York County Edition
June 2013
Vol. 14 No. 6
Made to Move Diver, Bicyclist, and Hiker Finds Health on Land and Sea By Megan Joyce Our bodies—no matter their age—are designed to move. Health professionals are continually extolling this wisdom to their patients for improved physical and mental well-being. In surprisingly varied ways, Bill Hager has built a lifestyle with this maxim at its center. Hager, a successful businessman with a local family history that’s generations deep, likes to keep most of his time anything but spare. Hager is an avid bicyclist, hiker, and scuba diver—not to mention magician and photographer. “I have found that, for myself, if I’m moving, I’m feeling better, and if I’m moving, I’m less convinced that I can’t do it anymore,” Hager laughed. Hager’s affinity for the sea and its depths began as a boy, born into a family that always loved the seashore. “There were a couple of shows on TV that really motivated me and turned on my imagination, and one of those shows was Flipper,” he said. “I had this dream that someday I would live in Florida and have my own dolphin, of course.” Fast forward a few decades, and Hager has dozens of scuba dives under his water-logged belt. In the 18 years since he got hooked on diving—after trying out a resort course on scuba diving while vacationing in Nassau— Hager has dived in locales such as Grand Cayman Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both in the Caribbean. He has also taken scuba courses both locally and on subsequent vacations, which culminated in his earning his advanced open water certification. please see MOVE page 15 Bill Hager astride his bicycle in front of Erb’s Covered Bridge near Rothsville, which is included in his bicycle club’s Covered Bridge Metric Century ride.
Inside:
Traveltizers: Follow the Gold page 6
How Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Help Early Retirees page 12
Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Appraising Thomas Jefferson’s Desk Dr. Lori uring a recent episode of Discovery channel’s TV show Auction Kings, I appraised a Federal-period writing desk that was once owned by President Thomas Jefferson. I described the desk as Hepplewhite in style. Like Jefferson, many of us own examples of Hepplewhite furniture today, both originals and reproductions. In its day, Hepplewhite was often referred to as “city furniture.” George Hepplewhite (died 1786) was a London designer and cabinetmaker. His famous guidebook, The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide, was published in 1788 after his death. The guidebook sparked a period of popularity for the furniture designs known as Hepplewhite style from 1780 to 1810. Hepplewhite furniture was especially popular in American states from New England to the Carolinas
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during the Federal styled and period. straightforward. One of the They may be a most popular rectangular spade pieces in the foot (like the Hepplewhite style garden tool) or in is the dining-room the shape of an sideboard or arrow (as if the buffet. In the early arrow is shot 1800s, a sideboard directly down into was a new the ground) at the Photo courtesy staff of www.DrLoriV.com furniture form. bottom of the leg Dr. Lori on the set of Discovery’s Auction Hepplewhite of a chair or sofa. Kings with President Thomas Jefferson’s Hepplewhite slant-top writing desk. sideboards are On heavier often bow-shaped, pieces of furniture Bombay-shaped, or serpentine (curved). like a desk, chest, or tall case, bracketed In the late Victorian period, circa 1870s feet are common. and ’80s, Hepplewhite reproductions Also, an H stretcher is common on came to the market. Hepplewhite chairs and sofas. It is a One of the distinguishing traits of reinforcing piece of wood that connects true Hepplewhite furniture is a the legs of a chair or sofa to form the consistency of formal design. shape of the letter H. The Hepplewhite-style feet are simply One of the most characteristic traits of
Hepplewhite furniture is the use of intricate inlays of contrasting woods and burl veneers. Hepplewhite pieces may be made of sycamore veneers, birch, rosewood, satinwood, maple, and mahogany. Decorative motifs include urns, feathers, geometric shapes, shields, ribbons, swags, and leaves. Today, Hepplewhite furniture commands high values at auction. A reproduction Hepplewhite sideboard can command a few thousand dollars on the open market whereas a good, original example of Hepplewhite furniture can bring $50,000 to $75,000 at auction. Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, awardwinning TV personality, and TV talk show host, Dr. Lori presents antiques appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori is the expert appraiser on Discovery channel’s hit TV show Auction Kings. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
Community Animal Hospital Our caring, well-trained staff will treat you and your pet like family
Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M.
Michael Schindler, V.M.D. Office Hours: 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday 8 - 11:30 a.m. Saturday Doctor’s Hours by Appointment
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Serving the York community for over 40 years. (717) 845-5669 • 400 South Pine Street • York
is seeking an ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE On-Line Publishers, Inc. has an opening for a highly motivated person with a professional attitude to sell print and online advertising as well as niche events. The successful candidate should: • Enjoy building and maintaining your own long-term business relationships. • Be highly motivated, detail oriented, and able to multitask. • Have good communication skills. • Show a willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment. We offer a competitive compensation plan with a benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401(k) plan. If you have sales experience and are interested in joining our growing sales team, please send your resume and compensation history/requirements to danderson@onlinepub.com. On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 www.onlinepub.com
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The Squint-Eyed Senior
Why We Need More Grandkids Theodore Rickard hat’s all this talk about Social Security running short of money? It seems to have something to do with “the fiduciary.” “The fiduciary” sounds very important to me, but it also sounds like something to do with Wall Street, and that makes me pretty skittish about it in view of what’s happened over the past few years. I have learned the gist of Social Security’s problems via a seriously bald pundit on TV. Seriously bald men, I believe, should be taken seriously. Jokesters and other trivial people always seem to have full heads of hair. Anyway, the concern is that there are too many people drawing Social Security and not enough people paying it. That
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situation, I can see, could have dire consequences. I have broached this subject with the treasurer of our fiscal family unit, she of the lifetime spousal appointment as family comptroller. “I’m sure they’ll straighten it out, dear,” was her response. And the more I thought about it, she was probably right. Again. For example: The year that two of the grandkids were old enough to spend the
Resource Directory Eye Care Services Leader Heights Eye Center 309 Leader Heights Road,York (717) 747-5430
Animal Hospitals Community Animal Hospital Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M. 400 S. Pine St.,York (717) 845-5669
Gastroenterology Gastroenterology Associates of York 2690 Southfield Drive,York (717) 484-2143
Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency 2861 E. Prospect Road,York (717) 757-6980 Energy Assistance Low-Income Energy Assistance (717) 787-8750 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 Alzheimer’s Information Clearinghouse (800) 367-5115 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 or (717) 757-0604 Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
remarking about this with considerable emphasis at the time. Then as the future rushed upon them, at the end of the year, and before spring break, each of the lifeguards got an official form that summarized their year’s income and withheld taxes. One could call this the “wage-earner’s great awakening.” Their father—who hadn’t yet discovered the educational necessity of spring break and was still speaking to both of them—explained what FICA actually meant. Just what the initials do stand for escapes me for the moment. I’ll bet it did him, too, but he also let drop that the FICA tax was what paid Social please see GRANDKIDS page 8
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summer working as lifeguards, they got great suntans— which will delight the local dermatologists a few years from now—and read a lot of trashy novels. Nobody drowned. The paychecks were deposited at the local bank to provide funding for the next year’s freshman college expenses. These turned out to include spring break, which pretty well wiped out the funding. I remember their father’s
Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment (717) 232-6787
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Home Care Services Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services (717) 630-0067 – Hanover (717) 751-2488 – York
Salon Services Trimmer’s Hair & Nail Care 112 Brittany Court, Red Lion (717) 246-4844
Housing/Apartments Elm Spring Residence 118 Pleasant Acres Road,York (717) 840-7676 Housing Assistance Housing Authority of York (717) 845-2601 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 York Area Housing Group 118 N. George St.,York (717) 846-5139
Services SeniorLIFE 1500 Memory Lane Ext.,York (717) 757-5433 York County Area Agency on Aging (800) 632-9073 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
Insurance – Long-Term Care Apprise Insurance Counseling (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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Salute to a Veteran
They Took a Bullet from His Leg 18 Years after Combat
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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June 2013
Robert D. Wilcox erald Cramer grew up in Harrisburg. He had always been the kind of guy who had looked for where the action was. He had, for example, hitchhiked to the West Coast through the northern states, and then returned the same way through the southern states. He had left with $60 in his pocket and came back with $6 and change. Wanting to fly, he applied to the Navy but found that he was colorblind. So he enlisted in the Army while a senior in high school, and then completed a semester at Dickinson College before being called in. At the time, he was raring to go … never guessing that he was to be grievously wounded in combat or that he was to be awarded a Purple Heart with three Battle Stars. He took his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then was assigned to the 87th Division. When he learned that he was to ship out of New York on the Queen Elizabeth, he figured things couldn’t get much better than that. He was to go on the largest ocean liner ever built, with luxurious amenities and a peacetime crew of 1,200. What he found when boarding in New York, however, was that all the amenities had been exchanged in wartime for a refitting to carry 10,000 troops jammed into every spare inch of space on the great vessel. Not that it mattered a lot, because the ship, cruising at 26 knots, made the crossing to Scotland in a mere 4.5 days. She was so much faster than the German u-boats that she sailed without a convoy, zigzagging her way across the sea with only her great speed to protect her. Cramer later learned that, by the end of the war, the Queen Elizabeth had carried more than a million troops to the warzone in the course of sailing 500,000 miles. Arriving safely in Scotland, the division moved south to England, where they joined General George Patton’s Third Army and staged for movement to France. Reaching
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LeHavre, France, on Nov. 28, 1944, they joined the VIII Corps that played a key role in exploiting the breakout from the Normandy beachhead. They surged into Brittany and then across northern France. Bypassing Paris, they liberated large chunks of territory. When the 101st Airborne Division was besieged at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the Third Army was quickly turned north to successfully relieve the division.
Staff Sergeant Gerald Cramer, after leaving the Army in 1946.
Cramer shakes his head as he tells of the fighting at the “bulge.” “It was so cold,” he says, “that lots of men lost toes and feet from freezing. I poured rifle oil over mine, and that seemed to insulate them enough.” The Third Army successfully sealed off the western end of the “bulge” and moved on through Luxembourg. In the first week of February, they pushed through the vaunted Siegfried Line into Germany. And that’s where Cramer’s war ended. On Feb. 28, 1945, he was a staff sergeant leading a dozen or so men toward Germans who were in a wooded area ahead of them. Suddenly, fire from a German machine gun ripped him with bullets
that took out his right eye, broke ribs in the right side of his chest, and hit his right leg. As the Germans were driven back, he remembers one of his buddies who came to recover him saying to another, “I think he’s dead.” “That’s when I managed a moan to let them know that, at least, I was still alive.” They moved him to a field hospital, then to a hospital in Belgium, and finally to a major hospital in England. The hospital in Belgium patched up his ribs, using 32 sutures to close the wound. They removed his right eye and took skin from his neck and leg to reconstruct the eye socket. In England, they decided that the eye socket would look more normal if they used skin from his mouth. So the surgery was done and he was fitted with a glass eye. He was then flown back to the U.S. and admitted to Valley Forge General Hospital for further recuperation until he was discharged from the Army in July of 1946. He adds, “They thought it better not to take out that bullet in my right thigh. But, over 18 years, it had migrated to just behind my right knee, making it hard for me to bend my leg. So they took it out. But,” he says, feeling his left thigh, “I still have a piece of shrapnel here.” After he was discharged, he went back to Dickinson College and earned his degree. He worked in a hardware store his dad owned in Carlisle. Then, in 1951, he moved to York to help his dad run City Floors, which he managed for 40 years. He’s a much-honored veteran in York and makes it a point to take part in many veterans activities. He’s always aware, of course, of how close he came to sacrificing his life in the service of his country … and is thankful for the skilled Army surgeons who permitted him to enjoy so many more years of an active life. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Such is Life
No More Patiently Waiting Saralee Perel ost veterinary practices have TVs in the waiting rooms. Just like in an elevator where nobody acknowledges the other, everyone stares at that TV. Our dog, Becky, is terrified at the vet’s. When I cuddled her the last time we were there, I could feel her shaking. I saw other dogs crying and trembling while their owners were trying to comfort them. But did I offer a treat from my pocket or even pet them? Nope. There aren’t many places where we’re more connected to each other than in waiting rooms. Yet when I’m in one, I keep to myself, hiding behind a magazine while pretending I can’t hear the voices of people sitting right next to me. But the thing is—basically we’re in these rooms for the same reasons. In my neurologist’s waiting room, we’re all sitting there with various forms of paralysis. And we don’t speak to each
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other? Sheesh! On one visit, when I was wearing my awful, rock-solid, Darth-Vader-style neck brace, I actually turned away from anybody who was wearing the same brace, intentionally avoiding eye contact. Double sheesh! It’s not like we don’t notice these huge, dreadful appliances around our necks. Yet we handle this strong group connection by isolating ourselves from one another. Last week, I was in a dentist’s waiting room while my husband, Bob, was having a tooth extracted. This time I brought a book to use as a barricade.
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Within a few feet of me, a young boy was crying. “I’m scared,” he said to his father. So what did I do? I kept reading. And then I had that moment. That once-in-a-lifetime moment. I made a change—one from which I will never return. I put my book down and whispered to them, “I’m the same way at dentist appointments. A friend taught me to massage the skin between my left thumb and forefinger whenever I’m anxious.” I showed them what I meant. Then I watched as the father cradled his son’s
hand and helped him to relax. “It’s working,” the boy’s dad said to me, as his son slowly stopped his rapid breathing and began yawning. The next time I’m in a waiting room, I will not miss the opportunity to connect with another who’s scared. Many are just as frightened as I am, just as lonely, just as needful for a human, or dog, connection. From now on, I’m going to try to break through the isolation and hopefully make it a tiny bit better—for patients, their families, their caregivers, their friends, for me, for Bob … and especially for Becky. Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. Her new book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. To find out more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email sperel@saraleeperel.com.
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Traveltizers
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Follow the Gold By Andrea Gross I enter my hotel room, open the drape, and there it is—Colorado’s Pikes Peak, one of the world’s most famous mountains, outlined against the setting sun. This is the very same view that greeted Katharine Lee Bates when, after a day atop the 14,000-foot granite mound, she penned the words to “America the Beautiful.” As I look out the window of our hotel, the Hilton Antler (called the Antler Hotel in Bates’ day), I’m similarly inspired but less talented. Fortunately, my husband captures the scene with his camera. Long before Bates wrote about the “spacious skies,” the mountain had energized other Americans. As the easternmost big peak of the Rocky Mountains, visible for 100 miles, it was a beacon for gold prospectors as they set forth on the last, and longest-lasting, American gold rush.
Katharine Lee Bates wrote the words to “America the Beautiful” while looking at this view of Pikes Peak.
Dahlonega Square is rich with historic buildings that house restaurants and boutiques.
A tour of Consolidated Gold Mines takes folks back to the first major gold rush in American history.
Locals try to strike it rich at the Crisson Gold Mine in Dahlonega.
Where it All Began – Georgia, 1826 We begin our Gold Route Tour 1,500 miles from Pikes Peak in the small towns west and north of Atlanta. Both the Cherokee and the Spanish found nuggets of Georgia gold as early as the 16th century, but the real rush didn’t begin until the mid-1820s. We learn this while watching a film at Villa Rica’s Pine Mountain Gold Museum, which is built on the site of an old gold mine. Afterward we walk a 3-mile trail that’s dotted with old mining equipment. Interpretative signs tell us that the equipment was abandoned when a man who was out hunting deer 100 miles to the northeast quite literally tripped over a golden rock. Within a year, 15,000 men left Villa Rica to go to the new site, Dahlonega, which gets its name from the Cherokee word for “yellow.” The town has a charming main square, a museum located in a historic courthouse, two gold mines, and, best of
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COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIRS
When you patronize our advertisers, please let them know you saw their ad in Mining is still big business near Cripple Creek, Colo.
The Rush in the West – California, 1849 The Dahlonega rush paled in comparison to the one that took place in California in the late 1840s. On Jan. 24, 1848, a man named James Marshall was building a mill for Captain John Sutter when he spotted a gold rock. News traveled fast, and soon an estimated 300,000 people headed west to try their luck and test their skill. The old mill is long gone, but there’s a replica in Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park near Coloma, along with other reminders of gold rush days: a store mill, a 19th-century school, and two stores that are reminders of the Chinese who helped settle the area. Later we drive south on Highway 49, which links old mining towns filled with quaint bed-and-breakfasts and awardwinning wineries housed in restored gold-era buildings. After about two hours we reach Columbia State Park, where costumed actors show us how folks lived during the golden days. We visit period-specific stores, see blacksmiths at work, and take a ride in a stagecoach. For more information, visit www.coloma.com and www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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A narrow-gauge train through Colorado’s mining country is an excellent way to learn the history of the area.
Pine Mountain Gold Museum in Villa Rica’s Stockmar Park features an old water wheel.
all, a place where we can—or so we fantasize—strike it rich. After touring the underground Consolidated Gold Mines, we head to Crisson Gold Mine, where we find several locals panning for gold. “I come every weekend,” one confesses. “It’s fun, but I’d be better off playing the stock market.” We leave without investing in a gold-panning experience. For more information, visit www.villaricatourism.com and www.dahlonega.org.
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THERE’S NO NEWS LIKE Pikes Peak or Bust – Colorado, 1859 Not long after disheartened prospectors abandoned California, gold was found in a Colorado creek. More than 50,000 ever-hopeful men, urged on by the slogan “Pikes Peak or Bust,” raced to find their fortune in the Rockies. The nearby towns of Cripple Creek and Victor became go-to, get-rich places. We begin our tour at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, where we’re crammed into an elevator for a twominute ride that takes us 1,000 feet underground. A guide lets us experience what it was like for the miners by turning off the lights and turning on the drills. The darkness is oppressive, the noise deafening. Although I believe him when he says that conditions are better now, I still cross “miner” off my list of possible second careers. To learn more about the history of the area, we board a narrow-gauge steamengine railroad for a 45-minute ride through rocky hills covered with spindly pines and abandoned mine structures, some of which sit atop mines that are as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. Many folks estimate that these hills still hold more than $6 billion of gold. In the meantime, as trucks and drill rigs race around the stepped walls of the vast caldera where the mineral is hidden, Cripple Creek is almost as well known for its casinos as for its mining. It seems that the search for gold takes many forms. For more information, visit www.visitcripplecreek.com and www.pikes-peak.com. Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
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GRANDKIDS
Attention Veterans! Does Your Name Belong on this Monument? The Court of Valor is a Veterans feature that includes a large steel I-beam from the World Trade Center. The feature stands over 13-feet high and 11-feet wide; over 18,000 pounds of granite was used in its construction. A flag is suspended in the monument’s archway, symbolizing the dedication and service of those who defend our nation’s freedoms. In order to qualify, Veterans or their families submit military records proving their status as valor medal recipients. A volunteer panel of Veterans determines awardees.
This honor is bestowed at no cost to Veterans or their families. To determine your eligibility for this unique honor, please call Prospect Hill Cemetery at 717-843-8006 or visit online at www.ProspectHill.org and click on Court of Valor on the homepage. Prospect Hill Cemetery • 700 N. George Street • York, PA 17404
from page 3
Security checks to Grandmother and Gramps every month. This proved too much information, in my opinion. I won’t say it really changed the children’s attitudes, but they’ve been looking at us kind of funny ever since and, sometimes, rather askance or even snootily, I think. Since then, I have been doing some head counting. Each of our adult children has a job. Most of their spouses have jobs also. Since none is behind bars, we can assume each is paying up the tax. Also, the older of their offspring have jobs. And, likewise, they are at large. Even aside from the suntanned and dermatologically at-risk lifeguards, several of the other older grandkids have at least part-time or summer employment. The way I figure it is this: If Social Security taxes total 13 percent, divided between employer and wage earner, as we have been told, it takes only eight workers to pay us just as much as they are earning, doesn’t it? (Eight times 13 percent equals 104 percent if you remember to carry the two.) Since there are a lot more than eight in our family—not counting the idly frolicking grandparents—what’s the problem? We recipients are no longer
straightening teeth, feeding teenage weightlifters, and funding a lot of expensive etcetera, so the numbers should work out pretty well. In fact, we should be living pretty high on this deal. But knowledgeable financial people continue to insist that Social Security is in dire straits, fiscally speaking. Clearly, then, not everybody has eight or more workers out there, funding their fair share. Besides which, there are our grandkids’ other grandparents out there, someplace. We both send and receive Christmas cards with/from them. We aren’t close enough to ask if they are receiving Social Security checks on a regular basis, but it’s just about a sure thing that they are. So it’s obvious that we, the more mature portion of the population, must think seriously about the future. We must be fiscally responsible. However, as politicians battle heatedly over all sorts of proposals, nobody even mentions the obvious. More grandkids. Just don’t tell the fathers. They get kind of testy about money sometimes. A collection of Ted Rickard’s family-fun essays is titled Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids. It is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.
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Survey Finds Older Motorists Practice Safe Driving Nine in 10 older drivers buckle up when they get behind the wheel and more than a third have taken driver improvement courses, according to data surveying more than 7,000 seniors. Survey findings, collected by AAA, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and AARP, also reveal that twice the number of women attended driver safety courses despite the fact that older men drove more often than older women by 12 percent. AAA is promoting the data to help debunk the perception that older drivers are a menace on the road. “The silver tsunami is often unfairly dubbed as risky and dangerous. These data tell us that they practice safe driving behaviors and that more than a third of older drivers have actively sought out and participated in programs to improve their skills,” says Jenny M. Robinson, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. The findings were collected from drivers who participated in CarFit, a free program offered by AAA, AOTA, and AARP. Typically offered at community
events, CarFit runs drivers and their vehicles through a 12-point checklist with trained technicians who assess the fit of a driver’s car by checking for optimum and safe settings, such as distance from and sight line above the steering wheel and proper mirrors settings. According to CarFit participant data, the top four “fit” challenges for older drivers included improper distance from steering wheel (59 percent); adequate and safe views from side mirrors (32 percent); improper seat height (28 percent); and improper head restraint height (21 percent). After a run through the CarFit program, 97 percent of participants’ issues were resolved. Other survey data revealed that more than half (52 percent) of drivers 65 and older typically drive seven days a week. “Even when they’re driving every day, seniors do not pose a disproportionate threat on the roads,” said Robinson. “In fact, drivers in their mid-to-late 80s have lower crash rates per mile driven than drivers in their early 20s and roughly half the crash rate of teenagers.”
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Five-time recipient Mercedes-Benz BEST OF THE BEST Dealer Recognition Award 2008/2009/2010/2011/2012 Courtesy pickup and delivery & car wash for service customers. Family owned & operated for 30 years.
Sun Motor Cars 6677 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg Toll Free 877-316-3030
mercedes.sunmotorcars.com 50plus SeniorNews t
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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes Bethany Village — Maplewood
Colonial Lodge Community
325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.bethanyvillage.org
2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519 717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: Yes Private: 100 Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: 1-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Beautiful environment, rural setting yet within walking distance of area shopping and community services.
Brandywine Senior Living at Longwood
Garden Spot Village
301 Victoria Gardens Drive • Kennett Square, PA 19348 484-734-6200 • www.brandycare.com
433 South Kinzer Avenue • New Holland, PA 17557 717-355-6272 • www.gardenspotvillage.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 86 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
On-call Medical Service: No Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: At Brandywine Senior Living – life is beautiful!
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Ideal for people who relish independence yet welcome caring assistance. Live with Opportunity.
Chapel Pointe
Homeland Center
770 South Hanover Street • Carlisle, PA 17013 717-249-1363 • www.chapelpointe.org
1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 53 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: No Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 50 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: No Pets Permitted: No
Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Exemplary care in a caring, beautiful environment has been provided for more than 140 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Attorney General Issues Warning about Scam
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June 2013
“Do not ever give out personal, healthcare, or bank account information over the phone, unless you initiated the call and you know who is on
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Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane recently issued a consumer alert about an apparent scam concerning the Affordable Care Act. In recent days, people across the country have received calls asking for personal information, in order to obtain a “national medical card” from the government. No such card exists.
Do not ever give out personal, healthcare, or bank account information over the phone.
the other end,” said Kane. Kane said if someone calls, offering to help you obtain this nonexistent national medical card, you should
call the AG’s Health Care Hotline at (877) 888-4877. Any information you can provide—such as the name, telephone number, or location of the caller—will be very helpful. You can learn more about this (and other scams) by visiting the attorney general’s website at www.attorneygeneral.gov. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes Homewood at Plum Creek
Mennonite Home Communities
425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com
1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 98 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 165 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Excellent care in a lovely environment. Call to schedule a visit.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: No Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Supportive, encouraging environment. Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.
Lakeview at Tel Hai Retirement Community
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community
1200 Tel Hai Circle • Honey Brook, PA 19344 610-273-4602 • www.telhai.org
1700 Normandie Drive • York, PA 17408 717-764-6262 • www.normandieridge.org
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Total AL and/or PC Beds: 55 Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Discover a vibrant community of peers where you can enjoy life and loved ones can relax.
Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Private or shared living in spacious rooms with private baths. Friendly staff assist where needed to help maintain your independence.
This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.
Social Security News
Will You Pay FICA Taxes if You Return to Work? By John Johnston Question: I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income? Answer: Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year, Social Security automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. Question: I know that Social Security’s full retirement age is gradually rising to 67. But does this mean the “early” retirement age will also be going up by two years, from age 62 to 64? www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Answer: No. While it is true that, under current law, the full retirement age is gradually rising from 65 to 67, the “early” retirement age remains at 62. Keep in mind, however, that taking early retirement reduces your benefit amount. Question: Do I automatically get Medicare benefits if I’m eligible for disability benefits? Answer: After you have received disability benefits for 24 months, we will automatically enroll you in Medicare. We start counting the 24 months from the month you were entitled to receive disability, not the month when you received your first benefit payment. Sometimes you can get State Medicaid in the meantime. There are exceptions to this rule. People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and chronic renal
disease may be able to get Medicare earlier.
shelter that is given to you or is received by you because someone else pays for it.
Question: Next month I’ll turn 65 and, because of my financial situation, I thought I’d be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). But my neighbor told me I’d probably be turned down because I have a friend who said he might help support me. Is this true? Answer: If your friend helps support you, it could have an effect on whether you get SSI and on the amount you receive. Whether you can get SSI depends on your income and resources (the things you own). If you have low income and few resources, you may be able to get SSI. However, if you are receiving support from your friend or from anyone else, that income will be considered when making a decision on your SSI eligibility and amount. Support includes any food or
Question: If I retire and start getting Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, will my Medicare coverage begin then too? Answer: No. Medicare benefits based on retirement do not begin until a person is age 65. If you retire at age 62, you may be able to continue to have medical insurance coverage through your employer or purchase it from an insurance company until you reach age 65 and become eligible for Medicare. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call (800) 7721213 (TTY (800) 325-0778). John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
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Savvy Senior
How Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Help Early Retirees Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about the new Obamacare health insurance exchanges that begin next year? I am interested in retiring early at age 61, but I need to find some affordable health insurance until my Medicare benefits begin in a few years. – Ready to Retire Dear Ready, The new health insurance exchanges—also known as Health Insurance Marketplaces—that begin in 2014 will be a welcome benefit to millions of Americans who need health insurance, especially uninsured baby boomers and pre-Medicare retirees who often have a difficult time finding affordable coverage. How It Will Work As part of the Affordable Care Act,
starting Oct. 1 you will be able to shop and compare health insurance policies in your area and enroll in one directly through your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace website. The policies will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. You’ll also be happy to know that federal law dictates that Marketplace insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge you higher rates based on preexisting health conditions, and they can’t charge women more than men. But, they can charge older customers more
than younger ones— up to three times more. Every state will have a Marketplace, but each state can choose how it will operate. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia will run their own state-based Marketplace, seven states will partner with the federal government, and 26 states will offer federal Marketplaces. Pennsylvania is among the latter. The differences between federal and state programs will be subtle. You will be able to access each
state’s Health Insurance Marketplace at www.healthcare.gov. The policies available through these Marketplaces will be sold by insurance companies and will provide a package of 10 essential benefits, including emergency services, hospital care, lab services, prescription drugs, doctor visits, preventive care, and rehab services. To make shopping and comparing a little easier, the health plans will be divided into four different levels— bronze, silver, gold, and platinum—each offering similar benefits but with a different cost structure. The bronze plan will have the lowest monthly premiums but have highest out-of-pocket costs, while the platinum plans will have the highest premiums but the lowest deductibles and co-payments. The Marketplaces will also offer a tollfree hotline to help you choose a plan
11th Annual
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
Sept. 18, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue, York
17th Annual
14th Annual
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards • John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday • Bruce Collier & The Drive Home
NEW LOCATION!
Oct. 24, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com
WE PLAY OVER 1500 GREAT SONGS! 12
June 2013
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Carlisle Expo Center 100 K Street Carlisle
Nov. 6, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available 717.285.1350 717.770.0140 610.675.6240
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
that meets your needs and budget. These helpers aren’t associated with any particular plan, and they aren’t on any type of commission, so the help they give you will be completely unbiased. Costs and Tax Credits Prices will vary depending on where you live, your age, and the health plan you choose. Exact cost structures for most Marketplaces will be released within the next few months. To help make coverage affordable, sliding-scale tax credits will be available if you earn less than 400 percent of the poverty level—that’s $45,960 for a single person and $62,040 for couples. These tax-credit subsidies will provide immediate savings off your monthly premiums.
To find out if you qualify, or to see how much a tax credit will reduce your monthly costs, you’ll need to submit a Marketplace application in October or when you decide enroll. In the meantime, you can calculate your potential tax-credit premium savings by using the Kaiser Family Foundation calculator at http://healthreform.kff.org. Click on “Interactive Features” and then scroll down to “Subsidy Calculator.” For more information on the Health Insurance Marketplaces, including a checklist of things you can do now to help you choose a plan, visit www.healthcare.gov/marketplace. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers Available The York County Area Agency on Aging, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, is again offering the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program to eligible York County seniors. This program provides $20 in vouchers to eligible seniors to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from participating local farm markets. York County residents who are 60 years of age or older, and who have a 2013 total gross annual household income at or below $21,257 for a single person or $28,694 for a couple, are eligible to participate. All income is included when calculating total gross income. Proof of age and York County residency must be shown to obtain vouchers. A Farmers Market Proxy Form, along with proof of age and residency, is required for anyone picking up vouchers for another eligible individual. The proxy form is available at most senior centers or can be downloaded from the Forms & Documents page of the Agency on Aging’s website (www.ycaaa.org). One individual may not pick up vouchers for more than four people. Individuals are eligible to receive the vouchers only once per calendar year. The vouchers can be redeemed between June 1 and Nov. 30. Residents of nursing homes, personal care facilities, or any residential setting that offers meals are ineligible to receive the vouchers. Vouchers will be distributed from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the following York www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
County locations, or as long as the voucher supply lasts: June 3 – Stewartstown Senior Center, Broadway and Main streets, Stewartstown June 4 – Golden Visions Senior Center, 250 Fame Ave., Hanover June 5 – White Rose Senior Center, 27 S. Broad St., York June 6 – Heritage Senior Center, 3700 Davidsburg Road, Dover Township June 24 – Susquehanna Senior Center, 2427 Craley Road, Lower Windsor Township June 25 – Hanover Council of Churches, 136 Carlisle St., Hanover June 26 – Dillsburg Senior Activity Center, 1 N. Second St., Dillsburg June 27 – Red Land Senior Center, 736 Wyndamere Road, Newberry Township July 9 – Yorktown Senior Center, 509 Pacific Ave., York July 10 – White Rose Senior Center, 27 S. Broad St., York July 11 – Red Lion Area Senior Center, 20-C Gotham Place, York Township July 16 – Brown’s Orchards & Farm Market, 8892 Susquehanna Trail South, Springfield Township Anyone requiring further information should contact the York County Area Agency on Aging at (717) 771-9610.
Strawberry Cream Tarts By Pat Sinclair Fresh strawberries at their peak of flavor are the centerpiece in these elegant but simple tarts. Save a few of the best berries to use as a garnish on each tart. Strawberries are available year round, but nothing compares with the flavor of locally grown, fresh berries, so I can hardly wait to make this in the summer berry season. Makes 4 Ingredients 1 1/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin 3 tablespoons cold water 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed Directions Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray four muffin cups in a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine the coconut and butter in a small bowl. Press about 1/3 cup into four muffin cups, covering bottom and pressing up sides. Press firmly. Coconut may extend slightly over the top. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until coconut is crisp and browned. (Cover pan loosely with foil to prevent over browning if necessary.) Cool on a wire cooling rack. Gently remove cups from pan. Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl; let stand for about 15 minutes or until juicy. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a microwaveable cup. Let stand for one minute until the gelatin is thoroughly moistened. Microwave 30 seconds or until liquid is clear. Mix well. Stir in lemon juice. Add gelatin to strawberries. Cool to room temperature or until the mixture mounds slightly when stirred. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into coconut cups, mounding over top. Chill several hours before serving.
Cook’s Note: I have also prepared this recipe in parfait glasses. Instead of making individual tarts, I toasted the coconut on a baking sheet in a 325-degree oven. Watch carefully, as it can turn dark and bitter very quickly. Once the strawberry filling begins mounding, alternate layers of coconut and cream in dessert cups or parfait glasses. Garnish with sliced berries. Copyright by Pat Sinclair. Pat Sinclair announces the publication of her second cookbook, Scandinavian Classic Baking (Pelican Publishing), in February 2011. This book has a color photo of every recipe. Her first cookbook, Baking Basics and Beyond (Surrey Books), won the 2007 Cordon d’Or from the Culinary Arts Academy. Contact her at http://PatCooksandBakes.blogspot.com
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Calendar of Events
York County
York County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Pre-registration is required for these programs. To register or find out more about these activities or any additional scheduled activities, call (717) 428-1961.
Delta Area Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 456-5753
June 5, 7 p.m. – Porch Talk: “Lincoln’s Funeral Train,” Hanover Junction Train Station June 5 and 19, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Family Ramble, Rocky Ridge County Park June 23, 2:30 to 4 p.m. – Firefly Program, Nixon County Park
Eastern Area Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 252-1641 Golden Visions Senior Community Center (717) 633-5072 Heritage Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 292-7471
York County Library Programs Arthur Hufnagel Public Library of Glen Rock, 32 Main St., Glen Rock, (717) 235-1127 Collinsville Community Library, 2632 Delta Road, Brogue, (717) 927-9014 Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Purls of Brogue Knitting Club Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., Dillsburg, (717) 432-5613 Dover Area Community Library, 3700-3 Davidsburg Road, Dover, (717) 292-6814 Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Road, Spring Grove, (717) 225-3220 Mondays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Knitting and Spinning Group
Kreutz Creek Valley Library Center, 66 Walnut Springs Road, Hellam, (717) 252-4080 Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York, (717) 846-5300 Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, (717) 993-2404 Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, 80 Constitution Ave., Shrewsbury, (717) 235-4313 June 20, 7 p.m. – Vera Bradley Bingo Red Land Community Library, 48 Robin Hood Drive, Etters, (717) 938-5599 Village Library, 35-C N. Main St., Jacobus, (717) 428-1034 Free and open to the public June 20, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group Senior Commons at Powder Mill 1775 Powder Mill Road, York (717) 741-0961
June 18, 3 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Golden Visions Senior Community Center 250 Fame Ave., #125, Hanover (717) 633-5072
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in York County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com Let
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help you get the word out! (717) 285-1350
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South Central Senior Community Center (717) 235-6060 Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m. – Cooking Club Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m. – Elementary “Read to Me” Project Thursdays, 9 a.m. – Computer Classes Stewartstown Senior Center – (717) 993-3488
White Rose Senior Center – (717) 843-9704 www.whiteroseseniorcenter.org
Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles St., Red Lion, (717) 244-2032
June 4, 7 p.m. Surviving Spouse Socials of York County Faith United Church of Christ 509 Pacific Ave., York (717) 266-2784
Red Land Senior Citizen Center – (717) 938-4649
Susquehanna Senior Center – (717) 244-0340
Guthrie Memorial Library, 2 Library Place, Hanover, (717) 632-5183
Programs and Support Groups
Northeastern Senior Community Center (717) 266-1400
Windy Hill Senior Center – (717) 225-0733 June 7 – Bingo & Casino Day June 12, 1 p.m. – Afternoon Dance Party June 13, 10 a.m. – Father’s Day Program: Belly Dancer Danielle Nayira Yorktown Senior Center – (717) 854-0693 Mondays and Thursdays, 9 to 10 a.m. and 10 to 11 a.m. – Beginner Computer Classes Thursdays, 9 to 11:30 a.m. – 10-Week Art Class
U.S. Dementia Care Costs Reached $215 Billion in 2010 The costs of caring for people with dementia in the United States in 2010 were between $159 and $215 billion, and those costs could rise dramatically with the increase in the numbers of older people in coming decades, according to estimates by researchers at RAND Corp. and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The researchers found these costs of care comparable to, if not greater than, those for heart disease and cancer. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health and published recently in The New England Journal of Medicine, totaled direct medical expenditures and costs attributable to the vast network of informal, unpaid care that supports people with dementia. Depending on how informal care is calculated, national expenditures in 2010 for dementia among people older than 70 were found to be $159 to $215 billion. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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“I didn’t have to become a master diver to feel safe, but I did feel more secure in the water if I had the advanced open water certificate,” he explained. “You know more about the sport and things like how to navigate under water.” Of his many dives, there are a few that rank as his favorites. One occurred in the water off Providencialis Island. Hager was scuba diving with a group at night, taking underwater photographs, when he finally had his own long-awaited Flipper experience. A lone dolphin was spotted swimming around their boat, a rare sight that excited the divers. At night, dolphins feed and are not usually visible; moreover, they normally travel in pods, not alone. “Suddenly, everybody’s flashlights were pointed toward me … It turns out the dolphin had come in on this night dive and was resting itself vertically against my tank, nuzzle down,” Hager said. In the water again two days later, Hager heard a dolphin’s telltale clicking sound—and saw the same dolphin swimming alongside him for a few seconds before bolting ahead. “Then it came back! It does a 180 and swims right back to me and puts his muzzle right up against my mask,” Hager recalled. “And it was absolutely fantastic. So I got to have my Flipper fantasy realized.” Hager stays active on dry land as well. He is a past co-president and current board member of a local chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, a national organization that includes runners, hikers, and walkers of all abilities and ages. Hager only began hiking and running a decade ago when his physical therapist recommended the sport as a way to ward off his recurring back problems. “There are runners at all different levels. You don’t have to be a marathon runner or a winner of a 5K race to join,” said Hager. “There are a number of people who just walk, but they belong to the club and participate. “Plus, I found that running, hiking, and bicycling on a regular basis—it actually reduced the aches and pains that we sometimes develop when we get to be this age,” he added. “I had more energy, less pain, and felt much better.” Hager’s legs are also kept in motion through his membership in a local bicycle club. He hits the open road during the warmer months, often traveling 15 to 30 miles per ride, and when the weather turns cold, he heads indoors for spinning classes at a gym. Hager enjoys the solitary freedom of bicycling, where he can grab his helmet www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
and take off on his own. He sometimes performs what is called a “utility ride” that accomplishes a chore by biking instead of driving, like returning a rented movie. But Hager also benefits from biking with a companion, which pushes him athletically and enhances his social life. “I learn a lot from talking with people,” Hager said. “For those of us who are entering their senior years, I’ve always found that when I ride bicycle with someone who’s better than I am, I have a better ride.” Hager participates in three or four formal bicycling events per year, either riding in the event or volunteering his time to help with setup and other support activities. “I don’t consider myself an expert or an athlete, but my claim to fame on the bicycle is that the summer before last I rode the Dream Ride. I rode to raise money for UDS [United Disabilities Services] service dogs,” said Hager. “And I broke my record to do that. [My record] had been a 40-mile bike ride, and I rode 100 miles that day. Of course, I trained for it—you don’t go from 40 miles to 100 overnight.” A healthy brain is as important as a healthy body, and Hager keeps his mind’s eye sharp through his keen interest in photography. And he maintains his mental and social health by realizing yet another childhood dream. “My father was an amateur magician; he belonged to a local magician’s club,” Hager said. “After he died, I found his old, dusty magic bag upstairs—boy, I had fun with that.” For the last 25 years, Hager has moonlighted as a professional magician. He performs his comedic magic show to local, national, and international audiences. Although he is not yet retired, Hager views the coming years through the wise lens of an old neighborhood friend, a man in his 80s who advised him not to retire from his life when he retires from his job. He took those words to heart, and now, decades later, Hager has used them to form the basis of his life philosophy. “It’s one of the best pieces of advice I ever got from anybody,” he said. “And that’s why I’m involved with people. I sit on two boards of directors, I’m an avid photographer, I belong to a couple of clubs—[socializing] with people is what keeps the energy going for me. “You can only experience your own life, but you can enjoy numerous life experiences by mixing it up with other people, and that’s what’s tremendously valuable for me.”
ONE GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND! This may not be the same story you’re thinking of. This one’s about a young, itinerant engineer with job assignments in two states: Decorah, Iowa, and Lancaster, PA.
The step he is considering is marriage! Bob Hansen is smitten by two young women in Iowa, and one in Lancaster, PA. But he has to find a full-time job and decide which of the three young women to pursue.
Pick up or order Choices and Decisions at Masthof Bookstore – 219 Mill Road, Morgantown, PA 19543 ($13.95 plus 84¢ tax and $4 shipping) 610-286-0258 www.Masthof.com
— or — Available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle Use a gallon of gas and take a beautiful 9-mile trip through Amish and Mennonite farm country on Route 23 between Blue Ball and Morgantown. This stretch of road, which follows an old Native American trade route, was declared “The Conestoga Ridge Road Heritage Byway” in the fall of 2012. Stop off in Morgantown at the Masthof Bookstore (first road after Old Village Inn) and pick up a copy of Choices and Decisions and a local history book.
Have a lifestyle change on the horizon? Let this be your guide.
17th Edition Now Available! In print. Online: onlinepub.com Call for your free copy today!
(717) 285-1350 50plus SeniorNews t
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You bring the talent, We’ll provide the stage! Do you dance … sing … play an instrument … perform magic … do comedy? Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be called PA STATE SENIOR IDOL? Then we’re looking for you!
Pennsylvanians over 50 are invited to audition for the eighth annual PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition at one of these locations:
Tuesday, August 27
Thursday, September 5
Holiday Inn Harrisburg East
Heritage Hotel – Lancaster
4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111
500 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
(Morning/Early Afternoon Auditions)
(Afternoon/Evening Auditions)
Win a limousine trip to New York City with dinner and a Broadway show! Finals to be held on October 14, 2013 at: Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 • (717) 898-1900
For more information, updates, or an application:
911 Photo Graphics
717.285.1350 • www.SeniorIdolPA.com
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Emcee:
Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com