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VOL.26, NO.7

Farmer reaps fruitful fantasy

Nursery rhymes come to life Opening in 1955, the year Disneyland debuted in California, the Enchanted Forest quickly became a popular family destination. Based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales, the park allowed kids the chance to see life-sized versions of their favorite characters and their habitats. They could clamber over the Old Woman’s Shoe or sit in Willie the Whale’s mouth, ride the Mother Goose Train on land or the Little Toot tug boat on a pond where Robinson Crusoe’s island could be visited. Unlike Disneyland, it was low-tech; the

JULY 2014

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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

By Michael Toscano The past, the present and the future comingle gracefully in the pastoral Howard County setting of Clark’s Elioak Farm. It’s a place where fairy tale figures and fanciful settings from the pages of children’s books greet visitors on ground once trod by colonial farmers and still tilled by their descendants. Grandparents and middle-aged tourists enjoy a nostalgic visit, remembering a favorite childhood destination, its original incarnation now gone, while toddlers squeal with excitement as they run through the fields. The occasional bleat of a goat or the cluck of a chicken can be heard on the wind. Nearby, farmers continue working the land’s gently rolling contours, finding ways to co-exist with encroaching development in one of the region’s fastest growing areas. There is a gaily painted (and massive) shoe — the kind the fabled Old Lady must live in — as well as the house settled by the Three Bears. And there’s Humpty Dumpty, chilling out atop a wall, unaware he’ll soon be scrambled. But beyond the Easter Egg-colored structures and storybook figures, giant rolls of hay dot a hillside. At the top of a ridge, a hay-baler methodically makes its way back and forth, rolling up the grasses that will feed a herd of cattle. This is a working farm, but one that features a popular petting zoo. And it has lately become better known as the new home of some of the original attractions of the Enchanted Forest — a now-defunct, storybook-themed amusement park that was located on U.S. Route 40 at Ellicott City.

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SEE SPECIAL INSERT Housing & Homecare Options following page 24

STYLE & ARTS Martha Anne Clark rescued the whimsical Mother Goose structures — such as this shoe in which the Old Lady lived with all her children — from the former Enchanted Forest theme park, restoring them on Clark’s Elioak Farm in Ellicott City. The still-active farm has been run by Clark’s family for seven generations, and is also a magnet for families with children and grandchildren.

figures were made of wire and wood and a form of plasticized canvas. They did not move or make sounds. There was no roller coaster or other thrill rides. But there was a family-centered ambiance that created a generation of devoted guests. It thrived for decades, attracting a peak of 400,000 visitors a year to its 20 acres. But by 1988, increasing appetites for more exciting entertainment, and rising land values, resulted in a sale of the valuable land to developers. The gentle theme park was abandoned a year later, and a shopping center rose on the site. Most of the figures and structures were left in place in a fenced off area. Nature gradually reclaimed the Enchanted Forest, with

new growth covering it up, hiding it from view and eroding the artifacts. Pieces of the familiar attractions began ending up in collector’s garages, basements and back yards.

Restoring the magic Things began to change in 2004, two years after Martha Anne Clark had opened a petting zoo on a 20-acre parcel of her family’s 540-acre farm, located about four miles away from the old Enchanted Forest. A major attraction at her site was the pumpkin patch. Cinderella’s Pumpkin Coach had long since left the Enchanted Forest and ended up in private hands. See ENCHANTED FARM, page 12

Lion King remains a magical musical; plus a D-Day eyewitness returns to Normandy, and Bob Levey revisits records page 39

FITNESS & HEALTH k Coping with food allergies k Can we prevent Alzheimer’s?

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

LAW & MONEY k Better dividends abroad k Don’t give up on bonds

LEISURE & TRAVEL 34 k Visiting the 1,000 Islands k Buffalo beckons beyond wings PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Is everybody happy? When I was in high school, in the early action toward accomplishing those goals, 1970s, the comic strip “Peanuts” was we are engaged in living the “Good life, “ or at least are pursuing our deeply into the “Happiness true happiness. is...” craze, which, I think, its In my first philosophy paper, creator Charles Schulz may on the Nicomachean Ethics of have launched. Aristotle, I impishly affixed a Day after day, the popular “Peanuts” comic strip to the strip would present another cover page. If I remember it answer to the question “what correctly, Linus asks Charlie is happiness?” by providing a Brown, “What’s your philosodifferent ending to the phy of life?” Charlie thinks for phrase, “Happiness is...” In a moment, then answers with the context of Charlie Brown a satisfied smile, “Happiness is and Snoopy, one of the most FROM THE having three things to look formemorable was, “Happiness PUBLISHER is a warm puppy.” By Stuart P. Rosenthal ward to and nothing to dread.” Linus responds, “I asked for In my first year of college, as a dutiful son engaged in “pre-law” stud- your philosophy, not a bumper sticker.” But I actually think Linus wasn’t giving ies, I took a class in political philosophy. In it, I was quite surprised to learn that Charlie enough credit. In practical terms one of the central questions asked by the (if not Aristotelian ones), having things to early philosophers Aristotle and Plato/ look forward to is probably one of the Socrates (and, through them, pursued by defining characteristics of happy or satismedieval philosophers as well) could be fied people. The financial writer Andrew Tobias phrased as, “What constitutes human happiness?” made the point in one of his books, I don’t Of course, philosophers weren’t seeking remember which. He said there is no obto fill in the blank of a “Happiness is...” car- jective answer to the question, “who is toon. Rather, human beings were under- rich?” That’s because the definition of rich stood to have a particular “Good” — that isn’t a specific amount of money that apis, a set of goals or purposes related to our plies to everyone. It’s not even a specific, but different, amount for each person. essence or nature. Rather, people have positive feelings Philosophers claimed that when we take

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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 • Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell • New Media Associate ......................Kate Petersen

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about their wealth if they perceive themselves as “moving up,” financially speaking. If they expect to earn more money next year, or to see their investments grow, they can feel rich, or at least secure, even if they’re currently making bupkis. But if they see the coming year as likely to diminish their savings or earnings, they can feel poor or financially fragile, even if they are worth millions of dollars. If Tobias is right, and I think he has really hit on something there, then so is Charlie Brown. Having things to look forward to, and nothing to dread, makes people feel good about their lives. I think we can expand this concept beyond material goods, and nudge it closer to Aristotle’s, by saying we feel better or happier about our life when we have more power to control it or at least to assert our independence. Being able to make choices is a human trait. As we expand our independence, we improve our lives. When we lose that ability, or simply have fewer choices to make, we can feel less human, less happy. We see this throughout our lives. As a child, we are eager to become mobile, to be able to crawl, then walk, then run. As toddlers, we revel in the power to say “no!” and to scamper away from our parents, those tyrants who hem us in. As teenagers and young adults, we start to decide things for ourselves and take responsibility for our actions. We determine what we will wear, how we spend our day, what our career path will be. And our independence expands exponentially when we start to drive and earn our own money. By the time we reach adulthood, partic-

ularly parenthood, we start to realize that having control over our own lives and those of our children is actually a heavy responsibility, even a burden sometimes. The choices and the responsibilities are ours alone. It can become overwhelming. As the nest empties and we enter late middle age, one of the main changes that occurs for many of us is not so much loss of control or independence as a limiting of our sphere of influence. We may still advise our kids, but the decisions and choices are theirs. We may still be employed, but we are looking towards retirement, when we will have less to do (or less that we “have” to do). Retirement can be liberating, but for some, it can also be stultifying. Finally, we reach later life, where, if we live long enough and/or experience chronic or disabling conditions, we may see our abilities and choices — the roots of our independence — continuously pared down, sometimes to the nub. Yes, we all, ultimately, have something to dread. But the key to a happy life, in my book, is continuing to set and pursue worthy goals, within our ability, so that we always have something to look forward to. There are so many things we can do with our lives. Those choices and abilities change and diminish over time. But if we always strive to do the most we can with what we have, we can still be said to be living the good life.

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: Bob Levey’s column about taking the train from Chicago to D.C. was “on track” (“Taking the long way home from Chicago,” June). Several years ago, I had retina surgery, which meant I couldn’t fly during recovery. I had an important conference to attend in Los Angeles, so I embarked on the almost three-day trip via Amtrak from D.C. What a series of delightful adventures! Riding the rails is like traveling through America’s back yards, from expensive homes built on hillsides, to quaint small towns, farms, factories, schools, lakes and rivers, etc. During a one-hour stop-over in Kansas City, I got off the train and walked through the historic train station. Somewhere in New Mexico we had a stopover where local crafts vendors set up tables along the tracks and sold their wares to the passengers. I reserved a small sleeper, so all meals were included. If your work life and home

life are usually packed with activities, decisions, schedules, etc., the train is a pleasant break; nothing to plan, other than when you want to eat your three meals a day. Consider the journey part of your vacation, with meals, accommodations, and once-in-a-lifetime scenery included in the fare. And, going coast-to-coast over a period of three days, there’s no jet lag! Bruce G. Rosenthal Silver Spring, Md. Dear Editor: My wife, Fern, and I began reading the Beacon out of circumstances. We have been residents at an apartment complex in Germantown since 2006. Now, unfortunately, Fern has been taken ill. After a two month hospitalization, she was transferred to a rehab center. (Both places are Beacon advertisers.) Because of illness, Fern and I are sepaSee LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 45

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

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Health Fitness &

GOING IT ALONE Too many caregivers are making do on their own; how doctors might help ANTI ANTIBIOTICS Doctors prescribe antibiotics less frequently for many good reasons TWO FOR ONE DEAL Getting cataract surgery? Consider also correcting your astigmatism UNTANGLING ALZHEIMER’S Studies, including one recruiting locally, aim to prevent Alzheimer’s

Do you have a food allergy or intolerance? Walk down the aisles of your local supermarket, and you’ll see something you likely wouldn’t have encountered a decade ago — shelves devoted entirely to glutenfree cereals, breads, muffins and other foods. Restaurants have also jumped on the bandwagon, revising their menus to include dishes without gluten, a protein found in wheat. The gluten-free diet was designed for people with celiac disease, who can’t tolerate any foods containing gluten because their immune system reacts to it and damages the small intestine in response. Celiac disease is a very real, very uncomfortable, and potentially very serious condition. Left untreated, it can lead to anemia, osteoporosis and intestinal cancers. About 1 percent of Americans, or 3 million people, have true celiac disease. Another 6 percent, or 18 million people, are sensitive to gluten. Eating gluten-containing foods doesn’t damage their intestines, but it can still produce gastrointestinal discomfort, along with symptoms like headaches and fatigue. People in a third group are allergic to wheat. When they’re exposed, they get more traditional allergy symptoms —

which can range from tingling around the mouth, to hives, throat swelling and difficulty breathing. “It’s confusing that people can have all these different reactions to the same food,” said Dr. Ciaran Kelly, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and medical director of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. “It’s important to make the distinction between food allergies and intolerances [see below], because there is a lot of confusion and there are differences in treatments,” Kelly said. A number of foods — including wheat, milk, eggs and seafood — are notorious for triggering both food allergies and intolerances. If you have symptoms when you eat certain foods, it’s important to distinguish what kind of reaction you’re having and which foods are triggering it.

Food intolerances When you’re intolerant of a particular food, it’s usually because your body lacks an enzyme needed to break down a component in that food (such as lactose, the sugar in milk). Or, your body might be

sensitive to a particular chemical or additive in the food. The process leading to food intolerance often starts early in life, but symptoms can be too subtle to notice at first. “People may become more aware of intolerances as they get older,” Kelly said.

Examples of food intolerance: 1. Lactose intolerance. Your body can’t break down the sugar lactose because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase. Lactose is found in dairy foods, such as milk or ice cream. When you eat these foods, you can develop uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and diarrhea. 2. Gluten sensitivity. You have many of the same symptoms as someone with celiac disease after eating wheat or other foods containing gluten (stomach pains, bloating, fatigue), but your immune system doesn’t produce the blood test abnormalities seen in people with celiac disease, and there is no evidence of damage in the intestines. 3. Sensitivity to food additives. You get symptoms like flushed skin and wheezing from eating additives such as sulfites

(found in wine, dried fruits and canned goods), or headaches, palpitations or numbness after eating foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Symptoms of food intolerance: You may be able to eat small amounts of the food without having any reaction to it. Your symptoms will come on gradually after you’ve eaten a particular food. Often, those symptoms will involve your digestive system — such as nausea, gas or diarrhea. Your reaction will be uncomfortable, but it’s usually not life-threatening.

How to deal with food intolerance: Keeping a food diary can help you identify the source of the problem. Every day, write down the foods you eat and any symptoms that occur. Once you pinpoint one or a few foods that coincide with your symptoms, you can try cutting them all out of your diet. This is called an elimination diet. Then add one food back in every couple of days. When your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food. See FOOD ALLERGIES, page 4

How to find allergen- and gluten-free food By Joseph Pisani Some good news for those with special dietary needs: Websites and smartphone apps are making it easier to find foods and restaurant meals that are free of gluten or common allergens, such as peanuts, eggs, wheat and dairy. VineMarket, (www.vinemarket.com), a website owned by online retailer Amazon.com Inc., helps those with food allergies find snacks and condiments that they can eat. Another site, AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com), finds nearby restaurants that are friendly to those with allergies. There’s a good reason why companies both big and small are accommodating people with food restrictions. “There’s money to be made here,” said Michael Spigler, vice president of education at the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) advocacy organization. Some 15 million Americans have food al-

lergies, according to FARE. Avoiding gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and r ye, has become trendy after several popular diet books advised cutting it out. Some people have serious reasons to avoid gluten: People with the autoimmune disorder celiac disease can’t tolerate it, and others show a sensitivity to it that can cause discomfort. Here are some sites and apps people with special diets can check out:

For buying groceries VineMarket.com relaunched in March to sell everything from gluten-free pretzels to egg-free double chocolate cookies. A new search function lets you check off which specific ingredients you don’t want in your food. You can click one or several ingredients at a time, and the retailer will give you a list of products without them. AbesMarket.com, an online seller of or-

ganic and natural food and beauty products, has a large selection of gluten-free products ranging from pancake mixes to chocolate bars. But even if a product is advertised as gluten- or allergen-free, you still need to read the labels to make sure. Spigler recommends reading ingredient lists three times: When you buy the product, when you put it away in the kitchen, and when you cook or serve it. Online review site AllergyEats.com lets users rate how allergy-friendly restaurants are. They can also write in tips and comments about the restaurant, such as which dishes to eat. You find restaurants near you based on your food allergy or intolerance. If you’re on the go, AllergyEats has apps for Android and Apple devices. It also has a separate website for places to eat at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. You can find that at AllergyEats.com/Disney.

Ferreting out restaurant fare HealthyOut (www.healthyout.com), which is designed to help diners find healthy takeout food, also has an option to find restaurants that serve gluten-free dishes. You can search for eateries on HealthyOut’s website or on its apps for Android and Apple devices. New York City residents can also use HealthyOut to order food through the website or app for delivery or pick-up. It will offer that option nationwide soon, said CEO and co-founder Wendy Nguyen. SafeFare.org, launched in April, lists restaurants that employ workers who have taken an allergen-safety course. The site is run by FARE. Spigler said it will add more restaurants to the site in the next six months. When dining out, it’s still important to ask questions and let servers know about your allergies each time. Food can easily be cross-contaminated in the kitchen. “There are no guarantees,” said Spigler. — AP

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Food allergies

fish and shellfish, milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds) and wheat.

From page 3 Ask your doctor or a dietitian for help identifying your trigger food and eliminating it from your diet.

Food allergies A true food allergy involves your immune system. Your body recognizes a normally innocuous food, such as peanuts or milk, as a potentially harmful foreign invader. It goes into defensive mode, producing high levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Often food allergies start when you’re young, but it’s not impossible for them to appear for the first time later in life, Kelly said. Examples of foods that commonly cause allergic reactions include eggs,

Symptoms of a food allergy: 1. You could have a reaction from eating just a tiny amount of the food, or simply from being around the food. 2. You may experience allergic symptoms, such as hives, swelling and itchiness, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. 3. If your allergy is severe, you might have an anaphylactic reaction, which can begin with a rash, swelling of the tongue and throat, trouble breathing, dizziness or fainting. It can be life-threatening.

How to treat a food allergy: See an allergist with experience treating

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

food allergies. The doctor can do a skin test, placing a solution containing an extract of the food just beneath the skin of your forearm or back. Or you may get a blood test to look for IgE antibodies to the food. If you have an allergy, you’ll need to avoid the food. If your allergy is severe, your doctor might also recommend that you carry around an epinephrine injector (EpiPen) to treat anaphylaxis.

Don’t shortchange your diet Avoid foods that bother you, but don’t do a full-scale purge of your diet without good cause (such as celiac disease or true food allergies). Because of the abundance of glutenfree foods available, many Americans have begun to think that all wheat and

other grain products are bad for them. “There’s a way of thinking that gluten is an unhealthy food,” Kelly said. “Somehow, if a food is gluten-free, it’s considered healthier, and there’s little basis for that.” In fact, cutting out foods like wheat, barley and rye can rob your diet of nutrients such as fiber, calcium and B vitamins. Going gluten-free could have a similar effect on your purse. One Canadian study found that gluten-free foods cost 242 percent more than comparable regular foods. Work with a doctor or dietitian to create a diet that’s safe for your system, while still healthy and well rounded. — Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

July 9

GROW YOUR BRAIN LECTURE

The NeurExpand Brain Center presents a lecture by Dr. Majid Fotuhi on Wednesday, July 9 at 1 p.m. at its newly-opened Friendship Heights office. In “Grow Your Brain at Any Age,” Fotuhi will share the new science and research behind improving cognitive performance and memory. Attendees will learn the parts of the brain important for memory, what happens to the brain with aging, and how to reverse age-related brain atrophy, while literally growing your brain. He will also discuss simple changes that can make a lasting difference to your brain for years to come. The office is located at 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite 450, Chevy Chase, Md. For more information, visit www.neurexpand.com or call (301) 200-8106.

July 24

GRIEF AND HEALING DISCUSSION

Montgomery Hospice presents a free drop-in discussion about grief and healing on Thursday, July 24 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for anyone mourning the loss of a loved one. Montgomery Hospice is located at 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md. This event is open to all Montgomery County residents, and registration is required. For more information or to register, call (301) 921-4400.

LIFE at ITS BEST

is choice, variety and being in the garden. A BLT with grandkids or grilled salmon with friends. A workout on the treadmill or a morning walk amid beautiful scenery. Make an appointment with your doctor for a blood pressure check or stop by our on-site Clinic. Just some of the choices, variety and conveniences you’ll enjoy along with a carefree lifestyle and great amenities. To learn more, call us at (540) 825-2411 or (800) 894-2411, and start living life at its best. 12425 Village Loop | Culpeper, VA 22701 | culpeperretirement.org

Would you like to receive a brochure in the mail, or set up an appointment?

❏ Ashby Ponds (See ads on pages B-7 & B-8) ❏ Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page B-4) ❏ Culpeper Baptist (See ad on page 4) ❏ Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 12) ❏ Greenspring (See ads on pages B-6 & B-7) ❏ Gum Springs Glen (See ad on page B-14) ❏ Herndon Harbor House (See ad on page B-14) ❏ Morris Glen (See ad on page B-14) ❏ Potomac Place (See ad on page 42) ❏ Riverwoods at Lake Ridge (See ad on page 31) ❏ Sommerset (See ads on pages B-3 & B-15) ❏ Tall Oaks (See ad on page B-5) ❏ Vinson Hall (See ads on pages B-2 & B-12) ❏ Virginian, The (See ads on pages B-6 & B-11) ❏ Wingler House (See ads on pages B-12 & B-14)

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❏ Alzheimer’s Prevention Study (See article on page 16) ❏ Diabetes Study (See ad on page 16) ❏ Healthy Volunteers Vaccine Study (See ad on page 16) ❏ IDEAL Study / Healthy Volunteers 80+ (See ad on page 17)

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❏ Brooke Grove (See ads on pages B-12, B-15 & B-16) ❏ Charter House (See ad on page 15) ❏ Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 14) ❏ Council House (See ad on page B-7) ❏ Covenant Village (See ads on pages B-12 & B-14) ❏ Emerson House (See ads on pages B-8 & B-14) ❏ Homecrest House (See ads on pages B-7 & B-11) ❏ Largo Landing (See ad on page B-4) ❏ Mrs. Philippines Home (See ad on page B-14) ❏ Oaks at Old Towne (See ads on pages B-3 & B-12) ❏ Olney Assisted Living (See ad on page 7) ❏ Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 38) ❏ Park View Columbia (See ad on page 38) ❏ Park View Emerson (See ad on page 38) ❏ Park View Laurel (See ad on page 38) ❏ Riderwood (See ads on pages B-7 & B-12) ❏ Ring House (See ad on page 36) ❏ Solana (See ads on pages B-5 & B-15) ❏ Springhouse (See ad on page 21) ❏ Springvale Terrace (See ad on page 30) ❏ Victory Court (See ad on page B-8) ❏ The Village at Rockville (See ad on page 8)

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The Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace St., Herndon, Va., needs a volunteer mosaic instructor and a knitting instructor. For more information on these and other volunteer opportunities, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadults and click on Volunteer Solutions or call (703) 324-5406, TTY 711.

❏ Friendship Terrace (See ad on page 29) ❏ Residences at Thomas Circle (See ads on pages B-8 & B-13) ❏ Robert L Walker House (See ad on page B-14)

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provided at both locations. Flu shots will also be available (free with a Medicare card). More than 100 exhibitors — including government agencies, nonprofits and local businesses — will offer information and answer questions about retirement communities, home remodeling, financial planning, healthcare, travel, fitness, senior services, government resources and more. Giveaways and door prizes will be plentiful, and the Traveling Heart Show Band will entertain. For more information, or to volunteer for the events, visit www.theBeaconNewspapers.com or call (301) 949-9766. Businesses interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the events may call Alan at the same number.

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50+ Expos return to Virginia & Maryland The Beacon 50+Expos — free annual events featuring expert speakers, health screenings, resources, information and entertainment for older adults and their families — will take place at two locations this fall: on Sunday, October 19, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Silver Spring Civic Center in downtown Silver Spring, Md., and on Sunday, October 26, from noon to 4 p.m., on the third level of Ballston Mall in Arlington, Va. The keynote speaker at both events will be Dr. Robert Fischell, inventor of dozens of life-changing medical devices, including the rechargeable pacemaker, the coated stent, and a new device intended to prevent or cut short migraines. Free health screenings, including blood pressure and glaucoma screenings, will be

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Too many caregivers try to go it alone By Heidi Godman History is repeating itself in my family. My mother has Parkinson’s disease, and my father is her caregiver. Forty years ago, my mom was the caregiver for her own mother, who had advanced Parkinson’s disease and dementia. I didn’t know my grandmother before she became frail and sick, but I knew that her children adored her. They couldn’t bear to place her in a nursing home, so they took six-month turns caring for her in their own homes. Every day, my mother would bathe my grandmother, dress her, feed her and make sure she took her medications. She had no additional help and no support from my grandmother’s doctors. It was exhausting

for my mother, and I felt her anguish. That was in the mid-1970s, when being a caregiver wasn’t a defined role. Now it’s so commonplace that researchers study caregiving. They estimate that 43.5 million people in the U.S. provide in-home, long-term care for older adult family members with a chronic illness. There’s even an entire industry of services tailored to “aging in place.”

the end of life, one word came up over and over:

tion (JAMA) finds that many physicians overlook caregiver burden. “Most physicians haven’t been trained to ask patients about it, and it’s a new clinical habit that you have to consciously adopt and work on,” said Dr. Anne Fabiny, a geriatrician and medical editor of “Caregiver’s Handbook,” a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. The authors of the JAMA study found that caregivers are typically women who spend about 20 to 40 hours a week providing care. They also found that most caregivers feel abandoned and unrecognized by the healthcare system. Spousal caregivers face greater challenges than caregivers helping a parent for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they tend to be older. Of these caregivers, 32 percent have a high caregiver burden. There’s no medical classification for “caregiver burden,” but it’s generally known as the toll that caregiving takes on a person. It can manifest in many ways — including physical ailments, mental illness, social isolation and financial problems. “Caregivers get depressed. Then they neglect their own health or they miss doctor appointments because they can’t extract themselves from their caregiving role,” Fabiny said. “They just don’t have support, so things like exercising, getting enough sleep or engaging in a social life all fall away,“

Love.

How physicians can help

Caregivers on their own But despite the awareness of these roles, and the support services now available, the attention paid to caregivers isn’t much different from when I was a kid. In fact, a report published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Associa-

you? When we asked people what they want most at

What people want most is to feel the love from those who mean the most. With experienced emotional and spiritual support, coupled with expert pain management, we can

WHAT MATTERS MOST TO

The JAMA study cites cases of elderly caregivers who are so distraught that they try to commit suicide just to get out of the situation. The authors of the JAMA report and others are urging physicians to help prevent or reduce mounting desperation among

caregivers by playing a part in assessing the caregiver’s health during regular clinic visits for the person who is chronically ill. Physicians can evaluate the caregiver by asking: 1. How are you coping with these responsibilities? 2. How would you describe your quality of life these days? 3. How often do you get out? 4. Do you have your own physician? The answers can help physicians direct caregivers to various services and support systems. These include: 1. Respite for the caregiver, in the form of a home companion or an adult daycare program for the patient; 2. Help with non-medical services, such as housekeeping and cooking; 3. Counseling about caregiver stress and its consequences, from either a therapist or support group; 4. Training so the caregiver learns how to care for her or his loved one without injury, such as learning how to lift the person without suffering back strain. It’s the type of support that would have eased my mother’s burden when I was a kid. And it’s especially important to me now that my parents are in a spousal-caregiver relationship. I might worry about my father, a prince who never complains, except that the situation is a little different this time around. First, my mother is not as ill as my grandmother was. Second, my parents have me, a bossy health reporter, who is aware of support options and quick to arrange them. Not everyone has that kind of inside scoop. So I’m grateful that the medical commuSee CAREGIVERS, page 7

help strengthen the relationships that matter.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Why don’t I get antibiotics like I used to? Q: I’m generally very healthy, but when I get bronchitis, the cough usually lasts two weeks. I used to get an antibiotic. My new doctor says I don’t need one. Is that right? A: Yes, your doctor is correct in not prescribing an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not make bronchitis symptoms less severe or help them go away sooner. We know that based on strong evidence from many studies. Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) that connect the windpipe (trachea) to the lungs. It’s almost always caused by a virus. Antibiotics are useless against a viral infection. The main symptom of bronchitis is

coughing. It can be a dry hack, but it may also produce phlegm (sputum), which can be clear, yellow or green. Wheezing and chest tightness sometimes occur if inflammation has narrowed the bronchi. For many people, these symptoms persist for two to three weeks. And it’s understandable why patients still ask their doctors for an antibiotic. The cough from bronchitis can be a constant nuisance and an embarrassment. It can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. Over-thecounter cough medicine doesn’t do much. Many people remain convinced that an antibiotic gets them better faster. But the reality is the cough and other symptoms would last just as long with or without an antibiotic.

Caregivers

tions for legal and financial planning, and tips for taking care of yourself as the caregiver — with emphasis on your own health and remembering to exercise, eat right, and see friends and family. To order the “Caregiver’s Handbook“ for $20, visit www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/caregivers-handbook. Heidi Godman is Executive Editor of the Harvard Health Letter. ©2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 6 nity is stepping up to the plate and shining the spotlight on caregiver wellness. “The person you’re caring for is only as good as you are, and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the person you love and are responsible for,“ Fabiny said. The “Caregiver’s Handbook“ includes a detailed questionnaire to help caregivers identify problems and solutions for their caregiving situations. It also offers sugges-

That’s not the same as saying there are no helpful treatments. Some ways to ease the symptoms of acute bronchitis include: 1. Get warm, moist air into the bronchi. Take hot showers or use a humidifier. 2. Get enough rest. You can still go to work or school. But schedule some down time for yourself every day, and more time for sleep at night. 3. Try an over-the-counter cough remedy. None of them work wonders, but you might find one that helps. It could be simple cough drops. Ask your pharmacist for advice. 4. Consider asking your doctor for an inhaler to open the bronchi. It’s similar to what people with asthma use. This can lessen the cough and ease the wheeze.

It can be hard to resist asking your doctor for an antibiotic. But you’re actually doing yourself a favor if you don’t. Antibiotics won’t help, and you always run the risk of a major side effect from an antibiotic, such as diarrhea that lasts for weeks, or a rash that can be life-threatening. Q: I share an apartment with another woman. She was told by her doctor that she has a MRSA skin infection. What’s MRSA? Should I take an antibiotic for protection? A: MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It’s a type of staph bacteria. See ANTIBIOTICS, page 9

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Almost never too old for a colonoscopy By Lauran Neergaard How old is too old for a colonoscopy? A surprising number of people older than 75 haven’t ever been screened for colon cancer. And in a recent report, researchers say that it’s not too late for them to get caught up. Some may even consider screening into their 80s. Colon cancer screening is powerful. The American Cancer Society recently calculated that, over the past decade, new cases of colon cancer dropped significantly among middle-aged and older adults, thanks largely to increasing use of colonoscopies that allow removal of precancerous growths before tumors have time to form.

Here are some things we have learned from the latest research on colon cancer screening: National guidelines recommend regular checks starting at age 50 and going up to age 75. Nearly two-thirds in this age group have been appropriately screened for colon cancer, according to the latest government estimates. Those guidelines don’t recommend routine screening after age 75. After all, a colonoscopy that delivers good news isn’t supposed to be repeated for 10 years, because it takes so long for those precancerous polyps to become dangerous. Average life expectancy for an 80-year-old is eight to 10 years.

But the guidelines don’t address the 23 percent of Americans over 75 who somehow missed out on screenings when they were a bit younger, before a colon check in your 50s and 60s had become the norm.

First-time screenings at 86? Researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands and New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center examined whether it’s worth starting screening late in life, when most people already have at least a few other health problems, such as heart disease, that could affect whether detecting an early-stage colon cancer prolongs life. They used computer modeling to compare the potential effects of different colon checks on 10 million previously unscreened people ages 76 to 90. They found that someone who’s very healthy should consider some form of screening up to age 86. But even a person with severe health problems could benefit from a first-time check up to age 80, the team reported in Annals of Internal Medicine. In the healthiest patients, a colonoscopy was the most effective choice up to age 83, while a stool test was the better choice for 85- and 86-year-olds, the researchers found.

A lot more than you thought. For a lot less than you think. The Village at Rockville— the area’s greatest value in Continuing Care Retirement You probably didn’t realize that The Village at Rockville included a friendly neighborhood of one- and two-bedroom cottage homes within a beautiful 30-acre enclave. You get all the benefits of home ownership without the burden of upkeep and maintenance—we take care of all of that ffor or you, inside and out. An additional benefit: You have access to our highly-rated continuum of care, including our new Assisted Living suites (expanding in September 2014), Long Term Care, as well as myPotential Rehabilitation in newly-renovated private rooms.

The results are a bit surprising, said Dr. Richard C. Wender, the American Cancer Society’s chief of cancer control. “Our sense was, if we’re going to screen beyond age 75, it should only be in very healthy people,” said Wender, who wasn’t part of the new study. “This model I think will help us give clearer advice to the public.”

Certainly screen at 50+ About 137,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, the cancer society estimates. About 50,000 colon cancer patients will die. Upper age limits aside, public health officials say not enough of the 50-and-older crowd get potentially life-saving checks. The cancer society’s new campaign aims for a screening rate of 80 percent, up from two-thirds, by 2018. “If you’re polyp-free at 70, we have so dramatically reduced your likelihood of a death from colon cancer, you probably don’t need to ever think about it again,” Wender said. With a colonoscopy, doctors use a long flexible tube to examine the colon and remove any polyps. While only needed once a decade, it can be uncomfortable and is See COLONOSCOPY, page 10

Upcoming Events Summer BBQ & Community Tours Wednesday, July 23, 2014 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Coff ffee ee & Conversation with Current Residents Wednesday, August 20, 2014 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. To RSVP, visit our website or call.

Would you like to learn about The Village at Rockville? Call 301-354-8487 to schedule your personal tour of our community. 9701 Veirs Dr D ive | Rockkville, MD 20850 | 301-354-8487 | www.thevillageatrockville.org The V Viillage at Rockville is sp sponsoreed bbyy N Naational Lutherran Communities & Services, a fa faith-based, not-ffor--proofit ministry ooff the Evangelical Lutheraan Church in America, serving people ooff all belieffs.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Antibiotics From page 7 When antibiotics were first invented, penicillin could kill this germ. But over time it developed resistance to penicillin. That means penicillin could no longer kill it. A newer antibiotic called methicillin was developed that could kill penicillin-resistant staph. But the bacteria developed resistance to methicillin, too. MRSA behaves much like other staph. It usually exists in the nose or on the skin without causing disease. But all staph bac-

teria have the potential to cause trouble, from boils and other mild skin infections to life-threatening lung and blood infections. There are things you and your roommate can do to prevent MRSA from getting onto surfaces in your home, onto your skin, and in your nose. But taking an antibiotic is not one of them; that won’t be effective. And it could lead to you carrying an even more resistant bug. Here are some preventive tips for both of you: 1. Wash your hands often and thoroughly throughout the day with soap and water.

2. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer (for times when you can’t wash your hands). 3. Don’t share personal items such as razors, towels, sheets and athletic clothing or equipment. 4. Keep cuts or scrapes clean. Cover them with a bandage. 5. Shower after you work out. 6. Wash your gym clothes every time you wear them.

7. Wash sheets and towels in hot water. Dry them in a hot dryer. — Howard LeWine, M.D., 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. ©2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

July 26

FREE BEREAVEMENT WORKSHOP Haven of Northern Virginia is offering a free bereavement work-

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

shop, “Journey through Grief” on Saturday, July 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. Registration

NOVA SENIOR OLYMPICS

is required. Haven is located at 4606 Ravensworth Rd., Annandale, Va. For regis-

Registration is open for the 2014 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics to take place from Saturday, Sept. 13 to Wednesday, Sept. 24. There are more than 50 events at 19 venues throughout Northern Virginia. Participants must be 50 years old by Dec. 31 and live in a sponsoring jurisdiction. The registration fee is $12, which covers multiple events. To register, visit www.nvso.us or call (703) 228-4721.

July 12

tration and information, visit www.havenofnova.org or call (703) 941-7000.

TOWPATH WALK

The Seneca Valley Sugarloafers Volksmarch Club presents a mostly shaded walk on Saturday, July 12 with three trails, including a 5 km and 10 km on the C & O Towpath and a 5 km on the Seneca Greenway Trail. The walk begins and ends in the parking lot on Seneca Creek Landing, Riley’s Lock Rd., Poolesville, Md. Registration is between 8 and 11 a.m. You must finish the walk by 3 p.m. For more information about the race or possible accommodations, contact Maribeth Evans at (301) 946-5496 orgammie0612@verizon.net.

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• Imagine a reliable program that costs $15 an hour our with no extra cost — not a penny! — for morning coffee with friends, a hot kosher lunch, field trips, visiting entertainment, armchair exercise sessions and personal care. • Imagine a compassionate, professional staff taff of social workers, nurses, activity specialists and aides — one staff person for every four participants. • Imagine wheelchair-accessible buses that travel between your home and our award-winning program in Rockville. • Imagine days of respite, knowing that your loved one is safe and happy from 10am to 3pm each day.

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Colonoscopy

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

NATIONAL SENIOR ATHLETES WEBSITE

The National Senior Athletes Association (NSAA) has recently launched its website, a resource designed to assistant adults 50+ on how to live a happier and healthier life by staying active. Topics include, sports, fitness and healing. There is also a comprehensive directory to access a list of fitness and health centers. Memberships start at $37/year. For more information, visit http://SeniorSportsforLife.com.

July 25

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

From page 8 the priciest form of screening. Studies show a home stool test done every year can be equally effective. (A third choice, sigmoidoscopy, uses a tube to examine the lower colon. It isn’t commonly used in the U.S.)

In the new study, stool testing was a better value for the oldest patients because it targets larger polyps “that have a shorter period of time before they become a real threat,” Wender explained. But individual preference matters: “There’s a test out there for everybody,” he said. — AP

AGING IN PLACE LECTURE

The Virginia Hospital Center is hosting a free lecture, “Two New Ways to Age in Your Home” on Friday, July 25 from 11 a.m. to noon., at 601 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va. Candace Baldwin of Capital Impact and Scott Bauer of Goodin Homeshare will present information on “villages” — organizations that help coordinate access to trusted services and are overseen by volunteers and staff who live and work in their community, and HomeSharing, a supportive housing model that connects homeowners with unrelated individuals looking to share a home. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.virginiahospitalcenter.com or call (703) 558-6859.

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Cancer survivors are a growing group Cancer survivors now number more than 14.5 million in the United States, and are expected to grow to 19 million over the next decade, a new report finds. More cancers are cured, more people are living longer with the disease, and people are living longer in general, which boosts the number of cases as well as survivors because the risk of developing cancer rises with age. “They’re living longer, and we hope with better quality of life,” said Dr. Patricia Ganz of the University of California, Los Angeles, whose research focuses on quality-of-life issues. Survival varies by gender and cancer type. For male survivors, the most common cancers they faced were prostate, followed by colorectal and melanoma. For female survivors, the most common types were breast cancer, followed by uterine and colorectal. Two-thirds of today’s cancer survivors were diagnosed at least five years ago, and 15 percent were diag-

nosed 20 or more years ago. About half of cancer survivors are 70 or older. Only 5 percent are under age 40. Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in men and women, but it is so deadly that it ranks No. 8 among survivors. That may change with promising treatments on the horizon, said Gwen Darien, head of programs and services for Cancer Support Community, a nationwide support group. Melanoma, the deadly skin cancer, has seen a flurry of new treatments in recent years, and “that gives us hope for some of the other cancers where survival has not improved as much,” she said. Cancer survivors are at greater risk of second cancers and need to be monitored closely for the rest of their lives. Darien is an example — she survived non-Hodgkins lymphoma 21 years ago and now is being treated for breast cancer. — AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Treatment options for prostate cancer By Dr. Matthew Tollefson Dear Mayo Clinic: My father, 71, was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer last month. He’s worried about the side effects of surgery and radiation, so he has instead decided to wait and see if the cancer progresses. His doctor agrees that he doesn’t need to have treatment anytime soon. Should I suggest that he get a second opinion? Answer: What’s known as “active surveillance” or “watchful waiting” is a reasonable approach for men with low-risk prostate cancer. However, prostate cancer has a wide range of possible treatment options. It is important to consider all the options before making a decision. Obtaining a second opinion often can be quite useful when deciding on the best approach. Prostate cancer is common, particularly in older men, and it often grows slowly. Because of that, many men with prostate cancer actually die due to some other cause. About 1 in 6 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives, but only about 1 in 30 actually dies from the disease. Therefore, it’s important to distinguish between the forms of prostate cancer, because some may not require treatment right away, while others may be aggressive and need to be addressed more quickly.

Watchful waiting Choosing to hold off on treatment, and instead closely monitoring prostate cancer through active surveillance, may be a good choice when the cancer is small, expected to grow very slowly, is confined to one area of the prostate, and is not causing signs or symptoms. Active surveillance may also be the best option for older men or those who have an-

other medical condition that limits life expectancy. Active surveillance does require a commitment to follow-up appointments on the part of those who choose it. Most experts recommend regular blood tests, rectal exams and periodic prostate biopsies to see if the cancer is progressing. If, based on results of those follow-up tests, the cancer looks like it is growing, treatment may be performed at a later date. If treatment is needed, a variety of options are available. As you noted, surgery to remove the prostate may be recommended. But other treatments can be used for prostate cancer, too. They include radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy, among others. An individual’s specific treatment plan is developed based on a number of factors, such as how fast the cancer is growing, how much it has spread, and the person’s

overall health. These factors combine to determine the benefits and the potential side effects of treatment.

Treatment side effects Treatment for prostate cancer can cause side effects. Along with other possible complications, incontinence, or leaking urine, and erectile dysfunction can occur after surgery or radiation. The risk of these side effects can be lowered with state-ofthe-art radiation therapy or when an experienced surgeon performs the procedure. If surgery is recommended, do not be hesitant to ask the surgeon how many of these surgeries he or she does each year. Surgeons who perform 50 or more a year typically have better outcomes than surgeons who perform fewer. Keep in mind, too, that prostate cancer — even if it is an aggressive form of the disease — is not immediately life threatening. That

means you can take time to talk to several physicians, get their recommendations, and decide on the best approach for you. You should never be afraid to ask for a second opinion. Most physicians even encourage their patients to seek additional input if they have any hesitation or concerns about a diagnosis, recommended testing or treatment plan. If your surgeon or your doctor is offended by a request for a second opinion, you may want to consider switching to a different doctor. — Matthew Tollefson, M.D., is a urologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. ©2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

AVOID KNEE SURGERY New FDA Approved Treatment Proven to Relieve Knee Pain

HAS KNEE PAIN BROUGHT YOU TO YOUR KNEES? END YOUR SUFFERING! Chronic pain can be excruciating, and millions of people suffer just like you do, every single day. And just like you, others have spent years looking for answers about how to deal with extreme knee pain that stems from arthritis, osteoarthritis, sports injuries, and other sources. Physicians have spent years trying to find ways to relieve their patients' p'ain. And pharmaceutical companies have also spent years looking for better ways to mask the pain. Advanced Spine & Wellness Center has found a natural way to eliminate your daily suffering and chronic knee pain. This FDA approved treatment can get you back to living an active lifestyle WITHOUT surgery and the endless trial and error cycle of trying different pain medications. The results can be felt almost immediately, as quickly as the time it takes to make a call to Advanced Spine & Wellness Center for your FREE consultation.

If You Consider Surgery, Consider This! Here are the facts to take into consideration about knee replacement surgery: • Surgery is costly, regardless of the percentage of services covered by insurance. • Surgery requires lost time from work and typically requires a regimen of rehabilitation and medications. • With surgery, there is always a risk for unwelcome complications. And you could be back to where you started. • Medications will be required for relief from surgery, and you have been down that road before. Potentially, addictions to these pain medications can cause side effects, something you do not want to experience. • Rehabilitation can take years.

It’s Time To Consider The Alternative Advanced Spine & Wellness Center offers you a real opportunity and a painless way to say goodbye to your knee pain without any surgery. What are the important things you should consider? • No lost time at work • No high costs for rehabilitation • No possible addictive consequences of medication • FDA approved treatment covered by most insurance plans and Medicare • Recovery time is almost instant, not months or years

What Is This New Treatment?

BE WARY of Other Facilities That: • Don't Incorporate Physical Therapy into their Viscosupplementation therapy program • Perform "blind" injections without the use of high tech-equipment to precisely locate the joint • Don't give you specific Home Exercises to ensure the best possible outcomes

Relief begins with a simple injection that causes little to no pain at all, especially compared to the pain you have been feeling on a daily basis. Through the use of diagnostic ultrasound, Advanced Spine & Wellness Center pinpoints the exact location of the pain within your knee. A synthetic synovial fluid, consisting of a carbohydrate substance already produced by your body within your joints, is then injected into the targeted area. Once inside, the synovial fluid immediately goes to work reducing the swelling and inflammation in the joint and adds a coated layer of protection. You will begin to feel immediate relief and be on your road to recovery almost instantly. It is that simple, it is fast, and no surgery is required!

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Enchanted farm

cause they thought all this was gone.” Shelley Laub, who teaches in the Headstart program at Fairland Elementary School in Silver Spring, takes her class to the farm every year and has introduced her young grandchild to the farm as well. She’s now volunteering there and has a particular fondness for the baby goats. “It is a magical place. The kids’ eyes light up when they see the rabbits and chickens and ponies,” she said. Laub took her own children to the Enchanted Forest just before it closed when they were very young. “I was very sad that it closed and am so excited to see some of it come back to life because of Martha,” she said. Clark, who traces her family ties back to the Clark brothers who began farming the area in 1797, had to learn a new set of skills and assemble an eclectic group of craftspeople. Creating the petting zoo was one thing, but these next steps were something entirely different. Restoring the artifacts has been laborious, painstaking work. Most of the objects

From page 1 Clark acquired it to enhance her site. Realizing the old orange model was generating a positive response with nostalgic area residents, she asked the shopping center’s owners about the Enchanted Forest site. Soon she had permission to remove everything she could, and relics of the Enchanted Forest began dotting her farm. After 10 years of recovery, transportation and restoration, everything that could be salvaged is on display again, reminding grandparents of their younger days and delighting a new generation of children. “I had a woman come in the other day, and she had on her Facebook page a picture of herself sitting in Willie the Whale’s mouth at age 6,” said Clark, 59. “And then she took a picture of herself sitting in Willie the Whale’s mouth here, and put it side-by-side with the old picture on the Facebook page. “The parents and grandparents are very excited about sharing these memories with their children and grandchildren, be-

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were in bad shape, crumbling to pieces when moved. Fiberglass and concrete have replaced the antiquated materials, and Clark taught herself about the constant work of maintaining the Dish and the Spoon, the Tortoise and the Hare, and all the familiar characters that have once again come alive. A replica of the Enchanted Forest’s Castle fronts the entrance building. Something of the original spirit of the Enchanted Forest has been regenerated. “We pride ourselves on not having a lot of bells and whistles. We want a place where the kids can run and play and take their shoes off and walk in the grass and have a kind of low-key experience. Maybe have a pony ride, but also to be introduced to the Enchanted Forest characters and structures their parents enjoyed and go down Memory lane with,” said Clark. It seems to be working. On this day, the farm is active. Clark says they can manage up to 12 birthday parties a day, and visitors come from all over the region, from Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties, Pennsylvania and more. The real pumpkin patch remains the biggest draw overall, enticing 20,000 visitors each October, and school groups take educational trips to the farm and petting zoo.

A resurgence in farming Clark is determined to keep the farm going, to follow in the footsteps of the generations that preceded her, and to pass it on to her descendents. When her husband, Douglas Crist, died in 2002, she faced difficult choices. Until then, they had farmed their own parcel of land. But after his passing, she decided to join her father, the late State Senator James Clark, Jr., in running the ancestral farm. Her daughter Nora Crist, a graduate of University of Delaware College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, has now taken up farm management. “Our roots are awfully deep, and I just love this area,” Clark said. “It’s a great area to farm. The weather’s good, the land’s good. “But the challenge is, it’s also a great place to live, halfway along the BaltimoreWashington corridor, so the pressure on the land for development is really, really, high.” Salvation may have arrived in the burgeoning “locavore” movement, which has devotees preferring to buy and eat locally grown food. The Clark’s 150 cows are grass-fed. They sell the meat from the cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens, as well as eggs and seasonal vegetables, at a produce stand

and in the farm’s public entrance building. “We can’t produce enough meat or enough vegetables for our local market here,” Clark said. “We sell retail, and can’t even begin to scratch the surface of restaurants and hospitals and schools and that type of thing. “The neatest thing I’ve seen in the last 10 years is young people like my daughter coming back to the farm and realizing they can make a living here, because they didn’t think they were going to be able to do that. “There’s at least 10 young people in Howard County who have come back to their farms, and are producing vegetables and going to farmer’s markets, and working with restaurants to make a living selling food,” Clark said. The demands of the locavore movement require a mix of old and new farming techniques. “Nora processes her pork without any nitrates, and she goes all the way up to Pennsylvania to buy non-GMO [genetically-modified organisms] grain,” Clark explained, “because she wants to provide her customers what she would like to eat herself.”

Preserving a legacy The desire to hold onto the land runs deep. James Clark, Jr., who served as president of the Maryland State Senate, helped create the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation. Established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977, the Foundation purchases agricultural preservation easements that forever restrict development on prime farmland and woodland. Maryland has now preserved in perpetuity more agricultural land than any other state. Being a good steward of the land is important to Clark, who has a number of Ellicotts and even Hopkins in her deeply-rooted family tree. She says proper land management is essential, and the family keeps up with the latest advances in agricultural science as they also work to handle increasingly complicated environmental regulations. As farming has turned into “agri-business,” Clark has taken on a diversified set of responsibilities. She finds herself a member of the Farm Bureau, the Tourism Council, and the Howard County Historical Society. And she is a leader in the new field of “agri-tourism.” She has also written two books. “My business goes from April to November, so I’ve got to find something to do in the winter time,” she explained about her writing. See ENCHANTED FARM, page 14

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July 20

ALZHEIMER’S GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Richard (Dick) Hollander Open Golf Tournament will take place on Sunday, July 20 at the Blue Mash Golf Course. Hollander is living with advanced Alzheimer’s, and his family and friends hold a tournament every year to raise awareness and funding for the disease. There are still spots available. All proceeds benefit the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (CAF), a Boston-based nonprofit for funding Alzheimer’s research. The course is located at 5821 Olney Laytonsville Rd., Laytonsville, Md. For more information on the open, visit www.DickHollanderGolf.org.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Cataract surgery that fixes astigmatism By Dr. Michael Mahr Dear Mayo Clinic: I need to have cataract surgery, but I also have astigmatism. Is it possible to have them both fixed at the same time? If so, what will the recovery be like? Answer: In many cases, it is possible to correct astigmatism during cataract surgery. The specific technique for how it’s done depends on your individual situation. It is typically a straightforward procedure that minimizes the need for eyeglasses. Recovery usually is brief. Most people can return to their daily activities a day or so after surgery. A cataract affects the natural lens inside your eye. The lens is positioned behind the colored part of your eye, called the iris. It focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina. Normally, the eye’s lens is transparent and clear. When the lens becomes cloudy, that’s a cataract. Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a plastic lens implant. The replacement lens sits in the same place your natural lens had been. The artificial lens placed during cataract surgery can provide correction, if needed, for either distance or close-up vision. To correct astigmatism requires a few more steps. Rather than affecting the lens of the eye,

as nearsightedness and farsightedness do, astigmatism usually affects the eye’s cornea — the dome-shaped transparent tissue at the front of the eye. The cornea functions as a type of front window for your eye. Normally, the cornea is shaped like a basketball. With astigmatism, the shape of the cornea is skewed, and it’s more like a football. Astigmatism blurs vision at all distances. To correct astigmatism during cataract surgery, a surgeon can change the shape of the cornea with the incisions made in the cornea during surgery, so it becomes shaped more like a basketball, matching the implanted lens and improving vision. An alternative approach is to use a lens that has a football-like shape similar to the cornea, but to implant it in an orientation opposite to that of the cornea’s shape. That type of lens placement negates the effect of the misshapen cornea and reduces the vision problems of astigmatism. Your surgeon can determine which approach is best for you based on an evaluation of your eye prior to cataract surgery. Rarely, astigmatism can result from a problem in the natural lens. When that happens, cataract surgery alone will correct astigmatism without any further intervention. If this is the case for you, your surgeon will be able to determine that before

your surgery takes place. In almost all cases, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. Astigmatism correction generally adds just a few more minutes to that time. After surgery, your surgeon places a shield and patch on your eye, which need to remain in place for less than 24 hours. Once the patch and shield are removed, most people can return to their usual activities. A return appointment is scheduled for several weeks after surgery to check the

eyeglass prescription. Usually no further follow-up visits are needed. Talk to your eye surgeon about your interest in correcting your astigmatism during cataract surgery. The options available for doing so are safe and, for many people, they offer a reliable way to improve vision. — Michael Mahr, M.D., is an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. ©2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The facts about genetically modified food By Dr. Michael Mahr Genetically modified foods have been around for years, but most people in the United States have no idea if they are eating them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said such foods don’t need to be labeled, so some states are moving forward on their own. Vermont recently became the first state to require labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Bills and ballot initiatives are pending in many more. What about the rest of the country? And does labeling matter? There’s much confusion about genetically modified foods and their safety. Oppo-

nents, who at times have protested in the streets, say consumers have the right to know whether their food contains GMOs. The food industry and companies that genetically engineer seeds have pushed back against the labeling laws, saying GMOs are safe and labels would be misleading. Here’s a look at the debate and some of the facts about genetically modified foods:

What are GMOs? Plants and animals are considered genetically modified when genes copied from other plants or animals are inserted into their natural DNA. It’s not a new idea. Humans have been tinkering with genes for centuries through

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selective breeding. Think dogs bred to be more docile pets, cattle bred to be beefier, or tomatoes bred to be sweeter. Turkeys have been bred to have bigger breasts — better for Thanksgiving dinner. What’s different about genetically modified or engineered foods is that the manipulation is done in a lab. There’s no need to wait for nature to produce desirable genes and for farmers to breed the plants or animals that have them. Engineers speed up the process by transferring a gene from one plant or animal to another. What are the desired traits? Most of the nation’s corn and soybeans are genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides. A papaya in Hawaii is modified to resist a virus. The FDA is considering an application from a Massachusetts company to approve a genetically engineered salmon that

Enchanted farm From page 12 One book is for children, called Trusty the Tractor, and is about the hay ride tractor at the farm. Her second book, released last year, is a collaboration with local writer Janet Kusterer called The Enchanted Forest: Memories of Maryland’s Storybook Park. The name Clark is embedded here. Clarksville. The Clarksville Pike. And now the Clark Elioak Farm is attracting a new generation of visitors to the area. But Martha Anne Clark has a tangible reminder of her family legacy. By the family home, situated behind a stand thick trees on the farm, is a large memorial stone. It has the names of her parents, and their birth and death dates carved into it. And below the names, as a stark reminder

would grow faster than usual. Most of the genetically modified corn and soybeans are used in cattle feed or are made into ingredients such as corn oil, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. Only a small amount of sweet corn, the corn we eat, is genetically modified. A few fruits and vegetables are engineered — the Hawaiian papaya and some squash and zucchini, for example. But there’s no genetically modified meat or fish, like the fast-growing salmon, currently in the market for human consumption. The FDA has yet to approve any.

Few risks found The vast majority of scientific research has found genetically engineered foods to See GMOs, page 15

from her father, is this mandate: Never Sell The Land. Clark’s Elioak Farm is located at 10500 Clarksville Pike (State Route 108) in Ellicott City, about 30 miles from downtown Washington. It is open to the public from April 1 to November 2. Hours of operation: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last admission at 4 p.m.); Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last admission at 4 p.m.). The farm is also open Labor Day and every Monday in October. Admission is $5 per person, no fee for children under 12 months. Tickets for the hayride, cow train and pony rides are $2 each. Tickets for gem mining are $7. There are season passes available, and special pricing for birthday parties and educational tours. For information, visit www.clarklandfarm.com or call (410) 730-4049.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

GMOs From page 14 be generally safe. An Italian scientist’s review of 10 years of research, published in 2013, concluded that the scientific research conducted so far has not detected “any significant hazard directly connected with the use of GM crops.” One French research team raised safety questions. But their much-criticized 2012 study linking genetically modified corn to rat tumors was retracted in 2013 by the scientific publisher, who cited weak evidence supporting the conclusions. Even the “food police” say GMOs are safe. The Center for Science in the Public Interest — a well-known critic of food companies and of artificial and unhealthy ingredients in foods — has not opposed genetically modified foods, on the basis that there’s no evidence they are harmful. Though what we are eating now appears safe, the main concerns for the future would be new genetically engineered foods, from the United States or abroad, that somehow become allergenic or toxic through the engineering process. The FDA said the foods they have evaluated to this point have not been any more likely to cause an allergic or toxic reaction than foods from traditionally bred plants. The FDA is not required to approve genetically engineered crops for consump-

tion. But most companies will go through a voluntary safety review process with FDA before they put them on the market. There are clear benefits from GMOs for the agricultural industry, such as crops that are engineered to ward off pests or to tolerate herbicides. Also, companies such as Monsanto, which produce modified seeds, say their technologies will be needed to feed a rising world population as they engineer crops to adapt to certain climates and terrains. Advocates envision engineering crops to make them more nutritious as well. Food animals have been engineered to be bred to be free of diseases, be cleaner in their environments, or grow more efficiently, though none has yet been approved in the United States.

will challenge the Vermont law in court. The state efforts aren’t slowing down. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are 85 pending GMO labeling bills in 29 states. In Congress, the food industry is pushing a House bill that would head off efforts to enact mandatory labeling of genetically modified ingredients by proposing new voluntary labels nationwide — an attempted end run around the state-by-state laws. Currently, the FDA said labeling of genetically modified foods isn’t needed because their nutritional content is the same as non-GMO varieties.

Consumers increasingly are interested in what is in their food, including GMOs. Labeling proponents say it’s about transparency, not technology. They say there is precedent, like orange juice labels that say whether the juice is from concentrate. David Ropeik, the author of the book How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts, said he thinks the food industry should endorse labeling so it can move past the debate. “By supporting labeling, companies would say, `There’s no risk, we have nothing to hide,” he said. — AP

Should GMOs be labeled? There is an escalating political fight between labeling advocates and the food industry. In the absence of a federal labeling standard, GMO opponents have gone to the states to try to get a patchwork of labeling laws approved. That could eventually force a national standard. Ballot measures in California and Washington state failed, but the legislative effort prevailed in Vermont. Maine and Connecticut have passed laws requiring labels, but they don’t take effect unless other states follow suit. The food industry has said it

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Health Studies Page

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — 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 to prevent Alzheimer’s recruits here By Lauran Neergaard In one of the most ambitious attempts yet to thwart Alzheimer’s disease, a major study got underway in June to see if an experimental drug can protect healthy seniors whose brains harbor silent signs that they’re at risk. Scientists plan to eventually scan the brains of thousands of older volunteers in the U.S., Canada and Australia to find those with a sticky build-up believed to play a key role in development of Alzheimer’s. It will be the first time so many people without memory problems get the chance to learn the potentially troubling news. Having lots of that gunky protein called beta-amyloid doesn’t guarantee someone will develop dementia. But the big question: Could intervening early make a difference for those who do harbor it? “We have to get them at the stage when we can save their brains,“ said Dr. Reisa Sperling of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who is leading the huge effort to find out.

Howard Universities in Washington, D.C. are participating. The first volunteer in the trial, Peter Bristol, 70, of Wakefield, R.I., figured he was at risk because his mother died of Alzheimer’s and his brother has it. “I felt I needed to be proactive in seeking whatever therapies might be available for myself in the coming years,“ said Bristol, who said he was prepared when a PET scan of his brain showed he harbored enough amyloid to qualify for the research. “Just because I have [amyloid] doesn’t mean I’m going to get Alzheimer’s,“ he stressed. But Bristol and his wife are “going into the situation with our eyes wide open.“ He won’t know until the end of the socalled A4 Study — it stands for Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s — whether he received monthly infusions of the experimental medicine, Eli Lilly & Co.’s solanezumab, or a placebo (dummy drug).

Curbing amyloid Study at two D.C. universities Researchers are just beginning to recruit volunteers. Locally, Georgetown and

Solanezumab is designed to help catch amyloid before it builds into the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

It failed in earlier studies to treat full-blown Alzheimer’s — but it did appear to help slow mental decline in patients with mild disease, raising interest in testing it earlier. Scientists now think Alzheimer’s begins ravaging the brain at least a decade before memory problems appear, much like heart disease is triggered by quiet cholesterol build-up. Many believe the best chance of preventing, or at least slowing, the disease requires intervening, somehow, when people still appear healthy. The $140 million study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Lilly and others, will track if participants’ memory and amyloid levels change over three years. Whether this particular drug works or not, the Alzheimer’s study is being watched closely as a chance to learn more about how amyloid works, and how people handle the uncertainty of knowing it’s there. “Amyloid we know is a huge risk factor, but someone can have a head full of amyloid and not decline“ mentally, Sperling said. “We need to understand more about why some brains are resilient and some are not.“

Who can take part? Before any brain scans, interested 65- to 85-year-olds will undergo cognitive tests to be sure their memory is normal. Volunteers also must be willing to learn their amyloid levels, and researchers can turn away those whose psychological assessments suggest they may not cope well with the news. The study seeks to enroll 1,000 adults who have an “elevated“ level of amyloid plaque in their brain. Physicians and researchers will use an imaging test called a PET scan to determine whether a potential participant has evidence of this plaque buildup. During the study, participants will be monitored for anxiety or distress. “It is breaking new ground,“ said Dr. Laurie Ryan of the NIH’s National Institute on Aging. “We really do have to understand how [knowing they have plaques] affects people.“ Sperling expects to screen more than 5,000 healthy seniors to find the needed 1,000 participants. The study lasts for three years, and participants will be required to visit the clinical research site once a month for monitoring See ALZHEIMER’S, page 18

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Common drug may cut Alzheimer’s risk Research shows a common antidepressant may reduce production of one of the chief suspects behind Alzheimer’s, offering a new avenue in the hunt for drugs to prevent the devastating brain disease. It’s far too early for anyone worried about dementia to try the drug citalopram, which sells as the brand Celexa — and comes with side effects. “This is not the great new hope. This is a small step,” cautioned Dr. Yvette Sheline of the University of Pennsylvania, who is leading the research with Dr. John Cirrito of Washington University in St. Louis. Alzheimer’s is characterized by sticky plaques that form in patients’ brains 10 to 15 years before the first memory symptoms are noticed. Scientists have tried treatments to clear away existing plaques, made of a protein named beta-amyloid that somehow goes awry and starts clumping together. So far, they haven’t had success. The new study is a somewhat different approach, beginning to explore if it’s possible to slow the plaque from building up by altering the body’s production of amyloid.

Testing shows promise First, researchers gave citalopram to older mice with Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The animals’ existing plaques didn’t go away, but they quit growing. And dramatically fewer

new plaques formed compared to mice given sugar water, the research team reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Next, researchers gave a single dose of citalopram or a placebo to 23 healthy young adults, people who neither were depressed nor old enough to have brain plaques. Tests of the volunteers’ spinal fluid over the next day and a half showed their normal amyloid production dropped by 37 percent, the researchers reported. It will take years of additional research to tell if that translates into any protective effect. Citalopram and similar drugs called SSRIs alleviate depression by affecting levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Sheline said citalopram probably alters amyloid production in a completely different way.

about 5 million in the U.S. — numbers expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers age. There is no cure, and today’s medications only temporarily ease symptoms. Scientists still don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. The leading theory is that those amyloid plaques somehow start the disease process, but that it takes another abnormal protein, named tau, to push someone over the edge. It’s crucial to investigate ways to intervene in the years before symptoms arise, said

Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association, who wasn’t involved in the new research. Citalopram has been used to treat depression for nearly two decades, but it does have side effects and the Food and Drug Administration has warned that higher doses may trigger dangerous irregular heartbeats. Still, separate research published earlier this year suggested citalopram also might calm the agitation that people with advanced Alzheimer’s can suffer. — AP

More studies underway In fact, the next question is whether it’s even possible to tamp amyloid production down for long periods or if the body would just get used to the drug and adjust. Sheline has begun enrolling healthy older adults into a study to see if using citalopram for two weeks has the same effect. Alzheimer’s affects 1 in 9 people over age 65, and about a third of those 85 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. More than 35 million people worldwide have T:10.165” Alzheimer’s or similar dementia, including

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Can foods protect you from skin cancer? Q: Are there foods or nutrients that long-term consumption. can protect my skin from damage due Laboratory studies have also shown potento sun exposure? tial protection from compounds A: There is no substitute for in the herb rosemary and the protecting yourself from UV spice turmeric (which is part of light, which is one of the most curry powder). But we don’t important factors in the develhave studies in humans yet to opment of both melanoma and show whether amounts we get non-melanoma skin cancer. from enjoying them as seasonThere are a handful of inings makes a difference in sun triguing lab studies on how protection. certain food components may Green tea contains a comoffer UV protection, but for pound called EGCG studied now, there’s no clear evi- NUTRITION for its cancer-preventive potenWISE dence. tial. Researchers are looking at By Karen Collins, Cell and animal studies, and whether it may offer protection MS, RD, CDM small human trials, suggest against UV rays. foods rich in lycopene (tomaFinally, there are some studtoes, watermelon, papaya, pink or red grape- ies looking at whether omega-3 fatty acids, fruit), as well as dark green leafy vegetables found in some types of fish, might link to and deep orange vegetables and fruits (in- lower risk for skin cancers. cluding spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots and Evidence is not strong enough to think cantaloupe) might help protect skin with that any of these foods provide protection

for your skin. However, making a variety of vegetables and fruits a major part of every meal is a move already recommended for lower overall cancer risk, and fish seems to support heart health. But nothing replaces the protection you get from limiting your skin’s exposure to UV light (both from sunlight and from tanning beds) through limited time in the sun and by using sunscreen. Q: I’d like to eat avocados more often, but I have trouble getting them at the right stage of ripeness and using them before they turn mushy. What’s the secret? A: Avocados, like most fruit, do have a distinct period in which they are best to use. Color may change with ripeness, but the best indicator of ripeness is by feel: a ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure, but is not mushy. If you happen to find a ripe avocado at the grocery store or farmers’ market, and you are ready to use it in the next day or so, that’s great. However, don’t hesitate to buy too-firm avocados. To ripen avocados, store them at room temperature. Normally they will ripen in four to five days at about 65 to 75 degrees; in extra hot weather, they will likely ripen faster. Refrigerate to ripen more slowly, or to hold your avocados two or three days after they’ve reached desired softness. If you’d like to use firm avocados sooner, put them in a brown paper bag with one of the following fruits: apple, banana, peach,

pear, kiwi, plum or papaya. All these fruits produce and give off ethylene gas, a plant hormone that triggers the ripening process. Once your avocado is ripe, if you use only half of it, sprinkle the remaining half with lemon or lime juice (or even orange juice in a pinch), then cover tightly with plastic wrap to reduce exposure to air, and refrigerate. It will still be good the next day; if there is a trace of browning, just scrape it off and enjoy the rest of the fruit. You can also mash or puree ripe avocado with lemon or lime juice (about one to two teaspoons per avocado half) and freeze for later use in guacamole or other dips or salad dressings. As long as you watch your portion size to control calories, avocados make a great addition to many dishes. Although avocados contain fat, saturated fat is very low. The vast majority of the fat consists of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (sometimes called MUFA and PUFA), both of which are healthful fats. And sodium content is zero. The American Institute for Cancer 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. NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

Alzheimer’s

tests every six months to compare changes in cognition over time. For more information about the study at Georgetown University, or to volunteer, see www.a4study.org or contact Erica Christian at (202) 687-8800 or ec912@georgetown.edu. For information about, or to volunteer for, the Howard University study location, contact Oludolapo Ogunlana at (202) 865-3776 or oogunlana@howard.edu. — AP (with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben)

From page 16

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and memory tests. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the investigational drug or a placebo. Volunteers who do not show evidence of elevated amyloid in their brains (and are therefore not eligible for the study) may be asked to participate in a separate study. This group will not take any drug or placebo, but will complete the same memory

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Simple, refreshing fresh berry desserts Combining summer’s sweet cherries and tart-sweet blackberries with tangy yogurt creates a refreshing summer dessert you can serve in three ways — as popsicles, partially thawed in ramekins, or dressed up with a chocolate drizzle. Easy-to-make popsicles feature pretty layers of mashed red cherries and blackberries with white yogurt. Greek vanilla yogurt contains far less sugar than store-bought frozen yogurt, yogurt popsicles or soft-serve frozen yogurt, making these homemade “pops” a healthier, fruitier treat. Yogurt’s tangy flavor pairs perfectly with sweet cherries, and a touch of honey balances the blackberries’ tart-sweet flavor. Both cherries and blackberries are in season now, though frozen pre-pitted cherries and berries may be used, too. Beautiful cherries, ranging from almost black, dark purple, ruby red to pink, get their color from anthocyanins. These redblue pigments are cancer-preventive antioxidants. Also containing fiber, vitamin C, potassium and other antioxidants, cherries are on the American Institute for Cancer Research Foods That Fight Cancer list (www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-

cancer/cherries.html). To pit cherries, rinse them, pull out stems, insert a clean nut or crab picking tool, tweezers or unbent large paper clip, twist around the pits and pop them out. You also can pop out pits by pressing cherries down on a pastry tip. If you have grandchildren, they will love the hands-on activity, and the cherry stains on their hands will prove their cherry-pitting prowess. Blackberries, with their gorgeous black pigment, also are abundant in anthocyanins and other phytochemicals, such as ellagic acid and quercetin, which may help fight cancer. Like cherries, they are good sources of fiber and vitamin C. Berries also make the AICR Foods That Fight Cancer grade. Look for blackberries that are black, fragrant, and not mushy. Skip purple or dark red blackberries because these were picked before being ripe. Store unwashed blackberries in refrigerator loosely wrapped, wash just before using and drain. Make sure to eat or freeze blackberries in three to four days. Though popsicle molds may be used, small paper cups and wooden popsicle sticks or plastic spoons are readily avail-

able simple choices. Small glass ramekins, custard cups or plastic tumblers can also be used to make a spoon-eaten dessert.

Berry Cherry Frozen Dessert 1 1/2 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries 1 Tbsp. honey 24 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt 12 (3 oz.) paper cups and 12 popsicle sticks or plastic spoons, or 6 to 10 glass ramekins or bowls. In small mixing bowl mash cherries and berries. Drizzle on honey and mix together. For popsicles: In paper cups, layer alternating spoonfuls of yogurt and fruit until full. Place popsicle stick or plastic spoon in each cup. Freeze. When ready to serve, tear paper cup off popsicle and enjoy.

For a more elegant presentation, use small glass ramekins or other containers, layer yogurt and fruit until ¾ full. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. An hour before serving, partially thaw in refrigerator. Serve garnished with fresh berries and a sprig of fresh mint. To serve frozen with chocolate: dip bottom of dish in warm water. Serve inverted in dessert bowl, garnished with fresh berries, a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a sprig of fresh mint. Makes 12 paper cup popsicles or six to 10 bowls, depending on the size of dish used. Per serving (if 12 popsicles are made): 69 calories, 0 g. total fat (0 g. saturated fat), 12 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. protein, 1 g. dietary fiber, 18 mg. sodium. –American Institute for Cancer Research

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Natural remedies for common allergies Dear Pharmacist: symptoms. In this particular trial, the parI take loratadine because of my aller- ticipants noticed a reduction in hay fever gies to pollen and grass. Is that the symptoms, but it took a couple of months best antihistamine, and are of daily supplementation to there natural alternatives? see results. — S.M. Another interesting study Dear S.M.: found that babies born to I like loratadine (Claritin) mothers who supplemented when it comes to choosing antiwith probiotics had fewer histamines because it’s not seproblems with allergies and dating. I take it on occasion, and asthma. The results were not I break the 10 mg. tablets in as supportive if the babies half, to get 5 mg. daily, because were started on probiotics that works for me and doesn’t after birth, so tell friends and DEAR dry me up as much. I use plain family to take their probiotics PHARMACIST tablets, because you can’t break before and during pregnancy. By Suzy Cohen the long-acting ones. Quercetin: This is a pigDiphenhydramine is anothment found in plants and citer popular antihistamine, but it’s very se- rus. It’s also a potent natural antihistamine dating. So take it at night, and expect a in high doses, like 500 mg. two to three morning hangover. times daily. This smacks down histamine, These antihistamines — and also Zyrtec, the chemical that triggers the assault, all Allegra and Chlor-trimeton — are consti- the sneezing and bloodshot, itchy eyes. Vipating. Well, of course! They’re intended to tamin C can be substituted. dry you, so they dry up everything! Green tea: This improves your chance Ask your practitioner about some of the to fight against germs, and it reduces hisfollowing natural options and home reme- tamine and inflammatory chemicals dies, which also help: (called cytokines). Probiotics (top of the list): Numerous Butterbur: This is the same herbal exwell-designed clinical trials, including one tract I’ve talked about for migraine prevenin the European Journal of Clinical Nutri- tion, and guess what? It is also useful for altion, show that probiotics reduce allergy lergies, and for the same reason.

It reduces leukotrienes, which are compounds that upset your body, just like histamine. Leukotrienes are the chemicals that actually sustain the misery, the swelling and inflammation, the stuffiness in your nose and so forth. Rather than get addicted to those nasal sprays, you can just reduce the production of the compounds with Butterbur. It’s sold at health food stores nationwide as well as online, like all the other supplements above. Steam inhalation: I love easy! Heat up water in a pot, and carefully inhale the warm steam (add a drop of eucalyptus oil) to the water. Eye wash: Every home should have this in case a household cleanser splashes

in your eye. It’s sold at pharmacies and online, from various brands, including Bausch & Lomb. Rinsing your hot, red eyes feels amazing. Then you can put a cool compress on it. Try not to scratch! Natural Similasin Allergy Eye Relief eye drops are soothing, and you can also ask for a prescription for Zaditor (ketotofin) antihistamine eye drops. 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.SuzyCohen.com.

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The BrightFocus Foundation presents BrightFocus Chats, a series of free monthly telephone discussions on low-vision diseases, such as macular degeneration. The next two calls are “Tips for Protecting your Vision,” which will take place on Wednesday, July 30 from 1 to 2 p.m., and “Warning Signs of Eye Health Problems,” which will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. To register, visit www.brightfocus.org/telephone-presentation-registration.html#registernow. To join the call without re-registration, call 1-877-229-8493 at 1 p.m. on the chat date and use the code 112435. To listen to archived calls, visit www.brightfocus.org/macular/resources/audio.html#chats.

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When an optimist is married to a pessimist Dear Solutions: you can use when he rains on your parade. My husband is a pessimist. He calls Anyway, you know the optimist thinks me a crazy optimist because I always this is the best of all possible worlds, and want to at least try things. the pessimist is afraid that’s It’s true that a lot of times true. Good luck. he’s right to be pessimistic, Dear Solutions: but not always. I often go Now that I’m widowed, along with what he says in my son just assumes that I order to keep the peace. must need help managing Now I have a big projmy finances. I’ve told him ect that I want to do, and that I did most of the finanhe says I’ll be wasting my cial stuff even when his dad time and my money bewas alive, but he argues with cause it can’t work. I have me and often gets angry. SOLUTIONS made plans and thought I think he thinks that I By Helen Oxenberg, of special ways to do it. don’t want him to know what MSW, ACSW What do you say to I have or don’t have. How can someone who keeps sayI put a stop to this argument? ing ‘it can’t be done’? — Millie — Naomi Dear Millie: Dear Naomi: “Yes” should come before “No.” Tell him Tell him to stop interrupting you while that, yes, you would love to share some of you’re doing what can’t be done! these chores with him so you will feel more You did mention “your money,” and I hope confident at how you’re handling them. that’s true because that can give you the inRemember that he feels good about stepdependence to take the chances you wish. ping in, now that his father is gone. It probAlso, tell him you appreciate his judg- ably helps him to feel close to his father, so ment, since his constantly spelling out the try to see this as a gift you can give him. worst that can happen allows you to take Make it mutual. Explain to him that the worst into consideration, put it behind doing most of this yourself helps you to you, and start from there. hold on to a feeling of independence. At the same time, you probably help him Also, see this as a bonus. Make it a food keep his spirits up by pointing out the and finance lunch for the two of you once a good things around him. month. And enjoy. When he asks what present you would Dear Solutions: like for your birthday or holiday, tell him I have recently moved into an estabto get you a big beautiful umbrella, which lished community without knowing

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anyone there. I’m alone, and I’m wondering if I made a big mistake, because now I feel even more alone. The agent who got me here also lives here. He is having a party and urges me to come. I panic at the thought of walking into a room where I know no one. Is there any easy way to do this? — Alice Dear Alice: There’s probably no easy way to be “new in the neighborhood,” especially if the neighborhood is not new. Okay, so the other people know each other already. Be brave. Assume they’re nice people who have also been through this sometime in their lives.

Try this: Walk over to any little group talking to each other and say, “I was assured by the hostess that, since I’m new here, I’m allowed to break into other people’s little groups and introduce myself.” (take a deep breath) “There, I said it, and I didn’t have a heart attack.” I’m willing to bet that you’ll walk out of that party knowing and being known. Let me know. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 7

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA

Sign up for free fall-prevention assessment In the first issue this year, I talked about falls in the home leading to injuries and deaths, and encouraged seniors to take advantage of improving their health by joining health and wellness programs and services at any of the District’s six senior wellness centers. In this month’s issue of “Spotlight on Aging,” I would like to revisit the topic of falls, as the data that has been presented to me could benefit you. According to Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., chief medical examiner of Washington, D.C., more than 70 seniors die annually in the District because of a preventable fall. The fall may not necessarily be one that leads to sudden death, such as a senior hitting his head on concrete or a hard surface. Instead, it appears that the majority of the seniors who died due to a preventable fall died because they were “comorbid,” and as a result of the fall, they sustained a fractured hip. Comorbidity — or the state of living with multiple diseases, such as congestive heart failure, diabetes and cancer, combined with a bone-fracturing fall — can further exacerbate a senior’s health condition and lead to death. You can imagine that fracturing or breaking any bone in the body is very painful, and the recovery from such injuries can be an uphill battle for some people, especially if they were not active or exercising prior to the fall. Unfortunately, some of these individuals become even less active as a result of the fall and, subsequently, gain weight because they are not eating properly. This leads to further worsening of the disease stage in their bodies, which causes them to succumb to

death. According to the chief medical examiner, the cause of death for those who die within a year after experiencing a fall would be the fall itself. One may think that 70 seniors out of the nearly 104,000 seniors in the District is not a huge number. But even if one senior died from a preventable fall, that is one too many. Therefore, it is my vision that we decrease the number of reports of seniors dying from a preventable fall to zero as a result of a new initiative that the District of Columbia Office on Aging is rolling out this month. Through the new initiative, DCOA will dispatch an occupational therapist (OT) to a senior’s home to conduct a falls assessment. Through the falls assessment, seniors will receive a report with recommendations on how to eliminate fall hazards in their homes. For example, the assessment might identify an old piece of rug in the kitchen that could cause a senior to slip, or phone cords and other wires that could cause a senior to trip and injure himself/herself. The OT may recommend the installation of railings along both sides of a staircase, or grab bars in the shower or even a walk-in tub if a senior is no longer able to lift his leg high enough without tripping to get in the tub. I am confident that through this program, seniors can improve the quality of their lives as we remove barriers that could cause them to experience injury. Through this initiative, I hope that we can keep every senior safe. Please contact the District of Columbia Office on Aging at 202-724-5626 to sign up for a falls assessment.

July 2014

Senior Wellness Center Town Hall Meeting The D.C. Office on Aging Executive Director John M. Thompson, Ph.D. hosts quarterly roundtable discussions with seniors at various senior wellness centers throughout the city. The agency regularly holds these discussions at our senior wellness centers to ensure that

seniors have an opportunity to weigh in on issues that directly impact their lives. Final meeting: July 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Washington Seniors Wellness Center 3001 Alabama Ave. SE

Dr. Thompson speaks with seniors after the Town Hall at the Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center. Town hall discussions give seniors a chance to provide feedback to DCOA on services at their site and to hear from Dr. Thompson directly.

Are You Interested in Serving Your Community as an Aging Advocate? The District of Columbia Commission on Aging is a citizen’s advisory group to the Mayor, Council of the District of Columbia, Office on Aging, and the general public on the needs and concerns of older Washingtonians. Commissioners serve as advocates on behalf of the District’s nearly 104,000 seniors, and accomplish their responsibilities through outreach to individuals and institutions,

as well as to groups and governments. The Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council of the District of Columbia. For more information, or to apply to become a commissioner, visit the Office of Boards and Commissions’ (OBC) website: http://obc.dc.gov/ page/obc-application-form-and-guideeligibility.

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 â€” WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

SENIOR FEST 2014 Mayor Vincent C. Gray greeted more than 1,500 seniors at Senior Fest 2014, hosted by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and the Office on Aging. A special highlight of the day included Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry singing the blues. Seniors enjoyed live entertainment, demonstration bingo and visited exhibitors during the event. Visit our Facebook page for more photos from the event. Councilmember Marion Barry, Ward 8, sings the blues during Senior Fest, held at Oxon Run Park. He was a hit with those in attendance.

Mayor Gray hand dances on stage to the sounds of LyVe Band during Senior Fest 2014. More than 1,500 seniors enjoyed live entertainment, information exhibits, health screenings and demonstration bingo. Seniors also danced to the sounds of LyVe band, a local band that features female vocalists. Entertainment was also provided by the API Senior Center Dancers, the Hula Belles and the Hayes Senior Wellness Center Dancers, which led line dances during the event.

Spotlight On Aging Mayor Gray greeted attendees during the event, and shared the new services that will be funded in the budget for seniors. He spoke specifically of the expanded services for wellness centers, including extended hours for participants.

continues on page 25, following the Housing & Home Care Options magazine at the right Please pull out and keep the magazine. You may also pull out and keep Spotlight on Aging.

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SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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Taking charge of how we live as we age By Beth Baker The following is adapted from the introduction to the recently published book, With a Little Help from Our Friends: Creating Communities As We Grow Older (2014, Vanderbilt University Press) by Beth Baker, a writer living in Takoma Park, Md. The book explores many creative housing options for older adults, from home sharing to cohousing to aging-in-place villages. Lynne Moore, a 50-something dietician in Port Gibson, Miss., has had a fantasy for years. When she grows older, rather than move to a retirement community or live alone, she and a handful of close friends will find a way to be together. “We talked about buying a piece of property and building us a place to live,” she

said. “We envisioned maybe a round building, where everyone had their own apartment, to come and go as they please, but also a central living area.” “We would be some place we had chosen as a group. We would hire someone to cook and clean for us. That would be a way of taking care of each other, but still have privacy.” Conversations like this are happening all over the United States, as my generation of baby boomers realizes that middle age will soon be in the rearview mirror. We would do well to contemplate the next chapter of our lives. What will our homes be like? If, like my mother, we have difficulty walking, will our home serve us or be an impediment to our well being? How will

the fabric of our lives be woven? Are there people nearby — family, neighbors, friends, members of our congregation — who care about us, who would be willing to help us or accept help from us?

Don’t be in denial Being proactive about what lies ahead, rather than living in denial that we may ever need assistance or have to live alone, will serve us well. Researchers are finding that powerful images and stereotypes have the force of self-fulfilling prophecy. Older people who believe they have something valuable to contribute to their families and their communities, and who assume they will not end up in institutions, actually feel healthier and are much more likely “to successfully age in place than their older peers who do not feel the same way,” one study found. The authors called for fundamentally changing our “images and perceptions of needy, dependent older adults,” replacing them with “images and perceptions of older adults as wise, resilient and capable of offering resources to their communities.” This transformation, the researchers suggest, actually nurtures our ability to age where and how we choose.

More options today The essential question facing each of us as we age is: how can we balance our desire for independence with staying connected to others? That we even can raise this question is remarkable. In the past, older people have had limited choices. Most opted for “aging in place” in their own homes. But aging in place is only as good as the place you’re aging in. For many, that meant being lonely, isolated and marginalized as they grew older, especially if they could no longer drive.

Others moved to retirement communities, whether “active adult” or continuing care, with levels of service as needed. And the rest moved in with family members. That was pretty much it. But there are signs that my generation will do things differently. Many of us have two strong streaks that may serve us well. One is a desire for autonomy and a resistance to authority, and the other is a strong sense of community. These two seemingly contradictory traits are precisely what can transform our experience from “aging in place” to one of interdependence and “aging in community.” A 2012 report by the Urban Land Institute, “Housing in America: The Baby Boomers Turn 65,” found that while most of us want to remain in our own homes, those who decide to move are gravitating toward places with vibrant “town centers,” near their grown children, friends, work, public transportation and healthcare. “Leading-edge boomers will not settle gracefully into quiet retirement and move into traditional seniors’ housing communities for years, if they ever do,” the report found. A recent Reuters story, for example, reported on “rambling retirees” who sell their homes and live on houseboats, in recreational vehicles (RVs), or even crash on sofas and in guest rooms through an online network of hospitality. Although firm statistics are scarce, some 9,000 retirees reportedly live on the water and 25,000 in RVs. People are spending energy, time, resources and creativity to re-imagine all sorts of living arrangements. “Across the board there’s a yearning for connectedness,” said Ann Zabaldo, who lives in a coSee TAKING CHARGE, page B-4

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

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High-tech gadgets monitor safety at home By Lauran Neergaard High-tech gadgets promise new safety nets for people determined to live on their own for as long as possible. “It’s insurance in case something should happen,” is how Bob Harrison, 85, describes the unobtrusive monitors being tested in his apartment at the TigerPlace retirement community in Columbia, Mo. Living at home — specialists call it aging in place — is what most people want for their later years. Americans 40 and older are just as worried about losing their independence later in life as they are about losing their memory, according to a recent survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Common-sense interventions like grab bars in bathrooms and taping down rugs to prevent tripping can make homes safer as seniors deal with chronic illnesses. Technology is the next frontier, and a far cry from those emergency-call buttons people sometimes wear to summon help.

A gaggle of gadgets Already, some companies are offering

monitoring packages that place motion sensors on the front door, a favorite chair, even the refrigerator, and then send an alert to a family member if there’s too little activity over a certain period of time. Other gadgets can make pill bottles buzz when it’s time for a dose and text a caregiver if it’s not taken, or promise to switch off a stove burner that’s left on too long. Researchers at the University of Missouri aim to go further: Their experiments show that certain automatic monitoring can spot changes — such as restlessness in bed or a drop in daytime activity — that occur 10 days to two weeks before a fall or a trip to the doctor or hospital. “We were blown away that we could actually detect this,” said nursing professor Marilyn Rantz, an aging-in-place specialist who is leading the research. She compares it to “a vital sign of my physical function.” Why would the gadgets work? That monitor under the mattress can measure pulse and respiratory patterns to see if heart failure is worsening before someone realizes he or she is becoming short of breath. More nighttime bathroom trips can

indicate a brewing urinary tract infection. A change in gait, such as starting to take shorter or slower steps, can signal increased risk for a fall. Basic motion sensors can’t detect that. So Rantz’s team adapted the Microsoft Kinect 3-D camera, developed for video games, to measure subtle changes in walking. (Yes, it can distinguish visitors.)

Monitoring to improve health The researchers installed the sensor package in apartments at the university-affiliated TigerPlace community and in a sen-

ior complex in Cedar Falls, Iowa. On-site nurses received automatic emails about significant changes in residents’ activity. One study found that after a year, residents who agreed to be monitored were functioning better than an unmonitored control group, presumably because nurses intervened sooner at signs of trouble, Rantz said. The bigger question is whether simply alerting a loved one, not a nurse, might also help. Now, with a new grant from the National Institutes of Health, Rantz will begin See HIGH-TECH, page B-5

On the cover: One neighbor helps another change the light bulb on her front porch — just one example of the kinds of assistance neighborhood volunteers provide to members of the Cleveland and Woodley Park Village. See story on page B-7.

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Taking charge From page B-2 housing community in Washington, D.C.

Independent but connected The same could be said of many alternatives ways of living: each is an effort by people not only to remain independent throughout their lives but, as important, to have connections to others. For some, like those in the village model (See “Neighborhood villages fill a growing need” on page B-7) or in “NORCs” (naturally occurring retirement communities), this means organizing ways for neighbors to help each other. For some it is the ambitious undertaking of constructing a new intentional cohousing community that is comprised either of older people or of multiple generations.

Others share a house with close friends — or even strangers — to have an affordable lifestyle with steadfast companionship. Or they create living situations with an affinity group, whether based on sexual orientation, religion, or the arts. Still others establish cooperatives of manufactured housing in rural areas or apartments in cities. And others live with extended family, but in ways perhaps more reciprocal than in the past. By taking hold of the future and being proactive about anticipated loss, new generations of elders may finally begin to overcome our culture’s deep-seated denial — and to do so in a way that aligns with new research emerging about healthy aging, which finds that social connection, friendship and a sense of purpose may be more powerful than any drug when it comes to maintaining our well being.

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Gadgets to consider By Jeff Bertolucci

Medication reminders One area where technology can help keep a loved one independent and safe is medication monitoring and dispensing. The Philips Medication Dispensing Service (www.managemypills.com), for example, is a countertop appliance that reminds someone to take pills and delivers the correct dosage like a vending machine. A caregiver fills the Philips device with several days’ worth of medications. Each dose goes inside a small plastic cup, which the caregiver seals with a lid and stacks inside the machine. When it’s time for a scheduled dose, the dispenser flashes a red button and sounds an audio alert: “Time for your medication, press button to dispense.” Voice prompts continue every minute for up to 90 minutes until the intended pill taker pushes the button. If there’s no response, the person’s caregiver receives an automated call alert. The medication dispensing service has a monthly rental and monitoring fee ranging from $59 to $75.

mind you of appointments and various tasks. One is the Senior Digital Voice Reminder, made by Genji Sports. When you open the door to leave the house, a message will remind you to turn off the lights and to take your key. (Find this item at Amazon.com for $25.) Specially designed telephones are helpful for those who are beginning to forget

Memory Phone

names and telephone numbers. With the Memory Phone ($65 at www.alzstore.com), a person calls a friend or relative by press-

Other reminders You can also buy products that will re-

See GADGETS, page B-5

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Gadgets

memory, the longest lasting is habitual memory, which includes getting dressed.

High-tech From page B-3

From page B-4 ing the person’s photo. The phone has room for nine photos, and there is also a large keypad with easy-to-read keys. If you’d rather keep your current phone, the Photo Touch n Dial (find it at www.techforltc.org for $80) connects to a home phone. You can flip through six pages of photos (24 photos total), and then push a button next to the picture of the person you’d like to call.

Keep track of wanderers Using global positioning system technology, cellphones, wristwatches and other new products allow caregivers to keep track of loved ones who may become disoriented, wander off and get lost. Aetrex Navistar GPS Footwear System (www.aetrex.com/aetrex-gps) is a pair of shoes with GPS technology in the heel. Originally created to locate lost and kidnapped children, Aetrex Navistar was later redesigned for use by older adults after Andrew Carle, founding director of the Program in Senior Housing Administration at George Mason University, Fairfax, Va., saw its benefits for dementia patients. Carle, a consultant for Aetrex, said it’s unlikely that a senior would leave the house without shoes. Of the three types of

PLEASE Do Not Disturb

Auto fall detectors Wearable devices that allow people to seek help after they fall aren’t new. But sensors in the latest models can automatically tell when someone has fallen, alerting help for them if needed. With Philips Lifeline with AutoAlert (http://philips.lifelinesystems.com), immediately after a fall, a person can initiate a help call by pushing a button on the pendant. But if the person hasn’t gotten up or pushed the button after 30 seconds, AutoAlert calls a center, which asks via a home speakerphone if help is needed. If there’s no response, Lifeline contacts emergency services. With traditional help buttons, “many people become so confused or stunned, they forget they have the button on in the first place,” said Philips’ Rutherford. “Or it’s 2 in the morning, and they don’t want to bother anybody. They’ll wait until 7 or 8 a.m. to press the button, and by that point they’ve got all kinds of secondary consequences from the fall.” The Lifeline with AutoAlert costs $49 a month, and a pendant without fall detection goes for $36 a month. — © 2014, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

If you want to sleep in, we don't charge a late fee.

expanding the research to see how this monitoring works in different senior housing — and this time, participants can decide if they’d like a family member or friend, in addition to a nurse, to get those alerts. Rantz says embedding sensors in the home is important because too many older adults forget, or don’t want, to wear those older emergency-call buttons — including Rantz’s own mother, who lay helpless on her floor for eight hours after tripping and badly breaking a shoulder. Rantz said her

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mother never fully recovered and died six months later. Monitoring raises important privacy questions about just what is tracked and who has access to it, cautioned Jeff Makowka of AARP. To work, the high-tech approach has to be “less about, ‘We’re watching you, Grandma,’ but ‘Hey, Grandma, how come you didn’t make coffee this morning?’” he said. Sensor prices are another hurdle, although Makowka said they’re dropping. Various kinds already on the market can run from about $70 to several hundred, plus monthly service plans. — AP

EXPERIENCE THE

Solana Difference

xceptional hospitality is experienced when your needs are met even before you ask. At Tall Oaks it is our mission to not only anticipate and meet your needs, but to exceed them. From our friendly concierge to our delectable dining, we are committed to making your new home everything you imagine and more. Visit today and experience for yourself how our team of professionals delivers hospitality with a caring touch.

Call to schedule a personal tour. 703-834-9800 12052 N. Shore Dr. Reston, VA 20190 www.TallOaksAL.com Coordinated Services Management, g Inc. Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

The Solana® Olney, a Brookdale® managed community, offers senior living solutions from the nation’s leader in senior accommodations and related services. Stop by and discover all the places life can go at The Solana Olney. We provide: • Optimum Life® • Assisted Living • Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care

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INDEPENDENT LIVING

Aspenwood Senior Living Community 301-598-6424 14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 www.AspenwoodSeniorLiving.com From Happy Hours to Happy Days: The Joys of Aspenwood Senior Living From penning their memoirs, to painting the town red, Aspenwood residents are always on the go and in the know at their Silver Spring home. “We know that food and activities top everyone’s list, and that’s why our offerings are Five Star,” says Jonathan Ellis, Executive Director. With independent living, assisted living, and the area’s only Independence Plus program, bridging the gap in between, Aspenwood has plenty for everyone, focused on passions rather than passing the time. Thirsty Thursday happy hours are quite popular, and many Aspenwood residents are inspired to lead their own clubs and events, too. Call 301-598-6424 to try Aspenwood’s All Day Dining or the activity program of your choice.

HOMECARE SERVICES

Family & Nursing Care 301-588-8200 www.familynursingcare.com

How can I avoid burning out as a family caregiver and an active parent? It is an emotional and physical strain to balance everything as a family caregiver. But home care can help you stabilize your life, restore balance and prevent burnout. We pride ourselves on matching clients’ needs with caregivers’ skills. We frequently hear from adult children and caregivers that the presence of our aides helps put their minds at ease when they themselves can’t be around. Home care is very flexible, starting at just a few hours a day, with no long-term obligation. People who try it say they experience positive changes in their life and the life of their loved one. Please call us for more information.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Greenspring 703-913-1200 or 1-800-788-0811

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Simple modifications make homes safer By Jim Miller Q. What tips or products can you recommend to help make a home safer and more convenient for aging in place? My husband and I are in our 70s and don’t have the money for any big renovations, but we want to do what we can to stay in our house as long as possible. — Homebodies Dear Homebodies: There are lots of small adjustments and simple modifications you can do to make your home safer and livable as you age that are very inexpensive or completely free. Here are several to consider. Since falls are the leading cause of home injury among older adults, a good place to start is by picking up any possible clutter that can cause you to trip, such as newspapers, books, shoes, clothes, electrical or phone cords. If you have throw rugs, remove them or use double-sided tape to secure them. And if you have stairs, consider putting handrails on both sides. Good lighting is also very important, so add lamps or light fixtures where needed, and install brighter full-spectrum bulbs in existing fixtures to improve visibility. Also purchase some inexpensive plug-in nightlights for the bedroom, bathroom and hallways, and consider installing motion sensor lights outside the front and back doors and in the driveway. In the bathroom, get some non-skid bath rugs for the floors, put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub/shower, and have a carpenter install grab bars inside the tub/shower. Some simple solutions that can help weak or arthritic hands are to replace round doorknobs with lever handles, or get some inexpensive doorknob lever adapters. The same goes for twist knob kitchen or bathroom faucets. You can easily replace them with lever faucet handles that you can purchase for a few dollars in most

hardware stores, or get a single lever handle faucet installed. In the kitchen, you can make your cabinets and pantry easier to access by installing pull-out shelves or lazy susans. And D-shaped pull-handles for the cabinets and drawers are also recommended because they’re more comfortable to grasp than knobs. In the bathroom, consider getting a hand-held adjustable showerhead installed, and purchasing a shower or bathtub seat, so you can shower from a safe seated position, if need be. And for easier toilet access, purchase a toilet seat riser for a few dollars. This can make sitting down and standing up a little easier, especially if you’re 6 feet or taller. If you get to the point where you need to use a walker or wheelchair, you can adapt your house by installing ramps on entrance steps, and mini-ramps to go over high entrance thresholds. You can widen the doorways an additional two inches by installing “swing clear” offset door hinges. For many more tips, see the “AARP Home Fit Guide,” which offers dozens of modification suggestions to make your home safe and livable as you age. You can access it at online at homefitguide.org, or if you’re an AARP member, call 888-6872277 and ask them to mail you a free copy. If you want personalized help, get an inhome assessment with an occupational therapist, or OT, who can evaluate your home, make modification recommendations, and refer you to products and services to help you make improvements. Medicare will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by a doctor. Ask your physician for a referral. 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.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

The Virginian 703-385-0555

7410 Spring Village Drive Springﬁeld, VA 22150 EricksonLiving.com

9229 Arlington Boulevard Fairfax, VA 22031

Situated in beautiful Springfield, Greenspring is the perfect place to enjoy an active lifestyle now, with added peace of mind for the future. Everything you need is right on campus, including continuing care services, should your health needs ever change. Greenspring is supported by the nation’s largest integrated health and wellness system for seniors. Nestled on 58 acres and bordered on three sides by wooded parkland, Greenspring is home to more than 2,000 residents. A refundable deposit guarantees there is no financial risk and the monthly service package includes utilities, maintenance, and flexible dining plans you can use in any of the four on-site restaurants. On-site amenities include restaurants; stores; medical center with full time physicians; an all-season swimming pool; a fitness center with full-time trainers; barber shop and hair salon; bank; and a full-time, interfaith pastoral staff.

Welcome to the Virginian – one of Northern Virginia’s most respected Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Since 1980, our community, located on 32 wooded acres, has been home to hundreds of residents from all walks of life. With accommodations of one and two bedroom apartments in Independent, Assisted, and Enhanced Assisted Living, The Virginian also offers Long Term Nursing, Rehabilitation, and now, Home Health Services. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the many amenities offered. We offer age in place apartments ideally suited for mixed level of care couples. Call today to schedule a tour and enjoy a complimentary lunch or dinner. The Virginian offers surprisingly affordable luxury living in the heart of Fairfax. Come see why our residents are proud to call The Virginian home.

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Neighborhood villages fill a growing need By Barbara Ruben When Boston’s Beacon Hill Village began 12 years ago, Delores Boyer found the concept intriguing: a group of vetted contractors and a battalion of neighborhood volunteers were recruited to help older neighbors age in place. Services ranged from rides to doctor appointments, help changing light bulbs or moving a piece of furniture, as well as a robust slate of social and educational activities, all paid for by a modest annual fee. When a similar concept, Capitol Hill Village, opened five years later in Washington, D.C., Boyer even considered moving from her longtime home in Arlington, Va., to be part of the area’s first entrée in the burgeoning national village movement. Instead, when Arlington Neighborhood Villages began providing services this April, Boyer, now 79, was first in line to join. “This makes you realize you don’t live in a big city after all. You live in a village. It does make for a tighter community, a more caring community,” she said of her experience so far. A volunteer has helped her with computer problems, and she may call on one to help out after upcoming cataract surgery. Boyer is far from alone in her excitement about the village concept. The Washington area has one of the largest concentrations of villages in the U.S., with more than 40 up and running or under development, according to the umbrella group Washington Area Village Exchange. (See box on page B-8.) This article takes a look at three of the more recently opened villages.

A county-wide village Unlike many villages that serve a single neighborhood, the program in Arlington covers the whole county. A central office serves what’s hoped to be a growing number of smaller villages, such as the one in Ballston-Virginia Square that Boyer is part of. “Although Arlington is a small county, we’re too big to be a single village in any

meaningful way,” said Carol Paquette, Arlington Neighborhood Villages’ president. “We’ve been relying on word of mouth, classes and social events that are open to the community to let people know about us.” So far, there are about 70 members and 80 volunteers. Like other villages, Arlington vets its volunteers with background checks and offers training. They’ve found that transportation is the number one request, while social events, technology assistance and maintenance tasks are also popular. Membership costs $500 per year for an individual, plus $250 for each additional person in a household. Gloria Johnson, 87, who has lived in her Arlington home since 1961, worried that her fading vision would make it impossible to stay there because she is no longer able to drive. But village volunteers have taken her to doctor appointments and the hairdresser. She also participates in neighborhood potluck dinners. “This is sort of an answer to a prayer because I didn’t want to go to a retirement community, and I didn’t know how I was going to be able to live on my own,” she said.

A village in Silver Spring Like Arlington, Silver Spring Village is relatively new, opening last September. The village serves the downtown Silver Spring area, with members throughout Zip code 20910. Frances Goldstein, 93, is one of them. When joining, she was trying to decide what level membership to buy. Full membership is $350 for an individual ($450 for a couple), while associate membership is less than half that. The associate level covers social events, seminars and trips, but not services from volunteers or discounts with local merchants negotiated by the village. “I basically said, ‘Are you nuts?’” recalled her son David Goldstein, visiting from his home in Minneapolis. “You should get the full membership!” Without family in the area, he thought help from

the village would be critical to her remaining at home as she got older. Two months later, Frances suffered a bad fall. She needed rehabilitation at the Hebrew Home for months. After she left, 18 of the village’s 60 volunteers helped her at home. “I don’t know how she would have survived without the village,” David said. “The friendly visits are just as important as trips to the grocery store. It’s all just wonderful for peace of mind.” Peggy Gervasi, who has served as the village’s membership chair and is also on the board of the local village umbrella group, Washington Area Village Exchange (WAVE), said that many older residents don’t initially think membership is for them. “You age so gradually you don’t realize

the things you can’t do anymore. It’s not that precipitous. Being part of the village can give you that extra set of hands and eyes. It gives you such a sense of control and confidence and the ability to cope,” she said. Cynna Janus has experienced Silver Spring Village both as a volunteer and a recipient of services after a car accident. Volunteers helped moved clothes to her attic and even decorated her Christmas tree when she had trouble walking. On the other side of the coin, Janus has helped members declutter and downsize, whittling down decades of possessions. “You’re being given a window to someone else’s life, what they’ve held onto, what See VILLAGES, page B-8

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INDEPENDENT & PERSONAL CARE COMMUNITIES

14508 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 www.homecresthouse.org Homecrest House is a non-profit, affordable subsidized community offering two options: independent and personal care services. PERSONAL CARE offers: assistance with bathing, daily meals, weekly housekeeping and laundry services with optional medication administration. Homecrest is nestled on ten beautiful acres with its own pond and neighbors Leisure World. Residents may qualify approximately 30% of their adjusted income for rent, and personal care subsidies. Homecrest offers a full array of activities both in-house and around the metro area via our van service. Our computer lab, beauty shop, exercise room, library and social halls are just a few amenities our residents enjoy at Homecrest House. Call today for a personalized tour or visit us on the web at www.homecresthouse.org.

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CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Villages From page B-7

Ashby Ponds 703-723-1999 or 1-800-564-0155 21170 Ashby Ponds Boulevard Ashburn, VA 20147 EricksonLiving.com Ashby Ponds in Ashburn offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle--all in a beautiful, private and gated community. Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Ashby Ponds many clubs and interest groups. Campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our health care and wellness services. Whatever your passions in life, you’ll find the freedom and opportunity to follow them at Ashby Ponds. Continuing Care at Ashby Ponds is now open and features assisted living, nursing care, post-acute rehabilitation, and memory care.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Emerson House 301-779-6196 5999 Emerson Street Bladensburg, MD 20710 Emerson House Apartments is conveniently located on Emerson Street, just off of Rt. 450 and 57th Ave in Bladensburg, Md. A quaint residential setting, just minutes from neighborhood shopping, the community is convenient to Prince George's Hospital, a local library, public transportation and parks. Activities within Emerson House include: exercise classes, a Wii bowling league, arts and crafts classes, bingo, movie night, parties, bus trips and much more. Emerson House is a nine story, community designed for today’s seniors (62 and older). Our 220 one-bedroom units offer Section 8 rent subsidy for low- to moderate-income households. Please call today to request an application or make an appointment to tour our community. 301-779-6196. Monday – Friday 8:30 to 5:00.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

The Residences at Thomas Circle (202) 626-5761

they value. It’s a very intimate process and one that I think helps strengthen bonds between neighbors,” she said.

Forging connections in D.C. While Silver Spring Village depends entirely on volunteers, Cleveland and Woodley Park Village, which opened in May 2013, recently hired a full-time director and part-time assistant. For two years prior to that, volunteers worked to create the village, some nearly full time. Cleveland and Woodley Park Village has 99 members and 153 volunteers. Membership is $500 for an individual and $750 for a household of two to three members. Memberships are half that price for households with annual incomes below $50,000 and individuals with incomes below $40,000. Associate members pay $250 a year, which is considered a tax deductible contribution and includes the ability to participate in social activities and outings. Elizabeth Fox, the co-chair of the board, spent decades working with organizations serving older adults in the District, including stints as director of both Iona Senior Services and Experience Corps, in which volunteers mentor and tutor elementary school students. “I was thrilled to find this type of volunteering [helping village members] has a market. Over my years of work, I felt that

For Seniors 62+

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It’s easy to understand the looks of amazement when seniors discover Victory Court Senior Apartments. Upscale senior living in brand-new apartment homes. In addition to spacious surroundings and comfortable features, Victory Court is conveniently located within walking distance of nearby parks and the Metro!

1330 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington, DC 20005 www.ThomasCircle.com The Residences at Thomas Circles is an exceptional senior living community located in the heart of the district in Washington, DC. Here, residents enjoy a stimulating lifestyle filled with activities and entertainment as well as the company of a diverse group of interesting people. The excellent location means residents can easily visit area attractions, museums, theater, special events and more via the Metro or a short walk. In addition to Independent Living, The Residences at Thomas Circle is the only in-town senior living community to offer an on-site continuum of health services: Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, or Memory Care. Ask about our new respite program, Circle Stays: special savings in Assisted Living and Memory Care. Visit www.ThomasCircle to learn more or call 202.626.5761.

the usual human service volunteer activities were not easy to recruit for or retain because it just feels like people are too busy in this town, and they’re afraid of committing to something that’s that regular,” Fox said. Volunteers and members have collaborated to start Spanish and Italian conversation clubs as well as a music group. For Fox, the social component of the village is as valuable as helping with driving or raking leaves. “It’s clear that people whose neighborhoods have changed, whose families are no longer there, who are limited in mobility, all those situations mean that those people don’t feel so much connected anymore. We all know it’s really important for your health, and we know it’s certainly important to your quality of life to have social connections,” she said. “The younger [volunteers] say, ‘This is a good way to get to know my neighbors,’ or ‘I really love my grandma, but she’s in Alabama.’ That longing for human connection is really across all ages.” For more information on villages, see • Wasington Area Village Exchange, www.WAVEwillages.org • Village to Village Network, www.vtvnetwork.org (national organization) • Braddock District Council Aging in Place Program, bwallbdc@gmail.com (promoting villages in part of Fairfax, Va.) • Fairfax County, Va., Village Liaison, Patricia Rohrer, (703) 324-2051. • Montgomery County, Md., Village Coordinator, Pazit Aziz, (240) 777-1231.

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FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION For free information from advertisers in this special section, check off those that interest you and mail this entire page to the Beacon. Please do not request info if you are not interested. All replies have an equal chance to win. To be eligible for Wolf Trap tickets, your reply must arrive by August 1.

HOUSING COMMUNITIES: WASHINGTON, DC ❑ Residences at Thomas Circle . . . . .B-8 & B-13 ❑ Robert L Walker House . . . .B-14

Mrs. Philippines Home . . . .B-14 Oaks at Old Towne . .B-3 & B-12 Riderwood . . . . . . . .B-7 & B-12 Solana . . . . . . . . . . .B-5 & B-15 Victory Court . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8 Willows at Victoria Falls . . . . B-4

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Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this entire coupon to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227. You may also include the free info coupon on page 5. One entry per household please. Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________ Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ TB7/14

Please provide your telephone number and e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Remodeling a home for one-level living By John Byrd How can you tell when in an in-law suite is outperforming the usual requirements? For starters, when the owners themselves claim it as their primary living space. Such was the recent choice of George and Aycha Saads, two residents of Herndon, Va., who started investigating options for retrofitting their three-level home as Aycha began the transition from a walker to a wheelchair. The idea was to improve everyday mobility and even incorporate equipment needed for physical therapy treatments — while preserving the home’s two upper levels should the couple eventually decide to sell the house and move to a retirement facility. After weighing several scenarios, the couple asked Russ Glickman, president of Glickman Design Build and an aging-in-place specialist, to explore some feasible options. “We began by looking at ways to add an

elevator,” Glickman recalled, “but soon learned that the modifications required would negatively impact the existing second floor plan without really accommodating the needed accessibility solutions.” The home’s mostly unfinished 2,000 square foot lower level, however, provided a footprint to work with, and soon the Glickman team proposed a plan for a largely self-sufficient suite, complete with accessible bath, kitchenette and other amenities. [For information on approximate costs of such a remodeling, see “Remodeling cost considerations” on next page.]

An open floor plan Configured as an “open” floor plan that incorporates a sizable master suite, the new layout is differentiated into “use” zones that emphasize privacy within a spacious visual continuum. Key components include:

• An 11’ x 13’ kitchenette and dining zone finished with cherry Shaker-style cabinet facings, granite counter surfaces and ceramic tile flooring. Note: As per local code requirements, the kitchen is equipped with a microwave rather than a full stove. • A den/family room contiguous to the dining area that offers direct access to the rear yard. The space has been fitted with a large-scale plasma TV and a “Sensurround” sound system. This is the family’s primary entertainment zone. • A private master suite with spacious bedroom conjoined to a luxury bath that includes a pair of vanity sinks — one 30” from the ground for wheel-chair access — and a 5’ x 8’ roll-in shower with a pull-down seat. The bathroom connects to a laundry room with a large walk-in closet. To increase natural light availability, Glickman added a pair of windows to the master bedroom. The room also accom-

modates an easy-to-access hospital bed.

Designing for accessibility To assure a suitable locale for physical therapy treatments, he custom-designed a wall cabinet in the dining area that contains a pull-down table. The casing has been reinforced with a steel frame that keeps the table firmly in place once it’s in the upright position. An incline wheel chair lift was installed in the stairwell, which was widened from 30” to 46.” To make it easier for the Saads to identify visitors, the home’s front door has been equipped with a security camera linked to a laptop. Glickman also introduced technologies that enable the couple to lock and unlock the front door from the lower level suite. Mosaic tile flooring differentiates the kitchen/dining zone from the adjacent den and entertainment area. Typhoon green granite surfaces and lightly stained cabinet facings lend colors and textures to the See REMODELING, page B-11

Remodeling cost considerations Building out an unfinished lower level is by far the least expensive option to create a serviceable in-law suite. By contrast, a newly constructed wing or addition is generally three times more costly and usually entails a more complicated permitting process. In this project, the owners considered adding an elevator (which might have increased costs by as much as $90,000). As it happened, this proved impractical, and a wheelchair lift (which typically runs from $20,000 to $35,000) was chosen instead. • An accessible kitchen of this type can usually be created in the $25,000 to $50,000 range, but may cost as much as $90,000 depending on the quality of appliances and finishes. • A master bath with curbless shower will typically run from $25,000 to $55,000. For mainly aesthetic reasons, the Saads choose higher-end finishes, counter surfaces and cabinets for the master bath, the kitchenette and the entertainment area. Lower-end tiles, cabinets, fixtures and other finishwork items, such as one can find in any number for retail outlets, may run from $1,800-$2,000 for a one-level suite of this size. Designer grade brands for the same items will typically cost closer to $11,000 or more. A curtain for a curbless shower can be had for $100 or less. At the other end of the spectrum, a frameless glass shower enclosure with door may cost as much as $5,000.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

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Find out how much your old stuff is worth By Jim Miller Q. What resources can you recommend for finding the value of old items? I inherited a large number of old antiques and unique art from my great aunt, and I would like to find out what some of these items are worth. Seeking Answers Dear Seeking: There are actually a number of resources and online tools available today that can help you find out the value of almost any item. Here are some tips to help you proceed.

Get an appraisal While many people use local antique shops or collectable dealers to find out the value of old and/or unique items, it’s usually best to use a certified appraiser who’s accredited and meets professional and ethical standards. Certified appraisers are more likely to give you a fair judgment because there’s no conflict of interest. It’s actually a violation of professional ethics for an appraiser to offer to buy an item he or she has appraised. A professional appraiser will provide you a written report that includes a full description of your item and the procedure used to estimate its current value. For their serv-

Remodeling From page B-10 kitchen area that easily integrate into a great room dominated by a large double slider. The master bathroom features porcelain flooring and walls accented with a decorative course of multi-colored mosaic tiles. “Our goal was to satisfy immediate needs while implementing a makeover

ice, you can expect to pay either a flat fee or an hourly rate from $200 to $400, depending on their expertise and location. Avoid an appraiser who asks for a fee based on a percentage of the item’s value. If an appraiser thinks an object isn’t worth a written appraisal, he or she might recommend other resources to arrive at a value. To locate an appraiser either by location or specialty, search online at one of the three professional appraising organizations: The American Society of Appraisers (www.appraisers.org, 1-800-272-8258) which has around 5,000 members worldwide; Appraisers Association of America (www.appraisersassoc.org) that has around 700 members; and the International Society of Appraisers (www.isa-appraisers.org) that has about 900 members.

Online resources You can also get estimates by professional appraisers and other experts through a number of websites. How it works is you upload photos of your items and provide descriptions, and the sites send back valuations, usually within a week. Sites that provide this type of service include Value My Stuff (valuemystuff.com/us), which charges $10 for one appraisal, $25 for three or $75 for 10. Also there’s WorthPoint

that will add re-sale value,” Glickman said. “In this sense, the house has simply been re-defined as a traditional single family home that includes a full-size in-law suite. It’s a very marketable improvement, yet meets all the present requirements.” Glickman periodically offers workshops on accessibility solutions for seniors. For information, see www.GlickmanDesignBuild.com or call (301) 444-4663.

(www.worthpoint.com), which charges $30 for one item or $75 for three, or you can pay $20 for a monthly membership that provides unlimited access to their antique and collectables valuations. Another resource for finding out what antiques and collectables are worth is Kovels (www.kovels.com, 1-800-829-9158), which offers a free basic membership that gives you access to its online price guide, or you can purchase one of their premium services that run $39 or $60 a year. They also sell the book, Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2014, for $28. It reports on recent prices paid for 35,000 items in more than 700 categories at auctions, shops, shows, flea markets and online. You may also be able to get an idea of what others are willing to pay for your stuff

by searching similar items on the massive online auction site ebay.com, or the classified ads site www.craigslist.org. Both of these sites are free to search.

Tax-deductible value If you are interested in donating any of your items, you can find out the tax-deductible value at free valuation websites available through tax-prep companies, such as Turbo Tax at turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/itsdeductible. The Salvation Army also offers a valuation guide at satruck.org/donation-valueguide. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. — AP

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Riderwood 301-495-5700 3140 Graceﬁeld Road Silver Spring, MD 20904 EricksonLiving.com Ideally located in Silver Spring, Riderwood offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle―all in a beautiful, private community. Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Riderwood’s many clubs and interest groups. Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Wingler House Apartments (703) 858-9507 20900 Runnymeade Terrace Ashburn, VA 20147 www.qpmgmt.com Wingler House Apartments in handsome Ashburn Village is the 55+ retirement community that offers you a charming home close to everything you need. Ashburn Village is one of Greater Washington’s premiere residential communities, near Dulles Airport for easy traveling, surrounded by shopping, restaurants, and historic sites and just 25 miles from downtown Washington. Wingler House makes the most if its location, surrounding you with supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, and specialty retail stores. Loudoun Hospital Center and many other medical care providers are also minutes away. We offer one- and two-bedrooms at one of the best rates in Loudoun County. Please call today to request an application or make an appointment to tour our community. 703-858-9507. Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30. We are currently open on Saturdays from 10:00-3:00 and have apartments ready for immediate occupancy.

SENIOR APARTMENT COMMUNITY

The Oaks at Olde Towne 301-495-5700 9 Chestnut Street Gaithersburg, MD 20877 The atmosphere at The Oaks at Olde Towne is filled with gracious living. Here, you will appreciate not having to worry about maintenance chores. At the same time, you can take advantage of nearby shops, library, banks, and postal services as well scheduled trips on the Oaks at Oldetowne mini bus. Downtown Gaithersburg and the historical attractions of the area are just minutes away. Enjoy carefree leisure living at The Oaks at Olde Towne, an affordable senior apartment community for persons 62 or better. Call today for your tour!

ASSISTED LIVING

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bfg.org This community hums with warmhearted camaraderie and a zest for life shared by residents and staff alike. Experience all that makes assisted living at Brooke Grove extraordinary. Cozy, homelike dwellings with easy access to beautiful courtyards and walking paths. Caring staff trained in using memory support techniques, building independence and lifting selfesteem. Innovative LIFE® Enrichment Programming with meaningful activities and off-site adventures. Visit us to see why Brooke Grove Retirement Village is one of the most sought-after continuing care retirement communities in the state. Living here is simply different … because what surrounds you really matters.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Vinson Hall Retirement Community 703-536-4344 6251 Old Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101 www.vinsonhall.org Our not-for-profit, continuing care retirement community enhances the lives of our residents through person-centered care and services while fostering dignity, security and friendship. As an innovative not-for-profit community, we attract leaders in the field of aging who design research and pilot new initiatives and technology to help improve the lives of our residents and seniors everywhere. Vinson Hall provides independent living to commissioned military officers and their immediate family. Everyone is welcome at Arleigh Burke Pavilion, where we provide assisted living, skilled nursing and private pay nursing care services, and at The Sylvestery, where we offer assisted living care for those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Covenant Village (301) 540-1162 18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874 www.qpmgmt.com • Spacious 2-bedroom plans with washer/dryer in each apt. • Covenant Village shuttle bus for shopping and local trips • Fitness room, billiard room, game/crafts room, movie theatre • On-site beauty salon, garden plots It’s all about our residents, says Kathy the Property Manager. The staff ensures that the residents always have interesting and exciting activities going on. Some of the fun includes movie nights, new resident meet and greet, holiday parties, fashion shows, and community dinners. Attendance at the wine and cheese and ice cream socials is close to 100%. Covenant Village was recently awarded a trophy by the Property Management Association for being Maryland’s Best Affordable Community in their category! Please call today to make an appointment for a tour.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Housing Notes By Barbara Ruben and Rebekah Sewell

New memory care community opening Olney Assisted Living is a memory care community for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia slated to open this fall. The community includes four “neighborhoods,” each with 15 studio apartments centered around shared common areas that encourage socialization. A personalized memory box is located outside each room to help the resident recognize and identify the room as his or her own. Olney Assisted Living features an apothecary, community center and beauty/barber shop, along with secure courtyards and walking paths. Balanced healthy meals based on a Mediterranean diet will be served, and Montessori-based activities will be offered. For more information, contact Christina Green or Melissa Stewart at (301) 570 -0525 or see www.olneymemorycare.com.

room and more. There are nurses on site seven days a week. Residents are provided housekeeping, maintenance and transportation and served three meals a day. Brightview, which operates communities in eight states, also has another community in the Washington area: Brightview Fallsgrove, located in Rockville, Md. The Brightview Great Falls welcome center is now open at 1146-E Walker Rd., Great Falls, Va. For more information, contact Joanna Banks or Tricia Devine at (703) 7592513 or see http://greatfallsva.brightviewseniorliving.com/CommunityHome.aspx.

Online calculator for reverse mortgages Reverse mortgages allow homeowners age 62 and older to receive a lump sum or series of payments financed by their home

equity while they continue to live in their home. The homeowner retains title, and must continue to pay insurance and property taxes while living there. But deciding how much to borrow and when to take the payments can be tricky. A new online calculator called nu62 from Generation Mortgage Company allows both homeowners and their adult children to envision various scenarios. “We developed www.nu62.com to show homeowners exactly how they can strategically use their home equity,” said Sharon Falvey, regional retail manager for Generation Mortgage Company. Generation Mortgage offers the most common type of reverse mortgage, a home equity conversion mortgage. On the website, consumers plug in basic information, such as age, home value and mortgage balance, if any. Based on the data entered, graphs and charts show the fees involved in a reverse mortgage as well as the projected home value and equity

over the next 20 years. The website, www.nu62.com, also includes several examples of homeowners with varying levels of savings and home equity to illustrate how the options the company offers work. For more information, contact Generation Mortgage at 1-800-370-8126.

Foundation awards homecare grants Last month, the Family & Nursing Care Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation for Montgomery County, awarded $30,000 in cash grants to two local nonprofit organizations that provide low-income aging adults with the homecare support they need to remain in their own homes. The foundation awarded $20,000 to See HOUSING NOTES, page B-14

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New assisted living community in Great Falls In early September, Brightview Senior Living will open a community in Great Falls, Va. The 86-unit facility will include 25 rooms in a memory care neighborhood and 61 rooms in an assisted living community. The community features a dining room. pub, lounge with a pool table, great room, arts studio, living room and fireplace, bistro, exercise room, library, spa, massage

S A V E $

3000

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WHERE

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COMES FULL CIRCLE

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S ior living at The Residences at Thomas Circle puts you right Senior g t in the h heart of downtown D.C., in a diverse d and d lively li l neighborhood i hb that’s a quick walk or Metro ride from cultural and historical attractions. And because Thomas Circle is downtown’s only independent senior living community with all levels of care on site, you need never move. Complete convenience; total peace of mind. You’ll find it all in the Circle.

Call us at 202-626-5761 or visit www.ThomasCircle.com.

Where senior living comes full circle. 1 3 3 0 M A S S A C H U S E T T S AV E N W | W A S H I N G T O N , D C 2 0 0 0 5 | T H O M A S C I R C L E . C O M NP/Beacon/7-14

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Affordable Senior Communities Discover how great senior living is at one of our affordable apartment communities. Many of our communities feature 24-hour emergency maintenance, full activities programs, spacious floor plans, affordable rents, caring and dedicated staff, and much more. We are conveniently located near shopping, including grocery stores and pharmacies. Let us help you live life to the fullest. Call or visit our web site to view these communities:

2201 Savannah Street SE Washington, DC 20020

7010 Schoonmaker Court Alexandria, VA 22310

202-678-5699

703-719-7268

Rent based on income

From $791

873 Grace Street Herndon, VA 20170

703-904-9444 From $865

7837 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22306

703-780-9072 From $920

Wingler House Apartments 20900 Runny Meade Terrace Ashburn, VA 20147

703-858-9507 From $893

5999 Emerson Street Bladensburg, MD 20710

301-779-6196 Rent based on income

Mrs. Philippines Home for Seniors, Inc. 18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874

6428 Bock Street Oxon Hill, MD 20745

301-540-1162

301-567-9537

From $704 for 1 bedroom

Rent based on income

5101 River Road, Suite 101 • Bethesda, MD 20816

301-941-8040 www.qpmgmt.com Professionally managed by Quantum Real Estate Management LLC T/A Quantum Property Management

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Housing Notes From page B-13 Home Care Partners, a nonprofit homecare agency that provides a wide range of supportive services for elderly, chronically ill and disabled residents in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. A $10,000 grant was awarded to Community Ministries of Rockville, an interfaith nonprofit organization that provides a range of services to the frail elderly and the homeless, emergency assistance to families, and healthcare for uninsured adults in the community. “It’s very fulfilling to see our grants providing thousands of hours of comprehensive homecare services, which have enabled hundreds of low-income seniors to remain safely in their homes,” said Sandy Kursban, founder of the Family & Nursing Care Foundation and its homecare agency of the same name. Kursban established the Family & Nursing Care Foundation in 2008. Each year, Family & Nursing Care, Inc. donates a percentage of its profits to the Foundation. Kursban personally matches this amount dollarfor-dollar, as well as matching every outside donation that the foundation receives. For more information, or to contribute, see the following websites: www.familynursingcare.com/foundation, www.homecarepartners.org and www.cmrocks.org.

Homecare agency opens assisted living community In June, Capital City Nurses, a homecare company that provides nursing and home care assistance to seniors, opened its first assisted living group home. The Cottage at Curry Manor, located in Bethesda, Md., is an eight-bedroom home on a gated estate that includes private

baths in each bedroom or suite, and a spacious gourmet kitchen for the community. In addition to offering home-cooked meals, there will be afternoon tea, spa services and personal training sessions. For more information about the Cottage at Curry Manor, visit www.cottageatcurrymanor.com, or contact Capital City Nurses at 1-866-687-7307 or visit www.capitalcitynurses.com.

Mixed-income apartments under construction Last month, construction began on the Bonifant at Silver Spring, an 11-story mixed-income apartment building for those 62 and up. The building, a project of Montgomery Housing Partnership, a private, nonprofit housing developer, and the Donohoe Companies, will also feature retail space on the ground floor. The $44 million development will provide 149 mixed-income apartments for independent older adults, primarily one-bedroom apartments. Most of the units will be for those with incomes at 30 to 60 percent of the area median income. Ten units will be rented at market rates. “The Bonifant at Silver Spring will fill a critical need for affordable rental housing for a growing number of seniors in Montgomery County,” said County Executive Isaiah Leggett at the June groundbreaking. He pointed out that the building is a few blocks from the Silver Spring Metro station and next to the future Purple Line Metro station. The Bonifant will include a cyber café, fitness room and outdoor terrace. Apartment bathrooms will be equipped with grab bars, and more than half will have walk-in showers. The Bonifant is expected to be completed by January 2016. More information is available at http://TheBonifant.com.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Qs and As on how to choose homecare Last month, we printed an article titled “Helping you stay in your own home longer,” which described several options for in-home healthcare. This month, we answer some common questions people raise on this topic. Q. How do I choose a homecare agency? A. With the number of agencies available, you may want to compare several. Ask for referrals from friends who may have used an agency. Check for quality of services and possible infractions. You can also check with the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau, which will have a record of any specific complaint lodged against an agency. You may find some of these questions helpful in narrowing down your choices: • Is the agency licensed by the state? • Does it provide both nursing and nonmedical/personal care? • What are the qualifications and training of the workers? • Are the workers supervised, and if so, by whom? • Are there a minimum number of hours required? • Is there a written description of services and fees? Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a homecare agency? A. The home health agency provides you with a number of advantages. The agency will create and implement a comprehensive care plan and coordinate this with you and the physician. It will also manage the administrative details, such as payroll (including state, federal, unemployment, Social Security, disability taxes, workers’ compensation, and paperwork like the I-9 employment eligibility form), screening and supervisory oversight. Another advantage of hiring through an agency is that they can provide you with a variety of caregivers for back-up coverage so that, in most instances, you will not be without care should one caregiver be unavailable. A commonly cited disadvantage is the cost. The homecare agency is usually more expensive than hiring a person privately. Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring privately? A. When you hire a person privately, you become the employer and take on those additional responsibilities of the administrative and supervisory roles. Because the nature of the work is very personal, and the relationship is key, some people prefer to search for an individual whose temperament will be most compatible with their own. The other reasons that you may choose to hire privately include: • You have more control over the duties and responsibilities.

• The cost is typically lower than that of an agency. • You will determine the scheduling. If you decide to hire an independent caregiver you should be prepared to locate potential caregivers, screen applicants, conduct inter views, run background checks, and administer payroll, including Social Security and other taxes. Q. How do I find an independent caregiver? A. Getting referrals from people you trust will be your first step. People in your community, church, synagogue or other spiritual affiliation may be able to assist you in your search for a caregiver. Your primary care physician may have recommendations for caregivers. Disease-specific organizations such as the ALS Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, Parkinson’s Disease Association, American Heart Association, and others may know of independent caregivers who are looking for work. Independent workers may also come with recommendations from families who have used them in the past. Check with your local senior center or senior clubs, as they may have a list of individual caregivers. Word of mouth can often be your best route for finding the right person. Q. Are there government resources to assist with finding a caregiver? A. Another source is the ElderCare Locator, a free public service from the U.S. Administration on Aging that will help you find your local Area Agency on Aging. The Area Agency on Aging provides information about state and local resources. Call them at 1-800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov. Q. Are there professionals who can assist with this process? A. If you are having difficulty finding a caregiver to meet your needs you might want to consider using a Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) to assist you. This is usually a nurse or a social worker who can assist with evaluating and overseeing a care plan. A care manager would be able to assist you in the hiring and inter viewing process, as well as ongoing monitoring once you have a caregiver in place. This is especially helpful if you are a family member of someone who needs care and you live a distance from your family member. Some care managers work independently and others may work through an agency. In either instance, the amount the care manager would charge for services and costs would vary based on the type and amount of service you require. Prior to enlisting the services of a GCM you should ask for a fee schedule for his or her services. Excerpted from “Receiving Care at Home” by the MetLife Mature Market Institute.

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INDEPENDENT LIVING

Sommerset 703-450-6411 22355 Providence Village Dr. Sterling, VA 20164 www.sommersetretirement.com Your Search is Over for Premier Retirement Living! At Sommerset Retirement Community, located in the heart of Sterling, Virginia, you’ll experience exceptional independent living at its best, with a comfortable, fulfilling, secure and active lifestyle. Our residents enjoy the privacy of home, without the burdens of home ownership. Sommerset’s unique amenities include restaurant style dining, housekeeping, 24-hour front desk personnel, private transportation, and a calendar full of exciting and fun activities. Enjoy the convenience of being just minutes from medical services, shopping, banking and entertainment. Call us or visit our website to request more information or to schedule your tour and complimentary lunch. Also be sure to see our video, our commercial and many testimonials.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bfg.org You’ll feel it as soon as you drive onto our 220-acre campus of lush pastures and hardwood forest—all that makes independent living at Brooke Grove different. Beautiful cottages in a truly picturesque setting. Maintenance-free living, with more time for what you really want to do. Personalized fitness programs, meals prepared by talented chefs, clubs and social events. Neighbors who share your interests and passions. Come for a visit and see why Brooke Grove Retirement Village is one of the most sought-after retirement communities in the state. Living here is simply different … because what surrounds you really matters.

ASSISTED LIVING

The Solana Olney 301-570-2611 2611 Olney-Sandy Spring Road Olney, MD 20832 www.brookdaleliving.com/solana-olney.aspx The Solana® Olney, in Olney, Maryland, provides Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care options for seniors. Our community offers residents an intellectually stimulating, physically invigorating and emotionally fulfilling life. Those who desire to retain their independence but do not require the skilled nursing care provided in nursing homes will appreciate our friendly staff’s assistance with activities of daily living. We also provide speciallydesigned programs and care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia-related illnesses. At The Solana Olney, you and your loved one will enjoy a stylish, comfortable and inviting community environment to share with neighbors and friends, along with all the features and amenities needed to enhance your personal lifestyle. We invite you to call to learn more.

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Housing Options

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 â€” WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Don’t Fall Prey to Affinity Fraud By Lucy Drafton-Lowery The D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) has received complaints from District residents regarding affinity fraud, an increasingly common type of scam. Affinity fraud refers to investment scams that target members of specific groups, such as religious or ethnic communities, active or retired military or professional groups. The faith, love, trust and friendships that these groups share can prompt members to let their guard down, and it’s these close bonds that scammers sometimes exploit to get you to invest. The scam almost always involves either a fake investment or an investment where the scammer is dishonest about important details, such as the use of funds and the risk of loss. Unfortunately, there have been cases of affinity fraud in Washington, D.C. One example involved a D.C.-based businessman from Africa who conned a couple into investing $115,000 in so-called “growth fund investments.” He invited the couple to dinner, made his pitch, and persuaded them to buy shares in a high-risk fund designed for short-term investors who could accept those risks. Because they were friends from the same country, the couple trusted him and handed over their life savings. After an investigation, the department ordered him to cease and desist from providing investment advice, pay a $30,000 civil penalty, and pay restitution in the amount of $115,000 back to the couple.

Pyramid schemes Affinity fraud often involves “Ponzi” or pyramid schemes, where new investor money is used to make payments to past investors to give the false impression that the investment is profitable. The scammer wants you, the investor, to believe your investment is safe so you will reinvest or encourage others to invest. Once the new investments stop, the scheme usually collapses. Another instance of affinity fraud took place at a local District church. The minister convinced members of his congregation to give money for what he told them was an “investment opportunity” that would help the church. Since they trusted him as their church pastor, they provided him with the funds. He promised investors a 20 percent return after one year, regardless of market conditions. The minister collected thousands of dollars from his parishioners and used the money to purchase property, fund renovations, and for other costs associated with an investment property. When the payments on the notes were due to investors, the minister was unable to pay. The department took action against the minister, and he was fined $30,000 and ordered to pay restitution to the D.C. victims. However, not all scammers are members of a group. They can be without any affiliation and use a different tactic to gain the confidence of group members. For example, they may enlist a few prominent people from the group to market the scam to leverage the familiarity of a trusted leader. The department finds that many instances of affinity fraud go unreported because the victims try to solve problems within the group or are too embarrassed to report the fraud. Don’t place yourself in a position where your savings could be wiped out — protect yourself and your money. And don’t be embarrassed to report suspected fraud to the department. Your report may help keep others from putting their money into the same scam.

Avoiding affinity fraud Here are some tips on how to avoid affinity fraud: • Beware of investment opportunities that promise quick returns. • Beware of investment opportunities that are based on or challenge a person’s faith or their obligation to give money because of religious beliefs. • Beware of testimonials or endorsements from group members. Scam artists frequently pay out high returns to early investors by using money from previous investors. • Do not fall for investments that promise profits or “guaranteed” returns. If an investment seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Generally, the greater the potential return the investment offers, the greater the risk of losing money. • Be skeptical of any investment that is not fully documented in writing. Avoid an investment if you are told there is insufficient time to put the terms in writing. Also, you should be suspicious if you are told to keep the investment opportunity to yourself, or that it is only available for a limited time, or to a select few. • Don’t be pressured or rushed into an investment before you have a chance to think about it and investigate it. Watch out for investments that are pitched as “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities, especially when the promoter bases the recommendation on “inside” or “confidential” information. • Check out everything before you invest. Never make an investment decision that is based solely on the recommendation of a leader or member of an organization, or religious or ethnic group to which you belong. • Seek professional advice by asking a disinterested outside expert not in your group – attorney, accountant, banker, stockbroker or financial planner to evaluate the investment. • Call the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking at 202-727-8000 to check the license of the person offering the investment. Ask if they are registered to do business in the District and if the investment is allowed to be sold. If the person or the investment is not registered, that is a sure warning to inquire further. Don`t take the word of a salesperson! Check out the investment yourself. You can’t get rid of scammers, but you can avoid having them come into your life. Don’t make a costly mistake by relying solely on “trust” when making an investment. The better informed you are, the less likely your chance of becoming a victim of investment fraud and abuse. The DISB works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the District. Contact the department if you have any questions about the license status of the person offering the investment. You can reach them on 202-727-8000 or visit disb.dc.gov. You can also use the free BrokerCheck tool from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to help research registered brokerage firms and brokers, as well as investment adviser firms and representatives. Find the tool at www.finra.org/Investors/ToolsCalculators/BrokerCheck/ Lucy Drafton-Lowery is public affairs specialist for the D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. This department regulates the city’s financialservices businesses. It has two missions: to effectively and fairly regulate financial services to protect the people of the District, and to attract and retain financial-services businesses. For more information, visit disb.dc.gov.

Spotlight On Aging continued from page 24, preceding the Housing & Home Care Options magazine at the left Please pull out and keep the magazine. You may also pull out and keep Spotlight on Aging.

Energy Assistance Available for Low-Income Residents Home utility bills can be expensive, especially over the summer months when we consume more energy to stay cool. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income residents meet their home energy needs, and provides emergency assistance to households whose electric or gas services have been terminated. In addition to the financial assistance, LIHEAP also provides fans during deadly summer heat waves, and heaters and blankets during the cold season. The amount of assistance is based on household size, total household income, fuel type and type of residence. If you are currently receiving benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), then you are already eligible to participate in LIHEAP. Recipients can receive between $250 and $1,500 in a given year. Each year, between 12,000 and 14,000 low income District of Columbia residents are provided energy assistance through LIHEAP, of which roughly one-third are 65 years or older. For more information, call 311 or visit www.ddoe.DC.gov/liheap.

Train to Be a DCOA Ambassador Are you interested in making a difference in your community? Train to become a D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) Ambassador, and help connect your neighbors, friends and family members to DCOA programs and ser vices. DCOA has valuable programs, services and resources to help residents age 60 and older remain in their communities and to provide assistance for their caregivers. Resources are also available for persons living with disabilities age 18 and older. Call 202-724-5622 to register for an upcoming training. Training dates: July 17: 10 a.m. to noon August 2: 10 a.m. to noon

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar July events

14th • 11:30 a.m.

12th • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join in a block party at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, 4606 16th St. NW. For more information, call Alice Thompson at 202-535-1321.

16th • 11:30 a.m.

Attend a town hall meeting at the Kibar Nutrition Site, 1519 Islamic Way NW. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

15th to Aug. 26th • 1 to 3 p.m. 13th, 20th and 27th • 1 to 5 p.m. Iona Senior Services presents a series called “OMG! I’m Middle Aged. Now What?” The threepart series examine various aspects of middle adulthood, such as relationships, career, and health and wellness. Group members will receive a notebook full of helpful resources. The fee is $75. Iona is located at 4125 Albemarle St. NW. Call 202-895-9448 or email registration@iona.org to register.

A six-session class called “Mindful Living 101” will be held by Iona Senior Services every Tuesday from July 15 to Aug. 26 (except Aug. 5). Mindful Living explores deeper connections with our emotional and physical selves, and covers choices in retirement, changes in ourselves and our relationships, and wellness and personal growth. The fee is $75. Iona is located at 4125 Albemarle St. NW. Call 202-895-9448 or email registration@iona.org to register.

Learn about medical identity theft at Ward 5 nutrition sites. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

21st • 11:30 a.m. Attend a town hall meeting at Delta Towers Nutrition Site, 1400 Florida Ave. NW. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

Ongoing Ward 5 residents who are age 60 and over and are in need of legal advice can contact Seabury Ward 5 Aging Services on Mondays to speak with a lawyer. Call 202-529-8701.

Scholarship on Health and Disability

Dr. Thompson poses with members of the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club after their taping of “Happy” at the Model Cities Senior Wellness Center.

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 Lateef Mangum Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race,

color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action. The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

The Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability is awarded annually by the American Association on Health and Disabilities. The scholarship goes to a deserving student with a disability who is pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies (must be at least enrolled as a junior in college) in an accredited university. Applicants must be pursuing studies related to health and disability, to include, but not limited to: public health, health promotion, disability studies, disability research, rehabilitation engineering, audiology, disability policy, special education and other majors that will impact the quality of life of persons with disabilities. • Applicant must have a disability; • Applicant must be enrolled

full time as an undergraduate student (junior standing and above) or enrolled part time or full time in a graduate school; • Preference is given to students majoring in a field related to disability and health (see scholarship program criteria above); • Applicant must be a US citizen or legal resident living in the US and enrolled in an accredited US university; • Funds are limited to under $1,000. The 2014-2015 Scholarship Award will be awarded on January 2015. It is the discretion of the Scholarship Committee to determine how many scholarships will be awarded each year and the amount of each scholarship. Applications are due November 15, 2014. For more information, visit www.aahd.us or call (301) 545-6140.

Hospital Care Team Offers Support The ADRC Hospital Transition Care Team collaborates with hospitals in DC to offer support and necessary resources to seniors age 60 and over and persons living with disabilities ages 18 to 59 as they transition from the hospital into the community. The team links these persons and

their caregivers with support services such as personal care, housing, transportation, benefits assistance, respite, recreational/social activities and much more. If you need assistance when being discharged from the hospital, call 202724-5626.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

DON’T ABANDON BONDS While bond funds have slipped, they still have a place in your portfolio CLOSING UP SHOP Social Security shutters a record number of offices across the country ON THE FAST TRACK Certain illnesses get priority for quick Social Security disability benefits PASS IT ON When leaving a valuable collection to heirs, consider taxes, appraisals

Investors looking abroad for dividends By Stan Choe In the search for dividends, it can pay for investors to head abroad. Markets outside the United States have long been fertile ground for dividend hunters because their stronger cultures of paying dividends have resulted in higher yields. U.S. companies have boosted their own dividends, and paid a record amount last year. But many mutual-fund managers say the most attractive dividend stocks are still outside the country. Investors also are showing a preference for foreign dividend payers: That’s where they’re putting more of their money. “The U.S. is an actively hostile dividend market and has been for years,” said Daniel Peris, senior portfolio manager at Federated Investors. He helps run the Federated International Strategic Value Dividend fund (IVFAX), among others.

Differing approaches In the U.S., companies often use their cash to buy back stock instead of paying dividends. But in other developed markets, Peris said there’s a strong assumption that companies will pay out much or most of their earnings to shareholders as

dividends. Consider HSBC Holdings, the largest company by market value in the United Kingdom. The financial giant paid out 58 percent of its earnings per share last year in the form of dividends. In the U.S., companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index paid about 35 percent of their earnings as dividends. That’s more than they paid just a few years ago, but it’s down from earlier decades. The yields are also higher abroad. U.K. stocks have an average dividend yield of 3.3 percent, and stocks in Europe outside the U.K. offer 3.1 percent, according to MSCI indexes. Stocks from emerging markets, such as Brazil and China, pay 2.7 percent. All are ahead of the 2 percent yield of U.S. stocks. Interest in dividends has climbed after they helped to stem losses during the “lost decade” of 2000-09 for stocks. The S&P 500 fell 24.1 percent after the dot-com bust and financial crisis swamped markets in succession. But after including dividends, the decade’s loss was a less distasteful 9.1 percent. Besides potentially smoothing out the ride of stock investing, dividend payers can also supply income to investors con-

tending with relatively low interest rates on bonds.

Dividends = fiscal discipline? Perhaps most importantly, companies that pay dividends force themselves to be more disciplined in how they spend money, which can lead to better performance, said David Ruff. He is a portfolio manager at Forward Management and helps run Forward Select Emerging Markets Dividend (FSLRX) and other dividend funds. When a company has to budget for its dividend, its managers are less likely to waste money on an ill-fitting acquisition or expansion. And companies typically fight to maintain their dividend even when times are tight for fear of an investor backlash. That’s why Ruff sees a company’s promise to pay a dividend as a signal of discipline. He also said he generally sees better signals for dividend stocks abroad than at home. Investors plugged a net $6 billion into foreign large-cap value stock mutual funds through the first four months of the year, according to Morningstar. Such funds tend to focus on dividend-paying stocks,

and their U.S. counterparts attracted a smaller $4.5 billion over the same time, even though they’re a bigger category by assets.

Risks overseas To be sure, foreign stocks present their own set of risks. Emerging-market stocks in particular can gyrate sharply. Other considerations that investors should be aware of include: Irregular schedule. In the U.S., investors have become accustomed to companies paying out steady dividends every three months. Abroad, the payment schedule isn’t uniform. Some companies pay twice a year, others four. And the amounts may vary. Nestle, for example, is the biggest nonU.S. company in the MSCI High Dividend Yield index. The Swiss-based company pays a dividend once a year, about a week after its annual general meeting. This year, it was paid on April 10. Like Nestle, many European companies pay much or most of their dividends during the second quarter, from April through June. HSBC meanwhile pays four dividends a See DIVIDENDS ABROAD, page 28

Do you cheat on your spouse (financially)? By Anne Kates Smith According to a recent survey, one-third of adults who combine finances with a partner or spouse have committed financial infidelity. Of those who said they had cheated, three in 10 hid cash, a purchase, a statement or bill, or even a bank account from their significant other. And 13 percent engaged in more-significant deceptions, such as lying about how much they earn or what they owe. Not surprisingly, a financial deception ultimately caused an argument nearly half the time. What may surprise you, however, is that fights about money lead to divorce more often than disagreements about chores, in-laws, spending time together or even sex, according to research by Utah State University professor Jeffrey Dew, an expert in money and family relationships.

You can often spot the signs of financial infidelity the same way you spot the other kind — by finding a stray receipt or a statement you don’t recognize. Sometimes financial infidelity is a symptom of something more serious, such as addiction, gambling or a compulsive buying disorder. Or it could be deeper relationship issues, such as a lack of trust or an abuse of power. Extreme cases call for a therapist equipped to deal with money issues. Increasingly, therapists are on staff or on call in financial-planning practices.

How to establish trust Most couples can address financial infidelity with financial psychologist Brad Klontz’s four-step process, which he calls SAFE. First, “Speak the truth.” It’s crucial to

‘fess up, and then have a serious conversation about your budget, spending habits and goals for the future. Start by determining whether you and your partner are aligned in your money values. Maybe one of you is focused on the physical comforts of life (a nice house, car, wardrobe), and the other cares more about experiences (travel, the arts or professional sports). In Klontz’s program, A stands for “Agree to a plan.” Determine joint goals (a down payment on a home, say), then compromise by budgeting for the vacation and the new car. Maybe you’ll agree to keep a certain portion of your finances separate. (About 35 percent of those committing financial infidelity said they did it because they believe some aspects of their finances should remain private.)

Or perhaps you’ll decide to have a discussion when spending anything over a certain threshold — $100, $200, or whatever the two of you deem appropriate. F is for “Follow the agreement,” which sounds easier than it is. Revisit your plan in a month or two, so that you can tweak it instead of giving up. Finally, “Establish an emergency plan.” If you’re fighting a lot or you’re at an impasse, it’s time to consult with a counselor. Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Despite performance, don’t purge bonds Common stock investors have certainly dicting a 10-year return of only 2 to 3 perbeen pleased with the overall stock market cent for a conservative bond portfolio. performance over the last five years. For example, the S&P 500 index increased Those who forget the past 19.1 percent in that period; Unfortunately, many inVanguard’s total stock market vestors have short memories. index fund has increased 19.6 There is a blog post worth percent. reading on Vanguard’s webInvestors in bond funds, exsite, “A second look at bond cept for high-yield (junk) investing in a rising-rate envibond funds, saw their bond ronment,” written by Brian portfolios decrease approxiScott. mately 2 percent in 2013. As a Scott points out that, historresult, many investors have ically, aggregate bond prices reduced the proportion of have shown a net loss only 15 THE SAVINGS bonds in their portfolios. percent of the time, or one out GAME Based on the email I re- By Elliot Raphaelson of six years. Aggregate stock ceive, it seems many investors prices have decreased 25 perare considering lowering the cent of the time, or one out of long-term allocation of bonds in their port- four years. folios even further. This is understandable He also points out that in the worst year as many (if not most) bond experts are pre- for common stocks, prices fell 67.6 per-

cent, while in the worst year for bonds, prices fell only 13.9 percent. In the periods between October 2007 and March 2009, common stocks fell 57 percent, high-yield bonds fell 26 percent, and real estate investment trusts fell 71 percent. The U.S. aggregate bond index increased 5 percent during that period; the Treasury Index increased 15 percent. What are the lessons from these statistics? To me, they prove the value of a diversified portfolio at all times. If you look at the five-year period prior to the five years when common stocks had such a great run, bonds outperformed stocks by a wide margin. If you had a 100 percent stock portfolio during those five years, you would have had a negative performance. For the last 15 years, during my retirement, I have had a significant percentage of both bonds and common stocks in my portfolio (at least 40 percent in each). Obviously, I would have done better if I had a 100 percent bond allocation for five years and then a 100 percent stock allocation for the next five years. I don’t know anyone who did that.

Shaping your portfolio My point is that peaks and valleys in both the stock and bond market are unpredictable. It is true that on a long-term basis stocks have outperformed bonds, and even retired investors should maintain a significant percent of stocks in their portfolio. I don’t think a 50 percent holding in common stocks for most retirees is too high. With inflation at approximately 3 percent, and expected bond returns of 2 to 3 percent, retirees should have a significant portion of their portfolio in stocks to pro-

Dividends abroad From page 27 year, but the amount varies. The first three quarterly payments are the same, but the fourth can swing depending on the company’s earnings. For 2013, HSBC paid an annual dividend of 49 cents per share. The first three payments were 10 cents, and the final one was 19 cents. Currency risk. One of the main risks of foreign investing is that swings in currency values can quickly erode any potential profit.

tect against inflation on an intermediateterm basis. Most of my bond portfolio is in intermediate-term mutual funds. Investing this way provides reasonable interest without a great deal of capital risk. Short-term bonds currently pay very low returns. According to Scott, investments in 1- to 3-year bonds currently yield only 0.66 percent. Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (which has a longer duration) currently yields 2.4 percent. Although long-term bonds yield a little more than the average intermediate-term bond portfolio, there is much greater capital risk if interest rates do increase a great deal. It would be great if we could predict peaks and valleys in the stock and bond markets. No one can. There is a danger in having too high an allocation in either stocks or bonds. There is too great a temptation to make drastic changes at exactly the wrong times. At the end of 2008, and at the start of 2009, many investors who had a high percentage of their portfolio in common stocks sold most or all of their holdings in stocks, and missed most or all of the fiveyear boom. If you maintain a diversified portfolio, balancing your positions on an annual basis, you should be able to obtain reasonable returns without having to guess market tops and bottoms. You may not get rich, but you will be able to sleep soundly. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC..

If a stock’s price rises on the London Stock Exchange, for example, but the British pound falls in value against the dollar, it could negate the gain for a U.S. investor. The value of dividend payments can also take a hit. Last quarter, for example, Japanese companies paid the equivalent of $2 billion in dividends, according to Henderson Global Investors. That’s down 21 percent from the first quarter of 2013, but half of that decline was due to the falling value of the Japanese yen. — AP

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Call 311 to Get it Done! or visit mc311.com Call 240-777-0311 outside Montgomery County or near the County Border

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Predicting the midyear outlook for stocks By Anne Kates Smith We predicted in January that Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index would finish the year in the vicinity of 1900, and the Dow Jones industrial average would close above 17,000. We still think that’s a good, conservative bet, although it’s possible that stocks could tack on a little more — with the S&P 500 closing between 1950 and 2000. That would produce gains of 6 percent for the year and would translate to roughly 17,500 for the Dow. Stock returns will mirror growth in corporate earnings, which analysts estimate at 6 to 7 percent this year. Dividends will add another two percentage points to the market’s return.

Where to look for growth But the market has grown more complicated. In order to prosper, you’ll have to be choosier about where you invest. In general, we think the rest of the year will favor larger companies over smaller ones; companies that sell at reasonable values over high-growth, high-priced stocks; and companies that are more sensitive to improvement in the economy than those

considered more defensive. For the 5-year-old bull market to continue, it will have to meet several midlife challenges. The first will be making the transition from a market driven by super-easy monetary policies and little competition from fixed-income investments to one more focused on corporate profits. The Federal Reserve is unwinding its bond-buying program aimed at keeping long-term rates low, and will eventually look toward raising short-term rates, most likely next year. As investors begin to anticipate that tightening, the market could suffer a 5 to 10 percent pullback, perhaps in the fourth quarter, said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. But if raising interest rates to a more normal level is seen as a vote of confidence in the economy, it won’t be the end of the bull market.

Focus on revenues A second challenge: Companies must become less dependent on the plump profit margins engineered by cost-cutting and other maneuvers and more reliant on revenue growth. Since the financial crisis, per-

BEACON BITS

July 17

SPORTS AND COMICS COLLECTIONS Ever wonder how much your collection of baseball cards or comic

books is worth? Join Stephen Weber and Damon Hudson, owners of Collector’s World and Collectible Experts on Thursday, July 17 at 1 p.m. at the Walter Reed Senior Center, 2909 S. 16th St., Arlington, Va. Hear how things have changed since the advent of eBay and the Internet and learn how to value your collectibles as well as success tips for new collectors. To register for this free event, call (703) 228-0955.

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share earnings growth has been strong as companies have cut costs, refinanced high-cost debt, lowered tax bills and bought back shares. A recent spike in mergers and buyouts is aimed at buying revenue growth, said John Toohey, who directs stock investments for USAA. But he and others would prefer to see more growth coming from actually selling more goods and services. Such growth will hinge on whether the economy can finally accelerate convincing-

ly. Kiplinger’s expects gross domestic product to expand by 2.4 percent this year, up from 1.9 percent growth in 2013, with the growth rate picking up to 3 percent or better in the second half. Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. ©2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Social Security closes many field offices By Stephen Ohlemacher The Social Security Administration has been closing a record number of field offices because of budget constraints, even as the demand for services soars, according to a new congressional report. As a result, seniors seeking information and help from the agency are facing in-

creasingly long waits, in person and on the phone, the report said. Social Security has closed 64 field offices since 2010, the largest number of closures in a five-year period in the agency’s history, the bipartisan staff of the Senate Aging Committee said in its report. In addition, the agency has closed 533 temporary mo-

PAUL F. RIEKHOF ATTORNEY AT LAW

bile offices that often serve remote areas. In addition, hours have been reduced in the 1,245 field offices that are still open, the report said. The report questions the agency’s criteria for choosing which offices to close, saying the impact on local communities is rarely taken into account. “Seniors are not being served well when you arbitrarily close offices and reduce access to services,” said Sen. Bill Nelson, DFla., chairman of the Aging Committee. “The closure process is neither fair nor transparent and needs to change.” The committee held a hearing on the report the day it was released in June. Social Security released a short statement on the report. “We appreciate the Senate Aging Committee’s report on service delivery issues and the tough choices we have had to make because of budget constraints,” the statement said. “We just received the report this morning and have begun reviewing its findings and recommendations. We will respond to the committee when that analysis is complete.”

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Higher, not lower, needs The closings come as applications for both retirement and disability benefits soar, a trend that will continue as aging baby boomers approach retirement. More than 47 million people receive Social Security retirement benefits, nearly a 20 percent increase from a decade ago. About 11 million people receive Social Security disability benefits, a 38 percent increase from a decade ago. The Social Security Administration has been encouraging people to access services online. The agency has upgraded its website in recent years, including secure connections to access confidential information and apply for benefits. In 2013, nearly half of all retirement applications were filed online, the report said.

But the committee report notes that many older Americans lack access to the Internet, or might not be comfortable using it to apply for benefits. Last year, more than 43 million people visited Social Security field offices, the report said. About 43 percent of those seeking an appointment had to wait more than three weeks, up from just 10 percent the year before, the report said.

Longer hold times Wait times on the phone have increased too — for those who get through. This year, the agency projects that 14 percent of callers to a toll-free help line will get a busy signal. Those who get through wait on hold for an average of 17 minutes, the report said. People can get information about Social Security, Medicare and Supplemental Security Income at the field offices. They can apply for benefits, and get information to help them decide when to apply. They can also address more complicated issues such as fraud. Visitors can also get documents verifying their benefits or Social Security numbers, though these services are scheduled to be eliminated at field offices later this year. People sometimes need the information quickly to apply for jobs or to verify income when applying for other government benefits, the report said. “There are many, many instances where the case may be too complicated to be resolved simply by going online,” said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the top Republican on the Aging Committee. “Far too many seniors throughout our nation, particularly those living in rural areas, might not have access to a computer or the Internet,” Collins said. “It is critical that SSA take into account these issues and the effect on the community before eliminating services.” — AP

BEACON BITS

July 22

START A BUSINESS Adriana Carr, MBA, will explain the pros and cons of starting a

small business during retirement on Tuesday, July 22 at 1 p.m. at Lee Senior Center, 5722 Lee Hwy., Arlington, Va. This is a free event. To register, call (703) 2285722.

Ongoing

MARYLAND SENIOR OLYMPICS REGISTRATION The 2014 Maryland Senior Olympics will be held from Aug. 16 through Sept. 28 at venues in Baltimore city and Baltimore, Mont-

gomery, Howard, Anne Arundel and Queen Anne’s counties. The Olympics feature

R sid Re dential Living • Personal Care • Assisted Living

23 sports in 100 events. To participate, you must be 50 or over. Maryland is open to out-of-state athletes, too. Registration deadline is two weeks prior to your

301-587-0190 (TRS 711) www.springvaleterrace.com 8505 Springvale Road ¥ Silver Spring, MD

event. This year is a qualifying year for the 2015 National Senior Games in Minneapolis. Download a copy of the 2014 Information and Registration Guide at www.mdseniorolympics.org/pdf/mso_2014guideWEB.pdf. For more information, e-mail info@mdseniorolympics.org or call (410) 396-2920.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Some disability benefits are fast-tracked By Judi Hasson It used to be that some people with serious disabilities would die before the Social Security Administration finally got around to reviewing their applications for disability benefits. Today, applicants with one of 225 of the severest medical conditions can win approval within 15 days. The government’s “compassionate allowances” program provides fast-track review of applicants who can prove they have one of the medical conditions on the list, which includes various cancers, heart disease, and immune system and neurological disorders. (For the list, go to www.ssa.gov/ compassionateallowances.) Nearly 95 percent of compassionate allowances applications are approved. The other 5 percent are placed on an expedited appeals process. The average monthly benefit was $1,146 in December 2013. As with all applications for Social Security disability benefits, compassionate allowances applicants must be unable to work. The program was a godsend for Robert C., 55, a businessman who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2013. Robert, who did not want his last name used, applied in March 2013 and started receiving $2,400 a month in April — the full retirement benefit he would have received at age 66. “It’s helped us retain our home and helped us get back on our feet,” he said.

For those with urgent need The program began in 2008 to help the most severely ill cut through the huge backlog of applications for disability benefits. Before then, Social Security employees had no way to distinguish between the most urgent applications from tens of

thousands of other disability claims received each year. With a lengthy backlog and a time-consuming appeals process, many qualified applicants died before getting payments. Diseases and conditions are added to the list each year. There is no backlog for compassionate allowances applications, even though the application rolls grow as new diseases are approved. About 200,000 people have received benefits through the program since it started. The program is one of Social Security’s “best kept secrets,” said Cheryl Bates-Harris, senior disability advocate for the National Disability Rights Organization. “In the past, disability decisions were made by Social Security personnel who weren’t medical professionals, and they were unaware of unusual diseases and their outcomes. The compassionate allowances program makes it easier for people to get benefits without having to wait two, three or five years,” she said.

“There are diagnoses, like pancreatic cancer, where the outcome is dire. If you can prove you have the disease from your medical record, we will fast-forward your application,” said Art Spencer, who recently retired as Social Security’s associate commissioner for the office of disability programs. For the quickest results, Bates-Harris suggests applying immediately after a diagnosis. Also, make sure every one of your doctors sends medical records quickly. If your disability is not on the list, expect a lengthy wait. The average processing time for an initial disability claim under the

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Doctors send medical records Here’s how it works: Once an individual claims a compassionate allowances condition during the initial application, special software alerts the Social Security Administration that the case needs to be fasttracked. Applicants must provide medical evidence, including medical records and recent test results. After an applicant provides authorization, Social Security adjudicators will ask the applicant’s doctors for information if all medical records aren’t supplied. When the condition is confirmed, disability payments start flowing. You don’t need a lawyer or advocate to help as long as you have a diagnosis that falls within the category.

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normal procedures is 86 days, plus more than 450 additional days for a rejected applicant to complete the appeals process. You can apply at www.ssa.gov/dibplan/dapply.htm, by phone at 800-7721213, or at your local Social Security office. You’ll need information about your healthcare providers and medications, laboratory results, and any medical records you have. Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Leaving a valuable collection to your heirs By Vickie Elmer Do you collect vintage radios, 19th-century dolls or perhaps African sculptures? It may take some expert help to work out how to pass these on to your heirs. Parents’ collectibles can hold emotional meaning for adult children, and some collections carry financial value as well. Before you choose a beneficiary for your collection, sit down with your family and find out who, if anyone, wants the items.

Then consider whether you want to parcel out some items now, wait a few years, or hold on to everything until you die. One reason to give away items before you die: The joy of seeing beloved objects bestowed now. “Face-to-face giving is rewarding for the donor,” said Michael Whitty, an estateplanning lawyer with Handler Thayer, in Chicago. Whether you pass on collections now or after you die, he suggests giving

BEACON BITS

July 10

MEDICARE CHOICES

Montgomery County’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) presents a free information session on Medicare on Thursday, July 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., North Potomac, Md. Questions addressed will include: Do you need to sign up for Medicare now? Can I work and get Medicare? Do you know the Medicare alphabet, A, B, C and D? For more information, visit www.medicareabcd.org or call (301) 590-2819.

July 13

EQUINE HERITAGE AND TEA

Join Green Spring Gardens for an afternoon of tea and an exploration of Virginian equine heritage on Sunday, July 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. Hear about the centuries-old tradition of the Virginia horse and the famous residents who have upheld it. Reservations required; the cost is $29. Green Spring Gardens is located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. To reserve, call (703) 941-7987.

heirs a “user manual” on how to maintain, insure and sell the valuables.

Tax considerations Keep the tax tab in mind before you decide how to dispose of a valuable collection. Each year you can give each beneficiary up to $14,000 in cash, securities and other assets ($28,000 per beneficiary from a couple) without having to file a gift-tax return. Anything above $14,000 counts against the estate-tax threshold — in 2014, $10.68 million ($5.34 million for an individual) — when you die. Therefore, couples who have amassed an estate well above the federal estate-tax threshold may want to parcel out valuable collectibles to children and grandchildren year by year. A lower estate-tax bill may be an incentive to donate the collection if your kids don’t want it. If you decide to sell, you will pay a maximum 28-percent capital-gains tax on collectibles — lower than the federal estatetax rate. (Your state may also impose its own estate or inheritance tax.) Before you start divvying up your collection, consider whether it is worth more in-

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. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing. Contact Washington, DC Lifeline Program at 1-800-253-0846 to apply To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org.

Economy II is a Lifeline supported service. Lifeline is a government assistance program. Only eligible consumers may enroll. You may qualify for Lifeline service if you can show proof that you participate in certain government assistance programs or your annual income (gross and from all sources) is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. If you qualify based on income, you will be required to provide income verification. Proof of participation in a government assistance program requires your current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a qualifying state or federal program; a notice letter or other official document indicating your participation in such a program; and/or another program participation document (for example, benefit card). Proof of income requires your prior year’s state or federal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a statement of Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement, pension, or Unemployment or Workmen’s Compensation benefits; a federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; a divorce decree; a child support award; and/or another official document containing income information. At least three months of data is necessary when showing proof of income. In addition, the Lifeline program is limited to one discount per household, consisting of either wireline or wireless service. You are required to certify and agree that no other member of the household is receiving Lifeline service from Verizon or another communications provider. Lifeline service is a non-transferable benefit. Lifeline customers may not subscribe to certain other services, including other local telephone service. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain the Lifeline benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or can be barred from the program.

Appraising your collection If you will gift a collection during your lifetime, you should get an appraisal done before you start giving it away, and update the appraisal every five years or so. If you plan to give one child a collection appraised at, say, $50,000, you could decide to give another child $50,000 in cash or other property. Depending on the size of your estate, your heirs will need to get their own appraisal for estate-tax purposes. If the collection is unusual, such as antique African carvings, recommend an appraiser and have it valued while you’re still alive. To find an appraiser near you, go to the website of the American Society of Appraisers (www.appraisers.org), the Appraisers Association of America (www.appraisersassoc.org), or the International Society of Appraisers (www.isa-appraisers.org). Vickie Elmer is a freelance writer for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

July 17 Did you know?

tact or separated. A coin or stamp collection is more valuable together than apart. Most art and antiques usually fetch more sold piece by piece.

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT ANNIVERSARY

Join a discussion of the book We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. Meet the author M.J. O’Brien, as well as Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, a civil rights activist and participant in the demonstration. The free event takes place on Thursday, July 17 at 7 p.m. at the George Mason Regional Library, 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003. Books and documentaries will be available for sale and signing. Light refreshments. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library or call (703) 256-3800.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Travel Leisure &

Niagara Falls is a 20-minute drive from Buffalo, N.Y. See story on page 37.

Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 Islands Some highlights: Thirty lighthouses, 28 of which are historic (some open to the public); a replica of an 18th century European castle; a 19th century Army barracks; a town celebrating the War of 1812; unique museums; a contest to catapult pumpkins into the river; and the place where Thousand Island Salad Dressing was created. If you want to take a tour, there are boat, balloon and helicopter options. There are also many excellent opportunities for fishing, boating, golfing and hiking. Diehard adventurers can dive for liquor bottles tossed overboard during Prohibition. If you’re in your own car, New York’s 518mile Seaway Trail bypasses busy interstates and meanders from one small scenic town to the next. On the southern end, Route 12 follows the shoreline through rolling green fields punctuated by silos, dairy cows, barns, farmhouses, and villages right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Sackets Harbor

PHOTO BY GEORGE FISHER

I started my journey up the river in the village of Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario. I found the tourism director, Cheryl Payne, chatting on a bench in front of her store, the Calla Lilies Shop, with Timothy Scee, the town supervisor. Tim instantly offered a personal tour, which started on Main Street, lined with pink roses, and wound through the Madison barracks, the battlefield and past the water tower. Robust, 12-foot lilac bushes seemed to leap up everywhere. Sackets Harbor residents brag that their town was a critical 19th century U.S. naval station and shipbuilding center, as well as the stage for two battles in the War of 1812 where the British were vanquished. In the first, British warships arrived but then withdrew after suffering damage. In the second, the Americans repelled a landing force. The town is having a three-year-long bicentennial commemoration of the war through 2015. Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, built in 1827, marks the point The battlefield comwhere Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River in northern New York. mandant’s house is fur-

PHOTO COURTESY OF 1000 ISLANDS TOURISM COUNCIL

By Glenda C. Booth The great St. Lawrence River, which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, is inviting. It invites curious travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, pumpkin catapulters and even would-be princes and princesses who harbor fantasies of living in castles. Throughout history, it has lured Native Americans, Canada’s First Nations people, fur traders, explorers, international merchants and warring nations. The St. Lawrence River Seaway, which includes a system of rivers, canals, locks and dams from Lake Superior to the Atlantic, constitutes the largest freshwater waterway in the world, stretching 2,300 miles. But this story is about a very special 50mile section of the St. Lawrence that straddles the border between New York state and Ontario, Canada. It is dotted with 1,864 chunks of rocky earth — islands that range from 50 square miles to the size of a carport. Native Americans called the region the “Garden of the Great Spirit.” According to an Iroquois legend, the Great Spirit gave people a magical garden, on the condition that they not fight. The tribes started warring against each other, so the Great Spirit picked up the paradise, and somehow the garden slipped from the Spirit’s hands, shattering into many islands. Today, adventurous ramblers can find numerous intriguing nooks and crannies on and off the beaten path throughout the region.

The unfinished Boldt Castle sprawls across one of the more than 1,000 islands in a portion of the St. Lawrence River that divides New York and Ontario. The castle, off the coast of the town of Alexandria Bay, was being built by George Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, for his wife. He called off the project when she suddenly passed away during its construction in 1904.

nished as Commodore Josiah Tattnall’s was in the mid-1800s. The Madison Barracks, a living history museum of military architecture, had a role in every war from the War of 1812 to World War II. For more history, visit http://paththroughhistory.ny.gov/. Locals trumpet Funny Cide, the thoroughbred winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness races, because the racehorse was owned by six locals. The Boathouse Restaurant displays the jockey’s jersey and other paraphernalia. Sackets Harborites are also proud of Caroline, the 2013 American Girl doll heroine, modeled after a local girl whose father was a shipbuilder taken prisoner in 1812 by the Brits. There is a blonde-haired Caroline doll in a long pink dress, as well as seven fiction books about her “life.” For relief from war themes, Old McDonald’s Farm is a 1,000-cow dairy farm featuring a state-of-the-art milking parlor. Its computer technology tracks a cow’s activities, milk production, breeding and calf delivery dates. The town’s visitor center in the FederalGeorgian-style Augustus Sacket House can supply additional suggestions.

Clayton The hamlet of Clayton, perched on a peninsula jutting out into the St. Lawrence River, was founded as a lumber and shipbuilding center and port in 1822.

A walking map from the Chamber of Commerce on Riverside Drive will guide your amble around the five-block historic district. It consists of 31 buildings erected between 1854 and the 1920s in Italianate and Richardsonian Romanesque styles. Some feature pressed metal and cast iron cornices and window crowns. Given the town’s orientation to the river, locals are known as River Rats. So be sure to sample the local aged cheddar, River Rat Cheese. The village centerpiece is the Thousand Islands Inn, which opened in 1897 to serve visitors arriving by rail. It’s the only one of three dozen inns in the 1,000 islands region to survive from that era. Its early 1900s décor is a step back in time, creating an ambience that landed the hotel on television’s Travel Channel 33 times. The Antique Boat Museum, brimming with over 320 boats, is home to the largest collection of antique freshwater recreational boats in the U.S., from canoes to racing boats to the 106-foot, Gilded Age houseboat, La Duchesse, owned by hotel magnate George Boldt of Waldorf Astoria fame. The houseboat has a steel hull, brass fireplace, nine bedrooms, five bathrooms, servants’ quarters, a dancing deck, and a flower potting room. Museum exhibits explore See 1,000 ISLANDS, page 35

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

1,000 Islands From page 34 boating history, starting with dugout canoes. The Thousand Islands Museum at 312 James St. documents life along the St. Lawrence River. It features duck decoys and the Muskie Hall of Fame, dedicated to fishing for the large, elusive trophy fish known as the muskellunge (or muskie). Guides take visitors out to snag bass, pike, walleye, trout, salmon and muskie.

Alexandria Bay Alexandria Bay has the feel of a beach town. When you tire of knickknack shops, sit back and gaze at the river, watch the cormorants and loons dive, and relax to the soft, droning sounds of passing ships. The freighters’ lights shine like strings of pearls in the black night. The main attraction is the 127-room, Rhineland-style Boldt Castle on Heart Island, a 15-minute boat ride away

(www.boldtcastle.com). Boldt, who was of Prussian origin, was building this ornate $2.5 million edifice for his wife, Louise, the love of his life. Upon her sudden death in 1904, Boldt immediately halted work by its 300 craftsmen. The unfinished mansion remained that way until the property was acquired by the government over 70 years later. Today a tourist attraction, the castle’s first floor looks as the Boldts intended. Modeled after European castles, Boldt Castle rises six stories from the indoor swimming pool to the highest tower room. A visit to Ogdensberg’s Fredrick Remington Museum, 36 miles north of Alexandria Bay, is worth a few hours. Remington’s paintings and sculpture, many centered on horses and Old West scenes, fill a house built in 1810. What about the famous salad dressing? In the early 1900s, George LaLonde, a Clayton fishing guide, was hosting May Irwin, a prominent New York City actress and her

Upcoming 1,000 Islands events Aug. 30: 1812 U.S. Marine Guard Living History Camp, Sackets Harbor. http://www.sacketsharborbattlefield.o rg/schedule.htm Sept. 20: 5th Annual Boldt Castle Wine Festival and Farmers Market, Alexandria Bay. Tastings and sales, including cheese, chocolates and alpaca-fiber clothing. www.boldtcastle.com Sept. 27 to 28: Doors Open Gananoque, Gananoque, Ontario. Visit historic public and private homes, churches and museums not normally open to visitors. www.gananoque.ca Oct. 3 to Nov. 1: Pumpkinferno, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario. Thousands of hand-car ved

pumpkins light up the 1800s village at night. www.uppercanadavillage.com Oct. 4: Oktoberfest at Thousand Islands Winery, Alexandria Bay. German festival including live oompah band, grape-stomping competitions, wine, beer, food and vendors. www.thousandislandswinery.com Oct. 11: Harvest Festival at Coyote Moon Vineyard, Clayton. Live music, wine, beer, children’s activities and vendors. www.coyotemoonvineyard.com Oct. 18: 3rd Annual Punkin Chunkin and BBQ Contest, Clayton. Competitors launch pumpkins into the river from homemade catapults. Restaurants compete for the best BBQ. www.1000islands-clayton.com

husband. Irwin commended the tasty salad dressing made by LaLonde’s wife, Sophia. Irwin requested the original recipe, naming it “Thousand Island Dressing.” Back in New York, Irwin gave the recipe to Boldt, and he immediately ordered his Waldorf Astoria maitre d’ to put the dressing on the hotel restaurant’s menu, thus introducing it to the world. It’s the only salad dressing named for a region of the U.S. You can buy it online at www.1000-islands.com/dressing.

If you go Before taking a jaunt into Canada, research border crossing requirements. Regulations change, so check both U.S. and Canadian regulations at http://www.cbp.gov/travel and www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. A passport is accepted at the borders, but check the sites for

other acceptable types of identification if you don’t have one. The closest local airports are in Watertown (www.watertownairport.com) and Kingston, Ontario (www.cityofkingston.ca /residents/airport). Sackets Harbor is one hour north of Syracuse, N.Y. The least expensive roundtrip flight from the Washington area to Syracuse in late July is $184 from Reagan National. Visit the following websites for more information: Thousand Islands Tourism, www.visit 1000Islands.com The Seaway Trail, www.seawaytrail.com Sackets Harbor, www.sacketsharborhistoricalsociety.org, www.visitsackets.com, www.sacketsharborny.com Clayton, www.1000islands-clayton.com Alexandria Bay, www.alexbay.org

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

What could go wrong? I’ll count the ways Consider these headlines: Rampant crime in destination areas. Lax safety standards. Sloppy management. Faulty equipment. Untrained operators. Deliberate targeting of visitors for scams. Or these reports: Cruise line passengers murdered in Antigua. Visitor drowns when caught in hot tub’s underwater suction. Resort visitor killed when palm tree fell on his lounge chair. Six tourists disappear from a boat in the Caribbean. Fourday gun battle in Kingston leaves dozens dead. Elephant rampages in Phuket

Province kill several visitors. Visitor impaled on a fencepost after bus crash in New Zealand. An airline tosses a frequent flyer out of its program and voids his miles. Tourist dies in rented car due to faulty safety belt. Air bags failed to deploy. Foreign tourists shot in Miami while driving rental car. That’s just a sampling of the many mishaps Judge Thomas Dickerson, author of Travel Law, recounts in recent travel law articles. But you get the drift: Lots of bad stuff can happen when you’re traveling.

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may be a long way from home. All too often it’s in a foreign country. • You agree to forego recourse under laws in your own state and instead agree to limit action to federal law — typically far less consumer friendly than state law — or maybe even to foreign law, where limitations may be severe. • You waive a right to court and instead agree to arbitration — another consumer-unSigning away your rights? friendly venue. TRAVEL TIPS • You waive the right to join Sometimes your beef is with By Ed Perkins in a class-action suit. a foreign supplier with no pres• With airlines, you agree that the airence in the United States or Canada. But often it’s because you knowingly or un- line owns your frequent flyer miles and knowingly signed away your rights when can do anything it wants with them, even you arranged your trip. And that leads to for miles the airline says it “sells” you. Yes, “sell” implies transfer of ownership, but something called a contract of adhesion. The legalese here is pretty straightfor- not in the airline business. Courts often hold that, in particularly ward: A contract of adhesion, according to The Free Dictionary, is a contract “so im- egregious cases, adhesion contracts are eibalanced in favor of one party over the ther so one-sided or so restrictive as to be unother that there is a strong implication it enforceable. But Judge Dickerson’s extenwas not freely bargained.” You find these sive case citations reveal another vexation: contracts everywhere; after all, when you Courts have been inconsistent — you might go into a store and buy something at the even say capricious — in whether or not inposted price, neither you nor the store has dividual adhesion contracts are enforceable. This report is another in my series of 10 the time to sit down and negotiate an indiconsumer issues in travel; check Smartervidual contract. But in typical contracts of adhesion with travel.com for the complete list. And, in common with several of the airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, rental car companies and others, you are often re- other 10, as an ordinary consumer, you quired to sign away some important rights, can’t do much to avoid the problems or fix especially when a supplier stonewalls your the system. Again, my job here is to warn request for compensation and you need to you, not to offer any easy “tips” or glib advice. It’s another case of “be warned,” of bring a matter to a court of law. which you face all too many already. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at Onerous agreements eperkins@mind.net. Perkins’ new book for Among the worst: • You agree to limit any lawsuit to a spe- small business and independent professioncific court — the so-called “forum” clause als, “Business Travel When It’s Your — that may be inconvenient to you or even Money,” is now available through www.mytotally impractical. Sometimes, it’s a state, businesstravel.com or www.amazon.com. ©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. typically Florida for cruise lines, which

What’s especially troublesome about Judge Dickerson’s listing of specific woes isn’t just the bad stuff; it’s the fact that as a victim, in all too many cases, you are denied redress from responsible parties. Sometimes, it’s because laws and regulations, such as the Montreal Convention for airlines, insulate suppliers from the need to provide compensation.

BEACON BITS

July 22

BEFORE YOU GO ABROAD

Join Pete Himmelberger, former foreign service officer and international industry executive who has worked, traveled and lived in 85 countries, as he shares his knowledge and experience about cruise traveling on Tuesday, July 22 at 1 p.m. at the Langston-Brown Senior Center, 2121 N. Culpeper St., Arlington, Va. He will discuss what needs to be taken into consideration, such as a person’s physical limitations, accessibility and dietary needs. He will also talk about how to select a cruise and how to understand cruise ship pricing. This is a free event. To register, call (703) 228-6300.

RING HOUSE 1801 E. Jefferson Street Rockville, Maryland www.ringhouse.org

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July 31

CHESAPEAKE BAY BOAT TOUR

Montgomery County Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) presents a two-hour sail on a sloop-rigged skipjack, which is used as an oyster dredger during the oyster season, on Thursday, July 31. Enjoy the bay’s wild beauty, experience an oyster dredging demonstration, listen to the captain discuss the bay’s ecology and the culture of the waterman. Lunch is on your own, and there will be sightseeing in St. Michael’s when not sailing. The cost is $60 for residents; $75 for non-residents. The buses will depart from Olney Manor Park, 16601 Georgia Ave., Olney, Md. at 7:30 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (240) 777-4926.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Buffalo’s natural and man-made wonders original magnificence. Other unique sites include the spot where Teddy Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office. The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site was recently renovated. Mark Twain spent time in Buffalo in the late 19th century as a newspaper editor. Leaves from the original manuscript of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are on display in the Mark Twain Room at downtown’s central library. Learn about Buffalo’s Native American, ethnic and industrial heritage at the Buffalo History Museum. The city is also filled with African American heritage. Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and other giants of jazz performed at the Colored Musicians Club, which is now a museum and still hosts regular gigs by area musicians.

Winging it While Buffalo is justifiably proud of its chicken wings — and no trip to Buffalo is complete without a stop at the Anchor Bar, where Buffalo wings first took flight 50 years ago this year — it also boasts 400 independently-owned restaurants offering delicious local specialties, plus a pair of wine trails and vibrant farmers markets. Don’t miss some Western New York culinary favorites, including beef-on-weck sandwiches (thinly cut roast beef served on a salt and caraway seed topped kummelweck roll), sponge candy (made with chocolate and caramelized sugar, with a texture and taste that even its creators say is hard to describe), and charcoal broiled hot dogs. Buffalo is also home to several breweries, including Flying Bison Brewing Co. and Hamburg Brewing Company. The first distillery in Buffalo since Prohibition, Lockhouse Distillery, opened in 2013 to produce artisanal vodka. Shoppers will find everything from hip boutiques in Buffalo’s trendy Elmwood Village, Allentown and Hertel neighborhoods, to major department stores at a number of local shopping centers and malls. Sports fan? Buffalo has a wealth of op-

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT BUFFALO-NIAGARA

By Brian Hayden Last winter, Buffalo was blanketed with 130 inches of snow, the seventh-snowiest season since World War II. Even in years with more benign winters, moisture off Lake Erie pushes the average snowfall to about eight feet. But while the Washington area swelters during July and August, Buffalo gets its reward: High temperatures average 78 to 80 delightful degrees. No matter the weather, Buffalo offers visitors numerous sites and activities to explore. At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, you can see one of the world’s most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, including works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol. Across the street, you’ll find the Burchfield Penney Art Center, which is committed to the art of Buffalo and Western New York. Buffalo has some two dozen theaters, anchored by Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which hosts an annual Broadway series. The Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is led by JoAnn Falletta, who has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the finest conductors of her generation. Buffalo’s emerging Canalside district showcases the city’s waterfront and history of shipping along Lake Erie and the Erie Canal. The centerpiece of this district is the commercial slip — the re-excavated and restored western terminus of the Erie Canal, dating from 1825. A system of bike trails, parks and boardwalks comprise Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, offering stunning views of the lake and city skyline. That skyline features the work of some of the most renowned architects of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, Richard Upjohn, and Eliel and Eero Saarinen. There are also two large residences designed by Wright open to visitors: the Darwin Martin House complex, and the Martin’s summer estate nearby, Graycliff. Both continue to undergo restoration to their

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, N.Y. The city has several art museums, two dozen theaters, and a skyline filled with the works of prominent 19th and early 20th century architects.

tions, including the NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres, AAA baseball’s Bisons, world-class fishing, great skiing and fantastic water sports. Kayak through the city’s historic grain elevator district on the Buffalo River or rock climb up those elevators on Silo City Rocks, which is set to open later this year. Spend a day in the natural splendor of the Tifft Nature Preserve, only minutes from downtown Buffalo, or admire floral beauty during a stroll in the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. A series of

parks and parkways throughout Buffalo designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted provide a scenic respite in the heart of the city. The region also offers a host of familyfriendly activities, from the Buffalo Zoo and Buffalo Museum of Science to the Explore and More Children’s Museum in East Aurora. Military buffs can view the submarine, destroyer and cruiser permanently docked See BUFFALO, page 38

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

PHOTO BY BOB CORLEY

Buffalo From page 37 at the Buffalo harbor — part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, the largest inland naval park in the country.

Upcoming festivals

The American side of Niagara Falls can be viewed 20 minutes outside of Buffalo.

Buffalo seems to have a festival for everything, ranging from the Taste of Buffalo on July 12 and 13, the largest two-day food festival in the country, to GardenWalk Buffalo, the nation’s largest free garden tour, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year on July 26 and 27, to the Erie County Fair (Aug. 6 to 17), celebrating its 175th, to the National Buffalo Wing Festival on Aug. 30 and 31. Buffalo also offers a host of ethnic celebrations, from two St. Patrick’s Day parades to the Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival, reflecting the city’s diverse roots. There’s also Dyngus Day, the day after Easter Sunday, when polka bands,

Polish food and a parade ring in the end of the Lenten season. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. At Niagara Falls State Park, you can get up close to the roaring waters at the Cave of the Winds or venture to the base of the falls on a Maid of the Mist boat tour. Be sure to wear your souvenir rain ponchos! Southwest Airlines has a roundtrip fare from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Buffalo of $184 in mid-August, as does U.S. Airways from Reagan National Airport. For more information about events, attractions and things to do in the Buffalo/Niagara area, go to www.visitbuffaloniagara.com or contact Visit Buffalo Niagara at 1-800-Buffalo. [If you plan to visit the Canadian side of the Falls, see the “If you go” tips at the end of “Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 islands” for border-crossing information.] Brian Hayden is communications manager with Visit Buffalo.

BEACON BITS

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and diseases, and preserve food. Bring garden tools or extra tomatoes or seeds to take part in a tomato tasting. Registration required. Free, but donations are appreciated. To register, visit http://extension.umd.edu/growit/m ontgomery-county-vegetable-gardening-classes-and-events or call (301) 590-9650.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

Arts &

D-Day veteran Paul Roberts met Rep. Nancy Pelosi while in France to commemorate the 70th anniversary of DDay in June. See story on page 40.

Lion King still the crown of live theatre The spell is strong, but magic is an ephemeral thing, and it can vanish instantly. That has not happened with this show. The current production is just as effective at conjuring up the enchantment as the last time the tour came this way.

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS

By Michael Toscano There’s a double dose of magic with The Lion King, evident in the national touring company of the Broadway mega-smash now settled in at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House for a nine-week summertime run. Most of us are aware of the magic of the story and the spectacular staging that brings it to life. The coming-of-age tale set to African rhythms has become part of America’s cultural consciousness thanks to the original 1994 Disney film and the enduring stage version, which has been selling out on Broadway since 1997. As the show continues to tour the nation’s top regional theaters, the spirit of hakuna matata (“no worries” in Swahili) reaches new audiences every day. But perhaps almost as magical, although in a more practical way, is the manner in which the Disney company has managed to keep the show just as fresh and vivid as when it opened. What makes The Lion King stand apart from other musical fantasies is the all-encompassing spell, the sheer pageantry that envelopes and holds the audience for its two-and-a-half-hours-plus performance.

A very human fable There’s the poignant story with its primal themes, of course. Young lion cub Simba has a natural inquisitiveness that leads to tragedy for his noble father at the paws of his evil uncle Scar. It’s a fable that explores the cycle of life and death unsparingly. The music from Elton John and Tim Rice, the smoothly percussive rhythms, the dazzling costumes and puppetry, the movement that blends African and modern dance with ballet, the animation, and an eye-filling, scenic lighting and sound design create an ancient but familiar world in a shared experience that is rarely achievable in live presentation. All that is challenging enough to manage once. Or twice. But to do it thousands of times, night after night on stages of varying sizes and capabilities, seems supernatural all by itself.

In The Lion King’s opening number, “The Circle of Life,” Brown Lindiwe Mkhize plays the wise baboon Rafiki. The Lion King, with its magical mélange of masks, costumes and infectious music, continues at the Kennedy Center through Aug. 17.

At about this point, I should be explaining how they do it. But I can’t. Somehow, Disney, the corporate monolith, has found the heart of this thing and keeps it beating. The human factor is essential, of course, and this is one of the hardest-working casts

you might ever see. The opening parade of animals filling the aisles lets you know from the very first moments that something spectacular is happening. Dozens of denizens See LION KING, page 41

“Always Be Yourself. Unless You Can Be A Pirate, Then Always Be A Pirate!” THROUGH AUGUST 31

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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

A D-Day eyewitness returns to Normandy By Paul Roberts It’s hard to believe, but 70 years ago, on a dreary June morning, I watched a glider troop regiment slowly file out of their bar-

racks onto the airstrip at Ramsbury, England, loaded with the paraphernalia of war. They entered their assigned gliders for a final trip into the hell that was to become

their home for the next month, fighting in the fields of Normandy. I was there in 1944, and returned to Normandy last month as one of the veterans attending the D-Day commemoration ceremonies there. During the war, I was a cryptographer for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor of the CIA. My job was to make up the secret verification codes for the radio operators in C-47 transport planes. The codes consisted of five digits, changing hourly. If an anti-aircraft battery on the ground challenged an aircraft overhead and the response was wrong by even one digit, there were no questions asked. They opened fire. This, unfortunately, happened earlier in the war when a squadron of our C-47s was shot down by the British over the Mediterranean Sea. That June morning in 1944, among the troops I watched boarding a glider was Cpl. Eugene Levine, a weather observer who was assigned to two gliders — one for his jeep, the other for a high frequency transmitter. He carried his miniaturized weather instruments with him. Both gliders were towed by one C-47 (known as a double tow). Levine was supposed to provide a communications link in Normandy, and send weather reports back. He chose to fly in the glider with the transmitter, which was fortunate for him, as the glider carrying his jeep was shot down. Also, the main 32-man signal unit of the 82nd Airborne Unit, being transported in a British Horsa glider (a much larger craft), was wiped out, leaving Levine’s transmitter the only means of the unit’s communication with Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces in London for the first two days of combat.

Back to Normandy Seventy years later, I and other veterans were winging our way to Paris on an Air France 777, courtesy of the French gov-

ernment, to a memorable D-Day reunion, joined by heads of state. Among us is Dan Pinck, an unsung OSS hero, who spent a year behind Japanese lines in China, spying and supplying vital intelligence. Our select group also included survivors of the air war, as well as Navy assault craft crewmen and infantry. The day after arriving, we were corralled into taxis bound for the Hotel de Lassay, the office of Claude Bartolone, president of the French National Assembly (equivalent to America’s Speaker of the House). We were escorted up a dozen red carpeted stairs to pose for press photographers. A group of young French students suddenly appeared, and we urged them to pose with us, making for a fine, symbolic portrait of the old and new generations. Bartolone presented each of us with an Assembly silver medallion to commemorate the occasion and, I presume, say “thank you” for our services. At the reception that followed, we mingled with French parliamentarians and several members of the U.S. Congress, including Nancy Pelosi, minority leader of the House, and Howard “Buck” McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Service Committee, among others. At the D-Day commemoration on June 6 at Colleville-sur-Mer Cemetery, President Obama made a dramatic entrance in a French helicopter, landing in a field just inside the cemetery. He lauded the efforts that we had made. “You men,” he said, “waged war so that we might know peace. You sacrificed so that we might be free.” French President Hollande countered with “N’oublions jamais (let us never forget). When France was occupied, America was there to liberate it.” To re-enforce this, a spectacular flyby of French Mirages passed over the site, emitting trails of red, white and blue smoke. After the remarks, Pinck, who sat up front in the stands, traded remarks with See NORMANDY, page 43

COURTESY OF PAUL ROBERTS

Paul Roberts sketched this scene during fighting on the Normandy Front just prior to D-Day in 1944. Roberts, who created codes for the Office of Strategic Services, was invited to France in June for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Lion King From page 39 from the African savanna pass by, brought to life in a stylized blend of puppetry, technology, masks, poles and human faces. Drum beats emanating from two extensions on the sides of the Opera House stage fill your ears and travel right to your gut. It continues like this until the audience erupts into sustained, grateful applause at the finale. The show is recommended for children 6 and older. Our almost-9-year-old boy seemed transported to the place only children seem to inhabit — a world somewhere between reality and imagination that is palpably real to them. He laughed at the silly jokes, with their contemporary style and sensibility, and watched with wide eyes as the spectacle unfolded. He grew still in intensely emotional scenes, and I suspect he has taken something of that experience home with him. Despite the grand scale of the production, the story telling is actually simple. Good versus evil, the father-son relationship, jealousy and ambition are all there in stark and vivid simplicity.

ered and robustly sung. It is a credit to Brown that the audience is unwilling to grant him a fully positive reception at the end. When he appears for his curtain call, the ear-splitting applause, yells and whistles sputter somewhat. He takes it in stride, remaining in character, although as a character who knows he should be ashamed of all the bad things he has just done. To an actor, the restrained response is probably more rewarding than enthusiastic applause. Of course, it is not all serious. The show puts us in a cheerful mood as the anthem to our lovely planet, “The Circle of Life,” helps the opening parade get under way. The delightful tune “Hakuna Matata” is quite fun. Ben Lipitz and Nick Cordileone delight as the unlikely pals who guide us through much of the story. Lipitz is Pumbaa, the amiable but gassy warthog, and Cordileone is Timon, the tart-tongued, wisecracking meerkat. Tshi-

BEACON BITS

July 11+

GUYS AND DOLLS The McLean Community Players presents Guys and Dolls from

Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 27. The Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., and Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m. Audio services for the visually impaired will be offered on Saturday, July 26. The community center is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, Va. Tickets cost $18 to $20. For more information, visit www.McLeanPlayers.org or call (866) 811-4111.

July 10+

WWI WOMEN Maryland storyteller Ellouise Schoettler, 77, performs a onewoman show called The Hello Girls at the D.C. Capital Fringe

Festival. The show introduces us to little-known American female telephone operators who were recruited by the US Army Signal Corps to serve in France during WWI. The show will be performed at Caos on F, 923 F St. NW, Washington, D.C. on July 10, 12, 15, 16, 20 and 26. For more information, visit www.TheHelloGirls.net and www.capitalfringe.org. Buy tickets, which are $17, online or by calling 1-866-811-4111.

See LION KING, page 42

Actors inhabit their roles Jordan A. Hall is splendid as Simba, the young lion, combining equal parts emotion and mischievousness. He successfully carries the weight of sorrow and fright, without losing the essential cheerful nature of the cub. He is the favorite, of course, but this production really belongs to Patrick R. Brown as the malevolent Scar. Brown’s portrait of brotherly treachery is deeply entrenched in primal emotions, and he carefully calibrates his performance so he can send the occasional shiver up young spines without unsettling them. His rendition of the song “Be Prepared” is multi-lay-

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THE GO-GO’S Scandal feat. Patty Smyth The Motels feat. Martha Davis Naked Eyes feat. Pete Byrne

July 18 to August 16

TCHAIKOVSKY, RAVEL & ROSSINI NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS

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JULY 20

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JENNIFER NETTLES FROM SUGARLAND

LIONEL RICHIE

BRANDY CLARK

All The Hits All Night Long

JULY 13

JULY 21 & 22

STRAIGHT NO CHASER

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA

A cappella pop covers from Michael Jackson to Adele Directed by Stephen Nachamie

Musical Director Jeff Biering

Helen Hayes Award-winner Brian Childers returns to TACT for An Evening with Danny Kaye

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

BEACON BITS

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July 9+

JANE AUSTEN FILM FESTIVAL

Dumbarton House in Georgetown is hosting its third annual Wednesday night Jane Austen Film Festival. The first film is Emma on July 9, which is followed by Sense & Sensibility on July 23 and Pride and Prejudice on Aug. 6. Rain dates are July 17 and 30 and Aug. 11. Doors open to museum members at 7 and to the public at 7:30 p.m. Films begin at sundown. Dumbarton House is located at 2715 Q St. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.dumbartonhouse.org or call (202) 337-2288.

Voted #1 in Prince William County

July 10+

DANCE MUSICAL

Emmy-Award-winning choreographer, actress, producer, director and So You Think You Can Dance judge Debbie Allen presents her critically acclaimed musical Brothers of the Knight in Washington, D.C. from Thursday, July 10 to Sunday, July 13 at the Warner Theatre located at 13th & E St. NW, Washington, D.C. The show features local D.C. talent discovered and directed by Allen herself. Tickets range from $35 to $89. For tickets and more information, visit www.brothersoftheknight.com.

Lion King

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Julie Taymor should get much of the credit. She is the director as well as the costume designer and one of the mask and puppet designers. She even contributed some music, and has artfully incorporated Garth Fagan’s wide-ranging choreography, which borrows from Asian and African motifs. It is challenging to mount an epic tale with sensitivity, especially with as many technical dimensions as this one requires. Each member of the large cast is lithe and always animated. With their anthropomorphic animal and plant-life masks and animal appendages, the actors could lose all sense of humanity. But under Taymor’s direction, they remain expressive and communicate fully. The Lion King remains an enthralling experience that goes beyond the boundaries of live theater. It is a communal celebration, a world unto itself that is created every night at 7:30 p.m. Something not to be missed. The Lion King continues through Aug. 17 in the Opera House of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW in Washington, D.C. Tickets range from $40 to $195. They are on sale at the Kennedy Center Box Office, by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600, or online at www.kennedy-center.org/tickets. There will be audio-described performances on Sunday, July 20 at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, July 24 and Friday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 3 at 1:30 p.m. Sign-interpreted performances are on Thursday, July 24 and Friday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m., and Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Captioned performances will be on Friday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3 at 1:30 p.m. The Kennedy Center will accommodate accessibility needs, including wheelchairs and assistive listening devices. Call (202) 416-8727 (voice) or (202) 416-8728 (TTY) for information. To reserve a courtesy wheelchair, call (202) 416-8340.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

From page 40 President Obama. Meanwhile, I, sitting in the rear, met up with one of my former buddies, glider pilot Tom Kilker, Jr., of the 437th Troop Carrier Group. He had safely landed his glider on DDay in an open field near St. Mere Eglise, delivering the jeep of the commanding general of the 82nd, Matthew Ridgeway, with its driver, who suffered a dislocated jaw. Kilker then dodged enemy mortar fire, taking some shrapnel in the leg (for which he received a Purple Heart) and linked up with paratroopers who presented him with 210 captured Germans. He and his co-pilot escorted them down to the beach, and got them on a landing ship tank going back to England, for their incarceration as prisoners of war.

Reliving the battle While the presidential remarks were a highlight, the real D-Day celebration to my mind occurred later in the day, at Sword Beach, one of the five beaches targeted on DDay. The importance of this beach during the invasion must be remembered. A coup de main, or surprise attack, was initiated there the day before D-Day. Elements of the Second Oxfordshire Light Infantry, commanded by the irre-

pressible Major John Howard — who had trained in England with these men for one full year on the technique of riding in British Horsa gliders — landed in pitch darkness. They overpowered the Germans guarding the Orne (later re-named Pegasus) and Caen Canal Bridges, and held off elements of a Nazi panzer armored tank division, driving down from Caen. They kept them at bay until reinforced by British paratroopers, who were able to repel several counter attacks decisively. The action was consummated when infantry units from Sword Beach came up to re-enforce them. Had the Germans been able to break through and get to the beach, they could have rolled up the entire British- and Canadian-controlled beachhead, and possibly gone on to throw the Americans back into the sea, changing the course of the war in favor of the Germans. Hence the emphasis on this important ceremony. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, along with Obama and Hollande, quietly watched the somber pageantry, which included a moving interpretive dance and pantomime performance evoking the living and dying young soldiers, with the sound effects of cannon, flashes of fire and finally a flyover. Today, one cannot escape the sadness that prevails in the smallest hamlets of Normandy and Brittany, with the everpresent reminders of commemorative

BEACON BITS

July 15

FOLK MUSIC LECTURE The Library of Congress presents a lecture on folk music and its

culture on Tuesday, July 15 from noon until 1 p.m. in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, located at 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.loc.gov/loc/events/index.php

metal plaques that adorn the walls of buildings. Some simply state the loss of a local freedom fighter, with phrases such as “Ici Est Mort” or “Martyr de la Liberation” or “A la Memoire du Gardien de la Paix.” It is a grim reminder to future generations, one that somehow will never be erased. And finally, there was a wonderful tribute to these “soldats anciennes,” old soldiers, for their resiliency — those who, after 70 years, now in their 90s, were able to survive the rigors of these events without any collapses or complaints. That might account for their longevity. Vive les Veterans! Long life to them! Paul Roberts lives in Silver Spring, Md. and is writing a biography of Frank Farrell, a Marine Corps captain and OSS investigator in China during World War II. Roberts also writes for the OSS Society Journal.

COURTESY OF PAUL ROBERTS

Normandy

Paul Roberts in uniform during World War II.

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Growing nostalgic, just for the record... The main thing I’ve learned in all my years on earth is that you can never hold back progress. It rushes forward like a river, not to be denied or even re-routed. It never makes a U-turn and says, “You know, it really WAS better in the good old days.” Except that maybe that’s starting to happen in the world of music. So says my good friend Glenn, who knows more about music than any 15 people. He told me over dinner the other night that records — yes, dear friends, those pieces of vinyl with all the grooves cut into them — are making a comeback. Newer forms of recording — digital music and CDs — have built their reputations by giving you the fullest, roundest

sound possible. They have sold zillions of dollars worth of recordings to zillions of people, some of them old enough to remember 33s, 45s and 78s. They own the future. But Glenn says some consumers are beginning to discover that new-fangled means re-fangled. When all the rough edges are rubbed off a song, it sounds too perfect. It’s a little like eating peanuts, Glenn says. If you wanted peanut butter, that’s what you’d choose. But if you want real peanuts, you are willing to put up with cracking the shells and chomping on the nuts with your trusty molars. In fact, says Glenn, a serious peanut consumer seeks and likes the imperfections and the extra effort. It’s authentic. It’s satisfying.

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In music, the return to the past is a return me. But the famous cardboard sleeve that to what so many of us remember — that fat shows, for example, The Beatles crossing spindle that you had to put in the middle of a Abbey Road single file, “I can get five bucks for that.” He offered us one. 45, those 33s that would warp Ever the brilliant businessman, and sometimes break, those 78s I accepted on the spot. that your little brother would So, friend Glenn, are you use as Frisbees and that would saying that trends in music never sound the same again. have flipped all the way “You just can’t get the same around in just five years? Are sound on something 21st cenyou saying that, today, our tury and something highcopy of “Abbey Road” would tech,” Glenn says. fetch more for the disc than it The other main thing I’ve would for the jacket? learned in all my years on earth HOW I SEE IT That’s exactly what he was is to be skeptical of trends. By Bob Levey saying. I told Glenn that I’d believe This clearly required an experiment. It him as soon as I saw 1955 Chevrolets all over the roads and women sporting bee- couldn’t be a pure one, alas, because I no longer own a single record. Computer to hive hairdos. Besides, I said, consumers have already the rescue! For ages, I have been a fan of a slide-guiproven their dopiness by replacing their entire music libraries with electronic ver- tar player named Hound Dog Taylor. He sions of the same albums they had previ- grew up illiterate, in Mississippi. He taught himself the guitar. He moved to Chicago ously owned as records. “Are you really telling me that they’ll and made a living the way post-war blues spend money to recreate those libraries A performers did — mainly by playing in runTHIRD TIME?” I screeched, like some down clubs, but also on street corners. He sounded the same throughout his career — badly damaged Patti Page disc of yore. Glenn said that the trend, so far, has re- unvarnished, unpretty, right off the farm. I quickly found a You Tube video of Dog stricted itself to gritty music. It isn’t symphonies that are leading the way, he said, playing his signature hit, “Wild About You, because orchestras have never sounded Baby,” at a college music festival in the better than they do in CD-land. No, we’re early 1970s. The recording waxes and talking about vintage blues, early folk, wanes. Obviously, the equipment that day wasn’t the best. Obviously, no engineer fledgling rock-and-roll and period jazz. Again, I pushed back. I told Glenn that when mixed and re-mixed the results. But when you listen to Dog complaining we sold our house five years ago, we tried to sell absolutely anything that could fetch a nick- that his baby just don’t treat him right, and sliding his fourth finger up and down the el. That included our record collection. We thought we might get a little action neck of that guitar, and milking riffs out of from sentimental cusses who wanted his instrument that actually sound like Linda Ronstadt’s first LP, or a long-dusty someone crying, you are right back to that copy of Donovan’s Greatest Hits. We ad- stage more than 40 years ago. You don’t want to listen to Hound Dog vertised. We sat back and waited for the Taylor all prettied up, in a recording studio commercial onslaught. It arrived, but not in the form we expected. somewhere, sipping Evian water between Some guy appeared on a Sunday morn- takes. You want him where and as he was ing and asked to see our entire collection. — rough, raunchy, real. So I have done three things. One, ship We produced 11 boxes of LPs. He began to go through them. But each time he came Glenn the clip of Dog singing “Wild About upon one he was interested in, he slipped You, Baby.” Two, start searching for an original recording of it — on a record. out the record and set it aside. I asked him as politely as I could what in Three, start figuring out how to tell my the world he was doing. He explained that wife that we really, really need to buy a the market for old records was not for the stereo and a turntable. Yes, dear, in 2014. Bob Levey is a national award-winning records. It was for the album covers. “You can get the sound anywhere,” he told columnist.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

FROM PAGE 46

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD P R U N E A S E R I N G D A L I F I N G F L E E S L E E F R I T O S

R U N W A Y

E L I N E W A E R T S T R O O G I N N U P S A N I N K L A I R Y E S

L U G O S I

I T I N

N A A T T C T H

W E L L

R I E L

M O N S E R I P N T H E E S R E C H I D T H E N O S I A E R E A S T U D E T H R O M I S O E N P P N T H E E D O A K S I N E

G R A D E S

M O R O S E

C H I O A T D Y E E N R T

Classifieds cont. from page 47. Wanted 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. 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, 202-841-3062. 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 301-654-0838.

Letters to editor From page 2 rated. She is a patient, and I live alone. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I ride Metro Access to visit Fern. I arrive there at 10 a.m. and do not leave until 7 p.m. I wish from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul that I could spirit Fern out of there and bring her back to

Wanted WANTED: ANTIQUE ELECTRONICS, engineer’s estates, Hi-Fi Stereo, huge old loudspeakers, ham radios, records, professional quality musical instruments, antique computers, scientific curiosities. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com. STERLING SILVER – I WILL PAY TOP DOLLAR for your silver marked “sterling,” “925,” “800.” Please, no silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Call Richard, 301-646-0101.

live together with me. I hope and pray that she is on her way back to recovery. On the bright side, let me count our blessings. Fern and I are still very much together and very much in love after 56 beautiful and bountiful years. It is lonely at this apartment and hopefully, by the grace of God, Fern will one day come back to me. Robert Carper Germantown, Md.

Submit a letter to the editor. See page 2.

WB7/14

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus 75% Solution by Stephen Sherr 1

17 20 23 27

16 19

35 41 45

48 50

49 51

Across

Scrabble answers on p. 45.

1. Cut back, strategically 6. Citrus flavor of Bacardi 11. Mil. shorthand for “Sergeant Major” 14. Flip chart holder 15. Starter homes (biologically speaking) 16. In favor of 17. Signal that someone is talking about you 20. NFC East city 21. Looooonnng time 22. Update the decor 23. “__ blind, but now I see” 25. Shakes ones finger at 27. Uncouth posture 32. Flotillas 33. Home to 3 out of every 5 Earthlings 34. Part of a “wintry mix” 35. Had haddock 36. Arrive at one’s destination 41. Univ. marchers 43. Where the news is cast 44. Inability to speak clearly 49. Event prelims. 50. Appetizer at the sushi house 51. Gone ___ instant 52. Songbird 54. Abbrev. on a box score with no score 57. Light of one’s life 62. Viking striking tool 63. Had a tummy ache 64. Like many whiskey barrels 65. Part of Cable’s TBS, but not TNT 66. Calls out “Geronimo” 67. Motionless

Down

Answer: How the professor got his doctorate — BY DEGREES Jumbles: CRAZE USURY JUGGLE BOILED

1. According to 2. Panty ___ 3. Annapolis inst. 4. Woman’s nightwear 5. Manning with most superbowl rings 6. Dracula actor

7. “Put ___ high gear” 8. Department store department 9. Bit of food 10. Distributer of grants to med. researchers 11. Swimware sponsor of British Swimming 12. Assigns letters to words 13. Gloomy 18. Approaches 19. Julia’s Oscar title role 24. Vacation in the Pacific Northwest, probably 25. Phi phollower 26. They keep the home fires burning 27. DVR readouts 28. ___ fitting (as baggy clothes) 29. Spice Girl Victoria Beckham ___ Adams 30. “But of course!” 31. Follower of Mao 35. A.B.A. member 37. Old-worlder 38. Fuss 39. “The Company” org. 40. All the rage 42. Switch positions 43. Tour of duty 44. Dip holders 45. Model/airplane path 46. Signs in a 43 Across 47. Late 50’s detective with a jazzy soundtrack 48. Revises a manuscript 52. ___ known (such as Jack and Jill) 53. Cambodian currency 55. Lap dog, for short 56. Textile worker 58. Eleventh letter 59. Overstate one’s credentials 60. ___ polloi 61. One who can cure 75% of this puzzle’s maladies

Answers on page 45.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — J U L Y 2 0 1 4

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. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business and Employment Opportunities GET FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE today! www.myfes.net/MMccollum1 or 202-734-2555. BUS DRIVER – PART-TIME: Charles E. Smith Life Communities, located in Rockville, Md., is seeking a part-time bus driver to work approximately 15-20 hours per week. Shifts include evening and weekend hours. Qualifications: Candidates must have a clean driving record and knowledge of the Washington, D.C. and Rockville, Md. areas. A commercial license with a passenger endorsement is preferred. For consideration, please send resume to Christopher Stamps, Recruitment Manager. Email: stamps@hebrew-home.org, Fax: 301-770-8511 or to 6121 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD 20852. EOE.

Caregivers “A” Home Health Care – Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years experience. 240-533-6599. COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVER, ENGLISH SPEAKING LADY with 20 years of experience. Has own transportation, excellent references. Very reliable and punctual. Available now for day or night. Full-time or part-time. Petfriendly. Call 301-803-9000. NURSING STUDENT & LICENSED, BONDED, highly experienced CNA seeks fulltime overnight caregiving position. Extensive resume and sterling references available. If interested, please call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-6424526. 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.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Entertainment THE SHALOM SIGNATURE CLUB: If you like Bagels and Lox, Matzah Balls and Kugel, then you need to try our activities. We’re a dynamic social club geared to folks 50 and up. Many of our activities have a Jewish theme; most are free of charge and take place in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Chevy Chase. Currently, our regular monthly schedule features two afternoon activities (at 1 p.m. and includes lunch) and two evening activities (usually 7 p.m.), plus a monthly Friday-eve Shabbat Dinner. For further info, visit www.ShalomSC.org or call 240-2004515.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate LEISURE WORLD ® - $225,000. 3BR 2FB 1 HB “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® - $399,000. 3BR 2FB 1HB “H” model with Garage in “Villa Cortese.” Separate dining room plus table space kitchen with window, enclosed balcony, laundry room, new paint and carpet. 1629 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $199,000. 2BR 2FB “J” with garage in “Fairways,” updated table space kitchen, enclosed, vented balcony, new verticals, mirrored doors. 1317 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1250 – 1BR 1FB “Raleigh” model. Move-in condition. Enclosed balcony, washer & dryer in unit. 990 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-9283463. LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1300. 1BR 1FB 1HB “Cordoba” model with covered carport parking. 946 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $199,000. 2BR 2FB “B” in Overlook with garage space. New paint, enclosed balcony, 1035 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $264,900. 2BR +DEN, 2FB “K” in “Greens” with garage space included. Large enclosed balcony, new paint. 1480 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $369,000. 3BR 2FB 1HB “L” in “Villa Cortese,” table space kit, separate dining room, enclosed balcony. 1520 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $159,000. 1BR 1FB 1HB “A” in “Overlook” with garage space. Rarely available, table space kit with window, separate dining room, wood floors, enclosed balcony. 930 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-9283463. LOOKING FOR A QUIET AND FRIENDLY woman between the ages of 55-70 to share my lovely home in a quiet area of Silver Spring, Md. Must be either vegan or lacto-vegetarian, nonsmoker, and non-drinker. The rent is $550/month including utilities. Call Carol at 301-754-1289. BROOKLAND – 1 BR CONDO., private parking space, near Catholic University, a/c, washer dryer, near bus stop/Rhode Island Ave. Metro, wired for cable TV, $1,100/mo. + electric – 202582-3059. I BUY HOUSES ANY CONDITION – Fairfax County, VA. Save time, money and worry. Not an agent, no commissions. Female owned. 703-9695847, ibuyfairfaxhouses@gmail.com. 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 10. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors. RENTAL – LEISURE WORLD. 55+. Beautiful large highrise K-model condo: 2BR, den, 2BA, enclosed balcony, built-ins, garage. 1480 sq ft. $1750/month. Call Mark, 301-299-4546. LEISURE WORLD – 249,500. Beautiful large highrise Greens K-model condo: 2BR, den, 2BA, enclosed balcony, built-ins, garage. 1480 sq ft. Call Mark at 301-299-4546.

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

Personal Services

ONE CEMETERY LOT FOR TWO people, side by side at Maryland National Park. $1,800, cash only. Call Roy at 410-326-9268.

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.

2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health SUPPLEMENT YOUR WELLNESS and be in better health! Stress – Pain, Inflammation – Weight Loss prevention. Ask about the state-ofthe-art, worldwide wellness centers. Try T-Global Health – 844-TRY-TGLOBAL (879-8456. DO YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE? Conversationalist and certified natural health consultant will listen. I am available and affordable. $45 – 60 mins. $60 – 90 mins. Sterling, Va. 703-943-6189.

Home/Handyman Services EXPERT ROOF REPAIRS and new installations. 40 years experience. 5 year warranties. Rated A on Angie’s List. See our photo gallery at RamboandRamboConstruction.com. MHIC# 8342. Call, 301-220-4222. 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 THE GOLDEN NETWORK offers Jewish seniors and retirees a variety of engaging programs, including lectures, classes, one-on-one learning in person and by phone, concerts, singalongs and more! For more information and details about upcoming events, call 301-338-4810, email info@goldennetwork.org, or see goldennetwork.org.

Personals THE MOST AFFECTIONATE MAN is single. 63, 5’ 6”. No smokers. peternagga@outlook.com. ATTRACTIVE, TALL SBF RETIRED educator seeks erudite Christian gentleman to be life partner. Please call 904-777-9616.

Personal Services FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED. Math and more for GT.com. jim4nv92@verizon.net. PRACTICALLY ORGANIZED – Simplify your life – one room at a time! Home and office professional organizing services. I am insured and a member of NAPO. Call Nicole – 703-6797091. READY TO DE-CLUTTER? I can help. Sort, donate, discard. Reasonable rates. Call Jan, 301933-7570. WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van. Call Mike, 301-565-4051.

CAROL ROMANOWSKI, LMT, MASSAGE therapist. 30-Minute or 1-Hour Swedish Massage sessions. Available at a reasonable rate. Call Carol at 301-754-1289. Located in Silver Spring, MD. Women only please. SPARKLE CLEANING SERVICE – Scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming, steam cleaning carpets, window cleaning, ironing, weekly/biweekly,

Wanted WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. 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, 301-596-6201. OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces, Fountain Pens, Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Glassware, Art Work. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Senior Beacon for 20 years. Montgomery County resident – will travel to D.C., MD, VA. Buying following items: Furniture, art, jewelry, gold, sterling silver, old coins, vintage pocket and wrist watches, old tools, books, camera, military items – guns, rifles, knives, pocket knives, swords etc. Also buying: old toys, dolls, trains, comic books, photographs, autographs, musical instruments, guitars, violins, etc. Also old sports memorabilia and equipment – baseball, golf, football, fishing etc. Please call Tom at 240-4763441. CASH FOR RECORDS & CDs. BEST PRICE GUARANTEED. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301646-5403. Will make house calls. BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-4640958. 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 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com.

Classifieds cont. on p. 45

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J U L Y 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

now September 15 June through 14–September 15, 2014

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100 REBATE

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ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS WITH THE POWERRISE OR POWERGLIDE® MOTORIZED SYSTEM:

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