50plus LIFE Chester County October 2018

Complimentary | Chester County Edition

October 2018 • Vol. 15 No. 10

A Fighting Chance page 4

new shingles vaccine provides better protection page 2

special focus: create a great funeral day page 16

Savvy Senior

New Shingles Vaccine Provides Better Protection

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, A good friend of mine got a bad case of shingles last year and has been urging me to get vaccinated.

Should I? – Suspicious Susan Dear Susan, Yes! If you’re 50 or older, there’s a new shingles vaccine on the market that’s far superior to the older vaccine, so now is a great time to get inoculated. Here’s what you should know.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a burning, blistering, often excruciating skin rash that affects around 1 million Americans each year.

The same virus that causes chickenpox causes shingles. The chickenpox virus that most people get as kids never leaves the body. It hides in the nerve cells near the spinal cord and, for some people, emerges later in the form of shingles.

In the U.S., almost 1 in 3 people will develop shingles during their lifetime.

While anyone who’s had chickenpox can get shingles, it most commonly occurs in people over age 50, along with people who have weakened immune systems. But you can’t catch shingles from someone else.

The December issue of 50plus LIFE will include a special focus —

Orthopedics & Pain Whether you provide relief through standard care, complementary and alternative medicine, therapies, fitness options, or specialty products ...

50plus LIFE is the perfect venue to reach an ideal demographic who can benefit from your information.

Closing date for advertorial: Oct. 26, 2018 Closing date for ad copy: Nov. 2, 2018

Let our readers know what their options are and to whom they can turn when they hurt.

Please contact your sales representative at 717.285.1350 or info@onlinepub.com today to reserve your space!

Online & In Print. onlinepub.com 2

October 2018

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Early signs of the disease include pain, itching, or tingling before a blistering rash appears several days later.

The rash, which can last up to four weeks, typically occurs on one side of the body, often as a band of blisters that extends from the middle of your back around to the breastbone. It can also appear above an eye or on the side of the face or neck.

In addition to the rash, about 20-25 percent of those who get shingles go on to develop severe nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN) that can last for months or even years. And in rare cases, shingles can also cause strokes, encephalitis, spinal cord damage, and vision loss.

New Shingles Vaccine Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine for shingles called Shingrix (see www.shingrix.com), which provides much better protection than the older vaccine, Zostavax.

Manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, Shingrix is 97 percent effective in preventing shingles in people 50-69 years old and 91 percent effective in those 70 and older.

By comparison, Zostavax is 70 percent effective in your 50s; 64 percent effective in your 60s; 41 percent effective in your 70s; and 18 percent effective in your 80s.

Shingrix is also better than Zostavax in preventing nerve pain that continues after a shingles rash has cleared — about 90 percent effective versus 65 percent effective.

Because of this enhanced protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age 50 and older receive the Shingrix vaccine, which is given in two doses, two to six months apart.

Even if you’ve already had shingles, you still need these vaccinations because reoccurring cases are possible. The CDC also recommends that anyone previously vaccinated with Zostavax be revaccinated with Shingrix.

You should also know that Shingrix can cause some adverse side effects for some people, including muscle pain, fatigue, headache, fever, and upset stomach.

Shingrix — which costs around $280 for both doses — is (or will soon be) covered by private insurance, including Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, but be aware that the shingles vaccines are not always well covered.

So before getting vaccinated, call your plan to find out if Shingrix is covered, and if so, which pharmacies and doctors in your area you should use to ensure the best coverage.

Or, if you don’t have health insurance or you’re experiencing medical or financial hardship, you might qualify for GlaxoSmithKline’s Patient Assistance Program, which provides free vaccinations to those who are eligible. For details, go to www.gskforyou.com.

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

www.50plusLifePA.com

Save Money on Medicare with Free Enrollment Assistance The Chester County Department of Aging and APPRISE health insurance counselors will provide free, confidential assistance to Medicare benficiaries during the annual Open Enrollment Period, Oct. 15 – Dec. 7.

During these appointments, people with Medicare can switch or disenroll from a Part D prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan or switch to original Medicare with or without a Medicare Part D plan.

Call to schedule an appointment at: • Coatesville Area Senior Center – (610) 383-6900 • Church of the Good Samaritan, Paoli – (610) 344-6035 • Downingtown Area Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 • Government Services Center, West Chester – (610) 344-6035 • Kennett Area Senior Center – (610) 444-4819 • Oxford Area Senior Center – (610) 932-5244 • Phoenixville Area Senior Services Center – (610) 935-1515

• Surrey Services for Seniors, Devon – (610) 647-6404 • West Chester Area Senior Center – (610) 431-4242 • West Whiteland Township Building, Exton – (610) 344-6035 Call (610) 344-5234 to schedule an appointment at: • Easttown Library • Exton Library • Henrietta Hankin Library, Chester Springs • Phoenixville Library • State Rep. Corbin’s Exton Office • West Bradford Township Building • West Chester Public Library For information, visit www.chesco.org/477/Apprise---Health-InsuranceCounseling or email apprisechesco@outlook.com.

At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away.

Disasters American Red Cross Greater Brandywine (610) 692-1200 Chester County Emergency Services (610) 344-5000 Salvation Army Coatesville (610) 384-2954 Salvation Army West Chester (610) 696-8746 Emergency Numbers Central Pennsylvania Poison Center (800) 521-6110

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (800) 232-4636 Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233

Legal Services Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500

PACE (800) 225-7223

Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (610) 436-4510

Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852

Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500

Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213

Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-3676

Southeastern Pennsylvania Medical Institute (610) 446-0662

Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900 American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345 American Heart Association (610) 940-9540 Arthritis Foundation (215) 570-3060 www.50plusLifePA.com

JEWELERS American Gold & Estate Buyers, Inc. 363 E. Lincoln Highway, Exton (484) 872-8216

National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994

Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100

Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Chester County (800) 720-8221

Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801

Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY home equity loans Glendale Mortgage (610) 853-6500; (888) 456-0988 Housing Assistance Community Impact Legal Services (610) 876-0804 Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200

Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350 Orthopedics Premier Orthopaedics Locations in Coatesville and Pottstown (610) 792-9292 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com

Physicians Gateway Medical Associates Locations in Coatesville, Downingtown, Lionville, and West Chester (610) 423-8181 retirement living Friends Home in Kennett 147 W. State St., Kennett Square (610) 444-2577 Harrison Senior Living Locations in Christiana and East Fallowfield (610) 384-6310 Senior Centers Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939 Great Valley (610) 889-2121 Kennett Square (610) 444-4819 Oxford (610) 932-5244 Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Wayne (610) 688-6246 West Chester (610) 431-4242 Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

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Cover Story

A Fighting Chance Corporate Office

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson

EDITORIAL

Vice President and Managing Editor Christianne Rupp Editor, 50plus Publications Megan Joyce

ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Renee McWilliams Production Artist Lauren Phillips

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Account Executives Janette McLaurin Angie Willis Account Representatives Joseph Herr Jennifer Schmalhofer Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer Marketing Coordinator Kelsey Fishburn

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall

Member of

Awards

50plus LIFE is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community.

On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature.

Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.

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By Melinda M. Williams/ The Williams Group When someone you love is struck with a neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, life can undoubtedly become a trial for both the caregiver and the patient. Because of the slow but steady progression of these diseases, maintaining morale can also be a challenge.

But recently, some new advances with exercise have proven helpful to Parkinson’s patients. Rock Steady Boxing is a new concept in the ongoing fight against a Goliath.

Susan “Sue” Ludwig was born to help people. As a fitness coordinator and personal trainer, she knew she could make a difference in people’s lives through exercise.

Her belief was confirmed when she saw a news outlet run a story on Rock Steady Boxing.

“I was working with people with Parkinson’s, and Rock Steady Boxing was all over the news as a great therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease. I wanted to give my fighters the most cutting-edge and effective tools available, so getting certified in Rock Steady Boxing was a no-brainer,” said Ludwig.

A central Pennsylvania native, Ludwig is now head coach/ owner/founder of NeuroSci Fit and two Rock Steady Boxing locations in Lancaster County. RSB is in the process of adding two more locations, in Hershey and in the Reading area.

The Mayo Clinic explains Parkinson’s disease as a nervous system disorder that worsens over time. The initial symptoms, such as tremors, are barely noticeable at the disease’s onset.

Although there is no cure, medications do prove helpful, with surgery being an occasional option to regulate regions of the brain.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Rock Steady Boxing “gives people with Parkinson’s disease hope by improving their quality of life through a non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum,” according to RSB’s website.

The program’s mission “is to empower people with Parkinson’s disease to fight back.”

Rock Steady Boxing is member of the Parkinson’s Circle of Care Alliance, which is “a nonprofit created to help provide resources — such as educational materials, lists of neurologists and movement-disorder specialists in our area, information about local support groups, etc. — to people living in central Pennsylvania who have Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers,” Ludwig said.

It is through a series of exercises that RSB succeeds, Ludwig explained.

“Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that requires constant maintenance through medication and exercise, and just like any exercise program, you need to keep doing it to reap the benefits,” she said.

Each RSB class generally starts with a light cardio warmup and stretching, Ludwig said, followed by a circuit of exercises that includes some combination of Parkinson’sspecific strength training, range-of-motion work, core strengthening, and boxing, as well as exercises to strengthen cognition and agility. www.50plusLifePA.com

“Each exercise we do is designed to make improvements in areas that we know can become impaired by Parkinson’s,” Ludwig said.

Clients receive an initial evaluation to determine at which level of the program he or she can begin.

“In Parkinson’s, the part of the brain that is mostly affected is called the substantia nigra,” Ludwig explained. “It is responsible for smooth, coordinated movement.

Having Parkinson’s disease is like having bad or broken-down connections or neural pathways in the brain.

“Neuroplasticity is why [RSB] works. When we get our heart rate up to around 80-85 percent of max, our brains become able to repair and to create new neural pathways more quickly,” Ludwig continued.

“Boxing, along with other therapies we provide, is a really fun way to improve balance, coordination, speed of movement, and flexibility, as well as non-motor symptoms.”

Ludwig smiled with pride as she related the story of Bill, one of the program’s many success stories.

“He was not able to walk to his mailbox because he was so fatigued and weak; his wife even retired so she could take care of him. After just a few months in class, he was able to go on vacation to the Cayman Islands and even walked 5 miles a day on the beach!”

To Ludwig, unlocking the mystery of this debilitative neurological disease was a personal challenge.

“My grandmother had Parkinson’s; she was diagnosed in her 40s. She was told to go home and rest, not exert herself, and that exercise would make it worse. Although that was the belief at the time, it was the worst possible advice,” Ludwig said.

“Then, about 10 years after she passed away, I had a client who had Parkinson’s. His physical therapist encouraged me to get certified in the Parkinson Wellness Recovery [exercise] program. I fell in love with

the program because it was so effective and quickly knew this was my purpose in life!”

The March 2012 newsletter from Harvard Medical School (Harvard Health Publishing) addressed exercise as it relates to Parkinson’s.

The newsletter described several studies that followed tens of thousands of Parkinson’s sufferers. Results showed a reduction in the risk of developing Parkinson’s if exercise is performed decades before the disease’s onset, such as in one’s 30s and 40s.

The studies also noted that the results could show a possible “reverse causation”: Exercise may not prevent Parkinson’s, but very early, presymptomatic forms of the disease may make people less willing to exercise.

Ludwig tries to keep her classes at a manageable level for each student, with each Rock Steady class running 90 minutes.

“We offer classes five days a week and encourage our members

to participate in as many classes as possible,” she said.

Seniors make up the majority of Ludwig’s client base, with most being over age 65. The focus on Parkinson’s patients currently accounts for about 90 percent of her business.

“I’m beginning to feel a need to branch out into Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis as well,” she said.

For more information on Rock Steady Boxing, contact Sue Ludwig at (717) 271-3067 or check out www. rocksteadyboxing.org.

A 20-year veteran of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Melinda Williams is the managing partner of The Williams Group, a public relations and photography firm in Sadsburyville, Pa. Along with her photojournalist husband, Robert O. Williams, she wrote the book Wildwood’s Neon Nights & Motel Memories. www.thewilliamsgroup.info, melinda@thewilliamsgroup.info On the cover: Rock Steady Boxing participant Gerry Walters boxes with owner Sue Ludwig.

On Life and Love after 50

Tom’s Column Turns 24 Tom Blake

This July, I celebrated 24 years of writing newspaper columns on the topic of dating and finding love after 50. The first column appeared July 7, 1994, in the Dana Point News (California) weekly newspaper.

People often ask, “Did you learn to write in journalism school?”

I answer: “No journalism school. I learned to write because of a divorce.”

That answer needs an explanation.

On Christmas Eve 1993, my wife of six years took what furniture and belongings she wanted from our home and moved out of my life. I didn’t know she was leaving. I was away visiting my 83-year-old mom.

On the drive home, I had a notepad in my lap. When you’ve got nine hours to drive, knowing your wife has bailed out, a million thoughts go through your mind.

While driving, I carefully jotted them down. Items like, why did she www.50plusLifePA.com

do it without discussing it first?

Although I wasn’t a writer, by trip’s end, I had a mishmash of notes on the notepad. I had no idea those notes would be the start of a writing career.

A month later, during lunchtime at the sandwich shop I owned, I was served with divorce papers in front of customers and employees.

That night, as I had done every night since she had moved out, I jotted down my thoughts in what by then had become a soon-to-bedivorced-man’s diary.

I was 54 and thought dating would be a snap, with a plethora of single women coming through the deli doors.

What a rude awakening. Women customers wouldn’t date me. In fact, most women wouldn’t date me. When I had a date, I’d come home and jot down the dating frustrations in my diary.

After five months, I condensed the diary notes into a short story. I edited the material multiple times. It was 74 pages. I thought perhaps I could get the story published.

I sent query letters to The New York Times, Playboy magazine, and Esquire. No response. I contacted my local weekly newspaper. After reading my material, the two female editors agreed to a meeting at their office.

They said, “We think you can do a dating-after-50 column from the man’s point of view. You are whining and complaining so much about the cost of dating, and being rejected by all sorts of women, we feel middle-aged women will have a field day reading your woe-is-me dating misadventures.”

The first column was titled: “Home alone, with only dogs for company.”

The editors were right about the

anticipated responses from female readers.

The first: “Who is this sniveling puke?”

The second: “Get the boy a crying towel.”

Welcome to the midlife dating trenches, Tom. I’ve written for a variety of papers.

Two and a half years ago, I was fortunate to start writing for 50plus LIFE. The number of columns and electronic newsletters I’ve written in 24 years: approaching 3,700.

That 1994 divorce was the catalyst for a rewarding writing career. It brought multiple appearances on the Today show and Good Morning America.

And more importantly, it opened the door for me to meet Greta, my incredible life partner for 20 years.

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please see COLUMN page 22

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Elder Law Attorneys

Specific areas of elder law in which the firm concentrates:

Gettle & Veltri 13 East Market Street, York, PA 17401 717-854-4899 fax 717-848-1603 ghg@gettleveltri.com www.gettleveltri.com

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1997

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Yes

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Wills, powers of attorney, living wills, estate settlement, probate, estate planning, nursing home planning, Medicaid, asset protection planning, trusts. We make house calls!

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Compassionate guidance with Alzheimer’s and special-needs planning, Medicaid benefits, wills, powers of attorney, trusts, estate administration, care coordination, nurse on staff.

Yes

Spousal-crisis nursing home planning, estate planning: wills and powers of attorney; probate and estate administration.

Yes

Advanced estate planning and all aspects of administration and probate, including all tax returns (CPA on staff); asset protection: Medicaid planning; all trusts, including special needs and charitable giving; guardianships; veterans’ benefits.

16 convenient locations in PA and MD with evening and weekend appointments available, and we make house calls too!

Keystone Elder Law P.C. 555 Gettysburg Pike, Suite B-200, Mechanicsburg Satellite office in Carlisle 717-697-3223 toll-free 844-697-3223 karen@keystoneelderlaw.com www.keystoneelderlaw.com

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2010

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Law Office of Shawn Pierson 105 East Oregon Road, Lititz, PA 17543 717-560-4966 fax 717-205-2005 questions@piersonelderlaw.com www.piersonelderlaw.com

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2001

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Mooney Law

HARRISBURG: 105 North Front St.; YORK: 40 East Philadelphia St. CARLISLE: 2 South Hanover St.; SHIPPENSBURG: 34 West King St. GETTYSBURG: 18 E. Middle St.; HANOVER: 230 York St. Additional offices in Duncannon, Frederick (MD), Greencastle, Halifax, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mercersburg, New Oxford, Stewartstown, and Westminster (MD) 717-200-HELP; toll-free 877-632-4656 — CALL 24/7 info@mooney4law.com www.PAElderIssues.com; www.Mooney4Law.com

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This is not an all-inclusive list. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services. * Indicates that at least one attorney in the firm is a member. Information contained herein was provided by the firm.

Flu Shot Clinics Scheduled for This Fall The Chester County Health Department will be offering flu vaccinations this fall at a variety of community locations.

Most insurance will be accepted. If individuals have insurance, they should bring their cards with them to the clinic.

For individuals who do not have insurance, a flu shot will be provided at no charge.

For more information, contact the health department at (610) 344-6252 or visit www.chesco.org/flu. Clinic dates and locations are as follows.

Oct. 4, 3-7 p.m. – Unionville High School, 750 Unionville Road, Kennett Square

Oct. 15, 2:30-6 p.m. – Fugett Middle School, 500 Ellis Lane, West Chester Oct. 18, 2:30-6:30 p.m. – K ennett High School, 100 E. South St., Kennett Square Oct. 25, 2:30-6:30 p.m. – Avon Grove High School, 257 E. State Road, West Grove Oct. 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Phoenixville Hospital’s Fall Festival, Phoenixville Hospital Parking Lot, 140 Nutt Road, Phoenixville

Oct. 5, 5:30-8 p.m. – Oxford Union Fire Company No. 1, 315 Market St., Oxford

Oct. 29, 4-7 p.m. – Coatesville High School, 1445 E. Lincoln Highway, Coatesville

Oct. 11, 2:30-6 p.m. – Octorara Senior High School, 226 Highland Road, Atglen

Nov. 5, 3-6 p.m. – Owen J. Roberts Middle School, 881 Ridge Road, Pottstown

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www.50plusLifePA.com

It Was 50 Years Ago Today

‘People Got to Be Free’ Randal Hill

All the world over, so easy to see People everywhere just want to be free •••

When the Rascals’ “People Got to Be Free” held down the top Billboard spot for five weeks in the fall of 1968, it gained fame as a tribute to both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.

King had been murdered that April, and the future classic was recorded afterward but before Kennedy’s assassination that June.

“People Got to Be Free” wasn’t released until after RFK’s death, but the timing of the song — with the twin tragedies still fresh in the public’s mind — allowed the rousing anthem to become a widely embraced plea for humanitarianism.

The original genesis of “People Got to Be Free,” however, was something entirely unrelated.

“People Got to Be Free” The Rascals October 1968

•••

Formed in 1965 as a white rock quartet in Garfield, New Jersey, the Young Rascals began as a “blue-eyed” soul outfit. Dressed like a group of English schoolboys to appropriate the then-trendy “British Invasion” look, they spent weekends playing at Garfield’s Choo Choo Club.

The Young Rascals signed with Atlantic Records. The band’s debut 45, the oddly titled “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore,” came and went quickly, but their second effort of “Good Lovin’” (a hard-driving cover of a minor hit nearly a year earlier by L.A. soul folks the Olympics) reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart, as did “Groovin’” a year later.

After the release of “It’s Wonderful” at the end of 1967, the quartet became simply the Rascals.

Group members Felix Cavaliere (vocals, keyboards) and Eddie Brigati (vocals, bass) co-wrote most of the songs and switched off lead vocals on the band’s 13 Top 40 winners. “People Got to Be Free” became the band’s third chart-topping 45, and their biggest hit ever, on its way to becoming an iconic civil rights tune.

Cavaliere once said of the aggressive, horn-punctuated entreaty for altruism, “That [song] was a conscious effort to get a point across that was burning inside of me. I collaborated with Eddie on that, but on that one the majority of the

lyric is mine.”

Cavaliere fittingly ends the song by half-singing, halfproclaiming that “The train of freedom is about to arrive any minute now,” and that “It’s been long, long overdue.”

Before “People Got to Be Free” was issued, Atlantic balked at the idea of the Rascals releasing such an overtly political work. The musicians persevered, though, and in the end they enjoyed a hit that sold more than 4 million copies.

The Rascals then adopted two policies unique in the world of rock music: They refused to tour on segregated bills, and they insisted that at least one of their supporting acts be black.

An odd situation had inspired “People Got to Be Free” a while earlier. The song was conceived — but not developed at the time — after an ugly encounter when the Rascals’ tour bus broke down in Fort Pierce, Florida, and rowdy locals hassled the musicians over their long hair!

Randal C. Hill is a rock ’n’ roll historian who lives at the Oregon coast. He may be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Credit: Readers.com

www.50plusLifePA.com

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Home Care Services & Hospice Providers All Hands Home Care

Landis at Home

(717) 737-7905 www.allhandshomecare.com

Year Est.: 2014 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

(717) 509-5800 www.landisathome.org Other Certifications and Services: We provide trained caregivers for in-home care for personal, respite, hospice, 24-hour, live-in, and companionship-care services to seniors and individuals of all ages in the Central Pennsylvania region.

Our company is fully insured and bonded. Call now for a free in-home consultation!

Comfort Keepers

(717) 299-4007 www.lancaster-402.comfortkeepers.com Year Est.: 2001 Counties Served: Lancaster RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: We provide compassionate, in-home care that helps seniors live safe, happy, and independent lives in the comfort of their own homes. Companion care, light housekeeping, personal care, in-home safety solutions, incidental transportation, dementia/Alzheimer’s care, ongoing staff training. Member: Home Care Association of America

Homeland at Home

Homeland HomeCare: (717) 221-7892 Year Est.: 2016 Homeland HomeHealth: (717) 412-0166 Year Est.: 2017 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland*, Dauphin*, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon*, Northumberland, Perry*, Schuylkill, Snyder, York* *Homeland HomeHealth currently serves five of 13 counties.

RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs/Home Aides: Yes Direct Care Workers: Yes PT/OT/Speech Therapists: Yes Social Workers: Yes Spiritual Counselors: Yes

Other Certifications and Services: A licensed home-care agency, offering a variety of services to persons in their homes within 15 miles of the Landis Homes campus. Services, provided by carefully screened and qualified caregivers with oversight from RNs, may be used for a short visit or up to 24 hours a day. Call for a free, in-home consultation. A home-care service of Landis Communities.

MediQuest Staffing & Homecare (717) 560-5160 www.mediqueststaffing.net Year Est.: 2002 Counties Served: Lancaster RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Our experienced caregivers will provide the level of care for your specific needs, including memory care, transportation to and from appointments, outpatient procedures, personal care, respite, and more. Services are provided wherever you reside. All caregivers are comprehensively screened, bonded, and insured. Call for a free RN assessment. Member: Pennsylvania Homecare Association.

PennCares Support Services

www.homelandathome.org Homeland Hospice: (717) 221-7890 Year Est.: 2008

Year Est.: 2007 Counties Served: Lancaster RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

(717) 632-5552 www.penncares.org Other Certifications and Services: Homeland at Home is a community outreach of Homeland Center, a non-profit CCRC that has served our region with excellent and benevolent care since 1867.

Our expert team is dedicated to providing a continuum of At Home services—from non-medical personal assistance to skilled nursing and compassionate hospice and palliative care. We are privileged to care for you and your loved ones … any place you call “home.”

We offer community and staff educational programs, including a “My Reflections” end-of-life planning workshop, as well as 15 unique bereavement support groups.

Year Est.: 1968 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, York RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: No Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Private pay and waiver-based participants.

If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your account representative or call (610) 675-6240.

Complementary Therapies: Yes Medicare Certified: Yes

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

Home Care Services & Hospice Providers Pleasant View Care at Home

Visiting Angels

Year Est.: 2007 Counties Served: Lancaster, Lebanon RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Year Est.: 2001 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

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Dear Pharmacist

How Watercress Slows Down Cancer Growth Suzy Cohen

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so hours. Their blood evaluations found rather significant today I’d like to share with you some little-known levels of a plant compound called phenylethyl facts about one vegetable and its impact on breast isothiocyanate, or PEITC for short. This PEITC health. starves the cancer cells.

It’s watercress, and even though most doctors will PEITC inhibits a protein called HIF (hypoxia argue that the more chemotherapeutic drugs (antiinducible factor), which is responsible for signaling cancer drugs), the better, I still feel strongly that we normal tissue around the tumor to send oxygen and can make dietary changes that improve outcomes, nutrients to the tumor cells. HIF is not playing nice; whether or not you take chemo. it’s making your own cells boost cancer growth.

They may pooh-pooh this thinking, but I still feel Am I saying watercress cures cancer? Of course not, that eating specific foods can have a positive impact. but eating certain foods like watercress can’t hurt you.

Research is clear and shows that a great deal of It can only help you, and more than anything, it puts people give up on chemotherapy and fail to adhere you in a proactive position, which is empowering. to conventional medical treatments. Many stop Let’s face it, hearing the word “cancer” is heartaltogether, or they begin to integrate various holistic stopping. Having something you can do that is so October is Breast Cancer remedies and dietary changes — which makes me simple is crucial.

Awareness Month think of watercress.

The researchers in the study actually validated the Watercress belongs to the cruciferous vegetables, effects of the watercress compound PEITC — they same as broccoli and cauliflower, but it’s not as popular weren’t guessing. They physically measured blood levels as those. of that HIF in their bloodstream and saw it declining progressively after eating Still, I want to give it some love and attention because it has some powerful watercress. That is just so amazing! tumor-fighting compounds in it. Plus, we already know from empirical evidence Another study back in 2004 evaluated how PEITC impacts the speed that 30-40 percent of all cancers somehow benefit or respond from proper at which cancer cells grow (proliferation) and the formation of tumors nutrition. (tumorigenesis). The scientists were able to confirm that watercress inhibits Researchers have investigated how watercress can be beneficial in breast cancer cell growth and not just that it makes cancer cells commit suicide, a cancer and other cancers. In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, process called apoptosis. a group of breast cancer survivors went through a phase of fasting, before It means the party’s over for the cancer cells. consuming a bowlful of watercress about the size of a cereal bowl (approximately 80 grams of watercress).

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit SuzyCohen.com They took some blood samples from the women at intervals over the next 24 www.50plusLifePA.com

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October 2018

9

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You’re a resource.

You provide valuable services to seniors, the disabled, caregivers, and their families.

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October 2018

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Social Security News

Medicare, Explained

By John Johnston

Social Security and Medicare prescription drug coverage (Medicare have a few things in common. Both Part D) and other extra benefits and programs help safeguard millions services. of Americans as well as improve the quality of life for our family and Medicare Part D (Medicare friends. prescription drug coverage) helps cover Although both programs are the cost of prescription drugs. household names, many people may Some people with limited resources not be familiar and income may with the details also be able to of Medicare. get Extra Help Medicare is with the costs our country’s — monthly health insurance premiums, program for annual people age 65 deductibles, or older. The and prescription program helps co-payments with the cost of — related to healthcare, but it a Medicare doesn’t cover all prescription drug medical expenses Medicare Annual Open Enrollment plan. or the cost of The Extra Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2018 most long-term Help is estimated care. to be worth You have choices for how you get about $4,900 per year. You must meet Medicare coverage. If you choose the resources and income requirement. to have original Medicare coverage, you can buy a Medicare supplement Medicare’s different parts are policy (called Medigap) from a private further explained in our publication at insurance company to cover some of www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05the costs that Medicare does not.

10043.pdf.

Medicare has four parts: If you can’t afford to pay your Medicare premiums and other Medicare Part A (hospital medical costs, you may be able to insurance) helps pay for inpatient care get help from your state. States offer in a hospital or skilled nursing facility programs for people eligible for or (following a hospital stay). Part A also entitled to Medicare who have low pays for some home healthcare and income. hospice care.

Some programs may pay for Medicare premiums, and some pay Medicare Part B (medical Medicare deductibles and coinsurance. insurance) helps pay for services To qualify, you must have Medicare from doctors and other healthcare Part A and have limited income and providers, outpatient care, home resources. healthcare, durable medical You can learn more about equipment, and some preventive Medicare, including how to apply services. for Medicare and get a replacement Medicare card, at www.socialsecurity.

Medicare Part C (Medicare gov/benefits/medicare.

Advantage) includes all benefits and John Johnston is a Social Security public services covered under Part A and affairs specialist.

Part B. Some plans include Medicare www.50plusLifePA.com

Reverse Mortgages — Gaining Recognition With guidelines in place, reverse mortgages are gaining recognition among those of us who have worked over the years to have a place to live without monthly payments.

A paid-off mortgage is a “sigh of relief” for seniors who remember when a 30-year mortgage seemed like it would last forever.

Thirty years plus have flown past.

A reverse mortgage is a loan against the equity in the home that allows for tax-free cash advances but requires no payments during the lifetime of the loan.

The loan is not due or payable until the borrower(s) no longer occupy the home as a principal residence (e.g., the last surviving borrower sells, moves out permanently, or passes away). Should there be an unexpected windfall of cash, payments can be made on the loan.

Only one borrower must be at least 62 years of age and own the property as a principal residence in order to qualify for a reverse mortgage. The spouse can never be forced to leave his/her home as long as the property taxes and homeowner’s insurance are paid and the home is maintained.

While income and credit references are assessed, they are not a determining factor.

One is able to use the borrowed funds in any way they wish. Funds can

be withdrawn as a single lump sum, a monthly payment, or a combination of both.

Loan amounts are dependent on age, the value of property, current interest rates, and, for some products, Rob Miller, President location of property. In general, the older the borrower(s) and the greater the equity, the larger the amount of the reverse mortgage.

Costs of the loan are included within the amount of the applied loan, as is the case with most conventional loans.

Before an application is accepted, borrowers must meet with an independent reverse mortgage counselor, who will then educate the borrowers on the pros and cons of the loan.

If you are thinking about a cash shortfall and need some assistance, a reverse mortgage may be “the alternative.”

Call Rob Miller, NMLS No. 142151, president of Glendale Mortgage, NMLS No. 127720, and Reverse Mortgage Specialist, to learn more. (610) 853-6500, (888) 4560988, RMiller@GlendaleMortgage.com, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

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Pet of the Month

Swedish Fish Swedish Fish is a lively, curious cutie who loves to zoom around chasing toys. She’s got a soft side, too; she really enjoys affection, and she gives loud purrs in return.

Swedish Fish is open to living with other animals with the usual slow introduction for animals new to each other.

This 5-year-old is spayed, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.

For more information, contact Brandywine Valley SPCA, 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, at (484) 302-0865 or www.bvspca.org.

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October 2018

11

Traveltizers

Savannah: Stately Old and Proudly New

By Andrea Gross

Historic buildings are a given in Savannah. After all, it’s the oldest city in Georgia. It was the Colonial capital when the area was ruled by Britain, and it was the first capital when the colony became a state.

Therefore, when we visit Savannah, we fully expect to see a lot of stately, shuttered homes. We are not disappointed.

But we’re also interested in learning what the city is like today, 285 years after its founding. It doesn’t take us long to realize that throughout the famed historic district, this town of 150,000 people is filled with classy galleries, good music, and eclectic restaurants.

Culinary Identity In order to bridge the centuries, we begin by looking at the city’s cuisine.

Aspiring as well as established artists participate in Savannah’s frequent art fairs.

In Savannah, as in most places, favored foods reflect the traditions of the people who settled the area, but unlike parts of the United States that were primarily colonized by people from one area (think New England, which was mostly established by

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City Market is home to many of Savannah’s top galleries.

Europeans), Savannah’s early residents came from many parts of the world.

The first group of Colonists arrived from England in the early 1700s. They brought indentured servants from Ireland and Scotland as well as slaves from the Caribbean and West Africa.

Native Americans introduced the European setters to corn, and other Northeasterners decided that rather than eating their tomatoes green, they’d bring them south so they could ripen during the longer growing season.

But the Southerners didn’t care about letting the tomatoes ripen in the field; they preferred to fry them and eat them green. Thus, a Northern problem became a Southern staple.

During the next several days my husband and I munch our way though Savannah’s past. We feast on shrimp, grits, and fried green tomatoes; snack on British pies; and drink Scottish ale.

And, for good measure, we have a pork-belly slider on a glazed doughnut with onion-bacon jam because the chef tells us that pork, especially

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bacon, is used extensively in the South.

It seems that pigs, which often ran wild in northern climes, came south on their own to find warm weather and watery environs. Unfortunately for the porkers, Southerners turned them into barbeque and bacon.

We decide that Savannah’s culinary, and therefore cultural, identity can best be summed up in two words: “Savannah Fusion.”

work by equally well-known artists, including abstract expressionist Jasper Johns, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, and portrait photographer Richard Avedon.

Musical Rhythms Even on a regular night, Savannah is alive with bars and night clubs, helped no doubt by the city’s opencontainer laws. But during the 29-yearold Savannah Music Festival, which is Georgia’s largest musical arts event, Art Smart music is everywhere.

Endeavors The 17-day Meanwhile, we extravaganza visit galleries, lots celebrates a of galleries. multitude of Some belong cultures, represents to people who a variety of musical have made styles, and features Savannah their performances by home for years; established artists as others showcase well as by talented Galleries and shops along River the work of folks beginners.

Street feature goods from many who came to the We don’t have countries. city to attend the time to attend Savannah School a well-reviewed of Art and Design presentation by a (SCAD), one of the chamber orchestra, top design schools but that evening we in the Southeast. go to a bluegrass Many of these concert, and the people fell in love following day we with the city’s catch a show by mix of Southern two wonderful charm and creative guitarists. opportunity and Then, alas, we Visitors who want a glimpse of stayed on posthave to go home.

Savannah’s past can visit the Owengraduation, thus Thomas House and Slave Quarters. But first, we stop bringing new at Leopold’s, energy to a city that Savannah’s was in danger of becoming stodgy. legendary ice cream shop. My husband We walk to City Market, where opts for Tutti Frutti (rum ice cream warehouses that once were filled with with fruit and nuts) because it’s been a fish and produce have been repurposed bestseller since the store opened nearly into studios and galleries. a century ago.

We see brightly colored canvases that I, on the other hand, chose the portray the Gullah people, who live Savannah Socialite (a blend of vanilla in the nearby coastal areas; paintings and chocolate ice cream laden with that celebrate the artist’s Caribbean Georgia pecans, swirled with bourbon, homeland; baskets crafted by a woman and infused with caramel). The ice whose work has been displayed at the cream server tells me that “it’s like Smithsonian … The list goes on. today’s Savannah — rich, boozy, nutty, Savannah also has two top-tier and the life of the party.” museums dedicated to contemporary How perfect is that? art. The SCAD Museum features For more on Georgia, go to www. works by international stars such as traveltizers.com and see the Featured Salvador Dali, Robert Mapplethorpe, Special titled “Georgia’s Civil Rights and Andy Warhol, as well as one of Trail.” the United States’ most significant Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise collections of African-American art. noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.

The Jepson Museum showcases andreagross.com).

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–L. Frank Baum

That’s why Harrison Senior Living strives to provide warmth, comfort, and exceptional care from people you can trust, making our communities the next best thing.

www.Harrisonseniorliving.com Harrison House—Chester County 300 Strode Avenue East Fallowfield, PA 19320 610.384.6310 Harrison House—Christiana 41 Newport Avenue Christiana, PA 17509 610.593.6901

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October 2018

13

The Beauty in Nature

Chestnut Oaks and Black Birches Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Chestnut oak and black birch trees together dominate dry, rocky slopes and ridge tops in southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as from southern Maine and Ontario to Ohio and Delaware, and along the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and Alabama.

These two species help hold down the soil against erosion and provide food and shelter for a variety of woodland wildlife. And each kind has beauties and intrigues unique to itself.

Chestnut oaks have dark, vertical ridges of rough bark divided by deep furrows. Most oaks of this type have two to four main trunks that fork close to the ground. Their broad, simple leaves are about Photo by Jakec 7 inches long, each one with Chestnuk oak rounded “teeth” on its edges.

Chestnut oaks’ pretty, oblong acorns are an inch long and chestnut-brown. And their leaves turn red, yellow, and/or brown in October.

The acorns of chestnut oaks, and other kinds of oaks, feed a host of woodland creatures, including rodents such as deer mice; gray, red, and flying squirrels; and eastern chipmunks. Squirrels and chipmunks are well known for stashing nuts in tree cavities or burying them in the ground, where some forgotten ones sprout into seedlings.

White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and ruffed grouse feed heavily on acorns in autumn in preparation of the coming lean times in winter. Black bears gorge on acorns to put on enough fat to see them through their secluded winter’s rest.

Some individuals of the three local squirrel species build nests of broken

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Photo by John Phelan

Black birch

twigs and dead leaves high in the twigs of forest trees, including chestnut oaks on rugged ridges. Those squirrel homes block wind and rain and hide the furry occupants from hawks and owls.

Black birches are known for the pleasant, wintergreen smell and taste of their twigs when crushed or chewed.

Their simple, finely toothed leaves are about 3 inches long and turn yellow during October. Their bark is dark, shiny, and relatively thin and has that wintergreen fragrance.

Male catkins on black birches, and other birches, droop decoratively from the ends of twigs and sway in breezes in early spring. Those catkins dispense pollen on the wind to female flowers along the twigs. Female blossoms develop upright cones that

house the maturing seeds.

When the tiny seeds are ready, the cones disintegrate, releasing those winged seeds into the wind to be scattered about.

Several kinds of woodland critters feed on parts of black birches. Mice and small, seed-eating birds ingest many winged seeds. White-tailed deer and cottontail rabbits consume the young, tender bark of twigs and trunks. And ruffed grouse eat the buds of birch twigs.

Chestnut oaks and black birches are striking trees that feed a variety of wildlife. And they have intrigues that we enjoy, including colored leaves and the smell and taste of wintergreen twigs.

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Puzzle Page

CROSSWORD

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 20 SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH

At the Bookstore

Across 1. Title-holder 6. Percolate 10. Highway hauler 14. Eagle’s home 15. High point 16. Aid in crime 17. Billiards shot 18. Hoodlum 19. Sharpen 20. Distress letters 21. Mishmash 23. They can be magic 24. Kind of admiral 25. Billow

27. Casual attire 29. Court figures 34. Temperate 35. Shoestring 36. “... ___ he drove out of sight” 37. Capt.’s guess 38. Delighted 41. Panel truck 42. A Bobbsey twin 43. Pull down 44. Faction 45. Bier gardener?

49. Rub the wrong way

50. Stocking stuffers 51. St. Louis team 53. TV offering 56. As a result 57. Young newt 60. Kind of car 61. One of the Muppets 63. Pancho, for one 65. Lion’s pride 66. Low dam 67. Sink 68. Places 69. Diner sign 70. Foil relatives

Down 1. Street fleet 2. Achilles, e.g.

3. War god 4. Soccer star Hamm 5. Black tea 6. Type of play 7. Audio effect 8. Easily tamed bird 9. Dowel 10. 1943 Bogart film 11. Black, to poets 12. Repair 13. Residents (suffix) 22. Terhune novel, ___: A Dog

23. Walked into the water 24. Wine choice 25. Neptune’s realm 26. Story starter 27. Colossus 28. Spiral-horned antelope 30. Meat cut 31. At no time 32. Field’s partner 33. Dispatched 34. Waiter’s offering 38. Big name in Argentina 39. After curfew 40. Historic times 44. Close relative, briefly

46. Short compositions 47. Miscues 48. Maid’s cloth 52. Date place 53. Haunch 54. Isaac’s eldest 55. It’s overhead 56. Spew out 57. Dresden’s river 58. Skedaddle 59. Tiny bits 61. Female sheep 62. Grazing ground 64. Rascal

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October 2018

15

Create a Great Funeral Day

N

N

October 30th is

How to Prepare for Life’s Inevitabilities conversations that can be cherished for years to come.

FAMIC’s checklist can be a resource for things to consider when preplanning a funeral and to help facilitate conversations with loved ones. It offers questions such as:

One inevitable life milestone that requires organization, consideration, and planning but often gets overlooked is the end of life, both for one’s self and loved ones.

It is important to have conversations with loved ones, sooner rather than later, to learn about family history, reaffirm how much they mean to you, and gain an understanding of how family members want to be memorialized.

To help families have important conversations about the things that matter and how a person’s life story can be meaningfully remembered and honored, the Funeral and Memorial Information Council created the “Have the Talk of a Lifetime” initiative, which offers families the resources to facilitate these

• W here would you like your service to be held?

• Will there be a ceremony? If so, religious or non-religious?

• How would you like to be remembered?

• Do you have a specific charity you would like to honor?

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October 2018

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Code CSN

By answering these questions and more, families can create a log of loved Photo courtesy of Getty Images ones’ preferences for how they want to be memorialized.

Completing the checklist can take place anytime, not just when a family member is nearing the end of life. Answering these questions can also prompt larger conversations about defining experiences and relationships in a loved one’s life.

Take notes and record your responses as you go through the checklist. Save the checklist in a safe place for when it is needed and to share with future generations.

To take your conversations one step further, meet with a local, trusted funeral professional and share those thoughts and ideas with someone who can help you put a plan in place that eases the burden on your loved ones.

Regardless of when it becomes necessary to refer to the preferences and memories recorded in the checklist, you can be grateful you took the time to have meaningful conversations with those most important to you.

For more information and to download the checklist, visit talkofalifetime. org.

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Create a Great Funeral Day

N

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October 30th is

Such is Life

After I Kick the Bucket Saralee Perel

Last week my friend, Marilee, and I met for lunch for the purpose of me giving her a list of things to do when I’m dead.

She ordered a salad and I ordered a turkey wrap.

I said, “Would you say my eulogy?”

“Let me hear it first.”

I read, “Saralee was the first old Jewish woman to take a spacewalk from the International Space Station, where she established the first orbiting satellite Kosher deli.”

Marilee was wide-eyed.

“Saralee won her 10th Pulitzer Prize for her bestselling book, I Found My Cell Phone in My Casket. In later life, she was honored at the Kennedy Center, where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for The Greatest Humanitarian in the Entire Universe — and Elsewhere.”

Marilee sat back, shook her head, and said, “I refuse to say any of that.”

“Well, would you put my obituary in the paper?”

“I’ll need to hear that first too.”

“Saralee’s funeral will be at the bus station tomorrow at noon. No early birds, please! It will be catered by Burger King. BYOB.” I told Marilee, “Make sure nobody gets any crumbs on my outfit. I want to be buried in my clown suit. It’s the red one hanging in my closet. Definitely not the black one or the yellow one or the green one. Oh, can you post the obit on Twitter?”

She said, “No.” I went on: “Saralee’s rented 14-karat-gold casket will be surrounded by a one-day-only yard sale with all of her stuff. Everything must go! Items include: vintage, original, black-and-white photos of Saralee at summer camp when she was elected Miss Wohelo for winning their famous beauty and talent contest.

“There will also be leftover pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream in a freezer. And so much more! All sales are final, since there’s nowhere to return anything anyway.” www.50plusLifePA.com

I finished my turkey wrap, and then continued, “Proceeds will go to the Red Cross, which was founded by Saralee and Clara Barton, who was so overwhelmed with charitable odds and ends that she asked Saralee to do the field work of helping millions of people.”

Marilee agreed to helping with the pets and other sane things on my list, but she thought my eulogy and obit were warped.

We walked arm and arm to our cars. Overwhelmed with loving gratitude, I took her in my arms, hugged her to me tightly, and whispered in her ear, “If you want to cremate me, I could live with that. Just make sure I’m dead first.”

Award-winning nationally syndicated columnist Saralee Perel can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website: www.SaraleePerel.com.

The ultimate resource for boomer and senior living and care options

23rd annual edition

Your inclusion in 50plus Living will help professionals, boomers, and seniors as they move through life’s stages.

Online & In Print. onlinepub.com * Must reserve by Aug. 26, 2016

Last chance to Closing to receive early-birddate: savings. be included — 2, 2018.

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To be included in the 2019 edition of 50plus LIVING, call your representative or (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com 50plus LIFE u

October 2018

17

Soldier Stories

Adventures of a Tunnel Rat Robert Naeye

Imagine crawling into a dark, narrow underground tunnel, not knowing if there are enemy soldiers waiting to slit your throat or shoot you without even a moment’s notice.

This was the everyday experience of Douglas Graybill Jr., an American “tunnel rat” in the Vietnam War. Graybill grew up in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, and quit school in 10th grade. After being rejected by the U.S. Army at age 16, he met a Marine recruiter, who told him, “Let’s go.”

His father signed the official paperwork on Graybill’s 17th birthday, and then he was sent to Parris Island in South Carolina for training.

“It was nothing like what the recruiter told me,” Graybill recalls.

Graybill was trained in demolition, landmines, and booby traps. He

Doug and Elizabeth Graybill’s Veterans Making a Difference group meets at the Paul R. Gordon Veteran Social Center in Reading.

learned to carry satchel charges, mortars, and various forms of ammunition. Training was like brainwashing; they were told to kill or be killed.

Graybill was then sent to Vietnam

Every Hero Has a Name.

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Help us put a face and a name to the courageous men and women who are currently serving or who have served in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

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18

October 2018

50plus LIFE u

in 1970, two months before his 18th birthday.

“My job was to crawl through tunnels and then blow them up,” says Graybill. “I wasn’t afraid to go into the tunnel. That was my job; somebody had to do it. That’s what I was trained for.”

From years of fighting the French and Americans, the Vietnamese became experts at digging tunnels.

Many North Vietnamese soldiers literally lived and fought underground.

Some tunnels were small and simple, meaning Graybill would have to crawl through them on his hands and knees. But others were large and complex, with supply depots, surgical rooms, headquarters rooms, and sleeping quarters.

Graybill entered these tunnels alone and would often use candles to find his way around in the darkness, never spending more than 20 minutes in any tunnel. Graybill admits that once he was in a tunnel, he was gripped with fear, especially when he heard Vietnamese talking.

“I was scared all the time — I mean all the time,” he recalls.

But Graybill had one major advantage: The Vietnamese usually did not know he was there. He became an expert at hiding in the dark. Sometimes enemy soldiers would crawl so close that he could literally smell their breath.

“I was shaking so bad I could feel my heart beating, but they still didn’t hear me.”

He shot several enemy soldiers with his 45-calibre pistol. To this day, he regrets killing two elderly Vietnamese women in a cooking area.

“It was an accident. I could have killed my own guys if they had been there,” he says. “I’d rather come home in handcuffs than in a coffin.”

And humans weren’t the only enemy. Graybill had to contend with booby traps and false walls. And the tunnels were rife with snakes, spiders, and biting centipedes.

Graybill used 20 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives to blow up tunnels, usually after bringing out supplies.

But he generally used more explosives than he needed. He once dragged a maggot-infested dead Vietnamese soldier out of a tunnel so he could get some R&R. Graybill says that exiting a tunnel was just as scary as entering one, since he didn’t know where he’d be coming out.

“I was worried about being shot by my own men,” he says.

Vietnam was a war without frontlines. The military brass emphasized body counts, not the taking and holding of territory.

Marines were told that their enemies were subhuman.

“You weren’t killing a person; you were killing a gook,” says Graybill.

“That made it a lot easier. That was our job.”

Vietnam left deep emotional scars that have never fully healed. After experiencing 16 months of violence, Graybill struggled to readjust to civilian life.

“I was in trouble all the time. I hated God, I hated everyone, I hated myself,” he says.

His troubles included arrests for assault and battery, flunking out of Ohio State University, finding and losing job after job, periods of homelessness, and two divorces. He www.50plusLifePA.com

would even doing simple beg policemen tasks, such to shoot him. as eating in “For almost restaurants.

10 years I Graybill is couldn’t even still haunted walk on a by his inner sidewalk. demons, but There was he has found always a his calling by sniper aiming helping fellow at me when I veterans in need.

From left, Rich Burton, president of the was walking Central Pennsylvania Vietnam Roundtable, He has opened down a street a privately and Doug Graybill, who spoke at the in daylight,” funded center organization’s recent meeting. he says. in Reading that He would keep pistols in his provides food, shelter, and clothing for bedroom and five locks on his bedroom veterans with and without homes. door.

“It’s a place where veterans can “Then I realized it was all in my come and socialize,” he explains. head,” he says.

“Their financial status doesn’t matter: Graybill eventually reenlisted in the Loneliness is loneliness.”

Marines. He was stationed in Beirut, To learn more about Graybill’s Lebanon, three times and participated veteran social center, visit the Veterans in the 1983 invasion of Grenada. He Making a Difference Facebook page or later served in both the Army and go to www2.readingeagle.com/article.

Marine reserves, but continually got aspx?id=328668. into trouble.

In 2006 he married an Army veteran Robert Naeye is a freelance journalist named Elizabeth, whom he credits with living in Derry Township. He is the former editor-in-chief of Sky & Telescope saving his life. She encouraged him to magazine. start attending veterans’ meetings and

Stories of ordinary men and women called to perform extraordinary military service.

From 1999–2016, writer and World War II veteran Col. Robert D. Wilcox preserved the firsthand wartime experiences of more than 200 veterans through Salute to a Veteran, his monthly column featured in 50plus LIFE. Now, for the first time, 50 of those stories— selected by Wilcox himself—are available to own in this soft-cover book.

Simply complete and mail this form with your payment to the address below to order Salute to Our Veterans.

On-Line Publishers • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Name_ _______________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ ______________ Phone_ _____________________ Email______________________________ Number of copies_ ______ (Please include $20.80 for each copy) Credit card #______________________________________ Exp. date________ Signature of cardholder_________________________________CVV #________

Or send a check made payable to On-Line Publishers, Inc. You can also order online at www.50plusLIFEpa.com!

www.50plusLifePA.com

Please, join us!

This combined event is FREE for veterans of all ages, active military, and their families.

Nov. 1, 2018 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Farm and Home Center 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster

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Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsor:

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October 2018

19

Top ‘Second Act’ Jobs that Interest Older Workers As more baby boomers approach retirement, growing numbers are passing it up in favor of “second act” jobs: work during their retirementage years, whether full or part time.

As this avalanche of Americans approaches retirement age, “second act” jobseekers will also reshape the labor market.

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 65 without a disability is participating in the labor force, a rate that has been rising steadily for the past decade, although it has been relatively flat since 2015.

New Indeed research pinpoints the top “second act” jobs clicked on disproportionately by Americans nearing retirement — those 62 years or older, the earliest age to qualify for Social Security.

These jobs include a number of construction and transportation positions, as well as assorted superintendent roles and a few less common jobs, such as pastor and boat captain.

The top “second act” job is piping designer. This occupation often uses computer-aided design (CAD) to assist oil and gas companies. Similar job titles, such as senior lead designer and electrical designer, are in the top 20.

Other common “second act” jobs are construction positions, such as construction superintendent and senior construction superintendent, and transportation jobs, including courier driver, shuttle driver, and parts driver. Some variation of the “superintendent” role was found six times in the top 20 second-act jobs.

However, this focus on overall clicks misses a crucial distinction older jobseekers make: full time versus part time.

The part-time jobs that older Americans click on disproportionately include a number of driving roles, such as parts driver, shuttle driver, professional driver, van driver, and similar positions. Older workers flock to driving jobs for good reasons: It’s easily part time, not physically demanding, and, other than driving know-how itself, has few skill requirements.

The list also has several part-time medical positions — telemedicine physician being No. 1. In addition, medical director, physician, and dentist are in the top 20. Perhaps many medical professionals nearing retirement want to continue working, but only part time.

A multitude of factors is driving baby boomers toward longer careers, notably rising life expectancy and the need for greater retirement savings, especially in the wake of the Great Recession. As these boomers work later into life, they search for jobs compatible with their skills and lifestyle.

Puzzles shown on page 15

Puzzle Solutions

Reprinted with permission from SeniorLiving.org.

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www.50plusLifePA.com

Chester County

Calendar of Events

Support Groups Free and open to the public

Senior Center Activities

Mondays (except holidays), 10-11:30 a.m.

Sunshine Memory Café United Methodist Church of West Chester 129 S. High St., West Chester (610) 349-3401 adean0413@gmail.com

Oct. 9 and 23, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Jennersville Hospital Conference Room B 1015 W. Baltimore Pike, West Grove (610) 998-1700, ext. 226

Oct. 1, 1:30 p.m.

Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216

Oct. 10, 1:30 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200, Malvern (610) 251-0801

Coatesville Area Senior Center (610) 383-6900 250 Harmony St., Coatesville www.coatesvilleseniorcenter.org Mondays, Wed nesdays, and Fridays, 10:30-11:15 a.m. – Going Fit Exercise Program Oct. 4 and 18, 11 a.m. to noon – Veterans Coffee Club Oct. 10 and 24, 1-2 p.m. – Bingo

Oct. 2 and 16, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Brandywine Hospital Conference Room 2N 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville (610) 998-1700, ext. 226

Oct. 10, 7-8:30 p.m.

Hearing Loss Support Group Christ Community Church 1190 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester (610) 444-445 www.hearinglosschesco.com

Oct. 2, 16, 30, 5-6:30 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Main Line Unitarian Church 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 585-6604 phoenixbereavement@yahoo.com Nondenominational; all are welcome.

Oct. 16, 6 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464

Oct. 3, 6 p.m.

Memory Loss and Dementia Support Group Sunrise Assisted Living of Paoli 324 W. Lancaster Ave., Malvern (610) 251-9994 Oct. 8 and 22, 10:30 a.m. to noon Caregiver Coffee Break/Support Group Active Day of Exton 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044

Oct. 31, 6 p.m.

Living with Cancer Support Group Paoli Hospital Cancer Center 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli (484) 565-1253

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Community Programs Free and open to the public Oct. 2, 11:30 a.m.

West Chester University Retirees Luncheon For restaurant location, please email darsie@ verizon.net Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Compassionate Friends Valley Forge Chapter Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 132 E. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia (484) 919-0820 www.tcfvalleyforge.org Oct. 6 and 20, 5-10 p.m.

Bingo Night Marine Corps League Detachment www.50plusLifePA.com

430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 429-8174 Oct. 16, noon AARP Valley Forge Chapter Meeting St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church 203 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 647-1823 Oct. 20, noon to 4 p.m.

120th Anniversary Celebration and Open House Friends Home in Kennett 147 W. State St., Kennett Square (610) 444-8785

Downingtown Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 983 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown www.downingtownseniors.org Mondays, 1-3 p.m. – P.M. Art Thursdays, 9-10 a.m. – Meditation Class Fridays, 10:30 a.m. – Historical Study of Biblical Times Great Valley Senior Center – (610) 889-2121 47 Church Road, Malvern Oct. 17, 5 p. m. – History Talk Series: Famous/ Infamous Supreme Court Decisions Oct. 10, Meal and a Message: Th e League of Women Voters Oct. 24, 5 p.m. – S enior Supper and Eye Health Presentation Oxford Senior Center – (610) 932-5244 12 E. Locust St., Oxford – www.oxfordseniors.org Wednesdays, 8:30-11:30 a.m. – Paint Class Phoenixville Area Senior Center – (610) 935-1515 153 Church St., Phoenixville www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org Oct. 13, 2-4 p.m. – Senior Sock Hop West Chester Area Senior Center – (610) 431-4242 530 E. Union St., West Chester www.wcseniors.org Thursdays, 1 p.m. – WCASC Chorus Submit senior center events to mjoyce@onlinepub.com.

parks and recreation Oct. 6, 7-8:30 p.m. – F all Night Hike, Hibernia County Park Oct. 19 and 26, 6 p .m. – Friday Night Hayrides and Bonfire, Nottingham Park Oct. 27, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Fall Family Fishing, Springton Manor Farm

Library Programs Downingtown Library, 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, (610) 269-2741 Oct. 2 and 16, 6 p.m. – Knitters Club Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m. – Fantasy Book Club Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m. – Film Forum Easttown Library, 720 First Ave., Berwyn, (610) 644-0138 Oct. 10, 7 p.m. – Mindful Qigong and Tai Chi Oct. 16, 2 p.m. – Making Sense of Medicare Oct. 14, 2 p.m. – Laughter Yoga Paoli Library, 18 Darby Road, Paoli, (610) 296-7996 Mystery Book Club – Call for dates/times

50plus LIFE u

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21

COLUMN from page 5 Have things changed on the senior dating scene in 24 years? There are three major differences.

1. Now, instead of focusing on age-50 dating, I focus on dating for ages 6090.

2. In 1994, there was no internet dating. Now, there are hundreds of online dating sites that seniors can access.

3. Back then, for women age 50, the ratio of single women to single men was about 1-to-1. Now, at age 70, the ratio is approximately 3-to-1 or greater.

And women tell me that many men aren’t dating material, or just don’t want to date. So, as women age, meeting a compatible mate gets more difficult.

It’s been a great ride; I’m a lucky guy.

For dating information, previous articles, or to sign up for Tom’s complimentary, weekly e-newsletter, go to www.FindingLoveAfter50.com.

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HOTELS FOR HEROES – to find out more about how you can help our service members, veterans and their families in their time of need, visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org WANTED Automobiles Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! 2002 and Newer! Any Condition. Running or Not. Competitive Offer! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-416-2330.

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Fire Prevention and Preparedness Essential for Older Adults

By Kraig Herman Every year, most fire deaths occur in the home. As of September, Pennsylvania has experienced 104 civilian fire deaths in residential homes in 2018. Of these deaths, 55 have been older adults.

Today’s home fires burn faster than ever. Decades ago, homeowners had five to seven minutes to escape a house fire, but now that time is down to one to two minutes.

Please review the below points to prepare yourself in the event of a fire.

Home Fire-Escape Planning Home fire-escape planning and drills are an essential part of fire safety. A home fire-escape plan needs to be developed and practiced before a fire strikes.

A home-escape plan should include the following: • Two exits from every room in the home, usually a door and a window

that can catch fire away from your stovetop.

• Properly installed and working smoke alarms • A meeting place outside, in front of the home, where everyone will meet after they exit • A call to 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from a cellphone or a neighbor’s phone Smoke Alarms Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages.

Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death; working smoke alarms cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire.

Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate

sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.

Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.

Cooking Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food.

If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home. Keep anything

Heating Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. Space heaters are the type of equipment most often involved in home heating-equipment fires.

All heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from heating equipment. Have a 3-foot (1-meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

Purchase and use only portable space heaters listed by a qualified testing laboratory.

Have a qualified professional install heating equipment, and maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional.

Kraig Herman is the public education specialist with the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner.

Our beautiful new Anna T. Jeanes building is now open.

Welcome to the future of senior living in West Chester.

Located in a tree-lined neighborhood in the heart of West Chester, The Hickman is setting the pace for affordable senior living.

Our new building on campus adds 74 studio and one-bedroom suites, including a secure dementia care program and outdoor garden located on the first floor.

“A feeling of belonging, comfort and caring… that’s The Hickman.”

Exerpience a warm welcome at The Hickman. Call today:

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www.WelcomeToTheHickman.org www.50plusLifePA.com

50plus LIFE u

October 2018

23

DENTAL Insurance Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

A less expensive way to help get the dental care you deserve If you’re over 50, you can get coverage for about $1 a day* Keep your own dentist! You can go to any dentist you want No wait for preventive care and no deductibles – you could get a checkup tomorrow

Coverage for over 350 procedures – including cleanings, exams,

fillings, crowns…even dentures

NO annual or lifetime cap on the cash benefits you can receive

FREE Information Kit

1-855-995-0759 www.dental50plus.com/73

*Individual plan.

Product not available in MN, MT, NH, NM, RI, VT, WA. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN) 6096E-0917 MB17-NM008Ec