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Ups and downs of caregiving
AUGUST 2014
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PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY GOYER
By Carol Sorgen It has been a long and increasingly difficult 20-year journey, but Patty Kelly knows she is coming to the end of her caregiving responsibilities for her elderly mother. The 56-year-old Westminster resident has been providing an evolving array of caregiving functions since her mother was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1994. Now 90 and in a residential facility in Virginia, Kelly’s mother is no longer able to speak or interact with her daughter. But Kelly continues to make the 200mile roundtrip every week to sit with her mother while she eats lunch. Kelly reads to her from the Bible, even clips her fingernails. “It’s both a blessing and a curse,” said Kelly. “It breaks my heart to see her like this, but I’m glad that I have the time and a supportive husband and sister, so that I am able to do what I can.” Through the years, Kelly’s responsibilities have grown from mowing the lawn when her mother lived independently, to managing her medical care, to taking over her finances and selling her house (in three days!) when it became clear her mother could no longer live independently. “With every little step down the road, you grieve a little bit more,” Kelly said. “Your parent moves a little farther away from you, and on top of being sad, you’re angry that they’re no longer there for you.”
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L E I S U R E & T R AV E L
The villages and hamlets (and salad dressing) of New York’s Thousand Islands; plus, Buffalo beckons beyond wings page 21
Finding support
Amy Goyer, AARP’s Family and Caregiving expert, moved across the country to help care for her parents, Robert and Patricia Goyer. Nationally, there are more than 43 million caregivers to those over 50. While the job can be difficult, caregiving can also bring families closer together.
Kelly has found much information and support through the Alzheimer’s Association. The association’s website offers a large section for caregivers at http://www.alz.org/care/overview.asp, including a message board, links to support groups, and health, legal and financial resources. Check the association’s Maryland site, http://www.alz.org/maryland, for support groups and events. The association offers more than 20 support groups in Baltimore City and County. Kelly herself attends a monthly support group, something that is strongly encouraged by professional caregivers such as Michelle Mills, LCSW, Director of Adult Day Services at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital.
Caregiver support groups are offered at such locations as Jewish Community Services, St. Joseph Medical Center, Kernan Hospital and Northwest Hospital Center; there are also numerous disease-specific caregiver support groups as well. You can find more information at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/aging/caregivers/supportgroups.html. The Baltimore County Dept. of Aging also publishes a quarterly newsletter called “Caregiver Connection,” available in print or online at http://bit.ly/caregivernewsletter. “Providing care for an elderly or ill loved one is very stressful,” said Mills. “We suggest that caregivers find a support group whether in person or online. You have to commit to taking care of yourself.”
Millions of caregivers According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 43.5 million adult family caregivers care for someone 50+ years of age, and 14.9 million care for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Family caregivers are said to provide a value of $450 billion a year in unpaid care. Another sobering fact, according to AARP: As baby boomer caregivers age themselves, there will be fewer caregivers available for them when they need care. In 2010, the ratio of caregivers to patients over the age of 80 was 7 to 1; by 2030, the estimated ratio will be 4 to 1; and in 2050, 3 to 1, making for an ever increasing burden See CAREGIVING, page 9
ARTS & STYLE
Governor’s arts award winner has a song in his heart; plus, Pirates of Penzance hams it up at Toby’s page 25
FITNESS & HEALTH k Understanding food allergies k Can we prevent Alzheimer’s? LAW & MONEY k Better dividends abroad k Don’t give up on bonds
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Awesome subjects Expressing awe at anything nowadays Subjects that I thought were interesting makes one appear to be a simpleton, or at in elementary school — genetics, space, the very least, uncool. medicine, cars and gadgets Of course, my children and (think James Bond) — now their friends say “awesome” utterly amaze me. Or rather, at almost any expression of what we have come to know good fortune. But I still think about the world around us, true awe — expressing and the many ways we have amazement, wonder or astonlearned to master and manipishment at something — is a ulate that world, make me sentiment we are expected to stare in wonder. keep under wraps, in favor of In part, that’s probably bea more contemporary blasé cause I always remained a attitude. student of the liberal arts FROM THE So I’ve been feeling rather PUBLISHER rather than the hard sciences. uncool lately (no big surprise By Stuart P. Rosenthal I simply don’t understand there, my kids would say), as much of the underlying I’ve been finding myself surprised and physics and chemistry of today’s developawed on a near-daily basis. ments.
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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington DC and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. 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, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ............Steve Levin, ........................................................................Jill Joseph • Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell • New Media Associate ......................Kate Petersen
Fortunately, one doesn’t have to understand how things are made or why they work in order to benefit from them. (And perhaps not understanding the inner workings makes their achievements all the more wonderful!) At any rate, I love to learn about, and where possible make use of, each day’s new discoveries. You may have suspected this, if you are a regular Beacon reader. Many of our stories discuss a new means of medical diagnosis, treatment or cure; a new website or app to help make wise investments or save money on travel; a new gadget to help people save time or cope with a disability. It’s not a coincidence: I gravitate toward stories that fascinate me, and it seems to me that the world is getting more and more fascinating by the hour. This is why you will be seeing some changes in the Beacon starting next month. We will be introducing a new section of the paper — “Plain talk on tech” — focusing on the technologies and developments that promise to make our lives better (assuming the technologies of destruction don’t put an end to us first). We are conceiving this new section broadly. Some of the stories will be those you have come to expect from our Fitness & Health section or our Law & Money section, addressing an app or website or new technique that addresses a health or financial need. Others will be written specifically for this section, describing local initiatives and programs that can help you learn to use (or use better) your computer, smart-
phone, tablet and the like. There will also be explanatory pieces delving into the practical side of technology: how to choose a new device, how to troubleshoot, as well as a question-and-answer column. And we will be bringing you interesting information gleaned from websites, blogs and social media sites that you might want to visit yourself. Overall, the common thread of our new section will be the changing technologies that affect how we live our lives, communicate with each other, interact with the world, and express ourselves and our creativity. If you’re a techno-phobe — one who keeps your distance from new technologies either because you fear you cannot learn to use them or just feel you have nothing to gain from them — I urge you to give it a look anyway. While each article will address some new technology in some way, we will strive to make them as clear, readable and useful (or at least interesting) as we can. There’s so much more we can say. But I will let our new section speak for itself. Please look for it next month. And let me know what you think of it! Organizations and businesses interested in being a part of this new section are invited to call us at (410) 248-9101.
Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Heartfelt thanks for the $100 check in your random drawing. I can no longer say I’ve never won anything!
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Health Fitness &
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WHEN FOOD MAKES YOU SICK What it means if you’re allergic, intolerant or sensitive to various foods ANTI ANTIBIOTICS Doctors prescribe antibiotics less frequently for many good reasons TWO FOR ONE DEAL Getting cataract surgery? Consider also correcting your astigmatism UNTANGLING ALZHEIMER’S Studies, including one recruiting locally, aim to prevent Alzheimer’s
The facts about genetically modified food By Dr. Michael Mahr Genetically modified foods have been around for years, but most people in the United States have no idea if they are eating them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said such foods don’t need to be labeled, so some states are moving forward on their own. Vermont recently became the first state to require labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Bills and ballot initiatives are pending in many more. What about the rest of the country? And does labeling matter? There’s much confusion about genetically modified foods and their safety. Opponents, who at times have protested in the streets, say consumers have the right to know whether their food contains GMOs. The food industry and companies that genetically engineer seeds have pushed back against the labeling laws, saying GMOs are safe and labels would be misleading. Here’s a look at the debate and some of the facts about genetically modified foods:
What are GMOs? Plants and animals are considered genetically modified when genes copied from
other plants or animals are inserted into their natural DNA. It’s not a new idea. Humans have been tinkering with genes for centuries through selective breeding. Think dogs bred to be more docile pets, cattle bred to be beefier, or tomatoes bred to be sweeter. Turkeys have been bred to have bigger breasts — better for Thanksgiving dinner. What’s different about genetically modified or engineered foods is that the manipulation is done in a lab. There’s no need to wait for nature to produce desirable genes and for farmers to breed the plants or animals that have them. Engineers speed up the process by transferring a gene from one plant or animal to another. What are the desired traits? Most of the nation’s corn and soybeans are genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides. A papaya in Hawaii is modified to resist a virus. The FDA is considering an application from a Massachusetts company to approve a genetically engineered salmon that would grow faster than usual. Most of the genetically modified corn and soybeans are used in cattle feed or are made into ingredients such as corn oil, corn
starch, high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. Only a small amount of sweet corn, the corn we eat, is genetically modified. A few fruits and vegetables are engineered — the Hawaiian papaya and some squash and zucchini, for example. But there’s no genetically modified meat or fish, like the fast-growing salmon, currently in the market for human consumption. The FDA has yet to approve any.
Few risks found The vast majority of scientific research has found genetically engineered foods to be generally safe. An Italian scientist’s review of 10 years of research, published in 2013, concluded that the scientific research conducted so far has not detected “any significant hazard directly connected with the use of GM crops.” One French research team raised safety questions. But their much-criticized 2012 study linking genetically modified corn to rat tumors was retracted in 2013 by the scientific publisher, who cited weak evidence supporting the conclusions. Even the “food police” say GMOs are safe. The Center for Science in the Public
Interest — a well-known critic of food companies and of artificial and unhealthy ingredients in foods — has not opposed genetically modified foods, on the basis that there’s no evidence they are harmful. Though what we are eating now appears safe, the main concerns for the future would be new genetically engineered foods, from the United States or abroad, that somehow become allergenic or toxic through the engineering process. The FDA said the foods they have evaluated to this point have not been any more likely to cause an allergic or toxic reaction than foods from traditionally bred plants. The FDA is not required to approve genetically engineered crops for consumption. But most companies will go through a voluntary safety review process with FDA before they put them on the market. There are clear benefits from GMOs for the agricultural industry, such as crops that are engineered to ward off pests or to tolerate herbicides. Also, companies such as Monsanto, which produce modified seeds, say their technologies will be needed to feed a risSee GMOs, page 5
Common drug may cut Alzheimer’s risk Research shows a common antidepressant may reduce production of one of the chief suspects behind Alzheimer’s, offering a new avenue in the hunt for drugs to prevent the devastating brain disease. It’s far too early for anyone worried about dementia to try the drug citalopram, which sells as the brand Celexa — and comes with side effects. “This is not the great new hope. This is a small step,” cautioned Dr. Yvette Sheline of the University of Pennsylvania, who is leading the research with Dr. John Cirrito of Washington University in St. Louis. Alzheimer’s is characterized by sticky plaques that form in patients’ brains 10 to 15 years before the first memory symptoms are noticed. Scientists have tried treatments to clear away existing plaques, made of a protein named beta-amyloid that somehow goes awry and starts clumping together. So far, they haven’t had success.
The new study is a somewhat different approach, beginning to explore if it’s possible to slow the plaque from building up by altering the body’s production of amyloid.
Testing shows promise First, researchers gave citalopram to older mice with Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The animals’ existing plaques didn’t go away, but they quit growing. And dramatically fewer new plaques formed compared to mice given sugar water, the research team reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Next, researchers gave a single dose of citalopram or a placebo to 23 healthy young adults, people who neither were depressed nor old enough to have brain plaques. Tests of the volunteers’ spinal fluid over the next day and a half showed their normal amyloid production dropped by 37 percent, the researchers reported. It will take years of additional research to
tell if that translates into any protective effect. Citalopram and similar drugs called SSRIs alleviate depression by affecting levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Sheline said citalopram probably alters amyloid production in a completely different way.
More studies underway In fact, the next question is whether it’s even possible to tamp amyloid production down for long periods or if the body would just get used to the drug and adjust. Sheline has begun enrolling healthy older adults into a study to see if using citalopram for two weeks has the same effect. Alzheimer’s affects 1 in 9 people over age 65, and about a third of those 85 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. More than 35 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s or similar dementia, including about 5 million in the U.S. — numbers expected to rise rapidly as the baby boomers
age. There is no cure, and today’s medications only temporarily ease symptoms. Scientists still don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. The leading theory is that those amyloid plaques somehow start the disease process, but that it takes another abnormal protein, named tau, to push someone over the edge. It’s crucial to investigate ways to intervene in the years before symptoms arise, said Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association, who wasn’t involved in the new research. Citalopram has been used to treat depression for nearly two decades, but it does have side effects and the Food and Drug Administration has warned that higher doses may trigger dangerous irregular heartbeats. Still, separate research published earlier this year suggested citalopram also might calm the agitation that people with advanced Alzheimer’s can suffer. — AP
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Cataract surgery that fixes astigmatism By Dr. Michael Mahr Dear Mayo Clinic: I need to have cataract surgery, but I also have astigmatism. Is it possible to have them both fixed at the same time? If so, what will the recovery be like? Answer: In many cases, it is possible to correct astigmatism during cataract surgery. The specific technique for how it’s done depends on your individual situation. It is typically a straightforward procedure that minimizes the need for eyeglasses. Recovery usually is brief. Most people
can return to their daily activities a day or so after surgery. A cataract affects the natural lens inside your eye. The lens is positioned behind the colored part of your eye, called the iris. It focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina. Normally, the eye’s lens is transparent and clear. When the lens becomes cloudy, that’s a cataract. Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a plastic lens implant. The replacement lens sits in the same place your natu-
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ral lens had been. The artificial lens placed during cataract surgery can provide correction, if needed, for either distance or close-up vision. To correct astigmatism requires a few more steps. Rather than affecting the lens of the eye, as nearsightedness and farsightedness do, astigmatism usually affects the eye’s cornea — the dome-shaped transparent tissue at the front of the eye. The cornea functions as a type of front window for your eye. Normally, the cornea is shaped like a basketball. With astigmatism, the shape of the cornea is skewed, and it’s more like a football. Astigmatism blurs vision at all distances. To correct astigmatism during cataract surgery, a surgeon can change the shape of the cornea with the incisions made in the cornea during surgery, so it becomes shaped more like a basketball, matching the implanted lens and improving vision. An alternative approach is to use a lens that has a football-like shape similar to the cornea, but to implant it in an orientation opposite to that of the cornea’s shape. That type of lens placement negates the effect of the misshapen cornea and reduces the vision problems of astigmatism. Your surgeon can determine which approach is best for you based on an evalua-
tion of your eye prior to cataract surgery. Rarely, astigmatism can result from a problem in the natural lens. When that happens, cataract surgery alone will correct astigmatism without any further intervention. If this is the case for you, your surgeon will be able to determine that before your surgery takes place. In almost all cases, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. Astigmatism correction generally adds just a few more minutes to that time. After surgery, your surgeon places a shield and patch on your eye, which need to remain in place for less than 24 hours. Once the patch and shield are removed, most people can return to their usual activities. A return appointment is scheduled for several weeks after surgery to check the eyeglass prescription. Usually no further follow-up visits are needed. Talk to your eye surgeon about your interest in correcting your astigmatism during cataract surgery. The options available for doing so are safe and, for many people, they offer a reliable way to improve vision. — Michael Mahr, M.D., is an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. ©2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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There is an escalating political fight between labeling advocates and the food industry. In the absence of a federal labeling standard, GMO opponents have gone to the states to try to get a patchwork of labeling laws approved. That could eventually force a national standard. Ballot measures in California and Washington state failed, but the legislative effort prevailed in Vermont. Maine and Connecticut have passed laws requiring labels, but they don’t take effect unless other states follow suit. The food industry has said it will challenge the Vermont law in court.
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ing world population as they engineer crops to adapt to certain climates and terrains. Advocates envision engineering crops to make them more nutritious as well. Food animals have been engineered to be bred to be free of diseases, be cleaner in their environments, or grow more efficiently, though none has yet been approved in the United States.
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The state efforts aren’t slowing down. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are 85 pending GMO labeling bills in 29 states. In Congress, the food industry is pushing a House bill that would head off efforts to enact mandatory labeling of genetically modified ingredients by proposing new voluntary labels nationwide — an attempted end run around the state-by-state laws. Currently, the FDA said labeling of genetically modified foods isn’t needed because their nutritional content is the same as non-GMO varieties. Consumers increasingly are interested in what is in their food, including GMOs. Labeling proponents say it’s about transparency, not technology. They say there is precedent, like orange juice labels that say whether the juice is from concentrate. David Ropeik, the author of the book How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts, said he thinks the food industry should endorse labeling so it can move past the debate. “By supporting labeling, companies would say, ‘There’s no risk, we have nothing to hide,’” he said. — AP
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Do you have a food allergy or intolerance? Walk down the aisles of your local supermarket, and you’ll see something you likely wouldn’t have encountered a decade ago — shelves devoted entirely to glutenfree cereals, breads, muffins and other foods. Restaurants have also jumped on the bandwagon, revising their menus to include dishes without gluten, a protein found in wheat. The gluten-free diet was designed for people with celiac disease, who can’t tolerate any foods containing gluten because their immune system reacts to it and damages the small intestine in response. Celiac disease is a very real, very uncomfortable, and potentially very serious condition. Left untreated, it can lead to anemia, osteoporosis and intestinal cancers.
About 1 percent of Americans, or 3 million people, have true celiac disease. Another 6 percent, or 18 million people, are sensitive to gluten. Eating gluten-containing foods doesn’t damage their intestines, but it can still produce gastrointestinal discomfort, along with symptoms like headaches and fatigue. People in a third group are allergic to wheat. When they’re exposed, they get more traditional allergy symptoms — which can range from tingling around the mouth, to hives, throat swelling and difficulty breathing. “It’s confusing that people can have all these different reactions to the same food,” said Dr. Ciaran Kelly, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and
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medical director of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. “It’s important to make the distinction between food allergies and intolerances [see below], because there is a lot of confusion and there are differences in treatments,” Kelly said. A number of foods — including wheat, milk, eggs and seafood — are notorious for triggering both food allergies and intolerances. If you have symptoms when you eat certain foods, it’s important to distinguish what kind of reaction you’re having and which foods are triggering it.
Food intolerances When you’re intolerant of a particular food, it’s usually because your body lacks an enzyme needed to break down a component in that food (such as lactose, the sugar in milk). Or, your body might be sensitive to a particular chemical or additive in the food. The process leading to food intolerance often starts early in life, but symptoms can be too subtle to notice at first. “People may become more aware of intolerances as they get older,” Kelly said.
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Examples of food intolerance 1. Lactose intolerance. Your body can’t break down the sugar lactose because your gut contains reduced levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase. Lactose is found in dairy foods, such as milk or ice cream. When you eat these foods, you can develop uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and diarrhea. 2. Gluten sensitivity. You have many of the same symptoms as someone with celiac disease after eating wheat or other foods containing gluten (stomach pains,
bloating, fatigue), but your immune system doesn’t produce the blood test abnormalities seen in people with celiac disease, and there is no evidence of damage in the intestines. 3. Sensitivity to food additives. You get symptoms like flushed skin and wheezing from eating additives such as sulfites (found in wine, dried fruits and canned goods), or headaches, palpitations or numbness after eating foods flavored with monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Symptoms of food intolerance You may be able to eat small amounts of the food without having any reaction to it. Your symptoms will come on gradually after you’ve eaten a particular food. Often, those symptoms will involve your digestive system — such as nausea, gas or diarrhea. Your reaction will be uncomfortable, but it’s usually not life-threatening.
How to deal with food intolerance Keeping a food diary can help you identify the source of the problem. Every day, write down the foods you eat and any symptoms that occur. Once you pinpoint one or a few foods that coincide with your symptoms, you can try cutting them all out of your diet. This is called an elimination diet. Then add one food back in every couple of days. When your symptoms return, you’ve found the offending food. Ask your doctor or a dietitian for help identifying your trigger food and eliminating it from your diet.
Food allergies A true food allergy involves your imSee FOOD ALLERGIES, page 7
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Food allergies From page 6 mune system. Your body recognizes a normally innocuous food, such as peanuts or milk, as a potentially harmful foreign invader. It goes into defensive mode, producing high levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Often food allergies start when you’re young, but it’s not impossible for them to appear for the first time later in life, Kelly said. Examples of foods that commonly cause allergic reactions include eggs, fish and shellfish, milk, peanuts, soy, tree nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds) and wheat.
Symptoms of a food allergy 1. You could have a reaction from eating just a tiny amount of the food, or simply from being around the food. 2. You may experience allergic symptoms, such as hives, swelling and itchiness, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. 3. If your allergy is severe, you might have an anaphylactic reaction, which can begin with a rash, swelling of the tongue and throat, trouble breathing, dizziness or fainting. It can be life-threatening.
How to treat a food allergy See an allergist with experience treating food allergies. The doctor can do a skin test, placing a solution containing an extract of the food just beneath the skin of your forearm or back. Or you may get a blood test to look for IgE antibodies to the food. If you have an allergy, you’ll need to avoid the food. If your allergy is severe, your doctor might also recommend that you carry around an epinephrine injector
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(EpiPen) to treat anaphylaxis. [See also, “Natural remedies for common allergies,” on page 13.]
Don’t shortchange your diet Avoid foods that bother you, but don’t do a full-scale purge of your diet without good cause (such as celiac disease or true food allergies). Because of the abundance of glutenfree foods available, many Americans have begun to think that all wheat and other grain products are bad for them. “There’s a way of thinking that gluten is an unhealthy food,” Kelly said. “Somehow, if a food is gluten-free, it’s considered healthier, and there’s little basis for that.” In fact, cutting out foods like wheat, barley and rye can rob your diet of nutrients such as fiber, calcium and B vitamins. Going gluten-free could have a similar effect on your purse. One Canadian study found that gluten-free foods cost 242 per-
Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health
cent more than comparable regular foods. Work with a doctor or dietitian to create a diet that’s safe for your system, while still healthy and well rounded.
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— Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Why don’t I get antibiotics like I used to? Q: I’m generally very healthy, but when I get bronchitis, the cough usually lasts two weeks. I used to get an antibiotic. My new doctor says I don’t need one. Is that right? A: Yes, your doctor is correct in not prescribing an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not make bronchitis symptoms less severe or help them go away sooner. We know that based on strong evidence from many studies. Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) that connect the windpipe (trachea) to the lungs. It’s almost always caused by a virus. Antibiotics are useless against a viral infection. The main symptom of bronchitis is coughing. It can be a dry hack, but it may
also produce phlegm (sputum), which can be clear, yellow or green. Wheezing and chest tightness sometimes occur if inflammation has narrowed the bronchi. For many people, these symptoms persist for two to three weeks. And it’s understandable why patients still ask their doctors for an antibiotic. The cough from bronchitis can be a constant nuisance and an embarrassment. It can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. Over-thecounter cough medicine doesn’t do much. Many people remain convinced that an antibiotic gets them better faster. But the reality is the cough and other symptoms would last just as long with or without an antibiotic. That’s not the same as saying there are no helpful treatments. Some ways to ease
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the symptoms of acute bronchitis include: 1. Get warm, moist air into the bronchi. Take hot showers or use a humidifier. 2. Get enough rest. You can still go to work or school. But schedule some down time for yourself every day, and more time for sleep at night. 3. Try an over-the-counter cough remedy. None of them work wonders, but you might find one that helps. It could be simple cough drops. Ask your pharmacist for advice. 4. Consider asking your doctor for an inhaler to open the bronchi. It’s similar to what people with asthma use. This can lessen the cough and ease the wheeze. It can be hard to resist asking your doctor for an antibiotic. But you’re actually doing yourself a favor if you don’t. Antibiotics won’t help, and you always run the risk of a major side effect from an antibiotic, such as diarrhea that lasts for weeks, or a rash that can be life-threatening. Q: I share an apartment with another woman. She was told by her doctor that she has a MRSA skin infection. What’s MRSA? Should I take an antibiotic for protection? A: MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It’s a type of staph bacteria. When antibiotics were first invented, penicillin could kill this germ. But over time
it developed resistance to penicillin. That means penicillin could no longer kill it. A newer antibiotic called methicillin was developed that could kill penicillin-resistant staph. But the bacteria developed resistance to methicillin, too. MRSA behaves much like other staph. It usually exists in the nose or on the skin without causing disease. But all staph bacteria have the potential to cause trouble, from boils and other mild skin infections to life-threatening lung and blood infections. There are things you and your roommate can do to prevent MRSA from getting onto surfaces in your home, onto your skin, and in your nose. But taking an antibiotic is not one of them; that won’t be effective. And it could lead to you carrying an even more resistant bug. Here are some preventive tips for both of you: 1. Wash your hands often and thoroughly throughout the day with soap and water. 2. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer (for times when you can’t wash your hands). 3. Don’t share personal items such as razors, towels, sheets and athletic clothing or equipment. 4. Keep cuts or scrapes clean. Cover them with a bandage. See ANTIBIOTICS, page 10
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Caregiving From page 1 on fewer family caregivers. Some of the challenges caregivers face, Mills said, are understanding the disease process and how to manage it; financial considerations; juggling work, family and caregiving responsibilities; and, as Kelly observed, grieving the loss of the person you know, even if he or she is still living. In addition to support groups, caregivers need to ask for help, whether from other family members, friends or professionals. For caregivers with jobs, a trustworthy place to leave loved ones during the work day can be especially important. “Adult day care centers, such as the ones run by Levindale, not only provide a safe environment for elders during the day, but allow the caregiver to have some time for him or herself, whether it’s to run some errands, meet a friend, or take a nap,” said Mills. “If you burn yourself out, you won’t do anyone any good,” she added.
Caring for the caregiver Amy Goyer agrees. “It’s important to keep your own tank full,” said Goyer. The 53-year-old is not only AARP’s Family and Caregiving Expert, but is the primary caregiver for her 90-year-old father, who has Alzheimer’s disease. She performed the same role for her mother, who died nine months ago.
To be more fully involved in her parents’ care, Goyer moved to Phoenix, and now commutes to Washington, D.C., when needed. “Caregivers tend to ignore their own physical and emotional health,” said Goyer, author of Juggling Work and Caregiving, an e-book available for free at the www.AARP.org bookstore. “Caregiving can be very isolating,” Goyer continued. “It can take a lot of time, and interfere with your own social interaction.” Goyer herself finds a lot of support on Facebook. Because she doesn’t have time to attend a support group in person, Goyer relies on her community of Facebook friends, many of whom are also caregivers, to share her experiences and get their feedback and encouragement. And while asking for help for your elderly relative is encouraged, so is asking — or arranging — for help for yourself. Ask a friend or neighbor to help with your own chores, such as mowing the lawn, running errands, etc. Or hire someone to do those chores for you. Goyer uses a concierge service that takes on some of her personal responsibilities. “That has been a huge help for me, so I can be more present for my dad,” she said. Support is also available from government and community agencies and organizations. Resources can be found through such sources as www.eldercare.gov, your local department of aging, www.aarp.org/takingcare, and — here in Maryland — through
Treating Difficulty Standing or Walking, attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Poor Circulation or Poor Balance I am a patient who had severe foot pain for 2 years, with no relief in sight....by the end of the 4 days I was 85% pain free in both feet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain.
How fortunate I feel to have found a doctor who could not only diagnose an underlying problem that many specialists missed, but who has been able to find a painless and rapid method of relieving the worst symptoms.
– Alvin, Baltimore
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“I heard a gerontologist speak who said that caring for elders can create permanent anger and resentment in families because one person tends to be saddled with the lion’s share of work,” said McCarty. That task fell mainly to her sister, and now, McCarty says wistfully, “We were close...before these years of caregiving.”
Benefits as well as stress The subject of caregiver stress has been a focus of research for almost three decades, said Leslie Morgan, PhD, co-director of doctoral programs and professor of sociology at UMBC. But only recently have gerontology specialists turned their attention to the benefits caregiving can bring to caregivers. “This is a time when you and your loved See CAREGIVING, page 10
We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term relationships. Mary came to ManorCare Health Service – Woodbridge Valley debilitated from an infection. Mary couldn’t even get out of bed! didn’tknow know She told us ‘Ididn’t what to expect. I’ve never been hospitalized.’
“Everyone was so wonderful. I’m glad I came here.” - Mary
After our rehab team worked with Mary, she was up on her own two feet, managing all of her own needs and, in no time, was discharged and back to her regular routine. As an added bonus, ManorCare’s exercise regimen jump-started a weight loss which helped her to resolve her diabetes. Mary says, “Thanks to ManorCare, I feel great!”
– Susan, Baltimore
As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking) , even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits.
Stuart Goldman, DPM
Maryland Access Point (MAP), www.marylandaccesspoint.info. MAP is a statewide resource for information and assistance about long-term services and supports to allow individuals to remain at home and plan for future needs. Tools on the site help individuals assess needs, understand care options and search for services. State partners on the site include the Maryland Departments of Aging, Disabilities, and Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as the regional Centers for Independent Living. Another challenge that caregivers face is the disruption that can result within the family. Kathy McCarty lives in Baltimore and visits her elderly mother in Providence, R.I., as often as possible. She works with her brother and sister to coordinate care for their mother. The strain has taken its toll on their relationship, however.
— Dr. Stuart Goldman Fellow American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare Author, multiple articles on Foot & Leg Symptoms
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Caregiving From page 9 one can be together and get closer,� said Morgan, “when, hopefully, you’ll have the time to say things you might not otherwise have said, and to show your affection for each other.� That’s how Baltimore City resident Donna Allnutt, 70, who has been a caregiver for numerous people, feels about it. “As things come up, I just take care of them,� said Allnutt, who lived with her mother the last 10 months of her life, took night shifts for three months when her
cousin’s brother was dying in the hospital, has cared for a niece with cerebral palsy, and is currently offering her home to a friend receiving cancer treatment. “I just believe in helping others,� said Allnutt. As the mother of six, the personal chores, such as changing diapers, don’t bother her at all. “It comes naturally to me,� she said. In her new book, The Caregivers: A Support Group’s Stories of Slow Loss, Courage and Love, author Nell Lake talks about the suicide of her grandmother, who took her own life seemingly in anticipation of a possible diagnosis of cancer.
AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
“It’s clear to me that, by committing suicide, my grandmother wanted to avoid being an invalid, dependent,� Lake writes in her prologue. “It also seems clear that she didn’t want to be cared for....I’ve realized not only the ambiguities of my grandmother’s last act, but what she subsequently missed what I missed: the intimacy that may come with tending and being tended to. The opportunity to love, to move toward even what frightens us. Perhaps she ducked out to evade the inevitable closeness, the letting go, the being known.� In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University’s Center on Aging and Health and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, lead author David Roth also reported on the benefits of caregiving. Of the caregivers surveyed — average age
64, more likely female and either white or African-American — family caregivers were 18 percent less likely to die than noncaregivers over the course of the six-year study. According to Leah Eskinazi, director of operations for the Family Caregiver Alliance in San Francisco, many people find caregiving rewarding, and feel good about themselves for being able to give back to their parents who did so much for them. And for adult children who may have had difficult relationships with a parent, caregiving is an opportunity to heal some of the wounds they have carried with them. For AARP’s Amy Goyer, who made the move across the country to be there for her parents, despite the challenges, the message is simple. “This is your time to be with them.�
Antibiotics
— Howard LeWine, M.D., a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., and Chief Medical Editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. Š2014. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
From page 8 5. Shower after you work out. 6. Wash your gym clothes every time you wear them. 7. Wash sheets and towels in hot water. Dry them in a hot dryer.
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11
Can foods protect you from skin cancer? Q: Are there foods or nutrients that A: Avocados, like most fruit, do have a after they’ve reached desired softness. can protect my skin from damage due distinct period in which they are best to If you’d like to use firm avocados soonto sun exposure? use. Color may change with er, put them in a brown paper bag with one A: There is no substitute for ripeness, but the best indica- of the following fruits: apple, banana, protecting yourself from UV tor of ripeness is by feel: a ripe peach, pear, kiwi, plum or papaya. All these light, which is one of the most avocado yields to gentle pres- fruits produce and give off ethylene gas, a important factors in the develsure, but is not mushy. plant hormone that triggers the ripening opment of both melanoma and If you happen to find a ripe process. non-melanoma skin cancer. avocado at the grocery store Once your avocado is ripe, if you use There are a handful of inor farmers’ market, and you only half of it, sprinkle the remaining half triguing lab studies on how are ready to use it in the next with lemon or lime juice (or even orange certain food components may day or so, that’s great. juice in a pinch), then cover tightly with offer UV protection, but for However, don’t hesitate to plastic wrap to reduce exposure to air, and now, there’s no clear evidence. NUTRITION buy too-firm avocados. To refrigerate. It will still be good the next WISE Cell and animal studies, and ripen avocados, store them at day; if there is a trace of browning, just By Karen Collins, small human trials, suggest room temperature. Normally scrape it off and enjoy the rest of the fruit. MS, RD, CDM foods rich in lycopene (tomathey will ripen in four to five You can also mash or puree ripe avocatoes, watermelon, papaya, pink days at about 65 to 75 degrees; do with lemon or lime juice (about one to or red grapefruit), as well as dark green leafy in extra hot weather, they will likely ripen two teaspoons per avocado half) and vegetables and deep orange vegetables and faster. Refrigerate to ripen more slowly, or freeze for later use in guacamole or other fruits (including spinach, kale, broccoli, car- to hold your avocados two or three days dips or salad dressings. rots and cantaloupe) might help protect skin with long-term consumption. Laboratory studies have also shown potential protection from compounds in the herb rosemary and the spice turmeric (which is part of curry powder). But we don’t have studies in humans yet to show whether amounts we get from enjoying them as seasonings makes a difference in sun protection. Get back to an active life without going out of your way. Green tea contains a compound called EGCG studied for its cancer-preventive potential. Researchers are looking at whether it may offer protection against UV rays. Finally, there are some studies looking at whether omega-3 fatty acids, found in some types of fish, might link to lower risk for skin cancers. Evidence is not strong enough to think that any of these foods provide protection for your skin. However, making a variety of vegetables and fruits a major part of every meal is a move already recommended for lower overall cancer risk, and fish seems to support heart health. But nothing replaces the protection you get from limiting your skin’s exposure to UV light (both from sunlight and from tanning beds) through limited time in the sun and by using sunscreen. Q: I’d like to eat avocados more often, but I have trouble getting them at the right stage of ripeness and using them before they turn mushy. What’s the secret?
As long as you watch your portion size to control calories, avocados make a great addition to many dishes. Although avocados contain fat, saturated fat is very low. The vast majority of the fat consists of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (sometimes called MUFA and PUFA), both of which are healthful fats. And sodium content is zero. The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to Nutrition Wise, 1759 R St. NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.
More physicians. More locations. More access than ever.
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July 24
BONE DENSITY OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING
St. Joseph Medical Center, 7601 Osler Dr., will offer free osteoporosis screening on Thursday, July 24. You must not have been screened or had a DEXA scan in the past year. The screening involves an ultrasound test of the heel bone, plus education about osteoporosis. Appointments required. Call (410) 337-1479 to schedule.
Six of the Baltimore area’s most respected orthopaedists are now part of MedStar Orthopaedics: Steven Kulik, MD; Mesfin A. Lemma, MD; Darioush Nasseri, MD; Robert M. Peroutka, MD; Steve A. Petersen, MD; and Carmen Pichard-Encina, MD. Along with Michael Jacobs, MD, and Derek Papp, MD, these MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital specialists add their expertise to that of more than 70 others, providing the highest level of care through a network of four hospitals and more than 20 locations. They all work together to help you get back to your active life. MedStarOrtho.org/More • 877-34-ORTHO MedStar Orthopaedics combines the expertise of MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, MedStar Harbor Hospital, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, and The Curtis National Hand Center.
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BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health
13
Natural remedies for common allergies Dear Pharmacist: toms. In this particular trial, the participants I take loratadine because of my aller- noticed a reduction in hay fever symptoms, gies to pollen and grass. Is that the but it took a couple of months of daily supbest antihistamine, and are plementation to see results. there natural alternatives? Another interesting study — S.M. found that babies born to Dear S.M.: mothers who supplemented I like loratadine (Claritin) with probiotics had fewer when it comes to choosing antiproblems with allergies and histamines because it’s not seasthma. The results were not dating. I take it on occasion, and as supportive if the babies I break the 10 mg. tablets in were started on probiotics half, to get 5 mg. daily, because after birth, so tell friends and that works for me and doesn’t family to take their probiotics DEAR dry me up as much. I use plain before and during pregnancy. PHARMACIST tablets, because you can’t break Quercetin: This is a pigBy Suzy Cohen the long-acting ones. ment found in plants and citDiphenhydramine is anothrus. It’s also a potent natural er popular antihistamine, but it’s very se- antihistamine in high doses, like 500 mg. dating. So take it at night, and expect a two to three times daily. This smacks down morning hangover. histamine, the chemical that triggers the These antihistamines — and also Zyrtec, assault, all the sneezing and bloodshot, Allegra and Chlor-trimeton — are consti- itchy eyes. Vitamin C can be substituted. pating. Well, of course! They’re intended to Green tea: This improves your chance dry you, so they dry up everything! to fight against germs, and it reduces hisAsk your practitioner about some of the tamine and inflammatory chemicals following natural options and home reme- (called cytokines). dies, which also help: Butterbur: This is the same herbal exProbiotics (top of the list): Numerous tract I’ve talked about for migraine prevenwell-designed clinical trials, including one in tion, and guess what? It is also useful for althe European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, lergies, and for the same reason. show that probiotics reduce allergy sympIt reduces leukotrienes, which are com-
pounds that upset your body, just like histamine. Leukotrienes are the chemicals that actually sustain the misery, the swelling and inflammation, the stuffiness in your nose and so forth. Rather than get addicted to those nasal sprays, you can just reduce the production of the compounds with Butterbur. It’s sold at health food stores nationwide as well as online, like all the other supplements above. Steam inhalation: I love easy! Heat up water in a pot, and carefully inhale the
warm steam (add a drop of eucalyptus oil) to the water. Eye wash: Every home should have this in case a household cleanser splashes in your eye. It’s sold at pharmacies and online, from various brands, including Bausch & Lomb. Rinsing your hot, red eyes feels amazing. Then you can put a cool compress on it. Try not to scratch! Natural Similasin Allergy Eye Relief eye See NATURAL REMEDIES, page 15
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Health Studies Page
AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS
Volunteer for study to prevent Alzheimer’s By Lauran Neergaard In one of the most ambitious attempts yet to thwart Alzheimer’s disease, a major study got underway in June to see if an experimental drug can protect healthy seniors whose brains harbor silent signs that they’re at risk. Scientists plan to eventually scan the brains of thousands of older volunteers in
the U.S., Canada and Australia to find those with a sticky build-up believed to play a key role in development of Alzheimer’s. It will be the first time so many people without memory problems get the chance to learn the potentially troubling news. Having lots of that gunky protein called beta-amyloid doesn’t guarantee someone
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will develop dementia. But the big question: Could intervening early make a difference for those who do harbor it? “We have to get them at the stage when we can save their brains,” said Dr. Reisa Sperling of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who is leading the huge effort to find out.
Study at Hopkins Researchers are just beginning to recruit volunteers. Locally, Johns Hopkins University is participating. The first volunteer in the trial, Peter Bristol, 70, of Wakefield, R.I., figured he was at risk because his mother died of Alzheimer’s and his brother has it. “I felt I needed to be proactive in seeking whatever therapies might be available for myself in the coming years,” said Bristol, who said he was prepared when a PET scan of his brain showed he harbored enough amyloid to qualify for the research. “Just because I have [amyloid] doesn’t mean I’m going to get Alzheimer’s,” he stressed. But Bristol and his wife are “going into the situation with our eyes wide open.” He won’t know until the end of the so-
called A4 Study — it stands for Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s — whether he received monthly infusions of the experimental medicine, Eli Lilly & Co.’s solanezumab, or a placebo (dummy drug).
Curbing amyloid Solanezumab is designed to help catch amyloid before it builds into the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. It failed in earlier studies to treat full-blown Alzheimer’s — but it did appear to help slow mental decline in patients with mild disease, raising interest in testing it earlier. Scientists now think Alzheimer’s begins ravaging the brain at least a decade before memory problems appear, much like heart disease is triggered by quiet cholesterol build-up. Many believe the best chance of preventing, or at least slowing, the disease requires intervening, somehow, when people still appear healthy. The $140 million study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Lilly and others, will track if participants’ memory and See ALZHEIMER’S STUDY, page 15
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MERCY MEDICAL CENTER SEEKS VOLUNTEERS Mercy Medical Center has ongoing volunteer opportunities. Contact
Mercy’s Volunteer Office at (410) 332-9227; TTY (410) 332-9888 or volunteers@mdmercy.com to discuss volunteer opportunities or ask questions about application requirements, and to share your interests, goals and skills.
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BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Alzheimer’s study From page 14 amyloid levels change over three years. Whether this particular drug works or not, the Alzheimer’s study is being watched closely as a chance to learn more about how amyloid works, and how people handle the uncertainty of knowing it’s there. “Amyloid we know is a huge risk factor, but someone can have a head full of amyloid and not decline” mentally, Sperling said. “We need to understand more about why some brains are resilient and some are not.”
Who can take part? Before any brain scans, interested 65- to 85-year-olds will undergo cognitive tests to be sure their memory is normal. Volunteers also must be willing to learn their amyloid levels, and researchers can turn away those whose psychological assessments suggest they may not cope well with the news. The study seeks to enroll 1,000 adults who have an “elevated” level of amyloid plaque in
Natural remedies From page 13 drops are soothing, and you can also ask for a prescription for Zaditor (ketotofin) antihistamine eye drops. This information is opinion only. It is not
their brain. Physicians and researchers will use an imaging test called a PET scan to determine whether a potential participant has evidence of this plaque buildup. During the study, participants will be monitored for anxiety or distress. “It is breaking new ground,” said Dr. Laurie Ryan of the NIH’s National Institute on Aging. “We really do have to understand how [knowing they have plaques] affects people.” Sperling expects to screen more than 5,000 healthy seniors to find the needed 1,000 participants. The study lasts for three years, and participants will be required to visit the clinical research site once a month for monitoring and memory tests. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the investigational drug or a placebo. Volunteers who do not show evidence of elevated amyloid in their brains (and are therefore not eligible for the study) may be asked to participate in a separate study. This group will not take any drug or placebo, but will complete the same memory tests every six months to compare changes
in cognition over time. For more information about the study, contact Sarah Woody at Johns Hopkins at (410) 550-9054 or swoody1@jhmi.edu.
Also see the study’s website at www.a4study.org. — AP (with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben)
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Ongoing
HEARTLAND HOSPICE SERVICES Join the team at Heartland Hospice as it strives to make its
patients’ lives more comfortable and meaningful. Volunteers visit patients, read, listen, play music, do crafts and provide much needed respite time for caregivers. Volunteers receive 16 hours of training, followed by ongoing guidance and support. When training is complete, volunteers are assigned to patients in the area of their choice. To learn more, visit www.hcr-manorcare.com.
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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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
When an optimist is married to a pessimist Dear Solutions: You did mention “your money,” and I hope My husband is a pessimist. He calls that’s true because that can give you the inme a crazy optimist because I always dependence to take the chances you wish. want to at least try things. Also, tell him you appreciate It’s true that a lot of times his judgment, since his conhe’s right to be pessimistic, stantly spelling out the worst but not always. I often go that can happen allows you to along with what he says in take the worst into consideraorder to keep the peace. tion, put it behind you, and Now I have a big projstart from there. ect that I want to do, and At the same time, you probahe says I’ll be wasting my bly help him keep his spirits up time and my money beby pointing out the good things cause it can’t work. I have around him. SOLUTIONS made plans and thought When he asks what present By Helen Oxenberg, of special ways to do it. you would like for your birthMSW, ACSW What do you say to day or holiday, tell him to get someone who keeps sayyou a big beautiful umbrella, ing ‘it can’t be done’? which you can use when he rains on your — Naomi parade. Dear Naomi: Anyway, you know the optimist thinks Tell him to stop interrupting you while this is the best of all possible worlds, and you’re doing what can’t be done! the pessimist is afraid that’s true. Good
luck. Dear Solutions: Now that I’m widowed, my son just assumes that I must need help managing my finances. I’ve told him that I did most of the financial stuff even when his dad was alive, but he argues with me and often gets angry. I think he thinks that I don’t want him to know what I have or don’t have. How can I put a stop to this argument? — Millie Dear Millie: “Yes” should come before “No.” Tell him that, yes, you would love to share some of these chores with him so you will feel more confident at how you’re handling them. Remember that he feels good about stepping in, now that his father is gone. It probably helps him to feel close to his father, so try to see this as a gift you can give him. Make it mutual. Explain to him that doing most of this yourself helps you to hold on to a feeling of independence. Also, see this as a bonus. Make it a food and finance lunch for the two of you once a month. And enjoy. Dear Solutions: I have recently moved into an established community without knowing anyone there. I’m alone, and I’m wondering if I made a big mistake, be-
cause now I feel even more alone. The agent who got me here also lives here. He is having a party and urges me to come. I panic at the thought of walking into a room where I know no one. Is there any easy way to do this? — Alice Dear Alice: There’s probably no easy way to be “new in the neighborhood,” especially if the neighborhood is not new. Okay, so the other people know each other already. Be brave. Assume they’re nice people who have also been through this sometime in their lives. Try this: Walk over to any little group talking to each other and say, “I was assured by the hostess that, since I’m new here, I’m allowed to break into other people’s little groups and introduce myself.” (take a deep breath) “There, I said it, and I didn’t have a heart attack.” I’m willing to bet that you’ll walk out of that party knowing and being known. Let me know. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. 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
BEACON BITS
Aug. 4
MILITARY AVIATION PIONEER
On Monday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m., hear Carl Bobrow, museum specialist with the National Air and Space Museum, speak about Gen. George Owen Squier, a pioneer in military aviation. This monthly speaker series is held at the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum, 2323 Eastern Blvd., Middle River. Although the event is free, a photo ID is required for entry. For more information, call (410) 682-6122 or visit www.mdairmuseum.org.
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Say you saw it in the Beacon
Money Law &
17
TAKING STOCK Although the stock market has surged so far this year, what does the rest of 2014 hold? DON’T ABANDON BONDS While bond funds have slipped in the last few years, they still have a place in your portfolio PASS IT ON When leaving a valuable collection to your heirs, consider the effects of taxation and get the right appraisal
Investors looking abroad for dividends By Stan Choe In the search for dividends, it can pay for investors to head abroad. Markets outside the United States have long been fertile ground for dividend hunters because their stronger cultures of paying dividends have resulted in higher yields. U.S. companies have boosted their own dividends, and paid a record amount last year. But many mutual-fund managers say the most attractive dividend stocks are still outside the country. Investors also are showing a preference for foreign dividend payers: That’s where they’re putting more of their money. “The U.S. is an actively hostile dividend market and has been for years,” said Daniel Peris, senior portfolio manager at Federated Investors. He helps run the Federated International Strategic Value Dividend fund (IVFAX), among others.
Differing approaches In the U.S., companies often use their cash to buy back stock instead of paying dividends. But in other developed markets, Peris said there’s a strong assumption that companies will pay out much or most of
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their earnings to shareholders as dividends. Consider HSBC Holdings, the largest company by market value in the United Kingdom. The financial giant paid out 58 percent of its earnings per share last year in the form of dividends. In the U.S., companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index paid about 35 percent of their earnings as dividends. That’s more than they paid just a few years ago, but it’s down from earlier decades. The yields are also higher abroad. U.K. stocks have an average dividend yield of 3.3 percent, and stocks in Europe outside the U.K. offer 3.1 percent, according to MSCI indexes. Stocks from emerging markets, such as Brazil and China, pay 2.7 percent. All are ahead of the 2 percent yield of U.S. stocks. Interest in dividends has climbed after they helped to stem losses during the “lost decade” of 2000-09 for stocks. The S&P 500 fell 24.1 percent after the dot-com bust and financial crisis swamped markets in succession. But after including dividends, the decade’s loss was a less distasteful 9.1 percent. Besides potentially smoothing out the ride of stock investing, dividend payers can also supply income to investors contending
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with relatively low interest rates on bonds.
though they’re a bigger category by assets.
Dividends = fiscal discipline?
Risks overseas
Perhaps most importantly, companies that pay dividends force themselves to be more disciplined in how they spend money, which can lead to better performance, said David Ruff. He is a portfolio manager at Forward Management and helps run Forward Select Emerging Markets Dividend (FSLRX) and other dividend funds. When a company has to budget for its dividend, its managers are less likely to waste money on an ill-fitting acquisition or expansion. And companies typically fight to maintain their dividend even when times are tight for fear of an investor backlash. That’s why Ruff sees a company’s promise to pay a dividend as a signal of discipline. He also said he generally sees better signals for dividend stocks abroad than at home. Investors plugged a net $6 billion into foreign large-cap value stock mutual funds through the first four months of the year, according to Morningstar. Such funds tend to focus on dividend-paying stocks, and their U.S. counterparts attracted a smaller $4.5 billion over the same time, even
To be sure, foreign stocks present their own set of risks. Emerging-market stocks in particular can gyrate sharply. Other considerations that investors should be aware of include: Irregular schedule. In the U.S., investors have become accustomed to companies paying out steady dividends every three months. Abroad, the payment schedule isn’t uniform. Some companies pay twice a year, others four. And the amounts may vary. Nestle, for example, is the biggest nonU.S. company in the MSCI High Dividend Yield index. The Swiss-based company pays a dividend once a year, about a week after its annual general meeting. This year, it was paid on April 10. Like Nestle, many European companies pay much or most of their dividends during the second quarter, from April through June. HSBC meanwhile pays four dividends a year, but the amount varies. The first three quarterly payments are the same, but the See DIVIDENDS ABROAD, page 19
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Predicting the midyear outlook for stocks By Anne Kates Smith We predicted in January that Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index would finish the year in the vicinity of 1900, and the Dow Jones industrial average would close above 17,000. We still think that’s a good,
conservative bet, although it’s possible that stocks could tack on a little more — with the S&P 500 closing between 1950 and 2000. That would produce gains of 6 percent for the year and would translate to roughly
17,500 for the Dow. Stock returns will mirror growth in corporate earnings, which analysts estimate at 6 to 7 percent this year. Dividends will add another two percentage points to the market’s return.
Where to look for growth But the market has grown more complicated. In order to prosper, you’ll have to be choosier about where you invest. In general, we think the rest of the year will favor larger companies over smaller ones; companies that sell at reasonable values over high-growth, high-priced stocks; and companies that are more sensitive to improvement in the economy than those considered more defensive. For the 5-year-old bull market to continue, it will have to meet several midlife challenges. The first will be making the transition from a market driven by super-easy
monetary policies and little competition from fixed-income investments to one more focused on corporate profits. The Federal Reserve is unwinding its bond-buying program aimed at keeping long-term rates low, and will eventually look toward raising short-term rates, most likely next year. As investors begin to anticipate that tightening, the market could suffer a 5 to 10 percent pullback, perhaps in the fourth quarter, said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. But if raising interest rates to a more normal level is seen as a vote of confidence in the economy, it won’t be the end of the bull market.
Focus on revenues A second challenge: Companies must become less dependent on the plump profit margins engineered by cost-cutting and other maneuvers and more reliant on revenue growth. Since the financial crisis, pershare earnings growth has been strong as companies have cut costs, refinanced high-cost debt, lowered tax bills and bought back shares. A recent spike in mergers and buyouts is aimed at buying revenue growth, said John Toohey, who directs stock investments for USAA. But he and others would prefer to see more growth coming from actually selling more goods and services. Such growth will hinge on whether the economy can finally accelerate convincingly. Kiplinger’s expects gross domestic product to expand by 2.4 percent this year, up from 1.9 percent growth in 2013, with the growth rate picking up to 3 percent or better in the second half. Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. ©2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BEACON BITS
July 29
BANK ON IT
Learn about the latest banking trends and the impact they have on older adults at a program presented by Wells Fargo at the Ateaze Senior Center, 7401 Holabird Ave., Dundalk. The talk takes place on Tuesday, July 29 at 10 a.m. The program is free, but you must sign up at the front desk. For more information, call (410) 887-7233.
Ongoing
LAWYERS OFFER ADVICE TO ARTISTS
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts delivers legal services and legal information to over 10,000 members of the arts community each year. For information on services available in Maryland, contact Maryland Lawyers for the Arts, 113 W. North Ave., (410) 7521633, info@mdartslaw.org, or www.mdartslaw.org.
Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
19
Despite performance, don’t purge bonds Common stock investors have certainly prices fell only 13.9 percent. been pleased with the overall stock market In the periods between October 2007 performance over the last five years. For ex- and March 2009, common stocks fell 57 ample, the S&P 500 index increased 19.1 per- percent, high-yield bonds fell 26 percent, cent in that period; Vanguard’s and real estate investment total stock market index fund trusts fell 71 percent. The U.S. has increased 19.6 percent. aggregate bond index inInvestors in bond funds, excreased 5 percent during that cept for high-yield (junk) bond period; the Treasury Index infunds, saw their bond portfocreased 15 percent. lios decrease approximately 2 What are the lessons from percent in 2013. As a result, these statistics? To me, they many investors have reduced prove the value of a diversified the proportion of bonds in their portfolio at all times. If you portfolios. look at the five-year period THE SAVINGS Based on the email I receive, GAME prior to the five years when it seems many investors are By Elliot Raphaelson common stocks had such a considering lowering the longgreat run, bonds outperformed term allocation of bonds in their stocks by a wide margin. If you portfolios even further. This is understand- had a 100 percent stock portfolio during able as many (if not most) bond experts are those five years, you would have had a negapredicting a 10-year return of only 2 to 3 per- tive performance. cent for a conservative bond portfolio. For the last 15 years, during my retirement, I have had a significant percentage of Those who forget the past both bonds and common stocks in my portUnfortunately, many investors have folio (at least 40 percent in each). Obviously, short memories. There is a blog post I would have done better if I had a 100 perworth reading on Vanguard’s website, “A cent bond allocation for five years and then a second look at bond investing in a rising- 100 percent stock allocation for the next five rate environment,” written by Brian Scott. years. I don’t know anyone who did that. Scott points out that, historically, aggregate bond prices have shown a net loss only Shaping your portfolio 15 percent of the time, or one out of six years. My point is that peaks and valleys in Aggregate stock prices have decreased 25 both the stock and bond market are unprepercent of the time, or one out of four years. dictable. It is true that on a long-term basis He also points out that in the worst year stocks have outperformed bonds, and even for common stocks, prices fell 67.6 per- retired investors should maintain a significent, while in the worst year for bonds, cant percent of stocks in their portfolio.
Dividends abroad From page 17 fourth can swing depending on the company’s earnings. For 2013, HSBC paid an annual dividend of 49 cents per share. The first three payments were 10 cents, and the final one was 19 cents. Currency risk. One of the main risks of foreign investing is that swings in currency values can quickly erode any potential profit. If a stock’s price rises on the London Stock
Exchange, for example, but the British pound falls in value against the dollar, it could negate the gain for a U.S. investor. The value of dividend payments can also take a hit. Last quarter, for example, Japanese companies paid the equivalent of $2 billion in dividends, according to Henderson Global Investors. That’s down 21 percent from the first quarter of 2013, but half of that decline was due to the falling value of the Japanese yen. — AP
I don’t think a 50 percent holding in common stocks for most retirees is too high. With inflation at approximately 3 percent, and expected bond returns of 2 to 3 percent, retirees should have a significant portion of their portfolio in stocks to protect against inflation on an intermediate-term basis. Most of my bond portfolio is in intermediate-term mutual funds. Investing this way provides reasonable interest without a great deal of capital risk. Short-term bonds currently pay very low returns. According to Scott, investments in 1- to 3-year bonds currently yield only 0.66 percent. Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (which has a longer duration) currently yields 2.4 percent. Although long-term bonds yield a little more than the average intermediate-term bond portfolio, there is much greater capital risk if interest rates do increase a great deal.
It would be great if we could predict peaks and valleys in the stock and bond markets. No one can. There is a danger in having too high an allocation in either stocks or bonds. There is too great a temptation to make drastic changes at exactly the wrong times. At the end of 2008, and at the start of 2009, many investors who had a high percentage of their portfolio in common stocks sold most or all of their holdings in stocks, and missed most or all of the five-year boom. If you maintain a diversified portfolio, balancing your positions on an annual basis, you should be able to obtain reasonable returns without having to guess market tops and bottoms. You may not get rich, but you will be able to sleep soundly. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BEACON BITS
July 31
– THE PAPER TRAIL
What financial and medical papers should you keep, and where should you keep them? Get the answers, as well as learn about what a “grab and go box” is, at a program at Overlea Fullerton Senior Center on Thursday, July 31 at 1 p.m. The center is located at 4314 Fullerton Ave. For more information, call (410) 887-5220.
More ways to say “I love you.” If you, or a loved one, is Deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or have difficulty speaking, Maryland Relay offers many calling options to keep you connected by phone. You may also qualify for a free assistive device through the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications program.
Calling Options t TTY (Text Telephone) t Voice Carry-Over t Hearing Carry-Over t Speech-to-Speech t Captioned Telephone t Spanish Relay Just dial 7-1-1 to make a Relay call. Visit mdrelay.org to learn more.
800-552-7724 (Voice/TTY) 443-453-5970 (VP)
20
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Leaving a valuable collection to your heirs By Vickie Elmer Do you collect vintage radios, 19th-century dolls or perhaps African sculptures? It may take some expert help to work out how to pass these on to your heirs. Parents’ collectibles can hold emotional meaning for adult children, and some collec-
tions carry financial value as well. Before you choose a beneficiary for your collection, sit down with your family and find out who, if anyone, wants the items. Then consider whether you want to parcel out some items now, wait a few years, or hold on to everything until you die.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
INFORMATION ON ADVANCE DIRECTIVES An advance directive lets you decide who should make healthcare
One reason to give away items before you die: The joy of seeing beloved objects bestowed now. “Face-to-face giving is rewarding for the donor,” said Michael Whitty, an estateplanning lawyer with Handler Thayer, in Chicago. Whether you pass on collections now or after you die, he suggests giving heirs a “user manual” on how to maintain, insure and sell the valuables.
Tax considerations
decisions for you if you cannot do so yourself. You can also specify what kind of
Keep the tax tab in mind before you decide how to dispose of a valuable collection. Each year you can give each beneficiary up to $14,000 in cash, securities and other assets ($28,000 per beneficiary from a couple) without having to file a gift-tax return. Anything above $14,000 counts against the estate-tax threshold — in 2014, $10.68
treatments you do or do not want. For more information and advance directive forms, contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Office at (410) 576-7000 or www.oaf.state.md.us/health pol/directive.pdf; Caring Connections at 800-6588898 or www.caringinfo.org; or Aging with Dignity, 800-594-7437 or www.agingwithdignity.org.
million ($5.34 million for an individual) — when you die. Therefore, couples who have amassed an estate well above the federal estate-tax threshold may want to parcel out valuable collectibles to children and grandchildren year by year. A lower estate-tax bill may be an incentive to donate the collection if your kids don’t want it. If you decide to sell, you will pay a maximum 28-percent capital-gains tax on collectibles — lower than the federal estatetax rate. (Your state may also impose its own estate or inheritance tax.) Before you start divvying up your collection, consider whether it is worth more intact or separated. A coin or stamp collection is more valuable together than apart. Most art and antiques usually fetch more sold piece by piece.
Appraising your collection M A RILY N SL resident since 2010
BETT Y SL employee since 2006
HERE RE FOR YO YOU in every way at Atrium Village
Our version of senior living upholds the standards of YOUR LIFESTYLE. Catered to your taste, our staff and amenities deliver a level of quality and service that will make you feel right at home.
Summer Safety Presentation and Vitality Check-ups TUESDAY, JULY 29TH AT 1:00PM July is Summer Safety Month. We want you to “beat the heat” during the sizzling summer days ahead.
SEATING IS LIMITED. PLEASE RSVP BY SATURDAY, JULY 26TH.
CALL 888-840-2214 TODAY
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Ongoing
MAP OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
Maryland Access Point (MAP) of Baltimore County is part of a nationwide effort to streamline access to support, services and benefits to older adults, persons with disabilities, their families and care providers. Call (410) 887-2594, or email aginginfo@baltimorecountymd.gov. For statewide information, visit MarylandAccessPoint.info
We’re Celebrating Summer at Atrium Village!
Christina Haussener MS, OTR/L , Genesis Rehabilitation Services Program Manager will teach you ways to remain safe and stay well as the heat and humidity rise. Christina will also be offering individual Vitality Check-ups after her presentation. We will be serving frosty beverages and light refreshments.
If you will gift a collection during your lifetime, you should get an appraisal done before you start giving it away, and update the appraisal every five years or so. If you plan to give one child a collection appraised at, say, $50,000, you could decide to give another child $50,000 in cash or other property. Depending on the size of your estate, your heirs will need to get their own appraisal for estate-tax purposes. If the collection is unusual, such as antique African carvings, recommend an appraiser and have it valued while you’re still alive. To find an appraiser near you, go to the website of the American Society of Appraisers (www.appraisers.org), the Appraisers Association of America (www.appraisersassoc.org), or the International Society of Appraisers (www.isa-appraisers.org). Vickie Elmer is a freelance writer for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ongoing INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING MEMORY CARE 4730 ATRIUM COURT OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117 WWW.SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM
LEGAL AID FOR SENIORS
Maryland Legal Aid provides a full range of civil legal services to financially qualified Marylanders and people over 60 from 13 offices around the state. For more information, visit www.mdlab.org.
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Say you saw it in the Beacon
Travel
21
Leisure &
Niagara Falls is a 20-minute drive from Buffalo, N.Y. See story on page 23.
Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 Islands Some highlights: Thirty lighthouses, 28 of which are historic (some open to the public); a replica of an 18th century European castle; a 19th century Army barracks; a town celebrating the War of 1812; unique museums; a contest to catapult pumpkins into the river; and the place where Thousand Island Salad Dressing was created. If you want to take a tour, there are boat, balloon and helicopter options. There are also many excellent opportunities for fishing, boating, golfing and hiking. Diehard adventurers can dive for liquor bottles tossed overboard during Prohibition. If you’re in your own car, New York’s 518mile Seaway Trail bypasses busy interstates and meanders from one small scenic town to the next. On the southern end, Route 12 follows the shoreline through rolling green fields punctuated by silos, dairy cows, barns, farmhouses, and villages right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Sackets Harbor
PHOTO BY GEORGE FISHER
I started my journey up the river in the village of Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario. I found the tourism director, Cheryl Payne, chatting on a bench in front of her store, the Calla Lilies Shop, with Timothy Scee, the town supervisor. Tim instantly offered a personal tour, which started on Main Street, lined with pink roses, and wound through the Madison barracks, the battlefield and past the water tower. Robust, 12-foot lilac bushes seemed to leap up everywhere. Sackets Harbor residents brag that their town was a critical 19th century U.S. naval station and shipbuilding center, as well as the stage for two battles in the War of 1812 where the British were vanquished. In the first, British warships arrived but then withdrew after suffering damage. In the second, the Americans repelled a landing force. The town is having a three-year-long bicentennial commemoration of the war through 2015. Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, built in 1827, marks the point The battlefield comwhere Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River in northern New York. mandant’s house is fur-
PHOTO COURTESY OF 1000 ISLANDS TOURISM COUNCIL
By Glenda C. Booth The great St. Lawrence River, which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, is inviting. It invites curious travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, pumpkin catapulters and even would-be princes and princesses who harbor fantasies of living in castles. Throughout history, it has lured Native Americans, Canada’s First Nations people, fur traders, explorers, international merchants and warring nations. The St. Lawrence River Seaway, which includes a system of rivers, canals, locks and dams from Lake Superior to the Atlantic, constitutes the largest freshwater waterway in the world, stretching 2,300 miles. But this story is about a very special 50mile section of the St. Lawrence that straddles the border between New York state and Ontario, Canada. It is dotted with 1,864 chunks of rocky earth — islands that range from 50 square miles to the size of a carport. Native Americans called the region the “Garden of the Great Spirit.” According to an Iroquois legend, the Great Spirit gave people a magical garden, on the condition that they not fight. The tribes started warring against each other, so the Great Spirit picked up the paradise, and somehow the garden slipped from the Spirit’s hands, shattering into many islands. Today, adventurous ramblers can find numerous intriguing nooks and crannies on and off the beaten path throughout the region.
The unfinished Boldt Castle sprawls across one of the more than 1,000 islands in a portion of the St. Lawrence River that divides New York and Ontario. The castle, off the coast of the town of Alexandria Bay, was being built by George Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, for his wife. He called off the project when she suddenly passed away during its construction in 1904.
nished as Commodore Josiah Tattnall’s was in the mid-1800s. The Madison Barracks, a living history museum of military architecture, had a role in every war from the War of 1812 to World War II. For more history, visit http://paththroughhistory.ny.gov/. Locals trumpet Funny Cide, the thoroughbred winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness races, because the racehorse was owned by six locals. The Boathouse Restaurant displays the jockey’s jersey and other paraphernalia. Sackets Harborites are also proud of Caroline, the 2013 American Girl doll heroine, modeled after a local girl whose father was a shipbuilder taken prisoner in 1812 by the Brits. There is a blonde-haired Caroline doll in a long pink dress, as well as seven fiction books about her “life.” For relief from war themes, Old McDonald’s Farm is a 1,000-cow dairy farm featuring a state-of-the-art milking parlor. Its computer technology tracks a cow’s activities, milk production, breeding and calf delivery dates. The town’s visitor center in the FederalGeorgian-style Augustus Sacket House can supply additional suggestions.
Clayton The hamlet of Clayton, perched on a peninsula jutting out into the St. Lawrence River, was founded as a lumber and ship-
building center and port in 1822. A walking map from the Chamber of Commerce on Riverside Drive will guide your amble around the five-block historic district. It consists of 31 buildings erected between 1854 and the 1920s in Italianate and Richardsonian Romanesque styles. Some feature pressed metal and cast iron cornices and window crowns. Given the town’s orientation to the river, locals are known as River Rats. So be sure to sample the local aged cheddar, River Rat Cheese. The village centerpiece is the Thousand Islands Inn, which opened in 1897 to serve visitors arriving by rail. It’s the only one of three dozen inns in the 1,000 islands region to survive from that era. Its early 1900s décor is a step back in time, creating an ambience that landed the hotel on television’s Travel Channel 33 times. The Antique Boat Museum, brimming with over 320 boats, is home to the largest collection of antique freshwater recreational boats in the U.S., from canoes to racing boats to the 106-foot, Gilded Age houseboat, La Duchesse, owned by hotel magnate George Boldt of Waldorf Astoria fame. The houseboat has a steel hull, brass fireplace, nine bedrooms, five bathrooms, See 1,000 ISLANDS, page 22
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1,000 Islands From page 21 servants’ quarters, a dancing deck, and a flower potting room. Museum exhibits explore boating history, starting with dugout canoes. The Thousand Islands Museum at 312 James St. documents life along the St. Lawrence River. It features duck decoys and the Muskie Hall of Fame, dedicated to fishing for the large, elusive trophy fish known as the muskellunge (or muskie). Guides take visitors out to snag bass, pike, walleye, trout, salmon and muskie.
Alexandria Bay Alexandria Bay has the feel of a beach town. When you tire of knickknack shops, sit back and gaze at the river, watch the cormorants and loons dive, and relax to the soft, droning sounds of passing ships. The freighters’ lights shine like strings of pearls in the black night. The main attraction is the 127-room, Rhineland-style Boldt Castle on Heart Island, a 15-minute boat ride away (www.boldtcastle.com). Boldt, who was of Prussian origin, was building this ornate $2.5 million edifice for his wife, Louise, the love of his life. Upon her sudden death in 1904, Boldt immediately halted work by its 300 craftsmen. The unfinished mansion remained that way until the property was acquired
by the government over 70 years later. Today a tourist attraction, the castle’s first floor looks as the Boldts intended. Modeled after European castles, Boldt Castle rises six stories from the indoor swimming pool to the highest tower room. A visit to Ogdensberg’s Fredrick Remington Museum, 36 miles north of Alexandria Bay, is worth a few hours. Remington’s paintings and sculpture, many centered on horses and Old West scenes, fill a house built in 1810. What about the famous salad dressing? In the early 1900s, George LaLonde, a Clayton fishing guide, was hosting May Irwin, a prominent New York City actress and her husband. Irwin commended the tasty salad dressing made by LaLonde’s wife, Sophia. Irwin requested the original recipe, naming it “Thousand Island Dressing.” Back in New York, Irwin gave the recipe to Boldt, and he immediately ordered his Waldorf Astoria maitre d’ to put the dressing on the hotel restaurant’s menu, thus introducing it to the world. It’s the only salad dressing named for a region of the U.S. You can buy it online at www.1000-islands.com/dressing.
If you go Before taking a jaunt into Canada, research border crossing requirements. Regulations change, so check both U.S. and Canadian regulations at http://www.cbp.gov/trav-
AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
el and www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. A passport is accepted at the borders, but check the sites for other acceptable types of identification if you don’t have one. The closest local airports are in Watertown (www.watertownairport.com) and Kingston, Ontario (www.cityofkingston.ca /residents/airport). Sackets Harbor is one hour north of Syracuse, N.Y. The least expensive roundtrip flight to Syracuse from BWI in mid-August is $481 on Delta Airways. But if you fly from Rea-
gan National Airport in Arlington, Va., the fare is only $215 on US Airways. Visit the following websites for more information: Thousand Islands Tourism, www.visit 1000Islands.com The Seaway Trail, www.seawaytrail.com Sackets Harbor, www.sacketsharborhistoricalsociety.org, www.visitsackets.com, www.sacketsharborny.com Clayton, www.1000islands-clayton.com Alexandria Bay, www.alexbay.org
Upcoming 1,000 Islands events Aug. 30: 1812 U.S. Marine Guard Living History Camp, Sackets Harbor. http://www.sacketsharborbattlefield.o rg/schedule.htm Sept. 20: 5th Annual Boldt Castle Wine Festival and Farmers Market, Alexandria Bay. Tastings and sales, including cheese, chocolates and alpaca-fiber clothing. www.boldtcastle.com Sept. 27 to 28: Doors Open Gananoque, Gananoque, Ontario. Visit historic public and private homes, churches and museums not normally open to visitors. www.gananoque.ca Oct. 3 to Nov. 1: Pumpkinferno, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario. Thousands of hand-car ved
pumpkins light up the 1800s village at night. www.uppercanadavillage.com Oct. 4: Oktoberfest at Thousand Islands Winery, Alexandria Bay. German festival including live oompah band, grape-stomping competitions, wine, beer, food and vendors. www.thousandislandswinery.com Oct. 11: Harvest Festival at Coyote Moon Vineyard, Clayton. Live music, wine, beer, children’s activities and vendors. www.coyotemoonvineyard.com Oct. 18: 3rd Annual Punkin Chunkin and BBQ Contest, Clayton. Competitors launch pumpkins into the river from homemade catapults. Restaurants compete for the best BBQ. www.1000islands-clayton.com
Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
23
Buffalo’s natural and man-made wonders By Brian Hayden Last winter, Buffalo was blanketed with 130 inches of snow, the seventh-snowiest season since World War II. Even in years with more benign winters, moisture off Lake Erie pushes the average snowfall to about eight feet. But while the Washington area swelters during July and August, Buffalo gets its reward: High temperatures average 78 to 80 delightful degrees. No matter the weather, Buffalo offers visitors numerous sites and activities to explore. At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, you can see one of the world’s most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, including works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol. Across the street, you’ll find the Burchfield Penney Art Center, which is committed to the art of Buffalo and Western New York. Buffalo has some two dozen theaters, anchored by Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which hosts an annual Broadway series. The Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is led by JoAnn Falletta, who has been hailed by the New York Times as one of the finest conductors of her generation. Buffalo’s emerging Canalside district showcases the city’s waterfront and history of shipping along Lake Erie and the Erie Canal. The centerpiece of this district is the commercial slip — the re-excavated and restored western terminus of the Erie Canal, dating from 1825. A system of bike trails, parks and boardwalks comprise Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, offering stunning views of the lake and city skyline. That skyline features the work of some of the most renowned architects of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, Richard Upjohn, and Eliel and Eero Saarinen. There are also two large residences designed by Wright open to visitors: the Darwin Martin House complex, and the Martin’s summer estate nearby, Graycliff. Both continue to undergo restoration to their original magnificence.
Other unique sites include the spot where Teddy Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office. The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site was recently renovated. Mark Twain spent time in Buffalo in the late 19th century as a newspaper editor. Leaves from the original manuscript of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are on display in the Mark Twain Room at downtown’s central library. Learn about Buffalo’s Native American, ethnic and industrial heritage at the Buffalo History Museum. The city is also filled with African American heritage. Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and other giants of jazz performed at the Colored Musicians Club, which is now a museum and still hosts regular gigs by area musicians.
Winging it While Buffalo is justifiably proud of its chicken wings — and no trip to Buffalo is complete without a stop at the Anchor Bar, where Buffalo wings first took flight 50 years ago this year — it also boasts 400 independently-owned restaurants offering delicious local specialties, plus a pair of wine trails and vibrant farmers markets. Don’t miss some Western New York culinary favorites, including beef-on-weck sandwiches (thinly cut roast beef served on a salt and caraway seed topped kummelweck roll), sponge candy (made with chocolate and caramelized sugar, with a texture and taste that even its creators say is hard to describe), and charcoal broiled hot dogs. Buffalo is also home to several breweries, including Flying Bison Brewing Co. and Hamburg Brewing Company. The first distillery in Buffalo since Prohibition, Lockhouse Distillery, opened in 2013 to produce artisanal vodka. Shoppers will find everything from hip boutiques in Buffalo’s trendy Elmwood Village, Allentown and Hertel neighborhoods, to major department stores at a number of local shopping centers and malls. Sports fan? Buffalo has a wealth of options, including the NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres, AAA baseball’s Bisons, world-class
fishing, great skiing and fantastic water sports. Kayak through the city’s historic grain elevator district on the Buffalo River or rock climb up those elevators on Silo
City Rocks, which is set to open later this year. See BUFFALO, page 24
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Buffalo From page 23 Spend a day in the natural splendor of the Tifft Nature Preserve, only minutes from downtown Buffalo, or admire floral beauty during a stroll in the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. A series of parks and parkways throughout Buffalo designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted provide a scenic respite in the heart of the city. The region also offers a host of familyfriendly activities, from the Buffalo Zoo and Buffalo Museum of Science to the Ex-
the National Buffalo Wing Festival on Aug. 30 and 31. Buffalo also offers a host of ethnic celebrations, from two St. Patrick’s Day parades to the Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival, reflecting the city’s diverse roots. There’s also Dyngus Day, the day after Easter Sunday, when polka bands, Polish food and a parade ring in the end of the Lenten season. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. At Niagara Falls State Park, you can get up close to the roaring waters at the Cave of the Winds or venture to the base of the falls on a Maid of the Mist boat tour. Be
plore and More Children’s Museum in East Aurora. Military buffs can view the submarine, destroyer and cruiser permanently docked at the Buffalo harbor — part of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, the largest inland naval park in the country.
Upcoming festivals Buffalo seems to have a festival for everything, ranging from GardenWalk Buffalo, the nation’s largest free garden tour, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year on July 26 and 27, to the Erie County Fair (Aug. 6 to 17), celebrating its 175th, to
Everything and anything is sold on
Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 7-8:00 a.m. on 680 WCBM
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sure to wear your souvenir rain ponchos! Southwest Airlines has a roundtrip fare from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Buffalo of $204 in mid-August. For more information about events, attractions and things to do in the Buffalo/Niagara area, go to www.visitbuffaloniagara.com or contact Visit Buffalo Niagara at 1-800-Buffalo. [If you plan to visit the Canadian side of the Falls, see the “If you go� tips at the end of “Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 islands� for border-crossing information.] Brian Hayden is communications manager with Visit Buffalo.
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, N.Y. The city has several art museums, two dozen theaters, and a skyline filled with the works of prominent 19th and early 20th century architects.
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Say you saw it in the Beacon
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25
Arts &
Swashbuckling pirates take center stage at Toby’s Dinner Theater. See story on page 26.
Arts award winner has a song in his heart Meeting through music Langbehn began singing at Charlestown about 10 years ago, after he walked up to Charlotte as she played the piano one afternoon, and he started singing along. She encouraged him to join the Charlestown Harmonizers, a chorus that practices regularly and performs twice a year. Soon, Langbehn and Charlotte began performing at Charlestown together, offering a weekly “Musical Moments” act for their fellow residents. Charlotte accompanied Langbehn as he sang tunes made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Frankie Lane. It must have dawned on them that they could be making beautiful music together of a different sort, and so they decided to get married. Now they often sing before the start of dinner at Charlestown, perform karaoke on a regular basis, and take their show on the road to other retirement communities, such as Carroll Manor. “It’s wonderful to see people respond to music,” he said. “Even those who may have memory loss can connect with the music from the ‘30s, the ‘40s, the ‘50s. It
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By Jennifer Waldera “I nearly fell off my seat when the Governor’s office called,” said Eugene Langbehn, recalling the moment he learned he was to be presented with the Maryland Department of Aging’s Performance Arts Award. The award is given annually as part of the Governor’s Leadership in Aging Awards, which honor Marylanders age 60 and older for excellence in various categories, including visual arts, performance arts, and health and vitality. Described by his wife, Charlotte, as a “born showman,” Langbehn has been singing for decades, beginning in 1944 when he served as a staff radio announcer in the Army during his service in Iceland and Germany. That led to a life committed to sharing music with others. “Music is a way of life. It makes life worth living,” Langbehn said. Langbehn, 86, lives at the Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville. He sings and performs regularly for fellow residents, as well as in a variety of other venues, including theatre productions and night clubs in Baltimore and in Carroll County.
Eugene Langbehn, a talented singer, won this year’s Governor’s Leadership in Aging Award for Performing Arts. He met his wife, Charlotte, one day when she was playing the piano at Charlestown retirement community, where they both lived. Since then, the couple has performed weekly for residents.
means something to see that.” Though Langbehn was honored by the Governor for his musical ability, he might have as easily been nominated for an award for his other passion — physical fitness. He rides his stationary bike at least 20 miles each week. So far, Langbehn is close
to having biked halfway around the world, with approximately 13,000 miles logged. Always up for a challenge, Langbehn also competed at the Maryland Senior Olympics, where he earned both a silver See SINGER, page 27
“Always Be Yourself. Unless You Can Be A Pirate, Then Always Be A Pirate!” THROUGH AUGUST 31
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You won’t want to miss this updated version of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular musical comedy. Wacky, irreverent and entertaining!
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
Pirates of Penzance goes adrift at Toby’s By Michael Toscano A recent Sunday matinee performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia probably did not convince many of the kids in the audience to become fans of light opera or satire. It’s not because their doting parents and grandparents did not try; there were quite a few pre-teens in attendance, evidenced by the number of electronic devices scattered on the tables along with the buffet foods and drink. And it is not that the work is inaccessible to modern ears, despite being light opera and having premiered in 1879 when audiences must have ridden their dinosaurs to the theater. Despite its age, the music remains charmingly entertaining, and the story begs for hammy, over-the-top performances. And kids love that.
The problem is that this is a middling production, neither particularly good nor especially bad. And with satire, there is no such thing as almost getting it right. Either it hits the spot, or it misses completely. Director and choreographer Mark Minnick has a cast seemingly capable enough to handle the show. But he has staged a production that is a rote, by-the-numbers roll-out of the songs. There is no spark, no attempt to infuse the presentation with a specific sensibility or attitude.
Hard to hear Helping to keep the show’s charms largely hidden from the youngsters is Toby’s sound system, which is marginal at best. As satire, The Pirates of Penzance relies on snappy lyrics in its songs, often delivered in rapid patter. Lyrics can be understood in solos, pro-
vided the music is in a quiet passage. Ballads, by their nature, are quieter than big production numbers, and are usually sung by one or two voices. Those are mostly communicated competently. But when there are more than one or two voices singing together, which is quite often, or when the orchestra swells, lyrics get lost in a muddy swirl of incoherent sound. Words sung by female choruses, with their higher registers, are particularly difficult to understand. Song after song flies by with lyrics completely unintelligible. Forget the finer points of satire or the cleverness of the rhyme; just figuring out the subject of the songs is rendered impossible. The satirical points have no punch. They don’t even have presence. And following the story? Forget that. This is the tale of a group of orphaned, dim-witted pirates who become captivated
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by a group of lovely, but equally dim-witted maidens under the care of a major-general. There is the requisite pair of young lovers at the center of the story. A newly-21-year-old pirate struggles to leave that life, to which he was mistakenly indentured as a lad, and wed one of the young ladies. A swashbuckling but silly Pirate King schemes to thwart the young man, even as the major general schemes to make the most of the pirates’ ardor for his girls. Toby’s says it is performing Joseph Papp’s “updated” version of the show, which was a hit on Broadway in the early 1980s. Papp beefed up the Pirate King’s role and broadened the humor. He moved the music away somewhat from its light opera origins, adapting a more generic musical comedy style and leaving the book more or less intact. But it no longer seems all that fresh. In fact, it is a bit dated. Many theater companies have since staged versions with modern references and settings, adding a layer of contemporary flair to this satire of power, duty and honor. As produced here, Act One is played with little scenery. There’s the suggestion of a pirate ship, with a few rope ladders and a rudimentary mast. Act Two is placed mostly in “a ruined chapel,” so there are a few headstones and a center-stage fountain. It has the look of a scenic designer rummaging through a storage area and pulling out a few old pieces. Lighting is mostly flat, and the orchestra seems uninspired by the scaled-down score. Movement consists of a lot of generic swagger, sword brandishing, and broad stereotypical gestures from the maidens.
Some star singers Nonetheless, there are a few stand-out performances. Jane C. Boyle has a delightful voice, used to good effect early in Act One as she portrays Ruth — the nursemaid who mistakenly gets her young charge bound over to the pirates, because she thinks she is hearing the word “pilots.” Now that he is 21 and hunky, he longs to leave — and she is determined not to be left behind. Boyle does not mine all the comic gold layered in the part, but she sings beautifully in such numbers as “When Frederic was a Little Lad.” Laura Whittenberger’s sweet soprano is delicate and pure in the role of Mabel, the young lady who sets Frederic’s heart beating faster. Whittenberger’s voice may be sweet, but it is also powerful. Her trills led to a few high notes that almost set the water glasses on the table tinkling. As the Pirate King, David Jennings has a robust voice and enough dashing charisma to swash his buckle around the set. He’s not afraid to appear silly, which helps. Nick Lehan is earnest and appealing as Frederic. And in the supporting role as the Sergeant of Police, David James brings See PIRATES, page 29
Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
Singer From page 25 and a bronze medal. Recently, he decided to participate in a triathlon at Charlestown — his first. “I tried something I had never done before... Better to try while still alive!� To his surprise, perhaps, he also medaled at the event. In addition to competing in sports and performing, this former New York native — who moved to Maryland after his Army service — also taught elementary school for 28 years, and served as chaplain at the state-run psychiatric hospital, Walter P. Carter Center.
Singing on the road Now retired, Langbehn and his wife spend much of their time traveling, which they consider “one of the great experiences� of life. They often combine that love of travel with their love of music, karaoke being one of the Langbehns’ favorite activities on
their cruise vacations. Often, the couple will be invited to entertain or help with events on the cruises. The two also travel both domestically and abroad on trips sponsored by Elderhostel and its Road Scholar program. Langbehn has traveled on such trips since Elderhostel was established in 1975. Langbehn’s passion for music, paired with his love of challenges, has helped him to achieve many awards. Still, he continues to build new skills and talents, the most recent being mastery of the harmonica. He was able to teach himself to play the harmonica quickly and now carries it with him often. “What makes the harmonica perfect,� Langbehn reflected, “is that it is one of the only portable instruments!� Well, portable in one’s pocket. Langbehn enthusiastically tackles new challenges, and enjoys pursuing his passion for music alongside his wife.“Music is important for us. It sustains our marriage and it motivates us,� he said.
27
BEACON BITS
Sept. 17
DOWNTON IN DELAWARE
Senior Box Office repeats this sell-out trip on Wednesday, Sept. 17, when it travels to the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Wilmington, Delaware, with its premiere collection of decorative arts and the current exhibit of costumes from “Downton Abbey.� Cost is $53 per person. For information, visit www.seniorboxoffice.org or call (410) 882-3797 or 3798.
Aug. 12
POP-ROCK AT PIER SIX
Singer-songwriters Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson will perform on Aug. 12 at Pier Six Pavilion in the Inner Harbor. Tickets range from $29 to $65. For more information, visit www.piersixpavilion.com.
BEACON BITS
Oct. 15+
CANYON COUNTRY
Join the Pikesville Senior Center on this eight-day tour Wednesday, Oct. 15 to Thursday, Oct. 23 through Scottsdale, Oak Creek Canyon, Kaibib National Forest, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Las Vegas and more. Cost is $2,499 per person, double occupancy, and $3,249 single occupancy. Call (410) 484-5285 for more information and reservations.
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You are one of a kind, so when you’re in need of rehabilitation or nursing services, you deserve to receive care that is tailored to your unique needs. Exercise with your very own rehabilitation therapist and work one-on-one with a member of your dedicated care team. In your downtime, rest in your beautifully appointed private room, savor a variety of delicious homemade meals, or relax on one of our large porches.
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Discover The Green House Residences at Stadium Place where boutique care and comfortable amenities come together
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See if maintenance-free retirement living is right for you. Call 1-866-938-0075 for your FREE Charlestown or Oak Crest brochure. Get details about pricing, floor plans, on-site amenities—and more!
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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com
AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
We want to be your Family’s Pharmacy That’s why we give you more. Our pharmacists are at the heart of everything we do. They can counsel you on your medications, side effects, drug interactions... even vitamins. We give you more than your medications; we’ll give you the advice you need. Plus a series of pharmacy benefits like no other drugstore.
LifeCheck
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When we fill your prescription, our LifeCheck computer system lets our pharmacists triple check your prescriptions.*
Satellite Link
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Since all of our Pharmacies are linked by satellite network, we can access your prescription profile and fill your prescription at any location.* *If on file at another Rite Aid store.
Refills By Phone
Internet Refills
Refills just got easier. Call the Pharmacy number on your prescription bottle, enter the prescription I.D. number printed on the label and we will tell you when it will be ready.
With Internet Refills, you can order your prescription without ever leaving the house. Just go to www.riteaid.com and click “Refill Now”, select Store Pick-up or Mail Delivery and simply enter prescription information.
Rite Advice
Vitamin Program
With every prescription, you will receive written information on the dosage, side effects and potential drug interaction.
Only Rite Aid pharmacists are specially trained to know vitamins. Ask your Rite Aid pharmacist for a personal vitamin profile.
Workers’ Compensation
Flavor Rx
“Being injured on the job is hard enough. Your Rite Aid Pharmacist is here to personally help you along your road to recovery.” Ask us about our Workers’ Compensation Prescription Program. There are no hassles, no delays and no out-ofpocket expenses.
We make children’s medicines a lot less yucky. Ask the pharmacist to add any of our 20 great flavors to any of your liquid medications.
Pirates From page 26 valiant comic commitment to several of the most popular numbers. Robert John Biederman 125 (this is the
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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHRISTIANSEN
actor’s chosen name) does his best as the Major-General, especially in what is probably the show’s most famous song: “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” The lyrics come rapid-fire in an outpouring of increasingly rapid patter, only some of which was audible over the orchestra during the reviewed performance. It is possible the performances will become sharper, and the parody and satire more vibrant, as time goes by. Perhaps somebody will take charge of the sound design. Toby’s generally does a more than capable job with musicals. Some of its work is as good as it gets. But these pirates are, at this point, on a ship with no wind in its sails.
5900 Symphony Woods Rd., Columbia. The show runs seven days a week with evening and matinee performances. Monday through Saturday evenings feature an all-youcan-eat dinner buffet, for which doors open at 6 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. performance. On Sunday evenings, doors open for dinner at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. performance. Matinees are performed Wednesdays and Sundays, preceded by an all-you-caneat buffet brunch starting at 10:30 a.m. The matinee performance begins at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Tickets, which include the meal and basic drinks, but not specialty drinks or waiter tip, range from $37.50 (for children under 12) to $56 (depending on which performance is selected). There is ample, free parking on the premises. For reservations and information, call (410) 730-8311 or 1-800-88TOBYS (888-
6297). You may also visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.
FROM PAGE 30
ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD P R U N E A S E R I N G D A L I F I N G F L E E S L E E F R I T O S
R U N W A Y
E L I N E W A E R T S T R O O G I N N U P S A N I N K L A I R Y E S
L U G O S I
I T I N
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M O N S P E R I N T H E E R E S C H I D T H E N O S I A E R E A S T U D E T H R O M I S O E N P P N T H E E O A K D I N E S
G R A D E S
M O R O S E
C H I O A T D Y E E N R T
Ticket information The Pirates of Penzance continues through Aug. 31 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, David Jennings plays the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance, which runs at Toby’s Dinner Theatre through Aug. 31.
Senior Apartments LIVE WELL FOR LESS Roland View Towers • One- and Two-Bedroom as well as Efficiencies • Rents from $447-$751* Utilities Included! • 24/7 on-site Maintenance and Reception Desk • Beauty/Barber Shop on premises • Bus Trips and Social Events and many more amenities! • Only 2 blocks from Hampden’s ‘The Avenue’
Mention the Beacon for First Month’s Rent FREE!
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Spectacular View
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!"#$%&#$'()#*)##$+!*#$,-./"#$0##1$2(!314$*-)5 For your personal tour contact Arthur or Laura Ruby at
410-889-8255 St Mary’s Roland View Towers 3838/3939 Roland Ave • Baltimore, MD 21211
www.smrvt.com *All residents must meet specific income guidelines.
and let us take care of all the details! Rooftop Restaurant
For more information, call
410-526-3380 TTY: 711
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com
BEACON BITS
Aug. 16
Crossword Puzzle
A DAY AT THE BEACH IN PASADENA
Enjoy a day of seafood and social fun at Kurtz’s Beach in Pasadena on Saturday, Aug. 16. Cost of the trip is $52. Call Reisterstown Senior Center at (410) 887-1143 to save a spot.
Ongoing
www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus
LITTLE ITALY SALUTES THE CINEMA
Since 1999, Little Italy has hosted the popular Little Italy Open Air Festival, screening both adult and family-friendly fare every Friday night in July and August. This year’s offerings include Moonstruck, Gladiator, Silver Linings Playbook and Cinema Paradiso. Films begin at 9 p.m. Come early and enjoy live entertainment and treats from Little Italy’s restaurants. Bring your own lawn chair. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.promotioncenterforlittleitaly.org.
Aug. 22
Daily crosswords can be found on our website:
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7. “Put ___ high gear” 8. Department store department 1. Cut back, strategically 9. Bit of food 6. Citrus flavor of Bacardi 10. Distributer of grants to med. 11. Mil. shorthand for “Sergeant Major” researchers 14. Flip chart holder 15. Starter homes (biologically speaking) 11. Swimware sponsor of British Swimming 16. In favor of 17. Signal that someone is talking about you 12. Assigns letters to words 13. Gloomy 20. NFC East city 18. Approaches 21. Looooonnng time 19. Julia’s Oscar title role 22. Update the decor 24. Vacation in the Pacific Northwest, 23. “__ blind, but now I see” probably 25. Shakes ones finger at 25. Phi phollower 27. Uncouth posture 26. They keep the home fires burning 32. Flotillas 27. DVR readouts 33. Home to 3 out of every 5 Earthlings 28. ___ fitting (as baggy clothes) 34. Part of a “wintry mix” 29. Spice Girl Victoria Beckham ___ 35. Had haddock Adams 36. Arrive at one’s destination 30. “But of course!” 41. Univ. marchers 31. Follower of Mao 43. Where the news is cast 35. A.B.A. member 44. Inability to speak clearly 37. Old-worlder 49. Event prelims. 38. Fuss 50. Appetizer at the sushi house 39. “The Company” org. 51. Gone ___ instant 40. All the rage 52. Songbird 42. Switch positions 54. Abbrev. on a box score with no score 43. Tour of duty 57. Light of one’s life 44. Dip holders 62. Viking striking tool 45. Model/airplane path 63. Had a tummy ache 46. Signs in a 43 Across 64. Like many whiskey barrels 47. Late 50’s detective with a jazzy 65. Part of Cable’s TBS, but not TNT soundtrack 66. Calls out “Geronimo” 48. Revises a manuscript 67. Motionless 52. ___ known (such as Jack and Jill) 53. Cambodian currency Down 55. Lap dog, for short 1. According to 56. Textile worker 2. Panty ___ 58. Eleventh letter 3. Annapolis inst. 59. Overstate one’s credentials 4. Woman’s nightwear 60. ___ polloi 5. Manning with most superbowl rings 61. One who can cure 75% of this 6. Dracula actor puzzle’s maladies
Across
3455 55 Dundalk Avenue Dundalk, MD 21222 212
www.GreensAtLoganField.com www GreensAtLoganField com
410-288-2000 TTY-Dial 711
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BALTIMORE COUNTY’S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS
Local historian Ray Chism will give a talk at the Arbutus Senior Center, 855 A Sulphur Spring Rd., on the Relay and Saint Denis historic neighborhoods located in Southwest Baltimore County on Friday, Aug. 22, at 12:45 p.m. RSVP by Aug. 19 to (410) 887-1410.
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by Stephen Sherr
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
Answers on page 29.
BALTIMORE BEACON — AUGUST 2014
CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.
Caregivers NURSING STUDENT & LICENSED, bonded, highly experienced CNA seeks full-time, overnight caregiving position. Extensive resume & sterling references available. If interested, please call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555.
Financial Services ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING, TAXES – conscientious CPA, 37 years experience, reasonable rates, looking for additional business, personal and eldercare clients. Call 410-653-3363.
For Rent WE BUY HOUSES FOR CA$H – Call today, 240-670-6797. Iwant2helpyou.com. GARDENVILLE – LARGE, QUIET, clean bedroom + private bath for rent in private home with refrigerator and microwave included. Reasonable. 410-485-1702.
For Sale TEN HARDBACK WESTERN books – includes 4 leather-bound by L’Amour – $35 – Also: Send for list of 40 Civil War Rare and Collectible Books – Some sets. 410-866-2373.
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Say you saw it in the Beacon
For Sale MEADOWRIDGE MEMORIAL PARK – 3 side-by-side lots for sale, one or all, in original section. $2,500 each or $6,000 for all three. Call Madalyn, 443-286-4700. TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE CRYPTS in Cloisters Mausoleum at Dulaney Valley Gardens. Retail value, $15,000. Sell for $7,500 or best offer. 410870-1442. 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.
Home/Handyman Services SANFORD & SON HAULING & RECYCLING. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage + basement cleanouts. Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410746-5090. BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL – Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency, Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Removal, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling, Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates. 10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).
Personal Services LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.
Wanted VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.
TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:
The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Wanted
Wanted
OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces, Fountain Pens, Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Glassware, Art Work. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.
CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY – pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410-655-0412.
MILITARY ITEMS Collector seeks: helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, webgear, uniforms, inert ordnance, ETC. From 1875 to 1960, US, German, Britain, Japan, France, Russian. Please call Fred 301-910-0783, Thank you. Also Lionel Trains.
Thanks for reading!
BEACON BITS
Aug. 13
TAKE A TRIP TO WILMINGTON
Enjoy a crab feast at Fisherman’s Inn and then some gambling at Delaware Park Casino, on Wednesday, Aug. 13. Cost is $80, with $30 back in slot play. Call Edgemere Senior Center at (410) 477-2141 to reserve a spot.
WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. 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, 301-279-8834. Thank you.
BEACON BITS
Aug. 16
HOT MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Hot August Music Festival will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16 at Oregon Ridge State Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd. This daylong blues and roots musical festival, now in its 22nd year, features such bands as Old Crow Medicine Show, Dr. Dog, Tab Benoit, Elm, Nickel Creek and more. Tickets range from $49 to $148. For more information, call 1-877-321-FEST or visit www.hotAugustmusicfestival.com.
Aug. 14
RIVER CRUISE AND CRAB FEAST
Enjoy a 90-minute cruise on the Choptank River followed by a three-hour crab feast at Suicide Bridge Restaurant in Hurlock, Md., on Thursday, Aug. 14. Cost of the trip is $78. Call Ateaze Senior Center at (410) 285-0481 for reservations.
Aug. 15
ARMCHAIR TOUR OF REGIONAL LIGHTHOUSES
Corey Talbott, from the United States Lighthouse Society Chesapeake Chapter, will show slides and discuss the Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Region on Friday, Aug. 15 at 12:45 p.m. at the Arbutus Senior Center, 855 A Sulphur Spring Rd. RSVP by Aug. 12 to (410) 887-1410.
BB8/14
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AUGUST 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
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“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA
Remote Controls for Heat, Massage, Recline and Lift
Separate Heat and Massage Controls!
Our Perfect Sleep Chair is just the chair to do it all. It’s a chair, true – the finest of lift chairs – but this chair is so much more! It’s designed to provide total comfort and relaxation not found in other chairs. It can’t be beat for comfortable, long-term sitting, TV viewing, relaxed reclining and – yes! – peaceful sleep. Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number off positions, including the Trendelenburg position and the zero gravity position where your body experiences a minimum of internal and external stresses. You’ll love This lift chair the other benefits, too: It helps with puts you safely on your feet!
correct spinal alignment, promotes back pressure relief, and encourages better posture to prevent back and muscle pain. And there’s more! The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. The high and low heat settings along with the dozens of massage settings, can provide a soothing relaxation you might get at a spa – just imagine getting all that in a lift chair! Weight capacity 375 lbs. Shipping charge includes white glove delivery. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! Includes one year service warranty. Your choice of fabrics and colors – Call now!
The Perfect Sleep Chair Call now for our lowest price. Please mention code 58780 when ordering. 46362
We’ve all had nights when we just can’t lie down in bed and sleep, whether it’s from heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – could be a variety of reasons. Those are the nights we’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in, one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises feet and legs to precisely the desired level, supports the head and shoulders properly, operates easily even in the dead of night, and sends a hopeful sleeper right off to dreamland.
Sit up, lie down — and anywhere in between!
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