Lancaster County Edition
June 2013
Vol. 19 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 of Lancaster 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, please see MOVE page 16 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:
How Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Help Early Retirees page 6
50plus EXPO Draws Crowds to Overlook Park page 11
Experience the convenience of one-floor living. 6 lots available ... going fast!
The Beauty in Nature
Two Turkey Vultures
Please join us at our
Open House Sunday, June 9th 1 to 3 p.m.
Eastwood Village Homes LLC
• Spec home and pre-owned homes available to inspect •
Up to six months’ lot rent FREE! *Details available at Sales Center.
102 Summers Drive Lancaster, PA 17601
717-397-3138
www.eastwoodvillagehomes.com
Directions: Rt. 30E – Greenfield Road exit, Right onto Greenfield Road to Fallon Drive. Right onto Fallon Drive; follow signs to Sales Center.
If you suffer from irregular bleeding or heavy periods, there are in-office procedure options that may be the right choice for you. Schedule your appointment to discuss NovaSure and Her Option today.
maygrant.com • 397-8177 MAIN OFFICE: Women & Babies Hospital OTHER LOCATIONS: Brownstown • Columbia • Elizabethtown • Willow Street • Intercourse
Protect your investment in pressure-treated wood or composite decks from water damage, ultra-violet light, and fungus attack. We can help by cleaning and treating your deck, fence, gazebo, cedar siding, log home, patio furniture, and other outdoor wood.
Call today for a free consultation and estimate!
PA 012697
10 Trinity Road, Leola
(717) 656-8928 • www.AtkinsDeck.com 2
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
Clyde McMillan-Gamber ne afternoon in March, I drove through Greenfield Corporate Center to check the ponds for waterfowl and other birds. While driving into a parking lot beside a small pond fringed with cattails, a turkey vulture soared low over the lot, circled the impoundment, and landed among dried, still-standing cattail and aster plants, about 20 yards from me in my car. Looking at it with 16-power binoculars, I noticed every detail. Upon landing, the vulture immediately began eating a dead muskrat, duck, or similarly sized creature lying on flattened cattails. The bird held the carcass down with one foot and tore off chunks of flesh with its hooked beak and upward tugs of its head. With every pull, the vulture swallowed a bit of food and looked about for danger. It was seemingly unalarmed by my presence in my car. Seeing the vulture so close, I noticed it was a clean, magnificent bird, unlike what many of us think about vultures. It had black body plumage; brown-edged wing feathers; a pink, naked head; and legs that matched. And I saw the large
O
nostrils turkey vultures use to smell dead animals below their soaring. Within a couple of minutes another turkey vulture landed beside the first one as it fed. This bird was a little smaller than the first one, and didn’t seem quite as majestic. Maybe the second bird was a female and this might be a mated pair. They seemed at ease with each other and didn’t fight over the carcass. Both vultures were wary, taking flight a few times for no apparent reason, but quickly returning to the dead animal. Not wasting time in a world of many scavengers, they fed as soon as they landed. Almost as big as eagles, turkey vultures soaring in the sky are pictures of grace and beauty. They hold their wings in a shallow V and tip from side to side a bit for balance in the wind. It was interesting to see those vultures close up. They are built for what they do, elegant in flight, and stately on the ground, even when scavenging dead creatures. Clyde McMillan-Gamber is a Lancaster County Parks naturalist.
Time ia sPricelesGsift Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’
Volunteer Spotlight!
Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency, Inc. 350 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 299-1211 Dental Services Dental Health Associates 951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster (717) 394-9231 Lancaster Denture Center 951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster (717) 394-3773 Smoketown Family Dentistry 2433C Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown (717) 291-6035 Emergency Numbers Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Office of Aging (717) 299-7979 or (800) 801-3070
Gastroenterology Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster (RGAL) 2104 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster 694 Good Drive, Suite 23, Lancaster 4140 Oregon Pike, Ephrata (717) 544-3400 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Cancer Society (717) 397-3744 American Diabetes Association (888) DIABETES American Heart Association (717) 393-0725 American Lung Association (717) 397-5203 or (800) LungUSA American Red Cross (717) 299-5561
Employment Lancaster County Office of Aging (717) 299-7979 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900 Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (717) 291-1994
Arthritis Foundation (717) 397-6271 Consumer Information (888) 878-3256 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. 414 E. King St., Lancaster (717) 393-9661 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz (717) 627-8668 441 N. George St., Millersville (717) 872-5041
Home Care Services Visiting Angels Serving Lancaster and surrounding counties (717) 393-3450
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Wiley’s Pharmacy Locations in Lancaster, Millersville, Quarryville, and Strasburg (717) 898-8804 Physicians — OB/GYN May•Grant Obstetrics & Gynecology Women & Babies Hospital with other locations in Brownstown, Columbia, Elizabethtown,Willow Street, and Intercourse (717) 397-8177
Housing Eastwood Village Homes, LLC 102 Summers Drive, Lancaster (717) 397-3138
Real Estate
Marietta Senior Apartments 601 E. Market St., Marietta (717) 735-9590
Prudential Homesale Services Group Rocky Welkowitz (717) 393-0100
Insurance Senior Move Management
Medicare (800) 633-4227
TLC Ladies (717) 228-8764
Jewelers
Transition Solutions for Seniors Rocky Welkowitz (717) 615-6507
Leola Precious Metals 356-A W. Main St., Leola (717) 989-1799 Neurosurgery & Physiatry Lancaster NeuroScience & Spine Associates 1671 Crooked Oak Drive, Lancaster (717) 569-5331 or (800) 628-2080
Travel Passport Information (877) 487-2778 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
You can have 50 plus Senior News delivered right to your home!
Health Network Labs 274-A Granite Run Drive, Lancaster (717) 560-8891
Simply mail this form and $15 for an annual subscription to: 50 plus Senior News • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Or, subscribe online at www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com!
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Hearing and Ear Care Center, LLC 806 W. Main St., Mount Joy (717) 653-6300
Pharmacies
Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228
Funeral Directors Richard H. Heisey Funeral Home 216 S. Broad St., Lititz (717) 626-2464
Hearing Services
Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ City:__________________________State: _____ Zip: _________________
Please specify edition: Chester Cumberland Dauphin Lancaster Lebanon York
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
3
Salute to a Veteran
They Took a Bullet from His Leg 18 Years after Combat
Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL VICE-PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce EDITORIAL INTERN Jessica Johns
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Karla Back Angie McComsey Jacoby Valerie Kissinger Doug Kline Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall Member of
Awards
Winner
50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
4
June 2013
Robert D. Wilcox erald Cramer grew up in Harrisburg. He had always been the kind of guy who had looked for where the action was. He had, for example, hitchhiked to the West Coast through the northern states, and then returned the same way through the southern states. He had left with $60 in his pocket and came back with $6 and change. Wanting to fly, he applied to the Navy but found that he was colorblind. So he enlisted in the Army while a senior in high school, and then completed a semester at Dickinson College before being called in. At the time, he was raring to go … never guessing that he was to be grievously wounded in combat or that he was to be awarded a Purple Heart with three Battle Stars. He took his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then was assigned to the 87th Division. When he learned that he was to ship out of New York on the Queen Elizabeth, he figured things couldn’t get much better than that. He was to go on the largest ocean liner ever built, with luxurious amenities and a peacetime crew of 1,200. What he found when boarding in New York, however, was that all the amenities had been exchanged in wartime for a refitting to carry 10,000 troops jammed into every spare inch of space on the great vessel. Not that it mattered a lot, because the ship, cruising at 26 knots, made the crossing to Scotland in a mere 4.5 days. She was so much faster than the German u-boats that she sailed without a convoy, zigzagging her way across the sea with only her great speed to protect her. Cramer later learned that, by the end of the war, the Queen Elizabeth had carried more than a million troops to the warzone in the course of sailing 500,000 miles. Arriving safely in Scotland, the division moved south to England, where they joined General George Patton’s Third Army and staged for movement to France. Reaching
G
50plus SeniorNews •
LeHavre, France, on Nov. 28, 1944, they joined the VIII Corps that played a key role in exploiting the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. They surged into Brittany and then across northern France. Bypassing Paris, they liberated large chunks of territory. When the 101st Airborne Division was besieged at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the Third Army was quickly turned north to successfully relieve the division.
Staff Sergeant Gerald Cramer, after leaving the Army in 1946.
Cramer shakes his head as he tells of the fighting at the “bulge.” “It was so cold,” he says, “that lots of men lost toes and feet from freezing. I poured rifle oil over mine, and that seemed to insulate them enough.” The Third Army successfully sealed off the western end of the “bulge” and moved on through Luxembourg. In the first week of February, they pushed through the vaunted Siegfried Line into Germany. And that’s where Cramer’s war ended. On Feb. 28, 1945, he was a staff sergeant leading a dozen or so men toward Germans who were in a wooded area ahead of them. Suddenly, fire from a German machine gun ripped him with bullets
that took out his right eye, broke ribs in the right side of his chest, and hit his right leg. As the Germans were driven back, he remembers one of his buddies who came to recover him saying to another, “I think he’s dead.” “That’s when I managed a moan to let them know that, at least, I was still alive.” They moved him to a field hospital, then to a hospital in Belgium, and finally to a major hospital in England. The hospital in Belgium patched up his ribs, using 32 sutures to close the wound. They removed his right eye and took skin from his neck and leg to reconstruct the eye socket. In England, they decided that the eye socket would look more normal if they used skin from his mouth. So the surgery was done and he was fitted with a glass eye. He was then flown back to the U.S. and admitted to Valley Forge General Hospital for further recuperation until he was discharged from the Army in July of 1946. He adds, “They thought it better not to take out that bullet in my right thigh. But, over 18 years, it had migrated to just behind my right knee, making it hard for me to bend my leg. So they took it out. But,” he says, feeling his left thigh, “I still have a piece of shrapnel here.” After he was discharged, he went back to Dickinson College and earned his degree. He worked in a hardware store his dad owned in Carlisle. Then, in 1951, he moved to York to help his dad run City Floors, which he managed for 40 years. He’s a much-honored veteran in York and makes it a point to take part in many veterans activities. He’s always aware, of course, of how close he came to sacrificing his life in the service of his country … and is thankful for the skilled Army surgeons who permitted him to enjoy so many more years of an active life. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The Search for Our Ancestry
Moving Yourself or Moving Mom & Dad ... You Can Count on Rocky!
DNA Soup
Dedicated to Making Older Adult Transitions Easier, More Economical, and Lower in Stress We Can:
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
L
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 filling the tube. I did so for the third kit, submitted it, and last week got please see DNA page 15
Need a Speaker for Your Group?
• Organize and Implement the Entire Move
Let Rocky Share Her 28 Years of Downsizing Expertise!
• Create a Floor Plan for Your New Residence • Assist with the Sorting, Packing, Disposal and Unpacking Processes • Prepare Your Home for Sale to Obtain Top Price • Sell Your Home or Help You Find a New One * • Perform Intra-Community Moves • Work with Estates
• Provide Specialized Services Tailored to Your Needs
Licensed Realtor With:
CALL NOW
FOR
FREE INFORMATION
Rochelle “Rocky” Welkowitz Founder
Direct Line: (717) 615-6507
(717) 295-HOME
Serving Lancaster County for over 28 Years! ©2008. An independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. Prudential is a registered service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Now Women Have a Choice
Women’s Digestive Health Center Introducing a facility designed exclusively for women, and staffed completely by women. Dr. Sadiya Cheshty of RGAL is board certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine and specializes in women’s digestive health.
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
For more information about the Women’s Digestive Health Center visit www.RGAL.com.
Dr. Sadiya Cheshty
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cheshty call 717.544.3406.
Medical Director
Women’s Digestive Health Center 694 Good Drive, Suite 23 Lancaster, PA 17601 (Adjacent to Women & Babies Hospital)
www.RGAL.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
5
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 pre-Medicare 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 state-based 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. 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
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
6
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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
Residents in our short-term Summer Respite Getaway Program enjoy: • a full day of engaging activities • chef-prepared meals • special events • a chance to make new friends • the security of knowing someone is available to help if needed, 24 hours a day
Time for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is once again offering vouchers through its Farmers Market Nutrition Program. These vouchers, worth $20, can be used to purchase Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables at area farmers markets. Eligible individuals must be at least 60 years of age, reside in Lancaster County, and have an annual income of less than $21,257 ($28,694 for two people). People living in residential facilities where meals are provided are not eligible. Those unable to travel to the distribution sites can still obtain vouchers through a proxy, provided a signed form and photo identification of the older person is presented. Proxy forms can be obtained by calling your local senior center, other distribution locations, or the Office of Aging at (717) 299-7979. Vouchers will be distributed at the following locations on June 19th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
Columbia Senior Center (717) 684-4850 JUNIPER VILLAGE AT MOUNT JOY SENIOR LIVING
Elizabethtown Area Senior Center (717) 367-7984
607 Hearthstone Lane, Mount Joy, PA 17552
717.492.9692
Lititz Senior Center (717) 626-2800
www.junipercommunities.com
Millersville Senior Center (717) 871-9600 Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center (717) 299-3943 Lancaster Recreation Commission Senior Center – (717) 399-7671
11th Annual
NextGen Senior Center (717) 786-4770 Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) Senior Center (717) 295-7989
Sept. 18, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Other distribution locations and times on June 19th are: Ephrata Recreation Center 8:30 a.m. to noon, (717) 738-1167 New Holland United Methodist Church 1 to 4 p.m., (717) 354-0226
York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue, York
14th Annual
Paradise Township Building 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., (717) 768-7684
Cocalico Senior Association (717) 336-7489
NEW LOCATION!
Oct. 24, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Never Miss Another Issue! Subscribe online at www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
17th Annual
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
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
7
Calendar of Events
Lancaster County
Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Pre-registration is required for these programs. All activities are held at the Environmental Center in Central Park unless otherwise noted. To register or to find out more about these activities or any additional scheduled activities, call (717) 295-2055 or visit www.lancastercountyparks.org.
Cocalico Senior Association – (717) 336-7489 June 4, 10 a.m. – Visit to Adamstown Library June 6, 6 p.m. – Cocalico Jam June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution
June 8, 10 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 2 p.m. – Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard June 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m. – Beginners’ Birding Walk June 22, 10 to 11 a.m. – Summer Tree Walk
Library Programs
Columbia Senior Center – (717) 684-4850 June 3, 10:15 a.m. – Flag Day Trivia June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution June 27, 10:15 a.m. – Music and Memories Elizabethtown Area Senior Center – (717) 367-7984 June 4, 10 a.m. – Pressed Flowers Class June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution June 25, 10:30 a.m. – “Burning of the Bridge” with Glenn Banner
Lititz Public Library, 651 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz, (717) 626-2255 June 5, 6:30 p.m. – Astronomy Enthusiasts of Lancaster County June 10, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Scrabble Club June 25, 7 p.m. – Village Art Association: Traditional Realism in Watercolors
Lancaster House North – (717) 299-1278 Thursdays, noon to 3 p.m. – Happy Hearts Club Pinochle
Support Groups June 5, 7 p.m. Support for Caregivers Lancashire Terrace Retirement Village 6 Terrace Drive, Lancaster (717) 659-0565 June 5, 7 to 8:15 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Willow Lakes Outpatient Center 212 Willow Valley Lakes Drive Willow Street (717) 464-9365
Free and open to the public June 10, 10 to 11 a.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Garden Spot Village Concord Room 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland (717) 355-6076 jmorton@gardenspotvillage.org June 20, noon Brain Tumor Support Group Lancaster General Health Campus Wellness Center 2100 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster (717) 626-2894
June 24, 2 to 3 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group Garden Spot Village Concord Room 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland (717) 355-6259 jshaffer@gardenspotvillage.org June 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania Support Group Lancaster General Hospital Stager Room 5 555 N. Duke St., Lancaster (800) 887-7165, ext. 104
Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center (717) 299-3943 Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – Health Checks with Student Nurses June 13, 10:30 a.m. – Music and Memories June 18, 10:30 a.m. – Healthy Steps in Motion Exercise Lancaster Rec. Center – (717) 392-2115, ext. 147 Fridays, 12:30 to 3 p.m. – Happy Hearts Club Bridge Lititz Senior Center – (717) 626-2800 June 3, 8:30 a.m. – Shingles Clinic by Appointment (299-7597) June 13, 10:15 a.m. – Music and Dancing June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution LRC Senior Center – (717) 399-7671 June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution
Community Programs June 1, 6 p.m. Rock-N-Glow 5K Race, Fun Run, and After Party Market Square, Manheim (717) 665-1762 www.manheimdowntown.org June 3, 6 p.m. Red Rose Singles Meeting Park City Diner 884 Plaza Blvd., Lancaster (717) 475-3007 June 5, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Point of View Series: Documentary Guilty Pleasures Garden Spot Village Garden Towers Classroom 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland (717) 355-6007
8
June 2013
Free and open to the public June 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Heath and Wellness Fair St. Anne’s Retirement Community 3952 Columbia Ave., Columbia (717) 285-6112 June 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pennsylvania Music Expo Continental Inn 2285 Lincoln Highway East Lancaster (717) 898-1246 www.recordcollectors.org
June 15, 8:30 a.m. Busy Buddies: Widows & Widowers Social Group Dutch Way Restaurant 365 Route 41, Gap Reservations required: (484) 667-0738 June 21, 6 to 9 p.m. Music Fridays 200 and 300 Blocks of North Queen Street 24 W. Walnut St., Lancaster (717) 341-0028
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
50plus SeniorNews •
Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center – (717) 295-7989 June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution June 19, 10 a.m. – Mini Health Fair Millersville Senior Center – (717) 871-9600 June 7, 10 a.m. – Music by the Musical Arts Society of Lancaster June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution Next Gen Senior Center – (717) 786-4770 June 7, 10:30 a.m. – Homemade Ice Cream and History June 19, 9 a.m. – Farmers Market Voucher Distribution June 28, 10:30 a.m. – Food Bank Bingo Rodney Park Center – (717) 393-7786 Tuesdays, 1 to 3 p.m. – Happy Hearts Club Pinochle and Bingo Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional activities. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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
D
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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.
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
9
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
M
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
Does Your Marketing Reach Active, Affluent Boomers & Seniors?
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.
Reserve Your Space Now for the 17th Annual:
NEW LOCATION!
November 6, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports
2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Why Participate?
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Entertainment
For sponsorship and exhibitor information:
(717) 285-1350
It’s the premier event for baby boomers, caregivers, and seniors in Lancaster County • Face-to-face interaction with 3,000+ attendees • Strengthen brand recognition/launch new products Brought to you by:
10
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
&
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus EXPO Draws Crowds to Overlook Park By Megan Joyce Both the weather and the turnout for the recent Northern Lancaster County 50plus EXPO exceeded expectations. The outdoors boasted clear, spring skies as the crowd indoors swelled to more than 1,500 visitors at Lititz’s Overlook Activities Center in Overlook Park. The free, one-day event, which provides information and resources for the area’s 50+ community, was cohosted by On-Line Publishers, Inc., publishers of 50plus Senior News, and the Lancaster County Office of Aging. More than 80 exhibitors were on hand representing travel, housing, medical services, health and wellness, home improvements, and finances. Jennifer Kettering of Lancaster was making good use of the opportunity to gather a lot of information in one location. As power of attorney for her
aunt and with a grandmother in a nursing home, Kettering was tagteaming the EXPO floor with her mother to speak with numerous exhibitors. “We came to learn about the rights of older people in nursing homes and what you can do to prepare,” she said. In addition to about a dozen door prizes, the 14th annual event included free health screenings for blood pressure, vital signs, spinal health, and more.
New for the Northern Lancaster County 50plus EXPO were the hours of free, live entertainment. Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre drew a large audience as actors belted out musical hits from their current season of shows, including CATS and Brigadoon. Vickie Kissinger of Gap, 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL, performed songs ranging in style from country to classic rock, followed by magician William Hager, who engaged onlookers with illusions and sleight-of-hand.
Finally, PA STATE SENIOR IDOL winners Barry Surran (2008) and Peggy Kurtz Keller (2011) performed jointly, alternating between individual numbers and duets. Visitor Lee Fry said he was milling around the EXPO floor to see what kinds of activities and amenities are available to help older people stay active. “When I get older, I want to do more than just rock in my rocking chair,” the Lititz man joked. “My wife is still active, and we want to keep active.” On-Line Publishers’ last 50plus EXPO for this spring will be held in Chester County on Thursday, June 6, at Church Farm School, 1001 E. Lincoln Highway, Exton. The 50plus EXPOs will return in fall 2013 with shows in York, Cumberland, and Lancaster counties. For more information, call (717) 2851350 or visit www.50plusExpoPA.com.
Proudly Sponsored By: Gold
Brought to you by: &
Bronze Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches Lancaster County LINK to Aging and Disability Resources Landis Homes Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster (RGAL)
Media WDAC WHYL
Thank you, sponsors!
The 50plus EXPO is FREE to the community due to the generosity of our sponsors. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
11
For active adults when apartment living is all you need!
Book Review
Affordable housing for those 62 and older, located in beautiful, historic Marietta
Towpath Adventures and Towpath Mysteries
Rents start at $645 and include all utilities (heat, electric, water, sewer, trash), off-street parking, on-site laundry, community room, and community garden.
By Jack and Judith Woods
Community Basics, Inc.
717-735-9590 or rwalsh@communitybasics.com
601 East Market Street, Marietta
Senior Homecare By Angels Select Your Caregiver!
®
We know it isn’t easy to invite someone into your home to provide care. With us, you interview and choose your caregiver. Our caregivers are Visiting Angels® employees who have caregiving experience and are thoroughly screened. • Insured and bonded for peace of mind • 24-hour care • Housekeeping/meal preparation • Hygiene assistance • Nurse owned and operated • Respite
Please call or visit our website:
393-3450 • www.visitingangels.com/Lancaster
12
June 2013
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
T
For applications and information, please contact:
50plus SeniorNews •
final book of this series, not yet 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.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Denture Repairs While You Wait
Strawberry Cream Tarts
You can get new dentures started, repaired, or relined the same day. With our on-site dental lab, most repairs are done while you wait. Initial consultation is free and most insurance plans are accepted.
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.
(717) 394-9773
Emergencies & New Patients Welcome Evenings Available
951 ROHRERSTOWN RD., LANCASTER
THERE’S NO NEWS LIKE
Now there are even more places to get your FREE copy of
50plus Senior News!!! Check out your local
CVS/pharmacy stores and look for this display.
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
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Help yourself to a
50plus Senior News and a shopping basket. 50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
13
Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes 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.
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?
14
June 2013
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
50plus SeniorNews •
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? Answer: No. While it is true that, under current law, the full retirement please see FICA page 17
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes 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.
DNA
from page 5
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 23rd chromosome has only one X from the mother, and from the father, a Y chromosome that contains paternal or YDNA. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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.
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
15
MOVE
from page 1
which culminated in his earning his advanced open water certification. “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, part of the Turks and Caicos Island chain. 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 of him. “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 the Lancaster Road Runners, the local chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, which includes runners, hikers, and walkers of all abilities and ages, from their 20s to their 80s. 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
Report Affirms Lifesaving Role of Colonoscopy – The New York Times February 22, 2012
The New England Journal of Medicine reported the results of a 20-year study, which shows that colonoscopy screening prevents death. visit www.RGAL.com to view and download the entire article.
Three Locations • Lancaster Health Campus • Oregon Pike-Brownstown • Women’s Digestive Health Center www.RGAL.com • 717.544.3400
energy, less pain, and felt much better.” Hager’s legs are also kept in motion through his membership in the Lancaster 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. “Mixing it up with people socially, 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 through his involvement with the Lancaster Bicycle Club, 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
Humane League Pets of the Month
Spencer and Tuffer These adorable, 10-year-old Pomeranians are as in tune with each other as an old married couple. Tuffer, the girl of the pair, weighs in at a tiny 6 pounds, and Spencer is the slightly bigger, 9-pound boy. A little more than a month ago, Spencer and Tuffer, along with several other pets, were seized from a hoarding situation. As a result of neglect, these two tiny dogs were so ill that they could not even stand, let alone walk. But after a month of treatment and care, their spirits are high as they prance during daily playtime and happily trot on leash walks. Despite their past, Spencer and Tuffer have been quick to trust people again. (Spencer ID No. 19580453 and Tuffer ID No. 19580472) For more information, please contact the Humane League of Lancaster County at (717) 393-6551.
Contact your family doctor or RGAL regarding your screening colonoscopy
16
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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
FICA
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.” For more information on the Lancaster Road Runners Club, visit www.lrrclub.org or call (717) 393-4144. To find out more about the Lancaster Bicycle Club, visit www.lancasterbike club.org or call (717) 396-9299.
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
from page 14
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.
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 shelter that is given to you or is received by you because someone else pays for it.
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. 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
Are You Ready? 25
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.
Annual Event!
• 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! Have a lifestyle change on the horizon? Let this be your guide.
For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call (800) 772-1213 (TTY (800) 325-0778). John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
June 10–14, th
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards
17th Edition Now Available!
2013
In print. Online: onlinepub.com
For registration information, please call:
717-392-2115 www.lancseniorgames.org www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
“Exercising Body, Mind, and Spirit.”
Call for your free copy today!
(717) 285-1350 50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
17
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.
Job Opportunities LANCASTER COUNTY EMPLOYERS NEED YOU!! Age 55 or over? Unemployed? The 55+ Job Bank is one of three services offered by Employment Unit at the Office of Aging. Jobs are matched with those looking for work. Based on an evaluation of your skills and abilities, we can match you with a position needed by a local employer. Some employers are specifically looking for older workers because of the reliability and experience they bring to the workplace. There is a mix of full-time and part-time jobs covering all shifts, requiring varying levels of skill and experience, and offering a wide range of salaries. The other services available through the Office of Aging are the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and the regularly scheduled Job Search Workshops.
For more job listings, call the Lancaster County Office of Aging
at (717) 299-7979 or visit
www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco_aging
Lancaster County Office of Aging 150 N. Queen Street, Suite 415 Lancaster, PA 18
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
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
E.O.E.
SALES SUPPORT ASSOCIATE – PT Big-box retailer needs a person experienced in customer service or sales to serve in a support role ensuring a shopping environment where no customer is underserved. Prefer one year of retail experience. SN05052.01 WARES SPECIALIST – FT Local nonprofit thrift outlet is searching for a reliable individual who can apply company production and quality standards to process donations, preparing them for resale or for shipment to another location. SN050056.02
VIEW OUR JOB LIST We list other jobs on the Web at www.co.lancaster.pa.us/ lanco_aging. To learn more about applying for the 55+ Job Bank and these jobs, call the Employment Unit at (717) 299-7979. SN-GEN.03
CLIENT SERVICES ADVISOR – FT Local business is seeking an experienced person to investigate client issues, research billing disputes, offer sound and realistic solutions, accept customer payments, and gather feedback about company services and overall client satisfaction. SN050057.04
— Volunteer Opportunities — Do you belong to a service organization, civic group, or place of worship that is looking for a one-time volunteer opportunity? Are coworkers or administration at your workplace interested in volunteering in your community? If you answered yes to either of these questions, please mention Lancaster County Office of Aging as an option for fulfilling those goals while helping to meet the needs of older people in the community. Throughout the year, several groups volunteer to provide hands-on assistance with a variety of tasks including cleaning, washing windows, yard care, and other home-maintenance chores. The groups offer one-time help for consumers of the agency and are matched with consumers requesting assistance. Volunteers and consumers express mutual satisfaction with the volunteering experience. If you'd like more information, please contact Bev Via, volunteer coordinator, at (717) 299-7979 or aging@co.lancaster.pa.us.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.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. The Rush in the West – California, 1849 The Dahlonega rush paled in comparison to the one that took place in California in the late 1840s. On Jan. 24, 1848, a man named James Marshall was building a mill for Captain John Sutter when he spotted a gold rock. News traveled fast, and soon an estimated 300,000 people headed west to try their luck and test their skill. The old mill is long gone, but there’s a replica in Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park near Coloma, along with other reminders of gold rush days: a store mill, a 19th-century school, and two stores that are reminders of the Chinese who helped settle the area. Later we drive south on Highway 49, which links old mining towns filled with
A narrow-gauge train through Colorado’s mining country is an excellent way to learn the history of the area.
Mining is still big business near Cripple Creek, Colo.
Pine Mountain Gold Museum in Villa Rica’s Stockmar Park features an old water wheel.
quaint bed-and-breakfasts and awardwinning wineries housed in restored gold-era buildings. After about two hours we reach Columbia State Park, where costumed actors show us how folks lived during the golden days. We visit period-specific stores, see blacksmiths at work, and take a ride in a stagecoach. For more information, visit www.coloma.com and www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com.
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 what it was like for the miners by turning off the lights and turning on the drills. The darkness is oppressive, the noise deafening. Although I believe him when he says that conditions are better now, I still cross “miner” off my list of possible second careers. To learn more about the history of the area, we board a narrow-gauge steamengine railroad for a 45-minute ride through rocky hills covered with spindly pines and abandoned mine structures, some of which sit atop mines that are as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. Many folks estimate that these hills still hold more than $6 billion of gold. In the meantime, as trucks and drill rigs race around the stepped walls of the vast caldera where the mineral is hidden, Cripple Creek is almost as well known for its casinos as for its mining. It seems that the search for gold takes many forms. For more information, visit www.visitcripplecreek.com and www.pikes-peak.com. Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
Steinmetz is Buying & Selling All Gold & Silver — Call for Quotes!
• U.S. COLLECTIONS • 1/2 Cents through U.S. Gold • All U.S. Coins and Currency • All Silver Dollars
FREE APPRAISALS
WE WILL TRAVEL Dennis E. Steinmetz dsteinco@aol.com
LANCASTER 350 Centerville Rd.
299-1211 or 800-334-3903 www.steinmetzcoins.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews •
June 2013
19
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
20
June 2013
50plus SeniorNews •
Emcee:
Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com