August 2017 | Howard County Beacon

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Praising volunteers of all ages PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT

By Robert Friedman Janice and George Vanisko were “sort of embarrassed” to be heralded a few months ago by the County Council and the Volunteer Center of Howard County with the Dynamic Duo Award, one of several awards honoring county volunteers. After all, they say, shouldn’t we all spend hours each week helping those in need?

Janice, a 76-year-old retired nurse, and her husband George, 82, a retired electrical engineer, often devote 20 hours a week to volunteering at such county organizations as Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center, Our Daily Bread, Little Sisters of the Poor, St. Louis Church and FISH. When asked why, Janice said simply, “We were put on Earth to help others.”

George added, “It goes back to the basic beliefs in our religion. Christ told us to do these things. So we do what we can.”

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Explore Stockholm’s sights this fall; plus, your (limited) rights as a traveler, and sailing on the Queen Mary 2 with fashionista Iris Apfel page 23

Ad hoc good deeds Besides the hours they put in helping out at the organizations, the Vaniskos also “freelance,” by picking up donated groceries from Giant and delivering them; buying and preparing food for the needy; driving patients to and from doctor’s appointments and waiting while they see the doctor, and picking up medicine for people who can’t get around.

In addition, George helps people with setting up and fixing computers, TVs, phones, thermostats and other mechanical and tech items, while Janice gives first aid, checks blood pressure, and translates medical reports into plain English. They’ve also babysat and, in dire family emergencies, taken in people to live in their home.

As if all that weren’t enough, George also volunteers to participate in clinical studies of aging at the National Institutes of Health. “I feel that at my age I should give them data to add to their knowledge on the aging process,” he said.

George added that NIH is also looking for volunteers of all ages for a study that collects data every four years to garner more information about aging.

The Vaniskos, married for 53 years, have lived 49 of those years in Howard County, raising six children here. They now have 17 grandchildren.

Both insisted they won their award only

ARTS & STYLE Donna Kruzic and Nancy Schieken were named Howard County Volunteers of the Year for their “No Boundaries” drama program for adults with intellectual disabilities.

They have each worked with the program for 10 years. They and other county residents who have distinguished themselves through volunteer work were recently honored by the County.

because they were nominated by a neighbor who felt they needed some attention. But they don’t feel they are particularly special.

“All the people we deal with [act] the same way,” said Janice Vanisko. “We’re not the only ones who do this. We’re just blessed to be able to do what we can do in our small way.”

Annual and lifetime awardees Among other residents honored by the county for giving their time and effort to the less fortunate were Donna Kruzic and Nancy Schieken. They were honored as Volunteers of the Year for their work at “No Boundaries” — a theater program for adults with mild intellectual disabilities.

The program, sponsored by Howard County Recreation & Parks in cooperation

with the Howard Council Arts Council, brings together people interested in acting, dancing and singing to rehearse together for several months, followed by a performance.

The program, which has run for 20 years, depends heavily on volunteers.

Kruzic and Schieken have both volunteered there for the past 10 years.

Kruzic’s nominator said she “spends multiple hours typing and organizing directors’ notes and…creating the master CD to which the participants perform.” With a background in dance, and as the assistant director, she adapts the dance moves and musical pacing and timing to accommodate each individual performer’s abilities.

Schieken “volunteers two or three hours See VOLUNTEERS, page 21

See Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph, live and in Technicolor, at Toby’s; plus, check out these ukuleles (and learn how to play them) at your local library page 27

TECHNOLOGY k Startups focus on aging

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Can you relate?

You have probably seen some of the imSo Charlie’s situation certainly raises mense publicity devoted worldwide to the difficult questions about who gets to make terminally ill British infant, life-and-death medical deciCharlie Gard. sions for incapacitated paCharlie was born with a tients, who may choose to try rare genetic condition that experimental treatments, has, in his 11 months of life so who pays for all this, and far, made him blind, deaf, submany other important issues. ject to seizures, and caused irBut the question I want to reversible brain damage. He ask is simply this: Why is cannot breathe without the Charlie’s case such a lightaid of a ventilator. ning rod for attention and There are no known treatmoney when there are — ments for his condition, no FROM THE right now — literally hunprospect of reversing any of PUBLISHER dreds of thousands of chilthe damage, and only the By Stuart P. Rosenthal dren fleeing war and persecuvaguest promise of help tion in Syria, Yemen, Libya through an experimental treatment pro- and elsewhere, living in refugee camps if posed by an unnamed American doctor they’re lucky, drowning in the sea as flimwho admits the treatment has never been sy boats capsize, if they’re not. tried on any living thing.

And what about the thousands of CenAnd yet, the story of Charlie has gener- tral American children risking their lives ated huge interest worldwide, and his par- to enter America illegally to escape poverents’ plea for financial help has generated ty and crime, not to mention the thousands nearly $2 million in contributions through of American-born children who go to bed social media. hungry each night?

One of the reasons Charlie’s situation Do our sincere feelings about Charlie, and has proven so compelling is that the case even our generous online donations to his pits his parents again the British hospital cause, appropriately salve our consciences that wants to disconnect life-support. for all the other children (not to mention British courts will ultimately determine their parents and grandparents) whose surwhat treatment, if any, he gets. vival presents an equally urgent concern?

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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.

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• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ......Rodney Harris, ..........................................Steve Levin, Paul Whipple • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde • Intern ........................................................Sununu Bah

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History has certainly shown us that individuals are far better able to focus on, and identify with, a single person than a mass of humanity.

We grieve for Anne Frank, while we barely consider the rest of her family, much less the millions of others who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators during WWII. Yes, we cringe at the memory of nearly 1 million Tutsis massacred in Rwanda in 1994, and the hundreds of thousands of Sudanese who died of starvation or disease in Darfur between 2003 and 2010.

We tell ourselves “never again.” We won’t let man’s inhumanity to man succeed on this scale again.

And yet, the only cause that really generates wide public discussion and practical action is the one we can relate to personally: the individual, especially a helpless infant.

In part, this may well be human nature.

While our hearts go out to a fellow human being in pain, we are simply not capable of grasping the nature or magnitude of suffering on an immense scale.

Another reasonable explanation is that we know our assistance might be able to “make a difference” to one or two people in need. How and what can we do as individuals to help a thousand? A hundred thousand? A million?

The scale is so huge as to overwhelm us

and make us retreat into our comfortable lives rather than even imagine what it would take to address the problem.

I understand all this. I am no different. I am not in any way trying to cast blame on others. Most of us are guilty of this reasoning. If it’s indeed human nature, how could it be otherwise?

But I am disturbed to realize that many of us seem to be more ready and willing to put ourselves out even for a hopeless cause, such as Charlie’s, rather than for, say, a teenager who could go on to live a full life if she could just cross the sea, or the border, or the fence, or even just get regular meals and an education.

There is so much need out there, it is easy to succumb to inaction. But when a case like Charlie’s comes up, it should remind us that we are ultimately all family, that each of us is our brother’s keeper, and that we needn’t look far to find a situation where each of us could extend a hand and make a difference.

Let each of us pledge to do what we can, on any scale, to make the world a better place by devoting some of our time or money to a needy individual or worthy cause. The opportunities for doing good are almost endless.

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.

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FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Attorneys are available to provide legal assistance for income-eligible persons from 6 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday at the East Columbia Express Branch Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. For further information, call Sandy Brewer, Circuit Court Law Librarian, at (410) 313-2135.

Aug. 1

AVOIDING FINANCIAL SCAMS

Learn how to protect yourself and loved ones from financial exploitation in a presentation by the Howard County Police Department on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at the Central Branch Library, 10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. Registration is preferred and can be completed by calling the library at (410) 313-7800.

Aug. 12

METEOR SHOWER VIEWING PARTY

The Howard County Conservancy is hosting a viewing of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 10 p.m. through 1 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 13 at its Mt. Pleasant facility, 10520 Old Frederick Rd., Woodstock. Participants should bring lawn chairs, water and snacks. High powered telescopes will be available for viewing. If weather is questionable, the Conservatory’s website, www.hcconservancy.org, will have updated information.

For further information, visit the website or call (410) 465-8877.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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Technology &

Innovations Startups focus on products for better aging

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

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

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

Well, imagine no more. All these innovations — and many others equally valuable — are actually here, thanks to the creativi-

ty and hard work of entrepreneurs focusing on the needs of older adults and those with disabilities.

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

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

From low-vision to super-vision This year’s top pick at the Washington

event was a startup called NuEyes.

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

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

“With all the augmented reality that is coming to the market, none of that was being leveraged to help with low vision,” said Moore, president and COO. “We

thought, ‘Let’s do something, like Google glass, but with a purpose.’”

The result — NuEyes ODG Smartglasses — resemble thick black sunglasses, and feature a set of lenses, a digital camera, a computer and a light.

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

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

The glasses also connect to an ear piece See STARTUPS, page 4

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From page 3 through which an electronic “voice” can read text into the wearer’s ear. For entertainment, they have the ability to stream movies and TV shows. The device currently costs $5,995, and comes with a two-year warranty.

Through a partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, veterans suffering from low vision can qualify for the glasses at no charge. The device is also available through the rehabilitation departments of many states, and through public schools and universities for qualified recipients with vision problems.

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

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

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

care facilities. “Our Care Coordinator application allows hospitals and healthcare facilities to order medical transportation for patients in less than 60 seconds and without ever having to pick up a phone,” said Ankit Mathur, CIO of RoundTrip.

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

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

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

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

RoundTrip offers curbside pickup for non-medical transportation through its national partnership with the ridesharing service Lyft.

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

For more information, visit www.rideroundtrip.com.

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

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

Part of the service is geared to health-

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

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

PHOTO BY EVAN MOORE

Startups

A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Learn how apps help make iPhones, Androids and tablets powerful devices. Learn what an app is, how to add apps to your device, and share the ones you love at this free class on Wednesday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia.

Register in advance at the front desk or by calling (410) 313-7213.

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In our lifetimes, most of us have known at least one person who has had a pro-

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

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

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

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Become a mentor

Technology for aging in place F R E E

Roadtrippers is a web and mobile travel planning platform that takes you anywhere in the United States, from Point A to Point B, and allows you to explore the premium sites and attractions along the way.

Once you have decided where you plan to go, the platform displays a list of places to visit within the area, ranging from points of interest, entertainment and nightlife, to outdoors and recreation.

As you go along, you can find and save places you are interested in visiting, and the program will sync with your Apple or Google Maps application, deliver the optimum route, and tell you the estimated fuel cost for your trip.

After a long day of travel, Roadtrippers allows you to find places to stay near your current location or further along your route. https://roadtrippers.com

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Internet sites to visit

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found impact on our life by providing guidance and support. But not everyone is so fortunate, and those without this help may either fail to reach their potential or go the wrong way in life.

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

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Health Fitness &

TESTOSTERONE THERAPY Treatments for low-T are available, but they aren’t right for everyone HOW TO KICK THE HABIT It can be easier to quit smoking if you use nicotine-replacement options STOP THE ITCH Home remedies for bug bites include black tea, vinegar and meat tenderizer EASY SUMMER SALMON Fire up the grill for a tasty, healthy recipe of salmon in a lime and miso sauce

Some tips for those with low back pain

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

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

What causes the pain?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do we treat this? The sheer number of treatments is dizzying, but truly effective treatment options are few.

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

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

The analysis also included studies on non-drug treatments — including acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise (working the muscles that support and control the spine), progressive relaxation, biofeedback, low-level laser therapy, behavior

based therapies, and spinal manipulation for low back pain.

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

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

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

See LOW BACK PAIN, page 8

Botox is safe, effective for facial wrinkles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

not cover Botox treatments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The number of injections you need will

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Testosterone therapy is helpful for some Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m a 56-year-old man without any health problems. Recently, I’ve noticed I don’t have the energy for physical activities that I used to. Working in the yard, riding my bike, and even just doing jobs around the house all wear me out much faster now than even five years ago. My sex drive is lower, too.

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

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

Testosterone is a hormone produced primarily in the testicles. Testosterone helps

maintain men’s bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength and mass, red blood cell production, sex drive and sperm production.

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

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

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

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

moving forward with treatment.

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

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

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

If low testosterone isn’t due to medication or a medical problem, then taking pre-

scription testosterone replacement may be beneficial.

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

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

Taking prescription testosterone does have risks. It may cause production of more See HORMONE THERAPY, page 10

Low back pain From page 6 Because most mechanical back pain improves no matter what, we don’t want to prescribe treatment that can cause harm.

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

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

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

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

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

Other medications, like acetaminophen, steroids, antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, were not significantly helpful for acute and subacute low back pain at all.

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

I would also be interested to know if over-the-counter topical therapies containing menthol and camphor are better than placebo for low back pain.

Courtesy of Harvard Health Blog.

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

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also, you don’t get as much nicotine with nicotine replacement as you do with tobacco products, and nicotine replacement makes it significantly less likely that you will return to tobacco. Not using nicotine replacement reduces your chances of breaking free from tobacco.

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

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

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

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

For example, along with nicotine replacement, other prescription medications may be helpful. Bupropion can help control nicotine cravings. Varenicline can reduce the pleasurable effects of smoking and lessen nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

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

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

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

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

— Chew gum while you drive, or take new routes to your usual destinations to keep your attention focused on your environment and away from smoking.

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

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

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

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

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FINALLY – Straight Talk About Sciatica Are you suffering from back pain or sciatica? Then it’s likely your biggest problem is pain. But there’s another major problem: bad information.

To end sciatica misery you must have the right information. Pay close attention because I’m going to destroy sciatica myths and give you the facts.

MYTH: Sciatica will just “go away” with some rest.

FACT: If you are dealing with back pain, buttock pain or leg pain, then you must seek help from a sciatica specialist immediately. Left untreated, sciatica can lead to permanent nerve damage - and lifelong pain.

MYTH: Pain is the only problem associated with sciatica.

FACT: In severe cases, sciatica can lead to the inability to control your bowels or bladder.

MYTH: You must take pain medications to deal with sciatica.

FACT: Drugs like muscle relaxants, pain killers, narcotics, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications have serious potential side-effects and do not cure the root cause of sciatica.

MYTH: “I must have done something wrong to get sciatica.”

FACT: Physical work or simply sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to sciatica.

Accidents and trauma can also be the culprits. Pregnancy can cause sciatica.

Sciatica can affect anyone - including superfit celebrities like Tiger Woods, and Sylvester Stallone.

MYTH: Stop exercising and get several weeks of bed rest to overcome sciatica.

FACT: Staying active can help to relieve sciatic pain and prevent the pain from getting worse. Staying inactive in bed could be the worst advice - based on a recent study in the Netherlands.

MYTH: Sciatica requires surgery.

FACT: NO! There’s been a huge breakthrough in the treatment of sciatica and lower back pain. It’s a new procedure called Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care.

The excellent results from this treatment have been published in major medical journals.

Success rates are up to 90%.

MYTH: “There’s nothing anyone can really do. I’m just stuck with this for the rest of my life.”

FACT: With the correct treatment from a healthcare professional who specialize in sciatica, you can find relief from the core cause - and the symptoms.

MYTH: Getting sciatica properly diagnosed is expensive.

FACT: Not true. Dr. Steve Silverston of World Class Chiropractic in Ellicott City, MD is currently offering an initial consultation and comprehensive examination for Just $49, this includes all tests and x-rays if necessary.

Dr. Steve Silverston – In Ellicott City, MD has helped over the past 25 years thousands of patients find relief from agonizing back pain and sciatica. He uses Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care.

This procedure does not require a hospital stay, drugs or anything invasive. The focus is on finding - and correcting - the original cause of the back pain and sciatica.

According to Dr. Silverston, “We use a combination of gentle, non-invasive, proven techniques, for precisely diagnosing and correcting the cause of your low back pain and sciatica. This means superior long-term results for most people.”

Almost Immediate Relief from Pain!

Because the treatment is non-surgical, safe, and easy, most patients report an almost immediate relief from their back pain.

Patient Brad H. from Eldersburg, MD wrote, “For several years I saw numerous

doctors including chiropractors in an attempt to resolve unrelenting low back pain and sciatica from a serious motor vehicle injury. Nobody could help me resolve it and my work and life were suffering. Dr. Silverston was able to quickly identify my problem and within one week of beginning care, for the first time in years, I’m virtually pain free!

Now, many years later, I am still better.”

Take the Next Step - END the Suffering...

Initial Consultation and Comprehensive Examination for Just $49. This includes all tests and x-rays if necessary.

The first step is a thorough sciatic examination with Dr. Silverston. Call 410-461-3435 to schedule your appointment.

Mention this article (CODE: 49TB0817) and Dr. Steve Silverston will happily reduce his usual consultation fee to just $49!

Only 50 reader consultations are available at this exclusively discounted rate.

Call them now at 410-461-3435 (mention code: 49TB0817) and get a full and thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your problem for just $49. The normal cost of such an exam is $345 so you will save $296!

Call them now at 410-461-3435 and cut out or tear off this valuable article and take it to your appointment. You’ll be on your way to safe, lasting relief!

You can even call on the weekend and leave a message on their answering machine to secure your spot and they promise to return all calls. During the week staff can be very busy helping patients so if they don’t pick up straight away, do leave a message.

Call 410-461-3435 NOW. If it’s the weekend or they’re away from the phone the staff at World Class Chiropractic promise they will get back to you. So call now at 410-461-3435 and quote this special discount code: 49TB0817.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Some great home remedies for bug bites You know when you have one of those awkward moments that you think could go viral on social media, if only someone had a camera on you?

Well, recently, my friend was outside when a bug swooped from above and descended down her V-neck shirt. Faster than you can say “bugger,” she was stung or bit on not one, but both of her breasts.

It then dropped out the bottom of her shirt and flew away.

What followed was a lawn dance the likes of which her neighbors have never seen. The chaos that ensued could’ve gone viral if someone had a smartphone handy.

I asked her later if she applied meat tenderizer or ammonia, suggesting some excellent home remedies. She said no, but was

grateful that she had taken some Benadryl at 3 a.m. that morning to help with insomnia.

She suspects (and I agree) that the inflammation and pain could have been much worse.

So what do you do if you are stung or bitten by a nasty little critter? There are a host of remedies for insect attacks and other summer “owwies” that you can find at your local pharmacy or in your kitchen.

Here are some:

Black Tea Put a cold tea bag on the bite site for five minutes. The naturally-occurring “tannins” in tea are what make it bitter, but these tannins also draw the poison out and ease discomfort.

English Breakfast Tea is high in tannins.

bee or wasp sting. Some people recommend to dab it on straight, others suggest to dilute 50/50 with water.

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

Vinegar Oatmeal Put quick-cooking or rolled oats into a food processor or coffee grinder to make a fine powder. Mix that with a small amount of water to make a paste. Apply this paste to your sting. You can also take a bath with oatmeal for all-over itch relief.

Use white or apple cider vinegar. Mix it 50/50 with water and use a cotton ball to DEAR dab the mixture to your sore PHARMACIST

By Suzy Cohen for instant itch relief.

Meat tenderizer This contains papain which breaks up poisons from insect venom. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon into a little cup and add some water, perhaps a teaspoon or two just to make a paste, and dab it directly onto the bite. The sooner after you get stung, the better!

Ammonia

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Insect venom is usually acidic and ammonia is alkaline, so this neutralizes the poison.

It is best applied as soon as possible to the

Hormone therapy From page 8

“We are so grateful for the care you gave to my husband while he was at your facility. We especially would like to thank all the nurses and aides who helped care for him. They were all wonderful and couldn’t do enough for him.

Thank you all!”

red blood cells (a condition known as polycythemia); increase prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, in the blood; enlarge breasts; or reduce sperm production. Testosterone therapy does not cause cancer, including prostate cancer.

If your doctor recommends that you take testosterone, you need regular blood tests to make sure the prescribed dose is correct, as too much testosterone potentially can lead to other medical problems.

Although most studies suggest that testosterone therapy does not increase the

Toothpaste

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

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

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

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

risk of heart attacks or stroke, and that it may even be protective in some cases, there is not enough information to prove its safety conclusively among older men with cardiovascular risk factors.

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

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

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

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

– Pat, wife of former patient Specializing in Skilled Nursing & Subacute Rehabilitation MARYLAND LOCATIONS Anchorage Healthcare Center 105 Times Square Salisbury, MD Bel Pre Health & Rehab Center 2601 Bel Pre Rd. Silver Spring, MD Blue Point Healthcare Center 2525 West Belvedere Baltimore, MD BridgePark Healthcare Center 4017 Liberty Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD Clinton Healthcare Center 9211 Stuart Lane Clinton, MD Ellicott City Healthcare Center 3000 N. Ridge Rd. Ellicott City, MD

Fayette Health & Rehab Center 1217 W. Fayette St. Baltimore, MD Forestville Healthcare Center 7420 Marlboro Pike Forestville, MD Fort Washington Health Center 12021 Livingston Rd. Ft. Washington, MD Holly Hill Healthcare Center 531 Stevenson Lane Towson, MD Kensington Healthcare Center 3000 McComas Ave. Kensington, MD Laurelwood Healthcare Center 100 Laurel Dr. Elkton, MD

800.989.7337

Marley Neck Health & Rehab Center 7575 E. Howard Rd. Glen Burnie, MD Northwest Healthcare Center 4601 Pall Mall Rd. Baltimore, MD South River Healthcare Center 144 Washington Rd. Edgewater, MD WEST VIRGINIA LOCATIONS Willow Tree Healthcare Center 1263 South George St. Charles Town, WV

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DEFICIENCY-FREE STATE SURVEY AGAIN! CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TEAM AND OUR RESIDENTS FOR HELPING HEARTLANDS OF ELLICOTT CITY EARN ANOTHER PERFECT STATE SURVEY.

3004 North Ridge Road Ellicott City, MD 21043

410-461-9494

The State of Maryland Office of Healthcare Quality conducts unannounced annual surveys, taking a look at everything from care, safety, and environment to resident and family satisfaction.

Earning a deficiency-free survey is an outstanding accomplishment. We are proud to share this honor with everyone who helps us make life exceptional every day.

V I S I T T O D AY A N D D I S C O V E R O U R : • Longstanding team creating joy through exceptional care • Exceptional Independent and Assisted Living • Extensive recreational programming on campus • State-of-the-art rehabilitation and fitness center

Call u us s to today to to ex experience ou ou r Five St Star li life fest sty yle. www.HeartlandsSeniorLivingVillage.com INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING RESPITE CARE • SHORT TERM STAYS ©2017 Five Star Senior Living

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Grilled salmon: tasty with miso and lime

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

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

Coat salmon fillets with a little oil, salt and pepper, and cook until the salmon is almost opaque. “Cook until flaky” is bad advice that will leave your salmon overcooked and strong-flavored.

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

Miso, or fermented soy bean paste, adds a ton of savory flavor (“umami”) and

depth, while the lime juice keeps the recipe bright and summery.

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

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

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

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

Miso is low in calories, and offers a little protein and a smattering of minerals, including sodium, so you won’t likely need

additional salt when using miso paste.

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

ping halfway through.

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

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

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

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

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

For more recipes, see www.melissadarabian.net.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Aug. 16

SHOULDER HEALTH HELP

Dr. Derik L. Davis, a board-certified diagnostic radiologist who specializes in musculoskeletal imaging, will discuss shoulder health and rotator cuff dysfunction, diagnosis and treatment at the Ellicott City Senior Center on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. The center is located at 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-1400.

Ongoing

WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK?

The Howard County Office of Workforce Development provides resume critiques and other services for job seekers. For a complete listing of services, visit call (410) 290-2620.

Aug. 4+

DANCE CLASS AND MOVIE

The Columbia Association is sponsoring free dance classes followed by a movie on Friday, Aug. 4 and every Friday night through Sept. 8 at Columbia’s landmark “People Tree” on the lakefront at 10221 Wincopin Circle in downtown Columbia. For a schedule of films and other information, visit columbiaassn.org/event.

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

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

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

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

Dear Ed:

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

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

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

BEACON BITS

Aug. 9+

CPR FOR ALL AGES A course in skills and equipment needed to clear an airway ob-

struction in adults, children and infants will be offered by Howard County General Hospital on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 5:30 p.m. and again on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center, 19710 Charter Dr., Columbia. In addition to learning how to perform CPR, participants will receive instruction in the use of an automated external defibrillator. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a two-year American Heart Association completion card. There is a $55 fee. To learn more and to register, visit hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

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

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

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

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

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

Catonsville | CharlestownCommunity.com

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

50+

THE

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NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

Connection

Department of Community Resources and Services

Volume 7, No. 8 • August 2017

Regular Dental Care is Essential for Healthy Aging

D

ental care is an important part of overall health for everyone. For older adults, poor oral health can lead to heart disease and exacerbate chronic conditions like diabetes. In addition, tooth decay and loss makes eating and speaking more difficult, can lead to poor nutrition, and can cause embarrassment, leading to depression and social isolation.

To maintain healthy teeth and gums, older adults need to practice daily oral hygiene and have access to routine preventive visits with a dentist. There are a number of concerns that deter many adults from receiving routine dental care, from physical limitations and cognitive decline to financial challenges and transportation issues.

Unfortunately, more than one-third of older Americans say they have not visited a dentist in the past year, specifically citing cost, fear or lack of transportation as the reason.

The federal government estimates that 70 percent of seniors lack dental insurance. Research has shown that seniors who have such coverage are far more likely to go to the dentist, yet the fact is Medicare does not provide coverage for oral health services, and many people lose their dental insurance after retirement.

In Maryland, a 2014 Oral Stand-alone dental insurance Health Survey estimated plans are often expensive, that 2 in 3 adults age 65 with high deductibles and and older had lost six inadequate coverage. Unable to afford the cost of root or more natural teeth; canals and crowns, many nationwide, nearly 1 in older adults are more likely to have damaged or decaying 5 Americans older than teeth pulled. In Maryland, 65 do not have a single a 2014 Oral Health Survey natural tooth left. estimated that 2 in 3 adults age 65 and older had lost six or more natural teeth; nationwide, nearly 1 in 5 Americans older than 65 do not have a single natural tooth left.

Furthermore, estimates put the number of emergency room visits for dental issues at two million in 2016 – at a cost of 1.6 billion!

In Howard County, the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) used 40 percent of the emergency funds available through the Vivian Reid Community Fund – $25,000 in 2016 – to cover the dental needs of about 125 older adults.

With these sobering facts in mind, OAI has spearheaded a County initiative to provide dental services to vulnerable adults who would not otherwise have access to quality, affordable dental treatment, and to remove barriers for them to access future care.

The first Howard County Dental Screening Fair will be held on Saturday, September 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel.

The event, held in partnership with local health organizations and sponsored by dental practitioners and suppliers, will have the

capacity to screen up to 100 adults age 18 and older for high blood pressure and oral cancer; address general tooth and gum-related concerns; and register those who need follow-up or future treatment. In addition, there will be information to help navigate insurance eligibility and enrollment; classes on nutrition, flossing and oral hygiene; and assistance with transportation and other services. Vouchers and dental scholarships for follow up treatment and give-away bags with dental hygiene products will also be provided.

For more information on the upcoming dental fair, contact Miriam Bennett at 410-313-6028 or mbennett@howardcountymd.gov.

Howard County Launches “Achieve 24/7” Initiative

Photo by Scott Kramer

In July, Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman joined the Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS) and community partners to launch “Achieve 24/7,” an initiative to increase opportunities for all Howard County children and youth to succeed.

At the launch event, Kittleman announced the first pilot program to be rolled out under Achieve 24/7 — the “Weekend Warrior Snack Pack” — a summer food program based at Stevens Forest Elementary and Harper’s Choice Middle School to supplement the Howard County Public School System’s summer lunch program.

Every Friday through September 1, the county’s Roving Radish healthy meals program will distribute free backpacks of nutritious foods to youth under age 18 to take home for the weekend. For more information, contact DCRS’ Office of the Local Children’s Board at 410-313-6400 (voice/relay).

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The 50+ Connection

How to Avoid Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams

Living Well with Hypertension St. John Baptist Church 9055 Tamar Drive, Columbia 21045

By Rebecca Bowman, Administrator Howard County Office of Consumer Protection

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Satuday, August 19

Winning a sweepstakes or lottery may seem like a dream come true.

But, that dream can turn into a nightmare if you become the victim of a bogus sweepstakes or lottery.

How Scammers Take Your Money You receive a notice that you have won a large sum of money in a sweepstakes by mail, telephone or e-mail or through a social media site like Facebook. But, before you can collect, you must pay taxes or a processing fee. The notice may include a check which represents part of your winnings that you can use to cover the taxes and/or fees. You are told to deposit the check and then pay the taxes/fees by wire transfer, prepaid debit card, check or money order. You later learn that the check you deposited was fake and your money is long gone.

Alternatively, you may be notified of your good luck by phone; the caller asks for your bank account information so that your prize can be deposited directly into your account. But, instead of depositing money, the con artists empty your account.

How To Avoid Sweepstakes Scams • Be wary whenever you get an unsolicited offer from someone you don’t know.

• If you didn’t enter a contest or sweepstakes, you didn’t win!

• Don’t let yourself be rushed into paying money or providing personal information before you’ve had time to think. Take your time and talk to someone you trust first.

• Never pay to collect a prize. Legitimate sweepstakes pay you money, they don’t ask you to pay.

• Taxes on real sweepstakes winning are paid directly to the IRS, not a third party.

• Sending money by wire transfer, money order or pre-paid card is like paying cash. These payment methods are impossible to trace and cannot be reversed.

• Foreign lotteries are illegal in the US; do not participate!

There are no winners in the fraud game; remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you have questions or want to report a scam, contact the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420 or consumer@howardcountymd.gov.

For more information on this or other consumer topics, or to request this publication in an alternative format, contact the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420 (voice/relay).

A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Living Well: Take Charge of Your Health A six-week, evidence-based, self-management program

Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church 6410 Amherst Avenue, Columbia 21046

SUNDAYS • 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM Sept. 17, 24 • Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 $

28 includes 15 hours of workshops and all materials

To register or for more information:

JEN LEE jlee@howardcountymd.gov 410-313-5940 (VOICE/RELAY)

howardcountymd.gov/livingwell

Medicare Education FREE Information Presented by SHIP Medicare 101 – What You Can Expect Wednesday, August 2 • 10:00 – 11:30 AM Learn how Medicare Parts A (hospital), B (medical) and D (prescription drug) work, what the benefits are, and when to make decisions related to your coverage.

Medicare 102 – Why Medicare Isn’t Enough Wednesday, August 9 • 10:00 – 11:30 AM Learn about Medicare Part C/Health Plans and Supplement Policies (Medigap Plans); how to cover the gaps (out of pocket expenses); how plans are priced; the best time to enroll; and how to protect yourself from Medicare fraud.

Using Medicare’s Plan Finder The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

Wednesday, August 16 • 10:00 – 11:30 AM Learn how to use the Plan Finder tool on Medicare.gov to compare and review Medicare prescription drug plans available to you.

Ellicott City 50+ Fitness Center 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21043

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity Kim Higdon Henry, Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov

Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Office on Aging and Independence or by the publisher.

Register at 410-313-7389 www.howardcountymd.gov/SHIP

The 50+ Connection

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

17

Saturday, September 9 • 10 am to 3 pm North Laurel Community Center 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723 For vulnerable adults (18 and older) who would otherwise not have access to quality, affordable treatment.

INFO: Miriam Bennett at 410-313-6028 (VOICE/RELAY) or mbennett@howardcountymd.gov

Be a FRIEND of the 50+EXPO! Sign Up TODAY to Receive Your FRIEND OF THE EXPO Gift Package!

■ One RESERVED seat for “The Capitol Steps” (11 AM) ■ One ADMISSION ticket to the 50+EXPO! ■ One EXCLUSIVE “Friends” raffle ticket for a grand prize basket of goodies!

■ A “Friends” RECOGNITION badge to wear at EXPO! ■ Only $20/person

Become a Friend of the EXPO today!

Contact Jeanne Davis at 410-313-6410 or jwhitedavis@howardcountymd.gov

A portion of the proceeds from Friends of the EXPO will benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund.

Thank you for your support!

Don’t Miss the 2017 Howard County 50+EXPO!

Friday, October 20 9 am - 4 pm Wilde Lake High School

www.howardcountymd.gov/50plusexpo

SENIOR DAY AT THE FAIR Howard County Fair 2017 FREE ADMISSION for ADULTS 62+ Tuesday, August 8 • 10 am to 3 pm

5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia, MD 21044

VISIT the ACTIVITIES BUILDING for FUN THINGS to DO... RAIN OR SHINE! • Healthy Aging Programs • Demos and Entertainment

$

1 ADMISSION to benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund

• • • • • •

170+ Exhibitors Engaging Seminars Lively Entertainment Dynamic Presentations Flu Shots and Health Screenings Resources for All Stages and Ages

• County Services Information • Bingo, Games and Prizes

JOIN US FOR SOME FUN AT THE FAIR!

410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) www.howardcountymd.gov/aging #HoCoEXPO17 facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

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The 50+ Connection

A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Howard County 50+ Centers

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS Go to www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters for a complete list of events, programs and services.

Bain 50+ Center

Ellicott City 50+ Center

Thursdays, August 3-24 • 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 9 • 12:30 p.m. — Deux Eaux

Summer Lecture Series: Social and Political History of the American Revolution

Deux Eaux features vocalist Kelsey Shields and guitarist James Stivers, who will perform American song book standards, Latin and popular music from the past 50 years. FREE; register: 410-313-1400.

Instructor Roger G. Swartz will use the Continental Army as a case study to investigate the social and political history of the Revolution. $43/ person; register by July 31: 410-313-7213. Space is limited.

Tuesday, August 8 • 11:00 a.m. — Vial of Life Kit In an emergency, you may be confused, in pain or unable to speak for yourself; the Vial of Life can speak for you. Pick up a free kit and learn how it works during an informal presentation. RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Wednesday, August 16 • 11:00 a.m.

Shoulder Health with Derik L. Davis, MD A board-certified diagnostic radiologist, Dr. Davis’ presentation will focus on shoulder health and rotator cuff dysfunction. FREE; register: 410-313-1400.

Tuesday, August 29 • 11:00 a.m.

Friday, August 18 • 1:00 p.m. — Friday Afternoon Recital:

Tech Day with Ellicott City Health & Rehab

The Works of Mendelssohn and Mozart Join us for a concert featuring Amadi and Debby Azikiwe, a string and piano duo who perform throughout the U.S. FREE. RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Learn how to use social media and Bluetooth; pay your bills online and more. Bring your electronic device (smartphone, iPad, tablet or laptop) to get your tech questions answered. FREE. Sign up at the front desk.

East Columbia 50+ Center

Glenwood 50+ Center

Fridays in August • 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Intro to Mahjongg

Friday, August 4 • 11:00 a.m. — Seniorita Sunshine

Try your hand at Mahjongg, the Chinese tile game of skill, strategy and calculation ($10 materials fee). Register: 410-313-7680.

Join us for a cabaret-style program featuring Hawaiian luau music by Seniorita Sunshine. FREE; register: 410-313-5440.

Friday, August 18 • Noon — BBQ #3 on the Deck

Friday, August 11 • 11:00 a.m.

Join us for our third summer BBQ! Drop by to escape the heat and play a few games. Lunch by donation; register: 410-313-7680.

Baltimore: The Good Old Days

Tuesday, August 15 • 1:00 p.m. — Plastic-Free August

Join us for Wayne Schaumburg’s historic presentation on the bygone days of Baltimore. FREE; register: 410-313-5440.

Join our month-long challenge to live with less plastic. Stop by, learn how and share your experiences. FREE; register: 410-313-7680.

Thursday, August 24 • 1:00 p.m.

Elkridge 50+ Center

Join our new book club! This month, we will read and discuss “The Little Paris Bookshop” by Nina George. FREE; register: 410-313-5440.

Temporary Location: 5660 Furnace Avenue, Elkridge 21075 Wednesday, August 2 • Noon — Celebrate Ice Cream!

Book Club: The Little Paris Bookshop

North Laurel 50+ Center

Celebrate National Ice Cream Sandwich Day and enjoy a homemade ice cream sandwich. $2/person. Register: 410-313-5192.

Thursday, August 10 • 11:00 a.m.

Monday, August 7 • 10:30 a.m. — International Meal Day

Learn which essential oils support a healthy digestion and how to use them safely to strengthen your gut and health. FREE. Register: 410-313-0380.

Join us for our first International Meal Day, showcasing food from all over the globe. First stop: India! Lunch by donation. Register: 410-313-5192.

Wednesday, August 23 • 11:00 a.m.

Creative Art with Joyce

Essential Oils for Digestion

Friday, August 25 • 11:00 a.m.

Summer Concert: The Mighty Kelltones

Design, color and create your very own masterpiece. FREE. Register: 410-313-5192.

Join us for a concert of live Celtic, folk and contemporary music by The Mightly Kelltones, followed by a special lunch. $3/person plus lunch contribution. Reserve your ticket: 410-313-0380.

Friday, September 22 — Annual Crab Feast

Mondays • 9:00 a.m. — Mindful Mondays

Save the date! Tickets will go fast for this popular, sell-out event! Details will be posted in the September newsletter, online and at the center. For questions, call 410-313-5192.

This 45-minute fusion class combines gentle, guided meditation with light yoga stretches. Learn to live more fully, manage stress and cope with life’s challenges. $35/six classes. Register: 410-313-0380.

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HoCoCommunity Stay connected to the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services. Like us today!

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

19

Janice and George Vanisko were named Howard County’s Dynamic Duo for their countless hours of volunteering. See the continuation of our cover story on page 21.

Biggest estate-planning mistakes to avoid

By Andrew McNair There are several common mistakes people can make when planning — or not planning — for what will happen with their estates when they die.

The legacy you leave can either simplify the process of dealing with your personal and financial property, or it can be a worrisome burden for those you leave behind.

So let’s take a look at what you should discuss well ahead of time with a qualified attorney to help make sure your legacy isn’t lost to Uncle Sam. Here are a few mistakes and how to avoid them: Lack of a see-through provision on a trust.

This can prove very costly. For example, consider a couple who has a $1 million Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) for which the beneficiary is a trust. In certain circumstances, a trust may be an appropriate beneficiary for an IRA. However, if there is no see-through provision on the trust, the couple’s estate could potentially owe several hundred thousand dollars in taxes when the IRA is passed to beneficiaries due to the higher tax rates trusts are often subject to.

A “see-through trust” refers to a trust

that meets specific legal requirements and serves as the named beneficiary of an IRA. In this scenario, The IRS will “see through” the trust and treat the trust’s beneficiaries as if they were the IRA’s direct beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries’ life expectancies will then be used to determine the IRA’s required minimum distributions. Additionally, a see-through provision allows these distributions to be taxed at the individual beneficiary’s tax rate rather than at the trust’s tax rate.

Oftentimes, a trust’s tax rate is higher than an individual’s. Therefore, a seethrough provision could help prevent a large tax bill when the owner of the IRA dies, depending on the individual beneficiary’s tax situation.

A blank or incomplete Schedule.

Schedules are attachments to the trust document that contain important details concerning the trust (most commonly a Schedule A). For example, most trusts have a schedule that is the inventory sheet of the trust, and it typically details what assets you have transferred into the trust.

As such, it’s important to make sure all schedules are complete and accurate — it shouldn’t be blank! It is important to con-

firm with your attorney that your trust actually owns the assets you intend for it to own.

If it’s not clear what assets the trust owns on the statement, you should be concerned and meet with an attorney who can review your trust to help ensure your wishes are accurately reflected.

Failing to easily avoid probate.

POD means “payable on death.” TOD stands for “transfer on death.” These designations allow the beneficiary to receive assets without going through probate.

Do all of your bank accounts — including all your checking, money market, savings and CD accounts — have POD and TOD instructions on them? They should.

Probate can be an expensive process.

Laws governing attorney fees for probate are decided by individual states and can vary. For example, consider a savings account with $200,000. In Florida, attorney fees to probate this account could be as high as 3 percent, or $6,000. Having a POD or TOD on this account could help save on these administrative expenses.

Having too many bank accounts.

The FDIC places a limit of $250,000 per depositor, per bank on the amount that it will insure. As such, you may consider consolidating some of your bank accounts

if you have more accounts than you actually need to ensure you are protected. Otherwise, you might overcomplicate your estate.

Leaving no inventory of assets.

So where is everything? Even if you have been meticulous about having all the right documents, it does no one any good if your beneficiaries can’t find them after you die.

So leave your loved ones a checklist to tell them where they can find your birth certificate, Social Security card, marriage license, pre-nuptial agreement, military records, will, burial instructions, cemetery plot deed or cremation agreement, bank and credit documents, mortgage papers, personal financial documents, and safe deposit box and keys.

Your legacy is the last impression you leave behind. The last thing families want to do is leave their children or beneficiaries with 1,000 puzzle pieces scattered all over the floor. A legacy is not a 1,000-piece puzzle scattered to the wind, but a picture worthy to be framed.

Rozel Swain contributed to this article. © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Let’s retire these five myths of retirement

By Ali Swofford After decades of paychecks, you might be counting the days before you can leave your job for good.

However, your idea of what lies ahead in retirement years may be far different from reality. You need to be prepared for the fact that life as a retiree may not follow the script you wrote in your head.

Here are five myths about retirement that catch many retirees by surprise:

Retire-Myth No. 1 Every day is a free day. Waking when you like, drinking coffee in the sunroom, and puttering around the house to your heart’s content may be your retirement dreams. But the truth is that those visions are not what the retirement lifestyle usually turns out to be.

Daily calendars quickly fill up with hob-

bies, family events, volunteering and travel. Today’s retirees also face the issue of longevity. They may experience as much time in retirement as they spent in their career, and a long-term life of leisure doesn’t fulfill everyone.

As a result, a third phase of life — balancing recreation, giving back to the community and work — is becoming the norm.

Retire-Myth No. 2 Retiring will be a breeze. Actually, some people find the prospect of leaving the workforce scary and disorienting.

Retirement is a transition that is a complex and emotional experience for most, with complete shifts in not just your daily routines, but your identity as well. The titles and workplace roles that identify you as a productive person are gone, and selfesteem requires adjustment.

Having a plan for how you will spend your time is one way to minimize the stress of settling into a new schedule. If you don’t plan for it, gliding through a happy retirement is not very likely.

Retire-Myth No. 3 I will retire at the magical age of 65.

This artificial benchmark was more accurate when traditional pensions and Social Security were paying full benefits at 65 and lifespans were much shorter.

According to the 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, retirement happens earlier than expected for half of retirees.

Sixty percent of those leave due to health issues, and others leave because they were let go due to downsizing or had to quit to care for a family member.

The earlier you begin planning your re-

tirement, the more prepared you will be should life throw you a curve ball and your retirement dream date change.

Retire-Myth No. 4 Pensions and Social Security will fund my retirement. Today, 401(k)s — not pensions — are the norm. The big difference is where the burden of funding and investment risk lies.

401(k)s are largely funded by the employee and, unlike a pension, there is no guaranteed monthly income at retirement.

Social Security benefits were designed to be a supplement to retirement plans and individual investments; not the primary resource.

Retire-Myth No. 5 I will spend less when I retire. A See RETIREMENT MYTHS, page 20

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Certified used cars offer peace of mind

By Dee-Ann Durbin A certified pre-owned vehicle costs more than a regular used car, but it can give buyers some peace of mind in an often murky market.

Certified pre-owned vehicles are used cars that are backed by an automaker’s guarantee. They’re usually newer cars, coming off two- or three-year leases.

Certified pre-owned programs limit the miles the cars can have on them — under 60,000, in many cases — and put the cars through a rigorous inspection. They come with extended warranties and, sometimes, extra perks like roadside assistance or a satellite radio subscription.

“If I want a car that hasn’t been abused, this is one of the best ways to avoid all that guesswork,” said Matt Jones, senior editor of consumer advice for the car shopping site Edmunds.com.

Certified pre-owned programs have been growing in popularity as the supply of used cars balloons in the U.S. New vehicle sales have risen for seven straight years, and as many as a third of those vehicles were leased. That has left automakers with a steady stream of two- or three-year-old vehicles with limited mileage that are ideal for certified pre-owned programs.

U.S. certified pre-owned sales grew by 61 percent to 2.6 million between 2010 and

2016, according to Cox Automotive. Still, they only made up a fraction of the 28.7 million used cars sold by franchised and independent dealers last year.

How much more costly?

Certified pre-owned status generally adds 6 to 8 percent to the price of the car, or between $1,000 and $1,500, Jones said. A Ford dealer in Michigan is currently advertising a certified pre-owned 2014 Ford Edge SEL with 22,748 miles on it for $21,943. A CarMax dealer in Maryland is offering a noncertified pre-owned 2014 Edge SEL, with 33,000 miles, for $1,044 less. By comparison, a new 2017 Edge SEL starts at $31,790.

For the extra cost, factory-trained mechanics will perform 150-, 160-, or even 180point inspections of the vehicle, which is usually less than five or six years old.

Among other things, they’ll check for any outstanding recalls and make those repairs.

After that, what you get depends on the brand. Automakers may include whatever is left over from the original powertrain warranty — which covers the engine and transmission — along with a shorter bumper-tobumper warranty — which covers the engine as well as interior parts, like the infotainment system or air conditioning.

Roadside assistance is often included for at least some period of time. Some

manufacturers charge a $50 to $100 deductible for repairs while the car is under warranty; others don’t. Buick offers three months’ worth of OnStar assistance, and lets buyers return the car within three days if they’re not happy.

Dealers pay automakers a fee to certify a used vehicle. Kia, for example, gets $450 for every certified pre-owned vehicle sold, said Maria Williams, a senior certified preowned retail support manager with Kia. What’s more, she said, Kia is getting a relationship with buyers who will keep coming back to the dealership for service.

In 2016, 47 percent of buyers who returned to the car market after owning a certified pre-owned Kia bought a new Kia, she said, based on data from the consulting firm R.L. Polk. That rate dropped to 33 percent among owners of a non-certified pre-owned used Kia.

What to look for Here are some things to think about if you’re shopping for a certified pre-owned vehicle: Decide if it’s worth it: Experts are split on this one. Jones, who owns a certified preowned vehicle, said a certified pre-owned vehicle is worth the extra cost because you’re getting a higher quality car and the promise of less hassle. Dealers are also more willing to deal on a certified preowned car, he said, because they’ve already paid the automaker to get it certified.

But Consumer Reports advises against getting a certified pre-owned vehicle. The magazine said certified pre-owned cars may not be in any better shape than any other low-mileage used car, and buyers are

Retirement myths From page 19 common adage is that you will only need 70 to 80 percent of your pre-retirement income during retirement. The truth is that estimating the percentage needed is complex and unique to each individual.

Interestingly, according to the Employ-

better off pocketing the $1,500 or so and saving it for repairs or putting it toward a new car.

Consumer Reports said shoppers considering any used car should have it inspected by a trusted independent mechanic before they buy.

Make sure it’s really certified: Certified pre-owned vehicles can only be sold by a brand’s franchised dealers. Independent dealers may sometimes call a vehicle “certified” or “Carfax certified,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a manufacturer-backed program with the same quality guarantees as an officially certified vehicle.

Check the details of certified pre-owned programs on automakers’ web sites or in dealership brochures so you know what you should be getting. And look for the certified pre-owned sticker or logo on the car.

Read the fine print: Some certified preowned programs are more generous than others. Kia certified pre-owned buyers, for example, get whatever is left of the car’s 10year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, plus an additional year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage. Honda certified pre-owned buyers get a similar deal, but the original warranty is for seven years and 100,000 miles.

Lexus offers a two-year full warranty with unlimited mileage, a great perk for drivers who drive a lot of miles. Porsche will certify vehicles that are up to 8 years old, as long as they have low enough mileage.

Familiarize yourself with the terms for the brands you’re interested in and see what might work best for you.

— AP

ee Benefit Research Institute, 52 percent of retirees surveyed spent 95 percent or more of their pre-retirement income during retirement. The question becomes, will your nest egg support you through 25 or more years in retirement? © 2017 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Volunteers From page 1 every week, and up to 20 hours [a week] in the weeks leading up to each performance.

Nancy always has a listening ear for the actors who want to talk about what is going on in their lives….She is never afraid to jump in where needed,” her nomination said.

The April ceremony also honored Julie Casey and T.J. Swiney, two longtime volunteer firefighters, who were given Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Casey has been a member of the Howard County Volunteer Firefighters Association for more than 25 years, and has served for three terms as the organization’s president. She was cited for her “vital role in fostering diversity and inclusion, particularly for women firefighters.”

Swiney is a 44-year veteran of the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, working his way up over the years to the rank of captain. He spends almost every night at the station, putting in at least 25 hours a week doing volunteer work — such as overseeing the station’s observer and rookie programs, and helping new members prepare to become firefighters.

The Non-Profit Volunteer Organization of the Year Award went to the Metanoia Church of Ellicott City. Church members were cited for being the first to volunteer to help after the July 30 flood last year, which caused major damage to the historic section of the city. And they are still helping.

The church’s award nominator told county officials: “As a shop owner, I was overwhelmed and needed serious help. A phone call was all it took to get (Staff Pastor) Jesse Florida or (Reverend Dr.) Adam Feldman to make it happen. If I needed

volunteers, Jesse made it happen. If I needed a few tubs, brushes, bleach or whatever, Jesse or a church member would appear with it.

“Tasks which were impossible [to complete] alone, were accomplished with a team of volunteers from Metanoia Church.

Their presence was constant…their service has been invaluable.”

The next generation While many of this year’s honored volunteers were over the age of 50, Rees Draminski, who just celebrated his 17th birthday, was cited by Howard County as Youth Volunteer of the Year.

“I want to be a computer scientist when I grow up, and I want to serve other people through computer science,” Draminski said.

The award was given to the rising senior at Mount Hebron High School for the 10 hours a week he has spent tutoring innercity kids in Baltimore. Many of them attend Title I schools that have few computers and teachers who are often overworked.

Draminski is an integral part of the Ellicott City high school’s student-run Te(ch)Canal, which aims to be a “canal,” or link, between technology and the communities that will benefit from it. The program attracts Mount Hebron students interested in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

For his tutoring lessons, Draminski brings along his laptop computer and tries focus the students on STEM basics.

“I try to expose the students to these fields, which are mostly new to them. I hope they will find and follow a path they will enjoy, and want to go on to college and

further study it for a career,” he said.

Draminski acknowledges that he sits at his computer “many hours” each day. But he also swims “almost every day” with county teams, and “reads a lot” — mostly science fiction, but also non-fiction science.

His days at the computer started when he was seven, he said, and he began writing his own computer programs at age 11.

Among other things, the young computer “nerd” — “I embrace the term,” he said — invented “Speedy Math,” a math practice game for kids who lack access to the Internet. He has also helped raise

21

money to enable poor students to obtain Internet access.

“I’m still a teenager,” Draminski observed. “But some people will say I have an older soul. I may not always love school, but I love learning something new.”

His future goal? ”To be out there, solving problems with the computer — social problems, or those for industry.”

The adult Draminski, said the teenager, will be content “as long as I’m making some kind of difference.”

He was in good company at this year’s County recognition of volunteers.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Several advantages to convertible bonds

By Elliot Raphaelson About 30 years ago, I joined a small consulting firm that needed to raise capital. We looked into selling bonds, but for a standard issue we would have had to pay over 10 percent in interest. Our underwriter suggested that, in addition to raising money by issuing common stock, we could also issue convertible bonds at a much lower interest rate.

It is not unusual for corporations without a long history of profitability to issue convertible bonds, which offer the buyers

a reasonable interest rate, and the future option to convert the bonds into shares of common stock.

From the buyer’s viewpoint, convertible bonds offer a nominal interest return, as well as the potential of an increase in the value of the investment if the company is profitable and the value of the common stock increases.

How convertible bonds work Generally, when convertible bonds are issued, the conversion price is set at about 25

percent higher than the current value of the common stock. If the corporation does well and the value of the common stock increases in value, the bond holder can convert the bonds to common stock, or sell the bonds in the market, since the value of the bond would have increased. (Convertible bonds trade in the market like other bonds.)

Even if the value of the common stock does not go up significantly, the bondholder will still receive the coupon interest rate specified at the time of issuance, and would get back the bond’s face value (the amount paid initially) at maturity.

Generally, the price of convertible bonds increases in proportion to the increase in the value of the underlying common stock.

On the other hand, when the value of the common stock decreases, the value of the convertible bond generally takes a smaller hit than the stock does because of the interest the bonds pay holders each year.

In the situation I described earlier, when my company issued convertible bonds, I purchased them because of the coupon rate and because I felt the corporation would be profitable — which it was. Accordingly, I was able to sell the convertible bonds a few years later at a significant profit.

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ments are still pretty low. You can purchase mutual funds and ETFs in corporate bonds or high-yield securities, which can yield higher returns than those available for the most conservative investments.

But another alternative is funds or ETFs that specialize in convertible bonds. Currently, the interest rates for many of these bonds are between 3.75 and 4.5 percent.

The largest ETF in this sector is SPDR Bloomberg Barclays Convertible Securities (CWB). Current yield is 3.1 percent. Morningstar has given this ETF a five-star rating for the last three- and five-year periods.

Morningstar identifies other convertible bond ETFs and mutual funds that specialize in convertibles.

This is a market for professional investors.

Most corporations that issue convertible bonds don’t have excellent bond ratings.

This is why you should avoid individual issues, because of the risk, and invest only in well-known, diversified funds or ETFs. I don’t recommend that investors invest a large percentage of their assets in convertibles. However, for investors looking for modest income returns and the potential for capital gains from increasing common stock prices, this alternative has some advantages. © 2017 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Set sail on the Queen Mary 2 with fashionista Iris Apfel. See story on page 25.

Sites to see in Stockholm (via Iceland)

Planning your trip Prior to our trip, we purchased the fiveday Stockholm Pass, a sightseeing package that provides free admission to approximately 60 major attractions, museums and tours. The pass is also available for shorter visits, with one, two, and threeday versions. The five-day adult pass cost

us about $135 each, but it periodically goes on sale at 10 percent off.

If you intend to see a large number of sites, the city pass is a great value. We enjoyed the pass’s inclusion of unlimited hopping on and off the 24 stops of the sightseeing bus each day. The pass can also be purchased in-person in Stockholm. For more information, visit www.stockholmpass.com.

Our hotel was also a major highlight on the trip. The Hilton Slussen really enhanced our visit. Located on the island of Sodermalm, the Hilton is situated directly across from Old Town (Gamla Stan) — providing dramatic day and night views of the city’s beautiful medieval architecture and the mighty city hall (the Stadshuset) on the island of Kungsholmen.

While we’re on the subject, touring Stadshuset was also a treat. This striking brick building with its massive tower and internal courtyards is a landmark that contributes to Stockholm’s impressive skyline. English language tours were frequent and very detailed.

The tour included the golden hall, with its beautiful gold and marble mosaics, the Italian style blue hall — site of annual Nobel prize banquets and festivities, a dramatic fresco painting of the lake view (“The City on the Water”) which faces windows opening to the actual lake view, and the council meeting chamber.

We were lucky that the Hilton Slussen’s location provided such easy access to this and

PHOTO BY CDRIM | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

By Saul Schwartz Last fall, Iceland-based Wow Airlines initiated its new route from BWI to Stockholm, Sweden, through Reykjavik, Iceland.

With fares beginning at just over $200 each way, I declared to my wife, “Wow! How can we pass this up?” At such low fares, we did have to pay extra for all drinks, food and entertainment in flight.

While fares are somewhat higher now, the Wow stopover option allows for a stay of several days in Iceland before continuing on to Stockholm without an additional fee.

It wasn’t our first time flying Wow. When they offered flights from BWI to Iceland in fall 2015, we jumped on promotional airfares at the time of $99 each way.

We quickly became fans of the quirky budget carrier with its new fleet of purple, medium-sized aircraft, staffed by friendly and perky purple-clad crew. The aircraft and its comfortable seats are marked by silly sayings like “cool kids sit in the back.”

Here are our impressions of Stockholm, and suggestions for making your trip a success.

In Stockholm’s bustling square (Stortorget), the city’s oldest, the popular Kaffekoppen café sits across from the Nobel Museum. Eating outside at cafés like this offers an opportunity for people-watching and listening to live street music.

PHOTO BY ESTCA | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Stockholm’s Drottningholm Palace, summer home for royalty, is often compared to France’s Versailles.

many other memorable sites by public transportation and by foot.

By European standards, the hotel’s rooms are very decently sized. Our daily rate included an extensive breakfast buffet with hot and cold offerings, as well as evening appetizers in the executive lounge.

For more information on our hotel, visit www.hilton.com/stockholm.

If you’re looking for a good guidebook to help your plan out your days, I recommend the Lonely Planet Pocket Stockholm. We took it everywhere. The neighborhood-byneighborhood layout focused on top sights, and the maps were easy to follow.

Sites not to miss Changing of the guard at the Royal Palace (Kunglia Slottet). With over 600 rooms, the Royal Palace dominates Old Town. It is the world’s largest royal castle still used as a home to royalty and as a working government building.

Most days, if you’re at the outer courtyard at 12:15 p.m., you can view the elaborate changing of the guard ritual. This is a magnificent and dramatic ceremony, full of pomp and circumstance.

We also toured several portions of the palace open to the public, including the royal chapel and the royal apartments.

Boat tours. Stockholm covers 14 islands,

with bridges everywhere. Lake Malaren in the West gives way to the Baltic Sea in the East. For this reason, Stockholm is often called “the Venice of the north.” We really enjoyed getting on the water to fully experience the area.

Taking the three-hour boat tour to the Archipelago provided us with a scenic ride as we wandered among thousands of rocky islands. Most of the islands are uninhabited, with forests and fields of wild flowers. But the inhabited islands are dotted with attractive holiday cottages and boats of various sizes.

Drottningholm Palace (Slott). We traveled one hour by boat to the island of Lovon, where the summer residence for generations of Swedish royalty families sits. Although the 17th century palace was closed for a royal function, we strolled for several hours in the vast geometrical garden parks, which are often compared to those at Versailles.

The gardens, located behind the striking Renaissance-style palace, contain sculptures and immaculately manicured greenery. We also enjoyed lunch on the palace grounds at a café.

Eating lunch al fresco at Kaffekoppen. Speaking of lunch, set in the heart of the old town’s main and oldest square See STOCKHOLM, page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Stockholm From page 23 (Stortorget), we twice enjoyed lunch at Kaffekoppen, a café on the outside terrace across from the Nobel Museum.

The lunch portions were large, fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. As an added bonus, the terrace is perfect for peoplewatching, and live street music played in the background.

The café is set in a 15th century building painted a bright red. The building’s exterior walls feature 82 white stones honoring the members of the Swedish nobility and clergy who were killed by the Danish King Christian II in the square in November 1520. For more information on the café, visit www.cafekoppen.se.

Djurgarden. Once a royal hunting ground, this island connects to the center city by bridge. The setting is a green parklike oasis — like a smaller version of New York’s Central Park.

To get around more easily, we rented three-speed bikes through Stockholm City Bikes at a stand located just behind the ABBA Museum (yes, a museum dedicated to the singing group). The rental was inexpensive; about $17 for a three-day card. We wandered around quiet trails and roads, passing by herons, goats, gardens, various bodies of water and a variety of museums.

Like Washington D.C., Stockholm is a city of museums, mainly situated at the entrance

of Djurgarden. Daily English-language tours are informative and enlightening.

Our favorites were the Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet), which was literally built around a massive salvaged ship. The ship (basically Sweden’s Titanic) had sunk in Stockholm harbor within minutes of setting sail on its maiden voyage in the 17th century.

Visiting the ABBA Museum was simply pure fun. It was an entertaining tribute to the best known Swedish rock group, complete with costume displays and videos.

The Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet) was mostly enjoyable for the building itself, design as an enormous Nordic castle with a massive indoor space. We also learned how the cultural phenomenon that has come to be known as “all things Swedish” was initiated as the passion of one man, founder of the Nordic Museum Artur Hazelius.

The photography museum (Fotografiska) in Sodermalm is housed in a converted customs hall. It showcases four different exhibits, including one of celebrities shot by Canadian singer Bryan Adams. The museum is open late into the evening, as its top level holds a lively bar and café where locals like to party the night away.

The Nobel Museum was also worth visiting. It focuses on the history of past Nobel Prize recipients and their discoveries, as well as on Alfred Nobel, whose wealth came from his discovery of dynamite. The café there includes chairs signed by Nobel awardees, including Pres-

A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

idents Clinton and Obama.

Cathedrals. In the old town, right next to the Royal Palace, stands the 13th century gothic cathedral Strorkyrkan. It contains dramatic sculptures, medieval paintings, high ceilings with bells, and the pews that have long been used for royal weddings and coronations.

We were particularly impressed with the life-size wood sculpture of St. George and the Dragon, created to honor victory over the Danes in the late 1400s. Lutheran services are open to the public on Sundays.

On the nearby island of Riddarholmen, the interior of the 13th century Riddarholmen Church is more in the nature of a cemetery for royals. The church contains the majestic underground crypts of Sweden’s kings, queens and their families.

The Ice Bar. Just as you have to visit the Blue Lagoon while in Reykjavik, Iceland, a trip to the Ice Bar in Stockholm is a must. The Ice Bar is located within the Nordic C Hotel, in the city center.

Created by the Ice Hotel in northern Sweden, the Ice Bar is a creation made entirely from ice, containing ice etchings and sculptures of Nordic creatures. It’s perfect for photo ops.

Visitors can borrow parkas with hoods and thick gloves to keep warm while inside the bar. Admission includes one drink in a shot glass made of ice! The 45-minute experience was a little tacky, but also quite cool.

Walking tour of the old town. Starting from the tourist center, the daily English-language tour of Old Town guided us along its charming cobblestone streets.

The narrow streets wind along their 14th century lines. One lane (Marten Trotzigs Grand) is less than a meter wide!

For the history buff, the guide told us stories of Stockholm’s beginnings. She showed us Viking ruins from an early settlement that are part of a building foundation, as well as sites from Danish and Germanic influences.

Things we missed Unfortunately, as with any trip, you can’t see everything in one visit. Several buildings were not open to touring during our stay.

We visited the grounds of the Great Synagogue on a small street near city center.

It’s an impressive building, whose exterior

features a large menorah, a holocaust memorial plaque, and a dramatic sculpture of the lifting of the Torah.

The synagogue is only open to the public for Shabbat services on Friday evening and Saturday morning. While Stockholm has the largest Jewish population in Sweden, there are only about 20,000 Jews in the whole country. The synagogue is worth a visit.

Not far from the old town, we also repeatedly passed by the large Swedish Parliament Buildings (Riksdagshuset), but they were only open for a short period on one weekend day that we were there.

Overall, Stockholm is a wonderful destination. The fall weather was surprisingly pleasant during our trip. Stockholm is one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals. We had a tremendous adventure. In one week, we covered almost all of the major sites — and we hope to be back for more.

Facts to know The currency is easy to convert, with ten Swedish krona being worth approximately one U.S. dollar.

Though roads seemed well maintained, and driving is on the right side of the road, we saw no need for a car rental since we did not venture outside of greater Stockholm.

We were too busy inside the city limits.

The central train and bus station, aptlynamed Centralstationen, is indeed in the city center, and connections are easy to a vast public transportation system, including trams, buses and the metro system — called Tunnelbana.

We navigated the subway and buses without difficulty. Although signage in English is limited, English-speaking transportation workers did not hesitate to direct us to the correct line when asked. In fact, throughout the week we found local Swedes quite willing to talk to us in English.

Current rates on Wow Airlines are still low during the summer and early fall.

Flights departing from BWI begin at $219.99 one way July through October, though they do bump up later in the season, with higher rates of $449.99 beginning in November. For more information about the airline, visit www.wowair.com.

By comparison, Iceland Air has one-way flights to Stockholm from Reagan National Airport in early August that start at $468.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

25

Fashionista Iris Apfel hosts Queen Mary 2 “If you get to learn who you are and what you look like and what you can handle, you’ll know what to do.”

The trip will also include runway shows and other guests from the world of fashion, including designer Julien Macdonald, industry consultant Gail Sackloff, and fashion historian Colin McDowell, along with actual models.

Apfel’s favorite contemporary designers include Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo and Naeem Khan, but she’s not looking to add to her closets.

“I have so much, I don’t go looking,” she said. “I’m in the process of deaccessioning and helping them build a fabulous fashion collection at the Peabody Essex Museum,” which is located in Salem, Mass. Apfel began donating pieces to the museum after it hosted an exhibit about her several years ago.

What’s her secret for a long and happy life?

“I have no secrets, I have no advice, ex-

BEACON BITS

Aug. 14

INDIVIDUAL DIETARY COUNSELING An opportunity for a half-hour individual counseling session with a

registered dietician is available on Monday Aug. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center. 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia.

Fee is $40. For more information, visit hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

cept to love life and not give into yourself,” she said. “At a certain age, you have to push a bit, to be honest.

“Unless you have pneumonia or a broken hip and you can’t push yourself, you really have to. Once you do, you’ll find there’s a lot out there, and you won’t think of yourself.

“Get out there and help somebody. There are so many people that need a hand. Life is there and it’s wonderful, and it doesn’t last too long, so you might as well enjoy.”

Options for travel during Fashion Week: For 7 nights, from Aug. 31 through Sept. 7, fares start at $999 per person. For an additional 2 nights, with the trip beginning in Hamburg, Germany on Aug. 29, fares start at $2,107 per person. Visit http://bit.ly/QueenMary2FashionWeek.

—AP

PHOTO BY RON ADAR

By Beth J. Harpaz The Queen Mary 2 ship is offering a fashion-themed trans-Atlantic crossing with a celebrity guest who’s practically fashion royalty herself: 95-year-old Iris Apfel.

The inimitable Apfel is known for her irreverent style mixing haute couture with oversized costume jewelry and her trademark large round glasses. She’s been the subject of museum exhibits and a documentary film, “Iris,” that will be screened during the trip.

The trans-Atlantic trip departs Southampton, England, on Aug. 31 and arrives in New York on Sept. 7 in time for New York Fashion Week.

Apfel will host a Q-and-A onboard, but don’t expect any style tips. “Everybody should find her own way,” she said in a phone interview from her winter home in Palm Beach, Florida. “I’m a great one for individuality. I don’t like trends.

Irreverent fashion icon Iris Apfel, 95, will host Q and A sessions on a trans-Atlantic cruise on the Queen Mary 2 late this summer.

26

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

What consumer rights do travelers have?

Chances are your summer trip it will go as But reservations, guarantees and such, planned. But in case of trouble, you need to are also enforceable contracts. If you have know the rights you have as a a money problem with a suptraveler. plier, your recourse depends, Unfortunately, nothing is a first and foremost, on the true “right” unless it is (1) in terms of the contract and conyour contract, (2) guaranteed tract law. by law, or (3) an errant suppliFederal rules require your er faces some financial consecredit card issuer to refund quence if it fails to live up to your charge whenever a suppliits obligation. And, by that er fails to deliver the product or measure, your true rights as a service you charged. That traveler are slim indeed. works well in cases of outright Ultimately, what you pay and TRAVEL TIPS failure to deliver or perform. what you get are determined by By Ed Perkins But chargeback requests based a contract. Most travel contracts are “contracts of adhesion” — offered as “take it or leave it,” giving you no chance to negotiate terms. And the fine print you seldom see gives suppliers lots of wiggle room in delivering what they supposedly promise.

on poor service or disappointment typically don’t go very far.

Beyond contract law and credit card regulations, a few rights are conferred by laws and regulations specific to travel: Airlines. Air travelers have by far the

most government-mandated rights, which have been extremely well publicized in recent months.

If an airline bumps you due to overbooking, you’re due a cash payment up to $1,300 in addition to completing your trip.

If an airline loses or damages your baggage, it owes you up to $3,500 for a domestic flight, or around $1,500 on most international flights.

If your flight is delayed on the tarmac more than three hours without offering you to get off (in most cases), the airline pays a fine.

When you shop for an airfare, you can lock in what looks like a good deal but keep searching a better deal for 24 hours without a cancellation penalty. And airlines have to display all-up prices, including fees and taxes, in their ads and websites.

Hotels. State “innkeepers” laws gener-

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ally require that hotels maintain safe and secure premises and provide some form of secure storage for valuable items.

When a hotel is oversold or otherwise can’t honor a reservation, traditional industry practice is to “walk” you to a different hotel that is “equal or better,” and to pick up the tab for your first night. But this generally isn’t a legal requirement, and it’s often ignored.

Cruise Passengers. Cruise travelers’ rights, based on maritime law, are scant. However, a court decision this year gave consumers an important victory: Cruise lines can’t call ship medical personnel “independent contractors,” so you can sue Cruise lines for malpractice. Other than that, maritime laws strongly favor the cruise line over you.

Cruise lines can alter itineraries and ports without your automatic right of a refund. When a line does offer a “refund,” it is often in the form of a voucher or future discount, not cash. Even when you suffer monetary damage, cruise contracts make it difficult to sue them.

Tour Participants. Typical tour contracts allow operators to make some changes without your right to an automatic refund. The most troublesome is the provision that the operator can switch you from a hotel promised in the brochure to a different “equal or better” hotel. And the tour operator’s idea of “equal” may not jibe with yours.

Car Renters. If a rental company can’t provide a car you’ve reserved, industry lore says it should arrange a car with some other company and pay the difference, if any. But the legal and industry backing for that “promise” is weak, and I’ve often seen it ignored.

Overall. The majority of travel suppliers no doubt try to do as they’ve promised. But except in limited airline cases, they often face no consequence — or owe you any cash — when they fail to deliver. Be warned.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@ mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 23

MENTORING PROGRAM SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Bladensburg 301-699-9785 55 AND BETTER! Laurel 301-490-1526 Laurel II 301-490-9730

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work with students in individual and after school small group programs.

There will be an information session on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. To register for the program and to learn more about the organization, call (443) 8952457, visit www.aokmentor.org, or email susan@aokmentor.org,

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon

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Arts &

Howard County libraries are now lending out ukuleles and will soon be offering lessons. See story on page 28.

Electric and eclectic Joseph now at Toby’s many colors” that Jacob gives to Joseph is seen as a clear sign that he is their father’s favorite.

Joseph also has dreams of future greatness that he unwisely shares with his family. One of them suggests that his family will one day all bow down to him.

In a jealous rage, the brothers throw him into a pit, intending to leave him to die in the desert. Then, when a caravan passes by, they decide instead to sell him to the merchants, who take him to Egypt.

In the events that follow, Joseph is tested

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

By Rebekah Alcalde From Elvis-inspired rock and roll, to Calypso music, to the Charleston dance of the 1920s, there is something for just about everyone in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, now playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Md. The classic musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice has been entertaining audiences for nearly 50 years.

Joseph began as a short cantata the pair wrote for a parochial school when Webber and Rice were in their 20s. But after their later musical Jesus Christ Superstar became a smash hit in the 1970s, a morefully developed version of Joseph took off as well.

It’s been a staple in musical theater ever since — with its family-friendly storyline, infectious tunes and lyrics, and exaggerated comedy.

Joseph follows the major points of the biblical story in Genesis, which nearly everyone recalls. Joseph is a young dreamer and shepherd, whose 11 brothers are jealous of him. Most of their ire comes from the fact that their father, Jacob, seems to love Joseph best. The “coat of

See JOSEPH, page 29 Toby’s Dinner Theatre’s production of

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will feature five different women in the focal role of Narrator over the production run. The unusual casting is the way Toby Orenstein, the theatre’s founder, has chosen to honor women who have played important roles in the city of Columbia and in her theatrical school.

Narrators, left to right, in the top row are Coby Kay Callahan, Cathy Mundy and Janine Sunday. Orenstein is at the bottom center of the photo between MaryKate Brouillet and Caroline Bowman.

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TobysDinnerTheatre.com Due to the nature of theatrical bookings, !!"#$%&#" '("( )*#" +*"#,-.*/)")%"/$ '0*1""2""3%-45#"67''*+"3$* )+*8"9%!,:-7 8";6

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Libraries branch out with ukulele lessons

By Robert Friedman The Howard County Library is offering its card-carrying members a chance to pluck along with what appears to be a comeback for the ukulele.

Since July 1, the county’s four full-time operating libraries have made learn-it-yourself ukulele kits available for three-week loans. The libraries now taking part in the program include Miller in Ellicott City, Central in Columbia, Savage in Laurel, and Glenwood in the western part of the county.

Each branch is lending out six kits, which include the instrument, a tuner and a case.

While lessons are available online through ArtistWorks.com, the library system will also start to roll out classes in the fall for all ages, “from 6 to 99-plus,” said Jessica Landolt, children’s instructor and research specialist for the county’s library system.

She said the coming classes will cover everything you always wanted to know about the uke — from how to play the instrument and its basic chords, to how to care for it, to its history and cultural impact. The last of the four classes for teens and adults will feature a short concert by the then-proficient students, Landolt added.

Easy to learn She noted that most people are impressed by how much they can learn about playing the four-stringed instrument in a comparatively short time.

“The ukulele is probably one of the most accessible musical instruments for children and adults alike,” she said. “The chords can be easily learned.

“You can start playing songs with just two chords. Many pop and rock songs can be played with four chords. And you don’t need large hands for the stringboard,” Landolt said.

The “intergenerational classes,” she said, will afford a great opportunity for children, parents and grandparents to learn together and jam.

The class schedule and other information about the program will be posted in the coming weeks on the HClibrary.com website.

Ukulele lore In the late 19th century, the ukulele was brought by Portuguese immigrants to Hawaii, where it became an integral part of the culture. The Hawaiian name for the instrument supposedly means, in a rough

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IT BENEF TING Neighbor Ride d County Howaron Aging Office

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translation, “jumping flea” — a description of the players’ fingers flying over the strings.

The instrument started to become popular on U.S. college campuses in the 1920s, and was “discovered” by Tin Pan Alley to accompany such vocalists as Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards.

Veteran TV viewers may recall the early television host Arthur Godfrey, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, giving ukulele lessons to millions of his viewers in the 1950s. Plastic ukes could be bought at the time for $5.95, and Godfrey is credited for selling 9 million of them.

The instrument was strummed out of wide popularity by the rock and roll of the electronic guitar. In fact, it became something of a joke in the late 1960s, when the one — some may say, thank God — and only Tiny Tim, played it on “Laugh In” as he sang “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”

But over the last 20 years, the instrument has started to experience another comeback, partly due to Hawaiian ukulele players Israel “Brother Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole and Jake Shimabukuro.

Brother Iz’s medley of “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” sold more than a million CDs in the U.S., and Shimabukuro’s ukulele version of Beatle George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” became one of the first YouTube

videos to go viral. Harrison was also a uke player and admirer.

Since 2013, there has been a more than 50 percent jump in sales of ukuleles, according to the National Association of Music Merchants, and ukulele festivals have recently cropped up around the country, from Reno, Nev. to Rockville, Md. Uke lending programs similar to the one in Howard County are being carried out at public libraries across the country, according to Landolt.

The ukulele kits may be checked out up to three times by borrowers. According to Landolt, it probably won’t take longer than a week for beginners to get hooked on the instrument.

She has been strumming the ukulele since her third-grade days, 25 years ago in her native Guam. “I still garner a lot of joy from playing the ukulele,” she said. “It’s fun, it’s soothing — and it reminds me of home.”

“Music programs are being phased out in some public schools, which means that some kids will never have exposure to playing a musical instrument,” Landolt lamented.

She agreed that the role of public libraries has been changing over the past several years. Which leaves an observer to wonder whether libraries could take up the slack and become the new training ground for future musicians.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

Joseph From page 27 again and again, until ultimately he becomes the Egyptian Pharoah’s second-incommand, fulfilling his dream.

A comedic take on the story The musical takes this dramatic subject matter and, while more or less faithfully telling the story, finds much inherent (and often goofy) comedy in it.

For example, when the sons break the news to their grieving father of Joseph’s apparent death, the musical number “One More Angel in Heaven” has audience members clutching their sides in laughter.

It’s sung as a Western country music ballad, with the sons sporting cowboy hats and singing with a twang.

In this way throughout the show, different musical styles are utilized for each number, often for comedic effect. When the land is struck by famine and excessive heat, the starving brothers sing the crowd-favorite number “Those Canaan Days,” presented as a hilarious parody of French ballads (yes, complete with berets and French accents).

Great casting with a twist Much of Joseph is told by a character called the Narrator, traditionally played by a female singer. She explains the back story, introduces the characters, and even interacts with the other characters. Her

soaring vocals serve as the backbone and main female voice of the show.

For this production, Toby’s uses a revolving set of five Narrators, each of whom plays the part for a few weeks. The theatre’s founder and the musical’s co-director, Toby Orenstein, introduced this unique feature to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city of Columbia and the 45th anniversary of her school, the Columbia Center for the Theatrical Arts.

“Each woman has a special connection to Columbia, Toby’s, and/or CCTA,” explained Orenstein. As a result, “it will be a brandnew show every few weeks,” she said.

Our narrator was played beautifully by Janine Sunday, a 20-year veteran local actress and four-time Helen Hayes Award nominee. She opened the show with gusto, first with the “Prologue,” closely followed by the rousing “Jacob and Sons,” which introduces the characters.

The rest of the cast is equally strong, led by a knockout performance by Wood Van Meter as Joseph. He is superb in his portrayal of the naïve dreamer, and his pure tenor voice is sweet. The show’s only dramatic song, “Close Every Door,” which Joseph sings while in prison, is the perfect showcase for his strong vocals. The number is particularly moving.

Other notable roles are filled by Andrew Horn as Jacob, Russell Sunday as hilarious lead brother Reuben, David Bosley Reynolds as the Egyptian “millionaire”

BEACON BITS

Aug. 18

NOMINATE A DISABILITY ADVOCATE

The Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services is accepting nominations through Friday, Aug. 18 for the Commission on Disabilities Issues 2017 Awards for outstanding efforts by individuals, businesses and community leaders to advance full participation in community life for all residents. For details about the award categories and to download a nomination form, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/CD or call (410) 313-6400 to receive a form by mail. Award recipients will be recognized at the Annual Awards Celebration on October 5.

Ongoing

CHINESE WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS

The watercolor on rice paper paintings of Jing-Jy Chen will be on exhibit at through Sunday, July 30 at the Artists Gallery, 8197 Main St., Ellicott City. Gallery hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To learn more about the show, visit artistsgalleryec.com or call (443) 325-5930.

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Potiphar, Nia Savoy as Potiphar’s seductive wife, and David Jennings as an Elvis Presleylike Pharaoh. (His “Song of the King” is, you guessed it, sung like an Elvis impersonator.)

There is also a funny and memorable scene with David James as the Butler and Jeffrey Shankle as the Baker, whose characters have both been imprisoned with Joseph. Spoiler alert: One of them doesn’t make it out alive.

Also, a huge round of applause for the band of singing and dancing brothers, and for the all-female ensemble that provides excellent back-up vocals, as well as dancing and acting.

Like all great productions, there are a few minor setbacks. Our show suffered a few audio issues during the performance, with the microphones slightly cutting out or breaking briefly. The actors seemed aware of the issue and compensated with louder, clearer vocals. Presumably the glitch has since been fixed.

The rest of the production went off without a hitch. Joseph is a positively electric show, and we’re not just talking about the 500-plus lighting cues issued by the lighting designer that bring the intimate stage to life.

If you go Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues through Sunday, Aug. 27 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia.

The show runs seven days a week, with

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evening and matinee performances. Doors open at 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, for dinner prior to the evening performances, which begin at 8 p.m. For Sunday evening performances, which begin at 7 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. for dinner.

On Wednesdays and Sundays, there are matinee performances, which open for brunch at 10:30 a.m., with shows beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Reservations are required. Ticket prices range from $43.50 (for children under 12) to $62, depending on the performance.

Ticket prices include an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner or brunch, tea and coffee. Specialty drinks — like this show’s exotic mango and vodka smoothie called the Calypso — and specialty desserts are priced separately.

While not five-star cuisine, Toby’s buffet-style meals offer something for everyone. Ours featured prime rib, pork ribs, roast potatoes, cocktail shrimp, a variety of vegetables and salads, and more. Cake and unlimited ice cream are included for dessert. You can also arrange to have coffee or alcohol brought to you during intermission.

Speaking of which, the show’s actors also function as waiters, and they depend on your tips for much of their pay, so be sure to tip generously.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call (410) 730-8311 or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

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Across 1. Go off script 6.A It is optional in some ‘net addresses 9. Mix of purple and green 14. “___ me alone!”

15. Triumphant shout 16. Changes salmon to lox 17. Still in flux 18. Lisa Simpson’s instrument 19. Prepare to use the toothpaste 20. Over 25 of its grads have won Nobel Prizes 21. Hunt flies 23. ___ Believer (first #1 hit of 1967) 24. Word which can be formed from the four corners of a weather vane 26. Blood grouping system 27. Sleazy 31. Protection from expulsion, on Survivor 32. ___ a Drag (second #1 hit of 1967) 34. 70’s sitcom planet 35. Be deep in thought 37. Bridal shower offering 38. Correctly identified the killer, weapon, and room 39. Golden Globes classification 41. Charged particle 42. Half donkey/half horse 44. Went from Marathon to Athens 45. Reach the moon 47. Finalized an e-mail message 48. Sixth word of the Gettysburg Address 49. Christmas tree sparkles 51. Lavish affection on 54. Muscle/bone connector 56. Old name for a wildebeest 57. Half a congressional term 58. Back at sea 59. Latvia’s largest city 61. ___-Bama Slama (“Fruit punch with a Southern kick”) 62. Car freshener option 65. Cribbage scorekeeper 66. Laundry grouping 68. Prop for juggling in a dark room 69. Shorten (as pants) 70. Rescue a damsel from train tracks 71. Shopping ___

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72. Source of ancestry.com’s testing 73. Six of one; half dozen of the ___ Down 1. High school reunion attendees 2. “Justice delayed is justice ___” 3. One with excellent dating prospects 4. It’s in forgive, but not forget 5. Final Jeopardy figures 6. Plant also knows as “Japanese horseradish” 7. Exclamation of surprise 8. Madame Tussauds’ medium 9. The worst type of people 10. Like a Chinese calendar 11. Some of a circle 12. The Mad Hatter’s favorite drink 13. Psychic’s ability 22. Univ. in a not-so-sleepy NC town 23. “Ability ___ little account without opportunity” (Lucille Ball) 25. Squalid district 28. Unpretentious (and where this puzzle’s theme answers all go) 29. Item on an FDA food label 30. Fashion line founded by Donna Karan 33. Loud, unpleasant noise 36. Paragon of morality 39. “Doggone it!”

40. Furious anger 41. Hotel, out in the country 43. Nickname for archaeologist Henry Walton Jones Jr. 46. It isn’t “is not” 47. Slow, lazy person 50. Puzzling situation 52. Post-1927 film, most likely 53. Tool for imperfect crossword solvers 55. Do The Charleston 60. Song from An American Tail about friendship 62. States, streets, or saints (stunted) 63. Police officer 64. Overthrow first base 65. Third degree 67. Kitchen pest

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

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.

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Caregivers “CARE YOU CAN TRUST AND AFFORD.” Loving, experienced caregiver for companionship, medication reminders, hygiene care, meal preparation, housekeeping, errands, Dr. appointments. Full/part-time, flat rate for day or live-in care. One week free. Call 301-490-1146.

For Sale 2-DOOR ATRIUM PATIO DOORS, 15 windows in each. Selling two sets. 1 new, 6ft. and 1 like new, 5ft. 410-960-4865 after 2 p.m.

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For Sale NEW MASTER ATTIC ROOF Mount Ventilator Fan, 1600 sq. ft. w/ Auto Thermostat. 1000 CFM’s. 410-960-4865 after 2 p.m.

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Model SE9i w/ internet-capable iFit console. 2 year warranty. Condition like NEW. Barely used due to medical conditions. Paid $1,500, asking $900. Serious inquiries only 410-9604865 after 2 p.m.

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

Wanted CASH FOR ESTATES: jewelry to furniture, rugs, tribal/cultural items, large range of items considered. Buy-out/cleanup. Call Gary, 301520-0755.

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.

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COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred,

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff.

Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

Thanks for reading!

BEACON BITS

August

ARTISTS WANTED FOR EXHIBIT The Howard County Arts Council is accepting applications through September 1 for Art Howard County 2017 for visual artists 18 and

older who live, work or study in Howard County. The juried exhibit will be on display from Nov. 3 to Dec. 15 at the Council headquarters 8510 High Ridge Rd., Ellicott City. There is an entry fee of $25. Applications are available online at the Arts Council website hocoarts.org or by calling (410) 313-2787.

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