Cumberland County Edition
December 2012
Vol. 13 No. 12
Memories in the Mail Local History Preserved in Vast Postcard Collection By Chelsea Shank Bob Sallade loves the thrill of the hunt. And as a deltiologist—that is, someone who collects postcards—he takes every opportunity that he can to hunt for postcards to add to his collection. Sallade, 63, has a collection of between 4,000 and 5,000 postcards. Collecting postcards is tied with coin collecting as the second most popular hobby, next to collecting stamps, said Sallade. He started his collection about six years ago. “I went to flea markets for other reasons and I picked up five old postcards … and that’s what started it,” Sallade said. As a native of Central Pennsylvania, he takes a personal interest in the history of the area and enjoys finding postcards featuring old buildings that are no longer around and others that are still standing. “My thrill is getting different scenes,” said Sallade. He has postcards of a former recreational facility called Playland, which had a roller skating rink and swimming pool where Sallade spent time as a teenager. There are others in his collection of an old judicial center, the Wrightsville Bridge, and hotels and motels that are no longer in operation. “That’s the interesting part—seeing what your town used to look like,” said Sallade. please see MEMORIES page 18 Postcard collector Bob Sallade preserves images of days gone by in dozens of binders stored at his home.
Inside:
Highlights from the 50plus EXPO page 9
Vaccination Options for Seniors page 22
Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Holiday Fruits in Home Décor Dr. Lori long with festive sights, a major part of the holidays is aromatic smells. From evergreens to the holiday meal, the holidays offer a feast for the eyes and for the nose. Some of the most popular scents derive from holiday decorations like fruit wreaths, citrus pomanders, and evergreen garlands. The models for these luscious holiday elements all have roots in art history.
A
Renaissance Wreaths The works of art by the Renaissance artisan and master Luca della Robbia served as the impetus for today’s version of the holiday fruit wreath. Aptly called the della Robbia wreath, fruit wreaths decorate homes and hearths all over the world. Della Robbia’s 15th-century architectural medallions were often highlighted with fruit wreaths and
A traditional della Robbia-style fruit wreath featuring symbolic holiday fruits.
Fruit wreath sculpture by Luca della Robbia, circa 15th century, from the collection of the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
decorative garlands of green and red apples, berries, pineapples, lemons, limes, and oranges. Based on these Renaissance
decorations, the della Robbia-style wreath was reintroduced during the late 1800s in a time period known as the
Photos courtesy of Staff of www.DrLoriV.com
Renaissance Revival. Traditionally, fruit wreaths were lovingly hung on the exterior doors of homes at holiday time. Fruit wreaths gave the winter greenery a bright, colorful contrast. Fruits often appear in the paintings, prints, architectural, and furniture designs of the 18th and 19th centuries based on Renaissance iconography. The type of fruit chosen for such living wreaths was symbolic. For instance, ornamental apples symbolized the family, and this fruit played a major role in holiday decorations. Apple ring wreaths were associated, at Christmastime, with the holy family and the nativity. Other related wreaths featured fruits such as lemons, pineapples, and oranges. Wreaths made of whole lemons symbolized friendship and were typically please see FRUITS page 7
$249
Thank You, Volunteers! On-Line Publishers, Inc. and 50plus Senior News would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all of the individual and senior group volunteers who donated their time and efforts at our 2012 50plus EXPOs. Because of your assistance, we were able to bring the contents and the mission of 50plus Senior News to life for the residents of Central Pennsylvania! With this coupon. Participating with most insurance companies. Not valid with other offers.Valid through 12/31/12.
2
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Cremation Auer Cremation Services of PA (800) 422-8200 Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751 Central PA 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 (717) 697-1414 Financial Michael Gallgher, DBA Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (717) 254-6433 Funeral Directors Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc. (717) 432-5312 Furniture
Health Network Labs (717) 243-2634
Pharmacies
The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223
Grocers Wegmans (717) 791-4500 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
Retirement Communities Chapel Pointe at Carlisle (717) 249-1363
Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274 Healthcare Information Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates (717) 766-1500
Home Care Services Safe Haven Quality Care 717-582-9977 Visiting Angels 717-241-5900 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice (717) 221-7890
Church of God Home (717) 249-5322
Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
Homeland Center (717) 221-7902
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110
Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
Newville (717) 776-5251
Veterans Services
Shippensburg (717) 532-4904
Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Consumer Information (888) 878-3256
Salvation Army (717) 249-1411
Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228
Orthotics & Prosthetics Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc (877) 848-2936
Passport Information (888) 362-8668
Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217
Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011
Cumberland County Housing Authority (717) 249-1315
Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Organ Donor Hotline (800) 243-6667
Smoking Information (800) 232-1331
Toll-Free Numbers
Insurance
Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040 Liberty Program (866) 542-3788
Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707
Gable Associates (717) 737-4800
Housing Assistance
Sofas Unlimited (717) 761-7632
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019
American Legion (717) 730-9100 Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681 Lebanon VA Medical Center (717) 228-6000 (800) 409-8771 Veterans Affairs (717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 Drug Information (800) 729-6686 Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
3
The Search for Our Ancestry Corporate Office:
‘Noble’ Ancestors
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 MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Karla Back Angie McComsey Jacoby Valerie Kissinger Ranee Shaub Miller Lynn Nelson Sue Rugh SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall
Member of
Member of
Winner
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.
4
December 2012
Angelo Coniglio Q: I have begun developing my family genealogy, and in going online, I found someone with a common ancestor. This researcher, who is evidently related to me, has an extensive family tree for that ancestor, going back to a king of Persia in 1300 AD. How do I know whether this is accurate, and if I am descended from that king? – O.K., Illinois A: I’m generally wary of such claims. It is true that if anyone traces his lineage back 20 generations or so, the odds of finding a “noble” ancestor increase. This is because of the huge number of ancestors any person has in his 20th generation back, and the fact that if we go that far back in time, the total number of people living was much smaller than today. 1300 AD could be 25 generations or more ago. You (and I, and everyone) had about 30 million ancestors who lived 25 generations back, or about 10 percent of the world’s population! There probably was a noble or two in that group of ancestors, but the problem is proving it. Such claims are further lessened by the fact that in most countries 800 years ago, detailed records simply didn’t exist, and in fact many of the countries (or political boundaries) that existed in 1300 are no longer here. “Nobles” did keep better track of lineage than common folk (or someone kept it for them), and well-documented and reliable family trees may exist for some noble families. But in this instance, as well as in more mundane cases where someone claims to know the names of, and pertinent information about, your great-greatgrandparents and their ancestry, the key question to ask is, “What are the researcher’s sources?” Before I went to the trouble of adding voluminous information to
50plus SeniorNews ›
my family tree from another tree, I would want to be sure that every relationship in someone else’s genealogy database had been confirmed to my satisfaction. Consider some types of sources, from the most reliable to the least: Primary Records: Your greatgrandmother’s birth record from her town of birth. Your aunt’s birth certificate, filed with a local governmental office. A church record of your parents’ marriage. These are all primary records, made at the time of the specific event they
document. Some, for example, a marriage record, may be primary records of one event and secondary records of another. See below. Secondary Records: Your greatgrandfather’s tombstone gives his birth date as Jan. 1, 1898. Your mother’s marriage certificate says she was born on June 12, 1950. Your father’s Army discharge papers report his birthday. These are all secondary records of the events I have noted. However, the information in question may be included in a primary record of another event. For example, a marriage certificate is a primary record of the marriage, but only a secondary record of the births of the bride and groom. Some information on any sort of record may be hearsay.
Hearsay: Your father says his father was born in 1921 in Belgium. A neighbor of your grandmother’s tells you that one of your uncles was married three times. Your mother says she was married on April 10, 1972. All of these are hearsay. The person conveying the message may be reliable or not, but the information they convey is not backed up by a document (not that you would ask your mother to prove that she had been married!). A good researcher not only records the names and dates associated with subjects of a study, but also documents the sources of the information, so that others can decide for themselves how reliable the information may be. Such documentation of sources may say “personal conversation with so-andso,” which is hearsay; or “birth date given on death certificate No. 27168, Erie County, N.Y.” (primary for the death date, secondary for the birth date); or “1889 Serradifalco, Sicily, birth record Number 158 for Gaetano Coniglio,” a primary record of birth. Most genealogy software allows entry of source information, and I try to include a source for every important bit of information I record. If others doubt any information I have online, they can usually go to the same source I cite and check it out. In the case of the above letter writer, I would suggest he contact his “relative” and ask: “What are your sources?” Angelo Coniglio encourages readers to contact him by writing to 438 Maynard Drive, Amherst, N.Y. 14226; by email at Genealogytips@aol.com; or by visiting www.conigliofamily.com/ ConiglioGenealogyTips.htm. His new historical fiction novel, The Lady of the Wheel, is available through Amazon.com.
Correction In 50plus Senior News’ September 2012 cover story, Frank Poley was incorrectly identified as an ordained chaplain with the Penn Del district of the Assemblies of God. He is a commissioned minister of Bethel Assembly of God Church. We regret the error.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Social Security News
Benefit Increase Announced, Office Hours Reduced Dec. 31, 2012. maximum) will increase to $113,700 Some other changes that take effect in from $110,100. January of each Of the estimated 163 year are based on Increased payments to the increase in million workers average wages. who will pay more than 8 million SSI Social Security Based on that beneficiaries will begin increase, the taxes in 2013, nearly 10 million maximum on Dec. 31, 2012. amount of will pay higher earnings subject taxes as a result of to the Social Security tax (taxable the increase in the taxable maximum.
“
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 62 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2013, the Social Security Administration announced recently. The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 56 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2013. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on
“
Information about Medicare changes for 2013, when announced, will be available at www.medicare.gov. For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ cola.
*** Effective Nov. 19, all Social Security offices are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—a reduction of 30 minutes each weekday. In addition, beginning Jan. 2, 2013, the office will close to the public at noon every Wednesday. While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter
public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime. The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the
overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past. Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office. Many services—including applying for retirement, disability, or Medicare benefits; signing up for direct deposit; replacing a Medicare card; obtaining a proof of income letter; or informing us
of a change of address or telephone number—are conveniently available at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing the toll-free number, (800) 772-1213. People who are deaf or hard-ofhearing may call the TTY number, (800) 325-0778. Many online services also are available in Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov.
Carlisle’s Hometown Florist For Over 100 Years “Delivering Locally For Over 100 Years” 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Fresh and Long-Lasting Flowers • Cut Flowers, Roses & Foliage Plants • Balloons & Custom Silk Arrangements • Monday – Friday 8:30 – 5:30
• Saturday 8:30 – Call For Closing Hours • Local Delivery Nominal Charge • Hours & Payment Methods
Family Operated in Carlisle Since 1910
FLOWERS 717-254-4596 Fax 243-5601 Corner of N. Pitt & G St. Carlisle, PA 17013
www.georgesflowershop.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
5
Such Is Life
Broccoli and Happy Endings Saralee Perel y husband, Bob, attracts lunatics. One is a stand-alone screwball. Hey, I heard that! It’s not me. It’s our 6-year-old cat, Murphy. Of course we adore him, and he’s the happiest being we’ve ever known. Murphy’s not just dimwitted; he’s also a thief. But he swipes things that no cat with even half a brain would want. Well, I’m not being fair. Murphy doesn’t have half a brain. There should be a sign over his head that reads: “Vacancy.” He’s lightning fast. One night, in a flash, he jumped on the table, grabbed an entire crown of broccoli that was twice the size of his head, and raced away with it, all the while scarfing it down so that none of our other cats could have what every cat dreams of (sarcastic): broccoli. His favorite food group? Dust balls. Yes, we vacuum. They appear out of nowhere like Bob’s ex-brother-in-law
M
who’s suddenly in our living room Sunday night. Bob put a pill on the wanting to borrow more cash. counter for our dog, Gracie. This pill is Murphy has an incessant desire to rip so bitter that no pet will take it unless tape off owners UPS boxes. disguise it in When I something extract the tasteful. But tape from Murphy made his throat, a beeline to it he doesn’t and ate it. notice. Can We called a you imagine poison sticking hotline. We your fingers were told he 3 inches needed to get down your to a 24-hour cat’s throat emergency without him veterinary even caring hospital Murphy you’re doing immediately. it? I’m disabled and can’t move late at night. Murphy’s race to eat everything Bob rushed Murphy to the vet. recently took a disastrous turn on a late We figured they’d pump his stomach
and send him home. We were wrong. Bob called me from his cell after the vet saw Murphy. “He has to stay here three days. They made him vomit, but the toxin is still in his system.” He was sobbing. “He could lose all kidney function.” “Did the vet say he could die?” “Yes.” I felt as much anguish for Bob as I did for Murphy. He went on, “Murphy’s so innocent,” he said, crying harder. “I hate myself for letting this happen.” “Oh, Sweets, you didn’t mean for this to happen. I wish I was sitting next to you.” We cried without speaking. Then I said, “Don’t drive. Not when you’re like this.” Then I called the vet. I asked her for emotional guidance for Bob. She said, “This happens all the time. It happened with me and my cat. He needs to forgive himself. It’s impossible to
On-Line Publishers, Inc. & 50plus Senior News just earned 6 national awards!
Happy Holidays! As On-Line Publishers, Inc. sees the conclusion of yet another year, we are grateful to our dedicated staff, loyal readers, and supportive advertisers who have all enabled us to continue to grow in our mission to serve the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50+ community. We wish to thank each of you for helping to make 50plus Senior News a fun, interesting, and unique source of information and entertainment for our readers in Central Pennsylvania. At this special time of giving thanks and reminiscing, the staff of On-Line Publishers wishes you, our friends, warmest holiday wishes.
First Place – Profile “A Voice for Central PA’s Pets” by Megan Joyce
Second Place – Personal Essay “The Medium is in the Message” and “One Night Only” by Candace O’Donnell
Third Place – General Excellence
First Place – Feature Layout “Healing Foods for a Healthy Life” by Victoria Shanta
Second Place – Profile “Around the World and Back Again” by Lynda Hudzick
Third Place – General Excellence (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240 • www.onlinepub.com
6
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
prevent these things 100 percent. Plus, I’ve never heard of a cat who’d want to eat a pill, especially one that tastes so awful.” “Bob’s in your parking lot. Would you please go to him and tell him what you told me?” And she did. Three days later, Murphy came home happy and healthy. When the vet called and asked about him, I incorrectly assumed she knew about Murphy’s insane antics. “He’s back to normal. He just presented me with a dust ball the size of a Burger King Triple Whopper! Isn’t that great?” “What?” “Don’t worry,” I said, and then cemented myself as a bonehead. “Nobody’s getting near my broccoli again!” She asked to speak to Bob. I said, “He’s busy. UPS came. Bob’s racing like a cyclone, ripping tape off the boxes before disaster hits. You know what he’s like around UPS tape.” She sounded confused. “Bob?” I laughed, “Not Bob—” Before I could explain she interrupted, “Please have him call me.” Bob’s role as a caregiver is not a role he asked for, but one he feels blessed to have.
FRUITS
He takes care of me with my spinal cord issues, our old pet duck who’s arthritic, our young border collie who can never run again because of a genetic spinal problem, and our very sick cat, Josie, to whom Bob administers IV fluids daily. “How could I be so lucky?” Bob says, every single day of his life. Yesterday at dawn, as the light gently filled our bedroom, I slowly turned over to see which of Bob’s brood was in the protection of his arms. He was cradling beautiful Murphy, who was sound asleep on his back in the crook of Bob’s armpit. Bob’s eyes were open but I didn’t say a word. I knew he was preserving the precious moments for as long as he could before Murphy would wake up. I watched as Murphy opened his eyes then curled his paw under his chin. I heard him purr when he closed his eyes again, preferring to remain in the safety of Bob’s arm for just a little while longer. And so, snuggling next to Bob, I closed my eyes again too.
FIRST
NIGHT
®
New Year’s Eve Celebration
CARLISLE
Celebrating 15 years!
First Night® is a family-oriented, non-alcoholic celebration of the arts held on New Year’s Eve on the streets of downtown Carlisle. It is a major visual and performing arts festivity created by and for the community to welcome in the New Year. Buttons are needed for admission and may be purchased at the Carlisle Theatre (44 West High Street, Carlisle) for $10 before 12/31 ($15 on the 31st). Children age 5 and under are free. For more information: www.firstnightcarlisle.org (717) 240-0970
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.
from page 2
hung on doors at the back of homes (where close friends enter), rather than on front doors. For the holidays, fruitinspired decorations remind us of the bountiful harvest and the joy of sharing with family and friends. Also, pineapples were symbolic fruits associated with the holiday season. The pineapple represented the tradition of hospitality at holiday time and all year long. The hospitable pineapple form was typically carved into Chippendale and Federal furniture, including bedposts, mantles, dining room sideboards, etc. Today, pineapples are the fruit of choice for home décor items ranging from silver candelabras to front porch welcome mats. Fancy Fruit Like fruit wreaths, fruit pyramids and aromatic pomanders dating back to the Colonial period were among the delights of a holiday home. Scents of fresh fruit and spices lingered from the tabletop fruit pyramids suggesting architectural examples in miniature. In the 19th century, sweetsmelling fruit pomanders had yet to be relegated to the hall closet, but instead they were prominently hung front and www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
center in a Victorian home’s entry foyer. Orange, lime, or lemon pomanders, enhanced with whole cloves, were suspended over doorways and in stairwells to give busy areas of a home a lovely scent. Made by pushing cloves into whole oranges or other citrus fruits, a pomander was a welcomed and popular hostess gift. They were used in the 1700s and 1800s to ward off foul odors that were thought to bring illness into a home in wintertime. In Colonial America, fruit wreaths, pyramids, and pomanders were popular in holiday homes. These antique holiday handicrafts not only smelled delightful with the scents of apple, clove, and citrus, but they were also pretty, natural additions to the interior decor. The pleasing aroma of the fruit decoration allows the pomander to maintain a prominent place among holiday decorations. Happy holidays! Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and awardwinning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents antique appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori is the expert appraiser on the hit TV show Auction Kings on Discovery channel, which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/ DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
Thank You, Columnists! 50plus Senior News continues to bring important information as well as entertaining articles to the 50+ community. We at On-Line Publishers would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the editorial contributors of 50plus Senior News: Angelo Coniglio (The Search for Our Ancestry) Wendell Fowler (Preventive Measures) Al Goodman (Beyond the Battlefield ) Andrea Gross (Traveltizers) Dr. Lori (Art and Antiques) Gloria May (NurseNews) Clyde McMillan-Gamber (The Beauty in Nature) Jim Miller (The Savvy Senior) Candace O’Donnell (Balancing Act) Victor Parachin (Fragments of History) Saralee Perel (Such is Life) Dr. Leonard Perry (The Green Mountain Gardener) W.E. Reinka (Silver Threads) Ted Rickard (The Squint-Eyed Senior) Sy Rosen (Older But Not Wiser) Pat Sinclair (Recipes for Two) Walt Sonneville (My 22 Cents’ Worth) Robert Wilcox (Salute to a Veteran) Judith Zausner (Creativity Matters)
It is through the varied interests and considerable talents of our contributors and freelance writers that such a range of informative and entertaining content is available to read each month. The pages of 50plus Senior News are enriched by your contributions.
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
7
Book Review
Jackie O: On the Couch Inside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis By Alma H. Bond, Ph.D. fascinating psycho-biography, Jackie O: On the Couch takes readers into the mind of Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis through a first-person, autobiographical narrative. The book delves into Jackie’s childhood and helps the reader understand how and why she became the person she was. It also explores JFK’s background and the ways it affected his marriage. Jackie’s deep love for Jack, the cat-andmouse game he played before their engagement, his early inattentiveness, the difficult years they spent together, along with details of his outrageous womanizing and their happier times at the White House late in the marriage—
A
all are viewed through her eyes. A poignant description of Jack’s assassination and funeral is recounted. The book also looks into the widow Jackie’s need for Aristotle Onassis. She debunks the idea that she married Ari purely for his money. The joyful early years and the gradual collapse of the marriage are described, as is Ari’s death. Jackie’s successful entry into the publishing world, and how the work helped to define her, follows. A new
Jackie emerges, who is probably closer to the one she would have become had she not been first lady. Her new persona allows her to form the best relationship of her life, with the elderly, stout, and adoring Maurice Tempelsman, who gave her the love, devotion, and constancy she never received from her two husbands. The book also carefully follows the progress of the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma disease that led to Jackie’s death at age
63—from her fierce denial to the gradual acceptance that she would not survive. Jackie O: On the Couch is available from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and directly from Bancroft Press at www.bancroftpress.com. About the Author Alma H. Bond received her Ph.D. from Columbia University and became a highly successful psychoanalyst for 37 years in New York City. Jackie O: On the Couch, the first of her On the Couch series to be published, received a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and Finalist International Book Award. She has also had 19 other books published. She lives in Carlisle, Pa.
Calling All Authors If you have written and published a book and would like 50plus Senior News to feature a Book Review, please submit a synopsis of the book (350 words or fewer) and a short autobiography (80 words or fewer). A copy of the book is required for review. Discretion is advised. Please send to: On-Line Publishers, Inc., Megan Joyce, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512. For more information, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com.
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
June 6, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway, Exton
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards • John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday
May 28, 2013
• Bruce Collier & The Drive Home
Hershey Lodge
Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com
WE PLAY OVER 1500 GREAT SONGS! 8
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Date and location to be announced
West Chocolate Avenue & University Drive, Hershey
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available 717.285.1350 717.770.0140 610.675.6240
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
From left, Donna Anderson, president of On-Line Publishers; Terry Barley, director of Cumberland County Aging & Community Services; Helen Schaeffer of Newburg, 2012 Cumberland County Outstanding Senior Award recipient; and Mark Hall, abc27 news reporter and the EXPO’s honorary chairperson.
13th Year Proves Lucky and Lively for 50plus EXPO By Megan Joyce There must not be many triskaidekaphobics in Cumberland County. The 50plus EXPO made its 13th return to the county recently, filling the Carlisle Expo Center with thousands of boomers, seniors, and caregivers who braved the morning’s downpours to leave a few hours later better informed, greatly entertained, and under clearer skies. For an entirely free event, the 50plus EXPO offered visitors a lot of bang for their zero bucks. More than 90 friendly exhibitors. Health screenings. Live entertainment. Door prizes. Seminars. Not to mention a giveaway of 500 lottery tickets and the opportunity to enter to win the day’s grand prize: a casino trip for 40. Presented by On-Line Publishers, Inc.— publishers of 50plus Senior News—and Cumberland County Aging & Community Services, the backbone of the annual Cumberland County 50plus EXPO was its aisles of exhibitors, whose businesses and organizations covered everything from finance and healthcare to retirement living and local media. Jane Weeler of Mechanicsburg came to the 50plus EXPO “to gather information. There are always updates on different things—maybe there’s a new facility or service,” she said. “It’s just a nice gathering to see what’s out there that you may not see in the newspaper.” The day was kicked off by the opening ceremony, which included remarks from Donna Anderson,
president of On-Line Publishers, and Terry Barley, director of Cumberland County Aging and Community Services. Mark Hall, abc27 news reporter and the EXPO’s honorary chairperson, then stepped up to the podium to present the 2012 Cumberland County Outstanding Senior Award to Helen Schaeffer of Newburg. Schaeffer, who was visibly overwhelmed by the award, received recognition for her nearly four decades of service to the community. In the early 1970s, she and her late husband, Richard, opened a domiciliary care home that provided foster care to people with developmental disabilities. Several health screenings were scattered throughout the EXPO floor and included tests for alpha-1, balance, blood pressure, spinal health, and osteoporosis. Seminars were offered on common foot and ankle disorders, government news from Washington, DC, and Medicare information. Anna Marie Post of Camp Hill said she enjoyed the EXPO and had taken advantage of a few of those health screenings. “I had the finger stick [postprandial blood glucose test] done and my blood pressure, which was good,” Post said. “It’s a nice all-around affair, and I got some nice samples.” William Wunsch and his wife, Sylvia, had traveled to the EXPO from Mount Wolf—but this wasn’t unusual for them. “We come to all of them,” he laughed. “It’s nice. Sometimes we find something that we need.”
“And some of the entertainment’s pretty good,” his wife added. Seeing as how there were few empty seats to be found in the EXPO’s entertainment area, the rest of the event’s crowd would likely agree. Attendees pulled up chairs to enjoy the soaring voices of Vickie Kissinger, 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL, and, later, a special joint performance of SENIOR IDOL winners Barry Surran (2008) and Peggy Kurtz Keller (2011). And it was standing-room only during The 50plus Dating Game, a new feature at the 50plus EXPO. Modeled after the popular TV show from the 1960s and ’70s, The 50plus Dating Game gave a local over50 bachelor the tough job of choosing between three 50-plus bachelorettes. The winning “couple” received a prize package that included various theater and restaurant gift certificates. And then there were the lottery tickets—500 in total, given away by 50plus Senior News during four 125-ticket distribution times. Just in case their lottery ticket didn’t pan out, EXPO visitors were encouraged to stop by Bailey Coach/Travel’s booth to enter to win the day’s grand prize: motorcoach transportation for 40 to Harrah’s in Philadelphia. This day of fun and games went to James A. Eason Jr. of New Cumberland. On-Line Publishers’ 50plus EXPOs will return in spring 2013 with events in Chester, Northern Lancaster, and Dauphin counties. For updates in the months to come, call (717) 770-0140 or visit www.50plusExpoPA.com.
Proudly Sponsored By: Gold
Visitor Bag Sponsor LifeCare Hospitals of Mechanicsburg Prize Sponsors Bailey Coach/Travel V.I.P. Gambling Tours
Bronze Appalachian Orthopedic Center • Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches Menno Haven • PennState Hershey Bone & Joint Institute PennState Hershey Spine Center • Pennsylvania Advisory Services, Inc. RetireSafe • Sprint CapTel Media WHYL • WIOO
Thank you, sponsors and volunteers!
Brought to you by: &
The 50plus EXPO is FREE to the community due to the generosity of our sponsors.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
9
Older But Not Wiser
Who Do I Look Like? Sy Rosen uring the past year I have been told several times by people younger than me that I look like someone. No, not the same someone, many different someones. I’ve been told I look like Billy Graham, Billy Crystal, Hugh Hefner (even though I don’t wear pajamas in public), Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, and Ed Koch (the former mayor of New York). In addition, just the other day I had an extremely weird conversation with a middle-aged guy at the checkout line at the supermarket. “You look like that actor,” he told me. “What actor?” I asked. “You know, that actor.” “Oh, him.” At this point I just wanted to get out of the supermarket and away from this guy. However, he was relentless.
D
“He’s in a lot of comedies but he also does serious pictures, you know, with heart.” “So he has a lot of range,” I said. “Exactly. You look like the actor with a lot of range.” “OK, great,” I replied. “I’ll make sure I see the next picture he’s in.” “I’m pretty sure he’s dead.” “So I looked like him before he passed away?” I asked. “Yeah, he probably doesn’t look too good now.” At first this whole series of “lookalike” events was kind of amusing to me, and then I realized what might be happening. It’s not that I look like a celebrity, even though I’d love to go on tour as Bob Dylan. It’s that people younger than us think that we seniors all look alike. All they see is the gray hair and the wrinkles. They
probably also see the turkey neck, but let’s not dwell on that. Or maybe, and this is even worse, as we get older we do all start to look alike. We become kind of … a generic version of what we once were. I guess if this is true, there’s one semi-positive side effect—all the cool guys I envied in high school now look like me. Ironically, when I was a teenager I desperately wanted to look like everybody else. I just wanted to blend in. However, now I wanted to fight this anonymity. I started to think of ways to make myself stand out. I was thinking of wearing something all the time, like a scarf, that would become my trademark. But then I would be known as “the guy with the scarf ” and I don’t want to take second billing to an article of clothing. Then I thought of maybe getting a
tattoo. I’ve seen guys with Chinese lettering tattooed on their arms or neck. I could have a have tattoo that says AARP. I have a feeling no one’s ever done that. And then, all of the sudden, the insanity stopped. I’d like to think that it was a sudden burst of maturity on my part, but actually it was the fear of the tattoo needle that brought me to my senses. I realized that if some younger people can’t tell us apart, that’s their problem. We seniors are definitely unique individuals with unique looks. I, for example, am just a regular guy who happens to look like Cary Grant. Hey, the guy at the supermarket couldn’t remember the actor’s name, so I get to fill in the blanks. Note: If you’re looking at my picture now and trying to figure out who I really look like—it was taken seven years ago and in the right light (semi-darkness).
Give someone you love the gift that entertains, informs, and inspires, month after month! Or renew an existing subscription! Get a 12-month subscription to 50plus Senior News for just $10. Mail form to: 50plus Senior News, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Please start a gift subscription for: Beginning (month) _________________________ Name ___________________________________ Street ___________________________________ Apt. ____________________________________ City/State ________________________________ Zip _____________________________________ Sign card from: Your name _______________________________ Street ___________________________________ Apt. ____________________________________ City/State ________________________________ Zip _____________________________________ Your phone number ________________________ Paper (or papers/$10 per edition): Expires 12/31/12 Chester Cumberland Dauphin
Lancaster Lebanon York
10
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The Big Surprise of December 2012 December 2012 will have something very new, No, not a special gift that Santa will bring for you, You can never again have this as long as you live, Everyone will receive it, and it’s nothing you can give. Take your calendar for this year and you will see, What this “once in a lifetime” surprise will really be, Count the number of Saturdays and Sundays there will be for you, Yes, you will find a total of five weekends—too good to be true! This is your surprise—five weekends to get everything done, They will be filled with Christmas and New Year’s with all of their fun, Enjoy it! It will never happen for you again for your happy cheers, As such a very special December happens only once every 823 years.
Written and submitted by Erla Z. Stump
Easy does it. Siemens created Motion 701 XCL for hassle-free hearing. It’s fully automatic, so there’s no need to change programs or adjust volume. Motion 701 XCL even has a SoundLearning™ feature that remembers your volume, bass and treble preferences for a consistent and more natural hearing experience.
Changing Jobs? Retiring?
Designed for easy handling and simple operation, Motion 701 XCL is available with a choice of easy-to-use optional remote controls. It also
Don’t forget about your retirement plan. Do you need help with: • IRA rollover options? • Retirement plan distribution? • Reducing or eliminating tax penalties? • Reaching your retirement goals? • Your Thrivent Financial representative can help.
features Autophone® technology for seamless performance when using the phone. Motion 701 XCL BTEs are rechargeable, so you don’t have to fiddle with batteries. For greater convenience and versatility, they also work with regular hearing instrument batteries. What could be easier?
Call today. Michael Gallagher, FIC Financial Consultant 320 S Hanover Street Carlisle, PA 17013 Office 717-254-6433 Cell 717-609-2705 Fax 717-254-6349 Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, 800-847-4836, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents of Thrivent Financial. For additional important disclosure information, please visit Thrivent.com/disclosures.
21109C R11-11
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
©2011 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
201103680
Don’t let hearing loss affect your quality of life! That’s why we developed Siemens Motion 701 XCLTM.
3600 Trindle Road • Suite 102 • Camp Hill, PA 17011
(717) 737-4800 • www.gableassociates.com Frank E. Gable, BC-HIS Board Certified Physician Affiliated • Over 39 years of experience Hearing Instruments help many people hear better, but cannot solve every hearing problem or restore normal hearing. © 2008 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. All rights reserved.
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
11
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Traveltizers
Welcoming the New Year with Double the Fun By Andrea Gross Photo courtesy of Savannah Riverboat Cruises
Traditional stern-wheel riverboats offer a unique party spot for New Year’s Eve revelers in Savannah.
The clock strikes midnight. Fireworks explode. Confetti fills the air. And I get a chance to make a whole new set of resolutions, some of which I may even keep. How can I not like New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day? What’s more, if celebrating once is nice, wouldn’t twice be even better? Squeezing two such festivities into one year takes planning, but it can be done. First, welcome the new year on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, the dates set by the internationally accepted Gregorian calendar. Then, several weeks later, partake in a traditional Chinese New Year’s celebration, the date of which is set according to the age-old Chinese calendar. (In 2013, Chinese New Year will fall on Feb. 10.) Here, two places that celebrate the new year in very different ways.
Photo courtesy of tybeevisit.com
More than 2,000 people partake in a New Year’s Day Polar Plunge near Savannah. Lion dancers provide entertainment during New Year’s Day festivities.
Savannah, Ga. As midnight approaches, people make their way to the upper deck of the three-tiered riverboat. They’ve been partying for more than three hours— dancing to live music, feasting on hors d’oeuvres and a buffet of elegant offerings. Now, as fireworks from nearby Tybee Island color the sky, it’s time to welcome the new year. On shore, Savannah’s famed City Market, a four-block area of restored buildings, is filled with landlubbers who are enjoying the city’s biggest street party. Some are dining in one of the many restaurants; others are enjoying the free entertainment outside. Then the countdown begins, and a man lifts his son to his shoulders for a better view of the fireworks. Another man lifts his drink as the band strikes up “Auld Lang Syne.” The new year has officially begun. The next day, more than 2,000 people, presumably recovered from the previous night’s revelry, gather on Tybee
{ strength } DEFINED Dedicated joint replacement experts help patients gain the strength and mobility to return to their normal, daily activities. Rest assured our team has the expertise to help you regain your active lifestyle. It’s why we’re here.
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community.”
Provider and leader of quality healthcare in Central PA for more than 145 years. 50 renovated Personal Care Suites. Applications being accepted for a limited number. Skilled Nursing Care Unit accommodates 92, including a 21-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.
Ruth from Harrisburg
PennStateHershey.org/boneandjoint U.Ed. MED 13-7516 HVI
12
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
Respectful, considerate, heart-felt care for those with a life-limiting illness. Providing care for hospice patients in the setting they consider their home. Clinical and bereavement staff provide support for the patient and family before and after the death of your loved one. Providing service in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties.
717-221-7902
717-221-7890
1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 www.homelandcenter.org
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 Harrisburg, PA 17110 www.homelandhospice.org www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Elaborate flower booths are set up in malls.
Young dancers prepare to entertain people who are shopping for holiday presents at a Richmond mall. Hot pot dinners are favorites throughout the year.
Island for the Polar Plunge, an event that raises money for a local charity. In addition to swimming caps, which range from ordinary-plain to frivolously freaky, they are outfitted in glittery capes, feather boas, bathrobes, PJs, and, occasionally, regular old bikinis and briefs. At noon they race for the water, emerging a few minutes later, shivering and smiling. “I’ve washed off the sins of the past. Now I’m ready to enjoy the new year,” says one woman. She wraps her arms about herself, smiles, and disappears into the crowd of cold, but cleansed, folks. www.savannahvisit.com Richmond, British Columbia Three thousand miles away, people in Richmond, British Columbia, have just finished packing away the piney boughs and glass ornaments that represent the Western holiday season when they begin preparing for the traditional Chinese New Year’s celebration. In Richmond, this second welcoming of the new year is a very, very big deal. This isn’t surprising, given that the city boasts North America’s highest percentage of people of Chinese heritage outside of China. Walking the streets of the area known as the Golden Village—a four-squareblock enclave that is home to more than 400 Asian restaurants and three Asianthemed malls—it’s easy to believe you’re in China, except that there’s no smog, the water is safe to drink, and most people understand English. Festivities begin approximately two weeks before New Year’s Day, as malls set up special booths where vendors hawk elaborate flower arrangements and special holiday treats. At Landsdowne www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Mall, women make paper fish and lanterns; children perform dances and demonstrate their skill in martial arts; and expert calligraphers make banners that are used to decorate homes and public places. On New Year’s Eve, restaurants serve multicourse feasts where each food has a special meaning. Since pork symbolizes good luck, Shanghai River Restaurant prepares bamboo baskets filled with xiao long bao (steamed dumplings filled with minced pork and jellied broth). “These are packages of good fortune,” says the waiter. Seafood dishes are supposed to bring prosperity because in ancient times only the wealthy could afford such treats, while eating long, uncut noodles foretells a long life. Sweet, sticky rice is served as a reminder that families should “stick together” and support one another. After dinner, many folks go to the Aberdeen Mall, where the new year is welcomed with speeches, lion dancing, and lots and lots of confetti. Others go to the Kuan Yin Temple of the International Buddhist Society, which is modeled in part after the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is considered by many to be one of the most magnificent Buddhist temples in North America. There, they greet the new year with prayer, many even staying overnight in order to be among the first to receive blessings in the new year. By noon on New Year’s Day, thousands of folks have congregated at the temple for a prayer ceremony and vegetarian lunch. “Yes,” I say to myself as I munch on some bamboo shoots, “it’s definitely nice to celebrate twice.” www.tourismrichmond.com Photos © Irv Green; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
Salt therapy may aid in the healing of inflammation, breathing ailments, asthma, arthritis, stress, headaches, sinus, etc.
Offering Gift Certificates, salt lamps, salt scrubs, and soaks
House Special 30-minute massage & 40-minute salt room session for $45
Hygea Wellness Co. Salt Room & Massage 2321 Market St. Rear, Camp Hill, Pa 17011 717-412-0447 • www.hygeawellness.com
V. Eugene Kilmore, Jr., M.D. John W Pratt, M.D. Foster E. Kreiser, O.D. Ryan J. Hershberger, O.D. Michelle A. Thomas, O.D.
Medical We specialize in medical and diagnostic exams including procedures, evaluations, emergency care, and treatment.
Surgical Each one of our surgical doctors is highly trained and experienced with diverse backgrounds in all areas of surgical procedures.
Optical Personalized services such as contact lenses, brand names, and follow-up adjustments are provided by professional staff opticians.
KILMORE EYE ASSOCIATES 890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg
(717) 697-1414 • www.kilmoreeye.com 50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
13
Beyond the Battlefield
His Postwar Mission: Taking Jewish Refugees to Palestine Alvin S. Goodman ene Alexander, 88, of Hummelstown, who served in both the Merchant Marine and U.S. Navy during World War II, volunteered for service transporting Jewish refugees from Europe to Palestine after the war. “When I was back in civilian life and at the beach, I met a girl who found out I was a marine engineer and I learned she was connected to the Haganah, the Jewish Palestinian secret service. “Next thing I knew, I was in contact with the local headquarters and on my way to pick up a ship. It turned out to be an old decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Ulua. We spent a month getting her ready for duty, then set sail on the Atlantic.” Alexander said they ran into a heavy storm but made it to the Azores. After refueling, they reached Marseilles,
G
France, where they spent a month the ship was leaking steam, so we had to putting bunks and toilets in the hold. pull into a cove on the coast of North Then they traveled up the coast of Africa. It took six hours to fix the Europe to the southern coast of Sweden. engine.” The next stop was Italy, where “We docked there and picked up 700 they picked up 600 more passengers who young Jewish had survived girls who had the Holocaust. been rescued Before from the reaching Haifa, concentration Palestine, camps by the Alexander’s ship Swedes.” Before was intercepted establishment by five British The Coast Guard ship Ulua of the State of patrol boats. prior to being decommissioned. Israel in 1948, “Our crew Palestine was a British protectorate, and captured the first boarding party of Jewish refugees were denied admission to British Marines. One ship got in front of the Holy Land. us but we rammed her—luckily, we had “As we headed south to the an ice-breaker bow. The next British Mediterranean, we ran into the mother boarding party took over the ship. I was of all storms. We made it through the hit on the head with a club and they storm with seasick passengers. However, threw tear gas at us. I was knocked out
and ended up with a deep cut on my head. “They rammed our rudder and we hit a reef and ran aground in the Haifa Bay. I posed as one of the passengers. They put us on a prison ship to the Cypress detention camps. On the way, a British doctor stitched my scalp. After about a month in the camps, I escaped with the help of the Haganah. Two months in a kibbutz in Palestine and I was sent back to France. “As soon as I got there I was assigned to the Pan York, a ship the Haganah had bought from the United Fruit Co. We spent a month in Marseilles retrofitting her; then we sailed to Constanta, Romania, on the Black Sea.” There Alexander was transferred to the Pan Crescent, sister ship of the Pan York. They spent two months to retrofit both ships.
Affordable Housing for seniors and persons with disabilities Households pay 30% of monthly income toward rent & utilities No Admission Fees • No Maintenance Fees
Facility:
Location:
In honor of World War II vets ... and in memory of the attack on Pearl Harbor
• American House Mechanicsburg • Chestnut Commons Mt. Holly Springs • One West Penn Carlisle • Two West Penn Carlisle • Valley Ridge Middlesex Township • Mountain View Newville • Roundhouse View Enola Rents below market rate. Housing Choice Voucher accepted. • East Gate Carlisle • Enola Commons Enola • Historic Molly Pitcher Carlisle • Historic Iroquois Hotel New Cumberland
All buildings are elevator equipped, feature on-site laundry facilities, off-street parking, plus many other amenities
Income limits apply. Small pets welcome. If interested in an application, please contact: 114 N. Hanover St., Suite 104, Carlisle, PA 17013
or call 717-249-1315 or 1-866-683-5907 www.cchra.com
14
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
“Then we got word that the Romanians would not let us take anyone from their country but they had no objection if Jews boarded the ships in Bulgaria, so they were taken by train to a Bulgarian port for transport. “I don’t know how we managed it, but we got 7,000 people aboard each ship!” In the Mediterranean, a British cruiser and several destroyers confronted them. The skippers made an agreement with the British to proceed directly to Cypress. “We unloaded the passengers, who were taken to detention camps. We anchored the ships in the bay and I and a small crew were allowed to stay aboard to keep the auxiliary equipment running.”
After a month, Alexander was relieved of the ship and the Haganah sneaked him into Palestine. From there he made it to France and then the U.S. Although he did not achieve his objective to reach Palestine, Alexander was glad that he was able to save thousands of European refugees from the horrors of the Holocaust, and they eventually made it to the Promised Land. When home he attended City College of New York, finished off his engineering credits, and forwarded them to the Merchant Marine Academy, where he received a B.S. in marine engineering. He then got a B.S. in psychology from CCNY. He spent a year in Detroit
studying child psychology, received an M.S. in clinical psychology at the University of Connecticut, and, six years later, a doctorate in psychology from the University of Michigan. During this time, Alexander spent two years as a hospital psychologist in Virginia and six years as a school psychologist in suburban Detroit. “After my doctorate, I taught two years at Indiana State University and then came to Harrisburg in 1964 to become director of a mental health center. I finally ended up teaching psychology at Shippensburg University for 27 years.” Alexander retired at age 70, but five years later worked part-time as a geriatric psychologist, finally retiring in
his early 80s. “Somehow I managed to marry five times!” He has four children and five grandchildren. “I enjoy my present wife Christie’s family. We spent two weeks teaching English in Spain. We rented an apartment in Paris and took a 60-foot houseboat up the canals from Whitchurch, U.K., to Wales.” Alexander summed up his vast experiences by saying, “It has been an interesting life.” If you are a mature veteran and have interesting or unusual experiences in your military or civilian life, phone Al Goodman at (717) 541-9889 or email him at klezmer630@comcast.net.
The Beauty in Nature
Yellow-Rumped Warblers Clyde McMillan-Gamber ellow-rumped warblers seem to be two species of small birds. Pretty in a plain way, they are brownish and streaked in their winter plumages, as sparrows are for camouflage. They actually look like petite sparrows, but with thinner beaks. In summer, however, these wood warblers are striking in their gray, black, and white breeding plumages. But yellow flanks, crowns, and rumps are present in both plumages. And the yellow rumps are the signature of this species through the year. Sharp “check” notes among trees and shrubbery indicate the presence of these birds, usually before they are seen. They can be spotted when one looks diligently for them, though they are seldom still. Yellow-rumps, or “butter-butts” as they are also called, are an adaptable, abundant species of warbler seen most everywhere in North America at some
Y
time of the fairly year, conspicuous including in groups in southeastern deciduous Pennsylvania thickets along in winter. A streams and hardy species, woodland edges they are the across much of only warbler the Lower 48 wintering in because they eat abundance in berries and the small seeds continental instead of the United States, invertebrates including in they consume the northern in summer. regions. They ingest Yellowpoison ivy, Photo courtesy of Dan Pancamo rumps are the Virginia A male yellow-rumped warbler most versatile creeper, myrtle, in summer plumage. foragers or bayberries among and other warblers. In winter, they move about in berries. Myrtle berries gave these birds an
50plus Senior News is now on Facebook!
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
alternate name: myrtle warbler. Yellow-rumps also ingest the berrylike, blue cones of red junipers. They consume wild grapes, too, and the tiny seeds of goldenrods, asters, and other weedy plants, as well as grasses, as sparrows do. Breeding pairs of yellow-rumps raise young in mature, northern forests of conifers and mixed deciduous/coniferous trees. In summer, they eat invertebrates from the foliage of the outer limbs at middle heights in the trees. They often flit out from the trees to catch flying insects, as flycatchers do. They feed many of the invertebrates they snare to their young. The adaptable butter-butts use a variety of niches. Watch for them in thickets of berry-bearing shrubbery and vines in local hedgerows, woodland and stream edges, and lawns this winter or succeeding ones.
Visit
www.facebook.com/50plusSeniorNews and “like” us to receive a free 6-month subscription! Plus, you’ll receive event updates, story links, and more! 50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
15
Bethany Village — Maplewood 325 Wesley Drive Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 www.bethanyvillage.org
Brandywine Senior Living at Longwood 301 Victoria Gardens Drive Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-734-6200 www.brandycare.com
Garden Spot Village 433 South Kinzer Avenue New Holland, PA 17557 717-355-6272 www.gardenspotvillage.org
Homeland Center 1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 717-221-7727 www.homelandcenter.org
Mennonite Home Communities 1520 Harrisburg Pike Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 www.mennonitehome.org
The Middletown Home — Crescent View Personal Care 999 West Harrisburg Pike Middletown, PA 17057 717-944-3351 www.middletownhome.org
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community 1700 Normandie Drive York, PA 17408 717-764-6262 www.normandieridge.org
Additional Comments
To tal
The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their community in a display advertisement in this edition.
AL an As d/ sis or ted PC Liv Be Pe ing ds rs on Re al sid Ca Pr en re iva ce H te om e Se mi -pr iva te Pr iva te Pa y SS IA cc ep ted Sh or t-t er m En Le tra as nc e eF Pa ee /S rt/ ec To ur tal ity Ou ly De Re tdo po fun or sit da Ar Me ble ea dic s/ Fit ati ne on ss On M Ce -ca an nte ag ll M em r ed He en ica alt t lS h er Fe vic e -fo Alz e r he S er im vic er ’s eA Re Ca sp va re ila ite ble Ca So re cia lP ro Ho gr am us ek s ee pin Tr g/ an La sp un or dr tat Pe yS i on rs er on ( vic S al ch e e C Pe d a ule rP ts d) Pe er mi rm tte itt d ed
Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes
100
70
86
50
165
64
55
100
1-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.
At Brandywine Senior Living – life is beautiful!
Ideal for people who relish independence yet welcome caring assistance. Live with Opportunity.
Exemplary care in a caring, beautiful environment has been provided for more than 140 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program.
Supportive, encouraging environment.Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.
Visit us to see the beauty of our campus, our staff, and our extended family. All levels of care provided in a caring setting.
Private or shared living in spacious rooms with private baths. Friendly staff assist where needed to help maintain your independence. Convenient indoor access to numerous campus amenities.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
16
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Health Matters
Shop-at-Home Hints to Ease Holiday Stress Lisa M. Petsche f you are a caregiver and find it hard to get out, or you simply don’t have the energy or desire to brave the madness at area malls, consider a less stressful way to purchase gifts this holiday season: mail-order shopping. Its advantages are many: operating from the comfort of your home; the convenience of 24-hour access; the option of gift-wrapping service; and delivery to your door or the gift recipient’s door. There’s no travel time involved, no parking hassles or taxicab costs, no crowds to elbow through, and no lineup at the checkout. And, if you’re a caregiver, you can shop while your loved one is napping or in bed for the night. With the holidays fast approaching, the sooner you place an order, the better. You’ll want to allow plenty of time not only for standard delivery, but also in case an item is temporarily out of stock. In addition, if you end up requesting special services like hemming, monogramming, or gift packaging, this normally delays shipping by an extra day or two—possibly more at this peak shopping time. Here is some further advice to make mail-order shopping a positive experience.
I
1. Before ordering, obtain information about shipping and other charges. Costs can vary considerably from one company to the next and are based on the total order cost or the combined weight of items ordered. Some companies charge an additional flat handling or insurance fee. In some cases, the vendor will waive the shipping fee if you spend more than a certain amount. Watch for offers of free shipping at this time of the year. 2. Find out the company’s return policy so there are no surprises if an item doesn’t turn out to be suitable for any reason. Look for companies that stand behind their products with unconditional guarantees. 3. Determine the cut-off date for ensuring purchases arrive prior to the holidays. Factors include your geographic location in relation to the company’s warehouse and whether or not you’re prepared to pay a premium for expedited delivery. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
4. To save money, look for seasonal clearances, discontinued items, and other special offers before ordering out of the regular catalog. Sale pages are typically inserted in the center of print catalogs; on websites, look for a section with a title such as “clearance,” “overstocks,” or “outlet store.” Order items of interest right away, since quantities may be limited. 5. With clothing, always consult sizing charts before ordering, since these can vary from one company to the next. Some merchants also have special customer service staff available to answer questions about their products. 6. If you’re unsure whether a particular item you have in mind is suitable, opt for a gift card instead. It will arrive with a note card and a copy of the company’s latest catalog. 7. Save your invoices in a clearly marked envelope or folder, in case you need to return an item for a refund or replacement. Telephone Tips Be prepared before you call. Bookmark catalog pages and circle the items you wish to order, for easy reference. Better yet, prepare a list that includes product number, name of item, and desired size and color. Include an alternative color selection or a substitute item in case a product is on back order or is no longer available. Have a pen and paper handy to jot down any revisions to your list as well as the reference number provided after you’ve placed your order. Internet Shopping Tips Deal only with reputable companies. If you’ve never heard of a merchant before, look for an “about us” or “FAQ”
(frequently asked questions) section and check it out first. This should include information about the security of their site and privacy policies about collecting and using your personal data. The company’s name, address, and phone number should also be listed. If you can’t find it, consider shopping elsewhere. If personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account information, or date of birth is
requested, avoid that merchant. Don’t provide credit card or other necessary personal information until you’re sure the browser is secure (a padlock symbol at the bottom of the screen is a common indicator). If you have any doubt as to the security of the website, shop instead via the company’s toll-free telephone order line. Print out a copy of your order once submitted (it will include a reference number). Many companies will also send an email confirmation that your order is being processed. Some offer access to an online area where you can check the status of your order; others offer email notification advising when your shipment has left the warehouse. Lisa M. Petsche is a clinical social worker and freelance writer specializing in eldercare issues.
Time is a Priceless Gift Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’
Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512. 50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
17
LIHEAP Now Open Eligible Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps low-income people pay their heating bills through home energy assistance grants and crisis grants. Cash grants are awarded based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel, and region. Crisis grants are provided in the event of a heating emergency, including broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced, lack of fuel, termination of utility service, or danger of being without fuel or of having utility service terminated. In most counties, assistance with home heating crisis situations is available 24 hours a day. The Department of Public Welfare is sending all LIHEAP clients who applied online last year a postcard notice
MEMORIES
encouraging them to reapply online. In the past, the department sent only paper applications to all prospective clients, even if those individuals applied online the previous year. Prior applicants who did not apply online last year will still be mailed paper applications. By way of the new postcard, clients will be provided with a preregistration number, giving them access to an online application that has already been filled out using last year’s data. Clients will simply have to ensure online information is correct and update anything that may have changed, such as an address. All online applications are sent straight to the county office to determine eligibility, thereby eliminating mail and hand processing time. For more information or to apply online, visit www.dpw.state.pa.us.
1 person – $16,755 2 people – $22,695 3 people – $28,635 4 people – $34,575 5 people – $40,515 6 people – $46,455 7 people – $52,395 8 people – $58,335 9 people – $64,275 10 people – $70,215 (For each additional person, add $5,940.)
from page 1
Many people he shows his collection to do not know that when Milton
Hershey first started manufacturing Hershey’s chocolate bars, he included
Thank you for reading our award-winning publications. On-Line Publishers, Inc. was recently honored with four national awards.
Media Division, Magazine Fall 2011 Article:
“Boomers on the job hunt spark the ‘re-’ generation” BY KIM KLUGH
Media Division Article:
Article:
“Inspired by Forgiveness”
“A Voice for Central PA’s Pets”
BY KATIE WEEBER
BY MEGAN JOYCE
(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240 • www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
18
Household sizes and maximum income limits for LIHEAP’s 2012-13 season:
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
postcards with them as a way to advertise, Sallade said. “There are a total of 78 different ones and I have 77,” he said. “I’m missing one but it is hard to locate.” Besides finding the last of the postcards from Hershey’s chocolate bars, Sallade said that he has no set goal or finish line in sight for his postcard collection. Selling postcards is a popular way to regroup collections and make room for more, or to simply make a profit, but for now his collection remains a hobby that he enjoys. Sallade has been retired for five years from his job as a florist. His grandfather started the business in 1898 and Sallade said he worked there since he could hold a broom in his hand. He majored in horticulture at Ohio State University before returning to the family business. Since retiring, Sallade and his wife, Caryn, have had more time to travel to places like Canada and Ireland, and he purchases postcards everywhere that he goes. He has paid as little as 10 cents for a postcard and as much as $250, he said. Looking for them at flea markets is more fun and the price is usually better as well, said Sallade. But sometimes postcards he finds for sale online are only a few dollars. “It is something that varies considerably,” Sallade said. While the bulk of his postcard
collection is from what Sallade calls “the golden age of postcards,” between 1900 and 1915, he certainly does not shy away from new postcards. “I buy new ones too, because some day they are going to be old,” he said. He stores the postcards in notebooks that have plastic liners to protect each card and has the chance to display the cards at his postcard club’s monthly meetings. Sallade is president of the club. He is also one of the youngest members, with the average age of the 45 club members being between 65 and 70 years. The club has been around for more than 30 years and meets monthly at a local church. “We welcome anybody to come to visit,” said Sallade. “We have a speaker every month or sometimes we do a display. This month everyone will be displaying their Thanksgiving or Christmas postcards.” Sometimes the club holds events where vendors come to purchase postcards from the club members. He said there are postcard clubs that meet in York, Lancaster, and Carlisle. And although so much of the world is switching to digital, postcard collectors like Sallade say that the postcard is something that will always be around. “I think there is always an interest in a postcard of some place where someone went to visit,” said Sallade. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 20
WORD SEARCH
Across
SUDOKU
1. Texas shrine 6. History 10. Punches 14. Famous prize 15. Folk singer Guthrie 16. Orem location 17. Dispensed, with “out” 18. Tidy 19. Showy flower 20. Sampras of tennis 21. Bonanza’s Blocker 22. Bites 23. Ocean 25. Little piggies Down
27. 31. 35. 36. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 48. 49. 51. 53.
Fragrances Rooms at the top Ripped Attributes Pecan, for one Swear Coffee holder Old hairstyle Nourished Go to a meeting Mexican money California city Worshipped British school
55. 56. 58. 60. 64. 65. 66. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73.
Altar words Ivy, for instance Possess Stumble Fireplace need Long story Fatigued Fem. suffix Plateau Make happy Forest denizen Consumes Thick
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 22. 24.
26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 32. 33. 34. 37. 38. 39. 43. 45. 46. 47.
Food grain Office workers Lid Wear away Modern Gather Jinx Remained upright Furrow “___ we there, yet?” Lodge Military address inits. Poker stake Also Parent
50. 52. 54. 55. 56. 57. 59. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 67.
Return to ___ Line type Slangy negatives Peruvian indians Cast a ballot Tiny amount Like an owl Agitate Persia, now Dogs and cats, e.g. Spider’s home Flightless bird A Summer Place star Sandra
Joiner Fastener Competent Encounter Most elderly Chinese zoo attraction Domain Bias Small child Magistrate Upon Freshwater fish Haggard novel Fishing aids NY summer hrs.
Your ad could be here! Sponsor the Puzzle Page! Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
19
Fragments of History
The Christmas Tree: An American Tradition Victor M. Parachin n 1851, Mark Carr, a logger from New York’s Catskill Mountains, created the first Christmas tree lot. In order to make a little extra money over the holiday, he rented sidewalk space in New York City. His rental expense for the season was a mere $1. Day after day, he sold his cut trees to city dwellers. Over the years, Carr’s concept of placing a holiday tree inside the home would expand across the country, making the Christmas tree an American tradition. One poll reveals that nearly 85 percent of all American homes contain a decorated tree at Christmastime, totaling between 80 and 90 million decorated trees. Although the Christmas tree is associated with a major Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Christ, the origin of placing a festive tree in the home goes back to the Vikings. In Scandinavian countries, winter was cold and bleak, and days were short. In some areas, the sun disappeared for weeks at a time, creating a perpetual night. Every community experienced the death of several villagers and many animals. Yet, the Vikings found a point of hope and comfort in the evergreen tree. They noted that the evergreen not only survived one harsh winter after another, but also continued to grow and thrive in spite of the season. Consequently, the Vikings began to cut down evergreens and place them in their homes. There, the tree would be a daily symbol of hope. Along with the Vikings, other Europeans were intrigued by the mystery
20
to his mind. He quickly cut down a small tree and brought it home for his family. Luther covered it with lit candles and then used the tree as an object lesson to explain the faith. He taught his family that the tree, whose evergreen color never faded, was like God’s love, which would never fade away no matter what life’s circumstances were. The lit candles were representative of Jesus Christ, who was the “light of the world.” For Luther, the tree was symbolical of the entire Christian faith and not just Christmas. It is in Germany where the earliest historical reference to a Christmas tree first appears. In 1561 at Alsace a law was passed limiting each “burgher” or resident to only one Christmas tree. The law further stipulated the tree could be no more than “eight shoes” in height. Evidently, the custom of bringing a live tree into the home was so popular that deforestation was becoming an issue. From Germany the custom of a Christmas tree spread all over western Europe. By 1837, a Christmas tree was being used in France. In 1840 England’s Queen Victoria and her German-born husband-to-be, Prince Albert, celebrated Christmas with a decorated tree.
In the United States, the first Christmas trees were introduced during the American Revolution by German mercenaries fighting for the Colonial army. The concept of using a live tree at Christmas did not catch on with the early Americans, and the tree returned to Germany with the mercenaries at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. Around 1820, German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought the tree back, and this time it caught on. By the 1840s, the Christmas tree was widely known in the United States. An 1845 children’s book, Kriss Kringle’s Christmas Tree, helped further propel popularity of the tree. The earliest American trees were short and small, often displayed on tables. Americans gradually switched to larger trees placed in stands on the floor because they had an ever-increasing variety of ornaments to place on them. Those early trees were decorated with gingerbread, pretzels, cookies, apples, lemons, oranges, figs, strings of cranberries or popcorn, candy, dolls, paper roses, glass balls, and ornaments made of eggshells or cotton. As the Christmas tree made its way into American homes and hearts, some clergy voiced opposition to what they declared was originally a pagan custom. However, the Christmas tree began to appear in churches during the holiday season. From its humble beginnings as a symbol of hope and strength for the ancient Vikings, the Christmas tree has evolved to become the central symbol of the world’s most celebrated holiday.
Puzzles shown on page 19
Puzzle Solutions
I
of the tree that stayed green throughout the winter. Many of them included the evergreen as part of their pagan religious practices. It is through those pagan customs that the evergreen made its way into Christianity. There are various legends that offer explanations for the origins of the “Christmas tree,” as it came to be called. One of those legends involved St. Boniface (675754), a British monk who traveled across Europe as a missionary. One Christmas Eve he came across some German-speaking people who were preparing a human sacrifice before an oak tree. According to legend, he struck the oak a single blow with his axe and felled the tree. Impressed by his miraculous powers, the people abandoned human sacrifice and embraced Christianity. Boniface pointed to a small evergreen fir tree, instructing them to make that tree a symbol of their new faith and to use it when celebrating the birth of Christ. Another legend about the Christmas tree is tied to Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther (1483-1546). On Christmas Eve, he was walking through the woods when the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of the fir trees moved him deeply. An idea came
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Cumberland County
Calendar of Events PA State Parks in Cumberland County
Senior Center Activities
Dec. 2 and 9, 1 to 5 p.m. – Holiday Open House of Cameron-Masland Mansion, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville
AARP Driver Safety Programs
Carlisle Senior Action Center – (717) 249-5007 20 E. Pomfret St., Carlisle
For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. Dec. 1 and 8, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Silver Spring Township Building, 5 Willow Mill Park Road, Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-1657, ext. 2503 Dec. 12, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Silver Spring Township Building, 5 Willow Mill Park Road, Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-1657, ext. 2503
Programs and Support Groups Through Jan. 5 Holiday Exhibit: Civil War Christmas Cumberland County Historical Society 21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle (717) 249-7610 Dec. 4, 7 p.m. CanSurmount Cancer Support Group HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd. Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786 Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m. Too Sweet: Diabetes Support Group Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road Camp Hill (717) 557-9041
Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to noon Holiday Family Program Cumberland County Historical Society 21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle (717) 249-7610 Dec. 8, noon to 2 p.m. Presentation – Thornwald: A Testament of the Sadler Legacy History on High – The Shop 33 W. High St., Carlisle (717) 249-1626 Dec. 9, 3 p.m. “Blue Christmas Service of Hope” for the Grieving Community United Methodist Church 16th and Bridge streets New Cumberland (717) 774-1609
Free and open to the public. Dec. 12, 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. Dec. 12, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group of Central PA HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd. Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624 Dec. 18, 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Mary Schaner Senior Citizens Center – (717) 732-3915 98 S. Enola Drive, Enola Mechanicsburg Place – (717) 697-5947 97 W. Portland St., Mechanicsburg Southampton Place – (717) 530-8217, www.seniors.southamptontwp.com 56 Cleversburg Road, Shippensburg Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m. – Spaghetti Luncheon Dec. 18, 8:30 a.m. – Local Caroling Dec. 20, 9:30 a.m. – Christmas Party and Dinner West Shore Senior Citizens Center – (717) 774-0409 122 Geary St., New Cumberland Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
Cumberland County 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 Dec. 19, 1 p.m. – Afternoon Classic Movies at Bosler Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 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
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
Let www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
help you get the word out!
(717) 770-0140
New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 Dec. 1 and 15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Library Book Sale Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m. – Mystery Discussion Group: Christmas Crime and Mistletoe Mayhem Dec. 17, 6 to 8 p.m. – Great Books Discussion Group: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers Shippensburg Public Library, 73 W. King St., Shippensburg, (717) 532-4508
50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
21
Savvy Senior
Vaccination Options for Seniors This Flu Season Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any new or different types of vaccines being recommended to seniors this flu season? – Health-Conscious Carol
Dear Carol, There are actually several different types of flu shots available to seniors this year, along with a new FDA-approved shot for pneumonia. Here are your options.
Celebrate Those Strongly Tied Knots!
Are you or is someone you know commemorating a special anniversary this year? Let 50plus Senior News help spread your news—for free! We welcome your anniversary announcements and photos. Anniversaries may be marking any number of years 15 and over. (Fields marked with an * are required.) *Anniversary (No. of years) _________________________________________ *Contact name __________________________________________________ E-mail ________________________ *Daytime phone ___________________ *Husband’s full name _____________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Wife’s full maiden name __________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Couple’s current city and state __________________________________________ *Marriage date_____________ Location ______________________________ Children (name and city/state for each)_________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Number of grandchildren________ Number of great-grandchildren___________ Photos must be at least 4x6'' and/or 300 dpi if submitted digitally. Completed information and photo can be emailed to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mailed to:
Anniversary Announcements 50plus Senior News 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your photo returned.
22
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
Flu Shots Just as they do every year, the CDC strongly recommends a seasonal flu shot to almost everyone, but it’s especially important for seniors who are more vulnerable. The flu puts more than 200,000 people in the hospital each year and kills around 24,000—90 percent of whom are seniors. This year, all seniors 65 and older have two flu vaccine options from which to choose: a traditional flu shot or a shot of Fluzone High-Dose. The high-dose vaccine contains four times the amount of antigen (the part of the vaccine that prompts the body to make antibody) as a regular flu shot does, which creates a stronger immune response for better protection. And if you’re under age 65, your two options are a regular flu shot or a shot of Fluzone Intradermal. The intradermal vaccine uses a shorter, thinner needle to inject the vaccine just under the skin, rather than deeper in the muscle like standard flu shots. If you’re squeamish about needles, this is a nice option. You also need to be aware that if you’re allergic to chicken eggs or if you have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past, you should not get vaccinated without consulting your doctor first. To locate a vaccination site that offers regular, high-dose, and intradermal flu shots, ask your doctor or pharmacist or check the online flu-shot locator (www.flu.gov). Most chains like CVS, Walgreens, Safeway, Kmart, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Kroger offer all types of shots. You’ll also be happy to know that if you’re a Medicare beneficiary, Part B will cover 100 percent of the costs of any flu shot. But if you’re not covered, you can
expect to pay around $25 to $35 for a regular or intradermal flu shot or $50 to $60 for a shot of the high-dose. Pneumonia Vaccine The other important vaccination the CDC recommends to seniors—especially this time of year—is the pneumococcal vaccine for pneumonia and meningitis. Pneumococcal diseases hospitalize around 300,000 U.S. seniors each year and kill around 5,000. The CDC currently recommends all seniors 65 or older get a one-time-only shot of the vaccine Pneumovax, as well as those under 65 who smoke or have chronic health conditions like asthma, lung and heart disease, diabetes, or a weakened immune system. Pneumovax, which protects against 23 strains of the pneumococcal disease, is also covered 100 percent under Medicare Part B, and you can get it on the same day you get your flu shot. If you’re not covered by insurance, this vaccine costs around $45 to $85 at retail clinics. You also need to know that this year, there’s an alternative pneumococcal vaccine available to people age 50 and older called Prevnar 13. This vaccine, which has been available to children for several years, may provide seniors longerlasting and better protection against pneumonia than Pneumovax. Talk to your doctor to determine which pneumonia vaccine is best for you. Prevnar 13 is also covered by most insurers, including Medicare Part B, but if you aren’t covered, the shot runs between $100 and $150. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Power Lift Chairs
Area’s Largest Selection & Best Prices! Choose the Ultimate Power Lift & Power Recline Chair by UltraComfort™ America
Holiday Program Helps Struggling Seniors From left, Jen Robertson, Members 1st Federal Credit Union; Connie Kay, BASTAS coordinator; Kendra Koser, community liaison; and Lynne Kay, marketing manager, at the Members 1st Federal Credit Union on Carlisle Pike in Mechanicsburg.
With so many older adults living alone and in poverty, some Cumberland and Perry County seniors will undoubtedly be struggling to make ends meet this holiday season. That’s why the area Home Instead Senior Care office has partnered with retailers and community organizations to make sure isolated seniors receive gifts and companionship through the Be a Santa to a Senior program. With the support of the Cumberland and Perry County offices of aging, the Super Secret Santa Squad of the Dauphin County Courthouse, local nursing homes with residents
who are financially challenged, and area retailers, volunteers, and members of the community, the local Home Instead Senior Care office is collecting gifts to seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone. Community members are asked to take an ornament off one of the Be a Santa to a Senior trees in Cumberland County locations of Kmart, Members 1st Federal Credit Union, and Drayer Physical Therapy, as well as Bethany Village and Odyssey Hospice. After purchasing the gift, return it to the tree with the ornament attached. Volunteers are also needed to help wrap the gifts received. Wrapping event dates, times, and locations can be found at http://homeinstead.com/242. The Home Instead Senior Care office will then enlist the volunteer help of its staff, senior-care business associates, and others to distribute the gifts.
FR DELIVEE & SET ERY WITH U T HIS P A D
www.sofasunlimited.com • 717-761-7632
“Providing quality care you can depend on at prices you can afford.” Providing skilled nursing & non-medical in-home support
If you have local news you’d like considered for
Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com
Safe Eviction Treatments for Ants Most of us don’t want to share a home with ants, but we don’t want to douse the place with insecticide either. Keeping your sinks and counters dry and clean is a good start. Here are a few natural treatments to keep ants at bay: Cinnamon. Place a few cinnamon sticks anywhere you spot ants crawling into your house. The pleasant odor will send ants away. (Garlic cloves work as well, though you may not enjoy the scent as much.) www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Vinegar. Spray some apple or white vinegar on areas where ants have set up shop. Black pepper. Sprinkle a little pepper when you see ants. Watch where they run to, and treat that area as well to prevent them from returning.
Friendly faces, helping hands, warm hearts. That’s what we at Safe Haven bring to our clients.
24/7/365 Skilled Nursing • Personal Care • Homemaking Respite Care • Errands • Chores • Companionship Medicare Certified ~ Free Consultations ~
Safe Haven Skilled Services LLC Safe Haven Quality Care LLC Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties
Mint. The scent of mint can disrupt ants’ sense of smell. Plant mint outside, especially near doors and windows, and place a few mint leaves in and around your windows.
Caregivers are supervised, licensed, bonded & insured
phone:
717-582-9977
www.safehavenqualitycare.com 50plus SeniorNews ›
December 2012
23
An active, pain-free future is waiting for you. Spine, Bone & Joint Institutes: for a quicker response to your orthopedic and spine needs Designed by patients and caregivers, our new Spine and Orthopedic unit at Harrisburg Hospital offers the most advanced, sophisticated technology in a comfortable, patient-focused, family-oriented environment. Everything, from the spacious rooms with flat-screen TVs to an innovative call button system, was created to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.
Experience and Skill Çľ Č¤É€ÉƒČś ČžČ˛ČťÉ€Éƒ ȝɀȺȿɅ ÉƒČśÉ Č˝Č˛Č´ČśČžČśČżÉ…É„ ɅȚȲȿ ȲȿɊ É€É…ČšČśÉƒ Pennsylvania hospital Çľ ČŤÉƒČśČ˛É…É„ É€ÉƒÉ…ČšÉ€É ČśČľČşČ´ É Č˛É…ČşČśČżÉ…É„ ȲȿȿɆȲȽȽɊ Çľ Č§ČśÉƒČˇÉ€ÉƒČžÉ„ ɅɀɅȲȽ ȝɀȺȿɅ É ÉƒÉ€Č´ČśČľÉ†ÉƒČśÉ„ ȲȿȿɆȲȽȽɊ Çľ ȌȿȜ ɀȡ ɅȚȜ É…É€É ČšÉ€É„É ČşÉ…Č˛Č˝É„ Ⱥȿ ȧȜȿȿɄɊȽɇȲȿȺȲ ČˇÉ€Éƒ É„É ČşČżČś surgery Çľ ȌȿȜ ɀȡ ɅɈɀ ČšÉ€É„É ČşÉ…Č˛Č˝É„ Ⱥȿ ȧȜȿȿɄɊȽɇȲȿȺȲ É…É€ ÉƒČśČ´ČśČşÉ‡Čś certification in Spine Surgery from the Joint Commission
Know us before you need us.
pinnaclehealth.org/vision2017
The NEW Spine and Bone & Joint Institute floor at Harrisburg Hospital features the latest in patient care and comfort, including a special area for family members, inpatient rehabilitation right on the unit, and spacious rooms to include everything you need for a quicker recovery. 24
December 2012
50plus SeniorNews ›
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com