January 2023 | Howard County Beacon

Funky art museum’s new leader

By Robert Friedman

If you have ever asked, “What is the meaning of art and why should I care?” then Jenenne Whitfield, the new executive director of Baltimore’s popular American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), has the answers for you.

Whitfield believes that the creation and appreciation of art can lead to a fuller life.

“The key for me,” Whitfield told the Beacon in a recent interview, “is the variety of ways that artistic expression can ignite the senses. Art for art’s sake, and art for the sake of humanity — both are important.”

Whitfield took over as AVAM director in September, after a 27-year run by founding director Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, who has said of her successor: “Her personal passion for visionary art mirrors my own.”

The museum displays art by untrained artists of varied backgrounds: ordinary people from all walks of life, from farmers and mechanics to the imprisoned and homeless.

Located at the foot of Federal Hill, the AVAM complex consists of a striking museum building, plus sculpture gardens and an outdoor movie theater, as well as a former whisky warehouse converted to classroom space.

AVAM is congressionally designated (thanks to Sen. Barbara Mikulski) as a national museum “dedicated to intuitive, selftaught artistry.”

Since its founding 30 years ago, the museum has gained national attention from the likes of Oprah and John Oliver. CNN dubbed it “one of the most fantastic museums anywhere in America,” National Geographic praised it as “an exuberant haven for self-taught artists,” and USA Today deemed it “a temple of outsider art.”

BY LARRY CANNER

LEISURE & TRAVEL

See Switzerland’s peaks and valleys from a train; plus, what countries have the safest drinking water?

AVAM receives more than 100,000 visitors a year, from art school students to nursery school students to politicians.

Director comes with experience

Whitfield comes to Baltimore from her hometown of Detroit, where for 28 years she worked with and became president of what is known as the Heidelberg Project — an outdoors art environment on a rundown city street.

Founded by artist Tyree Guyton (whom Whitfield married in 2001), the project has drawn hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors, as well as high critical praise.

“An artist had taken over an entire street of mostly abandoned buildings and transformed it into a giant work of art,” Whitfield said of the project. “Even the street was painted.”

ARTS & STYLE

Sherlock Holmes spoof makes for high (or low?) comedy at Everyman Theatre

FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Meditation as good as medication k Getting started with weights

& MONEY 14

Most sales don’t offer real deals

Should you pay off your mortgage?

PHOTO

Jenenne Whitfield, the new director of Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum, comes to the area from Detroit, where she and her husband converted a run-down street into an outdoor art project. Baltimore’s museum, located in Federal Hill, showcases the creative works of self-taught artists and emphasizes intuition and creativity.

What “Silent Generation?”

Everyone knows about the Baby Boom Generation, born from 1946 to 1964. Likewise, we all know “The Greatest Generation,” who were born 1901-1925 and fought World War II. Those two iconic cohorts loom large as we recount American history over the last century.

But what about the generation born from 1926 to 1945? What do we call them, the Americans who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II?

pejorative for those who failed to speak against McCarthyism, and it took permanent root, even though most of the cohort were only children and teens when Senator Joseph McCarthy held sway. The Pew Research Center’s website notes, “their ‘Silent’ label refers to their image as conformist and civic-minded.”

GUEST COLUMN

By Robert Tiller

Some writers and analysts overlook them completely. A 2014 article and accompanying chart in the Atlantic totally ignored this generation, detecting no break between Greatest and Boomers.

For journalists and researchers who know that the Boomers did not come immediately after the Greatest, one designation is “Traditionalist.” But the label used most often is the “Silent Generation.” Many newspapers employ it, and Wikipedia has a lengthy entry with that heading.

The label arose in the early 1950s as a

Wide usage does not, however, assure accuracy, and the characterization “Silent Generation” is laughably inappropriate. Consider the stunning array of leaders that emerged from that generation across the broad spectrum of our common life — people who were anything but silent.

In civil rights: Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson Sr., John Lewis. Business: Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, Martha Stewart. Government: Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, John McCain, John Kerry, Newt Gingrich, Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders. Journalism and books: Maya Angelou, Bob Woodward, Harper Lee. Entertainment and music: Mari-

lyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner, Berry Gordy, Aretha Franklin, George Lucas, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Clint Eastwood, Bill Cosby, Barbra Streisand. Sports: Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Wilt Chamberlain, Joe Namath, Arthur Ashe, Pete Rose, Jack Nicklaus.

The list goes on, from every component of American life: Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, Jerry Falwell Sr., Cesar Chavez, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jim Jones, Harvey Milk, Ralph Nader, Rudy Giuliani, Daniel Ellsberg, Neil Armstrong, Andy Warhol. These people were not silent in any sense of the word.

This list includes several who will be revered for decades to come, as well as a few whose lamentable legacy we would prefer to erase from our memories. Whatever we think of them, individually and together, they did not represent a silent generation.

Beyond the leaders, the 1926-1945 generation also produced a stunning pool of “followers” who were equally not silent. They were ordinary folks doing extraordinary things, especially by the norms received from their parents. Their names will never appear in bold type, nor will they rate Wikipedia pages, but they were truly a generation bent on transforming society.

Freedom rides, sit-ins, women’s consciousness-raising groups, Stonewall, gays challenging the stay-in-the-closet norm, Black kids desegregating all-White schools, organizers of Woodstock, boycotts in support of farm workers, experiments with LSD, wide use of marijuana, launching the environmental movement, protesters of both the nuclear arms race and the Vietnam War — the quotidian folks of this generation were always about making changes. This is the generation that made Habitat for Humanity and MADD into household names almost overnight.

The women, most of whose mothers had been “homemakers,” realized that working outside the home was desirable as both a means and an end. In 1950, only 34 percent of American women were in the

work force. As the “Silent Generation” came of age, millions of women surged into every type of job, and by 2000 the proportion had leaped to 60 percent.

Finally, this generation should never again be called “Silent” because the changes it wrought were far-reaching, undeniable and permanent. Not only is rockand-roll here to stay (as one song from this generation put it), so are many other innovations that were developed and widely embraced by this group: no-fault divorce, the Pill, the proliferation of nonprofit organizations, frequent protest marches, feminism as fundamental, an active life in retirement.

The “Silents” flexed their muscle to insist on changing the minimum voting age to 18, as well as equal treatment of women and minorities in every American institution.

Family, work, education, sex, race, politics, movies, music — this generation altered every aspect of our common life, and those changes carried over to the lives of every subsequent generation.

One surprising facet of life today is the outsize role that some from this generation still play in the American body politic: Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Anthony Fauci are all from the socalled “Silent Generation.” While many of their cohort have moved to the wings, this quartet occupied center stage for a long time; the first two are still there, while the other two stepped away from the bulls-eye in recent weeks.

At its peak this generation in America numbered about 50 million. The majority have now passed away, and the youngest will be turning 78 this year. We are well beyond the appropriate time to find a suitable appellation for them. So, what is a more apt moniker than “Silent Generation?” Perhaps Pioneer or Trailblazer or Hinge or Transformative? All of those work, but my preference is the “Change Generation.” That’s the best way to characterize what they, leaders and followers alike, did for America: they wrought change.

Robert “Bob” Tiller lives at Riderwood in Silver Spring, Md. He was born in 1941.

Dear Editor:

Not for the first time, a friend passed an issue of the Beacon to me recently. I find myself reading your paper cover to cover and enjoying the articles on the arts, travel, health, finances, but especially your “From the Publisher” column.

Music has been an important part of my life even though I don’t play any instrument or read music. About your “piano camp” at Peabody, you state that it is hard work “to

make music sound and look effortless.”

I have heard that said before, so when I hear live music and watch the performers, it seems like I am witnessing a miracle. To have so many players come together to make beautiful music is to experience perfection.

Instead of waiting for my friend to pass along her copy, I am enclosing a check for a subscription.

Peggy Eck Nottingham, MD

Health Fitness &

Health Fitness &

SENIOR MOMENTS

Is it normal forgetfulness or something else? When to call your doctor

ITS NOT JUST YOUR AGE

Pain while walking can be a sign of arterial disease and should be checked

MESS OF POTTAGE

Lentils are full of protein, nutrients; try this great recipe for a winter soup

DON’T REFRIGERATE

Some fresh foods do much better at room temperature than refrigerated

Meditation can be as good as medication

By Lindsey Tanner

Mindfulness meditation worked as well as a standard drug for treating anxiety in the first head-to-head comparison.

The study tested a widely used mindfulness program that includes 2½ hours of classes weekly and 45 minutes of daily practice at home. Participants were randomly assigned to either the program or daily use of a generic drug sold under the brand name Lexapro for depression and anxiety.

After two months, anxiety as measured on a severity scale declined by about 30% in both groups and continued to decrease during the following four months.

Study results, published last month in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, are timely. Numerous reports suggest global anxiety rates have increased recently, related to worries over the pandemic, political and racial unrest, climate change and financial uncertainties.

In September, an influential U.S. health task force recommended routine anxiety screening for adults. Anxiety disorders include social anxiety, generalized anxiety and panic attacks.

Affected people are troubled by persistent and intrusive worries that interfere with their lives and relationships. In the U.S., anxiety disorders affect 40% of women at some point in their lives and

more than 1 in 4 men, according to data cited in the Preventive Services Task Force screening recommendations.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that emphasizes focusing only on what’s happening at the moment and dismissing intrusive thoughts.

Sessions often start with breathing exercises. Next might be mental “body scans” — thinking about each body part systematically, head to toe. When worried thoughts intrude, participants learn to briefly acknowledge them but then dismiss them.

Instead of ruminating over the troubling thought, “you say, ‘I’m having this thought; let that go for now,’” said lead author Elizabeth Hoge, director of Georgetown University’s Anxiety Disorders Research Program. With practice, “It changes the relationship people have with their own thoughts [even] when not meditating.”

Previous studies have shown mindfulness works better than no treatment, or at least as well as education or more formal behavior therapy, in reducing anxiety, depression and other mental woes.

But this is the first study to test it against a psychiatric drug, Hoge said, and

the results could make insurers more likely to cover costs, which can run $300 to $500 for an 8-week session.

How the study worked

The results were based on about 200 adults who completed the six-month study at medical centers in Washington, Boston and New York. Researchers used a psychiatric scale of 1 to 7, with the top number reflecting severe anxiety.

The average score was about 4.5 for participants before starting treatment. It dropped to about 3 after two months, then dipped slightly in both groups at three months and six months. Hoge said the change was clinically meaningful, resulting in noticeable improvement in symptoms.

Ten patients on the drug dropped out because of troublesome side effects possibly related to treatment, which included insomnia, nausea and fatigue. There were no dropouts for that reason in the mindfulness group, although 13 patients reported increased anxiety.

The study “is reaffirming about how useful mindfulness can be when practiced effectively,” said psychologist Sheehan Fisher, an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study.

Works best for mild anxiety

Dr. Scott Krakower, a psychiatrist at Zucker Hillside Hospital in New York, said mindfulness treatments often work best for mildly anxious patients. He prescribes medication for patients with more severe anxiety.

He noted that many people feel they don’t have time for mindfulness meditation, especially the time it takes to participate in in-person sessions like those studied. Whether similar results would be found with online training or phone apps is unknown, said Krakower, who also had no role in the study.

Olga Cannistraro, a freelance writer in Keene, New Hampshire, participated in an earlier mindfulness study led by Hoge and says it taught her “to intervene in my own state of mind.” During a session, just acknowledging that she was feeling tension anywhere in her body helped calm her, she said.

Cannistraro, 52, has generalized anxiety disorder and has never taken medication for it. She was a single mom working in sales during that earlier study — circumstances that made life particularly stressful, she said.

She has since married, switched jobs, and feels less anxious, though she still uses mindfulness techniques. —AP

How meds and supplements can interact

By Michael Schuh

Dear

Mayo Clinic:

As I have gotten older, doctors have placed me on more medications, such as for high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Also, as I age, I have chosen to take some supplements that are supposed to improve my memory, reduce cholesterol and prevent cancer. Should I worry about these supplements interacting with one another or my medications?

A: With age come more chronic health conditions. Also, some people may develop deficiencies in certain vitamins as they age. Thankfully, an array of prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as dietary supplements and vitamins, are available to alleviate symptoms, slow the advancement of many age-related chronic health conditions, and help people maintain good health.

Over the years, though, store shelves have become crowded with hundreds of herbal supplements and other nutritional enhancers that make various claims about supporting physical and mental health and function.

The word used by many to describe taking multiple prescription and over-thecounter medications, as well as dietary and herbal supplements, is “polypharmacy.” Although it has many definitions, the broadest definition of polypharmacy is the simultaneous use of multiple medications or supplements to treat one or more medical conditions in one patient.

As people take more and more medications and supplements, the chances for interactions increase.

The challenge is that having more medical conditions requires having more healthcare providers to treat them. Unless patients ensure each of their providers has an up-to-

date medication and supplement list, providers may not accurately know what patients take or communicate about risks related to those medications and supplements.

Inadvertent over- or underdosing

For example, consider a patient who was prescribed a statin to lower cholesterol. However, after seeing an advertisement that promotes red yeast rice as being good for managing cholesterol, she began taking it as well.

Red yeast rice naturally contains lovastatin, a naturally occurring statin. Without realizing it, this patient began duplicating the therapy her healthcare provider had prescribed via the drug atorvastatin. She began experiencing leg cramping, muscle soreness and elevated liver function tests from this drug interaction.

While it is important to talk with your provider and pharmacist about what you

take to avoid too much medication, it is also important to avoid a deficit.

Consider vegetarian or vegan patients who are newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Often these people take a B-12 supplement because they do not eat meat and need this nutrient.

However, standard therapy for a Type 2 diabetic is a medication known as metformin, which can deplete B-12 in some patients. So now having started the metformin, these people require more B-12 supplementation than before.

To complicate matters, if they were already taking or start an anti-reflux, antiulcer medication such as omeprazole, which lowers stomach acid production, B-12 deficiency can further worsen, since B-12 depends on stomach acid to assist absorption.

Questions about memory, using weights

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: When should a person start worrying about becoming more forgetful? How can you tell if it’s normal memory loss, or something more serious?

left our car keys.

Memory lapses are unsettling, but they don’t necessarily herald impending dementia. The key is in how often these slips occur. You really need to figure out the pattern.

A

: For many of us, memory blips become more common as we get older. Our brains form fewer connections now, so our memory is not as strong as it used to be.

As we get older, the processing speed of our brain slows down, so we can’t recall information as quickly as we used to. It may take us longer to remember basic information, such as names, dates, or where we

Is it happening several times a week, or is it happening once or twice a month? Is it a change compared to five or 10 years ago? Is it getting gradually worse?

Forgetfulness can be a normal part of growing older. Memory lapses can also stem from several other conditions, including lack of sleep, stress, medications, alcohol or depression.

Any of these conditions can be treated. For example, you can adjust your sleep schedule, try deep breathing or other techniques to reduce stress, change the dose or type of medications you take, cut down on your drinking, or get treated for depression.

Don’t be alarmed by everyday forgetfulness. The time to call your doctor is when you have more persistent or worsening memory loss that’s interfering with your daily activities and routine and starting to affect your daily functioning.

There are three things you can start doing right now to preserve mental function as you age:

1. Exercise. Exercise promotes the release of a powerful molecule called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which repairs brain cells, strengthens their connections, promotes new brain cell growth, and enlarges the size of your hippocampus (a part of the brain involved in the storage and retrieval of memories).

Exercise also increases blood flow to your brain and may protect the brain’s system for flushing out toxins.

2. Eat a healthy diet. To protect yourself, generally avoid processed and sugary foods and animal fats (other than from fish). They’re associated with poor cardiovascular health.

Opt instead for a Mediterranean-style diet, which is tied to lower risks for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fish, as well as moderate amounts of poultry and dairy.

3. Get more sleep. We should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night to help the body rest and the brain conduct important duties. During sleep, the brain’s glymphatic system flushes out waste produced by the brain, including Alzheimer’s disease-related toxins (such as the protein amyloid-beta).

Q: For a person in his 70s who never did resistance training, what’s a good way to get started?

A: Old-fashioned resistance training — lifting heavy weights multiple times — is the best way for people to slow and even reverse age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia. It can also increase your strength, protect against falls, and help you live a more independent life.

Resistance training (also known as strength training) consists of doing upperand lower-body exercises using free weights (like dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells), weight machines, resistance bands,

Potentially serious side effects

There are other examples of supplement or prescription interactions. For instance, taking calcium with a vitamin D supplement for osteoporosis, along with a multivitamin containing vitamin D, may raise calcium in the urine enough to increase the risk of forming kidney stones.

Taking a narcotic pain reliever for acute or chronic pain when already taking an anti-anxiety medication like alprazolam can result in a loss of consciousness. Even

worse would be if people drink an alcoholic beverage having both alprazolam and a narcotic in their system.

Herbals also can interact

Herbal supplements can pose a risk in polypharmacy patients because they also may affect the metabolism of a medication or other supplements.

Resveratrol, which is found in grape skins, is often taken as an antioxidant supplement. Some evidence suggests that it can slow the metabolism of certain common medications and cause side effects.

Gingko biloba, which is taken for mem-

mum one rep is the amount of weight you can safely lift just once.

ory, can have an anti-platelet effect, increasing the risk of severe bleeding in those patients already taking anticoagulants such as warfarin or apixaban.

When taking multiple prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs, as well as supplements, review them at least annually. Seeking out a specialty pharmacy or a polypharmacy pharmacist is ideal, as they can identify possible drug interactions or adverse drug reactions caused by the various components and can partner with your healthcare providers to avoid future issues.

Also, speak to your pharmacist any time

BEACON BITS Jan. 1

you are prescribed a new medication so you can identify any potential interactions with other things you are taking.

Michael Schuh, Pharm.D., Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

YOUR JOINTS WITH FREE STRETCH CLASS

or just your own body weight.

The constant challenge with resistance training is finding the Goldilocks zone between doing too little and too much. You want to stress your muscles enough to see and feel a difference, but not overdo it, where you risk injury.

Ideally, see a certified trainer before you embark on a resistance training program. It’s worth the time and investment, as he or she can create a routine unique to your needs, and more importantly, teach you proper form and speed.

However, if you want to get started on your own, here are some resistance exercise basics:

Type: Do one to two multi-joint exercises per major muscle group. There are six main muscle groups: chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs and calves. So, this means doing six to 12 exercises per workout.

Weight: Use enough weight or resistance so you can perform 10 repetitions (or reps) with good form. The last two should be tough to complete. Alternatively, start with 70% of your maximum one rep. Maxi-

Reps: Do anywhere from six to 12 reps per exercise. I suggest beginning with 10 to 12 reps. Then as you progress, you should aim for six to eight reps with increased weight or resistance.

Sets: Start with two sets per exercise. Always rest in between each set for 30 to 60 seconds to help you recover.

Frequency: More is not always better when it comes to resistance training. Two or three workouts per week can produce the desired muscle tone and strength.

Keep in mind that it can take time to see increased muscle mass and feel stronger.

Consistency is essential, but if you don’t notice changes after about eight weeks, you are not training hard enough and need to mix up your routine by increasing your weight or sets or the number of exercises.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu.

© 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

This class helps ease body tension and joint discomfort using modern principles from sports medicine, mindfulness, core exercises and more. Come by the Yoga Center of Columbia on Sun., Jan. 1 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for this free introduction to mobility stretch, or practice at home over Zoom. All levels are welcome. The studio is located at 8950 State Route 108, Suite 109, Columbia. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/MobilityStretch or call (410) 720-4340.

Get tested if your legs hurt while walking

Dear Savvy Senior,

I started a walking program a few months ago to help me lose weight. I’ve been having problems with my legs and hips hurting during my walk, although they feel better once I stop.

I thought it was just because I’m getting old, but my neighbor was telling me about a leg vein disease she has called PAD and thinks I may have something similar. What can you tell me about this?

Dear Linda,

The health condition your neighbor is telling you about is known as peripheral arterial disease (or PAD), which is an under-theradar disease that affects approximately 8 to 12 million Americans.

in other areas of the body, such as the heart, neck and brain, which greatly increases the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Few symptoms

need to be tested by your doctor or a vascular specialist.

SAVVY SENIOR

By Jim Miller

—Limping Linda

BEACON BITS

Dec. 31

It happens when the arteries that carry blood to the legs and feet become narrowed or clogged over the years with fatty deposits or plaque, causing poor circulation.

But you also need to be aware that because PAD is a systemic disease, people that have it are also much more likely to have clogged arteries

KWANZAA CELEBRATION

Celebrate Kwanzaa with the Elkridge community. Stop by the Elkridge Library for a Kwanzaa food bazaar featuring West African vegetarian cuisine, a culture talk, a craft workshop and more. This free event takes place on Sat., Dec. 31 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit bit.ly/ElkridgeKwanzaa.

Unfortunately, PAD goes undiagnosed and untreated way too often because most people that have it experience few, if any, symptoms.

The most common symptom is similar to what you’re experiencing: pain and cramping in the hip, thigh or calf muscles, especially when walking or exercising, but it usually disappears after resting for a few minutes.

Another reason PAD is under-diagnosed is because many people assume that aches and pains go along with aging, so they simply live with it instead of reporting it to their doctor.

Other possible symptoms to be aware of include leg numbness or weakness, coldness or skin color changes in the lower legs and feet, or ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don’t heal.

Are you at risk?

Like most other health conditions, the risk of developing PAD increases with age. Those most vulnerable are people over the age of 50 who smoke or used to smoke, have elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, are overweight, or have a family history of PAD, heart attack or stroke. African Americans are also twice as likely to have PAD as Caucasians.

If you’re experiencing any symptoms or if you’re at increased risk of PAD, you

BEACON BITS Jan. 6

He or she will probably perform a quick and painless ankle-brachial index test, which is done by measuring the blood pressure in your ankle as well as your arm and comparing the two numbers.

Your doctor may also do imaging tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomographic (CT) angiography.

Options for treatment

With early detection, many cases of PAD can be treated with lifestyle modifications including an improved diet, increased physical activity and smoking cessation.

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may also prescribe medicine to prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and control pain and other symptoms.

And for severe PAD, the treatment options are angioplasty (inflating a tiny balloon in the artery to restore blood flow), the insertion of a stent to reopen the artery, or a graft bypass to reroute blood around the blockage.

To learn more about PAD, visit the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website at NHLBI.NIH.gov/health-topics/ peripheral-artery-disease.

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

FREE SAMPLES AT MANOR HILL BREWERY

Manor Hill Brewery is releasing a brand-new beer: Stacking the Deck is a hazy double IPA. Come by the tasting room and sample 13 farm-brewed beers (or hard seltzer) on draught. There is indoor seating and a heated/covered tent, or bring your own chairs and pop-up tent to spread out outdoors. Outside food is welcome. This free event takes place on Fri., Jan. 6 from 4 to 9 p.m. at 4411 Manor Ln., Ellicott City. For more information, visit manorhillbrewing.com/event/stackingthedeck.

MAKE GIFTS FOR CANCER PATIENTS

Ongoing

Kits to Heart, based in Howard County, is seeking remote volunteers to support families affected by cancer. Some items needed for the cancer care kits include inspirational letters, crocheted or knitted bags, face masks and no-sew fleece blankets. Items can be shipped or dropped off in Clarksville. For more information, visit kitstoheart.org/pages/volunteers.

Olive oil lowers one’s risk of early death

By Katherine D. McManus

For many years we have heard that olive oil helps lower the risk of heart disease, but its connection to decreasing risk of death has been less clear.

A recent study of approximately 92,000 Americans examined whether olive oil is associated with total and cause-specific mortality (death from a particular illness).

During 28 years of follow-up, the research showed that participants who consumed the highest amount of olive oil (greater than ½ tablespoon, or 7 grams, per day) had a 19% lower risk of early death compared to people who never or rarely used olive oil.

For cause-specific death, those with higher olive oil intake had a 19% lower risk of heart disease death, 17% lower risk of cancer death, 29% lower risk of dying from neurodegenerative disease (such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s), and an 18% lower risk of dying from respiratory disease.

When the study authors looked at using olive oil to substitute for certain fats, results showed that, by replacing 10 g. (about 2 teaspoons) of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with the same amount of olive oil, there was an 8% to 34% lower risk of total and cause-specific death.

Reduces cholesterol, inflammation

Why does olive oil work to reduce the risk of many diseases? One reason is that it’s high in monounsaturated fatty acids. When substituted for saturated fat, monounsaturated fats help lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Extra-virgin olive oil can also reduce inflammation, which may be one of the main reasons for its health benefits. Olive oil’s main anti-inflammatory effects are from its antioxidants, one of which is oleocanthal. This antioxidant has been shown to work like ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug.

Research has also shown that oleic acid, which is the main fatty acid in olive oil, can reduce levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP).

In addition, the antioxidants in olive oil can reduce oxidative damage due to free radicals, believed to be one driver of cancer.

Will olive oil cause weight gain?

No, fat itself does not make you fat. Eating or drinking more calories than you need from any source, whether it’s fat, protein or carbohydrates, can result in weight gain.

Data over the past 40 years has shown that the percentage of calories that Americans eat from fat has decreased, while overweight and obesity rates have significantly increased.

Tips for using olive oil

• Extra-virgin olive oil can be expensive. So, for cooking and baking, use virgin olive oil. Save the extra-virgin olive oil to use in making a salad dressing, dipping bread or preparing a sauce.

• Use olive oil in this salad dressing recipe: ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. grainy mustard, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp. honey, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper. Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well.

• Use olive oil in stir-frying, pan-frying, and roasting vegetables, fish and chicken.

• Use olive oil as a finishing oil: drizzle into creamy soups, mix into homemade hummus, add to whole-grain bowls or whole-grain dishes.

• Make a pesto sauce with it to enjoy with whole-grain pasta or to spread on whole-grain crackers or bread.

The bottom line: There’s strong re-

Tasty lentils contain fiber, protein, vitamins

By Lisa Milbrand

If you’re looking to eat healthier, lentils — whether black, brown, yellow, green or red — should be among the top foods in your meal plan. Fortunately, learning how to cook lentils isn’t too complicated.

Lentils have nutritional benefits to cover all of your bases:

Lentils are rich in fiber: One of the biggest benefits of legumes like lentils is their high levels of fiber, which most people don’t get enough of in their diets.

“Lentils are a complex carbohydrate that are super high in fiber, especially soluble fiber,” said Jennifer Hanway, a nutri-

tionist and certified personal trainer. “Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gellike substance that moves through the GI system and can help remove some substances related to high cholesterol.”

For example, brown lentils can provide nearly a day’s worth of fiber (26 grams) in just a single half-cup serving, according to Hanway.

Lentils can help regulate blood sugar: The fiber in lentils can do more than help with digestion. “The soluble fiber in lentils can help balance blood sugar by slowing the glucose release into the bloodstream and preventing spikes in insulin,” Hanway

Lisa’s Monastery Stew (Lentil Soup)

Serves 12 (freezes well)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 carrots, sliced

3 onions, chopped

1 tablespoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 28-oz cans tomatoes

2 cups dried brown or green lentils

6 chicken bouillon cubes

6 cups water

Garlic powder, to taste

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup sherry or cooking sherry

Swiss cheese for topping (optional)

Directions:

Sauté carrots and onions in oil until tender. Add dried herbs and sauté briefly.

Chop up the canned tomatoes slightly, retaining juice, and add to pot. Add other ingredients except parsley and sherry.

Bring to a boil and simmer covered for at least 90 minutes, adding the parsley and sherry about 20 minutes before serving.

Top with grated Swiss cheese before serving, if you like.

Leftovers can be frozen in individual or multiple portions.

— Courtesy of the Beacon’s president

said. That’s one of the big benefits of lentils for people with diabetes, as it helps keep blood sugar levels on an even keel.

Lentils are a good source of protein: Lentils pack in more than 20 grams of protein per half-cup serving — about the same amount as 4 ounces of salmon. That makes them a perfect addition to any meatless meal.

Lentils have plenty of vitamins and minerals: One of the health benefits of lentils is that they’re like a very tasty multivitamin: you can get calcium, potassium, zinc and iron by eating them, along with plenty of B vitamins.

Here are ways to enjoy more lentils (and their many benefits):

1. Swap your starches for lentils.

“I might replace starchy carbs — like rice or pasta or potato — with lentils,” Hanway said. “You still get the complex carbs, but a ton more fiber and protein.”

Alternatively, consider getting the best of both worlds by enjoying the many health benefits of red lentil pasta or other lentil-based pastas.

2. Get colorful with your lentils.

Olive oil

From page 7

search to demonstrate the health benefits of olive oil — but most importantly, it

Each type of lentil has a slightly different protein, fiber and vitamin profile, so to get the full benefits of eating lentils, mix it up a little.

For instance, black lentils are packed with potent antioxidants. “Black lentils are full of anthocyanin, an antioxidant usually found in purple and blue foods, such as berries and red cabbage,” Hanway said.

Also, lentils have different textures — yellow and red lentils are more likely to break down and are great for soups, while black lentils hold their shape and are great for lentil burgers.

3. Don’t overcook them.

Hanway recommends turning off the stove a few minutes early when you’re making lentils. “You don’t want to boil them within an inch of their life,” she said. “Cook two or three minutes less than you think, turn the heat off, leave the lid on, and let steam help cook them through.”

Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at realsimple.com.

© 2022 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

tastes delicious and can enhance the flavor of many family dishes.

© 2022 Harvard Health Blog and Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MOVE webINAR

Foods that do best when not refrigerated

By Hilary Meyer

One of the best ways to eat a healthier diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables. And one of the worst things about buying fresh fruits and vegetables is watching them go bad in your produce drawer and throwing them away. No one wants to throw their food and money in the garbage.

One way to help ensure you’re eating your produce is to make a plan. Having a few meals and snacks planned out means you’re more likely to eat up.

Another key is to store your fruits and vegetables the right way to keep them fresh. As it turns out, the refrigerator is not the go-to storage unit for all your produce. Below are four types of produce you shouldn’t keep in your fridge.

Tomatoes

If you’ve ever grown tomatoes, then you know that they love the heat and hate the cold. Turns out even after they’re plucked from the vine, they still hold their aversion to cold.

The fridge is not the ideal place to store tomatoes. Store them there and your perfect tomatoes turn into a mealy disappointment. They’ll still be good for cooking, but not the best for eating fresh.

Instead store them on your counter (not in direct sunlight) and enjoy them when they’re ripe.

Fresh herbs

Fresh herbs like basil, parsley and cilantro actually don’t belong in the fridge. Spending extended periods of time in a cold environment like a refrigerator causes them to wilt prematurely.

Fresh herbs do best when stored on your counter and treated as you would fresh cut-flowers. A fresh bunch of basil can be stored in a cup of water (change it every day or two) away from direct sun-

light. Covering it loosely with a plastic bag will help keep it moist, but make sure the bag has an opening to allow for some fresh air to seep in.

Potatoes

Potatoes like cool, not cold temperatures. They do best at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 10 degrees warmer than the average refrigerator.

Most of us don’t have a root cellar (a cool, dark place to store root vegetables like potatoes), so keeping them in a paper bag in a coolish spot (like a pantry) is best.

Why paper? It’s more breathable than plastic, so the potatoes won’t succumb to rot as easily.

And why not the fridge? Storing potatoes at cold temperatures converts their starch to sugar more quickly, which can affect their flavor, texture and the way they cook.

Onions

Onions don’t come out of the ground with that protective papery skin. To develop and keep that dry outer layer, they need to be cured and then kept in a dry environment like a pantry, which is not as damp as the refrigerator.

Also, lack of air circulation will cause onions to spoil, as will storing them near potatoes, which give off moisture and gas that can cause onions to spoil quickly.

Store onions in a cool, dry, dark, wellventilated place. (Light can cause the onions to become bitter.)

Scallions and chives, however, have a higher water content, bruise more easily and have a shorter shelf life, so store these alliums in the fridge.

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at eatingwell.com.

© 2022 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

“I can love my life fully now!”

Local clinic helps woman find lasting relief from chronic sciatic pain

Mabel G., of Sykesville, MD, loved to spend a lot of time in her garden. One day, as she was weeding, her leg slipped out from under her. Almost immediately after, Mabel experienced an excruciating amount of pain from her hips down through her leg. A trip to the physician resulted in a diagnosis of Sciatica. This diagnosis describes a kind of burning, electric, weakness, numbness, or tingling pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which begins in the lower back, and runs through the hips and buttocks or along the side and down each leg.

The most common symptoms include:

• Moderate to severe pain in lower back and down one or both legs

• Pain that worsens with movement

• “Pins and needles” sensation in legs, feet and toes

• Pain that is often described as “burning”, “electric”, or “stabbing”

Multiple visits with her PCP and other specialists resulted in being recommended a pharmaceutical routine with draining side effects, steroid injections throughout the year, “just let it heal on its own”, or surgery.

“It was as if I had to adjust my life around this debilitating condition no matter what”, Mabel stated, “I felt so defeated.”

Fortunately, Mabel found Patapsco Acupuncture and Integrative

Medicine, located in Sykesville. The clinic specializes in helping those suffering from chronic nerve pain without pharmaceuticals or surgery through the use of acupuncture and other integrative therapies that stimulate endogenous healing and repair, based on thousands of years of tradition as well as modern science.

“I really needed help and was willing to do whatever it took to get my life back!”

After a series of treatments, Mabel was able to get back to gardening and walking without fear.

“At my first appointment, I thought I was going to fall. I thought ‘I can’t make it!’ The office seemed 100 miles away. Now I can walk, I don’t have to think about it!” Mabel shared.

“Time and time again, we meet with patients who suffer from pain that they have deemed hopeless, but after receiving treatments from Dr.Low, they are now living the life they love without any pain.” says Jazmin, the patient care coordinator at the clinic.

If you or someone you love is suffering from the symptoms caused by sciatica or any other type of chronic nerve or muscle pain, the team at Patapsco Acupuncture is here to help. Initial consultations can be scheduled by calling 443-583-0470 or by visiting www.patapsco-acupuncture.com.

Recreation & Parks

Upcoming Programs for 55 Years +

To view all of our programs and activities, visit www.HowardCountyMD.gov/rap.

Stained Glass Workshops

Make a 6-8-piece stained glass hanging using the copper foil technique. Learn to score, cut, foil, and solder stained glass pieces into a finished hanging. Develop and practice skills needed to score and break glass. Supplies provided. This class is appropriate for all skill levels.

55 yrs +Instructor: Maureen StoneClasses: 1 RP3536.201N Laurel Comm CtrJan 1311am-3pmF$89 RP3536.202N Laurel Comm CtrFeb 411am-3pmSa $89

Fitness

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Exercise with Ease with Kathy Whelan

Crafts & Fine Arts

• Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov.

Digital Photography 101

With today’s digital cameras, anyone can take great pictures. Come learn by focusing on the fundamentals. Learn the elements and techniques that produce compelling photos, then practice your new skills while photographing Belmont’s historic manor and grounds. Digital camera required (DSLR or pointand-shoot with manual controls).

55 yrs +Instructor: John GuionClasses: 4 RP3521.201Belmont ManorJan 109:30-11:30amTu$95

Daydream Journaling and Poetry

Spring is a time of transition, growth, and preparation. It’s the time when days become longer, and nights become shorter. Leaves are beginning to bud on the trees in anticipation of the change in seasons. We start looking forward to the richness of warm sunny days and family gatherings. Our lives transition just like the seasons. And spring is the perfect time to record our past seasons as we look forward to what is still yet to come. Join us as we reflect on the seasons of our lives through journaling.

55 yrs +Instructor: Sharon RicksClasses: 5 RP3571.201OnlineJan 106:30-7:30pmTu$59

This well-rounded hour of fitness for active seniors includes low-impact aerobics, stretching, muscle tone, and strength activities aimed at improving endurance, body alignment, balance, and proper breathing. Listen to upbeat music while learning simple choreographed moves. Classes use light weights (3-5 lbs), flat resistance bands and a chair for certain exercises.

55 yrs +Classes: 22 RP8060.201OnlineJan 109-10amTu,Th$95

First Step Fitness with Pamela Schuckman, ACE-CPT, GFI

This class formerly called “Emerge” has a new name, but the same great class and instructor! Are you an active-aging participant looking to return to a fitness program after illness or injury? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to start a fitness program, but traditional gyms make you feel a little shy? “First Step Fitness” is the class to help you take the first steps toward realizing your fitness goals while having fun and building confidence. In this class, we focus on core strength, balance, and flexibility while teaching participants proper body mechanics and ways to modify or progress exercises. This class has two goals; to help each participant get back to fitness, and to have fun while doing it. Participants should be able to get up and down from the floor, either independently or with a chair to assist.

55 yrs +Classes 12

RP3544.201Roger Carter Comm CtrJan 10Tu,Th10-11am$90

RP3544.202Roger Carter Comm CtrFeb 21Tu,Th10-11am$90

Light Fitness with Taylor Williams, GFI

Enjoy a light 55-minute workout to start your day and enhance flexibility. Participants improve muscle movement, making it easier to execute a wide range of motion. This class includes low impact aerobics, stretching, muscle tone and activities aimed at improving overall health.

55 yrs +Classes: 12No class 2/20

RP3585.201Cedar Lane Rec CtrJan 1810-11amM,W$89

Nature & Environment

Sr. Naturalist Program

Join us at the Robinson Nature Center for our Sr. Naturalist program! The program provides a foundation of understanding on a variety of topics through hands-on exploration and demonstrations in a casual, social atmosphere. Winter Tree ID: Enjoy a winter stroll through the forest and learn tips and tricks on identifying different species of trees without their leaves. Maple Sugaring: Partake in a maple sugaring hike to trees tapped around the property, enjoy a cooking demonstration, and a local syrup tasting. Critter Clues: Learn about the clues that wildlife leave behind and how to safely cohabitate with Maryland’s native critters. Mobility-friendly sessions of programming stay on paved trails. Info: 410-313-0400.

50 yrs +Robinson Nature CtrClasses: 1 RP4831.201Winter Tree IDJan 113-4:30pmW$12 RP4831.202Maple SugaringFeb 153-4:30pmW$12 RP4831.203Critter CluesMar 83-4:30pmW$12 (mobility-friendly)

Speaker Series / Historic Lectures

Dining on the Railroad

Come and learn about the luxury of dining during the golden age of railroading. This lecture includes a talk about the kitchens, menus, meals, ingredients, and the people who made the experience so worthwhile, and what railroad cuisine looks like today. Receive historic recipes to try at home. Info: Emily Mosher, emosher@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-0419.

All agesB&O EC Station MuseumClasses: 1 RP9977.201Jan 291-2:30pmSu$15

Finding Eagles & Owls: How to Contribute to the Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas

The Maryland/DC Breeding Bird Atlas is a citizen science project mapping the distribution of breeding birds across Maryland and D.C. every 10 square miles. Naturalist Sue Muller gives an overview of the project and shows you how to help collect data as we enter the fourth year of the study in 2023. Eagles and owls are the first birds of the nesting season. If weather permits after the presentation, the group takes a short walk to conduct an owl survey.

Info: Tessa Hurd, 410-313-7311 or thurd@howardcountymd.gov. 55 yrs +Instructor: Sue MullerClasses: 1 RP3506.204Gary J. Arthur Comm CtrFeb 27-8:30pmThFree

Sports & Leagues

• For info, visit www.hcrpsports.org.

• Sign up for the following programs has begun! AquaticsFencing KickballSoftball BadmintonField

• Info: Tracy Adkins, 410-313-7279 or tadkins@howardcountymd.gov.

• Bus pick-ups are at Bain 50+ Center and Long Gate Park & Ride.

National Museum of the American Indian

View one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of its kind. The museum’s sweeping curvilinear architecture, its indigenous landscaping, and its exhibitions, all designed in collaboration with tribes and communities from across the hemisphere, combine to give visitors from around the world the sense and spirit of Native America.

RP4571.20118 yrs +Jan 139:30am-3:30pmF$69

Philadelphia Museum of Art

As one of the largest art museums in the USA, its holdings encompass over 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years, including pieces from the ancient world, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Impressionist movement, and modern day. View paintings by Renoir, van Gogh and Picasso; a collection of suits of armor; a one-acre outdoor sculpture garden; and a complete 14th-century Buddhist temple.

RP4572.20118 yrs +Jan 279:30am-3:30pmF$99

National Geographic Museum: Beyond King Tut – The Immersive Experience

This unique exhibition celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt. Experience through cinematic storytelling and soaring projection imagery. (This is not an artifact exhibition, the treasures remain in the country of origin.) Enjoy the power of photography and multimedia to create a time-traveling adventure of discovery. Lunch is on your own at NGS Café or onsite cafeteria.

RP4573.201 18 yrs + Feb 38:30am-3pmF$89

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts –The Guitar in American Art

Come visit one of the largest museums in the USA. It ranks among the top comprehensive art museums! View 5,000 years of art from around the world. Enjoy a delicious lunch on your own at either the on-site Amuse Restaurant or Best Café!

RP4574.20118 yrs +Feb 107:30am-4:30pmF$89

Dutch Apple Theater and Buffet: Sister Act

Sister Act is the latest production at Lancaster’s Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. Based on Whoopi Goldberg’s hit movie of the early ‘90s, the plot revolves around Deloris Van Cartier. Deloris is a street-smart lounge singer forced into hiding in a convent, after witnessing her criminal boyfriend shoot an informant. The plot is filled with loads of comedy and music that will entertain audiences of all ages. Buffet lunch is included. RP4575.20121 yrs +Feb 249:30am-4pmF$149

Get the 411: Connect with our office in 2023

Before Google, calling 411 for assistance was common practice. Over time, this number developed into a shorthand for personto-person communications to share relevant information. If you are looking for “the 411” about resources and services for older adults in Howard County, Maryland Access Point (MAP) is a great place to start.

As the information, referral and assistance service of the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI), MAP is a gateway for older adults, persons with disabilities, family members, and caregivers to find programs and resources which address their current or future needs. Calling 410-313-1234 connects you with a MAP information specialist who will listen to your situation, discuss options and/or make referrals to OAI programs or other county and community resources.

Some common inquiries

Housing, Transportation and In-home Care Options. These are the top three inquiries MAP information specialists receive and among the most complicated to address. OAI’s Resource Guide lists a variety of age-restricted independent housing options, assisted living facilities and long-term care. MAP provides information about RTA bus routes, NeighborRide and private transportation services, as well as in-home and long-term care and costs. For an overview, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/aging.

Medicare Counseling. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) helps Medicare beneficiaries of any age (or their families/caregivers) navigate Medicare and supplemental coverage programs. Call 410-313-7392 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Caregiver Resources. OAI’s Caregiver Support Program offers support groups and counseling, plus educational programs like Powerful Tools for Caregivers, Dementia Live and Trualta, an e-learning portal. To schedule a free Care Talk at a 50+ Center to discuss your individual needs, call 410-313-5969.

Howard County 50+ Centers. There are six 50+ Centers to help you discover the keys to aging well, through wellness and fitness programs, lifelong learning, socialization, nutrition education, and shared meals. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters for details or search for programs on the Howard County ActiveNet site at https://bit.ly/HoCoRegister.

GO50+ Fitness Membership. The 50+ Center membership is complimentary and includes access to all Howard County 50+ Centers (game rooms, gyms and tracks at the Gary J. Arthur and North Laurel Community Centers). The GO50+ Fitness membership ($75/year) adds use of the fitness rooms, plus access to the Roger Carter Community Center. Register at any 50+ Center.

Group Exercise and Virtual Fitness Pass. New for 2023, the group exercise pass includes 20 weekly class options at the Ellicott City or Bain 50+ Centers ($75/quarterly or $35/month). If you prefer to exercise at home, try our Virtual Fitness Pass, with 20 class options for $45/month or $120/quarterly. For more information, contact Michelle Rosenfeld at 410-313-7394.

Chronic Disease Management. Offered in small group settings, the Living Well Chronic Disease Self-Management program helps adults better manage ongoing health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis,

A message from Howard County Executive Calvin Ball

Happy New Year, Howard County!

It is a tremendous honor to have been reelected to serve as your Howard County Executive for another term. I’m very proud of the progress Howard County has seen in the past four years, and I look forward to continuing to work with our community to ensure Howard County is the best place to live, work, play, and grow for all!

Last year, we began construction of a new and much larger East Columbia 50+ Center to better meet the needs of our growing older adult population and made improvements to our parks and pathways to make the county more accessible for all. As cold weather settles in, I urge you to stay active and take advantage of the many services the Office on Aging and Independence offers at our 50+ Centers and in the community. If you look to your left, you’ll find a roundup of the many ways you can stay connected. In 2023, we will begin implementing the Howard County Age-Friendly Action Plan. I encourage individual residents, community groups, small and large businesses, and non-profit organizations to get involved. Learn how at www.howardcountymd.gov/agefriendly. Our new community ambassador program will also serve a critical role in carrying this initiative forward, updating residents across the county on key Age-Friendly issues and other topics so they can share important information in their communities. Together, we will remain focused on ensuring all our residents can live full, meaningful and healthy lives right here in Howard County.

The Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS) extends its wishes for a new year filled with good health, great joy and true peace for all. DCRS is here to help all residents live, grow and thrive in our collective community.

A Publication of the Department of Community Resources and Services

Are you a caregiver? Let’s talk!

By Earnestine Thomas, OAI Caregiver Specialist

Caregivers often need help. Unfortunately, a large percentage of them feel guilty asking for help from others. Yet, caregivers that acknowledge their need for assistance are simply being honest with themselves. Getting extra help can actually strengthen the relationship between the caregiver and those in their care.

Some tips to help

1. Decide what you need most — respite, help preparing meals, a night out, or just someone to talk to about your situation. Journaling can help you understand your feelings and define your needs. This private form of self-care allows time for you to think about your emotions and express your true feelings. Try it!

2. Take small steps. Keep a short list of what you need in your pocket or on your phone. When someone asks, “How can I help you?” you can refer to your list and let them know immediately.

3. Be direct when you ask for help. A general, “I need help” is not enough; be specific.

4. Be prepared to let others do things for your loved one differently. Everyone does not achieve end results with the same steps. We are all different. Be open to accepting new methods and techniques.

5. Check in with yourself regarding how you are feeling once you get the help you need. Write it down in your journal.

6. Tap into a local resource. The Howard County Caregiver Support Program is available to discuss your situation. Monthly Care Talks are held at Howard County 50+ Centers and offer one-on-one consultations. For more information, call Maryland Access Point at 410-313-1234 and ask for Kathy Wehr (Program Manager) or Earnestine Thomas (Caregiver Specialist).

Fitness options for a virtual world

The Virtual Fitness Pass will continue in 2023, with even more options! Schedule changes include new start times and class additions, offering 20 weekly class choices. View the current schedule online at www.howardcountymd.gov/OAIvirtualfitness. All classes are offered through the Webex virtual platform. Registered participants will receive the class links and password for the upcoming month on the last business day of the preceding month. To register, call 410-313-1400 or 410-313-5440 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. For questions, contact Michelle Rosenfeld at mrosenfeld@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-7394.

Since I started the virtual exercise classes, I have seen big changes in my overall fitness and body. I no longer have neck aches, my balance has improved, upper and lower body are more toned, my core has strengthened, and I have more energy.

For me, Michelle offers a perfect combination of teaching, encouragement and challenge!

— Susan Girard (pictured)

Get the 411 continued from page 12

cardiovascular disease, obesity, and more. Contact Akasha Dotson at 410-313-3507 for the schedule of upcoming workshops.

Digital Inclusion & Senior Planet. Free digital literacy courses are offered via AARP’s Senior Planet®, and coordinated by Malarie Burgess, OAI’s digital inclusion specialist to help Howard County older adults learn new skills and safely use the Internet. For more information, call 410-313-6542 (voice/relay).

For more information, contact a MAP information specialist at 410-313-1234, email map@howardcountymd.gov or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/aging.

JANUARY 2023

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Breakfast

BAIN 50+ CENTER

Friday, January 13 • 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Enjoy breakfast at the waffle bar. Bring donations for the Harper’s Choice Middle School food pantry: peanut butter, jelly, applesauce, fruit cups, canned tuna, pancake mix, and syrup. Donations accepted January 3-24. RSVP to 410-313-7213 for the waffle bar by January 6.

Lunar New Year’s Eve Celebration

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER

Saturday, January 21 • 1 to 3 p.m.

Welcome the Year of the Rabbit with a special lunch and entertainment. Cost: lunch donation. Register in advance on ActiveNet (A04750.200)

Pilates

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER

Wednesdays starting January 4 • 9 to 10 a.m.

Pilates enhances flexibility and builds lean muscle, strength and endurance in the hips, back and abdomen. Strengthening these core muscles helps improve posture and balance. Please bring your own mat. $64 for 12 classes. Register on ActiveNet (A05409.200).

After Hours at Home Urgent Care

ELLICOTT CITY 50+ CENTER

Tuesday, January 31 • 11:00 a.m.

Learn about new health care options, including an afterhours urgent care service that makes house calls for non-emergency medical needs (between 7 p.m. and midnight). Free to attend; register at 410-313-1400.

Lunar New Year Dumpling Demo and Lunch

GLENWOOD 50+ CENTER

Tuesday, January 24 • 11:00 a.m.

Presenter Lorraine Clemmers shares her family’s Lunar New Year tradition of making dumplings. A hands-on cooking demo is followed by a noodle dish for lunch. $15; register on ActiveNet. (A03603.200)

Gentle Yoga Wednesdays

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

Starting January 4 • 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Learn basic yoga poses and proper posture to pair with breath work and relaxation techniques. Improve flexibility, strength, energy, concentration, and more. Mats/props available or bring your own. $76 for 12 classes. Register on ActiveNet (A06415.201).

9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

Find us @HoCoCommunity on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and YouTube Kim Higdon Henry, Editor • EMAIL: kahenry@howardcountymd.gov AVAILABLE IN ALTERNATE

Join the subscriber list https://bit.ly/HoCosubscribe

Advertising in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Office on Aging and Independence or by the publisher.

Money Law &

These companies are among the few whose sales are the “real deal.” See more below.

Few stores’ sale prices are really deals

By Kevin Brasler and Andrea Densmore

“SALE!

60% OFF!”

“This weekend only: Save an extra 40%!”

“List: $299 Our price: $199”

Consumers’ Checkbook’s researchers spent 33 weeks tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers and found that most stores’ discount claims aren’t really discounts at all, but rather are attempts to mislead. And the shady sales practice is worse than ever before.

Checkbook discovered that most stores’ sale prices — even those that advertise big savings — are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same “sale price” more than half the time.

Often, these fake sales never end: For eight of the 25 retailers, our shoppers found more than half the items we tracked for each were offered at false discounts every week or almost every week we checked. In other words, at many retailers the “regular price” or “list” price listed is seldom, if ever, what customers actually pay.

Checkbook found these retailers’ sales were usually misleading: Amazon, Banana Republic, Dick’s, Foot Locker, Gap, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Wayfair and Williams Sonoma.

Checkbook found these retailers’ sales were often misleading: Best Buy, Dell, Home Depot, JC Penney, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Michaels, Office Depot, Overstock, Staples and Walmart.

Checkbook found Target’s sales were sometimes misleading.

And Checkbook found that only three of the 25 retailers offered legitimate sales: Apple, Bed Bath & Beyond and Costco. For the full report, see checkbook.org/washington-area/sale-fail.

Attempts to mislead

By constantly offering items at sale prices — and rarely if ever offering them at regular prices — retailers are engaging in deceptive advertising. The stores are running those special-but-not-really-special discounts to manipulate you into buying items right away.

Although customers may think the “sale” offers them a fantastic deal, the opposite is usually the case: We discovered that most items can be purchased for lower prices elsewhere.

It’s all designed to make you feel so good about what you pay that you’ll snap up more stuff while you’re at it. If stores

can make you feel like you’ve saved a bundle, you might keep right on buying because you can “afford to spend more.”

How prices were checked

Beginning in February 2022, once per week for 33 weeks Checkbook’s researchers tracked the prices offered by 25 national chains for 25-plus items at each store.

This research expands on similar projects we performed in 2015 and 2018, when we spent 40 or more weeks tracking major retailers’ prices.

We found that in the last four years fake sales have become far more prevalent.

Some retailers still have more egregious pricing practices than others. Amazon, Banana Republic, Dick’s, Foot Locker, Gap, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Wayfair, and Williams Sonoma were the naughtiest fake-sale offenders. At these stores, most of the items we tracked were always or almost always on sale.

But nearly all of the 25 stores we tracked were guilty of some sales-price chicanery, advertising sales for the majority of the items we checked more than half the time.

Only Apple, Bed Bath & Beyond and Costco consistently conducted legitimate sales. Target was a borderline case.

The other 21 retailers marked their items “on sale” about 70% of the time, on average, meaning that far more often than not they promoted prices as discounts that weren’t really special.

“List” prices often meaningless

Most retailers we studied poorly disclose how they determine all their crossed-out “list” prices. Those offering explanations typically buried them in the “Terms and Conditions” sections of their websites.

But Amazon, Dell, Macy’s, Target and Walmart provide more transparency: With each, you can hover over list prices or click on nearby icons for definitions of how they determined their (usually crossedout) “list” or “regular” prices.

Some retailers that provide explanations give silly justifications. Kohl’s takes the prize for most ridiculous; its disclaimer reads, in part, “The Reg. or Orig. price of an item is the former or future offered

I’m retired. Should I pay off my mortgage?

By Evan T. Beach

If you’ve ever tuned in to The Ramsey Show on the radio, you know Dave Ramsey likes to talk about the best ways to pay down debt and why it’s imperative to be debt-free.

Then you may come across Ric Edelman, the founder of one of the largest personal finance companies in the country. His advice is just the opposite of Ramsey’s: You should stretch out a big mortgage for as long as possible, he maintains.

I’m guessing this leaves you a bit confused. The truth is that personal finance is just that: personal. The right answer for you won’t come from someone speaking to a million people and giving one answer.

If you have the money necessary to pay off your mortgage and you are retired, or nearly retired, this article will allow you to place yourself in one of three groups, to get closer to the right answer for

you. Here are three scenarios that may apply to you:

1. You have the money in cash because you are scared of the market.

Should you pay your mortgage off? Yes. In this case you should pay it off.

Why? There is a term we use in this profession: arbitrage. Applied in this context, you have negative arbitrage. The bank is paying you 0.25% on your savings account (if you’re lucky) and charging you 3.75% on your mortgage. So, you are losing 3.5% every year you hang on to that loan. This is oversimplifying, of course, but you get the idea.

What’s the downside? First and foremost, you are losing liquidity. When you pay off a mortgage, you are essentially putting money into a piggy bank that you can’t get back out unless you sell the home or tap the equity.

Second is the tax consideration. Paying off your mortgage may mean that you fall

below the standard deduction threshold because you don’t have the mortgage interest to write off. This could raise your effective tax rate, but likely not significantly.

Last, but especially relevant today, holding a loan is an inflation hedge. Because your principal and interest payment stay flat in a fixed-rate loan, your housing expense is likely to inflate much more slowly than CPI-W.

2. You have the money in a brokerage/taxable account.

Should you pay your mortgage off? Probably not. Why? Same idea as above, but reversed. You now (historically) have positive arbitrage.

From 1991 to 2020, the S&P 500 returned 10.72% on average, annually. Every investment exam, class and disclosure will tell you that past performance is not indicative of future results. However, in that example, you would have lost (10.72%3.5%) 7.22% per year [if you paid off your

mortgage with formerly invested funds].

There is also a tax consideration if the investment you hold has an unrealized gain. Depending on your taxable income and the size of the gain, you are likely to pay 15% or more of that gain to the Treasury before you pay off that loan.

What’s the downside? Stocks can always swing the other way. Historically, stocks go up about three-quarters of the time. In order for you to make money by earning more than the interest rate on the loan, you have to be in that 75%.

Picture a scenario, like now, when you were planning on making 10% in the brokerage account and paying 3.5% interest. Instead, you lost 20% in your brokerage account and paid 3.5% interest. You would have been better off paying off the loan before the drop.

Unfortunately, no one has a crystal

ball. My feeling is that you have to bet the odds that the market usually goes up, and it usually goes up by more than the current mortgage rates.

3. You have the money in a retirement account.

Should you pay your mortgage off? No. You shouldn’t pay it off in this case.

Why? I get this question all the time, but no one has ever asked me that after they actually cashed out a retirement account to pay off their mortgage. My guess is that the accompanying tax bill confirmed it was

a bad decision.

In Scenario 2 above, it’s mostly an investment decision with a tax consideration. This answer is mostly tax-based.

When you pull funds from a pre-tax retirement account, those amounts are included in your taxable income and taxed at ordinary income rates. Therefore, if you take a large withdrawal, your tax bracket will jump, and you will see a significantly smaller amount come into your bank account before you pay off your loan.

What’s the downside? Cost. There is comfort in living debt-free in retirement. Having a lower housing expense provides you more flexibility in your discretionary spending.

But, in this case, is it worth the cost?

Neither Dave Ramsey nor Ric Edelman is wrong. They just give different reasons for their advice.

Ramsey uses mostly behavioral reasoning. Essentially, he believes that people are not going to use discretionary income beyond their 30-year mortgage payment to invest, but rather to buy things they don’t need.

Edelman’s reasoning is purely mathematical. He does not hypothesize about what people will do with excess income, but points out that if you can earn more in an investment account than what you pay

in mortgage interest, you come out on top.

The challenge for all of these talking heads is that they don’t know to whom they’re speaking. Everyone has a money script. If your parents lived through the Depression and drilled lessons into you about the evils of borrowing money, you probably don’t care about the math behind my reasoning.

Here’s the good news: I’ve yet to find someone who regrets not having a mortgage in retirement.

© 2022 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

price for the item or a comparable item by Kohl’s or another retailer. Actual sales may not have been made at the Reg. or Orig. prices, and intermediate markdowns may have been taken…” In other words, Kohl’s is claiming its discounts are based on

that it or one of its competitors might have charged in the past or might charge in the future.

Excerpted with permission from Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get great service and low prices. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates.

Beacon readers can view Checkbook’s ratings and advice free for 30 days via Checkbook.org/promo/beacon. Also, check out the Consumerpedia podcast for more consumer news you can use at bit.ly.com/consumerpedia.

Leisure & Travel Leisure &

Visiting Switzerland via Grand Train Tour

By Don Mankin

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey.” On the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, it’s both.

This past October, my wife and I had the opportunity to enjoy both the ride and the country on a train tour through Switzerland.

Our trip started in Lugano, where I was attending the Adventure Travel World Summit — the first in-person summit since the pandemic began. I can’t think of a better place to break out of a pandemic: a beautiful lake, historic hotel, and a lovely lakeside promenade linking our hotel and the modern convention center, where the summit was held.

For variety during the weeklong stay, I sometimes walked down the winding pedestrian streets through town, lined with ritzy shops and restaurants and leading into hidden plazas. You could also catch a funicular up a steep hill to reach the shops near the lake, where most residences are located.

Lugano is very close to the Italian border, so the language and food is Italian. The pasta was a revelation. Unlike the robust, chewy pasta I am used to eating here, it was silken, delicate, velvety. All in all, southern Switzerland is like Italy with more efficient trains and less graffiti.

A World Heritage Site on rails

At the conclusion of the summit, we boarded a bus for a three-hour scenic ride along Lake Lugano, then past Lake Como (I peered through the bus windows for a glimpse of George Clooney, but to no avail) to Tirano, where we boarded the Bernina Express to St. Moritz. That was the first of three iconic train rides over the next few days.

The Bernina Express is listed as a World Heritage Site, one of the few railroads to be so designated. It is also the steepest narrow-gauge railway — and provides one of the most scenic train journeys — on the planet.

The train sure beats Amtrak. It is comfortable and roomy with huge windows, the better to gawk at the jagged peaks, plunging waterfalls and gleaming glaciers of the southern Alps, with farms, tiny villages and church steeples nestled in the broad valleys.

The color palette was wide and vivid: blue skies, green fields and trees tinged with the reds and yellows of autumn. Everywhere you looked was a postcard. Think of The Sound of Music and Heidi and you get the idea.

Our first destination, St. Moritz, is known for its skiing as well as for the beautiful, rich and limber people who populate

the slopes and shop in its expensive stores. It wasn’t ski season, so we spent our one evening wandering among stores selling products we couldn’t afford.

Glacier Express to Zermatt

The next day we boarded an even posher train, the Glacier Express, to Zermatt. During the seven-hour train ride, we were served a three-course meal on white linen with fancier glass and silverware than we use at home for special guests.

Zermatt is best known for its crosscountry skiing, hiking and mountaineering, as well as the Matterhorn, which looms over this rustic but upscale town.

The weather was mostly overcast for our two-night stay, precluding a gondola or cogwheel train ride up the slopes for a closer look at the Matterhorn and the usually breathtaking views of the surrounding 13,000-foot-tall mountains.

But it cleared enough on our second morning for some stunning photos of the rays of the rising sun shining off the slopes and the peak of the mountain.

Montreux, masterpiece on a lake

From Zermatt, we took two trains to Montreux. Neither of them was luxurious or iconic, just the usual comfortable, clean,

punctual and efficient components of the deservedly famous Swiss rail system.

Montreux was my favorite stop on our train tour. I first heard about Montreux when I was a teenage jazz fan and fantasized about attending the Montreux Jazz Festival, then one of the premier jazz festivals in one of the most beautiful settings in Europe.

Now, the festival leans heavily toward pop music, but the town is still incredibly beautiful, sitting on a huge, sparkling lake ringed by mountains.

We were only there for one night, just enough time to take a long walk on the wide lakeside promenade, dotted with whimsical sculptures, colorful patches of flowers, and grand old Belle Époque homes and hotels.

We stayed in one of these grand old hotels, the Suisse Majestic, in a room overlooking the lake. If we didn’t have a train to catch, we would have stayed there for days.

The Golden Pass to Lucerne

From Montreux, we headed to Lucerne on the Golden Pass, a Belle Époque-era train with red-velvet seat cushions, wood paneling and bronze fixtures. It was oldworld, regal and elegant, a leftover from

Switzerland’s Bernina Express whisks passengers through 55 tunnels and 90 miles of Alpine countryside. The 800-mile Swiss Grand Train Tour provides panoramic views of turquoise lakes, glaciers, waterfalls and famous mountains.

PHOTO © AZURECHINA |

DREAMSTIME.COM

On the Bernina Express, one of the eight railroads on the Swiss Grand Train Tour, people can eat, talk or just watch the spectacular scenery on the four-hour journey between Switzerland and Italy.

PHOTO BY DON MANKIN

Which countries have the safest water? See story on opposite page.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL TAVRIONOV/PIXABAY

Some interesting travel developments

Over the weeks, I receive or see releases, promotions and news items that don’t warrant individual treatment in a column but might still be of use or interest to you.

FTC hearing on junk fees

Last month, the Federal Trade Commission posted a docket open for consumer comments on a possible ruling against “junk fees.” And even in the first days, it’s clear that the fees consumers resent the most are “resort,” “destination” and similar mandatory fees that hotels exclude from the rates they post initially but hit you for when you check out.

drink tap water anywhere else and instead pay for expensive bottled water. And many residents of 37 countries with safe tap water still insist on ordering the bottled stuff at restaurants.

To help you decide whether to drink the tap water, the folks at the Family Vacation Guide compiled data from the CDC Travelers’ Health Destination Guides into a handy summary.

in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel and the United Arab Emirates offer drinkable water, but not Egypt.

All of Africa is on the “don’t drink” list, as is all of South America except Chile, all of Central America except Costa Rica, and most Caribbean countries except Martinique.

A new release from HealthCare.com shows why. It compiled typical costs for a long list of common procedures in the U.S. along with their costs in Mexico, Thailand and Turkey — three of the most popular medical tourism destinations. Overall, Turkey fares best, with prices 39% to 92% less than U.S. costs, but Mexican and Thai prices are close behind.

TRAVEL TIPS

By Ed Perkins

The takeaway is mostly what you’d expect: The list of the 53 countries where tap water is safe includes all of Western Europe plus the Baltics, Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, but not in the other Balkans.

Check the full listings and associated maps at thefamilyvacationguide.com/travel-guides/where-can-you-drink-tap-wateras-a-tourist.

Medical tourism

As I’ve covered previously, these fees are pure deception: devices to make a hotel rate look lower than it really is in price comparisons and advertisements.

For several years, the FTC has pussyfooted around this issue, but President Biden’s recent nudge about junk fees seems finally to give the issue some urgency.

Even now, however, the FTC seems to be more concerned with disclosure than outright prohibition. That’s misguided, because disclosure is not an adequate remedy for deception: Deceptive practices should be banned, not just disclosed.

Whether or not you agree, you can make your voice heard by uploading a comment at regulations.gov/docket/FTC2022-0069/comments.

Best ski deals

The folks at Home ToGo just posted a compilation of the “most affordable” ski destinations. The compilation rates designations by a combination of the costs of ski lift tickets and accommodations, per person in peak season.

Lift ticket prices are a straightforward basis of ranking, but accommodation costs are tough: Home ToGo is a vacation rental search system, so its accommodations cost figured for rentals and may not reflect relative costs for travelers who choose commercial accommodations.

The compilation found Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon; Gore Mountain, New York; Whistler, BC; Kimberly, BC, and Mission Ridge, Washington, to offer daily ski lift costs under $100 and total daily costs less than $150.

Among the most popular areas, Keystone, Montana; Whistler, BC, and Breckenridge, Colorado, also offer lift tickets at less than $100, but accommodation costs put totals at $236 to $314. Top total costs at Vail and Park City run $345 to $368.

Check the full report at hometogo.com /inspiration/ski-vacation.

Drink the tap water?

Many travelers from the U.S. hesitate to

In Asia and the Pacific, tap water is okay

Many U.S. residents travel to other countries for big-ticket medical and dental procedures that aren’t covered by their medical insurance and that they could not afford at home.

Medical tourism involves a whole bunch of issues and risks, which I can’t begin to explore fully. And I can’t vouch for the provenance of HealthCare.com’s data. But if you’re at all interested, the tables and links at bit.ly/medicaltravelsites are a good place to start.

Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net or check out his website at rail-guru.com.

© 2022 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Switzerland

From page 16

the days when train travel was the thing to do.

The Golden Pass was only the first of four trains we had to take that day, illustrating the precise choreography of the Swiss rail system. Switching trains was literally like clockwork. I knew exactly where to go, how much time I had between trains, and when the train would pull out of the station.

Like Lugano and Montreux, Lucerne is a charming town located on a large, scenic lake surrounded by mountains. Besides its stunning setting, Lucerne is also known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, including a wooden bridge built in the 14th century.

Our plan was to ride the gondola to the top of Mt. Pilatus just outside town, ride the cog railroad down and take a boat back to town, but the skies were leaden with clouds. Since we figured the views wouldn’t be great, we

opted instead for a round-trip, six-hour boat ride to the opposite end of the lake.

A cruise back in time

Because the shape of the lake is irregular, with many bends and turns, the boat trip is more like cruising down a winding, scenic fjord than crossing a large, open body of water. The lake is surrounded by steep mountains, so the views throughout the trip were magnificent, at first silvery and moody from the low clouds, then sparkling and bright when the clouds and mist lifted in the afternoon.

The boat, a classic paddle wheeler built in 1926, stopped in several picturesque and historic lakeside villages and towns along the way. Stops included where the Swiss Confederation was established in 1291, the site of Wilhelm Tell’s heroic exploits in the 14th century, and a town where Mark Twain lived for several months in 1897.

Copper can stop germs before they spread

Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast.

Now thousands of people are using it against unwanted viruses and bacteria in the nose and on the skin.

Germs, such as viruses and bacteria, can multiply fast. When unwanted germs get in your nose they can spread and cause misery unless you stop them early.

In the last 20 years, hundreds of studies by government and university scientists show the natural element copper kills germs just by touch. -

clared copper to be antimicrobial, which means it kills microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and fungus.

The National Institutes of Health says, “The antimicrobial activity of copper is now well established.”

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about microbes, but now we do.

Scientists say the high conductance of copper disrupts the electrical balance in a microbe cell by touch and destroys it in seconds.

Some hospitals tried copper for touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA, and other illnesses, by over half and saved lives. inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made the bottom of his nose.

The next time he felt a tickle in his nose that felt like a cold about to start, he rubbed the copper gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“The cold never got going,” he exclaimed. “That was September 2012. I use copper in the nose every time and I have not had a single cold since then.”

He asked relatives and friends to try it. They reported the same thing, so he patented CopperZap® and put it on the market.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it. The feedback was 99% positive if they used the copper within 3 hours after the germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.

Early user Mary Pickrell said, “I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”

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Pat McAllister, 70, received one for Christmas and called it “one of the best presents ever. This little jewel really works.” -

tical, she tried copper on travel days for

people around her show signs of unwanted germs, she uses copper morning and night. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. “The kids had crud going round and round, but not me.”

tried copper for her sinus. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

A man with trouble breathing through his nose at night tried copper just before bed. he said.

In a lab test, technicians

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Some people press copper on a lip right away if a warning tingle suggests unwanted germs gathering there.

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-

We disembarked at Flüelen, the town at the far end of the lake, took a short walk, and stopped at a café for a takeaway lunch. We found a place to sit and eat our lunch while admiring one of the best views of the trip, toward a mountain across the water while a lone sailboat floated in the light breeze in the distance.

Before heading back to Lucerne on the next boat, we tried to absorb the scene and burn it into our memories. It will have to do until our next trip to a destination as beautiful as Switzerland and as easy to get to via the most efficient and comfortable transportation system in the world.

If you go

Economy round-trip flights from BWI to Zurich range from less than $1,000 for connecting flights to around $2,000 for nonstop flights. Check Kayak.com for current fares.

A Swiss Travel Pass, which is good for travel on trains, buses and boats, plus access to many museums and other attractions, costs about $700 for a first-class, 15day pass. Seats on the Bernina Express, the Glacier Express, and the Golden Pass are extra. Go to bit.ly/SwissTravelPass for more information or to purchase.

Contact The Swiss Travel Centre at switzerlandtravelcentre.com to arrange a tour. For general information, go to MySwitzerland.com.

In Lugano, we stayed at the Hotel International au Lac (hotel-international.ch/ en/home). Rooms are about $200/night, including breakfast. In St. Moritz, try the Hotel Steffani (steffani.ch/en) for about $300/night with breakfast.

A Zermatt splurge is the Hotel Julen (julen.ch/en/romantik-hotel-julen) at about $350/night. And in Montreux, try the Marriott’s Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic for about $250/night.

In Lucerne, Hotel Continental Park (continental.ch/en) is about $200/night.

Don and Katherine’s trip was organized and hosted by the Switzerland Travel Centre. For more photos, go to Don’s blog on his website, adventuretransformations.com.

(paid advertisement)

“We don’t make product health claims,” he said, “so I can’t say cause andbial.”

Sherlock Holmes spoof now at Everyman

By Dan Collins

Believe it or not, not everyone is a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation, Sherlock Holmes. There’s a certain reproach for a man who seems to have all the answers, is ever in command, and whose lifelong companion, Dr. Watson, seems specifically designed to make him look superior.

That’s why such a character makes a wonderful target for comedy.

Fortunately for theater audiences everywhere, playwright Ken Ludwig has taken just such aim at the man in the deerstalker hat in his hilarious work, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, now at the Everyman Theatre in downtown Baltimore.

Even non-fans may be aware of the 1902 tale of The Hound of the Baskervilles, the third of four crime novels Doyle wrote (it was considered the best of the four in a poll of “Sherlockians”).

Like the Doyle novel, Ludwig’s play introduces us to the legend of the hellhound of dark and dismal moors: a fierce dog with an apparent penchant for killing — in this case, anyone with the last name Baskerville.

The play opens with the un-comedic death of Sir Charles Baskerville, leaving one to think they are in for a purely dramatic stage adaptation of Doyle’s work. But let’s not jump to simple Watsonian conclusions.

As one scene melts into the next, we are carried via Everyman set designer Paige Hathaway’s multifarious modular and me-

chanical set to 22B Baker Street where we first meet Sherlock Holmes (Danny Gavigan), Dr. Watson (Tony Nam) and landlady Mrs. Hudson (Megan Anderson).

And the game is quickly afoot.

Five actors, 40 roles

Directed by Laura Kepley, the emphasis in this production is on the foot, as in fleet of, as the mere five members of the cast play 40 separate roles, making 69 quick changes of not merely costume, but accent, age, gender and ethnicity.

The comedy bursts forth with Anderson’s turn as Mrs. Hudson, who is loud, effusive and rather enamored of her tenants, with emphasis on the amour. This is not the elderly woman of “queenly tread” as Doyle describes her.

Ludwig has fashioned a funhouse-mirror version of Doyle’s characters: Holmes, manic and conceited; Drew Kopas’ Sir Henry, a rambunctious Texan (vs. the worn and shell-shocked Canadian of the novel); and the Baskerville Hall wait staff, John (Bruce Randolph Nelson) and Eliza (Anderson) Barrymore, two who would be more at home serving the Addams Family (kudos to wig designer Denise O’Brien for Eliza’s “Bride of Frankenstein” hair).

All have effusive energy not seen outside of a classic Marx Brothers movie. Except one: Nam’s Watson is the play’s straight man, serving as the grounding foil to all the fanciful funny folks darting and dashing around him.

Creative costumes, sets

Friday, January 27, 2023 -7:30 p.m.

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This saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger was the mastermind behind one of the most significant recordings of the 1960s jazz era. Come hear why as the CJB takes you through the Oliver Nelson Songbook.

Tickets: $20

Costume designer David Burdick’s colorful and layered designs (more than 100) facilitate the actors in their comedic turns. The Unsung Hero Award goes to

whomever is overseeing Kopas, Anderson and Nelson’s personal fitness, as their ability to transform themselves in seconds —

Drew Kopas and Bruce Randolph Nelson take on multiple roles, sometimes just moments apart, in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a fast-moving spoof by Ken Ludwig, now on stage at Everyman Theatre through Jan. 1, 2023.

PHOTO BY TERESA CASTRACANE

The American Visionary Art Museum has two outdoor sculpture gardens. Our cover story continues on page 20.

PHOTO BY JACK HOFFBERGER

Whitfield, a former banker, taught classes at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, serving as a mentor for many artists.

She also co-founded an art collective in Detroit called United Artists of Detroit (UAD), an “online platform for artists and creatives in various disciplines that bring artists and resources together in one place,” according to its website.

Whitfield is only the second director of AVAM. “Rebecca [Hoffberger] has done an extraordinary job of embracing, advancing and providing a place for the intuitive creative spirit to flourish and grow,” Whitfield said.

“I look forward to building upon her strong foundation by increasing AVAM’s visibility, building greater alliances and taking AVAM to its next level.

“Rebecca and I are like sisters. We are united by the shared goal of bringing the work of visionaries to life,” Whitfield added.

Permanent and new exhibits

AVAM’s permanent collection includes paintings, sketches and indoor and outdoor sculptures. Each spring, it hosts a “kinetic sculpture race,” in which people design all-terrain human-powered floats that they bike or paddle in a parade starting at the museum.

The museum, according to its marketing department, “champions the role intuition plays in creative invention and evolutionary innovation of all sorts — be it in the field of art, science, health/wellbeing, engineering, humor, philosophy, and especially in inspiring compassionate and creative acts of social justice and betterment.”

There’s both creative invention and humor in the current group show, “Abundance: Too much, too little, just right.”

The show, which opened in October and runs through September 3, 2023, encompasses the vision and goals of the museum and its new director, Whitfield said. Most of the artists are local, and they include a coal miner, teachers, construction workers, a boxer and a carpenter.

The exhibition “takes a look at con-

sumption and how many people have way more than they need, while others struggle to merely survive,” she said.

“The artists in this exhibition demonstrate how everyday things, often referred to as discards, can be used in the creative process.”

The “discards” being used in the exhibit include tinfoil (fashioned into an exquisite elephant), buttons, bottlecaps, pins, pennies, shells, ceramic plates, broken glass, used clothing, broken TV tubes and batteries, driftwood, paper cups and plates, old magazines, Styrofoam and scrap metal.

Whitfield recalled that in the Heidelberg Project in Detroit an old, abandoned car was “turned into a sculpture, into a work of art. The creation of art does not have to start with conventional material,” she said.

Outreach being planned

The new director, who has taught courses on “art as a social practice” at two universities, expressed special interest in “strengthening the educational arm of the museum.”

Among other ways of doing so, Whitfield hopes to take the museum’s art and philosophy into Maryland classrooms — from colleges to public schools.

“Art programs in most public schools have been cut,” she pointed out. “That’s why it is important for us to develop programs for the schools, to teach that art is a vehicle, a tool that helps you to tap into

your own creativity.”

That creativity does not only apply to the visual arts, “but helps us to find what we are good at in life,” Whitfield said. “It’s also exploration to expand the definition of a worthwhile life.”

A program for the schools is “in the development stages,” she said, adding, “Stay tuned.”

Visitors from the 50-and-older crowd may be pleased that the museum has a leader of education who creates interesting art programs for older adults and children alike.

She also pointed out the role older artists have played and continue to play. “Much of the art in AVAM was created by people after they retired,” Whitfield noted.

As she put it in in a statement announcing her appointment last March, “What excites me most is that AVAM’s philosophy and visual aesthetics are beautifully aligned with what it means to be human. And what we should strive for as a human race.”

Whitfield sees her current role as looking for artists “who are trained or not,” but who can express through their art “a hopeful feeling…for a better world for humanity.”

The American Visionary Art Museum, located at 800 Key Highway, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission costs $15.95 ($13.95 for people 60 and over). For more information, visit avam.org or call (410) 244-1900.

From page 19

from cockney urchin to butterfly-net-flying Mr. Stapleton to a Corsican hotel concierge to a half-deaf lady messenger to butler Barrymore (Nelson), from Hugo to Charles to Henry Barrymore to Inspector Lestrade (Kopas), from Mrs. Hudson to a wailing infant to a cab driver — is a superb and sweaty sight to behold.

Perhaps stage manager Cat Wallis had a few oxygen tanks on hand.

Set designer Hathaway deserves kudos as well for creating a set that can, with the pull of a few drawers or prop placement,

BEACON BITS

Jan. 17

transform from an opera house to Baskerville Hall to assorted offices and homes, with use of video screens to transform the stage into the Grimpen Mire bog or the heart of London.

As for the hound? Yes, he does make an appearance, as do several horses (well, stick ponies), all thanks to the efforts of puppet designer Dan Jones (so rest easy, no animals were harmed in the making of this play!).

The mystery is solved — though in the final scene, the stage is set (literally) for Holmes and Watson’s next adventure, which might be called “Dagger of Death: A Night at the Opera.”

IMPORTANT LEGAL DOCS OVERVIEW

This free program gives a brief overview of powers of attorney, financial and healthcare (sometimes referred to as an advance medical directive/living will), their limitations and alternatives. Join the online presentation on Tue., Jan. 17 from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information and to register, visit olneymemorycare.com/event/powers-of-attorney.

ARTS COUNCIL EXHIBIT RECEPTION

Jan. 27

Join the Arts Council for a free reception for their current exhibits: Art Maryland 2022 and Intersections. The juror for Art Maryland 2022, artist Schroeder Cherry, will offer remarks and present awards during the reception. This event takes place on Fri., Jan. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 8510 High Ridge Rd., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-2787 or email info@hocoarts.org.

And let us not forget the mystery of how actor Drew Kopas successfully appears on stage as two different characters simultaneously!

Want more clues? Check out this rollicking farce at the Everyman, a fun way to kick off your holiday season.

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mys-

BEACON BITS

Jan. 22

tery runs just over two hours with a 15minute intermission, with performances now through January 1, 2023. Tickets range from $29 to $63, depending on date of performance and seat location.

To purchase tickets, visit everymantheatre.org or call (410) 752-2208. Box office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FREE CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT

The Beau Soir Ensemble is an acclaimed flute, viola and harp trio that performs standard and contemporary chamber music repertoire. This free concert takes place on Sun., Jan. 22 form 2 to 3 p.m. at the Miller Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-1950 or visit bit.ly/BeauSoirConcert to register.

Crossword

Stephen Sherr

The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT

& REAL ESTATE ADS:

We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

FT IN-PERSON RN/ INDIVIDUAL pursuing

Bachelor-level degree in Nursing to assist medical practice in Potomac. Duties include assisting physician in clinical management of patients, design/implementation of research protocols, including patient acquisition, processing and post-research analysis. Successful candidate will have experience in pediatric neurogenic bladder/bowels, hydrocephalus, and demonstrated knowledge/expertise in Cortical Visual Impairment. Minimum 2 yrs experience with neurological pediatric case management. Candidate must be fluent in English, and one of the following languages: Portuguese, Italian, German. Salary commensurate with experience. Send CV and salary needs to braincareclinic@gmail.com

VENDOR MEMBERS GROUP annually organizes multiple craft shows in Baltimore County, MD. Shop with us! For more information: www.vendormembersgroup.com

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-626-8703.

Financial

UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

For Sale

PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

VIVINT. SMART SECURITY. Professionally installed. One connected system for total peace of mind. FREE professional installation! Four FREE months of monitoring! Call now to customize your system. 1-844-758-7925.

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-866-964-8106.

ATTENTION CHRONIC JOINT AND MUSCLE PAIN SUFFERERS: Learn the 5 Common Lies Keeping you in Pain & How to Reduce Pain Without Pills and Injections Starting Today. Go to https://www.adinaverrett.com/5-common-lies today!

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258.

MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189.

STROKE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer5 screenings for just $149. Call 1-844-485-7035.

PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

Home/Handyman Services

THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-866-365-5170.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington edition).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher’s discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

Home/Handyman Services

THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-866-944-0699

SAFE STEP. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-866-478-2363.

WE CAN FIX ANYTHING. 3 generations of builders, cabinet makers, remodelers and crafters completing kitchens, baths and additions got us to this point. If it’s broken, disassembled, ugly, out of date, needs replacement or renewal: please call Bob at R. W. Wood Improvements 410.294.2800, MHIC 92322. If it’s electronics or computers, we suggest you contact your grandchildren.

CIRCLE OF LIFE ESTATE PLANNING

I WILL BUY YOUR UNWANTED REAL ESTATE for CASH! AS IS! No repairs, inspections and no Realtors Fees or Closing Fees! No need to clean the house out, take what you want and leave the rest! You can have your MONEY in 14 DAYS! CALL NEAL for your cash offer now! 410-419-1289.

DECLUTTER, ORGANIZE, FILE, PACK, MOVE - Services especially for seniors. Get your life and your home under control. Maryland Senior Concierge Services, 301.452.5730 or ccallahan@mdseniorhelp.com. Visit our website www.mdseniorhelp.com

DWM IN SEARCH OF HOUSEMAID parttime 410-242-2249

DISH NETWORK. $64.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1-844-560-5837.

WORKBOOK (188 pages) removes the stress and anxiety of Will and Trust preparation. All you need to do is to fill in the blanks that relate to you. When completed, you will have a complete inventory of your estate. Order by credit card to: Workbook, PO BOX 169, Kensington, MD 20895. All major credit cards accepted. (301)565-2917. Cost: $59.99 plus tax, s/h free

APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call 1-866-970-0779 FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

DIRECTV for $79.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Watch your favorite live sports, news & entertainment anywhere. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-572-4953.

CASH FOR ESTATES; I buy a wide range of items; jewelry, silver, art, rugs, furniture, cultural items, collections, etc. Buy out/clean up. I have trucks, a crew & insurance. Website; theatticllc.com. Gary Roman; 301-520-0755

Brooke

Events

Funeral Services

Cremation

Home Health Care

Housing

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 24

Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . . .7 Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . . .17 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . .17

Residences at Vantage Point . . . . . .1

Shriner Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Clear

Medical/Health

CopperZap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Patapsco Acupuncture . . . . . . . . . .9

Eric Stewart Group . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Senior/Government

COGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Howard Co. 50+ Connection .12-13

Howard Co. Merry Mulch . . . . . .15

Maryland Relay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

RTA/Transportation . . . . . . . . . . .20

Subscriptions

Beacon Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . .22 Theater/Entertainment

Columbia Jazz Band . . . . . . . . . .19

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .19

Howard Co. Recreation & Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11

TIS THE SEASON FOR Warmth & Cheer

Assisted Living at Brooke Grove offers comforts that feel like home along with a vibrant lifestyle that encourages residents to remain physically and socially active throughout the cold winter months.

OUR AMENITIES

Private rooms filled with natural light from over-sized windows and skylights Live-in pets

Secure courtyards and walking paths 24-hour on-site clinical support from licensed and caring nurses Warm, friendly staff members to assist with the activities of daily life

MEMORY SUPPORT PROGRAM

For residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia, we offer a special assisted living option with: Specially trained memory support staff

An interactive lifestyle that maximizes choice and independence Tailored LIFE enrichment programming that connects each resident to his or her past Pianos, fireplaces, and game and craft rooms promote invaluable social experiences that stimulate memory

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-637-8928 www.bgf.org