September 2023 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

Enjoy being a student again

By Margaret Foster

As the kids go back to school this fall, you can almost smell those new pencils and feel the excitement of learning something new.

Many older adults in Howard County return to school this time of year, too. Hundreds of classes in our area are affordable or even free for older adults, and they’re available online or in person.

Lifelong students say these classes introduce them to new ideas and new friends. Ask Elizabeth Fanto, 86, who has been teaching and taking classes at Renaissance Institute at Notre Dame of Maryland University for more than 20 years.

“The first year I was retired, I was bored to tears. My husband and I [started taking classes], and it just opened up a whole world for us,” she said.

“There’s such a wonderful social aspect. You make friends. For anyone who’s living alone, it’s just a boon.”

And the best part? No tests, papers or grades — which takes the pressure off of teachers as well as students so they can get to know each other.

Don and Jenny Killgallon, retired teachers who live in Cockeysville, have taught classes at Johns Hopkins’ Odyssey program for more than a decade. The two octogenarians have co-authored 22 books and teach three classes a year.

“We have fun every time we teach a lesson,” Don Killgallon said. “We thoroughly enjoy the experience, and I think our students do as well. We learn a little bit about their lives and…they write some really wonderful things. It keeps us busy, and it’s fun.”

Here are some continuing education programs for older adults in Howard County or nearby:

Howard Community College

HCC’s Personal Enrichment program has year-round classes in personal finance, music, art, literature, writing, gardening and many other subjects. Maryland residents 60 and older receive a tuition waiver for many classes (but fees are not waived).

For more information, see bit.ly/HCCenrichment, email continuingeducation@howardcc.edu or call (443) 5181700.

Howard County Rec & Parks

In addition to fitness classes, bus tours and day hikes, the county’s Recreation & Parks department has a range of Active Adult classes for residents 55 and over.

Take a class on how to use your phone and tablet; learn about astronomy at the planetarium; or make a stained-glass window. See howardcountymd.gov/rap or call (410) 313-4700 for more information.

See BACK TO SCHOOL, page 9

ARTS & STYLE

Maryland’s master folk artists pass down skills, such as storytelling, to apprentices; plus, what’s in a podcast? page 27

FITNESS & HEALTH 3

k Don’t fall for these myths

k Weight loss surgery helps joints

LAW & MONEY 18

k Prevent fraud: Don’t mail checks

k Pros and cons of meal kits

Hundreds of free or affordable classes are available year-round throughout the region, either in person or virtually. Have a hankering to cook Mexican food or learn another new skill or sport? There are plenty of options for the over-55 crowd — fitness, studio art, technology, writing, history, birdwatching and more.

No simple answers

I believe there’s a basic human drive to answer questions, solve problems, and develop new technologies to make life better.

Sometimes the solutions are what scientists call “elegant.” That’s when a problem lends itself to a simple, straightforward solution.

Unfortunately, life tends to be complicated, and sometimes we fail to predict the full impact of our solutions. Other times, we may find that people come up with workarounds — or sometimes, even improvements — that exacerbate the original problem.

tribute to smog and acid rain and can cause respiratory problems.

Of even more concern is “particulate matter” — especially the very tiny particles that can be breathed deep into our lungs and even enter our bloodstreams, as well as wash into the soil and pollute the water supply.

gases, for example, are converted into safer forms.

Unfortunately, researchers and engineers have more recently become aware of another, possibly even worse, source of dangerous pollutants from our cars: tires and brakes.

It turns out that the wearing down of tires and brake pads over time produces — you guessed it — fine particulate matter!

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

I learned recently about an example of this that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time.

It starts with the fact that our automobiles (until the recent introduction of all-electric vehicles, or EVs) use internal combustion engines that burn gasoline and produce exhaust containing a variety of pollutants.

Among the byproducts of combustion are dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nitrogen oxides that con-

Ingenious engineers, however, have developed the “catalytic converters” now required in all cars, that help convert the harmful gases into harmless (well, less harmful) ones using precious metals to facilitate chemical reactions that break down the pollutants.

Diesel trucks, as well as many European cars and some luxury U.S. models, also utilize particulate filters that can remove a substantial amount of the particulate matter from exhaust.

Due to the gradually stricter regulation of auto pollution from the federal government (and certain states), and thanks to these technologies, we have made great progress in reducing the harms of internal combustion engines. Up to 90% of harmful

Beacon The

IN FOCUS FOR

PEOPLE

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Howard County area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Md. and Greater Washington, D.C. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal

President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal

Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei

Managing Editor – Margaret Foster

Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Vice President of Operations – Roger King

Advertising Representatives –Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel

Marketing & Operations Manager – Ashley Griffin

Assistant Editor – Ana Preger Hart

Editorial Intern – Amita Chatterjee

When you think about it, this should have been rather obvious. After all, every time we replace tires because the tread has worn down, we know on some level that all that rubber has not only met the road, but probably rubbed off on the asphalt as well.

What seems to have surprised researchers is how much of that rubber (often a synthetic kind that includes carcinogens) turns into ultrafine particles — the most dangerous kind to human health — and how difficult it is to prevent these from entering the air, soil, water and our lungs.

Add to that the copper, zinc, iron and other materials used in brakes that enter the air as brake dust. These metallic particles are potentially more toxic than tailpipe emissions, but are more difficult to reduce or remove.

So, what about those EVs that we all hope will improve our ozone layer and reduce human-influenced climate change? They produce no tailpipe emissions at all, so they do achieve an incremental benefit over gaspowered cars with catalytic converters.

But they accomplish this by utilizing clean batteries for power. And guess what? Those batteries are extremely heavy. And the more drivers demand high mileage from their EVs and turn to larger vehicles like electric trucks, the larger those batteries need to be.

In fact, such EVs are at least 50% heavier than gas-powered cars. And the heavier the car — you guessed it — the more wear and tear on the tires and brakes, and the more particulate matter they produce!

Yes, it seems our electric solution to tailpipe emissions (which had already been much-reduced) is likely to exacerbate the potentially larger and more dangerous pollution problem that all cars retain in the form of worn-down tires and brakes.

I’m sure this is not the end of the story. Our creative engineers are already hard at work experimenting with tires made from natural and sustainable crops (a type of dandelion is showing promise).

And who knows? Maybe cars will one day be required to carry a vacuum that sucks up the particles from the road as we drive.

We humans are pretty inventive. We may cause all kinds of ills on this planet of ours, but some of us always have that inner drive to make things better. Eventually. We Hope.

Letters to the editor

OVER 50

Dear Editor:

While there’s no one answer to the question of what old age looks like, for a lot of us, our grandchildren are the center of our elder years. Lucky me, 74 and healthy, I get to watch my one-year-old granddaughter Lydia for three hours a day.

She gives me a daily focus that organizes my time and keeps me active and connected with family, which I am loving.

In addition to helping with Lydia’s care, I have discovered a passion for painting. It is a total thrill to me to begin and end most days with painting/creating.

So, what does old age look like? Maybe it all comes down to love: finding a way to give love to others, while at the same time finding something we love to do.

Carolyn Ellis

Via website

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com

Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

© Copyright 2023 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Dear Editor:

Thanks so much for putting AI information into language that a “tech dummy” like me can understand (From the Publisher, August 2023). Your second paragraph in “What is AI?” was the best summary I have seen, and I’ve really tried to inform myself on this pervasively written about topic.

I’m left with what seems to be the unaddressed question, isn’t there room in this world for BOTH human creativity AND AI technology? Does it have to be an either/or ethical problem, rather than “How are we going to have both”?

Marian Fielder Silver Spring, MD

Dear Editor:

Thank you for sharing this timely and invaluable information on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Since the time of the green revolution, we always perceive economic or social paradigm shifts as subversive and wreaking havoc on the status quo. This time, it is necessary to expedite our time of recovery from the initial shock to face the inevitable.

It is, however, comforting to know AI can deduct, select, compile and organize from a repository of preexisting entries and data. Like all prior novelties, AI will birth new opportunities, skills and careers (Quality Management/Program Designing/Policy Making). It may free us to call things into existence, be creative, and fulfill our ultimate earthy life purpose.

Anne Marie Jean-Baptiste Silver Spring, MD

Health Fitness &

Fitness & Health

MEDICARE BENEFITS

Most preventative screenings are covered as long as a doctor accepts Medicare

THE NOSE KNOWS

Poor sense of smell is linked to depression in older adults, according to Hopkins study

WHEN TO ACT

Seek out a genetic counselor if multiple family members are diagnosed with cancer

FIZZY FIZZLES OUT

Caffeinated sodas are popular, but may be linked to osteoporosis in women

Busting widely repeated nutrition myths

By Matthew Kadey Nutrition

is a hotly contested topic. Scrolling through social media, reading your favorite food blogs, and listening to podcasts exposes you to endless information about nutrition and health — much of which is a little suspect, to say the least.

Myths that were previously passed through word-of-mouth now spread like wildfire through these channels, making it difficult to tell what’s truly evidence-based.

You’ve likely heard these three myths repeated at one time or another. Let’s set the record straight.

Myth No. 1: Fresh is best. From strawberries to broccoli, fresh produce has a natural appeal to many people. “Fresh” just sounds healthier than “frozen,” doesn’t it?

But just because something is sold as fresh doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more nutritious. While there can be some differences between fresh and frozen veggies and fruits for select nutrients, overall, the nutritional content is similar.

Since frozen produce is flash frozen in its ripened state, it may have higher levels of some nutrients and antioxidants than fresh options that have been in storage for several days. Plus, there can be considerable cost savings when using out-ofseason frozen items like berries and cauliflower.

The fact: Strive to eat more of all fruits and veggies — fresh, frozen or canned.

Myth No. 2: Fasting is the best for weight loss. Intermittent fasting, time-re-

Justice For Clergy Abuse Survivors

In April, Maryland passed a law giving survivors of child sexual abuse the right to file civil lawsuits against the organizations and institutions that helped perpetrators commit, or concealed, their abuse.

The law was passed after the Maryland Attorney General

stricted eating, whatever you call it, this eating pattern is promoted as a better way to drop pounds than simply cutting back on calories. But the differences are more minor than you would think.

Studies have shown that intermittent calorie restriction — where you only eat your calories during a narrow time frame each day — doesn’t necessarily lead to better weight loss success than a diet where you eat more regularly during the day but make sure that calorie intake is controlled. Overall, calories are calories no matter when you eat them.

The fact: There is more than one way to eat for weight loss, and skipping meals isn’t necessary if it’s not something that pleases you. For you, perhaps breakfast truly is the

issued a report concluding that the Catholic Church had assisted more than 160 priests and clergy commit and cover up decades of horrific abuse to hundreds of children.

Those victims can now seek financial damages without worrying about it being too late.

Be Heard, Be Believed and Get Justice

At D’Amore Personal Injury Law, we have assembled a team of experts to help survivors of clergy abuse pursue significant financial compensation.

Our number one priority is to ensure your safety, confidentiality and to keep you in control. You may even choose to remain anonymous in any action.

most important meal of the day.

Myth No. 3: Eating more often boosts metabolism. Unfortunately for grazers, there is little scientific evidence that eating smaller, frequent meals boosts metabolism in a meaningful way.

Yes, there is a temporary uptick in your metabolic rate when digesting and processing food (due to the thermic effect of food), but the 24-hour difference that occurs from eating several times a day versus less often is negligible.

The fact: Meal frequency has little to do with overall metabolism. Instead, pay attention to your hunger cues and eat when you feel hungry.

Reprinted with permission from EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

Weight loss surgery relieves joint pain

By Chika Anekwe, M.D., MPH

Weight loss surgery has many proven benefits, including reducing blood pressure, improving blood sugar and reducing cardiovascular risk.

Now, data from a large multicenter study of bariatric surgery in the U.S. suggest long-lasting improvement of pain and physical function can be added to this list.

The study followed nearly 1,500 people for up to seven years after they had either Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, the two most common bariatric surgery procedures.

Most of the participants were female (80%) and white (82%), with Hispanic (4%) and Black participants (11%) less well represented. Their ages ranged from 38 to 55, and all had been diagnosed with severe obesity (a body mass index of 35 or greater).

Before their surgery, participants completed questionnaires reporting their physical abilities, pain, health and quality of life. Many also were tested for measures of physical function and mobility, such as being able to walk 400 meters in seven minutes or less. Some reported severe or disabling knee or hip pain, a symptom of osteoarthritis. Assessments were repeated annually for up to seven years.

Pain decreased; mobility increased

When the study concluded, 41% to 64% of participants reported improvements in body pain and physical function, as well as objectively measured walking ability. Additionally, 65% to 72% of those with osteoarthritis symptoms felt less knee and hip pain. And 41% of those unable to walk 400 meters in less than seven minutes before surgery were now able to do so.

Not all measures were better; for example, medication use for back pain before weight loss surgery and at the end of the study remained the same. It’s also worth noting that not everyone experienced improvements in pain and physical function.

And the lack of a control group that did not have weight loss surgery makes it hard to know whether positive changes were due to surgery, and whether one type of surgery was better than the other.

Why are the results impressive?

We know that the improvements in health and physical function after bariatric surgery are greatest in the first one to two years after surgery.

Between three and seven years after surgery, the positive effects on weight, cardiovascular and diabetes health metrics

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and health-related quality of life generally decline, even though the net effect remains positive overall.

Most studies of joint pain, physical function and work productivity after weight loss surgery are limited to no more than two years of follow-up. As a result, until now, it has been unclear how long people are able to sustain the improvements they make after surgery.

This study shows evidence of long-term positive changes in important clinical outcomes that matter in daily life: how much body or joint pain people experience, what tasks they can perform for themselves, how mobile they are, and how they feel about their quality of life.

Obesity puts pressure on joints

Obesity contributes to damage of the soft tissues in the joints, which can lead to osteoarthritis — a progressive disease caused by wear and tear on the joints. The hips and knees are most commonly affected.

Each pound of body weight puts four to six pounds of pressure on each knee joint, and people with obesity are 20 times more likely to need a knee replacement than those who are not overweight.

The bottom line: Obesity has harmful effects on the joints. Bariatric surgery, an effective treatment for significantly reducing body weight, can improve pain and physical abilities and reduce hip and knee osteoarthritis symptoms.

In addition, for those considering total knee replacement surgery, weight loss from bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of complications (such as infection, blood clots, stroke or heart attack). Better still, it lowers the chance of needing total knee replacement at all.

Together, these results show that bariatric surgery can have long-lasting effects beyond those we normally think of in improving blood pressure, blood sugar and general health. It can reduce pain and improve physical function and quality of life.

Chika Anekwe, M.D., MPH, is a contributor to Harvard Health Publishing as well as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board.

© 2023 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 13

ALL ABOUT FITNESS APPS

Fitness apps can help us track our activity and nutrition, as well as assist in planning workouts. Learn about the benefits of using fitness apps and which is right for you at this free program at the Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. The session lasts from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wed., Sept. 13.

Questions? Contact Malarie Burgess at (410) 313-6542. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/SeniorPlanetFitnessApps.

Preventive screenings Medicare covers

Dear Savvy Senior, How does Medicare cover preventive health screenings? I’m due to get a physical and a colonoscopy this year, but I want to find out what I’ll have to pay for before I go in.

—Just Turned 65

Dear Just Turned,

You’ll be happy to know that Medicare covers a wide array of preventive and screening services to help you stay healthy. But not all services are completely covered.

Here’s what you should know:

Free preventive benefits

By Jim Miller

Most of Medicare’s preventive services are available to all beneficiaries (through Part B) completely free with no copays or deductibles, as long as you meet basic eligibility standards.

Mammograms; colonoscopies; shots against flu, pneumonia, COVID-19 and hepatitis B; screenings for diabetes, depression, osteoporosis, HIV, various cancers and cardiovascular disease; and counseling to combat obesity, alcohol abuse and smoking are just some of Medicare’s lengthy list of covered services.

But to get these services for free, you need to go to a doctor who accepts Medicare “on assignment” — which means he or she has agreed to accept the Medicare approved rate as full payment.

Also, the tests are free only if they’re used at specified intervals. For example, cardiovascular screening blood tests once every five years; colonoscopy, once every 10 years, or every two years if you’re at high risk. Medicare also offers a free “Welcome to Medicare” exam with your doctor in your first year, along with annual “wellness” visits thereafter.

But don’t confuse these with full physical examinations. These are prevention-focused visits that provide only an overview of your health and medical risk factors, and serve as a baseline for future care.

Cost sharing services

There are, however, a few Medicare preventive services that do require some out-of-pocket cost sharing. With these tests, you’ll have to pay 20 percent of the cost of the service after you’ve met your $226 Part B yearly deductible.

Makeup Already

“I

The services that fall under this category include glaucoma tests, diabetes self-management trainings, barium enemas to detect colon cancer, and digital rectal exams to detect prostate cancer.

For a complete list of services along with their eligibility requirements, visit Medicare.gov/coverage/preventivescreening-services.

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, your plan is also required to cover the same preventive services as original Medicare, as long as you see in-network providers.

Hidden costs

You also need to know that while most of the previously listed Medicare services are free, you can be charged for cer-

tain diagnostic services or additional tests or procedures related to the preventive service.

For example, if your doctor finds and removes a polyp during your preventive care colonoscopy screening, you will pay 15 percent of the doctor’s service fee.

Or, if during your annual wellness visit, your doctor needs to investigate or treat a new or existing problem, you will probably be charged for that too.

To eliminate billing surprises, talk to your doctor before any preventive service procedure to find out if you may be subject to a charge and what it would be.

Send your senior 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.

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SAVVY SENIOR

Poor sense of smell linked to depression

By The Gerontological Society of America

In a study that followed more than 2,000 community-dwelling older adults over eight years, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have significant new evidence of a link between decreased sense of smell and the risk of developing late-life depression.

Their findings, published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, do not demonstrate that loss of smell causes depression, but suggest that it may serve as a potent indicator of overall health and well-being.

“We’ve seen repeatedly that a poor sense of smell can be an early warning sign of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as a mortality risk.

“This study underscores its association with depressive symptoms,” said Vidya Kamath, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

“Additionally, this study explores factors that might influence the relationship between olfaction and depression, including poor cognition and inflammation.”

How the study worked

The study used data gathered from 2,125 participants in a federal government study known as the Health, Aging and

Body Composition Study. This cohort was composed of a group of healthy older adults ages 70 to 73 at the start of the eight-year study period in 1997 and 98.

Participants showed no difficulties in walking 0.25 miles, climbing 10 steps or performing normal activities at the start of the study, and were assessed in person annually and by phone every six months. Tests included those for the ability to detect certain odors, depression and mobility assessments.

In 1999, when smell was first measured, 48% of participants displayed a normal sense of smell, 28% showed a decreased sense of smell, known as hyposmia, and 24% had a profound loss of the sense, known as anosmia. Participants with a better sense of smell tended to be younger than those reporting significant loss or hyposmia.

Over follow-up, 25% of participants developed significant depressive symptoms. When analyzed further, researchers found that individuals with decreased or significant loss of smell had an increased risk of developing significant depressive symptoms at longitudinal follow-up than those in the normal olfaction group.

Researchers also identified three depressive symptom “trajectories” in the study group: stable low, stable moderate and stable high depressive symptoms. A poorer sense of smell was associated with

an increased chance of a participant falling into the moderate or high depressive symptoms groups, meaning that the worse a person’s sense of smell, the higher their depressive symptoms.

These findings persisted after adjusting for age, income, lifestyle, health factors and use of antidepressant medication.

“Losing your sense of smell influences many aspects of our health and behavior, such as eating enjoyment and sensing spoiled food or noxious gas.

“Now we can see that it may also be an important vulnerability indicator of something in your health gone awry,” Kamath said. “Smell is an important way to engage with the world around us, and this study shows it may be a warning sign for late-life depression.”

How our brains process odors

Humans’ sense of smell is one of two chemical senses. It works through specialized sensory cells called olfactory neurons, which are found in the nose.

These neurons have one odor receptor that picks up molecules released by substances around us, which are then relayed to the brain for interpretation. The higher the concentration of these smell molecules, the stronger the smell, and different combinations of molecules result in differ-

ent sensations.

Smell is processed in the brain’s olfactory bulb, which is believed to interact closely with the amygdala, hippocampus and other brain structures that regulate and enable memory, decision-making and emotional responses.

The Hopkins researchers say their study suggests that olfaction and depression may be linked through both biological (e.g., altered serotonin levels, brain volume changes) and behavioral (e.g., reduced social function and appetite) mechanisms.

The researchers plan to replicate their findings from this study in more groups of older adults, and examine changes to individuals’ olfactory bulbs to determine if this system is, in fact, altered in those diagnosed with depression.

They also plan to examine if smell can be used in intervention strategies to mitigate the risk of late-life depression.

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health: National Institute on Aging.

The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences is a peer-reviewed publication of The Geron-

See SENSE OF SMELL, page 8

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What a genetic counselor can do for you

By Sarah Mantia

Dear Mayo Clinic: My grandmother and mother, as well as an aunt and a cousin, have had breast cancer. Another cousin was diagnosed with colon cancer recently.

It has been suggested that I undergo genetic counseling to determine my cancer risk. As a young man, is genetic testing necessary for me? What benefit would I gain from visiting a genetic counselor?

A: Although it can be daunting to have a loved one diagnosed with cancer, having a family history does not mean that you will automatically get cancer. This is one of the reasons why having a discussion with a genetic counselor can be valuable.

A genetic counselor reviews your personal health history and your family’s health history to identify your risk for certain conditions. A genetic counselor can try to determine if there is a pattern or connection among family members’ diag-

noses and how that may affect you.

If your grandmother, mom and cousin are on the same side of the family, that suggests a pattern that could potentially increase your risk, even as a man. Breast cancer affects men, too, though it occurs infrequently.

Only about 5% to 10% of breast cancers have a hereditary cause that can be identified. If a genetic counselor discovers a hereditary cause for breast cancer, however, this condition may increase the risk for other types of cancer, as well.

Other cancers that may have a hereditary connection include ovarian, colon, prostate, uterine and pancreatic cancers.

Concerns for hereditary cancer syndrome rise if people are diagnosed at younger ages, have a personal history of more than one cancer, or have multiple family members with the same or associated cancers.

Benefits and risks of testing

Meeting with a genetic counselor doesn’t immediately mean that you need genetic testing. Rather, the goal of the appointment is to have a discussion that can guide you toward making an informed decision regarding genetic testing.

Discussing the potential risks and limitations of genetic testing is just as important as reviewing the potential benefits of testing.

Another benefit of meeting with a genetic counselor is to learn more about your family risk for certain conditions, which could be valuable in the future.

For instance, understanding your risk for cancer is important, but learning about certain hereditary heart and neurologic conditions, as well as more rare genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis, might help relatives who are planning to have children.

Although it can be challenging to learn

Sense of smell

From page 6

tological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging.

about the details of your family’s health tree, especially if prior generations didn’t share as much or document health concerns, it is important to talk with your family prior to meeting with a genetic counselor if you can.

Family history should be gathered for three or four generations on both sides, and include parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and children.

Helpful information to gather includes:

• Major medical conditions and the age they started

• Cause and age of death

• Birth defects

• Family’s ethnic background, as some conditions can be more prevalent in certain ethnicities. For instance, if someone is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, the risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome is greater than in the general population.

Free online tool

A good resource to help you get started is a free online tool called My Family Health Portrait. This tool is available through the surgeon general’s office. It allows you to collect the information and create a family pedigree that can be printed and shared with healthcare professionals and your family.

As you discuss your family history, don’t forget to talk about conditions that may not have a strictly genetic cause but may have a genetic link. Although there are conditions such as diabetes where a genetic test is not available, it’s important to document the patterns in your family and share them with your primary care provider.

© 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The principal mission of the society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society.

Back to school

From page 1

[See our July cover story, “A great time to explore classes.”]

Columbia Association

While the Columbia Association primarily offers fitness classes, the membershipbased group also has art classes and foreign-language-practice sessions, known as the monthly World Languages Café.

The café is held at the 50+ Center at the East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. Visit columbiaassociation.org or call (410) 715-3000.

Osher Lifelong Learning

Both Johns Hopkins and Towson University offer non-degree classes to people over age 50 through the nationwide Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program. Osher also hosts weekly classes at several Maryland retirement communities.

Osher at Johns Hopkins has been offering classes to retirees since 1986 with the Evergreen Society, now known as Osher at JHU. Classes, taught by Hopkins graduates and other luminaries, are available both online and in person.

Hopkins’ in-person classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays at the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County, 9325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia.

For more information or to request a course brochure, visit osher.jhu.edu, email osher@jhu.edu or call (301) 294-7058.

Osher at Towson University offers classes taught by seasoned professors, many of whom taught at local schools. This fall, Osher at Towson offers a mix of in-person

BEACON BITS

Sept. 20

and online classes about film, science, comedic plays and every period of American history. In-person classes meet at Loyola Graduate Center 2034 Greenspring Drive, Timonium.

Flip through Osher at Towson’s full fall course catalog at bit.ly/OsherTowson. Find out more by email at osher@towson.edu or call (410) 704-3688.

Odyssey at JHU

Odyssey at Johns Hopkins University, run by the alumni association, offers noncredit classes via Zoom. Retired professors from area universities and colleges all over the country teach a wide range of courses about history, photography, literature and writing — even how to write “your awesome obituary.”

Hopkins alumni get 80% off tuition. Learn more at odyssey.jhu.edu or email odyssey@jhu.edu or call (410) 516-1205.

CCBC

The Senior Adventures in Learning program at Community College of Baltimore County offers classes online as well as at its campuses, retirement communities, community centers and Baltimore County senior centers.

One-day programs include walking tours such as “Gargoyles Galore,” as well as “Lunch & Learn” programs that include class and lunch at a Baltimore restaurant such as Blue Stone, Pappas or Carrabba’s.

Most CCBC courses are taught by retired teachers and professors with years of experience. However, there are no grades or tests. Tuition is free for Marylanders over 60 (but class fees and out-of-county fees may be charged).

For more information or a course catalog, visit bit.ly/CCBCseniors or call (443) 840-4900.

Renaissance Institute

Since 1989 the Renaissance Institute has offered classes to people 50 and older at Notre Dame of Maryland University’s campus, located just north of Hopkins.

Additional classes are also available on Zoom, so students from all over the state and country can take classes in literature, art, fitness, language, writing, folk dance and more.

Institute students get access to the campus library and fitness center and can download Microsoft Office 365 at no extra charge. Its teachers are both retired professional educators as well as amateur teachers.

View the fall catalog at bit.ly/Renaissancefall. For more information, contact renaissance@ndm.edu or call (410) 532-3162.

MICA

Maryland Institute College of Art’s Open Studies program has offered classes for non-degree-seeking “curious creatives” for more than 20 years. Virtual and on-campus classes cover painting, sculpture, natural dyes, ceramics, sketching and more.

Classes are held on Zoom or in person at 1300 W. Mt. Royal Ave., Baltimore. For more

information, visit Openstudies.mica.edu or contact the Office of Open Studies at openstudies@mica.edu or (410) 225-2219.

Senior Planet by AARP

If you’re at least 60, Senior Planet’s live online classes are available for free no matter where you live.

Take a morning stretch class, learn more about your smartphone or smart TV, take a virtual museum tour, or take part in a free discussion with other older adults.

To sign up, call the Senior Planet hotline at 1-888-713-3495 or visit seniorplanet.org/classes. The closest in-person classes are offered in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Smithsonian Associates

With a vast offering of courses, day trips, multi-day tours and lectures, Smithsonian Associates is the largest museum education program in the world.

Classes cover art, studio art, literature, writing, art history, history, science, film and more. Most classes are streamed live, so you can watch from any device. Some classes are offered in person in Washington, DC.

For more information, visit SmithsonianAssociates.org, email CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org or call (202) 633-3030.

FREE DEMENTIA CONSULTATION

STAND UP TO HATE

Learn about the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism’s national work and how you can be a defender of Jews in Howard County. Matthew Berger, senior advisor of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, will speak at the Smith Theater at Howard Community College at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 20. The event is free, but registration is required at tinurl.com/MatthewBergerHoCo. Email sleavey@jewishhowardcounty.org with questions.

ADULT RELATIONSHIP WORKSHOP

Join Dr. Alexander Chan, a marriage and family therapist from the University of Maryland Extension, for an interactive session for you and your partner to learn practical relationship tips, mindfulness, emotion-management techniques, and a raffle for gift cards to local restaurants. The free workshop takes place on Sat., Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Avalon Room of the Miller Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Questions? Call (410) 313-1950. To register, visit bit.ly/AdultRelationshipWorkshop.

Sept. 23

Maryland Kidney Walk

Sunday, September 10th · Check-In: 9:00am

UMBC Erickson Field

Signature Community Fundraiser featuring warmup with Planet Fitness music by Youth Ambassador, DJ Young Fresh Prince | boxing tips from professional fighter, Demond Nicholson | refreshments | face painting arts & crafts | games and more!I

KIDNEY WALK

Proud Media Sponsor

Building hope with every step.

Proud Local Partners

National Partners

Control of irritable bowels without drugs

By Robert Kraichely, M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: I have been diagnosed with a mild case of irritable bowel syndrome, and I talked to my doctor about managing my symptoms without medication. I am interested in trying to focus more on diet to control my condition. Are there certain things I should be mindful of, or will medication be the only way to manage my symptoms?

A: Although medications can be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, not everyone who has this disorder will need medication. For some people — particularly those with mild symptoms — lifestyle adjustments such as diet modification, stress management and regular exercise, are enough to control symptoms.

For moderate to severe symptoms, a combination of lifestyle changes and medication may be necessary to manage irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome affects the large and sometimes small intestines. The walls of the intestines are lined with layers of muscle that contract and relax in a coordinated rhythm as they move food through the digestive tract.

When you have irritable bowel syndrome, those contractions may be stronger or more noticeable than normal. That can lead to ab-

dominal cramping and pain as food, gas or stool passes through the intestines.

Irritable bowel syndrome also is associated with bowel irregularity, such as diarrhea or constipation. Other symptoms can include gas and bloating.

In those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, it’s important to be aware that some abdominal issues are not associated with this disorder and could signal an underlying problem.

In particular, these symptoms require prompt medical attention: blood in the stool, unexplained or rapid weight loss, unrelenting or severe abdominal pain, unexplained vomiting, significant pain with or difficulty swallowing, or an abdominal mass or lump.

Lifestyle and diet

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic condition; symptoms tend to come and go over time. There’s no cure, but symptoms often can be eased with diet, lifestyle and stress management.

More than 60% of people who have irritable bowel syndrome say their symptoms are connected to food in some way. However, because symptoms vary significantly from one person to another, it’s difficult to give specific dietary advice that works for everyone with this disorder.

In general, though, eating high-fiber foods and drinking plenty of fluids are beneficial for many people with irritable bowel syndrome.

Avoid foods and beverages that contribute to gas and bloating, including carbonated and alcoholic beverages, caffeine, raw fruit, and vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Reducing or eliminating gluten may ease diarrhea related to irritable bowel syndrome.

Research has shown that certain carbohydrates, known as fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP for short), can lead to abdominal pain, bloating and gas in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

These are found in certain fruits and vegetables, including wheat, rye, legumes, foods that contain lactose (such as milk, cheese

and yogurt) and artificial sweeteners.

Following a diet low in FODMAPs can ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. But because so many foods contain these compounds, it can be difficult for patients to create such a diet on their own.

Finding a dietitian familiar with irritable bowel syndrome can help. A dietitian can review a patient’s symptoms and dietary needs, discuss recommended dietary changes, and develop an individualized food plan to ease symptoms.

Stress reduction and exercise

Stress also affects irritable bowel syndrome, with episodes of higher stress associated with an increase in symptoms.

Using stress-reduction techniques and

needs.

Do carbonated beverages weaken bones?

By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D.

Q: Do carbonated drinks leach calcium from bones? Does this increase the risk for osteoporosis? Can drinking soda make a diagnosed case of osteoporosis worse?

A: The best answer I can give to your questions is “maybe.”

A number of studies have linked carbonated drinks with osteoporosis. Data from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study looked at carbonated drink consumption among more than 1,400 women and 1,100 men. They found that women who drank the most caffeinated cola had the lowest bone density. The biggest effect was seen for those drinking three or more caffeinated cola drinks per day.

The effect was weaker for non-cola and non-caffeinated carbonated drinks.

And they saw no link between any of these drinks and bone health in men.

More recent studies have come to similar conclusions. One study found a higher rate of bone fractures among teenagers who drank carbonated drinks compared with those who did not. Another found that among postmenopausal women, drinking more than two soft drinks each day was linked to an increased risk of hip fracture.

But no one knows if there is a true cause-and-effect relationship between carbonated drinks and weak bones. Something else about soda drinkers may explain this.

For example, maybe soda drinkers exercise less and smoke more than those who don’t drink sodas regularly. Differences like this could lead to more osteoporosis among soda drinkers.

But if there is a direct connection, there are a number of possible explanations:

• Soda drinkers may drink less milk or eat fewer foods that contain calcium.

• The phosphate in carbonated drinks may block or slow how calcium is absorbed (although the drinks do not necessarily “leach” calcium out of the bone).

• Caffeine in sodas may weaken bones by impairing growth and development over time.

Until we know more, I think it makes sense for people with osteoporosis to limit carbonated drinks. Cutting back is unlikely to cause harm and might just help.

Other steps you can take include:

• Getting enough calcium: 1,000 to 1,200 mg./day.

• Getting enough vitamin D: 800 to

Howard County Walk

Centennial Park, Ellicott City

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Harford/Cecil Walk Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Western Maryland Walk Nimeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium

Frederick

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Anne Arundel County Walk Sandy Point State Park

Annapolis

Sunday, October 22, 2023

WHY I WALK

My Navy veteran father proudly served, caring deeply for his family and fellow sailors. A year ago, he died from Alzheimer's disease. What I witnessed, no one should endure. Dad always did his best to help those in need, and now I'm following his example by walking until there is a cure. Please join me.

”

-David Weaver

Greater Baltimore Walk Hunt Valley Towne Centre Hunt Valley

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Eastern Shore Walk MAC Center

Salisbury

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Register at alz.org/maryland/walk or scan QR Code

1,000 units per day.

• Getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, such as walking.

• Taking medicines to build up bone, such as alendronate (Fosamax) or risedronate (Actonel), as prescribed by your doctor.

• Not smoking.

• Not drinking too much alcohol.

• Reducing the use of medications (such as corticosteroids) that can decrease bone strength.

Talk to your doctor about your bone health and what you can do to keep your bones healthy. This may include changing what you drink.

For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu.

© 2023 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

IBS

From page 11

participating in activities that relieve stress, such as yoga and meditation, may decrease stress-related flare-ups.

Working with a therapist or counselor experienced in stress management, mindfulness and behavior modification also may help those with the condition better control stress and ease symptoms.

Regular exercise is recommended for people who have irritable bowel syndrome. Daily physical activity relieves stress, stimulates normal contractions of the intestines, and promotes overall wellness.

If lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough to keep irritable bowel syndrome from disrupting daily life, talk to your healthcare professional about medication options. Various prescription and nonprescription medications are available to treat irritable bowel syndrome.

— Robert Kraichely, M.D., Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 15+

VOLUNTEER AT PATAPSCO TRAIL FEST

Spend the last days of summer outdoors as a volunteer at Patapsco Valley State Park’s annual Trail Fest. Volunteers are needed to supervise events, help in the kitchen and assist at aid stations. To learn more and sign up for available positions, visit pvsptrailfest.com/volunteer.

Three mistakes to avoid with fresh nuts

By Betty Gold, RealSimple.com

We know nuts are good for you. They’re an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber, pack plenty of nutrient-dense monounsaturated fat, and have been shown to lower cholesterol, inflammation and your risk of heart disease.

Walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and the lot are tasty treats in trail mix, but their uses are nearly never-ending. Fold walnuts into homemade bread dough, mix cashews into granola, or throw a handful of almonds and a pinch of salt into your food processor for some seriously delicious DIY nut butter.

Now that we’re covered what we know about nuts, read on for some of the (unexpected) mistakes many of us make when shopping for and storing them.

Mistake No. 1: Shopping the bulk bins

The biggest blunder is buying from the bulk bins at your grocery store. It’s nearly impossible to tell how often the shop replaces these nuts or how long they’ve been sitting in the open air.

According to Steve Lindsay, the director of quality assurance for Diamond Nuts, oxygen is the number one enemy of any nut’s shelf-life. Those sitting in bulk bins are constantly exposed to oxygen.

Your best bet for finding fresh nuts is to buy those sealed in a bag, which will ensure freshness and prevent oxygen from slipping through.

One final word on bulk bins: Some people stick their bare hands directly into the bins to sneak a snack. This exposes the contents to outside germs and bacteria.

Mistake No. 2: Storing them in the pantry

Contrary to popular belief, nuts should be stored in the fridge or freezer. Why? Because nuts contain a high amount of unsaturated fat — a delicate type of oil that makes them highly prone to going rancid.

Spoilage is accelerated even more by light, oxygen and heat. Storing nuts (and seeds) in the fridge or freezer limits their exposure to all three, and will result in your nuts tasting less bitter and more flavorful for a longer time.

According to Lindsay, you can keep an unopened bag of shelled or in-shell nuts in the fridge or freezer for two years (!). Even if the bag has been opened, shelled nuts should last an entire year, and in-shell nuts will last about a year and a half.

If you’re going to use your nuts in the immediate future, it’s fine to keep them in a cool, dark spot in your pantry. Just make sure they’re in an airtight container, and

plan to eat them within a couple of weeks.

Mistake No. 3: Paying too much attention to expiration dates

Expiration dates are problematic for many reasons, primarily because they’re merely suggestions or guesses.

The shelf life of nuts depends on three key factors: storage conditions, shelled or unshelled, and whether or not the package is opened.

A good rule of thumb is to think of nuts as

produce rather than a packaged good. Just as you would with fresh spinach or a ripe tomato, give them a sniff before you eat them.

As nuts age, the rancidity will give them a paint-like smell. If you get any harsh or bitter aromas, toss them.

Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at RealSimple.com.

© 2023 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Primary Care At Home

Providing primary care medical services in the comfort and convenience of your home for patients who have difficulty traveling to an office.

Ikon Health offers:

• Care coordination with specialists.

• Access to services such as x-ray and blood work, at home.

• Close communication with patients and their loved ones.

• Accepting Medicare, Medicaid and most major supplemental insurance plans.

Have confidence in every conversation.

Do you find it difficult to use a standard phone? Do people ask you to repeat yourself during telephone conversations? Do you miss important calls because you can’t hear the phone ring? The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program is here to help by giving Maryland residents the opportunity to apply for State-provided telecommunications equipment to independently make and receive calls. Once you qualify, a skilled evaluator meets with you to determine the best device to support your day-to-day communications. The MAT program has a variety of equipment solutions to support clearer communication, including:

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

• Ring signalers

• Phones with large and/or high contrast buttons

• Captioned Telephones

• And more

For more information:

800-552-7724 | 410-767-7253 (Voice/TTY)

410-801-9618 (Video Phone) | MDMAT.org

Upcoming Programs for 55 Years + Recreation & Parks

To view all of our programs and activities, visit www.HowardCountyMD.gov/rap.

Crafts & Fine Arts

• Info: Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279 or tadkins@howardcountymd.gov.

Beginning and Intermediate Drawing

w/ Zina Poliszuk

In this class, beginner drawers use right brain techniques like blind and modified contour drawing and tonal studies, to exercise the right brain and improve eye-hand coordination. Intermediate artists investigate gesture drawing, portraits and perspective.

55 yrs +Gary J Arthur CCClasses: 7

RP0302.501Sep 111:15–3:15pmM$145

Dance

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Beginner Ballet for Active Aging Adults

w/ Carol Asher

This adult beginner ballet dance class is filled with graceful and fluid movements that build strength and flexibility while having fun. Beautiful classical music is added to this light and enjoyable class. No equipment is needed. Enjoy this weekly class and socialize with members of the community.

55 yrs +Roger Carter CCClasses: 8

RP3508.501Sep 1312:30-1:30pmW$84

Beginner Jazz for Active Aging Adults

w/ Carol Asher

This adult beginner jazz dance class is filled with rhythm and musicality while building strength. Jazz dance combines techniques of classical ballet and modern dance with the current forms of popular dance. Enjoy this fun, weekly class while listening to award-winning show tunes. No equipment is needed.

55 yrs +Roger Carter CCClasses: 8

RP3512.501Sep 1510-11amF$84

Fitness

• Info/Fitness Waiver: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Zumba Gold w/ Vanessa Meadows, SCW, Zumba and Zumba Gold Licensed Zumba Gold introduces easy-to-follow Zumba choreography that focuses on balance, range of motion and coordination. Come ready to sweat and prepare to leave empowered. Focus on all elements of fitness: cardiovascular, muscular conditioning, flexibility, and balance. Zumba Gold is perfect for active older adults who are looking for a modified Zumba class that recreates the original moves at a lower intensity.

55 yrs +Kiwanis-Wallas HallClasses: 10No class 10/5, 11/2, 11/23

RP3595.501Sep 129-10amTu,Th$85

RP3595.502Oct 199-10amTu,Th$85

Light Fitness w/ Taylor Williams, GFI

October

3 | 11am-2pm

| Blandair Park North | Free

Come celebrate with free activities geared toward keeping your mind and body active!

Info: www.HowardCountyMD.gov/EncoreShowcase

Enjoy a light 55-minute workout to start your day and enhance flexibility. Participants improve muscle movement, making it easier to execute a wide range of motion. This class includes low impact aerobics, stretching, muscle toning, and activities aimed at improving overall health.

55 yrs +Cedar Lane Rec CtrClasses: 12No class 10/9

RP3585.501Sep 1810:30-11:30amM,W$89

PICKLEBALL

50+ Pickleball Drop-In Play

Pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis. Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, much like a whiffle ball, with 26-40 round holes, over a net. The sport shares features of other racquet sports: the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules somewhat similar to tennis, with several modifications. Bring your own paddle and balls. Teams rotate play during this two-hour session.

50 yrs +Western Regional PkWeeks: 10

RP3592.505Sep 1210am-noonTu$39

RP3592.506Sep 1410am-noonTh$39

50+ Pickleball 101

Learn the rules, scoring, etiquette, proper techniques for serving, dinks, volleys, overheads, and lobs. Learn the fundamentals of the game everyone is playing. Upon completion of this class, leave comfortable with playing pickleball. Instructors are provided by the Howard County Pickleball Association.

50 yrs +Atholton PkClasses: 1

RP3558.502Sep 216-7:30pmTh$15

RP3558.503Oct 56-7:30pmTh$15

50+ Pickleball “Skills and Drills” w/ Earl Sneeringer

Learn the rules, scoring, etiquette, proper techniques for serving, dinks, volleys, overheads, and lobs. Learn the fundamentals of the game everyone is playing. Improve your skills and be ready to play independently. Upon completion of this four-week session you become a better pickleball player.

50 yrs +Atholton PkClasses: 4

RP3551.502Oct 4 9-10amW$49

Meet

You There Art: The ClayGround –Hand Building Fall Pumpkins!

Instructors guide you step-by-step in turning your clay into a masterful piece. In this class, create a beautiful pumpkin to add to your fall theme decor. Once you explore the methods of hand building, you can create just about anything out of clay!

21 yrs +ClayGround StudioWalking w/ seating available RP4573.501Sep 2710am-1pmW$85

Discovering Luray Caverns

Explore eastern America’s largest and most popular caverns. From well-lighted, paved and step-free walkways, explore cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10 stories high, filled with towering stone columns and crystal-clear pools. Also, hear the haunting sounds of the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the world’s largest musical instrument. See many artifacts from the 1750s to the 1920s. Lunch on your own at the onsite café.

18 yrs +Bus providedA lot of walking

RP4590.501Sep 298:30am–5pmF$109

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Commonly known as theNational Zoo, it is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. Founded in 1889, its mission is to “provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats.”

All agesBus providedA lot of walking/standing, chances to sit RP4575.501Oct 139am-6pmF$75

Meet You There: Madrid Spanish Taverna

Remain local for a wonderful all-inclusive dinner experience that transports you to the flavors of Spain. Madrid Spanish Taverna will take us on a phenomenal journey of flavors. Also, talented Spanish Flamenco dancers entertain you.

21 yrs +Madrid Spanish Taverna, ColumbiaMinimal walking RP4576.501Oct 196-8pmTh$79

• Info: Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279 or tadkins@howardcountymd.gov.

Scan the QR code or visit tinyurl.com/RPpickleball for more

• Info: Scott Ripley, 410-313-7281or sripley@howardcountymd.gov.

A Publication of the Department of Community Resources and Services

“Discover Yours” at 50+ Centers

David Bowie once said, “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”

The theme of the September 2023 National Senior Center Month, “Discover Yours,” encourages older adults to explore activities which support their aspirations, fuel their passions and uncover new talents.

Howard County’s six 50+ Centers support self-discovery with a vibrant combination of fitness, health and wellness classes, access to resources and nutritious meals, opportunities to volunteer, socialize, and enjoy arts, culture, music, and more. Over the years, Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) 50+ Centers have evolved to include virtual classes, evening programs, fully equipped fitness rooms, and expanded hours to meet the needs of an increasing and active older adult population.

“Our 50+ Centers offer opportunities to explore new ways to discover your passions, grow your social circle and engage in meaningful activities” said OAI Administrator Ofelia Ross Ott. “We feel privileged to offer a wide variety of fun and engaging programs, plus practical tools and resources to help them stay healthy and independent.”

Find a center near you at www.howardcountymd. gov/50pluscenters and stop by this month – especially if you have never visited one before! Our highly trained and caring 50+ Center staff can help you get and stay connected to the very best our community has to offer older adults. Discover yours today!

Volume 13, No. 9 • September 2023

Howard County is truly an age-friendly community. Age-Friendly communities foster independence, allowing residents of all ages and abilities to access amenities and services. As part of our efforts, our team has expanded spaces and increased programs to accommodate our older adults who are more dedicated than ever to continuing a lifestyle that prioritizes their health.

September is National Senior Center Month, the perfect time to highlight our six, state-of-the-art 50+ centers: Bain, East Columbia, Elkridge, Ellicott City, Glenwood, and North Laurel. Each of these centers provide programs and amenities so older adults can continue to exercise their bodies and minds, as well as interact with others.

Over the last five years, we have made extensive progress and updates to ensure our 50+ centers are reflective of our community. Just recently, we expanded the Bain 50+ Center in Columbia, the oldest senior center in our community, by nearly 10% to its current 25,000 square feet. These renovations include a 1,300 square foot fitness center, an enlarged dance and aerobics studio, additional classrooms for more programming, flat-screen tv’s, and a new lounge area. Additionally, in just a few short months, we will cut the ribbon on a new East Columbia 50+ Center. With recent investments of nearly $22 million, this premier center will create a campus destination in East Columbia. To meet increasing community needs, the new 29,000 square foot facility will replace the original 2,000 square foot center.

Throughout National Senior Center Month, I encourage all our older adults to visit one or more of our six 50+ centers, sign up for classes, or meet with friends to learn more about how you can thrive together in our community.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week: September 18 - 22

Falls are the leading cause of serious injuries and death for older adults. The good news is falls are preventable and there are proven steps people can take to reduce their risk. OAI is partnering with the National Council on Aging to empower older adults and caregivers in Howard County to learn how to play it safe.

Assess your risk & protect yourself

September 20, 10 a.m. / Bain 50+ Center

Assess your risk of falling and take proactive steps to avoid injury. Learn important tools to help prevent falls and keep you safe during normal activities.

Falls prevention exercise & home safety tips

September 27, 11 a.m. / Elkridge 50+ Center

Learn the role that exercise, strength and balance training play in preventing falls, and how to create a safe trip- and slip-free environment around your home.

A message from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball

September Featured Events

New building, new opportunities!

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER

September 1, 11 a.m.

Get involved - join the Volunteer Squad at the East Columbia 50+ Center. Come learn about available expanded opportuni es when our new center opens its doors in early 2024.

Magical monarchs

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER

September 7, 1 p.m.

Be inspired by the amazing migra ons of monarch bu erflies, learn the dangers they face and what we can do to protect them. View photos and video from the overwintering areas in Michoacán, Mexico, presented by Clair Walker, a University of Maryland master gardener. Free.

Retirement communities: Which one is best for you?

GLENWOOD 50+ CENTER

September 22, 11 a.m. / A03690.400

Join a panel discussion, ask questions and learn what is available when considering your retirement move! We will discuss options including amenities, activities, parking, meals, and more. Get valuable information in one convenient location without pressure.

Reverse mortgage truths & myths

BAIN 50+ CENTER

September 26, 10 a.m. / A01655.400

Join us to learn how to use a reverse mortgage as a financial tool to help fund your re rement, while bus ng the myths and sharing the facts about reverse mortgages.

Age-Friendly update

ELLICOTT CITY 50+ CENTER

September 28, 11 a.m. / A02931.400

The goal of Age-Friendly Howard County is to build a livable community that is a great place for everyone to grow up and grow older, focusing on transporta on, housing, outdoor spaces, communica on, health and community services, respect and social inclusion, and more! Join Morgan Spliedt, Howard County’s Livable Communi es program manager to learn about recent successes and ways you can get involved.

Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

September 29, 11 a.m.

Celebrate Hispanic and La no history, art, culture and more during our Hispanic Heritage Month trivia game. Team up or play solo for a morning of trivia fun with your favorite library system. Free; sign up at the front desk.

To register or find more events, visit https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/howardcounty/

Senior Planet presents: MyChart

ROGER CARTER COMMUNITY CENTER

3000 MILLTOWNE DRIVE, ELLICOTT CITY 21043

September 20, 10 a.m.

Does your doctor or healthcare provider use MyChart? Learn about this electronic health-record portal that works both in a web browser and app. MyChart can help you keep all your health informa on in one place, communicate with your providers, and support a virtual visit. The discussion will also explore the portal's privacy and security features. Call 410-313-2764 or email mburgess@howardcountymd.gov to register. Free.

CPR/AED Training

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

September 14, 2:30 p.m.

Be ready when someone’s life depends on it. Join us to learn basic CPR/Automated External Defibrillator (AED)! (Note this is a training not a cer fica on.) Free; register at the front desk.

Age-Friendly Ecosystem Summit

September 26-27 and October 3-4, 1 to 3 p.m. / Register Age-Friendly Howard County is a partner agency in the 2023 Age-Friendly Ecosystem Summit hosted by the George Washington University. This free, virtual four-day event explores regional age-friendly ini a ves related to ageism, inclusivity, communica ons, and crea vity. See what this means for you. To learn more and register for sessions, visit h ps://bit.ly/Age-FriendlyEcoSummit.

Money Law &

To fix Social Security yet protect benefits

In the May 15 issue of Barron’s, Burton Malkiel, an expert in investments, wrote an article that should be mandatory reading for all members of Congress.

Many readers of my column who are dependent on Social Security are concerned — and rightly so — that some Social Security benefits may be reduced in the future.

There is no question that the trust funds for Social Security have reserves to pay all scheduled benefits only until 2033. If Congress fails to take action in the next few years, Social Security benefits may be reduced for all Social Security beneficiaries.

listed in his Barron’s article.

Fix Congress first

I find it interesting that one thing members of Congress who are proposing reductions in Social Security benefits are not discussing is changing the favorable regulations that control their own retirement benefits.

Currently, only the first $162,250 an individual earns is subject to the payroll tax. The regulation can be changed so that all wages are subject to this tax. According to Malkiel, 63% of the long-run funding gap could be closed by this change.

THE SAVINGS GAME

By Elliot Raphaelson

For example, under current regulations, members of Congress are entitled to full pension at age 62 after only five years of federal service. The rest of U.S. workers have to work at least 10 years under Social Security in order to be eligible for retirement benefits.

This change will not have a significant impact on the lifestyle of family units with incomes over $162,250. An across-the-board reduction in Social Security benefits, however, will have a dramatic effect on lower-income families that depend on Social Security.

Malkiel also recommended that the retirement age could be increased by one month a year until, in 24 years, it will have been increased by two years to “reflect in small part” the long-run increases in longevity.

Bottom line: There are many solutions that a responsible Congress should be considering. In my opinion, there is no reason why some of the proposed solutions referred to in this article should not be addressed now, rather than waiting until 2031. [See also page 2 of the April Beacon.]

Most families in the U.S. that receive Social Security benefits depend on them to maintain basic living expenses. Retirees who have contributed to Social Security all their lives should not be penalized because there will be fewer workers working under Social Security and because of longer life expectancy.

There are many reasons for the likely deficiency in the trust funds. However, the main reason is that there will be fewer workers working under Social Security in the future than there will be retirees dependent on Social Security benefits. Another significant factor is the increased longevity of American workers.

It is easy for members of Congress to say there is no other solution to the deficiency in the trust fund other than to reduce benefits. There are solutions, however, which Malkiel

Also, under current regulations, members of Congress can retire with a reduced government pension at ages 55-57 with 10 years of government service. The rest of us are not eligible for reduced Social Security benefits until age 62.

Potential solutions abound

One of Malkiel’s recommendations, which has been made by many others, is to increase the limits on wages that are subject to the Social Security payroll tax.

Under this plan, there would be no change for current retirees, and only modest effects for those near retirement. For workers who perform manual labor, the age limits could remain unchanged.

Malkiel pointed out that, according to estimates from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, raising the retirement age by two years (to age 69), and then indexing it to longevity, would close 39% of the 75-year funding shortfall.

Another option is to expand Social Security to include state and local government workers.

Members of Congress have had many years to fix this problem. I urge every taxpayer to write to their Congressional representative and demand that they find a solution now to fix the trust fund problem without reducing Social Security benefits.

Any congressional representative who recommends taking away Social Security benefits without looking at reasonable solutions should lose his or her job.

Maybe the first thing they should be looking at is their own retirement benefits.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.

© 2023 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

Mailed checks are fueling fraud schemes

By Ken Sweet

Check fraud is back in a big way, fueled by a rise in organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety measures or to avoid sending checks through the mail altogether.

Banks issued roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported roughly 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 2021, more than double the prior year’s total.

Check’s in the mail? Not good

Early in the pandemic, government relief checks became an attractive target for criminals. The problem has only gotten worse, and postal authorities and bank officials are warning Americans to avoid mailing checks if possible, or at least to

use a secure mail drop such as inside the post office.

Meanwhile, as the cases of fraud increase, victims are waiting longer to recover their stolen money.

Check usage has been in decline for decades, as Americans have largely switched to paying for their services with credit and debit cards.

Americans wrote roughly 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990, according to the Federal Reserve. However, the average size of the checks Americans write rose from $673 in 1990 — or $1,602 in today’s dollars — to $2,652 last year.

“Despite the declining use of checks in the United States, criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud,” FinCEN wrote in an alert sent out in February.

Large criminal gangs

Today’s check fraud criminals are sophisticated criminal operations, with participants infiltrating post office distribution centers, setting up fake businesses, or creating fake IDs to deposit the checks.

“Walkers,” or people who actually walk in to cash these checks, receive training in how to appear even more legitimate.

In one case in Southern California last year, nearly 60 people were arrested on charges of committing more than $5 million in check fraud against 750 people.

Criminals are getting the checks or identification information by fishing mail out of U.S. postal boxes, looking for envelopes that appear to be either bill payments or checks being mailed.

The most common type of check fraud is what’s known as check washing, where a criminal steals the check from the mail and uses a method to remove ink so they

can change the payee’s name on the check and, additionally, the amount of money.

Some criminals are going further and using the information found on a check to gather sensitive personal data on a potential victim.

There have been reports of criminals creating fake entities out of personal data obtained from a check, or even opening new lines of credit or businesses with that data as well.

That’s why check fraud experts are saying Americans should avoid sending checks in the mail or at least take additional safety steps to avoid becoming a victim.

“If you need to mail a check, do not put a check in your residential mailbox and raise the flag to notify the postman. Drop off checks inside a post office if you have to,” said Todd Robertson with Argo Data, a See CHECK FRAUD, page 19

Home-delivered meal kits may save time, money. See page 20.

PHOTO BY BLUE APRON

Ask these questions of financial advisers

By Kate Ashford

Using a financial adviser for your investment needs is 100% on brand, but what about the other parts of your retirement life?

For example, a third of people ages 64 and up have a financial adviser, but only 2% of them asked their adviser to help with their Medicare choices, according to a July 2022 report from healthcare consulting firm Sage Growth Partners.

But Medicare and other non-portfolio topics — like travel and long-term care — can affect your finances.

“We are actively bringing these ideas to our clients, but there are still plenty of advisers out there that are not,” said Crystal Cox, a certified financial planner (CFP) in Madison, Wisconsin. “They’re still focused just on the investments and the portfolio.”

Here are some questions to ask at your next meeting:

1. What retirement decisions do I need to think about?

Your life in retirement may not continue as it has in the past. Do you plan to travel? Do you intend to move to a different state

Check fraud

From page 18

financial data provider.

Banks are on the alert

Banks, keenly aware of the problem, are increasingly watching for signs of fraud at branches and through mobile check deposit services, including large check deposits.

They’re training branch employees to take steps such as looking at check numbers, because checks are typically written in order, or noticing when a check is being written for a much larger amount than previous history would indicate. Banks also

or downsize? How often will you want to buy a new vehicle?

“Most people just think, ‘I need a certain amount of money to live on,’” said Daniel Lash, a CFP in Vienna, Virginia. “What about all the ancillary things that come along with living? All the things you want to do?”

Mapping your retirement plans can help you and your adviser pinpoint when and how you’ll need cash.

“Do you have an idea of where you’re going to move, and what does real estate look like in that general area?” Lash said. “They’ve thought about retiring, not ‘What am I going to do when I retire?’”

2. What should I know about Medicare?

Although you generally can’t sign up for Medicare until you’re nearly 65 years old, your income in the years beforehand will affect what you pay for coverage.

Each year, both Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D base their premiums on your reported modified adjusted gross income from two years prior. So, if you filed individually making more than $91,000, or

now deploy software at their branches to flag suspicious checks.

But those systems become moot if criminals are able to persuade tellers — often at the front lines for check acceptance — to look past any red flags.

“These fraudsters are much more aggressive than they were in the past, and they are pressuring tellers to override internal systems that might flag a potentially suspicious transaction,” said Paul Benda, a senior vice president at the American Bankers Association.

AP Small Business Writer Mae Anderson contributed to this report. © 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Pre-planning a funeral is a great gift, to your family and to you: It relieves the pressure on them to imagine what you might have wanted while they deal with grief and loss.

Your funeral service will be exactly as you wish.

Your family can enjoy peace of mind knowing everything has been arranged. If you choose to pre-fund, the cost is fixed and protected from later price change or inflation.

Call us to learn more.

Ask about our price-match guarantee!

Ask for Jim Schwartz or Chris Boggs: 410-747-4770

filed jointly making more than $182,000, you’ll pay additional amounts each month.

“Because there’s a lookback on earnings for Medicare premiums, we’ll adjust plans accordingly, because clients might be paying considerably more the first couple of years in retirement than later in retirement,” Lash said.

It’s also wise to consider guidance on Medicare choices in general, because you sometimes can’t change coverage later if your health situation shifts — and Medicare is complicated.

“We do an annual meeting with somebody that specializes in Medicare,” Lash said. “All clients are invited to attend.”

3. Can I afford to self-insure for long-term care?

A person turning 65 now has about a 70% chance of needing some kind of long-term care, and costs are steep: Median costs in the D.C. metro area average more than $60,000 a year for an assisted living facility and $125,000 for a shared room in a nursing home, according to insurance company Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey.

“Some people are well enough off that they’re comfortable self-insuring,” said Kevin Brady, a CFP in New York City. “Others have more limited assets.”

No matter what is the case, it’s crucial to discuss potential costs and whether you

have the savings to manage them.

If you don’t, you’ll need to run the numbers on products like long-term care insurance or a hybrid policy that combines permanent life insurance with a long-term care rider.

4. Do I have enough money to have some fun?

A successful retirement isn’t always about the tangibles. For many, it’s a time to realize dreams of travel and other experiences. But spending too frugally can get in the way.

“Often clients are overly conservative for fear of running out of money, but in the process, they shortchange the retirement experience,” said Kevin Lum, a CFP in Los Angeles. “By the time they realize their abundance, they’re too old to spend it.”

Talk to your adviser about your big-ticket wishes and whether you have enough money to splash out a little before you settle into quieter spending.

Actual retirement spending looks more like a smile than a straight line, Lum said, with more spending at the beginning on things like travel, and more spending at the end on long-term care needs.

“I’m not saying people should spend irrationally,” Lum said. “But thinking about retirement spending as a fixed calculation that doesn’t change across the retirement life isn’t a smart idea.” —AP/NerdWallet

What meal kits offer and what they cost

By Patricia Mertz Esswein

No more figuring out what to do with a giant bunch of parsley or a tub of sour cream before it spoils.

A meal kit — a box of chef-created recipes and premeasured ingredients delivered to your home — will help reduce food waste and spice up your cooking with a dollop of convenience on the side.

We looked at three of the largest meal kit companies — HelloFresh, Sunbasket and Blue Apron — to get an idea of cost,

convenience and nutrition.

What we learned is that some kits offer flexibility to customize dishes and even eat healthy, but a different kind of meal planning is still required.

Subscription required

Each of the big three requires a subscription that renews automatically. You receive a delivery based on how many people you’re serving, the number of meals you want each week and your dietary preferences.

HelloFresh and Blue Apron start at $12 per serving, but the more you order, the lower the cost. Sunbasket charges $12 per serving or more, depending on the recipe, regardless of the number of servings. Shipping is generally $10 per box.

Will you save money? At a minimum, meal kits are probably cheaper than takeout or dining out. HelloFresh claims to be 75% cheaper than grocery shopping, in part because it buys directly from suppliers, which eliminates middlemen. [But see eatpallet.com/ is-hellofresh-cheaper-than-grocery-shopping for a different opinion.]

Beware of the promised savings from initial discounts, which are a way to lure you into becoming a subscriber. After analyzing a HelloFresh discount that promised free meals, watchdog Truth in Advertising discovered that consumers had to spend hundreds of dollars to realize their savings. The group reported HelloFresh to the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising in June 2022.

Lots of variety

There’s no shortage of dishes or choices. Blue Apron and Sunbasket provide more than a dozen recipes each week, and HelloFresh more than 30.

Reviewers at TheSpruceEats.com who used and reviewed the kits found that

HelloFresh offered “delicious, gourmet meals” but required “time-consuming preparation” and “lots of clean up.”

Blue Apron provides “upscale modern American cuisine” but limited dietary accommodations.

Sunbasket “accommodates a range of diets” and is “simple and easy to prepare,” but flavors were occasionally “muted.” It promises that its ingredients (except meat and fish) are 99% organic.

Menus change weekly, but you can view them in advance, along with the recipes, nutritional information and preparation time. You choose the recipes you want, or receive a default selection based on your preferences. Plans can be customized by eliminating ingredients, swapping them or upgrading to more expensive ones. Each box includes everything you need except pantry staples, like oil, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. The box is insulated, and the food is chilled with ice packs to ensure freshness. If delivery is delayed by the carrier, however, the ingredients may spoil.

When ingredients are unacceptable or missing, you may be able to receive a credit or refund, but you’ll have to buy your own replacements.

© 2022 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

What’s concierge medicine? Is it worth it?

By Kate Ashford

My primary care doctor recently left her practice and invited me to join her at her new gig — a concierge medicine group. There, for a membership fee, I’d have better and more personal access to her services, including same-day appointments and long conversations.

Concierge medicine — a model in which patients pay a membership fee for a more direct relationship with a primary care doctor — used to feel like a perk for the super-wealthy. But as fees have come down and people have gotten more frustrated with the state of traditional primary care, concierge services may not seem like such a pie-in-the-sky option.

There’s less waiting, more access, longer visits and greater coordination of care. However, the fees can be high, and if you don’t have complex medical needs, it may not feel worth the expense.

Annual up-front fee

Concierge medicine is an arrangement in which a patient pays a membership fee to gain access to a doctor’s practice.

Your fee may cover a wide range of services, with insurance covering any needs you have outside the practice, or your fee may cover basic preventive care, and the practice might accept insurance for the rest.

But your overall experience is more personal. Concierge medicine typically offers same-day appointments and 24/7 access to your doctor (who, by the way, isn’t rushed during visits).

Patients like it because they have more time with their provider, said Terry Bauer, CEO of Specialdocs, a company that helps doctors transition to concierge medicine.

People with a medical situation after hours can call, text or email their doctor directly. “They have that doctor, in essence, on speed dial,” Bauer said. “It makes people a lot more comfortable and a lot less anxious.”

What does it cost?

Membership fees for concierge medicine vary widely. For one large concierge network with doctors in 44 states, the fee is typically between $1,800 and $2, 200 per year (or between $150 and $183 per month).

Other practices can run much more. “I know a couple that charge $4,000 a month,” Bauer said.

Doctors who charge those prices may be board certified in two specialties — car-

diology and internal medicine, for instance — or they may be in an extremely wealthy area of the country, he said.

The good news is that if you have a flexible spending or health savings account, you can use those pre-tax funds to pay your annual membership fees as long as they go toward wellness benefits.

Advantages

There’s plenty to like about concierge medicine.

“With a smaller patient roster, your doctor can take the time to know you and your health history intimately, which can lead to more personalized and effective care,” said Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, a practicing internal medicine physician and host of the TED Health podcast.

“Concierge doctors can focus more on preventative care, which could potentially

catch health issues early and save costs in the long run.”

Disadvantages

The biggest stumbling block for most people is the price tag. “For people on a tight budget or those without substantial health care needs, this could be a significant cost without enough perceived benefit,” Ungerleider said.

On top of the cost, there are practical concerns: Concierge doctors are still a small percentage of the medical field, so your options for care may be limited.

And while a concierge doctor can manage your regular or chronic concerns, you’ll still pay for visits to the hospital or emergency room, major surgeries and visits to other specialists.

“It does not negate the need for health insurance,” said John Hansbrough, an em-

ployee benefits consultant with the LBL Group, an insurance and financial services company. “You need the insurance because bad stuff can still happen.”

Advocates argue that concierge preventive care can save you money overall. Consider the scenario where a text exchange with your doctor saves you a 2 a.m. trip to the emergency room, for instance.

Yet, concierge medicine isn’t a slamdunk for everyone. If you can’t afford the membership fee or are an infrequent healthcare user, this model probably isn’t a good fit.

But it can be a game changer for patients with chronic illnesses who would benefit from the higher level of care. And for people who are frustrated by the conventional medical system, concierge care offers an alternative.

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141

Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

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Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

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BALTIMORE COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344

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Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888

The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000

The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100

The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000

The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988

Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464

Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better

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BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

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EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

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HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

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Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better

Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

AP/NerdWallet

Travel

Mexico’s exclusive resorts near Cancún

By Alice Shapin

Years ago, my future husband Paul and I traveled to Cozumel and loved it. More than three decades later, we were ready for another Mexican vacation. But where?

After some research, we found two attractive, secure resorts near Cancún on the Yucatán Peninsula, very close to Cozumel. As it turns out, Cancún is America’s favorite destination in all of Mexico.

We chose two resorts: the Fairmont Mayakoba, a large, all-inclusive resort, and Etéreo, an intimate, serene boutique resort whose name means ethereal, spiritual, heavenly.

What we loved about Etéreo was that, in keeping with its name, the resort offers many activities that highlight the Mayan culture and tradition of the area.

After passing through Etéreo’s massive stone gate, we were greeted by the guia, our personal concierge, plus a shaman trumpeting a conch shell.

The hotel is perched above a protected mangrove forest, overlooking the calm, turquoise Caribbean. Since the resort is small, with only 75 rooms, everything is an easy stroll away.

Etéreo was built using all-natural materials — lava stone, copper and indigenous Tzalam — so it blends perfectly into the environment. Water parallels the walkways throughout the entire resort, making it feel afloat.

The shaman told us that water was important to the ancient Mayans, who believed that life springs from water. The resort has two pools — an infinity pool and a larger one with in-pool lounges. We never had to get up early to reserve a lounge or umbrella; there were plenty.

Pampered dawn to dusk

The beach, dotted with cabanas, is where you can sit or rent a paddleboard, kayak or canoe. Just 250 feet offshore is the region’s largest reef. We saw many groups out there snorkeling, but we chose to stay on dry land.

An on-property spa, Sana, uses local indigenous ingredients prepared by hand. In addition to the traditional treatments, there are detoxifying Mayan clay wraps and crystal healing sessions.

We loved dining alfresco and had plenty of opportunities. Taco night was so much fun. Our waiter happily brought more of our favorites.

At breakfast, I couldn’t resist the French toast with grilled pineapple. And when I asked the bartender for a drink with coffee and some cream, he came up with a delicious concoction.

Each evening as the sun sets, a shaman leads guests in a ritual meant to open the heart to connection and happiness. We gathered on the natural wooden walkway

to the beach. As he chanted holding cacao, ginger or cinnamon, as well as shells and stones, we were instructed to face north, south, east and west.

There were many more learning activities — Mexican cooking classes, tequila tastings, and a spiritual jewelry-making workshop. But alas, it was time to leave.

Resort hopping

Some might think we’re crazy to visit two resorts during one vacation, but because each has a different vibe and offerings, we loved experiencing both.

Not too far away, in Playa del Carmen, was our next destination, Fairmont Mayakoba, which had been recently renovated. Once again, we passed through a private gate into an elegant lobby for check-in.

Beyond a huge black jaguar statue was a terrace overlooking the jungle and mangrove forest. The concierge warned us not to try to buy drugs from anyone. But since the only drugs we take are Nexium and Crestor, that was not a problem.

This resort is large — 401 guest rooms nestled in a tropical forest surrounded by lush lagoons — and it offers an all-inclusive dining option, which we took.

The breakfast buffet offered an endless array of choices, and there were plenty of

places to grab lunch and sit down for dinner. Full disclosure: I couldn’t help but stop by the ice cream shop several times.

“Mayakoba” comes from the Mayan words “Maya” and “coba” or “city on water.” Amazingly, Mayakoba, where the Fairmont and other resorts are located, has an underground river system, which a team of biologists discovered decades ago under the limestone.

Our room looked out on a canal, where habitats protect 150 species of birds and 300 species of wildlife, including turtles, crocodiles and iguanas. We couldn’t wait to take the guided boat tour along the canal and walk the nature paths.

Water sports, classes and more

The Fairmont Mayakoba offers dozens of activities to keep you as busy as you want, including complimentary bikes, non-motorized water sports (kayaking, paddleboarding and catamarans), plus tennis, an extensive network of nature trails, multiple pools and the beach. There’s a kids’ club, too, and we saw many intergenerational families on vacation.

For a fee, you can take cooking classes, relax at the indoor-outdoor spa (with a rooftop mineral pool), play golf, or take a

A mahogany tree rises through the bar of the Etéreo, a 75-unit boutique hotel located in a protected mangrove forest in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The award-winning resort has a private beach, spa and top-tier restaurants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ETEREO, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION

For ways to save money on a cruise, see page 24.

Water surrounds the Fairmont Mayakoba, a five-star gated resort with a Greg Normandesigned golf course. Guests can take a free boat tour through its waterways, home to 240 species of wildlife.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FAIRMONT MAYAKOBA

How to save money on booking a cruise

By Ellen Kennedy

Booking a cruise for a family vacation or romantic getaway? Cruises can be a great way for extended families to enjoy time together, as they offer activities for kids, adults and seniors.

And if you book a cruise strategically with travel rewards credit cards or cash back cards, you can save money and get extra perks for your trip.

Kiplinger editors have found three methods for saving money on cruises.

Using credit card rewards

If you are a veteran cruiser, you know that booking a cruise can be a complicated ordeal, especially if you are trying to earn or redeem credit card rewards at the same time.

“The best strategy is to keep it simple and flexible,” according to Ted Rossman of Creditcards.com.

Rossman recommends avoiding cruisebranded credit cards, which typically deliv-

er meager rewards and lock you in to only one cruise line. Instead, he advises using a flexible travel rewards card or a cash back card.

Booking with a travel rewards credit card can help you get travel-related perks, like travel assistance and no foreign transaction fees. Here are some of Rossman’s favorite travel cards for maximizing the points you earn when booking a cruise:

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns five points for every dollar booked through its travel portal. And as of the publishing date, the card comes with a bonus offer worth $750 for new cardholders after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening the account. (The card has a $95 annual fee.)

Instead of booking directly through the Chase travel portal, you must call a Chase cruise specialist at 1-866-331-0773. Chase works with almost every cruise line (except for Disney) and will match the price

of any package you find on a partner cruise website.

• The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns five miles for every dollar booked through Capital One Travel and two miles per dollar on all other purchases. It also has a $95 annual fee.

New cardholders can get 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the account. You can also book a cruise without using the Capital One Travel platform and get reimbursed at the rate of one cent per mile.

If the thought of managing points or miles for booking and redeeming travel sounds like a hassle, keep it simple with one of the best cash back credit cards.

• One of the best options for travelers is the Wells Fargo AutographSM Card (no annual fee). Earn unlimited three points back on each dollar spent on travel, restaurants, gas and other categories, and one point back on everything else. Earn a welcome bonus of 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months, worth a $200 cash redemption value.

Wholesale club memberships

If you’re a fan of Costco Memberships, check out the company’s travel discounts. Costco cruise packages, especially those under the store’s Kirkland brand, are some of the cheapest on the market. Costco also partners with Disney and other major cruise lines. An entry-level Costco membership costs $60 per year.

BJ’s Wholesale Club members receive up to a $500 BJ’s gift card when they book a cruise through the company’s travel portal. BJ’s offers discounts on major cruise lines, as well as everything you may need to get you to the departure dock, like airfare, rental cars and hotel. The lowest membership tier costs $55 per year.

Both Costco and BJ’s provide lastminute deals on cruises, some of which are incredibly cheap. For example, Costco is advertising a four-night Caribbean cruise on a Carnival ship for $585 per per-

son, plus taxes and fees. BJ’s touts a sevenday MSC cruise to the Bahamas and Florida for $419 per person. Both of these deals are for “interior” rooms with no windows or portholes, which are ideal for cruisers on a budget.

When to hire a travel agent

Remember travel agents? The internet certainly decimated the industry, but it has adapted to offer real value to clients while saving them time and hassle. This is especially true when booking a cruise, which is exceptionally complicated.

A good travel agent can help you find a great deal, understand pricing tiers and perks, and help you keep track of multiple payment deadlines. And best yet, you don’t pay the travel agent any direct fees — those are typically covered by cruise lines’ commissions.

To find a reputable agent, ask family and friends who cruise if they have any recommendations. Vet agencies by reading reviews from the Better Business Bureau, and consider looking for an accredited agent, such as through the American Society of Travel Agents’ consumer website, TravelSense.com.

Before you lift anchor

The cruise industry is not always pretty; just think of recent norovirus or Covid outbreaks that put passengers at risk and ruined vacations. Cruises are also very polluting, with a typical ship having a carbon footprint of 12,000 cars.

If environmental issues are important to you, look for a cruise line with a higher rating in the most recent Cruise Ship Report Card from Friends of the Earth. The toprated lines in 2022 were Regent Seven Seas and Disney.

For a sense of how clean and sanitary a cruise ship or cruise line is, you can conduct a search on the CDC’s Advanced Cruiseship Inspection Search tool at bit.ly/CDCCruiseshipInspection.

Cruisers on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator get a close-up view of the Alaskan coastline. To save on a cruise, get a rewards credit card or book through a travel agent or wholesale grocery club.

Mexico

From page 23

day trip — snorkeling and diving from the island of Cozumel or a visit to see ancient Mayan ruins.

We had seen the ruins and snorkeled in Cozumel years ago, so we skipped those activities. But we did sign up for the canal tour.

As we glided along the jungle canals, Miguel, our knowledgeable guide, headed to a nesting ground. Along the way, birds flew overhead and herons perched along the shore. Large turtles waited patiently under birds’ nests, hoping to catch an egg for dinner.

Miguel pointed out a male bird with blue eyes that turned yellow when he met his mate. Anyone looking for an unattached mate may wish humans did that too.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 14

Then it was on to our next adventure: entering a cenote (pronounced say-NOtay). Cenotes are underground freshwater pools formed by limestone erosion.

Usually found in caves, they were considered sacred by the Mayans. (Be sure to wear sneakers, as a cenote can be steep, uneven and slippery.)

Inside, the ceiling was filled with stalactites and sleeping bats. Cenotes come in all different sizes — some you can swim in, and some are open to the sky.

We decided we’d definitely come back to Mexico to explore bigger, deeper cenotes where we could swim. Next time we’d love to see a cenote that is open to the sky.

If you go

Southwest flies nonstop from BWI to Cancún; fares start at $660 roundtrip. Unit-

LAWYER IN THE LIBRARY

Maryland Legal Aid is hosting a free legal clinic for low-income individuals for assistance on civil cases, including consumer debt, tenants’ rights and custody. Advice is offered to eligible individuals on a first-come, first-served basis; bring all relevant documents. The session lasts from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 14 at the Savage Library, 9525 Durness Ln., Laurel, MD. To learn about eligibility requirements, visit mdlab.org. For more information on this session, call (410) 313-0760 or visit bit.ly/LawyerInTheLibrary.

ed has one-stop flights from BWI to Cancún for around $300 roundtrip.

Note: Some areas of Mexico are on the U.S. State Department’s “do not travel” list, so check before you go.

The Cancún area has many other hotels

to choose from, at all different price points. A studio at Etéreo Auberge starts at $899 per night; see aubergeresorts.com. Prices for rooms at Fairmont Mayakoba start at $441. For more information, visit fairmont.com.

VACTIONS BY BUS!

Arts & Style

What are podcasts and which are the best? For suggestions, including the TED Radio Hour, see page 29.

Artists pass down folk art to apprentices

By Susan Ahearn

An older Black storyteller stands before an audience, gesturing as she recounts an African parable. Every few minutes, she pauses so her companion, a 15-year-old girl, can speak.

The girl continues the story, stretching her arms wide and widening her eyes during dramatic moments. At the end of the tale, the teenager, Naomi Reid, delivers the kicker: “A man is not really dead until he is forgotten,” she says, as her fellow storyteller, Janice Curtis Greene, 75, smiles.

Greene and Reid are among hundreds of intergenerational teams that have been awarded grants by the Maryland State Arts Council’s (MSAC) Folklife Apprenticeship program.

Every August, the program awards $5,000 grants to 15 artist pairs: a master artist and an apprentice. The state announced the 2023-24 grants on Aug. 9.

The 20-year-old program is designed to preserve folklife traditions “by specifically supporting one master artist to work with one apprentice artist for up to one year,” explained MSAC Folklife Specialist Ryan Koons. It supports “community based, liv-

ing cultural tradition handed down by example or word of mouth.”

Here’s how it works: The state gives $5,000 to a master artist, usually an older adult, to work one-on-one with an up-andcoming artist for one full year.

Although there’s no hourly time commitment, grantees are required to report how they spent the money. Sometimes the state sends a photographer or videographer, paid by the state, to record a team at work.

The Black storytelling tradition

Greene and Reid were awarded a grant in 2021. Greene, a Windsor Mill resident, is also the state Griot (pronounced gree’oh, a West African word for traveling oral historian).

The two met in a program called the Growing Griot Literacy Learning Program of Baltimore, which teaches young people the oral African tradition of storytelling. Reid, who is homeschooled, wanted to take part in the Folklife Apprenticeship program to continue working with Greene.

“She is a professional storyteller,” Reid said of Greene, “and she helped me im-

prove my skills in the tradition of African Black storytelling.”

Reid plans to use her skills in a future career as an elementary school teacher. “Sto-

rytelling is definitely something that helps younger people learn things,” she noted.

Janice Curtis Greene, left, instructs her apprentice, Naomi Reid, in the art of Black storytelling. The pair was awarded a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council’s Folklife Apprenticeship program. The grants fund 15 pairs of artists a year.

PHOTO BY HUMAN BEING PRODUCTIONS FOR THE MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL

Apprentices

From

Greene was thrilled to share her 40-plus years of storytelling experience with Reid, who, she said, “was born to be a storyteller.” During their year together, Greene taught her apprentice to project her voice, smile and gesture while she talks, and mime the actions of the characters in the story.

“That’s what the apprenticeship is all about — passing on what I do to somebody younger,” Greene said. “So that when I’m too old to perform…the skill and the performance will never die.”

Keeping Bulgarian music alive

Preserving Bulgarian folk music is what led Towson University music professor Kalin Kirilov and his son Stanley, 14, to apply for a Folklife Apprenticeship grant.

The Bulgarian-born resident of Phoenix, Maryland, said the apprenticeship helped his American-born son learn

more about Bulgarian folk music.

“We established a learning routine of two lessons per week, which significantly advanced Stanley’s performer skills,” Kirilov said. They were also able to buy new professional instruments.

Kirilov, 48, said the program “gave us the time to have this more in-depth, immersive experience in the apprenticeship, which I had myself when I was learning the tradition back in Bulgaria.”

Stanley, who is homeschooled, said the apprenticeship program has made him a better musician. It’s also given him a chance to perform Bulgarian music with his family.

“Dad will usually be playing the accordion; I’ll usually go for percussion. And my sister will usually sing,” said the young musician.

His father said that musicians who know how to play Bulgarian folk music are getting harder to find. “Everybody’s hope…is that more people of Stanley’s

age will start learning the tradition.”

The art of Indian printmaking

Indian printmaking was the focus of master artist Trisha Gupta, a Burtonsville resident, and apprentice Daria Parsa, 24, of Laurel, Maryland.

Gupta first became interested in printmaking during a visit to her ancestral home in India. When she discovered that her parents’ family had operated a textile production company, she became intrigued about the traditional dyeing process — which, she said, “was very different from what it looks like now.”

Gupta, who took lessons from a master artist in New York, describes her artwork as “a type of Indian printmaking called viscosity printmaking.”

Gupta and Parsa met at the Sandy Spring Museum, which hosted a show of Gupta’s work. Parsa, who has a degree in studio art and art history, was the museum’s exhibition manager. She later be-

came Gupta’s studio assistant for a few months.

Parsa had taken a few printmaking courses in college and wanted to learn more about the Indian tradition.

“I was always thinking about if I wanted to take more classes or just try to teach myself things. Or how I could get more involved with that form? So, this has been a great opportunity for that,” Parsa said.

Parsa found the apprenticeship a good way to hone new skills. “You’re getting one-on-one time [and] you have the funding, too — you can get any supplies you need,” Parsa said.

Gupta believes participating in the Arts Council program is a perfect way to pass down the arts.

“It’s bringing back the apprenticeship tradition, which is age-old,” Gupta said.

To learn more about the Maryland State Arts Council’s Folklife Apprenticeship program, email msac.commerce@maryland.gov or call (410) 767-6555.

Classifieds continued from page 28.

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FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

Why would I want to listen to a podcast?

By Adam Cochran

Weird Al Yankovic once quipped that he releases a new album every three to five years, so every album is a comeback album.

Like Weird Al’s music, every time podcasting is discovered by another generation, it becomes new again.

The audio and video delivery process known as podcasting has been around since 2000. But it experienced its latest resurgence in 2014, when NPR began producing exclusive podcasts and promoting them along with its regular radio programming.

Podcasting is a delivery platform for audio and video content. If you listen to NPR on the weekend, you likely hear content that is developed primarily for a podcast audience.

Radiolab, Science Friday, TED Radio Hour, Planet Money, etc., are all shows that have more podcast listeners than radio listeners.

What makes podcasts special

The internet as a media distribution platform began with blogging.

Online services allowed anyone to set up an easy-to-edit website called a “blog,” short for “web log,” where a person could write personal commentary, local news articles, original literary content and more.

But blogs were more than websites — they contained code that allowed readers

to subscribe and receive updates whenever new content was added.

This syndication process is referred to as RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, and it’s the fundamental delivery vehicle for podcasts.

Most people think of podcasts as topical radio-show-style programs that they listen to with their phone or computer’s media player.

But a podcast can be any audio or video file. What makes it a podcast is that it is distributed automatically via RSS syndication so that listeners can subscribe and hear the most current episodes.

Podcasts run the gamut

Like a blog, anyone can create a podcast. There are no official rules or regulatory agencies for podcasting.

Unlike radio shows, podcasts are typically developed for a small, targeted audience. There are podcasts about woodworking, but there are also podcasts specifically about using a scroll saw.

Likewise, there are podcasts about dentistry, xeriscaping, taco trucks, salmon fishing and virtually any other hobby or lifestyle imaginable.

Podcasts are free to subscribe to, but may be supported by advertising. Some may offer premium subscriptions.

While video podcasts are gaining popu-

larity, it’s unlikely they’ll ever be as popular as their audio counterparts. Video requires more time and energy to both create and consume.

Audio podcasts are popular among commuters and office workers who listen passively.

The most common way to listen to podcasts is via an app, such as the “Podcast

App” on your iPhone, “Google Podcasts” on your Android smartphone, Spotify, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Each of these free apps allows you to sample and subscribe to any of the thousands of podcasts available.

This article was originally published in the Beacon Senior News of Western Colorado. Reprinted with permission.

Popular podcasts to get you started

Rabbit Hole: A podcast produced by the New York Times about how the internet impacts our lives.

RadioLab : Produced by WYNC public radio, this is probably the highest production-value podcast available. I highly recommend the episode about how Native Americans became a symbol for sportsmanship in American football.

Serial: If you like true crime documentaries, this is the podcast for you.

StartUp: Each season of this debut podcast for Gimlet Media. covers the realtime development of a business startup.

Start With This: In this podcast, each episode ends with two assignments to spur creativity.

—Adam Cochran

Laura Lee Fischer conductor

Hispanic Heritage

Featuring the Chorus America Consortium performing a commissioned work by Venezuelan-born Cristian Grasses, and “Misa Criolla” by Ariel Ramírez with Andres Felipe Palacios, guitar; Isaiah Shim, piano

Saturday,

Scrabble answers on p. 28.

Find

Crossword Puzzle

Summer Smashes By Stephen Sherr

HB923

Across

1. A group of waterfowl (or one watercraft)

5. Hot chocolate holders

9. White elephant party swaps

14. Last worker on a birthday cake

15. 57,600 square feet (on a football field)

16. Weapon on a Valentine’s Day card

17. Summer smash of 1993

19. First lady between Hillary and Michelle

20. Napoleon’s home for nine months

21. Used To Be My Girl

23. Suffix for sex- and symbol-

24. Mesozoic, maybe

26. “Wait; I think I got it now”

27. At the summit of

28. Summer smash of 1983

33. It may uncoil from “SPA” or “PAS”

34. Compete in the giant slalom

35. Prepare to use a cookie sheet

38. Stripped of curse words

41. Protest sign verb

43. Jamborees

44. Accentuated by highlighter, most likely

46. ___ Been Working on the Railroad

48. Matisse piece

49. Summer smash of 1973

53. Subject of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

55. Dir. along I-5 from Sacramento to Los Angeles

56. Extreme, politically

57. Game with 112 cards

58. Suffix with of twenti- and thirti-

59. US belt, generally north of the bible belt

62. Spurns

64. Summer smash of 1963

69. Albacore and bluefin

70. ___ Too Proud to Beg

71. 1969 crewmate of “Buzz” and Michael 72. Walk like a crab 73. Hornets’ home 74. Common wildcards in video poker

1. Decrease in headcount, briefly 2. One could fit

3. ___ like a million bucks

4. Game show host with all the answers

5. Between Avril and Juin, in Paris

6. The most accessed one in 2022 was google.com

7. Hair goo

8. Greets, casually

9. Between “strong breeze” and “storm” on the Beaufort scale

10. Subject of IRS form 5498

11. Picnic staple

12. Canvas for large tattoos

13. Type of wetlands

18. Mindful of stranger danger

22. Install a chandelier

25. Some are “six pack”

26. Harebrained

27. Between ports

28. Like Cinemax’s “After Dark” schedule

29. Johnny Depp bought one after filming in the Caribbean

30. Completely captivated

31. Smaller cousin of a cello

32. Unit or work

36. Delhi dress

37. Barcelona, relative to Madrid

39. Came down to earth

40. Natl. Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month

42. Format to store 17, 28, 49, or 64 Across

45. Mae, who said “I generally avoid temptation, unless I can’t resist it”

47. ___ on the Shelf

50. Refuse receptacle

51. US Marshal Virgil, or his brother, Wyatt

52. School skipper

53. Uses a Swiffer

54. Listlessness

58. In ___ (actually)

60. Gumbo or goulash

61. The Doors, after Jim Morrison’s death

63. AL East foe of BOS and TOR

65. Stretch the truth

66. “Nonconventional” has five

67. Baseball Hall of Famer, Mel

68. Presidential candidates Gore and Sharpton

Answers on page 28.

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; Legal Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

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Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad:

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• $50 for 501-750 (maximum length).

The website will calculate this for you.

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