August 2013 DC Beacon Edition

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VOL.25, NO.8

Age no bar to same-sex marriage

AUGUST 2013

I N S I D E …

PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY SHAW

By Barbara Ruben When Imani Woody met Andrea Macko 13 years ago, it was love at first sight.

“She was sexy and cute. She had all the qualities I wanted in a person. She was a sweetheart. She just kind of balanced me,” Woody said.

In 2005, they had a “holy union” at their church, the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C., because marriage between same-sex couples was not legal in the area at the time. Five years later, soon after same-sex marriage was legalized in the District of Columbia, they went to the courthouse and became legally wed.

That simple act alleviated a chronic worry about myriad financial and legal issues, from estate taxes to healthcare power of attorney to Social Security, because they now have the same rights as heterosexual couples.

“As I get older, it’s important that we’re protected just like other couples are protected,” said Imani Woody Macko (they combined both their names as part of the marriage). “But beyond all the legal terms, on a human level, I can be married to the person I love who is my life partner and soul mate.”

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Myrtle Beach, S.C., a pearl on the Grand Strand; plus, Victorian charm without cars on a Michigan island, and what to check off your list before you leave on vacation page 40

A new era Change has come quickly to the marital landscape of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community, with the Supreme Court striking down a key provision prohibiting same-sex marriage in the Defense of Marriage Act in June, and Maryland voters approving marriage equality last November.

For older members of the LGBT community, it’s a seismic shift many never imagined they’d witness.

Woody Macko recalls growing up in an era where being gay was thought to be a disease by the American Psychiatric Association, and sexual relations between people of the same gender was against the law. Marriage equality is one more step in moving from the margins to the mainstream, she said.

“Things are happening so fast. I went to a LGBT reception at the White House this year. Just having “LGBT” and “White House” in the same sentence is so surreal,” she said.

LySandra Brady, who married Barbara Goldberg in 2008 in San Francisco, has also been amazed by the rapidity of change.

ARTS & STYLE Richard Freitag, left, and Larry Shaw, of Arlington, Va., got married in Montreal in 2006. Same-sex marriages are legal in Maryland and the District of Columbia, but not in Virginia. While a recent Supreme Court decision paves the way for same-sex married couples to receive many federal benefits, spousal Social Security and Medicare benefits depend on state law. Freitag and Shaw fear they will have to move out of Virginia when they retire.

Go see I Do! I Do!, an updated take on marriage; plus, blues legend Johnny Winter comes to town, and Bob Levey on teaching your kid to drive page 46

“I always thought, ‘We’ll never see it in our lifetime,’ but we have,” said Brady Goldberg, 63, who also added her spouse’s last name to her own when they married.

Changes to laws It’s not just the growing number of states that now allow same-sex marriage — 13 from California to Maine — but the plethora of laws and benefits marriage affects.

“Although there is still work to be done to make sure all legally married older same-sex couples will be entitled to the same benefits, many will, for the first time, be able to access the more than 1,100 federal benefits — from Social Security to the Family and Medical Leave Act — that can

help improve their health and economic well-being,” said Aaron Tax, director of federal government relations for the national nonprofit group SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay Elders).

But accessing these benefits may not always be a simple matter. Sometimes it matters what state you live in, while for other statues it’s where you married that counts.

That can make things complicated for couples in the metropolitan Washington area, where the District and Maryland recognize same-sex marriages, but Virginia does not.

Ask Michele Zavos, a lawyer in Silver Spring, Md., whose practice focuses on See SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, page 16

FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Growing custom-made organs k Losing height? What to do about it SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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Intractable problems What about issues being debated in the Why do so many of the social issues we forum of the world press? Edward Snowden currently face appear to be intractable? and WikiLeaks would like to I think one of the reasons treat the NSA’s gathering of is that many problems in our metadata as presenting us with society are treated as having a vivid choice. To them and otha very limited range of soluers, it seems we have lost our tions — as being black and cherished freedoms as Ameriwhite, leaning left or right, ofcans and become pawns of Big fering a choice of yes or no, Brother. take it or leave it.

On the other hand, a numA few issues may really presber of world leaders and indient such a stark choice, at least viduals involved in diplomacy sometimes. But most problems and international affairs sugare susceptible to compromise, FROM THE gest that gathering intelliif people are honest about it.

PUBLISHER Sometimes options are By Stuart P. Rosenthal gence from enemies, allies and even our own citizens is limited because of the forum in which an issue is being addressed. Con- quite old hat and universally done.

More nuanced commentators point to the cerning the recent trial of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin, our checks and balances over the NSA — the courts require a clear verdict and a unani- congressional committees, courts and mous one at that. Guilty or not guilty? judges who take competing interests into acBut we all know that this is because our count and oversee the process. Because nalegal code requires establishing criminal tional security is at stake, the debates take guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Certain- place out of the public eye, but the NSA’s rely reasonable doubts cloud the space be- quests are indeed judged and regulated.

Seen in this light, the question is: Where tween innocence and guilt in nearly every human interaction. But to reach a verdict, do we stand along the continuum? Do we we have to say, “If there’s a reasonable need to balance the interests differently?

Looking closer to home, what about the doubt, there’s no criminal conviction.”

Should a civil trial follow, with a very dif- heated debates over whether Walmart ferent burden of proof, it may well produce a should be allowed to open in communities such as the District of Columbia? different result.

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Readership exceeds 400,000.

Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and 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 • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................Dan Kelly, Cheryl Watts • Publishing Assistant ....................Rebekah Sewell

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 10th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 55 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

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On one side there are those who argue that Walmart should be welcomed for providing quality produce and goods at affordable prices and creating hundreds of jobs for local citizens.

On the other side are those who say that huge stores like Walmart decimate small and independent businesses and pay low wages that workers cannot live on.

The decision is typically presented in many communities as a clear choice, presenting an up or down vote. The D.C. City Council has brought an element of compromise to the issue by voting to require a minimum pay scale for large employers like Walmart.

Perhaps that could be seen as a middleground approach, but it ought to have been introduced at the start of the process, not as an afterthought once three stores were under construction.

Finally, I turn to the issue of government entitlements: Social Security and Medicare. Here, too, we hear arguments setting up a battle to the death.

Seniors who have long been promised a secure retirement with inflation adjustments — who worked hard for decades, fought in national wars, scrimped and saved for years — feel it’s completely unfair to change the rules at this time of their lives.

Others point out that rising longevity has extended by decades the years that benefits are being paid, and that the retirement of the baby boom generation just now getting underway will, in a few years, be diverting two-thirds of discretionary federal dollars to senior programs, to the detriment of every other government program, including those for children, education, research, transportation and more.

Here, I think it should be clear that a variety of solutions exist. Yes, there are compet-

ing interests and legitimate points to be made on both sides. But there are also ways of adjusting payments to help the truly needy by reducing benefits to the truly wealthy without undermining the whole enterprise.

I have written many times about the changes that can be carefully crafted to protect those already retired or close to retirement. And I have pointed out that relatively subtle adjustments to different elements of Social Security and Medicare can spread the pain among different groups, over a period of many years.

Yes, some problems are intractable, and a rare few may even present a zero-sum game. But if we’re willing to step back and listen to each other, admit there are good arguments on both sides, and make a serious effort at compromise, we may find that many of our most divisive issues can be reasonably resolved.

I certainly believe entitlement reform is capable of such a solution, and I urge everyone to start considering it. We owe it to ourselves and to our progeny.

Correction: In the caption for our July cover photo, we erroneously attributed to Debbi Miller, Ms. Senior Virginia, some of the awards actually conferred on Ms. Senior D.C., Nancy A. Berry. It was the latter who won the Evening Gown, Talent and Ms. Congeniality honors in her pageant (and Best Interview, as well).

Also, the winner of Ms. Congeniality in the Ms. Senior Virginia pageant was Jerry Reed, and the name of the second runner-up was Lilchy Huffman. We apologize for the errors.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: I was going to just let it go and not address the article in the July Beacon by Charles Babington “Senior benefits grow, shrinking all else,” but finally felt I had to respond in defense of all the baby boomers who are now beginning to collect Social Security retirement funds.

My first complaint is that many of my generation are tired of the word “entitlement.” Social Security to the baby boomer (BB) generation is not an entitlement. We paid into the SS fund our entire lives, with mandatory payments from our salary checks and from our employer’s funds, based upon a financial promise by our federal government of retirement fund returns.

The BB generation paid into Social Security to fund our parent’s generation, and I never heard one person from my generation

begrudge doing so for them, even though many probably received more than they contributed just because of their age and due to when the program was implemented.

Now that it is time for the government to make good on their promise to us, suddenly we read articles like Babington’s, which mentions reducing vital investments in the future because of the BB generation Social Security obligation. The increased cost of paying these Social Security payments for the BB generation should not come as a surprise.

Blaming the BB generation for squeezing out public investments for education, infrastructure and our country’s future prosperity is ridiculous to mention when we read daily about the government waste See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 52

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

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ROBOTS REBUKED A popular surgical robot is under scrutiny for safety and cost concerns

Health Fitness &

FINDING HEALTH INFO ONLINE Not all websites offer reliable medical advice; here are some good ones STOP SHRINKING Take some simple steps to minimize losing height as you age A WHIFF OF A CURE Taste and smell disorders are usually connected, and are often treatable

Lab-grown organs may solve shortages

By Malcolm Ritter By the time 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan finally got a lung transplant in June, she’d been waiting for months, and her parents had sued to give her a better shot at surgery.

Her cystic fibrosis was threatening her life, and her case spurred a debate on how to allocate donor organs. Lungs and other organs for transplant are scarce.

But what if there were another way?

What if you could grow a custom-made organ in a lab?

It sounds incredible. But just a three-hour drive from the Philadelphia hospital where Sarah got her transplant, another little girl is benefiting from just that sort of technology.

Two years ago, Angela Irizarry of Lewisburg, Pa., needed a crucial blood vessel. So, over 12 hours one day, doctors took bone marrow from Angela and extracted certain cells, seeded them onto a 5-inch-long biodegradable tube, incubated them for two hours, and then implanted the graft into Angela to grow into a blood vessel.

Today the 5-year-old sings, dances and dreams of becoming a firefighter — and a doctor.

Custom-made organs Growing lungs and other complex organs for transplant is still in the future, but scientists are working toward that goal.

In North Carolina, a 3-D printer builds prototype kidneys. Instead of depositing ink, the printer puts down a gel-like biodegradable scaffold plus a mixture of cells to build a kidney layer by layer.

In several labs, scientists study how to build on the internal scaffolding of hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys of people and pigs to make custom-made implants.

Here’s the dream scenario: A patient donates cells, either from a biopsy or maybe just a blood draw. A lab uses them, or cells made from them, to seed onto a scaffold that’s shaped like the organ he needs.

Then, said Dr. Harald Ott of Massachusetts General Hospital, “we can regenerate an organ that will not be rejected (and can be) grown on demand and transplanted surgically, similar to a donor organ.”

That won’t happen anytime soon for solid organs like lungs or livers. But as Angela Irizarry’s case shows, simpler body parts are already being put into patients as researchers explore the possibilities of the field.

This summer, a girl in Peoria, Ill., got an experimental windpipe that used a synthetic scaffold covered in stem cells from her

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Building organs From page 3 tients have had similar operations.

Dozens of people are thriving with experimental bladders made from their own cells, as are more than a dozen who have urethras made from their own bladder tissue.

A Swedish girl who got a vein made with her marrow cells to bypass a liver vein blockage in 2011 is still doing well, her surgeon said.

In some cases the idea has even become standard practice. Surgeons can use a patient’s own cells, processed in a lab, to repair cartilage in the knee. Burn victims are treated with lab-grown skin.

Researchers have also shown that cells grown on a biodegradeable scaffolding can act as beacons that summon cells from the recipient’s body, said William Wagner,

director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

Sometimes that works out fine, but other times it can lead to scarring or inflammation instead, he said. Controlling what happens when an engineered implant interacts with the body is a key challenge, he said.

3-D “printing” of body parts So far, the lab-grown parts implanted in people have involved fairly simple structures — basically sheets, tubes and hollow containers, noted Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University, whose lab also has made scaffolds for noses and ears. Solid internal organs like livers, hearts and kidneys are far more complex to make.

His pioneering lab at Wake Forest is using a 3-D printer to make miniature prototype kidneys, some as small as a half dol-

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lar, and other structures for research. Atala expects it will take many years before printed organs find their way into patients.

Another organ-building strategy used

by Atala and maybe half a dozen other labs starts with an organ, washes its cells off the inert scaffolding that holds cells together, and then plants that scaffolding with new cells.

“It’s almost like taking an apartment building, moving everybody out ... and then really trying to repopulate that apartment building with different cells,” said Dr. John LaMattina of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He’s using the approach to build livers. It’s the repopulating part that’s the most challenging, he adds.

One goal of that process is humanizing pig organs for transplant, by replacing their cells with human ones.

“I believe the future is ... a pig matrix covered with your own cells,” said Doris Taylor of the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. She reported creating a rudimentary beating rat heart in 2008 with the cell-replacement technique and is now applying it to a variety of organs.

Cell replacement has also worked for kidneys. Ott recently reported that labmade kidneys in rats didn’t perform as well as regular kidneys. But, he said, just a “good enough organ” could get somebody off dialysis. He has just started testing the approach with transplants in pigs.

Ott is also working to grow human cells on human and pig heart scaffolds for study in the laboratory.

Finding cells that work There are plenty of challenges with this organ-building approach. One is getting the right cells to build the organ. Cells from the patient’s own organ might not be available or usable.

So Laura Niklason of Yale and others are exploring genetic reprogramming so that, say, blood or skin cells could be turned into appropriate cells for organgrowing. Others look to stem cells from bone marrow or body fat that could be nudged into becoming the right kinds of cells for particular organs.

In the near term, organs might instead be built with donor cells stored in a lab, and the organ recipient would still need anti-rejection drugs.

How long until doctors start testing solid organs in people? Ott hopes to see human studies on some lab-grown organ in five to 10 years. Wagner calls that very optimistic and thinks 15 to 20 years is more realistic. Niklason also forecasts two decades for the first human study of a lung that will work long-term.

But LaMattina figures five to 10 years might be about right for human studies of his specialty, the liver.

“I’m an optimist,” he added. “You have to be an optimist in this job.”

— AP

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Medicare instituted a major change in July that could save diabetics money and time when they buy crucial supplies to test their blood sugar — but it also may cause some confusion as patients figure out the new system.

On July 1, Medicare opened a national mail-order program that dramatically drops the prices the government pays for

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New research provides some of the strongest evidence to date that near-daily sunscreen use can slow the aging of your skin.

Skin stretches and recoils thanks to elastic fibers supporting it. UV rays damage that elasticity, something scientists previously have measured using biopsies of the tissue just under the skin’s top layer.

With enough damage, the skin on top starts to sag and wrinkle.

Ultraviolet rays that spur wrinkles and other signs of aging can quietly build up damage pretty much anytime you’re in the sun — a lunchtime stroll, school recess, walking the dog — and they even penetrate car windows.

Researchers in sunny Australia found that even if you’re already middle-aged, it’s not too late to start rubbing some sunscreen on — and not just at the beach or pool. The study of 900 people under 55 compared those randomly assigned to use sunscreen daily to those who used it when they deemed it necessary.

Daily sunscreen use was tough — participants did cheat a little. But after 4½ years, those who used sunscreen regularly

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Sunscreen slows aging of skin

had younger-looking hands, with 24 percent less skin aging than those who used sunscreen only some of the time.

Both young adults and the middle-aged experienced skin-saving effects, concluded the study, financed by Australia’s government and published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

More importantly, less sun-caused aging decreases the risk of skin cancer in the long term.

The news comes just as tougher Food and Drug Administration rules for U.S. sunscreens are taking effect. For the first time, they ensure that sunscreens labeled “broad-spectrum” protect against both the ultraviolet-B rays that cause sunburn and those deeper-penetrating ultraviolet-A rays that are linked to premature wrinkles and skin cancers.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

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Health shorts From page 5 those products, but patients will have to use one of 18 designated suppliers. The goal is to save taxpayers money, but seniors should see their copays drop, too.

Don’t care about the convenience of mail delivery? Beneficiaries also can get the new lower price at drugstores enrolled in the Medicare program.

It’s the biggest expansion yet of a larger, and somewhat controversial, initiative that’s predicted to save taxpayers nearly

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

$26 billion over the next decade by cracking down on waste and fraud in the medical equipment industry.

Diabetics aren’t the only Medicare patients affected. Patients who rent home oxygen gear and hospital beds, or who need power wheelchairs, walkers and certain other equipment, will also see changes in their suppliers and lower prices as a pilot test of this so-called competitive bidding program expanded from nine

metro areas to a total of 100 on July 1.

The Washington and Baltimore areas are part of that expansion. Medicare is supposed to apply the lower pricing nationally by 2016. (The change doesn’t apply to Medicare Advantage patients.)

To find a valid supplier, check the list at www.medicare.gov/supplier or call 1-800MEDICARE. Some companies operate under multiple names.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Aug. 15

HEALTHY COOKING DEMO The U.S. Botanic Garden presents a free nutritious cooking

demonstration by sisters Adrienne Cook, gardening specialist, and Danielle Cook Navidi, nutritionist. They will cook, and discuss growing techniques. The program will take place twice on Thursday, Aug. 15, at noon and again at 12:45 p.m., in the Conservatory Garden Court at the U.S. Botanic Gardens, 100 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. For more information, call (202) 225-8333.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Popular surgical robot raises concerns

By Lindsey Tanner The biggest thing in operating rooms these days is a million-dollar, multi-armed robot named da Vinci. It was used in nearly 400,000 surgeries in America last year — three times as many as four years earlier.

But now the high-tech helper is under scrutiny over reports of problems, including several deaths that may be linked with it, and its high cost of use.

There also have been a few disturbing, freak incidents: a robotic hand that wouldn’t let go of tissue grasped during surgery, and a robotic arm hitting a patient in the face as she lay on the operating table.

Is it time to curb the robot enthusiasm?

Some doctors say yes, concerned that the “wow” factor and heavy marketing are

behind the boost in use. They argue that there is not enough research showing that robotic surgery is at least as good as, or better than, conventional surgeries.

Many U.S. hospitals promote robotic surgery in patient brochures, online and even on highway billboards. Their aim is partly to attract business that helps pay for the costly robot.

Commonly used for prostate surgery The da Vinci is used for operations that include removing prostates, gallbladders and wombs, repairing heart valves, shrinking stomachs and transplanting organs.

The most common robotic operations include prostate removal — about 85 per-

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cent of these in the U.S. are done with the robot. Da Vinci is often used for hysterectomies, too. [See box below.]

Its use has grown worldwide, but the system is most popular in the United States.

“We are at the tip of the iceberg. What we thought was impossible 10 years ago is now commonplace,” said Dr. Michael Stifelman, robotic surgery chief at New York University’s Langone Medical Center.

For surgeons, who control the robot while sitting at a computer screen, these operations can be less tiring. Plus robot hands don’t shake.

Advocates say patients sometimes have less bleeding and often are sent home sooner than with conventional laparoscopic surgeries and operations involving large incisions.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into a spike in reported problems. Earlier this year, the FDA began surveying surgeons using the robotic system. The agency conducts such surveys of device use routinely, but FDA spokeswoman Synim Rivers said the reason for it See ROBOTIC SURGERY, page 9

Robotic surgery for hysterectomy discouraged Pricey robotic surgery should not be the first or even second choice for most women who need a hysterectomy, said advice in March to doctors who help those women decide.

The preferred method: Operate through the vagina, using standard tools rather than a robot, said Dr. James Breeden, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Increasingly, women are seeing ads that say a robot could help their doctor perform a hysterectomy more easily.

And Breeden said doctors are reporting

patients who demand that approach or say they’ll take their business elsewhere.

But for routine hysterectomies, the vaginal method lets women leave the hospital just as quickly, without spending nearly as much money, Breeden said in a statement setting out the position of the nation’s largest group of OB/GYNs. When that is not possible, a laparoscopic hysterectomy — so-called keyhole surgery, operating through a few small incisions in the abdomen — is the second least invasive and costly option, he said.

— AP

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From page 8 now “is the increase in number of reports received” about da Vinci.

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that surgeons operate with hand controls at a computer system several feet from the patient. They see inside the patient’s body through a tiny video camera attached to one of the long robot arms. The other arms are tipped with tiny surgical instruments.

Robotic operations are similar to con-

ventional laparoscopy, or “keyhole” surgery, which involves small incisions and camera-tipped instruments controlled by the surgeon’s hands, not a robot.

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Reports filed since early last year include at least five deaths.

Whether there truly are more problems lately is uncertain. Rivers said she couldn’t quantify the increase, and that it may simply reflect more awareness among doctors and hospitals. Doctors aren’t required to report such things; device makers and hospitals are.

It could also reflect wider use. Last year there were 367,000 robot-assisted surgeries versus 114,000 in 2008, according to da Vinci’s maker, Intuitive Surgical Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.

Da Vinci is the company’s only product, and it’s the only robotic system cleared for soft-tissue surgery by the FDA. Other robotic devices are approved for neurosurgery and orthopedics, among other things.

A search for the company’s name in an FDA medical device database of reported problems brings up 500 events since Jan. 1, 2012. Many of those came from Intuitive Surgical.

The reports include incidents that happened several years ago, and some are duplicates. There’s also no proof that any of the problems were caused by the robot,

and many didn’t injure patients. Reports filed this year include: — A woman who died during a 2012 hysterectomy when the surgeon-controlled robot accidentally nicked a blood vessel.

— A New York man whose colon was allegedly perforated during prostate surgery.

— A robotic arm that wouldn’t let go of tissue grasped during colorectal surgery on Jan. 14.

Complications can occur with any type of surgery, and so far it’s unclear if they are more common in robotic operations. That’s part of what the FDA is trying to find out.

Intuitive Surgical disputes there’s been a true increase in problems and said the rise reflects a change it made last year in the way it reports incidents.

The da Vinci system “has an excellent safety record with over 1.5 million surgeries performed globally, and total adverse event rates have remained low and in line with historical trends,” said company spokeswoman Angela Wonson.

But an upcoming research paper suggests that problems linked with robotic surgery are underreported. They include cases with “catastrophic complications,” said Dr. Martin Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon who co-authored the paper.

“The rapid adoption of robotic surgery ... has been done by and large without the proper evaluation,” Makary said.

The da Vinci system, on the market since 2000, includes a three- or four-armed robot

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

How to avoid dangerous drug interactions Every day, you may go through a ritual — swallowing one or more drugs to lower your blood pressure, strengthen your bones, prevent a heart attack or stroke, relieve pain or slow the progression of other health conditions. Many older adults take five or more different prescription drugs a day.

Drugs are intended to treat medical conditions and help you feel better, but they can also have side effects and interactions. An estimated 100,000 Americans ages 65 and older are hospitalized each year for adverse drug reactions, according to a 2011 study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

A more recent study in PLoS One found that about one out of every five drugs prescribed to seniors is inappropriate. It’s pre-

scribed even though it is likely to cause side effects, and another drug is potentially just as effective or more effective.

“So it’s important for people to be aware,” said Dr. Suzanne Salamon, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate chief for clinical geriatrics at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass.

Dangerous drugs Any drug can have side effects or interact with other medications you’re taking — even over-the-counter drugs and supplements.

For example, aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can slow the rate at which your body removes im-

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mune-suppressing drugs like cyclosporine and heart medicines such as digoxin.

Mixing vitamin E with warfarin can cause excess bleeding. The risk of interactions is compounded when you go to several specialists, and each one prescribes a different drug (or drugs), without knowing what else you’re taking.

In addition, as we age, our bodies metabolize medications at a slower rate. “The drug hangs around in your body longer. It accumulates in your body,” Salamon explained.

So the effects from your first pill can stay with you even after you’ve taken the next dose.

Several drugs require particular care when used in older adults. In the NEJM study, these were the drugs most likely to cause hospitalization: 1. Digoxin, a drug used to treat heart failure 2. Blood sugar-lowering drugs and insulin for diabetes 3. Opioid pain relievers 4. Warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner.

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How can you avoid drug interactions and side effects when you’re taking so many different pills?

First, make sure your primary care doctor knows exactly what you’re taking, Dr. Salamon said. “My advice is to put your

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pills in a bag and bring them into the doctor’s office,” she noted. Let your provider review all the drugs you’re taking, including over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and medicines that were prescribed by other doctors.

Your doctor might find that some of the drugs you’ve been taking for years are potentially harmful, could interact with one another, or are entirely unnecessary.

“People will stay on pills for years and years because they were started for a particular condition and no one told them to get off,” according to Dr. Salamon.

Here are 10 other ways to prevent medicine mishaps: 1. Every time you get a new prescription, ask your doctor what side effects it can cause and what to do if you experience those side effects. Don’t rely solely on package inserts, which are often difficult to understand.

2. Ask how any newly prescribed drug might interact with your other prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, supplements and foods.

3. Have your doctor write down the directions for any new or updated prescriptions. Keep those instructions at home as a reference.

4. Ask your doctor to start you on a new

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See DRUG INTERACTIONS, page 11

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Drug interactions From page 10 medication at the lowest possible effective dose, to minimize the potential for side effects. If the drug doesn’t work, your doctor can slowly increase the dose.

5. Keep a list of your medicines and doses with you. Make a new list each time

Robotic surgery From page 9 out of 4 — have at least one da Vinci system. Each one costs about $1.45 million, plus $100,000 or more a year in service agreements.

Makary said there’s no justification for the big growth in robotic surgery, which he attributes to aggressive advertising by the manufacturer and hospitals seeking more patients.

He led a study published in 2011 that found 4 in 10 hospitals promoted robotic surgery on their websites, often using wording from the manufacturer. Some of the claims exaggerated the benefits or had misleading, unproven claims, the study said.

For a few select procedures that require

11

a medicine is started or stopped or the dose changes.

6. Make sure you know how and when to take your pills. Should you take them in the morning or at night? Do you have to take them at mealtimes or without food?

Should your medicines be taken together or separately?

7. If you have a complicated medicine reg-

imen, ask your doctor to help you simplify it.

8. To keep your medicines organized, use a pillbox. Some electronic pill dispensers will remind you of when to take your pills.

9. Return to your doctor’s office periodically for medicine checks, especially if you’re taking drugs prone to causing side effects, such as warfarin. And if you do develop side effects, call your doctor for ad-

vice before stopping the drug.

10. To find out whether any of the medicines you’re taking can interact, visit http://referencemedscape.com/drug-interactionchecker.

— Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

operating in small, hard-to-reach areas, robotic surgery may offer advantages, Makary said. Those procedures include head and neck cancer surgery and rectal surgery.

Some surgeons say the robotic method also has advantages for weight-loss surgery on extremely obese patients, whose girth can make hands-on surgery challenging.

leading to a fatal infection.

The surgeons argued that Fernandez had a health condition that caused the intestinal damage, but it was the first robot operation for one of the doctors, and using the device was overkill for an ordinarily straightforward surgery, said Fernandez’s attorney, Ted McNabola.

McNabola said an expert witness told him it was like “using an 18-wheeler to go

the market to get a quart of milk.”

Company spokesman Geoff Curtis said Intuitive Surgical has physician-educators and other trainers who teach surgeons how to use the robot. But they don’t train them how to do specific procedures robotically, he said, and it’s up to hospitals and surgeons to decide “if and when a surgeon is ready to perform robotic cases.”

— AP

Too little training?

Lawsuits in cases that didn’t turn out so well often cite inadequate surgeon training with the robot. These include a malpractice case that ended last year with a $7.5 million jury award for the family of Juan Fernandez, a Chicago man who died in 2007 after robotic spleen surgery. The lawsuit claimed Fernandez’s surgeons accidentally punctured part of his intestines,

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

What’s the story on drug expiration dates?

By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I have several medications that are well beyond their expiration dates.

Does that mean that they won’t work — or are dangerous?

A: The manufacturer’s expiration date on

most medications is two to three years from when the pills were made. This assumes they’re still in their original container.

When pharmacies repackage medications, they usually label them with a recommended-use date that’s one year from

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when the prescription is filled. These dates serve more to protect the pharmacies and manufacturers than to tell you when your pills are no good.

There are two ways in which pills might “go bad.” Theoretically, the chemicals in a medication could break down into something that’s harmful. But cases of that actually happening are virtually unknown.

There was one report of an antibiotic that had degraded into a form that was harmful to the kidneys. But that antibiotic has been changed so this danger is practically nonexistent.

The more important issue is whether pills lose their potency because they’ve been exposed to air, light and moisture. If pills sit in their vials in a dry, dark place like a medicine cabinet, most will stay effective for at least five years. Some drugs have been shown to be stable as many as

30 years after they were made.

There are some important exceptions.

Nitroglycerin loses its potency when exposed to light or moisture. This drug treats chest pain (angina) caused by coronary artery disease.

I tell my patients to get new nitroglycerin tablets every six to 12 months, whether they think they’ll need them or not. When you’re having an angina attack, you don’t want to put an old nitroglycerin pill under your tongue — and not feel that comforting buzz that lets you know the medicine is doing its work.

Another thing to keep in mind: Drugs in liquid form are not nearly as stable as those in capsules or tablets. Take EpiPens, for example. These are auto-injectors for people having severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reactions. The potency of the epinephrine in an EpiPen tapers off within a year of the expiration date. That’s another medicine you want to be sure is fresh in the event of an attack.

Ask your doctor about the shelf-life of the particular prescriptions you are taking.

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., and chief medical editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Where to find reliable medical info online Dear Savvy Senior: What are the best websites for finding reliable health information on the Internet? I usually do a Google search on a symptom, drug or health condition when I want to research something, but with so much information out there, I’m not sure what I can trust.

— Untrusting Senior Dear Untrusting: You’re wise not to believe everything you read, especially when it comes to health and medical information on the web. To help you sort through the online clutter and locate reliable, trustworthy medical information, here are a few tips to follow, along with some top-rated sites you can always turn to with confidence.

How to verify As a general rule, health and medical information websites sponsored by the U.S. government, not-for-profit health or medical organizations, and university medical centers are the most reliable resources on the Internet.

Sites supported by drug or insurance companies, who may be trying to sell you their products, are usually not your best option.

To find out who’s sponsoring a site and where the information came from, click on the “About Us” tab on the site’s home page.

Look for the red and blue “HONcode” seal at the bottom of each page, which

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means the site has credible information and is certified by the Health On the Net Foundation. Be aware, however, that government-sponsored health sites don’t have the seal.

Also, check the date the information was published to make sure it’s current: good health and medical information changes all the time.

And if you’re doing research online before going to see a doctor, print your findings out on paper, including the address of the site you got your information from, so you can review it together.

Top health sites While there are dozens of great websites that provide reliable, trustworthy, unbiased health and medical information, here are two of the best all-purpose sites that are easy to use.

Medlineplus.gov: Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and managed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus provides information on more than 900 diseases and conditions in their “Health Topics” section, as well as links to other trusted resources.

It also provides a directory of hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers, a medical

encyclopedia and medical dictionary, tutorials on common conditions, tests and treatments, extensive information on prescription drugs, supplements and herbs, and links to thousands of clinical trials. It even of fers a senior specific health site (www.nihseniorhealth.gov) that makes agerelated health information easier to get.

MayoClinic.com: Owned by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, this site is produced by more than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers from Mayo Clinic, and provides in-depth, easy-to-understand information on hundreds of diseases and conditions, drugs and supplements, tests and procedures.

It also offers a nifty “Symptom Checker” tool and “First-Aid Guide” for fast answers to all types of health conditions, along with medical blogs, expert answers, videos and links to additional resources.

Disease-specific sites There are also dozens of other sites dedicated to specific diseases and conditions.

Here are some top-rated sites as listed by the Medical Library Association on cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Cancer: American Cancer Society (cancer.org), National Cancer Institute See MEDICAL INFO, page 16

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

15

Take steps now to prevent losing height

By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I’m 68 years old. I used to be 5foot-6-inches tall. I just visited my doctor, and my height was just over 5foot-4. Will I continue to shrink? What can I do to help stop it?

A: Starting at about age 40, people typically lose about half an inch each decade.

And the decline usually speeds up after the 70th birthday. So now is a good time for you to be asking this question.

The two main causes of height loss are osteoporosis and bad posture.

As we get older, our bones become less dense and more brittle, and they’re more likely to fracture because of osteoporosis.

Compression fractures one culprit When a hip or wrist bone weakened by osteoporosis breaks, it’s usually the kind of crack we have in mind when we picture a broken bone.

But fractures of the bones that make up our spine (vertebrae) are different. Osteoporotic vertebrae get easily crushed. It’s like a cardboard box that has had too much weight put on it.

These compression fractures often occur without any known trauma or injury.

And usually there are no symptoms. Sometimes there can be a more sudden vertebral collapse. This can be very painful.

All types of vertebral compression fractures result in loss of height. You can decrease the risk of losing more height the same way you prevent or treat osteoporosis. Eat a calcium rich diet and be sure to get enough vitamin D. I recommend 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

Healthy bones require daily exercise, such as walking and/or weight training.

Putting “pressure” stimulates new bone growth and prevents bone loss.

If you haven’t had a bone density test yet, it’s time to get one. You may need drug therapy for osteoporosis.

Stand up straight Bad posture may be even more of a factor in height loss associated with age. Back muscles, like all muscles, get weaker with age. Ligaments get stretched and muscles get trained to be in a bent-over position.

Flabby abdominal muscles don’t help.

Some simple “core” exercises can help you stand up straighter. For example, lie on your stomach, and then lift your head and shoulders for several seconds. You can either keep your arms by your side or stretch them out like “Superman.” Let your head down, and then repeat the lift.

Tighter “abs” can help your posture by counteracting tired back muscles. Modified sit-ups (crunches) are a good way to start. Lie

flat on your back with knees bent. Support your head with your fingers and raise your head six inches off the floor, concentrating on pushing your lower spine down and tighten-

ing the abdominal muscles. Hold and repeat. © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

16

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Same-sex marriage From page 1 LGBT issues, how married same-sex couples can access federal benefits, and she responds with a wry smile, “The answer to

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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which same-sex marriage is legal (such as Washington, D.C.), you can tap into an array of federal spousal benefits — from health insurance to time off to care for a sick spouse — even if you live in Virginia.

On the other hand, eligibility for Social Security benefits depends on where you live. Normally, when a married person dies, their spouse can start to collect the deceased’s Social Security benefits if they are higher than their own benefits. With a same-sex couple, however, that would depend on whether they live in, say, Maryland (where the answer would be yes) or Virginia (where the answer would be no).

Medicare also does not currently recognize same-sex marriage in states where it’s not legal, with the same skewed results.

What laws apply to paying federal taxes is still up in the air, according to Zavos.

Right now, married same-sex couples in D.C. and Maryland file as married couples (often ending up paying higher taxes), but not in Virginia.

And then there are state laws, such as estate taxes. It’s not quite as complicated as it could be because Virginia doesn’t have an estate tax.

One reason for older same-sex couples to get married in D.C. and Maryland is to sim-

plify inheritance, Zavos said. Spouses inherit without estate tax. But for big estates, couples who aren’t married could be in trouble. There’s a $1 million exemption for everyone, but anything over that is taxed at about 16 percent. And Maryland also has an inheritance tax for non-spouses.

Zavos, 62, who herself wed her longtime partner three years ago in Washington, D.C., takes a fairly pragmatic view of getting married.

“To me, if you just go in and sign a piece of paper, you’re done. Have a hug. Don’t tell anybody. And it gives you all those privileges,” she said.

In fact, the effect of marriage itself was so insignificant to them that one year Zavos and her wife forgot to file as a married couple when doing their taxes.

She said she sees far more younger couples getting married than older ones. “People my age make a very conscious decision whether they’re going to get married or not, whereas it’s not like that with younger people.

“People my age have a harder time saying ‘wife,’ ‘husband’ or ‘spouse.’ But for my clients under 35, there is just no issue whether they’re going to get married.

Medical info

Education Program (www.ndep.nih.gov), Joslin Diabetes Center (www.joslin. har vard.edu), and Diabetes Monitor (www.diabetesmonitor.com).

Alzheimer’s disease: Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), Fisher Center for A l z h e i m e r’ s R e s e a r c h F o u n d a t i o n (www.alzinfo.org), and Alzheimers.gov.

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

From page 14

Peace of Mind When You Need It Most Hospice Care for Families in Need

F

or families facing advanced illness or impending end-of-life of a loved one, peace of mind is in short supply. Fortunately, there is hospice, where patients can live in pain-free comfort, and compassionate emotional support is extended to patients and family members.

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(www.cancer.gov), Association of Cancer Online Resources (www.acor.org) and Cancer Care (cancercare.org).

Heart disease: American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov) and Congenital Heart Information Network (www.tchin.org).

Diabetes: American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org), National Diabetes

See SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, page 17

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Same-sex marriage From page 16 They’re just going to do it. It’s just very mainstream,” she said.

Love stories But many other couples look at a marriage a bit more romantically than Zavos.

“It was just a warm feeling in my soul when I met her,” recalled LySandra Brady Goldberg about her wife, Barbara. The Alexandria, Va., couple met through LySandra’s niece and Barbara’s daughter.

They began living together discretely in 1998 because Barbara was in the military.

LySandra began asking Barbara to get married well before it was legal in the United States. “But I told her, ‘I’m not going to get married until it’s legal; I’m not going to do it if it’s not kosher,’” Barbara, 61, said.

She agreed after she retired from the military, when California legalized marriage.

Their children (they have four between them, as well as four grandchildren) even bought them their plane tickets, and they married in a synagogue in San Francisco.

Not only are the two a same-sex couple, but Barbara is white and Jewish, while LySandra is black and Catholic.

But they even got Barbara’s mother’s blessing: “She told me she was just glad we weren’t living in sin anymore,” Barbara laughed.

For LySandra, “This was a really big deal for our children. Our kids introduce us as their two moms. They know this is a regular family, just like any heterosexual family.”

Richard Freitag and Larry Shaw decided to get married as a practical matter when Shaw’s employer, Disney, announced it was expanding benefits to include gay marriage in 2006, including pensions that would continue for a surviving spouse. The two had met at a gay pride event in 2002.

The Arlington, Va., couple married in a small ceremony in Montreal that year using vows they’d written. Afterward, they had two large parties, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast, complete with wedding cakes.

“Once we got married, we were both

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Aug. 13

CAREGIVER STRESS

Providing 24/7 caregiving for a loved one can be exhausting and stressful. Patricia Sands from the Medical Team, Inc. will discuss what happens when caregivers get burnt out, and how to de-stress and become a healthier, happier caregiver on Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Walter Reed Community Center and Senior Center, 2909 16th St. S, Arlington, Va. For more information, call (703) 228-0955.

Aug. 7

MEDICARE AND A MOVIE

UnitedHealthcare and the Bowie Senior Center present a Medicare education seminar followed by a free viewing of the 1947 film Juke Joint. The brief Medicare seminar provides information on how Medicare works, who is eligible for Medicare, and explains Medicare Parts A, B, C and D. The seminar and screening take places at 14900 Health Center Dr., Bowie, Md. on Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

surprised by the significance it had for us emotionally. The wedding started out as something we were doing to satisfy requirements. But going through the process of planning and the celebration afterward brought the significance of it into focus,” said Freitag, who turns 60 this month.

About a month after they got married, a Disney employee newsletter came out with its usual pictures of marriages and births.

“There we were with the recently wedded couples. It meant so much to be treated like everyone else. Along the same lines, Larry’s coworkers threw a ‘shower’ for us at the office the week before we got married,” Freitag said.

But as Virginia residents, they wish laws that apply to same-sex couples across the Potomac would be valid for them as well.

17

“We will give the state of Virginia a couple years to find their way. If they don’t, or the law doesn’t force them to by the time we retire, we will move to Maryland or D.C. If we are forced to do that, we will boycott Virginia,” Freitag said.

“We will not shop or buy anything in Virginia. We’ll avoid toll roads and using airports in Virginia as much as possible, anything that could potentially give the state our money.”

But he thinks both legal and societal acceptance will continue to evolve.

“If we walk hand in hand, sometimes we get a cross look, but more often we get smiles. Or people simply don’t notice at all, which is great,” he said. “I believe this sort of behavior, normal affection between couples, over time helps society move forward.”

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Health Studies Page

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study compares popular diabetes drugs The National Institutes of Health is looking for volunteers to take part in a study to compare the long-term benefits and risks of four widely used diabetes drugs in combination with metformin, the most common first-line medication for treating type 2 diabetes.

The project is called the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness Study, or GRADE for short.

If metformin is not enough to help manage type 2 diabetes, a patient’s doctor may add one of several other drugs to lower

glucose (blood sugar). But while shortterm studies have shown the efficacy of different drugs when used with metformin, there have been no long-term studies of which combination works best and has fewer side effects.

“Type 2 diabetes progresses slowly, over a long period of time,” said Dr. Barbara Linder, the GRADE project officer at the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “This study will help us understand how different combinations of medications affect the disease over time, and ultimately help

physicians make better choices for their patients’ long-term care.”

Long-term study The study will compare drug effects on glucose levels, adverse effects, diabetes complications and quality of life over an average of nearly five years.

GRADE aims to enroll about 5,000 patients nationwide. In the Washington area, the study is being conducted by MedStar Health Research Institute in Hyattsville, Md. Investigators are seeking people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the last five years. They may be taking metformin, but not any other diabetes medication.

During the study, all participants will take metformin, along with a second medication randomly assigned from among four classes of medications, all approved for use with metformin by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Three of the classes of medications increase insulin levels. They are: sulfonylurea, which increases insulin levels directly; DPP-4 inhibitor, which indirectly increases insulin levels by increasing the effect of a naturally occurring intestinal hormone; and GLP-1 agonist, which increases the amount of insulin released in response to nutrients. The fourth type of medication

is a long-acting insulin.

No patients will be assigned a placebo (a pill without active ingredients).

Participants will have their diabetes medications managed free of charge through the study, including at least four medical visits per year, but will receive other healthcare through their own providers.

“What differentiates GRADE from previous studies is that it will perform a head-tohead comprehensive comparison of the most commonly used drugs over a long period of time,” said Dr. David M. Nathan, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Nathan and John Lachin, of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., are co-principal investigators.

“In addition to determining which medications control blood glucose levels most effectively over time, we hope to examine individual factors that are associated with better or worse response to the different medications,” Nathan said. “This should provide understanding of how to personalize the treatment of diabetes.”

All medications in the study will be provided free of charge, and for two of the medicines, the study will provide glucometers and glucose test strips. Compensation See DIABETES STUDY, page 19

Do you have diabetes and kidney damage?

Burke Clinical Research Center in Virginia is seeking patients who have both type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease to test a study drug for 12 weeks.

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure, accounting for nearly 44 percent of new cases. Even when diabetes is controlled, the disease can lead to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

To take part in the study, participants must be between the ages of 30 and 85 and currently take an oral ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, drugs commonly used to control high blood pressure.

For more information, call (703) 4559711 or go to www.diabetickidneydisease study.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

19

Taste and smell disorders often treatable

By Mick O’Hare Many people suffer from taste and smell disorders, but too often they’re sent away without treatment. With the first clinic in the United Kingdom dedicated to these conditions, Carl Philpott aims to change that.

Philpott is an ear, nose and throat surgeon and director of the Smell and Taste Clinic at James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk, England. He’s a supporter of Fifth Sense, the resource organization for people with taste and smell disorders.

Q: How many people are affected by taste and smell disorders?

A: It’s tough to put a precise figure on it, but the best estimate is around 1 in 20. In the UK alone, this adds up to more than 3 million people. As a comparison, 1 in 30 people in the UK have some form of sight loss, and 1 in 6 have a hearing disorder.

Q: Why are these senses so important?

A: They are a huge part of everyday life.

Eating is essential for our survival, and enjoyment of food and drink ensures this process is maintained. These senses also serve as a hazard warning system to help us avoid dangers such as gas leaks and spoiled food.

Smell ensures we maintain our personal hygiene, and offers us an essential interaction with the world around us, giving pleas-

Diabetes study From page 18 of $100 per year is provided to cover transportation expenses.

For more information, or to volunteer for the study, contact the MedStar Health Research Institute recruitment coordinator, Maria Hurtado, at (301) 560-2915, or email GRADE@medstar.net. Learn more about the study at https://grade.bsc.gwu.edu.

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Aug. 15+

A LOOK AT OPERA

The Library of Congress will celebrate the art form with “A Night at the Opera,” an exhibition opening on Thursday, Aug. 15. The 50-item display features manuscripts and printed scores, librettos, photographs, correspondence and set designs, dating from the late 18th century through the beginning of the 20th century. “A Night at the Opera” will open in the Performing Arts Reading Room Gallery on the first floor of the Library’s James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington D.C., and will be on view through Saturday, Jan. 25. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.loc.gov.

ure from simple things such as flowers.

For many people smell also helps to recreate memories.

Q: Given how disruptive it can be to lose your sense of taste or smell, why aren’t more people clamoring for treatment?

A: Many are unaware that they can be treated, and others underestimate their smell loss. For example, chronic sinusitis, which is treatable, will affect 11 percent of people at some point in their lives. Since our clinic opened, we have been overwhelmed by referrals and requests for treatment. We have unleashed a torrent of people who have been waiting for an outlet; many have been suffering in silence for years.

Q: What are the consequences for people with olfactory disorders?

A: The tongue only detects the basic tastes of salt, sweet, bitter, sour and umami,

which is a savory, hearty taste. It’s the nose that provides you with the flavor of food.

Loss of smell, and with it any experience of food flavor, is quite devastating. Coming to terms with the loss of an entire sense or even two often leads to other difficulties, in-

cluding depression and thoughts of suicide.

Q: With the severe impact these conditions can have, why aren’t there more dedicated clinics like yours?

See SENSORY DISORDERS, page 20

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Sensory disorders From page 19 A: There is a sense of apathy due to the relative lack of understanding of these senses. The impact of their loss is underrated, and there is a perception that nothing can be done.

In addition, a lack of interest in clinical practice means the teaching of this subject in medical schools is poor. Most medical schools allocate only a small percentage of time in their courses to the ear, nose and throat discipline.

Q: And yet there are many establishments dedicated to loss of sight and hearing. Why is that?

A: The ear dominates the ear, nose and throat discipline, and although specialists should be open to treating olfaction and gustation disorders, the nose is often considered a poor and uninteresting relative. Anosmia, or the loss of the sense of smell, is not often regarded as a major treatment priority.

Q: Is that because taste and smell are viewed as less essential senses?

A: Yes, they are often seen that way.

People with such disorders look “normal” and can function with less obvious disability than people without sight or hearing. As a result they are most often advised to go away and try to live with the condition, leaving many struggling to cope.

It is often as important to treat the associated depression, which can affect more than half of people with taste and smell disorders, as it is to combat the olfactory or gustatory loss.

Q: What causes most taste and smell disorders?

A: There are four most common causes, including chronic rhinosinusitis, or persistent inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages, which blocks up the nose and creates pressure and facial pain.

Then there is head injury, when the brain may get bruised and the olfactory nerves injured, and the common cold virus, which can damage the cells of the olfactory epithelium, the specialized tissue that lines the inside of the nasal cavity. Finally, some cases are idiopathic, meaning

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

they have no obvious cause.

Q: How many of these can be treated or cured?

A: None can be cured as such, but chronic rhinosinusitis is very treatable: more than 90 percent of patients in this category can regain their sense of smell after steroid treatment to reduce inflammation.

In the other cases, there are medications we can use. Oral corticosteroids are always tried first, to make sure the underlying condition is not caused by inflammation from allergies, for example.

Distortions of smell, or parosmias, can sometimes be treated with small doses of anti-epileptics. That’s because these distortions can be caused by the brain misinterpreting signals it receives, leading people to experience a range of things, from everyday foods tasting strange to detecting foul smells all the time. These can be very distressing and cause severe eating disorders, ruining individuals’ lives.

Q: Given the lack of attention to olfactory illness, have there been many recent medical advances in treatment?

A: There’s a lot of ongoing research, but unfortunately not much is translating into new treatments. Essentially that is why the clinic exists — to explore these. At the moment, I am completing a study to evaluate a spray containing sodium citrate that may temporarily reverse poor sense of smell. I am also applying for funding for further drug trials. As always, though, it’s a slow process.

Q: What coping strategies do you

propose for those who will never regain the sense of smell or taste?

A: We advise people about issues of domestic safety, using a gas detector, for example; and personal hygiene, to be sure you wash a lot. And we talk to people about smell training, to heighten what little olfaction they may still possess.

Q: How can people improve their sense of smell through training?

A: It is about making the most of what you have. We provide suggestions for enhancing food — altering spiciness or texture, for example — to make it more enjoyable. If you can still slightly taste spices, make your food hotter using chillies. Or alter the texture: make it more creamy or crunchy.

Q: What are the hardest parts of life without the sense of taste or smell?

A: Anosmia sufferers really miss the enjoyment of food. Some find mealtimes to be the most dreadful moments of their lives.

They know they have to eat to live, but all the pleasure has gone. Many will avoid restaurants and will find social situations that involve food and drink very difficult to deal with. They feel disconnected from their environment in a way that non-anosmics do not appreciate. It’s like being invited to a concert when you can’t hear the music.

Philpott’s work developing a device to measure sense of smell launched a career treating anosmia. © 2013. New Scientist Magazine. Reed Business Information Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

21

Get stronger: no gym equipment needed Q: What is this “bodyweight strength muscle strength from regular exercise. training” I am hearing about?

You can find examples of these bodyA: Bodyweight strength weight strength training exertraining is exercise that uses cises and instructions from your own body weight for reseveral trustworthy websites, sistance to work your muscles, such as the American Council instead of weights or resiston Exercise’s workout guide ance bands. For example, you in three phases (www.acefitcan strengthen your arms with ness.org/article/3159) and exercises like push-ups (standthe Senior Health section of ing and pushing against the the NIH website (http://nihwall, or regular or bent-knee seniorhealth.gov/exerciseon the floor) and chair dips. forolderadults). You might You can strengthen leg NUTRITION also find it helpful to get permuscles by getting up and WISE sonal instruction on how to do down from a sitting or squat- By Karen Collins, these exercises and adapt ting position, depending on MS, RD, CDM them as you grow stronger by your current level of fitness meeting for even a few sesand balance. Other leg-strengthening ex- sions with a qualified trainer at a YMCA or ercises that use only body weight include other fitness center in your community. leg raises, wall-sits and lunges.

Q: I’ve heard that strawberries have You can strengthen your abdominal a lot of natural antioxidant commuscles with sit-ups, which can be done in pounds, but also that people can’t remany different variations to focus on dif- ally absorb them. What’s the story? ferent areas of your “abs,” as well as exerA: Strawberries do contain multiple cises such as “planks” and “bridges.” By phytochemicals (natural plant comchanging how far you work against your pounds), including flavonoids such as anbody weight and how long you hold the re- thocyanins (which provide the red color), sistance, variations of these exercises can catechins and quercetin, as well as ellagibe used by people who have been seden- tannins and ellagic acid. tary and have little strength, as well as by Research suggests that our blood abpeople who already have developed good sorbs from the digestive tract only a small

proportion of certain strawberry phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and ellagic acid.

However, bacteria in our digestive tract may convert these compounds to others that our bodies do absorb. For example, ellagitannins and ellagic acid are converted to urolithins, which can be absorbed and do seem to offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and direct anti-cancer effects. Further research is underway.

Meanwhile, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. One cup provides enough to meet current recommendations for a whole day — and we know that eating strawberries increases blood levels of vitamin C and total antioxidants.

Besides, strawberries are a good source

of dietary fiber and allow us to eat a hunger-satisfying portion of something sweet with few calories. They definitely have a place as part of eating habits to promote good health.

The American Institute for Cancter Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., N.W. Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Not keen on quinoa? Try this new recipe One-pot dishes loaded with earthy garden flavor are not only delicious and convenient, but nutritious as well. This recipe for quinoa (KEEN-wah) with cauliflower and broccoli delivers all of that.

The cauliflower and broccoli provide excellent nutritional quality and add to the pleasant consistency of the dish. They contain cancer protective glucosinolates such as indoles and isothiocyanantes, and are good sources of vitamin C and the B vitamin folate.

(By the way, cauliflower and broccoli are known as cruciferous vegetables because their four-petal flowers are in the

shape of a cross or crucifer.)

The bell peppers also add their own nourishing goodness of vitamin C and a splash of color.

The fresh thyme provides a traditional Mediterranean flavor. Its reputation as a healer and protector goes back thousands of years. In fact, during Roman times, it was thought that eating thyme during a meal would protect one from poison. No wonder it was a favorite of emperors.

Times have changed, of course, but thyme is still a superstar of herbs.

Oregano, whose name actually is derived

from the Greek phrase “joy of the mountains,” was used by Hippocrates as an antiseptic. The ancient Greek physician, who is considered the father of modern medicine, must have realized it had nutritional value. Today we know oregano has antioxidants. Most people, though, treasure oregano for its taste.

Add all of the above to quinoa, and the result is a delicious and healthy dish. Actually a seed and native to South America, quinoa is cooked like a grain.

Quinoa contains all essential amino acids in higher amounts compared to other grains, making it a good source of protein.

An alternative for rice in many dishes, quinoa comes in a variety of colors – cream, red, purple, orange, green and black.

Sauté the vegetables until they just start to soften so you don’t overcook them. That way, the vegetables’ tender-crisp texture pairs well with the consistency of the quinoa.

You can serve this dish by itself as a light meal, but for a more substantial repast you can add a portion of roasted chicken.

Or add a cucumber salad. Simply dice fresh cucumbers and thinly slice some onions. Add a few tomato wedges and top with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Just like that, lunch or dinner is served.

Quinoa with Cauliflower & Broccoli 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 cups cauliflower florets 2 cups broccoli florets 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips 1 cup chopped onion, divided 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped medium (1 tsp. dried may be substituted) 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped medium (1 tsp. dried may be substituted) 1 cup quinoa 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper In skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, ½ cup onion and garlic.

Sauté 5 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Stir in herbs and sauté 2 minutes.

Remove from stovetop and set aside.

Place quinoa in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Using your hand, swish quinoa under running water for 2 minutes to remove its bitter natural coating. Drain and set aside.

In medium saucepan, heat remaining teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat.

Add remaining onion. Sauté about 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth and quinoa. Increase heat to bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.

Gently stir in vegetable mixture and combine well with quinoa. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 120 calories, 3.5 g. total fat (0 g. saturated fat), 20 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 50 mg. sodium.

—Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

BEACON BITS

Aug. 26+

A GRAND MOTORCYCLE RIDE

In a Taiwanese documentary called Go Grandriders, 17 older adults embark on a 13-day, 730 mile motorcycle ride around Taiwan to reminisce and rekindle their love for the land where they have lived. On average, they are 81 years old and some have had cancer, hearing loss and joint degeneration. Enjoy a free showing of Go Grandriders on Monday, Aug. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW in Washington, D.C. A second free screening will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. at Angelika Film Center and Café, 8200 Strawberry Ln., Fairfax, Va. After each show, two of the grandriders will take questions. Reserve free seats online for the D.C. showing at www.gograndridersdc.eventbrite.com and for the Virginia showing at www.gograndridersva.eventbrite.com. For more information, call the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. at (202) 895-1853.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

23

Ways to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis Dear Pharmacist: prostaglandins and IL-1B. You want that.

I take ibuprofen and hydrocodone Glucosamine is a precursor for glyfor the pain of osteoarthricosaminoglycans, and that is tis. Glucosamine helps, but a component of joint cartieven after six months, I’m lage. still stiff and riddled with Also consider these: pain. What else can I do?

MSM: This is a sulfur— D.Y. based compound that is actuDear D.Y.: ally a by-product of DMSO You’re not alone, 27 million (DMSO is applied topically to Americans live with osjoints, but it’s intended for vet teoarthritis (OA), and the afpurposes. The FDA doesn’t fliction worsens over time. Left like humans using it, even DEAR untreated, it can completely though many of you do.) AnyPHARMACIST disable you, so it’s good that way, MSM, an oral suppleBy Suzy Cohen you are doing something. ment, is sold at health food I like glucosamine. I prefer stores and does wonders for “glucosamine sulfate” over other forms, joint pain. because it provides sulfur to the body...

Bromelain: This pineapple extract gets sulfur, not to be confused with sulfa, a mixed reviews. One study found it to be as drug that many people are allergic to. effective as diclofenac, a prescription antiOA always involves pro-inflammatory cy- inflammatory. I personally like this and fretokines; you’ve heard me mention those be- quently recommend it. fore. Cytokines are pain-causing chemicals.

Devil’s claw: Slightly more exotic, devil’s Cytokines aren’t bad until your body claw is so named because of its hooked fruit. pumps them out in excess, and that’s ex- A 2011 study from Phytotherapy Research actly what happens with OA. It’s also what concluded that the herb could block the reyou need to reduce to control pain and im- lease of pro-inflammatory cytokines. prove range of motion.

In another study, devil’s claw performed Ibuprofen reduces the cytokines called as well as the prescription drug Vioxx (it’s

BEACON BITS

Aug. 11

“MEET” ROSIE THE RIVETER Join Seabury at Friendship Terrace Retirement Community for a

performance by actress Mary Ann Jung as she portrays Rose Leigh Monroe, the famous “Rosie the Riveter.” Rosie worked at Willow Run in Michigan, the largest factory in the world. This hour-long performance will take place at Friendship Terrace, 4201 Butterworth Pl. NW, Washington, D.C. at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11. Admission is free and open to all. For more information, call (202) 244-7400.

now off the market; Celebrex, which is safer, does remain). The point is that devil’s claw is strong; it interacts with other medicines, so ask your doctor if it’s right for you.

Boswellia: A resin from a tree. A 2013 study from the Journal of Head and Neck Pain studied the biological active ingredients in boswellia (pentacyclic triterpene acids) for their potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Boswellic acid is another major active ingredient. This is (in my mind) Mother Nature’s ibuprofen.

This may sound obvious but take pressure off your joints. Extra weight does no favor to your painful knees and hip joints.

You may have to start gently with yoga, or tai chi, but keep those joints moving.

And, finally, consider ramping up your immunity. Some forms of arthritis are due to infections, either fungal, viral or bacterial.

Compounds in green tea reduce the cytokine called TNF alpha, often high in those with arthritic conditions. One cup of green (or matcha) tea could beat up germs and improve immunity. The L-theanine it contains is relaxing, too. Drink it daily.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Too attentive and non-attentive husbands Dear Solutions: My husband is a very touchy feely guy. He uses his hands a lot when he talks, and if anyone has a sad thing to tell him, he instinctively puts his arm on that person’s shoulder, etc.

All this would be nice but meaningless, except that there’s this single woman who always manages to get up close and next to him to start telling him her woes.

We meet socially with her and others ver y often, and each time she hangs on to him the whole time. His arm goes on her shoulder while she talks on and on just to him.

I know her confiding in him is her way

of flirting with him, and he’s flattered.

But I’m annoyed and embarrassed.

I’d like to say something to her without being completely nasty, but what?

—H Dear H: How about “Would you please take your shoulder off of my husband’s arm!” No? Right. That might embarrass you even more, and embarrass him too.

Never mind her. Tell him how it makes you feel when he spends the whole time with his arm around her.

Of course, he is an independent adult and can decide how he acts. But for the sake of his marriage, he’d better recognize that you’re very touchy about his feely.

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September 7-19, 2013

Over 50 events including Track & Field, Swimming, Tennis, Pickleball, Racquetball, Bocce, Men’s Basketball, Golf, Bowling, Wii Bowling, Miniature Golf, Cycling, Badminton, Volleyball, Handball, Rowing, Table Tennis, Card Games, Board Games & more.

Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals Awarded REGISTER BY AUG. 23 (mail) or AUG. 30 (online) $12 Registration covers multiple events Registration forms available at senior centers, senior residences or online at www.nvso.us

Information: 703-228-4721 Check website for full schedule: www.nvso.us

Dear Solutions: cial time — dinner time — to be together My husband is still working. I am re- and share the meal and the day with him cently retired. When we since you retired. Assure him both worked, we didn’t that if he wants to go to a comhave a lot of time to comfortable chair and read after municate much, but now I dinner, you will respect that look forward to him coming and not disturb him. home and sharing the day’s Please let me know how it information over dinner. works out so I won’t have to Instead, as soon as he sits look at the “separation and didown, he grabs the newspavorce” announcements. per and reads it while he Dear Solutions: eats. If I ask him a question I’m a young senior, and I SOLUTIONS to try to start a conversation, decided to go back to school

By Helen Oxenberg, he gives as short an answer to get an advanced degree MSW, ACSW as possible and goes right and start a new career. back to the paper.

My older brother is alIt’s true, as he says, that he leaves ways putting me down. He lives a kind very early before we get the paper, but of laid-back lifestyle and can’t underI’m writing to you for some suggestion stand why I work so hard. before I...whatever.

He accuses me of being materialis— Angry tic and not having the “right” values.

Dear Angry: I’m upset and never know what to say Assuming that you have already tried to to him. Any suggestions? be reasonable with him before you...what— Jennie ever, I have two suggestions: Dear Jennie: 1. Gather at least three weeks of thick He may put you down, but he can’t keep newspapers and pile them up in back of his you there unless you volunteer for the poplate so he can’t see over them. sition!

Attach a big sign to the front of the pile Tell him calmly that people can have difsaying, “When you get to the last paper in ferent values and still love each other, and this pile please turn to the “Separations that you respect his and hope he’ll respect and Divorce” announcements. I’m sure yours. Period. you will recognize our names.” Or: © Helen Oxenberg, 2013. Questions to be 2. Sit down with him at another quiet considered for this column may be sent to: time, and don’t accuse him of anything. Just The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, tell him sincerely how his behavior makes MD 20915. You may also email the author you feel abandoned, hurt and ignored. Say at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about how you looked forward to having this spe- reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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25

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 8

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA This month’s edition of “Spotlight on Aging” highlights Mrs. Janet Reid, a D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) customer. Recently, Dr. Chantelle Teasdell, associate director of DCOA’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, and I visited with Mrs. Reid, who suffered a stroke on Jan. 5, to speak with her about her experience and how she’s been able to manage after returning to her community.

When I knocked on Mrs. Reid’s front door, we were met by her sister and granddaughter and a couple of small dogs. As we entered the house, I met Mrs. Reid’s oldest daughter and friend.

As indicated by the strong family presence in her home, with dogs included, Mrs. Reid has solid family support. This is a key factor in an individual’s successful adjustment to life after experiencing a serious health encounter — whether that support consists of family, close friends or church members.

Mrs. Reid credits her family in her recovery and her ability to resume a quality life in her community, as they have been instrumental in transporting her to medical appointments, to physical therapy appointments and providing in-home care.

I especially appreciate the intergenerational presence with Mrs. Reid’s granddaughter being in the picture, as research tells us of the benefits that young children can have on seniors — such as increasing seniors’ physical activity to improve circulation.

As Dr. Teasdell and I entered Mrs. Reid’s living room, she walked in from the dining room to greet us as she lightly gripped her cane for a little assistance. My first impression of Mrs. Reid as a soft

spoken, introverted senior was quickly diminished by her liveliness and excitement as she spoke about her career and leadership in her profession until her retirement in 2007, her civic engagement in her community, and the stroke she suffered earlier this year that has temporarily altered life as she has known it.

Mrs. Reid as a leader During her 40year career with the Federal Reserve, Mrs. Reid served as a manager, where she managed an $80 million budget.

Retirement did not mean riding off into the sunset, as Mrs. Reid is actively engaged in her church and community. The budget and finance skills that she developed while working for the federal government were instrumental in helping her to manage a much smaller budget as treasurer for her church as well as for her family reunion planning committee.

She has also served as Recording Secretary of Woodridge Civic Association, but has chosen to step down from that position since having the stroke, which has challenged her physical activity.

The stroke – beating the odds On Jan. 5, Mrs. Reid experienced her second stroke. Like the first stroke in November 2009, this one occurred on a Saturday morning.

Unlike the first stroke, this one would show physical signs usually consistent with the onset of a stroke.

She began to feel the symptoms See DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE, page 26

August 2013

Notice of Funding Availability Fiscal Year 2014 Aging and Disability Resource Center Program Grants The Government of the District of Columbia, Office on Aging (DCOA), is soliciting applications from qualified applicants to provide a full array of services and activities designed to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of the District’s elderly population, aged 60 and above, and persons 18-59 years old with disabilities.

Funding is available for one applicant to serve Wards 1-8 in the District of Columbia. Funding is available through the Office on Aging from both federaland District-appropriated funds.

The purpose of these funds is to complement existing supportive and social services and start up programs that target the population living in the District of Columbia. Examples of the service areas include, but are not limited to, the following: • comprehensive assessment • case management • congregate meals • counseling • health promotion • home-delivered meals • nutrition counseling • nutrition education • recreation/socialization • transportation of home-delivered meals • transportation to site and activities • weekend congregate meals • weekend home-delivered meal service • information referral and awareness • person-centered transition and

support • options counseling, advice and assistance • streamlined eligibility determination for public programs • consumer populations, partnerships and stakeholder involvement • quality assurance and continuous improvement In addition, the operator of the Aging and Disability Resource Center has the following responsibilities: 1. Develop and implement a needs assessment to identify the needs in the target community/ward; 2. Develop and implement a structured community outreach program; and 3. Establish a Members Advisory Council to serve as advisors to help develop a coordinated service delivery system.

Applicants who apply to this Request for Application must design services and document performance outcomes to meet the complex and ever-changing needs of the elderly individuals with the greatest economic and/or social needs, with particular emphasis on the low-income minority elderly.

Nonprofit organizations with places of business within the physical boundaries of the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. For-profit organizations with places of business within the See NOTICE OF FUNDING, page 27

New DCOA Website The D.C. Office on Aging has launched a new website at www.dcoa.dc.gov.

The new website is more interactive, and highlights new programming and resources available for seniors, persons with disabilities age 18 and older, and their caregivers. New features include easy access to popular links, job announcements, new initiatives for the Office on Aging and more. Please visit our website, and tell us what you think!

26

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

ON

AGING NEWSLETTER

Wellness Centers Help Seniors Remain Healthy The District of Columbia has six well- the Ward 6 center would be more conness centers with programming de- venient, which could allow her to atsigned to help residents age 60 and older tend more frequently. She had begun maintain healthy lifestyles. gaining weight after she Hayes Senior Wellness stopped attending the Center participant Carrie program at the YMCA. Doles has lost about 20 “Joining this program pounds since she began has enhanced my participating this spring. lifestyle of fitness and When asked about her healthy eating,” Doles, weight loss recently, she 72, added. said, “I lost about three Doles is a resident of more pounds. I don’t Ft. Lincoln and loves want to do it too fast.” movement and dance.

Doles became a memBut she doesn’t really ber of the center after she enjoy the line dancing saw a photo of her friend that is offered at most Carrie Doles Doris Draughn featured centers. Her husband, on the cover of the Beacon with D.C. who died in 2000, was her dance partOffice on Aging Executive Director ner. They married when she was 16, John M. Thompson. Seeing her friend and they both enjoyed hand dancing, made her realize that she too could join named the official dance of the District the Hayes Senior Wellness Center, lo- by Mayor Vincent C. Gray in 2011. cated at 500 K Street, NE. Attending Doles is a member of the center’s

walking club and attends several fitness classes, including “Butts and Guts” and yoga. “I am surprised and grateful that yoga classes have eliminated my arthritis pain,” she said.

She was very happy when her son

stairs, informed her younger daughter of what was happening, as she personally dialed 911 to request that Fire and Emergency Management Services (FEMS) come quickly to her home be-

cause she was having a stroke. According to Mrs. Reid, FEMS promptly arrived and transported her to the hospital, where she remained for seven days prior to being admitted to the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

She was discharged from that hospital on Feb. 16, after having been away from home for over a month. During her time at both medical facilities, she knew that she was on the road to recovery. Upon returning home, she quickly regained the confidence and strength to ambulate up and down the stairs. Mrs. Reid says her strong faith has kept her alive, and she is getting stronger every day.

Director’s message From page 25

of the second stroke that Saturday while at home. She walked down the

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)

Senior Wellness Centers Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center

Hayes Senior Wellness Center

3531 Georgia Ave. NW 202-727-0338

500 K St. NE 202-727-0357

Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center

Model Cities Senior Wellness Center

3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE 202-563-7225

1901 Evarts St. NE 202-635-1900

Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center

Washington Seniors Wellness Center

324 Kennedy St. NW 202-291-6170

3001 Alabama Ave. SE 202-581-9355

DCOA’s involvement The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides nutritious food and nutrition education to low-income DC residents: Women who are pregnant, up to 1-year postpartum; Children ages 1 thru 5 years; and Seniors 60 years or older. The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides checks to CSFP seniors for the redemption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Monthly Food Package Fruits Fruit Juice Cheese Vegetables Low-Fat Milk Non-Fat Milk

Meat/Fish Rice/Pasta/ Potatoes Cereal Beans Peanut Butter

Certification and Distribution Sites 2901 14th Street, NW (202) 265-8200 x307 3720 MLK, Jr. Avenue, SE (202) 715-7695 5601 East Capitol Street, SE (202) 645-6087

Each site is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

For certification, please bring proof of address, income, age, & identification.

For more information, call D.C. Office on Aging at (202) 535-1417

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, write, US DA, Office of Adjudication,1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call, toll free, (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may can contact USDA through the Federal Relay at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Government of the District of Columbia Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

recently married. During the festivities, she was careful of what she ate, and she was very proud of what she had accomplished with her weight loss. Doles is still beaming with pride.

Not too long after having the stroke, Mrs. Reid’s younger daughter, Tanya Reid, contacted me at the Office on Aging to inform me of her mother’s health crisis and to explore options that could help her mother achieve her desire to return home. We discussed equipment, such as a wheelchair and a ramp for the home, and DCOA’s homebound meals.

I was able to send a social worker to the home to conduct a home assessment and enroll Mrs. Reid into one of our newest food programs — MOM’s meals (Mail Order Meals). Through this food program, Mrs. Reid receives a home delivery of meals every two weeks. She is able to choose from nearly 50 meal options. This feature is designed to give customers control over their food preferences.

During our recent visit, I asked Mrs. Reid to describe for us a typical day at home. She responded that she enjoys

watching TV, completing crossword puzzles, and surfing the Internet in the comfort of her living room.

I encouraged Mrs. Reid to take advantage of the Ward 5 Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, which is approximately one mile from her home. I informed her that she can participate in chair exercises five days a week. I even shared that one of our participants in the Ward 1 Senior Wellness Center is a stroke survivor, and he participates in chair aerobics. This is a great way to be physically engaged by exercising muscles, which will increase blood flow throughout the body, while meeting friendly neighbors.

The purpose of highlighting Mrs. Reid in this issue of “Spotlight on Aging” is to inform you of the integral role that DCOA can play in assisting you in exploring home and community-based services after hospitalization.

Through the Hospital Discharge Planning Program, an ADRC social worker can assist you with identifying options for receiving post-acute (after the hospital) care to ensure your success after returning home.

Like Mrs. Reid, many people who suffer a stroke or experience some other type of major health crisis understand that there is a road to recovery. However, they want to be able to return home, be with family, eventually return to their place of worship, and regain their regular routine as much as possible.

Please contact DCOA if you or someone you know could benefit from our services. There is no problem too simplistic or too complex for us. We want to help you! Please call us at 202724-5626.

27

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

D.C. OFFICE

ON

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar August events

13th • 2 to 4 p.m.

6th • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ward 8 Health Expo, hosted by the Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley on the hospital campus, 4601 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SW. The event will feature free blood pressure screenings, glucose screening, HIV testing, body mass index (BMI), hearing tests and nutritional counseling. For more information, call Calvin Smith at 202-574-5705.

The next seminar in Iona Senior Services’ Livable DC Series is “Age in your neighborhood and know your rights.” The program features Judy Levy, with Iona’s Long-Term Care Coalition, and Kat Taylor from the Equal Rights Center. This free seminar takes place at Iona, 4125 Albemarle St. NW. To register, call 202- 895-9448 or go to http://iona.org/education-and-events/online-registration-for-freeevents.html.

14th • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

9th • 11 a.m.

Look for your favorite book at Library Day at all Ward 5 senior nutrition sites. For more information, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

Learn about hospice care at a program at the Washington Senior Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-581-9355.

21st • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

12th • 11:30 a.m.

Learn about financial fraud at the Kibar Senior Nutrition site, 1519 Islamic Way NW. Call Vivian Grayton at 202- 529-8701 for reservations.

Take part in a workshop on understanding reverse mortgages and home equity loans at the Washington Senior Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-581-9355.

28th • 11:30 a.m.

13th • 11:30 a.m.

Find out what your alternatives to Pepco are at a talk at the Edgewood Terrace Senior Nutrition site, 635 Edgewood St. NE. Call Vivian Grayton at 202529-8701 for reservations.

Metro officials will discuss the SmartTrip card at the Kibar Senior Nutrition site, 1519 Islamic Way NW. Call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701 for reservations.

HICP is Moving!

Beginning Aug. 5, the Health Insurance Counseling Project (HICP) will be moving to 650 20th St. NW. For more information, or to receive assistance with health insurance counseling and medical benefits, call the hotline number for HICP at 202-994-6272.

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

500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin Editor Selma Dillard Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, reli-

gion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

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

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

September events 10th • 2 to 4 p.m.

The next part of Iona Senior Service’s Livable DC Series is “Prepare to overcome everyday challenges and thrive” with Marlene Berlin, pedestrian safety advocate; Becca Smokowicz, Housing Counseling Services; and Bob Pohlman, Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development. This free seminar takes place at Iona, 4125 Albemarle St. NW. To r e g i s t e r, c a l l 2 0 2 - 8 9 5 - 9 4 4 8 o r g o t o http://iona.org/education-and-events/online-regis tration-for-free-events.html.

12th • 2 p.m.

Art Cart: Saving the Legacy is a research project to assist elder artists in documenting their artwork.

Join former Iona artists in residence with other program artists in a free panel discussion moderated by Patricia Dubroof, director of the gallery at Iona.

Visit the website to see images of the artists’ work: www.artsandcultureresearch.org/ac-artists1. The program takes place at Iona, 4125 Albemarle St. NW. To register, call 202-895-9448 or go to http://iona.org/education-and-events/online-regis tration-for-free-events.html.

Senior at SOME Recognized for Poetry Seniors at SOME Senior Center recently celebrated an afternoon of tea and poetry. Participants shared their poetry, with staff as judges, and the winning entry was submitted by Florence Canada. The poem, “Who are they?” speaks of the activities seniors participate in at SOME and reflects on their friendships and their health. Canada dedicated the poem to her friends at the senior center, located in Ward 7. Congratulations to all of the participants!

Notice of funding From page 25

physical boundaries of the District of Columbia are also eligible to apply, but must not include profit in their grant application.

The RFA deadline for submission is

Aug. 19, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. Applications can be obtained from the D.C. Office on Aging, 500 K St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. The RFA will also be available on the Office on Aging’s website, www.dcoa.dc.gov and on the Office of Partnerships and Grant Services website, www.opgs.dc.gov.

28

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Money Law &

BE WARY OF MEDICAL CREDIT Credit cards for healthcare expenses can be great, if you pay on time PAYING DOWN DEBT Use low-yield savings accounts to pay off high-interest credit bills SAY NO TO PENSION “ADVANCES” Military and federal retirees are being targeted for pricey pension loans DON’T IGNORE BANK ERRORS Check your statements regularly for mistakes, and take prompt action

Mid-year fund review: winners and losers

By Stan Choe If you have money in a bond mutual fund, you’ve probably felt some pain when you opened your mid-year account statement.

After years of steady returns, many bond mutual funds have suffered losses this year. Some of the sharpest drops are in funds that buy Treasury bonds, and it could be a rude awakening for investors lulled into thinking Treasurys were among the safest investments.

A look at how other mutual-fund categories performed during the first half of 2013 shows other clear losers, as well as winners. Mid-year is often a time when investors check on their portfolios, but it’s important to only make adjustments that are in line with your investment goals.

“While performance can give you a guide as to how a fund or ETF has done, it’s not gospel,” said Todd Rosenbluth, director of ETF and mutual fund research at S&P Capital IQ. “You should not chase performance.

You should use it as one of the tools to help you sort through the investment universe.”

Long-term bonds sink Among the biggest losers of the first half of 2013: mutual funds that own longterm government bonds, such as 30-year Treasurys. They lost an average of 10 percent through July 23, according to Morningstar. That follows returns for the category of 3.9 percent in 2012, 32.9 percent in 2011 and 11.7 percent in 2010.

Demand for bonds has declined because

of concerns that the Federal Reserve may ease up on its bond-buying economic stimulus program. Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the central bank may slow its purchases later this year and halt them altogether by mid-2014, if circumstances warrant.

The drop in demand has forced prices down for bonds. The price decline has been more than enough to wipe out the regular interest payments that bonds make.

When a bond’s price falls, its yield rises, and a 30-year Treasury bond yielded 3.58 percent on July 23. That’s up from a low of 2.83 percent on May 1.

“You don’t need a big move in bonds to eliminate a whole year’s worth of income,” said Mark Spellman, manager for the Value Line Income and Growth fund, which has a four-star rating from Morningstar.

Long-term bond funds are hurt even more by interest rate increases than short- or intermediate-term bond funds. That’s because 30year bonds are locked into the lower rates for longer periods, making them less attractive.

Intermediate-term government bond mutual funds have lost 3.1 percent so far this year, and short-term government bond funds have lost 1.1 percent, fractions of the losses for long-term government bond funds.

Here’s a look at other winners and losers among mutual-fund categories in the first half of 2013:

Stock fund winners Healthcare stock funds. This group returned 20.9 percent, more than any other

category. Hospital stocks have risen on expectations that the healthcare overhaul will mean more patients have insurance coverage, leading to bigger profits. Biotechnology stocks, meanwhile, have surged on excitement about drugs in development.

Diversified U.S. stock funds. The U.S. economy looks to be in better shape than others in Europe and the developing world.

Home prices are rising, the consumer confidence index hit its highest level in June since January 2008, and employers added an average of 189,000 jobs monthly through the year’s first five months.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index of big U.S. stocks hit a record high on May 21, before giving up some of its gains on worries that the Federal Reserve will trim its stimulus. As an example, the average U.S. large-cap value mutual fund returned 14.4 percent, versus a 2.1 percent return for funds that invest in similar stocks outside the United States.

Japanese stock funds. Investors are hopeful that the latest attempt at stimulus by the Bank of Japan will jolt the world’s third-largest economy. The stimulus has caused the value of the yen to fall 11.3 percent against the dollar so far this year. That helps Japanese exporters by making their cars and electronics more affordable to customers buying in other currencies.

Japanese stock mutual funds returned an average of 14.8 percent, although their gains have come down over the last month on concerns about whether the stimulus is aggressive enough.

Fund category losers Emerging-market funds. Funds that invest in stocks or bonds from China, Indonesia and other developing economies have been hit hard by worries about a pullback by the Federal Reserve.

For years, investors took advantage of the low interest rates promoted by the Fed’s stimulus to borrow dollars and plow them into higher-yielding investments from emerging markets, said Alec Young, global equity strategist for S&P Capital IQ. But now that expectations for stimulus are waning, so is demand for emerging-market stocks and bonds.

Emerging-market funds have also been hurt by worries about slowing economic growth in China. Emerging-market stock mutual funds lost 10.2 percent in 2013 through July, while emerging-market bond funds fell 8.5 percent.

Precious-metals funds. The price of gold has tumbled through 2013, with losses accelerating in the second quarter. Gold in July hit its lowest settlement price since August 2010, and that has hurt mutual funds that hold the metal or shares of mining companies. Precious-metals funds lost an average of 49.9 percent.

Investors buy gold when they’re worried about inflation, and some investors expected the Federal Reserve’s stimulus to cause a spike in prices. But inflation has remained modest, which has dulled the appeal for gold.

—AP

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

29

Protecting bonds when interest rates rise When investors look back at the spring of ration, the greater its sensitivity to interest 2013, they may say it was the moment when rate changes. This means that fluctuations in price, whether positive or negathe bond market finally shifted tive, will be more pronounced. and a new trend of higher interShort-term bonds generally est rates emerged. It appears have shorter durations and are that the long-awaited reversal less sensitive to movements in of the bond market has begun. interest rates than longer-term In early May, the yield of the bonds. The reason is that 10-year Treasury hovered at bonds with longer maturities just above 1.6 percent. While are locked in at a lower rate for that wasn’t the all-time low a longer period of time. (which was 1.379 percent in For those of you who own July 2012), it was pretty close. RETIRE SMART individual bonds, the price flucWe have all known that By Jill Schlesinger tuations that occur before your bond yields would have to rise, eventually. We’ve known that at some bonds reach maturity may be unnerving, point the fear of the financial crisis would but if you hold them to maturity, you recede, the economic recovery would be- can expect to receive the face value of come self-sustaining, and the Fed would the bond.

If you own a bond fund, it may be scary stop purchasing bonds.

Whenever that occurred, the 30-year bull to see the net asset value (NAV) of the market in bonds would come to an end, fund drop when rates increase. To soothe pushing down prices and increasing yields. you a bit, remember that when NAV falls, Many bond market moves look benign the bonds within the fund should continue in the rear-view mirror, but they can feel to make the stated interest payments.

As the bonds within the fund mature or pretty dramatic in real time. The rise in 10year yields, from 1.62 percent at the begin- are sold, they can be replaced with higherning of May to a two-year high of 2.7 per- yielding bonds, which could create more cent in mid-July, might not seem like a big income for you in the future. Additionally, deal — just over a 1 percent, right? But it’s if you are reinvesting interest and diviimportant to realize that it’s a 60 percent dends back into the fund, you may benefit from purchasing shares at lower prices. move in just nine weeks!

Bonds are losing value

Best bond moves

What does that kind of move mean for your portfolio? It means that many of your bond positions have lost value, because as interest rates rise, the price of bonds drops.

The magnitude of your hit is partially tied to the duration of the holding. Duration risk measures the sensitivity of a bond’s price to a one percent change in interest rates.

The higher a bond’s (or a bond fund’s) du-

To help protect your portfolio against the eventual rise in interest rates, you may be tempted to sell all of your bonds. But of course that would be market timing, and you are not going to fall for that, are you?

Here are some alternatives to a wholesale dismissal of the fixed income asset class: Lower your duration: This can be as easy as moving from a longer-term bond

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into a shorter one. Of course, when you go shorter, you will give up yield. It may be worth it for you to make a little less current income in exchange for diminished volatility in your portfolio.

Use corporate bonds: Corporate bonds are less sensitive to interest-rate risk than government bonds. This does not mean that corporate bonds will avoid losses in a rising

interest rate environment, but the declines are usually less than those for Treasuries.

Explore floating-rate notes: Floatingrate loan funds invest in non-investmentgrade bank loans whose coupons “float” based on the prevailing interest rate market, which allows them to reduce duration risk.

See BOND RATES, page 30

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Medical credit cards can cause heartburn

By Eleanor Laise You already trust your healthcare providers with your physical well-being.

Should you also trust them with your financial health?

That’s the question consumers are facing as a growing group of healthcare providers give patients the option to charge their treatment costs on so-called medical credit cards.

These cards — offered by major financial-services firms such as Citigroup, GE Capital and Wells Fargo — are designed for consumers paying out of pocket for dental, vision, audiology and other treatments not covered by patients’ insurance.

These cards also can cover veterinary costs for your pet.

Many patients sign up for these cards in their healthcare provider’s office. The cards typically offer “deferred interest” payment options that promise consumers will avoid paying interest as long as they pay the full balance within a certain time frame, often six months to two years. Most regular credit cards assess interest charges much sooner.

Such cards may sound like the perfect solution for seniors slapped with, say, a $3,000 dental bill that Medicare or private insurance won’t cover. But consumer advocates and state attorneys general are raising a host of concerns.

Some drawbacks Among potential problems are confusing features of the deferred-interest pay-

ment options that can cause consumers to rack up huge interest charges. In some cases, there’s also the potential for consumers to be charged upfront for treatments they never receive.

And paying promptly with plastic may mean that patients lose the opportunity to negotiate prices with healthcare providers — a move that could save them much more money than a zero-interest payment plan.

Patient advocates also question whether such products should be promoted in a doctor’s office. Often, in a healthcare setting “you’re dealing with people in the most vulnerable state,” said Mark Rukavina, principal at consulting firm Community Health Advisors. “Most people go into a healthcare provider with pain and concern, and they’re not there to make a financial-services decision.”

Medical credit cards have gained steam as healthcare costs spiral higher and many patients find themselves paying a greater share of costs out of pocket. The cards attract healthcare providers because they can encourage more patients to move forward with treatments, and offer immediate payment for services. GE Capital’s CareCredit card, for example, is now accepted

by roughly 160,000 providers, up from fewer than 150,000 in 2011.

Providers pay a fee to offer the cards. A 2010 investigation by New York’s attorney general found that CareCredit paid providers rebates based on the amount consumers charged on the cards. CareCredit spokesperson Cristy Williams said “there’s no longer any type of rebate program.”

Bond rates

and know how to protect yourself from rising rates!

Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Emmy-nominated, Senior Business Analyst for CBS News. A former options trader and CIO of an investment advisory firm, Jill covers the economy, markets, investing and anything else with a dollar sign on TV, radio (including her nationally syndicated radio show), the Web and her blog, “Jill on Money.” She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@jillonmoney.com. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

From page 29

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Keep extra cash on hand: Cash, the ultimate fixed asset, can provide you with a unique opportunity in a rising interest rate market: the ability to purchase higher yielding securities on your own timetable.

So even if this truly is the turnaround in the bond market that we’ve all been waiting for, there’s no reason to be afraid. Just pay closer attention to your bond holdings,

Read the fine print Many patients, meanwhile, are attracted by the cards promising no interest charges when balances are paid in full within a specific time frame. These plans typically require minimum monthly payments.

If consumers don’t pay the full balance by the end of this zero-interest period, however, they may be charged interest — not just on the remaining balance, but on the full original purchase amount, retroactive to the purchase date.

The interest rates are steep, with annual percentage rates in the realm of 27 to 29 percent. What’s more, late payments during the zero-interest period sometimes trigger the retroactive interest charges.

See MEDICAL CREDIT, page 31

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Medical credit From page 30 While these details are typically included in the fine print, consumer advocates fear that patients won’t get a clear explanation of such complex conditions when applying for a card in a healthcare provider’s office.

“What the receptionist said will have a bigger impact than anything on a piece of paper,” said Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.

The card issuers say they provide training to healthcare providers’ office staff and extensive disclosures to ensure consumers understand the products’ terms. Ninety percent of Wells Fargo Health Advantage card holders using the no-interest option pay off their balance before expiration of the zerointerest period “and, therefore, don’t pay any interest,” said Wells Fargo consumer lending spokesperson Natalie Brown.

Some patients complain that healthcare providers promote use of medical credit cards as a means of getting paid for pricey treatments even before the treatment has begun.

In a class action complaint filed late last year against Syracuse, N.Y.-based Aspen

Negotiate for better prices

Dental Management, which operates hundreds of dental practices in 25 states, patients allege that the company used aggressive sales tactics to get patients to commit to expensive treatment plans and encouraged them to apply for CareCredit cards to pay the bill ahead of time.

The medical credit card “enables them to bill as much as possible upfront,” said Brian Cohen, a New York City lawyer representing the plaintiffs. And some patients’ appointments are delayed or canceled as Aspen’s scheduling system prioritizes the most profitable treatments, the complaint alleges.

In a statement on the class action complaint, Aspen said the allegations “are entirely without merit.” Programs such as CareCredit “are a critically important option for many patients” and the terms are fully disclosed, Aspen Dental spokesperson Kasey Pickett said in an e-mail. “Patients are always presented with the option to pay for their care as service is rendered.”

Williams, the CareCredit spokesperson, said that the company restricts providers’ ability to charge upfront for services, and “treatment needs to be provided within a certain time frame, depending on the specialty or course of treatment.”

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Many providers will agree to extended payment plans, allowing patients to stretch payments over many months without running the risk of incurring high fees and interest charges or damaging their credit, Rukavina said.

Providers also may offer “prompt pay” discounts, often ranging from 20 to 40 percent, for patients paying their bills within 30 to 60 days, he said. © 2013 Kiplinger. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

No matter what credit cards they’re carrying, consumers shouldn’t rush to plunk down the plastic when paying medical bills, consumer advocates say. Consumers paying out of pocket are generally charged providers’ full price — rates far higher than those Medicare and private insurers pay.

But they can often negotiate much better deals directly with the provider, especially if they’re armed with data about the range of prices for the treatment they’re seeking.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Avoid offers of pension loans, advances

By Elliot Raphaelson Shut out by conventional lenders, people with low incomes or bad credit have long been targeted by high-cost operators offering payday loans, car title loans and the like. In the past few years, a new and insidious player has come into this field offering pension “advances.”

Also known as pension loans — although they are not usually advertised as loans — these advances are marketed to individuals who have rights to a lifetime pension but who need immediate cash.

The sellers of this product offer immediate cash, in return for which the pension holder must give up his or her rights to some or all of the pension, generally for a certain number of years. Such agreements

usually result in extremely high interest payments, in some cases over 100 percent per year.

Military and federal retirees This product is being marketed to all retirees, but prime targets include ex-military personnel and federal employees. It is illegal for the holder of a federal pension to assign or sell it, but this has not stopped the sellers of this product from marketing it. It’s why they term it an “advance” and not a loan.

One of the major problems for the general public is that no federal regulator has yet taken the steps to prevent the marketing of this product. Hopefully, steps will be See PENSION LOANS, page 34

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

33

Use low-yield savings to pay down debt A large part of the mail I receive is related free period. Unfortunately, after that time, to poor returns from the safest investments. interest rates on an unpaid balance can be as high as 29 percent (computReturns from Treasury bills, ed from the start of the loan). money-market instruments and My advice to anybody enshort-term savings accounts tering into such agreements is are lower than 1 percent. to make every effort to alloInvestors want to know cate your income so that you how to earn higher income can pay the balance in full by without risking capital. You the deadline and avoid intercan’t obtain high income withest charges. out some risk. However, there Even when interest rates on are ways to get a better return your liabilities aren’t so staggeron low-earning assets. ing, it makes sense to shift inMany people have out- THE SAVINGS GAME vestment funds to debt service. standing liabilities with highBy Elliot Raphaelson For example, assume you are er interest rates than those paying 6 percent on your mortnow being earned on conservative investments. One obvious example gage and that you have substantial investis a credit card. More than 40 percent of ments earning less than 1 percent interest.

If there is no penalty for doing so, why consumers do not pay their balance in full at month’s end on at least one credit card. not pre-pay some of your mortgage? EffecIf you are paying 18 percent on an annual basis on a credit card, you should not have a significant amount of savings in any investment earning less than 1 percent. If you were to use that investment capital instead to reduce the outstanding balance on a card, you would effectively “earn” 18 percent rather than 1 percent.

When you make a new purchase using a credit card that already carries a balance, you are taking a new loan out at the prevailing interest rate of the card. If you are unable to pay the outstanding balance on a credit card, you should use a different card for which you can pay the balance in full. This way you will not be paying interest on new purchases.

Look at liabilities and assets I taught courses in personal financial planning at the college level for almost 20 years to students with diverse backgrounds. As the first assignment, I asked the students to prepare a personal balance sheet listing all their assets and liabilities, and to indicate the annual return on each asset and the interest rate for each liability.

The students found it to be a worthwhile exercise. You also may find it useful. The exercise will identify any outstanding liabilities that you should be paying off because the interest rates are greater than the income you are earning on some of your assets.

Some examples of such liabilities in addition to credit cards are: mortgages, home equity loans, student loans and loans on whole life insurance policies. Review any transactions you have entered into that will become liabilities in the future.

No-interest debt isn’t always best For example, many individuals facing large healthcare bills select a plan that allows them to repay them interest-free over one to two years. [For more on this topic, see “Medical credit cards can cause heartburn,” on page 30.]

Similar offers are made for large expenditures for furniture and electronic equipment.

These offers are worthwhile if the bills are paid in full by the end of the interest-

tively, you will be earning 6 percent instead of 1 percent.

I am not recommending that you channel all available funds to debt service. You should maintain a reserve fund for emergencies.

However, unless you’re one of the few

Americans who is debt free, you probably have some high-interest liabilities you can pay down early. It may be your best investment. © 2013 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Pension loans From page 32 taken in the future. However, until this happens, it is important for the public to understand this product — and avoid it like the plague.

I contacted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to determine whether it had any immediate plans to prevent such loans.

The bureau responded with a prior statement from Richard Cordray, its director: “We are concerned about military pension buyout schemes. Military retirees are offered lump-sum cash payments in return for surrendering their rights to their pension payouts. These schemes are usually very bad deals for the retirees. We want to collect information on all these kinds of financial practices.”

Although Cordray’s statement singled out military pensions, the danger applies to all pensions.

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), a nonprofit advocacy group, has played an active role going after the organizations offering this onerous product. NCLC has sued these companies, arguing that the transactions associated with these products were illegal for two reasons: (1) their exorbitant interest rates and (2) the illegality of assigning a military pension.

NCLC has prevailed in court against pension lenders, but, unfortunately, winning a judgment does not necessarily mean that a plaintiff will be able to collect on it. The unscrupulous companies who lost in court have chosen bankruptcy as a way to avoid paying compensation.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Just say no What does this mean for you? If you own a pension, do not enter into any agreement with an organization offering this product.

If you have a short-term cash flow problem, pursue other alternatives.

If you must borrow money, borrow it from a financial organization that is regulated by either state or federal authorities. State and federal regulators offer consumers protection and limits on the interest rates they can be charged on loans.

What if you have already entered into an agreement and have signed over your pension rights in exchange for immediate cash? According to NCLC, most of these agreements can be successfully challenged in court. You should definitely obtain legal advice. You may be able to get low-cost (or even free) legal advice from

attorneys in your area.

Contact your local bar association to determine whether there are elder care attorneys or legal aid attorneys who can assist you either free or at nominal cost. You may be able to get assistance from your state attorney general. In addition, you should provide information to or file complaints with the CFPB. In short, do not enter into any agreement with any organization offering you upfront cash in exchange for your pension rights. If you have already made the mistake of entering into such an agreement, seek legal counsel to determine how to proceed.

There is a high probability the contract is not valid. Don’t assume you have no options. © 2013 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 20+

HELP STUDENTS LEARN

Contribute your skills and wisdom to help students from pre-k through high school succeed this school year. The commitment is just one hour/week at a school near you. To learn about Interages’ opportunities for the upcoming school year, stop by the open house at the Gaithersburg Upcounty Senior Center, 80 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, Md., on Tuesday, Aug. 20 or Thursday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Interages is a program of the Jewish Council for the Aging. For more information, contact Tricia Wilson at (301) 949-3551 or twilson@AccessJCA.org.

August

“I LOVE LUCY” MARATHON

For all “I Love Lucy” fans, the show’s entire fourth season will be played at Culpepper Garden Center, 4435 N Pershing Dr., Arlington, Va. on Fridays, beginning Aug 2 at 1 p.m. and concluding Aug. 30. Ride along with the Ricardos and the Mertzes as they head out to Hollywood to launch Ricky’s movie career. Free. To register, call (703) 228-4403.

Aug. 22

SUMMER LUNCHEON SONGFEST

Join the Shepherd’s Center of Annandale-Springfield for lunch on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 11:30 a.m. at the Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church, 4801 Ravensworth Rd., Annandale, Va. Bob Kovacs will play a mix of folk, pop, rock and country songs on guitar. Lunch is $10 per person.

For information or to register, call (703) 941-1419 or send an email to shepherdscas@vacoxmail.com.

Did you know?

You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents.

Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge.

Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month.

• Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

Rates as stated here are effective as of September 1, 2011. But, the rates and other terms are subject to change in the future.

Link-Up America

Link-Up America is for District residents who are eligible for social service assistance. New customers or customers who move to a new address may qualify for a 50 percent reduction in service connection charges.

Contact DDOE at 311 to apply

To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Take prompt action to resolve bank errors

By Anya Kamenetz Have you ever been the victim of a bank error? They can be annoying to fix, and they can get you in financial or even legal trouble if not spotted quickly.

A reader writes: “One day last week, one of my granddaughters deposited four checks in an ATM. One of those checks was one I had written her. She noticed immediately that something was wrong.

“The receipt for each check was correct, but the total deposited in her account was several thousand dollars more than it should have been. She called the bank immediately. They said they would take care of it that night. They did not do that.

“A couple of days later when I checked online to see if a different check had cleared the bank I was startled, mystified, absolutely dumbfounded to see minus balances and overdraft charges. (My granddaughter’s

bank) had withdrawn an additional several thousand dollars from my account.

“It’s been a royal headache. I went to a credit union where I have long had a savings account and withdrew money to cover the damage to my checking account. The bank said they will eventually (why not now?!) restore the money withdrawn from my account. They will also cover overdraft fees my bank charged to cover checks presented during this time.

“Might you perhaps be willing to address this subject of errors by banks and how one can protect oneself? Such errors don’t happen often, but when they do, it can be devastating.”

I am happy to oblige. It’s hard to say exactly how common errors of this type are. It’s clear, however, that as paperless bank statements become more common, we review our balances less often, which may make it hard-

er to spot errors when they occur.

How to protect yourself The real question is what to do about them, and how to protect yourself under the law from the consequences of these mistakes. Here are some principles to remember: Finders aren’t keepers. This should go without saying, but if a bank error is in your favor, you don’t get to keep the money and could be prosecuted for doing so. Speak up.

Put it in writing. The Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) covers transactions involving ATMs, debit cards or point-ofsale, while the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) covers anything with credit cards or charge cards. In order to be protected under both laws, you can’t just pick up the phone and call the bank; you must also put your complaint in writing.

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The letter must include your name and account number, the type of error, date and the amount of money involved, and the reason you think an error has occurred. Be sure to include any backup documentation.

In the example above, if the granddaughter had been able to submit a copy of her grandmother’s original check, back and front, the complaint might have been resolved more quickly.

The clock is ticking. This is why it pays to check your statements regularly: the FCBA and ETFA generally cover you only for 60 days after an error (there may be exceptions, such as when a check is fraudulently altered after you write it). After that time period, resolution of the error is up to the bank. Once you do send in a letter, the bank has 10 days to respond. It could come up with a final decision at that point, or it could simply credit the money to your account within those 10 days and spend another 45 days to investigate.

Have a backup account. As with the reader’s example, it may be a good idea to keep an account with a different bank in case of an error that causes your funds to be frozen or otherwise inaccessible, or to temporarily cover your costs before they can be reimbursed.

Know when to hire a lawyer. A consumer rights lawyer can help with a banking or billing dispute that goes beyond the simple formalities outlined above.

Discovering errors early and acting promptly increase the chances a dispute will be resolved to your satisfaction.

Anya Kamenetz welcomes your questions at diyubook@gmail.com. © 2013 Anya Kamenetz. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 23+

SEE FAME — THE MUSICAL

Metropolitan Performing Arts Theatre will present Fame — The Musical, a high-energy musical from an all-teen cast, based on the hit motion picture and television series set during the last years of New York City’s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts.

Show times begin Friday, Aug. 23 and continue until Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Workhouse Arts Center W-3 Theatre, 9601 Ox Rd., Lorton, Va. Tickets cost $20 per person. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m., except on Sunday, Aug. 25, when the show begins at 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.workhousearts.org/events/performing arts/fame-musical.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

37

Say you saw it in the Beacon

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SPENCER

Careers Volunteers &

AARP has named the National Institutes of Health as the best employer in the United States for older adults. Here, Dr. John O’Shea observes colleague Dr. Yuka Kanno in their lab.

Best local employers for older workers

By Rebekah Sewell How would you like to work in an office where a substantial percentage of employees are 50 or over? What about one that offers health insurance to retirees — and their spouses? How about paid time off for caregiving?

Every two years, AARP partners with the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) to recognize 50 U.S. companies that the organizations deem Best Employers for Workers Over 50.

Judges analyze the companies’ recruiting tactics, accommodations, alternative work schedules, health and pension benefits, opportunities for education and retraining, and benefits for retirees.

Jean Setzfand, AARP’s vice president for financial security, explained that the award “improves opportunities for older workers by spotlighting employers that have implemented programs that help retain, retrain, engage and recruit mature workers.”

SHRM President and CEO Henry Jackson agrees. “It’s absolutely critical for organizations to embrace new ways to retain older workers, especially in the face of the coming wave of Boomer retirements,” he said.

This year, seven of the winners are right here in the Washington area, including the first-place winner — the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. Each company offers solid health benefits as well as access to a 401(k) or a 403 (b) plan with employer match. Almost all of them offer some form of financial education in preparation for retirement.

Wellness benefits are also common. For those seeking further training or education, there is tuition reimbursement. Retirees are often eligible for individual and

spousal health, drug, vision and dental insurance.

Here is a summary of the seven local winners and what makes them attractive to older workers.

The National Institutes of Health NIH was the first federal agency to make the list back in 2008. This year NIH is “thrilled” to be number one, said Phil Lenowitz, deputy director of the Office of Human Resources. Forty-seven percent of NIH’s workforce is age 50 or over, which drives its accommodation of mature employees.

NIH places particular emphasis on relationships with its retirees. While recruiting, it notifies retirees of open positions should they wish to return to work. NIH offers retirees full-time, part-time, temporary, consulting, contracting and telecommuting work.

Lenowitz explained that, “one of the great things [retirees] can do is mentor new employees.” There is also a recruiting website specifically for federal retirees.

In addition to the commonly offered benefits, NIH offers long-term care coverage to retirees. Retired employees are also invited to organized events and given access to retirement workshops.

For current employees over 50, NIH offers financial advice, including seminars on Social Security, fraud avoidance, estate planning and strategies for college funding.

In response to employee surveys, NIH expanded wellness and telecommmuting opportunities. The Fit Plus Program encourages adults 50 and over to remain active. Free “low-intensity, easy-on-thejoints” fitness classes are offered onsite.

Employees with disabilities have access to modified programs, including software

Our Mission: To secure the well-being of Montgomery County Seniors through the shared strength of diverse organizations and individuals.

for the visually impaired.

There is also assistance for employees with caregiving responsibilities. Paid time off is available to enable caregiving, and the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program enables the transfer of accrued annual leave to others. Onsite caregiving, as well as a backup program in case of short notice cancellation, is also available.

If interested in a position at NIH, visit www.jobs.nih.gov or call (301) 496-4000, TTY (301) 402-9612.

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRCEA) Forty-one percent of NRECA’s employees are 50 or over. This Arlington-based nonprofit (ranked ninth on the list of 50) offers free, certified financial planning advice to employees looking to retire. The program is personalized and provides information on investments, assets, pensions and IRAs. Based on requests from their employees, NRECA added educational funding, commuting reimbursement and discounts on long-term care insurance. Retirees are also offered death benefit insurance coverage.

Employees are allowed short- and longterm leaves of absence to allow for caregiving. Employees are also offered referrals for child and grandchild care and eldercare.

If interested in a position at NRCEA, visit www.nreca.coop/about/jobs/pages/de fault.aspx or call (703) 907-5992.

George Mason University (GMU) Thirty-nine percent of GMU’s workforce is 50 or over. It is 13th on the list.

“This is the kind of place where we are supportive of all of all faculty and staff, all ages and all diversities,” said Linda Harber, associate vice president of human resources at the public university in Fairfax, Va. “When people leave, we try to keep them connected with the environment.”

A program called Retirement Connection works to foster that goal. Retirees receive free tickets to games and performances at the university, access to the fitness facilities, and a parking pass. Those with 30 years or more work experience receive a free lifetime gym membership.

GMU’s affiliation with the Military See BEST EMPLOYERS, page 38

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Professionals working with seniors are invited to our Monthly GROWS meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 8:15 a.m. usually at Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton, Md.

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38

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Best employers From page 37 Spouse Employment Partnership allows employees access to their job fairs, which focus on older workers. It also provides specialized technology for older and disabled employees, including screen readers, magnifiers and voice recognition software.

If interested in a job at GMU, visit https://jobs.gmu.edu or email jobs@ gmu.edu.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Thirty-nine percent of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s employees are 50 or over.

Though it’s their first attempt at making the list, “We’ve been told it’s unusual for an organization applying for the first time to get ranked so high,” said Anita Noguera, manager of marketing communications at the

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

agency. They are 14th on the list.

Its SKILLSOFT online library offers computer training courses. Noguera explained, “Our employees are our most important asset. We really value the employees that go the extra step to get the education they need to perform our mission.”

The agency also recruit employees through its Services Retirees Association and Friends Group.

Will they continue to apply to be a part of the best employers list? “We’re not going to give up! Next year we are going to give NIH a run for its money,” Noguera said.

If interested in a job at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit www.fws.gov/jobs/ or email humancapital@fws.gov.

Financial Industr y Regulator y Authority Twenty-seven percent of FINRA’s employees are age 50 or over. The Washing-

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ton, D.C. organization is ranked number 20 on the list, and has a benefits awareness campaign for employees that focuses on financial, health, alternative scheduling and insurance opportunities.

Employees over 50 are also entitled to a free annual financial planning session. Referrals are given for employees requiring caregiving or backup care.

Short- and long-term unpaid and paid time off are available for those providing family caregiving. In response to a survey from its employees, FINRA introduced a long-term care insurance plan for its employees and retirees.

The company has an individual responsible for retiree relations. Retirees have continued access to financial planning workshops, and opportunities for contracting, consulting or arbitration work.

If interested in a job at FINRA, visit www.finra.org/AboutFINRA/Careers or call (301) 590-6500.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Sixty-one percent of the VHA’s workforce is age 50 or over. The administration ranks 25 on the list.

Current employees have access to wellness benefits — including flu shots, fitness club discounts, health programs for weight loss and fitness, and smoking cessation programs. All employees also have access to onsite caregiving for dependents.

VHA offers specialized equipment to help accommodate those with disabilities,

including ergonomic furniture and specialized computer software and hardware.

Upon retirement, employees remained connected to the VHA through invitations to events and access to financial planning workshops. Retirees are also eligible for long-term care, life and death benefit insurance coverage.

If interested in a job at the VHA, visit www.vacareers.va.gov or www.va.gov/ health/travelnurse.

American University One-third of Washington, D.C.-based American University’s employees are age 50 or over. AHealthyU is a wellness program that may benefit older employees.

Fitness, stress management and nutrition classes are available for employees.

The university also offers Generations in the Workplace, an interactive course to educate employees about generational differences.

Schedule adjustments and special parking are available as accommodations. Visually impaired employees are given magnification software and specialized equipment.

One of AU’s most significant contributions for its older employees is its emphasis on retiree relations. Retirees are invited to organized events and provided them access to retirement planning workshops and education. AU offers long-term care coverage.

If interested in a job at AU, visit www.american.edu/hr or call (202) 885-2591.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Volunteers & Careers

39

New insurance plans for early retirees

By Kimberly Lankford One of the biggest challenges early retirees face is finding affordable health insurance until they qualify for Medicare at age 65. The new health law should make it a little easier.

Starting in January 2014, insurers may no longer reject you for coverage or charge higher rates because of your health. The law also sets limits on how much insurers may charge older buyers.

[While the plans go into effect January 1, 2014, open enrollment will begin October 1, 2013.]

If you’re eligible, you may still opt for retiree health coverage from a former employer or coverage through a spouse. And most early retirees will have the option to keep their coverage under COBRA for up to 18 months after they leave their job.

http://healthreform.kff.org.)

Caveats: To get the tax credit, you must buy coverage through your state’s exchange. And if you have an offer of insurance from your employer, such as retiree health coverage, you generally won’t qualify for a subsidy.

a snowbird). Some insurers plan to offer more than one option within the same color level, but to charge less for a version with a more restrictive network.

Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and

the author of Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, $18.95). Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com.

For more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Several options Policies on the exchanges must fall into one of four categories based on coverage levels: bronze, silver, gold or platinum.

The platinum policies will generally cost the most and have the highest level of coverage. Bronze and silver plans may have high deductibles and qualify for health savings accounts, which let you save tax-free for medical expenses.

Look at the policies’ premiums, out-ofpocket costs, coverage, and the network of doctors and providers (especially if you’re

Help from health reform But come January, you’ll have another option: to buy insurance through your state’s exchange. Plans on the exchanges won’t necessarily be less expensive than today’s individual policies (especially if you’re healthy). But if you meet certain income thresholds, you may qualify for tax credits to help cover the premiums.

Estimate what your income will be after you retire. You may get a subsidy if your income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level, which works out to about $46,000 for an individual.

If, say, your adjusted gross income is $28,725 and you pay $5,000 per year for premiums, you could get a credit worth about $2,700, depending on your age and coverage costs in your area, according to Families USA. The calculators for your state’s exchange (you’ll find links at www.healthcare.gov) will help you determine whether you qualify for a subsidy. The calculators may not be available until open enrollment begins on October 1; until then, use the Kaiser Family Foundation’s calculator at

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

ARLINGTON ADVOCACY

The Arlington Commission on Long-Term Care Residences needs advocates. Advise public officials about long-term care needs in Arlington, and support access, availability and affordability in Arlington’s long-term care residences. Commission members are appointed by the County Board and must live or work in Arlington. For more information or an application, find the commission via the Agency on Aging website at www.arlingtonva.us/aging, e-mail Arlaaa@arlingtonva.us, or contact Susan Lane at (703) 228-1700.

PA I D A DV E RT I S E M E N T

Choosing Memory Care for a Loved One. dining room to promote a familiar and more appealing atmosphere.

Hallways are bright and engaging, showcasing resident art. A secure, beautifully landscaped courtyard invites time outdoors. The residents’ bunny, Baxter, and visits by therapy pets brighten the day. A Cultural Arts Calendar is tailored to the resident’s specific interests and abilities. Massage and Reiki therapy also are available.

Normal forgetfulness is part of the aging process and usually begins in middle age. However, there is a great difference between forgetting your keys and dementia. Of the various types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common, and is characterized as a severe, progressive loss of memory and thinking ability.

The Benefits of Stimulation and Success.

A lifestyle found to be especially effective for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia is an environment that provides mental stimulation, awakens the senses and provides residents with moments of personal success. One example is the newly renovated City Club at The Residences at Thomas Circle, located at 1330 Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington, DC. In this soothing environment, residents engage in esteem-building activities that enhance their independence. The City Club Memory Care specialist and caregivers are

specially trained to bring out what makes each person unique; to recognize his or her life’s achievements, and to treat each individual with well-deserved respect.

“My mother has lived at Thomas Circle for a year,” said Kelly Gailbraith. “The move has definitely made a positive impact on both mine and my mother’s life. I find the most important benefits to be the safety and social interaction. The City Club is clean, beautiful and staffed with cheerful and well-trained professionals. I would highly recommend this community.”

When seeking professional memory support, it’s vital to visit a memory care center and note if it is well maintained inside and out. Is the atmosphere cheerful and positive? Does it feel welcoming? City Club residents enjoy daily exercise, outings, group activities, and regularly scheduled visits with volunteer youth groups. Chef-prepared meals are served family-style in the new

Feels Like Home.

The City Club neighborhood and home-like surroundings soothe and comfort, as well as stimulate reminiscence. “The goal is to use every opportunity to take residents on a soothing journey to a place that is comfortable, pleasant and familiar,” said Angie Layfield, Executive Director for The Residences at Thomas Circle. In addition, Thomas Circle is a source of information and guidance on topics related to memory care.

Informational seminars are regularly held and the public is invited.

For more information about City Club Memory Care at Thomas Circle, the next seminar, or the community’s assisted living, skilled nursing or independent living, call (202) 626-5761 or visit www.ThomasCircle.com.

40

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Travel Leisure &

Visitors explore picture-perfect Mackinac Island, Mich., by foot because it doesn’t allow cars. See story on page 43.

Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the Grand Strand Quiet havens with history Some towns along the Grand Strand resemble Myrtle Beach in miniature, while others attract visitors who prefer quieter havens.

Georgetown, at the southern end of the Strand, already was a major sea port for the colonies when it was officially founded in 1729. Behind today’s commercial and industrial façade is a residential area of oak tree-canopied streets and gracious homes, a number of them pre-Revolutionary.

Georgetown also is home to the Rice Museum, whose exhibits relate the story of the rice culture that evolved in South Carolina and brought extreme wealth to many planters. I found particularly interesting a collection of hand-written bookkeeping ledgers from the time when rice was king.

Pawley’s Island, several miles further north, became a pre-Civil War summer retreat for wealthy planters. Some of their homes are identified by markers that trace their history. The setting retains vestiges of the laid-back atmosphere that presentday residents prefer — and which they refer to as “arrogantly shabby.”

In sharp contrast to Pawley’s Island is Murrell’s Inlet, which earns its reputation as the “Seafood Capital of South Carolina.”

Fresh fish, crabs, oysters and clams are pulled from the surrounding waters, and fishing boats and pleasure craft keep the 1,400-foot-long boardwalk bustling.

PHOTO © JAMES BOSSERT | DREAMSTIME.COM

By Victor Block When I told a friend I was going to Myrtle Beach, S.C., he asked if I was taking golf clubs because of the 100-plus courses there. After I reminded him that I don’t play golf, he inquired, “So you’re going there to relax on the beach, right?” Wrong!

Most of the 15 million or so people who visit the Myrtle Beach area each year do go to golf and soak up the sun. The destination is best known for its excellent golf courses and 60-mile stretch of inviting soft sand beaches.

It didn’t take long for me to discover that it also has history-rich towns, reminders of southern plantation life, and intriguing cultural tidbits, any of which alone would be reason enough to go there.

Myrtle Beach sits near the middle of the “Grand Strand,” a name that was coined by a newspaper columnist to describe a dozen towns strung out along South Carolina’s Atlantic coastline. Each community has its own appealing features and unique story to tell.

Myrtle Beach is at the heart of the action, with the greatest concentration of hotels, restaurants, shopping and nightlife. The activity is centered along the 1.2-mile oceanfront boardwalk, much of which is lined by shops, fast food eateries and arcades.

Overlooking the scene is the SkyWheel, a giant-sized Ferris wheel that soars 187 feet into the air, with glass-enclosed gondola cars that provide a bird’s-eye view over the surroundings.

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

The plantation home at Hopsewee rice plantation in Georgetown, S.C., is one of the oldest in the nation open to visitors. The home, on the banks of the N. Santee River, has been owned by only five families since it was built in the 1730s, including a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

An aerial view of Myrtle Beach, S.C., shows a small portion of the area’s 60-milelong sandy beach visited by more than 15 million people a year.

Aptly called the Marsh Walk, it overlooks salt water wetlands and provides glimpses of an outdoor aviary of pelicans, egrets and other migratory and resident birds.

Life of another kind frequents the restaurants that line the walkway and vie for attention with colorful names like Drunken Jack’s, Dead Dog Saloon and Creek Ratz.

African-American history Perched near the northern end of the Strand, Atlantic Beach has close ties to one of the more intriguing historical stories of the region.

In the early 1930s, Atlantic Beach became a vacation destination for AfricanAmerican families, and was called the “Black Pearl.” Many residents of that community, like those in other parts of the Grand Strand, are descendants of the Gullah-Geechee people who retain their unique and fascinating culture.

When early plantation owners realized that the area’s climate and “lowcountry” tidal rivers are perfect for growing rice, they instigated an influx of slaves from west African countries, which were collectively known as “the rice coast,” where the crop had been grown for centuries. The Africans’ knowledge of rice cultivation was largely responsible for the success of planters in coastal regions of the southeastern states.

Isolated at plantations and rural sea island communities that sprung up around

them, the slaves developed a unique language and clung to their African cultural traditions. That included their rituals, religious beliefs, arts and crafts, food and other facets of their lifestyle.

Many descendants of those slaves still live near where their ancestors did, in a narrow band stretching from the coastline of North Carolina to Florida, and about 30 miles inland. For reasons unknown, people in the northern section of this area are known as Gullah, while those further south are called Geechee.

In 2006, Congress passed a law establishing the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, to recognize the important contributions to our country’s history and traditions of those people.

Visitors to the Grand Strand are surrounded by reminders of this fascinating story, some of which are encountered in surprising ways and places. For example, a green on the golf course at the Barefoot Resort is nestled against the recreated ruins of a plantation home, and the Willowbrook course is laid out on land that once comprised two rice plantations.

Visiting gardens and plantations Brookgreen Gardens, a designated National Historic Landmark, also has a close connection with Gullah history. It encomSee MYRTLE BEACH, page 41

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Myrtle Beach From page 40 passes four former rice-growing estates including Brookgreen Plantation, which was built by slaves in the 18th century. Today, the expansive lawns serve as a showcase of gardens, nature and art, including one of the largest and most outstanding collections of American figurative sculpture in the world.

The Lowcountry Trail, one of several that meander about the sprawling complex, leads past a restored rice field and the remains of several plantation buildings. Occasional programs are held to introduce visitors to various aspects of the Gullah-Geechee history and culture.

While not as grand as the setting at Brookgreen Gardens, the rice plantation named Hopsewee (pronounced HOP-suhwee) has other claims to fame. Built between 1735 and 1740, the graceful home is among the oldest preservations in the country open to the public.

Preservation is the correct word because the house has not been added to or restored, only maintained. The original owner, Thomas Lynch, Sr., was an early leader in the American Revolution, and his son was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In the shadow of the house stand two original cabins that served as home to slaves who worked in the rice fields.

Another chapter in the history of slavery

is recounted at Freewoods Farm, which was the center of a community established by freed slaves at the end of the Civil War. The 40-acre spread is the only living history museum in the country that recreates life on farms owned by African-Americans during their first decades of freedom.

Observing farm workers busy at their chores, it’s easy to imagine yourself transported back in time. The land is tilled using mules pulling plows, crops are harvested by hand, and syrup and soap are made the time-consuming way they were over a century ago.

The sight of subsistence farmers toiling in fields provides a stark contrast to the stately plantation homes surrounded by lovely lawns and Spanish moss-draped oak trees.

So, now you have an idea of what awaits visitors to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand: Occasional touches of honky-tonk tourist attractions co-existing with a casual, laid-back island lifestyle to which traditionalists cling with a kind of stubborn pride.

Throw in a dose of fascinating, little-known history and, oh yes, those stretches of broad sandy beaches and some 100 golf courses, and you’ve got something for everyone.

Jersey Shores

Wildwood and Cape May, NJ

Sunday-Wednesday, September 8-11

We extend the summer season with a trip to an oceanfront hotel at Diamond Beach. You’ll tour historic Cape May; and you’ll visit the world-famous Wildwood boardwalk, Cape May Point, Sunset Beach, and Historic Smithville. In addition, you’ll go on a dolphin-watching cruise and enjoy other area attractions. $629 per person, dbl. occ.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 29

WILLIAMSBURG OUTLETS

Join Langley Park Senior Activity Center for a shopping day trip to the Williamsburg Outlets. The 135 stores include Burberry, Coach, Calvin Klein and many more. The trip also includes a stop at the Williamsburg Pottery Outlet. Buses depart from the center, 1500 Merrimac Dr., Hyattsville, Md., at 9 a.m. Cost is $30 for Prince George’s County residents; $36 for non-residents. For more information, call (301) 408-4343.

Sept. 11

SAIL ON A SCHOONER

Sail on the Sultana, a full-scale reproduction of an 18th century Royal Navy schooner, in Chestertown, Md. Experience life on board ship as it was in the 18th century. Also enjoy a guided tour of Chestertown, one of the best preserved Colonial ports in America, during this trip with Montgomery County’s SOAR program on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The trip leaves at 7:30 a.m. and returns at 5:30 p.m. A crab cake lunch is included in the $80 cost.

To register, call (240) 777-4926 or go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec and choose trip 353344.

If you go Myrtle Beacon is 435 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C. Spirit Airlines See MYRTLE BEACH, page 42

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You will stay in the scenic Laurel Highlands and tour many of the attractions of this fascinating region during the height of the fall foliage season. The trip will include a day exploring Pittsburgh as well as tours of Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright), the United Flight 93 Memorial, and many other attractions. $799 p.p., dbl. occ.

Other Upcoming Trips “Les Misérables–The Musical” at Riverside Dinner Theater August 14 American Music Theatre–Christmas Show November 23 Christmas at The Hotel Hershey December 1–3 New Year’s Eve at Virginia Beach December 30–January 1 Call us for our full schedule and details about these and our other fun-filled trips.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Myrtle Beach

BEACON BITS

Aug. 11+

FLORAL AND BOTANIC PAINTING EXHIBIT

From page 41

Florals and related landscape paintings will be featured at the Potomac Valley Watercolorists’ Brookside Gardens Exhibition from Sunday, Aug. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 22. The show will include approximately 60 paintings by members of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists. Brookside Gardens is located at 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, Md. For more information, visit www.PotomacValleyWatercolorists.com.

offers flights for $88 roundtrip from BWI Airport in late August. While the airline has very low prices, watch out for fees. Passengers even have to pay for carry-on bags.

U.S. Airlines has non-stop flights starting at $203 from Reagan National Airport.

Visitors to the Grand Strand face a welcome, if challenging, choice of both places to stay and eat. Accommodations range from more than 425 hotels and elegant golf resorts to mom-and-pop motels and rustic cottages.

I found the all-suite Island Vista, perched at the ocean’s edge in a quiet residential neighborhood, to combine a number of attractions. It fronts one of the more desirable stretches of beach in the area and also offers both indoor and outdoor swimming pools and Jacuzzis, a lazy river and even a waterfall. Fully equipped kitchens provide a budget-stretching alternative to restaurant meals.

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Rates through Aug. 24 begin at $182, then fall to $124. For more information, log onto islandvista.com or call (855) 732-6250.

At many of the 1,000-plus full-service restaurants in the area, seafood is the main attraction, augmented by Carolina coastal cuisine and southern touches like barbeque. Many hungry locals and visitors alike get their seafood fix at Mr. Fish, which “has been wheeling and dealing seafood on the Grand Strand for over 30 years.”

And with good reason! Prices are reasonable, and many entrees are large enough to share. A huge bowl of crab soup, almost a meal itself, costs $7, and local clams go for $10 a dozen. Fish platters with two side dishes are a steal at $9. Diners with room for dessert have a choice of coconut grit and pecan grit pie for $6. For more information, log onto mrfish.com or call (843) 839-3474.

At Murrell’s Inlet, I headed for the restaurant from which the most noise and laugher were emanating and joined the fun and food at Drunken Jack’s. The view of wetlands, fishing boats and resident bird life, the jovial waitstaff and good food were worth the menu prices.

Best sellers are platters that include shrimp, flounder, chicken or another entree, plus salad bar and one side, which begin at $17.95. For more information, log onto drunkenjacks.com or call (843) 651-2044.

For more information about Myrtle Beach, log onto www.visitmyrtlebeach.com or call 1-800-356-3016.

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CHINA PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

Photographer George Singleton will display 120 of his images at an art exhibit in Bethesda, Md. The showing will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Saturday, Aug. 31 at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, One Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, Md. The exhibit includes 73 photos taken during a trip to China in 1987. For more information, call (301) 229-7766.

43

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Victorian charm (without cars) in Michigan

By Anick Jesdanun Producers of the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time didn’t need to build elaborate sets to depict the tale of a playwright who travels back to 1912 to find romance. They simply filmed on Mackinac (pronounced: Mackinaw) Island, a Great Lakes enclave that retains its Victorian-era charm thanks to its ban on motor vehicles.

Motor vehicles have been banned on the island since the start of the 20th century, after an automobile frightened some of the horses. These days, people still travel by horse-drawn carriage, as well as by bike and on foot.

Mackinac Island, located off the Straits of Mackinac separating Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, about 300 miles north of Detroit, was an important outpost in the region’s fur trade, but that gave way

© MICHIGANNUT | DREAMSTIME.COM

to fishing and eventually tourism.

Among the main attractions: the Grand Hotel, a 385-room luxury hotel that played a central role in Somewhere in Time. In fact, fans of the movie, many in period costumes, descend on the island and the hotel every fall for a weekend of reenactments and a screening.

You get reminders of a bygone era before even leaving the mainland by ferry.

Crews cart overnight luggage onto the ferry, the way full-service porters used to at train stations and hotels.

The Grand Hotel stands out as your ferry approaches the island. Closer to the dock, you pass a pair of quaint lighthouses, including one featured in the movie.

Once you’re on the island, you have plenty of options. Head to the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center for an orientation. About 80 percent of the island is controlled by the state park, but staff there can also point you to other things to do, too.

Picturesque Mackinac Island, located between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, allows no motorized vehicles, but horse-drawn carriages are readily available, as are bikes and horses for rent.

built on top of a hill a short walk from the main village.

For $11, visitors can stroll through Fort Mackinac. You can witness demonstrations of old-style guns and a cannon — be sure to heed the demonstrators’ advice to cover your ears. You can also see some of the buildings once used for distributing

supplies, housing soldiers and more.

During the summer months, the admission also gets you into historic buildings in the main village, including a blacksmith shop and the former site of American Fur Co. See MACKINAC ISLAND, page 44

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Stroll through history Native Americans were the first settlers on the island. Europeans missionaries came to the area in the 1670s, followed by fur traders. The British moved operations from the mainland to the island in 1780 as protection from Americans in revolt.

So important was the outpost that the British didn’t cede the island until 1796, well after Americans won the Revolutionary War. The British got Mackinac Island back briefly after a surprise attack at the start of the War of 1812.

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Mackinac Island From page 43

Getting around sans car Despite the lack of motor vehicles, Mackinac Island has a state highway running some eight miles around the island.

You can walk or run it — consider the Mackinac Island Eight-Mile Road Race in September. You can also rent bikes.

If eight miles is too much, there are shorter hikes you can take, including ones to natural stone formations such as Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf. There are more than 60 miles of trails to choose from throughout the 1,800-acre state park.

In fact, Mackinac was the second national park created after Yellowstone. But with the closure of Fort Mackinac, the park didn’t have caretakers in the form of U.S. sol-

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

diers. The state took it over in 1895.

The Grand Hotel is such a draw among tourists that non-guests must pay a $10 admission fee. That allows you to shop, dine or browse an art gallery inside and lets you walk through the flower gardens in front of the hotel.

Check out the Cupola Bar on the top floor for a wonderful view of the Straits of Mackinac. There’s a dress code in the evening, so plan accordingly.

It’s free to walk along the streets downtown, where you’ll find shops, churches, museums and other buildings. You’ll also see lots of horses and carriages in lieu of cars.

If you want to ride one, several companies offer tours and “taxi” service. Tours cost $24.50 and last nearly two hours. You can get off and get on as many times as you like, so you can use it as a bus service to

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Planning your visit For more information on Mackinac Island, see http://mackinacisland.org. State park information is available at www.mackinacparks.com. Brush up on Somewhere in Time at www.somewhereintime.tv.

Interstate 75 will get you to the Straits of Mackinac in about 4 1/2 hours after leaving Detroit. Ferries leave several times a day from Mackinaw City in the Lower Peninsula and St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula. Tickets cost about $25, though you can save money by buying online or finding a coupon at your hotel.

You can also fly there. Delta offers service to Pellston, Mich., from Detroit, while Lakeshore Express flies from both Detroit

and Chicago. The cheapest Delta roundtrip flight is $386 from all three Washington area airports.

From Pellston, you can take a cab or shuttle to the ferry, or take a charter flight to a smaller airport on the island.

As for accommodations, you can splurge for a room at the Grand Hotel.

Rates start at $264 per person, per night, including full breakfast and five-course dinner. See www.grandhotel.com.

You can also find several cheaper options on the island. The mainland has far more economical lodging, not far from the ferry terminals.

Whether you’re at Mackinac Island for just the day or with an overnight stay, be sure to stop by one of the many shops selling fudge — the island’s specialty cuisine. Just leave your diet on the mainland.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

45

Before you leave — the basic checklist

By Ed Perkins My inbox is full of tips for travelers on their summer trips. Most are some combination of obvious, pedestrian advice, and plugs for some product or system.

Actually, figuring out what you need to do is neither complicated nor arcane — just a bit of common sense.

Home security. Before leaving, make sure your residence doesn’t shout, “Nobody’s home!” Arrange for the post office to hold your mail, and stop newspaper and other regular deliveries. Let neighbors know you’ll be gone; maybe give one of them a key, and ask them to inspect your place occasionally.

Leave an itinerary with someone who can contact you in an emergency. If you live in an apartment or condo, let building management know. Don’t leave a spare key anywhere that potential intruders might find it.

Other home stuff. Arrange for someone to take care of anything needing regular attention — plants to be watered, fish to be fed. If you have a DVR, set it to record favorite programs, making sure you have enough disc space.

If you’re going to be gone a long time, see if you can temporarily suspend any expensive ongoing services. Pay any bills likely to cause a problem if you wait. If you

plan to rent a car, make a copy of some verification of your insurance coverage — I’ve never been asked to show it, but I know some travelers have.

Tech stuff. Figure out what you want to do with your email. If you want to keep up with it, make sure you’ll be able to log onto your mail provider, or get a Gmail box and forward your regular mail temporarily.

Take what devices you need, but keep in mind that many hotel Wi-Fi services are not very secure. And unless you want to access your home computer remotely, turn it completely off before you leave.

Luggage. If you need some new luggage, I’ve always gone against the pitches I receive for expensive “lifetime” or other durable suitcases. Instead, I believe in using the lightest, cheapest, soft-side luggage you can find and replacing it when a wheel breaks off or it gets tatty.

I do recommend something on your bag — a strip of colored duct tape, a belt, a prominent tag — that will immediately distinguish it from similar bags.

You know to pack enough in your carryon to get you through a day or two if an airline loses your main bag, along with cameras and tech stuff. But you also know enough to take a carry-on small enough to fit under your seat: You really do not want to have to gate-check it because the over-

head bins are full.

Money. The basic rule of travel money is “plastic.” That means a credit card for big-ticket expenses; an ATM card for cash.

Before you leave, make sure you have enough available credit and bank balance to last your trip. And locate the local banks at your destination where you can avoid stiff withdrawal charges.

If you’re traveling with a companion, split up the important plastic between you so you won’t lose all of it if your pocket is picked or purse is snatched. Keep a record of your cards’ contact numbers so you can cancel a stolen card and arrange for an immediate replacement.

And notify your bank(s) about where you intend to travel: Some banks seem to

want to know, others don’t.

Communications. Presumably, you have some sort of wireless phone, which will probably work anywhere you travel in the United States. But check out your plan’s specifics, and increase coverage if you need it.

Overseas travel. The suggestions here apply to overseas travel. Even though your plastic may entail conversion fees, you still lose less by using it than exchanging money.

If you carry a “smart” device, make sure to disable automatic downloads that could pile up huge international roaming charges without your knowledge. And if you plan a lot of phoning, get a foreign SIM card or cheap foreign phone, or set up for VOIP. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Style Arts &

Blues legend Johnny Winter will perform at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va. See story on page 48.

Do go see this updated take on marriage

By Michael Toscano You might be forgiven for being wary of the promise being made with increasing frequency by area theater companies that one show or another, usually something that’s been kicking around for a long time, has been “re-imagined.”

The premise of the promise is that there’s still relevance or new meaning to be found in an old play or musical, if only it could be “modernized” somehow, adapted to a more current sensibility. But more often than not, it only means the deck chairs have been rearranged, if you catch my drift.

That makes the current production of the cobwebby musical I Do! I Do! by The American Century Theater, with its prom-

ise of a “new and re-imagined production,” such a pleasant surprise. Because They Did! They Did! TACT Artistic Director Jack Marshall has managed to make a show that was already dated when it premiered on Broadway 47 years ago seem up to date in 2013. And he has done so without having to significantly change Tom Jones’ dialogue or lyrics, or Harvey Schmidt’s music. (The same team was responsible for the enduring and seemingly evergreen The Fantasticks, by the way.)

This is a look at a marriage, as seen through a half century of one union. But by changing the casting of the show’s two roles, Marshall examines not just one marriage, or one marriage rooted in the early

decades of the last century.

Now it’s a look at marriage writ large, and the way it is now. Marshall’s concept is that the two roles are played here by four actors, two men and two women. And the actors seamlessly weave in and out of the story, mixing and matching characters as it were.

So we sometimes see a nice, conservative one-man-and-one-woman union. At other times it’s two women, or two men.

(Marshall puts all four performers onstage a couple of times, but not to worry — that’s for thematic punctuation, rather than further “re-imagining.”)

The result is that this gentle musical, with its sentimental, unassuming music, stops being a look back and becomes a

dreamy voyage through a universal and very human experience.

A timeless tale It’s startling to realize that the story is originally set to begin around 1895 — when the three-act play the musical is based on, The Fourposter, begins weaving its tale — running to 1945. But by opening up the parameters of the relationship, and surgically excising a few references to things like gaslights, Marshall uncovers a timeless quality.

Of course, I Do! I Do! has always been rather unstuck in time. It was crafted as a vehicle for Broadway warhorses Robert See I DO! I DO!, page 47

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

I Do! I Do! From page 46 Preston (The Music Man) and Mary Martin (South Pacific, Peter Pan), who were both rather long in the tooth to play the young 20-ish couple we first meet on their wedding night.

And the musical’s ideas about marriage and the roles men and women are expected

to play in the venerable institution were very much of an earlier age. Certainly not of the Age of Aquarius, which was apparently flowering everywhere in 1967 during that famous “Summer of Love” except for Broadway’s 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where the show debuted.

The stars’ drawing power guaranteed robust ticket sales at first, but I Do! I Do! had an unexceptional run. It had a second

life in local theaters around the country, kept alive by the fact that it only needed two players, a minimalist set centered by a bed, and a piano or two.

TACT’s program lists the Supreme Court in its “Special Thanks” section, and now, in post-Defense of Marriage Act

47

America, I expect other directors will take note of how Marshall and his team have revitalized the show.

And that’s a good thing because, with its outdated assumptions neutralized, it is a See I DO! I DO!, page 49

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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Blues legend Johnny Winter to perform The taciturn musician talked with the Beacon about his long musical career and upcoming plans.

CREDIT

By Rebekah Sewell It was 1962, and 17-year-old Johnny Winter was holding out hope that blues legend B.B. King would let him play guitar onstage.

After all, Winter and his band, Johnny and the Jammers, had released music on a Houston recording label two years before.

Winter and his brother Edgar waited in a club called the Raven in Beaumont, Texas, where they had come to see King perform. Both boys were Caucasian and born with albinism, and they clearly stood out in the crowd.

At first, King was reluctant to let him onstage, but Winter persisted and sent friends to ask on his behalf. Eventually, King turned over his guitar to the young man.

Winter performed and got a standing ovation. Even then, it was becoming clear Winter was a force to be reckoned with.

Now 69, Winter has enjoyed decades of success through his rapid slide guitar skills and passion for authentic blues. In addition to King, he has played with such greats as Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

In 1988, Winter was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. More recently, Rolling Stone ranked him 63 on their list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

On Aug. 24, Winter and his band will play at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.

Early start in music Winter was born in Leland, Miss., and grew up in Beaumont, Texas. His parents encouraged both their sons in their musical pursuits.

Winter first played the clarinet and the ukulele, but settled into guitar playing at age 11 when he fell in love with the blues of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Otis Rush.

Beaumont had endured a race riot in 1943, the year before Winter’s birth, and the town continued to be rife with racial tension.

But the Winter brothers never shied away from experiencing blues in the predominantly African American neighborhoods of the city. Winter has commented he always felt safe there, perhaps because the community saw he had a sincere interest in the music.

Success and Muddy Waters Before fame, Winter had toured relentlessly to make a name for himself. His big break came in 1968, when Rolling Stone assessed the music scene in Texas and dubbed him “the hottest item outside Janis Joplin.”

Columbia Records eventually signed him after beating stiff competition from other labels. Winter remained with Columbia for

Johnny Winter’s long blues career includes playing with Muddy Waters, Gregg Allman and Eric Clapton. He will perform at the Birchmere Aug. 24.

about 10 years and recorded blues originals and many famous covers like Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited.” His performance at Woodstock in 1969 became legendary.

Winter later used his success to expose a new generation to blues legend Muddy Waters. As a child, Winter aspired to play with him, and he got the chance when Waters’ label Chess Record went out of business. Wa-

ters had nowhere else to record, so Johnny and his manager set up Blue Sky Records, which was distributed by Columbia.

“He has been a big influence on me,” Winter said of Waters. Playing with him “was the most fun I ever had.” For his part, Waters, who died in 1983, once said Winter had become like a son to him.

See WINTER, page 50

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

I Do! I Do! From page 47 very human story we can all relate to, and the melodic score offers pleasant and understated charms.

Songs tell the story Mary Beth Luckenbaugh, Steve Lebens, Esther Covington and Chad Fornwalt are the Snows, Chris and Leslie. Or is it Christine and Lesley? Depends on the moment, and the song.

All four skillfully handle the transitions in what is, especially in the first act, a mostly sung-through show. With two pianos backing them up (played by Laurie Corkey and Alvin Smithson on review night), the singers do not require microphones, and the singing takes on an intimate ambiance.

That’s especially agreeable in Act 2’s “My Cup Runneth Over” — one of the prettiest ballads of the 1960s, and a big radio hit (sung

by Ed Ames) at the time. Marshall highlights the song by having all four cast members on stage, their voices sweetly mingling.

The song titles pretty much tell the story, from the early “I Love My Wife,” in which Luckenbaugh and Covington give new meaning to “soft shoe” by playfully slapping bare feet on the floor, to “Nobody’s Perfect” and on to “The Honeymoon is Over.”

Along the way, Luckenbaugh shows her song and dance chops with the bouncy “Flaming Agnes,” Agnes being the original female name. And that’s just the first act.

frains of which echo in my mind days later.

Then it’s on to the delightful “When the Kids Get Married,” and surprise performances with violin and clarinet from Covington and Luckenbaugh. The 11 o’clock number “What Is a Woman?,” a torchy ballad, leads to “Someone Needs Me.” You get the picture.

This is an ensemble show, and with tight direction from Marshall, they all offer strong and energetic performances without losing any of the subtleties that give the show its feeling.

But if there is a first among equals, it is Mary Beth Luckenbaugh, who captures poignancy, drama and broad comedy in one package. With her face both expressive and subtle, she emanates sensitivity and life, accented by a rich and beautiful voice.

The action is played on Trena WeissNull’s simple black and white set, successfully anchored by blocks, one of which is a bed. The floor is a checkerboard pattern.

Make that chess, as marriage is much HH_AdSeries7.5x9_2012 6/27/12 11:19 more chess than checkers, isn’t it?

I Do! I Do! continues through Aug. 17, performed by The American Century Theater at Gunston Theater Two, 2700 S. Lang St. in Arlington, Va. Showtime Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays is 8 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $32 to $40, with discounts for those 65 and up, as well as students and active-duty military. Take the grandkids: Children under 18 are admitted

free with an adult paying full price, space permitting and with a limit of five. Tickets are available by calling (703) 998-4555 or by visiting www.americancentury.org.

The theater is wheelchair accessible, and there is ample free parking. For more information about the play or for directions, visit the theater’s website at www.americancentury.org.

Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theatre critic.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 4+

CHORAL CLASS FOR OLDER ADULTS

The Smithsonian Encore Chorale for Older Adults is designed for singers 55 and older. Learn proper breathing techniques and how to improve your voice. Conductor Jeanne Kelly, founder of Encore Creativity Arts for Older Adults, leads four-part singing. Classes are on Wednesday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and conclude with a public performance. The class runs from Sept. 4 to Dec. 11 at the Smithsonian Institution, Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW. The cost is $180 to $215. Visit http://encorecreativity.org for more information on this location and others in Maryland and Virginia where Encore Chorale is offered.

AM

Page 2

The passage of time In Act Two, the Snows are older and perhaps wiser, and the songs reflect a certain mellowing. The very first song, “Where Are the Snows?” is a sentimental look at the passage of time. The sense of reflection reaches fuller expression with the next tune, the aforementioned “My Cup Runneth Over,” re-

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY TREASURES

The Folger Shakespeare Library features an exhibit of the collecting history of the Folger founders. The exhibit includes a second folio censored by the Inquisition, the first manuscript of a Shakespeare play, a bracelet braided from the hair of American Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth, the first printed edition of Euclid’s Elements, and a handwritten letter from Elizabeth I to James IV of Scotland. The exhibit is open until Sunday, Sept. 29. The library is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, and is located at 201 East Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.folger.edu or call (202) 544-4600.

49

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50

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

Winter From page 48 Winter produced Waters’ comeback album Hard Again for Blue Sky Records.

Two more albums followed, and the music of Muddy Waters lived on.

Ever loyal to his roots, Winters says his early cover of B.B. King’s “Be Careful With a Fool” is his favorite song.

Addiction and sobriety Unfortunately, after his rise to prominence, Winter became addicted to heroin in the 1970s. He has never been shy about talking about his experiences.

“It was OK as long as I wasn’t addicted to it, but I realized I was addicted. I really wanted to get off of it,” he recalled.

In the years that followed, he battled substance abuse, including anti-depressants, methadone and alcohol. His manager Teddy Slatus, now deceased, was also an alcoholic. There has been speculation

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that Slatus exploited and worsened the situation.

Winter’s career suffered from his substance abuse. His always small frame withered as he lost weight. Good friend and guitarist Paul Nelson eventually took over as his manager in 2005. Due in a large part to Nelson, Winter is currently clean and sober. He doesn’t even smoke cigarettes.

In 2007, he played at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, a benefit concert to raise money for the Crossroads Centre, an addiction facility on the island of Antigua. Clapton founded Crossroads to help others suffering from addiction, as he is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic.

Winter said he hoped to play at the benefit again in the future.

New music and documentary Winter continues to tour with his band; many of the members have been together for more than 15 years. “We have very good chemistry,” he said.

His band mates also appreciate Winter’s legacy. His manager Nelson said that working with Winter is “an honor. My first love was guitar. That’s how I met him. To play with one of your idols is great. It’s like getting a guitar lesson every day.”

Nelson produced Winter’s 2011 album Roots as well as his upcoming album Step Back, which is finished but awaiting release. Nelson estimates it will be available to the public in six months. Also slated for a late 2013 release is a documentary about Winter’s life, directed by Greg Oliver.

Step Back will have rock elements. The album will feature many special guest artists, including Mark Knopfler, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Dr. John and Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Winter says he is most excited about his album’s collaboration with Eric Clapton.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s a very good album. I’m very happy with it,” he said.

Music clearly runs in the Winter family.

Winter’s brother Edgar has also made a name for himself in music. He is known as a multi-instrumentalist artist who specializes in keyboards, percussion, saxophone and vocals.

Edgar’s musical interests diverge from his brother’s, however. “Our styles are very different. He likes jazz and rock and roll, and I like the blues,” said Winter.

They continue to play together, and Roots features Edgar on keyboards.

Johnny Winter defines blues as “emotion, feeling,” something he still connects with after all these years of playing. When asked how it feels to be known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, the man of few words said with a laugh, “very good.”

Johnny Winter and his band will play at the Birchmere, at 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., in Alexandria, Va., on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere box office sells tickets from 5 to 9 p.m. on any performance night. Tickets are $35 at the box office. To purchase tickets online, visit Ticketmaster at http://bit.ly/JohnnyWinterBirchmere.

The Ticketmaster price is $44.50.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

51

What you learn teaching your kids to drive The politician gets this. He and his son So I was chatting with a prominent local politician (I don’t do it often, folks — bad hop into the family buggy at 6:30 a.m. most mornings, when traffic isn’t for the digestion). I asked him awful yet. They are starting what his biggest challenges small — on side streets and in were these days. shopping center parking lots.

I expected a discourse on So far, so good. sequesters and budgets.

“But I’m amazed at my lack What I got was a Daddy of self-control,” said the politiMoment. “I’m teaching my 16cian, who is known publicly year-old to drive,” this pol told for his self-control. me. “It’s harder than anything “I’m talking at him all the I’ve ever done.”

There may be hope for the HOW I SEE IT time while he drives, which is probably a very bad idea. I’m republic after all, dear friends. By Bob Levey lecturing him all the time, A politician not only tells the truth for a change, but he touches a crusty which he hates.

“He’s getting better as a driver, and he old columnist right in the heart.

I agree with him completely. To teach a hasn’t smacked into anything yet. But as teenager how to drive is not only a huge test soon as we get back to the house, I feel of one’s patience, but it’s a moment that like I need a second shower. It feels to me as if I’ve lost control as a father somehow.” greases a parent’s eventual irrelevance.

Of course, what’s happening here is a We raise our kids to make the right decisions once we’re not beside them. But we miniature replay of all the father-son drama of the previous 16 years. The can only hope that that process takes hold.

When we’re sitting in the shotgun seat mantras about guiding (not crushing) a and murmuring, “Use your mirrors,” two child, being a child’s friend and not his diclives hang in the balance. But so does the tator… they all seem to collapse once that child’s imminent separation from the driving learner’s permit is in hand.

Driving is one arena where Father teacher — and that is fraught with as much emotion as any graduation or wedding.

Truly Does Know Best. Yet he can’t flog This isn’t just about driving. It’s about his kid with his experience and knowledge parental influence waning or disappearing. or there will be a screaming, crying scene

— perhaps more than one.

A grandfather I know had to hop into the family driving process because FatherSon had become dysfunctional.

“The first time that the kid didn’t brake as soon as the father wanted, the shouting started,” Grandpa told me. “All about how you’ve never listened to me (the father), all about how you’ve never trusted me (the son).” Grandpa volunteered as driving teacher in order to defuse a mess.

Another grandfather I know volunteered as a lightning rod. “I sat in the back seat — just sat there like a cigar-store Indian — while we did loop-de-loop in the parking lot of a grocery store,” this grandfather recalled. “The father and the son were too embarrassed to have a fight in my presence.”

About 10 minutes into our discussion, the politician gave me additional hope for the future of the Republic. He asked for my advice.

“It isn’t just about where your son should hold his hands on the steering wheel,” I said. “Whether you realize it or not, you’ve been teaching this kid to drive for his entire life — because he has been watching YOU drive for his entire life.”

I recounted the story of my son, when he was 11. We were going somewhere, on an interstate highway. The speed limit was 65.

My son leaned over from the passenger seat for a good, clean look at the speedome-

ter. It showed that I was going 72.

“Uh, Mr. Levey,” said the young Mr. Levey. “What’s the speed limit around here?”

Imagining him as a dad some day, I immediately dropped back to 64.

Then I gave the politician my theory of sports and driving. “You have to teach a young driver to anticipate,” I said. “In basketball, you’re not just playing in the moment. You’re adjusting to the next moment, before it even happens.

“A young driver needs to understand that. He can’t just stare out the front window and think he’s being safe.”

Final morsel of advice: “Take the emotion out of driving. Tell your kid never to start the engine if he’s feeling sad or mad.

The best drivers are always smooth.”

Being the wonderful soul that I am, I didn’t tell the politician about my own driving education. It was supplied by my mother — whose driving skills (zero) were matched only by her lack of self-control (total).

The first 10 times we went for a spin, the same scenario played out. I would start the engine, check the mirrors and pull out into traffic. “We’re all going to die!” my mother would shriek.

Thanks, Ma, for the vote of confidence.

But thanks, too, for that immortal motto.

See BOB LEVEY, page 52

52

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Letters to editor From page 2 that is spent for programs such as $700K to study cow burps, the Army stating they need no more tanks purchased and yet Congress insists they do so, $880,000 spent to study snail sex, etc.

Until Congress seriously addresses the waste in government, the BB generation resents the complaint by others of having to pay us a promised obligation in which we were forced to participate.

It has come to the point where we must admit the Social Security System is a Ponzi scheme, but the people that have paid into it for their entire lives should not have their promised payments reduced further and further.

Government bureaucratic bloat has helped ruin the Social Security program.

Maybe we should seriously consider estab-

lishing private accounts for people with the amounts they and their employers have contributed, including earned interest.

Plus there would be no reduction of my contributed funds as was proposed in President Obama’s budget and noted in the Beacon’s June issue.

Marcia Moon Alexandria, Va. Dear Editor: I saw your editorial “What’s private anymore?” in the July issue and began to read with considerable interest.

I had just read a rather technical discussion about the use of data by the NSA that had appeared on the Washington Post op-ed page. The author, a man with legal training and senior legal and political responsibilities, made very similar arguments to those which you stated so clearly and elegantly.

I have parallel and related discussions

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

with my small set of friends. There are several important points: (1) We have abandoned privacy in fact, if not in theory, with the rise and sophistication of technology. (2) We are facing a struggle that is asymmetric warfare. The concepts of warfare that have applied from time immemorial are no longer applicable. (3) We are facing very dangerous enemies that are few in number, but can only be fought with technology and sophisticated analysis methodologies.

You have done an outstanding job of explaining the characteristics of the modern world and the interactions with modern technology. It was a pleasure to read your piece, and I look forward to more.

Louis P. Solomon Bethesda, Md. Dear Editor: Your recent column (“What’s private anymore?”) does not, it seems to me, make

a distinction between the privacy I give up voluntarily and the privacy the government has invaded. I do not need to use frequent flier miles, smartphones, etc., and I personally do not use Facebook, etc., precisely in order to guard my privacy.

However, there is a big difference between commercial activity and government spying. It should be up to the government to prove that I am a terrorist, with legal means, because in our Western understanding of civil liberties, I am innocent until proven guilty.

There needs to be transparency and honesty and clearly there hasn’t been. People cannot challenge the Patriot Act because everything in it is deemed secret.

That’s wrong, and it is good that we all have begun a discussion on these matters.

Helma Lanyi Washington, D.C.

Bob Levey

rotten a driving teacher as you might be, your child will overcome that.

The better question is whether you will overcome the moment when he, for the first time, hops behind the wheel and heads off into the distance without you beside him.

If your head is bowed in prayer, I won’t be surprised.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

He will be keynote speaker at the Beacon 50+Expo on Sunday, October 6 at Ballston Common Mall in Arlington, Va.

From page 51 She later taught my brother to drive, often using the same line. Whenever my brother or I want to convulse each other on the phone, all we have to do is yelp, “We’re all going to die!”

By the way, neither of us has managed to do that yet, and neither of us has ever had a serious accident in more than 100 combined years of driving.

That’s the good news, Mr. Politician. As

Bubbe would have wanted you to.

Subscribe today!

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

FROM PAGE 54

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD S T A F F

T E R R A

A L L O T

B A T H

A L O E

J O E D

U P T O

C L A S S M A T E

B L O G P A H I O N O T D P C I P S L U S

S T A I N L R E E H E R S O D E S E P L O S T A R T S N A R P E T E S T E W S C A N S

A P A R T

S I C K O

N E O N G O E O D W I R M I E S T H E R

O R S O N

R E I N S T F A L L E L X S E C V A I R L E

C A L L

A L L Y

E L B A

A L E X

O A S I S

W R E S T

Classifieds cont. from page 55.

Wanted HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, ESTATES - Cash paid for antiques, estates.

I’ve been in the antiques business for over 25 years. I live in Silver Spring and work in Bethesda. I’ve been selling on EBAY for over 15 years. I pay the most for your valuable treasures. Buying the following items: furniture, art, silver, gold, old coins, jewelry, wrist watches, military items including, guns, rifles, knives, swords, medals, etc. also buying old toys, dolls, trains, books, tools, musical instruments, old sports items, memorabilia, gold, baseball, fishing, old photos, comic books, etc. Please call TOM at 240-476-3441, Thank you.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments.

Jack, 301- 279-2158.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301654-0838.

WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202-726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202841-3062.

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-464-0958.

Wanted CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole state. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

WANTED: ANTIQUE ELECTRONICS, engineers’ estates, Hi-Fi Stereo, huge old loudspeakers, ham radios, records, professional quality musical instruments, antique computers, scientific curiosities. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com.

CASH FOR RECORDS & CDs. BEST PRICE GUARANTEED. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

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1. Use a Clue weapon 5. Part of the NBA 9. Horror flick released two years after Jaws 13. Follower of show or kiss 14. Maliciousness 15. Like some TV housewives 16. Woodstock costar with Jimi and Janis 17. Mole sauce source 18. Plant holder holder 19. Start of a sign at the swamp’s edge 22. ___ chance 23. Writer Chekhov 24. Turn-___ (centerfold info) 25. The beginning of recorded HISTORY 26. Shortest Papal name 28. A drink with jam and bread 31. Ingredient in Fettuccine Carbonara 34. Standard for thinness 36. Mums’ time to shine 37. More of the swamp sign 40. End of the swamp sign 41. Praiseful poems 42. Chill out in the hot sun 43. Drones and drakes 44. Enthusiasm 45. Create a group of nuts 46. Biol. or chem.

48. Spells HORSE first 51. She sent the Three Little Pigs out into the world 54. Prepare to leave the swamp 58. Stone of some scorpios 59. Tempo-setter for a marching band 60. Common add-on for 1-800-FLOWERS 61. Caesar’s complaint 62. Pumpkin enthusiast 63. State flower of Tennessee 64. “What ___ he want from me?”

65. See 39 Down 66. “___ we forget...”

1. Moses’ group of assistants 2. ___ firma 3. Distribute 4. 21st century diary 5. Like long distance lovers 6. Pervert 7. Rust-resistant 8. It puts the “no” in “no vacancy” 9. First name of the Third Man 10. Address a software problem 11. Match a bet 12. Team up with 14. Copies, digitally 20. Redden the town 21. Comment from a baby, maybe 25. Engine cover 27. One of eight Eng. kings 29. Napoleon’s home for 300 days 30. “Jeopardy!” host Trebek 31. After Bed, but before Beyond 32. Solarcaine ingredient 33. Yearbook signer 34. Mars 35. Homophone of “heir” 36. Show one’s muscles 38. Garden tool 39. Mutton stuff, with 65 Across 44. Brothers, on CBS’s Simon & Simon 45. About 39 inches 47. Slightly better than average 49. Address the congress 50. Scatter 51. House of Horrors goal 52. Sanctuary 53. Seize control from 54. The Yankee Clipper (with name slightly clipped) 55. ___ no good 56. Medicinal qtys.

57. Worse than bad

Answers on page 53.

Answer: The cowboys said the gunslinger was an artist because he knew -- HOW TO "DRAW" Jumbles: LOWLY SHOWY JABBER UNLOAD

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box at the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either.

Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Caregivers LOOKING FOR A LOVING, caring, compassionate, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your elderly loved ones? Have experience with MS, Alzheimer’s Diabetics and other health problems. Please call 301-908-9134.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-642-4526.

COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use. Windows 8, Smartphone/tablet, digital camera. Learn at your own pace with gentle & patient tutor. We also troubleshoot problems & setup new computers. Teaching Seniors since 1996. Senior Discount. Call David, 301-762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY home site, camping, horse, etc. lots near Shenandoah River. Breathtaking views of Skyline Drive and Massanutten mountains. Two- to eight-acre lots five miles north of Luray, VA. Chris Gindhart, 540-7429804, cgindhart@cavalierfarms.com. Website: www.cavalierfarms.com. Request flyer: Chris Gindhart, 422 Cavalier Rd., Rileyville, VA 22650.

Business & Employment Opportunities

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will preview units & contact you with a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings on page 48. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert, Realtors.

AUTHORS! WRITERS! I am an author of 32 books. I’m willing to help you finish and publish your book. Call Donald R. Downing, 301-8391583.

JOB SEARCH and career transition assistance with a Princeton and Yale educated professional. 25 years experience in the Washington Metropolitan Area helping individuals to make rewarding career moves. Whether you are a high school student in search of a first job or the managing director of a prestigious law firm seeking to develop a second career, I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Very reasonable rates. Feel free to give me a call anything to discuss your situation in complete confidence. I look forward to speaking with you.

Arthur C. Hamm (Art), ABetterCareer@comcast.net. Located at the juncture of Tuckerman Lane and Seven Locks Road in Potomac. Thank you! 301-351-5286.

FEMALE WITH LEGIBLE HANDWRITING will address cards and letters for senior citizens, disabled and businesses. Call 301-887-0218.

Caregivers ROSALEEN HEALING HANDS – A private duty company with over 40 years experience.

Our philosophy is “Care for the elderly in our community.” Our goals are to provide the best care, to embrace this new role with skill, patience, love and dedication. We will care for you and your loved ones in your home or nursing home with reasonable price. We do live-in as well. Please call us at 240-421-9351 or 301-8064692 for further information.

NURSING STUDENT AND LICENSED, bonded, highly experienced CNA seeks fulltime, overnight Caregiving position. I’m pet friendly, with an extensive resume, stellar references and solid background check. If interested, kindly call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555.

CNA/MED TECH ELDERLY CARE for livein/live-out, taking care of the elderly. 15 + years experience. Own transportation. Excellent references upon request. 240-482-9027, 202-7103127.

ASSISTED LIVING HOME – Compassionate, cost-effective, professional medical staff and in a home-like environment in Silver Spring. Maryland State Licensed. Transportation, recreation, shopping, and clinical support. Call 301-9444600.

EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER FOR HIRE – For private care in home or healthcare facility.

Provides care with love, dignity and respect. Licensed CNA. References available. Cited in the Washington Post for service. Contact Winicna@gmail.com, 202-726-7886 or 202-744-2880.

WE’LL BUY YOUR HOME Without the Hassles. Local Company in business since 2003.

BBB Accredited. Call 877-948-3232 today for details. No Obligation or Fees.

LEISURE WORLD® - $269,000. 3BR 2FB 1HB “M” in Greens. Table space kitchen, separate dining room. Large enclosed balcony. New paint and carpet. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $98,000. 2BR 1-1/2 BA “Elizabeth” Coop. Renovated and ready with wood floors and new carpet, gated patio. 1308 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $159,000. 2BR 2FB “G” in the “Fairways.” 1st floor apartment, table space kitchen and separate dining room, garage space included. 1195 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1300. 2BR, 1-1/2BA “C” in “Greens.” New paint and carpet, move-in ready. 950 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1700. 2BR 2FB. “CC” in “Turnberry Courts.” Open kitchen, wood floors, GARAGE space included. 1085 sq ft.

Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1400. 2BR 2FB “Warfield” model. Top floor, table space kitchen with windows, new paint and carpet, balcony. 1043 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $284,900. 2BR 2FB “E” in “Villa Cortese.” Table space kitchen, large enclosed balcony, and garage parking. 1340 sq ft.

Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $269,000. 3BR 2-1/2B “M” in the “GREENS.” Great space with enclosed balcony, new paint and carpet and separate storage room in basement. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $105,000. 2BR 1-1/2 BA “C” in the “Greens.” New paint and carpet, also for rent. 950 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $159,000. 2BR 2FB “H” in “Fairways.” Table space kitchen with big pantry closet and window, separate dining room with window. Huge living room, enclosed balcony, owners’ suite with dressing area. 1220 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301928-3463.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question.

Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Home/Handyman Services

FOR RENT LEISURE WORLD – 55+ COMMUNITY. Very large 1BR/1BA in “Turnberry Courts.” Close to elevator and comes with Garage Parking. Features: glass-enclosed sunroom, table space kitchen with window, lots of closet space, storage unit, microwave, washer/dryer, window treatments, bath with both shower stall and bathtub, open floor concept, available September 2013. No smoking/No Pets. Gas and electric separate. Call 301-460-1717.

MAID AVAILABLE: Honest, Professional, Reliable, and Hard-Working with Excellent References. Maxi, 301-706-9413.

LEISURE WORLD – RENTAL $1,800/Mo. Beautifully furnished 2BR, 2FB in “Creekside.”

Available Mid-September, 301-404-9000 or Lolo10s@yahoo.com.

THREE-PERSON HOUSEHOLD OF SPIRITUAL, PROGRESSIVE WOMEN (39-69) in Takoma Park seeks two compassionate, kindred adults for master bedrooms with private bathrooms/kitchenette. Share spacious commonfloor (fireplace, hot tub) overlooking forest, Internet, storage, w/d, CA/c, free parking, mutual support/friendship. Non-smokers. No Pets. $695$895/month + utilities + deposit. September 1st or later. Email Jeanmaire9@yahoo.com.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

PARKLAWN MEMORIAL PARK: three cemetery plots on gentle hill overlooking peaceful landscape with mature trees and flowering shrubs. $1,900 each or $5,000 for all. Email for photos: nikyu@yahoo.com. 703-338-9316.

FORT LINCOLN CEMETERY LOT – Garden of the Apostles. Two burial rights, block 23, Lot 2789. Two bronze memorial Last Supper, size 20x28 flat pink pearl. Current value $7,500. Sale price $5,500. 301-575-4901. James Andrews. $150.00, LEXMARK COPIER/PRINTER. Like new. Never used. Includes extra ink cartridges.

Comes with manual. Call Laura 301-589-8058.

2 ADJACENT PLOTS FOR SALE located at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 9500 Riggs Road, Adelphi, MD. Asking $4,000, includes Perpetual Care. Call 240-486-6205.

PRIDE JAZZY SELECT 6 Ultra Power Wheelchair with charger unit. Power elevating pan seat with synergy cushion. Like new – was never used. $1,000 or best offer. 410-465-5647.

Health PAID HEARING RESEARCH STUDY for older adults: normal-hearing participants needed for study evaluating auditory processing in older adults, ages 60-75, at the University of Maryland, College Park. Testing will take 3 hours and includes a hearing test. You will be compensated $10 an hour. Please call (301) 4054224 or email hearingbrainlab@gmail.com.

HELP US HELP YOU BECOME PAIN FREE – Give us your opinion on our all Natural, Topical Pain Relief Lotion. Back, Neck, Nerve, Arthritis, Joint & Muscle Pain etc. Call Today! DLC Distributors, Inc. 301-883-3661.

Home/Handyman Services MICHAELS HAULING Clean-outs, scrap & debris removal yard waste, etc. Mulch, dirt & stone delivery, lite dump truck, 20’ trailer & bobcat. Fully insured. 240-388-1898.

Miscellaneous EMPLOYED PART-TIME 68-YEAR OLD, QUIET, single male is looking for a quiet place to live, such as a basement or other part of a house. I would need a private bedroom, private bathroom, and preferably private kitchen facilities – sink and refrigerator (I don’t cook). I do not smoke or have pets. Please call Steve, 301589-4040.

Personal Services WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854.

CHERYL’S ORGANIZING CONCEPTS LLC – Professional Organizing Services. Help with all aspects of home organizing. Experienced – References – Member NAPO. All work confidential. Licensed – Bonded. $25 discount on initial appointment. www.CherylsOrganizing.com. 301-916-9022.

ENGLISH AND WRITING TUTOR. High School and college level. Experienced college professor. $40/hr. Alexandria, VA. Call Janice, 703-417-9879, 303-818-8638.

Vacation Opportunities SIX NIGHTS IN FT. LAUDERDALE FLORIDA RESORT. Wyndham Palm Aire. One BR Deluxe. Dec. 1-6 or Dec. 7-12. $800. Call David, 301-933-8781.

Volunteer Opportunities COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND, a nonprofit organization serving people of all ages in the Washington metropolitan area who are blind and visually impaired, is recruiting adult volunteers to serve as Readers and Friendly Visitors. Participants in the Readers & Friendly Visitors program are adult volunteers who are matched one-on-one with blind or visually impaired adults. Volunteers arrange weekly meetings with clients at their homes to assist with activities, such as reading mail, grocery shopping or running errands. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Jocelyn Hunter at 202-454-6422 or jhunter@clb.org to attend an upcoming orientation.

Wanted PULP MAGAZINES WANTED. Paying Cash.

The Shadow, Doc Savage, G-8 Westerns, Crime, Horror. Pulp drawings and paintings. Older comic books. Please call Larry, 240-533-1445.

WE BUY OLD AND NEW COINS, Jewelry, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets or Single Pieces, Furniture, Tools, Cameras, Good Glassware, Art Work Too. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels, Action Figures to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

Classifieds cont. on p. 53

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