Dauphin County Edition
June 2013
Vol. 15 No. 6
Made to Move Diver, Bicyclist, and Hiker Finds Health on Land and Sea By Megan Joyce Our bodies—no matter their age—are designed to move. Health professionals are continually extolling this wisdom to their patients for improved physical and mental well-being. In surprisingly varied ways, Bill Hager has built a lifestyle with this maxim at its center. Hager, a successful businessman with a local family history that’s generations deep, likes to keep most of his time anything but spare. Hager is an avid bicyclist, hiker, and scuba diver—not to mention magician and photographer. “I have found that, for myself, if I’m moving, I’m feeling better, and if I’m moving, I’m less convinced that I can’t do it anymore,” Hager laughed. Hager’s affinity for the sea and its depths began as a boy, born into a family that always loved the seashore. “There were a couple of shows on TV that really motivated me and turned on my imagination, and one of those shows was Flipper,” he said. “I had this dream that someday I would live in Florida and have my own dolphin, of course.” Fast forward a few decades, and Hager has dozens of scuba dives under his water-logged belt. In the 18 years since he got hooked on diving—after trying out a resort course on scuba diving while vacationing in Nassau— Hager has dived in locales such as Grand Cayman Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both in the Caribbean. He has also taken scuba courses both locally and on subsequent vacations, which culminated in his earning his advanced open water certification. please see MOVE page 14 Bill Hager astride his bicycle in front of Erb’s Covered Bridge near Rothsville, which is included in his bicycle club’s Covered Bridge Metric Century ride.
Inside:
Traveltizers: Follow the Gold page 8
How Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Help Early Retirees page 15
The Squint-Eyed Senior
Why We Need More Grandkids Theodore Rickard
is seeking an ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE On-Line Publishers, Inc. has an opening for a highly motivated person with a professional attitude to sell print and online advertising as well as niche events. The successful candidate should: • Enjoy building and maintaining your own long-term business relationships. • Be highly motivated, detail oriented, and able to multitask. • Have good communication skills. • Show a willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment. We offer a competitive compensation plan with a benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401(k) plan. If you have sales experience and are interested in joining our growing sales team, please send your resume and compensation history/requirements to danderson@onlinepub.com. On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 www.onlinepub.com
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June 2013
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hat’s all this talk about Social Security running short of money? It seems to have something to do with “the fiduciary.” “The fiduciary” sounds very important to me, but it also sounds like something to do with Wall Street, and that makes me pretty skittish about it in view of what’s happened over the past few years. I have learned the gist of Social Security’s problems via a seriously bald pundit on TV. Seriously bald men, I believe, should be taken seriously. Jokesters and other trivial people always seem to have full heads of hair. Anyway, the concern is that there are too many people drawing Social Security and not enough people paying it. That situation, I can see, could have dire consequences. I have broached this subject with the treasurer of our fiscal family unit, she of the lifetime spousal appointment as family comptroller. “I’m sure they’ll straighten it out, dear,” was her response. And the more I thought about it, she was probably right. Again. For example: The year that two of the grandkids were old enough to spend the summer working as lifeguards, they got great suntans—which will delight the local dermatologists a few years from now—and read a lot of trashy novels. Nobody drowned. The paychecks were deposited at the local bank to provide funding for the next year’s freshman college expenses. These turned out to include spring break, which pretty well wiped out the funding. I remember their father’s remarking about this with considerable emphasis at the time. Then as the future rushed upon them, at the end of the year, and before spring break, each of the lifeguards got an official form that summarized their year’s income and withheld taxes. One could call this the “wage-earner’s great awakening.” Their father—who hadn’t yet discovered the educational necessity of spring break and was still speaking to both of them— explained what FICA actually meant. Just what the initials do stand for escapes me for the moment. I’ll bet it did him, too, but he also let drop that the FICA tax was what paid Social Security checks to Grandmother and Gramps every month. This proved too much information, in my opinion. I won’t say it really changed
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the children’s attitudes, but they’ve been looking at us kind of funny ever since and, sometimes, rather askance or even snootily, I think. Since then, I have been doing some head counting. Each of our adult children has a job. Most of their spouses have jobs also. Since none is behind bars, we can assume each is paying up the tax. Also, the older of their offspring have jobs. And, likewise, they are at large. Even aside from the suntanned and dermatologically at-risk lifeguards, several of the other older grandkids have at least part-time or summer employment. The way I figure it is this: If Social Security taxes total 13 percent, divided between employer and wage earner, as we have been told, it takes only eight workers to pay us just as much as they are earning, doesn’t it? (Eight times 13 percent equals 104 percent if you remember to carry the two.) Since there are a lot more than eight in our family—not counting the idly frolicking grandparents—what’s the problem? We recipients are no longer straightening teeth, feeding teenage weightlifters, and funding a lot of expensive etcetera, so the numbers should work out pretty well. In fact, we should be living pretty high on this deal. But knowledgeable financial people continue to insist that Social Security is in dire straits, fiscally speaking. Clearly, then, not everybody has eight or more workers out there, funding their fair share. Besides which, there are our grandkids’ other grandparents out there, someplace. We both send and receive Christmas cards with/from them. We aren’t close enough to ask if they are receiving Social Security checks on a regular basis, but it’s just about a sure thing that they are. So it’s obvious that we, the more mature portion of the population, must think seriously about the future. We must be fiscally responsible. However, as politicians battle heatedly over all sorts of proposals, nobody even mentions the obvious. More grandkids. Just don’t tell the fathers. They get kind of testy about money sometimes. A collection of Ted Rickard’s family-fun essays is titled Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids. It is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Farmers Market Vouchers Soon Available Farmers market nutrition vouchers will be available to eligible seniors this month. Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers, worth $20, may be redeemed through Nov. 30, 2013, for Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and roadside stands. FMNP-eligible food is defined as “grown or able to be grown in Pennsylvania.” Vouchers are not accepted for citrus or tropical fruits, such as bananas, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangerines, pineapples, or mangoes. FMNP vouchers are not accepted for processed food, e.g., jams, honey, nuts,
cider, or baked goods. Eligible seniors will receive four vouchers worth $5 apiece for a total value of $20. Customers will not receive change if the FMNP purchase does not total $5. They may be offered additional FMNP-eligible food to make purchase an even $5. To be eligible, county residents age 60 and older must have an annual income less than $21,257 for one person or $28,694 for a married couple. Proof of age and Dauphin County residency are required (driver’s license, photo ID, etc.). Any person obtaining vouchers for another must present a completed and signed proxy form from the person for
Resource Directory Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130
Hearing Services Hershey Hearing Center 431 E. Chocolate Ave., Hershey (717) 533-7350
Funeral Directors Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531
Home Care Services Home Care Assistance 2304 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 540-4663 Safe Haven Quality Care Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties (717) 238-1111 Visiting Angels Serving East and West Shores (717) 652-8899 or (717) 737-8899 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments 130 S.Third St., Harrisburg (717) 232-7516
Thursday, June 6 – Essex House, 320 Market St., Middletown Friday, June 7 – Friendship Senior
Center, 5000 Commons Drive, Harrisburg Friday, June 14 – Zion Assembly Church, Fifth and Maclay streets, Harrisburg FMNP vouchers cannot be used at grocery stores or supermarkets. FMNP signs will be displayed at participating farm stands, such as: Broad Street Farmers Market, Harrisburg; Crossroads Sale & Market, Gratz; Joshua Farm, Harrisburg; Morris Laundromat, Harrisburg; PA Farmers Open Air Market, Harrisburg; Red Hill Farm, Middletown; and Strites Orchard, Harrisburg.
This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Cremation Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001
Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering 5435 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-6103
whom they are receiving vouchers. Contact the agency to have this form sent to you prior to your selected distribution date. Vouchers can be obtained only once per summer. Supplies are limited and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to receive a proxy form, contact Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging at (717) 7806130. Distribution of vouchers will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following sites:
Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790
Homeland Center Cumberland and Dauphin counties (717) 221-7727
The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555
Lincoln Heritage (484) 945-3213
Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325
Nursing/Rehab Colonial Park Care Center 800 King Russ Road, Harrisburg (717) 657-1520
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
Pharmacy CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 or (800) 827-1000
Retirement Communities Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 The Middletown Home 999 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown (717) 941-3351
Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
StoneRidge Retirement Living (717) 866-3204
PACE (800) 225-7223 Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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June 2013
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Beyond the Battlefield
His Ship Took Part in the Major Pacific Battles of World War II, Part 1
Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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June 2013
Alvin S. Goodman
J
oseph Switaj is one of the conference at Casablanca. millions of U.S. Navy veterans Switaj was a member of an eightwho were unsung heroes of man gun crew, one of five on the World War II, enduring countless ship. His job was “trainer,” in which crises and living to tell about them. he was responsible for directing the Switaj (pronounced Swee-tie), 88, horizontal movement of the guns in of Camp Hill, served as a gunner on his mount. Another gunner, the the destroyer USS Marshall during “pointer,” was in charge of raising its entire campaigns in the South and lowering the 5-inch/38 guns. Pacific from 1943 to 1945, escaping Japanese bombs, torpedoes, gunfire from planes and ships, kamikaze pilots, and terrible typhoons and thunderstorms. With the destruction of the U.S. Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, it took time to build new ships and planes, attack the Japanese armed forces, and regain islands and territory captured by the enemy. The Joseph Switaj, seaman 1st class gunner. Marshall was instrumental in accomplishing this formidable task and turning the tide in our favor. A native of the Shamokin area, Switaj enlisted in the Navy after graduating from Coal Township High School. He completed basic training at the new Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Md. Placed in an Outgoing Unit, he was required to The USS Marshall, World War II destroyer. report for roll call daily until being called up to serve on the USS On Jan. 6, 1944, the Marshall Marshall, DD 676, built by the departed New York to report for Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock duty in the Pacific. After passing Co., Kearney, N.J., and launched through the Panama Canal, she Aug. 19, 1943. stopped briefly at San Diego and While the ship was sent to the arrived at Pearl Harbor Jan. 28 for New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn to additional training. This training have its armament installed, Switaj was interrupted: once to escort the was sent to Naval Gunnery School Indiana, damaged in a collision, at Norfolk, Va. He then returned to back to Pearl Harbor and once to the destroyer, which was accompany the Aircraft Carrier commissioned Oct. 16, 1943. Intrepid, which had been damaged It got under way for sea duty by an aerial torpedo off Truk. Nov. 9 and proceeded to Bermuda On March 15, 1944, the for six weeks of intensive shakedown destroyer left Pearl Harbor as part of training, during which orders were the now-famous Task Force 58, with received to rendezvous with the USS which she operated continuously Iowa in the Atlantic and escort until her return to the U.S. in June President Franklin D. Roosevelt 1945. This Force sent sorties from back from the “Big Three” Majuro, Marshall Islands, and made
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airstrikes against the Palau Islands during the latter part of March. On the night of March 30, the Marshall recovered her first pilot and air crewman from the sea and participated in her first antiaircraft action against three groups of enemy planes. “For every pilot we rescued from the sea, the aircraft carrier gave us 10 gallons of ice cream. That was a real treat; we didn’t have any ice cream on our ship. We ate good for our first 30 days. After that, we started running out of food and our meals became less varied,” Switaj said, adding, “We ate a lot of rice.” The next action was in support of the occupation of Hollandia, New Guinea (April 21 to May 1, 1944). Airstrikes were also conducted against Wake and Truk Islands. “On the night of April 29, an enemy torpedo plane made a low-level attack on our ship. Fortunately, the torpedo narrowly missed us astern,” Switaj said. After Hollandia was secured, the Marshall took part in an anti-shipping sweep off Marcus and Wake Islands. This sweep was carried out by a small, special search group from May 18 to 21. It proceeded northward from Marcus to within 900 miles of Tokyo. “Our destroyer then participated in the Marianas campaign with air strikes against Saipan, Guam, Tinian, and Rota starting on June 11. These attacks were broken off on June 17 with the first Battle of the Philippine Sea, when our Task Force proceeded to intercept a large Japanese task force approaching the Marianas from the Philippines.” To be continued next month … If you are a mature veteran and have interesting or unusual experiences in your military or civilian life, phone Al Goodman at (717) 541-9889 or email him at klezmer630@comcast.net.
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Such is Life
No More Patiently Waiting Saralee Perel ost veterinary practices have TVs in the waiting rooms. Just like in an elevator where nobody acknowledges the other, everyone stares at that TV. Our dog, Becky, is terrified at the vet’s. When I cuddled her the last time we were there, I could feel her shaking. I saw other dogs crying and trembling while their owners were trying to comfort them. But did I offer a treat from my pocket or even pet them? Nope. There aren’t many places where we’re more connected to each other than in waiting rooms. Yet when I’m in one, I keep to myself, hiding behind a magazine while pretending I can’t hear the voices of people sitting right next to me. But the thing is—basically we’re in these rooms for the same reasons. In my neurologist’s waiting room, we’re all sitting there with various forms of paralysis. And we don’t speak to each
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other? Sheesh! On one visit, when I was wearing my awful, rock-solid, Darth-Vader-style neck brace, I actually turned away from anybody who was wearing the same brace, intentionally avoiding eye contact. Double sheesh! It’s not like we don’t notice these huge, dreadful appliances around our necks. Yet we handle this strong group connection by isolating ourselves from one another. Last week, I was in a dentist’s waiting room while my husband, Bob, was having a tooth extracted. This time I brought a book to use as a barricade.
Within a few feet of me, a young boy was crying. “I’m scared,” he said to his father. So what did I do? I kept reading. And then I had that moment. That once-in-a-lifetime moment. I made a change—one from which I will never return. I put my book down and whispered to them, “I’m the same way at dentist appointments. A friend taught me to massage the skin between my left thumb and forefinger whenever I’m anxious.” I showed them what I meant. Then I watched as the father cradled his son’s
hand and helped him to relax. “It’s working,” the boy’s dad said to me, as his son slowly stopped his rapid breathing and began yawning. The next time I’m in a waiting room, I will not miss the opportunity to connect with another who’s scared. Many are just as frightened as I am, just as lonely, just as needful for a human, or dog, connection. From now on, I’m going to try to break through the isolation and hopefully make it a tiny bit better—for patients, their families, their caregivers, their friends, for me, for Bob … and especially for Becky. Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. Her new book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. To find out more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email sperel@saraleeperel.com.
11th Annual
Sept. 18, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue, York
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Oct. 24, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Carlisle Expo Center 100 K Street Carlisle
Nov. 6, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available 717.285.1350 717.770.0140 610.675.6240
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June 2013
5
Calendar of Events
Dauphin County
Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
June 1, 1 to 3 p.m. – National Trails Day Walk, Wildwood Park June 9, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Flower Walk: Peak of Blooming, Wildwood Park June 9, noon to 4:30 p.m. – Classics at the Mansion, Fort Hunter Mansion & Park
Bistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633
Dauphin County Library Programs
East Hanover Township Senior Center – (717) 469-7514
East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380
Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221
Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 June 6, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of Elizabethville Area Library Meeting
Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547
B’Nai B’rith Senior Center – (717) 232-6757
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860 Harrisburg Downtown Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976 Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833 Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658 Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555 Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934 June 27, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Kline Library Meeting
Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388
Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library, 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286
Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985
McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976
Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657
Northern Dauphin Library, 683 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002 www.hersheyseniorcenter.com June 11, 11 a.m. to noon – Technology Course: Mastering the Mouse June 25, 11 a.m. to noon – Technology Course: Mastering the Keyboard
William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 June 4, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club June 6, 6 p.m. – Friends of Alexander Family Library Knitting Club June 18, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682 www.rutherfordhouse.org Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics
Programs and Support Groups Free and open to the public. June 11, 6 to 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Graysonview Personal Care Community 150 Kempton Ave., Harrisburg (717) 561-8010
June 25, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232
June 19, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group on East Shore Jewish Home of Harrisburg 4004 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 441-8627
June 25, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Parental Loss Support Group AseraCare Hospice 75 S. Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg (717) 541-4466
Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693 Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional activities.
AARP Driver Safety Programs
June 20, 1:30 p.m. Hershey Area AARP Awards and Recognition Luncheon Leader Farm South Hanover Township (717) 832-3282
For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. June 17 and 18, 5 to 9 p.m. Mohler Senior Center 25 Hope Drive, Hershey (717) 533-2002
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Dauphin County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com
Let
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June 2013
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help you get the word out!
(717) 770-0140
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Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Appraising Thomas Jefferson’s Desk Dr. Lori uring a recent episode of Discovery channel’s TV show Auction Kings, I appraised a Federal-period writing desk that was once owned by President Thomas Jefferson. I described the desk as Hepplewhite in style. Like Jefferson, many of us own examples of Hepplewhite furniture today, both originals and reproductions. In its day, Hepplewhite was often referred to as “city furniture.” George Hepplewhite (died 1786) was a London designer and cabinetmaker. His famous guidebook, The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide, was published in 1788 after his death. The guidebook sparked a period of popularity for the furniture designs known as Hepplewhite style from 1780 to 1810. Hepplewhite furniture was especially popular in American states from New England to the Carolinas
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during the Federal styled and period. straightforward. One of the They may be a most popular rectangular spade pieces in the foot (like the Hepplewhite style garden tool) or in is the dining-room the shape of an sideboard or arrow (as if the buffet. In the early arrow is shot 1800s, a sideboard directly down into was a new the ground) at the Photo courtesy staff of www.DrLoriV.com furniture form. bottom of the leg Dr. Lori on the set of Discovery’s Auction Hepplewhite of a chair or sofa. Kings with President Thomas Jefferson’s Hepplewhite slant-top writing desk. sideboards are On heavier often bow-shaped, pieces of furniture Bombay-shaped, or serpentine (curved). like a desk, chest, or tall case, bracketed In the late Victorian period, circa 1870s feet are common. and ’80s, Hepplewhite reproductions Also, an H stretcher is common on came to the market. Hepplewhite chairs and sofas. It is a One of the distinguishing traits of reinforcing piece of wood that connects true Hepplewhite furniture is a the legs of a chair or sofa to form the consistency of formal design. shape of the letter H. The Hepplewhite-style feet are simply One of the most characteristic traits of
Hepplewhite furniture is the use of intricate inlays of contrasting woods and burl veneers. Hepplewhite pieces may be made of sycamore veneers, birch, rosewood, satinwood, maple, and mahogany. Decorative motifs include urns, feathers, geometric shapes, shields, ribbons, swags, and leaves. Today, Hepplewhite furniture commands high values at auction. A reproduction Hepplewhite sideboard can command a few thousand dollars on the open market whereas a good, original example of Hepplewhite furniture can bring $50,000 to $75,000 at auction. Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, awardwinning TV personality, and TV talk show host, Dr. Lori presents antiques appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori is the expert appraiser on Discovery channel’s hit TV show Auction Kings. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards • John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday • Bruce Collier & The Drive Home
Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com
WE PLAY OVER 1500 GREAT SONGS! www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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June 2013
7
Traveltizers
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Follow the Gold By Andrea Gross I enter my hotel room, open the drape, and there it is—Colorado’s Pikes Peak, one of the world’s most famous mountains, outlined against the setting sun. This is the very same view that greeted Katharine Lee Bates when, after a day atop the 14,000-foot granite mound, she penned the words to “America the Beautiful.” As I look out the window of our hotel, the Hilton Antler (called the Antler Hotel in Bates’ day), I’m similarly inspired but less talented. Fortunately, my husband captures the scene with his camera. Long before Bates wrote about the “spacious skies,” the mountain had energized other Americans. As the easternmost big peak of the Rocky Mountains, visible for 100 miles, it was a beacon for gold prospectors as they set forth on the last, and longest-lasting, American gold rush.
Katharine Lee Bates wrote the words to “America the Beautiful” while looking at this view of Pikes Peak.
Dahlonega Square is rich with historic buildings that house restaurants and boutiques.
A tour of Consolidated Gold Mines takes folks back to the first major gold rush in American history.
Locals try to strike it rich at the Crisson Gold Mine in Dahlonega.
Where it All Began – Georgia, 1826 We begin our Gold Route Tour 1,500 miles from Pikes Peak in the small towns west and north of Atlanta. Both the Cherokee and the Spanish found nuggets of Georgia gold as early as the 16th century, but the real rush didn’t begin until the mid-1820s. We learn this while watching a film at Villa Rica’s Pine Mountain Gold Museum, which is built on the site of an old gold mine. Afterward we walk a 3-mile trail that’s dotted with old mining equipment. Interpretative signs tell us that the equipment was abandoned when a man who was out hunting deer 100 miles to the northeast quite literally tripped over a golden rock. Within a year, 15,000 men left Villa Rica to go to the new site, Dahlonega, which gets its name from the Cherokee word for “yellow.” The town has a charming main square, a museum located in a historic courthouse, two gold mines, and, best of
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1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 www.homelandcenter.org
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 Harrisburg, PA 17110 www.homelandhospice.org
June 2013
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Respectful, considerate, heart-felt care for those with a life-limiting illness.
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Pikes Peak or Bust – Colorado, 1859 Not long after disheartened prospectors abandoned California, gold was found in a Colorado creek. More than 50,000 ever-hopeful men, urged on by the slogan “Pikes Peak or Bust,” raced to find their fortune in the Rockies. The nearby towns of Cripple Creek and Victor became go-to, get-rich places. We begin our tour at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, where we’re crammed into an elevator for a twominute ride that takes us 1,000 feet underground. A guide lets us experience The Rush in the West – what it was like for the miners by California, 1849 turning off the lights and turning on the The Dahlonega rush paled in drills. The darkness is oppressive, the comparison to the one noise deafening. that took place in Although I believe California in the late him when he says that 1840s. On Jan. 24, conditions are better 1848, a man named now, I still cross James Marshall was “miner” off my list of building a mill for possible second Captain John Sutter careers. when he spotted a To learn more gold rock. News about the history of traveled fast, and soon the area, we board a Mining is still big business near an estimated 300,000 narrow-gauge steamCripple Creek, Colo. people headed west to engine railroad for a try their luck and test their skill. 45-minute ride through rocky hills The old mill is long gone, but there’s a covered with spindly pines and replica in Marshall Gold Discovery State abandoned mine structures, some of Historic Park near Coloma, along with which sit atop mines that are as deep as other reminders of gold rush days: a store the Empire State Building is tall. Many mill, a 19th-century school, and two folks estimate that these hills still hold stores that are reminders of the Chinese more than $6 billion of gold. who helped settle the area. In the meantime, as trucks and drill Later we drive south on Highway 49, rigs race around the stepped walls of the which links old mining towns filled with vast caldera where the mineral is hidden, quaint bed-and-breakfasts and awardCripple Creek is almost as well known winning wineries housed in restored for its casinos as for its mining. It seems gold-era buildings. that the search for gold takes many After about two hours we reach forms. Columbia State Park, where costumed For more information, visit actors show us how folks lived during the www.visitcripplecreek.com and golden days. We visit period-specific www.pikes-peak.com. stores, see blacksmiths at work, and take Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; a ride in a stagecoach. For more story by Andrea Gross information, visit www.coloma.com and (www.andreagross.com). www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com. all, a place where we can—or so we fantasize—strike it rich. After touring the underground Consolidated Gold Mines, we head to Crisson Gold Mine, where we find several locals panning for gold. “I come every weekend,” one confesses. “It’s fun, but I’d be better off playing the stock market.” We leave without investing in a gold-panning experience. For more information, visit www.villaricatourism.com and www.dahlonega.org.
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June 2013
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Bethany Village — Maplewood
Colonial Lodge Community
325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org
2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519 717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: Yes Private: 100 Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: 1-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Beautiful environment, rural setting yet within walking distance of area shopping and community services.
Brandywine Senior Living at Longwood
Garden Spot Village
301 Victoria Gardens Drive • Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-734-6200 • www.brandycare.com
433 South Kinzer Avenue • New Holland, PA 17557 717-355-6272 • www.gardenspotvillage.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 86 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
On-call Medical Service: No Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: At Brandywine Senior Living – life is beautiful!
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Ideal for people who relish independence yet welcome caring assistance. Live with Opportunity.
Chapel Pointe
Homeland Center
770 South Hanover Street • Carlisle, PA 17013 717-249-1363 • www.chapelpointe.org
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 53 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: No Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 50 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: No Pets Permitted: No
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Exemplary care in a caring, beautiful environment has been provided for more than 140 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Attorney General Issues Warning about Scam
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June 2013
“Do not ever give out personal, healthcare, or bank account information over the phone, unless you initiated the call and you know who is on
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Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane recently issued a consumer alert about an apparent scam concerning the Affordable Care Act. In recent days, people across the country have received calls asking for personal information, in order to obtain a “national medical card” from the government. No such card exists.
Do not ever give out personal, healthcare, or bank account information over the phone.
the other end,” said Kane. Kane said if someone calls, offering to help you obtain this nonexistent national medical card, you should
call the AG’s Health Care Hotline at (877) 888-4877. Any information you can provide—such as the name, telephone number, or location of the caller—will be very helpful. You can learn more about this (and other scams) by visiting the attorney general’s website at www.attorneygeneral.gov. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes The listings with a shaded background have additional information about their center in a display advertisement in this edition.
Homewood at Plum Creek
Mennonite Home Communities
425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com
1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 98 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 165 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Excellent care in a lovely environment. Call to schedule a visit.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Supportive, encouraging environment. Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.
Lakeview at Tel Hai Retirement Community
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community
1200 Tel Hai Circle • Honey Brook, PA 19344 610-273-4602 • www.telhai.org
1700 Normandie Drive • York, PA 17408 717-764-6262 • www.normandieridge.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 55 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Discover a vibrant community of peers where you can enjoy life and loved ones can relax.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Private or shared living in spacious rooms with private baths. Friendly staff assist where needed to help maintain your independence.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Social Security News
Will You Pay FICA Taxes if You Return to Work? By John Johnston Question: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income? Answer: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year, Social Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. Question: I know that Social Security’s full retirement age is gradually rising to 67. But does this mean the “early” retirement age will also be going up by two years, from age 62 to 64? www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Answer: No. While it is true that, under current law, the full retirement age is gradually rising from 65 to 67, the “early” retirement age remains at 62. Keep in mind, however, that taking early retirement reduces your benefit amount. Question: Do I automatically get Medicare benefits if I’m eligible for disability benefits? Answer: After you have received disability benefits for 24 months, we will automatically enroll you in Medicare. We start counting the 24 months from the month you were entitled to receive disability, not the month when you received your first benefit payment. Sometimes you can get State Medicaid in the meantime. There are exceptions to this rule. People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and chronic renal
disease may be able to get Medicare earlier.
shelter that is given to you or is received by you because someone else pays for it.
Question: Next month I’ll turn 65 and, because of my financial situation, I thought I’d be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). But my neighbor told me I’d probably be turned down because I have a friend who said he might help support me. Is this true? Answer: If your friend helps support you, it could have an effect on whether you get SSI and on the amount you receive. Whether you can get SSI depends on your income and resources (the things you own). If you have low income and few resources, you may be able to get SSI. However, if you are receiving support from your friend or from anyone else, that income will be considered when making a decision on your SSI eligibility and amount. Support includes any food or
Question: If I retire and start getting Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, will my Medicare coverage begin then too? Answer: No. Medicare benefits based on retirement do not begin until a person is age 65. If you retire at age 62, you may be able to continue to have medical insurance coverage through your employer or purchase it from an insurance company until you reach age 65 and become eligible for Medicare. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call (800) 7721213 (TTY (800) 325-0778). John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
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June 2013
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The Search for Our Ancestry
DNA Soup Angelo Coniglio ast December, I bought a DNA kit from Ancestry.com, the online subscription site for genealogic records. As a subscriber, I was able to purchase the kit for a reduced price of about $100. A week after making the purchase online, I got the kit. I had to partially fill a small tube with about 5 cc of my saliva and return it. In late January came an email from Ancestry.com, saying that my test had failed because I hadn’t submitted enough saliva. I was sent another kit, put twice as much sputum in it, and sent it back. In two weeks, I got another form email, saying the same as the other: my test had failed and they were sending me another kit! I asked around with others who had had, or had heard of, similar experiences, and it was suggested that the next time, I chew a little on my inner cheeks before
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filling the tube. I did so for the third kit, submitted it, and last week got another email from Ancestry.com, saying their analysis would take six to eight weeks. I had hoped that by now, I could give some personal comments on DNA testing, but that will have to wait until I receive results. I’ve heard that such “rejection” is not uncommon with any of the venues that offer DNA testing. I previously spoke of the DNA in the chromosomes of the cells of all human beings: 22 paired autosomes (shared from mother and father), which essentially contain a complete genetic record, with all branches of a person’s ancestry at some point contributing a piece of his or her autosomal or shared DNA (auDNA). I also mentioned the 23rd pair, the sex chromosome pair, which, in women, has two X chromosomes: one from the father, one from the mother. In men, the
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ONE GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND! This may not be the same story you’re thinking of. This one’s about a young, itinerant engineer with job assignments in two states: Decorah, Iowa, and Lancaster, PA.
The step he is considering is marriage! Bob Hansen is smitten by two young women in Iowa, and one in Lancaster, PA. But he has to find a full-time job and decide which of the three young women to pursue.
Pick up or order Choices and Decisions at Masthof Bookstore – 219 Mill Road, Morgantown, PA 19543 ($13.95 plus 84¢ tax and $4 shipping) 610-286-0258 www.Masthof.com
— or — Available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle Use a gallon of gas and take a beautiful 9-mile trip through Amish and Mennonite farm country on Route 23 between Blue Ball and Morgantown. This stretch of road, which follows an old Native American trade route, was declared “The Conestoga Ridge Road Heritage Byway” in the fall of 2012. Stop off in Morgantown at the Masthof Bookstore (first road after Old Village Inn) and pick up a copy of Choices and Decisions and a local history book.
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June 2013
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23rd chromosome has only one X from the mother, and from the father, a Y chromosome that contains paternal or YDNA. In addition to the DNA in chromosomes, a special type of DNA exists called mitochondrial DNA, maternal DNA, or simply mtDNA. It is handed down only from females. A male receives mtDNA from his mother but passes none to his children. mtDNA mutates very slowly (approximately every 50 generations), so it is valuable in genealogic analyses. A chromosome is a single piece of coiled DNA, while mtDNA has a circular shape. Both contain the material that controls the inheritance of eye color, hair color, and many other human characteristics. The contents and arrangement of these elements define any human as an individual, and the similarity of certain elements can be used to determine how closely two different donors of DNA are related. A grasp of these concepts is necessary in order to understand how DNA testing can provide genealogic information. The testing can be done on shared DNA (auDNA), on paternal DNA (Y-DNA), or on maternal DNA (mtDNA). The type of DNA that is used determines which genealogic information may be found, and to an extent, how reliable the results may be. In early DNA testing, geneticists stained the appropriate chromosomes or mitochondrial DNA to be viewed under a microscope. This reveals a banding pattern that appears on the stained
specimens. These bands mark the location of genes on each chromosome, and when displayed in drawings called ideograms, they allow visual comparison of DNA from different species but are not refined enough for genealogical analyses. Modern testing of DNA is more complicated. The genetic material is put through a succession of chemical and mechanical processes until the DNA is removed and sequenced by computer. This gives the order of the nucleic acid building blocks in the DNA or the degree of repetition of a particular sequence. These sequences and groups are genetic markers and are compared to those of the DNA of other individuals to determine the closeness of their relationship. The closer the relationship, the greater the match between markers. Over the generations, the genetic material passed down from a particular ancestor can be so dispersed, or so modified by mutation, that the DNA match is minor or inconclusive. I want to thank my grandnephew D.J. Valint, a graduate student and instructor in biology at the University of Buffalo, for his help in making a complex topic more understandable. Write to Angelo at genealogytips@aol.com or visit his website, www.bit.ly/AFCGen. He is the author of the book The Lady of the Wheel (La Ruotaia), based on his genealogical research of Sicilian foundlings. See www.bit.ly/ruotaia for more information, or order the book at www.amzn.to/racalmuto.
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Please specify edition: Chester Cumberland Dauphin Lancaster Lebanon York www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Book Review
Towpath Adventures and Towpath Mysteries By Jack and Judith Woods
he Erie Canal played an important part in the westward expansion of the United States. The Towpath Tales are stories of a boy who worked as a mule driver on the Erie Canal in the early 1840s. In the first book, Towpath Adventures, 12-year-old Jonathan Hamilton is invited to work for a season as his uncle’s helper on a newly acquired canal boat. Jonathan finds himself helping escaped slaves on this Underground Railroad that travels on water, as well as in a tornado while lost in the woods in central New York. In the second book, Towpath Mysteries, Jonathan is two years older for his second summer on the canal boat. He finds answers to some perplexing questions. What are men doing in the graveyard at night? Who is the stowaway on the canal boat? Jonathan becomes aware that a girl is attracted to him. Of course, he is attracted to her, much to the amusement of his friend. In Towpath Treasures, the third and final book of this series, not yet
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published, an older Jonathan is pondering what lies ahead for him— how he will make a living as an adult and determining what is really important in his life. The books are available for purchase on www.towpathtales.com or locally by mail at Towpath Tales, 11 Jordan Drive, Ronks, Pa. 17572. About the Authors To fill the void left when the last of their four children left home, and as avid fans of our country’s history, teachers Jack and Judith Woods decided to write a book. Their research started at the library of the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, N.Y., where the authors found a missionary’s diary that told of the plight of many of the youngsters who worked on the canal in this time period. Some of these true stories are woven into the book. Traveling the canal from Albany to Buffalo, they learned more about the lives of the people who worked and traveled on the Erie Canal.
Riverboat Society Offering Free Cruises for Military Members, Families The Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society has announced that it will be extending free admission on any 45minute public sightseeing cruise during the 2013 season to veterans, activeduty members of the military, and their immediate families, with appropriate ID. These cruises occur from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2013 and weekends in the fall. Each year, the Pennsylvania www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
National Guard conducts launching and retrieval of the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat into and out of the water for the society, and without their help, the society would be unable to offer this iconic feature of the Harrisburg skyline. To learn more about the Pride of the Susquehanna or the free cruises for veterans and military members, please visit www.harrisburgriverboat.com or call (717) 234-6500.
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Celebrate Those Strongly Tied Knots!
Are you or is someone you know commemorating a special anniversary this year? Let 50plus Senior News help spread your news—for free! We welcome your anniversary announcements and photos. Anniversaries may be marking any number of years 15 and over. (Fields marked with an * are required.) *Anniversary (No. of years) _________________________________________ *Contact name __________________________________________________ E-mail ________________________ *Daytime phone ___________________ *Husband’s full name _____________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Wife’s full maiden name __________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Couple’s current city and state __________________________________________ *Marriage date_____________ Location ______________________________ Children (name and city/state for each)_________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Number of grandchildren________ Number of great-grandchildren___________ Photos must be at least 4x6'' and/or 300 dpi if submitted digitally. Completed information and photo can be emailed to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mailed to:
Anniversary Announcements 50plus Senior News 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your photo returned.
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June 2013
13
MOVE
Strawberry Cream Tarts By Pat Sinclair Fresh strawberries at their peak of flavor are the centerpiece in these elegant but simple tarts. Save a few of the best berries to use as a garnish on each tart. Strawberries are available year round, but nothing compares with the flavor of locally grown, fresh berries, so I can hardly wait to make this in the summer berry season. Makes 4 Ingredients 1 1/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin 3 tablespoons cold water 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed Directions Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray four muffin cups in a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine the coconut and butter in a small bowl. Press about 1/3 cup into four muffin cups, covering bottom and pressing up sides. Press firmly. Coconut may extend slightly over the top. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until coconut is crisp and browned. (Cover pan loosely with foil to prevent over browning if necessary.) Cool on a wire cooling rack. Gently remove cups from pan. Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl; let stand for about 15 minutes or until juicy. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a microwaveable cup. Let stand for one minute until the gelatin is thoroughly moistened. Microwave 30 seconds or until liquid is clear. Mix well. Stir in lemon juice. Add gelatin to strawberries. Cool to room temperature or until the mixture mounds slightly when stirred. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into coconut cups, mounding over top. Chill several hours before serving.
Cook’s Note: I have also prepared this recipe in parfait glasses. Instead of making individual tarts, I toasted the coconut on a baking sheet in a 325-degree oven. Watch carefully, as it can turn dark and bitter very quickly. Once the strawberry filling begins mounding, alternate layers of coconut and cream in dessert cups or parfait glasses. Garnish with sliced berries. Copyright by Pat Sinclair. Pat Sinclair announces the publication of her second cookbook, Scandinavian Classic Baking (Pelican Publishing), in February 2011. This book has a color photo of every recipe. Her first cookbook, Baking Basics and Beyond (Surrey Books), won the 2007 Cordon d’Or from the Culinary Arts Academy. Contact her at http://PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com
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from page 1
“I didn’t have to become a master diver to feel safe, but I did feel more secure in the water if I had the advanced open water certificate,” he explained. “You know more about the sport and things like how to navigate under water.” Of his many dives, there are a few that rank as his favorites. One occurred in the water off Providencialis Island. Hager was scuba diving with a group at night, taking underwater photographs, when he finally had his own long-awaited Flipper experience. A lone dolphin was spotted swimming around their boat, a rare sight that excited the divers. At night, dolphins feed and are not usually visible; moreover, they normally travel in pods, not alone. “Suddenly, everybody’s flashlights were pointed toward me … It turns out the dolphin had come in on this night dive and was resting itself vertically against my tank, nuzzle down,” Hager said. In the water again two days later, Hager heard a dolphin’s telltale clicking sound—and saw the same dolphin swimming alongside him for a few seconds before bolting ahead. “Then it came back! It does a 180 and swims right back to me and puts his muzzle right up against my mask,” Hager recalled. “And it was absolutely fantastic. So I got to have my Flipper fantasy realized.” Hager stays active on dry land as well. He is a past co-president and current board member of a local chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, a national organization that includes runners, hikers, and walkers of all abilities and ages. Hager only began hiking and running a decade ago when his physical therapist recommended the sport as a way to ward off his recurring back problems. “There are runners at all different levels. You don’t have to be a marathon runner or a winner of a 5K race to join,” said Hager. “There are a number of people who just walk, but they belong to the club and participate. “Plus, I found that running, hiking, and bicycling on a regular basis—it actually reduced the aches and pains that we sometimes develop when we get to be this age,” he added. “I had more energy, less pain, and felt much better.” Hager’s legs are also kept in motion through his membership in a local bicycle club. He hits the open road during the warmer months, often traveling 15 to 30 miles per ride, and when the weather turns cold, he heads indoors for spinning classes at a gym. Hager enjoys the solitary freedom of bicycling, where he can grab his helmet
and take off on his own. He sometimes performs what is called a “utility ride” that accomplishes a chore by biking instead of driving, like returning a rented movie. But Hager also benefits from biking with a companion, which pushes him athletically and enhances his social life. “I learn a lot from talking with people,” Hager said. “For those of us who are entering their senior years, I’ve always found that when I ride bicycle with someone who’s better than I am, I have a better ride.” Hager participates in three or four formal bicycling events per year, either riding in the event or volunteering his time to help with setup and other support activities. “I don’t consider myself an expert or an athlete, but my claim to fame on the bicycle is that the summer before last I rode the Dream Ride. I rode to raise money for UDS [United Disabilities Services] service dogs,” said Hager. “And I broke my record to do that. [My record] had been a 40-mile bike ride, and I rode 100 miles that day. Of course, I trained for it—you don’t go from 40 miles to 100 overnight.” A healthy brain is as important as a healthy body, and Hager keeps his mind’s eye sharp through his keen interest in photography. And he maintains his mental and social health by realizing yet another childhood dream. “My father was an amateur magician; he belonged to a local magician’s club,” Hager said. “After he died, I found his old, dusty magic bag upstairs—boy, I had fun with that.” For the last 25 years, Hager has moonlighted as a professional magician. He performs his comedic magic show to local, national, and international audiences. Although he is not yet retired, Hager views the coming years through the wise lens of an old neighborhood friend, a man in his 80s who advised him not to retire from his life when he retires from his job. He took those words to heart, and now, decades later, Hager has used them to form the basis of his life philosophy. “It’s one of the best pieces of advice I ever got from anybody,” he said. “And that’s why I’m involved with people. I sit on two boards of directors, I’m an avid photographer, I belong to a couple of clubs—[socializing] with people is what keeps the energy going for me. “You can only experience your own life, but you can enjoy numerous life experiences by mixing it up with other people, and that’s what’s tremendously valuable for me.” www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Savvy Senior
How Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Help Early Retirees Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about the new Obamacare health insurance exchanges that begin next year? I am interested in retiring early at age 61, but I need to find some affordable health insurance until my Medicare benefits begin in a few years. – Ready to Retire Dear Ready, The new health insurance exchanges— also known as Health Insurance Marketplaces—that begin in 2014 will be a welcome benefit to millions of Americans who need health insurance, especially uninsured baby boomers and preMedicare retirees who often have a difficult time finding affordable coverage. How It Will Work As part of the Affordable Care Act, starting Oct. 1 you will be able to shop and compare health insurance policies in your area and enroll in one directly through your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace website. The policies will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. You’ll also be happy to know that federal law dictates that Marketplace insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge you higher rates based on preexisting health conditions, and they can’t charge women more than men. But, they can charge older customers more than younger ones—up to three times more. Every state will have a Marketplace, but each state can choose how it will operate. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia will run their own statebased Marketplace, seven states will partner with the federal government, and 26 states will offer federal Marketplaces. Pennsylvania is among the latter. The differences between federal and state programs will be subtle. You will be able to access each state’s Health Insurance Marketplace at www.healthcare.gov. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The policies available through these Marketplaces will be sold by insurance companies and will provide a package of 10 essential benefits, including emergency services, hospital care, lab services, prescription drugs, doctor visits, preventive care, and rehab services. To make shopping and comparing a little easier, the health plans will be divided into four different levels—bronze, silver, gold, and platinum— each offering similar benefits but with a different cost structure. The bronze plan will have the lowest monthly premiums but have highest out-of-pocket costs, while the platinum plans will have the highest premiums but the lowest deductibles and co-payments. The Marketplaces will also offer a tollfree hotline to help you choose a plan that meets your needs and budget. These helpers aren’t associated with any particular plan, and they aren’t on any type of commission, so the help they give you will be completely unbiased. Costs and Tax Credits Prices will vary depending on where you live, your age, and the health plan you choose. Exact cost structures for most Marketplaces will be released within the next few months. To help make coverage affordable, sliding-scale tax credits will be available if you earn less than 400 percent of the poverty level—that’s $45,960 for a single person and $62,040 for couples. These tax-credit subsidies will provide immediate savings off your monthly premiums. To find out if you qualify, or to see how much a tax credit will reduce your monthly costs, you’ll need to submit a Marketplace application in October or when you decide enroll. In the meantime, you can calculate your potential tax-credit premium savings by using the Kaiser Family Foundation
calculator at http://healthreform.kff.org. Click on “Interactive Features” and then scroll down to “Subsidy Calculator.” For more information on the Health Insurance Marketplaces, including a checklist of things you can do now to
help you choose a plan, visit www.healthcare.gov/marketplace. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
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You bring the talent, We’ll provide the stage! Do you dance … sing … play an instrument … perform magic … do comedy? Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be called PA STATE SENIOR IDOL? Then we’re looking for you!
Pennsylvanians over 50 are invited to audition for the eighth annual PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition at one of these locations:
Tuesday, August 27
Thursday, September 5
Holiday Inn Harrisburg East
Heritage Hotel – Lancaster
4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111
500 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
(Morning/Early Afternoon Auditions)
(Afternoon/Evening Auditions)
Win a limousine trip to New York City with dinner and a Broadway show! Finals to be held on October 14, 2013 at: Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 • (717) 898-1900
For more information, updates, or an application:
911 Photo Graphics
717.285.1350 • www.SeniorIdolPA.com
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June 2013
50plus SeniorNews +
Emcee:
Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com