Dauphin County 50plus LIFE January 2020

Complimentary | Dauphin County Edition

January 2020 • Vol. 22 No. 1

Are you ha Medica ppy with you r re cove rage?

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Read It, Love It, Pass It On page 4

Silver Anniversary: 50plus Life Turns 25 page 2

Gambling Problems in Older Adults page 11

Silver Celebration

25 Years of 50 plus LIFE and On-Line Publishers It is with great excitement and gratitude that we at On-Line Publishers, Inc. celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2020.

When President and CEO Donna Anderson began OnLine Publishers and its flagship publication, then called Senior News, from her home in 1995, it would have been impossible to predict the trajectory the fledgling company would take over the course of 2.5 decades.

From 1995-2005, Senior News’ coverage would expand to embrace six central Pennsylvania counties. Now called 50plus LIFE, the newsprint magazine’s current six-county coverage umbrella includes Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties.

OLP’s line of niche publications eventually grew to include BusinessWoman, a professional women’s magazine; b magazine, a full-gloss, lifestyle baby boomer publication produced from 2008-16; 50plus Living, an annual guide of residences and care options; and beyond50, a county-specific directory of information about

local products, services, and support, as well as other annual specialty inserts.

In 1997, OLP branched out into events; the first 50plus EXPO (then called Celebrate Seniority Expo) brought businesses and the community together for face-toface interaction.

There are now six 50plus EXPOs, four Women’s Expos, and five Veterans’ Expo & Job Fairs each year.

The years have brought growth and transformation to our business, but our core mission remains unchanged: to spread needed information and foster community connectivity while uplifting the mind, heart, and spirit of the people we serve.

We were honored to receive these proclamations from the Office of the Governor and the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania commemorating On-Line Publishers’ 25 years.

And special thanks to you, the central Pennsylvania community, for making our silver anniversary possible!

25 th

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Balance: The Often-Ignored Element of Fitness

By Kathleen Trotter Balance training is a crucial — and too often ignored — element of training.

Too often we associate “working out” solely with traditional gym exercises, such as cardio, squats, lunges, weight machines, and stretching … all (obviously) critical, but not at the expense of balance training.

Being able to bench press a certain weight or spend 30 minutes on the elliptical become fairly useless if you fall over putting away the weights or getting on and off the elliptical.

Start to think of balance training as a “nonnegotiable” — the fourth “pillar” of fitness that is as important as strength training, cardiovascular training, and flexibility.

Why? Balance training is hugely functional, in large part because balance and proprioception are intrinsically linked.

Balance training improves the feedback loop (proprioception) between your body and your brain. This loop allows your brain to know where your body is positioned in space, thus allowing your brain to instruct the body to “turn on” specific muscles.

By challenging and training your balance, you also fine-tune your proprioception.

This proprioceptive neurological feedback loop is vital for everything from athletic maneuvers, to fall prevention, to improved posture, to injury prevention and foot strength.

Fall prevention is key, especially as we age. According to the CDC, each year over 300,000 older people — those 65 and older — are hospitalized for hip fractures. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling.

A study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada followed up with more than 500 hip-fracture patients a year after their fractures.

Of community-dwelling hip-fracture patients more than 50 years of age, 20% had died, 5% had had a second fracture, and 20% had been institutionalized. The outcomes were even worse for those in long-term care.

Ways to Improve Your Balance For all outlined exercises, allow yourself to (appropriately) wobble outside your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to let yourself get slightly unstable. If you were training your biceps, you would let your muscles get tired.

Embrace that you have to let yourself fall out of balance (slightly) to train balance — it is the “righting” element of wobbling and then catching yourself that helps your balance get stronger.

Incorporate a few balance drills into your workout warm-up or while you brush your teeth or wait for the elevator. Warming up the loop between your brain and body will help you perform better during the rest of your workout and your day! please see Balance page 26

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

Emergency Central Pennsylvania Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383

CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007

Social Security Information (800) 772-1213

Healthcare Information Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY HOME IMPROVEMENT West Shore Home 5024 Simpson Ferry Road Mechanicsburg (717) 937-1148

Arthritis Foundation Central Pennsylvania Chapter (717) 763-0900

PACE (800) 225-7223

Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania (717) 238-2531

Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 Capital Blue (888) 989-9015 (TTY: 711)

Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130 The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678 Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA

Medicare (800) 633-4227

Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555

Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902

Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325

Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 Harrisburg (717) 221-7890

Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902

Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments 130 S. Third St., Harrisburg (717) 232-7516

Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com

National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 or (800) 827-1000 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771

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

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Cover Story

Read It, Love It, Pass It On Corporate Office

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

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson

EDITORIAL

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

ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Renee McWilliams Production Artists Connie Molitor Lauren Phillips

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall

Member of

Awards

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

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

Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication.

On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.

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By Bart A. Stump Read it. Love it. Pass many, many books and it on. A premise that can our neighbors down the change a child’s world. street did not,” Rengert These simple words says. are found on a sticker Rengert had heard of attached to each book a group in the Midwest stored in a brightly that was providing free decorated cardboard box children’s books to located in a neighborhood impoverished caregivers, laundromat. This and an idea was spawned. inspiring message is the With the luxury of time guiding principle of the that retirement brings, Laundromat Library Rengert teamed up with A child enjoys LLL-supplied books inside a League. longtime friend Iacobucci laundromat in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Established in 2014, to create a plan. the LLL is the brainchild of co-founders Arlene “In the early summer of 2014, Karen and I were Rengert and Karen Iacobucci, both of southeastern chatting and reinforced the idea … We settled on Pennsylvania. It has one primary mission: making laundromats as logical distribution sites because children’s books available to children in homes that caregivers who have no laundry appliances at home have few or none. probably also lack children’s books and/or the time A decorated “library box” containing 60 books and budget to take children to libraries.”

— ranging from board books for toddlers, picture They shared the idea with friends, neighbors, and books for beginning readers, chapter books for anyone else who would listen — and the LLL came independent readers, and full-length books for teens to fruition. in both fiction and nonfiction topics — is placed in There are currently more than 200 LLL sites a laundromat once the owner has given permission. scattered across 26 states, most of which are in Signs on the box encourage children and southeast Pennsylvania. The books come from a caregivers to read a book there, take it home, and variety of sources, including libraries, schools, book pass it on to someone else. Books don’t need to be sale leftovers, youth groups, and private donations. returned, just utilized. Once or twice a month, a Over 100,000 books have been donated so far. volunteer steward refreshes the contents of the box, Hundreds of additional books in Spanish or with straightens the area, and removes anything that multicultural themes or images have been purchased doesn’t belong. to enrich the libraries. Financial support comes While volunteers are the backbone of the LLL, from donors, businesses, restaurant fundraisers, Rengert is its heart and soul. Raised in suburban youth organizations, and grants.

Illinois, she grew up in a town with a welcoming In 2016 the LLL incorporated as a 501(c)3 library and parents that read to her every evening. nonprofit so that monetary donations are tax Earning higher-education degrees in geography deductible. The basic operating budget covers and demography, she would go on to chair the storage rental, insurance, materials needs, and Department of Geography and Planning at West website maintenance but does not include purchase Chester University. While raising five children with of books or postage to mail them to distant sites. her spouse, George, their home was full of books.

There is no paid staff, and a local school provides “Reading to children was probably my favorite no-cost space for sorting and assembly of books and thing to do,” Rengert says. for dropping off book donations. The school is also Her favorite childhood book? where the decorated, filled boxes and replacement “The Little Engine that Could. The ‘I think I sets of books await pickup by volunteers who deliver can, I think I can’ is still something I quietly say to to local sites. myself when confronted with a problem.”

Over 500 volunteers ranging in age from 8-80 The problem became apparent early on. collect and organize the books, recruit and steward “My years in West Philadelphia as a young laundromats, or donate funds or their professional mother probably were when I became personally skills, such as graphic arts, accounting, translation, exposed to the greater advantages in reading and and the like. education that some children have. We had friends In September of each year there is a potluck social of all income levels and races, and yet our house had held to celebrate the LLL’s anniversary, where all www.50plusLifePA.com

participants within driving distance are invited. Twice-monthly updates are sent out with news and needs.

When asked what she considers the LLL’s greatest success to be, Rengert answers, “Growing itself.”

Rengert shares the story of a thirdgrade teacher at a backyard barbecue who related a story to gathered friends. The teacher had assigned students to bring to class something from home that they really loved and to explain why they loved it. One child brought in a book with the LLL book sticker on the front.

“This is my book,” he said. “It’s my only book, and that’s why I love it.”

As a result of hearing this story, a gentleman who had not previously heard of the LLL acquired a $500 grant for the organization.

Rengert listed multiple examples of individuals and groups that have helped grow the LLL. This continuing growth is what keeps Rengert motivated.

“Before I die, I want to have children’s books in at least one

Volunteers assemble collections of children’s books into boxes for placements in laundromats.

Laundromat Library League volunteers maintain a book-collection box at a local senior center.

Members of the Crow Peak Valley Rangers 4H Club in Whitewood, S.D., some of the LLL’s newest and youngest participants.

laundromat in all 50 states,” she says.

The growth and success of the program is getting noticed. In 2015 the LLL received a literacy award from the Keystone State Literacy Association.

Additionally, last March, the LLL was invited to send representation to the LaundryCares Foundation’s Literacy Summit. Here, laundromat owners partnered with the Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail initiative and Libraries Without Borders to enhance early literacy efforts in local communities across the country.

The LLL (www. laundromatlibraryleague.org) is always looking for volunteers and donations. They can be reached at laundromatlibrary@gmail.com or by calling (610) 696-2282.

On the cover: Arlene Rengert, co-founder of the Laundromat Library League, with LLL books available inside the Family Laundromat in West Chester, Pa.

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Dauphin County

Calendar of Events

Support Groups Free and open to the public Mondays, 7 p.m.

Nar-Anon: Fellowship for those Affected by Someone Else’s Addiction Holy Name of Jesus Church (in school library) 6150 Allentown Blvd., Harrisburg (717) 307-5413 angelk0501@aol.com Tuesdays, 9 a.m.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Church of the Redeemer 500 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey (781) 932-6300 www.foodaddicts.org Tuesdays, noon Al-Anon Family Group at Work Meeting Penn State Hershey Medical Center Seventh Floor, Room C7521 500 University Drive, Hershey (717) 448-7881 Other meeting times/locations at https://pa-al-anon.org Wednesdays, 6 p.m.

Swatara Serenity Al-Anon Family Group Meeting Unitarian Church of Harrisburg 1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg (717) 448-7881 Other meeting times/locations at https://pa-al-anon.org Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.

Adult Children of Alcoholics Support Group St. Mark’s Lutheran Church 2200 Londonderry Road

Harrisburg (717) 526-9252 ymt57@comcast.net Jan. 2, 7-8 p.m.

Fibromyalgia Support Group LeVan Chiropractic 1000 Briarsdale Road, Suite C Harrisburg (717) 558-3500 Jan. 3, 10:30 a.m.

Parkinson’s Disease Support Group Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital Second Floor – Pinnacle Conference Room 2 4300 Londonderry Road Harrisburg (717) 216-2730 elcassel@simpson-rehab.com Jan. 8, 6-7 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Support Group Brookdale Harrisburg 3560 N. Progress Ave., Harrisburg (717) 671-4700 Jan. 14, 6-7 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Greenfield Senior Living at Graysonview 150 Kempton Ave., Harrisburg (717) 561-8010 Jan. 15, 2-4 p.m.

Parkinson’s Support Group The Residence of the Jewish Home Second Floor Library 4004 Linglestown Road Harrisburg (717) 697-2513

Senior Center Activities Jan. 15, 7-8:30 p.m.

ANAD Eating Disorders Support Group PinnacleHealth Polyclinic Landis Building, Sixth Floor Classroom 1 2501 N. Third St., Harrisburg (717) 712-9535 Jan. 16, 6 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Support Group Country Meadows of Hershey Second Floor Training Room 451 Sand Hill Road, Hershey (717) 533-6996 astoner@countrymeadows.com Jan. 16, 6-8 p.m.

Harrisburg Area Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver Support Group Giant Food Stores – Second Floor 2300 Linglestown Road Harrisburg (717) 580-7772 Jan. 20, 6:30 p.m.

Support Group for Families of Those with Memory-Related Illnesses Frey Village 1020 N. Union St., Middletown (717) 930-1218 Jan. 29, 7-8 p.m.

Connections Support Group: Families of Memory Impaired Ecumenical Retirement Community Building 3, Second Floor 3525 Canby St., Harrisburg (717) 561-2590

Community Programs Free and open to the public Jan. 2, 7 p.m.

Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable Meeting Grace United Methodist Church 433 E. Main St., Hummelstown (717) 503-2862 charlie.centralpaww2rt@gmail.com www.centralpaww2roundtable.org Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.

Central Pennsylvania Vietnam Roundtable Meeting Vietnam Veterans of America Michael Novosel MOH Chapter 542 8000 Derry St., Harrisburg (717) 545-2336 centralpavietnamrt@verizon.net www.centralpavietnamroundtable.org Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Middletown St. Peter’s Lutheran Church

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Spring and Union streets, Middletown (717) 915-5555 gsk1308@gmail.com Jan. 28, 6 p.m.

Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Bass Pro Shop – Hunt Room Harrisburg Mall 3501 Paxton St., Harrisburg (717) 805-9540

Parks & Recreation Jan. 14, 7-8:30 p.m. – Winter Lecture Series: Eastern Hemlock – Our State Tree, Wildwood Park Jan. 28, 7-8:30 p.m. – Winter Lecture Series: White-Tailed Deer – Our State Animal, Wildwood Park

Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8-9 a.m. – Light Aerobics Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. – Mah Jong Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002 www.mohlerseniorcenter.com Jan. 17, 11 a.m. – Movie and Munchies at Mohler: Poms Jan. 20, noon – Gift Game Lunch Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682 www.rutherfordcenter.org Weekdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Billiards (Open to Members) Mondays, 10 a.m. – Line Dancing Mondays and Fridays, 11 a.m. – Chair Yoga

Library Programs East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 Jan. 5, 2-4 p.m. – Crazy for Coloring Jan. 11, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Cocoa and Snowflakes Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 Thursdays starting Jan. 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Midday Getaway Jan. 25, 11 a.m. to noon – Cocoa and Snowflakes Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658 Jan. 21, 6-7 p.m. – Cocoa and Snowflakes Kline Library, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934 Jan. 14, 6-7 p.m. – Cocoa and Snowflakes Jan. 22, 6-8 p.m. – Knit 1, Crochet Too! Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286 Jan. 27, 6-7 p.m. – Cookbook Book Club: Soup’s On McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976 Wednesdays starting Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Midday Getaway Jan. 17, 6-7:30 p.m. – RPG Night Middletown Public Library, 20 N. Catherine St., Middletown, (717) 944-6412 Northern Dauphin Library, 683 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315 Jan. 27, 3-7 p.m. – Blood Drive Jan. 29, 6-7 p.m. – Cookbook Book Club: Soup’s On William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 Jan. 7, 6:30-8 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club Jan. 21, 1-3 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Too Book Club

Send event submissions to

mjoyce@onlinepub.com www.50plusLifePA.com

Grief Relief

Tips for Facing the New Year While Grieving Victor M. Parachin

Grieving is taxing on mind, body, and spirit. While it can be tough to face each new day, the challenge can feel enormous when January emerges and a whole new year is stretching out before us.

Rather than allowing Jan. 1 to be a depressing date, consider these positive tips for facing the new year while still grieving.

2. Give yourself the mental rest you need. Grief is a powerfully negative experience. Work to soften that by engaging yourself with positive thoughts, positive people, positive reading material.

“Affirm the positive, visualize the positive, and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly.” – Remez Sasson, self-improvement author

1. Give yourself the physical rest you need. Grief is exhausting, so slow down your life and bring some relaxation into it, such taking time to read a book, view a movie, visit with a friend, and generally spend more time resting in your bed or on a sofa or armchair.

“Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.” – Walter Reisch, director and screenwriter

3. Give yourself the emotional rest you need. Rather than go it alone, consider meeting with a grief support group where the members share your burden, provide inspiration, and generate encouragement that you, too, can and will overcome grief.

“Ten minutes with a genuine friend is better than years spent with anyone less.” – Crystal Woods, author and public speaker please see New Year page 9

People are talking about us...

“A solid publication that is full of personality and useful information.”

“Columnists bring a wide set of interests and viewpoints.”

“The emphasis on variety seems to be a smart way to satisfy a diverse audience.”

On-line Publishers and 50plus LIFE just won 6 awards from the North American Mature Publishers Association!

50plus LIFE:

50plus Living:

• First Place: General Excellence

• OLP’s annual guide to residence and care options for the 50+ community won first place in its division in the Annual Senior Resource Guide or Directory – Design category.

• First Place: Best Overall Design • First Place: Front Cover Photo • First Place: Profile – “On Wings and Waves, His Life’s Path Led to Pa.” by Jason Tabor

Resource Directory for Caregivers, Aging, and the Disabled: • Produced in seven distinct county editions annually, the Resource Directory won second place in its division in the Annual Senior Resource Guide or Directory – Design category.

On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717-285-1350 www.50plusLifePA.com

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CROSSWORD

Puzzle Page

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 26 SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH

Alaska

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Please call (717) 770-0140 for more information.

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The Reel Deal

The Last Full Measure Randal Hill

In 1999, Todd Robinson, the director/screenwriter of decoration. On Dec. 8, 2000, the medal was posthumously The Last Full Measure, learned the story of William H. awarded to William H. Pitsenbarger, 34 years after his Pitsenbarger. Robinson had been researching a military death. movie and visiting training schools.

Robinson and producer Sidney Sherman pitched the “Nearly every place I went, the young trainees wanted movie idea to over 50 production companies, but nobody to be sure that I knew the story of William Pitsenbarger,” showed interest. Still, Robinson had such faith in Pits’s Robinson explained to Air Force Magazine. story that he went ahead and wrote a script anyway. He Called “Pits” by his comrades, the 21-year-old medic, then embarked on over a decade of arm-twisting to line up already a veteran of over 250 combat missions, was aboard funding. one of two helicopters summoned to evacuate wounded Finally, by 2017, things had fallen into place. Jeremy soldiers after they were ambushed in a Vietnam jungle in Irvine would portray Pits, with Christopher Plummer as April 1966.

Pits’s father and Diane Ladd as Pits’s mother. The cast was When the last helicopter was ready to lift off, the selfless rounded out with such acting icons as Samuel L. Jackson, Pits, already under heavy Viet Cong fire, volunteered to stay William Hurt, Ed Harris, and (in his final role) Peter Fonda. behind to tend to the wounded and hold off the advancing The Last Full Measure story unfolds through the enemy. He was killed within 90 minutes. perspective of Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan), a young Robinson later heard the airman’s father, William F. Pentagon official assigned to investigate the unique and Images © Lionsgate or related entities. Used for “Frank” Pitsenbarger, speak about his son’s legacy at a New complicated case that sought the elevating of the prestigious publicity and promotional purposes. https://www. movieinsider.com/photos/552172 Mexico airbase. award.

“The whole thing jelled for me at that moment,” said Roadside Attractions executives Howard Cohen and Eric Robinson. “That’s when I knew there was a story to tell.” d’Arbeloff proclaim, “Everyone should know about William Pitsenbarger’s The narrative was compelling to Robinson, as was the aftermath tale, when bravery and life, and it’s a privilege to bring this film to theaters, where it wives of the surviving soldiers learned that Pits had been given an Air Force should be seen.”

Cross — the second highest honor — for his ultimate sacrifice. It wasn’t good The movie opens nationwide on Jan. 17. enough, they protested.

Randal C. Hill enjoys getting sneak peeks of forthcoming movies from his home on Encouraged by their spouses, numerous veterans subsequently petitioned the Oregon coast. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Congress to elevate Pits to the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest

New Year from page 7 4. Give yourself the spiritual rest you need. If being part of a faith community has been important to you, remain connected. Worship, pray, study religious texts, consult with your spiritual leader. If you’re the type of person who feels more spiritual than religious, consider spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga, and spending ample time outdoors in nature.

“You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.” – Swami Vivekananda, Hindu monk 5. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. No person grieves perfectly. Grief recovery is a work in progress. There will be some stumbles. Be OK with those.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world.

You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.” – Neil Gaiman, author 6. Give yourself the choice to heal. While the majority of grievers get through bereavement successfully, there are some who remain “stuck” with their grief.

The difference between the two comes down to choice: Give yourself the choice to adjust, adapt, and move your life forward.

“You can’t go back. You don’t get a do-over. This happened to you. So now www.50plusLifePA.com

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what? Do you choose to live in pain and grief, or do you choose to heal? Make the choice, every day, every hour, sometimes every minute.” – Amy Florian, author 7. Give yourself the gift of patience. It’s going to take time to heal because the death of a loved one is deeply painful.

Pace yourself. Avoid pressuring yourself to “get over it.” And, don’t allow family and friends to rush you through grief, however well-meaning they may be.

“Recovery and adjustment can take much longer than most people realize.

We need to accept whatever form it takes, both in ourselves and in others.” – Julia Samuel, psychotherapist 8. Give yourself the freedom to express gratitude. A small dose of gratitude can offset a large volume of sadness.

“Even in the toughest of times, there is something for which you can be thankful. What can you give thanks for today? Did support come from an unexpected place? Did someone say exactly what you needed to hear? Did a robin stop and sing on your windowsill? Blessings come in many forms. You may even wish to begin a gratitude journal in which you record how each day blessed you. Gratitude heals at a very deep level.” – Donna Miesbach, author Victor M. Parachin, M.Div., is a grief counselor, bereavement educator, and author of several books, including Healing Grief.

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Telescope Technology Captures Glaucoma-Related Eye Structure Using methods originally It also makes it difficult to developed by astronomers to study why certain glaucoma view stars more clearly through treatments that target the Earth’s atmosphere, optometry trabecular meshwork — such researchers at Indiana as laser therapies or invasive University have taken the surgical procedures — fail first undistorted microscopic while others succeed. images of a part of the eye More effective treatments involved in glaucoma. for glaucoma are needed The ability to clearly view since the number of people this structure — known as with the condition worldwide the trabecular meshwork — is expected to rise from could help improve treatment 76 million in 2020 to for glaucoma. The work is over 111 million in 2040, reported in the journal of disproportionally affecting Translational Vision Science and Blind spots and loss of peripheral vision occur when people in Asia and Africa. glaucoma damages the fibers of the optic nerve.

Technology.

In the U.S., it’s estimated “Normally, clear fluid that over 3 million people circulates inside the eye to currently have glaucoma, January is National supply nutrition and keep costing the economy over Glaucoma Awareness Month it ‘inflated’ to its normal $1.5 billion annually. shape,” said Dr. Brett King, To view the trabecular chief of advanced ocular care services and associate meshwork, IU researchers modified an existing clinical professor at the IU School of Optometry, who coophthalmic laser microscope with a programmable authored the study. mirror able to deform in real time to correct for the eye’s “Alterations of the trabecular meshwork, which allows imperfections. fluid to drain, elevate pressure in the eye, leading to Astronomers designed the laser to correct for the glaucoma. The problem is the meshwork can only be same atmospheric distortions that make stars appear to seen poorly with the normal instruments in your doctor’s twinkle. office, due to its location where the iris inserts into the “Thanks to this research, the ocular drainage area of wall of the eye, as well as the near-total reflection that the eye can now be seen with much-improved clarity, occurs when looking through the cornea.” which will improve our understanding of how this The result of this low visibility is a lack of essential drainage area is being altered or damaged with understanding about why age appears to cause the age,” King said. trabecular meshwork to function poorly.

Reading Makes People Better, Study Suggests Do you read a lot? If so, chances are you’re more kind and empathetic than most people, according to a study reported on the Peace Quarters website.

Researchers in Great Britain asked 123 people about their reading or television-watching habits.

Then they analyzed participants’ social skills, asking questions like, “How often do you consider other people’s points of view versus your own?” and “Do you go out of your way to actively help others?”

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The results showed that the book readers, usually considered introverted and antisocial, displayed more empathetic traits than people who primarily watch TV. The genre of books seemed to make a difference, with readers of romance and drama showing more empathy and skill at seeing things through another person’s eyes.

Of course, it could be that empathetic people tend to read more, instead of reading creating more empathy. Either way, it’s good news for bookworms. www.50plusLifePA.com

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller

How to Know When an Older Adult Has a Gambling Problem

Dear Savvy Senior, I’m worried that my 76-year-old husband has become addicted to gambling. He spends at least two days a week at an Indian casino about a half-hour’s drive from his house playing slot machines. What can I do?

– Worried Wife

Anonymous (www.gamblersanonymous.org) offers a 20-question online test that he can take to help determine if he has a problem.

In the meantime, here are some questions you can ask to help evaluate his situation.

• Is he preoccupied with gambling, constantly talking about it, or planning to gamble versus doing his normal activities?

Dear Worried, Problem gambling among older adults is unfortunately on the rise. Studies suggest that more than 4 million Americans age 65 and older could have a gambling problem.

The reasons behind this growing problem are because seniors have time and money on their hands, and the influx of casinos that have cropped up around the country have made access to gambling much more convenient.

Here’s what you should know, along with some tips and resources that can help your husband if he does indeed have a problem.

• Is he gambling more and more money to get the same level of excitement?

• Is he using his retirement funds or other savings to gamble, or is he pawning or selling personal items to get money to gamble with?

• Has he lost control to the point that he can’t set a limit of time and money to spend in the casino, and stick to it?

Problem Gambling For most older adults, gambling is simply a fun recreational activity, but for those who become addicted to it, it can be a devastating disease that can financially wipe them out.

There are a number of reasons why seniors can be vulnerable to gambling problems. For starters, seniors are often catered to by casinos with free bus transportation, free drinks, discounted meals, special rewards, and other prizes as a way to entice them.

In addition, many seniors use gambling as a way to distract or escape feelings of loneliness, depression, or even a chronic health condition. Some may have financial problems they are seeking to overcome. And some may have cognitive impairment that interferes with their ability to make sound decisions.

Adding to the problem is that many seniors may not understand addiction, making them less likely to identify a gambling problem. Or they may be confused or embarrassed that they can’t control their urges to gamble and reluctant to seek help because they think that at their age, they should know better.

And even if they recognize that they have a problem, they may not know that help is available or where to get it.

You should also know that while there are many gambling options for people to get hooked on today, casino slot machines are far and away the most popular among seniors.

Slot machines are much more addictive then the old machines of yesteryear with spinning lemons, cherries, and melons. Many of today’s slot machines offer intense sensory stimulation with large video screens, music, and vibrating, ergonomic chairs.

Get Help How can you know if your husband has a gambling problem? Gamblers www.50plusLifePA.com

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• Does he become uncomfortable or angry or does he lie when you ask him about his gambling activities?

If your husband answers yes to any of these questions, he may have a problem.

To find help, contact the National Council on Problem Gambling (www. ncpgambling.org), a nonprofit organization that operates a 24-hour national hotline at (800) 522-4700.

They can direct you to resources in your area, including counselors who have been trained through the National Certified Gambler Counseling Program.

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

Are You Reading?

Join the 2020 One Book, One Community campaign by reading Heartland by Sarah Smarsh.

40 libraries in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, York, and surrounding counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign.

Read the book in January and attend free library programs and discussions throughout February and early spring!

Photo credit: Michael Lionstar

Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more

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

January 2020

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

Please join us for these FREE events!

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April 4, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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21st Annual

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

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

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

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and more!

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717.770.0140

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(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240 12

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

aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com www.50plusLifePA.com

Department of Aging Warns Seniors of Genetic Testing Scam The Department of Aging is warning Pennsylvania seniors, their families, and caregivers about a new scam targeting older adults.

DNA testing has become extremely popular in the past few years for people looking to learn more about their family history and health, and scammers are now targeting Medicare beneficiaries with a fraudulent DNA-testing service.

These scammers offer “free” genetic testing, claiming it is covered through Medicare, as a means for the senior to avoid disease or to find the

right medications.

This is simply an effort to gain access to a senior’s personal Medicare information, which can lead to access to financial information and more.

The Administration for Community Living suggests the following tips to avoid being scammed: • Do not accept genetic testing services, including a cheek swab, from someone at a community event, a local fair, a farmer’s market, a parking lot, or any other large event. please see Testing Scam page 21

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Vibra Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans starting at $0*and include a Member Advocate.

A Member Advocate offers you: • Assistance with care navigation and resource referral • Personalized attention to get you to the right services at the right time • Information to make healthcare decisions that are right for you and your family • 7-day-a-week support Call now to reserve a seat at a seminar, or to learn more about how Vibra Health Plan is in your corner. 1-844-660-2961 (TTY 711) Vibra Health Plan is a PPO Plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Vibra Health Plan depends on contract renewal.

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

January 2020

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

Evelyn Ay – Where is She Now? October 2000 issue Mature Media Awards: Silver Award

By Meredith Westgate

It was September 1954 when 20-year-old Evelyn Ay, of Ephrata, became the pride of Lancaster County, and indeed, all of Pennsylvania. She was crowned Miss America in the Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Ephrata may not have ever before or since seen such a grand celebration as the one that took place the day she returned to her hometown. Sixty thousand people lined the streets for a parade of flower-studded floats while area high school marching bands played triumphant tunes.

Carlo M. Sardella, a Press staff writer, called Ay “the People’s Choice.” He wrote, “Riding on a wave of popularity that began with her first public appearance in the [Miss America] parade … Ay copped the Miss America title … before a cheering, whistling, full house.”

Ay earned her place in the finals by winning the first-night trophy in the swimsuit competition and earning top points in talent with her dramatic reading of Leaves from My House, a poem about a house and life in the South Pacific. But, it was in the question-and-answer period that Ay clinched the title.

“She came through with colors flying so high that there were expressions of amazement up and down press row,” Sardella wrote.

As the last Miss America to be crowned before the pageant was televised, Ay represented the end of an era. With the title, Ay was awarded a $5,000 scholarship, a car, and some $40,000 in personal appearance fees during her reign. She traveled 390,000 miles across the U.S., England, France, and Germany, serving as “the headliner” at festivals and charity events.

At the time of her crowning, Ay was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. She had never participated in a beauty pageant.

Approached by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Ephrata, she was persuaded to compete in the local competition.

Advancing to the Miss America pageant was “one big, giant step,” Ay said. Winning was “a serendipity” in her life.

With no expectation of winning the pageant, Ay had become engaged on the Saturday before the Miss America pageant. Her fiancé, Carl Sempier, was in officer candidate school at Penn. A November wedding was planned.

On the night of the pageant, Sempier and some friends gathered around a radio in Newport, Rhode Island. Ay earned a place in the top 10, the top five, and then the Miss America title.

Sempier’s friends told him “he was history,” Ay said, laughing. “They said if I was decent, maybe I would return the ring.”

Ay and Sempier postponed the wedding, seeing each other only four

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times that year.

“I looked the world over, but didn’t find anyone better,” she said. They married a year later.

From her home in Malvern, Pennsylvania (the Sempiers have resided in the Paoli area since 1962), Ay reflected on the Miss America pageant.

The first pageant (1921) was organized by the merchants of Atlantic City to celebrate the most beautiful time of year, Ay said. The first contestants were daughters of summer residents. In 1945, the first scholarship was awarded.

“It was this step that enabled the pageant to celebrate 80 years,” Ay said.

Today, the Miss America pageant has the largest scholarship foundation exclusively for women in the world, awarding more than $30 million in scholarships annually.

In the ’50s, Miss America represented “the Age of Innocence — Donna Reed, family, neighbors, friends,” Ay said.

The contestants “were the show,” performing oratory, classical piano, ballet, tap — whatever was “available at their fingertips.” Ay observed, “Singing and dancing were only in the movies.”

After her reign, Ay was offered exciting opportunities, but preferred a quieter life.

“I enjoyed every minute of my year [as Miss America], but I wasn’t caught up in the glory,” Ay said. A life of “entertainment and exposure had neither the stability nor sincerity” she sought.

A devoted supporter of the Miss America scholarship program, Ay attends the Miss America pageant each year. She has judged local, state, and national pageants, and served as Miss America pageant commentator in 1985 and 1987.

She accepts numerous speaking invitations annually. She writes her own speeches and presents them from a “very, very personal perspective.”

According to her Miss America biography, “Ay is best known as an enchanting and captivating speaker.”

The Sempiers raised two daughters and six Great Dane dogs. Their daughters, who both live within 4 miles of their parents, are “beautiful and talented.” The couple enjoys their two young grandchildren. They love to travel and recently vacationed in Italy.

Ay, who calls herself a “gray-haired lady,” notes that she is “identifiable as an older person.” Gray-haired or blond, Ay is surely as gracious and charming as she was the day she was crowned Miss America.

She laments that life isn’t as carefree as it was then. Now, “young people race from work to daycare to the dry cleaner,” she said.

In her speeches, she encourages people to slow down and enjoy life. www.50plusLifePA.com

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

2017

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Top Headlines

Entertainment

• In June, President Trump announced the U.S. would pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

• In a mix-up for the Oscar for Best Picture, La La Land was announced before it was revealed that Moonlight actually won the award.

• The opioid epidemic received major news coverage in 2017. In August, President Trump declared the epidemic a national emergency.

• Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria pummeled southeast Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean in late summer and early fall.

• The #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault began in October with widespread abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein.

• C elebrity passings included musicians Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Tom Petty, Gregg Allman, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, and Glen Campbell; actors Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Paxton, and Adam West; comedians Jerry Lewis, Don Rickles, and Dick Gregory; and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.

• On Oct. 1, a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on outdoor concertgoers, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500.

• According to the Nielsen ratings, the top five most-watched TV series of 2017 were NCIS, Young Sheldon, The Good Doctor, The Big Bang Theory, and, at No. 1, Sunday Night Football.

Sports • Tennis player Serena Williams defeated her sister, Venus, in the Australian Open final. It was her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a record set in 1968.

• The New England Patriots came back from a 23-8 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28. It was the largest comeback and first overtime game in Super Bowl history.

• NFL players kneeling during the national anthem set off a national debate after President Trump criticized the players on Twitter.

• Former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was accused of sexual abuse by more than 150 women — including several Olympic athletes.

He would be sentenced to 40-175 years in federal prison.

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January 2017

Science & Technology • NASA ran a livestream of the Cassini spacecraft’s final moments as it succumbed to Saturn’s dense atmosphere and heat.

• Apple launched the iPhone X, which included facial-recognition technology as a security feature.

• A total solar eclipse passed across the United States in late August; it was the first to cross the country since 1918.

• A cyberattack on credit-reporting agency Equifax caused 145.5 million American consumers to have sensitive personal information stolen.

Join us next month to see what was happening in 2013!

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

January 2020

15

The Bookworm Sez

This Tender Land Terri Schlichenmeyer

“Tell me a story!”

It was never enough when someone read a story to you when you were a child: A tale from the heart was always better. Every time the story was told, it was a little bit different, a little braver and a lot more exciting, and with This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, you’re in for a good one.

Every child at the Lincoln Indian Training School feared what Odie O’Banion called “the quiet room.”

They feared it, because it was rarely quiet: Usually, someone was sobbing from the beatings, or worse, that they endured in that dirt-floor cell, or because of the rats there, or because of the dark.

The first time he was tossed into the room, Odie was 8 years old and his then-12-year-old brother, Albert, was inexplicably tossed in with him.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger; c. 2019, Atria; 450 pages

On-Line Publishers, Inc.

has earned 3 Mature Media Awards!

2019

Bronze Award

Bronze Award

Merit Award

“A Path Well Carved”

by Jason J. Tabor

“Doing the Heart’s Work”

by Megan Joyce

Caregiver Solutions 2018

Thank you for supporting our award-winning publications! www.50plusLIFEPA.com 16

January 2020

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It was 1932, and they’d been told that they were the only white boys at the Indian school in northern Minnesota because the county had nowhere else to put them after their parents died.

Odie had only known a mother’s love for a few short years of his life; Mrs. Brickman, the owner of the school, didn’t love him, or any of the children there.

Odie doubted that the “Black Witch” was capable of love.

She was surely capable of cruelty, though, and part of that was in loaning children to work for nearby farmers. If the Black Witch meant to punish a boy, he was sent to the Photo Credit: Photography by Diane Krueger Bledsoe farm; if it was a good day, This Tender Land author William Odie, Albert, and their friend, Mose, Kent Krueger. would go to Mrs. Cora Frost’s farm, to help out there.

As far as Odie was concerned, Cora Frost was an “angel.” A widow with a 5-year-old daughter, Cora made the boys feel like family, and for story-loving Odie, that was heaven.

But when a tornado came through and took that family away, he knew that only one thing could happen next: It was time to escape …

Which is exactly what you want in a novel: to be transported to another time and place, to escape. Happily, you’ll find plenty of that inside This Tender Land.

You’ll also find a lot of “ish” in this novel: an Oliver-Twist-ish open with a Snape-ish character in charge. Adventure that’s quite Mark-Twain-ish and a sweet, puppyish love story.

There’s history and culture that may be newish to the unversed, wrapped into a tale that alternates between sentimentalism and wincing.

Placing this all solidly on a factual base, author William Kent Krueger then plops his readers down in a period when the Depression caused families to disintegrate and roving bands of kids were not uncommon. And we wander here, too, through a timeline filled with murder, crime, faith, heart-pounding chase scenes, and just a little magic.

Are you 62+ That could feel overdone and may or Older? be a little overwhelming for some readers, so give yourself room with Welcome to this book. You’ll want that anyway your new home!

— some room to enjoy, if you love utilities included! stories. For you, This Tender Land is a Look at all we have to offer ... good one told.

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The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer.

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

130 South Third Street • Harrisburg

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www.50plusLifePA.com

Sixties Flashback

The Million-Selling Sloppy Sound Check Randal C. Hill

Music critics were never kind to and soon New York’s Wand Records one of the biggest hits of all time. leased the Jerden master. By January One writer proclaimed it “a 1964, “Louie, Louie” sat at No. 2 on ridiculous piece of junk.” Another Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. grumbled that “it had all the charm When some listeners erroneously of a clanging hubcap.” Strangely claimed that “Louie, Louie” enough, the Kingsmen, the band contained filthy lyrics, two FBI agents responsible for “Louie, Louie,” felt the soon visited Richard Berry, who later same way. explained with a chuckle, “They came The three-verse ditty had originally to the conclusion that the singer’s been a 1956 release by Los Angeles words were indecipherable.”

R&B singer/songwriter Richard “I was never contacted about the Berry, whose Flip Records single lyrics,” Ely grumbled in a postscript. told of a lonely sailor lamenting to a “Nobody ever wanted to talk to the bartender named Louie. guy who actually sang the supposedly Berry’s 45 never cracked the dirty words.” national charts, but the tune lingered on — and on and on — into the Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives The Kingsmen in 1966. Clockwise from lower left: early 1960s, where it became a in the past, the rest of him resides in Lynn Easton, J.C. Rieck, Kerry Magness, Mike Mitchell, Dick Peterson. staple of three-chord garage bands Bandon, Ore. He can be reached at throughout the Pacific Northwest. wryterhill@msn.com.

The Kingsmen were a Portland, Oregon, rock quintet fronted by Jack Ely. Ken Chase, the Kingsmen’s manager, provided work for the outfit at a teen Tom & Randi LaNasa “MEMORY MUSIC” dance club he owned.

On a whim one night, the group played a nonstop 90-minute set of nothing but “Louie, Louie.” The dancers went wild and even demanded more. Chase recognized the song’s potential for the Kingsmen and scheduled time at Northwest Recorders, the only recording studio in Portland.

When a sound check was ordered to test the microphone levels, Chase raised the vocalist’s boom microphone to 15 feet off the floor, claiming this would offer a better “live” feel when the Kingsmen recorded.

Things quickly went south when the tape rolled. Ely had to lean back to sing — shout, really — up to the microphone far above him, resulting in a slurring of Berry’s simplistic lyrics. Drummer Lynn Easton lost the beat Attention: RETIREMENT HOMES, partway through.

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS. And, following the instrumental break, Ely came in too soon on the song’s final verse and had to restart it. After two excruciating minutes, “Louie, Looking for entertainment?

Louie” mercifully ground to a halt.

Now booking our Christmas, variety, and specialty shows for 2019.

Then came Chase’s jaw-dropping announcement.

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

“That’s it! That’s the take I want!” he enthused as he bolted from the control Songs by legendary artists like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, room, explaining that the sound check had exactly the raw edge that he Kay Starr, Dean Martin, Patsy Cline, and the Mills Brothers. sought.

Specialty shows include …

The Kingsmen, understandably, were incredulous: This piece of garbage Songs from the WWII Years • The Post WWII Years: 1945 – 1955 would become their debut single? Sadly, the answer was yes.

AMERICA: From Sea to Shining Sea Jerden Records in Seattle released the soundcheck version, which earned Salute to the Rat Pack (or if you prefer, just Sinatra) some airplay on Pacific Northwest radio before it fell off the playlists.

Elvis & Patsy • Classic Country Somehow, the forgotten 45 made its way across the country, and popular Please contact Memory Music to book your next event!

Boston rock DJ Arnie Ginsberg ended up spinning “Louie, Louie” on a Friday night feature he called “The Worst Record of the Week.”

Surprisingly, several record stores phoned to ask about ordering the disc,

Phone: (717) 846-6126

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E-mail: memrymusic@aol.com

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

January 2020

17

Help readers find you — Be included in Dauphin County’s most affordable annual directory of local resources.

delivers information about essential local resources, including health and wellness, legal, financial, home improvements, leisure, and, of course, living and care.

• More information than ever is available to consumers. This publication zeroes in on a targeted market rather than using blanket advertising.

•

is a collection of businesses that understands the mindset, special needs, and wants of older adults and who are willing to personalize their approach to the consumer.

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is not comprehensive: Because there are fewer organizations listed than in the Yellow Pages or on the internet, you are more likely to get noticed.

• The directory is cross-promoted in 50plus LIFE and in On-Line maximum Publishers’ other publications, giving exposure.

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* * * Ad closing date: Jan. 17, 2020 * * * Contact your marketing consultant or call 717-285-1350 now to be included in this vital annual directory.

717-285-1350 • 717-770-0140 • 610-675-6240 info@onlinepub.com • www.onlinepub.com

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In an effort to banish clutter, Cassandra Aarssen, author of Real Life Organizing: Clean and Clutter-free in 15 Minutes a Day, suggests employing the following six items in your home: Landing strip. Maybe it’s a tray on a console table near the front door, a cubby in the mud room, or a shelf near the kitchen door.

Whatever and wherever it is, this is the spot where you can place your keys and maybe your wallet and phone when you come in the door so you always know where to find them.

Make sure you’re there!

Celebrating 25 years serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50+ community. Please ask about our special anniversary rates!

6 Simple Strategies for Getting Organized

Command center. This communal calendar contains important dates and upcoming events for everyone in your home, and it can easily reside on your refrigerator or some other common area in your kitchen.

Action file. We don’t quite live in a paperless world yet, but we’re

moving in that direction.

Until then, invoices, contracts, warranties, renewals, receipts, and other printed items that require our attention should reside in folders in an area where they can be reviewed or filed away for future reference.

Cord box. Extra phone chargers, cables, and miscellaneous power cords should be labeled and neatly stored in a closet storage bin, where they can be accessed when needed.

Cleaning caddy. Keep your cleaning supplies in a bucket under the sink or in a laundry room cabinet. You’ll have everything you need to complete your chores in one portable container.

Lost sock bag. This is a temporary home for all of the unmatched socks in your drawer and the others just coming out of the dryer. Go through the bag at the end of each month, and see how many matching pairs you can find.

Check out our online Resource Directory!

Convenient print edition plus extensive online, searchable directory.

Discover support and services available to meet challenges you may encounter as a senior, as someone who is caring for an older loved one, or as a person with a disability.

www.ResourceDirectoryPA.com www.50plusLifePA.com

Looking on the Bright Side

By Dr. Erica Miller Living long and living well require individuals to adopt a positive attitude and hopeful outlook for the future.

And that means facing a certain harsh reality: Even the healthiest person can drop dead from an undetected, asymptomatic brain aneurysm or get broadsided by a drunk driver.

Life is full of risks and uncertainties, even for the ones determined to live the longest.

The chronologically gifted, those who age well, don’t fear death because they know that life is not infinite.

The past is gone, and the future may never be, so the goal is to live in the moment — as if you’ll live forever.

1. Keep a thought journal.

Start thinking critically about your thought patterns. Some people may be more optimistic than they realize, in which case a thought journal may help replicate more positive thoughts throughout the coming weeks.

But others might discover they’re far more pessimistic than they imagined. In that case, a thought journal can be documentary evidence to motivate individuals to look for new ways to frame the way they deal with their world.

Changing Perspectives The chronologically gifted have what psychologists call a “growth mindset.” This is an attitude of continual self-improvement, always preparing today for a better tomorrow.

If people simply set their minds to it, they can discover creative ways to live their lives without limitations. For example, consider the following opportunities to see things differently.

• Changing bodies means a loss of beauty and attractiveness. Another perspective is: Adopt the belief that attractiveness, at any age, goes far beyond outward appearances.

• Aches and pains can make life difficult. Another perspective is: Become realistic about life’s challenges without becoming pessimistic about them.

• For some people, getting older means realizing how many opportunities they’ve squandered over the years. Another perspective is: There’s no time like the present to seize the day and make new memories.

This is the way longevity all-stars think about life — as something for which they can be authentically grateful, treasuring past memories while looking forward to making new ones, savoring the pleasures of today.

There’s no question about it: Positive thinking patterns can form the basis for a cultivated discipline of optimism that, quite literally, can change the world.

Time to Get to Work!

No one goes from being a pessimist to being an optimist overnight; thought patterns are ingrained habits tied to our environment and personality.

But the good news is that even the most deep-rooted habits can be changed.

That means if someone is unhappy with the routine thoughts that fill their head today, they can bend their will toward becoming the kind of thinker who consistently opts for hope, where others settle for despair.

In time, they’ll find that their routine thoughts — their equilibrium state — will have changed to reflect a more optimistic outlook on life, and they’ll have more resources for dealing with adversity.

Here are a few ideas for increasing optimism.

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2. Inventory the chronic stressors in your life. Make three columns to help keep your list organized: places where you feel tense, things that stress you out, and people who create tension in your life.

Places can be general, like crowds, or specific, like movie theaters.

The “things” column could include tangible objects you see and touch as well as intangibles, like ideas, categories, and discussion topics.

The people column is often the most difficult to name. You know deep inside the damage some can cause but are reluctant to list and release them. This realization is itself a source of stress.

When people have relationships with those who are toxic to their goals of living longer, better lives, it is important to move toward ridding themselves of those negative individuals.

3. Smile more often. It has become a cliché at this point, but it’s actually true. Laughter is powerful medicine for the body as well as the soul. Just the physical act of smiling makes our neurons fire and can literally make us feel better.

The Bottom Line People who live longer, more fulfilling lives know that pursuing personal goals regularly is a huge secret to longevity. It removes chronological age from your mind and calls attention to the better person you’re becoming.

And that helps keep your thoughts optimistically focused toward realizing your inner potential — something that comes with age the longer you live.

It’s not difficult to work out the profound behavioral ramifications of learned helplessness and explanatory style. Optimists are the ones who can “take the hit” of adversity without missing a beat, while pessimists will be defeated every time.

For pessimists, adversity is the norm, and even the biggest victories are just exceptions to the rule. For optimists, victory is normal, and adversity is just a challenge to overcome.

What kind of person do you want to be? Decide now, because your life depends on it.

Dr. Erica Miller holds her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and has written extensively on topics of positive psychology, longevity, overcoming challenges, and living life to its fullest. Her most recent book, Chronologically Gifted: Aging with Gusto, made her an international bestselling author. For more information, visit www.drericamiller. com.

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

January 2020

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Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

Snowy-Season Collectibles Lori Verderame

It’s funny, but everyone seems to have a different calendar when it comes to decorating for the season. Some stores start decorating for the holidays in mid-October, while others wait until the chilly winds of early December arrive.

Whether winter decorations brighten your home as early as Halloween or linger through Super Bowl Sunday, decking the halls is a tried-and-true seasonal favorite.

With guests coming and going as we usher out the old and ring in the new year, the age-old question of when to deck and when to deinstall the holiday wreaths, ornaments, figurines, etc., is one of personal preference.

Jimmy Durante and Jackie Vernon. The rest of this snowman celebrity story is corncob-pipe history.

Shakable Snow Globes Snow artistry has taken on many forms when it comes to winter collectibles, including the ever-popular snow globe.

Snow globes, snow domes, or, as the Germans call them, schneekugeln, were first introduced in France during the early 1800s as a successor to the hand-blown glass paperweight.

At the 1889 International Exposition in Paris, the snow globe got worldwide attention as a souvenir. This World’s Fair snow globe featured a model of the newly built Eiffel Byers Choice Ltd. Carolers Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel, inside.

Winter collectibles are popular and speak to Initially, snow globes consisted of a heavy, our image of the holidays. lead-glass dome placed over a ceramic tableau.

Byers Choice Ltd. carolers, a Bucks County, The globes were filled with water and then Pennsylvania, mainstay and international sealed. The snow inside the globe was created favorite, are popular collectibles featuring with bone chips, porcelain pieces, or nonmoveable figurines on solid bases. The heads soluble soap flakes.

Photo credit: Staff photographer at www.drloriv.com. of the singing carolers are hand-painted and More recently, the snow inside a typical Vintage snow globe with snowman. made of clay. snow globe is produced from tiny pieces of Each caroler is handmade by a skilled artisan white plastic and enhanced with distilled water at the Byers Choice Ltd. workshop in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, and visitors and glycerin to make the water denser and the snow appear to realistically can watch figures being produced on the shop floor during a self-guided move within the globe atmosphere. tour of Byers Choice Ltd. In the Victorian era, the British called the collectible tableaus Carolers are produced and marketed by theme — carolers by the sea, “snowstorms” as they gained popularity from circa 1890 to 1901.

Charles Dickens characters, American patriots, etc. — relating to the Despite their European beginnings, snow globes were mass produced in Christmas holiday and are widely collected throughout the year. the U.S. thanks to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native Joseph Garaja. The first mass-production patent for snow globes featured Garaja’s new base, which That Famous Snowman allowed the globe to be screwed into it like a light bulb.

It is widely believed that collectible snowmen were first catapulted into In the 1940s, snow globes were produced as advertising paperweights, the public eye in the early 1950s, well into the postwar period in America. travel souvenirs, and vacation keepsakes.

Today, many folks have taken snowman collecting to a new level.

Today, snow globes are traded and collected worldwide; specialty annual Arguably, the most famous snowman of all time is Frosty the Snowman. snow globes, featuring products and characters from companies like Louis This snowman was actually first introduced as a song before becoming the Vuitton, Chanel, and Disney, are big gifts with collectors. Some range in pop culture icon that we all know and love. value from $500 to $5,000 at auction.

The wintery-themed novelty song was produced by Steve Rollins and Jack Nelson and recorded by cowboy crooner Gene Autry in 1950. Trying to Whether your winter is filled with days building your own Frosty on the capture the success of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” a recording that front lawn or sipping hot cocoa by the fire, snowy-season collectibles are fine sold 2 million copies, Autry recorded the quintessential snowman’s theme additions to your home and will surely satisfy your need to decorate with a song. seasonal flair.

Related cartoons and children’s books about Frosty the Snowman soon Dr. Lori Verderame is the award-winning Ph.D. antiques appraiser on followed. In 1954, UPA animation studios made Frosty the Snowman the History channel’s The Curse of Oak Island and weekdays on Doctor and the central character of a three-minute animated short film.

Diva. Dr. Lori presents her Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show to audiences By 1969, the animation company of Rankin/Bass produced a half-hour nationwide. Visit www.drloriv.com/events or call (888) 431-1010.

TV special featuring Frosty the Snowman and the unmistakable voices of

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The Beauty in Nature

Crows and Geese at Shopping Malls Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Late in the afternoon one day this past Being adaptable enough to take November, noisy multitudes of American advantage of human-made habitats, for crows and Canada geese were on a shortseveral years thousands of wintering grass lawn behind a local shopping mall. crows and hundreds of wintering Canada The crows were gathering on that geese have roosted each winter night lawn prior to going to roost for the night, from early November to mid-March while the geese were nibbling the grass. among area shopping malls.

At that same time, successive flocks In this instance, some of the geese are of loudly bugling Canada geese, in tight permanent residents of the nearby pond, strings and V’s, powered off a nearby while the crows raised young in forests in pond and landed into the wind among Canada. their fellows on the lawn, while loose But both species became accustomed sheets of crows poured low over the pond to traffic, lights, and people on their and lawn, heading west. wintering grounds and learned to benefit Meanwhile, other groups of honking from a little extra heat from the sunAmerican crow geese lifted off the short grass and flew heated blacktop parking lots, buildings, out of sight. All those airborne crows and vehicles, and lights. geese were beautifully silhouetted before Plus, those birds enjoy wind breaks the striking sunset. from the buildings and safety from And together the birds created predators and people shooting at them. exciting, inspiring natural spectacles in Wintering American crows and a human-made habitat where people Canada geese consume corn kernels wouldn’t expect them to be. lying in harvested cornfields. But As time progressed, succeeding floods crows also ingest acorns off lawns, dead of crows from all directions became ever animals on roads, and edible garbage larger, noisier, and more dramatic as from garbage cans, dumpsters, and they flowed over the shopping center. landfills. Geese also eat short grass on Meanwhile, still other crows were lawns, as stated earlier, and aquatic perched on the buildings of that mall vegetation. and on its parking lots and trees.

Wildlife is always exciting and Again, the crows and Canada geese inspiring to experience, including Canadian geese together were a wild sight in a built in human-made habitats. And great habitat as the sun set and darkness numbers of certain species create deepened. Wildlife in human-made habitats make those habitats part of the wonderful pageantry. Beauties and intrigues in nature are where you find wild. them.

Testing Scam from page 13 • A lways be cautious about giving out your personal information, including your Medicare number.

• If you receive a genetic testing kit in the mail, don’t accept it unless it was ordered by your physician. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender, and keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the items.

• A lways review your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits. The words “gene analysis” or “molecular pathology” may indicate questionable genetic testing.

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The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1 in 10 older adults is a victim of elder abuse, and according to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, for every case of elder abuse reported, five go unreported.

This reporting rate is even more troubling in financial abuse cases, which estimates that only 1 in 14 cases is reported.

If you or a loved one has already received a genetic testing cheek swab or screening that was not ordered by a trusted provider, or if you have any concerns about possible fraud, find and contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol at www.smpresource.org or call (877) 808-2468.

Anyone can report elder abuse by calling the 24-hour statewide elder abuse hotline at (800) 490-8505 or by contacting their local Area Agency on Aging.

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

January 2020

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Melinda’s Garden

Melinda Myers

Grow Houseplants with Style and Convenience in Mind

It starts with one plant on a sunny windowsill and then morphs into an impenetrable jungle.

You may feel you need a machete to reach each individual plant to water and tend.

But you can clear the way to improved growing conditions and convenient care while showcasing every plant with style.

Group plants with similar light and watering needs to make maintenance easier for you and increase humidity levels — something tropical plants need to thrive.

Set plants on attractive trays filled with pebbles to capture excess water. The pebbles elevate the containers above the water to avoid root rot. As the water in the tray evaporates, it increases the humidity around the plants.

Grow cacti and succulents in a cool, sunny location for winter. Give each plant enough room to capture the sunlight it needs and to show off its unique form and color.

Expand your indoor growing space and enjoy greenery throughout your home by adding artificial lights. New furniture-grade LED light fixtures, like the Bamboo Mini LED Grow Light Garden, fit into small spaces and look great on countertops, work desks, and shelves. You’ll save energy with LED lights and add a bit of style to your home décor.

Increase your success with the popular fiddle leaf fig and other floor plants. These beauties are often used to decorate a bare wall, corner, or other space in need of a focal point.

Oftentimes these areas do not receive sufficient light for the plants to grow and thrive. Soon Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company leaves begin to yellow and drop.

Furniture-grade LED grow light gardens fit into Keep them healthy and beautiful with small spaces and provide plenty of light to grow supplemental light. Hang a pendant light above plants indoors. or set a plant light stand beside these large plants. Many are trendy decorative fixtures similar to those used to light your home.

Save time and increase success by growing houseplants in self-watering containers. These pots have built-in water reservoirs that extend the time between watering. They also help reduce the mess of water spilling over the saucer and onto wood or carpeted floors.

Take the hassle out of watering with an indoor coil watering hose and sprayer. These coiled hoses hook up to the faucet, allowing you to water houseplants and seedlings up to 50 feet away. You’ll eliminate the need to fill and lug watering cans from plant to plant, leaving a trail of water along the way.

Maximize time spent tending your plants by using the proper tools. Many indoor gardeners use old silverware or try adapting outdoor tools for indoor garden use. Having the right tool for the job provides better results in less time.

Indoor garden tool sets have perfectly sized tools for pruning, transplanting, and tending houseplants. Many come with an attractive built-in case for easy storage and a tray for corralling the mess of potting and transplanting. You’ll waste less potting mix and spend less time sweeping up debris.

Increase your growing space and show off your plant collection with one or more plant stands. Many provide multiple tiers, allowing you to display plants Simply mail this form and $15 for an annual subscription to: of different sizes while positioning them in the light they prefer.

Set large plants on wheeled caddies or a collection of pots on a wheeled 50plus LIFE • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 tray to move them out of the way when cleaning or hosting a gathering. Then Call (717) 285-8131, or subscribe online at www.50plusLIFEPA.com! wheel them back in place once your company has left.

Adding some convenience for easy care will allow you to spend less time Name_ ________________________________________________________ keeping your plants looking their best and more time enjoying the individual Address_ _______________________________________________________ beauty each plant provides as you grow them in style.

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Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses’ How to Grow Anything DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio program. www. melindamyers.com, www.longfield-gardens.com

www.50plusLifePA.com

Dear Pharmacist

Suzy Cohen

What You Should Avoid Prior to Surgery and Lab Tests

I recently wrote about some impressive tests that you can self-order, thus taking the headache out of getting lab tests.

But what about the important instructions that come with some lab tests, and what are the best instructions to follow if you have a surgery scheduled?

Medication Cessation The most common inquiry is this: Do I really need to stop all my medications before this test?

This question isn’t easy to answer because some medications are needed for comfort and well-being. For example, what if you are reliant on your morning pill for acid reflux? You can safely stop it abruptly, but if you don’t take it, you will be very uncomfortable.

Another example is with analgesics like tramadol, oxycodone, and

morphine. You can’t just suddenly stop those or you’ll slip into withdrawal pretty quickly! Ask if you’re allowed to take those the morning of your procedure.

You also cannot suddenly stop an antidepressant or antiepileptic drug. These and many other medications all require slow tapering to get off. If you suddenly discontinue certain drugs, then you could encounter dangerous withdrawal symptoms, even seizures.

I can see why this question comes up a lot for patients. Ask well before your surgery so you don’t have to reschedule due to this type of oversight.

Blood thinners are the most dangerous ones to remain on if you’re having surgery or some procedure that requires an IV drip or a blood draw, like a colonoscopy, for example. You do not please see Avoid page 24

Participants Needed for Master Watershed Steward Program Penn State Extension and the Lebanon, Lancaster, and Dauphin County conservation districts are excited to launch the Master Watershed Steward Extension for the Lower Susquehanna.

Similar to the Master Gardener program, the Master Watershed Steward program is a collaborative effort designed to train people in a formal way about the basics of water resource stewardship, creating an energized and educated group of citizens.

Currently, the MWS program is in 18 counties across the state and has 302 volunteers.

The program is recruiting 20-25 interested people for the class of 2020, which will be a joint program between Dauphin, Lancaster, and Lebanon counties.

The class will consist of 40 hours of training on various topics, including water quality, stream health, groundwater, native plants, and recreational resources.

Once this part of the training is complete, trainees perform 50 hours of volunteer service on selected projects such as: • Organizing and executing stream cleanups • Designing and installing demonstration rain gardens • Assisting in stream restorations www.50plusLifePA.com

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• Organizing educational workshops addressing topics such as rain barrels, pollution prevention, invasive plant control, and storm-water management Applicants are welcome from people of all backgrounds. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian or adult.

The program will start Tuesday, March 3, 6-8:30 p.m., and will continue every Tuesday through May. There will be several Saturday field trips as well.

Informational sessions will be held at these locations on the following dates: • Jan. 8, 7 p.m., Lebanon County Extension Office, 2120 Cornwall Road, Lebanon • Jan. 14, 7 p.m., Dauphin County Extension Office, 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin • Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Lancaster County Extension Office, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster Registration for these meetings can be found at: https://extension.psu.edu/ master-watershed-steward-information-meeting.

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

January 2020

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Avoid from page 23 want your blood to be super thin when you go in for these procedures or the bleeding could become profuse or internalized.

So for sure, you do not want to be on these blood-thinning drugs for at least three days prior to some tests: • Anticoagulants

March 31, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wyndham Hotel York 2000 Loucks Road, York

This event is FREE to attend.

Veterans (of all ages), the military community, and their families are invited to join us!

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

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

At the Expo

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

At the Job Fair

Employers Job Counseling Workshops Employment Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Hosted by:

• Warfarin (Coumadin) • Enoxaparin • Clopidogrel • Ticlopidine • Aspirin • Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs • Dipyridamole Another category of medications that people don’t usually warn about, but I feel should be included in this conversation, are those drugs that slow down your heart rate.

My reasoning is that anesthesia also slows down your heart rate, and the combo could lead to severe bradycardia. I’m referring to “beta” and “calcium” channel blockers.

No Food or Drink?

Another important question is, “Should I really stop eating and drinking before a test?”

The blanket answer is yes! If the facility or hospital puts that request on your instruction sheet, you should follow it. Eating and drinking too close to surgery could force a reschedule of the surgery. The worry is aspiration.

As for other tests, it becomes less clear. For example, if you are scheduled to have a pelvic ultrasound to see your cervix or ovaries, I’m not sure why food would be a problem!

And likewise, I do not understand the need for “no food or drink” if you’re having a thyroid blood test. You probably should eat before that type of test; the results will be more realistic.

There are certain things you should not take or eat before a urine test. The list is very long, but generally speaking, avoid beets, coffee, caffeinated tea, and B vitamins.

For a much longer version of this article, sign up for my free newsletter (www.suzycohen.com) and I’ll send you the comprehensive article by email.

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit suzycohen.com.

Did you know? is available online for anytime/anywhere reading!

Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available

www.veteransexpo.com (717) 285-1350 www.olpevents.com

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Social Security News

• Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.

• Contact you to demand an immediate payment.

• A sk you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

• Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.

• Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe. www.50plusLifePA.com

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• Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.

If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, in most cases Social Security will mail a letter. If a person needs to submit payments to Social Security, the agency will send a letter with instructions and payment options.

People should never provide information or payment over the phone or internet unless they are certain of who is receiving it.

The Social Security OIG will also continue to take reports of fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security’s programs and operations. A separate online form for those reports remains available at www.ssa.gov/fraudreport/oig/public_fraud_reporting/form.htm.

Please join us for these FREE events!

21st Annual

April 22, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

LANCASTER COUNTY

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

May 6, 2020

21st Annual

Andrew Saul, commissioner of Social Security, and Gail S. Ennis, the inspector general for the Social Security Administration, announce the launch of a dedicated online form at https://oig.ssa. gov to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams.

These scams — in which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problems — skyrocketed over the past year to become the No. 1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration.

To combat these scams, Social Security and the OIG will use the new online form to capture data that will be analyzed for trends and commonalities. The OIG will use the data to identify investigative leads, which could help identify criminal entities or individuals participating in or facilitating the scams.

Saul and Ennis encourage the public to use the new online form to report Social Security phone scams, including robocalls and live callers, as well as email, text, and in-person scams.

The form allows people to create a unique personal identification number (PIN), so if OIG contacts a person about their report, they will know the call is legitimate.

Social Security employees do occasionally contact people — generally those who have ongoing business with the agency — by telephone for business purposes.

However, Social Security employees will never threaten a person or promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money. In those cases, the call is fraudulent and people should just hang up.

Generally, the agency mainly calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency.

Social Security will not:

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

DAUPHIN COUNTY

Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey

June 10, 2020

17th Annual

By John Johnston

Online Reporting Form Now Available for Scam Calls

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CHESTER COUNTY

Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton

Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes

Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available (717) 285-1350 (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240

www.50plusExpoPA.com

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

January 2020

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Balance from page 3 Stand on your left leg and lift your right leg off the ground. Hold for five seconds. Lower the foot but don’t touch down. Repeat three to 10 times, and then switch legs.

Repeat step one while rotating your head over and then away from the lifted knee. Repeat step one while closing your eyes for two to three seconds.

Use unstable equipment — such as a Bosu balance trainer, resistance ball, or balance board — within your regular routine. For example, instead of doing push-ups on the floor, put your hands on either side of a Bosu, flat side up. Try to keep the Bosu stable as you do your push-up.

Train barefoot to strengthen your feet; think of your feet as the “foundation” to your balance “house.”

Triangle balance toe lifts: Standing on your right leg, engage your right butt cheek. Make sure your knee is not caving in; keep the kneecap in line with your middle toes.

Pay attention to your right foot.

Weight should be evenly distributed between the ball of the big toe, the ball of the little toe, and your heel. Keep your arch lifted.

Maintain this position as you lift your right toes up and spread them.

Leave the ball of your foot on the floor.

Lower and repeat 15 times. Then switch sides.

As you transition to balancing on your right toes, lift your left foot off of the floor. Don’t roll your foot in or out.

Balance for a moment.

Repeat by placing your left heel on the floor in front. Repeat 10 times.

Big-toe lifts: Lift your big toe up and down. Keep your other toes still.

If you need to, hold your toes down to teach your brain how to only lift the big toe.

When performing balance exercises, it is the “righting” element of wobbling and catching yourself that strengthens your balance.

Kathleen Trotter (MSc) is a fitness expert, nutrition and life coach, media personality, and author of two books, including her most recent, Your Fittest Future Self. Connect with her on social media at FitByKathleenT or through her website, KathleenTrotter.com

Puzzles shown on page 8

Puzzle Solutions

Heel-toe walks: Start standing. Place your right heel on the ground in front of you. Flex through your toes so the next portion of your body to touch the floor is the ball of your big toe.

Final Note If you are feeling overwhelmed — “too busy” to work out, let alone adding balance training to your life — try keeping a “time journal.” Record how you spend your time for two weeks.

Most of us fritter away time.

As the famous business adage goes, “What gets measured, gets managed.”

You can’t possibly manage your time if you don’t know where your time goes.

With awareness brings choice.

If you want to get on top of your health, you have to get in control of your time. Too many of us let emergencies dictate how our time gets used or have no idea how we actually spend our minutes, hours, days, etc.

Time is our most valuable resource — we can’t make more of it.

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Your Choice. Our Privilege.

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WestShoreHome.com/onlinepub Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.

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This is Krista’s happily ever after.

Finding new ways to help people like Krista beat cancer.

This is why we’re continuing to innovate, expand and invest in the people of Central PA. Because this is the health we need to live the way we want.

This is Penn State Health.

PennStateHealth.org/CancerInstitute

CAN-14388-19-111241-0319

Cancer Institute