July 2017 | DC Beacon

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VOL.29, NO.7

Startups focus on better aging

From low-vision to super-vision This year’s top pick at the Washington event was a startup called NuEyes.

NuEyes was co-founded in 2016 by two natives of Fairfax County, Va. — veterans Mark Greget, who served in the U.S. Navy, and Justin Moore, who served in the U.S. Air Force. The technology of NuEyes was originally created for military use, and has since been utilized for augmented and virtual reality products.

The pair decided to license the technology from Osterhout Design Group (ODG) and put it to practical use helping those with vision problems.

“With all the augmented reality that is coming to the market, none of that was being leveraged to help with low vision,” said Moore, president and COO. “We thought, ‘Let’s do something, like Google glass, but with a purpose.’”

The result — NuEyes ODG Smartglasses

JULY 2017

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY EVAN MOORE

By Rebekah Alcalde Can you imagine a pair of glasses that can brighten and enlarge whatever you happen to be reading or looking at, responding to your voice commands?

Or can you imagine a phone app that summons a trained driver in a wheelchair-accessible van to take you to a doctor’s appointment?

Or can you visualize the difference it would make to an Alzheimer’s patient if his caregivers had instant access to his life story, where they could learn about his favorite music, have access to family photos, and better understand what soothes him?

Well, imagine no more. All these innovations — and many others equally valuable — are actually here, thanks to the creativity and hard work of entrepreneurs focusing on the needs of older adults and those with disabilities.

Eight products and services, and their inventors, were in Washington’s Chinatown last month, competing in the Aging 2.0 “pitch event” at the AARP Hatchery (its in-house idea-generating center).

The annual competition draws competitors from all over the world to major cities, where pitch events like this select the best candidates to move forward to the national round, which will be held this November in San Francisco.

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SEE SPECIAL INSERT Housing & Homecare Options following page 22

LEISURE & TRAVEL Each year, the best new aging-focused entrepreneurs compete for honors at the Aging 2.0 Global Startup Search. Shown here are representatives of RoundTrip, a website and app that lets hospitals and individuals easily summon medical and non-medical transportation for medical appointments and the like. CIO Ankit Mathur (left), shown here with staffers Angela Damiano and Mark Switaj, was “thrilled” for h is startup to be named fan-favorite in the first round of the competition. First place went to their competitor NuEyes, for smartglasses designed for those with low vision.

— resemble thick black sunglasses, and feature a set of lenses, a digital camera, a computer and a light.

The camera essentially live-streams what the wearer would see with regular vision, and then plays it back on the lenses with a brighter, sharper and larger image.

Wearers can control the zoom function on the glasses with a tiny remote or by using voice commands, such as “glasses make bigger” or “glasses make smaller.”

The glasses also connect to an ear piece through which an electronic “voice” can read text into the wearer’s ear. For entertainment, they have the ability to stream movies and TV shows. The device currently costs $5,995, and comes with a two-year warranty.

Through a partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, veterans suffer-

ing from low vision can qualify for the glasses at no charge. The device is also available through the rehabilitation departments of many states, and through public schools and universities for qualified recipients with vision problems.

Moore brought to the pitch one of NuEyes’ customers. Mark Garcia, who is in his mid-70s and is an Army veteran, is now legally blind. In testimony at the pitch event, Garcia said, “This technology has changed how I navigate my life.

“I used these to travel the world with my wife. To see the peaks and mountain ranges, and see facial details of new friends during dinner.”

Moore says that he foresees many more See STARTUPS, page 6

Explore Stockholm’s sights this fall; plus, a native returns to Guatemala as a tourist, and your (limited) rights as a traveler page 30 TECHNOLOGY 4 k A “check engine” light for people FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k Reengineering the immune system k Line up for a health study of cocoa LAW & MONEY 23 k Major estate planning mistakes k Retiring five retire-myths SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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ARTS & STYLE 36 k What’s on stage this summer?

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When you can’t budge it The Trump administration issued a pre- and with cases of healthcare fraud or abuse. liminary “skinny” budget proposal a few SHIP costs the federal government about months ago, followed more $50 million annually to train and recently by its official 2018 manage the volunteer counbudget request to Congress. selors. In a $3,650,000,000,000 Of the many draconian cuts ($3.65 trillion) budget, $50 milthe budget would impose, I lion represents less than .0014% want to talk about two that of the total. It is, as some say, would particularly affect older not even a rounding error.

Americans were they to go into But with this relatively negeffect. ligible amount of money, the These aren’t by any means program leverages the intelthe largest cuts, or even the lectual abilities and devotion cuts that would harm the great- FROM THE of more than 15,000 older est number of people. But they PUBLISHER adult volunteers, enabling By Stuart P. Rosenthal are significant all the same, and them to assist more than 6 milworth some discussion. lion Medicare beneficiaries In the budget of the Administration for each year.

Community Living (a division of the DeDoes it not seem to be shortsighted in partment of Health and Human Services the extreme to zero out a program that formerly known as the Administration on does so much good for so little cost?

Aging, before it was merged with the OfI have a similar beef about another worthfice on Disability), only one program is ze- while program, this one slated to be zeroed roed out: the State Health Insurance As- out in the Department of Labor budget. sistance Program, commonly called SHIP. Called the Senior Community Service EmThis program operates throughout the ployment Program (SCSEP), it’s the federal country. Using trained volunteers — who government’s only job training and placeare, themselves, older adults — it provides ment program aimed at older Americans.

Medicare beneficiaries with individualized The program places unemployed, lowassistance concerning the intricacies of income older adults in part-time, on-theMedicare, prescription drug coverage, medi- job training positions in nonprofit, governgap policies and long-term care insurance. ment and faith-based organizations, where The free, confidential service also assists they earn a minimum wage salary paid for older adults with appeals of insurance denials by SCSEP. The workers gain a variety of

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Readership exceeds 400,000.

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Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ............................................Rodney Harris, Dan Kelly • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde • Intern ....................................................Sununu Bah

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valuable skills, and are expected to find unsubsidized employment after a limited time in the program.

Last year, about 70,000 older adults participated, training at more than 21,000 organizations, where they provided nearly 36 million hours of support. Nearly half of each year’s participants find gainful employment soon after their SCSEP stint.

This program is more costly than SHIP: Its annual budget has been around $400 million a year (averaging about $5,700 per person).

But that amount enables tens of thousands of low-income adults, who presumably qualify for other aid, to “get off the dole,” earn a livelihood for the foreseeable future, and probably spend every dime of what they earn, boosting their local economy.

There are many other worthwhile programs similarly targeted for complete or partial elimination in the president’s budget request. Many dwarf these two programs.

But I focus on these two because they seem to be such good examples of targeted, effective programs that leverage relatively small expenditures into significant benefits.

The administration’s budget request is really just that: It tells Congress what the president wants to see happen. But Congress holds the power of the purse, and it will decide on the final budget. I don’t think any observers expect all of the Trump cuts to be approved.

Still, if you would like to see programs like these retained, now is the time to speak to your congressional representatives. Truly, every constituent’s comment is important. Few people ever take the time to call, write or email their representatives, so the few that do tend to have an outsize impact. I urge you to take action.

Before I close, however, I ask you to join me in a thought experiment. Imagine that our efforts fall on deaf ears, and these two programs are zeroed out of the final budget.

What happens next year? Do the 15,000 experienced SHIP counselors just find something else to do with their time? Do the 21,000 nonprofits that received 36 million hours of help from competent older adults just downsize their programs or dump more work on their already over-

worked employees?

Can we not imagine that the ingenuity and drive of all these people could be harnessed to continue providing such worthwhile services without the relatively modest contributions of our federal government?

I’d like to think a few of those highlytrained SHIP volunteers could find a way to manage the program, keeping their fellow volunteer counselors on the job.

Or perhaps the excellent local SHIP managers who have hitherto been paid through the federal grant could do some of their own fundraising, and task other SHIP workers with helping to raise the rest of the money necessary to keep their local programs running.

And maybe the nonprofits who need the help could find a way to continue offering on-the-job training to low-income adults.

And maybe the adults who need that training — and have a 50/50 chance of finding paid employment after completing it — could find a way to get to those offices for a few months even without the minimum wage they would have been paid under SCSEP. Don’t get me wrong. I think these programs should continue to be federally funded. They accomplish a great deal with a small investment.

And most of the larger programs that face huge cuts — like the $700 million cut from the National Institute on Aging’s research budget, or the $3.3 billion cut from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program — could not continue to do what they do without federal assistance.

But I would like to think that the programs that leverage small dollar investments into huge benefits through the efforts of older workers and volunteers could continue to operate, thanks to the ingenuity and abilities of those very people.

In the meantime, write your representatives! These and many other worthwhile programs targeted for extinction are depending on it.

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.

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Dear Editor: Thank you so very much for a thoughtprovoking column (From the Publisher, June, “A look back, and forward”). Indeed, you are correct, intolerance to others’ whatever seems eating our society from within.

It seems that things were not always this way and intolerance grows as time goes by: Our family entered the US in 1990, charmed by friendliness. In 1996, when we bought our current home, the board of the home owners’ association

bent out backwards to encourage us. Of course, the property sat on the market for a year, which must have helped a bit in tolerance building!

The house sat next to a bus stop and a ravine, with a footpath along its patio walls, which were unusually low. So, the thenboard planted a garden on the adjacent public land to resolve the erosion and the lack of privacy and security. They contributed See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 41

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Technology &

Innovations Tech devices give early health warning

By Lauran Neergaard A next step for smart watches and fitness trackers? Wearable gadgets gave a Stanford University professor an early warning that he was getting sick before he ever felt any symptoms of Lyme disease.

Geneticist Michael Snyder never had Lyme’s characteristic bulls-eye rash. But a smart watch and other sensors charted changes in Snyder’s heart rate and oxygen levels during a family vacation. Eventually a fever struck that led to his diagnosis.

Say “wearables,” and step-counting fitness trackers spring to mind. It’s not clear if they really make a difference in users’ health.

Now Snyder’s team at Stanford is starting to find out — tracking the everyday lives of sev-

eral dozen volunteers wearing devices that monitor more than mere activity.

He envisions one day having wearables that act as a sort of “check engine” light, indicating it’s time to see the doctor.

“One way to look at this is, these are the equivalent of oral thermometers, but you’re measuring yourself all the time,” said Snyder, senior author of a report released earlier this year on the project.

Among the earliest hints: Changes in people’s day-to-day physiology may flag when certain ailments are brewing — from colds to Lyme to Type 2 diabetes, researchers reported in the journal PLOS Biology.

Interest in wearable sensors is growing along with efforts to personalize medicine,

as scientists learn how to tailor treatments and preventive care to people’s genes, environment and lifestyle. The sensors are expected to be a part of the National Institutes of Health’s huge “precision medicine” study, planned to begin later this year.

Finding the norm But a first step is learning what’s normal for different people under different conditions.

The Stanford team is collecting reams of data — as many as 250,000 daily measurements — from volunteers who wear up to eight activity monitors or other sensors of varying sizes that measure heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, sleep,

calories expended, exercise and even exposure to radiation. That’s paired with occasional laboratory tests to measure blood chemistry and some genetic information.

An initial finding: Blood oxygen levels decrease with rising altitudes during plane flights, in turn triggering fatigue. But toward the end of long flights, oxygen begins rising again, possibly as bodies adapt, the researchers reported.

It was that phenomenon that alerted Snyder, the longest-tested participant, “that something wasn’t quite right” on one of his frequent long flights.

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Whether planning a domestic or international trip, we all know the stress involved and the long lists of items we need to remember.

The Centers for Disease Control has come up with its TravWell app to ease the stress. It provides a checklist of tasks and items to pack for your trip, and allows you to easily edit, add or remove items from the list.

TravWell also lets you store and manage your travel, medication and immunization documents. It also gives vaccine recommendations for your destination, and lets you set reminders to get your vaccines in advance and to take your medications while on the road.

You can find TravWell on the Apple App and Google Play stores for free.

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Love technology (or wish you did)? The Aging and Place Technology Watch is a blog designed for boomers and seniors that aims to inform them about the tech industry and about new technologies that will enhance their lives.

Founder, Laurie M. Orlov, uses her experience as a tech industry analyst to advocate for and help older adults as a public speaker and through her writing. She tests and writes up the latest programs and apps, and evaluates their pros and cons.

Her mission is to give her audience the “ability to live in one’s own home for as long, as confidently and comfortably as possible.” www.ageinplacetech.com

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In our lifetimes, most of us have known at least one person who has had a profound impact on our life by providing guidance and support. But not everyone is so fortunate, and those without this help may either fail to reach their potential or go the wrong way in life.

If you possess the capabilities and have the desire to provide a helping hand to a young person who needs it, consider becoming a mentor. At mentoring.org, you can sign up and indicate the type of mentoring you hope to provide, and the age range you feel comfortable working with. The National Mentoring Partnership will connect you with a mentoring program and a youth to assist. www.mentoring.org

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Startups From page 1 uses for NuEyes. For example, he says the technology can be easily adapted to assist doctors performing surgery and doing telemedicine. For more information about NuEyes and its smar tglasses, visit https:// nueyes.com.

Summoning transportation

NuEyes Smartglasses help Mark Garcia, legally blind, read and travel despite his vision problems.

RoundTrip, the startup selected “fan-favorite” at the D.C. pitch, offers an online system that connects patients with on-demand, non-emergency medical transportation. Examples include medically-accessible sedans, wheelchair-accessible vehicles and stretcher vehicles.

Though the company is based in Philadelphia, Pa., it operates across the U.S., including in the Washington metro area.

Part of the service is geared to healthcare facilities. “Our Care Coordinator application allows hospitals and healthcare

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

facilities to order medical transportation for patients in less than 60 seconds and without ever having to pick up a phone,” said Ankit Mathur, CIO of RoundTrip.

The developers were inspired out of their frustration with the current system. “For years we’ve been witnessing issues with patients missing or [experiencing] delayed care due to transportation issues,” he said.

Then there’s also the matter of wasted resources. “Medical transportation companies average a 35 percent utilization rate.

For every ten-hour shift that a medical vehicle is on the road, only 3.5 hours are spent transporting patients,” Mathur said.

Using RoundTrip’s DriverAPP, patients and healthcare workers can auto-dispatch the credentialed, trained and certified driver closest to them. The app also gives the driver applicable health information about the patient. Care coordinators can monitor the patients’ trip progress and location in real-time using the web portal.

RoundTrip offers curbside pickup for

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You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents.

Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge.

Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. !"#$$!%&'()!*+,!'*%&)!-.'!%/&)&!)&'012&)3!1+2$#,1+4!%&'()!.-!&$14151$1%63!*'&!*)!)&%!-.'%/!1+!-&,&'*$!*+,!1+!7&'18.+9)!%*'1--)!.+!:$&!;1%/!%/&!<#5$12!=&'012&!>.((1))1.+!.-! the District of Columbia. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing.

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Restrictions: •No other working telephone service at the same location •No additional phone lines •No Foreign Exchange or Foreign Zone service •No bundles or packages ST.!.#%)%*+,1+4!#+B*1,!:+*$!51$$) SX1$$!+*(&!(#)%!(*%2/!&$1415$&!B*'%121B*+% •No separate Lifeline discount on cellular or wireless phone service SX#)1+&))!$1+&)!*'&!+.%!&$1415$& S</.+&!+#(5&'!(#)%!(*%2/!&$1415$&!B*'%121B*+% •Must be a current Verizon customer or establish new service with Verizon

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non-medical transportation through its national partnership with the ridesharing service Lyft.

They also offer “an easy-to-use booking portal to schedule and monitor medical transportation for their patients,” Mathur added.

For more information, visit www.rideroundtrip.com.

Humanizing Alzheimer’s Jay Newton-Small was frustrated after her father’s caregivers asked her to fill out a 20point questionnaire about his Alzheimer’s and his life. The TIME Magazine correspondent instead wrote down his life story to give them a better picture of her father.

“They loved it. It improved his care — helping his nurses relate to him, and giving them tools with which to soothe and redirect him when he grew agitated,” she explained.

The positive experience inspired her to create MemoryWell, a network of over 300 journalists who prepare life stories of people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, in order to help improve their quality of care.

“We began as a B2B, with our first clients in the D.C. area and Chicago,” Newton-Small said. “But after the Washington Post ran a story about us in December, we had thousands of families from all over the world contact us. We now offer stories to anyone who wants one online, in addition to working with [senior care] homes.”

The team has since developed a website that illustrates their clients’ lives. Their story anchors the main page, and family members can upload their loved one’s favorite music, photos, videos and readings for the page, which gives caregivers and others insight into their lives and how to engage them.

Newton-Small presented MemoryWell at the local pitch event and said she is eager to spread the word.

Among other services that pitched at the event: Aspire 211, a group that offers access to local resources concerning the problems of elder abuse; Concordia’s SentinelCare, which provides software, services and tools promoting aging in place; and itutela, LLC, a WhatsApp mobile application that provides critical healthcare communications.

Also present was Tech Star Tutors, a Richmond-based organization that hires local tech-savvy college students to provide personalized or group technology tutoring to adults over 50.

“Our local pitch event is always so inspiring,” said Brittany Weinberg, Ambassador for the Aging2.0 Washington, D.C. Chapter. “I admire these entrepreneurs who are tackling some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in the aging industry. They are mission-driven and want to improve the way we age as a society.”

NuEyes won both the D.C. and L.A. pitch contests, and is expected to do well in the next round of online voting, which closes Tuesday, Aug. 15. Winners will present at the Aging2.0 Optimize Conference, Nov. 14-15 in San Francisco, Calif.

To cast a vote for them or another semifinalist, visit http://bit.ly/StartUpVoting and click “Vote” at the top.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

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

Tech devices From page 4 Snyder noticed his oxygen levels didn’t return to normal like they always had before.

Plus, his heart rate was much higher than normal, which sometimes signals infection.

Sure enough, soon a low-grade fever left him dragging. He feared Lyme because two weeks before going abroad, Snyder had helped his brother build a fence in a tick-in-

Links & Apps From page 5 Honey plug-in. When buying something online, Honey will automatically scan the Internet for any possible coupon codes for your purchase and apply them to save you money. You can decide to opt out of using it during checkout if you wish.

Some items will not quality for coupons, but may offer a chance to earn “HoneyGold”

fested rural area in Massachusetts. He persuaded a Norwegian doctor to prescribe the appropriate antibiotic, and post-vacation testing back home confirmed the diagnosis.

Also, during the study’s first two years, Snyder and several other volunteers had minor cold-like illnesses that began with higher-than-normal readings for heart rate and skin temperature — and correlated with blood tests showing inflammation was on the rise before any sniffling.

In addition, the Stanford team detected variations in heart rate patterns that could tell the difference between study participants and healthy people with regard to insulin resistance — a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

Now, don’t try to self-diagnose with your fitness tracker any time soon. The findings in the report are intriguing, but the study is highly experimental, cautioned medical

technology specialist Dr. Atul Butte of the University of California, San Francisco, who wasn’t involved with the research.

“This kind of approach is going to help science more than the general public” until there’s better data about what’s normal or not, Butte said.

“Remember, the baseline is always in motion. We’re always getting older. We’re always exposed to things. Just because there’s a deviation doesn’t mean it’s abnormal.” — AP

points, which can be redeemed for money.

Honey is a free browser extension that can used with the Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera browsers. For more information, visit www.joinhoney.com.

can’t currently afford? The app Hafta Have allows shoppers to save the items they see in real life to an online list for later. The app will also notify you when the item has been put on sale or restocked.

Just walk into a store and scan the barcodes of the pieces you desire to add them to your virtual “cart.” If you have anything

else in mind, search, shop and add them to your cart as well. You can also select items from other retailers, and check them out all from within the app.

Hafta Have is available free, but only in the Apple App store.

Sununu Bah is a summer intern at the Beacon.

Save those pricey items

Not ready for prime time

Have you ever wanted an item that you

BEACON BITS

July 15

ARCHIVE OLD PHOTOS

The Southeast D.C. Public Library is offering an Archiving 101 presentation on Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. Librarian David Quick will share some of the basic concepts and practices involved in preserving your photos, papers, emails and other media, and will also discuss the services available at the library’s Memory Lab. Participants can bring photos and begin scanning them following the presentation. The library is located at 403 7th St. SE in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/Archiving101DC or call (202) 698-3377.

SAVE MONEY AND ENERGY ON PEAK SAVINGS DAYS. With our Peak Energy Savings Credit, you can save on your monthly energy bill when you reduce your energy use on Peak Savings Days.

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

Health Fitness &

LOW BACK PAIN A range of treatments can combat this common, expensive problem TESTOSTERONE THERAPY Treatments for low-T are available, but they aren’t right for everyone HOW TO KICK THE HABIT It can be easier to quit smoking if you use nicotine-replacement options STUDYING COCOA Study asks if cocoa and/or multivitamins ward off heart disease and cancer

Living drugs: new frontier in cancer care

By Lauran Neergaard Ken Shefveland’s body was swollen with cancer, treatment after treatment failing until doctors gambled on a radical approach: They removed some of his immune cells, engineered them into cancer assassins and unleashed them into his bloodstream.

Immune therapy is the hottest trend in cancer care and this is its next frontier — creating “living drugs” that grow inside the body into an army that seeks and destroys tumors.

Looking in the mirror, Shefveland saw “the cancer was just melting away.” A month later doctors at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center couldn’t find any signs of lymphoma in the man’s body.

“Today I find out I’m in full remission — how wonderful is that?” said Shefveland with a wide grin, giving his physician a quick embrace.

Still in early stage studies This experimental therapy marks an entirely new way to treat cancer — if scientists can make it work, safely. Early-stage

studies are stirring hope as one-time infusions of supercharged immune cells help a remarkable number of patients with intractable leukemia or lymphoma.

“It shows the unbelievable power of your immune system,” said Dr. David Maloney, Fred Hutch’s medical director for cellular immunotherapy, who treated Shefveland with a type called CAR-T cells.

“We’re talking, really, patients who have no other options, and we’re seeing tumors and leukemias disappear over weeks,” added immunotherapy scientific director Dr. Stanley Riddell. But, “there’s still lots to learn.”

T cells are key immune system soldiers.

But cancer can be hard for them to spot, and can put the brakes on an immune attack.

Today’s popular immunotherapy drugs called “checkpoint inhibitors” release one brake so nearby T cells can strike. The new cellular immunotherapy approach aims to be more potent: Give patients stronger T cells to begin with.

The first step for treatment recipients is much like donating blood. When leukemia

patient Claude Bannick entered a Hutch CAR-T study in 2014, nurses hooked him to a machine that filtered out his white blood cells, including the T cells.

Technicians raced his bag of cells to a factory-like facility that’s kept so sterile they must pull on germ-deflecting suits, booties and masks just to enter. Then came 14 days of wait and worry, as his cells were reprogrammed.

Bannick, 67, says he “was almost dead.”

Chemotherapy, experimental drugs, even a bone marrow transplant had failed, and “I was willing to try anything.”

Bannick said Maloney called him “the miracle man.” He had some lingering side effects that required blood-boosting infusions, but said CAR-T is “giving me a second life.”

Currently available only in studies at major cancer centers, the first CAR-T cell therapies for a few blood cancers could hit the market later this year. The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating one version developed by the University of Pennsylvania and licensed to Novartis, and an-

other created by the National Cancer Institute and licensed to Kite Pharma.

CAR-T therapy “feels very much like it’s ready for prime time” for advanced blood cancers, said Dr. Nick Haining of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, who isn’t involved in the development.

Now scientists are tackling a tougher next step, what Haining calls “the acid test” — making T cells target far more common cancers: solid tumors like lung, breast or brain cancer. Cancer kills about 600,000 Americans a year, including nearly 45,000 from leukemia and lymphoma.

“There’s a desperate need,” said NCI immunotherapy pioneer Dr. Steven Rosenberg, pointing to queries from hundreds of patients for studies that accept only a few.

A risky, costly treatment For all the excitement, there are formidable challenges.

Scientists still are unraveling why these livSee LIVING DRUGS, page 9

Botox is safe, effective for facial wrinkles

By Alina Bridges Dear Mayo Clinic: Does Botox work on deep forehead wrinkles, or do you have to catch them early for it to make a big difference? Is long-term use safe?

What happens if I have the injections regularly for a few years, but then quit?

Will my forehead look worse than if I had never gotten Botox?

A: Botox is safe to use long term, and you can stop using it at any time without your skin looking worse than it did before you started Botox.

Botox injections use forms of botulinum toxin to paralyze muscle activity temporarily.

This toxin is produced by the bacterium that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning.

Botox injections are popular for reducing the appearance of facial wrinkles. The injections are used to treat other medical conditions, too, such as repetitive neck spasms, excessive sweating, overactive bladder and lazy eye. The injections also may help prevent chronic migraines in some people. When used for cosmetic purposes, however, medical insurance does

not cover Botox treatments.

Botulinum toxin injections block certain chemical signals from nerves, mostly signals that cause muscles to contract. This temporarily relaxes the facial muscles that underlie and cause wrinkles, including forehead furrows.

Considerations for older users All forms of Botox injections approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for forehead wrinkles are intended for people 65 and younger.

Age is a factor because studies show that people who receive the most benefit from the injections are 65 and younger. Beyond that age, the medication may not be as effective.

That is not to say, however, that people older than 65 can’t or shouldn’t use Botox.

For older adults to achieve the same results as younger patients, Botox should be used in combination with facial fillers injected into the skin to soften wrinkles.

For Botox injections, your healthcare provider uses a thin needle to inject tiny amounts of botulinum toxin into your skin.

The number of injections you need will

vary, depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the area being treated.

Botulinum toxin injections usually begin working a few days after treatment. The effect may last up to three months or longer.

To maintain the benefits of Botox, you need regular follow-up injections.

Botox has been shown to be safe for both short- and long-term use. (Data for treatment of wrinkles with Botox only go back about 15 years, however.)

Botox for wrinkles uses a much smaller dose than patients receive for other conditions, such as muscle spasticity. Significant safety concerns have not been identified in people who receive larger doses of Botox for those other problems — further supporting its safety for cosmetic use.

Potential side effects However, Botox can be dangerous if it’s given incorrectly. To ensure your safety, you should only receive Botox under the care of an experienced healthcare provider, such as a board-certified dermatologist, plastic surgeon, eye plastic surgeon or otolaryngologist who has personally examined you.

These subspecialists have the most expertise to minimize complications and treat them if a complication occurs.

Although uncommon, Botox injections can produce side effects, including pain, swelling or bruising at the injection site, headache, flu-like symptoms, and eye dryness or excessive tearing, among others.

If you decide to stop using Botox, your forehead wrinkles will go back to the way they looked before you started the injections. Your face will not become more wrinkled as a result of Botox. Muscle strength and movement in your forehead also will return to normal when you discontinue Botox use.

— Alina Bridges, D.O., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@ mayo.edu. For more information, visit www. mayoclinic.org. © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Living drugs From page 8 ing cancer drugs work for some people and not others. And doctors must learn to manage potentially life-threatening side effects from an overstimulated immune system.

Also concerning is a small number of deaths from brain swelling — an unexplained complication that forced another company, Juno Therapeutics, to halt development of one CAR-T in its pipeline. Kite recently reported a death, too.

Since the treatment is made from scratch for every patient using their own blood, it is one of the most customized therapies ever and could cost patients hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“It’s a Model A Ford and we need a Lamborghini,” said CAR-T researcher Dr. Renier Brentjens of New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which, like Hutch, has a partnership with Juno.

“We can essentially make a cell do things it wasn’t programmed to do naturally,” explained immunology chief Dr. Philip Greenberg. “Your imagination can run wild with how you can engineer cells to function better.”

The goal: Arm T cells with an artificial receptor, a tracking system that can zero in on identifying markers of cancer cells, known as antigens. For many leukemias and lymphomas, that’s an antigen named CD19.

Every research group has its own recipe,

but generally, scientists infect T cells with an inactive virus carrying genetic instructions to grow the desired “chimeric antigen receptor.” That CAR will bind to its target cancer cells and rev up for attack.

Millions of copies of engineered cells are grown in incubators, Hutch technicians pulling out precious batches to monitor if they’re ready for waiting patients.

If they work, those cells will keep multiplying in the body. If they don’t, the doctors send blood and other samples back to researchers like Riddell to figure out why.

Early successes Small, early studies in the U.S. made headlines as 60 to 90 percent of patients trying CAR-Ts as a last resort for leukemia or lymphoma saw their cancer rapidly decrease or even become undetectable.

In June, Chinese researchers reported similar early findings, as 33 of 35 patients with another blood cancer, multiple myeloma, reached some degree of remission within two months.

Too few people have been studied so far to know how long such responses will last. A recent review reported up to half of leukemia and lymphoma patients may relapse.

There are long-term survivors, however. Doug Olson in 2010 received the University of Pennsylvania’s CAR-T version for leukemia. The researchers were frank — it had worked in mice but they didn’t know what would happen to him.

“Sitting here almost seven years later, I can tell you it works,” Olson, now 70, told a recent meeting of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Coping with side effects “The more side effects you have, that sort of tells everybody it’s working,” said Shefveland, who was hospitalized soon after his treatment at Hutch when his blood pressure collapsed. His last clear memory for days: “I was having a conversation with a nurse, and all of a sudden it was gibberish.”

As CAR-T cells swarm the cancer, an immune overreaction called “cytokine release syndrome” can trigger high fevers and plummeting blood pressure and, in severe cases, organ damage. Some patients also experience confusion, hallucinations or other neurologic symptoms.

Treatment is a balancing act to control

those symptoms without shutting down the cancer attack.

Experienced cancer centers have learned to expect and watch for these problems. “And, most importantly, we’ve learned how to treat them,” said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society, who is watching CAR-T’s development.

CAR-Ts cause collateral damage, killing some healthy white blood cells, called B cells, along with cancerous ones because both harbor the same marker. Finding the right target to kill solid tumors but not healthy organ tissue will be even more complicated.

“You can live without some normal B cells. You can’t live without your lungs,” Riddell said.

Early studies against solid tumors are beginning, targeting different antigens.

See LIVING DRUGS, page 10

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Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Some tips for those with low back pain

By Monique Tello, M.D. Low back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the United States, and the fourth worldwide. It’s also one of the top five medical problems for which people see doctors.

Almost every day that I see patients, I see someone with back pain. It’s one of the top reasons for lost wages due to missed work, as well as for healthcare dollars spent. Hence, it’s a very expensive problem.

What causes the pain?

Let’s talk about the most common forms of back pain: acute (which lasts less than four weeks) and subacute (which lasts four to 12 weeks).

Most of these cases (approximately 85 percent) are due to harmless causes. We lump them into the “mechanical back pain” diagnosis, which includes muscle spasm, ligament strain and arthritis.

A handful (3 to 4 percent) will be due to potentially more serious causes, such as

herniated discs (“bulging” discs), spondylolisthesis (“slipped” discs), a compression fracture of the vertebra due to osteoporosis (collapsed bone due to bone thinning), or spinal stenosis (squeezing of the spinal cord due to arthritis).

Rarely, less than 1 percent of the time, we will see pain due to inflammation (such as ankylosing spondylitis), cancer (usually metastases) or infection.

When someone with acute low back pain comes into the office, my main job is to rule out one of these potentially more serious conditions through my interview and exam. It is only when we suspect a cause other than “mechanical” that we will then order imaging or labs, and then things can go in a different direction.

But most of the time, we’re dealing with a relatively benign, and yet really painful, disabling and expensive condition.

How do we treat this? The sheer number of treatments is dizzying, but truly ef-

Living drugs From page 9

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Time-lapse photos taken through a microscope in Riddell’s lab show those new CAR-T cells crawling over aggressive breast cancer, releasing toxic chemicals until tumor cells shrivel and die.

CARs aren’t the only approach. Researchers also are trying to target markers inside tumor cells rather than on the surface, or even gene mutations that don’t form in healthy tissue.

“It’s ironic that the very mutations that cause the cancer are very likely to be the Achilles heel,” NCI’s Rosenberg said.

And studies are beginning to test CARTs in combination with older immunotherapy drugs, in hopes of overcoming tumor

fective treatment options are few.

Numerous treatments analyzed The American College of Physicians (ACP), the second-largest physician group in the U.S., recently updated guidelines for the management of low back pain. Its physician researchers combed through hundreds of published studies of non-interventional treatments of back pain and analyzed the data.

Treatments included medicines such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen), opioids (such as oxycodone), muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam and diazepam), antidepressants (like fluoxetine or nortriptyline), anti-seizure medications (like Neurontin), and systemic corticosteroids (like prednisone).

The analysis also included studies on See LOW BACK PAIN, page 11

defenses.

If the FDA approves Novartis’ or Kite’s versions, eligible leukemia and lymphoma patients would be treated at cancer centers experienced with this tricky therapy. Their T cells would be shipped to company factories, engineered, and shipped back. Gradually, more hospitals could offer it.

Because only certain patients would qualify for the first drugs, others would have to search for CAR-T studies to try the treatment. A drug industry report lists 21 CAR-T therapies in development by a dozen companies.

“This is the hope of any cancer patient, that if you stay in the game long enough, the next treatment’s going to be just around the corner,” said Shefveland, the Hutch patient.

— AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Low back pain From page 10 non-drug treatments — including acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise (working the muscles that support and control the spine), progressive relaxation, biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, behavior based therapies, and spinal manipulation for low back pain.

Researchers were interested in studies that measured the effectiveness (usually measured as pain relief and physical functioning) as well as the harms of all these therapies.

Best solutions aren’t meds What the researchers found was surprising: For acute and subacute low back pain, the best and safest treatments are not medicines. The ACP made the following strong recommendation: Most patients with acute or subacute low back pain improve over time regardless of treatment, and can avoid potentially harmful and costly treatments and tests.

First-line therapy should include nondrug therapy, such as superficial heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation. When nondrug therapy fails, consider NSAIDs or skeletal muscle relaxants.

Because most mechanical back pain improves no matter what, we don’t want to prescribe treatment that can cause harm.

Because some medications carry significant risks, we really shouldn’t be recommending these right off the bat.

BEACON BITS

July 10+

REGISTER FOR NOVA OLYMPICS

Registration for the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics opens Monday, July 10. The NVSO includes about 70 events.

Participants age 50 and older can register online at www.nvso.us or via mail with paper registrations that are available at most county recreation and senior centers. Registrations can also be downloaded at www.nvso.us. The deadline for registration is Sept 2. All paper registrations must be postmarked by Aug. 26. The games are scheduled begin on Saturday, Sept. 9 and conclude Wednesday, Sept. 20. For more information, visit http://nvso.us.

July 19+

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Seabury Resources offers a free caregiver support group on the third Wednesday of every month from 2 to 3 p.m. at Sunrise on Connecticut, located at 5111 Connecticut Ave. NW, in Washington, D.C. This month’s meeting will take place on July 19. For more information or to RSVP, email cminfo@seaburyresources.org or call (202) 364-0020.

Rather, we should be providing guidance on heating pad or hot water bottle use, and recommendations or referrals to acupuncturists, massage therapists and chiropractors. These therapies were somewhat effective, and are very unlikely to cause harm.

Medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen can be helpful, but they can cause stomach inflammation and ulcers, as well as possible bleeding, and even kidney damage, especially in older adults.

Muscle relaxants can be sedating, and can interact with other common medications. Benzodiazepines and opiates not only can cause sedation, making it hard to think clearly and function normally, they are also addictive.

Basically, for acute and subacute low back pain, the risks of these medications outweigh the benefits.

Other medications, like acetaminophen, steroids, antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, were not significantly helpful

for acute and subacute low back pain at all.

The study was missing a few potentially helpful low-risk medicines. Topicals such as the lidocaine patch or capsaicin ointment were not included, which is a shame, as these can provide relief for some people, and carry little risk.

I would also be interested to know if over-the-counter topical therapies contain-

11

ing menthol and camphor are better than placebo for low back pain.

Courtesy of Harvard Health Blog.

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

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

Testosterone therapy is helpful for some Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m a 56-year-old man without any health problems. Recently, I’ve noticed I

don’t have the energy for physical activities that I used to. Working in the yard, riding my bike, and even just doing jobs

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around the house all wear me out much faster now than even five years ago. My sex drive is lower, too.

I see ads all the time for testosterone therapy and what a difference it can make for men my age. Should I give it a try? Is it safe?

A: Recent research shows that testosterone therapy can be useful in some cases, but it’s not right for all men. To see if it could be helpful for you, start by making an appointment with your doctor to have your testosterone level checked.

Testosterone is a hormone produced primarily in the testicles. Testosterone helps maintain men’s bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength and mass, red blood cell production, sex drive and sperm production.

For most men, testosterone peaks during adolescence and early adulthood.

Then, as men get older, testosterone levels gradually fall.

If testosterone drops below a certain level, it can cause symptoms. Fatigue and low sexual interest are common. Some men also see changes in beard and body hair growth. Muscle wasting and a decrease in muscle strength can be a result of low testosterone, too.

Your doctor can use a blood test to check your testosterone level. Even if your testosterone level is found to be low, though, testosterone therapy is not automatically the answer. It’s also important to determine any potential causes or associated conditions of low testosterone before moving forward with treatment.

In some cases, medical conditions can contribute to low testosterone, including thyroid problems, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, depression and excessive alcohol use. Some medications may cause testosterone levels to drop, as well.

Get an evaluation As part of your evaluation, your doctor should review your current medications and check for underlying medical problems that could be contributing to your symptoms.

If your testosterone is low and a medical condition is identified, treatment for that disorder may be all you need to bring your testosterone level back into the normal range. A change in medications also could make a difference.

If low testosterone isn’t due to medication or a medical problem, then taking prescription testosterone replacement may be beneficial.

Numerous studies have found that testosterone may be helpful for men experiencing symptoms as a result of low testosterone. In many cases, however, the effects are modest. In men with normal levels of testosterone, taking prescription testosterone generally has no effect for most symptoms.

Benefits and risks In addition to easing symptoms of low testosterone, prescription testosterone may have other benefits, including reducing fat mass, improving lean muscle mass, strengthening bones and improving insulin sensitivity.

Taking prescription testosterone does have risks. It may cause production of more red blood cells (a condition known as polycythemia); increase prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, in the blood; enlarge breasts; or reduce sperm production.

Testosterone therapy does not cause cancer, including prostate cancer.

If your doctor recommends that you take testosterone, you need regular blood See TESTOSTERONE, page 14

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Age-Friendly Montgomery A Community for a Lifetime

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

County Executive Ike Leggett

Become a Volunteer Tutor or Mentor!

Montgomery County has many appealing opportunities for adults to become volunteer tutors and mentors to area youth. Intergenerational volunteering can prove very rewarding for students and volunteers alike.

benefit from a caring, one-on-one mentoring relationship.

Tutors meet with their assigned student once per week during the school year. To learn more, please call Susan Moser at 301-469-6800, press 1, then press 211.

Volunteer tutors help students learn to read and build study skills, volunteer mentors provide guidance and support with day-to-day challenges, and some volunteer roles include both tutoring and mentoring.

The City of Rockville’s mentoring program matches elementary school children in grades 2-5 with caring adults who are positive role models to provide academic and social support during the school year. Mentors meet each week for one hour at their student’s school. To learn more, contact Kate Bouwkamp at 240-314-8317 or kbouwkamp@rockvillemd.gov

JCA Heyman Interages Center is a globally recognized leader in the intergenerational movement. They offer several volunteer opportunities for adults age 50+ to provide meaningful support to children and youth – helping to address academic and social challenges.

Opportunities range from math and reading support to cross-age conversations and mentoring. If interested, contact Bonnie Leko-Shapiro at bonnie.leko-shapiro@ accessjca.org or 301-255-4239.

Washington Metro Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program trains and places volunteer tutors to help students with reading at two dozen local elementary schools. Tutors are paired with children in grades K-4 to

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is a Senior Corps program connecting people age 55+ with meaningful volunteer opportunities throughout Montgomery County. Contact RSVP Director Kathleen Meaney Stobie at 240-777-2612 for more information.

Find more ways to help! The Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s website allows you to search for even more opportunities to share your experiences in guiding young people. Simply visit www.montgomeryserves.org and type in “mentor” or “tutor” as a keyword to get information about dozens of local ways to serve.

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

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

Nicotine replacements can help you quit Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m 47 years old and have been a smoker since I was 15. I’ve tried to quit more times than I can count.

My wife says I should try nicotine replacement. But that doesn’t make sense to me. I want to be done with cigarettes and nicotine. How will putting more nicotine in my body help me kick this addiction?

A: When you’re trying to get rid of a cigarette habit that’s rooted in nicotine addiction, it may seem odd to look to nicotine for help. But nicotine replacement products are safe and effective aids for people trying to stop smoking.

Particularly when paired with other smoking cessation techniques, nicotine replacement often serves as a bridge to a tobaccofree life.

The nicotine in cigarettes is highly addictive. Nicotine is what hooks you on smoking and keeps you smoking. However, nicotine is not the component in cigarettes that puts your health at risk. The real danger is tobacco.

Tobacco and tobacco smoke contain chemicals that cause lung cancer, as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and larynx. Using tobacco can lead to other serious health problems, too, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Two-thirds of all tobacco users eventually die of a tobacco-related illness. The sooner you stop putting tobacco into your body, the better off you will be.

Nicotine replacement products give you nicotine without tobacco. That helps relieve the withdrawal symptoms and cravings you may have if you try to quit smoking cigarettes without nicotine replacement.

For many, going from tobacco to nicotine replacement is a critical and important step to a tobacco-free lifestyle. Nicotine replacement doesn’t reinforce a cigarette habit the way tobacco does.

Also, you don’t get as much nicotine with nicotine replacement as you do with tobacco products, and nicotine replace-

Testosterone

with cardiovascular risk factors.

To see if testosterone therapy may be right for you, make an appointment to see your doctor and assess your symptoms.

He or she can do a thorough evaluation and help you decide what, if any, treatment you may need.

— Landon Trost, M.D., Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 12 tests to make sure the prescribed dose is correct, as too much testosterone potentially can lead to other medical problems.

Although most studies suggest that testosterone therapy does not increase the risk of heart attacks or stroke, and that it may even be protective in some cases, there is not enough information to prove its safety conclusively among older men

See QUITTING SMOKING, page 15

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

Quitting smoking From page 14 ment makes it significantly less likely that you will return to tobacco. Not using nicotine replacement reduces your chances of breaking free from tobacco.

A range of nicotine replacement products are available without a prescription.

You can buy nicotine gum, patches and lozenges at most pharmacies and drug stores. Nicotine nasal spray and inhalers are available by prescription only.

Although nicotine replacement can be useful as you quit smoking, breaking a smoking habit is still hard, especially if you try to do it on your own.

The best way to quit is to seek help from your doctor or a counselor trained as a tobacco treatment specialist. He or she can help you decide on the overall approach that’s best for you.

For example, along with nicotine replacement, other prescription medications may be helpful. Bupropion can help control nicotine cravings. Varenicline can re-

Can e-cigarettes help you quit safely?

By Rebekah Alcalde One nicotine replacement product that is quickly gaining popularity is electronic cigarettes, also called ecigarettes or vapes (short for vaping, or inhaling vapor).

E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid mixture of nicotine and flavorings, which turn into a vapor that is then inhaled.

Since nicotine is what keeps smokers coming back to tobacco, some believe that vaping nicotine, like using other nicotine replacement products, will help smokers wean off of cigarettes, thereby avoiding all the carcinogenic components they contain.

Other experts believe vaping has not been proven safe and effective.

They support only traditional nicotine replacement products, and believe e-cigarettes continue to reinforce the smoking habit.

The United Kingdom appears to

have embraced e-cigarettes, with the U.K. Center for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies citing that they can be helpful.

The British government’s drug regulatory authority cites research that e-cigarettes are much less harmful that tobacco cigarettes and may help you quit.

Though a 2015 study suggested that “masked formaldehyde,” a harmful chemical, is present in e-cigarettes, the levels appear to be much higher in real cigarettes.

Still, most U.S.-based health organizations, including the FDA — which has asserted regulatory authority over such products — have no official statements supporting e-cigarettes as a quitting method.

The American Heart Association actually refers to them as “the next generation of cigarettes” and warns against their use.

duce the pleasurable effects of smoking and lessen nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Behavioral therapy also helps Most healthcare providers also recommend behavioral therapy in addition to medication. Behavioral therapy often involves replacing old behaviors with new routines that aren’t associated with smoking.

For example: — Avoid places where you usually smoke. Instead, when you go out, visit places where smoking isn’t allowed.

— Try to spend time with people who don’t smoke or also want to stop smoking.

— Make it inconvenient to smoke by getting rid of your cigarettes.

— Chew gum while you drive, or take new routes to your usual destinations to keep your attention focused on your envi-

15

ronment and away from smoking.

— If you usually have a cigarette with a cup of coffee or alcohol, drink water, soda or tea instead.

Nicotine replacement can be an integral step on the path to life without tobacco. But, to give yourself the best chance to stop smoking for good, seek help from a medical professional familiar with tobacco treatment.

The effort will be well worth it, as the health benefits of not smoking are substantial, and they start accumulating almost immediately after you quit.

— Jon Ebbert, M.D., Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

Are we overdoing calcium supplements?

By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: I have read different recommendations for how much calcium and vitamin D I should take. What do you

recommend?

A: The current recommendation in the United States is 1,000 milligrams (mg.) of calcium per day for people age 19 to 50,

and 1,200 mg. per day for people over 50.

However, these amounts are probably more than we need. In the United Kingdom, the recommendation is only 700 mg. per day. The World Health Organization says that 500 mg. daily is enough.

The English may be correct. Studies have found a calcium intake of 700 mg. per day provides as much protection from thin bones and fractures as does a significantly greater amount of daily calcium.

Furthermore, over the last few years, some studies have raised concerns about harmful effects of too much calcium.

That’s especially true when the extra intake comes from calcium supplements.

The possible adverse health effects of excess calcium include a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and a more aggressive type of prostate cancer.

I recommend calcium supplements only for people who are not sure they average 700 mg. of dietary calcium daily. For reference, an 8-ounce glass of milk or calciumfortified orange juice has about 300 mg. of calcium.

Some good dietary sources of calcium

include fortified cereals; dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and low-fat cheese; fortified soy milk; fish with soft bones, such as sardines, and tofu.

Vitamin D supplements While food should be the preferred source of calcium, it’s much harder to get enough vitamin D from your diet. There are few good dietary sources of vitamin D [other than vitamin D fortified milk].

That’s why many doctors recommend a vitamin D supplement.

The official recommendation for vitamin D intake is at least 600 International Units (IU) daily for those under 70. If you are older than 70, the recommendation is 800 IU per day.

Sunlight converts inactive vitamin D in the skin to the active form. But many people rightly avoid the sun to prevent skin damage and certain skin cancers.

A safe amount of vitamin D is up to 4,000 IU per day. However, there is no evidence to suggest a dose that high is more beneficial than a lower dose.

So, I recommend a 1,000 IU vitamin D3 supplement daily for most adults.

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Participants age 50 and older can participate in the events, which include everything from archery to horseshoes to volleyball. The games are happening now through October at venues in various counties, including Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. Registration forms can be downloaded online or requested via

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email from info@mdseniorolympics.org. For more information and a complete list of games and locations, visit www.mdseniorolympics.org or call (240) 777-4930.

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Health Studies Page

17

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Can cocoa flavanols prevent disease?

By Rebekah Alcalde Chocolate lovers may be on to something.

A new long-term study is trying to find out if taking daily, dietary supplements of cocoa extract containing cocoa flavanols and theobromine from the cocoa bean, and/or a standard multivitamin reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study is being conducted in a partnership by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., and volunteers are being recruited nationwide.

The study, called COSMOS, “is the largest and longest duration dietary intervention trial to date that will investigate the impact of cocoa flavanols on risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease,” explained lead investigator Dr. JoAnn Manson, who is also chief of the division of preventative medicine at the hospital. They will also be testing multivitamins to see if they have similar effects.

This national trial is conducted primarily by mail and can be done remotely. They plan to enroll 18,000 participants nationwide to participate in the study for four years.

Studies indicate benefit Cocoa is a fermented product made from the bean of the cocoa tree, and preliminary research suggests it can have a powerful impact on your health.

Small randomized trials have demonstrated promising benefits for cocoa flavanols, including improving blood pressure, lipid (cholesterol) levels, and the body’s insulin sensitivity, which decreases the chance of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

For multivitamins, a prior large-scale randomized trial in middle-aged and older men showed a significant reduction in cancer, but comparable trial data in women are lacking.

For both products, a large-scale clinical trial such as COSMOS could have major clinical and public health implications.

Additionally, COSMOS will examine how cocoa flavanols affect brain health.

Smaller studies from Columbia University Medical Center and the University of L’Aquila in Italy “indicate that cocoa flavanols may help with multiple aspects of cognitive health and function, including slowing the rate of age-related memory loss in healthy individuals,” Manson said.

Over the course of the trial, approximately 4,000 participants will be asked to complete four web-based assessments of their cognitive functioning, which each take about 25 minutes to complete.

Eligibility and requirements Eligible participants include women who are 65 and older and men 60 and older, who have not had a heart attack, stroke or cancer diagnosed in the past two years (excluding skin cancer), or any major illness that would affect the study.

Participants must also have no history of myocardial infarction or stroke, any extreme sensitivity to caffeine — since cocoa naturally contains caffeine — or be unable to communicate in English due to lan-

Getting involved Interested individuals first complete questionnaires that will determine if they are eligible to participate, together with an informed consent form. The questionnaires ask about health, lifestyle habits (such as exercise, diet, smoking), use of medications and dietary supplements, and family history of illness.

Those individuals invited to participate in the study will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) daily cocoa extract and multivitamin; (2) daily cocoa extract and multivitamin placebo; (3) daily cocoa extract placebo and multivitamin; or (4) daily cocoa extract placebo and multivitamin placebo. A placebo looks exactly like the study supplement, but it contains no active ingredients.

No matter which group a participant is assigned to, she or he will take three pills each day — two capsules that contain either cocoa extract or cocoa extract placebo, and one tablet that contains either a multivitamin or multivitamin placebo. Participants will receive their study pills in convenient calendar packages via postal mail.

Each year that a participant is in the research study, she or he will receive a mailed questionnaire that takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. These forms are similar to the original eligibility forms. Occasionally, participants will be contacted by phone to collect information or to clarify questionnaire responses.

Join a Nutrition Study for Weight Loss and Metabolism A no-cost 16-week research program will provide you with information and tools designed to change eating habits, help people lose weight, and improve health.

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guage barrier or mental incapacity.

During the study, they must also forgo personal use of multivitamins and cocoa extract supplements. Also, they must limit their total intake of vitamin D (besides the study medication) from supplements to 1000 IU or less per day, and their total intake of calcium from supplements to 1200 mg. or less per day.

On the plus side, participants can still eat chocolate.

For more information, visit www.cosmostrial.org/join or call 1-800-633-6913.

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19

Some great home remedies for bug bites You know when you have one of those at your local pharmacy or in your kitchen. awkward moments that you think could go Here are some: viral on social media, if only someone had a camera on Oatmeal you?

Put quick-cooking or rolled Well, recently, my friend oats into a food processor or was outside when a bug coffee grinder to make a fine swooped from above and depowder. Mix that with a small scended down her V-neck amount of water to make a shirt. Faster than you can paste. Apply this paste to your sting. You can also take a bath say “bugger,” she was stung with oatmeal for all-over itch or bit on not one, but both of relief. her breasts. It then dropped out the bottom of her shirt DEAR PHARMACIST and flew away.

Black Tea By Suzy Cohen What followed was a lawn Put a cold tea bag on the bite site for five minutes. The natudance the likes of which her neighbors have never seen. The chaos that rally-occurring “tannins” in tea are what ensued could’ve gone viral if someone had make it bitter, but these tannins also draw the poison out and ease discomfort. Enga smartphone handy.

I asked her later if she applied meat ten- lish Breakfast Tea is high in tannins. derizer or ammonia, suggesting some excellent home remedies. She said no, but Vinegar Use white or apple cider vinegar. Mix it was grateful that she had taken some Benadryl at 3 a.m. that morning to help with 50/50 with water and use a cotton ball to insomnia. She suspects (and I agree) that dab the mixture to your sore for instant the inflammation and pain could have been itch relief. much worse.

So what do you do if you are stung or Meat tenderizer This contains papain which breaks up bitten by a nasty little critter? There are a host of remedies for insect attacks and poisons from insect venom. Sprinkle about other summer “owwies” that you can find 1/2 teaspoon into a little cup and add some

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water, perhaps a teaspoon or two just to make a paste, and dab it directly onto the bite. The sooner after you get stung, the better!

Ammonia Insect venom is usually acidic and ammonia is alkaline, so this neutralizes the poison. It is best applied as soon as possible to the bee or wasp sting. Some people recommend to dab it on straight, others suggest to dilute 50/50 with water.

Ice cubes These are super effective at reducing inflammation and numbing the area. Just wrap a cube in a paper towel and apply for five or 10 minutes. Ice feels nice on bites!

Toothpaste The menthol in toothpaste makes for a nice cooling sensation while reducing swelling. Just apply a thin layer and let it dry.

If you’d like to read a longer version of this article with more natural and inexpensive home remedies, sign up for my newsletter at suzycohen.com and I’ll email it to you.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

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

Grilled salmon: tasty with miso and lime

By Melissa D’Arabian Salmon season has arrived, and the markets are brimming with gorgeous wild varieties like King Salmon and Coho, which are perfect for grilling, poaching, or even simply cooking in a lightly-oiled pan.

With summer here, fire up the barbecue and master the grilled salmon — it’s an incredibly versatile blank canvas that you can use in everything from light salads, to heady curries, to spicy tacos.

Coat salmon fillets with a little oil, salt

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and pepper, and cook until the salmon is almost opaque. “Cook until flaky” is bad advice that will leave your salmon overcooked and strong-flavored.

One of our summertime favorites is Easy Summer Miso Salmon, which pairs miso with refreshing lime juice to create something between a creamy sauce and a citrus vinaigrette.

Miso, or fermented soy bean paste, adds a ton of savory flavor (“umami”) and depth, while the lime juice keeps the recipe bright and summery.

There’s garlic and ginger for flavor, but the shallot keeps the flavor more Californian than Asian, although you could certainly add soy sauce, Mirin (Japanese wine), and chopped cilantro if you wanted to.

Serve with brown rice, grilled veggies or a bunch of vegetable “noodles” for a filling and healthy summer supper.

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Miso paste comes in various colors, with white and yellow being the mildest varieties, and perhaps the most widely available ones at the local supermarket.

Keep a container of miso in the fridge (it lasts for months), and you can try adding a spoonful to soups, stews, dressings and dips, or even just stir it into a cup of boiling water and add a splash of soy sauce and rice vinegar for a warming quick broth.

Miso is low in calories, and offers a little protein and a smattering of minerals, including sodium, so you won’t likely need additional salt when using miso paste.

Easy summer salmon Servings: 6 Start to finish: 20 minutes For the salmon: 1 1/2 pounds wild Alaskan salmon fillet, such as King or Coho 1 teaspoon neutral oil, like olive or grapeseed 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper For the sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 shallots, minced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger 3 tablespoons white miso paste 1 teaspoon raw honey 1/4 cup lime juice (or lemon juice) 3-4 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Heat the grill to medium and lightly oil the grates. Rub the salmon all over with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook the salmon flesh side down first, (skin side up), until almost cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, make the sauce (or it can be made in advance). Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small saute pan and cook the shallots until tender, about three minutes. (Sprinkle with a little splash of water if needed to keep shallots from browning.)

Add the ginger and garlic and cook another minute. Add the miso paste and mix with a wooden spoon for another minute or two, or until very fragrant and the miso paste begins to deepen a little in color.

Remove from heat, cool a minute, and then place in the blender with the honey, lime juice, water, mustard and black pepper, and blend until smooth. Add extra water if needed. Spoon the miso sauce onto the hot salmon and serve with brown rice or veggies.

Chef’s note: The sauce can also be made into a salad dressing by thinning with more water and lime juice.

Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories; 94 calories from fat; 10 g. fat (2 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 62 mg. cholesterol; 443 mg. sodium; 7 g. carbohydrate; 0 g. fiber; 3 g. sugar; 23 g. protein.

For more recipes, see www.melissadarabian.net.

— AP

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

21

Birthday celebrations change with age Dear Solutions: an intimate gathering of just these ageMy wife has always been sensitive equal friends and close family, each of about her age. Now she’s whom already know her age. about to have what’s always Suggest that you each been considered a big birthshare her or his feelings day. about growing older, and help I want to throw her a party, your wife to feel lucky to but she says she’ll kill me if I reach this time and to make do. Now old friends of hers the most of it while it lasts. are calling me, urging me to Then hopefully, Bill, the do a party because they want next morning you’ll wake up to honor their friendship with and discover that you’re still her. alive!

Most of them went to SOLUTIONS Dear Solutions: school with her, and they live By Helen Oxenberg, When my kids were growin different areas so they MSW, ACSW ing up, I always told them want me to make the plans. I that I flat out didn’t believe don’t want her to kill me, so how should in birthday celebrations or Father’s Day I handle this and still live to see it work or any of those things. I felt that they out? were just commercial. They took me at — Bill my word.

Dear Bill: This past Father’s Day, however, I reHmm, let’s see. How can we send the ally felt rotten when I didn’t hear from correct message to your wife, which is: anyone (I’m alone now). I used to be “Don’t Kill Bill!”? Since your life is in dan- Mr. Macho, but I actually was tearful. ger if you deliver this “blessed” (?) event, My birthday is coming up soon. I get a surrogate to stand in for you. don’t want to wind up eating my If those old friends went to school with words, but I don’t want to be ignored, her, then they all know her age anyway. either. How do I accomplish this?

Ask one of them who lives the closest to — Ex-Macho make the arrangements.

Dear Ex-Macho: Honor her age sensitivity by making it It’s better to eat your words than to drown

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in your tears! It probably was different when your wife was alive. You weren’t alone, and celebrations didn’t matter so much.

It’s a tough world, and one of the good things families can do for each other is to soften the blows by celebrating together whenever they can.

So, swallow hard and then tell your children how you feel. Maybe you’ll get a nice surprise. Let me know.

Dear Solutions: What do you do with a wife who seems to enjoy picking fights all the time over unimportant things — mostly when I’m trying to fall asleep?

Dear Ed:

The first thing you do is recognize that they’re important things because they’re making you pay attention to her.

Wake up, Ed! She’s trying to get your attention. Stop dreaming that she enjoys picking fights, and try to find out what’s really bothering her in your marriage.

After you find out, discuss it with her and try to change what’s wrong. Then you can go back to sleep. © Helen Oxenberg, 2017. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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

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

Home care aides provide peace of mind

By Barbara Ruben After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013, Pat Libhart underwent chemotherapy, which left her with neuropathy in her feet. The condition can be both painful and lead to numbness, and caused Libhart to need a wheelchair.

To help her get to treatments, cook, dress and other activities, Libhart contacted Family & Nursing Care, a company that provides home care aides to help patients continue to live at home when they have health challenges or aging has limited their ability to engage in everyday activities. Aides may come to patients’ long-time homes, or help them at independent or assisted living communities, and even hospitals.

The Beacon talked to a number of home care recipients and their children about how home care affects their lives.

Companionship and practical help Family & Nursing Care, whose founders recently won the Jewish Council for the Aging’s 2017 Humanitarian Award, provides caregivers who come to Libhart’s Chevy Chase, Md. home each day. Family & Nursing primarily serves customers in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.

“One of the most important things is they offer companionship,” said Libhart,

86, a former dean at Georgetown University. “I have not ever met any more spiritual or lovely or intelligent women.”

The caregivers take Libhart on outings to nearby gardens, shopping, and even to the beach at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.

“They kind of become a member of your family,” she said. “And I love it because, although I have a sister in Pittsburgh and a nephew here, it’s nice that I really don’t need to be dependent on them.”

Libhart noted that her long-term care insurance covers the cost of home care, and said, “I don’t know where I’d be without it.”

Ruth Smith (not her real name) was hospitalized due to a series of illnesses, the worst of which was a stomach infection last October. She also used Family & Nursing’s aides after returning home.

“They were excellent when I came home from the hospital,” Smith recalled. “Very professional and efficient. I couldn’t stand or walk around anymore, and needed 24/7 care.

“Honestly, it’s annoying having someone around full-time, but I had to have it.

They did the best they could to make me comfortable. I really recommend them as a full-time care option,” said Smith, who turns 90 this month.

After several more infections and hospital visits, the doctors decided Smith needed to enter rehab at Bedford Court in Silver

Spring, Md. to build her strength back up.

With rehab, she regained a lot of mobility and strength, and decided to move to Bedford Court Independent Living in February.

She still uses Family & Nursing part-time for help with showering, cooking, cleaning and laundry. In the past, aides assisted with medication management as well.

Smith’s only criticism before switching to a regular caregiver: “I wish the part-time caregivers anticipated my needs more. Between shifts, they don’t seem to talk to each other or pass notes about where to find things or what I like or need. I think they could work on that.”

Some people don’t need home care for long. Diane Simmons (not her real name) used a Family & Nursing home care aide for a week to help transition her father from rehab to home.

“Even though my dad is resistant to a lot of things, he knew it was great being able to get out of an institutional setting while recovering,” she said.

Aging in place Others use home care as a means to help their parents live fairly independently in their homes.

Caesar Layton’s mom fell twice in the last year while he and his wife had been her primary caregivers. “We had gotten to a point where we couldn’t do it by ourselves,” he said.

That’s when he turned to the home care company Options for Senior America, with offices in Baltimore, Gaithersburg and Annapolis in Maryland, as well as Fairfax and Ashburn in Virginia. Earlier this year, the company received the SeniorAdvisor.com 2017 Best of Home Care award, which is given to fewer than 1 percent of providers nationwide.

“The person that we settled on is really

sweet,” Layton said. “She is caring. She obviously has experience working with elderly people. My mom seems to really enjoy her, so that’s super important…

“Without this there is no way she would be able to live independently, and we would have to put her in an institutional setting, which in our minds would not be healthy for her,” Layton added.

Rhonda Robinson also uses Options for Senior America for long-term care of her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease.

“With my mom, we need someone to interact with her, so the person [we hired] does. When my mother was recently hospitalized, since she can’t really communicate so well, we had her Options person come stay with her at the hospital.

“The lady who was in the bed next to my mom called me over and said how well the person did with my mom. She said they laughed and they talked, so she’s really good with my mom. We’re really happy with them,” Robinson said.

“They keep her safe and allow her to stay home. Without Options, we would have had to put her in a nursing home.”

Rebecca Clark used Options to care for two of her sisters. She liked the ease of tailoring help to their particular needs, including bathing and cooking.

“When you need some additional help, you can pick up the phone and have somebody you can call. I know whenever I call, if they’re not at their desk, they’ll call me back, and are always willing to talk to me about the additional needs that I have,” Clark said.

Her advice on selecting a home care aide? “You have to just be really careful of who you select — that they have people See HOME CARE, page B-3

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

B-3

Creating an intergenerational household

By Eleanor Laise Barbara Williams’s home is a lively one.

Much of the year, there are four generations under one roof. Williams, age 65, shares her five-bedroom home in Silver Spring, Md., with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and three young grandsons.

And her 91-year-old mother regularly visits for several months at a stretch.

While the multigenerational living arrangement may be messy at times, “we had so many reasons to do it,” said Williams, a retired editor of scientific journals.

It not only saves money, she said, but lets her watch her grandkids grow up, allows her to split household chores with her daughter, and reduces the stress of long-distance caregiving for her mother.

“Even though there’s more work to do,” she said, “doing it together makes everything easier.”

Williams and her family are among the growing number of Americans forming multigenerational households — those that include two or more adult generations, or grandparents and grandchildren.

Although many people initially turned to multigenerational living to save money during the Great Recession, the arrangements have become even more popular as baby boomers and their parents age.

A record 60.6 million people, or 19 percent of the U.S. population, lived in such households in 2014, up from 51.5 million in 2009, according to a recent Pew Research

Center analysis.

Multigenerational living, of course, is nothing new. In 1950, 21 percent of the population lived in multigenerational households, according to Pew Research.

But that figure plummeted to a low of 12 percent in 1980.

In the past 50 years or so, Americans “adopted this crazy idea of a nuclear family,” Graham said. But the interdependence of the extended family, he argues, is “the natural way people have always lived.”

Home care

378-1273.

Contact Family & Nursing Care at www.familynursingcare.com or (301) 5888200.

Talia Denicoff and Rebekah Alcalde contributed to this story.

From page B-2 you can trust, that are compassionate.”

Learn more about Options for Senior America at www.optionscorp.com or 1-888-

Benefits and challenges “You put more people under one roof, and that’s going to save a lot of money really quickly,” said John Graham, professor emeritus at the University of California Irvine’s business school and co-author of Together Again: A Creative Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living (M. Evans, $17).

But the biggest advantage, he said, “is the interpersonal and social benefit of having family members close by and helping one another out.”

The arrangements can relieve the isolation often suffered by seniors living alone, offer the reassurance of having caregivers close at hand, give grandparents an opportunity to pass down family traditions to their grandchildren, and give parents a helping hand in caring for young children.

Meanwhile, “you’re modeling what the next generation will do with their grandchildren and how they’ll treat you — the

parents — when you’re older,” said Susan Newman, a social psychologist and author of Under One Roof Again (Lyons Press, $17), a book about multigenerational living.

But even the happiest of multigenerational homes face challenges. Every family member needs to maintain his or her privacy and respect boundaries. Housework and expenses need to be divided in a way that feels fair to everyone. Ownership of the house itself must be structured in a way that doesn’t sabotage a senior’s estate plan.

And any home renovations or new homebuilding projects must comply with local zoning laws — which often restrict the very features most desired by multigenerational families, such as multiple entrances or separate kitchens.

Desirable features Private space for each family member, multiple entrances, separate kitchens, and plenty of bathrooms to go around: These are high on the list of home features desired by multigenerational households.

Shubber Ali, age 48, bought a six-bedroom house in Novato, Cal., four years ago, anticipating that his 80-year-old mother would soon come to live with him full-time.

He and his wife and two children have rooms at one end of the house, while the rooms set aside for his mother at the other end of the house include a bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet and sitting area. “It feels like it’s almost its own little condo, See GENERATIONS page B-4

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Generations From page B-3 but it’s still a part of the house,” Ali said.

Perhaps you already have a home ideally suited for multigenerational living. If not, you’ll need to weigh the costs and benefits of renovating your house, building a “granny flat” in the back yard, buying an existing home, or designing and building a multigenerational dream house.

If you’re adding an in-law suite or making other renovations for an aging parent, consider wider doors and hallways that allow space for wheelchairs and other features designed for aging in place.

Go to the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification website at www.homemods.org for tips on making your home more accessible for people with limited mobility, vision or hearing.

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

Builders taking notice If you decide to buy a house, you’ll find a growing number of developers offering homes specifically designed for multigenerational households.

Homebuilder Lennar, for example, introduced its Next Gen house design in 2011.

The homes contain a separate suite with at least one bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, a door to the main house (lockable from both sides), and in most cases, a separate exterior door.

The homes, available in more than 300 communities in 14 states, range in price from about $280,000 to more than $800,000, said Kim Ashbaugh, director of Next Gen brand management at Lennar.

Whether you’re renovating or building a new home from scratch, be prepared for See GENERATIONS, page B-5

Set ground rules before the move Before Mom moves in with you (or vice versa) hold at least one family meeting to discuss each person’s expectations, set ground rules, and hash out financial issues.

Will this living arrangement be permanent or temporary? If it’s temporary — perhaps an adult child is living with you while he saves money for his own house — make your expectations clear, said Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, a nonprofit group that promotes intergenerational collaboration.

The adult child might think that saving 10 percent of his salary is adequate, Butts said, but the parent might think he should save 80 percent.

Be realistic about whether you can all survive peacefully under one roof.

“Don’t expect somebody to change just because they’re moving in with you,” Butts said. “If someone is a slob or a neat freak, they’re going to stay that way.”

If you’re unsure about whether you can all get along, run a short-term experiment. You might go on a long vacation together and see how that works, Graham suggested.

Ground rules should help everyone maintain privacy and autonomy. Will you eat dinner together every night or just a couple of nights a week? Will you always take vacations together? Can Grandma have a boyfriend over without raising eyebrows?

If there are young children in the

house, who will take the lead parenting roles? And do those people have consistent approaches to child-rearing?

Divide the housework, lawn maintenance and other chores. One democratic way to do this: Make a list of all the chores, pass it around, and ask everyone to put his initials next to what he wants to do.

If there will be seniors in the house who need care, discuss who will do the caregiving.

If there are adult siblings not living in the house, involve them in the discussion, too. Most of the caregiving burden may naturally fall on the adult child who’s living with the parent, but siblings living nearby could take the parent to doctor appointments, or invite him or her along on vacations.

Divvy up the household bills, perhaps using a budgeting tool, such as Mint.com, to help track expenses and divide them fairly.

“Allow your parents, when they’re moving in, to contribute in some way if they can, because they then feel they are part of the family and have some ownership of the living arrangement,” Newman said.

If there are family members who can’t contribute financially, discuss other ways they can pitch in. An adult child who is out of a job, for example, might take care of all the yardwork.

— Kiplinger’s Retirement Report

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

Generations From page B-3 zoning headaches. But as multigenerational living becomes more popular, some states and cities are relaxing laws restricting granny flats.

A new California law, for example, streamlines parking restrictions and other regulations to make it easier for homeowners in the state to build granny flats.

You can find accessory-dwelling rules for many cities across the U.S., along with tips on building your own accessory dwelling, at www.accessorydwellings.org.

Time needed to adjust Once you’ve unpacked the moving

boxes, give the arrangement time to work out. “It will not be ideal immediately,” Newman said. “Adjust and lower your expectations.”

Schedule family dinners at a restaurant every couple of weeks for the first six months, Graham said. There, you can discuss what’s working and what’s not — say, the TV volume, Granddad’s smoking habit, taking out the trash. Holding the conversation in a public place “keeps tempers from flying off the handle,” he said.

Be wary of resuming old parent-child roles, such as nagging your adult daughter to comb her hair or relying on Mom to do the cooking and cleaning. When her oldest son moved back home, Nancy Meyer, age 69, of St. Louis, Mo., said she told him, “I’m tired of

doing your laundry. You may do your own.”

They made a deal that he had to keep the shared living spaces clean — and he kept up his end of the bargain, she said.

This year, her son moved into his own house after living at home for about 10 years. Now, she said, “I kind of miss him.”

Also, maintain your friendships and social activities. If your elderly parents are living with you, it’s easy to feel guilty about heading out to book club or bridge club, Newman said. “Don’t give up your social life.”

Although there may be plenty of adjustments required along the way, many families find that their commitment to multigen-

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FREE 38-PAGE BROCHURE WRITTEN BY THE RETIREMENT EXPERTS!

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about active retirement living at

erational living only increases over time.

“It’s not all perfect,” said Williams, the grandmother in Silver Spring who shares her home with her children and grandchildren. Dirty dishes on the kitchen counter sometimes trigger family tension. “When you have three little boys, you’re sometimes going to have a mess,” she said.

But “family affection overcomes that kind of stuff. And we’re committed to staying together at this point. We know we’re going to make it work.” © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

DOWNSIZING?

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SRES - CRS - CBR - Realtor - Consultant 30+ Years with Long and Foster Multi-Million Dollar Producer Top 5% in US Real Estate Sales Long & Foster’s Top Producer’s Club Licensed in DC, MD & VA !"#$%&#'(')*+,)-*((

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YOUR SENIOR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST When Real Experience Matters, Get the Experienced Help for the Best Decisions

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“Let’s Talk!”

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The comprehensive brochure is packed with the crucial information you need— and the exciting details you want—about carefree senior living at Ashby Ponds in Ashburn, Greenspring in Springfield, or Riderwood in Silver Spring.

Call 1-877-575-0231 or visit EricksonLiving.com to request your FREE

brochure!

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Housing Notes

By Rebekah Alcalde

Fall opening for new Fairfax community A new luxury community called Overture Fair Ridge is opening this fall in Fairfax, Va. The community is designed for active adults 62 and over.

The 16,000-square-foot amenity area features a billiards and game room, den, library, reading lounge, movie theater, clubroom, private dining room, meeting room, outdoor pool with hot tub, and a spacious lobby with concierge services.

Residents can grab coffee at the coffee bar and bistro, visit the nail and hair salon, take cooking classes at Relish (the demon-

stration kitchen), host meetings or visits in the meeting room, or take classes at the fitness center and yoga studio.

Apartments come with one or two bedrooms, one or two baths, and some have dens. All rooms feature wood-style plank flooring, plush carpet in bedrooms, designer lighting, large windows, walk-in closets and a patio or balcony.

Private kitchens have prep islands, Whirlpool stainless appliances, and luxury features like granite countertops, mosaic glass-tiled backsplashes, under-cabinet lighting, espresso wood cabinetry, and designer single-basin sinks.

Private bathrooms have dual vanities, walk-in tiled showers and garden tubs.

There are also full-size top-load washers and dryers in each apartment.

The community is now pre-leasing for October move-ins. The showroom is located in Suite T25 at 3975 Fair Ridge Dr. in Fairfax, Va. 22033. For more information, call (703) 5845959 or visit www.liveoverture.com/fairfax.

CONTINUING CARE/LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

Falcons Landing 703-439-1521 20522 Falcons Landing Circle Potomac Falls, VA 20165 www.FalconsLanding.org Common Bonds and Extraordinary Living is what you find when you move to Falcons Landing! Nestled near the Potomac River in scenic Loudoun County, Falcons Landing is a vibrant hub for residents who have retired from work, but not from life!

Adventure, friendships, education, exquisite food and more are waiting for you. Call us today to schedule your personal visit and learn more about the Falcons Life! Falcons Landing welcomes all officers whether retired or honorably discharged, from all branches of service, as well as, senior-level federal employees of GS-14 and higher, to include spouses and surviving spouses.

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED/MEMORY CARE

Waltonwood Ashburn 571-982-6318 44144 Russell Branch Parkway Ashburn, VA 20147 www.Waltonwood.com Social opportunities and luxury amenities await you at Waltonwood Ashburn, a community from Singh Development opening late 2017 with independent living, assisted living and memory care communities. Our broad range of amenities includes a spa, saltwater therapy pool, fitness and wellness center, movie theatre, cafe, convenience store and more. Enjoy chef prepared meals in our elegant dining room, plus personal care services and courtesy transportation. You will love our beautifully appointed studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartment homes. Visit our on-site information center for tours 7 days a week. Visit now to get on our priority list.

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

MD and VA Goodwin House among best opens new center states for seniors Goodwin House, a nonprofit senior living After an extensive national study, SeniorAdvice.com has named Maryland and Virginia among the top ten best states for seniors in the United States. SeniorAdvice is an online information resource and advocacy site for seniors and their caregivers.

At number one, Virginia won the top slot due to its overall senior friendliness.

The state provides much-needed access to quality senior healthcare, and features many nationally-ranked hospitals and Medicare-registered doctors.

Virginia is also rich with many senior living communities and home healthcare options. Added bonuses are low taxes, a stable economy — which is ideal for a retirement budget — and nice weather for a majority of the year.

Maryland ranked number six, with particular mention of its excellent healthcare, which boasts Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, and Sinai Hospital.

Maryland and Virginia have similarly nice weather for much of the year, but Maryland got extra points for its extensive outdoor facilities. The state is home to many city and state parks and almost 200 golf courses.

The cost of living is a little higher in Maryland, but the state makes up for it with several tax benefits for adults over the age of 65, who are allowed a higher income level before being required to file a tax return, and are entitled to an additional personal exemption of $1,000.

Maryland seniors can also qualify for a pension exclusion that increases each year. Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits are also not subject to Maryland tax.

For more information, visit www.senioradvice.com/articles/the-best-and-worststates-for-seniors.

organization with campuses in northern Virginia, recently opened a “small house” healthcare center focused on memory care, mobility support, short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. The $50-million community at its Alexandria location has been in development for the past ten years.

The new 80,000-square-foot space is a research-guided healthcare facility with a person-centered and home-like atmosphere.

“This new Health Care Center is a dramatic step forward in advancing from institutionbased care models to person-centric models, all in a small home environment, and it’s reflective of Goodwin House’s leadership in expanding the ways in which we honor and uplift seniors,” said Kathleen Anderson, Goodwin House President and CEO. The new healthcare center is connected to the existing Goodwin House in Alexandria, Va., and will accommodate 90 residents. The center features a 37,500-squarefoot green space, with walking paths and garden beds that residents can use.

Making the center feel like a home has been the priority. There are common areas similar to family rooms for relaxation and family visits; a shared dining room table where plates, rather than trays, are used, and where residents can order their preferred meal ahead of time; a home-style kitchen, where meals are prepared by center staff; and secure areas for medication in each resident’s room, rather than industrial carts stationed in hallways with resident medications.

The house even has a front door and doorbell, and an open kitchen to encourage a home-like environment. Individual rooms also have architectural features to support cognitive and physical abilities, and residents can bring their own furniture to make the environment feel more familiar.

See HOUSING NOTES, page B-7

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Seabury at FRIENDSHIP TERRACE 202-244-7400 4201 Butterworth Place NW Washington, DC 20016 www.friendshipterrace.org Active, affordable senior living close to stores, restaurants, transportation and entertainment can be found at Seabury at Friendship Terrace! Located in a quiet, tree-lined northwest Washington neighborhood, Friendship Terrace is just two blocks from the Tenleytown Metro station. The community offers affordable senior living with subsidy assistance to those who are eligible, as well as exciting on-site events including performances, lectures, holiday observances, socials, and more. A rooftop deck, greenhouse, library, lounges, and a dining room overlooking an outdoor courtyard are highlights of the community.

Call for your tour today!

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

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

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Features that help sell your home faster

By Andrea Browne Taylor Homeowners are sometimes hesitant to upgrade when it’s time to sell. After all, you won’t be living there much longer, and home remodeling efforts only increase home values by 64 percent of the average project’s costs, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value report.

But think again, sellers. The cost of inaction can be far greater than the small loss you’ll incur on any home-improvement projects.

“It can mean the difference between getting multiple bids at once and driving up the selling price, or getting no offers,” said Brian

Lewis, a real estate broker with Halstead Property, a New York City-based realty firm.

And as your house lingers on the market, you’ll likely pay ongoing mortgage, maintenance and staging costs.

To make the most of your remodeling budget, focus on features that most home buyers really want to see. Here are home features sought by at least 80 percent of buyers these days.

Housing notes

portant to have proper coverage limits, especially in a home-share situation.”

One of the most important aspects of renting your home is getting the correct insurance. Regularly renting out rooms for a profit may be considered a home-based business, and not having the right coverage can make you liable for out-of-pocket costs of damages caused by the tenant.

For private renters, consult with an insurance agent. Some home-sharing companies offer host protection guarantees to cover disputes between owners and renters.

A new type of coverage, called “homeshare business multi-peril insurance,” is specifically designed to provide protection for homeowners using home-sharing apps such as Airbnb or Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO), which are both intended to facilitate short-term but regular stays.

It’s offered by a non-admitted insurer who is not under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Insurance Commissioner.

Home-share business multi-peril policies will protect a homeowner in the event of property damage or theft, as well as providing coverage for some forms of liability that may arise from the home-sharing transaction.

It’s also important to ask for proof of a

From page B-6 The staff is made up of over 90 care partners — certified nursing assistants who undergo additional and extensive training to enable them to provide truly person-centered care — plus 30 nurses.

Goodwin House’s new healthcare center is located at 4800 Fillmore Ave. in Alexandria, Va. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/GoodwinHouseHealthcare.

Tips for successful home-sharing The Maryland Insurance Administration is encouraging home-sharers — individuals who loan or rent out their home to others, such as through Airbnb — to be cautious, and to obtain the correct property and casualty insurance coverage to protect themselves and their home.

“We are seeing more and more homesharing activity, in which homeowners rent out rooms or their entire residence to third parties,” said Commissioner Al Redmer. “As the sharing economy continues to grow here and across the nation, it’s im-

Laundry room Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 92 percent Cost to install: $1,000 to $10,000

ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE

depending on scope of project More than anything else, homeowners want a room other than the guest bedroom to stack all the clean laundry in until it finally gets put away. A separate laundry room topped the National Association of Home Builders’ list of most-wanted home features for buyers of all ages — from millennials to seniors.

If you don’t have an existing laundry room and want to add one, the basement is usually the easiest (and cheapest) place to put it, according to Paul Sullivan, founder and president of the Sullivan Company, a remodeling and custom-building firm.

The utility lines are already there, and in many cases the basement is unfinished, so you won’t have to demolish anything first.

Adding a laundry room in the basement can cost as little as $1,000, he said.

Homeowners who prefer a laundry room or laundry closet (which fits just a washer and dryer) closer to the bedroom level can expect to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 for installation, Sullivan said.

tenant’s homeowners, renters or personal liability insurance. If a guest damages rented property, hosts can report a claim on the guest’s policy.

When using a home-sharing site, always

check the terms of use and read the fine print, since user agreements often change.

For more insurance tips about the sharing economy, visit http://bit.ly/SharingEconomyInfo.

Exterior lighting Percentage of buyers who want this See SELL FASTER, page B-9

CONTINUING CARE/LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

The Village at Rockville 301-424-9560 9701 Veirs Drive Rockville, MD 20850-3462 www.thevillageatrockville.org Welcome home to The Village at Rockville. Here the people within make a difference. As a staff we're always engaging, collaborating and making sure that our Life Enrichment programming is perfectly tailored to the wants and needs of those we serve, with activities such as wellness and art classes, social events, educational lectures and shopping excursions. And here, with our full continuum of care, we can meet any changes in health care needs with our short-term myPotential rehabilitation services, brand-new assisted living suites, memory support accommodations and skilled nursing care. Call today to learn more about plans for new independent living!

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320

Chesterbrook Residences 703-531-0781

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bfg.org

2030 Westmoreland Street Falls Church, VA www.chesterbrookres.org

This community hums with warm-hearted camaraderie and a zest for life shared by residents and staff alike. Experience all that makes assisted living at Brooke Grove extraordinary. Cozy, homelike dwellings with easy access to beautiful courtyards and walking paths. Caring staff trained in using memory support techniques, building independence and lifting self-esteem.

Innovative LIFE® Enrichment Programming with meaningful activities and off-site adventures. Visit us to see why Brooke Grove Retirement Village is one of the most sought-after continuing care retirement communities in the state. Living here is simply different … because what surrounds you really matters.

At Chesterbrook Residences, you will be able to live with dignity, grace and security, close to the people and places you love in a comfortable, neighborhood setting. We offer an active assisted-living lifestyle for those 62 and over. A variety of one- and two-bedroom floor plans are available. Enjoy our community living room with fireplace, beautiful views, and chef-prepared meals in our gracious main dining room. Rehab services are available 5 days a week, offering physical, occupational and speech therapy, most of which are covered by Medicare Part B. We also have an on-site wellness center with visiting physician and podiatrist. We are a mixed-income nonprofit, so our rates are affordable and all inclusive.

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

How to track down items often misplaced

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend any products or devices to help people track down lost or misplaced items, like car keys, wallet, cell phone, etc? My husband and I spend a lot of wasted time looking for things.

— Frustrated Spouse Dear Frustrated: There are actually a wide variety of tracking devices that can help you and your husband find items that are commonly misplaced

or lost. Here are some top options to consider depending on how tech savvy you are.

Smartphone or tablet users If you or your husband use a smartphone or tablet, you can easily track down lost or misplaced items — like keys, a purse, wallet, remote control, smartphone, tablet or laptop — by attaching special tags to them that communicate with those devices via Bluetooth, a wireless communication method.

Two such products — TrackR (thetrackr. com, $25 or $30 per tag) or Tile (thetileapp. com, $25 per tag) — pair with an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet app using Bluetooth technology. All you do is to attach a small TrackerR or Tile tag to the items you want to keep track of. You can attach it with adhesive, put it on a key ring, or can just slip the tag inside the item or its case.

Then, when a tagged item goes missing, you simply open the app on your smartphone or tablet to see how far away you are from the item or its last known location on the map. If you’re within 100 feet, you can make the tracking tag ring so you can follow the sound.

Or, if you or your husband loses your phone or tablet, both TrackR and Tile work in reverse, allowing you to press a button on any tagged device to make your phone or tablet ring (even if it’s on silent) as long as it’s nearby.

And to help you avoid leaving items behind, TrackR can be set to sound an alarm when there’s too much distance between your phone and device for them to communicate.

Low-tech finders If you or your husband don’t have a smartphone or tablet, there are radio frequency devices like Click ‘N Dig (clickndig.com) that

can help you find lost/misplaced items.

This device comes with one finder fob/remote and four or six tags for $26 or $39, respectively. Attach a tag to the items you want to keep track of with adhesive or a key ring. Each tag is color-coded and corresponds to a colored button on the finder.

When an item goes missing, you simply press the colored button on the finder fob and the tag will flash and beep. The signal will go through walls and cushions, but you’ll need to be within at least 60 feet of your lost item.

Make sure you keep the finder fob in a safe spot, because if you misplace it, you won’t be able to find the tagged items.

Another good option, and one that doesn’t require a finder fob, is Find One Find All or FOFA (findonefindall.com). This device can manage up to six items. It comes in a key-fob finder and/or a flat, credit card sized finder for your wallet, remote, phone, tablet, etc.

These finders can be attached to items you wish to keep track of, and because each finder is also a transmitter, as long as you can find one FOFA tagged item, you can locate the rest.

FOFA finders sound an alarm when signaled, so you can follow the sound to locate the missing item. But the range for this device is only 30 feet. Cost: $25 for two finders.

Visit SavvySenior.org.

NOW PRELEASING for October 2017 Move Ins!

Active Adult Rentals In The Heart Of Fairfax It’s here. Everything you’ve worked for, dreamt of.

At Overture Fair Ridge, you’ll experience endless freedom and new opportunities for luxury living within our new 62+ active adult rental community located in Fairfax.

• Meet new friends and enjoy every day to its fullest with fun classes, seminars, and happy hours!

• Over 16,000 square feet of amenity space and resort-inspired services.

• Expansive clubroom • Outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, and sun deck

• • • • •

Fully-equipped fitness center & yoga studio Demonstration kitchen Billiards and game room Theater, Library, Salon and more!

Maintenance-free living in a brand new 1- or 2-bedroom residence, some with dens • Gourmet kitchens with prep island, granite counters and stainless appliances

Visit our leasing showroom located at: 3975 Fair Ridge Drive • Suite T-25 Fairfax, VA 22033

703-584-5959 OvertureFairRidge.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

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

Sell faster From page B-7 feature: 90 percent Cost to install: $63 to $135 per fixture Illuminating a well-manicured lawn with exterior lighting can help grab potential buyers’ attention before they even set foot in the front door. In fact, exterior lighting is the most-wanted outdoor feature, according to the NAHB. Options include spotlights, walkway lights and pendant lights.

Aesthetics aside, exterior lighting also serves as an added safety feature for your home, said Daniel Hurst, a certified remodeler and lead carpenter for Hurst DesignBuild-Remodel. Motion-sensor lights, for example, turn on automatically whenever there is movement outside your house.

Energy efficiencies (appliances and windows) Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 90 percent (appliances), 87 percent (windows) Cost to install: varies (appliances), $270 to $800 each (windows) Would-be buyers looking to limit utility bills will likely be drawn to properties with energy efficiencies, such as Energy Starqualified windows and appliances.

“Buyers are most impressed with smart, energy-efficient choices that in no way limit their comfort, but in every way save them money in the long run,” Lewis said.

Energy-efficient windows can trim heating and cooling costs by 12 percent, while individual appliances, such as an Energy Star-certified washing machine ($500 to $1,500 at Home Depot), can each save homeowners $40 a year or more on their utility bills.

An Energy Star-certified dishwasher (ranging in price from $342 to $1,900 at Lowe’s) uses soil sensors to assess how dirty your dishes are to minimize water use.

Patio Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 84 percent Cost to install: $961 per 120 square feet for a concrete patio It’s important for homeowners not to neglect the backyard area when prepping for resale, said Mike McGrew, treasurer of the National Association of Realtors and CEO of McGrew Real Estate. In today’s housing market, outdoor living spaces are quickly becoming one of the most coveted home features.

“When most buyers see a house with a

really nice backyard, they start to envision themselves sitting outdoors with friends having drinks,” McGrew adds. Outdoor areas offer more living space without the cost of a large-scale home addition.

Thanks to the popularity of renovation TV shows, such as DIY Network’s “Yard Crashers,” HGTV’s “Flip or Flop,” and PBS’s “This Old House,” buyers now envision everything from a traditional ground-level patio, to an elevated deck, to a backyard kitchen area.

Garage storage space Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 81 percent Cost to install: $2,025 to $2,363 for a 380-square-foot space Buyers with growing families need lots of storage space. “A seller should ensure that such bonus space is easily accessible and wonderfully organized,” Lewis said.

Additional storage units located in the garage help keep clutter out of the main living areas of the home.

Unlike an attic or a backyard shed, the garage is accessible — generally, just a few steps away from the rest of the house — making it easier to transport items such as tools, patio chairs or boxes to and from other parts of the house.

The installation cost includes adding cabinetry, a peg wallboard for tools, and improved lighting and electrical circuits.

Affordable Senior Communities Discover how great senior living is at one of our affordable apartment communities. Many of our communities feature 24-hour emergency maintenance, full activities programs, spacious floor plans, affordable rents, caring and dedicated staff, and much more. We are conveniently located near shopping, including grocery stores and pharmacies. Let us help you live life to the fullest.

Call or visit our web site to view these communities: 600 North Madison Street, Arlington, VA 22203

Rent based on income

703-538-6000 Lockwood House 7010 Schoonmaker Court Alexandria, VA 22310

From $896

703-719-7268

Eat-in kitchen Percentage of buyers who want this feature: 80 percent Cost to install: $1,000 to $10,000 Eat-in kitchens are a must-have for many buyers, especially families with children. Removing a wall to create space for a small table and chairs in your kitchen is relatively inexpensive, but that price can quickly escalate if there’s additional repair work that needs to be done, said Neil Parsons, owner of Design Build Pros, a project design firm.

First, determine whether the wall is loadbearing. Non-load-bearing walls are used merely to separate rooms, while load-bearing walls help hold up the weight of the house.

Improperly removing the latter could cause rooms on upper levels of the home to cave in. Getting rid of a non-load-bearing wall can cost as little as $1,000; removing a loadbearing wall can run as much as $10,000. © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BEACON BITS

July 12

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873 Grace Street Herndon, VA 20170

From $950

703-904-9444

20900 Runny Meade Terrace Ashburn, VA 20147

703-858-9507

From $931

Wingler House Apartments

7837 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22306

From $1,006

703-780-9072

5999 Emerson Street Bladensburg, MD 20710

301-779-6196

FASHION SHOW

18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874

Springfield Christian Women Connection is holding a LuLaRoe

301-540-1162

Rent based on income

From $1,055 for 2 bedroom

Fashion Show and Intergenerational Tea on Wednesday, July 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Springfield Golf & Country Club, located at 8301 Old Keene Mill Rd. in Springfield. LuLaRoe consultant Dana Elmini will explore the bold color and new styles in the fashion world. In addition, Gail Alicia will speak about Surviving the Grand Canyons of Life. The cost is $20 per person. For more information, call (703) 913-9844 or SpringWmConn@yahoo.com

5101 River Road, Suite 101 • Bethesda, MD 20816

301-941-8040 www.qpmgmt.com Professionally managed by Quantum Real Estate Management LLC T/A Quantum Property Management

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Housing Options | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

INDEPENDENT/PERSONAL CARE/ASSISTED LIVING

Seabury at SPRINGVALE TERRACE 301-587-0190 8505 Springvale Road Silver Spring, MD 20910 www.springvaleterrace.org Located in the heart of Silver Spring, Springvale Terrace blends affordability with convenience, style and quality care. Residential apartments are available, and enhanced senior living is complemented with personal care services including three meals a day, housekeeping, laundry, and medication administration. And if additional care is needed, Springvale Terrace also has beautiful assisted living apartments. This range of services — combined with low monthly rates — provides just the right amount of assistance to meet your needs while allowing you to live in an apartment you’ll love. Call today to learn more, schedule your personal tour and reserve your apartment!

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Emerson House 301-779-6196 5999 Emerson Street Bladensburg, MD 20710 Our community features bright onebedroom apartments in a nine-story elevator building for today’s active and independent seniors who are 62 or older. Emerson House is subsidized for low to moderate income households. Activities are yours to choose from: gardening, Bingo, Wii bowling league, movie night, parties, bus trips, exercise classes, learning to line dance — it’s all waiting for you and more! Emerson House offers an in-house Resident Service Coordinator to assist with finding helpful resources. Please call today for an appointment to tour our community or request an application; 301-779-6196 Monday-Friday from 8:30 to 5:00.

CONTINUING CARE/LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

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

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Overture Fair Ridge 703-584-5959 3975 Fair Ridge Drive • Suite T-25 South Fairfax, VA 22033 www.OvertureFairRidge.com Active adult rentals for ages 62 & up. Enjoy maintenance free living in our one-bdrm, one-bdrm w/den and 2-bdrm floor plans. The gourmet kitchens include prep island, granite countertops, backsplashes and more. The bathrooms are spacious with dual vanities and we feature full-size top loading washers and dryers. Complimentary breakfast is served daily. Fun awaits with weekly happy hours and your concierge plans trips, tours and events. Our activities collection offers a variety of fitness classes such as water aerobics, wellness health screenings, beauty and spa services, crafts and cooking classes, and in person and online education courses for computers, estate and financial planning are offered. Pets are welcome!

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bfg.org You’ll feel it as soon as you drive onto our 220-acre campus of lush pastures and hardwood forest — all that makes independent living at Brooke Grove different. Beautiful cottages in a truly picturesque setting. Maintenance-free living, with more time for what you really want to do. Personalized fitness programs, meals prepared by talented chefs, clubs and social events. Neighbors who share your interests and passions. Come for a visit and see why Brooke Grove Retirement Village is one of the most soughtafter retirement communities in the state. Living here is simply different … because what surrounds you really matters.

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING

Vinson Hall Retirement Community 703-536-4344

Aspenwood Senior Living (301) 598-6424

6251 Old Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101 www.vinsonhall.org

14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 www.aspenwoodseniorliving.com

Celebrate the tradition at Vinson Hall Retirement Community!

We're located in McLean, Virginia, near Washington D.C. and its surrounding suburbs. We are an active, vibrant senior living community, offering independent living, assisted living, nursing care, and memory support residences — all located on 20 acres in a suburban setting. Residents are encouraged to live life “their way.”

Visit our website to learn more: www.vinsonhall.org.

Welcome to Aspenwood Senior Living, where you will find comfort, flexibility, security and choice in a delightful setting with every convenience at your fingertips. Imagine the luxury of a spacious apartment, coupled with fine dining, a full range of favorite programs, friendly neighbors and a caring staff. In addition, as your needs change, Aspenwood offers a variety of services to meet your healthcare and social desires. Since 1989 Aspenwood Senior Living has been the premier choice for Independent and Assisted Living to many seniors and their families. The wonderful rhythm of life here sets us apart from other communities, but the wealth of service options makes us a leader in the senior housing industry.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Housing Options

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

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FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION For free information from advertisers in this special section, check off those that interest you and mail this entire page to the Beacon. Please do not request info if you are not interested. All replies have an equal chance to win. To be eligible for Vamoose bus tickets, your reply must arrive by August 1, 2017.

HOUSING COMMUNITIES:

❑ Victory Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-18 ❑ Village at Rockville .B-7, B-14 & B-19

HOME CARE SERVICES:

WASHINGTON, DC

VIRGINIA

HOUSING REFERRAL:

❑ Ashby Ponds . . . . . . .B-5, B-12 & 40 ❑ Chesterbrook Residences . . . . . . . . . . . .B-7 & B-16 ❑ Falcons Landing . . . . . . . .B-6 & B-20 ❑ Greenspring . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5, B-13 ❑ Gum Springs Glen . . . . . . . . . . . .B-9 ❑ Herndon Harbor House . . . . . . . . .B-9 ❑ Lockwood House . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-9 ❑ Morris Glen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-9 ❑ Overture Fair Ridge . . . . .B-8 & B-10 ❑ Tall Oaks Assisted Living . .B-4 & B-13 ❑ Vinson Hall . . . . . . . . . . .B-2 & B-10 ❑ Waltonwood . . . . . . . . . . .B-6 & B-19 ❑ Wingler House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-9

❑ Oasis Senior Advisors . . . . . . . . . .B-8

❑ Friendship Terrace . . . . . .B-6 & B-17

MARYLAND ❑ Aspenwood . . . . . . . . . .B-10 & B-16 ❑ Brooke Grove Retirement Village . . . . .B-7, B-10, B-15 & 44 ❑ Covenant Village . . . . . . .B-9 & B-12 ❑ Emerson House . . . . . . . .B-9 & B-10 ❑ Homecrest House . . . . . . .B-3 & B-15 ❑ Kensington Park . . . . . . . .B-7 & B-12 ❑ Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . .B-4 & B-12 ❑ Rainier Manor II . . . . . . .B-15 & B-18 ❑ Riderwood . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5 & B-13 ❑ Springvale Terrace . . . . .B-10 & B-17 ❑ Sunrise at Bethesda/Chevy Case .B-3

❑ Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-2

REAL ESTATE: ❑ Walter Johnson/Long& Foster . . . .B-5

REHABILITATION: ❑ Brooke Grove Rehabilitation . . . .B-15

REVERSE MORTGAGES: ❑ Jefferson Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . .B-17

SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS: ❑ The Village at Rockville . . .B-14, B-19

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this entire coupon to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227.

You may also include the free info coupon on page 5.

One entry per household please.

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________ Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ Please provide your telephone number and e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

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ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE

Olney Assisted Living Memory Care by Design 16940 Georgia Avenue Olney, MD 20832 www.olneymemorycare.com A memory care specific community, Olney Assisted Living offers compassionate care in an environment designed specifically for those with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Design includes; interior “neighborhoods,” a central Town Center, and outdoor court yards. Daily life enrichment programming is provided with the goal of enhancing cognition, feelings of accomplishment, and quality of life. Licensed, on-site nursing care is provided 24 hours a day by a team of experienced professionals. Families seeking memory care will feel right at home in our community.

For more information, call 301-570-0525 today.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Ashby Ponds 703-723-1999 or 1-800-564-0155 21170 Ashby Ponds Boulevard Ashburn, VA 20147 EricksonLiving.com Ashby Ponds in Ashburn offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle — all in a beautiful, private and gated community. Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Ashby Ponds many clubs and interest groups. Campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while security offers protection and peace of mind.

Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our health care and wellness services.

Whatever your passions in life, you’ll find the freedom and opportunity to follow them at Ashby Ponds. Continuing Care at Ashby Ponds is open and features assisted living, nursing care, postacute rehabilitation, and memory care.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Covenant Village 301-540-1162 18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874 www.qpmgmt.com • Spacious 2-bedroom plans with washer/dryer in each apt.

• Covenant Village shuttle bus for shopping and local trips • Fitness room, billiard room, game/crafts room, movie theatre • On-site beauty salon, garden plots It’s all about our residents, says Kathy the Property Manager. The staff ensures that the residents always have interesting and exciting activities going on. Some of the fun includes movie nights, new resident meet and greet, holiday parties, fashion shows, and community dinners. Attendance at the wine and cheese and ice cream socials is close to 100%. Covenant Village was recently awarded a trophy by the Property Management Association for being Maryland’s Best Affordable Community in their category! Please call today to make an appointment for a tour.

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

How to select memory care housing

By Eleanor Laise When a loved one with dementia can no longer live at home, you may want to seek out a residential facility that specializes in memory care. But how do you know if a facility offers more than just a fancy label and a premium price tag?

Memory care units, sometimes called special care units, are often housed within an assisted living or skilled nursing facility.

At their best, they can offer staff extensively trained in caring for people with dementia, individualized care that minimizes the use of dangerous psychotropic drugs, a home-like environment, and activities that improve residents’ quality of life.

But at their worst, they may offer little more than a locked door. “There are no consistent standards for memory care,” said Mitzi McFatrich, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care.

If you’re considering memory care for a loved one, you “need to go beyond the label to find out exactly what services are being offered at the facility,” said Jody Spiegel, staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

That means making multiple visits to each facility on your short list, studying staff interactions with residents, talking to residents’ families, and asking a host of questions about staff training, daily routines, methods of dealing with challenging behavior and other issues.

With someone in the U.S. developing Alzheimer’s every 66 seconds, long-term care providers are rushing to offer memory care services. As of last year, memory care facilities had the capacity to care for more than 65,000 residents — a 44 percent increase over the past five years, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care.

But academic research on the benefits of memory care units has drawn mixed conclusions. A mid-1990s study of more than 77,000 nursing-home residents found that there was no significant difference in the speed of decline between those living in memory care units and those living in traditional nursing homes.

A 2007 study of about 70,000 nursinghome residents painted a brighter picture, finding that memory care residents were less likely to have bed rails and to be tube fed than traditional nursing-home residents. But the study also found that memory care residents were more likely to be given psychotropic drugs.

Do in-person research To start your search for a facility, first focus on the one factor that patient advocates say can all but guarantee better outcomes: proximity to family and friends.

The task is not just to choose a good facility, “but also being there on a regular basis and being very involved,” said Ruth Drew, director of family and information services at the Alzheimer’s Association.

When you have narrowed down your choices, make multiple visits to each facility — including unscheduled visits at night or on weekends, when the staff is more likely to be stretched thin.

Is the facility clean? Does the food look appetizing and taste good? Is there adequate staff to assist those who need help eating? Are there residents calling out who are being ignored?

Ask about the staff-to-resident ratio and the level of staff turnover. Memory care facilities should have at least one staff member for every five residents, McFatrich See MEMORY CARE, page B-13

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

ARLINGTON TECH HELP

Arlington Public Library offers free technology help by appointment. Volunteers will help you set up computer software, download an e-book or e-magazine from the library’s collection, and can help you learn the basics of Microsoft programs, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. For more information or to make an appointment at an area library, visit http://bit.ly/FreeArlingtonTechHelp

July 23

PIANO CONCERT

The Washington Piano Society presents its free summer concert on Sunday, July 23 at 3 p.m. This varied concert includes works for solo and four hands, including Beethoven, Faure, Barber, and the world of Spanish music. The concert will be held at Calvary Lutheran Church, located at 9545 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, Md. A reception will follow. No advance tickets are required. For more information, visit www.dcpianosociety.org or call (301) 793-1863.

July 17

POETRY OPEN MIC

There will be a free poetry open mic on Monday, July 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Friendship Heights Village Center, located at 4433 S. Park Ave. in Chevy Chase, Md. Poets Jennifer Barber and Jayne Benjulian will read from their work, and an open mic will follow. The evening starts with classical guitar and includes refreshments. For more information, call (301) 656-2797.

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

Memory care From page B-12 said. “If you don’t have that, you end up with people placed in front of the television,” she said.

If there’s a high level of staff turnover, “that’s a very bad sign,” Spiegel said, because people with dementia tend to respond better to familiar routines and consistent caregivers. Ask about the type and amount of training the staff receives, both initially and on an annual basis.

Look for signs that the facility is responding to individual residents’ needs — not forcing them into a fixed routine.

For example, at Aspen House in Loveland, Colo., one resident was always distracted and walking around during meal times. So “we put her food in ice cream cones, and she could walk around and eat,” said Jean Cannon, executive director.

“You can put anything in an ice cream cone, even spaghetti.” For another resident, an iPod playing familiar music helped her focus long enough to eat her meal, Cannon said.

Make sure the facility offers activities that can keep your loved one engaged — even at night, when many dementia sufferers are awake. Mandy Otto, life enrichment director at Cambrian Senior Living in Tecumseh, Mich., watched her own grandfather rapidly deteriorate in a facility where “there wasn’t anything for him to do,” she said. “He was bored.”

At Cambrian, residents help tend a garden with raised beds, and pick the tomatoes that are served with their meals. “Just the act of doing” is important, Otto said.

“You’re still making a contribution.”

Ask how the facility responds to residents who may wander or become aggressive. If the answer is locked doors and antipsychotic drugs, that’s a red flag.

Facilities should have a circular corridor, an enclosed outdoor area, or other spaces that let residents roam freely. And they should provide enough individual at-

tention to detect hunger, pain and other common triggers for aggression, rather than resorting to drugs, Cannon said.

Try to avoid moves Because transitions can be unsettling for dementia sufferers, make sure that your loved one will be able to remain at the facility for the foreseeable future.

In some states, assisted-living facilities can’t provide complex medical care, so residents who need skilled nursing may have to leave — or the facility may contract with a home health nurse to provide care, at additional cost. Ask what health conditions might require your loved one to leave the facility or move to a higher — and more expensive — level of care within the facility.

And find out if the facility accepts Medicaid. If not, a resident who runs out of money may be forced to move. In 2015, the median monthly cost of memory care was $5,140, versus $3,948 for assisted living, according to A Place for Mom, a senior housing referral service.

To be sure a facility has been treating residents well, talk with family members of residents at different stages of dementia about their experience with the facility. Go to www.ltcombudsman.org to find your state’s long-term care ombudsman, who can tell you about any problems with the quality of care or management of a particular facility.

For memory care units housed within skilled-nursing facilities, go to Medicare.gov and click “find nursing homes” to see star ratings for a nursing home’s health inspections, staffing and other measures.

If the unit is within an assisted living facility, contact the state licensing agency (which is often the state health department) for information on inspection reports and any sanctions against the facility. © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Riderwood 301-495-5700 3140 Gracefield Road Silver Spring, MD 20904 EricksonLiving.com Ideally located in Silver Spring, Riderwood offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle ― all in a beautiful, private community.

Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Riderwood’s many clubs and interest groups. Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE

Tall Oaks Assisted Living 703 834-9800 12052 N. Shore Drive Reston, VA 20190 TallOaksAL.com Tall Oaks Assisted Living has proudly served Reston and the Metropolitan DC area since 1991 by providing quality Assisted Living and Memory Care to seniors. From superb and delicious dining to engaging activity programming and 24-hour licensed nursing care, our goal is to exceed expectat ions in every aspect of community life.

The friendliness and longevity of our leadership team gives families peace of mind knowing that their loved ones’ care is in experienced hands.

Please visit us for a personal tour and enjoy a lunch or dinner on us to sample the food. You won't be disappointed!

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

KIDNEY DISEASE ONLINE SUPPORT

Greenspring

HealthUnlocked and the National Kidney Foundation have part-

703-913-1200 or 1-800-788-0811

nered in creating four online communities that help provide vital help, support and information to people with, affected by, or at risk of kidney disease. The four communities include the Kidney Disease Community, the Kidney Dialysis Community,

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7410 Spring Village Drive Springfield, VA 22150 EricksonLiving.com

the Living Donor Community and the Transplant Community. For more information or to join one of the online groups, visit http://bit.ly/KidneyGroups.

Ongoing

REPORT HOUSING DESCRIMINATION If you believe a landlord or housing provider is discriminating against you, don’t be silent! Speak up and find out what your

rights are under DC fair housing law. The DC Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the housing market based on 18 protected traits. These laws apply to everyone in housing, including landlords, building managers and even maintenance staff. If you think you have been treated unfairly by a landlord or anyone involved in housing, please contact Housing Counseling Services, Inc. at (202) 667-7006 or visit http://housingetc.org.

Situated in beautiful Springfield, Greenspring is the perfect place to enjoy an active lifestyle now, with added peace of mind for the future. Everything you need is right on campus, including continuing care services, should your health needs ever change.

Greenspring is supported by the nation’s largest integrated health and wellness system for seniors. Nestled on 58 acres and bordered on three sides by wooded parkland, Greenspring is home to more than 2,000 residents. A refundable deposit guarantees there is no financial risk and the monthly service package includes utilities, maintenance, and flexible dining plans you can use in any of the four on-site restaurants. On-site amenities include restaurants; stores; medical center with full time physicians; an all-season swimming pool; a fitness center with full-time trainers; barber shop and hair salon; bank; and a full-time, interfaith pastoral staff.

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

Protect your home from summer storms

By Kimberly Lankford Q: I know that hurricane season started June 1. What should I be doing to protect my home (and my finances) from storms this summer?

A: This is the perfect time to take steps to protect your home from summer storms and other weather damage. Hurricane season runs from June to November, and it’s also prime time for tornadoes, other wind and rainstorms, and lightning strikes.

The following steps can help you be prepared before a weather emergency strikes.

Update your home inventory. This is one of the most important ways to make a homeowners claim go smoothly. Smartphones make it easy to gather the information. (Many insurers have their own home inventory apps, or go to KnowYourStuff.org).

Take pictures of your rooms, closets, attic and your backyard. When doing so, open drawers and cupboards so everything gets photographed.

Store the photos and copies of receipts for valuable items online or outside of your home, such as with your insurance agent.

That way, you can provide the file to the insurer immediately after a disaster, and get the ball rolling on your claim.

Make sure you have the right insurance. Let your insurer know if you’ve made any major home improvements. It

usually doesn’t cost a lot to add tens of thousands of dollars in extra coverage.

Also ask your agent or insurer what isn’t covered by your policy.

For example, most homeowner policies don’t automatically cover sewage and drain backups, which can cause expensive damage if water and sewage backs up into your house.

Also, flooding (water that enters your home from the bottom up) isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. But you can get a separate flood insurance policy from the National Flood Insurance Program. Go to FloodSmart.gov for more information.

Don’t wait until a big storm is in the forecast — there’s a 30-day waiting period before flood coverage takes effect. Your homeowners insurance agent may also sell flood coverage.

Know your deductible and boost your emergency fund. You may have little or no insurance coverage for some common storm damage expenses, such as the cost to haul away a fallen tree that doesn’t hit your home.

Also, some insurers have special deductibles for windstorms or hurricanes in some higher-risk states. The deductible can be a percentage of your home’s insured value rather than a fixed dollar amount.

If you have a 2 percent windstorm deductible and your property is covered for

$300,000, for example, you’ll have to pay $6,000 out of pocket before the coverage kicks in for damages due to a windstorm.

But the deductible you selected (such as $500 or $1,000) for other covered damages will still apply.

Take precautions to protect your home. This is a good time of year to trim trees with low-hanging or unhealthy branches that could fall and damage your own or your neighbor’s property.

“If you have an older tree that has to be looked at by a licensed arborist, have that done ahead of time,” said Carol M. Hanover, regional field director for northeast risk control for Travelers Insurance. Before a storm, secure furniture and other items in your yard and patio that could become projectiles.

Also fix any leaks in your roof, windows or skylights that might seem small now but could cause a lot of damage during a storm.

Ask your insurer about steps you can take to protect your home that could also result in an insurance discount — such as installing storm shutters, using certain kinds of roofing materials, or installing a home generator that automatically turns on if the power goes out.

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes also has a list of steps you can take to protect your home from disasters.

Sign up for weather alerts and put

together an emergency kit. “Stock up on water and nonperishable foods, don’t forget your pets and medications, and have a portable radio and extra batteries for the radio and flashlight,” said Hanover.

If you still have a landline, it helps to have an old-style phone you can plug into the wall that can work even if the electricity goes out.

Sign up for weather alerts so you’ll have some time to prepare. FEMA has a mobile app that provides alerts from the national weather service for up to five locations, safety reminders and tips, emergency checklists, and a tool that makes it easy to contact FEMA and find shelters.

You can also get weather alerts from the National Weather Service, and disaster preparedness tips at Ready.gov.

You can find out more about preparing for disasters that are common in your area by typing your zip code at DisasterSafety.org.

Your insurer may also have resources to help, such as Travelers’ Prepare & Prevent website.

Have an evacuation plan, and make sure you know how to contact your insurance agent or company after a disaster, including how to get in touch if you don’t have cell phone service.

Copyright 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

Falls are take a rising toll on older brains

By Mike Stobbe Older adults are suffering concussions and other brain injuries from falls at what appear to be unprecedented rates, according to a new report from U.S. government researchers.

The reason for the increase isn’t clear, the report’s authors said. But one likely factor is that a growing number of older people are living at home and taking repeated tumbles, said one expert.

“Many older adults are afraid their independence will be taken away if they admit to falling, and so they minimize it,” said Dr. Lauren Southerland, an Ohio State University emergency physician who specializes in geriatric care.

But what may seem like a mild initial fall may cause concussions or other problems that increase the chances of future falls — and more severe injuries, she said.

Whatever the cause, the numbers are striking, according to the new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One in every 45 Americans 75 and older suffered brain injuries that resulted in

emergency department visits, hospitalizations or deaths in 2013. The rate for that age group jumped 76 percent from 2007.

The rate of these injuries for people of all ages rose 39 percent over that time, hitting a record level, the CDC found.

The report, which explored brain injuries in general, also found an increase in brain injuries from suicides and suicide attempts, mainly gunshot wounds to the head. Brain injuries from car crashes fell.

Fall risk factors But older adults suffered at far higher rates than any other group.

It’s well known that falls among older adults are common. They are more likely to have impaired vision, dizziness and other de-stabilizing health problems, and are less likely than younger people to have the strength and agility to find their feet once they begin to lose their balance.

The CDC had already reported that falls were the top cause of injuries and deaths See FALLS TAKE TOLL, page B-19

Twelve ways to prevent falls

By Kurt Kazanowski — Check the floors: Move the furniture in walkways and hallways so the path is clear. Remove rugs or use double-sided tape or a non-slip backing so the rugs won’t slip. Pick up any loose objects like papers, books, towels, shoes, magazines, boxes and blankets. Tape or clip wires and cords to the wall.

— Check stairs and steps: Always keep objects off the stairs. Fix loose or uneven steps. Make sure the carpet is firmly attached to every step, or remove the carpet and attach non-slip rubber treads to the stairs. Have an electrician put in an overhead light at the top and bottom of the stairs. Make sure handrails are tightly secured to the walls.

— In the kitchen: Move more frequently used items like cups and dishes to the lower shelves of cabinets. If you must use a step stool to reach items that are stored higher up, get one with a bar to hold on to. Never use a chair. Make sure all kitchen chairs are even and don’t wobble back and forth.

— In the bathroom: Put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower. Install a grab bar inside the tub and next to the toilet. Consider installing a floor level shower that doesn’t require climbing or stepping into it.

— In the bedroom: Place a lamp close to the bed, where it’s easy to reach. Put in a nightlight so you can see where you are walking at night. Consider carpeting, which can absorb the impact of a fall better than tile.

— Check medications: Ask your

pharmacist to review medications you take, as some can make you sleepy, dizzy and more prone to falls.

— Wear shoes as much as possible: Make sure and wear shoes inside and outside the house. Sneakers with a firm rubber bottom that grips the ground well are best. Avoid going barefoot or wearing slippers or socks.

— Easy access to help: Keep emergency phone numbers in large print and near each phone. Put a phone near the floor in case you fall and can’t get up.

Think about wearing an alarm device that, with the click of a button, will summon help if you need it.

— Vision checks: Get regular vision checkups at least once a year. Poor eyesight can contribute to falls.

— Regular exercise: Exercise makes you stronger, and improves balance and coordination. Regular exercise may help reduce falls or the injuries from falls. Always check with your physician before starting an exercise program.

— Protective clothing: Hip protectors, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist splints and soft foam helmets can greatly reduce or eliminate serious injuries in people who fall often.

— Nutritional changes: Speak with your doctor about adding calcium, vitamin D and C. These may help prevent fractures and reduce falls, according to several studies.

Kurt Kazanowski is a home care expert and the author of A Son’s Journey: Taking Care of Mom and Dad.

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INDEPENDENT & PERSONAL CARE COMMUNITIES

B’nai B’rith Homecrest House 301-244-3579 14508 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 www.homecresthouse.org Homecrest House is a non-profit, affordable, subsidized community offering two options: Independent & Personal Care Services.

PERSONAL CARE offers: assistance with bathing, daily meals, weekly housekeeping & laundry services with optional medication administration. Homecrest is nestled on 10 beautiful acres & neighbors with Leisure World. Residents may qualify approximately 30% of their adjusted income for rent & may qualify for personal care subsidies. Homecrest offers a full array of amenities, activities & scheduled weekday van service. Call Maria at 301-244-3579 for a personalized tour or visit us at www.homecresthouse.org.

REHABILITATION

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bfg.org Imagine an extraordinary staff and the best therapies and equipment — in a beautiful environment that rejuvenates and restores. Physical therapy spaces bathed in sunlight. The quiet comfort of a garden walk or relaxing massage. Imagine getting back to the activities that matter to you. Our new, state-of-the-art rehab addition at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center offers innovative therapy services for seniors, including NeuroGym® Technologies mobility training, the Korebalance system and much more. Visit us to see why Brooke Grove Retirement Village is one of the most sought-after continuing-care retirement communities in the state. Rehab here is simply different… because what s urrounds you really matters.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Rainier Manor 877-868-2884 3001 Queens Chapel Rd., Mt. Rainier, MD 20712 RainierManor.com NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS! Opening July 2017. Be the first to live in this beautiful new community for households with at least one member over 62! This smoke-free and pet-friendly community is walking distance to West Hyattsville Metro, and there's a bus stop on site. The one and two bedroom apartments feature spacious, open floorplans with abundant natural light, fully-equipped modern kitchens including microwave, and washer & dryer hookups. Community amenities include a greenhouse, cyber café, fitness center, beauty salon, planned resident events and activities, and much more! Best of all, we're where you want to be…close to everything, including perfection. Apply today!

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

Using your home’s equity for emergencies on the line of credit.

If a borrower receives a $100,000 line of credit at a 5 percent interest rate but doesn’t tap the funds, that line of credit would grow to $105,000 after a year, and then about $110,000 the next year, and so on.

“The idea is to set up the line of credit early and let it start to grow,” said Wade Pfau, a professor of retirement income at the American College of Financial Services and author of Reverse Mortgages: How to Use Reverse Mortgages to Secure Your Retirement (Retirement Researcher Media, $20).

Nontaxable cash This effectively allows you to create a ready source of cash if you need it. The money isn’t taxable, so you can cover a major

LIFE IS SIMPLY REFRESHING AT ASPENWOOD SENIOR LIVING! Summertime is the perfect time to move in!

14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

301-598-6424

Enjoy trips to museums, restaurants, and the casino, along with fantastic live entertainment when you refresh your routine at Aspenwood.

We are proud to offer: • Independent Living • Independence Plus, featuring additional services as you need them • Assisted Living • Outpatient Rehabilitation • Choice of private apartments, many with sunrooms or bay windows

expense with no ill effect on your tax bill.

That might protect some of your Social Security benefits from being taxed, or prevent you from going over the income threshold that triggers Medicare premium surcharges.

If you tap the line in an emergency, you can pay the loan back without penalty when you are able to restore your borrowing power.

The reverse mortgage can play a role in the bucket approach to retirement portfolios — the strategy that calls for keeping a couple of years’ worth of income needs in cash, with two or more buckets holding more volatile investments. The idea is that you routinely sell assets from the other buckets when it’s time to replenish the cash.

But what if the market has taken a beating just when you need to sell? Tapping your reverse mortgage to refill the cash bucket could give your stocks time to recover. When stocks are back up, you could pay the line of credit off, to use for another rainy day.

Experts applaud the way a standby reverse mortgage strategy can provide retirees the flexibility to handle emergency costs. “The concept is to use it judiciously,” said Peter Bell, president of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association.

No pay back required You could use the line to pay off lumpy expenditures, such as a car repair bill or a large medical bill.

“It’s a little bit like a home equity line of credit (HELOC), which is good for cash flow management,” said Steven Sass, a research economist for Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research. “But you don’t have to pay it back. You do have to pay back a HELOC.” That gives you flexibility if you run into a cash crunch and can’t pay back the amount you borrowed right away.

You must be age 62 or older to get a reverse mortgage, and the amount you can borrow is based on several factors, including your home’s value, your age and current interest rates. The younger you are, the lower the percentage of the home’s value you can borrow, but the more years your line of credit could grow if left untapped.

The line can remain untapped for as long as the borrower likes. “It’s possible for the line of credit to exceed the value of the home,” Pfau said.

Federally-backed Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (usually called reverse mortgages) are “nonrecourse” loans — borrowers never owe more than the home is worth. No payments are due while the See HOME EQUITY, page B-17

o l l e H shine un

S

By Rachel L. Sheedy With more baby boomers moving into retirement every day, the wealth locked up in their homes seems ripe for the picking. And a relatively new way to put that wealth to work — the standby reverse mortgage strategy — is garnering increasing attention.

Some researchers say the strategy can increase the longevity of a retiree’s portfolio by opening the door to an income source to tap in an emergency.

The standby strategy puts to use some of the reverse mortgage’s quirky features to provide a flexible pot of money to help manage cash flow.

First, the retiree takes a reverse mortgage as a line of credit. Any unused balance grows at the same rate being charged

Summer (and every season) is grand when you live at Chesterbrook Residences. Great outdoor spaces and a quiet, park-like setting make it unlike any other community in the area. Call 703-531-0781 to schedule a tour and select your new apartment!

Ask about immediate $2,500 savings available this summer.

Call 301-598-6424 today to reserve your tour and complimentary lunch or dinner.

www.AspenwoodSeniorLiving.com INDEPENDENT LIVING AREA’S ONLY INDEPENDENCE PLUS ASSISTED LIVING ©2017 Five Star Senior Living

Assisted Living Community

2030 Westmoreland Street • Falls Church 703-531-0781 • www.chesterbrookres.org Coordinated Services Management, Inc. - Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

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

Home equity

because lines of credit carry variable interest rates that will climb as interest rates rise.

And, the higher rate will also apply to your unused balance to boost your borrowing power. The ability for the credit line to grow is a key advantage of the strategy. Interest rates for a reverse mortgage recently ranged from 3.38 percent to 3.53 percent.

The costs of taking a reverse mortgage have come down in recent years, which helped the standby strategy gain traction with retirement experts.

When shopping, ask about the origination fee, which the government limits to a maximum of $6,000. You may find loans with zero to little origination fees, but the interest rate will be higher in that case.

That’s a trade-off: You’ll get less proceeds

From page B-16 borrower is living in the house. The loan comes due in full when the borrower moves out for 12 months or more, sells the house or dies.

Rates ripe for borrowing Low interest rates are generally a negative for retirees seeking income. But “the reverse mortgage is the only retirement strategy where you’re better off when interest rates are low,” said Pfau. The lower the rate, the more of your home’s value you can borrow.

Perhaps counterintuitively, impending rate hikes actually boost the attractiveness of the standby reverse mortgage strategy

up-front with a higher interest rate, but the unused line of credit will grow at a faster rate. Other typical loan closing costs generally run about $2,000 to $3,000.

You will owe the annual insurance premium of 1.25 percent, as well as an upfront premium of 0.5 percent. (If you have to access more than 60 percent of your proceeds to pay off an existing mortgage, that up-front premium jumps to 2.5 percent.) But the annual premium is based on how much you actually borrow from the credit line, not the full line of credit.

Of course, any loan means you’re putting your collateral at risk. You must main-

B-17

tain the home and keep up with property insurance and property taxes. Fail on those fronts, and you risk a loan default, which could lead to foreclosure.

If you use up all the proceeds from the reverse mortgage, you won’t be able to tap the home for cash again unless you’re able to pay off the line of credit.

This strategy “needs to be part of an overall responsible plan,” Pfau said. “If the person will spend anything they have, it could be a problem.” © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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

Plan now for your later years in retirement

By Liz Weston There’s the retirement that looks like the commercials: biking, travel, enjoying the family.

And then there’s the one where you can’t get up the stairs anymore.

Most of us happily plan for the first, when our health is good and energy high.

The second can be hard to contemplate, when health falters and medical crises can change lives in an instant.

Yet a focus on just the active part of retirement can shortchange your quality of life once you begin to decline, which is why financial advisers suggest you also look at how you’ll live in that later phase.

Here’s what you should consider for that second stage.

Certified financial planner Dana Anspach

of Scottsdale, Ariz., doesn’t want her clients to prematurely give up their homes or make other moves that may not suit them.

One couple she advised, for example, moved into a particular continuing care community — one that includes independent living, assisted living and nursing home care — in their 80s, but moved back out again a year later because they weren’t allowed to entertain or decorate their apartment the way they wanted. (They used their refunded deposit to buy a condo, and had enough money to pay for in-home care.)

Anspach also has heard horror stories of elders who stayed too long in unsafe conditions until health crises propelled them into the hospital — and left their families scrambling to deal with the costs,

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their care, and what to do with the family home.

While you’re in good health The key, planners say, is to start thinking and talking about how you want to cope when your health begins to fail.

“You have so many more options if you plan earlier and set up the trajectory of where you’re wanting to go,” said Danielle Howard, a CFP in Basalt, Colorado.

Howard starts with the somewhat easier decisions, such as whom the clients want to make medical and financial decisions for them should they become incapacitated.

Then the discussion moves to the harder topics — imagining life when they can’t navigate stairs or drive or handle daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, dressing or bathing themselves.

Could they stay in their current home?

Would it need to be modified? Who will provide their care, and how will they pay for it?

Anspach advises clients who don’t have long-term care insurance, or family members willing to provide care, to save their home equity for such expenses, rather than using it to boost their retirement income. (Home equity can be tapped with lines of credit or reverse mortgages, or by selling the home.)

If parents do expect children to help, Anspach said, they need to make sure the kids are on board, and that those kids’ lives are stable enough to provide care if the parents move closer.

“You don’t want to move across the country and have them get transferred somewhere else,” Anspach said.

Proximity to family Parents also should consider how they

-

-

can make things easier for their caregivers, said Ed Vargo, a CFP in Cleveland.

Vargo encouraged his in-laws to move from a home that was 20 minutes away to one that was five minutes away.

“That 20 minutes can turn into an hour back and forth, and you may be going multiple times a day,” Vargo said.

His mother-in-law, Rose Forrester, understood those dynamics well. Before she retired three years ago, Forrester was a physical therapist who provided in-home care to older patients — and was also a caregiver to her mother, who also lived 20 minutes away. Eventually, Forrester and her husband, Dan, moved her mother into their home, where she lived for three years until her death.

Then the couple began to talk about what they should do to make things easier for themselves and their kids in coming years. Neither wanted to leave their home of four decades, but both realized its stairs and layout would be tough to navigate someday.

“I could have stayed 10 more years, but in 10 years I knew I wasn’t going to have the energy to move,” Forrester said. The couple moved to a one-level, ranch-style home three years ago, when he was 68 and she was 66.

Vargo is now talking with his father about moving closer. The older man initially rejected the idea, but after a few years of discussions has said he’s now considering it.

“There’s a tendency for people to tell other people what they should do. That doesn’t really work,” Vargo said. “Have a discussion, share your concerns, but be patient.” © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

Falls take toll From page B-15 from injury among older people; an estimated 27,000 Americans die each year from falls.

But even experts on elderly falls said the new numbers were striking.

Health officials have been increasing their focus on brain injuries among all ages, especially younger people. CDC investigators thought the overall rise in brain injuries might be mainly caused by rising awareness of sports-related head injuries in kids and young adults, and more diagnosis of injuries in that group that in the past were not recorded.

“But when we dug a little bit more into the numbers, we found the larger driver is older adult falls,” said the CDC’s Matt Breiding, a co-author of the new report.

The toll from such falls has been underrecognized by physicians and by seniors themselves, Southerland said. When falls do occur, older people tend to downplay it, she said.

One fall begets another But one fall can quickly lead to others.

In a study published last year, Southerland and other Ohio State researchers found that more than a third of older adults with minor head injuries end up back in the ER within 90 days.

Even when they see a doctor, the future risk may be missed. In hospital emergency departments, it’s not unusual for a 25-yearold athlete who fell on his head to get a more thorough evaluation for concussion than an older retiree, said Southerland, who is trying to develop a standard for assessing concus-

sions in geriatric ER patients.

Surveys show that most older adults want to live at home for as long as possible.

Research is mixed on what the healthiest and safest setting is for a senior — often it depends on the individual. “There are people falling in nursing homes as well,” Southerland said.

Older adults are advised to have their vi-

B-19

sion checked regularly, and to do Tai Chi or other exercises that can strengthen legs and improve balance.

Experts also advise making an older person’s home safer by removing loose rugs and other tripping hazards, improving lighting, and installing handrails and grab bars on stairs and in bathrooms.

— AP

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

23

CERTIFIED USED CARS Though more expensive than other used cars, certified used cars offer warranties, peace of mind USE IRAS FOR CHARITY Making a donation directly from your IRA to charity may help you avoid added taxes and Medicare surcharges CONVERTIBLE BONDS Invest in ETFs that specialize in convertible bonds to benefit from both interest and stock appreciation

Biggest estate-planning mistakes to avoid

By Andrew McNair There are several common mistakes people can make when planning — or not planning — for what will happen with their estates when they die.

The legacy you leave can either simplify the process of dealing with your personal and financial property, or it can be a worrisome burden for those you leave behind.

So let’s take a look at what you should discuss well ahead of time with a qualified attorney to help make sure your legacy isn’t lost to Uncle Sam. Here are a few mistakes and how to avoid them: Lack of a see-through provision on a trust.

This can prove very costly. For example, consider a couple who has a $1 million Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) for which the beneficiary is a trust. In certain circumstances, a trust may be an appropriate beneficiary for an IRA. However, if there is no see-through provision on the trust, the couple’s estate could potentially owe several hundred thousand dollars in taxes when the IRA is passed to beneficiaries due to the higher tax rates trusts are often subject to.

A “see-through trust” refers to a trust

that meets specific legal requirements and serves as the named beneficiary of an IRA. In this scenario, The IRS will “see through” the trust and treat the trust’s beneficiaries as if they were the IRA’s direct beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries’ life expectancies will then be used to determine the IRA’s required minimum distributions. Additionally, a see-through provision allows these distributions to be taxed at the individual beneficiary’s tax rate rather than at the trust’s tax rate.

Oftentimes, a trust’s tax rate is higher than an individual’s. Therefore, a seethrough provision could help prevent a large tax bill when the owner of the IRA dies, depending on the individual beneficiary’s tax situation.

A blank or incomplete Schedule.

Schedules are attachments to the trust document that contain important details concerning the trust (most commonly a Schedule A). For example, most trusts have a schedule that is the inventory sheet of the trust, and it typically details what assets you have transferred into the trust.

As such, it’s important to make sure all schedules are complete and accurate — it shouldn’t be blank! It is important to con-

firm with your attorney that your trust actually owns the assets you intend for it to own.

If it’s not clear what assets the trust owns on the statement, you should be concerned and meet with an attorney who can review your trust to help ensure your wishes are accurately reflected.

Failing to easily avoid probate.

POD means “payable on death.” TOD stands for “transfer on death.” These designations allow the beneficiary to receive assets without going through probate.

Do all of your bank accounts — including all your checking, money market, savings and CD accounts — have POD and TOD instructions on them? They should.

Probate can be an expensive process.

Laws governing attorney fees for probate are decided by individual states and can vary. For example, consider a savings account with $200,000. In Florida, attorney fees to probate this account could be as high as 3 percent, or $6,000. Having a POD or TOD on this account could help save on these administrative expenses.

Having too many bank accounts.

The FDIC places a limit of $250,000 per depositor, per bank on the amount that it will insure. As such, you may consider consolidating some of your bank accounts

if you have more accounts than you actually need to ensure you are protected. Otherwise, you might overcomplicate your estate.

Leaving no inventory of assets.

So where is everything? Even if you have been meticulous about having all the right documents, it does no one any good if your beneficiaries can’t find them after you die.

So leave your loved ones a checklist to tell them where they can find your birth certificate, Social Security card, marriage license, pre-nuptial agreement, military records, will, burial instructions, cemetery plot deed or cremation agreement, bank and credit documents, mortgage papers, personal financial documents, and safe deposit box and keys.

Your legacy is the last impression you leave behind. The last thing families want to do is leave their children or beneficiaries with 1,000 puzzle pieces scattered all over the floor. A legacy is not a 1,000-piece puzzle scattered to the wind, but a picture worthy to be framed.

Rozel Swain contributed to this article. © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Let’s retire these five myths of retirement

By Ali Swofford After decades of paychecks, you might be counting the days before you can leave your job for good.

However, your idea of what lies ahead in retirement years may be far different from reality. You need to be prepared for the fact that life as a retiree may not follow the script you wrote in your head.

Here are five myths about retirement that catch many retirees by surprise:

Retire-Myth No. 1 Every day is a free day. Waking when you like, drinking coffee in the sunroom, and puttering around the house to your heart’s content may be your retirement dreams. But the truth is that those visions are not what the retirement lifestyle usually turns out to be.

Daily calendars quickly fill up with hob-

bies, family events, volunteering and travel. Today’s retirees also face the issue of longevity. They may experience as much time in retirement as they spent in their career, and a long-term life of leisure doesn’t fulfill everyone.

As a result, a third phase of life — balancing recreation, giving back to the community and work — is becoming the norm.

Retire-Myth No. 2 Retiring will be a breeze. Actually, some people find the prospect of leaving the workforce scary and disorienting.

Retirement is a transition that is a complex and emotional experience for most, with complete shifts in not just your daily routines, but your identity as well. The titles and workplace roles that identify you as a productive person are gone, and selfesteem requires adjustment.

Having a plan for how you will spend your time is one way to minimize the stress of settling into a new schedule. If you don’t plan for it, gliding through a happy retirement is not very likely.

Retire-Myth No. 3 I will retire at the magical age of 65.

This artificial benchmark was more accurate when traditional pensions and Social Security were paying full benefits at 65 and lifespans were much shorter.

According to the 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, retirement happens earlier than expected for half of retirees.

Sixty percent of those leave due to health issues, and others leave because they were let go due to downsizing or had to quit to care for a family member.

The earlier you begin planning your re-

tirement, the more prepared you will be should life throw you a curve ball and your retirement dream date change.

Retire-Myth No. 4 Pensions and Social Security will fund my retirement. Today, 401(k)s — not pensions — are the norm. The big difference is where the burden of funding and investment risk lies.

401(k)s are largely funded by the employee and, unlike a pension, there is no guaranteed monthly income at retirement.

Social Security benefits were designed to be a supplement to retirement plans and individual investments; not the primary resource.

Retire-Myth No. 5 I will spend less when I retire. A See RETIREMENT MYTHS, page 25

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

Certified used cars offer peace of mind

By Dee-Ann Durbin A certified pre-owned vehicle costs more than a regular used car, but it can give buyers some peace of mind in an often murky market.

Certified pre-owned vehicles are used cars that are backed by an automaker’s guarantee. They’re usually newer cars, coming off two- or three-year leases.

Certified pre-owned programs limit the miles the cars can have on them — under 60,000, in many cases — and put the cars through a rigorous inspection. They come with extended warranties and, sometimes, extra perks like roadside assistance or a satellite radio subscription.

“If I want a car that hasn’t been abused, this is one of the best ways to avoid all that

guesswork,” said Matt Jones, senior editor of consumer advice for the car shopping site Edmunds.com.

Certified pre-owned programs have been growing in popularity as the supply of used cars balloons in the U.S. New vehicle sales have risen for seven straight years, and as many as a third of those vehicles were leased. That has left automakers with a steady stream of two- or three-year-old vehicles with limited mileage that are ideal for certified pre-owned programs.

U.S. certified pre-owned sales grew by 61 percent to 2.6 million between 2010 and 2016, according to Cox Automotive. Still, they only made up a fraction of the 28.7 million used cars sold by franchised and independent dealers last year.

How much more costly?

Certified pre-owned status generally adds 6 to 8 percent to the price of the car, or between $1,000 and $1,500, Jones said. A Ford dealer in Michigan is currently advertising a certified pre-owned 2014 Ford Edge SEL with 22,748 miles on it for $21,943. A CarMax dealer in Maryland is offering a noncertified pre-owned 2014 Edge SEL, with 33,000 miles, for $1,044 less. By comparison, a new 2017 Edge SEL starts at $31,790.

For the extra cost, factory-trained mechanics will perform 150-, 160-, or even 180point inspections of the vehicle, which is usually less than five or six years old.

Among other things, they’ll check for any outstanding recalls and make those repairs.

After that, what you get depends on the brand. Automakers may include whatever is left over from the original powertrain warranty — which covers the engine and transmission — along with a shorter bumper-tobumper warranty — which covers the engine as well as interior parts, like the infotainment system or air conditioning.

Roadside assistance is often included for at least some period of time. Some manufacturers charge a $50 to $100 deductible for repairs while the car is under warranty; others don’t. Buick offers three months’ worth of OnStar assistance, and lets buyers return the car within three

days if they’re not happy.

Dealers pay automakers a fee to certify a used vehicle. Kia, for example, gets $450 for every certified pre-owned vehicle sold, said Maria Williams, a senior certified preowned retail support manager with Kia. What’s more, she said, Kia is getting a relationship with buyers who will keep coming back to the dealership for service.

In 2016, 47 percent of buyers who returned to the car market after owning a certified pre-owned Kia bought a new Kia, she said, based on data from the consulting firm R.L. Polk. That rate dropped to 33 percent among owners of a non-certified pre-owned used Kia.

What to look for Here are some things to think about if you’re shopping for a certified pre-owned vehicle: Decide if it’s worth it: Experts are split on this one. Jones, who owns a certified preowned vehicle, said a certified pre-owned vehicle is worth the extra cost because you’re getting a higher quality car and the promise of less hassle. Dealers are also more willing to deal on a certified preowned car, he said, because they’ve already paid the automaker to get it certified.

See USED CARS, page 25

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

Retirement myths From page 23 common adage is that you will only need 70 to 80 percent of your pre-retirement income during retirement. The truth is that estimating the percentage needed is complex and unique to each individual.

Interestingly, according to the Employ-

Used cars From page 24 But Consumer Reports advises against getting a certified pre-owned vehicle. The magazine said certified pre-owned cars may not be in any better shape than any other low-mileage used car, and buyers are better off pocketing the $1,500 or so and saving it for repairs or putting it toward a new car.

Consumer Reports said shoppers considering any used car should have it inspected by a trusted independent mechanic before they buy.

Make sure it’s really certified: Certified pre-owned vehicles can only be sold by a brand’s franchised dealers. Independent dealers may sometimes call a vehicle “certified” or “Carfax certified,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a manufacturer-backed program with the same quality guarantees as an officially certified vehicle.

Check the details of certified pre-owned

ee Benefit Research Institute, 52 percent of retirees surveyed spent 95 percent or more of their pre-retirement income during retirement. The question becomes, will your nest egg support you through 25 or more years in retirement? © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

programs on automakers’ web sites or in dealership brochures so you know what you should be getting. And look for the certified pre-owned sticker or logo on the car.

Read the fine print: Some certified preowned programs are more generous than others. Kia certified pre-owned buyers, for example, get whatever is left of the car’s 10year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, plus an additional year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage. Honda certified pre-owned buyers get a similar deal, but the original warranty is for seven years and 100,000 miles.

Lexus offers a two-year full warranty with unlimited mileage, a great perk for drivers who drive a lot of miles. Porsche will certify vehicles that are up to 8 years old, as long as they have low enough mileage.

Familiarize yourself with the terms for the brands you’re interested in and see what might work best for you.

— AP

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Using your IRA for charity can save taxes

By Kimberly Lankford Q: I’m 70 ½ and need to start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from my retirement accounts.

I know I can make a tax-free transfer from my IRA to charity and have that count as my RMD. But what’s the advantage of doing that versus withdrawing the money and making a charitable donation on my own?

Assuming I itemize deductions, doesn’t it have the same effect?

A: If you itemize, the tax deduction looks the same — at first blush. But because the transfer, called a qualified charitable distribution, keeps your required minimum distribution (RMD) out of your adjusted gross income (AGI), it can help you stay below the income cutoff for some other taxes and charges. (For people who don’t itemize their deductions, making the tax-free transfer can help them gain some tax benefit from their charitable gift.)

If you have to take large RMDs from your retirement savings, you could be pushed into a higher premium level for Medicare.

But making a tax-free transfer of that RMD to charity keeps that money out of the calculation for Medicare premiums.

For example, if your adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest income is above $85,000 if you’re single, or $170,000 if married filing jointly, you’ll have to pay higher Medicare Part B premiums.

Rather than premiums of about $109 per month for most people who have their premiums deducted from their Social Security payments, or $134 for new Medicare en-

rollees, people who are subject to the highincome surcharge have to pay from $187.50 to $428.60 per month for Medicare Part B in 2017, depending on their income, plus an extra $13.30 to $76.20 added to their premiums for their Part D prescription-drug coverage.

Keeping your AGI lower could also help you lower taxes on your Social Security benefits.

If your “provisional income” is below $25,000 and you file taxes as single or head of household, or less than $32,000 if you file a joint return, you won’t owe taxes on your Social Security benefits.

But if your provisional income is between $25,000 and $34,000 if you’re single, or between $32,000 and $44,000 if married filing jointly, up to 50 percent of your benefits may be taxable.

If your provisional income is more than $34,000 if single, or more than $44,000 if married filing jointly, up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits may be taxable.

Provisional income is defined as your adjusted gross income, not counting Social Security benefits, plus nontaxable interest and half of your Social Security benefits. Keeping your required minimum distribution out of your AGI can help reduce your provisional income.

If you’re over 70 ½, you can transfer up to $100,000 tax-free from your IRA to a charity each year. The money must be transferred directly from your IRA to the charity to stay out of your AGI. © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Several advantages to convertible bonds About 30 years ago, I joined a small con- amount paid initially) at maturity.

Generally, the price of convertible bonds sulting firm that needed to raise capital. We increases in proportion to the looked into selling bonds, but increase in the value of the unfor a standard issue we would derlying common stock. have had to pay over 10 percent On the other hand, when the in interest. Our underwriter value of the common stock desuggested that, in addition to creases, the value of the conraising money by issuing comvertible bond generally takes a mon stock, we could also issue smaller hit than the stock does convertible bonds at a much because of the interest the lower interest rate. bonds pay holders each year.

It is not unusual for corpoIn the situation I described rations without a long history of profitability to issue con- THE SAVINGS earlier, when my company isvertible bonds, which offer GAME sued convertible bonds, I purBy Elliot Raphaelson the buyers a reasonable interchased them because of the coupon rate and because I felt est rate, and the future option to convert the bonds into shares of com- the corporation would be profitable â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which it was. Accordingly, I was able to sell mon stock.

From the buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viewpoint, convertible the convertible bonds a few years later at a bonds offer a nominal interest return, as significant profit. well as the potential of an increase in the value of the investment if the company is Invest through funds and ETFs Interest rates for conservative investprofitable and the value of the common ments are still pretty low. You can purstock increases. chase mutual funds and ETFs in corporate How convertible bonds work bonds or high-yield securities, which can Generally, when convertible bonds are yield higher returns than those available issued, the conversion price is set at about for the most conservative investments.

25 percent higher than the current value of But another alternative is funds or ETFs the common stock. If the corporation does that specialize in convertible bonds. Curwell and the value of the common stock in- rently, the interest rates for many of these creases in value, the bond holder can con- bonds are between 3.75 and 4.5 percent.

The largest ETF in this sector is SPDR vert the bonds to common stock, or sell the bonds in the market, since the value of Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities the bond would have increased. (Convert- (CWB). Current yield is 3.1 percent. Mornible bonds trade in the market like other ingstar has given this ETF a five-star rating for the last three- and five-year periods. bonds.)

For the last year, the total return was Even if the value of the common stock does not go up significantly, the bondhold- 20.06 percent; for three years 6.06 percent; er will still receive the coupon interest rate for five years 9.77 percent. Morningstar specified at the time of issuance, and identifies other convertible bond ETFs and would get back the bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face value (the mutual funds that specialize in convertibles.

stor yteller.

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I do not recommend that you invest in individual convertible bond issues. This is a market for professional investors. Most corporations that issue convertible bonds donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have excellent bond ratings. This is why you should avoid individual issues, because of the risk, and invest only in wellknown, diversified funds or ETFs. One of the advantages of convertible bond investments is that even if a company runs into financial difficulty and faces liquidation, bondholders have a significant priority over common stock owners if the company is forced to restructure.

Another potential advantage is that if

Congress passes legislation that limits or reduces the deductibility of interest for corporations, holders of convertible bonds would benefit as a result.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend that investors invest a large percentage of their assets in convertibles. However, for investors looking for modest income returns and the potential for capital gains from increasing common stock prices, this alternative has some advantages.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. Š 2017 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 7

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

By Laura Newland Executive Director, D.C. Office on Aging We are hot! And I’m not talking about the hot July temperatures. At the DC Office on Aging (DCOA), we are celebrating this month after winning two prestigious awards — the Cafritz Foundations Team Award for Innovation and the n4A Aging Innovations Award for Home and Community-Based Services.

I am so proud of my team for working hard each and every day to ensure that our programs and services for District residents are working!

And it feels great to be acknowledged.

In June, DCOA and the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) received the 16th Annual Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Team Award for Innovation. The award is designed to honor the achievements of teams in one or multiple DC Government agencies who implement ongoing customer-focused initiatives that drive innovation and produce measurable and sustainable results.

DCOA and DHCF were recognized for creating a new enrollment process for the Elderly and persons with Physical Disabilities Waiver (EPD Waiver) Program. The EPD Waiver allows people who would otherwise receive care in a nursing home to receive care in their own homes and remain in their communities.

In 2014, we began working together, brainstorming ideas on how to reduce wait times, increase transparency, and improve customer service for vulnerable District residents in need of longterm services and supports. We created the Medicaid Enrollment Specialists team to conduct home visits and assist applicants throughout the enrollment process. Due to this successful interagency collaboration, significant improvements were made to the Medicaid enrollment customer experience.

Later this month, DCOA and its Safe at Home Program will be honored at the n4a Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia, with the 2017 n4a Aging Innovations Award in Home & Community-Based Services. The n4a

award recognizes the most innovative initiatives in the field of aging.

We know how great the Safe at Home program has been in enabling District residents to continue living in their own homes and communities as they age. Now, Safe at Home is a nationally-recognized program and a model for aging in place.

DCOA partnered with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in January 2016 to create the Safe at Home Program — a program that provides home accessibility adaptations to reduce the risk of falls and reduce mobility barriers in the home. We started the program with a projection to serve up to 100 clients. In its first year alone, we completed projects for nearly 200 residents, and this year, we’re projecting to serve an additional 450!

In June 2017, the program expanded to provide increased safety both in and around the home through the Private Security Camera Program, which enables eligible Safe at Home clients to receive private security camera systems at no cost.

It’s a huge honor to be recognized for these initiatives because they are both examples of how District agencies work together towards the common goal of serving our residents, whether it’s making important programs like the EPD Waiver more accessible, or developing innovative solutions to promote aging in place.

But it’s not about the awards and accolades — it’s about you!

Since Mayor Muriel Bowser took office, she has made it clear that “District government is the people’s government.” That means our agencies need to work for our citizens. We’re accountable to you, and we are responsible for ensuring all Washingtonians are on the path to inclusive prosperity.

When my team and I think about our programs, we keep these values at the core of all of our decisions — how can we work better, smarter, and more effectively to respond to your needs?

Thanks to Mayor Bowser’s com-

July 2017

Boosting Awareness of Elder Abuse The D.C. Office on Aging Elder Abuse Prevention Committee (EAPC), together with the District’s Collaborative Training and Response to Older Victims (DC TROV), the Office on Aging and our Senior Service Network, partnered to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2017.

Many attendees wore purple to symbolize the growing problem of elder abuse around the world. Others shared posts through social media, taking photos that included how they finished this sentence: “We build strong supports for elders by...”

Here are a few of the pictures that

mitment to making D.C. the best city in the world to age, we’re working together every day to ensure all residents have access to supports and services.

As I like to say, growing older doesn’t mean getting old. Aging is living. And

were posted to help commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. To find out more about elder abuse, visit our website at dcoa.dc.gov.

we want to help you thrive! Those are our D.C. Values.

For more information on the EPD Waiver Program or Safe at Home, contact DCOA at 202-724-5626.

Be well!

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

D.C. OFFICE

The results are in! The District has a new queen representing her senior peers, Ms. Senior DC Frances Curtis Johnson. The 67-year-old Ward 4 resident was crowned at the Ms. Senior DC Pageant held at the UDC Theater of the Arts.

Johnson was among eight women to compete for the title of Ms. Senior DC. She will represent the District in the Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey from October 15 to 20, 2017.

The Ms. Senior DC winner also won the Best Interview and Best Salesperson titles during the annual contest.

First runner-up was Dr. Judyan Andrews, also of Ward 4.

Second runner-up was Patricia Ragland, a participant of Model Cities Senior Well-

ON

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Senior Symposium 2017

AGING NEWSLETTER

ness Center. She also won the Best Evening Gown and Best Talent titles. For the latter, she danced to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

Contestants were judged on their elegance, grace and poise during an interview, their talent and gown presentations, and their philosophy of life.

Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant contestants voted Hadiyah Muhammad Ms. Congeniality.

The pageant was presented by the Office on Aging, Senior Service Network and the DC Seniors Cameo Club. Photos are available on the DCOA Flickr Page and its other social media pages.

See http://bit.ly/MsSeniorDC Pageant2017

Mayor Muriel Bowser greeted nearly 900 attendees at the Sixth Annual Senior Symposium themed “Enrich.Empower.Engage.”

Since taking office in 2015, Mayor Bowser has launched a range of innovative initiatives and programs that support DC’s senior residents, including Safe at Home, a program that helps seniors age in place.

Since launching in 2016, the Safe at Home program has already installed safety adaptations in the homes of nearly 700 DC seniors and residents with disabilities, reducing the risk of falls and other injuries. This month, the Mayor also announced that eligible Safe at Home clients can also apply to have private security cameras installed on their property, free of charge.

The event also featured guest speakers including Dr. Patricia Davidson, who spoke on “Matters of the Heart,” and Rawle Andrews, Jr., Regional Vice President with AARP, who shared “Reclaiming Your Inner David: Finding Purpose and Promise in a World of Go-

Team Rayceen led a lunch time performance with a classical guitarist, singer and performer before his workshop on Everything you Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask About LGBTQ.

liaths.” Attendees received great healthy-heart and living tips and information, as well as being empowered to overcome their Goliaths.

More than 80 exhibitors provided information, senior resources and health screenings. Seniors also took photos in photo booths to commemorate the occasion.

Community Calendar This year’s eight Ms. Sr. DC contestants, shown with their escorts.

July events 3rd • 6 to 8 p.m.

Attend a talk on Safer, Stronger DC Community Partnerships at Woodland Terrace, located at 2311 Aigner Pl. SE. For more information, email marvin.gay2@dc.gov.

Deputy Mayor HyeSook Chung (left), First Runner-up Dr. Judyan Andrews, Ms. Senior D.C. Frances Curtis Johnson, Second Runner-up Patricia Ragland and D.C. Office on Aging Executive Director Laura Newland, after the winner announcement.

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

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

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

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

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

5th and 18th • noon Join the D.C. Caregivers online chat at noon to discuss “11 Ways to Stop Caregiver-Related Depression” on July 5 and “Tips for Making Family Caregiving Easier and More Rewarding” on July 18. To participate, visit http://dcoa.dc.gov/page/caregiver-chat at noon, or visit at your convenience and hit replay to see the chat. For more information, contact linda.irizarry@ dc.gov or call 202-535-1442.

8th • 1 to 3 p.m.

Come to a presentation by community outreach specialist Alice Thompson, on the services and resources offered by the Office on Aging. Takes place at The ARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE. For more information, call (202) 724-5626.

10th • 6 to 8 p.m.

Attend a talk on Safer, Stronger DC Community Partnerships at Garfield Elementary School, located at 2435 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, email marvin.gay2@dc.gov.

12th • 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

DC Office on Aging is holding a re-

source fair at Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, located at 3501 Georgia Ave. NW. For more information, contact Michelle Singleton at (202) 727-0338.

13th • 6 to 8 p.m.

Attend a talk on Safer, Stronger DC Community Partnerships at Ferebee Hope Recreation Center, at 8th and Yuma St. SE. For more information, email cameron.shields2@dc.gov.

20th • 10 a.m. to noon Want to make a difference in your community? Train to become a DCOA Ambassador with the Office on Aging.

Learn information about our programs and services for persons age 60 and older and adults with disabilities and their caregivers, and help us connect to persons that need our help. For more information or to register, call 202-7245626 or visit dcoa.dc.gov.

27th • 6 to 8 p.m.

Attend a talk on Safer, Stronger DC Community Partnerships at Langston Dwellings, located at 667 24th St. NE. For more information, email cameron.shields2@dc.gov.

28th • 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy happy hour at Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, located at 1901 Evarts St. NE, and dance to music by DJ Tyzer. A $10 donation includes a light buffet and non-alcoholic frozen drinks.

For more information, call 202-635-1900.

30

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

PHOTO BY ROBBY DAGAN | DREAMSTIME.COM

Travel Leisure &

Northern Guatemala’s Tikal National Park is a popular spot for tourists, and holds the excavated ruins of a Mayan city-state, including a once-grand temple.

See story on page 34.

Sites to see in Stockholm (via Iceland)

Planning your trip Prior to our trip, we purchased the fiveday Stockholm Pass, a sightseeing package that provides free admission to approximately 60 major attractions, museums and tours. The pass is also available for shorter visits, with one, two, and three-

day versions. The five-day adult pass cost us about $135 each, but it periodically goes on sale at 10 percent off.

If you intend to see a large number of sites, the city pass is a great value. We enjoyed the pass’s inclusion of unlimited hopping on and off the 24 stops of the sightseeing bus each day. The pass can also be purchased in-person in Stockholm. For more information, visit www.stockholmpass.com.

Our hotel was also a major highlight on the trip. The Hilton Slussen really enhanced our visit. Located on the island of Sodermalm, the Hilton is situated directly across from Old Town (Gamla Stan) — providing dramatic day and night views of the city’s beautiful medieval architecture and the mighty city hall (the Stadshuset) on the island of Kungsholmen.

While we’re on the subject, touring Stadshuset was also a treat. This striking brick building with its massive tower and internal courtyards is a landmark that contributes to Stockholm’s impressive skyline. English language tours were frequent and very detailed.

The tour included the golden hall, with its beautiful gold and marble mosaics, the Italian style blue hall — site of annual Nobel prize banquets and festivities, a dramatic fresco painting of the lake view (“The City on the Water”) which faces windows opening to the actual lake view, and the council meeting chamber.

PHOTO BY CDRIM | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

By Saul Schwartz Last fall, Iceland-based Wow Airlines initiated its new route from BWI to Stockholm, Sweden, through Reykjavik, Iceland.

With fares beginning at just over $200 each way, I declared to my wife, “Wow! How can we pass this up?” At such low fares, we did have to pay extra for all drinks, food and entertainment in flight.

While fares are somewhat higher now, the Wow stopover option allows for a stay of several days in Iceland before continuing on to Stockholm without an additional fee.

It wasn’t our first time flying Wow. When they offered flights from BWI to Iceland in fall 2015, we jumped on promotional airfares at the time of $99 each way.

We quickly became fans of the quirky budget carrier with its new fleet of purple, medium-sized aircraft, staffed by friendly and perky purple-clad crew. The aircraft and its comfortable seats are marked by silly sayings like “cool kids sit in the back.”

Here are our impressions of Stockholm, and suggestions for making your trip a success.

In Stockholm’s bustling square (Stortorget), the city’s oldest, the popular Kaffekoppen café sits across from the Nobel Museum. Eating outside at cafés like this offers an opportunity for people-watching and listening to live street music.

PHOTO BY ESTCA | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Stockholm’s Drottningholm Palace, summer home for royalty, is often compared to France’s Versailles.

We were lucky that the Hilton Slussen’s location provided such easy access to this and many other memorable sites by public transportation and by foot.

By European standards, the hotel’s rooms are very decently sized. Our daily rate included an extensive breakfast buffet with hot and cold offerings, as well as evening appetizers in the executive lounge. For more information on our hotel, visit www.hilton.com/stockholm.

If you’re looking for a good guidebook to help your plan out your days, I recommend the Lonely Planet Pocket Stockholm. We took it everywhere. The neighborhood-byneighborhood layout focused on top sights, and the maps were easy to follow.

Sites not to miss Changing of the guard at the Royal Palace (Kunglia Slottet). With over 600 rooms, the Royal Palace dominates Old Town. It is the world’s largest royal castle still used as a home to royalty and as a working government building.

Most days, if you’re at the outer courtyard at 12:15 p.m., you can view the elaborate changing of the guard ritual. This is a magnificent and dramatic ceremony, full of pomp and circumstance.

We also toured several portions of the palace open to the public, including the

royal chapel and the royal apartments.

Boat tours. Stockholm covers 14 islands, with bridges everywhere. Lake Malaren in the West gives way to the Baltic Sea in the East. For this reason, Stockholm is often called “the Venice of the north.” We really enjoyed getting on the water to fully experience the area.

Taking the three-hour boat tour to the Archipelago provided us with a scenic ride as we wandered among thousands of rocky islands. Most of the islands are uninhabited, with forests and fields of wild flowers. But the inhabited islands are dotted with attractive holiday cottages and boats of various sizes.

Drottningholm Palace (Slott). We traveled one hour by boat to the island of Lovon, where the summer residence for generations of Swedish royalty families sits. Although the 17th century palace was closed for a royal function, we strolled for several hours in the vast geometrical garden parks, which are often compared to those at Versailles.

The gardens, located behind the striking Renaissance-style palace, contain sculptures and immaculately manicured greenery. We also enjoyed lunch on the palace grounds at a café.

Eating lunch al fresco at KaffekopSee STOCKHOLM, page 32

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

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

31

What consumer rights do travelers have?

Chances are your summer trip it will go as If an airline loses or damages your bagplanned. But in case of trouble, you need to gage, it owes you up to $3,500 for a domesknow the rights you have as a tic flight, or around $1,500 on traveler. most international flights.

Unfortunately, nothing is a If your flight is delayed on true “right” unless it is (1) in the tarmac more than three your contract, (2) guaranteed hours without offering you to by law, or (3) an errant suppliget off (in most cases), the er faces some financial conseairline pays a fine. quence if it fails to live up to When you shop for an airits obligation. And, by that fare, you can lock in what looks measure, your true rights as a like a good deal but keep traveler are slim indeed. searching a better deal for 24 Ultimately, what you pay and TRAVEL TIPS hours without a cancellation what you get are determined by By Ed Perkins penalty. And airlines have to disa contract. Most travel contracts are “contracts of adhesion” — offered as “take it or leave it,” giving you no chance to negotiate terms. And the fine print you seldom see gives suppliers lots of wiggle room in delivering what they supposedly promise.

But reservations, guarantees and such, are also enforceable contracts. If you have a money problem with a supplier, your recourse depends, first and foremost, on the terms of the contract and contract law.

Federal rules require your credit card issuer to refund your charge whenever a supplier fails to deliver the product or service you charged. That works well in cases of outright failure to deliver or perform. But chargeback requests based on poor service or disappointment typically don’t go very far.

Beyond contract law and credit card regulations, a few rights are conferred by laws and regulations specific to travel: Airlines. Air travelers have by far the most government-mandated rights, which have been extremely well publicized in recent months.

If an airline bumps you due to overbooking, you’re due a cash payment up to $1,300 in addition to completing your trip.

play all-up prices, including fees and taxes, in their ads and websites.

Hotels. State “innkeepers” laws generally require that hotels maintain safe and secure premises and provide some form of secure storage for valuable items.

When a hotel is oversold or otherwise can’t honor a reservation, traditional industry practice is to “walk” you to a different hotel that is “equal or better,” and to pick up the tab for your first night. But this generally isn’t a legal requirement, and it’s often ignored.

Cruise Passengers. Cruise travelers’ rights, based on maritime law, are scant. However, a court decision this year gave consumers an important victory: Cruise lines can’t call ship medical personnel “independent contractors,” so you can sue Cruise lines for malpractice. Other than that, maritime laws strongly favor the cruise line over you.

Cruise lines can alter itineraries and ports without your automatic right of a refund. When a line does offer a “refund,” it is often in the form of a voucher or future discount, not cash. Even when you suffer monetary damage, cruise contracts make it difficult to sue them.

Tour Participants. Typical tour contracts allow operators to make some changes without your right to an automatic refund. The most troublesome is the provision that the operator can switch you from a hotel promised in the brochure to a different “equal or better” hotel. And the tour operator’s idea of “equal” may not jibe with yours.

Car Renters. If a rental company can’t provide a car you’ve reserved, industry lore says it should arrange a car with some other company and pay the difference, if

any. But the legal and industry backing for that “promise” is weak, and I’ve often seen it ignored.

Overall. The majority of travel suppliers no doubt try to do as they’ve promised. But except in limited airline cases, they often face no consequence — or owe you any cash — when they fail to deliver. Be warned.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@ mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

32

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Stockholm From page 30 pen. Speaking of lunch, set in the heart of the old town’s main and oldest square (Stortorget), we twice enjoyed lunch at Kaffekoppen, a café on the outside terrace across from the Nobel Museum.

The lunch portions were large, fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. As an added bonus, the terrace is perfect for peoplewatching, and live street music played in the background.

The café is set in a 15th century building painted a bright red. The building’s exterior walls feature 82 white stones honoring the members of the Swedish nobility and clergy who were killed by the Danish King Christian II in the square in November 1520. For more information on the

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

café, visit www.cafekoppen.se.

Djurgarden. Once a royal hunting ground, this island connects to the center city by bridge. The setting is a green parklike oasis — like a smaller version of New York’s Central Park.

To get around more easily, we rented three-speed bikes through Stockholm City Bikes at a stand located just behind the ABBA Museum (yes, a museum dedicated to the singing group). The rental was inexpensive; about $17 for a three-day card. We wandered around quiet trails and roads, passing by herons, goats, gardens, various bodies of water and a variety of museums.

Like Washington D.C., Stockholm is a city of museums, mainly situated at the entrance of Djurgarden. Daily English-language tours are informative and enlightening.

Our favorites were the Vasa Museum

(Vasamuseet), which was literally built around a massive salvaged ship. The ship (basically Sweden’s Titanic) had sunk in Stockholm harbor within minutes of setting sail on its maiden voyage in the 17th century.

Visiting the ABBA Museum was simply pure fun. It was an entertaining tribute to the best known Swedish rock group, complete with costume displays and videos.

The Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet) was mostly enjoyable for the building itself, design as an enormous Nordic castle with a massive indoor space. We also learned how the cultural phenomenon that has come to be known as “all things Swedish” was initiated as the passion of one man, founder of the Nordic Museum Artur Hazelius.

The photography museum (Fotografiska) in Sodermalm is housed in a converted customs hall. It showcases four different exhibits, including one of celebrities shot by Canadian singer Bryan Adams. The museum is open late into the evening, as its top level holds a lively bar and café where locals like to party the night away.

The Nobel Museum was also worth visiting. It focuses on the history of past Nobel Prize recipients and their discoveries, as well as on Alfred Nobel, whose wealth came from his discovery of dynamite. The café there includes chairs signed by Nobel awardees, including Presidents Clinton and Obama.

Cathedrals. In the old town, right next to the Royal Palace, stands the 13th century gothic cathedral Strorkyrkan. It contains dramatic sculptures, medieval paintings, high ceilings with bells, and the pews that have long been used for royal weddings and coronations.

We were particularly impressed with the life-size wood sculpture of St. George and the Dragon, created to honor victory over the Danes in the late 1400s. Lutheran services are open to the public on Sundays.

On the nearby island of Riddarholmen, the interior of the 13th century Riddarholmen Church is more in the nature of a cemetery for royals. The church contains the majestic underground crypts of Sweden’s kings, queens and their families.

The Ice Bar. Just as you have to visit the Blue Lagoon while in Reykjavik, Iceland, a trip to the Ice Bar in Stockholm is a must. The Ice Bar is located within the Nordic C Hotel, in the city center.

Created by the Ice Hotel in northern Sweden, the Ice Bar is a creation made entirely from ice, containing ice etchings and sculptures of Nordic creatures. It’s perfect

for photo ops.

Visitors can borrow parkas with hoods and thick gloves to keep warm while inside the bar. Admission includes one drink in a shot glass made of ice! The 45-minute experience was a little tacky, but also quite cool.

Walking tour of the old town. Starting from the tourist center, the daily English-language tour of Old Town guided us along its charming cobblestone streets.

The narrow streets wind along their 14th century lines. One lane (Marten Trotzigs Grand) is less than a meter wide!

For the history buff, the guide told us stories of Stockholm’s beginnings. She showed us Viking ruins from an early settlement that are part of a building foundation, as well as sites from Danish and Germanic influences.

Things we missed Unfortunately, as with any trip, you can’t see everything in one visit. Several buildings were not open to touring during our stay.

We visited the grounds of the Great Synagogue on a small street near city center.

It’s an impressive building, whose exterior features a large menorah, a holocaust memorial plaque, and a dramatic sculpture of the lifting of the Torah.

The synagogue is only open to the public for Shabbat services on Friday evening and Saturday morning. While Stockholm has the largest Jewish population in Sweden, there are only about 20,000 Jews in the whole country. The synagogue is worth a visit.

Not far from the old town, we also repeatedly passed by the large Swedish Parliament Buildings (Riksdagshuset), but were not able to tour because the buildings were only open for a short period on one weekend day that we were there. Another missed opportunity for us.

Overall, Stockholm is a wonderful destination. The fall weather was surprisingly pleasant during our trip. Stockholm is one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals. We had a tremendous adventure. In one week, we covered almost all of the major sites — and we hope to be back for more.

Facts to know The currency is easy to convert, with ten Swedish krona being worth approximately one U.S. dollar.

Though roads seemed well maintained, and driving is on the right side of the road, we saw no need for a car rental since we did See STOCKHOLM, page 33

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

33

Fashionista Iris Apfel hosts Queen Mary 2

By Beth J. Harpaz The Queen Mary 2 ship is offering a fashion-themed trans-Atlantic crossing with a celebrity guest who’s practically fashion royalty herself: 95-year-old Iris Apfel.

The inimitable Apfel is known for her irreverent style mixing haute couture with oversized costume jewelry and her trademark large round glasses. She’s been the subject of museum exhibits and a documentary film, “Iris,” that will be screened during the trip.

The trans-Atlantic trip departs Southampton, England, on Aug. 31 and arrives in New York on Sept. 7 in time for New York Fashion Week.

Apfel will host a Q-and-A onboard, but don’t expect any style tips. “Everybody should find her own way,” she said in a phone interview from her winter home in Palm Beach, Florida. “I’m a great one for individuality. I don’t like trends.

“If you get to learn who you are and what you look like and what you can handle, you’ll know what to do.”

The trip will also include runway shows and other guests from the world of fash-

ion, including designer Julien Macdonald, industry consultant Gail Sackloff, and fashion historian Colin McDowell, along with actual models.

Apfel’s favorite contemporary designers include Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo and Naeem Khan, but she’s not looking to add to her closets.

“I have so much, I don’t go looking,” she said. “I’m in the process of deaccessioning and helping them build a fabulous fashion collection at the Peabody Essex Museum,” which is located in Salem, Mass. Apfel began donating pieces to the museum after it hosted an exhibit about her several years ago.

What’s her secret for a long and happy life?

“I have no secrets, I have no advice, except to love life and not give into yourself,” she said. “At a certain age, you have to push a bit, to be honest.

“Unless you have pneumonia or a broken hip and you can’t push yourself, you really have to. Once you do, you’ll find there’s a lot out there, and you won’t think of yourself.

“Get out there and help somebody. There are so many people that need a hand. Life is there and it’s wonderful, and it doesn’t last

Stockholm

correct line when asked. In fact, throughout the week we found local Swedes quite willing to talk to us in English.

Current rates on Wow Airlines are still low during the summer and early fall.

Flights departing from BWI begin at $219.99 in July through October, though they do bump up later in the season, with higher rates of $449.99 beginning in November. For more information about the airline, visit www.wowair.com.

By comparison, Iceland Air also has flights to Stockholm from BWI, with rates in mid-June beginning at $691 for flights that depart during the week.

From page 32 not venture outside of greater Stockholm.

We were too busy inside the city limits.

The central train and bus station, aptlynamed Centralstationen, is indeed in the city center, and connections are easy to a vast public transportation system, including trams, buses and the metro system — called Tunnelbana.

We navigated the subway and buses without difficulty. Although signage in English is limited, English-speaking transportation workers did not hesitate to direct us to the

too long, so you might as well enjoy.”

There are two options for travel during Fashion Week. For 7 nights, from Aug. 21 through Sept. 7, fare is $1,049 per person. For

an additional 2 nights, with the trip beginning in Hamburg, Germany on Aug. 29, fare is $2,107 per person. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/QueenMary2FashionWeek.

34

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

Visiting Guatemala’s grit and grandeur neighborhood more than 20 years ago as my family moved north to the U.S. Eventually we settled in Seattle, the city I now happily call home.

A recent trip back — my first in five years — was to see relatives and show my girlfriend the country where I spent my first decade. I wanted to show her Guatemala’s contrasts: its chaotic center, its poverty and misery, as well as the beauty of its people, its historic grandeur and natural splendor.

I needed to see it again, too.

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Coffee farms and active volcanoes by shuttle (about $30) or taxi (prices vary, We visited my childhood street just long enough to snap pictures, then headed out.

While a pilgrimage to my hometown was important for me, I usually tell first-time visitors to Guatemala to skip the capital city and head straight to Antigua Guatemala. It’s reachable from the Guatemala City airport

but we paid $50). The ride is 45 minutes to two hours depending on traffic.

Antigua was established in 1543 as the Spanish territorial capital. After a series of earthquakes, it was largely abandoned, See GUATEMALA, page 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF DREAMSTIME.

By Manuel Valdes My childhood home is gone and so is the Chinese restaurant next to it. But my street in the urban center of Guatemala City remains its bustling old self.

Buses growl and spit exhaust. Cars race down the narrow one-way street. Stores sell everything from wedding gowns to candy. But the paint is worn away from some of the buildings, a sign that the years have taken a toll.

I left this street in the gritty Zona 1

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Once the Spanish territorial capital in Guatemala, the city of Antigua boasts stunning baroque architecture, as well as panoramic views of the three volcanoes that surround it. During Lent, the city is famous for its colorful traditional carpets. An outdoor one pictured here outside the Hermano Pedro Church is made of pine needles.

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

Guatemala From page 34 then rebuilt. Its charms include grand colonial buildings and churches, large markets, cobblestone streets, vibrantly painted buildings, traditional and high-end restaurants, bars and even a microbrewery — perfect for visitors like me from the beer-loving Pacific Northwest.

Visitors can also arrange for shuttles and guided tours to nearby coffee farms, and to the volcanoes that tower above the city. Volcano tours can range from a sixhour trip to two-day excursions. Two volcanoes are active, and travelers can often get close to the lava flow.

There are hotels in every price range.

We splurged on Porta Hotel ($140 a night), where old colonial homes have been converted into a sprawling estate with a restaurant, pool and small workout room.

The city fills up for celebrations of Catholic holidays, including elaborate processions during Holy Week between Palm Sunday and Easter.

Black sand beaches Guatemala has just a sliver of coast on the Caribbean. But on the Pacific side, there are miles of black sand beaches that fade into powerful surf.

Among the closest beaches to Antigua is Monterrico, a small and sleepy town about 2.5 hours away. Daily shuttles from Antigua are around $20. We rented a small automatic car for $40 a day.

The beach was lined with homes, medium-sized hotels, hostels and restaurants.

Our hotel, Cafe Del Sol, was split into a beachfront building with some small rooms, a restaurant and bar, and a larger complex with bigger rooms and two pools.

Our room ($60 a night) was simple, spacious and air-conditioned. We mostly lounged in hammocks and braved the waters, though they are rough and best suited for experienced swimmers.

Tikal National Park I wanted my return to Guatemala to jumpstart a new chapter in my life. I knew the place for it, too: Tikal National Park in northern Guatemala.

We opted for a 40-minute flight there for $230. The bus from Guatemala City is cheaper, but takes over eight hours.

There are group tours and private tours.

We hired a private guide for about $90.

The site is in the jungle, so visitors should bring water, though various stands sell beer, water and snacks. Be warned: Guatemala is also in the zone for mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, and insect re-

BEACON BITS

July 15

pellent didn’t completely ward them off in Tikal or at the beach.

Among the sights we witnessed was a chicken sacrifice performed by an indigenous group.

As the excavated ruins of a once-grand Mayan city-state, Tikal displays the brilliance of my ancestors with towering temples, government buildings, housing for the ruling class. Its leaders maintained power through violence and by keeping its people well-fed.

Our guide explained that deforestation likely contributed to the disappearance of this mighty civilization, because Tikal’s rulers razed the forest to build the stone temples.

The park’s central plaza is flanked by two temples. You can climb wooden steps to the tops of two of them, one at the grand

35

plaza and another, called Temple IV. A shot from the movie Star Wars: A New Hope was filmed here, depicting the planet where the Rebellion is based.

From the top of the temple, we could see the jungle, seemingly endless, stretching to the horizon, with the temple tops visible above the green canopy of trees. The sounds of birds and other critters filled the air. The setting sun painted the nearly cloudless sky a light pink.

I chugged the last of my lukewarm beer and decided this was the place — as a tourist in the motherland — to ask my girlfriend to marry me. She said yes, and a new chapter began.

United and Delta airlines fly from BWI for about $590 mid-July for roundtrip, with connecting flights. There are no non-stop flights.

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GARDEN TOUR ICE CREAM SOCIAL Green Spring Gardens is holding a garden tour and ice cream

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

Style Arts &

The Sound of Music plays at the Kennedy Center through July 16. Both traditional and new plays and musicals will enliven area stages this summer.

Round-up of summertime theatre options man foes and fans alike found fascinating.

Interestingly, it’s juxtaposed with Thurgood at Olney, a look at the life of the high court’s first African-American member, Thurgood Marshall. These two represent polar-opposite ends of the court — so you can go either left or right. Or go see both.

But that’s only part of this year’s hotweather offerings. Another part centers on smaller, often newer troupes, eager to showcase their abilities with smaller, newer works.

They’re sometimes edgy, sometimes experimental, and often quite rewarding.

It’s a decent gamble for these companies, as they can attract theater-goers who are not as interested in the tried-and-true productions that the big houses use to pump up revenue to support themselves the rest of their year.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what’s available. First, the big shows: The Sound of Music is raking in the “dough-re-mi” in the Kennedy Center’s Opera House through July 16, and has garnered some impressive reviews. By most accounts, it’s a by-the-books, but excellently, staged version of the tuneful escapades of the von Trapp family and their irre-

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pressible governess as the Nazi takeover of Europe gets underway.

It’s directed by a three-time Tony Award winner, Jack O’Brien, and includes iconic show tunes including “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss,” and, of course, the title song.

Ticket prices range from $49 to $169. The Kennedy Center offers a limited number of half-price tickets for those 65 and older, available in person at the box office on a firstcome, first-served basis. For mor e infor mation, visit www.kennedy-center.org or call the box office at (202) 4674600.

My Fair Lady is at Olney Theatre Center’s Mainstage through July 23, the second time in three years for this PHOTO COURTESY OF OLNEY THEATRE

By Michael Toscano I think we can safely say that a robust July theater schedule has solidified into a Washington tradition. Sort of a solstice festival.

This time of year used to be characterized by mostly empty stages — with lovers of the art waiting for “the season” to get underway in the fall. But now, though some theater companies do take a break, those still in action present an interesting choice.

Several of the big houses, especially the Kennedy Center, schedule big musicals that will draw in area residents who may not go to many shows but are attracted to a familiar title.

The big shows are also an attractive draw for tourists braving DC’s heat and humidity. So that’s what brings The Sound of Music to the Kennedy Center and My Fair Lady to Olney Theatre Center.

Summer is a good time, too, to re-mount a previous hit for those who may have missed it the first time around. This includes The Originalist at Arena Stage, the highly-acclaimed study of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia — a

Brittany Campbell (Eliza) could have danced all night alongside Danny Bernardy (Higgins) and Todd Scofield (Pickering), in Olney Theatre’s revisiting of the classic musical, My Fair Lady.

The time-shifted production is set in 1921, after women had gained the right to vote in England, and is staged mainly from Eliza’s perspective. My Fair Lady is on stage now through July 23.

classic of all classic musicals at Olney. It remains timeless, even if it’s stuck in time in some respects. Just forget the archaic man-woman dynamics and the retro attitude toward the role of women, and concentrate on the still vibrant score.

Are there any show tunes more hauntSee ROUND-UP, page 37

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

Round-up From page 36 ingly romantic than “I’ve Grown Accustomed to her Face,” or “The Street Where You Live?” Or more lively than “Get Me to the Church on Time,” or “With a Little Bit of Luck” or “I Could Have Danced All Night?” And then there’s the epic earworm, “The Rain in Spain.”

Every time a major house stages a show like this, you will see the word “re-imagined” in the promotional material. They want you to know they’re trying to make it new or relevant. And that is the case here, too.

Director Alan Souza explains it this way: “This production tells the story from Eliza’s perspective, set in 1921 [about 10 years later than the original story], when women had suffrage in England. Suddenly, Eliza and Higgins are on a much more even footing from the beginning, and they are not at all ambiguously attracted to one another as a result.

“And the progressive conceit allows for the words of the play to be heard anew.

These classic characters are seen differ-

ently, and therefore heard as such. This is a contemporary telling of a period piece.”

Very re-imaginary.

Olney has cast Brittany Campbell — a beautiful and accomplished woman, a veteran with experience both on Broadway and in opera — as Cockney lass Eliza Doolittle. She’s African-American, which adds another resonant dynamic.

Tickets cost $38 to $75 ($5 discount for patrons 65+). For more information, visit www.OlneyTheatre.org or call the box office at (301) 924-3400.

While at Olney, you might also pick up tickets for Thurgood, described as an “uplifting, humorous and thought-provoking one-man play.” It’s playing in the MulitzGudelsky Theatre Lab July 19 through Aug. 20. Tickets for Thurgood cost $45 to $70 (same $5 discount available).

As mentioned, The Originalist comes back for another run at Arena Stage. Multiple Helen Hayes Award winner Edward Gero returns in the role he originated.

Well, actually, the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia originated the role; Gero vibrantly brings it to life on the stage

BEACON BITS

July 15+

FREE CONCERT SERIES Blackrock Center for the Arts is holding a free summer concert

series, with three Saturday performances beginning at 7 p.m. in July. The first, on July 15, features Mariachi Flor de la Toloache; the second, on July 22, features

in what is described as a brand new staging of the critically-acclaimed play. The Originalist is in the Kreger Theatre at Arena, July 7 to 30.

Tickets cost $56 to $81. Senior groups can purchase discounted tickets for $36 each. For more information, visit www.ArenaStage.org or call (202) 488-3300.

There is also a somewhat offbeat show that seems worth checking out. It’s from the lesser known Monumental Theatre Company, which performs at the Ainslie Arts Center in Alexandria. It’s Bonnie and Clyde —The Musical. Yes, Bonnie and Clyde, the Depression-era bank robbers who became folk heroes.

The musical did receive a few Tony nominations, and it’s from the talented showcreator Frank Wildhorn, But it slipped into relative obscurity fairly quickly.

The score is a mélange of styles, and the theme focuses on the random nature of life and death, combined with some frankly shown violence. It may not be for everyone.

But listen to what director Ryan Maxwell says about his approach: “There is a grand American tradition at work in the way Bonnie and Clyde embraces the violence of its title characters and sets it all to peppy beats,” he told the Beacon via email.

“American entertainment has always had space for both violence and whimsy, and frequently these two elements coexist and counterbalance. I was drawn to Bonnie and Clyde because it is honest about this

37

particularly American dichotomy.

“The challenge in the play is to find the humanity in these figures whose names and notoriety pull them towards the realm of myth, but who started out as two regular American kids with recognizable American dreams.”

If Maxwell can manage to fulfill his vision, Bonnie and Clyde may have a shot.

The show runs July 14 to 31. Tickets cost $30. For tickets and information, visit www.monumentaltheatre.org.

Happenstance Theatre, which specializes in movement-based comedies, has created something descriptively titled Bon Voyage! A Happenstance Escapade, running (and probably running around) July 14 to 30 at Round House Theatre in Bethesda.

Md. It’s probably best to let the group explain what they have come up with: Bon Voyage! A Happenstance Escapade is the story of a hilarious collection of 19th century dreamers who meet on the way to Paris, the obstacles and surprises they encounter, and their comic misadventures at the Moulin Rouge, the Metro, the Catacombs, and the Grand Universal Exposition of 1889.”

With some of the area’s most enthusiastic and capable jesters on the team, the production certainly promises to be a delightful change of pace for a hot summer afternoon or evening. Tickets cost $26.

For more information, visit www.happenstancetheater.com or call (301) 949-4442.

pop rock group Get Off My Lawn; and the third, on July 29, is a rock and blues concert. Blackrock is located at 12901 Town Commons Dr. in Germantown, Md. For more information, call (301) 528-2260 or visit www.blackrockcenter.org.

July 6+

LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT PRESENTS ONE-WOMAN SHOW Local writer Ellouise Schoettler has written “Ready to Serve,” a one-woman show about 64 American professional nurses trained

at Johns Hopkins Hospital, who joined the U.S. Army and served during WWI at Hopkins Base Hospital 18 in France. Inspired by their letters, Schoettler is bring-

2017 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

ing back their story to the Capital Fringe Festival for a few performances, begin-

THROUGH AUGUST 29

ning on Thursday, July 6 and ending on Saturday, July 22. All shows will take place at in Eastman Studio Theater at Gallaudet University, located at 800 Florida Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. Tickets cost $17. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/ReadyToServeFringe.

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TUESDAYS AT 7:30 P.M.

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All concerts are FREE and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not required.

For more information about concerts in your area, check our online calendar.

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

Help commemorate events of 1968 in D.C.

By Howard R. Fletcher, Jr. The year 1968 was one of seismic social and political change throughout America, and much of it radiated from the nation’s capital.

In many ways, Washington, D.C. in 1968 reflected and encapsulated the spirit of that transformative year. Roberta Flack became a local star. Peggy Cooper and Mike Malone began developing a performing arts high school, now known as the Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

It was also the year that the city elected its first Board of Education; Federal City College was founded, which later became the University of the District of Columbia, and WMATA, which became better known

as Metro, officially adopted its regional system map.

A website collection These are just some of the historical events and watershed moments that will appear in a new digital project entitled “dc1968.” The website — www.dc1968project.com — will feature 365 important stories to give Washingtonians and others a fuller sense of what that landmark year meant, especially to the Washington Metropolitan Area.

“My vision for this project stems out of my interest in the year 1968, particularly with the 50th anniversary coming up, what would be the best way to remember it,”

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said historian Dr. Marya McQuirter, the project’s creator and curator.

“One of the things that I find problematic, from a contextual and historical perspective, is the hyper focus on ‘the riots.’

There are so many other noteworthy and transformative things that happened that year, before and after the assassination of Dr. King. At this point, I think it is important that the whole story be told,” McQuirter said.

She has been researching and gathering material for dc1968 for almost a year now. Visitors to the website are welcome to submit images, documents, personal memories or other ideas about how to commemorate the year’s events. It is McQuirter’s goal to have the entire year commemorated by December 1 of this year.

“It’s important, when looking back at ’68 after 50 years, to talk about contemporary issues in the context of reviewing and, when appropriate, celebrating what happened then, what was built in that year and what has changed, and the issues we are dealing with as a city today,” added McQuirter.

Part of the funding for the project

comes from a grant from the Humanities Council of DC.

Preservation workshops The upcoming semicentennial of 1968 has triggered other projects to appreciate the impact of that year. McQuirter is partnering with city agencies and other institutions to provide a wide range of events for the public in 2018.

Among other things, she is working in collaboration with DC Public Libraries’ Special Collections division to offer preservation workshops and pop-up museums.

There will be a preservation workshop, “Personal Archiving + dc1968,” on Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Public Library, 3160 16th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Participants can learn how to preserve their photographs and documents — physically and digitally — and learn more about the website project.

For more information, visit http:// bit.ly/DCArchivingWorkshop.

If you would like to contribute stories, photographs or objects to the dc1968 project, contact Marya McQuirter at dc1968project@gmail.com or (202) 372-5804.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

MONT. CO. PUBLIC COMPUTERS Montgomery County Public Libraries offer public use of computers

at all area locations, except the Noyes Library for Young Children. Laptops can also be borrowed from the Davis Library in Bethesda, Kensington Park Library in Kensington, Silver Spring and Long Branch Libraries in Silver Spring and Twinbrook Library in Rockville. All computers have Explorer, Firefox and Microsoft Word for word processing, Excel for spreadsheets, PowerPoint for presentations, and Publisher for desktop publishing. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/MoCoPublicComputers.

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

39

Despite snow on top, it’s cooking inside Clichés and I have never gotten along very well, mostly because so many clichés are false. But one cliché is supremely and perpetually true: Older people with lots of white hair have earned every single one of them.

Oh, the years of bosses who were nincompoops. Oh, the decades of drivers who changed lanes without signaling. Oh, the women when I was very young who some-

how thought I was resistible. No brown hair could survive all that.

But the mistreatments that produced white hair only get worse when one has white, and only white, up top.

People with white hair always get slipped the check in restaurants, because we supposedly have all the money.

People with white hair always get asked if we’re OK when we forget a name or a

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

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I B V E E T S S L U S D R M A L R A A G T T E D O A F S C E N T T O R C H S P R E E

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A D A U N O T

ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: FUROR MAJOR SHAKEN COSTLY Answer: Easy to get from astronomers -NO MORE STARS

A T E R E S C A P D O W N T O E A R T H

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face, even though youngsters forget both Question. Which is really a dagger in a constantly. cleaned-up form.

And the crusher (at least to The questioner is really me): People who don’t know asking how it feels to be irrelme take one look at my white evant. hair and ask me how I like If you’ll forgive me… being retired.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr If you’ll forgive me... some more.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I may not be playing in the I am not retired. I have major leagues. I may not be never been retired. I will never running a business. I may not be retired. routinely see my name in I want to keep typing, help- HOW I SEE IT lights. But I know that I’m ing, planning, scheming, jog- By Bob Levey like so many other will-neverging, analyzing, collaborating, retire folks. strategizing, advising, spearheading and We get lots of satisfaction from the fact achieving until my last breath.

See BOB LEVEY, page 41 But that doesn’t prevent The Retirement

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

Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

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

GET THE FACTS ABOUT

ACTIVE RETIREMENT LIVING

Unpretentious

at Ashby Ponds, Greenspring, or Riderwood.

Call 1-877-575-0231 or visit EricksonLiving.com to request your FREE brochure! See our ad on page B-5.

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Jumble answers on p. 39.

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Scrabble answers on p. 39.

By Stephen Sherr

Across 1. Go off script 6. It is optional in some ‘net addresses 9. Mix of purple and green 14. “___ me alone!”

15. Triumphant shout 16. Changes salmon to lox 17. Still in flux 18. Lisa Simpson’s instrument 19. Prepare to use the toothpaste 20. Over 25 of its grads have won Nobel Prizes 21. Hunt flies 23. ___ Believer (first #1 hit of 1967) 24. Word which can be formed from the four corners of a weather vane 26. Blood grouping system 27. Sleazy 31. Protection from expulsion, on Survivor 32. ___ a Drag (second #1 hit of 1967) 34. 70’s sitcom planet 35. Be deep in thought 37. Bridal shower offering 38. Correctly identified the killer, weapon, and room 39. Golden Globes classification 41. Charged particle 42. Half donkey/half horse 44. Went from Marathon to Athens 45. Reach the moon 47. Finalized an e-mail message 48. Sixth word of the Gettysburg Address 49. Christmas tree sparkles 51. Lavish affection on 54. Muscle/bone connector 56. Old name for a wildebeest 57. Half a congressional term 58. Back at sea 59. Latvia’s largest city 61. ___-Bama Slama (“Fruit punch with a Southern kick”) 62. Car freshener option 65. Cribbage scorekeeper 66. Laundry grouping 68. Prop for juggling in a dark room 69. Shorten (as pants) 70. Rescue a damsel from train tracks 71. Shopping ___

61 67

72. Source of ancestry.com’s testing 73. Six of one; half dozen of the ___ Down 1. High school reunion attendees 2. “Justice delayed is justice ___” 3. One with excellent dating prospects 4. It’s in forgive, but not forget 5. Final Jeopardy figures 6. Plant also knows as “Japanese horseradish” 7. Exclamation of surprise 8. Madame Tussauds’ medium 9. The worst type of people 10. Like a Chinese calendar 11. Some of a circle 12. The Mad Hatter’s favorite drink 13. Psychic’s ability 22. Univ. in a not-so-sleepy NC town 23. “Ability ___ little account without opportunity” (Lucille Ball) 25. Squalid district 28. Unpretentious (and where this puzzle’s theme answers all go) 29. Item on an FDA food label 30. Fashion line founded by Donna Karan 33. Loud, unpleasant noise 36. Paragon of morality 39. “Doggone it!”

40. Furious anger 41. Hotel, out in the country 43. Nickname for archaeologist Henry Walton Jones Jr. 46. It isn’t “is not” 47. Slow, lazy person 50. Puzzling situation 52. Post-1927 film, most likely 53. Tool for imperfect crossword solvers 55. Do The Charleston 60. Song from An American Tail about friendship 62. States, streets, or saints (stunted) 63. Police officer 64. Overthrow first base 65. Third degree 67. Kitchen pest

Answers on page 39.

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

Bob Levey From page 39 (and it’s a fact) that we’re constantly getting better.

We snow-on-the-roof folks are at the tops of our games, not at the ends of them. And that isn’t just boasting, or hoping that it might be so. That’s what other 70-somethings, all with white hair, have told me recently.

A lawyer who’s 72: “I am so much better now than I was at 52. And don’t even ask me about how good I really wasn’t when I was 32. My experience is the best thing I bring in the door every day.”

A doctor who’s 73: “I get better every single day. Yes, at my age. Yes, every day since I turned 65, and was expected to retire. It’s all a matter of practice. That’s why they call it practicing medicine.”

An accountant who’s 75: “Every year, after tax season, I add up the number of mistakes I’ve made — and therefore the number of tax returns I have to redo.

When I was 40, I would average about four mistakes a year. Since I turned 70, I haven’t made one.”

A restaurateur who’s at least 70 (I’m afraid to ask him — he might be 80): “When I started in this business, I would work 15 hours a day because I had to. That’s how awful I was. That’s how many missteps I’d make. Now I work about nine hours a day, and I’m twice as efficient as I used to be. Experience has taught me how to be better.”

So, if I might trot out another cliché that is oh-so-true: You can’t tell a book by its cover.

Not only are we white-tops far from retirement. We don’t expect to be retired, or pine to be retired. We are still cooking, and we are bloody proud of it.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

Letter to editor From page 2 funds and labor, and we maintained a vibrant garden since.

Fast forward to our days! How the mores have changed! The current board does not mind voluntary and capricious decisions, such as demolishing the 20years-young garden, loved by neighbors, full of vital medicinal plants and a certified wildlife habitat, by claiming it illegal private planting on the public land.

Selective enforcement and double standards run now rampart, such as board’s president’s private garden on the public land, or HOA director’s 8’ high walls, while the others are not allowed the regulation 6’ and have to make do with 1-2’.

I am increasingly connecting the dots with the ongoing economic slowdown.

Yes, things look good on the surface, but dig deeper and you might find more peo-

Say you saw it in the Beacon

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ple getting income anywhere they could.

Could one wonder that morale suffers?

Apparently, using one’s elected office for material gain becomes legitimate, among many other things. My neighbors report that they are being picked upon, are tired of this — up to deciding to move out. But this is not so easy either! The board finds ways to claim non-compliance with covenants and suggests selling “as is” — you guessed it, to their own friendly real estate agent.

Things seem stacked against ordinary people unless they enter costly lawsuits, but there is also the press and the public opinion.

Should not we at least try this way to a cure? This is the purpose of my response to your intriguing and dead-on topic. One little step to more tolerance, I hope!

Lucy Badalian Reston, Va.

Write a letter to the editor.

See page 2.

WB 7/17

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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 page 43.

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

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

Business and Employment Opportunities NEW STARTUP NEEDS VOLUNTEERS. Send contact info to 11140 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. 20852. Attn: RCA/JBI. FIFTY+ HUMAN SERVICES PROFESSIONAL with Master’s Degree in Gerontology, Adult Education and Counseling and 25+ years experience is seeking a JOB in the field. Call me, 240-645-8927.

Caregivers CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE – reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness. Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24-hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes.

MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.Ch ChHomecare.com.

“A” HOME HEALTH CARE – Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 240-533-6599.

KIND, LOVING, HONEST, COMPASSIONATE, trustworthy, reliable caregiver. Individual, hard worker, is looking for weekends job caring for your loved one. 25 years experience, seeking position in VA, DC, MD. Excellent references.

Call Julie, 301-221-7695.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A LOVING, caring and dependable, trustworthy, reliable licensed CNA for MD, with great references? Over 15 years experience. For more info, please call Ms. Young, 240-277-0496. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon to Fri. Live-in open (Mon to Thurs night).

LICENSED CAREGIVER/NURSE seeks job, day or night. Available immediately. Excellent references. 25 years experience. Call Ms. Stamford. Cell, 240-351-7295.

ELDERLY CARE — FEMALE PROVIDER, English speaking, with car. I cook, clean and take to appointments. I’m experienced in caring for people with MS, Alzheimer’s and other health problems. Excellent references, 301-275-7283.

“CARE YOU CAN TRUST AND AFFORD.” Loving, experienced caregiver for companionship, medication reminders, hygiene care, meal preparation, housekeeping, errands, Dr. appointments. Full/part-time, flat rate for day or live-in care. One week free. Call 301-490-1146.

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS — Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use, Windows 10. Setup and train on all consumer electronics — Smartphone, Smart TV, tablet, digital cameras, GPS. Troubleshooting & setup new computers. Gentle & patient teacher. Since 1996. Senior Discount.

Call David, 301-980-5840. COMPUTERTUTOR.

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

Computer Services

Home/Handyman Services

Wanted

PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

JUNK REMOVAL: SAVE 20%! Donations, recycling, junk junked, plus get money back when we sell your stuff! 1-800-Junk-Refund. 240-2465405.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-2798834. Thank you.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate Personals LEISURE WORLD® — $299,000. 2BR 2FB “QQ” in Vantage Point East. Open table space kitchen, new paint, master bath with separate tub and shower. 1335 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $275,000. 2BR 2FB “FF” in “Overlook.” Open kitchen, separate dining room, new paint. 1320 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $85,000. 2 BR 1 FB Calvert Coop. Fully renovated, enclosed balcony, view of the Boardwalk. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $179,000. 2BR 2FB “G” with garage in the “Greens.” New HVAC, new appliances, new paint and carpet. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® — $TBD. 2 BR 2 FB “E” in Greens, new paint and carpet. View of Fountain. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors/ 301-9283463.

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will set up an automated online search for you, preview units, and contact you to arrange a showing when there is a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings in this issue. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

ROOMS MONTPELIER/LAUREL: Female, non-smoker, no pets, upstairs, drug free and quiet. Kitchen (own refrigerator), laundry, patio.

Full-time employed, own auto. 1-301-676-3996.

SELL YOUR HOUSE FOR A COMMISSION of just $990. Complete full service realtor. Everything included. www.990sellsdulles.com, call Adam Ferguson, Fairfax Realty. 703-727-5861.

NO ONE DESERVES TO BE LONELY! Place your profile in our special personal ad listings where countless numbers of lonely, single adults of all ages have happily met their life mate. For complete details, call 1-800-879-4258.

Personal Services TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself. Gold 4 Good buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I will come to your house and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 9389694.

NEED HOUSE CLEANING? Professional service at an affordable price! Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or one-time. Call for a free estimate at 240-644-4289.

HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE — Looking to clean houses. Good references and experienced.

Please call Vio, 301-706-6317.

Wanted TIRED OF POLISHING YOUR SILVER? Turn it into cash, which does not tarnish. I will come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. I buy all gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold and silver coins, gold watches, etc. I am licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Call Bob, Gold 4 Good, (240) 938-9694.

RENT TO OWN — 6.5% down, plus $1,800 month. One-bedroom, one-bathroom units. Regardless of credit. On 4500 Block of Eads St. NW, 20019. $284,000.

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff.

Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

OWNER LOOKING FOR MATURE individual to rent basement room with den and half bath in Beltsville, MD. Share kitchen/shower. $740. 202-320-2421.

CASH FOR ESTATES: jewelry to furniture, rugs, tribal/cultural items, large range of items considered. Buy-out/cleanup. Call Gary, 301520-0755.

For Sale

CASH FOR JEWELRY: gold, silver, costume, diamonds, watches, scrap gold, coins. Call Gary, 301-520-0755.

THREE-PIECE LIVING ROOM furniture in mint condition. Made of cloth fabric, brown with pillow cushions. Selling for $800. If interested, please call 240-350-9393.

KING DAVID CEMETERY internment properties for sale. Two sites adjacent, stackable, premium location. $9,000. $1,200 below cemetery list price. If interested, H: 301-530-8112, C: 301-641-0131.

FORT LINCOLN CEMETERY — Gardens of Reflections. 2 burial rights, bronze/granite memorial. Crypts above each other. Today’s value $9,000.

Sale price $6,995. Call Harold, 301-928-9731.

MOBILITY, 3-WHEEL SCOOTER. Red, electric scooter is a means of transportation. Airfilled tires, L-58 inches x W- 21 inches. Selling, as is, $995. Supports 325 lbs. Paid extra 10-year lithium battery. Only ridden for less than 100 meters. Call Mary, 301-540-5036. If leaving a message, please talk slowly.

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.

Health PAID RESEARCH STUDY: Participants needed for hearing experiments conducted at the University of Maryland, College Park. We are seeking people ages 65-85 with normal hearing. Hearing evaluation included as part of the study. Participation time is 16 hours, with reimbursement of $12/hour.

Contact The Hearing Brain Lab (301-405-8362; hearingbrainlab@gmail.com). Please mention the “Neuroplasticity Study” when you contact us.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDs, DVDs AND TAPES. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals.

All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301- 279-2158.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-4640958.

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Beacon for 20 years. Montgomery County resident – will travel to D.C., MD, VA. Buying following items: Furniture, art, jewelry, gold, sterling silver, old coins, vintage pocket and wrist watches, old tools, books, camera, military items – guns, rifles, knives, pocket knives, swords etc.

Also buying: old toys, dolls, trains, comic books, photographs, autographs, musical instruments, guitars, violins, etc. Also old sports memorabilia and equipment – baseball, golf, football, fishing etc. Please call Tom at 240-476-3441.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202-841-3062.

LADY WHO LOVES FINE CHINA and crystal would like to buy yours. Especially interested in figurines and dishes by the following makers: Herend, Johnson Brothers, Lenox, Lladro, Meissen, Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley, Spode, Wedgwood, Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford stemware and miscellaneous. Bone china cups and saucers, quality dog and cat figurines and sterling silver flatware and hollowware also. 301-785-1129.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

Thank you for reading the Beacon!

BEACON BITS

July 17

WOMEN’S ART EXHIBIT

The Women’s Museum presents “Wonder Women!,” an exhibit exploring images of the power of woman, real and fictional, in a wide-ranging selection drawn from the special collections and artists’ archives, ranging from the Guerrilla Girls righting the wrongs of the art world, to painter Edna Reindel’s tough WWII riveters, to vintage feminist comic books. This exhibit is open from Monday, July 17 through Friday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. in the Betty Boyd Dettre Library and Research Center at the museum, located at 1250 New York Ave. NW in Washington, D.C. For more information, call (202) 783-5000.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

BEACON BITS

July 14+

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES

SPELLING BEE PLAY

The McLean Community Players will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which opens July 14 and runs weekends through July 30 at Vinson Hall Retirement Community. Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its wit and humor.

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $23 to $25 and are available at www.McLeanPlayers.org or through Brown Paper Tickets (1-800-838-3006), and at the door. Performances are held in the Community Building Ballroom of Vinson Hall at 1735 Kirby Rd. in McLean, Va. For more information, visit www.McLeanPlayers.org.

July 7+

43

OUTDOOR CONCERTS

Tysons Corner Center is holding its fourth annual free outdoor summer concert series, from now through Friday, July 28.

Performances include American Idol contestant Danny Gokey, duo Tyler Hilton and Kate Voegele, country music group Delta Spur, and country pop artist LeAnn Rimes. The center is located at 1961 Chain Bridge Rd. in Tysons Corner, Va. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/TysonsCornerConcerts.

Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

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

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

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

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

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies Cold Sore Study .......................17 Hearing Study ..........................17 Weight Loss Study ...................17

Computer/ Technology Help Easy Elder Tech..........................7 TechMedic4u..............................5

Dental Services Cavallo, Joseph P., DDS...........10 Friedman, Stephen, DDS .........14 Oh, Judy, DDS .........................12

Events Beacon 50+Expo........................3 Silver Spring Jazz Festival ..................................39

Financial Services Capital Bank...............................4 Children’s National Hospital....27 First Maryland Disability Trust......................25 Jefferson Mortgage ..............B-17 PENFED Credit Union ............24

Funeral Services Fram Monuments .....................24 Going Home Cremation...........38

Government Services DC Office on Aging ...........28-29 MC311 .....................................32 MC Taxi Discounts ..................15 Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services ..........13, 16

Home Health Care/ Companion Services A Second Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Ameristar Healthcare Services 15 Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . .B-2 Holy Cross Home Care and Hospice . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Options for Senior America .....35

Housing Asbury Methodist Village ........10 Ashby Ponds.................B-5, B-12 Aspenwood Senior Living ......................B-10, B-16 Bayleigh Chase ........................27 Brooke Grove Retirement Village. .......B-7, B-10, B-15, 44 Buckingham’s Choice ..............27 Charles A. Smith Life Communities .................14 Chesterbrook Residences.B7,B16 Churchill Senior Living ...........21 Covenant Village ..........B-9, B-12 Culpepper Garden ....................37 Emerson House ............B-9, B-10 Fairhaven ..................................27 Falcons Landing ...........B-6, B-20 Friendship Terrace........B-6, B-17 Gardens of Traville, The...........10 Greenspring..................B-5, B-13 Homecrest House .........B-3, B-15 Olney Assisted Living..B-4, B-12 Overture Fair Ridge.....B-8, B-10, Park View .................................20 Quantum Property Mgmt..........B-9 Rainier Manor ...............B-15, B-18 Residences at Thomas Circle, The ..................19 Riderwood....................B-5, B-13 Ring House...............................14 Springvale Terrace......B-10, B-17

Sunrise at Bethesda ................B-3 Sunrise at Chevy Chase .........B-3 Tall Oaks ......................B-4, B-13 Victory Terrace.....................B-18 Village at Rockville, The ...........B-7, B-19 Vinson Hall ..................B-2, B-10 Waltonwood .................B-6, B-19

Legal Services Law Firm of Evan Farr.............24 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof ...27

Medical/ Health Lung cancer screening test.......12 Medical Eye Center..................34 River Medical Group ...............11 Silver Spring Medical Center.....................................16

Miscellaneous Oasis Senior Advisors ............B-8 Senior Zone..............................38

Real Estate Long & Foster/ Eric Stewart.....................26, 34 Long & Foster/ Inderjeet Jumani....................26 Long & Foster/ Silver Spring .........................11 Long & Foster/ Walter Johnson ....................B-5 Property for sale.........................9 Weichert/Sue Heyman..............21

Retail/Pawn/Auction CIRCA .....................................25 Healthy Back Store ....................9 Quinn’s Auction Galleries ........36 Quigo Flyte Scooter .................22 Wow Computer ........................18

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Communicare Health ...............12 Manor Care Health Services ....16 Village at Rockville, The .....B-14

Subscriptions Beacon Newspaper...................41 Washington Jewish Week.........32

Theatre/ Entertainment Toby’s Dinner Theatre ..............36 US Navy Band .........................37

Tour & Travel Eyre Travel ...............................33 Festive Holidays .......................33 Nexus Holidays ........................33 Shillelaghs, The Travel Club ....35 Travel West Virginia.................31 Tripper Bus ..............................35 US Navy Memorial ..................31 Vamoose...................................31

Utilities DC Public Service Comm........19 Pepco..........................................7 Verizon .......................................6

Restaurants

Volunteers

Original Pancake House...........39

AARP Foundation......................9 EveryMind ...............................15

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J U L Y 2 0 1 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N