Cumberland County Edition
June 2014
Vol. 15 No. 6
In It for the Long, Long Run Athlete, Cancer Survivor Ran First Marathon at 51 By Chelsea Peifer Some people spend months or even years training to run a marathon. After all, the 26.2 grueling miles require the human body to be in topnotch condition. But after beating cancer in her late 30s—and with a long-running commitment to exercise driving her—Karen Charlesworth decided to go for it, running her first marathon at age 51. While the now 59-year-old said that she was “definitely sore the next day,” Charlesworth strives to always try something new, and the marathon was just one of many adventures she seeks out each passing year. “I love running with others and getting them to the finish line, especially newbies,” she said. “I will run at their pace, regardless, and talk with them to divert their uncomfortable feelings with the first run they have done.” Since surviving colon cancer at age 37, Charlesworth is incredibly grateful for her life, and she hopes to make every year special. Initially, Charlesworth’s doctor misdiagnosed her as having depression, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Always energetic and in tune with her body, Charlesworth could tell that something was amiss because she no longer had her normal energy level. She was becoming out of breath just walking from parking lots and into buildings, in spite of her attempts to build up her stamina. please see RUN page 13 Athlete and cancer survivor Karen Charlesworth ran her first marathon at age 51 and hopes to inspire others to take control of their own health.
Inside:
A Salute to Our Veterans of D-Day page 4
Men’s Health Resources page 14
Such is Life
H
Veterans’ expo and Job Fair H
Bob’s Balancing is No Act Saralee Perel
November 14, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster
They served us — now let us serve them! Reserve your space today! $100 off thru 6/30/14! 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 to aid their organizations.
2 events — 1 location At the Expo Veterans Benefits & Services Community Services Thank-a-Vet Participants Medical/Nonmedical Resources Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs
At the Job Fair Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Education/Training Services
Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available To become a sponsor or exhibitor, please contact your account representative, call (717) 285-1350, or email info@onlinepub.com
www.veteransexpo.com 2
June 2014
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W
hen my crypt-like dungeon. Walls husband, were flanked by spider Bob, is webs hanging like thick, unhappy, it breaks my wet ropes. Tall, black heart. candles oozed hot, bloodSo I did what most red liquid. There was the conventional, predictable smell of century-old people do. I took him to monk robes and centurya Quantum Field Healing old monks. séance—oops, I mean Bob woke me. He session—to have his doesn’t sleep well when I energy fields balanced. scream. Doesn’t everybody do “Cancel it, Bob. Marcia and Bob that? Marcia will levitate you I called my friend, and make you speak in nationally noted healer Marcia Sloane tongues—in Yiddish!” Heusted. She knew I was clueless about “Saralee, I’m not canceling.” cockamamie—I mean alternative— “You’ll be channeling a Jewish therapies. Dorothy. You’ll chant, ‘Latkes and The night before the appointment, I blintzes and borscht. Oy vey!’” dreamed we crept into Marcia’s dark, please see BALANCING page 15
Farmers Market Vouchers Now Available Farmers market nutrition vouchers will be distributed to eligible seniors 60 years of age and older at the following locations starting June 1. The nutrition vouchers, with a $20 total value, can be exchanged for Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables from June 1 through Nov. 30 at participating farmers markets and roadside stands. To be eligible, county residents age 60 and older must have an annual income less than $21,590 for one person, $29,101 for two people, and $36,612 for three people. Proxy forms are available at each site and must be completed and returned with signatures and a photo ID of the eligible senior at the time of distribution. Please keep in mind these vouchers are available on a first-come, first-served basis, as funding is limited. Vouchers may only be obtained once per year. For eligible income guidelines or more information, contact Cumberland County Aging and Community Services at (717) 240-6110. Distribution sites are as follows:
Big Spring Senior Center, 91 Doubling Gap Road, Newville, (717) 776-4478 – Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m. Cumberland County Aging & Community Services, 1100 Claremont Road, Carlisle, (717) 240-6110 – Tuesdays, 2:30 to 4 p.m. Mechanicsburg Place, 97 W. Portland St., Mechanicsburg, (717) 697-5947 – Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon Salvation Army Senior Action Center, 20 E. Pomfret St., Carlisle, (717) 2495007 – Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m. Schaner Senior Center, 98 S. Enola Drive, Enola, (717) 732-3915 – Fridays, 8:30 to 11 a.m. Shippensburg Senior Center, 47 E. King St., Shippensburg (inside Christ United Methodist Church), (717) 3003563 – Fridays, 9 to 11 a.m. West Shore Senior Center, 122 Geary Ave., New Cumberland, (717) 774-0409 – Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
CCRC Church of God Home 801 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 866-3204
Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G, Mechanicsburg (717) 766-1500
Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751
Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Home Care Services Home Care Assistance Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties (717) 540-4663
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 Funeral Directors Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc. 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg (717) 432-5312 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 Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274 Healthcare Information Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing Assistance Cumberland County Housing Authority 114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 249-1315
Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
Toll-Free Numbers Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555
Smoking Information (800) 232-1331
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110
Travel Wheelchair Getaways Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey (717) 921-2000 Veterans Services American Legion (717) 730-9100
Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019 Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040 Liberty Program (866) 542-3788
Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228
Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Passport Information (888) 362-8668
Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228
Salvation Army (717) 249-1411
Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Organ Donor Hotline (800) 243-6667
Consumer Information (888) 878-3256
Drug Information (800) 729-6686
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707 Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011 Newville (717) 776-5251 Shippensburg (717) 532-4904
Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681 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
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A Salute to Our Veterans of D-Day Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL VICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sherry Bolinger Angie McComsey Jacoby Amy Kieffer Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh Barry Surran ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Christina Cardamone Anne Hill SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp EVENTS MANAGER Kimberly Shaffer
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall Member of
Member of
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50plus Senior News 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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June 2014
In World He says, “Actually, I felt no fear War II, 70 until the bullets began to tear years ago this through the fuselage of the C-47. month, on Then, with exploding ack-ack and June 6, 1944, burning planes, it was like the most some 156,000 awesome fireworks display you ever American, saw.” By Colonel British, and Robert Wilcox Canadian soldiers landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified cost of France. It was called D-Day, and the gigantic assault was the first step in the liberation of Europe from the hands of German troops. The world had never seen such a massive amphibious assault. And many military men from Central Pennsylvania were part of the American soldiers, hardened and ready, force that made it happen. This is lounge under full fighting equipment on how a few remember it: the deck of a Coast Guard assault. Eston White says he will never forget how bad the weather was. When you went over the side of the mother transport, the swells were so high that you could easily find yourself falling 4 feet as you let go of the cargo net to enter the landing craft that had been ready to step into a moment before. He says, “I was one of 30 men aboard the Higgins boat that took us the 12,000 yards to the beach, and I was the only one who didn’t get violently sick aboard the pitching boat. Men were so sick they were heaving everywhere, and they were glad to see land even though they were being machine-gunned.” Dick Winters was a paratrooper who was dropped at 1:15 a.m. on D-Day, 8 miles from the intended drop zone. The C-47 plane carrying him, dodging heavy flak, dove so fast that, when he exited the plane, the wind tore away his jump pack with his rifle, grenades— everything but the trench knife The beachhead is secure, but the price was secured in his boot. high. A Coast Guard combat photographer Yet he and seven other men came upon this monument to a dead who joined him found their way American soldier somewhere on the shellto the causeway that our GIs blasted shore of Normandy. would use to get off Utah Beach. Facing 55 Germans who manned four 105s lobbing shells at our The plan was to bail out at 800 troops, they were able to destroy all feet, but because of the evasion four guns and free our tanks to tactics of the plane, it was more like rumble from the beach. 300 feet. Paul Miller was a paratrooper “You jumped, the parachute medic who headed for France in the deployed, and you were on the middle of the night. ground,” Miller says.
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Paul Winters was in the first wave to hit Omaha Beach. He says, “It was chaos. Very few of us were dropped off where we were supposed to be. We had to advance over open beach to a far sea wall that would give us some cover from the machine-gun fire and mortar and artillery shells being thrown at us. Everyone was just trying to stay alive. “We were off the beach in five hours, but I didn’t realize how bad it really was until I went back the next day for medical supplies and saw all the bodies bobbing in the water and corpses everywhere on the beach, many of them stacked like cordwood.” Richard Meck made the landing on Omaha Beach. He says, “It was terrifying. We were being hit with shells and machine-gun fire constantly. Men were being killed all around me. Our orders were not to stop for anybody, just wade as fast as we could and get out of the water, cross the beach, and get to the sea wall, where the German guns couldn’t swivel down to kill you. Bodies were littering the beach and bobbing in the surf. It was a sight I’ve never been able to forget.” Otis Harrison says, “The number of ships was simply unbelievable. It seemed like you could just walk from ship to ship, there were so many of them. LSTs loaded with troops were being blown up all around us. “The Germans had placed ‘hedgehogs’ all along the approach to the beach. They were steel rails that would snare LSTs as the tide receded and leave them sitting ducks. Many men tried to jump off and wade in, only to be weighed down by all their gear and sink to their deaths. It was hell on earth.” There are few such vets alive today, and every day there are fewer. We have only the memory of most of them. But what memories they are, and we can best honor them by never forgetting the sacrifices they made for our country, which they served so willingly and so well. Photos courtesy of U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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My 22 Cents’ Worth
Good Looks and Looking Good Walt Sonneville n one corner is the undefeated reigning champion, Father Time. In the other corner is the challenger, Our Good Looks. You know how this fight will end. The question is: How many rounds will it last, and which will be the decisive round? Good looks have advantages in the first two trimesters of an aged life. When we enter our senior years, looks that may arouse interests from the opposite sex typically have almost entirely vanished. Who cares? By that time, our primary objectives are to feel good and look good, forsaking any hope of good looks. Eleanor Roosevelt was no eyecatching beauty. She recognized the value of our overall appearance this way: “Beautiful young people,” she said, “are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” Maybe we aren’t “works of art” in the classic sense. But if we have a twinkle in our eyes and a smile on our face, we can look good without being good looking. Once our good looks begin to vanish, we have other resources to display: charm, kindness, knowledge, integrity, humor, and, as Eleanor Roosevelt has shown, a measure of wisdom. They are all part of looking good. There were times Abraham Lincoln depended on self-deprecating humor when campaigning for election. Henry Villard, a journalist who covered the Lincoln-Douglas debates, wrote Lincoln had a “gawky figure, an odd-featured, wrinkled, inexpressive, and altogether uncomely face.” When Stephan A. Douglas called Lincoln “two-faced,” Lincoln replied: “I leave it to the audience. If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?” This retort scored “Father Abraham,” as he was called by those who saw in him a biblical image, election points that otherwise may have been denied him because of his lack of good looks. Comic Jimmy Durante and physicist Albert Einstein were not handsome. Yet people found them appealing because their appearance matched the public’s image—expectations for the roles each prominently held in life. Their looks were as if each was an actor supplied by a Hollywood studio’s department of
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with a muscle-bound torso once he central casting. Stanwyck, and Greer Einstein, despite his reaches the fifth decade of life and Garson are among them. brilliance, could not beyond? Based on photos of Arnold They were graced with grasp his public Schwarzenegger in swimming trunks, his the beauty of dignity, popularity. He wondered Mr. Universe physique has badly experience, and why “no one understands deteriorated. It takes most bodybuilders credibility despite their me but they like me two hours a day, six days a week, of advancing years. anyway. I don’t Seniors are past the age weightlifting to look like a modern understand it.” Goliath. when they indulge their Our faces have to be After the age of 50 we lose about 3 vanities in cosmetic compatible with the makeovers, such as Botox percent of our lean body mass per stereotypical image the decade, most of which is muscle. It takes injections, breast public has of certain more time and energy than most of us implants, liposuction, professions. Would are able to dedicate to overcome that and other beautification Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart, Jimmy Durante look loss. It is a vainglorious mission. procedures. These USAF Reserve, circa 1968 credible as a worldtemporary, time-reversing renowned scientist and would Albert treatments typically are for those entering Walt Sonneville, a retired market-research analyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth: Einstein find popular support as a their 40s. Undergoing medical The Higher-Valued Opinion of a Senior comedian? cosmetology is not aging gracefully; it is Citizen and A Musing Moment: Meditative Would a movie entitled Strange Love grasping to retain vanishing good looks Essays on Life and Learning, books of Affair have a chance as a box-office rather than refining the emerging persona personal-opinion essays, free of partisan and success if it starred “Groucho” Marx and whose focus should be on looking good. sectarian viewpoints. Contact him at What happens to the body of a man Elizabeth Taylor? Our looks, good or not, waltsonneville@earthlink.net. support or limit us in our destined roles in life. Richard Nixon is said to have lost voter appeal in his 1960 televised debate 12th Annual with presidential candidate Jack Kennedy. It was not due to Nixon’s discussion of the issues, which he handled quite well. • Exhibitors • He lost appeal because of his whisker YORK COUNTY • Health Screenings • stubble, commonly called a “five o’clock • Seminars • shadow” in the jargon of the 1960s. To some, the stubble made him look un• Entertainment • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. presidential, somewhat malevolent. • Door Prizes • York Expo Center Roles in life are determined largely by Memorial Hall East more than just our bodies. It is our image Limited Sponsorship 334 Carlisle Avenue in its entirety, including our clothing Opportunities Available York style down to the type of eyeglasses we wear. Doesn’t a Franciscan monk receive 18th Annual 15th Annual more public reverence when garbed in a brown robe, or isn’t a doctor given more credibility when wearing a white medical jacket? Imagine them both in t-shirts and LANCASTER COUNTY CUMBERLAND COUNTY jeans. As we enter our senior years, we should give more attention to an 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. appropriate dress style. It makes us feel Spooky Nook Sports Carlisle Expo Center better and raises the favorability quotient 2913 Spooky Nook Road 100 K Street for how we are perceived by others. Manheim Carlisle Physical attractiveness need not be (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit) limited entirely to the young. Several famed movie stars retained a visage (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 appeal—if not their sex appeal—as they (610) 675-6240 turned elderly. Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Mary Martin, Myrna Loy, Barbara
Please join us for these free events!
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June 2014
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Bethany Village — MapleWood
Homewood at Plum Creek
325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.BethanyVillage.org
425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: Yes Private: 100 Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 98 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: 1-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Excellent care in a lovely environment. Call to schedule a visit.
Brandywine Senior Living at Longwood
Lakeview at Tel Hai Retirement Community
301 Victoria Gardens Drive • Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-734-6200 • www.brandycare.com
1200 Tel Hai Circle • Honey Brook, PA 19344 610-273-4602 • www.telhai.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
On-call Medical Service: No Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: At Brandywine Senior Living – life is beautiful!
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Come discover a wonderful, faith-based community that has been voted No. 1 retirement community by readers of the Daily Local newspaper!
Colonial Lodge Community
Longwood Manor Personal Care & Memory Care
2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519 717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com
2760 Maytown Road • Maytown, PA 17550 717-426-0033 • www.longwoodassisted.com
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes* Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 144 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: No Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: No
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: *SSI depends on availability. A veteran-approved “home for heroes” facility, all in a beautiful, rural setting.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Beautiful, homelike environment nestled in the heartland of Lancaster County. Specializing in memory support.
Homeland Center
Mennonite Home Communities
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org
1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 50 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 150 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Exemplary care in a caring, beautiful environment has been provided for more than 140 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Supportive, encouraging environment. Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
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June 2014
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community
St. Anne’s Retirement Community
1700 Normandie Drive • York, PA 17408 717-764-6262 • www.normandieridge.org
3952 Columbia Avenue West Hempfield Township, PA 17512 717-285-6112 • www.stannesrc.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 55 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Private or shared living in spacious rooms with private baths. Friendly staff assist where needed to help maintain your independence.
Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes* Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Minimal Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes* Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Pending Approval Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: *SSI after three- to five-year private-pay spend-down. Skilled Alzheimer’s care coming soon.
Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community
VibraLife
625 Robert Fulton Highway • Quarryville, PA 17566 717-786-7321• 888-786-7331 • www.quarryville.com
707 Shepherdstown Road • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-591-2100 • www.vibralife.net
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 45 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 46 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Quarryville assists in maintaining independence and preserving dignity in a safe and secure environment.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Gorgeous new construction. Short-term rehabilitation center and personal care apartments including secured memory care.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Social Security News
Faster Benefit Decisions for Veterans By John Johnston his month I’d like to share some news about Social Security disability benefits for veterans with disabilities: a new expedited disability process. We believe it is important to recognize those who currently serve in the military as well as those injured in the line of duty and consider it an honor and a duty to serve them. Whether the injury is physical or mental, getting a decision about Social Security disability benefits from your government shouldn’t add to the problems faced by the injured. Carolyn W. Colvin, acting commissioner of Social Security, recently
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unveiled a new initiative to expedite disability applications from veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total (P&T). Under the new process, Social Security will treat these veterans’ applications as
high priority and issue expedited decisions, similar to the way we currently handle disability claims from wounded warriors. “Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country and it is only right that we ensure they have timely access to the disability
benefits they may be eligible for and deserve,” said Colvin. Learn more about the new expedited process for veterans at www.socialsecurity. gov/pressoffice/pr/2014/expedited-dibprocess2-pr.html. Read about this new service at www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/disabilitypt.htm. Also, you’ll want to visit our Wounded Warriors page at www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors. There you’ll find informative webinars, a Disability Planner, an overview of our disability programs and the convenient online disability application. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
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June 2014
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Simple Steps Can Lower Cataract Risk It may be surprising to learn that by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision, and most are related to aging. The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the lightsensitive tissue at the back of the eye. There are several steps you can take to lower your risk for cataract.
Eye exams can help detect cataracts and other age-related eye problems at their earliest stages. In addition to cataract, your eye-care professional can check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision disorders. For many eye diseases, early treatment may save your sight.
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Get Regular Eye Exams Be sure to have regular comprehensive eye exams. If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive, dilated eye exam at least once a year.
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Take Care of Other Health Problems Follow your treatment plan if you have diabetes or other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cataracts. Maintain a Healthy Weight If your current weight is a healthy one, work to maintain it by exercising most days of the week. If you’re overweight or obese, work to lose weight slowly by reducing your calorie intake and increasing the amount of exercise you get each day. Choose a Healthy Diet Choose a healthy diet that includes
plenty of fruits and vegetables. Adding a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet ensures that you’re getting a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, which in theory could prevent damage to your eye’s lens. Studies haven’t proven that antioxidants in pill form can prevent cataracts. But fruits and vegetables have many proven health benefits and are a safe way to increase the amount of vitamins in your diet. Source: NIH Senior Health
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A Birthday in June Diversity pops up as June bursts out all over. Beginning with the Gemini twins and some clover. Lovely spring wanes as children frolic and play Summer is born with promise of many a hot, humid day. A child of June I just happen to be. Which really suits me fine as you will see. For near the end of springtime on the tenth as the sun was setting I arrived. The world had no idea just what it was getting. The month assigned to my birth was a perfect selection. As nature abounds in her renewed glory in every direction. The next generations of species great and small are revealing, Feathered, winged, furry young—each one most appealing. Roses, the flower of June, begin their blooming and unfold with much glory Pink for romance’s first blush, red for deep love, yellow is friendship’s story. Tea roses grow in ordered fashion in gardens tended with great care. Floribunda and climbing ones may show their random beauty anywhere. A pearl, June’s birthstone, made and finished with silky shine by oysters deep in the sea. Not precious as diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, you scoff. Just perfect for me! Of all of nature, forests, meadows, hills, sky—my love is a place by the shore. June: spring, summer, a rose, and a pearl—who could possibly ask for more? Written and submitted by Cynthia M. Morrow
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Prosperous Gaffes do Happen Dear Mark: I enjoy your column very much, mostly because you spent a lot of time on the inside. Here is my question. I was wondering if you have ever given away money to a player that did not deserve it. A dealer on a blackjack game once claimed it never happens, and yet, he overpaid me twice in two hours. I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on this. – Ralph I. Have I, Ralph, ever given away money to a player who didn’t deserve it? Oh, gosh yes! I have made my fair share of blunders, once involving a $7,000 overpayment. Aided by the eye-in-thesky, the casino caught it and recouped their seven grand. Still, I received a nonpaid week on the streets. A few more bloopers to come below. First off, dealers can and do make mistakes. Whoever told you otherwise is
full of it. True, most dealers get quite skillful at reading the patterns on the cards with proficiency. So counting errors, with experience, become rare. But these guys and gals deal more than a half million hands a year, so they will make unpremeditated errors over the course of that time, both on the players’ credit and debit sides of the ledger. Casino management is supposed to be on the lookout for dealers making paying errors, and it is their responsibility to correct these transgressions. It is “their” job to monitor “their” pit and make sure that “their” dealers are following the right
dealing protocols and paying off bets correctly, not yours. So, Ralph, you got away with a couple freebies. That’s fine. From a retired blackjack dealer’s perspective, I was always appreciative of the player who corrected my pay mistakes and handed back the money. I still play by those principled rules to this day. Now, those two dillies I promised. I taught myself blackjack by pitching cards into a hat, and practiced shuffling, dealing, and the pay and take on an ironing board. On my first shift, I made the dimwitted decision that if you split aces and got two face cards, you just got yourself two blackjacks, so I paid
accordingly. I was actually paying this unmerited royalty on split aces for most of my first shift until an old-time pit boss noticed my generosity and corrected me at the break. Some joints might have sent me packing, but perchance he thought that I had the potential to do the job a chimp could do. The other error was where I wittingly over or underpaid a player. Dealing 10-cent roulette in downtown Reno, we would get a lot of Chinese players via a charter bus service out of San Francisco who would jam up a game with chips as nothing you could ever imagine. As eight is the most prosperous of numbers in Chinese culture, it is considered a highly lucky number and is worked into daily life as much as possible. The roulette table was one such place, times 10. It was always mathematically
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interesting when a kazillion chips would appear on the eight from all the corners, split possibilities, and straight-up bets towering what seemed like a foot high. This required drastic measures to avoid a possible mathematical misadventure, or my job, so I once called over a pit boss — actually it was a shift manager passing through the pit — and
in order to not look too much like a sap, I asked what he thought a particular payoff was. Pretending to know the correct payoff, he said, “Send out a dozen stacks, plus put a $5 chip and a 50-cent piece on the top.” I paid the bet as instructed. Although a patented move by another, it’s not a
bad “go-to” action when this frazzled dealer of 10 minds couldn’t figure out a ginormous payout. No harm, no foul, is what he figured; plus, we always seemed to get back all the chips in the end anyway. Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “I cheat my boys every chance I get. I want
to make ’em sharp.” — William Avery Rockefeller (c. 1850), John D.’s father Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
Calendar of Events
Cumberland County
Support Groups
June 3, 7 p.m. CanSurmount Cancer Support Group HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786 June 5, 6:30 p.m. Too Sweet: Diabetes Support Group Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road Camp Hill (717) 557-9041
Free and open to the public. June 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer Support Group The Live Well Center 3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle (717) 877-7561 sirbrady12@gmail.com
June 17, 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880
June 11, 1 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group HealthSouth Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd. Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Community Programs Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 12:45 p.m. Silver Sneakers Class: Muscular Strength and Range of Movement Living Well Fitness Center 207 House Ave., Suite 107 Camp Hill (717) 439-4070
Free and open to the public. June 11, 11:30 a.m. NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465 VFW Post 6704 4907 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg (717) 737-1486 www.narfe1465.org Visitors welcome; meeting is free but fee for food.
June 15, 6 p.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance New Cumberland Borough Park www.nctownband.org June 29, 7 p.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance Adams-Ricci Park East Penn Township www.nctownband.org
AARP Driver Safety Programs For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. June 18 and 19, 1 to 4:30 p.m. – Seniors for Safe Driving Program, Faulkner Cadillac, 6643 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, (800) 559-4880, www.seniorsforsafedriving.com
PA State Parks in Cumberland County June 1, 1 to 2:30 p.m. – Sandcastle Building Competition, Colonel Denning State Park June 7, 9 a.m. to noon – Volunteer Workday, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center June 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m. – Golden Trails Hike: More Talk, Less Walk
What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Cumberland County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Senior Center Activities
Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville June 9, 1 to 4 p.m. – Carolyn Hocker’s Watercolor Class’s Art Show June 20, 4 p.m. to June 21, 3 p.m. – Newville’s Fountain Festival Wednesdays, June 25 through Aug. 27, 9 a.m. – Yoga Summer Session Shippensburg Area Senior Center – (717) 300-3563 Christ United Methodist Church, 47 E. King St., Shippensburg Mondays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – “Chat It Up” Group Forum Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – Tai Chi Form Thursdays, 12:30 p.m. – Quilting Club Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Cumberland County Library Programs Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 June 2, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Monday Bosler Book Discussion Group June 11, 1 to 2 p.m. – Wicked Wednesday Book Discussion Group June 27, 1 to 2 p.m. – Just Mysteries! Book Club Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 Thursdays, 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Free Blood Pressure Screenings June 9 through Aug. 31 – Eureka! Fredricksen Adult Summer Reading Program June 23, 7 p.m. – Summer Concert Series: West Shore Symphony Orchestra New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 June 5, 10:30 a.m. – Ruth’s Mystery Group: An Author Whose First Name is Initials June 11, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Great Books Discussion Group: Stavrogin’s Confession by Fyodor Dostoevsky June 16, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Senior GEMS Alzheimer’s/Dementia Program
50plus SeniorNews ›
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Salute to a Veteran
He Spent 2 Years in ‘the Most Detached Duty Station on the Face of the Earth’ Robert D. Wilcox hen Jack Shearer enlisted in the Navy in 1942, he had no idea his service would not be on the water at all, but on land … and in a land unlike any he had ever heard of before. He got there despite something veterans commonly understood: Never volunteer for anything. He was at Norfolk, Va., training for amphibious landings, when he saw a poster asking for volunteers for “prolonged and hazardous assignments” where the destination was unknown. That sounded like a challenge he’d like. So he volunteered. He soon learned that the duty for which he had volunteered would take him to China, under conditions he couldn’t even imagine. He had trained six months at the Radio School in Bedford Springs, Pa. So, apparently, his
W
Jack Shearer on the horse issued to him at his remote base in primitive China. Radioman First Class John R. “Jack” Shearer, home from China in 1946.
new assignment would have something to do with radio. He’d have to wait to
Have you photographed a smile that just begs to be shared? Send us your favorite smile—your children, grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling” pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next Smile of the Month! You can submit your photos (with captions) either digitally to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or by mail to:
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find out. First, he was sent to San Pedro, Calif. There he boarded a Liberty ship for a 10-week trip across the Pacific, with stops in Tasmania and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) before arriving at Calcutta, India, on New Year’s Eve. There he boarded a C-47 for a hazardous flight over “The Hump,” the plane climbing to 17,000 feet to clear the mountains. What was that like? “Well,” he says, “it was plenty bumpy, and we had people using their ‘barf ’ bags left and right. I didn’t have one, and I came awfully close to needing it, but somehow I managed to get through it.” When the plane landed in Chongqing, China, Shearer and 12 other men were assigned to an outpost camp bordering the Gobi Desert on one side and Inner Mongolia on the other, beyond the Great Wall of China and about 40 miles west of the Japanese force’s westernmost outpost. Called Camp 4, it was one of a dozen camps in China that were among the best-kept secrets of the war. They were primarily weather stations created through a pact with China called SACO (Sino-American Cooperative Organization). Camp 4 occupied a large, walled Catholic mission just outside the town of Shenpa (now Xamba) that was 800 miles north of Chongqing. The three residents of the mission, a priest and two nuns, had been moved to smaller quarters for the duration. The camp was the northernmost of the SACO camps. Importantly, it was
400 miles north of Tokyo’s latitude and was an excellent site for gathering radio intelligence and monitoring the weather upwind from Japan and the Philippines. Getting to the camp, however, would prove to be an experience. It took the men five entire months of travel by ancient Chinese trucks from headquarters in Chongqing, 1,500 miles to the south. The rickety Chinese trucks were constantly breaking down. “And,” Shearer says, “I often wondered if we would ever make it to our camp.” How did everything work out, once you were there? “It really didn’t,” Shearer laughs. “The temperature went from more than 100 F in the summer to minus 30 F in the winter. Sandstorms were common, and there was no running water. We got our water from a well and had to boil it to make it potable. “Our generators soon were beyond repair, and all of us took turns cranking the small hand generator to send our seven daily radio contacts with radio Chongqing and one with Peking (now Beijing). We provided weather information that was relayed to U.S. ships in the Pacific. That information was important to their planning assaults on Japan and the parts of China occupied by the Japanese.” How was the food? “We lived off the land,” he says. “We could buy chicken, eggs, and ‘yellow rice’ locally. But you ate the vegetables at your own peril. The locals fertilized with human waste, and eating the vegetables they grew produced lots of diarrhea. “The worst problem, though, was the bugs. They were everywhere. There were cockroaches in our hair, lice in our clothes, and bedbugs in our bedding. There was no way to get rid of them … they were always with us. That was true for the whole two years I was there.” Was there anything to see? “Nope … nothing. There were some small villages, and we each had a horse. But, when you got there, it was just a scattering of huts with nothing to do or see. So there was really no point in going.” The two years in the camp seemed www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
like an eternity, but it finally passed. Shearer says one thing of interest about the grim two years was that suffering through it with him was a medical doctor named Henry Heimlich, who later won national acclaim for developing the Heimlich maneuver that saves people who are choking on food lodged in their windpipe.
RUN
Did the Chinese food help him develop the maneuver? “It might well have,” Shearer agrees, with a grin. When the war in the Pacific ended in August 1945, everybody but Shearer left. He stayed behind to finalize details with the local Chinese officials for deactivating the camp. He then traveled
to Shanghai to catch a ship to San Francisco, where he mustered out as a radioman first class after serving 42 months in the Navy. In 1994, the Republic of China, in Taiwan, gave him and his wife, June, an all-expense-paid, 10-day tour to Taiwan in recognition of his wartime service to China.
At age 92, he now lives in Central Pennsylvania. And he says he will never forget the endless days he spent deep in primitive China in the “Rice Paddy Navy.” Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
from page 1
When her physician was on vacation, she was able to see another doctor who reviewed her profile, discussed what was going on, and had blood work done before sending her straight to the hospital. The very next day, Charlesworth had an emergency colectomy surgery to remove a tumor for stage-three colon cancer. “I was actually glad,” said Charlesworth—not for the cancer diagnosis, but to know what the real issue was and that her instincts had been completely accurate. Plus, she was relieved that there was a legitimate reason she had been pushing herself at the gym without seeing any results. After surgery, Charlesworth went through weekly chemotherapy for a year. The treatments ravaged her immune system, leaving her sometimes couchbound and unable to move. As someone who thrives on liveliness and exercise, the days of inactivity were especially irritating. It was during this time that Charlesworth set a goal of running a marathon when she was recovered. For her 59th birthday, rappelling was the adventure of choice. Rappelling allows a person to make a controlled descent down a rope from a cliff—or, in Charlesworth’s case, the side of a building. The equipment used to
secure participants helps of the dreams I am to prevent them from going to accomplish descending too quickly this year,” she said. or losing control. Charlesworth’s other Nerves were not a goal for the near future factor because is to complete a Charlesworth knew that triathlon. Though she would be strapped in admittedly a mediocre and secure as she scaled swimmer, she said she her way down the Fulton will still “make it Bank Building in happen.” downtown Harrisburg. Charlesworth hopes Charlesworth, right, with a Gaudenzia, a friend at the 2012 Hershey Half to inspire others to give treatment center that Marathon. Learning this was her sports and regular offers drug and alcohol exercise a try. friend’s first half marathon, Charlesworth ran at her pace to treatment programs in “It’s all up to you,” help her get to the finish line. Charlesworth said. Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, sponsored “Think about it; are the rappelling event to raise money for you unkind to yourself when you go to a their organization. fitness center and think others are “I just wanted to accomplish the 18floor task,” she said. “I listened to the trainers, and the focus was just getting to the floor.” And Charlesworth is determined that others benefit from her experiences—not just battling colon cancer, but also enduring a yearlong misdiagnosis. A former business analyst, she organized a community health seminar th on managing your own health in Camp Hill in the early 1990s, which exceeded her expectations with a turnout that was standing-room only. “It was wonderful. I want to do more community health seminars; that is one
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critical of you? Think again. Are you critical of others? I am impressed with anyone who does what they want to feel better and look great. “You might be sore since your body hasn’t experienced exercise in a while,” she said. “Instead of complaining, laugh and smile about it. Know that you will get past the soreness and benefit from it.” Charlesworth has two daughters and five grandchildren. In fact, she completed a race with her grandson, exposing him to the camaraderie of running communities. “Be with others,” she said. “They will inspire a routine. There are running clubs who are pleased to have newbies on board. You don’t have to run at the pace they do; just be there.”
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Savvy Senior
Men’s Health Resources Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Any suggestions on how can I get my 55year-old husband to see a doctor? He’s got some personal health issues he needs to address, but he’s stubborn and embarrassed and keeps putting it off. – Nagging Nancy Dear Nancy, When it comes to their health, many men take the John Wayne approach. They tough it out! That’s one of the reasons men die more than five years younger than women. Here are some facts and resources that may help you motivate your husband. The Facts In every stage of life—from infancy to the teen years to middle age—men (on average) are 40 percent more likely to get sick and die than women. (Current life expectancy for a man in the U.S. is 75.6
versus 80.8 for a woman.) Why? The reasons are complex; however, most experts agree that biology, such as the different ways men and women react to stress, likely plays a role. And men, taught since boyhood to be stoic in the face of pain, often are their own worst enemy, avoiding doctors and engaging in
Men’s Health Week is June 9–15
risky health behaviors like excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy eating habits, reckless driving, and overexposure to sun, which all threaten health. Men’s health issues also get less public attention and funding at a time when women’s health concerns (like breast cancer) are in the national spotlight.
What to Do Doctors say that by paying attention to just a few key areas like blood pressure, cholesterol, waist size, and sexual function (which can be an early indicator of heart disease), men can make dramatic improvements for their overall health. If you’re having a difficult time getting your husband to see a doctor, try motivating him with relevant health information, including treatment options, along with the consequences of doing nothing. The Web is a good place to start, with a growing number of user-friendly resources dedicated to men’s health issues. Here are some good ones to check:
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and plastic surgery for men to sex and intimacy. It also provides information on diseases and conditions, an interactive symptom checker, discussion boards on exercise and fitness, and support groups on weight loss and prostate cancer. MedlinePlus (www.nlm.nih.gov/med lineplus/menshealth.html): This comprehensive health site links users to men’s health resources from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, and other government and health-related organizations. It provides easy-to-find information on hundreds of diseases and conditions, along with extensive information on medications and links to thousands of clinical trials. It also offers a senior-specific health site (nihseniorhealth.gov) that makes agerelated health information easy to get. Prostate Cancer Foundation (www.prostatecancerfoundation.org): Provides comprehensive information on risk factors, detection and screening, diagnosis and treatment, questions to ask the doctor, and guidelines on how to live with the disease. Men and Depression (www.menand depression.nimh.nih.gov): Part of the National Institute of Mental Health, this site offers personal stories from men suffering from depression as well as the signs and symptoms, treatment, and when and how to seek help.
Mayo Clinic: Provides a special men’s health section (www.mayoclinic.com/health/ mens-health/MY00394) that offers information on prostate health, sexual health, and diseases, including a multimedia section. Mayo experts offer up guidance on issues ranging from male depression to the dangers of belly fat, along with screenings and self-assessment quizzes.
FamilyDoctor.org (www.family doctor.org/men.xml): The American Academy of Family Physicians’ consumerfriendly site allows users to search by symptoms for possible diagnosis, suggestions for self-care, and when it might be necessary to see a doctor. It also offers help finding a family doctor by zip code, a body mass index calculator, and sections on subjects ranging from prostate health to athlete’s foot.
WebMD: At men.webmd.com, you find a wide variety of information and videos on issues ranging from hair loss
Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
BALANCING
from page 2
That next day, we met with Marcia. Her room was brilliantly lit with sunlight. She was radiant and welcoming, like my favorite counselor at summer camp. She offered us tea. “Don’t drink that potion, Bob,” I whispered. “You’ll die.” Having no knowledge of Bob, much less his depression of late, she asked him no questions. I don’t know why I shielded myself from faith. When Marcia spoke of trusting the universe, I remained distant. Bob stretched out on her table. In gentle flowing motions, she moved her hands above his body, stopping at times. I never asked what she was doing. I’ve known Marcia for 20 years. We trust each other unconditionally. At the end, Bob slowly sat up. He kept his eyes closed, feeling a new sensation of peace. He said to Marcia, “When you look at me, you see a different person than anyone else does. I feel more content than I have in years.” He cried when he said, “Something has changed.” I felt an astonishing realization: A far-
reaching healing had occurred. And so, Bob is no longer burdened with heavy sadness. Did the experience change him? Yes. How? I don’t know. Does that matter? I believe that Marcia is an intuitive, a word she says with shyness. She has a gift I do not understand. But I saw a change. No doubt about it. In that, I have complete faith. For months, Bob had stopped doing the things he enjoyed. He lost interest in gardening, cooking, and taking photos of our pets. Although he’s won 14 blue ribbons at the county fair, he stopped baking. But today the zinnias are displaying their colors. My email is full of new pictures of our dog and cats. And this morning I awoke to the heavenly aroma of homemade zucchini bread.
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Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. Her new book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. To find out more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email sperel@saraleeperel.com.
October 22, 2014 Messiah Residents, Preschoolers Get Dirty for Grower’s Day From left, preschooler Caleb LeValley; Ruth Paran, Messiah Village resident; and Jamie Moore, Cura Hospitality director of sourcing and sustainability.
Residents at Messiah Village, a Messiah Lifeways community, rolled up their sleeves and got down in the dirt during the community’s first Grower’s Day held on Wednesday, May 14. The planting party kicked off the growing season. Residents and children from U-GRO daycare and preschool center in Cumberland County planted the 12-foot by 26-foot “Fireside Grille Pizza Garden” with arugula, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, heirloom tomato plants, and a variety of herb seedlings donated by Spiral Path Farm from Loysville, Pa. Cura Hospitality Director of Sourcing and Sustainability Jamie Moore focused on the innovations of local farms and producers of food; ways we can increase awareness through green initiatives, growing our own, and knowing our source; and why people are turning to organic produce. All enjoyed pizza samplings, of course, prepared fresh by Messiah’s chefs, who are employed with Cura Hospitality, the community’s dining services provider. If you have local news you’d like considered for
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Under development since 2012 as part of PinnacleHealth’s Vision 2017 plan, West Shore Hospital opened its doors for the first time on May 19, 2014. Now residents of the West Shore will have access to the same quality, world-class care that people have come to expect from PinnacleHealth.
PinnacleHealth recently celebrated the opening of the West Shore Hospital with a ribbon cutting in Mechanicsburg.
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June 2014
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