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Jazz heats up Saturday nights

MAY 2022

I N S I D E …

PHOTO COURTESY OF WAMU

By Glenda C. Booth Even on the coldest nights of winter, for many WAMU listeners, the evening grows hot as Rob Bamberger ramps up the rhythm on his three-hour weekly radio show, “Hot Jazz Saturday Night.” Bamberger inspires listeners to dance around the kitchen or tap to the beat on pots or toasters. Some fans go from waltzing to Louie Armstrong’s “Up a Lazy River” to toe-tapping to the “bottomy sound” of Jelly Roll Morton’s “Black Bottom Stomp.” Bamberger has hosted “Hot Jazz Saturday Night” on WAMU for 42 years, and 90 percent of his shows were live broadcasts. By the end of April 2022, Bamberger had hosted 2,022 shows. Last year, the program had an average of 27,400 listeners per week in the D.C. area, not counting out-of-town listeners or those who listen online later, according to Nielsen data.

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Evolution of a radio show

Our Ex xpe ertts, t O Our ur Fam m y mil

Rob Bamberger, the longtime host of WAMU radio’s “Hot Jazz Saturday Night,” recently aired his 2,022nd program. He says doing a three-hour radio show live “is like driving stick shift” — potentially perilous but joyful.

“I’m not a bona fide musicologist,” he admitted. But Bamberger is a living encyclopedia of jazz esoterica, reeling off arcane tidbits about the tunes he’s about to share every Saturday. “My allusions may seem a little obscure,” he admitted one night — after all, who else can identify the 1939 clarinetist in the Duke Ellington orchestra or 1932

tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins? Bamberger stirs up listeners with tunes like “Get Rhythm in Your Feet and Music in Your Soul,” “Oink,” and “I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good.” Some devotees want to jump around to Nat King Cole’s “Mutiny in the Nursery”

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In the 1970s, when Bamberger’s show first aired, WAMU named many shows, like “The Diane Rehm Show,” for their host. But Bamberger did not want a show named after him. “Who the hell is he?” he joked. He settled on “Hot Jazz Saturday Night” because in the 1920s and ’30s jazz was often called “hot music.” To rev things up, the 1930s entertainer Al Jolson would bark to his orchestra leader, “Get hot!” Every week, Bamberger plays mostly vintage jazz, swing and big band recordings from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. When introducing a piece, he rattles off the composer, arranger, performers, label, year recorded and genre of music. He details the instruments involved, from xylophones to washboards, banjos to kazoos.

See SATURDAY NIGHTS, page 17

“Connection an nd sharing is what at ensures a high qu uality of life.” - Jeff r e ey y Gr uber, Direc tor of Clinical a Ser vices

ARTS & STYLE

The musical Grace at Ford’s Theatre is a feast for the ears; plus, a choir’s anniversary, poetry to savor, and Bob Levey on older drivers page 46

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Alzheimer’s drug saga Last year, we covered the controversy Not only did the studies not prove over the FDA’s approval of Aduhelm, the Aduhelm to be effective, they revealed new — and first ever — drug some very serious — in one treatment to claim the ability case fatal — side effects, into slow the progress of cluding falls, brain bleeding Alzheimer’s disease. More and brain swelling. has happened in the last few Despite its uncertain (unweeks. likely?) benefit, the drug’s deTo summarize, the FDA veloper, Biogen, proposed to approved the drug under a charge patients (in most process that bypassed its cases, that means Medicare) usual “safe and effective” $56,000 a year for the prodstandard. Instead, Aduhelm uct. received “accelerated ap- FROM THE Today, more than one out proval” based on an expecta- PUBLISHER of 10 Medicare recipients suftion that its proven ability to By Stuart P. Rosenthal fer from Alzheimer’s. As a reremove clumps of amyloid sult, when Medicare set its protein in the brains of papremium rates for 2022, it tients (one of several biomarkers of the raised them by the largest dollar-amount disease) ought to reduce patient symp- ever: $21.60 per month, about half of toms. which it said was due to the expected cost Unfortunately, the studies on which the of covering this one drug. approval was based were in conflict on this That means 56 million Medicare recipipoint. In fact, two early studies of the drug ents are each being charged $130 more were halted by the manufacturer itself due this year to cover the cost of this dubious to disappointing results. treatment for eligible patients. Furthermore, of the 11 medical experts In my view, there are several parties reconvened by the FDA to consider all the sponsible for this egregious situation: The study evidence, 10 indicated the studies researchers who pushed the FDA to apfailed to show “clinical effects,” and addi- prove the drug despite the absence of the tionally expressed uncertainty even as to usually required evidence; the patient adthe role of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease. vocacy groups who have sought a treat-

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ment — any treatment! — for Alzheimer’s for decades and lobbied the FDA heavily for approval; the manufacturer, who reportedly priced the drug based on “comparables” from life-saving cancer treatments (Aduhelm is not a life-saver, or even a proven life-extender at present); and even competitor drug manufacturers pursuing similar lines of research who hoped to piggyback on the approval of Aduhelm to promote their own treatments. Fortunately, though the FDA overlooked its “safe and effective” standards in this case, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers Medicare, did not ignore its “reasonable and necessary” standards for covering the drug’s cost. Normally, Medicare pays for all FDA-approved drugs. This year, however, CMS announced it would cover Aduhelm’s cost only for patients enrolled in an approved double-blind study of the treatment’s effectiveness. I will also note that, due to a great outcry over Aduhelm’s originally proposed cost, and also to the reluctance of many leading hospitals and medical practices to prescribe the treatment, Biogen cut the price in half. As a result, Medicare is now considering whether to reduce the current premium. They certainly should, not only because of the price drop, but due to the very limited coverage Medicare is offering. Here’s how I view the characters in this modern-day morality play: • The FDA, in providing accelerated approval, succumbed to political and other pressures, ignoring long-standing rules, established expectations, and the judgment of its experts. • Biogen was guilty of overreach both in pushing for full approval without satisfactory evidence, and aggressively pricing this drug of limited effectiveness. On the plus side, at least the company responded to market pressures and reduced the

price, though it’s still exorbitant. • Medicare made two smart calls: first, in pricing this drug into 2022 premiums, and second, in publicizing the degree to which the new drug was responsible for the increase. This transparency appropriately galvanized public response. I think it would be wise for Medicare to act similarly whenever extraordinarily priced drugs have a measurable effect on premiums. • CMS was not wrong to both limit coverage of the drug and to require all patients receiving it to participate in a study. However, I wish those studies were not required to be placebo-controlled, because that means half the patients will not be receiving the real drug, and that the number (and locations) of participants will be highly limited. Another, less onerous route exists for collecting study data on new drugs: a CMS-approved registry. That would permit more patients to obtain Aduhelm from doctors all over the country, and require those doctors to submit data to CMS that could be used to prove (or disprove) the new drugs’ effectiveness over time in realworld settings. CMS’s position is that placebo-controlled studies must first establish evidence of effectiveness so that registry data can be compared against those results. Once such studies are complete, the registry can be utilized to gather data more broadly through the population. That means most Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers and families will have to wait several more years before finding out if they will get a chance to try the much-hyped, much hoped-for Aduhelm or one of the other treatments still in development. Let’s hope that day comes. It can’t be too soon.

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 email to info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Thank you for the informative articles provided in each Beacon issue that are not available in other publications. Of serious and present interest is your April article titled “Can COVID bring on a case of shingles?” by Jim Miller. My personal experience with the shingles vaccine I was urged to take a few years ago warrants mention for your readers to preclude awakening the beast that is shingles. As with most all of us, we follow medical recommendations that often fail to advise us completely. I and every other person I

have spoken to over the years have not been cautioned to avoid the shingles vaccine if you are immune compromised. That includes having CLL cancer. I took the vaccine that was a live virus and did develop shingles. NIH doctors advised I should not have taken the vaccine since it is a live virus and I am immune compromised. Your article does not directly address this serious prohibition that your readers should be informed about. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 53

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Health Fitness &

DIABETES AND DEMENTIA The earlier you develop diabetes, the greater the risk of dementia HACKING HACKS A lingering cough doesn’t require antibiotics. Hard candies work well BEYOND YOGURT Not fond of yogurt? Try these other great sources of probiotics TIMING IS IMPORTANT Snacking late at night hurts sleep and may lead to weight gain

Time to rename low-risk prostate cancer? By Carla K. Johnson A cancer diagnosis is scary. Some doctors say it’s time to rename low-grade prostate cancer to eliminate the alarming C-word. Cancer cells develop in nearly all prostates as men age, and most prostate cancers are harmless. About 34,000 Americans die from more aggressive prostate cancer annually, but treating the disease can lead to sexual dysfunction and incontinence. Changing the name could lead more low-risk patients to skip unnecessary surgery and radiation, some doctors believe. “This [low-grade diagnosis] is the least aggressive, wimpiest form of prostate cancer that is literally incapable of causing symptoms or spreading to other parts of the body,” said University of Chicago Medicine’s Dr. Scott Eggener, who is reviving a debate about how to explain the threat to worried patients. The words “You have cancer” have a profound effect on patients, Eggener wrote last month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

He and his co-authors say fear of the disease can cause some patients to overreact and opt for unneeded surgery or radiation. Others agree. “If you reduce anxiety, you’ll reduce overtreatment,” said Dr. David Penson of Vanderbilt University. “The word ‘cancer,’ it puts an idea in their head: ‘I have to have this treated.’”

Making a diagnosis Diagnosis sometimes starts with a PSA blood test, which looks for high levels of a protein that may mean cancer but can also be caused by less serious prostate problems or even vigorous exercise. When a patient has a suspicious test result, a doctor might recommend a biopsy, which involves taking samples of tissue from the prostate gland. Next, a pathologist looks under a microscope and scores the samples for how abnormal the cells look. Often, doctors offer patients with the lowest score — Gleason 6 — a way to avoid surgery and radiation: active surveil-

lance [formerly called “watchful waiting”], which involves close monitoring but no immediate treatment. In the U.S., about 60% of low-risk patients choose active surveillance. But they might still worry. “I would be over the moon if people came up with a new name for Gleason 6 disease,” Penson said. “It will allow a lot of men to sleep better at night.” But Dr. Joel Nelson of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said dropping the word “cancer” would “misinform patients by telling them there’s nothing wrong. There’s nothing wrong today, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to keep track of what we’ve discovered.”

What to call it instead? Name changes have happened previously in low-risk cancers of the bladder, cervix and thyroid. In breast cancer, there’s an ongoing debate about dropping “carcinoma” from DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ. In prostate cancer, the 1960s-era Gleason

ranking system has evolved, which is how 6 became the lowest score. Patients may assume it’s a medium score on a scale of 1 to 10. In fact, it’s the lowest on a scale of 6 to 10. What to call it instead of cancer? Proposals include IDLE for indolent lesion of epithelial origin, or INERRT for indolent neoplasm rarely requiring treatment. “I don’t really give a hoot what it’s called as long as it’s not called cancer,” Eggener said. Steve Rienks, a 72-year-old civil engineer in Naperville, Illinois, was diagnosed with Gleason 6 prostate cancer in 2014. He chose active surveillance, and follow-up biopsies in 2017 and 2021 found no evidence of cancer. Calling it something else would help patients make informed choices, Rienks said, but that’s not enough: Patients need to ask questions until they feel confident. “It’s about understanding risk,” Rienks said. “I would encourage my fellow males to educate themselves and get additional medical opinions.” —AP

COVID boosters for the fall and beyond By Matthew Perrone While many Americans are trying to move on with their lives after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. health officials are debating the best way to use vaccines to stay ahead of new variants of the coronavirus. A panel of U.S. vaccine experts met in early April to discuss key questions for future COVID-19 booster campaigns. The Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisers won’t make any binding decisions, but they could help shape the government’s approach for years to come. FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told reporters last month that it wouldn’t be surprising if the agency authorized another booster dose in the fall to protect most Americans against the latest coronavirus mutations. He opened the April 6 meeting by cautioning that waning vaccine protection, new variants and colder weather later this year could raise the risk of more surges. “All that taken together makes us conclude that a general discussion of booster vaccination against COVID-19 is warranted at this time so that we can potentially in-

tervene,” Marks said. Some of the key questions for the panel: How should the U.S. decide when to launch future rounds of booster shots? Who should get them? The panel heard presentations from government health officials and independent researchers that underscored the challenges of predicting what the virus will do. Trevor Bedford, a disease modeler with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said a major new strain like omicron could emerge anywhere from every 1.5 years to once a decade, based on currently available data. Given that unpredictability, researchers will need methods to quickly determine whether current vaccines work against emerging variants. In March, the FDA authorized an extra Pfizer or Moderna shot for anyone 50 or older and for some younger people with severely weakened immune systems. It’s an effort to get ahead of another possible surge. Only about half of Americans eligible for a third shot have gotten one. And some independent experts disagree about the

need for even that additional protection in healthy individuals, due to limited evidence of the benefit or how long it might last. The last U.S. wave was driven by the omicron variant. During that surge, two vaccine doses were nearly 80% effective against needing a breathing machine or death — and a booster pushed that protection to 94%, federal scientists have reported. COVID-19 cases have dropped to low levels in the U.S., but health officials are warily watching an omicron sibling that now accounts for most cases. What’s the process for updating vaccines to address new variants? All the COVID-19 vaccines now used in the U.S. are based on the original coronavirus version that emerged in late 2019. Updating the vaccines will be a complex task, requiring coordination between the FDA, manufacturers and global health authorities. In response to panel questions, a representative for the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) laid out the narrow window that manufacturers would face to reformulate, study and mass produce an up-

dated vaccine by September. “If you’re not on your way to a clinical trial by the beginning of May, I think it’s going to be very difficult to have enough product across manufacturers to meet demand,” said Robert Johnson, deputy assistant secretary of BARDA. The timeline for updating annual flu vaccines offers one possible model, and the FDA panel was expected to discuss the strengths and weakness of adopting such an approach. Twice a year, World Health Organization experts recommend updates to flu vaccines to target emerging strains. The FDA then brings those recommendations to its own vaccine panel, which votes on whether they make sense for the U.S., setting the stage for manufacturers to tweak their shots and begin mass production. But COVID-19 hasn’t yet fallen into a predictable pattern like the flu. And vaccine manufacturers will likely need more time to conduct additional studies of their COVID-19 vaccines, which don’t have the same decades-long record of safety and effectiveness as flu shots. —AP

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Suburban Hospital offers free classes with a Certified Diabetes Educator. The group meets on Zoom on the second Wednesday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. Sign up at events.suburbanhospital.org. For questions about the Diabetes-Thrive 365 meetings, call Suburban’s Diabetic Services at (301) 986-6032.

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Are diabetes and dementia connected? By Andrew E. Budson, M.D. Due to increasing rates of obesity, inactivity and an aging population, Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in our society than ever before. In high-income countries, death from diabetes dropped from 2000 to 2010, but then increased from 2010 to 2016 — leading to an overall 5% increase in premature deaths since 2000. Particularly troubling is that Type 2 diabetes is now being seen frequently in children, due to obesity and inactivity. Doctors have known for many years that Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for strokes and heart disease. More recent studies have shown that diabetes also increases your risk of dementia. What has not previously been investi-

gated, however, is whether the age of onset of diabetes makes a difference in your risk of developing dementia.

More diabetes years raises risk A newly published study examined the association between age of onset of diabetes and the development of dementia using a large, ongoing cohort study. The cohort was established in 1985-88 among 10,308 employees aged 35 to 55 years (33% women, 88% white) in London-based government departments. Data on diabetes exposure, including fasting glucose and the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score, were obtained at ages 55, 60, 65 and 70. (The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score includes age, family history of dia-

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betes, personal history of elevated blood glucose, fruit and vegetable consumption, blood pressure medication, physical activity, body mass index, and measured waist circumference.) Dementia due to any cause was the primary outcome measure. In addition to diabetes, researchers also examined the effects of age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, high blood pressure, body mass index, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, medications, and the Alzheimer’s risk factor gene, apolipoprotein E. From 1985 to 2019, 1,710 cases of diabetes and 639 cases of dementia were recorded. For every 1,000 people, examined yearly, the rates of dementia were 8.9 in those without diabetes at age 70. Comparable rates of dementia for those with diabetes were 10.0 for those with onset up to five years earlier, 13.0 for six to 10 years earlier, and 18.3 for more than 10 years earlier. These striking results clearly show that the earlier you develop diabetes, the greater your risk is for developing dementia.

Type 2 diabetes may lead to dementia. One reason is related to the effects that diabetes has on the heart, as heart health is related to brain health. Heart disease and elevated blood pressure are both associated with strokes that, in turn, can lead to dementia. However, strokes do not appear to be the complete answer, as some studies found that diabetes led to an increased risk of dementia even when strokes were controlled for. Another factor relates to the episodes of hypoglycemia that commonly occur in diabetes. Although tight control of blood sugars has been proven to reduce the longterm risks of heart disease and strokes, tight control can also lead to hypoglycemia, memory loss and dementia. Here, the reason is likely because low blood sugar episodes are known to damage the hippocampus — the memory center of the brain.

Similarities to Alzheimer’s One of the more intriguing hypotheses is that diabetes directly causes Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed, Alzheimer’s disease has even been called “type 3 diabetes” because of shared molecular and

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Bleeding moles may be serious — or not By Jason Sluzevich, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: I have a significant number of moles. While most do not bother me, I have at least one that bleeds from time to time. Should I see my doctor for a mole that bleeds? A: Moles are groups of pigment cells, and nearly everyone has them. Most moles are harmless, but it’s possible for melanoma — a rare but serious skin cancer — to develop in or near a mole. Although it may not be serious, a mole that bleeds is a possible sign of melanoma. Melanoma develops in cells called melanocytes that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color. The exact cause of all melanomas isn’t clear, but exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or tanning beds increases your risk of developing the disease. Moles often appear as small, dark brown spots, and they are caused by clusters of pigmented cells. Moles generally appear during childhood and adolescence. Most people have 10 to 40 moles. Moles can develop anywhere on your body, including your scalp, armpits, under your nails, and between your fingers and toes. They may contain hairs or become raised or wrinkled. Moles may change in appearance or

Diabetes From page 6

fade away over time. Hormonal changes of adolescence and pregnancy can cause moles to become darker and larger. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider if you notice any changes in your moles, and being evaluated by a dermatologist annually and checking your skin regularly are two excellent steps you should take to catch melanoma and other types of skin cancer early. The sooner skin cancer is found, the better the chances are of curing it.

Ask someone to look at your back. If you notice any changes in shape, size or color of a mole, or a new mole with rapid growth, show it to your healthcare provider. If it looks suspicious, your healthcare provider or a dermatologist can biopsy and

remove the mole to have it checked for cancerous cells. This procedure is usually quick, and it may be all the treatment that is needed. See MOLES, page 9

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Self-check for cancer It’s not always easy to distinguish melanoma from a normal mole or another area of pigmentation. One of the most important things you can do is to become familiar with the location and pattern of your moles, and monitor them for changes. Examine your body in front of a mirror.

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cellular features among diabetes and Alzheimer’s. For example, insulin plays a critical role in the formation of amyloid plaques, and insulin is also involved in the phosphorylation of tau, which leads to neurofibrillary tangles. In other words, whereas insulin resistance in the body can lead to Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance in the brain can lead to the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer’s disease.

How to reduce your risk The good news is that you can reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes — and your risk of dementia. Speak with your doctor today about whether the following lifestyle modifications would be right for you. Note that these life changes are helpful even if you have a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes. • Engage in aerobic exercise at least 30 minutes each day, five days each week. • Eat a Mediterranean-style menu of foods. • Maintain a healthy body weight. • Treat high blood pressure. • Treat high cholesterol. • Don’t smoke. Lastly, social activities, a positive attitude, learning new things, and music can all help your brain work at its best and reduce your risk of dementia. © 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Get relief from cough without antibiotics By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I am still coughing from a cold that started 10 days ago. I tested twice for COVID-19, both negative. Do I now need an antibiotic? A: Probably not. Most often these upper respiratory infections are caused by common viruses. Coughs caused by respiratory infections often last two to three weeks. Sometimes the cough can linger for a couple of months. The persistent cough doesn’t mean you have a bacterial infection. It’s almost always a virus, and antibiotics don’t kill viruses. The viral infection doesn’t last that entire time. Your immune system usually knocks out the germ within four to five days. The infection is gone. But the irritation of the airways takes time to heal. And

this makes the cough persist. Coughing is one of our basic defenses against diseases. It prevents mucus, germs and foreign particles from getting down into the lower airways and lungs. Coughing protects the lungs from infection and inflammation. But who hasn’t had too much of a good thing? When the hacking becomes relentless, it can keep us up, wear us out and lay us low. If your main reason for the cough is nasal congestion with post-nasal drip, you can get relief from a decongestant, such as oral pseudoephedrine. If you choose a nasal decongestant spray, don’t use it for more than three or four days. Your nose quickly gets used to it. Using it too long results in rebound congestion when you stop. Expectorants and cough suppressants

are generally safe when used as directed. Of the ones available over the counter, products containing dextromethorphan (look for “DM”) seem to help the most to reduce cough severity. You may do just as well by breathing warm, moist air from a hot shower, a sink filled with very hot water, or a humidifier. Also, drink plenty of fluids to prevent mucus from getting too thick. For the cough with a scratchy throat, hard candies are soothing and may reduce coughing. They work as well as medicated lozenges. Some people get relief with a prescrip-

tion inhaler similar to what people with asthma use. Doctors most often prescribe inhalers that contain albuterol. Albuterol opens the airways that can become partly closed during a chest cold. For more persistent coughing, you might also ask your doctor about a corticosteroid inhaler. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu. © 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Write a letter to the editor. See page 2.

Moles From page 7 When checking your moles, follow the ABCDE guide from the American Academy of Dermatology. Look for: • Asymmetry, where one half of a mole looks different from the other half. • Border irregularity, where borders of a mole are uneven, jagged or scalloped. • Color variations within the same mole. • Diameter greater than the eraser tip of a pencil. • Evolving color, shape or size. Another helpful strategy is to look for the so-called ugly duckling. Most normal moles will look similar to each other, while melanomas will stand out by being smaller, larger, lighter or darker, compared to other moles on your body. In addition to melanoma, other kinds of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, tend to look like pink, red or scaly spots on your skin that do not go away on their own. If you are found to have a mole that is cancerous, your doctor will perform a surgical procedure to remove it. If you have a mole that causes irritation when you shave, you also may want to have it removed. Finally, remember that prevention is key. Whenever possible, stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when UV light is the strongest. When you are outdoors, use sun-protective clothing and a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunblock with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 50. — Jason Sluzevich, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org. © 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Simple ways to keep fingernails healthy By Cynthia Weiss Dear Mayo Clinic: I have noticed recently that my nails have an unusual color and shape, and I don’t understand why. Although I do enjoy gardening, I don’t have a job where I use my hands more than normal. I want my nails to be sturdy and healthy-looking. Can you provide some insight on how to achieve this and tips for properly taking care of my nails? A: For anyone concerned with nail health, the first step is to take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy-looking? Or do you see ridges, dents or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less-than-desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. However, others can indicate an underlying condition. It’s important to understand what’s normal and what’s not. Your fingernails are composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin that grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They’re uniform in color and consistency, and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges

tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails also can develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail. Not all nail conditions are normal, however. Consult your primary healthcare provider or a dermatologist if you notice: • Changes in nail color, such as discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under the nail • Changes in nail shape, such as curled nails • Thinning or thickening of the nails • Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin • Bleeding around the nails • Swelling or pain around the nails To keep your fingernails looking their best, here are some easy tips to follow: Keep your fingernails dr y and clean. Doing this prevents bacteria from growing under your fingernails. Repeated or prolonged contact with water can contribute to split fingernails. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning or using harsh chemicals. Practice good nail hygiene. Always use sharp manicure scissors or clippers when taking care of your nails. It’s important to trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve.

Use moisturizer daily. When applying hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles, too, for optimal care. Apply a protective layer. This is a step in a healthy nail routine that people oftentimes don’t know about or overlook. Applying a nail hardener might help strengthen nails and cuticles. Ask your healthcare provider about biotin. Some research suggests that the nutritional supplement biotin might help strengthen weak or brittle fingernails.

Contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about whether this is right for you. Taking care of your fingernails can be easy and attainable. If you start to notice anything abnormal, reach out to your primary healthcare provider or a dermatologist for more information. © 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Understanding gout and its many myths By Family Features When many people think of gout, they often picture swelling and pain in the big toe. However, gout — an extremely painful form of inflammatory arthritis — can occur in any joint when high levels of uric acid in the blood lead to the formation of urate crystals.

If your body creates too much uric acid or cannot clear uric acid properly, you may experience sudden and sometimes severe gout attacks, called flare-ups, that include pain, swelling or redness in your joints. The condition can disrupt many aspects of daily living, including work and leisure or family activities.

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Because the kidneys filter and release uric acid, people with kidney disease are more likely to experience a buildup of urate crystals and, therefore, gout. In fact, 1 out of 10 people with chronic kidney disease have gout, and an even higher percentage of people with gout have kidney disease. To help debunk some myths around the condition, the American Kidney Fund, in partnership with Horizon Therapeutics,

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created the “Goutful” education campaign, which aims to educate and empower patients with gout to improve quality of life and prevent further health complications, especially relating to their kidneys. Consider these common myths: Myth: Gout is rare. Gout is a relatively common condition. More than 8 million Americans have gout, and it is the most common form of arthritis in men over 40. Myth: Gout is a man’s disease. Anyone can get gout, but it’s more common in men than women. Though men are 10 times more likely to develop gout, rates of gout even out after age 60 since gout tends to develop for women after menopause. Myth: Only people who are obese get gout. People of all sizes can develop gout. Though people who are obese are at higher risk, gout is more common in people who have other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or kidney disease. Others more at-risk for gout are males 30 to 50 years old, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Black people, people with a family history of gout, people with organ transplants and people exposed to lead. Myth: Gout eventually goes away on its own. Symptoms of gout attacks often go away within a few days, but that doesn’t mean gout is gone. Even if you don’t feel symptoms, urate crystals can build up beneath the surface, which can cause long-term health problems, such as joint and kidney damage. Myth: There are things you can eat to prevent or cure gout. Certain foods may help decrease the level of uric acid in your body, but diet alone is not a cure for gout. People with gout who follow healthy diets may still need medicine to prevent flare-ups and lower uric acid levels. Alcohol and foods rich in purines, especially red meat and seafood, should be avoided if you are prone to gout. If you think you might have gout, talk with your doctor or a gout specialist about your symptoms. Visit kidneyfund.org/gout to learn more about gout and kidney disease.

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Causes and treatments for kidney stones By Ivan Porter II, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: My father has had dozens of kidney stones in recent years. I have had a kidney stone once. Are kidney stones genetic? I’m wondering if I will follow in his path and if there is anything I can do to prevent kidney stones. A: Heredity plays a role in the formation of kidney stones, and after you’ve developed them once, you are at an increased risk of additional kidney stone formation in the future. Fortunately, effective strategies are available to prevent kidney stones. Kidney stones are small, hard deposits made of minerals and acid salts that form inside the kidneys. Although the stones start in the kidneys, most people don’t know they have kidney stones until the stones move into the ureter — one of two tubes connecting the kidneys and bladder. Stones often become wedged in the ureter or in the opening of the kidney that leads to the ureter, causing urine to back up and resulting in severe pain. Kidney stones are common. About 12% of the U.S. population has experienced repeated bouts of these stones. If you have a family member who has had kidney stones, then you’re more likely to develop kidney stones. But other factors can affect your risk, too.

Risk factors For example, although the reason isn’t clear, people who live in warm Southern climates near large bodies of water have a higher incidence of kidney stones than people who live in the Midwest. People who eat a diet that’s high in protein or salt, or has excessive amounts of oxalate, are also at higher risk of kidney stones. Oxalate is a mineral found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate. Normal intake of calcium in the diet may help prevent stones, while excessive amounts of calcium or the use of calcium supplements may promote stone formation. Kidney stone development often be-

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gins during a person’s 20s or 30s, and the problem may continue for many years. Nearly 80% of people who have had kidney stones once will develop them again if preventive steps aren’t taken.

Steps to prevent stones Because the reason for kidney stone formation is specific to each person, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to establish an individual treatment plan that fits your situation. That plan should consider what kind of kidney stones you have, possible causes for their formation, and specific steps to prevent them. Of the several types of kidney stones, the most common type is calcium-based stones: calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. They make up over 75% of kidney stones.

Others include uric acid stones, struvite stones that form in response to an infection, and cystine stones, in addition to a variety of other rare types of kidney stones. Determining the type of kidney stones you have is key to preventing them from forming in the future. After a passed stone has been captured, its makeup usually can be established through laboratory analysis. Because each type of stone forms for different reasons, blood and urine tests also can help determine what’s causing stone formation. For example, blood tests can reveal excess calcium or uric acid in your blood. Urine tests can show that you’re producing too many stone-forming minerals or too few stone-inhibiting substances. Once the type of stone and its cause

have been established, your healthcare provider can work with you to develop a plan to prevent future stones. Prevention typically involves adjustments in fluid intake, dietar y changes and, in some cases, medications. By carefully following an individualized treatment plan, more than 90% of people can successfully prevent additional kidney stones. This is true even if you have a genetic predisposition to kidney stone development. If you haven’t already done so, talk with your healthcare provider about prevention strategies that are right for you. —Ivan Porter II, M.D., Nephrology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida © 2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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How to appeal or negotiate medical debt By Elaine Silvestrini According to a report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, between about 18% and 35% of Americans have medical debt. If you’re struggling to pay medical debt, what can you do? Fortunately, you may have a lot of options, depending on your situation and especially if the debt is from a hospital. Medical debt is the most common type of debt pursued by collection agencies, comprising 58% of all third-party debt collection in 2021, according to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Two-thirds of medical debt results from one-time or short-term medical care arising from an acute need, when people don’t have time to shop around.

If you’re uninsured or if the provider isn’t in your network, you can be hit with higher prices. And even in-network, prices can be vastly different in different facilities or even different departments of the same facility. “Medical debt can also lead people to avoid medical care, develop physical and mental health problems, and face adverse financial consequences like lawsuits, wage and bank account garnishment, home liens and bankruptcy,” the CFPB report says. “Given the widespread impact of COVID-19, addressing medical debt is an urgent priority.”

Before a collection agency calls If you have medical debt that has not gone to collection, request an itemized bill

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and go over it for mistakes, suggests Jennifer Bosco, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. If the bill has incorrect information, you can appeal it. And if you think your insurer should have paid the bill, or more of the bill, appeal to the insurer. Once you’re sure the bill is accurate, look for other financing sources to help you pay the debt, including assistance programs. Check if there are any programs specific to your medical condition. You can also seek charity care or financial assistance through Dollar For, a nonprofit organization that does not charge to help people enforce hospitals’ charity-care policies. These policies are required in order for hospitals to keep their nonprofit status. The law says hospitals must post their financial assistance policies online and accept applications for debt forgiveness. Hospitals typically offer charity care to lower- and middle-income uninsured or under-insured patients. If you are insured, make sure there is no “balance billing” — a practice in which you are billed a high price for a service provided by someone outside your network, even though the facility and your primary provider are in network. Balance billing was made illegal this year by the No Surprises Act. (Read more or file a complaint

at cms.gov/nosurprises.) If the surprise billing involves Medicaid or Medicare, Bosco said you should contact the state or federal agency that administers the insurance program or, if eligible, consult with a legal aid attorney. If your only income is Social Security or you’re financially insolvent, let the medical provider know that because you are likely considered judgment-proof. That means if the provider sued you and won, the provider couldn’t collect any money, Bosco said. If the provider knows this, they may be more likely to work with you to lower or even cancel the debt.

Dealing with debt collectors If you’ve already been contacted by a debt collector, first check the license of the debt collector to verify its legitimacy. Bosco said you can negotiate with the debt collector to get a payment plan and a reduction in the debt amount. The debt collector can’t give the information about your medical debt to the three major credit bureaus for 180 days, Bosco said. If all else fails, you may need to file for bankruptcy. Bosco said you should seek legal advice before taking that serious step. © 2022 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Yogurt isn’t the only source of probiotics By Matthew Solan The top item on my grocery list is always yogurt: unsweetened, organic, made with almond milk. I’m always afraid I’ll run out since I use it all the time. I put two tablespoons in every smoothie or switch it out for mayo — and nothing beats a cool cup on a hot day as an afternoon snack. [Fermentation makes the dairy version easier to digest, even for those with lactose intolerance.] Besides healthy doses of calcium and protein, yogurt is a prime source for probiotics, the “good” live bacteria and yeasts.

Why consume probiotics? Why are these helpful? Having a proper balance of bacteria in your gut improves digestion, blocks dangerous organisms that can cause infections, and boosts your immune system. It also helps your body absorb vital nutrients from food. Unlike vitamins, there is no recommended daily intake for probiotics, so there is no way to know which type of bacteria or quantities are best. The general guideline is to add some foods with probiotics to your daily diet. Hundreds of ingestible bacteria are classified as probiotics. The two found in most probiotic foods are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, each of which con-

tains various strains. On food labels, they are often abbreviated as L. or B. and then combined with the name of a specific strain. So, the strain acidophilus within the Lactobacillus bacteria is written as L. acidophilus. This brings us back to yogurt, which often contains L. acidophilus. Yogurt is a popular probiotic food because it’s widely available, and there are different ways to consume it. Some brands include a Live & Active Cultures (LAC) seal from the International Dairy Foods Association to verify probiotic content. Otherwise, look for the words “live and active cultures” on the label. (Also, many fruit or sweetened varieties have a lot of added sugar, so check labels for that, too.)

Other probiotic foods What if you are not a yogurt enthusiast, or simply want more options? Luckily, many other foods also serve up a good dose of good bacteria. They come in various flavors and textures, so odds are you will find a few to your liking. Kefir. This yogurtlike drink with a thinner consistency than yogurt, has a higher probiotic count than yogurt, which accounts for its extra tang. The beverage is usually made with dairy milk, but also comes in non-dairy alternatives, like coconut water, coconut milk and rice milk.

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Kefir also comes in fruit and vegetable flavors, or you can add flavors yourself like cinnamon, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Drink straight-up or use in smoothies and as a replacement for buttermilk in recipes. Kimchi. Kimchi is a spicy, reddish fermented cabbage dish made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar and chili peppers. It’s often served alone or mixed with rice or noodles, or used as a topping for eggs, burgers, sandwiches, tacos and pizza. You can find it at most grocery stores or Asian markets. Kombucha. This fermented tea drink has a tangy-tart flavor. Kombucha contains caffeine comparable to some other tea drinks. Some brands have added sugar, so check the label and avoid anything with more than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Miso. A popular paste in Japanese cuisine, miso is made from soybeans fermented with brown rice. It has a strong, salty flavor, and a little goes a long way. Use it as a dipping sauce, spread over your toast, or add it to marinades for fish, meats and vegetables. This umami-rich paste is also great whisked into salad dressings, or

tr y stirring a tablespoon or two into mashed potatoes. Pickles. Not every type of pickle will do. Look for brands brined in water and sea salt instead of vinegar. Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is pickled cabbage and may be an acquired taste. (I am a fan thanks to my German-born grandmother, who made me Reuben sandwiches as a kid.) Use it as a hot dog topper, mix it into salads, or combine it with your regular side vegetables. Always choose raw or non-pasteurized sauerkraut. It contains more probiotics than commercial sauerkraut, which loses much of its bacteria from pasteurization. Tempeh. Tempeh is a cake made from fermented soybeans, with a firmer texture than tofu. Marinate and grill it like steak, or crumble and use it as a substitute for ground meat in chili, pasta sauces and tacos. Tempeh often comes precooked and ready to eat, but some brands may need cooking. Matthew Kadey, of Environmental Nutrition, also contributed to this article. © 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Multi-cooker can be a real meal changer By Lori Zanteson Eating healthy has never been so easy — or so quick — as with a multi-cooker (such as the Instant Pot and similar devices). The appliance makes cooking a healthy meal accessible and approachable; it takes less time and energy than not-sohealthy fast-food runs or tossing a frozen pizza into the oven. Roast a chicken in 30 minutes, cook nutrient-packed whole grains like wild rice or barley in 20 minutes, whip up a one-pot bean or lentil-based stew, chowder or chili in that same 20 minutes — this kitchen marvel really is a meal changer that can help support a healthy diet in the most convenient, time-saving, and delicious ways.

What is a multi-cooker? Sort of a pressure cooker/slow cooker hybrid, the multi-cooker is a multifunctional device that is also a rice cooker, steamer, Dutch oven, baker, yogurt maker and more. Versatile and easy to use, it’s an excellent replacement for other cooking equipment, like the slow cooker (crock pot) or rice maker. As a result, it clears up counter and cabinet space, and frees up time during cleanup — wash just one pot instead of several pots and pans. This appliance, like a pressure cooker, heats liquid inside a tight seal, which builds pressure inside the pot as the liquid boils and turns to steam. As the pressure builds, temperature increases.

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It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. At this point, the cooking begins at a rate of about 70% less than standard cooking methods. Some dishes require a slow release of pressure after the food is cooked.

Health benefits Because a multi-cooker uses very little liquid, reaches a temperature no higher than 250° F, and cooks very quickly, it preserves more nutrients than many other cooking methods. Cooking of any sort will result in the loss of some nutrients, such as water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C, thiamin and folate, but it’s minimized in foods exposed to the least liquid at the lowest temperature, for the shortest amount of time. Research also shows that the availability of other nutrients (like lycopene in tomatoes and other carotenoids in veggies like carrots, spinach and broccoli) actually increases with cooking. This is because the heat helps break down the cell walls so they release nutrients and phytochemicals.

Cooking can be stressful. Time, energy and motivation are common obstacles to getting a healthy meal on the table. Preparing meals with a multi-cooker can help. A meal can be thrown together with a potpourri of healthy ingredients from freezer, fridge and pantry. Healthy whole grains and legumes — dry or canned — are a perfect pairing with fresh, frozen or canned vegetables and a lean protein like chicken or fish. With a multi-cooker, the nutrients are retained and flavors and colors are brighter. Even when there’s just enough time to open a few cans and bags of frozen veggies, your meal can be just as healthy and satisfying. Once the ingredients are in the pot and it’s set, that’s it. Come back when it’s done and serve up a healthy meal. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 1-800829-5384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2021 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Saturday nights From page 1 (because Mother Goose is on the loose). Fans empathize when Bessie Smith “pours out her woes” in “Yellow Dog Blues,” and may be intrigued to learn that Doris Day’s “Ten Cents a Dance” is a “come-on song.”

Former policy wonk Bamberger has two degrees in history from the University of California at Los Angeles. From 1975 to 2010, he worked on energy policy for the Congressional Research Service, advising members of Congress on topics such as the strategic petroleum reserve (once again in the news). After retiring from the heat of Capitol Hill, he got a master’s degree in social work because of his strong interest in elder care. Now, twice a month, he co-facilitates support groups for adult children whose parents have cognitive decline at Iona Senior Services, a Washington nonprofit that provides support services to older adults. But the weekly radio show is probably his chief passion. Bamberger loves the medium of radio because it is “companionable,” he told the Beacon. When he starts the show, he feels like he’s going into people’s homes. Radio has been especially important during the pandemic and other stressors of the last few years, he said. “When some-

thing [troubling] is happening, it’s even more important for people to sense that someone is with them. It’s important to be in the moment.”

He considers himself not a disc jockey, but a companion sharing his love of jazz. “I really do feel a connection,” he said.

Ohio roots Stoking the creative juices For each live show, he’s both the host and the engineer. “Doing it live is like driving stick shift,” he explained, “because you are more engaged in the operation.” The coordination required can be “perilous,” but he swears by the spontaneity of live radio; it’s “the joy of the medium.” To plan a show, Bamberger goes to the basement of his Arlington home, thinks and “pulls out something” from his collection, he said. One hour of the show usually requires four to five hours of preparation. For most shows, Bamberger settles on a theme — either a band or a performer — and then a sequence of songs. He particularly likes to feature “people lost in the shadows,” he said. Bamberger generally prefers not to repeat songs, but sees some records as important parts of American history. “Every so often, I need to return to a record and feature it again. There are always people for whom the music is new, but others are delighted to hear the song for the tenth time.” Even though Bamberger is usually alone in the studio, putting on the show is not a lonely experience, he said, because he knows fans are listening.

Bamberger’s interest in jazz was sparked at age 11, when he discovered the music of big band leader Tommy Dorsey at a school book fair in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He bought two RCA Victor records, a 1950s set, for 10 cents each, lured by an enticing cover image. When he heard the second cut on side one, the “Hawaiian War Chant,” featuring trumpeter Ziggy Elman and drummer Buddy Rich, “It really nailed me,” he recalled. Being a big band music junkie was far from “cool” for a 1960s teenager. Still, Bamberger spent most of his newspaper route money on big band and swing records. He

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took piano lessons at one time but has never played in a jazz band himself. His two bookcases of records mushroomed to two basement rooms of vinyl. His wife, Chris, tolerates them, he said, “as long as they don’t start coming up the stairs.” Even Bamberger is amazed at Hot Jazz’s decades of survival, and how the radio show still keeps him busy after all these years. “If I showed up at a program director’s office today with the idea for a program — playing 75- to 100-year-old records for three hours, and in between I’ll talk some — I’d probably get thrown out on my head,” he said. To hear “Hot Jazz Saturday Night,” tune into 88.5, National Public Radio’s WAMU/American University, every Saturday, 7 to 10 p.m. Each program streams for one week after it airs at hotjazz.org.

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M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Openn!for Fu Business Long Branch Senior Center will Reopen with a Polished Look and Full Schedule of Programs The Long Branch Senior Center will reopen on Monday, May 16 with a new look and a wide variety of programs for adults 55 and older. Normal hours will be Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Community members, 55 and older, can access the facility free of charge. The senior center, located at 8700 Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, shares the facility with the Long Branch Community Recreation Center. The Community Recreation Center will have special activities for all ages on Saturday, May 21. There will be dancing, music, food, inflatables, face painting, games and more. All are invited to join the family-friendly celebration. A special week-long celebration of June 10. The celebration will include sessions to sign up for the senior the Long Branch Senior Center reo- free lessons on how to use the exer- lunch program, musical entertainpening will take place from June 6 to cise equipment, open information ment and specialty coffee with breakfast treats daily. Scheduled daily activities will include fitness and wellness classes including yoga, pickleball, table tennis and Tai

Registration for Summer Season Senior Travel Programs Opens on Monday, May 16

Would you like to see ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ or ‘The Second City’ improvisation and comedy troupe at the Kennedy Center? How about Cirque du Soleil under the big tent? These are just a few of the travel programs available this summer from Montgomery County Recreation. Registration for the summer season of the senior day trip program will open on Monday, May 16 at 8:30 a.m. In addition, Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) trips will include baseball, sailing,

guided tours, and even a crab feast on a paddlewheel boat. The SOAR trips are open to anyone 55 and older. The Day Trippers are intergenerational trips that are open to all ages to travel with someone 55 years and older. These outings are perfect for grandparents who wish to go places with their grandchildren. The trips usually sell out, so register soon at activeMONTGOMERY.org. If you would like a senior travel brochure, call 240-777-4926 to request one.

Damascus Senior Center 9701 Main St., Damascus 240-777-6995 Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

chi, with teachers from different cultural backgrounds. Additionally, the senior center will provide mini-trips, writing, drawing and a 4th of July holiday barbeque. There will even be a summer camp program for older adults. During the COVID-19 emergency, the Long Branch Community Recreation Center and Senior Center were needed as a shelter for community members who needed safe lodging and basic services. The need extended beyond the time when other recreation facilities and senior centers were reopened. The opening of the new Nebel Street homeless shelter in March made it possible to begin reopening plans for the recreation and senior center. The Long Branch facility is being cleaned and refurbished to prepare for its reopening. Montgomery County Recreation has six other full-service senior centers that include: North Potomac Community Center 13850 Travilah Road, Rockville 240-773-4805 Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Holiday Park Senior Center 3950 Ferrara Drive, Silver Spring 240-777-4999 Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center 1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring 240-777-8085 Hours: Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. & Saturday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Wheaton Senior Center 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 240-773-4830 White Oak Community Center 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring 240-777-6944 Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Celebrate the Senior Nutrition Program’s 50 Years

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RECREATION

from the pandemic. The $5 registration fee includes games, crafts, music, nature walks, softball, line dancing, good food with vegetarian options and more. You may register at www.activemontgomery.org. To register for the event in person or on the phone, visit or call any Montgomery County Recreation Senior Center and someone at the front desk will be glad to help.

The Montgomery County Commission on Aging, in partnership with the City of Gaithersburg, invites you to join:

A Public Forum on

In-Home Care: We Can Do Better

May 5th, 2022, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg Join national thought leaders and local experts in a thought-provoking conversation about aging at home. This event will consider how in-home care needs are met now and explore ways to meet them as the County’s population ages. The Forum will be held in conjunction with the City’s Active Aging Expo.

Happy Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers who serve as a cheerleader, caregiver, housekeeper, doctor, tear dryer, pharmacist, tutor, social worker, cook, travel agent, listener, laundry sorter, therapist, uber driver (who never gets a tip), and much more. Whether you are a new mom, a mom who has raised her children, or a grandma helping to raise grandchildren, thank you for being pillars of love in our community.

BBQ Bonanza June 22 Brings Those 55+ Together from Across the Region for a Regional Picnic and Day of Fun Be sure to have your sunscreen, walking shoes and appetite ready when you head out for the inaugural BBQ Bonanza. This special regional event will take place at the Smokey Glen Farm, located at 16407 Riffleford Road in Gaithersburg, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22. The picnic will be Montgomery County Recreation’s first regional gathering for adults 55+ since reopening

Join us as Montgomery County — and the nation — celebrate the Senior Nutrition program’s 50th anniversary. While offering healthy food and social connection, the program also provides a gateway to other services, such as fall prevention programs, wellness and health management services, and more. Hot lunches are available at Montgomery County Recreation Department Senior Centers. Come for the meals and stay for the fun and camaraderie. Reservations are required, so please check with the center nearest you for more information. This program is offered in partnership with Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services, Aging and Disability Services.

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Target audience: Residents and service providers in Montgomery County who have an interest in learning the newest approaches to In-Home Care for older adults. Forum Themes: Older adults often need assistance such as light housekeeping, food preparation, dressing, and assistance with medications to stay in their homes as they recover, rehabilitate, and/or age. This event will offer insights on In-Home Care and the ways that these services can be delivered to better meet the needs of Montgomery County’s diverse, growing population of older adults. Presenters and panelists will provide attendees with knowledge and suggested actions to strengthen and improve current approaches to in-home care.

Featured speakers: Joanne Lynn, MD, and Robyn Stone, DrPH. For those who cannot attend in person, a Zoom link will be provided upon request.

To register, go to https://bit.ly/COAHomeCare or call 240-777-1262.

For questions about the event, or to request accommodations needed to participate, please contact Tremayne Jones at least four business days prior to the event at Tremayne.Jones@ montgomerycountymd.gov

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Healthy pasta comes in many forms now By Lori Zanteson The world’s love affair with pasta traces back thousands of years to Asia, where archaeologists believe the first noodles were produced. Its reputation has been bruised in recent years, however, taking hits from the low-carb diet trend, wheat allergies and accusations of contributing to several types of ill health — from weight gain and diabetes to cardiovascular disease. Our collective penchant for pasta has redefined noodles as we know them in a market that’s exploding with novel varieties made from veggies, beans, lentils, seaweed, mushrooms and more. With so many seemingly better and more nutritious options, finding the most

healthful choice can be challenging. First, let’s look at the question of whether traditional pasta causes weight gain.

Is regular pasta unhealthy? Pasta is made from milled durum wheat (semolina), a hard wheat that’s higher in protein than the wheat used to make bread. When mixed with water, it forms the dough that is cut into shapes like spaghetti and penne. The milling process removes the bran and the germ from the wheat, leaving only bits of the starchy endosperm. Removing the bran and germ strips noodles of fiber and important B vitamins and nutrients. However, many refined pastas are enriched with B vitamins and iron.

Kneading the dough results in a protein matrix surrounding the starch particles, which gives pasta its strong, stretchy composition. According to Nicola M. McKeown, Ph.D., associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, this may “lead to slower digestion of the starch particles, lower release of glucose, and may help you to feel fuller.” So, compared to some other carbohydrate-based foods, like potatoes, white rice, and bread made from white flour, pasta is slower to digest. Its slower digestion may provide evidence to disprove it plays a role in weight gain. According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 studies involving nearly 2,500 people, published in the journal BMJ Open in 2018, pasta did not cause weight gain or an increase in body fat in people who ate pasta instead of other carbohydrates as part of a healthy diet. Some participants even experienced weight loss. “If we consider that pasta is the staple carbohydrate source in the Mediterranean diet, and the evidence consistently supports the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, I think pasta can be part of a healthy dietary pattern,” McKeown said.

White vs. whole wheat Whole wheat pasta is also made from wheat flour, but it retains most of the bran and germ, resulting in a more textured and hearty pasta that delivers more vitamins, minerals and fiber, and fewer calories than refined pasta. Whole wheat pasta has twice the fiber, which can provide up to 25% of the recommended daily fiber intake per serving. Most of us are not meeting the daily recommendations for dietary fiber or whole grains, said McKeown, which makes whole-

grain pasta a good choice over refined. “Dietary fiber can help in maintaining a healthy weight, lowering risk of diabetes and heart disease, and even promoting gut health, to name just a few benefits,” she said.

Pasta from beans, veggies Pastas made from non-wheat flours include those made from beans, lentils and other whole grains, like quinoa and brown rice, which are quite popular. Some, like legume-based pasta, are even higher in fiber, protein and iron than whole wheat pastas. When choosing any variety of pasta, always check the ingredient and nutrition labels to make the healthiest choices. McKeown recommends checking to see if it contains whole grain or refined grain flour, and whether it is fiber-enriched. For example, a veggie pasta, such as spinach noodles, may seem healthier, but it may be made with refined flour and a small amount of spinach flour, and contain only two grams of fiber. Be sure to note calories and portion size as well. One serving is a half-cup (two ounces) dry, or one cup cooked, which provides about 160 to 200 calories. If pasta is the main dish, you might consume double or even triple this amount. Vegetable “noodles” (spiral cut vegetables) are another option, especially for people who want a low-carb, low-calorie, glutenfree alternative. Available in fresh or frozen packages, or made at home with a mandoline or spiralizer, they can be made from many veggies, like zucchini “zoodles,” carrots or beets. Spaghetti squash naturally comes out in noodle form. A one-cup serving of zoodles serves up two grams of fiber, three grams of protein, See PASTA, page 21

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Five rules for choosing healthier juices By Jennifer Benjamin While a fruit-and-veggie-loaded drink sounds righteous in theory, are juices really healthy? Well, yes and no. “Juices can be part of a healthy diet, but they are not a replacement for whole fruits and veggies, especially because you’re not getting the fiber,” explained Dana Angela White, RD, author of Healthy, Quick and Easy Juicing. “That being said, you’re still getting the nutrients and the hydration — preferably by making your own juices or buying those with the simplest ingredients.” So, what are the healthiest juices? We asked nutritionists how to determine if your beverage has the right benefits. 1. Look at the label. Just because that drink says “healthy” on the label doesn’t mean it’s actually good for you. Plus, many store-bought drinks contain ingredients that negate all that goodness you want. Watch out for added sugars. Many brands load on the sweetness to compensate for all the “greenness.” Finally, pay at-

tention to portions. White points out that while it may look like a small bottle, often there are two or more servings in there. 2. Go cold. If you want to ensure your juice is clean and mean, opt for coldpressed juices when you can. “Cold-pressed juices are often made in what is called a slow-masticating juicer that has low rpm [revolutions per minute] and does not produce heat, which helps the juice to retain its nutritional value,” explained Megan Roosevelt, RDN, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist and author of The 5-Day Juicing Diet. 3. Pick powerful added ingredients. “Ingredients like turmeric fight inflammation. Ginger is an antioxidant that is beneficial for digestion. There are so many ways to mix up your juices and reap the benefits of these superfoods,” White said. While fruits are certainly full of goodfor-you vitamins, aim to make your juices more veggie-based. Beets and carrots are already on the sweet side. Fruits like pineapple and apples can cut the “green”

Pasta

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC.1-800829-5384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2022 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 20 and many vitamins, minerals and healthpromoting plant compounds — an excellent way to increase your daily vegetable intake.

flavor of your juices. 4. Stick with the season. Whether we’re talking juices, salads or bowls, eating locally and seasonally is always the preferred way to go. “Your juices will taste far better and be more flavorful if your fruits and veggies are in season and at their peak,” White said. “For example, citrus and pineapple are always great in the cooler months, while watermelon is delicious and refreshing in the summer.” Check to see what’s in season and then plan your juice menu accordingly. 5. Don’t detox! We all know about the dark underbelly of the juicing world: those all-ornothing detox diets where you drink nothing but juice for several days. Not only are these diets unhealthy, but you don’t need them.

“Juices are not a meal replacement, nor are they a replacement for whole fruits and vegetables. It’s a supplement, like a vitamin,” White said. Plus, actual fruits and veggies are already body detoxifiers in their natural fiber-full form, so skimming it down to a juice and drinking only that for days on end isn’t only useless, it’s torturous. Clean juices, with the right nutrientdense ingredients, can be a great addition to your diet, but they should never be the basis of it. Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at realsimple.com. © 2022 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS BETTER WITH BLAIR Montgomery County should be a place that values residents at all stages of their lives. We developed a plan so that aging residents and their families thrive.

WE CAN: Keep older adults connected through volunteer opportunities & the Senior Fellow program Provide on-demand, door-to-door transportation for shopping, medical appointments & more Lower the cost of living & build affordable senior housing Counter rising prescription drug costs with the “Ask-A-Pharmacist program” Read our full plan, a County For A Lifetime, at blairformontgomery.com and vote Democrat David Blair for County Executive.

Paid for by David Blair for Montgomery, Alexandria Valentino, Treasurer

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M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

All carbonated drinks may boost appetite By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D. Are you trying to cut back on calories by making the switch from regular soda to diet soda? Do you prefer carbonated water with a bit of flavor, such as Hint or LaCroix? Or maybe you’ve purchased a carbonating device like SodaStream or Drinkmate? Research suggests that none of these choices help with weight loss. Worse, they might even lead to weight gain! The reason might surprise you. It sure surprised me.

It isn’t just the calories If you’re drinking two 12-ounce cans of regular Coke each day, you could eliminate 280 “empty” (non-nutritive) calories by switching to a zero-calorie alternative. Over a month, that’s 8,400 fewer calories, enough to lose almost two and a half pounds. So, what’s the catch? One worry is that artificially sweetened

diet sodas may create a craving for sweet, high-calorie foods. So, even as calorie counts drops from zero-calorie sodas, consumption of other foods and drinks might add back even more. In rodent studies, at least one artificial sweetener (aspartame) has been found to damage a part of the brain that tells the animal when to stop eating. And dozens of studies in humans have actually found a tendency toward weight gain among people drinking artificially sweetened beverages. But research has been mixed: Some studies have found that artificially sweetened low-calorie beverages can help with weight loss. One factor complicating the study of zerocalorie beverages and weight loss is called “reverse causation.” People at risk for obesity tend to choose these beverages, making it appear that these drinks are to blame. Of course, there are other health con-

cerns associated with artificial sweeteners, including a possible increase in the risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and kidney problems. The evidence for this isn’t strong enough to be sure, though.

What about fizzy water? Surely carbonated water with no artificial sweeteners is fine? Drinks that contain carbonated water and no artificial sweeteners have long been considered safe bets when it comes to breaking the regular soda habit. With none of the sugar, calories or artificial sweeteners, how can you go wrong? But a 2017 study of humans and rats casts doubt on this approach, too. First, the rats: For more than a year, male rats were given one of four drinks — water, a regular carbonated drink, a regular carbonated drink that had been allowed

Ride On Food Drive • May 15-22, 2022 in Partnership with Manna Food Center, County Public Libraries & Regional Services Centers https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/food-drive.html

to go flat, or a diet carbonated drink. The regular carbonated beverages had sweetener that wasn’t artificial. Here’s what the researchers found: The rats drinking a carbonated beverage (regular or diet) ate more food than rats drinking water or flat soda. The rats drinking a carbonated beverage (regular or diet) gained weight faster than rats drinking water or flat soda. The amount of ghrelin in their stomach tissue was higher after exposure to carbonated beverages compared with non-carbonated drinks. Ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates hunger and promotes fat storage. And now, the humans: Twenty male students drank five drinks, one at each sitting during a one-month period. The drinks included water, regular soda, regular soda that had gone flat, diet soda or carbonated water. Soon after, their blood ghrelin levels were measured. When students drank any carbonated beverage (regular soda, diet soda, or carbonated water), their ghrelin levels rose to higher levels than when they drank water or flat soda. Although this study did not assess the students’ food intake or weight changes after drinking different types of beverages, the increased ghrelin levels after carbonated beverage consumption make it plausible that these drinks might lead to hunger, increased food consumption and weight gain. And that’s cause for concern. Why would drinking carbonated beverages encourage your body to release more ghrelin? The study authors speculate that cells in the stomach that are sensitive to pressure respond to the carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages by increasing ghrelin production.

What’s left to drink?

Non-perishable food items can be dropped off on all Ride On buses or at the following locations: County-Owned Buildings

County Libraries

• Executive Office Building: 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850; 240-777-5880

• White Oak Library: 11701 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20904 240-773-9555 • Olney Library: 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney, MD 20832 240-773-9545 • Long Branch Library: 8800 Garland Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20901 240-777-0910 • Davis Library (North Bethesda): 6400 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817 240-777-0922 • Gaithersburg Library: 18330 Montgomery Village Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20879; 240-773-9490

• County Council Office Building: 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850; 240-777-5870 Regional Service Centers • Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center: 4805 Edgemoor Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814; 240-777-8200 • East County Community Recreation Center: 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring, MD 20904 240-475-6527 • Mid-County Regional Service Center: 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902; 240-777-8103 • Silver Spring Regional Service Center: One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 240-777-5300 • Upcounty Regional Service Center: 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown, MD 20874 240-777-8000

Manna Food Center Location: • Manna Food Center Warehouse: 9311 Gaither Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; 301-424-1130 • Manna Food Center, Administrative Office: 12301 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 301-424-1130

The short answer is easy: water. Unsweetened tea or fruit-infused water are also good alternatives. It’s worth emphasizing that drinking an occasional regular soda or other carbonated beverage is not hazardous. The question is, what’s your default drink of choice — and what are its possible consequences? While plain water might be best healthwise, for many it’s not the most appealing choice. If you prefer to drink soda every day, it makes sense to switch from regular to a zero-calorie alternative. A low-calorie carbonated beverage may still be a reasonable choice as long as you keep an eye on the rest of your diet and your weight. There’s a real possibility that carbonated beverages may have underappreciated negative effects on appetite and weight. Still, it would be premature to say that we should all give up carbonated beverages lest the obesity epidemic worsen. Stay tuned for future research assessing the health effects of a range of low-calorie beverages. While it’s good to have choices, it’s also good to know the pros and cons of each one. © 2021 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Do nighttime calories stick around more? By Densie Webb You may have heard the adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” But the truth is that most of us snack in the evening, sometimes even after a large dinner. According to the Washington D.C.based International Food Information Council’s 2021 Food and Health Survey, about 65% of those surveyed said they eat at least one snack in the evening, and almost half report that they consume at least one snack between 9 and 11 p.m. The question often asked is, can eating at night make it harder to lose weight, or even make you gain weight?

Ph.D., MPH, RDN, CSOWM, LDN, National Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, there are very small, controlled studies showing that eating earlier is better for weight management than eating later, which may slow weight loss. While the answers are not all in, she said, Early data suggests that timing of eating could be an important factor in weight management, but the evidence isn’t to the point that we would issue a blanket recommendation that all late eating is detrimental to health.” There are a few reasons why late-night snacking could be a problem.

Mindless eating The research A study out of Japan found that among 11 young women, nighttime snacking not only reduced the burning of fat, it increased levels of total and LDL cholesterol in the blood, suggesting that nighttime eating changes fat metabolism and may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. Research with mice, published in Chronobiology International, found that the timing of food intake may be even more important than regular exercise for preventing obesity. Mice are nocturnal animals and when made to eat during the day, weight gain resulted. According to Colleen Rauchut Tewksbury

other times of the day, which results in an increase in food intake, a greater calorie intake for the day, and ultimately weight gain. Chips, cookies, cakes, trail mix and pretzels are among the more common fare for late-night snacking, rather than steamed broccoli or kale salads. The calories from fat and sugar from these foods can quickly add up. The higher the fat and sugar, and sometimes sodium content, the more likely you are to crave more.

Effect on hormones, sleep “Eating late can alter your circadian rhythm,” Tewksbury said. As a result, it may affect your ability to sleep. Inadequate sleep has itself been associated with weight gain.

While the mechanism isn’t completely understood, some research suggests that latenight snacking can shift hormones — such as ghrelin, growth hormone and others — and push the body toward weight gain. Eating during the day, rather than at night, has been found to promote weight loss and improve insulin levels.

Timing While nighttime snacking may cause a shift in hormones that affect appetite and alter your body’s circadian rhythm, eating before bedtime also increases the risk of experiencing acid reflux, when stomach See EATING LATE, page 25

Late-night snacking is often done while watching television or even reading. Your focus is likely on the movie you’re watching or the book you’re reading, not the calories you’re consuming. Any weight-loss program includes instruction on how to be mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth rather than combining eating with a distracting activity.

Less filling or healthy The results of a study of more than 800 men and women who kept food diaries for one week showed that the type of foods eaten late at night lack the satiety of foods eaten at

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Information for Homeowners: Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca and click on “Homeowners” in the top ribbon to learn about available resources. There you can learn about Homeowner Property Tax Credits and the Montgomery County Homeowner Energy Efficiency Program. You also can learn about financial assistance for eligible homeowners affected by COVID who have delinquent mortgage payments, past due association fees, past due real estate taxes and/or needed home repairs. Questions? Call 311.

Information for Landlords:

Housing Resources Available in Montgomery County Whether you are a renter, a homeowner, or a landlord, Montgomery County has information about resources available to help you. Here are some highlights:

Information for Renters:

Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca and click on “Landlords” in the top ribbon to find information about rental assistance being paid to landlords – in support of renters with past due rent. Renters and landlords work together to apply for this rent assistance. Working with the landlord community, as of March 2, 2022, the County has distributed $71.1 million to landlords on behalf of 9,746 renter households that were behind on rent due to the pandemic. Additional rental assistance payable to landlords will be available soon. Questions? Call 311.

Renters can visit www.montgomerycountymd. gov/RentalMarketplace to find information about apartment buildings in Montgomery County and can search for buildings with incomerestricted (affordable) apartments or senior housing. Questions? Call 311.

Affordable Housing

If you are behind on rent, visit www. montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca and click “Renters” in the top ribbon to find information about rent assistance, free legal assistance and free tenant counseling. The page also includes eligibility information for the Renter’s Tax Credit and how to apply. Questions? Call 311.

Questions?

Preservation and Production: To learn how the County is working to apply all available policy and financial tools to reduce housing cost burdens, visit www. montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca/reports. Send an email to: DHCA@montgomerycountymd.gov. We are happy to help.

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

How to start, maintain a walking program By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My doctor recently suggested I start a walking program to help get my weight and blood pressure under control, but I’ve never exercised much and am 66. Can you recommend some tips? —Hate to Exercise Dear Hate, You should follow your doctor’s orders. Years of research have shown that walking may be the single best exercise you can do to improve your health as you age. It burns calories, which will help you lose weight, builds endurance, enhances muscle tone, and it doesn’t pound your joints. It also helps improve or prevent many agerelated health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia and even depression. But walking is not only good for what ails you. It’s also one of the easiest and most convenient exercises you can do, and is almost completely free. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes that fit well and a little desire. Here are some things you should know to help get you started and stay motivated:

Start slow and work up Start out slow if you need to. Head out the door, walk for 10 minutes, and walk back. Do it every day for a week. If that seems easy, add five minutes to your walks the next week, and keep

Eating late From page 23 acid or bile flows into the food pipe and irritates the lining. Some experts have suggested it’s best to stop eating at around 7 or 7:30 p.m. Tewksbury, however, made the following recom-

adding five minutes until you are walking as long as you desire. It’s also a smart idea to start and finish your walk with a few simple warm up and cool down stretches. Stretching will make you feel better and help prevent injury. Most fitness professionals recommend walking about 30 minutes, five or more days a week. For optimal health benefits, aim for 10,000 steps per day, which is the equivalent of about five miles. Your walking pace is also important. While strolling around the park or neighborhood at an easy pace is good for you, a brisker pace that has you breathing heavily (but still able to carry on a conversation) provides better health, fitness and weight loss benefits.

goal and showing you if you’ve met it. Or, if you use a smartphone, there are free pedometer apps you can download at MyPacer.com, Google.com/fit or Accupedo.com. Join a walking club: To find one in your community, call your nearby medical center, mall, health club, senior center, running shoe stores or Area Agency on Aging to see if they sponsor or know of any clubs or groups. Or try MeetUp.com or the American Volkssport Association (AVA.org), to search for non-competitive walking clubs in your area. Or start one yourself! [Ed. Note: In Montgomery County, Md., visit montgomeryparks.org/events/montgomery-explorers for a 50+ walking club. In Virginia, contact WalkArlington at (703) 247-2420 or info@walkarlington.com.]

Keep a journal: Use it to keep track of your walking minutes, steps or mileage, and total it up at the end of each week to see how you’re progressing. There are also free apps like MapMyWalk.com and Walkmeter.com that use GPS to map your walk and measure your distance and time, which is fun and motivating. Have a backup plan: If bad weather, allergies or other factors limit your outdoor walking, have a backup plan like walking at your local mall, buying a home treadmill or joining a health club. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Staying motivated While starting a walking program takes initiative, sticking with it takes commitment. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated: Find a walking buddy: Having a friend to walk with can provide motivation and support along with companionship. [Ed note: If you don’t have a walking buddy, try listening to a podcast or audiobook as you walk, or even call a friend and talk while you walk.] Wear a fitness tracker or pedometer: These devices measure how far you’ve walked in steps and miles, providing motivation by spurring you to meet a particular mendation: “If someone sets a goal to reduce late eating, the best cut-off time is the one they can stick with. This will be different for everyone and may take some time to achieve.” Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition. © 2022 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Studies

M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Psoriasis study at NIH seeks volunteers By Margaret Foster Three million Americans live with psoriasis — a scaly, itchy red skin rash — and so

far, there’s no cure. Doctors don’t know what causes the condition, but the immune system and genetics are partly to blame.

BEACON BITS

May 21

BOOK FESTIVAL Attend the free Gaithersburg Book Festival on Sat., May 21 be-

tween 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and hear from nearly 100 best-selling and award-winning authors who will participate in presentations and panel discussions. The festival also includes author signings, interactive workshops and book sales. Free shuttles are available from Shady Grove Metro and Lakeforest Mall. For more information, visit gaithersburgbookfestival.org.

Researchers at NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute are trying to determine how psoriasis affects the heart because “people who have inflammation conditions such as psoriasis have vascular issues and abnormal blood pressure issues,” said Dr. Wunan Zhou, principal investigator. Volunteers with psoriasis and other volunteers without the condition are now being sought to participate in an observational study. The study requires psoriasis patients to make two visits to Bethesda, Maryland, scheduled a year apart. Each visit will last about four hours, wrapping up at around lunchtime. The study is also open to healthy adults over age 18; those partici-

pants make just one in-person visit to NIH. At the in-person visits, all participants will take a stress test by pedaling on a stationary bike. “We’re asking them to do the stress test, which allows us to measure blood flow to the heart muscle,” said Zhou. If your dermatologist recently prescribed a psoriasis treatment medication (which could be one of several biologic therapies that modify the immune system), you’re the perfect candidate for this study. “For people who are starting their psoriasis treatment, we’ll see [whether it works],” Zhou said. Volunteers will also undergo free PET imaging and an MRI — tests that are typically expensive but can reveal valuable personal health information. “The stress PET and stress MRI are clinically used tests that a cardiologist orders,” Zhou pointed out. “It’s a nice way [to get health information] for their own knowledge. Having that information may be actually helpful for patients.” In addition, participants may be able to help solve the mystery of psoriasis and how treatments may affect the heart. Learning more about the condition could help millions of people. “It’s more common than you think,” Zhou said. For more information or to volunteer, contact NIH’s Office of Patient Recruitment at 1-800-411-1222 or email prpl@cc.nih.gov.

BEACON BITS

May 26

BLACK CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISM

The Maryland Center for History and Culture hosts a free virtual program with members of the curatorial panel for the exhibition “Passion and Purpose: Voices of Maryland’s Civil Rights Activists.” The event will take place Thurs., May 26 from 6 to 7 p.m. To learn more and register, visit bit.ly/MDBlackActivism.

June 11+

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL The Sandy Spring Mu-

seum hosts its annual Strawberry Festival Sat., June 11 and Sun., June 12. Enjoy delicious food — all the strawberry shortcake you can eat — craft vendors and live performances. Food and drink will be for sale. For more information, visit bit.ly/StrawberryFest22.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Eucalyptus leaves’ many health benefits To me, eucalyptus oil is one of the best rub some directly on your skin. essential oils you’ll ever find. It has so many uses. Many helpful properties If you don’t want a little The health benefits of 1,8-cibottle of this, I suggest using neol found in eucalyptus may: the plant leaves that are sold • Relieve chest tightness in a bunch. You can get them and congestion dried or fresh, and you can • Promote feelings of relaxshower with them! ation The compound that does • Ease breathing • Reduce sinus inflammation the work in eucalyptus is called 1,8-cineole, and it • Help a stuffy nose breaks up mucus and re- DEAR • Help with allergies • Improve symptoms of asthduces spasms in the respira- PHARMACIST ma and bronchitis tory tract. This compound By Suzy Cohen • Reduce anxiety and tension has proven clinical efficacy Aside from the respiratory benefits that for many diseases, including bronchitis, asthma and chronic obstructive pul- are well documented, 1,8-cineol has been monary disease (COPD). shown to help relieve pain in people who Did you know eucalyptus oil is one of the underwent knee surgery. main ingredients in Vicks® VapoRub? That It also can help with sinus headaches over-the-counter product also contains a lot and possibly even certain forms of heart of camphor, and it’s good for cough and disease and skin cancer. These unusual muscle/joint pain, too. There are many benefits speak to the power of the plant, other topical products sold online today and even though we need more studies that contain similar active ingredients. and data, it’s still good news. As for the beautiful plant itself, you can One fun fact about eucalyptus is that it’s buy a bundle easily from a florist or gro- a natural bug repellant! Bees and buttercery store flower department. I received flies don’t like it. Luckily, the flowers don’t a eucalyptus bouquet from a friend with have actual petals, but rather hundreds of the suggestion that I hang it in my shower. stamens so it can self-pollinate without the The hot steam from the shower helps acti- need for natural bug pollinators. vate and release eucalyptus oil comIncorporating eucalyptus is easy. It can pounds, especially the helpful 1,8-cineole. be found in many products, including If this is too strong for you, or you find it herbal teas, decongestants, cough supunpleasant, you can still get the benefits of pressants, mouthwash and dental formuthis breathing compound by putting 5 or las, skin care products, natural candles, 10 drops of eucalyptus oil in a large bowl of infused Epsom bath salts and muscle hot water. Cover your head with a towel rubs. If you make changes to your daily and bend over the bowl to breathe in the health regimen, always ask your doctor if aroma for about 10 minutes. Or you can add 10 to 20 drops into a tub it’s right for you. To read a longer version bath, or use a carrier oil like coconut oil to of this article, sign up for my free newslet-

ter at suzycohen.com. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor

before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe.

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M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Harvard Q&As about exercise, heart rate By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I started exercising regularly, jogging for about 40 minutes five times per week. Does that mean I can stop my antidepressant medication because my body is now creating the same antidepressant effect on its own? A: It’s great that you’re devoting yourself to regular exercise. There is no question that it is good for your whole body, including your brain. It can lift mood, quell anxiety, improve sleep, increase energy and enhance self-esteem. There is biological evidence, in fact, that exercise provides some of the same positive effects on the brain that antidepressants do. But it is not so clear that you can use exercise as a substitute for medication as a depression treatment. It may work out for a few people to make such a switch, but it’s not a sure bet at all. You definitely don’t want to stop or even lower your dosage without consulting with the prescribing clinician. Even if you maintain your exercise regimen, there is a risk of relapse when you stop an antidepressant. As much as we’re learning about the biology of depression, our knowledge is not

precise enough for us to be able to predict how different treatments will affect a given individual. We do know — from both the biological and environmental point of view — that there are many types of depression and that one treatment does not fit all people. Now, back to the positive effects of exercise. Jog long enough and you may get an “endorphin high” that lasts for a short period. Exercise regularly and your brain begins to change for the better. The blood flow and energy supply to nerve cells improve. Those cells get healthier, grow bigger, branch out and make new connections. New nerve cells are even created, a process called neurogenesis. Anyone who exercises regularly may therefore be tempted to cut back on an antidepressant dose. Proceed with caution, however. A lot of biological processes are still invisible to us. Different antidepressants have different “mechanisms of action.” They create the end result through different biological processes. Thus, a given medication may help in ways that exercise doesn’t touch. (The converse is also true: Exercise touches things that antidepressants don’t.)

It may be that — in your case — the antidepressant treatment and the exercise are complementing each other. For example, the antidepressant may be tweaking your motivation centers, providing you the impetus to go for a run. It sounds like you are feeling helped by both the medication and by the exercise. So, it’s a good time to have the medication discussion with your doctor. Q: What does heart rate variability mean and how is it related to our health? A: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. We know that a heart rate that’s too slow, too fast or irregular can signal a problem, so it’s only natural to think that a steady, regular pulse is a sign of a healthy heart. But for HRV, multiple studies suggest that having a high number is more likely to be associated with better health. A highly variable heartbeat means that the interval between beats fluctuates, although only by a fraction of a second. For example, if your heart rate is 60 beats per minute, instead of one second between beats, you’d have 0.8 seconds between some beats and 1.2 seconds between others. Heart rate variability is controlled by a primitive part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS works behind the scenes, automatically regulating our heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and digestion, among other key tasks. The ANS is subdivided into two large components: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight mechanism and the relaxation response. A high HRV seems to signal a healthy

heart because it reflects the heart’s ability to respond quickly to rapid changes occurring throughout the body. In a healthy person, HRV should increase when your heart rate drops, as it does during relaxing activities such as reading or meditating. HRV decreases as the heart rate rises, such as when you exercise or are under stress. In fact, HRV changes constantly, both throughout the day and from day to day. But chronic stress, poor sleep, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can disrupt the balance, and your fight-or-flight system can shift into overdrive. Low HRV is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. People with high HRV, on the other hand, tend to have higher fitness levels and be more resilient to stress. However, there isn’t a recommended HRV value because it varies widely, depending on your age, sex, fitness level, medical history and genetics. Many smart watches and wearable health monitors feature programs that measure HRV, though it’s not clear just how accurate or reliable these readings are. While HRV has been linked to overall physical fitness, the correlation between changes in HRV and how your autonomic nervous system is functioning will require more research. Still, if you decide to use HRV as another piece of health data, do not get too confident if you have a high HRV, or too worried if your HRV is low. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit health.harvard.edu. © Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

These veggie crisps live up to their name By America’s Test Kitchen Vegetables and fruits such as carrots and zucchini (surprise — zucchini is technically a fruit!) are mostly made up of water. For example, a zucchini or carrot is about 95% water. It can be a challenge to deal with all that water when cooking or baking — no one likes soggy zucchini bread! One of salt’s many superpowers is that it can pull water out of food. Plants are made up of countless tiny cells. When you sprinkle salt on vegetables and fruits, some of the water inside the cells is pulled out toward the salt. This process is called osmosis. Squeezing the shredded zucchini and carrot in a towel gets some of the water out, but salting them and letting osmosis do its work lets you squeeze out double the water! So, for crisps that are crispy — not soggy — use salt to draw out that extra water before cooking, as in this recipe.

6. Use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop and drop the vegetable mixture onto a baking sheet in 12 mounds (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Use your hand to gently press each mound to flatten into a thin circle. 7. Bake crisps until edges are browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let crisps cool for 10 minutes. Serve. For 25 years, home cooks have relied on America’s Test Kitchen for rigorously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. The family of brands — which includes Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, and America’s Test Kitchen Kids — offers reliable recipes for cooks of all ages and skill levels. See more online at americastestkitchen.com/TCA. © 2022 America’s Test Kitchen. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Cheesy Zucchini-Carrot Crisps Serves 2 to 4 (Makes 12 crisps) Ingredients: 1 small zucchini 1 small carrot, peeled ½ teaspoon salt cup panko bread crumbs ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (1 ounce) 1 large egg, cracked into bowl and lightly beaten with fork ½ teaspoon garlic powder Directions: 1. Adjust oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with vegetable oil spray. 2. Trim off the ends of the zucchini and carrot. Shred zucchini and carrot on the large holes of a box grater. 3. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Transfer shredded vegetables to a strainer and sprinkle with salt. Stir until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes to drain. 4. Place a clean dish towel on counter. When salted vegetables are ready, transfer to the center of the dish towel. Gather the ends of towel together, twist tightly, and squeeze hard over the sink, draining as much liquid as possible. Discard any liquid from the large bowl and add vegetables to the bowl. 5. Add panko, cheddar, egg and garlic powder to bowl with the vegetables. Stir mixture until combined.

BEACON BITS

May 31

CONCERT AT STRATHMORE

Senegalese Grammywinning singer and songwriter Youssou NDOUR performs at Strathmore’s The Music Center on Tues., May 31 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $34 to $78. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/YoussouNdour.

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BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

By Laura Newland, Director D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living Happy Older Americans Month! This year’s theme is Age My Way, celebrating the ways in which older adults choose to thrive in the communities they know and love. May is the month where we join the rest of the country in celebrating and honoring your accomplishments, service to your communities, and the ways in which you help all of us Thrive Together. For DACL, this is a personal mission our team works towards every day—but we call it Live Boldly! Every day, our team is working hard to reach the hardest to reach seniors and to ensure those who need resources and services receive them, making Washington, DC a place where all older adults can live and thrive in the communities they know and love. Just like in prior years, our Mayor continues to make significant investments in making sure longtime DC residents like you can stay and thrive in DC. The Fiscal Year 2023 budget includes helping families pass on property from one generation to the next, lowering property taxes for seniors, and helping residents maintain their properties. As the Mayor has noted, so much of our city’s $5.7 billion health and human services budget is focused on seniors and making sure our older residents have access to world-class health care, housing, and opportunities. Older Americans Month couldn’t have come at a better time and that’s because DC is Open, which means more opportunities for us to gather, connect, and engage in-person. All month long, our wellness centers, community dining sites, and other community partners have tons of events planned to celebrate our city’s oldest residents. One of those events is the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Senior Fest! This year’s fest is taking place at the Gateway Pavilion in Ward 8 and we have so much in store for you. Music, live entertainment, exhibitors, health screenings, games, a great lunch and more. If you’re interested in attending, be sure to visit dpr.events.com to register! While Older Americans Month is all about taking the time to engage with you in the community, it’s also a time for us to reinforce our commitment of listening to what matters most to you. In my January column, I shared more about our newest initiative called the Future of Aging (FOA) Project. FOA is all about using your feedback to help redesign systems and programs around your insights, feelings, and experiences. Together, we can create a customer experience that we can all be proud of. If you’re interested in participating in some of these activities, please call 202-715-7534 or email us at futureofaging@dc.gov. Keep living boldly!!!

Celebrate Older Americans Month with DACL! 2022 Older Americans Month Calendar Vida Senior Center OAM Celebration

Model Cities Senior Wellness Center OAM Celebration

Wednesday, May 4 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM 1842 Calvert Street, NW – Ward 1

Wednesday, May 18 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM 1901 Evarts Street, NE – Ward 5

Asian/Pacific Islander Senior Center OAM Celebration

UDC Senior Companion Program OAM Celebration with special guest, Laura Newland

Thursday, May 5 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Cambria Hotel – 1st floor 899 O Street, NW – Ward 2

Hattie Holmes Town Hall & OAM Celebration Monday, May 9 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM 324 Kennedy Street, NW – Ward 4 Hybrid

MPD Side-by-Side Band OAM Anniverary Tuesday, May 10 | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE – Ward 7

Washington Senior Wellness Center OAM Celebration Thursday, May 2 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM 3001 Alabama Avenue, SE – Ward 7

Wednesday, May 18 | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM Virtual

DPR Senior Fest Wednesday, May 25 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM 2700 Martin LutherKing, Jr. Avenue, SE – Ward 7

Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center OAM Celebration Monday, May 25 | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM 324 Kennedy Street, NW – Ward 4

Legacy Collabroative Leadership Academy Senior Village OAM Celebration – with special guest, Ms. Senior DC Thursday, May 26 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Virtual

To register for these events, lease visit dacl.dc.gov or call us at 202-727-8955

Director

Living Boldly is published by the Information Office of the DC Laura Newland Department of Aging and Community Living for DC senior residents. Editor DACL External Affairs Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the DC Department of Aging and Community Living or by the publisher.

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500 K St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 | (202) 724-5626 | www.dacl.dc.gov

Living Boldly

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Join a Future of Aging workshop, listening session, or other engaging activity and receive a gift card for your time. Future of Aging (FOA) is a new project focused on improving access to senior services offered by the Department of Aging and Community Living. If you are a District resident, age 50 or older, or a resident of any age providing care for an older adult, we want to hear from you! You can participate by phone, Zoom, or in-person and activities will be held across the District. Participants who are selected to participate in an FOA activity will receive a gift card as a token of appreciation for your time. We’re interested in hearing from you whether you already know about DACL programs and services or have never heard of us. So, tell a friend to tell a friend and give us a call today! To learn more and sign up, call us at 202-715-7534 or email us at futureofaging@dc.gov. In case you missed it, all senior wellness centers are open! For more information on center hours and COVID guidelines, please contact your local senior wellness center.

Join DC Grandparents Against COVID-19

DC Grandparents Against COVID-19 is a movement by grandparents united in encouraging loved ones of all ages to get vaccinated and boosted. COVID-19 has not gone away. With your help, we can protect our communities! Here’s how it works: 1. Talk to just four (or more) people about getting vaccinated or boosted. 2. Share and learn tips on how to inspire and encourage others.

“I have seen too many people die. I don’t want to bury my children or grandchildren. I have to be an example for them… We can get through this together. -Judy Brown, Grandmother Resident of Ward 8

You can make a difference! Learn tips from other grandparents and trusted health professionals.

3. Let us know how successful you were!

DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND COMMUNITY LIVING

Please contact Paige to learn more: Email: Grandparentsagainstcovid19@gmail.com Call: (202) 743-0404 • Website: helpageusa.org/dcgrandparents

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For o More Informa ation: https://dacl.dc.g gov or www.seaburyresourrces.org (202) 635-190 00

DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND COMMUNITY LIVING

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Money Law &

BITCOIN BENEFIT Risky cryptocurrency can reduce your portfolio’s overall risk FREE FINANCIAL ADVICE Certified financial planners offer qualified people free services FUNERAL ASSISTANCE Lost a loved one to COVID? Get your funeral costs reimbursed HOMELESS RETIREES As housing costs increase, so does homelessness for retirees

Many different types of financial advisers By Jeremy DiTullio Registered adviser, fiduciary, independent adviser, investment adviser representative, RIA, licensed, designated, unbiased — what do all these terms mean? As an investor seeking an adviser, it can certainly be confounding. The many different types of licenses, designations, financial industry jargon and affiliation options are a lot for anyone to digest. Twenty-two years of helping people understand it all has led me to a simple list of questions to help you decide if an adviser is right for you. Here it is: —Do you know them? (Where they introduced through a trusted friend, family member or other adviser?) —Do you like them? —Are they patient with you? —Is s/he a certified financial planner (CFP)? —Does s/he have at least 10 years of experience? A yes to each of these five questions will likely lead to a long-term successful relationship. It can be that simple. For those seeking deeper knowledge and insight, here is more information about different financial professionals’ various levels of education and training —

and the level of their legal duty to you. 1. Registered Rep, IAR or both A representative who is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) brokers investments (that is, arranges for their purchase on your behalf) and is associated with a broker-dealer (a firm). The acronym for a registered investment advisor is RIA. These brokers generally earn commissions on investments you buy through them, which may include an A share or C share mutual fund, variable annuity, 1031 exchange product, non-traded real estate investment trust (REIT), variable life insurance policy, oil and gas partnership and real estate limited partnership. The advice RIA advisers give must meet the “suitability standard,” meaning the investment must be suitable for the investor, but not necessarily the best (or least costly) choice for them. In contrast, an investment adviser representative (IAR) generally works for a flat fee for planning and advice, or for a percentage of total assets under management. There is no commission involved, and the IAR works as a fiduciary, meaning the adviser has an ethical duty to recommend

the best investments for you. An IAR can also be a registered investment adviser who maintains a license with a FINRA registered broker-dealer. Or an IAR can be a stand-alone adviser who does not have a FINRA registration and therefore does not have a FINRA license (see explanation 2 below). 2. Series 6 & Series 7 Now that we know to ask if an adviser is FINRA licensed and whether s/he is an IAR for a broker-dealer’s RIA or standalone, it’s time to evaluate an adviser’s FINRA license, if applicable. This is public information and can found by entering his/her name on the Broker Check site: brokercheck.finra.org. Two common licenses obtained to implement investment solutions are the Series 6 and Series 7. If an adviser has his/her Series 6 license, they can deal with variable investments (investments tied to the stock markets) but are limited to mutual funds and sub accounts inside variable insurance products. A Series 7 licensed professional registered with a broker-dealer will be able to offer a substantially wider scope of investments, including individual stocks and bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), pri-

vate placements, non-traded REITs, and stock options. The suitability standard applies to those operating under both the Series 6 and Series 7 license. 3. Series 65 What licensure is required by investment advisers (IARs)? Unlike the Series 7 and the Series 6 license holders, an individual does not need to be “sponsored” by a broker-dealer to take the required exam for Series 65. The Series 65 exam was designed by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and is administered by FINRA. This exam and license are required of anyone intending to provide financial or investment advice on a non-commission basis. Those advisers passing the Series 65 exam operate under the fiduciary standard. 4. Certified Financial Planner Let’s talk financial planning. Where does a certified financial planner professional fit in with all this licensure info? In the realm of comprehensive advice and working across disciplines, the certified financial planner designation is commonly held in the highest regard among See FINANCIAL ADVISER, page 34

Times when you need an expert’s advice By Liz Weston You can now manage most aspects of your money without ever consulting another human being. You can budget, borrow, save, invest, buy insurance, prepare your tax return and create a will — among many other tasks — by using apps, websites and software. But technology still has limitations, especially when you’re facing a money situation that’s complex or involves judgment calls. Consider consulting a human expert in the following situations: 1. Your insurance wasn’t renewed Insurers typically can’t cancel a policy after 60 days unless you fail to pay premiums, commit fraud or make serious misrepresentations on your application, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group.

However, insurers can decide not to renew your policy when it expires. With auto insurance, you often have many options after such a “non-renewal.” Even if you’ve had accidents or multiple claims, you typically can find coverage with companies that specialize in higher-risk drivers. If a homeowners insurance company dumps you, however, you may have trouble finding coverage, said insurance consumer advocate Amy Bach. That’s especially true if you were dropped because you made too many claims, or your area is considered high risk because of wildfires, extreme weather or crime, for example. How would other companies know? Insurers share such information in databases, and application forms typically ask if you’ve been “non-renewed” by another insurer, Bach said.

Bach’s nonprofit organization, United Policyholders, recommends seeking out an independent agent or broker who has relationships with several insurance companies. The agent or broker should know which insurers may be more receptive to your application and can put in a good word for you, Bach said. While most underwriting decisions are made by computers, there are still ways for human beings to override the algorithms. “It will make a difference if (the agent or broker) can call an underwriter they know and vouch for you as a good bet,” Bach said. If your area has been labeled high risk, ask your neighbors for referrals to agents or brokers who helped them find coverage. Otherwise, you can ask an accountant, attorney or financial planner if they have recommendations. Friends and fami-

ly may be able to provide leads as well. 2. You’re being audited Most IRS audits are conducted through the mail and are relatively routine. The IRS sends a letter requesting additional documentation to support a deduction or other tax break you’ve taken. If you mail back sufficient evidence, your case will be closed with no taxes owed. Otherwise, the IRS will mail you a bill. However, if the IRS wants to meet with you, the stakes get much higher. In fiscal year 2020, the average amount of additional taxes recommended in face-to-face audits was nearly 10 times larger than the average for a correspondence audit: $72,210 versus $7,658, according to IRS statistics. Even tax pros hire someone to represent them in face-to-face audits, said See EXPERT ADVICE, page 34

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Why you should name a ‘trusted contact’ By Liz Weston For the past few years, financial services companies have been bugging me to name a “trusted contact.” Banks, brokerages and insurers increasingly want to have someone to call or email in case they notice suspicious activity and can’t reach the account holder. I ignored these requests. Trusted contacts are a great idea for older people experiencing cognitive decline, I thought, but that’s not me. Then a younger friend developed earlyonset dementia, and I realized we don’t always get enough warning to put such protections in place. Clearly, trusted contacts aren’t just good for older people. Anyone’s financial accounts could be vulnerable if they’re displaced by natural disaster, wind up in the hospital, suffer a brain injury or are traveling and hard to reach. Helping your brokerage, bank or insurer connect with someone who knows what’s going on in your life could protect your money and prevent financial catastrophe. “I love the idea of the trusted contact, because it can really head off any fraud or exploitation before it snowballs out of control,” said Amanda Singleton, a family caregiving expert for AARP and an estate planning attorney in Florida.

They can’t make changes Naming a trusted contact doesn’t give that person authority over your accounts or the ability to see balances or make changes, explained Gerri Walsh, senior vice president of investor education at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, known as FINRA. FINRA is the nongovernmental organization that regulates the securities industry, including brokerages. Instead, your trusted contact can help fi-

nancial services companies reach you (if you’re unreachable) or identify others who might help. If you’re incapacitated, for example, your contact might connect the company to your legal guardian or the person with power of attorney over your accounts. If you’ve died, your trusted person could provide contact information for the executor of your estate or the successor trustee of your living trust. You aren’t required to name a trusted contact, but financial services companies — along with regulators and consumer advocates — recommend it. You can change your trusted contact whenever you want, or name more than one. Ideally, a trusted contact is someone you’re confident will protect your privacy and act responsibly. “It could be an adult child, a close friend, an attorney or some other trusted person that the financial institution can reach out to for extra help to try to reach you,” said Deborah Royster, assistant director for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office for Older Americans.

They could thwart fraud The push to name trusted contacts started out of concern for older Americans being scammed out of their life savings. More than 369,000 cases of financial fraud of older adults are reported to authorities each year, causing an estimated $4.84 billion in losses, according to a January report by Comparitech, a cybersecurity research company. But this kind of fraud is notoriously underreported, often because victims are embarrassed, worried that others will think them incapable, or protective of the perpetrators, who may be loved ones, caregivers or neighbors. Comparitech estimates the real toll may be 8.68 million cases and more

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than $113.7 billion in losses each year. To help reduce that toll, two new FINRA rules were approved in 2017. The first allows brokerages to put temporary holds on withdrawals when financial exploitation is suspected. The second requires brokerages to “make reasonable efforts” to get customers to name trusted contacts. So far, other financial services companies such as banks, credit unions and insurers don’t have similar rules. Even so, some are offering the opportunity to name trusted contacts on accounts, Royster said.

Beware fraudulent email requests One thing you shouldn’t do is respond to emails that seem to be from your financial institution asking you to name a trust-

ed contact. Those may be scams to steal your passwords or create other havoc, FINRA’s Walsh said. Instead of replying to those emails, consider calling your financial institution or looking on its website for a form that lets you name a trusted contact. If your financial institutions offer the option, it’s a relatively quick and easy way to add a layer of protection on your accounts, said Abby Schneiderman, co-founder and co-CEO of the end-of-life planning site Everplans and co-author of In Case You Get Hit by a Bus: How to Organize Your Life Now for When You’re Not Around Later. “People should take two minutes out of their day and name a trusted contact,” Schneiderman said. —AP/NerdWallet

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Financial adviser From page 32 industry professionals. Becoming a CFP certificant is one of the

M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

most stringent processes and one of the most difficult designations to obtain in terms of the financial advice industry. It requires years of experience, successful completion of standardized exams, a demon-

BEACON BITS

May 17

IRISH IMMIGRANT LABOR

Tudor Place, an historic mansion in Washington, D.C., hosts its free landmark lecture on Tues., May 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in person and virtually. The theme of this year’s lecture, given by Dr. Alan Kraut of American University, is “America Beckons, But Americans Repel: Irish Immigration and Irish Immigrant Labor in 19th-century America.” For more information, including in-person and virtual registration links, visit bit.ly/IrishImmigrantLabor or call (202) 965-0400.

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stration of ethics, a formal education and ongoing continuing education. A CFP professional active in the practice of charging clients for advice will at least have his/her Series 65 and operate as a fiduciary. 5. Compliance considerations There have been steps taken to curb bias and unsuitable recommendations from FINRA registered representatives. One sweeping legislation was Reg BI, which can be read about on FINRA’s website. These stringent regulations have influenced many advisers to drop their Series 7 license and work only as an IAR through an independent RIA. It is arguable that there is less oversight of RIAs by the SEC or the states, and therefore there are fewer compliance eyes on the recommendations and solutions being offered. While IARs still want to bring advanced solutions to their clients that have traditionally been vetted by a significant due diligence team at a FINRA registered bro-

ker dealer, smaller RIAs may not have the financial capacity or legal experience to vet investment offerings as thoroughly. Be certain to inquire about the legal and due diligence process involved in vetting any specific investment, especially those that aren’t open to everyone in the investing community. Hiring a professional with the intention that he/she and their team eventually earn the role of your trusted adviser is an important decision. Whether you take the profoundly simple list of questions to ask yourself and the potential suitor or take a much deeper approach, having some knowledge will be helpful and should add value in assisting with your decision. Jeremy DiTullio is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker/dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor. © 2022 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Expert advice

3. You’re creating an estate plan Will-making software and estate-planning sites can help you create essential legal documents if money is tight. Otherwise, you should probably consult an attorney, said Betsy Hannibal, senior legal editor for self-help legal site Nolo. “Why not get personalized advice that’s tailored to your situation, if you can?” Hannibal said. Getting help is particularly important if you need or want to do something complicated with your estate — such as putting conditions on a bequest, providing for someone with special needs, or creating a trust, she said. You’ll also want an attorney’s help if you have a lot of debt, because there may be ways to protect your assets from creditors. Finally, consult an attorney if you think someone might contest your will. A lawyer can put additional protections into place and serve as a professional witness that you knew what you were doing, Bach said. “If someone doesn’t think you were in your right mind, going through an attorney can help make sure that (a legal challenge) can’t go forward,” she said. — AP/NerdWallet

From page 32

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Leonard Wright, a certified public accountant and financial planner. Wright has plenty of experience: He was chief financial officer of a company that was audited, and his personal tax returns have been audited four times. In each case, he hired another CPA to represent him. It’s all too easy to say something you shouldn’t when you’re under scrutiny, Wright said. You could volunteer information that might not be helpful to your case, or get defensive or confrontational. “You don’t want it to become personal, and you don’t want to ruffle the feathers of the auditor,” Wright said. If you used a tax preparer, you may assume that person can represent you in an audit, but that’s not always the case. Typically, CPAs, attorneys and enrolled agents can represent clients in IRS audits, but other tax pros usually can’t. Your tax preparer may be able to refer you to someone who can represent you, or you can get referrals from friends, family or financial advisors.

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Why to invest in crypto despite its risks As cryptocurrencies have become more consumer purchases, corporate finance, formainstream, average investors have won- eign trade and supply chain management. Blockchain offers advantages dered whether and how to such as banking and credit to use them safely and effectivebillions of people in the world ly in their portfolios. who have smartphones but I recommend Ric Edeldon’t have access to banks. man’s book The Truth About Crypto: A Practical, Easy-toBlockchain even has the Understand Guide to Bitcoin, potential to eliminate poverty Blockchain, NFTs and Other globally and raise the stanDigital Assets. This book, dard of living for billions of inwhich will be available in May dividuals who live in poverty. in both paperback and Kindle Edelman also discusses editions, covers crucial issues THE SAVINGS the basics associated with associated with digital assets. GAME blockchains, how they work, Edelman shows you why By Elliot Raphaelson and the role of Bitcoin and other investing in digital assets will digital assets in the process. enhance your portfolio. He comes with some pretty impressive recommendations. Not too late to invest Barron’s has ranked him the nation’s No. 1 Is it too late to buy Bitcoin? A survey independent financial adviser. by Ernst and Young and Intertrust indiSeveral years ago, he wrote The Truth cated that 31% of hedge fund managers About Your Future: The Money Guide You planned to add significant digital assets Need Now, Later and Much Later. In that to their portfolios by 2023, and to invest book, early in the age of crypto, he wrote an average of 7.2% of their portfolios to crypto by 2025. about the importance of digital assets. He created the Digital Assets Council of At the end of April, Fidelity announced it Financial Professionals (DACFP), which is will allow customers to hold Bitcoin in widely regarded as the premier resource their retirement accounts. It is not too late on this topic. Edelman now devotes the to invest. Naturally, there are risks in investing in majority of his time to DACFP. Over the last decade, he has trained digital assets. Edelman writes that because thousands of financial advisers and corpo- digital assets are an emerging asset class, rate executives regarding blockchain and we should consider the possibility of a digital assets. The organization’s website, massive and permanent market crash in DACFP.com, provides contacts for finan- the prices of digital assets. He discusses several reasons, such as cial advisers who can offer advice about inmarket manipulation, technological obsolesvesting in digital assets. In The Truth About Crypto, Edelman ex- cence, the vagaries of consumer/investor plains why blockchain is so transforma- demand, regulatory intervention, rogue tive. There are thousands of commercial custodians and scams. As a scam example, Edelman believes Dogecoin is a distraction applications for blockchain technology. Some of the commercial applications are and dangerous. He said don’t buy it.

Why hold risky assets? Digital assets carry high risk, but that’s exactly why Edelman believes you should invest in them. He refers to research done by Nobel laureate Harry Markowitz on correlation. Two assets that rise and fall simultaneously are positively correlated, so you are no better off if you owned only one of them. However, if two assets are negatively correlated, then if you owned both, your overall risk is sharply reduced. Now, if you add a third asset with higher risk, then you not only reduce the overall losses of the portfolio at any one time, but you also improve its overall return because the third asset makes more money than the other two. So, by adding a higher risk asset,

you get higher returns with lower risk. Bitcoin’s correlation to other assets is very low: With bonds it is 0.25; with equities, 0.12; with gold, 0.07 and with commodities, 0.00. The bottom line is that adding a risky asset to a portfolio helps to reduce the portfolio’s overall risk.

Only 1% of portfolio How much of your portfolio should you place into digital assets? Edelman is very conservative in this regard. He recommends only 1% of your portfolio should be invested in digital assets, in order to minimize your risk. He initiated the 1% strategy in 2015, and it is widely used. The book contains several See CRYPTO, page 36

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Do you qualify for free financial planning? By Elliot Raphaelson In a recent issue of InvestmentNews, there was an advertisement placed by the Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP). The ad was a solicitation for tax-deductible gifts and for financial planner volunteers. The ad also indicated that FFP has helped over 500,000 people in crisis who needed access to free financial planning. I wanted to find out more about this service because I believe that many individuals and families who can’t afford to hire certified financial planners (CFPs) do have such a need. The ad indicated that 1 in 3 cancer patients deplete their savings; over 92% of military veterans live in debt; and millions of Americans need but can’t access quality, ethical financial advice. Correspondence I receive from readers demonstrates this need. Accordingly, I contacted the FFP in

order to learn more about their services. I learned a great deal. Based on my initial contact with a representative of FFP, I was referred to a representative of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) — an organization of certified financial planners, whose members provide pro bono services to underserved individuals/families. I was referred to Kristin Pugh, a certified financial planner who is a member of the FPA and chairs the National FPA Pro Bono Advisory Committee. Pugh also has extensive experience providing pro bono services locally to those in need through her home chapter, the FPA of Georgia, and provided me with valuable input. She indicated that individuals who need financial planning services but can’t afford them should contact the local chapter of FPA, and determine if there are pro bono financial planners available in their geographic area.

Who qualifies for help? Pugh indicated that there are not specific limitations such as a minimum level of assets or income to be considered, but that the FPA pro bono volunteers reserve services for those considered underserved or part of an “at risk” community. Such communities can include military personnel, veterans, those with disabilities, individuals and families with limited income/assets, and individuals in bankruptcy. Pugh pointed out that her chapter has developed a close working relationship with local nonprofit groups to reach out to the underserved. Periodically, the members of the nonprofit groups work with FPA planners to sponsor educational workshops available to the general public. FPA planners deliver presentations and workshops based on the topic recommended by the nonprofit. Provided that

the individuals attending meet the definition of “underserved,” they are welcome to reach out and contact a FPA CFP to establish a one-on-one engagement. Pugh told me that workshops provide a great way to expose people to a specific area of planning; attendees can then meet with a planner to discuss their specific situation.

How much help is provided? There is no predetermined schedule. In some situations, one meeting is sufficient, while in other cases multiple meetings are arranged. Pugh said that she has maintained contact with some individuals with complex issues for as long as six months. She told me that partnering with a nonprofit is not required to sponsor a workshop to establish one-on-one services. Nonprofits can establish one-on-one relationships directly with a FPA CFP. For example, Pugh described her chapter’s relationship with a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to individuals in the Atlanta area. By forming this relationship, the FPA chapter can pair CFPs with their legal clients and offer oneon-one financial planning sessions. The bottom line is that if you need financial planning assistance but cannot afford to hire a certified financial planner, help may be available. Contact your local FPA chapter to determine if there are pro bono CFPs in your area and whether you would qualify for these services. Contact the Financial Planning Association’s National Capital Area chapter at (703) 620-1712. © 2022 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Crypto From page 35 examples that illustrate its value. How do you choose the right assets? Edelman devotes a comprehensive chapter to the options available. In a conversation I had with him, Edelman recommended exploring funds managed by Grayscale, Bitwise and Osprey. He also recommends using dollar cost averaging for these investments. Bottom line: This book is comprehensive, practical and easy to understand. After reading it, you will understand why digital assets are so important, and why you should add them to your portfolio. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2022 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Funds reimburse COVID-related funerals assistance. The agency is also reaching out to community groups and local media outlets to help publicize the program. “Our new outreach campaign is designed to reach families, especially across underserved communities, where the cost of a funeral can be a financial burden to a loved one,” Criswell said. “Our goal is to help families apply for assistance, as well as submit all required documents for existing applications.”

By Zeke Miller The federal government has already provided more than $2 billion to help cover funeral costs for more than 300,000 families of people who died from COVID-19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced in March as it launched a new campaign to raise awareness about additional aid available to eligible families. The COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program provides up to $9,000 per funeral and covers COVID-19 related deaths since Jan. 20, 2020. The average amount awarded per death is $6,500, according to FEMA. “FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program has helped provide over 300,000 people with critical financial relief during a time of such unexpected, unimaginable and widespread loss,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in a statement. The agency last month launched a new paid ad campaign in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas targeted at areas with large rates of COVID-19 deaths but lower rates of reimbursement requests in order to help connect people to available

Must provide documentation To be eligible for reimbursement, death certificates for those who died after May 16, 2020, must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19. For deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic — from Jan. 20 to May 16, 2020 — death certificates must be accompanied by a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner or the certifying official listed on the certificate indicating that COVID-19 was the cause or a contributing cause of death. Expenses covered under the FEMA program include funeral services, cremation

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May 24+

FINANCE SPEAKER SERIES

Kensington Park Senior Living hosts a spring speaker series on financial health. The talk on Tues., May 24 at 2 p.m. addresses understanding finance basics, and the meeting on Tues., June 21 at 2 p.m. addresses getting the most out of Medicare. These talks take place at the Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase, 7931 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. To register, RSVP via email to bballenger@kensingtonsl.com or call Brooke at (301) 946-7700.

May 19

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

The Labs at D.C. Library are hosting a free virtual workshop to help you improve your photography skills on Thurs., May 19 from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/SmartphoneCameraWorkshop. Call (202) 727-0321 with questions.

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and interment, as well as the costs for caskets or urns, burial plots or cremation niches, markers or headstones, transportation or transfer of remains, clergy or officiant services, and the use of funeral home equipment or staff. The program was first signed into law in the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration, but began accepting applications weeks into President Joe Biden’s term. The initial bill provided $2 billion for the funeral assistance, which

was exhausted in recent days. Funding going forward will come from Biden’s 2021 relief bill known as the “American Rescue Plan.” FEMA is not accepting online applications for the reimbursement program. Rather, people eligible are directed to call the agency’s helpline at 1-844-684-6333, where they will be prompted to submit the required documentation. You will need to know your Social Security number and that of the deceased. —AP

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M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More retirees among America’s homeless By Anita Snow Karla Finocchio’s slide into homelessness began when she split with her partner of 18 years and temporarily moved in with a cousin. The 55-year-old planned to use her $800a-month disability check to get an apartment after back surgery. But she soon was sleeping in her old pickup, protected by her German Shepherd mix Scrappy, unable to afford housing in Phoenix, where median monthly rents soared 33% during the coronavirus pandemic. Finocchio is one face of America’s graying homeless population — a rapidly expanding group of destitute and desperate people 50 and older suddenly without a

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get older, sicker and less able to pay spiraling rents. Advocates say much more housing is needed, especially for extremely low-income people. Navigating sidewalks in wheelchairs and walkers, the aging homeless have medical ages greater than their years, with mobility, cognitive and chronic problems like diabetes. Many contracted COVID-19 or couldn’t work because of pandemic restrictions. “It’s so scary,” said Finocchio, her green eyes clouding with tears while sitting on the cushioned seat of her rolling walker. “I don’t want to be on the street in a wheelchair and living in a tent.” It was Finocchio’s first time being homeless. She’s now at a transitional 60bed shelter run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for people 50 and up seeking permanent housing. A stroke started 67-year-old Army veteran Lovia Primous on his downward spiral, costing him his job and forcing him to sleep in his Honda Accord. He was referred to the transitional shelter after recovering from COVID-19. “Life has been hard,” said Primous, who grew up on in a once-segregated African American neighborhood of south Phoenix. “I’m just trying to stay positive.”

Cardelia Corley ended up on the streets of Los Angeles County after the hours at her telemarketing job were cut. Now 65, Corley said she was surprised to meet so many others who were also working, including a teacher and a nurse who lost her home following an illness. “I’d always worked, been successful, put my kid through college,” the single mother said. “And then all of a sudden, things went downhill.” Corley traveled all night aboard buses and rode commuter trains to catch a cat nap. “And then I would go to Union Station downtown and wash up in the bathroom,” said Corley. She recently moved into a small East Hollywood apartment with help from The People Concern, a Los Angeles nonprofit.

Hard to count homeless elders The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said in its 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report the share of homeless people 50 and over in emergency shelters or transitional housing jumped from 22.9% in 2007 to 33.8% in 2017. More precise and recent nationwide figures aren’t available because HUD has See HOMELESS RETIREES, page 39

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Homeless retirees From page 38 since changed the methodology in the reports and lumps older people in with all adults over 25. A 2019 study of aging homeless people led by the University of Pennsylvania drew on 30 years of census data to project the U.S. population of people 65 and older experiencing homelessness will nearly triple from 40,000 to 106,000 by 2030, resulting in a public health crisis as their age-related medical problems multiply. Dr. Margot Kushel, a physician who directs the Center for Vulnerable Populations at the University of California, San Francisco, said her research in Oakland on how homelessness affects health has shown nearly half of the tens of thousands of older homeless people in the U.S. are on the streets for the first time. “We are seeing that retirement is no longer the golden dream,” said Kushel. “A lot of the working poor are destined to retire onto the streets.” That’s especially true of younger baby boomers, now in their late 50s to late 60s, who don’t have pensions or 401(k) accounts. About half of both women and men ages 55 to 66 have no retirement savings, according to the census.

‘Only going to get worse’ Donald Whitehead Jr., executive direc-

tor of the Washington-based advocacy group National Coalition for the Homeless, said that seeing older people sleep in cars and abandoned buildings should worry everyone. “We now accept these things that we would have been outraged about just 20 years ago,” said Whitehead. Whitehead said Black, Latino and Indigenous people who came of age in the 1980s amid recession and high unemployment rates are disproportionately represented among the homeless. Many nearing retirement never got wellpaying jobs and didn’t buy homes because of discriminatory real estate practices. “So many of us didn’t put money into retirement programs, thinking that Social Security was going to take care of us,” said Rudy Soliz, 63, operations director for Justa Center, which offers meals, showers, a mail drop and other services to the aged homeless in Phoenix. The average monthly Social Security retirement payment as of December was $1,658. Many older homeless people have much smaller checks because they worked fewer years or earned less than others. People 65 and over with limited resources and who didn’t work enough to earn retirement benefits may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income of $841 a month. “The programs approved by Congress

to prevent destitution among the elderly and the disabled are not working,” said Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania professor who led the 2019 study of the aging homeless in New York, Boston and Los Angeles County. “And the problem is only going to get worse.” Jennifer Molinsky, project director for the Aging Society Program at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, agreed the federal government must do more to ensure older Americans are better housed.

“The younger boomers were hit especially hard in the Great Recession, many losing their homes close to retirement,” Molinsky said. Hearth Inc. CEO Mark Hinderlie said far more housing needs to be built and made affordable for the aged, especially now as the numbers of graying homeless people surge. “It’s cheaper to house people than leave them homeless,” Hinderlie said. “You have to rethink what housing can be.” —AP

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Subscribe online! See how on p. 42

Travel Leisure &

Tread carefully in Lassen Volcanic National Park. See story on opposite page.

An intergenerational Southwest road trip er, the colors, sizes, shapes and geometry of those rocks change dramatically. The scenery and the experience of Monument Valley, for instance, is nothing like that of the Grand Canyon. And the sky! Until you have seen a canyon or butte or crazy-shaped monolith framed against a sky as blue as it gets, dotted with clouds as bizarrely shaped as the rocks below, you can’t appreciate why a person as well traveled as I returns as often as possible. This trip was guaranteed to blow Aaron’s Floridian mind and give me an opportunity to relive some of the most memorable trips of my 30s and 40s. Thinking back on those trips as I approached my 80th birthday, I remembered how they helped transform my life, especially my self-confidence and self-image, as I backpacked solo for the first time in an unfamiliar and potentially hostile environment. Though my trip with Aaron would be far less challenging, I hoped that it would be more than just a fun diversion from his job and a life constrained by a stubborn pandemic. PHOTO COURTESY OF DON MANKIN

The author, Don Mankin, visited the Grand Canyon last spring, a few weeks before his 80th birthday. Exploring the American Southwest “as often as possible” has been a lifelong adventure for him.

The canyons of northern Arizona We met in Phoenix, rented a car and drove four hours to the Grand Canyon. After his introduction to the canyon from the South Rim, we hiked a mile or so into the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. I wasn’t planning on hiking too far into the canyon, realizing that the farther down we went, the further up we would have to hike to get out. I’m in pretty good shape for a geezer, but why push it? In any case, our descent came to a halt at the edge of a steep, icy patch on the trail. We had already made our way gingerly down one icy patch, but we figured, why take the chance of a serious fall? The next time I go hiking in the Grand Canyon at the end of winter, I’ll wear crampons.

PHOTO BY DON MANKIN

By Don Mankin “It’s crazy,” my grand-nephew exclaimed as we approached the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I heard Aaron say that often over the next several days as the two of us explored the national parks and monuments of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Aaron, 23, has spent most of his life in Florida, so for him the canyons, cliffs and mountains of the American Southwest were like something from another world. This was our first adventure together since his bar mitzvah gift 10 years ago — a day-long kayak trip in the Channel Islands of Southern California. I guess that trip made a positive impression, because he started bringing up the idea of another adventure with me during the middle of the pandemic. I suggested a road trip through the American Southwest, including the Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, and Arches, Canyonlands and Zion National Parks. To the uninitiated, it might seem like the American Southwest is all about rocks, and that once you’ve seen one rock, you’ve seen them all. Yet from one place to anoth-

Arches National Park’s dramatic natural rock formations lure thousands of tourists every year. Reservations are now required to visit the park, located near Moab, Utah, between April and October.

Our next stop was one of my favorite sites in the Southwest — Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeastern Arizona, a four-hour drive from the Grand Canyon. Located on Navajo tribal lands, Canyon de Chelly is a bit off the beaten track, so it attracts far fewer visitors than the other parks in the region. But from an aesthetic point of view, I believe it is the most dramatic and beautiful place in the Southwest. Unlike the Grand Canyon, which is deeper and more vast, the overlooks in Canyon de Chelly are sheer and the several-hundred-foot drops, with no guard rails, are heart-pounding if you get too close to the edge. Plus, you are likely to be the only one standing at the rim looking at the rock as it turns orange-red in the rays of the setting sun. At this canyon, there is no jostling for the best view or photo, and no sounds other than the wind pushing you toward the edge of the overlook. For a different perspective on the towering sandstone cliffs and the verdant valley below, we took a jeep tour through the canyon the next morning with a Navajo guide for a closeup look at the prehistoric rock art and the remains of ancient Pueblo villages. The canyon has been inhabited by sev-

eral Native American tribes for millennia, and the Navajos, the current residents, still maintain homes and ranches in the canyons.

Southern Utah’s parks From Canyon de Chelly, we drove 90 minutes to Monument Valley, which is also on Navajo tribal lands. Despite being relatively close to Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley is a very different place. Instead of peering down into narrow canyons, you look up at towering sandstone monoliths scattered throughout a vast, wide-open landscape. It’s easy to see why the legendary movie director John Ford used Monument Valley as the setting for many of his classic Westerns. The 17-mile loop road through the valley provides multiple opportunities to view and photograph the magnificent sandstone spires, pinnacles and buttes from different angles. Moab, our next stop, is a 2.5-hour drive from Monument Valley. Surrounded by stunning red-rock scenery, Moab has numerous opportunities for hiking, biking, sky diving, rock climbing, canyoneering, ballooning and off-roading. See SOUTHWEST, page 45

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Volcanic park shows off nature’s power By Glenda C. Booth In the northeast corner of California, the Earth’s innards spurt, spit, squirt, gurgle and boil from seen and unseen orifices. Sulphur Works belches. Steam whirls out of Devil’s Kitchen. And occasionally a volcano erupts (most recently in 1915). This is Lassen Volcanic National Park, where Earth’s ever-changing nature has been on display in this volcanically active region for three million years. Surprisingly, it is one of America’s least-visited national parks. The 166-square-mile park surrounds Mount Lassen, the largest lava plug dome in the world and the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range. The 1915 eruption that rained volcanic ash as far as 200 miles to the east was the impetus to establish the park in 1916. That was the last eruption in the Cascade Range before Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. Lassen is located at the junction of the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert. Because of this location and the elevation range of 5,000 to 10,000 feet throughout the park, there’s a rich variety of plants and animals. To the area’s indigenous people, Lassen — or Waganupa, as the Yahi tribe called it — was a spiritual center and sacred land. Parts of the park are almost otherworldly, a landscape of thumping mudpots, steaming fumaroles and boiling pools connected by a complex hydrothermal system. “In this park, one can safely witness the hints of the power of the Earth belching its matter upward,” said retired seismologist David Von Seggern. Prudent visitors stick to marked trails and boardwalks to safely meander. “You may feel tempted to explore thermal features up close by walking beyond estab-

lished trails and walkways,” the park’s website reads. “However, a venture to satisfy curiosity may land you in the hospital with severe burns,” it cautions, accompanied by a photo of the reddened, burned foot of someone who stepped off the trail through a deceptively solid crust of earth.

Attracts a variety of scientists Since 1863, when experts conducted the first geological survey there, scientists have seen Lassen as an outdoor living laboratory. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have analyzed the eruptive history of the area, finding that in the last 100,000 years, at least 72 volcanos in and around the park have erupted. USGS’s California Volcano Observatory monitors Lassen’s volcanoes for signals of an impending eruption. Today, scientists at NASA are studying microbes in the park’s bubbling pools to gain insights into possible life on other planets. Hot springs, like those in Lassen, may have supported chemical reactions that linked molecules. “It has very significant implications for the future of space exploration,” Natalie Batalha, an astrophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, told Science magazine in 2020. Other scientists take advantage of the park’s famously dark skies to study stars. Every August, the park hosts a Dark Sky Festival, when rangers, astronomers and astrobiologists host programs for visitors of all ages. Still other researchers study climate change’s impacts on snowpack, precipitation and wildfires.

Exploring by car A driving tour on the 30-mile highway in

the western part of the park offers a good introduction to the region. Some sites’ names offer a hint of what to expect: Devil’s Kitchen, Brokeoff Mountain and Bumpass Hell. The park has more than 150 miles of trails. Around Manzanita Lake, visitors might see wildlife along the lakeshore and do some catch-and-release fishing. Signs along Devastated Area’s trails explain Mount Lassen’s eruption. Lassen has more than 700 flowering plant species. Paradise Meadow and Hat Creek explode with wildflowers in the summer. Plants such as mountain mule ears, corn lilies and silverleaf lupines and 12 species of pine tree thrive in the park. At Chaos Crags, visitors can explore a moonscape jumble of rocks that tumbled down the incline 300 years ago at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. In the less-visited areas, visitors might encounter a mule deer or yellow-bellied marmot. Waterfowl visit the park’s 50 lakes. There’s a restful side, too: snowy mountain peaks, crystalline lakes, peaceful forests and mountain breezes. Climbing to volcano tops brings panoramic vistas of northern California’s beauty.

Fiery, feisty, but tranquil too, Lassen is a place of geologic wonders.

If you go Lassen Volcanic National Park is located three hours northeast of Sacramento and 50 miles from Redding, California. Roundtrip flights from D.C. to Sacramento start at $475. Aside from cabins and camp sites, the only lodging inside the park has been the Drakesbad Guest Ranch. Unfortunately, the ranch was affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire and is closed for repairs through the 2022 season. In normal times, the working dude ranch features home-cooked meals and a swimming pool fed by thermal springs, where the water temperatures and pH are managed to ensure safety. It’s best to visit Lassen from May to October, when roads are accessible. Most of the park was unaffected by the fire and will be open for the summer-fall 2022 season. Check the website at nps.gov/lavo for updates or to download an audio tour. The year-round Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center has a café, film, exhibits and ranger programs. For more information, email lavo_information@nps.gov.

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M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Don’t get taken doing foreign exchange With COVID-19 restrictions falling, chances are that many of you are considering a trip to Europe or Asia this summer. That means paying in euros, francs, yen or whatever when you’re at your destination. Unless you’re a currency speculator, you’ll almost always lose something in exchanging your dollars for another currency, but there are ways to keep those losses to no more than around one percent.

two different kinds of plastic: 1. A credit card without a foreigntransaction surcharge or fee To keep losses to a minimum, the key rule is to put as many big-ticket bills on a credit card as possible. But you have to use the right card. A decade ago, most credit cards added a surcharge of 3% on all transactions completed outside the U.S. — even those conducted in U.S. dollars. And TRAVEL TIPS that’s a gratuitous “junk” fee: By Ed Perkins The right plastic When a U.S. bank processes Today, foreign exchange is all about your transaction; the bill is already in dolwhich credit card to use and how to use it. lars, so your bank adds nothing to the Plastic is not only the best way to cope process. The very small actual cost of conwith foreign exchange; in many cases, it’s version is covered by the international netthe only way. A few European retail outlets work to which your bank belongs: Visa, have started requiring that all transactions MasterCard or American Express. be with credit cards — no cash at all. More recently, a lot of credit cards — esTo minimize losses, you need at least pecially co-branded travel-related cards —

BEACON BITS

June 13

BOOK CLUB

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum hosts a free quarterly virtual book club focused on postal-themed novels and nonfiction books. A discussion of the book Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain takes place Mon., June 13 from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/PostalBooks.

WB522

have reversed their exchange practice: They no longer charge a fee at all or add just a trivial fee of 1% or less to cover the actual transaction cost. If your current credit card carries no surcharge, you’re already OK. If it still adds that 3%, consider getting a new card with no foreign transaction fees. 2. A debit card with no ATM fees The best way to get local currency outside the U.S. is to get it from a local bank’s ATM. But finding the right card can sometimes take some digging. Although a large foreign bank’s ATM generally uses the bank rate for conversion, when you use a debit card at a foreign bank’s ATM — and your bank likely considers all bank ATMs except its own as “foreign” ATMs — you face up to three possible fees: 1. Your bank assesses a fee — typically around three or four dollars — for every ATM transaction at any foreign bank, regardless of the amount. 2. Your bank may also add that nasty conversion fee. 3. The operator of the foreign ATM may assess a withdrawal fee. There’s a good chance that your bank’s debit card hits you with at least one of the three fees. To avoid them, consider opening a no-fee checking account with a bank that (1) charges no exchange fees on for-

eign withdrawals, and (2) absorbs some or all foreign-bank fees as well. That’s what I do: I have a small no-fee checking account with a small local bank that I transfer money to before a trip but otherwise keep idle. Your best bets for such a “travel money” account are credit unions, former savings banks and online banks.

Avoid these three gouges Keep away from three major gouges: 1. Airport exchange offices almost always give very poor rates — you can lose up to 10%. 2. Many foreign airports have given local exchange agencies exclusive franchise to operate all ATMs at the airport. Those ATMs proclaim “no fees,” but they give the same lousy rates as the exchange office. Find a major bank’s ATM instead. 3. Some foreign merchants may offer to bill you in dollars rather than local currency. Even if your card adds no junk fees, the merchant will almost certainly give you a lousy exchange rate. Don’t fall for it. Fortunately, these gouges are easy to avoid — or at least to minimize. And that means losing as little as possible in the exchange process. Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net or visit his rail travel website rail-guru.com. © 2022 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

How technology is changing travel in 2022 By Sally French For the athletes at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, travel entailed robots. Everywhere. These machines prepared and served noodles, rice and burgers, and roamed hallways to take the temperatures of passersby. They even passed the Olympic flame underwater. Even if you’re not an Olympian, your travels these days are far more likely to involve technology that you’ve never used before. Many of these technological advancements were spurred by early pandemic pressure for contactless payments, food service and more. For example, between February and March 2020 alone, Mastercard saw the number of contactless payments at grocery stores grow twice as fast as non-contactless transactions. Meanwhile, the number of active restaurants on the Uber Eats food delivery app grew by more than 75% from Dec. 2019 to Dec. 2020. So, whether you found the Olympic robots creepy or cool, technology is seeping into travel in a way that most travelers are finding beneficial. Whether shortening queues, helping travelers save money, or eliminating the need to get within six feet of others, here are several new travel technologies that have emerged in 2022: 1. Apps for picking hotels and choosing rooms Most large hotel chains have long had free apps with features like booking and live chat, but many recently got big-time improvements. Last summer, Hilton launched a feature that lets you book and instantly confirm connecting rooms on its app and website, which has proven especially helpful for groups. Its app also can display a map of the hotel and allow you to select your exact room of choice, whether it’s the peaceful room farthest from the elevator or the one nearest it for easy access. 2. Smart devices as room keys Some apps serve as a digital front desk, which then allows you to use your smartphone and smartwatch as digital keys. For example, digital keys in Hyatt’s mobile app use Bluetooth technology to let you unlock your hotel room with your phone at more than 600 hotels worldwide. This past December, Hyatt made things even easier for Apple users by becoming the first hotel brand to offer room keys in Apple Wallet. At certain Hyatt hotels, you no longer need to open the Hyatt app; instead, you can tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock rooms. Over at Hilton, which has offered digital keys to some degree since 2015, last year saw a huge update in Digital Key Share,

For classifieds, see page 54.

which allows more than one guest to have digital access. The feature is currently available at about 80% of Hilton’s hotels worldwide. 3. Rise of virtual queues In January, Clear — a private biometric screening company that lets paying members bypass certain security lines at busy areas, including stadiums and airports — announced that it had acquired another company designed to reduce wait times: Whyline. The acquisition could allow Clear to improve virtual queues for processes like checking vaccine status or accessing airport lounges. Meanwhile, Disney rolled out a feature in its U.S. theme park apps last October called Genie, which is intended to help vacationers better plan their day. By analyzing current lines and crowds, it can suggest more efficient itineraries. 4. Delivery apps replace room service

Food delivery apps have been disrupting room service lately by delivering food from around town — and eliminating the need to pay $10 for a bowl of room-service cereal. Some hotels are leaning into the idea of letting other companies handle it. For example, Hyatt launched a pilot program with snack delivery service GoPuff in 2021 to deliver prepackaged and hot meals to rooms at select Hyatt Place locations. Hyatt says the program has been successful, and has since grown to more properties nationwide. 5. Robotic and app-powered food delivery in airports Speaking of food delivery, the days of waiting in long airport restaurant lines might be gone. Apps like AtYourGate allow you to order, pay for and pick up food from participating airport restaurants. More recently, AtYourGate is testing

services where you don’t even need to physically grab your food. Instead, robots bring it to you. A pilot program that launched in September has robots roaming around Los Angeles International Airport, bringing food directly to your gate. 6. Growth of app-powered car rentals The rental car industry has sometimes been brutal to travelers, but peer-to-peer car-sharing alternatives are expanding, providing consumers with more choices. Getaround cars (a service that lets car owners rent out their cars) can be booked on an hourly basis, and there’s no need to meet up with the owner to exchange keys. Cars are booked and unlocked through an app. Getaround expanded to Hawaii at the end of 2021, marking the 10th state that Getaround added to its portfolio that year and the 22nd state in its history. —AP/NerdWallet

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Southwest From page 40 Located a short drive to two national parks, Arches and Canyonlands, Moab has many hotels, restaurants and even a couple of decent brew pubs, despite Utah’s strict liquor laws. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks were our raison d’etre for being in Moab. Arches is famed for its, well, arches. Huge, often delicate red-hued sandstone formations provide great opportunities for stunning photos — as long as you have the patience to wait for the swarms of people on the arches to get out of the way. Canyonlands was my favorite destination of the trip. The huge, 527-square-mile park is divided into three districts — Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze. We chose Island in the Sky for our one day of hiking because it is the most accessible district, just a 40-minute drive to the park entrance. Our first “hike,” which was actually just a short half-mile roundtrip walk from the parking lot, was to Mesa Arch. The large arch frames a distant view of rugged rock formations and the snow-capped peaks of the La Sal Mountains — one of the best photo ops of the trip. Our second hike, a bona fide hike, was the Grand View Point Hike, two miles round trip along the edge of the mesa. The views of the etched canyons hundreds of

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feet below are expansive and spectacular from almost every point on the trail. After a brief stop in a very crowded Zion National Park, where the Virgin River flows through a very narrow, long and steep canyon, we headed back to Phoenix for our flights home the next day. All in all, it was a very successful trip; I was able to introduce a place I care about to a person I care about. The opportunity to share this place with Aaron made the road trip even more special. I don’t know if the American Southwest transformed his life like it did mine, but from our conversations, it’s clear he’s rethinking his life and career. We have more adventures planned, including a trip next year to my second-favorite place in the U.S. — the Pacific Northwest. I hope we have initiated a tradition of annual trips to special places until I get too old to travel or he finds someone younger and more interesting and attractive to travel with.

If you go Non-stop round-trip air fare between D.C.-area airports and Phoenix is about $450 on American Airlines. If you want to cut your driving time by 4 hours (2 hours each way), you can fly into Flagstaff, but there are no non-stop flights, and fares are considerably higher. A good place to stay in Grand Canyon National Park is Yavapai Lodge, about $230

a night, (928) 638-4001. In Canyon de Chelly, I recommend the Thunderbird Lodge, $125 a night, (928) 674-5842. In Monument Valley, stay at Gouldings Lodge for about $200 a night, (435) 727-3231. Restaurant options are limited. Often the only (or most convenient) place to eat is in the lodge where you are staying. Moab is the exception. Since it is a fair-sized town, there are many choices. I recommend the Moab Brewery, Fiesta

Mexicana, and the Blu Pig for BBQ and craft beers. I also recommend the Blue Cof fee Pot Restaurant, on Route 160 near the Grand Canyon, for authentic Navajo cuisine. Don is the 2020 first-place winner for travel ar ticles from the Nor th American Mature Publishers Association. To read more stories from Don, go to adventuretransformations.com and click on “Ar ticles.”

BEACON BITS

June 14

ARTS CONVERSATION The National Museum of Women in the Arts hosts a free online

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Style Arts &

The Encore Chorale celebrates 15 years. See page 49.

Ford’s musical Grace is food for thought Based on book by DuBois Historian W.E.B. DuBois chronicled the achievements of pioneering Black chefs and caterers (described in the song “Bogle, Augustin, Prosser, Dorsey, Jones and Minton”) in his 1899 book The Philadelphia Negro. In the musical Grace, these men are lifted up in song. Along with unnamed female culinary heroines, their images are emblazoned on the set as a mural on a wall of the Minton Restaurant, which carries on the proud legacy of chef and abolitionist Henry Minton. The restaurant is a beloved community institution — or is it? When six of the family’s cousins gather to memorialize their recently deceased grandmother, known as GranMe, she had passed ownership of the restaurant to cousin Ruthie (Nova Y. Payton), who is hiding a secret. Rayshun Lamar portrays future media mogul Joshua with charisma and vision as he skillfully introduces us (the audience is treated as his social media followers) to GranMe, the restaurant, and the cousins as he prepares to honor GranMe with the contemporary music he DJs and that she

PHOTO BY ANDRÉ CHUNG

By Lynda Lantz What are the most important foods in your family? Are they the ones your grandmother made, the link to past generations or a world they left behind? In my family, Yorkshire Pudding, a savory popover, declares, “This is a holiday; here is our family,” connecting us with our mostly forgotten English forebears. In some communities, however, food, like other parts of culture, carries additional weight and emotion, in part because its values have been denied, its history devalued, and its very existence suppressed. The world-premiere of the musical Grace celebrates the food of African American culture. At Ford’s Theatre through May 14, the musical is a feast for the ear, mind and, in a way, stomach. It’s a collaborative effort of award-winning artists with a commitment to community empowerment and social justice. Grace was written by D.C. musician and composer Nolan Williams Jr. (music and lyrics) and OBIE award-winning playwright Nikkole Salter (book co-author), and is directed and choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming.

Arica Jackson, Raquel Jennings, Nova Y. Payton, Solomon Parker III and Rayshun LaMarr perform in the new musical Grace, having its world premiere now at Ford’s Theatre.

loved. But Paul (David Hughey) scorns that music as not respectful or respectable enough, setting up an important theme in the musical: the conflict between preserving a suppressed cultural legacy and creating vibrant living traditions from what is also a rich cultural past.

This tension plays out musically in the song “Black-Eyed Peas,” when Lawrence, Ruthie, Jacqui and Joshua playfully compete with traditional and innovative blackeyed pea recipes for lucky cousin Haley to judge for inclusion in the memorial meal. See FORD’S, page 49

ea D.C. Ar e r Premie

Fri. May 13 – Sun. May 15 Evening + Matinee Performances Tickets: CapitalOneHall.com Tysons, VA

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

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Poetry to read and contemplate at leisure By Dinah Rokach This slim collection of 16 offerings is Poets are challenged to condense thoughts stark in its simplicity, vivid in its imagery. — often moving and profound — into fewer Quick’s poems evoke nostalgia for longwords than a full-length book. gone parents and memories The imaginative reader fills in that are eternal. the rest. She describes the island’s The Light on Sifnos, by colorful locals, ocean views Barbara Quick, 34 pages, and extraordinary scenery Blue Light Press paperback, with simple words but pro2021 found concepts. The topics are How many of us can retain personal, yet their meanings the inner musings that travel are universal. We can all reevokes and transform them late. into elegant verse? Join Bar- THE Reading The Light on Sifnos bara Quick on a sun-washed BIBLIOPHILE will undoubtedly transport you Greek island 5,000 miles away By Dinah Rokach to the Greek Isles without ever as she opens her heart and leaving the confines of your makes note in poetry of her thoughts, ob- home. The book may take you back to a faservations and dreams. vorite vacation spot and recreate feelings of The island of Sifnos in the Aegean Sea is relaxation and serenity. one of about a dozen in the Cycladic Island Quick, who is in her 60s, is a novelist, archipelago. It’s 120 miles from Athens but poet and prolific traveler who resides in requires a six-hour drive and ferry ride. Sonoma County, California. This book was Still, Sifnos’ beaches and quaint villages the co-winner of the San Francisco-based are magnets for tourists. The island boasts Blue Light Press Poetry Prize 2020. whitewashed houses and cosmopolitan Ebb & Flow: New Poems, by Jonathan bars, not to mention natural scenic beauty. Greene, 48 pages, Broadstone Books

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paperback, 2021 These 34 poems by an octogenarian poet run the gamut from thoughts on mortality and immortality, the pandemic, growing old and the beauty of nature, both lavish and mundane. Read these poems in a quiet place without distractions. Their structure is simple; their words are few. Let them sink in and reverberate inside your mind before you start on the next one. Jonathan Greene lives on a Kentucky farm. He has published more than 30 books, and his work has appeared in anthologies and magazines. Greene is also an award-winning book designer. For all his accomplishments, his style of writing is simple and modest. It will not overwhelm you but whisper to you. His poetry may well elicit from deep inside you your own thoughts and sentiments. This slim volume is not for the rushed or harried. It is perfect for the older reader with time and memories to re-awaken. Middle Distance: Poems, by Stanley Plumly, 96 pages, W. W. Norton & Company paperback, 2022 Stanley Plumly was the former director of the creative writing program at the University of Maryland, College Park. He served from 2009 to 2018 as Maryland’s poet laureate.

Plumly died of multiple myeloma in Frederick, Maryland, on April 11, 2019, six weeks shy of his 80th birthday. This posthumously published volume is a deeply felt farewell opus. It is exquisite and elegant, riveting to read and inspiring to contemplate. Plumly’s mind takes him on a journey forward to his demise and back to remembrances of his long life, as he confronts the ravages of cancer and his impending death. He eloquently guides other aging adults on the methods of making one’s last years a special time of reflection. Plumly lovingly recalls family members who have passed. He describes with passion past romances, visits abroad and people he remembers from his childhood. He even focuses on his literary heroes. The late poet brings vividly to life his early years on a farm in Ohio and in the forests of Virginia’s Shenandoah — the people and the natural wonders. Plumly lingers over memories of his favorite paintings. His eye for beauty is not diminished by age; in fact, his sensitivity to his surroundings is enhanced by his decades of experience. You will be touched by Plumly’s profound genius, which lives on in Middle Distance for us and future generations to enjoy and ponder. Rest in peace.

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Chorus of singers 55+ celebrates 15 years By Catherine Brown This month, Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the largest choral organization for Americans over 55, celebrates its 15th anniversary and honors its founder Jeanne Kelly on her retirement. The group will host a gala in Washington, D.C. on May 13, and a pay-what-youcan concert at Strathmore Music Center in N. Bethesda, Md. the following day. Kelly created Encore in 2007 after having been involved in a study of the benefits to older adults of participating in commu-

nity art programs, which include fewer hospitalizations and less depression. Fifteen years later, there are 26 different Encore ensembles, consisting of more than 1,500 singers, who gather regularly in suburban Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and New York City. Groups are focused on both traditional choral and popular music, and there are even groups composed of those with early Alzheimer’s and memory impairments who sing with their caregivers. Participants pay tuition, which covers

Ford’s

tance of foods in celebration and memory, as cultural expression, and in strengthening family bonds as well as explore the consequences of losing cultural goods. The content is rich but shortchanges the acting of a highly accomplished cast with dialogue that is at times more utilitarian than revealing.

From page 46

Themes of authenticity, erasure Arts and entrepreneurship are also entwined for self-absorbed and well-connected Jacqui (Raquel Jennings). She spars with sibling Lawrence (Solomon Parker III) over the fate of a Juneteenth festival they created together. Jacqui has successfully expanded the festival with corporate sponsorship, Lawrence, anchored in the local community and church, dropped out, protesting the festival’s loss of authenticity. As Lawrence, Parker dominates the stage whenever the spotlight settles on him. The festival’s popularity is one of many signs, as Ruthie hints, that the restaurant’s woes are more related to the threats of erasure posed by gentrification than to any mismanagement on her part. The show revolves around a culinary and cultural history that it cannot be taken for granted is known by the audience. This creates a dilemma: In addition to introducing the cast and relationships, the first half of the show must introduce us to pioneering forebears and emphasize the impor-

Standing ovation for cast The songs fare better in showcasing the cast’s talent and humor. Ruthie’s fear of shaming GranMe leads to the heartbreaking and breathtaking “Again?,” which brought the audience to its feet. As the musical progresses, it gains its footing and leaves behind exposition to luxuriate in the excellent singers flexing their skills in a wide range of musical numbers, joyous movement and, of course, the lure of delicious food in “Good Lawd Let’s Eat,” “The Gospel Bird (This Chicken Has Died),” and “Black-Eyed Peas.” Virginia Ann Woodruff, as Miss Minnie, the new family matriarch, lovingly sings about what’s at stake in “Three Okra Seeds.” The song recounts how stolen Africans, forced to endure the Middle Passage, smuggled seeds to plant in “barren

sheet music, a rehearsal CD and 15 weeks of rehearsals with a professional conductor. They then participate in concerts throughout the area, including a December performance at the Kennedy Center. The prerequisite for joining? A love of singing. Prior experience singing in a choir isn’t necessary, and participants aren’t required to audition.

On the Kennedy Center stage

choir. After watching a friend perform with the Encore Singers about seven years ago, however, Augustine joined the D.C. Rocks group and later the Capitol Encore Chorale. Perhaps most rewarding, she said, has been performing at the Kennedy Center. “It was an amazing thrill to stand on the stage and be able to sing there with a pretty full concert hall,” she said. Augustine has also attended Encore’s adult summer camps and traveled to Cana-

D.C. resident Jan Augustine loves singing but didn’t imagine herself joining a

See ENCORE, page 51

fields” sand create a “taste like home.” She’s already had to stop Joshua from tossing out the “pot likker” after boiling greens, so she knows that the young folk need plenty of education. At the end of the performance, the audience is invited to rise and join in GranMe’s memorial from their seats. The ending brings us to Joshua’s big moment as musical director of the memorial. The continuing clash between Joshua and Paul over appropriate music had piqued my interest. How would Joshua blend Nat King Cole with other music that shared little common ground? Unfortunately, the musical denies us the pleasure of that resolution, which seemed a lost opportunity to highlight another

fruitful way that Black art and culture span generations. Grace is a musical love story to Black culinary history that leaves you hungry for more. Tickets range from $22 to $81. The play is recommended for those age eight and older. Veterans, as well as patrons under 40 and over 60 may be eligible for discounts on certain performances. Concessions are not yet open. Face coverings are required. Regardless of age, all patrons with tickets to in-person performances are required to show a government-issue photo ID and proof of full vaccination status or qualifying negative COVID19 test upon arrival to their performance. See fords.org/visit/covid-health-and-safety for details on COVID safety and test requirements.

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The Invention of the Year The world’s lightest and most portable mobility device Once in a lifetime, a product comes along that truly moves people. Introducing the future of battery-powered personal transportation . . . The Zinger. Throughout the ages, there have been many important advances in mobility. Canes, walkers, rollators, and scooters were created to help people with mobility issues get around and retain their independence. Lately, however, there haven’t been any new improvements to these existing products or developments in this field. Until now. Recently, an innovative design engineer who’s developed one of the world’s most popular products created a completely new breakthrough . . . a personal electric vehicle. It’s called the Zinger, and there is nothing out there quite like it. “What my wife especially loves is it gives her back feelings of safety and independence which has given a real boost to her conﬁdence and happiness! Thank You!” –Kent C., California The first thing you’ll notice about the Zinger is its unique look. It doesn’t look like a scooter. Its sleek, lightweight yet durable frame is made with aircraft grade aluminum. It weighs only 47.2 lbs but can handle a passenger that’s up to 275 lbs! It features one-touch

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A solution to the older driver conundrum He was an 80-year-old behind the wheel the requisite abilities behind the wheel? of an SUV. In March, he became the cenSo many seniors see this issue as a matterpiece of a major disaster — ter of rights. To revoke their and a major controversy. license — or require re-testThe driver lost control of ing — would limit their mobilhis vehicle on a sunny weekity, their social lives, their day. He smashed into diners easy access to shopping and having lunch outside the healthcare. Parthenon Restaurant in “Why, who are these young Northwest Washington. Two whippersnappers who want us diners were killed and nine to go quietly into oblivion, or others were seriously injured. into a taxi or a bus?” they ask. No one has fully explained HOW I SEE IT “We have the same rights to how the crash happened — By Bob Levey drive a motor vehicle as anynot the authorities, and not one else!” the driver himself. Maybe he mistook the Re-testing seniors only would be a douaccelerator for the brake? Maybe he had a ble standard, this line of reasoning argues. medical emergency? Not clear. Either re-test everyone or no one. Regardless, the aftermath resurfaced an On the other side are what I call the issue that has divided the senior community Practical People. and their relatives for decades: Should an They insist that they are not trying to octogenarian still have a driver’s license? cancel any senior’s rights. But they quickAnd if you vote yes, should he or she be ly add that seniors may be the worst re-tested regularly to see if he/she still has judges of how poor their reflexes, their

eyesight and their awareness have become. Safety, the Practical People argue, is everyone’s job. The controversy has never come close to being resolved. It won’t be easily resolved after the Parthenon horror, either. But here’s an idea that both sides should consider: Voluntary re-testing. Drivers above a certain age — let’s say 70, for the sake of argument — would agree to be re-tested on or near each birthday. They would agree ahead of time to accept a negative result. The re-test would be much more rigorous than the once-over-lightly exam we all took when we first got a license, all those decades ago. The re-test would put the driver inside a simulator with a wheel and pedals.

The simulator would serve up video of actual traffic conditions. Besides measuring how long it takes to brake in an emergency, the re-test would peg peripheral vision and visual acuity in bad weather or darkness. A sub-par result, as pre-determined by medical experts, would cancel a license on the spot. Yes, this may sound harsh. But my hunch is that many seniors might embrace it as a way of providing extra safety for everyone. Yes, losing a license might impose economic hardship on some seniors. If they still work, a car might be the only convenient passport to that workplace and that income. See BOB LEVEY, page 53 DATES:

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Encore From page 49 da on its singing trip. “It was tremendous fun,” Augustine said. “We sang in concerts and churches along the way.” Encore Creativity has provided not only enriching life experiences for Augustine and her fellow singers but also structure in retired life, an opportunity to meet new friends, and a way to stay engaged. “It’s a challenge to learn music you already know, but the arrangements are different,” said Augustine, who sings tenor. “It’s fun. It keeps the brain going.” Augustine looks forward to celebrating Encore at the upcoming 15th anniversary Gala Celebration. “Jeanne Kelly did a wonderful thing in

creating Encore, and we’re looking forward to keeping it going and honoring her as we move forward.” The Gala provides not only an opportunity to celebrate Kelly but also to introduce two new staff members: Joshua Vickey, who will serve in the newly created role of CEO, and Brian Isaac, who will be the new artistic director. The Encore 15th Anniversary Gala takes place Fri., May 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott in downtown D.C.; tickets cost $150 per person and can be purchased at bit.ly/EncoreGala. The concert takes place Sat., May 14 at 3 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane in N. Bethesda, Md. Attendees are asked to pay what they can; tickets are available at bit.ly/EncoreConcert15 or through the box office at (301) 581-5100.

BEACON BITS

June 2+

FREE BALLET PERFORMANCES

The Washington Ballet presents free performances of classic and contemporary works at the Plaza @ CityCenter at 825 10th St NW. Performances take place at 6 p.m. on Thurs., June 2 through Sat., June 4. Admission is free; seating is first-come, first-served. For more information, visit washingtonballet.org/dance-for-all.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ENCORE CREATIVITY FOR OLDER ADULTS

The combined Encore Chorale groups perform every year at the Kennedy Center.

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Crossword Puzzle Find a new crossword every day on our website at www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com/puzzles. Hall Pairs 1

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23 26

Across 1. 400 ounces in Ft. Knox 4. Custard ingredient 8. Separate the wheat from the ___ 13. Reconditioned 15. Lee, who nobody doesn’t like 16. Foreshadow 17. Prepare to give a standing ovation 18. Put together the itinerary 19. Garden guardian 20. Members of the World Video Game Hall of Fame 23. Powerful forces in Terminator and Matrix pix 24. Potential nickname for Alois Alzheimer or Hans Asperger 25. Rag doll patented in 1915 26. Members of the Toy Hall of Fame 32. Hint of the future 33. Medal leader in the 2020 Olympic games 34. ___ couple of rounds with 35. Doohickeys 37. One of the M’s in the MMR vaccine 41. Heart chart, briefly 42. Elongated fish 43. Ingredient in poi kulolo 44. Members of the Robot Hall of Fame 49. “___ fool can complain, and most fools do” (Ben Franklin) 50. 10 + 11 (in binary) 51. Good source for wood flooring 52. Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 59. Radiates 60. The simplest Greek letter to write 61. Actress Falco or Sedgwick 62. The mouse did it in the clock 63. Vintage TV’s 64. Mr. Pibb or Dr. Pepper 65. Winter transports 66. Catch sight of 67. Color in Italy’s flag

Down 1. Comfort a fussy infant 2. It has more people that the other six continents combined 3. Changed the map from feet to meters 4. NFL Primetime network 5. Red carpet event 6. Patriarch of the family 7. First name of the first female on the SCOTUS 8. Canary container 9. Look for Easter eggs 10. Greek markets 11. Irate 12. California city, whose name means “ash tree” in Spanish 14. Half human/half spirit 21. Castro cast-off 22. Hybrid citrus fruit 26. Live high on the ___ 27. Actress Thurman, who married Ethan Hawke 28. Advance the ball further than the competition 29. Forerunner of the CIA 30. “___ good deed every day” 31. Final portion of a trek 36. Just manage, with “out” 37. French sea 38. Playful pet 39. We are in the common one 40. The first song on ABBA’s Greatest Hits 42. Script doctors 44. Those ready to greet the day 45. Aardvark or zebra 46. Amino acid available in supplements 47. “Forget it!” 48. “Of course”, in text slang 53. Simple earring 54. Snake farm inhabitants 55. Web address starter 56. Lightly cooked (as eggs) 57. “Entropy is not on your ___” (Elon Musk) 58. Front part of a horse costume

Answers on page 55.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

Bob Levey From page 51

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

But public transportation is vastly more available and more reliable than it once was. Meanwhile, volunteer organizations have sprung up to offer free rides to seniors caught in just such a situation. Yes, losing a license might cause isolation and depression among seniors suddenly denied the right to drive. But both of those can be overcome by shoe leather, therapy and will. Yes, voluntary re-testing would drive up the costs of running a motor vehicle bureau. But compare that to the costs that accompany a disaster — emergency services, medical care, insurance claims, possible lawsuits, lost human life. It isn’t close. Finally, voluntary re-testing would produce what is so often missing in the modern world — a nice, warm feeling. Imagine a senior who voluntarily retests — and aces the test. The test-giver would offer a sticker — similar to the I VOTED sticker we get on Election Day. The sticker could say I AM STILL A SAFE DRIVER. Or maybe I PASSED MY DRIVER’S TEST WITH FLYING COLORS. Or maybe KISS ME — I’M A RETESTED DRIVER. Regardless, a re-tested driver can look in the mirror and say without question: “Other people matter to me. Other people deserve to be protected from accidents. I have done my part, voluntarily. I have done it without kicking, screaming or denying.” Many mountains need to be moved before voluntary re-testing is required. Rather than wait, I’ve decided to re-take the standard test on my next birthday. See you in line at the motor vehicle bureau. Kisses optional. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

Letters to editor From page 2 I caution [immune compromised] readers to raise this concern with a doctor before being injected rather than accept commercials at face value. Keep up the great work. Steven Chucala Woodbridge, VA Dear Editor: I commend the courage and candor of guest columnist Carolyn Ellis for her piece “Who, me? A racist?” in the March issue, as she so honestly acknowledged her own

internalized racism and white privilege which is, to a large degree, “by default” in a race-centered society. It was an extremely timely piece. As all of us bear witness to the daily mass destruction of another country and the horrific massacre of human beings in Ukraine by Russian forces at the edict of President Putin, we are reminded of just how vicious, brutal and barbaric a system of governance can be if not challenged or checked by its citizens. As an African American woman, I want to see more Carolyn Ellises taking action by daring to speak truth to power and making efforts in their own small

BEACON BITS

June 10+

HEAD OVER HEELS MUSICAL

The Arts Barn in Gaithersburg presents the new musical “Head Over Heels” in partnership with Damascus Theatre Company. The show, set to music by the 80s all-female rock band The Go-Gos, follows a royal family on a journey to save their kingdom from extinction. The show takes place between June 10 and 26 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $24. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/ArtsBarnMusical or call (301) 258-6394.

way to transform the fragments of our collective broken past to a more unified whole that affirms our respective diversity and identities. Teresa Blair Silver Spring, MD Dear Editor: Thank you for all you do in journalism, and for helping those of us in our finer years. Jashinder and Susan Singh Herndon, VA

Dear Editor: Just have to say that I enjoy your monthly editions immensely. As an old guy, the articles are especially helpful. I must say, however, the article by Suzy Cohen was especially helpful. When I saw her picture, my low blood pressure soared much higher. Keep up the great articles. John Eckert Ellicott City, MD

BEACON BITS

May 14+

DANCE IN THE PARK

Next Reflex Dance Collective gives free performances at parks in the City of Fairfax. On Sat., May 14, they will perform at Blenheim Historical Site; on Sat., May 21, they will perform at Ashby Pond Conservatory Park. Bring your own seating and dinner. For more information including times, visit nextreflex.org.

May 26

STAGED READING

The Phillips Collection hosts a free, in-person staged reading of “A Picasso” on Thurs., May 26 from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Reservations are required. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/PCStagedReading or call (202) 387-2151.

M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Subscribe online! See how on p. 42

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; Obituaries; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 55. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate. Business & Employment Opportunities LOOKING FOR PART TIME FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST for Chiropractic office starting immediately, Two days a week in the afternoons. Experience in Insurance preferred and computer knowledge a plus. Please apply by e-mail to daepard@gmail.com. MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST: Research market conditions for sales/branding opportunities. Resumes to Ernest Maier Inc, 4700 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg MD 20710.

Caregivers A CARE AGENCY - Been in business for more than 10 years. Experienced nurses, CNAs, GNAs. Any hours you need. Flat rate for live-in. Duties include cooking, housekeeping, bathing, errands, etc. Tel: 667-231-8235 A HOME HEALTHCARE- Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 2405336599)

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call David G. at: 301-6424526. Or 301-328-2112

Financial WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-626-8703. UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company - 866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

For Sale

Miscellaneous

Wanted

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

SAVE BIG, SHOP & GET CASH BACK on Gas, Restaurants, Entertainments, Save on Medical Rx, etc. Get Credit for ALL Your Receipts and Save even MORE. This is Amazing Must See! Low Cost! Go to www.SaveShopandEarn.com

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, UKULELES. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Masks & safe distance. Jack (301) 279-2158, leave message.

KING DAVID MEMORIAL GARDEN, 4 choice sites in desirable Block 5, regularly $7,495 each, sale $2,995 each; all 4 $10,000, contact Jason Dunn at 781-789-5017 or dunn.adair@gmail.com. DOUBLE CRYPT TIER 4 EAST (95-137), Garden of Sermon on The Mount, Annapolis Memorial Gardens, 814 Bestgate Rd, Annapolis, MD. Sell for $8,000/Best Offer. Frances 410-3530111/fe_miller@hotmail.com TWO CHOICE MAUSOLEUM SITES in King David Memorial Gardens in desirable Court of Christ, Building 0ne. Regular $15,000 each. Will sell for half, $7499. OBO. Call Velma Clark 3364292846 cell or 2767300104.

Health PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949. DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258. MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1-240-650-9189. ALOE CARE HEALTH, medical alert system. The most advanced medical alert product on the market. Voice-activated! No wi-fi needed! Special offer call and mention offer code CARE20 to get $20 off Mobile Companion. Call today 877-353-2589.

Home/Handyman Services THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-866-944-0699. HOME MOBILITY EQUIPMENT Sales, Service & Repair! One Step Mobility Can Help You With Your Home Mobility Needs 24/7: Stair Lifts, Power Chairs, Scooters, Ramps & More. Please call 301-767-5070 or visit: onestepmobility.com DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-866-365-5170. SLOWING DOWN AFTER 40 YEARS OF CONTRACTING. Small to medium jobs mainly residential but will do some commercial. Will work all over DC area. $42.50 an hour from arrival on job. Andy 703-906-5429. THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS for as little as $149/month! BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Limited Time Offer - FREE virtual in-home consultation now and SAVE 15%! Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

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

Miscellaneous

WILL TUTOR YOUR CHILD, up to Gr. 7. Former sped. teacher. Help your child learn new strategies to succeed in school. I charge $50/hr. in your home, $45/hr. in mine. Call Chris 703368-7152, lm on VM. Would like to stay within 25 mile radius of Manassas.

Personal Services ORGANIZE, DECLUTTER, PACK, MOVE & UNPACK SERVICES Personalized service that helps you take control. Please call 301.452.5730 or email: ccallahan@mdseniorhelp.com. Visit www.mdseniorhelp.com for more information. DOWNSIZING OR LIQUIDATING AN ESTATE? Doing it yourself? DON’T THROW YOUR MONEY AWAY! Our specialists know the current trends in today’s market! Our easy process determines what to keep, gift, sell, donate, or discard. Services include: estate liquidation, downsizing, junk removal, estate sales, and consignment of collectibles. We buy estates, vehicles, and real estate. Call/text Philip 301-2193600 DownsizingSpecialists.com. One person’s trash is another’s treasure, and we know the difference! ALTERATIONS. Lost a lot of weight recently? Save your garments and alter them to fit your new physique. Will do fitting in your home or mine. Master sewer. Call Chris 703-368-7152, leave a message on voicemail. STOP WORRYING! SilverBills eliminates the stress and hassle of bill payments. All household bills guaranteed to be paid on time, as long as appropriate funds are available. Computer not necessary. Call for a FREE trial or a custom quote today. SilverBills 1-866-957-3360. WE ARE A TO Z PERSONAL ORGANIZERS, bringing order to your life and to the life of your loved ones. We specialize in relocation services for seniors. Check us out on the web at A2Zorganizers.com, or give us a call at 240.420.4920

TV/Cable DISH NETWORK. $64.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100 Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1844-560-5837. DIRECTV for $79.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Watch your favorite live sports, news & entertainment anywhere. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-572-4953.

Wanted BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 to 1990 JAZZ, ROCK, BLUES, R&B, DISCO, SOUL, REGGAE, & GOSPEL, ANY VINYL FORMAT 33 1/3 RPM Albums, small 45 RPM’s & some 78 RPM, Also CD’s, Prefer LARGER COLLECTIONS AT LEAST 100 items, PLEASE CALL JOHN 301-596-6201 CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. Ask for Tom. Call anytime, 301654-8678 (Reg. 883).

WILL BUY MILITARY, WWII, WWI, Civil War memorabilia items. Uniforms, weapons, helmets, photos, war souvenirs, medals, photos or any other items associated with U.S., German, Japanese or other military history. Call Dave (240-464-0958) or email (david.obal63@gmail.com). TOP PRICES PAID FOR FINE ANTIQUES, ARTWORK and unusual and rare things including decorated crocks and stoneware, antique clocks and music boxes, classic cars, coin operated devices, toys and dolls, furniture, lamps , art glass and pottery. I am 69 years old, well educated [ law degree ] financially capable and have over 40 years in the business. Why pay outlandish auction house, estate agent or consignment store commissions when you can get a fair upfront price for your valuables with no hassle? If you have something rare, unusual and valuable and are prepared to sell it I would like to speak with you. Please call Jake Lenihan 301 279 8834. Thank you. STAMP COLLECTIONS PURCHASED/APPRAISED- U.S., Foreign, Worldwide, Regular Issues, Commemoratives, and Back-of-Book; Anything Philatelic!; Long-time APS Dealer/Member; Phone: 301-309-3622 or E-Mail: arogolsky@gmail.com PAYING CASH MERCHANDISE PRE 1980S old toys, silver, records, smoking pipes, zippo lighters, fountain pens, antiques, and collectables & much more. If you have items to sell Call/text Carl 312-316-7553 or cdahlia@aol.com. Located Silver Spring, MD. WANTED OLD MOTORCYCLES: 1970’s & Older. Any condition good or bad. Buying AS IS paying CASH & PICKING UP. Kawasaki Norton Honda Triumph BMW Yamaha Harley BSA Suzuki Indian Etc. Call for CASH offer 1(800)2209683, WEBSITE: www.wantedoldmotorcycles.com LADY WHO LOVES PRETTY THINGS would like to buy yours. Dishes, figurines, pottery and similar. Favorites are bone china cups and saucers and old Christmas and Halloween decorations. Especially love Herend, Meissen and Shelley. Also, midcentury smalls of all kinds. Have to clear a house in a hurry? Would be happy to take a look at anything you have. Please call Susan, (301) 785-1129. HIGHEST CASH PRICES PAID for entire estate or single item. Buying quality antiques and mid century furniture, art, silver, gold, jewelry, flatware, military camera’s, music instruments, vintage signs, anything unusual. Please be ready to sell and pick up same day. Please call Chris 3012621299. License 0849. CASH FOR ESTATES; I buy a wide range of items. jewelry, silver, art, rugs, cultural items, collections, etc. Buy out/clean up. Gary; 301-5200755. Website: theatticllc.com. I have my own trucks, my own crew & insurance. CASH FOR RECORDS, CDS AND DVDS. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music {33, 45, 78 & CDs.} Also buying turntables and stereo equipment. Will make house calls with CURBSIDE PICKUPS. Call or text Steve at 301-646-5403.

Thank you for reading the Beacon!

BEACON BITS

June 5

CINDERELLA BALLET On Sun., June 5 at 2 p.m., the Ravel Dance Company of Northern

Virginia will present a production of “Cinderella,” with the original ballet score by For Sale PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

TURN YOUR EXISTING SLIDING DOORS into a hands-free entry for you and your pets! Autoslide converts existing doors and windows from manual to automatic. Perfect for outdoor cookers/gardeners/handclapped/infirm/pet owners. To order contact the HIGH-TECH LOCK COMPANY 301 327 0095

Sergei Prokofiev. The performance takes place in the Main Hall of Capital One Hall at Tyson’s Corner. Tickets are $35 and up. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/RDCCinderella.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 2 2

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 52 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

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HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD F U M I N G

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ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: SPURN IMPEL HEALTH BEFORE Answer: He really wanted to say hello to the woman and had -- "HI" HOPES

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions). Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this amount for you. Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher’s discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

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We thank our advertisers who make our publication possible. Please patronize them and let them know you saw their ad in the Beacon! Clinical Studies

Tribute Home Care . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Legal Services

Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Howard Univ. Alzheimer’s Study .26 UM Hearing Study . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Housing

Farr Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Law Offices of Nancy Feldman . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof . . . .34

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Elections AARP DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Blair for County Executive . . . . .21 Marc Elrich for County Executive .5

Events Kensington Park Speaker Series . .7 Lakewood Country Club Fireworks23 Ride On Food Drive . . . . . . . . . . .22

Funeral Services Going Home Cremation . . . . . . . .38

Government Services DC DISB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Montgomery County Age-Friendly Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services . . . . . . . .25 Montgomery County Recreation Newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19 Montgomery County SHIP . . . . .37

Home Health Care/Companion Services Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Options for Senior America . . . . .28 Radiocw Health Care . . . . . . . . . .25

Acclaim at Belmont Bay . . . . . . .17 Ashby Ponds/Erickson . . . . . . . . .15 Brooke Grove Retirement Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Cadence Living Olney . . . . . . . . .23 Chesterbrook Residences . . . . . . .27 Chevy Chase House . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Churchill Senior Living . . . . . . . .20 Culpepper Garden . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . . .29 Falcon’s Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Friendship Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Greenspring/Erickson . . . . . . . . .15 Harmony Senior Services . . . . . . .1 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Homewood at Frederick . . . . . . . .25 Kensington Park Senior Living . . .7 Knollwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Landing of Silver Spring, The . . .14 Maplewood Park Place . . . . . . . . . .9 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . .29 Quantum Property Mgmt . . . . . . .14 Providence Fairfax, The . . . . . . . . .6 Residences on the Lane . . . . . . . .39 Riderwood/Erickson . . . . . . . . . .15 Sky Bridge at Town Center, The . .3 Sommerset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Tribute at the Glen . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Medical/Health I Hate Knee Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Judy Oh, DDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . .11 MedStar Health Lung Screening .12 Silver Spring Medical . . . . . . . . .29 Steven Friedman, DDS . . . . . . . .28

Memory Care Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Cadence Living Olney . . . . . . . . .23 Kensington Club . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Harmony Senior Services . . . . . . .1 Landing of Silver Spring, The . . .14 Providence Fairfax, The . . . . . . . . .6 Sky Bridge at Town Center, The . .3

Real Estate Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Long & Foster/ Eric Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . .36, 43

Retail Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . .44 Potomac Collector . . . . . . . . . . . .33 So Lite Glide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 So Lite Wheelchair . . . . . . . . . . .48

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . .20

Subscriptions Beacon Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . .42

Technology BeaconSilverPages.com . . . . . . . .38

Theatre/ Entertainment Capital One Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre . . .46, 51 Kennedy Center, The . . . . . . . . . .47 Senior Zone Radio Show . . . . . . .49 Toby's Dinner Theatre. . . . . . . . . .49

Travel Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Shillelaghs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Travel WV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Volunteering/ Job Opportunities Beacon Inside Salesperson . . . . . .39 Career Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 JCA Interages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Virtual 50+ Employment Expo . .35

M AY 2 0 2 2 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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(no alarm necessary) Your years of service taught you the importance of physical f itness and keeping your body ready for action. At Falcons Landing this idea lives on, but we replaced the obstacle course with walking trails, drill sergeants with personal trainers and PT in the dirt with a state-of-the-art f itness center, including a Junior Olympic indoor swimming pool. You’ll still break a sweat, but now it will be with a smile on your face. CALL 703-293-5054 TO SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY!

FALCONSLANDING.ORG

A NON-PROFIT LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY Independent Senior Living | Potomac Falls, VA

May 2022 | DC Beacon

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LIVING BOLDLY