May 2015 | Howard County Beacon

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BarenBregge, 66 — a professional musician whose “day job” is jazz editor for Alfred Music, which publishes educational music — was named the past year’s Outstanding Artist. He has made several recordings, and was former musical director and featured soloist where he played sax, flute and clarinet for the U.S. Air Force’s Airmen of Note jazz ensemble.

Among many other appearances, he played in the band backing Frank Sinatra at Ronald Reagan’s presidential inauguration; he improvised with Dizzy Gillespie, when the trumpet great was a guest with the Airmen of Note; and he played backup alongside Patti LaBelle, Sammy Davis Jr., Mary Chapin Carpenter. Henry Mancini, Mel Torme and Stevie Wonder.

At one of his many White House gigs, BarenBregge brought along an extra tenor

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER BARENBREGGE

All that jazz

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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Howie awards honor artists

By Robert Friedman Peter BarenBregge has traded blues bars with fellow tenor saxophonist Bill Clinton. Greg English teaches Reservoir High School students both new age technology and the ages-old techniques of the visual arts. And the Howard Bank invests in supporting the local arts community because it believes the arts help build the economy.

BarenBregge, the musical director of the Columbia Jazz Band; English, the art department chair at Reservoir High School; and the 10-year-old Howard Bank have been chosen as the most recent Howie Award winners. The awards are presented yearly at a Celebration of the Arts gala by the Howard County Arts Council to outstanding artists, educators and business or community supporters who have made significant impacts on the local arts scene.

Also honored, posthumously, was Yong Ku Ahn, the first music director of the Columbia Orchestra, who was cited for a special Legacy in the Arts award.

The awards ceremony was held recently at Howard County Community College. It also included a silent art auction and performances by local performers who are considered rising stars. The gala is the arts council’s main source of corporate and foundation funding, and supports its grants and education programs for children and adults throughout the year.

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ARTS & STYLE

Peter BarenBregge, the musical director of the Columbia Jazz Band, was recently named Outstanding Artist for 2014, as part of the annual Howie Awards, presented by the Howard County Arts Council. He has played saxophone with former President Bill Clinton and as backup with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle and Sammy Davis, Jr.

sax and asked the then-occupant, President Bill Clinton, whether he wanted to join in the music-making. Clinton agreed.

How did it go? Did the former president swing on the sax?

“He and I traded some fours on a blues tune,” said BarenBregge. “I kept it simple.

I didn’t want to upstage the president. We had a good time. The audience loved it.

For a sitting president of the United States, he was damn good.”

Not easy to make a living BarenBregge acknowledged that the life of a jazz musician, which he considers himself, is far from a lucrative profession nowadays.

“There are some jazz clubs in D.C.,” he

noted, but “it’s not like 50 to 60 years ago” (when the Washington area was a prime site for jazz clubs). The money is low and you have to do a lot of other stuff, play weddings, etc., to survive.”

He noted that he started playing jazz in high school in Wilmington, Del., at a time when “you could hear jazz on the radio.”

He got hooked on the music by listening to, among others, the saxophone stylings of Cannonball Adderley, Stanley Turrentine and John Coltrane.

While jazz is in decline in the U.S., BarenBregge believes that “slowly” — and, hopefully, surely — the music will make a comeback. He noted that “kids are still playing See HOWIE AWARDS, page 27

Photos capture the world of the winged at the Robinson Nature Center; plus, rebellious souls haunt Ibsen’s Ghosts page 26

TECHNOLOGY 4 k Understanding online shopping k Helpful new software FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k Stents for stroke patients k Saunas may help you live longer THE SENIOR CONNECTION 15 k Newsletter for Howard County seniors LAW & MONEY k Mutual fund update k Ways to avoid probate

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Plane thoughts What I didn’t tell you in my column last On the return flight, I boarded prior to month, about the future of print media, sunrise on a Chicago morning enjoying a was that I wrote it partially in light snowfall. My window preparation for a speech I seat looked out on a wing enwas to give on that topic at a crusted with snow as we trunnational conference. dled along the runway, headIt so happened that I flew to ing for the “de-icing pad.”

Chicago for the conference on There, a line of planes March 24, the very day Gerpulled up alongside a line of manwings Flight 9525 was inwhite trucks, in whose cherrytentionally crashed into the picker baskets stood men bunFrench Alps by its co-pilot. dled in padded orange jumpI fly on commercial airlinsuits. They wielded hoses that ers several times a year for FROM THE noisily (and blessedly) blasted both business and pleasure, PUBLISHER the wing with what appeared and I am not a particularly By Stuart P. Rosenthal to be hundreds of gallons of nervous air passenger. But I de-icing fluid. always seem to be of two minds when I fly.

But once we took off through the gray First, I still find flying to be the amazing clouds and left the dreary, windy city beand exhilarating experience I first felt neath us, we were soaring above a fluffy upon taking off in an airplane as a child. white carpet of cloud enjoying a glorious And second, I confess that I pray with sunny day and a brilliant blue sky. great fervor that this flight not be my last For some reason, I am always astonished experience on earth, regardless of how ex- to see that the sun is always shining in a hilarating it might be! clear blue sky above the clouds. Similarly, I During these particular flights to and am always surprised come evening time to from Chicago, I continued to have both realize that the stars and the moon are alfeelings, only more so. ways there, too. It’s just that the sun’s rays

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• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................ Steve Levin, Jill Joseph

during the days so brighten our atmosphere as to erase most of them from view.

So many things hide in plain sight.

By the time of this return trip, we knew a lot more about the circumstances of the originally mysterious plane crash earlier in the week. We knew, for example, that the co-pilot had acted intentionally, and that he had a history of psychological problems he had hidden from his employer.

I read one account that quoted a former girlfriend of his who had heard him say, “One day I’ll do something so that everyone will know my name.”

Those telling facts reminded me sharply of an earlier experience I believe I related once before in this column.

I ran into a fellow with whom I had a casual acquaintance. In one of our earlier conversations, he had described to me the company he had founded and still ran. It sounded like a very successful operation, and I felt a twinge of jealousy.

On this particular occasion, he didn’t seem his usual chatty self. I casually asked him how he was doing. He answered me in a way I have never heard before or since. In a soft monotone, he said, “I’ve never been worse.”

It took me a second to process the unexpected reply, and I gave him a quizzical look as I muttered, “I’m sorry to hear that.” We stood there for an awkward moment, but were quickly interrupted by other people, so I slipped away.

The next day, I learned the fellow had committed suicide that very night.

I attended the funeral, both to show my respects and to try to better understand who he was and why he would have done such a thing. Of course I learned nothing of the sort.

But I did learn a very important lesson: When you are given a glimpse into another human being’s deep sadness or depression, you don’t just mutter you’re sorry and walk away. You will never forgive yourself if you don’t at least ask, “Would you like to talk about it?”

I have had several opportunities since then to do just that with other friends, and while I don’t think I’ve saved any lives, I think it’s made a difference.

I wonder how many people might have noticed something about the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, that suggested he was depressed or suffering from a psychological malady. Conditions of this sort are all too common in today’s world, and the conditions themselves keep many sufferers from seeking treatment that could help them.

The sun may always be shining somewhere above us, but when we’re walking around under a cloud, it’s hard to remember that.

Sometimes, maybe, a caring word or listening ear may cause a break in the clouds, or melt a layer of ice, and help prevent a tragedy.

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 attended an event at the HCCC campus on Saturday, April 12 and was very surprised to see a team of men with industrial spray bottles on their backs, walking around campus spraying the ground. One of them told me it was a mixture of Roundup and some other chemical being used for weed control.

This was very disturbing to me, because of recent studies I’ve seen about the

chemical compounds in Roundup and the hazards they present to humans and other life forms.

Seeing the proximity of the lake situated near the Whole Foods nearby, and the Little Patuxent watershed, I question the community college’s widespread spraying, and hope residents will make their concerns known to administrators.

Roberta Masters-Cullen Via e-mail

BEACON BITS

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HAITI SISTER CITY PLANNING COMMITTEE The Columbia Association is seeking volunteers for a planning

committee to look into the possibility of developing a sister-city relationship be-

• Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell

tween Columbia, Md. and Cap-Haitian in Haiti. Made up of Columbia and Howard

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial and advertising is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details.

Please mail or email all submissions. © Copyright 2015 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

County residents, the committee will work on a proposal to be presented in 2015.

Volunteers should have an interest in Haiti and be able to be active participants in monthly evening meetings. For more information call (410) 715-3162 or send an email to Laura.Smit@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

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Technology &

Innovations Fluctuating online prices stump shoppers

By Anne D’Innocezio Online shopping has become as volatile as stock market trading. Wild, minute-byminute price swings on everything from clothes to TVs have made it difficult for shoppers to “buy low.”

A growing number of retailers are using software that changes online prices based on demand, competition, inventory and other factors. The main goal is to undercut rivals when necessary, and raise prices when demand is high and there’s no competitive pressure.

But the new online tools can change the price on a single item — say, a sweater — dozens of times throughout the day. And that can leave shoppers confused about

when they can get the best deal.

Take Aishia Senior, who recently watched the price on a coat she wanted rise and fall several times between $110 and $139 in a span of six hours on Amazon.com. She was so frustrated by the price fluctuations that she ended up not buying the coat on the site at all. “It’s definitely annoying,” said Senior. “What exactly is making it go up and down?”

Retailers want to appease deal-hungry shoppers with the ever-lower prices they’ve come to expect since the recession. But they also want to protect their bottom line, which is difficult to do because lower prices cut into profits.

Retailers used to check prices of their ri-

vals’ websites and then manually change the prices online. But that was a tedious task and many stores made price changes only once a day.

Trend started by Amazon The idea of minute-by-minute monitoring of online prices started with Amazon.com, which for years has used its own software to do so. Scott Stanzel, an Amazon spokesman, said, “We have a cost structure that allows us to adjust our pricing quickly.”

After years of losing customers to Amazon because of its ability to offer deep discounts, Wal-Mart and others have started following the online retailer’s lead. Eric

Best, CEO of Mercent Corp. — a software company that changes prices on two million products every hour — said the majority of his clients (which include Office Depot, Guess and HSN Inc.) make minuteby-minute pricing changes.

For instance, on a recent Monday, the price of Beats Studio headphones fluctuated between $269.95 and $199.95 with four price drops and five price increases on Amazon.com. Likewise, the price of a Meyer’s 15-Piece Cookware Set went between $138.95 and $80.99 with three price drops and three price increases, according to Mercent.

See ONLINE SHOPPING, page 5

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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. built its online price monitoring tool two years ago. And since overhauling its e-commerce business last summer, the world’s largest retailer now can make price changes in a few minutes that used to take up to 24 hours.

“We have the ability to make thousands of changes on any given day,” said Ravi Jariwala, a Wal-Mart spokesman.

Abt, a consumer electronics retailer in Chicago, started using online pricing software from a company called Market Track that tracks all of its products. It said over holiday weekends it changes prices on several hundred items each day. “This is the most efficient tool we have to gauge competition and adjust pricing,” said Jon Abt, the retailer’s president.

All the price changing has made it difficult for shoppers to predict when they can get the lowest prices, said William Pound-

stone, author of Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value. After all, he said, even the retailers don’t know from minute to minute, since the programs are automated.

“It’s like high speed trading,” Poundstone said. “Sometimes, you lower the price. Then, you may raise it back up.”

There are some predictable pricing patterns, though. Jenn Markey, vice president of marketing at 360pi, a price tracking company, says some stores time online price changes to reflect the behavior of customers. For example, some change prices on videogames in the evenings instead of during the day.

Shoppers may also come to recognize pricing patterns of specific retailers. WalMart and Amazon tend to spread price changes uniformly throughout the week, Markey said. But the majority of Sears online price changes happen on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Costco makes a majority of its online price changes on Saturday and Sunday.

— AP

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On the home front, the robotics federation expects 31 million robots to be sold for personal use from 2014 through 2017, most tasked with domestic chores.

You may be familiar with the Roomba vacuum cleaner, made by iRobot (IRBT; $34).

The company claims roughly 75 percent of the robot vacuum market. That’s less than 20 percent of the U.S. market for higher-end vacuums, leaving plenty of room for growth,

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From page 4

iRobot

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Online shopping

on top) allow doctors to consult from afar, or business people to meet or manage remotely. After mapping out your office (or factory floor or medical center), the bots can show up automatically for scheduled events, or simply enable you to virtually roam distant halls at will, interacting with those you meet.

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2015 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The key to building a better robot is imbuing it with humanoid senses — only better. While the human eye can see 30 frames per second, for example, robots

even with vacuum leader Dyson scheduled to enter the robotics market later this year.

IRobot also makes bomb-disarming robots for the military. That segment is struggling as U.S. defense spending declines and troops are pulled from harm’s way.

But the company’s disciplined research and development in that area are driving innovation in broader product lines focused on three key robotic capabilities: the ability to navigate, perceive the surrounding environment, and interact with it.

For example, IRobot’s “telepresence” bots (they look like a mobile stand with a screen

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Cognex

today can see thousands of frames per second. Cognex (symbol CGNX; recent price, $51) is a leading developer of machine-vision technologies used to monitor production lines, guide assembly robots, detect manufacturing defects and track parts.

Factory automation should account for more than 80 percent of the company’s revenues in 2015, and that segment is growing by 20 percent a year, according to Canaccord Genuity, a Canadian financial-services firm.

The Cognex share price has risen 59 percent over the last year.

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By Anne Kates Smith Robots are an increasingly important and widespread segment of the workforce.

The auto industry remains the largest market for robots. But they can also be found neutralizing land mines for the military, fulfilling orders in warehouses, and assisting in surgical procedures in hospitals.

The International Federation of Robotics estimates that 1.3 to 1.6 million industrial robots are in use. In 2013 (the latest year for which figures are available), nearly 180,000 robots were sold — the most ever in a single year. Spending on robots worldwide is expected to jump from an estimated $27 billion in 2015 to $67 billion by 2025, says the Boston Consulting Group.

Here are two companies to watch (or possibly buy):

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Beacon Links

By Barbara Ruben

Taking flight Do you ever hear a plane, look up in the sky, and wonder where it’s going? With Flight Radar 24, you can look online or with apps for Apple and Android devices at flights around the world.

The site shows airplane icons dotting the map, so that you can track, say, your

Fight fraud and abuse

about the rights of older adults, detect and prevent Medicare fraud, and more. The page links users to sites that fight elder abuse and advocate for nursing home residents.

There is information on how to detect and fight Medicare and Social Security fraud, and you can download a copy of the 150-page Consumer Action Handbook or order a free copy. www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/ Consumer.shtml

The federal government’s Consumer Protection for Seniors page helps you learn

Healthy advice

daughter’s flight back home to Chicago.

Just click on an icon to view detailed information about the flight.

The site also shows airport delays. To get the most out of the site, be sure to read the FAQ and How it Works sections. www.flightradar24.com

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Keeping up with health information can be time consuming and a bit daunting. But Greatist.com tries to make it simple and fun with great graphics and articles like, “29 Insanely Easy, Healthy Meals for One” and “The 10-Minute Yoga Routine That Will Help You Fall Asleep Fast.”

Greatist’s mission is simple: “We don’t think you need six-pack abs to be happy. Because Greatist celebrates choosing whatever healthy means to you. Our mission? Help the world think of health in a healthier way.” http://greatist.com

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Want to learn a few words in Swedish, Japanese or Russian? The site BaBa Dum

has five games in 13 languages that help players pick up a smattering of a foreign language.

Be forewarned that the site is almost entirely picture based, with no real directions, but it is pretty intuitive.

Choose your language by picking the flag of the country you’re interested in.

But if you don’t know that Portugal’s flag is red and green with a seal in the middle, you may be out of luck — or ask Google for guidance.

You can sign in to see to keep track of your progress. http://babadum.com

Be prepared Winter’s snow and ice may be a memory, but that means the season of severe thunderstorms and hurricanes is just around the corner. FEMA’s website provides helpful tips on preparing for disasters — from storms to terrorism.

Learn about various types of disasters, ranging from chemical emergencies to earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires and more. Click on the menu on the left side of the screen to get specific information on more than 20 types of disasters.

Each item provides a list of potential hazards as well as what you can do before, during and after disaster strikes. www.ready.gov/be-informed

Howard County’s Only Life Care Retirement Community.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Tech Shorts

By Carol Sorgen

Fraud and ID theft protection Financial abuse of seniors is on the rise, with seniors reportedly losing more than $2.9 billion annually to financial exploitation. Financial abuse includes unauthorized credit/debit card charges, telemarketing fraud, identity theft, fraudulent bank withdrawals, home improvement scams, predatory lending, inappropriate investments and estate planning improprieties.

EverSafe, a new company in Columbia, Md., protects older adults from fraud, identity theft and unscrupulous telemarketers.

Financial accounts and credit reports are monitored around the clock for suspicious activity, defined to include excessive withdrawals, missing deposits, unusual charges, and changes in spending patterns.

EverSafe’s software identifies abnormal patterns of financial activity and potential issues with transactions. When an account is linked, EverSafe reviews the last 90 days of history for suspicious activity and sets alert parameters to a personal profile. From then on, EverSafe scans accounts daily.

No account numbers are available, no money can be moved, trusted advocates have “read-only” access to financial accounts, and

EverSafe verifies the identity of all users during the enrollment process using a knowledge-based authentication test.

At the member’s option, EverSafe supports the assignment of a family member or trusted advocate to assist in the monitoring of financial accounts. In addition to daily alerts, the software also sends a weekly summary.

As soon as suspicious activity is identified, an alert is dispatched to the account holder and trusted advocates. They can then mark the alert as OK, or red flag it for follow up and remediation. When suspicious activity is marked with a red flag, the resolution process begins.

You can easily maintain notes, set follow-up dates, and request EverSafe’s support to help you create your recovery plan.

There are three plans and pricing structures: EverSafe Essentials offers 24/7 account monitoring for $4.99 a month; EverSafe Plus, includes identity theft and account monitoring and one credit bureau report for $9.99 a month; and EverSafe Gold, which includes two credit bureau reports along with identity theft and account monitoring for $19.99 a month.

See www.eversafe.com.

Preserving your family’s story

boomers and seniors to help them tell both their own life stories and that of their parents, so that their family narratives can be shared with their children and grandchildren in what the company calls “wisdom preservation.”

You don’t have to be technically proficient to use the program, as it has been designed to be user-friendly. By answering simple interview questions, users can create an electronic “book” of their life, similar to an encyclopedia and organized in volumes including: “Me,” “Family,” “Friends,” “Journey,” “Regrets,” “Bucket List,” “Advice” and “Ramblings.”

Reflections works on a PC or Macintosh computer, and runs on a variety of web browsers (Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome or Safari), keeping the informa-

tion safe in “the cloud” and readily accessible to authorized users and viewers.

The program comes in two varieties: Individual and Guide. The Individual program is for people who will be using it themselves and entering their own information. The Guide program is for a friend or family member who will be entering information for other people who either can’t, or don’t, use a computer. The cost for either program is a one-time registration fee of $199.

Both options can be used on an unlimited basis and include no-cost access for any family or friends who are invited to view your information. There is also unlimited email-based customer support.

To learn more, see www.my-reflections.com.

BEACON BITS

May 20

USING DNA IN GENEALOGY

Guest speaker Dr. Margaret McMahon will discuss the use of DNA in genealogy on Wednesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. in the Bain Senior Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia for the Howard County Genealogical Society meeting. Enjoy free refreshments, research stories, meeting and lecture. For more information, call (410) 381-7899.

Apr. 25

SHREDDING EVENT

Howard County residents are welcome to bring up to three bags or boxes of paper to be shredded on Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Meadowbrook Park and Ride (take exit 1A off Maryland Route 100), Ellicott City. For more information, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/shredding.htm.

Reflections, from KDB Software, is a biographical tool developed by and for baby

Leasi ng N O

BEACON BITS

May 19

BUSINESS DISCUSSION GROUP

Discuss business and economy and learn about the library systems’ specialized online research tools. The group will meet on Tuesday, May 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the East Columbia Branch Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. Registration is preferred. To register or for more information, call (410) 313-7700.

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

THE WHOLE (GRAIN) TRUTH Myths and facts about whole grains and gluten-free claims to health STATIN WARNING While statins can reduce cholesterol, they may not be good for your heart CANCER & EXERCISE Researchers think exercise may reduce side effects of breast cancer treatment HOT AND HEALTHY Frequent hot saunas appear to increase longevity; some reasons why

Game changer: Stents for stroke patients

By Marilynn Marchione Stroke experts are reporting a major advance: Stents similar to the ones used to open clogged heart arteries can also be used to clear a blood clot in the brain, greatly lowering the risk a patient will end up disabled.

Patients treated with these brain stents were far more likely to be alive and able to live independently three months after their stroke, doctors reported at a recent American Stroke Association conference.

The treatment was so successful that three studies testing stents were stopped early so the devices could be offered to more patients. One study also found the death rate was cut almost in half for those given the treatment.

“This is a once-in-a-generation advance in stroke care,” said the head of one study, Dr. Jeffrey Saver, stroke chief at the University of California, Los Angeles.

An independent expert, Dr. Lee Schwamm of Massachusetts General Hospital, called it “a real turning point in the field.” For many patients, “this is the difference between returning home and not returning home,” although only certain

types of patients can be offered it, he said.

Stroke care “needs to be completely changed” to make the treatment more widely available, said Dr. Walter Koroshetz, acting director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

“This has taken stroke therapy to the same place that heart attack therapy is now,” he said.

Work faster, less damage Most of the 800,000 strokes in the U.S. each year are caused by a blood clot lodged in the brain. The usual treatment is clot-dissolving medicine called tPA. When that doesn’t work, doctors sometimes try devices pushed through blood vessels to pluck out the clot, but several studies found they didn’t help.

However, newer devices — metal mesh cages called stent retrievers — open an artery much faster and with less damage to the blood vessel. Unlike heart stents, which stay in place to prop the artery open, the brain stents flatten the clot, trap it and are removed with it.

Two brands are sold in the U.S. —

Trevo, made by Stryker Corp. of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Solitaire, made by Covidien, now part of Minneapolis-based Medtronic Inc. They won FDA approval in 2012 based on their ability to remove a clot — not because there was evidence they improved patient outcomes.

Last fall, the first solid evidence that these devices actually improved patient recovery arrived. A study in the Netherlands that tested a variety of clot removers, mostly stents, found these treatments greatly lowered the risk of disability in patients whose clots were not dissolved by tPA. Stroke experts said at the time that more studies were needed to confirm the success. The three new studies do that. All were stopped early because independent monitors saw better results three months later in those treated with devices after tPA failed to dissolve their clots.

Two studies tested just the Solitaire stent, and the third tested a mix of devices, but mostly stents. Patients all sought help fast, had clots that were not opened by tPA, and had no evidence of irreversible brain damage on CT scans.

Highlights of the studies — A study in the U.S. and Europe on 196 patients found 60 percent of those treated with a Solitaire stent were free of major disability versus 35 percent of those given just tPA. Covidien sponsored the trial.

— A study led by Australian researchers of 70 patients found 71 percent of those given a Solitaire stent were free of major disability versus 40 percent of those given tPA alone. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and others paid for the trial.

— A study led by Canadian doctors of 316 patients found 53 percent treated with a stent or other clot-removing devices were free of major disability versus 29 percent of those given just tPA. Ten percent of patients given both treatments died versus 19 percent of those given just tPA. Covidien and others paid for the study, and some study leaders have financial ties to the companies.

The Canadian and Australian studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

See STENTS, page 11

9

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Use artificial sweeteners in moderation

By Judy Thalheimer, R.D The label says, “no sugar added,” “sugar-free” or “diet.” So what makes the food or drink inside the package so sweet?

Chances are it’s an artificial sweetener, a chemically processed sugar substitute.

Also known as non-nutritive, non-caloric or high-intensity sweeteners, these synthetic sweeties are hundreds or even thousands of times sweeter than table sugar.

Artificial sweeteners are not carbohydrates, so they don’t raise blood sugar levels. This makes them a good alternative to sugar for people with diabetes. They also don’t contribute to tooth decay and have virtually no calories, so they’re a popular option for weight loss.

Artificial sweeteners are everywhere — in soft drinks, juice drinks, gum, candies, yogurt, ice cream, baked goods, breakfast cereals and individual sweetener packets for home use. The big question is, are they safe?

Safety testing As with any food additive, a company that wants to put an artificial sweetener in a food or drink has to get permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA reviews all the scientific evidence provided by the company to make sure the product is safe.

Most testing is done on rats and mice, and the number of test subjects, the amount of the sweetener they are fed, and how long the study lasts can have a big impact on the outcomes. Not surprisingly, different studies show different results, which can create a lot of confusion for people.

Watchdog groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, rightly call attention to studies that raise concerns about safety, urging the FDA to review products as new information emerges. At this time, however, the National Cancer Institute says there’s no clear scientific evidence that any artificial sweeteners approved in the U.S. cause cancer.

The FDA does set Acceptable Daily Intakes, so (as with most things) moderation is key.

Artificial sweeteners can help cut calories or make it possible to have a sweet treat that doesn’t raise blood sugar, but don’t overdo it, and keep an eye out for new high-quality studies.

Artificial sweetener safety guide 1. Acesulfame-potassium. (Acesulfame K, Ace-K).

Products: Sweet One, Sunett. FDA-approved 1988. Typically used in frozen desserts, candies, soft drinks, drink mixes, gelatin desserts, yogurt, chewing gum and baked goods. Used with aspartame in Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Pepsi.

Safety: The FDA reports that more than 90 studies support the safety of Acesulfame-K. Watchdog groups are calling for new studies to answer questions about possible cancer risk and thyroid damage.

2. Advantame. Approved by the FDA in

2014 for use as a sweetener and flavor enhancer in foods, except meat and poultry.

Safety: Before approving advantame, the FDA reviewed 37 animal and human safety studies. They also looked at what happens to advantame in our bodies and whether it is likely to cause cancer.

3. Aspartame. FDA-approved in 1981.

Products: Equal, NutraSweet, AminoSweet, Sugar Twin. Used in powdered drink mixes, soft drinks, breakfast cereals and other dry packaged foods. Cannot be used in baked goods, because it breaks down at high temperatures. The only sweetener in Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Safety: According to the FDA, aspartame is one of the most exhaustively studied substances in the human food supply, with more than 100 studies supporting its safety. Watchdog groups, however, point to several studies that say it might increase cancer risk. Some

people report headaches from aspartame.

Note: People with the rare genetic condition phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume products containing aspartame.

4. Neotame (Newtame). FDA-approved, 2002. This chemical cousin of aspartame is not currently found in soft drinks and not used often in packaged foods because it doesn’t taste quite like sugar. It can be used in baked goods, but will most likely be mixed with another artificial sweetener or sugar to compensate for the taste.

Safety: In determining the safety of neotame, the FDA says it reviewed data from more than 113 animal and human studies designed to identify possible toxic effects.

Watchdog groups say neotame appears safe, but caution that it has not been tested by independent researchers.

5. Saccharin. FDA-approved: before 1958.

Products: Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin,

Sweet ‘N Low, Necta Sweet. Approved for use in processed foods, beverages, fruit juice drinks, and bases or mixes, and as a sugar substitute for cooking or table use.

Safety: Studies showing saccharin caused cancer in rats nearly led to a ban in 1977.

Thirty human studies have since found that saccharin is safe for human consumption.

Note: It’s recommended that a 150-lb. person not have more than 8.5 packets of saccharin a day according to safety levels established for this sweetener.

6. Sucralose. FDA-approved: 1999.

Products: Splenda. The most common artificial sweetener. Found in baked goods, kettle corn, frozen desserts, ice cream, soft drinks and prepared meals, often mixed with aspartame or ace-K. Safety: The FDA reviewed 110 safety See SWEETENERS, page 10

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Myths and facts: whole grains vs. gluten

By Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D. At first glance, whole grains like whole wheat, barley, quinoa and brown rice may not seem controversial, but misconceptions and half-truths abound, creating barriers to meeting the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommendation to consume at least three servings of whole grains a day.

Here’s what we learned on the subject at the recent conference “Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers,” organized by Oldways, a Boston-based nonprofit food and nutrition organization: Myth No. 1: Much of the wheat found in food products is genetically modified (GMO).

Fact: Not true. Despite what some popular, gluten-free diet books claim, there is

no GMO wheat commercially available in the U.S. Myth No. 2: Today’s wheat crops have been bred to contain more gluten than in the past.

Fact: Wrong again. The level of gluten in today’s wheat crops is similar to what it was in the 20th century. However, the average consumption of gluten-containing products has increased, as gluten is added as a thickener or stabilizing agent to a lot of processed foods — such as soy sauce, ketchup, spice mixes, processed meats and chicory coffee.

Myth No. 3: Eliminating gluten from your diet, including that found in whole wheat, is a great way to help you lose weight.

Fact: There’s no evidence that getting

rid of gluten will help you lose weight. In fact, research shows that people who consume whole grains, many of which contain gluten, either lose weight or gain less weight over time, compared to people who consume little or no whole grains.

If you lose weight on a gluten-free diet, it’s most likely because you’re eating fewer calories as a result of the recommended dietary restrictions.

Myth No. 4: Gluten-free products are lower in calories.

Fact: If only! A lot of gluten-free products are actually higher in calories than gluten-containing products, because of the extra fat and sugar sometimes added to make up for the missing gluten — a protein that helps provide structure and body to baked products. Read labels.

Myth No. 5: Grain consumption triggers inflammation.

Fact: Actually, research shows that consuming whole grains can help reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is associated with a higher risk of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Myth No. 6: Whole grains are bland and boring.

Fact: It’s not your mother’s whole grains you’re seeing on the shelves. The number of flavorful, light whole-grain products has grown exponentially over the last several years. The variety you’ll find in almost any

supermarket is impressive, from wholewheat pearl couscous and organic 7-grain pancake and waffle mix, to almond wholegrain bread and whole-grain waffles.

Myth No. 7: Whole grains are dense and heavy.

Fact: While some whole-grain products are much more dense than products made with processed white wheat flour, today there are many products made with wholewheat white flour (from a different strain of wheat than most wheat products), which are much lighter in color and flavor than the whole grains of yesteryear, and still provide the health benefits of whole grains.

Myth No. 8: Whole grains take too long to cook.

Fact: Again, while traditional whole grains, like brown rice, take much longer to cook than their highly refined counterparts, many whole-grain products, such as multi-grain rices, brown rice and brown and wild rice mixes are now available that cook in a minute or two in the microwave.

Myth No. 9: All grains send blood sugar on a roller coaster ride of peaks and valleys, and have a negative effect on health.

Fact: It’s actually the opposite. Eating whole grains helps maintain lower blood sugar levels, and people who eat the most whole grains, whether they contain gluten or not, are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Sweeteners

beled “sugar-free” or “no sugar added.”

Today most sugar alcohols are made in a lab, but many exist in nature so they’re not technically considered “artificial” sweeteners. Most sugar alcohols have no FDA approval date because they are not regulated as food additives.

Safety: Safe, but may cause gastrointestinal distress if you consume too much.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2015 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 9 studies in approving the use of sucralose.

Brand-new research found sucralose caused leukemia in mice.

Note: A small child who drinks more than 2-3 cans of sucralose-sweetened soda a day could exceed the Acceptable Daily Intake.

7. Sugar alcohols (erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and others). Not sugar or alcohol, these sweeteners are reduced calorie, but not calorie-free. Found in ice creams, cookies, puddings, candies and chewing gum la-

See GRAINS VS. GLUTEN, page 13

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11

An important warning if you take statins Statins also deplete a special protein atherosclerosis. Without enough K2, statin- nium and vitamin K2, along with other Sometimes blind faith leads to a disaster.

Sometimes a miracle. Where will you end up? called “Heme A” that totes oxygen and iron induced or not, we are compromised. heart-healthy nutrients.

If you’re one of the millions of people di- to your heart. Its long-term depletion interToday, we know statins also block very However, there are exceptions to taking rupts ATP production and special, powerful proteins known as seleno- these nutrients, so ask your doctor (yes, agnosed with high cholesterol, leads to cellular fatigue, proteins because they contain selenium. the same one that gave you the statin). you will more than likely be among other major problems. given a prescription statin pill.

The most famous of those is called gluThis is a classic case of drug mugging You cannot survive long- tathione peroxidase, which protects muscle (where a medication depletes essential nuThese work well to reduce term without adequate ATP tissue from free radical damage (oxida- trients), so I hope you will consider replencholesterol, and come in many production, so it needs to be re- tion). brand and generic forms: Loishing some of the affected nutrients, espestored. Fatigue, cramps, musvastatin for Mevacor, atorvasYour heart is the busiest muscle in your cially if you have uncomfortable or new cle weakness, memory loss, body. It has to work 24/7. Your heart mus- symptoms. Talk to your physician about tatin for Lipitor, pravastatin for depression, cancer… you must cle cells are ‘burned’ from all the oxidation dosages of these vitamins, because this is Pravachol, fluvastatin for Lehave ATP in your body or else! (due to the impairment of selenoprotein a highly individual matter. scol, simvastatin for Zocor, Statins also inhibit the biosynthesis), and this is a factor in conpitavastatin for Livalo, and roThis information is opinion only. It is not DEAR biosynthesis of vitamin K2, gestive heart failure. This reminds me of intended to treat, cure or diagnose your consuvastatin for Crestor.

PHARMACIST which we manufacture if we Keshan’s disease, which is heart failure dition. Consult with your doctor before using Statins affect many pathways

By Suzy Cohen have healthy intestinal gut due to low selenium. in the body. They are strong any new drug or supplement. flora. Do you? I don’t know anti-inflammatories, and are If you have to take statins, please use Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist being tested for their use in cancer patients. anyone who has a perfect gut. the lowest dose possible. Be diligent about and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist K2 comes from fermented veggies. It pro- putting back the nutrients that statins in- and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To As for cholesterol reduction, they work by crushing a natural enzyme in your body that tects our arteries from calcium plaques or terfere with, such as coenzyme Q10, sele- contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com. would otherwise produce cholesterol.

I want you to make a mental note, statins do not suck out gooey cholesterol from your arteries, nor do they negate cheese fries. No, these drugs merely suppress the new production of cholesterol by your body. Here’s where blind faith (take this pill and you’ll feel better) collides with scientific research.

Last month, a study was published in the Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology entitled, “Statins stimulate atherosclerosis and heart failure: pharmacological mechanisms.” Repeat: “Statins stimuFrom estate planning to veterans benefits, learn essential information for protecting your financial late atherosclerosis and heart failure.”

Whoa! future and living well through retirement.

The researchers concluded, “The epidemic of heart failure and atherosclerosis that plagues the modern world may paradoxically be aggravated by the pervasive use of statin drugs.”

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Known problems with statins What an irony! The problem is that many other studies have found similar disastrous effects of statins on the heart. It has to do with mitochondrial dysfunction, which means that the little generators in your heart cells get sick.

Your heart is a very high energy muscle. It requires thriving mitochondria in order to churn out ATP, your energy molecule. Statins are toxic to mitochondria because they deplete coenzyme Q10, which is needed for healthy mitochondria.

Stents From page 8 Stent treatment is not for everyone, and it won’t help people who had a stroke some time ago. It is not known if stents would help people who were not given tPA first, or those who seek help too late to get it.

The key to surviving a stroke is getting help fast — tPA must be given within four and a half hours after symptoms start.

For more stroke information online, see http://stroke.nih.gov and www.strokeassociation.org.

— AP

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Health Studies Page

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Can exercise help beat cancer fatigue?

By Carol Sorgen The Baltimore VA Medical Center is currently recruiting postmenopausal breast cancer patients for a research study on the effects of exercise on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women in the United States, and is

the second leading cause of cancer deaths.

During and after treatment, women with breast cancer frequently experience cancer-related fatigue, stress and depression.

They also show a decline in physical activity and function, which significantly impacts quality of life.

The reasons for this fatigue are likely

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due to multiple factors, such as physical deconditioning, loss of muscle mass, increase in inflammation throughout the body, insulin resistance, and changes in muscle and fat metabolism.

than prevention of those symptoms. Researchers hope that understanding the role of exercise in preventing side effects from AI will allow them to translate these findings into therapy guidelines.

Medication causes joint pain

What the study entails

In postmenopausal women, hormone receptor-positive tumors are the most common breast cancers, and drug therapies that block the production or effects of estrogen (known as aromatase inhibitors, or AIs) are the standard of care for long-term estrogen suppression in these patients.

Thanks to effective drugs like these and others, there are estimated to be over 2.97 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., and this number is expected to climb to 3.79 million by January 2022.

The estrogen deficiency AIs cause, however, results in multiple side effects, including joint and muscle aches, which can result in less physical activity and physical deconditioning.

An article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that up to 50 percent of women taking AI suffer from joint pain and stiffness within six months of beginning their treatment. Patients cite this as the most common reason for not following their treatment plan.

Hence, researchers want to identify methods to reduce side effects so that patients continue to follow their treatment plan and experience as few side effects as possible.

Because exercise has been proven to be beneficial for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis, researchers are hopeful that it will have the same benefit for those suffering AI-related joint pain.

Current therapies mainly focus on helping patients who develop symptoms, rather

Participants in the Baltimore VA Medical Center’s study will be randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group will participate in supervised aerobic and resistance training two times a week for 14 weeks at the VA Medical Center at 10 N. Greene St. Participants in the second group will be counseled on American Cancer Society and American College of Sports Medicine physical activity and nutritional guidelines at the beginning of the study, and will be contacted by a physician or nurse who will provide support and encouragement during weeks two, six, 10 and 14.

Participants in both groups will be evaluated on their level of fatigue, muscle performance and musculoskeletal symptoms.

To qualify for the study, patients must be between the ages of 40 and 80, experience mild fatigue, and have stage I, II or III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. They must have already completed standard surgery and chemotherapy (if needed), but may undergo radiation therapy during the study.

Participants must also be non-smokers, have been postmenopausal for at least a year, and not already be participating in a regular exercise program.

The exercise programs and counseling in the study are free. No additional compensation is provided.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Monica Serra, PhD, at (410) 6057000, ext. 4199 or monica.serra@va.gov.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

13

Frequent saunas may increase longevity

By Lindsey Tanner Frequent sauna baths may help you live longer, a study of Finnish men suggests. It would be welcome news if proven true — in Finland where hot, dry saunas are commonplace, and for Americans who have been shivering in a snowy Nordic-like winter.

Previous research suggested that saunas might improve blood vessel function and exercise capacity, and lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

The new study links long, hot sauna baths with even more benefits, including fewer deaths from heart attacks, strokes, various heart-related conditions and other causes.

The research was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

About 2,300 Finnish men, in their early 50s on average, were asked how often they used saunas. The rates ranged from once weekly to every day. During almost 20 years of follow-up, more than 900 of the men passed away.

The researchers took into account char-

Grains vs. gluten From page 10 Myth No. 10: Avoiding grains that contain gluten will lower your risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fact: Your risk will be reduced only if you’re avoiding highly processed refined grains, such as cakes, cookies and doughnuts made with refined white flour, whether or not they contain gluten. But don’t confuse the idea of avoiding processed refined grains with avoiding all grains. Whole grains, whether they contain gluten or not, can benefit your health in a variety of ways.

acteristics in addition to sauna use that would affect survival, including cigarette smoking, weight, physical activity, blood pressure and cholesterol, and income.

Longer, frequent saunas best Deaths from heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems were nearly two times more common in men who used saunas once weekly than in those who used saunas at least four times weekly.

Deaths from other causes were also more common in men who used saunas infrequently.

The amount of time spent in the sauna mattered, too. Fatal heart-related deaths were less common in men whose sauna sessions lasted more than 19 minutes, compared with those who spent less than 11 minutes in the sauna.

As for the reasons saunas might help, Dr. Jari Laukkanen, a University of Eastern Finland researcher and the lead author, said it could be that high temperature and humidity may cause beneficial physio-

logical changes in the cardiovascular system. But he said more research is needed to determine how and why saunas might prolong survival.

They are clearly relaxing for many people, and the camaraderie they offer may also benefit health, said heart specialist Dr. Rita Redberg, editor of the medical journal. “Clearly time spent in the sauna is time well spent,” she said.

What saunas work best?

Sauna rooms were 79 degrees Celsius, or 174 degrees Fahrenheit, on average for the most frequent users, but slightly lower for men who only used saunas once weekly. Finnish sauna rooms typically allow users to regulate temperature by pouring

water on heated rocks.

In Finland, nearly every home has a private sauna, often a separate room built into the basement. Families often use them together, and older apartments often have common saunas.

The study is based on observational information, and more rigorous research is needed to determine if saunas, or some unmeasured factor, might explain the results.

The authors said similar studies are needed in women to determine if they would gain the same benefits.

They said the research doesn’t apply to saunas that operate at lower temperatures and don’t allow pouring water on rocks to regulate heat, nor to steam rooms or hot tubs.

— AP

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Myth No. 11: All wheat, including whole wheat, is addictive and must be cut out of the diet in order to feel better and be healthy.

Fact: Not so. Wheat has no addictive properties. You may have read that researchers have identified a compound in wheat that can interact with opioid receptors in the brain, which is where addiction takes place. But the same compound is found in milk, rice and even spinach. And no one worries about becoming addicted to spinach!

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2015 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Don’t give in to an elder’s discrimination Dear Solutions: My granddaughter is a lesbian and is “out of the closet.”

One of her best friends is straight, and she doesn’t want her grandparents — with whom she lives — to know about my granddaughter because her grandfather “hates gays.” The irony is that her friend tells her that the grandfather likes her a lot.

It took my granddaughter a long time and a long struggle to come out

to our own family, and now she’s being asked to go back in the closet for her friend’s grandparent.

Since we’re talking about the grandparent generation, she asked me for some advice about how to handle this.

Suggestions?

— Emma Dear Emma: She should tell her friend that the closet doesn’t have a revolving door — out is out!

It might do her friend’s grandfather some

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good to discover that “some of his best If you really felt this was the right thing friends (or his granddaughter’s) are gay.” to do, you wouldn’t be asking. Male or feHowever, that’s his problem, male, 22 is very young, very and that’s between her and her inexperienced, very vulneragrandfather. Your granddaughble. Someone 48 and divorced ter must be who she is even if it is practically from another means not going to her friend’s planet. home any more.

I know there are May-DeIf her friend is a real friend, cember marriages that have she’ll understand and won’t worked, but not many. And ask her to lie. when they do, it’s usually for Dear Solutions: unusual reasons.

What do you think about Attraction and real love is SOLUTIONS age difference relationships mostly one-sided and shortBy Helen Oxenberg, where the woman is older lived in this kind of relationMSW, ACSW than the man? I’m 48 years ship. So don’t turn his head. old and divorced. My friend’s Turn yours — in another dinephew is 22, and as strange as it rection. sounds, I’m very attracted to him. © Helen Oxenberg, 2015. Questions to I can feel that he’s very attracted to be considered for this column may be sent me also, but he’s very shy. Should I to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver make the first move, since he’s so shy? Spring, MD 20915. You may also email — Older Woman the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inDear Older Woman: quire about reprint rights, call (609) 655You’re right. He’s shy about 26 years!

3684.

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15

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

The

Senior

NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on Aging

Connection

Department of Citizen Services

A Message from

Volume 5, No. 5 • May 2015

Celebrate and

Lois Mikkila Director, Howard County Department of Citizen Services

M

ay is Older Americans Month – a wonderful time to recognize the many contributions made by older adults. This year we’re also celebrating major anniversaries of two pieces of federal legislation that have played key roles in enhancing the lives of older Americans.

This year is the 80th anniversary of Social Security, which was created in 1935 as part of the New Deal. The first one-time, lump-sum payment was made to a man named Ernest Ackerman, who received a payment in January 1937 for 17 cents! This was a one-time, lump-sum payout — the only type of benefit paid at that time. From that rather inauspicious start, Social Security has certainly grown!

From 1937 through 2009, the Social Security program has paid out $11.3 trillion. (Visit www.ssa.gov/history for a lot more interesting information.)

Fifty years ago this July, Congress passed the Older Americans Act (OAA) out of concern about the lack of support services for older adults. Since its passage, it has provided funding for a wide range of critical services that help older adults remain healthy and independent. In fact, many of the Office on Aging’s programs are made possible through the funding we receive through the OAA. You’ll find more information about them in this issue.

In honor of OAA’s 50th anniversary, this year’s Older Americans Month theme – Get into the Act – focuses on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others.

In Howard County, older adults are actively involved in all aspects of our community. We play key roles in organizations, on boards and commissions, and in faith groups.

We understand that staying active helps us as much as it helps others. It’s never too late for you to “get into the act.”

Start today!

O

lder adults are a vital – and growing – part of our society.

Since 1963, communities across the country, including Howard County, have shown their gratitude by celebrating Older Americans Month each May. The theme of this year’s celebration, “Get into the Act,” focuses on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact on the lives of others.

This year’s theme also reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in July 1965. Since that time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services include senior centers, congregate meals, caregiver support, community-based assistance, preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more.

Throughout this issue you will find articles to help you learn more about how the Office on Aging helps residents “Get into the Act.” Office on Aging staff provide vital information and resources year-round in Howard County, but Older Americans Month offers our Department a unique opportunity to highlight the wide range of home- and community-based services older adults can access to live independently in their communities.

By promoting inclusivity as well as health and wellness activities, we hope more older adults than ever before will find new and innovative ways to “get into the act” to benefit from these programs.

To find out more, visit http://acl.gov/olderamericansmonth or call Maryland Access Point at 410-313-5980 (voice/relay).

The Senior Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Department of Citizen Services and the Office on Aging.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email seniorconnection@howardcountymd.gov Howard County Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountyaging.org Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCitizen

Kim Higdon Henry, Senior Connection Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Howard County Office on Aging or by the publisher.

The Senior Connection

16

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Maryland Access Point Helps Identify Resources

By Peggy Hoffman, Division Manager, Aging and Disability Resource Center The Older Americans Act (OAA) funds critical services to help keep older adults healthy and independent—services like caregiver support, transportation, health promotion, benefits enrollment and more. Maryland Access Point of Howard County (MAP), the information and resource assistance service of the Office on Aging, addresses these issues and coordinates services for older adults and individuals 18 years and older with disabilities. MAP can help you navigate and understand public and private resource systems; our information specialists will assess your needs, provide resource information, and help you get connected to available resources.

In Howard County, MAP is a “gateway” to Office on Aging programs and information with its “no wrong door approach.”

It also connects residents to resources such as the Caregiver Support Program, State Health Insurance Assistance (SHIP) Program for Medicare counseling, in-home assistance options, health and wellness offerings, senior centers and social day program options, transportation options, long-term futures planning, and much more.

MAP’s highly trained information specialists have many years of combined experience in the fields of aging, social work, and health care. Two of our staff are bilingual in Korean; interpretation services are available for other languages as well. MAP serves people by telephone, on home visits, at senior centers, by e-mail, through education and outreach sessions or a combination of the above.

MARYLAND ACCESS POINT AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER YOUR GATEWAY TO

Information • Assistance • Resources • • • • • •

Caregiver Resources and Support Medicare Education and Assistance Housing & Transportation Options Home Modification & Repair Senior Centers Health and Wellness Programs

• • • • • •

Guardianship/Ombudsman Short and Long Term Planning Reverse Mortgage Counseling Aging in Place Consultation Social Day Programs Volunteer Opportunities

To better illustrate how MAP works, here is a story about a Howard County resident who worked with MAP (some details have been altered to protect her identity).

Ms. K. is a 62-year-old woman who was living in a 2-bedroom apartment with her husband.

While she had a small income of her own from disability, she relied on her husband for the remainder their living expenses. As her primary caregiver, he helped with the shopping, meal preparation and household chores.

When her husband died unexpectedly, Ms. K. was left without his financial and personal support and had no savings to fall back on.

Desperate for help, a neighbor suggested she contact Maryland Access Point. A short-term care manager visited Ms. K. at home to assess her situation, and determined from Ms. K. that she had significant physical issues including being legally blind, diabetic, having high blood pressure and weakness in her leg from a stroke.

Since Ms. K. had no family in the area to turn to for help, the care manager reached out to the appropriate community agencies on her behalf. Together they created a comprehensive Options Counseling Action Plan, which included applying for public assistance benefits, arranging transportation to and from medical appointments and coordinating Meals on Wheels service. MAP’s care manager also worked with Ms. K’s apartment management to help her move into a more affordable 1-bedroom unit and mobilized volunteers to help her move. Today, Ms. K. is living independently in her apartment with limited in-home assistance.

Contact MAP at 410-313-5980 (voice/relay), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or email map@howardcountymd.gov.

Howard County Paws4Comfort This program fosters special bonds between pets, their owners and the County residents they visit.

If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to attend a free evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ingrid Gleysteen 410-313-7461 igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov Evaluations are held at the Bain Center 1ST WEDNESDAY of every month

Plan for Today. Plan for Tomorrow.

Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

May 6

410.313.5980 VOICE/RELAY 844.627.5464 TOLL FREE map@howardcountymd.gov www.marylandaccesspoint.info If you need this information in an alternate format, call 410.313.5980.

June 3

July 1

The Bain Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia, MD 21044

www.howardcountyaging.org

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

The Senior Connection

17

Keeping Howard County Healthy and Well

By Starr Sowers, Division Manager, Health & Wellness

T

he Older Americans Act of 1965 defined the need for programs to prevent or delay chronic conditions and promote health among older adults. Through the Older Americans Act and other legislation, the Administration on Aging (AOA) now supports a variety of programs to help older adults remain as healthy and independent as possible in their homes and communities. Managed by the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs (ONHPP), these programs include congregate and home delivered meals and nutrition education; behavioral health information; chronic disease and diabetes self-management education programs; disease prevention, health promotion, and falls prevention programs and more.

According to the National Council on Aging, nearly 92% of older adults have at least one chronic condition and 77% have at least two (i.e. arthritis, high blood pressure and diabetes).

The Office on Aging’s Health and Wellness Division was established to focus on people with chronic conditions, and help improve their functional health by expanding health and wellness opportunities. This Division provides Howard County’s older adults with the tools necessary to live a vibrant life at any age.

Together with our community partners, we offer a wide variety of programs to help maintain an optimal level of physical and emotional health and slow the rate of functional decline as you age.

The Division coordinates large scale community events like the 50+EXPO and WomenFest; offers mental health and peer support through the SeniorsTogether program; and works with volunteers to launch programs like the popular Cycle2Health.

With the aging of the Baby Boomers, the focus of the Health & Wellness Division is shifting to meet the needs of a more active older adult population. As the County’s Aging Master Plan survey has indicated, there is a strong need to focus attention on programs for those in underserved communities as well, including the homebound, those with low literacy skills and/or limited English proficiency, and the increasing Hispanic population.

To find out more about Health and Wellness programs in Howard County, visit www.howardcountyaging.org or call 410-313-5980.

!"#$#%&$'%$"()#*$'+),)$&)!!#),,$)-)#',$ !"#"$%"&'()'%*"'+"$,-!#.-/"%*"!' !-/!012

Bereavement Group Wednesdays, starting May 20, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Glenwood 50+ Center, 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723 Are you mourning the loss of a loved one? Join a support group to explore life beyond grief. This program is recommended for those bereaved more than two months but less than two years.

Nominal fee applies; call 410-313-7466 to pre-register.

Live Well, Age Well Tuesday, May 26, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044

Please Join Us for the 2015

CYCLING SEASON KICK-OFF! Thursday, May 14, 2015 • 10 a.m.

East Columbia 50+ Center In the parking lot at 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT

Jennifer Lee, Program Coordinator 410-313-5940 (VOICE/RELAY) • jlee@howardcountymd.gov

!"#$%"$&''%"$()*$"+,&(-(./0*%-/*0'1'2%(0%3/-/0*%4'33%/0%'-'&5% 4!5%!2%5()%!*'6%%7)8/'0#'%/0"'&!#9(0%/2%$/*$35%'0#()&!*'86%% Free; light refreshments served. To register, call 410-313-7213.

A Moment to Honor Monday, June 1, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044 :(0(&%"$'%2/*0/;#!0"%,'(,3'%/0%5()&%3/<'%4$(%!&'%0(%3(0*'&%4/"$%)26 =$'%'-'0"%<'!")&'2%!%*)'2"%2,'!.'&%,3)2%9>'%<(&%?)/'"% &'@'#9(0%"(%>)2/#A%/08/-/8)!3%2$!&/0*%!08%!%*&(),%!#9-/"56%% Free and open to all; light refreshments served.

RSVP to Elaine Widom, 410-313-7353.

www.howardcountyaging.org/cycle2health

www.howardcountyaging.org/seniorstogether This is a recreational program for the benefit of exercise and to explore the natural beauty and sights of Howard County. A $10 annual fee is required and will be collected at registration and applied to the spring through fall riding season. Rides vary in length and difficulty.

=(%&'?)'2"%!%2/*0%3!0*)!*'%/0"'&,&'"'&%(&%("$'&%!##(>>(8!9(02% "(%,!&9#/,!"'A%#!33%BCD+ECE+FBGG%(0'%4''.%/0%!8-!0#'6

The Senior Connection

18

VAC Protects Elders

By Ofelia Ross Ott, Division Manager, Home and Community Based Services

E

very person has the right to live a life free from abuse, exploitation and neglect. While most are able to protect themselves from these types of victimization, there are many who cannot — especially adults who are vulnerable due to a disability, their age, or an impairment or illness.

In 2005, the Howard County Vulnerable Adults Committee (VAC) was created to address neglect, abuse, and exploitation issues, as well as increase protection efforts for those who are limited in their ability to take care of themselves. The committee brings together agencies throughout Howard County, including the Police Department, Office on Aging, Adult Protective Services, State’s Attorney’s Office, Grassroots, Family and Children Services, and Office of Law, as well as additional non-profits to review ongoing cases involving vulnerable adults. The Committee provides a 360 degree look at each situation to ensure that services from all resources are provided in order to increase long-term success.

Each of these member organizations has made a commitment to provide strategic leadership, oversee effective inter-agency collaboration, share best practices in policy and procedures, and provide training in the community and to professionals serving vulnerable adults. As part of this effort, the Vulnerable Adults Committee will host the 2nd annual “Protecting Vulnerable Adults: Elder Abuse Awareness Conference,” on June 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sheraton in Columbia. The conference is designed for professionals and advocates serving older adults. For more information or to register, visit www.howardcountyaging.org/eldersafety.

The VAC is chaired by Lt. Jennifer Reidy of the Howard County Police Department. For more information, call 410-313-2207 (voice/relay) or email VAC@howardcountymd.gov.

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Get Into the Act at Senior Centers

By Barbara Scher, Senior Center Division Manager and Terri Hansen, Senior Center Plus Division Manager

R

ecognized by the Older Americans Act (OAA) as focal points in the community, senior centers have become one of the most widely used services among America's older adults. Nationwide, nearly 11,000 senior centers serve over 1 million older adults every day.

In Howard County, seven senior (or 50+) centers and three senior center plus sites connect older adults to a wide variety of resources, information and services that help them stay healthy and independent, including recreation; lifelong learning; nutrition counseling and congregate meals; volunteerism and more.

Enrichment opportunities abound — participants can express themselves through the arts, discuss today’s political issues, and exercise their minds and bodies.

Senior centers create an atmosphere that affirms the dignity and self-worth of older adults, while supporting their desire to maintain their independence in the community. The OAA’s Congregate Meal Program and Nutrition Services help to reduce hunger and food insecurity among older adults while promoting socialization and independent living.

Senior Center Plus Senior Center Plus sites provide structured therapeutic activities for older persons who, due to a physical and/or cognitive disability, are unable to manage the traditional senior center setting independently.

The three Plus sites, located in Ellicott City, Glenwood and North Laurel, support the independence of older persons with functional disabilities, and provide respite to their family caregivers. With a 1:8 staff to participant ratio, the four hour, fee-for-service program is better able to meet individual needs and abilities.

Kindred Spirits Social Club nd

Register Now for the 2 Annual PVA Conference!

The Office on Aging offers the Kindred Spirits Social Club as a place for people diagnosed with an early stage memory disorder to interact with others walking the same journey. Developed in cooperation with the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland, the Club provides socialization, companionship, support, and activities in a safe and nurturing environment. This four hour, fee-for-service program is offered at the Glenwood 50+ Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For more information, call 410-313-5440 (voice/relay).

PRESENTED BY THE

Howard County Department of Citizen Services Office on Aging, the Howard County Mental Health Authority and the Howard County Police Department

Advocates • Fiduciaries • First Responders • Medical Professionals

FREE Admission • Limited Seating

Friday, June 12, 2015

•

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sheraton Columbia, 10207 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD 21044 REGISTER ONLINE AT

https://eventbrite.com/event/16163129355/ For more information, contact Ofelia Ross Ott 410-313-6052 • oross@howardcountymd.gov If you need an interpreter, or other accommodations to attend, contact Maryland Access Point (MAP) at map@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-5980 at least one week in advance.

www.howardcountyaging.org/eldersafety

HOWARD COUNTY SENIOR CENTERS Bain Center ....................................5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia .....410-313-7213 East Columbia 50+ Center .............6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia........410-313-7680 Elkridge Senior Center....................6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge .......410-313-5192 Ellicott City Senior Center ...............9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City ........410-313-1400 Glenwood 50+ Center ....................2400 Route 97, Cooksville ................410-313-5440 Longwood Senior Center ................6150 Foreland Garth, Columbia .........410-313-7217 North Laurel 50+ Center ................9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd., Laurel .....410-313-0380

SENIOR CENTER PLUS SITES Ellicott City Senior Center Plus .......410-313-1425 Glenwood Senior Center Plus .........410-313-5442 North Laurel Senior Center Plus......410-313-7218

www.howardcountyaging.org/seniorcenters

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

19

SIDESTEP PROBATE Plan your estate carefully to avoid probate’s costs and delays. With many types of accounts, you can bypass the process

Law &

ABCS OF MEDIGAP A guide to choosing among the 10 standard Medigap insurance plans that supplement Medicare. Plus, how to find the best price

Most mutual funds doing well this year

By Stan Choe Sometimes, nearly everyone wins.

Last quarter was a winner for the vast majority of mutual-fund investors, as 87 percent of all funds delivered gains. Rising stock markets around the world and a drop in interest rates drove the returns, continuing a years-long run for funds.

To be sure, the gains were typically smaller than what investors enjoyed earlier in this bull market. But they were widespread. Of the 95 different fund categories that Morningstar tracks, 84 logged gains on average.

Those with losses were often in niche areas, such as Latin American stock funds or emerging-market bond funds, and likely play only a supporting role in portfolios.

Largest fund shows trend Consider the mutual fund that’s a centerpiece of many retirement accounts: Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index fund. It’s the largest fund by assets — nearly double the size of the No. 2 fund — and it delivered its 10th quarter of gains in the last 11 despite starting the year slowly.

It was down more than 3 percent in midJanuary, hurt by worries about plunging profits for energy companies. The fund tracks the performance of the broad U.S. stock market, and 7 percent of its portfolio is in the oil and gas industry.

But stocks recovered as the quarter progressed, and the fund ended up returning 1.8 percent. It got a particular boost from smaller companies in its portfolio. It owns

everything from Tel-Instrument Electronics, which has a market value of about $20 million, to Apple, which is more than 30,000 times larger.

Tel-Instrument Electronics stock jumped 20 percent last quarter, more than Apple or the large-cap Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

It was a similar trend across the market, and small-cap stock funds generally beat their large-cap rivals.

Small cap stocks excel The average small-cap growth stock fund returned 5.8 percent, versus 3.5 percent for the average large-cap growth stock fund. That’s a turnaround from last year, when small-cap stocks were generally listless due to worries that they’d become too expensive relative to their earnings.

The surging dollar helped fuel demand for small-cap stocks. The dollar jumped to its highest level against the euro in more than a decade, and it also set multi-year highs against the Japanese yen, Canadian dollar and other currencies.

That hurts U.S. companies that do lots of business abroad because sales made in euros or yen are worth fewer dollars than a year ago. Such companies are typically big, while small-cap stocks generally do more of their business in the United States, so their revenue isn’t as affected.

A look at some of the other trends that drove fund performance last quarter: Foreign stock funds led the way.

Central banks in Europe and Japan are

pushing big stimulus programs for their economies, sending their stock markets higher. Japanese stock funds returned an average 10.9 percent last quarter, the best performance of any fund category. European stock funds returned an average 4.8 percent.

Funds that “hedge” to negate the effect of shifting currency values had even higher returns. While the falling euro helps revenues for European exporters, it also erodes returns of European stocks when translated into dollars.

Healthcare stock funds are still hot.

Healthcare stock funds have been some of the best, not only over the last quarter but also over the last year. They returned an average 10.7 percent from January through March, second-best among 95 fund categories. Over the last year, they’ve returned 32.4 percent, also good for second place.

Earnings for healthcare companies are growing faster than for the rest of the market, attracting investors. But stock prices have shot up so quickly that worries are rising they’ve become too expensive.

Even the Federal Reserve has made some noise. Nearly a year ago, in July

Frank, Frank

2014, it said that valuations “appear to be stretched” in biotechnology. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index has surged about 35 percent since then.

Bond funds are defying expectations.

Rising interest rates are one of the biggest fears for bond-fund investors.

They can cause losses by knocking down the price of existing bonds.

Coming into the year, much of Wall Street projected that interest rates would rise. The economy was strengthening, and the Federal Reserve was expected to raise its key short-term interest rate for the first time since 2006.

But the Federal Reserve indicated in March that it may move slower in increasing rates than many expected. Several economic reports also came in weaker than expected, and interest rates dropped during the first quarter. That drove most bond funds to gains last quarter, with long-term bond funds delivering the biggest returns.

Index funds are still the top choice for investors.

Investors continued their march into See MUTUAL FUNDS, page 20

& Scherr, LLC

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Elder Law, Estate & Special Needs Planning Medical Assistance Planning and Eligibility Advance Medical Directives / Living Wills Trusts / Estate Planning and Administration Wills / Powers of Attorney Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts Guardianship

410.337.8900 | www.frankelderlaw.com | 1.888.338.0400 Towson | Columbia | Easton

20

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Plan ahead to avoid probate’s costs, delays Probate is a process by which property Steering clear of probate is distributed to a decedent’s beneficiaries.

There are ways to avoid probate, and it’s In most situations, it is time-consuming, ofin the interest of your heirs to fers no benefits, and can reinvestigate these options. An sult in expensive, avoidable excellent source is 8 Ways to legal expenses.

Avoid Probate (Nolo) by Mary In probate, the will is filed Randolph, J.D. Here are a few with a local court; the decestrategies. dent’s property is identified • A living trust. A living and appraised; debts are paid; trust is a revocable trust, meanchallenges to the will’s validity ing you can change it at any time are adjudicated; and the rewhile still living. You specify the maining assets are distributed beneficiary of any assets in the as the will specifies. trust agreement, as you would THE SAVINGS Normally, probate takes ap- GAME in a will. After your death, the asproximately up to a year, often By Elliot Raphaelson sets go directly to your inherilonger. The executor appointtors without probate and without ed in the will is responsible for a waiting period. You can name hiring a probate attorney, when required. alternate beneficiaries.

Even with a modest estate, attorney fees Court challenges to living trusts are can be substantial. Probate costs vary by rare. It is generally more difficult to chalstate, but you can expect them to be ap- lenge a living trust than a will in court. proximately 5 percent of the value of propA living trust does not eliminate the need erty in the estate. for a will. Almost no one transfers everything

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

to a trust. Any assets not transferred to your trust won’t pass under the terms of the trust agreement. You can use a “pour-over” will directing any remaining property be poured over into your living trust.

A disadvantage of the living trust is that is more work, and more expensive, to create and maintain than other probate-avoidance alternatives. Although it is the most flexible way to avoid probate, not everyone needs one. Ask your attorney.

• Naming a beneficiary for your retirement accounts. When you establish a retirement plan, you will be asked to name beneficiaries (and optional alternative ones). You may change beneficiaries at any time up to your death. A will does not override beneficiary elections you make on these forms! Any beneficiary changes must be made on the forms associated with your retirement account. If you have a named beneficiary, the accounts will not go through probate.

• Payable-on-death accounts. Bank account assets, including certificates of de-

posit, can easily be kept out of probate by simply designating them as payable-ondeath and telling your bank the name of your intended beneficiary. Your beneficiary will have immediate access to the funds after your death.

The only disadvantage is that you can’t name an alternate beneficiary. So if your original beneficiary dies, advise your bank to change the beneficiary.

• Transfer-on-death registration for stocks and bonds. Unless you live in Louisiana or Texas, you can name someone to inherit your stocks, bonds or brokerage accounts without probate.

• Property held in joint ownership.

The following ways to own property in joint ownership avoid probate: joint tenancy with right of survivorship; tenancy by the entirety; and community property with right of survivorship (applicable only in five states). Ask your attorney for advice. © 2015 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed

By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Mutual funds

funds in the year’s first two months, while $12 billion went into their index-fund rivals.

Index funds offer lower expenses than actively managed ones. And over the last 10 years, they’ve also offered better performance.

— AP

From page 19 index funds last quarter, and out of funds run by stock pickers. Nearly $23 billion flowed out of actively managed U.S. stock

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

21

The ABCs of picking a Medigap policy

By Christopher J. Gearon People enrolling in traditional Medicare should buy a supplemental insurance policy to cover the substantial gaps left by deductibles and co-payments, according to consumer advocates.

But choosing a private Medigap plan can be daunting.

That’s what Joyce Katen discovered when she turned 65 last May. “I got so confused,” says Katen, a clothing manufacturing consultant in New York City. She turned to the Medicare Rights Center (www.medicarerights.org), a consumer group that helped her choose a policy among numerous offerings.

Like others approaching age 65, Katen first needed to decide how she’d protect herself against Medicare’s large coverage gaps. Most beneficiaries have two options.

They can go with a private Medicare Advantage plan, which covers all Medicare benefits, provides drug coverage and limits out-of-pocket costs. Or they can opt for traditional Medicare and buy a separate Medigap policy and a Part D prescriptiondrug plan.

For Katen, that decision was easy. Advantage plans restrict your selection of providers, and Katen said she wanted to be able to use any doctor she chooses, as traditional Medicare allows.

Filling in the gaps Then came the hard part for Katen: choosing a supplemental insurance policy.

Medigap policies are sold by private insurers in 10 standardized benefit designs, named A through N. With some exceptions, coverage and price generally increase as you move up the alphabet.

Plans C and F are held by a majority of the 9 million Medigap beneficiaries. Both pay the deductible for Medicare Part A, which covers hospital costs, and for Part B, which covers outpatient costs. The deductible for Part A is $1,260 for each benefit period in 2015, and the annual Part B deductible is $147. (Plans E, H, I and J are no longer sold, but if you hold one, you can continue to keep it in most cases.)

To figure out which policy is best for you, consider your “health status, family medical history and risk tolerance,” said Casey Schwarz, policy and client services counsel for the Medicare Rights Center.

Healthier beneficiaries who rarely need medical care may be best suited for highdeductible plans. Plans K and L are highdeductible policies that have lower premiums but impose higher out-of-pocket costs. Plan F also offers a high-deductible version.

But new beneficiaries should not

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choose a plan based solely on their health today. As long as you buy a Medigap policy within six months of enrolling in Part B, an insurer cannot reject you or charge you more because of medical issues. However, if you become ill and want to switch to a plan with better coverage, an insurer can boost the cost or turn you down.

Katen decided to go with the fully-

loaded Plan F. Katen, who is healthy, said she would rather pay more for comprehensive coverage and not worry about footing the bill if she gets sick.

“I can’t imagine not having the coverage,” Katen said. She pays UnitedHealthcare, which sells policies under the AARP See ABCs OF MEDIGAP, page 22

BEACON BITS

Apr. 30

SAVE MONEY ON INSURANCE

Learn from experts how to spot insurance scams and save money. This event is free and will take place on Thursday, April 30 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Elkridge Senior Center, 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. For more information, call (410) 313-5192.

Apr. 27

INVESTING BASICS

On Monday, April 27, in partnership with MakingChange, Roy Yenoli will present an overview of basic investing. The event will take place at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City at 7 p.m. Registration is preferred. To register or for more information, call (410) 313-1950.

Apr. 30+

LONG REACH VILLAGE CENTER RENEWAL PLAN

Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman would like to get input from Howard County residents about the Long Reach Village Center. Meetings will be held on Thursday, April 30, May 28, June 11 and Sept. 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Stonehouse Village Center, 8775 Cloudleap Ct. #7, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 313-2350 or visit mthompson@howardcountymd.gov.

22

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

ABCs of Medigap From page 21 name, a monthly premium of $261, in addition to the monthly $104.90 Part B premium she pays to Medicare.

Find a plan that fits your needs Depending on the plans offered in your area, Plan N could be a middle ground for many healthy beneficiaries.

“Plan N provides very good coverage and is more affordable than Plan F,” said

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE CURB-TO-CURB TRANSPORTATION Columbia Association’s Senior Advisory Committee is sponsoring

a curb-to-curb transportation shuttle to cultural events for groups of four or more seniors 60+ in Howard County. The service is for evenings (after 4:30 p.m.) and weekends only, and the service is free. To request or cancel a ride, call (410) 715-3087 and a Senior Advisory Committee member will call back to confirm. All reservations and cancellations are recorded to determine need, and repeated cancellations or “no shows” will affect the future locations of the service.

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Ross Blair, senior vice president of eHealthMedicare.com, a division of online broker eHealth Inc. Plan N provides much of the same coverage as Plan F, but it doesn’t cover the $147 Part B deductible. It also charges a $20 co-payment for doctor visits and a $50 co-payment for emergency room visits that don’t result in hospital admissions.

In New York City, UnitedHealthcare offers a Part N plan for $178 a month, compared with Katen’s $261 premium for Plan F. Katen could still come out ahead with Plan N if she had two emergency room visits and 40 visits to the doctor.

Once you choose your plan category, it usually makes sense to go with the company offering the cheapest price for that plan.

Under federal law, all plans offered under the same letter must offer the same benefits.

Prices for the same policy can vary widely, however. For example, annual Plan F premiums range from $1,752 to $3,768 in Rockville, Md., and from $2,472 to $6,552 in Miami.

Three pricing methods Besides checking the initial premium, ask the insurer which of the three pricing methods it uses for the plan you’re considering.

Attained-age pricing bases the premium on your age when you buy the policy, with rates rising as you grow older. Premiums can also increase because of inflation.

With issue-age pricing, the premium is based on the age at which you buy the policy (the younger you buy, the less expensive), and it will not change as you age, except for inflation.

Community-rated policies charge the same price to everyone regardless of age, and your annual premium can only in-

crease for inflation.

“We would encourage going with a community-rated plan, with an issue-age plan being the next best thing,” Blair said. He compares attained-age policies to variablerate mortgages, which start off at a low price but can escalate considerably.

To understand how your costs may change over time, ask for a three- to fiveyear rate history for each policy you’re considering. Also ask for quotes as if you were age 70, 75 and 80.

Some insurers will offer discounts — for nonsmokers, for women and for those who hold several policies with the company, such as homeowners and auto insurance.

While companies in most states can conduct medical underwriting if you apply for a plan after the initial six months are over, there are some exceptions. You can buy Medigap coverage without underwriting if you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan and you move out of its service area, or if your insurer stops selling the Medigap plan you currently have.

Another exception is if your retiree health coverage from a former employer ends. And some states, such as New York, prohibit underwriting after the six-month period.

To compare policies in your area, visit www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/medigap-home.aspx. To get additional help, get in touch with your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program through www.shiptalk.org.

You’ll find rules in your state by visiting the website of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (www.naic.org). © 2015, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

May 8+

FIVE ONE-ACT PLAYS

Try it Out Theatre will present Act 4! It’s All About You, Mom on Friday, May 8 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m. at the Red Branch Theatre, 9130-I Red Branch Road, Columbia. Topics generally rated PG13. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and students. For more information, call (410) 997-9352 or visit www.TIOTheatre.com.

May 6

WHITE HOUSE VISITOR’S CENTER

Take a trip to the White House Visitor’s Center on Wednesday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and take an interactive virtual tour of the White House, view White House artifacts, and shop at the Historical Association retail store. Lunch is on your own. Security check and photo ID are required. Buses will pick up at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia and the Normandy Shopping Center, Ellicott City. Cost is $49 and walking is required. For more information, call (410) 313-7279.

Ongoing

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING

Blood pressure screenings will be held at the Ellicott City Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Rd., on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (410) 313-1400.

Ongoing

WII CLUB

Have fun bowling, playing tennis or playing baseball without even going outside. Improve your hand-eye coordination playing Wii on Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Bain Center, 5740 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 313-7311 or email Cathy Vigus at cvigus@howardcountymd.gov.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Want to get rental car insurance coverage at the best price? See story on page 25.

Crossing the Atlantic in style on the QM2 draped at least one sunset sky.

There were sunny days and foggy days, rainy days and windy days, as the ship sailed on with just a slight rumbling sway beneath our feet.

A winter crossing could be a bit rockier.

Still, a New York Times article noted that the North Atlantic’s “heaving beauty is mesmerizing. It’s a volcano of sorts.”

While there were some young families aboard, seniors predominated on our crossing. Some had to traverse the decks and enter the dining areas, bars and theaters using walkers or in wheelchairs. But they all seemed to get around.

Donna and I prefer being devoured by a good book, watching movies and just walking, rather than heavy socializing. We had plenty of opportunities for those pastimes. The QM2 library is the largest at sea (over 8,000 books) and the ship’s Illuminations Theater not only shows movies afternoons and evenings, but also houses the world’s only floating planetarium.

We rounded the promenade deck every morning after breakfast three times, equal to about a mile — and took long treks to find our way around the ship’s 14 decks.

We also lounged on padded deck chairs, taking in the sun when it shone and the salty smell of the wind off the sea while reading our books

PHOTO COURTESY OF CUNARD

By Robert Friedman Aboard the Queen Mary 2, Roger McGuinn, former leadman of the Byrds, sings a shanty of tough and tender times at sea. Then we adjourn to the ship’s ballroom for a white-gloved serving of afternoon tea, finger sandwiches and scones with clotted cream, while a young woman with long tresses strums the harp.

It’s a small part of another day aboard the Cunard line’s 14-deck, 1,130-foot long, 148,528-ton flagship during an eight-night, seven-day transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton, England. The QM2 is the only passenger liner that still makes regularly scheduled crossings, from May to January.

Departing at 5 p.m. from a new pier in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn (today’s humongous cruise ships no longer fit comfortably beside the Manhattan docks), the liner carried a near-capacity 2,382 passengers and a crew of some 1,200 — a 1-to-2 crew-to-passenger ratio.

This wasn’t my first Atlantic crossing, but it was for Donna, my companion, and I could glimpse in her eyes the awesome wonder of an initial crossing.

Since it was summer, the sea was mostly calm, but the wind still whipped up little sudsy caps as we cut through the true blue, and a huge reddish-copper sheet

PHOTO COURTESY OF CUNARD

Most Queen Mary 2 passengers dine in the multi-level Britanna Restaurant, where dinner entrees include roast duck à l’orange and broiled lobster tail, shrimp & scallop feuillantine.

The Queen Mary 2 departs for the seven-day trans-Atlantic crossing from New York to Southampton, England. It is the only passenger ship that still makes regularly scheduled crossings between the major world ports.

Activity bonanza But other onboard activities were so varied and numerous, you just had to attend at least a few.

For Donna, daily watercolor painting classes returned her to a love of making art that had been interrupted over the years for life’s mundane necessities, like making a living and raising a family.

I actually found myself Lindy hopping part of one night away to “In the Mood” and other swing classics, played by the ship’s big band in the Queen’s Room, which the QM2 says has the largest dance floor in what is, of course, the biggest ballroom at sea.

And still the activities — more classic folk-rock music by McGuinn; Q&A sessions with former Star Trek helmsman George Takei; a one-hour breeze-through of Hamlet by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; jazz sessions by Julliard School faculty and students; lectures on the lives and times of Hollywood icons Cary Grant, Judy Garland and Bette Davis, with snippets from their films; cornball show-biz revues; a sublimely silly parade of female passengers in their best, and worst, hats for the Royal Ascot Ball — and on and on till the midnight hour nightly.

Bars galore, five swimming pools, a health spa, hot tubs, a casino, and all sorts of meet-up groups — coffee klatches for lone travelers; Alcoholics Anonymous gatherings; get-togethers of Friends of Dorothy LGBT (supposedly named after gay idol Judy Garland’s Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz).

Some 30 passengers, all male, were shooting the breeze and downing cocktails at one very informal Friends of Dorothy meeting. Paul, an apparently successful middle-aged businessman from Palm Springs, Calif., said he frequently takes cruises and ocean crossings with his husband. He said that several women have attended the once semi-secret, now-ubiquitous Friends of Dorothy get-togethers on most of these cruises.

Paul introduced me to his husband Phil, also a prosperous looking near-senior, “We’ve been together 24 years,” said Paul, “and last year, finally, we were allowed to get married.”

Dining choices abound While relatively few of the Downton See QM2, page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

QM2 From page 23 Abbey crowd had exclusive rights to a couple of fancy dining rooms, the vast majority of passengers dined in the double-deck Britannia Restaurant, where the waiters snapped napkins onto your lap as soon as you were seated.

There were also specialty restaurants (all Asian, all Indian, all Italian, one operated by celeb chef Todd English) for an extra $10 to $30 per meal. You had to buy your own wine, and you could order it at the table or press the “wine line” button on your cabin phone and discuss your choice with a sommelier.

The food and the service were mostly first-class. There were two dinner sittings, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Donna and I chose the later one. We appeared in the Britannia

mostly only for dinner, since we got up too late for the restaurant’s breakfast, which ended at 9:30 a.m. Turning ahead the clock by one hour at noon on five days also messed with meal hours.

But no problem. If you missed a Britannia meal, the Kings Court, a busy cafeteria, served breakfast from 4 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. You did suffer the indignity of having to tote your tray to a table. Lunch could also be picked up there until 3:30 p.m., just about when tea time kicked in at the Queen’s Room.

Whenever you entered a dining area, a bottle of Purell was at the door, and in the first two or three days, an attendant gave your hands an extra spritz. That was to keep at bay the feared, highly contagious norovirus that has spread among cruise passengers on several recent, highly publicized occasions.

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

When Jack and Sylvia, our dinner companions from Sarasota, Fla., found out that Donna and I were from the D.C.-area, much political talk followed. It was lefties (us) against righties (them).

Jack, a Dick Cheney lookalike, jokingly dubbed us “limousine liberals” (my 1995 Toyota Camry would be thrilled by the upgrade), and we pronounced Sylvia and Jack to the right of Rush Limbaugh.

But guess what? We actually got along, laughing a lot during meals and finding deeper truths about one another than the political corners we often push one another into.

Note to Congress: It’s not that difficult.

All you have to do is eat, drink and laugh together as you glimpse the sea sweeping by through the bay windows.

At one lunch, we met Tony, a middleaged Londoner, who told us with a Michael Caine accent that he was now spending much of his time attending lectures and enrolling in classes. “I just finished studying about 19th century British colonialism in Southeast Asia,” he said proudly.

When I told him I had lived in Puerto Rico, and that many people there believe the island is a U.S. colony, Tony responded: “Six a one, ‘alf dozen of the other.”

The large majority of the passengers were Brits and Americans, but there were also hundreds of Germans aboard, since the QM2 docked at Hamburg after its stop at Southampton. While most of the Brits and Germans were going home after touring the U.S., for many of the Americans, the crossing was the first leg of a European visit.

Our tablemates were sailing to Hamburg, where they would rent a car, drive to Switzerland, then to France and possibly Venice. “Time is not of the essence,” said Jack, who just turned 70. “What’s most important is relaxing and enjoying ourselves while we travel.”

A relative bargain Donna and I, both members of the shrinking middle class, didn’t have to go into hock to make the trip. I found a great deal less than three weeks before the ship sailed — $699 for each of us — less than $100 a day for transportation to Europe, an inside “stateroom,” entertainment (except for drinks), and food, food and food. There were even free launderettes on the cabin decks.

Donna and I were ready for a vacation and, remembering the good old days on ocean liners, I looked up online “transatlantic crossings.” The bargain fare was offered by Vacations to Go, a Houstonbased travel agency. A couple of e-mails and we were set to go. For another $40 per passenger, we booked with the agency bus fare from Southampton to London, a two-hour ride. The bus was waiting at the dock.

Our 157-square-foot QM2 cabin was the least expensive type on the liner, whose other accommodations with balconies and even duplex suites could range into the thousands of dollars per passenger.

We had a double bed, work table, TV, telephone, small fridge, and ample closet space, already stocked with bathrobes and slippers. Not too much drawer space.

Bathroom and shower, of course. For seven days, it was cozy and livable, especially if you didn’t pack too much, which you shouldn’t.

Figuring out the attire For the men, a suit and a sports jacket should do, along with everyday wear, depending on the season. Since most of the trip is through the North Atlantic, a sweater and windbreaker are advisable, even in high summer.

For women — well, how dressy do you want to get in the evenings? The QM2’s suggested dress code is probably the most formal at sea. It is dressier than a cruise in, say, the Caribbean.

During the day, people were in casual clothes, including jeans and shorts. But at 6 p.m., the dress code kicked in. While there were no fashion police around to cite you for being under-dressed, most of the passengers got spiffed up for dinner.

How veddy British was the trip? Well, there were four formal dress nights on our eight-night crossing, meaning floor-length or cocktail dresses for the women and either tux or dark suit-and-tie for the men.

On the other nights, guys had to wear jackets but could go tieless. If you wanted to go tieless and jacketless on any night, you had to dine cafeteria-style.

Just about all of the room stewards and much of the restaurant staff were from the Philippines. Jose, our cabin guy, said we should call him Joe. Juan, one of our waiters, introduced himself as Johnny.

Internet service was available for passengers in a computer lounge. It was pretty pricey. There were time plans ranging from $47.95 for 120 minutes to $167.95 for 480 minutes. You could also pay as you go, 75 cents a minute, which may be OK if you just want to say a quick hello to the family.

But if you can’t remain Internet free for the week (unfortunately, who can?) I suggest the 120-minute plan. We paid as we went, and didn’t seem to be on line that long, but wound up with a $70 bill.

I was able to receive and make calls on my smartphone for $2.49 a minute.

When you get the feeling, as you will at times, that you are in a floating luxury resort, find a quiet place on a forward deck where you can smell the ocean, feel the wind on your face, and view the parting waves, the flaking whitecaps, the endless sea. You’ll get a sense of the journey — one of life’s pleasures, unavailable on today’s cramped, time-warping jet flights.

Currently, the lowest price listed on Cunard’s website for the crossing is $999 for an inside cabin. (Last-minute specials like ours may be available if you wait until shortly before sailing and search online.)

For reservations and more information from Cunard, call 1-800-728-6273 or see www.cunard.com.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

25

Consider third-party rental car insurance “Don’t buy the rental company’s grossly stead of buying Super CDW for more than overpriced collision damage waiver (CDW); $200 a week, bought a third-party policy instead, rely on the coverage from Protect Your Bubble you get for no extra cost (protecctyourbubble.com) for through your credit card.” $7.99 a day. Sure enough, he For decades, that’s been put a scrape on the car. When the mantra of most travel writhe returned it, the agent added ers. It’s still the best overall 621 euros to his bill — 580 approach for most travelers — euros for the repairs and a 41 but not for all, and not always. euro “administrative charge.”

Yes, almost all American When he got home, he Express, Diners Club and Visa downloaded a claims form, cards still cover damage to a scanned all the relevant docuTRAVEL TIPS rental car, as do many Masterments, and emailed it back to

By Ed Perkins Card and Discover cards. But Protect Your Bubble. In about sometimes you either don’t want to — or two weeks, he received a check covering can’t — rely on your credit card’s coverage: the 580-euro repair charge in full but not Most credit card collision coverage is sec- the administration fee. ondary, meaning it pays only what you can’t His conclusion: Fair enough — Protect first recover from other insurance, and you Your Bubble came through without any may not want to risk a big hit on your regu- hassle and was a far better deal than the lar auto insurance for damage to a rental. rental company’s Super CDW. The only irSecondary coverage means you may ritation was that initial hit on his credit have to pay the full amount of damage up card; the claims process was painless. front and claim reimbursement later.

Most credit card coverage requires that Other options Protect Your Bubble isn’t the only you decline the rental company’s CDW, but base rates for rentals in some foreign coun- source for low-cost third-party rental car tries include some CDW, which you cannot coverage: • Some comprehensive travel insurance decline. That CDW has a high deductible, however, and some credit card issuers re- bundles include an add-on CDW option.

• CSA Travel Protection sells $35,000 of fuse to cover it because you didn’t decline it.

Rental companies sell “Super CDW” to collision-only coverage for $9 a day cover the deductible, but at very stiff prices. through TripInsuranceStore.com.

• When you rent from a big online travel The basic problem here is that rental companies grossly overcharge for colli- agency (OTA) such as Expedia or Priceline, sion coverage. Typically, you pay at least these days the agency typically offers its own $15 a day, and often up to $30 a day — primary CDW option for around $10 a day.

• Auto Europe quotes rates with and sometimes even more than the base rental without no-deductible CDW. In Italy, for rate. It’s a huge profit center for them. example, the price difference is $48 a week for a compact car.

A cheaper choice • Another independent company, Insure I recently reported that collision coverage — primary coverage — is available My Rental Car (insuremyrentalcar.com) from third-party agencies at a far lower cost quotes zero-deductible coverage at $32 a than the amounts rental companies charge. week or $114 per year, but coverage is only In response, I heard about a driver who $25,000, which may not be enough in a bad faced the foreign rental problem, and in- collision. That agency offers an alternative

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

of an annual policy, for a tad under $100 a year.

• UK-based Worldwide Insure (worldwideinsure.com) offers an alternative for Super CDW in Europe for 15 pounds (about $24) for a week or 38 pounds annually to travelers age 25 to 84.

The take-away here is straightforward.

If you can accept secondary coverage, and it covers you fully, your credit card remains the lowest-cost way to protect yourself against big damage claims.

But if, for any reason, you want primary coverage, or your credit card doesn’t offer complete coverage, third-party collision coverage can protect you against damage claims for far less than the rental car companies charge.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Perkins’ new book for small business and independent professionals, “Business Travel When It’s Your Money,” is now available through www.mybusinesstravel.com or www.amazon.com.

26

M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Style Arts &

Ibsen’s Ghosts at Everyman Theatre is a 19th century soap opera. See review on page 29.

Photos capture the world of the winged Sharing nature to help preserve it

PHOTO COURTESY OF JERRY WEINSTEIN

PHOTO BY JERRY WEINSTEIN

By Robert Friedman said the photographer. “They are nature’s The mother has just flown in on beauti- paint brush. They offer a huge variety of ful blue-violet wings to feed her open- colors, patterns, shapes and sizes. beaked fledgling, who actually looks perWhen I see a bird I want to follow it, seeturbed, perhaps at a long waiting time for ing where it’s going, how it’s doing its bird the meal. thing without being interrupted by The avian scene of the lilac-breasted mankind.” rollers, caught last year by Columbia Capturing birds in flight by camera photographer Jerry Weinstein with his can be daunting, said Weinstein. “You Nikon D800 at the Maasari Mara Game have to know your subject, be aware of Reserve in Kenya, is one of his 10 images the light, the composition, make sure the of exotic and local wings are not birds now on exhibit blocking their at the Robinson Nabodies. You have ture Center. to try to capture The birds have in sharp detail the winged in, via Weinfineness of their stein’s photographic feathers. I don’t eye, from among such know how many varied places as the photos of them southern coast of IceI have thrown land (Atlantic puffins), away.”

Serengeti National The retired Park in Tanzania (the Pentagon econopin-tailed whydah), El This photo of two puffins is part of the mist has been conCalafate, Argentina exhibit. centrating his pho(the southern lapwing tography on naand the rufous-tailed hawk) and from the ture, in Howard County and around the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore (a snowy owl). world. For over five decades, Weinstein has been pointing one Nikon or another at An avian avocation birds, in flight and at rest, as well as lions “My wife, Etarae, and I like to travel,” and tigers looking back at him, monkeys the 73-year-old Weinstein said. “Photogra- cavorting, giraffes entwining necks, and phy is an important component of our trav- other mostly zoo animals, as well as the inels.” sides and outside of flowers and natural “I’ve always been entranced by birds,” landscapes.

He acknowledged that he has not focused much on the human species in the more than five decades he has been taking, developing, printing and framing his pictures.

He has tried to capture the noble and the playful of two- and four-legged creatures.

“There is enough ugliness in the world,” he said. “I prefer to go for the beauty side of nature.”

He added: “I’ve always believed in the design of nature, how even down to the minutest detail, nature has done its beautiful things.”

One of his principal goals, he said, is to show what is worth preserv- Photographer Jerry Weinstein focuses his lens on the nating in a world that now ural world, capturing birds, flowers and zoo animals. An threatens animals and exhibit of his bird photographs is on display at the Robinson Nature Center through June. nature through shrinking habitats and climate change, which are upsetting migration pat- preserve it for themselves, for others and for future generations,” he said. terns and territorial homes.

Weinstein began taking his photos as a “It is my fervent hope that when people are more aware of the great beauty that See PHOTOGRAPHER, page 27 surrounds us, they will be more likely to

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

Howie awards

music educators and a retired minister.

From page 1

Teaching the next generation

jazz in high school bands.” In fact, he was going later that day to judge a jazz music competition at Chantilly High School in Fairfax, Va. He added that adults, who may not be able to earn a living jamming, still play the music as a hobby, if nothing else.

“I think jazz — Duke Ellington, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins — will still be played 50 years from now” he said, emphasizing that (D.C.-native) Ellington “is our Beethoven.”

BarenBregge is proud of the fact that he directs the Columbia Jazz Band, which is composed “95 percent” of Howard County residents ages 35 to 70, all of whom are “excellent musicians.” The ensemble plays concerts and outdoor dances and have had four performing tours around Europe, the leader noted.

The band includes, among other sidemen, a doctor researching heart disease, a social worker, computer scientists, lawyers,

Photographer From page 26 youngster visiting the Botanical Gardens Zoo at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. He kept snapping through the years, while visiting different countries, and then in Columbia, where

Greg English, who was honored as Outstanding Arts Educator, has been teaching in and around Howard County elementary and high schools for the past 15 years, the last nine of them at Reservoir High School.

An Elkridge resident, the 37-year-old English also practices what he teaches, which is painting and photographer. But he noted that “I always wanted mostly to be an arts educator.”

While he believes that computers could be used in making original work of arts, he teaches the more traditional, manual techniques. “It’s important to have that foundation” before trying to digitalize whatever it is that creates a true work of art, the teacher said.

He offers technological help for students who want to use the Internet for online portfolios of their art and photography work.

Whether it’s through the digital or hands-on route, “I love to open the eyes of students to art,” said English. “It could

have such a powerful effect on them.”

English noted that many of today’s students appeared to be less patient and focused than students when he first began to teach.

“Art is all about putting in time and effort to learn skills,” he said.

Nevertheless, “those students who are willing to listen will be at least as creative” as those who came before them. The restlessness of many of his students, he said, is compensated by “more innovation and risk-taking among the budding artists in the classrooms.”

Howard Bank President and CEO Mary Ann Scully accepted the business award for the institution and announced at the ceremony that the bank was beginning a scholarship fund for fine arts students at HCCC. The bank will seed the scholarship with $20,000, Scully said, and she encouraged area businesses to contribute to what she called “The Celebration of the Arts as an Economic Anchor Scholarship Fund.”

She noted: “The arts do not just lift us up and out of ourselves . . . the arts also

connect and serve as intermediaries and also build economies.”

Scully, who lives in Clarksville and was inducted in the Howard County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2007, also pointed out that besides the jobs created in organizations, the arts can bring in the money with works that become tourist attractions. They can also attract and keep going “a creative class of bright, educated earners that can transform a community.”

Legacy in the Arts award honoree Yong Ku Ahn was a longtime resident of Columbia who died in 2013 at the age of 85. A virtuoso violinist who founded and conducted the Columbia Orchestra, Ahn was also an internationally recognized teacher. He had been a member of the faculty at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore for 34 years. He was born in what is now North Korea.

Information on the Howie Award nomination process for 2015 will be available beginning this summer. For more information, see http://hocoarts.org/celebration_of_the_arts.php.

he moved in 1973. He also played a role in developing early Columbia’s fledging community by helping start its first synagogue.

Weinstein’s bird photos will be on exhibit through June 28. For bird fanciers, the complete lineup of images also includes a bluebird photographed in Columbia, a great

blue heron from Chincoteague, Va., a saddle-billed stork from Kenya, and a white ibis, caught on camera at Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. The Howard County Recreation and Parks’ Robinson Nature Center, which hosts art exhibits accenting the beauty of the natural world, is located at 6692 Cedar

Lane, near Route 32. It is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

Admission to the trails and building is $5.

For more information, call (410) 313-0400 or see www.howardcountymd.gov/robinsonnaturecenter.htm.

BEACON BITS

May 16

SYMPHONIC POPS

The Columbia Orchestra will present well-known hits from films, Broadway, jazz and classics, featuring vocalist Delores King Williams and the Columbia Jazz Band. The event will take place on Saturday, May 16 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Jim Rouse Theatre, 5460 Trumpeter Lane, Columbia. Tickets range from $10 to $25. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.columbiaorchestra.org.

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

29

Rebellious souls haunt Ibsen’s Ghosts

By Dan Collins As any theater student can attest, 19thcentury Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen was not known for light fare. Ibsen challenged the repression of the Victorian age, the morals of family life, the traditional roles held by men and women in society — the stuff of stuffy university English Lit term papers.

Yet Ibsen has been lauded as second only to Shakespeare as a playwright. His A Doll’s House is said to have been the world’s most performed play by the early 20th century.

And Ibsen is still performed before full houses even today, including Baltimore’s Everyman Theater where Ibsen’s Ghosts continues its run now through May 3.

What does Ibsen have to say to modern audiences, raised on reality television, TMZ celebrity scandals and the Kardashians? Actually, quite a lot, if Ghosts is any indication.

A 19th-century soap opera The plot of Ghosts is elegantly simple: a mother welcomes home her “prodigal son,” as Osvald Alving (played by Danny Gavigan), a not-so-starving artist fresh from a lengthy trip to Paris, describes himself. But why he has returned home becomes the hidden force that moves the entire play.

Everyman favorite Deborah Hazlett plays Osvald’s mother, Mrs. Helene Alving, who has an affinity for reading “unrighteous” books that the local reverend, Pastor Manders (James Whalen), believes

only stir Helene’s “rebellious soul.”

Of course, there’s a lot for Mrs. Alving to be rebelling against — being stuck on a large estate where a gray rain never stops, living in a foreboding Jayne Eyre-type manor where everything appears to be colored dark depression brown.

But wait, it gets worse, though entertainingly so.

Turns out Mrs. Alving’s Mr. Alving was not exactly an adherent to Puritanical Christian values, either. The stereotypical “pillar of the community,” the late Mr. Alving had more in common with Hugh Hefner and Arnold Schwarzenegger — who fathered a child with the family maid — than Cotton Mather.

Speaking of maids, Sophie Hinderberger plays Regina Engstrand, the Alving family servant and ward of Mrs. Alving since childhood. She’s an independent and pragmatic woman who is driven to excel and raise her social station.

Tossed about like a cork in these unsettling waters is Whalens’ Manders. Walking ever ram-rod straight, head held high, he is like a fixed moment in time, dwelling in a world of eternal familial and societal values that cannot change, nor should, at least in his opinion.

Naïve, he is a “bleeding heart” as Mrs. Alving calls him, a term she uses not to berate, but out of affection — an affection Ibsen indicates might have at one time been something more than platonic.

And what’s an Everyman production

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

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without a scene-stealing performance by resident company member Bruce Randolph Nelson? Nelson plays Jakob Engstrand, a bearded brigand with a bum leg, a Machiavellian mind and a sly tongue to match.

Like father, like son?

Which brings us back to Osvald Alving, the prodigal son. Osvald, who appears to share Oscar Wilde’s tailor, is pallid, perturbed, and generally preoccupied as he paces the stage, his demeanor as dreary as the rainy weather. Something ails Osvald’s body and spirit, and what that malady is finds its roots in the failings of his father.

There is a moment when Osvald makes an off-stage advance toward Regina, and in that moment, Hazlett’s Mrs. Alving reacts

ALL COMMUNITIES ARE SMOKE FREE

YO U R

New

LI F ESTY LE BEG I N S HER E

A PA RTM EN T HOM ES FOR THO SE 62 AN D BETT ER

A L L I T E R A T E

S A Y S O

S W E E P

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

EASTERN SHORE

E V E R

S E R A

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150

Easton 410-770-3070

Severna Park 410-544-3411

HARFORD COUNTY

BALTIMORE CITY

Bel Air 410-893-0064

B E E R

S T A R

P O K Y

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440

Box Hill 410-515-6115

Coldspring 410-542-4400

HOWARD COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Colonial Landing 410-796-4399

Catonsville 410-719-9464

Columbia 410-381-1118

Dundalk 410-288-5483

Ellicott City 410-203-9501

Fullerton 410-663-0665

Ellicott City II 410-203-2096

Miramar Landing 410-391-8375

Emerson 301-483-3322

Randallstown 410-655-5673

Snowden River 410-290-0384

SYMPHONIC POPS MAY 16, 2015 at 7:30pm

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Rosedale 410-866-1886 Taylor 410-663-0363

Selections from Into the Woods, Carousel, Porgy and Bess, and more. Featuring Delores King Williams, and the Columbia Jazz Band

as though she has seen a ghost, which, as we learn more details about her late husband’s “degeneracy,” she has.

This play was said to be shocking and scandalous to the audiences who first experienced it, and it’s easy to see why. Issues ranging from incest to adultery, children born out of wedlock, alcoholism, “free love,” suicide, temptation of a man of the cloth, even STDs, are all food for thought in Ibsen’s Ghosts.

Kudos to director Donald Hicken, who keeps the pace quick despite an exposition-heavy exchange or two.

Everyman Theater is located at 315 W Fayette St., Baltimore, Md. Tickets range from $40 to $60. Ask about senior discounts.

To purchase tickets, call (410) 752-2208 or visit www.everymantheatre.org.

55 AND BETTER!

Bladensburg 301-699-9785

Towson 410-828-7185

Laurel 301-490-1526

Woodlawn 410-281-1120

Laurel II 301-490-9730

= NEWLY RENOVATED Delores King Williams vocalist

Order your tickets now to reserve the best seats!

Tickets range from $10-$25 ($2 service fee may apply)

Jim Rouse Theatre, 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia, MD 410-465-8777 www.columbiaorchestra.org

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com.

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Take Turns

by Stephen Sherr 1

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Across 1. Move like Jagger 6. Mother and Silly 11. He has no common sense 14. He wrote “Common Sense” 15. Create the disco version 16. Fundamental principle 17. Crank it!

19. Honestly, it’s a “concentrated aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide” 20. Strict grammarian 21. “The rocks” 22. Give a lifetime achievement award 24. Place for gas, coffee, and cigarettes 27. Space next to the space bar 30. Long Sun. talk 31. Manhunters 32. Thai payment 34. Toe total 35. Hematite and magetite 38. Protest retroactively 42. Gates’ was soft; Dell’s was hard 43. Watercolors and ice sculptures 44. Aquatic mammal 45. Wonderful words on a cake 47. Innocent ___ lamb 49. Sinkerballer’s stat.

50. Close down for the night 54. Brand new 55. Vintage car 56. Vanilla qty.

60. South of Leb. 61. Neglect 64. Girl between Marsha and Cindy 65. Roll downhill 66. Cold and barren 67. Fonzie’s approvals 68. Prepares a manuscript 69. It’s stuffed in a muffin 1. Rode a ferris wheel

13

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Down

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HB5/15

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Scrabble answers on p. 29.

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2. Spanish appetizer 3. Ostentatious display 4. Frumpy 5. There’s one in “two” 6. Root seller 7. Conger chaser 8. Down Under bird 9. TV family since 1989 10. Makes an effort 11. Settle on similar sounds 12. Authority 13. Clean a fireplace 18. MN athlete 23. Create a box of candies 25. It is found twice in Mississippi 26. Olympian’s weapon 27. Take ___ 28. Molten chocolate 29. Retail rejections of The King or The Jedi 33. Special rewards 34. Demolition team’s tool 36. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ___ achieve greatly” (RFK) 37. Red Cross supplies 39. Recipient of “Jr.”, perhaps 40. Pitcher Hershiser 41. The one who lost the game 46. Caught in ___ 47. T-Men 48. In stilettos 50. Board of appeals 51. “Once it’s said, you can’t ___ it” 52. Rhyme for “my eyes” in Daydream Believer 53. Project Runway goal 57. Saloon selective 58. General promotion 59. Moving like a snail 62. Once around the track 63. Relent, like the tides

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 5

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

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

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

Caregivers KIND, DEPENDABLE, EXPERIENCED caregiver for live-out care or live-in care for a flat rate. Hygiene care, Meal preparation, Housekeeping, Errands, Appointments, Medication reminders. Call 301-490-1146.

Computer Services PROBLEMS WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301642-4526.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Financial Services TAXES, ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING, eldercare. CPA 38 years, reasonable rates. Call 410-653-3363.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

Home/Handyman Services BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL – Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency, Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Removal, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling, Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates.

10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).

SANFORD & SON HAULING & RECYCLING. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage + basement cleanouts. Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410-746-5090.

31

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th 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 $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise.

Each ad is $25 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, Baltimore Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Wanted

Wanted

VINYL RECORDS WANTED 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.

LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational.

Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

BUYING ANTIQUES, ESTATES – Cash paid for jewelry, gold, silver, old coins, pens, toys, dolls, old sports golf, baseball, any collections.

Call Tom, 240-476-3441.

Wanted

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.

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.

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, 301-910-0783.

Thanks for reading!

Personal Services

WE BUY JEWELRY, SILVER, GOLD, AND COSTUME. Coins, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

OLD AND NEW, WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, Tea Sets, Single Pieces of Silver, Large pieces of Silver Plate. Attic, Basement or Garage. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. You have something to SELL, we are looking to BUY.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies IDEAL Health Study . . . . . . . . .12 Elderly Falls Prevention Study . .12

Events COGS Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Funeral Services Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Homes, Inc. . . . . . . . . .21 Going Home Cremations . . . . . . .6 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . .10

Home Health Care A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . .13 Homewatch Caregivers . . . . . . . .10 Options for Senior America . . . . . . .5

Housing Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Charlestown Independent Living/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Gatherings at Quarry Place . . . . . .9

Heartlands of Ellicott City . . . . .20 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Homewood at Willow Ponds . . . . .7 Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . .25 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Shangri-La Assisted Living . . . . .4 Shriner Court/Quantum . . . . . . .26 Somerford Place/5 Star Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Retail Columbia’s Village Centers . . . .14 WOW! Computer . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Senior Services The Senior Connection . . . . .15-18

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Legal Services

CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Law offices of Rick Todd . . . . . .19

Theatre/ Entertainment

Medical/Health Audiology First, LLC . . . . . . . . . .7 BW Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Maryland Relay Dial 711 . . . . . . .4 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . .14 Salt Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Pharmacies Ellicott City Pharmacy . . . . . . . .12 CVS/pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company . . . . . . .27 Columbia Orchestra . . . . . . . . . .29 Columbia Pro Cantare . . . . . . . .26 Hippodrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .27

Tour & Travel Coal Country Tours . . . . . . . . . . .25 Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . .25 Homestead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

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M AY 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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May 2015

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. em ro Rehabilitation ti n and Nursing Center, All seminars and eventss will be held at Brooke Grove l ch h he Brooke B V located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Grove Retirementt Village Campus. h Toni Davis vis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org. f Please register with Gentle Yoga Classes Mondays & Wednesdays, 3-3:45 p.m.

May 4 – June 10, 2015 Six-week session: $89 • Walk-ins: $8.50 per class Enjoy the health benefits of yoga in this class for beginners and those with stiffness or movement limitations. All poses may be done using a chair.

Support for the caregiver seminar: “Caring for Yourself as You Care for Others” May 19, 2-3 p.m.

This seminar will identify ways to find balance as a caregiver, including accepting help from others, knowing your limits and making time for yourself.

FREE. Register by May 17.

Living Well ll Seminar: a “Unlocking Your Inner Pharmacy: a Pills and Skills” a ay 13, 7-8:15 p.m.

May est choices—or c Lifestyle skills—don’t necessarily replace pills, but developing these skills can help improve certain medical conditions and equip you to talk confidently with your physician. Light supper at 6:30 p.m.

FREE. Register by May 11.

Alzheimer’s support group May 20, 3 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by th the Alzheimer’s Association, this fre free group provides support, de understanding and helpful information for caregivers and those touched by this disease. Confidentiality assured.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 www.bgf.org

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support