Lebanon County Edition
July 2014
Vol. 9 No. 7
Green-Thumb Therapy Horticultural Therapy Helps Seniors Grow Well-Being By Megan Joyce In horticulture therapy, a very tangible activity is used to create intangible healing. Much more than simply planting flowers, horticulture therapy is “the engagement of a participant in horticultural activities facilitated by a trained therapist to achieve specific and documented treatment goals,” according to the American Horticultural Therapy Association. Increasingly, this type of therapy is a highly effective practice for both seniors and adults with mobility challenges. Physically, the therapy strengthens muscles and boosts coordination, balance, and endurance. And when it comes to those improved intangibles, horticultural therapy has been shown to increase memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. Paula Swearingen, M.Ed. and owner of Floral Touch Horticultural Therapy and Floral Design, is a registered horticultural therapist who has seen the evidence firsthand. “Like most horticultural therapists, I came into this vocation as a secondary career path,” she said. Swearingen spent 17 years as a mental health and special education professional, working with children, youth, and adults with various disabilities. please see GREEN-THUMB page 12 Registered horticultural therapist Paula Swearingen, seated, often treats seniors and people with mobility issues using a ground garden or raised garden table, such as these offered by certified square-foot gardening instructor Joe Manotti, standing.
Inside:
How Reverse Mortgages Work in 2014 page 6
Lebanon County Senior Games page 11
The Beauty in Nature
Creatures Feeding on Lawns Clyde McMillan-Gamber everal kinds of adaptable creatures get much of their food from shortgrass lawns in southeastern Pennsylvania, as elsewhere. Those animals have added banquet tables that bolster their populations and add to our enjoyment of lawns, which are new, human-made habitats. American robins, purple grackles, and starlings are medium-sized birds that move across lawns in search of invertebrates, particularly earthworms. These species also rear young in trees and on buildings on lawns. Canada geese, cottontail rabbits, and woodchucks eat grass and white clover leaves. Geese and chucks consume those plants by day while the rabbits do so mostly during evenings and into the night. Northern flickers are a type of woodpecker that eats ants in the soil. Unlike their black-and-white relatives, flickers are mostly brown, which
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Cabbage white butterfly
Northern flicker
camouflages them on the ground. They run their long, sticky tongues into the tunnels of anthills in the soil to snare ants and their eggs and larvae, pull
them out of their labyrinths, and swallow them. A few kinds of attractive, seed-eating birds eat dandelion seeds in May, a time when few other seeds are available. Permanent resident northern cardinals, song sparrows, American goldfinches and house finches, nesting chipping sparrows, and migrant indigo buntings make dandelion fluff float on the wind without their seed cargoes. Several kinds of insects sip sugary
nectar from white clover flowers from late May through summer. Honeybees, bumblebees, and a few kinds of small butterflies, including cabbage whites, visit the blooms of white clovers. White clover plants respond to mowing by producing new blossoms after each cutting. The result is fresh nectar for these insects all summer. The act of mowing grass is like a dinner bell for a couple of species of birds. I have seen gray catbirds watching the mowing from the security of bushes and flipping out to catch small moths stirred out of hiding in the grass by the mower. Barn swallows swoop over lawns to catch froghoppers in mid-air. Those little insects were stirred into flight by the mower. Watch lawns a little closer to see some of these critters feeding on them. They make the lawns more interesting and enjoyable.
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Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Emergency Numbers Poison Control Center (800) 222-1222
Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Insurance Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
Food Resources Food Stamps (800) 692-7462
Hospitals Good Samaritan Hospital 252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon (717) 270-7500
Legal Services Pennsylvania Bar Association (717) 238-6715
Lebanon County Christian Ministries (717) 272-4400
Medical Society of Lebanon County (717) 270-7500
Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels (717) 273-9262 Salvation Army (717) 273-2655 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
Hotlines Energy Assistance (800) 692-7462 Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Hotline (800) 541-2050 IRS Income Tax Assistance (800) 829-1040
American Cancer Society (717) 231-4582
Medicaid (800) 692-7462
American Diabetes Association (717) 657-4310
Medicare (800) 382-1274
American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (717) 207-4265
PA Crime Stoppers (800) 472-8477
American Lung Association (717) 541-5864 Arthritis Foundation (717) 274-0754 Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (717) 787-7500 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 Kidney Foundation (717) 652-8123 The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (717) 652-6520 Lupus Foundation (888) 215-8787 Hearing Services Melnick, Moffitt, and Mesaros 927 Russell Drive, Lebanon (717) 274-9775 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
PennDOT (800) 932-4600 Recycling (800) 346-4242
Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237 Senior Center of Lebanon Valley (717) 274-3451
Office of Aging Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Veterans Services Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681 Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Volunteer Opportunities
Retirement Communities
RSVP of Capital Region, Inc. (717) 847-1539
StoneRidge Retirement Living (717) 866-3204
RSVP Lancaster County (717) 847-1539
Senior Centers Annville Senior Community Center (717) 867-1796
RSVP Lebanon County (717) 454-8956
Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048
RSVP York County (443) 619-3842
Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
Northern Lebanon County Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (800) 827-1000 Housing Assistance Housing Assistance & Resources Program (HARP) (717) 273-9328
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Marine General ‘Chesty’ Puller Made Him an Offer He Couldn’t Refuse Robert D. Wilcox
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uke Wise grew up in a family of six boys and six girls. All the boys but Wise went in the
Army. His oldest brother served in the artillery in World War II, and at Fort Sill he trained under Marine artillery officers. So he gave his kid brother some sage advice that Luke never forgot: “If you ever go into the military, choose the Marines.” So when Wise was 21, that’s exactly what he did. The Korean War was on, so after his basic training at Parris Island, S.C., he shipped out to Korea. There, he was to have an experience that every Marine might have dreamed about. He was to hear, “Wise, the general wants to talk to you.” The general was the legendary Marine “Chesty” Puller, who had earned an unheard-of five Navy Crosses for valor in combat— although he was best known for his comment, “We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” Now, “Chesty” wanted to see Sgt. Luke Wise. “The only thing that came to mind,” Wise says, “is, ‘What could he possibly want to talk to me about?’” He was about to find out. “Sergeant,” the general said, “they tell me your IQ is off the charts … and that you have a photographic memory. I have a hazardous assignment that I won’t order you take, but I’m sure hoping you’ll volunteer for it.” He then explained that they needed someone to make repeated forays behind enemy lines and report details of ammunition dumps the enemy had spread out over several miles (and one even across the Yalu River in Manchuria). What did Wise say? “What do you think I said? You think I could stand in front of a man like ‘Chesty’ Puller, who had specifically asked for me, and tell him, ‘No, General, I think I would S
really rather not’?” So then, how many missions did he run, and what were they like? “Well, there were 15 of them in all, and they were all pretty hairy. They always meant moving only at night, because the North Korean troops were everywhere. I was forbidden to make notes … everything had to be memorized. I
Sgt. Luke Wise upon his return to the U.S. in 1953.
was to zero-in on the ammunition dumps that our air observers could see but could not come close enough to target on. “When I got back from missions, the general had me use my code name, ‘Sgt. Dutch,’ and send the exact coordinates for best bombing to the carrier, USS Oriskany (“The Mighty O”). Her aircraft would then fly the missions to flatten those ammo dumps. We could often see the dumps erupt in terrific blasts.” Wise had to extend his tour to finish the job, and he says, “When it was over, Gen. Puller asked me what kind of assignment I’d like next, saying, ‘You name it, and you’ve got it.’ I figured I ought to go for it, so I said, ‘Sir, I’d like to chauffeur for an admiral.’ “And the next thing I knew, I was assigned to the USS Pocono, the flagship for the Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. Sure enough, I was the admiral’s chauffeur and in charge of the ship’s orderlies.”
One more thing about Gen. Puller: Wise later got a personal letter from the general, thanking and commending him for the work he did in his clandestine missions. Aboard the Pocono, Wise toured the Caribbean, with stops at many exotic ports, from Jamaica to Trinidad. And yes, he was the admiral’s chauffeur whenever the admiral was ashore. Wise left active duty in July 1954 but stayed in the Reserve until 1959 as a staff sergeant. He then returned to Central Pennsylvania and worked in construction and cabinetry before retiring in 1999. In retirement, he had one almost unbelievable “small world” experience. He was shopping one day at a local farmers market, wearing his Marine Corps cap. A man stopped him and said, “We sure needed you Marines in Korea.” When Wise asked him how he knew about that, the guy said, “I was flying off the Oriskany, bombing the ammo dumps that you guys pinpointed for us.” When Wise asked him if he could remember the code name of the spotter who gave him the info, the guy said, “I’ll never forget it. His code name was ‘Sgt. Dutch.’” To which Wise said, “Well … I’m Sgt. Dutch.” Wise laughs and says, “You should have seen that guy’s jaw drop. He couldn’t believe he would ever actually run into Sgt. Dutch. And at the [farmers market], of all places. Turned out he was from Florida, just passing through. What were the chances of that? Maybe one in a billion.” Wise now lives in retirement with his wife, Collette, in a comfortable retirement community in Central Pennsylvania. But he keeps a collection of Marine Corps caps that he wears … always glad for the chance to meet other vets with whom he swaps stories of those terrible— but wonderful—days in the Marines. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Farmers Market Program Returns The Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging will again be the distributing agency for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks in 2014. The purpose of the FMNP, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, is to provide to seniors resources in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared fruits and vegetables from farmers markets and to expand the awareness and use of farmers markets and increase sales at such markets. Program highlights for 2014 are as follows:
Blank proxy forms will be available at all distribution sites in advance. Benefits – Eligible persons receive four $5 checks for a total benefit of $20 one time during the program year. Timeframes – FMNP checks can be used June 1 through Nov. 30, 2014. Eligible Food – FMNP checks may only be used to purchase produce grown or produce that is able to grow in Pennsylvania. FMNP checks may not be used at grocery stores. Distribution Schedule
Eligibility – Eligible persons must be Lebanon County residents and must be 60 years of age or older during 2014. Income guidelines are $21,590 for one person; $29,101 for two people; $36,612 for three people; $44,123 for four people; $51,634 for five people; and $59,145 for six people. When picking up checks, persons must show proof of residence and age. Proof of income need not be shown; it is a “self-declaration.” Proxy Forms – If an eligible senior is unable to pick up their own checks, they may have an authorized person, a “proxy,” pick up checks for them, provided the senior completes and signs the official proxy form. The proxy signing the proxy form must be the same person picking up the checks and signing the check register for the senior. Completed proxy forms, limited to four per person, must be brought to the distribution site by the proxy in order to receive checks for the eligible senior.
July 2, 10 a.m. to noon – Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center, 135 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown July 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Willow Terrace Apartments, Eighth and Willow streets, Lebanon
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Veterans’ expo and Job Fair H November 14, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster
They served us — now let us serve them! Reserve your space today! The Expo brings federal, state, and local agencies together with area businesses to provide information and resources to veterans and their families. The Job Fair brings veterans and spouses who need jobs together with employers who can benefit from this rich source of talent to aid their organizations.
July 9, 10 a.m. to noon – Washington Arms Apartments, 303 Chestnut St., Lebanon
2 events — 1 location
July 10, 10 a.m. to noon – Poplar Terrace Apartments, 605 S. Eighth St., Lebanon
Veterans Benefits & Services Community Services Thank-a-Vet Participants Medical/Nonmedical Resources Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs
Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging cannot guarantee checks to eligible seniors at each distribution site. Checks are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible seniors are welcome to attend any distribution site to receive checks. If an eligible senior resides in one highrise, for example, he/she may go to any other high-rise or any senior center to receive checks.
At the Expo
At the Job Fair Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Education/Training Services
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Savvy Senior
How Reverse Mortgages Work in 2014 Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about reverse mortgages? I was considering one last year, but now I hear they are more difficult to get. – Ready to Reverse Dear Ready, That’s correct. Tighter rules on reverse mortgages that have recently gone into effect have made them harder to get, especially for seniors with heavy debt problems. The reason the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) made these changes was to strengthen the product, which has suffered from a struggling housing market and a growing number of defaults by borrowers. Here’s a rundown of how reverse
mortgages now work in 2014. Overview: The basics are still the same. A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows senior homeowners to borrow money against the equity in their house. The loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the homeowner dies, sells the house, or moves out for at least 12 months.
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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It’s also important to know that with a reverse mortgage, you, not the bank, own the house, so you’re still responsible for property taxes, insurance, and repairs. Eligibility: To be eligible for a reverse mortgage, you must be at least 62 years old, own your own home (or owe only a small balance), and currently be living there. You will also need to undergo a financial assessment to determine whether you can afford to make all the necessary tax and insurance payments over the projected life of the loan. Lenders will look at your sources of income, your assets, and your credit history. Depending on your financial situation, you may be required to put part of your loan into an escrow account to pay future bills. If the financial assessment finds that you cannot pay your insurance and taxes and have enough cash left to live on, you will be denied.
Generally, the older you are, the more your house is worth, and the lower the interest rates are, the more you can borrow. A 70-year-old, for example, with a home worth $300,000 could borrow around $170,000 with a fixedrate HECM. To calculate how much you can borrow, visit the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association’s website (www.reversemortgage.org). Loan costs: Reverse mortgages have a number of upfront fees, including a 2 percent lender origination fee for the first $200,000 of the home’s value and 1 percent of the remaining value, with a cap of $6,000. There is also a 0.5 percent initial mortgage insurance premium fee, along with an appraisal fee, closing costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. Most fees can be deducted for the loan amount to reduce your out-of-pocket cost at closing. In addition, you’ll also have to pay an annual mortgage insurance premium of 1.25 percent of the loan amount. Payment options: You can receive the money in a lump sum, a line of credit, regular monthly checks, or a combination of these. But in most cases, you cannot withdraw more than 60 percent of the loan during the first year. If you do, you’ll pay a 2.5 percent upfront insurance premium fee.
Loans: Nearly all reverse mortgages offered today are home equity conversion mortgages (HECM), which are FHA insured and offered through private mortgage lenders and banks. HECMs also have home-value limits that vary by county but cannot exceed $625,500. See the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development online (hud.gov/ll/code/llslcrit.cfm) for a list of HUD-approved lenders.
Counseling: All borrowers are required to get face-to-face or telephone counseling through a HUD-approved independent counseling agency before taking out a reverse mortgage. Some agencies are awarded grants that enable them to offer counseling for free, but most charge around $125 to $250. To locate a counseling agency near you, visit HUD’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgages for Seniors webpage (hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/ hecmhome.cfm) or call (800) 569-4287.
Loan amounts: The amount you get through a reverse mortgage depends on your age, your home’s value, and the prevailing interest rates.
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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Social Security News
Q&A’s for July My name is John Johnston and I am a public affairs specialist for the Social Security Administration. Every month I get questions from people all over Pennsylvania on all aspects of the Social Security program. I offer this column to share some of those questions and answers with the readers and to strengthen their understanding of Social Security. To contact Social Security by phone, call (800) 772-1213 or visit our website (www.socialsecurity.gov).
earnings covered by Social Security are posted to your record. You earn Social Security credits based on those earnings. The amount of earnings needed for one credit rises as average earnings levels rise. In 2014, you receive one credit for each $1,200 of earnings. You can earn up to a maximum of four credits a year. Most people will need 40 credits (or 10 years of work) to be eligible for retirement benefits. Learn more by reading the online publication How You Earn Credits at www.social security.gov/pubs.
Question: What is a Social Security “credit”? Answer: During your working years,
Question: I’ve heard you can apply online for retirement benefits. But isn’t it easier just to go into an office?
By John Johnston
Answer: Retiring online is the easier way to go. There’s no need to fight traffic to travel to a local Social Security office and wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. You can apply in as little as 15 minutes. Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov. Once you submit your electronic application, you’re done. In most cases there are no forms to sign or documents to mail. Question: I pay my monthly premium directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider. Why can’t I also pay my income-related monthly adjustment amount directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider?
Answer: By law, we must deduct your income-related monthly adjustment amount from your Social Security payments. If the amount you owe is more than the amount of your payment, or you don’t get monthly payments, you will get a separate bill from another federal agency, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or the Railroad Retirement Board. Read our publication, Medicare Premiums: Rules for Higher-Income Beneficiaries, for an idea of what you can expect to pay. You’ll find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. please see Q&A’S page 10
Calendar of Events
Lebanon County
Programs and Support Groups
Free and open to the public
July 23, 6 to 7 p.m. Personal Care Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400
Annville Senior Community Center – (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville July 14, 4 p.m. – Mini Golf and Supper Club at Kauffman’s Chicken July 16, 11:30 a.m. – Reflections: A Photography Series July 30, 10:30 a.m. – Hawaiian Luau Party and Ice Cream Social
Lebanon County Department of Parks and Recreation All events held at the Park at Governor Dick unless noted. July 6, 1 to 4 p.m. – Music on the Porch: Bluegrass and Country Music Jam July 20, 2:30 p.m. – Butterflies through Binoculars July 25, 6 p.m. – Senior Walk-About
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 Lebanon County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com Let
Senior Center Activities
help you get the word out!
Maple Street Community Center – (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon July 7–11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Senior Day Camp Week July 9, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Bus Trip: American Treasures Tour and Sugartown July 25, 10 a.m. – Pickle Ball, Hotdogs, and Ice Cream Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786 Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, Myerstown July 1, noon – Fourth of July Celebration and Veterans Recognition July 8, 4 p.m. – Dinner and Miniature Golf July 28, 4:45 to 11:30 p.m. – Bus Trip: Lancaster Barnstormers Game and Buffet Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www.jonestownpa.org/senior.html July 2, 10 a.m. to noon – Farmers Market Check Distribution July 8, 10:30 a.m. – Show and Talk: Mystery Antiques July 23, 11 a.m. – Dinner and Show at the Timbers Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra July 14, 10 a.m. – Center Picnic and Entertainment July 23, noon – Ice Cream Social July 30, 1:45 p.m. – Biography of Nelson Mandela
(717) 285-1350
Please contact your local center for scheduled activities. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Connect with the people you need most – customers! $100 OFF SPONSOR/EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION UNTIL JUNE 30, 2014!
Labor Dept. Awards $3.2M in Grants to Improve Services for Older Workers The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a one-time demonstration grant award of $3,224,509 to 14 community service organizations to improve services to low-income older workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
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200 Schneider Dr. · Suite 1 Lebanon, PA 17046 (717) 274-3851 806 W. Main St. Mount Joy, PA 17552 (717) 653-6300
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fabric of our nation, but it can be difficult for many of these Americans to access good jobs,” said Portia Wu, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. “The federal grants we’re announcing … will help these individuals overcome challenges in reentering the workforce and attaining economic stability.” The grantees awarded will develop programs focused on the following three priorities: improving unsubsidized job placements through increased employer engagement, enhancing services to SCSEP participants through development or improvement of partnerships, and expanding training options for SCSEP participants. Grant recipients included AARP Inc., Experience Works, Goodwill Industries, National Able Network, and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, among others. The SCSEP (http://www.doleta. gov/seniors) provides part-time, community service-based job training for low-income, unemployed individuals 55 and older. SCSEP participants gain work experience in a variety of community service activities at nonprofit and public facilities, including schools, hospitals, daycare centers, and senior centers. Participants also have access to employment assistance through American Job Centers (http://jobcenter.usa.gov).
“Older workers are essential to the
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Celebrating L i f e Help Through Hospice By Lori M. Myers Hospice has become a way to die with dignity and receive appropriate care in the last phase of life. It has become part of the care continuum for patients, and medical interns and residents are being made aware of this option and the necessary empathy needed toward not only the patient, but also the family. Hospice is not a place. It is a special kind of healthcare focused on keeping the patient comfortable once the patient and physician have decided that the underlying disease, despite all efforts, can no longer be treated or cured. It helps the patient, their families, and other caregivers during a most stressful time; it is care that could take place in a variety of settings and is focused on the belief that quality of life is as important as length of life. But it’s more than reassuring family members or providing emotional and spiritual support. Hospice staff members
also help manage pain and symptoms and can make those last months, weeks, or days more comfortable. The patient is relieved of discomfort, yet still alert enough to enjoy the people around them. According to the American Cancer Society, all hospices must provide certain services, but they have different approaches and types of support offered. Along with pain and symptom control, the hospice can arrange for inpatient care and will stay involved in your care and your family. Spiritual care can be arranged to meet the patient’s specific needs and/or requests. It might include helping you look at what death means to you, helping you say goodbye, or helping with a certain religious ceremony or ritual. A hospice nurse or social worker also sets up regularly scheduled family conferences to keep family members informed about your condition and what to expect. These conferences give
“A Continuing Care Retirement Community.”
everyone the opportunity to share feelings, find support, and realize stress relief. Hospice is a seven-days-a-week, 24hours-a-day service that may also include other community professionals such as the pharmacist, clergy, and doctors. This “team” can be contacted at any time — someone is always on call to help or answer any questions, assuring you and your family that you are not alone during this time. If a doctor has certified the prognosis as not longer than six months, an individual is eligible for hospice. This applies to anyone of any age, with any type of illness, including Alzheimer’s disease. It generally costs less than inpatient care in a hospital, nursing home, or other facility because with home hospice, you pay only for the specific care that you need. In addition, volunteers may be able to provide many services at little or no cost. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private
insurance plans cover hospice services. Medicare regulations require that your hospice care be provided at home, with only short stays in an inpatient facility. In order to qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit, your physician must recertify you at the beginning of each benefit period, and you must sign an elective statement indicating that you understand the nature of your illness or condition and of hospice care. By signing the statement, you surrender your right to other Medicare benefits related to your illness. If you are unable to sign the document, a family member may sign the election statement for you. While patients usually pay out of pocket for any services not covered by insurance, hospice services are generally provided without charge if you have limited or nonexistent financial resources. Don’t think of hospice as simply dying. Think of it as dying with dignity, grace, and support.
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1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102
2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115 • Harrisburg, PA 17110
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Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Dr. Lori Discovers Venus Lori Verderame enus is more than a celestial body. Venus is one of the most popular Classical figures in the history of art. The goddess of love and gardens, Venus gets a lot of press this time of year. In Renaissance art, Venus’ image adorned the headboards of the beds belonging to the famous Medici family of Florence. By the Victorian period, sculptures of the classical beauty were all the rage. At more than 150 antiques appraisal events all over the world every year, I tell people what they’ve got and what it is really worth. Venus was ushered into a recent appraisal event by two other lovely ladies—the sculpture’s owners. At the Evansville Home Show, I appraised a Belleek sculpture of a Crouching Venus for 13-year-old Jess and her mom, Holly. Jess keeps the sculpture in her closet so her pets don’t get at it,
and her mom country of says that it is a origin. So, good place to Belleek keep the complied with a sculpture safe. new black mark They were right that included a since the piece, ribbon banner dating from the and the words late 1800s, “Co Fermanagh didn’t have a Ireland.” scratch on it. It As Dad was in fine looked on, Jess condition. and her mom Photo courtesy of staff of www.DrLoriV.com were shocked to The black mark on the learn that her Dr. Lori with Holly, left, and Jess, right, holding her Belleek Venus sculpture at underside of the sculpture was Dr. Lori’s Antiques Appraisal Comedy Tour. sculpture was worth $10,000 used by Belleek to $15,000 on starting in 1891, and it indicated the age the retail market. Some similar pieces in and origin of the piece. In 1891, the fair condition have sold at wholesale McKinley Act became law in America, auctions for $5,000. stating that any goods imported into the Some of the other notable antiques United States had to specify their and collectibles that I appraised recently during my Antiques Appraisal Comedy Tour included:
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For more than 18 years, 50plus LIVING has been the guide to living and care options. Will they find your services there? Your guide to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one:
Evansville, Ind. – An Art Deco diamond brooch that belonged to 12-year-old Madison (she had just received it from her grandmother) worth $1,500
• Active adult and residential living • Independent and retirement living communities • Assisted living residences and personal care homes
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• Nursing and healthcare services • Home care, companions, and hospice care providers • Ancillary services
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Call about Early Bird Savings! Must reserve by Aug. 29, 2014 To include your community or service in the 2015 edition or for a free copy of the 2014 edition, call your representative or (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com
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Pittsburgh, Pa. – A $50,000 baseball signed by Honus Wagner from the early 1900s when the Pittsburgh Pirates were the baseball team to beat
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Deal, N.J. – A model ship that had been exhibited at the Exposition Universalle in Paris in 1900, complete with documents from the famous World’s Fair, worth $3,000 Charlotte, N.C. – A European miniature painting worth $8,000 Rochester, N.Y. – A Dutch still life painting worth $100,000 Akron, Ohio – A World War II Nazi dagger worth $800 Indianapolis, Ind. – A souvenir coin from the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 (a.k.a., Chicago World’s Fair) worth $250 Suffice it to say, my shows are a historical circus of sorts starring me, the audience members, and the stories gleaned from their antiques. At my events, held worldwide, we laugh, we learn, and we make some new friends— both human and manmade. Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s hit TV show Auction Kings. Visit www.DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/ DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
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Question: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits? Answer: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify for benefits. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked under Social Security long enough to earn the required number of work credits, and some of the work must be recent. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits each year. The amount of earnings required for a credit increases each year as general wage levels go up, and currently, the
amount is $1,200. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on the age you become disabled. For example, if you are under age 24, you may qualify with as few as six credits of coverage. But people disabled at age 31 or older generally need between 20 and 40 credits to qualify, and some of the work must have been recent. For example, you may need to have worked five out of the past 10 years. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/ disability. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
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Games Promote Healthy Lifestyle and Sense of Community By Rebecca Mills As the weather started heating up, so did the competition at the 29th annual Lebanon County Senior Games. Anyone aged 50 or older was invited to attend, and after a long winter, the games were a muchneeded piece of summer. They were held May 28 to June 4 all across Lebanon County in a six-day competition of local senior athletes. There were many different kinds of games to choose from this year, including outdoor sports, indoor sports, swimming, and even strategy games like billiards and pinochle. According to Brian Wolfe, director of Lebanon YMCA at the VA, there were three sports that drew in more people than the rest. “Our most popular games this year were bowling, held at Cedar Lanes; mini-golf, held at the Homestead at Coleman Park; and surprisingly this year, pickle ball,” said Wolfe. With 18 different activities offered, attendees were encouraged to participate in as many activities as they wished. Players were divided up according to their age group and gender, and after the games were finished, awards were given out for first, second, and third places. The photo at top right shows the winners for the women’s bocce ball tournament: Shirley Larson, bronze; June Edwards, silver; and Mary Swirsky, gold.
Several different locations in Lebanon County hosted events, including: the main YMCA, Lebanon VA YMCA, Lions Lake, Cedar Lanes, Blue Mountain View Golf Course, Coleman Park, the senior center building, and the Lebanon VA picnic grove. The abundance of participating locations demonstrated to seniors just how many places in their area are eager to help them create a healthy lifestyle. The games’ 85 athletes were a part of the Lebanon YMCA’s efforts to help foster a sense of community among seniors in the area. “Our goal every year for the Senior Games is to provide a friendly atmosphere for seniors to compete in competitive and non-competitive games that are challenging and fun,” Wolfe said. Although the games are now over, there are still plenty of activities for seniors to enjoy this summer and the rest of the year. “Our biggest draw at the YMCA is the VA pool,” Wolfe said. “It is a warm therapy pool and the locals love it.” Warm-water therapeutic pools are low impact and have been known to ease pain, reduce swelling, and improve circulation. For more information on the 2014 Lebanon County Senior Games or what the local YMCA has to offer, please visit www.lebanonymca.org or www.facebook.com/lebanonymca or call (717) 2732691.
Time is a Priceless Gift Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’
Volunteer Spotlight!
Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the Lebanon County dining favorites for 2014! Breakfast: Country Fare Restaurant
Fast Food: Wendy’s
Lunch: Country Cupboard
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: Heisey’s Diner
Steak: Texas Roadhouse
Ethnic Cuisine: Chen’s House
Outdoor Dining: Mt. Gretna Hideaway
Celebrating: Tony’s Mining Company Restaurant
Romantic Setting: Trattoria Fratelli
Bakery: Giant Food Stores
Smorgasbord/Buffet: Golden Corral
Coffeehouse: Timeless Café
Caterer: Elaine’s Catering
Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Sharon Gettel Congratulations!
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GREEN-THUMB
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“As the new millennium approached, it became more important to me to create a more balanced life—one where I could experience joy and pleasure while still serving others.” More than a decade ago, Swearingen resigned her job as an assistant director of special education in a public school district, sold her house, and started from scratch working as a landscape gardener at a local retirement community. After completing coursework and interning under the direction of a horticultural therapist, Swearingen earned a certificate in horticultural therapy from Temple University, effectively combining her background in human services with her love of plants and flowers. The therapeutic benefits of gardens and gardening have been documented for centuries, but it was Dr. Benjamin Rush, the “father of American psychiatry” and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who first recorded the positive effects the therapy had on patients with mental illness in the 1800s. In the mid-20th century, horticultural therapy was used to aid the rehabilitation of hospitalized war veterans, expanding
the practice beyond the confines of began participating in flower-arranging mental-illness treatment. programs. “Seniors often find themselves facing “Eventually, she proudly found her loss of all types,” Swearingen said. “They designs on display in the main lobby. She may often find became that they are recognized by offered fewer the entire opportunities to community for contribute to her beautiful the happenings creations,” within their Swearingen family, their recalled. “She churches, or improved their emotionally communities.” and physically Swearingen to the point cited the that she was example of a able to leave the pastor’s wife skilled care named Jane community and who had move in with created the her family.” Seniors gardening in raised garden beds. flower Swearingen arrangements also recounted for her church for 40 years. After her her experience with three men who husband died, she moved to a skilled regularly grew and harvested vegetables nursing care community and her health for the local food bank, raising many deteriorated. pounds of food for their community She also became withdrawn and “despite having ailments such as clinically depressed, refusing to leave her congestive heart failure, dementia, and room for months until she gradually limited mobility,” she said. “They grew all of their vegetables in raised garden beds, harvesting from the comfort and stability of their chairs.” Raised garden beds are the specialty 12th Annual and passion of Joe Manotti, certified square-foot gardening instructor for Your Garden Solution. These gardens consist • Exhibitors • of soil enclosed by a square frame, YORK COUNTY • Health Screenings • usually made of wood, which is raised above the surrounding soil. • Seminars • Raised garden beds are available in • Entertainment • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. two types: a ground garden is raised • Door Prizes • York Expo Center about 8 inches off the ground, and a Memorial Hall East garden table stands on legs 3 feet high, a Limited Sponsorship 334 Carlisle Avenue perfect height for those unable to bend Opportunities Available York over to garden. Manotti was inspired to offer raised 18th Annual 15th Annual garden beds after his aging father, a lifelong gardener, had not gardened in 15 years due health issues and limited mobility. LANCASTER COUNTY CUMBERLAND COUNTY “Two years ago, we built him a garden table, and this has enabled him to do FREE what he had done almost all of his life, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. PARKING! and that was to grow his own Spooky Nook Sports Carlisle Expo Center vegetables,” Manotti said. “We thought, 2913 Spooky Nook Road 100 K Street if he needed this, so did a lot of other Manheim Carlisle people.” (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit) Your Garden Solution’s garden tables are created by local Amish craftsmen out (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 of Douglas fir, sassafras, and cedar (610) 675-6240 woods. Manotti recommends a technique called square-foot gardening, where the 4-foot by 4-foot garden bed is
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filled with 6 inches of soil and subdivided into 16 square-foot sections. Each square foot grows different vegetables or flowers, enabling a gardener to grow a lot of plants in a small space. A square-foot garden bed typically yields many more vegetables than traditional row gardening and with fewer weeds. “The average person quits gardening after 2.5 years. Why? Because of the maintenance involved, such as weeding,” Manotti said. “Raised beds eliminate much of the maintenance since the soil [we offer] is formulated to provide plants with the optimal growing environment.” Manotti said that garden tables can grow most vegetables, with the exception of some deep-rooted plants like potatoes or garlic, which need more than 6 inches of soil. Raised garden beds—both ground gardens and garden tables—have become important elements of horticultural therapy, enabling horticultural therapists to bring the practice to patients with physical limitations. “Seniors and those with limited mobility love the garden tables! It enables them to enjoy gardening again,” Manotti said. Manotti shared the story of a Central Pennsylvania woman with severe arthritis in one knee that prohibited her from kneeling to tend to a vegetable garden. As a result, she had not had a garden for many years and missed it greatly— until her son told her about square-foot gardening and purchased her a garden table, which quickly yielded so many vegetables she was able to share them with others. Swearingen noted that horticulture therapy is often used as a complement to traditional therapeutic treatments. Therapists, she said, are trained to support participants who have physical limitations through the use of adaptive tools and proper body mechanics. “Horticultural therapy is unique in that it involves tangible outcomes that are valued by the participant and the community. The activities provide opportunities for decision making, creative expression, and contribution to others,” she said. Avid gardeners as well as those who have never tended a garden in their lives can benefit from horticulture both in and out of a therapeutic setting. “Plants are not influenced by poverty or wealth, by age or ability,” said Swearingen. “Nurture them, and they will grow. The same is true for us—if we nurture ourselves, we will grow. It is never too late.” www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 14
WORD SEARCH
Across
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Tinseltown Talks
Here’s to You, Mrs. Robinson Nick Thomas hen NASA honored June Lockhart last October, it would have been quite fitting to borrow the above lyrics from a popular Simon and Garfunkel song to salute the 89-year-old actress. Best remembered by sci-fi fans for her role of TV space mom Maureen Robinson in the ’60s series Lost in Space, Lockhart told me recently that the NASA recognition was a highlight of her long career, which includes a Tony Award, an Emmy nomination, and a couple of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I was presented with the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for my work with the space agency,” she explained. “I’ve been to two space shuttle launches and worked with NASA since the 1970s, addressing their employees and traveling on NASA’s behalf to promote the agency. “So I’m absolutely thrilled by this recognition,” she said. “No other actress has received this honor.” One of her memorable experiences occurred during a space shuttle mission in 1992. “I called NASA one day and spoke with astronaut Ken Reightler and told him I had a good wake-up song for them to use,” recalled Lockhart. She was referring to “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” a catchy ’50s hit by Les Paul and Mary Ford. The song held special significance because the lyrics were written by her father, beloved character actor Gene Lockhart. “So I went to mission control in Houston, and at around 2 a.m. they
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The1960 cast of Lassie. Pictured are June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly, Jon Provost, and Lassie.
Publicity photo of Guy Williams and June Lockhart promoting their roles on the television series Lost in Space. National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emil de Cou, right, listens to Lockhart introduce a set of space-themed music during the “Salute to Apollo” ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
played the song for the crew of the Columbia mission,” she explained. “Then a voice from space came over the speaker: ‘Some of us up here want to know what Lassie’s mother is doing in mission control at 2 o’clock in the morning!’” Lassie, one of TV’s longest-running shows (1954-1973), was Lockhart’s other big hit in which she dispensed maternal wisdom, this time for six seasons as a farm mom. Later, she morphed from matriarch to medic as Dr. Janet Craig for three seasons on Petticoat Junction. “Petticoat Junction was a delight to do
with wonderful scripts,” said Lockhart. “It was great playing comedy after Lost in Space, which was more dramatic, and Lassie, which didn’t have many laughs.” On the big screen, 12-year-old Lockhart made her debut in the 1938 holiday classic A Christmas Carol, alongside both her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, who played the Cratchits. While she went on to costar with greats such as Gary Cooper in Sergeant York and Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis, A Christmas Carol is special since it was the only time she appeared with her parents in a motion picture.
Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
Puzzles shown on page 13
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But it was memorable for other reasons, too. “My daughter, Junie, and granddaughter, Christianna, have never let me forget that the first words I ever spoke in movies were: ‘I know, I know– sausages!’” said Lockhart, referring to her on-screen guess for the contents of a food package Mr. Cratchit brings home. “We all shriek with laugher when we watch it now.” In addition to being an advocate for NASA and many other causes, Lockhart continues to work and co-starred in the comedy spoof Zombie Hamlet, which had its world premiere at the 2012 Palm Beach International Film Festival and was released on DVD in December 2013. In 2013, she appeared in the interactive movie series Tex Murphy, a gaming platform that combines animation with full-motion video of real actors. “That was a new experience, and I really enjoyed it. And in December, I also celebrated my 80th year as a paid performer in the business! I made my debut at the age of 8 in Peter Ibbetson at the Metropolitan Opera House.” While actors are used to receiving accolades for career milestones, Lockhart admits to still being quite overwhelmed by the NASA recognition and is, she says, “over the moon about it!” Congratulations, Mrs. Robinson!
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Did This Player Deserve to Be Tossed from the Casino? Dear Mark: I was asked to leave a casino by security for, if you can believe this, playing someone else’s leftover $12 worth of credits that they had left on a slot machine and didn’t cash out. Although not banned for life, I was rudely told it was against the law, made to return the $12, and told not to come back for 30 days. You have got to be kidding me! Whatever happened to “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers?” – Matt N. For starters, Matt, the casino made you give back the money simply because it didn’t belong to you. “Finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” is not a defense for taking credits discovered on a slot machine. You are basing your newly found booty on the premise that when something is abandoned, whoever finds it can claim it. Unfortunately, within the casino walls, this raises ethical and legal challenges. On the casino floor, credits left on machines do not belong to the person who finds them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they belong to the casino either. Casinos, as well as some gaming jurisdictions, have specific policies on how to handle abandoned credits. The children’s rhyme, “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” may apply in children’s games but doesn’t pass muster in gambling establishments. Like a pair of sunglasses left at a blackjack game, in the joints where I worked, we regarded credits left on a slot machine specifically as “lost property” and did our best to find their rightful owner. Today, especially if one uses his or her Player’s card, it is relatively easy to track the previous player. Nevertheless, a tip to you and other slot-playing patrons: before you walk away from any slot machine, don’t forget to press the cash-out button. As for you being 86’d from the casino, well, that might have been a bit over the top. I have never heard of any leftoverwww.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
credits-playing player being given the heave-ho. That said, that doesn’t mean there are not swindlers who make a living scavenging the millions lost each year by gamblers who forget their stored credits (winnings). The pretender who purposively circles the casino floor looking for orphan credits on a slot machine, or even change on the floor for that matter, can warrant the dreaded permanent 86 for making a full-time occupation of cruising the casino eyeing easy pickings. I will buy, however, that you weren’t a credit conniver looking for an easy score. So, playing slot manager for just a moment, my casinomanagement style would not have even warranted a wrist slap. I was one to operate more in the spirit of the law, not the letter of, although, I must acknowledge that every gaming supervisor will handle your scenario their own way. All I would have told you was that the next time you find credits remaining on the machine, you should inform some slot-floor personnel, and then I would have gone on my merry way. Had we found the previous player, I just would have credited him or her $12. Now let’s look at the positive here, Matt, of which there is one. For the next 30 days, you won’t be playing on a machine that has a house edge of up to 20 percent. Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “I have seen a pregnant woman stand at a 21 game, oblivious to labor pains, until we thought we were going to become midwives, and leave only when we summoned an ambulance.” – Harold S. Smith Sr., I Want to Quit Winners (1961) Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
Does Your Marketing Reach Active, Affluent Boomers & Seniors?
Reserve your space now for the 18 th annual
November 5, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Entertainment • Door Prizes
Why Participate? 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
For sponsorship and exhibitor information:
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Good Samaritan Home Health. Caring for you at any age.
No matter where you are in your life, Good Samaritan Home Health is there for you when you need in-home medical care. From new mothers and their babies to grandparents and everyone in between, Good Samaritan Home Health offers a spectrum of care services to provide medical care conveniently at home. Good Samaritan Home Health has registered and licensed practical nurses, physical and occupational therapists, dieticians and home health aides to provide customized care based on each patient’s needs. Whether recovering from a hospitalization, orthopedic surgery or other mobilitylimiting condition, Good Samaritan Home Health can provide at-home care when you need it most. That’s powerful medicine and comforting care. Only at Good Samaritan.
Home Health
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