rising steadily, plenty of cash and shortterm investments on the balance sheet, and more than enough free cash flow (the cash left after making the capital expenditures necessary to maintain the business) to cover the dividend.

Check SEC filings, too Still interested? Go to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website and search for the company’s latest SEC filings. The company’s annual report is called the 10-K. I like to make sure I understand the business, and to see what management has to say about the company’s progress and prospects, which is usually in the chairman’s letter up front.

I then look at the financial statements in the back, where at least three years’ worth of data is reported.

Yahoo is theoretically reporting most of the same numbers. But Yahoo often picks up “adjusted” earnings, which may exclude a laundry list of supposedly one-time items. Sometimes these adjustments are legitimate. Sometimes I think they’re essentially excuses for not doing better.

If the company has adjusted its earnings, I go back to previous 10-K reports to see whether these adjustments are truly one-time items. If they’re done routinely

— and the adjustments are throwing out costs that I think are a regular part of doing business — I move on.

Before leaving the 10-K, I glance at the stock-performance chart, which shows how the company’s shares have fared against competitors over the past several years.

Finally, if I’m still happy with what I see, look at the DEF 14A, also known as the proxy statement. This tells me how management is paid. I want to see a management team that isn’t overpaying itself given its performance.

If the company’s executives are in the top percentiles for pay (this will be noted in the compensation report) but the stock is in the bottom percentiles for performance (from the stock graph in the 10-K), there’s a problem.

But if all looks good, I either buy it or put the stock on a wish list to buy when I have more cash — or when the price falls. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ways to maximize returns on your cash

By Eleanor Laise Savers with high cash balances face a conundrum: How can they earn competitive yields without sacrificing federal deposit insurance coverage?

As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, the question takes on greater urgency.

Some banks are now offering yields north of 2 percent, which is the Fed’s inflation target, “so for the first time in more than a decade, savers are in a position where they can have a positive after-inflation return without giving up federal deposit insurance protection,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com.

The issue for savers with sizable cash balances — including many retirees — is that federal deposit insurance typically covers only $250,000 for each account type that you hold at a single bank. So keeping all of your cash in the highest-yielding account you can find may not be a safe option.

There are ways to earn decent yields while maintaining full insurance coverage — including titling accounts in different ways at a single bank, opening accounts at multiple banks, and taking advantage of on-

line services that will spread your money among several banks while optimizing your yield. For someone with a substantial cash hoard, “a difference of a quarter percentage point makes a big difference in interest income and could well justify doing a little additional legwork,” McBride said.

Despite the low rates of recent years, wealthy savers clearly don’t see cash as trash. In 2017, the average high net worth individual stashed about 21 percent of assets in cash and cash equivalents, according to the Capgemini World Wealth Report.

But those who aren’t hunting for the best yields may pay a hefty price. Although some online banks have offered more-generous yields as the Fed raises rates, many brick-and-mortar banks have been slow to pass on higher rates to depositors.

One of the best ways to earn juicy yields at the bank — a rewards checking account — does little to help high-balance savers.

These accounts are offering yields of up to 5 percent, but those generous rates apply only up to a certain balance — often $10,000 or $15,000.

What’s more, savers who want to earn the

highest yields in these accounts typically must jump through some hoops, such as completing 15 debit card transactions per month. So maintaining multiple accounts may be too much work.

Spread the wealth around A simpler option: Consider an online service that will spread your cash among high-yield accounts at multiple banks.

MaxMyInterest, launched in 2014, allocates customers’ money among online savings accounts offered by Barclays, Ally Bank, American Express, Goldman Sachs and UFB Direct. The service, which has no minimum balance requirement, keeps the amount in each account under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. limit, and it allows an individual saver using all five banks to easily insure up to $1.25 million.

At least once a month, or as often as the customer requests, MaxMyInterest reallocates the cash to take advantage of the highest rates.

To get started, customers link a checking account to MaxMyInterest and indicate how much they’d like to keep in the

checking account. The service optimizes the yield on the excess amount by spreading it among the online savings accounts.

The average customer is earning a yield of more than 1.6 percent, said chief executive officer Gary Zimmerman. But the service is not free: Annual fees total 0.08 percent of the amount optimized.

High-balance savers willing to do their own homework can avoid the fees — but getting a decent yield requires some effort. Websites such as Bankrate.com and DepositAccounts.com can help you find banks offering the best rates.

Boost FDIC coverage at one bank If you want to keep all your cash under one roof, you can boost your FDIC coverage at a single bank by maintaining multiple accounts that are titled differently.

For example, a married couple could have a joint account insured up to $500,000, two individual accounts each insured up to $250,000, and two retirement accounts each covered up to $250,000, See MAXIMIZE CASH, page 29

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

29

How to make the most of rising CD rates

By Lisa Gerstner As the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates, banks have been more generous in boosting yields on short-term certificates of deposit than on other types of deposit accounts. Even brick-and-mortar institutions — which lag Internet banks when it comes to pushing up rates on deposit accounts —

are loosening the CD purse strings.

Recently, with a $5,000 minimum deposit you could earn as much as 2.5 percent on a nationally available one-year CD, compared with 2 percent on a money market deposit account. With a deposit of only $500, a one-year CD from Marcus by Goldman Sachs yields 2.2 percent. If the pub-

Maximize cash

kered certificates of deposit issued by various banks. These CDs, available through brokerage firms such as Vanguard and Fidelity, are traded on a secondary market and may respond more quickly than direct CDs to interest-rate changes, giving savers higher yields as rates rise.

But they come with several caveats.

FDIC coverage on secondary-market brokered CDs applies only to the par value. If you purchase these CDs at a premium, the amount above par won’t be covered.

Avoid callable CDs, which allow the bank to terminate the CD early. And only buy brokered CDs when you’re certain you’re going to hold them to maturity. If you try to sell early in a rising-rate environment, “you could take a bath,” McBride said.

As rates rise, savers should also look at options beyond the bank. Yields on Treasury bills and notes have climbed substantially and “are very competitive with CD rates and Internet banks,” Tumin said — and they’re backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

The six-month Treasury bill, for example, yielded 2.19 percent in late July, compared with 2.05 percent for the top-yielding six-month CD listed on Bankrate.com.

You can buy Treasury bills directly from the federal government. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 28 bringing their total FDIC coverage to $1.5 million at a single bank.

Another approach: Set up a “payable on death” account — one that will transfer funds to your named beneficiaries upon your death — and designate multiple beneficiaries. Generally, deposits in such accounts are insured up to $250,000 for each beneficiary. You can name up to five beneficiaries and get up to $1.25 million in coverage on the one account.

Note that “each of the five beneficiaries doesn’t have to receive an equal amount of the deposit,” said Ken Tumin, editor of DepositAccounts.com. “You could have the vast majority going to one beneficiary,” and the FDIC still provides up to $1.25 million in coverage, he said. (If you have more than five beneficiaries, the rules get more complicated.)

To calculate how much FDIC coverage you might get with different account types, use the FDIC’s electronic deposit insurance estimator.

Consider brokered CDs While keeping all your cash in one place is convenient, “it very likely means you’re not getting the best yield,” McBride said.

Some savers aim to boost their yield — and their FDIC coverage — by buying bro-

lished rate on the Marcus CD rises within 10 days after you open an account, you’ll get the higher rate as long as you fund the CD in that period.

But investing in a CD now locks in your money at today’s rate. As the year passes, rates on savings and money market accounts are bound to keep rising. (Kiplinger expects

the Fed to increase short-term rates by a quarter percentage point two more times this year and three or four times next year.)

As a result, total earnings over a year with a top-yielding savings or money market account will likely be close to that of a See CD RATES, page 30

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The challenges of aging in the workplace

By Mary Kane Teresa Ghilarducci is an economics professor at the New School for Social Research in New York and the director of its Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. She has written extensively on money and retirement, including her newest book, Rescuing Retirement (Columbia University Press, $25) with Tony James, president of the Blackstone Group.

In this lightly edited conversation with Associate Editor Mary Kane of Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, Ghilarducci discusses staying on the job as you age and facing uncertainty in your 401(k).

Older workers often are encouraged to stay in the workforce, even past retirement age, to fund their retire-

ments. But what is the workplace reality for older employees, and how should they handle it?

It’s difficult to kind of stay in the game.

Things get harder to do, and it takes longer to learn new things.

Raise your hand when it comes to training. Being open and waiting for an opportunity is too passive. Seek ways to train yourself. It could be a weekend class, a weeklong seminar or a course.

You build into your performance review that you want to learn new skills. If you weren’t that kind of person before, you actually have to change your strategy.

How per vasive is age discrimination, and how can older workers, both women and men, deal with it?

Looking for work is just one aspect of age discrimination. Even more important is how you are treated at work, the raises you might get, the promotions, your risk for layoffs.

Data is showing women’s pay, even if they keep their jobs, falls faster than men’s. Inflation erodes it, and you might not get the extra hours or the promotion.

Share your pay scale with your male and female colleagues. It will make for moments of awkwardness, but it will pay you back in pay fairness and pay raises.

Men, too, face downward mobility at older ages. They are more likely to have to stay in the labor force longer if they have a sick partner.

Generationally, the numbers of baby boomers in the workforce will make pay transparency and age discrimination more salient, but only if we stick together.

Is it harder for older women to find jobs and to succeed at the office?

I give this advice to my mother and to every other woman I know who needs a job: Never refer to your age in a joking manner. We have no idea what effect we are creating when we say things like, “I’m having a senior moment.”

Don’t let yourself be called old. Don’t talk about your gray hair.

I tell people I’m 60. I happen to be 60.

And that’s it.

Men start to have these same kind of characteristics when they feel they are slipping in their late 60s, but it’s usually 10 years later than women.

What are some of the challenges older men face in staying in the workplace?

There’s an old way of thinking about

CD rates

for CDs with minimal early-withdrawal penalties. The Ally Bank 12-month High Yield CD recently offered 2.15 percent with a minimum $5,000 deposit, or 2.25 percent on a deposit of $25,000 or more, with an early-withdrawal penalty of only 60 days’ worth of interest. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 29 high-yielding one-year CD, said Ken Tumin, of DepositAccounts.com.

Still, you may favor the guaranteed yields that certificates of deposit provide — especially if you don’t plan to move your money in pursuit of higher rates.

If you think you may cash out early, look

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See AGING AT WORK, page 31

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

31

After writing a will, create an estate plan

By Jason R. Cross Most people have a will. But a simple will often doesn’t cover some complex issues facing your heirs, which is why I recommend an estate plan.

I work with doctors, accountants and other professionals, small-business owners, and people getting ready to retire.

They may have a will and a trust for their children, but an estate plan answers three fundamental questions: • What you want to happen after you pass away • Why you want it to happen • Who will ensure it happens Most people have legal documents that answer the first question; in addition to a will, these include powers of attorney, a healthcare directive and trusts.

But these documents rarely explain the intent or reasons for choosing to give money, property and other assets to some people and not others.

An estate plan provides clarity about each heir to your estate. And this can be particularly important if the deceased person had multiple marriages and families.

In addition, with a plan in place, you and your heirs will likely pay substantially less in taxes, fees and court costs, and avoid nasty family battles over your assets after you are gone.

Here are four tasks you’ll need to complete to get started: 1. Make a current statement of net

Aging at work From page 30 seniority and hierarchy at work. It was structured so the kind of knowledge older workers had was quite valuable, like managerial knowledge and the knowledge of how the machines worked.

That kind of specific knowledge is not as important now. Technology has sped up and changed the process, and now the hierarchy is flipped.

The younger workers may have the knowledge and skills needed to stay in the game. I think that’s harder for older men than older women. They once had the hierarchy and status. Women never really had it, anyway.

You describe 401(k) plans as part of a broken retirement system. Does the recent stock market volatility prove your point?

It’s a hashtag 2008 moment again. The record-smashing highs of the stock market did not help people’s retirement accounts. What goes up, comes back down.

People feel like their balances are high, but they need to be reminded they need other forms of retirement security. We still need to make Social Security and Medicare strong. And it really is political leaders who need to do that. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

worth This is a complete list of all assets, debts and life insurance. Assets will range from houses and personal property, to retirement and bank accounts. Debts will include any loans — a mortgage, home equity, car or credit card debt.

Include the approximate value of each asset, as well as the current owner(s) and any beneficiaries. For example, it’s likely that a married couple will jointly own their house.

But when it comes to retirement accounts, 401(k)s or individual retirement accounts, most will be in the name of each individual.

It’s vital to account for every asset, even some of the smallest ones. For example, in a California case, two siblings spent almost 10 years in court and more than $750,000 on legal fees in a dispute over who should inherit their father’s surfboard. If the father had identified the heir in his will, they

would have likely avoided financing an attorney’s vacation home!

2. Write a letter of intent and instruction After a person has died, disputes often arise. Even if a particular piece of property is given to one person, other heirs often will argue that “Mom and Dad really wanted me to have it.”

Writing a letter that explains the reasons — and the intent — for choosing to give a particular asset to a person can forestall needless family strife and legal challenges.

The letter should provide as many details as possible. For example, if you have decided to give an heirloom or other sentimental piece of property to only one person, state the reasons and intent behind this gift.

3. Choose the right decision-makers Several people may play key roles in enacting your estate plan, including the executor,

as well as possibly a trustee and guardian.

The executor, who will serve as your personal representative, often has a complex role. They will need to make important, time-sensitive decisions while the burden of losing a loved one weighs on their emotions.

Because of this situation, it may be difficult for a spouse to carry out these duties.

If the estate plan includes a trust, a trustee can be chosen to oversee it if your heirs may not have the financial ability to properly manage millions of dollars or other new assets. If you don’t know someone who can fill this role, consider a professional, such as a bank or corporate trustee.

The guardian will have legal responsibility for any minor children. If you have minor children, this position requires the most forethought and consideration. The See ESTATE PLAN, page 33

32

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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By Sarah Smith Only one thing beats getting a good price on something, and that’s getting it for free.

Our list of freebies is packed with something-for-nothing deals. We don’t allow any useless junk on our list — only quality goods and services that you would happily pay good money for (perhaps you’re already doing so).

Go ahead. Put away your wallet. We insist!

Free podcasts Whether you are a fan of true-crime, comedy or technology podcasts, there are apps and websites that help you avoid subscription and download fees so you can tune in to your favorite episodes while you’re at work, in the library, or tackling a home repair project on the weekend.

Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify let you listen to unlimited podcast episodes without paying. You can listen online, or install their free apps to listen on-the-go.

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Free counseling Sometimes you just need somebody to talk to. The website 7 Cups provides free counseling and listening services to those in need. The site (and its corresponding app) is based around an instant messaging model where you can either volunteer as a listener or message confidentially with a volunteer.

The site does have a premium version where you can chat with licensed therapists, but it’s designed to be an initial step for those seeking help.

See FREE THINGS, page 35

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CAREGIVING WEBINAR Fairfax County is offering a free “Dementia 101” webinar for family caregivers on Wednesday, Aug. 8 from noon to 1 p.m. Learn what

dementia is and how to distinguish the different types. For more information or to register, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/OlderAdults and click on Caregiver Support/Respite or call (703) 324-5205, TTY 711.

Aug. 30

CLOUD STORAGE Do you know what the cloud is and where it goes? Is it secure, and is there a cost? Tech guru Nick England will answer questions

about common cloud-based storage for your computer and wireless devices on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 2 p.m. at Arlington Mill Senior Center, 909 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington. For more information and to register, call (703) 228-7369.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Are you obligated to support your parents?

By Knight Kiplinger Question: My retired parents are having a hard time paying for their modest living expenses in Florida, and they might be facing home healthcare or nursing home costs soon.

I think my siblings and I should all chip in, but my brother is balking. He says we have no moral obligation to help our parents, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what government assistance is for. What do you think?

Answer: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m with you on this. I think filial responsibility is part of a social contract thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well-established tradition in many societies, such as China and India, but less so in western nations like the U.S. Assuming that your parents fulfilled their obligation as good parents â&#x20AC;&#x201D; spending a lot of effort and money to get you to adulthood and launching you in life â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you and your siblings owe them similar support in their old age (if they truly need it and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all able to afford a share).

This assistance could mean inviting them to live with you and your siblingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; families in rotation (a common tradition in many societies, as well as in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past), helping to pay for assistance in their

home, or sharing their nursing home costs.

If some siblings have more wherewithal than others, some can pay more and some can provide more care. This can be negotiated among the siblings, but no one should shirk the obligation to help in some way.

A family heart-to-heart talk is called for â&#x20AC;&#x201D; among the siblings first, then with Mom and Dad. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking here about a moral obligation, not a legal mandate.

On the other hand, 30 states â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including California, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, but not New York, the District of Columbia, or your parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home state, Florida â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have â&#x20AC;&#x153;filial responsibilityâ&#x20AC;? laws that require the support of indigent parents by children who can afford some degree of help.

These laws are rarely enforced, but that could change as our population rapidly ages and retirement costs accelerate.

Have a money-and-ethics question youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like answered in this column? Write to editor in chief Knight Kiplinger at ethics@kiplinger.com. Š 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Estate plan

your legal documents to ensure they understand and accept their responsibilities.

4. Make regular updates to your plan Review your estate plan at least every five years and at â&#x20AC;&#x153;milestoneâ&#x20AC;? events, such as marriage, divorce and new children.

Also, make certain to regularly update beneficiaries and potential decision makers.

Unfortunately, many people work hard to develop a plan, but even after several years, fail to update important information. Work with your financial adviser to ensure your estate plan is implemented. Otherwise, an estate plan that gathers dust over years is an expensive pile of paperwork. Š 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 31 guardian will in many ways be stepping into the role as parent.

If you would like your children to attend private schools, and a life insurance policy provides them the money to do that, the trustee and guardian will work together to carry out your wish.

Any instructions should provide context to help the trustee and guardian make the best decisions. For example, if you provide funds for a car that provides â&#x20AC;&#x153;reasonable comfort,â&#x20AC;? it could mean a Honda Accord for one person and a Mercedes-Benz to another.

Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided on a person for each role, speak with them prior to signing

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Free things From page 32 Similar to 7 Cups, Blah Therapy offers a premium version where you pay a monthly subscription fee to message a licensed therapist. However, it also has a completely free version that connects you with a trained listener who most likely has also been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Reachout, while not designed to take the place of in-person therapy, is a network of people diagnosed with chronic illnesses who provide peer counseling to each other.

Free smoke detectors According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in houses that don’t have properly working smoke detectors. In January 2018, Maryland passed a law requiring all residents to have a working smoke detector installed, and Virginia lawmakers have now made it legal for localities to implement similar policies.

Several local fire departments offer free smoke detectors, and will even come to your house to install them. For example, residents of Baltimore City, Washington,

D.C., Fairfax City, and Arlington, Loudoun and Prince George’s counties can call their fire department’s non-emergency number to request a free smoke detector. Montgomery County offers free installation of smoke detectors bought by residents.

Free resources for income investors You can find millions of pages of free information online, but how many of them enable you to reap a tangible benefit? Consider our favorite free sources for reasoned discussion and hard-to-find financial data for income investors.

For example, the Closed-End Fund Association has a tool for sorting and screening more than 600 closed-end funds. InvestingInBonds.com offers real-time market data on bond trading action and prices. Screen the tax-free bond universe for top yields with the Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) system (www.msrb.org) And get monthly updates by sector (such as the High Yield and Mortgage Market updates) from www.tcw.com.

and see grow with the magic of compounding. So it really pays to focus on trading commission-free exchange-traded funds.

Most online brokers offer a host of commission-free ETFs. Vanguard offers the most, with roughly 1,800 funds, including names from iShares and State Street.

Fidelity currently offers 95 commissionfree ETFs, while Charles Schwab offers more than 200 ETFs with no commission.

TD Ameritrade, meanwhile, offers more than 300 ETFs without a commission.

Free E-Books At Gutenberg.org or the University of

35

Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page (onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu), you won’t pay a cent to legally download thousands of books that have expired copyrights, including War and Peace, Moby Dick and Little Women. You can also search for free ebooks at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and iTunes.com.

If you have a Kindle or the free Kindle reading app, you can swap e-books with your friends for as long as 14 days per book. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Free ETF Trades The less you pay in investing fees, the more you will have left to actually invest

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Montgomery County’s senior centers offer daily door-to-door transportation Monday through Thursday. Pickups begin at 7:30 a.m., and drop off starts at 3 p.m. For more information and to see if you are in our pick up area, call (240) 777-8085. For changes or cancellations, call Evelyn Kittrell at (301) 255-4214.

Ongoing

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The Northern Virginia Long Term Care Ombudsman Program needs volunteer advocates for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. For more information, contact Camden Doran at (703) 324-5422, TTY 711 or email Camden.Doran@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Caring for your aging parent or loved one?

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

37

Leisure &

Learn how to plan a trip to London on the cheap. See story on page 41.

Exploring the Grand Canyon’s grandeur Unlike many canyons that are formed as rivers rush among mountain peaks, the Grand Canyon is incised into the elevated Kaibab Plateau.

National Geographic calls it a “cross section of the Earth” in America’s Wonderlands.

A visitor center poster elaborates: “It’s all about the layers.” Here, nature’s inexorable forces change the landscape oh so slowly.

Wind, erosion and ice wear down the walls and pry rocks apart every day. The Colorado River’s sediments scrape the canyon walls like liquid sandpaper.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

By Glenda C. Booth As I stared at the multi-colored layers of the yawning abyss stretching across the horizon for miles, I was immobilized by this geologic layer cake a billion years in the making. It was a pinch-me moment.

I first saw a picture-postcard image of the Grand Canyon in the third grade. Then, I could never imagine seeing it for real. But here I was standing 7,000 feet above sea level on the edge of a majestic, twisting, circuitous chasm — the Grand Canyon’s South Rim at Mather Point.

I was totally mesmerized by the artistic interplay of natural light and shadow creeping over mammoth formations, orangey terraces and deep crevices, savoring a quiet unlike any other and only interrupted by a raven’s occasional croak. The sun sparkled on the rocky walls one moment and clouds bathed them in blue shadows the next, a shifting kaleidoscopic lightshow.

The Grand Canyon is a geologist’s dream.

The canyon’s layers — russet, brown, gold, orange, tan, gray, purple, blue and blends of all of the above — tell the history of the Earth during the last billion and a half years.

A billion years? That’s hard to get your mind around. It means billions of years of land colliding and drifting apart, mountains forming and eroding, sea levels rising and falling, land freezing and thawing, and water crashing and trickling through.

One of the seven wonders A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven “natural wonders of the world,” the Grand Canyon attracts over six million visitors a year. President Theodore Roosevelt designated it a national monument in 1908 and Congress made it a national park in 1919.

It covers over 1.2 million acres from Lees Ferry on the Utah-Arizona border to Grand Wash Basin/cliffs in northwestern Arizona.

It is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep in places. It has four climactic zones with marked differences.

The climate is dry, so dry that it can take 40 years for a tree to grow one foot.

For the non-scientific, it has three distinct regions: the Colorado River/canyon floor, the South Rim and the North Rim.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The Hopi House, a Pueblo-style building constructed in 1905 with local stone and wood, is modeled after Hopi Reservation villages. Today, native tribes sell arts and crafts here, in the Grand Canyon’s Historic Village District.

Visitors peer over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the most popular and accessible rim, which is open to tourists year round. The Canyon is up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep in places. Each year, up to six million tourists visit the massive chasm built by nature over a billion year period. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and national park.

The rims, or tops, are no more than 18 miles apart as the raven flies, but for motorists, a 220-mile or five-hour drive.

The popular South Rim Ninety percent of visitors go to the South Rim. It has numerous viewpoints, several historic buildings and trail heads.

The Grand Canyon Visitor Center at Mather Point offers a 22-minute, introductory video to the park and a geology exhibit.

The South Rim has several hiking trails.

The 13-mile Rim Trail is the only above-rim trail and the easiest. It parallels the shuttle route, offering the fatigued traveler optional rides en route. Bright Angel trail is the most popular route for rim-to-rim hikers. The steep, strenuous South Kaibab Trail plunges to the canyon floor. Hermit and Grandview Trails, unmaintained routes, offer more primitive hiking experiences.

Park rangers caution hikers to be fit, well hydrated, sun protected and sensible.

It takes twice the time to hike up and out of the canyon as it does in. Park officials rescue hundreds of hikers every year.

Some adventurers prefer the Teddy Roosevelt mode, aboard a mule down winding switchbacks a mile into the depths. Since the late 1800s, people have explored the

canyon on mules, the equines of choice because they are sure-footed and strong.

Mule ride enthusiasts say that this trek is not for the faint of heart, as the mules might walk very close to the narrow trail’s edge. Writing on “Trip Savvy,” Elizabeth Rose cautions, “The wranglers will tell you that if you are a regular rider, you will ache a lot less than the newbies, but after a fiveand-a-half- hour ride to the canyon floor, anyone will have a little trouble walking.”

South Rim mule riders stay overnight on the canyon floor’s Phantom Ranch, a secluded getaway built in 1922 that serves homecooked meals. Riders must be over age nine, at least 57 inches tall, weigh less than 200 lbs. fully dressed, and be able to speak and understand English. For details, visit https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/plan /mule-rides/. (Note: You can also get to Phantom Ranch on foot or via the river.)

Other more “bottom-friendly” ways to explore the Grand Canyon are jeep tours and “flightseeing” by helicopter and airplane (but 75 percent of the park’s airspace is off-limits to aircraft). River trips by oared, paddle or motorized rafts and dories are popular.

But enjoying the Grand Canyon does See GRAND CANYON, page 38

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Grand Canyon From page 37 not require white-knuckle adventures. A contemplative walk along the Rim Trail (South Rim) or Transept Trail (North Rim) will not disappoint.

Geological and human history At the Yavapai Geology Museum, visitors learn that the oldest exposed rock layers are at the bottom of the canyon’s inner gorge, the Vishnu Basement Rocks, hard schist and granites formed by colliding tectonic plates. Above are layers of shale, limestone and lava rock. The upper two-thirds of sedimentary rock come from ancient marine life, river deposition and sand dunes.

The museum sits on a point chosen by scientists in the 1920s because they be-

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

lieved this best represented the canyon’s geology. The 1.3-mile long “Trail of Time” between the museum and visitor center has viewing tubes and markers every meter representing one million years of time.

The park has one archaeological site and nine properties on the National Register of Historic Places, including four buildings designed by architect Mary Colter between 1902 and 1948. Colter’s aesthetics drew on the landscape, incorporating local stone and earth tones.

Grand Canyon’s Historic Village District has some of the most accessible views as well as multiple visitor services, including free shuttle buses. The historic, four-story, upscale El Tovar Hotel, built in 1905 of Oregon pine and native boulders, personified elegance in its day and still does. Note to movie junkies: Chevy Chase pulled up

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to this hotel in a pea-green station wagon in the 1983 movie Vacation and robbed the front desk clerk.

The Hopi House, designed by Colter, is a Pueblo-style, 1905 building made of local stone and wood and modeled after Hopi Reservation villages. Today, native tribes sell arts and crafts like Navajo jewelry, Zuni fetishes, wood carvings and pottery here.

The historic, limestone Lookout Studio, perched on the rim’s edge, appears to rise from the Earth. From here, visitors might spot California condors soaring on thermals.

A few miles from Grand Canyon Village, the Tusayan Museum and Ruins, excavated in 1930, is an introduction to the Puebloans who built a village here around the year 1185. Sixteen to 20 people lived here and grew corn, beans and squash.

The center of activity was a plaza and a kiva for ceremonies. Today’s visitors can explore outlines and ruins of former limestone and mud structures and, in the small museum, grinding stones, bone tools and pottery.

The 70-foot, stone Desert View Watchtower at the South Rim’s highest point offers an 85-step climb up for a 360-degree view of the Colorado River, the Painted Desert and more canyon layers. Another 1932 Colter creation, the tower’s base blends into the rocks.

It reflects the ancestral Puebloans of the southwest U.S. Four Corners region. Murals by Fred Kabotie represent the physical and spiritual origins of Hopi life.

More of nature’s wonders This great rocky chasm may seem lifeless at first, but its dramatic topography and climate ranges make for a rich diversity of living things — from purple lupine wildflowers, to ringtails, to bighorn sheep. The Grand Canyon has 1,750 types of vascular plants; 92 mammal species; 57 reptile and amphibian species; and 18 fish species.

While the park has a rich human history,

a visit is really about nature’s splendor, rocks and more. Because the canyon’s height is over 5,000 vertical feet, there is much biological diversity. “A trip from the rim to the canyon’s bottom is a botanical journey equivalent to an expedition from Canada to Mexico,” notes a sign in a park museum.

Three of the four North American deserts come together in the park at low elevations. These desert habitats support desert bighorn sheep. Dwarf forests of pinyon pine and juniper are home to mountain lions and pinyon jays.

Squirrels live in the ponderosa pine habitats, but these are special squirrels. The South Rim’s Abert’s or tassel-eared squirrel is found in Arizona, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico and southwestern Colorado.

The North Rim’s Kaibab squirrel is only found here. Each has distinct coloration.

People have been in the Grand Canyon for thousands of years, no doubt captivated by its massiveness, mystery and constantly changing colors. At any time of day, it is sure to enrich the spirit, an experience that for our forebears made it a sacred land.

If you go Star t at https://www.nps.gov/grca/ index.htm for lodging options, attractions and overall planning. Book lodging and trips within the park well ahead. It’s not too early to start planning for a trip next summer.

Rooms for next June range from $89 to $275 per night at the five lodges in the national park.

Summer is the busiest time. Fall offers changing leaf colors and less congestion.

The South Rim is open all year. The North Rim is closed from October 15 to May 15.

To reach the South Rim, you can drive from Flagstaff, Ariz. (82 miles), Phoenix (225 miles) or Las Vegas (270 miles). The North Rim is a five-hour, 220-mile drive See GRAND CANYON, page 39

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

39

Expect more scrutiny now from the TSA

By Rivan V. Stinson If you’re flying this summer, get to the airport early. The Transportation Security Administration is beefing up security measures, and that could lead to longer lines.

In addition to requiring you to remove laptops, tablets and e-readers from your carry-ons, TSA officers may also ask you

to take out books, food and other items that obstruct their view during screening.

To bypass the lines, enroll in TSA PreCheck ($85 for five years). Or, if you plan to travel outside the U.S., enroll in Global Entry ($100 for five years).

Some rewards credit cards will refund the cost of these services. Most cards that offer this benefit have an annual fee, but

the new no-fee PenFed Pathfinder Rewards card offers reimbursement of up to $100 every five years for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application.

You may also be able to pay with hotel rewards points. Marriott Rewards and IHG Rewards allow members to buy TSA PreCheck through their websites.

Go to www.tsa.gov/precheck (or

www.cbp.gov/travel for Global Entry) to start an application and find an enrollment center.

If you can’t find one nearby, check your local Staples. The retailer plans to open 50 enrollment centers in its stores this summer. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors

Grand Canyon

tle.com) has daily trips between the South and North Rims lasting four to five hours from May to October.

Amtrak provides service to Williams and Flagstaff, Arizona. Arizona Shuttle (www.arizonashuttle.com) has service from Phoenix

and Flagstaff. Grand Canyon Shuttles (www.grandcanyonshuttles.com) offer service from Las Vegas, Phoenix and Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon Railway (www.thetrain.com) has packages and operates restored locomotives from Williams, Arizona, to the South

Rim, a two-hour trip, prefaced by a Wild West show.

Currently, American Airlines’ roundtrip flights from BWI to Phoenix or Las Vegas are around $386; from BWI to Flagstaff, $481.

From page 38 from the South Rim. There is no public transportation to the North Rim. TransCanyon Shuttle (www.trans-canyonshut-

BEACON BITS

Sept. 19

AARP LUNCHEON The Southwest Waterfront AARP Chapter will have a luncheon

business meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 19 from noon to 2 p.m. at River Park Mutual Homes’ South Common Room, 1311 Delaware Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. Current and prospective members, guests, neighbors and visitors are welcome.

The keynote speaker will be Charles Allen, Ward 6 Council member. Lunch costs $5. For more information or to register, contact Betty Jean Tolbert Jones at bettyjeantolbettjones@yahoo.com or (202) 554-0901.

40

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Be on the lookout for nine travel scams Travel scams will again be plentiful this summer, say the folks at Experian. Fraud increased by 16 percent in 2017, and there’s no reason to expect that trend will reverse any time soon.

Experian released its list of six scams, but the list involves some double-counting, and it also does not cover all the possibilities. So here’s my list of nine to watch out for.

Free vacation or cruise. The pitch usually starts out by saying, “You’ve been selected...” Yes, you’ve been selected all

right; selected for a fleecing. Whether it’s extra fees, upgrades, substitutions, unavailability, or a seemingly endless highpressure timeshare promotion, don’t buy.

There’s no such thing as a “free” vacation, so just fuhgeddaboudit.

Misrepresented accommodations.

“Just steps from the beach” sounds alluring, but that could mean 3,425 steps.

Whenever you’re dealing with a supplier you don’t know — especially on a vacation rental — check on as many of the claims as

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Fake guides. You’ve probably had this you can. Better still, deal only with known happen: You’re walking near an important hotel chains or agencies. visitor center and someone apBuy immediately. “If you proaches you and offers, usualdon’t buy right now, you’ll lose ly in pretty-good English, to be the deal.” In most pitches your “guide.” Of course, other such as that, losing the deal is than speaking in English, you your best outcome. Legitimate have no idea whether this peroffers seldom go away in minson has any useful knowledge utes after they’re offered. of the various attractions in the Pay by cash or wire transvicinity. And you will likely be fer. By now you should know dragged into a nearby store that when you pay by cash or that offers the “best” prices on wire transfer you have zero local specialties. chances of getting a refund if TRAVEL TIPS Verification call. If you’ve the deal goes south. Use a debit By Ed Perkins just checked into a hotel and card if you must.

But your best protection is to use a cred- you get a call on the room phone from the it card — a payment system that leaves a front desk to “verify” your credit card detrail and also offers some buyer protec- tails, hang up. That “front desk” caller is likely in a boiler room somewhere recordtions that other systems do not.

Street buying. When you buy an item ing your credit card details to run up a big from a street vendor, a locally produced bill. If you’re uncertain, go down to the desk handiwork might well be genuine or it yourself and see if there really is a problem.

Voucher repayment. When a travel might be made in Bangladesh, but either way, you probably aren’t out much money. supplier owes you money, you can bet it When it comes to high-priced items like will initially offer a voucher for future use a “genuine” Rolex watch, however, walk rather than cash. Don’t bite unless you away from the vendor. And if you can’t tell have no alternative.

Vouchers almost always include restrica genuine emerald from a piece of a brotions and limits — time limits, if nothing else ken wine bottle, don’t buy emeralds.

Airport ATM thieves. That ATM you — that makes them much less valuable than see when you arrive at a foreign airport cash. If you can demand cash, either demay truthfully say “no fees,” but what it mand that cash or ask for vouchers with a fails to add is “lousy exchange rate.” More face value of at least double — and only then and more foreign airports have suc- if you’re sure you can use them. Take vouchcumbed to the lure of fat profits from ers only if you have no other alternative.

This is only a partial list. Just because awarding exclusive ATM location rights to you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not retail exchange agencies.

These guys can gouge you by as much as out to get you.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@ 10 to 15 percent on the exchange rate. Yes, your best way to get local cash is by using an mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel ATM, but only if it’s operated by a legitimate website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. bank and not by an exchange agency.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

41

Save on airfare, lodging and more in London

By Michelle Locke The sun-kissed scenes from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s storybook wedding at Windsor may have put you in the mood to visit the Old Country.

But what if you’re just looking to feel like a prince (or princess), not spend like one?

Here are a few tips on enjoying London on a budget. (Just don’t count on the sunshine that blessed the royal wedding in a place where, on average, it rains about one out of every three days.)

Go low (season) London’s high season is late spring and summer, and it’s also popular in December. Prices and crowds drop outside those months.

I chose March and had typically damp and chilly weather with a few sunny after-

noons. Right now, when all your friends are complaining about how much they’re spending on summer trips to Europe, is the time to book your trip for autumn.

U.S.-U.K. tourism is up, in part due to the proliferation of cheap flights to Europe. I flew Norwegian nonstop from Oakland, California. For about $445 (that included an extra $45 to book a window seat), I had a seat, but not much else. I took my own blanket, pillow, water and snack, and slept pretty much straight through to Gatwick Airport. From there, you can ride the Gatwick Express to Victoria station for about $24.

While Norwegian Air doesn’t fly from Washington-area airports, flights in September start at just $164 each way from New York to London.

Primera Air Scandinavia flies non-stop

from Dulles to London Stansted Airport, about 42 miles north of the city, starting at just $149 each way in September. That fare is limited to one piece of small hand luggage, with a maximum weight of about 22 pounds. To get checked luggage and priority seating, you’ll pay $70 more each way, but that’s still a roundtrip ticket for $418.

The farther out you go from the heart of London, the cheaper the lodging. Just make sure you’re within an easy walk from the subway (known here as the underground or tube) and build a little extra time into your itinerary for your commute into town.

I chose an Airbnb in suburban Hammersmith, which came to about $80 a night.

Take a pass Since I knew I was going to be visiting a lot of paid attractions, I bought a London Pass, a multi-venue card. The drawback to this kind of option is one can feel pressured to rush around to get maximum value. My goal was to avoid ticket lines and not lose money.

I paid about $200 for a six-day pass that came with an Oyster transit card preloaded with about $50. I visited all the places I wanted, including Windsor Castle (train fare is included in the pass) and rode a hop-on, hop-off bus for a day. I didn’t max out the pass but did come out about $125 ahead.

See LONDON, page 42

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

BEACON BITS

London

Aug. 8+

From page 41

GRIEF SUPPORT

Widowed Persons Outreach, a free community service sponsored

by Sibley Hospital, offers ongoing grief support for those who have been bereaved two years or less at National United Methodist Church. In August, the group will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 8 and 22. Registration is required. The church is located at 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, contact Marti Bailey at (202) 537-4942 or mbaile35@jhmi.edu.

Aug. 7

POLICE BLOCK PARTY

Kensington Park presents a “National Night Out” Block Party on Tuesday, Aug. 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., rain or shine. This free event is designed to generate and spread goodwill between police and neighbors to make the community a more caring, safe place to live. There will be food, face painting for kids, musical entertainment by R&B Musician Daryl Davis, K9 demonstrations and more. Kensington Park is located at 3620 Littledale Rd., Kensington, Md. For more information, contact Betsy Davis at bdavis@kensingtonsl.com or (301) 946-7700.

Do you have what it takes to inspire young minds?

If you’d rather take a more curated approach, look online for pay-in-advance discounts and combination specials, such as the two-for-one ticket to the Queen’s Gallery and Royal Mews.

West End shows are another area where you can easily drop a bundle. But if you’re flexible on times and shows, discount tickets and last-minute bargains are available inperson at the TKTS office in Leicester Square. You can also book in advance online at https://officiallondontheatre.com/theatre-tickets/.

See, stroll, sip Most museums in London are free (special exhibitions may cost extra). A good, cheap, expedition is to head for the South Bank and the Tate Modern. Afterward, walk along the river path (past Shakespeare’s Globe) to Borough Market Hall (2-4 Bedale St., closed Sundays), a trendy spot where you can try specialties like the cheese toastie at Kappacasein.

Keep walking to reach London Bridge and, if you’re thirsty, stay on the south side of the river and check out the 17th-century George Inn (77 Borough High St.). Or, retrace your steps to the Tate and cross the pedestrian Millennium Bridge to St. Paul’s. If it’s close to 5 p.m. you’ll catch

evensong at the cathedral, which is free.

There are plenty of lavish teas to be had in London, including the swank spread at gourmet grocer Fortnum & Mason that comes to about $75. Harrods, too, has an excellent option if you are in the mood to splurge.

Or you can stop by F&M’s more casual restaurant, The Parlour, where for about $15 I enjoyed excellent scones, free Wi-Fi and, quite simply, the best cup of tea of my life. If the weather’s fine, consider an al fresco repast, picking up some snacks at Harrods famous food hall and enjoying them in nearby Hyde Park.

A relatively new, and free, thing to do in London is visit the Sky Garden, a green space with a bar and restaurants at the top of the 34-story building known as the Walkie Talkie because of its bulging top (20 Fenchurch St.). It’s hard to walk in for a look without a ticket, but timed tickets are free, though sunset hours go fast: http://skygarden.london/booking.

You’re not obligated to buy anything at the bar, but if you do, the drinks, not surprisingly, come at a premium.

Sometimes, of course, one simply must splash out. For my visit, I paid 15 pounds ($20) for a glass of Champagne, sat back, savored the view, and slowly sipped, enjoying every last, overpriced bubble.

Cheers, indeed.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

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SEW FOR SICK CHILDREN

Do you like to sew, or know someone who has basic sewing skills? Herndon Senior Center is looking for volunteers with basic sewing skills to make teddy bears and teaching dolls for children undergoing treatment at Inova Fair Oaks Hospitals. The bears serve as comforting companions during treatment. Other projects include lap and neck pillows, throws, etc.

For more information, visit the center at 873 Grace St., #1, Herndon, Va. or call (703) 464-6200.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

43

If bumped off a flight, make it worthwhile

By David Koenig Allison Preiss became a hero to airline passengers this spring when she scored a $10,000 travel voucher for losing her seat on an oversold flight. Negotiating skill mixed with a bit of luck helped Preiss land the elusive payoff.

There are two situations that passengers might find themselves in, and their rights — and bargaining power — vary greatly between them.

In the first, an airline forces a passenger off a flight for lack of space — called bumping. Under federal rules, the passenger is entitled to cash compensation, not just a voucher, as well as a seat on a later flight. Bumped passengers whose travel is delayed for at least an hour are entitled to up to $1,350 in compensation, with the amount based on the length of the delay and the one-way price of the ticket.

bumped — the lowest rate since the federal government started keeping track in 1995 — while nearly 342,000 people took an airline’s offer and gave up their seat.

Not enough seats You might wonder how airlines ever come up short on seats.

Airlines can legally oversell flights — although some, like JetBlue, say they don’t — on the assumption that some people won’t show up.

Overbooking can also occur when bad weather or a mechanical breakdown causes flights to be canceled, forcing the airline to scramble to accommodate stranded passengers.

Sometimes airlines switch a flight to a smaller plane with fewer seats. Occasionally, they need to make room for an air marshal or employees.

And airlines may cancel flights or limit seating on smaller planes in hot weather because the thinner air makes it harder to generate enough lift for takeoff.

If you take a voucher for getting off a flight, there are some rules you should know. For instance, most airlines won’t replace lost vouchers, and they can’t be sold.

On Southwest, vouchers can only be applied to airfare, while American also lets them cover taxes and fees, and Delta vouchers can be applied to government taxes. But you can’t use vouchers to purchase extra legroom or an in-flight meal.

If your airline looks for volunteers to get off an overcrowded flight, experts offer this advice before accepting a voucher: • Insist on a confirmed seat, not standby, on the next available flight in addition to the voucher for future travel.

• If you will be stuck for an extended

time, ask for meal or hotel vouchers too.

• Ask when the travel voucher expires — typically they are good for one year — and whether it can be combined with other discounts.

• Find out if the voucher can be used on other airlines; American and Delta vouchers can be used on some partner airlines; United and Southwest certificates cannot.

Kelly, the travel-points expert, advises that, no matter what, “don’t get stressed. Look at it as an opportunity for a nice little payday.”

Major airline guidelines on vouchers: American: https://evouchers.aa.com/terms.jsp Delta: https://bit.ly/2LwsD4U United: https://bit.ly/2m5Na4d Southwest: https://swa.is/2sdVAcU U.S. Department of Transportation: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/fly-rights#Overbooking — AP

Voucher or cash?

“The vast majority of Americans take one airline trip a year, and since vouchers are usually valid for just one year, most people should ask for cash,” said George Hobica, a travel expert who founded the airfarewatchdog.com website. But, he added, frequent fliers might want to negotiate to see how high the airline will go with a voucher.

That’s what Preiss did back in March.

Thanks to a broken seat, United bumped her from a flight from Dulles International Airport to Austin, Texas. But Preiss had leverage because United couldn’t find anyone willing to give up their seat.

She calculated that she was entitled to about $650 in cash based on the price of her ticket, and she turned down a $2,000 voucher. Then a second United employee said she could offer a voucher up to $10,000 plus a seat on a later flight, and Preiss took it.

The second situation occurs when the airline hasn’t yet kicked anyone off an overbooked flight but instead looks for people to take a later flight in exchange for compensation — usually a voucher; the airline is not legally required to pay cash to volunteers.

When airlines know a flight is overbooked, they will make lowball offers to customers at ticket counters, kiosks and gate areas. They will raise the amount of the vouchers until they find a taker, pitting passengers against each other in a kind of reverse auction.

“My advice would be to start high,” said Brian Kelly, CEO of travel website The Points Guy. “If you’re going to be displaced for several hours, don’t take the quick and easy $200 [voucher].”

Kelly said a $400 voucher for getting off a domestic flight or $800 for an international one would be “a solid starting point.”

Travel experts suspect that airlines prefer vouchers partly because a high percentage of them never get used. The airlines do not disclose redemption rates.

Airlines have gotten very good at buying off passengers on overbooked flights. Last year, about 23,000 passengers were forcibly

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Style Arts &

Dancing queens kick up their heels in Mamma Mia! at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.

See review on page 47.

Former politico sculpts a new passion changing vision offers her new perspective and a different way to look at the world as an artist.

She even believes something similar was part of the genesis of Impressionism. “This is why many people — Matisse and others — painted in a blurry fashion, because their eyesight went. I look at some of [their pieces] now and think, ‘this is how I see it, too,’” she said.

Waiting for inspiration Her vision problems may explain why Montgomery shies away from hyper-realistic pieces, preferring to create more figurative, abstract works.

Sometimes, she approaches a piece with no prior idea at all, choosing instead to wait for a brilliant inspiration to strike.

But she’s the first to admit she’s not always successful. She even displays some of the pieces she considers less impressive on the steps of an old staircase that she rescued from a dilapidated building across the street from her home in Brookeville, Md. “The lousy pieces are there — like marching steps of failure,” she laughed.

But over the years, there have been

‘Great Performances in the Neighborhood’ Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra presents

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Tickets: $10 Advance; $12 At the Door.

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Theatre F. Scott Fitzgerald

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN QUINTER

By Rebekah Alcalde Most days you’ll find Karen Montgomery in a makeshift carport that she and her husband adapted into an art studio. There she wields hammer and chisel to bring forth sculptures from her ideas. She’s currently coaxing a large angel to emerge from a hunk of marble.

Montgomery, 83, has recently returned to her first love, art, following a 16-year stint in Maryland politics.

From 2000 to 2003, she served in the Maryland House as a state delegate from Montgomery County’s District 14. She focused on the environment, healthcare, support for veterans with behavioral health needs, women’s leadership, and assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities.

In 2010, she moved over to the Maryland State Senate, where she served until 2016, when she resigned due to worsening eyesight. “I couldn’t drive at night anymore,” she said regretfully.

The macular degeneration she suffers from is worsening, but she’s found some help thanks to a monthly injection that slows down the disease and offers respite.

Ever positive, Montgomery thinks her

Tickets Online: www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre Box Office: 240-314-8690

AT RO C K VI L L E C I VI C C E NTE R PA R K

Rockville Civic Center Park • 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD

Karen Montgomery crafts a sculpture in the studio at her home in Brookeville, Md. After serving as a delegate and senator in the Maryland legislature from 2000 to 2016, she recently returned to her lifelong love of art.

many pieces of sculpture she’s proud of, and Montgomery recently displayed a number of them in a large exhibit that “took over” the Sandy Spring Museum.

The show included works made of marble, bronze, wood, soapstone and other metals.

See SCULPTOR, page 46

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

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Five upcoming plays with Jewish themes In August, September and October, five theaters in Montgomery County will produce plays with Jewish themes.

It’s entirely a “happy coincidence,” says David Fialkoff of the newly formed Jewish Community Theater of Montgomery County (JCTMC), as the plays were not planned to coincide.

As its name suggests, the group is dedicated to presenting plays and musicals in the county about the Jewish religion, people and culture. While many of the plays are historical in nature, their themes of immigration and prejudice strike a contemporary chord as well, Fialkoff noted.

The Melting Pot The premiere production of JCTMC will be presented at and in conjunction with Temple Beth Ami in Rockville. Written in 1908 by Israel Zangwill, this is the play that popularized the phrase “melting pot” as a nickname for America. The play takes a hard look at anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant hatred, while still finding room for humor, romance and hope.

The Melting Pot will be performed on Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 12 at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for the Aug. 11 show; $10 for the Aug. 12 show. The play will be performed at Temple Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Rd., Rockville. To learn more, see facebook.com/JCTMCtheater.

The Last Five Years This emotionally powerful and intimate musical by Jason Robert Brown follows an interfaith couple through their five-year relationship, as they fall both in and out of love.

Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist with strong Jewish roots, works to balance his suddenly successful career while embarking on a relationship with Cathy Hiatt, a

struggling non-Jewish actress.

The Last Five Years is produced by the Montgomery Playhouse and Theatre@CBT. It will be presented at the at the Randolph Road Theatre, 4010 Randolph Rd,, Silver Spring, from Sept. 14 to 16 and 20 to 23. Tickets are $22. For more information, see facebook.com/TheatreatCBT.

pelling words come alive, urging people to stand up for one another in the face of intolerance, fear and hate.

The Diary of Anne Frank will be onstage Sept. 28 to Oct. 7 at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Dr. Tickets are $22 for adults; $20 for students and seniors.

For more information, see rlt-online.org.

Kindertransport

A Shayna Maidel

Kindertransport is based on the experiences of children who were allowed to leave Nazi Germany for England in 1938-39, and who were separated from their families, many of whom perished during the Holocaust.

Through flashbacks, the play presents the hardships faced by Eva at three different stages of her life: Eva as a 9-year-old child sent on a Kindertransport and taken in by a British family; Eva at 17, now assimilated and completely anglicized; and Eva, now in her 50s and known as Evelyn, who is confronted by her daughter, Faith, and forced to acknowledge her unspoken past.

The play is produced by Sandy Spring Theatre Group and presented at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd., Gaithersburg. It will be onstage Sept.

15,16, 21, 22 and 23. Tickets are $20 for adults; $12 for children. To learn more, see sandyspringtheatregroup.weebly.com

Produced by the Peace Mountain Theatre Company at Congregation Har Shalom in

The Diary of Anne Frank Produced by Rockville Little Theatre at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in the Rockville Civic Center Park, this new adaptation brings the audience into the secret annex where 13-year-old Anne and seven other Jews evade Nazi deportation.

For over two years, all that will stand between them and the concentration camps is their trust in one another and the bravery of those harboring them. Anne’s com-

Visit us online to find a concert near you.

All concerts are FREE and open to the public. No tickets required. For our full performance calendar, visit our website.

Potomac, this play takes place in 1946, after World War II, in the home of Rose Weiss, with flashbacks to life in Poland, as two sisters reunite after the Holocaust. Flashback scenes move fluidly in and out of time before the war, during the war and in 1946.

The play will be performed at 8 p.m. on Oct. 11, 13, 18 and 27, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 14, 21 and 28. Post-show discussions will take place on Oct. 14 and 21. Har Shalom is located at 11510 Falls Rd., Potomac. To learn more, see peacemountaintheatre.com.

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From page 44 One of her favorite pieces, a marble Medusa-like lady with snakes for hair, was especially fascinating to her.

“Snakes have had different representations for different beliefs, both good and evil. They were considered sacred [by pagans], and then Christianity turned [snakes] into an evil thing. You could even say that Cleopatra used [a snake] as a ‘way out,’” she said.

An early love of the arts From an early age, Montgomery was exposed to art.

“I grew up in a neighborhood in Baltimore during World War II. There was hardly any housing. You couldn’t buy bicycles. You couldn’t even buy butter,” she re-

membered.

She and her group of friends had to get creative to entertain themselves. “Goucher [College] threw out wonderful stuff we made vigorous use of. We became trash pickers as young kids. There were boxes of half-used crayons and pencils.”

She and her friends would often assemble stick figures, something that likely started her fascination with three-dimensional art, she believes.

She looks back on her childhood fondly, despite the difficult conditions. To escape the city heat, she and her friends would take refuge in the Baltimore Museum of Art. “We were a bunch of dirty, scruffy mixed-race kids,” she laughed. “We’d go inside and wash our faces in the bathroom, take a drink from the water fountain, then lay on the terrazzo floor of the museum [to

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cool off].”

The kids were well-mannered, respectful and never touched any of the art, she said. The guards eventually got to know them, and allowed them to view the collections at their leisure.

“We’d walk around and see sculpture, often with our younger siblings as well. It exposed us once or twice a week to art, and it inculcated in us a respect for art. It was an education for many of us,” she said.

After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree from George Washington University, Montgomery taught art there for several years.

In the years before entering politics, she pursued a career in sculpting, while volunteering in various capacities for the Art Barn Gallery in Gaithersburg, the National Building Museum in Washington, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Olney Theatre, Arts for the Aging and the Arthritis Foundation.

She also did volunteer work with organizations to advocate for women’s issues and for individuals with developmental disabilities.

More time for art With her formal retirement from politics, she’s excited to have more time for herself, her family and her work.

“I loved [politics]. I did. But I also love getting up and being able to cook a fancy breakfast and not dashing out,” she said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN QUINTER

Sculptor

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Due to vision problems from macular degeneration, Karen Montgomery prefers to sculpt more abstract works.

Montgomery also has more time to devote to her art now, which she said she had to keep separate from her political career.

“People don’t take artists very seriously,” she said sadly. “I have a very serious side, and I realized it was not going to enhance my serious political side to talk about my art.”

Montgomery still takes time to give back to the community, even with her reduced eyesight. For example, she volunteers to pick weeds at the garden at Friends House, a nearby senior community in Sandy Spring.

“Generally, I can still tell which are weeds and which aren’t,” she laughed.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

47

Mamma Mia! returns with gusto to Toby’s

By Rebekah Alcalde Abba fans rejoice. The popular musical Mamma Mia! is back in town, this time at Toby’s Diner Theatre in Columbia, and it’s a smash. If you’re unfamiliar, this jukebox musical was created by Catherine Johnson, stitched together entirely through songs by Swedish pop duo Abba. There was a film adaptation in 2008, which now has a sequel in theaters.

The show is loosely based on the film

Buono Sera, Mrs. Campbell, about a single woman who discovers she’s pregnant, and there are three possible fathers.

Mamma Mia! is more centered on the relationship between the mother, Donna, and her soon-to-be married, 20-year-old daughter, Sophie. They own and run an inn and taverna on the fictional Greek island Kalokairi, with some help from Sophie’s tech-savvy fiancé Sky. Thinking about who will walk her down

the aisle, Sophie decides to impersonate her mom and send letters to the three possible candidates, Sam, Bill and Harry, inviting them to the wedding. Despite their 21-year absence, they all agree to come.

Hijinks ensue, of course.

A standout Donna

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

The boisterous singing and dancing is enough to make the show worth seeing, but there’s one particular performance that makes it unmissable. Toby’s veteran Heather Marie Beck is a firecracker as the freewheeling, independent Donna, who once moonlighted as a nightclub singer. Though the show is mostly told though the eyes of Sophie, Beck truly steals the spotlight, making

her feel like the main character.

She also captures the raw energy, free spirit and strength of the single mom, who’s struggling to stay afloat on the island and stay true to herself. Beck’s the show’s best singer, and you need to see her performance to believe it. More than a few eyes watered (mine included) during her emotional scenes and soaring vocals.

Mamma Mia! debuted in 1999, but its theme of female empowerment still feels very current. The production has certainly aged well, and it’s nice to see such a wellrounded, nuanced role for an older female actress. In fact, in a show filled with young See MAMMA MIA!, page 48

R E N TA L S AT

Rockville Civic Center Park Theatre and Events

In the hit Abba musical Mamma Mia! at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Heather Beck (middle back) plays a fierce and fun Donna, who is forced to relive the past when her soon-tobe-married daughter Sophie invites her three possible fathers to her wedding. With the hip-shaking final number, Donna and her friends, “the Dynamos,” close out the show, alongside the three dads, Harry, Sam and Bill. The show is on stage until Sept. 9.

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Mamma Mia! From page 47 people, it’s the more mature actors who shine the most.

A robust cast Toby’s newcomer Maggie Dransfield (Sophie) brings a fresh voice and personality to the show. As is appropriate to her character, she starts out a little uncertainly but warms up gradually throughout the show. By the end, when her character reprises the first song, it’s like she’s become a new singer — more sure of herself and the notes.

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

She’s accompanied by her friends Ali and Lisa, played admirably by Jamie Pasquinelli and Cassie Saunders, who hardly have much of a role at all. Still waiting for a version that makes use of these characters.

Thankfully, Donna’s best friends — the rich, feisty and thrice-divorced Tanya and the sweet, carefree single Rosie — are given much more to work with. In their youth, they sang backup in their disco-inspired pop trio Donna and the Dynamos, and we’re treated to several of their glittery performances, including “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Mamma Mia” and “Waterloo.”

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Coby Kay Callahan is perfection as Tanya, hilarious as the superficial cougar.

Her shining moment appears in the second act’s “Does Your Mother Know?,” sung while fending off the attentions of a much younger man-child.

Tess Rohan is wonderful as Rosie, whose character always seems so much older than Donna and Tanya but is equally spirited. “Take a Chance on Me” is the highlight for Rohan and also my other favorite Toby’s performer Russell Sunday, who plays the happily single and adventurous writer Bill Austin. There’s hip thrusting in this song, and the audience members were left clutching their sides.

College student Paul Roeckell plays Sophie’s fiancé Sky, who certainly captures the youth and fun-loving aspect of his character. Darren McDonnell is very British as the banker Harry Bright (perhaps a bit too on the nose).

There’s also some cheeky energy from Joey Ellinghaus’ Pepper, the much younger man who has eyes for Tanya, and Shiloh Orr as the goofy Eddie.

The strongest male performance was by Jeffrey Shankle, who actually seems a little miscast in this show as architect Sam Carmichael. His Sam is a bit of a jerk and has an unexpected hard edge that’s difficult to define. Though his vocals seem less strong than usual, his acting is sharp, and he really stands out as memorable. Maybe he leaned into it, so he could better serve as a foil and balance to Donna’s free spirit.

A Greek chorus The ensemble is also used very effectively in this production, coming in and out of group numbers, often singing together on the sidelines. I can’t help but wonder if it’s a nod to its setting, since ancient Greek drama used the chorus as one voice in a similar way.

The most important thing to consider

about this show is whether you enjoy the music. If you hate Abba, it would be difficult to tolerate Mamma Mia! It’s glorious for anyone who’s a fan, or loves upbeat pop music and acrobatic dancing. The audience even boasted some fans who came dressed like the dynamos.

I found myself clapping and cheering enthusiastically, and I couldn’t stop smiling on the way out. Clearly other patrons felt the same.

Mamma Mia! continues through Sept.

9 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia, Md. The show runs ever y day except Mondays, with evening and matinee performances.

Doors open at 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, for dinner prior to the evening performances, which begin at 8 p.m. For Sunday evenings, doors open at 5 p.m. for dinner, followed by the show at 7 p.m.

There are matinees on Wednesdays and Sundays, which open for brunch at 10:30 a.m., with shows beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Reser vations are required. Ticket prices range from $45.50 (for children under 12) to $64, depending on the performance. Ticket prices include buffet dinner or brunch, tea and coffee. Alcoholic drinks — like this show’s “Dynamo” — cost extra.

The buffet meal features a selection of meats and sides (all helpfully marked vegetarian or gluten-free if applicable), including ribs, fried chicken, prime rib, a variety of vegetables, salad bar and more. Cake and unlimited ice cream are also included.

You can also arrange to have coffee or alcohol brought to you during intermission.

Since the actors at Toby’s also wait on tables, their tips constitute much of their pay for their performances, so be sure to tip well. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (410) 730-8311 or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

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Washington shines in the literary spotlight

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cal context, and identifies the politicians being caricatured. An interview with Pat Oliphant is insightful.

Relive, with a dash of humor and a dose of wit, the political controversies that shaped our own formative years and those we studied in history books.

Proceeds from its purchase are returned to the publications program of the WHHA, and also used to acquire furnishings and memorabilia for the White House.

Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe, by Rebecca Erbelding, 384 pages, Doubleday hardcover, 2018.

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Whether you choose to join the summer ing fires, acquired its collections, and expandtourists or wait until they’ve left town, ed exponentially from a room in the US Capireading about the District’s sites broadens tol to its own nearby edifice (now the Jefferson Building), additional buildyour horizons. These books ings (named in honor of Presiabout Washington, D.C. hold dents Adams and Madison), a special appeal. and a campus in Culpeper, Va. America’s Greatest LiLearn, through the illustrabrary: An Illustrated Histions and accompanying text, tory of the Library of Conhow the Library has adapted gress, by John Y. Cole, 256 and evolved to remain relepages, 250 color illustravant in today’s modern techtions, D Giles Limited in asnological and digital world. sociation with the Library of After reading this book, Congress, hardcover, 2018. you’ll most surely be motivatVisiting the magnificent THE ed to visit the Library of ConThomas Jefferson Building of BIBLIOPHILE gress with more discerning the Library of Congress on By Dinah Rokach eyes.

Capitol Hill can be an overWhite House History: Political whelming experience. The opulent interior — its statues, busts, medallions, colorful Cartoons and the White House, The frescoes, grand stairway, majestic arch- Quarterly Journal of the White ways, inspiring quotations and marble floors House Historical Association, number 48, edited by William Seale, 94 — provides a visual and sensory feast.

Conversely, we have attended a talk by a pages, White House Historical Associnoted author in the more prosaic Madison ation, softcover, 2018.

The Herblock Gallery on the ground Building on Constitution Avenue and been oblivious to that building’s art, sculpture floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress houses a rotating and inscriptions.

John Coyle, the historian of the Library exhibit of the illustrations of Herbert of Congress and long-time local resident, Block. Political Cartoons and the White has served in several capacities during his House explores the work of Herblock, distinguished 52-year career at this Thomas Nast, Pat Oliphant and Clifford renowned institution. Who better to serve Berryman. It includes historic cartoons as our guide to understanding the signifi- from the collections of the James Monroe Museum and the Blair House, as well as cance of the Library?

The beautifully illustrated coffee-table more contemporary subjects displayed at book, America’s Greatest Library, is the Hay-Adams Hotel’s Off the Record bar.

While no cartoons of the current adminarranged along a historical timeline. Iconic black-and-white and color photographs of istration are included, this wide-ranging the people, places and documents of note monograph contains more than eighty carin our nation’s history are reproduced in toons beginning with the nineteenth century through our own times. The accompachronological sequence.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The ties that bind never lose their import Spring cleaning is usually a major bore loosen it, even on the hottest days, even when he had come home from work. and a major chore.

“A gentleman always looks Find a large plastic trash like a gentleman,” he would bag. Head for the main closet. declare, as he bent down to Identify t-shirts and socks that give his two sons a Daddy’sno human being ever will (or home-from-the-mines kiss. ever should) wear again. Stuff He had worn the swirly tie the stuff into the bag. Repeat. on many important family ocAnd then head for Amvets casions — high school graduor Goodwill, drop it all off, feel ations, weddings, bon voyage virtuous, go home. dinners, even funerals.

But this past spring, the ritual annual purge brought me up HOW I SEE IT It was his. It was him.

But now it was decades short. As I scuffled through a By Bob Levey later, and a voice deep inside drawer, I found it: My father’s favorite necktie. me was telling me to shove the tie into the It wasn’t exactly ugly, but it certainly waiting trash bag.

It was just a tie, the voice was telling me. wasn’t beautiful. Some pink, some robin’s egg blue, more white than anything else. It isn’t the man himself. It’s taking up All of it blended into a swirl that only a soft space. It’s gathering dust.

If I threw it away, I wouldn’t be throwing ice cream machine could love.

Can we say delicately that it isn’t to my him away.

But I couldn’t do it. taste? But I had fished it out of his bureau I rummaged around in the same drawer. four days after he died, and had promptly For some reason, I had saved my father’s forgotten that I had it.

I pulled the tie out of the drawer — wallet.

I flipped through it. His last driver’s linever worn by me in the nearly 50 years since my father’s death — and began to re- cense was there. In the picture, he’s wearing a necktie. That one. member.

He wore the tie with his favorite gray Then my eye fell on the photo that I had suit, at least three days a week. A child of nailed to the wall many years ago. the World War One era, he would never It shows my father walking down the

steps of a building at the college where he taught. I had looked at this photo a million times, but something told me that I needed to do a closer inspection.

I found my glasses. I peered carefully at his upper chest.

Yup. He was wearing the swirly tie.

Was this an omen? A sign from above? I needed more evidence. So I found the old family photo albums.

Flip, flip, flip…There he was, in the late 1940s, at some sort of family dinner. Three guesses what was around his throat.

Flip some more, flip some more….By the late 1960s, his hair had gone all white and his neck had begun to mottle with age.

But at a farewell party for some colleague of his, there he was, hoisting a flute of champagne. And wearing the same tie.

These days, it’s routine for adults to travel abroad. But for several reasons — most of them having to do with a shortage of dollars — my father never left these shores until he was nearly 50.

Someone shot a photo of him as he boarded the Queen Mary, en route to England. He was wearing a huge smile — and the necktie that I now held in my hands.

They say that no one ever dies as long as someone is still alive to remember him.

Since I’m planning to live forever, my father has nothing to worry about.

But how best to remember him? I have a tape recording of his voice — that’s not a bad way. I have letters he wrote to me while I was in college — those still bring smiles and tears. I have the portable typewriter he gave me before I started my first job — it’s now a relic, but a very meaningful one.

And I have his favorite tie. I still have never worn it. But I could.

Because I closed up the trash bag full of shirts and socks, and refused to put the tie into it. Instead, I hung it on a peg in my closet.

It’s there for good. So, in a way, is he.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

BEACON BITS

Aug.

NATURE PHOTO CONTEST

The Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources is holding a photo contest, open now through Friday, Aug. 31. Did you see a lot of snow this winter or watch the leaves turn brilliant oranges and reds? Submit your pictures of nature to the contest online or by mail. Submission costs $10 for up to three photos and $3 for each additional entry (you can submit any number of photos). For a complete set of rules or to submit online, visit http://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/photocontest.aspx.

Aug. 25

ART EXHIBIT

BlackRock Center for the Arts presents the solo exhibition by Julius Kassovic: “Natural Abstractions” in the Terrace Gallery, available now through Saturday, Aug. 25. Kassovic will return to BlackRock to present an artist talk on the final day at 1 p.m., which will include a tour of the exhibit. Both events are free and open to the public. Admission to the galleries is always free. The terrace gallery is located on the upper level at 12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown, Md. For more information, visit www.blackrockcenter.org or call (301) 528-2260.

Books From page 49 lished by FDR in January 1944 to aid Jews and other civilian victims of Nazism.

If it were not based on real events, Rescue Board would rank as a first-rate thriller. This meticulously researched book tells the story of the race to save lives and cut through the cumbersome bureaucracy, hard-hearted officials, the fog of war, and the competing interests that impeded progress.

Read about the power struggles between rivals at the Treasury — where the WRB was housed — and the State Department.

The divergent policies among the Allies, as well as the sticky diplomatic issues involving neutral countries, are delineated.

The venal and corrupt, the arrogant and pompous, the dedicated and selfless all play parts in this riveting retelling of rescue — its successes and failures.

Rebecca Erbelding serves as archivist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Mu-

seum, located just steps from the National Mall. She is the research curator of the temporary exhibit “Americans and the Holocaust” on view at the museum through October 11, 2021.

The Watergate: Inside America’s Most Infamous Address, by Joseph Rodota, 432 pages, 16-page insert of black and white photographs, William Morrow hardcover, 2018.

This entertaining and meticulously researched book covers every imaginable facet of the residences, hotel, shopping concourse, office building and hotel that comprise the Watergate.

The Watergate was built between 1963 and 1971 on 100 acres in Foggy Bottom along the Potomac between the cultural center — what would become the Kennedy Center — and the Lincoln Memorial.

In addition to the break-in at the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters that eventually toppled President Nixon, The Watergate recounts other scandals

that involved its denizens.

Joseph Rodota makes understandable the complex web of real estate transactions, revolving ownerships and overseas investment groups who came and went as the financial underpinnings of the buildings were buffeted by the swings of the economic cycle.

The sophisticated French chef, the Chinese-born widow of an American lieutenant general, the visionary Italian architect, the movers and shakers, and a host of colorful character who made the Water-

FROM PAGE 52 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

CERAMICS CLASSES The Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center offers a ceramics class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. This is a creative class

Rd., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (240) 777-8085.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD H A R D O V E R T I D A V O W L A T E C A P I E X I T C E D E M P I N L E T T A S E A T E R M E L S E

A T L E A S T R I P E

H A L L O O L A A L D E A T E S R O N A A P L Y

A L O F T O I L O F T E N

R O S S I

M T S I N A F I I N U E T A T H O R N

C O R L E E N S O W A M B A K A E L H O A N Y E

O R A N G E A D E S

P E N C I L

T O K E N

O S R S E N

A N N A

W E Y I E R S

ANSWERS TO JUMBLE

where bisque and greenware become art. You can purchase pieces or bring your own. The class costs $20 per month. The center is located at 1000 Forest Glen

gate their home or place of business are vividly described. Enjoy the hilarious portrayals of the shady characters who resided and worked there.

After exploring the Watergate complex, the nearby Georgetown Waterfront Park is a perfect place to rest and enjoy views of the Potomac. Find nature’s simple beauty in the shadow of man-made grandeur.

The July issue incorrectly stated the author of the book Robicheaux. The author is James Lee Burke.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Put Into Words 1

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1. Feature of “mate”, but not “matte” 6. A Violate the Hippocratic Oath 10. Egyptian Christian 14. Out in the open 15. “Thanks ___!”

16. McFlurry flavor 17. ___ Basin (site of the Jefferson Memorial) 18. Subject of an insurance claim 19. Make a list of top colleges 20. I or E (or, E again) 23. Language spoken in Thailand 24. Spork feature 25. Most of a Pink Lady cocktail 26. Went to a smorgasbord 29. Org. featured in 1988 film Patty Hearst 31. Photographer Adams 33. I (as any Hawkeye could tell you) 37. Solve a mirror maze 38. Roman area code for those roamin’ through central KY 39. Ruckuses 42. In Total, 11 of them are 100 47. Resign from 48. Important info for the airport Hertz 49. Capitol Hill VIP 50. Attach a boutonniere to a tuxedo 51. Columbian currency 54. Letters before a criminal’s nickname 56. Alphabetically, the choices are A, L, and W 61. On a Navy mission 62. Iceland is the least populated of its 29 members 63. Basic baklava ingredient 65. ___ of endearment 66. One who imitates Jane Goodall 67. Winner of 1977 Tony for Best Musical 68. What ___ can go wrong?

69. Centerfielder Fred, who was both ROY and MVP in 1975 70. Tombstone data

1. Left-side sink knob 2. Israeli film, Not in Tel ___ 3. Result of a let serve in tennis 4. Talk like a Southerner 5. No less than 6. Angel’s identifier 7. Like Wilber Wright, for 59 seconds in 1903 8. Martini’s wine-making partner 9. Where Moses had his ups and downs 10. Center of the Earth 11. Sweetened citric drinks 12. SAT taker’s need 13. Monopoly persona 21. Copacabana showgirl 22. He won one Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series 26. Best card in War 27. Subject of the 16th amendment 28. Dangerous spots during earthquakes 30. Director of 32 episodes of M*A*S*H 32. Obtain DNA from a cheek 34. Collector’s ___ 35. Jiffy Lube supply 36. Punish, financially 40. Mineral or metal 41. Digits that simplify identify fraud 43. Ready to be picked 44. Nonstop 45. Birthplace of Marie Osmond and her eight brothers 46. Take best advantage of an opportunity, proverbially 47. Fuel pump option 50. Fundraising banquet donation unit 52. In the middle of the carwash 53. Word where the T is frequently unspoken 55. Like the last person on Earth 57. “A wild goose never laid a ___ egg” 58. Unable to select between ACL and MCL injuries 59. Palindromic princess in Disney’s Frozen 60. Grateful Dead founder Bob 64. Hoped-for proposal response

Answers on page 51.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Letters to editor From page 2

Say you saw it in the Beacon

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

Dear Editor: Admittedly, I am skeptical about our medical system relying so much on drugs and technology. As a holistic health provider, caregiver for my mother for 18 years, working with cancer patients and interacting with my elder friends (I am in my 80th year), I have heard and witnessed many stories and situations where prescribed procedures did not work as predicted, diagnoses were incorrect or could not be verified, costs were extreme, scams were tried and a general lack of doctor empathy.

Now we hear phrases like “this drug will help your long-term control medicine to work better.” Suddenly we have pre-diabetes and pre-Alzheimer’s, new diseases we never heard of before, unnecessary tests are done too quickly (e.g. PSA) as if there is magic in the technology. I often wonder how much of it is driven by profit motives, not by what is for the common good.

The editorial challenge in your July issue is welcome (“Would you want to know?,” From the Publisher). It is our body — to learn about, discover, treat and take charge of. When confronted with a health issue, we should use our own minds, research with the help of doctors and others, then think, trust our gut and decide on what is best.

Al Muehlberger Rosedale, Md.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

SENIOR ACTIVITIES

A national program called Senior Center Without Walls offers a variety of lifelong learning, pleasure, education, support and education classes to older adults. For more information and a calendar of events, call (877) 797-7299.

Classifieds cont. from p. 54 Wanted LADY WHO LOVES FINE CHINA and crystal would like to buy yours. Especially interested in figurines and dishes by the following makers: Herend, Johnson Brothers, Lenox, Lladro, Meissen, Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley, Spode, Wedgwood, Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford stemware and miscellaneous. Bone China cups and saucers and quality dog and cat figurines. 301-785-1129.

CASH FOR ESTATES, PARTIAL ESTATES, DOWNSIZING. I buy a wide range of items.

Buy-out/cleanup. Gary Roman, 301-520-0755.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. Ask for Tom. Call anytime, 301-654-8678 (reg. 883).

Wanted WE PAY CASH FOR ANTIQUE FURNITURE, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc.

Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202-726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

SEEKING FULL/SEALED BOTTLES of Vintage Bourbon and Rye. Do you have full/sealed vintage bottles of bourbon or rye collecting dust in your cabinet. Do any of your bottles have an old red or green tax strip?

Call Alex, 443-223-7669.

Thanks for reading!

WB818

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CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 55.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business and Employment Opportunities PART-FLEX-TIME ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR of N. Bethesda-based global health consulting office. Good computer, research, secretarial skills, be detail oriented, self-starter, some remote ok. CV to globalhealthavocat@gmail.com.

HOUSE SHARE LOOKING FOR mature lady to live-in as full-time housekeeper for elderly gentleman in exchange for room and board.

Glenmont. Call 301-933-5618.

ENERGY CONSULTANTS NEEDED. Would you like to help businesses lower their energy costs through the Empower Maryland program?

If so, LewLew Energy is the place for you. We’re a growing Energy Services Company and would like you to come contribute to our growth. Contact us today, 301-755-6527.

Caregivers “A” HOME HEALTH CARE — Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 240-533-6599.

SKILLED, LOVING CAREGIVER seeking full-time position providing care for the elderly or person with disabilities in their home. Has references. Call Monica, 301-646-2132.

I WILL CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES night/day. Own transportation. Good references.

Lots of experience. 301-502-2258.

EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER FOR HIRE — for private care in home or healthcare facility. Provides care with love, dignity and respect. Licensed CNA. References available. Cited in The Washington Post for service. Contact: winicna@gmail.com, 202-726-7886 or 202-744-2990.

SENIOR HELPING HAND: A compassionate caregiver to provide non-medical daily living assistance for senior. Call Pam, 301-891-0001.

LICENSED CNA/CAREGIVER seeks private duty home care position, 25 years experience.

Available day or night. Excellent references.

Rates negotiable. Please call Ms. Stanford. Cell, 240-351-7295.

RESPITE COMPANION/CARE — senior citizen in Montgomery County with over twenty years experience serving adults with mental disabilities wants to assist your loved one. I am medication-certified, have done case management, and have first aid training. I have a car, and I drive. You can always leave a message for me at 301-589-4040. Steve.

EXPERIENCED, LICENSED, LPN AND RN seeking private duty assignments in Howard and Montgomery Counties. If you want the ultimate caregiver experience, call 410-925-1700.

A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Caregivers

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Legal Services

A LOVING, CARING, COMPASSIONATE, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your loved ones. Has experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, diabetics and other health problems. Please call 301-908-9134.

LEISURE WORLD® — $159,000. 2BR 1FB 2HB “Berkeley” Coop TH. Move-in ready, new paint and carpet. 1600 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward. Call 1-888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

Financial DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670.

GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society.

Call 1-844-230-2952.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate FABULOUS/SPACIOUS 1BR/1BA light-filled condo, glass-enclosed balcony in a magnificent midsize building in the vibrant 55+ premiere community of LW. Rent includes highly sought after garage parking. Features include open floorplan, with large formal dining room, tablespace kitchen with window, bedroom w/ walk-in double-door closets, washer/dryer in unit, bath with both shower stall and bathtub, plenty of closets, close to elevator, all within a gated community. Gas and electric separate. Must see to appreciate! NO SMOKING/NO PETS. Available October 2018. Call 301-312-3843.

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will set up an automated online search for you, preview units, and contact you to arrange a showing when there is a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home.

I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident!

You can see my current listings in this issue. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

SENIOR WANTS TO RENT BEDROOM and bath in basement, Takoma Park or Hyattsville area with kitchen privileges. All utilities included. About $750 a month. 301-906-2502.

LEISURE WORLD, $369,900. 3BR, 2FB, corner lot, patio home, fully renovated kitchen and bathrooms, granite counters, Florida room, finished garage, oak hardwood flooring and fresh paint throughout, new windows, abundant storage, many extras. For sale by owner, 301-7747220.

LEISURE WORLD® — $199,000. 2 BR 2 FB “H” with garage and a storage room in “Greens.”

Table space kitchen with window, separate dining room. 1225 sq ft. Stan Mofffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $264,500. 2 BR + Den, 2 FB “K” with garage in the “Greens.” Table space kitchen, separate dining room, step-in shower, enclosed Balcony. 1520 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $325,000. 3 BR 2-1/2 BA “P” with garage in “Fairways.” Golf course views, table space kitchen, separate dining room. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $259,000. 2 BR 2 FB “C” with garage in “Overlook.” Open table space kitchen, step-in shower in master bath, enclosed balcony. 1090 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $249,000. 2 BR + Den, 2FB “K” with garage in “Greens,” updated table space kitchen, separate dining room, enclosed balcony. 1520 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $84,000. 1 BR 1 FB Raleigh Coop, separate dining room, enclosed balcony, central air. 990 Sq Ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $229,000. 2 BR, 2 FB “J” with Garage in the “Greens,” updated kitchen, separate dining room, enclosed balcony, golf course view. 1317 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

For Sale LARGE COFFEE TABLE from movie star estate (one of a kind), $400 or BO. Electrolux vacuum cleaner, very powerful, $130 or BO. Power washer, used once, $60. Electric lawn mower, $60. 703-591-6321, Fairfax, VA. ESTATE SALE: ORIENTAL RUGS, living room, dining room, living room furniture sales.

Most less than 1 year old. Call 301-300-3925.

06 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN for sale. Modified for wheelchair accessibility. Less than 60,000 miles. Any reasonable offer accepted.

Call 301-943-0203.

2 CEMETERY PLOTS FOR SALE in Parklawn Memorial Gardens, Rockville, Md. Priced at $7,000 for both. Call Alan at 571-252-0010 for information.

EXCELLENT CONDITION: QUEENSIZE bedroom set, infrared heat sauna for 2, electric exercise bike, Roland Digital Piano, antique table, Savanarola chair, motorcycle wheel chock.

202-431-9813.

FORT LINCOLN CEMETERY. 2 burial rights. Garden of our Lord. $4,000. Call 202-4458217.

FORT LINCOLN CEMETERY. Historic, Thomas Jefferson Mausoleum Forecourt. Beautiful, highly desirable, walkway access, center front first row, site #2, prime location. One ground site, one vault, $8,000 (fees included).

Huge saving below current cemetery price of $12,000. Best offer, call 240-582-6085.

2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

PAID RESEARCH STUDY: Participants needed for research study at the University of Maryland, College Park. Seeking healthy adults ages 40-80 with either (1) extensive meditation experience or (2) no prior meditation experience to study the link between bacteria in the gut and day-to-day behavior with biological samples (e.g., stool sample), MRI, and behavioral tests. If you qualify and enroll, you will earn $25/hour for 2 sessions of up to 1.5 and 2.5 hours, respectively. For eligibility info, contact us at 301-2024834, BrainBodyStudy@gmail.com.

STOP OVERPAYING for your prescriptions!

SAVE! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy, compare prices and get $25.00 OFF your first prescription! CALL 1-888-9817657 Promo Code CDC201725.

DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844366-1003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Home/Handyman Services JUNK REMOVAL: SAVE 20%! Donations, recycling, junk junked, plus get money back when we sell your stuff! 1-800-Junk-Refund. 240-246-5405.

ESTATE LIQUIDATION & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, Mid-Century Modern furniture and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington, D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell, 202-7319447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1-866-9700779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

Miscellaneous DONATE VEHICLES. Your donation to Auted helps train disadvantaged at-risk youths in basic auto repairs and maintenance, also vehicles donations to low-income families. MVA Registered Charity Accepted to Receive Donated Vehicles. 100% Tax-deductible. Complete donation form at www.auted.org or mail@auted.org, 301355-9333.

ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99.

Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com.

SENIOR CITIZEN SEEKING senior guitar teacher. 301-879-9515.

Personals CUTE, ATTRACTIVE FEMALE, FIFTIES — Looking for single white male, fifties plus, attractive, robust, warm-hearted, romantic. Enjoy dates, companionship, devoted relationship. If interested, call 240-418-4124, leave message.

LOVELY WOMAN, 50s, SHAPELY LADY, young at heart, easygoing, seeking to meet and date a very attractive SWM, age 50s or 60s, a gentleman. Prefer brawny build, who is caring, sincere, courteous, compassionate, affectionate, stable, secure and lives a healthy, active lifestyle, non-smoker. Have fun dates, laughter, friendship, possibly more. 703-863-5564. Please leave a nice message with phone number for reply.

LOOKING FOR NEW FRIENDS, both men and women between 55 and 80 to share mutual interests and occasional day trips. Must live in the Maryland area. Call Carol at 301-754-1289.

WM, 72, 5’5”,155 LBS, average, easygoing, enjoys movies, daytrips and more, looking for WF, 70-75, for friendship and relationship. Call 301448-6161. Leave message.

Personal Services TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself. Gold 4 Good (8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910) buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I will come to your house and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 9389694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all sellers who are veterans of the US Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps. And we extend the same courtesy to their spouses. We honor our servicemen (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals dealership, not a pawnshop or private home based business.

LADY WANTS TO CLEAN HOUSES and babysit. $10 per hour in Woodbridge and Dale City area. Dorothy, 571-260-8511.

DO YOU OWN A VALUABLE OLD key-wound wall or mantle clock that no longer runs? Would you like to see it operating again? I will convert your clock to one that is battery operated. My quote is provided upon inspection. References available.

Contact Dixon at dixonh1925@gmail.com or 703250-9277.

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE. LOOKING to clean houses. Good references and experience.

Please call Vio, 301-706-6317.

NEED HELP DE-CLUTTERING? Call Jan, 301-933-7570.

A DJ IS AVAILABLE for your special event.

I’ll play your selections at an appropriate volume. Please call Mark at 301-667-5899 or MarkHanakMusic@yahoo.com.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

Personal Services

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TV/Cable

YOUR PERSONAL DRIVER IS HERE: lifelong local resident. Reliable, professional service.

Safe, accident-free driving record. Spacious, comfortable minivan, seating up to 6 passengers.

Airports, cruise ports, trains, theatres, stadiums, casinos, restaurants, celebrations, ceremonies.

Anytime, 24/7… anywhere, including extended trips to other states. Reservations recommended… Call 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with questions or to schedule your ride. Emergencies if needed.

Steven Saidman. Cell/Text: 301-933-8899.

Email: Steve.Your.Driver@gmail.com.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT AVAILABLE. Is it getting harder to do your own shopping, sort through your papers, or drive to medical appointments? Or perhaps you have an elderly relative who could use some help a few hours a week? Inspired by the resilient and cheerful sunflower, Isabelle founded Tournesol Services, LLC to provide affordable, flexible, non-clinical support for DC Metro Area seniors. Services include: de-cluttering, filing, medical note-taking, patient advocacy, errands, friendly visits, estate inventories, and more! Isabelle is the caring “daughter next door,” whose health & safety research background, client focus, and years of dedicated volunteer work make her an ideal personal assistant or companion. Email tournesolser-

vices@gmail.com or go to www.tournesolservices.com. After the complimentary 1-hour consult/evaluation, if you sign up for services and mention: “Tournesol means Sunflower” — you will win a free service hour! De-stress your life, and Turn to Tournesol!

TV/Cable DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game. Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package. Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.) CALL 1- 888-572-4953.

DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1-844560-5837.

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice.

Call 1-888-366-7573.

Wanted MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, comic books and records, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

TIRED OF POLISHING YOUR SILVER? Turn it into cash, which does not tarnish. I will come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. I buy all gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold and silver coins, gold watches, etc. I am licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Call Bob, Gold 4 Good, 8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (240) 9389694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all sellers who are veterans of the US Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps. And we extend the same courtesy to their spouses. We honor our servicemen (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals dealership, not a pawnshop or private home based business.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

Wanted

Wanted STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301- 279-2158.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested.

No phony promises or messy consignments.

References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

BUYING VINTAGE TOYS AND STEREO equipment, tin wind-ups, cast iron banks, peddle cars, Lego, Disney toys, marbles, record players, amplifiers, tube amplifiers, tubes. Betty, 301-219-6201.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-464-0958.

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDs AND TAPES. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202841-3062.

Classifieds cont. on p. 53

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies Alzheimer’s Disease Study.......21 C. Diff. Study ...........................22 Fasting Diet Study....................20 Healthy Research Volunteers ...22 Hearing & the Brain Study ......21 Hearing Research Study...........21 RSV Research Study................21 Speech Comprehension Study .22

Computer/ Technology Help TechMedic4u..............................7 Ur Geeks ....................................7

Dental Services Friedman, Stephen, DDS .........48 Oh, Judy, DDS .........................24

Events Beacon 50+Expo........................3 GreekFest .................................38 Parkinson Lecture ....................23

Financial Services Children’s National Hospital....29 Mortgage Network Solutions .....5 Sandy Spring Bank ....................4

Funeral Services Going Home Cremation...........38

Government Services DC Office on Aging ...........26-27

Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services ............6, 35

Home Health Care/Companion Services Ameristar Healthcare Services 14 Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . .49 Nurse Next Door . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Options for Senior America .....42

Housing Ashby Ponds.........................1, 19 Aspenwood Sr. Living..............17 Atrium Assisted Living ............13 Beverly Assisted Living ...........10 Brooke Grove Retirement Village. ...............56 Charles E. Smith Life Communities .................31 Chesterbrook Residences .........16 Chevy Chase House .................12 Churchill Senior Living ...........25 Crossings, The..........................10 Culpepper Garden ....................49 Falcons Landing ......................11 Five Star Premier......................15 Friendship Terrace....................35 Gardens of Traville, The...........40 Greenspring..........................1, 19 Homecrest House .....................29 Homewood ...............................47 Landing of Silver Spring..........15 Olney Assisted Living..............25 Plaza West ................................15 Potomac Place ..........................48

Quantum Property Mgmt............32 R Homes Communities...............43 Riderwood............................1, 19 Springvale Terrace....................40 Tall Oaks ..................................12 The Village at Rockville ....13, 17 Waltonwood Ashburn...............23

Legal Services Farr Law Firm ..........................30 Law Offices of Lee Holdmann.......................29 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof ...33

Medical/Health Herbology ................................14 Lesner Hearing.........................25 Medical Eye Center..................19 Silver Spring Medical Center.....9

Miscellaneous AARP Foundation....................14 America Builders .....................35 Beacon Silver Pages.................36 Career Gateway ........................30 MDDOT-RIDE ON ....................7 Senior Zone..............................48 ACCESS JCA ..........................42 TheBeaconNewspapers.com ....36

Real Estate Long & Foster/ Eric Stewart.....................33, 46 Long & Foster/ Walter Johnson ......................13 Weichert/Sue Heyman..............47

Restaurants Original Pancake House...........40

Retail/Pawn/Auction Perfect Choice HD ..................51 Quingo flyte .............................34 Quinn’s Auction Galleries ........29 Zingo Chair ..............................18

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Manor Care Health Services ....16 Village at Rockville, The .........24

Subscriptions Beacon Newspaper...................53 Washington Jewish Week.........49

Theatre/ Entertainment Encore Chorale.........................45 F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre .......44 Rockville Civic Center Park ....47 Smithsonian .............................45 Toby’s Dinner Theatre ..............44 US Navy Band .........................45

Tour & Travel Eyre Travel ...............................38 Festive Holidays .......................39 Seven Lands & Sea Travel .......39 Shillelaghs, The Travel Club ....41 Travel West Virginia.................41 Tripper Bus ..............................41 Vamoose...................................39

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THIS SUMMER ...

Start a New Journey Whether it’s strolling winding paths or socializing in sunny courtyards, residents of Assisted Living at Brooke Grove experience a warm, vibrant lifestyle and delight in our charming setting of open meadows and airy trees.

OUR AMENITIES Private rooms filled with sunshine from over-sized windows and skylights 24-hour on-site clinical support from licensed and caring nurses Secure courtyards and walking paths Ornamental koi pond Manicured flower and sensory gardens Playground for visiting kids

MEMORY SUPPORT PROGRAM For residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia, we offer a special assisted living option with: Specially trained memory support staff An interactive lifestyle that maximizes choice and independence ®

Tailored LIFE enrichment programming that connects each resident to his or her past Group activities that allow residents to enjoy the outdoors and a thriving social life

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 or 301-924-2811

www.bgf.org