Know the early warning signs of copd page 29 fall landscape care with pollinators in mind page 32
Nov. 9, 2024
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Carlisle Expo Center
In an effort to highlight the talents of our area’s older adults, in 2006 On-Line Publishers hosted the first PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition. Over the next several years, hundreds of local performers over age 50 auditioned.
Although it was a competition, contestants conversed together before their auditions, offering support and encouragement and fostering the immediate bond that nerves and friendly faces will create.
We are delighted to showcase some of these gifted individuals for a SENIOR IDOL Showcase at this year’s Cumberland County Women’s Expo!
These five talented vocalists have remained good friends throughout the years and have continued their musical careers, appearing at 50 plus EXPOs, residential communities, concerts, and many other public events in our area and beyond. Please, join us at the Women’s Expo for this special show starting at 11:15 a.m.!
Charles
Lee
Winner, 2006
Charles Lee is still singing, 18 years since he was proud to win the very first PA State Senior Idol competition. These days, Charles performs at various senior establishments, as well as county fairs and restaurants. He considers it a gift to still be able to perform in his 70s — and he even manages to do a few dance steps.
Tom and Randi LaNasa Memory Music, Semifinalists
Tom and Randi LaNasa have been performing music from the 1940s to the early ’70s since 1997.
As Memory Music, Tom and Randi perform 20 different shows for senior groups, retirement and assisted living homes, and holiday and birthday parties, as well as shows this December at the Pennsylvania Christmas + Gift Show at the Farm Show Arena.
Chris Poje Winner, 2010
Chris Poje has been performing in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida for over 30 years, fronting live bands and as a solo artist. In 2001, after retiring from the NYPD as a detective sergeant, he became a fulltime entertainer. Chris can also be seen at many retirement communities and as a “snowbird” entertainer in Florida each February and March.
Peggy Keller Winner, 2011
Peggy Keller sings for retirement communities, civic organizations, and community-service groups and is honored to sing the national anthem for many sporting events, 9/11 memorials, and flag-retirement services.
In addition to winning the Ms. Pennsylvania Senior America title in 2017, Peggy works with A-1 Entertainment and performs in Mount Gretna and the Greater Philadelphia Area.
Assistance Available during Open Enrollment
Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight, PA MEDI, through the York County Area Agency on Aging, will offer free personalized counseling during Medicare’s annual open enrollment period, which began Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 7.
During open enrollment, Medicare beneficiaries have the option to compare and switch their Medicare Advantage plan or Part D prescription drug plan with upcoming plans for 2025.
These plans can change yearly and can include changes to premiums, deductibles, cost sharing, and drug formularies.
Even if you’re happy with your current plan, it’s always a good idea to compare your options, review your plan to see what changes will happen in 2025, and make sure you have a plan that fits your needs and budget. Appointments are necessary and can be made by calling the PA MEDI scheduling line at (717) 771-9042 or (800) 632-9073. Please do not call the event sites.
Dallastown Area High School
700 New School Lane, Dallastown Nov. 20, 4-8 p.m.
Dillsburg Senior Center
1 N. Second St., Dillsburg Nov. 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
South Western High School
200 Bowman Road, Hanover Nov. 6, 4-8 p.m.
SpiriTrust Lutheran Village at Utz Terrace
2100 Utz Terrace, Hanover Nov. 12, 2-4 p.m.
West York High School
1800 Bannister St., York Nov. 25, 4-8 p.m.
Windy Hill on the Campus
1472 Roth’s Church Road, Spring Grove Nov. 4 and 13, 9 a.m. to noon
York County at Pleasant Valley Road
2401 Pleasant Valley Road, York
Nov. 15, Dec. 5 and 6, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Better Together.
Cover Story
COrpOr AtE OffiCE
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Phone (717) 285-1350
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prESiDENt AND pUBLiSHEr
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EDitOriAL
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Editor, 50plus publications
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Art DEpArtMENt
project Coordinator
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Awards
50 plus 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.
‘My Heart Has Always Been with the Military’
By Gabriele Amersbach
William Hoffman’s life is defined by a simple rule: “Put a slash through the word ‘no.’”
To survive and move forward with his life as a paraplegic veteran, Hoffman has committed to saying “yes” to opportunities that come his way, despite extreme physical challenges and limiting expectations.
Hoffman began his adult life as an ablebodied young man who enjoyed the physical demands of growing up on a dairy farm in East Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He went on to study agronomy and computer information systems at Delaware Valley College and joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
“My roommate had a friend who was in the National Guard,” says Hoffman. “When I met this girl who was in the guard, I signed up at the end of my freshman year.”
He also went through ROTC training and ended his program with a commission as a second lieutenant in the army.
After college, Hoffman found a full-time position with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau doing basic programming and continued his career with the National Guard. His commitment continued for 30 years.
“I was dedicated to serving my country,” Hoffman continues, “but have also enjoyed the people that you get to meet, the phenomenal places you get to go to — I’ve had wonderful friendships. My heart has always been with the military.”
In 2004, he took a full-time, four-year opportunity to work with military units in the three Baltic NATO states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The assignment was challenging because his wife was also in the National Guard and was not part of the assignment.
While he went back and forth to his home in Lebanon, he was able to bring his family to Lithuania for a long visit, a great experience for his sons William Jr. and Christopher, who were able to have the enriching opportunity of experiencing another culture.
“They were on the swim team at home and were able to join the Lithuania swim team on a trip to Poland. They learned some Russian and Lithuanian words — and how to use public transportation. It was a tremendous experience,” says Hoffman.
In 2008, he returned to the U.S. and his career with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. In the guard, he served as liaison officer until he retired. Once again, he said “yes” to a new opportunity and
started a career as a contractor to support military hardware contracts.
“I was a digital system engineer and solved problems for units receiving training at Fort Indiantown Gap,” Hoffman explains.
A Drastic Life Change
Hoffman’s life changed drastically on April 13, 2013. He tells the story:
“I had the day off and thought I had the expertise to cut down a tree. I was up a ladder. The branch I cut knocked down the ladder, and I fell to the ground. My brother found me, and I was helicopter life-lined to the hospital, where I stayed for six months. My life had changed.”
Hoffman suffered a traumatic brain injury and had no memory of the event or the six months of rehabilitation. His spine injury left him paraplegic.
“From my nipples down, I have no feeling, no muscle control, no nothing,” he explains. “I can move my hands and arms, which allows me to transfer from my wheelchair to a bed or chair.”
Fortunately, Hoffman was able to learn to drive a van using his hand to brake and steer.
“I am thankful I have some autonomy,” he says. However, during the seven years after his accident, Hoffman admits he entered a dark place. He had been focused on serving the military, working up to 18 hours a day. Now he lost his purpose for living.
Hoffman worried about insurance, which ran out after a year, though he was able to access medical services through the Lebanon VA Medical Center.
These extreme challenges led him into a deep depression. With stark honesty, Hoffman confesses, “I wanted to end it all.”
Finding Purpose Again
His natural ability to say “yes” to life came back when his church counsel asked him to start streaming church services during the pandemic in 2020.
“Somehow I was lucky enough to have a person reach out and tell me, ‘You are needed here.’ They gave me a purpose,” he explains.
For the last three years, Hoffman has continued to stream every service and manage the church website. He has also found deep connections at the Lebanon VA hospital.
“At a civilian hospital, no one is talking in the waiting room,” says Hoffman. “At the VA hospital, you can strike up a conversation with whoever drops in. It is a wonderful experience. You’re there
with family.”
He has also become involved with the Paralyzed Vets of America, Keystone Chapter in Pennsylvania and now manages their website.
In April 2024, he attended the weeklong National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, “Miracles on a Mountainside,” in the mountains of Colorado.
The annual event, copresented by Disabled American Veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs, provides nearly 400 profoundly disabled veterans with training and rehabilitation every year.
According to the event website, veterans with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, visual impairments, amputations, and other severe disabilities are challenged to overcome “perceived limitations.”
Adaptive devices allow vets like Hoffman to enjoy skiing, sled hockey, scuba diving, rock wall climbing, and other activities.
A highlight of the Colorado event for Hoffman was skiing down a mountain.
“I was having fun when I wiped out and went down on my seat, like a big snowball,” he says. “All I could do is laugh. It was my best day.”
On the Move with Oscar Mike
In June of this year, Hoffman participated in another five-day adaptive sports clinic sponsored by the Oscar Mike Foundation, located in Marengo, Illinois.
All costs are covered for wounded, ill, or injured veterans who participate in “adrenaline-inducing” adaptive sports, including flight lessons, target shooting, off-roading, equine therapy, kayaking/paddle boarding, handcycling, and skydiving.
“Oscar Mike” is an army term that means to get “on the move.”
According to Hoffman, many veterans with traumatic injuries disengage from life.
“I felt I had to stay at home — there were just too many challenges out in the world,” he explains. “These clinics have reshaped my thinking. Now I believe I can find answers and achieve something I thought was impossible.”
For Hoffman, that included skydiving. During the June clinic, he found himself lying on the floor of a “perfectly good airplane” in immense fear.
“I don’t want to do this,” was his mantra until he and his skydiving partner — to whom he was tethered — rolled out of the plane.
“When you’re on the move, the moment of fear is gone,” says Hoffman.
Midair, his partner adjusted a belt to secure Hoffman’s legs to his chest.
“I was extremely comfortable and enjoyed an amazing view of all of that flat Illinois farmland,” he explains. “The experience went from terrifying to wonderful.”
During the last week of July, Hoffman participated in the 43rd annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games held in New Orleans. He was one of more than 570 participants who competed in 23 adaptive sports, including wheelchair basketball, swimming, cycling, powerlifting, rugby, shooting, archery, and bass fishing.
The event offers both seasoned athletes the ability to compete at a high level and novices to try out new activities as they surpass their personal limitations.
Hoffman especially enjoyed bowling, boccia, archery, and a moving quiz competition held in the New Orleans National World War II Museum.
While Hoffman is grateful for these opportunities, his losses cannot be underestimated.
“Before getting injured, I had an income, and I could take on the world,” he says. “Now I don’t. Medical costs have wiped out everything, but I just press forward.”
For his most recent trip to New Orleans, he was fortunate enough to have his wife accompany him on the plane ride. When he travels alone, the basic steps necessary just to get through an airport and into an airplane seat would be daunting, if not disheartening for most people.
Whether booking a flight or planning for a shower, “For every action, I have to figure out every detail, every contingency in advance,” he says.
Hoffman concludes, “I needed to find a purpose and have built on the support the VA and my brothers and sisters out there in the world have given me. I made this decision that if anyone offers me an activity or event to try, I agree to do it. This resolution has opened countless doors for me — many through veterans’ organizations.”
Despite his physical limitations, Bill Hoffman competes in dozens of adaptive sports.
Puzzle Page
Across 1. Science rooms 5. Ancient Greek sophist 9. Fall flower
14. Cockeyed
15. Small price to pay
16. Outpouring
17. Legal prefix
18. Rousing cheers
19. Threesome
20. Four gills
21. Furrow
22. Warbles
23. Chinese dynasty
25. Dust remover
26. Also-ran
29. Monastery
32. Spending limit
35. Oomph
37. Criminal charge
38. Tree trunk
39. Mah-jongg piece
40. Waikiki welcome
42. Rainbow goddess
43. Olympian’s quest
44. Just out
45. Prospector’s find
47. Switch positions
48. Smelly mammal
50. Zoo heavyweight
51. Rightful
52. Supreme Court count
54. Hair dressing
57. Landscaper’s need
58. Winston Churchill’s Country
62. Ox-like antelope
63. Pigeon’s home
64. Full gainer
65. Wonderland girl
66. Ionian gulf
67. Chimp in space
68. Weighed down
69. Ottoman Empire figures
70. Fender blemish
1. Reindeer herder 2. Part of a court game name 3. Hatched 4. Splashed 5. Squirrel’s stash 6. Caviar source
7. Turn ___ profit
8. Ave. crossers 9. Off the mark
10. Bit of parsley 11. Kite part 12. Footnote abbr. 13. Cold war group Down
22. Boring tool
24. Dot follower
26. “Unhand me!”
27. Gibson garnish
28. Hawks
30. Burnt sienna
31. Scrooge’s cry
32. Short-legged dog
33. Little green man
34. Tortellini topping
36. Bronx Bomber
38. Overly conceited
41. Moldovan cash
46. Samovar
48. Without warning
49. Pine type
51. Social
53. Think tank output
54. Toll
55. Cantina cooker
56. Domestic
57. Achy
59. Dandy’s pal
60. Bath’s county
61. Musical interval
63. Subway alternative
Lancaster County Office of Aging
LANCASTER COUNTY EMPLOYERS NEED YOU!
Are you a Lancaster County resident who is 55 years and older seeking full or part-time employment? e 55 + Job Bank program through the Employment Unit at the Office of Aging offers various employment possibilities to meet your goals. Based on an evaluation of your skills and abilities, we can match you with a position needed by a local employer. Some employers are specifically looking for mature workers because of the dependability, reliability, and experience they bring to the workplace. Full-time and part-time positions require varying skill levels and experience, with a wide range of financial compensation. Interested candidates should contact the Office of Aging Employment Unit at 717-299-7979 or by email aging@lancastercountypa.gov
Lancaster County Office of Aging
150 North Queen St., Suite 415 Lancaster, PA 17603
for entertainment?
Booking shows for any occasion!
We have many variety shows featuring the music from the 1930s to the 60s. Songs by legendary artists like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Kay Starr, Dean Martin, Patsy Cline, and the Mills Brothers. Specialty shows include …
Songs from the WWII Years • The Post WWII Years: 1945 – 1955 AMERICA: From Sea to Shining Sea Salute to the Rat Pack (or if you prefer, just Sinatra) Elvis & Patsy • Classic Country
Please contact Memory Music to book your next event!
NursiNg & rehabiLitatioN CeNters
Listings with a screened background have additional information about their services in a display advertisement in this edition. This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
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
BETHANy VILLAgE – THE OAk S 325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org
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: Eagle, LeadingAge PA Comments: Maplewood Assisted Living also available.
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
HOMELANd CENTER 1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 717-221-7902 • www.homelandcenter.org
Security System: Yes
Staff Background Checks: Yes
Internet Access: Yes
Recreational Activities: Yes
Scheduled Entertainment: Yes
Medicare: Yes Medicaid: Yes
Accreditations/Affiliations: AAHSA, LeadingAge, NHPCO, PHPCN, PHA PA, HPNA, and CAPC
Comments: A beautiful, full-service continuing care retirement community with a history of more than 157 years of exemplary care.
assisted LiviNg resideNCes/PersoNaL Care homes
Listings with a screened background have additional information about their services in a display advertisement in this edition. This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100
Assisted Living Licensure: Yes
Personal Care Licensure: No
Private Rooms: Yes
BETHANy VILLAgE — MAPLEwOOd 325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 • 717-766-0279 www.BethanyVillage.org
On-call Medical Service: Yes
Telemedicine Available: No
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes
Semi-Private Rooms: Yes (Skilled Nursing
Semi-Private & Private)
Private Pay: Yes
SSI Accepted: No
Short-term Lease/Respite: Yes
Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes
Outdoor Areas/ walking Paths/ Fitness Center: Yes
Medication Management: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 95
Assisted Living Licensure: No
Personal Care Licensure: Yes
Private Rooms: Yes
Semi-private Rooms: No
Private Pay: Yes
SSI Accepted: No
Short-term Lease/Respite: Yes
Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No
Outdoor Areas/ walking Paths/ Fitness Center: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 75
Assisted Living Licensure: No
Personal Care Licensure: Yes
Private Rooms: Yes
Semi-Private Rooms: No
Private Pay: Yes
SSI Accepted: Yes
Short-term Lease/Respite: No
Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes
Outdoor Areas/ walking Paths/
Fitness Center: Yes
Respite Care: Yes
Social Programs: Yes
Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes
Transportation (Scheduled): Yes
Personal Car Permitted: Yes
Pets Permitted: Yes
Comments: Featuring private accommodations with aroundthe-clock assistance to help you stay active and engaged.
HOMEwOOd AT PLUM CREEk 425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewoodplumcreek.org
Medication Management: Yes
On-call Medical Service: Yes
Telemedicine Available: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes
Social Programs: Yes
Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes
Transportation (Scheduled): Yes
Personal Car Permitted: Yes
Pets Permitted: No
St. ANNE’S REtiREMENt COMMuNity
3952 Columbia Avenue West Hempfield township, PA 17512 717-285-1404 • www.stannesrc.org
Medication Management: Yes
On-call Medical Service: Yes
Telemedicine Available: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes
Social Programs: Yes
Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes
Transportation (Scheduled): Yes
Personal Car Permitted: Yes
Pets Permitted: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 56
Assisted Living Licensure: No
Personal Care Licensure: Yes
Private Rooms: Yes
Semi-Private Rooms: No
Private Pay: Yes
SSI Accepted: No
Short-term Lease/Respite: Yes
Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No
Outdoor Areas/ walking Paths/ Fitness Center: Yes
Medication Management: Yes
On-call Medical Service: Yes
CENTER
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7901 • www.homelandcenter.org
Telemedicine Available: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes
Social Programs: Yes
Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes
Transportation (Scheduled): Yes
Personal Car Permitted: Yes
Pets Permitted: Yes
Comments: Providing exemplary care in a beautiful environment for more than 155 years, our continuum of care includes therapy services, skilled rehab, 24-hour medical staffing, plus Hospice, Palliative Care, HomeHealth, and HomeCare outreach programs. All rooms include a full bath and kitchenette.
L ANdIS HOMES 1001 East Oregon Road • Lititz, PA 17543 717-844-9766 • www.LandisHomes.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 97
Assisted Living Licensure: No
Personal Care Licensure: Yes
Private Rooms: Yes
Semi-Private Rooms: No
Private Pay: Yes
SSI Accepted: No
Short-term Lease/Respite: Yes
Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No
Outdoor Areas/ walking Paths/ Fitness Center: Yes
Medication Management: Yes
On-call Medical Service: Yes
Telemedicine Available: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes
Social Programs: Yes
Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes
Transportation (Scheduled): Yes
Personal Car Permitted: Yes
Pets Permitted: Yes
Comments: Attached to wellness center and pool without going outside.
Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.
— Matt Cameron
HOMELANd
Local Vets Compete in National Veterans Golden Age Games
More than a dozen area veterans recently participated in the 38th National Veterans Golden Age Games, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 2429.
Founded in 1985, the Golden Age Games serves veterans ages 55 and older.
Through its “Fitness for Life” motto, the Golden Age Games offers athletic competitions and healtheducation sessions to demonstrate the value that sports, wellness, and fitness provide to assist veterans with living an active and healthy lifestyle.
the 13 members of team Lebanon and their coach traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to participate in the National Veterans Golden Age Games in late August.
Sponsored by VA and Veterans Canteen Service, the Golden Age Games is a qualifying event for the National Senior Games, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
“The local veterans participating in the Golden Age Games serve as powerful examples of how activity and strength are possible at every age,” said Jeffrey A. Beiler II, Lebanon VA Medical Center director.
“Our staff is proud to cheer on local veteran-athletes who embrace the ‘Fitness for Life’ mantra.”
Central Pennsylvania veterans who competed in the Golden Age Games are as follows:
• Edwin Beckford, U.S. Air Force, Camp Hill, 75-79 age group – 1,500-meter, bronze, and 3,000-meter, bronze
• Jacques Bellairs, U.S. Navy, Wyomissing, 75-79 age group – swimming, 100meter breaststroke, silver; 50-meter breaststroke, bronze
• Mary Bellairs, U.S. Navy, Wyomissing, 65-69 age group – shuffleboard, silver; swimming, 25-meter backstroke, silver; basketball free throw, bronze; swimming, 50-meter backstroke, bronze
• Harold Brown, U.S. Navy, Harrisburg, 80-84 age group – basketball free throw, gold; bowling, silver; horseshoes, bronze; shuffleboard, bronze
• Preston Darkes, U.S. Army, Lebanon, 75-79 age group – pickleball doubles, bronze
• Linda Lee Guzman, U.S. Army, Pine Grove, 65-69 age group – Cornhole, bronze
• Dale Hackman, U.S. Army, Lebanon, 65-69 age group –boccia doubles, fourth place; nine ball, fourth place
• Peter Heagy, U.S. Navy, Lebanon, 60-64 age group – boccia, silver; bowling, bronze; nine ball, bronze
• Steve Hornback, U.S. Army, Carlisle, 60-64 age group – pickleball mixed doubles, fourth place
• John Kessler, U.S. Navy, Mount Wolf, 55-59 age group – cycling recumbent/ trike 20K, silver; boccia, bronze
• Ray Kozlusky, U.S. Navy, Lebanon, 85-89 age group – air pistol, silver; air rifle, bronze; cornhole, bronze; pickleball doubles, bronze
• Bryan McCrickerd, U.S. Army, Bethlehem, 60-64 age group – air pistol, gold; cornhole, gold; horseshoes, gold; bowling, gold; 5K handcycle, silver; air rifle, bronze
• Brad Wolfe, U.S. Navy, Harrisburg, 70-74 age group – shuffleboard, bronze
Over the course of the six-day event, each veteran competed alongside more than 800 fellow veterans and was supported by nearly 2,000 volunteers.
“Our coaches play a crucial role in the success of the National Veterans Golden Age Games,” Brittany Hook, director of the National Veterans Golden Age Games, said.
“They consist of a group of rehab therapists based at local VA Medical Centers who form and train teams of veteran athletes year-round, all while managing their daily responsibilities. These therapists assist athletes in defining and achieving goals in preparation for the event.”
Next year’s event will be held May 31–June 5 in Memphis, Tennessee. For more information, visit department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veteransgolden-age-games.
Almost 6 million people in the U.S. care for an ill or disabled partner
WSA addresses the unique challenges that well spouses face every day. If you could benefit from this information, please join us!
Meetings held 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of
Dear Savvy Senior,
Savvy Senior tips on Caring for an Aging parent
Where can I turn to for caregiving help? I help take care of my 80-year-old father and work too, and it’s wearing me out.
– Worn-Out Wendy
Dear Wendy,
Taking care of an aging parent over a period of time — especially when juggling work and other family obligations — can be exhausting.
But help and resources are available. Here’s what you should know.
Identify Your Needs
To help you determine and prioritize the kinds of help you need, a good first step is to make a detailed list of everything you do as your dad’s caregiver and the amount of time each task takes. Identify the times when you need help the most and which tasks others might be able to do for you.
Then list the types of care needed, such as simple companionship or doing active chores, like shopping
November is National family Caregivers Month
or running errands. Once you determine this, here are some tips and places you can reach out to for help.
Care Helpers
If you have siblings or other loved ones close by, start by asking them if they could come and help with specific tasks. And see if friends, neighbors, or faith group members could help too.
You also need to check into local resources that may be available. Many communities offer a range of free or subsidized services that help seniors and caregivers with basic needs, such as home-delivered meals, transportation, senior companion services, and respite services, which offer short-term care so you can take an occasional break.
Call your nearby Area Aging on Agency for referrals to services.
There are also a bevy of online services you can use to help you save time on certain chores; for example, online grocery shopping and home deliveries and online pharmacy medication refills and deliveries.
please see tipS on facing page
About Us – The Lancaster County Office of Aging (LCOA) was established 45 years ago as a result of the passage of the Older Americans Act. This act directed states to develop a network of services and supports to help keep older adults healthy and independent.
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging was created to fulfill this mandate. In turn, a network of 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) was established throughout the commonwealth to carry out this mission at the local level.
Lancaster County Office of Aging
Maintaining the independence and quality of life for Lancaster County’s aging population through information, protection, services, and community support
Our Philosophy:
Support the older person’s right to decide his/her own destiny. Encourage consumer self-determination and choice.
Funding for aging-related services is a combination of state and federal monies, with the Pennsylvania Lottery providing the major source of funding.
In Lancaster County, the AAA is part of county government. We are dedicated to providing Lancaster County residents, 60 years of age and older, with a wide range of informational resources and services as well as advocacy efforts and elder abuse protection.
The LCOA offers the following services:
• Information and referral services
• Long-term living assessments
• Home and community-based support services
• Protection from abuse and neglect
• APPRISE, Medicare, and related health insurance counseling
• Senior center services
• Adult daily living services
• Caregiver support
• Employment
• Ombudsman services
• Transportation
• Legal services
• Health and wellness programming
• Volunteer opportunities
For more information, please call us Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 717-299-7979/1-800-801-3070, visit our website at www.lancoaging.org , or email aging@co.lancaster.pa.us.
Jim Miller
’70s Flashback
‘i Have a Bomb’
It was on a stormy Thanksgiving Eve in 1971 that a person who called himself Dan Cooper leaped into legend in a bizarre escapade that remains history’s only unsolved commercial-airline hijacking.
The night that changed aviation history began in Portland, Oregon, when a well-dressed 40-ish man carrying a briefcase approached the flight counter of Northwest Orient Airlines and gave his name as Dan Cooper. (In Canada, “Dan Cooper” was a comic-book hero.)
He became D.B. Cooper of popular culture later, when a reporter covering the hijacking mistyped the name from a police source.
Never asked to show identification or to open his briefcase, he paid cash for a one-way ticket on a Boeing 727 to nearby Seattle. As one of 37 passengers, he sat alone in the last row.
Once airborne, Cooper passed a folded note to 23-yearold Florence Schaffner, an attractive steward accustomed to men hitting on her. When she tucked the unread message into her purse, the soft-spoken stranger said, “Miss, you’d better look at that note; I have a bomb.”
The note confirmed his threat, and Cooper ordered Schaffner to sit beside him. When she did, she asked to look inside the briefcase. There she saw a tangle of wires, a battery, and six round, red sticks.
The passenger said that, once they landed in Seattle, he wanted $200,000 cash in a knapsack, as well as back and front parachutes. If his demands weren’t met, he warned, he would blow up the plane.
Schaffner took the note to the captain. When she returned, Cooper had donned wraparound sunglasses.
You can also order meal kits or premade meals online through numerous meal-service delivery companies and arrange needed transportation with ridesharing services like Lyft or Uber.
Or, if you can afford it, you may want to consider hiring someone a few hours a week to help with things like cooking, housekeeping, or even personal care. Costs can run anywhere from $12 up to $25 per hour.
Check out local home care agencies in your area, or visit Care.com and CareLinx (carelinx.com), two good websites to help you find someone.
Financial Aids
If you’re handling your dad’s financial chores, make things easier by arranging for direct deposit for his income sources, and set up automatic payments for his utilities and other routine bills.
You may also want to set up your dad’s online banking service, so you can pay bills and monitor his account any time. Or, if you need help, consider hiring a bill-paying service like SilverBills (silverbills.com), which charges a flat fee of $150 per month.
BenefitsCheckUp (benefitscheckup.org) is another excellent tool to look for financial assistance programs that may help your dad, particularly if he’s lower income.
It was raining hard when the plane touched down in Seattle. The requested cash was brought onboard, the 727 was refueled, and the remaining passengers were released. The hijacker then ordered the captain to fly to Mexico City. Cooper was obviously familiar with the aircraft. He ordered the pilot to fly the plane below 10,000 feet and with the wing flaps set at 15 degrees. (This would keep the 727 under 200 knots — 230 miles an hour.)
Cooper soon strapped the cash to himself, then slipped on the parachutes. He promised a frightened steward that he would dismantle the bomb or take it with him later, but he did neither.
Over the rugged terrain of southwestern Washington, he moved to the aft stairs, which allowed passengers to disembark from the rear of the airliner. He then leapt into the darkness amid a howling rainstorm and into an area of dense forests, canyons, and white-water rapids. He was never seen again.
Rivaling an Alfred Hitchcock fantasy, the Cooper incident has achieved cult status in a Robin Hood sort of way. Never mind that the hijacker threatened to murder people, or that he made off with today’s equivalent of $1.5 million in cash.
Some folks have pronounced him a harebrained daredevil, jumping to certain death in the worst imaginable weather. Others, though, have maintained that D.B. Cooper deserves to be seen as a courageous Establishment-beater who’s possibly still alive.
Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives in the past, the rest of him resides in Bandon, Ore. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.
Technology Solutions
To help you keep tabs on your dad when you are away at work or if he lives alone, there are affordable technology devices that can help.
For example, there are medical alert systems and smart speakers that help with communication and allow him to call for help if needed. Home video cameras with two-way speakers allow you to monitor and talk to him when you’re away. Electronic pill boxes can notify you if he has taken his medications.
And to help you coordinate his care with other members of his care team, there are websites like Lotsa Helping Hands (lotsahelpinghands.com).
Other Resources
There are also a number of other organizations you can draw on for additional information, like the Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org), which provides a state-by-state listing of caregiving programs and services; the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org/help-support/caregiving), which provides information unique to the challenges of dementia caregivers; and the VA Caregiver Support Program (caregiver.va.gov), which offers caregiver support services to veterans and spouses.
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.
tipS from facing page
randal C. Hill
A 1972 fBi composite drawing of the hijacker, Dan Cooper.
Suzy Cohen
Do You touch Your face and Mouth a Lot?
We express our emotions by touching our faces. When we’re surprised or scared, we might instinctively cover our mouths with our hands.
During moments of deep concentration or attentive listening, a hand often finds its way under our chin. This habit isn’t just random; it’s a hands-on coping mechanism that helps soothe us by engaging our senses.
Our phones play a role in this too. With the rise of smartphones and computers, face-touching behaviors have significantly increased. Most people don’t clean their phones that often, and the face-touching habit can transfer pathogens from screens to your face.
Do you touch your face or mouth a lot? What about your hair or nose?
5 Types of Face Touching
1. Mouth: Touching the mouth and nose three to five times per hour
increases the risk of pathogen transmission.
2 . Nose: Touching the outside of your nose or scratching it is pretty common. Surprisingly, nose picking is also common, with 91% of people admitting to it on a questionnaire.
3. Eyes: Touched one to two times per hour, which could be due to irritation or contact lenses.
4. Ears: Touched two to three times per hour, typically during stress or when adjusting accessories.
5. Hair: Frequent in individuals with long hair, occurring four to six times per hour.
You are going to start noticing yourself doing this more often! And other people, too.
Frequent face touching can lead to the transfer of pathogens, causing infections and illnesses, especially during high cold/flu season.
Why do we do it so much? When face touching becomes really excessive (and “really” can be defined differently by all of us), it may be attributed to various psychological and physiological conditions.
Psychogenic pruritus, for instance, involves itching without a physical cause and can lead to frequent scratching. People with small fiber neuropathy sometimes have what’s called neuropathic itch.
Tactile hallucinations, often associated with psychiatric disorders or substance use, create false sensations of touch, prompting individuals to rub or scratch their faces.
Then there’s dermatillomania, a condition characterized by compulsive skin picking, which can result in persistent face touching.
There is also formication, the awful sensation of feeling ants or other bugs crawling on (or under) your skin! The word “formica” means ants. This tactile hallucination is sometimes related to illicit drug use and can cause frequent touching and scratching.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may involve compulsions that include repetitive face touching for some sufferers. I don’t want to medicalize it too much, because for some people, it’s just a matter of feeling nervous or anxious.
Understanding these behaviors is fun, and it’s crucial for those with immune systems that are compromised. Keep good hygiene practices to reduce the risk of infections, like washing hands frequently or applying hand sanitizers.
Try becoming more mindful of the frequency of face touching to help mitigate health risks if you have immune problems.
For more detailed insights into face touching and its causes, please read my longer version of this article posted on suzycohen.com This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit suzycohen.com.
Scenes from the Lancaster County (Fall) 50 plus EXPO
We were thrilled to be back for the 28th annual Lancaster County 50 plus EXPO on Sept. 18 at Spooky Nook Sports!
Did you join us? If so, you might find yourself here!
1970s television offered viewers some of the most memorable characters in American TV viewing history: Arthur “the Fonz” Fonzarelli from Happy Days ; Mork from Ork, of Mork and Mindy fame; Tattoo from Fantasy Island; the entire Brady Bunch; and Jack Tripper from Three’s Company, to name a few.
Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori
Valuable 1970s television Collectibles
A quick mention of these characters reminds us of some of the popular programs and actors of the era. These shows also prompted the production of objects that have become, more than 50 years later, highly collectible, sought-
after, and valuable.
In the 1970s, lunchboxes were at the height of their collectability, and those with printed images from TV shows were among the most popular. TV show characters offered recognizable visuals for these noontime catchalls.
Some of the more popular collectible 1970s lunchboxes include a Happy Days lunchbox featuring the Fonz and Richie Cunningham. The show focused on the social life of teenagers in the 1950s.
Lori Verderame
The Munsters lunchbox signed by cast members fred Gwynne (Herman Munster) and Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster).
Welcome Back, Kotter classroom playset and carrying case with five action figures.
Another show illustrated on a lunchbox was The Munsters, which highlighted the life of a mysterious monster family living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.
Other sitcom lunchboxes featuring shows like Laverne and Shirley range in value from $50 to $85 each on today’s collectibles market.
Other than lunchboxes, television shows also prompted the manufacture and marketing of numerous collectible action-figure toys, too.
A 1976 classroom playset made by Mattel Inc. from Welcome Back, Kotter featured the classroom teacher, Mr. Gabe Kotter, and his less-thanstellar students, the Sweathogs. The characters in the group of lovable Sweathogs were Vinny Barbarino, Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington, Juan Epstein, and Arnold Horshack.
They were featured as action figures along with their teacher in the collectible classroom toy playset, complete with a carrying case so 1970s kids could bring the set to friends’ houses for playdates.
The playset consisted of five action figures, a vinyl classroom floor, and walls that folded into its carrying case. The playset also featured rarely read textbooks, notebooks, and binders; student desks covered in graffiti; a teacher’s desk; and a globe.
Today, the Welcome Back, Kotter classroom playset from the longrunning sitcom commands $250 from collectors.
1970s action figures derived from animated cartoons that aired on Saturday mornings, like The New Adventures of Batman; Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ; Josie and the Pussycats ; Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels ; The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (an offshoot of The Flintstones); Hong Kong Phooey ; Jabberjaw ; and others.
A Captain Caveman action figure in its original packaging by HannaBarbera is valued at $85 on the collectibles market now.
As I’ve explained many times, Americans collect in 50- and 100-year cycles, so the 1970s vibe is back with collectors looking for all types of 1970s memorabilia. The 1970s TV collectibles market is showing collectors a good investment.
When it comes to value, these middle-aged collectibles are holding their own in this age of YouTube TV and so many streaming services. As new characters emerge on the visual landscape, the characters and shows from a half century ago are still, as Freddie “Boom Boom” Washington would say, “looking good.”
Dr. Lori Verderame, who was kissed by the Fonz, is a Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning media personality. Dr. Lori appears on Netflix’s King of Collectibles and History channel’s Pawn Stars Do America and The Curse of Oak Island. She presents her live stage show, Dr. Lori’s Antiques Appraisal Comedy Tour, at venues nationwide. See youtube.com/drloriv and drloriv.com or call (888) 431-1010.
The Beauty in Nature Unique Seed-Bearing Structures
Seeds of many kinds of pollinated flowers develop in protective structures. And many of those structures are unique, picturesque, and interesting, including some in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Native to the southeastern United States, up to southern Pennsylvania, the many annual sweetgum tree blossoms produce hard, spiny balls with several small holes in each one where tiny, dark seeds fall out and blow away on the wind.
Each ball is an inch across and brown. Many of those spiny balls fall to the ground in winter, but some cling decoratively to their twig moorings through that harsh season. Sparrows and finches ingest many sweetgum seeds through winter.
Teasels are flowering plants from Europe that have a two-year cycle. In its second year, each plant, in clumps of teasel in abandoned fields and along country roadsides, can grow up to 6 feet.
Each teasel plant has many tiny, pale-purple flowers in a few bristly, protective flower heads. After insect pollination, each bloom produces a seed that is carried off on the wind, if not eaten by sparrows and finches.
The spiny, empty seed structures of teasel were used in medieval Europe to tease out wool. Today, some people use spiky, rustic teasel flower heads in indoor decorations.
The seed pods of aquatic, perennial American lotus plants are the shape and appearance of shower heads, but bigger. These water lilies are
native to the shallows of lakes and sluggish rivers in much of the eastern United States.
Each plant holds its bowl-shaped leaves, which are 1-2 feet across, a foot or two above the normal water level, along with its 4- to 8-inch, pale-yellow blossoms. Those beautiful blooms are pollinated by bees, and each fertilized flower produces a hard, brown seed in a half-inch hole, one of several in each “showerhead” structure.
But, to me, the cube-shaped, quarter-inch, seed-producing pods of native, perennial seedbox plants are the most unusual of these seed-bearing structures. Those tiny, warm-brown seedpods are attractive and interesting. And each rustic “box” has a hole on top where tiny, dark seeds shake out into the wind.
Seedbox plants inhabit partly sunny, wooded swamps. Each plant grows up to 3 feet and has several four-petal yellow blooms in summer. When pollinated by bees, each flower grows seeds in a square capsule between its four flower sepals.
Winter is the best time to see some of these unique seed-bearing structures, and others. The foliage of their plants is on the ground, leaving the plants bare but still attractive in different ways.
Nature always has something wonderful to experience, through the seasons, throughout the world.
Clyde McMillan-Gamber is a retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist.
Clyde McMillan-Gamber
Credit: “Sweetgum 7396.jpg,” by Chris Light, licensed under CC-BY-SA-4.0. American sweetgum tree balls.
Credit: “Dipsacus fullonum 128274623.jpg,” by Stephen James McWilliam, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Wild teasel.
We Buy, Sell & Trade
SILVER FLATWARE & HOLLOWARE – BROKEN OR NOT –
Class Rings • Bracelets & Chains • Earrings (1/2 Pairs OK!) • Chains, Etc.
House Calls Available for Larger Estates & Antiques
- Larger Diamonds - Rolex Watches
PAID FOR ESTAT E JEW ELRY
- Patek Phillipe Watches - Gold Pocket Watches - David Yurman Jewelry - Tiffany Jewelry - Cartier Jewelry
- Original Art & Bronzes
Villages at Greenfield (formerly Eastwood Village) offers:
Land Lease Community
High-quality manufactured homes on foundations
Covered Front Porches
Energy Star Certified
Landscape package included
Optional Garage / Storage Shed
Natural Gas Community
Public Water and Sewer
Legal Ease reconciliation – Or Not – Blues and How to Handle them
Dear Jonathan: I am a widower approaching 80 years old. I have four children. I have a great relationship with three of them, but my relationship with my youngest son has been broken for many years.
He is one of those people who think the world owes them a living, and he only comes around when he needs something from me. Last week he stopped by asking for money.
This has happened so many times that I have lost count, and I have always given him something. This time, however, I said “no,” which resulted in an argument.
Finally, I told him that not only was I not going to give him any money, but I was also going to disinherit him. He told me I had no legal right to disinherit him because he was my son, and if I tried to do anything like that, he would hire a lawyer to contest the will.
My question is whether I have a legal right to disinherit my son? Is there some type of law that says you can’t disinherit someone because they are blood related?
Jonathan says: Your instincts are correct, and your son is wrong. You can legally disinherit him or any child for that matter.
However, in order to do so properly, you have to specifically identify him in the will as your son but then state you are intentionally omitting him as a beneficiary.
Failing to intentionally exclude your son as a beneficiary would give him the opportunity to argue he was left out of your will by accident and make a claim against your estate for his share.
Because the language has to be worded the right way for it to be enforceable and withstand a challenge from your son, I recommend you
Be an Advocate in the Life of a Long-Term Care Resident
Duties include: Call us for the next training schedule
The Lancaster County Office of Aging trains community members to serve as Volunteer Ombudsmen, advocating for residents of long-term care facilities.
• Educating residents about their rights
• Encouraging and assisting residents to ask questions and express concerns
• Helping them reach solutions, in collaboration with facility staff and family
Background checks and online/virtual training by PA Department of Aging are required. Schedule and assignments are flexible, based on volunteer’s availability. Visits can be made days, evenings, and/or weekends.
To learn more about this unique volunteer opportunity, contact Robin Work, LTC Ombudsmen Volunteer Coordinator at 717-299-7979 or 1-800-801-3070 or by e-mail at RWork@lancastercountypa.gov.
Jonathan J. David
make sure
Dear Jonathan: I am one of five children. Our father recently passed away. Unfortunately, he wasn’t much of a planner and did not engage in any estate planning other than preparing a simple will, and as a result we now have to deal with probate.
One thing that has come to our attention was that his will, which was written over 20 years ago while my mother was still living, divides the estate between only four of his children if my mother failed to survive him. At that time my parents had disinherited my brother due to a falling out.
When my mother passed away five years ago, our brother and my father reconciled, and they remained on great terms right up until the moment he died.
Unfortunately, my father never got around to updating his will to once again include my brother as a beneficiary. We are very confident, however, that if he had updated his will, he certainly would have included our brother as an equal beneficiary, and that is what we would like to see happen.
Our question is whether we can have our father’s estate divided five ways instead of four ways despite what his will states? We are all in agreement about this, so I assume it shouldn’t be a problem. Is this possible?
Jonathan says: It is unfortunate that your father did not update his will to accurately reflect how he wanted his estate to be distributed upon his death now that he and your brother were reconciled.
Although there is nothing you can do to change the terms of the will itself, the state where your father lived may have a law that allows the beneficiaries of the will to enter into an agreement to alter the terms of the will. Many states have these types of laws on the books.
Even if no such law exists, however, there is nothing to prevent you and your siblings from sharing what you receive from the estate with your brother.
Be advised, however, that if the amount each one of you gives to your brother exceeds $15,000 in value, any such excess will be deemed a taxable gift, which will require the filing of a gift tax return.
I recommend you and your siblings meet with the estate planning attorney who will be probating your father’s estate and inform him or her of what you are trying to accomplish. The attorney will then be able to properly advise the best way to address your concerns and prepare the proper documentation. Good luck.
Jonathan J. David is a shareholder in the law firm of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., 1700 E. Beltline, N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49525.
Using plant-based needles, early man used vines to assemble hides for clothing and tents. Silk and linen threads evolved, and in the early 1800s, cotton thread was developed.
The Industrial Revolution set the stage for a mechanical method of sewing to relieve women of the tedious and time-consuming job of sewing bedding and clothing by hand.
Things the Stitched-together Story of the Sewing Machine
In 1790, Thomas Saint, an English inventor, was issued the first patent for a machine for sewing; however, there is no evidence that he built a working prototype.
In 1804, Thomas Stone and James Henderson received a French patent for “a machine that emulated hand sewing.” That same year, a patent was issued
to Scott Duncan for an “embroidery machine with multiple needles.” Both inventions failed.
In 1818, John Adams Doge and John Knowles invented the first American sewing machine. It failed to sew any useful amount of fabric before malfunctioning.
A French tailor, Barthélemy Thimonnier, invented the first functional sewing machine in 1830. It used only one thread and a hooked needle that made a chain stitch like embroidery.
The inventor was almost killed by an enraged group of French tailors who burnt down his garment factory. They feared unemployment because of his
Doris Montag
Cast iron double-thread sewing machine, mid- to late 1800s. this model had to be cranked by hand.
Hand-cranked Vesta sewing machine, early 20th century.
America’s first somewhat-successful sewing machine was built by Walter Hunt in 1834. Hunt did not patent his machine because he believed it would result in tailor unemployment and retribution.
Hunt’s sewing machine had a new lateral design that produced a lockstitch with two spools of thread. Until this time, most inventors had been trying to copy the side-to-side stitching movements of the human hand.
In 1846, Elias Howe received the first American patent for “a process that used thread from two different sources.”
Howe’s machine had a needle with an eye at the point. The needle was pushed through the cloth and created a loop on the other side. A shuttle on a track then slipped the second thread through this loop, creating what is called the lockstitch.
For nine years Howe struggled, first to enlist interest in his machine, and then to protect his patent for the lockstitch mechanism.
card for Missouri-based
Isaac Singer built the first commercially successful machine in 1850. The needle moved up and down rather than side-to-side and was powered by a foot treadle. All previous machines were hand-cranked.
But Singer’s machine used the lockstitch that Howe had patented. He sued Singer for patent infringement and won! Elias Howe was paid patent royalties of nearly $2 million before the patent expired.
The Singer Company went on to perfect the sewing machine and dominated world production for the next century. Isaac Singer introduced the “installment payment plan” of $3 to $5 per month with the marketing goal of putting a Singer in every American household.
An American, Helen Augusta Blanchard (1840-1922), patented the first zigzag stitch machine in 1873.
By the late 1800s, the sewing machine had been hailed as the most useful invention of the century, releasing women from the drudgery of endless hours of sewing by hand. Factories sprang up in almost every country to meet the demand for the sewing machine.
By 1905 the electrically powered sewing machine was in use.
The rest is history! Today, there are sewing machines so advanced they can scan a pattern, duplicate it, store the pattern, maintain themselves, and actually speak to you when there is a problem!
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.
The Lancaster County Office of Aging is currently recruiting volunteers for the PA Medi (formerly APPRISE) Program.
PA Medi offers beneficiaries assistance navigating the oftenconfusing Medicare system. They also help with Medicaid and other insurance questions. Topics are discussed in an unbiased and easy-to-understand manner. Our volunteer counselors provide these objective services for free.
One must be available weekdays for online and face-to-face training, shadowing a mentor, and conducting counseling by phone and in person in our interview rooms at the Office of Aging. Most volunteers donate at least 4 hours per week. Volunteers are trained in these areas:
• Medicare eligibility and enrollment
• Medicare benefits, services through Parts A and B and Medigap
• Prescription Drug (Part D) plans
• Medicare Advantage Plans
• Medicaid, PACE and other financial assistance programs
• Assistance with the Medicare appeal process
• Long-Term Care policies
• How to make presentations during Open Enrollment
If you have questions or would like to join this fulfilling team of volunteers, please contact the Office of Aging Volunteer Coordinator at (717) 299-7979.
We are located at:
Lancaster County Office of Aging
150 North Queen St., Suite 415 Lancaster, PA 17603
Woman sewing on a Singer sewing machine, circa World War i.
Advertising
Wheeler and Wilson’s No. 9 sewing machine, 1888.
Nurse Nancy Loneliness is a treatable Condition
November gives notice of the approaching holiday season and festivities.
While Americans tend to associate holidays with togetherness, joyful occasions, and feelings of warmth and happiness, the season can also worsen feelings of loneliness and isolation in some people, especially older adults.
Loneliness and social isolation in older adults are serious public health risks affecting a significant number of people in the United States and putting them at risk for dementia and other medical conditions.
A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine points out that more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered socially isolated.
Older adults are at increased risk for loneliness and social isolation because they are more likely to face factors such as living alone, strained finances, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and hearing loss.
Conversely, people who engage in meaningful, productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their mood, and have a sense of purpose. These activities seem to help maintain their well-being and may improve their cognitive function, studies show.
The data on older adults and loneliness paints a grim picture, but there are still plenty of opportunities for us to stay socially connected as we age. Here’s how.
Foster friendships. Your friendships may look different as you age. Don’t dismiss less obvious opportunities for meaningful friendships, including with people outside your age group. Maintaining intergenerational friendships can offset loneliness and help both parties have a more positive attitude about aging.
Make gratitude a habit. Practicing gratitude is significant to improve one’s overall health and positivity in the future. Every day you should think
Nancy J. Schaaf
of something you are grateful for while being mindful of others during your interactions with them.
Volunteer. Volunteering—such as making Meals on Wheels deliveries, handing out water bottles at a 10K race, or donating your time to a food bank—is consistently associated with fostering community and improving our own quality of life.
Volunteer opportunities are also a great way to stay socially connected. It’s gratifying to help others and is beneficial to both our physical and mental health.
Address hearing issues. Health issues like hearing loss can cause seniors to restrict their activities; research has discovered that hearing loss can also contribute to isolation if left untreated, due to struggles communicating with others and keeping up with conversations.
Anyone struggling with their hearing should talk to their doctor about getting hearing aids.
Attend group activities. It is important that older adults have access to the activities held at senior centers, such as educational programs, exercise classes, shared meals, card games, movie days, and gardening and book clubs.
This is an excellent way to address emotional needs, mental wellbeing, social connectivity, and overall quality of life. Churches and other community centers may offer similar benefits.
Cultivate hobbies. From knitting to card games, hobbies offer several health benefits, including helping to keep the mind sharp.
Finding a hobby you can share with others — such as taking a pottery class, hitting up a convention for classic car enthusiasts, or using your baking skills to help fundraise for the local school — can also lead to important social connections.
Engage in activities you enjoy and make friends with people with similar interests.
Get moving. Physical exercise increases the body’s level of “feel-good” hormones and can contribute to improved sleep and fewer aches and pains. Seniors should strive for 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise daily. If you work out at a gym or mall walk, you also can increase social contacts.
Loneliness can be a serious health issue, not only for seniors, but for all. Fortunately, it is treatable.
Nancy J. Schaaf, a retired RN, worked as a school nurse, a nurse supervisor at a men’s prison, and a health educator. She earned her BSN at Edinboro University. She is a freelance writer whose health articles appear in magazines throughout the U.S. and Canada. She can be reached at nancyjschaaf@gmail.com.
Pet of the Month
Hash
We are in love with this beautiful boy! Hash is a 10-yearyoung fellow with a big personality and a little pink tongue that is often sticking out. He’s very social and sweet, and also quite active — just an overall great guy! Please come say hello to this delightful guy and consider giving him a place in your heart and home.
This amazing senior sweetheart qualifies for our Sponsored by Simba program’s Seniors-for-Seniors offer: no adoption fee for any pet 8 years and up by an adopter 65 years and older.
Stop by to meet him at our West Chester campus, 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, Pennsylvania Kennel License No. 01647.
For more information, call (484) 302-0865 or visit bvspca.org.
Pet of the Month
Ginger
Meet Ginger, a charming 9-year-old feline with a heart full of love.
Despite her journey through multiple homes, Ginger remains incredibly sweet and affectionate. She’s looking for her forever home where she can be the center of attention, as she thrives best as the only cat in the household.
Ginger has a unique dietary need — she’s on a wet-foodonly diet because she has no teeth. This special requirement doesn’t slow her down one bit; she enjoys her meals and is always ready for a cuddle afterward.
If you’re looking for a loyal and loving companion, Ginger might just be the perfect match for you!
Would you like to know more about caring for a cat like Ginger? We would be happy to answer any questions you have. Ginger’s ID number is 237808. Please send your application to the Lancaster Center for Animal Life-Saving at adoptlancaster@humanepa.org, or give the shelter a call at (717) 393-6551 to learn more.
Archived Voicemail, Ai images, Local Delivery Services
Q. How do I move my mobile phone voicemail messages to some kind of permanent storage?
A. Mobile phones have become the most personal computing device in our lives. That makes them a treasure box of cherished memories.
Precious voicemails are simple to keep — do not delete from the inbox. But that approach is fragile.
If you switch carriers, they will almost certainly be lost. Inboxes have limited space, and if you save too many messages, messages have to be deleted to allow future calls.
Fixing “mailbox full” messages can lead to accidentally deleting a special voicemail.
If a voicemail is special enough to linger in your inbox more than a week, it’s best to move it to someplace safe.
On an iPhone, tap on the voicemail entry, use the Share Square (the small square icon with an upward- facing arrow), and send it to
the Notes application by tapping on the Notes icon.
Android phones depend on different controls, but the basic idea is the same. Open the specific message, tap on the “share” icon (which is usually a circle with three dots), and save it someplace other than the device, like Google Drive.
After you confirm the audio recording is preserved in cloud storage, it is safe to delete it.
Q. I can usually tell when an image was created with artificial intelligence, but I wonder if that will always be true? They seem to get better every year.
A. The future arrived this summer. Meet Image Generation by Gemini, one of Google’s marquee features for its new Pixel 9 Pro phones. This AI tool has just gotten into the hands of reviewers, and the results are stunning, in every sense of the word.
There is no question that this new tool is going to allow more people than ever to fix their family snapshots, but it will also enable the creation of exceptionally deceptive images as well.
It is far too early to make firm opinions on this new development, but I feel it’s important for my readers to know about this new wave of digital manipulation now.
The bottom line: For the foreseeable future, the number of impossible or very hard-to-detect deceptive images will grow.
Q. I live across the country from an ailing relative. What tech recommendations do you have for me?
A. So much depends on the problem you wish to solve, but I do have one universal suggestion. This is partly personal, since I just experienced this situation myself.
My spouse’s sister lives 800 miles away and is recovering from a significant hospital stay. She lives alone and cannot drive during her recovery, and she avoids driving at night in any case. And while this is hopefully a temporary situation for her, for many people restrictions like this can be a part of everyday life.
Recently she was suffering and need over-the-counter medication at 9 p.m.
Here is where tech makes an appearance. I began using a service called DoorDash during the pandemic, and I still keep an account for those times when my spouse and I are unable to leave the house.
For my sister-in-law, from my sofa hundreds of miles away, I was able to arrange a late-night pharmacy-to-home delivery. This miracle happened because I was already familiar with DoorDash and knew how to use it effectively in a less-than-obvious manner.
My advice is to learn which services, such as DoorDash, Uber, and others, provide almost real-time pickup and delivery in the areas that have people you care about.
Bob DeLaurentis
On Life and Love after 50 A 2-Year Journey to Happiness
On Oct. 29, 2022, Greta, my livingtogether partner of 25 years, passed away. The two years since then have been a mixture of grief, reflection, sadness, healing, challenges, and learning new things.
The first five months were a blur, filled with STUGs, which is an acronym for sudden, temporary uptake of grief. Anybody who has lost a loved one (even a pet) has experienced those feelings. They see or hear something that triggers the memory of the deceased, and it creates a fountain of sorrow.
For example, one day I was shopping at Costco. I walked down the cheese aisle and saw Costco’s brie cheese; it was Greta’s favorite. A STUG hit while standing in the aisle. Old toughie me shed a few tears right there in plain sight of a few shoppers.
I remember distinctly the events of the last two years because I’m a journalist and keep a diary. To refresh my memory, I occasionally review those notes.
In March of 2023, I was sitting at home on another lonely Saturday night. I thought, “I can’t take this emptiness any longer; I’m not aging well. I’d like to meet and socialize with some nice women. I’m going to try online dating.”
Even though I had written senior dating articles for 29 years, I knew very little about online dating. I joined two sites: Match and Zoosk. Doing that gave me hope, something I’d been lacking for five months.
I met some nice women online but soon discovered that at my age, 83, I was kind of an old dude. Women 10 years younger and more didn’t want to meet in person. And those in that age range who did want to meet were mainly scammers, looking for a sugar daddy.
I learned what the term “ghosting” means in dating. I had pleasant first dates with two women who said they had an enjoyable evening, and then I never heard from them again.
One drawback to online dating is that many of the women who appealed to me lived too far away. I learned that a long-distance relationship wasn’t
ArCHiVED from facing page
Set up accounts now, while time is not of the essence. Learn how the apps work and what the services can do. Make a few practice runs. Many can deliver hot meals from restaurants, grocery or pharmacy deliveries, and more.
Most of the services have subscriptions, but they also offer pay-as-you-go pricing. So there is no charge to maintain an active account.
my cup of tea. How far is too far for me? Twenty miles by car.
And there were other deal-breakers. A big one during this election year is political preference. When two people belong to different political parties, staying together might not be possible. Another deal-breaker can be religious preference. For me, I didn’t mind being with someone of a different faith, but I wasn’t interested in people who wanted me to switch to their faith. I was raised that church was on Sunday. I wasn’t suited for someone preaching their opposing religious beliefs to me 24/7.
Availability is important in senior dating. Some women and men still work full time and can’t get together except for once or twice every two weeks. That doesn’t work for me.
A biggie for senior couples is physical attraction (chemistry). Some people are affectionate; others feel uncomfortable with even a hug. I’m affectionate and need hugs.
These deal-breakers and challenges work both ways. Women face similar challenges.
Successful seeking of a mate requires time, energy, and, yes, money.
Have I met someone? Yes. I met her on Zoosk a year ago. She’s seven years younger and lives 30 minutes away from me. We’ve had our ups and downs. But we care a great deal about each other and usually can finesse our differences.
For single seniors, don’t give up trying to find a partner. As Johnny Cash sang in “I Walk the Line”: “I keep my eyes wide open all the time.”
Do that, and just like Johnny did, you will find your special someone. Give it time.
For dating information, previous articles, or to sign up for Tom’s complimentary, weekly e-newsletter, go to findingloveafter50.com.
For someone not used to the cost of these services, you may experience sticker shock at first. However, the cost can be well worth the relief it provides during stressful situations.
Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel.com.
tom Blake
The Healthy Geezer
When Should You Worry about Memory Lapses?
Q. I’m 78, and I’m forgetting things more often now. Should I be worried?
For starters, worrying is a waste of time. If you think your forgetfulness is a sign of the onset of Alzheimer’s, get to a doctor for a checkup.
The scary truth is that Alzheimer’s begins with difficulty remembering the familiar — people, things, events. Or, you start having trouble doing simple arithmetic in your head. These annoyances are common to seniors with healthy brains, so most of us don’t get too worked up over them.
But, as Alzheimer’s progresses, it can make people forget how to brush their teeth or change channels on a TV. And it gets worse until patients require complete care.
So, when should you go to your doctor to discuss your memory lapses? That’s a personal judgment call.
I’ve found that I can’t remember the names of movie stars and ballplayers the way I used to. I attribute this to what I call the “overloaded filing cabinet.” As we get older, we accumulate so many memories that it’s impossible to find the one we want.
I’m not sufficiently concerned about my memory difficulties to mention them to my doctor. But if you are concerned, get tested.
The available tests include a thorough physical, neurological, and psychiatric evaluation. A medical history will probably be taken. This history includes information about use of medicines, diet, and past medical conditions. Blood and urine tests may be done.
There are also mental tests of memory, problem-solving, and language. A brain CT scan could be ordered.
If you’re having some memory lapses, go to the doctor with a positive attitude. The fact is that many different medical conditions may cause Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. Some of these medical conditions may be treatable. You could be suffering from the effects of a high fever, dehydration, poor nutrition, reactions to medicines, thyroid problems, or a minor head injury.
And then there are those pesky emotions. Feeling sad, lonely, worried, or bored can affect people facing retirement or coping with the death of a loved one. Adapting to change can make you forgetful.
There are benefits to an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Knowing early helps patients and their families plan for the future. It gives them time to discuss care while the patient can still participate in decisions. Early diagnosis also offers the best chance to treat the symptoms of the disease.
Today, some people with Alzheimer’s are given drugs to treat some of the disease’s symptoms. Scientists are working to develop new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s. Although research is helping us learn more about the disease, we still do not know what causes Alzheimer’s, and there is no cure.
Fred Cicetti is a senior and health writer with more than three decades of experience. The Healthy Geezer is devoted to the health questions of seniors who are wondering what is going on with these bodies of ours.
fred Cicetti
November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
Know the Early Warning Signs of COpD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. A leading cause of disability and death in the United States, more than 12.5 million people have been diagnosed, and millions more may have the disease without even knowing it.
While there is no cure, knowing COPD’s early warning signs can lead to earlier treatment and may prevent its progression.
The American Lung Association, funded with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is sharing the following insights to help Americans recognize the warning signs of COPD and take action:
Early Warning Signs of COPD
Not everyone has the same COPD symptoms, but some of the more common early warning signs and symptoms may include shortness of breath, a cough that may bring up mucus or phlegm, chest tightness, fatigue, and reoccurring lung infections.
People may think these symptoms are because of aging, smoking, or being out of shape and become less active to avoid experiencing them. These signs and symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. Speak with your healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms and discuss any activities you are avoiding due to breathing difficulties.
Risk Factors and Diagnosis
Anyone can develop COPD, but people aged 40 or older and those who smoke or used to smoke are at higher risk.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD; however, 1 in 4 people with COPD never smoked cigarettes. Secondhand smoke; air pollution; workplace exposures to dust, fumes, and chemicals; and a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) are also causes and risk factors for COPD.
People are often diagnosed at later stages of COPD when the disease has
progressed because they delayed sharing their early symptoms with their healthcare provider.
It’s especially important for women to do so. Because COPD has been historically thought of as a “man’s disease” or an “old person’s disease,” women are sometimes misdiagnosed or receive a delayed diagnosis.
But overall, more women are affected by COPD than men, and the death rate is higher in women. In addition, women tend to develop the disease at a younger age.
To diagnose COPD, the healthcare provider will evaluate symptoms, gather a complete health history, conduct a health exam, and perform a pulmonary function test called spirometry. The results of the spirometry test can determine if you have COPD.
Lifestyle Changes
In addition to treatment, certain lifestyle changes may make a difference, as patients living with COPD know firsthand.
After being diagnosed with stage 2 COPD in the wake of a COVID19 infection, Bob F. partnered with his doctor and started monitoring his breathing at home and leaned into exercise.
His hard work has paid off, with his last pulmonary function test showing that the disease has not progressed, and he is in better overall shape than before.
“Most of the advice you should follow is no different than what doctors tell us all. Eat right, exercise, sleep, drink plenty of water, manage your weight, and don’t smoke. If you do these things, you may slow the progression of your COPD,” says Bob.
If you are experiencing shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms, do not delay talking to your healthcare provider about your symptoms or COPD risk factors.
For more information about COPD, visit the American Lung Association’s COPD webpage at lung.org/COPD. (StatePoint)
Reducing overall calorie intake may rejuvenate your muscles and activate biological pathways important for good health, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues.
Decreasing calories without depriving the body of essential vitamins and minerals, known as calorie restriction, has long been known to delay the progression of age-related diseases in animal models.
This new study, published in Aging Cell , suggests the same biological mechanisms may also apply to humans.
Researchers analyzed data from participants in the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE), a study supported by the National Institute on Aging that examined
Are you getting your share of the SILVER ECONOMY?
Which buyers make up the 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 not-so-obvious:
The 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
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
whether moderate calorie restriction conveys the same health benefits seen in animal studies.
They found that during a two-year span, the goal for participants was to reduce their daily caloric intake by 25%, but the highest the group was able to reach was a 12% reduction.
Even so, this slight reduction in calories was enough to activate most of the biological pathways that are important in healthy aging.
“A 12% reduction in calorie intake is very modest,” said corresponding author and NIA Scientific Director Luigi Ferrucci, M.D., Ph.D. “This kind of small reduction in calorie intake is doable and may make a big difference in your health.”
The research found calorie restriction improves muscle health and offers additional health benefits.
The research team next sought to understand the molecular underpinnings of the benefits seen in limited, previous research of calorie restriction in humans.
One study showed that individuals on calorie restriction lost muscle mass and an average of 20 pounds of weight over the first year and maintained their weight for the second year.
However, despite losing muscle mass, calorie-restriction participants did not lose muscle strength, indicating calorie restriction improved the amount of force generated by each unit of muscle mass, called muscle-specific force.
For the current study, scientists used thigh-muscle biopsies from CALERIE participants that were collected when individuals joined the study and at oneyear and two-year follow-ups.
To figure out which human genes were impacted during calorie restriction, the scientists isolated messenger RNA (mRNA), a molecule that contains the code for proteins, from muscle samples.
The team determined the protein sequence of each mRNA and used the information to identify which genes originated specific mRNAs.
Further analysis helped the scientists establish which genes during calorie restriction were upregulated, meaning the cells made more mRNA, and which were downregulated, meaning the cells produced less mRNA.
The researchers confirmed calorie restriction affected the same gene pathways in humans as in mice and nonhuman primates. For example, a lower caloric intake upregulated genes responsible for energy generation and metabolism and downregulated inflammatory genes, leading to lower inflammation.
“Since inflammation and aging are strongly coupled, calorie restriction represents a powerful approach to preventing the pro-inflammatory state that is developed by many older people,” said Ferrucci.
illustration courtesy of N iA
Sharing firsthand Accounts of Military Service
More than a century after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles ended World War I, stories told by American veterans who served during this pivotal time offer fascinating insights into this period.
To preserve and share history as it happened through the lens of those who lived it, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project collects these stories and the stories of veterans who followed.
The individual stories of many of the veterans involved have been lost to time; however, the program encourages military veterans to document their experiences via firsthand oral histories, photos, or written accounts. The stories are then made accessible so current and future generations may better understand what veterans experienced during their service.
As time passes, new submissions from veterans who served in World War I have become increasingly rare, but occasionally, something special is uncovered, such as two submissions from Sherie Lockett: collections from her grandfathers, both African American World War I veterans.
Containing 34 original letters, Jessie Calvin Lockett’s collection provides a unique insight into his experience serving in France as a stevedore, loading and unloading cargo ships.
The collection of Sherie Lockett’s other grandfather, Arthur Singleton, includes a unique find: a 105-year-old diary.
When Singleton joined the Army in 1918, he was assigned to the 803rd Pioneer Infantry Brigade, a segregated unit tasked with constructing and repairing infrastructure.
Singleton’s diary is notably VHP’s first written account from a Black soldier who served during World War I.
Entries detail his time in service, from training at Camp Grant to enduring harsh conditions en route to Europe aboard the USS Mannequin. He describes arriving in Scotland, traveling to France for further training, and being sent to the front lines on Nov. 11, 1918, the same day the Armistice took effect.
His combat experience lasted only six hours, but his time in Europe extended beyond the ceasefire. Postcombat entries describe camping at MenilLa-Tour, receiving a promotion to platoon sergeant, recovering U.S. property from the trenches, and visiting Paris.
He also candidly recounts instances of racism from fellow American troops while abroad — including being denied service at his base canteen and harassed out of a theater — and shared how his unit was assigned “background” work while white engineer units received recognition for digging trenches on the front lines.
Thanks to their granddaughter’s donation of their letters and diary to the effort, VHP can share Jessie Lockett’s and Singleton’s experiences and perspective as Black soldiers during World War I.
While the program requires firsthand submissions, the stories of veterans who served long ago and have already died still may be included through similar donations of diaries or prerecorded videos.
To read more veterans’ stories and learn more about how you or a loved one can contribute to the program, visit loc.gov/vet s (Family Features)
fall Landscape Care with pollinators in Mind
No matter where you live, investing time caring for your landscape now will pay off with a healthier, more beautiful landscape next spring and for years to come. Incorporate the following practices into your fall maintenance to support pollinators and the plants in your landscape.
Don’t rake the leaves to the curb or haul them to your municipality’s composting center. Instead, handle them with your lawnmower.
Shred leaves and leave them on the lawn as you mow this fall. As the leaves break down, they add organic matter to the soil, and as long as you can see the grass through the leaf pieces, the lawn will be fine.
Put any extra fall leaves to work in the garden. Add shredded leaves to your compost pile or dig them into annual gardens as a soil amendment. Just dig a 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded leaves into the top 12 inches of annual or new
planting beds.
The leaves will decompose over winter, adding organic matter to the soil. By spring, your garden bed will be ready for you to finish preparing and planting.
Spread some of the fall leaves on top of the soil around permanent plants as mulch. They help insulate the roots, conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and, as they break down, improve the soil.
Fall mulching gives you a jump on next spring’s landscape chores. It also provides winter homes for some beneficial insects and insulation for bumblebee queens, frogs, and others that overwinter in the soil.
Leave healthy perennials to stand over winter. They will add motion and texture to the landscape. The seedheads add beauty, and many provide food for the birds. Hollow stems of a variety of perennials provide winter homes for many native bees and other beneficial insects.
This also increases winter survival, as research found perennials left standing are better able to tolerate the rigors of winter.
Be sure to cut back and dispose of any diseased or insect-infested plants. Removing these reduces the source of disease and insect pest problems in next year’s garden.
Use a bypass pruner to cut the plants back to just above the soil surface. Corona’s XSeries Pro bypass pruner is lightweight and professional grade with its blade, ensuring smooth, clean cuts on both green and dry stems and branches.
Continue watering throughout the fall and only during the day when soil and air temperatures are at or above 40 degrees F. Trees, shrubs, and perennials suffering from drought stress in fall and early winter are more subject to root damage and subsequently insect pest and disease problems.
Make sure new plantings, moisture lovers, evergreens, and perennials in exposed sites are thoroughly watered when the top 4-6 inches are crumbly and slightly moist.
Add some new plants to the landscape this fall. The soil is warm and the air is cool, providing excellent conditions for planting and establishing trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Include some fall favorites like pansies, asters, and mums to containers and garden beds for instant color and food for late-season pollinators. Many garden centers add healthy new plants to their inventory specifically for planting this fall.
No matter where you live or the size of your garden, get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of fall. And be sure to invest a bit of time and energy now to ensure your landscape is ready for the season ahead.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books and hosts The Great Courses’ How to Grow Anything instant video and DVD series and Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Corona Tools for her expertise to write this article. melindamyers.com
Melinda Myers
photo credit: Corona tools
Use a quality bypass pruner to cut back and dispose of any diseased or insect-infested plants.
Cat psychology 101 – How to Coexist in Harmony
By Kimberly Blaker
What does it mean when your furry feline friend puffs its tail? What’s the best way to handle your cat’s neuroticism? Why is your kitty scratching up all of your furniture?
The truth is, cats have darn good reasons for most of their behaviors, none of which are intended to punish you or drive you crazy. So, the trick to prevent or remedy problems is to better understand your cat. This will result in a more adjusted cat and a peaceful coexistence between you.
Five Personality Traits
As most cat owners can attest, cats definitely have their own personalities. Like humans, every cat has a combination of traits that make up its unique personality. In fact, researchers from the University of Australia published their fascinating findings on cat personality in the journal, PloS ONE , in August 2017.
The researchers refer to the cat traits as the “Feline Five.” Dominance, agreeableness, extraversion, impulsiveness, and neuroticism are the traits that blend to form a cat’s personality. The researchers explained that understanding cat personality is helpful, so cat owners can better nurture their feline companions.
Dominant cats tend to bully or act aggressively toward other cats. If you bring home a young kitten, discourage it from grabbing or biting you or playing aggressively. This will help prevent it from growing into a dominant cat. If you have multiple cats, feed them in separate areas to reduce competition. Also, give your cats equal time with you to reduce the possibility of jealousy. When your cats play together nicely, reinforce it by giving them plenty of praise, petting, and treats.
Agreeable cats are gentle, friendly, and affectionate toward people. So, what more could a cat owner want? The truth is that even an agreeable cat can have its drawbacks. Because of their friendly, affectionate nature, an agreeable cat might often paw at you for attention.
If so, set up a routine for cuddling, which might help. Also, consider adopting an additional cat to keep your cat company. Just make sure it’s not too dominant.
Extraverted cats possess self-control and are decisive and persevere. At the same time, they tend to get bored easily and need plenty of stimulation. Extraverted cats should have plenty of toys, human interaction, and, perhaps, other cats to play and socialize with.
Impulsive cats tend to be erratic and reckless. This often results from a stressful environment. Factors that can cause your cat stress include other pets in the home, young children, confinement, or lack of access to hiding places or a litterbox. Even insisting on interaction with your cat can be stressful if it’s more interaction than your cat wants.
Resolving many of these issues is self-explanatory. So, evaluate the situations that could be causing stress and try to remedy them.
Neurotic cats can be fearful of people, anxious, insecure, suspicious, or shy. Offer these cats additional hiding places, as well as quiet spaces. Also, just like with impulsive cats, look for environmental stressors that might be aggravating your cat’s neuroticism.
Cat Behaviors
The following are a few of the common signals and behaviors every cat
owner should understand.
Feline vocalization – When your cat meows, it’s usually asking for something, but it could just be saying “hello.”
The more frequent and intense the meows get, the more intent your cat is on getting you to respond. But, if the meowing is continuous, particularly after trying to satisfy your cat’s needs, your feline may be sick or injured and need to be seen by a veterinarian.
Nonstop yowling can also be a sign of discomfort or illness. Cats yowl out of worry when their territory is threatened or they want to mate.
Some cats even yowl when they’re bored. Many a cat owner has experienced this frustrating sleep interruption.
Since cats are nocturnal, try to combat this by helping your cat adjust to a nighttime sleep schedule. Keep your cat awake more during the day, particularly in the evening before bedtime. You can also leave out food and water at night to pacify your bored cat.
Purring usually signifies contentment, but cats sometimes purr when they’re worried as well. You can decipher the meaning by looking at your cat’s body language. A tense posture and ears laid back most likely indicate worry.
Hissing, snarling, or growling is a clear warning to back off, or else. When a cat feels threatened, it might scratch or bite. So, remove the threat (such as a playful puppy or toddler) immediately.
Tails tell a tale – A cat’s tail movement says a lot about what it’s thinking or feeling. When a cat sweeps its tail widely, it’s annoyed or wants to be left alone. If a cat becomes very agitated or frightened, its tail movement is intensified and sweeps back and forth rapidly.
Either cue indicates the cat wants to be left alone. The latter signal also indicates it’s ready to flee or attack.
Cats’ tails can puff up too, which can be for several reasons. If your cat’s tail puffs up with its ears erect and whiskers pointed forward, the cat is usually happy or having fun.
But, when a bristled tail points straight up or down, possibly coinciding with an arched back and flattened ears, the cat is fearful. When the fur on a cat’s whole body puffs up, the cat’s very angry and might even hiss. Cats sometimes do this to intimidate. But it can also mean an attack is imminent.
Those destructive claws – If your cat still has its claws, you’ve probably dealt with the frustration of snagged upholstery, carpet, or drapes. But this is instinctive behavior cats do for several reasons.
First, it’s kind of like a kitty manicure. Cats do this to shed the dead, frayed layers and sharpen their claws. It’s also one of the ways cats mark their territory. Finally, it’s a natural part of feline play and stretching.
To combat the problem, give your cat a scratching post. Cats each have their own preferences, though. So, you might need to try a variety of shapes, upholsteries, and other characteristics. Also, keep your cat’s claws trimmed. When your cat does scratch on other objects, clap loudly, so the cat stops.
Some cat owners opt for declawing. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends against this. The procedure is much more invasive than most people realize and can result in infection and extended pain during recovery.
Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online bookshop, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera; and more at sagerarebooks.com.
The Bookworm Sez
Shake It Up, Baby
It was like squashing a cockroach, they said. Put your toe down in one spot, rotate your hips and your ankle, shimmy them shoulders, and snap your fingers to the beat. That’s how you kill a bug, and it’s how you do The Twist — but beware.
In the new book Shake It Up, Baby by Ken McNab, there are some Beatles you really want around.
The first day of 1963 was remarkable for one thing: Great Britain was in the midst of “an extraordinary polar plunge that would last three long, depressing months.” Also on that day, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr arrived on a plane home from Hamburg, “just four nameless faces in the crowd.”
They had no idea that this would be the year “when everything changed.”
They were still getting used to one another, jostling for control. Their manager, Brian Epstein, was toiling to make the four men famous, constantly calling record companies, landing gigs, booking recording studios — one at which the Beatles would record an entire album in a single day
They toured constantly, dozens and dozens of concerts with one reward: Their song “Please Please Me” started to rise on British music charts.
Despite the official word that the “boys” were single, John Lennon welcomed his son Julian into the world in April 1963. Before the month was out, Lennon left for a vacation in Spain with Epstein, who was gay, almost creating a scandal. By the end of the summer, it was obvious that that didn’t matter: Fans — especially female ones — didn’t care what the Beatles did. Screaming fans,
By Ken McNab c. 2024, pegasus Books
408 pages
fainting fans, obsessive ones met the Beatles wherever they went … except in America. Curiously, there seemed to be a resistance to the Fab Four’s music on this side of the ocean.
Epstein was tenacious, Harrison’s sister was dogged in her devotion, and DJs began to talk. And at the end of the year, Ed Sullivan said “yes” to a booking …
Charts don’t lie; neither does endurance, and those two things make many people swear that the Beatles were one of the best bands the world has ever seen. Shake It Up, Baby puts an exclamation point on that notion.
It’ll be hard not to sing the songs to yourself or check your record collection while you’re in the middle of this book.
The mix list here is made of classic Beatles and stories that even the most diehard fans might not’ve heard (yet) — but while music and the love of the Fab Four are the mainstay, author Ken McNab puts the Beatles and Epstein in focus by pulling outside influences into his narrative.
Readers are also reminded of historical events in that pivotal year, as well as the many tunes that made you dance and shout.
Absolutely, this is a book Beatles fans must have, ASAP. Any music lover will enjoy it, and it might start a new obsession. You need your music, so find Shake It Up, Baby. Missing it will really bug you.
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.
terri Schlichenmeyer
Shake It Up, Baby: The Rise of Beatlemania and the Mayhem of 1963
Scenes from the York County 50 plus EXPO
We were thrilled to be back for the 22nd annual York County 50 plus EXPO on Sept. 24 at the York Expo Center!
Did you join us? If so, you might find yourself here!
Wicked tells the early story of the Witches of Oz. The tale mainly focuses on Elphaba Thropp (Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo), who’s rejected by many because of her unusual skin. (It’s green!) She also has yet to discover and appreciate her true power.
Elphaba is the polar opposite of the gorgeous, spoiled, fawnedover, and overly ambitious Glinda Upland (global superstar Ariana Grande), who has grown up basking in the warmth of privilege and power.
The pair meet at Shiz University in the Land of Oz, and that’s where they form an unlikely but rock-solid friendship. Following an encounter with the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), that friendship eventually reaches a crossroads, with the two women’s lives taking very different paths as a result.
The November release of Wicked is the film version of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Their creation hit Broadway in 2003 and became the first great musical of the new century.
Wicked , of course, drew from L. Frank Baum’s enduring 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Jon M. Chu directed the movie. In 2022, he decided that what is coming in November will be termed Wicked , while the second part will release in November 2025 as Wicked: Part Two
Chu explains, “As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it …
“As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie, but two!”
In addition, Chu cites Steven Spielberg’s 1991 film Hook as a source of inspiration for the Wicked use of the large-scale sets and special effects that bring many onscreen elements to life, including 9 million tulips in Munchkinland, an actual yellow brick road, and a life-sized Art Deco-inspired train used to transport Elphaba and Glinda to the Emerald City.
“We dreamed very, very, very big for Wicked ,” Chu says. “A magical land of sights and sounds that will astonish, and performances that will lift your spirits … and occasionally break your hearts.”
See Wicked in theaters beginning Nov. 22.
P.S. Be prepared to be bombarded with a wide range of Wicked merchandise in time for the holiday season, as marketing promotions will include toys, apparel, books, and beauty products waiting to be thrust into eager young hands.
Randal C. Hill enjoys getting sneak peeks of forthcoming movies from his home on the Oregon coast. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.
randal Hill
the resurrected Voice of James Earl Jones
By James Patterson
In her 2021 memoir Just As I Am, actress Cicely Tyson (1924-2021) wrote about working with James Earl Jones. Tyson wrote the book, published by Harper Collins, with Michelle Burford.
Tyson and Jones began their professional relationship in 1961 in the off-Broadway production of The Blacks: A Clown Show, based on Jean Genet’s absurdist play. According to the International Off-Broadway Database, The Blacks ran for 1,408 performances, from 1961 to 1964.
About working with Jones in the play, Tyson wrote he was “painfully shy … reticent enough to make my own bashfulness seem like extroversion.” Backstage, she wrote, Jones “kept to himself.” He “spoke plenty” onstage.
In the fall of 2015, the two actors starred in the Broadway revival of Donald L. (DL) Coburn’s two-person play The Gin Game. The revival ran for 90 performances. It was their first onstage reunion since 1966’s 20performance production of A Hand Is on the Gate. Tyson was 90 and Jones 84 when they
starred in The Gin Game. I saw these two theater giants in this excellent Broadway revival.
Tyson wrote that “James … was nearly as shy as he’d been years earlier.” She made the interesting observation that Jones “drew his inspiration from silence” or “the kind of quiet that one wouldn’t expect from a man with such a burly baritone.”
The Gin Game is about two elderly friends who, according to Tyson, “shuffle cards and emotions on the front porch of their nursing home.” Tyson and Jones are excellent as seniors playing cards and coming to terms with their life choices, including mistakes, joys, and disappointments.
It is a slow play without music or theatrical special effects. It is about two elderly characters played by two elderly actors. The Gin Game with Tyson and Jones was a small masterpiece. In his 1993 memoir James Earl Jones: Voices and Silences, he wrote about working with Tyson. Jones wrote the book, published by Simon and Schuster, with Penelope Niven. In his book, Jones writes about his important role in 1961’s The Blacks, a highly
please see VOiCE on page 39
Credit: “James Earl Jones 2010 Crop.jpg,” by Stuart Crawford, licensed under CC-BY-2.0. James Earl Jones in 2010.
Willing to Wander Nature and History are Up to Bat in Cooperstown
Visitors viewing the World Series winners display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, will learn that the Philadelphia Phillies have taken the prize twice, in 1980 and 2008.
Among other exhibits: the silver trophy awarded to Phillies right fielder Chuck Klein when he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1932; the bat used by Mike Schmidt in 1980, the year he hit a career-high 48 homeruns; and one of the mascot costumes worn by the Phillie Phanatic.
These artifacts are part of the vast collection at the museum, which is a virtual mecca for fans of the sport known as “America’s Pastime.” It’s the main reason why many people visit that little village (population about 1,800) nestled in the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains.
The museum portrays the popular game through memorabilia and exhibits that provide both entertainment and education. When I asked how much time visitors usually spend there, I was told, “From two hours to two weeks.”
In addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame, other attractions related to that game include the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum; Cooperstown Bat Company, where I learned how professional models are made; and shops offering a wide selection of baseball-related apparel, players cards, and other collectibles.
But it didn’t take long for me to learn that Cooperstown’s appeal extends well beyond that game and to understand why it has been referred to as “America’s most perfect village.”
Start with the setting itself, an area of rolling farm fields tucked among pockets of forest amid tranquil lakes overlooked by lowlying mountains. Against this backdrop, the town could be the movie set of a quintessential village.
Walkable streets lead to the spectacular lakefront, and leafy parks lend welcome touches of Mother Nature. Adding to the storybook décor is an architectural mixture of Colonial buildings and gingerbread Victorian homes, many of them painted in a palette of vibrant eyecatching colors.
No wonder Cooperstown was included on Travel + Leisure magazine’s lists of best places to visit and best road trips from New York City.
The town was founded in 1786 by William Cooper, who was the father of the renowned author James Fenimore Cooper. The younger Cooper’s books include The Leatherstocking Tales, a series of historical novels set in the frontier period that combine pioneer and Native American lore set against a backdrop of the region’s magnificent scenery.
A centerpiece of that lovely landscape is Otsego Lake, a glaciercreated body of water whose name is derived from the Iroquois word meaning “place of the rock.” That refers to a boulder known as Council Rock, which once served as a meeting place for Native Americans. The lake is called Glimmerglass in Cooper’s books because, at times, the surface is so still it resembles a mirror.
For such a small village, Cooperstown offers a wide choice of welcome surprises. The Fenimore Art Museum houses world-class displays of American folk and Native American art and offers a constant lineup of changing exhibits.
The Farmers’ Museum is a living history village that recreates mid19th-century rural life. The site has been a working farm since 1813, when it was owned by James Fenimore Cooper. Collections run the gamut, from an early 18thcentury plow to homemade hay rakes and a 19th-century milk fat tester.
Victor Block
photo credit: this is Cooperstown
An aerial view of Cooperstown, N.Y., “America’s most perfect village.”
photo credit: this is Cooperstown
Cooperstown’s picturesque Main Street.
photo credit: this is Cooperstown Downtown shops offer a wide selection of baseball-related items.
These museums are among a number of enticements that extend the appeal of Cooperstown well beyond its fame as a favored destination for lovers of baseball. From nature at its best to manmade attractions to the town itself, there’s variety enough to find a place on many people’s travel wish list.
My stay at The Otesaga, a historic resort hotel (built in 1909) perched at the edge of Otsego Lake, became part of my immersion in the destination. The property, whose name comes from the Iroquois word for “place of meetings,” transports visitors back to a time of elegance and gracious hospitality.
An expansive porch provides panoramic views over Otsego Lake. Guest rooms sport opulent touches like ceiling chandeliers and oversized windows,
VOiCE from page 37
controversial French play that had been a hit in Paris.
When he read his proposed part in the all-Black production, he was less than impressed. He told the producer: “I don’t know how to handle this sort of offthe-wall stuff.” He wrote that he “took a shot of vodka” before he auditioned. He got the part, and the play had a successful run.
James Earl Jones, who died at age 93 on Sept. 9, was a critically acclaimed actor with two Emmy Awards. Earlier in his career, he had some wild smallscreen roles. He writes about his roles in several TV programs, including Dr. Kildare, The Defenders, and Tarzan. Jones played tribal chiefs in two episodes of Tarzan. He writes about one “memorable” episode with the musical group The Supremes cast as African
which provide stunning views of the water.
Adding to the mix are a golf course rated among the best on the East Coast, a heated swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and restaurants that serve four-star meals.
To learn more about Cooperstown, log onto thisiscooperstown.com.
After gallivanting around the world, Victor Block still retains the travel bug. He believes that travel is the best possible education. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers, Victor loves to explore new destinations and cultures, and his stories about them have won a number of writing awards.
American nuns! The Supremes “appeared clad demurely in habits,” Jones wrote. He “appeared more flagrantly attired in the stereotypical loincloth.”
Many of the obituaries for Jones mentioned that he overcame stuttering. He writes at length about his speech problems. He had periods of muteness. His experience overcoming his speaking problems is a powerful testament to his determination and courage.
Jones dedicated James Earl Jones: Voices and Silences to his father, Robert Earl Jones, and to “Professor Donald Crouch, father of my resurrected voice.”
Jones had unforgettable stage and film roles. He had awful TV roles. He had a powerhouse voice, resurrected by a determined professor. James Earl Jones, born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, was a superstar.
James Patterson is a writer based in the Washington, D.C. area.
photo credit: the Otesaga resort Hotel
the historic Otesaga Hotel offers an up-close view of Otsego Lake.
photo credit: Victor Block
A broom maker demonstrates his craft at the farmers’ Museum.
photo credit: Victor Block
Visitors enjoying a boat tour of Otsego Lake.
photo credit: Victor Block
A New York Yankees exhibit in the Baseball Hall of fame.
