June 2025 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

Oriole Advocates change lives

By Cathy Habas

On a sunny spring day, an orange-clad crowd flows through the iron gates of Camden Yards. Every now and then, someone joins the line dressed as a cow. It’s baseball season in Baltimore, and Birdland is ready for some fun.

Most folks know the drill. As they approach a cheerful volunteer at the gate, fans reach out for the day’s freebie. Today, it’s bobbleheads.

“Kids love the bobbleheads,” says Howard County resident Mary Jo Neville. “We do a fair number of T-shirts as well: bowling shirts, Hawaiian shirts, the Cedric Mullins shirt. We have a straw hat, knit hats, bracelets, a barbecue spatula, a plushie.”

Neville is decked out in black and orange gear, but you’d expect nothing less from the president of the Oriole Advocates, the 65year-old organization best known for handing out Orioles swag before every game.

“I just love being at the ballpark. Being in the crowd, seeing people come in with crazy outfits, smelling the hot dogs, hearing the crowd cheering — if you’re a baseball person, it’s heaven,” Neville said.

But there’s a lot more to the Oriole Advocates than just giving away free merchandise. The group spearheads multiple programs that preserve baseball history, help others and build the sport’s future.

A lifetime love of baseball

For Neville, baseball has always been about fun and fellowship. She admits she’s never thrown a ball in her life, but like many Marylanders, she grew up cheering for the Orioles.

“As a kid, back in the ‘60s, I remember us listening to the games on the transistor radio, listening to Chuck Thompson and Bill O’Donnell, hearing Brooks Robinson got a hit

or Frank Robinson just got a home run. It’s just been part of our lives forever,” she said.

“It was the one thing everybody had in common. You might’ve been of a different religion or went to different schools, but everybody loved the Orioles.”

Neville was introduced to the Oriole Advocates at an early age. In the early ‘70s, she won a Junior Oriole necklace at one of the organization’s giveaways. It’s a keepsake she continues to wear today.

Years later, she realized the same group

stood outside the gates of Camden Yards, handing out free merchandise to the crowd.

“I thought, ‘I’d like to do that sometime,’ and when I retired, I decided now’s the time. I became a member nine years ago.”

She quickly fell in love with baseball all over again.

“It’s so much fun. You get to meet people you never would meet otherwise — lots of people from various walks of life and all

Mary Jo Neville is president of the Oriole Advocates. Founded in 1960, the volunteer group hands out freebies at every game, ships used baseball gear abroad, organizes games for children with disabilities at Camden Yards and more. “I just love being at the ballpark,” Neville said.

Practice makes (im)perfect

I recently enjoyed a virtual presentation about what musicians can learn from the latest in brain science.

The speaker, a musician and cognitive neuroscientist, was enlisted by the Adult Music Students’ Forum, a local organization I belong to that gives (mostly) older adult musicians the opportunity to perform in front of their peers and, occasionally, the public.

The goal of Dr. Molly Gebrian’s presentation was to help us learn how to practice more effectively and become better, and less nervous, performers. It was fascinating and potentially very helpful to me as a musician.

ner, create a neuronal “pathway” that produces a specific action. Like finding your way through a forest, once you’ve laid down a path and walked it many times, it becomes more and more clear and easily traversed.

This is how we learn to perform any action, and how our brains turn the most repeated ones into automatic, habitual behaviors.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

But she drew on studies of athletes as well as musicians, and I believe her message should be taken to heart by just about everybody. Here, in my own words, is a truncated layman’s summary of some of the points she made.

Gebrian began by describing how our brains take information in, embed it in memory, and enable us to retrieve it or take action on it. The billions of spindly nerve cells that make up most of our brains communicate with each other by transmitting electrical signals to other cells in their vicinity.

Complex actions involve many nerves that, when frequently engaged in this man-

The problem is, nerve cells don’t evaluate the end result to which those paths lead. They simply follow “the road more traveled.” It’s the behaviors we do the most that become “myelinated,” meaning more or less automatic for us, even if they are things we don’t intend to do.

A study of college basketball players doing free throws determined that what makes top performers so much better than the others is how they practice.

First, they set very specific goals for themselves in each practice session. Second, when they miss a basket, they identify a specific intention to improve and methods for doing so. And finally, they analyze exactly what went wrong whenever they miss until they can make the basket repeatedly.

Of course, every basketball player tries to make the basket during a free throw. They all claim to focus on what they’re

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doing. But the intense specificity of the best performers — their forethought, self-monitoring and self-reflection — is worlds away from the general intention of the others.

The same principles apply to musicians. If, during a practice session, I frequently or even occasionally hit the wrong notes in a particular passage (as I commonly do), my brain’s nerve cells only know that I am creating a frequently used path.

The fact that I say (ahem) “Darn!” each time I make a mistake doesn’t tell my nerves this is a bad pathway I want to avoid. And when I find myself making different mistakes at different practice sessions, I’m just muddying the path further, not correcting it.

To improve, what’s called for is making a serious, conscious effort to identify each error, analyze how it happens, and determine what I need to do to avoid it next time.

Finally, I need to pay careful attention to repeatedly playing it correctly — according to Gebrian, five to seven times in a row — until the right notes become habitual.

There are a number of other lessons from studies of musicians that reveal additional, and often counterintuitive, steps to what might be called best practices.

One is that taking breaks every 5 to 10 minutes is a necessary step to making progress. Another is that practicing a little

each day is far better than trying to squeeze one long practice in each week. And randomizing what you work on — jumping around to different pieces or different sections during a practice session — is better than focusing all your attention on one thing.

Let’s face it, our brains are complicated. But fortunately, researchers have been able to tease out some of the best ways to maximize learning.

Even if these methods don’t exactly make sense from a logical perspective, it’s what works that counts. I know I’m going to try putting these ideas into practice.

At the same time, I don’t need to tell myself that I really need to achieve perfection. That’s not why I play the piano or compose music. I do those things because I love doing them.

I’m fond of a saying I heard from a close friend about what we should strive for in making music: “Don’t make it perfect; make it beautiful.”

Those are two different things, and a lot of beauty can coexist with imperfection. That’s what it means to be human.

For more information about music and the brain, see mollygebrian.com. For more about the Adult Music Student Forum, see AMSFperform.org.

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Health Fitness & Fitness & Health

GOOD NEWS FOR HAIR LOSS

Minoxodil, an old cure for high blood pressure, is an affordable hair loss remedy

SKIP THE SCAN

About 5% of new cancers may be caused by CT scans, so limit your exposure

THE EYES HAVE IT

Medicare will pay for some eye surgeries and procedures, but not regular exams

CALMER MINDS

Meditating for a few minutes a day can transform your brain

Ways to increase lifespan and healthspan

By Jacob Schroeder

For centuries, the world’s most powerful figures have tried to cheat death.

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells of a king’s desperate attempt to outwit mortality. China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, obsessed with living forever, financed expeditions for a mythical “Elixir of Life,” only to die at 49 from mercury poisoning.

Fast-forward a few thousand years, and the hunt for longevity remains just as feverish. But instead of kings and emperors, today’s seekers are billionaires and biotech firms, replacing spells and potions with labs and artificial intelligence (AI).

If the nearly 6,000 longevity studies published last year on PubMed are any indication, we’re trying harder than ever — and getting closer than ever.

There’s big money at stake. Research suggests that slowing aging by one year could add $38 trillion in economic value, while a 10-year life extension could be worth $367 trillion.

From obesity drugs like Ozempic that lower heart disease risk to breakthroughs in cellular aging, longevity research is making real strides. As Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, former scientific director at the National Institute on Aging, put it, “This science is extremely promising.”

The latest research

Life expectancy has increased by over 300% since the late 1800s, but some re-

searchers believe we’re just getting started.

Biotech firm Medtronic suggests that, in theory, a disease-free human body could reach 150 years. Among other things, the company is developing AI-driven tools to detect early signs of disease and predict progression before symptoms appear.

Some researchers believe the first 150year-old human has already been born. Harvard geneticist David Sinclair and others are exploring ways to reset the epigenome — the molecular switches that turn genes on and off.

Early experiments suggest this process can reverse aging in lab mice, raising hopes that similar techniques may help humans combat age-related diseases.

Ferrucci says one of the biggest breakthroughs in longevity science has been recognizing that aging itself is the root cause of most chronic diseases.

Scientists have since developed biological clocks that measure aging through DNA markers and cellular wear, leading to experimental anti-aging treatments like senolytics, which help clear out old, dysfunctional cells.

Another promising drug, rapamycin, appears to slow aging in animals, but its immune-suppressing effects make it controversial for humans.

Yet a key issue remains: Extending lifespan is meaningless if it doesn’t provide better health. That’s why Ferrucci calls longevity a “false objective.”

What you can do today

Modern research confirms what we’ve known for decades: Basic healthy habits work.

A 2023 study of 276,000 U.S. veterans found that adopting eight key habits — including a healthy diet, exercise, quality sleep, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol — could add up to 24 years to a person’s life.

Ferrucci calls these classic preventive measures “a magic pill.” Ignoring them, he notes, shortens life expectancy, a fact backed by decades of research.

However, some point to supercentenarians (those who live past 100) who claim to have survived on things like whiskey and bacon, fueling the argument that longevity is all about getting lucky in the genetics lottery.

It’s true that genetics play a role. But studies suggest lifestyle choices determine 70% to 80% of lifespan.

Beyond diet and exercise, new longevity strategies are gaining traction. Cold therapies including cryotherapy and cold plunges have been linked to reduced inflammation and the activation of longevityrelated proteins.

A long-term Finnish study found that regular sauna use was associated with a 40% lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease.

Another promising approach is intermittent fasting and caloric restriction, which

triggers autophagy — the body’s natural process of clearing damaged cells. This could potentially slow aging and reduce disease risk.

However, researchers recommend that those with eating disorders, diabetes or other conditions avoid intermittent fasting, as well as people over 65.

Reduce stress, loneliness

While we may not all reach 150, we have more control over aging than we once thought — and you don’t need a billionaire’s budget to take advantage of what actually works.

Research consistently finds that one of the strongest predictors of both lifespan and healthspan is social connection.

One of the biggest yet often overlooked factors in aging is stress, which is often caused by social isolation.

“One thing people don’t think about is stress avoidance. People exposed to mistreatment or social stress tend to age faster,” Ferrucci said.

“As a source of stress, it’s becoming clear that loneliness is one of the most significant factors in accelerated aging,” he added.

Good relationships don’t just help people live longer. They make those years worth living.

© 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Any alcohol can adversely affect health

By Carla K. Johnson

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.

“Drinking less is a great way to be healthier,” said Dr. Timothy Naimi, who directs the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

In January, before the Trump administration took office, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for Congress to update the prior surgeon general’s health warning label on alcoholcontaining beverages to include the risk of cancer.

What’s the harm in alcoholic drinks?

Drinking raises the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, liver, breast and mouth and throat.

Alcohol breaks down in the body into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can damage your cells and stop them from repairing themselves. That creates the conditions for cancer to grow.

Thousands of U.S. deaths per year could be prevented if people followed the government’s dietary guidelines, Naimi said. Those guidelines advise men to limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer per day. One drink is the equivalent of about one

12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a shot of liquor.

According to Murthy’s advisory, there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually in the United States.

“As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk,” Murthy wrote on social media.

Isn’t moderate drinking good for you?

That idea that moderate drinking has health benefits came from imperfect studies comparing groups of people by how much they drink. Usually, that was measured at one

point in time. And none of the studies randomly assigned people to drink or not drink, so they couldn’t prove cause and effect.

People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, said Naimi.

“It turns out that when you adjust for those things, the benefits tend to disappear,” he said.

Another problem: Most studies didn’t include younger people. Almost half of the people who die from alcohol-related causes die before the age of 50.

“If you’re studying people who survived into middle age, didn’t quit drinking be-

Stroke survivor’s thoughts turned to speech

By Laura Ungar

Scientists have developed a device that can translate thoughts about speech into spoken words in real time.

Although it’s still experimental, they hope the brain-computer interface could someday help give voice to those unable to speak.

A new study described testing the device on a 47-year-old woman with quadriplegia who couldn’t speak for 18 years after a stroke. Doctors implanted it in her brain during surgery as part of a clinical trial. It “converts her intent to speak into fluent sentences,” said Gopala Anumanchipalli, a co-author of the study published last month in the journal Nature Neuroscience

page 4

cause of a problem, and didn’t become a heavy drinker, that’s a very select group,” Naimi said. “It creates an appearance of a benefit for moderate drinkers that is actually a statistical illusion.”

Other studies challenge the idea that alcohol has benefits. These studies compare people with a gene variant that makes it unpleasant to drink to people without the gene variant. People with the variant tend to drink very little or not at all.

Other brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, for speech typically have a slight delay between thoughts of sentences and computerized verbalization. Such delays can disrupt the natural flow of conversation, potentially leading to miscommunication and frustration, researchers said.

This is “a pretty big advance in our field,” said Jonathan Brumberg of the Speech and Applied Neuroscience Lab at the University of Kansas, who was not part of the study.

A team in California recorded the woman’s brain activity using electrodes while she spoke sentences silently in her mind. The scientists used a synthesizer they built using her voice before her injury

One of these studies found people with the gene variant have a lower risk of heart disease — another blow to the idea that alcohol protects people from heart problems.

What do other countries say?

Guidelines vary a lot from country to country, but the overall trend is toward drinking less.

The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Holland and Australia recently reviewed new evidence and lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Ire-

to create a speech sound that she would have spoken.

They trained an artificial intelligence model that translates neural activity into units of sound. It works similarly to existing systems used to transcribe meetings or phone calls in real time, said Anumanchipalli, of the University of California, Berkeley.

The implant itself sits on the speech center of the brain so that it’s listening in, and those signals are translated to pieces of speech that make up sentences.

It’s a “streaming approach,” Anumanchipalli said, with each 80-millisecond chunk of speech — about half a syllable — sent into a recorder.

“It’s not waiting for a sentence to finish,”

land will require cancer warning labels on alcohol starting in 2026.

“The scientific consensus has shifted due to the overwhelming evidence linking alcohol to over 200 health conditions, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and injuries,” said Carina Ferreira-Borges, regional adviser for alcohol at the World Health Organization regional office for Europe.

Naimi served on an advisory committee

MAIL

Anumanchipalli said. “It’s processing it on the fly.”

Decoding speech that quickly has the potential to keep up with the fast pace of natural speech, Brumberg said. The use of voice samples, he added, “would be a significant advance in the naturalness of speech.”

Though the work was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, Anumanchipalli said it wasn’t affected by recent NIH research cuts.

More research is needed before the technology is ready for wide use, but with “sustained investments,” it could be available to patients within a decade, he said.

© 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

that wanted to lower the U.S. recommendation for men to one drink per day. That advice was considered and rejected when the existing federal recommendations came out in 2020.

“The simple message that’s best supported by the evidence is that, if you drink, less is better when it comes to health,” Naimi said.

© 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

For free materials about area housing communities, just complete and clip this coupon and mail, or take a picture and email, to the Beacon.

Housing Communities

o Brooke Grove (see ad on page 24)

o Charlestown (see ad on page 7)

o Homecrest House (see ad on page 8)

o Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant (see ad on page 2)

o Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 17)

o Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 17)

o Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 17)

o Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 17)

o Residences at Vantage Point (see ad on page 1)

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or take a picture and email to housing@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Health Shorts

AI uses speech to predict Alzheimer’s

An artificial intelligence (AI) model analyzing transcripts of speech from cognitive tests predicted the progression of cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease within six years with more than 78% accuracy. The results of the study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, were published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia in January.

Scientists applied an AI speech analysis system to evaluate samples from transcripts of cognitive tests given to 166 participants diagnosed with mild cognitive im-

BEACON BITS

June 21

SENIOR HEALTH FAIR

pairment (MCI). The Boston Universityled research team used an AI system to analyze the language structure of automated transcripts of voice recordings of participants’ speech during their cognitive tests.

The results showed the AI model successfully predicted, with an accuracy of 78.2%, which participants progressed from MCI to Alzheimer’s within six years.

The researchers view this as validating the potential of AI speech analysis as a convenient, inexpensive cognitive testing resource that can be used remotely to complement other tests and biomarkers.

They suggest their method is more accurate than other noninvasive tests and can help medical professionals and clinical trial managers better identify people at risk for MCI progressing to Alzheimer’s.

—National Institute on Aging

Visit the B’nai B’rith Homecrest House to take in live music, enjoy local food trucks (bring cash) and vendors, peruse wellness resources, participate in raffles and more — all to support Alzheimer’s awareness. This free event takes place on Sat., June 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 14510 Homecrest Rd., Silver Spring. RSVP for a chance to win a gift. For more information, call (301) 598-4000, extension 79.

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Topical hair-loss med is better swallowed

Dermatologists are increasingly prescribing a drug known generically as minoxidil in low-dose pills to help men and women maintain or regrow hair.

Several recent studies suggest the ingredient, which is also in over-the-counter topical treatments like Rogaine, works as well — or possibly better — when swallowed, rather than applied to hair follicles on the head.

Telehealth companies are also driving new demand by offering a quick, easy way to get a prescription and have the pills shipped directly to customers’ doors.

Minoxidil was originally developed in the 1970s as a pill to treat high blood pressure. Researchers noticed that some patients taking it experienced increased hair growth as a side effect.

Rogaine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988, the first drug to win the agency’s endorsement for male pattern baldness. Studies showed that men on the medication, which was applied directly to the scalp, had a slower rate of hair loss and, in some cases, regrew hair.

The drug’s ability to slow hair loss is likely related to its effect on blood circulation, according to experts.

“By increasing blood flow to the scalp, it signals hairs to stay in their growth phase for longer,” said Dr. Adam Friedman, chair

BEACON BITS

June 8

of dermatology at George Washington University.

A recent consensus paper by more than 40 U.S. and international dermatologists concluded that minoxidil pills are effective and often more convenient than the liquid formulation. It’s also affordable, with some pharmacies offering a month’s supply for less than $5.

—Matthew Perrone/AP

CT scans may increase cancer risk

As many as 5% of all new cancer diagnoses per year could be caused by computed tomography (CT) scans.

A study published last month in JAMA Internal Medicine projected that as many as 103,000 Americans could develop cancer annually due to exposure to CT scans. The medical imaging test uses ionizing radiation, which damages DNA.

CT scans have increased in the United States in the past decades. Today about 93 million are performed every year, a 35% increase since 2007.

While x-rays also deliver a radiation dose, CT scans can be 100 to 1,000 times higher than x-rays. Often the dose varies depending on the scanning facility; some CT scans can be 50 times stronger than at another clinic.

—Margaret Foster

WALK AND RUN CELEBRATION

Join OhanaHC for a 5K or a 1-mile walk/run to celebrate the organization’s fifth anniversary. There will be an award ceremony featuring music, food, games and special surprises immediately following the race. You must sign up for the race at bit.ly/OhanaHCWalkRun (registration starts at $16.90 for the 1mile walk). Meet on Sun., June 8 at 10 a.m. at 7000 Columbia Gateway Dr. For more information, visit bit.ly/OhanaHCanniversary or email info@ohanahc.org.

Ongoing

LOAN CLOSET

The Loan Closet of Howard County redistributes donations of durable medical equipment and assistive technology to county residents who need them. There are two locations: at the Alpha Ridge Landfill & Recycling Center, 2350 Marriottsville Rd., Marriottsville; and at 7125 Riverwood Dr., Suite D1, Columbia. For equipment inventory, instructions on how to request and receive equipment, or the hours for returning or donating equipment, visit howardcountymd.gov/loancloset, email loancloset@howardcountymd.gov or call (410) 313-0363.

Medicare coverage of vision care, exams

Dear Savvy Senior,

What does Medicare cover when it comes to vision care? I currently have good vision insurance through my employer but will lose it when I retire.

Dear Almost,

—Almost 65

Many soon-to-be retirees are a bit blurry about what Medicare does and doesn’t cover when it comes to vision care.

eye syndrome, glaucoma, eye infections or if you get something in your eye.

The good news is that Medicare covers most medical issues — like cataract surgery, treatment of eye diseases and medical emergencies. But unfortunately, routine care like eye exams and eyeglasses are usually the beneficiary’s responsibility.

By Jim Miller

Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t covered.

Eye exams and treatments: Medicare does not cover routine eye exams that test for eyeglasses or contact lenses. But they do cover yearly medical eye exams if you have diabetes or are at high risk for glaucoma.

They will also pay for exams to test and treat medical eye diseases if you’re having vision issues that indicate a serious eye problem like macular degeneration, dry

Eye surgeries: Medicare will cover most eye surgeries that help repair the eye function, including cataract surgery to remove cataracts and insert standard intraocular lenses to replace your own.

Medicare will not, however, pick up the extra cost if you choose a premium multifocal lens that restores full range of vision and reduces your need for glasses after cataract surgery. The extra cost for a premium lens can run $1,500 to $4,000 per eye.

Eye surgeries that are usually not covered by Medicare include refractive (LASIK) surgery and cosmetic eye surgery that are not considered medically necessary.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses : Medicare will not pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses, with one exception: If you have had a conventional intraocular lens inserted during cataract surgery, Medicare will pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses following the operation.

Ways to save

Although original Medicare’s vision cov-

erage is limited to medical issues, there are ways you can save on routine care. Here are several to check into:

Medicare Advantage plans: Many of these plans, which are alternatives to original Medicare and sold through private insurance companies, cover routine eye exams and eyeglasses. But coverage is limited, so be sure you understand the specifics.

While I don’t recommend enrolling in an Advantage plan just to get vision coverage, it

is an option you should know about. To locate Advantage plans in your area that provide vision coverage, go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare or call (800) 633-4227.

Purchase vision insurance: If you get routine eye exams and purchase new eyeglasses annually, a vision insurance plan may be worth the cost. These policies typically range between $5 and $30 per month. Most plans will also have copays or

Meditation changes brain, calms fears

By Maureen Salamon

For neuroscientist Sara Lazar, a form of meditation called open awareness is as fundamental to her day as breathing.

“I just become aware that I am aware, with no particular thing that I focus on,” explained Lazar, an associate researcher in the psychiatry department at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

“This sort of practice helps me become more aware of the subtle thoughts and emotions that briefly flit by, that we usually ignore but are quite useful to tune in to.”

Studies show certain types of meditation offer an array of benefits, from easing chronic pain and stress and lowering high blood pressure to relieving anxiety and depression.

In fact, as Lazar’s research has shown, meditation can actually change the structure and connectivity of brain areas that help us cope with fear and anxiety.

“Just as you build your physical muscles, you can build your calm muscles,” she said. “Meditation is a very effective way of training those muscles.”

What counts as meditation?

Meditation encompasses a broad range of practices. Open awareness, Lazar’s goto meditation, is just one of many forms. Others include focused awareness, slow

deep breathing, guided meditation and mantra meditation.

At their core, Lazar said, is an awareness of the moment, noticing what you’re experiencing and nonjudgmentally disengaging from intrusive thoughts that might interfere with your ability to attend to this task.

A regular meditation practice typically involves slowing down, breathing and observing inner experience.

“Meditation can involve flickering candles, breath awareness or mantras — all of these things,” Lazar said. “But there’s definitely an element of focusing and regulating your attention.”

Brain changes in two months

Small MRI imaging studies have zeroed in on meditation’s effects on the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure deep within the brain that processes fear, anxiety and other emotions.

Lazar and her colleagues have spent years laying the groundwork to show how practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) alters the amygdala after only about two months. The MBSR practice in this research consisted of weekly group meetings and daily home mindfulness practices, including sitting meditation and yoga.

One key study involved 26 people with high levels of perceived stress. After an

eight-week regimen of MBSR, brain scans showed the density of their amygdalae decreased, and these brain changes correlated to lower reported stress levels.

Building on this, Lazar and colleagues designed a study that focused on 26 people diagnosed with generalized anxiety, a disorder marked by excessive, ongoing and often illogical anxiety levels. The researchers randomized participants to either practice MBSR or receive stress management education.

In this first-of-its-kind research, participants were shown a series of images with angry or neutral facial expressions during MRI imaging. At the beginning of the study, anxiety patients showed higher levels of amygdala activation in response to neutral faces than healthy participants. This suggests a stronger fear response to a non-threatening situation.

But after eight weeks of MBSR, MRI imaging showed increased connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, a brain area crucial to emotional regulation.

The amygdalae in participants with generalized anxiety no longer displayed a fear response to neutral faces. These participants also reported their symptoms had improved.

“It seems meditation helps to down-regulate the amygdala in response to things it perceives to be threatening,” Lazar said.

Lazar believes training your brain to stop and notice your thoughts in a slightly detached way can calm you amidst the muddle of work deadlines, family friction or distressing news.

“You can watch your reactivity to the situation in a mindful, detached way, which shifts your relationship to it,” she said.

Eye exams

From page 7

deductibles you’ll be responsible for.

Find cheaper shopping options: Many retailers provide discounts — between 10 and 50 percent — on eye exams and eyeglasses if you belong to a membership group like AARP or AAA.

You can also save by shopping at discount retailers like Costco Optical, Sam’s Club Optical or Target Optical, which are all recommended by Consumer Reports Or consider buying your glasses online at retailers like ZenniOptical.com, EyeBuyDirect.com or GlassesUSA.com, which offer big savings.

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June 19

“It’s not indifference. It’s sort of like a bubble bursting — you realize you don’t need to keep going on this loop. Once you see that, it totally shifts your relationship to that reaction bubbling through your brain.”

How to start

Haven’t tried meditating? To get started, Lazar recommends the Three-Minute Breathing Space Meditation.

This offers a quick taste of meditation, walking you through three pared-down but distinct steps. “It’s simple, fast and anyone can do it,” she said.

1. Notice what your experience is right now.

2. Focus on your breath and the sensations of your breath.

3. Expand your awareness to also notice sensations in your body.

After you get the hang of it, “Try either doing a longer session or short hits throughout the day, such as a threeminute breathing break four to five times a day,” Lazar suggested.

Another way to enhance your practice is to use ordinary, repetitive moments throughout the day — such as reaching for a doorknob — as a cue to pause for five seconds and notice the sensation of your hand on the knob.

“As you walk from your office to your car, for instance, instead of thinking of all the things you have to do, you can be mindful while you’re walking,” Lazar said.

“Feel the sunshine and the pavement under your feet. There are simple ways to work meditation into each day.”

© 2025 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

To purchase glasses online, you’ll need a valid prescription (no more than a year old) from an eye doctor, plus your pupillary distance number, which is the distance in millimeters between the centers of the pupils in your eyes.

Look for assistance: There are also health centers and local clinics that provide free or discounted vision exams and eyeglasses to those in need. To find them, call your local Lions Club (see Directory. LionsClubs.org) for referrals.

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.

COLUMBIA JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

Visit the lakefront in downtown Columbia to celebrate Juneteenth with live music and performances, local Black-owned makers and artisans, kids’ activities, line dancing, food trucks and more. The day culminates in a concert featuring soul singer-songwriter Kyaira. This free event takes place on Thu., June 19 from 2 to 8:30 p.m. at 10275 Wincopin Cir. For more information, call (410) 715-3000.

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Travel Leisure &

See Great Smoky Mountains National Park

By Glenda C. Booth

Many people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park hoping to spot megafauna — such as one of the park’s 1,500 black bears or an impressively-antlered elk.

Seeing such large animals can surely elevate one’s heart rate. But this national park offers much more than big animals.

Every June, thousands of flickering fireflies fill the night skies with a magical light show. One species, Photinus carolinus, is famous because the males flash in unison.

Or consider the recently discovered red-cheeked salamander, which lives exclusively in these mountains. The park, with 31 species of salamanders, is known as the “Salamander Capital of the World.”

Then there’s the rock gnome lichen, an endangered species that’s a symbiotic combination of fungus and cyanobacterium. It grows in colonies and clings to vertical rock faces at foggy high elevations or in deep gorges.

The 522,990-acre park — which straddles the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina — is also home to 135 tree species, more than 250 species of birds and 69 of mammals, making it one of Earth’s most biodiverse places in a temperate climate zone.

More than 19,000 species have been

documented at Great Smoky Mountains

National Park and another 80,000 to 100,000 may be there awaiting discovery, park scientists say.

The park is surrounded by three states and three national forests, totaling altogether more than three million acres of preserved land. This makes it the largest federally-protected landmass east of the Mississippi River.

With 14 million visitors a year, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country, perhaps because it’s less than a day’s drive from one-third of the U.S. population.

Varied

vegetation

What geysers are to Yellowstone, vegetation is to this park, as the National Park Service puts it. Here visitors can glimpse the same plant and wildlife diversity as they would if they hiked from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail.

Standing under a giant tulip tree over 200 years old — with its lowest branch 35 feet overhead and a five-foot-wide trunk — gives one perspective.

Not only does the park have 1,600 native flowering plants, trees and shrubs, but it also has 450 species of what are called “bryophytes” — ferns, mosses and liver-

worts, for example.

To experience the park, visitors can walk, hike, bike, paddle or just drive. The park has several self-guided vehicle routes along its 384 miles of roads.

An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles Cades Cove. Here, an open-air museum depicts homestead life from the late 1880s to the early 1930s with rustic log buildings, split rail fences, corn cribs and appleeating Yorkshire hogs.

Truly absorbing the park means taking to the trails to discover spring wildflowers, giant rhododendrons, towering trees and sedimentary rocks that are 200 to 300 million years old.

It means going up to Clingman’s Dome — at 6,643 feet the park’s highest point — to be dazzled by millions of stars and maybe a meteor shower. It means being mesmerized by a roaring waterfall, or fly fishing for brook trout in one of the park’s 800 streams.

Don’t be shy about approaching rangers with your questions. With a little help, you may get a peek at a southern flying squirrel or the endangered spruce moss spider, which lives under moss at 5,500 feet and up.

Special attractions

The flashing of synchronous fireflies in the

Elkmont area of the park is a phenomenon that occurs in only a few places in the world.

The park holds a public lottery to manage limited viewing of the phenomenon. Last year, 140 vehicles per night were admitted during the two-week period in June.

In the fall, male elk, some weighing more than 1,000 pounds, compete for mates by bugling, prancing and occasionally locking antlers with rivals, a behavior called the rut.

The park has a herd of around 200, and the best places to see them are the Cataloochee Valley and Oconaluftee Visitor Center at dawn and dusk.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940 “for the permanent enjoyment of the people.”

The park’s superintendent, Cassius Cash, likes to quote a local judge, Justice Gary Wade, who said, “I cannot think of a more spiritual place than Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

Theme parks, kitsch and more

After exploring the park, if you crave some civilization and amusement, Dollywood offers a resort-spa-amusementwater park destination in Pigeon Forge,

A bluish haze surrounds the Appalachian Mountains of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cherokee called the area, which straddles Tennessee and North Carolina, the “land of blue smoke.”

The Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway is a good way to see the mountains. See story below.

Elk roam the park’s historic areas, like this cabin at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee, North Carolina, the southern gateway to the park.

Smoky Mountains

From page

Tennessee, with more than 60 rides and shows. The popular attraction is closely associated with and part-owned by Dolly Parton, who grew up in the area.

In Sevierville, stop into Buc-ee’s. This 75,000-square-foot location dubs itself the largest convenience store in the world. It’s bigger than a football field. Pick up a six-pack of fudge, sweet corn puffs, beef jerky or a smoked brisket sandwich. And check out the pickup truck loaded with plushies of the store’s mascot, Bucky Beaver.

Gatlinburg is honkytonk tackiness 10 times over, crowded with blocks of joints hawking souvenirs, T-shirts, shot glasses, tchotchkes and hemp, plus arcades and tattooers. Still, every now and then, the park’s black bears wander through town.

At Ripley’s Aquarium, sharks, sea turtles, giant stingrays, scorpionfish and other sea creatures “curate curiosity,” ac-

cording to Ripley, a company that has entertained audiences since 1918.

At Anakeesta, a theme park accessible via a 600-foot gondola ride from the middle of Gatlinburg’s downtown, adventurous types can ride a roller coaster or walk a treetop skywalk.

Ole Smoky Moonshine is worth a meander for some real made-in-the-mountains spirits. It’s “Whisky and Shine Redefined,” owners brag.

Bartenders in bib overalls serve enticing (and intoxicating) moonshine with flavors like blackberry, sour watermelon, apple pie, orange sickle and banana pudding. One sign warns, “Y’all came on vacation. Don’t leave on probation.”

Just outside the moonshine bar, groups like the Cory Zink Band rip off lively bluegrass. “Holler out whatcha wanna hear,” shouts the band leader.

Onlookers might hear Gary Biscuit Davis, a five-time world banjo champion, admit, “If you learn to play the banjo, you can be assured of a divorce.”

LOSS OF SPOUSE/PARTNER SUPPORT GROUP

If you go

The park has four major entrances: Gatlinburg and Townsend in Tennessee, and Cherokee and Oconaluftee in North Carolina.

By car from Columbia, Gatlinburg is about 500 miles; Asheville, N.C., is a little less. Within the park itself, uneven internet service means you shouldn’t depend on your vehicle’s navigation systems or GPS. Instead, pick up a map of park roads at a visitor center.

The two closest airports are Knoxville’s McGhee-Tyson in Alcoa, Tennessee, 50 miles northwest of the Gatlinburg en-

trance, and Asheville Regional Airport, 60 miles east of the Cherokee entrance.

The park is open year-round. Visitation peaks from June to October, when the NPS offers ranger-led programs.

Synchronous firefly viewing is managed by a lottery, which typically opens in April on recreation.gov.

The park has one lodge, open midMarch through mid-November. Unfortunately, it’s accessible only by foot (see lecontelodge.com/reservations).

Towns near the park’s entrances have many lodging options. For more information, see nps.gov/grsm.

and allow families to make arrangements online or over the phone; we work on your schedule and in your budget.

olume 15, No. 6 | June 202 Vo

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June Events at Howard County 50+ Centers

Living Well Program

Ongoing, six-week programs offered at various locations Register at bit.ly/HoCoLivingWellPrograms

The Living Well Program offers free, evidence-based workshops to help adults manage chronic conditions, diabetes and chronic pain. Participants meet weekly in small groups to learn practical self-management tools to improve nutrition and exercise habits, manage stress, create action plans and more. Select workshops are available in English, Korean, and Spanish. For more information, contact Heather Sites at hsites@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-3507 (voice/relay).

AARP Smart DriverTEK

North Laurel 50+ Center

June 3, 10 - 11:30 a.m. | A06627.302

Smart DriverTEK is a 90-minute workshop to help older adult drivers stay up to date with the latest safety features in their car. Learn how these new technologies can improve your peace of mind on the road. Register today and tell a friend—it’s FREE! If class is full, call 410-313-0380 for availability.

Total Care: Physical Therapist’s Guide to Function & Fitness

Glenwood 50+ Center

June 4, 11 a.m. - noon | A03110.303

In our Total Care series, a physical therapist will share insights to improve function and fitness at any age! This session will focus on practical strategies to enhance mobility, strength, balance, and overall well-being, helping you stay active and independent.

Game Night

East Columbia 50+ Center

June 9, 4:30 p.m. | A04703.303 or 410-313-7680

If you are a fan of board and card games, join us for an evening of fun and socialization at East Columbia 50+ Center. Bring your favorite game or use one of ours.

Celebrate

Juneteenth & Father’s Day with

The Maryland Opera

Bain 50+ Center

June 11, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | A01756.300

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” celebrates the rich treasure of African American musicians and their music, including spirituals, art songs and operatic arias. Tickets are available at the front desk; lunch donation applies.

Medically Curious: Senior Arthritis

Glenwood 50+ Center

June 17, 1 - 2 p.m. | A03632.303

Retired ER doctor Larry Roman leads the Medically Curious discussion on essential health topics for older adults. In June, he focuses on the causes, symptoms and treatment of arthritis and its effects on mobility, comfort and quality of life.

Father’s Day Jam with Sam the Muleman Miller

Elkridge 50+ Center

June 17, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | A05520.300

Celebrate Father’s Day while you tap your toes, sing along and dance as local musician Sam Miller brings the music back to Elkridge. Register online to reserve your spot or call 410-313-5192.

Alzheimer’s Education Series (Offered in English & Korean)

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s | East Columbia 50+ Center

June 11, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. | A20670.303

Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia | Ellicott City 50+ Center

June 25, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. | A20670.305

Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. Learn how to recognize common signs of the disease; how to approach someone about memory concerns; the importance of early detection and benefits of a diagnosis. A light meal will be served. View the full schedule at https://bit.ly/OAI-ALZedseries.

Senior Planet: Intro to Photo Editing Tools

North Laurel 50+ Center

June 24, 10 a.m. - noon | A20673.309

Tired of blurry vacation photos with random people in the background? Learn how photo editing tools can enhance your photos. Explore popular photo editing tools and free apps to start “photoshopping” with ease! Visit bit.ly/HoCoDigitalInclusion for more Senior Planet programs offered in Howard County.

Summer Solstice Artisan Bazaar

Ellicott City 50+ Center

June 27, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. | No Registration Required

Don’t miss our first ever Summer Craft Fair! Shop from a variety of vendors while staying cool indoors. Find one-of-a-kind gifts and homemade crafted items for all occasions and seasons. Admission is $1; proceeds benefit Small Miracles Cat & Dog Rescue.

9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us @HoCoCommunity on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and Nextdoor AVAILABLEINALTERNATEFORMATSUPONREQUEST Join the subscriber list https://bit.ly/HoCosubscribe Listen to the HoCo Community Chat podcast on Buzzsprout

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MoneyMoney Law & Tips for investors during volatile markets

By Dennis D. Coughlin

[Ed. Note: This story offers a different way of looking at volatility than our story with a similar title last September.]

Navigating financial markets can often feel like trying to predict the weather a month in advance — frustrating, unreliable and prone to sudden changes.

While markets thrive on speculation, successful investing is built on logic and discipline. Rather than attempting to foresee the future, investors can benefit from a rational, structured approach to market dynamics.

Investors can make informed decisions without being swayed by emotion or market hysteria by focusing on three fundamental aspects:

• Federal Reserve policy and interest rates

• Market valuations and earnings growth

• Geopolitical and macroeconomic risks

Understanding Federal Reserve policy and interest rates

The Federal Reserve plays a pivotal role in economic stability, influencing everything from corporate borrowing costs to consumer mortgage rates.

However, rather than reacting impulsively to Fed announcements, investors should take a measured approach to understanding monetary policy.

Here’s how to respond to Fed policy:

• Focus on data, not sensationalism. The Fed’s decisions are based on economic indicators such as inflation rates, employment levels and GDP growth. Investors should prioritize reputable sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) over media speculation.

• Recognize cause and effect. When interest rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive, which can slow corporate expansion. Conversely, lower rates typically stimulate economic activity. The key is assessing how these shifts impact specific sectors rather than attempting to anticipate policy changes.

• Differentiate short-term reactions from long-term implications. Markets often respond sharply to Federal Reserve statements, but investors should focus on the broader trajectory of monetary policy rather than momentary fluctuations.

Like a thermostat regulating temperature, the Federal Reserve adjusts interest

rates to maintain economic balance. Investors who recognize these patterns and avoid knee-jerk reactions will be better positioned to make informed decisions.

Market valuations and earnings growth: Distinguishing substance from speculation

A strong earnings report or a surge in stock price can create excitement, but discerning long-term investment opportunities requires more than enthusiasm. A logical approach to valuations can help separate sustainable growth from speculative bubbles. Here are some logical ways to analyze valuations and earnings:

• Rely on fundamental metrics. Instead of responding to market narratives, investors should evaluate key indicators such as price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, price-to-book (P/B) ratios and revenue growth trends.

• Adopt a long-term perspective. One quarter of exceptional performance does not guarantee a company’s future success, just as a weak earnings period does not necessarily indicate long-term decline. Examining multi-year performance and management strategy provides a clearer picture.

• Recognize the difference between hype and fundamentals. Stocks experiencing rapid appreciation based solely on speculation pose risks. While high-growth investments can be rewarding, they must be supported by realistic growth projections and solid business models.

A prudent investor approaches market valuations with the same care as purchasing a home — conducting thorough due diligence rather than making decisions based on impulse.

Geopolitical and macroeconomic risks: Managing uncertainty with rationality

Global events — from trade conflicts to inflation concerns — can have profound implications for markets. While uncertainty is inherent in investing, a structured approach to assessing geopolitical risks can mitigate emotional decision-making. Rational approaches to geopolitical risks:

• Acknowledge the persistent nature of uncertainty. Markets have endured wars, recessions and regulatory changes

How to prepare for a possible recession

By Maurie Backman

If you are retired and worried about a recession, join the crowd. For current retirees or those planning retirement soon, just the whiff of a possible recession is alarming.

The American economy has been remarkably strong, but confidence in the economy is plunging in the face of multiple economic and political challenges.

Economists have been flirting with the idea of a recession ever since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in early 2022 in response to soaring inflation.

Despite 11 interest rate hikes between March 2022 and July 2023, consumer spending held steady. It wasn’t until January 2025 that spending fell by 0.2%, marking the first monthly decline since March 2023.

But while consumers may have been equipped to withstand a years-long period of elevated inflation and interest rates, the question is whether recent tariff policies will push them over the edge. If tariffs

drive prices up even more, it could lead to a broad consumer pullback and more inflationary pressure.

Plus, tariffs could burden U.S. companies to the point where they have to make payroll cuts. That could lead to an uptick in unemployment and fuel a broad economic downturn.

6 of 10 expect a recession

An early April Ipsos poll found that 61% of Americans think the economy is headed for a recession within the next year. And JPMorgan recently upgraded the likelihood of a global recession to 60% by yearend, up from 40%.

If you’re retired, recent economic news and events may have you understandably worried. Although you may not have to concern yourself with job loss the way working Americans do, you may be fearful that a prolonged economic slump will wreak havoc on your portfolio and upend your finances.

But if you prepare accordingly, you can set yourself up to get through a recession relatively unharmed.

Here are some steps every retiree can take to prepare for a recession.

1. Boost your cash reserves

Portfolio values can decline dramatically during a recession. That’s problematic when you’re at a stage of life when you’re tapping your portfolio regularly for income.

To avoid locking in portfolio losses during a recession, boost your cash reserves so you can leave your non-cash assets alone to ride out the storm.

Generally, it’s wise to have enough cash to cover a year or two of bills. You may want to veer toward the higher end of that range in case your portfolio plunges and it takes months for its value to come back up.

2. Assess your portfolio

Risk assessment is an integral part of

managing a retirement portfolio, so it’s something you should be doing regularly. But it’s particularly important to check up on your asset allocation now, when recession fears loom.

It’s also wise to be deliberate and stay calm. Try to take emotion and worry out of your decision-making.

If you’re uncomfortable with the share of your portfolio in equities, consider shifting some of those assets into bonds. Given recent market events, now may not be the best time to sell stocks.

But the S&P 500 enjoyed gangbuster returns in 2024. If you cashed in some gains earlier on in the year, losses you take now as part of a rebalance could help offset an associated tax bill.

If you are just about to retire or at the start of retirement, tread cautiously. The sequence of returns risk (that is, the risk

INVESTING , page 17

Deposit a check without waiting in line. See our online banking story on page 18.

Investing

From page 16

throughout history. Investors who remain focused on long-term strategies rather than reacting to short-term disruptions may experience more sustainable outcomes over time.

• Diversification as a risk management tool. Spreading investments across industries and geographies can help cushion the impact of geopolitical volatility. Rather than concentrating exposure in a single sector or region, a well-diversified

Recession

From page 16

you’ll need to sell stocks to meet expenses early in retirement), could put a serious dent in your retirement nest egg if you decide to sell too many equities.

3. Revisit your spending and withdrawal rate

When you’ve worked hard your entire life, you deserve to enjoy retirement — not penny-pinch your way through it.

But if you’re worried about a recession and its impact on your retirement income, now’s the time to review your spending, see if there’s room to cut back and commit to a budget.

And if you’re not keen on reducing your spending, one thing you can do is pledge not to take on any new expenses until things settle down. For example, if you were considering upgrading a car, you may want to hold off on that as long as your current vehicle is drivable.

Finally, if you are following the 4% rule rate of retirement withdrawal, you may want to pare back to a lower withdrawal rate. Before you act, talk to your financial adviser.

4. Consider part-time work

Retirees often struggle to make peace with the idea of living off of savings. If you’re capable of working in some capacity, then there’s no reason not to do it. There’s even a term for this trend: “unretiring.”

Today’s gig economy offers ample opportunity to earn money without having to resort to a traditional desk or retail job. And if you’re worried about the impact of a job on your Social Security benefit, rest assured that you’re allowed to work while receiving benefits.

One you reach full retirement age, you can earn any amount of money from a job without negatively impacting your monthly benefits. However, if you filed early, you will lose some Social Security benefits, depending on how much you earn and your age.

5. Explore options for tapping home equity

If recession fears are worrying you, see how much equity you have in your home, and shop around for borrowing options in case you wind up needing to tap it.

Granted, any home equity loan or HELOC you sign today is likely to come with an interest rate that’s higher than what you want to pay. But it could make

portfolio aims to provide resilience. Note, however, that diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets, and cannot guarantee that any objective or goal will be achieved.

• Analyze real economic implications. Not all geopolitical events affect markets equally. For example, supply chain disruptions may negatively impact manufacturers but benefit local producers. A logical investor assesses industry-specific effects rather than reacting indiscriminately. By remaining analytical and avoiding

sense to have that option in your back pocket in case you need to exercise it.

6. Find the silver lining

It may be hard to believe that a recession can bring opportunity to retirees, but for those who are well-positioned, a recession can bolster financial security. For example, there are ways your es-

emotion-driven decisions, investors can navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity.

Bottom line: Rational approach

While financial markets will always experience periods of unpredictability, investors do not have to follow suit.

By applying logic to Federal Reserve policy, market valuations and geopolitical risks, individuals can make strategic decisions grounded in data rather than speculation.

Investors who maintain discipline, stay informed and embrace a long-term per-

tate can benefit when markets are down. You could, for example, do a Roth conversion from a traditional 401(k) or IRA. By doing so, you could convert your investments at a lower tax cost and then

spective rather than attempt to outguess the market will be better equipped to handle market volatility.

In an environment where emotions can drive costly mistakes, logical analysis remains a reliable tool for staying grounded while working toward long-term financial success.

Dennis D. Coughlin, CFP, AIF, co-founded CG Capital with Christopher C. Giambrone in 1999.

© 2025 Kiplinger Consumer News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

benefit from tax-free growth when the market recovers.

© 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Banking you can do online or on an app

By Donna Fuscaldo

The brick-and-mortar banking experience that retirees relied on growing up is waning. You may be aware that bank closings are becoming common these days as more people shift to mobile apps and online banking.

There may be a bit of a learning curve for retirees, but once they make the switch, it can open up a world of convenience.

After all, you can do much more than check your balance with an online banking website or mobile app. Plus, you don’t have to get off your couch.

“Smartphone apps are a great way to bank,” said Alison Pahlkotter, innovation product designer and research analyst at GreenPath Financial Wellness, a nonprofit financial wellness counseling service. “They are secure and often easy to use.”

Digital banking services

Digital banking services are popular. An American Bankers Association survey found more than half of U.S. adults (55%) use mobile apps to do their banking, while 22% use online banking via laptop or PC.

And it’s not just tech-savvy youngsters who embrace this way of banking. Fifty-

five percent of Generation Xers and 41% of baby boomers are banking online.

It doesn’t hurt that online-only banks — think Ally Bank, SoFi and Capital One 360 — tend to offer better savings rates and lower fees, said Stephen Kates, a financial analyst at Bankrate. They don’t have the overhead of a traditional bank and, therefore, pass along the savings to their customers.

If you are among the holdouts or are new to the online banking world, here is a look at everything you can do without going into a physical bank.

1. Deposit a check online: Most banks enable you to deposit checks via their mobile app using your smartphone camera — and it’s easy to do.

Sign the back of the check like usual, write “For Mobile Deposit Only” below your signature, open the mobile deposit feature on your banking app and take a photo of the front and back of the check. You’ll be asked to input the check amount and click deposit — and you’re done.

2. Shop for and apply for a credit card: Whether you are looking for a cash back credit card or travel rewards, it is easy to search and apply for a credit card

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on your bank’s website or mobile app.

Many banking apps will provide information about their credit card offerings, let you search by specific features and even ask you to take a quiz to find the one that’s right for you. The best part is that it’s all aggregated for you. [Ed. Note: But you may find better credit card deals elsewhere.]

3. Get a car loan or mortgage: Even getting a car loan or mortgage can be done digitally through your bank’s app or website. Remember that the rates you get may not be the best, but if you have already done the research and are ready to apply with your bank, it’s made much easier thanks to the bank’s mobile app and website.

4. Order checks online: Most banks let you order checks through their banking app or website. You can typically find this feature under the “Account Services,” “Account Features” or “Order Checks” part of the bank’s mobile app or website.

5. Buy stocks and bonds: This online feature typically requires a separate brokerage account (which you can set up online, too).

Once it’s created, you can buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs and even cryptocurrencies directly from your bank’s website or mobile app.

Some banks will even let you connect with a financial adviser by requesting a call on the

Have confidence in every conversation.

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

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

• Ring signalers

• Phones with large and/or high contrast buttons

• Captioned Telephones

• And more

For more information: 800-552-7724 | 410-767-7253 (Voice/TTY) 410-801-9618 (Video Phone) | MDMAT.org

spot or scheduling a call for a later date.

6. Check your credit score: Banks want to help you build, improve and maintain your credit score. After all, the higher your credit score, the more likely they are to approve you for loans and credit cards, all of which make them money.

Most banks now team up with one of the three credit rating firms — Experian, TransUnion or TransAmerica — or they may use third-party services to provide your credit score for free.

7. Find ATMs: This tip is handy if your local bank branch is closed. Most banks have built-in features that let you search for ATMs near you.

You’ll receive the address and distance from your home when you search. Some have a map to make it even easier to get to.

Tap away, but with caution

Once you get the hang of using online banking apps, you may not want to bother with waiting in line at a brick-and-mortar bank.

Just remember that the price of such convenience is that scammers hope to get your retirement savings or break into other financial accounts. So, practice caution with any online financial apps you decide to use. © 2025 Kiplinger Consumer News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

Arts & Style

At 50, county aging service has aged well

By Margaret Foster

If you have to get older — and we all do — Howard County is a great place to do it. The county’s thriving 50+ centers, classes for people over 55 and other programs are designed to help residents age with dignity and maybe even some fun.

Howard County launched its Department of Community Resources and Services in 1975, along with its Office on Aging. The latter’s first priorities were to provide meals and transportation to older residents.

Fifty years later, and now called the Office on Aging and Independence, its track record is so good that last year AARP designated Howard County an “Age-Friendly Community,” one of fewer than 70 across the country.

“We serve people across the lifespan, from our very youngest to our oldest in the community,” said Jacqueline Scott, director of the county’s Department of Community Resources (DCR) and Services, which oversees the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI).

“People often don’t know that we’re here until they need us. And we are in the community in so many different places. We are that agency that walks alongside people to

help them create and live their best lives.”

This year the county is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the DCR and OAI with a series of open houses. Scott and her team will be on hand at 50+ centers and county offices to give tours and let people know what’s available to them as county residents.

Help of all kinds

So, what exactly does OAI do for older people? If a neighbor is getting older and can’t get to the grocery store or pharmacy, for instance, the county can provide food and medication.

The county can also help out with utility bills and dental bills, thanks to an emergency fund for older adults. There’s a caregiver respite program that gives a break to fulltime caregivers. In addition, low-income seniors can get help with assisted living costs (although there’s currently a waitlist).

Of course, the most noticeable signs of a robust county aging program are its six 50+ centers, which provide fitness facilities, meals (without charge for people over 60, though voluntary contributions are accepted), classes of all kinds, clubs, craft sessions and other events.

“We aren’t the old, typical senior center,” said Ofelia Ross Ott, OAI administrator.

“Each center has its own vibe…We strive to make it a welcoming environment for all people of different cultures and beliefs.”

The first of the county’s centers, named after Florence Bain, the first chairwoman of the Howard County Commission on

At a class at one of the county’s 50+ centers, residents practice tai chi. This year the county’s Department of Community Resources and Services, which oversees the centers, marks 50 years. Find out more about what they do at an open house. PHOTO

Jim Palmer and Mary Jo Neville attended the 2023 Hall of Fame luncheon hosted by the Oriole Advocates. See our story on p. 20.

From page 1

around the Baltimore area.”

Great seats at games

Although Neville is quick to clarify that the organization isn’t a fan club, Advocates do enjoy some perks. For instance, members who hand out freebies at the gate get to watch the game in a reserved section.

“The Orioles are very kind to us,” she said. “We also have a meeting room in the warehouse, and we’re on the eighth floor. So we have a pretty good view of the field from up there too.”

The group also manages the Orioles Hall of Fame, which means members and Hall of Famers gather every year for a luncheon to celebrate Orioles history and vote in new inductees.

Helping kids here and abroad

When they’re not handing out swag, watching a game or dining with legends, Oriole Advocates are supporting young baseball players at home and around the world.

Neville is most proud of the Challenger Baseball program, which helps kids with developmental or physical challenges play in assisted leagues.

She enjoys “seeing the kids light up” when Advocates bring them gifts or the Oriole Bird attends one of their games. “They just love the Oriole Bird. Who doesn’t?”

Oriole Advocates organize tournaments and picnics for Challenger teams and invite Challenger players to games at Camden Yards.

The organization’s second flagship program, Cardboard to Leather, sends used baseball equipment to children in 11 countries.

“It started because somebody saw an article in the newspaper about kids playing ball using cardboard as mitts,” Neville said.

“We send uniforms and bats and balls, and they’re so thrilled that they actually have real baseball equipment to play with.”

Since launching the program in 1992, Oriole Advocates have sent baseball gear to more than 17,000 children in 11 countries. They currently ship about 500 boxes each year.

They’re also helping to fund a baseball field in Kenya, where the sport has become increasingly popular, but facilities are scarce.

On the home front, scholarships are available for baseball players at the Community College of Baltimore County’s Catonsville, Essex and Dundalk campuses, as well as Mount Saint Joseph High School.

people who are in their mid- or late-20s or 30s,” Neville said.

Most members are, unsurprisingly, Orioles fans. If your heart belongs to a rival team, expect some light-hearted ribbing.

“We do laugh a lot and carry on, but we work hard,” she said.

Craig Ey, an Oriole Advocates member since 2020, shared what it’s like to be a part of the organization.

“I’ve loved it. It’s just been fantastic, being at the games, helping out with Cardboard to Leather and Challenger. It’s such a great experience being around other fans and sharing that camaraderie.”

“It’s simple. At Osher, I learn new things from excellent instructors and make new friends with similar interests. What could be better?”

DEBBY VIVARI

“In-person classes provide an invigorating opportunity to socialize with other members, not only in class but over lunch or coffee. The Zoom classes are convenient and allow us to learn from instructors who are outside the Washington metropolitan area—as far away as Pennsylvania and California.”

MILLIE ROGERS

“I belong to Osher at JHU because I like nurturing my mind and interacting with peers who share my interests. Through Osher, I’m exposed to different viewpoints from people locally, and from as far away as California... and even England!”

BILL LEWIS

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Johns Hopkins offers enrichment classes, field trips, and travel opportunities for adults. Memberships include one, two, four, or six classes per semester. Keep your mind active and have fun like these members do.

For program details, visit osher.jhu.edu, call the staff cell phone at 240-595-2219, or email osher@jhu.edu.

You can also thank this organization for helping to save and restore what is now the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum on Emory Street, just a five-minute walk from Camden Yards.

All ages can volunteer

If the Oriole Advocates sound like your kind of people, you can get involved in several ways.

First, you can become a member-volunteer. Volunteers are expected to show up on time and be able to stand at the gates for a couple of hours.

“We have all age groups. Our oldest member is 95 years old, and we also have

Members play an important role in the organization, but so do donors. The group accepts new or gently used baseball and softball equipment for its Cardboard to Leather program.

You can also make a tax-deductible donation online or leave cash donations in the orange collection buckets at the stadium gates.

And if you have an empty warehouse in the Baltimore area, the Advocates need a new space to store and pack donations.

Oriole Advocates demonstrate how baseball can bring people together to make a difference.

“Sometimes politics separates us, and what neighborhood you’re from, and this and that,” Neville said. “But we all love the Birds and the Baby Birds and wearing orange and black.”

Visit orioleadvocates.org.

From page 19

Aging, opened in Columbia in 1980. Five more followed, built in Elkridge, Ellicott City, Glenwood and North Laurel.

“It’s hugely satisfying when you go into a 50+ center and see the vibrancy of the age range of the people utilizing that center,” Scott said.

“They’re able to come and see their friends or participate in the exercise classes

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or even just sit by the fire and read a book. It’s the kind of place that they feel connected to, that they can depend on. There’s warmth there, and people know each other by name.”

Loan closet, meals, aid

The county also operates a free loan closet for medical equipment in Columbia as well as a bustling food pantry in Laurel.

“We’re problem solvers. We’re going to help get them to the places they need,” Scott said. Sometimes, she said, “they’re really

looking for a place for someone to listen.”

Having someone to talk to is critical. Loneliness, as we know from the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory in 2023, can be as unhealthy as smoking cigarettes. That’s why the OAI’s mission is to decrease social isolation.

During the pandemic, for instance, it made an all-hands-on-deck effort to make sure older residents got the food, medicine and companionship they needed.

And every holiday season, volunteers shift into elf mode, delivering gift bags to brighten the holidays for 300 older residents.

“We have worked so hard to create an array of services for people and integrate them into all facets of their life here in Howard County,” Scott said. “And the thing

that they often talk about is the fact that they can count on this — that we’re there.”

For more information, visit howardcountymd.gov/aging-independence, call (410) 313-1234, or attend an open house on: June 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Elkridge 50+ Center

July 8 from 10 a.m. to noon for a tour of the Loan Closet, 7125 Riverwood Dr. Aug. 12 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the headquarters at 9830 Patuxent Woods Dr. Sept. 23 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at North Laurel 50+ Center

Oct. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Glenwood 50+ Center

Nov. 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Family Support Center, 9790 Patuxent Woods Dr.

PAYING TOP CASH FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES. Housecalls made with prompt, courteous service seven days a week and 25 years of experience! Buying toys, trains, militaria, glassware, advertising merchandise, paper items and much more! Contact Mason or Megan at: 443-306-8816.

SEEKING PT REMOTE WORK 5-10 hrs a week (evenings/weekends) - Data Entry/Accts Payable/Independent Contractor. Call 410929-0116.

BUYING COINS, ANTIQUES, MOVING?

Downsizing, liquidating an estate? Cash paid for gold, silver, jewelry, wristwatches, old toys, old halloween and xmas decorations, books, records, musical instruments, american coins, old baseball cards and comics, old golf and sports memorabilia, etc. Please call Tom 240-476-3441 thank you.

Scrabble answers on p. 21.

Crossword Puzzle

Two (2) Words By Stephen Sherr

Across

1. Scoreboard abbrev. for a SoCal NFL team

4. Synagogue

8. Number 2 on the American Physical Society’s list of all-time best physicists

14. Greek vowel

15. Second oldest of the Jackson 5

16. Apple Store purchase

17. Pizza slice’s crust (geometrically)

4. Group of lines in a poem

5. Back half

6. School along the Rio Grande

7. Unscrupulous approach

8. Bit, barely

9. Thrusting fencing sword

10. “___ you go, go with all your heart” (Confucius)

11. Tik ___

18. ___ car! (Plinko prize)

19. Cheated at Marco Polo

20. Suitable

23. He won 7 gold medals in 1972

24. Have a balance after settling the charges

25. ___ A Sketch

29. Without exception

33. “Oh my God,” in text-speak

36. Holder of two (or more) peas

37. Wish granter

38. Item on an expense report

41. Change doctor to dr.

43. Send up a ___ balloon

44. White pool ball

45. Mrs., in Madrid

46. Helps with a crime

51. Winner of 2005’s Emmy for best drama

52. Billions of years

53. Uneasy feeling

57. Legally unencumbered

61. Six-faced shape

64. “___ and ye shall find”

65. Grp. with Rockets and Thunder

66. Sign up for classes

67. “Don’t wake me up ___ noon”

68. Lightning McQueen’s main color

69. Cup-a-Soup content

70. Toward shelter, nautically

71. Prior to, poetically Down

1. Toronto Maple ___

2. ___ down memory lane

3. The Chihuahuan Desert has over 500 species of them

12. Ranking for the least attractive

13. Dad of Rod and Todd Flanders

21. Had the blue-plate special

22. The Oprah Winfrey Network, in program listings

26. Pup and dome

27. One who makes public announcements

28. Villainous henchman in The Lion King

30. EMT’s specialty

31. Weeding tool

32. Self-image

33. Number system where the highest digit is 7

34. Twin brother of Luigi

35. Graph paper patterns

39. Offerings from Dairy Queen and Burger King

40. Pie ___ mode

41. Hoagie

42. Half-assed remark

44. Game that uses 108 cards

47. Ozempic injection tool

48. A dear, a female dear

49. Quarterback’s protector

50. NBC late night show

54. Section at Barnes & Noble

55. Slashing fencing sword

56. Profession

58. Small brook

59. He sang about Sweet Caroline

60. Mark for removal

61. 100 yrs.

62. Tres menos dos

63. Dude

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

Caregivers

COMPANION NEEDED FOR 2 ELDERLY GENTLEMEN. Seeking help with personal care, scheduling requiring computer skills, driving, light housekeeping and meal prep and other help as needed. In Potomac, MD. 30+ hours/week. Reference required. Respond to lensrink@yahoo.com.

MOBILE HAIR & NAIL SERVICES - WE COME TO YOU. Professional Licensed Hair Stylist. Women and Men’s Services - All Hair Types. Cuts, Styles, Roller Sets, Color, Perms, Men’s Cuts & Facial Grooming, Manicures & more. Call 410-415-1760.

SUMMER STRING ORCHESTRA IN COLUMBIA, MD Looking for adult string players who would be interested in playing in a string chamber orchestra during the summer in Columbia. Perhaps eight weekly rehearsals followed by a concert. The orchestra to aim for an intermediate level of playing. No auditions necessary. We want to be open to all abilities. If you are interested email IntermediateChamberStrings@gmail.com.

THE MARKETS OF CRAFTS GALORE! Shop, Eat, Mingle. Homemade goods and food. 5/3, 6/7, 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6. Free admission to public 9:30am-2:30pm. Held by Vendor Members Group at Timonium United Methodist Church 2300 Pot Spring Road, Timonium, MD. www.VendorMembersGroup.com

UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-6268703.

For Sale

2 CEMETERY PLOTS AT KING DAVID MEMORIAL GARDENS in Falls Church Virginia. (Jewish Cemetery). Reduced sale price $3995.00/ each or best offer 510-3262493.

NEW WINDOWS FROM WINDOW NATION. Special money saving offer - zero down, zero payments, zero interest for TWO years AND buy 2 windows and get 2 FREE! Offer is valid for select models. Labor not included. Other restrictions apply. Call Window Nation today! 855-909-2278

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-301-960-3174 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

I COME TO YOU AND HELP YOU reach YOUR fitness goals. I am a Personal Trainer/ Rehab Specialist with a lot of experience. Call 410-739-3318 today to set up a FREE fitness evaluation. I offer 12, 24 and 36 session packages that save you a lot of money.

DISCOVER NORTH STAR NAVIGATORS: Your Trusted Partner in Elder Support Services. At North Star Navigators, we are dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of our aging population. We understand the challenges that come with aging and are driven by a personal quest to enhance the well-being of seniors. Our telehealth services include: - Comprehensive Assessments & RecommendationsGolden Years Planning - Healthy Ship (Membership). Get Ready to Set Sail with North Star Navigators! Where YOU remain the Captain, and our Stars guide the way. Visit NorthStarNavigators.net or call 833-735-1983 for more information. Your Trusted Team: Anchored in Compassion, Driven by Passion.

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR

May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844-366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258

MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington edition).

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

• $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number.

• Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher’s discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

ALL YOUR HOME NEEDS to be repaired & install. Painting walls inside and outside. Installation & repair of floors, windows, doors, gutters, drywall, plumbing, electrical. Over 30 years of experience and I am insured & bonded. Call me 667-344-8379.

LITTLE DEEDS ACCESSIBILITY SOLU-

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THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS in as little as 1 day. Limited Time Offer - $1000 off or No Payments and No Interest for 18 months for customers who qualify. BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Call Today! 1-855-653-0087

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AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL HEATING & COOLING. As temps outside start to climb, the season for savings is now. $49 cooling or heating system tune up. Save up to $2000 on a new heating and cooling system (restrictions apply.) FREE estimates. Many payment options available. Licensed and insured professionals. Call today 1-877-691-0273.

JACUZZI BATH REMODEL can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. (Offer ends 6/30/24.) Call 1-833-994-0538.

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-977-6078.

DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-866-365-5170.

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author’s Guide 1833-992-0110 or visit dorranceinfo.com/beacon CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-833-742-1303.

MENDING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. I’m Jane M. Connor, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Maryland, dedicated to helping families navigate these challenges. My goal is to support families in overcoming painful experiences and rebuilding relationships. Ready to take the first step? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me—no strings attached. Let’s explore if my approach is right for you. If not, I’ll help you find the right resources. Contact me at 202-658-5045 or janemconnor@gmail.com. Visit www.janemconnor.com for more information. Together, we can foster understanding and closeness.

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PARKINSON’S EXERCISE GR O UP

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Offered in partnership with t Paark Foound ation of the National Capital Area

MONDAYYS & WEDNESDAYYS • 12 NOO P..M.

This ongoing class for those with Parkinson’s or other neurogenerativve disorders aims to improvve posture, balance and circulation while also increasing strength, muscle control and mobility.

LTTHY LIV “MOVEMENT

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and Nursing Center, located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Sandy Spring, Maryland, campus of Brooke Grove e Retirement Village. Register as indic ted below or contac Tooni Dav v is at tdav v is@bgf.org or call 301-388-7209 with questions. ! ur y June 23. g b or t 301-388-7209 is a v av oni D To yle. est e lif ur s of a sec efit h T

LIVING WELL SEMINAR: “THE DETRIMENT kEx BGR .l T e f iv o i N–1P A A

FREE with $50 annual PFNCA administrat ve feee To o register, visit: bit lyy/ RVVPar xeercise TAAL

EFFECT S OF L LTTH”

Offered in partner July 7 through Au MONDAYYS & Yooga can benefi chair based fitn combines seated balance, and str class ends with g breat woork pra A regular yoga p increase energ y, pain and enrich foor ire si To o r gister, visit: f a a t T a v

ONELINESS ON HEAL

Presented by Lisa Jo Finstrom, MS, CNS, LDN TUESDAYY, , MAY Y 13 • 10:30-11:45 A.M.

v lv This presentation will delvve e into the adveerse effects of loneliness on bot hyysical and mental health. It will explore the latest research and findings,highlighting the significant impact that loneliness c avve e on individuals weell-being.

The presentation aims to r awwareness of the serious health consequences of loneliness and inspire participants to take specific steps to combat this grow w ing public health concern.

FR To o register, visit: bit.ly/LonelinessBG

FRIDAYYS • 1-1:45 P.M.

EV V RYYB DYY! Join us for this ess class geared for older adults that d and standing exeercises to improvve engthen the cor dyy. Each gentle stretching, mindfulness and actices to ea yoou into t yeear ahead. practice can also improvve mobility, , boos hyysical function, help with yoour life

MoveY .l ix h y t ph o he y se y e and bod o x

x- week session. bit lyy/ ovveYoouBG a

1 S 301-38 EE. T o aise a ’ w v an ha h ph

8100 Slade School Road andy Spring, MD 20860 ort pp d 0 gf.org su memory care 88-7209 · www.bg