June 2013 Howard County Beacon Edition

The Howard County

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When Greenfeld, 63, and her husband retired a few years ago, they decided to sign on as volunteer drivers themselves.

Greenfeld also serves on the organization’s board of directors.

She and her husband have been pleasantly surprised at their passengers’ variety of backgrounds and interests.

“We’re finding some fascinating passen-

JUNE 2013

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PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN

Giving (and getting) back

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More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

Volunteers driven to help others

By Anne Ball Several years ago, Barbara Greenfeld’s aging mother needed someone to drive her to doctor appointments while Greenfeld worked full time in enrollment services at Howard Community College.

Greenfeld discovered Neighbor Ride, a Columbia-based nonprofit that matches volunteer drivers with Howard County residents 60 and older who need transportation.

At first, her mother was a bit reluctant to let a stranger drive her somewhere. “So I suggested she keep a journal of her travels,” Greenfeld recalled.

“She recorded names and types of vehicles as well, and for the first time in her life rode in a pickup truck and a limousine.

One time the volunteer who came to the door turned out to be her dentist!”

The Neighbor Ride program, whose slogan is “Volunteers Drive/Seniors Thrive,” is in its ninth year of connecting seniors who need wheels with volunteers who enjoy driving them to and from medical appointments, shopping, religious services and other special or routine trips.

Last year, Neighbor Ride provided nearly 15,000 trips. Most are taken within the county, but trips extending up to 35 miles one-way can be booked, enabling residents to go to Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and surrounding counties.

Those booking rides pay a modest amount for each trip, ranging from $5 for round trips under two miles each way, to $35 for round trips up to 35 miles each way.

Passengers are also expected to pay for any tolls or parking fees on the day of the ride.

Those with limited incomes may be eligible for subsidized rides. The organization’s funding comes from a variety of state, local, foundation, corporate and individual contributions.

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The Western wonders of Scottsdale, Ariz.; plus, how to get airlines to schlep your bags — for a price page 22

ARTS & STYLE Gina Eichman and her 5-year-old son pick up Raymond DeGrafft in Ellicott City as a part of the Neighbor Ride program, in which volunteers drive older adults to doctor appointments, grocery stores, social events and other destinations. Riders pay a modest fee for the service.

An electrifying production of In the Heights at Toby’s Dinner Theatre; plus, the plucky Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra page 26

gers,” Greenfeld said, “like one elderly woman who was finishing up an accelerated course at Howard Community College.

“Then there are some folks who have never driven a car, whether they’ve been in an urban situation where one was not needed, or if it is a cultural thing from another nation where women just don’t drive.”

And from the passengers, too, there’s strong enthusiasm for the interesting drivers they get to meet.

Marilyn Barnes, 80, used to come along with her late husband when Neighbor Ride drove him to doctor’s appointments. Though he is gone now, she continues to call on

Neighbor Ride for rides to and from her doctor’s appointments several times a week.

Although some callers ask for the same driver each trip, Barnes enjoys the spontaneity of a different driver each time.

“I really appreciate talking with the wonderfully interesting drivers that turn up,” she said. “We have some great conversations!”

A “feel good” job Neighbor Ride grew out of a Howard County Office on Aging study in 2001, projecting that the county’s senior population See NEIGHBOR RIDE, page 15

FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Cancer radiation can harm hearts k When you forget, should you worry?

THE SENIOR CONNECTION 16 k Howard County Office on Aging newsletter LAW & MONEY 18 k Higher returns with moderate risk k Funds that beat the market PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

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Who will win this lottery?

Recently, a friend brought to my attention may come to an end due to a bipartisan coma relatively minor change being proposed to promise that seeks to transfer those green current immigration law that card slots to higher skilled could have a significant impact workers and immigrants with on the daily lives of older high-tech knowledge.

Americans and their families.

Many businesses in AmeriAs I write, the Senate is ca today say they are unable to marking up new legislation find enough new employees that would, among other with the education and skills to things, eliminate the annual perform sophisticated work. green card (or “diversity”) lotToo few American students tery that allows into the U.S. up excel at math and science or to 55,000 people from a group pursue those fields as a career. of nations with otherwise low FROM THE So we need to import the rates of immigration to the U.S. PUBLISHER labor, the argument goes, and The lottery is for workers By Stuart P. Rosenthal save our green cards for those with a high school degree or with these qualifications. two years’ work experience (and without a But don’t we also hear from industries at criminal record) and their immediate fami- the other end of the spectrum — those lies. The vast majority admitted are un- that hire less skilled laborers and workers skilled or low-skilled workers from African who care for our sick and elderly — who nations and the Caribbean, though some say too few Americans are willing to take are from the Middle East and Asia. jobs paying low wages and involving deThese green cards are highly sought manding or disagreeable physical labor after. Nearly 8 million people abroad apply (think: helping people with toileting or careach year for these 55,000 slots, and those ing for a combative Alzheimer’s patient)? who get one really do feel as if they have We need to import this labor force as well, “won the lottery.” it is said, or we will have no one to perform But this opportunity for ordinary people to the relatively menial (and demandingly comcome to America to work and start a new life passionate) work of child and elder care.

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A significant portion of green card lottery winners, I am told, go into the latter jobs. I certainly have seen anecdotal evidence of that in meeting many certified nurses’ aides and home care aides hailing from African and Caribbean countries.

Visit any skilled nursing facility or assisted living community in this area and you will see what I mean.

Not only do these immigrants fill a great need, they do so at a price that, while often beyond the means of those who need it, is still considerably less than the pay of the average American worker.

Certainly the availability of inexpensive labor is an issue for industries other than elder care. And it is debatable whether having a class of immigrant workers earning such low salaries is a good thing. (Of course, many do gradually work their way up the income ladder, as immigrants to America have done for centuries.)

But even viewed through this narrow prism, we can see that ending such a source of workers is likely to decrease the supply of home care workers even as demand for them increases, leading to a spike in costs and hardship for thousands who need the services.

Keep in mind that Medicare does not cover custodial long-term care expenses.

When these services are needed — and the need is growing leaps and bounds as our longevity increases — they must be paid for out of pocket.

It is sad to me that, with a 7.6 percent unemployment rate in this country, we have to go abroad to find people willing and able to perform the highest and lowest paid jobs that keep our nation and families afloat.

But this does seem to be the case. I am guessing the companies looking for hightech workers are investing more in lobbyists to expand immigration slots for their needs than are those companies that hire the less- or unskilled.

So if we want to protect this source of essential labor — while also offering the opportunity of a new and better life to a diverse group of people who seek to escape crushing poverty, civil war or worse — I think we ordinary individuals will have to speak up.

I encourage you to contact your political representatives. And please also send your thoughts to us as a letter to the editor via mail, email, or through our website, www.theBeaconNewspapers.com.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: Your publisher’s thoughtful editorial in April on the virtues of automated, driverless cars for seniors must be attracting a lot of attention. There is no doubt they would make a huge improvement to the quality of their lives.

Yet one cannot help feeling nervous about how helpless a frail, elderly person would be if one of these automated systems went wrong. And if a drunk, hit-andrun driver smashed into one of these cars, [a driverless car passenger] could take no avoiding action. Too awful to think about!

The concept is brilliant. The question is: Will time perfect it?

David Wiesenberg Baltimore Dear Editor: Your May article, “Mediterranean-style diets beats low-fat ones” in prevention of heart disease, based on research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, needs clarification.

What constitutes a low fat diet? Dr. Dean Ornish (who has pioneered the low fat diet in reversing coronary artery disease), rebutted the research you wrote about in a blog post on April 20 in the Huffington Post.

Excerpts from his “Does a Mediterranean

Diet Really Beat Low-Fat for Heart Health?” are below. His blog can be read at www.huffingtonpost.com/dr.../mediter ranean-diet_b_2755940.html.

“In the ‘low-fat’ group, total fat consumption decreased insignificantly, from 39 percent to 37 percent. This doesn’t even come close to the American Heart Association guidelines of a low-fat diet (<30 percent fat) or ours for reversing heart disease (<10 percent fat)….

“Also, the researchers appear to have done everything they could to bias the outcome in favor of the Mediterranean diet by encouraging the “low-fat” diet to increase consumption of foods that are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice, and not to limit their intake of sodas (which also increase cardiovascular disease risk).”

Dilip Ray, M.D. Baltimore Dear Editor: I have to tell you, your May cover article, “The secrets to healthy aging,” by Barbara Ruben was outstanding! It was not only interesting, but got right to the subject of aging and Dr. Ferrucci. Great job!

Elizabeth O’Connor Towson

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Health Fitness &

END GERD FOR GOOD A bracelet of magnets implanted around the esophagus can stop GERD FIX YOUR KNEE WITH PT Physical therapy can be just as good as surgery for many knee woes SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS The Columbia Association is developing a plan to serve area older adults WHEN FIDO EATS NON-FOOD Household items, from socks to pennies to flowers, can pose risks to pets

Breast cancer radiation may harm hearts

By Marilynn Marchione Women treated with radiation for breast cancer are more likely to develop heart problems later, even with the lower doses used today, new research suggests. The risk comes from any amount of radiation, starts five years after treatment, and lasts for decades, doctors in the UK found.

Patients shouldn’t panic — radiation has improved cancer survival, and that is the top priority, doctors say. The chance of suffering a radiation-induced heart problem is fairly small.

For example, 4 to 5 of every 100 women who are 50 years old and free of heart risks will develop a major cardiac problem by age 80, and radiation treatment would add one more case, the research suggests.

Women can do a lot to cut their risk by

keeping their weight, cholesterol and blood pressure under control. Still, the study reveals that the potential harm from radiation runs deeper than many medical experts may have realized, especially for women who already have cardiac risk factors such as diabetes.

And it comes amid greater awareness of overtreatment — that many women are being treated for cancers that would never prove fatal, leading to trouble down the road such as heart disease.

Arteries and more affected Some chemotherapy drugs are known to harm the heart muscle, but the new study shows radiation can hurt arteries, making them prone to harden and clog and cause a heart attack. Women who receive both

treatments have both types of risk.

The study “will raise the antenna” about the need to do more to prevent this, said Dr. David Slosky, a cardiologist at Vanderbilt University, one of the growing number of medical centers with special “cardio-oncology” programs for cancer survivors.

With today’s lower radiation doses, “it is less of a problem, but it is not going away,” he said.

The artery-related problems that the study tracked may be just the most visible of many risks because radiation also can cause valve, rhythm and other heart troubles, said Dr. Javid Moslehi. He is co-director of the cardio-oncology program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Like cancer, heart disease develops after “a number of strikes that go against

you,” such as high cholesterol, he said.

“The radiation is just another hit.”

He wrote in an editorial that appears with the study in the New England Journal of Medicine. British government agencies and private foundations paid for the research.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women — more than a million cases are diagnosed each year worldwide. When it’s confined to the breast, most women get surgery to remove the lump, followed by several weeks of radiation to kill any lingering cancer cells and sometimes hormone or chemotherapy.

What heart disease risks come from what specific doses isn’t known. The new study, led by Dr. Sarah Darby of the UniSee RADIATION, page 6

Forgetfulness can have multiple causes

By Dr. Daniel Pendrick Worried that you’re getting more forgetful as you age? Ironically, worry itself can trigger memory slips.

It might take a conversation with your doctor to pinpoint the cause of your memory lapses — especially if the change is sudden or uncharacteristic.

“If it’s worse than it was a few months ago, or somebody is asking you about it, that would definitely be something to see a doctor about,” said Dr. Anne Fabiny, chief of geriatrics at Cambridge Health Alliance and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Some ordinary reasons If you consult a medical reference on possible causes of memory loss, you’ll find an assortment of possibilities — from brain tumors and infections to syphilis and migraine headaches.

But hiding among them are a few ordinary causes worth serious consideration: 1. Alcohol Having more than the recommended number of daily drinks can contribute to memory loss. For men, the recommended limit is no more than two standard drinks per day, defined as 1.5 ounces (1 shot glass) of 80-proof spirits, a 5-ounce serving of table wine, or a 12-ounce serving of beer.

The limit for women is one drink per day.

2. Medications Tranquilizers, certain antidepressants and some blood pressure drugs can affect memory by causing sedation or confusion, which interfere with your ability to pay close attention to new things. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you suspect that a new medication is taking the edge off your memory.

3. Thyroid disorder Faltering thyroid hormone levels could affect memory, as well as cause sleep disturbance and depression, both of which contribute to memory slips. Although thyroid function is usually not the cause, your doctor may want to rule it out.

4. Stress and anxiety For older adults, disturbances in mood are among the most common causes of memory problems. The cause of the problem could be an illness in the family — or something with more positive overtones, like moving to a new home. In either case, the new life stressor can make it harder for you to keep on top of things.

Stress and anxiety affect memory because they make it harder for you to concentrate and lock new information and skills into memory. You may end up forgetting something simply because you were not really paying attention or had too much on your mind.

5. Depression The symptoms of depression often include forgetfulness. Most people think of depression as a stifling sadness, lack of drive, and lessening of pleasure in things that you ordinarily enjoyed. But the signs can change with aging.

“Depression in older people often presents with physical symptoms,” Fabiny explained. “People don’t come in and say they are really depressed. They say my shoulder hurts, I have a headache, I have stomach pains, I don’t sleep very well.”

6. Sleep deprivation Lack of restful, high-quality sleep is perhaps the greatest unappreciated cause of memory slips. Sleeplessness can become more of an issue with aging.

“Older adults spend less time in the deep stages of sleep, which are the most restful,” Fabiny said. “As a result, they may not feel as rested upon awakening in the morning because they haven’t slept well.”

Lack of restful sleep can also trigger mood changes. Anxiety is one possibility.

“It’s not uncommon for people to become anxious because they can’t sleep, or to not sleep well because they are anxious,” Fabiny said. “Both can leave you in the same place.”

When to seek help If you think you are sleep deprived, see

a doctor about it. Don’t succumb to the myth that older people need fewer hours of slumber, Fabiny said.

“If you were a 9-hour-a-night sleeper when you were 29, you will still be when you are 79. But sleep quality may change with aging,” he said. You may wake more often, for example, and find it more difficult to get back to sleep.

It can also help your memory to give your brain a break. “As you get older, it may become more difficult to maintain a high level of attention for several things at once,” Fabiny said. “Dividing your attention can definitely cause you to think you are having memory problems.”

Finally, remember that fatigue that interferes with memory — and life in general — is not normal. Inadequately treated pain, sleep disorders, or low thyroid hormone levels in your blood could be at the root of a pooped-out and forgetful demeanor.

“If you are feeling fatigued or lacking in energy, it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor,” Fabiny said. “It’s possible that an existing medical problem needs more attention or that an evaluation for a new condition is warranted.”

— Harvard Men’s Health Watch © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

OPEN HOUSE: Learn more about Columbia Association’s work on developing a

COMPREHENSIVE

PLAN OLDER

for serving

ADULTS Wed,May 29 4:30-8pm Special presentations will also be given at 5pm and 7pm.

Owen Brown Community Center 6800 Cradlerock Way Columbia, MD 21045

Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required and can be done at olderadults.eventbrite.com.

For more information, please visit

ColumbiaAssociation.org/OlderAdults.

• Learn about the plan’s purpose and process.

• Find out about research and findings.

• Hear of CA’s programs and facilities for older adults.

• Share your thoughts and ideas.

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Radiation From page 4 versity of Oxford in England, sought to measure that.

It involved 2,168 breast cancer patients from Sweden and Denmark diagnosed between 1958 and 2001 and treated with radiation.

They included 963 women who suffered a heart attack, needed an artery-opening procedure or died of heart artery-related causes in the years after their radiation treatment. The other 1,205 were similar patients who did not develop these heart problems.

Researchers compared the women’s radiation exposures using gray units, a measure of how much is absorbed by the body.

They used hospital records and treatment plans to figure how many gray units actually reached each woman’s heart and one artery often involved in heart attacks.

Most women treated today get doses that result in 1 to 5 gray units reaching the heart — more if the cancer is in the left breast.

Patients in the study got an average of five gray units; the doses ranged from 1 to 28.

The risk of a heart attack, need for an artery-opening procedure, or dying of heart disease rose about 7 percent per gray unit

J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

and no “safe” level was seen. The risk started to rise within five years of treatment and continued for at least 20 years.

Minimizing your risk Don’t forgo radiation if it’s recommended because it is lifesaving, and doctors increasingly have ways to shield the heart from exposure, said Dr. Bruce Haffty, associate director of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and president-elect of ASTRO, the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

“Whatever cardiac risks may be there, they are outweighed by the cancer benefit,” he said.

Some centers have special tables that women lie on face-down with holes for the breast to hang through. That allows radiation to be delivered just to that tissue rather

than the wider chest area that gets irradiated when a woman lies face-up on a table.

Women need to tell any doctor treating them about radiation they have received in the past. It may mean they should avoid diagnostic tests that use radiation and instead have ultrasounds and MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, whenever possible, Slosky said.

Some places are starting to use electronic medical records to track radiation exposure over a patient’s lifetime, so the cumulative dose is known regardless of who ordered what test and when.

“I’d like to have a personal record like a personal dosimeter” for each patient, Slosky said. “Then you’d know” what risks they face and what tests are safe for them in the future.

— AP

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ACCESSIBILITY TAX CREDIT AVAILABLE Howard County homeowners who make qualified improvements in

order to make their homes more accessible — such as ramps, stair glides, grab bars — may be eligible to receive a tax credit against their county tax bill under the county’s new Livable Homes Tax Credit program. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/livablehomes for more information and downloadable forms. For information by phone, contact the Department of Finance at (410) 313-2062 or Maryland Access Point at (410) 313-5980.

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❏ Homecrest House (see ad on page 10) ❏ Homewood at Willow Ponds (see ad on page 15) ❏ Morningside House Ellicott City (see ad on page 6)

❏ Park View at Snowden River (see ad on page 21) ❏ Shriner Court (see ad on page 10)

❏ Falls Prevention Study (see ad on page 12)

❏ Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 21)

❏ Somerford Place (see ad on page 11) ❏ Willows at Victoria Falls (see ad on page 28)

Health Study Volunteers ❏ Coronary Artery Disease/ Clot Prevention Study (see article and ad on page 12)

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F R E E

An hour-long class of fun exercises and games to sharpen the brain will be offered at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 6 and Thursday June 20 at the Elkridge Senior Center, 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. Fee is $4 per class. For more information, call (410) 313-4930.

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A free program on understanding advance directives, determining who needs them and how to get them will be offered on Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Suite 100, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 740-7601.

Online registration is available at www.hcgh.org.

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LEARN THE BASICS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

See HEALTH SHORTS, page 8

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June 6

You might have assumed that you no longer need to be vaccinated for diseases that normally strike in childhood, including pertussis, or whooping cough. Yet a study published in the December 2012 journal Clinical Infectious Diseases underscores the need for older adults to also get vaccinated, as rates of this disease have

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Time for another whooping cough vaccine

risen in all age groups.

When researchers in Australia looked at a database of pertussis records, they found that the incidence of this disease was about 30 percent higher in women — and older adults who are infected are more likely to need hospitalization.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the actual number of adults over age 65 with pertussis may be much higher than we realize, because many cases go unreported. As of February 2012, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices began recommending the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccine for all adults age 65 and older.

— Harvard Women’s Health Watch

F R E E

You might not want to rush into knee surgery. Physical therapy can be just as good for a common injury and at far less cost and risk, the most rigorous study to compare these treatments concludes.

Therapy didn’t always help, and some people wound up having surgery for the problem, called a torn meniscus. But those who stuck with therapy had improved as much at six months and one year later as those who were given arthroscopic surgery right away, researchers found.

“Both are very good choices. It would be quite reasonable to try physical therapy first because the chances are good that you’ll do quite well,” said one study leader, Dr. Jeffrey Katz, a joint specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Results were published online by

Yet they ended up the same as those who got surgery right away, as well as the rest of the physical therapy group who stuck with it and avoided having an operation. — AP

F R E E

Fix your knee with PT, not surgery

the New England Journal of Medicine.

A meniscus is one of the crescentshaped cartilage discs that cushion the knee. About one-third of people over 50 have a tear in one, and arthritis makes this more likely. Usually the tear doesn’t cause symptoms, but it can be painful.

When that happens, it’s tough to tell if the pain is from the tear or the arthritis — or whether surgery is needed or will help.

Nearly half a million knee surgeries for a torn meniscus are done each year in the U.S. The new federally funded study compared surgery with a less drastic option. Researchers at seven major universities and orthopedic surgery centers around the U.S. assigned 351 people with arthritis and meniscus tears to get either surgery or physical therapy. The therapy was nine sessions on average, plus exercises to do at home, which experts say is key to success.

After six months, both groups had similar rates of functional improvement. Pain scores also were similar.

Thirty percent of patients assigned to physical therapy wound up having surgery before the six months was up, often because they felt therapy wasn’t helping them.

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Health Shorts

7

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Health shorts From page 7

Heart-lung machines safe for older adults One of the scariest parts of bypass surgery — having your heart stopped and going on a heart-lung machine while doctors fix your clogged arteries — is safe even in those 75 and older and doesn’t cause mental decline as many people have

J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

feared, two landmark studies show.

Bypass surgery is one of the most common operations in the world. There is great debate about the best way to do it, and patients often are given a choice.

Usually doctors stop the heart to make it easier to connect new blood vessels to make detours around blocked ones. But some patients later complain of “pumphead” — mental decline thought to be from the heart-lung machines used to pump their blood while their hearts could not.

So surgeons started doing “off-pump” bypasses on beating hearts. Nearly one

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quarter of bypasses are done this way now.

But that brought a new complaint: Results on the blood vessels seemed not as good.

The new studies were aimed at testing all these factors in a rigorous way to see which method was best. Dr. Andre Lamy of Canada’s McMaster University led a study of 4,752 people in 19 countries. They were randomly assigned to have bypasses with or without the use of heart pumps.

After one year, there were no big differences in the rates of death, heart attack, stroke or kidney failure in the two groups.

Slightly more people who had bypasses without a heart-lung machine needed a follow-up procedure to open clogged arteries, but the difference was so small it could have occurred by chance alone.

Mental sharpness and quality of life also was similar in the two groups. That suggests that whatever decline people experience is temporary or a result of anesthesia or something other than the way the operations were done, said Dr. Timothy Gardner, a surgeon and an American Heart Association spokesman.

That was true even in people 75 or older,

a group most worried about going on a heart-lung machine. The second study tested the two bypass methods in 2,539 of these patients in Germany. Again, the methods proved equally safe and effective a year later.

— AP

ECG? There’s an app for that People with heart disease will soon be able to provide vital information about their heart rhythm to their healthcare provider without making a visit to the doctor’s office.

Last December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a mobile electrocardiogram (ECG) device that attaches to an iPhone 4 or 5. To record an ECG, the user simply presses the fingers of both hands onto the electrode pads.

The information is analyzed by an app, then transmitted digitally for storage on the company’s website, where it can be accessed by a doctor.

— Harvard Heart Letter

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FIND EMPLOYMENT AS A CAREGIVER Home Instead Senior Care invites interested seniors to apply for caregiver positions on its website, www.homeinstead.com. A

member of the AARP National Employer Team, the company reports that more than 60 percent of its caregivers are over the age of 50. For more information, visit the website or call the local office at (410) 349-1169.

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PART-TIME OPENINGS AT REC & PARKS Opportunities may be available to develop courses and to teach art, cooking, dance, drama, languages and other subjects includ-

ed in the wide range of Recreation & Parks programs. For an up-to-date listing of possible job needs within the department, visit www.howardcountymd.gov and click on Recreation & Parks, or call (410) 313-4450.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Fighting cancer shouldn’t mean fighting traffic, too.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, the last thing you want to do is sit in traffic. MedStar Montgomery Medical Center has assembled a team of nationally recognized oncologists to provide you with advanced care, close to home. Our specialists treat a wide range of cancers and include experts from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s renowned Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. This gives you access to an array of clinical trials and a cancer navigator who will guide you through all phases of treatment. We have the knowledge and compassion to help you in your fight against cancer.

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Implanted device relieves GERD for good

By Dr. C. Daniel Smith Dear Mayo Clinic: I saw a story on the news about magnets being used to treat patients with GERD. Is this treatment safe?

How does it work? I’ve taken prescription drugs for GERD for years and would love to not need it anymore.

Answer: The treatment you heard about is a new therapy now available for people with persistent gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

It involves placing around the lower end of the esophagus a device that looks like a bracelet and is made up of magnetic beads.

The device allows food to pass into the stomach, but prevents acid and other digestive juices in the stomach from getting up into the esophagus.

Normally a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter, located at the bottom of the esophagus and the top of the stomach, stays closed when you’re not eating. This keeps the acid that’s in your

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stomach out of your esophagus.

If those muscles become weak or relax when they shouldn’t, acid can work its way into the esophagus. This acid reflux leads to the painful burning and regurgitation symptoms known as heartburn. The combination of acid reflux with heartburn, when they last over time, is GERD.

When drugs don’t help In the past, treatment for GERD has relied mainly on medicine to reduce stomach acid. But that’s not always effective in controlling the disorder.

This new treatment is intended for people whose GERD symptoms continue to flare up even when they take a daily dose of medication.

Effective control of GERD is important because, if left untreated, excessive acid can damage the esophagus and lead to a precancerous condition known as Barrett’s esophagus and, eventually, to esophageal cancer.

The purpose of putting the bracelet device around the esophagus is to reinforce the lower esophageal sphincter. The device is placed in the same area as that ring of muscle.

The magnetic force between each bead holds the bracelet snug around the esophagus.

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How it works When a person implanted with this device swallows food, pressure within the esophagus pushes the food down.

When the food reaches the bracelet of magnetic beads, the pressure causes the magnetic force between each bead to lessen. The bracelet then pops open, food passes into the stomach, and the magnetic

force pulls the bracelet closed again.

Surgery to implant the device usually lasts one to two hours. The procedure is minimally invasive and typically requires only an overnight hospital stay. Recovery takes about a week.

Some individuals report difficulty swallowing with the device in place. But for most people, that fades over time. The bracelet is designed to be a permanent solution for GERD. So unless there are problems, it is not removed.

A recent study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, followed 100 people who had this treatment for three years. Ninety-two of the people in the study reported fewer GERD symptoms. Eightyseven percent of the study participants were able to completely stop using acidlowering medications, and 94 percent reported being satisfied with the treatment.

In March 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the device for treatment of GERD in the United States. If you have GERD and daily antacid is not enough to control your symptoms, this treatment may be a good fit for you. Talk to your doctor or contact a physician who specializes in GERD to learn more.

— C. Daniel Smith, M.D., Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

11

Help county plan for aging residents

By Rebekah Sewell Between one-quarter and one-third of Columbia’s population is age 55 or over.

Furthermore, this constitutes the fastest growing segment of the population.

To better prepare for and serve this growing older population, the Columbia Association (CA) has begun to craft a Comprehensive Plan for Serving Older Adults.

A team consisting of CA staff, representatives from Columbia’s village community associations, and members of CA’s Senior Advisory Committee, will begin by analyzing demographic and other trends, assessing CA’s current facilities and programs, and consulting with local experts on serving older adults, including community agencies and medical experts.

It will then identify needs and look for the best ways to address them, soliciting input from Columbia residents in developing a plan. The work team is especially interested in understanding what older adults would like to see in terms of programs and servic-

es that can serve them as they age.

Before implementing new policies, the plan will be reviewed by the CA Board of Directors, as well as the larger Columbia community.

“The ultimate goal is to come up with a comprehensive, long-range plan to better serve this community,” said Paul Verchinski, chair of the Columbia Association Senior Advisory Committee and member of the board of directors of the Howard County Citizen’s Association Verchinski formerly worked as a transportation planner for the Federal Transit Administration and is utilizing his experience with short- and long-term planning to help craft the plan.

The work team holds monthly meetings that are open to the public. Verchinski said the plan will address many pertinent issues concerning older adults, such as transportation needs, the potential for abuse or exploitation, and ways for residents to remain in their homes as they age

BEACON BITS AUDIENCE AND ACTORS INTERACT Three vignettes on “Aging: Facts and Fiction” will be presented offering a fresh look on aging issues and their relevancy for the future on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. Audience interaction is encouraged. For more information or to register, call the Bain Center at (410) 313-7213.

May 30

(known as “aging in place”).

These topics and others will be addressed at an open house from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 at the Owen Brown Community Center at 6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, Md. All are invited.

At the meeting, speakers will share the plan’s purpose and process, provide background information, and solicit ideas. Attendees will be able to visit various information “stations,” where they can inquire about specific topics and provide their

comments and ideas.

There will also be presentations (at approximately 5 and 7 p.m.) highlighting demographic trends, sharing information about current CA facilities and programs, and illustrating the planning process.

Registration is recommended. Register at http://olderadults.eventbrite.com.

For more information about CA’s Comprehensive Plan for Serving Older Adults, visit http://bit.ly/ComprehensivePlanForOlderAdults.

12

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Health Studies Page

J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study testing clot prevention medication The Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research, under the direction of Dr. Paul Gurbel, has been actively fighting heart disease by designing and conducting clinical trials investigating novel drug therapies and devices.

The center is currently conducting a clinical trial with the support of the Nation-

al Institutes of Health to examine the effects of an investigational drug called PZ128 on patients ages 18 to 75 with a documented history of vascular disease (peripheral vascular disease, carotid artery disease or coronary artery disease) or two or more coronary artery risk factors.

Coronary artery risk factors for this

study include the following: diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, current smoking and obesity.

most for evidence of the drug’s safety, along with signs of effectiveness. Approximately 34 participants are being recruited for the study.

Intravenous drug benefits PZ-128 was designed to prevent the blood from forming clots, which can block vessels in the body and lead to heart attack or stroke.

Existing drugs like Plavix, Brilinta and Prasugrel, all tested at Sinai, are given orally to patients undergoing coronary stenting for a blockage in the heart arteries. These drugs remain in the body for days, posing a potential bleeding risk.

Conversely, PZ-128 is administered directly into the bloodstream, allowing it to be immediately active and reversible within a few hours.

On a microscopic level, the drug works to block a receptor by passing through blood cell walls, something no competing drugs on the market currently do. While it’s not clear whether that will mean more effective treatment, it does explore a drug delivery method that is new to coronary artery disease therapy.

In this initial phase of clinical trials, researchers at Sinai will look first and fore-

Overnight visit required The study will include a screening visit, a hospital stay for one night, one follow-up visit at the study site, and a telephone call approximately 30 days after the last hospital visit.

Study participants will receive: • Reimbursement of up to $590 for time and expenses.

• Specialized platelet function testing (These tests are not part of routine studies that can assess your risk of forming blood clots.)

• Physical exam with cardiologist and complete laboratory blood work-up.

The information learned about the study drug and how it works may be helpful to patients with heart disease in the future.

For more information, or to see if you qualify to participate, contact the Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research at (410) 601-4795 or email Kevin Bliden at kbliden@lifebridgehealth.org.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER CENTER HAS OPENINGS

The Volunteer Center, a community-based organization that matches individuals and groups with volunteer opportunities throughout Howard County, lists current possibilities at www.volunteerhoward.org. The information is also available by calling (410) 715-3172.

Ongoing

DO YOU LIKE TO BE OUTDOORS?

From gardening on Wednesday mornings to habitat restoration on Thursday afternoons, the Howard County Conservancy is looking for individuals or groups to spend some time outdoors improving nature sites throughout the county. Current volunteer needs as well as a schedule for the habitat restoration are posted on the website www.hcconservancy.org via the “Support” link. To schedule a session or for additional information, call (410) 465-8877.

Have You Fallen?

Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study at the University of Maryland & Veterans affairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the prevention of falls in aging individuals.

you will receive: • Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises • Compensation for your time If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours of time per visit

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

13

Household items can pose risks to pets

By Sue Manning A toy poodle that was rushed to the vet after swallowing a tube sock. A Great Dane that had to be operated on three times for eating his owner’s shoulder pads.

These are just a couple of examples of the emergency cases Dr. Karen Halligan has seen involving household items that seem harmless until an animal decides to munch on them.

Hundreds of pets undergo surger y every year to remove small articles of clothing and other objects from their stomachs and intestines, said Halligan, author, TV consultant and director of veterinary services for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles.

“We are talking $2,500 to $5,000 at the least,” Halligan said.

Socks are probably the most popular pet-pilfered pieces of clothing across the country. They’re especially irresistible to pets after they’ve been worn. “It’s the scent that attracts them,” Halligan said.

One of Halligan’s older clients came in with his toy poodle and said the dog ate one of his tube socks.

“I was skeptical. I X-rayed, and it didn’t show up. But he was absolutely certain.

He was adamant,” she said.

Halligan said she made the dog vomit and “sure enough, we pulled a foot-long tube sock out of this miniature apricot poodle, and the dog was fine.”

Toxic pennies Prompt treatment vital “It’s very common in private practice and in large institutions to be removing non-food items out of dogs and cats,” she said. It also can be very dangerous.

Ingested clothing and fabric items, for instance, won’t show up on X-rays. Within 48 hours, a pet that has consumed a piece of clothing will develop symptoms like vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, fever and depression.

If caught early, a vet can remove the item from inside the animal and everything will be fine. If not, the pet’s intestines will start to die because blood can’t get through, Halligan said. Removing the intestine is an option if the obstruction is eventually found.

If left untreated, the problem can be fatal because of dehydration or bacteria leaking into the stomach, causing peritonitis.

“We had one Great Dane. Three times we had to cut him [open] for his [owner’s] shoulder pads. He loved those shoulders pads,” Halligan said.

And surgeries to remove or dislodge things that pets swallow are not cheap.

X-rays quite clearly show many other things pets swallow.

In March, Tim Kelleher’s 13-year-old Jack Russell terrier got sick and he rushed him to the vet. X-rays showed the dog had eaten a pile of pennies.

Dr. Amy Zalcman used a camera attached to a net to fish 111 pennies out of Jack’s stomach. Scooping up five at a time, it took a couple of hours.

Letting the coins pass could have killed Jack because pennies made after 1982 contain toxic zinc. “Many were corroded, suggesting that they were being digested,” Zalcman said.

Jack goes jogging daily and eats the best holistic food on the market, but he’s got a voracious appetite and is always licking things off the floor, Kelleher said.

Kelleher thought he had “Jackproofed” his apartment. But just a few days ago, the dog ate a whole bag of hamburger rolls after pulling it off a kitchen counter.

Deadly foods While some human foods are fine for pets, others, like chocolate, can be deadly to dogs and cats.

For those who keep flower bouquets in the house, eating just one lily can kill a cat.

Preservative packets for the water in the vase also can make animals sick if they drink it.

In seven years of emergency veterinary medicine, Zalcman has removed a variety of items from pets, including jewelry, condoms, and a new No. 2 pencil with an eraser. Some of her colleagues have retrieved forks and blades, she said.

In Halligan’s 24 years as a vet, the most unusual object she had to retrieve from a dog’s stomach was a Mickey Mouse hat.

“You could see the plastic parts on the X-ray,” Halligan said.

— AP

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BEACON BITS

June 4

ART MUSEUM EXCURSION

A bus trip sponsored by Howard County Recreation & Parks leaves at 9 a.m. and returns at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4 for a visit to the Baltimore Museum of Art to visit the

Keeping your companion healthy.

new contemporary wing and other collections and exhibitions. Lunch is on your own at Gertrude’s, the museum’s restaurant. Tickets are $45. To register call (410) 313-7275. For further information, call Ginny Russ at (410) 313-7279.

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Neighbor Ride From page 1 would double by the year 2020. Seniors surveyed for the study listed healthcare and a lack of transportation options as their top two concerns.

A work group explored options for two years. Then a model utilizing the county’s existing programs and volunteer resources was launched as Neighbor Ride in the summer of 2004.

“It’s a wonderful program for volunteers — you feel good right off the bat,” said Colleen Dumais Konstanzer, the group’s community outreach director.

Konstanzer served as the organization’s first executive director until growing family demands intervened. Konstanzer also volunteers as a driver.

Konstanzer’s assessment gets an endorsement from longtime volunteer Thomas Meachum, an attorney in downtown Columbia at the law firm of Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr.

“I read about Neighbor Ride in the paper and thought it sounded like a perfect fit for me,” Meachum said. “I wanted to do some volunteering, and this fit in perfectly with my availability.

“I work mostly in the Columbia area,” Meachum continued, “driving folks to doctors’ appointments or shopping at the mall, then coming back to my office to work for

a couple hours till it’s time to pick them up for the trip back home.

“I’m always interested in meeting people one on one, and the driving makes it so easy to do that. What wonderful stories my passengers tell me about what they’ve done in their lives! And it’s helped me to appreciate the rich diversity in the makeup of Howard County, too.”

Coordinating rides Those who volunteer to drive for Neighbor Ride must be at least 21 years old, submit to a driving record and criminal background check, and be interested in seniors.

Although drivers are offered up to 40 percent reimbursement on the gas they use, Neighbor Ride Director Brad Cross notes that few take it, preferring to consider fuel as part of their contribution. Neighbor Ride covers all drivers with an umbrella liability insurance policy.

The office phones are manned by volunteers who take calls from seniors requesting transportation for a specific date and time. Such requests must be made at least three business days in advance of the need.

Requests are then entered into a master computer program used to match volunteers and their availability with those needing rides. There is no guarantee that each ride request can be filled.

But once a driver accepts an assignment, he or she informs the office and takes responsibility for calling their pas-

senger(s) the day before as a reminder of the pickup time and destination.

Cross estimates that close to 99 percent of all ride requests are filled, and those that aren’t are usually “Friday evening rush hour on the Beltway,” when no volunteer drivers are available.

Cross, 67, formerly at Hewlett-Packard, now uses his business skills to oversee the operations of the organization’s $250,000 annual budget, which covers staffing and organizational expenditures.

Susan Appletree, a retired elementary school teacher who has worked with Neighbor Ride as a driver and volunteer ride coordinator for the past seven years, has story after story to tell about the passengers, their requests and their gratitude.

Many of the Neighbor Ride volunteers are retirees, she noted. She hears from them especially the “feel good” stories of

15

passengers they’ve driven to weekly lunch gatherings with friends, or to senior centers just to meet with people and chat for an hour or two.

Another favorite story is that of a volunteer driver who originally contacted Neighbor Ride as a passenger following surgery that left him unable to drive to his rehabilitation appointments. Now fully recovered, he is determined to “pay it forward” as a volunteer driving others in need of transportation to remain active and independent.

And then there was one elderly gent who went straight to the heart of it when he said good-bye to his driver one day.

“Thank you, angel,” he said.

For additional information on Neighbor Ride, or to volunteer or make a contribution, visit www.neighborride.org or call (410) 884-RIDE (7433).

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The earlier lung cancer is detected, the better it can be treated and possibly cured.

MedStar Health Cancer Network is offering low-cost CT screening scans to individuals at high-risk for developing lung cancer.

You could be a candidate for our lung screening program if you are: • 55 to 74 years of age • A smoker of a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or more • Currently smoking or have quit fewer than 15 years ago To learn more about the program and find out if you are eligible, call 877-715-HOPE (877-715-4673).

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

VOLUME 3, NO. 6 â&#x20AC;˘ JUNE 2013

A Message from the Administrator

By Dayna Brown, Office on Aging Administrator

As May comes to a close, we are winding down activities for Older Americans Month, and what a month it was. I had the pleasure of helping to launch Howard Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest biking initiative, Cycle2Health, along with more than 40 enthusiastic cyclists. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am planning to purchase a bike of my own!

The program welcomes both beginner and experienced riders; visit www.howardcountyaging.org/Cycle2Health to find out more.

Also in May, I was proud to join the members of our SHIP team as they were honored as recipients of the Audrey Robbinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Humanitarian Award, presented by the Association of Community Services. These knowledgeable and dedicated volunteers have helped many county residents navigate the often murky waters of Medicare plans and procedures. It is wonderful to see their efforts garner such positive notice. Well done! If you need assistance with a Medicare-related topic, call SHIP at 410-313-7391.

This month, we turn our attention to more serious matters, as we mark National Safety Month and observe Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15.

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury among those ages 65 and older? Or that most falls happen in homes and are entirely preventable? Visit www.howardcountyaging.org to learn more, and download a Safety at Home checklist. And donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget that adding accessibility features to your primary residence in Howard County may not only make your home safer as you age, it may be eligible for a Livable Homes county tax credit. For more information, and a list of qualifying improvements, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/livablehomes.

Lastly, please take a moment to review the information regarding how you can spot, stop or report cases of Elder Abuse at www.howardcountyaging.org/ElderSafety. We all need to take an active role and do what we can to protect vulnerable older adults in our county. Reach out to those at risk, and report suspected abuse by calling 911 or contact one of the agencies listed on our website.

As always, if you need information, assistance or a referral from the Office on Aging, contact a Maryland Access Point specialist weekdays at 410-313-5980, email map@howardcountymd.gov or visit www.marylandaccesspoint.info.

SHIP Team Honored with Audrey Robbins Humanitarian Award

Since 1987, the Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program has provided Medicare beneficiaries in Howard County with free, confidential and unbiased assistance. A significant part of this important work is done by an incredible group of volunteers who serve as SHIP counselors, helping both new and longterm beneficiaries navigate the often confusing realm of health insurance coverage and costs, while protecting their rights and options.

In recognition of the contributions SHIP volunteers have made to not only to the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medicare beneficiaries, but also to their family members and/or caregivers, they have been named the 2013 Audrey Robbins Humanitarian Volunteer Team of the Year.

Now in its 36th year, the prestigious

Audrey Robbins Humanitarian awards are presented by the Association of Community Services to recognize the work of human services organizations, volunteers and staff who go above and beyond all expectations in their service to Howard County. Nomination documents point to the fact that in 2012, SHIP volunteers had significant direct contact with approximately 1,600 people and helped more than 2,300 residents, who attended 94 community presentations and Medicare information events.

The Office on Aging recognizes the contributions of the entire SHIP team as not only a truly an amazing group of people, as individuals and as a collective, but also for providing a much needed service to the residents of Howard County. Congratulations!

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Coming Events

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

The Senior Connection

Friday, May 31, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – A Moment to Honor, The Bain Center Join us to honor the significant people in our lives who are no longer with us. Featuring a guest speaker, quiet reflection accompanied by music, time for individual sharing, and a group commemorative activity. Free, light refreshments served. Contact Elaine Widom, 410313-7283 or ewidom@howardcountymd.gov to RSVP or for more information.

Monday, June 3, 1:30 p.m. – Musical Journeys, Longwood Senior Center Don’t miss a wonderful concert by Phoenix Arts, sponsored by Taiwanese American Charity & Education Association and featuring Mingying Zhang and Keng-Yuen Tseng on violin and Chun-Ru Wei on the piano. The concert and reception is free and open to all. Call 410-313-7217 for details.

Tuesday, June 4, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Baltimore Museum of Industry Presents: The Garment Industry, The Bain Center Look back at the history of the garment industry in Baltimore, starting with its beginnings in the 19th century. Tales about hats, umbrellas and men’s suits will be ‘sewn’ together in the talk. Call 410-313-7213 for details.

Tuesday, June 4, 11 a.m. – Social Security Administration Chorus, Ellicott City Senior Center Join us for an afternoon of musical entertainment by the Social Security Administration Chorus. Call 410313-1400 for details.

Tuesdays, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. – Qigong, Elkridge Senior Center Qigong is a mind, body and spirit integrative exercise which can improve flexibility, strength and balance, while reducing stress, arthritis and fibromyalgia pain. It’s easy to do for all fitness levels. Call 410-313-5192 to register.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, June 5 to 7 – Food, Fun & Fiction Book & Bake Sale, Glenwood 50+ Center Lobby Get your summer beach reads at our book and bake sale! Support our fundraiser, by donating books now (no textbooks), or sign up to donate baked goods — cakes, cookies, brownies for our sale days. See Chris at the front desk to volunteer, or call 410-313-5440 for more information.

Thursday, June 6, 10 a.m. – Swap or Shop, East Columbia 50+ Center Bring in nearly new clothing and accessories by June 4 to swap, or stop by to shop for unswapped items and our cookbook sale. Call 410-313-7680 for details.

Thursday, June 6, 11 a.m. – Brain Fit, Ellicott City Senior Center Instructor Robin Zahor teaches us how to keep the mind sharp by using techniques designed to keep the brain in tip-top form to improve cognitive performance. Call 410-313-1400 to register.

Friday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – AARP Driving Class, Elkridge Senior Center An exciting, interactive class designed to teach driver safety. Learn many things that you may not know about driving and the rules of the road. Some insurance companies may offer a discount on your policy once you complete the class. Call 410-313-5192 to register.

Friday, June 7, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Father’s Day Concert, The Bain Center Hear the smooth tunes of the Bain Gospel Choir as they sing melodies that will melt your heart. Don’t miss it; call 410-313-7213 for details.

Monday, June 10, 1 to 2 p.m. – Zumba Gold, Elkridge Senior Center Zumba Gold is so much fun you won’t know that you are exercising, featuring exciting Latin moves to great music.

It’s easy to follow, and all fitness levels are welcome. Cost: $4 per class; call 410-313-5192 to register.

Mondays & Tuesdays, June 10 - 18, 11 a.m. to noon – Brain Fitness, North Laurel 50+ Center Learn a series of brain-stimulating exercises to improve memory retention and cognitive performance. Cost: $12 for the series. Register by June 5 by calling 410-313-0380.

Tuesday, June 11, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Radio in Baltimore, The Bain Center Ed Hawkins, WITH radio personality, will discuss the history of radio broadcasting in Baltimore from the 1920s to the 1960s. Join us to learn about the milestones and legendary radio personalities from the past. Free; call 410-313-7213 to register.

Wednesday, June 12, 10 a.m. to noon – Genealogy: Love and Marriage, Ellicott City Senior Center Learn how marriage records and divorce records can aid in the research of your ancestors. Free; call 410-313-1400 to register.

Wednesday, June 12, 11:30 a.m. – Father’s Day Picnic, North Laurel 50+ Center Enjoy a BBQ lunch, activities and live entertainment in our pavilion in celebration of the great men in our lives. Cost $3; call 410-313-0380 by May 26.

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

If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to schedule a free evaluation for your pet, contact Ingrid Gleysteen, at 410-313-7461 or igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov.

Evaluations are held the 1st Wednesday of every month.

Wednesday, June 5th 7 PM at Bain Center The Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia, MD 21044

410.313.7461 www.howardcountyaging.org

Thursday, June 13, noon – Glamour at Glenwood, Glenwood 50+ Center Christopher and Banks will be back at Glenwood as we host an afternoon of fashion and food. Cost: $15; get your tickets early before they sell out. Models needed; contact Regina Jenkins, 410-313-5440 if interested.

Thursday, June 13, 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Medicare 102: Why Medicare Isn’t Enough, Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Suite 100, Columbia Learn about Medicare Part C/Health Plans, Medicare Supplement Policies (Medigap Plans) and find out if a Medicare HMO, PPO, Cost Plan or Private Fee for Service Plan is the right choice for you. No fee; call 410-740-7601 to register. Also offered on June 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kiwanis-Wallas Recreation Center, 3300 Norbert’s Way in Ellicott City. To register, call 410-313-7391. No fee; sponsored by SHIP.

Friday, June 14, 11 a.m. – Flag Day Ceremony, North Laurel 50+ Center Learn why the American Flag has its own day of celebration in this ceremony brought to us by the American Legion Post 300. Free; for more information, call 410-313-0380.

Friday, June 14, 12:30 p.m. – Tap Recital, Ellicott City Senior Center Join the graduates of Jackie Dunphy’s Tap class as they perform for us live and on stage. All family members are invited to enjoy the show! Call 410-313-1400 for details.

Thursday, June 20, 6 to 8 p.m. – SPRING Wellness Seminar, North Laurel 50+ Center This seminar showcases an older adult who has broken the ageism perspective by creating new ways to engage in life. Small group discussions follow keynote; light refreshments served. Free; call 410-313-0380 to register

by June 18. Contact Karen Hull, 410-313-7466 for details.

Wednesday, June 26, noon to 2 p.m. – Summer Tea, East Columbia 50+ Center Lazy days of summer...join us for a leisurely afternoon of tea, savories and sweets. Cost: $6; call 410-313-7680 for reservations (required).

Friday, June 28, noon to 2 p.m. – Flower Design Workshop, East Columbia 50+ Center Create a beautiful fresh flower arrangement with fresh summer greens and flowers from the garden. Cost: $7; all materials provided. Call 410-313-7680 to register.

Thursday, July 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – SPRING Luncheon: Timbuktu Restaurant, 1726 Dorsey Road, Hanover, Md. Celebrate summer with SPRING and have lunch at Timbuktu! Choose an entrée: Crab Cake, Chicken Timbuktu or Pasta Primavera (price varies with selection and includes coffee/tea/ice tea and gratuity).

Seating is limited; register by July 9 by calling Elaine Widom, 410-313-7283.

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Money Law &

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP If you’re returning to the stock market, buy into stocks gradually, and consider hybrid investments, like target date and balanced funds ARE YOU A TREND TRACKER? Startup company Motif Investing enables customers to buy groups of stocks that follow a trend, from discount stores to weight loss

A way to higher returns at moderate risk Readers continue to ask how they can idends on their common stock without payinvest without a great deal of ing the interest due on the prerisk and still obtain reasonferred stock. able income.

Preferred stock prices genI have often pointed out that erally fluctuate based on their investors who need income dividend yield, credit rating cannot expect high income and maturity date (where apfrom investing in Treasury plicable). Increased interest bills, money-market instrurates generally will depress ments and short-term savings the value of preferred stock, accounts. Such investments since investors could purpreserve capital but do not chase new issues of preferred keep up with inflation. stock and bonds at higher inTHE SAVINGS Alternatives that provide GAME terest rates. Also, if a corporamore income include real-es- By Elliot Raphaelson tion’s financial condition or tate investment trusts prospects deteriorate, the (REITs), Treasury inflation-protected se- value of its outstanding securities will fall. curities (TIPS), intermediate-term bonds, Corporations that issue preferred stock master limited partnerships (MLPs) and are those that require substantial capital. high dividend common stocks. These pro- Most issuers are financial institutions, utilvide more income than the most conserva- ities and communications companies. tive investments, but they are certainly are Not all of these companies have stellar not risk-free. credit ratings. As a result, there is not a large supply of high-quality preferred. For that Consider preferred stock reason, in order to minimize risks, investors Another alternative is preferred stocks. should consider buying a diversified portfoThese are more like bonds than a common lio of preferred stocks through ETFs rather stock. They are hybrid securities with than purchasing individual company shares. characteristics of both bonds and equities.

Preferred stocks pay a fixed interest, gen- Advantages and disadvantages erally at a higher rate than bonds issued by An advantage of preferred stocks is that the same company. The current yield of pre- they have a low correlation to other fixedferred stocks is about 6 percent. Corpora- price securities such as TIPS, REITs and tions issuing preferred stock cannot pay div- MLPs.

A major disadvantage, according to Josh Peters, equity strategist of Morningstar, is the risk of recall. Most issues may be recalled within five years. If interest rates go down, the issuer will likely recall the stock.

Another disadvantage is there is no guarantee you will receive the price you paid for the stock. With individual bond purchases, at maturity, you will receive the face value of the bond back. Corporate bonds have maturity dates; most preferred stocks do not.

Another disadvantage is the lack of an active market. When you do decide to sell, there may be a large gap between the bid and ask price for an individual security.

That is another reason to buy preferred stocks in an ETF. The price of preferred stock will generally not increase when the income of the corporation increases. Income growth will benefit common stock holders. You do not purchase preferred stock in order to obtain capital growth.

Some recommendations Abby Woodham, an analyst at Morningstar, recommends ETF iShares S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index (PFF), indicating it has the lowest expense ratio of the ETFs at 0.48 percent. Over the last five years, the fund returned an average of 5.5 percent. The return for the last year was 18.2 percent. The current yield is approxi-

mately 6 percent.

If you hold your account outside of a retirement account, you should consider the tax implications. For example, some preferred stock dividends are qualified, which means that they are taxed at no more than 20 percent. If the dividends are not qualified, the marginal tax rate can be as high as 39.6 percent.

Woodham points out that the PowerShares Financial Preferred (PGF) ETF produces 100 percent qualified income. Its expense ratio is 0.66 percent, higher than iShares EFT; however, if you hold the shares in a non-retirement account, the PowerShares ETF may provide a higher return due to tax savings.

Too many investors still invest too much in money-market instruments and savings accounts. You have to accept some risk to get high income.

I do not recommend that a significant portion of your fixed income portfolio should be in preferred stocks. However, if a significant part of your portfolio is currently earning less than 1 percent, consider adding a preferred stock ETF to your fixed-income portfolio. You should earn close to 6 percent without a great deal of risk.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2013 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Small-cap foreign funds beat the market

By Mark Jewell An annual scorecard of mutual fund performance is in, and it’s generating more of the negative headlines that fund managers have become accustomed to in recent years.

The key finding: Two-thirds of managed U.S. stock funds failed to beat the market in 2012, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

For all their stock-picking skills, the vast majority of managers couldn’t claim an edge over low-cost index funds and exchangetraded funds that seek to match the market.

It was the sixth time in the last 10 years that average annual returns of managed funds fell short of the market’s overall performance. Faced with such persistently disappointing results, it’s understandable that an investor might consider giving up

and rely exclusively on index funds.

But look deeper into the latest annual scorecard, and there’s a positive takeaway for investors. Funds specializing in stocks of small foreign companies have beaten their market benchmark year after year.

In 2012, 85 percent of this small group of funds posted larger returns than an S&P index of stocks from foreign developed countries. Returns for the five-dozen funds in the international small-cap category averaged 21.7 percent, compared with 15.4 percent for the index.

An ongoing trend It wasn’t a one-year fluke: Ninety percent outperformed over three years, and 79 percent over five years.

Those results are far better than the long-term numbers for other stock fund categories, suggesting that international small-cap is the go-to category for marketbeating fund performance.

“It’s kind of like an overlooked child,” said Aye Soe, an S&P Dow Jones Indices researcher who authored the company’s latest scorecard. “There are lots of opportunities there, and active managers can find them.”

Stocks of small companies based overseas generate less attention from investment managers and stock analysts than the big U.S. names in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

That under-the-radar status creates greater opportunity to find stocks that are underpriced relative to their earnings potential.

That’s reflected in the wide variations in

returns among small-cap international stocks. The gap between the best and worst performers is typically larger than in other market segments.

“That creates more opportunity for active managers to add value,” Soe said.

Some winning picks A couple examples of top-rated smallcap international funds, and stocks that have generated strong recent returns: Franklin International Small Cap Growth (FINAX) found a gem in Jumbo SA, which was recently the fund’s third-largest holding. Shares of the Greece-based retailer of children’s products have surged 43 percent See BEAT THE MARKET, page 19

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Beat the market From page 18 over the past 12 months.

For Invesco International Small Company (IEGAX), a key contributor has been Total Energy Services Trust. The Canadian energy services company is a longtime holding and the stock has more than doubled over the past five years.

One word of caution: Investors who don’t have the stomach for volatile returns might want to avoid international smallcap funds. Sharp ups and downs are more likely with foreign stocks than with the U.S. market, especially among small-caps.

But for consistency in generating market-beating returns, international smallcap funds stand out.

Last year, just two out of 13 categories of managed U.S. stock funds posted average returns better than their market benchmarks.

The two: funds specializing in large-cap growth stocks, and funds investing in property-owning real estate investment trusts. But going back over three and five years, the vast majority of funds in both categories failed to beat the market.

Among managed U.S. stock funds last year, 66 percent failed to beat a broad measure of the market, the Standard & Poor’s Composite 1500. Although that may sound bad, it’s a marked improvement from the 84 percent that underperformed in 2011. The last year that a majority of managed funds beat the market was in 2009.

Such poor numbers are a key reason why investors have been pulling their money out of managed funds in recent years. Among all U.S. stock funds — the majority of them managed funds, rather than index products — withdrawals have exceeded deposits for six years in a row.

Last year, investors withdrew a net $95 billion from managed large-cap stock funds, according to Morningstar. In contrast, a net $61 billion was deposited into large-cap index mutual funds and ETFs.

Other standout funds Despite the overall performance numbers, there have been standout managed funds in recent years. Consider the top diversified U.S. stock funds of last year: Legg Mason Capital Management Opportunity (LMOPX) returned 39.6 percent and Fairholme Fund (FAIRX) gained 35.8 percent. Those results were more than double the 16 percent total return for the S&P 500.

What’s more, a small minority of funds have delivered market-beating returns over periods of 10 years or longer. And Soe notes that several fund managers successfully executed defensive strategies in 2008, limiting their losses in a year when stocks plunged 38 percent amid the financial crisis.

“Just because a majority of active managers underperform doesn’t mean active management is completely dead,” Soe said.

“It really depends on market conditions, and how skilled those managers are at taking advantage of those conditions.” — AP

BEACON BITS

June 19

MEDICARE OPTIONS SEMINAR

Learn about factors to consider when choosing a Medicare Health Plan and how to protect yourself from healthcare fraud in a free program sponsored by the county’s Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program on Wednesday, June 19 at 11 a.m. at Kiwanis-Wallas Hall, 3300 Norbert’s Way, Ellicott City. Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call (410) 313-7391.

Let Nursing Home Costs Take Every Dime You’ve Worked For. Medical Assistance Planning and Eligibility Advance Medical Directives / Living Wills Trusts / Estate Planning Administration Wills / Powers of Attorney Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts Guardianship

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

How to return (wisely) to the stock market

By Anne Kates Smith How you re-enter the stock market matters, especially if you’ve taken a hiatus. Even if you’re anxious to get back in the game, you’ll want to buy into stocks gradually.

Investing a set amount periodically, a strategy called dollar-cost averaging, helps you psych yourself into sticking to your investment plan. It lowers the average per-share cost of your stock holdings by ensuring that you buy more

shares when prices are down and fewer shares when they’re richly priced. You also might want to let a trusted advisor help you figure out how much of which assets to own.

Hybrid funds, which include targetdate funds and balanced funds, toggle between stocks, bonds and money markets, within set parameters. Industr y giants Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and Vanguard offer target-date funds. We have a slight preference for the Price and Van-

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guard funds. Price’s funds have the most aggressive mix, and Vanguard’s the most conser vative.

A good one-stop balanced fund worth considering is Vanguard Star (symbol VGSTX), a diversified mix of other Vanguard funds that invest in bonds as well as U.S. and foreign stocks. FPA Crescent (FPACX), a member of the Kiplinger 25, owns ever ything from stocks and bonds to preferred shares, convertible securities and bank loans, a mix that does well in both up and down years.

For super-skittish investors, financial planner George Kiraly, Jr., at LodeStar Advisor y Group, in Short Hills, N.J., favors Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund (VWINX). The fund, which holds about one-third of its assets in stocks and the rest in high-quality bonds, lost only 10 percent in 2008 and has returned nearly 8 percent annualized over the past decade.

If wild swings in the market wreak havoc with your financial for titude, focus on low-volatility investing. By sidestepping big market swings, you won’t just sleep better, you may even beat the market in the long run. That’s because large losses often cost investors more than big gains can make up.

Research coauthored by Brendan Bradley, director of managed volatility strategies at Boston-based Acadian Asset Management, shows that from 1968 through 2012, a portfolio of lowvolatility stocks would have returned 11.2 percent annualized, compared with 9.5 percent for the S&P 500.

You’ll find scads of low-volatility stocks among the household names on your shelves (think General Mills, Clorox and Johnson & Johnson). Make sure the stock’s “beta” (a measure of how a stock’s price moves relative to the overall market), is below the market’s beta of 1. You can find this information on investing sites such as Yahoo Finance, The easiest way to buy low-volatility stocks is with one of a new crop of exchange-traded funds, such as PowerShares S&P 500 Low Volatility Portfolio (SPLV).

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. For more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

21

Startup helps DIY investors buy cheaply

By Mark Jewell Think you can tell the difference between a fad and a trend with staying power? Look around, and you might come up with some decent investing ideas.

If you’ve noticed that lots of your friends are using tablet computers instead of PCs, it might be a good time to consider stocks of companies driving the tablet revolution.

See evidence that Americans are getting more serious about their weight problems? Consider stocks of fitness center chains and weight-loss clinics.

On the other hand, if you’re convinced that we’ll never get disciplined about our diets, try the opposite approach and invest in fast-food chains.

For average investors hoping to beat the market, buying several stocks fitting a broad investment theme is probably a better option than assessing which individual companies to buy. Few have the know-how to routinely make good stock picks, let alone the patience to do the required research.

Do-it-yourself, sort of With those realities in mind, a Silicon Valley startup last year launched a website aimed at do-it-yourself investors who consider themselves savvy trendspotters. The company, Motif Investing, enables customers to buy baskets of up to 30 stocks that fit various “motifs,” as the company calls them.

The bigger player a company is in that investing theme, the larger its weighting is in the basket of stocks. For example, WalMart makes up nearly one-quarter of the portfolio in a retail stock motif called “Discount Nation.”

The website has a menu of more than 100 motifs. Some are fairly conventional, such as offerings focusing on dividend-paying stocks and diversified bond portfolios.

But most are trend-oriented, such as a “Tablet Takeover” motif geared toward tablet computing, a “Fighting Fat” basket of weight loss-themed stocks, and a “Junk Food” motif of fast-food and soft drink stocks.

If social change is important to you, a “No Glass Ceilings” motif owns stocks of corporations run by female executives. Another invests in companies with gay-friendly workplace policies.

Motif launched last June, and recently announced a new feature enabling individuals to create custom motifs and share them with other customers. Eventually, Motif plans to adopt a royalty system, allowing someone creating a motif to earn small payments when other investors buy it.

Customers can post investing ideas online for all to see, or friends or colleagues can exchange tips privately.

Other creative websites Motif is among a small number of young companies trying to challenge traditional investment advisory firms through novel uses of the Internet and social networking.

Others include Covestor, MarketRiders, Wealthfront, ShareBuilder and Betterment.

Although none has become a significant player in the industry, some could eventually catch on with certain types of investors.

“There’s room for these niche players if they can get some traction,” said David Schehr, an analyst at research firm Gartner Inc. Motif’s likely target audience, he said, is investing enthusiasts who actively trade small portions of their invested savings.

Motif isn’t disclosing how many customers it has or how much money they’ve invested.

Low costs are one of Motif’s chief selling points. After meeting a minimum investment of $250, there’s a $9.95 charge to

buy a single motif of up to 30 stocks. That’s comparable to the commissions that traditional brokerages charge to buy a single stock (although some offer free ETF trades with certain restrictions).

For $4.95, a Motif customer can buy additional shares of an individual stock or ETF in a motif, thus customizing holdings so they’re different from the default motif. And, in contrast with mutual funds and ETFs, there are no ongoing investment management fees.

After getting a demo of Motif from cofounder and CEO Hardeep Walia, I’m impressed with how easy the site is to use. Information on the investment options is presented in user-friendly language. Photos illustrate each investing motif. Commands can be executed with a few mouse clicks

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or taps on a touch-screen.

That said, investing isn’t a game, and there’s a potential negative to Motif’s ease of use. As you tap away, it could be easy to get carried away with money that you may be depending on for retirement.

Also, some of the motifs are geared toward potentially short-term trends that are unsuitable investment ideas for anyone with long-term goals.

With such potential shortcomings in mind, Gartner’s Schehr suggests that anyone considering Motif or rival websites invest only small amounts of their savings, reserving the majority for traditional diversified portfolios: “Just take a taste,” he advised, “and don’t sign up for the full banquet.”

— AP

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Travel Leisure &

Tired of schlepping your bags? Airlines and services will deliver them to you — for a price. See story on page 25.

The Western wonders of Scottsdale, Ariz. there usually were Native Americans, and their influence also remains strong. One shop alone, the River Trading Post, sells Native American art and artifacts created by people from more than 50 tribal nations.

Cowgirl for a day

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

Nor has the cowboy influence faded, as Fyllis learned while playing the role of a working cowgirl, at least for a few hours.

She was a part-time student at the Arizona Cowboy College, which serves up a taste of life on the range without touristy frills.

Most city slickers go through a two-day orientation followed by four days at a ranch rounding up cows, searching for missing steer, branding, vaccinating and doing other cowboy-like chores. Hearing that description prompted me to inquire, “And they pay for that?”

The one-day introduction to life on the range that Fyllis attended included learning to clean hooves and groom and saddle Billie, the brown mare she was assigned.

That was followed by instruction in riding on a Western saddle.

As Fyllis and Billie circled a ring, Elaine Pawlowski, the ranch manager and teacher, shouted out reminders: “Heels down. Lighten up on the reins. Sink your butt into the saddle.”

Later came a lesson in roping a wayward calf. Rather than a live animal, this exercise used a metal mini-cow on wheels which, after several errant tosses, my newly Westernized wife was able to ring several times in a row.

The cowgirl experience ended with a ride over the rocky wasteland that surrounds Scottsdale and nearby Phoenix, loping over sandy, rocky terrain past cacti in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Desert denizens

The Arizona Cowboy College in Scottsdale imparts such skills to visitors as rounding up cows, vaccinating livestock and branding. Here, Fyllis Hochman practices using a lasso to rope a calf.

The trail in the Sonoran Desert over which Fyllis rode, and the somewhat larger area that I had explored, represented just a sliver of that vast wilderness.

It stretches through Arizona, California and northern Mexico, covering an

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SCOTTSDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

By Victor Block Bejeweled women dressed in the latest fashions strolled into the likes of Gucci, Neiman Marcus and Tiffany intent on adding to their chic wardrobe and collection of costly adornments. Not far away, my wife Fyllis — wearing blue jeans, boots and a cowgirl hat — was learning to lasso cattle.

My afternoon was spent exploring a rugged wilderness of giant cacti, towering mesas and vast stretches of barren landscape. There I discovered that what appeared to be a dry, dead desert actually is home to thousands of plants and animals that have adapted to life in searing temperatures and an almost complete lack of water.

The first impression that Fyllis and I had during a visit to Scottsdale, Ariz., was the diversity of attractions in and around that small city. The shopping experience alone provided an introduction to the somethingfor-everyone variety.

World famous top-of-the-line stores are neighbors to one-of-a-kind specialty shops and boutiques. And in a city whose slogan is “The West’s most Western town,” it’s no surprise to pass store after store selling cowboy hats, boots and everything worn between them.

Of course, where there were cowboys

Outside Scottsdale, Ariz., hikers in the Sonoran Desert pass numerous types of cactus, including the towering saguaro, which is unique to that locale. Surprisingly, the desert is also home to 60 types of mammals, over 100 sorts of reptiles and 350 kinds of birds that have adapted to its hot, dry environment.

expanse eight times the size of Maryland.

Descriptions of the desert often include words like bleak and drab. Fyllis reported that her horseback ride passed through a monochromatic panorama of gray and tan, broken occasionally by the muted green of a cactus.

For anyone who favors that kind of plant, Arizona and its Sonoran Desert are cactus heaven. The majestic saguaro (pronounced suh-WAHR-oh), the most familiar and identifiable kind, can grow to 50 feet and live as long as 200 years. They exist only in the Sonoran Desert, and the saguaro blossom is the official state flower.

Numerous other species of cactus also have found the Sonora’s arid conditions to their liking. Their colorful names — like purple prickly pear, organ pipe and teddybear cholla — add to their appeal.

One of many fascinating stories the desert has to tell is how both plant and animal life have adapted to its harsh environment. What appears to be a seemingly uninhabitable wasteland is home to some 60 mammals, 350 kinds of birds, over 100 types of reptile and even 30 species of fish.

Their survival techniques are among nature’s more intriguing stories.

For example, many cactus plants have a root system that grows outward rather than down in order to absorb surface moisture, and some have stems that expand to save rainwater for later use. The saguaro can

store enough water to last as long as a year.

Many animals sleep in shade during hot days and venture out to feed during the cooler nights. Some rabbits and other small mammals are able to survive primarily on water they get from what they eat.

The Western Banded Gecko stashes away both food and water in its long tail for later use when needed.

More outdoorsy adventures The desert is also a treasure-trove of human history, ranging from prehistoric ruins and remnants of Native American life to abandoned mining encampments.

A wide choice of alternatives awaits visitors interested in exploring this other-worldly setting. On land, that can mean hiking, biking, horseback rides, and off-road guided tours via Jeep, Hummer and luxury SUV. Those who prefer to take to the air may choose a gentle hot-air balloon ride or clamber aboard an airplane, helicopter or even a seaplane for a flight that includes a lake landing.

Some of the desert’s magic and magnificence is captured in several sanctuaries and museums that Fyllis and I took time to visit.

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a mini-wilderness that stretches over 21,000 acres and provides an excellent introduction to the entire desert. It’s home to hunSee SCOTTSDALE, page 23

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Scottsdale From page 22 dreds of types of plants and animals, as well as 60 miles of trails.

Entering the more formally organized Desert Botanical Garden, Fyllis and I glanced around, looked at each other and exclaimed “Wow” in unison. Never had we realized there are so many, very different kinds of cactus, each quite beautiful in its own way.

Five thematic loop trails meander through an amazingly varied collection of arid plants from deserts around the world.

Each path focuses upon one topic, including plants of the Sonoran, desert wildflowers and conservation.

I found most interesting the exhibits of how people learned to live in the hostile environment. Native Americans learned to use a variety of plants, including cactus and mesquite, for food, medicine and other needs.

Along the way, Fyllis and I paused at a grinding stone to pound mesquite beans into flour, a muscle-tiring exercise that gave us a new appreciation for store-bought bread.

We also stooped to step inside a roundhouse of the kind constructed by Native Americans who once inhabited this area.

Additional reminders of the native residents are everywhere.

A vast collection of Native American art and artifacts is the main feature at the world-class Heard Museum (based in

Phoenix, and with a satellite location in North Scottsdale). The lovely sculpture and native plant garden at the Scottsdale site is a perfect place to relax and rest following a sightseeing excursion.

The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park also is worth a stop and stroll.

The complex sits atop remains of a village of the Hohokam people, who lived in the area from about 450 to 1450 CE. They were the first to cultivate the land of the Sonoran Desert, using a vast system of irrigation ditches. Some of those trenches, and an excavated ball court, are still visible today.

Reproductions of pit houses, mud and adobe-covered structures placed in a shallow depression, demonstrate how the dwellings provided insulation against the extremes of desert temperatures.

Old and new towns

the city’s estimated 125 art galleries. Even the streets serve as an outdoor museum, with dozens of works — including a giant lizard, a metal rider astride a bucking horse and a number of less identifiable abstract sculptures — on display.

Very different in atmosphere and appeal are tiny enclaves on the outskirts of Scottsdale. Cave Creek (population about 5,000) was settled in 1870 by miners and ranchers, and served as a stopping point for U.S. Cavalry troops. The town clings stubbornly and proudly to its Western heritage, as home to shops selling cowboy gear, several saloons and periodic rodeos.

If Cave Creek keeps vestiges of the Old West alive, the adjacent village of appropriately named Carefree represents the present. It was built as a planned community of homes, some now valued at millions of dollars, which line streets with names like

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Easy, Tranquil, Ho and Hum. Locals describe this juxtaposition of Old and New West as the “home of cowboys and caviar.”

That same comfortable marriage of old with new, casual with chic is experienced everywhere. It’s common in and around Scottsdale to see men and women wearing jeans and Western hats strolling out of shops that would feel comfortable on New York’s Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, laden down with high-end purchases.

Some residents refer to a gourmet hamburger restaurant, where the parking lot often is packed with top-of-the-line automobiles, as “Burgers and Bentleys.” For Fyllis and me, this combination of upscale life with a laid-back attitude added to the charm and appeal of Scottsdale.

For more information about a visit to Scottsdale, call (800) 782-1117 or log onto www.experiencescottsdale.com.

The neighborhoods in and around Scottsdale combine interesting historical tidbits with an array of shopping and recreational opportunities.

The center of much action is the Old Town neighborhood. Located on the original site from which the community expanded, it‘s a hub of museums, historic structures, dining, night life and a shopper’s paradise. From cowboy wares to Native American jewelry to international brand-name handbags, any shopper who can’t find ways to spend money there just isn’t trying.

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You’re on top of your medications.

But we make a good back up.

You know it’s important to stay on your medications exactly as prescribed.

However, if you miss a dose, want a lower-cost alternative, or experience any side effects, we can answer any questions. Speak to your local CVS Pharmacist to learn more.

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Airlines will schlep your bags for a price United Airlines is emulating rival Ameri- ery service, you need to go with one of the tions depending on how far ahead you can for checked baggage, you’d save on those several outfits that offer this get your bags ready — delivery from fees as well. That makes the door-to-door can in featuring a baggage-deservice. livery service at your arrival overnight air to five days ground. Al- price not such a bad deal if you don’t mind Options include Luggage though the actual shipment is usually by either packing five days in advance or waitairport.

Concierge (1-800-288-9818, UPS or FedEx, the baggage company ing five days for your stuff to arrive.

Although you have to get Another option is to ship your stuff yourww.luggageconcierge.com), your bags to the departure airmakes all the arrangements. self by FedEx or UPS ground. Costs vary Luggage Forward (1-866-416port and check them by yourSimilar pricing by weight and distance. A 20-pound pack7447, self, when you arrive at your Prices from all three are about the age from a UPS Store near the Boston adwww.luggageforward.com), destination airport, you hand and Luggage Free (1-800-361- same. My standard test is for two medium dress to a hotel near Walt Disney World your bags over to a delivery 6871, www.luggagefree.com). suitcases (20 pounds each) from the would cost about $25 for three-day delivery; representative and go past the Each company (or a sub- SmarterTravelMedia office (02129) in more for a pick-up at an office or residence. baggage claim to your hotel, All in all, whether you want to avoid contractor) picks up your bag- Boston to Walt Disney World (32830) by office or other local destina- TRAVEL TIPS schlepping just at your destination or at gage wherever you designate, the least expensive ground option. tion, where a local service de- By Ed Perkins The lowest quote I found was $120 from both origin and destination, someone will does all the paperwork neceslivers your bag.

The fine print: United says it already offers sary for shipment, arranges for delivery to Luggage Free, the same as two years ago. happily help you — for a fee. And given the service at Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, a designated address at your destination, The others asked from $128 to $138. today’s airline checked-bag fees, the doorHouston, Los Angeles and Orlando, and it and tracks the shipment’s progress. All Overnight air was about triple those costs. to-door option is looking better all the time.

This service is clearly more expensive Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at will be available at 190 domestic airports have websites where you can enter trip “over the next few months.” Delivery service and bag data for an immediate cost quote. than the airline deal of $39.95 for two suit- eperkins@mind.net. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All of the companies give you price op- cases. But if you fly an airline that charges is available to addresses within a 100-mile radius of each airport, with expected baggage arrival within four to six hours after your flight’s arrival, depending on the distance.

The standard rate for delivery within a 40-mile radius is $29.95 for one bag, $39.95 for two, and $49.95 for three to eight bags.

Delivery beyond 40 miles is at extra cost depending on distance.

To arrange the service, indicate you want it either when you reserve or later, and a link on the airline’s website directs you to BagsVIP, the outfit that does the actual schlepping.

American’s existing program is essentially identical. It’s currently available at 200 domestic airports.

American adds that it’s available even on international flights from the nine Bahamian, Canadian and Irish airports where U.S. Customs provides pre-clearance. The price of the service is in addition to checked baggage fees, if any.

Although American and United are the only two airlines I could find that feature this baggage delivery through their own Regency Crest is an extraordinarily carefree community because of the websites, BagsVIP actually “partners” with AirTran, Alaska, Copa, Delta, JetBlue, convenient lifestyle enjoyed by those who live here. We go the extra mile to Southwest, Virgin Atlantic and WestJet. You provide our residents with distinctive amenities and service that cannot be just have to arrange the pickup separately.

It also offers similar services with severfound in ordinary active adult communities. al cruise lines, hotels, convention centers and other locations. For more information, log onto the BagsVIP website at COMMUNITY AMENITIES www.maketraveleasier.com.

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Style Arts &

Jim Blanchard plays second mandolin in the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra.

Learn more about the group’s upcoming benefit concert on the opposite page.

Show takes American dream to new heights Portrait of a neighborhood The show opens at dawn with the electrifying title song, beginning three days in the lives of a neighborhood and its denizens. Bodega owner Usnavi (David Gregory) takes us on a tour of the street and its stories, highlighting the hopes and the dilemmas coloring daily life in a neighborhood on the cusp of change.

With vigorous choreography from co-directors Toby Orenstein and Lawrence B. Munsey and choreographer Christen Svingos, the two-dozen-member company gives us a vibrant introduction to a series of intertwined vignettes. And the vigor of the performances never lets up.

A mix of newcomers and Toby’s regulars, the cast immediately gets to the core of their characters in what is essentially a soap opera, and wins us over. That’s essential in overcoming the rather flawed book

by Quiara Alegria Hudes, which relies heavily on exposition and broadly written characters and story lines.

The vignettes all seem familiar, recycled through Latino-infused vernacular and attitude. Some of the exposition — telling, rather than showing a story — takes place

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in the songs, but any awkwardness there is offset by the hiphop nature of some of the selections, which allows characters to rap their way, more or less naturally, through plot details.

Still, the stories are stale, enlivened primarily by the emotive music and vivid acting and choreography. Clumsily constructed emotional manipulation of the audience actually succeeds because each of the leading actors is able to reach within and offer us something that feels real.

Usnavi and his grandmother, Abuela Claudia (Crystal Freeman), dream of returning to the Dominican Republic. Spirited college freshman Nina (Alyssa V. Gomez) is seeking both the nerve and the money to return to Stanford University after dropping out. Her hardSee IN THE HEIGHTS, page 28

PHOTO BY KIRSTINE CHRISTIANSEN

By Michael Toscano Bam! In the Heights hits the stage at fullthrottle, a high-energy blast of Grammywinning salsa and Latin pop, swirling choreography and quickly recognizable characters.

Now at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2008 never lets up in its fervent attempt to ingratiate itself with the audience.

And it usually succeeds.

While the story is set in the ethnically Spanish-speaking enclave of Washington Heights in Manhattan’s upper reaches, and the sensibilities of its street setting is urban, the show’s themes resonate with anyone who has ever marveled at the American dream.

The music (and lyrics) from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who conceived the show and starred in its long Broadway run, is superb. The score blends Latin pop with hiphop and adds a layer of old-fashioned Broadway show tunes, perhaps making the Latin rhythms and mild hip-hop-inspired lyrics and delivery accessible and agreeable for ears not already attuned to them.

Benny (Marquise White), Sonny (Ryan Alvarado) and Usnavi (David Gregory) hang out at the neighborhood bodega in the Toby’s Dinner Theatre production of the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights. In the show, store owner Usnavi takes the audience on a tour of Washington Heights and its denizens.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

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Mandolin concert to help fund orphanage Once completed, the orphanage center will serve eight villages in the Kilimanjaro Region, where an estimated 700 orphaned children live. This fund-raising concert is a cooperative effort of Support the Poor, a nonprofit organization located in Clarksville, as well as the Knights of Columbus Columbia Council 7559, located in Columbia, and individual volunteers.

“This is an incredibly far-reaching project, and we are excited to be a part of it,” said Blanchard. “The impact of the work being done with this is just so fantastic.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BMO

By Anne Ball Jim Blanchard calls the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra one of the area’s “bestkept secrets.” One of only 30 such orchestras in the country, the BMO was founded in 1924 by Conrad Gebelein, music director at Johns Hopkins University for nearly 50 years.

Blanchard, who plays second mandolin for the orchestra, explains that a mandolin is essentially a small, short-necked lute with eight strings. A mandolin orchestra is basically the “plucked-string equivalent” of a regular bowed-string orchestra.

In addition to mandolins — think violins, said Blanchard — there are mandolas (like violas), mandocellos (like violoncellos), and mandobasses (like double basses).

“So there’s a full range of sound,” said Blanchard, adding that a classical guitar section provides rhythm and rounds out the sound.

Several BMO concerts every year support charitable causes. The next is a Knights of Columbus public benefit concert on Sunday, June 2 at 3 p.m. at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia.

Admission is a $10 donation, with all proceeds to help fund the development of an orphanage center in the Tanzanian village of Mahida.

Mandolins once highly popular Blanchard, a federal retiree, spearheads the publicity portion of the all-volunteer orchestra from his home office in Ellicott City.

Like many of his fellow BMO members, Blanchard, who always enjoyed music, followed a circuitous route to becoming a mandolin player.

In the early ‘70s era of folk music, Blanchard taught himself guitar — “but not well,” he chuckled. He went back to it off and on, but once introduced to the mandolin at a BMO concert at the Maryland Historical Society in 1981, he became more and more interested in the instrument.

He learned that the mandolin was brought to the U.S. from Italy and that

The Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra has entertained audiences with music written for the diminutive stringed instrument for nearly 90 years. Its June 2 concert will raise funds for an orphanage in Tanzania.

both Italian and Italian-American composers wrote for the mandolin orchestra.

In fact, he said, a little over 100 years ago, mandolins and mandolin orchestras were the primar y source of instrumental enter tainment — until radio came along.

Mandolins were fairly inexpensive and

easily available at the time, Blanchard said.

“You could order one from a Sears & Roebuck or Montgomery Ward’s catalog.” But their popularity faded in the late 1920s, he said, when Americans began to prefer the jazzier sound of banjos.

See MANDOLIN, page 29

NG RI O N HO

We’re a coalition of nonprofits, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to advocate for and help older adults.

CoGs annual meeting date: Wednesday, June 26 time: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. location: Heartlands Senior Living Village 3004 North Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043

speaker: Dr. Judah Ronch, Dean of the Erickson School of Aging at UMBC topic: Designing for Elders: Knowing How They Know the World Cost: $35/person | reservations required

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Thank you to our 2013 Executive Members Platinum members Howard County General Hospital – Johns Hopkins Medicine • The Beacon Newspapers

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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

In the Heights From page 26 working parents Kevin (David BosleyReynolds) and Camila (Tina Marie DeSimone) face selling their gypsy cab company to help her.

Their African-American employee Benny (Marquise White) struggles to win their acceptance as he and Nina fall in love.

Usnavi, meanwhile, loves Vanessa (Nadia Harika), who longs to escape the neighborhood, along with her bad credit score and alcoholic mother.

Throw in a sub-plot of a winning lottery

ticket, and some other characters who mostly provide comic relief, and the overall effect — the blend of story, character and music — is a pleasing theatrical mural.

Emotional and compelling songs “It Won’t be Long Now,” an Act One song featuring Vanessa, Usnavi and Sonny (Ryan Alvarado), a teenage employee at Usnavi’s bodega, is more schmaltz than salsa, but Harika’s outsized performance adds grit and emotional heft to the show tune. It’s intense, compelling and ultimately uplifting. “Paciencia y Fe” (“Patience and Faith”) is a stirring exploration of the

J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

clash of aspiration and struggle, as Freeman’s Abuela leads the company in a floorfilling mélange of melody and melodrama.

Act Two opens on a somber note, following a somewhat cataclysmic ending to the first act. It seems like a bleak dawn after the festive first act. But we know the innate humanity of the people in this neighborhood will overcome tribulation, and we’re not disappointed.

Soon enough, it’s time for “Carnival del Barrio,” another high-energy production number featuring Santina Maiolatesi in her happy Toby’s debut as Daniela, wisecracking owner of a beauty salon who is eager to re-locate her shop to a better area.

I say production number, but here at Toby’s, that means a floor filled with dancing and singing, with just a few minimal props, as it’s theater-in-the-round, and that round space has to serve food just prior to the show. Still, the dance is so eye-catching and vibrant, and the singing so joyous, and the music so pulsating, that nothing else is really needed.

The music, as always at Toby’s, comes from a small live band tucked away in a cramped room, augmented with synthetic sounds emanating from a keyboard.

“Alabanza,” mourning the loss of a beloved character (more by-the-numbers emotional manipulation from writer Hudes), becomes an elegiac anthem and a highlight of Act Two. Also of note is the too-brief singing of Tobias Young, in the mostly walk-on role of Piragua Guy, who sells piragua, a frozen, syrupy concoction popular in Puerto Rico.

He ends Act One with the song “Piragua” and reprises it near the end of Act Two, unleashing a sweet, soaring voice that we

need to hear more of in future productions.

The show’s story takes place July 3 through July 5, and Toby’s production runs right through the 4th of July holiday.

It’s fitting, as this is an American tale, however often it has been told.

Ethnic buffet dishes Making this production a sensation for the palate, as well as the eyes and ears, Toby’s has mixed in some Dominican-flavored dishes to its usual evening buffet fare, included in the ticket price.

These include “Abuela’s Pork Goulash,” Dominican Chicken, Pasta Del Dia, “Carnaval Corn Medley,” “Benny’s Broccoli Con Queso,” “Caribbean Braised Cabbage,” and “Arroz de la Vega,” which is fiesta rice with spicy tomatoes.

In the Heights continues through July 21 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road, Columbia.

The show runs seven days a week. The doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner at evening shows Monday through Saturday and at 5 p.m. for the Sunday evening performance.

Following the all-you-can-eat buffet, the evening performances begin at 8 p.m. except Sundays, when show time is 7 p.m.

Doors open for matinees at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesdays and Sundays for brunch, and performances begin at 12:30 p.m.

Reservations are required. Ticket prices range from $35.50 to $54, depending on which performance is selected. There is ample, free parking on the premises.

For reservations and more information, call 1-800-88TOBYS (888-6297) or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theater critic.

BEACON BITS

June 18

SUMMER CAMP FOR CREATIVE SENIORS Encore Creativity for Older Adults will hold its sixth annual Summer Institute for Older Adults music camp at St. Mary’s

College in St. Mary’s City from Tuesday, June 18 through Tuesday, June 22.

Registration, including meals and housing, is $675. For further information, visit www.encorecreativity.org or call the Encore Creativity office at (301) 261-5747.

June 9

JEWISH FEDERATION GALA CELEBRATES FAMILY The Jewish Federation of Howard County will celebrate the modern family at its fundraising gala featuring Jeffrey Richman, execu-

tive producer of the ABC comedy “Modern Family,” at 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 9 at the Ten Oaks Ballroom, 5000 Signal Bell Ln., Clarksville. Tickets starting at $95 are available by calling the Federation at (410) 730-4976 or by visiting the web site www.jewishhowardcounty.org.

Ongoing

OFFICE ON AGING WELCOMES VOLUNTEERS The Office on Aging invites enthusiastic volunteers interested in sharing some of their time with older adults to contact Celene

Steckel at (410) 313-5951 or csteckel@howardcountymd.gov.

Ongoing

HOSPITAL INVITES VOLUNTEERS For persons interested in volunteering in a hospital setting, Howard County General Hospital offers opportunities to work in a

number of areas supporting medical and administrative staff. For further information, visit www.hgch.org, email hcgh-volunteers@jhmi.edu or call (410) 740-7890.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

Mandolin From page 27

On again, off again orchestra As for the history of the BMO, it disbanded during the Depression, only five years after being founded. It was revived for a few years, then stopped again during the years shortly before World War II. In 1975, however, Gebelein — then 80 —- revived the orchestra, and it’s been plucking along ever since. Kristen Turner currently serves as music director of the 35 or so players who consider themselves

“primarily amateur musicians.”

The music they play ranges from light classical and traditional mandolin music (think “Funiculi Funicula,” “’O Sole Mio,” “Torna a Surriento”) to show tunes, marches, rags, traditional and popular compositions. Baltimore composer Sidney Shapiro wrote “City by the Sea” especially for the orchestra. It was used as the title for the BMO’s first CD several years ago.

Many members of the orchestra, including Blanchard, learned to play the mandolin through lessons with Joyce Adams, former orchestra concert mistress and unanimous-

BEACON BITS

June 6+

29

ly regarded as the grande dame of the BMO. Adams joined around the time Gebelein resurrected the orchestra in the ‘70s, and she has been playing with it ever since.

Today the orchestra still offers connections to mandolin teachers through its website, which Blanchard maintains, as well as through conversations with audience members after performances.

The enthusiastic, receptive audiences and the offstage camaraderie of the group are big draws for the musicians, Blanchard said.

“It’s just a heck of a lot of fun, and it’s always such a good feeling to know we’re playing some part in enabling worthwhile causes to happen” through the BMO’s benefit concerts.

For more information on the orchestra, its history and its upcoming concert schedule, visit www.baltimoremandolinorchestra.org. Tickets to the June 2 benefit concert are available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/371602 and at the door.

Additional reporting by Carol Sorgen.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

FROM PAGE 30

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION CLASSES

Artist Carol Zika is offering two six-week painting and drawing classes for beginners as well as more experienced artists, starting Thursday, June 6 from 1:15 to 3:45 p.m. at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia; and on Friday, June 7 from 9:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the East Columbia Library Senior Center, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. To register, call (410) 313-7275; for more information, call (410) 313-7311.

June 14

BENEFIT FOR DISABLED PETS

The fourth annual “Toast to Pets with Disabilities” will be held on Friday, June 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. The event benefits the nonprofit organization Pets with Disabilities, the only shelter in the country that exclusively cares for dogs and cats that are blind, paralyzed or missing limbs. Tickets are $65. The event will be held at Running Hare Vineyard, 150 Adelina Rd., Prince Frederick, Md. For more information and to buy tickets, see www.petswithdisabilities.org or call (443) 624-9270.

You’re Invited!

Seabury Leadership in Aging Celebration Thursday, June 6, 2013 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

The Katzen Arts Center at American University 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 2013 Leadership in Aging Honoree: Julie Potter, MSW A Pioneer in Senior Wellness Former Program Coordinator Sibley Senior Association

JC Hayward Mistress of Ceremonies Noon Anchor & Vice President Media Outreach WUSA9

Silent and Live Auctions!

2013

For tickets or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Monise Quidley at 202.414.6313 or MQuidley@seaburyresources.org.

www.seaburyresources.org

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J U N E 2 0 1 3 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Puzzle Page

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Pop Quiz

by Stephen Sherr

Across

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

1. Bobbing barker 5. Gift cards are a liability on its balance sheet 9. Selected answer (c), perhaps 14. Damsel in Distrito Federal (Mexico) 15. Henry V has V 16. In love (or, maybe, just concussed) 17. Multiple choice listing for the first question of the Pop Quiz 20. Cuban coins 21. Bar sign 22. Crude dude 23. The CIA made it disappear 25. Use a paper clip 28. Pop Quiz choices for question number 2 34. French toaster 35. Prepare onion rings 36. Lead voice actor in Pixar’s Up 37. Kick into high gear 38. “Every Kiss Begins With ___” 39. Grp. that tracks slugging percentage 41. The closest airport to the FAA’s HQ 42. Discharge, bodily 44. Part of a book jacket blurb 45. Chasm 46. Alternatives for question 3 51. Spanish dance 52. Irritant (to a princess) 53. Start to carte 55. Marvin of Motown 57. On one’s toes 61. Possibilities for the final question 65. Some symptoms 66. “Step ___!”

67. Number of songs on Thriller 68. Member of Islam’s largest branch 69. Highways and byways (abbrev.)

70. Gin flavoring

Down 1. Crackle’s pal 2. Irish reversal of 56 Down

Answers on p. 29.

3. Uninvited dinner guests 4. “Gilligan’s Island” landing spot 5. Airport shuttle, often 6. A cursor may target it 7. Hot and cold 8. Fancy ties 9. Night bird 10. Kettle companion 11. In jeopardy 12. One Pound of poetry 13. Battled against the gray 18. German foe in WWII 19. Golden Rule word 24. Nap seducer 26. Qatari, for example 27. Small cul-de-sacs 28. His .388 average in 1977 was the highest since 1941 29. Alpha’s bookend 30. Drainage region 31. Take in a sad movie 32. Sum up the story so far 33. Snare and steel, but not conga 38. “As-Seen-On-TV” co.

39. Univ. near Harvard 40. Belt or beltway 43. ___-cone 44. Having low density 47. Rules and ___ 48. One on a soapbox 49. Derriere 50. Raven’s claws 53. Pumps up 54. Beach party 56. Midwestern reversal of 2 Down 58. Like a Bond villain 59. Clinton’s Attorney General 60. Hammock holder 62. Place to stay when out 63. 21st century cop show 64. Tie-breaking rounds (abbrev.)

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 3

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

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either.

Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

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

Caregivers SKILLED NURSING / PERSONAL CARE SERVICES AT HOME Clearview Medical services is committed to providing compassionate skilled nursing & personal care services. We have a pool of experienced health professionals (RN, LPN, CNA, & Companions) with a track record of excellence. Call us today for all your nursing & companion needs on 410-779-9162.

For Sale PRIDE JAZZY SELECT 6 Ultra Power with charger unit. Power elevating pan seat with synergy cushion. Like new – never used. $1,900 or best offer. 410-465-5647.

AMIGO RD SCOOTER, batteries and charger. Model 31000. $300 or best offer. 410465-5647.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Personal Services ESTATE SPECIALIST Experts in estate clean-outs and preparing your house for sale.

Trash removal, house cleanouts, light moving, demolition, yard work, cleaning. 410-7465090. Free estimates. Insured. Call 7 days 7am - 7pm.

HELP YOU SELL we help you sell any type of large item. Don’t lose the sale we’re there when you can’t. We run the ad, meet with clients, and help with the transaction. Automotive, Motorcycles, RV’s, large vehicles, and Equipment, Boats, and More. Call Dave @ 443-514-8583. $$$$$ NEED CASH $$$$$ We help clear out and conduct sales for: Estates, Down Sizing, Clutter Clearing, Divorce, Moving, Rental Properties, and More. We Buy, Sell, and Trade Items. Free Estimates. Call David @ 443-5148583, davidbalt7@aol.com.

Wanted VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201.

CASH BUYER for old costume jewelry, pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watch maker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410-655-0412. $$$$$ WE PAY CASH FOR ITEMS $$$$$ We buy the following items and more: Toys, Collectable Glassware, Dolls (Barbies, Ceramic), Automotive and Motorcycle Parts and Related Items, Electronics, Musical Instruments, Trains, Items of Any Kind – Just Ask – Vintage or Current Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, RV’s and More. Call Dave @ 443-5148583. Davidbalt7@aol.com.

BUYING OLD BASEBALL CARD COLLECTIONS Baseball Card Outlet at 7502 Eastern Ave. near Eastpoint Mall is always in the market for buying vintage sports card collections & memorabilia from 1975 & older.

410-284-4440 Open daily at 10AM.

Home & Handyman Services

WE BUY JUST ABOUT ANYTHING – Jewelry to coins, watches to tools, silver to toys, & clocks to artwork. Call Greg 717-6587954. No middle man, no wasted calls. Call me, talk to me, deal with me personally. One piece threw entire collections or whole & partial estates! Let me help you, give me a call 717-658-7954.

SANFORD & SON HAULING Trash removal, house & estate clean-outs, garage clean-outs, yard work & cleanups, demolition, shed removal. 410-746-5090. Free Estimates.

Insured. Call 7 days a week 7am - 7pm.

MILITARY ITEMS Collector seeks: helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, webgear, uniforms, inert ordnance, ETC. From 1875 to 1960, US, German, Britain, Japan, France, Russian. Please call Fred 301-9100783, Thank you. Also Lionel Trains.

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

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

Personal Services ARTISTIC SLIPCOVERS – UPHOLSTERY COMPANY. Steve Gulin. Your fabric or mine. 45 years experience. References available. 410-655-6696 – Cell: 410-207-7229.

Thanks for reading The Beacon!

BEACON BITS

June 8

WATERFRONT AT NATIONAL HARBOR BECKONS

Stroll the riverside, enjoy shops and eateries at National Harbor, Md. along the Potomac River. The Recreation & Parks bus leaves at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 8 and returns at 5 p.m. Tickets are $45. For further information, call (410) 313-7279 or to register, call (410) 313-7275.

June 11

CATARACT SYMPTOMS AND SURGERY

A free talk by ophthalmologist Melanie Sobel will include information on signs, symptoms and treatment of cataracts, including intraocular lenses and lens implant options, on Tuesday, June 11 at 7 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Suite 100, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 740-7601. Online registration is available at www.hcgh.org.

31

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

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

Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Howard County Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 BEACON BITS

June 12

AFTERNOON TEA AT DELAWARE ART MUSEUM Explore the Delaware Art Museum’s collections with a docent-guid-

ed tour and then on your own via a Recreation & Parks bus tour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12. The trip includes lunch at the Hotel DuPont’s “Artisan” afternoon tea. Tickets are $85. To register, call (410) 313-7275.or for more information, call (410) 313-7279.

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❐ ONE YEAR First-Class rate (Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $38.16) ❐ ONE YEAR Third-Class rate (Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $12.72 in MD) ❐ Check here if this is a gift subscription. A gift card will be sent in your name: _________________ Return form with check made payable to The Beacon, to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Maryland residents: add 6% for sales tax.

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assisted living

BROOKE GROVE RETIREMENT VILLAGE CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO ATTEND AN

OPEN HOUSE Thursday, june 20, 2013 2 - 4 p.m.

The Meadows Assisted Living (ICKORY +NOLL 2OAD s 3ANDY 3PRING -$ Discover our innovative approach to assisted living and memory support.

Explore our residential-style dwellings, gardens and secure walking paths. experience our homelike surroundings and meet our live-in pets.

Enjoy our 220-acre campus of lush pastures and hardwood forest.

Please RSVP to 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org

by June 17, 2013

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860

301-260-2320 or 301-924-2811 www.bgf.org

Residential Cottages independent Living Skilled Nursing Care Memory support Rehabilitation