Cumberland County 50plus LIFE - March 2020

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Complimentary | Cumberland County Edition

March 2020 • Vol. 21 No. 3

Explaining How the Union Survived page 4

Traumatic Brain Injury A ‘Silent Epidemic’ page 3

Special Section: Cabin Fever Reliever page 13

On-Line Publishers Receives Anniversary Citation

Pennsylvania State Rep. Brett Miller recently stopped by On-Line Publishers’ corporate office to present a citation to Donna Anderson, OLP’s president and CEO, as well as employees to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary.

Miller, who represents the commonwealth’s 41st District, said he was honored to celebrate

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a successful small business, especially one with a mission of reaching and helping older adults and others in central Pennsylvania.

“The 203 state representatives give their blessing to this citation on behalf of the 12 ½ million people of Pennsylvania to say congratulations on 25 years,” Miller said, “and 25 — or 250 — more years to go!”

Rep. Brett R. Miller presents a commemorative citation to Donna Anderson, president of On-Line Publishers, in honor of the business’s 25th anniversary.

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Traumatic Brain Injury a ‘Silent Epidemic’ Among Older Adults Traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when a bump, blow, jolt, or other head injury causes damage to the brain.

Every year, millions of people in the U.S. suffer brain injuries, including people over 65, for whom TBI is serious and widespread enough to have been referred to as a “silent epidemic.”

In older adults, traumatic brain injury is responsible for more than 80,000 emergency department visits each year, with three-quarters of these visits resulting in hospitalization, according to a research article by Hilaire J. Thompson, Ph.D.; Wayne C. McCormick, M.D., M.P.H.; and Sarah H. Kagan, Ph.D., and published by the U.S. National

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month

Library of Medicine (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC2367127).

The report also found that adults aged 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalization and death. Falls are the leading cause of TBI for older adults (51%), and motor vehicle traffic crashes are second (9%).

Symptoms of a TBI may not appear until days or weeks following the injury. A concussion is the mildest type and can cause a headache or neck pain, nausea, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and tiredness.

People with a moderate or severe TBI may have those, plus other, symptoms: please see Brain Injury page 9

At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away. adult day care Life Time Adult Day Care 3 Crossgate Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 975-9762 Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751 Central Pennsylvania Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Cumberland County Assistance (800) 269-0173 Energy Assistance Cumberland County Board of Assistance (800) 269-0173 Eye care services Kilmore Eye Associates 890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 697-1414 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223

Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G Mechanicsburg (717) 766-1500 Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Home care Services Homeland at Home Serving all of Cumberland County (717) 221-7892 Hospice Services Homeland at Home Serving all of Cumberland County (717) 221-7890 Housing Assistance Cumberland County Housing Authority 114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 249-1315 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Salvation Army (717) 249-1411 Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067

Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274

Capital Blue (888) 989-9015 (TTY: 711)

Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania (717) 238-2531

Medicare (800) 633-4227

Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7900 Nutrition Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707 Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011 Newville (717) 776-5251 Shippensburg (717) 532-4904 West Shore (717) 737-3942 Orthopedics OSS Health 856 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 747-8315 Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7900 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110 Toll-Free Numbers Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237

Consumer Information (888) 878-3256 Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 Drug Information (800) 729-6686 Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228 Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019 Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040 Liberty Program (866) 542-3788 Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833 National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Passport Information (877) 487-2778 (V); (888) 874-7793 (TTY) Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Services American Legion (717) 730-9100 Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Veterans Affairs (717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

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Cover Story 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 Email 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 Connie Molitor Production Artists Renee McWilliams Lauren Phillips

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Senior Marketing Consultants Joshua Binkley Jennifer Schmalhofer Angie Willis Marketing Consultants Brittney Bonagura Cassidy Galeone Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer

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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Explaining America’s Bloodiest Battle and How the Union Survived

By Gabriele Amersbach How do you explain “I was a history major why 51,000 men were in college and was always killed, wounded, interested in the Battle of captured, or missing in Gettysburg,” says Fowler. just three days of fighting “America was the first in America’s bloodiest successful democracy. battle?

The Civil War was a The tour guides at the test whether or not we Gettysburg battlefield would tear ourselves provide answers that dive apart. It questioned if a deeply into the history democracy can endure. of the time, battlefield Can this really work? tactics and strategies, the “The outcome affected Photo credit: © Doug Kerr personality of the leaders, the whole world. If the The park was added to the National Register and the impact on the United States couldn’t of Historic Places in 1966. individual soldiers and survive the Civil War, civilians. other countries would “This battle was an be less willing to try our important turning point form of government.” in the Civil War,” says His interest led to a lot Les Fowler, a full-time of reading on his subject licensed battlefield — more than 3,500 guide for eight years at books have been written Gettysburg National about this battle.

Military Park.

“No, I haven’t read all He explains that it of them, but I’m working was the first time the on it!” says Fowler.

Southern army — the A deep level of Army of North Virginia knowledge is critical in Fowler’s Licensed Battlefield Guide badge — — was decisively beaten order to become one his “most prized possession” — which signifies and driven from the field of the 150 full-time he is officially licensed by the National Park Service to give tours on the battlefield. of battle. and part-time licensed The Union’s Army battlefield guides at of the Potomac, led by Gen. George G. Meade, Gettysburg. Throughout the national park system, clashed with the advancing Confederates from July there are only two other battlefield parks that 1, 1863, until July 4, when Gen. Robert E. Lee was employ licensed battlefield guides. forced to withdraw his battered army.

Each guide goes through a rigorous process of “The South had fewer soldiers and Robert E. self-study and federal testing that demands in-depth Lee lost many of his elite officers, the flower of knowledge on every historical aspect of the battle. the Confederate Army, during the battle. TwentyWhen Fowler began the process, he was living one months later, the South surrendered,” Fowler in his native Texas and was ready for a new stage of explains. life. He had worked in retail management and the computer industry. At the time he started studying A Passion for History to be a guide, he had his own mountain- and rockFowler is articulate, insightful, and climbing business. knowledgeable about all aspects of the battle, and Fowler took the exam three times until he his passion for his subject matter comes through passed it, over a period of six years. He eventually with every word. He even lives on the battlefield, followed his passion across the country and settled five minutes from the park’s visitor’s center. on becoming a guide at Gettysburg, which had www.50plusLifePA.com

absorbed his interest for much of his “We want to encourage leaders to adult life. learn about the battle,” says Fowler. The “It’s by far the most enjoyable job message? “People put everything on the I’ve ever had,” Fowler explains, after line for their beliefs, but were ultimately eight years on the job. “I can’t think of able to reconcile.” anything else I’d rather be doing.”

He points out that the Eternal Although the pay is modest, and Light Peace Memorial was built with guides do not get vacation or paid donations from both Northern and days off — battlefield guides are Southern states to honor Union and paid through the tours they lead, not Confederate soldiers. The monument through tax dollars — they relish the was dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt opportunity to educate their audiences on July 3, 1938, as a part of the about the significance of the battle at ceremonies for the 75th anniversary of Gettysburg. the Battle of Gettysburg.

“Guides can answer any questions The 6,000-acre park holds a total that come our way, from war strategies, of 1,328 monuments, markers, and to the impact of the geology of the memorials. landscape, and the political issues of Fowler concludes that while he loves Approximately 1,800 Union and Confederate veterans attended the time,” Fowler says. They judiciously educating his tour groups on all aspects the dedication of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial in 1938 on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. avoid modern political controversies. of the battle, he wants one takeaway With his deep font of knowledge, message to stand out.

Fowler is able to tailor each tour to meet the specific interests of the audience.

“We as Americans are all one country. The people who fought this terrible battle were able to get over their differences. The Union was restored, and our ‘Welcome to Your New Country — Here’s Your Gun to Defend It’ form of government survived,” says Fowler.

For example, when I mention my German heritage, Fowler quickly notes “The idea of the United States is much more important than our that thousands of Germans were fighting in the battle, as were units of Irish, differences, then and now.”

English, and other immigrant groups.

On the cover: Licensed Gettysburg battlefield guide Les Fowler with a “Sometimes you got off the boat, and then it was, ‘Welcome to your new 12-pounder Napoleon canon behind the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor country — here’s your gun to defend it,’” says Fowler.

Center. Both Confederate and Union armies used this type of canon during What we may have forgotten with the passing of time is that everyone was the Civil War. affected by the Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg alone engaged 93,000 Union and 71,000 Confederate soldiers. While battlefield casualties were Tom & Randi LaNasa “MEMORY MUSIC” brutal, thousands more left the battlefield maimed and traumatized.

In the four years of the Civil War, 750,000 people died out of the 31 million people living in the U.S. at the time. With today’s population, that would be a death toll of almost 8 million people.

“It was a national tragedy,” says Fowler. “One of the reasons we want to keep history alive is so that it never happens again.”

He quotes George Santayana, the Spanish philosopher and poet: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

More than a Million Visitors Each Year More than a million visitors visit the Gettysburg National Military Park each year from all over the world.

This includes busloads of school children; visitors from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York (about 60%, according to Fowler); a “fair share” of Southerners; and soldiers who study tactics (including units from other countries). About 10% of visitors are international.

“It is always a surprise how knowledgeable people from other countries are about our history and even this battle,” Fowler says.

The battle had such an impact on America’s history that most presidents visit the park. Fowler has a few presidential anecdotes ready.

Eisenhower retired in Gettysburg and gave tours of the park to world leaders. Kennedy was scheduled to come to the park for a major event in November 1963 but canceled to go to Texas for his ill-fated final visit. Fowler was there when then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited the park on Oct. 22, 2016.

Fowler belongs to the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides, an organization that keeps in contact with legislators and gives them free tours, as well as promoting guiding in general. www.50plusLifePA.com

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Attention: RETIREMENT HOMES, CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS. Looking for entertainment?

Booking shows for any occasion!

We have many variety shows featuring the music from the 1930s to the 60s.

Songs by legendary artists like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Kay Starr, Dean Martin, Patsy Cline, and the Mills Brothers.

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Songs from the WWII Years • The Post WWII Years: 1945 – 1955 AMERICA: From Sea to Shining Sea Salute to the Rat Pack (or if you prefer, just Sinatra) Elvis & Patsy • Classic Country

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Financial Focus

Planning for the Rising Costs of Healthcare Steven Brettler

Healthcare costs are rising, especially for retirees, and many will need long-term care. Learn the moves you can make to help prepare yourself.

Longer lifespans and escalating healthcare expenses are driving investors to control their financial exposure to uncovered bouts of care — particularly in retirement.

According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. spends approximately $3.5 trillion a year on healthcare, or nearly $11,000 per person.

Overall spending rose 3.96% in 20171, faster than the pace of inflation or wage growth.

As spending rises, patients are also shouldering a larger share of treatment costs — driving up out-of-pocket expenses. The elderly, who require the most care, often bear the brunt of the costs.

It is important to take steps to minimize your financial exposure to uncovered medical costs.

But whereas your incentives for saving for retirement are easy to digest — to be able to afford a desired lifestyle after your working years — planning for the less palatable aspects of old age can be more challenging.

Healthcare Costs Planning Many people turning 65 will need some type of long-term care services in their lifetimes.

One year in a private room in a nursing home costs $102,200 today and is projected to reach $184,585 by 2039.2 Even with a robust portfolio, you may have trouble handling such large costs with savings on hand.

Many adults nearing retirement age are concerned about healthcare costs but unsure how to budget for them. Many affluent older Americans are unsure or cannot estimate what their annual healthcare or long-term care costs in retirement will be.

Should they encounter serious medical trouble, the costs will be even higher. Many Americans are not even aware of the uninsured costs they may face in these cases. A stroke, for example, may cause paralysis, warranting expensive 24-hour assistance.

Medicare Part A covers nursing facility care for a limited time, but only after a qualified hospitalization.

However, Medicare will not pay for nursing homes when custodial care is the only care needed, nor will it pay for care for conditions such as Alzheimer’s’ disease. Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s or other cognitive ailments may live for many years, all the while requiring assistance and, as the disease worsens, expensive hands-on assistance.

Protection for Retirement Savings Investors in their 30s or early 40s may weight their retirement-funding strategies toward a portfolio of mutual funds or a managed-account solution to provide upside exposure to the market.

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Given lower premiums for younger policyholders, long-term care insurance should also be a consideration, she says.

These days, only a handful of insurers offer long-term care insurance, so another option may be life insurance with a longterm care rider, which allows families to tap into the benefits they would receive upon the policyholder’s death while he or she is alive and requires care.

Another option for funding long-term care expenses is to withdraw or borrow money from life insurance policies or generate income from annuities. Note that either of these options would probably fall short of covering costs if someone needs care for many years.

Paying for Unexpected Healthcare Costs A final consideration is what to do when you’re faced with a large, unexpected medical bill today. One answer may be a securities-based loan, which allows qualified clients to use the eligible securities in a brokerage account as collateral for a loan or line of credit, often at a competitive rate.

When faced with a large healthcare expense, investors often liquidate financial assets to pay for immediate needs. However, this strategy may have unintended costs, such as tax consequences, loss of future growth potential, or an imbalance in your portfolio.

Once approved, a securities-based loan can provide quick access to funds for a variety of needs with the potential to maintain your long-term investment strategy. Your financial adviser can provide you with additional information and help determine if this is the right strategy for you.

Protect Your Finances and Your Health As healthcare costs continue to rise, it’s important to understand the options you have to help protect the assets you’ve spent a lifetime accumulating.

Your financial adviser has access to multiple long-term-care products from a wide variety of respected insurers and can help you choose the one that offers the optimal combination of cost and benefits.

Steven Brettler is a financial adviser and branch manager with Morgan Stanley in Greenville, Del. He may be reached at (302) 573-4027 or advisor.morganstanley. com/steven.brettler.

Disclosures Article by Morgan Stanley 1 Source: CMS.gov Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/nationalhealthexpenddata/nhe-fact-sheet. html 2 Genworth 2019 Cost of Care Survey, conducted by CareScout®, June 2019 Cost estimate based on 365 days of care. Estimates how much care might cost in future years based on 3% annual inflation. https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) of any information contained within the website.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and its affiliates and their employees (including Financial Advisors and Private Wealth

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Advisors) are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. These materials and any statements contained herein should not be construed as tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their personal tax advisor or attorney for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving personal trusts and estate planning.

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Borrowing against securities may not be suitable for everyone. You should be aware that there are risks associated with a securities based loan, including possible margin calls on short notice, and that market conditions can magnify any potential for loss. For details, please see the important disclosures below.

To be eligible for a securities based loan, a client must have a brokerage account at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC that contains eligible securities, which shall serve as collateral for the securities based loan.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is a registered Broker/Dealer, Member SIPC, and not a bank. Where appropriate, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC has entered into arrangements with banks and other third parties to assist in offering certain banking-related products and services.

Investment, insurance and annuity products offered through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC are: NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A BANK DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY Insurance and annuity products are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLCs licensed insurance agency affiliates.

Since life insurance and long-term-care insurance are medically underwritten, you should not cancel your current policy until your new policy is in force. A change to your current policy may incur charges, fees and costs. A new policy may require a medical exam. Actual premiums may vary from any initial quotation. Surrender charges may be imposed and the period of time for which the surrender charges apply may increase with a new policy. You should consult with your own tax advisors regarding your potential tax liability on surrenders.

Steven Brettler may only transact business, follow-up with individualized responses, or render personalized investment advice for compensation, in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration, [FINRA Broker Check http://brokercheck.finra.org/Search/Search.aspx]. ©2019 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. All rights reserved. CRC 2763971 10/2019

21st Annual

LANCASTER COUNTY

Shady Maple Conference Center Smorgasbord Building 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl

May 6, 2020

21st Annual

With the exception of a margin loan, the proceeds from securities based loan products may not be used to purchase, trade or carry margin stock (or securities, with respect to Express CreditLine); repay margin debt that was used to purchase, trade or carry margin stock (or securities, with respect to Express CreditLine); and cannot be deposited into a Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other brokerage account.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

DAUPHIN COUNTY

Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey

June 10, 2020

17th Annual

Important Risk Information for Securities Based Lending: You need to understand that: (1) Sufficient collateral must be maintained to support your loan(s) and to take future advances; (2) You may have to deposit additional cash or eligible securities on short notice; (3) Some or all of your securities may be sold without prior notice in order to maintain account equity at required maintenance levels. You will not be entitled to choose the securities that will be sold. These actions may interrupt your long-term investment strategy and may result in adverse tax consequences or in additional fees being assessed; (4) Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association or Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (collectively referred to as ?Morgan Stanley?) reserves the right not to fund any advance request due to insufficient collateral or for any other reason except for any portion of a securities based loan that is identified as a committed facility; (5) Morgan Stanley reserves the right to increase your collateral maintenance requirements at any time without notice; and (6) Morgan Stanley reserves the right to call securities based loans at any time and for any reason.

April 22, 2020

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CHESTER COUNTY

Church Farm School 1001 E. Lincoln Highway Exton

Sept. 16, 2020

24th Annual

Securities based loans are provided by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association or Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A, as applicable.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

LANCASTER COUNTY

Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim

18th Annual

Sept. 23, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

YORK COUNTY

York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Ave., York

21st Annual

Oct. 14, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Carlisle Expo Center 100 K St. Carlisle

Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240

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Soldier Stories

Robert Naeye

Pilot Hit by AK-47 Fire While Evacuating the Wounded

was raging, with about 500,000 Americans As a medevac helicopter pilot during two stationed in South Vietnam. tours in Vietnam, Douglas Moore survived Moore commanded a Dust Off unit near Cu 1,874 combat missions. Some of those missions Chi that supported the 25th Infantry Division. left his Huey chopper riddled with bullet holes.

And in one particularly harrowing mission, There, as Moore describes it, he “got to see the Moore escaped death by a fraction of an inch. war up close and personal.

Yet this pilot managed to evacuate 2,782 “I remember being belly deep in a rice paddy wounded patients. or wedged down in a tiny hole in the jungle “I honestly believe that some of those guys someplace with blood-soaked soldiers being went on living or had limbs saved because my crammed into the rear of my helicopter, and crew and I could help,” says Moore. on many occasions, the bullets were coming Moore was born in the small town of Keiser, through the helicopter with us. And that made Arkansas, in September 1936 and was raised it rather exciting at times. And it took a great Moore’s helicopter picking up patients from the 173rd on a small cotton farm nearby. He recalls doing toll on us,” he recalls.

Airborne Brigade in the Hô Bò Woods in June 1965. what all the boys did in this corner of northeast The Dust Off crews were going in where Arkansas: joining the Boy Scouts and playing battles were raging. The combat loss rate was sports.

3.3 times higher than the rest of Army aviation.

After high school, Moore attended Arkansas Moore vividly recalls an eventful 18-hour State University, where he graduated in period in December 1968 when he flew four February 1959. During that period — the medevac missions: one just after lunch, one height of the Cold War — all physically fit men just after dark, another at about 10 p.m., and a were obligated to take ROTC training during fourth around 4 the next morning. their first two years in college.

“I think I can safely say these were four of But Moore volunteered for additional training the most dangerous missions that I flew in during his junior and senior years because he Vietnam. We just got the crap shot out of us anticipated military service and wanted to be an twice,” he says.

A picture of Moore taken in early 1965 officer. He joined the Army right out of college On the final mission, Moore’s unit got by a French photographer working so he could learn to fly airplanes. a call saying a nearby Army battalion had for the Le Monde newspaper chain.

“As a youngster, I had an urge to fly, and the eight critically wounded men and they were military offered flight training,” he says. surrounded by the enemy. Moore knew this mission would be treacherous. As He first trained on airplanes at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where the instructors he flew toward the battle, he could see flares and flashes of artillery. often put the students through difficult situations that they might actually Moore radioed the battalion commander to shut off the flares long enough encounter in combat. to allow his Huey to land blacked out. The commander initially refused, By the early 1960s, the Vietnam War was intensifying. The U.S. Army fearing his unit would be overrun. But they reached a deal where Moore could realized that helicopters were of greater need than airplanes, so it started land with his helicopter’s lights turned off and then take off under temporary training more helicopter pilots. In 1963, Moore was sent to Camp Wolters, darkness.

Texas, to learn to fly choppers.

While landing, Moore could see wounded men scattered over a large area, Moore was ordered to Vietnam in October 1964, where he served in the so it took a long time to load the injured men. While on the ground, the th 57 Medical Detachment out of Saigon. These medevac units were known as enemy began firing at his helicopter and he could hear bullets striking the tail Dust Off, for their call sign. boom and back of his craft.

At this time, the American war effort was just gearing up; the U.S. role was When there was one last man to load, Moore radioed the commander to mainly advisory. Most of the patients that Moore flew to hospitals were South ask him to shut down the flares while he took off. This time, the commander Vietnamese. refused.

After a year in South Vietnam, Moore was transferred back to the U.S. and As Moore took off, tracers began coming up and all around his helicopter. then to Japan, where the U.S. built six large hospitals in the Tokyo-Yokohama As the Huey climbed, bullets started penetrating the cockpit. A round came area. up by his left knee and hit the lever that controls whether the helicopter goes Due to the poor road system in this heavily populated area, the Army up or down. It ricocheted and split his left thumb open. decided to use helicopters to move patients. In his two years in Japan, Moore’s “That hurt like a son of a gun,” says Moore. relatively small helicopter unit transported 63,000 patients.

Moments later he heard a scream right behind him. A round had hit one of After his time in Japan, the Army ordered Moore back to Vietnam for a the patients in the spine, inflicting a mortal wound. second tour of duty, from August 1968 to August 1969. At this point, the war And just after that, another round came in and hit Moore hard. His head

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sprung back and smacked the back of the seat.

Moore survived several more close calls He kicked a pedal to the floor that put the during his tour. Interestingly, Moore says that chopper in a descending right turn only about most of what he remembers about Vietnam are 100 feet off the ground. the good things, and that most of the bad things Moore instinctively grabbed the stick and have been washed out of his mind over the years. pulled it to start climbing. He told his young But he is quick to add, “When I think about copilot that he had been hit, and the 20-year-old Vietnam, I mostly think about the people I took control. served with. I knew some crazy guys over there, If that weren’t bad enough, the fire warning and you need people like that to make it fun light started flashing. Somehow, the Huey when fun is about all you had left to keep you limped back to base, about 25 miles away, but going.” landed with 37 holes from AK-47 rounds.

Moore stayed in the Army until March 1989 “That old gal took us back to Cu Chi despite and retired as a colonel. He earned numerous Moore pointing to a bullet hole the fact she was leaking every fluid aboard the awards and medals for his 30 years of service, in the tail boom, January 1965. aircraft,” says Moore. including the Distinguished Service Cross, two But Moore was totally confused during the flight. He realized he couldn’t Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. see out of his left eye, triggering fears of blindness, which would end his flying He worked 25 years in healthcare administration but is now retired in the career. small town of Haymarket, Virginia, just south of the Washington metro area.

He later found out what had happened by looking at bullet holes in his He’s written a book about his Vietnam adventures, titled A Bullet through the flight helmet. An AK-47 round flew through the windshield, hit the very Helmet, with all the proceeds going to a museum for veterans in Indiana. lower edge of his helmet right between his eyes, penetrated the hard outer “I suppose Vietnam means different things to different people,” says Moore. shell, and then exited by his left ear.

“But for me, the two years I spent in Vietnam and the two years I spent in The bullet had shattered the windshield, and pieces of metal and Plexiglas Japan between those tours represent the most significant period of my life and hit the left side of his face, cut his nose, and left an inch-long piece of metal one I’m extremely proud of.” in the corner of his left eye. It also chipped out a piece on the left side of his Tragically, Moore lost his first wife of 53 years to Alzheimer’s disease. But head. on Veterans Day in 2013, he had a chance encounter with a woman named “I spent five days in the hospital while they picked the things out of my eye Debby Alexander, whom he had met in Vietnam in January 1969. They are and tried to determine whether I had been knocked unconscious. If that had now happily married. happened, my flying days would have been over. But I spent five days in the We will tell Alexander’s remarkable story in next month’s issue. hospital, got out, and went back to flying for the rest of my tour,” he says.

Brain Injury from page 3 • A headache that gets worse or does not go away • Repeated vomiting or nausea • Convulsions or seizures • Inability to awaken from sleep • Slurred speech • Weakness or numbness in the arms and legs • Dilated eye pupils TBI, which requires emergency treatment, can also cause a wide range of changes affecting thinking, sensation, language, or emotions.

The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends that all elderly concussion patients undergo computed tomography (CT) scans to check for intracranial bleeding, because issues such as age-related cognitive decline or dementia can mask signs of bleeding-induced mental impairment.

However, CT scans are very expensive and expose patients to radiation, and both the healthcare system and patients would benefit from reduced CT scan use.

New research, however, shows that a blood test can differentiate elderly concussion patients with brain tissue damage from those without it.

This finding, published recently in the special brain health collection of AACC’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, could help ensure that elderly patients with severe concussions receive crucial treatment for their injuries.

The Food and Drug Administration had previously authorized a blood test www.50plusLifePA.com

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that identifies head injury patients who have brain tissue damage that needs to be assessed via CT scan, but the blood test was not specifically designed for older patients.

So a team of researchers led by Robert H. Christenson, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, set out to determine how well the test performs in patients age 65 years or older.

To do this, Christenson’s team retrospectively analyzed data from the Prospective Clinical Evaluation of Biomarkers of Traumatic Brain Injury (ALERT-TBI) study, in which 1,959 adult patients with a concussion underwent both a CT scan and blood test for brain tissue damage within 12 hours of their injury.

Christenson’s team compared the results of the CT scan and blood test — which measures two specific proteins — in patients 65 years of age or older and in patients younger than 65.

From this comparison, the researchers found the blood test predicts with 100% accuracy which elderly concussion patients do not have brain tissue damage and do not need a CT scan.

Hospitals can therefore use this test to triage elderly concussion patients so that clinicians can focus on those most likely to require urgent intervention for intracranial bleeding.

Importantly, however, the researchers also found that the test does not accurately identify elderly patients who do have brain tissue damage, which means that the test should only be used as a triage tool, not as a replacement for CT scans.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s TBI webpage at www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/index.html.

Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

March 2020

9

Grief Relief

Victor M. Parachin

7 Effective Mind-Body Ways to Manage Grieving

The Harvard Men’s Health Watch newsletter recently reported on a study led by T.H. Eric Bui, M.D., Ph.D., associate director for research at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders and Complicated Grief Program at Harvardaffiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

The study, which was published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, concluded that a specially designed eight-week mind-body program can help reduce stress in older adults who have lost a spouse.

Here are the seven mind-body techniques they found most effective to manage grief.

1. Yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Not only can these mind-body activities help you relax, but they can also reverse the effects of stress and anxiety on a molecular level, according to a study in the June 2017 Frontiers in Immunology.

In people who regularly engaged in these practices, researchers found less activity in genes that create inflammation in the body.

Many classes are designed specifically for stress reduction. To find one of these classes in your community, simply do an online search.

2. Maintain a healthy diet. Stress triggers cravings for sugar and fat, which is why you reach for feel-good, high-calorie, and high-fat processed food during stressful times. Yet these foods can make you feel worse.

Instead, focus on keeping up a well-balanced diet. This means eating vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and drinking plenty of water.

3. Follow good sleep hygiene. Grief is emotionally exhausting, but after a loss, people often find that their sleep is disrupted. Either they have trouble getting to sleep or they sleep too much.

“Going to bed at regular hours, following a bedtime routine, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening helps with more restful sleep,” says Bui.

4. Get physical. Something as simple as a daily walk can help ease depression, agitation, and sorrow related to grief.

Because it’s often hard to find the energy go exercise, it’s important to find

ways to motivate yourself to do so, such as joining an exercise group or working out regularly with a friend.

5. Monitor your health. With so much else going on, it’s easy to ignore your general health when grieving. This includes skipping doctor visits and forgetting to take your medications.

“Schedule all exams for the coming year so you don’t miss them, and set timers on your phone or computer to help remind you to take your medications as scheduled, or ask a friend or family member to assist by checking in with you daily,” advises Bui. 6. Take on new responsibilities. The loss of a spouse or family member may mean you have to take over certain routine jobs.

For example, you now may be in charge of shopping, cooking, housekeeping, or organizing financial records.

While these tasks can be additional stressors, Bui suggests turning them into a positive experience.

“Taking on a new responsibility can keep your mind focused on a task and distract you from your grief,” he says.

7. Reach out to your social circle. Though you may wish to withdraw and isolate yourself as your recover from grief, it’s important to maintain connections with others.

“This reminds you that you are not alone, and even if you feel isolated, there may be family members, friends, or even neighbors who can give a supportive hand,” says Bui. Try to balance your need for isolation by remaining social. Set up a weekly lunch or coffee/tea time with a good friend. Make it a priority to communicate with a few people by email, text, or phone call.

Remind yourself that these strategies are ways of practicing self-compassion, reinvesting in yourself, and adapting, in positive ways, to loss.

Victor M. Parachin, M.Div., is a grief counselor, bereavement educator, and author of several books, including Healing Grief.

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Social Security News

Get Your Social Security Benefit Statement

By John Johnston

Tax season is here, and we have made replacing your annual benefit statement even easier.

The benefit statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form we mail each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits.

It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the IRS on your tax return.

If you live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, simply go online and get an instant, printable replacement form using your personal my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

A replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S is available for the previous tax year after Feb. 1.

If you already have a my Social Security account, you can log in to your account to view and print your SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S. If you don’t have

access to a printer, you can save the document to your computer or email it to yourself.

If you don’t have a my Social Security account, creating one is very easy to do and usually takes less than 10 minutes.

If you’re a noncitizen who lives outside of the United States and you received or repaid Social Security benefits last year, we will send you form SSA-1042S in the mail. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S are not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

With a personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. If you receive benefits or have Medicare, your personal my Social Security account is also the best way to: • Request a replacement Social Security number card (in most states and the District of Columbia)

please see Benefits page 21

Free Tax Assistance Offered Through April 15, the AARP Tax-Aide program will offer free oneon-one counseling as well as assistance on the telephone and internet to help individuals prepare basic tax forms, including the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, and other standard documents.

The following are locations in your area. Please call for an appointment (unless otherwise noted) or visit aarp.org/money/taxaide for more information.

Baughman Memorial United Methodist Church 228 Bridge St., New Cumberland Mondays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 774-2005

East Pennsboro Community Center 98 S. Enola Drive, Enola Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 732-3915

Bethany Towers 335 Wesley Drive, Mechanicsburg Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(717) 591-8300 Big Spring Senior Center 91 Doubling Gap Road, Newville Fridays, 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

(717) 776-4478

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Branch Creek Place 115 N. Fayette St., Shippensburg Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(717) 300-3563 Camp Hill United Methodist Church 417 S. 22nd St., Camp Hill Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 737-5631 Carlisle Baptist Church 701 Walnut Bottom Road Carlisle Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

(717) 249-5069

Mechanicsburg Place 97 W. Portland St. Mechanicsburg Mondays and Fridays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 697-5947 Messiah Village 100 Mount Allen Drive Mechanicsburg Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 790-8207

Mission Central 5 Pleasant View Drive Mechanicsburg Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(717) 766-1533 South Middleton Township Municipal Building 520 Park Drive, Boiling Springs Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(717) 258-5324 Trinity Lutheran Church 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill Fridays, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

(717) 737-8635 Walk-ins only.

Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

March 2020

11

The Bookworm Sez

Mobituaries Terri Schlichenmeyer

Dust to dust.

That’s supposedly what we all become again when we exit, stage left: We are made of dust, and we’ll just be a pile of it when we die. But is that all, or can we hope to live on as a line in a page somewhere?

As in the new book Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving by Mo Rocca and Jonathan Greenberg, will someone remember?

Nothing lasts forever.

If you’re old enough to read that, you’re old enough to know its truth: Everything and everybody ends eventually, and some leave without fanfare. We might not even see them go because, as Rocca muses, “not everyone has gotten the send-off they were due …”

That set-things-right need for closure launched Rocca’s Mobituary, which is “an appreciation for someone (or something) who didn’t get the love she or he deserved the first time around.”

Take, for instance, “the long S,” which looks something like a small F and can be found in the Declaration of Independence. It ceased to be used in

late 1803 and is gone but not forgotten.

Women don’t wear hobble skirts anymore, and men don’t wear codpieces; doctors don’t believe phrenology helps to diagnose your obsession with cats; encyclopedias won’t help a young author-to-be who thinks he’s gay; and you can no longer visit Prussia because it hasn’t existed since early 1947.

But things don’t just disappear. People do, too.

Once upon a time, every man wanted to dress like a guy named Beau Brummel. We don’t talk about Ada Lovelace these days, or her 19th-century computer programming work.

Few people know who Moses Fleetwood Walker is; and even in today’s political climate, Billy Carter’s name is rarely mentioned.

Reputations can die ignominiously, TV shows get canceled, and careers fade away (or sometimes end with a president’s life). Complacency can die, as can Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving grace. But sometimes, just when we think life is filled

By Mo Rocca and Jonathan Greenberg with nothing but death, demise, and unpleasantry, it c. 2019, Simon & Schuster, 375 pages can return on the tops of champagne bubbles …

The first thing — perhaps even the only thing — you need to know is that Mobituaries is absolutely delightful.

Promise yourself two minutes with this book, and you’ll close its covers a half-hour later. Dip in for a little nostalgia (when did station wagons depart, anyhow?). Step back in time to witness the acts of people who made big impacts but are now largely forgotten. See how celebrities can eclipse other celebs, even in death.

Like with a bag of potato chips, watch yourself reach into this book for another handful because authors Mo Rocca and Jonathan Greenberg don’t wade in too deeply; instead, they give readers just enough to whet appetites Read it online, in print, but not so much that we get full. and on mobile/tablet And as with any feast, literary or otherwise, you can nibble without devices. onlinepub.com thinking you must have a helping of everything.

Rattle around and you’ll find that Mobituaries is gently humorous, kindly inclusive, and plain fun to read. Have it nearby and you’ll know that this book won’t collect dust.

Your guide to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 14,000 books.

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It may be March, but winter hasn’t released its grip on us just yet. If the weeks cooped up indoors have you experiencing the infamous “cabin fever,” prepare to soothe your restless mind!

The next few pages contain puzzles to get your brain’s neurons firing and those synapses sparking — a little satisfactory stimulation to sustain you through the last remaining weeks of cold-season doldrums.

Enjoy!

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March 2020

13

Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

Art by Female Artists on Display

Cabin Fever Reliever

Lori Verderame

In a classical revival building designed by Wood, Donn & Deming in 1903 and located at 1250 New York Ave. in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of Women in the Arts remains the only major museum worldwide solely dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the visual, performing, and literary arts.

The museum was incorporated in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay, and this month of March — Women’s History Month — is the time to focus on

Roses, Convolvulus, Poppies, and Other Flowers in an Urn on a Stone Ledge, 1680, by Rachel Ruysch.

Carousing Couple, 1630,

by Judith Leyster.

March is Women’s History Month

women and their many contributions.

Female artists struggled to achieve equal footing in the art world with men.

Looking back to the 17th and 18th centuries, female artists’ work was rarely displayed or revered.

For instance, the National Museum of Women in the Arts has a strong collection of paintings and other art by artists working in the Netherlands during the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Paintings and prints by esteemed female artists such as Rachel Ruysch, Judith Leyster, Maria

What’s the Mystery All About?

Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop needs your help to solve the puzzle!

Please join us at our upcoming events.

April 4, 2020 – Saturday Event: Kensington’s CozyClub Mini-Con East with Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop April 22, 2020 – Wednesday • 7 pm Event: Special PROMM – $5 per person Program: “Murder in Mechanicsburg” Speaker: Janeal Jaroh of Time Traveler Trunks April 25, 2020 – Saturday Event: Independent Bookstore Day Program: Join us for refreshments and a small “thank you” gift for your patronage.

May 3, 2020 – Sunday • 3 pm Event: Afternoon Fright Author Event – Free Event Program: Authors include Vicki Delany, Linda Wiken and Elizabeth J. Duncan May 27, 2020 – Wednesday • 7 pm Event: PROMM – $3 per person Program: “Working with the Spirit World” Speaker: Kelly Weaver Our complete 2020 events schedule can be found at

www.mysterybooksonline.com

Call 717-795-7470 for an event schedule.

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nation, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, and made unescorted trips to Paris to paint and study at the famed Académie Julian.

She painted with American and foreign colleagues — both men and women, including members of the French Impressionists — including her longtime friend and staunch supporter, Edgar Degas.

Today, Cassatt’s paintings and prints focus on portraits and genre scenes and regularly command impressively high prices from collections and at auction.

The names of many 20th- and 21st-century female artists are more familiar to most art lovers, like the Representational artists Grace Anderson and Della Bittner; the Modernists Georgia O’Keeffe, Elizabeth Grandin, and Imogen Cunningham; and the Abstract Expressionists active in the 1950s: Grace Hartigan, Helen Frankenthaler, and Joan Mitchell.

Sculptors with influence, to name a few, include Mary Callery, Louise Nevelson, and Glenna Goodacre. Also, the Feminist art program pioneers Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro became active in the 1970s and remain so to this day.

These innovators helped open the doors for female artists who were formerly shut out of major museums and the lucrative art market. As art reflects our history, social change, and progress, March is a perfect time to reflect on art made by women and visit a museum or gallery highlighting their fine contributions.

Dr. Lori Verderame is the award-winning Ph.D. antiques appraiser on History channel’s The Curse of Oak Island and weekdays on the Doctor and the Diva. Dr. Lori presents her Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show to audiences nationwide. Visit www.DrLoriV.com/events. Call (888) 431-1010.

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Sibylla Merian, Magdalena van de Passe, Clara Peeters, Maria Schalcken, Anna Maria van Schurman, and Alida Withoos are part of the museum’s permanent collection.

The Netherlands saw unprecedented economic growth during the late 16th century until the early 1700s. This growth saw a rise of a wealthy merchant middle class. The nouveau riche members of Dutch society at this time sparked high demand for paintings and prints of genre scenes, portraits, and still lifes.

To meet this demand, artists, including talented female artists, produced some of the most captivating works of the Golden Age of Dutch art.

The 18th century in France also saw the rise of female artists such as the court painter, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, the famed artist who painted many portraits of King Louis XVI’s wife, the foreign-born Marie Antoinette, and their children.

By the mid- to late 19th century, the lives of women and of female artists changed as a result of reform movements in response to the Industrial Revolution.

With the primary role of women being that of wife and mother, only 10% of American women remained single. American Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) and muralist Violet Oakley (1874-1961) both chose to devote their lives to their art instead of to marriage and children.

The results of this decision were inspirational to other artists.

Some women of the era took classes and private art lessons. Cassatt studied art privately and hired studio models to produce her work.

She also was one of the first women to attend art school both at home and abroad.

From 1860-62, Cassatt studied at the oldest art school in the

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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

March 2020

15

Join us in celebrating our silver anniversary by taking a look back at life over the last 25 years … as well as a blast from one of our covers past!

2010 Top Headlines

Entertainment

• A 7.0 magnitude earthquake ravaged Haiti in January, devastating the country and leading to the deaths of an estimated 100,000 to 160,000 people.

• James Cameron’s epic 3D movie Avatar overtook Titanic to become the highest-grossing film to date.

• The Tonight Show conflict among Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and NBC executives reached a conclusion. Leno resumed his former gig as Tonight Show host; O’Brien and his staff received a $32 million buyout and moved to TBS.

• One of the largest environmental disasters in American history, the Deepwater Horizon, or BP, oil spill released 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in April.

• President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law in March. The act was the largest regulatory overhaul and coverage expansion of the U.S. healthcare system since 1965.

• The May 23 finale of Lost concluded the television series’ six-season run. The episode generated a polarized response among the 13.5 million fans who tuned in.

•

• In October, 33 Chilean miners, trapped 2,300 feet underground after the collapse of their copper-gold mine 69 days earlier, were rescued one by one in a specially built capsule as an estimated 1 billion people watched worldwide.

• The Senate voted to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a 1994 military policy that forbid openly gay men and women from serving in the military, on Dec. 18.

The repeal became official Dec. 22.

• N otable passings included J.D. Salinger, George Steinbrenner, Rue McClanahan, Lena Horne, Tony Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Lynn Redgrave, and Dixie Carter.

• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, hosted the 21st Winter Olympics in February. Approximately 2,600 athletes from 82 nations participated in 86 events in 15 disciplines.

• The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl by defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17.

• In a televised ESPN special, NBA player LeBron James announced he would sign with the Miami Heat rather than return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.

• South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup Tournament, which included an appearance

by Nelson Mandela and the world’s introduction to the vuvuzela horn.

• Pro golfer Tiger Woods’s personal and professional lives unraveled in 2010, beginning with an infidelity scandal that led to his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren. Woods also admitted himself for sex-addiction therapy and went on a 20-week hiatus from golf.

March 2020

I n November, England’s Prince William, second in line to the throne, and longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton announced their engagement. William proposed with the engagement ring that belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana. They would wed April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey.

March 2010

Sports

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Science & Technology • Apple introduced the iPad in January. Less than three months after its release, the tablet computer had already sold 3 million units and led to a boom in app software.

• A paleoanthropologist’s South African discovery of a new hominid, Australopithecus sediba, was announced to the public in April. Its fossilized remains date back 2 million years.

• Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” emerged as a source of controversy between environmentalists and economists. The well-stimulation technique uses high-pressure fluid injections to fracture deep rocks and release trapped natural gas and petroleum.

• After analyzing the plume that arose after a rocket booster crashed near the moon’s south pole, NASA learned the moon is about 50% wetter than previously thought, twice as wet as the Sahara Desert.

Join us next month to see what was happening in 2008! www.50plusLifePA.com

Since 2000, 50plus LIFE (previously Senior News and 50plus Senior News) has won more than 130 awards for its editorial content and design. Here’s a look at an award-winning article from our archives.

Drawing on Experience

SeniorNews orNews www.SeniorNewsPA.com

April 2003 issue NAMPA Award: First Place, Profile

By Maria V. Snyder

FOR�AGES 50+ |

    

FIRST PLACE



Monthly information for & about Lancaster County�s Senior Citizens

Whimsical, magical, and colorful are He went through a number of jobs all the descriptors that come to mind before finding a draftsman position at when viewing Bill What�s Hoin’s artwork.

Emtrol. Bill worked for them for 15 Inside Upon closer inspection, the words years until he retired at age 62 in April Volume 9 No. 4 unbelievable and intricate also spring of 2001. Now Bill enjoys drawing fullApril 2003 to mind. time.

The multicolored drawings are : ...22 “It’s essential that I draw every day.

Antiques & Nostalgia crafted with different combinations I see an improvement in my work just of gel pen, coloredDining pencils,& fine-line over this past year and a half,” Bill markers, watercolors, and crayons. says.

Entertainment: ............16 “I use mostly gel pens,” Bill says of Just recently Bill had a picture in Healthy ..... .......32 his work. “People say that’sLiving: what kids the Trees Galore show at the Mulberry use, but anything an artist uses is a Studios in Lancaster. The picture House & Home:............4 tool.” is a Christmas tree decorated with Bill’s fluid drawings bulging angel’s faces. He made copies for his Moneyare Matters .............10 with life. Within the spirals of a Christmas card with the inside saying, Senior Center  picture, you might see many faces, “There’s an angel in your tree.” ...............31 birds, and fish. HisHappenings: portraits .are done “I was in the very first Lititz  in watercolor and gel pens and they Outdoor Art Show in 1967,” Bill says Travel ..........................26 can be very realistic or abstract. of his art career.

“I think most people like News: what I’m This past summer he displayed Veterans ..... ......28 doing because it’s so labor intensive,” 26 pictures at the Lititz show. He Volunteers & Careers : ...30 Bill says. “Sometimes I leave areas has exhibited paintings, prints, and undone so the people looking at it weavings in both one-man and group can add their own. I like to look shows. His work is also on display at artwork that you see something in the National Vietnam Veterans different when you come back to it Art Museum in Chicago in their each time.” permanent collection.  As a child, Bill spent hours drawing Bill views his art as a hobby.  News P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604 tel: 717›299›7000  e›mail: srnews@onlinepub.com and painting, butSenior eventually stopped “I haven’t really thought of it as www.SeniorNewsPA.com ' 2003 On›Line Publishers Inc. All rights reserved. as he grew older. money making. I don’t worry about “Vietnam is where I started getting interested in artwork again,” Bill what I’m selling, or going to galleries. It’s more for therapy and an outlet. says of his reacquaintance with art. “I visited villages and saw many artists Money isn’t the point of doing it.” and craftsmen at work. I bought artifacts from the weavers, and when I Working on one picture a day, Bill has no set hours. He likes to go to came back to the States, I started to do more myself.”

Central Market, where a friend runs a bread stand.

When Bill left the Army, he came back to Lancaster and earned “I’ll stand there and draw pictures all morning,” Bill smiles. “I have met Bachelor of Science degrees in industrial arts education and art education so many people in the last year. Sooner or later everyone is going to come from Millersville University. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in through the Central Market.” art from Glassboro State College in New Jersey.

Besides doing his artwork, Bill enjoys going to the health club, walking, And he’s still learning his craft. and being an extreme birdwatcher.

“I took a mono printing class and a papermaking class. If I come He is a volunteer on the board of directors for the epilepsy support unit across a medium that I don’t have experience in or the equipment for, like in Lancaster, where he helps others with information and referrals. He is sculpting, then I take a class.” the outdoor art chairman for the Lancaster County Art Association and He even took a course for making glass paperweights at Wheaton is planning art programs for the future, and he teaches art to a group of Village in New Jersey. homeschooled children.

After earning his degrees, Bill went on to teach high school art for five In his one-page bio, Bill wrote, “I plan to produce artwork, teach, and years. volunteer at various art associations in the area.”

“I came back with a problem from Vietnam. I was diagnosed with Bill is well on his way to accomplishing those goals, and it is a boon to epilepsy two years after Vietnam, and it made it very difficult to teach.” those of us who delight in art. www.50plusLifePA.com

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March 2020

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March 2020

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Study Indicates Colorectal Screening May Need to Begin in Mid-40s

By Keith Brannon A year-by-year age analysis of at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans colorectal cancer rates among Health Care System, said the U.S. adults finds a 46% increase combined burden of undetected in new diagnoses from ages 49 to and detected early-onset colorectal 50, indicating that many latent cancer cases for those 45-49 cases of the disease are likely may actually approach that of going undiagnosed until routine individuals in their early 50s. screenings begin at 50, according “Our data support that the to a new study in JAMA Network incidence of colorectal cancer Open. increases substantially among Researchers found that almost individuals in their early 50s 93% of the cases discovered at age compared with individuals in 50 were invasive, meaning that their late 40s, not because rates most would require more aggressive are truly lower among those aged treatment, including surgery, and 45-49 years, but because colorectal were likely lingering for some time cancers are present but undetected before diagnosis. until diagnosed when screening is Colorectal cancer is the second ultimately initiated,” he said.

March is National Colorectal Cancer leading cause of cancer deaths Awareness Month in the United States. As rates for younger adults continue to rise, April 30th 1:00 PM Vibra Health Plan there is considerable debate about whether to lower the age for recommended Giant Camp Hill, 3301 Trindle Road, Camp Hill, PA Seminar Dates and screenings.

May 21th 1:00 PM Locations: Swatara Township Building, 599 Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, PA In 2018, the American Cancer Society called for routine screenings to start at 45. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which sets federal screenings standards, currently recommends average-risk screening begin at age 50.

Those against beginning screenings at age 45 have argued that incidence rates in those age 45-49 years have been considered relatively low compared to those aged 50-54 years.

Study authors suspected the risks for those in their mid- to late 40s are underestimated because incident data for those age ranges would likely only include cases caught because they presented symptoms and/or have a family history of cancer, in contrast to those 50 and older, who have cancers also detected due to screening.

To assess this, they examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in one-year Vibra Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans increments between the ages of 30 and 60 from 2000-2015. They suspected starting at $0*and include a Member Advocate. that if there were many asymptomatic cases of the disease undetected, there would be a marked increase in cases between 49 and 50, when screenings A Member Advocate offers you: begin.

• Assistance with care navigation and resource referral Researchers found a steep increase, from 34.9 diagnoses per 100,000 people • Personalized attention to get you to the right services at age 49 to 51 cases per 100,000 at age 50. Sharp increases were also seen in at the right time both men (52.9%) and women (39.1%), in white (46.2%) and black (47.3%) • Information to make healthcare decisions that are right populations, and in colon (51.4%) and rectal (37.6%) cancers in this one-year for you and your family age transition. These incidence increases from age 49 to 50 were not seen in • 7-day-a-week support prior studies because only age-group ranges were analyzed.

Call now to reserve a seat at a seminar, or to learn more about how Researchers also examined the stage at which the cancers were caught and Vibra Health Plan is in your corner. 1-844-660-2961 (TTY 711) found a spike in localized and regional cancers, which would require surgery and possibly chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

The study adds fuel to the debate about whether screenings should begin at Vibra Health Plan is a PPO Plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Vibra age 45.

Health Plan depends on contract renewal.

Lead study author Dr. Jordan Karlitz, associate clinical professor of medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine and staff gastroenterologist *Not available on all plans.

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CROSSWORD

Puzzle Page

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 28 SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH

Explorers

Across 1. Archaeological find 5. Lay an egg 9. Casablanca role 13. Four-bagger 14. Crowd noise 15. Yemeni city 16. One of the muses 17. Golden rule word 18. Riot spray 19. Most underweight 21. LaBeouf of Disturbia 22. Used a bench 23. Telephone bane

25. Hotel amenities 28. Winter warmer 30. Copier need 31. Like a money transport car 35. Family member 36. Game bird 37. New Zealand bird 38. Pork sausage 40. Informal jargon 41. Bathsheba’s husband 42. Decorative pitchers 43. Tailbone

46. Deli loaf 47. Paradise Lost, e.g.

48. Honest and sincere 55. Son of Leah 56. Foe for El Cordobés 57. Tot’s wheels 58. Ireland 59. Dr. Pavlov 60. Antique auto 61. Batman’s Christian 62. Horn or York, e.g.

63. Study

20. ___ Pensacola (mil. center) 24. ___’easter 25. Turn bad 26. Tolstoy heroine 27. Pasta choice 28. Collide 29. Forget about 30. Computer key 31. Subtle glow 32. Makeup artist?

33. Barley beards 34. Excavate 36. Idealistic and unrealistic

39. Humorous 40. Feel the heat 42. CBS symbol 43. V.I.P. 44. Wagner work 45. Kind of engineer 46. Geneva’s river 49. Scotia starter 50. Golf hazard 51. Gaelic language 52. MasterCard rival 53. Scratched (out) 54. Superman foe ___ Luthor

Down 1. Force unit, briefly 2. Poet Khayyám 3. Prefix with physical 4. Window shopper 5. Apples and oranges, e.g.

6. Kind of wolf 7. Feedbag feed 8. Etiquette 9. Dilapidated 10. Hells Canyon locale 11. ___ B. DeMille 12. Work dough 13. “For ___ a jolly …”

Your ad could be here on this popular page!

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Melinda’s Garden

Melinda Myers

Early Spring Prep for a Beautiful Summer Garden

As winter fades for damage and lightly into spring, gardeners tamp any disturbed can’t wait to get areas back in place. busy in the garden.

Reseed bare spots so Pruning, cutting grass, not weeds, fills back perennials and in these spots. ornamental grasses, Brush leaves off the and preparing the crowns of perennials garden for spring but leave the rest planting are just a few in place for insects of the tasks. that spend winter or Keep yourself summer in the leaf and the pollinators litter. Plus, the leaves overwintering in your help preserve moisture, garden safe as you start suppress weeds, and the cleanup process. improve the soil as Always prune they break down.

Photo courtesy of foxglovesinc.com with a purpose. Start Pull mulch away When pruning, start by removing the damaged and diseased stems of shrubs and roses by removing any from tree trunks and and wear heavy-duty gloves to keep yourself free from scratches. damaged and diseased shrub crowns that stems from shrubs and roses. Watch for insects, such as swallowtail butterflies, may have shifted over winter. Keeping mulch off the stems reduces the risk of that overwinter in protective cocoons and the egg masses of some, such as the future problems that can lead to decline and even death of the plants. hairstreak butterflies.

Let perennials and grasses stand as long as possible, since many are homes Prevent problems by destroying overwintering nonnative pests like the for beneficial insects. Bundle grasses for easy cutting and removal. gypsy moth. Search the internet and insect books for help identifying the Once cut, loosely stack or stand perennial stems and grasses at the edge good and bad guys you may find in your landscape. of the garden or natural spaces. This allows any insects still present to safely Additional pruning may be needed to manage the size and shape or emerge when it’s time to move to their summer homes. Plus, birds will encourage better flowering and bark color. Wait to prune spring-flowering appreciate the easy access to nesting material. shrubs, like lilacs and forsythia, if you want maximum flowering. Prune these Enjoy the changing of the seasons and the beauty of nature hidden among shrubs right after flowering before they set their floral buds for next spring. the plants in your garden. Protect yourself when preparing the garden for Keep yourself safe by wearing safety glasses and gloves. It’s too easy to focus spring so you won’t lose time recovering from injuries. on the task and end up with a stick in the eye. Heavy-duty gloves protect and And keeping the pollinators and other beneficial insects safe will improve support your hands, allowing you to garden longer with less stress and fewer your garden’s health and productivity throughout the growing seasons. scratches and bruises.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Consider synthetic-leather, gauntlet-style gloves, such as Foxgloves extraGardening. She hosts The Great Courses’ How to Grow Anything DVD series and protection gloves (foxglovesinc.com), which protect hands and forearms from the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio program. harm yet are supple enough to allow you to work efficiently. www.melindamyers.com, www.longfield-gardens.com Lightly rake any debris off the lawn and add it to the compost pile. Check

Benefits from page 11 • Get your benefit verification letter

• Request a replacement Medicare card

• Check your benefit and payment information

• Report your wages if you work and receive Social Security disability insurance or SSI benefits

• Change your address and phone number • Change your direct deposit information

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Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to find more about our online services.

John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.

Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

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Cumberland County

Calendar of Events

Support Groups Free and open to the public Sundays, 7:15 p.m.

Outreach Al-Anon Family Group Meeting Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road, Camp Hill (717) 448-7881 Other meeting times/locations at https://pa-al-anon.org Mondays, 7 p.m.

Hope on Simpson Al-Anon Family Group Meeting First United Methodist Church 135 W. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg (717) 448-7881 Other meeting times/locations at https://pa-al-anon.org Tuesdays, noon Anchor Al-Anon Family Group Meeting The Harbor 55 W. King St., Shippensburg (717) 448-7881 Other meeting times/locations at https://pa-al-anon.org Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Aldersgate United Methodist Church 1480 Jerusalem Road, Mechanicsburg (781) 932-6300 Saturdays, noon Greater than Ourselves: Nar-Anon Family Group Grace United Methodist Church – Lower Level 309 Herman Ave., Lemoyne (717) 763-7632 March 2, 4-5 p.m.

Caregivers Support Group Messiah Lifeways Meetinghouse 1155 Walnut Bottom Road, Carlisle (717) 243-0447 March 3, 6 p.m.

CanSurmount Cancer Support Group Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Mechanicsburg 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786 March 3, 6-7 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Support Group Senior Helpers 3806 Market St., Suite 3, Camp Hill (717) 920-0707 March 4, 1:30 p.m.

The Bridges Support Group for the Alzheimer’s Association The Bridges at Bent Creek 2100 Bent Creek Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 795-1100 March 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Caregivers Support Group Cumberland County Aging & Community Services 1100 Claremont Road, Carlisle (717) 240-6110 March 5, 5:30-7 p.m.

Better Breathers Chronic Lung Disease Support Group Ortenzio Heart Clinic at Geisinger Holy Spirit 503 N. 21st St., Camp Hill (717) 763-2775

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March 5, 5:30-7 p.m.

Smoking Cessation Support Group Ortenzio Heart Clinic at Geisinger Holy Spirit 503 N. 21st St., Camp Hill (717) 763-2775 March 9, 1:30-3 p.m.

Caregivers Support Group St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church 310 Hertzler Road, Upper Allen Township (717) 766-8806 March 10, 6:30-8 p.m.

Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer Support Group The Live Well Center, 3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle (717) 877-7561 sirbrady12@gmail.com March 11, 1:30 p.m.

Parkinson’s Support Group Bethany Village West – Springfield Room 325 Asbury Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624 March 17, 1 p.m.

Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880 March 17, 6:30 p.m.

Alzheimer’s/Dementia Caregivers Support Group Cumberland Crossings 1 Longsdorf Way, Carlisle (717) 243-0113 March 18, 2-3 p.m.

Life Enrichment Group for Blind or Low-Vision Adults Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania Penn Apartments 1 West St., Carlisle (717) 238-2531 March 24, 6 p.m.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Mechanicsburg 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 486-3596 apcoulson@comcast.net

Community Programs Free and open to the public

Mondays and Wednesdays, noon SilverSneakers Exercise Class Susquehanna View Apartments Community Room 208 Senate Ave., Camp Hill (717) 439-4070 jesseswoyer.com@gmail.com March 11, 11:30 a.m.

NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465 VFW Post 7530 4545 Westport Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 774-4031 www.narfe1465.org Visitors welcome; meeting is free but fee for food.

Senior Center Activities Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville March 10, 1-3 p.m. – Hearing Aid Cleaning and Education Program March 18, 9:30 a.m. – Fraud and Identity Theft Bingo March 30, 9:30-11 a.m. – 15-Week Creative Aging Art Classes Branch Creek Place – (717) 300-3563 115 N. Fayette St., Shippensburg Carlisle Senior Action Center – (717) 249-5007 20 E. Pomfret St., Carlisle Mary Schaner Senior Citizens Center (717) 732-3915 98 S. Enola Drive, Enola Mechanicsburg Place – (717) 697-5947 97 W. Portland St., Mechanicsburg West Shore Senior Citizens Center (717) 774-0409 122 Geary St., New Cumberland

Library Programs Amelia Givin Library, 114 N. Baltimore Ave. Mt. Holly Springs, (717) 486-3688 Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St. Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 March 6, 7 p.m. – Music at Bosler March 11, 1-2 p.m. – Wicked Wednesday Book Discussion Group March 27, 1-2 p.m. – Just Mysteries! Book Club Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St. Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 March 7, 2 p.m. – One Book, One Community: Discussing Heartland March 14, 1:30 p.m. – A Celtic Concert with Seasons March 19, 6:30 p.m. – Mira Lloyd Dock: An Advocate for Women’s Rights East Pennsboro Branch Library, 98 S. Enola Drive Enola, (717) 732-4274 John Graham Public Library, 9 Parsonage St. Newville, (717) 776-5900 Joseph T. Simpson Public Library, 16 N. Walnut St. Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-0171 New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 March 5, 1-3 p.m. – Team Puzzle Contest March 19, 6:30 p.m. – Plants: The Weird and the Wonderful, Plus Climate Change Effects March 25, 6-9 p.m. – What You Probably Did Not Know about Our U.S. Presidents Shippensburg Public Library, 73 W. King St. Shippensburg, (717) 532-4508

Submit senior center events to mjoyce@onlinepub.com. www.50plusLifePA.com

The Reel Deal

The Way Back Randal Hill

Blending a classic sports story with a tale of midlife crisis, Warner Brothers’ The Way Back isn’t a predictable Disney-type sports drama or an updated Hoosiers but an unflinching study of life’s pitfalls that can bring down the best and brightest of us.

In high school, he had been a superstar.

Handsome, whip-smart, popular. And on the basketball court, nobody could match the jaw-dropping skills of Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck). By graduation, Jack had earned a full university scholarship and a potential ticket to a 24-karat dream life.

Then, suddenly, he walked away from his beloved sport and forfeited his future.

From an early age, Cunningham liked to drink. A lot. His imbibing morphed from adolescent Animal House-type partying to quiet, full-blown alcoholism.

As a result, he experienced a fall from grace that would devastate his marriage (which included a life-altering tragedy) and any hopes for a successful, or even satisfactory, life.

Since Jack’s glory days more than 20 years previously, the basketball team at his alma mater has fallen with a thud. Then a possible break materializes: The current coach has suffered a heart attack, and Jack — now a middle-aged, chain-smoking construction worker who has never left town — is offered a shot at redemption: coaching a motley team of troubled, undisciplined losers.

Cunningham reluctantly accepts the task, surprising everyone, including

Images © Warner Bros. Pictures or related entities.

Used for publicity and promotional purposes. https://www.movieinsider.com/photos/550135

The movie opens March 6.

himself. As it turns out, he has just as much to learn as his players do, but, over time, the boys start to come together as a team and even begin to win some games.

Will his newfound success give Jack the ability to finally conquer the demons that have plagued him for much of his life? Will these high school victories be enough to heal the deep wounds in the former sports legend? Or is this merely a fleeting respite from his inexorable slide into oblivion?

Comedian Al Madrigal portrays Dan, the school’s assistant coach who believes in Cunningham and offers him unconditional support.

For Affleck, this movie must hit awfully close to home. The son of an alcoholic, he had become a problem drinker as an adolescent, enrolling for treatment for the first time at age 18. Over the years, Affleck has candidly discussed his addiction, which he struggles with to this day.

“So proud of this one and the incredible team behind it,” says Affleck, the holder of two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes.

The Way Back is directed by Gavin O’Connor, who last worked with Affleck on 2016’s The Accountant. The script is by Brad Ingelsby.

Randal C. Hill enjoys getting sneak peeks of forthcoming movies from his home on the Oregon coast. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Watch for the Mental Health Risks of Social Media Use Social media can help you keep in touch with friends and family, but it’s not always beneficial to your mental health.

It’s been linked to depression, low self-esteem, social anxiety, and other problems. How can you stay sane online? The Philadelphia Inquirer website offers these suggestions: Limit your use of social media. Don’t let Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms dominate your life or interrupt your interactions with people in the real world.

Put your smartphone down during mealtimes, and don’t take it to bed with you. Take breaks from social media from time to time to reduce its hold on you. www.50plusLifePA.com

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Pay attention to your emotions. Think about why you’re scrolling down the screen and how what you see and read makes you feel.

Are you genuinely enjoying the experience? Do you find yourself getting depressed or angry? Are you checking social media because you want to find out something, or just from habit?

Be mindful about your social media use so you can control it instead of letting it control you.

Prioritize your real-world relationships. Make a point of spending time with your family and friends in person, not just online. From time to time, go through your list of friends and contacts and eliminate those who are no longer relevant to your life.

Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

March 2020

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The Beauty in Nature

Wooded Bottomland Hawks and Owls Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Red-shouldered hawks and barred owls are interesting, handsome counterparts of each other; both species live and raise young in wooded bottomlands, often near bodies of water.

Though these raptor species are from different families of birds, they have similar characteristics because of the habitat they share in the eastern United States, including here in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Both feathered predators are about the same size and prey on similar woodland creatures, including frogs,

Barred owl

Need to enroll in VA healthcare?

An enrollment specialist from the Lebanon VA Medical Center will be on hand to enroll veterans in the VA healthcare system during the

York County Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair March 31, 2020 • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wyndham Garden York 2000 Loucks Road, York Veterans wishing to apply for enrollment to VA healthcare should bring three items: • DD-214 • Last year’s federal tax return • A list of medical expenses from the previous year For questions or more information, call (717) 272-6621, ext. 4298

Lebanon VA Medical Center 24

March 2020

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snakes, rodents, small birds, and larger insects, the redshoulders by day and the owls at night.

And both these somewhat reclusive species are attractive in camouflaged ways. Adult red-shoulders are brown and mottled white on top and robin-red below. And they have blackand-white-striped tails.

Immatures are white underneath, with dark, lengthwise streaking. And both ages do have rufous shoulder patches.

Barred owls are brownish-gray all over with Red-shouldered hawk white markings on their heads, wings, backs, and tails. They also have darkly streaked throat ruffs, chests, and bellies. All that somber feathering blends them into their forest surroundings.

Barred owls also have large, dark eyes that are appealing to us humans.

Those big eyes allow the owls’ pupils to dilate large enough so those birds can see well at night.

Both these feathered hunters, and all hawks and owls, swallow mice and other small prey whole and headfirst. The raptors’ stomachs digest everything they can but wrap fur and feathers around larger bones, forming pellets.

Hawks and owls regurgitate those pellets, which fall to the ground below the raptors’ roosts.

Red-shouldered hawks begin courting in March, when we are most likely to hear the members of each pair repeatedly calling “keeee-aarrrr” to each other.

Each pair of red-shoulders raises two or three young each spring into summer, in grass-lined stick cradles in treetops in bottomland woods.

Each pair of barred owls also rears two or three youngsters, but in tree hollows along waterways and impoundments, in woods, and in older suburban areas with many large trees in them.

Barred owls start courting early in March, when we are most likely to hear each pair’s intriguing hooting to each other, although these owls could hoot anytime, day and night, through the year.

Barred owls are sometimes called “eight-hooters” because of their classic calling that sounds like “who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all.” Consider yourself privileged if you hear those owls hooting.

The handsome red-shouldered hawks and barred owls are permanent residents here in southeastern Pennsylvania. They are not usually noticeable to most people, but they dwell, sparingly, in our wooded bottomlands.

Some readers, someday, may see or hear these lovely birds of prey in bottomland woods. www.50plusLifePA.com

Openings Available in New Cumberland Town Band The New Cumberland Town Band, one of the oldest town bands in central Pennsylvania, is seeking new members for its upcoming season and beyond.

Players are especially needed for flute, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba, but all instruments are welcome to inquire about band membership.

The band is seeking

interested players with a commitment to practicing their music outside of rehearsals, which begin in March and are held on Tuesday nights throughout the spring and summer.

The New Cumberland Town Band begins its concert season in May and continues through to September, with two additional concerts in December.

For more information, contact Rob Copeland at (717) 732-5430.

The Strange Origins of Common Devices Some very common devices in our modern lives have surprising — even shocking — origins. The Cracked website shares a few: The treadmill.

The exercise machine was originally designed by Sir William Cubitt in 1818 as a means to torture convicts.

Prisoners would climb the equivalent of 11,000 feet per day as the “tread-wheel” pumped water and crushed grain.

Piggy banks. The name has nothing to do with actual pigs. In the Middle Ages, jars used to save cash were made of an orange clay called “pygg” because metal was too expensive.

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Matches.

The first friction match was created by a 19th-century apothecary stirring a mixture of chemicals with a wooden stick.

When he tried to scrape off a dried glob of the compound, it ignited.

Escalators. One of the first escalators in the world was set up at Harrods in London. The experience was so overwhelming to riders that the store offered smelling salts and brandy to help them calm down.

March 31, 2020 May 27, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wyndham Garden York 2000 Loucks Road York

50plus LIFE ›

Crowne Plaza Reading Hotel 1741 Papermill Road Wyomissing

Veterans (of all ages), the military community, and their families are invited to this free event!

The Expo brings federal, state, and local agencies together with area businesses to provide information and resources to veterans and their families.

The Job Fair brings veterans and spouses who need jobs together with employers who can benefit from this rich source of talent.

At the Expo

Veterans Benefits & Services Medical/Nonmedical Resources Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs Education/Training Services

At the Job Fair

Employers Job Counseling Workshops Employment Seminars Resume Writing Assistance

25 th

X-rays. William Roentgen took the first X-ray in 1895, not fully understanding what he’d discovered. The first X-ray he took of a human body was his wife’s hand.

When she saw her bones, she said, “I have seen my death.”

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Hosted by:

Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available

www.veteransexpo.com

Brought to you by: &

(717) 285-1350 www.olpevents.com

Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

March 2020

25

Savvy Senior

Do I Have to File Taxes?

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, What are the IRS income-tax filing requirements for seniors this year?

I didn’t file a tax return last year because my 2018 income was below the filing requirements, but I got a parttime job late last year in 2019, so I’m wondering if I need to file this year.

– Semi-Retired Dear Semi, Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year depends not only on how much you earned last year (in 2019), but also the source of that income, as well as your age and your filing status.

Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax-filing requirement thresholds. For most people, this is pretty straightforward.

If your 2019 gross income — which includes all taxable income, not counting your Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately — was below the threshold for your filing status and age, you may not have to file. But if it’s over, you will.

• Single: $12,200 ($13,850 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2020) • Married filing jointly: $24,400 ($25,700 if you or your spouse is 65 or older or $27,000 if you’re both over 65) • Married filing separately: $12,200 at any age • Head of household: $18,350 ($20,000 if age 65 or older) • Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child: $24,400 ($25,700 if age 65 or older) To get a detailed breakdown on federal filing requirements, along with information on taxable and nontaxable income, call the IRS at (800) 829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy of the Tax Guide for Seniors (publication 554) or see www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p554.pdf.

Check Here Too There are, however, some other financial situations that can require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirements.

For example, if you earned more than $400 from self-employment in

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2019, owe any special taxes like an alternative minimum tax, or get premium tax credits because you, your spouse, or a dependent is enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace (Obamacare) plan, you’ll need to file.

You’ll also need to file if you’re receiving Social Security benefits and one-half of your benefits plus your other gross income and any taxexempt interest exceeds $25,000 or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly.

To figure all this out, the IRS offers an interactive tax-assistant tool on their website that asks a series of questions that will help you determine if you’re required to file or if you should file because you’re due a refund. It takes less than 15 minutes to complete.

You can access this tool at www.irs. gov/help/ita — click on “Do I Need to File a Tax Return?”

Or, you can get assistance over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at (800) 829-1040. You can also get face-to-face help at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. See www.irs.gov/localcontacts or call (800) 829-1040 to locate a center near you.

Check Your State Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, don’t assume that you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. The rules for your state might be very different.

Check with your state tax agency before concluding that you’re entirely in the clear. For links to state tax agencies, see www.taxadmin.org/state-taxagencies.

Tax Preparation Help If you find that you do need to file a tax return this year, you can get help through the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program.

Sponsored by the IRS, TCE provides free tax preparation and counseling to middle and low-income taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call (800) 906-9887 or visit www.irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep to locate a service near you.

Also check with AARP, a participant in the TCE program that provides free tax preparation at more than 4,800 sites nationwide. To locate an AARP Tax-Aide site, call (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp. You don’t have to be an AARP member to use this service.

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

Now that’s Cold You’re shut in due to the snow and cold weather, and your cousin in northern Florida calls to complain about the chilly 50-degree temps and having to wear a sweater.

Not to make light of their discomfort, but you might suggest they invest in fleece pajamas; then share this list of some of the coldest cities in the U.S.: Place

Coldest average winter temperature (Fahrenheit)

Average number of days below freezing

Deadhorse, Alaska

-23.1

291.9

Crested Butte, Colorado

-7.6

265.7

Stanley, Idaho

-1.8

291.6

Allagash, Maine

-7.6

208.1

Embarrass, Minnesota

-6.2

227.2

Wisdom, Montana

1

277.2

Belcourt, North Dakota

-6.2

205.2

Coalville, Utah

4.7

258.4

Sutton, Vermont

-1

204.8

Bondurant, Wyoming

-3.1

264.9

! r a e r u o y s u d n e L

50plus LIFE and Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania have partnered to bring you weekly audio readings of 50plus LIFE’s editorial content!

Listen to the livestream Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at www.vrocp.org!

The program will repeat 3 times that day and Saturdays from 11-11:30 a.m.

This audio broadcast is one of the many ways Vision Resources facilitates independence, enriches quality of life, and empowers individuals in our community who are visually impaired.

And it’s one more way 50plus LIFE and On-Line Publishers are continuing 25 years of serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community.

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For more information, call Vision Resources at (717) 238-2531 and listen at visit www.vrocp.org. www.50plusLifePA.com

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March 2020

27

Workshop Planned for Public School Pre-Retirees Speakers will be available to provide current and useful information about retirement options, health insurance options, supplemental insurance, and Social Security benefits. There is no charge for attendance.

Preregistration is required. For questions and to preregister for Dauphin County schools, contact Donna Plummer at (717) 545-8833.

Please register by March 24 so that refreshments and materials can be prepared.

Puzzles shown on page 20

Puzzle Solutions

The Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) for Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Perry, and York County chapters will hold a free preretirement workshop 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 28, at Mechanicsburg Middle School.

The workshop, hosted by Cumberland County PASR, is for any public school employee considering retirement in one to four years.

It is open to teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses, maintenance, custodial, cafeteria, transportation, administration, paraprofessionals, and office staff in all seven counties.

The help caregivers need to care for themselves and others!

Features • Directory of Providers • Books and Resources • Support Organizations • Articles

Also online at www.BusinessWomanPA.com

25

th

Call for your free copy today!

(717) 285-1350 28

March 2020

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Temperatures are Falling — in Your Body

• D octors of Audiology With Over 40 Years of Combined Experience • F ull Line of Digital Hearing Aids Including Open Fit • P articipates With Most Insurances • F inancing Available For Qualified Applicants Improve Your Hearing, Improve Your Life

Dr. Danette Nulph, Au.D. Dr. Kristen A. Duncan, Au.D. Dr. Michelle Tewell, Au.D.

5020 Ritter Road, Suite 106 Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (Off Rt. 15 Rossmoyne Business Park)

717-766-1500

www.dnhearing.com

KEILMORE ye Associates Medical • Diagnostic testing • Disease evaluation • Routine eye care • Emergency care and treatment

Surgical

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

Optical

Name_ _______________________________________________________

• Complete optical department • Contact lens dispensing and instructions • Authorized Sports Eye Injury Prevention Center

Address_ ______________________________________________________

V. Eugene Kilmore, Jr., M.D. • John W. Pratt, M.D. • Michael L. Szmodis, M.D. Ryan J. Hershberger, O.D. • Foster E. Kreiser, O.D.

890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (717) 697-1414 • www.kilmoreeye.com

March 2020

than in men born in the early 19th century.

Similarly, body temperatures for women born in the 2000s were, on average, about 0.6 degrees below that of women born in the 1890s. That adds up to a decrease of 0.05 degrees every decade since the 1800s.

Scientists speculate that improved healthcare and hygiene over time may have produced a reduction in the average metabolic rate, leading to an overall decline in inflammation, which tends to increase one’s body temperature.

• Cataract removal and intraocular lens implants • Retinal injections (macular degeneration) • Glaucoma surgery

Eye Care for Life!

30

Most people think the average body temperature for humans is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, as the HealthDay website points out, that’s not quite the case. In fact, it seems to be going down.

The 98.6 degrees standard was established in 1851. A recent study of 25,000 British citizens, though, marked the average as 97.9.

Another study of more than 677,000 temperature measurements recorded in the United States between 1862 and 2017 found that the average body temperature of men born since 2000 is 1.1 degree lower

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

There’s no bu$ine$$ ... like your bu$ine$$!

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Your Choice. Our Privilege.

We believe the care people receive makes a difference in their lives. It is our privilege to care for you and your loved ones.

April 4, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Hershey Lodge

325 University Drive, Hershey

A CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

1901 N 5th St., Harrisburg

2300 Vartan Way, Harrisburg

717-221-7900

717-857-7400

HomelandCenter.org

HomelandatHome.org

Homeland Hospice … A Toast to the 10th … An Encore for More!

Join us on NOV. 10th | HomelandHospice.org/10years

Please join us this spring as a sponsor or exhibitor for the seventh annual Dauphin County Women’s Expo.

Women of all ages have enjoyed these community events, finding helpful information for all the hats they wear in their everyday lives, including:

Health & Wellness • Finance • Home Technology • Beauty • Nutrition Spa Treatments

and more!

Face-to-face in a comfortable environment.

Sponsor an Exhibito d Reserva r tio Now Bei ns ng Accepte d

FREE advance guest registration online. ($5 at the door.)

Brought to you by:

Principal Sponsors:

Supporting Sponsor:

Media Sponsors:

Visitor Bag Sponsor:

(717) 770-0140 Seminar Sponsors: BeBalanced Thrivent Financial

UPMC Pinnacle

aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com www.50plusLifePA.com

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This is how we restore hope.

Developing new technologies to give premature babies the support they need to survive, and thrive. This is why we’re always researching, learning and innovating: to find solutions that help the people of our community and beyond.

Because this is the health we need to live the way we want.

This is Penn State Health. thisispennstatehealth.org/research

HEA-15124-20-130786-0120