50plus LIFE York County – March 2022

Complimentary | York County Edition

March 2022

More in common than we realize page 4

How much do you know about women in history? page 8

How and why to preserve your digital legacy page 16

Please Join Us for These 2022 Events!

omen’s Expo

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

DAUPHIN COUNTY

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wyndham Resort (Formerly Lancaster Host)

2300 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster

May 4

Wyndham Resort LANCASTER COUNTY

(Formerly Lancaster Host)

2300 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster

June 25

9th Annual

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey

June 8

Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton

Sept. 21

10th Annual

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sept. 17

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Lebanon Expo Center 80 Rocherty Road Lebanon

E

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sept. 28

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Oct. 22

6th Annual

LANCASTER COUNTY

Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim

York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Ave., York

YORK COUNTY

Oct. 12

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Carlisle Expo Center 100 K St. Carlisle

50plusExpoPA.com

11th Annual

26th Annual 20th Annual 23rd Annual

Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey

May 21

8th Annual

April 28

18th Annual

23rd Annual

23rd Annual

Caregiving t Finances t Health & Wellness t Home Improvements Leisure Activities t Nutrition t Retirement Living t Technology and more!

Health & Wellness t Finance t Home Shopping t Technology t Beauty Nutrition t Fashion and more!

omen’s Expo

Nov. 12

Cumberland County

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Carlisle Expo Center 100 K St. Carlisle

aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com

Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available!

(717) 285-1350

York AAA Offering Free Diabetes Program The York County Area Agency on Aging is offering a free diabetes self-management program for adults 60 and older living with diabetes or prediabetes and caregivers age 60 and older caring for someone with the disease.

These free virtual workshops will be held 1-3:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, April 12 – May 17. A computer and internet access are required as the workshops will be done via Zoom or by phone conference.

The workshops will be taught by certified instructors through the agency.

Developed by the Self-Management Resource Center, formerly Stanford University Patient Education Program, this health-promotion program introduces participants to self-management tools like healthy eating, monitoring blood sugar, action planning, and dealing with difficult emotions, among others.

A companion book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, 4th Edition, and an audio relaxation CD will be provided for all participants.

There is no charge for the workshops. Preregistration is required by March 25 by calling Megan Craley at (717) 855-0437.

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

26th Annual Edition

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

! r a e r u o y s u d n e L

50plus LIFE and Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania have partnered to bring you weekly audio readings of 50plus LIFE’s editorial content!

Listen to the livestream Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at www.vrocp.org!

The program will repeat 3 times that day and Saturdays from 11-11:30 a.m.

This audio broadcast is one of the many ways Vision Resources facilitates independence, enriches quality of life, and empowers individuals in our community who are visually impaired.

And it’s one more way 50plus LIFE and On-Line Publishers are continuing 25 years of serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community.

For more information, call Vision Resources at (717) 238-2531 and listen at visit www.vrocp.org. www.50plusLifePA.com

50plus LIFE

March 2022

3

Cover Story

More in Common than We Realize

By Gabriele Amersbach Corporate Office

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

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson

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

ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Lauren Phillips

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Senior Marketing Consultant Joshua Binkley Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall

Member of

Awards

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

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

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

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

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March 2022

50plus LIFE

of experience.”

Often the older adult becomes a mentor in a relationship not fraught with the power struggles that can make young adults feel resentful of parental advice. Cole has numerous examples of students who have been profoundly changed by their interaction with a program partner.

One student told Cole that discussions with her older partner “literally made me change how I see my life.” The young woman was deeply touched by advice that resonated personally with her — to have a plan in life, not just to go through the motions.

For many young people, old age is impossible to imagine.

Immersed in the challenges of going to school, choosing the right career, finding a supportive circle of friends, and dating potential life partners, what can a young person at the cusp of adulthood possibly have in common with an older adult who has long ago passed these critical milestones of youth?

“We have more in common than we realize,” says Stephanie Cole, special assistant to the secretary of aging Nothing is Off-Limits at the Pennsylvania In another example, Department of Aging.

Cole tells the story of a She is the architect young African American of the department’s football player who Intergenerational was paired with an University Connections older African American program, which links participant who had college students in social played football in his work, public health, youth. recreational therapy, and The older participant other academic programs felt such a strong to seniors who live alone connection that he or have other factors that took it on as a personal could make it difficult mission to help the for them to engage with student avoid his own others. early mistakes, like As part of their choosing the wrong required coursework, companions and each student in the dropping out of school, class is assigned to an advice valued by his older adult identified student partner. by a local area agency “Nothing is off-limits on aging. With support Young adult and program leadership met for induring these discussions,” and direction from the person events at both West Chester and Widener faculty member, students universities in 2021. Most older adults participated says Cole. “It’s OK for contact their paired in the events virtually. Similarly, senior participants both students and older adults to be vulnerable.” partner weekly for the conversed online or by phone with their student Kathleen Wildauer, a duration of the semester. matches throughout the semester. resident of Camp Hill, In the course of participated in the program when a professor from eight to 10 conversations, most participants build the program reached out to her. Her partner was a a friendship that helps them overcome ageist quiet, somewhat shy college senior, very different stereotypes and attitudes. from his outgoing female partner in her mid-70s.

“Everybody benefits,” says Cole. “Older adults Initially nervous about participating in the often feel society doesn’t value the contributions program, Wildauer found she had an “instant they can still make. The program allows them to connection.” share their wisdom and insights based on a lifetime www.50plusLifePA.com

“We talked about rescue dogs, his classes, helping neighbors, sports, his internship, and some personal things,” she says.

“The more we talked and listened, the more comfortable we became, and ultimately, there were very few lulls in our conversations. I believe age doesn’t have to be a factor in whether or not you get along.”

with their partners, some of which measured feelings of connectedness with others.

“These and other anecdotal information reveal many older participants felt a greater sense of purpose in their lives.

Society isn’t providing this,” she says.

The success of the pilot led to an expansion of the program to four other universities: Penn State Harrisburg, West Chester University, and Widener University, and this Getting Comfortable with Older Adults semester, Penn State Scranton.

Brooke Morales, a social work major at Widener In fall 2021, 250 students from four universities served University, felt disconnected and uncomfortable with older 250 adults around the commonwealth. adults before participating in the program through her “Intro Initially, students were limited to phone calls, but in the to Social Work and Social Welfare” class. fall 2021 semester, students were able to engage visually She quickly found she and her partner shared a Puerto with their partners using free iPads borrowed through Rican connection. Her father is Puerto Rican, as was her Pennsylvania’s Assistive Technology Act Program (techowlpa. older partner’s husband. That was just the beginning. org). This program allows older individuals and individuals Brooke Morales, a social work “(My partner) was so willing to talk about her personal living with disabilities to borrow equipment for up to nine major at Widener University and intergenerational program weeks, with connectivity, if needed. life, and she was excited to hear about mine,” says Morales.

“We found we had a lot of things in common. I didn’t think participant, now feels confident Ultimately, program coordinators believe the aging in her ability to work with older that would happen.” population of Pennsylvania will benefit from more adults in the future.

Morales explains that both she and her partner benefitted enthusiastic social workers and health professionals who from the program. choose to work with older adults.

“My partner had lost connection with her family. With my weekly call, she And for both young and old alike, taking time to have an in-depth had something to look forward to, especially during the pandemic.” conversation with people at a different stage of life manifests a universal truth: Morales herself now feels more comfortable talking to older adults.

We have more in common than we realize.

“Before, I was timid and hesitant about a social-work career in this field.

On the cover: From left, Intergenerational University Connections Program Now I know I’d be good at working with older adults.” participant Kathleen Wildauer; Dr. A. Patricia Aguilera Hermida, professor For Stephanie Cole, this willingness to consider a career serving aging overseeing the program at Penn State Harrisburg; Pennsylvania Secretary of adults is right in line with one of the essential goals of the intergenerational Aging Robert Torres; Holly Logan and Madison Adam, program participants; and program: making young students comfortable interacting with older adults.

Dr. John Mason Jr., chancellor at Penn State Harrisburg.

“Professors tell me they’ve never had so many students consider working with older adults until this program,” she says.

Cole and her colleagues at the Department of Aging understand that introducing young students to careers that serve seniors is critical in an aging population.

Currently, about 1 in 4 Pennsylvanians are over 60, but by 2030, 1 in every 3 people in the state will be over 60; this group is expected to grow by at least 1 million.

With 33 Years of With such an expanding older population, it is even more critical that Real Estate Experience younger people feel comfortable interacting with older adults.

Research shows many older people experience loneliness and depression • 2016 Realtor of the Year because they live alone (about 27% in the U.S., according to a 2020 Pew Research study), lack close family ties, or are too impoverished or physically • 2014 President of disabled to actively participate in community activities.

Realtor’s Association of The Intergenerational University Connections Program is becoming a York and Adams County crucial part of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s response to addressing the psychological, social, and physical needs of adults as they age.

• Licensed in PA and MD

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Exponential Growth The program has grown exponentially since Stephanie Cole first pitched the idea to Secretary of Aging Robert Torres in March 2020.

Fueled by a pandemic that has intensified the isolation of senior adults and limited student access to in-person interactions, the Department of Aging was able to set up a pilot program by fall 2020 at Slippery Rock University’s School of Public Health.

First and second-year students taking an “Aging and the Older Adult” course and fourth-year students taking a recreational therapy course (a total of 60 students) met weekly with older adults as part of their class requirements.

Both students and their older partners were consistently enthusiastic about the program. Students reported feeling more “comfortable” interacting with older adults and were more likely to consider careers serving this population.

According to Cole, in some cases, students conducted practice assessments www.50plusLifePA.com

Paula Musselman

Selling or buying a house?

Please call me – I’ll guide you every step of the way!

Office: (717) 793-9678 Cell: (717) 309-6921

2525 Eastern Blvd.

York, PA 17402 pmusselmanrealtor@gmail.com

•P roviding Reliable and Trustworthy Contracting and Moving Resources •S pecializing in Senior Moves and Transitions

Taking the time to make your transaction smooth and stress free.

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50plus LIFE

March 2022

5

The Bookworm Sez

Lightning Down Terri Schlichenmeyer

The storm’s a-coming.

You can smell it in the air: Rain’s on the way, maybe thunder, maybe more, but the high winds are what you hate.

They make you run for shelter and pray hard. The storm’s a-coming, and in Lightning Down by Tom Clavin, it’s never as mild as you hope it’d be.

As a young man on the farm near Ferndale, Washington, all Joe Moser wanted to do was to fly airplanes — the P-38 Lightning, to be specific — but though it was his deepest desire, he knew it probably wasn’t possible: As the oldest son of a widowed mother, Moser had to take care of the farm, and besides, piloting a P-38 was something only for college graduates.

Moser was doing chores when he heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and, like most young men then, he hastened to sign up to for the military.

He tested for the Army Air Corps, but, though the rules were relaxed, his scores were too low for pilot school, and it looked like Moser was headed for the infantry until someone rechecked those scores. Suddenly, he was on his way to 20-plus months of training before being sent to England to pilot the P-38.

That was a job he turned out to be good at. It didn’t take long for him to receive a Distinguished Flying Cross and, shortly after that, a promotion to first lieutenant. Writes Clavin, “He was still only 22 years old.”

Surely, Joe Moser knew the danger of what he was doing, but he chose not to dwell on it. He went out every day and did his job, hoping “he would get out of this thing yet in one piece.” By Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival early August 1944, he’d had 43 missions

By Tom Clavin “under his belt,” and he was looking c. 2021, St. Martin’s Press forward to rotating out and going home.

320 pages But on Aug. 13 — his 44th mission — Moser was shot down and captured …

Are you getting your share of the Now, here’s the thing: If author Tom Clavin had stopped right there, you’d still have a heckuva heart-pounder in your hands with Lightning Down.

But that’s not the end of this story, not by a long shot.

Which buyers make up the Silver Economy?

Clavin takes this tale beyond, not to a rugged POW camp run by the Red • 962 million men and women over the age of 60 Cross, but into the Buchenwald Concentration Camp where Lt. Moser was • A group with 11 times more wealth than millennials sent after his capture, then along a forced march that reads like a fever dream.

• Persons with a life expectancy in the U.S. is about 78.87 years Not one single thing in this narrative is softened: Clavin relentlessly plunges • Persons who prefer in-person contact when possible • A group that wants to age at home as long as reasonable readers directly into the horror of the camp in passages that are almost numbing in their content, number, and nightmarish detail but are broken up Why do you want to reach these buyers?

• They are free of many economic burdens sometimes by moments of courage.

• They like to take care of themselves, be active, eat well, be fashionable, and have fun We know how this ends — Moser is saved, right? Right? — but we really • They have more free time don’t know, not until it actually happens.

• They are looking for products and services to help them age well This book is an absolute winner for your dad, your granddad, your uncle, What sectors are on the rise? anyone who’s a veteran or a World War II buff, or readers seeking a tale of The not-so-obvious: The obvious: heroism. Find it now, and let Lightning Down strike you.

SILVER ECONOMY?

• 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!

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.

Visit Our Website At:

www.50plusLIFEPA.com

Central Pennsylvania’s Award-Winning 50+ Publication

Call to learn how we can help you reach our 150,000+ readers of 50plus LIFE! 717.285.1350 or email info@onlinepub.com

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50plus LIFE

www.50plusLifePA.com

CROSSWORD

Puzzle Page

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18.

SUDOKU

Across WORD SEARCH

5- and 6-Letter Word Cities

1. ___ few rounds 4. Forehead 8. Cool drinks 12. Small brook 14. French Sudan, today 15. Sugar portions 17. Everything’s OK 19. Foxy-faced primate 20. Flycatcher 21. Baseball players at the July classic 23. Before, poetically 24. Alias 27. Fizzles out

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51.

Helpless statement Buck dispenser Diminutive suffix Uncle (Sp.) Balm ingredient Stadium sounds Forest god Dour Ticks off Driver’s aid Beetle Bailey pooch ___’easter Really nervous Danish cheese

52. Camera type, briefly 53. Color TV pioneer 56. Over a period of time 60. Bitter 62. Squirrel away 63. Conductor’s cry 66. Sleep disorder 67. Hints 68. Game equipment 69. Small whirlpool 70. Slangy assent 71. Waking ___ Devine (1998 film)

Down 1. Vineyard fruit 2. Gulf ship 3. Type of outdoor gear 4. Upscale wheels 5. Actress ___ Dawn Chong 6. Cantina cooker 7. Command answer 8. Good to go 9. Pairs 10. Mrs. Peel of The Avengers 11. Cowboy boot attachment 13. Fabrication

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12th graders (abbr.)

Close, as an envelope Fleur-de-___ Young foxes China setting More or ___ Numbers game Type of bicycle Tipster Exec’s note Hibernia Poi source In awe Cravings Casting need

47. No restrictions on a ticket 48. DiCaprio, to fans 49. Madness 50. Ho-hum 51. Exposed 54. Odyssey sorceress 55. Extra 56. Triumphant cry 57. Easy gait 58. Touch down 59. Paste 61. Atlantic food fish 64. Grassland 65. Cigar residue

Your ad could be here on this popular page!

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

www.50plusLifePA.com

50plus LIFE

March 2022

7

Savvy Senior

Do I Have to File Income Tax Returns This Year?

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, What is the IRS standard tax deduction for 2021? I didn’t file a tax return last tax year (2020) because I lost my job and my income in March due to COVID. But I got a part-time job in 2021 and am wondering if I made enough money that requires me to file this year.

– Part-Time Retiree

below the threshold for your filing status and age, you may not have to file. But if it’s over, you will.

• Single: $12,550 ($14,250 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2022)

Dear Retiree, Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year depends not only on how much you earned last year (in 2021), but also on the source of that income, as well as your age and your filing status.

Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax-filing requirement thresholds.

For most people, this is pretty straightforward.

If your 2021 gross income — which includes all taxable income, not counting your Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately — was

Why Newspapers?

84%

of Baby Boomers have taken action as a result of seeing an ad in a print newspaper in the past 30 days.2

• Married filing jointly: $25,100 ($26,450 if you or your spouse is 65 or older or $27,800 if you’re both over 65) • Married filing separately: $5 at any age • Head of household: $18,800 ($20,500 if 65 or older) • Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child: $25,100 ($26,450 if 65 or older) To get a detailed breakdown on federal filing requirements, along with information on taxable and nontaxable income, call the IRS at (800) 829-3676

How Much Do You Know about Women in History?

Take this quiz and learn something about the roles of five particular women in U.S. history: 1. Which mother led a 125-mile march of child workers from the mills of Pennsylvania to President Theodore Roosevelt’s vacation home on Long Island?

2. What did Dolores Huerta do for farmworkers in the United States?

Because in print or online, newspapers are

the most trusted source of news and information among all age groups.1

To advertise your products and services, call 717-285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com Sources: 1Coda Ventures; 2NAA

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50plus LIFE

3. Which Asian American physicist disproved a fundamental scientific law?

March is Women’s History Month

4. Who led the movement to improve conditions for poor immigrants?

5. Her 1939 Easter Sunday concert drew a crowd of 75,000 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Who was she?

See answers on page 13. www.50plusLifePA.com

and ask them to mail you a free copy of the “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for Tax Year 2021,” or you can get it online at irs.gov.

Check Here Too You also need to be aware that there are other financial situations that can require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirements.

For example, if you earned more than $400 from self-employment in 2021, owe any special taxes like an alternative minimum tax, or get premium tax credits because you, your spouse, or a dependent is enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan, you’ll need to file.

You’ll also need to file if you’re receiving Social Security benefits and onehalf of your benefits plus your other gross income and any tax-exempt interest exceeds $25,000, or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly.

To figure all this out, the IRS offers an online tax tool that asks a series of questions that will help you determine if you’re required to file or if you should file because you’re due a refund. It takes approximately 12 minutes to complete.

You can access this tool at irs.gov/help/ita — click on “Do I Need to File a Tax Return?” Or you can get assistance over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at (800) 829-1040.

Check Your State Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, don’t assume you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. The rules for your state might be very different.

Check with your state tax agency before concluding you’re entirely in the clear. For Pennsylvania, the agency is the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue at revenue.pa.gov or (717) 787-8201.

Tax Prep Assistance If you find you do need to file a tax return this year, you can free file through the IRS at irs.gov/freefile if your 2021 adjusted gross income was below $73,000.

Or, if you need some help, contact the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program.

Sponsored by the IRS, TCE provides free tax preparation and counseling to middle and low-income taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call (800) 906-9887 or visit irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep to locate services near you.

You can also get tax-preparation assistance through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide service. Call (888) 227-7669 or visit aarp.org/findtaxhelp for more information.

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.

Did you know?

is available online for anytime/anywhere reading!

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PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING Paula Musselman

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Top 10 Rightsizing Tips 1. Start with the easy stuff.

Eliminate anything that’s broken, damaged, or no longer wanted.

Then, go to the out-of-the-way spaces like attics, crawlspaces, and garages. Making progress in “easier” areas will build momentum to go through the harder-to-decide areas.

2. Ask yourself, “If this disappeared tomorrow, would I run out and replace it?” If you wouldn’t miss it or need to replace it, it’s probably not worth keeping.

3. Don’t be a storage unit for others. If friends or relatives have left things for you to store, it’s time to ask them to pick them up—or arrange to have them shipped. You may need to be tough and set a firm deadline, after which you will donate the items.

4. Ask for help. Although you can do much of this work on your own, a family member, a good friend, or even a professional organizer can help make the job more manageable.

5. Decide what’s really important. Pretend you are moving overseas, and the number of items you can take will be severely limited, and it will cost a small fortune to ship things. What items belong on your list? These are the things that matter most to you!

6. Is this something from a lifestyle I no longer have or want?

For example, if you have three cabinets full of plastic containers, but only cook for one or two people, you probably can lose a few

plastic sets—and dishes, pots and pans, etc.

7. Schedule a regular time each week—or several days per week—to work on rightsizing.

Realize that rightsizing is a lifechanging marathon, not a sprint.

You didn’t accumulate everything overnight, and you won’t sort it all out overnight either.

8. Value what you keep. The fewer things you keep, the more you will treasure and enjoy what you have, instead of tucking them away in a closet or stacked among dozens of other things. These are the few, meaningful items worth having in your personal space.

9. Prevent new collections from forming. Instead of material gifts, ask people to spoil you by sharing time, enjoying new experiences, and indulging in luxuries (spa certificates, imported chocolate, a musical or other theater production, gift certificates for dinner out, etc.)—the things you love and want, but don’t always buy for yourself.

10. Use age to your advantage.

Now is a great time to “gift” items you “eventually” want family members to have. Take a photo (preferably a digital one) of them holding the special item and create a digital scrapbook of “next generation” memories ... making your special people happy and freeing yourself of extra “stuff” that you have been charged with keeping for posterity.

My name is Paula Musselman. As the Senior Real Estate Specialist in your area, I am available to guide you through the process of preparing for a move, including a full market analysis of your home to determine value, as well as helping you with resources to declutter and stage your home and locating contractors, should you need repairs. Count on me to help take the stress out of your move!

www.50plusLIFEPA.com www.50plusLifePA.com

Paula Musselman, Senior Real Estate Specialist, Realtor Berkshire Hathaway Homesale &BTUFSO #MWE t :PSL 1" t t $FMM

50plus LIFE

March 2022

9

Traveling Post-Pandemic Will Be the Same — and Different

By Chris Holbert After months and months of not traveling to visit family and friends and to see destinations that have been on a wish list for years, more people have been booking flights and cruises and hitting the open highway.

However, COVID variants continue to cause an increase in case numbers, which is complicating things.

Some countries have put expiration dates on vaccinations, requiring people to have booster shots before they can visit and enjoy the perks of being considered fully vaccinated. States are redflagging each other, requiring people from certain regions to isolate upon arrival.

And certain venues will only allow people who are fully vaccinated to attend events from concerts to sports games.

While a lot of the details of traveling are the same, some have also changed permanently. More preparation and planning are now required to plan a successful trip, particularly for anyone who has health conditions that make them vulnerable to any illness, let alone COVID. While making travel reservations and packing bags, be sure to keep these tips in mind: Have a Healthcare Plan – We know now that just because you’ve been

vaccinated does not mean you are 100% protected against COVID. If you’re traveling a long way from home or even overseas and have to quarantine due to a positive COVID test, you’ll want to have a plan in place about where and how you’ll be able to receive medical care and where you’ll be able to stay.

Overpack Medicine, Vital Supplies – It seems like a different product or industry is still facing shortages every day. While you don’t walk into a grocery store and see bare shelves anymore, that does not mean you will not have trouble getting certain supplies while you’re traveling.

Planning ahead and bringing extra medication and other items you need to maintain your health on a daily basis is a necessary precaution, as shipping delays and sourcing continue to be a challenge.

Keep Friends and Family Informed – Everyone has a cellphone, but you never know if you might get caught in a situation where you have no signal or the battery dies.

It is best to provide friends and family with your travel itinerary before you leave home. And then, if you have to make any changes, update them along please see TRAVELING on facing page

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March 2022

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The Beauty in Nature

Waterfowl in Flight Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Winter and early spring are the in turn to the other end, becomes times of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and airborne until the whole flock is in the swans) in southeastern Pennsylvania. air, with every bird honking. The flock These exciting flocks of handsome rises like a sheet lifted off a bed by one waterfowl are inspiring to see and end first. hear lifting off from still water at dusk Blizzards of bugling snow geese in winter, steering into the wind for swirl over a feeding field, while flight control, their reflections on the individual geese float to the ground water doubling their beauty. like giant snowflakes. The field is soon Seconds later, their lines and white with snow geese.

V-shaped flocks, following each Elegant tundra swans fly in other across the sky as if on an aerial small lines and V’s, with long necks highway, are strikingly silhouetted extended. Many times I’ve watched black against the sunset as they noisily these magnificent birds set their wings head for harvested cornfields to scoop like parachutes and gently float down up corn kernels. to water or soil.

In a few minutes, thrilling skeins At sunset one winter day, I saw a Snow geese in flight. of each kind of waterfowl gracefully silhouetted group of mallard ducks circle over their chosen field to watch racing across the sky. Suddenly they for danger. swept down into drifting snow, tinged pink by the sunset, to a field to ingest Soon each group, one after another, with every pair of wings stretched out corn. like parachutes, swings into the wind and descends like a feathered waterfall One March morning years ago, many thousands of stately, loudly bugling to the field. Those ducks, geese, and swans add wild beauty and elegance to Canada geese, in flock after flock after flock, poured fairly low over my that field. neighborhood without break for about three hours!

I have pleasant memories of the majestic flights of snow geese, tundra They were all going north to Canada to raise young. That morning, all of swans, mallard ducks, and Canada geese in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where they wintered, emptied of Canada geese.

Thousands of snow geese often take flight at once, blocking out the Waterfowl in flight are an amazing, thrilling sight and exciting to hear! background, and without collision with each other.

Look for them this spring.

One end of a flock takes flight first. Then every goose across their masses,

TRAVELING from facing page the way.

A check-in every few hours with an updated location is a good idea when driving so that if anything does go wrong, people know a general area of where to look for you.

Rely on Technology – Portable power is a must for the road or air travel to ensure your phone is always powered. And keep any mobile personal emergency-response devices you may have in an accessible garment pocket.

This way, if you have an emergency and cannot dial your phone, it is within easy reach to call for help.

Consider downloading helpful weather, route guidance, gas station finders, and other relevant travel apps to your phone. These can give you alerts about bad weather, where to find gas, traffic delays, and other local news alerts.

There is always a lot to get done when planning and packing for a trip. Now the planning may take extra steps and require extra gear, but after months of staying at home, the investment in a well-planned trip may be well worth it. www.50plusLifePA.com

Chris Orestis, known as the “Retirement Genius,” is a nationally recognized healthcare expert and senior advocate. He has 25 years’ experience in the insurance and long-term care industries and is the author of Help on the Way and A Survival Guide to Aging.

Nature’s Wonders

by Clyde

A nature blog

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

Each story is like a walk with your own naturalist.

NaturesWondersByClyde.BlogSpot.com

50plus LIFE

March 2022

11

The History of Ordinary Things

Victorian Hair Receiver Bowls Doris Montag

Do you remember the early dresser sets with the comb, brush, mirror, and the matching bowl with a hole in its flat lid? In the Victorian era, this hair receiver bowl was kept on the dressing table to store hair removed from brushes and combs.

Victorian women had much time on their hands with few raw materials available. Human hair art, called “hairwork,” became popular as a way of expressing sentiment and affection. It was much like saving a lock of hair from a child’s first haircut today.

Hair was recycled and crafted in one of several ways:

and photos were a rarity. Human hair can keep its color and does not decay. If properly cared for, hair will remain stable, making it sustainable for centuries.

In 1861, when Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria plunged herself into deep, lifelong mourning. She made mourning fashionable and recognizable.

A woman in a black crepe dress and veil signaled a household in mourning, and a woman in mourning black gained more respect.

These cultural mourning practices became widely practiced by the English middle classes. Queen Victoria’s children and grandchildren were given jewelry made from her hair. Napoleon had a watch chain made from his wife’s hair.

1. Used as stuffing for a hair pillow, Many Victorian women learned the art of Today, we would describe this as a called a “rat,” which was used to bulk creating elaborate designs with hair. Finished pieces, such way of grieving and accepting the death. up women’s hair. This pillow was the as this hairwork c. the 1850s, were framed and often hung in It was the Victorian way of remembering foundation of Victorian hairstyles. parlors. their loved one.

Mortality rates in the 1800s were 2. Enclosed in a locket, a th much higher than today.

In the U.S., hair jewelry was vogue after the tradition that dates to hair memorials in the 16 century.

Civil War, which had left millions of grieving families. The deaths 3. Woven into hair jewelry, which was considered both sentimental and fostered a general mourning culture. Hair jewelry was popular because it was “decent” enough to be worn during mourning. fashionable.

Hairwork fell out of favor with the outbreak of World War I. The economic hardships, Spanish flu pandemic, and patriotic volunteering By the mid-1800s, hairwork became a parlor craft among middle-class efforts shifted the emphasis away from over-the-top mourning and rituals. white women. The long hair strands were wrapped around a thin wire.

The advent of funeral homes moved death out of the home. There were They could then be braided into detailed jewelry, woven into wreaths with also changes in fashion styles and new theories about hygiene. delicate floral designs, or arranged under glass in popular brooches.

In the early 1900s, hair jewelry could be ordered from Sears & Beads, buttons, and sometimes seeds could be incorporated. Wreaths Roebuck Co. Today, hair wreaths and pieces can be found at antique were typically formed into horseshoe shapes, a Victorian symbol of stores, at estate sales, and in a few museums. Their value continues to good luck. Hair pieces were given as gifts to friends and loved ones as increase, with prices from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, keepsakes. depending on the size and condition.

Hairwork was often shared at funerals because hair was a tangible Hairwork is now regarded as “hair art” that documents the way part of the loved one. In this era, photography was still in its infancy, please see VICTORIAN on facing page

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How Much Do You Know about Women in History?

Answers to quiz on page 8: 1. Mary Harris Jones, who became known as “Mother Jones,” led the march in 1903 to call attention to the evils of child labor.

2. Dolores Huerta, a labor activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers union in 1962 and served for more than 20 years as its vice president, chief lobbyist, spokeswoman, and labor contract negotiator.

3. Chien-Shiung Wu came to Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution, Flickr.com the United States to study science Chien-Shiung Wu performing and become the world’s foremost experiments. female experimental physicist. Her most famous experiment showed March is Women’s that the principle of conservation of parity (which states that the History Month laws of physics in a right-handed system of coordinates are the same in a left-handed system) could be violated in nature.

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4. Jane Addams co-founded Hull House in Chicago in 1889, which sought to improve the lives of immigrants by providing English classes, childcare, health education, and recreation. Addams won the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize for her dedication to the cause of international peace.

5. Marian Anderson had earlier been barred from singing in Washington’s Constitution Hall because she was Black. Her open-air concert was a triumph over bigotry.

VICTORIAN from facing page

Victorian women regarded love and loss, a story of life and death rarely told.

It also explains the hair receiver bowl in Victorianera dresser sets.

Hairwork pieces can be viewed online to appreciate their amazing intricacy.

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Doris Montag is a homespun historian and an exhibit Hair receivers were typically made of curator who researches and ceramic, bronze, or crystal. displays historical collections of ordinary things, such as can openers, crochet, toy sewing machines, hand corn planters, powder compacts, egg cartons, and more. Contact or follow her on Facebook, HistoryofOrdinaryThings.

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March 2022

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Dear Pharmacist

Suzy Cohen

5 Incredibly Fast-Acting Sore Throat Remedies

When your throat hurts it’s because it has been irritated, which can happen for many reasons.

Among the most common are postnasal drip, chronic allergies, pollution, or cold/flu.

The discomfort is usually mild and selflimited; however, sometimes a sore throat gets so bad that you need more than a Popsicle®!

My focus here is just to relieve the symptom of a non-serious sore throat. See your doctor if yours is accompanied by other symptoms, because it is an early symptom of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

Here are five incredibly fast-acting ways to soothe your sore throat: 1. Saltwater Gargle Gargling with saltwater is a well-known remedy to help with throat pain. Saltwater helps by reducing inflammation and pain in the area.

It can drive out some pathogens in the tissue simply by making your throat less hospitable to them!

Here’s a recipe that’s even better than plain saltwater.

• 8 ounces cool water • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon sea salt (or Real® salt if you have it) • Combine about 5 drops of essential oils into the saltwater using any of these: eucalyptus, peppermint, thyme, On Guard® or Thieves®, or even lemon.

Stir together and gargle with this every three to four hours.

2. Lozenges The lozenge you choose is entirely up to you, but most of them contain menthol, benzocaine, dyclonine, honey, or eucalyptus, and more!

Each ingredient does something slightly different, but they’re all similar in that they act to anesthetize your throat for a few minutes so you swallow better and find more comfort.

please see SORE THROAT on facing page

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Sixties Flashback

Where No Show Had Gone Before Randal C. Hill

When Star Trek premiered on NBC-TV in Boston-born actor Leonard Nimoy spent years September 1966, creator Gene Roddenberry was struggling for a breakout role in Hollywood, no doubt knocked for a loop when his muchwhere he once delivered newspapers and drove anticipated show tanked. It never rose above 52 a cab to make ends meet. By the time he joined in the ratings, and that was only during the first the Star Trek cast, he had acted in more than 50 season of its three-year run.

“B” movies and in minor roles on numerous TV Yet much of the technology found within those shows.

79 original Star Trek episodes resonates now in As emotionless and logically minded Mr. Spock our everyday activities. on Star Trek, Nimoy became almost as popular In 1964, Hollywood scriptwriter Roddenberry as Shatner’s Kirk character. Spock, second in (he of Highway Patrol and Have Gun – Will Travel command on the Enterprise, was half-human, fame) set out to create something unique for half-Vulcan. (Vulcans were the first extraterrestrial television — a sci-fi series different from the usual species to make contact with humans.) doom-and-gloom “rocket operas” of the day.

His split-finger Vulcan salute became iconic, Roddenberry had to work hard to sell his idea. with most viewers unaware that the gesture was Some NBC-TV honchos were initially lukewarm a Hebrew blessing that Nimoy conjured from his about Star Trek being a “cerebral” show (which synagogue youth. meant probably not generating much sponsor The series featured a groundbreaking, racially money). diverse cast, as well as American television’s first Other overly cautious executives objected interracial kiss between Capt. Kirk and Lt. Uhura to Spock’s pointy ears, claiming they looked (Nichelle Nichols). diabolical and satanic.

Star Trek never downplayed its “message” Photo credit: NBC Television Star Trek was set in the Milky Way galaxy motifs concerning war, sex, religion, politics, and Publicity photo of Leonard Nimoy and William in the 23rd century, in a utopian future where racism. Yet the show’s ongoing theme seemed to Shatner as Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk from the divisions of race, gender, and nationality have consistently be that, in the end, good will triumph television program Star Trek. become concepts cast aside. over evil.

The stories take place aboard the starship As to cultural influences, consider that much Enterprise as it journeys on a five-year mission of scientific exploration and of the Star Trek technology is commonplace now. Communication devices intergalactic diplomacy, zooming to distant planets in response to distress shown then are akin to today’s cellphones. Earpieces worn by Enterprise calls and confronting warmongering aliens. crew members have become today’s Bluetooth devices. Universal Translators The show’s spotlight fell primarily on Canadian actor William Shatner. He are replicated by modern voice-recognition software. And Zoom-type had trained as a Shakespearean actor but was willing to take whatever work videoconferencing first appeared on Star Trek’s interactive video screens. came his way, including a stint on The Canadian Howdy Doody Show.

Who says that science fiction is fictitious?

When Shatner moved to Hollywood, Roddenberry cast him as Capt.

James T. Kirk, the take-charge commander who guided the Enterprise and its 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. crew.

SORE THROAT from facing page Lozenges are not generally curative; they’re mainly for symptomatic relief, although eucalyptus does have some “kill” action.

3. A Big Spoonful of Honey For adults, a spoonful of honey is soothing to a scratchy, sore throat, especially if it is accompanied by a cough. Raw honey contains natural antibacterial agents, such as bee pollen and bee propolis.

Do not give honey to babies younger than a year or two.

4. Herbal Tea You can have it iced or warm. The temperature of the tea is completely your preference. Even when my throat is sore, I still prefer warm herbal tea over iced tea. www.50plusLifePA.com

There are commercial tea bags made specifically for sore throats, or make your own spearmint and slippery elm bark tea. Add some dried orange peel for vitamin C. 5. Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen These analgesics are great antipyretics, which is why they’re useful for both fever and pain. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen reduce swelling, which affords you temporary relief so you can take in nourishment and food.

In closing, if you develop a high fever or chills or see a buildup of pus near your tonsils, or any other symptoms that are indicative of infection, please see your practitioner and get proper antiviral or antibiotic treatment.

If you would like to read a longer version of this article, please sign up for my newsletter at suzycohen.com and I’ll email it to you.

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit suzycohen.com.

50plus LIFE

March 2022

15

Bob’s Tech Talk Extra

Bob DeLaurentis

How and Why to Preserve Your Digital Legacy

Imagine losing access to your phone and all the data you ever created. If that thought scares you, read on.

The terms “digital legacy” and “digital inheritance” describe what happens to digital information created by someone who is deceased.

Buried beneath the tech-speak is a very simple idea: Your digital information contains precious family photos, important PDFs, vital passwords, social network identities, and perhaps much more.

As more records exist only in digital form, those records may be stored on devices that relatives may not know how to access.

Moreover, every software update further blurs the line between where data is actually stored — either on-device or online.

Many people may have already unknowingly created a situation where their personal data will be lost when they die.

Leaving behind the password to your phone is a good first step, but it is not enough. With a little careful planning, you can secure your accounts and make it much easier for family members to preserve your digital legacy.

Let’s take a look at three of the most used services: Apple, Facebook, and Google.

Apple’s Digital Legacy Program Apple’s Digital Legacy program is very new. It seems polished, but I would not be surprised if you encounter a few rough edges.

It also does not have many options.

If one of your devices has the latest software update (iPhone/iPad 15.2, Mac 12.1), you will be able to designate up to five people in your contacts list as legacy contacts.

When you choose a contact, the device will generate a code to give the designee. By using that code along with a copy of a death certificate, your designee can request access to your account. From there, they will be able to retrieve any valuable data or delete the account.

The entire process is a bit easier to set up if your designee is also an Apple user, but that is not a requirement. Nevertheless, I recommend finding someone who already knows iCloud if at all possible. Otherwise, leave instructions on how to retrieve the most important data. please see DIGITAL LEGACY on facing page

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Colcannon, Soda Bread, and an Irish Ditty

By Sheila Velazquez

Once you taste it, you won’t want to wait until next St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy the caraway and raisin-rich bread that is appropriate for any meal, from breakfast to the evening snack.

The traditional St. Patrick’s Day feast is corned beef and cabbage. Potatoes round out the meal and can be boiled or mashed. I make them as Irish Soda Bread colcannon, mashed potatoes into which butter, milk, and cooked and chopped kale is mixed, • 5 C flour then seasoned with salt and pepper.

• 1 C sugar So simple, so good. I used the remaining • 1 Tbsp. baking powder container of frozen kale from last year’s garden to make the batch shown. Make extra, because it • 1 1/2 tsp. salt goes well with everything. I especially like a scoop • 1 tsp. baking soda on a plate of eggs.

• ½ C butter Corned beef comes as a point cut or a flat cut, • 2 ½ C raisins which is slightly more expensive per pound, but a • 3 Tbsp. caraway seeds better choice. Put it in a pot, cover with water, add St. Patrick’s Day • 1 egg the packet of pickling spices that came with it, bring all to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for • 2 ½ C buttermilk Thursday, March 17 about three hours.

Into a large bowl, whisk or sift together flour, If you want to boil the potatoes and cabbage sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut in butter until it is in small wedges in the same pot, add them before the meat is fully cooked/fork tender. pieces. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds.

The one-pot boiled dinner likely came about because Irish peasants did not Mix egg into buttermilk and add. Note: Soured milk can be substituted for have a lot of utensils. buttermilk. Make it by putting 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice or white vinegar for A good, big pot was critical to cooking the meals necessary to feed large each cup of “buttermilk” needed into an empty glass measure.

Irish families. It is the subject of an old tune, “Who Threw the Overalls in Then fill with regular milk to the desired level. For this recipe, that would be Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder,” which can be heard sung by vaudevillian Edward 2 ½ Tbsp. of lemon or vinegar and enough milk to equal 2 ½ C total.

M. Favor on a 1901 Edison phonograph and cylinder record from 1901.

Blend by hand only until all is moistened. Spread in a large, buttered pan or I cannot listen to or sing this ditty without laughing. It’s easily found on divide between two buttered bread pans.

YouTube if you’d like to listen and have a chuckle.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the The other traditional dish that must be mentioned is Irish soda bread — center comes out clean. If it isn’t quite done and the top is well browned, lay a also simple, and nothing beats it toasted with lots of butter. If you don’t have piece of foil over it as it finishes up. a wide-slot toaster, run thick slices under the broiler for a bit. Once cold, a 15second microwave nearly duplicates that warm-from-the-oven flavor.

DIGITAL LEGACY from facing page To find out more about the scope and requirements for Apple’s Legacy program, visit support.apple.com/en-us/HT208510.

Facebook Memorialization Facebook is a bit easier to set up because everything is stored online and can be accessed from just about any device. However, Facebook also allows an account to be converted into a memorial, which enables your digital presence to remain online long after you have passed.

Your first step is to visit Facebook Settings & Privacy > Settings > General > Memorialization Settings.

From this page, you can choose another Facebook user to take charge of your account. The page will explain the available options. They include deleting the account and managing any activity that occurs after your last post. You should contact your designee beforehand because Facebook will confirm the setting with the designee right away.

Google’s Inactive Account Manager Google’s legacy settings are known as the Inactive Account Manager. This tool has been around for years, and it has a number of options. For example, it can be set up to activate under a number of different circumstances.

Within your Google account settings, search for “inactive” to reveal the Inactive Account Manager, or select Data & Privacy, and scroll down to find the item named– “Make a Plan for Your Digital Legacy.” www.50plusLifePA.com

Click the Start button, and the Inactive Account Manager will step you though a number of decisions on how and when you wish Google to take actions on your behalf.

Control over your email account is especially important, because most password-recovery tools require an email password to reset. You should consider your email account as a sort of indirect master key to your digital assets. Keep that in mind when telling Google when to grant access to your account.

Apple, Facebook, and Google probably cover the largest group of important accounts for most people, but they are only a starting place.

Not every service has legacy settings, but, at the very least, you should leave behind a list of your accounts, passwords, and a brief overview of what they contain.

If you are the person who set up your home network, be sure to include info on base station passwords and service providers.

Pay special care with accounts with backup services like Backblaze, storage lockers like Dropbox, and any other social networks, such as Twitter and Instagram. Also, leave special instructions for any accounts that use two-factor authentication.

Data inheritance can be a complex topic. Hopefully this article will help get you started. You can learn more from the Digital Legacy Association (digitallegacyassociation.org).

Bob has been writing about technology for over three decades. He can be contacted at techtalk@bobdel.com.

50plus LIFE

March 2022

17

Weight Loss Reduces Risk of Growths Linked to Colorectal Cancer

Puzzles shown on page 7.

Puzzle Solutions

Overweight and obese people who lose weight various cancers. may reduce their chances of later developing This current study used data from participants colorectal adenoma — a type of benign growth in the screening arm of the trial, who received a or polyp in the colon or rectum that could lead colorectal cancer screening test at baseline and to colorectal cancer. again three or five years later.

The research findings were published in The investigators found that, compared to February in a new paper in JNCI Cancer stable weight, weight loss in adulthood (defined Spectrum, published by Oxford University Press. as loss greater than or equal to 1.1 pounds per Colorectal cancer is the third most common five years) was associated with a 46% reduced type of cancer and the third leading cause of risk for colorectal adenoma. death from cancer among men and women in the This was particularly true among adults who United States. were initially overweight or obese.

Over the past 30 years, obesity has increased The investigators also reported that weight in the United States and worldwide, leading to gain in adulthood was associated with an increased development of many chronic diseases. increased chance of adenoma, particularly for Obesity is a known risk factor for colorectal weight gain greater than 6.6 pounds over five adenoma and colorectal cancer. years.

Doctors recommend weight loss for overweight Findings for weight loss and weight gain and obese people commonly. Although weight appeared stronger among men than women. loss is thought to have some beneficial health The researchers believe the findings suggest March is National Colorectal effects, whether losing weight can reduce the the importance of healthy weight maintenance Cancer Awareness Month chance of developing colorectal adenoma has throughout adulthood in preventing colorectal been an open question. adenoma.

Most studies have only investigated Additionally, adults who are colorectal adenoma risk in relation to overweight or obese may be able Colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause obesity or body mass index assessed to reduce their risk for developing symptoms, especially at first. Someone could have polyps or at one time point, with fewer studies colorectal adenoma by losing weight. colorectal cancer and not know it. assessing the role of weight change.

“Our findings suggest that That is why getting screened regularly for colorectal cancer is so Researchers here assessed weight avoiding weight gain in adulthood important. change (including both weight gain may help lower someone’s chance of Symptoms may include: and weight loss) over three periods developing a precancerous growth • A change in bowel habits of adulthood in relation to colorectal called colorectal adenoma, which may adenoma using self-reported weight in turn reduce the risk of developing • Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement) data in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal colorectal cancer,” said the study’s and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. senior author, Kathryn Hughes Barry.

• Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not The trial enrolled 154,942 men “Based on our findings, we would empty all the way and women in the United States ages not recommend weight loss for all • Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away 55-74 from 1993 to 2001 to evaluate adults. But the results suggest that the effectiveness of different screening overweight and obese adults may • Losing weight and you don’t know why approaches in preventing death from benefit from weight loss.”

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Making Friends Isn’t Easy at Our Age FEBRUARY 25 - APRIL 16 Set in Hollywood in the late 1920’s, the story focuses on Don Lockwood, his sidekick Cosmo Brown, aspiring actress Kathy Selden, and Lockwood’s leading lady Lina Lamont, who’s lessthan-pleasant vocal tones make her an improbable contender for stardom in the new talking pictures. This all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza includes memorable songs such as Good Mornin’, Make ‘Em Laugh and the show-stopping Singin’ in the Rain!

Making friends is easy when you’re young, but it gets more difficult once you’re past the age of playing at recess or asking, “What’s your major?” in college.

Here are some tips from the Healthline website for making new friends at any age: Find or rediscover your hobbies. Pursuing enjoyable activities can help you relax and build new relationships more easily.

Exercise classes, social media groups, book groups, and more can bring you into contact with likeminded people also looking for companionship.

Make the first move. Don’t be afraid to ask an acquaintance out for coffee or lunch. You may get rejected — just like dating — but if you keep it casual and relaxed, the other person will often accept, forging the pathway to a new friendship.

Volunteer. Find a cause you believe in and join a group that supports it. You’ll meet people with the same values while working on projects that do some good. Common interests can help you connect and form strong bonds.

Keep an open mind. Don’t be too quick to judge the people you meet.

You may think you have nothing in common, but you might find you share more than you think.

Be willing to listen to different points of view and try new things before making a decision on whether or not you want to be friends.

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