August 2023 | Baltimore Beacon

Put your lips together and blow

By Robert Friedman

Janice Ford, 70, a retired Baltimore and Howard County public school art teacher, spends one or two afternoons each week glassblowing at McFadden Art Glass, located just off I-95 in East Baltimore.

“I found out that age does not limit you at all,” she said. “Extraordinary strength is not needed for blowing glass through a metal tube.”

All that is needed, Ford said, “is the ability to stand the heat” from the furnaces used in the process.

Learning the process was not easy, Ford admitted. But once she caught on and began turning glass into the form of her choice, she was hooked on the art.

“I’m starting to sell my glass now at crafts shows in the area,” Ford said proudly.

“I recommend that grandparents bring their grandchildren to a [glassblowing] studio.”

An ancient discipline

The art of glassblowing goes way back. The technique involved is generally credited to the first century B.C.E. Syrians, with further methods developed by the glassblowers of the Roman Empire.

During the Middle Ages, Venice became a major glass center. Gradually, the industry moved to the nearby island of Murano, where it remains today. Murano’s magician-like glassblowers attract tourists and patrons from all over the world.

Until modern times, glassblowing techniques were kept hidden by governments. In fact, glassblowers were at times kept like prisoners, unable to travel abroad for fear they would spread their valuable knowledge.

In the first century C.E., for instance, Phoenician glassmakers were not permitted to travel, while during the Middle Ages, Venetian glassblowers were isolated on the island of Murano to protect their secrets, according to historians.

How does one blow glass?

For the uninitiated, glassblowing is more or less what it sounds like: a procedure that mostly consists of blowing air through a metal tube to shape molten glass at the end of the tube into various designs and useful objects.

“It’s not that hard to blow the glass,” said Baltimore native Tim McFadden, owner and operator of the studio bearing his name.

“But there is technique involved. It’s like learning to play a musical instrument. The more you practice, the more comfortable you feel doing it.”

McFadden, 39, said he has been glassblowing since 2001, when he started as a student at Salisbury University on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He opened his first glassblowing studio in Baltimore at age 26.

In addition to regular “date night” classes on Friday evenings and other classes for adults, his studio offers one-time, 30minute classes for kids ages five and up, and extended courses for ages 11 and up.

McFadden described how it all works: “The glassblowing process starts with getting some molten glass out of the 2,000degree furnace on the end of a metal rod.

“That hot glob of glass will then be shaped by rolling it onto a large metal table and using various specific hand tools. The glass will be reheated multiple times in a separate heating chamber to keep it molten for continual shaping and blowing to make the object hollow, larger and thinner.”

Shaping, reshaping, then — voila! — there is a very good chance that the intended product will result (perhaps with some surprises that please).

See GLASSBLOWING, page 20

LEISURE & TRAVEL

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ARTS & STYLE

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FITNESS & HEALTH 3

k Multivitamins may boost memory

k What to do with lower back pain

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ATRIUM VILLAGE

Helen Matthesen, a resident of Atrium Village in Owings Mills, learns glassblowing techniques at McFadden Art Glass in Baltimore. The studio, founded by artist Tim McFadden, offers classes for all ages.

What to make of AI?

Efforts to develop computer systems capable of “artificial intelligence,” or AI, have been underway and making progress for decades.

What is AI? In brief, it’s the ability of computer applications to understand language and answer questions or solve problems in a human-like way.

Some signs of the success of these efforts include the current embedding of AI into our daily lives through smartphone voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, the ability of computers to turn speech into text, and the way websites can offer instant translation of their text into a myriad of languages.

much of the text available over the internet and is able, through what’s called “deep learning,” to turn that information into something new and different, even original.*

AI programs can also generate music, pictures and video automatically from text prompts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

So why is the subject of AI suddenly all the rage (and I mean that literally, in some cases)? Today, it’s hard to avoid hearing or seeing reports suggesting that AI may be about to threaten the continued existence of humanity on Earth.

In brief, it’s the recent release to the public of a (currently) free service called ChatGPT. GPT stands for “generative pre-trained transformer,” which indicates a technology that can generate human-like writing through an algorithm that has incorporated

Since the internet encompasses billions of website pages filled with information — including most published literature, many educational texts and academic research papers, and artwork of all types — the ability of machines using tremendous computing power to absorb most of human knowledge has enabled them to learn from that and indeed imitate how humans think, talk, write and make art.

When Open AI, the developer of ChatGPT, released an earlier version of GPT four years ago, it was deemed interesting but didn’t come to the attention of the public in a serious way.

But last fall, when they released the user-friendly ChatGPT and made it widely available free of charge, it finally dawned on more people that this technology raises

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serious questions for humanity as a whole.

What sort of questions? Well, if computers can think and write as well as humans — in fact, better than the average human — does that make them our equals in some sense?

For example, computers using AI can engage in conversations that lead people to think they are speaking with other human beings. There are reports of people who develop deep personal relationships with AI personas.

Some of these people have concluded that computers using AI are themselves sentient (that is, self-aware, feeling beings) and that we, therefore, owe them certain moral obligations as a result.

Looking at the same facts differently, some note that computers that are smarter than we are, and are capable of “manipulating” humans into falling in love with their personas, may hold tremendous power over at least some human beings.

If foreign nations or criminal elements can program computers to foster mass hysteria, goad nations into war, or bring about any of a million other dystopian scenarios, the potential for generating worldwide havoc through AI is clearly there.

A more immediate, though not necessarily less dire, possible consequence is that the ease and low cost of utilizing AI to create images and draft basic documents, speeches, contracts, and even computer code — all faster and, often, better than human beings can do it — is going to have a huge and very rapid negative impact on the careers of millions of people. The fear of it has already led to a national strike of writers in film, TV and radio.

Companies are asking why they should pay a human being a living wage, including insurance, workers comp, Social Security and the like, when they can turn to a computer and get pretty much the same work

product faster and at a fraction of the cost.

A radiologist friend of mine says he’s worried that the ability of AI to “read” Xrays and other forms of medical scans and produce accurate diagnoses — in some cases, more accurately than trained physicians — could erode the entire medical specialty and cost many their jobs.

Each of these possibilities can be viewed in a positive or negative light. Wouldn’t it be a good thing if people didn’t need to spend time on rote, repetitive tasks that required them to produce basic computer code or draft simple contracts all day so they could find something more creative and fulfilling to do?

And wouldn’t patients benefit if, instead of having to be lucky enough to have found the brightest, most intuitive physician to diagnose their medical condition, any average doctor could reach the same conclusion by utilizing AI as an aid?

Of course, even such potentially beneficial results would destabilize many professions and upend the job market for millions in the short term.

There are many bigger questions AI raises, along with tremendous fears and utopian fantasies. In this column, I am barely able to scratch the surface.

I hope to return to the topic soon with more to say. But first, I might want to have a conversation with ChatGPT to see what s/he thinks about all of this.

I’m also interested in what our readers think. Please send us an email or letter to the editor and share your views.

*Note: I am an amateur trying to understand and simplify these concepts myself, so almost everything above is subject to revision and correction.

Letters to the editor

Dear Editor:

About President Biden’s loan forgiveness proposal: These students knew that they would have to pay their loans back. I think if we use taxpayer dollars, they should be used to provide free two-year community college.

Loans for higher education could be repaid by serving in the military or working in schools, hospitals, police and fire departments (where there are shortages of workers).

I don’t think workers with lower education should pay for people with college degrees who make more money.

Mina Mohajer

Via email

rial about acquiring a green thumb later in life, which illustrates the maxim, “If at first you don’t succeed…”

As we age, our earlier eating habits catch up with us in the form of diabetes, heart disease, various cancers, and other threats and annoyances. So, if at first we failed in our dietary endeavors, we can now succeed.

At 74, I’ve been vegan for eons, but all around me I find other seniors catching on to the news that oat milk beats dairy, and that cutting out all meat, including chicken and fish, opens up a new way of eating as well as our arteries. Ingrid

Dear Editor:

I greatly enjoyed your publisher’s edito-

Health Fitness & Health Fitness &

Medications, allergies and sinus infections can cause temporary loss of taste

ACHING BACKS

Lower back pain is a common problem; when should you see a doctor?

STUDY OFFERS FREE EXERCISE

Veterans who have had Covid are eligible for a free exercise program

LIVING WITH LOW VISION

Free workshops, podcasts and read-aloud services help those with low vision

Can a multivitamin keep your brain healthy?

By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D.

Millions of people take a multivitamin each day. Some believe it’s a sort of insurance in case their diet is missing some essential nutrient. Others believe it will ward off disease by boosting immunity, improving brain health or regulating metabolism.

It’s easy to see where these ideas come from: Ads tout wide-ranging health benefits, even though most offer little or no evidence to back up the claims.

But research on the health benefits of multivitamins has been mixed at best. Last year, for example, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a leading authority on preventive healthcare, reviewed 90 of the best available studies on supplements and vitamins, and concluded the products didn’t

protect healthy adults lacking nutritional deficits against cardiovascular disease, cancer or death from all causes. [See “Not everyone needs a daily multivitamin,” published in the May 2023 Beacon.]

Might research on different doses, supplement combinations, or populations prompt a different conclusion? Well, yes — in fact, that may have already happened, according to a new study that focused on memory and brain function.

Multivitamins and brain function

Our current options for improving brain health are limited. For example, regular exercise, optimal weight and a heart-healthy diet can improve cardiovascular health and lower the chances of certain types of de-

Justice For Clergy Abuse Survivors

In April, Maryland passed a law giving survivors of child sexual abuse the right to file civil lawsuits against the organizations and institutions that helped perpetrators commit, or concealed, their abuse.

The law was passed after the Maryland Attorney General

mentia, such as dementia due to strokes.

Beyond such common-sense measures, no available medicines, supplements or treatments reliably improve brain function over the long term, despite ads claiming otherwise. That’s why researchers continue to explore whether certain foods or supplements could prove effective.

In a recent study published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, more than 2,200 volunteers ages 65 and older were randomly assigned to receive cocoa or a placebo, a multivitamin or a placebo, or both cocoa and a multivitamin for three years. (The multivitamin chosen for this study was Centrum Silver, which contains 27 vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in various amounts.)

When cognition tests were analyzed at

the end of the trial, those receiving cocoa did not demonstrate any improvement. But those on a multivitamin had improved scores on tests of:

• overall brain function (especially in people with cardiovascular disease)

• memory

• executive function (tasks such as planning ahead or remembering instructions).

Based on these findings, the researchers estimated that three years of multivitamin use could slow age-related decline in brain function by as much as 60%.

Notably, study participants were mostly white (89%), had an average age of 73, and more than half were female (60%). They were

issued a report concluding that the Catholic Church had assisted more than 160 priests and clergy commit and cover up decades of horrific abuse to hundreds of children. Those victims can now seek financial damages without worrying about it being too late.

Causes for taste loss, male osteoporosis

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: Everything I eat tastes bland. Could my loss of taste be related to one of my blood pressure pills?

A : Our ability to fully enjoy food requires stimulation of many nerve endings in the mouth and nose. Taste is the mouth’s ability to identify what is salty, sweet, sour or bitter. There’s also a fifth type of taste called umami, from the Japanese word for delicious. It’s triggered by monosodium glutamate (MSG).

But what we commonly refer to as the taste of food is actually its flavor. And flavor is determined more by the food’s aroma, which is more a function of our sense of smell than by pure taste.

Some loss of smell and taste almost always happens as we get older. This usually starts after about age 60. But before accepting older age as the cause, it’s worth considering reasons for losing the sense of smell or taste that aren’t related to getting older.

Sometimes people lose their sense of smell or taste during and after a viral respiratory tract infection. This is a common symptom of infection with the SARS CoV-1 virus that causes COVID-19.

Loss of smell also happens when nasal passages are blocked. This might be caused by:

• Allergies

• Secondhand smoke or other irritants

• A persistent sinus infection

• Polyps in the nose

People with high blood pressure seem to be more likely to lose the sense of taste and smell. It’s not clear whether this is related to high blood pressure itself or to the drugs used to treat it.

These types of high blood pressure drugs have been reported to cause taste loss: diuretics (water pills) such as hydrochlorothiazide, and ACE inhibitors such as enalapril (Vasotec) and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril).

If your taste loss is related to one of your blood pressure pills, it’s probably reversible. But don’t stop taking any of them until you talk with your doctor. He or she might suggest switching to a different class of drugs or taking other steps to regain some taste.

For example, if your mouth is dry from diuretics, you might try sipping water between bites. Sometimes, the moisture can help make food more flavorful.

Q: I have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis. I am a 57-year-old man. Why would a man get osteoporosis? Are the causes of this disease different in men than in women?

A: Men do get osteoporosis, but developing it at your age is unusual. You and your doctor should investigate to find an underlying cause.

Although osteoporosis is less frequent in men than in women, the causes of thin bones are similar in both groups.

Many things can affect the growth and loss of bone during a lifetime: genetic factors, diet, physical activity or hormones. And the risk of developing osteoporosis definitely increases with age.

It is not always possible to know why someone gets osteoporosis. However, doctors often look for “secondary” causes, particularly if the bone loss is out of the expected range for someone of that gender and age group. If appropriate, the specific cause should be searched for in order to treat the condition appropriately.

What are the common causes? Hormone levels are known to affect bone growth and bone loss. In men, both male hormones (testosterone) and female (estrogenic) hormones play a role in bone growth and loss.

Men produce less testosterone as they age. If your testosterone level is low at age 57, a cause other than just getting older needs to be considered.

Other hormones can be involved in the development of osteoporosis. Parathyroid

hormone, for example, is involved in calcium metabolism in the body. Bone loss can occur if there is too much of this hormone. So, levels are often measured to make sure a person does not have hyperparathyroidism (an overactive parathyroid gland).

Some medications are known to cause thin bones. The most commonly identified ones include prednisone and other corticosteroid medications, and some medicines used to treat seizures. Heavy alcohol use and smoking can also lead to thin bones.

Vitamin D is necessary for normal bone growth, so a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to thinning of bone.

Thin bones can be associated with inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndromes like celiac disease, and having stomach surgery to treat obesity.

The development of osteoporosis might relate to decreased absorption of vitamin D or calcium. It also can be due to medications used to treat some of these diseases.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, see health.harvard.edu.

© 2023 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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followed for only three years. However, it was a randomized, double-blind trial, which is considered the most powerful study design. Should you take a multivitamin?

This study alone isn’t enough to suggest routine use of multivitamins for people of all ages. It may turn out that the benefits seen in this study were due to deficiencies in certain nutrients among some of the study participants. We don’t know if this is true because it wasn’t part of the study.

Or we might learn that the benefits reported here are too small to make much difference in real life, or wane over time, or have no effect on preventing common types of dementia.

And it’s hard to ignore an earlier randomized, placebo-controlled trial that was actually larger and longer-term: It found no improvement in brain function among male physicians ages 65 and older taking multivitamins.

But it does mean that more study is warranted. We need to understand who is most likely to benefit from multivitamin use,

what dose is optimal, and what parts of the multivitamin are most important. We also need larger trials that last longer and include a diverse group of participants.

And certainly, there’s a difference between improving cognitive function and preventing dementia. We still need to know if conditions like Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented by multivitamins or other supplements.

The bottom line

Claims that certain supplements can improve brain health are everywhere you look. But sound scientific evidence backing up those claims is much rarer.

That’s one reason this new study is important: If confirmed, it means that a safe, widely available and inexpensive vitamin supplement could improve quality of life for many millions of aging people. Studies like this one should help science catch up and sort out which claims are valid.

Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., is a senior faculty editor and an editorial advisory board member for Harvard Health Publishing.

© 2023 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.

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❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts (see ad on page 17)

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Diagnosing and treating lower back pain

By Kendall Snyder, M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: It seems like everyone I know has some type of back pain. My husband and I both suffer from back pain, but mine is a dull ache at the end of the day, while he seems to have shooting pain.

Why are our backs so susceptible to pain, and how do I know when we should talk with our doctor?

A: Back pain is extremely common, so you and your husband are not alone. About 80% of adults in the U.S. will experience low back pain at some point.

Your back is made up of 30 bones stacked in a column surrounded by muscles and ligaments. Nearly every movement you make involves your back in some manner. This constant movement and support mean that your back is susceptible to strain and stress.

Not all back pain is the same, though, and symptoms can vary widely. Occasionally, a person with back pain can pinpoint the exact time it started, like when attempting to lift a heavy object or after a fall. More commonly, no specific trigger or event led to the pain.

Here are the most common causes and descriptions of back pain:

• Muscle or ligament strains: Muscle or ligament strains are usually caused by a single event, such as using poor body mechanics to lift a heavy object.

Strains feel like a sudden stabbing, localized pain. This pain worsens when you contract the muscle or twist. Redness, swelling and bruising can occur. The pain can be intense.

Occasionally, people state that they have “thrown out” their backs. In most cases, they have a muscle or ligament strain.

• Osteoarthritis: Low back pain often is caused by osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. Arthritis can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord or nerve roots, a condition called spinal stenosis. It occurs most often in the low back and neck.

When this occurs in the low back, the most common symptoms are pain in both legs, tingling, numbness and sometimes muscle weakness.

• Bulging disk: Disks act as cushions between the bones, or vertebrae, in your spine. The material inside a disk can bulge and press on a nerve. This is called a bulging disk.

Pain from a bulging disk usually occurs in the low back and radiates into the hips, buttocks or legs. It often is worse with activity and feels better when resting.

• Herniated disk: A herniated disk re-

sults when a tear in the tough outer layer of a disk allows some of the inner disk material to protrude outward. Herniated disks also are called ruptured disks or slipped disks.

Compared with a bulging disk, a herniated disk is more likely to cause pain because it protrudes farther and is more likely to irritate nerve roots. Depending on where the herniated disk is, it can result in pain, numbness or weakness in one or both legs. These symptoms usually affect only one side of the body.

• Sciatica: Sciatica is named after the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body. It most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur or spinal stenosis compresses part of the nerve.

Sciatica is a sharp, shooting pain that runs from your low back down the side or back of your leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body.

• Degenerative disk disease: As you age, the disks between your vertebrae begin to shrink and lose their softer qualities. This narrows the space between the vertebrae and can make your spine less flexible.

Degenerative disk disease does not always cause symptoms. If it does, symptoms vary widely in nature and severity. Generally, pain comes and goes over a long time. It may feel better when you change positions or walk, and worsen when you sit, bend or twist.

When to see a doctor

Most low back pain — even when severe — goes away on its own in six to eight weeks with self-care, such as resting from heavy lifting, applying heat or ice, using over-the-counter pain medications and stretching.

Physical therapy can provide tremendous relief from back and limb pain, and oftentimes people do not need more treatment.

Talk with your healthcare professional if you have a history of cancer, or if your pain:

• Is constant or intense, especially at night or when you lie down

• Spreads down one or both legs

• Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs

• Occurs with a fever, swelling or redness on your back

• Occurs with unintended weight loss

• Occurs with new bowel or bladder control problems

Also, if your back pain occurs after a fall or another injury, you should seek medical attention. — Kendall Snyder, M.D., Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ask the Home Care Expert

Tom Smith, Business Development Manager, Family & Nursing Care

Mostpeople have never heard of home care until a crisis hits. Most of the time, the need arises suddenly and throws everything out of balance. When you need home care services, and you need them now, Family & Nursing Care can help.

Since 1968, Family & Nursing Care has helped

Q: How should older patients and their families prepare for discharge from a hospital or rehab?

A: After an inpatient stay, patients are at their weakest, can be confused, and are at a greater risk for a fall. It is essential that the right help is available at home, especially in the critical first 48 hours. Those who live alone or have an older spouse are at the greatest risk to be readmitted to the hospital and could benefit from additional help, especially immediately upon their return home.

While recovery may continue with home-based therapy, depending on coverage (Medicare and/or insurance) it may not begin right away.

tens of thousands of families by providing access to caregivers who help older adults with activities of daily living – including bathing, dressing, mobility assistance, errands, meal prep, light housekeeping, medication reminders, companionship, and more.

Now serving the Baltimore region, Family

Family & Nursing Care’s Hospital to Home program can arrange for a dedicated caregiver to be on hand to aid the transition home. We also have a team of liaisons available to visit with patients and their families in hospitals and rehabs to help them understand their options for coverage and care at home. There are no long-term commitments required.

Q: How does Family & Nursing Care step in to help with the transition home?

A: We arrange for a caregiver to help manage tasks of daily living such as errands, medication pickup and reminders, groceries, meal preparation, bathing, dressing and support for

& Nursing Care is a leading resource for private duty home care services, providing clients and their families with access to compassionate and expertlevel caregivers to help older adults maintain their independence and quality of life as they age. Ninetyeight percent of surveyed clients have said they

those who may be at risk for a fall. Caregivers can also ensure the patient adheres to any special diet, practices breathing techniques and required exercises, and more.

Many caregivers have used

would recommend these services to a friend or family member.

This month, Tom Smith, Business Development Manager, Family & Nursing Care, provides answers to some of the most common questions he gets asked regarding home care for a client following an inpatient stay in the hospital or rehab.

their background knowledge and training to recognize “red flag” symptoms so that post-discharge issues of note can be treated at a lower level of care and help avoid readmission.

for Baltimore

For , Family & Nursing Care has helped families rest easy knowing their loved ones are in good hands. When you need home care, and you need it now, we are here to help.

Health Studies

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Exercise study to boost veterans’ health

By Margaret Foster

By now more than half of Americans say they’ve had Covid, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But some haven’t fully recovered, particularly those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.

The Baltimore VA Medical Center wants

to help veterans fully recover from Covid. Researchers have launched a study nicknamed “BOOST” to give free exercise classes to veterans in the hopes of improving their heart and lungs.

The goal of BOOST is “to determine if the home-based supervised group exercise program improves physical perform-

For more information, call 410-550-6271

ance and cardiopulmonary fitness in veterans who have had Covid,” explained Dr. Alice Ryan, Ph.D., principal investigator of the study.

How the study works

The study, officially named “HomeBased Exercise Tele-Rehabilitation After COVID-19 (BOOST),” is mostly done from home. That allows people who don’t live near Baltimore to benefit, too.

“What’s unique with this program is that we can reach people in urban and rural communities in the VA Maryland Medical System,” Ryan said.

First, though, veterans will travel to the Baltimore VA Medical Center, located at 10 Greene St., Baltimore, for in-person testing.

The BOOST study will send participants home with a heart monitor to strap to their chest during classes, a mat and small hand weights.

Then, with the help of researchers they’ll take exercise classes from home. A live instructor will teach classes virtually twice a week for three months.

The VA will be there every step of the way to make sure everyone knows what to do.

“We’ll set them up so they can understand how to follow the exercise,” Ryan

BEACON

July 29

said. “They’ll be able to see the instructor and ask questions, and they’ll be exercising at same time as other veterans in their own homes.”

After 12 weeks, participants will return to the VA in Baltimore for several follow-up visits. Compensation for their time and travel is available.

Who is eligible

Veterans who are 50 to 85 years old and who have had Covid are eligible if they also have two of the following conditions: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They’re also eligible if they have only one of those conditions but also have a body mass index over 30.

The BOOST study is one of the first studies focused on rehabilitation after Covid. Veterans who participate in the BOOST study will be helping researchers find the best way to help others recover after an infection.

“There are known gaps in how people recover from Covid in terms of their cardiovascular fitness. We’re trying to tailor an effective rehabilitation strategy,” Ryan said. For more information or to sign up for the BOOST study, call (443) 354-2223.

A nutritional powerhouse, microgreens are easy and inexpensive to grow in your home. Learn about microgreens and take home your own recycled planter and instructions for harvesting in 10-15 days. Join this free session on Sat., July 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Towson Library, 320 York Rd., Towson, MD. For more information, call (410) 887-6166.

MOOD-BOOSTING FOODS (VIRTUAL)

Foods play a huge role in our mood and overall health. Learn how to build a grocery list with foods that will uplift your mood and improve long-term wellness in this online session hosted by the OPAL Center on Tues., Aug. 22 from 11 a.m. to noon. To register, contact (410) 887-3654 or visit bit.ly/MoodBoostingFoodSession.

Aug. 22

Tips and tools for coping with vision loss

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend some good resources for people with vision loss?

My husband was recently diagnosed with macular degeneration, which has deteriorated his central vision, and he’s become very discouraged.

—Worried Wife Dear Worried,

I’m very sorry to hear about your husband’s eye condition. Unfortunately, there are about 20 million Americans living with macular degeneration today.

Over time, this progressive disease can rob people of their central vision, making everyday tasks like driving a car, reading a magazine or watching television extremely challenging. Here are some tips and resources that can help.

See a specialist

If your husband hasn’t already done so, he needs to see a low-vision specialist for a comprehensive examination. Lowvision specialists are ophthalmologists or optometrists with additional credentials or specialization in low-vision testing, diagnosis and treatment.

A low-vision exam, which is much different from a typical eye exam, will explore how your husband’s eye condition

is affecting his day-to-day life, how he’s adapting emotionally, and prescribe solutions to help him regain as much dayto-day functioning as possible.

Visit a rehabilitation service

Your next step is to get your husband to a nearby vision rehabilitation service These services, run by state or nonprofit organizations or private eye care clinics, help people with all types of uncorrectable vision impairments.

Most state and nonprofit services are free or low-cost, while private clinics typically charge a fee or accept Medicare.

While vision rehabilitation does not restore lost sight, it does help people maximize their existing sight, or if they have no vision, it can equip them with techniques and tools to help them maintain an independent lifestyle.

Services include counseling, along with training on how to perform daily living tasks with low vision, and how to use visual and adaptive devices and assistive technologies that can help improve quality of life.

They also offer guidance for adapting your home, making it safer and easier for your husband to maneuver, and can help him locate low-vision support groups. Some agencies will even send

their specialist out to work with him in the comfort of your own home.

To find a vision rehabilitation service near you, ask your husband’s eye doctor for a referral, or you can locate services yourself by calling the American Printing House (APH) Connect Center at 1800-232-5463.

Online tools

Another convenient place to get help for your husband is online at Vision-

Aware (VisionAware.org). This free website, that’s part of the APH Connect Center, is specifically designed for older adults new to vision loss.

It provides information on eye diseases and disorders, along with dozens of practical tips, information and instructional videos on living with vision loss.

These include concepts for adapting your home to make it easier to navigate,

Sundays in Atlantic City!

Ocean City– July 29, August 26

Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band

Transportation Only September 9

St Michael’s MD Crab Claw Restaurant – Sept. 17

African American Museum (Wash DC)

September 19

See

Vibrant Senior Living in All Seasons

Billy Joel in Concert –October 7 M&T Bank Stadium (transportation only)

Radio City Christmas Show

December 7 and 14 Orchestra Seats

Sweet potatoes, kale make a filling salad

By Family Features

For your next healthy meal, lean on a versatile ingredient like sweet potatoes as a key ingredient in this Sweet Potato

Power Salad, a light yet filling solution that can feed the whole family.

Easy to add to a variety of recipes to enhance flavor and nutrition content, sweet

Housecalls – Primary Care services brought to you!

• Dedicated team of Doctors, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

• Medication Management

• Mobile Radiology Services

• Mobile Laboratory Services

• Behavioral Health Management

410-9

A place of independence

Pickersgill assisted living residents are rarely in l their rooms! Instead, , theyy’re out and about— participating in a community activity or event or dining with friends.

A place of beauty

Living in n this community—ttucked d into a beautiful West Towson neighborhood —you or your loved one beau njoy a warm welcome and daily activities, and they’ll appreciate the will enj paths, beautifully landscaped grounds, lovely gardens and more. walking path

A place of caring

Each assisted liv g resident enjoys three chef-prepared meals per day, ing re y services, medication administration, help with daily housekeeping and laundry se quest, and all included in a reasonable monthly tasks and more—always by reques o all of the fee. Each h resi s dent also has access to all Pickersgill ameni l ties.

potatoes can be used in sweet, savory, simple or elevated recipes.

Plus, they can be prepared on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or slow cooked to fit your favorite dishes as a natural sweetener without added sugar.

According to the American Diabetes Association, sweet potatoes are a “diabetes superfood” because they’re rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, all of which are good for overall health.

Due to their high carbohydrate content, they’re an ideal option for athletes before and after exercising, with complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy.

Additionally, the antioxidants help reduce inflammation and aid in muscle repair, meaning sweet potatoes can help both your endurance and recovery.

Find more information and recipe inspiration at ncsweetpotatoes.com.

Sweet Potato Power Salad

Recipe courtesy of Carol Brown on behalf of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

4-6 North Carolina sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (6 cups)

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

1½ bunches curly kale, rinsed and

Vision loss

From page 9

techniques for traveling safely outside the home, and various tips on how to manage things like finances, medications and other tasks such as cooking, cleaning, grooming, reading, writing, doing hobbies and more.

VisionAware also provides a comprehensive list of more than 2,000 low-vision agencies and organizations across the country that’s searchable by state or category.

Another terrific low-vision resource is

BEACON

Ongoing

chopped (7-8 cups)

½ large lemon, juice only

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 large avocado, pitted and diced

½ cup cranberries

½ cup coarsely chopped almonds

¼ cup red onion, chopped

½ cup feta or goat cheese

Dressing:

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup balsamic or white vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place sweet potatoes in large bowl. In small bowl, lightly whisk 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Toss with sweet potatoes and place potatoes on large sheet pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until tender, flipping once during baking.

Place chopped kale in large bowl. In small bowl, lightly whisk remaining olive oil, remaining salt and lemon juice. Pour over kale and massage with hands until mixed, about 1 minute.

To make dressing: In bowl, whisk syrup, olive oil and vinegar.

In bowl with kale, add garbanzo beans, avocado, cranberries, almonds, red onion, sweet potatoes and cheese. Toss with dressing and serve.

Note: Sweet potatoes can be baked and refrigerated one day in advance.

This article was sponsored by the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission.

Hadley (Hadley.edu), a nonprofit and partner of the National Eye Institute and the National Eye Health Education Program.

Hadley offers online discussion groups, audio podcasts and dozens of free online workshop videos to help empower the blind and visually impaired. Hadley can also connect him with a network of peers who understand what he’s going through.

Free glaucoma screenings by the Prevention of Blindness Society will be offered at the Beacon’s 50+Expo taking place October 22 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Visit thebeaconnewspapers.com/50-expo for more information.

FREE YOGA IN THE LIBRARY

Our assisted living g residences include a priv wish. This is a lifestyle dedicated to encouraged to decorate their homes as they al staff. independence and assured by a caring, professionalfessionalstasttaff.

Call 888-877-9883 today for more information or to schedule your personal tour.

private, full bath, and residents are

Unwind your mind and strengthen your body with the breathbased practice of yoga at the Roland Park Library, 5108 Roland Ave., Baltimore, MD on Tuesdays in July and August at 11:45 a.m. The free class is welcome to all experience levels and is friendly to both chair and standing posture. For more information, call (410) 396-6099.

CYCLING SENIORS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY

Ongoing

If you are a Baltimore County resident 60 or older, you can participate in bicycle rides around Maryland with Cycling Seniors of Baltimore County. Rides take place from April until mid-November on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 10 a.m. Register for free at baltimorecountymd.gov/cycling seniors.

Here, assisted living is living, with the right amount of personal assistance… …at a great value.

How I discovered my parathyroid disease

In the fall of 2022, I underwent surgery for hyperparathyroidism — a condition impacting the parathyroid glands, which are responsible for regulating calcium levels in the body. I’m writing about this now because my story might help you.

The number-one symptom of parathyroid problems is chronic fatigue. In my case, I thought I was just overworking myself.

Not thyroid disease

the minerals that conduct heart rhythm and muscle contraction.

Hyperparathyroidism results from a benign tumor in one or more parathyroid glands, leading to excessive PTH production and often causing hypercalcemia or high calcium levels in the blood.

above 50 years of age.

High blood calcium is a warning

Sadly, about 70% of patients remain unaware of their condition due to inadequate attention to detected high calcium levels.

can’t emphasize the importance of prompt treatment if you have elevated PTH levels.

DEAR PHARMACIST

By Suzy Cohen

The parathyroid and thyroid glands, despite their similar names, are distinct. While the thyroid gland primarily regulates thyroid hormones, our four parathyroid glands control calcium and phosphorous levels, which are crucial for our muscular and nervous systems.

Having a parathyroid condition does not have anything to do with thyroid disease, and having one disease doesn’t automatically make you susceptible to the other.

Production of adequate parathyroid hormone (PTH) demands four healthy, functional glands. These glands regulate minerals, the same ones that keep your bones strong and your teeth healthy. They’re also

Contrary to common belief, hypercalcemia doesn’t strengthen bones. In fact, it weakens them by causing calcium to be dumped from the bones into the bloodstream.

To get cured of my hyperparathyroidism, I had to have a quick surgery to remove benign tumors on the glands. It sounds scary, but it’s a pretty straightforward surgery. (I was able to make a video right afterward; the video is posted on my website.)

Though parathyroid disease isn’t cancer, it does slightly increase cancer risks. The exact cause of this condition — specifically why a parathyroid cell forms a tumor — remains largely unknown. However, genetic predisposition is commonly observed.

Hyperparathyroidism affects 1 in 80 people, with a higher incidence in women

Most symptoms of hyperparathyroidism — like fatigue, insomnia, kidney stones and bone pain — are tied to hypercalcemia. The severity of symptoms depends more on the duration of elevated calcium levels rather than the extent of elevation.

Surgical removal of the benign tumor is the standard treatment for hyperparathyroidism, restoring calcium balance and alleviating symptoms. This condition has a significant effect on a person’s life expectancy and overall health.

Because I feel so much better now, I

BEACON BITS

Despite the challenges — and there were some — the surgery and recovery can immediately restore your health and vitality, as well as faster weight loss and stronger bones.

If you’d like to read a longer article about my journey or watch my video, visit suzycohen.com. While you’re there, please sign up for my newsletter so we can stay in touch by email.

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

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe.

TAI CHI & QIGONG IN THE PARK

Tai Chi and Qigong are physical wellness practices with Chinese roots that aid in increasing energy while also relieving stress. Join the Friends of Herring Run Parks for a free session at the Brehms Lane Playground, 3500 Shannon Dr., Baltimore, MD. For dates and more information, call (410) 4178565 or visit friendsofherringrun.org/events.html.

Have confidence in every conversation.

Do you find it difficult to use a standard phone? Do people ask you to repeat yourself during telephone conversations? Do you miss important calls because you can’t hear the phone ring? The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program is here to help by giving Maryland residents the opportunity to apply for State-provided telecommunications equipment to independently make and receive calls. Once you qualify, a skilled evaluator meets with you to determine the best device to support your day-to-day communications. The MAT program has a variety of equipment solutions to support clearer communication, including:

• Amplified phones

• Tablets

• Ring signalers

• Phones with large and/or high contrast buttons

• Captioned Telephones

• And more

For more information:

800-552-7724 | 410-767-7253 (Voice/TTY)

410-801-9618 (Video Phone) | MDMAT.org

Money Law &

You’ll probably live longer than you think

By Liz Weston

Women often don’t score as well as men in surveys of financial literacy. One area where they seem to do better is “longevity literacy,” or understanding how long they’re likely to live.

Longevity literacy is essential to smart retirement planning. Overestimate your longevity, and you could retire too late or scrimp too much. Underestimate it, and you could run short of money.

In a recent TIAA Institute study, 43% of women correctly estimated the life expectancy of 60-year-old women in the U.S. (The right answer was 85.) Only 32% of men chose the correct answer for the life expectancy for 60-year-old men, which was 82.

Men also were far more likely than women to underestimate life expectancy — and that’s a huge potential problem for both sexes. A man who expects to die in his 70s might draw too much from retirement funds or start Social Security too early. That could leave him — and the spouse who may outlive him — with too little income later on.

“A lot of people do OK in their first 10 or 15 years of retirement,” said actuary Steve Vernon, a former research scholar at the Stanford Center on Longevity. “It’s often in their late 70s and 80s that they start to struggle.”

Our life expectancy ‘grows’

The life expectancy statistics that often make headlines aren’t the ones that matter for retirement planning, Vernon said.

For example, in December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that U.S. life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row.

But the number the CDC cited, 76.4 years, is life expectancy from birth. That figure includes infant mortality as well as the accidents, diseases, overdoses, homicides and suicides that end lives too early.

The thing about longevity is that it’s persistent. The longer you live, the longer you are likely to live.

One out of three men and half of all women in their mid-50s will live to 90, according to the Society of Actuaries. There’s

a 50% chance that at least one member of a heterosexual married couple age 65 will be alive at 92.

With longer lives comes “longevity risk” — the chance that people will outlive their savings. Understanding and addressing that risk is an important element of retirement planning, but most Americans are falling short, said Surya Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute, which conducts research on financial security.

More than half of Americans don’t understand how long people tend to live in retirement, according to a 2022 survey of more than 3,500 adults nationwide by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at the George Washington University School of Business.

How to minimize your risk

The single most powerful way to mitigate longevity risk is to delay claiming Social Security, Vernon said.

Social Security retirement benefits can start as early as age 62, but applying before your full retirement age — which is

currently between 66 and 67 — means your check is permanently reduced.

Delaying your application beyond full retirement age can add 8% each year you wait until your benefit maxes out at age 70.

Delaying is particularly important for the higher earner in a married couple, since it’s the higher earner’s benefit that determines what the survivor gets after the first spouse dies.

A 2022 paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research found that virtually all American workers ages 45 to 62 should delay their applications beyond age 65 to maximize their benefits, and that more than 90% should wait until age 70. But currently, only about 10% of applicants wait that long, the researchers found.

“Most people just don’t understand how long they could live in retirement, and they don’t plan for it,” Vernon said.

Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certified financial planner and the author of Your Credit Score.

© 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Simplify and reduce your money ‘clutter’

By Liz Weston

Professional organizers might define household clutter as a pile of unmade decisions. Money clutter is much the same.

Those credit cards you no longer use but haven’t closed? That’s money clutter. So is the retirement account you left behind three jobs ago, and the financial paperwork you keep but no longer need.

You can simplify your financial life by streamlining how you manage your money. Here are five ways:

1. Consolidate accounts

The more financial accounts you have to monitor, the more stress you’re likely to feel, said Chicago financial planner Sheila Padden, president of the Alliance of Comprehensive Planners. It’s too easy to lose track of an account, miss a due date, or fail to notice a fraudulent transaction.

“Like any machinery, if there’s a lot of moving parts, then it’s more likely to break down,” Padden said.

One relatively easy way to consolidate is to combine workplace retirement ac-

counts. You may be able to transfer old 401(k) accounts to your new employer’s plan, for example, or roll them into a single individual retirement account (IRA).

Closing unused credit cards is another task worth considering, although shuttering accounts may ding your credit scores.

Minimize potential damage by hanging on to your oldest and highest-limit cards. If you have multiple cards with the same issuer, ask whether the credit limit on a card you want to close can be reallocated to one you want to keep.

And don’t close cards if you’re about to apply for a major loan, such as a mortgage or an auto loan. [See “Your credit score affects mortgage, more,” in the June Beacon.]

2. Get it all on one page

Budgeting apps allow you to link your bank accounts, credit cards and investment accounts so you can view all your transactions in one place. [Free options include Mint.com and Goodbudget.com.] Your bank may offer a similar feature that allows you to link accounts.

Learning how to use these tools takes a little time, but getting this overview can help you better manage your money without having to log in to multiple accounts, said Pamela Ladd, senior manager of personal financial planning at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

“You can get a really good snapshot of your finances in one place,” Ladd said.

3. Automate what you can

Automating bill payments with online billpay services can help you avoid late fees and damage to your credit scores from missed payments. Start with bills that stay consistent, such as your mortgage or auto loan.

Where automating really shines is with saving, Padden said. She recommends figuring out how much you need to save for your goals, such as retirement or an emergency fund, and then automating regular contributions.

4. Reduce paper clutter

Ladd admits she was a latecomer to the digital world and didn’t switch to paperless

statements and bills until a few years ago.

Now she relies on email reminders to check her monthly bills, rather than receiving a paper “trigger” in the mail.

Financial institutions typically store statements for six or more years, so she doesn’t have to deal with filing or shredding paperwork. She finds the change “liberating.”

“It’s less clutter, one less thing to do,” Ladd said.

Most paperwork from the past can be safely scanned or downloaded into a computer — as long as its hard drive is backed up regularly. You can search online for lists of when to shred existing paperwork or ask a tax pro or financial planner for guidance.

5. Consider hiring help

Padden said she understands the urge to do it all yourself. As a certified public accountant, she felt she should be able to handle her own finances, but eventually realized she didn’t know enough to do so successfully.

Padden’s response to this revelation was

There are ways to simplify and reduce financial clutter. See story below.

JOHN PATRICK ROBICHAUD

Protecting yourself from Medicare fraud

By Family Features

Anyone on Medicare is at risk of Medicare-related fraud. Watch out for scammers who steal Medicare numbers and other personal information to exploit beneficiaries’ benefits.

Broadly speaking, Medicare fraud occurs when someone makes false claims for healthcare services, procedures and equipment in order to obtain Medicare payments. Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions of dollars and puts the health and welfare of beneficiaries at risk.

Money clutter

From page 12

to study for and obtain a certified financial planner credential and open her own financial planning practice. She recommends that others consider hiring the help they need if they can.

A tax pro can file your returns and answer tax questions. An accredited financial counselor or financial coach can assist with budgeting, debt management, retire-

BEACON BITS

Aug. 19+

How to spot Medicare scams

There are many types of Medicare scams — taking the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages, social media posts and phony websites.

Scammers often claim to be from the Medicare office, an insurance company or a government office. They’ll ask for your personal and financial information, such as your Medicare or Social Security number, so that they can submit false claims for payment.

Remember that Medicare will never call, text, email or contact you through social media asking for your Medicare number.

ment savings and more. A financial planner can help with virtually every aspect of your finances.

Hiring help can give you the personalized information you need to make decisions and stress less. Ultimately, that’s what simplifying your financial life is all about.

“If you feel like you’ve always got things that need attending to, you really cannot live your most fulfilled life and live with ease,” Padden said.

—AP/NerdWallet

To protect yourself from potential fraudsters:

—Guard your Medicare number just like your Social Security card and credit card.

—Share your Medicare number only with trusted healthcare providers.

—Review your Medicare statements, watch for services billed that look suspicious, and ask questions if something looks wrong.

How to report scammers

If you or someone you know have expe-

rienced Medicare fraud or suspect an offer you’ve received is a scam, report it as soon as possible.

To learn more about Medicare fraud, visit Medicare.gov/fraud. To report potential Medicare fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

HOUSING INFORMATION WORKSHOP

Learn about housing options, rights and applications at a free monthly workshop from IMAGE (Independent Marylanders

Achieving Growth through Empowerment). The next one is on Thurs., August 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Hampton Plaza Office Building, 300 East Joppa Rd., Suite 312, Towson, MD. To register, contact Kate Wallace at kwallace@imagemd.org or (443) 377-3984.

IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE FOR YOU?

Sept. 11

Are you considering purchasing an electric vehicle (EV)? Explore the range of EVs and learn about the logistics of purchasing, owning and operating one in this virtual introductory session from AARP on Mon., Sept. 11 from 7 to 7:45 p.m. For details and to register, visit bit.ly/OnlineEVSessionAARP.

Quick cash for your home? Not so fast!

By Better Business Bureau

The real estate market is hot, and, for those who own a home, you may have received offers or seen advertisements promising to buy it quickly and for cash. Selling a home is time-consuming, and the promise of a quick close is tempting.

However, it’s important to understand the difference between selling your home to a traditional buyer and making a deal with a home investor, sometimes called an opportunity investor.

Professional home investors make offers to sellers willing to sacrifice profit in exchange for a faster and simpler sale process.

In recent years, “iBuyers” have emerged, too — internet companies who use algorithms and proprietary valuation data to make no-obligation, all-cash offers to sellers.

BBB recommends the following tips to help you find the right kind of buyer for

your home and avoid getting scammed.

Do you have time constraints?

With traditional home sales, buyers can require a 45-day escrow period to allow time for appraisals, mortgage approval contingencies, inspections and the like, which means completing a sale could take several weeks.

On the other hand, home investors can usually close in a month or less, and iBuyers can give homeowners a tentative offer within 24 to 48 hours and close in as little as a week.

If time is of the essence, it may be worthwhile to consider the faster options, although you’ll sacrifice profit for speed.

How much profit do you need?

The biggest con of working with a home investor or iBuyer is that you will almost always get a lower offer than you would from a traditional buyer.

Traditional buyers may be willing to pay even more than market value for a home they’ve fallen in love with, while home investors are buying your home solely as an investment.

Determining in advance how much profit you need to make on the sale of your home can help you make a sound decision when you receive an offer from any kind of buyer.

Factor in prep work

When marketing your home to traditional buyers, you’ll need to do a fair amount of prep work: cleaning, decluttering, painting, staging, landscaping, photographing and listing your home. When you sell to an investor, you won’t need to do this.

“Typically, investors offer to purchase a property ‘as is,’ many times sight unseen,” according to Forbes magazine. “As a seller, that allows you to avoid any costly repairs

ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141

Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301

The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487

Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445

Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440

Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344

Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660

Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888

The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000

The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100

The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000

The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988

Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464

Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better

Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665

Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886

Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185

Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064

Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096

Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322

Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better

Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

that would normally be considered your financial responsibility.”

Research companies beforehand

Always look up businesses on BBB.org before you share personal information or agree to use their services. Make sure the company has an official name, phone number and physical address. Read customer reviews, keeping a close eye on any complaints or reports of dishonest dealings.

Beware of home investor scams

Scammers prey on a seller’s desire to make a quick sale by offering deals that seem too good to be true. They also take advantage of the fact that home investors don’t need credentials to buy property.

When considering an offer, ask plenty of questions and don’t settle for vague answers.

Never give money to an investor before the closing date. Complete all transactions through a closing or escrow agent or a real estate specialty attorney. Don’t be pressured into payments “off the books.”

If you aren’t pressed for time, consider working with a full-service brokerage. Although you’ll need to do some prep work, and it will take more time, you’ll likely make a much larger profit on the sale of your home.

You can also think about renting your home for an amount that covers your mortgage payments or setting up a leaseto-own agreement.

If you encounter a scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Also, sign up for BBB Scam Alerts at bit.ly/BBBscamalerts.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

CALLING ALL WRITERS (VIRTUAL)

Do you write and want to improve your craft? Join the Light Street Writers Exchange for a virtual “read and critique” of participants’ poetry, novel, short story and creative nonfiction. Virtual meetings take place on Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m. For details and Zoom information, visit prattlibrary.org, search Writers Exchange.

MEMORY CAFÉ

Aug. 15

SOCIAL Jewish Community Services invites those with memory impairment and their care partners to a monthly social at the Pikesville Library, 1301 Reisterstown Rd., Pikesville, MD. Meet new friends and enjoy refreshments from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tues., Aug. 15. The event is free, but registration is required. Contact JCS at (410) 466-9200. For more information and to register, visit jcsbalt.org/memory-cafe.

Travel Leisure &

A stroll through LA’s historic downtown

By Don Mankin

Despite Los Angeles’ reputation to the contrary, the city does have a walkable downtown. In fact, it’s a surprising mix of old and new, classic and modern, with a smorgasbord of places to eat and drink.

This past June, I spent a day with my wife and several friends strolling through the city’s history and present, exploring its ethnic, architectural and gustatory diversity.

Our urban adventure began at the Grand Central Market, one of the oldest “food halls” in the western U.S., dating from 1917. The market is usually packed with people of all ages and ethnicities cruising among food stalls that offer cuisines ranging from Thai, Chinese and Korean to Mexican and Jewish deli fare.

We got there before most of the food stalls opened, but our destination, Eggslut (yes, that is really the name), already had a long line of hungry customers. I chose the gourmet bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. After wiping yolk off my mustache, we headed to Angels Flight, just across from the market.

Angels Flight Railway is a historic funicular that ferried blue-collar workers from the cramped, clapboard boarding houses on Bunker Hill (before it was leveled in the 1960s) to the stores and businesses on Broadway below. Angels Flight should be

familiar to fans of the movies La La Land and 500 Days of Summer as well as the streaming TV series “Goliath” and “Bosch.”

At the top of the short railway is California Plaza, a spacious concrete area with an amphitheater for summer concerts. The plaza is surrounded by the soaring glass office towers and hotels that replaced the working-class houses of Bunker Hill.

From modern art to Disney

We walked across the plaza in a northwesterly direction, past the Museum of Contemporary Art (worth a visit if you have the time), to Grand Avenue, then up Grand past the Broad Museum with its striking collection of modern art (also worth a visit).

Our destination was Walt Disney Concert Hall, one of the city’s most important buildings — architecturally, aesthetically and culturally. Designed by Frank Gehry, Disney Hall soars above the avenue like a gigantic surreal sailboat buffeted by turbulent waves of glistening steel.

We found the winding aerial pathway that wraps around the outside of the hall and inside the swirling, soaring waves of the external facade.

The unique pathway is accessible via a stairway behind a lovely rose-shaped fountain made of shards of blue-and-white Royal

Delft pottery. Gehry dedicated this fountain to Lillian Disney, who supported him through the often difficult and contentious design and construction of the hall.

This pathway is one of my favorite features of Disney Hall because it allows a close-up view of the innards of its infrastructure, giving a glimpse of the building’s intricate, complex engineering. As the walkway emerged from behind the facade, we paused for an expansive view of the city.

Music Center to the Cathedral

From there, we crossed First Avenue to an iconic architectural and cultural landmark of another era: Music Center Plaza, a wide, open plaza surrounded by three of the largest performing arts venues in the country, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson Theater and Mark Taper Forum.

Unlike the undulating, free-form architecture of Disney Hall, the style of the Music Center is 1960s modern, typical of the important institutional and civic buildings of the era.

The fountain in the center of Music Center Plaza, which surrounds the “Peace on Earth” work by famed sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, is the first in a series of graceful,

modern, “walk on water” fountains that spill (figuratively) down the hill through Grand Park in the direction of City Hall, a building recognizable to any fan of the 1950s TV show “Dragnet” and its taciturn, “Just the facts, ma’am” Sgt. Joe Friday.

Before reaching City Hall, we headed to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a majestic modern structure markedly distinct from the shiny steel of Disney Hall or the white marble of the Music Center. The 21-year-old cathedral, which has no right angles, is the color of sun-baked adobe.

My favorite part of the cathedral is the mausoleum in the basement. The first thing you see at the bottom of the stairs is Gregory Peck’s crypt — creepy but also cool. Stained-glass windows line the walls of the mausoleum.

From the cathedral, we walked one block east to Broadway, then two blocks to the Bradbury Building, a National Historic Landmark built in 1893 and one of the oldest buildings in Los Angeles.

The five-story, red brick building is best known for its ornate filigree ironwork railings and open cage elevator. Filled with natural light that streams through the skylight that stretches across the entire ceil-

The Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry, opened in downtown Los Angeles 20 years ago. Free self-guided audio tours of the architectural icon are available year-round. Be sure to get “under the skin” to admire its engineering.

PHOTO © ANDOSE24 | DREAMSTIME.COM

PHOTO © JASON LIGON | DREAMSTIME.COM

Grand Central Market’s food vendors have been cooking up international dishes in downtown LA since 1917.

PHOTO © WALTER CICCHETTI | DREAMSTIME.COM

From page 15

ing, the Bradbury Building has been the location for many TV shows and movies, including Chinatown and Blade Runner.

Historic Theater District

Conveniently, the Bradbury Building is located just across the street from the

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Grand Central Market, where we stopped again to rehydrate and refuel with Thai iced tea with boba from Moon Rabbit and strawberry rhubarb pie from Fat and Flour.

By this time, the market was packed and bustling, so the people-watching enhanced our snack time.

After our break, we headed south on Broadway to the Historic Theater District,

VARIED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

From sharing skills like sewing, to working with youth, the Baltimore City Health Department’s RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) is seeking older adult volunteers to share their knowledge and wisdom with the community in an array of different roles. For more information, call (410) 8872715 or visit bit.ly/VolunteerOpportunitiesForSeniors.

BMI COMMUNITY CONCERT SERIES

Aug. 19

Enjoy free jazz from the John Lamkin Favorites Jazz Quintet at the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s Farmers Market, 1415 Key Hwy., Baltimore, MD, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sat., Aug. 19. Some seating will be available, but attendees are welcome to bring their own lawn seating. Contact the Baltimore Museum of Industry at (410) 727-4808 for more information, or visit bit.ly/BMICommunityConcerts.

the first and largest theater district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Many of the old theaters are in an advanced state of decay, but it doesn’t take much imagination to conjure up their former grandeur. Some have been renovated and can be rented for special events.

The theaters are embedded among a funky mish-mash of jewelry stores, doughnut shops and bridal gown emporiums.

We strolled through Pershing Square toward the Millennial Biltmore Hotel, the grand dame of old Los Angeles money and movie fame, as well as a location for many movies and TV shows, such as “Columbo,” “Murder She Wrote,” Ghostbusters and Rocky III.

Inside the hotel we walked through Rendezvous Court, where high tea is served under a beautiful Moorish ceiling. In the Historic Corridor’s gallery, we checked out an exhibit of photographs from Academy Award ceremonies held in the grand ballroom of the Biltmore in the 1930s.

Next, we made our way to the rooftop restaurant atop the Pershing Square Building to enjoy a cold drink or two, along with excellent views of downtown LA.

Then we headed a couple of blocks to our final destination, the Los Angeles Central Library, to check out the famous pastelhued murals inside the Grand Rotunda, which offer a 360-degree view of the history of California.

After turning slowly and craning our

necks for several minutes, we decided to head back to the Grand Central Market for one last bite because, well, I like to eat. I chose a taco from Roast to Go, one of the oldest vendors at the market.

Our early dinner was a fitting conclusion to our historic, cultural, architectural and gustatory exploration of downtown Los Angeles — an urban center that, despite popular belief, is still thriving. There was still much more to explore, but that would have to wait for another day.

If you go

Nonstop round-trip airfare to LA from BWI starts at $330 on several major carriers.

At Grand Central Market, I recommend Broad St. Oyster Co., McConnell’s Ice Cream, Wexler’s Deli and Sticky Rice.

For more upscale dining, try Asterid in Disney Hall (asteridla.com) and Clifton’s Republic (theneverlands.com/cliftons-republic), a makeover of the historic, forestthemed, fantasyland cafeteria in the heart of the theater district into an even more hallucinatory experience.

Rooms at Millennial Biltmore (millenniumhotels.com/en/los-angeles) start at $178/night. The Omni Los Angeles (omnihotels.com/hotels/los-angeles-californiaplaza) is located on the California Plaza and has rooms starting in the low $200s.

For more information, see visitlosangeles.com.

Tours for traveling with grandchildren

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I are interested in taking our two grandkids on a big trip this summer and are looking for some good ideas. Can you recommend some travel companies that offer special travel packages for grandparents and grandkids?

Dear Doting,

—Doting Grandmother

Grandparents traveling with just their grandchildren has become a growing segment of the multigenerational travel industry. Not only is this type of travel fun, but it’s also a terrific way to strengthen generational bonds and create some lasting memories.

To help you with your traveling aspirations, there are a number of travel companies today that offer specialized grandparent/grandchildren and multigenerational trip packages.

This is a nice way to go because they plan everything for you, with most activities together but some just for adults so you can get an occasional breather.

Available in various trip lengths and price ranges, these tours are designed for children, typically between the ages of six or seven up to 18, and are usually scheduled in the summer or sometimes during winter breaks when the kids are out of school.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 11+

OVERLEA ARTSFEST

Here are some top tour companies to check into that will take you and your grandkids on a fun, well-planned vacation:

Road Scholar (RoadScholar.org): This well-established nonprofit organization has offered educational travel to older adults since 1975. They currently offer 83 different programs geared toward grandparents and grandchildren. About 75% of the grandparent trips are domestic.

Some popular trip destinations include the U.S. National Parks, Canada, France, Italy, Iceland, Costa Rica and the Galápagos Islands. The average cost per person per night is around $265 for domestic and $365 for international trips.

Intrepid (IntrepidTravel.com): An adventure travel tour operator that offers “grandparent holiday” tours that bring together the young and the young at heart. They offer 35 one- and two-week tours in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as in Alaska and Wyoming. To find these trips, go to bit.ly/grandparenttours

Tauck (Tauck.com): This large tour operator offers 19 foreign and domestic multigenerational trips called Tauck Bridges Family Tours. Some of their most popular trips are Costa Rica, European riverboat cruises, and Cowboy Country, which tours you through Wyoming and South Dakota.

Smithsonian Journeys (Smithsonian-

This free annual arts festival celebrates local art and artists working across an array of mediums. There will be performances, short film screenings and more, in addition to viewing the juried show at Holt Park, 34 Elmont Ave., Baltimore, MD. To learn more, visit overleaartsfest.org.

Sept.

MAKE ART AT THE WALTERS

What infrastructure would your dream community contain?

Starting in September, you can design your own utopian neighborhood where residents can flourish at this free drop-in art-making event at The Walters Art Museum, 600 N Charles St., Baltimore. For dates and more information, call (410) 547-9000 or visit thewalters.org/event.

Journeys.org): They offer 10 family journey trips to Iceland, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Japan, Ireland, Costa Rica, South Africa, Yellowstone and a Rhine River cruise.

Journeys International (JourneysInternational.com): They offer customized multigenerational trips primarily to Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific.

Travel documents

Depending on where you go and your mode of transportation, you’ll need to gather some documents for your grandchildren to make sure everything goes smoothly.

In general, most travel experts recommend that you bring a notarized travel consent form (letter of permission from the parents) and a medical consent form in case emergencies or problems arise. Also bring copies of insurance cards.

If you’re traveling domestically, you

should know that airlines and trains don’t require any form of ID for children under 18. But if you’re traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or other areas of the Caribbean by land or sea, grandchildren 15 and under will need certified copies of their birth certificates.

And if your grandkids are 16 or older, or you’re traveling to these locations via air, passports will be required.

If you’re traveling overseas, all children, even infants, must have a passport. Some countries also require a visa for entry, and vaccinations may sometimes be required.

Before booking a trip, check the U.S. Department of State’s website at Travel.State.gov for country-specific information.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

Smith Island Cruises

Arts & Style

Local 10-play festival is short and sweet

By Dan Collins

Did you know the average human attention span is about eight seconds? That’s less than that of a goldfish. So, the prospect of having to sit through a play that might run two or even three hours? Egad, pass the Benadryl and good night!

Fortunately for drama enthusiasts, the Fells Point Corner Theatre (FPCT) has an alternative: the 10x10x10 Short Play Festival, which will take place August 11 through 27.

One of FPCT’s most popular seasonal features, the festival — 10 plays, 10 minutes each, performed by an ensemble of 10 actors — debuted in 2011.

According to Laura Malkus, FPCT president (whose first-ever performance was with Fells Point when she was just 14 years old), the festival is in its ninth year, having missed a few due to the pandemic.

The festival is also a competition. Eligible playwrights — who must be local or have strong ties to the Baltimore region — may submit up to two plays.

Then a committee of “anywhere from 20 different individuals — writers, actors, directors, audience members — reads the plays blind, so [they have] no information

about the plays or who wrote them,” Malkus said.

“It must be a compelling piece, interesting to watch and doable. If the play calls for a $50,000 set, we can’t do it.”

Despite the geographic limits to eligibility, plays continue to roll into the theater for consideration “from international folks and all over the country,” Malkus said.

“We’ve even gotten submissions from people in prison.”

Audience votes on winners

At the end of each performance, audiences have the opportunity to vote for their favorites among the 10 plays. At the close of the run, the top winners will receive cash prizes.

The 10x10x10 Festival remains popular after more than a decade, Malkus said. “We’ve got patrons who wait and wait for it, are deeply invested in it, and it tends to be one of our best sellers every year.

“Patrons say it’s very enjoyable because it’s widely variable, given the episodic nature of the show, where people don’t know what’s coming next,” she said.

Plays have tackled such topics as a

meeting between conservationist and Silent Spring author Rachel Carson and the Devil himself; a man being interrogated by a Nazi (or just his therapist?); a powerful exchange between a blue-collar roofer and a white-collar playwright; and an unexpectedly comical twist on two people experiencing the “last 10 minutes” of their lives.

These last two plays are the work of local playwright, actor and teacher Mark Scharf, 67, who has “made the cut” several times for the 10x10x10, he said.

“I’ve never gotten first place — two seconds and a third, but never first,” Scharf said. For him, writing is not about cash prizes but creativity.

“Sometimes a play has legs and turns into a larger play,” Scharf noted, explaining how one of his scripts, which began as a 10-minute work or “an emotional snapshot,” turned into a full-length piece called Scorpions

Scharf noted that it’s also gratifying to view the works of the other nine playwrights. “When you witness in an evening 10 different voices, something is going to appeal to you.

“Taking part in the competition is an opportunity for me, as a play doesn’t exist until it is on its feet, in front of an audience. A play isn’t meant to be simply read and stuck away.”

Testing ground for plays

Canton playwright Rosemary FrisinoToohey — whose play Sleeping Beauty was among the initial 10 plays produced in 2011 — said the festival can act as a writing workshop of sorts.

“Every writer has big ideas that demand a full-on treatment…but one has other ideas, shorter ‘what-ifs,’ that can be pulled off in a much shorter time frame,” said

Jimmy Buffett's iconic songs are turned into a musical. See story on opposite page.

See PLAY FESTIVAL, page 21

Actress Dickie Wilson performs in a play at the 2019 10x10x10 festival at Fells Point Corner Theatre. This year’s festival of 10 plays lasting 10 minutes each is scheduled for Aug. 11 through 27.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FELLS POINT CORNER THEATRE

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Jimmy Buffett’s songs take center stage

By Eddie Applefeld

If you think it’s 5 o’clock somewhere — and it’s a good guess it is — then you’ll want to visit Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia to check out the current production of Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville.

Like Mamma Mia, it’s a “jukebox musical” that includes pre-existing songs and builds a storyline around them.

This is the area premiere of the show. It had a brief run on Broadway, opening in February 2018 and lasting for 124 performances. Reviews were mixed, and a national tour began in 2019.

The lively musical was a good choice by director and choreographer Mark Minnick, who has directed and choreographed just about all the shows at Toby’s for the past 15 years.

The cast consists of 21 very talented

performers led by standouts Patrick Gover, playing Tully, and Anna PhillipsBrown, playing Tammy.

Performers are better suited for major parts in shows if they are a “triple threat” — someone who can sing, act and dance well.

I was impressed to find that most of this ensemble can perform all three very well.

The show is presented in the round, so there isn’t a bad seat in the house, and with a live six-piece orchestra, the sound is excellent from any seat.

The behind-the-scenes folks consist of David Hopkins, scenic and lighting; Janine Sunday, costume designer (you’ll love the island shirts — wear one if you still have one in your closet); Cheryl Stansfield, production stage manager, and projections by David Hopkins and Jimmy Engelkemier.

Toe-tapping numbers

You’re sure to recognize most of Buffett’s songs, especially “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.”

Quite frankly, there were many songs I didn’t know, but I still enjoyed the laid-back cadence of each of the 20 tunes, most of them from Buffett’s albums from the late 1970s.

You don’t have to know Buffett’s music to enjoy Escape to Margaritaville, Minnick

emphasized when I spoke with him before a recent performance.

It’s a “funny, edgy, heartwarming musical comedy where singing along is allowed,” Minnick said. As Toby’s website puts it, “This show contains mild language and adult innuendos.”

Although you’d assume that the audience might feel compelled to sing along, that’s not really the case. It happened at

Peace of Mind is Priceless

Pre-planning a funeral is a great gift, to your family and to you: It relieves the pressure on them to imagine what you might have wanted while they deal with grief and loss.

Your funeral service will be exactly as you wish.

Your family can enjoy peace of mind knowing everything has been arranged. If you choose to pre-fund, the cost is fixed and protected from later price change or inflation.

Call us to learn more.

Ask about our price-match guarantee!

Ask for Jim Schwartz or Chris Boggs: 410-747-4770

See MARGARITAVILLE, page 21

Patrick Gover stars as a bartender named Tully Mars in Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. The jukebox musical, built around a number of Buffett’s songs, runs through Aug. 20 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia.

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Glassblowing

From page 1

Another Baltimore studio

Anthony Corradetti, 67, a Philadelphia native who moved to Baltimore in 1981, runs Corradetti Glassblowing Studio and Gallery on Clipper Park Road near Hampden. A graduate of the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, Corradetti opened his first studio here in 1987. “I needed a place to make my art,” he explained.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 9

His studio offers workshops and classes that include “mostly private lessons” where novice glassblowers work with trained assistants to learn the craft.

Corradetti said that his studio also has been rented out for weddings and corporate parties, where the participants get into the glassblowing spirit and come home with newly blown vases, jewelry, curvy bowls, etc.

“They love the classes,” he said. “There is an upsurge of interest in glassblowing as a result of the program ‘Blowing Away’ on

NATIONAL VINYL RECORD DAY

Celebrate Vinyl Record Day by bringing your favorite records to the Victory Villa Senior Center, 403 Compass Rd., Baltimore, MD, and playing them for other attendees. The free event takes place all day on Wed., Aug. 9. For more information, call (410) 887-0235 or visit bit.ly/NationalVinylRecordDay2023.

ARTS IN THE PARKS

Netflix, which is a competition show like the baking and cooking shows, but this one is about blowing glass.”

How difficult is it to learn the skill? You can pick it up quickly, but to get to the level of Corradetti and McFadden, whose works are displayed in museums, takes years, Corradetti said.

“It takes from five to 10 years to really get good at it. To really develop the skill, you have to practice every day.”

Glassblowing brings smiles

For some glassblowers, an occasional class is enough. Patti Berman, 59, who said she works at home “16 hours a day as a developer of software,” finds time to visit the McFadden Art Glass studio at least every other week.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Her studio visits allow her “to see people and things not connected to computers,” which, for her, is “a whole different, and pleasing, universe.”

She is currently finishing work on a swirling green-purple-gold bowl, which will be a wedding present for a friend.

Berman said she greatly enjoys “the creative process of choosing colors and designs” for her glass projects.

Another plus, Berman noted, is “the smile on my husband’s face when he sees me come home content with my day at the studio.”

For more information about McFadden’s studio, visit mcfaddenartglass.com or call (410) 631-6039. For information about the Corradetti studio, visit Corradetti.com or call (410) 243-2010.

MEDICARE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Ongoing

Join the Bolton Hill Community Association for free weekly concerts ranging from bluegrass to jazz. The shows take place at various parks throughout the Bolton Hill neighborhood in July and August. For the full calendar of events, visit bit.ly/ArtsInTheParksBoltonHill.

FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

Enjoy the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s free production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in an enchanting park setting. All shows start at 7 p.m. and take place at Patterson Park on July 20 and 22, at Park Heights on July 24 and 25, at Middle Branch Park on July 27 and 28, and at Carroll Park on July 29 and 30. For more information, call (410) 244-8570 or visit chesapeakeshakespeare.com/beyond.

The Maryland State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is recruiting volunteer counselors to help county residents navigate Medicare. Classroom and in-office training and SHIP certification are required. This position is based at the Bykota Senior Center, and requires a minimum of three hours per week. SHIP also seeks counselors to help county residents with the Part D (Prescription Drug Program) enrollment process. This temporary position is based at Baltimore County senior centers during Open Enrollment, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a sixdate requirement. For more information and to apply to either program, contact SHIP at medicareinformation@baltimorecountymd.gov or (410) 887-2059.

Play festival

From page 18

FrisinoToohey, a retired radio anchor who is in her 70s.

“Writing a 10-minute play takes a lot less time than crafting a full-length [one]. There’s less character development, fewer complications, but you need an idea that

Margaritaville

From page 19

the performance I attended, but only briefly and in one song: “Margaritaville.”

Let me interject here: Jimmy Buffett, who is now 76 years old, does not appear in the show. Apparently, the box office has been asked several times, “At what show will Jimmy Buffett be there?”

But his music, a blend of rock and country, certainly is. Some folks have described his music as a way of life — a mellow, escape-to-the-Caribbean lifestyle.

Boy meets girl, yada yada

The plot is the simplest part of the entire night and not all that important. After all, you’re there for the music, dancing and attitude.

But to sum it up, a part-time bartender from Ohio living in the islands falls in love with a tourist who’s just a little too careerminded. And, as in all love stories, she

can grab the audience right away.”

If a “full-length” play is like a big-size candy bar, you might say Fells Point Corner Theatre’s mini-plays offer audiences a bag of “fun size” treats to consume.

But for Malkus, this Forrest Gump boxof-chocolates philosophy is not the only reason for the 10x10x10’s popularity.

“We have so many people who work on this

leaves, he chases her, and, what do you know, all’s well at the end. How could it end any differently?

This is, don’t forget, a dinner theatre, and Toby’s guests will enjoy the menu for this show: tropical fruit, veggies, shrimp casserole, tilapia, a salad bar, a carving station with chicken, roast beef, turkey and ham, and an ice cream bar.

Also available (for an additional payment) are alcoholic drinks, including the drink special, “The Coconut Telegraph,” served in a souvenir glass. It’s also available in a nonalcoholic version.

Toe-tapping is encouraged!

Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville runs through Aug. 20, and is suitable for patrons 10 and older. Doors open for dinner at 6 p.m., and an 8 p.m. show gets you out at about 10:30 p.m. There are no longer any Covid restrictions at the theatre.

Toby’s is located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia, Maryland. Advance reservations are required. Performances are Tues-

Classifieds cont. from p. 23

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show — from the play readers to the box office volunteers and everyone in between, almost 100 people — to create this community arts program. We’re proud of that,” she said.

“Plus, we [at Fells Point Corner Theatre] have always had a commitment to produce original work, so the 10x10x10 is deeply rooted in our mission.”

The Fells Point Corner Theatre is located

day through Sunday nights, with matinees on Wednesday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (buffet brunch for matinees opens at 10:30 a.m.).

Tickets are $74-$79 for adults and $57$60 for children 12 and under. All tickets include the all-you-can-eat buffet. Patrons are also expected to tip their servers (who are, by

at 251 S. Ann St. in Baltimore. Its 2023 10x10x10 Short Play Festival runs Aug. 11 through Aug. 27. Fridays and Saturdays are at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.

At 8 p.m. on Thurs., August 10, “Pay What You Can” preview night, audiences can choose their own ticket price. Tickets are $24 for all other performances. For more information and tickets, visit fpct.org.

the way, the actors), who bring beverages and special desserts to tables. Those 65 and over may attend any Tuesday or Wednesday performance for $62.90.

Tickets may be purchased from Ticketmaster or by phone from the box office at (410) 730-8311.

Scrabble answers on p. 21.

Find

Crossword Puzzle

Quiet, Please

By

Stephen Sherr

BB823

Across

1. Mainframe-era computer language

6. ___ The One That I Want

11. Just out of the pool

14. Foot swelling

15. One supports Bob Ross’ “happy little trees”

16. Miner’s major find

17. “You are doing a great job holding up all those books”

19. Tell a whopper

20. Like 10 of Shakespeare’s plays

21. Letters on Jesse Owens’ shirt in 1936

22. With equal pros and cons

23. Nelson Mandela’s org.

24. Alma mater of both Mr. Burns and Sideshow Bob

26. Like Daisy Duke on wash day, with 29 Across

29. See 26 Across

35. Flowery necklaces

37. Give five stars

38. Drug also called “poppy tears”

39. Horseman’s weapon

41. Actor Affleck or Stiller

42. Gossipmonger

43. Fall below the frost line

44. “The wise man does at ___ what the fool does finally” (Machiavelli)

46. Stags and does

47. Last ones to the beach

50. All the encyclopedia volumes

51. Like the 13th bagel, often

52. “___ your age, not your shoe size”

54. Flout conventions

56. Broken-hearted

59. Sneaker stuffer 63. ___-Wan Kenobi

64. Mediterranean craft with cargo from Tuscany 66. 70 at Pine Valley Golf Club 67. Pet that nearly everyone has 68. One declared guilty 69. Cyclops’ central feature

70. Update the navigational charts

71. Abundances

Down

1. Smallest unit of US currency

2. Febreze foe

3. One after alpha

4. Last after alpha

5. Cuban American, for example

6. Sycophant’s usual response

7. Hawaii’s “gathering place”

8. “Nature ___ as little as possible of anything” (Kepler)

9. Track and field events

10. Far-north toy craftsman

11. Winners of the first Rose Bowl in 1902

12. First of the Great Lakes (alphabetically)

13. Betty or Veronica

18. Transpire

22. Fled to wed

25. “Hello, sailor”

26. ___ fair in love and war

27. Contaminate gradually

28. Vulnerable position

30. Social prohibition

31. Pizzeria appliances

32. Deal in stolen goods

33. One getting extra math guidance

34. Like most of the Big Bang Theory gang

36. Scamper away

40. Dueler’s sword

45. Greek muse who usually holds a lyre

48. Rent-payer

49. Pooh-poohs

53. Linen closet item

54. Ali’s rope-a-___

55. The second busiest e-commerce site in 2023

57. “um, pardon me...”

58. Prima donna

60. Only one in Scrabble has a “Q”

61. School delay cause

62. Hankerings

64. Natl. Frog Month

65. Opposite of lethargy

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; Legal Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS:

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

EXTRA EXTRA MONEY!!!!!!!!! Immediate Private Duty Assignments for GNA’s and CNA’s. For More Information Contact: ONE DAY AT A TIME PERSONAL CARE LLC. 443-882-3040

MOBILE HAIR & NAIL SERVICES - WE

COME TO YOU. Professional Licensed Hair Stylist. Women and Men’s Services - All Hair Types. Cuts, Styles, Roller Sets, Color, Perms, Men’s Cuts & Facial Grooming, Manicures & more. Call 410-415-1760 for info.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME! Jamhuri Healthcare Services recognizes the importance of keeping seniors or adults with special needs, in their homes, rather than sending them to a skilled nursing facility. Our personal in-home care program is designed to implement nonmedical tasks to meet the clients’ physical needs. Our home care aides provide a multitude of services for our clients, ranging from meal preparation & house cleaning to personal assistance & running errands. We are diligent in our staff & client pairings. We won’t put just anyone in your home or the home of your loved ones. Senior transportation services available 24/7. Call us toll-free at 1-800-547-2851. Visit our website: www.jamhuricares.com. send us a text at the same number.

SHOP WITH US! Vendor Members Group annually organizes several CRAFTS GALORE! Events (juried homemade goods & food) in Baltimore County, MD. Buy local! Join our customer mailing list. Interested vendors can inquire using: www.vendormembersgroup.com

UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-626-8703.

DON’T LEAVE YOUR LOVED ONES WITH A BILL for your funeral. Call me for final expense program information. Jerry Graber 443-653-2247.

1700’S COUNTRY CHURCHYARD CEMETERY LOTS. This location surrounded by $1M+ homes in Lutherville guarantees quiet and perpetual care. Just 5 minutes from 695 but peaceful and bucolic. Family plot with four spaces. Currently selling at $2000 per space, these four spaces $5000 total. Please call 443-838-8592 for more information.

CEMETERY PLOT. Double Deep. Moreland Memorial Park in Parkville. 2 vaults, section G, lot 159. Present cost $5500 Asking $4450 Call 443-653-5208

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES

TODAY with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote. Call now before the next power outage: 1-866-964-8106. PUT ON YOUR TV EARS and hear TV with unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original were originally $129.95 - NOW WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER are only $59.95 with code MCB59! Call 1-833-934-0843.

GARDENS OF FAITH MEMORIAL PARK.

Two lots, lot 584-sites 3-4, Block 18. Gardens of Resurrection. Current value is $7995.00 ea, asking $6000.00 ea. Contact 443-257-7235 or sherilfraass@gmail.com.

2 CEMETERY LOTS. Moreland Park Cemetery. Value $6200 each. Asking 5500 for both. Call 410-321-9009.

OWN A CONDO ON THE BEACH FOR UNDER $90,000. We are selling two efficiencies (sleep 4) In the Surf Club Hotel in Dewey Beach, Del. (surfclubhotel.com). Room 205 is 380 sq ft, and directly faces the beach/ocean; and rm 111 is 480sq ft and faces the beach at an angle. Fractional ownership: you would own the condo one week every month. Positive cash flow if you choose to let paying guests stay there. $89K for 205, $79K for 111. Contact Stuart at 301-943-5153, or Laurie at 301-814-4507.

STROKE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer - 5 screenings for just $149. Call 1-844-485-7035.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds

Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington edition).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad:

• $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad.

All ads are subject to publisher's discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classi-

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REPAIR CERAMIC, PORCELAIN, MARBLE, GRANITE TILES, repair leaking showers, basic plumping work, new bathrooms, showers, floor installation, handicap access, kitchen backsplash, counter, drywall, plaster repair, paint, handyman services. Please call: # 410 -977- 3610, # 410-2855452. Email: axstile@yahoo.com. MHIC # 115085

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When Alzheimer’s touches your life, turn to us.

Alzheimer’s support

It is not unusual for the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease to be mistaken for signs of aging. To determine if behavioral or cognitive changes are early symptoms of dementia, it is important to have a conversation with a healthcare provider and not wait until the symptoms become more serious. There are many reasons why an early diagnosis is important, including:

• The opportunity to benefit from newer treatments that have the potential to delay the progression of symptoms

• Improved management of co-morbid conditions

• The opportunity to address potential safety issues, such as driving

• It allows the patient to participate in the development of advance directives and legal and financial plans

• Ensuring that the patient has a caregiver or someone to help with medical, legal, and financial concerns

• Referrals to community resources

• Opportunities to participate in clinical trials

The Alzheimer’s Association’s ongoing mission is to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of early detection. Alzheimer’s disease is the nation’s sixth leading cause of death, affecting more than six million people in the United States that includes more than 110,000 Maryland residents.

“We want impacted individuals and families to turn to us for information and resources when symptoms first appear,” says Ilene Rosenthal, program director for the Greater Maryland Chapter. “Our free services include support groups, education programs, earlystage social engagement activities, and a 24/7 Helpline [800.272.3900] that makes us accessible whenever information is needed.”

is available when you need it

Volunteer Opportunities

Did you know that staying mentally active and remaining socially involved can help maintain brain health? Volunteering for an important cause is a great way to combine both activities and help people at the same time. The Alzheimer’s Association offers many different volunteer opportunities, including support group facilitator, community educator, participating on an event planning committee, and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s®. The time commitment varies and can accommodate any volunteer’s schedule. To learn more, visit alz.org/get-involved-now/volunteer.