Complimentary | York County Edition | February 2016 • Vol. 17 No. 2
Finding Love After 50 page 14
Natural Protection for Your Heart page 8
Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori
Loving Our Collections Lori Verderame
Love is one of the most common reasons why we collect objects or hand down objects. Objects come with emotions. Most people will not part with a particular item or group of items if they were handed down or amassed by a loved one, family member, or friend. I feel this way about my father’s nutcracker collection and my mother’s canister set. I wouldn’t part with them no matter what! And when someone stops collecting or is no longer able to collect, sometimes the collection is handed down. If you can retain a collection for the long term, historically, that collection will increase in value over time. So, hold on to the collection if you can. And, add to the collection when you can and start to familiarize yourself with the collection by learning
A vast collection of duck decoys becomes a late collector’s passion and his widow’s problem.
about its history and market value. For many, the love of collecting is not only commonplace, but also comforting. At other times, a collection can be a burden and present new problems. When a collection comes
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to you from a deceased loved one, the situation may prove difficult. For instance, when Frank, a longtime collector of duck decoys, passed away, his collection became the property and project of his widow.
Like most widows of collectors, Irene was happy that Frank enjoyed the process of collecting throughout their marriage. Now, with no children or interested relatives to take over the collection, Irene is left in a quandary. She doesn’t want the duck decoys. Reason No. 1 is that she can’t bear to display the duck decoys as they prompt heartache. The emotional collection reminds Irene of Frank’s passing. Reason No. 2 is the overwhelming number of duck decoys now stacked in the basement. Also, the vast collection is unfamiliar to Irene, a non-collector. She can’t identify the decoys’ sculptors, she can’t identify the regional characteristics of each decoy, and she is uninformed and at the mercy of anyone
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with information about decoys and their market value. She knows these buyers may take advantage of her. She realizes that auctions may not be the best place to sell the collection because Frank got many of his best decoy bargains by buying at auctions. If a buyer at an auction is getting a bargain, then the person selling the decoy at auction must have lost money on the transaction. Since Irene can’t tell one wooden duck from another, she begins to worry. She doesn’t like the idea of
having strangers come into the house to make her an offer on the decoys. She doesn’t know what a good offer looks like, either. If someone wants to make a killing on this collection and buy it for a song, she is in a vulnerable position. Now, Irene doesn’t know how or if she should get into the market, and she doesn’t want to keep the collection. Like many other families of collectors, Irene never thought she’d be left alone with this vast collection. Tips for this common collecting
problem include choosing one or two favorite decoys to keep as a remembrance in honor of Frank’s years of collecting. Get an appraisal from an appraiser who does not have any financial interest in the decoys—doesn’t want to sell them, doesn’t want to buy them. Be prepared to pay that appraiser for their expertise and time. Ask the appraiser to tell you the retail value of the decoy collection, not an auction value or insurance value of the collection.
Take some time to consider the market information and then make a decision about how you will act. Don’t be hasty. Get information so you can make a good decision. Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and former museum director, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel. Visit www. DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/ DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
Wisdom from ‘the Oracle of Omaha’ Warren Buffett is one of the richest people in the world, so his advice on money should be worth heeding. Here, in his own words, are some of his tips and aphorisms on saving, investing, and spending: Planning. “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long ago.”
Spending. “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.” Patience. “No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.” Mistakes. “The rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.”
Borrowing. “I’ve seen more people fail because of liquor and leverage— leverage being borrowed money. You really don’t need leverage in this world much. If you’re smart, you’re going to make a lot of money without borrowing.” Risk. “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”
Debt. “The most important thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.” Values. “Live your life by an inner scorecard.” Happiness. “Too often, a vast collection of possessions ends up possessing its owner. The asset I most value, aside from health, is interesting, diverse, and longstanding friends.”
At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away. Active Adult Communities Roth’s Farm Village Roth’s Church Road, Spring Grove (717) 633-7300 Animal Hospitals Community Animal Hospital Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M. 400 S. Pine St., York (717) 845-5669 Automobile Sales/Service Gordon’s Body Shop, Inc. 10 Mill St., Stewartstown (717) 993-2263
Funeral Services/Monuments The Tompkins Agency (717) 968-8908
Home Care Services Senior Helpers (717) 920-0707
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services Hanover: (717) 630-0067 Lancaster: (717) 393-3450 York: (717) 751-2488
Services York County Area Agency on Aging (800) 632-9073
Alzheimer’s Information Clearinghouse (800) 367-5115 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400
Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency 2861 E. Prospect Road, York (717) 757-6980
The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 or (717) 757-0604
Energy Assistance Low-Income Energy Assistance (717) 787-8750
Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment (717) 232-6787
Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900
Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
www.50plusLifePA.com
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Housing Assistance Housing Authority of York (717) 845-2601 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Insurance – Long-Term Care Apprise Insurance Counseling (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073 Medical Equipment & Supplies Medical Supply (800) 777-6647
Transportation Rabbittransit (717) 846-7433 Travel AAA Southern Pennsylvania (717) 600-8700 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
Nursing/Rehab Pleasant Acres Nursing and Rehabilitation 118 Pleasant Acres Road, York (717) 840-7412
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The Bookworm Sez Corporate Office
3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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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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Terri Schlichenmeyer
Where We Belong: Journeys that Show Us the Way
You have to be somewhere today. There’s no hurry or schedule to follow, but you must get there on time. You don’t have a map or itinerary and the destination might be a surprise, but once you arrive, as happens in the new book Where We Belong by Hoda Kotb (with Jane Lorenzini), you’ll be in exactly the right place. It’s natural: a turn of the calendar, and you’re feeling some inner restlessness. It’s OK to admit it, says Kotb: You sense that there’s more to life, and you yearn to find it. The good news is that it’s never too late to start working toward that perfect spot in your world; in fact, here, Kotb introduces readers to people who did. Michelle Hauser grew up in Mason City, Iowa, living sometimes with her mother and sometimes with her father. By age 10, she skillfully ran a household; at 12, she landed a paying job because she sensed a need for self-sufficiency; at 14, she worked in a restaurant, where her love of cooking was cemented. She ultimately became a chef, but throughout her life, she always harbored a dream of being a doctor. It would be even better if her two passions could unite … Craig Juntenen never wanted children and had taken steps to ensure that it didn’t happen; his wife, Kathi, had known about his tenets when they were dating, and
Where We Belong: Journeys That Show Us the Way By Hoda Kotb with Jane Lorenzini c. 2016, Simon & Schuster 272 pages she accepted them. She was, therefore, very surprised when Craig came home after a golf outing and announced that he had an idea that ultimately changed their lives and their family, when two became five … Kay Abrahams grew up in the lap of luxury with everything she wanted—except parental attention, which she longed for. Her parents loved her, that was a fact, but they were busy with careers and had little time for her. Eventually, she fell into the same situation, but a move halfway across the country helped her find the “family” she needed. And for successful businessman
Lindley DeGarmo, the move away from a sales career meant moving toward a job closer to his heart— and to his soul. So where’s your turning point? It won’t be identical to the ones you’ll find inside Where We Belong, but you’ll get a lot of inspiration just the same—you’ll also get a lot of same. Indeed, the stories here are all very similar and, with one exception, preexisting wealth shows up quite often in the tales. That may turn a few readers off. And yet, who doesn’t struggle with New Year’s resolutions? If you’ve made ’em, then you probably do, and author Hoda Kotb (with Jane Lorenzini) offers something here that’ll energize you: true, encouraging stories. If those everyday people can identify, find, and accomplish lifechanging goals, surely you can, too. And so, in the end, I mostly enjoyed Where We Belong. It’s a happy book, perhaps just what’s needed to start a year with myriad possibilities. And if you’re eager for that, then this book belongs in your hands. 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.
Who’s Drinking All the Coffee? Lots of people depend on coffee to get them through the day. According to figures from Gallup, 64 percent of U.S. adults drink at least one cup a day. Some drink more: • One cup: 26 percent • Two cups: 19 percent
• Three cups: 8 percent • Four or more: 11 percent • None: 36 percent Coffee is somewhat more popular with the older generation, with 74 percent of people 55 or older drinking it daily, a habit shared by just 50 percent of the 18-to-34 crowd.
Women drink a little more than men: Sixty-six percent of women report having one or more cups per day, while 62 percent of men say the same. And Caucasians drink more than African-Americans—67 to 59 percent.
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Savvy Senior
Jim Miller
How to Protect Your Eyes from Macular Degeneration
Dear Savvy Senior, Is macular degeneration hereditary? My mother lost her vision from it before she died a few years ago, and now at age 65, I’m worried I may get it. What can you tell me? – Nearsighted Susan Dear Susan, Having a parent or sibling with macular degeneration does indeed increase your risk three to four times. But the good news is there are things you can do to protect your eyesight and a number of treatments that are available if you do happen to get it. Here’s what you should know. What is AMD? Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (or AMD), is the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 50, affecting about 10 million Americans. AMD is a progressive eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the eye that allows us to see objects clearly, causing vision loss in the center of your vision. This affects the ability to read, drive, watch television, and do routine, daily tasks, but it does not cause total blindness. There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. Dry AMD, which affects about 90 percent of all people who have it, progresses slowly and painlessly over a period of years, while wet AMD is much more aggressive and can cause severe vision loss in a matter of weeks or months. Factors that can increase your risk of getting AMD include age (60 and older); smoking; excessive exposure to sunlight, especially if you have light-colored eyes; certain genetic components; a family history of AMD; high blood pressure; obesity; and being Caucasian. For anyone over the age of 60, it’s a smart idea to get your eyes www.50plusLifePA.com
examined Avastin, and Eylea) available that can fatty acids; by an stop vision loss and may even restore protecting ophthal– your eyes it. These medications are given by mologist injection into the eye and repeated from the every year. every month or two, perhaps sun by They can indefinitely. wearing spot early UVNote that each of these three drugs signs of works equally in treating wet AMD, protective AMD sunglasses; but there’s a big cost difference. before Avastin costs just $50 per month, controlling vision loss compared with $2,000 for the other high blood occurs. two. So experts recommend Avastin pressure; February is Age-Related Early as the first choice for most people exercising signs, with wet AMD, especially if you Macular Degeneration Month regularly; however, don’t have supplemental Medicare and if you may smoke, quit. coverage. include shadowy areas in your central vision or unusually fuzzy or distorted Jim Miller is a regular contributor to Wet AMD Treatments the NBC Today show and author of The vision. The Amsler grid (www. For wet AMD, there are several Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org amslergrid.org) is a good tool to check effective medications (Lucentis, your eyes for AMD. Preventing AMD While there’s currently no cure for AMD, there are some things you can do if you’re high risk. One option is to talk to your doctor about taking a daily dose of antioxidant vitamins and minerals known as AREDS: vitamins C and • Are age 55 or older E, plus copper, lutein, zeaxanthin, • Live on a low to moderate income and zinc. Studies by the National Eye Institute have shown that AREDS • Enjoy meeting new people can reduce the risk by about 25 percent that dry AMD will progress. Most drugstores sell these eye supplements in tablet or soft gel form over the counter for around $20 to $30, but be aware that not all • Make weekly home visits to lonely or isolated elderly eye supplements contain the proper • Earn a tax-free stipend formulation. Choose either the PreserVision Eye Vitamin AREDS • Receive mileage reimbursement and other benefits Formula, PreserVision Eye Vitamin Lutein Formula, PreserVision For more information, to volunteer, or to receive this free service AREDS2 Formula, or ICAPS AREDS. These four options contain the right formula mix. Other lifestyle adjustments that may help prevent or delay AMD include eating antioxidant-rich foods, such as dark-green, leafy vegetables and cold-water fish for their omega-3
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Is This Thing On?
Tips for Safely Shopping Online Abby Stokes
You can’t see or touch the merchandise, so what makes online shopping so appealing? Well, the following three aspects, for starters: 1. Comforts of Home: You don’t need to leave your home (or office) to shop. Therefore, no parking hassles, no waiting in long lines, and no fighting for the last iPhone on the shelf. 2. Global Access: Stores all over the world are at your fingertips. 3. Savings: Online retailers save on personnel and other overhead costs. They often pass the savings on to you. Start with the Familiar Get your feet wet with a visit to the website of a “brick-and mortar” store
you frequent in your area. If you shop at Home Depot, visit their website: www.homedepot.com. Is Macy’s one of your shopping spots? Visit www.macys. com. Or you could pop into the website of a catalog that you patronize. Perhaps you are a Crate & Barrel (www. crateandbarrel.com) fan or a Harriet Carter (www.harrietcarter.com) loyalist. Be On the Lookout If, at any time, you see a customer-
Account Representative
service number, jot it down. Websites are notorious for concealing their contact numbers. For reasons of cost, most sites prefer all correspondence to be by email. I may be old fashioned, but when I have a complaint or question, I’d like the option to speak to a human being. If you return to the website seeking out their telephone number, look for Contact Us, Customer Service, or About Us. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Sometimes, what you seek (and they hide) is in very small letters at the end of the webpage. Satisfaction & Safety Guaranteed To ensure that your credit card information is safe, most websites encrypt the page where you enter your credit card, making it safer for transmission. You’ll know the page is protected when http at the start of the website address has an added s (https) for security. A closed padlock might appear at the bottom of the browser window. An open padlock or a broken key at the bottom of the window indicates you are not on an encrypted page. If the unfortunate happens and someone abuses your credit card (and, remember, the Internet may not have even played a role in the event), under federal law your liability is limited to $50. If a breach of security on the part of the website revealed your credit card
On-Line Publishers, Inc., a 20-year-old publication and event-production company, is seeking an account representative to sell our award-winning 50plus LIFE, Resource Directories, events, and websites.
If you are hard-working, positive, outgoing, and enjoy selling products you believe in, please email your resumé and compensation history/requirements to danderson@onlinepub.com or mail to D. Anderson c/o On-Line Publishers, 3912 Abel Dr., Columbia, PA 17512.
information, the website should pay this amount for you. The American Bar Association has an informative website: www. safeshopping.org. (Note: It is .org, not .com.) Visit their site for more information before you start shopping on the Internet. If something happens that warrants you bringing in the big guns, contact the Better Business Bureau at www. bbbonline.org. You could also fill out a complaint form with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. Type “complaint” in the internal search engine. You Are in Control If a website is really confusing or poorly designed, feel free to abandon the mission at any time. In most cases, you can find the same item being sold on several different websites. No one can save you from your own bad shopping habits, online or otherwise. Step away from the mouse when considering the 1980s sweater that glows under black lights. It wasn’t a good idea back then, and it certainly isn’t a good idea now. Do you really need another circular saw? Aren’t two enough? Yes, I know it was a great deal, but stand firm. The convenience of the Internet can definitely feed the impulse shopper in all of us. Practice restraint and enjoy your purchases! Abby Stokes, author of “Is This Thing On?” A Friendly Guide to Everything Digital for Newbies, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming and its companion website, AskAbbyStokes.com, is the Johnny Appleseed of Technology, singlehandedly helping more than 300,000 people cross the digital divide.
Visit Our Website At:
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EOE
Central Pennsylvania’s Award-Winning 50+ Publication www.50plusLifePA.com
Celebrating the History of Black History Month
Feb. 3, 1870: The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote. Feb. 25, 1870: The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822www.50plusLifePA.com
• Long-Term Care • Short-Term Rehab • Specialized Dementia Unit • In-house PT/OT/ST • In-house Pharmacy • Specialized Ventilator Unit with 24- hour Respiratory Care
Efficiency apartments for seniors who want to enjoy independent living with the freedom to come and go without worry.
Located at 118 Pleasant Acres Rd, York For More Information Call: (717) 840-7100
Are You Reading? Join the 2016 One Book, One Community campaign by reading Gaining Ground by Forrest Pritchard 80 libraries in Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign.
Attend free library programs and discussions in February!
Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more
17th Annual
Please join us for these FREE events! NEW LOCATION!
LANCASTER COUNTY
May 18, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Shady Maple Conference Center Smorgasbord Building 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl
17th Annual
May 31, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
June 8, 2016
13th Annual
We owe 1901), took his much of oath of office. our greater understanding Feb. 12, of black history 1909: The to Carter G. National Woodson. Association Born to for the former slaves, Advancement of Woodson Colored People worked hard was founded and against by a group the tide of of concerned prejudice to black and white obtain his own citizens in New education. York City. In earning his doctorate Feb. 1, 1960: A Carter G. Woodson from Harvard, group of black Woodson was Greensboro, disturbed to find that during his N.C., college students began a studies, history books virtually sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s ignored the black American lunch counter. The event marks a population. So he decided to take watershed moment in the civil-rights on the challenge of writing black movement. Americans into the history books. He established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now called the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History) in 1915, and a year later founded the widely respected Journal of Negro History. Then in 1926, he launched Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month, as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. February was chosen as Black History Month for the significant events and people who figured prominently in black American history. For example: Feb. 23, 1868: W.E.B. DuBois, civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born.
Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
CHESTER COUNTY
Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available (717) 285-1350 (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
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Dear Pharmacist
Natural Protection for Your Heart Suzy Cohen
Dear Pharmacist, Both my father and brother have suffered a heart attack. I’m worried because I’m 52 years old and my blood pressure is slightly elevated, but other than that, I am pretty healthy. All my tests are OK, but I am scared. Any suggestions? – P.A. Just because your relatives have suffered a heart attack, doesn’t mean you will, so realize that in this moment, you are still healthy. Positive thoughts reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which damage the heart. Because you have a family history of heart disease, remain vigilant about eating a healthy, well-balanced diet; doing aerobic exercise; and taking essential nutrients that help maintain
supplement or normal blood pressure and a trace-mineral supplement a cholesterol. few hours after Most you take your Americans medicine can take blood pressure drugs. mitigate side effects. Pharmaceutically While blood speaking, there pressure or are more than cholesterol 100 different pills to tackle medications, high blood February is American Heart Month beta blockers, pressure. In some calciumchannel blockers, and digoxin may instances, these are helpful, but they be prescribed by your physician, it’s relax blood vessels temporarily, while important to realize that their effect the disease process continues. on your body is only temporary. Many drugs used to lower blood pressure just so happen to be drug The under–lying disease and muggers of magnesium, zinc, calcium, inflammation will continue to and iron, so taking a multi-mineral destroy the delicate pipeline: your
Did You Know? Certain antidepressants, decongestants, and painrelieving narcotics can alter heart rhythm. blood vessels, arteries, and capillaries. This is why vitamin C, lysine, and proline help, because they keep your blood vessels flexible and help reduce plaquing. I wrote a whole chapter on heart disease in my diabetes book, and right now, I’d like to share some of the most important supplements that could help a person reduce their risk of heart attack. Obviously, ask your physician
Around Town
Senior Commons Carolers Spread Holiday Cheer Take a quick survey on issues important to people over 50. You will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Giant. You benefit and so does the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. They too will receive a $100 gift card. The drawing will be held on March 31, 2016.
You’re a SageAge and we want to hear from you ... and your friends, family, and coworkers! Go to www.SageAgeToday.com to enter! Contest sponsored by:
LIFE
The winner will be selected at random. You may enter no more than once a day. The winner will be emailed and called.
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Senior Commons at Powder Mill staff and residents went caroling around York County on Monday, Dec. 21, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. Residents from Senior Commons donned Santa Claus hats and traveled to Villas on the Lake, a 55-plus community, Resident carolers included, from left, where they sang carols Dorothea Anderson, Arlene Hershner, Joyce Wilt, and Alice Evans. and delivered soup for the holidays. “Our residents thoroughly enjoyed singing for other seniors to spread joy this holiday season,” said Shannon Shoff, marketing director. “Some seniors might not get out as often during the holidays, so it was nice for our own senior residents to bring some holiday cheer to community members, and they all were very appreciative.” If you have local news you’d like considered for Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com
www.50plusLifePA.com
which supplement(s) are right for your individual condition: Arginine – It’s an amino acid that the body makes on its own. You can buy it too. In 2009, researchers at the University of Virginia found that it could help people with heart failure. Ribose – It’s a naturally occurring sugar that the body uses to make ATP, your energy molecule. Ribose improves blood flow and provides much-needed oxygen to the heart. Hawthorn – It’s an herb that increases the amount of blood your heart pumps, and it lowers blood pressure over time. Hawthorne turns on an anti-aging switch in your body (a gene called PGC-1 alpha), which
helps you burn fat more efficiently. Fish Oils – They improve cholesterol ratios and reduce risk of blood clot formation. Taurine – It’s an amino acid that helps regulate heart rhythm, regulate blood pressure, and lower blood pressure. Sometimes potassium deficiency contributes to heart problems. If your doctor has told you that you’re low in this mineral, check in your medicine cabinet because some medications are drug muggers and can actually reduce potassium levels. This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit SuzyCohen.com
The Beauty in Nature
Starting Reproductive Cycles Clyde McMillan-Gamber
To me, February By late February in southeastern or early March, each Pennsylvania is hen begins laying an exciting month eggs in her cradle because midon the ground. February is the Each goose lays four start of spring in to six eggs, while this area. each mallard lays Daylight each up to 15. Goslings succeeding day and ducklings take is noticeably about 28 days to longer, stirring hatch, so we see Male cardinal. the hormones of newly hatched several kinds of youngsters of geese local birds and mammals and starting please see CYCLES page 11 their reproductive cycles that we humans can observe. Their courting is a welcome herald of spring’s arrival and a prelude to raising young. By the middle of February, pairs of local Canada geese and mallard ducks fly alone across the sky. Each pair is looking for a place near an impoundment or slow-moving waterway in farmland to build a nest on the ground and hatch offspring. Toward the end of that month, most pairs have decided on and defended a spot, and the females of each pair created a grass-and-feather nursery among tall vegetation. www.50plusLifePA.com
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CCRC Continuing Care
Retirement Communities CCRCs offer a tiered approach to the aging process, accommodating residents’ unique and often changing needs. Healthy adults entering a CRCC are able to live independently in a home, apartment, or condominium of their own within the community. When assistance with everyday activities becomes necessary, they can move into personal care, assisted living, rehabilitation, or nursing care facilities. Some CCRCs have designated dementia areas within the community. These units address the progressing needs of people who have any form of dementia. With a wealth of available resources, these communities give older adults the option to live in one location for the duration of their lives, with much of their future care already figured out — which equals both comfort and peace of mind.
Bethany Village
325 Wesley Drive Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 Stephanie Lightfoot Director of Sales & Marketing (717) 766-0279 www.bethanyvillage.org
Calvary Fellowship Homes
Chapel Pointe at Carlisle
Cross Keys Village The Brethren Home Community
Homeland Center
The Middletown Home
Pleasant View Retirement Community
502 Elizabeth Drive Lancaster, PA 17601 Marlene Morris Marketing Director (717) 393-0711 www.calvaryhomes.org
Cornwall Manor
1 Boyd Street, P.O. Box 125 Cornwall, PA 17016 Jennifer Margut Director of Marketing (717) 274-8092 info@cornwallmanor.org www.cornwallmanor.org
770 South Hanover Street Carlisle, PA 17013 Linda Amsley Director of Marketing/Admissions (717) 249-1363 info@ChapelPointe.org www.ChapelPointe.org
2990 Carlisle Pike New Oxford, PA 17350 Amy Beste Senior Retirement Counselor (717) 624-5350 a.beste@crosskeysvillage.org www.crosskeysvillage.org
Homestead Village
999 West Harrisburg Pike Middletown, PA 17057 Andrea Henney Director of Residential Services (717) 944-3351 www.MiddletownHome.org
Enhanced Senior Living 1800 Marietta Avenue P.O. Box 3227 Lancaster, PA 17604-3227 Christina Gallagher Director of Marketing (717) 397-4831 ext. 158 www.homesteadvillage.org
St. Anne’s Retirement Community
Serving from the Heart in the Spirit of Friendship, Love, and Truth
Willow Valley Communities
3952 Columbia Avenue West Hempfield Township, PA 17512 Mary Jo Diffendall Director of Marketing (717) 285-5443 mdiffendall@stannesrc.org www.StAnnesRC.org
600 Willow Valley Square Lancaster, PA 17602 Kristin Hambleton Director of Sales (717) 464-6800 (800) 770-5445 www.willowvalleycommunities.org
1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 Barry S. Ramper II, N.H.A. President/CEO (717) 221-7902 www.homelandcenter.org
544 North Penryn Road Manheim, PA 17545 Amanda Hall Sales & Marketing Manager (717) 664-6207 ahall@pleasantviewrc.org www.pleasantviewrc.org
Woodcrest Villa Mennonite Home Communities 2001 Harrisburg Pike Lancaster, PA 17601 Connie Buckwalter Director of Marketing (717) 390-4126 www.woodcrestvilla.org
The CCRC Communities listed are sponsoring this message. This is not an all-inclusive list.
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CYCLES from page 9 and mallards around the third week in April. On warm afternoons in February, male permanent-resident birds, including mourning doves, Carolina wrens, northern cardinals, song sparrows, tufted titmice, house finches, and eastern bluebirds, begin singing to establish nesting territories and attract females of their respective kinds to them for mating and raising young. Those lovely birds sing in response to their waking hormones as each succeeding day has a longer period of sunlight. With closed beaks and swollen throats, male doves coo through the day while perched on twigs and wires. And they engage in noticeable courtship flights of deep wing beats and gliding in circles above their nesting
territories to show off to their mates. In our imaginations, male wrens might sing, “tea-kettle tea-kettle,” while male cardinals sing, “cheer, cheer, what cheer.” And titmice utter, “Peter, Peter, Peter.” All these songs sound cheery to us, lifting many human spirits weary of winter. More striped skunks, opossums, raccoons, woodchucks, cottontail rabbits, and muskrats are killed on roads in February and early March than any other time of the year. Probably most of them were males traveling over unfamiliar ground in search of mates. February is a time of courting and mating to produce another generation of youngsters. And those preludes to reproduction help make that spring month interesting.
Information and support whenever you need it View online at: www.onlinepub.com (under supplements)
York County
Volunteer Spotlight York Volunteer Feeds Café Patrons RSVP of the Capital Region’s York County volunteer of the month for February is D. Monine Seitz. Seitz volunteers at Healthy World Café in the city of York. She prepares and serves food for customers who visit the café for lunch. Born and raised in York County, Seitz is married and has two daughters and five grandchildren. She retired from York Bank & Trust’s operations department. Seitz likes to bowl and also volunteers at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center and the Pullo Center. RSVP, the nation’s largest volunteer program for adults aged 55-plus, works with volunteers to
D. Monine Seitz
help match their time and talents with volunteer positions in the community. For more information, email YorkAdamsFranklin@rsvpCapReg. org or call Scott Hunsinger at (443) 619-3842 or the statewide Senior Corps of PA toll-free hotline at (800) 870-2616. www.rsvpcapreg.org
Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’ Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.
Calendar of Events
Community Programs/Support Groups Free and open to the public
Senior Center Activities
Feb. 1, 9:30 a.m. Green Thumb Garden Club Meeting Emmanuel Lutheran Church 2650 Freysville Road, Red Lion (717) 235-2823
South Central Senior Community Center – (717) 235-6060, http:// southcentralyorkcountysrctr.webs.com Tuesdays, 10 to 11 a.m. – Stretch Yoga W ednesdays, 9 to 9:45 a.m. – Intermediate Line Dancing; 10 to 11 a.m. – Beginner Line Dancing Wednesdays, 12:45 p.m. – HoopFit
Feb. 2, 7 p.m. Surviving Spouse Socials of York County Faith United Church of Christ 509 Pacific Ave., York (717) 266-2784
Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m. Partners in Thyme Herb Club of Southern York County John Rudy Park 400 Mundis Race Road, York (717) 428-2210
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Parks and Recreation Feb. 14, 2:30 to 4 p.m. – Geology of York County, Nixon County Park Feb. 14, 6 to 8 p.m. – Sweetheart Hike, Heritage Rail Trail Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to noon – Eastern Penn Mushroomers Club Meeting, Nixon County Park
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Susquehanna Senior Center – (717) 244-0340, www.susquehannaseniorcenter.org Mondays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Chorus Practice Tuesdays, 6 to 10 p.m. – Bluegrass/Country Music Jam Session Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
Library Programs Collinsville Community Library, 2632 Delta Road, Brogue, (717) 927-9014 Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Purls of Brogue Knitting Club 50plus LIFE t
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Salute to a Veteran
Robert D. Wilcox
In World War II He Flew for the Yanks … and for the Brits
At age 94, Richard Boyd is a clear reminder of Hollywood’s handsome Errol Flynn. And he has a dashing past to match, virtually all of which was devoted to aviation. The exploits started for him in 1941 in his native England, when he was 19 and volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a crewmember. He was selected for pilot training and began flying the Tiger Moth single-engine biplane. And just before he was to solo, his whole world changed. The chief of the U.S. Army Air Corps, “Hap” Arnold, had proposed that a limited number of British young men be trained in our aviation cadet program. Boyd was one of five picked from his group and soon was on his way to the U.S. via a holding base in New Brunswick, where a
The Lancaster bomber in which Boyd flew his missions.
Flying Officer Richard E. Boyd in 1945.
group of soon-to-be cadets was being assembled. Then, in 1942 he was sent to
Albany, Ga., to join the aviation cadet class of 42-I, flying the Stearman PT-17. Did he wear an American uniform? “All but the forage cap, which earmarked me as a Brit,” he says. In succession then followed basic flying at Macon, Ga., and advanced flying at Valdosta, Ga., where he
got his U.S. wings and RAF rank of pilot officer (the equivalent of our 2nd lieutenant). He then shipped to Toronto in 1943, where he most memorably met and dated the winsome Rita Mary O’Gorman (more on that later). It was there that he also was unexpectedly picked to be one of five pilots from his group of 60 to go to Texas to attend the Army Air Corps Central Instructors School at Kelly Field. Having completed that instructor training, he was assigned to Ellington Field in Houston, where he served as an instructor pilot in AT-9s and AT-10s. In December, he was called back to the RAF, and he shipped from New York for Europe aboard the Queen Mary. What was that like? With a chuckle, he says, “It was
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Every Hero Has a Name.
Address_ _______________________________________________________
Is your military hero also your spouse, child, grandchild, friend, or neighbor?
City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ _______________ Please specify edition: oChester oCumberland oDauphin oLancaster oLebanon oYork
Help us put a face and a name to the courageous men and women who are currently serving or who have served in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Name_ ________________________________________________________
Would you like to serve those who have served?
April 6, 2016
is an online photo gallery honoring the military heroes in our lives.
York Expo Center
Upload your hero’s picture, name, and information at VeteransExpo.com/salute-to-service.
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
www.veteransexpo.com
Salute to Service
Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Ave., York
The Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair welcomes volunteers! If you can help with registration or stuffing attendee bags for all or just part of the day, we’d love to have you. Contact Kimberly Shaffer at (717) 285-8123 or kshaffer@onlinepub.com for more information.
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a madhouse. With 16,000 troops aboard, there were bunks stacked everywhere. Mine was actually on the bridge of the vessel.” The Queen Mary was the largest and fastest troopship during World War II. In her seven years of wartime service, she ran an unescorted, zigzag course for 569,429 miles as she carried 765,429 troops across the Atlantic to England. Arriving in Liverpool, Boyd was sent to Scotland to train to fly the British way. He laughs at the way a sergeant pilot said, “I understand that you trained in the American Air Force.” When Boyd agreed that he had, the sergeant said briskly, “Ah … we’ll soon correct that.” That was followed by flying the twin-engine Wellington, then the four-engine Stirling, and finally the formidable, four-engine Lancaster. That amazing bomber could carry almost its own weight with 33,000 pounds of fuel and bombs. It was the only plane that could handle the RAF’s giant, 22,000-pound, specialpurpose bomb, the Grand Slam. While we think of the Brits as bombing in the night while we bombed by day, the RAF bombed a lot by day, as well. Boyd, for example, flew 11 missions by day and 22 at night. At night, he was four times picked to be “marker crew,” which dropped flares to light up the target. He remembers one night when he had a problem with his radar over Dresden and had to face the flak during three runs over the target to hit it. He also recalls a daylight mission when they were to bomb German troops at the east end of the Remagen Bridge over the Rheine, only to be called away at the very last minute upon learning that the Yanks had now crossed the bridge and actually were the troops below them. For his wartime service, Boyd was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On V-E Day, Boyd was at home on leave and was assigned to transport
command, where he flew Stirling bombers that had been converted to carry troops and equipment to Karachi, India, to fight the Japanese. What was the closest he ever came to buying the farm? Scratching his chin, he says, “That has to be the time after the war when I was flying in a York transport plane as an observer. We crashed on landing, and I spent six months in the hospital in a full-body cast. That’s a time I don’t even want to think about.” Leaving the RAF in 1947, Boyd worked as a flight operations officer for British Overseas Airways. He had been corresponding regularly with Rita, that girl in Toronto, and only then when he had a real job did he feel that he could send the letter that said, “Will you marry me?” along with a one-way ticket to England on the Queen Mary. Even though they hadn’t been together in person in four years, she came, they quickly married, and for 68 years have never regretted the decision. In 1951, Boyd joined the Dutch airline KLM for five years before Swissair asked him to work for them and open a New York City office. To do that, he and Rita came to New York, where they lived on Long Island. Boyd became operations manager, North America, in 1969 and retired in 1986 after 30 years with the company. With his complimentary airline tickets, he and Rita have literally traveled the world. They came to Central Pennsylvania in 2013 to live in one of its retirement communities. And Boyd is proud of the space it gives him for a “war room” in which he keeps a treasure trove of aviation books, pictures, documents, and awards … all that reminds him of the lifetime he’s been privileged to spend in the cutting-edge world of aviation. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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April 6, 2016 June 10, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center
Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Ave., York
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Reading Hotel 1741 Papermill Road Wyomissing
Please, join us! This combined event is FREE for veterans of all ages, active military, and their families.
At the Expo
Veterans Benefits Community Services Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs Education/Training Services
At the Job Fair
Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsors: Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Communications PA National Guard Employment Outreach Services Veterans’ Affairs of Berks County
Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available
www.veteransexpo.com (717) 285-1350 www.olpevents.com
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Cover Story: On Life and Love after 50
Greetings, Introductions, and 10 Tips for Finding Love
Tom Blake
I am honored, especially on Valentine’s Day, to be introduced to your newspaper. I have a warm spot in my heart for Pennsylvania. My mother was born in Erie. My column started when two female editors in Dana Point, Calif., gave me my first writing assignment. I had just gone through a divorce and thought dating would be easy. It turned out to be difficult, and I wrote about the frustrations of a single guy in his early 50s trying to date again. I complained and whined that younger women wouldn’t go out with me and women my age expected me to pay for dates. The editors felt that the single women in Southern California would have a field day taking potshots at my woe-is-me message. They were right. When my first column ran, a woman said: “Who is this sniveling puke?” Another said, “Get the boy a crying towel.” Women told me my writing became less controversial when I started dating my life partner, Greta. I’ve written approximately 3,500 articles and newsletters on finding love in the later years, and writing on this topic has been good to me. I’ve published three books and have been interviewed by Matt Lauer on the Today show and Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America—very humbling.
My writing scope has broadened to: “On life and love after 50,” as older singles deal with life issues often beyond the scope of just dating. My advice is applicable to anyone age 50 to 90. Yes, I know people in their 90s who have found love. While my articles target singles, approximately 35 percent of my readers are married. Many tell me that reading about the hardships singles endure encourages them to appreciate their spouses more. My advice to married couples is usually pretty simple: Stay together and work out any issues. Let’s have fun together. Maybe we can help some older singles find love. But to continue writing about senior dating, I need input from readers— your questions, comments, and stories about life and love after 50. Email me at tompblake@gmail. com and I will respond within a day or two, unless I’m traveling overseas. Who knows? We might include you in a column.
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One thing is certain: As more and more people become single later in life, there are always new and challenging issues. People often tell me, “I never thought I’d be single at this stage in my life.” My hope is to help as many of them as possible. Tom’s 10 Tips for Finding a Mate My life partner, Greta, and I had dinner with a widower friend of ours after Christmas. As we were leaving the restaurant, he said, “I don’t want to be alone anymore. But I don’t know how to meet a potential mate. What do you advise?” I put together a list that would help him get started. I call it Tom’s 10 Tips for Finding a Mate. The tips apply to both men and women. 1. Let friends, family, and acquaintances know that you’d like to meet other singles. That’s what Ken did with me. He let me know that he was rejoining the human race and
wanted to meet new people. The more people he gets the word out to, the better his chances of finding someone. It’s called networking. And it works. A week after Ken asked for advice, I received an email from a single woman in his city. I asked each one of them separately if they’d like to correspond. They said yes. Had Ken not mentioned his situation to me, I wouldn’t have thought about introducing them. 2. Get off the couch and out of the house. You won’t meet anybody sitting at home. You need to be where you will meet new people. Sure, it takes energy and time, but it will give you a purpose. Attend weddings, reunions, church activities, dances, and accept all invitations to events. Volunteer. Another widower I know volunteers at a nearby hospital twice a week and helps feed the homeless at his brother’s church twice a month. He’s met single women at both places. 3. Go out to enrich your life and meet new people. Do not go out solely to find a mate. People looking too hard come off as desperate and end up turning off the opposite sex. Often, it’s when we
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aren’t looking that we meet someone special. 4. Pursue activities you enjoy where both sexes are involved. For guys repairing old cars, you likely won’t meet a potential mate. Ditto for women who are quilting. 5. Get the body moving. Walk and exercise. Be friendly to folks you see along the way. Offer to walk with them if appropriate. 6. Keep expectations in check. Meeting a potential mate won’t be easy, but don’t give up. It takes time. 7. Internet dating is one method of meeting potential mates. For people living in remote areas, online dating may be a necessity to meet new people. For people 50-plus, online dating is risky. There are scammers and evil people looking for vulnerable and lonely singles. However, it has worked for lots of couples. If a guy online sounds too good to be true, he is. Trust your instincts. Don’t be naïve.
8. Smile and be friendly, positive, and upbeat. If you are in a postoffice line, or a grocery-store line, be assertive by striking up a conversation—but don’t be overly pushy about it. 9. Check out the website Meetup (www.meetup.com). There is no cost and they have clubs and groups across the U.S. that cover all kinds of special interests. Pick some different ones and attend them. You will be enriching your life and making new friends. 10. Subscribe to my weekly On Life and Love after 50 e-newsletter at www. FindingLoveAfter60.com. There is no cost. More than 1,000 singles ages 50 to 90 from across the country share their experiences, frustrations, and successes.
You’re not just a business. You’re not just an organization. You’re a resource. You care about the region you serve and provide valuable services to seniors, the disabled, caregivers, and their families. Help them find you by being included in your county’s premier annual directory of resources for these members of your community.
Above all, recharge your batteries and get out and meet new people. I’m betting our friend Ken will be up and running in no time. For dating information, previous articles, or to sign up for Tom’s complimentary, weekly e-newsletter, go to www. findingloveafter60.com.
Senior Helpers® Caregivers
Are Like Family. This is why families trust in-home senior care from
Most comprehensive directory of its kind! • Online e-dition for anywhere, anytime access • Complementary print edition — no additional charge
Emmy® award-winning broadcaster Leeza Gibbons knows that when you trust your loved ones in the care of professionals, you want to know they will treat them like family. When families need to trust someone like family, trust Senior Helpers®. Visit us at SeniorHelpers.com/harrisburg, e-mail us at bobbi@SeniorHelpers.com or call us at 717-920-0707.
The Last Laugh “I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes, because I know I’m not dumb ... and I also know that I’m not blond.” – Dolly Parton “The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.” – Mark Russell
• Links consumer with the appropriate information and resources • Supports local agencies and promotes efficient coordination of services • Produced by a company that has been dedicated to the area’s 50+ community and its people for more than 20 years • Distributed throughout the county, including government offices, CVS/pharmacies, doctors’ offices, 50plus EXPOs, and wherever 50plus LIFE is distributed
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Ad closing date: April 15, 2016 Contact your account representative or call 717.285.1350 now to be included in this vital annual directory. 717.285.1350 • 717.770.0140 • 610.675.6240 info@onlinepub.com • www.onlinepub.com
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