February 2017 | DC Beacon

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VOL.29, NO.2

Taking a chance on romance

The dating service option At the same time, Grossman, a resident of Rockville, Md. who has been married twice, says, “I think I’m done with marriage. I’ve done too many tours of duty.”

Also, unlike Finkel, Grossman has eschewed online dating. “I’ve never really been into computer dating because I’ve heard too many negatives about it — that people weren’t really what they appeared to be in their biographies or their pictures,” he said.

Instead, Grossman turned to Options —

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAIOMI KOORITZKY

By Barbara Ruben Hillary Finkel discovered “it was a whole new world out there” when she decided to try online dating four years after her husband passed away — swiping right or left, catphishing, photo editing apps that make people look 10 years younger.

Finkel considers herself lucky that she didn’t encounter anyone who had created a fictional persona, the definition of catphishing, and didn’t venture onto Tinder — a dating app where users swipe their fingers left to reject a profile or right to say they’d like to learn more.

In fact, using the online dating sites Match.com and JDate, which is for Jewish singles, she “met a lot of really nice people.

But we didn’t click, for me at least. The chemistry wasn’t there,” she said.

It took some perseverance, but Finkel reports that, “Finally, I was very successful and met the love of my life.”

Finkel, who is 59 and an attorney who just published her first novel, recently moved from Howard County to Bethesda to live with the boyfriend she met online.

Whether people are looking for love at one of the dozens of dating websites that promise happily ever afters (or short-term flings), or using dating services that serve as matchmakers, many of those over 50 have a different outlook on dating than they did when they were in their 20s.

“We’re older, and we’re wise enough to know what we want,” said Stephen Grossman, 65. “Our philosophy changes as we get older. Companionship and friendship have moved up as priorities. The concept of give and take has grown as we’ve gotten older. It’s a two-way street.”

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I N S I D E …

LEISURE & TRAVEL

St. Augustine, Fla., America’s oldest city; plus, Athens in winter (fewer crowds), retiring abroad, and using plastic overseas page 38

ARTS & STYLE Naiomi Kooritzky founded Options dating service 23 years ago. More recently, she started a Prime Time matchmaking service for older adults. People looking for love later in life usually have a different set of priorities than when they were in their 20s.

But like young people today, more of them are turning to online dating sites and companies that screen participants.

a dating service that matches up clients after a thorough screening process that can include an interview and in-depth questionnaire about preferences.

This more personal touch can help establish trust and ensure compatibility, said Naiomi Kooritzky, who founded Options 23 years ago in Tysons Corner, Va. The company now works with clients nationwide.

She says that Options has an 87 percent success rate, defined by the number of members who put their profiles on hold for at least a year, signaling they are in a long-term relationship.

“Sadly, we live in a society where people have an insatiable shopping mentality,” Kooritzky said. “When it comes to dating, they think they’re on Amazon shopping for a mate. It’s all about what someone sees on

the surface, and that skews. That can be totally distorted.”

A few years ago, she began Options Prime Time for clients over 50. Her father, a retired lawyer, now oversees that program.

“We realized we have a number of older clients, and they have some differing needs and priorities,” Kooritzky said. In fact, most clients in Prime Time are in their 60s through 80s.

Among the questions asked of participants in this program are ones about hearing loss and whether they walk with a cane.

If they answer yes to either question, “we tell them it will be more challenging. We [also] tell people if they’re obese it’s going to be more challenging. We tell people if See DATING, page 16

Expand your mind with a Tom Stoppard play at Studio Theatre; plus, a 90-year-old Oscar winner, and Bob Levey remembers radio show host Allan Prell page 45

TECHNOLOGY 4 k You can forget most passwords FITNESS & HEALTH k Diet tips from the pros k When a cough won’t quit

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SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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LAW & MONEY 32 k Tax breaks to use; scams to avoid k Must kids pay for parents’ care?

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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Dignity vs. quality of life I was struck by a thought the other day less, easily administered means of death (happens now and then). I still haven’t decid- for those who wish to take their own lives, but not for those who have ed exactly how I feel about it, taken the lives of others? but I’d like to explore it with It seems to me that the you. “cruel and unusual” claim More Americans appear to about lethal injection obfusbe moving to the view that cates what is really going on capital punishment is not achere. The objection at root, as ceptable. Nearly half of all some opponents admit, is states have abolished it or had against the death penalty itself. their courts overturn it, and As I said before, there are the number continues to grow. many reasons that people Many arguments are made might oppose the death in support of this position, but FROM THE penalty, and it is not my purone of them is that we have no PUBLISHER By Stuart P. Rosenthal pose in this column to try to means of actually taking the explain or address those. lives of those on death row — Nor do I have space here to adequately including the most popular, lethal injection — that doesn’t qualify as “cruel and unusu- discuss the arguments for and against assistal punishment,” which is forbidden by our ed suicide. These are both huge issues with Constitution. tremendous ramifications, and I’m sure we At the same time, Americans seem to be will be debating them as a society for years moving, perhaps more slowly, but moving to come.

But I am interested in raising some quesstill, toward a position in favor of assisted suicide. That is, they favor allowing certain tions I think we should be asking as we individuals — who are judged mentally fit grapple with these life and death matters.

First, I wanted to know how big a “probbut terminally ill — to take their own lives through a fatal, doctor-prescribed dose of lem” we have, potentially at least, with the barbiturates that puts them into a coma infliction of the death penalty. How many within minutes and kills within half an hour. people are we talking about?

So I went to look up some basic statisNow, I don’t know about you, but when I considered these two facts at the same tics. Perhaps you will find them as surpristime, I experienced cognitive dissonance. ing as I did.

Can we honestly say that we have a painOver the past couple of years, the esti-

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mated number of homicides committed in the United States ranged between 14,000 and 16,000 per year. I thought that sounded pretty ominous. For an unfair comparison, Great Britain, with one-fifth our population, reported one-thirtieth the number of homicides in 2014 (515 total).

So I was surprised to read that, according to FBI data as reported by FactCheck.org, “the murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate nationwide (4.6 per 100,000 population) in 2014 was at its lowest point since at least the early 1960s.” (For reference, it was 10.2, more than twice as high, in 1980.)

And just as murder rates have been declining, so the number of criminals executed throughout the country has also been falling, from a high of 98 in 1999 to 39 in 2013 and 20 in 2016.

Then I turned to look at the numbers of Americans committing suicide and found more surprises, including a trend in the opposite direction.

The number of Americans committing suicide in recent years exceeds 40,000.

And a study from the CDC last year reported a 24 percent increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States from 1999 through 2014. In its coverage of the report, the Washington Post noted that “suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years.”

What does it say about our society that our attention to the unfairness of the death penalty increases even as our murder (and execution) rates precipitously decline; while we are tending to greater acceptance of helping people kill themselves even as our suicide rate explodes?

One thing it might say about us is that we have situational views about the quality of life, or even about the basic dignity of human life.

A major argument made in support of assisted suicide is that it is a legitimate quality-of-life decision that a terminally ill person should be allowed to make for herself.

On the other hand, we understandably don’t seem to worry about the quality of life of convicted murderers. Take Charles Manson, for example, who has spent the last 45 years serving nine life terms in a California prison.

Wouldn’t his execution back at the start have enabled him to escape a poor quality of life on death row all these years? Should

we have given him the choice? Or have we decided as a society that this lack of choice is part of his punishment?

Perhaps instead we agree with the Washington Post, which argued in a recent editorial inveighing against the death penalty for Dylann Roof — who murdered nine black people in church during a Bible study class — that “The practice of killing human beings, even with all the due process in the world, is...in tension with the inherent dignity Americans should ascribe to human life.”

But if so, doesn’t the life of a terminally ill person possess that same inherent dignity? Or does “poor quality of life” trump life itself?

I would also like to note that in much of Europe, physician-assisted suicide (termed “euthanasia”) has grown significantly in popularity in recent years. Even in countries like the Netherlands, where it is officially illegal, it is widely practiced because the government turns a blind eye.

And importantly, the original practice to limit it to the terminally ill has dropped by the wayside. In a 2015 cover story, Newsweek reported that “the Dutch don’t require proof of a terminal illness to allow doctors to ‘help’ patients die...The Dutch can now choose death if they’re tired of living.”

One last set of stats: In 2013, 4,829 Dutch turned to a doctor to end their lives.

That constituted one in every 28 deaths that year. Were the United States to have had a similar proportion of voluntary deaths last year, the number would be 93,800 people.

I share these thoughts about capital punishment and assisted suicide to inspire you to think about these issues.

I make no pretense of adequately addressing either of them, much less squaring them with each other. I just wanted to raise some questions I think we need to start asking ourselves.

I invite you to share your thoughts.

Please email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or mail us a letter to the editor.

We will print a representative sample of responses in future issues.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day.

Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: I was very sorry to see your editorial about Social Security, (Listen up Washington, January) which contributes to fear-mongering as to its viability.

You said it isn’t an insurance program, but it is the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) that initiated it, which

seems to indicate an insurance program to me. If it doesn’t function that way, that is the thing that should be fixed.

The primary problem is that the wages of the primary payers hasn’t increased, as is reflected by the fact that wages for the bottom 90 percent haven’t increased proportionately See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 53

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Age-Friendly Montgomery A Community for a Lifetime

“I’m inviting you to enjoy our County’s resources and programs.”

County Executive Ike Leggett

Resources for Persons at Risk and Their Families Montgomery County offers many programs, services and support related to aging and disability. Here are some resources and suggestions to help you find options you might like to explore.

Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services

occasional basis, respite care is available. Call Respite Services of Montgomery County at 301-816-9647 to learn about providers that offer short-term relief and support.

A sliding fee scale applies but financial subsidies are available for qualified individuals and families.

Wandering

If you or a loved one is older or has a disability and you’d like to learn about Montgomery County’s helpful programs, services and resources, please call the Aging and Disability Services Resource Line at 240-777-3000. Hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (extended until 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.)

Upon request, Montgomery County Police provide wearable ID bracelets to County residents at risk of wandering and getting lost. These can help first responders and others identify a family caregiver to contact in the event an individual becomes lost or needs medical help and cannot fully explain their situation.

Call 240-773-6525 or visit www.montgomerycountymd. gov/lifesaver

Connect-A-Ride

Libraries, Recreation and Senior Centers

Call Connect-A-Ride at 301-738-3252 to learn about safe transportation options for seniors and persons with disabilities to get to medical services, grocery shopping, errands, senior centers, etc. Some financial subsidies are available for those who qualify.

You and your loved one might visit your local library to borrow books, movies, CDs or magazines to enjoy together. Or, you can access many library services online: https://montgomerycountymd.libguides.com/seniors You might also call or visit your nearby Recreation or Senior Center to learn about the programs offered throughout the week. To find a center near you, go to www.MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/senior and click on Recreation or call 311.

Respite Services of Montgomery County If you care for a frail older adult or person with a disability and need someone to stay with them on an

Contact Us Today

• Aging & Disability Resource Line 240-777-3000

• 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 for County programs and services; 9-1-1 for emergency • www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior

• “Seniors Today” airs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. on Comcast/RCN 6, Verizon 30

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations Get serious to protect against identity theft

By Anya Kamenetz Having someone else pretend to be you is now something that has probably hap-

pened to you or to someone you know.

And it’s not as fun as it sounds.

According to Bankrate, a financial web-

site, 41 million U.S. adults have now had their identities stolen, and another 49 million know someone who has.

Having your credit card used without your permission is the commonest, and in some ways the mildest, form of ID theft. That’s because your bank’s fraud alert system will likely notify you, cancel the charges, and get you a new card before you lose any money.

Letting someone get a hold of your Social Security number, date of birth and other biographical information is much worse. You can be liable for thousands of dollars in charges, it can ruin your credit, and once the information is out there changing hands, these violations can be repeated again and again.

I called up one of Bankrate’s analysts, Mike Cetera, for information on how to avoid this fate.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make that exposes them to identity theft?

A: The key one here is using the same or similar passwords [across websites].

And I think this is a big deal right now because of the Yahoo breach. [Last fall, the Internet company Yahoo! confirmed that information on 500 million customer accounts had been stolen.]

Our survey found that a little bit more than a quarter of people use exactly or See IDENTITY THEFT, page 6

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Magazine’s number one choice in 2017 for password management. The magazine recommended LastPass because of new features that include a “sharing center” that helps manage shared passwords, and a way to hand down your passwords to heirs. The free version is better than some paid options, the magazine noted.

Also recommended is LogMeOnce, which offers alternative login formats that don’t even use a master password, including logging in with a selfie.

If you’re uncomfortable storing your passwords in the cloud, there are alternatives. KeePass stores all of your passwords in an encrypted file on your computer. As is the case with the cloud-based systems, you use a master password to access the file. Just make sure your computer is protected from hackers with strong antivirus software, or you’ll lose the benefits of storing your passwords locally.

— Kiplinger’s Personal Finance with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben

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Who has the time to come up with (and remember) difficult-to-decipher passwords for all of their online accounts? One solution is to use a password-management system that stores all of your passwords in a single file.

All you need to remember is one master password (your dog’s name is not a good choice) to access all of your other user names and passwords. Most password managers offer a free basic version; you’ll need to update (and pay) to use the service on multiple devices.

Unfortunately, these programs aren’t bulletproof. In 2015, LastPass, one of the most popular password-management systems, announced that its network had been hacked, exposing users’ e-mail addresses and password reminders. The company said encrypted master passwords were not compromised, although users were prompted to change them anyway.

Despite this, LastPass remains PC

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Password managers make ID security simple

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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Identity theft From page 4 mostly the same password across accounts. This is a bad idea.

Q: So what should people do to keep passwords secure?

A: It’s a good idea to create strong and unique passwords.

Q: Is it safest to keep them written

down on paper in my house?

A: Yes, it’s more secure than [keeping them] anywhere electronic. But a lot of people have way more accounts than they realize.

Q: So what’s an alternative? You tried a free online password manager, right? [See “Password managers make ID security simple” on page 5.]

A: After we ran the survey, I decided to

BEACON BITS

Feb. 17

ASSISTIVE GADGETS

Arlington County presents a seminar on assistive technologies, which are designed to improve your life, on Friday, Feb. 17 from 1 to 2 p.m. From back scratchers to smart phone apps, they can also help people stay in their homes longer. Senior adult specialist Nancy Connors and volunteers will discuss and demonstrate gadgets and gizmos that make life easier at any age. For more information, call (703) 228-7369.

Our Mission: To secure the well-being of Montgomery County Seniors through the shared strength of diverse organizations and individuals.

Professionals working with seniors are invited to our Monthly GROWS meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 8:15 a.m. usually at Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton, Md.

Networking Extravaganza! March 2 from 8-11 a.m.

Schweinhaut Senior Center, Silver Spring, Md. $40 advance/$60 at door (members); $55/$75 (nonmembers) RSVP: www.growsmc.org or (301) 765-3325

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

download a password manager myself. I went through the process of having it look through all my online accounts — I had 109 of them! — and translate them to unique and difficult passwords to break. I’m going to be honest, it took me three hours to get it all done, but it’s done now. And I only have to remember one password.

Q: You found that 36 percent of survey respondents are using unsecured wi-fi networks for personal business, like banking. Tell me what that looks like and why that’s a problem.

A: So when you go to your local coffee shop and they have free wi-fi, if you must use that network, don’t do anything sensitive.

Don’t log onto your bank account. Don’t look at your credit card statements. The bad guys have the means to break into these free networks and watch what you’re doing.

Q: And you also found that 42 percent of adults aren’t checking their credit reports regularly for unauthorized accounts.

A: Yes, and a lot more privacy experts I

speak with are saying that you should put a freeze on your credit. That means no new lenders have access to your credit report, so no one can take out a loan or open an account without contacting you for permission first.

Q: Really? I thought credit freezes were for people who had already been victims of identity theft.

A: I feel like there’s a switch in philosophies here. Experts are saying, I know this is kind of a hassle, but it’s really not a bad idea to have it all the time, even if you don’t suspect you’ve been a victim.

Q: OK, I’ll have to consider it. Any good news in the survey?

A: I think one of the things most Americans do tend to get right is, when you get important information in the mail, say from the Social Security Administration or a credit card application, shred it. About 71 percent of U.S. adults are doing that.

Anya Kamenetz welcomes your questions at diyubook@gmail.com. © 2016 Anya Kamenetz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 9

ONLINE RESOURCE CLASS

Rockville Memorial Library presents a free introduction to online senior resources NIHSeniorHealth and MedlinePlus on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 4:15 p.m. Learn about these resources that help locate reliable health information relevant to family caregivers, such as daily health issues, medication and clinical trials.

This class is taught by the National Library of Medicine. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/RockvilleLibraryEventsCalendar or call (240) 777-0140.

Bagel Brunch Join us for a screening of PBS documentary Being Mortal, which focuses on The New Yorker writer and Boston surgeon Atul Gawande as he explores the relationships doctors have with their patients who are nearing the end of life.

Sunday, February 26, 2017 Brunch: 9:30 a.m. | Screening: 9:45 a.m.

Featuring an informative panel presentation after the screening.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities | Wasserman Residence 6121 Montrose Road | Rockville, MD 20852 This program is offered in appreciation of your support.

Dietary laws observed | Ample free parking

To register: www.hebrew-home.org/brunch or call 301.770.8409 Program supported by JSSA Hospice

Sponsored by

Join us for Game Day at

Ring House

Wednesday, March 1 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

1801 East Jefferson Street | Rockville, MD 20852 Featuring Mah Jongg, Canasta, Bridge, Scrabble and more. All levels of experience welcome. Lunch, $5. Free bus transportation from Leisure World departing at 9:30 a.m.

RSVP: 301.816.5052 |

www.smithlifecommunities.org

Technology & Innovations

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Asbury Methodist Village 409 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 301-987-6291

MASTER THE WINDOWS® 10 START MENU

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 session Limit: 10 # 655 Mon Apr 3 9:30am-11:30am

The Windows 10 Start menu is a useful tool once you understand how to use it. The Start menu provides access to things that have been a part of Windows for a while. Additionally, it provides easy access to the Uniform Windows Platform apps that are new to Windows 10. This course shows you how to customize and manage the menu to best suit your needs.

JCA Bronfman Center 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 240-395-0916

IPAD: THE

BASICS

Prerequisite: iPad needs to be updated to the ios9.1 and have an Apple® ID and password Bring fully charged iPad to class 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 656 Thurs Apr 20- Apr 27 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn the basics about what you can do with your iPad. Topics include basic navigation of the iPad screen, customizing with settings and using built in apps, Internet and Siri, bookmarking and downloading apps.

SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS USING THE ANDROID OPERATING SYSTEM WORKSHOP

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged Smartphone or Tablet 1 session Limit: 12 # 657 Tues Apr 25 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn what the Android operating system is and how to work with its direct manipulation interface and see

demonstrations of popular applications (apps) that run on Android.

IPHONE®,

AN INTRODUCTION

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged iPhone to class Limit: 12 2 session # 658 Tues Mar 14 – Mar 21 1:00pm-3:00pm

Learn to navigate the iPhone, make phone calls, surf the web, send messages, manage apps and more!

MICROSOFT WORD AND BEYOND

2016: FROM THE BEGINNING

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent/ Knowledge of the keyboard 3 sessions Limit: 12 # 659 Wed Mar 8 – Mar 22 1:00pm-3:00pm

Learn word-processing skills for using Microsoft Word (versions 2010, 2013 and 2016). Learn to create documents of varying levels of complexity. Simple skills include document layout, simple formatting, keyboard commands, and use of the Ribbon. More advanced skills include illustrating documents with graphics, creating tables, advanced formatting, and using templates. Knowing the PC’s KEYBOARD is a requirement. Notice that you don’t need typing skills, per sé, but you do

FROM MESS TO LESS: ORGANIZING THE FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent/ Knowledge of the keyboard 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 660 Wed Apr 19 – Apr 26 10:00am-12:00pm

You know how you sometimes put something away in such a safe place and you can never find it again?

Well that can happen on a computer, too. Learn how to organize your documents, photos etc. so that you can find what you need when you are looking for it.

MOVING UP TO WINDOWS 10

Prerequisite: Have prior Windows 7 or 8/8.1 experience 7 sessions Limit: 12 # 663 Wed Mar 31- May 12 10:00am-12:00pm

This course is for students who want to move up to Windows 10 and have computer skills using Windows 7 or 8/8.1. It covers hardware, mouse use, keyboard commands, the start menu, the taskbar, File Manager, the internet, and some of the built-in applications and utilities. Being familiar with PC’s keyboard layout, (including cursor control keys and function keys)

7

will be helpful. This course is not for students who’ve never used a computer.

MEET THE TECHNOLOGY GURUS! BRING US YOUR PROBLEMS!

Unlimited # 649 Date and time to be determined by Tech Guru

Have a one-to-one lesson with our Tech Gurus. Experts are available to help individuals with hardware or software issues. Topics: Windows® 10, buying a new computer, securing your computer, backing up the cloud, laptop/desktop Issues, photos/videos, PowerPoint® and more. Your session will last 2 hours. After you register, you will be contacted to select a date and time for your session and to discuss the questions or issues you will be working on with one of our Tech Gurus.

 NEW  NEW  NEW 

MEET THE MAC® TECHNOLOGY GURUS! BRING US YOUR PROBLEMS!

Unlimited # 650 Date and time to be determined by Tech Guru

Have a 1:1 lesson with our Mac Tech Gurus. Experts are available to help individuals with hardware or software issues. Topics: iPhone®, iPad®, Apple® Laptops/computers. . Your session will last 2 hours. After you register, you will be contacted to select a date and time for your session and to discuss the questions or issues you will be working on with one of our Tech Gurus.

continued next page

ATTENTION:

Instruction, course materials and all computer language settings are in

English.

Unless otherwise noted, courses are taught with Windows computers.

8

Technology & Innovations

 NEW  NEW  NEW 

JCA SeniorTech is proud to present our NEW class given on the MAC Operating System!

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAC® OPERATING SYSTEM X 2 session

# 652 Tues

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

JCA SENIORTECH

Limit: 4- Class is full – students with Mac laptops welcome Mar 28 – Apr 4 10:00am-12:00pm

The Apple Mac Operating System (OS), known as OS X provides the interface to the Mac hardware and applications. In this class we will cover the essential components that users need to know in order to operate their computers in a safe and productive manner. The class will combine lecture and hands-on exercises. Topics will include the Desktop components including the Dock and Menu Bar, System Preferences, Finder, the safari browser, user accounts, spotlight, Mission Control, ways to run Windows on your Mac, and backup with Time Machine.

TECH TALK!

PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON HOT TOPICS IN TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO THE CLOUD

1 session # 661 Wed

Limit: 25 Apr 5

10:00am-12:00pm

There has been a lot of talk about “the cloud” recently.

Learn what the cloud is and how to use it for storage, backup and sharing of files, pictures and music.

CUTTING THE OF CABLE 1 session # 662 Wed

CABLE – TV WITHOUT THE PRICE Limit: 25 Mar 29

1:30pm-3:00pm

With the availability of high-speed broadband internet, it is possible to enjoy television without the high price of cable TV. Learn about programs that are available online and how to watch on a standard HDTV set.

JCA must receive registration for classes at least 1 week prior to the beginning of the class.

We will not be able to accommodate walk-ins.

VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF SENIORTECH’S SUCCESSFUL COMPUTER CLASSES! VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO TEACH OR COACH

We are looking for volunteers who are computer savvy, willing to share their knowledge and would like to help people age 50+ learn and enhance computer skills.

Call 240-395-0916 for more information.

The Career Gateway! features small classes, 30 hours of intensive training over two weeks, a long-term mentor, and valuable take-home materials This hands-on, five-day course will help you: • turbocharge your resume • hone your interviewing skills • learn how to network

WHEN:

• discover the hidden job market • develop personal job search plans...and more

2017 Sessions: #4: Feb. 27; Mar. 1, 3, 6, 9 #5: Apr. 24, 26, 28; May 1, 3

WHERE: 12320 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, MD 20852 FEE: $75

Embrace the Journey When older adults need help navigating life’s twists and turns, JCA is there

...because you are there.

Please make a tax-deductible gift today by using our secure online gifting portal at www.AccessJCA.org/give, where you will find information about our gifting policies;

FOR MORE INFORMATION

by calling Micki Gordon in our Development Office with your credit card number or by talking with her about transferring securities to JCA; or

Call (301) 255-4215

by mailing a check to us.

or e-mail Career.Gateway@AccessJCA.org Funded By Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services; e Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and the Jewish Council for the Aging®

JEWISH COUNCIL FOR THE AGING® 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 • www.AccessJCA.org Development Office/Donor Center: 301.255.4231 or 703.652.1511 Main numbers: 301.255.4200 or 703.425.0999

®

Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA)® www.AccessJCA.org

Agency 8127

Agency 52847

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

SeniorTech

DESCRIPTION AND GUIDELINES Classes are designed to help adults, 50+, refresh or advance their computer skills and learn to use social media.

Courses are taught by volunteer instructors and coaches.

Courses are almost always “hands on” in which students practice skills and techniques on a computer during class.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

✃

9

Technology & Innovations

JCA SENIORTECH

SENIORTECH REGISTRATION FORM

COMPUTER TRAINING

WAYS TO REGISTER:

BY MAIL:

Include your payment with form to JCA SeniorTech 12320 Parklawn Drive Rockville, MD 20852-1726

BY PHONE: Call 240-395-0916 Donations gratefully accepted allowing JCA to help all seniors thrive.

YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION BELOW. NOTE: ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE 7 DAYS PRIOR TO START OF CLASS. Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________ State: _______ Zip Code: _______________ Phone#: ______________________________ Email: __________________________________________________ I have taken a JCA SeniorTech class before: ____ Yes ____ No

Student ID (Office use only)_______________

I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR: Class #

Class Title

Location

Start Date

Start Time

Registration

#

$ FREE

#

$ FREE

YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION BELOW.

❒ Master Card ❒ VISA ❒ American Express ❒ Check (Make Checks payable to Jewish Council for the Aging.)

Amount $______________

Name as it appears on card: ____________________________________________________________

-

Card Number

-

Exp. Date

Sec. Code

SeniorTech follows the weather-related decisions of Montgomery County Public Schools, except that if the school system is closed for even part of the day, the center will be closed the entire day. As soon as possible, your instructor will arrange to make up any classes cancelled due to inclement weather.

WB2/17

-

____________ ____________ ____________ _____________ ______ /______ __________ OFFICE USE ONLY Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________ Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________

Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________ Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________

NOTICE: WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ITS RESOURCES, JCA SERVES PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. INDEED, WE TRY TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE IN ALL THAT WE DO. SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, JCA MAY DENY A PERSON OR GROUP THE OPTION TO ENROLL OR TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL OR PARTICULAR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO, AT OUR SOLE DISCRETION, SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT OUR ACTION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR PROGRAM OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON NOT PRECLUDED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Each contribution or remittance of payment by check is considered authorization to convert that particular check into an electronic fund transfer. If your check is unable to be converted, it may be processed as a Check Replacement Document drawn against your account. When we use information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer, funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day you make your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution. You have the right to opt out of Electronic Conversion. If you choose to exercise this right, write the words ‘Opt Out’ in the memo field of your check and JCA will process it as a draft against your account.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: JCA is registered with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, P.O. Box 92300, Washington DC 200903020. FLORIDA: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR THE JEWISH COUNCIL OF THE AGING OF GREATER WASHINGTON, INC. (REGISTRATION NO. CH36992) MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING WWW.800HELPFLA.COM REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE, MARYLAND: Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Maryland Secretary of State’s Office, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 for the cost of copying and postage.

NEW YORK: A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained by contacting the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10271. VIRGINIA: A financial report is available from the Virginia State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209.

As is true for all charities, registration by these governmental organizations does not imply their endorsement.

A copy of JCA’s 990 is available for public inspection at JCA’s Rockville office during normal business hours, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

10

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

COUGHS THAT WON’T QUIT Chronic coughs are often due to common ailments, but can be nerve-based IS SEX TOO EXPENSIVE? Prices have soared for impotence drugs, but generics are on the horizon SUPPLEMENTING BRAIN HEALTH Supplements like ginkgo, vitamin D and omega-3s may bolster brain function WATCHFUL WAITING Monitoring early prostate cancer can be as good as surgery or radiation

Three immune-boosting myths busted

By Brierley Wright, R.D. It’s that time of year when any sniffle, cough or sneeze is noticed — and if it didn’t come from you, chances are you’re subtly putting a little space between you and whoever it came from.

There’s no better time than the present to talk about immune-boosting myths — from colds to allergies. Read on so that you’re not duped by these three myths about boosting your immunity.

#1 “Vitamin C wards off colds” It won’t. Vitamin C has long had a reputation for helping prevent colds, but clinical studies have shown no effect for vitamin C in cold prevention in normal situations.

However, research has shown that daily

MAYCIE & MILLIE A little bit of mischief and a whole lot of magic wo extraordinary women—born many miles apart but brought together by momentous life changes—are testaments to the transformational power of friendship. They met within weeks of moving in to Kensington Park and forged a fast friendship. Maycie came to us grieving the loss of her husband of 60 years and looking to widen her circle of friends. Millie came to us seeking a home close to her husband, who is living in our memory care community. Both share a mischievous twinkle in their eyes, a deep love of family, remarkable resilience and a warm sense of humor. The magical spirit of their friendship helps make change less lonely, and it brightens the mood of all who cross their path.

T

Come meet Maycie and Millie, and make a new friend at Kensington Park.

301-946-7700 3620 Littledale Rd, Kensington, MD 20895 • www.KensingtonParkSeniorLiving.com Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care

Join Us for Wellness Wednesdays Explore how to live a properly balanced life on every 2nd & 4th Wednesday at 11am!

RSVP or call for details: 301-946-7700 or hflattery@kensingtonretirement.com

doses of 200 mg. or greater (more than twice the 60-75 mg. current recommended dietary intake for adults) may help reduce the duration of colds slightly.

The likelihood of success seems to vary with the person — some people improve after taking vitamin C supplements, others don’t. Go ahead and try it, but don’t exceed 2,000 mg. per day. More than this can cause an upset stomach.

Similarly, zinc lozenges may also help cut the number of days you’re sick. In a study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, adults who took zinc in lozenge form (13.3 mg. every two to three hours for as long as their cold lasted) within a day of noticing the telltale signs kicked the bug about three days sooner than those who got a placebo.

Though that dose exceeds the recommended daily max of 40 mg., it’s safe for a three- to five-day period, said study author Dr. Ananda Prasad. Scientists think zinc binds to cell receptors in the mouth and throat, blocking the cold virus from attaching and spreading.

Go for the lozenges, and skip nasal sprays and swabs: They may damage your sense of smell.

And zinc from food (beef, dark poultry meat, shellfish) probably won’t help either, as you can’t get enough that way.

#2 “Honey cures allergies” The theory is this: Honeybees gather pollen from the very plants that cause your itchy eyes, so consuming a small daily dose of the local honey — and subsequently these pollens — may stimulate your immune system and reduce allergies.

But it’s the windborne pollens that cause sneezing and congestion, not the pollens bees collect from flowers. So it’s not likely to make a difference, say researchers.

But don’t nix honey quite yet. It may help soothe your cough. Researchers at Penn State University pitted honey against dextromethorphan — the active ingredient in most cough medicines — as a cough suppressant for children, and found honey to be more effective.

That’s possibly because the part of the brain that registers sweet tastes and the part that causes coughing are located near each other, so sensing sweetness may affect See IMMUNE MYTHS, page 12

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

11

Tips from the pros on how to lose weight

By Marilynn Marchione A food behavior researcher has tested a bunch of little ways to tip the scale toward success. His advice: Put it on autopilot.

Make small changes in the kitchen, at the grocery store, and in restaurants to help you make good choices without thinking.

“As much as we all want to believe that we’re master and commander of all our food decisions, that’s just not true for most of us,” said the researcher, Brian Wansink.

“We’re influenced by the things around us — the size of the plate, the things people are doing...the lighting.”

He heads the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, has written books on taking control of food choices, and has had government and industry funding.

Some tips are gimmicks, and some may not work as well for you as they did in tests. But they “make a lot of sense,” and many are backed by other studies, said one independent expert, Dr. William Yancy, a weight specialist at Duke University’s diet and fitness center.

To start: Make goals that are SMART — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound, Yancy said.

Instead of resolving to eat better, plan how to do it — such as having chips once or twice a week instead of every day.

Rather than vague vows to get in shape, resolve to walk half an hour every day after dinner.

Other tips from Wansink (and research to support them):

In the kitchen Redo the pantry to put healthy stuff in front. You’re three times more likely to eat the first food you see than the fifth one.

Tidy your kitchen before eating.

Women asked to wait in a messy kitchen ate twice as many cookies as women in the same kitchen did when it was organized and quiet.

Redo the fridge. Even though it shortens shelf life, move fruits and vegetables out of crisper drawers and put them at eye level. Keep healthy foods in clear bags or

BEACON BITS

Feb. 21

BACK PAIN

Holy Cross Germantown Hospital presents a free back pain seminar on Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Engage with orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons for an overview of strategies for managing and treating back pain, including temporary relief, or surgery as a longterm solution. Dr. Sanjog Mathur will speak, and light refreshments will be available. The hospital is located at 19801 Observation Dr., Germantown, Md. For more information or to register, visit HolyCrossHealth.org or call (301) 754-8800.

containers, and less healthy things (like leftover pizza) in aluminum foil. In one study, people who put fruits and vegetables on the top shelf ate nearly three times more of them than they did the week before.

Keep no food out except a fruit bowl. Researchers photographed 210 kitchens to see whether countertop food reflects the weight of women in each home. Those who left breakfast cereal out weighed 20 pounds more than neighbors who didn’t. Those with soft drinks out weighed 24 to 26 pounds more. Those with a fruit bowl weighed 13 pounds less.

At the table Beware the glassware. Use narrower glasses, pour wine when the glass is on the table rather than in your hand, and use a glass that doesn’t match the color of the wine.

A study found that people poured 12

percent more wine when using a wide glass, 12 percent more when holding the glass, and 9 percent more when pouring white wine into a clear glass versus a colored or opaque one. Pour any glass only half full — this cuts the average pour by 18 percent.

Use smaller plates and pay attention to color. Big plates make portions look small. In one study, people given larger bowls took 16 percent more cereal than those given smaller bowls, yet thought they ate less.

People also take more food if it matches the color of their plate. But they eat less when the tablecloth or placemat matches the plate; it makes the food stand out more.

Keep the TV off and eat at a table. A study of dinner habits of 190 parents and 148 children found that the higher the parents’ body mass index (a ratio of height

and weight), the more likely they were to eat with the TV on. Eating at a table was linked to lower BMI. Try small portions of “bad” foods.

Eat a bite or two, then distract yourself for 15 minutes to see if you feel satisfied. A study gave people different portions of chocolate, apple pie and potato chips, and had them rate hunger and craving before and 15 minutes after eating. Bigger portion folks ate 103 calories more, but didn’t feel more satisfied than those given less.

At the grocery store Divide your shopping cart in half.

Use a partition, purse or coat for a visual cue to fill at least half your cart with fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. In two studies, half of shoppers were given dividSee WEIGHT LOSS TIPS, page 12

Knee Arthritis – “Are You Risking Dangerous Knee Surgery By Not Knowing The Warning Signs?”

WASHINGTON, (DC) - If you or someone you know is suffering with knee pain or arthritis, tormented by daily, annoying, chronic pain or swelling, then reading this report could be the most important thing you do this year. It may even help you avoid the dangerous surgery that you currently think is your only option.

What we’re talking about here is the type of “ache” and “sharp pain” where you get so nauseated that you feel your only option is to stop what you’re doing completely, reach for the painkiller drawer and wonder how long you’ll have to rest up for this time! The thing is, all of those painkillers are not good for your stomach - and the long periods of rest you’ve been told about are not likely to be doing your heart and lungs much good. And if you currently think that your only option is SURGERY, in the form of an even more painful knee replacement, then I urge you to read this report right until the end.

Over the last 15 years I’ve been working on a daily basis to help people aged 50+ find relief from daily, annoying, and often severe, chronic knee pain – and I can tell you that the cocktail mix of more rest and more pills will do absolutely nothing to get to the root cause of most types of chronic knee pain... no matter what most family Doctors say!

Because I’ve grown increasingly frustrated with the number of people suffering unnecessarily, I’ve written a 13 page report that details the 7 things any person can do to relieve knee pain naturally... and I want to send you this report at no charge. Now, I don’t know if these 7 things will relieve you of your knee pain completely and I can’t promise that what has already worked for most of my patients and clients over the past 15 years, will work for you…

By Knee Pain Relief Specialist, Dr. Brian Paris However, reading my free report is sure better than spending another day “resting”, “accepting it”, thinking “it’s your age” or worse yet, risking surgery by masking it with harmful and costly pills.

If your severe, daily annoying or recurring knee pain or arthritis is affecting your job and your ability to keep active and it threatens your independence or hinders your family leisure time, then you really need to read my free report. The 7 things I’m going to share with you in my report are not what “THEY” (the prescription pushers or surgeons) want you to hear - simply because all of my tips are mainly natural - and free.

I want you to imagine how life will be years from now if you DON’T get a grip on your knee arthritis now. How will your knee pain affect your job? Your preservation of self worth and your mobility or independence? Will you be a fun person to be with? Or live with? Ok, you get my drift...

It’s time to request my free tips report...by calling this free phone number now: (301)-804-2088.

There are a limited number of free copies available - so please call today: (301)-804-2088 or visit www.iHateKneePain.com/free-knee-report to download your free report instantly.

Sincerely, Dr. Brian Paris.

I Hate Knee Pain P.S. No one will ask you for money for anything else when you call to request your free tips report written by one of the country’s leading experts on finding relief from knee pain. It’s perfect for people with knee arthritis hoping to avoid costly and dangerous surgery. Call now: (301)-804-2088 (you can leave a message 24 hours a day) or visit: www.iHateKneePain.com/free-knee-report to get your report sent to you right now.

12

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

BEACON BITS

Feb. 14+

BETTER VISION TALKS

The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington presents three programs at the Friendship Heights Village Center in February. The first, the “Dilated Eye Exam: Its Role in Preventive Medicine” will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The second, “Scam Savvy,” takes place on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The third, “Your Eye Exam, Your Heart, and Your Health” takes place on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The Village Center is located at 4433 S. Park Ave. in Chevy Chase, Md. For more information or to register for any of these programs, visit www.youreyes.org or contact Janet Morrison at janmorr27@aol.com or (301) 538-9358.

Feb. 8+

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

Kensington Park presents Wellness Wednesdays on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 11 a.m. Explore how to live a properly balanced life. Kensington Park is located at 3620 Littledale Rd., Kensington, Md. For more information or to RSVP, call (301) 946-7700 or email flattery@kensingtonretirement.com.

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Weight loss tips From page 11 ed carts and told to put healthier items in front. They spent more on produce than those given regular shopping carts.

Be careful when buying in bulk. A study found that people who bought big containers of chips, juice boxes, cookies, crackers and granola bars ate half of it within the first week — twice as fast as they normally would. Tip: Repackage into single-serve bags or containers, or store it out of reach, such as the basement.

Eat an apple first. People given a sample of an apple at the store increased spending on fruits and vegetables versus those given a cookie or no sample. A healthy snack may prime people to buy better foods, rather than the fast, processed foods they gravitate to when shopping hungry.

Circle every island in the produce sec-

Immune myths From page 10 coughing. One (major) disclaimer: Don’t give honey to a baby younger than 1 year old.

#3 “Dairy makes you congested” Some people avoid dairy products when they’re sick because they are thought to further increase mucus secretions. But scientific evidence has yet to support this.

tion. In a study of 1,200 shoppers, every minute spent in the produce section meant $1.80 more in fruit and vegetable sales.

At a restaurant Let the light shine. Researchers checked sales receipts of patrons at four casual chain restaurants. Those in brighter rooms were more likely to order healthier fish, vegetables or white meat rather than fried food or dessert. Diners in dim rooms ordered 39 percent more calories.

Sit near a window. Researchers analyzed 330 diners’ receipts after they left.

The closer they were to a window, the fewer foods and alcoholic drinks they ordered.

Ask for a to-go box in advance. Half of diners in a study were told before they ordered that the portions were big and that they could have a doggie bag. Those told in advance wound up taking more food home. To-go boxes encourage people to eat about a third less.

— AP So go ahead and have that glass of milk or a latte — the vitamin D in it may help boost your immune system.

Don’t skimp on yogurt, either. It contains good-for-you probiotics that may actually stimulate your immune system.

EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2016 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Nominate Extraordinary Volunteers In Montgomery County Seeking nominations for NEAL POTTER PATH OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD This award honors residents age 60 & better for their lifetime of volunteer service to Montgomery County.

In partnership with the Commission on Aging & The Beacon Newspapers.

MONTGOMERY SERVES AWARDS These awards recognize special volunteer accomplishments in 2016 in four categories, individual, group, business, and youth.

Deadline for nominations — Friday, February 24, 5pm www.montgomeryserves.org 2016 Montgomery Serves winners

Find out more and nominate now! www.montgomeryserves.org Questions? email serviceawards@montgomerycountymd.gov or call 240-777-2600

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

13

What to do when a cough just won’t quit

The usual suspects The authors describe a typical patient with chronic cough, and she is very similar to many of my patients. She’s a middleaged lady with a cough lasting many months. Of course, first we want to ask a whole lot of questions.

• Has she had chronic allergy symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes and nose, stuffy nose and postnasal drip? If so, it’s worth trying antihistamines and nasal steroids. Undertreated allergies can lead to chronic sinus infection, which causes cough by postnasal drip, so we may want to treat for this as well.

• Could she have “cough variant” asthma that causes a cough but no wheezing?

Many of my patients would rather not wait for an appointment with a lung specialist and undergo fancy tests.

So, if we suspect cough-variant asthma, we simply begin inhalers. A few weeks of inhaled albuterol to help open the airways, and a steroid inhaler to quell inflammation,

may both make the diagnosis and treat the problem.

• Is she suffering from heartburn symptoms? Acid reflux can also trigger cough. So if someone describes heartburn symptoms, or even if we are not sure what is causing the cough, we often prescribe eight weeks of an acid-lowering medication.

• Is she taking a medication for which coughing is a side effect? Lisinopril or another blood pressure medication from the class called ACE inhibitors can cause cough in 20 percent of patients. A trial period off this medication may be warranted.

• Is she among the 17 percent of Americans who smoke cigarettes? If so, her cough may be due to chronic bronchitis, where cumulative lung damage prevents the body’s normal ability to clear particles, the airways swell and make excessive mucus, and eventually areas die off and leave “dead space.” In a smoker, other symptoms with the cough may raise concern about a lung infection or even cancer.

• Does she have other health risks or conditions? If she has been incarcerated or in a shelter, or perhaps is from a resourcepoor country, we consider tuberculosis (TB). If she has a weakened immune system as well, due to HIV or long-term use of corticosteroids, TB and a host of other unusual organisms are on the list.

• Are we stumped? Rare conditions to consider include pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, autoimmune diseases and anatomical abnormalities. Additional workup should include pulmonary and ENT evaluations.

Newly recognized causes But what do we do for patients who either do not respond to treatments for their common conditions, or for whom extensive evaluation rules out the less common causes of a chronic cough?

Researchers are now describing a new family of breathing and cough conditions

Write a letter to the editor.

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caused by nerve dysfunction.

New evidence suggests that postnasal drip, acid reflux, or even forceful coughing in and of itself can aggravate nerve endings in the “cough centers” of the airways. These aggravated nerve endings then overreact to many other triggers — such as smoke, perfume or temperature changes — causing an overwhelming urge to cough. They label this condition “neuronal hyper-responsiveness syndrome,” and outline several approaches to treatment.

But wait, there’s more. Other researchers describe a similar concept at the level of the larynx — a family of disorders under “laryngeal dysfunction syndrome” that can include “laryngeal hyper-responsiveness.” Many of

the treatments they describe are similar to the treatments for “neuronal hyper-responsiveness,” and the most promising include the anticonvulsants gabapentin and pregabalin, the antidepressant amitriptyline, speech therapy, or a combination of these.

Basically, medical experts are describing a new cause of chronic cough based on aggravated nerves and airway dysfunction. More research will result in better treatments.

Monique Tello, M.D., M.P.H., is a contributing editor to Harvard Health Publications. © 2017. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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By Dr. Monique Tello Who has never had a cough? I bet no one can raise their hand. We see this in clinic all the time.

But chronic cough — one that lasts at least eight weeks — can be hard for patients to deal with and difficult for doctors to figure out.

In a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, lung experts describe a step-by-step approach doctors can use to help treat patients with chronic cough.

Most often a prolonged cough is due to one of the “usual suspects.”

But when it’s not, we have a long list of increasingly rarer conditions that we should run through and rule out. If it isn’t due to any of those, experts now recognize that the culprit may be overactive nerves that cause an exaggerated cough response to certain triggers.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Drug prices can put sex beyond reach

By Linda A. Johnson Imagine not being able to afford one of life’s great pleasures — sex.

That’s true for many older couples, doctors say. Soaring prices for prescription medicines for impotence and other problems have put the remedies out of reach for some.

Without insurance coverage, Viagra and Cialis cost about $50 a pill, triple their 2010 list prices. The new “female Viagra,” a daily pill for low sex drive called Addyi, costs $800 per month. Older products for women also have seen huge price run-ups, Truven Health Analytics data show.

“Many of them don’t get past the pharmacy counter once they see the price,” said Sheryl Kingsberg, a University Hospi-

tals-Cleveland Medical Center behavioral psychologist and researcher who counsels men and women.

What people actually pay out of pocket varies. Some insurance prescription plans, including Medicare, cover some of the medicines. Some plans don’t cover any, arguing they’re not medically necessary.

Many require steep copayments or limit the number of impotence pills per prescription.

“Once you get to a certain price point, sex becomes a financial decision,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler, a sexual dysfunction specialist at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital. “It takes a lot of the joy out of this.”

Five of six specialists interviewed by the Associated Press say patients have told

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them they’ve given up sex because of the cost.

pill option, have gone up slightly, according to health data firm QuintilesIMS.

Generics on the horizon

Pricey options for women

Now, a little relief is coming. Late this year, Viagra and Cialis will get at least one generic competitor costing slightly less; prices will plunge later when more generics reach the market.

For women, an Addyi rival is in latestage testing. A few other products now have generic versions, and other options are in development.

A generation ago, long-married couples accepted their sex lives trailing off with age, Kavaler said. Key hormone levels drop with age, reducing sex drive and causing problems such as impotence and vaginal dryness, which often makes intercourse painful.

Today, midlife divorce is more common, divorced or widowed men and women often seek new partners, and sex becomes important again. Meanwhile, they’re bombarded by ads for impotence remedies and other treatments.

“Couples in their 50s, 60s and 70s are more sexual than they’ve ever been,” said Kavaler.

Until Pfizer launched the first impotence pill, Viagra, in 1998, there were few options for men besides penile implants and injections. Viagra and Cialis each quickly topped $1 billion in global annual sales, and products for women’s symptoms eventually followed.

However, price hikes appear to be limiting usage for some products in the U.S., where prices aren’t regulated. Since 2010, the number of Viagra prescriptions filled in the U.S. has fallen 42 percent to about 5 million a year. Meanwhile, prescriptions for Cialis, which now has a popular daily

Popular women’s estrogen products, such as Vagifem vaginal tablets and Estrace cream, also have seen prescriptions decline in recent years. Addyi, only on the market for a year, has had dismal sales.

Dr. Lauren Streicher offers women four treatment options, and most pick Vagifem.

A month’s supply costs $170 and insurance coverage is limited. A generic version, Yuvafem, just launched at a slightly cheaper price.

“They go to their pharmacy and see how much it costs, and then they call me up and say, ‘I can’t do it,”‘ said Streicher, director of the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause at Northwestern University’s medical school in Chicago.

But not being able to have sex “is a dealbreaker in a lot of relationships,” she added.

The drugs’ makers insist list prices far exceed the negotiated prices insurers pay them, and say they price products based on their value. According to the companies, nearly all their customers are insured. Pfizer said most insured Viagra users pay $6 to $8 per pill, for instance.

Patients unwilling to forego sex, doctors say, split pills or otherwise ration medicines, beg for scarce samples, or seek copay discount coupons.

Men with enlarged prostates can request Cialis because it’s also approved for that condition, usually with insurance coverage. Some women make do with overthe-counter lubricants.

Many shop for price, which can vary See DRUG PRICES, page 16

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

There are many reasons people are calling us their very own hospital.

“The hospital is state of the art.”

“My surgical experience was so efficient.”

“The care team was excellent.”

“My private room was very spacious.”

“My surgeon is fantastic.”

From complex surgeries and a full-service emergency department, to beautiful maternity suites and comfortable private rooms, more people are choosing Holy Cross Germantown Hospital. Learn more by visiting “patient stories” online. For classes, events, and to find a physician, call 301-754-8800.

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S AT H O LY C R O S S G E R M A N T O W N H O S P I TA L Events are FREE and held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 19801 Observation Dr., Germantown, MD 20876.

To register, call 301-754-8800 or visit HolyCrossHealth.org/AskTheDoctors.

February 9

February 21

March 21

April 25

JOINTS: REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS

OVERCOMING BACK PAIN

NAVIGATING UROLOGIC AND GYNECOLOGIC HEALTH ISSUES

IMPROVING LUNG AND PULMONARY HEALTH

Return to a full and active life by learning more about the risks and benefits of various treatment options for joint pain, including joint replacement. Panelists include: • Matthew Levine, MD, Orthopedics • Alan Nagel, MD, Orthopedics

Engage with a spine surgery expert for an overview of strategies for managing and treating back pain, including temporary relief, or surgery as a long-term solution.

Panelists include: • Sanjog Mathur, MD, Orthopedics

Women’s health experts discuss issues that may be impacting your quality of life, such as incontinence, prolapse, abnormal bleeding, fibroids and other gynecologic or pelvic health concerns. Panelists include: • James Barter, MD, Gyn Oncology • Shobha Sikka, MD, OB/GYN • Kathleen Sterling, MD, Urology

Our experts discuss the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment of lung conditions. Panelists include: • Joseph Ball, MD, Pulmonary • Kunda Biswas, MD, Thoracic Surgery • Bryan Steinberg, MD, Thoracic Surgery

Your very own.

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Dating From page 1 they’re a smoker it’s going to be extremely challenging because that is a non-negotiable item for many people,” she said.

Dating coaches Options also offers coaching to help dates go more smoothly.

“We have to tell people to leave the cell phone in the car. Do not leave it on the table and discreetly glance at it. That’s rude behavior. That’s letting your date know they’re not the priority,” Kooritzky said. “People are completely oblivious to what they’re doing during the date, sabotaging future dates.”

Susan Trombetti, founder of Exclusive Matchmaking, agrees. “Not everybody needs matchmaking. They think they do.

But they are really making some sort of mistake with the people they’re dating.

“Ninety percent of the people who say they can’t find anybody, I could put them with the perfect person, and they could screw that up,” said Trombetti, whose company is located in Annapolis, Md., but has an international reach.

Not only does Trombetti coach her clients on the primary dating no-nos — such as talking about their exes or medical problems, and texting during the date — she also addresses what they should be doing instead.

She asks that clients go into the date with an open mind and not expect instant “chemistry.” She tells them to dress up and flirt a little rather than starting the date with a list of qualifications that they are looking for.

Some men, she says, will have a literal list in hand when they call a woman, while

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

women often treat a first date like a job interview.

“So, essentially, both people are grilling each other like a job interview. Literally, people end up shaking hands at the end.

So there’s no flirtation,” she said.

A string of bad dates Some of the women Andrew (who asked that his last name not be used) dated could have benefitted from some coaching. He’s 63, and experienced a cascade of bad dates on Match.com. So he has gone back to meeting “the old-fashioned way,” through friends or shared activities.

“The people I ended up meeting, while they seemed nice initially, after the first couple of meetings, I could tell perhaps there were issues they needed to work through or perhaps [reasons] why they were sitting home.

“I’m not being unkind when I say this.

We all have issues. But if I have a choice, I would rather meet someone without so much baggage,” he said.

There was the one who got too drunk to drive home. Another talked the whole evening without pausing to take a breath or ask him a question.

“Sometimes it’s almost funny. But there

Drug prices From page 14 widely by pharmacy.

Others take a big risk, buying “herbal Viagra” at gas stations, or ordering Viagra online from “Canadian pharmacies” that likely sell counterfeit drugs made in poor countries, said Dr. Irwin Goldstein, director of San Diego Sexual Medicine.

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Experience Makes a Difference.

Can blood pressure pills help?

Some doctors have gotten inventive.

Dr. Nachum Katlowitz, head of urology at New York’s Staten Island University

was a serious one where I felt bad. She looked nothing like her photo. She was extremely thin.

“My first thought was, ‘Should we go to the ER or something?’ She was pushing her food around, and talking about how many hours a day she exercises. She was basically bragging to me how she’s anorexic,” he recalled.

A warning about scams Sandy, who is 71 and lives in Silver Spring, Md., left her abusive husband at age 58 and decided to step back into dating using JDate.

A few years later, she fell hard for a man overseas whom she had never met in person. She even went so far as to shop for a wedding dress. They talked for hours each day on the phone or online, and he proposed to her within a few months.

Then there was silence for several days, until she got a call saying he had suffered a “terrible accident” in Malaysia. Unconscious, he was unable to pay the bills, so she sent money to the “hospital.” He asked her for money to help orphans there, as well as to get his “millions” out of a safety deposit box.

See DATING, page 17

Hospital, offers an alternative costing about $1 per pill at some pharmacies.

The active ingredient in Viagra — sildenafil — is also in Pfizer’s now-generic blood pressure pill Revatio, but at one-fifth the dose.

One of his patients, a 62-year-old hospital technician, takes several of the blood pressure pills before sex. “I couldn’t afford it if I had to pay for Viagra,” said Robert, who asked that his last name not be used to protect his privacy.

He’s experienced modest improvements, and said he and his wife of 28 years now enjoy sex twice as often.

— AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Dating From page 16 “He cleverly had an answer any time I confronted him with the red flags I recognized, somehow making me feel guilty that I’d even raised them — even when I couldn’t find the name of his ‘doctor’ on the hospital’s website or that they’d even admitted him.

“I dismissed this last one when my colleague at work mentioned that her mother, who was in Hopkins at one point, had had friends who were never able to phone her because the operator always said she wasn’t there.

“Things happen like that. When you want

to believe, you’re easily misled,” she said.

In the end, he had bamboozled her out of $400,000. (See “Safe and smart online dating” on page 18 to learn how to protect yourself from similar scams.)

Sandy lived alone and told no one about the money she was taking from her IRAs, but finally someone at her job at the State Department caught on and said she would report it if Sandy did not.

So she reported the scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.

IC3.gov) and was told that her scammer was probably in a group of half a dozen criminals living in Nigeria, traveling to Malaysia to pick up her money periodically.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 26

BEING MORTAL – FILM AND BREAKFAST

Enjoy a free bagel brunch and screening of the PBS documentary Being Mortal on Sunday, Feb. 26 in the social hall at the Wasserman Residence (Hebrew Home) of the Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

Screening will be followed by a panel discussion on end-of-life issues. To register, call (301) 770-8409 or visit www.hebrew-home.org/brunch.

Ongoing

SEATED EXERCISE CLASSES

Arlington County offers seated exercise classes with Judi Gartg for residents age 55 and older on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford St. Chair exercises are especially beneficial for those with balance or mobility issues. Register for a 15session pass for $60 at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St., or drop-in for a single class at Madison. For more information, call (703) 228-0555.

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Sandy is working to get an essay and a book published about her ordeal to warn other online daters.

Her experience has not deterred her from continuing to date men online. But now she is much more cautious, meeting them in person in public places. “I tell

17

them to look for the lady with a smile and red hair,” she said.

Sandy has recently reconnected with someone in Pennsylvania she met online years ago. “You’re never too old to have a spark,” she said. “Never too old to fall in love.”

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Tips for safe and smart online dating

By Justin Lavelle If you’re newly single, dating can be a nail-biting experience. If you’re in your 50s, it can be like learning to speak a foreign language.

Part of this new lexicon includes being alert to scams. Older adults are more likely to be targeted for online dating scams known as “catphishing” — where scammers create dating profiles on legitimate dating websites, through social media and by email, with the intent of bilking money

from their mates/victims.

They typically profess their love very quickly and start requesting money to be wired for various reasons (a plane ticket to visit, an emergency, sick relative, short term loan, etc.).

Err on the side of caution and use common sense. Never send money or share banking information with anyone you’ve met on an online dating site.

Scam artists will find many excuses — such as work, family illness or shared

custody — as to their inability to meet in person, or will set a date to meet, then cancel.

Only accept messages from matches within a reasonable distance from you.

There is no good reason to start a relationship with someone you will have a difficult time meeting in person.

When chatting online via keyboard, make sure the flow of conversation makes sense in order to ascertain if you’re talking to a live person and not a robot profile. Mix up the

conversation; see if the person continues to respond appropriately. If they are unable to switch gears, it could be a robot responder giving predetermined responses.

If your date’s profile has very limited information and contains only one photo, that could be a sign that you’re dealing with a scam artist.

People who don’t want to be held accountable to the content of their profile See SAFE DATING, page 19

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Ongoing

MEDICARE INFO SESSION

Turning 65? Here are important questions you need to think about: Do you need to sign up for Medicare now? Can I work and get Medicare? Do you know the Medicare alphabet, A,B, C and D? Join Montgomery County’s Senior Information Sessions. These free sessions are offered through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). For more information, visit www.medicareabcd.org or call (301) 255-4250.

Feb. 8

HEALTHY HEART HABITS

The Springfield Christian Women’s Connections presents a luncheon program with Leesa Blum, who will share her 20-year experience working with healthy and at-risk cardiac patients, as well as constructive ideas for better cardiovascular fitness. There will also be door prizes. This talk will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Springfield Golf and Country Club, located at 8301 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield, Va. The cost is $20 per person. For more information or to register, call (703) 922-6438 or email SpringWmConn@yahoo.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Safe dating From page 18 will simply leave it blank. If they are too lazy to take the time to self-disclose and post some self-descriptive text, then you should probably take a pass.

Confirm your match’s key information through online searches, and if you’re especially concerned, consider using an online background check service. Doing so can confirm that your love interest’s name matches his or her photo, address and so-

cial media profiles.

In addition, it can help you determine if your date owns a gun, has financial problems or a violent criminal record, or has been issued a lot of speeding tickets, owes child support or is currently married.

Justin Lavelle is a scam prevention expert and the communications director for BeenVerified.com, a source of online background checks and contact information. BeenVerified allows individuals to find more information about people, such as phone numbers, email addresses and property records.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 17

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH THERAPIES

Virginia Hospital Center presents a free seminar with Brenda Teal on alternative heath therapies, which can alleviate symptoms of diseases and chronic pain, and lessen side effects of treatments like chemotherapy. Alternative therapies often focus on mind, body and spirit. This talk will take place on the Carlin Springs Campus, located at 601 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va. on Friday, Feb. 17 from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information or to RSVP, call (703) 558-6859.

Feb. 9

HISTORIC CHURCHES

The history of three churches in Arlington, Va., that celebrated their 150th anniversaries in 2016 will be the focus of a discussion. They are Calloway United Methodist Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, and Lomax African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The free program will be held at 7 p.m. at the Reinsch Library Auditorium at Marymount University, 2807 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, Va., and is sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society.

For more information, call (703) 942-9247.

19

BEACON BITS

Feb. 14

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP

Montgomery Hospice presents a bereavement workshop called “Forever Yours,” a special workshop for widows, widowers and life partners who want to honor and remember their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. This group session is free and open to any Montgomery County resident. Montgomery Hospice is located at 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (301) 921-4400.

Ongoing

AGING MATTERS SHOW

Aging Matters is a new weekly interview program on Arlington’s community radio station WERA 96.7 LP FM featuring individuals with expertise about a broad array of aging-related topics. The show airs every Tuesday from 2 to 3 p.m. Host Cheryl Beversdorf interviews experts on timely topics affecting the lives of older adults and their loved ones. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/agingmatterswera.

20

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Drugs for depression, anxiety and reflux

By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I understand that an antidepressant can treat both depression and anxiety. I have tried three different antidepressants to treat my depression, and they all cause me to experience anxiety as a side effect.

Since these drugs are also used to treat anxiety, can you explain how this is possible?

A: Many years ago, clinicians and researchers first noticed that antidepressants relieve anxiety. However, antidepressants don’t work to treat anxiety in everyone. In fact, as your experience demonstrates, anxiety can sometimes be made worse by these medicines.

It seems strange that a drug could cause

a reaction that is opposite to its intended effect, but it’s a common phenomenon in psychiatric drug treatment.

For example, antidepressants can cause depression to get worse. Stimulants, which tend to speed people up, help some people feel calmer.

Medication effects vary because no two people are alike. Life experiences diverge.

Each person’s biology is unique. Thus, no two forms of depression or anxiety are alike, either.

We don’t yet completely understand how the brain regulates mood. We do know that antidepressants do not simply correct a socalled “chemical imbalance.” While antidepressants do alter the concentration of chemical messengers between nerve cells,

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we’re still not very good at predicting how that change will affect a person’s mood.

There are some practical points worth considering if an antidepressant makes you anxious. In the first few days or weeks of treatment with any antidepressant, it can have a stimulating effect. That can make you feel anxious. But often the anxiety wears off if you press on for several days or weeks.

Sometimes the anxiety is triggered because you started a dose that was too high.

You may avoid anxiety by starting a very low dose and increasing it slowly.

If the drugs made you anxious on low doses, ask your doctor about other options. You may have more success with psychotherapy, or an antidepressant from a different class.

Q: I regularly take over-the-counter omeprazole for acid reflux and have been doing this for many years. Some days I need to double the dose.

I would like to get off it. But when I stop the omeprazole, the heartburn comes right back. What can I do?

A: Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Drugs in this class are the most potent stomach acid inhibitors.

While proton pump inhibitors are very safe for short-term use, there are several concerns about taking them for a long

time. One problem is just what you experience. Rebound heartburn.

Rebound heartburn happens because the acid suppression leads to an increase in the number and activity of acid producing cells in the stomach. Without the blocker, acid levels shoot up quickly.

Other potential side effects of long-term PPI use include low blood magnesium levels, loss of bone mass that may lead to osteoporosis and fractures, increased infection risk, and decreased absorption of vitamin B12 leading to anemia. Stomach acid greatly helps with vitamin B12 absorption.

To help you get off the omeprazole, make sure you are regularly following the non-drug recommendations to reduce acid reflux.

• Lose weight if you are overweight.

• Eat smaller but more frequent meals.

• Avoid eating within two or three hours before bedtime.

• Raise the head of your bed if you’re bothered by nighttime heartburn. Do it by putting blocks under the legs at the head end of the frame, or by placing a wedge (available in medical supply stores) under your upper body.

• If certain foods trigger your heartburn, try cutting them out for a while to See DRUGS, page 21

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

21

These supplements support brain health

By Marsha McCulloch, R.D. Smart lifestyle practices — including healthy eating, exercise, good sleep, and continual learning — help keep your brain in top form. Certain supplements also may help bolster brain function.

Although more research is needed, the following supplements may help. Consult your doctor prior to use.

Ginkgo biloba extract This supplement has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and improves blood flow to the brain. A metaanalysis of nine well-conducted clinical trials concluded that 240 milligrams (mg.) per day of ginkgo is more effective than a placebo in treatment of dementia (Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences, 2015). However, evidence for the role of ginkgo in dementia prevention appears weak.

Supplement with: 120 mg. to 240 mg. ginkgo biloba extract.

Vitamin D Besides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions in the brain, vitamin D may help clear it of toxic compounds. A small number of clinical trials suggest daily sup-

Drugs From page 20 see if it makes a difference.

Next, continue to take your daily morning omeprazole. Add another medication called an over-the-counter H2 blocker, such as cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine or nizatidine. Take this one at night before bed.

Then start to skip doses of omeprazole while continuing the nightly H2 blocker. If all is well, see if you can stop the omepra-

plements may help improve dementia, particularly in people with low vitamin D blood levels (below 30 ng/mL).

An international summit concluded that managing Alzheimer’s disease and related cognitive decline should include screening for vitamin D deficiency, and supplementation if needed (Journal of Internal Medicine, 2014).

Supplement with: 600 to 800 International Units vitamin D3, or as advised based on blood test.

Omega-3 fats and B vitamins EPA and DHA omega-3 fats and B vitamins, particularly folate and vitamins B6 and B12, have shown positive effects on brain health and function in many — but not all — clinical trials when administered individually.

New research suggests that pairing them may be more effective for brain health.

In VITACOG, a double-blind, placebocontrolled trial of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, taking a daily highdose B supplement — 800 micrograms (mcg.) folate, 500 mcg. B12, and 20 mg. B6 — for two years slowed brain shrinkage and cognitive decline, particularly in those with high levels of homocysteine (a risk factor for Alzheimer’s). zole. Don’t rush it. Do this over a few weeks or longer.

You might eventually be able to stop the nightly H2 blocker and only need it or an antacid for occasional heartburn.

Howard LeWine, M.D. is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. (c) 2017 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A later analysis of VITACOG data showed that people with low omega-3 blood levels at the start of the study experienced little cognitive benefit from vitamin B supplements, but those with high-to-normal omega-3 blood levels (suggesting higher omega-3 intake) had significant slowing in brain shrinkage and cognitive decline, including memory loss, when taking B vitamin supplements (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2016).

Supplement with: 1,000 mg. to 2,000 mg. omega-3 EPA and DHA; 400 mcg. folate, 500 mcg. B12* and 20 mg. B6.* (*Though higher than the RDA, these doses are suggested by research to support cognitive function.)

PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) This supplement, which has powerful antioxidant actions, promotes the growth and protection of nerve cells. PQQ is found in many foods, such as spinach, kiwifruit, green tea and fermented soybeans, but typical dietary intake is low (0.1 mg. to 1.0 mg. per day) compared to effective study doses.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial of 41 healthy adults, those taking 20 mg. of PQQ daily for 12 weeks had a significant improvement in focused attention (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2016). Also, those who initially had low memory scores saw sigSee BRAIN HEALTH, page 22

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Quick healthy meals to clean up your diet

By Hilary Meyer If you’re trying to give your eating habits a mini-makeover this year, try cutting back on some of the less-than-healthy ingredients in your diet: saturated fat, refined grains, processed foods, sugar and salt.

Eating “clean” of these items doesn’t have to mean spending tons of time in the kitchen, or eliminating whole food groups from your diet. Instead, focus on convenient, fresh meals that are quick to prepare so you don’t feel tempted by highly

processed convenience foods.

Here’s a guide to getting “clean” meals on your table in 30 minutes or less — a perfect strategy for a weeknight dinner.

Rely on quick-cooking whole grains.

Trying to eat clean means avoiding refined grains like white pasta, white bread and white rice in favor of whole grains. Unfortunately, a lot of whole grains take close to an hour to cook, which isn’t ideal when you’re in a rush.

You have two options: a) cook a big batch

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of grains like barley, brown rice or wheat berries ahead to use throughout the week, or b) familiarize yourself with some quick-cooking varieties like quinoa, bulgur or farro.

Choose your veggies wisely.

Eating clean is easy when you cram as many vegetables as possible into your meal.

On weeknights, try to focus on a few vegetables that cook quickly and that take very little time to prep. Snap peas, snow peas, asparagus, broccoli florets and cauliflower require little to no prep and all cook quickly (be sure to cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets to speed up cooking). And they all taste good if they’re tender-crisp — a texture that’s achieved with only a few minutes of cooking time.

Add flavor with herbs and citrus instead of salt.

To make your food really flavorful when you cut back on salt, you need to rely on healthy flavor-packed ingredients, such as herbs or a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.

For rushed weeknight dinners, choose fresh herbs that are easy to work with, such as basil and chives.

And when you’re really pressed for time, dried herbs are an easy solution. If your recipe calls for fresh herbs, and you want to use dried, cut the amount by onethird.

Use fruit instead of sugar to sweeten dishes.

When it comes to dessert, choose foods that are naturally sweet, such as fruit.

Whirl up berries in a blender and stir together with nonfat plain yogurt and a splash of vanilla extract.

Make a simple salad.

To keep your salad quick and “clean,” stick to fresh, whole foods, keep toppings to a minimum, and make your own salad dressing.

It sounds time-consuming, but DIY salad dressing needs only three components: vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt. Start with a

Brain health

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2016 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 21 nificant improvements after taking PQQ. Supplement with: 20 mg. BioPQQ (the only form tested in clinical trials).

See EAT CLEAN, page 23

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

23

End ‘blah’ chicken with five-spice powder

By Melissa D’Arabian Eating healthy on a budget and tight schedule means the boneless skinless chicken breast makes frequent appearances on our dinner table. It’s a smart choice as a lean protein — one cup of cubed chicken breast has a whopping 43 grams of protein yet only 5 grams of fat (fewer than 2 of those are saturated).

But the chicken breast story goes beyond protein gram counts. White meat chicken provides a sizeable chunk of our daily requirements for several vitamins and minerals, most notably B6, niacin, phosphorous and selenium, and smaller quantities of a slew of others.

Impressive stats from the cut of meat that goes on mega-sale about every four weeks, and freezes so well that you can stock up when it does.

The problem with this wallet-friendly nutrient wonder is that it is so mild and low-fat (read: low-flavor) that it can become “blah” and uninspired on the weekly menu. The lower fat also puts this protein at high risk for drying out.

The following recipe solves both those problems while also staying weeknightspeedy. Five-Spice Chicken in Orange Broth

Eat clean From page 22 recipe of 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. If it’s too tart for you, don’t add more oil: try whisking in water to mellow the flavor.

Know what you’re getting with “convenience” products.

The good news is that not everything in a box or a can should be off-limits if you’re trying to clean up your diet. Read ingredients and choose products with short lists.

Check sodium numbers and buy products

is a skillet chicken that starts on the stovetop with a quick sear, and then finishes in the oven, bathed in an aromatic orange juice broth, simmering to juicy perfection.

If you don’t have five-spice blend on hand, I suggest it as a worthy purchase. Its warm spicy flavors (think ginger, anise and cinnamon) add a perfect depth to a ton of dishes, both savory and sweet. However, feel free to experiment with similar spices or blends (such a pumpkin pie spice).

Another recommended purchase: an instant-read thermometer, which will improve your meat-cookery overall, so you can stop cooking the chicken as soon as it reaches 160 degrees.

A final tip: most chicken breasts are larger than one serving. Consider serving the meat already sliced on a platter, and you’ll find that two or three breasts will easily feed a family of four.

1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper 1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice (spice blend available at regular grocery stores) 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 3-4 carrots, trimmed and halved both crossways and lengthwise 4 garlic cloves, smashed 1/4 cup white wine 3/4 cup orange juice (fresh or carton) 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra if needed chopped cilantro for garnish (or parsley, if preferred) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, trim visible fat, and season with salt

and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over both sides of the chicken breasts and lightly press the flour into the meat.

In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high flame. Brown the chicken breasts until golden, about three to five minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate (it will not be fully cooked).

Add the onion to the same pan with a pinch of salt and stir with a wooden spoon.

Once the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes, add the five-spice, cumin, carrots and garlic, and cook until very fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Increase temperature to high and See RECIPE, page 25

Five-spice chicken breast in orange broth Start to finish: 40 minutes Servings: 4 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, about 3 breasts 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour that have little or no added salt.

Cut back on saturated fat.

Cut back on saturated fat by opting for low-fat dairy products and cooking with extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter.

Replace some of the meat in your diet with seafood. Shrimp and wild salmon are both good choices for weeknights. They cook quickly, and salmon offers omega-3s, which are good for your heart and may help improve your mood. © 2017 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Studies Page

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Studying a new way to stop arthritis pain

By Barbara Ruben As many arthritis sufferers know, the loss of cartilage that coats the ends of our bones can cause excruciating joint pain.

Many patients turn to pain medication, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Motrin and Celebrex. Unfortunately, NSAIDs can contribute to renal failure and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Some try injections that help lubricate the joint, which help some, but not all, people.

Now doctors are studying a new type of injection intended to reduce inflammation sur-

rounding the joint by stopping the growth of new blood vessels that form as the joint is damaged by arthritis. And that can help stop the arthritis pain — at least temporarily.

The Vascular Institute of Virginia, located in Woodbridge, is studying an injection procedure called genicular artery embolization to reduce pain due to osteoarthritis in the knee. Unlike other arthritis injections made directly into a joint, this procedure injects tiny particles the width of a hair through an artery in the groin to shut down blood vessels surrounding the knee.

“This doesn’t cure arthritis, but what it does is break the cycle of inflammation.

With that, comes pain relief,” said Dr. Rachel Piechowiak, who is one of the doctors leading the study at the Vascular Institute. “People have had a great response.”

While this type of embolization is approved to treat uterine fibroids, enlarged prostate, liver tumors and other cancers, as well as gastrointestinal bleeding, it is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating arthritis.

Doctors using the procedure in Brazil and Japan have had success with embolization for arthritis, Piechowiak said. It is also being studied at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Joining the study The Vascular Institute is looking for volunteers with knee arthritis to take part in the study in Virginia. They must be at least 40 years old and have moderate to severe knee pain.

They must have tried at least three months of treatment, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, muscle strengthening, or injections into the joint,

without getting much relief. However, they cannot have had knee surgery.

Participants cannot have a current leg infection, life expectancy less than six months, rheumatoid or infectious arthritis, or a severe allergy to iodine, which is used in the injection. They also cannot have a blood clotting disorder or renal dysfunction within the last 30 days.

“This study is for in-between people who have a fair amount of pain, but are not ready to have surgery,” Piechowiak said.

Those interested in the study will be screened at the Vascular Institute. Those who meet the criteria will get the injection and have a follow-up visit the next day.

They will then return for evaluation in one, three and six months. An MRI of the knee will be done at the one-month visit.

During the study, participants will have just one injection, which can keep pain at bay for a year or more, Piechowiak said.

The study does not offer compensation, but the embolization and all follow-up tests are free of charge.

For more information, or to volunteer, call Julie Orlando, patient coordinator, at (703) 763-5224.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

25

Prostate cancer may not need treatment

By Maria Cheng Men with early prostate cancer who choose to closely monitor their disease are just as likely to survive at least 10 years as those who have surgery or radiation, according to a major study that directly tested and compared these options.

Survival from prostate cancer was so high — 99 percent, regardless of which approach men had — that the results call into question not only what treatment is best, but also whether any treatment at all is needed for early-stage cases.

And that in turn adds to concern about screening with PSA blood tests, because screening is worthwhile only if finding cancer earlier saves lives.

“There’s been no hard evidence that treating early [prostate] disease makes a difference,” said Dr. Freddie Hamdy of the University of Oxford, the study’s leader.

“Because we cannot determine very well which [case] is aggressive cancer and which is not, men and clinicians can both be anxious about whether the disease will progress,” he said. “And that pushes them toward treatment. “

Waiting can be difficult Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, welcomed the results, but said it would be a struggle to convince men diagnosed with early prostate cancer in the U.S. to skip surgery or radiation. He said he often suggests monitoring, but “it’s a challenging process to explain to people that certain cancers just don’t need to be treated.”

“Our aggressive approach to screening and treating has resulted in more than 1

Recipe From page 23 deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any crusty bits on the bottom of the pan as it bubbles for a minute. Add the orange juice and 1 cup of broth and stir.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan, including any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add extra broth (or just water) so that liquid level is about 1/4 the way up the chicken breasts. Spoon some of the sauce on top of each breast.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and then place in the oven to continue cooking until the chicken breasts reach 160 degrees F, about 15 to 20 more minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest a few minutes before slicing. Serve with the carrots and the fragrant broth spooned on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 271 calories; 61 calories from fat; 7 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 86 mg. cholesterol; 262 mg. sodium; 19 g. carbohydrate; 3 g. fiber; 9 g. sugar; 29 g. protein Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook “Supermarket Healthy.”

— AP

million American men getting needless treatment, “ said Brawley, who had no role in the study.

The research was published last fall in the New England Journal of Medicine. It was paid for by Britain’s National Institute for Health Research.

The study involved more than 82,000 men in the United Kingdom, aged 50 to 69, who had tests for PSA, or prostate specific antigen. High levels can signal prostate cancer, but also may signal more harmless conditions, including natural enlargement that occurs with age.

Researchers focused on the men diagnosed with early prostate cancer, where the disease is small and confined to the prostate. Of those men, 1,643 agreed to be randomly assigned to get surgery, radiaSee PROSTATE CANCER, page 26

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Advising one’s 12-year-old granddaughter Dear Solutions: very good answer because I was a little My granddaughter, who’s 12 years shocked by the whole conversation. old, was visiting me with a What should she say in a couple of her friends. They situation like this? were having just a fun dis— Miriam cussion about how to act Dear Miriam: when they go out with She should say nothing, beboys. cause if she’s going out with a One of the girls said she boy at 12 years old, she’d betwent to a movie with a boy ter keep her mouth shut and and he kissed her. He then her eyes wide open! told her she didn’t know Dear Solutions: how to kiss because she SOLUTIONS I am in a constant dedidn’t open her mouth or By Helen Oxenberg, bate with a friend of mine close her eyes. over abolishing the death MSW, ACSW She actually asked me penalty. He’s passionately what she should have said when this boy against it, though I’m not convinced criticized her. I don’t think I gave her a even after all his arguments.

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The trouble is that by the end of our “discussions,” we both end up a little angry and turned off. I want us to remain friends, so have you got any advice about how to end this?

— Ed Dear Ed: First, you might tell him that you would agree with him if the first step to abolishing the death penalty would be taken by the murderers. (No murderers = no death penalty.)

There are so many different practical, moral, philosophical, religious and other dimensions that lead people to be for or against this issue.

Since your main goal is to remain friends, tell him that the only thing you really want to kill is the arguing, not the friendship. Try to agree to let that rest in peace.

Dear Solutions: I’m not sure whether to have a temper tantrum or not. I sent several proposals and samples for a really interesting workshop/group experience to a new community that I heard was looking for ideas.

I have not heard one word from the so-called activity director, although I sent it twice. This person didn’t answer or even acknowledge receiving my inquiries. It feels like I don’t exist.

What is the best way to handle this?

Should I express my anger at her/his inconsideration, or just forget it?

— Frustrated

Dear Frustrated: I understand your frustration.

Fortunately, you have a choice. You can assume that this person is not going to hire you. Then you can have that temper tantrum, and rant and rave about his/her inconsideration and nastiness, and be relieved that you don’t have to work with such an unappealing person.

Or you can just shrug and hold on to the good feeling of being superior to this silent person, realizing that the good shrug will feel better than would a reply of rejection.

Enjoy the shrug and look elsewhere.

Dear Solutions: I just wrote a play, which I’m feeling good about, and I’m about to send it to a producer. Some people are telling me I should send it to a drama critic first. That makes me nervous. Do you think they’re right?

— D. Dear D: They may be right, but you’re also right to be nervous because the critic may read it and tell you something you don’t want to hear.

If you think you can stand that, then go ahead. If not, be brave and just send it to the producer. Good luck. © Helen Oxenberg, 2017. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Prostate cancer

U.K. He said the study confirmed that for men in the early stages of the disease, there is no wrong treatment decision.

Some participants who had surgery or radiation said they didn’t regret it despite learning now that they probably could have done just as well without it.

Tony Hancock, 60, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer eight years ago in Newcastle, said he originally wanted to have his disease monitored, but the study assigned him to have surgery.

“Within about 24 hours, I persuaded myself that it was the best option,” he said. “I started to think, ‘how could you live like that, knowing there’s a cancer growing inside you and you’re not doing anything about it?’”‘ Although he suffered side effects, including some incontinence and pain, Hancock was glad he had the surgery. “Psychologically, I know the cancer has been removed because my prostate is gone.”

Douglas Collett, a retired construction worker from Cromhall, said he was horrified when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. “It hit me like a sledgehammer,” the 73-year-old said. “My initial reaction was to get rid of it.”

But after reading up on the risks and benefits of surgery and radiation, Collett said he was relieved to have been assigned to the monitoring group, and feels more men should be fully informed about the various strategies.

— AP

From page 25 tion or active monitoring.

Monitoring involves blood tests every three to six months, counseling, and consideration of treatment only if signs suggest a worsening disease.

A decade later, researchers found no difference among the groups in rates of death from prostate cancer or other causes. More men being monitored saw their cancers worsen — 112 versus 46 given surgery and 46 given radiation. But radiation and surgery brought more side effects, especially urinary, bowel or sexual problems.

Do we overscreen?

PSA testing remains popular in the U.S. even after a government task force recommended against it, saying it does more harm than good by leading to false alarms and overtreatment of many cancers that would never threaten a man’s life. In Europe, prostate cancer screening is far less common.

Other experts said scientists should focus on how to figure out which cancers are so slow growing they don’t need treatment and those that do.

“We need something to allow us to identify men with aggressive disease earlier,” said Dr. Malcolm Mason, a prostate cancer expert at the charity Cancer Research

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Incredible medicinal herbs from the Bible Before the advent of synthetic com- gregation, just like a blood thinner. It can pounds, expensive medications and injec- inhibit Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE), acting similarly to the tions, the human body was acdrugs lisinopril and enalapril. customed to natural herbs Myrrh: Known as Comand spices. Our planet Earth miphora myrrha. I keep this has thousands of healing essential oil handy for cuts. It plants that have been used smells awful, no lie. But it’s since biblical times and beworth having because it’s a fore. strong antiseptic and antiEven though I am a phareverything. It could help remacist, I believe that we can duce infection by a parasite, heal with what grows on bacteria or fungus.

Earth. Today I’m mentioning DEAR Olive: Known botanically eight incredible herbs, all PHARMACIST as Olea europaea. The olive mentioned in the Bible, as

By Suzy Cohen branch conveys a universal well as their medicinal benesymbol of peace. Olive oil confits.

Almonds: Known as Prunus dulcis, al- tains oleic acid which is a fatty acid. This monds contain salicin which go on to form compound works in conjunction with vita“salicylic acid.” This is the primary by-prod- min D to support immune health.

Saffron: Known as Crocus sativus, safuct of aspirin. We all know what aspirin is fron acts like a natural antidepressant, anxfor, don’t we?

Eating a handful of almonds each day is iolytic and sedative. It contains many biolike consuming natural aspirin. A study logically active compounds including published in The Journal of Nutrition crocin and safranal, which protect your found that almonds can decrease post- levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepiprandial (after eating) blood sugar, as well nephrine. Because saffron provides cofactors for the SOD enzyme, it may be helpful as insulin and free radical damage.

Black cumin: Known as Nigella sativa, if you have an SOD polymorphism.

Sage: This herb was studied on patients these jet black seeds can be used to flavor bread and other baked goods. You can buy with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disblack cumin seed oil as a dietary supple- ease, and researchers concluded that sage ment, which I often recommend for people “produced a significantly better outcome on cognitive function.” Interestingly, sage dealing with neurological problems.

If your child has intractable seizures, was also shown in lab studies to help replease mention Nigella sativa supplemen- duce flare-ups of herpes-related viruses, tation to your pediatrician, because the re- such as cold sores and genital herpes.

If you want more of this type of informasearch is easy to find, and very positive.

Frankincense: Known as Boswellia ser- tion, write to me at ScriptEssentials@ rata, this is a gummy resin that contains gmail.com and request your own copy of compounds that might relieve joint pain by “Medicinal Herbs from the Bible,” in inhibiting the inflammatory cytokines that ebook format.

This information is opinion only. It is not lead to discomfort. Research suggests that boswellia could improve ovarian and blad- intended to treat, cure or diagnose your conder health. Studies have already been con- dition. Consult with your doctor before using ducted on people with those types of can- any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist cer, producing positive results.

Garlic: I love roasted garlic on my and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist pizza! This herb can support healthy cho- and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To lesterol ratios while decreasing platelet ag- contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 14

REVOLUTIONARY COSMETICS

DAR Museum presents a free lecture on early cosmetics — and their potential dangers — on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. “The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful — Cosmetics of Early America” will discuss both the deadly and the harmless ingredients involved, and what was acceptable in 18th and 19th century America. Safe samples are included. The Museum is located at 1776 D St NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.dar.org/museum/exhibitions/agreeable-tyrant-events.

Ongoing

VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS FOR KIDS

JCA Heyman Interages Center needs volunteers to work with kids for two programs. Work with school-age children during off-school hours in the Reading and Educating to Advance Lives (REAL) at Dept. of Health and Human Service Centers in Rockville, Silver Spring and Germantown. Or assist teachers and work in small groups in the Math Mentors program in local elementary schools. For more information, contact bonnie.lekoshapiro@accessJCA.org or (301) 255-4239.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Rehabilitation

Return to the

LIFE YOU LOVE

New, state-of-the-art Rehab CENTER opening early 2017 Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center’s innovative, new place to heal and revitalize will be simply different from any other option in the region.

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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 2

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

By Laura Newland Executive Director, D.C. Office on Aging Happy February!

I hope you will join me in celebrating Black History Month. I feel so fortunate to live in a city where Black history is acknowledged and celebrated every day, and I don’t need to wait for February to learn about the many contributions of African Americans to this city. I’m reminded every time I’m out in the community about how many of you have contributed to, and shaped, the story of Washington, D.C. And how you continue to do so every day.

Our Community Events Calendar this month includes several Black history celebrations taking place throughout the city, and I also encourage you to engage with your neighbors and the younger members of your community.

Share your experiences. Talk about how hard you’ve worked to build this city, and how hard you’re working now to keep this city a place where you want to continue to live. You may not realize how interested people are in hearing your story until you make that connection.

We know how important intergenerational connections are in building community, and I’m excited for some of the programs we have been working on at the Office on Aging.

For Valentine’s Day, we’ll be sending something extra special with our home-delivered meals to seniors throughout the city. Students from eight DC Public Schools volunteered to make handmade Valentine’s Day cards for homebound seniors as part of our Cupid’s Kids initiative. I hope this gesture of kindness will lift spirits, but will also serve as a teachable moment for our youngest residents that they have a responsibility in creating, and contributing to, their community.

Our goal this year was to send homemade Valentine’s Day cards to 2,600 recipients of DCOA’s home-delivered meals program. Thanks to the overwhelming response from DCPS students, teachers and administrators, we far surpassed this goal and will be sending Valentine’s cards to more than 4,000 seniors!

Seniors attending Adult Day Health Centers and those who receive case management support in their homes will also be receiving notes and cards created by the youngest members of our community.

When Mayor Muriel Bowser talks about the foundations of a strong commu-

nity, she reminds us that “the success of our city rises and falls on the people of Washington, D.C.” Through the Cupid’s Kids initiative, DCPS students are exemplifying Mayor Bowser’s vision of our shared values bringing us together for a greater cause.

I am so proud of our DCPS students and grateful for their teachers and administrators for reinforcing D.C. values and teaching the youngest members of our city how they can make a difference in the community — one individual at a time.

If you had a chance to join me at one of my town halls last month, you heard me talk about the risk of social isolation among seniors living in D.C. More than half of seniors in the District live alone, according to our 2016 Senior Needs Assessment. Many seniors living alone are at higher risk of social isolation. And we know there are a number of negative health outcomes tied to isolation — including depression, heart disease, weakened immune system, and dementia.

The good news is that social isolation is not inevitable, nor is it irreversible. We all have a duty, as members of this community, to reach out to others who may be silently suffering alone, just as our DCPS students have done.

At DCOA, we are working hard to make sure we can reach our most vulnerable and isolated populations, but we need your help. Next month, we will be building on our Ambassador program to provide more opportunities for you to volunteer in the community and with our office. We will be offering quarterly Ambassador training sessions covering a variety of issues around aging to better equip you with the information and support you need to make a difference in your neighborhoods.

I encourage you to visit www.dcoa. dc.gov or call us at 202-724-5626 to learn more about how you can work with us to help combat social isolation. If you feel you may be suffering from isolation, please reach out to us as well. We can help.

Remember that the winter months are a peak time for prolonged isolation and a sense of loneliness for many, particularly the frail elderly who are unable to leave their homes. Take some extra time out of your day to call your relative, visit a friend, and invite someone over for dinner!

February 2017

Know the Signs of a Heart Attack “I had gas, and I spent about an hour drinking ginger ale trying to belch. Then my tooth started hurting.”

That’s how it started for 71-year-old Elynore Herron in September 2015.

“My son said, ‘Let’s go to the emergency room.’ I didn’t want to go, but I got in the car and leaned back in the seat. When we got there, I told the staff what was going on, and they immediately yelled, ‘EKG!’” The retired D.C. Public Schools assistant principal was suffering a heart attack.

“It is frightening because I didn’t know what was happening,” she said. “The symptoms for women are so different, and it was really the jaw — not the tooth. I had not a clue that I was having a heart attack.”

Herron had not been a heavy smoker, and had completely stopped smoking six months prior to the attack. She was taking medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol, but was physically active and eating healthy most of the time.

Heart disease is known as a silent killer for women, as many of the symptoms go unnoticed or could be mistaken for other ailments. The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign works to make sure women know they are at risk so they can take action to protect their health.

The American Heart Association provides the following information to help bring awareness:

Elynore Herron is a survivor. She survived a heart attack in September, had a knee replacement in March, and still competed in the Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant in June. She recovered from both health conditions and placed third runner-up in the annual contest. Herron also continues to be an advocate, sharing her story with other women.

minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

• Shortness of breath. This may occur with or without chest discomfort.

• Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Heart Attack Warning Signs Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Here are some of the signs that can mean a heart attack is happening.

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few

Stroke Warning Signs • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body • Sudden confusion, or trouble speaking or understanding See HEART ATTACK, page 31

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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D.C. OFFICE

ON

31

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar February events 6th • 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The D.C. Senior Resource Group presents a lecture with Meg LaPorte titled “What’s Hot in Senior Care: Disrupting the Status Quo.” It will be held at Metropolitan Memorial Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW. To RSVP, go to www.dcsrg.com/events/feb-meg-laporte-55 or call 1-800-394-9990.

9th • 6:30 p.m.

“Pop Quiz: Black History Month” will be presented by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets NW. Test your knowledge of African American icons, heroes and visionaries in honor of Black History Month. For more info on this free event, call 202-633-8300.

7th • 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Using email and surfing the Internet opens up so many possibilities — connection to friends and family, convenience of shopping and banking online, and a world of information at your fingertips. But our online lives may also bring exposure to scams. Learning how fraudsters operate and what they are looking for will help you navigate online as safely as possible. The free class is presented

by Pam Holland, founder of Tech Moxie, and will be held at Iona, 4125 Albemarle St. NW. See www.iona.org, call 202-8959420 or email community@iona.org to register or learn more.

Heart attack From page 30

• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination • Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Dial 9-1-1 Fast Heart attack and stroke are life-or-

10th • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Howard University College of Dentistry Student Council Health Fair offers free dental cleanings for the entire family, as well as blood pressure, glucose, kidney and cholesterol screenings. The program is sponsored by the D.C. Office on Aging and a network of government, private and nonprofit organizations. The College of Dentistry is located at 600 W St. NW. Contact Romella Rogers at 240-499-6010 to learn more.

10th • 11 a.m. to 1p.m.

Learn more about the life of film animator, writer and comic book artist, Floyd Norman, the first African American animator to work with Walt Disney Studios in the early 1960s. Norman contributed his talents to Disney animated film classics One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, and The Jungle Book. The event will be held at the Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl. SE. Call 202633-4844 to register for this program.

13th • 10 a.m.

The Washington Seniors Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE, is celebrating Black History Month by hosting several events/presentations, including “Black Georgetown Remembered” by C.R. Gibbs. Call 202-581-9355 for more information.

death emergencies — every second counts. If you suspect you or someone you are with has any of the symptoms of heart attack or stroke, immediately call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number so an ambulance can be sent.

Don’t delay — get help right away!

For a stroke, also note the time when the first symptom(s) appeared. If given within 3 to 4.5 hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug may improve the chances of getting better faster.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher.

500 K St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 www.dcoa.dc.gov Executive Director Laura Newland Editor Darlene Nowlin Photographer Selma Dillard

The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

13th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The D.C. Office on Aging, in collaboration with Model Cities Senior Wellness Center and the American Kidney Fund, will hold a community health fair at the wellness center, 1901 Evarts St. NE. For more information, call Stacie Mack at 202-635-1900.

22nd • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The D.C. Office on Aging, in collaboration with Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center and the American Kidney Fund, will hold a community health fair at the wellness center, 324 Kennedy St. NW. For more information, call Teresa Moore at 202-291-6170.

15th • 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The D.C. Office on Aging, in collaboration with the Hayes Senior Wellness Center, will sponsor a program titled “Grid Alternatives: Presentation & Information on Solar Panels.” The wellness center is located at 500 K St. NE. To learn more, contact Sherrell Briscoe at 202-727-0357.

23rd • 10:30 a.m.

Celebrate Black History Month at Model Cities in a program “Remember the African American Doctors of World War I.” Model Cities is located at 1901 Evarts St. NE. For more information on this event, call Monica Carroll at 202-6351900.

17 and 18th • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, 1411 W St. SE, will host tours of the historic home in honor of Frederick Douglass’ 199th birthday. There will be music, presentations, programs on the history of Anacostia, children’s activities, and discussion about the books he wrote, the books he read, and how reading and writing can change the world.

Call 202-426-5961 for more information.

23rd • 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The D.C. Office on Aging, in collaboration with the Hayes Senior Wellness Center, will sponsor a presentation and information on elder abuse and exploitation by U.S. Attorney Douglas Klein. The wellness center is located at 500 K St. NE. To learn more, contact Sherrell Briscoe at 202-727-0357.

22nd • 10 a.m.

Washington Seniors Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE, is celebrating Black History Month by hosting several events and presentations, including “Let Freedom Ring” with the Choraleers.

Call 202-581-9355 for more information.

28th • 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The D.C. Office on Aging, in collaboration with the Grand Oaks Assisted Living senior apartments, will present an assisted living resource fair. Grand Oaks is located at 5901 MacArthur Blvd. NW. RSVP by calling the concierge desk at 202-349-3400.

Seeking Centenarians The D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) is seeking District residents who are 100 years of age or older to honor during our 31st Annual Salute to Centenarians being held in April.

If you know of residents who will have celebrated their centennial

birthday by April 30, 2017, please call Darlene Nowlin at (202) 724-5622 or email darlene.nowlin@dc.gov.

When registering centenarians, please provide the name, date of birth and contact information for each individual.

Search for Ms. Senior D.C. 2017 Are you a D.C. resident age 60 or older who is actively involved in your community? Are you interested in representing your peers as Ms. Senior D.C. 2017? If so, consider becoming a contestant in the next Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant! We are searching for the elegant lady who will represent the District of Columbia as Ms. Senior D.C. 2017. Contestants are judged on a personal interview, their philosophy

of life, their talent and evening gown presentations. The winner will represent the District of Columbia and compete in the Ms. Senior America Pageant. For more information on how to sign up, please call DCOA at 202-724-5622, email darlene.nowlin@dc.gov, or visit www.dcoa.dc.gov to complete an application.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Money Law &

MAKE CAREGIVING LESS TAXING There are several tax deductions and credits available to help adult children caring for their parents, from claiming them as a dependent to deducting medical costs NO AGE LIMIT ON SCAMS With ubiquitous computer and smartphone use, scammers have more opportunities than ever to take advantage of both teens and older adults

Claim all the tax breaks you’re entitled to

By Carole Feldman Donald Trump’s acknowledgement last fall that he had not paid federal income tax in years left some questioning why they should have to pay taxes.

“I think you pay taxes because it’s the right thing to do,” National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson said.

But that doesn’t mean you don’t take tax benefits to which you’re entitled.

“It’s easy to point to some of the provisions that you may feel are in the law...to let some [wealthy] people pay zero taxes, and ignore that you yourself are getting significant benefits delivered to you through the Internal Revenue code” as well, she said.

Among those: “If you’re an employee, you might be benefiting from employer-provided health insurance or tax-deferred retirement savings,” she said. “If you own a home, you may be benefiting from the deduction of mortgage interest, and those are significant.”

People tend to focus on special interests during discussions of tax reform. But Olson said, “The biggest special benefits go to the middle class, or anybody who owns a home or has a retirement account or gets employ-

er-provided health insurance.”

Don’t overpay taxes; itemize Tax experts say many people over-pay their taxes because they are not taking advantage of all the credits and deductions to which they are entitled.

Greg Rosica, a tax partner at Ernst & Young, said those could include things like deducting mileage if you drive to volunteer at a charity or drop off a donation of goods.

If you’re self-employed, add up your business expenses. “There are many deductions, items that are directly deductible against wages,” Rosica said.

That can include things like the phone bill or paper for the printer — or even for the room in your house where you conduct your business. But if you want to take that last deduction, “you must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business,” the IRS said.

There are two ways to compute home office deductions — one a simplified method of $5 per square foot for up to 300 square feet, and the other based on the actual costs of using the home office.

If you took out a new mortgage or refinanced an existing one and paid points,

those may be deductible, but they have to be amortized over the life of the loan. If you suffered a major uninsured loss, that may qualify as an itemized deduction as well.

Medical deductions Contact lenses, eyeglasses and hearing aids qualify as deductible medical expenses. So do breast pumps and lactation supplies and contraceptives, if bought with a prescription.

The cost of travel to get medical care also may be deductible. But you can only deduct medical expenses that exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income — or 7.5 percent if you are 65 or older.

On the other hand, “the IRS has ruled that the cost of marijuana or any other federally controlled substance, even if recommended by a physician in a state whose laws permit such purchase and use, is not deductible.”

Trump has not released his tax returns.

But The New York Times reported last year that he claimed more than $900 million in losses in 1995, enabling him to pay nothing in taxes for as many as 18 years.

Asked during a presidential debate in October whether he used the loss to avoid paying taxes, he said, “Of course I do.”

The Tax Policy Center estimates that about 44.5 percent of taxpayers will pay no income taxes for 2016.

“Just because people don’t pay federal income tax doesn’t mean they don’t pay any tax,” center fellow Roberton C. Williams wrote on its website.

“In fact, nearly everyone pays something. Three-fifths of those who don’t owe income tax work, and thus pay Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes. And almost everyone pays state and local sales taxes, excise taxes or some other levy.”

Penalties for non-payment of taxes can add up. There are penalties for failing to file your tax return, and for failing to pay your taxes.

The IRS advises people to file their tax returns even if they can’t afford to pay what’s due. The agency will work with taxpayers to set up installment plans if they are unable to afford the tax bill all at once.

“In most cases,” the IRS said, “the failure to-to-file penalty is 10 times more than the failure-to-pay penalty.”

Ernst & Young’s EY Tax Guide 2017 lists 50 of the deductions that people are most likely to overlook. It can be purchased at Amazon.com and other book sellers. — AP

As tax season approaches, beware scams

By Tina Orem Last summer, Cindy Hockenberry decided she’d had it with threatening phone calls claiming she was behind on her taxes.

“One day — I’m not kidding you — I got called three times,” she said.

Sometimes the calls were automated.

But once, when she got a call from a live person, Hockenberry — who happens to be the director of education and research at the National Association of Tax Professionals — decided to play along.

The caller told her she owed over $5,000 in back taxes. “He was pretty convincing,” Hockenberry recalled. “”He was saying the right things...using the right tax lingo.”

“Then I said to him, ‘Do you realize that it’s not lawful to impersonate an IRS employee?’...He came back and said, ‘Well, do you realize it’s unlawful not to pay your taxes?’ I said, ‘Yes, as a matter of fact, I do — which is why I know for a fact I have paid all my taxes.’”

There was a pause, she said. Then the

caller cursed at her and hung up.

An escalating problem Hockenberry’s story is just one example of how brazen tax scammers can be. In roughly the last three years, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the body that oversees the IRS, has received more than 1.8 million reports of calls from people impersonating IRS employees, and almost 10,000 victims have lost a total of nearly $50 million.

Tax-related email phishing and malware incidents shot up 400 percent in the 2016 tax season, according to the IRS. Recent schemes include calls threatening arrest for an overdue, fictitious “federal student tax,” emails with fake tax bills attached, and IRS impersonators demanding payment via gift cards or prepaid cards.

Joe Seifert, a CPA in Portland, Ore., said even tax preparers receive emails from scammers, asking for the usernames and

passwords that let them access special IRS online tools.

Criminals pose as state tax officials to make a buck, too. For example, the Kansas Department of Revenue has received complaints about calls from employee impersonators, according to a department spokesperson. Scammers are also issuing letters and emails under the state’s name.

If scammers approach you As tax season approaches, people will likely see more scams, the Federal Trade Commission warned. There’s little to prevent a criminal from picking up the phone or sending a bogus email, but there are four things you can do when these fishy communications arrive: 1. Know how the IRS initiates contact.

“The IRS should never, ever be contacting you by email, ever. They should never, ever be contacting you by phone. They should only be contacting you via letter,” Seifert said.

2. Report creepy messages. You can forward shady tax-related emails to phishing@irs.gov and report suspicious phone calls to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Federal Trade Commission. Collecting these reports recently helped the Department of Justice indict dozens of people in an alleged international call-center fraud scheme.

3. Verify issues with the IRS or your state tax authority. Question out-of-the-blue communications about alleged tax balances. If you owe back taxes, or think you might, call your tax professional, the IRS, or the state tax department directly, Seifert said. A new online tool at IRS.gov also lets you look up unpaid taxes, penalties and interest.

4. Never pay over the phone. Even if you owe money, the IRS never asks for credit, debit, prepaid card or bank information via phone, email, text or social media.

If someone does, “Just hang up on them,” Seifert said. — NerdWallet via AP.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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Children may have to pay for parents’ care

By Eleanor Laise When an older adult racks up unpaid long-term-care bills, who’s responsible for paying the debt?

In a growing number of cases, adult children are being held legally responsible for their parents’ nursing-home or other care expenses. The reason: More than half of U.S. states have “filial responsibility” laws obligating adult children to financially support their parents.

These laws, which have gone largely unenforced for decades, are reappearing in court cases as an aging population struggles with care costs.

“I get calls at least once a month from somebody saying, ‘I’ve never heard of this law. Why is somebody suing me?’” said Katherine Pearson, law professor at Penn State’s Dickinson Law School and an expert on these laws.

For family members, the consequences can be severe. A 2012 Pennsylvania court decision ordered an adult son to pay roughly $93,000 to cover his mother’s unpaid nursing-home bills.

Many families who don’t wind up in court are still being threatened with legal action if they don’t pay a loved one’s bills.

Court decisions such as the one in Pennsylvania have prompted more long-termcare facilities to mention filial-responsibili-

ty laws in letters demanding payment from residents’ families, elder law experts say.

“A lot of that has been more posturing than action, but it works,” said Jamie Hopkins, professor of retirement income at the American College.

A long legal precedent State filial-responsibility laws can be traced back to 16th century English “Poor Laws,” which created an obligation for financially able family members to support indigent relatives as an alternative to the newly established public welfare system, Pearson said.

At one time, nearly all U.S. states had such laws. But starting in the 1960s, when Medicaid became a safety net for people who couldn’t afford care, some of the laws were repealed — and those that survived were largely ignored.

But that has changed in recent years as more seniors are living for many years with dementia or other chronic conditions, requiring costly long-term care.

Ideally, a senior who is running out of money and has no other resources would make a timely application for Medicaid, and filial-support laws would never come into play. But it doesn’t always work out that way.

In some cases, seniors don’t apply for

Medicaid on time, or they’re disqualified because they made gifts to their children before applying. (Seniors who give away assets within five years of applying for Medicaid generally trigger a period of ineligibility for benefits.)

If there’s any coverage gap, large unpaid bills can accumulate quickly.

Who might sue

is indigent and the adult child has some ability to pay.

In many states, the laws won’t apply if the child can prove that the parent abandoned or abused him. If the parent and child live in different states, courts will typically apply the filial-support law of the state where the parent lives.

Depending on the state, filial-responsibility lawsuits may be filed by a parent or

While the laws vary from state to state, they generally apply only when the parent

See PARENTS’ CARE, page 35

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Tax help for those caring for parents Dear Savvy Senior: be eligible for the IRS multiple-support Are caregiving expenses tax de- declaration. ductible? I provide a lot of Here’s how this works. If financial support to my eldone sibling is providing more erly mother, and would like than half the parent’s financial to find out if I can write any support, only that sibling can of it off on my taxes. claim the parent. But if each Supporting Son sibling provides less than 50 Dear Supporting: percent support — but their There are actually several combined assistance exceeds tax deductions and credits half the parent’s support —any available to adult children sibling who provides more who help look after their than 10 percent can claim the aging parents or other rela- SAVVY SENIOR parent as a dependent. tives. Here are your options, By Jim Miller So can they both claim the along with the IRS requirecredit? No, only one sibling can ments to help you determine if you’re eligi- claim the tax break in any given year. But sibble to receive them. lings can rotate the tax break, with one claiming the parent one year, and another the next.

Dependency deduction The sibling who claims the parent as a deIf you’re paying for more than 50 per- pendent will need to fill out IRS Form 2120 cent of your mom’s living costs (housing, (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2120.pdf) and file food, utilities, medical and dental care, it with his or her tax return. transportation and other necessities), and her 2016 gross income (not counting her Medical deductions Social Security benefits) was under $4,050, If you can’t claim your mom as a deyou can claim your mom as a dependent pendent, you may still get a tax break for on your tax return and reduce your tax- helping pay her medical costs. The IRS able income by $4,050. lets taxpayers deduct money spent on a Also note that your mom doesn’t have parent’s healthcare and qualified longto live with you to qualify as a dependent, term care services, even if the parent as long as her income was under $4,050, doesn’t qualify as a dependent. and you provided more than half her finanTo claim this deduction, you still must cial support. provide more than half your mom’s support, If your mother does live with you, you can but your mom doesn’t have to be under the include a percentage of your mortgage, utili- $4,050 income test. And the deduction is ties and other expenses in calculating how limited to medical, dental and long-term much you contribute to her support. IRS care expenses that exceed 10 percent (or Publication 501 (see www.irs.gov/pub/irs- 7.5 percent if you’re 65 by Dec. 31, 2016) of pdf/p501.pdf) has a worksheet that can help your adjusted gross income. You can inyou with this. clude your own medical expenses in calcuYou can download all IRS publications lating the total. See IRS publication 502 and forms for free online. To receive print- (www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf) for deed IRS publications or forms via mail, call tails.

1-800-829-3676.

Dependent care credit Shared support If you share the financial responsibility for your mom with other siblings, you may

If you’re paying for in-home care or See SAVVY SENIOR, page 37

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35

Scams target both teens and older adults The past few decades have had us mes- ing them to be taken advantage of. merized by new technological developCommon scams for teenagers include ments, including the Internet, cheap luxury goods (“iPhone mobile phone, television, etc. on sale for only $50”), scholarIt is truly incredible that there ships and grants (where scamare devices that can enable mers collect a student’s percommunication with any point sonal information “in exof the world, entertain us for change for a grant”), lotteries hours, and store countless or contests (which claim that amounts of information. teen won money or prize to However, we sometimes do collect their personal informanot realize how important it is tion), and online auctions to be aware when surrounded (buyer pays for item that is by these types of powerful GENERATIONS never received).

TOGETHER gadgets. With the use and deTeens also happen to be the

By Alexis Bentz velopment of technology inperfect audience for false adcreasing, now is a perfect time vertisers. They have a desire to educate yourself on what to look out for to fit in, an allowance to spend, and are online, and how it can affect both older constantly pressured to be in possession of adults and teenagers alike. the latest and greatest items.

The goal of these ads is to entrance youth Teens can be vulnerable and urge them to buy whatever the latest Teens have much to be wary of when it fad or “must have” happens to be. Advertiscomes to advertising and scams. Teens ing companies look out for ways to focus on are often viewed as naïve and ignorant of teenage issues, such as body image and the dangers that can happen online, allow- peer pressure, to increase sales of their

Parents’ care From page 33 other family member, or by a third party, such as a long-term-care facility, that has an interest in the individual’s care.

In some filial-responsibility cases, siblings are suing each other. In a case decided in Pennsylvania last year, a son who was caring for his elderly mother at home successfully sued his brother for filial support.

Laws in this region Locally, while Maryland has a filial responsibility law, Maryland bars nursing homes from holding children responsible for a parent’s nursing home bills unless the children agree in writing to be financially responsible, according to the nonprofit People’s Law Library.

When reading nursing-home admissions contracts, watch out for any provisions asking for a financial “guarantor” or “responsible party.” Federal law prohibits nursing homes

from requiring a third-party guarantee of payment as a condition of admission — but some facilities still try to get family members to voluntarily agree to pay the bills.

In one situation, Marylanders can be on the hook for parents’ costs even without agreeing: If a parent under 65 is under the care of a state psychiatric hospital, the state can use the law to get the children to reimburse the state for the parent’s care.

Virginia’s filial responsibility law, unlike Maryland’s, doesn’t require a written agreement in order to hold children responsible for reimbursing nursing homes.

The District of Columbia does not have a filial responsibility law.

To minimize your odds of being saddled with a parent’s care costs, have open family discussions about long-term care planning, and understand the Medicaid rules, said K. Gabriel Heiser, a retired elder law attorney and expert on Medicaid planning. © 2017, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Older Americans are also a main target of Internet scamming. Scammers tend to view them as vulnerable and trusting, making them an easy way to get money.

In addition, targeted seniors are often too embarrassed to admit they have been victimized, afraid that they may lose their independence if a family member is told of their blunder. This allows the scammers to get away with whatever they have done.

Common scams include grandchildren in trouble (ostensible “grandchild” calls claiming they need money), IRS (someone claims they are from the IRS and money is due), gold-digging sweetheart (person asks for money after developing relationship via online dating site), and ID theft (caller claims to be from a bank or insurance agency and requires personal infor-

mation such as credit card numbers).

False advertisers also find older adults to be a prime target because they are inclined to have an interest in certain products or services. For example, it may be very easy to sell anti-aging creams, Social Security services, funeral insurance, etc., regardless of whether the product is real or fake.

While technology has countless benefits, it is essential to take care and protect yourself when using it. A general rule is that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. If someone asks for your personal information, stop and think. Do you really know who this person is?

Practice with a younger friend Since this is a common issue for both teenagers and older adults, you can work with your younger buddy to come up with ways to stay safe together.

See SCAMS, page 37

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Scams From page 35 Meet with your teenage friend and discuss the various scams and false advertising that can occur. The most important thing is to educate yourself on what can happen to you so that you will recognize it if it does.

Take some time to learn what websites are

Savvy Senior

trustworthy, and which ones often promote fake ads and scams.

Next, you can practice ways to handle scams and false advertising should they present themselves. You can role play, with one of you pretending to be a scammer on the phone, to ensure that you can both stand up for yourselves in these stressful, hard-sell situations.

You can also discuss the importance of feeling secure and developing a positive selfimage. Often, advertisers and scammers prey on insecurities, so this could be a great time to discuss positive body image and the importance of avoiding surrendering to peer

pressure. Knowing what to do and being confident in yourself can really make all the difference.

Alexis Bentz is a ninth grade student at Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, Md.

Check Your state

From page 34 adult day care for your mom so that you are free to work, you may also be able to claim the Dependent Care Tax Credit, regardless of whether or not your mom qualifies as a dependent on your tax return.

This credit can cut up to $1,050 off your tax bill for the year. In order to claim it, you must fill out IRS Form 2441 (irs.gov/pub/irspdf/f2441.pdf) when you file your federal return.

In addition to the federal tax breaks, more than 20 states offer tax credits and deductions for caregivers on state income taxes. Check with your state tax agency to see what’s available. For links to state tax agencies, see www.taxadmin.org/statetax-agencies.

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” book.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Travel Leisure &

Visiting Athens in winter means smaller crowds at the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus and other sites. See story on page 41.

St. Augustine, Fla., America’s oldest city

A place of many firsts Given that history, it’s no surprise that the city is replete with attractions touted as the “first” and “oldest” in the nation. Together, they offer visitors a setting that captures not just the stories but also an authentic atmosphere of the past.

The appeals of St. Augustine wear the soft veneer of centuries, and attract guests seeking to explore and experience times gone by.

Granted, the influx of tourism has

brought with it touches of commercialism.

Sprinkled among the history-rich centuries-old buildings, monuments and museums is a smattering of tourist trappings.

But they’re overwhelmed by the authentic remnants of the settlement’s colorful past, which are scattered throughout the 144 square-block historic district.

The Colonial Quarter is a good place to begin exploring. That bustling two-acre complex recreates the changing chapters of St. Augustine’s colorful past as it evolved from a 16th century Spanish colony, to 17th century fortified town, to 18th century garrison.

The neighborhood is a living history museum. A blacksmith, carpenter and other costumed historic interpreters combine facts with fun as they help onlookers relive the way things were over the centuries.

Visitors may watch workmen employ centuries-old techniques to construct a sailing ship, learn how bartering once took place at the market square, and take part in musket and cannon drills.

PHOTO BY SEAN PAVONE

By Victor Block In 1607, a small band of settlers founded the first permanent English outpost in the Americas — Jamestown, in the Colony of Virginia. But by that time, another town already had existed since 1565, further south on what would later be called the East Coast.

Each November, we recall the Thanksgiving celebration that took place in 1621, when pilgrims in Plymouth, Mass., shared a feast with friendly Native Americans in appreciation for a bountiful harvest.

What’s less well known is that 55 years earlier, Spanish explorers much further south had participated in a similar occasion with members of another Indian tribe.

Last year, St. Augustine, Fla., where that often-overlooked event took place, celebrated its 450th anniversary. That supports its claim to be the oldest continuously-occupied European settlement in America.

The 90-year-old Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine crosses the intercoastal waterway.

It’s far younger than the city itself, which celebrated its 450th anniversary last year.

St. Augustine remained under Spanish rule from 1565 to 1821, which accounts for its ornate Mediterranean architecture.

Spanish colonization St. Augustine traces its European heritage to 1565, when an expedition led by Don Pedro Menendez-de Aviles, a Spanish admiral, landed and set up an encampment near a Timucuan Indian village. That tribe was one of a number of Native American groups which began occupying the area PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM

The Oldest Wooden School House, which dates back to 1716, is open to the public.

It features an animatronic schoolmaster and pupils, dressed in period clothing, who describe what classes were like 300 years ago.

some 10,000 years ago.

Menendez was not the first Spanish explorer to come ashore in the region. In 1513, Ponce de Leon led the first known European expedition there in a quest to find and claim uncolonized islands — a journey that gave birth to the legend of the Fountain of Youth.

At the time, a fable about vitality-restoring waters was familiar on both sides of the Atlantic, but there is no historical evidence that de Leon was seeking to find that allegedly magical potion. Somehow, accounts of his supposed search found their way into history books after his death and the story stuck.

The combination of fiction with fact does not detract from the historical significance of the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. This is the place where Menendez encountered the friendly Timucua people and wrote the first chapter of American Colonial history, establishing the settlement which over time evolved into present-day St. Augustine.

Attractions include a reconstructed portion of the Indian village, ship building and other exhibits, a planetarium, and cannon and weapons demonstrations.

As St. Augustine grew, so did its role in Spain’s efforts to expand its influence and fortunes. Perched at a strategic point along the route followed by that country’s

treasure fleet carrying gold, silver and other valuables from the New World to Europe, it served as a vital frontier fortress.

Other than a brief interlude (1763-1784) when Great Britain gained control of Florida, St. Augustine remained under Spain’s rule. That accounts for the Mediterranean architecture and other reminders of Spanish influence. By the time the United States took possession of the city by treaty in 1821, it was already 256 years old.

Recreating the past Reminders of those early years line the cobblestone streets. A section of the Gonzalez-Alvarez house, aka “The Oldest House,” was constructed in the 1720s and is part of a small museum complex that traces 400 years of life in St. Augustine. The home was built in the Spanish Colonial style, with touches of Britain’s Colonial architecture, which were added when that country briefly controlled St. Augustine.

There’s more action of a sort at the Oldest Wooden School House, which records date back to 1716. The modest one-room timbered structure served as a dwelling before a second story was added and it became a school. Speaking animatronic figures of the schoolmaster and pupils dressed in period See ST. AUGUSTINE page 40

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

39

Let the spirits move you in St. Augustine

By Fyllis Hockman At 450+ years, St. Augustine, Florida is America’s oldest city. There’s a lot to recommend a city that old — history, antique architecture, Spanish culture. And, of course, ghosts.

A city that old has a lot of history to haunt — a lot of death and despair to permeate the landscape — and the spirits of St. Augustine are sufficient to keep a multitude of ghost tour operators very busy.

The one I chose had a particular advantage. Given my own penchant for spirits — of the drinking variety — it seemed that a ghost-invaded pub crawl could be a good way to combine my spirits with theirs as part of my phantom-filled adventure.

Brian, our tour guide, passed out Electromagnetic Field Transmitters to aid in our search for otherwise invisible companions. Supposedly their energy is picked up by the devices, which tend to beep loudly in response. Or it could just mean that there’s a computer nearby. Hard to tell.

Claiming that the theory of ghosts is as polarizing as politics, Brian said the spectrum tilts 60:40 in favor of believers. “Ignore the skeptics,” he admonished.

“That’s not why you’re here.”

As we walked over streets that were built over cemeteries and past ongoing archeological digs, he assured us that residual energies remain. Rarely, though, is a ghost going to come up and say, “Hello, my name is Ralph and I’m going to haunt you tonight.” Instead, he admonished, you have to acquaint yourself with a place and know what to look for — or more accurately, “share the presence of.”

My creepy crawl comrades kept check-

ing their EMF transmitters to see if they had connected with any external energies, and then snapping their cameras in the hopes of randomly catching one on film.

Until we got to the next bar, of course.

For a while I thought the liquid spirits were overtaking the more ethereal ones.

But then we moved on.

The rash of squeals emitted from several transmitters at the corner of Charlotte and Hypolito streets caught everyone’s attention — equaled only by the story Brian then told of the murder there on November 20, 1785 of William Delaney by a jealous rival. Now, I didn’t see Delaney’s spirit anywhere, but I also noticed this squealing didn’t happen at any other intersection.

We were all more than happy to get to another bar. At Meehan’s Irish Pub, the liquor is held in place by wires because, as rumor has it, the bottles have more than once inexplicably flown off the shelves. According to Kaiser, who has been bartending there for four years, he has heard voices, seen lights flicker, had the bathroom door stick for no apparent reason, and claimed sightings of a man in overalls. “If you don’t believe in ghosts, come work here,” he invites.

Similarly, Sara, a bartender at Scarlett O’Hara’s (also renowned as haunted), enthusiastically proclaims, “Oh yeah, I’ve experienced everything.” Those experiences, not surprisingly, range from erratic lights, to moving dishes, unseen voices and apparitions. I ordered yet another drink!

It’s hard not to be moved by all these stories. As skeptical as I was when I began the trip, how do you dismiss the experi-

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ences — often so similar — of so many others? Or ignore some real tangible evidence ostensibly captured on film? I was left just shaking my head a lot.

The next day, glad to be done with ghosts for awhile, I was doing more traditional sightseeing. When I mentioned to a curator at a small museum that we were staying at the St. Francis Inn, the oldest in St. Augustine, he asked in what room. I told him. “Ah then, you’re safe,” he said, “as long as you’re not in Lily’s room.”

Oh? When I returned to the Inn, I found that stories abound around Lily, a most playful ghost who wanders the third floor searching for her lost love and wrecking havoc with the other guests.

I knew the routine: lights flicker, bathroom locks get jammed, and objects fly across rooms. I was beginning to feel right at home. I nodded toward Lily, just in case she could see me.

For more information, visit floridashistoriccoast.com; www.ghostaugustine.com.

40

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

St. Augustine From page 38 clothing introduce themselves and describe a typical day of classes.

The Old Drug Store traces its history to about 1875 when, along with medicine and tobacco, it sold ancient Indian remedies and concoctions formulated by the pharmacist. One wall is lined with green, black and brown antique bottles, and primitive cash registers recall pre-computer days.

The Oldest Store Museum recreates the “modern” wonders of a general store that opened for business in 1900. Clerks demonstrate turn-of-the-century — the 20th century, that is — wonders like “health underwear,” a gas-powered iron, and a goat-driven washing machine!

Among a number of places in St. Augustine where visitors may encounter ghosts, or

at least tales about them, is the Old Jail. This historic Victorian-style building, which resembles a fine hotel more than a prison, housed criminals from 1891 to 1953.

The gallows in back were used to administer capital punishment, and explain why the property is listed on the National Register of Haunted Places. [See “Let the spirits move you” on page 39.]

Even Mother Nature gets into the spirit of antiquity that pervades St. Augustine. A live oak tree nicknamed “The Old Senator,” whose rather unimposing home is the parking lot of a Howard Johnson hotel, has been shown by core tests to be more than 600 years old.

Given its important role at a time of exploration and conflict in the New World, St. Augustine has its share of forts. Most imposing is the Castillo de San Marcos, a massive 17th century stronghold built by

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

the Spanish to defend the Florida coastline.

The fort was built of coquina (ko-KEEnuh) — soft limestone composed of broken sea shells — which absorbed the force of cannon balls and did not crumble. Some rooms surrounding the central courtyard are furnished to reflect garrison life, while others contain exhibits about military history.

A different story comes to light at the site of Fort Mose (Moh-say), hidden away in marshes north of St. Augustine. There, in 1738, a group of slaves who had escaped from British colonies built a log fortress and founded the first free community of ex-slaves.

While the original structure is long gone, a small museum describes the events by means of videos, interactive exhibits and objects found during archaeological digs.

Speaking of archaeology...

St. Augustine’s age makes it an archaeologist’s dream location. A wealth of artifacts has been uncovered over the years, and much more remains buried beneath the streets, buildings and back yards.

So seriously do locals take this quest for knowledge that St. Augustine claims to be the only city in the country with an archaeologist on its payroll. An ordinance requires that an exploratory dig take place before any new construction may begin in the historic district.

Some 100,000 artifacts have been uncovered at the Fountain of Youth Park, including Native American pottery, carved beads, shell tools and three dog burial sites. Evidence of the 16th century Spanish settlement there ranges from religious amulets to olive jars.

Work at the Fort Mose site has uncovered objects that shed light on the social, religious and military life at that unique settlement. There’s often a dig underway somewhere in the city that interested visitors may observe.

While the more than 60 historic sites and attractions are the main reason most people visit St. Augustine, it also manages to keep one foot planted firmly in the present. Sun worshippers find a choice of inviting beaches that stretch some 40 miles north to Ponte Vedra, just above Jacksonville, each with its own appeals.

The two-mile long beach at Anastasia State Park consists of gleaming white quartz sand. Aptly-named Crescent Beach is one of the most scenic and unspoiled in the area. A statue of Ponce de Leon guards the towering dunes and shell-laden shore of Ponte Vedra Beach, which he spotted during his 1513 journey.

A beach watched over by Ponce de Leon makes a fitting symbol for what awaits visitors to St. Augustine and the area around it. While history is the biggest draw, present-day activities make welcome additions to the mix.

The oldest city in the country is home to enough variety to appeal to people of all ages and many interests.

If you go Places to stay and dine can become part of the immersion in St. Augustine’s history and atmosphere. The St. Francis Inn was constructed in 1791, and while it has been expanded and modified over the centuries, it clings proudly to vestiges of its Spanish Colonial heritage.

Situated to provide protection in case of invasion, the building has its back turned to the brick-paved street. Its plan was based on a trapezoid with no right angles, and guests may spot examples of that quirky layout. Each of the 17 guest rooms and suites is unique in shape, and furnished with antique and reproduction period pieces.

Complementary amenities include a See ST. AUGUSTINE, page 41

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

41

Avoid the crowds: visit Athens in winter

By Aron Heller As a seaside metropolis with a lively outdoor vibe and dozens of picturesque islands beckoning nearby, Athens is more often considered a summer tourist destination than a winter escape.

But if you’ve got more than beaches on your mind, there’s plenty of upside to a brief cool visit that avoids the crowds and heat of summer.

Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, often called the cradle of Western civilization. Visitors will find monuments to ancient history on nearly every path they take.

But with interesting neighborhoods, trendy shops and a variety of cafes and tavernas serving that famous Greek cuisine, Athens’ attractions are not all rooted in the past.

The city is easy to get around by bus or PHOTO BY ANTON IVANOV

The Herodeon amphitheatre on Athens’ Acropolis, also called the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, is a UNESCO World Heritage site originally built in the year 161. It was restored in the 1950s, and today is a main venue of the Athens Festival.

St. Augustine From page 40 solar-heated swimming pool, breakfast featuring hot entrees, and evening wine, beer and tasty treats. Rates begin at $149. For more information, call 1-800- 824-6062 or log onto www.stfrancisinn.com.

More recent history is relived at the Ice Plant restaurant, located in a building that in 1927 began providing ice to shrimp boats and local customers. The original bridge crane and other touches provide the feeling of walking into an old factory.

Specialties at the farm-to-table restaurant include hearty fish soup with rice pilaf ($28), and pork belly with sides ($20), along with favorites like a half-pound hamburger ($15). For more information, call (904) 829-

6553 or log onto www.iceplantbar.com.

The name of Barnacle Bill’s Seafood House indicates its focus, and the good food and budget-stretching prices attract many locals. Florida ‘gator tail (yes, it tastes like chicken), costs $10.95, and a choice of shrimp dishes prepared any of nine ways is priced from $13.25 to $16.25.

Several of the 16 side dishes can constitute a meal in themselves. For more information, call (904) 824-3663 or log onto www.barnaclebillsonline.com.

The closest major airport to St. Augustine is in Jacksonville, about 40 miles away. JetBlue offers nonstop flights from Dulles for a roundtrip fare of $187 in late February.

For more tourist information on St. Augustine, call 1-800-653-2489 or log onto floridashistoriccoast.com.

metro, and most major attractions are within walking distance of each other. High temperatures in February average 52 degrees.

Here’s a suggested itinerary for a threeday visit.

The Acropolis The centerpiece of ancient Greece and modern-day Athens, the Acropolis literally stands above everything else and looms majestically over the city. It is particularly striking to view at night, when brilliantly illuminated.

A 10-euro entrance fee to the compound takes you along a course of the central structures of Greek mythology, as you climb past the Theatre of Dionysus, the

Propylaea, the Erechtheion and the Herodeon amphitheatre — which still hosts the occasional live performance.

A 20-minute walk to the top unveils the most famous structure of all, the Parthenon — a former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the city’s patron. At the moment, the scaffolding of its prolonged restoration project takes a bit away from its grandeur.

Most of the Acropolis’ treasures are housed in the nearby Acropolis Museum (entrance 5 euros), such as colossal stone statues depicting mythological scenes from ancient Greece.

See ATHENS, page 43

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More Americans choose to retire abroad

By Maria Zamudio Newly widowed, Kay McCowen quit her job, sold her house, applied for Social Security and retired to Mexico. It was a move she and her husband, Mel, had discussed before he passed away in 2012.

“I wanted to find a place where I could afford to live off my Social Security,” she said. “The weather here is so perfect, and it’s a beautiful place.”

She is among a growing number of Americans who are retiring outside the United States. The number grew 17 percent between 2010 and 2015, and is expect-

ed to increase over the next 10 years as more baby boomers retire.

Just under 400,000 American retirees are now living abroad, according to the Social Security Administration. The countries they have chosen most often are Canada, Japan, Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Retirees most often cite the cost of living as the reason for moving elsewhere, said Olivia S. Mitchell, director of the Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

“I think that many people retire when they are in good health, and they are inter-

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ested in stretching their dollars and seeing the world,” Mitchell said.

lenge. While retirees still can receive Social Security benefits, Medicare is not available to those living abroad, Mitchell said.

Low cost, but language difficulties McCowen’s rent in Ajijic, a community outside Guadalajara near Mexico’s Lake Chapala, is half of what she was paying in Texas. And since the weather is moderate, utility bills are low.

In some countries, Mitchell said, retirees also may find it less expensive to hire someone to do their laundry, clean, cook, and even provide long-term care than in the United States.

McCowen has a community of other American retirees nearby and has adjusted well.

But for others, there are hurdles to overcome to adjust to life in a different country.

Viviana Rojas, an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said the biggest obstacle is not speaking the language or knowing the culture.

“Many of the people we interviewed said they spoke Spanish, but they actually spoke very little Spanish,” said Rojas, who is writing a book about retirees in Mexico.

“They didn’t have the capacity of speaking enough Spanish to meet their basic needs, like going to the doctor or to the store.”

Access to healthcare also can be a chal-

Military retirees in Japan Joseph Roginski, 71, said that while the cost of living is higher in Japan, access to healthcare is not. “Things are very expensive here. It is impossible to live off Social Security alone,” said Roginski, who was stationed in Japan in 1968.

“But health insurance is a major factor in staying here,” he added. The former military language and intelligence specialist said he pays $350 annually to be part of Japan’s national health insurance. His policy covers 70 percent of his costs. The rest is covered by a secondary insurance program for retired military personnel.

Japan experienced greater growth in American retirees than any other country — a 42 percent increase between 2010 and 2014, according to data from the Social Security Administration. The large U.S. military presence in the country may be a factor.

There are more than 50,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan. The presence is so large that the U.S. military See RETIRE ABROAD, page 43

BEACON BITS

community leader.

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At Integrace, we know your age does not define you.

So we’ve created a family of life plan communities where you can live the life that’s most meaningful to you.

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Feb. 21

Arlington County presents a daytrip to visit the National Gallery of Art on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Touring and dining is on your own. The bus will depart at 10 a.m. from Lee Senior Center, located at 5722 Lee Hwy., and at 10:15 a.m. from a second pickup site, Walter Reed Senior Center, 2909 S. 16th St. The busses will return around 4:30 p.m. The cost is $9 for residents; $10 for non-residents. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/ArlingtonTrips or call (703) 228-4744.

Feb. 22

COASTAL CRUISING TALK

Peter Himmelberger, a former Foreign Service Officer, will speak on U.S. coastal and river cruising on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

Cruising is a great new way to explore waterways and coastal cities and towns. This talk will take place at Langston Brown Senior Center, located at 2121 N. Culpepper St., Arlington, Va. For more information, call (703) 228-6300.

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Montgomery County Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) presents a daytrip to see the annual Philadelphia Flower Show on Thursday, March 16. From windmills, wooden shoes and cheese, to bicycles, canals and vibrant tulip and flower fields of the iconic Dutch landscape, the largest flower show in the U.S. is a beautiful sight. Meals are on your own. The cost is $89 for residents; $104 for non-residents. The van will depart from Olney Manor Park, located at 16601 Georgia Ave., Olney, Md. at 8 a.m. and will return at 7 p.m. For more information, call (240) 777-4926.

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Athens From page 41 One of the museum’s most impressive features is actually the architecture that includes glass floors through which you can see the ruins that lay below. A full view of the Acropolis spreads out from the second and third floor galleries.

There are plenty of other ancient sites to visit across the city, but the most comprehensive is likely the nearby Ancient Agora on the Acropolis’ northwest slope. Its impressive Temple of Hephaistos is nestled among ruins overgrown with green foliage from the winter rains. It houses a large assortment of ancient vases, figurines, coins and headless statues.

Lycabettus Hill There are views of the Acropolis from everywhere, but the best one in town is from Lycabettus Hill. After a pleasant but steep hike up a winding trail, a panoramic view of the sprawling city is revealed.

There’s a little church at the top, Agii Isidori, and ample angles from which to photograph Athens.

An early morning visit will put the sun behind you as you gaze across the city toward the Acropolis, with the shores of the Aegean Sea lapping in the distance. Part of the fun is getting there via a stroll from the center of town through the upscale Kolonaki neighborhood, with its bustling cafes and designer merchandise.

Syntagma Square This is the heart of the city, and site of mass protests in recent years over the Greek economic crisis. The square is right in front of parliament and the tomb of the unknown soldier, where soldiers in kilt-like garments and red leather clogs with black pompoms perform elaborate changing-ofthe-guard ceremonies several times a day.

To the west, busy Ermou street offers the city’s primary shopping district. It leads toward the neighborhoods of Monastiraki, which has a large, busy Sunday morning flea market, and Psyrri, with a wide selection of bars and live music tavernas.

Recommended eateries include O Kostas (5 Pentelis St.), a hole in the wall known for excellent souvlaki. At Lukumades (Eolou Street and Agias Irinis Square), try the deep-fried doughnut ball doused in honey.

Plaka Just south of Syntagma is Plaka, a historical neighborhood built upon the ancient town of Athens. Known as the “Neighborhood of the Gods’’ because of its proximity to the Acropolis, its maze-like narrow streets are a joy to explore.

Amid remnants of archaeological sites, there’s street art, small shops and restaurants. A real gem is Psaras, an old-style taverna off the main drag, popular with locals and tourists. The baked feta pastry appetizer dipped in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds is a treat to warm up a winter day.

Besides the Acropolis Museum, the neighborhood is also home to the Jewish Museum of Greece (6 euros) and the Museum of Greek Folk Art (2 euros).

A same-day excursion to one of the three nearby islands of Aegina, Poros or Hydra is possible. But with a limited winter ferry schedule the journey will likely take longer than the actual stay.

A more rewarding outing is the 90-minute bus ride along the “Greek Riviera” down to the southern peninsula of Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon reveals a breathtaking view of the sea.

The deep blue waters ripple around the ancient hilltop structure dedicated to the god of the sea. The salty breeze offers an escape from the bustle of Athens, as mountains jut out of the sea and the rocky ancient landscape provides a tranquil parting from Greece.

The lowest round-trip fare to Athens from the Washington area in late February is $580 on Turkish Airlines from Dulles.

Swiss and Lufthansa have a fare for $680 from Dulles and Reagan National.

— AP

lifestyle

From page 42 occupies about 19 percent of the island of Okinawa, according to Ellis S. Krauss, professor emeritus of Japanese politics and policy-making at the University of California, San Diego.

Roginski, who volunteers for the Misawa Air Base Retiree Activities Office, said he helps connect more than 450 retirees and their families living in Northern Japan with resources.

He said he would never move back to the United States. “We have a real strong sense of security here,” he said. “I can leave my door unlocked, and no one will take anything. When I go to another country, I feel nervous. But when I come back, I feel like I’m home.”

Mexico has become home for Dan Williams, 72, a retired firefighter, and his wife, Donna, 68. The couple has been living near the same retirement community in Lake Chapala for 14 years. “The climate and the medical services are very good,” Williams said.

Williams teaches painting to adults and children, and puts together a monthly magazine for the local American Legion.

He is also a member of the Lake Chapala Society, which offers daily activities for American retirees.

It was those same services that attracted McCowen to the region. “Before moving, I found out how many widowed and divorced women lived here,” she said.

“There is comfort in numbers.”

She says she loves being in a lively community. “I see older people walking yearround. I see them all over the place, even in their wheelchairs.

“If they were in the U.S., they would probably be in a nursing home,” she said.

“I don’t think I could move back.” — AP

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

How to use credit and debit cards abroad If you’re heading outside the United percent conversion fee, and over the last States, you will have to cope with foreign few years, most of the big banks now issue exchange. And despite all at least one card with no forthose stories you see about eign transaction fee. currency “secrets,” what you At most, you still pay the 1 need to know is really pretty percent fee that international simple.

MasterCard and Visa netOverall, your best bet is to works charge for making the use plastic as much as possiactual conversion, but that’s ble: credit cards for big-ticket trivial. purchases, debit cards for local cash.

Credit card concerns When you use a credit card Unfortunately, the credit outside the U.S., the most you TRAVEL TIPS card isn’t as foolproof as it lose on any transaction is 3 By Ed Perkins could and should be: percent, as long as you don’t fall for a scam. Almost all credit cards issued by U.S. banks carry no more than a 3

• Although your current card is as likely as not to have a chip on it, most U.S. chip cards still require a signature

rather than a four-digit PIN when used. And although merchants almost everywhere accept chip-and-signature, a few automated ticket and gasoline dispensing machines require a PIN. Over the last three years, I’ve used a chip-and-signature card in a dozen countries, and the only time it didn’t work was at an automatic gasoline pump in Mount Cook, New Zealand.

I’ve asked experts several times, but nobody can give me a coherent reason why a chip card can’t be designed to use either a PIN or a signature, depending on the local hardware, but that hasn’t happened. For now, you’re stuck with chip-and-signature, but that’s apparently a relatively minor problem.

• The rip-off you’re most likely to encounter is a seller’s attempt to get you to accept a billing in U.S. dollars rather than local currency. When a seller bills in dollars, the seller sets the exchange rate — which is almost always a lot worse than the official rate. You won’t avoid any foreign exchange surcharge, either; your bank adds it on any charge originating outside the U.S. regardless of currency.

Using debit cards The situation with using debit (ATM) cards for local currency is a bit more complicated. When you withdraw cash from a foreign ATM, your own bank may add a transaction fee, a conversion fee, or both, and the bank that operates the ATM may also add a charge.

Your best approach here is to use a debit card issued by a U.S. bank that does not surcharge foreign withdrawals and ab-

sorbs foreign-bank fees. This includes a handful of online banks, many savings banks, and many credit unions.

If your regular bank’s ATM policy is not friendly to foreign travelers, I suggest you do as I do: find an online or savings bank that absorbs foreign ATM fees, maintain a small account with that bank, transfer funds into it for foreign trips, and use its debit card for whatever currency you need.

Regardless of which debit card you use, you have to be careful about where you use it. In recent years, retail foreign-exchange outfits such as Travelex have made exclusive ATM deals with major airports, and they’ve recently expanded into city areas where tourists tend to congregate.

The scam here is that although these ATMs add no fees, they make the exchange at a really bad rate — as bad as they give you at the retail counter, which is usually very bad indeed. When you need local cash, make sure you get it through a major bank, not a foreign exchange outfit or a local retailer.

And what about exchange rates? I’m glad I don’t speculate in currencies, because I thought the pound would bounce back quickly after the Brexit vote shock, and that the euro would take a hit. Neither happened.

So at least for now, with the pound still near a 10-year low, Britain is relatively affordable. The Canadian dollar, euro and Swiss franc remain pretty stable.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out his new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Arts &

Oscar winner and film editor Anne V. Coates has worked on films from Lawrence of Arabia to Fifty Shades of Grey. See story on page 48.

Stoppard at Studio: intellectual acrobatics how adds up to a Stoppardian world-view, a dramaturgical string theory that everything’s connected. (Something somewhat similar happens in his play Copenhagen, onstage locally last month at Theatre J.) It’s not insulting to say these plays are all talk, little action, more exposition than visible plot developments. You don’t go to a Stoppard play to see a plot unfolding step-by-step in analog fashion. You go for intellectual acrobatics and a torrent of ideas that twists and turns and, when he is at his best, surprises.

PHOTO: TERESA WOOD.

By Michael Toscano A 30-ish male tutor and his 22-year-old female student at an English university are debating the prosaically labeled “hard problem,” which concerns how biological brain tissue creates complex feelings, thought and action.

Of course, it’s obvious they’re lovers, too. He’s all ego, much less id. She’s a believer that absolute morality is the innate quality making us human.

Spike: “There’s no baby, just bathwater.”

Hillary: “Explain consciousness.”

And we’re off, careening through the back alleyways of Brit playwright Tom Stoppard’s inquisitive, wildly inventive, and undisciplined mind. His fairly new play, The Hard Problem, is at Studio Theatre, receiving its area debut through at least February 19.

Sir Tom has taken us on this journey into the meaning of human consciousness before, most notably, it seems to me, in Arcadia, where he mixed science, history and English estate gardening into a fascinating theatrical homily. Here, it’s science, philosophy and hedge fund management.

The unusual blending of disciplines some-

Unanswered questions Unfortunately, this is not Stoppard at his best. It’s OK Stoppard.

There are no real surprises. Many questions are tossed about, and whatever answers that may or may not be presented come much too conveniently — from the deus ex machina of astounding coincidence, a development inexpertly tipped-off earlier on.

Is altruism real, or is it ultimately selfserving? Where does it come from, a chemical washing through tissue in the brain, or some God-given humanity? Is “the brain” different from “the mind?”

MARSHA MASON IN

BY LILLIAN HELLMAN DIRECTED BY JACKIE MAXWELL

NOW PLAYING THROUGH MARCH 5 Photo of Marsha Mason by Tony Powell.

202-488-3300 ARENASTAGE.ORG

Tessa Klein, who plays the protagonist Hillary, and Martin Giles, who plays her boss, shine in Tom Stoppard’s cerebral play The Hard Problem, now onstage at Studio Theatre.

No opinion offered. It’s as if Stoppard drew up an intricate outline, then grew weary filling it out.

We follow Hillary (Tessa Klein) from 2001 to 2007, the cusp of the financial melt-

down. She graduates and gets a job at a prestigious institute funded by Jerry Krohn (David Andrew MacDonald), a bilSee STOPPARD, page 46

46

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Stoppard From page 45 lionaire hedge fund manager.

The institute investigates and studies “brain science,” including “the hard problem” and how understanding it might be translated into something useful. Useful, apparently, for humanity and, perhaps more crucially, for more successful hedge fund management.

Hillary grapples with deep personal sorrow and a troubled relationship with God, neither of which seems to intrude on her belief in science and logical analysis. The

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

other characters populating the story exist primarily to present various ideas, rather than characters, as we follow Hillary’s evolving situation.

Dynamic dialogue On the other hand, Stoppard’s sharp dialogue can be found here. Hillary, now sorrowful for giving up a baby for adoption as a teenager preparing for college, says, “I swapped her for a doctorate.” Ursula (Joy Jones): “Hillary makes altruism sound like morality.”

Director Matt Torney keeps his nine cast members moving forward, nimbly ne-

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gotiating the dialogue with proper dynamics so we can keep up without tiring.

Kyle Cameron has some difficulty performing Spike, the caddish, sexist and selfabsorbed tutor, who follows Hillary to the institute. Stoppard provides moments of humanity for the character, so we think we know him, but then snatches those clues away, leaving us unsatisfied.

As Leo, Hillary’s superior at the institute, Martin Giles shines in his scenes with Klein. His work is the most nuanced, next to Klein’s, and together they employ pauses, subtle looks, and a vibrant flow of energy that brings the issues at the core of this play to life. Everyone else provides serviceable characterizations.

Debra Booth’s stark and sterile sets provide a proper framing for the themes, as well as allowing a variety of locations in the intimate space. The giant block letters KROHN on the wall of the institute seem autocratic and scary, as if the name of the benefactor and his financial empire are somehow ominous.

Sound designer and composer James Bigbee Garver provides what can only be called a soundtrack. It’s a marvelously eclectic mélange of voices and orchestrations that immeasurably contributes to the cerebral meditation and human interaction of the actors. Subtle themes of wonder mix with ominous chords and even dissonant passages to effectively underscore their work.

It’s not all cerebral rumination. Hillary’s heartbreak is allowed to develop into an emotionally moving plot point that leaves some in the audience teary-eyed. It’s conventional theatrical artifice, meant to allow

us to leave the theater feeling as if we experienced some type of catharsis. But it is effective. (I misted up. But then, I’m easy.)

All this takes a dialogue-dense hour and 45 minutes, without intermission. And I couldn’t help but think that some of the questions raised here were posed a long time ago, much more succinctly, in a scene written by another English playwright. I believe it began this way: “To be, or not to be. That is the question.”

If you go The Hard Problem continues through at least Feb. 19 at Studio Theatre’s Metheney Theatre, located at 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. Performances take place Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.; and Sunday at 7 p.m.

There is a post-show discussion following the 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, February 4. There are captioned performances February 11 at 2 p.m. and February 15 at 8 p.m. A sign-interpreted performance is scheduled for February 17 at 8 p.m.

Ticket prices begin at $52. Those 62 and older can save $5 on each ticket. Limited $30 tickets go on sale 30 minutes before curtain at the box office. They are subject to availability and fees. Veterans and their families receive 20 percent off by using the code BLUESTAR when buying tickets.

All performances are fully accessible for patrons with special needs, including an assistive listening system. Accessible seats are available by reservation.

For tickets and information, call (202) 332-3300. For more information, visit www.studiothreatre.org.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Editor gets honorary Oscar after 63 years

Marjorie Owens

time achievement — alongside actor Jackie Chan, casting director Lynn Stalmaster, and documentarian Frederick Wiseman at the film academy’s eighth annual Governors Awards.

“I love the fact that [this award] brings light onto editors, because I don’t think they get enough recognition for what they do — probably because people don’t really understand what we do,” Coates said.

What film editing entails Film editing is the artistic and technical endeavor of cutting raw footage into cinematic story sequences.

Coates said she initially wanted to be a film director, “but in the days when I was

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young, it was very difficult for women, and “You’ve got to be fairly tough to be an there weren’t many jobs open to them.” editor, I think,” she added. Thus the bid Besides hairstyling and makeup, editing for a sexier Fifty Shades. was one of the few options.

As oppor tunities for Coates first became dazzled women in the film industry by the world of film while a increased, Coates was ofstudent at boarding school. fered directing jobs, but she Her class was reading Wutherturned them down. Editing ing Heights (which she found offered a more forgiving “extremely boring”) when schedule for a young moththey went on a field trip to see er, she said. “Also, my husthe movie version. band was a director, so you “Well, apart for falling know, too many directors madly for Laurence Olivier, on top of each other.” it just so excited me to see She had three children what you could do with picwith her late husband, tures, with telling a story in Douglas Hickox. Their Anne V. Coates pictures,” she said. two sons are directors, Coates worked steadily as an editor and their daughter is also a film editor. from 1952 until last year’s Fifty Shades, Coates said the transition to digital editearning four other Oscar nominations ing, which she made with 1995’s Congo, along the way for Becket, The Elephant didn’t change her style much because she Man, In the Line of Fire, and Out of Sight. rarely employs the newfangled tricks it ofDirector David Lean would prove piv- fers. otal in her career. Not only did he hire her She’s grateful, though, that she won’t for his Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabia, have to learn how to edit the inevitable virhe encouraged her to share her ideas. tual-reality films.

“He always said to me, ‘Have the confi“I won’t, really, because I’m semi-retirdence to say what you think. It doesn’t ing myself right now,” she said. “But the matter who the producer and director are; new editors will have to involve themyou come up with your opinions,’” she re- selves in that as well.” called.

— AP CREDIT ??

By Sandy Cohen Film editor Anne V. Coates didn’t know much about erotic bondage before working on the movie Fifty Shades of Grey. But the 90-year-old definitely felt the film should be sexier.

“I fought strongly to get it more sexy,” Coates said in her enthusiastic lilt during a recent interview. “I had some great ideas. I wanted her wrapped up like a suitcase and hoisted up to the ceiling.”

That adventurous spirit and love of film is what led Coates to become a soughtafter editor for more than 60 years. An Oscar winner for editing 1962’s Lawrence of Arabia, Coates recently received a second statuette — an honorary Oscar for life-

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

49

Nominations sought for volunteer awards Montgomery County’s Montgomery Serves Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday, April 24 at Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Md. The annual event will honor some of Montgomery County’s most outstanding community leaders and dedicated volunteers.

“Montgomery County is the very special place it is today in large part because many extraordinary public citizens work every day to make it special,” Leggett said in encouraging residents to submit nominations of individuals, businesses and community groups for the awards.

At the event, the following awards will be presented.

The Neal Potter Path of Achievement Awards. Two residents 60 and above, whose accomplishments, enthusiasm and lifelong commitment to volunteer service make them outstanding role models, will be selected based on contributions

made over a lifetime of volunteer service.

The award is named in memory of former county councilmember, county executive, and longtime civic activist Neal Potter.

2017 Montgomery Serves Awards.

These awards recognize special volunteer accomplishments during the past calendar year in four categories: Youth Service Awards (individual youth 18 years and under and/or youth groups); Business Service Award, Individual Community Service Award, and Group Community Service Award.

Nominees must live, work or serve in Montgomery County, and have performed service outside of the nominee’s paid employment. These particular awards recognize volunteer service, rather than philanthropy.

Nominations will be accepted for both awards until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24. Additional information, along with nomination forms, may be found at www.montgomeryserves.org.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 5

FREE PIANO CONCERT

The Washington Piano Society presents a “Prelude to Spring” concert Sunday, March 5, at 3 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church, 9545 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, Md. The show features piano solo works by Haydn, Chopin and Villa-Lobos and is free. No tickets required. A reception will follow. For more information, call (301) 793-1863 or visit www.dcpianosociety.org.

Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards. In addition to these awards, selected on the basis of nominations from the public, Leggett will present his selections of this year’s Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards. This prestigious honor was established to honor Roscoe Nix, who died in 2012 after a half century of service to Montgomery County, including serving as president of the county’s NAACP chapter and member of the county’s board of education.

55+ Inderjeet Jumani REALTOR® Senior Real Estate Specialist 703.472.8804 ijumani@LNF.com www.IJumani.com

The Montgomery Serves Awards are organized by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, Fund for Montgomery, and the Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County. The Path of Achievement awards are presented in partnership with the county’s Commission on Aging and the Beacon Newspapers.

To nominate a volunteer online, go to http://bit.ly/path_of_achievement. For more information, email serviceawards@montgomerycountymd.gov or call (240) 777-2600.

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Remembering the goofy, giggly Allan Prell Allan Prell died a few weeks ago. I was stunned to hear the news, because leprechauns and imps are supposed to live forever.

I can only assume that Allan left this mortal coil with a cackle of laughter. That was how he greeted most people, and most days, during his 79 years.

Allan was one of the most successful, and most enduring, radio personalities of the modern era. If you’ve never heard of him, it’s your loss.

For more than 40 years, he graced the radio dial as a talk show host at local stations in the Midwest, in Seattle, and (where I knew him) in Baltimore.

Today’s talk radio is all politics, all the

time. Allan’s talk radio was all about giggles and more giggles.

That doesn’t mean that Allan was never political. He often was.

It doesn’t mean that Allan was never serious. He sometimes was, although always in a sarcastic, spoofing way.

It doesn’t mean that Allan was an airhead. You underestimated his intelligence at your peril.

However, Allan was totally instinctive about preparing to be on the air. Many radio talk show hosts — this one included — would sit for many minutes before that legendary red light went on, poring over newspaper clippings and notes. Only then would we feel ready to clear our throats

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tle — would guffaw right along with Allan. and meet the unseen masses.

He would jokingly accuse the traffic reAllan “felt” his shows. If he ever had a porter (nicknamed Detour young producer who fed him Dave) of causing tie-ups. He stacks of research before a would rib the daylights out of broadcast, that youngster would the conservative host, Ron be met with a grin. Then the Smith, who followed him each stack would sit on a table, igweekday. nored.

He would even regularly Did it work? Like a charm. take a swipe at WBAL’s top exAt WBAL Radio in Baltiecutive on the air. (He called more, Allan’s ratings were the him “the semi-big boss,” a halfhighest at the station for 17 serious reminder that some years. This, despite his conHOW I SEE IT corporate hotshot sat above stant goofiness in an era when

By Bob Levey him.) the Berlin Wall fell, when Allan Prell’s voice wasn’t classic by any AIDS reared its ugly head, and when the Soviet Union began to totter and die. means. It reminded me of a 14-year-old Allan Prell almost never discussed any who doesn’t know if he’ll wake up the next of that. His franchise was causing smiles. morning as a tenor or a bass.

He did a swap meet show from time to Prell would lurch between the two extime (he called it “Uncle Allie’s Yard Sale”). tremes. His voice would squeak — but People would call in to try to sell stuff they then it would get basso profundo. It would had in their basements and their attics. grind — but then it would slow down and Prell would mock them, mock the stuff, get announcerish-smooth. The man could accuse the caller of inflating the value of modulate and change his spots with the the stuff. And then someone would call in best of them. and buy it — every time.

And wow, could he improvise. One time, I He loved to josh with the news and weath- did the three-hour shift right before his show. er people. I’ve never met a talk show host be- He came into the studio two minutes early so fore or since who would say: “And now, kid- we could “tease” his upcoming program. dies, here’s the weather, with Little Tommy See BOB LEVEY, page 51 Tasselmyer.” Little Tommy — who wasn’t lit-

Bob Levey From page 50 Prell dutifully said that he’d be talking about yada yada and this-and-that, and please stay tuned.

But I had a surprise up my sleeve. As my closing theme music began to swell, I said to him: “Allan, just for the heck of it, I’ve hidden a dime in the studio. I defy you to find it. Five bucks says you can’t.”

Out the window went all of Allan’s plans.

For the next three hours, he scoured the studio in search of the dime — and told all about it on the air. His listeners called in with theories (“It must be in the trash can, Uncle Allie”…”Have you tried under your

chair?”). I finally called in and told him where it was. He giggled and cackled and giggled some more.

I realize this will sound silly to some people, but it was one of the most entertaining radio programs I’ve ever heard. All intuitive. All unrehearsed. Total Allan Prell.

Allan Prell was never egocentric the way so many show-biz people are. He was never too high and mighty to be nice to coffeefetchers, or to those just starting out.

Through his thick glasses, his eyes would gleam with mirth. He would often say that we’re all passengers on this planet, and we ought to enjoy the journey. He enjoyed it as much as anyone.

After we both left WBAL — radio jobs

51

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

are never exactly permanent, dear friends — Allan and I stayed in touch occasionally.

I remained entranced by his boundless wit. He remained amazed that I loved basketball and hated movies (he was just the reverse).

Regardless of when we talked, or how long it had been since we had last talked,

the calls always ended the same way.

Me: “Talk to you soon, Allan.”

He: (Wild, goofy, ten-second cackle of laughter) We could use more of that. We could have used more of him.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 10

GIVE COMFORT TO CHILDREN

Volunteers are needed to make blankets for sick and needy children on Friday, Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Extension Office, located at 18410 Muncaster Rd., Derwood, Md. You may knit, crochet or quilt. Yarn and fabric are provided. Donations of acrylic yarn and fabric are also accepted. For directions or more information, call Pat at (301) 460-5451.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 27

FREE POETRY OPEN MIC CAFE

This month’s free open mic café will take place on Monday, Feb. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Friendship Heights Village Center, located at 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. Poet-translator Alana Marie LevinsonLaBrosse will read from her translation of Handful of Salt by Iraqi-Kurdish poet Kajal Ahmad, and poet Katherine E. Young will read from her work. An open mic will follow. The evening starts with classical guitar and includes refreshments.

For more information, call (301) 656-2797.

Ongoing

D.C. INTERGENERATIONAL VOLUNTEERS

The D.C. Office on Aging is looking for senior volunteers for its intergenerational mentoring program, in partnership with the District’s public schools. Volunteers become mentors for young children. For more information, visit https://dcoa.dc.gov/node/556662 or call (202) 724-5622.

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ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 52 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

R I C H

A C H E

T H D A S T

G R A I L

P E E W E E

V E I L

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C A G E O A T

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F L O R I O A C R G E E D

S A B I N

T I T N E R O C L E A L

P E R S I A N C A T

O R N E R Y

O P A L

S O S O

P A S T S

A A L I E R S T E W

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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1. Wild incoherent orator 6. Silly escapade 11. Cease to be inflated 14. Become frosty 15. Heavenly glows 16. Historic period 17. Stylish refrigerator adornments 19. St. Elsewhere extras 20. High-water front 21. Gives permission 22. Counterbalance to liability 24. Revenge of the Sith episode nbr.

26. Pastries which mean “flashes of lightning” in French 28. Maritime physician 33. Calendar square 34. Close in on 35. “Z __ zebra” 36. Editor’s second thought 38. Prefix appearing twice in AT&T 40. Org. that awards over 250 trophies to universities each year 43. City midway between Dallas and Austin 46. Prepare flour for baking 49. He won his first heavyweight belt in 1964 50. Part of a dog breeder’s ad 53. Take up a new hobby 54. Countdown conclusion 55. Monopoly payments 56. The brothers Gibb, for example 59. She was sew important to the American Revolution 63. Amazement 64. Roast reptiles 67. -y, pluralized 68. Attract the attention of the Federal Trade Commission 69. Flat paper 70. “___ Miserables” 71. Removed tension 72. Give a green light to

1. High-calorie 2. Head or heart ailment 3. It hides brides 4. The “father of geometry” 5. Engine stat.

6. Actor Nicolas, originally named Coppola 7. Khloe Kardashian (to North West) 8. Arranged ahead of time 9. ___, Pray, Love 10. Second-hand houses 11. Siamese sidekick 12. Foul-tempered 13. Intense histories 18. She said “I don’t want to go among mad people” to a cat 23. Pioneer of polio prevention 25. Final three of a million 27. Half of a Latin dance 28. NFL stars’ six-pointers 29. Magician’s hiding spot 30. First-hand reporter 31. Porridge ingredient 32. Just picked 37. Unspoken 39. Misstatement 41. Brewpub selection 42. Publicize dirty laundry 44. Take in calories 45. Frequently 47. Lowest point 48. Metal abbreviated as Sn on the periodic chart 50. Youth sports level 51. Bellhops 52. Toyota model produced until 1999 53. Subject of a knight’s day-dream 57. Latest fad 58. Finished preparing a cake 60. Autumn birthstone 61. Unexceptional 62. Remain agitated 65. Mermaid’s home 66. Ending for pay or Cray

Answers on page 51.

Answer: The college football player gave up the pigskin when it was time for this -- THE SHEEPSKIN Jumbles: GUEST NOTCH PELVIS LACKEY

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Letters to editor From page 2 over the past 30+ years (like those at the top), and so the contributions to the program haven’t kept pace. Fix the inequity of income in our economic system and the problem is solved.

Social Security should be taken out of the general budget as it was originally, as it has its own funding source and has nothing to do with the lack of sufficient general federal revenues — which leads to deficits and debt.

Increasing the retirement age is very discriminatory, as people doing physical work have a shorter life expectancy and would “enjoy” their paid-for benefits for a lesser time period, when they really need to retire earlier because of general health concerns.

As for means testing, there are already several in place, as at certain income levels the entire benefit is subject to income tax, and at other levels the deduction for Medicare Part B is increased.

My suggestions for “fixing”: 1. It should be taken off budget so it can’t be abused by Congress.

2. Fix the general revenue problem by eliminating gifting of multi-billions to hedge fund managers who say they don’t ‘manage;’ to pharmaceutical companies’ [whose] charges for key medicines have no relationship to supply or production costs, and to military contractors for tanks and ships that the military says are not needed or wanted.

3. Make all income the same and subject to Social Security premiums. Why should only wage earners be subject and not the capital manipulators on Wall Street collecting their dividends and gains?

4. Since the primary reason for our military expenditures around the globe are for the security of international players, why not have a security insurance premium charged against capital manipulators involved internationally?

5. Fix the inequity in our tax policy. Why do nurses, firefighters, police, teachers have to pay a higher overall tax rate than millionaires and billionaires?

Raymond E. Meyer Falls Church, Va. Dear Editor: I am compelled to comment on your editorial on Social Security in the January Beacon. I think you are very misleading from the start, even though your history of the program is factually correct.

The facts are that Social Security is one of the most successful government programs that works on a 1 percent administrative overhead, has never missed a payment, and is a guaranteed benefit and safety-net for families and the disabled — not just retirees.

Social Security keeps millions of seniors above the poverty line. The government does some things right! As a matter of fact, Social Security has adjusted its formula and added a tax on Social Security in the past to insure its long-term solvency with the Greenspan Commission of 1981.

53

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

Donald Trump stated he “wouldn’t touch Social Security,” but has appointed avowed privatizers to his cabinet. Now, as always, we have to pay attention to what proposals are on the table.

You are right to say that we should talk about making up the projected “shortfall” by using a mix of ways to do it. What worries me are those who want to scare the public into thinking “the sky is falling,” which is exactly how those who wish to change Social Security by privatizing it would like us to think.

Laura Feldman Potomac, Md. Dear Editor: Seniors are no longer being transported to the senior centers [in Washington, D.C.] They have to get there the best way they can.

I have tried on my fixed and small income to bring some of them to and from the center so they won’t have to sit at home all day alone.

They used to be transported. The bus trips to shops or to local and out-of-town (shows, plays, etc.) have stopped. Some of us have no other way to maintain this lifestyle that we so gratefully appreciated in the past. Dance classes, exercise classes and more have been taken away. Even down to water and free coffee.

[We have] newfound profit for the city, and the overwhelming increase in population that we all know is generating individual and property taxes for this city, yet the budget is being cut.

Somebody needs to check this thing out because it is so wrong to treat us this way.

Everyone will be a senior one day if we live long enough.

Cassandra Hardison Washington, D.C. Editor’s Note: We asked Karen Dorbin, director of communications for the D.C. Office on Aging, to respond to Hardison’s concerns. Here is what she told the Beacon: There have been no budget cuts to the Senior Wellness Centers this fiscal year; however, programming changes for each individual center is in the purview of the center’s director.

Prior to the start of this fiscal year, each wellness center director gave participants choices in programming. Any changes made for this fiscal year were agreed to by participants who attended the open budget meetings held at each center.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 15, additional fund-

ing was provided to the Wellness Centers to support extended hours. However, due to low participation during the extended hours, the additional supplemental funding was cut in FY 16 as a cost-saving measure.

Dear Editor: It seems to me that your excellent editorials set the tone for the Beacon, by addressing topical issues in a balanced way, which is very appealing to most readers, regardless of their political affiliation.

With this orientation, I would have expected that the Beacon would be very selective about what is published, concerning the [then] forthcoming election, either by your own staff or from its readers. I thought you would avoid partisan presentations for either side.

Hence my astonishment about what you actually printed: “…undermined, sold out, corrupted, and nearly demolished are almost all of our country’s previous fundamental institutions over the past eight years by the Obama-Clinton regime.” (Letter to the Editor, October 2016).

This is a rant by a somewhat deranged individual, and raises the obvious question about why you thought it fit to print, since

it seems to go against all that you stand for.

It might be useful for you to clarifyyour editorial policy, in particular the run-up to elections. You might consider inviting the two major parties to contribute essays as to why it was in the national interest to elect their party. You could also encourage readers to submit thoughtful comments about the election.

Jim Cowie Silver Spring, Md. The Publisher responds: Every issue of the Beacon invites readers to “share their opinion on any matter.”

When we print such letters, it should be clear that they are not positions taken by the Beacon, but rather — as in the case of your letter — views shared by readers exercising their First Amendment rights.

If we were to be “very selective” in choosing what to print, and refused to print “partisan” letters, we would not be honoring those rights or our readers very well.

As it happens, the letter to which you refer was the only letter to the editor regarding the election that we received last fall. No doubt other readers felt differently, but they did not write to us to share their views.

WB 2/17

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CLASSIFIEDS

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Computer Services

For Sale

Wanted

PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

DISCOUNTED PRCES FOR THE FOLLOWING: Stone table, 6 chairs, wall unit of 4 sections, coffee table lamps, oil paintings, posters, Yamaha PCR-500, 2 guitars, 4x5, 5x7 cameras, chandeliers, bedroom set, 2 rugs. Munjia, 301622-3691, Silver Spring.

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDs, DVDs AND TAPES. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals.

All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

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 page 55.

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.

Caregivers “A” HOME HEALTH CARE – Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 240-533-6599.

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ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A LOVING, CARING, compassionate, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your loved one? Has experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, diabetics and other health problems. Please call, 301-908-9134.

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2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

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LEISURE WORLD® – $159,000. 2 BR 2 FB “E” in “Fairways South.” Panoramic view from the top floor. Enclosed Balcony. 980 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® – $154,900. 1 BR ,1-1/2 BA “A” model in “Overlook.” Rare opportunity, window in table space kitchen, separate dining room, treetop view of golf course. 930 sq ft, Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

CONDO IN LEISURE WORLD GREENS THREE: Spectacular view of golf course and fountain. Model M. 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath with garage space. 1530 sq ft. Asking $375k. Contact George Prince at 301-598-2104.

NEEDED, RETIRED COUPLE OR SINGLE, mature, nice person to rent a spacious lovely 2bedroom basement suite with private bath located in upscale neighborhood, with lots of amenities! Has big kitchen, complete appliances, including W/D. Large backyard and private walkout. Not pets or smoking. Rent is $600/room with free utilities. 2 rooms available.

If interested, please call 301-310-9481 or leave a message. Transportation close to I-95, 295, ICC, Marc train, bus stops, hospital, and shopping center.

RENOVATED 2-BEDROOM, 2-BATH apartment with lovely view in Leisure World. Highrise building, granite countertops, eat-in kitchen, walk-in closet, glass-enclosed sunroom in separate storage unit. Call 240-338-2830 or email sinnedco@aol.com.

SELL YOUR HOUSE FOR JUST $990! Includes all traditional real estate services. Complete full service only $990. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Call Adam Ferguson, Fairfax Realty. 703-7275861.

3453 CHISWICK COURT, #2A – $85,000.

Montgomery Mutual Coop @ Leisure World. 55+ Active Adult Community. A lovely, rare, upperlevel end unit. Hampton Model. 1200 sq ft. 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Separate dining room and living room. Full washer and dryer. Enclosed balcony. For more info or to schedule a viewing, call Kevin Rollins/REMAX, 240-432-7848.

GET A FAST OFFER ON YOUR NOVA HOUSE today! We buy your house as is. No need to repair. No commissions. Free no-obligation consultation. Female owned, references.

Call 703-969-5847 or email IBuyFairfaxHouses@gmail.com.

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will set up an automated online search for you, preview units, and contact you to arrange a showing when there is a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings in this issue. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

GARDEN ANGLE LANDSCAPING SERVICE: Lawn and yard cleanups etc. Hauling anything. For all your household needs, please give Robert a call at 240-477-2158 or 301-987-1277.

Free estimate.

Personals PRETTY WF 50s YOUTHFUL LADY, nonsmoker, down to earth, seeks SWM, 50s-60s, honest, sincere, handsome gentleman with hefty build, non-smoker, for old fashioned fun, friendship, possible relationship, who enjoys the great outdoors, dining out, cinema and dancing. Be my Valentine! 301-880-6977. Please leave a voice message with your phone number.

Personal Services TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself.

Gold 4 Good buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I will come to your house and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 938-9694.

READY TO DE-CLUTTER? Sort, donate, discard. Reasonable rates. Call Jan, 301-933-7570.

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES! Monthly, biweekly, weekly or one-time. Call for free estimates. 240-644-4289.

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE – Looking to clean house. Good references and experience.

Please call Vio, 301-706-6317.

PIANO LESSONS – Want to learn to play piano without the stress of recitals and auditions? I teach beginners from 9 to 90. Theory taught along with pieces, not separate books.

Studied piano at University of Maryland and the Washington Conservatory of Music. Patient, understanding. My Kensington home. Very reasonable rates. Email for more information: blackandwhitekeys4U@gmail.com or call 301942-2589.

MOBILE NOTARY SERVICE – Do you need a notary to legalize your documents? I will visit your home, office, assisted living, nursing or hospital room. Call for reasonable quote. Robert: (310) 709-5880.

Wanted TIRED OF POLISHING YOUR SILVER? Turn it into cash, which does not tarnish. I will come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. I buy all gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold and silver coins, gold watches, etc. I am licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Call Bob, Gold 4 Good, (240) 938-9694.

WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY. Costume too. Gold and silver coins, paper money, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc.

Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces of silver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You have something to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-9100783.

WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

GET A FAST OFFER ON YOUR NOVA HOUSE today! We buy your house as is. No need to repair. No commissions. Free no-obligation consultation. Female owned, references. Call 703-9695847 or email IBuyFairfaxHouses@gmail.com.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301- 279-2158.

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Beacon for 20 years. Montgomery County resident – will travel to D.C., MD, VA. Buying following items: Furniture, art, jewelry, gold, sterling silver, old coins, vintage pocket and wrist watches, old tools, books, camera, military items – guns, rifles, knives, pocket knives, swords etc.

Also buying: old toys, dolls, trains, comic books, photographs, autographs, musical instruments, guitars, violins, etc. Also old sports memorabilia and equipment – baseball, golf, football, fishing etc. Please call Tom at 240-476-3441.

BUYING VIOLINS, COINS, FOUNTAIN PENS – Cash paid. Also guitars, old toys, comics, baseball cards, memorabilia, golf, football, fishing, firearms, swords. Tom, 240-476-3441.

CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate cleanouts, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole estate. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301-520-0755.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-2798834. Thank you.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-4640958.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202-841-3062.

LADY WHO LOVES FINE CHINA and crystal would like to buy yours. Especially interested in figurines and dishes by the following makers: Herend, Johnson Brothers, Lenox, Lladro, Meissen, Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley, Spode, Wedgewood, Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford stemware and miscellaneous. Bone china cups and saucers, quality dog and cat figurines and sterling silver flatware and hollowware also. 301-785-1129.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838.

Thanks for reading!

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

BEACON BITS

Feb. 19

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES

BARBERSHOP CONCERT

The 30-member Harmony Heritage Singers presents a concert of favorite popular songs on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, located at 1909 Windmill Ln., Alexandria, Va. The men’s acapella chorus preserves the American tradition of “barbershop.” Admission is free.

For more information, visit www.mvuc.org or contact Ron Brandt at (703) 765-4779 or gronbrandt@gmail.com.

Ongoing

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DIGITIZE YOUR MOVIES AND PHOTOS

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library offers a Memory Lab, where cardholders can use the library’s equipment to digitize home movies and scan photographs and slides. Convert your favorite VHS into a digital file, or get data from old floppy disks. You must bring an external hard drive to save your work on, such as a USB or a Google Drive or ICloud account.

The lab can be reserved for three-hour sessions. Orientation for new users is not required but strongly recommended, and is available on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information, visit www.dclibrary.org/labs/memorylab.

Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies

Home Health Care

Tall Oaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Retail/Pawn/Auction

Tribute at the Glen . . . . . . . . .17 Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Survey .24 MS Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 NIH Healthy Aging Study . . . .25

Computer Classes JCA SeniorTech . . . . . . . . . . .7-9 TechMedic4u . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . .14 Elder Caring . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Holy Cross Home Care and Hospice . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Options for Senior America . .44

Tribute at One Loudoun . . . . .20

Quinn’s Auction Galleries . . . .34

Victory Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . .40

WOW Computer . . . . . . . . . . .36

Waltonwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Legal Services

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Home Remodeling

Law Firm of Evan Farr . . . . . .33

Communicare Health . . . . . . .20

Dental Services

Homefix Custom Remodeling 44

Cavallo, Joseph P., DDS . . . . .18 Friedman, Stephen, DDS . . . .23 Lee Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Oh, Judy, DDS . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Housing

Events GROWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Financial Services Capital Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Children’s National Hospital . .35 Geddes & Company . . . . . . . .33 Mortgage Solutions . . . . . . . . .35 PENFED Credit Union . . . . . .33

Funeral Services Fram Monuments . . . . . . . . . .37 Going Home Cremation . . . . .50

Government Services DC Office on Aging . . . . .30-31 MC311 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services . . . . . .3, 21 Montgomery Serves Awards . .12

Ashby Ponds . . . . . . . . . . .13, 52 Aspenwood Senior Living . . . .14 Bayleigh Chase . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Brooke Grove Retirement Village . . . . . . . . . . . .28-29, 56 Buckingham’s Choice . . . . . . .42 Charles E. Smith Life Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Chesterbrook Residences . . . .21 Churchill Senior Living . . . . .19 Culpepper Garden . . . . . . . . . .13 Fairhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Friendship Terrace . . . . . . . . . .22 Gardens of Traville, The . . . . .16 Greenspring . . . . . . . . . . . .13, 52 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . .37 Kensington Park . . . . . . . . . . .10 Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . .17 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Potomac Place . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Quantum Property Mgmt . . . .27 Riderwood . . . . . . . . . . . . .13, 52 Springvale Terrace . . . . . . . . . .22

Law Offices of Paul Riekhof .35

Medical/Health Grace in Motion . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Holy Cross Hospital . . . . . . . .15

HealthSouth Rehab Hospital . .19 Manor Care Health Services . .16 Village at Rockville, The . . . .26

Subscriptions

I Hate Knee Pain . . . . . . . . . . .11 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . .25 Medication Management . . . .37 Silver Spring Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Vascular Institute of

Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . .53 Washington Jewish Week . . . .50

Theatre/ Entertainment

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Arena Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Miscellaneous

Ford’s Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Kennedy Center . . . . . . . .47, 49

Oasis Senior Advisors . . . . . . .46 Senior Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Real Estate Long & Foster/

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . .45 Washington Ballet . . . . . . . . . .46 Washington Concert Opera . . .48

Tour & Travel

Eric Stewart . . . . . . . . . .34, 48 Long & Foster/

Eyre Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Inderjeet Jumani . . . . . . . . . .49

Festive Holidays . . . . . . . . . . .41

Weichert/Sue Heyman . . . . . . .24

Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Restaurants Original Pancake House . . . . .42

US Navy Memorial . . . . . . . . .41 Vamoose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Walper Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

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More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 7 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

February 2017

UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTS at Brooke Grove retirement village

As experts in senior care and memory support, Brooke Grove Retirement Village is pleased to offer seminars and events that promote physical, spiritual and mental well-being.

All seminars and events will be held at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Brooke Grove Retirement Village campus.

Please register with Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org.

Living Well Seminar: “How to Improve Your Balance and Prevent Falls” February 15, 1-2:15 p.m.

Discover how to prevent falls and the specific exercises you can do to improve your balance.

Seminar preceded by complimentary lunch at 12:30 p.m. FREE. Register by February 13.

Alzheimer’s support group February 15, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, this confidential group provides an opportunity for individuals and families to find support, gain understanding and share caregiving tips. FREE.

Support for the Caregiver Seminar: “The Basics of Alzheimer’s” February 28, 2-3 p.m.

Learn the facts about Alzheimer’s and other types of memory loss. Topics include symptoms, risk factors, the benefits of early detection, treatment, hope for the future, and ways the Alzheimer’s Association can help. FREE. Register by February 26.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 www.bgf.org

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support