50plus LIFE Lebanon County November 2016 by On-Line Publishers, Inc.

Complimentary | Lebanon County Edition | November 2016 • Vol. 11 No. 11

Pinups Honor 21st-Century Patriots page 4

special focus: Veterans’ aid & attendance benefit page 10

nfl player joining epic men’s expo page 18

Savvy Senior

The New MIND Diet May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve heard that there’s a new diet that can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. What can you tell me about this? My 80-year-old mother has Alzheimer’s, and I want to do everything I can to protect myself. – Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, It’s true! Research has found that a new diet plan—called the MIND diet—can have a profound impact on your brain health as you age and can even lower your odds of getting Alzheimer’s disease. The MIND diet takes two proven diets—the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet and the bloodpressure-lowering DASH diet—and zeroes in on the foods in each that

specifically affect brain health. The MIND diet, which stands for “MediterraneanDASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay,” was developed by Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University Medical Center, through a study funded by the National Institute on Aging.

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

The study followed the diets of nearly 1,000 elderly adults, who filled out food questionnaires and underwent repeated neurological testing for an average of 4.5 years. It found participants whose diets most closely followed the MIND recommendations had brains that functioned as if they were 7.5 years

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50plus LIFE p

• Other vegetables: At least one other vegetable a day.

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• Green leafy vegetables (like spinach and salad greens): Eat at least one serving per day.

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The MIND Menu The MIND diet has 15 dietary components. The emphasis is on eating from 10 brain-healthy food groups and limiting foods from five unhealthy groups. Here’s a rundown of the healthy foods you should work into your diet:

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younger, and it lowered their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53 percent. And even those who didn’t stick to the diet perfectly but followed it moderately well reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s by 35 percent.

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• W hole grains: Three or more servings a day. • Nuts: Five 1-ounce servings a week. • Beans: At least three servings a week. • Berries: Two or more servings a week.

cooking oil. • Wine: One glass a day. And the five unhealthy food groups you should limit include: • Red meat: Eat fewer than four servings a week.

• Fish: Once a week.

• Butter and margarine: Less than a tablespoon daily.

• Poultry (not fried): Two times a week.

• Cheese: Less than one serving a week.

• Olive oil: Use it as your primary

• Pastries and sweets: Less than five

servings a week. • Fried or fast food: Less than one serving a week. Other Benefits One of the best things about the MIND diet is that it’s easier to follow than most other diets, and you don’t have to stick to it perfectly to gain the benefits, which makes it more likely you’ll follow it for a long time. And the longer you eat the MIND way, the lower the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Another advantage is that the

MIND diet can help you lose some weight too, if you keep your portions in check and are careful about how the food is prepared. It’s also important to understand that even though diet plays a big role, it’s only one aspect of Alzheimer’s disease. So get regular exercise; if you smoke, quit; and learn how manage your stress to lower your risk even more. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org

At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away. Emergency Numbers Poison Control Center (800) 222-1222 Food Resources Food Stamps (800) 692-7462 Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels (717) 273-9262 Lebanon County Christian Ministries (717) 272-4400 Salvation Army (717) 273-2655 Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Lebanon County (800) 720-8221 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Cancer Society (717) 231-4582 American Diabetes Association (717) 657-4310 American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (717) 207-4265 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 www.50plusLifePA.com

Office of Aging Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Senior Centers Annville Senior Community Center (717) 867-1796

Kidney Foundation (717) 652-8123

Medicare (800) 382-1274

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (717) 652-6520

PA Crime Stoppers (800) 472-8477

Lupus Foundation (888) 215-8787 Hearing Services Hearing and Ear Care Center 200 Schneider Drive, Suite 1, Lebanon (717) 274-3851

PennDOT (800) 932-4600

Melnick, Moffitt & Mesaros ENT Associates 927 Russell Drive, Lebanon (717) 274-9775

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (800) 827-1000 Housing — Apartments Community Homes of Lebanon Valley, Inc. (717) 273-3333 Housing Assistance Housing Assistance & Resources Program (HARP) (717) 273-9328

Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Home Care Services Senior Helpers (717) 920-0707 Hospitals Medical Society of Lebanon County (717) 270-7500 WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital 252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon (717) 270-7500 Hotlines Energy Assistance (800) 692-7462 Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Hotline (800) 541-2050 IRS Income Tax Assistance (800) 829-1040 Medicaid (800) 692-7462

Recycling (800) 346-4242 Social Security Information (800) 772-1213

Lebanon County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (717) 274-1401 Lebanon HOPES (717) 274-7528, ext. 3201 Independent Living Communities Country Acres Manufactured Home Park 1600 Kercher Ave., Myerstown (717) 866-5496 Insurance Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833 Legal Services Pennsylvania Bar Association (717) 238-6715

Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048 Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786 Northern Lebanon County Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944 Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237 Senior Center of Lebanon Valley (717) 274-3451 Travel AAA Central Penn (717) 657-2244 Cruise One (717) 639-3551 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

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

November 2016

Cover Story

Pinups Honor 21st-Century Patriots

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

ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Renee McWilliams Production Artists Lauren McNallen Janys Ruth

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Account Executives Angie McComsey Jacoby Amy Kieffer Ranee Shaub Miller Account Representative Tia Stauffer Sales & Event Coordinator Eileen Culp Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer Marketing Coordinator Mariah Hammacher

CIRCULATION

Project Coordinator Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall

Member of

Awards

50plus LIFE is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.

November 2016

50plus LIFE p

By Lori Van Ingen

Although Hamilton never served in the armed forces, her The all-American husband, Dale “Al” sweetheart with the Hamilton, served as a hourglass figure, machinist mate in the unattainable except by U.S. Navy from 1986 pinning her flirtatious to 1992 aboard the photo to your wall, was USS Butte and USS the first “dream girl.” Richmond K. Turner. Pinups became He was also stationed at widespread in the the Charleston, South late 1800s with the Carolina, and Earle, national icon known New Jersey, naval bases. as the Gibson Girl but “I have a better reached their pinnacle understanding (of as the United States veterans and their entered World War II. needs) because I’m The pinup images Standing, from left, Danielle McCoy, Olya Prokuda, married to him,” she could be cut out Jannelle Derr, and Tina Adcock. Seated, from left, said. of magazines or Adrianne Mease, Lindsey Albright, and Heather Hamilton. The Pennsylvania newspapers and chapter now has 17 often appeared on members, ranging calendars. Posters of veteran who thought there needed in age from 18 to early 50s. pinups were mass produced after to be a support group that would Since they reside throughout the being carefully designed by the be fun and put a smile on the state, the ladies have a monthly U.S. government to boost the faces of both young and old, conference call instead of meeting troops’ morale. according to the organization’s in person, said 37-year-old Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, website. Hamilton, who lives in Howard, Jane Russell, and Ava Gardner Arreola chose vintage clothing were among the most famous of because of its modesty and classic near State College. Different members of the the World War II pinups. beauty. Clothes from the 1940s chapter attend the various The troops tacked the scantily era are timeless and can be mixed clad pinups on their barracks’ with modern looks. The girls work events, but a lot of the girls try to participate in as many events as walls and kept them tucked in hard to achieve a classy look that they can, Hamilton said. their pockets. They were even conjures nostalgia for the World The Pinups for Patriots painted onto the nose of their World II era and that same spirit participate in any kind of event, planes. These girls were waiting of a country united in service. for them at home, and they were The organization’s mission now from working on military care packages to selling raffle tickets worth fighting for. is to honor and serve our nation’s military, veterans, first responders, to taking part in a Pitching for Patriots horseshoe-pitching Fast forward 70 years. and their families by supporting tournament. Heather Hamilton, and creating unique programs At all events, the Pinup for Pennsylvania state leader of Pinups and events that will inspire our for Patriots, said she has always nation, foster patriotism, and raise Patriots ladies dress up in vintage loved the styles of the 1940s and awareness for post-traumatic stress clothing, with the exact type of fashion depending on the event. ’50s era and did a photo shoot disorder. At one event, they wore rockabilly dressing up in vintage clothing for The women in the Pinups dress, Hamilton said. The retrofun. chapters across the United States styled ladies find their vintage It turned out so well that she are business owners, service clothing in many places, including was approached by friends to start members, veterans, military Facebook groups, vintage-clothing a chapter of Pinups for Patriots in spouses, medical professionals, websites, yard sales, Goodwill, and Pennsylvania. After researching the and more. the Salvation Army. organization, Hamilton applied to Pinups for Patriots (www. One of Hamilton’s most be the state leader in 2014. pinupsforpatriots.com) is a federal memorable events was when Pinups for Patriots began in nonprofit organization, but it is 2010 by founder Kalen Arreola, currently working on getting state Pinups for Patriots served a an Operation Iraqi Freedom tax-exempt status, Hamilton said. please see PINUPS page 6 www.50plusLifePA.com

www.50plusLifePA.com

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November 2016

Words Helped Heal This Vietnam Veteran By Stephen Kopfinger I thought Vietnam was the conflict / But it was just the seed / Buried, taking root / Spreading like a weed. For Vietnam veteran Mike Groff, writing words such as these in poetic form helps him cope with his memories of the war. Memories like the uncertainty of where the enemy was coming from in a jungle setting. Memories of seeing a friend die. Memories of outsize insects and scorpions. And then came decades of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I saw all kinds of stuff,” says Groff, who today lives in his Central Pennsylvania hometown with his wife, Janet. Groff served as a specialist, 4th class, in the 1st Cavalry Division of the United States Army. That meant Groff was an Army machine gunner, and he was in the thick of things, even if he didn’t always know where he was.

Yet during Groff was in Vietnam from Groff’s brief time overseas, February or early he experienced March 1968 (he’s more than he not quite sure cared to. of just when he arrived) before “We had three days of he was shot and wounded in his in-country training,” Groff right arm in June Groff, right, and a friend in remembers of of that year. Schweinfurt, Germany, in 1968. his arrival in That was a time Vietnam. “Then he remembers well. we went out [to fight]. We dealt “We were ambushed when mostly with the NVA (North I got hit,” Groff Vietnamese says. He was Army) and some helping two Viet Cong,” the buddies when it happened. enemy force known for its To this day, stealth. says his wife, Past conflicts Groff “has often had some kind of front— no feeling in the right side of his hand.” She becomes emotional when defined areas of battle. In Vietnam, “the whole thing was a front,” Groff discussing the subject. sums up. The enemy could be anywhere, at any time. He recalls a fellow soldier who was “shot from a tree.” Groff tried to retrieve the fallen man’s gun. “I couldn’t get the weapon out of his hands. I had heard about death grips, but …” Groff’s voice trails off. Adding to the uncertainty of Groff’s surroundings was not knowing just where he was half of the time. “They picked us up and they

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PINUPS from page 4

Bigger photos, cleaner layout ... but still the articles and columnists you love.

Take a Look! www.50plusLIFEpa.com 6

November 2016

dropped us down,” he said of the aircraft, which shuttled troops all over the field. “Sometimes, they would land us in rice paddies. I flew all over the place.” It was overwhelming for a boy from Central Pennsylvania. Groff says he was naïve. That hometown connection, however, provokes a smile from Groff as he recalls one tasty memory in the middle of jungle country. It was a Lebanon baloney that arrived in a care package. His fellow soldiers delighted in devouring it. “That 5-pound Lebanon baloney would not last long!” Groff laughs. He also remembers another rare treat in steamy Vietnam. “We had a sergeant who brought us ice cream.” Less pleasant was dealing with leeches; they were everywhere, Groff remembers, as was dysentery. And there were scorpions. But that was nothing compared to the death, destruction, and constant anxiety that continued to take its toll on Groff after he got home. What we now abbreviate as PTSD crept into his mind. It’s a subject that wasn’t acknowledged then as much as it is today. “I would have nightmares,” Groff says. “For 40 years, I got three or four hours of sleep a night.” As with many veterans of various conflicts, Groff didn’t talk much about his experiences after he returned to the States. In retrospect, he realizes “it wasn’t good to hold it

50plus LIFE p

meal to veterans at a senior living community on Veterans Day last year. The Pinup ladies had a chance to meet real-life Rosie the Riveters. “We were able to sit down and talk to them and listen to their stories,” Hamilton said. “The best part is listening to the stories. They make us smile as much as we make them smile.” Hamilton said Pinups for Patriots will be doing another Veterans Day event this year. The location had not

yet been confirmed at press time, but it is a tradition for the group to serve veterans on Veterans Day, she said. Anyone wishing to have the Pinups for Patriots participate in their event should contact Hamilton at pennsylvania@pinupsforpatriots. com or (814) 389-8930. The Pinups for Patriots do not charge for their services. Photos by Steven Francis Photography Location: John Wright Restaurant, Wrightsville, Pa.

www.50plusLifePA.com

in. It did more damage … It was another poem, titled “Tears by the Janet who got me to see somebody.” Wall,” which notes the emotions of Groff found some solace in work, the American people about the war. when he became a certified public “This war was viewed with such accountant. disdain / That many said they died “He was always in vain / I was busy helping there, I saw some somebody else,” fall / I fought with his wife says. those named on But there this wall.” were still PTSD For his own demons to be service, Groff dealt with. Groff was awarded the turned to the Silver Star, the written word, Air Medal, and in the form of a Good Conduct poetry. Medal, among One work, other honors. simply titled Today, Groff “PTSD,” keeps busy as compares the treasurer at Groff preparing a battlefield cross. disorder taking Vietnam Veterans root in his head, of America, like a weed, which “[dominates] my Chapter 542, in Harrisburg. subconscious / Until the time was “We have a good chapter,” he says. right / To break through the surface But Groff’s thoughts turn toward / The start of sleepless nights.” today’s military forces serving in Groff has visited the Washington, places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Groff feels he’s been thanked which many simply call “The Wall.” enough. It was a long time until he could do “Let’s concentrate on today’s that. But the memorial did inspire guys,” he says.

The Bookworm Sez

Sixty: A Diary of My Sixty-First Year Terri Schlichenmeyer

Someone, call the fire department. Right. That old birthdaycandle joke was funny the first time you heard it, decades ago; now, though, Sixty: A Diary of My not so much. Sixty-First Year You don’t By Ian Brown need candles c. 2016, The Experiment or baked 320 pages goods to

Photo credit John Barber

Sixty author Ian Brown.

know that you’re getting older, a fact you both love and hate, so come read Sixty: A Diary of My Sixty-First Year by Ian Brown, and commiserate. Fifty is not the new 30. That, or something like it, is

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Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsors: Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Communications • Disabled American Veterans • ESPN 92.7 Fulton Financial Corporation • LCTV • Pennsylvania American Legion Pennsylvania National Guard Outreach Office • Pennsylvania State Headquarters VFW The SYGMA Network • Tait Towers Triangle Refrigeration, HVAC, Plumbing & Energy Management • WFYL WHTM abc27 • Worley & Obetz, Inc.

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November 2016

A New Take on Turkey There are more ways to enjoy turkey than as part of the traditional mashed-potatoes-and-stuffing feast you’ve grown up with. That’s why Carlos Rodriguez, executive chef of Orinoco in Boston, reinterpreted a Latin American favorite to put a new spin on the season’s favorite dish. “It’s turkey like you’ve never had it before,” Rodriguez said. “Barbecue meets Latin fusion, meets the best turkey sandwich you’ve ever had.” Rodriguez’s inspiration comes from El Salvador. His Slow-Roasted Turkey Con Pan with Sundried Tomato and Apricot Jam is based on a tender, savory Salvadoran favorite called “Panes con Pavo.” This turkey is perfect for a crowd and serves 12, which is why Rodriguez uses the generously sized Culinario Series 16-quart Deep Roaster from Princess House to braise four full-sized turkey breasts. “Not every roaster works for braising,” Rodriguez said, “but this

one is perfect because of its depth, even heat distribution, and glass lid.”

Slow-Roasted Turkey Con Pan • 6 tablespoons olive oil • 4 teaspoons black peppercorns • 4 teaspoons sesame seeds • 2 teaspoons dried oregano • 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce • 10 cloves garlic • 8 dried bay leaves • 8 dry guajillo peppers

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November 2016

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Code LebSN

• 4 cups water, divided • 6 bottles Latin beer • Culinario Series Healthy 16quart Roaster with rack • 4 large turkey breasts (about 8 pounds each), halved lengthwise • Salt, to taste • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 6 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped • 1 small yellow onion, chopped • 2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped • 12 crusty Italian bread loaves (6 inches each), ends trimmed, halved lengthwise • 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced • 2 bunches watercress • Sundried Tomato and Apricot Jam (recipe below) In blender, puree oil, peppercorns, sesame seeds, oregano, chipotle peppers, garlic, bay leaves, guajillo peppers, and 1 cup water. In roaster, combine puree and beer. Add rack and enough water so that sauce just covers the top of the rack. Bring to a boil. Season turkey with salt and pepper and add to roaster on top of rack. Reduce heat to simmer, then cover and braise until turkey is tender, about 2 hours. In blender, puree tomatoes, chopped onion, bell peppers, and 1 cup water. Transfer turkey to plate (leave sauce in pot); let cool. Add puree to sauce in pot; simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Discard skin from turkey; tear meat into thick pieces. Stir turkey into sauce, reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide stew between

loaves; garnish with sliced onions, watercress, and jam. Sundried Tomato and Apricot Jam • 3 medium onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1/3 cup sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper • 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce • 2 cups dry white wine • 1 cup sherry vinegar • 1/2 cup packed dried apricots, thinly sliced • 1 cup drained oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped

In medium saucepan, cook onions, butter, sugar, salt, pepper, and chipotle peppers, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Add wine, vinegar, apricots, and tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thick, 2030 minutes. Serve with turkey. Note: Jam can be made in advance and stored in refrigerator. (Family Features)

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November 2016

Aid & Attendance Veterans’ Benefit Little-Known Veterans Benefit Can Alleviate Care Costs For many aging or disabled veterans who need help with activities of daily living, finding the funds to pay for the care they need is a common concern. Many veterans aren’t aware of the Aid & Attendance pension they have earned for themselves and their surviving spouses through their service to their country. The Aid and Attendance pension provides benefits that reduce the cost of care for veterans and surviving spouses who require assisted living/ personal care. Veterans and surviving spouses who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment.

When a veteran turns 65, the VA automatically classifies them as disabled, and if they meet income and asset criteria, they are eligible for a basic pension.

Since Aid and Attendance and Housebound allowances increase the pension amount, people who are not eligible for a basic pension due to excessive income may be eligible for

pension at these increased rates. A&A and Housebound benefits are non-service-connected benefits (disability need not be a result of service). A veteran or surviving spouse may not receive Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time, nor may they receive non-service and service-connected compensation at the same time. If a veteran is currently receiving disability compensation from the VA, they cannot receive both the disability compensation and the A&A pension, but they can file for the increased pension based on non-serviceconnected health issues. please see BENEFIT page 12

Stories of ordinary men and women called to perform extraordinary military service. Since 1999, writer and World War II veteran Col. Robert D. Wilcox has preserved the firsthand wartime experiences of more than 200 veterans through Salute to a Veteran, his monthly column featured in 50plus LIFE.

We offer a Veterans Benefits Assistance Program to help determine your eligibility and assist you with the application process. Contact our senior living counselor at (570) 345-4999, or visit us at 24 Hikes Hollow Road in Pine Grove. Conveniently located on Route 443, or take I-81 to exit 100. Pine Grove 24 Hikes Hollow Road Pine Grove, PA 17963 (570) 345-4999

Now, for the first time, 50 of those stories— selected by Wilcox himself—are available to own in this soft-cover book.

Simply complete and mail this form with your payment to the address below to order Salute to Our Veterans. On-Line Publishers • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Name_ _______________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ ______________ Phone_ _____________________ Email______________________________ Number of copies_ ______ (Please include $20.80 for each copy) Credit card #______________________________________ Exp. date________ Signature of cardholder_________________________________CVV #________

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November 2016

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Or send a check made payable to On-Line Publishers, Inc. You can also order online at www.50plusLIFEpa.com! www.50plusLifePA.com

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November 2016

Aid & Attendance Veterans’ Benefit BENEFIT from page 10 If the application is approved, the VA will pay whichever benefit has the highest dollar amount. If the veteran is receiving compensation for a serviceconnected injury, that compensation would not be counted as income. Aid & Attendance (A&A) The Aid & Attendance increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount if you meet one of the following conditions:

of your daily environment (e.g., using a stove or other household appliances). • You are bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment. • You are a patient in an assisted living or personal care facility due to mental or physical incapacity.

• You require the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards

• Your eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less. Housebound This increased monthly pension amount may be added to your monthly pension amount when you

Every Hero Has a Name. Is your military hero also your spouse, child, grandchild, friend, or neighbor? Help us put a face and a name to the courageous men and women who are currently serving or who have served in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

are substantially confined to your immediate premises because of permanent disability. How to Apply In eastern Pennsylvania, you may apply for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits by writing to the Philadelphia VA Regional Office, P.O. Box 8079, Philadelphia, PA 19101. Call the office toll-free at (800) 827-1000 for more information. When considering a move to a personal care home or nursing facility, the community’s administration will often assist in making sure you have the necessary information collected and that it is complete prior to submission. What You Need You must have military discharge or DD 214. You should include copies of the Aid & Attendance Form 10 or VA 21, signed by a doctor, M.D., or D.O., validating the need for Aid and Attendance or Housebound-type care. The VA does not accept physician assistant, nurse, or social worker signatures. Eligibility requirements include (canceled checks or statements are required for documentation of expenses):

Salute to Service

1. Ninety continuous days of service in the U.S. military with at least one day during a wartime period as established by the U.S. Congress, e.g., World War II, Korea, Vietnam.

Upload your hero’s picture, name, and information at VeteransExpo.com/salute-to-service.

2. A medical diagnosis or condition that required the assistance of another person to meet the daily necessities of life, such as hygiene, eating, bathing, etc. Example: Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, stroke, blindness, etc.

is an online photo gallery honoring the military heroes in our lives.

3. Household income that is below the established limits. Authorized outof-pocket household medical expenses can be deducted from income. These

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expenses can include: • Medicare and health insurance premiums • Prescription drugs • Co-payments for doctors and prescriptions • Skilled nursing care or home care • A ssisted living (personal care in Pennsylvania) and nursing care expenses when required by medical conditions • Funeral expenses • Incontinence supplies Household income and medical expenses include both veteran and spouse. The household asset limit is $80,000, not including the home and/ or auto. The objective is to use medical expenses to reduce income. Income can be verified through SS 1099, tax returns, bank statements, etc. Even if you don’t qualify for the Aid & Attendance benefit, you may still qualify for the Basic Pension based on age and income or Pension with Housebound Benefits if you are housebound. For more information, check out the Aid and Attendance page on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ website (www.benefits.va.gov/ pension/aid_attendance_housebound. asp), VeteranAid.org, or call the Philadelphia VA Regional Office tollfree at (800) 827-1000 or one of the communities in this section. The communities included in this special feature are eager to help you become more familiar with the Aid and Attendance benefit. Call to make an appointment to take a tour and speak with them to see how they can help your loved one live in a safe environment with the attention they need for a happy and healthy life. www.50plusLifePA.com

Nursing & Rehabilitation Centers Bethany Village – The Oaks

325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (717) 766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org Number of Beds: 69 Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes

Private Rooms Available: Yes Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: CARF/CCAC; Eagle, LeadingAge PA Comments: Maplewood Assisted Living also available.

Homeland Center

1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 (717) 221-7902 • www.homelandcenter.org Number of Beds: 95 Rehabilitation Unit: No Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes

Private Rooms Available: Yes Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: AAHSA, LeadingAge PA (PANPHA), NHPCO, PHN, HPNA Comments: A beautiful, full-service continuing care retirement community with a 149-year history of exemplary care.

The Middletown Home

999 West Harrisburg Pike • Middletown, PA 17057 (717) 944-3351 • www.middletownhome.org Number of Beds: 102 Rehabilitation Unit: No Alzheimer’s Unit: No Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Respiratory, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes

Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Private Rooms Available: Yes Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Comments: Our campus offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation services, personal care, and independent living residences.

Claremont Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 1000 Claremont Road • Carlisle, PA 17013 (717) 243-2031 • www.ccpa.net/cnrc Number of Beds: 282 Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes

Private Rooms Available: No Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Comments: Featuring Traditions at Claremont, a dedicated, 39-bed, short-term rehab unit. Claremont provides quality skilled nursing and rehabilitation services for short- and long-term stays.

Maple Farm

604 Oak Street • Akron, PA 17501 (717) 859-1191 • www.maplefarm.org Number of Beds: 46 Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: No Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes

Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: LeadingAge, LeadingAge PA, Mennonite Health Services Comments: Maple Farm puts the person first so your choices matter. Enjoy the comforts of home with country kitchen, private bedroom, full bath, and great views.

Pleasant Acres Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 118 Pleasant Acres Road • York, PA 17402 (717) 840-7100 • www.yorkcountypa.gov Number of Beds: 375 Rehabilitation Unit: No Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Physical, Occupational Respiratory Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes

Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Private Rooms Available: No Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Comments: Elm Spring Residence Independent Living on campus.

Transitions Healthcare – Gettysburg

595 Biglerville Road • Gettysburg, PA 17325 (717) 334-6249 • www.transitionshealthcarellc.com Number of Beds: 135 Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Respiratory, Physical Long-Term Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes

Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Private Rooms Available: Yes Semi-Private Rooms Available: Yes Pet Visitation Allowed: Yes Beauty/Barber Shop: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: PHCA, PACA Comments: Fully staffed Transitions Healthcare employees in skilled nursing and sub-acute rehab. Tours are encouraged!

If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your account representative or call (717) 285-1350.

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

www.50plusLifePA.com

50plus LIFE p

November 2016

Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

China Tips for Your Thanksgiving Table Lori Verderame

In the autumn of 1621, the Plymouth community and the Wampanoag Indians celebrated a harvest feast. A longstanding event in Native American culture, the harvest feast was also known as the Thanksgiving celebration. The 1621 harvest feast offered lots of meat and very few vegetables. Forks were not used, and the most prominent person at the table was seated at the head and was positioned closest to the food. For your Thanksgiving meal, you’ll want to invite friends and family and offer turkey with all the trimmings. You may even serve it on your best china or your grandmother’s beloved serving pieces. If you are displaying vintage china, here are some tips for making the event special.

Highly decorated china may have lead glazes.

Beware of Lead Some antique and vintage china may contain lead, and lead leaching can be toxic. Some of the old glazes used on pre-1900 china may contain lead. Often, highly decorated or

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Thanksgiving preparations.

multicolored china may have lead glazes. Damaged, chipped, cracked, or crazed (that funny zigzag pattern in the colorless glaze) china may allow lead to leach and contaminate food. So, if you have damaged pieces, don’t use them in the preparation or service of food. It is better to use them for display purposes only. It is common knowledge that Grandma’s antique china should not be used in the microwave or dishwasher, but it is also a bad idea to place an old piece of china in the refrigerator piled high with leftovers. Why? Storing your leftovers in the refrigerator on an old, decorated china plate is not good for the lifespan of the antique nor is it good for you once you re-serve those leftovers. The plate is fragile, and cooling will affect its overall condition.

Very affordable prices (less than most retail stores).

Call TODAY for an appointment!

717.274.9775

927 Russell Drive, Lebanon, PA 17042

Howard B. Melnick, MD • John J. Moffitt, MD Glen J. Mesaros, MD • Donald Short, M.A., FAAA Sharon K. Hughes, M.S., CCC-A 14

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Ph.D. antique appraiser and awardwinning TV expert Dr. Lori Verderame is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s international hit TV show Auction Kings and appears on FOX Business Network’s Strange Inheritance. Visit www.DrLoriV.com or call (888) 431-1010.

When you patronize our advertisers, please let them know you saw their ad in

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Also, lead can leach from china in the refrigerator, which is hosting foods high in acidity. Thus, a piece of lead-glazed or lead-decorated antique china that experiences a significant temperature change (as with cooling) may leach. If you must eat off of your antique china or vintage ceramic dishware, don’t do so regularly. Basic white china may be the safest type for your family and pets. It is not wise to eat off of china with painted or metallic decorations—like gold leaf or silver banding. And, if you are in the practice of using an old ceramic bowl to feed your pets, make sure these antique or vintage ceramic pieces are not damaged in any way. You want to protect our furry friends too! So, if you want to highlight your grandmother’s china, it is best to display the lovely pieces as a holiday centerpiece, in a china cabinet, or on the Thanksgiving buffet table hosting flowers. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Call to visit: (717)

866-5496 www.50plusLifePA.com

HealthAmerica Medicare Advantage plans offer $0 monthly plan premiums and much more. Come to a sales meeting to learn about our Medicare Advantage plans. HealthAmerica Medicare offers plans that fit the needs, lifestyle and budget of each member. With our plans, you’ll get: • $0 monthly plan premiums • $2 copay for Tier 1 drugs at preferred pharmacies • Access to doctors and hospitals you know and trust • A limit on the medical costs you pay each year • Fitness membership to multiple gyms at no extra cost So give us a call to learn more. We’ll walk you through your options and help find the plan that works best for you.

But don’t wait. Enrollment ends December 7. LEBANON FRIENDSHIP FIRE CO. BANQUET HALL 610 S. 2ND ST. 11/2, 11/8 & 11/26, 10:00 AM

MYERSTOWN LANTERN LODGE CONFERENCE CENTER 411 S. COLLEGE ST. 11/16 & 11/30, 1:00 PM

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Call to learn more, RSVP to a meeting or make an appointment. 1-855-418-0484 (TTY: 711) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, 7 days a week A licensed sales agent will answer your call. Or visit www.coventry-medicare.com/attend

Stop by a sales meeting in your area. We’ll mail you a $10 reward card for attending. There’s no obligation to enroll.

Aetna Medicare is a PDP, HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. Members who get “Extra Help” are not required to fill prescriptions at preferred network pharmacies in order to get Low Income Subsidy (LIS) copays. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. The Part B premium is covered for full-dual members. Our dualeligible Special Needs Plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the state and Medicare. Premiums, co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles may vary based on the level of Extra Help you receive. Please contact the plan for further details. Other pharmacies, physicians and/or providers are available in our network. The formulary, pharmacy network, and/or provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. A sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-855-418-0484 (TTY: 711). All persons eligible for Medicare may receive a $10 Reward Card with no enrollment obligation. Non Coventry Medicare Advantage members must attend a sales meeting, schedule an appointment, or request an information kit to receive the offer. Current Coventry Medicare Advantage members, must call the number in the advertisement for instructions on how to receive the offer. Not to exceed more than one $10 Reward Card per person. Offer valid while supplies last. Participating physicians, hospitals and other health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change. Aetna complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, free language assistance services are available. Visit our website at www.aetnamedicare.com or call the phone number listed in this material. ESPAÑOL (SPANISH): ATENCIÓN: Si usted habla español, se encuentran disponibles servicios gratuitos de asistencia de idiomas. Visite nuestro sitio web en www.aetnamedicare.com o llame al número de teléfono que se indica en este material.୒ɄġǊ (CHINESE): ɐͩǋ쨰ƧưǷĹġǊ뼷ǷĻŗȦīы͘Ā ДҶ৖Վ˖Ө 쁞 ɐҜ਴āĵĀȃν www.aetnamedicare.com ͱٍǖǕࠒնġǨԉĀǖƹ̶Π 쁞 Y0001_4002_8045a_FINAL_3200996 Accepted 09/2016 ©2016 Aetna Inc. www.50plusLifePA.com

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November 2016

Tinseltown Talks

Julie Newmar Still the Cat’s Meow Nick Thomas

This summer, Julie Newmar turned 83; but it only seems like yesterday she was prowling across our TV screens as the original Catwoman supervillainess in the ’60s TV series Batman. In addition to her acting career, Newmar has long taken an interest in gardening, beauty, and health. “If something bothers me, I try to live on top of it,” the Hollywood beauty icon said from her home in Los Angeles. “Just let the joy in you come out, and stay in love with life. That’s the secret to aging well.” Newmar also gives inspirational talks to women on how to enhance one’s overall image, including tips on makeup, hair, dress, and voice. “Beauty has a lot of connotations to it, and loving yourself is a very good place to start. We can all be more marvelous.”

Photo provided by Molly Scargall

Julie Newmar on her 80th birthday at the Goo Salon as salon owner Molly Scargall looks on.

Publicity shot of Julie Newmar as Catwoman.

Aside from Catwoman and numerous other TV roles throughout her career, Newmar appeared in more than 30 films, working with greats

such as Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, and James Mason. In Mackenna’s Gold (1969), she was cast as a young Native American girl. “I’m of Swedish descent, so having a Swedish girl play an Indian could only have been done in Hollywood 40 years ago,” she said, recalling an unexpected visitor to the set. “We spent two months on location in Arizona and Utah. At the time, Robert Kennedy was running for president, and he and his entire entourage dropped in one night and had dinner in a tent with us. “I sat next to him and remember his wife trying unsuccessfully to convince Gregory Peck to read some poetry.” Eight years earlier, in The MarriageGo-Round, Newmar was cast closer to her ancestry—as a teenage Swedish blond bombshell attempting to seduce James Mason. “He was a glorious actor, extremely generous and helpful. He looked out for me in my close-ups, making sure the light was on my face and shadows didn’t fall on me.” But it was her role as the exotic feminine feline nemesis to the “dynamic duo” in some dozen Batman episodes where Newmar’s sex appeal sizzled on ’60s TV screens. Her image still haunts many today. “I still get a lot of fan mail from

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November 2016

50plus LIFE p

men!” she said, referring to an excerpt from an online post: Julie Newmar is the fruit of one of those moments when God must have thought, “I’ ll give them a girl who will define female perfection so well, that they will always know what beauty is all about.” “Oh my,” she added, sounding quite touched by the tribute. “That’s so endearing.” Newmar is now endearing herself to another generation of fans since the Batman TV series was released on DVD in late 2014—after being held up for years by legal wrangling. She also recorded commentary for the collection’s special features. “Doing the interview caused me to focus on what the Catwoman character meant for my life,” she said. “It’s really a joy to have created something that people still remember me for. I never got any royalties from the series, but the popularity of the show over several generations has more than paid me back.” As for her memorable bodygripping Catwoman costume, Newmar says she acquired the original “after a lot of hoopla” and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. “It was like a long-sleeved, longlegged leotard made from black Lurex,” she recalled. “It clung to the body, but was very easy to get in and out of. It really looked smashing!” As she continues to share some personal, general lessons of life and beauty tips on her website (www. julienewmar.com), Newmar hopes her advice will help others to look and feel “smashing,” too. “The importance of looking and feeling well is clearly important to an actor,” she says. “With the right attitude, you can be a great beauty at any age.” Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 600 magazines and newspapers.

www.50plusLifePA.com

Dear Pharmacist

How Blood Sugar Affects Your Breathing Suzy Cohen

When you think of diabetes, either Type 1 or 2, the possibility of complications affecting your eyes, heart, and kidney comes to mind. But you never really think of your lungs having problems as a result of blood sugar abnormalities. That’s unfortunately a little-known fact. Diabetes (diagnosed or not) spawns a ton of oxidative stress throughout your body. Lung tissue gets affected by poor blood sugar dysregulation and all the free radicals killing the innocent cells just trying to “breathe,” if you know what I mean. Lung tissue has an extensive network of blood vessels, especially the tiniest ones called capillaries. Capillaries allow blood cells carrying oxygen to march through their vessel walls, but slowly, only one cell at a time, kind of like soldiers marching one by one behind each other. Capillaries are the most fragile because they are so thin. Your lungs are also made up of large amounts of connective tissue. Capillaries get destroyed when excessive glucose molecules attach to them and cause stiffening, so then they can’t bend anymore due to the formation of “advanced glycation end” products. A lot of inflammatory cytokines form too. It’s the same case in your eyes, heart, kidneys, and nerves; that’s why diabetic complications occur. This leads to swelling and scar tissue, which builds up in the air pockets and airways of your lung tissue. The capillary tissues fill up

with inflammatory reduce complications focused on the blood sugar number, cells and fibrin. and you only judge your success by of diabetes are as This process important as those the numbers shown on the glucose depletes your machine. that reduce blood antioxidants, like But I’m warning you that it’s more sugar. glutathione and important to focus on capillaries, In November superoxide dismutase 2015, new research connective tissue, and inflammation (SOD)—more chemicals. We know certain herbs focused on Type problems if you 1 diabetes and and minerals support healthy nerves, already have an SNP capillaries, eyes, kidneys, and airways. mineral status. (a genetic mutation) This reduces complications. Scientists measured that slows production If you’re taking a supplement but blood levels of November is of either of those! not seeing the numbers go down, it chromium, zinc, American Diabetes Month It gets harder to and magnesium, and may still be working. You’d never breathe, you’re tired, even realize it if you’re just evaluating they were reduced and you develop shortness of breath in all participants. In fact, the most your progress with a blood glucose with little or no exertion. Forget about poorly controlled diabetics seemed to machine. exercising now. have the worst deficiencies. This information is not intended to To boot, your new sedentary state The research confirms that diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. causes weight gain and that taxes chromium, zinc, and magnesium may For more information about the author, your heart, increasing cardiovascular be useful for people seeking to reduce visit SuzyCohen.com complications from diabetes. It can complications. So many of you are apparently be addressed, if only About Our Company partially. In a July 2015 study, researchers For more than 20 years, On-Line Events tested the lung health of Type 2 Publishers, Inc. has celebrated serving OLP Events, our events division, diabetic rodents and demonstrated the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus produces six 50plus EXPOs annually in Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, community of Central Pennsylvania. that if they gave the critters some Lancaster (two), and York counties. Our corporate office is located outside chromium, zinc, and leucine, the Entrance to the event, health Columbia, Pa. animals’ lung health improved—a lot! screenings, and seminars held They tried the nutrients separately throughout the day are free to visitors. Publications and in combination. In all scenarios, The women’s expo is a one50plus LIFE is a monthly newspaper day event featuring exhibitors and the antioxidant status improved and touching on issues and events relevant interactive fun that encompass many lung inflammation reduced. In some to the 50+ community. aspects of a woman’s life. In 2017, The Resource Directory for the cases, it diminished entirely. women’s expos will be held in Caregiver, Aging, and Disabled is Chromium, zinc, and leucine didn’t Hershey in the spring and in Lebanon, published annually in distinct county just reduce blood sugar; they also Lancaster, and Carlisle in the fall. editions with information from local vents presents the Veterans’ OLP E protected those fragile capillaries and businesses and organizations that meet Expo & Job Fair, a free, two-part connective tissue from the cytokine the needs of these groups. event that takes place in York and 50plus Living, an annual publication, storm, while improving antioxidant in Wyomissing in the spring, in the is a guide to residences and healthcare status. In other words, nutrients that Capital Area in late summer, and in

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options for mature adults in the Susquehanna and Delaware valleys. BusinessWoman is a monthly magazine with a focus on business. It features profiles of local executive women who are an inspiration to other professionals. Lifestyle and wellness articles are also included to round out the publication and address the many facets of a woman’s life. All publications are available in print and digital formats.

Lancaster in the fall. The Veterans’ Expo connects active and retired military members and their families with benefits, resources, and employers. The EPIC Men’s Expo is an exciting and action-packed day that includes food, microbrews, sports, fitness, automotive, and all things “manly.” The event will debut in York on Nov. 19, 2016, and in Lebanon in spring 2017. For more information, call (717) 2851350 or visit www.onlinepub.com.

Plus, you’ll receive event updates, story links, and more!

www.50plusLifePA.com

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November 2016

Calling all men . . . and the women who love them! Join us for the first-ever men’s event in the region!

Sat., Nov. 19

MEN’S

9 a.m. – 2 p.m

York Expo Center . Memorial Hall West

Robin Cole

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Robin Cole will be advocating for prostate cancer awareness as founder of the Obediah Cole Foundation. He also will be signing autographs.

FREDDIE COLEMAN

ESPN Radio host of the Freddie Coleman Show will be available for autographs and photos.

Jonathan Coholich

Tournament bass angler and Balsax pro staff member Jonathan Coholich will reveal how to select the right baits and line in any fishing situation.

LEGACY INNOVATIONS

Legacy Innovations will showcase some of their custom-restored street cars, race cars, and show cars.

VIVID SKIN TATTOO

Ryan Errickson, Jeff Capezio, and Tyler Kaltreider will do a live demonstration of tattooing at its finest.

HAIN’S PIPE & CIGAR SHOP Jesus Castanon, master blender/ roller, will be hand rolling his famous puro cigars.

PLUS ...

Food and craft pairing by Isaac’s Restaurant and The Beer Ace, sporting activities, beer and wine sampling, and so much more!

717.285.1350

www.EpicMensExpo.com 18

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Former NFL Player, Prostate Cancer Advocate Joining Epic MEN’S Expo By Megan Joyce

Pittsburgh-based Obediah Cole Foundation, As a 12-season named for his linebacker and late father and defensive end for dedicated to the Pittsburgh raising muchSteelers, Robin needed awareness Cole was no for the cancer stranger to, well, that kills 30,000 tackling problems men each year— head on. which Cole And though he ruefully calls “the hasn’t played with best-kept secret in the NFL since the world.” the late 1980s, According to Cole is still the foundation’s harnessing his website (www. commandeering obcolefoundation. spirit to take on org), 1 in 6 men an epidemic in will be diagnosed men’s health: with prostate prostate cancer. cancer in their It’s an issue lifetime. Africanthat has touched American men him deeply have the highest on multiple incidence of personal levels. prostate cancer Cole’s father, in the world, and Obediah Cole, their mortality passed away from rate is twice that metastasized of Caucasian prostate cancer at men. age 50. “We don’t But the have a serious family link with Former Pittsburgh Steelers voice for prostate prostate cancer linebacker and defensive end Robin cancer,” Cole extends further Cole will be at the Epic MEN’S Expo said. “Nobody’s and wider; its malignant fingers Nov. 19. Cole will be advocating for out there. The prostate cancer awareness as founder doctors are saying stretch back of the Obediah Cole Foundation, it, but a doctor through the Cole named after his father, who died doesn’t lead a family tree to from the disease. cause like that. at least Cole’s Somebody off the grandfather. Cole’s father, Obediah, and several of street has to do that, somebody who’s his father’s brothers succumbed to the gone through a lot.” Representatives from the Obediah cancer, which has also touched Cole’s Cole Foundation—including Robin own brothers—and Cole himself. Cole—attend more than 20 health Cole was diagnosed with prostate fairs per year, often partnering cancer in 2004. He was 49. He with local doctors and hospitals to underwent surgery and remains cancer-free, but since then he has lost distribute vouchers for men to receive a free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) two brothers to the disease. test. In 2006 Cole founded the www.50plusLifePA.com

“When [the foundation] first began to raise money, it was for three things: to bring about awareness, to educate people about prostate cancer, and also to do free blood screenings.” Although it is one of the most diagnosed cancers in men, second only to nonfatal skin cancer, prostate cancer hits its victims early, often in their 40s and early 50s and before cancer is on most men’s medical radar. Cole recommends all men start getting a PSA blood test at age 40— and in their 30s if they have a family history. He also urges men not to wait until they are symptomatic to seek testing; he lost an uncle and a brother that way. Prostate cancer usually has no symptoms in its early stages. Later on, symptoms often include frequent and painful urination, erectile dysfunction, and discomfort when sitting (caused by an enlarged prostate). Once the cancer has spread, men frequently experience pain in the hips, shoulders, thighs, or other bones; fatigue; weight loss; and swelling in the legs or feet. The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer detected in its early stages in nearly 100 percent; that rate drops to 28 percent if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. “If my father’s twin had gotten checked, he’d have probably still have been living, but he didn’t do it until he had symptoms,” Cole said. “With prostate cancer, if you wait for symptoms, a lot of times it’s too late: You’re in stage 3 or stage 4.” The Obediah Cole Foundation is

working statewide currently, but as funding and awareness grow, Cole hopes to expand the foundation’s reach across the country. Robin Cole will be joining the Epic MEN’S Expo from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the York Expo Center’s Memorial Hall West. Brought to you by OLP Events, the Epic MEN’S Expo will comprise more than 50 exhibitors— businesses, organizations, and services covering the multifaceted lives of modern men. The expo’s many demonstrations and appearances will include ESPN 92.7’s late-night talk show host Freddie Coleman; tournament bass angler Jonathan Coholich; beer, wine, and cider sampling; a denim fashion show by Men’s Wearhouse; live cigar-rolling and tattoo demos; a golf-ball hitting net and analyzer; food and craft-beer pairing; and more. Cole plans to use his time at the Epic MEN’S Expo to raise Central Pennsylvania’s awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of early screening. “My goal is to take it to the people,” Cole said. “For the rest of my life, I am going to take prostate cancer to the people, and my goal is to start with Pennsylvania. We’re going to wake up Pennsylvania, and then we’re going to wake up the rest of this nation.” For more information on the Obediah Cole Foundation, visit www.obcolefoundation.org. Advance guest registration ($5 value) for the Epic MEN’S Expo and general information are available at www.EpicMensExpo.com.

We’re looking for EPIC volunteers!

S ’ N E M www.EpicMensExpo.com

www.50plusLifePA.com

The Epic MEN’S Expo committee is looking for volunteers to help at our first-ever Epic MEN’S Expo on Nov. 19, 2016, at the York Expo Center, Memorial Hall West, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you could help greet visitors, stuff Expo bags, or just help out wherever needed, we would be glad to have you for all or just part of the day. Please call On-Line Publishers at (717) 285-1350.

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Give someone you love the gift that entertains, informs, and inspires, month after month! Or renew an existing subscription! Get a 12-month subscription to 50plus LIFE for just $10. Mail form to: 50plus LIFE, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Please start a gift subscription for: Beginning (month) _ ___________________________ Name_ _____________________________________ Street_ _____________________________________ Apt._ ______________________________________ City/State_ __________________________________ Zip_ _______________________________________ Sign card from: Your name___________________________________ Street_ _____________________________________ Apt._ ______________________________________ City/State_ __________________________________ Zip_ _______________________________________ Your phone number____________________________ Paper (or papers/$10 per edition): Expires 12/31/16 qChester qCumberland qDauphin qLancaster qLebanon qYork

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November 2016

Calendar of Events

Lebanon County

Community Programs/Support Groups Free and open to the public

Senior Center Activities

Nov. 12, 7 p.m. Lebanon Community Concert Band: Veterans Day Concert Avon Zion United Methodist Church 1205 E. Old Cumberland St., Lebanon (717) 272-5555 worddemon1@verizon.net

Annville Senior Activity Center – (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. – Breakfast Club Meeting at Café Panache Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m. – Giving Thanks Variety Show Nov. 29, 11 a.m. – Decorating for Winter and Christmas

Nov. 23, 6 to 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Library Programs Annville Free Library, 216 E. Main St., Annville, (717) 867-1802 Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. – Adult Coloring Club Lebanon Community Library, 125 N. Seventh St., (717) 273-7624 Matthews Public Library, 102 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, (717) 865-5523 Myerstown Community Library, 199 N. College St., Myerstown, (717) 866-2800 Palmyra Public Library, 325 S. Railroad St., (717) 838-1347 Richland Community Library, 111 E. Main St., Richland, (717) 866-4939

parks and recreation All events held at the Park at Governor Dick unless noted. Nov. 5, 6 p.m. – Seeing Stars Astronomy Program Nov. 6, 1–4 p.m. – Music on the Porch Bluegrass Jam Nov. 27, 1:30 p.m. – Senior Walkabout

Offer Care to Caregivers going—with him or her and People who take care of elderly or chronically with the person who’s sick. ill relatives often feel overwhelmed by their Have an attentive ear. Give caregivers a chance to talk responsibilities and about themselves and their disconnected from friends and life. feelings. Here’s what you can do to help: Be specific about ways you can help. Look for ways you can provide help Educate yourself. Find out to the caregiver. Be specific about the disease or condition about what you can do—like the sick person is suffering from. Ask the caregiver for running to the store to pick up groceries. suggestions on books to read. November is Your interest helps show your National Family Offer your time. Give the support. Caregivers Month caregiver a break—even if it’s just for an hour—while you Keep in touch. Email volunteer to sit with the person who is sick. or call just to ask the caregiver how things are

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Maple Street Senior Community Center – (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon Nov. 4, 10 a.m. – Special Game Day Event Nov. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Bus Trip: American Music Theatre Nov. 16, 11 a.m. – Carpool to Quentin Haus Family Restaurant Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786 Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, Myerstown Nov. 2, 7:45 a.m. – Breakfast Club at Dutch-Way Family Restaurant Nov. 4, 1 p.m. – Bowling at the Goodwill Nov. 22, noon – Thanksgiving Luncheon at Hoss’s Steak and Sea House Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www. jonestownpa.org/senior.html Nov. 14, 10:30 a.m. – Planning Committee Meeting and Special Meal Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m. – Breakfast Bunch at Heisey’s Diner Nov. 23, 10 a.m. – Variety Show at Annville Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra Nov. 8, 10:30 a.m. – Show and Tell about Election Memorabilia Nov. 10, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Bus Trip: American Music Theatre and Cracker Barrel Nov. 28, 10:15 a.m. – Hot Apple Cider and Cookie Social Privately Owned Centers Senior Center of Lebanon Valley, Inc. – (717) 274-3451 710 Maple St., Lebanon Washington Arms – (717) 274-1401 303 Chestnut St., Lebanon Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information. www.50plusLifePA.com

Puzzle Page

CROSSWORD

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 22 SUDOKU

Across brainteasers

Quotes from Presidents During the ’60s Find the missing words from the John F. Kennedy quotes: 1. Ask not what your co_____ can do for you … 2. Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be st_____r men. 3. Things do not happen. Things are ma_____ to happen. 4. The best road to progress is fr_____ road. 5. A man may die, nations rise and fall, but an id_____ lives on.

Find the missing words from the Lyndon B. Johnson quotes: 6. Y_____ is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. 7. You aren’t learning anything when you’re ta_____g. 8. Doing what’s right isn’t the problem. It is k_____g what’s right.

Find the missing words from the Richard M. Nixon quotes: 9. The finest steel has to go through the ho_____t fire. 10. … if you take no risks, you will win no vi_____s.

Movie Songs of the ’50s and ’60s Find the titles of these movies with well-known songs in them from the ’50s and ’60s: 1. “Talk to the Animals” – Doctor _____ 2. “High Hopes” – A Hole in the _____ 3. “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” – Blue _____ 4. “Everybody’s Talkin’ at Me” – Midnight _____ 5. “All the Way” – The Joker is _____ 6. “Moon River” – Breakfast at _____ 7. “Windmills of Your Mind” – The Thomas Crown _____ 8. “The Look of Love” – Casino _____ 9. “Born to be Wild” – Easy _____ 10. “Amen” – Lilies of the _____ Written by Alan Stillson. Please see http://stillsonworks.com

1. Actor Kilmer 4. Egg-shaped 8. Skewer 12. Apiary 13. Lucy’s mate 14. Unnatural 16. Celebes dwarf buffalo 17. Vipers 18. Coral reef 19. Fibbing 21. Crease 23. Opposed 24. Stale 25. Ajar Down 1. Floor covering 2. Circumvent 3. Gaunt 4. Harem room 5. Watercraft 6. Poplar tree 7. Actress Bonet 8. Body of water 9. Floral leaf 10. Golf club 11. Slant 12. Nimbus 15. Samuel’s teacher 20. Prod 22. Debatable 26. Before (prefix)

27. Bird of Minerva 29. Scientist Sagan 30. Hawaiian dish 31. Fmr. Chinese leader 34. Wagner heroine 37. Extroverted 39. Extinct bird 40. Insect 41. Afr. perennial 42. Courtliness 45. Tranquil 47. Distress signal 48. Empty completely 49. Wool weight units 50. Paycheck (abbr.)

51. Warble 52. Breach 55. Assist 58. Cut of meat 60. Maternal 62. Energy type 64. Writer Truman 66. Leave out 67. Bearberry 68. Terminated 69. Hawaiian volcano goddess 70. Sob story 71. Congers 72. Time zone (abbr.)

28. Hairpiece 29. Sabot 30. Place 31. Track event 32. Soon 33. S-shaped molding 34. Roman date 35. Aria 36. Lyric poems 37. Singleton 38. Paddles 40. Behave 43. Turk. title 44. Zero 45. Male offspring 46. Boundary

49. Tree decoration 50. Drag one’s feet 51. Strainer 52. Contests 53. Canted 54. Tennis player Sampras 55. Residue 56. Footwear 57. Ms. Fitzgerald 59. Double-reed instrument 61. Slangy negative 63. Grain 65. Some dads (abbr.)

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November 2016

Carve Your Turkey Successfully on the Big Day What’s a Thanksgiving without a proper turkey? To get the best results from your big meal, use proper carving and slicing techniques. Follow these simple directions for successfully carving your turkey: • Allow turkey products more than 10 pounds to stand at room temperature from 10 to 20 minutes after cooking and before slicing. This allows the juices to distribute evenly throughout the turkey.Netting and cooking bags are easier to remove after the recommended 10 minutes’ standing

time. The maximum standing time should be 20 minutes. • Immediately after the 10 to 20 minutes’ holding time, carve the turkey from its carcass into major sections (e.g., breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings). • Slice or carve on a sanitized cutting

surface. Knives, pans, and covers should be sanitized, too. Resanitize board and knives every 30 minutes. • Wear disposable food-handling gloves while carving, or thoroughly wash your hands frequently.

pans. Cover with film to retain heat and moisture and to minimize the possibility of contamination. Hold at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in a hot holding device (e.g., cabinet, steam table, bain arie). Turkey must be at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit when placed in the holding pans. The heating device will only maintain temperature. A maximum holding time of 20 to 30 minutes is recommended.

• To serve turkey hot, place sections in

• Slice the sections into serving pieces, put them on a plate, and add garnish.

because there’s no room for trifles. We wonder if we’ll ever have time to say what we need to say. We worry about money. We worry about dying … but not too soon. Though it could be argued that the pace of Sixty is indicative of a slower, more introspective time of life, I struggled with this book precisely because of its melancholy meandering. Yes, this is a look at one man’s personal experiences in his milestone year, but it’s a diary consisting of a lot of plaintive railing and entries that aren’t always complete enough to avoid confusion. Yes, readers get peeks at author Ian Brown’s wry sense of humor as he swings wildly between profound and profane, but he often settles back to

three main topics: impending death, his failing body, and that he’s no longer sexually desirable to younger women. These are amusing rants at first but, after the 60th reminder of how life stinks at that age—and please forgive me for saying this—it gets old. Brown calls himself a curmudgeon at one point in this book, and if that mien appeals to you, then you’ll relish it. If you need something less pensive, though, Sixty is a book you can blow off.

DIARY from page 7 he reasons, he still has the ability to desire. Despite such downsides, though, there are bittersweet things about aging: keeping in touch with old friends, for instance, and enjoying the company of those with whom you’ve had history. Also sweet: getting to know adult children as adults, and knowing that there’s another generation to pick up where you left off. And yet, as birthday candles escalate in number, there’s the panicky thought that time is running out: that charity event you’d planned to pull together, the trip you wanted to take, the hobbies you always thought you’d try—they all seem out of reach. Things you used to view as important aren’t important any longer

Puzzle Solutions

what self-help books would have you believe, but Ian Brown indicates otherwise. Sixty is 60, no matter how you cut it—even if (and perhaps, especially) when that Certain Age sneaks up on you. Getting older happens, he says, exactly when we aren’t paying attention. We’re busy with family or career until—whoosh, we’re remembering (or not remembering) things long gone, and regretting time lost, opportunities missed, and aging bodies. Going bald is just one indignity; running out of breath doing something routine is another. Brown also writes of thinking lustfully toward younger women, and then realizing with a start that trysting would be impossible because he’s no longer young himself. At least,

Brainteasers Quotes from Presidents During the ’60s 1. Ask not what your country 6. Yesterday is not ours to can do for you … recover, ... 2. Pray to be stronger men. 7. You aren’t learning anything 3. Things are made to happen. when you’re talking. 4. The best road to progress is 8. It is knowing what’s right. freedom’s road. 9. The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire. 5. ... but an idea lives on. 10. ... you will win no victories.

Puzzles shown on page 21

November 2016

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

Movie Songs of the ’50s and ’60s 1. Doctor Doolittle 6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s 2. A Hole in the Head 7. The Thomas Crown Affair 3. Blue Hawaii 8. Casino Royale 4. Midnight Cowboy 9. Easy Rider 5. The Joker is Wild 10. Lilies of the Field

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rthopedics

& ain

Special feature

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Physiatry: Whole-Person Care that Improves Quality of Life By Megan Joyce

Put succinctly, physiatrists are medical doctors who have completed training in the specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation. “To identify a physiatrist in a single word is difficult, because physiatry originated historically from two different fields: physical medicine and rehabilitation,” Tony T. Ton-That, MD, FABPM&R, said. Ton-That is the medical director of the Spine and Low Back Pain Program at Lancaster General Health. Physiatrists can also be described as physicians specializing in physical medicine, a specialty that requires one year of internship and three years of specialty training. Some physiatrists subspecialize even further, focusing on neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, traumatic brain injury, sports, pediatric rehabilitation, or spinal-cord injury medicine, among others. Dr. Stuart Weinstein, a University of Washington clinical professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, has asserted that physiatrists must possess these five skills: listening to patients’ complaints, translating their medical knowledge to patients, managing patient self-care, tolerating uncertainty of a condition’s cause and prognosis, and innovating novel interventions. “Many physiatric services use traditional and conventional methods that produce limited outcomes,” Ton-That said. “Therefore, physiatrists must make efforts to develop innovative interventions, such as rehabilitation robotics, to overcome the limitation of previously administered therapies.” Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Physiatrist Patients recovering from strokes, orthopedic or neurosurgical procedures, and complex neurological conditions that require hospitalization will often see an inpatient acute rehabilitation physiatrist. “These patients require intensive inpatient rehabilitation,” Ton-That said. “The physiatrist will lead a medical professional team— which includes physical therapists, occupation therapists, speech pathologists, rehabilitation nurses, recreationist, and social workers—to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation program and medical management during the patient’s

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short-term hospitalization.” The inpatient acute rehabilitation physiatrist will also continue care after the patient is discharged, including pain management, wound care, and further therapies to improve function. Outpatient Physical Medicine Physiatrist Rather than treating patients who are hospitalized for their condition, an outpatient physical medicine physiatrist, or musculoskeletal pain medicine physiatrist, sees patients on an outpatient basis, treating disease- or injury-related problems with the musculoskeletal system. Patients who are recovering from a stroke or spinal-cord injury or who are coping with arthritis, ligament and joint issues, or neuropathic pain, for example, may seek the care of an outpatient physical medicine physiatrist, who “designs a treatment plan that can be carried out by the patients themselves, or with the help of the professional medical team, to put the pieces of a person’s life back together after injury or disease—without surgery,” Ton-That said. Outpatient physical medicine physiatrists can also specialize in treating disabilities resulting from disease or injury, in electrodiagnostics, in acute pain management, or in complex interdisciplinary chronic pain with pain psychologists. A spine physiatrist, for instance, would work with people dealing with spine-related conditions that cause neck or low-back pain. He or she might treat the patient’s pain and lack of function with less invasive treatments, such as nonopioid medications, injections with or without fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance, and use of a spinal-cord stimulator. In Ton-That’s practice, he often treats patients dealing with pain from spinal nerves, joints, muscles, or neuropathic conditions (which include low-back pain, neck pain, limb pain, and numbness and weakness). “The physiatrist will treat the patient as a whole person instead of focusing on specific complaints,” Ton-That said. Physiatrists often help patients manage their pain using non-opioid medications (preferring NSAIDs like naproxen, ibuprofen, and aspirin), physical therapy, exercises, acupuncture, biofeedback, energy restoration, and lifestyle modifications: weight, tobacco, depression, and anxiety management, as well as changes to a patient’s activities of daily living. “The physiatrist is the specialist who aggressively treats patients with non-aggressive treatments to restore function, provide pain relief, and work directly with surgeons if needed,” Ton-That said. www.50plusLifePA.com

Improve your quality of life by relieving back pain. Lancaster General Health offers spinal health and acute low back pain programs that include comprehensive treatment and individualized attention to develop the most effective care for you. Our personalized care, advanced treatment techniques, and access to specialists make the difference on the path to recovery. Our spinal health and low back pain programs treat patients who are experiencing: • Chronic and acute pain • Pre and post-partum back pain • Cervical (neck) pain • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction • Degenerative disk disease • Scapular/thoracic (shoulder/mid-back) pain • Headache • Sciatica • Herniated or prolapsed disks • Spinal stenosis • Lumbar/sacral (lower back) pain • Whiplash injury • Pain from pelvic injury

For more information, visit LGHealth.org/SpinalHealth and LGHealth.org/BackPain or call 717-544-3197.

Low Back Pain AD_50PlusMag.indd 1 www.50plusLifePA.com

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9:07 AM

A New Hip for John By John J. Kerecz

Pain. Slowly creeping, insidious pain. Over the course of at least a decade, nagging pain in my left hip managed to permeate every corner of my life until I finally slid into depression. I wanted to crawl off in a leafy hollow and hide like a wounded animal. I loved feeling strong and fit, but when pain robbed me of that physical prowess, I entered a dark zone of the spirit. Pain oppressed me daily in a thousand small ways. I did not go to an orthopedist, though, probably due to fear and denial. Instead, I roamed through the margins of the internet looking for ideas, seeking relief in any “alternative” practice that offered a shred of hope. I tried a nutritional approach, adding glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, a touted arthritis cure) to my regimen. I tried stretching and yoga. Nothing helped. Sometimes, I would even get pain shooting all the way down my left leg to my toes. I went to my chiropractor. He diagnosed that the general imbalance and pain in my hip was causing irritation of my sciatic nerve. The pain that sometimes radiated into my knee and foot also migrated up into my lower back. His treatments always left me feeling better, but only for a day or so. Although I was able to rise above the pain on occasion, I felt like a hostage to it most of the time. “In pain” became the baseline of my existence. I was also acting as primary caregiver to my mother since my father passed. Two strokes and debilitating dementia had left her unable to care for herself. All things considered, I was in a morbid frame of mind. When she died in January, I felt my own mortality shrug against the universal undertow that eventually takes us all away. In February, I finally made the momentous appointment with the orthopedist. As he looked at the x-rays, it was immediately apparent that my decades of jogging, weight training, and karate had taken their toll. At 54, I had osteoarthritis in the joint, its cartilage had worn away, and there were bone spurs at the margins of the joint capsule. In short, it was enough to produce a painful and disabling condition. Total joint replacement would be appropriate, and we scheduled my operation for March 23, 2016. The morning of the surgery, I reported to the pre-op department at quarter to eight in the morning, as instructed. From there, things moved swiftly. A nurse told me without ceremony to change into a backless hospital gown. She put my street clothes in a clear plastic sack as if she were cataloging evidence at a crime scene. I climbed onto my gurney and IVs were started. My anesthesiologist materialized and asked me a few questions. Was I

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allergic to latex? How about penicillin? My surgeon popped by to say hello. It was obvious that he was eager to commence the day’s business. He made a curved incision, roughly 10 inches long, on the side of my left buttock. The surgical team carefully sectioned and retracted the muscles below, various glutei, until the head of the femur and the pelvic ilium were accessible. They unceremoniously sawed off, inspected, and disposed of the head of my femur, exposing my pelvic socket, or acetabulum. In preparation to receive the replacement, they then reamed and smoothed the inside of the socket. Next, with the aid of hammers and chisels, my surgeon fit the sharp end of a 9-inch, ball-topped spike down into my femur. He placed the ball into my acetabulum, and then reattached the ligament “capsule” over it, stitched the muscles back together, and closed my skin with metal staples. Good as new. I woke up in post-op feeling savagely dissected and systematically reassembled. Fortunately, there are drugs to help with that, and I had little sense of time passing until I got up to my room. The first full day was rough, but they did get me on my feet to road test the new joint. Contained within the metal frame of a walker, I was amazed just to be upright! As I lurched forward, the new joint itself didn’t hurt at all, but the surgical wound sure did. The next day and with the help of a physical therapist, I managed a 50foot trek down the hall and back. But by the time we got back to the room, I felt cored like an apple. I was nauseated, lightheaded, and my blood pressure dropped to 59/29. They changed my pain medication and kept me another night. When the next morning’s bloodwork came back, the rounds doctor pronounced me fit for discharge. They took out the annoying plastic IV valves on my hand, and I was sent home in the custody of my girlfriend. The surgical site was still very swollen. They had cut through a mighty wad of muscle, and it was 10 days before the surgical staples came out. I was still amazingly weak and would have to lie down a lot. While resting, I would imagine that I was an injured explorer. Natives had found me unconscious in the jungle, a spear through my side. They’d taken me back to one of their mud-and-thatch huts to nurse me back to health, and here I was, lying on a mat, trying to keep the flies off my wound. But then again, I was binge-watching the Travel and Discovery channels. Over the next two months I progressed from using a walker, to using a cane, to taking walks as an unassisted biped again. Seven weeks after surgery, I returned to my day job in information www.50plusLifePA.com

technology. I’ve now returned to most of the activities I love: walking, hiking, weightlifting, motorcycling, and all without the pain I thought would never go away. The goal of joint replacement is to relieve pain, restore independence, and return you to an active lifestyle. If you have pain that is affecting your daily activities and even your mood, like it was for me, you or a loved one may be a good candidate for joint replacement surgery.

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Guided We’ll explore orthopedic treatment options based on your goals.

The skilled orthopedic surgeons of WellSpan Orthopedics will partner with you and your local primary care physician to explore all your options. Those options will be tailored to your goals in life, whether it’s running a marathon or running after your grandkids. And from appointments, to surgery, to rehab, you can get it all close to home – which makes getting rid of your orthopedic pain ... painless.

Join us for a free Health Talk: “Uncomfortably Numb: Relief from Carpal Tunnel & Trigger Finger,” with Amy Jo Krall, CRNP, WellSpan Orthopedics, November 15, 6:00 p.m. Iron Valley Golf Course Miner’s Pub Register at (717) 272-7971

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