50plus Life Chester County – May 2022

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Complimentary | Chester County Edition

May 2022

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A tour-deforce worthy of honoring page 4

CHester county 50plus expo preview page 12

Understanding aphasia page 18

Savvy Senior

How to Recognize a Mini-Stroke Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, How can a person know if they’ve had a minor stroke? My mother had a spell a few weeks ago where she suddenly felt dizzy for no apparent reason and had trouble walking and speaking, but it went away, and she seems fine now.

– Concerned Son Dear Concerned, The way you’re describing it, it’s very possible your mom had a “mini-stroke,” also known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), and if she hasn’t already done so, she needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Each year, around 250,000 Americans have a mini-stroke, but fewer than half of them realize what’s happening. That’s because the symptoms are usually fleeting — lasting only a few minutes, up to an hour or two — causing most people to ignore them or brush

them off as no big deal.

But anyone who has had a mini-stroke is much more likely to have a full-blown stroke, which can cause long-term paralysis, impaired memory, loss of speech or vision, and even death.

A mini-stroke is caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain and can be a warning sign that a major stroke may soon be coming. That’s why mini-strokes need to be treated like emergencies.

May is American Stroke Month

Who’s Vulnerable?

A person is more likely to suffer a TIA or stroke if they are overweight or inactive or have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, or diabetes. Other factors that boost the risks are age (over 60), smoking, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and having a family history of stroke.

Men also have a greater risk for stroke than

You know a good story when you hear it.

Think you or someone you know would make an interesting profile story for 50plus Life?

We are looking for central Pennsylvanians over age 50 who have a unique hobby, passion, or history of volunteer work, or who are a part of an interesting local club.

Ideal story candidates are willing to talk about themselves and to be photographed.

Your name: _______________________________________________________________ Your address: ____________________________________________________________________ Your phone: ________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________ Nominee’s name (if not self): ____________________________________________________________________________ Nominee’s town of residence: ___________________________________________________________________________ Nominee’s phone: __________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________ Why they would make a great story: _____________________________________________________________________ Note: Please get your nominee’s permission before submitting them!

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Please email story submissions to Megan Joyce, editor, at mjoyce@onlinepub.com or send via mail to 50plus Life, P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604.

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women, and African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk than those of other races.

Warning Signs The symptoms of a mini-stroke are the same as those of a full-blown stroke but can be subtle and short-lived, and they don’t leave any permanent damage. They include any one or combination of the following: • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body • Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination • Sudden, severe headache with no known cause The easiest way to identify a stroke is to use the F.A.S.T. test to identify the symptoms: F (Face): Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S (Speech): Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred?

T (Time): If you observe any of these signs of stroke, call 911 as soon as possible.

Get Help If these warning signs sound like what happened to your mom, but they went away, she needs to go to the emergency room or nearby stroke center.

If the doctor suspects a TIA, he or she will run a series of tests to determine what caused it and assess her risk of a future stroke. Once the cause has been determined, the goal of treatment is to correct the abnormality and prevent a full-blown stroke.

Depending on the cause(s), her doctor may prescribe medication to reduce the tendency for blood to clot or may recommend surgery or a balloon procedure (angioplasty).

For more information on mini-strokes and how to recognize one, visit the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association at strokeassociation.org.

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

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is available online for anytime/anywhere reading!

The road of life contains more than a few curves …

… and confident decisions are informed decisions.

Throughout the year, 50plus Life includes Special Services pages dedicated to connecting you with these resources in our area: • CCRCs/Life Plan Communities • In-home Healthcare • Hospice Providers • Nursing/Rehab Communities • Assisted Living/Personal Care Communities • Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorneys

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Cover Story

A Tour-de-Force Worthy of Honoring

By Gabriele Amersbach Corporate Office

P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604 Phone (717) 285-1350 (610) 675-6240 Fax (717) 285-1360 Email address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson

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

ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Lauren Phillips

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Senior Marketing Consultant Joshua Binkley Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall

Member of

Awards

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

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

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

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

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never been part of my thinking. I am grateful each day I can focus on how to enhance our community.”

When you think of a fundraising tour-de-force, Hungerford was born you immediately think of Betty in Kentucky and moved to Hungerford. Hungerford has Palmyra, Pennsylvania, when repeatedly broken down barriers her father’s work in the shoe for women in Harrisburg’s business brought the family to public relations profession Pennsylvania in the late ’40s. throughout her remarkable She learned to set her goals high career.

As Homeland Center’s director at an early age. of development for more than 20 “My father always told me, years, she has played a crucial role ‘Betty, you can do anything in raising funds for benevolent you want to do,’” she says. “He care, ensuring personal and skilled expected me to always try to be care residents are never asked to the best I could be and to live leave because they can no longer each day better than the last.” afford to pay.

Hungerford met her first This year Homeland Center husband at Lebanon Valley and Homeland at Home College, where she graduated in celebrate their 155th anniversary.

1954. While raising her family The event marking this historic of four children — and lots of occasion will honor Hungerford neighbor kids — she always for her exceptional charitable found time to volunteer for a fundraising and community variety of organizations. dedication.

In the early ’70s, Hungerford At times, it may be hard to Hungerford as a little girl in the was recruited as a volunteer get this busy lady on the phone, mid-1930s. for the March of Dimes. It is but when you do, Hungerford there she met her second always has time to listen, husband. discuss current events, “At first I thought he provide advice, or simply was a snob, and he thought have a chat. Her days are I was a dizzy blonde,” she filled with meetings where laughs. “Yet, we ended up she strategizes with her married. For 36 wonderful team as well as meetings years he was the love of my with families, residents, and life, and my kids simply community members. adored him.”

“I love what I do,” she says. “I have never gotten A Heart for People up in the morning and Hungerford realized that said, ‘Oh no, I have to go her volunteer experiences to work.’ Never! I look at were marketable and my schedule and consider started a public relations how each interaction will be career that continues productive and rewarding, today. She especially not just for me but for our enjoyed working with residents.” nonprofits, and her skills Sounds like a typical and enthusiasm led to highly skilled and the leadership roles that motivated leader at the Hungerford at age 16. defined her career path. top of her game. What Hungerford served as is surprising is that the first director of public relations and alumni Hungerford exudes this level of enthusiasm and joy affairs at Penn State Harrisburg. For six years, she in her work at the age of 89. served as assistant director of development and “I can’t imagine getting out of bed and not volunteers at the Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital. having a purpose,” she explains. “Retirement has At age 69, while engaged as an independent

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contractor, she was recruited by She was instrumental in establishing Homeland Center, which occupies a the Interact Club at The Nativity School, full block along Fifth Street in uptown in which students can enjoy talking Harrisburg. with residents at Homeland Center, and Homeland Center is a continuing likewise, the residents have a chance to care retirement center providing visit with and help mentor these students. exceptional personal care, skilled nursing This volunteer program is right in line care, memory care, and short-term with her personal goal: to help society rehabilitation. Homeland consistently recognize the value of seniors in their receives the highest recognition for quality community, in the lives of family, and in care, staffing and safety, ranking it among the lives of their friends. the best in the country.

She is quick to point out, “Those who After getting to know the are older still want to be of service and compassionate staff and engaging continue to have a lot to offer.” residents at Homeland, Hungerford Hungerford suggests the best way to quickly learned what a gem Homeland encourage respect for seniors is to start in Homeland Center was chartered in 1867 as the Home for the Center truly is. one’s own home.

Friendless to care for the widows and orphans of the Civil War. “It is a place of beauty and caring, and “My parents had many older friends,” a model of excellence,” she says. she says. “As an only child, I learned a lot Homeland’s tradition of care began 155 years ago after the Civil War. from them, including information about Rotary.”

Eighteen women of nine churches in the city of Harrisburg vowed to help Her own children also were exposed to a wide variety of visitors since all orphaned children and widows left homeless in the wake of the war. were welcomed to her home.

They rallied support to establish the “Society for the Home for the “I wasn’t the doting type of mother,” Hungerford explains. “I taught them Friendless,” which, by the 1950s, became Homeland Center with a new to think for themselves and give back to the community.” mission: caring for the community’s seniors.

Today, her children are proud of their mother’s independence. Since Homeland Center is part of a broader continuum of care. Homeland at Hungerford is still active and involved in her own career and social life, her Home, a community outreach program, provides quality care and support to children can focus on their own lives. patients and clients in the comfort of their own home.

Her son David lives in Florida, while Christopher has made a home in Homeland at Home Services include compassionate end-of-life hospice Portland, Oregon. Only her daughter, Deborah, lives in Pennsylvania. care (Homeland Hospice); daily nonmedical assistance and companionship Hungerford’s oldest son, JT, lost his battle with cancer 10 years ago.

(Homeland HomeCare); and at-home, physician-ordered medical treatment Hungerford sees her children and eight grandchildren as often as possible (Homeland HomeHealth). but also has gathered people of all ages into her social circle, from residents and staff at Homeland to many younger friends.

A Focus on Gratitude “Often times, my peers aren’t physically able to get out and socialize,” she “There’s a great spirit at Homeland,” says Hungerford. explains. “I feel so blessed to have younger friends to do things with socially She has had firsthand knowledge of the compassionate environment in the community.” fostered by all who work there. Her husband Paul received interim care at When Betty Hungerford isn’t busy going out with friends and keeping her Homeland, and her father lived there for more than two years and died 40 full social calendar, she says, “I’ll keep working as long as I feel I can offer days short of his 100th birthday. something to the residents and staff at Homeland. It’s all part of not getting “The staff embraced me both physically and emotionally,” she says. “I will rusty.” always be grateful for their attention and support. Gratitude has gotten me To find out more about Homeland’s 155th anniversary celebration event through a lot of tough times.” honoring Betty Hungerford, including tickets, tributes, and sponsorships, With her emphasis on expressing gratitude for all the good in her life, visit homelandanniversary.org.

Hungerford has always focused on giving back through volunteering. She is a proud Rotarian and is happy to be part of an organization that supports young people in their educational endeavors.

For her, rising to a leadership position with her local Rotary club was as natural as taking a step. With a fond laugh, she tells the story of coming home after her first Rotary meeting.

“When I told Paul I was joining the local Rotary club, he said, ‘Don’t tell me you’re going to become president of this as well.’”

Hungerford did serve as president in 2015 and continues as an active member today.

She also has lent her fundraising expertise to other cherished nonprofit Plus, you’ll receive organizations, including Theatre Harrisburg, Polyclinic Medical Center event updates, story Auxiliary, and Harrisburg Symphony Society, to name a few.

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Recognizing the Value of Seniors Hungerford relishes opportunities for young people to interact with older individuals and hear their stories.

“Young people can learn a lot of lessons from older adults if they take time to listen,” she emphasizes. www.50plusLifePA.com

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

Claremont Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Bethany Village – The Oaks

1000 Claremont Road • Carlisle, PA 17013 (717) 243-2031 • www.claremontnursing.com

325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org Number of Beds: 69 Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Short-Term Care: Yes Long-Term Care: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Private Rooms: Yes Semi-Private Rooms: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes

Security System: Yes Staff Background Checks: Yes Internet Access: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: CARF, Eagle, LeadingAge PA Comments: Maplewood Assisted Living also available.

Number of Beds: 282 Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Short-Term Care: Yes Long-Term Care: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Private Rooms: Yes Semi-Private Rooms: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes

Homeland Center

Landis Homes

1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 717-221-7902 • www.homelandcenter.org Number of Beds: 95 Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Short-Term Care: Yes Long-Term Care: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: Yes Private Rooms: Yes Semi-Private Rooms: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes

Security System: Yes Staff Background Checks: Yes Internet Access: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: 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 history of more than 150 years of exemplary care.

Secure Unit: Yes Staff Background Checks: Yes Internet Access: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: Best Nursing Homes 2021 – Newsweek Comments: Featuring Transitions at Claremont, a dedicated, 39-bed, short-term rehab unit. Claremont provides quality skilled nursing and secured dementia care.

1001 East Oregon Road • Lititz, PA 17543 717-569-3271 • www.landishomes.org Number of Beds: 103 (13 short-term) Skilled Licensed Nursing: Yes Therapy: Speech, Occupational, Physical Rehabilitation Unit: Yes Short-Term Care: Yes Long-Term Care: Yes Alzheimer’s Unit: No Private Rooms: Yes Semi-Private Rooms: Yes 24-Hour Medical Care: Yes

Security System: Yes Staff Background Checks: Yes Internet Access: Yes Recreational Activities: Yes Scheduled Entertainment: Yes Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes Comments: Most Medicare Advantage plans accepted.

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

Memorial Day: Take Time to Remember A few solemn thoughts to ponder and share this Memorial Day:

commemoration of what they did.”

W.J. Cameron: “Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this day passes: Remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth.”

Robert G. Ingersoll: “These heroes are dead.

They died for liberty — they died for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless place of rest. Earth may run red with other wars — they are at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: cheers for the living; tears for the dead.”

Benjamin Harrison: “I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant

Pete Hegseth: “Memorial Day isn’t just about honoring veterans; it’s honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that’s a reminder of when we come home, we still have a responsibility to serve. It’s a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it.”

Daniel Webster: “Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.”

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Memorial Day – Monday, May 30

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CROSSWORD

Puzzle Page

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 22.

SUDOKU

Across WORD SEARCH

Animals of Australia

1. Banquet 5. Tablelands 10. Perlman of Cheers 14. Bunsen burner 15. Fragrance 16. Stagecoach actor Tim 17. Phrase to a recent winner 19. Assortment 20. Escargot starter 21. Family member 23. Starchy tuber 24. Dire fate 27. Manicurist’s concern

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53. Buckeye State 54. Egg cells 56. Alliance acronym 58. Like some lingerie 62. Well (It.) 64. Phrase of encouragement 67. Tolkien creatures 68. African antelope 69. Trick 70. Baby blues 71. Store events 72. Expires

Down 1. Computer memory, for short 2. Collar type 3. Dwarf buffalo 4. Phrase that could mean, “Who cares?”

5. Former Chinese leader 6. Go wrong 7. Miso starter 8. Quantity 9. Steam bath 10. Pi follower 11. Phrase of excitement 12. Lamb alias 13. Energy source

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Baseball’s Musial Dropout’s phrase No. 1 Hun Enumerate Storms Bassoon relative Exceedingly Elliptical Ornamental purse Gaelic Bar selections Double curve Compass point Psyches

Your ad could be here on this popular page!

Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.

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Managing Complications of Lupus Many people may recognize the affect your quality of life. term “lupus” and think of it as an People with lupus nephritis also have autoimmune disease that can cause joint a higher chance of heart problems, blood pain and swelling, but you may not be vessel problems, and developing certain aware lupus affects an estimated 1.5 types of cancer. million Americans and can affect many Symptoms of lupus nephritis include parts of the body. weight gain, fatigue, joint pain or The disease that causes the immune swelling, muscle pain, fever, high blood system to attack its own tissues mainly pressure, and frequent urination. impacts women, who make up 9 out Because some of the symptoms of 10 lupus patients. Genetics also of lupus nephritis can also look play a role in lupus; if you have a like symptoms of other diseases, it’s family member with lupus or another important for lupus patients to talk to autoimmune disease, you are at greater their doctors about testing their kidney risk. function regularly. Testing your kidney Some racial and ethnic groups are also function involves a urine test to look at elevated risk, including those of Black, for protein and a blood test to check for Photo courtesy of Getty Images Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native waste products in your blood.

American, and Pacific Islander heritage.

If you are diagnosed with lupus May is Lupus Awareness Month Additionally, Black, Hispanic/Latino, nephritis, it is important you see a kidney and Asian American lupus patients are doctor, called a nephrologist. Treatment more likely to develop complications, for lupus nephritis focuses on preventing including kidney damage, also known as lupus nephritis, and these patients tend additional kidney damage. to have worse outcomes than white patients.

It’s also important to recognize lupus nephritis can impact your mental health, Lupus nephritis — kidney swelling and irritation caused by lupus — affects too. These tips from the American Kidney Fund can help you navigate your care up to 60% of patients with lupus, according to the American Kidney Fund. It and cope with lupus nephritis: can cause permanent kidney damage, called chronic kidney disease, which can • Ensure your kidney function is tested regularly and you are referred to a nephrologist.

The ultimate resource for boomer and senior living and care options.

• Keep records of your symptoms, tests, and test results so you can share them with your doctors in detail.

• Consider medication to lower your blood pressure, if directed by your healthcare provider, which can help lower the amount of protein in your urine.

• Write down questions you have for your doctor and bring them to your next visit.

• Take notes on what your doctor says during your visits.

• Find healthy ways to cope, such as meditating, journaling, or exercising.

• Take a diuretic, or water pill, if directed by your healthcare provider, to help rid your body of extra fluid, which can raise your blood pressure and cause strain on your heart.

• Talk to a professional, such as a mental health therapist, counselor, or social worker, to help understand and process emotions, improve coping skills, and advocate for your needs.

• Join a support group to connect with others who have similar experiences.

26th Annual Edition

• A sk your doctor for handouts or suggestions for where you can go for more information.

Read it online, in print, and on mobile/tablet devices. onlinepub.com 8

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• Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion if you feel your doctor is not taking your concerns seriously.

To learn more and find resources to help cope with lupus nephritis, visit kidneyfund.org/lupus. (Family Features) www.50plusLifePA.com

Elder Law Attorneys

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This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers.

These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

Specific areas of elder law in which the firm concentrates:

Appel, Yost & Zee LLP 33 North Duke Street Lancaster, PA 17602 717-394-0521 • fax 717-394-0739 appel@appelyostzee.com www.appelyost.com

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1883 1970

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills/ advanced healthcare directories, estate administrative, guardianship, Medicaid planning, and business succession planning. Experienced, responsive, and friendly staff.

Yes

Estate planning, elder law, asset protection planning, Medicaid planning, crisis Medicaid planning, and special needs planning.

Bellomo & Associates 3198 East Market Street York, PA 17402 717-845-5340 rdrotarcassidy@bellomoassociates.com www.bellomoassociates.com

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2010

2010

Yes

Yes

No

Blakey, Yost, Bupp & Rausch, LLP 1

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1980 1990

No

Yes

No

Yes

Estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, estate administration, guardianships.

York County Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Law Section, chairman since 2001, friendly and efficient service and staff.

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1965 1965

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, estate administration, Medicaid planning, and living wills.

Yes

Estate planning, wills, financial powers of attorney, durable healthcare powers of attorney (living wills), guardianships, Medicaid planning, and estate administration.

Offices in Lancaster, Columbia, Elizabethtown, and Quarryville.

David A. Mills, Esquire

17 East Market Street, York, PA 17401 717-845-3674 • fax 717-854-7839 dmills@blakeyyost.com www.blakeyyost.com

Griffith, Lerman, Lutz & Scheib 110 South Northern Way York, PA 17402 717-757-7602 • fax 717-757-3783 kkipnis@gllslawfirm.com www.gllslawfirm.com

Nikolaus & Hohenadel, LLP 212 North Queen Street Lancaster, PA 17603 717-299-3726 • fax 717-299-1811 www.n-hlaw.com

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1972 2006

No

Yes

Yes

If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your marketing consultant or call (717) 285-1350. * Indicates that at least one attorney in the firm is a member. Information contained herein was provided by the firm.

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May 2022

9

The History of Ordinary Things

Antique Textile Art: Crochet Doris Montag

Bobbin lace was the preferred needlework in the 1700s. It was made by nuns using silk or linen thread on multiple spindles to create complex patterns. In 1806, Napoleon’s blockade on the English Channel stopped the shipments of silk thread from the East.

During this time, brothers James and Patrick Clark were running a loom equipment and silk thread business in Scotland. In response to the loss of silk trade, Patrick Clark created a method of twisting cotton yarns together to produce a four-cord A delicately crocheted bedspread. thread.

It was so strong and smooth that it could be substituted for silk and linen for hand sewing. Cotton was readily available and could be salvaged from existing fabric. This change in thread made needlework affordable.

The invention of the spinning jenny (James Hargreaves, 1770) and the cotton gin (Eli Whitney, 1774) made machine-spun cotton thread widely available and

inexpensive in Europe and North America.

Crocheted laces use more thread than woven bobbin laces, but the crocheted laces were faster to make and easier to teach. By the 1800s, crochet was popular as a less costly substitute for bobbin lace.

During the Great Irish Famine (1845-49), nuns taught local women and children to crochet. Pieces were shipped across Europe and America, bought for their beauty and for the charitable help supporting the Irish.

Crochet became a thriving cottage A crocheted baby bib, bonnet, and industry, particularly in Ireland booties. and northern France, supporting communities whose traditional livelihoods had been damaged by wars, changes in farming, and crop failures.

At the time, crochet was disdained by the rich as a cheap copy of older laces.

Queen Victoria conspicuously bought Irish-made crochet lace and even learned to crochet herself to promote the acceptance of crochet.

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During the late 1800s, the preferred colors were white, cream, and ochre (light brownish-yellow). Godey’s Ladies Book, a pioneer woman’s magazine along with others, published patterns for the homemaker. Women formed clubs to share the cost of a subscription. The magazine was then passed from member to member.

In the 1920s, America was changing from the conservative Victorian Era to the Modern Era in fashion, home furnishings, and lifestyle. There was an evolution in crochet patterns A board with the five original variegated and colors as well. Historically colors. Note the shoes in green and the the patterns were more elaborate chicken pincushion in orange. and involved, but women were enamored with the quick and easy patterns of the new times.

During the period 1900-1930, crochet was an economical means to create linens, dainty laces for lingerie and collars, yokes for nightgowns, and baby clothes.

Crochet pieces adorned homes with pillowcases, armchair covers, and bedspreads. Doilies and dresser scarves were intended not only to decorate, but also to protect furniture from scratches.

The five original variegated threads were introduced in the 1940s: the classic blue, purple, green, pink, and orange. One can date pieces in these variegated colors from 1940 to 1960.

After World War II and into the early ’60s, there was a resurgence in interest in home crafts. New and imaginative crochet designs were published for colorful Grandma’s crochet accessories, potholders, and other home pillowcases. items. Even Barbie dolls were dressed in crochet gowns. These uses called for thicker threads and yarns, and multiple variegated colors were introduced.

The craft remained primarily a homemaker’s art until the late ’60s through the 1970s, when my generation embraced crochet with “granny squares,” a motif worked in the round that incorporated bright colors of yarn for bedspreads, shawls, and pillows.

Since this time, crochet has declined in popularity. The 21st century has seen a renewed appreciation for women’s handicrafts, perhaps more as women’s textile art than for the utilitarian uses of the past.

It has been my observation that the treasured pieces from our mothers and grandmothers live in the back bedroom in a dresser drawer. For the children and grandchildren, “out of sight” suggests they have no value.

I beseech you to open the drawers and bring out your “stories.” Frame a piece. Use the fancy pillowcases and put the bedspread on the bed! Celebrate them as the material documentation of women’s lives speaking through thread.

Doris Montag is a homespun historian and an exhibit curator who researches and displays historical collections of ordinary things, such as can openers, crochet, toy sewing machines, hand corn planters, powder compacts, egg cartons, and more.

Contact or follow her on Facebook, HistoryofOrdinaryThings.

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11

June 8, 2022

18th Annual

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton

Excited to be in person!

It’s time to get out and: • Be social again … safely • Learn about local businesses and organizations • Discover new products and services • Check out what’s new in retirement living

and more!

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Visitor Bag Sponsor: Wegmans

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May 2022

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Boomers, Seniors, Caregivers Invited to Chester County 50plus EXPO The 50plus EXPO, central and southeastern Pennsylvania’s one-day information and entertainment event focused on the 50-plus community, will return to Chester County in June.

The 18th annual Chester County 50plus EXPO will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, at Church Farm School, 1001 E. Lincoln Highway, Exton.

Hosted by OLP Events, the EXPO’s exhibitors will provide up-to-date information focused on the health, lifestyle, and needs of the local 50plus community.

Admission and parking are free.

The 50plus EXPO will also feature door prizes, seminars, health screenings and onstage entertainment, including a discussion of seniorscam prevention with Danielle Moore from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; a virtual store tour and easy meal solutions from Wegmans nutritionist Marda Heuman; and a musical performance by nationally recognized Elvis Presley tribute artist Jeff Krick Jr. Sponsors include 50plus Life, BUSINESSWoman, and Wegmans.

To check out door prizes and other updates for the 50plus EXPO, please visit 50plusExpoPA.com.

Park ‘n’ Ride: Rover Transportation will be providing free parking-lot shuttle service. Please, hop aboard.

Facebook.com/50plusExpoPA www.50plusLifePA.com

Don’t Miss the Great Lineup of Seminars and Entertainment at the EXPO! 9:45 a.m. – Senior Scams Presented by Danielle Moore, Outreach Specialist, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General will be sharing information related to the most common and prominent scams affecting older adults, including how to spot them, how to report them, and how to avoid them.

10:30 a.m. – Let’s Take a Virtual Store Tour and Find Easy Meal Solutions Presented by Marda Heuman, RDN, LDN, Pennsylvania Division Nutritionist, Wegmans Marda Heuman, a registered dietitian with Wegmans, will take you on a virtual tour around the store to find easy ways to get simples meals on the table with minimal prep. Marda has been a dietitian for close to 30 years in various settings, the past 11 at Wegmans.

11:15 a.m. – Elvis Presley Tribute Artist Performance Presented by Jeff Krick Jr. At only 25, Reading native Jeff Krick Jr. is one of the most successful Elvis tribute artists in the country. At age 19, Jeff placed No. 6 in the world at the prestigious Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest and in the top 10 at the Images of the King Contest in Memphis. He is a two-time fan-favorite award winner and three-time top 10 finalist at Maryland’s Ocean City Tribute Festival, and Jeff has headlined cruise ships and numerous Elvis music festivals.

Please, Join Us!

50plus Life

May 2022

13

Music and Memories

By Denise Thiery “Music has charms to soothe a savage beast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak.”

I’d say that would depend on whether the music was good or bad. My father’s mellow baritone could soothe a savage beast.

Mom’s caterwauling could certainly soften rocks or bend a knotted oak, as well as cause the wallpaper to fall off the walls in strips and coyotes in the distant woods to howl in unison. What Mom lacked in musical talent, she made up for in enthusiasm and volume.

Their music reverberated through my youth. Dad was musically gifted. He often sang in the house and taught himself to play several musical instruments. Sometimes he would invite several of his musically gifted friends over, and they would gather in our living room and “jam” until late into the evening.

His favorite genre was country music. When he heard his teenaged children playing the current rock hits of the times, he would bellow, “You call that music?” or “Loud is not the same as good!”

When I hear his favorite tunes, waves of nostalgia and fresh grief sweep over me. Dad passed away in 1977. The 1954 hit “Jambalaya” was a favorite of his. When he sang “Amazing Grace,” it would bring tears to the listener’s eyes.

Hearing one of my late mother’s favorite tunes also brings waves of nostalgia and grief, but it’s eased by laughter. She knew how painfully bad her singing was; she just didn’t care. Maybe we should all joyfully throw our tune-deaf voices to the sky like Mom did.

Mom’s favorite tune was “Misty” by the late Ella Fitzgerald. When she reached the line, “Look at me; I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree,” the syllable “less” in the word “helpless” was shrieked at a decibel level that threatened to cause all the glasses in the cupboard to shatter. For some reason, she often sang that one when I had friends over, which I found mortifying.

Dad worked 60 hours a week, 50 weeks a year. Mom stayed busy caring for the five of us children.

It was obvious she missed Dad a lot. Often when he got home from work, she would sidle up to him, with a twinkle in her eye, and loudly sing, “I’m in the mood for love, simply because you’re near me,” which always prompted a grin from him and groans of embarrassment from us.

At the end of a busy day, as Mom was clearing the dinner table, she would sing to Dad, “Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me.” Then the two of them would grab a couple of lawn chairs and sit together under the apple tree by the creek in our yard and talk, their lit cigarettes flickering in

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 8

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14

May 2022

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Sixties Flashback

The Temporary Utopias Randal C. Hill

During the ’60s, thousands of young Americans as did “teach-ins” about the Vietnam War. opted for a life in one of about 3,000 “hippie” Counterculturists concerned about the environment communes across the country. Who were those helped to establish the first Earth Day in 1970. mavericks who made such an unorthodox choice?

It was a variety of problems that led to the Generally, they were disaffected urban and ruination of many collectives. One of the main suburban baby boomers who rejected traditional issues was that there was often no structured society. Their numbers included back-to-nature governing body. Rules were often lax when it came farmers, antiwar protestors, civil-rights zealots, to raising food, sharing parental responsibilities, and young men avoiding the draft, unfettered hedonists, doing household tasks (whose turn is it to clean the criminals on the lam, and fringe folks with nowhere bathroom?). else to go.

For some hippies, often-tedious toil became There was no “one size fits all” in such secondary to pursuing freewheeling matters of the cooperatives, as each group developed its own flesh and a cornucopia of illicit drugs. Poor money culture. Some were religious-based, others entirely management was frequently a thorny issue also. secular. Drugs flourished in certain quarters but (Farming, for example, involved hard work and were forbidden in others. Some were self-sufficient wasn’t especially lucrative.) Jealousy often drove and agrarian-based, while others ran capitalismirreparable wedges between certain “free love” fueled businesses. groups.

Many residents did adopt a popular uniform of Some residents simply grew older and chose to the day: long hair, long beards, long dresses, and leave in order to embrace a world once scorned — psychedelic-patterned clothes, as well as sandals, working for The Man, driving a station wagon, Photo credit: “Sutter Street Commune”

by Miriam Bobkoff, licensed under CC-BY-SA-4.0. beads, and rimless “granny” glasses. (As a sort buying a tract home. Others just packed up and Members of the Sutter/Scott Street of social counterpoint, certain villages declared moved on to somewhere and something else. commune, later known as the Kaliflower themselves clothing-optional.)

Vermont organic farmer Robert Houriet once commune, started in San Francisco in 1967.

Traditional Judeo-Christian tenets were lived an idyllic life as a commune resident in the sometimes replaced by elements of Buddhism and Green Mountain State. Decades later, he declared, Hinduism. The widespread popularity of astrology generated the term “Age of “There has to be some leadership and decision-making, some control of Aquarius.” Music heroes such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, the Rolling Stones, membership,” he said in an interview. “You can’t sell drugs to people in town, and the Grateful Dead were enthusiastically proclaimed “cool.” go skinny-dipping in the town pond, and offend your neighbors.”

It is important to give credit where credit is due regarding some of the He pauses, and then adds, “There was a brief, shining moment when we principles that have been adopted from these coteries. Resident bohemians knew it could work. We knew it could work, but we blew it.” often followed healthy vegetarian diets and practiced holistic medicine.

Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives in the past, the rest of him resides in Bandon, Gays and lesbians, frequently rejected by society at large, were usually Ore. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com. welcomed by commune members. On college and university campuses, ethnic studies of Blacks, Native Americans, and Latinos blossomed,

MUSIC from facing page the dark.

I don’t know what they talked about because we five children were not invited. It was their alone time, which Mom said was important to keeping a healthy marriage. That’s the same reason she gave for sending us to bed hours earlier than any of our friends.

We complained about it often, but she was adamant. Years later, as a married adult, I remembered that advice, and it has served me well.

I inherited my lack of musical talent from my mother, not my father. At my middle school, all students were required to take a choir class. After the choir director heard my pathetic attempts to sing a tune, he said, “Well, I guess I’ll identify you as an alto, but it’s all right if you want to just mouth the words.”

In high school I was forced to participate when all the seniors sang at the graduation ceremony. I just mouthed the lyrics. My friend Mary, who was www.50plusLifePA.com

standing next to me on the bleachers at the rehearsal, said, “I didn’t hear you singing anything.” I replied, “Believe me; it’s for the best.”

Years later, while pregnant with my son, I read an article that said exposing babies to music in the womb helped build brain function. So, like my mom, I sang, loudly and badly, to my developing child. I failed to recognize that he couldn’t escape my caterwauling for nine months.

When he was a toddler, I tried singing to him. He covered his ears and cried, “Mommy, no! Stop!” I hope his mom shrieking tone-deaf tunes will bring him happy memories of his childhood as my musical memories have to me.

Irreverent and borderline socially inappropriate, Denise Thiery sees the senior years as a minor speed bump on Life’s highway. She is a lifelong hiker and tree-hugger who encourages others to treat Mother Nature with respect: Always ask the tree first. woodsy@fuse.net

50plus Life

May 2022

15

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month 17 Million U.S. Seniors with Hearing Loss Don’t Use Hearing Aids Millions of American adults could benefit from using hearing aids. Yet, fewer than 1 in 3 adults over 60 with hearing loss uses them.

To help understand why this gap exists, SeniorLiving.org analyzed a study of Americans aged 55 or older as well as data from the National Health Interview Survey to get a sense of current attitudes about and usage of hearing aids.

The study (seniorliving.org/hearing/hearingaid-study) revealed a number of barriers that stop people with hearing loss from purchasing hearing aids, including cost, comfort, and appearance.

Luckily, technological advances and shifts in political ideologies are paving the way toward more accessible hearing aids.

Key Findings • 13% of the entire U.S. adult population experiences at least some hearing difficulty.

• Currently, 6.9 million people aged 60 or older use hearing aids, but an additional 17 million seniors with hearing difficulties do not use them.

• Older adults who have hearing loss but don’t use hearing aids are twice as likely to report frequent symptoms of depression as those who use the devices.

• 26% of people with hearing difficulties say they don’t use hearing aids because they’re too expensive.

Are you getting your share of the

1 in 5 Adults is a Caregiver.

Which buyers make up the Silver Economy?

Find All the Local Products and Services You Need for Your Journey.

SILVER ECONOMY? • 962 million men and women over the age of 60 • A group with 11 times more wealth than millennials • Persons with a life expectancy in the U.S. is about 78.87 years • Persons who prefer in-person contact when possible • A group that wants to age at home as long as reasonable

Why do you want to reach these buyers?

• They are free of many economic burdens • They like to take care of themselves, be active, eat well, be fashionable, and have fun • They have more free time • They are looking for products and services to help them age well

What sectors are on the rise?

The obvious:

The not-so-obvious:

• Home improvements/renovations • Tourism and leisure activities tailored for them • Caregiver solutions • Financial products geared for seniors • Retirement living

• Security technology – mobile apps, sensors, wearable devices, smart clothing, etc.

• Pet care – pet sitting, walking, grooming, food, accessories, etc.

• Gardening/lawn services combined with snow removal • Mobile esthetic and concierge services – hairstylist, manicurist, massage, facials • Personal services – running errands, shopping

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What are you waiting for?

51% of people aged 52-70 spend fewer than 11 hours a week online.

While businesses need an online presence, print adds power to a media campaign.

Most boomers and seniors are open to and love classic media.

50plus Life—Covering Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties—is an excellent venue!

Call to learn how we can help you reach our 150,000+ readers of 50plus Life!

717.285.1350 or email info@onlinepub.com

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May 2022

50plus Life

View the 2021 edition online at www.BusinessWomanPA.com www.50plusLifePA.com

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month • More than half of hearing aid wearers plan to upgrade one or both of their hearing devices in the next year.

Current State of Hearing Loss According to the analysis, about 34% of all adults over 60 in the U.S. have some trouble hearing. People ages 60-69 were most likely to report hearing loss.

Men and women experience hearing loss at different rates. According to NHIS data, 41% of men and 27% of women over 60 experience hearing loss.

It’s not entirely clear why men experience higher rates of hearing loss than women, but some experts believe it’s because men are more likely to work in loud environments or to smoke, which can impact hearing.

The number of people experiencing hearing loss is likely much higher, as hearing loss is underrecognized and undertreated.

Hearing Aid Usage Overall, 7.5 million people aged 60 or older use hearing aids, according to the NHIS. As Americans age, the rate of hearing aid usage increases.

Age

Uses hearing aid

No hearing aid

19-29

7%

93%

30-39

3%

97%

40-49

5%

95%

50-59

10%

90%

60-69

18%

82%

70-79

30%

70%

80 or older

42%

58%

It’s possible that some people with hearing difficulties are turning to other options to improve their hearing. Many of the people surveyed are employing other devices and technologies to listen to the world around them.

Do you use any of the following devices to aid in hearing?

Closed caption or subtitles

29%

Wireless headphones

19%

Bluetooth adapter

9%

Amplified telephone

5%

Captioned telephone

3%

Visual or tactile alert system

2%

Pocket Talker

2%

Other

2%

None

55%

Hearing Aid Effectiveness and Technology Hearing aid technology has come a long way since its inception. Even the most basic hearing aid models today perform better than the highest-quality hearing aids of previous years. Nearly 3 in 4 people in the study using hearing aids felt satisfied with their performance.

Hearing aid technology is continuing to evolve to benefit users. Modernday hearing aids are becoming increasingly automated, helping users navigate conversations and hear better in difficult listening situations. www.50plusLifePA.com

While many hearing aids in the past were large and bulky, many of today’s models are smaller and sleeker than ever and include Bluetooth compatibility, remote support, and remote microphone technology Why Do People Forego Hearing Aids?

When surveyed people with hearing loss were asked why they were not using hearing aids, cost remained a barrier for many.

Why don’t you use hearing aids?

I can manage without one

70%

I have not been prescribed one by a doctor/audiologist

42%

Too expensive

26%

I just don’t want one

18%

My doctor deemed it unnecessary

10%

I have other technology to assist me

3%

I find them uncomfortable

3%

Hearing aid costs vary widely, ranging from $1,000 to upwards of $5,000.

Typically, a set of hearing aids falls somewhere in the middle. However, there are often additional costs when purchasing hearing aids, including the price of hearing tests and hearing aid fittings.

One of the biggest reasons people with hearing difficulties choose to go without hearing aids is inaccessibility. Not only can hearing aids themselves be costly, but the sheer task of hearing tests and fittings may be enough to deter some people.

Insurance for Hearing Aids Despite millions of Americans experiencing hearing loss, most insurance policies do not cover the cost of hearing aids or examinations and fittings.

If healthcare plans include hearing benefits, they are often limited, covering only a portion of hearing aid costs. In some cases, insurance plans may offer discounted hearing aids from specified healthcare providers, but this is far from enough coverage for some.

While the standard Medicare plan has some hearing benefits, it does not cover hearing aids or hearing tests. However, the Medicare Advantage Plans offer optional coverage for hearing aids at an additional cost. The plan typically covers the hearing aids themselves, as well as the cost of examinations and fittings.

Hearing aid accessibility has been heavily criticized in recent years, leading to a push toward making over-the-counter hearing aids more widely available.

Impact of Hearing Aids on Quality of Life Due to the stigma surrounding hearing loss and the high cost of hearing aids, hearing difficulty is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Although many may feel they can function well enough without hearing aids, hearing loss may be affecting their quality of life.

According to this analysis of NHIS data, people over 60 who have significant difficulty hearing but do not use hearing aids are two times more likely to report feeling depressed daily or weekly than those with poor hearing who use hearing aids.

As the population of people over 65 grows in the next 10 years, so will the number of people shopping for hearing aids. Luckily, some of the barriers to acquiring hearing aids appear to be coming down.

50plus Life

May 2022

17

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month Understanding Aphasia: Bruce Willis Diagnosis Puts Disorder in Spotlight The recent announcement by Bruce Willis’ family that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia has brought attention to the language disorder, which is relatively common but not well known by the general public.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association encourages the public and media to seek out evidencebased information about this condition — and stresses that treatment is available from speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Below is some information about the language disorder. More details are available on ASHA’s website (asha.org/public/speech/disorders/aphasia).

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that can occur when a person experiences changes in the brain from injury or disease. This is most often due to stroke; however, any type of brain damage can cause aphasia.

Aphasia can make it hard for someone to understand, speak, read, or write.

This depends on the parts of the brain that are affected.

Aphasia is not associated with cognitive deficits. However, word-finding difficulty, a hallmark symptom of aphasia, may also be an early symptom of other neurological conditions, such as primary progressive aphasia — which are accompanied by cognitive impairments.

How is Aphasia Diagnosed and Treated?

SLPs evaluate a person’s speech and language skills. In making a diagnosis, they will assess how well a person: • Understands words, questions, directions, and stories.

• Says words and sentences. The SLP asks a person to name objects, describe pictures, and answer questions.

• Reads and writes. The SLP will have a person write letters, words, and sentences — as well as read short stories and answer questions about them.

Aphasia can be treated in various ways, depending on the specific difficulties

Information and support whenever you need it

1. Get their attention before you start speaking.

2. Keep eye contact as you speak. Watch their body language and gestures.

3. Talk to them in a quiet place. Turn off the TV or radio.

4. Keep your voice at a normal level. Don’t raise your voice unless the person asks.

5. Keep the words you use simple but adult. Don’t “talk down” to the person.

6. Use shorter sentences. Repeat key words that you want them to understand.

7. Slow down your speech.

8. Give them time to speak. Try not to finish sentences for them.

9. Try using drawings, gestures, writing, and facial expressions. The person may understand those better than words sometimes.

11. Ask “yes” and “no” questions to make it easier for them to respond.

12. L et them make mistakes sometimes. They may not be able to say everything perfectly all the time.

(under supplements)

May 2022

How Can Loved Ones Help Someone With Aphasia?

Loved ones can help their family member or friend by connecting them with a certified SLP. A doctor can provide recommendations for local SLPs. A national database of these professionals is also available at asha.org/profind.

As you communicate with a person with aphasia in everyday life, use these tips:

10. Ask them to draw, write, or point when they are having trouble talking.

View online at: www.onlinepub.com 18

a person is having and what their goals are (e.g., getting back to work, taking care of family members, participating in specific life activities).

SLPs work with people with aphasia one on one, as well as in groups, to improve their communication skills. They may also help them find other ways to share ideas when they have trouble talking. This may include pointing, drawing, or using other gestures (called “augmentative and alternative communication,” or AAC).

They also include family members who support their loved one’s communication.

50plus Life

13. Let them try to do things for themselves. It may take a few tries. Help when they ask for it. www.50plusLifePA.com

Melinda’s Garden

Spring into the Growing Season Melinda Myers

Spring-flowering bulbs and perennials all the delicious plants growing in your are filling our landscapes with color. garden.

As your gardens come alive this Continue taking pictures of your spring, start making notes on needed landscape throughout the year. Make note improvements and provide some earlyof any challenges encountered and needed season color and nectar for the pollinators. adjustments in care. Include any failures; This will keep your landscape looking its all gardeners have them. These are just best all season long and for years to come. another step toward growing a healthier Start a garden journal or photographic and more beautiful garden. record of your garden. Make notes or Then take time to enjoy the beauty of take pictures of what is working in your your landscape. Find a comfortable spot to landscape, plants that need to be removed, sit, relax, listen to the birds, and take in all or areas where more color or new plants the wonders spring has to offer. are needed. These notes will help as you Melinda Myers has written more than 20 create a landscape filled with year-round gardening books, including Small Space beauty.

Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses’ Make sure your plants receive sufficient Photo credit: MelindaMyers.com How to Grow Anything DVD series and moisture. It is easy to overlook watering Korean Spice viburnum adds beauty and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and during the cool and often wet spring fragrance to the landscape. radio program. Myers is a columnist and months. A rain gauge can help you contributing editor for Birds & Blooms monitor the rainfall in your yard. magazine. melindamyers.com Plants benefit from thorough watering that encourages deep, droughtresistant, and pest-resistant roots. Check the soil moisture and water when the top 4-6 inches are crumbly and starting to dry. Established drought-tolerant 69% of Caregivers Receive No Paid Help plants tolerate drier soil.

Start pulling weeds as they appear. Removing them when small makes All Need Products and Services to removal easier and prevents them from flowering and producing seeds. That Help Them on Their Journeys. means fewer weeds to pull next year.

Disease- and pest-free leaves, evergreen needles, and other organic mulch covering the soil surface help suppress weeds, conserve moisture, and improve the soil as they break down. Leaves also provide homes for many insects, frogs, and toads. You’ll achieve lots of benefits from this one task.

Let perennials stand until daytime temperatures are consistently 50 degrees. This allows overwintering eggs to hatch and insects to exit their •Y our focused message reaches its targeted audience. winter homes.

If waiting is not an option, cut most stems back to the ground and stack •M ulti-venue promotion — online, in print, them out of the way. This allows the insects to exit their winter homes when and through social media platforms. the time is right. Leave some stems standing 8-12 inches above ground so •Y ear-round distribution — annual Women’s insects can form new homes.

Expos and 50plus EXPOs, local offices of Chop up the removed plant material in midsummer or fall to use as mulch aging, and other popular venues. in the garden or the compost pile.

Watch for animal damage, and protect your plantings as needed. Fresh Features: new growth in the spring garden makes a tasty treat for rabbits, deer, and • Informative Articles other wildlife.

• Directory of Providers Many gardeners enlist the help of repellents to protect their landscape Scan QR code or view the • Ancillary and Support Services 2021 e-dition online at plants.

50plusLifePA.com Always check the label for details on use, application rates, and timing.

Research has proven that odor-based repellents like rain- and snow-resistant Ad Materials Deadline — May 13, 2022 Plantskydd (plantskydd.com) are more effective than other types of repellents.

Plus, this will cause wildlife to avoid plants rather than taking a bite before they discover they don’t like the taste.

To be included in the July 2022 edition, please call Treat pathways used to access your landscape as well as key plants before 717.285.1350 or email info@50plusLifePA.com the animals begin feeding. It is easier to keep them away before they find

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50plus Life

May 2022

19

The Reel Deal

Downton Abbey: A New Era Randal Hill

Eleven months ago, American film production and along with four attractive newcomers. Here the family distribution company Focus Features trumpeted news and their attendants confront the challenging ’30s. of the forthcoming movie Downton Abbey – A New Era. “It’s really a new era,” creator Julian Fellowes offered It was set to be released at Christmastime but, as with in a People interview. “The further the ’20s went along, many films, the ongoing pandemic played havoc with the more the world was changing in so many ways. schedules.

Everything was really different by the end of the ’20s.

It will now be available on the silver screen this The ’30s is really the beginning of the modern world.” month, and the early buzz about it has critics enthusing Fellowes, who always enjoys playing his cards that the wait will be well worth it. close to the vest regarding plot disclosures, can’t help Downton Abbey, a classic bittersweet British historical proclaiming his latest tale as being “unashamedly feeltelevision drama set in the early 20th century, debuted good.” in England in September 2010 and in the States on In the Fellowes funfest, the prim and proper Masterpiece Theater four months later.

Countess of Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith) drops a The locale was the fictional Yorkshire estate of bomb on assembled family members when she admits, Downton Abbey, with the spotlight illuminating both “Years ago, I met a man … and now I’ve come into the the aristocratic Crawley family (the hereditary Earls of possession of a villa in the South of France.”

Grantham) and their conflict-prone domestic servants.

Once they recover from the shock of the matriarch’s The show became the most-watched TV series ever announcement, the family and their associates journey shown on public television, and the American audience to a bash at the sprawling French mansion they’ve never for six seasons of Downton Abbey grew rapidly from seen before.

PBS supporters to mainstream TV viewers. The series Along the way, the bass-voiced butler Mr. Carson earned rave reviews from critics and garnered accolades (Jim Carter) says with a grin, “They better be warned Image copyright (©) Focus Features or related entities. that included Golden Globe and Emmy awards.

— the British are coming.”

Used for publicity and promotional purposes.

So great was the demand for the Crawley story And you have now been warned as well! to continue that 2019 brought the big-screen release Downton Abbey, which Randal C. Hill enjoys getting sneak peeks of forthcoming movies from his home on featured most of the original cast. That movie, set in 1927, followed the family the Oregon coast. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com. chaos regarding a visit by the king and queen of England.

Downton Abbey – A New Era has principal players returning once more,

Debunking Common Misconceptions about Gout When many people think of gout, they often Because the kidneys filter and release uric picture swelling and pain in the big toe. acid, people with kidney disease are more likely However, gout — an extremely painful form to experience a buildup of urate crystals and, of inflammatory arthritis — can occur in any therefore, gout. In fact, 1 out of 10 people with joint when high levels of uric acid in the blood chronic kidney disease has gout, and an even lead to the formation of urate crystals. higher percentage of people with gout have If your body creates too much uric acid kidney disease.

To help debunk some myths around the or cannot clear uric acid properly, you may condition, the American Kidney Fund, in experience sudden and sometimes severe partnership with Horizon Therapeutics, created gout attacks, called flare-ups, that include the “Goutful” education campaign, which aims pain, swelling, or redness in your joints. The to educate and empower patients with gout to condition can disrupt many aspects of daily help them live easier and prevent further health living, including work and leisure or family complications, especially relating to their Photo courtesy of Getty Images activities. kidneys.

“I was diagnosed with kidney disease in Consider these common myths: National Gout Awareness Day is May 22 2009, and it wasn’t too long after that I started dealing with gout issues,” said registered nurse Myth: Gout is rare.

Theresa Caldron. “Gout affects your quality Gout is a relatively common condition. of life in a lot of different ways. You’re going through days of pain, and no one More than 8 million Americans have gout, and it is the most common form of knows it because you don’t look sick.”

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arthritis in men over 40.

Myth: Gout is a man’s disease.

Anyone can get gout, but it’s more common in men than women. Though men are 10 times more likely to develop gout, rates of gout even out after age 60 since gout tends to develop for women after menopause.

Myth: Only people who are obese get gout.

People of all sizes can develop gout. Though people who are obese are at higher risk, gout is more common in people who have other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or kidney disease.

Others more at risk for gout are males 30-50 years old, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Black people, people with a family history of gout, people with organ transplants, and people exposed to lead.

Myth: Gout eventually goes away on its own.

Symptoms of gout attacks often go away within a few days, but that doesn’t mean gout is gone. Even if you don’t feel symptoms, urate crystals can build up beneath the surface, which can cause long-term health problems like joint and kidney damage.

Myth: There are foods you can eat to prevent or cure gout.

Certain foods may help decrease the level of uric acid in your body, but diet alone is not a cure for gout. People with gout who follow healthy diets may still need medicine to prevent flare-ups and lower uric acid levels.

Alcohol and foods rich in purines, especially red meat and seafood, should be avoided if you are prone to gout.

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If you think you might have gout, talk with your doctor or a gout specialist about your symptoms. Visit kidneyfund.org/gout to learn more about gout and kidney disease. (Family Features)

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Because in print or online, newspapers are

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The Bookworm Sez

Immortal Valor Terri Schlichenmeyer

Puzzles shown on page 7.

Puzzle Solutions

You’d need that pin to get in. his missionary family when he Put it on your chest, and you’d get volunteered to fight with the access to an exclusive club. The pin Chinese; four years later, he visited tells the world what you did, that you the American embassy and asked to were elite, that you acted with honor. be assigned to Abyssinia with the If you earned the pin, you’d wear it American troops. with pride.

George Watson lost his life In Immortal Valor by Robert Child, attempting to save one. Ruben Rivers it’s a beribboned thing that you’d went into the Army with his younger definitely deserved. brother. John Fox left a prestigious Almost since the birth of this college to attend one with an ROTC country, soldiers who have exhibited program, so strong was his desire to bravery above and beyond their serve … normal duties have been given medals So what makes these men unique? for military merit. Says Child, almost Author Robert Child explains the rest 3,500 Medals of Honor have been of the story: In 1993, a study showed awarded so far in the history of these men didn’t get the honors for America, but less than 3% have been which they were recommended. It awarded to African Americans. took another four years before they Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II Of the 500 Medals of Honor finally received their medals, more

By Robert Child awarded for service during World War than five decades after wars’ end. c. 2022, Osprey Publishing/Bloomsbury II, just seven of them went to Black Child tells readers how this 288 pages soldiers. happened; he also says that other men That may not be a surprise. Racism are still waiting. was an everyday occurrence then, and Black soldiers “knew only segregation,” That all makes Immortal Valor part irritation, part history. The former lies which “meant inequality.” Even so, the men in this book didn’t let racism stop waiting, wrapped in small biographies of those men, Jim Crow tales, and them from serving their country. It didn’t stop them from exceptional acts. stories of valor so long unrecognized.

Charles Thomas was working at Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, when he was The latter could be a bit of a challenge for civilians: Along with tales of drafted into the Army. In the midst of battle in Climbach, France, Thomas American society, it’s a lot of battles-and-dates information that, even so, was injured but continued to lead his men. pulses with adrenaline, blood, screams, and jaw-dropping bravery.

If Vernon Baker hadn’t seen much racism at home in Wyoming, he surely Go into Immortal Valor knowing this, and you’ll burst with outrage and saw it after he enlisted in the Army. It was never as blatant, though, as it pride at nearly every word. Especially for veterans and their families, this is a was when a white officer was given credit “for the actions [which Baker] book to pin down. performed …”

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years Willy James was killed trying to reach “his fatally wounded platoon old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin leader.” with two dogs and 14,000 books.

Edward Allen Carter Jr. was 15 years old and living in Shanghai with

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The Beauty in Nature

Converging Birds and Horseshoe Crabs Clyde McMillan-Gamber

In May of some years, I’ve traveled They sit on the horseshoe crabs to soak to Delaware Bay beaches in New up warming sunlight to have the energy Jersey and Delaware to experience to hunt food. the convergence of many thousands Meanwhile, black-headed laughing of spawning horseshoe crabs, nesting gulls, which nest in nearby saltmarshes, laughing gulls, and migrating keep up a constant chorus of “laughing” shorebirds, including red knots, ruddy calls while feeding on horseshoe crab turnstones, dunlin, and semi-palmated eggs on Delaware Bay beaches. Being sandpipers. abundant and always noisy, these gulls Female horseshoe crabs deposit are the icons of summer beaches and billions of tiny, dull-green eggs in the saltmarshes along the Atlantic Coast. sand a few feet up the beaches. And Hundreds of thousands of migrating the hundreds of laughing gulls and up shorebirds, at once on the beaches, to a million shorebirds congregate to create inspiring spectacles when Horseshoe crab consume as many of those fat-filled eggs ingesting horseshoe crab eggs. Their as they can. constantly moving swarms are so Those eggs fatten the shorebirds so populous that one can’t see the sand they can complete the last lap of their beneath them. trip north to the Arctic tundra to raise Those shorebird flocks often take young. Red knots migrated the longest wing in one large mass racing over distance, from southern South America. the beaches. Their airborne thousands Horseshoe crabs are not crabs but turn this way and that in speedy flight are related to scorpions and spiders. together, as if one body. Then, suddenly, However, they have protective upper they sweep down and land on a beach shells, as crabs do. And the 1-foot-across like someone throwing peanuts across shells on horseshoe crabs, which have the sand. There they immediately remained unchanged relics of ancient consume horseshoe crab eggs again. times, are shaped like horseshoes.

The convergence of migrant Pairs of horseshoe crabs creep up shorebirds, nesting gulls, and spawning Delaware Bay beaches like tiny tanks horseshoe crabs can also be seen by live Semi-palmated sandpiper to lay eggs, day or night, during the camera and computer screens. In your full moon or new moon in May. Each web browser, search for “live camera female deposits up to 100,000 eggs in the sand, which are fertilized by her spawning horseshoe crabs.” mate.

The great convergence of horseshoe crabs and the birds that consume their Comically, several diamond-backed terrapins perch on horseshoe crabs eggs on Delaware Bay beaches create intriguing spectacles in May each year. still in shallow water. Those bay turtles, like all reptiles, are cold-blooded.

And one can experience those overwhelming gatherings in person or online.

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Volunteer Spotlight

Nature’s Wonders

by Clyde

A nature blog

by Clyde McMillan-Gamber, retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist and longtime 50plus LIFE columnist

Each story is like a walk with your own naturalist.

NaturesWondersByClyde.BlogSpot.com

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