September 2018 | DC Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

The I N VOL.30, NO.9

F O C U S

FREE

F O R

P E O P L E

OV E R

5 0

More than 200,000 readers throughout Greater Washington

Celebrating Area Artists

SEPTEMBER 2018

I N S I D E …

SEE SPECIAL INSERT WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

From limestone sculptures and stained glass, to photos from as far away as the Galapagos, to paintings that detail faces old and young, to poems that evoke love and loss, more than 900 paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and poems poured into the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts — our art competition for amateurs over 50. Not only was the number of entries impressive; the quality of the works was also outstanding. A selection of entries appears below. To see

the winning entries and read about their creators, as well as our panel of judges, look inside this issue for a special Celebration of the Arts pull-out section. You will also have an opportunity to see their artworks in person at gallery exhibitions later this year. Details are inside. Don’t forget to keep this special section and share it with your friends. We hope to see your artistic skills in the next competition!

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Winning photographers’ unique worldview By Carol Sorgen Whether they’re exploring the world at large or right outside their window, the award-winning photographers of the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts see the world through a different lens — both literally and figuratively. Whether you’re inspired, entertained, enchanted or awe-struck, you will be sure to be touched by what they have seen and chosen to show us. The following winners were selected from among 208 entries.

First Place Vella Kendall, Monkton, Md. A r etir ed nurse who worked for many years at the Johns Hopkins Hospital’s dedicated HIV unit, Kendall’s development as a photographer was sparked one day when she was asked to take photos of her colleagues on the night shift. Since then, the 71-year-old has taken photography classes through the Community College of Baltimore County and Johns Hopkins’ Odyssey Program. But she says she is largely self-taught, “with help from my husband, who would have to change my lenses because I was afraid to!” “I found photography was a great stress reliever from my job. I would come home after my shift and photograph flowers that my husband would plant for me,” Kendall said. “Then I noticed the little bugs on the flowers, and became fascinated with them, especially after enlarging [their images] on the computer.” When her husband put up bird feeders and Kendall bought a telephoto lens to photograph the birds from a distance, she found she fell in love with wildlife photography. She continues to hone her technique, using as subjects her dog, backyard birds,

flowers and local wildlife at Conowingo Dam and the national wildlife refuges. Now, Kendall and her husband have a small trailer in which they travel around the country, photographing landscapes, birds and wildlife, as well as traveling abroad for culture and photographic opportunities. Kendall has traveled to Africa three times, and that’s where she took the image that won her first place in the Celebration. She was visiting a small, rather primitive village in the countryside that had no running water or electricity. The family would trek to the local well for water to wash clothes and to cook with on the open-fire outdoor stove. The woman whose face Kendall photographed was one of the family’s elders. “I felt [she] proudly showed her life on her face, and the depth of her soul in her eyes,” Kendall said. Kendall’s photography has won many other awards, including First Place in Photography at the 2015 Baltimore County Baby Boomer/Senior Expo Art Show and Second

A Hard Life

By Vella Kendall

Place in the Open Category at the 2018 Mar yland Photographic Alliance Show. Kendall belongs to the Baltimore Camera Club (which is part of the Maryland Photographic Alliance) and to the Photographic Society of America.

Second Place Rich Isaacman, Edgewater, Md. Rich Isaacman, 65, spent most of his career at NASA as an astronomer which, he said, feeds directly into two other loves: travel and photography. “Astronomy, of course, is famous for its spectacular imagery. And astronomers also tend to travel a lot, since observatories tend to be located in remote places,” he said. “Of course, now we have many [observatories] in orbit as well, but we don’t get to travel to them!” Isaacman attended graduate school in the Netherlands. After he earned his doctorate there in astrophysics, he spent three years doing a post doc in Hawaii. There he worked at an observatory at 13,800 feet atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island. “Living in that spectacular place really sparked my interest in photography, and it became an integral part of my travels,” Isaacman said. He began to become serious about photography in 2011, when a family event in Bangladesh made him especially appreciate the colors, people and rituals of such faraway places. Since his time in Hawaii, Isaacman has traveled to more than 50 countries. “I try to capture the landscapes, ‘humanscapes,’ and street scenes that make such

places exotic and special, and which often form our most crystalline memories of a trip,” he said. “In short, exotic travel and photography are very deeply intertwined for me.” In the past six months, Isaacman has become interested in augmenting his usual travel photos with drone photography. When circumstances allow, he now shoots aerial landscapes in addition to his street scenes and ground-based landscapes. Isaacman also writes a monthly travel column, accompanied by his photos, for a local magazine, South River Living, as well as a travel blog featuring his travel journal and photos, at https://richandalice.wordpress.com. His blog has 500 followers in more than

Rainy Day at the Greek Cafe

By Richard Isaacman

a dozen countries. He sells his photos at various local art exhibitions and online at https://rich-isaacman.pixels.com.

Third Place Richard Weiblinger, Laurel, Md. Richard Weiblinger, 70, has enjoyed a lengthy career in the scie nces. A bi olo gist, who also pursued graduate work at Johns See PHOTOGRAPHY page B3

CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS WINNERS following page 26

L E I S U R E & T R AV E L

The simple pleasures of Jamaica; plus, Montana’s glaciers and grizzlies, public transit with a view, and Bob Levey’s love of station wagons page 40 TECHNOLOGY k Telemedicine comes home

FITNESS & HEALTH 10 k Review drug coverage now k New Alzheimer’s developments LAW & MONEY k Finding forgotten assets k Stock-picking computers

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Our 50+ Expo Exhibitors to date: Exhibitors 40Plus of Greater Washington AARP Maryland AARP Virginia Anatomy Gifts Registry Arlington Aging & Disability Services Arlington County Office of Senior Adult Programs Bath Fitter Cabot Creamery Cooperative CareFirst MedPlus Center for Vein Restoration Chesapeake Urology Associates ClearCaption Comcast/Xfinity Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County Consumer Voice, The Crystal Insurance Group Design for Life Edward Jones Fairfax Area Agency on Aging Fairfax County Government Cable Channel 16

Community Partners 40 Plus of Greater Washington AAA Atrium Classic Assisted Living Aarondale Retirement Community Alexandria Adult Day Service Center Arbor Crest of Silver Spring Arden Courts of Fair Oaks Arl. Co. – Community Arts Arl. Co. – Langston Brown Sr Ctr Arl. Co. Office of Sr Adult-PR Arl. Co. Parks & Rec PR Dir Arl. Co. Sr Commun Outreach Arl. Co.. Madison Senior Center Arl. Co. Arlington Mill Sr Center Arl. Co. Aurora Hills Sr Ctr Arl. Co. Lee Center-Sr Prog Arl. Co. Aurora Hills Sr Center Arlington Agency on Aging Arlington Co. Arligton Mill Sr Ctr Arlington Jazzercize ArtStream Bannockburn Community Club Bedford Court Activity & Vol Coord Bethany House Bowie Senior Center Bykota Senior Center Camp Springs Senior Center Capitol Hill Villages Carol's Care Assisted Living

Fairfax Memorial Park Fiarfax County Fire and Rescue Fidelity Direct Mortgage Garden of Remembrance GeoLuxe Travel Hearing Health USA Herbology Holy Cross Health Hospice Caring Inderjeet Jumani, Long and Foster Realtors Jewish Council for the Aging Kaiser Permanente Kennedy Center, The Kitchen Saver Layhill Center by Vita HealthCare LeafFilter Gutter Protection Lesner Hearing Center Long & Foster (The Roberts Team) Manor Care Maryland Insurance Administration MD Relay Metropolitan Washington Ear Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services

Montgomery County Board of Elections Montgomery County Cancer Crusade Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Montgomery County Long-Term Care Ombudsman Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection Montgomery County Police Montgomery County Police/Keeping People Safe Montgomery County Resource Fair Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office Montgomery County Stroke Association Montgomery County Volunteer Center/RSVP Montgomery Hospice No. Va. Resource Center Deaf & Hard of Hearing Peace of Mind Solutions

Prevention of Blindness Society Re:Cognition Health Richard Byrd Library (Fairfax) Shady Grove Center by Vita HealthCare Seabury Resources for the Aging Senior Connections Sleep Number Bed Sommerset Retirement Community U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Vamoose Bus Virginia Cancer Specialists Virginia Relay Virtual Physical Visionary Eye Doctors Walper Travel

Charles E. Smith Life Communities Chesterbrook Residences City of Rockville Senior Center Cleveland & Woodley Park Village Complete Care Solutions, LLC Culpepper Garden Senior Center Dayspring Senior Home Diamond Home Health Care, Inc Dupont Circle Village Dupont Park Adventist Apartments Evelyn Cole Sr Center Foggy Bottom West End Village Forest Glen Apartments Fountains at Washington House Franklin Apartments Gardens of Traville Glover Park Village Grace Presbyterian Church Graceful Care, Inc Greenbelt Rec Services Greenbelt Senior Services Hedin House Apartments Hollin Hall Senior Center Holy Cross Senior Source Hunters Woods Fellowship House Kingstowne Ctr for Active Adults Lake Anne Fellowship House Lake Ridge Fellowship House Langley Park Senior Center Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center Leisure World

Lewinsville Adult Day Health Lewinsville Senior Center Lighthouse Healthcare Inc Lincolnia Senior Center Maplewood Park Place Metropolitan Washington Ear Mo. Co. Long Branch Sr Center Mo. Co. Damascus Senior Center Mo. Co. Holiday Park Sr Center Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Montgomery County Volunteer Center Montgomery Parks-MNCPPC Northwest Neighbors Village Oaks at Olde Towne Oaks Senior Apartment Community OASIS c/o Macy's Office of Consumer Protection Paul Spring Retirement Community Pimmit Hills Senior Center Presbyterian Meeting House Providence Senior Center Regency Care of Arlington Seabury at Friendship Terrace Shepherd's Center of Annandale/ Springfield

Shepherd's Center of Oakton-Vienna Sibley Senior Association South County Senior Center Springvale Terrace St. Martin de Porres Senior Center Sunrise at Bluemont Park Sunrise at Montgomery Village Sunrise of Arlington Synergy Home Care The Crossings at Chantilly The Fairfax Thoreau Place Town Center Apartments Victory Court Vienna Baptist Church Virginia Hospital Center Wah Luck House Wakefield Senior Center Walter Reed Senior Center

Limited space remains. To exhibit, call Alan at 301-949-9766

Ask your community to bring a bus to the Expo! Call 301-949-9766

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A lack of trust (fund) Two questions arise from a recent arti- federal budget deficit was $668 billion. One might object, and point out that this cle from the Associated Press that begins: additional $418 billion is actual“An unexpected weakening ly coming out of the Social Sein the finances of Social Security and Medicare “trust curity and Medicare...” funds.” Those are the funds that First, what’s unexpected have been “collecting” the Soabout it? (Answer: it’s only cial Security and Medicare payunexpected if you haven’t roll taxes that have exceeded been paying attention.) the annual costs of the proAnd second, has this regrams since the payroll rates ported “weakening” become were revised back during the such a common alarm from the annual report of the SoReagan administration. A trust fund sounds reassurcial Security and Medicare FROM THE ing, at first blush. If you or I Trustees that it seems like PUBLISHER By Stuart P. Rosenthal were lucky enough to have one, they are crying wolf? we’d know we could draw on You tell me. I’ve written about the inevitable and growing problems the assets they contained and spend away. But the government’s so-called trust with the programs frequently over the last 15 years or so. But I still don’t see any ac- funds are simply Treasury Bills owed to tion from Congress, or even hear any com- one branch of the government by another branch of the same government. plaints from members of the public. As I’ve explained in a number of prior Why should anyone complain? For one thing, according to this year’s columns over the years, the excess payroll Trustee report, in 2018, Social Security and taxes collected in those boom years were Medicare — which were designed to be actually fully spent at the time, just as if pay-as-you-go programs, bringing in annual they were part of the government’s generrevenues sufficient to cover annual costs al taxpayer revenues. That’s because our government doesn’t — will require an additional $416 billion from taxpayers or other government bor- have a way to “put money aside” for a rainy rowing. For comparison, last year’s entire day other than to issue promissory notes

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

5 0

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Richmond, Va. Readership exceeds 400,000. Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and Maryland residents: add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Vice President, Sales & Marketing ....Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Director of Operations ........................Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, .................................. Dan Kelly, Barbara Koscielski, ........................................................Hubie Stockhausen • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde • Intern ..............................................................Erin Yu

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 10th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 51 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

that are IOUs to itself. Each year with a surplus, the government effectively said, “I’ll take this extra taxpayer money and use it to fund other programs (or to reduce this particular year’s deficit), and will promise myself to cover any shortfalls in future years to the extent I borrowed the money now.” Furthermore, since the surplus is held in the form of special Treasury bonds, they “earn interest,” meaning the government agrees to pay itself interest each year on what it owes to itself. Isn’t that nice? It not only obligates future generations to pay back the money spent in earlier years, but adds interest to the obligation. Of course, we fully expect the government to make good on these promises, and it no doubt will. But the only way to do so, as the Trustees’ June report says, is “through some combination of increased taxation, reductions in other government spending, or additional borrowing from the public.” Let’s think about that for a moment. This year, it means we need either to raise taxes (which of course Congress has just done the opposite of, lowering taxes through last year’s tax bill), reduce other government spending (also a joke, given the increases in defense and other spending that the administration and Congress

have been calling for), or increase the federal debt by an additional $416 billion. Higher debt levels will most likely also be the outcome in each of the coming years that the trust funds are “tapped.” You might ask, how much money are we talking about? The four separate funds that constitute the Social Security and Medicare trust funds currently total $3.18 trillion. These obligations — and they are obligations — will be putting extreme pressure on annual budgets and future deficits for years and years to come. And even when those trust fund obligations are paid off, Social Security and Medicare will still not be in a position to pay all the benefits promised to future retirees. The Trustee’s report notes that Medicare’s “projected insolvency” will occur in 2026 (just 8 years away), and Social Security’s in 2034 (16 years). This all raises at least two more questions: Was this situation inevitable? (no) and What can or should we do about it now? Stay tuned. I’ll address these in my column next month. Please let your anger percolate in the meantime!

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: As a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon whose specialty was surgical oncology, I was delighted to see the article on dangers associated with taking multiple medications (“Beware dangers of multiple medications,“ August). I have written on this topic myself, including in the Virginia Dental Association Journal. This issue continues to exist. I am in an institution as an “assisted” patient, and I see many things that trouble me. Dr. Marvin E. Pizer Falls Church, Va. Dear Editor: The article by Dr. Howard LeWine in the August issue entitled “Creative shoe lacing helps ease foot pain” discusses [how] different lacing configurations can help better tighten or loosen various foot areas. An additional approach to trying to tighten or loosen lower or upper foot areas is to use shoes with Velcro straps. The individual straps can each be adjusted independently. Velcro straps help me not so much for foot pain, but for being able to have a lower strap hold tight for my narrow feet, without struggling to tighten the lower portion

by unsuccessfully pulling on the upper laces part. Velcro straps may also be easier to manage with arthritic hands. In more extreme cases, you could use Velcro shoelaces. Thread them as most suitable for your feet, and then simply ‘scrunch’ the remaining laces together. No tying involved. Ronald Sheinson Silver Spring, Md. Dear Editor: Your August editorial calls for legislation “pausing” the tariffs NORPAC won at the ITC by showing Canada engaged in unfair trade practices because these tariffs have caused newsprint prices to increase 25%. Nobody “pauses” plant shutdowns when U.S. workers lose their jobs to unfair foreign competition. Free trade agreements are about balancing interests. Nobody gets everything they want in these agreements, so in exchange for allowing publishers access to foreign newsprint, protections for U.S. companies and their workers are built in, and have to be allowed to work without outside meddling, to keep the system fair. Otherwise, more people will see “free See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 49

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

A S S I S TE D LI V I NG • REHABILIT A TION • RE SPITE C ARE • L O N G- TER M C AR E

Having served 7 U.S. Presidents, resident Dwight Ink has used his intellect to protect ±ĹÚ ŸĘ±Şå ƋĘå ĘĜŸƋŅųƼ Ņü Ņƚų ÏŅƚĹƋųƼţ %ƵĜčĘƋűŸ ÆųĜĬĬĜ±ĹÏå ŸƋĜĬĬ āŅƚųĜŸĘåŸ Ęåųå ±Ƌ 8±ĬÏŅĹŸ X±ĹÚĜĹčØ ƵĘåųå ĘĜŸ ŸƋŅųĜåŸ ĩååŞ Ņƚų ŸƋ±ý ±ĹÚ ųåŸĜÚåĹƋŸ ÆŅƋĘ åĹƋåųƋ±ĜĹåÚ ±ĹÚ enlightened. tened The e care and love he enjoys at our community paless in comparison to the joy he bringss to our Falcons Landing family. We invite you to experience a connection onnectio on that can be found through o the common bond of service to country.

FALCONSLANDINGHEAL LTHCARE.ORG – 20535 EARHART PLACE, POTOMAC F FALL ALLS, VA 20165 – (703) 278-3191

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations Staying healthy at home via telemedicine Long considered an option mainly for improving access to healthcare in rural areas with few doctors, telemedicine is gaining ground with tech-savvy younger consumers — they text their physician with questions or Skype with a mild complaint. For seniors with chronic illnesses or mobility problems that make simply reaching a doctor’s office an ordeal, telehealth could be more than a convenience. The graying population is raising serious questions about how the nation will provide enough quality long-term care.

Medicare coverage expanding But while private insurance increasingly covers certain services such as a video visit, seniors have had a harder time because Medicare tightly restricts what it will pay for. That’s starting to change, with a law Congress passed last winter that expands Medicare coverage for such options as video visits to diagnose stroke symptoms or check on home dialysis patients. Also, Medicare Advantage programs used by a third of beneficiaries can start offering additional telehealth options. “While the interest is huge, one of the big

barriers remains reimbursement,” said Johns Hopkins University telemedicine chief Dr. Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, who has turned to grants to help fund such services as telepsychiatry for dementia patients. The new law “is really a huge step in the right direction. It certainly doesn’t cover everything.” Costs are a major issue for people who need ongoing living assistance. Less than a third of adults age 40 and over have set aside any money for their future long term care needs, the AP-NORC survey shows, and more than half mistak- Sidney Kramer, former Montgomery County enly think they’ll be able to rely on Executive, takes his blood pressure at home on Medicare to help cover nursing a device that relays it directly to his doctors. care or home health aides. Telemedicine will have to replace in-per- visit via Skype or FaceTime to discuss medson care, not add to it, to help with those ications, for ongoing care of a chronic illness or even for an urgent health concern. costs, cautioned Zimmer-Galler. In fact, adults 40 and older are just as open to at least some forms of telemediInterest rising in all ages As access for seniors promises to grow, cine as those under 40, with one exception: the AP-NORC Center poll shows widespread The older crowd is slightly less comfortAP PHOTO/PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS

By Lauran Neergaard and Emily Swanson Every morning, 92-year-old Sidney Kramer wraps a blood pressure cuff around his arm and steps on a scale, and readings of his heart health beam to a team of nurses — and to his daughter’s smartphone — miles from his Maryland home. Red flags? A nurse immediately calls, a form of telemedicine that is helping Kramer live independently by keeping his congestive heart failure under tight control. “It’s reassuring both psychologically and physically. The way he’s put it to me, it’s like having a doctor appointment every morning,” said Miriam Dubin, Kramer’s daughter. The vast majority of older Americans and their caregivers are ready to give virtual healthcare a try: Nearly 9 in 10 adults ages 40 and over would be comfortable using at least one type of telemedicine for themselves or an aging loved one, says a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But they want to make sure that an evisit or other remote care is just as good as they’d get in person, and that their health information stays private, according to the survey.

interest in telehealth. More than half of adults of all ages would be comfortable with a video

See TELEMEDICINE, page 8

Caring for your aging parent or loved one? It’s nnot all up to you. Call us. 240 0-777-3000 ADS@ @ MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

Aging & Disability Services Mon and Fri: Tue, Wed, & Thur:

8:30am – 5:00pm 8:30am – 7:30pm

A free service of your County Government

❏ Ashby Ponds (See ads on pages 14) ❏ Beverly Assisted Living (See ad on page 23) ❏ Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page 27) ❏ Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 30) ❏ Falcons Landing (See ad on page 5) ❏ Greenspring (See ad on page 14) ❏ Gum Springs Glen (See ad on page 32) ❏ Herndon Harbor House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Lockwood House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Morris Glen (See ad on page 32) ❏ Potomac Place (See ad on page 34) ❏ Sommerset (See ad on page B2) ❏ Tall Oaks Assisted Living (See ad on page 42) ❏ Vinson Hall (See ad on page 19) ❏ Waltonwood (See ad on page 16) ❏ Wingler House (See ad on page 32)

Clinical Trials

★

❏ Alzheimer’s Reversal Study (See article on page 20) ❏ Clover C. Diff. Vaccine Study (See ad on page 21) ❏ Fasting Diet Study (See ad on page 22) ❏ Healthy Research Volunteers (See ad on page 21) ❏ Hearing Research Study (See ad on page 21) ❏ Memory Loss Study (See ad on page 20) ❏ Speech Comprehension Study (See ad on page 20)

Please mail this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 or fax to (301) 949-8966

Address_______________________________________________________________ City______________________________________State______Zip________________ Phone (day)__________________________(evening)_________________________ E-mail_________________________________________________________________

WB9/18

I N F O R M A T I O N

F R E E

Name_________________________________________________ ____________

✃

I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E ★ I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E ★

Virginia

I N F O R M A T I O N

❏ Alfred House (See ad on page 10) ❏ Aspenwood Senior Living (See ad on page 35) ❏ Brooke Grove (See ads on pages 13, 23) ❏ Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 6) ❏ Covenant Village (See ad on page 32) ❏ Crossings, The (See ad on page 11) ❏ Emerson House (See ad on page 32) ❏ Gardens of Traville (See ad on page 36) ❏ Homecrest House (See ad on page 10) ❏ Homewood (See ad on page 15) ❏ Landing of Silver Spring, The (See ad on page 18) ❏ Landow House (See ad on page 33) ❏ Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 37) ❏ Park View Columbia (See ad on page 37) ❏ Park View Emerson (See ad on page 37) ❏ Park View Laurel (See ad on page 37) ❏ Riderwood (See ad on page 14) ❏ Sanctuary, The (See ad on page 19) ❏ Springvale Terrace (See ad on page 31) ❏ The Village at Rockville (See ads on pages 12, 28) ❏ Vantage House (See ad on page B2)

F R E E

Maryland

★

❏ Chevy Chase House (See ad on page 19) ❏ Friendship Terrace (see ad on page 16) ❏ Plaza West DC (see ad on page 35)

F R E E

See LINKS & APPS, page 8

District of Columbia

I N F O R M A T I O N

The nonprofit Veteran Artists Projects takes artists who are also veterans, and propels their works and careers into the mainstream creative arts community through networking, mentorships, collaborations with professional artists, and orig-

Like classic literature and enjoy listening to audio books? You’re in luck. LibriVox uses volunteers to read the more than 12,000 books in its catalogue. Listeners can download them to their computer, tablet or other digital device. To avoid skirmishes with the law, LibriVox’s books are only ones in the public domain. That means ones whose copyright has run out, generally those published before 1923. Find hundreds of children’s

Housing Communities

F R E E

Calling veteran artists

Free audio books

For free materials on housing communities and health studies, just complete and clip this coupon and mail it to the Beacon.

★

From Maine vacation spots to packing tips, the Associated Press’s free travel podcast “Get Outta Here!” offers short weekly conversations for both armchair travels and frequent flyers. Recent topics have touched on visiting Little Women author Louisa May Alcott’s Concord, Mass. home, when travel insurance is worth buying, and Disney trip tips. A year and a half of the episodes are available. http://apple.co/2s2ruHY

MAIL OR FAX FOR FREE INFORMATION

I N F O R M A T I O N

Links Travel podcasts

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

★

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

By Erin Yu & Barbara Ruben

inal productions. The group is now looking for new submissions for its Instagram page featuring artwork by veterans. Each week, the site features a new podcast with one of their artists, such as Bernardine “Bernie” Donato. She retired after working as a registered nurse for 40 years, 24 of those in the military. Donato started painting five years ago and now teaches workshops to others in her community. “Painting has given me an outlet for my demons and taken me to calmer places. It is my space for solitude where I can tune out, unwind, and create,” she says. http://traffic.libsyn.com/vappodcast/038.mp3

F R E E

Beacon Links & Apps

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Telemedicine From page 6 able discussing healthcare by text. Among caregivers, 87 percent say they’d be interested in using at least one form of telemedicine for that person’s medical needs. “I think the parents would be happier at home instead of being in the doctor’s office waiting an hour to see a doctor for 15 minutes,” said Don Withey of Cortland, N.Y., who helps his 92-year-old father and 89-yearold mother get to their appointments. But, “We don’t know much more about it, other than the fact you can talk to a doctor over

the computer or smartphone.” Just 12 percent of adults say they wouldn’t use any form of telemedicine. There are concerns. More than 30 percent of people worry about privacy or the security or health information. About half fear that telemedicine could lead to lowerquality care, the poll found. “It’s not about having a video screen or Skype in the home or even a blood pressure cuff in the home. It’s about the team that’s behind it and the clinicians who are supporting the care of that patient,” said Rachel DeSantis, chief of staff at Johns Hopkins Home Care Group, which provides the 92-year-old

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Kramer’s remote monitoring. The Hopkins program provides no-cost monitoring for a month or two to select high-risk patients after a hospitalization because research found it reduces their chances of readmission. When the monitor recorded Kramer’s weight creeping up one week, nurses immediately knew it was fluid build-up, a heart failure symptom that needed quick treatment. The machine is programmed for some educational feedback, too. Dubin says her dad learned quickly when to cut back. “If he enjoys a pastrami sandwich one day, he can see his numbers may be higher the next day.” Dubin says the reassurance was worth privately paying, about $250 a month, to

keep the monitoring once Kramer’s initial time in the program ended. The survey was conducted March 13 to April 5 by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, with funding from the SCAN Foundation. It involved interviews in English and Spanish with 1,945 adults, including 1,522 adults age 40 and over, who are members of NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. Results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. To learn about other AP-NORC long term care polls, see www.longtermcarepoll.org — AP

Links & Apps

Every day, sighted volunteers lend their eyes to solve tasks big and small, such as checking expiration dates, distinguishing colors, reading instructions or navigating new surroundings. The volunteer helps guide which direction to point the camera, what to focus on, or when to turn on the flashlight app so they can better see what needs to be described. Since it began, more than 91,000 visually impaired people have asked for help from volunteers more than 1.5 million times. The app operates in 150 countries, and 180 languages are accommodated. Be My Eyes, free in the Apple and Google Play stores

From page 7 books, along with plays, poetry, romance, short stories and more. LibriVox is also looking for volunteers to read additional books. Librivox.org

Virtual sight Be My Eyes is a free app that connects blind and low vision people with sighted volunteers and company representatives for visual assistance through a live video call.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Age-Friendly Montgomery “I’m inviting you to enjoy our County’s resources and programs.” County Executive Ike Leggett

Getting Around the County May Be Easier Than You Think …Even When You Need Extra Help Montgomery County hosts a variety of transportation options. Residents can choose transportation services based on their preferences and needs.

find out whether you live in an area served by a village, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/village or call ConnectA-Ride at 301-738-3252.

Connect-a-Ride is a free County-funded information and referral service run by Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA) that serves people over fifty and adults with disabilities. Mobility specialists ask callers about their individual circumstances, then describe transportation options available - both public and private. Some are low-cost or even free. In addition, ConnectA-Ride offers free “travel training” workshops to show residents how to use public transportation. Call 301-738-3252 for more information, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Senior Connection. This organization offers free transportation for medical appointments to County residents over the age of 60. Rides are based on the availability of volunteer drivers and should be requested three weeks in advance. For more information, call 301-962-0820.

MetroAccess is a shared-ride, door-to-door service for people who generally cannot use public transportation due to a disability. Applying for MetroAccess certification requires medical information and an in-person assessment (a ride to the appointment is available, if needed). Call 202-962-2700 and press 5 for information about program eligibility. Escorted Transportation. Fortunately, escorted transportation is available to help people who are unable to travel alone. Village Transportation. Some communities organize to help their neighbors age in place. Organizations with this purpose are called “villages.” Many villages recruit volunteers to provide escorted rides using their own personal vehicles. Some villages require fees to join, some offer scholarships, and still others are completely free. To

JCA’s Escorted Transportation. Volunteer organizations cannot meet every need for escorted transportation. JCA offers a County-funded escorted transportation program to eligible low/moderate-income residents. The program helps people unable to travel alone stay active in the community. For information, contact Connect-A-Ride at 301-738-3252. Private fee-based providers. One section of the comprehensive Transportation Network Directory contains detailed information about providers of escorted transportation, including private fee-based providers. Go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/tnd and explore the section called “Escorted Transportation,” or call Connect-A-Ride at 301-738-3252. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer driver, please call a sponsoring organization or contact Shawn Brennan, Mobility Manager, Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services at 240-777-1350.

• Aging & Disability Resource Line 240-777-3000

• 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 for County programs and services; 9-1-1 for emergency • www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

REVIEW MEDICARE PLANS NOW Medicare open season starts next month. Where to find free help JUST SWELL Mild leg swelling is relatively common and often nothing to worry about CARPAL TUNNEL CONCERNS Tingling and numbness in the fingers can be corrected by outpatient surgery PERCHANCE TO DREAM How common prescription medications can affect dreams and nightmares

Tailoring healthcare for older patients By Eleanor Laise When you visit a doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, hospital or nursing home, what determines the type of care you receive? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the question Dr. Muriel Gillick, professor of population medicine at Har vard Medical School, explores in Old and Sick in America: The Journey Through the Healthcare System (University of North Carolina Press, $30). All too often, Gillick argues, treatment decisions reflect the priorities of doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and Medicare â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best interests. In this edited conversation, Gillick talks about how patients and their families can get better care. Q: What are the biggest ways that medical care for older patients is falling short? A: I see the biggest problems for the sickest people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people we call frail, who have multiple chronic illnesses and have difficulty being independent. Our system is not well designed to handle those people. Q: Why is that? A: Often, what people who are frail need

is coordination of care â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called â&#x20AC;&#x153;high touchâ&#x20AC;? rather than high tech care. But our system is designed to provide technologically intensive, hospital-based care, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often not whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the best interest of this group of people. Q: How can older patients find higher-quality care? A: For someone who is frail and has multiple chronic conditions, a good place to start is to have a geriatrically oriented primary-care physician. [He or she] doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a board-certified geriatrician, but someone who has expertise and interest in older people with complex diseases. One way you can figure out if they have that interest is if they have a nurse practitioner and social workers working with them to coordinate care and deal with all these aspects of illness. And ask for a geriatric assessment if you feel that the doctor isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t addressing a lot of the problems you or a family member is experiencing. Q: What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment, and what should patients expect from it?

BCAT $&35*'*&%

ALFREDHOUSE ASSISTED LIVING M E M O RY C A R E

0GGFSJOH CPVUJRVF BTTJTUFE MJWJOH DPNNVOJUJFT TQFDJBMJ[JOH JO NFNPSZ DBSF NFOUBM IFBMUI TVQQPSU BOE NPSF

Schedule your tour today.

XXX BMGSFEIPVTF DPN

A: In addition to thinking about specific diseases in a conventional medical way, it looks at peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s functioning. Can you get out of a chair by yourself, bathe yourself, navigate the hall, take a bus or call for a cab? And what interventions might make it feasible for you to do those things? Would a cane, a walker, or a device to make your telephone louder help? Another part of a geriatric assessment is looking at cognitive ability. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to look at mobility, function and cognition, and put them all together. Q: Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about the hospital. You write about certain experiences, such as being on a ventilator, that may be burdensome for patients and best avoided if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not likely to provide a benefit. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your advice to patients on avoiding unwanted treatments or procedures in the hospital? A: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not talking about depriving people of things that are likely to be helpful or that they may genuinely desire. But for a lot of people, particularly with advanced conditions, the degree of benefit for some

of these more-invasive procedures is likely to be small, and the degree of suffering may be great. Ask, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What good will this do me? Why are you proposing this test? What is the alternative? What are the risks of this procedure?â&#x20AC;? At a more general level, advance care planning is a useful approach. Ideally before you get to the hospital, talk about the big picture of your illness and what your overall goals are. Q: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your advice for patients and their families on evaluating skilled-nursing facilities? A: There are ratings; Nursing Home Compare is one that Medicare provides [www.medicare.gov/nhcompare]. Word of mouth is still a very potent source of information. And accessibility for family members is very important. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at two places that have comparable care, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really important for it to be someplace family and friends can visit. ÂŠ 2018, Kiplinger. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Better early dementia detection is urged By Marilynn Marchione and Lindsey Tanner Too few people with signs of mental decline or dementia are getting checked during routine medical visits or told when a problem is found, according to a panel of Alzheimer’s disease experts who offered new guidance this summer. The idea is to get help sooner for people whose minds are slipping — even if there’s no cure. Though mental decline can be an uncomfortable topic for patients and their doctors, the panel said family physicians should do a thorough evaluation when concerning symptoms arise, and that they should share the diagnosis candidly. Patients and family members should push for an evaluation if they’re worried that symptoms might not be normal aging. For example, there’s a big difference between occasionally misplacing our keys, as we all do now and then, and putting them in the freezer or being confused about their function. “By the time you forget what the keys are for, you’re too far gone to participate in your own care. We’ve lost probably a decade” that could have been spent planning for that patient, said the panel’s leader, Dr. Alireza Atri, a neurologist at Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Arizona.

More than memory loss It’s not just memory that can suffer when mental decline starts, according to Atri.“It’s actually people’s judgment being off, their character and personality being off,” sometimes years before dementia is diagnosed, he said. About 50 million people worldwide have dementia; Alzheimer’s is the most common form. In the United States, nearly 6 million have Alzheimer’s, and almost 12 million have mild cognitive impairment, a frequent precursor. In 2015, Alzheimer’s Association research using Medicare records suggested that only about half of the people being treated for Alzheimer’s had been told by their healthcare provider that they had been diagnosed with the disease. “All too often, physicians will hear of some symptoms or memory complaints from patients or their spouse and say, ‘You know, you seem OK to me today, so check back in six months,’” said James Hendrix, an Alzheimer’s Association science specialist who worked with the panel. Meantime, the patient may end up hospitalized for problems such as forgetting to take a diabetes medicine because their mental impairment wasn’t brought to the attention of the patient and their family. “We hear stories all the time of people

taking years to get an accurate diagnosis,” said Nina Silverberg, a psychologist who runs Alzheimer’s programs at the National Institute on Aging, which had no role in the guidelines. Medicare recently started covering mental assessments as part of the free annual wellness visit that beneficiaries are eligible for. But doctors aren’t required to do it, and there is no guidance on how to do it, she said. In some cases, it might be as cursory as asking, “how’s your memory?” The expert panel was appointed by the Alzheimer’s Association and included primary care doctors, aging specialists, nurses and a psychiatrist. Broad guidelines were released at the group’s recent inter-

national conference in Chicago. Details will be published later this year. The guidelines do not recommend screening everyone. They outline what health workers should do if people describe worrisome symptoms. That includes: checking for risk factors that may contribute to dementia or other brain diseases (including family history, heart disease and head injuries), pen-andpencil memory tests, and imaging tests to detect small strokes or brain injuries that could be causing memory problems.

Tough topic Dr. Michael Sitorius, family medicine See EARLY DEMENTIA, page 12

Finding Inner Peace Through Meditation FREE LECTURE plus guided meditation Presented by

Brother Jitananda

September 19, 2018 7:00 P.M.

a monk of the

The Conference Center at the Self-Realization Fellowship Monastic Order

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

For further information,

Room A/B/C, Second Floor 1779 Massachusetts Ave NW

please call (301) 335-9343 or visit our website

Self-Realization Fellowship

Washington, DC 20036

The Teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda

https://find-innerpeace.eventbrite.com

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Early dementia From page 11 chairman at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said dealing with mental decline adds to the challenge of caring for often frail elderly patients. It’s a tough diagnosis to make for many doctors, he said, because medical training focuses on “trying to cure people, and Alzheimer’s and dementia are not curable.” He said he gives his older patients mental tests at their annual checkups — but that sometimes patients or loved ones don’t want to hear the results. In those cases, Sitorius still addresses related issues including depression, safeguarding medication, nutrition, and whether patients should continue driving.

He said the new guidelines are a welcome reminder for family doctors to tackle these issues earlier. “Clearly, we could do better,” he said. A diagnosis should never be withheld out of fear of making the patient depressed, according to Atri. “We strongly encourage a full disclosure,” including diagnosis, stage and prognosis, he said. At her daughter’s urging, Anne Hunt, 81, visited her family doctor in 2011 because of increasing forgetfulness. Hunt, who once ran a Chicago cooking school, recalls struggling with memory tests involving letters and numbers that her doctor had her perform. “I thought, ‘OK, this is it. I’m a vegetable,’” Hunt said. But the test results were inconclusive and there was no diagnosis.

=> .':%5'5!?02:1+/'@!&'0A0&;one. Check us out! • !"#$%&'()*!+', +!+-()*!+' • .%&/0'"&1+2'3!!45 • 6765','%#81!3!!45 • 90):+!$!/;')$%5505 • 6!<+$!%8%3$0'0-3!!45

• D2&0%?1+/'A180!5','?#51) • E))055'2!'$055!+5'@!&'1+52&#?0+25F' A!1)0'%+8'":;51)%$'%&2 • G0%$2:','<0$$+055'"&!/&%?5 • =00*+/'&!!?5',' )!$$%3!&%*!+'5"%)05

71512';!#&'$!)%$'$13&%&;'!&'<<<B?!+2/!?0&;)!#+2;?8B/!AC$13&%&;

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

“We didn’t do much about it,” said Bruce Hunt, Anne’s husband, until five years later, when her behavior was clearly worsening — more memory lapses, repeating herself and forgetting where to put things. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s after an imaging test showed brain changes often seen with the disease. Imaging tests are sometimes used along with mental tests to diagnose the disease or rule out other conditions.

Is it good to know? “There’s no pill they can take to make it go away, so some people think there’s no point to getting a diagnosis,” but that’s not true, the National Institute of Aging’s Silverberg said. “It really does offer an opportunity to plan.” Alzheimer’s medicines such as Aricept and Namenda can ease symptoms but aren’t a cure.

Experts say other benefits include a chance to resolve finances, find caregivers, make homes safer, join experiments testing treatments, and use memory aids and calendars to promote independent living. The Hunts joined support groups and a singing ensemble, hoping that trying new things would help them both cope. They were better prepared than some. Long before her diagnosis, they converted a vintage Chicago apartment building into two spacious homes so they could “age in place” with help from one of their daughters and her family. Anne Hunt said she had wanted to know the truth about her diagnosis. “Not to know is to wonder why things are happening to you,” she said. “I would rather know and have somebody help me figure out how can I control this to the best of my ability.” — AP

BEACON BITS

Sept. 26

HEALTH FAIR

Homecrest House presents a health fair on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Moskowitz Social Hall. There will be flu shots, blood pressure screenings, hearing tests, exhibitors, medical equipment and giveaways. Homecrest House is located at 14508 Homecrest Rd., Silver Spring, Md. RSVP is not required, but if you do so by Sept. 10, you will receive a special gift at the door. For more information or to RSVP, contact Princetta Jarry at (301) 244-3579, ext. 79, or email marketing@homecresthouse.org.

Independent Living

Rental Cottages Available at

Less This More This

Nexus Montgomery is a partnership among the six hospitals in Montgomery County, that connects people with services to help them remain healthy and independent. Learn More at NexusMontgomery.org

At The Village at Rockville - A National Lutheran Community you can enjoy cottage living without the entry fee.

Amenities include: • Social, recreational, educational, spiritual and cultural opportunities • Use of on-site care center (additional fees may apply) • Beauty Salon/Barbershop • Transportation services to medical appointments (additional fees may apply) • Walking trail with LifeTrail Wellness Stations • Housekeeping services • Dining venues • Fitness center • Chapel • Library and gift shop • Therapy services

Learn more at

www.thevillageatrockville.org or 301-281-6997 The Village at Rockville is sponsored by National Lutheran !""#$%&%'()*)+',-%.'(/)0)10%&2340('5/)$!&31!,36,!7&)"%$%(&,8)!1)&2') Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serving people of all beliefs.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

SEPTEMBER 2018

UPCOMING SEMINARS & EVENTS at Brooke Grove retirement village

As experts in senior care and memory support, Brooke Grove Retirement Village is pleased to offer seminars and events that promote physical, spiritual and mental well-being. All seminars and events will be held at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Brooke Grove Retirement Village campus, unless otherwise noted. Please register with Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org. Healthy Living Class: CHAIR YOGA September 17 through October 24

MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 9:45-10:30 A.M. Chair yoga can improve mobility, increase energy, improve physical function and otherwise enrich your life! Take the road toward better health with this class that is ideal for seniors or those with stiffness or movement limitations. Six-week Session Fee: $30 Reservations are requested by September 14. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. on September 17, and the class fee is due at that time.

Caregiver connection: “When the Caregiver Becomes the Decision Maker” TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 2-3 P.M. Are you a caregiver struggling with making the hard decisions for your parent or spouse? Do you feel guilty going against their wishes? During this seminar, you’ll learn about the stages of grief and loss of independence and discover strategies to cope with making decisions regarding caregiver duties, family feuds and financial issues.

Parkinson’s Support Group SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH • 2-3:15 P.M. PFNCA EXERCISE FOR PARKINSON’S CLASSES MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS ONGOING, 3:30-4:30 P.M. Improve posture, balance and circulation while also increasing strength, muscle control and mobility. FREE with a $30 annual Parkinson Foundation registration fee.

FREE. Register by September 16. living well seminar: “Gentle Yoga for Energy and Stress Relief” WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 1-2:15 P.M.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860

301-260-2320 · www.bgf.org

During this seminar, you’ll explore the latest research which shows that certain yoga poses can increase energy and reduce stress. You’ll also discover five easy-to-learn yoga poses that you can do at home to begin receiving these benefits right away. Preceded by complimentary lunch at 12:30 p.m. FREE. Register by September 17.

Independent living

assisted living

rehabilitation

long-term care

memory support

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Get help finding the best Medicare plans By Barbara Ruben and Rachel L. Sheedy Each autumn brings open enrollment season for Medicare, where beneficiaries can choose either a new Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D prescription drug plan if they would like to change providers for the coming year. Such changes can be made this year between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Because Medicare recipients’ medical needs and Part D plans both may change, it’s a good idea to review all your options before the deadline.

Watch your mailbox for your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change. It should arrive around the end of September, and will indicate any 2019 changes to the cost and coverage of your current plan. Pay particular attention to changes in drug formularies (the list of particular drugs covered by your insurance), drug pricing tiers, and co-pays for the drugs you take. For instance, “a drug in a lower tier with a $5 co-pay might be shifted to a different tier with a $10 co-pay or $20 co-pay,” said Brandy

Have Medicare Questions? Health insurance information and counseling for seniors, adults with disabilities and their families by expert counselors.

Medicare premiums

Part D Extra Help Open Enrollment

301-255-4250 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

www.medicareabcd.org SHIP is supported by a grant from U.S. Administration for Community Living and through the State of Maryland.

SPDAP LIS

Medicare savings programs SLMB

QMB

Bauer, communications manager for the National Council on Aging’s Center. “You wouldn’t believe how many people don’t pay attention to the information their plans mail to them,” said Raphael Espinoza, the director of Montgomery County’s Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as SHIP for short. “Those letters tell you the changes that are coming next year. In many cases, if not all, they will affect you directly,” Espinoza explained. “Your current plan may no longer cover the particular medications you are taking. If you do nothing [in such a case], then a drug that may have cost you $25 a month for the past year could start costing you $500 a month.”

SHIP offices offer free help One way to sort through the confusing thicket of plans, tiers, copays and more is to enlist the help of SHIP, a federal government-supported service available throughout the U.S. SHIP programs sometimes go by another name. In Virginia, for example, it is known as the Virginia Insurance and Counseling Program (VICAP). Throughout the year, these free health insurance counseling services provide information about and assistance with all facets of Medicare. Most SHIPs also offer free telephone coun-

seling services that can answer questions about coverage, assess eligibility for Extra Help programs (which assist those with lower incomes to pay their drug costs), and share insights about how to resolve issues. So far this year, Montgomery County SHIP experts found $356,000 in drug cost savings for the 148 Medicare beneficiaries who sought their help. In fact, 120 of those getting assistance were told to change drug plans to save money. Twelve were able to save $5,000 by following SHIP’s advice! Fairfax County’s VICAP program saved Medicare recipients $1.6 million between fall 2016 and fall 2017, said assistant program director Kristin Helfer Koester. This includes not just Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans savings, but also appeals that are filed when benefits are denied. The Montgomery County SHIP office requires those requesting help during this busy period to fill out a worksheet that includes information on the drugs they are currently taking. The form must be returned to SHIP by Nov. 10 in order for the analysis and results to be returned to you so you can make changes before the open enrollment deadline of Dec. 7. To request a form or other information from your local insurance counseling proSee MEDICARE, page 15

Learn about senior living at Ashby Ponds, Greenspring, and Riderwood. Request your FREE brochure from the premier retirement communities in Ashburn, VA; Springfield, VA; and Silver Spring, MD. Get the facts about our vibrant lifestyle, stylish apartment homes, expert health care, and so much more!

12630253

There’s no risk in learning more! Call 1-877-575-0231 or visit EricksonLiving.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Medicare From page 14 gram, see the contact information at the end of this article.

How to do it yourself You can also find the best plan for you on your own with the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Type in your Zip code, the drugs you take and the dosages. The online tool will calculate your total costs (premiums plus out-of-pocket costs for your drugs) for each plan available in your area. When weighing your options, these three C’s are critical: costs, coverage and convenience. These three can intertwine. You may prefer to pick up your prescriptions at your

local pharmacy, for instance, but getting prescriptions by mail could be cheaper. You may also run into plans that use step therapy, in which you have to try a generic first before you can go to a brand-name drug. In comparing plans, consider your outof-pocket drug costs as well as monthly premiums, because some plans may offer low premiums but require higher out-ofpocket costs. Also look at co-pays, particularly for retail pharmacy networks.

Medicare Advantage Plans People shopping for Medicare Advantage Plans need to pay attention not only to drug costs and coverage but also to provider networks. These plans are offered by private companies approved by

Note to Md. State retirees As part of state pension reform lawmakers approved in 2011, retired state employees eligible for Medicare will be moving from the state’s prescription drug program to the federal Medicare Part D program in January. State retirees must sign up for Part D by Dec. 7 to be covered next year. In a one-year transition program, the state will reimburse all out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenses for affected retirees that go over $1,500. That’s the

Medicare. Most include a drug benefit. Unlike traditional Medicare, Advantage plans have limited provider networks — and some networks are narrower than others. If you have certain doctors you like to see, check to see if their services will be covered — and what your costs would be if they aren’t in a particular plan’s network. Also, some Advantage plans offer coverage that traditional Medicare doesn’t, such as for vision and dental care, or hearing aids. Compare those extras as well.

limit under the current state plan. Officials say additional help for state retirees will come through the state’s Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program. It helps low- and middle-income residents with their Medicare Part D premium and coverage gap costs. To learn more about the changes, see https://dbm.maryland.gov/benefits/Pages /EGWP.aspx. Information is also being mailed to state retirees’ homes. For more information, call (410) 767-4775.

vol • un • teer It’s a person who changes a child’s life forever Join Us. Experience Corps volunteers – people age 50 and older – help children in kindergarten through third grade learn to read. Join us at one of the following information sessions to learn how you can become a reading tutor and transform the lives of students in the DC Metro Area.

Upcoming Sessions:

Thursday, September 6, 2018 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 19, 2018 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 9, 2018 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Information sessions held at 601 E. St. NW, Washington, DC 20049

How to contact your local SHIP In Maryland:

Montgomery County SHIP: (301) 255-4211 Prince George’s County SHIP: (301) 2658450 In Northern Virginia: There are three offices of the Virginia Insurance and Counseling Program, VICAP: Fairfax County: (703) 324-5851 Arlington County: (703) 228-1700 Alexandria: (703) 746-5999, option 1 In Washington, D.C.: The Health Insurance Counseling Project: (202) 994-6272 Rachel L. Sheedy writes for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, from which part of this article is taken.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Mild leg swelling relatively common issue Dear Mayo Clinic: I am 81 and in good health, but my legs sometimes become swollen. They don’t hurt, and it doesn’t feel like anything else is wrong. Why might this be happening? Is it something I should see my healthcare provider for? Answer: Mild leg swelling in both legs without any other symptoms is relatively common in older adults and usually not serious. Still, it is recommended that you talk to your healthcare provider, as the cause or causes can be a sign of a more serious disorder. Leg swelling caused by the retention of fluid in leg tissues is known as peripheral edema. Edema occurs when there’s a dis-

ruption in the way your body balances fluids. This causes fluids to leak out of tiny blood vessels and build up in surrounding tissues. In addition to swelling, you may notice stretched or shiny skin, or skin that stays indented after being pressed for at least five seconds. There are a number of things that can cause this fluid buildup in both legs — including the feet, ankles, calves and thighs — without other symptoms. It can occur after having consumed more salt than usual the day before. Being overweight also can lead to swelling, as can standing or sitting for an extended period of time, or wearing tight stockings. Leg swelling is also a side effect of cer-

tain medications, such as calcium channel blockers, corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Treatment options If your healthcare provider diagnoses mild edema without a worrisome cause, treatment may involve: • Weight loss • Exercise, possibly including swimming pool exercises, in which water pressure on the legs redistributes fluids • Elevating the legs for an hour or two each day • Minimizing salt intake • Compression stockings to prevent fluid retention • Adjusting a medication that may be contributing to edema

More serious concerns Sometimes, edema can have a more serious underlying cause. This is particularly true with swelling that occurs in only one leg or in conjunction with other signs and

Come discover a little piece of paradise at Waltonwood Ashburn!

symptoms, such as shortness of breath, abdominal swelling or high blood pressure. Potentially serious causes of edema may include blood clots in your leg, problems with your lymphatic system, liver or kidney disease, thyroid problems, sleep apnea, malnourishment or heart failure. In these cases, treatment is directed toward the underlying cause, often in addition to the treatment steps mentioned above. Make an appointment to see your healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms. He or she will be able to address your concerns and offer treatment options for your situation. — Robert McBane, M.D., Vascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org. 2018 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education And Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

Open House Saturday, September 29 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Waltonwood Ashburn is an upscale senior living community catering to seniors who desire social opportunities and luxury amenities. Attend our Open House to meet your new neighbors and the people that can help you move in! Food & tropical refreshments | Entertainment Exclusive event depositor specials

Hawaiian attire welcome A SHBURN

RSVP today

(571) 982-6318

The Fun ! e r e H s t r a St You might say that Friendship Terrace residents rock around the clock... and the block! With a full calendar of activities scheduled inside our community (such as exercise classes, concerts, fascinating lectures, holiday parties, and more), there is always fun to be found! !"# $# %$&# !"# '()*+# ,!'# +*-# +!.'/0# "-1(%-'+1# 2$'# 3'%# 1*!44(')/# restaurants, and entertainment within walking distance. And with the Tenleytown Metro stop just two blocks away, residents can enjoy the endless opportunities found throughout Washington, DC.

Experience the fun for yourself! Call 202-244-7400 (TRS 711) to schedule a visit. Independent Living, Assisted Living & Memory Care 44141 Russell Branch Parkway, Ashburn, VA 20147 Waltonwood.com | SinghJobs.com

FriendshipTerrace.org 1-800-643-3769 DC RELAY SERVICE • 1-800-643-3768 TTY 4201 Butterworth Place, NW, Washington, DC 20016

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Meet the future of personal transportation.

It’s not a Wheelchair... It’s not a Power Chair... It’s a Zinger! 10”

The Zinger folds to a mere 10 Inches.

More and more Americans are reaching the age where mobility is an everyday issue. Whether from an injury or from the everyday aches and pains that come from getting older– getting around isn’t as easy as it used to be. You may have tried a power chair or a scooter. The Zinger is NOT a power chair or a scooter! The Zinger is quick and nimble, yet it is not prone to tipping like many scooters. Best of all, it weighs only 47.2 pounds and folds and unfolds with ease so you can take it almost anywhere, providing you with independence and freedom. Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a mobility device that’s truly unique. They created a battery that provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. The Zinger features two steering levers, one on either side of the seat. The user pushes both levers down to go forward, pulls them both up to brake, and pushes one while pulling the other to turn to either side. This enables great mobility, the ability to turn on a dime and to pull right up to tables or desks. The controls are right on the steering

arm so it’s simple to operate, and its exclusive footrest swings out of the way when you stand up or sit down. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the Zinger is sturdy and durable yet lightweight and comfortable! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat or trunk– you can even gate-check it at the airport like a stroller. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life. It folds in seconds without tools and is safe and reliable. It holds up to 250 pounds, and it can go up to 6 mph and operates for up to 8 hours on a single charge. Why spend another day letting mobility issues hamper your independence or quality of life?

Zinger Chair Call now toll free and get FREE Shipping

1-888-808-7963 Please mention code 109818 when ordering.

Just think of the places you can go: • Shopping • Air Travel • Bus Tours Not intended for use by individuals restricted to a sitting position and not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Zinger is not a medical device. © 2018 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

83922

• Restaurants – ride right up to the table! • Around town or just around your house

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Looking beyond CPAP for sleep apnea By Carla K. Johnson Every night without fail, Paul Blumstein straps on a mask that prevents him from repeatedly waking up, gasping for air. It’s been his routine since he was diagnosed with a condition called sleep apnea. While it helps, he doesn’t like wearing the mask. “It’s like an octopus has clung to my face,” said Blumstein, 70, of Annandale, Va. “I just want to sleep once in a while without that feeling.”

It’s been two decades since doctors fully recognized that breathing that stops and starts during sleep is tied to a host of health issues, even early death. But there still isn’t a treatment that most people find easy to use. Airway pressure masks, the most common remedy, have improved in design, getting smaller and quieter. But patients still complain about sore nostrils, dry mouths and claustrophobia. Now, new ways of conquering sleep

apnea, and the explosive snoring that comes with it, are vying for a place in the bedrooms of millions of people craving a good night’s sleep. Products range from a $350 restraint meant to discourage sleeping on one’s back, to a $24,000 surgical implant that pushes the tongue forward with each breath. Mouthpieces, fitted by dentists, work for some people but have their own problems, including jaw pain. Some patients try surgery, but it often doesn’t work. Doctors recommend weight loss, but diet and exercise can be challenging for people who aren’t sleeping well. So far, no pills for sleep apnea exist, but researchers are working on it. One drug containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, showed promise in a study this year. Called dronabinol, the pill already is used to ease chemotherapy side effects. A small experiment in 73 people with sleep apnea suggests it helps some, but wasn’t

completely effective.

Why sleep apnea is dangerous What is sleep apnea? In people with the condition, throat and tongue muscles relax and block the airway during sleep. They stop breathing — sometimes for up to a minute, and hundreds of times each night — then awake with loud gasping and snoring. That prevents them from getting deep, restorative sleep. They are more likely than others to have strokes, heart attacks and heart rhythm problems, and they’re more likely to die prematurely. But it’s hard to tease out whether those problems are caused by sleep apnea itself, or by excess weight, lack of exercise or something else entirely. For specialists, the first-choice, moststudied remedy remains continuous posiSee SLEEP APNEA, page 19

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE EXERCISE CLASSES

Chevy Chase at Home offers three types of exercise classes that are open to the general public, including “Dance and Song for Seniors” on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and “Zumba Gold” on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chevy Chase Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. For more information or to register, visit chevychaseathome.org or call (301) 657-3115.

Assisted Living that’s fit for a…well, you know.

Isn’t it about time you were treated like royalty? You bet it is. Come see for yourself just what assisted living with A Whole Lotta Heart is all about. Please call 301.200.0928 now to schedule a personal visit .

OPENING LATE 2018 • INFO CENTER NOW OPEN

By appointment only. Call 301.200.0928 to schedule. 13908 New Hampshire Ave • TheLandingofSilverSpring.com

Ongoing

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP

Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna hosts a free support group for caregivers of adult family members with dementia the first and third Thursdays of each month. The facilitated meetings are from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, Program Building, 2709 Hunter Mill Rd., Oakton, Va. For more information, contact a facilitator Jack Tarr at jtarr5@verizon.net or visitwww.scov.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Sleep apnea From page 18 tive airway pressure, or CPAP. It’s a motorized device that pumps air through a mask to open a sleeper’s airway. While scientists haven’t proved CPAP helps people live longer, evidence shows it can reduce blood pressure, improve daytime sleepiness, lessen snoring, and reduce the number of times a patient stops breathing. CPAP also improves quality of life, mood and productivity.

Problems with CPAP About 5 million Americans have tried CPAP, but up to a third gave up during the first several years because of discomfort and inconvenience. Researchers are now focused on how to get people to use a mask more faithfully, and predicting who is likely to abandon it and could start instead with a dental device. “It’s the bane of my existence as a sleep doctor,” said Dr. James Rowley of Wayne State University in Detroit. “A lot of what sleep doctors do in the first few months after diagnosis is help people be able to use their CPAP.” Getting it right quickly is important because of insurers’ use-it-or-lose-it policies. Medicare and other insurers stop paying for a rented CPAP machine if a new patient isn’t using it enough. But patients often have trouble with set-

tings and masks, and get little help from equipment suppliers, according to Dr. Susan Redline of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Surgical implants All told, it can drive people toward surgery. Victoria McCullough, 69, of Escondido, California, was one of the first to receive a pacemaker-like device that stimulates a nerve to push the tongue forward during sleep. Now, more than 3,000 people worldwide have received the Inspire implant. Infections and punctured lungs have been reported; the company says serious complications are rare. McCullough said she asked her doctor to remove the device soon after it was activated in 2015. “It was Frankenstein-ish. I didn’t like it at all,” McCullough said. “My tongue was just thrashing over my teeth.” Others like the implant. “My quality of life is 100 percent better,” said Kyleene Perry, 74, of Edmonds, Washington, who got one in February after struggling with CPAP for two years. “People are saying, ‘You look so much better.’ I have a lot more energy.” As the search for better treatments continues, listening to patients will be key, said Redline. “We are actually just treating a very tiny percentage of people effectively,” she said. — AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

The Sanctuary a Mount Jezreel Senior Housing Community

NOW LEASING Brand New Affordable Senior Housing in Silver Spring, MD Feel a sense of home at The Sanctuary. Live amongst other seniors in a brand-new, safe and affordable community. Your new apartment home has a spacious !!"#$%&'#()*+#,!-."'#-./)0'# and appliances. One- and twobedroom apartments available. Apply now! Call (301) 242-9609. Income restrictions apply. 426 University ity Boulevard East, Silver Spring, MD 20901 www.TheSanctuaryatMountJezreel.com

APPRAISAL EVENT Featuring David Quinn of

Antiques Roadshow, Season 15 & Donna Eichelberger, Owner Graceful Transitions, LLC, senior move management

TRASH OR TREASURE? TUESDAY, SEPT. 25 Experience a premiere senior living community One rich in tradition with the ideal independent lifestyle. Established in 1969, Vinson Hall Retirement Community is a vibrant senior living community: independent living serves !""#$$#!%&'()%#*!+"&'($&+,# &(!*-# &+$(.%'(/0&#+(#""&'#./&( families as well as federal government employees with a similar "#1#/.+2(3. 45+!)%'6(7!("#1#/.+2(!+(5!,&+%"&%/(.*-#1#./#!%( required for assisted living and nursing care.

2-4 p.m.

Bring One Item to Be Appraised and learn about how to downsize !"#$%&'%!()$*+$(,%$-%./

!"#$"%&'((

)*+!,*-*"+%.$--/"!+0

supported by Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation

www.vinsonhall.org

5420 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20015 www.meridiansenior.com/chevychasehouse

(202) 686-5504

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Studies Page

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Drug study will try to reverse Alzheimer’s By Barbara Ruben With 5.7 million Americans already living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number that is expected to more than double in 30 years, researchers are racing to find the culprits that lead to the memory loss and confusion Alzheimer’s disease can cause. One suspect is a type of protein in the brain called beta-amyloid. Researchers believe fragments of this protein can accumu-

late and stick together, disrupting communications between brain cells. A new study called Trailblazer-Alz targets beta-amyloid with two investigational drugs — one aimed at preventing betaamyloid from forming, and the other to remove it from the brain. This is the first clinical trial that examines if these two drugs together can help people with Alzheimer’s. “What we’re thinking is that the cure for

BEACON BITS

Sept. 20

VISION LOSS AND FALLS

Vision Resources, Inc. presents a free program on preventing falls on Thursday, Sept. 20 from noon to 1 p.m. with Tonya Walton, a certified brain and balance specialist, who will provide information and motivational strategies to enhance your safety and quality of life. Learn about how small changes in your sight can cause a potentially life-altering fall, and about the importance of building balance, strength and flexibility. The talk takes place at Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 South Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. For more information or to register, call (301) 656-2797.

Alzheimer’s disease will likely be a cocktail of drugs, as HIV is treated,” said Dr. James Bicksel, a neurologist with Re: Cognition Health in Fairfax, Va. Finding a way to stop the disease process with drugs is the most important way to fight Alzheimer’s, Bicksel said. “I see people doing crosswords, doing Sudoku. None of that works. It’s only through clinical trials that we will be able to cure this,” he said. Re:Cognition Health is one of 70 facilities in the U.S. and Canada participating in the Trailblazer-Alz study.

Who can participate? To take part in the study, patients must be age 60 to 85, with Alzheimer’s disease or have had memory loss for six months or more that has become gradually worse over time. They must also have a family member or close friend who is with the pa-

tient for at least 10 hours per week and can attend study appointments. The study will last for up to two years and five months, and will involve up to 26 study appointments. During the study, patients will be randomly divided into three groups. One will receive both drugs, the second group will receive just one of the drugs, and the third will receive a placebo, a similarly administered drug with no active ingredient. Neither the patients nor the doctors will know who is in which group of the study. Participants will go through a screening process during which their eligibility to participate will be determined. They will receive all study-related care from a research doctor at no cost, and may be compensated for time and travel expenses. For additional information, or to volunteer, call (703) 520-9703 or visit www.recognition.health.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 27

FREE ALZHEIMER’S CONFERENCE

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) presents a free Alzheimer’s and caregiver educational conference on Thursday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conference is open to family and professional caregivers, individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, and the general public. It will be held at the Waterford at Fair Oaks, located at 12025 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., Fairfax, Va. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Peter Davies, Director of the Litwin-Zucker Center for Alzheimer’s Disease & Memory Disorders at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. There will also be a discussion on the five pillars of brain health, led by Sarah Lenz Lock, senior vice president of policy, research and international for AARP. Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/AlzheimersConference.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Health Shorts Drug may slow Alzheimer’s disease Hopes are rising again for a drug to alter the course of Alzheimer’s disease after decades of failures. An experimental therapy slowed mental decline by 30 percent in patients who got the highest dose in a mid-stage study, and it removed much of the sticky plaque gumming up their brains, the drug’s makers said recently. The results have been highly anticipated and have sent the stock of the two companies involved soaring in recent weeks. The drug from Eisai and Biogen did not meet its main goal in a study of 856 participants, so overall, it was considered a flop. But company officials said that 161 people who got the highest dose every two weeks for 18 months did significantly better than 245 people who were given a dummy treatment. There are lots of caveats about the work, which was led by company scientists rather than academic researchers, and was not reviewed by outside experts. The

study also was too small to be definitive, and the results need to be confirmed with more work, dementia experts said. But they welcomed any glimmer of success after multiple failures. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, whose international conference in Chicago featured the results. “A 30 percent slowing of decline is something I would want my family member to have,” and the drug’s ability to clear the brain plaques “looks pretty amazing,” she said. Study participants were given one of five doses of BAN2401 or a dummy treatment via IV. After one year, the companies said the drug didn’t meet statistical goals. But after 18 months, they saw a benefit in the highest dose group. On one traditional measure of thinking skills, those at the highest dose declined 47 percent less than people given a dummy treatment. Brain scans added evidence that the drug might be effective. All participants had signs of the sticky plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s at the start of the study, but 81 percent of people on the highest dose saw all signs of them disap-

BEACON BITS

Sept. 13

COFFEE AND GRIEF SUPPORT Chesapeake Life Center presents “Coffee and Conversation,” a

monthly morning grief support group and an informal gathering that provides a safe place for sharing and learning about grief while exploring coping strategies. The group meets on the second Thursday of the month from 10 to 11:30 a.m. from Sept. 13 through Dec. 13 at Prince George’s County office, 9500 Medical Center Dr., Suite 250, Largo, Md. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (888) 501-7077 or email griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

pear after 18 months, an Eisai official said.

Ultrasound opens blood-brain barrier The so-called blood-brain barrier prevents germs and other damaging substances from leaching in through the bloodstream — but it can block drugs for Alzheimer’s, brain tumors and other neurologic diseases, too. A handful of Alzheimer’s patients signed up for a bold experiment: They let scientists beam sound waves into their brain to temporarily jiggle an opening in its protective shield. Scientists have long tried different strategies to overcome the blood-brain barrier with little success. The brain’s

blood vessels are lined with cells that form tight junctions, almost like a zipper. The barrier lets in select small molecules. Often, treatments for brain diseases are too big to easily pass. The new approach: Scientists inject microscopic bubbles into the bloodstream. Through an MRI scanner, they aim at a precise brain area. Then they beam ultrasound waves through a helmet-like device to that spot. The pulses of energy make the microbubbles vibrate, loosening those zipper-like junctions in hopes that medications could slip inside. Canadian researchers reported early hints that the technology can safely poke holes in that barrier — holes that quickly sealed back up. It’s a step toward one day See HEALTH SHORTS, page 22

Health shorts From page 21 using the non-invasive device to push brain treatments through. This first-step research, conducted in just six people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, checked if patients’ fragile blood vessels could withstand the breach

without bleeding or other side effects. It didn’t test potential therapies. More safety testing is needed, but “it’s definitely promising,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah of the National Institute on Aging, who wasn’t involved with the study. “What is remarkable is that they could do it in a very focused way, they can target a very specific brain region.”

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Alzheimer’s isn’t the only target. A similar safety study is underway in Lou Gehrig’s disease. And researchers are testing if the tool helps more chemotherapy reach the right spot in people with a deadly brain tumor called glioblastoma.

Coffee may boost longevity Go ahead and have that cup of coffee, maybe even several more. New research shows it may boost chances for a longer life, even for those who down eight cups or more daily. In a study of nearly half-a-million British adults, coffee drinkers had a slightly lower risk of death than abstainers. The apparent longevity boost was seen with instant, ground and decaffeinated, results that echo U.S. research. Overall, coffee drinkers were about 10 to 15 percent less likely to die than abstain-

ers during a decade of follow-up. Differences by amount of coffee consumed and genetic variations were minimal. The results don’t prove your coffee pot is a fountain of youth, nor are they a reason for abstainers to start drinking coffee, said Alice Lichtenstein, a Tufts University nutrition expert who was not involved in the research. But she said the results reinforce previous research and add additional reassurance for coffee drinkers. “It’s hard to believe that something we enjoy so much could be good for us. Or at least not be bad,” Lichtenstein said. The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. It’s not clear exactly how drinking coffee might affect longevity. Lead author Erikka Loftfield, a researcher at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, said coffee contains more than 1,000 chemical compounds including antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage. Other studies have suggested that substances in coffee may reduce inflammation and improve how the body uses insulin, which can reduce chances for developing diabetes. Loftfield said efforts to explain the potential longevity benefit are continuing. — AP

BEACON BITS

Oct. 13

ALZHEIMER’S WALK

The Washington, D.C. Walk to End Alzheimer’s is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the National Mall, 4th St. and Madison Dr. in Washington, D.C. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the ceremony at 9:30 a.m. The walk begins at 10 a.m. Register in advance and raise money for this worthy cause. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/AlzheimersWalkDC2018.

Sale

VALID SEPT. 2 TO SEPT. 15, 2018

$15

OFF $20 OFF ALL SHOES & HANDBAGS* OR

*Reg. priced only. Cannot be combined with other offers.

EACH PAIR OF SHOES WITH PURCHASE OF 2 OR MORE PAIRS*

SCENIC

JOURNEY

GREENBRIAR TOWN CENTER

13005-R Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy. (Rt. 50) Fairfax, Virginia 703-773-7463 Fairfax Cty. Parkway

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

OPEN: Mon., Tues., Wed., Sat. 10-6; Thurs. & Fri. 10-8 ALSO OPEN: Sun., Sept. 2 & Sun., Sept. 9 from 11-5

Rt. 50 - Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy. 1 mi. GREENBRIAR TOWN CENTER

Rt. 7100

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Qs and As on carpal tunnel; baby aspirin By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I get numbness and tingling in my fingers. It’s worse at night. Does that sound like carpal tunnel syndrome? A: You probably have made the right self-diagnosis. But you should make an appointment with your doctor to confirm it. Carpal tunnel syndrome is very common. It happens when the median nerve — which runs down your arm and into your hand — gets compressed within a narrow space in the wrist known as the carpal tunnel. At first you might think all of your fingers feel numb. But typically the numbness and tingling of carpal tunnel syndrome affects the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger. Your little finger is typically not affected because it is served by a different nerve (the ulnar nerve). Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome often occur during sleep, causing people to wake up and shake their hand. Your doctor can usually diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome based on your symptoms and a physical examination. But in some cases, you may need additional tests to ensure that those symptoms aren’t being caused by another condition, such as a pinched nerve in your neck or peripheral neuropathy. If your symptoms or exam do not fit the classic pattern, your doctor may order a

nerve conduction study and electromyogram (EMG). This test uses an electrical signal to determine how well the nerve is working. For mild cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, wearing a splint at night and intermittently during the day may be all it takes to relieve symptoms. If symptoms persist, your doctor might recommend a corticosteroid injection to reduce inflammation and swelling. Any hand grip weakness or symptoms that interfere with daily function, or frequently wake you up at night, mean you should strongly consider surgery to decompress the nerve. Most often the surgery can be done using a local anesthetic. Unless you do a job that involves manual labor, you can quickly return to normal activities. Q: I am thinking about taking a baby aspirin every day to prevent a heart attack or stroke. But it seems the recommendations keep changing. How do you decide? A: Taking a daily aspirin isn’t something you should decide to do on your own. While it may sound like a good idea, there are risks to taking even low dose aspirin. So talk it over with your doctor before you start. Everyone’s blood has a tendency to form clots. We need clots to stop any bleeding that may start, such as from a cut

or a stomach ulcer. On the other hand, if clots form too easily, they can plug up an artery, causing a heart attack or the most common kind of stroke. Aspirin works to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke because it reduces the tendency of blood to clot. But that means aspirin also increases the tendency to bleed. Aspirin therapy is typically prescribed to people who have had a heart attack or stroke. Other candidates for anti-clotting

therapy include people who’ve had coronary artery bypass surgery, people who’ve had a stent implanted to keep an artery open, and people with peripheral artery disease (significant plaque buildup in the leg arteries). As a purely preventive therapy, who should take aspirin and at what dose is hotly debated. The more cardiovascular risk factors you have, the more likely you

PARKINSON’S POINTERS “Parkinson’s and Hospitalization” A free, livestream event followed by a question-and-answer session

Presented by Stephen Grill, MD, PhD, co-founder, Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Center of Maryland

wednesday, SEPTEMBER 26 • 6:30-8 p.m. check-in & Hor d’oeuvres • 6 p.m. Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center 18131 Slade School Road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

Hospitalization can be a significant challenge for Parkinson’s patients, medical professionals and caregivers. Learn how you can decrease the likelihood of complications during a planned or unexpected hospitalization by adequately preparing in advance.

www.bgf.org For more information or to register, contact Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org by September 24.

See Qs AND As, page 25

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

In your dreams: the effect of medications Sleeping is one of the great pleasures in who woke up from a dream wondering if life, unless you have bad dreams or night- there was a way to “download the web” and mares. Then it can be pure rank web pages by inbound misery. links. He went on to become a Most of us do dream durco-founder of Google! ing sleep, In fact, we have Now 45 years old, Page has a about 100,000 dreams during net worth according to Forbes the average lifetime. of $52 billion. Talk about makBut most of us don’t reing money when you sleep! member our dreams. StatisHere are some facts about tics say that within five or ten dreaming that you may be inminutes of waking up, about terested in. 90 percent of your dreams are Anxiety is the most common DEAR forgotten, unless you write emotion felt during dreams. You PHARMACIST them down right after waking. might experience it as falling, By Suzy Cohen Luckily, a man named Larry flying, or feeling unprepared or Page remembered his dream. humiliated in your dream. He was a 23-year-old computer scientist You might become incapable of movement

during a vivid dream. That’s because dreams tend to occur during the REM phase of sleep. During this time, characterized by rapid eye movements (hence REM), your muscles go into a mild state of paralysis so that dreaming can occur safely. This prevents us from acting out, and running or jumping out a window if we’re chased in a dream. If you lose your sight later in life, you can still dream visually like when you had your eyesight. Those who were born blind may not dream in realistic images, but can still dream and experience sounds, touch sensations and emotions during their dream state. Those of us who grew up with black and white TVs tend to dream mostly in black and white. It’s not that you can’t dream in color. It’s just that more dreams are in black and white than in color if you’re older. I can’t explain why, but it’s been proven. Dogs dream. You will often hear them whimper or see their paws twitching. When this happens, it is believed they are running in their dreams. Here are how some common medications can affect your dreams: Acid reflux drugs Heartburn medications such as ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid), used to treat heartburn, can sometimes induce vivid dreams and nightmares. So can allergy drugs like diphenhydramine. Antidepressants Antidepressants such as fluoxetine and

paroxetine increase serotonin and may trigger intense or disturbing dreams that seem to go on all night. Antihistamines Think of Benadryl, an allergy drug that is relabeled and sold as a sleep aid. It can definitely help one sleep, but it can also cause vivid dreaming and, in rare instances, sleep walking. Antihistamines suppress cholinergic compounds in the body, leading to dryness. They also interfere with REM sleep. Asthma If you have asthma or obstructive airway disease, you are more likely to have bad dreams. And if you take medications to treat it, this increases the risk of vivid dreams and nightmares even further. Some research was done on montelukast (Singulair), and there appears to be a link between this drug and nightmares, especially in children. Please do not stop medication for this condition. Just be aware of the possible side effects, and more compassionate to your child if they wake in the wee hours with a bad dream. Blood pressure drugs Blood pressure pills interfere with sleep. There is well-documented evidence that drugs in this category can trigger nightmares, and this side effect alone often causSee DEAR PHARMACIST, page 26

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

The care you need to get you back to your life.

RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS

The American Red Cross Office of the CFO is looking for volunteers to train to be an Advanced Master Instructor, Volunteer Engagement Lead, or Recovery Policy Volunteer. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/RedCrossVolunteers.

Best Senior Care Gets Thumbs Up

ManorCare - Largo

301.434.0500

301.350.5555

ManorCare - Bethesda

ManorCare - Potomac

301.530.9000

301.299.2273

ManorCare - Chevy Chase

ManorCare - Silver Spring

301.657.8686

301.890.5552

ManorCare - Hyattsville

ManorCare - Wheaton

301.559.0300

301.942.2500

ManorCare - Adelphi

• Companionship, Meal Assistance, Medication Reminders, Personal Hygiene Assistance, Grocery Shopping, and much more • A family company: You will always speak directly with our owner • Only highly qualified and experienced caregivers • Fully licensed, bonded, and insured

301-717-2212

www.bestseniorcare.us RSA # R 2041

Experience Makes a Difference.

Complimentary Consultation and Assessment Expires 9/30/18

You may qualify for services at no cost! Call now for details.

WB 9/18

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Easy, make-ahead bean and corn salad By Katie Workman This is one of those salads that just saves the day over and over again. Here are the reasons I love this salad: It’s fast, it’s really easy, it’s inexpensive, it’s crowd-pleasing, it’s vegetarian, it’s substantial, it’s colorful, it’s protein-filled, it’s a meal in itself, it looks great on a buffet, it’s super portable, it’s season-less, it’s makeahead, it’s flexible, it can be doubled or tripled (or halved, but that’s not so much the point of this big-batch salad). I could keep going, but if you’re not convinced by now, I think you probably aren’t going to be.

Southwestern black bean and corn salad Servings: 10 Start to finish: 20 minutes

Qs and As From page 23 will benefit from taking aspirin. Those risk factors include diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, a high LDL cholesterol, a family history of heart disease, obesity and physical inactivity. But there are risks, even with low-dose aspirin. Since aspirin reduces the blood’s ability to form clots, it also increases the risk of internal bleeding. The most common form of serious bleeding is from the stomach or upper intestine. Rarely, bleeding into the brain can occur, which may result in disability or death. That is why you should discuss whether to be on aspirin therapy with your doctor and not just start taking it on your own. Although most doctors recommend a “baby” aspirin (81 milligrams), whether

Dressing: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad: 2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups cooked corn kernels (fresh or frozen) 1 cup chopped red or yellow onions 3 bell peppers, seeded and diced (red, yellow, orange, or a combination) 2 Haas avocados, diced

In a small container, combine the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions and peppers. Shake up the dressing, pour it over the salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle the scallions and/or the feta over the top if desired, and toss again, or put them out for people to add to their salad as they wish. If you want to serve it right away, gently mix in the avocado. If you have time, this salad is better if you make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, and then just add the avoca-

do right before serving. Nutrition information per serving: 114 calories; 50 calories from fat; 6 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 0 mg. cholesterol; 112 mg. sodium; 15 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 3 g. sugar; 4 g. protein. Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/about-katie-workman. She can be reached at Katie@themom100.com. — AP

Please patronize our advertisers.

To Serve (optional): 1 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

that is the best dose for prevention is debated. Also undetermined is whether it’s best to take an aspirin with a safety coating (called an enteric coating), in order to reduce the risk of stomach bleeding. Some data suggest the coating may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb the aspirin. For people who do take aspirin, I suggest taking the uncoated form with food. In preparation for your aspirin discussion with your doctor, check out the aspirin risk calculator at www.aspiringuide.com. 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, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2018 President and Fellows Of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

REVIVED. READY. AL FREE LOC

DELIVERY & SETUP! DS *OFFER EN 09/30

Introducing the most advanced Tempur-Pedic ever! ®

Designed with the most pressure-relieving material we’ve ever created and superior cool-to-touch comfort — for your deepest, most rejuvenating sleep.

HealthyBack.com

888-469-2225

/HealthyBack

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Drop the silent treatment for a fair fight Dear Solutions: compromise. When my wife and I have a disagreeSilence is not golden if it doesn’t have a ment, I keep my temper by pay-off. not talking any more. Dear Solutions: She says I give her the I’m widowed, and silent treatment to punish friends are going to introher. I do this to keep from duce me to some single yelling at her and to end the men they know. Is it alright argument. If I tell her this, if I ask a man what his init just starts another fight. come is when I meet him How can I ever end the so I can find out if he’s fifighting? nancially stable? — Warren Will he think I’m a gold SOLUTIONS Dear Warren: digger? By Helen Oxenberg, I’m afraid your silent “treat— Caren MSW, ACSW ment” will never lead to a cure! Dear Caren: Silence keeps a fight going Congratulations. Nobody because nothing gets resolved. Besides, un- knows what the perfect turn-on is, but you’ve less you’re as disciplined as a monk, it’s hard certainly come up with the perfect turn-off! to keep keeping your mouth shut for long. Don’t ask because he certainly won’t tell. Try a talking cure instead. Fight fair. If you get to know a little about him — Say how you feel or are affected by some- slowly — you’ll probably find out what thing without accusing her. Be willing to kind of work he does, and that should give

you a clue about his income. What will you answer when he asks about your income? Will you think he’s a “gold digger”? Dear Solutions: I’m writing about my mother-in-law, who’s a senior, so I hope you can help me. I have one daughter who is going to go to nursery school soon. My mother-in-law used to live out of state, but she moved close by. She bought a whole wardrobe of clothing for my daughter, saying “She’s going to nursery school soon, so she has to be dressed properly.” I’m very upset because I see it as a criticism of the way I dress my child. I want to return the whole thing. My husband says she’s just being generous. I’m furious at both of them. Should I return the things? — Selma

Dear Selma: What you really want to return is your mother-in-law! She wants to take title to your children. You’re angry at her effort to control your family. You’re angry at the implied criticism of your taste. You’re angry at your husband because he’s defending his mother. Give her the benefit of the doubt. Tell her you appreciate her generosity, and you’re sure she’ll understand that you look forward to the pleasure of picking out clothing yourself for your first child. Let mother-in-law stay: let husband stay; return clothing. © Helen Oxenberg, 2018. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Dear Pharmacist

buster pharmaceuticals aimed at putting you to sleep, and they suppress SWS (slow wave sleep), thereby inducing dreams. Ironically, withdrawal from these medications can also induce dreaming and even nightmares for a period of time. For a longer version of this article, see my website.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

From page 24 es people to seek other treatments. Melatonin Some sleep supplements containing melatonin might trigger unpleasant or bizarre dreams. If that happens, take a

break from the melatonin, because the dose might be too high. Remember, your body also makes melatonin, so supplementing has an additive effect. Sleeping pills Prescription sedative hypnotics, Z drugs and benzodiazepines also induce vivid dreaming and nightmares. These are block-

The Village at Rockville presents

2018 Dementia Education Series

These events are part of a series of six events focused on caring for individuals with dementia.

September 24, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I CRUISE Through Caregiving: How to Reduce the Stress of Caring for a Loved One Who Has Dementia - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

October 9, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I Navigating the Mid to Late Stages of Dementia (Without Falling Overboard) - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

November 6, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. I Promises in Caregiving: Why You Shouldn’t Make Them and How to Undo Them - Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. No CEU Credits Available

Space is limited.

RSVP to

The Village at Rockville

sflowerswilliams@thevillageatrockville.org

A National Lutheran Community

Learn more and view more events in this dementia series at www.thevillageatrockville.org/events

9701 Veirs Drive Rockville, MD 20850

301-424-9560

Light refreshments will be served.

The Village at Rockville is sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, !"#$!%#&%!'"()* *+"%,(!$("-.(/01 2.3*413(56"-.%1 (7-6%4-(* (8).%*419(+.%0* 2(&.!&3.(!$(133(:.3*.$+;(

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

A Hard Life

By Vella Kendall

Rainy Day at the Greek Cafe

By Richard Isaacman

a dozen countries. He sells his photos at various local art exhibitions and online at https://rich-isaacman.pixels.com.

Third Place Richard Weiblinger, Laurel, Md. Richard Weiblinger, 70, has enjoyed a lengthy career in the sc ience s. A b iolo gist, who also pursued graduate work at Johns See PHOTOGRAPHY page B3

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The first place, second place, third place and honorable mention winners in the Celebration of the Arts competition will be receiving their awards at the Beacon’s 50+Expos, which will take place in Springfield, Va., from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30, and in Silver Spring, Md., from noon

to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14. All readers are invited to meet the winners at these free Expos, which will also feature health screenings, flu shots, entertainment, and informative resources and exhibits from government agencies, nonprofits and a wide variety of businesses.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

For an opportunity to view many of the winning artworks in person, mark your calendar to visit the Celebration of the Arts winners’ exhibit at the Edward A. Myerberg Center, 3101 Falstaff Rd., in Baltimore, Md. from Oct. 24 through Nov. 15, 2018. Hours: Mon-Thurs., 8 a.m. to

3 p.m. Fridays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. A larger exhibit of all winning entries will take place at the Pepco E Street Gallery, 702 8th St. NW, in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 28 through Dec. 19, 2018. The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Photography From page B1 Hopkins in public health, he has worked for decades at several government agencies in the area. He says he “will probably retire soon” and devote more time to his photography. Never having taken an art or photography course, Weiblinger picked up a cheap camera about six years ago and starting shooting images of wildlife. After “playing with that for several years,” he purchased additional equipment and moved into landscape and fine art images. “I’m totally self-taught, all seat-of-thepants learning,” he said. He’s traveled all over the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and maintains a website where

he posts many of his favorite images. (See www.weiblingerphotography.smugmug.co m.). A number of his images have been purchased, and are hanging in offices, conference rooms and hotels throughout the country. Weiblinger said the process of photography allows him to transform everyday objects and images into art. “I use creative lighting to not only illuminate my subjects but also to give them a dream-like, surreal quality.” His images have included colorful flowers, unique still lifes, maritime images and landscapes, both as individual photos and themed series. “When people see my work, I would like them to find a new appreciation of the world around them,” Weiblinger said. “My current goal is to build on my prior

experience and to challenge myself by refining my personal artistic style and creative qualities...Each person will view my images a little differently, and that is as it should be.”

Honorable mentions Photographs from the following artists were awarded honorable mention: Beth Altman, Washington, D.C.

Brad Balfour, Potomac, Md. Margaret Ann Chambers, Upper Marlboro, Md. Judith Ann Guenther, Springfield, Va. David Allen Harris, Washington, D.C. James Francis Hollan, Arnold, Md. Philip Kanter, Pikesville, Md. Addison Newton Likins, La Plata, Md. Rodney Errol Mathis, Oxon Hill, Md. Nan Thompson, Nottingham, Md.

Want to help with the Beacon’s NEXT Celebration of the Arts? Our 2019 Celebration of the Arts will potentially highlight a different area of artistic accomplishment (possibly in the area of voice and/or instrumental performance). If you would like to volunteer to help with that project, please email us and indicate how you would like to participate.

Email: arts@thebeaconnewspapers.com THANK YOU!

Flowing Pier 2620

By Richard Weiblinger

TAKE ON

EXPRESSING YOURSELF HOWEVER

YOU WANT TO

TODAY

Today is yours to own. Or paint. Or write. Because AARP believes that possibilities only expand as you age. That’s why we’re helping artists of all ages pursue their passions, so you can Take on Today and every day.

Learn more at aarp.org

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Members of the Celebration advisory board In addition to the jurors, profiled on page B8, a panel of advisors from a spectrum of organizations and companies helped shape and support the Celebration of the Arts. Members are: • Rosie Allen-Herring, president and CEO of the United Way of the National Capital Area. Formerly, she was the Managing Director of the Community Investment and Engagement Division at Fannie Mae. Allen-Herring holds key leadership roles with several business and civic organizations, including serving on the board of directors for the Greater Washington Board of Trade, MedStar Health, Inc., District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Area Women’s Foundation, and the Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital. • Yumi Hogan, who also judged the painting and drawing category of the competition. Hogan served as honorary chair of the board. Her bio can be found on page B8.

• Linda Mathes, chief executive officer of American Red Cross of the National Capital Area. Mathes was recently named one of Washingtonian magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Women.” She is also a member of the Emergency Preparedness Council of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and a board member of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. • Jonathan Stevens, senior vice president for thought leadership at AARP. He works on identifying, aggregating and elevating global leaders who are focusing on issues that concern the 50+ community. Working with both internal and external stakeholders, his team includes specialists in financial resilience, health and wellness, economics and international affairs. Previously, Stevens was the chief innovations officer for Family Matters of Greater Washington. • Joann Vaughan, executive director of

Maryland Federation of Art, the artists’ organization that coordinated and hosted the entries in the competition. Vaughan has worked with the federation for the last 10

years. Previously, she created and ran the Annapolis Book Festival and was director of education and training for Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity.

Curator of winning artists’ exhibit All winners of the Beacon Celebration of the Arts, including honorable mentions, are being invited to participate in a three-week gallery show at the Pepco E Street Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The curator for the exhibit is Carolyn Goodridge, founder and executive director of Art Impact™ International, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering, nurturing and expanding artists to enrich and inspire humanity. Goodridge received her Master of Fine Art in Painting from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1997. Her paintings are exhibited and collected widely. Goodridge has shown in distinguished spaces such as the U.S. Embassy in Rome and the

New York Guggenheim Museum. The E Street Gallery is open to the public free of charge. The Celebration of the Arts exhibit will run from Wed., Nov. 28 to Wed., Dec. 19. The gallery is at 702 8th St. NW, Washington, D.C., and is open from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

La traviata O C T O B E R

6 – 2 1

O P E R A

H O U S E

Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, from the novel La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG | (202) 467-4600 Tickets also available at the Box Office. Groups call (202) 416-8400. For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540. Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars.

WNO’s Presenting Sponsor

David M. Rubenstein is the Presenting Underwriter of WNO. WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.

Generous support for WNO Italian Opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.

La traviata is a production of the Clarice Smith Opera Series. Additional support for La traviata is provided by The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Photo by Cade Martin

S O M E T I M E S T H E G R E AT E S T A C T O F L O V E I S L E T T I N G G O .

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Multi-dimensional artists show their skill By Robert Friedman Sculpture, jewelry, pottery, mixedmedia and more comprised the 172 entries in the Sculpture/Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media category of the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts. Here’s a look at the three top winners.

First place Nathalie Pouliquen, Bethesda, Md. “I intend to pay tribute to the reality of the world, to its beauty — apparent or hidden,” said painter-sculptor Nathalie Pouliquen, who won not just first place for one of her sculptures and an honorable mention for another, but whose oil-on-canvas won third place in the painting and drawing category. “All media interests me — watercolor, pastel, acrylic or oil in painting, and working with clay, wood or stone in sculpture,” said the 59-year-old, a onetime urban planner. Her first prize-winning sculpture, “The Embrace,” is a 10” x 21” x 7” limestone and wood statue of a couple entwined in each other’s arms. The work was “the result of a long creative process combining the taking into account of the physical constraints of the material and my desire to celebrate the beauty of creation, the advent of life,” said the artist. Pouliquen said that she had no formal training before she began in 2003 “to translate my surroundings into two and three dimensions.” Since 2015, after some 30 years, she has gone back to school, studying Fine Arts at Montgomery College in Rockville, Md. “My first academic goal is to get an associate’s degree in fine arts, then, perhaps, to get a bachelor’s degree,” she said. Her long-term goal is “to work in the arts conservation field.” All this studying, she indicated, would not interfere with her creativity.

The Embrace

By Nathalie Pouliquen

“Gratitude at being alive is the purpose to my pragmatic and functional nature,” he of my art work,” she said. “Life must be said. He took lessons through a woodworkthe expression of freedom in a continuous ing club in Laurel, where the couple was flow of exploring, learning, sharing.” Born in Provence, France — birthplace living at the time, and made several pieces and adopted home of many great 19th and of furniture. “Along the way, I began to notice the 20th century artists, such as Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso — Pouliquen is a gradu- copper work of the Arts and Crafts periate of the Sorbonne in Paris. Her degree od,” Smith said. “I was attracted to the beauty of aged copper, and the way the was in geography. For the past 20 years, she has been an “expatriate,” living in Slovakia, the United Kingdom, China and, for the last six years, in the D.C. area. She currently lives in Bethesda. She is the mother of three. Despite her very evident talent, Pouliquen has not yet had a gallery or museum exhibition. “I have only managed to sell my artworks as an amateur, through shows organized with friends, at the French Embassy, the International Monetary Fund, Handwrought copper lamp with 4-panel World Bank or in private locations,” mica shade. Four sockets. By Michael Smith she said. Perhaps the publishing of her Celebra- metal smiths left the final series of hamtion of the Arts wins, coupled with the dis- mer marks in the decoration. “I was especially attracted to the lightplay of three of her works at the Pepco Edison Street Gallery this fall, will help launch ing from this period, which featured copper-framed shades with mica panels. The her career. soft amber glow of the mica is reminiscent of the gas lights from the early 1900s.” Second place Thus, his prize-winning lamp, and Michael Smith, Smith’s dedication to metal-working. “It is Columbia, Md. When he is not deeply satisfying to make lamps and other working on new ways items for our home and for gifts,” Smith to predict floods and said. “There is something very special droughts at the Na- about hand-made items.” tional Weather Service, Michael Smith is Third place spending time at home on Victor Peter Dyni, his hobby as an arts and crafts metalsmith. Washington, D.C. Among other things, the 59-year-old reDyni, 84, was chief search hydrologist crafts lamps, such as music librarian for the “hand-wrought copper lamp with 4the D.C. Public Lipanel mica shade and four sockets” that braries until he reearned him the second place prize in the tired in 1996, and also contest. The desk-sized lamp is both sturperformed as a “profesdy in its brass base and stylish sional-amateur” pianist for in its mica shade. 75 years. He now channels his creativity into Smith said he turned to met- stained glass, the medium that won him alworking “as a hobby” 17 third place in the Celebration of the Arts. years ago. Among other “Lady in Glass,” his 11” x 33” creation things, his goal was to work as featuring a tall, slender woman in a long, the artisans did in the early multi-colored dress, is based on “no one in 20th century when, as a reac- particular — just a figment of my imagination to ordinary machine-made tion,” he said. objects, they began an Arts and The female figure came from a line Crafts movement that revived drawing he made some months ago, “and I the guild crafts of earlier times. just thought this drawing would be good He recalled that, one day in for stained glass,” he said. The piece was the 1990s, his wife, Megan, who created in about 10 to 12 hours of work was working in interior design, over several days, he said. brought home an issue of Archi“I just try the colors piece-by-piece, and tectural Digest. It featured a I decide whether they go together or not. I home decorated in the Arts and work mostly in patterns, geometric deCrafts movement style. signs. You could say my finished creation “As soon as I saw this arti- is by accident.” cle, I said to myself: ‘This is Dyni noted that stained glass designs me!’ The simplicity appealed “have attracted me all my life,” and he

began working in the medium “as a hobby” some 20 years ago, after he was fully retired from his library service. “I saw a sign in a store window in Kensington that said they give lessons in stained glass, and I enrolled in the classes,” he recalled. While you could say, as Dyni did, that he is “not into religion,” he still greatly admires the stained glass windows in many churches. “The National Cathedral has a number of beautiful windows,” he said He tries to work at his stained glass projects for “an hour or two” each day in the basement studio of his Washington, D.C. home, where he designs, cuts and solders together the glass pieces. He said he often finds himself “getting lost” in his work. “I’m working down there for what I think is about five minutes, then I look at my watch and see I’ve been at it for one or two hours.” Dyni also keeps busy practicing piano every day and giving piano recitals once a month at retirement homes in the area. Over the years, he has participated three times at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Texas, and at amateur piano festivals in Paris, Berlin and Vienna.

Honorable mentions Works from the following artists were awarded honorable mention: Lorraine Arden, Washington, D.C. Donna J. Battle, Washington, D.C. Jennifer L. Blake, Columbia, Md. Norman Frederick Estrin, Silver Spring, Md. Addison Newton Likins, La Plata, Md. Nathalie Pouliquen, Bethesda, Md. Sarah Lee Province, Silver Spring, Md. Christopher Ruch, Ebony, Va. Richard Starr, Crofton, Md. Sharon Lee Weinstein, Ellicott City, Md. Edward C. Wlodarczak, N. Potomac, Md. John J. Yeager, Perry Hall, Md.

Lady In Glass

By Victor Dyni

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Painters pick up a palette after long careers

six times me

By Clara Herner

By Carol Sorgen The winners of the Painting and Drawing division of the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts competition prove the adage “it’s never too late.” Three winners and 12 honorable mentions were selected from among 418 entries in the competition. Most of these talented painters had long, fulfilling careers in other fields. Only after retirement did our top winners take up the art form as a pleasurable pursuit. For them, winning awards is just the icing on the cake.

First Place Clara Herner, Silver Spring, Md. Clara Herner is 86 and the mother of three “wonder ful” children and six grandchildren, who now call her Grandma Moses. For the last two years, Herner has taken art classes from Steve Hanks at the Holiday Park Senior Center. Her winning piece was created for a class project. “I always wanted to try my hand at art, but waited until I retired,” said Herner, who grew up in North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and went to graduate school at Florida State University, where she met her husband. During her professional life, she worked as a social worker, pre-school director for the Montgomery County Chapter of the YWCA, and internal auditor for Montgomery College for 22 years. Herner, an avid gardener, enjoys painting flowers and landscapes, and uses her kitchen table as her studio. She is partial to watercolors. “I love the freedom to see

how the paint can change by using various techniques, and the way the water moves with color.” But for her winning piece, she utilized materials and an approach that was entirely new to her. She etched several different photographs of her face into linoleum blocks and printed images from these using different colors of acrylic paint. She then glued the images to a board “and pulled the whole picture together with acrylic paint.” It took her about six weeks of class time. Herner loves learning new techniques. “I want to explore as many different methods as I can,” she said. She’s taking drawing classes this summer and is working with pastels for the first time, and has been teaching herself encaustic painting (also called hot wax painting) through online videos. When she’s not painting, Herner loves to read, sing in her church choir, swim, attend Bible study and concerts, and get together with friends for lunch and conversation. When Holiday Park art classes resume in the fall, Herner will be back in school. “I don’t know enough about art. I’ve just started learning,” she said.

It was only after she retired from the federal government in 2015 that she thought again about the possibility of painting. “I found in the Art League of Alexandria a number of excellent instructors, and decided to take my chances with watercolor as an intellectual challenge,” she said. Capestany’s ar twork is inspired primarily by the natural world. “The land, wildlife and objects that surround me at home, or that I come across in my travels, are a source of joy and curiosity,” she said. Like Clara Herner, Capestany is partial to watercoloring, which she calls the “most spontaneous medium.” It allows her to paint everyday scenes in a dreamy way if she chooses, but also to “capture the texture and patterns found in nature in a realistic and deliberate way.” Capestany is a member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists Society, a juried organization of watercolor painters, and has exhibited at various venues. She is also a member of the Art League Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia, where she shows her work, and where she recently received an “Honorable Mention” for her miniature painting, “Squirrel Study.”

Third Place Nathalie Pouliquen, Bethesda, Md. Nathalie Pouliquen, the third place winner in Painting and Drawing, was also the first place winner in the Sculpture/Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media division. You can read about her in our article about that divi-

Blue Morning

By Cecilia Capestany

sion’s winners, “Multi-dimensional artists show their skill,” on page B-6.

Honorable mentions

Works from the following artists were awarded honorable mention: John Anderson, Beltsville, Md. Brenda Claiborne, Fort Washington, Md. Virginia Gordon, Cockeysville, Md. Roselyn Harding, Baltimore, Md. Benjamin A. Jackson, Silver Spring, Md. Karla Kombrink, Alexandria, Va. Loretta Lechlider, Silver Spring, Md. Mary Jane McKee, Potomac, Md. Perry Dale Skaggs, Mechanicsville, Va. Diana Ulanowicz, Elliott City, Md. Steven Marshall Waugh, Fallston, Md. Martha Weiss, Washington, D.C.

Second Place Cecilia Capestany, Alexandria, Va. Although Cecilia Capestany, 64, attended painting classes when she was a youngster, and took a number of art history classes in college, she ultimately decided to pursue graduate studies in literature and foreign languages. She then went on to enjoy a long career in international affairs.

Indiscretion

By Nathalie Pouliquen

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

A tough job faced the Celebration’s jurors By Barbara Ruben With more than 900 paintings, drawings, photos, sculptures, poems and other works of art submitted to the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts, the four jurors had their work cut out for them. “It’s refreshing to see unique perspectives of how people view and document the world,” said Noe Todorovich, executive director of Exposed DC, who judged the more than 200 entries in the Photography category of the competition. The judges selected first, second and third place winners, as well as honorable mentions. The names and locations of the artists were not provided to the jurors. Entries in the Painting and Drawing division were judged by painter Yumi Hogan, whose photo is on page B3. Her artwork, created on traditional Hanji paper with Sumi ink and mixed media, has been featured in art shows and museums in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, South Korea and more, including an exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. In addition to her work as an artist, Hogan has juried numerous art exhibitions, including statewide and national competitions for the Maryland Federation of Art.

Hogan is also First Lady of Maryland, married to Gov. Larry Hogan. As First Lady, Hogan has made it a priority to share her love of the arts with Marylanders of all ages through arts education. Since November 2015, she has served as the Honorary Chair of the Council for Arts and Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, working with the University and Baltimore City to promote the arts. Following Gov. Hogan’s diagnosis with Stage 3 nonHodgkin’s lymphoma in 2015, she has taught art classes to patients with cancer and people with disabilities, becoming a strong proponent of art therapy. Entries in the Sculpture/ Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media division were judged by Jereme Scott, who has served as Mixed-Media Resident Artist at the Howard County Arts Council since 2009. In 2014, Scott opened a small boutique/gallery called Cotton Duck Art & Apparel in Historic Ellicott City, where he showcases his artwork as well as his original graphics on clothing. His artwork is contemporary, and dramatic, with much of his work focusing on

the use of everyday symbols arranged to create dynamic, underlying narratives. By using bits of humor, social commentary, and dramatic lighting, his artworks tend to challenge the viewers’ sensibilities as well as hold their attention. His artwork has been displayed regionally and nationally, and his clothing designs have been featured at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Scott also teaches several arts courses at Howard Community College.

Photography Exposed DC, the nonprofit run by photography juror Todorovich, connects photographers of all levels with networking, mentoring and exhibition opportunities throughout the Washington, D.C. area. Todorovich is also a freelance photographer whose work has been featured in the Washington Post, Washington Life, Northern Virginia Magazine, Huffington Post and Capitol Romance. “In jurying the contest, I was looking for images with a strong composition, demonstration of skill in the art form, as well as images that capture or evoke emotion,” Todorovich said.

“Photographs that grab and keep your attention go beyond the technical aspects of photography, using the art form to also speak to us emotionally. I was seeking that sort of depth in the photos as well,” she added. The Poetry division winners were selected by Wendi R. Kaplan, poet laureate of the City of Alexandria, Va., who uses her post to bring poetry to people of all ages. [See “Making sense of the world,” the cover story of the April 2018 Greater Washington Beacon]. She enjoys teaching others to express themselves in writing, knowing that poetry gives people a voice, even when they feel they have none. Kaplan is also a clinical social worker and certified poetry therapist who has worked in community services. She has her own psychotherapy practice in the area. Kaplan also writes “Poetry Musings,” a quarterly column for the newsletter of the Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work. She has taught at American University and at George Washington University School of Medicine. “Poetry provides us perspective and possibility. It allows us to explore all of life from so many windows and doors, and opens us up to depth and breadth of life and living. It gives words so that voice can emerge and be heard,” she said.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 21

COOKING CLASSES

Tired of the same old carryout? Learn how to make classic Italian food with Let’s Cook@Casey, a new series designed to help you enhance your culinary chops on Friday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at Casey Community Center, 810 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. Fee: $30. There will be a cash bar. For more information, call (301) 258-6366 or register online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/recXpress.

A CONCERT CELEBRATING 243 YEARS OF SERVICE October 4, 7:30 P.M. The Music Center at Strathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, Md.

Free tickets available at www.strathmore.org or 301-581-5100

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

The Barber of Seville FREE BROADCAST at Nationals Park

Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 7 p.m. PRIZES! MUSIC! FUN! Gates open at 5 p.m. for pre-opera activities. More information at OperaInTheOutfield.org Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars. David M. Rubenstein is the Presenting Underwriter of WNO.

WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey. WNO’s Presenting Sponsor

Generous support for WNO Italian Opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello. Opera in the Outfield® is brought to you by the M&M'S® Chocolate Candies and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate Brands, Wells Fargo, and the Washington Nationals.

B10

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Wide variety of creative poetry submitted By Rebekah Alcalde From children’s poems to narrativestyle storytelling, the poetry category of the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts saw many submissions from all types of poets, each with their unique style and themes. There were no restrictions on the genre of poetry, and poets did not disappoint with their creativity. The 124 entries were judged by Wendy R. Kaplan, poet laureate of the City of Alexandria, Va., who selected the following first, second and third place winners, as well as 12 honorable mentions.

First Place Liliana Dossola, McLean, Va. Since she was a little girl, Liliana Dossola has loved poetry. She gives credit to her mom, who often read to her poems by her favorite writers Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Federico García Lorca and Gabriela Mistral. She also recalls her Aunt Ophelia reciting poetry in theaters. The presence of poetry in her home in-

spired a deep love and respect for the art form — so much so that she often writes them in her head while doing daily tasks, like driving or walking. In fact, her first place winning poem, “The Nest,” was composed recently based on her experience with a bird in her garage. The anecdotal poem follows her initial annoyance at finding a bird and her nest in the garage — it flies inside, making her duck for cover, and is noisy — and her eventual sadness when it is accidentally killed by her cat. As in “The Nest,” Dossola usually writes her poems directly from experience. “I lived it. I had feelings for it [the bird]. I was so sad that I wrote the poem,” she said. She makes particular use of imagery to evoke the range of feelings she experienced, and chose this one to submit based on the good reaction she’s received from friends and family. “It brings emotion, so I thought it would be a good one to send,” she explained. Though she’s had her poems published on several occasions, and even regularly performs at a poetry open mic every month, this is her first time to enter a poem in a competition.

R E N TA L S AT

Rockville Civic Center Park Theatre and Events 240-314-8660 • www.rockvillemd.gov/Glenview • Glenview@rockvillemd.gov ♥♥ All are welcome.

603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, Maryland

Interestingly, Dossola, now 76, who was born in Argentina, said that she prefers to write poetry in English, rather than her native Spanish, because English has the “exact words to say what I need to say.” She finds it’s especially helpful to have those words to evoke certain emotions and convey sounds. Over the years, she estimates she’s written over 150 poems, both in English and in Spanish, and she has no intention of stopping. “There are some days I’m completely inspired; I just want to sit down and things flow so easily. Other days, no,” she laughed. Her favorite poets are Edna Vincent Millay and Pablo Naruda, who have influenced her own poetry on nature and love. For early drafts, she insists on handwriting her work. She only types them into a computer when she’s satisfied with the finished product.

Second Place Kathleen F. Powers, Springfield, Va. Kathleen Powers gr ew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., during the collapse of the U.S steel industry as it faced incr easing pressure from foreign competition. She noticed how the spouses at home suffered so much as the steel mills closed and their husbands could no longer find work. Their quiet strength and solidarity inspired her so much that she wrote a poem called “The Women Were Alone: A Poem About Pittsburgh,” which placed second in the competition. When notified of her selection, she could hardly believe it. “I’m so excited!” she exclaimed. “Honestly, I don’t even consider myself a writer, so I’m just so stunned.” The demise of the steel mills plunged western Pennsylvania into “deep depression,” Powers said. “I really wrote it out of memory of my mothers and aunts, growing up handling this situation.” After the mills closed, other businesses began to fail as well, and the community felt the harsh

economic effects. Though the poem’s tone is somber, Powers hopes readers find a sense of “hope” at the end. The women may have felt like they were alone through it all, silently taking it all in and doing their best. But they really had each other to lean on. “We women should stick together. Our strength can get us through very dark days,” she said. Powers’ career working as a school librarian fed her love for “all forms of literature and reading.” She retired in 2016. She especially enjoys reading works by naturalist author and poet Diane Ackerman. “I like how she deals with the natural world — a blend of literature, science and nature.” This intertwining of nature and writing has inspired her own work. Shortly after retiring, Powers joined a writing group, where she gained the courage to read from her own poems — and to enter this competition. “I belong to a poetry appreciation group at the Lifetime Learning Institute of Northern Virginia,” she explained. “I read the poem to them, and they encouraged me to submit it.” Now 62, Powers lives in Springfield, Va. with her husband and German shepherds, and enjoys reading voraciously. She wants to tell others that having no experience shouldn’t keep you from writing, seeing as she’s never written before and just won second place. “When I worked, I had a long commute and would think about things and write them down later,” she said. “You should just start writing down things. See where it goes.”

Third Place

We Won!

Thomas Stephens Corbit, Olney, Md. Thomas Stephens Corbit may have worked on a ballistic missile submarine in the past, but he showcases his sensitive side

Thank you for choosing us as the

BEST BREAKFAST in Falls Church,Virginia!

www.ophrestaurants.com

FALLS CHURCH • 7395 Lee Highway BETHESDA • 7700 Wisconsin Avenue ROCKVILLE • 12224 Rockville Pike FREE PARKING ALL LOCATIONS

See POETRY, page B11

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

competition after finding out it was aimed at older adults. “I liked the fact that it was appealing to seniors, for their ability and their capabilities, wanting to showcase what seniors can do.” Now 66, he encourages other older adults to try writing poetry. “Just sit down and start writing. Write how you feel — what strikes your mood,” he suggested. Corbit also submitted some of his other artworks in the Sculpture/jewelry/pottery/mixed media category of the competition, including handmade sterling silver jewelry with gemstones. “I take a lot of inspiration from the Southwest — what the Navajo and plains Indians used to do. My goal is to fabricate and do that type of jewelry, using the same tools they used to use.” In the meantime, he’s very pleased he placed third in poetry, especially since he only has about nine completed poems to his name. He has no plans yet on dabbling with other writing genres, but he’s keeping his options open. “They say everybody has a book [in mind], but I haven’t written it yet,” he said.

The Nest By Liliana Dossola Setting: our garage. Something small and grey dashes past my head. I instinctively duck. Then I discover “the something” is now perched on the door: it’s a bird, a fist of palpitating feathers and a pair of tiny defiant eyes. Ah…now I see, you, a minuscule mother bird, are defending a nest from me, a giant. How I admire your spirit and courage! Your nest is a skein of dry leaves, lint and rubble, painstakingly woven in a corner, by the ladder. But your choice of placement is unfortunately bad: in a garage that stays closed most of the day, in a house with two cats. I feel a growing anger at you as the days go by. You make reaching my car difficult by swooping and making me run; dominate the space with warning chirps, and yesterday…, you let your droppings fall on my hat. But today I don’t see you. Free of nuisance I walk around now. Where are you? But I miss you… Please come back. Then I discover your inert body outside.

Poetry From page B10 by writing poetry. He placed third for his children’s poem “Roarus Sing Saurus.” Corbit cites Dr. Seuss as an inspiration for this particular work, which he hopes appeals to both children and adults — with a “whimsical message to it.” Corbit, who is one-third Cherokee, grew up in Oklahoma and Wisconsin before joining the Navy. He served for six years before

I want to hug you, I want to cry You were so fragile, yet strong! Bad cat! While dying, were you worrying about the orphan eggs you were leaving behind? It falls on me to keep them safe now and I make you a promise, while I bury you in the yard. I see a robin’s nest in the apple tree, up high. In it there are eggs of a certain coloring and size. I lovingly transfer yours there, one by one. From the vantage point of my kitchen window, I wait patiently for mother robin to come back. When she does, cocking her head, she studies the eggs. Who knows what she is thinking… But to my relief, she finally lies down. By Spring, from the nest comes a murmur of chicks of different kinds. To the place under the tree where you lie, I come to tell you that I fulfilled my promise, Now rest in peace my little mother bird.

being honorably discharged in 1976. Eventually, he moved to Montgomery County and has since settled in Olney, Md., where he draws, paints, makes jewelry and writes poetry. He credits his mother’s position as a teacher with his early instruction to poetry, but thinks it was always inside him, “an inherent feeling,” he added. “I’ve always done it amateur, off and on when it strikes me, from an early age,” he said. Though Corbit has never entered a

B11

Honorable mentions

competition before, he regularly shares his work with others. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of [sharing my poems]. It really motivates me,” he said. As with most of his poetry, “Roarus Sing Saurus” is a rhyming poem, similar to that of Dr. Seuss or the rhyming works of Shel Silverstein. Corbit also appreciates classic works, such as “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and the lyric poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He said he chose to enter the Beacon’s

Poems from the following artists were awarded honorable mention: Rita Alston, Washington, D.C. Sidney Louise Brown, Alexandria, Va. Jack Calman, Silver Spring, Md. Henry E. Crawford, Silver Spring, Md. Karen Whitney Curry, Washington, D.C. Margarita Magdalena Dilone, Washington, D.C. Eugene C. Harter, Salisbury, Va. Addison Newton Likin, La Plata, Md. Kathleen Loverde, Baltimore, Md. Stephen G. Smith, Odenton, Md. Martha Wessells Steger, Midlothian, Va. Douglas C. Taylor, Silver Spring, Md.

‘Great Performances in the Neighborhood’ Victorian Lyric Opera Company presents The Sixth Great Gilbert & Sullivan

Rockville Little Theatre presents

Sing-Out

6 performances: Sept. 28-Oct. 7, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets: $20-22. Group rates also.

6 performances: Thursday, Aug. 30 to Sunday, Sept. 2 Tickets: $20-$28

Theatre F. Scott Fitzgerald

Diary of Anne Frank

Tickets Online: www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre Box Office: 240-314-8690

AT RO C K VI L L E C I VI C C E NTE R PA R K

Rockville Civic Center Park • 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD

B12

Arts & Style

PULL OUT & KEEP THIS SECTION

PROUD TO POWER THE ARTS Pepco is pleased to sponsor The Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art. Congratulations to all of this year’s participants who shared the gift of creativity with our community.

pepco.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

ARTIFICIAL INVESTMENT ADVICE? Artificial intelligence now powers some mutual funds. Does it do a good job? POWERFUL PORTFOLIOS Utility funds can provide consistent returns and income with moderate risk KIDDING AROUND If you like children, consider a second career in early childhood education SECOND-HAND SHOPPING How to buy the best used cars and electronics for far less than new

Finding buried treasure in financial docs By Lisa Brown On my family’s annual pilgrimage to the Northeast in late June, I took two days to help a 94-year-old relative get her financial house in order. I didn’t find any money buried under a mattress, but I did find some hidden in places most people don’t look — but they probably should. I knew she had updated her will after recently moving to a new state, but I was not certain what else she realigned. So, when I began digging through recent tax documents, I made two startling discoveries. First, it turns out she has $300,000 in a bank stock that our family thought was only worth a few thousand dollars. And, second, we found cash from a life insurance policy paid out more than 20 years ago. After getting over the initial shock of these findings, we went about piecing together the rest of her financial puzzle. Over a 48-hour period, however, I turned up more of what I expected: lots of missing or outdated information. Now, after a lot of tedious, time-consuming work, all key documents have been located and every cent she owns is accounted for.

For those of you who may face this with your own financial situation or with that of relatives, here are some guidelines to reconstruct one’s financial house:

loved one owns, as well as the income they have coming in from pensions, annuities, real estate investments, business interests and Social Security. This is like having the answer key to a pop quiz!

Collect key financial documents Ask your loved one to gather copies of the following documents: • Will, revocable trust and financial power of attorney; bank, brokerage account and Social Security; • Cost basis of all investments; • Website log-in credentials for any financial assets (if available); • Estimate of monthly living expenses; • List of all beneficiaries for Individual Retirements Accounts, including names, dates of birth and addresses; • Statements for life insurance policies and annuities; • A list of any other assets and debts, such as house, car and jewelry. • Most recent tax returns. As you begin collecting documents, the most important one to help uncover current assets — and a great starting point for your detective work — is the tax return. It can help nail down what assets your

Live Local. You shop local, so why not live local, too? Unlike many communities that are part of a nationwide chain, Chesterbrook is a local, not-for-profit community sponsored by two area Presbyterian churches and a Jewish temple. Decisions are made with our residents in mind. There is only one Chesterbrook Residences. Call today 703-531-0781 to schedule your tour.

Schedule B is key Schedule B of the IRS Form 1040 is filed to report the interest and dividends received each tax year. That’s what led me to the discovery of the $300,000 in bank stock. I noticed on the most recent Schedule B that my relative was receiving $5,000 in dividends from this stock. If you can’t find any paper statements or log-in information to financial websites for your loved one to track down each asset, start by asking the tax preparer for a copy of the Form 1099 for each asset so you will know which company to contact. Once you have a full list of assets, debts and current statements, including all insurance policies and the tax return, set them aside in a large envelope marked “Important Documents — Tax and Financial.” If you refresh this package once a year, it should take less than one hour to maintain.

Verify docs are signed Make certain key documents are signed, These include current copies of a will, financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney and any trust documents. In going through my relative’s legal papers, I found pages 1 and 8 of her will, but the rest were missing. After a long search, we found the missing pages and stapled them together. She also had several unsigned copies of her healthcare power of attorney document, so I set those aside. Once we had all of the current legal documents signed, I complied them into one envelope marked “Important Legal Documents.” A copy of the Social Security card, birth and marriage certificates can be placed in here, too. This envelope only needs to be refreshed each time an update is made to the will or other legal paperwork. Finally, provide copies and access to files to people who serve as professional advisers, such as attorneys, accountants, financial planners and insurance agents. In addition, share contents of your enveSee FINDING MONEY, page 28

A Gift That Pays You Income! Charitable Gift Annuity Age: 75 $25,000 Fixed Annual Payments at 6.2%* $1,550 8.5% Eﬀective Annuity Rate** *Rate as of September 2018 based on age. **Includes all tax savings.

www.childrensnational.org/planagift Assisted Living Community

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

Call today! Rita S. Corwin 301-565-8524

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Mutual funds run by artificial intelligence By Alex Veiga A computer can trounce a human chess master and solve complex mathematical calculations in seconds. Can it do a better job investing your money than a flesh-andblood portfolio manager? Investors willing to test that question can do so with a couple of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, that leave the investment decisions to a computer’s so-called artificial intelligence, or AI. ETF Managers Group and Ocean Capital Advisors launched an AI-powered fund last month dubbed the Rogers AI Global Macro ETF (BIKR). It invests primarily in single-country ETFs. The fund’s AI sifts through millions of data points from countries around the

globe, and uses what it learns to determine how best to allocate the fund’s holdings. (Humans carry out the trades, however.)

Is it beneficial? Does this approach work? Another AI fund launched last November by ETF Managers Group and Equbot shows some promise. The fund, which is called the AI Powered Equity ETF (AEIQ), invests in a variety of U.S.-based companies and seeks to beat the returns of the S&P 500. So far, it’s getting it done. The ETF is up 8.1 percent this year, while the S&P 500 has gained about 1.5 percent. Still, a track record of less than a year on

a single fund isn’t nearly enough to gauge the merits of the AI approach. Also, like any fund, one should weigh potential gains against the fund’s fees. At 75 basis points, AEIQ’s expense ratio is on the higher end of ETF fees, even if the AI is doing all the thinking. By comparison, Schwab’s US Broad Market ETF, which also invests in a broad swath of U.S. stocks, has an expense ratio of 3 basis points. Sam Masucci, founder and CEO of ETF Managers Group, recently talked about his firm’s investment funds, and why an AI fund manager might prove to be better at generating investment returns than the human variety. Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

Q: How is AI different from, or better than, the computer algorithms used for high-speed trading or roboadvisers that can rebalance an investor’s retirement portfolio? A: It’s different. If you think about algorithmic trading or robo-advisers, these are tools that are used by human portfolio managers to make decisions on what to invest in. Artificial intelligence is very, very different. While there are humans that obviously are continuing to feed data into it, it’s the computer, the AI environment, that is distilling that information and making the ultimate portfolio selection.

Finding money

One reason this meeting was so productive was we brought the organized envelopes with us, and they could give us timely advice. Spending a few hours preplanning and getting organized now can save hours of time-consuming searches and expenses when your loved one is no longer here. And you never know, it can also bring nice surprises — like the ones I found — that will benefit your family’s future generations. © The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 27 lope with your relative’s executor, financial and healthcare agent, and/or another relative who lives nearby.

Do you need a financial advisor? My relative wanted a fresh start in her new hometown, and she has enough moving parts to her finances that we met with a local Certified Financial Planner professional I vetted in advance of the meeting.

The Career Gateway! features small classes, 30 hours of intensive training over two weeks, a long-term mentor, and valuable take-home materials This hands-on, five-day course will help you: • turbocharge your resume • hone your interviewing skills • learn how to network

• discover the hidden job market • develop personal job search plans...and more

Optional employment-related tech classes available.

WHEN:

Multiple sessions offered:

2018 Sessions: #1: #2: 2019 Sessions: #3: #4: #5: #6:

September 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 November 5, 7, 9, 12, 14 January 22, 23, 25, 28, 30 March 4, 6, 8, 11, 13 April 22, 24, 25, 29 and May 1 June 11, 12, 14, 17, 19

WHERE: 12320 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, MD 20852 FEE: $75 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call (301) 255-4215 or e-mail Career.Gateway@AccessJCA.org Funded by Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services, e Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and the Jewish Council for the Aging.®

Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA)® www.AccessJCA.org

See AI FUNDS, page 30

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Utility funds for conservative investors Many readers are concerned about recommendation for investing in utility volatility in the stock market, as well as funds. At the time he managed the bond portfolio for PIMCO, one of the about receiving reliably conlargest, if not the largest bond sistent interest or dividends manager of bonds in the U.S. with their investments. I would always read his Although the stock market monthly analysis of economic has performed well for more conditions, and I thought his than five years, there is no opinions were worth reading guarantee that it will continue about. It was amazing that the to show comparable positive largest bond manager in the returns. Many analysts anticiU.S. was recommending investpate that returns in the near term will be much lower — ing in an investment that was in THE SAVINGS direct competition with bonds. perhaps even negative. GAME However, it is impossible to By Elliot Raphaelson predict the best time to go in Try funds and ETFs I looked carefully at some and out of the stock market. Most investors, even in retirement, should of the alternatives for investing in utility maintain a significant percentage of their stocks. I didn’t want to invest in individual portfolio in some type of common stock in- securities, so I looked at utility mutual funds and ETFs. vestment. Eventually, I decided to invest $100,000 How can you do that and minimize risk? I believe the answer is having a diversified in a Vanguard utility mutual fund. It has common stock portfolio, preferably in been one of the best investments I could have made for a conservative portfolio. At index funds and in conservative sectors. From time to time, I have discussed utili- the time, the dividend yield was 4 percent ty stocks in general and utility funds and (it is now 3.4 percent). ETFs in particular. Lawrence Strauss wrote For several years, I simply re-invested recently in Barron’s that utility stocks are the dividends back into the fund. The an“worth a second look,” and I agree. nualized yield benchmarks over the last Several years ago, when Bill Gross was a several years have been: one year, 4.80 co-CEO of PIMCO, he wrote an interesting percent; three years, 12.49 percent; five

years, 10.81 percent. Eventually, I felt that my investment in that fund had grown high (over $150,000) as a percentage of my total portfolio, so I started gradually to sell some of my holdings and reinvest in other conservative investments. The current yield is still approximately 3.4 percent, so I see no reason to liquidate my holdings. I still receive over $1,000 in dividends each quarter, and generally I reinvest that dividend in other conservative investments. There has never been a quarter in which I have not received a comparable dividend payment. In his Barron’s article, Strauss indicated that, according to experts in the industry, earnings are expected to grow on average in this industry by 4 to 6 percent annually. He

estimated that investors can expect high single digit total return in the foreseeable future. If you’re looking for a conservative investment with earnings growth and consistent dividends, mutual funds or ETFs that specialize in the utility industry are a good choice. Select an investment with low annual expenses. Vanguard offers ETFs in the utility industry with low minimums (you can purchase as little as one share, if you like) and expense ratios of 0.10. Vanguard’s expense ratios are generally much lower than the competition. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2018 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Price Your Jewelry’s Been Looking for CALL OR TEXT TO SELL YOUR JEWELRY

240.482.1581 VISIT US ONLINE

circajewels.com

Recently Purchased 10.01 Carat Radiant Cut Diamond Set in Platinum Follow us on Instagram @circa_jewelry

BETHESDA 7315 WISCONSIN AVE. SUITE 230E (DLLR #2153)

NEW YORK CITY

CHICAGO

BEVERLY HILLS BOCA RATON

PALM BEACH

HONG KONG

BETHESDA

SAN FRANCISCO

BARCELONA

GREENWICH

MADRID

SHORT HILLS

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

An overlooked tax break for part-time workers By Kimberly Lankford Q.: I retired a few years ago, but I still get paid to do some consulting work, so I contribute to a Roth IRA. Can I qualify for the retirement savers’ tax credit, too? A.: If your annual income is less than the cutoff, you can qualify for the retirement savers’ tax credit. This frequently overlooked tax break is worth up to $1,000 per person ($2,000 for joint filers) if you contribute to a retirement savings account, such as a 401(k), traditional or Roth IRA, 403(b), 457, Simplified Employee Pension, SIMPLE or the federal Thrift Savings Plan. The lower your income, the larger the credit. The maximum credit is worth 50 percent of your retirement-savings contribution for the year (up to $2,000 in contributions per person, with a maximum credit of $1,000). To claim the full credit on your 2018 federal tax return, your adjusted gross income must be less than $38,000 if you’re married filing jointly, $28,500 if filing as head of household, or $19,000 if single or married filing separately. You can claim a credit for 20 percent of your contribution if your income is $38,001 to $41,000 if married filing jointly, $28,501

to $30,750 if filing as head of household, or $19,001 to $20,500 if single or married filing separately. And you can get a credit worth 10 percent of your contribution if your income is $41,001 to $63,000 if married filing jointly, $30,751 to $47,250 if filing as head of household, or $20,501 to $31,500 if single or married filing separately. You aren’t eligible for the credit for 2018 if your income is more than that. You must also meet other criteria to qualify for the credit. You must be 18 or older, not a full-time student, and not claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. A lot of people overlook this credit in your situation (they are partially retired and their income has dropped, but they still earn some money and contribute to an IRA or other retirement savings plan). To claim the credit, file Form 8880, Credit for Qualify Retirement Savings Contributions, with your 2018 tax return. This is a credit, not a deduction, so it lowers your tax liability dollar for dollar. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

AI funds

removes any human bias, because it’s a machine. But it’s still new. We launched the first AI fund, AIEQ, in November. That fund is designed to offer S&P 500-like exposure with a better return and less volatility, and it has been doing that. And it’s getting better at doing that. Q: Can these AI funds anticipate market corrections? A: The more predictive information you can have and analyze, the better. And I am confident machines are better at that. They have the bandwidth. Q: Is AI going to eventually replace the active, human fund manager? A: No. I don’t think the computer is going to put us out of a job anytime soon. But it will allow us to offer another solution that takes advantage of the newest technologies. — AP

From page 28 In the case of AI, the portfolio manager is not looking at a trade signal and making a decision. The AI model is prescribing the action that needs to be taken, whether it’s a purchase or a sell. Q: Is AI better at picking stocks and curating funds than more conventional approaches? A: We will find out. Theoretically, it should be better, because it has the ability to crunch a much larger universe of daily information and risk-weigh and apply it to a portfolio much faster and efficiently than humans can. In addition, the computer learns from its past actions and the result of those actions, and gets smarter over time. And it

Award-Winning Senior & Assisted Living Community

Where Quality Meets Affordability

C G

ulpepper arden

4435 N. Pershing Drive Arlington, VA 22203 703-528-0162 VA Relay # 800-828-1120 www.culpeppergarden.org

Coordinated Services Management, Inc. Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

Consider a second career in childcare Fed up with the inflexibility of the typical ment, correspondence between the school public-school curriculum, and passionate and parents, and more. Despite the sheer enormity about working with children, of these tasks, Lents looks back PJ Lents of Palo Alto, Calif., on them with fondness. “It wasfounded the Periwinkle School n’t complicated once I had a — a “young 5’s” program for checklist to work from. I abchildren transitioning from solutely adore what I do – it’s so daycare to kindergarten — much fun! It’s just so charming that she operates in her own home. Referring to her own to watch kids really bloom.” school-age rebellion against Lents’ story is only one exthe lack of creativity and acample among many of ways commodation in many schools, older adults can have meanLents remarked, laughing, “I GENERATIONS ingful intergenerational childwas raised when people were TOGETHER care experiences. Many other rebelling against things…and By Alexis Bentz examples have been illustratI’m really good at it!” ed by Joy Zhang and Madeline “Really good” may be an understate- Dangerfield-Cha, MBA students at the ment — the Periwinkle School has been Stanford Graduate School of Business running successfully for fourteen years, Zhang and Dangerfield-Cha spent the and excels at bringing out the personality summer of 2017 researching intergeneraand creativity of each child. tional models of childcare. The fruit of However, establishing the school, while their labor is a paper entitled, “Making the doable, required a lot of work. Lents had to Case for Intergeneration Childcare: How get licensed as a home daycare, get her Adults 50+ Can Support Home-Based and home inspected, take classes regarding how Family Childcare Centers.” to run a home-based program, get insurFrom their research, one thing is clear: ance, purchase supplies and furnishings, get for older adults who aspire to enter the childcare field, there are a world of possian accountant to handle taxes, and more. Even now, Lents, 62, is in charge of the bilities to discover. Here is a sampling: Start a home daycare or school: Lents’ entire program — writing the school’s curriculum, teaching, bookkeeping, enroll- childcare experience was one of the child-

care models studied by Zhang and Dangerfield-Cha, and they advocate that others follow in her footsteps. As proven by Lents, anyone can start a daycare center or pre-K program in their home, and this is a great way to follow one’s passion for working with children. However, Zhang warned — and it can be inferred from the myriad of tasks Lents had to complete to start Periwinkle — that starting a school or daycare center is not for the faint-hearted.

“It’s an emotionally, financially, and mentally exhausting task. It is essentially starting a small business. But it is also really rewarding,” Zhang said. Jumpstart Community Corps: For those not interested in becoming a business owner, consider becoming a volunteer instead. If you are willing to put in the time — up to 12 hours a week — join the Jumpstart Community Corps, a program See SECOND CAREER, page 32

We Put the Life in senior living Do you know why our residents are always smiling? Wonderful Care Private Apartments Community Activities Close to Downtown Silver Spring Great Value and Moderately Priced

Assisted Living studio apartments are available now, but space is limited. Call 301-587-0190 (TRS 711) today to schedule a tour and have lunch on us! Make Your Move Today and Enjoy Life in the Heart of Silver Spring. * Ask us about the exciting events we have planned for this Fall!

Residential Living • Enhanced Living • Assisted Living

SpringvaleTerrace.org • 1-800-552-7724 MD RELAY SERVICE 8505 Springvale Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Retirement Living Choices LISTING UNDER CONTRACT! Garden Apartment “Warfield” 2BR, 2FB, enclosed balcony, green view, ranch kit, large laundry room, most utilities included, 1043 sf, $155,000

LISTING JUST SOLD! Garden Co-op “Burgess” Apartment 1BR, 1FB, sep dining area, wood-look entry, delightful encl balcony, assigned parking, all utils incl, 800 sf, $71,000 LISTING JUST SOLD! The Fairways “H" w/ Garage 2BR, 2FB, table-space kit w/ window & stainless steel appliances, sep DR w/window, lge LR, encl balcony, 1220 sf, $175,000 LISTING JUST SOLD! Co-op "Carvel" Patio Home Contemporary 2BR, 1.5BA, level entry, updated shower, cathedral ceiling, FP, encl patio w/ shed, convenient parking, $220,000

LISTING JUST SOLD! The Greens Hi-Rise "B-H" w/ Garage 3BR+Den, 3FB, living & family rooms, 2 balconies, new flooring & gourmet kit, bath & lighting updates, storage room, stunning views, 2175 sf, $415,000

LISTING JUST SOLD! The Overlook "K" w/ Garage & Storage Room Luxury 2BR+Den, 2FB, fireplace, enclosed balcony, 1520 sf, $445,000

Silver Spring Choices COMING SOON! Quaint Acres Custom Rambler 3BR, 3FB, finished basement, screened porch, pool, country setting, minutes to beltway, $525,000

LISTING UNDER CONTRACT! Stonegate Split-Colonial 4BR, 2.5BA, updated kit & baths, HWDs, 2-level deck, partially finished basement, oversized 2-car garage, $534,900 LISTING JUST SOLD! Stonegate Split-Colonial 4BR, 2.5BA, updated kit w/ breakfast room, HWDs, patio, partly finished basement, 2-car garage w/ workshop addition, $550,000

CONTACT ME Call or email for your free Retirement Community Booklet Meet me by appointment at our Leisure World Plaza Office or the office inside the community.

Office: 301-681-0550 Email: sueheyman@aol.com

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Second career From page 31 based in Washington, D.C., in which community volunteers assist young children in a classroom setting. After undergoing training, volunteers participate in activities such as helping instructors with children’s activities, teaching the children to read and write, and engaging them in outdoor games. To learn more or to apply for a volunteer position, visit Jumpstar t’s website at www.jstart.org/our-work/corps-members/ or contact Vida Awasom, Jumpstart’s Community and Partnerships Manager, at vida.awasom@jstart.org or (202) 223-7050. Interages: Other worthwhile volunteer opportunities can be found at the JCA Heyman Interages Center. The center runs several programs that enable older adults to assist children in Montgomery County, Md. with reading and conversation skills. They include Dialogues Across the Ages, Grandreaders and Intergenerational Bridges. [Read “Interages Brings the Generations Together” in the September 2017 edition of The Beacon to learn more. It can be accessed at www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/interagesbrings-the-generations-together.] For more information or to volunteer, visit www.access jca.org/programs/interages or call (301) 949-3551. College courses: Interested in getting some more formal education about childcare? Interested in working with children for your “encore career”? Then consider going back to school for an early education degree. Dangerfield-Cha explained, “We’ve seen people who have finished careers as bookkeepers or accountants and then are starting their early ed certificates at a community college and are planning to become teachers in preschool classrooms.” Some universities in the local area offer such programs specifically for retirees. Georgetown University’s Senior Citizen Non-Degree Auditor Program, the University of Maryland’s Golden ID program, and the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, for example, offer university courses for older adults. Visit the schools’ websites to see if there is a course that interests you, or to apply. Georgetown: https://scs.georgetown.edu/ departments/33/senior-citizen-non-degreeauditor-program/, U Md.: http://registrar .umd.edu/current/registration/goldenid.html; UVA: https://www.scps.virginia .edu/uploads/seniorwaiver.pdf. You can also talk to the staff at your

local community college to see if they have any programs of interest. If these options are inconvenient, you can always take classes online. Ashford University and Liberty University offer online early education courses that may help interested retirees achieve their educational goals without having to physically travel to class. Grandmas2Go: Grandmas2Go employs women 50 and above to serve as mentors or “grandmother-figures” to babies and young kids. Members essentially act as babysitters, caring for children in the child’s home. Unfortunately, the program is only offered in Oregon; there is currently no similar program in this metro area. But that doesn’t mean it never will be. You could be the one to pioneer a similar organization here! After receiving some training (e.g., CPR, basic childcare) you can advertise your babysitting services to those in your community and volunteer to care for their children. To learn more about Grandmas2Go’s mission and how they operate, visit https://grandmas2go.org/. Generations Together: As a middle schooler, I created a club called Generations Together in which students visit a local retirement community and engage the residents in various activities. You can do something similar by reaching out to a local retirement community and middle school near you to see if they would be interested in establishing a partnership. It’s a wonderful way to interact with children and promote intergenerational relationships. In addition to the suggestions mentioned above, Zhang and Dangerfield-Cha suggest other ways one can find meaningful work with children. A few of the ideas mentioned in their paper and blog post include: starting an intergenerational community garden, initiating sporting events between local kids and seniors, offering to be a “playground helper,” or volunteering in preschool classrooms. To learn more, read their paper, available online at https://encore.org/ wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IGChild carenophotos-1.pdf, or access their blog at https://encore.org/blogs/10-ways-cansupport-early-childhood-education/. Regardless of the path you choose to pursue, take PJ Lents’ message to heart: “I would highly recommend what I do. If you have the energy to [take part in the childcare field], then it’s absolutely doable. It takes a lot of time, but it is really interesting and fun!” she concluded with a smile.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 26

FORECLOSURE PREVENTION

Attend a free foreclosure prevention clinic led by Housing Counseling Services, Inc. on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. If you are behind on your mortgage or property taxes, being sued by your lender, or confronting a potential mortgage scam, take positive steps to address these issues by learning more. The talk takes place at 2410 17th St. NW, Suite 100, Washington, D.C. You may qualify to receive free housing counseling from a HUD-approved counseling agency and free legal services, depending on your circumstances. For information, call the Foreclosure Prevention Hotline at (202) 265-2255, toll free at 855449-2255, or visit http://housingetc.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

Don’t let peer pressure spoil retirement By Grant Rawdin In retirement, it can be tempting to look over the fence at how neighbors are spending their golden years, and wonder if they’re living better or if you’re spending your time and money in the right ways. What’s more, social media heightens the pressure by serving as a highlight reel of everyone’s best experiences. But just like social media can put a filter on reality, many myths about the “ideal retirement” continue to cloud people’s expectations and may cause them to make bad decisions. To steer clear of peer pressure, retirees need to take a step back to define what happiness truly means to them, and not fall victim to these four common misconceptions about retirement. Myth #1: Retirement is freedom from work A life of leisure may look tempting, but in reality the transition from corporate life to retirement can feel abrupt. Once you make a dent in your reading list, you may find yourself looking for familiar ways to keep busy. One way retirees are adding structure to their schedules is by returning to the corporate world part-time. Returning retiree programs allow companies and

BEACON BITS

Sept. 26

ESTATE PLANNING Hope Connections for

Cancer Support offers an estate planning seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Michelle Profit, estate planning and elder law attorney, will speak on “Estate Planning Basics to Help Caregivers and Loved Ones Manage Health and Wealth Decision-Making and Legacy Building.” This seminar covers the five basic documents everyone needs to have so that third parties recognize the legitimacy of your health and financial decisions. Admission is free, but registration is required. Hope Connections is located at 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. For more information or to RSVP, email info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org or call (301) 634-7500.

Ongoing

RIDESHARING OPTIONS Fairfax County Com-

muter Services offers assistance finding affordable ridesharing services. For more information, visit www.commuterconnections.org or call (703) 877-5600, TTY 711.

younger generations of workers to benefit from a retiree’s legacy business knowledge, while giving retirees a clearly defined purpose during work hours. Many retirees are also becoming entrepreneurs in their own right, turning to resources like those available from AARP and the Small Business Administration to run and market their own business. In fact, a 2013 AARP survey found that 13 percent of experienced workers planned to start a business or work for themselves in retirement. One of my clients, a former business owner who retired in his 50s upon the sale of his company, is finding fulfillment in a brand new career — flipping houses. While he owned a few rental properties throughout his life and was known to be quite handy, retiring gave him the flexibility to fully commit to building a business around renovating homes. He’s his own

boss, with an activity that fills his days and enables him to maintain his lifestyle. Myth #2: You’re not fully living if you’re not traveling While island sunsets and moonlit hikes make for enviable photos, not every retiree

is anxious to set sail for an adventure abroad. Your next great adventure may be right in your hometown, spending more time pursuing your interests or adopting new hobbies. See PEER PRESSURE, page 35

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Savvy shopping advice: buy gently used By Liz Weston Most of us have wasted money on illconsidered purchases or stuff we really couldn’t afford. As we get more financially savvy, that happens less often. But we can still profit from other people’s bad choices. People who prize the latest and greatest, for example, quickly need to upgrade to the next shiny thing. That leaves plenty of lightly used cars and electronics for sale at a discount. People who can’t look beyond cosmetic damage also provide buying opportunities for those who can, since surface flaws can ding price without hurting functionality. Then there are the “d’oh” mistakes: the stuff that didn’t fit or turned out to be the wrong shade of robin’s egg blue. That stuff

gets returned so it can be discounted and snapped up by frugal buyers. Here are three ways to profit from others’ mistakes:

Buy off-lease cars Low payments can fool people into thinking that leasing is an economical way to afford cars. In reality, leases ensure you’re paying for a vehicle’s most expensive period — the first two or three years, when its value drops like a rock. Vehicles typically lose about 30 percent of their value the first year, and a total of 40 percent by the third year, said Ivan Drury, senior manager of industry analysis for car comparison site Edmunds.com. The good news for bargain hunters: A

whole lot of people have made that pricey choice to lease in recent years, leading to a record 4 million vehicles coming off their leases this year. In addition to discounts of 30 percent or more compared to a new car, buyers will have plenty of options. Leasing was once mostly limited to luxury cars, but it’s grown so popular that buyers have plenty of used makes and models to choose from. That includes the “it” vehicle of the moment: compact SUVs, Drury said. These freshly off-lease vehicles tend to have mid-range trim packages, which means they’re not bare bones but they’re also not overloaded with features you might not want to pay extra to have, Drury said. They will have the kinds of safety features and technology that a few years ago were only available in luxury cars. “They have backup cameras, Bluetooth, blind-spot detectors,” Drury said. “You can get a lot, at greatly reduced prices.”

Buy refurbished electronics Thrifty shoppers tend to stay a generation or two behind on electronics, knowing that early adopters pay a hefty premium. But within a few weeks of virtually any gadget’s debut, there will be buyers regretting their purchases and companies refurbishing those returns for resale. Depending on the seller, though, “refurbished” can mean “like new,” with fresh batteries, new cases, and one-year warranties — or not. “Some just say `refurbished’ because they wiped it down with a rag,” said Tercius Bufete, associate editor for Consumer

Reports. The electronic item may come with third-party accessories, such as charging cords, or none at all. The only way to know is to “read the assurances,” Bufete said. That’s the fine print that spells out what’s been done to the item, the warranty (if any), and the length of the return period (if any). Just in case, consider buying with a credit card that offers “return protection” or “guaranteed returns.” This benefit offers you money back, up to certain limits, if a merchant refuses to accept a return.

Look for “as is” merchandise The phrases “open box” and “scratch and dent” are music to the bargain hunter’s ears. They signify new or nearly new items at a discount — sometimes a steep one. Bargain shoppers at Ikea, for example, know to cruise the store’s “as is” section for deals on already-assembled furniture and other items returned by customers who changed their minds. Likewise, bigbox home improvement stores usually have an “open box” area for returns and floor models. “Scratch and dent” stores are another option for picking up someone else’s oopsie, whether it’s a homeowner who forgot to measure an appliance, or a piece of furniture that got dropped during delivery. It’s important to check warranties and return policies. Sears Outlet, for example, has a 30-day return policy for most purchases, but not floor models. Other stores make all their scratch-and-dent sales final. — NerdWallet via AP

BEACON BITS

Sept. 10+

GENTLE YOGA Cleveland & Woodley Park Village offers gentle yoga on Mondays,

Sept. 10, 17 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Cleveland Park Congregational UCC, 3400 Lowell St. NW, Washington, D.C. Classes are taught by Wendy Hagen, an experienced teacher who knows how to accommodate senior yoga students. Class can be performed from a chair if necessary. Fee: $10 per person. Bring your own yoga mat. For more information or to register, call (202) 615-5853 or email info@ClevelandWoodleyParkVillage.org.

Heroes welcome PacKage A Special Offer Exclusively for Military Veterans & Retired First Responders You served others, now let us serve you. Veterans and professional first responders (retired police officers, firefighters, and EMTs) can take advantage of special savings at Potomac Place. Through this program, enjoy a one bedroom apartment for just $4,000 per month and your rate is locked for one year! That’s a total savings of over $10,000. New leases only thru 10/1/18. Does not include care level. Act now - quantities are limited! Call Charlene or Elizabeth today.

703-494-3817 PotomacPlace.com 2133 Montgomery Ave. Woodbridge,VA 22191

Coordinated Services Management, Inc. - Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Peer pressure From page 33 Some people scratch their travel bug by relocating to a favorite vacation spot. Last year, one of our clients retired from his medical practice. An avid golfer, he began transitioning to retirement by not being oncall on weekends while he hit the links. Since retiring, he’s been golfing every day, and now he’s considering moving to Florida, where he can enjoy the sport year round. Of course, many retirees will get the travel itch at some point. If you do, consider planning a trip that allows you to immerse yourself in hobby or develop new skills. A few years ago, a longtime client retired from a successful business career and began taking bird-watching trips around the world. She now plans a half-dozen trips each year, fully committing to a hobby she loves. Myth #3: You must “redefine yourself” in retirement It can be easy to fall into the “New Year, New You” mentality once you retire. While we encourage clients to create a vision and set goals for retirement, this milestone doesn’t necessitate starting a life all that different from your own.

In fact, many retirees parlay the skills that brought them success in the workforce into nonprofit work. Sharp sales people take the lead on securing sponsorships for community events, and organized project managers become committee chairs. Volunteering is an ideal avenue for those managing the lifestyle transition from work to retirement, particularly if they’re passionate about a particular cause. Myth #4: The transition to retirement is easy — you’ve waited your whole life for this! Entering retirement is a significant change, especially for those who maintained an active career. Ensuring a smooth transition begins well in advance — typically five to eight years prior to retirement. At that point, your financial adviser will run financial scenarios, project your cash flow, and begin conversations about how you’ll be spending your time and money in retirement. By focusing on your own goals and looking beyond these myths, you can plan the retirement you actually want. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

NOW LEASING!

!"#$%&'()*#%+$,%-.'/)0"12.+3 4.56)7)8)9)&($#""-2 Are you a senior 55 years & older, raising a grandchild(ren) 17 years & under, and looking for housing in a vibrant downtown location? !"#$%#&'%"()!$"*+&%,-"./)0,%0#/1,%"!&%#)'% "2"/+"*+&%/#%13&%3&"!1%)4%516%7&!#)#%8!/"#9+&% '/13%)#,/1&%!&,/$&#1%,&!2/.&,%4)!%,&#/)!,%"#$% :)0136 Apply now! ;"++%<=>=?%@A@B>C>D%)! &E"/+%F&",/#9GH+"I"J&,1K;6.)E6 1035 4th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

HOPEFUL STRATEGIES FOR SENIOR HOARDING A CEU Presentation by Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP, Jenerations Health Education

BEACON BITS

Wednesday, September 19th • 8:00 – 11:00 AM

Sept. 11

8:00 – Light Breakfast and Registration 9:00 – Presentation

HELP HUNGRY SENIORS

More than one in six older adults in Washington, D.C. often go without meals. In order to combat the growing issue of senior hunger, the AARP Foundation will be hosting a D.C. Meal Pack Challenge on Tuesday, September 11 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers at the event will pack 1 million nutritious meals to be distributed to seniors in need across the metro area. The challenge will take place at the National Mall, at 12th Street and Jefferson St. SW, Washington, D.C. To sign up for a volunteer shift, each of which is 90 minutes, go to http://bit.ly/senior-hunger

Oct. 3

14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

301-598-6424

FIT BETTER IN YOUR OWN CAR

Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna (SCOV) presents CarFit, an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them, on Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CarFit is an individualized, personal instruction to educate drivers on how to best position themselves (by adjusting the car’s safety features). The class takes place at Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (parking lot), 400 Center St. S, Vienna, Va. For a free appointment, call (703) 255-7801. Learn more at www.car-fit.org.

WHAT'S IN YOUR ATTIC?

Quinn's got $2,700 for this jar! Free Appraisal Day September 19 1-3 p.m.

360 South Washington St. Falls Church, VA 22046

(703) 532-5632

Hoarding has become a serious problem impacting the health and safety of older adults, most of who can be resistant to treatment. What causes hoarding? What is the mental health component of hoarding? What are best practices for improving the quality of life for seniors who hoard and their families? Join us at Aspenwood Senior Living for an informational CEU presentation by Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP, from Jenerations Health Education to get the answers to these questions and many more.

2 CEUS WILL BE AWARDED TO CASE MANAGERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.

Kindly RSVP to 301-598-6424.

(One item per person only)

www.quinnsauction.com

Pet Friendly

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

A tax-friendly way to get income for life • Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

Full In-House Optical Department Outpatient No-Stitch Cataract Surgery • Laser Surgery MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED LENARD H. HAMMER, M.D., F.A.C.S. GORDON LUI, M.D. SCOTT B. BECKER, M.D. BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D.

VANESSA LIMA, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D..

410-997-9900

8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

Do you have what it takes to inspire young minds?

By Kimberly Lankford Question: I heard that you can use $130,000 in an IRA to buy a deferred-income annuity without having to pay taxes on the money. Have you come across this before? Answer: That sounds like a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract, or QLAC. In 2018, you can invest up to $130,000 within a traditional IRA (or 25 percent of the IRA balance, whichever is less) in this special kind of deferred-income annuity. You’re not taxed on the move, and the money you put into the annuity is not included when calculating your required minimum distributions from the IRA after you reach age 70½. (You’ll still have to take RMDs from the IRA money that you didn’t roll into the QLAC.) You don’t avoid taxes on the money forever, though. The taxable portion of the money you used is still subject to taxes when you start receiving income from the annuity. But the tax bite will be delayed if you postpone receiving income from the QLAC until you’re in your seventies or eighties. With a QLAC, you invest a lump sum years before you need the income — say, in your sixties — and decide when you

want to start receiving the money, usually in your seventies or eighties. Payouts continue for the rest of your life. So the QLAC not only removes a chunk of money from your RMD calculation, but also guarantees that you won’t outlive your money. For example, a 65-year-old man who invests $50,000 in a QLAC could receive about $11,116 per year for life starting at age 80, says Jerry Golden, founder of Go2Income, which compares payout rates for several insurers offering QLACs. The downside: If he dies just a few years after payouts begin, he may not receive as much as he invested — or he may receive nothing if he dies before payouts start. Another option is a “life with cash refund” annuity. It provides a smaller payment per year, but it returns the balance of the investment to your beneficiary if you die before receiving at least as much as you invested. That option, in the above example, would reduce the annual payout to $9,215. You can run your numbers with the calculator at Go2Income.com. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FINANCE VOLUNTEER NEEDED Liberty’s Promise is looking for a long-term administrative assis-

Experience

Wisdom

Creativity

tant/finance volunteer. Your finance experience can help make a difference. Help manage the finances of a small nonprofit and gain a unique insight into its day-today workings. For more information, visit www.libertyspromise.org/take-action.

If you’re age 50+, we invite you to volunteer with JCA® Heyman Interages® Center’s high impact programs. Volunteers engage in meaningful service throughout Montgomery County in a variety of programs that help youth unlock their full potential.

Be a tutor. Be a mentor. Be a leader. Be a hero! Want to know more?

Special thanks to Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and Montgomery County Council for helping to support Interages programs. JCA is a community partner of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and is a beneficiary of the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign. JCA proudly serves people of all faiths, ethnicities and income levels.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

How tax law changes affect you this year By Elliot Raphaelson One of the significant changes to the federal tax law for 2018 is the increase in the standard deduction to $24,000 for couples filing jointly, and $12,000 for individuals. This change, and others, will likely encourage many more people to use the standard deduction instead of itemizing. Other changes to the tax code will also impact taxpayer decisions. For example, starting in 2018, there will be a cap of $10,000 on the deductible amount of state and local income and property taxes, known as SALT. This limit is per tax return, not per person. As a result, many couples who itemized in prior years will no longer have sufficient deductions to do so. For example, a couple that is eligible for the $10,000 deduction will need an additional $14,000 in deductions for charity, mortgage interest, medical expenses and so forth in order for itemizing to be worthwhile. The bottom line is that many couples will be using the standard deduction in 2018 who, in the past, would have itemized. Here are things such couples should consider, since without itemizing, they won’t be getting the usual tax break on charity and interest payments.

Charity strategy Individuals who are 70½, and who are withdrawing funds from their traditional IRAs because of required minimum distributions (RMDs), should make any charitable contributions directly from their trustee in order to minimize their income taxes, assuming they are taking the standard deduction. For example, if you donate $1,000 to a qualified charity, and your marginal tax bracket is 25 percent, you would save $250 by using this approach (since it reduces your reportable income) rather than by making the contribution directly (which you can’t deduct).

BEACON BITS

Sept. 23+

ACTIVE AGING WEEK

Montgomery County’s Active Aging Week programs run from Sunday, Sept. 23 to Saturday, Sept. 29. Active Aging Week is a national program that promotes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle by giving older adults the op-

Singles will find it easier to itemize, because if they had a deduction of $10,000 for income and property taxes, they would only need an additional $2,000 in deductions in order to make it worth itemizing.

Mortgage and housing decisions Some couples with mortgage debt should determine whether it pays for them to use the standard deduction and re-pay some of their outstanding debt, rather than continuing to pay interest that they won’t be able to deduct since they aren’t itemizing. This decision should be based on the interest rate they are paying for their mortgage vs. the after-tax return they are receiving on their investments. If they find that the after-tax return is less than the rate of interest they are paying, they should consider re-paying some or all of the mortgage debt.

However, they should also take liquidity into consideration. It would not be prudent to leave themselves with insufficient current assets that would be needed in a financial emergency. The Federal Reserve has repeatedly raised interest rates. As a result, you can now get higher rates of return on various maturities of CDs, money market instruments, Treasury bills and Treasury bonds. Shop around for the best rates, and then determine whether it makes sense to re-pay your outstanding mortgage.

Other tax changes Staring in 2018, home buyers may deduct interest on debt up to $750,000 for up to two homes owned. However, there is a “grandfathered” exception. If you owned these homes prior to the tax law changes went into effect, you still can deduct inter-

est up to $1 million of debt. There also has been a change in the tax laws regarding home-equity loans. You can deduct interest on home equity debt only when the debt is used to buy, build or improve the home. There is no deduction when you use the loan for other purposes. Changes in the tax laws effective for 2018 can have a significant impact on the deductibility of interest you are paying for outstanding debt. Don’t hesitate to sit down with your tax preparer to determine what the impact will be for 2018 and beyond. If you don’t think your tax preparer has the expertise you need, consider using a more experienced tax professional, such as an enrolled agent or CPA. Your objective should be to maximize your after-tax income. © 2018 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141 Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 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

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

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

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 Counsul: 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 Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

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

portunity to experience a wide variety of activities and exercise in a safe and fun atmosphere. For more information and a full calendar of events, visit

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. www.rhomecommunities.com

www.infomontgomery.org/calendar/.

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Ms. Senior D.C.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE By Laura Newland Executive Director, D.C. Office on Aging I hope everyone enjoyed their summer! Although it’s been some time since I’ve been a student, I still think of September as a time to prepare for a productive year, to learn more about our community and how the D.C. Office on Aging can better serve our residents. One of the ways we do this is by always listening to the community, and working to meet our residents where they are at. In September, all of our Senior Wellness Centers will be holding their annual budget town halls. These interactive town halls are an opportunity for members of the Wellness Centers to vote on the programs and activities they would like to have in fiscal year 2019. We learn so much about our participants through these town halls every year! If you are a member of a Senior Wellness Center — or if you’re interested in joining — I encourage you to attend this meeting and let us know what programs and activities you would like to see in your ward. Reach out to my office at 202-724-5626 to find out when your local senior site will be holding its annual budget town hall. September is also Fall Prevention Awareness Month, and it’s a great time to brush up on steps you can take today to prevent falls and other accidents in and around your home. We are holding Falls Prevention Awareness Day activities in all eight wards of the city on Sept. 21. Join us for free Falls Risk Workshops and screenings at a Senior Wellness Center or designated senior site in your ward. Contact us at 202-724-5626 to learn more about falls prevention strategies you can use in your daily lives to keep you active and moving about safely. But we’re not leaving all the work to you. Because we know that most older Washingtonians would choose to remain in their own homes as they age, Mayor Muriel Bowser has made it her priority to make the homes and communities or our older adults safer. Through her Safe at Home program, we have served close to 1,600 older residents with in-home safety modifications to reduce the risk of falls and mobility barriers. Safe at Home is making it possible for so many of our older residents to continue living and thriving in the homes they know and love. But we’ve learned from the community that there are many more older residents who could benefit from the program, but didn’t meet the income qualifications. So in FY 2019, we will be adding a costshare component, which along with the Mayor’s $4.5 million investment, will enable more residents to participate. Stay tuned for more information on the expanded program in FY 19. At the D.C. Office on Aging, we’re learning every day. We’re listening, and we’re always looking for new ways to better meet you where you are at. As Mayor Muriel Bowser says, “Aging well means living well,” and we know that to be the best city in the world to age, listening, learning, and the ability to adapt to the needs and desires of our community are key. Be well, and remember, aging is living!

The Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant participants and former reigning queens participated in an awards ceremony to honor their contributions to the local pageant. Ms. Senior D.C. also received her local crown! If you are interested in supporting Ms. Senior D.C. Phyllis Jordan as she competes in the Ms. Senior America Pageant, Oct. 15-19 in Atlantic City, NJ, contact Delores Powers or Monica Carroll at 202-635-1900.

Empowering D.C. Caregivers via the DCOA Savvy Caregiver Program (SCP) Join the DCOA Savvy Caregiver Program (SCP) to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for your family member with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. The SCP is for caregivers in D.C. who provide care for older adults, age 60 and over, and adults with disabilities, age 18 and older, living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. The program is delivered in twohour sessions, over a six-week period. Where: D.C .Office on Aging, Conference Room 114, 500 K St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 For more information/RSVP: Contact Linda Irizarry @ 202-535-1442 or Linda.Irizarry@dc.gov.

Upcoming Savvy Caregiver Program Sessions Topics 1. Introduction to Savvy Caregiver 2. Strategies for Self-Care 3. Contented Involvement 4. Stages of Dementia 5. Caregiving Skills 6. Strengthening Family Resources

Tuesdays 10:00 AM to Noon

Thursdays 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

September 18 September 25 October 2 October 9 October 16

September 20 September 27 October 4 October 11 October 18

October 23

October 25

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Spotlight on Aging

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Get Involved 3rd Annual Purple Wave Festival DC Gateway Pavilion 2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., SE – Ward 8

Language Interpreter will be onsite Asian/Pacific Islander Senior Service Center 417 G Place, NW – Ward 2 Contact: Kenneth So, 202-842-4376

Saturday, Sept. 8 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 11 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Saint Gabriel Church in Collaboration with D.C. Office on Aging Community Health & Resource Fair Center City PC – School Hall 510 Webster St., NW – Ward 4 Contact: Ms. Josette Foster, 703-298-3120

The Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens Affairs and the Dept. of Corrections will be hosting a Reentry Resource Fair Central Treatment Facility & Central Detention Facility 1901 E St., SE – Ward 6 If you feel your organization may be helpful in providing resources and services, please inquire. Contact: monte.pollard@dc.gov

Saturday, Sept. 8 • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 8 • 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. 2018 Community Day Redeeming Love Outreach Center 4611 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave., NE – Ward 7 Contact: Emmanuel Fields, 202-656-2562

Monday, Sept. 10 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. DCOA & Collaborating Partners Community Presentation & Workshop

Wednesday, Sept. 12 • 9 a.m. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs & Capital Area Food Bank Mobile Market 4801 16th St., NW – Ward 4 Contact: Ingrid Gutierrez, 202-671-2823

Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher.

500 K St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5626 www.dcoa.dc.gov

Executive Director Laura Newland

Editor Darlene Nowlin

Photographer Selma Dillard

29th Anniversary Glover Park Day D.C. Office on Aging will staff an informational booth Guy Mason Recreation Center 3600 Calvert St., NW – Ward 3

Saturday, Sept. 15 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. 12th Annual H Street Festival D.C. Office on Aging will staff an informational booth 4th to 14th Streets on H St., NW – Ward 6

Saturday, Sept. 15 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Paramount Baptist Church Celebrating the 23rd Annual Harvest Day Health Fair 3924 Fourth St., SE – Ward 8 Contact: Susie Harris (301) 928-8572

Thursday, Sept. 20 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Train to Become a DCOA Ambassador

Get the Right Care Right Now The District is dedicated to ensuring that when it comes to your health, you receive the Right Care, Right Now. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services has rolled out a new initiative with the primary goal to improve health outcomes and preserve resources for patients with life threatening injuries and illnesses. Not every call to 911 necessitates transportation by an ambulance to a hospital’s emergency department. The goal is to connect 911 callers who have medical needs to the most appropriate healthcare. Based on a caller’s description of their symptoms, a caller may be transferred to a registered nurse in order to determine the most appropriate path for

Saturday, Sept. 15 • 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

treatment. The nurse will ask the caller questions, and assess his or her symptoms, so that the nurse can refer the caller to the most appropriate non-emergency medical care available — most likely a community clinic or urgent care clinic in the caller’s neighborhood. Medicaid and DC Healthcare Alliance enrollees will be provided with free transportation to and from the clinic. The goal of the Right Care, Right Now program is to not only preserve D.C. Fire and EMS Department’s resources, but also this new program will free up beds in crowded hospital emergency departments, which will benefit all critically ill emergency patients. To learn more, call 202-673-3331.

The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

500 K St., NE To register, contact: 202-724-5626 or darlene.nowlin@dc.gov

Friday, Sept. 21 • 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 5th Annual Seniors Health Fair Vida Senior Centers at Brightwood 1330 Missouri Ave., NW – Ward 4

Saturday, Sept. 22 • noon – 6 p.m. Ft. Lincoln Day Contact: Robert Looper, (202) 491-5958

Saturday, Sept. 22 • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hillcrest Community Day Hillcrest Recreation Center 3100 Denver St., SE – Ward 7

Saturday, Sept. 29 • 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Tenant Advocate Forum Kellogg Conference Center Gallaudet University 800 Florida Ave., NE – Ward 5

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Travel Leisure &

Glacier National Park is the highlight to a trip to Montana. See story on page 42.

Enjoying the simple pleasures of Jamaica and biking excursions, climb mountains, or scamper down into limestone caves. Those who prefer to commune with Mother Nature also find plenty of alternatives.

Centuries of history The island was originally settled by Taino Indians, who arrived around 650 C.E. Shortly after Christopher Columbus dropped by in 1494, Spain claimed it and took over, enslaving the Tainos. Spain controlled the island until 1655, when British forces invaded and took control. The Spanish introduced sugar cultivation and slavery, both of which were expanded by British settlers. Both brought over West Africans as slaves to harvest the crops. Jamaica became independent from Britain in 1962. Among reminders of the heyday of sugar, from the 17th to 19th centuries, are the “Great Houses” that plantation owners built. They ranged from grandiose to more modest, and today they provide insight into part of Jamaica’s past. While Seville isn’t one of the more imposing Great Houses, what’s inside makes the structure, well, great. A museum traces Jamaica’s history, and displays artifacts from when the Taino, Spanish and British controlled the island. Scattered around the grounds are portions of the

PHOTO BY OVIDIU CURIC

By Victor Block One meal that my wife Fyllis and I will long remember was a five-course “surprise” dinner served in a lovely candle-lit outdoor setting. The other was a simple vegetarian lunch at a ramshackle lean-to perched precariously on a steep mountainside. It’s not often that two repasts encapsulate much that a destination has to offer visitors, but Jamaica is such a place. The Chef’s Showcase dinner at the Sunset at the Palms resort had little in common with the modest vegetarian spread prepared by Fire, a Rastafarian man of uncertain age. This exemplifies the diversity that greets travelers to Jamaica. The island-nation has an abundance of beautiful beaches, a long list of outdoor activities, an intriguing history and a rich cultural mélange. The towns strung out along the northern coastline like jewels in a necklace demonstrate Jamaica’s split personality. Montego Bay is all hustle and bustle. Ocho Rios is more relaxed, except when one or more cruise ships disgorge their passengers. Negril overlooks what many sun worshippers rank as the island’s finest beach. The seven-mile-long stretch of white sand lapped by the turquoise sea is lined by restaurants and bars. Visitors seeking excitement may explore the island by horseback or Jeep, take hiking

PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTOR BLOCK

The author Victor Block and his wife Fyllis Hockman take a guided tour of a Jamaican river on a bamboo raft. The river, called the Martha Brae, is named after an Indian woman who, according to legend, killed herself rather than reveal the location of a gold mine to Spanish explorers.

Tourists visit souvenir stands in Ocho Rios, a port town on the north coast of Jamaica, home to resorts and a cruise ship harbor. The town is surrounded by rainforests and waterfalls.

sugar cane processing factory and tiny huts where slaves lived.

Mountainous jungles and rivers Jungled mountains cover about 80 percent of Jamaica’s terrain, which is laced with rushing rivers and tumbling waterfalls. Most famous is Dunn’s River Falls, which plummets 600 feet down a series of natural steps that people may climb, carefully, while clutching the hand of other daring risk-takers and a sure-footed guide. A very different water experience is a trip through the verdant countryside along one of the rivers where that activity is offered. Fyllis and I opted for the Martha Brae, a gentle waterway with an interesting story and a resident ghost. The river is named after an Indian woman who killed herself rather than reveal the location of a gold mine to Spanish explorers. According to the legend, she agreed to lead them there, but when they reached the river, she used magic to change its course and drown herself and the unsuspecting interlopers. Some people believe that her duppy (ghost) guards the hidden entrance to the mine. Fyllis and I didn’t spot Martha along our three-mile trip, but we saw plenty of other

attractions. As Captain Gayle used a long pole to pilot the narrow bamboo raft on which we sat, he identified trees and flowers, described rusting equipment along the shore that remained from sugar growing days, and explained why and how he builds a replacement raft about every six months. The time we spent with Gayle was one of several encounters with the people of Jamaica that became highlights of our visit. When we purchased snacks from street vendors in towns and along highways, we also found them to be friendly and happy to chat for a while with Americans. At a beach that’s popular with locals, we spoke with families who were picnicking, and with teenage boys playing a pick-up soccer game, using coconuts to mark the goals. Our most memorable person-to-person meeting occurred when we stopped along a road and approached several men seated on rickety chairs near a small beach. Reggie music blared from a radio, as it does throughout Jamaica — from cars, houses, stores and just about anywhere that there are people. After introductions, the men led us along the sand, explaining that the small weathered boats we saw basking in the See JAMAICA, page 41

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Jamaica From page 40 sun are used by fishermen. Our conversation ranged from the lifestyle of Jamaicans and the island’s economy, to politics both

there and in the United States. The man named Joshua asked if we would like to see where he lives, then led us into a miniscule but neatly organized shed that serves as his home. Saying that he has everything he needs to lead a

Getting one’s goat in Jamaica My wife Fyllis and I were delighted when we were invited to a picnic lunch with Betty and her kids at Sunset at the Palms in Negril. The setting was lush, the food and wine enticing. Betty, perhaps the resort’s most popular staff member, took time off from her task of maintaining the grounds. Conversation, though, was a bit strained because Betty is — there’s no other way to say it — a goat. She cohabits the resort grounds with her mate Royal Brown and their kids — that’s “kids” as in young goats. When not sharing lunch with visitors, the adult family members help keep the grass trimmed while their offspring cavort and fill the air with their bleating. Sunset provides a welcome site for both resident goats and humans. It’s an airy, compact oasis in a jungle-like setting that comes by its name honestly. The rooms resemble palm-fringed tree houses, very different from the large, bustling resorts that line many Caribbean beaches. Here, guests are a part of Jamaica. In addition, Sunset is all about service. All staff members at the

adults-only, all-inclusive resort sport a badge saying, “I am your personal concierge.” Approach any employee with any request and you’ll receive their attention and assistance. As at other all-inclusive properties, there are a number of dining options — but how often do you go to a restaurant with no menu in sight? Welcome to the Chef’s Showcase, a nightly five-course surprise meal that focuses on local fare with a sophisticated flair. It’s served in a candle-lit setting that sparkles with class and romance. But be forewarned and prepared: It takes a while between courses. Jamaica runs on island-time, which translates to “relax and enjoy it, mon.” As Fyllis and I reluctantly left the resort, we were serenaded by the bleating of the entire Royal Brown family, who gathered below our balcony to say good-bye. A fitting exit to a very special place. Rates at the all-inclusive Sunset at the Palms start at $299 a night. For more information, call (877) 734-3282 or visit www. thepalmsjamaica.com. — Victor Block

happy life, he displayed the joy of simple pleasures that was exhibited by virtually everyone with whom we crossed paths. That outlook, combined with Jamaica’s magnificent setting and numerous attractions, has earned it a place on our “must return” list of destinations.

If you go Jamaica was a pioneer in the development of all-inclusive resorts, and the beach-front Jewel Grande in many ways epitomizes that. Its amenities include personal butler service, a world-class spa, and unlimited green fees at two renowned golf courses. These and a list of other inviting attractions don’t come cheaply; room rates for two begin at $384/night. For more information, call (888) 797-2735 or visit www.jewelgranderesort.com. Food in Jamaica fuses ingredients and flavors from various countries and cultures, and sampling it can be part of the immersion in local life. Staples include jerk pork and other meats flavored with spices and grilled, rice and “peas” (actually small black beans), and pepperpot, a soup with a fiery flavor that explains its name. More adventurous diners may test their palate and resolve with curried goat, pig’s tail and oxtail, which is prepared several ways.

It’s an open question whether Rick’s Café in Negril is a restaurant with a view, or a view where food is served. Throngs of people gather nightly on the outside deck to watch the magnificent sunset and express their appreciation with applause. Some augment the experience by dining on such local fare as jerk chicken kabobs ($12) and snapper filets ($22), topped off with Jamaican Rum Cake ($8). For more information about Rick’s on West End Road, visit www.rickscafejamaica.com or call (876) 957-0380. The setting is very different at Miss T’s Kitchen, hidden in a quiet cul-de-sac near the town center of Ocho Rios (65 Main Street). It serves home-style dishes in a lush garden setting that hints of the magnificent scenery throughout the island. The menu shares familiar dishes like fried chicken ($12) with jerk shrimp ($22), oxtail simmered with vegetables ($22), and Shet-Pan, which is oxtail and curried goat ($24), all accompanied by sides. For more information, see misstskitchen.com or call (876) 795-0099. For information about Jamaica, go to www.visitjamaica.com. The least expensive roundtrip air ticket from the Washington area to Kingston, Jamaica in mid-September is $506 on American Airlines.

HOLIDAYS AT HAGLEY MUSEUM, Nov 27............................................................................... $115 Take a journey through the historic DuPont family home decorated for the holidays, gardens & black powder yards. Lunch included.

SUNNY ORLANDO, Dec. 2 – 8 .......................................................................................... $879pp A warm Holiday treat featuring two shows. Includes Motorcoach, 6 nights hotel, 8 meals, sightseeing & much more! Based on double occupancy.

NEW YEAR IN GETTYSBURG, PA, Dec 30 – Jan 1 .......................................................... $645pp Join us in the New Year celebrations. Includes Motorcoach, 2 nights hotel, 5 meals, sightseeing and much more!

Price based on double occupancy

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Montana: vanishing glaciers and grizzlies

BUS DIRECT

Hiking the glaciers Driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road was a trip I’d dreamed of for years. Unfortunately my 2017 trip coincided with fires that have become an annual late-summer plague here. Most of the road was closed. (In late August 2018, fires are again ravaging parts of the park, and part of the road was closed.) But a wall of mountains kept the eastern part of the park smoke-free, so we headed there. Highlights included the Hidden Lake Trail, where you make your way along a winding path through a vast alpine meadow toward a backdrop of craggy mountains. The hikers appear so small in the open field beneath the looming mountains that it brings to mind one of those Japanese paintings with tiny human figures dwarfed by nature’s grandiosity. That night, we had an elegant supper at Many Glacier Hotel — including scrumptious bison chili and a huckleberry-flavored cocktail — before watching the sun set behind black mountain peaks ringing the lake on the hotel’s doorstep. The next morning, we rose early for an 11-mile round-trip trek to Grinnell Glacier. You can cut a few miles off the Grinnell Glacier hike by taking a boat to a trailhead, but we opted to do the whole thing by foot.

TO NYC

ARLINGTON * BETHESDA * PENN STATION

WIFI AND ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ON BOARD

PHOTO BY KAN KHAMPANYA

By Beth J. Harpaz I had a lot of expectations heading to Montana last summer. I expected to check off my bucket-list dream of driving Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road. I expected to be ready should I meet any bears because I’d brought “bear bells” to repel them. And I was sure I’d love the local meat pies called “pasties.” Wrong on all counts. The Going-to-theSun Road is fully open as of early July, but when my husband and I arrived in early September of 2017, much of it was closed due to fires. In addition, the rangers told me my bear bells were more likely to attract curious bears than repel them. And sorry, Montanans: I tried one pasty in a cafe and another in a bakery. But for my palate, there’s a reason the word pasty is pronounced so that it rhymes with nasty. The good news: All the other meals my husband and I had were terrific, from a park restaurant to Southern food in the resort town of Whitefish. I also found a hidden gem of a museum about Chinese immigrants in Butte, along with a freaky poison lake. The saddest surprise of all? Glacier Park’s glaciers are melting so fast, the National Park Service predicts they’ll be gone in 12 years.

Logan Pass in Glacier National Park is located at the Continental Divide, and is the highest point on the park’s main thoroughfare — the aptly named Going-to-the-Sun Road.

We set out at dawn, wearing jackets for the chilly morning but shorts to keep our legs cool as the day heated up. The elevation here is 6,500 feet, including 1,600 feet gained along the trail, but we’d gotten accustomed to the altitude and felt fine.

Bears and other wildlife The most unsettling thing about the hike was the sign at the start of the trail: “You are entering grizzly country...There is no guarantee of your safety.” That’s why I’d brought bear bells. Too bad the ranger told me not to use them. Instead, she recommended bear spray, which we bought. Her other tip: Sing, clap and make noise.

Bears usually keep away if they hear you. To my husband’s dismay, I never shut up the entire trail. I sang Broadway tunes and “American Pie,” recited Winston Churchill’s “Never surrender!” speech, and belted out this “Sound of Music” riff: “The hills are alive with the sound of bear songs.” In the end, we didn’t see any bears. But we did see mountain goats grazing above us, moose wading in a turquoise lake below and, at the trail’s turnaround point, the thing we’d come for: Grinnell Glacier, complete with floating icebergs. A sobering placard says that the ice sheets are a See MONTANA, page 43

Everything You Need to KNOW That You Don't Know! A Public Health Service & Educational Series Provided by Tall Oaks Assisted Living

TripperBus.com 718-834-9214 Follow us on

SEPTEMBER PROGRAM

Prevention & Alternatives to the Opioid Crisis Thursday, September 27 • 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Prevention of the misuse of addictive prescription pain meds and noninvasive alternative treatments. Presented by Beverly A. Whittenberg, M.D. of National Spine and Pain Centers. Light refreshments served.

RSVP to rsvp@talloaksal.com or call 703-291-8802 by Sept. 14. Ask about our Jr. Studio Apartment starting at $3,995/mo. (includes Level I Care)!

703.291.8802 12052 N. Shore Dr. Reston, VA 20190 www.TallOaksAL.com

Operated by Gunther Charters, Inc. USDOT #110308 MC #128577

Coordinated Services Management, Inc. Professional Management of Retirement Communities Since 1981

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Montana From page 42 fraction of what they were 100 years ago, and that they are expected to disappear by 2030.

Butte and other towns Butte was a mining boomtown in the late 19th and early 20th century. Many of its attractions today speak to that era, like the 34-room Copper King mansion, built in the 1880s by William A. Clark, one of the richest men of his time. Today the mansion is a B&B with guided tours. Butte’s Mai Wah Museum tells the story of its Chinese community, 2,000 strong at its height. It’s housed in buildings that

were part of Butte’s Chinatown, with artifacts from the original Mai Wah noodle parlor, cheongsam-style dresses from a family exhibit, and a 1901 directory that listed 35 businesses, from laundries to tailors to drugstores. And don’t miss the Berkeley Pit. This toxic lake, a mile long by a half-mile wide, was once an open copper mine. Today it’s filled with water saturated with heavy metals and chemicals. For $2, you can access a viewing platform to see the pool with its odd bluegreen hue and hear the sirens going off to keep birds from landing. The woman in the gift shop who sells tickets jauntily announces to all comers: “There’s only one rule: No swimming!”

BEACON BITS

Sept. 21+

FREE THEATER TICKETS

Ford’s Theatre Society and TodayTix announced the third year of the popular Free First Preview initiative, where free tickets are given away to the first performance of all Ford’s Theatre mainstage productions. The TodayTix digital lottery launches one week before the first performance of each mainstage production in the 2018-2019 season. A total of 2,000 tickets will be given away. The September Free First Preview performance is Born Yesterday on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. To enter the digital lottery, patrons must download the TodayTix app (available in Apple App Store, the Google Play or Amazon AppStore), open it and select “TodayTix Free First Previews” with Ford’s Theatre. Winners will be notified by email and push notification between 10 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET on the day of the first preview, and must confirm their winning tickets (up to two) in the TodayTix app within one hour of being notified. For more information, visit www.fords.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

We all love trying authentic local cuisine, but after my aversion to pasties, I was open to other ideas. Rave reviews drew us to Tupelo Grille in Whitefish. Wait, gumbo and seafood in Montana? I can only tell you, it was outstanding. After dinner, we hit the Tuesday evening farmers market. It was huckleberry season, with plenty of treats for dessert. Our final Montana stop: Big Hole National Battlefield in Wisdom. The U.S. Cavalry chased the Nez Perce tribe in a running battle over 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) as the Indians tried to flee to Canada in the late 1800s.

The tribe camped here by a river and was massacred by soldiers who fired into tipis as they slept. A field of tipis stripped of their covers marks the site. No surprise here: This haunting place will break your heart. Roundtrip flights to Kalispel, Mt., about 25 miles from Glacier National Park, with one change of plane, are available from BWI and Dulles starting at $599 in midSeptember. More Montana visitor information is available at https://www.visitmt.com/guidebook.html or by calling (800) 847-4868. — AP

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

How to shorten the airport screening line By Gregory Karp Waiting in lengthy security lines isn’t a great way to start a long-awaited vacation. But you can use the faster lanes if you belong to one of the expedited screening programs, which could essentially be free to join with the right credit card. The primary federal programs for air travel, TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry, cost $85 or $100 per traveler, respectively. That fee covers you for five years. Both give you access to the Transportation Security Administration’s Pre-Check security lanes at over 200 domestic airports, where wait times as of May were less than five minutes for 92 percent of passengers, according to a TSA report. Global Entry includes TSA Pre-Check privileges and adds expedited entry through U.S. customs when you return from a foreign country. This summer a record 243 million pas-

sengers and crew members were projected to pass through airport security checkpoints nationwide from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to the TSA. That total is up from 239 million last year. “Frequent travelers place great value on Pre-Check and Global Entry,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group. About 91 percent of business airline travelers said expedited airport screening was important to them, according to a 2017 survey by Harteveldt’s group. Joe Brancatelli, a business travel writer and founder of travel site JoeSentMe.com, calls both programs a breeze to use. “If you use it, you don’t want to go back,” he said. Leisure travelers will have to decide whether they fly often enough to justify the cost and effort to apply. For example, if you take two round-trip domestic flights each

BEACON BITS

Sept. 23

FREE PIANO CONCERT

The Washington Piano Society presents the opening concert of the season with classic piano works from Beethoven to Debussy on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church, 9545 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information, contact Ellen Tenenbaum at (301) 703-1863 or visit www.dcpianosociety.com.

Ride Route 129 Burtonsville P&R Briggs Chaney P&R Castle Blvd & Castle Blvd Circle Tech Road P&R Stewart Ln & Old Columbia Pike Stewart Ln & April Ln Lockwood Dr & July Dr Lockwood Dr & White Oak Transit Center Lockwood Dr & New Hampshire Ave Lockwood Dr & Northwest Dr Lockwood Dr & Meadowhill Rd Burnt Mills Shopping Ctr on US 29 University Blvd & US 29 (Colesville Rd) Spring St & US 29 (Southbound Only) * Colesville Rd Fenton St & US 29 (Northbound Only) Colesville Rd Paul Sarbanes Transit Center (Silver Spring Transit Center)

Ride On

New Limited Stop Service!

Along US 29 Rush Hours Only Monday - Friday An additional commuting option!

* Stopping at Noyes Street until construction completed

Montgomery County Department of Transportation

year, Pre-Check’s cost will average $4.25 per flight.

Which to choose Here’s how to know whether Pre-Check or Global Entry is right for you and how a credit card might be able to defray the cost. With both programs, you provide personal information and submit to a background check. In exchange, you get a trusted traveler number, which you can use for faster screening. Global Entry might be the obvious choice for frequent and international travelers because it comes with more benefits for a little extra money, costing an average of $3 more annually than Pre-Check. The downside of Global Entry comes upfront: It’s a bigger hassle to apply for, and it requires a more thorough background process than Pre-Check. It not only requires a passport but also an in-person interview, which is available at the nation’s large international airports and border crossings. If you rarely travel abroad, don’t have a passport, and don’t live near a Global Entry center, TSA Pre-Check may be the better option. Application details are on the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry websites. TSA Pre-Check status gives you access to security lanes with lighter screening. To use the special lane, make sure your trusted traveler number is included in your airline itinerary. Leave on your belt and shoes, keep your laptop in its case, and let liquids and gels remain in your carry-on. Dedicated Pre-Check lanes and quicker screening usually mean faster-moving lines. Children ages 12 and younger can use Pre-Check lanes when traveling with a parent or guardian who has the Pre-Check

indicator on their boarding pass. Global Entry, run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, includes TSA Pre-Check benefits and expedited customs screening when traveling internationally. When returning to the U.S., you can use a self-service kiosk instead of waiting in customs lines. The program also includes expedited processing at Mexico and Canada border crossings. Children of all ages need their own Global Entry status to use expedited customs screening.

Your credit card may pay More credit cards that earn travel rewards are starting to add a valuable benefit: reimbursement of the application fee for Pre-Check or Global Entry once every four or five years. Typically, reimbursement is automatic when you use the travel credit card to pay the $85 or $100 fee. For card issuers, the benefit is becoming a must, especially for travel credit cards with hefty annual fees. “If you want to market your card as an elite one and charge a high fee, you better offer this rebate as part of the bundle of benefits,” Brancatelli said. If neither program is right for you, TSA offers these tips for regular security lanes: • Before heading to the airport, check your carry-ons for prohibited items. • During busy travel periods, TSA recommends using its app, MyTSA, to check what your wait time might be. • When packing your carry-on, keep in mind that some items will need to be removed and scanned separately. The TSA Pre-Check application is available at www.tsa.gov/precheck. Global Entry’s application can be found at www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/how-apply.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

September 4 – NooN How YoU CaN preveNt FallS

September 13 – 11:00 am-12 NooN How we preveNt FallS

Willow Manor at Fair Hill Farm 18301 Georgia Avenue Olney, MD 20832 301-621-7830 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

Layhill Nursing and Rehab Center 3227 Bel Pre Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 603-508-8540 Laurie Kelly with Demonstration by Bill Kelly Helping My Parkinsonian Husband Keep His Life in Balance

September 5 – 3:00-4:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Elizabeth House 1400 Fenwick Lane Silver Spring, MD 20910 240-682-1765 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 7 – 1:00-2:00 pm Fall riSk aSSeSSmeNtS Margaret Schweinhaut Center 1000 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 240-777-8085 Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital www.adventisthealthcare.com/locations/ rehabilitation/

September 10 – 2:00-3:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Forest Oak Towers 101 Odendhal Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20877 301-774-7813 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 11 – 2:30 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Andrew Kim House 2100 Olney Sandy Spring Road Olney, MD 20832 301-621-7830 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 12 – 1:00 pm (rSvp reqUired) balaNCe iN aCtioN Kensington Park Senior Living 3620 Littledale Road Kensington, MD 20895 301-946-7700 Facilitator: Genesis www.genesishcc.com

September 12 – 11:00 am Yoga For balaNCe Benjamin Gaither Center 80 A Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20878 240-805-1578 Jane Stelboum www.sarasvate.com

September 12 – 3:00-4:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Arcola Towers 1135 University Boulevard West Silver Spring, MD 20902 240-682-1765 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 13 – 11:00 am-12:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Long Branch Senior Center 8700 Piney Branch Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 240-777-6975 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 14 – 2:00-3:00 pm FallS preveNtioN Potomac United Methodist Church 9908 South Glen Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-9383 Andrew Myers Home Modiﬁcations and Technology Applications to Falls Prevention & Recovery

September 17 – 10:30 am-1:00 pm YoU Have tHe power to redUCe YoUr riSk oF FalliNg Oasis Macys Home Store | 7125 Democracy Blvd Bethesda, MD 20817 301-469-4976 Fall Prevention Fair Speakers www.oasisnet.org/washington

September 17 – 1:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS Damascus Senior Center 9701 Main Street, Suite 2 Damascus, MD 20872 240-777-6995 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 18 – 2:00-4:00 pm Head to toe approaCH to Fall preveNtioN Grand Oaks 5901 MacArthur Boulevard NW Washington, DC 20016 202-349-3400 Carole Lewis, PT, DPT, GCS, GTC, MPA, MSG, PhD, FAPTA www.topicsingeriatricrehabilitation.com www.greatseminarsonline.com

September 19 – 12:30-1:30 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS North Potomac Senior Center 13850 Travilah Road Rockville, MD 20850 240-773- 4805 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 21 – 2:00 pm preveNtive SaFetY aNd maiNtaiNiNg StreNgtH aNd poStUre September 26 – 1:30 pm SHiFt to SaFetY

Seabury @ Friendship Terrace Retirement Community 4201 Butterworth Place NW Washington, DC 20016 202-244-7400 Arominta Perry, Professional Healthcare Liaison https://www.seaburyresources.org/ friendshipterrace

Ring House 1801 East Jeﬀerson Street Rockville, MD 20852 301-770-8450 Crystal Key, Wellness Coordinator www.smithlifecommunities.org

September 21 – 11:30 am-1:00 pm How YoU CaN preveNt FallS

September 26 – 10:00 am How YoU CaN preveNt FallS

Gilchrist Hall 9601 Medical Center Drive Rockville, MD 20850 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

White Oak Senior Center 1700 April Lane Silver Spring, MD 20904 240-777-6944 Jen Wolfe, PharmD, BCGP www.drjenwolfe.com

September 24 – 2:00 pm Fall preveNtioN Premier Residences of Chevy Chase 8100 Connecticut Avenue Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-915-9231 Kathleen Zulkoski PT, Rehab Director www.ﬁvestarseniorliving.com/communities/ md/chevy-chase/ﬁve-star-premier-residencesof-chevy-chase

September 24 – 4:00 pm bUildiNg CoNFideNCe aNd StreNgtH aFter a Fall aNd preveNtiNg poteNtial miSHapS Brightview West End 285 N. Washington Street Rockville, MD 20850 Mary Ann Buckley, MSW and JoRoadana Goodstein, RN www.corewoodcare.com

September 25 – 1:00 pm SHiFt to SaFetY Revitz House 6111 Montrose Road Rockville, Md 20852 301-770-8450 Crystal Key, Wellness CooRoadinator www.smithlifecommunities.org

September 25 – 1:00-2:00 pm StaY Firm oN YoUr Feet Holiday Park Senior Center 3950 Ferrara Drive Wheaton, MD 20906 240-777-4999 Suburban Hospital www.hopkinsmedicine.org/suburban_ hospital/index.html

September 27 – 10:00 am-NooN FallS aNd balaNCe: aS part oF a mediCal FitNeSS evalUatioN For older adUltS Asbury Methodist Village Rosborough Cultural Arts Center 301 Odendhal Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20877 ( Enter Through Gatehouse) 240-688-6286 Carole Lewis, PT, DPT, GCS, GTC, MPA, MSG, PhD, FAPTA www.topicsingeriatricrehabilitation.com www.greatseminarsonline.com

September 27 – 12:00-1:00 pm braiNS doN’t boUNCe: wHat YoU SHoUld kNow aboUt FallS aNd memorY Asheir Manor, Assisted Living 19230 Mateny Hill Road Germantown, MD 20874 (301) 250-6660 Susan I. Wranik,MS,MA,CCC-SLP LSVT Certiﬁed www.speakskill.com

September 28 – 10:00-11:00 am Floor SaFetY Plum Gar Community Center 19561 Scenery Drive Germantown, MD 20876 240-777-4919 Chad Freeman, The Slip Authority, LLC / Chad Freeman Slippery When Wet; Reducing Slips & Falls

September 29 – 9:30-11:30 am St. JoHN'S epiSCopal CHUrCH 3427 Olney Laytonsville Road Olney, MD 20832 301-704-5848 Briana Marangi, MA, CCC-SLP, CPD www.rehabcare.com

This page sponsored by

September 20 – 2:00 pm preveNtiNg FallS iN YoUr Home aNd CommUNitY Aspenwood Senior Living Community 14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 301-598-6424 Mike Koehle

www.growsmc.org

Always Best Care Senior Services

Olney Assisted Living

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The best scenic rides on public transit Public transit operates mainly for local round trips are much less than two one-way commuting, shopping and school trips. trips; otherwise, round trips cost double the But some of those ordinary one-way rate. Some nominally transit trips can be spectacuone-way fares cover a set time lar for visitors, too. period of an hour or more of Transit prices are a lot less travel, allowing round-trip ridthan rates for commercial sighting on short trips. seeing, and you aren’t forced to Many systems issue onestop at schlocky souvenir and multiple-day passes that shops. You can find interesting typically represent good value transit rides in many places, but for anyone riding more than I have a favorites list of public one round trip. Many systems trips in the U.S. that should be base fare collection on maTRAVEL TIPS on your “must” list whenever chine-readable stored-value By Ed Perkins you visit the region. cards of some sor t, and Unless noted, all routes operate several charge a higher fare for cash. Unless trips daily, some with reduced weekend serv- noted, the minimum age for senior fares is ice. I show one-way single fares except where 65.

Going Home Cremation Service Beverly L. Heckrotte, P.A. Personalized

Professional

Dignified

Affordable

• Specializing in direct cremation • Return of the urn and memorial merchandise to your home • Serving Maryland, Washington, D.C., and N. Virginia

(301) 854-9038

or 1 (866) 728-4663 (toll free) call for your FREE information package

Visit us at www.GoingHomeCremation.com

Harbor ferries

Commuter rail trips

New York’s Staten Island Ferry is the classic way to view the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the lower Manhattan skyline. The Ferry operates 24/7/365, from the Battery, every 15 minutes during commute rush hours; every 30 minutes offpeak and on weekends. Best of all, it’s free! Seattle’s Bremerton Ferry offers vistas of the city’s impressive skyline and wooded hills as it crosses Puget Sound between the city center and suburban Bremerton. It’s the most easily accessible of the area’s many ferry lines for typical Seattle visitors. Round-trip fares are $8.35 adults, $4.15 youth and senior. Boston and San Francisco also operate some commuter ferry lines in their extended harbor areas.

San Diego County’s “Coaster” trains hug much of the spectacular Pacific coastline between San Diego and Oceanside. Trips operate daily with reduced weekend schedules. One-way zone fares for the full route are $5.50 for adults, $2.75 for those 60 and over. Also, for other coastal scenery options, consider Los Angeles Metra’s Orange County and Inland Empire routes between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside, and Seattle’s Sounder line between Seattle and Everett, weekdays only. And New Mexico’s Rail Runner Express from Albuquerque to Santa Fe passes through some nice desert country.

Bus trip Monterey Transit’s Big Sur Bus route 22 remains the nation’s most scenic public bus trip, along the famed highway 1. Round trips operate three times daily through Labor Day, than twice daily on weekends only. The one-way fare is $3.50; $1.75 for youth and seniors.

Funicular trip Pittsburgh’s two historic “inclines,” dating from the 1870s, soldier on to carry passengers more than 400 feet up from the riverside to the bluff overlooking the city center and “Golden Triangle.” Both inclines are integrated into Pittsburgh’s public transit system, with frequent daily operation. One-ride fares from downtown are $2.50 each way, $3.50 with a transfer to/from bus or light rail; children and disabled pay 50 cents, and seniors 65 ride all local transit in Pennsylvania free.

Vintage streetcars Although several areas run short vintage streetcar routes, and many operate modern light rail lines, only two U.S. cities fully integrate vintage streetcars into their transit service. San Francisco Muni’s E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves lines operate almost entirely with restored vintage cars. Both follow the waterfront from Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf; the E line passes AT&T Park. One-ride fares are $2.50 for adults, $1.25 youth and seniors. I exclude cable cars because, with one-ride fares of $7, they mainly target tourists. New Orleans operates its entire streetcar system with vintage cars, with routes that include Canal Street, the Garden District, the French Quarter, and the waterfront. One-way fares are $1.25 for adults, 40 cents for seniors. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BEACON BITS

Sept. 22

FREE MUSEUM DAY

Tickets for Smithsonian magazine’s annual Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 22 are now available for download. Museums across the nation will adopt the policy of the Smithsonian, opening their doors for free to visitors with a Museum Day ticket. While Smithsonian museums are free, area residents can visit such places as the Spy Museum and Newseum for free on Sept. 22. Each ticket provides free admission to the ticket holder and one guest. To see the full list of participating museums and to download a ticket, visit http://bit.ly/SmithsonianMuseumDay2018.

Sept. 22

HYATTSVILLE ARTS FESTIVAL

The Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival: Arts & Ales will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22 from noon to 6 p.m. in downtown Hyattsville, Md. (Farragut to Gallatin Sts. near Franklin’s Brewery and Vigilante Coffee). Reduced rate parking is available at Hyattsville Justice Center Garage, 5000 Rhode Island Ave. The festival will feature 100+ artists, artisans, breweries, food trucks and live music. For more information, visit https://hyattsvillearts.com or call (301) 683-8267 or email festival@hyattsvillecdc.org.

Ongoing

FREE COMPUTER HELP

The Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center offers free computer help on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., by appointment only. Instructor Satish Shah will teach basic computer skills and answer questions. The center is located at 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (240) 777-8085 or see the front desk.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

When the old family car was like a friend It was another red light among thousands. making them. They’ve discovered that SUVs Three lanes heading in my direction. I are more popular, and of course, more profitable. They seem to have desighed to a stop in the middle cided that station wagons are one. Then I looked to my left. un-hip, un-classy, un-”wind in There, huffing and snorting the hair.” A little too Ozzie and like the relic it was, I spied a Harriet for the 21st Century. 1978 Ford station wagon. But I don’t buy that (pun inThe wagon was red over tended). I think station wagons black. Its rear gate was slightly were exceptionally punchy and ajar — probably the result of a exceptionally practical. They fender bender. Its hood was were cool precisely because slightly bent — maybe the result of a falling branch, or a carethey weren’t cool. HOW I SEE IT As the red-over-black Ford less mechanic, or simply lots of By Bob Levey crested a hill and disapyears. I fell in love immediately. Not just with peared, I reminisced… The 1990 light brown Toyota wagon that the vehicle, but with the courage of the our family owned became our home on elderly gent driving it. I beeped. He looked my way. I made a wheels. The “way back” was where the motion that asked him to roll down his pas- kids always wanted to sit — facing backsenger side window. Of course, he had to wards. Very few SUVs — and no cars — lean over to do it — no panel of buttons ex- could offer that. When we needed to transport half a socisted in 1978. “Nice wheels!,” I called out. “How long cer team to a game, we could do it quickly and easily. Yes, an SUV has as many seats. have you had them?” “Since this baby rolled off the assembly But you have to hop way up to get in. That line,” he replied. Then the light changed could cost precious seconds when it was raining — which, on soccer days, it always and he huffed and snorted along his way. Good thing I caught a look at his station seemed to be doing. wagon on this warm summer day, because School car pools — no problem. CleanI might never see one again. ing up the snack mess that the kids always All the major manufacturers have stopped left behind — easy. Gas mileage — as

good as a car. Original cost — only slightly more than a car. Was our wagon tough to park? It was only nine inches longer than a Toyota sedan. Was it tough to drive? Not at all. Was it difficult to cool or heat? Nope. Was it expensive to insure? Not any more than a car. The real issue, we discovered across ten years of owning our wagon, was what The

Joneses thought. They were deep into massive Chrysler sedans and exotic Mercedes roadsters. They looked on us and our wagon the way some people look on misguided relatives. Well, gosh, the Leveys are just like that, y’know. Still putting money into that ugly See BOB LEVEY, page 49

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 48 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

S H O P

T E K U

E D A M

S C O W S

E L M E R

H A T S

E N O S

C O N D I M E N T S

E G Y P T

L E S S E N G S I G E R O A L S E O S

A M I O N A H S U P O S O U N N W I A L R I D A

R A T E

A R E S

T V M O V S I T H E O O P E N D O V T H A O E M S B S

S U N W N I I N D R E D O E A L L E I G N A G L

O R I G I N A T O R

D A N A

A L E S

T I A R A

A N T S Y

A L S O

S O A R

H O L Y

ANSWERS TO JUMBLE Jumbles: GLADE PROVE PLIGHT PANTRY Answer: He couldn't wait to propose to his girlfriend in person, so he -- GAVE HER A RING

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Put Into Words 1

ByStephen StephenSherr Sherr

30 36

49 52

Across 1. Most of the Golden Gate Bridge 6. A “I smell ___” 10. Fanta or Fresca 14. Maze material, in The Shining 15. Albert, in basketball’s Hall of Fame 16. Europe’s third-longest river 17. Approves 18. Celebrity couple 19. First striped pool ball 20. Selects self-service 23. Starbucks’ offering 24. Number of sides on a Roman stop sign 25. “I’ll be down in just a ___” 28. New Hampshire and New Haven 30. Violate one of the commandments 31. Central MONTANA 34. Shaves off a long beard at home, carelessly 38. Present prefix 39. New odometer reading 40. Coup d’___ 41. Circumvents building security protocols 46. ___ Lanka 47. Try to get on student council 48. First note homophone (and land animal) 49. Second note homophone (and sea animal) 50. Gripe 52. Kilmer of Batman Forever 54. Demonstrates canine obedience 62. Meryl’s protege in The Devil Wears Prada 63. Diaper cream ingredient 64. House made of snow 65. Traveler from Kansas to Oz 66. Ferrari foursome 67. Vaccine type (as FluMist) 68. Leaky tire sound 69. Brylcreem dosages 70. No guts, no ___ 1. Boutique

Down

Jumble answers on p. 47.

Scrabble answers on p. 47.

2. Technical university, briefly 3. Dutch cheesemaking town 4. One of 16 nations along the Tropic of Cancer 5. Diminishes 6. Ugandan president during the US bicentennial 7. Assign stars 8. Hera’s first son 9. The first was See How They Run, on NBC in 1964 10. Branch of Islam 11. Creator of a new technique 12. Church Lady guy 13. Pub possibilities 21. Island with 54 miles of Interstate Highways 22. Weather vane power source 25. Flat-bottomed boats 26. Wabbit hunter, Fudd 27. Cook-out fill-ins 29. The dish’s secret fiancee of rhyme 30. Embracing this puzzle’s theme 32. Something borrowed, by Meghan Markle 33. Anxiously awaiting 35. Band’s booking 36. Bunkbed option 37. ___ Speedwagon 42. History-book chapters 43. Daffodil direction 44. PBS science show 45. Selling cars 51. Butter substitutes 53. Like marijuana, in Colorado 54. “Gentlemen: please remove your ___” 55. Adam’s grandson 56. Hip bones 57. Pyramid, practically 58. Energy company that missed 2017’s Fortune 500 by one place 59. In addition 60. Act like the Dow Jones in the 90’s 61. Like a cow or mackerel

Answers on page 47.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Bob Levey From page 47

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

brown wagon of theirs. Still trying to stop the clock in 1990 when it’s 2000. Exactly, my friends. If a wagon still runs, why replace it? Ours ran and ran and ran some more. Sure, it attracted dents and nicks. Yes, it needed a new suspension after 150,000 miles. The air conditioner worked only about 25 percent of the time by Year Ten. But it had become part of the family, a little like an old cat. Even its dowdy looks became a point of pride. I well remember spending one Sunday afternoon in our driveway, with a can of touch-up paint. The front left fender needed a little help. Could station wagons make a comeback? I truly believe they could. They can handle almost as much cargo as a pickup truck (with the advantage of offering a roof!). They can pick up an entire family at the airport — no sweat. They would be at least $15,000 cheaper than a mid-sized SUV. And as I saw at that red light, they can last 40 years with the proper combination of determination and maintenance. If you want to go whole hog, what about a return to the Woodies of the 1940s? Those were station wagons with real wood paneling. Totally distinctive. Totally useless. But totally wonderful. We finally got rid of Old Brown when it would have cost $4,000 for a new transmission. We sold him to a teenager for $400. Old Brown is probably in pieces by now, in some junkyard. But how delightful it would be to sigh to a stop at a red light one of these days and see him beside me. I’d blow him a kiss. I can hope that he’d blow one back. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

Letters to editor From page 2 trade” as “rigged” and end it, as Pres. Trump flipped several industrial states by promising. What would happen, instead, if publications which use a lot of newsprint decided to express their ire at NORPAC by refusing to buy newsprint from it, even though they’d have to pay the tariff when buying Canadian newsprint. And, as word spread and more stopped buying newsprint from this company, maybe it would think twice before insisting on asserting its legal rights at the ITC? Maybe affected parties and governments would come together and reach a settlement where the Canadian government which improperly subsidized Canadian paper manufacturers would compensate adversely impacted U.S. paper manufacturers such as NORPAC in exchange

for “pausing” the tariff. Dino Drudi Alexandria, Va. Dear Editor: There is a marketplace solution to the problem of below-market prices for newsprint from Canada (“A complex subject,” From the Publisher, August). Subsidies the Canadian government gives to newsprint producers to make up for the true costs must be paid for by Canadian taxpayers in general. That punishes all Canadians for the benefit of the few newsprint producers. What American newsprint producers should do is to buy all the Canadian newsprint they can at below the prices they can produce it, and focus on reselling it at a profit through their presence in America. That will send a message to both the Canadian government and its citizens that subsidies do not pay in the long run. Gerald Schneider Kensington, Md.

Please patronize our advertisers.

WB918

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 51. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Caregivers SKILLED, LOVING CAREGIVER seeking full-time position providing care for the elderly or person with disabilities in their home. Has references. Call Monica, 301-646-2132. “A” HOME HEALTH CARE — Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 240-533-6599. SENIOR HELPING HAND: A compassionate caregiver to provide non-medical daily living assistance for senior. Call Pam, 301-891-0001. EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER FOR HIRE — for private care in home or healthcare facility. Provides care with love, dignity and respect. Licensed CNA. References available. Cited in The Washington Post for service. Contact: winicna@gmail.com, 202-726-7886 or 202-7442880. DO YOU DESIRE PERSONAL CARE? Certified Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide. Many years of experience with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other debilitating health challenges. Reliable with great references. Care available ASAP. Call 301-800-7005. I WILL CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES night/day. Own transportation. Good references. Lots of experience. 301-502-2258. A LOVING, CARING, COMPASSIONATE, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your loved ones. Has experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, diabetics and other health problems. Please call 301-9089134. CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE — reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness. Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24-hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes. MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.ChChHomecare.com.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

Event YES YOU ARE WELCOME! ART CLASSES start the week of Sept. 17. Drawing, oil, watercolor and acrylics. $65 ($70 non-res) for a 6-week session. Beginners and experienced artists. Small classes. Individual attention. Join Rossmoor Art Guild for $15/yr. Beautiful surroundings. Questions: 240-560-7491. Leisure World, Silver Spring, MD 20906.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Financial

For Sale

Personal Services

DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670.

1980 SCAN ROUND TO OVAL TEAK TABLE, $850. 1905 circa, painted, handcrafted secretary with dropdown desk, $375. 75 gallon aquarium with stand, accessories, fish. 301-869-2155.

GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

6 BURIAL SITES FOR SALE in Fairfax Memorial Park, Fairfax, VA. Call Betty Olson at 703-978-4613 for information.

DO YOU OWN A VALUABLE OLD key-wound wall or mantle clock that no longer runs? Would you like to see it operating again? I will convert your clock to one that is battery operated. My quote is provided upon inspection. References available. Contact Dixon at dixonh1925@gmail.com or 703250-9277.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate LEISURE WORLD: PATIO HOME, corner lot, 3BR, 2FB, fully renovated kitchen and bathrooms w/ porcelain tile, combination master bedroom and bath, granite counters, Florida room, oak hardwood flooring and fresh paint throughout, new windows and vinyl siding, fireplace, garage, abundant storage, many extras. $269,900. For sale by owner, 301-774-7220. BED & BREAKFAST FOR SALE. Historic colonial tavern restored. Best of Small Towns list, located Laurel Mountains base near resorts, skiing, world class golf, hiking, river sports. Retail space faces town’s square. 11,000 cars/day. www.McCaliManor.com. 949-933-9632. SENIOR CITIZEN EFFICIENCY located in Thomas Circle area. Full bath, eat-in kitchen. Continental breakfast provided and evening meal. Numerous amenities associated with senior living at its best, $3,242 per month. Inquire: Mr. Brown at 202-227-1385. RETIRED COUPLE ON FIXED INCOME need basement apartment or condo in Maryland for $950-$1,100, utilities included. Move in 9/169/23. 301-869-2155. FOR RENT: GATED PREMIER COMMUNITY of Leisure World. Step inside this mid-rise Condominium/building to be surrounded by luxury all the way to your apartment. This lovely, spacious 1BR/1BA lightfilled apt with glass-enclosed balcony is stunning. Rent includes highly sought after garage/parking. Feature: open floorplan with large formal dining room, tablespace kitchen with window, bedroom with window, walk-in closet, washer/dryer in unit, bath with both shower stall and bathtub, plenty of closets, close to elevator. Must see to appreciate this impressive unit. The community offers plenty of amenities including golf, swimming pools, gyms and restaurants. Gas/electric separate. No smoking, no pets. Available Oct. 2018. Call 301-312-3843. LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will set up an automated online search for you, preview units, and contact you to arrange a showing when there is a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings in this issue. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors. LEISURE WORLD® — $154,900. 2 BR 2FB Warfield model, table space kitchen, separate dining room, separate laundry, utilities included in monthly condo fee. 1116 sq ft. Stan Mofffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® — $249,900. 2 BR + Den, 2 FB “K” with garage in the “Greens.” Table space kitchen, separate dining room, step-in shower, enclosed balcony. 1520 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® — $259,000. 2 BR 2 FB “C” with garage in “Overlook.” Open table space kitchen, step-in shower in master bath, enclosed balcony. 1090 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® — $84,000. 1 BR 1 FB Raleigh Coop, separate dining room, enclosed balcony, central air, 990 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR — May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949. PAID RESEARCH STUDY: Participants needed for research study at the University of Maryland, College Park. Seeking healthy adults ages 40-80 with either (1) extensive meditation experience or (2) no prior meditation experience to study the link between bacteria in the gut and day-to-day behavior with biological samples (e.g., stool sample), MRI, and behavioral tests. If you qualify and enroll, you will earn $25/hour for 2 sessions of up to 1.5 and 2.5 hours, respectively. For eligibility info, contact us at 301-202-4834, BrainBodyStudy@gmail.com. STOP OVERPAYING for your prescriptions! SAVE! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy, compare prices and get $25.00 OFF your first prescription! CALL 1-888-9817657 Promo Code CDC201725. DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844-3661003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118.

Home/Handyman Services JUNK REMOVAL: SAVE 20%! Donations, recycling, junk junked, plus get money back when we sell your stuff! 1-800-Junk-Refund. 240-2465405.

Legal Services WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward. Call 1-888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1-866-9700779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

Miscellaneous ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com. SENIOR CITIZEN SEEKING senior guitar teacher. 301-879-9515.

Personals

TURN YOUR SILVER AND OLD GOLD jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself. Gold 4 Good (8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910) buys gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold watches and gold and silver coins. I will come to your house and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). Call Bob, (240) 9389694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all sellers who are veterans of the US Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps. And we extend the same courtesy to their spouses. We honor our servicemen (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals dealership, not a pawnshop or private home based business. YOUR PERSONAL DRIVER IS HERE: lifelong local resident. Reliable, professional service. Safe, accident-free driving record. Spacious, comfortable minivan, seating up to 6 passengers. Airports, cruise ports, trains, theatres, stadiums, casinos, restaurants, celebrations, ceremonies. Anytime, 24/7… anywhere, including extended trips to other states. Reservations recommended… Call 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with questions or to schedule your ride. Emergencies if needed. Steven Saidman. Cell/Text: 301-9338899. Email: Steve.Your.Driver@gmail.com. PERSONAL ASSISTANT AVAILABLE. Is it getting harder to do your own shopping, sort through your papers, or drive to medical appointments? Or perhaps you have an elderly relative who could use some help a few hours a week? Inspired by the resilient and cheerful sunflower, Isabelle founded Tournesol Services, LLC to provide affordable, flexible, non-clinical support for DC Metro Area seniors. Services include: de-cluttering, filing, medical note-taking, patient advocacy, errands, friendly visits, estate inventories, and more! Isabelle is the caring “daughter next door,” whose health & safety research background, client focus, and years of dedicated volunteer work make her an ideal personal assistant or companion. Email tournesolservices@gmail.com or go to www.tournesolservices.com. After the complimentary 1hour consult/evaluation, if you sign up for services and mention: “Tournesol means Sunflower” — you will win a free service hour! De-stress your life, and Turn to Tournesol!

TV/Cable DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game. Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package. Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.) CALL 1- 888-572-4953. DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1-844560-5837. SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888-366-7573.

Wanted

For Sale

LOOKING FOR NEW FRIENDS, both men and women between 55 and 80 to share mutual interests and occasional day trips. Must live in the Montgomery County. Call Carol at 301-7541289.

BOOKS! SEE GREAT SELECTION of new non-fiction books! History, military, science, arts, nature, etc. Go to www.amazon.com/shops/billjen54. Click on book; look for “billjen54”.

ATTRACTIVE BLACK FEMALE, 72 PLUS, interested in one black man or of color. Single, trustworthy, physically fit, age 65 plus, for travel, companionship. 301-847-0423, leave message.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301- 2792158.

CUTE, ATTRACTIVE FEMALE, FIFTIES — Looking for single white male, fifties/early sixties, attractive, robust, medium/large build, reliable, warm-hearted, romantic. Enjoy dates, companionship, devoted relationship. If interested, call 240-418-4124, leave message/ph#.

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, comic books and records, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business. 717-658-7954.

PIANO FOR SALE. DOWNSIZING, pick up, small piano for sale, excellent condition. $220. Available immediately. 301-598-0640, leave message. ONE CEMETERY PLOT AT PARKLAWN Memorial Gardens, Rockville, MD, for sale for $3,500. Located in the Garden of Eternal Life, close to Veirs Mill Road. Call 301-580-5980 for information.

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDs AND TAPES. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301646-5403. Will make house calls.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Wanted

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Wanted

TIRED OF POLISHING YOUR SILVER? Turn it into cash, which does not tarnish. I will come to your home and give you a free evaluation of what I can pay. I buy all gold and silver jewelry, including broken pieces, all sterling silver, gold and silver coins, gold watches, etc. I am licensed with both Maryland and Montgomery County (lic. #2327). If you decide to sell, I can buy your items at that time, but there is no obligation. Call Bob, Gold 4 Good, 8241 Georgia Ave., Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (240) 938-9694. Gold 4 Good pays an additional 5 percent to all sellers who are veterans of the US Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps. And we extend the same courtesy to their spouses. We honor our servicemen (and their spouses). Gold 4 Good is a Maryland licensed precious metals dealership, not a pawnshop or private home based business. BUYING VINTAGE TOYS AND STEREO equipment, tin wind-ups, cast iron banks, peddle cars, Lego, Disney toys, marbles, record players, amplifiers, tube amplifiers, tubes. Betty, 301219-6201. FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you. BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-464-0958. CASH FOR ESTATES, PARTIAL ESTATES, DOWNSIZING. I buy a wide range of items. Buy-out/cleanup. Gary Roman, 301520-0755.

GOLD, SILVER, ART, FOUNTAIN PENS, OLD TOYS, dolls, comic books, vintage mens wrist watches, pocket watches, old violins, guitar, golf, baseball, sports equipment, memorabilia. Military firearms, knives. Tom, 240476-3441. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com. MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202841-3062. LADY WHO LOVES FINE CHINA and crystal would like to buy yours. Especially interested in figurines and dishes by the following makers: Herend, Johnson Brothers, Lenox, Lladro, Meissen, Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley, Spode, Wedgwood, Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford stemware and miscellaneous. Bone China cups and saucers and quality dog and cat figurines. 301-785-1129. BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201. CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. Ask for Tom. Call anytime, 301654-8678 (reg. 883). COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766. Wanted

Wanted

COLLECTOR SEEKING: ANTIQUES, mid-century furniture, paintings, gold, silver items, quality jewelry, sewing, military, etc. One piece or estate. Cash paid and quick removal. Chris, 301-262-1299.

ESTATE LIQUIDATION & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military items, rare books, Mid-Century Modern furniture and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Washington, D.C., NOVA and beyond. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell, 202-731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

WE PAY CASH FOR ANTIQUE FURNITURE, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202-726-4427, MD 301-3324697. SEEKING FULL/SEALED BOTTLES of Vintage Bourbon and Rye. Do you have full/sealed vintage bottles of bourbon or rye collecting dust in your cabinet. Do any of your bottles have an old red or green tax strip? Call Alex, 443-223-7669.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Studies

Montgomery County Public Libraries..........................11

C. Diff Study.................................21 Fasting Diet Study.........................22 Healthy Research Volunteers ........21 Hearing Research Study................21 Memory Loss Study......................20 Speech Comprehension Study ......20

Home Health Care/Companion Services

Computer/ Technology Help TechMedic4u...................................7 Ur Geeks .........................................8

Dental Services Friedman, Stephen, DDS ..............18 Oh, Judy, DDS ..............................22

Events Beacon 50+Expo .........................2-3 Fall Prevention Month...................45 Montgomery County Active Aging Week.......................8 Parkinson’s Lecture .......................20 Village at Rockville Programs ......26

Financial Services Children’s National Hospital.........27 State Health Insurance Assistance Program....................14

Funeral Services Going Home Cremation................46

Government Services DC Office on Aging ................38-39 Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services ...................6, 9

Ameristar Healthcare Services . .25 A Second Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Options for Senior America ..........44

Housing Alfred House.................................10 Ashby Ponds .................................14 Aspenwood Sr. Living...................35 Beverly Assisted Living ................23 Brooke Grove Retirement Village. ..............13, 23 Charles E. Smith Life Communities ......................33 Chesterbrook Residences..............27 Chevy Chase House ......................19 Churchill Senior Living ..................6 Crossings, The...............................11 Culpepper Garden .........................30 Falcons Landing .............................5 Friendship Terrace.........................16 Gardens of Traville, The................36 Greenspring...................................14 Homecrest House..........................10 Homewood ....................................15 Landing of Silver Spring, The.......18 Plaza West DC ..............................35 Potomac Place ...............................34 Quantum Property Mgmt .................32 R Homes Communities ....................37 Riderwood.....................................14 Sanctuary, The...............................19 Sommerset ..................................B-2 Springvale Terrace ........................31

Tall Oaks .......................................42 The Village at Rockville ..........................12, 28 Vantage House ............................B-2 Vinson Hall ...................................19 Waltonwood Ashburn....................16

Legal Services Farr Law Firm ...............................29 Law Offices of Lee Holdmann............................33 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof ........31

Medical/Health Herbology .....................................15 Lesner Hearing..............................18 Medical Eye Center ......................36 Nexus ............................................12 Silver Spring Medical Center .......25

Miscellaneous AARP ...................................15, B-3 ACCESS JCA .........................28, 36 Beacon Silver Pages....................B-4 Career Gateway.............................28 MDDOT-RIDE ON .......................44 Pepco.........................................B-12 Self-Realization Fellowship ..........12 Senior Zone.................................B-8 TheBeaconNewspapers.com.........52

Real Estate Long & Foster/ Eric Stewart..........................30, 47 Weichert/Sue Heyman ..................31

Restaurants Original Pancake House............B-10

Retail/Pawn/Auction CIRCA ......................................... 29 Healthy Back Store .......................25 Quinn’s Auction Galleries .............35 SAS Shoes.....................................22 Zinger Chair..................................17

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Manor Care Health Services.........24 Village at Rockville Caregivers ....26

Subscriptions Beacon Newspaper........................49 Washington Jewish Week..............46

Theatre/ Entertainment City of Rockville.......................B-10 Ford’s Theatre............................B-10 F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre ........B-11 Kennedy Center ..................B-5, B-9 Toby’s Dinner Theatre ...............B-11 US Navy Band ............................B-8

Tour & Travel Eyre Travel ....................................41 Seven Lands & Sea Travel ............43 Shillelaghs, The Travel Club .........41 Travel West Virginia......................41 Tripper Bus ...................................42 Vamoose........................................43

Voting DC Board of Elections..................34 Nancy Floreen for County Executive .........................8

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N