October 2013 DC Beacon Edition by The Beacon Newspapers

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VOL.25, NO.10

Staging matters of life and death

Telling her story It’s an unusual perspective on final plans, so intriguing that Schoettler has turned it into a stage presentation. My Forever Home is a one-person show that captivated intimate audience gatherings at the recent D.C. Fringe Festival. She describes it as a growing collection of deeply personal stories. “The story came from my sitting beside that grave, which I started doing last August the first. Jim had died in March. We had to wait five months for the burial. “I would come out here and sit with him, and then it became clear to me that that’s my grave. It was very sad to sit there, but then that awareness washed over me. I thought I’ve got to find out about this place if I’m going to be here,” she quietly explained. And so began a journey of discovery that continues. Schoettler has been researching

OCTOBER 2013

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOSCANO

By Michael Toscano Her shock of white hair dazzles in the sunlight as she begins the familiar ritual. First, unpack the blue canvas folding chair from the back of the SUV. Carry it a dozen yards from the winding blacktop road to a spot next to a couple of towering trees, trees which “were just saplings the first time I was here.” There she will sit in quiet contemplation near the bottom of a hill in the gently rolling glade. The familiar, peaceful sounds of late summer welcome her this day — the soothing rustle of leaves in a light breeze, and the distant guttural whine of a lawnmower mingling with the songs of birds. Crepe myrtles burst with color. It’s a Wednesday afternoon. And this is what 77-year-old Ellouise Schoettler of Bethesda, Md., does every Wednesday: She sits in the middle of Arlington National Cemetery, Section 35, memory her only companion as she surveys row upon row of simple white headstones, gleaming in defined lines. Morbid? Not to Schoettler. Because she’s doing more than dwelling on the past, and the 3-year-old daughter long interred at Arlington, or her beloved Jim, husband of 56 years, laid to rest here at Roosevelt Drive a year ago. She’s planning to join them someday, and wants to get to know her “forever home” and her “neighbors.”

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Escape to nearby Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains; plus, Spain’s Adalusian fusion of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, airline passenger rights, and low-fare European airlines page 53

ARTS & STYLE

Ellouise Schoettler often visits the Arlington National Cemetery graves of her daughter, who died at age 3, and husband, who passed away last year. Schoettler, who will also be buried there, has parlayed her perspectives on life and death into a one-person stage presentation called My Forever Home, and is working on a new, lighter play as well.

A masterful Les Miserables at Toby’s Dinner Theater; plus, groundbreaking co-anchors Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff, and Bob Levey on how not to be a doormat for your grown kids page 61

the history of the site, exploring the grounds, observing the sacred rituals as a nation honors its soldiers and their families. She has learned the stories behind some of the names etched on the nearby marble slabs. Paying attention to what was happening around her, rather than concentrating on her feelings, turned out to be a healing process, she said, one she wants to share. As she describes it in the soft lilting tones of her native North Carolina, it’s not all about death. “It’s about hope, remembering. There’s an African folktale which says no one is truly dead as long as they are remembered. “I do storytelling because I keep people with me, and I pass them on to my chil-

dren or I share them with other people. So I don’t feel this is morbid at all. “And that’s not to say that I’m not sad. I miss [Jim] terribly. Maybe it’s the Thornton Wilder influence on me, where he asks in Our Town, is that death, or is it another life? “I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. For me, it’s somewhat comforting that I’m spending this time becoming familiar with where I’m going to have to go. That’s creating a kind of comfort level for me.” Everyone knows the old adage: Write what you know. And that’s what helps make Schoettler’s contemplations, memories and observations so sharp. The saying See PLAYWRIGHTS, page 66

FITNESS & HEALTH 6 k New variety of flu shot options k How to get your necessary Zzzzs SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

LAW & MONEY 39 k Take a bite out of restaurant tabs k European stocks on the rise CAREERS & VOLUNTEERS 49 k An aging advocate at 99 PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

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Thank You to our Sponsors, Community Partners, and Exhibitors A&A Hearing Group AARP MD AARP Virginia Abbvie Alexandria Adult Day Service Center Alexandria-YMCA Alfred House Eldercare Ameriprise Financial Services Ameritech Construction Corporation Arden Courts of Annandale Arlington – Falls Church Triad Arlington Agency on Aging Arlington Aging & Disability Services Arlington Commission on Aging Arlington County Fire Department Arlington County Office of Senior Adult Programs Arlington County Sherriff’s Office Arlington Employment Center Arlington Mill Community Center at Fairlington Arlington Public Library Aspenwood Senior Living Community Aurora Hills Senior Center Bailey’s Senior Center Beltway Movers Bethany House B’nai B’rith Homecrest House Bradford Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Brooke Grove Retirement Village Cambridge Apartments Capital Remodeling CareFirst/BlueCross BlueShield Carol’s Care Assisted Living Cavalier Apartments Charles Houston Senior Center Chinquapin Park Community Center

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Silver Spring Civic Center Parking and Metro directions: Enter county garage on Ellsworth Drive just south of Spring Street in downtown Silver Spring. Parking is free on Sundays. The Civic Center is across the street. Or take Metro’s Red Line to Silver Spring and walk 3 blocks north on Wayne Ave. Left on Fenton. Civic Center will be on your right.

Joyful Living at Home Kaiser Permanente Kendrick Court McNair Farms Kennedy Center Kensington Park Retirement Community Kitchen Saver Knollwood Lake Anne Fellowship House Lakeview House Langston Brown Senior Center Leadership Montgomery LeafGuard Lee Senior Center Leisure World Lewinsville Senior Center Life Echoes Lincolnia Senior Center Little River Glen Senior Center Lockwood/Elmwood House Long & Foster/Jumani Long Branch Senior Center Lorton Senior Center Loudoun Senior Center/Cascades Madison Senior Center Manchester Lakes Senior Apartments Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center Maryland Relay McLean Community Center Methodist Home of the District of Columbia Metro Maryland Ostomy Assocation, Inc. Mid-Atlantic Waterproofing Mindful Money Management Montgomery County 311 Montgomery County Police Montgomery County Recreation Dept. Montgomery County Volunteer Center/RSVP Montpelier Arts Center/ M-NCPPC Morris Glen Apartments NARFE Maryland New York Life Insurance N. VA Resource Center for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Persons Northern Virginia Alcohol and Aging Awareness Group Oaks at Oldtowne OASIS Paiges Promotions Paragon Home Care

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Common (lack of) sense An item from the “be careful what you behavior have been older adults who eiwish for” department: I was having a prob- ther thought they had paid their tax, didn’t understand the consequences lem coming up with a topic for of not paying the tax, or were this month’s column. I was suffering from dementia or praying for some inspiration. other disabilities. Then I glanced at the day’s Eventually, a couple of the news in the paper, and oh, investors who bought and forewas I sorry! While it providclosed in these egregious ed a nearly instant topic, it cases were charged with a also made my blood boil, not crime — not for taking homes once, but three times. away from people, but for colHere, in a nutshell, are luding at the auctions. Apparthe first three items I read in ently, they “took turns” allowthat mid-September Washing- FROM THE ing each other to be the highton Post. PUBLISHER Story #1: A set of articles de- By Stuart P. Rosenthal est bidder on every other property, and that broke the rules. scribed how the D.C. Office of [Fortunately, shortly after those stories Tax and Revenue imposes liens on the homes of residents who have not paid their property appeared, it was announced that the governtaxes, then auctions those liens off to the ment’s policies would change, pronto.] highest bidders. The bidders, in turn, may imStory #2: This one came from Pine pose additional fees and interest to the point Bluff, Ark., and concerned a 107-year-old where they may legally foreclose on the prop- man whose granddaughter and a friend erty, evicting the residents and their posses- had come to help him move to a new home. Apparently, the gentleman mistook sions, and taking ownership of the home. None of this is illegal, and in fact, the the ladies for burglars, brandished a pistol, city relies on individual investors and busi- and told them, “You better stop breaking nesses to collect and pay such back taxes. into my house.” They left and called police for assisBut the story identified a number of cases where homes worth hundreds of tance, and when the man shot at officers thousands of dollars were taken from their through the door, they threw tear gas and owners over a property tax bill as low as a “distraction device” into the house, then $50! Many of the victims of this scurrilous stormed inside, guns drawn. When he

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Readership exceeds 400,000. 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 • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................Dan Kelly, Cheryl Watts • Publishing Assistant ....................Rebekah Sewell

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 71 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

fired at them, they shot back and killed the 107-year-old. Story #3: This one took place in Maryland. A middle-aged daughter was the caregiver for her elderly parents. Her father had suffered three strokes and could no longer do many things for himself. The daughter claims he told her repeatedly that he wanted to die, and that he refused the food she brought him. When she finally called 911 to come take his body away, the found an emaciated corpse with more than a dozen open sores, five so deep “that bones were exposed.” Investigation revealed that in the months leading up to her father’s death, his doctors and nurses had reported him looking increasingly unkempt. When social workers came to the home to assist, the daughter turned them away. The judge, who found evidence in the record that the daughter was “an otherwise very fine person,” sentenced her to one year in prison for involuntary manslaughter. The situations are different, the motivations are different, the consequences are different, but to me, all three of these cases have some things in common. I’m going to call them the five (lack of) senses: Lack of common sense, lack of a sense of decency, lack of a sense of proportion, lack of a sense of fairness, lack of a sense of shame. Maybe we aren’t born with a moral compass, and no doubt many people grow up without either being taught morality or coming to their own sense of right and wrong through experience. And certainly there are criminals in every town and every society, as well as sociopaths who prey on innocents.

But the situations above are not necessarily, or not wholly, examples of immoral or illegal behavior. It’s something else that leads otherwise decent people to make a living acquiring property at pennies on the dollar by “following the rules”; that sometimes leads law enforcement officers to shoot before they understand the situation; that leads children to think they are “honoring their parents’ wishes” when they withhold care or neglect them. Of course, each of these stories made it into the paper precisely because most of us find them outrageous. It is implied in their very reporting that such behaviors are antithetical to our social norms. That’s the good news part of the bad news. But don’t most of us desire to, or actually, act in some of these ways some of the time? Do we allow ourselves to benefit at others’ expense as long as the others are not visible to us? Do we overreact or jump to conclusions before fully assessing a situation? Do we persuade ourselves we are acting as others have asked, or would want, without truly putting ourselves in their shoes? There’s something very close to “human nature” reflected in these attitudes. Nearly all of us look out for “number one” first and foremost. But there’s also something redeeming about human nature, in that we can see — in others, at least — how dark and dangerous a person’s thoughts and actions can be. Perhaps it’s time we turned the spotlight more on ourselves.

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 email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: It is the greatest compliment that can be paid when the leading newspaper in the Washington area with an international reputation devotes a lengthy and laudatory article to your newspaper. It certainly is well deserved, and you and your staff should be proud of the recognition that it extends, not only to your editorial staff but to your many readers. You have been able to find a niche position in the troubled field of newspapers and for that you should be congratulated. Nelson Marans Silver Spring, Md. [The writer is referring to the profile of the Beacon that appeared in the Washington Post Metro section on Monday, Sept. 9.] Dear Editor: Bob Levey in his September column, “What if retirement is not your cup of tea?”

loudly echoes my vision to never experience full retirement. As a 64-year-old African American woman, my work toward my “desired career” of community activist has just begun. Also, my active listening is more focused with the willingness and openness to learn new things. I believe that Bob and I have discovered the key to productive aging, to stay mentally and physically engaged in living our “dream career.” Patricia Onakoya Washington, DC Dear Editor: The retirement homes spend a fortune advertising. The bad situation is . . .they virtually never mention a price. Now I will be retiring soon, and I have no idea which home I will select. How can See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 66

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BROOKE GROVE RETIREMENT VILLAGE CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO AT TEND AN

ANTIQUES & JEWELRY

ROAD SHOW Tuesday, october 15, 2013 10 a.m. - noon Sharon Courtyard of Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center 3LADE 3CHOOL 2OAD s 3ANDY 3PRING -$ Have you ever wondered how much your favorite heirloom is worth? Is it trash or treasure? Find out at the Antiques and JEWELRY Road Show! Experts from Peenstra Antiques Appraisals and NovaGold, LLC, will provide free appraisals, consultations and advice on anything you might own, including furniture, glass, porcelain, paintings, toys, documents, jewelry, silver, stamps, coins, books and more. Each guest may bring one item to the Antiques and Jewelry Road Show. The first 30 people to RSVP will become part of the show and enjoy their appraisal in front of the audience. Private evaluations will be provided for remaining guests after the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conclusion. You are also welcome to attend simply as a spectator.

Campus tours available upon request. &OR MORE INFORMATION OR TO 2360 CONTACT 4ONI $AVIS AT OR TDAVIS BGF ORG BY &RIDAY /CTOBER

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Health Fitness &

GET YOUR ZZZZZS Adequate sleep is vital for a strong immune system and healthy heart YOUR HEART’S BEST FRIEND Studies show that owning a dog can keep you healthy and reduce stress TRY, TRY AGAIN Diana Nyad says that maturity helped her achieve her world record swim NEW INSURANCE OPTIONS Under 65? New health insurance exchanges offer you options, subsidies

New flu vaccines offer tailored protection By Lauran Neergaard Flu vaccination is no longer merely a choice between a jab in the arm or a squirt in the nose. This fall, some brands promise a little extra protection. For the first time, certain vaccines will guard against four strains of flu rather than the usual three. Called quadrivalent vaccines, these brands may prove more popular for children (who tend to catch the newly added strain more often) and older adults. These four-in-one vaccines are so new that they’ll make up only a fraction of the nation’s supply of flu vaccine, so if you want a dose, better start looking early.

Many options, more confusion But that’s only one of an unprecedented number of flu vaccine options available this year. Allergic to eggs? Egg-free shots are hitting the market, too. Plus there’s growing interest in shots brewed just for those 65 and older, and a brand that targets the needle-phobic with just a skin-deep prick. “We’re moving away from the one-sizefits-all to choosing the best possible vaccine for an individual’s age and condition,” said Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic. “The flip side of that,” he said, is that

“this will be a confusing year” as doctors and consumers alike try to choose. Federal health officials recommend a yearly flu vaccine for nearly everyone, starting at 6 months of age. On average, about 24,000 Americans die each flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some questions and answers about the different vaccine varieties to choose from: Q: What’s the difference between those new four-strain vaccines and the regular kind? A: For more than 30 years, the vaccine has offered protection against three influenza strains — two common Type A strains called H1N1 and H3N2, and one strain of Type B. Flu strains continually evolve, and the recipe for each year’s vaccine includes the subtypes of those strains that experts consider most likely to cause illness that winter. Type A flu causes more serious disease and deaths, especially the H3N2 form that made last year such a nasty flu season. But the milder Type B flu does sicken people every year as well, and can kill. Two distinct Type B families circulate the globe, making it difficult to know which to include in each year’s vaccine. Adding both (as in the quadrivalent vaccines) solves the guesswork, and a CDC model estimates it could prevent as many

as 485 deaths a year depending on how much Type B flu is spreading. Q: How can I tell if I’m getting the four-strain vaccine? A: All of the nasal spray version sold in the U.S. this year will be this new variety, called FluMist Quadrivalent. The catch is that the nasal vaccine is only for healthy people ages 2 to 49 who aren’t pregnant. If you prefer a flu shot, ask the doctor or pharmacist if the four-strain kind is available. Younger children, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions all can use flu shots. Four-strain versions are sold under the names Fluzone Quadrivalent, Fluarix Quadrivalent and FluLaval Quadrivalent. Manufacturers anticipate producing between 135 million and 139 million doses of flu vaccine this year. Only about 30 million doses will offer the four-strain protection. Q: Who should seek it? A: Type B flu tends to strike children more than the middle-aged, Poland noted. And he said it’s not a bad idea for seniors, who are more vulnerable to influenza in general. But the CDC doesn’t recommend one vaccine variety over another, and the American Academy of Pediatrics said either kind is fine — just get vaccinated. Q: How are these new vaccines different from the high-dose flu shot for seniors?

A: Fluzone High-Dose protects against the traditional three strains of flu, but it quadruples the standard vaccine dose in an effort to rev up age-weakened immune systems that don’t respond as actively to regular flu shots. The government calls the high-dose shot an option for seniors, not one that’s proved better. Fluzone maker Sanofi Pasteur said initial results from a study of 30,000 seniors vaccinated over the past two flu seasons suggest the high-dose shot is about 24 percent more effective. Federal health officials will have to review the full study results to see if they agree. Q: What if I’m allergic to eggs? A: Traditional flu vaccine is made from viruses grown in eggs, and specialists say it’s usually not a problem unless someone has a serious egg allergy. But the new FluBlok vaccine eliminates that concern because it is made with cell technology, like many other non-flu vaccines. So far, it’s only for use in people ages 18 to 49. Q: What if I’m scared of needles? A: If you don’t qualify for the ouchless nasal spray vaccine, there is one shot made with a teeny-tiny needle that pricks the skin instead of muscle. Called Fluzone Intradermal, it’s available for 18- to 64-yearolds, and protects against the usual three See FLU VACCINES, page 7

Might memory loss be treatable someday? By Lauran Neergaard Scientists have found a compelling clue in the quest to learn what causes age-related memory problems, and to one day be able to tell whether those misplaced car keys are an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s. A new report offers evidence that age-related memory loss is a distinct condition from pre-Alzheimer’s — and offers a hint that what we now consider the normal forgetfulness of old age might eventually be treatable. Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York examined brains, young and old ones, donated from people who died without signs of neurologic disease. They discovered that a certain gene in a specific part of the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, quits working

properly in older people. It produces less of a key protein. That section of the brain, called the dentate gyrus, has long been suspected of being especially vulnerable to aging. Importantly, it’s a different neural neighborhood than where Alzheimer’s begins to form. But it’s circumstantial evidence that having less of that protein, named RbAp48, affects memory loss in older adults. So the researchers took a closer look at mice, which become forgetful as they age in much the same way that people do. Sure enough, cutting levels of the protein made healthy young rodents lose their way in mazes and perform worse on other memory tasks just like old mice naturally do.

Reversing memory loss More intriguing, the memory loss was reversible: Boosting the protein made forgetful old mice as sharp as the youngsters again, the researchers reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “It’s the best evidence so far” that agerelated memory loss isn’t the same as early Alzheimer’s, said Nobel laureate Dr. Eric Kandel, who led the Columbia University team. And since some people make it to 100 without showing much of a cognitive slowdown, the work brings another question: “Is that normal aging, or is it a deterioration that we’re allowing to occur?” Kandel asked. “As we want to live longer and stay engaged in a cognitively complex world, I think even mild age-related memory decline

is meaningful,” added Columbia neurologist Dr. Scott Small, a senior author of the study. “It opens up a whole avenue of investigation to now try to identify interventions.” This is early-stage research that will require years of additional work to confirm, cautioned Dr. Molly Wagster of the National Institute on Aging, who wasn’t involved with the report. But Wagster said the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting “that we’re not all on the road to Alzheimer’s disease” after we pass a certain age. For example, other researchers have found that connections between neurons in other parts of the brain weaken with normal aging, making it harder but not impossible to retrieve memories. In contrast, Alzheimer’s kills neurons. — AP

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Virginia

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❏ Ashby Ponds (See ad on page 67) ❏ Chancellor’s Village (See ad on page 14) ❏ Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page 59) ❏ Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 49) ❏ The Fairmont (See ad on page 67) ❏ Falcons Landing (See ad on page 20) ❏ Greenspring (See ad on page 67) ❏ Potomac Place (See ad on page 30) ❏ Quantum Affordable Apts. (See ad on page 51) ❏ Sommerset (See ad on page 13) ❏ Van Metre Homes (See ad on page 19) ❏ Vinson Hall (See ad on page 25) ❏ The Virginian (See ad on page 24)

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Please return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

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❏ Cancer Prevention Study (See article on page 29) ❏ Diabetes Studies (See ad on page 29) ❏ IDEAL Study 80+ (See ad on page 29) ❏ Cancer Prevention Study (See article on page 29)

✃

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❏ Arden Courts (See ad on page 33) ❏ Asbury Village (See ad on page 25) ❏ Brooke Grove (See ads on pages 5 & 27) ❏ Charter House (See ad on page 47) ❏ Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 22) ❏ Covenant Village (See ad on page 51) ❏ Emerson House (See ad on page 51) ❏ Fox Hill (See ad on page 13) ❏ Homecrest House (See ad on page 16) ❏ Kekeli Assisted Living (See ad on page 20) ❏ Kensington Park (See ad on page 67) ❏ Kentlands Manor (See ad on page 45) ❏ Oaks at Olde Towne (See ad on page 28) ❏ Park Place Apts (See ad on page 34) ❏ Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 46) ❏ Park View Columbia (See ad on page 46) ❏ Park View Emerson (See ad on page 46) ❏ Park View Laurel (See ad on page 46) ❏ Mrs. Philipines Home (See ad on page 51) ❏ Riderwood Assisted Living (See ad on page 16) ❏ Riderwood Village (See ad on page 67) ❏ Ring House (See ad on page 42) ❏ River Run (See ad on page 34) ❏ Solana (See ad on page 10) ❏ Springhouse (See ad on page 26) ❏ Spingvale Terrace (See ad on page 9) ❏ Victory Court (See ad on page 51)

F R E E

Riderwood, will host a series of talks designed to educate families that have loved ones with dementia. The first talk discusses when parents need assisted living and continuing care communities, which takes place on Oct. 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Riderwood is located at 3140 Gracefield Rd., Silver Spring, Md. For questions or registration, contact Abby Dyjack at (301) 572-8461 or abby.dyjack@erickson.com.

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READY FOR ASSISTED LIVING?

Maryland

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Oct. 9

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The Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center and the Prevention of Blindness Society present two vision-saving seminars, “Eyeball Architecture: A Tour of the Eye” on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. and “How Sight Changes Can Impact Cognition” on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m., presented by Robert Massof, PhD, Johns Hopkins University. Glaucoma screenings will also be available from 9:30 a.m. to noon on seminar dates. The programs will be held at the Schweinhaut Senior Center at Forest Glen, 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (240) 777-8085.

❏ Chevy Chase House (See ad on page 9) ❏ Friendship Terrace (See ad on page 31) ❏ Residences at Thomas Circle (See ad on page 17) ❏ Robert Walker House (See ad on page 51)

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VISION-SAVING SEMINARS

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Oct. 16+

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

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The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and the Alzheimer’s Association of the National Capital Area will present informative sessions for families who have a loved one experiencing memory loss or dementia. These Wednesday sessions are free and open to caregivers and families in the community. October sessions include “Defining Dementia” on Oct. 2, “Caregiver Burnout” on Oct. 9, “Coping Skills and Self-esteem” on Oct. 16, “Understanding Behavior Issues” on Oct. 23 and “The Grieving Process” on Oct. 30. Each session begins at 7 p.m. in the Wasserman Residence Conservatory, 6121 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. To register, call (301) 770-8408.

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MEMORY LOSS INFORMATION

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Oct. 2+

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BEACON BITS

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strains. Q: How soon should I be vaccinated? A: Early fall is ideal, as it’s impossible to predict when flu will start spreading and it takes about two weeks for protection to kick in. But later isn’t too late; flu season

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From page 6

typically peaks in January or February. Q: How much does flu vaccine cost? A: The vaccine is covered by insurance, and Medicare and some plans don’t require a co-pay. Drugstore vaccination programs tend to charge about $30; expect the quadrivalent versions to be slightly more expensive. — AP

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Flu vaccines

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Adequate sleep is vital for good health By Gretel H. Schueller Can’t get enough sleep? You’re not alone. An estimated 50 to 70 million U.S. adults don’t get enough sleep, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But hold that yawn! We’ve got five reasons why you need to get enough sleep for your health — and most importantly, seven sleep remedies to help you get more shut-eye. [See sidebar on next page.] How much sleep do you need? Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Being well-rested makes you more alert and keeps your brain sharp. (When you’re tired, some brain cells actually nod off during the day.) Sleep also gives you more energy overall. But sleep does so much more.

Health benefits 1. A stronger immune system Skimping on sleep can compromise your immune system. A 2012 article in the journal Sleep reported that sleep deprivation had the same effect on the immune system as physical stress — such as from an illness or surgery, or grieving for a loved one. After sleeping eight hours a night for one week, the men in the study were kept awake for 29 hours. This major sleep deprivation caused an increase in certain white bloods cells that are key players in immune activity. Another recent study published in the same journal found that shorter sleep duration adversely affected study participants’

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The new study indicates that even just a few sleepless nights in a row can cause almost instant weight gain. Participants gained on average two pounds after one week of five-hour nights. Granted, the study was small — 16 men and women were tracked for two weeks — but it may have real-world implications. One reason for this weight gain is because a lack of sleep increases hunger and appetite. Researchers have found a biochemical reason for this: Insufficient sleep can decrease levels of leptin — a hormone that tells us when we’ve eaten enough and suppresses appetite — and increase ghrelin, a hormone that signals the body to eat by stimulating hunger. Not only does lack of sleep trigger appetite, it also increases the craving for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods — aka junk foods. Researchers at Harvard University, for example, found that if you’ve missed even just an hour or two of sleep, you’re more likely to give in to junk food the next day. 4. Lower diabetes risk Over the long term, sleep deprivation increases the risk of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes. Various studies have shown, for instance, that how much we sleep can affect blood sugar levels. Not getting enough sleep can cause an increase in insulin resistance, making it harder to metabolize blood sugar properly. (Insulin is a key blood-sugar-regulating hormone.) A 2012 study is the first to record this effect at the cellular level. Although it was a small study, with just seven participants, researchers were able to see how insufficient sleep shrinks the ability of fat cells to

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responses to a standard hepatitis B vaccination. Researchers suggest this decreased antibody response may explain why people who don’t get enough sleep are more susceptible to infectious diseases. 2. Healthier heart When it comes to heart health, research definitely supports the need for a good snooze. Adults who regularly sleep less than six hours a night have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure and having heart attacks compared to those who sleep seven to eight hours per night. Similarly, a large Swedish study reported recently in the European Journal of Epidemiology found an association between short sleep duration (five hours or less per night) and increased cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. On the other hand, going much beyond seven or eight hours of sleep each night might also be harmful. Recent studies have shown an association between excessive sleep (more than nine hours a night for adults) and cardiovascular disease. In one study, researchers observed elevated levels of C-reactive protein — an indicator of heart disease — both in women who slept five or fewer hours and also (and even more markedly) in those who slept nine or more hours. 3. Trimmer waist If you don’t sleep enough, you will probably gain weight, or at least find it more difficult to lose. Plenty of research confirms that adults who sleep less than six hours a night are at higher risk of being overweight. (Among children, sleeping less than 10 hours can cause unhealthy weight gain.) According to a recent study at the University of Colorado, the effect of sleep may be even more powerful than we realized.

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Sleep From page 8 respond to insulin. With meals strictly controlled, the seven healthy men and women snoozed 8.5 hours for four nights in a sleep lab. Then for the next four nights, they were restricted to 4.5 hours of sleep. The researchers found that sensitivity to insulin in fat cells decreased 30 percent

after participants slept less. This means that those sleep-deprived fat cells needed roughly three times as much insulin in order to activate an enzyme (called Akt) that plays an important role in regulating blood sugar. When this sort of insulin resistance becomes chronic, it can cause excess sugar and cholesterol to accumulate in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of diabetes and other health problems, such as

Tips for better sleep 1. Avoid large meals and alcohol late at night According to the National Institutes of Health, late-night meals can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep. The same goes for alcohol. While a nightcap may help you initially fall asleep, imbibing as few as two alcoholic drinks actually robs you of precious REM sleep, which means you’ll wake up more frequently. Alcohol-related sleep disturbances are worse for women, say researchers at the University of Michigan. 2. Get to bed early Try to get your sleep earlier rather than later — as in early to bed, early to rise, etc. People who stay up late tend to eat late, even when they’re not hungry. Furthermore, many studies indicate that calories from late-night snacking seem to pack more of a punch, and may increase cholesterol levels more so than if that same snack was eaten earlier in the day. 3. Drink tart cherry juice In several studies, melatonin-rich

tart cherry juice has been shown to help with sleep. Tart cherries contain melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone produced by our bodies and triggered by darkness. In a small pilot study, adults with chronic insomnia got some relief when they drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day. 4. Eat calcium-rich foods A calcium deficiency might make it difficult for you to fall asleep, so eating foods rich in the nutrient — such as milk, yogurt, cheese, kale and broccoli — can help. 5. Boost your magnesium intake Eating more magnesium-packed foods, such as bran from rice, wheat or oats, may improve your sleep. Seeds — like sesame, sunflower, squash and pumpkin — are also delicious sources of magnesium. 6. Grab a banana This fruit, along with fortified cereals, chickpeas and most fish (especially salmon, halibut and tuna), contains vitamin B6, which helps the body produce melatonin. — Gretel H. Schueller, EatingWell

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

metabolic syndrome. 5. Younger skin If these reasons aren’t enough for you, how about cosmetic ones? Researchers at Cornell University found that one night of sleep deprivation may cause your skin to lose elasticity, firmness

and moisture. It also makes fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2013 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Drug safely cuts risk of prostate cancer By Marilynn Marchione Long-term results from a major federal study ease worries about the safety of a hormone-blocking drug that can lower a man’s chances of developing prostate cancer. The drug cut prostate cancer risk by a third without raising the risk of dying of an aggressive form of the disease as earlier results hinted it might. The new work could prompt a fresh look at using the drug for cancer prevention. Experts say it could prevent tens of

thousands of cases each year, saving many men from treatments with seriously unpleasant side effects. The drug is sold as Proscar by Merck & Co. and in generic form as finasteride to treat urinary problems from enlarged prostates. It’s also sold in a lower dose as Propecia to treat hair loss.

Did it cause aggressive tumors? A decade ago, the drug was found to cut the risk of prostate cancer. But there was a

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small rise in aggressive tumors among its users. Some researchers said that by shrinking the prostate, the drug was just making these tumors easier to find in a biopsy sample — not causing them. But the concern led the Food and Drug Administration to turn down the drug for cancer prevention, and to add warnings to its label. Now, with 18 years of follow-up from that earlier study, researchers report that men on the drug were no more likely to die than those not taking it. That’s reassuring because if the drug were truly spurring lethal tumors, there would have been more deaths among its users as time went on, said Dr. Michael LeFevre, a family physician at the University of Missouri. LeFevre wrote an editorial that appeared with the study in the New England Journal of Medicine. He is one of the leaders of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of doctors who advise the federal government. The group has not taken a stance on finasteride for prevention, but has advised against screening with PSA blood tests. Screening does more harm than good, the panel has said, because although 240,000 new prostate cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States, only

about 30,000 prove fatal. That means many men are treated for cancers that grow too slowly to be life-threatening, and often suffer sexual and urinary problems as a result.

New study ends doubts The study, led by Dr. Ian Thompson at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center in San Antonio, was done to see whether finasteride could lower the risk of prostate cancer in men who were getting screened with annual PSA blood tests, as many still choose to do. Researchers assigned 18,882 men 55 or older with no sign of prostate cancer on blood tests or a physical exam to take either finasteride or dummy pills for seven years. When the study ended, those who had not been diagnosed with prostate cancer were offered biopsies to check for hidden signs of the disease. For the new analysis, researchers tracked the study participants for a longer time — 18 years in all since enrollment began. Only about 10 percent of men on finasteride developed prostate cancer versus 15 percent of those on dummy pills. Aggressive tumors were found in 3.5 percent of men on the drug versus 3 percent of the others. Yet 78 percent of both groups were alive after 15 years. See PROSTATE DRUG, page 12

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HOLY CROSS HEALTH Helping you stay active and well.

After a Stroke, Tiny Coils Save Beanie Ryan's Life For Beanie, James Jaffe, MD, medical director, Interventional Neuroradiology, inserted a catheter through a tiny nick in her groin to navigate to the blood vessels to the brain and to place soft platinum coils into the aneurysm. The coils fit into the shape of the aneurysm and are meant to form clots so that it won’t bleed again.

Beanie Ryan of Burtonsville doesn’t remember having a stroke, but her family will never forget that day in early May. They knew immediately that something was very wrong. “At about 4:30 a.m., she was moaning,” recalls Beanie’s husband, Kelly. “I tried to wake her up, but she was not responding. Our daughter called 911.”

After the procedure, Beanie spent 11 days being monitored by specially trained clinicians in the hospital’s Neuro Critical Care Unit.

When Beanie arrived at Holy Cross Hospital, CT scans showed that she had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when an artery on or near the surface of the brain bursts and bleeds into the brain. The bleeding was due to a ruptured aneurysm. This type of stroke is less common and more devastating than an ischemic stroke caused by a blood clot.

Just three weeks after what could have been a fatal stroke, Beanie Ryan was able to be with her family to celebrate a loved one’s birthday.

Holy Cross Hospital specializes in minimally invasive procedures for stroke patients that

allow physicians to treat conditions in the brain without making an incision in the skull.

“It was the best care I’ve ever had,” she says. “I had the best nurses. I could not thank them enough.” To learn more about expert brain and spine care at Holy Cross Hospital, visit holycrosshealth.org/neuroscience or call 301-754-8800.

EVENTS AND CLASSES FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source offers physical activity, education and information for health and wellness. All classes are held at the Holy Cross Hospital Senior Source, located at 8580 Second Avenue in Silver Spring. To register or for more information, call 301-754-8800 or visit www.holycrosshealth.org.

BONE HEALTH Fridays, November 15 & 23, Noon-1 p.m. - FREE Join Holy Cross Hospital’s health educators in this two-part program to learn about maintaining optimum bone health as you age. Program will include free bone density screening to raise your awareness of your bone density.

VEGAN COMFORT FOOD Tuesday, November 19, 1-3 pm - $10 Join health coach Jordana Carmel as she talks about healthy eating and prepares

delicious vegan comfort food for you to sample. Recipes will be provided so that you can replicate your favorite dish at home.

WAKE UP WITH ZUMBA Tuesdays, November 5 – December 10, 9:15-10 a.m. - $30 A fun, energizing exercise class to get your Tuesday mornings off to a good start. This class utilizes high-energy Latin rhythms to get you moving. Fasten on your shoes and get ready to groove!

PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD) Monday, Dec. 2, Noon-1 p.m. - FREE Join Garry Ruben, MD, for a lecture on the causes, symptoms and treatment for this vascular condition.

DRY MOUTH: WHEN DRINKING WATER ISN’T ENOUGH Monday, December 9, Noon 1 p.m. - FREE Learn the causes and treatments for this common problem from George Grillon, MD.

To register for an upcoming class, for a physician referral or for more information, call 301-754-8800. 1500 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910 - 301-754-7000 - holycrosshealth.org

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A dog could be your heart’s best friend By Daniel DeNoon My twice-daily walks with my border collie, Clair DeNoon, are the highlights of my day. A new report from the American Heart Association will put an extra spring in my steps on these walks. It turns out that having a canine companion may help lower my risk of heart disease. Studies linking pet ownership to better physical and mental health have been popping up for decades. The findings were usually encouraging to pet owners, but none of these studies offered conclusive proof. Although that’s still lacking, a panel of experts from the American Heart Association (AHA) has weighed all the available evidence. The verdict: Having a pet — a dog in particular — likely lowers the risk of heart disease.

Exercise and affection “People who have dogs live longer than people who have cats, and the assumption has been that dogs naturally cause their owners to be more active,” suggested Dr. Thomas Lee, co-editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter. “The emotional benefits of having an affectionate creature are also one of the theories for why dog-lovers live longer.” The evidence reviewed by the AHA indicates that dog owners are more likely to exercise, have a better cholesterol profile, have lower blood pressure, be less vulnerable to the physical effects of stress, and be more likely to survive a heart attack. Or it could be the other way around, pointed out Dr. Lee, a cardiologist and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical

School. It’s possible that healthier people — or those who are making the kinds of lifestyle changes that reduce heart risk — are more likely to have a dog than are people in frail health. The AHA panel could not rule out this possibility. It admitted it can’t tell whether owning a dog causes heart health or is merely a marker for people more likely to have healthy hearts. Even so, the panel’s cautious recommendation favors dogs: “Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, may be reasonable for reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.” The statement on pet ownership was published online in the journal Circulation. If it were just about companionship, maybe dogs wouldn’t beat cats. But while

the data show that dog owners get more physical activity than people who don’t own dogs, the evidence is pretty convincing that ownership isn’t enough. A 2008 study of 2,199 people found that those who owned a dog — but didn’t walk it — were actually more likely to be obese than people who didn’t own a dog. Dog walkers, on the other hand, were much less likely to be obese, although they were no less likely to be overweight than their petless peers.

Prostate drug

Finasteride’s other impact is financial. Proscar and a similar drug, GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s Avodart, cost about $4 a pill. Generic finasteride is available for less. Insurers cover it when prescribed to treat urinary problems, but may not pay if it’s used solely for cancer prevention. The drug also can cause hot flashes, fatigue, weakness, low sex drive and trouble having sex. “A man certainly needs to know what he’s getting into if he decides to take this,” LeFevre said.

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That means the drug cannot be recommended to prolong life, but it might ease suffering by preventing disease, LeFevre said. “You may be preventing cancers that don’t need to be prevented” because so few are life-threatening, but screening is finding these tumors anyway and leading to unnecessary treatments, he said. Reducing that number is a valid reason to use a prevention drug, he said.

Better response to stress But it’s not all about physical activity. A 2001 study looked at 48 people with high blood pressure and high-stress jobs who See DOGS, page 13

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Dogs From page 12 agreed to adopt a dog or a cat if so asked. Half did, and six months later those who got a dog or cat had significantly lower blood pressure when stressed. Getting a dog also seems to help even if you already have heart disease. A 1995 study followed 369 people with cardiovascular disease. A year later, those who owned a dog were four times more likely to be alive than those who didn’t have a

dog. Cats, however, did not improve their owners’ odds of survival. If dog ownership is heart healthy, should everyone who cares about heart health have a dog? No. According to the AHA panel, “the primary purpose of adopting, rescuing, or purchasing a pet should not be to achieve a reduction in cardiovascular risk.” The mere act of getting a dog is no substitute for a plan to get regular physical activity, to eat a heart-healthy diet, and to get regular medical care. That said, dogs do seem to be

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

good for your heart in many ways. “Loneliness can’t be a good thing, either from a cardiovascular or a psychological perspective,” Dr. Lee noted. “I am not going to be prescribing dogs for patients with heart disease, but I certainly won’t discourage them — even if they consider themselves

fairly limited by their medical problems.” Daniel J. DeNoon is executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. He was senior medical writer for WebMD for 14 years. © 2013 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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The Virginia Fall Race weekend will be held at Glenwood Park in Middleburg, Va. on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6. Horse lovers can enjoy steeplechase racing, fox hunting, visit Civil War sights, tour wineries and shop for antiques. On Saturday, there will be a petting zoo and pony rides. The gates open on both days at 11 a.m. Races begin at 1:30 p.m. General admission costs $40 per car (four people maximum). To purchase tickets, box seats, rail side and tailgate picnic parking spaces, call (540) 6875662. For more information, visit www.vafallraces.com.

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Vegetative? Or conscious but locked in? By Lauran Neergaard When people have a brain injury so severe that they can’t squeeze a loved one’s hand or otherwise respond, there are few good ways to tell if they have any lingering awareness or are in a vegetative state. Now researchers have created a tool to peek inside the brain and measure varying levels of consciousness. The work is highly experimental, not ready for bedside use yet — and if it pans out, a big question is how to use it without raising false hope. No one knows what level of consciousness at a certain point after injury really predicts recovery. But it offers the hope that one day doctors might track consciousness nearly as

easily as they check blood pressure. “Consciousness can grow and shrink,” said Dr. Marcello Massimini, a neurophysiologist at Italy’s University of Milan who led the research to quantify just how much that is happening under different circumstances. It seems obvious — consciousness fades during deep sleep, and doctors can slip us under with anesthesia. Yet scientists don’t have a good way to measure consciousness, especially when the very ill appear to be unconscious. It’s important to try to distinguish if patients are at least minimally conscious, and not in a vegetative state, because the sooner there’s some sign of awareness, the better the chance of recovery.

Current tools are limited Today, doctors check if those patients can do things like blink or move a limb on command, or react to touch or pain. If not, scans of the brain’s electrical activity may offer clues. Scientists even have put seemingly unconscious patients inside MRI scanners and told them to imagine throwing a ball. How the brain reacts can indicate if they’re aware and just can’t show it, what’s called locked-in syndrome. But all these tests have drawbacks. The new work, reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine, aims for an easier, more objective measure. It’s based on the theory that consciousness depends on the complexity of activity in the brain — how well different regions connect and process information. For example, when you’re deeply asleep, the neighbor’s car alarm may not wake you, but your brain still processes that you heard it. When you’re wide awake, it also processes how annoying the alarm is and how often it goes off.

How the new method works Massimini’s team combined two wellknown medical devices. First, a coil delivers a powerful pulse of magnetism that travels through the skull to stimulate the brain, essentially knocking on it to say “wake up.” Then an EEG, which measures brain waves through electrodes attached to the scalp, records the patterns of activity as neurons fire in response. The final trick: The researchers created a formula to compare the complexity of those resulting brain patterns by “zipping”

them, like digital files are compressed so they can be emailed. They called the resulting numerical measurement the PCI, or pertubational complexity index. The team compared tests from 32 healthy people who were awake, asleep, dreaming or anesthetized, and 20 people with a variety of serious brain injuries. The two patients with locked-in syndrome clearly were aware, scoring nearly as high as awake and healthy people, they reported. The patients diagnosed as being in a vegetative state had scores as low as people rendered unconscious by the most powerful anesthesia. The minimally conscious were somewhere in-between. The strategy could miss consciousness, so it wouldn’t give doctors enough information for end-of-life decisions, researchers caution. But it’s a pioneering study that offers highly promising leads, said Dr. Nicholas Schiff, a professor of neurology and neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, who wasn’t part of the project. If it’s ultimately proven to work, the bigger impact could be in helping doctors study whether patients improve when given different treatments, added Dr. Lori Shutter, a brain intensive care specialist at the University of Pittsburgh, who also wasn’t involved with the new research. But she cautioned that just finding a glimmer of consciousness could mislead families hoping for a miracle long after the possibility for improvement is over. “This may provide a lot of insight,” Shutter said. “The downside is, once you prove there’s any consciousness, how will a family react?” — AP

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Nyad: Maturity helped her achieve record By Jennifer Kay The clocks Diana Nyad uses to time her training swims show that she’s a slower swimmer than she used to be. That’s only natural. At age 64, she acknowledges she is no longer the “thoroughbred stallion” she was “back in the day.” And yet, the endurance athlete said she felt stronger than ever when she completed her successful effort to become the first person to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. “Now I’m more like a Clydesdale: I’m a little thicker and stronger — literally stronger, I can lift more weights,” Nyad told the Associated Press in a one-on-one interview, a day after she finished her 53-

hour, record-setting swim in September. “I feel like I could walk through a brick wall....I think I’m truly dead center in the prime of my life at 64.”

Older athletes on winning streak Nyad isn’t alone among aging athletes who are dominating their sports. Earlier this year, 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins became the oldest boxer to win a major title, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision over Tavoris Cloud to claim the IBF light heavyweight championship. Tennis player Martina Navratilova played in the mixed doubles competition at Wimbledon in her late 40s, and hockey legend Gordie Howe played in the Nation-

Our Mission: To secure the well-being of Montgomery County Seniors through the shared strength of diverse organizations and individuals.

Professionals working with seniors are invited to our Monthly GROWS meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 8:15 a.m. usually at Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton, Md.

Next meeting at Holiday Park: Thursday, Nov. 7, 8:15 a.m. Speaker: Dr. Eric Oristian, Holy Cross Hospital For more information, or to join GROWS, call 301-765-3325.

al Hockey League in his 50s. Older athletes tend to find more success in endurance events than power events, such as sprinting. The latter rely on “fasttwitch” muscle fibers, which are more difficult to preserve later in life, noted Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, a physiologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. But just because Nyad was swimming rather than pounding her joints against the concrete doesn’t mean she didn’t achieve a remarkable feat, Chodzko-Zajko said. “This ultra, super-length swimming is brutal regardless,” he said, adding that another reason athletes are able to endure is because they often train smarter and have a mental concentration that is well honed over decades. Nyad first attempted swimming from Cuba to Florida at age 29 with a shark cage. She didn’t try again until 2011 when she was 61. She tried twice more in the past two years before beginning her fifth attempt with a leap off the seawall of the Hemingway Marina into the warm waters off Havana. She paused occasionally for nourishment, but never left the water until she reached the white sand beaches of the Keys and waded ashore. Nyad said her age and maturity should not be discounted when measuring her most recent success. “It’s not so much the physical,” she said. “To my mind all of us ... we mature emotionally ... and we get stronger mentally be-

cause we have a perspective on what this life is all about,” Nyad said. Australian Susie Maroney successfully swam the Straits in 1997 at age 22 with a shark cage which, besides protection from the predators, has a drafting effect that pulls a swimmer along. In 2012, 49-year-old Australian Penny Palfrey swam 79 miles toward Florida without a cage before strong currents forced her to stop. This June, Palfrey’s countrywoman Chloe McCardel, 28, made it 11 hours and 14 miles before jellyfish stings ended her bid.

Nyad’s next adventure Nyad said that that she wasn’t finished with marathon swims. She plans to swim for 48 hours straight, accompanied by celebrities swimming laps alongside her, in a specially designed swimming pool that will be erected in New York City next month to raise money for Hurricane Sandy survivors. Although the swimmer insists she wasn’t trying to prove anything as a 64-yearold — “I didn’t do this because I was in my 60s. I just happened to be in my 60s,” she said — she acknowledges that her success is having an impact “not just on people of my generation but on younger people.” However, at one point during her AP interview, she couldn’t resist sharing a message of encouragement and solidarity with those of her generation: “Baby Boomer power!” she declared, with a triumphant fist pump. — AP

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Techniques that help you quit smoking therapy helps relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Find a specialist, too

specialist, coupled with medication, greatly raises the likelihood that you will stop smoking. You can connect with such a specialist in

But medications alone usually are not enough. Working with a tobacco treatment

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lenging. You are not alone in making multiple attempts to stop smoking, only to have your efforts hampered by these symptoms. Most smokers try to stop smoking several times before they achieve longterm freedom from smoking. The good news is you don’t have to stop smoking on your own. There are many treatments that can help you manage and curb withdrawal symptoms, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. There are two non-nicotine medications available that decrease the feeling of pleasure when you smoke and lessen withdrawal symptoms. The medications are often coupled with nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine replacement therapies include patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers and a nasal spray. They give your body nicotine without the other harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Using nicotine replacement

OME CARE, IN TH

By Dr. Richard D. Hurt Dear Mayo Clinic: I’ve tried to quit smoking several times. But when I get to the second week without cigarettes, I become depressed and anxious. Is this normal? Is there a way to avoid this part of withdrawal? It is by far the worst symptom and has kept me from quitting. Answer: Changes in mood, including feeling depressed and anxious, affect many people when they try to stop smoking. Although these withdrawal symptoms are common, they can be a big obstacle to leaving cigarettes behind for good. If you haven’t done so already, talk to your healthcare provider about medications that can help manage your symptoms. In addition, he or she can direct you to resources in your area that offer support to people who want to quit smoking. Cigarettes and other tobacco products contain the drug nicotine. When you smoke, cigarettes deliver high doses of nicotine to your brain, triggering a feeling of pleasure that makes you want to continue to smoke. Over time, smoking causes receptors in your brain to change, and that leads to nicotine dependence. As a result, when you try to stop smoking, withdrawal symptoms occur. These may include strong cravings, increased hunger, insomnia and changes in bowel habits. Nicotine withdrawal can affect your mood, too. It can make you irritable and restless. It can make it hard to concentrate. You may easily become angry or frustrated. And, as you’ve experienced, you may feel depressed or anxious.

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Insurance options, subsidies for under 65 By Rebekah Sewell After years of rancorous wrangling over how to ensure more Americans are covered by health insurance, government-backed plans will begin rolling out on Oct. 1. As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010, new health insurance options, with subsidies based on income, will be available to those who are uninsured or are not offered affordable coverage. The ACA’s goal is to enroll everyone in a health insurance policy, because preventative care and universal insurance keeps costs down. It requires all people who can afford it to enroll in a plan or to pay a penalty when filing taxes. Some may also be eligible for exemp-

tion. Households with incomes below the threshold for filing a federal tax return are automatically exempted. Others will have to file for exemption. Enrollment will be open until March 31, 2014. Those without coverage after the deadline will be fined a fee. The current fee is 1 percent of household income or $95 per person, whichever is higher. Each year, this penalty will increase. While Medicare recipients are not affected by the ACA (see “Medicare patients should ignore exchanges” on page 20), older adults under age 65 who are uninsured will have new options for insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace program, also called exchanges.

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Once enrollment begins, you will have access to a list of the plans available in your area. Those who already have coverage have an opportunity to save money on monthly premiums by switching to a new plan.

Help is available locally Some nonprofit organizations are offering one-on-one counseling and enrollment assistance through partnerships with their state. You may also enroll online through your local marketplace or with the assistance of a “navigator” — a trained individual who can help you complete the application and enroll in a policy. “Assisters” are also available to provide information about the ACA, the enrollment process, and the different types of health insurance plans.

District of Columbia The District of Columbia’s marketplace can be accessed through DC Health Link at http://dchealthlink.com. D.C. residents may enroll online or call 1-855-532-5465 to schedule an appointment with a navigator or enroll over the phone. DC Health Link is working with several partners to assist with enrollment. To locate such a service, visit the website or call DC Health Link. Beginning Oct. 1, their call center will be available to answer ques-

tions 24 hours a day. Iona Senior Services and Brighton Gardens at Friendship Heights will present information about the ACA geared to older adults on Oct. 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 5555 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. To register, email registration@iona.org or call (202) 895-9448.

Montgomery and P.G. counties Maryland residents can access their local marketplace through the Maryland Health Connection, which also provides navigators and assisters. Their capital branch serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Residents may enroll online at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov or call 1-855-6428572. To schedule appointments for one-onone sessions with staff or assisters, visit http://capitalhealthconnection.org or call the number above. The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is also sponsoring a series of community events to provide information about the ACA. County Executive Isiah Leggett and a representative from the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) will explain the effect of the ACA on older adults at senior See HEALTH INSURANCE, page 19

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Smoking From page 17 a variety of ways. Many are on the staff of nicotine treatment programs associated with healthcare facilities. Some specialists facilitate face-to-face or internet-based support groups. Others work through individual counseling programs that may be conducted in person or over the phone. A tobacco treatment specialist can work with you to change your behaviors that make it difficult to stop smoking. He or she also can help you create a plan to deal with the challenges that come with quitting, including withdrawal. Also available are residential treatment programs, where a patient is treated in a special smoke-free unit for eight days of intensive treatment — including combinations of medications, education sessions, exercise and group therapy.

Health insurance From page 18 centers from Oct. 7 to Oct. 16. To see a list of the events, visit http://capitalhealthconnection.org/calendar or call (301) 5902819.

Virginia Virginia has chosen not to offer state-

Keep in mind that getting to the point of long-term freedom from tobacco is a process. Changing behaviors and getting your body used to living without tobacco can take a considerable amount of time, often several months or more. But your efforts to stop smoking will be worth it. Being smoke-free has enormous health benefits. Over time, your risk of coronary artery disease, heart disease, stroke and many kinds of cancer dramatically drops after you say goodbye to cigarettes. Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss your desire to quit and to find support for your efforts. With aid and guidance from professionals trained to help people stop smoking, your chances of success are good. — Richard D. Hurt, M.D., Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an edu-

based plans. Virginia residents looking to enroll in coverage should do so through the federal marketplace. To enroll or work with a navigator or assister, call 1-800-3182596 or visit www.healthcare.gov. This call center is open 24 hours a day. AARP is also offering assistance directing calls, matching individuals with navigators and providing information. To speak to a representative, call 1-888-702-9345.

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cational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 18

CHALLENGES OF HEARING LOSS Join Marla Dougherty at Northern Virginia Resource Center for a free lecture on the challenges associated with hearing loss, as

well as current options and technology to improve hearing. The lecture will take place on Friday, Oct. 18 at 601 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va. from 11 a.m. to noon. To register, call (703) 558-6859.

Oct. 21

FREE VARICOSE VEIN SCREENINGS Suburban Hospital presents a free varicose vein screening by resident physicians on Monday, Oct. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. Space is lim-

ited, and registration is required. To make an appointment, call (301) 869-3939.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Medicare patients should ignore exchanges By Kimberly Lankford Q. I know that open enrollment for health insurance on the new state exchanges will run from October 1 to March 31. Does that mean that open enrollment for Medicare changes this

year, too? Also, can I get a health insurance subsidy to help pay for my Medicare Part D or my Medigap coverage if I meet the income requirements? A. The answer to both questions is no.

The October 1 to March 31 open-enrollment period applies only to people buying health insurance on the exchanges, all of whom are under age 65. The open-enrollment period for Medicare Part D prescription-drug plans and all-in-one Medicare Advantage plans (which provide medical and drug coverage through a private insurer) is still October 15 to December 7, 2013, for plans that take effect on January 1, 2014. The new subsidies don’t apply to people on Medicare, either. You can get a subsidy only if you’re younger than 65 and buy a policy on the exchanges. You will see only minor changes in Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans in 2014. For example, the “doughnut hole” — the coverage gap in which you must pay out-of-pocket for your drugs — continues

to shrink. In 2013 and 2014, you get a 52.5percent discount on brand-name drugs in the doughnut hole; the federal subsidy for generic drugs in the doughnut hole rises from 21 percent to 28 percent in 2014. Premiums for Part D plans in 2014 are expected to remain similar to those from 2013, with average premiums rising slightly from $30 to $31 per month, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Even if your plan’s premiums barely budge this year, investigate how plans in your area cover your prescriptions. You can expect trends that started a few years ago to continue — such as increasing co-payments, smaller pharmacy networks, extra discounts for preferred pharmacies, and changes in drug tiers that can boost out-of-pocket costs. Starting in October, you can go to Medicare’s Plan Finder tool (www.medicare. gov/find-a-plan/questions/home.aspx) to compare the premiums and out-of-pocket costs for your drugs under all of the plans available in your area for 2014. But note: the new plan information is usually up on the site in early October, but you can’t sign up for a new plan until October 15; the 2013 plans and prices are on the site right now. Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and the author of Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, $18.95). Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

Oct. 20

JOIN THE NEW SILVER SPRING VILLAGE

Silver Spring Village, an aging in place community within Silver Spring, Md., offers programs and services for the city’s residents. It is enrolling members and volunteers on an ongoing basis, online and in person. The village will celebrate its grand opening at a special event, Sunday, Oct. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, Md. Stuart Rosenthal, chair of the Maryland Commission on Aging and publisher of the Beacon, will be the keynote speaker. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (301) 503-7401 or see www.silverspringvillage.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Target Pharmacy has you covered. Members of AARP® MedicareRx plans, insured through UnitedHealthcare,® could save on Medicare prescription copays at Target Pharmacy. For more information, visit www.UHCPreferredPharmacyNetwork.com/Target.

Additional Medicare plans are also accepted. See pharmacy for details. Plan is insured or covered by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliates, a Medicare-approved Part D sponsor. UnitedHealthcare pays a royalty fee to AARP. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. ©2013 Target Stores. Target and the Bullseye Design are registered trademarks of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. 483404 Y0066_PDPSPRJ14842 _000 IR

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Be aware of dangers of Tylenol overdose By Matthew Perrone Bottles of Tylenol sold in the U.S. will soon bear red warnings alerting users to the potentially fatal risks of taking too much of the popular pain reliever. The unusual step disclosed by Johnson

& Johnson, the company that makes Tylenol, comes amid a growing number of lawsuits and pressure from the federal government that could have widespread ramifications for a medicine taken by millions of people every day.

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The warning will appear on the cap of new bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol sold in the U.S. starting in October and on most other Tylenol bottles in coming months. The warning will make it explicitly clear that the over-the-counter drug contains acetaminophen — a pain-relieving ingredient that is the nation’s leading cause of sudden liver failure. The move to add a new warning comes at a critical time for the manufacturer, which faces more than 85 personal injury lawsuits in federal court that blame Tylenol for liver injuries and deaths. Overdoses from acetaminophen send 55,000 to 80,000 people in the U.S. to the emergency room each year and kill at least 500, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is drafting long-awaited safety proposals that

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could curtail the use of Tylenol and other acetaminophen products.

Drug is in numerous products Most experts agree that acetaminophen is safe when used as directed, which generally means taking no more than 4,000 milligrams, or eight pills of Extra Strength Tylenol, a day. But acetaminophen can be found in more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription products used by nearly one in four American adults every week, including household brands like Nyquil cold formula, Excedrin pain tablets and Sudafed sinus pills. Acetaminophen overdoses occur when the liver is overwhelmed by too much of the drug, producing a toxic byproduct that kills liver cells. Liver failure occurs when most cells are no longer able to function. At that point, a patient generally has 24 to 48 hours to live without a transplant. Each year, some 100 million Americans use acetaminophen, but liver damage occurs in only a fraction of 1 percent of users. Still, liver specialists say those cases are preventable. Part of the problem, they say, is that there are sometimes hundreds of pills in a bottle, making it easy for consumers to pop as many as they please. For example, McNeil sells Extra Strength Tylenol in bottles containing up to 325 tablets A bigger problem is that acetaminophen is found in so many different products. Imagine you’ve had major dental surgery, and your dentist prescribes a five-day supply of Percocet. You take the recommended two pills every six hours, which totals 2,600 milligrams of acetaminophen per day — well below the 4,000-milligram-a-day safety threshold. But you’re still experiencing pain, so you decide to add Extra Strength Tylenol, six caplets a day for another 3,000 milligrams. Now you’re feeling better but you still have trouble sleeping, so you take Nyquil, which contains another 650 milligrams. After a few days on this 6,250 milligram per day regimen, experts say acute liver damage is a real risk. The labels on all of these products warn against mixing them. But researchers say many consumers either don’t read or don’t understand such warnings. Even after taking into account people who ignore labels, there are still cases of liver damage that stump researchers. These are the people who have apparently taken about 4,000 milligrams a day or less, well within the safety threshold. “It’s still a little bit of a puzzle,” said Dr. Anne Larson, of the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. “Is it genetic predisposition? Are they claiming they took the right amount, but they really took more? It’s difficult to know.”

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

What women can do to counter hair loss We’ve grown accustomed to seeing men lose their hair as they get older. These days, it’s not only socially acceptable for a man to be bald — it’s physically appealing. Celebrities like Sean Connery, Bruce Willis and Vin Diesel have made bald sexy. But what about hair loss in women? We rarely see female celebrities go bald. Women don’t flaunt their bald spots — they hide them. Up to 40 percent of hair loss sufferers are women, yet there’s a double standard

in the way female-pattern baldness is perceived, said Dr. Sandy Tsao, a dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School. “Culturally, it just hasn’t become as socially accepted in women,” she said. Hair loss treatments also tend to favor men. “The medications and treatment options that have been available for men tend to not be as available or effective for women,” Tsao said. “So we deal much

Tylenol

as directed. The group’s votes are nonbinding, though the FDA usually follows them. McNeil voluntarily added the warning to its products in 2004, five years before the FDA made it mandatory. Of the roughly 500 acetaminophen deaths reported annually, about half are accidental, with the rest deemed suicides. About 60 percent of the unintentional overdoses involve prescription opioid-acetaminophen combination drugs such as Percocet and Vicodin, according to a database of liver failure cases run by Dr. Lee at the Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Those two products alone were prescribed more than 173 million times last year, according to IMS Health. — AP

From page 22 in the 1990s, but it has taken years to form a clearer picture of the problem. In 1994, the company added a warning about the risk of liver damage when combining alcohol with Tylenol following a lawsuit brought by Antonio Benedi, a former aide to President George H.W. Bush, who fell into a coma and underwent emergency liver transplant after mixing Tylenol with wine at dinner. Then, in 2002, an expert panel of FDA advisers recommended that the government agency require all acetaminophen products to carry a warning about the risk of “severe liver damage” when not taken

more with having to camouflage hair loss” for women.

Causes of hair loss differ When men lose their hair, the first strands typically fall from the front of the head, near the temples. The next hairs to go are on the back of the head. Eventually the two balding areas meet, leaving a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the perimeter of the scalp. In contrast, “Women lose hair through-

out the scalp,” Tsao said. Instead of developing large bald spots, women typically get widespread thinning. What causes female pattern baldness? Genes are often at the root of hair loss. They affect the way the body responds to male hormones (androgens — which both men and women have). Too much of these hormones in the hair follicles can slow the growth of new hair and make the hair that See HAIR LOSS, page 24

Be Prepared for Changing Weather Use these helpful tips to be ready when severe weather strikes in winter.

#! !Make a Plan for Extended Power Outages

#! !Get Information

Know where you will go in the event of a power outage that could last multiple days. Most communities have a designated location with emergency back-up power. Make arrangements to stay with a relative, friend or neighbor who has power in case of an outage.

#! !Prepare for Safe Power and Heating

If using a portable generator, always operate it outside and away from doors and windows. Purchase a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector for your home if you plan to use an alternative source of power or heat.

#! !Assemble an Emergency Storm Kit

Take a few minutes to gather important items to keep handy in the event of a winter storm. Your kit should contain bottled water, non-perishable foods, blankets, flashlights and extra batteries, a first-aid kit and prescription medications, special medical supplies, tools and other essential items.

#! !Download your free Storm Preparation Handbook

Call 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662) to report outages and downed wires, and please request a call back so we can verify if individual or small groups of outages still exist

Use our mobile app to get the latest news, report an outage, access outage maps of your area, call us directly and get estimates for when power will be restored – it’s free and available from your app store or at pepco.com/mobileapp Go online to pepco.com, click “Report/Get Outage Status” and enter your account information to get the latest news, report an outage, access outage maps of your area, get important contact information and estimates for when power will be restored – from anywhere you can access the Internet

Violent storms are more frequent in a changing world and restoring power safely takes time. Apply your energy now and be prepared.

at pepco.com The best time to get ready for storms is well before they arrive, so we created a Storm Preparation Handbook that contains useful tips and handy checklists you can use to be prepared when severe weather strikes.

STAY SAFE. STAY CONNECTED:

We are committed to keeping you informed should an outage occur.

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Hair loss From page 23 does grow in shorter than it was before. Hair loss in women can also result from a number of conditions, including an underactive thyroid gland, anemia, pregnancy, a significant illness, a stressful event (negative or positive — such as an illness or death in the family, a move, or a divorce), and certain medications, such as chemotherapy for cancer. When your hair falls out, you need to treat it like any other medical symptom and see your doctor. Blood tests can frequently detect an undiagnosed thyroid

problem or other health-related cause. “If we’re not able to discern what the cause is, taking a biopsy of the scalp can often give a more conclusive diagnosis,” according to Tsao.

Restoring lost hair If a thyroid problem or other medical issue is making you lose your hair, treating the condition should stop the hair loss. Eventually, your hair should grow back in. Treating hair loss that doesn’t have a clear medical cause is trickier in women. “There are so few treatments available that have actually proved effective in women,” Tsao said.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Oral finasteride (Propecia), which is a staple of treatment in men, doesn’t have the same results in women. The best hair loss medication for women is topical minoxidil (Rogaine), which comes in 2 percent and 5 percent solutions. When you apply it twice a day, topical minoxidil can help preserve the hair you have and can even regrow hair. The only catch is that you have to keep using it indefinitely. Also, topical minoxidil can cause itching, dryness and scalp irritation, which you can combat by conditioning every time you shampoo your hair. Another option is to try a hair transplant — a technique that moves hair follicles from a thicker part of the scalp to a thinning patch. However, because of the widespread pattern of hair loss in women, hair transplants may not be as effective at permanently restoring hair as they are in men, Tsao said. The procedure can also be expensive, costing several thousand dollars, depending upon the amount of hair being transplanted. If you’re considering this option, Tsao advised, “Go to a hair transplant specialist who treats a lot of women. Talk with women who have undergone the treatment.” Several newer techniques for treating hair loss are in development, including the laser hair comb — a handheld device that emits a low-level laser light, which is supposed to stimulate new hair growth. Tsao calls it “a compelling and very possible means of regrowing hair.” However, laser combs haven’t yet been studied well enough to determine whether they’re effective. Until the results of more clinical trials are released, Tsao recommended that you “save your money, but keep it in mind.”

Camouflaging bald patches A number of techniques can camouflage hair loss. One is to wear a wig that match-

es your hair color and style. Another is to have your hairdresser cut and style your hair in a way that conceals bald patches. To hide hair loss and preserve the hair you still have, you can also try these tips: • Be kind to your hair. Don’t wear tight buns, ponytails or other styles that pull on your hair and cause it to fall out even faster. The same goes for overtreating hair. “Try to minimize a lot of the procedures that make your hair more brittle, such as straightening and perming,” Tsao suggested. • Supplement thinning hair. Ask your doctor about taking biotin, a vitamin that strengthens hair. Just don’t exceed the recommended dose, which is 30 micrograms daily. • Try a spray-on hair product. It might sound silly (especially if you’ve seen the infomercials for one of these products), but spraying a matching shade onto your scalp can quickly hide bald spots. “It immediately gives the illusion of thicker hair,” Tsao said. Rarely do we talk openly about hair loss in women or see women represented in commercials for hair transplant companies and hair-loss medications. The gender bias surrounding this condition can make us hesitant to ask for help when our hair starts to thin. Don’t let preconceived ideas prevent you from getting the treatment that could stop — or even reverse — your hair loss. Even though you may not see other women openly dealing with hair loss, you’re definitely not alone. “Hair loss is a very common concern among a majority of women,” Tsao said. “Don’t be afraid to address it. Though the options may not be as broad as they are for men, hair loss in women can be treated. And it’s important to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical cause.” — Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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What health-related apps are worth using? Of the countless applications (apps) available for your computer tablet and smartphone, there are an estimated 40,000 health-related apps for consumers and physicians. But how do you know if these apps are safe and accurate? “You don’t,” said Dr. Nathan Eagle, a mobile health technology expert and adjunct assistant professor at Harvard School of Public Health. “While most mobile apps are vetted by the app store to ensure they aren’t compromising the user’s privacy, there is very little formal vetting to certify the app can do what it claims it can do beyond basic user reviews,” Eagle said. The apps are downloaded onto a device from the Internet, usually through sites such as the iTunes store or Google Play. Many apps are free, but many more must be purchased, with prices ranging from less than a dollar to a thousand dollars.

Wide variety of functions Some apps are simple tools, such as calorie counters, pedometers, medication managers, fitness videos, and calculators to track and analyze your run times. Others are much more sophisticated, such as apps that measure your heart rate, blood sugar or blood pressure. Many of these turn your phone into a

monitor or tracking device with the help of accessories that do the work, such as a blood pressure cuff you plug into your phone. Unfortunately, health apps are not yet regulated. That means there’s no way to know which apps are accurate and reliable and which are technological snake oil. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is just now in the process of developing the rules by which it will judge health apps that make medical claims. A probe by the New England Center for Investigative Reporting found that many health apps claim to diagnose or cure medical conditions. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology found that three out of four apps that evaluate whether moles are the deadly skin cancer melanoma often failed to recognize true melanomas. And last year, the Federal Trade Commission levied fines against two app makers for claiming they could cure acne. In contrast, Eagle said it is safe to use apps that act as trackers or calculators. “The vast majority of health apps help you collect data about yourself, show you exercise routines, track your movement, and tell you how many calories you’ve burned. Those are wonderful apps and are completely safe,” he noted. “They use the

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phone as a sensor but refrain from making the jump to diagnostics.” Eagle recommends that you check to see who produces the app, how often the app is updated, and if it provides references for the information it offers. Go for well-known health brands, such as government agencies and research universities.

When using health apps: DO select from well-known health brands, such as government agencies and research universities. DO use the app as a sensor or monitor. DON’T rely on the app to diagnose or cure medical conditions — Harvard Health Letter

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Visit the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden for artist Jennie C. Jones’ first solo exhibit. Her exhibit explores the interaction between African American avant-garde music and abstract visual art. The Hirshhorn is located at 700 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. Admission is free. For more information, call (202) 633-4674.

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Companies deliver dinner ready to cook By Joseph Pisani Sarah Michaelson no longer wonders what she’ll be having for dinner. Her meals are delivered to her door. Last fall, she signed up with Blue Apron, a company that ships ready-to-cook dinner kits. Michaelson and her husband, Phil, pay $59.94 a week to have six uncooked meals sent to their home every week. Blue Apron’s kits are filled with everything needed to whip up a meal, from the raw meat and fish, to spices and vegetables. Recipes, with step-by-step instructions and pictures, are included. “It saves us a lot of money,” said Michaelson, a marketing manager at Betterment.com, an online investment management company.

She now eats dinner at home at least three times a week. Before, she would order takeout while at work, or head to a restaurant. Takeout can cost as much as $35 for the New York couple, and dinner at a restaurant starts at $40 for the two of them, Michaelson said. Ready-to-cook dinner kits are the latest concept in online grocery delivery. Blue Apron — and fellow startups HelloFresh and Plated — are targeting busy consumers who want to cook at home, but don’t have the time to hit the grocery store every week. The companies are new — all three have launched within the last year — but are growing quickly and have plans to reach more customers in more states soon.

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No need to shop; no waste The kits make cooking at home easier. Since all the ingredients are included and measured, you don’t have to buy six onions when all you need is one, or a bottle of a spice you’ll only use a sprinkle of. The kits can sometimes be cheaper than dining out or ordering in, costing between $10 and $15 a meal. But some of the companies require a subscription or buying a minimum amount of meals a week. They all work differently, but they all aim to give even the most inexperienced cook the ingredients to cook a gourmet meal. Michaelson said she has become a better cook since joining Blue Apron. For a recent dinner party, she made seared rainbow trout and an arugula and peach salad, using a Blue Apron recipe. “Usually, I’m pretty basic with how I cook,” said Michaelson. Subscribers are able to choose the dishes they want. A box is sent with that week’s meals. The boxes are packed with ice packs and insulated to keep the items fresh. All three services use seasonal vegetables and fruits, and recipes change every week. Subscribers benefit from variety so they’re not repeating the same meals week in and week out. The dinner kits are not cheaper than fixing a bowl of spaghetti at home, but they can be cheaper than takeout. Blue Apron’s meals cost less than $10 each. The meals at HelloFresh and Plated are a couple of dollars more, but you can lower the price if you buy more meals per shipment or opt for the vegetarian meals from HelloFresh. While the companies tout the per meal price, Blue Apron and HelloFresh require buying a minimum of six meals for each shipment. Plated requires four meals. The cheapest is HelloFresh’s vegetarian dinner kit, which costs $59 a week. Delivery for all three companies is free.

Singles face leftovers But be aware that these services cater to couples and families. Single subscribers may end up with more food than they know what to do with. The minimum dinner kit available from Blue Apron and HelloFresh has two serv-

ings of three different recipes. That’s six meals all together. At Plated, you can order a minimum of two servings of two different recipes, a total of four meals per shipment. Josh Hix, Plated’s co-founder, said the company’s single customers save extra food for leftovers or use it for date nights. If subscribing to a ready-to-cook delivery service sounds appetizing, here’s what you need to know about each company: Blue Apron — www.blueapron.com Pricing: A minimum of $59.94 a week, which includes three meals for two people ($9.99 a meal). No membership required, cancel any time. A kit for four people costs $119.88, and for six, $179.82. Recent recipes: Cod with crispy kale and roasted tomato. Lemongrass shrimp with soba noodles and Chinese broccoli. Vegetarian option: Yes Deliver y areas: Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia HelloFresh — www.hellofresh.com Pricing: A minimum of $69 a week, which includes three meals for two people ($11.50 a meal). For four people, it’s $129 a week, or $10.75 a meal. The vegetarian kits are $59, which includes three meals for two people ($9.83 a meal). Recent recipes: Beef cabbage wraps with sweet potato fries. Honey chili chicken with tomato relish. Vegetarian option: Yes. Deliver y areas: Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia Plated — www.plated.com Pricing: A minimum of $60 for four meals ($15 a meal). Order six or more meals for $14 each. If you pay a monthly membership of $10, it’s $12 a meal if you buy four or $10 a meal if you order six or more. Recent dishes: Pork tenderloin with watermelon, mint, feta and cucumber salad. Apricot chicken with green beans and almonds. Vegetarian option: No. (The company expects to add it later this fall.) Delivery areas: Washington, D.C. and Maryland. — AP

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Seven ways to squeeze in more veggies By Nicci Micco Research suggests that eating plenty of vegetables may help you lower your risk for heart disease and get more fiber, nutrients and antioxidants in your diet. If you’re finding it difficult to get your daily servings of vegetables, try these tips to make eating more vegetables easy: 1. Top proteins with sauteed vegetables Instead of topping cooked fish (or meat or poultry) with a sauce, use sauteed veg-

etables, such as spinach, or combine peppers, onions and tomatoes. They’ll add plenty of flavor and nutrients — and at the same time boost portion size without adding a lot of calories. 2. Replace carbs with vegetables Lighten carbs with low-cal veggies. If you love cheesy mashed potatoes but not all the calories they deliver, replace some of the potatoes with vegetables, such as broccoli. You’ll get fewer calories and more disease-fighting antioxidants. (An-

other twist on this trick: Replace some of your pasta with veggies.) 3. Use lettuce leaves as bread The next time you make a sandwich, consider lettuce leaves as a virtually caloriefree alternative to a bread slice or wrap. Just about any filling works beautifully. Try tuna or chicken salad, a stir-fry or even a burger. 4. Stock up on salsa This low-cal condiment is long on flavor and fiber — and it packs a whole vegetable serving into every 1/2 cup. 5. Add spinach Add spinach to soups, stews and casseroles. It pumps up the volume — so you feel like you’re getting more — for virtually no additional calories.

6. Dress up your vegetables Eating vegetables simply steamed gets old fast. Add just a little olive oil plus big, bold “no-calorie” flavoring (garlic, sherry vinegar), and you’ve got a delicious proof that low-cal eating doesn’t have to be boring. You can do it forever. 7. Eat edamame Get edamame — green soybeans — into your diet. They have satisfying protein and fiber. Try adding them to salads, stir-fries or soups. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2013 EatingWell, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Oct. 6

LITERARY READING

Author Sera Jeter Nasland will be available for a free literary reading on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She is the critically acclaimed author of Ahab’s Wife and Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette. She will read from her new novel The Fountain of St. James Court; Or, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman, which intertwines the life of 18th century French painter Élisabeth Louise VigéeLebrun with the fictional contemporary writer Kathryn Callaghan. A book signing will follow. The museum is located at 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, call 1-800-222-7270.

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Health Studies Page

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Volunteer for a cancer prevention study By Carol Sorgen and Barbara Ruben The American Cancer Society’s Epidemiology Research Program is inviting men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have no personal history of cancer (other than basal or squamous cell skin carcinoma) to join the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). This nationwide study will help researchers better understand the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer. (Once a person has cancer, the body has been affected by the disease, treatment, and/or lifestyle changes as a result of the diagnosis, so they cannot take part in the study.) The first such study, CPS-1, established the link between smoking and lung cancer in the 1950s.

Diversity of participants sought The study is now enrolling participants at several Washington-area locations. The national goal is a diverse population of up to 500,000 Americans. Because the genetic susceptibility to cancer can differ by race, having a diverse population to study allows researchers to examine genetic as well as lifestyle difference in relation to cancer occurrence and prevention.

Liver cancer rates, for instance, are higher in Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites, and CPS-3 provides a means to help scientists understand why. Rates of obesity are also increasing in U.S. Hispanic populations (as well as most other populations) and it has been proven that obesity is related to various types of cancer. Similarly, African American men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer compared to white men, and the reasons are unclear. CPS-3 will allow researchers to better understand why. The incidence and death rate from lung cancer is also higher in African American men than white men. This is partly due to differences in the types and amount of cigarettes smoked, but requires more research like that which will be enabled through CPS-3. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to participate in lifesaving cancer research,” said Gloria Jetter Crockett, the vice president of American Cancer Society Maryland. “In order to reach the enrollment targets, we need passionate people who are committed to fighting cancer.”

What volunteers will do Participants will have a waist measure-

Where to enroll in the study Enrollment appointments will be available at the following locations and times: Oct. 2 • 4 to 7:30 p.m. The nZone Sports Facility at New Life Christian Church, Main Field, 14550 Lee Rd. Chantilly, Va. Oct. 3 • 3 to 7 p.m. Reston Hospital Center, West Wing, Conference Room C, 1850 Town Center Pkwy., Reston, Va. Oct. 26 • 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Reid Temple, Fellowship Hall, 1400 Glenn Dale Blvd., Glenn Dale, Md. Oct 30 • 4 to 7:30 p.m. Jericho City of Praise, Fellowship Hall, 8501 Jericho City Dr., Landover, Md. Nov. 7 • 4 to 7 p.m. and Nov. 9 • 9 a.m. to noon MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Community Learning Center, 2nd Floor, 18101 Prince Philip Dr., Olney, Md.

ment taken and give a small blood sample. They will also complete a comprehensive survey and follow-up surveys every few years. Those interested in participating should make an appointment at one of the sites listed below. While appointments are preferred, walk-ins are welcome. After scheduling the enrollment appoint-

ment, participants will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions to go online and complete the first, most comprehensive survey. This survey will ask questions regarding medications, family history of cancer, lifestyle and other behaviors, and will take See CANCER PREVENTION, page 31

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Health conditions you shouldn’t ignore Q. I have coronary artery disease, and my primary care doctor just told me that changes in my tests indicate I have prediabetes. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, since I don’t need medicines yet. But I’m wondering if I should start doing anything differently. A. You raise an important issue relevant to millions of Americans, because type 2 diabetes damages blood vessels. In fact, this prediabetes phase is an absolutely critical time for you, especially because you have coronary artery disease. Almost everyone who gets type 2 diabetes passes through a prediabetes phase, when their glucose tests show modest yet

worrisome elevations, but their blood sugar readings aren’t high enough to need oral diabetes drugs or insulin. Insulin produced by the pancreas normally drives sugar from the blood into the cells, where it is needed for energy. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin, which causes blood sugar levels to rise. At first, the pancreas responds by making more insulin than normal. However, after many years of doing this, the insulinproducing cells become exhausted. At that point, blood sugar rises higher, and you have diabetes. As you might guess, it’s easier to stop this process now than to correct it once it happens. Among people who are over-

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weight and prediabetic, reducing weight by 5 percent and exercising for 30 minutes a day can greatly reduce the risk of developing diabetes. That would be a huge benefit for you. Other strategies for keeping prediabetes from sliding into real diabetes include quitting smoking and choosing a healthy diet that replaces refined carbohydrates with whole grains and saturated fats with unsaturated fats. — Thomas Lee, M.D. and Richard Lee, M.D., Co-Editors in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter Q: What is pathological gambling? Is there any effective treatment? A: The newest edition of psychiatry’s diagnostic manual classifies pathological gambling as an addiction. People addicted to alcohol or drugs are at increased risk of developing gambling problems. The reverse is also true. Problem gamblers are more likely to become addicted to substances than people who don’t gamble. Gambling may be an escape, either from personal problems or dark moods. Problem gamblers become preoccupied. They bet increasing amounts of money. They try to make up for losses by gambling — and losing — more. Attempts to control the behavior fail. Problem gamblers get irritated if they try to cut back. They may lie about what they’re doing. But they may have to turn to friends and family to rescue them from debts that pile up. For many, the losses go beyond money. They lose relationships, jobs and opportunities. There is not a lot of evidence about what treatment is best. But some treatments are promising:

Gamblers Anonymous. This 12-step program is modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous. Members acknowledge they are powerless over gambling. Fellow members support each other in giving up the behavior. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Therapists help gamblers recognize distorted thinking about gambling. Gamblers learn to change how they think about it. They learn to avoid gambling triggers and develop other rewarding activities. Motivational Interviewing. This therapy aims both to promote readiness to change and commitment to treatment. The therapist helps a patient explore and resolve mixed feelings about giving up gambling. Drug treatment is limited. Some doctors prescribe so-called “opioid antagonists” that have been used to treat alcohol dependence. Two examples are naltrexone (ReVia) and nalmefene (Revex). By blocking opioid receptors, these drugs modify reward circuits in the brain. The rationale is that these drugs will help subdue the desire or “craving” that contributes to gambling behaviors. Pathological gambling is a tough problem to treat. But the consequences of not treating it can be devastating. It’s worth trying the available treatments, because a life without gambling is the best bet for living a rewarding life. — Michael Craig Miller, M.D., is an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an associate physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is a senior medical editor at Harvard Health Publications. © 2013 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Some natural remedies for osteoarthritis Dear Pharmacist: mercial capsaicin products are sold nationI am 60 years old, and I’m told I wide as a patch, gel, cream and roll-on. You have osteoarthritis. My apply it externally, and with redoctor said that there is no peated applications, it helps known “cure” for this. I block pain signals. Wash your would like to know the hands after applications (or use best natural treatments. gloves). The last thing you — O.W. want to do is apply capsaicin to Dear O.W.: your joints, then get some of it There isn’t a quick magical on yourself where you don’t fix for osteoarthritis. You have want it. Talk about a hot to treat the cause, and it’s not tamale! always easy to figure that out. Astaxanthin: This protecOsteoarthritis has always DEAR tive antioxidant is best known been considered a “wear and PHARMACIST for vision health. However, it tear” disease. But tick bites By Suzy Cohen suppresses COX 2 enzyme, can also cause painful, swollen prostaglandins, interleukins joints (Lyme disease) and that is actually and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a). how Lyme was discovered: Kids with joint Simply put, astaxanthin helps painful sitpain were popping up all over Lyme, Conn. uations that end in “itis” like arthritis, burThere are many prescription drugs that sitis, tendonitis, etc. You may need 6 to 12 ease pain, such as Celebrex or Relafen. mg. daily. They are not always well tolerated. For the Glucosamine sulfate: Your body makes most severe cases, physical therapy, injec- this if you have healthy cartilage, but you tions of cortisone and surgery may be op- can also take supplements. I think it’s well tions. These, of course, have their own risks. tolerated, even though the studies are So, let’s talk about simple things! mixed. Glucosamine may be helpful, but Capsaicin: Let’s hear it for hot peppers, only if combined with other substances. which is where capsaicin comes from. ComGinger: This natural spice has anti-in-

flammatory properties. It is also sold as a supplement. I eat fresh ginger with sushi all the time, but you can buy it as a powdered spice, or fresh root in the produce section, and turn it into a tea. It reduces pain by blocking prostaglandins (that’s what ibuprofen does, too). Ginger is selective, it only blocks the ‘bad’ prostaglandins, not the ones that benefit your body. DMSO: This is used on race horses, externally. Many Internet sites sell it, as do health food stores. People use it all the time for joint pain (myself included), but because it is technically for horses, unless you’re a horse, I can’t really tell you anything more. Methylsulfonylmethane (or you can just say MSM, phew!) is a natural sulfur

When faced with the loss of a loved one, many people are uncertain as to the best way to bury. What more natural and reverential means of uniting those we love with our environment than the time-honored ceremony of burial at sea? This makes one a part of nature, a part of the seas that surround us.

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Cancer prevention From page 29 approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete. At your appointment, participants will be asked to sign an informed consent form, complete a brief survey, and provide a waist circumference measurement and a small blood sample (similar to that at a doctor visit). The blood sample will be taken by a certified, trained phlebotomist. The appointment should last approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

At home, participants will receive periodic follow-up surveys that will ask for information on lifestyle, behaviors and other factors related to their health. Participants will also receive annual newsletters about ongoing research. To make an appointment or for more information, log onto the website in your area: www.cps3nova.org in Northern Virginia, www.cps3montgomerycounty.org in Montgomery County and www.cps3pgcounty.org in Prince George’s County. You can also call 1-888-604-5888.

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compound related to DMSO (see above). It’s been shown to improve pain symptoms, and although it is present in trace amounts in a variety of food, it is much more efficient to take a supplement. I can send you a longer, detailed version of this article with more remedies and treatment options. Sign up for my newsletter at www.DearPharmacist.com to get it. 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.dearpharmacist.com.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Things to know about soft drinks, coffee Q: I’ve heard that regular (sugar sweetened) soft drinks cause erosion of tooth enamel. As long as I limit soft drinks to sports drinks and diet soda, do I have to worry? A: Yes, all these drinks can threaten the enamel layer that protects teeth. Research shows it is the acidity of these drinks that causes erosion of tooth enamel. The drinks’ acidity comes mainly from the citric acid, sodium citrate and phosphoric acid added to both cola and noncola soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks. Regular colas tend to be most acidic, but the others are all significantly more acidic than plain water. And studies generally show no differ-

ence in tooth enamel erosion between sugar-sweetened and sugar-free soft drinks. Even lemonade, wine and nutrientrich fruit juices (orange, apple, grape) are more acidic than water. When the enamel protecting teeth is eroded, that leaves teeth more vulnerable to developing cavities, and can lead to irreversible loss of tooth minerals and structure. To protect your teeth, limit all of these acidic drinks. Even more important than the total amount you drink is the total time teeth are exposed to these acids. Extended sipping over long periods leaves teeth exposed to more acid than when such drinks are consumed in a short period.

A Lifestyle Transition to Live For!

You might drink some water to rinse improve insulin function, thus reducing elyour mouth after any of these acid-contain- evated insulin levels, then we may see it linked with reduced risk of ing drinks. But wait at least 30 several cancers, too. minutes to brush your teeth; In fact, the latest report otherwise, you worsen damfrom the American Institute age by physically abrading for Cancer Research/World enamel when acids have softCancer Research Fund conened it. cludes that coffee (regular Another reason for avoiding and decaf) reduces risk of or minimizing sugar-sweetendometrial cancer, which is ened drinks and limiting porone of the cancers linked to tions of fruit juice is to help insulin resistance. with weight management. So enjoy your coffee, as Q: Is it true that coffee NUTRITION long as you have not been adreduces risk of diabetes? If WISE vised by your doctor to avoid so, do other sources of caf- By Karen Collins, it for medical reasons. feine offer the same benefit? MS, RD, CDM Don’t think of these potenA: Quite a few population studies do now link coffee consumption to tial benefits as support for caffeine-conlower risk of type 2 diabetes, but that does taining soft drinks, though. In fact, avoidnot necessarily extend to other caffeine ing regular (sugar-sweetened) soft drink consumption is recommended to reduce sources, especially not to soft drinks. Besides the diabetes link, multiple stud- risk of type 2 diabetes, and to support ies also connect coffee to fewer heart dis- healthy weight that is so important to reease deaths and lower deaths from any ducing the risk of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Recause. The consistency of these findings search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800suggests that the link is real. Observational studies like these don’t 843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday prove cause-and-effect. Still, most re- through Friday. This free service allows you searchers seem to focus on natural phyto- to ask questions about diet, nutrition and chemicals in coffee, such as chlorogenic cancer. A registered dietitian will return acid, rather than caffeine, as the more like- your call, usually within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for ly source of any protective effect of coffee. These compounds may act by promot- Cancer Research. Questions for this column ing antioxidant activity in the body, reduc- may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., ing inflammation and improving insulin NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot function. If coffee consumption is shown to respond to questions personally.

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Colorful stew with pumpkin, peppers, etc. Of all the autumn colors, beautiful orange stands out, especially in pumpkins. Plentiful at this time of year, pumpkins are perfect for making unique dishes, like in this recipe for a super satisfying stew. As the weather turns colder, pumpkin combined with red and green peppers, black beans and yellow corn makes a colorful, comforting warm dish bursting with great taste and cancer-protective nutrients. Indigenous to the Western hemisphere, pumpkins have been grown in the Americas for more than 5,000 years. A member of the gourd family — which includes cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelons and zucchini — the largest pumpkin recorded weighed more than 2,000 pounds! Pumpkins are rich in vitamin A, specifically beta-carotene, a plant form of vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant. Count on pumpkin to provide vitamin C, fiber and potassium, too. This easy recipe calls for canned pumpkin, but you can use fresh pumpkin, about 2 cups chopped. You can also substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin. Experi-

ment to find what satisfies your taste. The bell peppers, beans, corn and tomatoes pack even more flavor into this stew, so only a bit of cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper are needed to complement the wonderful taste. You can substitute curry for the cumin. This pumpkin stew is perfect with some crusty wholegrain bread. Create a more robust meal by making a cucumber, avocado and tomato salad. Thickly slice the cucumbers, add tomato and avocado wedges and onion slices. Then drizzle on extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of good quality vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon juice) and some dried Italian seasoning. Gently toss. You have goodness in two bowls — one orange and one green.

Pumpkin Stew 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp. ground cumin (curry powder may be substituted)

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1 (15 oz.) can pureed pumpkin (2 cups fresh may be substituted) 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, no salt added, drained 1 (15 oz.) can yellow corn kernels, no salt added, drained (1-1½ cups fresh or frozen may be substituted) 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, no salt added 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (vegetable may be substituted) ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, divided Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup plain, low-fat yogurt, optional In large saucepan warm oil over medium heat. Stir in peppers, onion and garlic

and sauté about 6 minutes until peppers and onion soften. Stir in cumin and continue to cook 1-2 minutes. Pour in pumpkin, beans, corn, tomatoes and broth. Add 1 teaspoon cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Divide stew among four bowls and garnish with cilantro and yogurt, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Serving size: 2 cups. Per serving: 301 calories, 5 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 57 g. carbohydrate, 14 g. protein,14 g. dietary fiber, 307 mg. sodium. — American Institute for Cancer Research

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Decide when (and how much) to intervene Dear Solutions: My daughter, who was not ver y young when she married, has one child — “the heir” as her husband calls him. Now, because time is running out, as she says, she wants to have another child right away. Her husband says it’s very important to him to have an heir so his family’s biological genes will continue in the world. But since he now has that heir, he’s not interested in another child. She’s upset and has asked me for advice about how to convince him. So I’m asking you for advice about what

to tell her. Thanks. — The Mother-in-Law Dear Mother-in-Law: She should tell him if he really wants to ensure his biological genes’ continuation in the world, he shouldn’t just count on one “heir.” He should have an heir and a spare. After all, who knows what can happen in this world? It would also be nice for the heir to have a sibling for company to carry those genes in the world. But on a deeper level, your daughter should talk to her husband about his fears of having another child — financial? emo-

tional? conflict? Whatever they are, they agents, own their own business, etc. should sit down and talk frankly about each As their mother, I never pry because it’s obvious they are all one’s feelings and fears, and doing well financially. So then make a decision together. what do you think? Bringing their opinions into — B.G. the open will help them to be Dear B.G.: closer and to understand each Well, B.G., 28 years? So other better. And you, motherwhile you were groaning, they in-law, after suggesting “heir” were growing, and now both and a “spare,” say no more. the groaning and the growing Dear Solutions: has come to maturity. I’ve been living with the Every one of his questions same man for 28 years, but “when you leave the room” we’re not married. Howev- SOLUTIONS can and should be (or not be) er, like a marriage, our re- By Helen Oxenberg, answered by those grown lationship has grown stale. MSW, ACSW children. You were right: if So we snipe at one another. I become extremely irritated when they want him to know their business they he questions and probes my five will tell him — and if they don’t, they grown kids (in a sneaking way when won’t. It sounds like you are using this probI’ve left the room) to find out their income. He feels the need to know how lem to cover your own uneasiness with much they pay for their house, mort- your “stale” relationship. Stop using your gage, cars, etc. I’ve asked him not to children as scapegoats, and start working grill my kids about such things, but he with your companion to try to fix what’s wrong — maybe with some therapy. continues to do so. © Helen Oxenberg, 2013. Questions to be I tell him, “If they wanted you to considered for this column may be sent to: know their business, you wouldn’t have to ask.” We argue about this con- The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author stantly after the kids go home. Bear in mind, all five kids are gain- at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about fully employed as nurses, real estate reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 10

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

Model Cities Luau Model Cities hosted a luau featuring Bun Chin “Ihilani” Tann, instructor for the hula dance class and the Hula Belles. Stacie Thweatt, director of Model Cities, and Ms. Senior D.C. Nancy A. Berry pose with some of the participants.

By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA In this month’s edition of “Spotlight on Aging” I would like to provide you with an update on the District’s effort in creating an Age-Friendly Washington, D.C. by 2017. The age-friendly campaign was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in the United States, WHO has partnered with AARP to identify cities that are willing to transform into an age-friendly community. We are very fortunate that Mayor Vincent C. Gray has committed our great city into becoming an age-friendly city. On Saturday, Sept. 21, Mayor Gray hosted the D.C. Age-Friendly City Forum to update the public on the District’s progress to date. I had the pleasure to present the progress report to approximately 250 people at the Howard Theatre and will share it here with you. Our age-friendly city journey began in October 2012 when Mayor Gray hosted a press conference to announce the District’s New Community Living strategic plan. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that the District of Columbia Office on Aging’s customers have access to adequate and affordable home and community-based services (HCBS) that promote active, productive living, wellness, socialization and intergenerational programs. However, the expectation does not stop at HCBS, as we all, regardless of age, depend on more than HCBS to survive and maintain a quality life. Through one of the goals to become an age-friendly city, the District of Columbia will examine eight domains as identified by WHO. They include outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and community support and health services. The District incorporated two additional domains: emergency preparedness and resilience, and elder abuse, neglect and fraud. As you can see, every domain impacts a senior in some type of way, and our job as the District government is to improve these domains in such a way that it adds value to a senior’s quality of living in the District of Columbia. As I mentioned in my presentation on Sept. 21, it is our goal to lower the stress level of seniors. For example, I frequently receive complaints from seniors that certain traffic lights change very quickly, not allowing seniors sufficient time in crossing the street. Through an age-friendly city movement, it is the District’s job to work with all interested See DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE, page 36

October 2013

The Model Cities Hula Belles perform a hula dance for participants at the Model Cities Senior Wellness Center.

10 Important Points about the New Health Law By Richard Sorian

Older Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 have been especially vulnerable to the deficiencies in the current health insurance system. According to AARP, more than 8.9 million adults age 50 to 64 were uninsured in 2010, an increase of 3.7 million since 2000. People in that age group tend to have much higher health care expenses. In 2007, one-third of older adults spent 10 percent or more of their income on health insurance and care. Older Americans also have more health prob-

lems. More than 70 percent of 50- to 64-yearolds report having been diagnosed with one or more chronic health conditions, and nearly half have two or more chronic conditions. Finally, older adults have a tougher time getting private health insurance. In 2009, according to America’s Health Insurance Plans, nearly 29 percent of applicants age 50 to 64 were denied coverage. The Affordable Care Act — also known as See NEW HEALTH LAW, page 36

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

Director’s message From page 35

stakeholders to address this one of many issues that could be easily resolved to promote a safe environment. According to the World Health Organization’s age-friendly city roadmap, cities have the first two years to focus on data collection and analysis, development of the Age-Friendly City Task Force, and the establishment of its strategic/action plan. Years 3-5 are focused on the implementation of the plan, evaluation of progress, and making any adjustments to improve the

New health law From page 35

Obamacare — makes significant improvements in the ability of people 50to-64 to get and keep quality health insurance including: 1. Nobody can be turned down for health insurance because of a pre-existing medical condition. Nor can they be charged higher premiums. 2. Insurance companies cannot place annual or lifetime limits on benefits. 3. Every health insurance plan must cover a package of essential health benefits that includes doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, lab

AGING NEWSLETTER

overall quality of the city’s efforts. On May 10th of this year, the Mayor hosted his Second Annual Senior Symposium, which was the District’s first large effort in collecting data from nearly 500 participants on their perspectives of the age-friendliness of Washington, D.C. Based on the results, we learned that seniors face numerous barriers to full participation in city life. They include affordability; feeling fearful of crime and scams; uneven distribution of resources to certain neighborhoods, especially grocery stores; walking challenges; and multi-level housing, which is not fit for aging. Let me add that the

District government has held subsequent community meetings to collect data from seniors who did not attend the May 10 symposium and also collected data at the Sept. 21 forum. In October and November, the Mayor’s Age-Friendly City Task Force and 10 Committee Groups, representing the 10 domains, will meet and establish the initiatives that will help shape the D.C. Age-Friendly City by 2017 Strategic Plan. The plan will be completed by the spring of 2014, at which time it will be presented to Mayor Gray. I am hopeful that the plan will serve as the blue print in making

our city more age-friendly and that the District will sustain its efforts by institutionalizing the practice into every facet of the government, businesses, and in community living. Through our efforts, I am confident that by 2017, the World Health Organization will recognize Washington, D.C. as a WHO AgeFriendly City. If you know of a group of seniors, family caregivers, and advocates who would like to share ideas on creating this age-friendly Washington, D.C., please contact us at 202-724-5622. We welcome the opportunity to facilitate a meeting with you!

tests, rehabilitation care, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and preventive screenings and tests. 4. Recommended preventive tests — including mammograms and other cancer screenings — must be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for the patient. 5. Health insurance premiums for older adults can be no more than three times as much as for young adults (current rates can be five times higher or more). 6. People who are uninsured or are currently buying their own insurance will be able to shop for coverage in new statebased insurance marketplaces where insurers will compete for their business. 7. Based on their income, many

older adults will be eligible for a tax credit that reduces the cost of their health insurance. Individuals with incomes of up to $45,960 and couples earning up to $62,040 will be eligible for this help. 8. Out-of-pocket spending will be limited, and people with modest incomes will be eligible for help paying those costs.

9. For people with very low income, Medicaid coverage will be available in many states at no cost. 10. If you already have employersponsored health insurance, there will be no major changes to your coverage other than new protections. Richard Sorian is the D.C .Health Benefit Exchange’s Communications Director.

JOB OPENING:

Public Health Nutritionist Position: Public Health Nutritionist Position Grade: CS-0630-12 Salary Range: $64,375 - $82,357 Number of Vacancies: One (1) Opening Date: September 13, 2013 Closing Date: December 16, 2013 Agency: D.C. Office on Aging Announcement Number: 23259 Brief Description of Duties This position is located within the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA), Resource Allocation. The Public Health Nutritionist position is responsible for the management and oversight of funded grants and contracts awarded to community based organizations and vendors; provides high-level expertise; management oversight; participates in briefings and meetings. Provides subject matter expertise or functional area expertise in performing technical tasks. Assists in the process of identifying funding priorities, grants and contracts, prepares financial justification and develops project selection and evaluation criteria. Provides counsel and advice to grantee agencies´ management and project staff in a variety of program management resource allocation policy and planning issues and problems. Serves as the resource person regarding nutrition for the elderly; serves in a coordinating role for all areas related to nutrition programs, food services, and delivery contractors. Designs and uses appropriate instruments for generating data that best describes operational activities; analyzes requests, correspondence and accounts in a timely manner to prevent potential grantee cash-flow and or as needed, determines appropriate solutions for issues; coordinates the preparation of internal reports through gathering, analyzing and summarizing data and information from assigned grantee agencies. Prepares presentation materials for program and fiscal management reports; works with and trains grantees in grant conditions, reporting and documentation requirements along with Client Service Tracking and Recording System (CSTARS) navigation and training; assists with the preparation of a variety of reports covering budget status, forecast reports, and other management reports. Selective Placement Factors: 1. Discuss your experience and professional knowledge of the theories, principles and practices of nutrition, specifically nutritional needs for the elderly to provide information and advice on various nutritional programs. 2. Describe your experience preparing a Solicitation Bid Proposal for Food Service Contracts and your participation in the selection process.

To apply for this position, or to find additional available positions, please visit: www.dchr.dc.gov. Prepared by: DC Office on Aging • 500 K Street, NE • Washington, DC 20002 (202) 724-5626 • http://dcoa.dc.gov/

Legal Assistance for District’s Seniors DCOA provides funding annually to the Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) in support of LCE’s program areas assisting seniors 60 years of age and older. LCE educates older District of Columbia residents on their legal rights and provides individual legal representation on discrete legal problems through our Lead Agencies as well as at seven neighborhood selfhelp offices; it engages in systemic advocacy assisting large segments of the D.C. older population including predatory lending cases, systemic improvements to the real property tax system, and residents transitioning from longterm care facilities back into the com-

munity. LCE also advocates legislation before the Council of the District of Columbia on issues that affect the quality of life of senior residents of the District. Legal Counsel for the Elderly works with DCOA on various policy and legal issues, including efforts made by DCOA to address the real property tax issue. DCOA has modified its intake processes to include information concerning payment of real property taxes, and will also remind clients of the need to make semi-annual tax payments. If you are in need of Legal Counsel for the Elderly services, D.C. residents may call the LCE free 24-hour hotline at 202-434-2170.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher. 500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin Editor Selma Dillard Photographer 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.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar October events

17th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

6th • 3:30 p.m. The Choraleers will present the group’s annual concert at St. John Christian Methodist Church, 2801 Stanton Rd. SE. For more information about this free concert, call 202- 581-9355

The D.C. Retired Teachers Association will meet in an event that includes flu vaccines, vision screening, HIV outreach and outreach by the Howard University Dental School. The keynote speaker will be John M. Thompson, executive director of the D.C. Office on Aging. The event takes place at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, 4606 16th St. NW.

family conversations about moving. Refreshments at this free presentation begin at 6:30 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. at Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights, 5555 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. To register, email registration@iona.org, or call 202-895-9448.

Early November event

8th • 11:30 a.m. Seabury Aging Services presents a program for Breast Cancer Awareness Day at all Ward 5 nutrition sites. Call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701 for more information.

9th • 6:30 to 8 p.m. Iona Senior Services and Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights will sponsor a free program on the Affordable Care Act and older adults with information presented by AARP Maryland’s Christy Page. Refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. at Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights, 5555 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. To register, email registration@iona.org, or call 202-895-9448.

15th • 11:30 a.m. Learn about symptoms and treatment for depression at Seabury Aging Services’ program for Depression Awareness Day at all Ward 5 nutrition sites. Call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701 for more information.

19th • noon to 4 p.m. The District of Columbia Office on Aging will sponsor a Community Health and Wellness Fair at Redeeming Love Christian Center, 4611 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE. The fair includes flu vaccines and health screenings. For more information, contact Emmanuel Fields at 240-305-0710.

24th • 11:30 a.m. Seabury Aging Services presents a program for Mental Health Day at all Ward 5 nutrition sites. Call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701 for more information.

24th • 6:30 to 8 p.m. Is it time to make a move? Moving to a senior community makes sense for many older adults, but the decision-making process can be overwhelming. Donna Tanner, an Iona social worker, discusses how to know if moving is the right choice, where and when an older adult should move, and how to have

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month What is Breast Cancer? Breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the breast grow out of control. Untreated, breast cancer can cause serious illness and even death. How is breast cancer found? Breast cancers can be found during a series of tests performed by health care professionals. Generally, a provider will do a clinical breast examination followed by a mammogram. Further tests may be done if anything abnormal is found. What is a clinical breast examination? Your healthcare provider will perform a clinical breast examination in his or her office. This exam is usually done every year during your physical examination. Women should have their breasts examined once a year. What is a mammogram? A mammogram is a special picture of the breast. To take the picture your health care provider will place your breast between two Xray plates. For less than a minute there may be a little discomfort at as image is captured. The X-ray from the mammogram does not cause cancer.

Key Points • Women age 40 and older should have mammograms every one to two years. • Women who are at higher than average risk of breast cancer should talk with their healthcare providers about whether to have mammograms before age 40 and how often to have them.

Project WISH The District provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic follow-up for eligible women through Project Women Into Staying Healthy (WISH). Project WISH also provides patient navigation, transportation assistance, and cancer education to all women enrolled in the project. Who is eligible for project WISH? District of Columbia women who are uninsured and underinsured and between the ages of 21 and 64 are eligible for Project WISH. Call (202) 442-5900 for more information.

For all D.C. Residents For more information about free prevention, screening, and health services, please call the CCCP at (202) 442-9170

6th • 6:30 to 8 p.m. Iona Senior Services and Bright Gardens of Friendship Heights present a free seminar called “Anger, Aging and Caregiving” for older adults who are struggling with feelings of anger about aging, and for family members who are frustrated, overwhelmed, or just plain furious about their caregiving situation. Learn about ways to cope and communicate from Iona social worker Bill Amt. Refreshments at this free presentation begin at 6:30 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. at Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights, 5555 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. To register, email registration@iona.org, or call 202-895-9448.

Ongoing 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Monday to Friday Seabury’s Ward 5 Aging Services emergency food pantry is open to Ward 5 residents 60 and older. Food is distributed on a case-by-case basis at 2900 Newton St. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

DCOA Lead Agencies As of Oct. 1, the following agencies are leading services for District residents age 60 and older and persons with disabilities age 18 and older citywide. Terrific, Inc. Ward 1 Terrific, Inc. Ward 2 Iona Senior Services Ward 3 Terrific, Inc. Ward 4 Seabury Ward 5 Aging Services Ward 5 Seabury Aging Services Ward 6 East River Family Strengthening Collaborative Ward 7 Family Matters of Greater Washington Ward 8 For more information, contact the Office on Aging Information and Assistance at 202-724-5626.

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Fun and Informative Age-Friendly D.C. Forum The Howard Theatre was alive with enthusiasm for the age-friendly D.C. initiative. On Sept. 21, a beautiful Saturday morning, More than 200 participants came from every District of Columbia ward because of their commitment to age in place. Those present wanted to be there to find out more about D.C.’s commitment to the World Health Organization to make D.C. agefriendlier, joining other cities and jurisdictions around the globe. After 80 volunteers from George Washington University, Howard University, AARP and D.C.’s First Responders welcomed participants with morning beverages and continental breakfast, master of ceremony Deputy Mayor Beatriz Otero thanked all present for taking the time to hear an update on city activities and share their opinions. She invited AARP-D.C. Senior State Director Louis Davis to accept a round of applause for bringing the worldwide Age-Friendly City initiative to the attention of D.C.’s elected officials before introducing Mayor Vincent C. Gray. The Mayor reminisced with the crowd about the fine entertainers whose voices and bands were heard in the historic Howard Theatre, then noted, “Agefriendly D.C. represents an un-matched opportunity to reinvent our city for the next generations and ourselves.” Interspersed with much applause, the Mayor pointed to age-friendly groundwork underway. He cited the work of the D.C. Office of Planning, whose director Harriet Tregoning was in the audience. Collaboratively with the other city departments D.C. has improved walkability and access to public buildings. Play D.C. has renovated nearly half the playgrounds in the city for adults and children to work out and exercise their imaginations, making them inclusive of all, regardless of their abilities. Libraries have been modernized. Taxicab safety and convenience have been addressed. Affordable housing options have expanded. More than 7,000 District residents have been provided assistance with their job search. Mayor Gray announced that the Age-Friendly D.C. Task Force will be co-chaired by Deputy Mayor Beatriz “BB” Otero and George Washington University president Steven Knapp. Together with 24 non-government leaders and D.C. officials, an AgeFriendly D.C. by 2017 Strategic Plan will be developed by early 2014. Deputy Mayor Otero introduced John Thompson, Ph.D., D.C. Office on Aging executive director, who described why the World Health Organization initiated

Mayor Gray addresses more than 200 residents who attended the Age-Friendly D.C. Forum to begin the discussion on how the District could become more age-friendly.

the Age-Friendly City initiative and the requirements to become an Age-Friendly City. He reviewed the domains, areas of inquiry, D.C. is examining and around which Age-Friendly D.C. Task Force will build the Age-Friendly D.C. by 2017 Strategic Plan with the solutions obtained by listening to D.C. residents and those who work with older adults. The domains are: • Outdoor Spaces and Buildings accessibility to and availability of safe recreational facilities. • Transportation - safe and affordable modes of private and public transportation. • Housing - wide range of housing options for older residents, aging in place, and other home modification programs. • Social Participation - access to leisure and cultural activities and opportunities for older residents to participate in social and civic engagement with their peers and younger people. • Respect and Social Inclusion - programs to support and promote ethnic and cultural diversity, along with programs to encourage multigenerational interaction and dialogue. • Civic Participation and Employment - promotion of paid work and volunteer activities for older residents and opportunities to engage in formulation of policies relevant to their lives. • Communication and Information promotion of and access to the use of technology to keep older residents connected to their community and friends and family, both near and far. • Community Support and Health Services - access to homecare services, clinics, and programs to promote wellness and active aging.

• Emergency Preparedness and Response, a D.C. focus - information, education and training to ensure the safety, wellness, and readiness of seniors in emergency situations. • Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Fraud, a D.C. focus - prevention and prosecution of financial exploitation, neglect, and physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of seniors. Dr. Thompson explained to the audience that the last two domains were added to address specific concerns related to District residents that required attention to help the District move toward becoming more age-friendlier. Participants had the opportunity to vote on 10 questions, regarding solutions to issues in each domain. Familiar music often heard in The Howard Theatre played in the background as voting devices used to register opinions. For example: • 50% of participants who hailed from every ward in the city have lived in D.C. for 30 or more years • While English was the first language of most, more than 10% listed Spanish or another language as their first language • Over one-third chose affordability as the most important way to improve housing, but one-third selected “ability to age in place” and not have to go to a nursing home • More than half cited transportation and the importance of finding out about activities, while less than 20% showed an interest in more senior-only programs • Over 80% want to have easier access (better wheelchair and visual access) to be included in city policy decisions and to participate in activities

with persons of all ages • 45% of participants want to see incentives for employers to hire qualified older adults, while another 31% want additional retraining opportunities to update knowledge and skills • More than half want to stay in touch with access to free or low cost cell phone, cable and internet plans, and 25% want computer training for older adults (general computer use, Internet, email, Skype, etc.) • Regarding healthcare, one-third want to be sure there will be in-home health care options, while other participants split their votes — 20% to understand Obamacare and the new D.C. Health Link Benefits Exchange. Another 19% focused on how to stay healthy, but 17% would like programs to reduce medication expenses. • Regarding disaster preparation and resilience, nearly half want assistance with preparing for emergencies, with supplies and training and onethird want to be connected to a support network in emergencies • As for elder abuse, neglect and fraud, most want to be educated to identify bad situations; another 28% chose harsher penalties as the best solution. Much was learned, but not yet fully processed from the notes participants wrote about issues and possible solutions to consider for each Age-Friendly D.C. area of inquiry. Community Consultations with small groups of D.C. residents are ongoing in many languages. Please contact Gail Kohn, Age-Friendly D.C. Coordinator, 202-727-2736, gail.kohn@D.C..gov if you and a group want to bring your thoughts and ideas forward.

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MANAGE YOUR FINANCES ONLINE Recommendations for the best online banks and budgeting sites EUROPEAN STOCKS ON THE RISE Stocks in western Europe are rallying, but beware of risks before buying ALL THAT GLITTERS Gold prices have come way down; is it time to buy or be cautious? CUTTING THE CABLE CORD Watch TV via the Web or consider an antenna to save big bucks

Trying to time the market is a fool’s errand By Steve Garmhausen Signs of a recovering economy are all around, from modest job creation to a strengthening housing market and rising consumer confidence. To average folks, these indicators are good news on a gut level and a pocketbook level. But to devotees of what’s known as sector rotation, they may be signals to start buying and selling. Average investors, however, should think twice about trying their hand at this investing approach. Sector rotation is a simple and compelling idea: Because certain business sectors tend to profit more in specific stages of an economic cycle, jumping in and out of those sectors at the right time can put an investor one-up on the market. Think of a surfer positioning himself to catch one righteous wave after another. Brad Sorensen, the director of market and sector analysis at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, is among those who believe there’s a new wave to catch.

He recently wrote that the time is right to move away from defensive sectors — such as utilities and consumer staples — and toward sectors like consumer discretionary and industrials. Such “cyclical” business areas often do better when the economy is strengthening.

Harder than it looks In sector rotation, investors make specific bets on which segments of the economy will thrive — or at least will not implode. During a recession, investors make a beeline for utility stocks. Households and businesses need to keep the lights on even when times are tough, after all. In a bustling economy, luxury retailers often thrive as confident consumers open their wallets to buy jewelry or expensive handbags. Depending on the state of the economy and business trends, sector rotators move their money between the defensive areas — consumer staples, utilities and health-

care — and into more cyclical sectors. Sector rotation may seem simple in part because of the profusion of sector-focused mutual funds and Exchange-Traded Funds. Alas, investing, just like surfing, is harder than it looks. Two elements make the practice perilous. The first is predicting if and when that part of the economy will make its move. Do-it-yourself investors tend to be a step or two behind sophisticated professionals, who have access to better information. By the time they move their money into a sector, the early birds may have bid up prices. “Generally, the sector that retail investors want to pour into is the one that has had the best performance as of late,” said Bill Hammer, Jr., a financial planner in Melville, N.Y. “This is a surefire recipe for investment failure over the long run.” The current environment provides a good example of how tricky it can be to get the timing right. Schwab’s Sorensen noted that the cyclical stock groups unexpected-

ly lagged through much of the recently ended rally. In other words, if you had dutifully rotated into those groups at the start of the year, you would have been too early. Another challenge is knowing the correct percentage of your assets to invest in a given sector. Too little and you won’t adequately participate in the gain; too much and you’re at risk from under-diversification.

Too risky for retirement savings The larger problem with sector rotation is that it tends to serve one goal: Beating the market. That might be fine if you’ve got “play money” that you don’t mind losing. For most of us, investing should be a means to achieve specific long-range goals, such as funding retirement or putting kids through college. “If you’re too focused on sector rotation, you end up being a speculator and not an investor,” said Joe Jennings, investment diSee TIMING MARKET, page 41

9 ways restaurants get you to spend more By Cameron Huddleston Times are tough for restaurants. The average check size has increased just 1.7 percent per year over the past five years, according to NPD Group, a market research firm. That’s because diners are watching what they spend at restaurants by forgoing pricey extras, such as drinks and appetizers, said Bonnie Riggs, NPD Group’s restaurant industry analyst. In response to penny-pinching patrons, restaurant owners are compelled to find creative ways to get customers to fork over more cash. With the help of restaurant industry veterans, consultants and researchers, we’ve identified nine common tactics — ranging from subtle to overt — designed to increase the cost of your next meal out: 1. The upsell Servers will attempt to upsell you during every step of the meal-ordering process to increase your bill, said David Bakke, a former restaurant manager who is now an editor for the blog Money Crashers (www.moneycrashers.com). When you order a burger, for example,

you’ll likely be asked whether you want cheese with it. Or if you order a steak, you might be asked if you would like a side of creamed spinach. Price-conscious diners should ask immediately if proposed extras will add to the bill. 2. The downsell Beware a little reverse psychology from your server. Some restaurants will recommend lower-priced items on their menus — often with the good intention of providing better value and encouraging repeat visits. Still, the approach can lead customers to spend more in total for several lowerpriced items than they might have spent on a single, higher-priced meal, said Tom Frank, one of the creators of the P.F. Chang’s restaurant concept, who advocates the value-selling approach. 3. Wordy menu descriptions Think $12.95 is too much to pay for a salad? What if it’s a Kentucky Bibb lettuce salad with heirloom tomatoes, Maytag blue cheese, crispy bacon and homemade bourbon-infused vinaigrette? Carefully crafted descriptions can soften the price in

a customer’s head, said Gregg Rapp, a menu engineer with 31 years of experience helping restaurants increase profits. In particular, descriptions that use geographic labels (Austin Tex Mex), nostalgic terms (Uncle Bob’s barbecue), sensory triggers (sizzling, savory, creamy) and brand names (San Marzano tomatoes) are most effective at creating a sense of value for customers. 4. Menus without dollar signs Another way restaurants “soften” prices is to leave dollar signs off their menus, Rapp said. A study by researchers at Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research found that diners given a numeralonly menu spent 8.15 percent more, on average, than customers given a menu with dollar signs. Rapp also advises restaurants to omit the dots that connect prices to items on menus. The dots make it easier for patrons to scan menus for the cheapest price, then to follow the line of dots over to the item to order it. 5. Menu item placement Savvy restaurant owners will place items

that they want to sell most in the top spot under each course offering, Rapp said. Sometimes these items might be the highest-priced, such as lobster or foie gras. Other times, the items in the top spots will carry the highest profit margin (think cheap ingredients such as pasta that can be gussied up). Restaurants also will place boxes around higher-priced items to draw diners’ attention to them. 6. The daily special The daily special is pushed heavily by servers, Bakke said, because it often costs more than regular menu items and can carry a higher markup. But patrons might not realize this because the price of the special isn’t always printed in the menu. Servers usually just rattle off a list of specials without quoting dollar figures. It’s then up to patrons to ask for the price of each special — or potentially face a costly surprise when the bill arrives. 7. Background music The music a restaurant plays can affect the amount of money you spend. A study See RESTAURANTS, page 40

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Restaurants

Oct. 25

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by Scottish researchers found that customers spent 23 percent more on food and drink when slow music was playing than when the soundtrack featured fast music. And a separate study by British researchers found that restaurant tabs were 10.4 percent higher when classical music was played than when pop music was piped in. 8. Souvenir items Many restaurants — chain restaurants, in particular — make a lot of money selling souvenir items in addition to food. One source with 23 years of experience as a waiter, bartender and supervisor at a popular restaurant chain said that customers often don’t want to feel like they’re being pushed to buy a souvenir, though.

eral Assembly on Friday, Oct. 25. The Arlington and Alexandria Commissions on Aging will hold a candidate forum featuring incumbents and challengers for the Virginia General Assembly House of Delegates from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Fairlington Community Center, 3304 S. Stafford St., Arlington, Va. Candidates for House Districts 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49 have been invited to participate. The forum will provide an opportunity to discuss aging issues with the candidates prior to the November election. For more information, visit www.arlingtonva.us/aging or call (703) 228-1700.

So when the source (he asked not to be named to protect his employment prospects in the industry) asks patrons whether they want a small or large cocktail, he tells them that they get to keep the glass if they order a large. Usually, he said, they go for the large. 9. Refills Because many restaurants don’t charge extra every time the server adds more coffee to your cup or iced tea to your glass, it’s easy to assume that refills will be free everywhere you go. However, some restaurants charge for refills, but only divulge that fact in the menu’s fine print — or not at all. A table of four that orders refills during the meal and again during coffee service might unwittingly add $20 to a tab. If it’s not clear whether refills are free, ask. © 2013, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Oct. 3

LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST

The Northern Virginia Aging Network Legislative Breakfast takes place on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Fairfax Marriot at Fair Oaks, 11787 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., Fairfax, Va. The keynote speaker will be Bob Blancato, national coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition. There will also be discussions on older adult issues, legislative networking, and breakfast. The cost is $25. To RSVP or for more information, visit http://bit.ly/LegislativeBreakfast or call (703) 324-5403.

Oct. 15

THE NEW DEAL

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society will meet in room 112 of the Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Rd., Alexandria, Va. The meeting will feature a presentation by John Deeben of the National Archives, entitled “Genealogy and New Deal Relief.” The presentation will examine how individuals who lived through the Great Depression sought help from the federal government. The meeting will start at 1 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, call Karen Jenkins at (703) 866-2478.

Oct. 19

AVOID SCAMS

Senior Services of Alexandria is co-sponsoring Senior Law Day 2013 with the Alexandria Bar Association with the theme “Avoiding Scams — Don’t be a Victim!” Learn from law enforcement, legal and financial experts about the diverse frauds, scams, identity theft, financial abuse and other schemes targeting seniors in the Washington metro area. This free event is being held on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 2932 King St., Alexandria, Va. To register, visit www.seniorservicesalex.org or call (703) 836-4414, ext. 10.

Need Help With Landlord-Tenant Issues? Consumer Fraud? Foreclosures? Wills or Powers of Attorney? Medicare Fraud or Benefits? LCE provides free legal services for low-income D.C. seniors 60 and older. Call 202-434-2120 for help. For more information or to donate so that no one is denied access to the justice system, visit www.aarp.org/LCE. Legal Counsel for the Elderly is aﬃliated with AARP.

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Consider banking and budgeting online By Anya Kamenetz According to new research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 51 percent of Americans bank online, and more than one-third do so using their mobile phone. This trend is growing, as younger and more educated folks are more likely to bank online. There are some security concerns with online banking, but you can address them with simple measures. Make sure to access your account only from your personal, private computer, which should be running up-to-date software systems and antivirus protection. Avoid clicking on any emails that look like they’re from a bank; you should navigate directly to the website of your bank or app. And monitor your account balances too: some of the apps mentioned below can flag suspicious activity. Just about every bank out there has a

Timing market From page 39 rector for PNC Wealth Management in Baltimore. Even professional investors have a mixed record with picking the right sectors at the right time, he adds. It’s not surprising. One year’s top performer can be the next year’s laggard; that’s what happened with the utility sector between 2011 and 2012. Conversely, financials went from worst to first between 2011 and 2012. What’s more, the more-frequent buying and selling required to move your money around leads to increased costs, in the form of brokerage fees as well as the capital gains taxes that accrue when you sell for a profit. Interestingly, the Standard & Poor’s 500

website you can use to monitor your spending, set up automatic payments, transfer money from checking to savings and more. If you’ve been hesitant to try banking online, here are some painless ways to get started. Recommendations are based on multiple reviews and reports.

Best conventional banks for online use Citi and WellsFargo have each topped ratings from Global Finance magazine, Consumer Reports and Forrester for the ease of navigability of their websites. They have special features (such as instant spending charts that put your spending into categories), automatic bill pay, and tools for budgeting and setting savings goals. Citibank even lets you link your accounts from other financial institutions so

index, which is composed of 10 sectors, has a cumulative return of 153 percent since the March 2009 market low. That’s better than raw materials, utilities, telecom, consumer staples, energy, and healthcare, and about the same as technology, according to JP Morgan Asset Management. Only three sectors have beaten the overall market over that period by a substantial margin —financials, industrials and consumer discretionary. And that’s an argument for balance and diversification. Chasing sectors may get your adrenaline pumping, but it’s incompatible with a solid, long-term plan. “It’s more difficult to be disciplined,” said Jennings. “You may not hit the grand slam, but you will get more consistent results.” — AP

you can look at them all in one place. And they have apps for the iPad and iPhone.

Best online-only banks Yes, it is possible to do all your banking with no physical branch visits. Typically, online banks offer higher rates for savings accounts, and they waive ATM fees so you can take out cash wherever you want. Consumer Reports rates Capital One 360, formerly ING Direct, as its top online-only bank, while Ally Bank, a unit of Ally Financial (the former GMAC), advertises great customer service and ranks high on Bankrate for savings (currently at 0.84 percent APR).

Best budgeting websites To manage money on your computer, you don’t necessarily need to use fancy software or even go online. Plenty of people use regular old spreadsheets for track-

ing expenses and keeping books. However, if you want a few more bells and whistles, the consistently highest rated site by consumer publications is Mint.com, owned by Quicken. The budgeting site is free to use, supported by advertising offers. It fetches all your transactions from every checking, credit and investment account, categorizes them and shows them all in one place. The budgeting tool allows you to set spending targets in each separate category, and then it alerts you when you go over. You can also get email or text alerts in case of a low balance in any account, or an unusual fee or overdraft charge. I’ve been using it since 2009, and the alerts can come in handy. The newer site YouNeedABudget.com was recently voted tops by readers of the See BANK ONLINE, page 42

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Why European stocks are popular again By Stan Choe The world is warming up to Europe again. Stocks from Germany, France and other countries in the region are rallying, just two years after worries about Europe’s debt crisis helped send global markets plunging.

Investors are buying into the promise made a year ago that the European Central Bank would do “whatever it takes” to preserve the euro currency. The 17 countries that use the euro also are showing signs that they can break out of their longest-

running recession. “Yes, the worst is over,” said Philippe Brugere-Trelat, portfolio manager of the Mutual Global Discovery fund (TEDIX), which has a five-star rating from Morningstar. “And I don’t think that markets have priced in this fact.”

Economies bouncing back Brugere-Trelat is among the European stock fund managers who say the region’s stocks can climb still further, even though several risks remain. Among the encouraging signs: • Strengthening business conditions. A closely watched measure of business activity in the Eurozone, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), grew in August for the first time since January 2012. • Expectations for a stronger economy. Europe’s economy has shrunk for six

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straight quarters, but economists expect the recession to break in the second half of this year. • The European Central Bank is supporting the recovery. The bank’s leader, Mario Draghi, said in July 2012 that he would do whatever it takes to keep the Eurozone from breaking up. Inflation has also remained low in Europe. It was at an annual rate of 1.3 percent in August. That gives the ECB leeway to keep interest rates low to stimulate the economy. • The region still looks attractive relative to other parts of the world. Stocks in the MSCI Europe index trade at 14.5 times their earnings per share over the last 12 months. That’s less expensive than the MSCI USA index, which trades at 17.4 times. European stocks also offer higher dividend yields: 3.5 percent versus 2.1 percent for U.S. stocks. Mutual funds that focus only on European stocks are up 27.5 percent over the last 12 months, including dividends, according to Morningstar. That beats the 23.8 percent return for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index over the same period. Germany’s stock index is close to a record, and the broad MSCI Europe index is near its highest level since 2008. The improved performance means investors are no longer fleeing European stock funds as much as they once were. Investors pulled $6 million out of the category in June, according to data from Morningstar. That’s a much milder pace than the average $100 million that investors were pulling out of European stock funds monthly in 2011. Among the first stocks to recover following the European stock sell-off in the summer of 2011 were those based in the region but that do business all over the world. They were thought to be better bets because they could rely on growth from Asia and other areas to offset European weakness. “Those big global exporters are See EUROPEAN STOCKS, page 43

Bank online From page 41 blog Lifehacker. For $60, you get a software package that will guide you step by step through tracking every dollar you earn, spend and save, adjusting budget projections as you go. YouNeedABudget.com claims its users experience a median net worth increase of $3,300 after nine months.

Best financial mobile apps The sites and services mentioned all have their own apps. You might also want to check out Check (formerly Pageonce), rated tops by PCMag, which allows you to schedule a bill payment or quickly check balances. And Spendee (www.spendeeapp.com) is a welldesigned expense tracker worth considering. Anya Kamenetz welcomes your questions at diyubook@gmail.com. © 2013 Anya Kamenetz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Prepare for a bumpy ride in retirement By Anya Kamenetz It’s the worst time to retire in a generation, according to a recent analysis by Bankrate.com. The financial website looked at historical and projected yields for both stocks and bonds, interest rates and returns on annuities, as well as projected healthcare costs, to make this determination. “You see a lot of surveys of retirees and rising anxiety,” said Chris Kahn, who did the analysis. “We wanted to try to put things in a little better context. Most people thinking about what retirement is going to look like have their parents and grandparents as models. We’re pointing out that it’s not a good model to have [because conditions are different].”

Sobering figures Here are the specific scenarios that illustrate the problem:

European stocks From page 42 last year’s story,” said Brugere-Trelat. He’s focusing instead on companies that do much of their business within Europe, saying that they offer better values. He owns retailers like Kingfisher, a London-based home-improvement chain, and German retailer Metro, for example.

Risks remain “It’s not too late at all to buy European stocks, but don’t buy something just because it’s European,” Brugere-Trelat said. “There are some value traps and pitfalls.” As with other regional stock funds, investors should keep only a small portion of their portfolios in a European stock mutual fund, said Karin Anderson, a senior fund analyst with Morningstar. That’s particularly the case if they already own broad global or world stock mutual funds, which often have hefty investments in European stocks. Investors also still face risks in the region. The unemployment rate remains high at 12.1 percent for the 17 countries that use the euro currency. Earnings for stocks in the S&P Europe 350 index are expected to be flat in 2013 from a year earlier, according to S&P Capital IQ. And even optimists say that they can’t rule out another political breakdown or unexpected shock that could renew worries about European governments’ stillheavy debt burdens. But the list of concerns could actually be a reason to consider European stocks, because it shows that expectations haven’t climbed too high. Just as the market underestimates how much earnings can fall into a recession, it often underestimates the recovery, said Andrew Clifton, portfolio specialist for European equities at T. Rowe Price. “As always, it’s about where expectations are,” he said, “and we would say they’ve been too pessimistic.” — AP

Let’s say your mom and dad retired in 1980 with a $1 million portfolio of 60 percent stocks and 40 percent bonds. Their plan was to withdraw $40,000 a year — 4 percent of the principal — to live on. Their nest egg would have earned 6.9 percent average annual return and by 2010, if they should live so long, they’d still have $1.3 million in the bank. However, if you retired today with that same $1 million, with that same 60/40 mix of stocks and bonds, and with plans to withdraw that same 4 percent, your account would be empty in 25 years or less. That’s the projection based on recent and future expected rates of return for both types of investments. Or look at annuities, which have been touted as a safe alternative investment vehicle for long retirements. In 1990, an annuity that guaranteed a lifetime payout for a 65-year-old man required an investment of about $9 for

every $1 it paid out. In 2010, you needed to make a $15 investment for every $1 in guaranteed annual income. And that dollar, of course, was worth much less due to inflation. The long-term impact of Obamacare on healthcare costs is unknown, but under most

scenarios Medicare costs continue to impact the budget, and lawmakers are likely to continue to seek new ways to pass those costs back to seniors. And the effect of longer life See BUMPY RETIREMENT, page 44

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Six things to know about investing in gold By Nellie S. Huang 1. Solid gold is not always solid. The price of bullion peaked in September 2011 at nearly $1,900 an ounce. But gold fell to $1,230 in early July, and is now trading around $1,300. Among the factors that

could continue to weigh down gold: a strong dollar, a surging stock market, and tepid economic growth around the world. 2. Defense, defense. Think of gold as a hedge against unexpected, catastrophic financial events. For example, the credit

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downgrade of U.S. debt and worry about a Greek default fueled a 44-percent rally in gold prices in the first nine months of 2011. 3. A little bit goes a long way. Many experts say a small exposure to gold — from 1 percent to 5 percent of your portfolio — can be a good long-term portfolio diversifier whether prices move up or down. That’s because gold tends to move out of sync with stocks and bonds. 4. You could start your own treasure chest. Consider buying the actual metal in one-ounce coins, such as American Eagles, said Alec Young, global equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ. “Buy through a reputable dealer, one that’s been around for 30 years and that’s listed with the Better Business Bureau,” he said. You’ll pay a premium when you buy and sell the pieces. But Young said you shouldn’t pay more than a 5- to 6-percent premium

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over spot-gold prices when you buy, and you should accept no more than a 1- to 2-percent discount to spot prices when you sell. Store the coins in a safe-deposit box at the bank. 5. Or invest in an exchange-traded fund. Many so-called gold bugs have chosen to buy shares in an ETF, such as iShares Gold Trust (symbol IAU), which tracks the price of gold by buying bullion. Note that the IRS considers gold a collectible and gives it special tax treatment. When you sell your shares, your gains will be taxed at your ordinary income rate, up to a maximum of 28 percent, if you’ve held the shares for more than a year. If you sell your shares within a year of buying them, your profits will be taxed as ordinary income, up to 39.6 percent. 6. Gold stocks are riskier. Prices of See GOLD, page 45

Bumpy retirement From page 43 expectancies is that people have to plan for more years of retirement to boot.

How to make the best of it The numbers are ugly, but don’t panic. Kahn said if we are prepared and adjust our assumptions, we can increase our chances of long-term financial security. Here are some key tips. • For a long time, the rule of thumb has been to draw down 4 percent a year from your nest egg. To deal with the current lowyield environment, Khan said, you should plan instead to take out more like 2.5 or 3 percent per year. Planning for lower yields means saving more. At the lower rate of drawdown, in order to take out $40,000 a year you would need to save $1.6 million. • See if you can put off retirement a little longer. It may not be as long as you think. Just a few years could make a big difference, especially if your job pays for healthcare costs. “Holding onto your job a little longer does make a lot of sense,” said Kahn. “In many scenarios, if you can last five years longer, not only will your account be growing, but your yields might be different.” • Try to diversify beyond just stocks and bonds. The yield picture is always changing. For example, the bankruptcy of Detroit is likely to have repercussions in the municipal bond market far beyond just the one city. Muni bonds until now had been highly touted as another retirement portfolio option for the taxable portion of savings. They still may be a good option for you, but the healthiest retirement portfolio may contain a mix of real estate, cash equivalents like Treasury bonds, and even commodities and other vehicles alongside stocks and bonds. [See also “Alternative investments for regular Joes,” September Beacon, p. 39.] © 2013 Anya Kamenetz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Reasons to give reverse mortgages a look Ever since the housing boom and boost, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) the real estate market has been clawing its through a program called Home Equity Conway back from the bottom. version Mortgages (HECM). For those keeping track, FHA provides online counprices peaked in 2006 before selors as well as valuable infordropping by over 30 percent mation by phone at 1-800-569nationally and far more in 4287. some markets. The borrower is required Housing bottomed out in to continue to pay real estate January 2012, almost three taxes, utilities and hazard and years after the stock market. flood insurance premiums. The reason for the lag is simThe amount you can borple: a house is an illiquid asset, row depends on several facwhich makes it more difficult RETIRE SMART tors, including the age of the to sell than a publicly traded By Jill Schlesinger youngest borrower, the curstock or stock mutual fund. This year, activity has picked up, and prices are finally rising. This is good news for those who were counting on selling their homes and/or using equity to help supplement their retirement income.

Transform equity to cash The firming housing market has brought reverse mortgages back into the spotlight. A reverse mortgage is a home loan that allows homeowners 62 and older to convert a portion of the equity in their homes into cash, as long as the home remains their primary residence. Most reverse mortgages are offered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development and are guaranteed by

Gold From page 44 gold stocks are often more volatile than the price of the metal itself. For example, over the first four months of the year, the price of bullion declined 16 percent; by contrast, an index of the biggest U.S. gold

and you don’t make monthly principal and interest payments.

Will it be harder to qualify? But the reverse mortgage market could change in the coming months. The FHA has informed Congress that the housing market crash has meant that some reverse mortgage borrowers don’t have enough money to pay their property taxes and homeowners insurance. Since failure to do so allows the lender to foreclose on the home, this has led to a number of tragic situations. To shore up the system and reduce the risk of foreclosures, FHA wants to introduce some form of financial assessment to

rent interest rate, the appraised value of your home and whether the rate is fixed or adjustable. The more valuable your home is, the older you are and the lower the interest rate, the more you can borrow. If the home is sold or no longer used as a primary residence, or if the borrower dies, then the loan, the accumulated interest and other HECM finance charges must be repaid. All proceeds beyond the amount owed belong to your spouse or estate. If the house sells for less than the money owed, the FHA takes the loss — no debt is passed along to the estate or heirs. Unlike a traditional mortgage, there’s currently no lengthy underwriting process,

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mining stocks plunged 36 percent. Nellie S. Huang is a senior associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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the process as well as a cap on the amount of money that can be extracted from the home’s value. To change the current system, FHA needs congressional approval. The House gave these new ideas a thumbs up earlier in the summer, but it’s unclear whether the Senate will follow suit. In essence, a reverse mortgage can help retirees convert an illiquid asset — a house — into a liquid one that can help supplement retirement income, which explains why at least 595,000 households have an outstanding reverse-mortgage loan, according to the National Reverse

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Are you paying too much for TV programs? By Lisa Gerstner The long list of cable channels that you never watch. The skyrocketing bills — and the battles with your provider’s customer-service department to return them to Earth. The fees for everything, from equipment installation to service calls. Those are just a few of the reasons why dealing with a cable or satellite-TV provider is so frustrating — and costly. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the average cable bill is $62 a month, or $744 a year. And prices can go a lot higher depending on the plan you choose. You could be happier (or at least richer) if you ditched cable and took advantage of the growing options for watching TV shows and movies online.

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provide access to large collections of movies and previously aired TV shows. Hulu.com is the online hub for viewing TV shows from participating networks. Typically, you can stream the five most recent episodes of a show’s current season free, and programs usually pop up on the site the day after they air on TV. (Fans of Fox shows have to wait eight days after an episode’s air date to watch it online — except for subscribers to eligible cable or satellite services.) Upgrade to the $8 monthly Hulu Plus service, and you’ll get access to a wider selection of TV and movies — including full seasons of TV shows — as well as the ability to stream many shows through compatible devices, such as smartphones and a Roku box. If you can’t find a show free on Hulu, check the station’s website (current-season episodes of some CBS shows, for instance, are at CBS.com but not Hulu.com). If you can’t stream a TV show free, look into buying episodes from services such as Amazon Instant Video or iTunes. You may be able to purchase the full season of a show for less. For instance, buying the 22 episodes of “Scandal’s” second season in HD on iTunes, at $3 a pop, would total $66; buy the full season, and you’ll pay only $30. Through Amazon Instant Video, order a TV Pass to get discounted episodes of current-season TV shows as soon as they are released.

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Reverse mortgages From page 45 Mortgage Lenders Association. But there is, of course, a downside: Younger retirees who use them may run out of money and options at too young an age. These folks may have been better off selling their homes and using the equity to purchase another home or rent. Additionally, it may make sense to spend other assets before extracting home equity via a reverse mortgage. Another consideration is the cost, which may be far less expensive than it was a few years ago but can still total 2 to 3 percent of the loan amount. It’s also important to remember that reverse mortgage payouts also can impact a borrower’s eligibility for means-tested benefits programs, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid. If you are serious about a reverse mortgage, consult a registered investment adviser or an attorney, who can help determine if it is in your best interest. Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Emmy-nominated, Senior Business Analyst for CBS News. She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@jillonmoney.com. © 2013 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Cheap TV From page 46 Netflix’s $8 monthly streaming service doesn’t carry new, current-season episodes of popular network and cable-TV shows (though you’ll find previous seasons of many programs). But Netflix has waded into creating original shows, such as “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black,” that have proved popular with viewers. (In fact, the critically acclaimed “House of Cards” is now on sale through other streaming services.) And rather than use the standard model of releasing new episodes periodically, Netflix has made new full seasons available all at once.

Other options A start-up called Aereo is testing the waters for streaming more TV online. For $8 a month, subscribers can view programming live from major broadcast networks and local channels and record shows to view later. Aereo is available in a few cities now, and it has plans to expand to the Washington area. The company has clashed in court with broadcast networks about the legality of its business, but so far Aereo has prevailed. Methods of slinging Web video beyond your PC screen are expanding, too. Google, for example, recently introduced a $35 device the size of a USB flash drive called Chromecast. Plug it in

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

to any HDTV and you can stream content wirelessly from compatible services, including Netflix and YouTube. Your computer, tablet or smartphone acts as a controller. Video services are also responding to customers’ increasing appetite for viewing programs on their mobile devices by offering smartphone and tablet applications. You also might want to do something as simple as setting up an antenna to pick up programming on local broadcast stations. If you go to www.antennaweb.org and enter your address or zip code, the site will pull a list of available TV stations as well as

the type of outdoor antenna required to get a signal from each. (Bonus: You may find that your HDTV reception using an antenna is sharper than with cable or satellite.) You should be able to get stations that have strong signals using an indoor antenna (a good one may cost $40); for weaker signals, you’ll need a good outdoor antenna ($50 to $100 or more). Lisa Gerstner is an associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2013 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

Oct. 9

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION MEETING

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) Arlington Chapter 7 meeting is scheduled for Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. at Culpepper Garden Senior Center, 4435 N. Pershing Dr., Arlington, Va. Social time with refreshments begins at 12:30 p.m. The program features guest speaker Gayle Nelson from Blue Cross Blue Shield to discuss changes expected in federal healthcare benefits. For more information, call Max Scruggs at (703) 536-9148.

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Aging advocate is full steam ahead at 99

Nadel said her family instilled her with morals and respect from an early age. She described her childhood positively. “I have been blessed with a good childhood, good parents and siblings.” Nadel said she had a particularly close relationship with her grandmother. Good manners were heavily emphasized

tend classes the next. Nadel has since tried unsuccessfully to replicate the program, because it satisfied the students’ need for both an education and work experience. In 1934, Nadel received her master’s degree in education. In 1937, she married Harry Nadel, and they moved to Washington, D.C., where she continued to work as an unpaid volunteer. After her husband’s work as a psychologist took the family to Santa Barbara, Calif., she and a friend set up the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara in 1962. They called the city’s Ruth Nadel, who turns 100 in February, has volunteered wealthy “big-shots” and in- at various nonprofits for much of her adult life. She vited them to lunch, she joined the D.C. Commission on Aging earlier this year explained with a wink. and is active in many other advocacy groups, such as the Clearinghouse on Women’s issues. After pitching them the foundation idea, she asked, “Who would higher education. According to her, the like to serve on the board of directors?” fund’s board is still dominated by the city’s She felt the title would lend the wealthy a wealthy, who keep it running. humanitarian reputation, and their donaA government job in her 50s tions would fund the program. Nadel and her husband raised a family Indeed, many of them raised their hands, in Santa Barbara, but eventually moved and they named Nadel the first chairman of the board. The program continues to funcSee AGING ADVOCATE, page 50 tion, and is open to all students pursuing a

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in her family. In fact, Nadel once won a national essay competition with her essay, “The Meaning and Value of Manners.” She said many now don’t seem to understand how important those skills are. Even as her upbringing helped lead her to a career in volunteering, that career itself further solidified her respect for others. A neighbor asked her if she was proud of her son’s accomplishments. She replied, “I’m not proud. I’m grateful.” Nadel said she discovered that appreciating life’s blessings was the best attitude. Despite the clearly delineated gender roles of the times when she was growing up, she says her family treated her equally. “I always felt equal to the men in my family. We had a four boys, so they didn’t know how to treat me differently.” After graduating from Hunter College High School at age 15, Nadel was awarded a four-year scholarship to Cornell, but due to the Depression, her family had to turn it down. A New York native, she enrolled instead at City College in Manhattan (now Baruch College), which had a prestigious business school and had just begun to accept women students. Nadel majored in vocational education and put it to use with her first job, volunteering for a program that taught business skills to immigrant children. The program matched the students with an employer, such as Macy’s. The students would work for one week at their job and at-

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEVY CHASE HOUSE

By Rebekah Sewell Ruth Nadel will turn 100 in February, but she has never let age slow her down. The self-proclaimed “professional volunteer” has kept herself very busy. And why not? “I don’t feel a bit different than I did 20 years ago,” she said. Nadel has been active in the Women’s National Democratic Club, and was recently renamed a member of the D.C. Commission on Aging. She was also a founding member of the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, an organization that provides information on gender, age-related, economic, educational, health and legal public policies to improve the status of women here and abroad. Some may think all her responsibilities would be overwhelming, especially at her age, but Nadel attributes her longevity to her volunteerism. “Volunteerism works two ways. You are your own boss. If you take advantage of it, it does you some good, and it also does someone else some good,” said Nadel, who lives at Chevy Chase House in Washington, D.C.

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Aging advocate From page 49 back to Washington, D.C. in the late 1960s. Her children remained on the West coast.

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

At that time, at the age of 54, Nadel got her first paying job —with the federal government. An acquaintance asked her to interview for a grade 12 job with the Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor. Since

BEACON BITS

Oct. 15+

ASSIST WITH HOSPICE AND TRANSITION The Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) is seeking volunteers for

its Hospice and Transitions programs. The next 20-hour specialized training for prospective volunteers is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20 through Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6123 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. Volunteers visit patients, provide companionship and emotional support, practical assistance with errands and transportation, and offer respite for caregivers. Applications and interviews will be required for those interested in the volunteer training. For more information and to register for training, call (301) 816-2650 no later than Oct. 15.

her background was volunteer-based, it was a test to see if her work experience would be “credited as paid work,” she said. She got the position, and spent the next 21 years developing childcare facilities in federal agencies. “I loved every minute of it,” she said. When she eventually retired in 1989, her pension and that of her husband, who had died, allowed her an independent lifestyle. Unlike many, she didn’t want to “escape” from her job. “You don’t retire from. You retire to — when you know what you want to do,” Nadel said. While with the Women’s Bureau working on childcare programs, the agency began asking, “What are we doing about eldercare?” she said. They appointed her liaison for eldercare, and that became a gateway position into the work she does now as an aging advocate.

Hardly retiring As Nadel had transitioned from volunteerism to paid work in her 50s, she now returned to being a professional volunteer in her 70s. “I became devoted to these issues. They became part of my life. I couldn’t give them up,” she said. Each month, she attends eight to 10 meetings for the various organizations and programs where she volunteers. She gets around using only a cane (though she did just recently obtain a walker to use on uneven sidewalks).

Fortunately, Chevy Chase House offers transportation to its residents at no extra cost. “The drivers take me to all of my meetings, whether they are in Dupont Circle or in Southeast D.C.,” she said. Her work with the D.C. Commission on Aging is especially important to her. The commission is a 15-member citizen’s advisory group appointed by the mayor. At least eight of the members must be over the age of 60, but it’s unlikely many are near-centenarians. “I guess Mayor Gray didn’t read my age,” she said with a laugh. Nadel represents Ward 3. “Seniors are not aware of the resources that are available to them” from the District, she said. Her passion as a commissioner is to help her fellow seniors discover the array of services provided by the D.C. Office on Aging. As she see it, she is devoting her life to “helping others live better.” A second passion is her involvement with women’s organizations. Nadel has seen many changes in the roles of women in society during her lifetime. She feels she was fortunate to have the support of her husband and family in being independent, and now wants all women to have the same opportunity. “I think it started with Title 9 granting equity of women in sports,” she said. “The awareness of equity has grown. The role of women is more visible. We have learned See AGING ADVOCATE, page 51

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Create a Better Life for a Child One Word at a Time We are AARP Experience Corps, a proven program made up of volunteers dedicated to helping children become great readers before finishing third grade. We’re looking for people who are 50+ and can volunteer time to tutor and mentor children who need basic literacy skills and guidance. Our volunteers have already changed the lives of thousands of children in schools across America. Today, with your help, we can do even more. For more information, call 202-434-6495 or email us at dcexperiencecorps@aarp.org.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Aging advocate From page 50 how to compete in funding, to get together, and to combine our resources.”

A new nickname As a lifelong Democrat with a background in childcare and women’s rights, Nadel admires President Obama. Once invited to a healthcare session where he spoke, she sat in the front row and shook his hand afterwards. He even kissed her on the cheek. “My friends call me ‘Obama Mama’ now,” she said. She regularly receives postcards and photos from the first family, including a personalized note from Michelle Obama thanking her for her work. Her work and positive outlook on life are also appreciated by Bob Spencer, general manager of Chevy Chase House. “She

is constantly on the go. It amazes me,” he said. “At 99, she has a schedule that would impress a CEO. And she is a strong advocate for seniors. If she isn’t out at meetings, she is having visitors for lunch. The energy she has is awesome.” In addition to attending her many meetings and carrying out her responsibilities, Nadel enjoys meeting with friends, participating in programs, painting and listening to opera. She stays organized and minimizes confusion by taking advantage of old and new technology. “I use my computer, calendar and appointment book to keep track of all my meetings and events,” she said. With all she continues to do, it is hard to describe Nadel as retired. Will she eventually settle down and relax? The almost-centenarian commented, “I don’t feel retired, and I don’t think I’m ready to retire yet.”

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Volunteers & Careers

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Oct. 20+

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Travel

Leisure &

A convergence of cultures is on display in Southern Spain, including at this museum in Seville. See story on page 56.

Escape to nearby Blue Ridge Mountains

A park with a view

From atop the spine of the Blue Ridge

Mountains at 3,000-plus feet, a vast panorama of layered rolling mountains unfolds, fading from the foreground’s lush green to a wispy bluish-gray and punctuated by multiple peaks shimmering through a gauzy haze across the horizon as far as the eye can see. Trees nod and leaves softly rustle. The wind whispers as tufted titmice tweet and hop from limb to limb, as a crow caw-cawcaws in the distance. The serenity is mesmerizing. Naturalist John Muir wrote, “Wilderness is a necessity.” Shenandoah National Park is a place to get your wilderness “fix” just 90 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. Over a million people visit every year to see one of the few big national parks in the East. Seniors are the number one population demographic, say park managers, but they quickly add, “There’s something for everyone.” In addition to nature, visitors can get a slice of the South. A greeter at the Skyland Lodge restaurant drawled, “Y’all ok? I’ll be with ya’ll in a few minutes.” Groups like the Possum Ridge String Band and Shenandoah Valley Cloggers perform in the lodges. Dishes like rainbow trout, roasted turkey, fried chicken and braised Smithfield pork shank jump off the menus, not to mention the not-to-bemissed blackberry ice cream pie, SNP’s signature dessert. You can start the day with the Southern Sampler breakfast: sausage gravy, buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk hotcakes and grits. “Our sausage gravy is just like my grandma makes,” our waiter bragged.

Getting oriented

Hikers can take a steep 1.7-mile roundtrip trail to view the 70-foot Dark Hollow Falls near the Byrd Visitor Center at Shenandoah National Park. The park includes more than 500 miles of hiking trails.

Shenandoah National Park, sprawling across Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, harbors rich forests, sparkling waterfalls, craggy peaks, invit-

By Glenda C. Booth We crouched down on our knees to study a thumbnail-sized, shiny green pendant dangling precariously by a silky thread from a three-inch-wide cement edge of one of the visitor center’s brick support columns. The ranger explained it was the chrysalis, or pupal stage, of the monarch butterfly, transitioning from larva to adult — a tiny miraculous marvel of nature in a 300-square-mile national park known for its broad vistas, dense forests of tall trees, bulging granite boulders, plunging waterfalls and soaring peaks. The “bigness” of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park (SNP) is what typically gets people’s attention. But probing more deeply unveils much more. It’s the granular and the grand, the minute and the magnificent, for it is a park rich in diversity and eye-opening adventures, mini, mega and in between.

Trees turn crimson and gold in Shenandoah National Park’s autumnal show of color. The 300-square-mile park is one of the few large national parks on the East Coast and only a 90-minute drive from the Washington area.

ing hiking trails and imposing rock formations. The Skyline Drive, with 75 overlooks, splices along the park’s spine for 105 miles and joins the Blue Ridge Parkway, which goes another 469 miles to Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains. Mileposts are numbered north to south starting at zero at the Front Royal entrance and ending with Rockfish Gap at the southernmost end (milepost 105). The 1 billionyear-old Appalachian Mountains, of which the Blue Ridge Mountains are a part, constitutes one of the oldest ranges in the world. Created as a national park by Congress in 1935 to provide a traditional “western” national park experience in the East, it’s one of the few big national parks east of the Mississippi. The Civilian Conservation Corps built recreational facilities, guard walls and trails during the Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1936. The park has around 1,100 flowering plants, 100 species of trees, 300 types of animals and 200 of birds. Waterfalls spill down the mountainsides. Hikers delight in over 500 miles of hiking trails, including the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail, a 2,176-mile ribbon through 14 states. Visitors can get glimpses of deer, bobcats, raccoons and foxes. Families of wild turkeys waddle into the woods. Park managers estimate that there are several thousand deer and 300 to 500 bears.

The really lucky might see the federallyendangered Shenandoah salamander, which has only been observed on three mountain tops in Shenandoah National Park and nowhere else in the world. Geology buffs can examine the nuances of sharp ridges and rocky outcrops of granite, sandstone, quartzite, phyllite, basalt and grandiorite. Two peaks, Hawks Bill and Stony Man, soar above 4,000 feet. Old Rag, at 3,291 feet, is the most popular, yet most dangerous, hike. The mountains are known for the everpresent bluish-gray haze, hence the Blue Ridge name. Sadly, 80 percent of the haze is pollution from the industrial and traffic fumes drifting in from near and far. Visibility has decreased 50 percent in the last 50 years thanks to human activity. At night, the lights of towns below make the valleys twinkle. Fog too can shroud the mountains, and while fog may blur long-distance vistas, the fog provides a softly comforting, almost surreal, atmosphere. It also encourages visitors to focus on things up close, such as butterflies nectaring on blossoms, insects probing dewy flowers, and thistles releasing their seeds amid a chorus of chirping chickadees.

Four-season serenity “People have been coming here for 100 See SHENANDOAH, page 54

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

ranger programs. Active types may plunge into the wilderness, gear and meals in tow. Others enjoy a slow, winding drive along the mountaintop, stopping at overlooks. The best time to go? “It depends,” said Knies. There’s something for everybody every season, she maintained. Fall foliage astounds all, when the park blazes with orange-red-yellow hues. Warblers and monarch butterflies migrate

From page 53 years to escape the heat of the city and experience things they cannot see in the city,” explained Lorrie Knies, supervisory interpretative ranger. “It’s close and quieter, slower, a way to get away from the city.” Quietly imbibing the peace and beauty are plenty for many people. Some folks like

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through. It is the busiest season (though quieter on weekdays than on weekends). Spring climbs up the mountains 100 feet a day starting in March, rangers said. The park sparkles with rushing streams, waterfalls, vernal pools, and plants like trilliums, jack-in-the-pulpit, mountain laurel, rhododendrons, dogwoods, azaleas and lady slippers. Summer is cooler on the mountain tops than down below. Fawns and bear cubs start exploring and streams murmur. Baby birds fledge. Winter offers quiet, crisper air and clearer views. Foxes and bobcats become more active. Exhibits at the Byrd Visitor Center (milepost 51) outline the park’s history. Those at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (milepost 4.6) explore nature. Around 500 miles of easy-to-strenuous hiking trails get people into the woods. Trails range from short walks to a 101-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail. Over 95 percent of the park is forest, but the 130-acre, treeless Big Meadows has vernal pools and at times an explosion of small critters, a “supermarket for insecteating birds,” one ranger said. Barn swallows dart around snagging gnats midair. Ranger programs, especially in summer, include basket-making, cooking demos, hikes, campfire talks, raptor demonstrations. They take visitors on walks to some of the more than 100 cemeteries in the park, some with small plots, others with up to 100 gravesites. Rangers lead a 30-minute bus ride to Rapidan Camp, President Herbert Hoover’s restored, rustic retreat, about which Hoover said, “This is just what I want — a camp of retreat, far removed from the city environ and the confines of the White House.” Conservation advocate Sigurd Olson explained the lure of the wilderness in 1946: “Wilderness to the people of America is a

spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium.”

If you go The park’s two lodges are in the central part of the park, between U.S. 211 at Thornton Gap (milepost 31.5) and U.S. 33 at Swift Run Gap (milepost 65.7). Both have comfortable rooms. Big Meadows Lodge (milepost 51.2), a stone and timber structure with a chestnut interior, offers rooms and cabins, a dining room and a great room with expansive views of the valley. Skyland Lodge (milepost 41.7), at the park’s highest point, 3,680 feet, has a dining room, lodge, moteltype rooms and rustic cabins. There are also some back-to-nature cabins (some without water) and trailside huts. Campgrounds offer both first-come, firstserved and reservable sites. Study the facilities’ details carefully before reserving. The park has four entrances: Front Royal, on U.S. 340 near Interstates 81 and 66; Thornton Gap, on U.S. 211; Swift Run Gap, on U.S. 33; and Rockfish Gap, at Interstate 64 and U.S. 25. A vehicle is a must. Amtrak serves Charlottesville and Greyhound serves Waynesboro, towns that have car rental companies. Gas stations inside the park are open only from spring through fall. Park managers recommend lodging and camping reservations well in advance, especially for fall visits. In winter, only a few facilities are open. For more information, see the National Park Service’s brochure on SNP at www.nps.gov/shen. Lodging reservations can be made at www.goshenandoah.com or by calling 1-877-847-1919. Campground reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. Glenda C. Booth is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.

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Andalusian fusion: Christianity and Islam By Giovanna Dell’orto Last month, our lead travel story was about contemporary attractions in Northern Spain. This month we follow up with a story about the sites of Southern Spain. For the third time in a week, I’m touring

the Alhambra, one of the most popular sites in the world’s fourth most-visited country, and finally I have it all to myself. Not a pushy guide but a bullfrog in one of the fountains is the loudest sound on a late May night in this hilltop Islamic palace

complex in southern Spain. I linger to stick my nose into the cabbage-size roses lining the pathways and to gaze over the floodlit red-tinged ramparts. Their massive simplicity belies the infinite intricacy of the palaces inside, and I can easily believe the legend that the last Muslim ruler wept as he left Granada. Centuries later, we can be grateful that the conquering Christian royalty left this masterpiece nearly intact. Nowhere in Europe is the complex coexistence between Islam and Christianity more etched in historical landscapes and current customs than here, in Spain’s Andalusia — a vast region of snowy mountains, olive-studded valleys and desert coasts whose tip sits less than 10 miles from Morocco. For nearly 800 years, Muslim caliphs ruled Andalusia. In 1492, the Catholic king

and queen (and ultimate power couple), Ferdinand and Isabella, conquered this last Islamic stronghold in Europe — a few months before signing off on Christopher Columbus’ trip to the new world, which also started here.

A convergence of cultures I’ve traveled through the region in fall, winter and spring to admire the MuslimChristian monuments in the major cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville. But this year, on a longer trip, I found the mingling of cultures in everyday life. In Granada, I bought almond cookies and orange wine through a wooden rotating tray from an unseen cloistered Catholic nun in a convent near re-created Arab baths, where I sipped mint tea and spent a silent hour steaming and soaking feet sore from climbing cobblestone alleys. And it turns out that tapas are a classic example of the region’s cultural fusion, having originated in Andalusia centuries ago, even though internationally they have come to symbolize trendy modern Spanish cuisine. Of course, Andalusia also offers all the other experiences that draw tourists to Spain: Channeling Hemingway at a bullfight, getting goose bumps from a wailing flamenco singer, mingling sacred and profane at the Eastertide processions and fairs, gorging on jamon iberico (cured ham) and whole fish baked in sea salt, and joining throngs of sunburned Northern Europeans on Mediterranean beaches. But what’s unique about Andalusia is the trail of Islamic conquerors who arrived in the eighth century, and the Catholic monarchs who imposed their reconquista (reconquering) centuries later — vanquishing not just Islam but also eventually the Jews who had flourished under the Muslims’ tolerant rule.

Cordoba Begin your visit with the earliest masterpiece — the bizarrely repurposed great mosque, now a cathedral, of Cordoba. From its massive size and horseshoe arches, the Mezquita’s exterior gives some hints that this is not your usual medieval cathedral. But walking in still stuns. Out of the darkness pierced by low-hanging lights is a multiplication of two-tiered arches in all directions, disorienting like a house of mirrors. This forest of shiny columns and redand-white arches — together with the kaleidoscope of golden mosaics, Arabic inscriptions and carvings — show off what I see as the hallmarks of Andalusian Islamic art. Geometry and repetition play with light to create flowing motifs that simultaneously overwhelm with their richness and seem weightless. Smack in the midst sits an unremarkable church, built in the 16th century. A much nicer reconquista touch is a few blocks away in the 14th-century Alcazar — See SOUTHERN SPAIN, page 57

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Southern Spain From page 56 a fortress whose gardens lined by pools and rippling fountains mirror the centrality that water has in Islamic architecture. The whitewashed homes around both monuments, covered by decorative iron grilles and bright potted plants, were part of Cordoba’s Jewish quarter, called the Juderia, a center of Jewish intellectuals before the Catholic takeover. The great philosopher Maimonides was born in Cordoba in the 12th century, and a modern statue of him is located in the quarter near a 14th century synagogue. But Maimonides did not die here; he fled to Egypt as the persecution of Jews began under the Catholic regime. Digging deeper into cultural fusion: The Roman philosopher Seneca was also born in Cordoba, and a restored bridge from around his time still crosses the wide river behind the Mezquita.

Seville Less than 100 miles to the southwest, Seville’s grand cathedral also incorporated a Muslim element: La Giralda, the former 12th-century minaret, now bell tower, nearly identical to towers still standing in Rabat and Marrakech. Next door is another much embellished Alcazar fortress, this one also visited by Ferdinand and Isabella as well as Colum-

bus. Its style, called mudejar, is all about fusion — reflecting the taste and workmanship of Muslim artists in Catholic Spain. Around it is the former Jewish neighborhood, the barrio de Santa Cruz, centered on small, orange-tree lined squares with homes and palaces whose doors and windows are often bordered in blue and gold.

Granada Seville is the region’s largest, most cosmopolitan city. But my Andalusian favorite is Granada, framed by the improbably snowy Sierra Nevada mountain range. It’s a university city that is small enough for the tradition of free tapas with each drink (think giant chorizo sausage and heaping plates of fried whitebait for the price of a 2euro frosted glass of beer). But its attractions are outsized — not only the Alhambra, arguably the most impressive secular medieval monument from the Muslim world, but its ideological counterpart, a triumphant cathedral with its royal chapel preserving the marble funeral monuments of, who else, Ferdinand and Isabella. I most enjoyed my night visits to the Alhambra’s Nasrid Palaces, where every inch is covered in Koran and poetry inscriptions, star-patterned tiles, and gravitydefying ceilings decorated with pointed ornamentation called muqarnas, all deflecting light with a soothing, awe-inspiring effect that plays on the motto written all

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over: “Only Allah is victor.” In the many marbled patios and sprawling Generalife gardens farther uphill, water fountains seem to trace in the air the same curves as Arabic script, bubbling and flowing with precise patterns. On the opposite hill is the Albaicin, the much restored Muslim quarter of whitewashed homes hiding scented gardens, or carmenes (watered by medieval cisterns), whose only outside signs are overflowing purple bougainvillea and austere cypress spires. Nearby, two more churches show off Roman-inspired triumphalism — the convent of San Jeronimo with its giant altarpiece, and the Cartuja’s small Baroque sagrario (altar), which theatrically swirls with chubby angels and saints in a profusion of red marble and gold.

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That Christian humanism sitting next to Islamic intellectualism is Andalusia’s own enchantment. Back in the Generalife, a guard watched me linger by water jets arching into a long pool. She was the daughter of a watchman there who raised his eight kids in a house on its property, and she’s worked in the Alhambra for 31 years. “Magico, no?” she whispered. Three days later, I got back for visit number four.

If you go More information on Andalusia is available at www.andalucia.org/en/. The region’s most convenient airport is in Seville. The least expensive roundtrip fare from the Washington area for late OcSee SOUTHERN SPAIN, page 58

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

What can you do when airlines mess up? A reader recently recounted his experi- original JFK-Rome flight, but Delta did not ence traveling from Cincinnati to Rome with accommodate them in economy comfort his wife, including missed conon the JFK-London flight. nections and delayed baggage. In Rome, their baggage His experiences raise issues was delayed and not delivthat could happen to anyone. ered until the third (hers) Their tickets were with and fourth (his) days, and as Delta Airlines from Cincinnati a result, they had to spend to New York/JFK on Friday afabout 300 euros for interim ternoon, connecting there for clothing and other items. a nonstop to Rome arriving My reader’s question: Saturday morning. But a me“What rights do I have, and chanical problem at Cincinnati can I ask for point (frequent TRAVEL TIPS forced a delay of more than an flyer miles) or monetary comBy Ed Perkins hour, which meant missing the pensation?” flight from JFK to Rome. Delta proactively rebooked them on a Getting reimbursed later nonstop from JFK to London, with a First, the easy one: You are entitled to a flight on Alitalia from London to Rome, ar- full refund of what you paid for economy riving late Sunday. They had bought extra- comfort. Ask Delta to issue a refund legroom “Economy Comfort” seats for the “forthwith,” as the cop shows say.

If Delta offers miles instead of cash, ask for a bunch. And if Delta stalls, dispute the charge on your credit card: If you paid and didn’t get it, you’re due a refund. This answer applies to any extra service on any airline for which you pay but an airline refuses or fails to deliver. You are also due reimbursement for necessary expenses you incurred as a result of your delayed baggage. This is a contractual legal requirement in both the U.S. and Europe. Among the U.S. lines I checked, Delta is the only one to provide specific guidelines for reimbursement: $50 for the first day, $25 a day for additional days. The contract notes, however, that these figures are just recommendations, and you’re free to ask for more. Just be sure to get receipts and provide them when Delta asks. Other lines generally do not specify any

dollar amounts. Instead, the more standard contractual language simply calls for “reasonable” expenses. And the contracts specify a maximum cap, but that cap is based on the same value as for totally lost baggage — about $3,200 in the U.S., around 1,220 euros in Europe — and it’s hard to come up with figures anywhere near those numbers for “reasonable” interim expenses. In lieu of payments for incidentals, some lines provide amenity kits with basic necessities: toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, a razor and such.

File claim at the airport Whenever your checked baggage fails to arrive with your flight, airlines specify that you file a claim immediately at the airport baggage office of the airline that delivered you to your destination — where you found out the bag was missing. See PASSENGER RIGHTS, page 59

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Southern Spain From page 57 tober is $1,166 on Iberia Airlines from BWI. The three Andalusian cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville are connected by train and bus. Cordoba is about 2 1/2 hours from Granada by train; Seville is about three hours from Granada. Parts of the cities’ historic centers are off-limits to cars. Reserve timed tickets for the Alhambra well in advance at www.alhambra-patronato.es. Get ticket info for the three cathedrals at www.catedraldecordoba.es, www.catedraldesevilla.es, and www.catedraldegranada.com. If you make Granada your base, consider a stay at Hotel Los Tilos (www.hotellostilos.com) with views of the Alhambra, cathedral and Sierra Nevada. Rooms start at $89 per night. Have seafood dinners at Los Diamantes or Cunini. Catch a show at Casa del Arte Flamenco (www.casadelarteflamenco.com), a space so tiny that you can hear the performers pant. Enjoy a massage at Hammam Al Andalus (http://granada.hammamalan dalus.com). — AP

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Passenger rights From page 58 On itineraries involving two or more airlines, don’t try to figure out which line was “at fault” for the problem. You file with the line that carried you into your destination and let the airlines sort out the blame among themselves. You can subsequently amend your filing, but don’t wait to start the process. If your baggage is delayed more than 12 hours, Delta and Frontier refund any baggage fees you paid. Other lines refund baggage charges only if the baggage is declared “lost” rather than just delayed. As I read the rules, you do not have a valid monetary claim for a delay when your

original flight is canceled and your airline arranges for the first available alternative. In long delays, an airline does owe you compensation for meals and for hotel accommodations in an overnight delay, but not for lost time. You can ask for some miles or a voucher, but you can’t demand either. If an airline owes you a monetary refund, you can always accept an offer of a voucher or frequent flyer miles instead; airlines are almost always more generous with the latter. Just make sure to ask for a voucher or miles worth substantially more than the money you’re due. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to greet people, answer the telephone, and enter data. For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/olderadults and click on volunteers or call (703) 324-5406.

DONATE YARN FOR NEWBORNS

Herndon Senior Center’s Knitniks and Crochet Group will transform donated yarn into blankets and hats for newborns at local hospitals. Yarn, especially baby weight yarn, of any color is welcome. Drop yarn off at Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace St., Herndon, Va. on Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A tax donation form is available. For more information, call (703) 464-6200, TTY 711.

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Colesville Meals on Wheels needs more delivery volunteers. Meals on Wheels is a group of volunteers who deliver meals in northeast Silver Spring, Md., to those who are unable to cook for themselves due to ailment or disability. To volunteer, call (301) 384-5735.

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A primer on low-fare airlines in Europe By Ed Perkins On my last trip to Europe, I planned a few days in London, then a week of driving around Switzerland starting in Geneva. My frequent flyer award would not allow a London-Geneva flight link, so I needed some way to get there. I first checked on doing the trip by train, but I quickly found discouraging news: The trip would take almost seven hours, including a schlep on the Paris Metro between the Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon, at a cost of more than $140. Reluctantly, I turned to an airline option — low-fare EasyJet — where I found a nonstop from London to Geneva for about $75, including a checked bag. An easy call. By now, you probably have a pretty good handle on the low-fare airline options available to you in North America. But you may sometimes want to move around within Europe on trips that are too long for comfortable rail travel. And, as in my Eu-

ropean experience, a cheap airline ticket often costs less than a second-class train ticket. Although low-fare lines have proliferated in Europe, you’re most likely to find what you want on one of two lines.

Ryanair Ryanair, one of the two giant European low-fare lines, boasts that it carries more international passengers than any other line in the world. Although Ryanair has no “hubs” in the conventional sense — airports where travelers make lots of connections — it has primary bases at London/Stansted, Dublin, Milan, Brussels, Frankfurt and Alicante, with at least a dozen secondary bases and flights to almost 200 airports in Europe and North Africa, with an emphasis on beach destinations. Ryanair, however, uses remote rather than major airports whenever it can and,

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Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge. Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. • Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. Rates as stated here are effective as of September 1, 2011. But, the rates and other terms are subject to change in the future.

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as a result, what Ryanair calls “Paris” is really Beauvais or Vatry, “Brussels” is really Charleroi, “Frankfurt” is really Hahn and “Milan” is really Bergamo — not a big problem if you’re renting a car, but a real hassle if you want convenient public transportation to the central city. Fares are very low, typically starting at around $30 one way and often less. But Ryanair charges extra for everything — using a credit card, printing a boarding pass, advance boarding, reserved seating and checked baggage, along with the required laundry list of official fees and taxes. (Check www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc for a humorous take on Ryanair’s fees.) Flying Ryanair poses a particular problem for North Americans: Fees are lower if you pay online, in advance, and print out whatever paperwork you need — a capability you might not have when you’re away from home. Also getting from central London to its Stansted base costs at least $35 each way — a lot more than getting to Gatwick or Luton. As far as I can tell, the main online fare search systems do not include Ryanair. All flights are on 737s with extremely tight, no-recline seating.

EasyJet EasyJet, the other giant, isn’t quite as large as Ryanair, but in many ways it’s similar. It flies point-to-point rather than using hub connections, and it has bases around Europe, including London/Gatwick, Luton,

Stansted and Southend, along with Basel, Berlin, Geneva and several others. Flights operate to/from 134 airports from Iceland to Egypt and Israel to the Canary Islands. Despite some overlaps, you often find service on either EasyJet or Ryanair but not both. EasyJet generally serves primary rather than secondary airports. As with Ryanair, EasyJet shows very low fares, then adds fees for practically everything. EasyJet now flies only A319s and 320s, with typical very tight seating. From central London, EasyJet offers the advantage of lower cost train service to Gatwick, Luton or Southend than to Stansted. All in all, given the choice, I’d select EasyJet every time. Kayak and some other third-party search systems include EasyJet, but Expedia does not. Skytrax rates EasyJet number two among European lowfare lines; Ryanair doesn’t make the top 100. As noted, the big online travel agencies and search systems don’t cover all the lowfare options. Any time you’re looking for a low-cost flight, www.floogie.com has a low-fare point-to-point airline locator for Europe. For travel around the rest of the world, try www.flybudget.com, www.skyscanner.com, www.wegolo.com and www.whichbudget.com. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Oct. 10

GEOLOGY AND WINE Green Spring Gardens presents “The Science of Good Taste:

Geology and Wine.” USGS geologist Lawrence Meinert will explain the concept of terroir, how soil and geology affect the taste and quality of wine. This is an educational tasting, and wine will not be available for sale. The cost is $36. Green Spring Gardens is located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. For more information or to register, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring or call (703) 642-5173.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Say you saw it in the Beacon

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Arts &

Local playwright Sam Simon recounts his wife’s battle with breast cancer in The Astral Dance. See page 66 for a continuation of our cover story.

Toby’s robust, masterful Les Miserables the human spirit the lush score explores. The timing is ironic, as this bold production coincides with the sudden closing of Toby’s sister theater in Baltimore. Like the quiet passing of drive-in theaters from the American landscape, dinner theaters are edging ever closer to extinction, a victim of...what, exactly? Changing demographics? A bad economy? Have people stopped enjoying the comforts of an ample buffet and drinks on the table in addition to seeing a show? I’m not sure why some self-styled theater aficionados (and a certain daily newspaper which itself is going the way of the drive-in) view dinner theater as something not deserving of attention. But let them miss out, as long as you go see this show. Enjoy the brunch or dinner that’s included in your ticket price, too. And then, when the show picks up some coveted Helen Hayes Award nominations, you can brag that you were there.

A gritty opera lite This is the Cameron Mackintosh production of Victor Hugo’s 250-year old novel, adapted into a sung-through musical in which many of the songs encompass entire

PHOTO BY CHRIS CHRISTIANSEN

By Michael Toscano Garishly sentimental, and with a score that’s fully drenched in overheated melodrama, the musical Les Misérables could be a long, three-hour slog for theatergoers who appreciate subtlety. Almost all of the songs are mighty anthems, with only a rare break for a ballad or fun tune; characters are drawn with a broad brush; and it is a significant challenge for singers, as it relentlessly tries to grab you by the heartstrings and shake you all about. And yet, as we know, Les Misérables is a magnificent, sumptuous feast of a show when it is performed properly. So, good news! All the strengths of the Boubil and Schönberg Tony Award-winner are on full display in a robust, colorful and full-throated production at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia. They’re touting it as their most ambitious show ever, and while scenic elements are necessarily constrained because of Toby’s in-the-round layout, a newcomer to the show will get a deep appreciation of why this is now the world’s longest-running musical. And longtime fans will enjoy another chance to wallow in the epic passions, broken dreams and redemption of

In its inspiring production of Les Miserables, Toby’s Dinner Theatre creatively accommodates its in-the-round stage by using see-through scaffolding as a barricade. The epic musical continues through Nov. 19.

long scenes. It’s not light opera, but with almost no spoken dialogue, and with the heavy subject matter explored in technically demanding singing, it could be called opera lite. Les Misérables pulls us back in time to the grim prisons, raucous inns and gritty factories, the sewers and streets of France

from 1815 to 1832. Saint-like Jean Valjean (Daniel Felton) has been jailed for 19 years after stealing bread to feed a starving child. Finally released, but under the watch of an obsessed police inspector Javert (Lawrence See LES MISERABLES, page 62

Two Amazing Shows You Won’t Want To Miss! NOW PLAYING

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OPENING NOVEMBER 15

A true classic; this joyous, heart-warming musical is perfect for the holidays.

TOBY’S DINNER THEATRE OF COLUMBIA • CALL 410-730-8311 Based on availability. Due to the nature of theatre bookings, all shows, dates and times are subject to change.

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Les Miserables From page 61 B. Munsey), he skips parole, which would

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

have further condemned him to a life of poverty and misery, and becomes a successful factory owner under an assumed name. Along the way, he takes in the waiflike

Cosette (Katie Heidbreder), daughter of an ill-fated employee, Fantine (Janine Sunday). With Javert relentlessly stalking him, Valjean gets drawn in to a citizen uprising against the unpopular government, and a giant barricade is erected in the streets for a bloody final showdown.

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presents

Innovative sets and choreography The unique feature of Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production is, of course, that it is performed in the round. As always, directors Toby Orenstein and Steven Fleming make efficient use of the cramped space. They creatively use pools of darkness and light to aid in quick scene transitions, and they position and rearrange their two dozen cast members in tightly choreographed action that make it all seem quite natural. Those familiar with the show, and Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, will wonder how the heck they manage to stage a giant barricade. Well, set designer David Hopkins utilizes scaffolding to brilliant effect. Massive segments are squeezed

Adapted by Patrick Barlow From the novel by John Buchan From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock Directed by Evan Hoffmann

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in through side entrances and rapidly assembled. Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scaffolding, you can see through the set even as actors clamber all over it, singing their hearts out. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss a thing from any angle. (Although I did worry a few times that a wig or two was perilously close to hot lights in the ceiling and might burst into flames. Then again, that added some edgy suspense.) Those sewers? A bridge from which someone plummets to death (while singing, yet)? Again, inventive use of scaffolding.

Onstage chemistry Felton and Munsey, as Valjean and Javert, provide inspired interpretations of their roles, the pairing creating combustible chemistry. Feltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweetly inflected tenor capably climbs the upper reaches of songs, sounding positively angelic in the high registers of act twoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bring Him Home.â&#x20AC;? He obviously works hard to plumb some of the lower depths of the score, which occasionally tires out his voice when he then has to reach for big, loud notes. But it is an See LES MISERABLES, page 64

Bring Your Group to the Kennedy Center

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for Entertainment on a Grand Scale!

Oct. 17

DINNER AND A SHOW

Enjoy dinner and a show of oldies music by the band the Retro-Rockets. This event takes place on Thursday, Oct. 17 form 6 to 9 p.m. at the Gaithersburg Senior Center, 80A Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, Md. Tickets cost $7 for the show only; $20 for both the show and dinner. For more information, call (301) 258-6380.

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Sister Act

Nominated for 5 Tony AwardsÂŽ, Sister Act is â&#x20AC;&#x153;ridiculously funâ&#x20AC;? (The New York Post) and audiences are jumping to their feet in total agreement! In this crowd-pleasing musical based on the hit film, a wannabe diva witnesses a crime and hides out in a convent. Under Mother Superiorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watchful eye, she helps her fellow sisters find their voices, not to mention her own.

/CT n.OV s /PERA (OUSE

Elf The Musical

Matthew Bourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleeping Beautyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;.EW !DVENTURES Renowned British choreographer Matthew Bourne returns with his latest re-imagining of a ballet classic. Danced by his company New Adventures, this haunting new production is a gothic romance; a supernatural love story that even the passage of time cannot hinder. The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Times of London exclaims, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful choreographer will blow your mind with his sheer imagination, wit, and brio.â&#x20AC;?

.OV n s /PERA (OUSE

One of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beloved holiday hits is born again--on stage! Elf is the hilarious tale of Buddy, an orphan who leaves the North Pole to find his true identity. This modern Christmas classic, which the New York Times calls â&#x20AC;&#x153;splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment,â&#x20AC;? will make everyone embrace their inner elf.

MATTHEW BOURNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SLEEPING BEAUTY

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

Happy Holidays! WITH "RIAN 3TOKES -ITCHELL 3TEVEN 2EINEKE CONDUCTOR

$EC n*AN s /PERA (OUSE

With his â&#x20AC;&#x153;singularly thunderous baritoneâ&#x20AC;? (The New York Times), Tony AwardÂŽ winner and Kennedy Center favorite Brian Stokes Mitchell headlines this annual NSO Pops tradition! The spirit of the season is yours to enjoy in an evening of joyful song led by the versatile Stokes, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equally at home singing and dancing in blockbuster musicals or crooning a jazzy standard in his one-man cabaret act.

ELF THE MUSICAL

Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Adrienne Arsht Musical Theater Fund. The Kennedy Center Theater Season is sponsored by Altria Group.

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$EC n s #ONCERT (ALL

Comedy at the Kennedy Center is presented by

$AVID AND !LICE 2UBENSTEIN are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. The 2013-2014 NSO Pops Season is presented through the generosity of

Sister Act photo by Joan Marcus; Matt Kopec (Buddy) and Gordon Gray (Santa) in Elf The Musical photo by Joan Marcus; Matthew Bourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleeping Beauty photo by Simon Annand.

General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of Happy Holidays!

Tickets on sale now!

Groups (202) 416-8400 kennedy-center.org Visit our Web site at kennedy-center.org/groupsales

Tickets also available at the Box Office. (202) 467-4600 | TTY (202) 416-8524

Oct. 12

FLUTE CHOIR CONCERT

The Woodbridge Flute Choir will â&#x20AC;&#x153;Celebrate New Orleans!â&#x20AC;? in a free concert on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Westminster at Lake Ridge, 12191 Clipper Dr., Woodbridge, Va. at 7 p.m. The choir is a 25-member ensemble that performs on flutes of all sizes. For more information, visit www.woodbridgeflutechoir.org.

Oct. 7+

CELEBRATE JOAN CRAWFORD

The National Theatre presents free Monday screenings of Joan Crawford films at 6:30 p.m. October screenings include Daisy Kenyon on Oct. 7, Grand Hotel on Oct. 21 and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? on Oct. 28. All screenings are first-come, first-served. Tickets are distributed 30 minutes prior to screening. Food and drink are not allowed. The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, call (202) 783-3372.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

2013–2014 SEASON

Join the NSO for an extraordinary new season of music to live by in the Concert Hall. OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER CONCERTS CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH, conductor CLARK YOUNG, actor THOMAS KEEGAN, actor PHILIP LARSON, actor WILLIAM NEIL, organ HAYDN: Symphony No. 21 REYNOLDS: george WASHINGTON

JOHN STORGÅRDS, conductor SOL GABETTA, cello BRITTEN: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No. 1 SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 1 “Spring” Thu., Nov. 7 at 7 | Fri., Nov. 8 at 8 | Sat., Nov. 9 at 8

(World Premiere, NSO Hechinger Co-Commission)

SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No. 3 “Organ Symphony”

NEEME JÄRVI, conductor ALICE SARA OTT, piano

Thu., Oct. 3 at 7 | Fri., Oct. 4 at 8 | Sat., Oct. 5 at 8 AfterWords: Thu., Oct. 3 performance followed by a free discussion.

CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH, conductor NIKOLAI SCHUKOFF, parsifal THOMAS HAMPSON, amfortas YURI VOROBIEV, gurnemanz THE WASHINGTON CHORUS, Julian Wachner, music director

KODÁLY: Suite from Háry János LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 2 PROKOFIEV: Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet Thu., Nov. 14 at 7 | Fri., Nov. 15 at 8 | Sat., Nov. 16 at 8 Organ Postlude: Thu., Nov. 14 performance followed by a mini recital on the new Rubenstein Family Organ, by Jeremy Filsell, Artist-in-Residence at Washington National Cathedral, free with purchase of concert ticket.

Celebrating WAGNER at 200: Parsifal—Act III (in concert) Note: No late seating and no intermission for this performance.

Thu., Oct. 10 at 7 | Fri., Oct. 11 at 8 | Sat., Oct. 12 at 8

KRISTJAN JÄRVI, conductor JENNIFER KOH, violin ENESCU: Rumanian Rhapsody No. 1 BARBER: Violin Concerto RACHMANINOFF: Symphonic Dances Thu., Oct. 31 at 7 | Fri., Nov. 1 at 8 | Sat., Nov. 2 at 8

ALICE SARA OTT

JENNIFER KOH

SOL GABETTA

(202) 467-4600 nationalsymphony.org Tickets from $10 available at the Box Office | Groups (202) 416-8400 | TTY (202) 416-8524 David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger and Vicki Sant. The Blue Series is sponsored by United Technologies Corporation.

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Les Miserables From page 62 award-worthy performance, his face a study in humility and pain. Munsey is a more-than-worthy counterweight, looking as though he just stepped out of an oil painting. His Javert is a malevolent figure in dark, form-fitting costumes, his face a permanent sneer. Munsey’s powerful baritone befits the character, and if his body is rightly rigid with authority and intensity, his singing is fluidly dynamic. In Act One’s “Come to Me,” Felton and Munsey circle each other like boxers, facing off in an escalating cycle of revelation as Valjean realizes he can no longer live a lie. It’s a rare moment of introspection in the show, as he saves an innocent man but makes himself vulnerable to his enemy. Playing off Munsey’s glowering visage and mounting emotion, Felton’s work is

delicate here, the power of the song and the turning point it represents completely realized. And yet, it’s just a pair of actors in a pool of light. So much for scenic extravaganza, shown to be irrelevant here.

Vibrant performances Providing substantial backup is the work of Helen Hayes winner Theresa Cunningham as the conniving innkeeper Madame Thenardier. Cunningham is paired with David James as her monsieur. The scene in their inn — with the lively “Master of the House” and “Thenardier Waltz” — is a show highlight, with energetic fun and toe-tapping music. While both supply plenty of wily charm, Cunningham radiates a vibrantly ribald presence every second she is onstage. It’s hard to imagine she is the same actor who took home the Hayes award as the tragic Sofia in Toby’s The Color Purple.

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Want to become computer savvy? Sign up for computer classes with the Jewish Council for the Aging’s Senior Tech Classes, which are designed to introduce, refresh or advance computer skills. Classes are held in Rockville, Gaithersburg and Northern Virginia and are ongoing throughout the year. Fees range from $15 to $80 and range from one- to six-week sessions. Class sizes are small. For more information, visit www. accessjca.org to view the current course catalog, or call (240) 395-0916.

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

As Eponine, daughter of the Thenardiers, MaryKate Brouillet is a soothing presence. Her warm, full voice is an expressive balm as she aids the attempted revolution and — despite her own love for the revolutionary Marius (Jeffrey Shankle) — assists in his burgeoning love affair with Cosette. Brouillet’s work is exquisitely nuanced, and she adds a welcome sensual ambiance. Sunday’s Fantine and Heidbreder’s Cosette are workmanlike performances, but each actor lacks the full vocal abilities required by some of the songs. The duets between Cosette and Marius thus fail to reach their full potential, despite Shankle’s tender singing. Also of note is the work of the small orchestra tucked away in a second-floor room adjacent to the stage. With just a couple of keyboards, a rare live violin, and trumpet, reeds and trombone, they fill the space with pulsing, eardrum-pressing music. Musical director Christopher Youstra’s whittling down of the sumptuous, demanding music to a handful of instruments maintains the score’s integrity quite well. This show is usually operating at fever pitch, emotionally, which can exhaust an audience. But directors Orenstein and Fleming shake up the dynamics whenever possible, allowing the audience a chance to refresh their sensibilities. There are considerable shifts in Act Two’s lengthy “A Little Fall of Rain,” which ranges

from hope to promise to tragedy. The ensemble’s energy never flags as they segue from one complicated moment to the next, and the audience can keep up every step of the way. In short, this is a satisfying, worthwhile production. Les Misérables continues through Nov. 19 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Rd., Columbia. The show runs seven days a week, with evening (dinner) and matinee (brunch) performances. The doors open at 6 p.m. for the all-you-can-eat dinner buffet Monday through Saturday, with the show at 8 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. for the Sunday evening 7 p.m. performance. Doors open for matinee performances at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Sundays for brunch. The performance begins at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Ticket prices range from $37.50 to $56, depending on date and time. Ticket prices include the allyou-can-eat buffet, dessert, and coffee or tea. Specialty drinks and desserts are available at extra cost. Waiters are actually the actors as well, and they rely heavily on tips for their pay. There is ample, free parking on the premises. For reservations and information, call (301) 596-6161 or 1-800-88TOBYS (8886297). You may also visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com. Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theatre critic.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Older anchors break new ground at PBS By David Bauder Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff didn’t think much about the milestone upon being appointed the first women to co-anchor a national daily news program on television — until flowers began filling their offices and strangers offered congratulations. The veteran journalists are now the regular co-hosts of PBS’ “NewsHour.” They will become the faces for a newscast known for many years as the home of founders Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil. In 2006, Katie Couric at the “CBS Evening News” became the first woman to solely anchor a national newscast. But this arrangement, with two female anchors, is still a first. Ifill said she was surprised by how many people made a big deal of two women anchors when PBS announced the change in early August. “I’m very touched by that,” she said. “I’m most touched by young women who stop me on the street and tell me how happy they are about this. I’m amazed at the investment people have in this.” Following Lehrer’s retirement two years ago, Ifill and Woodruff were part of a fiveperson anchor rotation with Jeffrey Brown, Ray Suarez and Margaret Warner. Two of the five anchored each night, depending on their schedules. There was nothing wrong with it, said

the show’s executive producer, Linda Winslow. But she came to conclude that a regular team makes for a sharper identity; people are more likely to say they watch Brian Williams instead of the NBC “Nightly News,” for example.

Long-time Washington connections The new anchors have lengthy Washington resumes. Woodruff, 66, was a White House correspondent for NBC News during the Carter administration, and has two stints at PBS with 12 years at CNN in between. Ifill, 57, started in print, working at the Washington Post and the New York Times, before joining NBC News and then PBS in 1999. Ifill hosts “Washington Week” on Sundays, meaning Woodruff will fly solo on the “NewsHour” on Fridays. Both say they share sensibilities and news instincts. “She’s exactly the kind of person you’d want to have by your side if there’s a big, breaking story,” Woodruff said of her partner. “You want to be beside someone you can trust, whose judgment you can trust.” Winslow said it seemed to be the combination that clicked. The women think alike, but have distinct styles. During interviews, Ifill is more conversational, Woodruff more questioning. “She’s leaning forward, and Gwen is more inviting you to come forward,” she said.

“NewsHour” anchors have often seemed more like solo artists than a team. Winslow said there will be an effort to have Ifill and Woodruff appear on-screen together more and interact. The show helped draw attention to the pairing when Ifill and Woodruff interviewed President Barack Obama last month, with the poison gas attack in Syria the chief topic. Even for veteran reporters, a presidential interview is a nerve-wracking experience. You live in fear of missing something obvious. You have to balance to-the-minute reporting of breaking news with more reflective questions knowing, as Ifill said, “all your planning can go out the window in an hour.” And for the two anchors, each had to be conscious of giving her partner equal time.

Managing editors, too Both women were also named managing editors of “NewsHour,” joining Winslow in shaping the day’s broadcast. “It means that every day we wake up, we’re not just thinking about our own segments within the show,” Woodruff said. “But that’s a good thing.” Ifill and Woodruff will bring their own ideas for changes, comfortable knowing that no overhaul is necessary. “The ‘NewsHour’ occupies a place that doesn’t exist anymore in broadcast television, which is an hour-long, uninterrupted chance to let people finish their sentences,” Ifill said. “We’re very careful of that franchise, but we are also aware of ways that we can freshen it just with our presence.” —AP

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Playwrights From page 1 has also shaped the startling work of a former public advocacy lawyer-turned-actorand-playwright late in life.

Channeling grief Another local resident, Samuel A. Simon of McLean, Va., has turned a searing personal experience into his first play. The Actual Dance garnered rave reviews at theater festivals and performances in the D.C. area and as far away as New York, Dallas and Indianapolis. The title sounds peaceful enough, but the story is unnerving, edgy and emotionally raw. Yet, it is also graceful and uplifting. This is Simon’s intensely personal observation of what happened to him, what he went through, when his beloved wife

Susan was diagnosed with a virulently aggressive form of breast cancer. Yes, that’s right. It is his story, not hers — a rare look at what happens to a person whose mate is given a grim prognosis for survival. Like Schoettler, Simon, 67, performs the play himself, recounting in occasionally excruciating detail his harrowing journey as he came to grips with the prospect of losing his mate of 33 years. But there’s poetry in the pain, as he takes us into his inner world — a place where he often finds himself in a dance, the sensation of waltzing in a ballroom plucking him from painful reality. Is he losing his sanity along with his wife? Along the way, he learns Susan is the stronger of the two, and that while she is stoic, he is emotionally volatile. “I have this emotional inner streak I like to express,

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

and theater offers a huge potential for that,” he said. But isn’t it wrenching to relive the worst moments of his life on stage? And isn’t there a risk he will lose something vital to him, to become numb to the experience as he repeats and repeats the telling? “Each time I perform it, I feel there’s a new sense of what life means,” he replies to that question. “And this is a culmination of every piece of my life coming together.”

A healing process Schoettler has gone through a similar set of experiences. She felt profound grief when her husband Jim, an Air Force physician and flight surgeon, fell ill with cancer. They had enjoyed a long life together, and he was supportive as she went from being a self-described “1950’s housewife” to a feminist activist in the late 1960s. She

Letters to editor From page 2 I possibly pick one unless I telephone every one of them and ask their price? I feel that I might select one and then find out that there is another one much cheaper. Help me out. Tell them to advertise their prices. Wendel Allen Alexandria, Va. Dear Editor: Your August 2013 issue had so many useful articles for seniors. Among those which I appreciated: Avoiding drug interactions with impact of aspirin and Vitamin E (these two meds could easily slip under the radar screen) for patients taking heart medications. Drug expiration dates and impact on nitroglycerin and liquid medications. Checklist prior to travel. Steps to prevent losing height. I thought I was shorter at 71 than at 35, and wondered what was going on and how fast it

has found her play, which offers an extended essay on their life, along with his death and the meaning of ritual, to be restorative. “Yes, it’s therapeutic. Yes, it’s helped me work through it. You’ll never get over it. We were married 56 years,” she said, her voice catching, and tears springing to her eyes. “But storytelling is a very healing process.” Both Simon and Schoettler perform their plays in a stark setting. She sits in a chair, flanked by huge projections of photos related to her story. She’s low-key, drawing the audience closer to her. In contrast, Simon stalks the stage, occasionally whirling in a serene waltz. Sound effects punctuate important moments. One test of artistic merit, beyond what these plays bring to the audiences who See PLAYWRIGHTS, page 67

progressed. Refreshing editorial on “Intractable problems.” Letter to the editor on “Benefits” vs. “Entitlements.” Social Security is a benefit. We retired people paid a lot into it. “Entitlement” is just another fashionable, and less understood, term from the media. Other articles I have not had time to read and digest yet: robotic surgery, lab grown organs and good employers for seniors. I also appreciated a recent article on Mr. Rosenthal’s interaction with his father’s issues. It makes one feel comfortable that he is connected to aging seniors. Keep up the good work! John Stevens Via email Dear Editor: I have enjoyed reading the Beacon so much since I moved here! It has a wealth of information for people like me and others. It is positive and very helpful. Thanks! Yvonne Garrick Arlington, Va.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 12

MARITIME MUSIC FESTIVAL The Capital Maritime Music Festival will take place on Saturday,

Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Navy Heritage Center at the US Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. The day’s activities include a noon concert by the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters, workshops and cameo performances featuring the music, folklore and history of sea warriors, merchant sailors, African-American sailors and more. Exhibitors will be on hand to educate the public and help landlubbers plan their sea adventures. Admission is free, but donations of $20 are appreciated. For more information, visit http://capitalmaritimemusicfest.com.

Nov. 5

WORLD WAR II HISTORY The Military History and Veterans Discussion Group will host “World War II Cryptography,” a talk led by Patrick Weadon, cura-

tor for the National Museum of Cryptography. This free talk will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. at the Schweinhaut Senior Center, 1000 Forest Glen Rd. in Silver Spring. For more information, call Alan Lewis at (202) 829-4664.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Playwrights From page 66 seem deeply affected by them, is whether the stories can have a life beyond their playwrights’ performances. What happens when someone else takes the words, these vividly personal experiences, and “acts” them? Schoettler is not certain, although she is seeking to preserve My Forever Home. Simon is in talks with local director and actor Harry Kantrovich about performing The Actual Dance. Kantrovich is particularly adept at performing one-person shows, having received glowing reviews (including from this writer) for his work in That Day in September, the staged memoir of a survivor of the 9-11 attacks.

Interacting with the audience For the playwrights, there’s also another factor: What can their work do for people now? Simon said the talkback sessions after his performances show what he calls “a hunger for engagement” on the issues he raises, and his challenge is to “create a safe haven for the conversation.” Women, he observes, seem more receptive to the idea of talking about death than men do, but it can be a challenge to get both sexes to open up. “I need to figure it out so people can have the conversation,” he said. “Many people who come to the play don’t do it for that reason. They’ve had their own experi-

ences and their own journeys. It’s like the guy who came up to me and said, ‘I had prostate cancer, and I never understood my wife’s reaction to it until now.’” Schoettler hopes to increase appreciation of ritual in daily lives. And as she talks during that balmy afternoon, we start to hear the steady clip-clop of horse hooves on pavement, followed by the muffled sounds of a caisson’s wheels. An elderly veteran is being laid to rest nearby on this day, his family following on foot behind the horses and their ramrod-straight riders in full military dress. A flag is draped over the coffin. Soon, the stillness is shattered by the roar of three rifle volleys saluting the old soldier, and the lingering notes of taps echo over the hillsides. The ritual complete, the family slowly departs. Schoettler said it’s rare for there to be burials in section 35, where Jim is buried, because it’s an older section. The Schoettlers received their plot in 1964 when their little girl died. Now, she said, section 60 has been busy, not only with soldiers of the most recent wars, but also because veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam are passing away. Schoettler plans to continue performing My Forever Home, but she’s already at work on a new play. “My next work is going to be fun — absolutely funny,” she exclaimed. Simon is also writing again. He’s work-

ing on the story of a friend who is suffering with Parkinson’s disease. As he has watched her move from having some difficulty moving, to now being confined to a wheelchair, her voice stilled, he has been studying her written descriptions of her experience. He’s racing against time, as he hopes she will be able to see him performing her thoughts on what it is like to be locked into one’s own body. For these two writers, exposing their inner selves to an audience, telling their stories and offering their observations, has become a calling. Simon likes to say The Actual Dance had

been inside him for many years, even if he was not aware of it until he began to write. It has been in development for over a year now, and his schedule of performances is picking up. Schoettler continues with her storytelling, and hosts a couple of programs on cable TV in Maryland. Both are going strong — fueled, it seems, by a passion for life that extends beyond the pain of the subjects they movingly explore. For information on Samuel A. Simon and The Actual Dance, visit www.theActualDance.com. For information on Ellouise Schoettler and My Forever Home, visit www.ellouisestory.com.

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Don’t let your kids take advantage of you Emily moved to Atlanta a couple of years The last time I saw her, we both had brown hair, we both were slender, and we ago to be near her “extendeds” and to get to know her granddaughter betboth had oceans of time in ter. But her daughter “took front of us. Fifty-one years one look and decided that I later, we met in Atlanta for dinwas her ticket,” Emily told me. ner — high school classmates The daughter now calls who were still cooking, and Emily about three times a week were only slightly cooked. and asks if she can pick up the Emily looked terrific — rosy-cheeked, smiling, alert, granddaughter at school. The alive. She said I looked the calls sometimes come with less same (as the man said, you than an hour’s notice. can fool some of the people Emily is not pleased. HOW I SEE IT some of the time). “My daughter has me over a By Bob Levey As the salads arrived, I barrel,” Emily said. “She knows asked about her kids. The smile faded and that I love her and would do anything for the wheels came off. “Actually,” Emily her. Same with Lily. But sometimes she is said, “it’s a good thing you asked. I could too disorganized to plan her life. It becomes, really use some advice.” ‘If you really loved me, Mom, you’d drop The issue will be familiar to everyone of everything and pick up Lily.’” a certain age who has lost a spouse, who So far, despite the subplots, Emily has has moved to a new city to be near adult agreed to do so. But she is chafing. “When I moved to Atlanta (after more than children, and who has suddenly begun to 65 years in New York City), I didn’t ever say be treated like a glorified valet. Emily’s daughter, Rose, is nearing 40. that I wouldn’t have a life of my own,” Emily She didn’t marry until she was 34. She had told me, as we finished the bottle of wine. a child soon after. The child, Lily, is In fact, she does. She works part-time in Emily’s only grandchild. a law office. She volunteers in many ways, Because of financial pressures, both at many places. She is learning bridge and Rose and her husband work full time. Lily, origami. And she is almost over the sudnow nearly 5, has been in a full-day pre- den death of her husband 25 years ago — “yes, it’s still hard after all this time.” school since she was able to walk.

The only good news about her friction with her daughter is that it doesn’t involve money — yet. “My daughter has never asked me for a nickel, and neither has her husband,” Emily told me. “If they had, this would be borderline unbearable.” But it’s getting that way just the same “because of her total lack of respect for me and my time.” So what did I suggest? “After all,” said Emily, buttering me as if I were a bagel, “you were always one of the smartest kids in the class.” That morsel of faint praise called for a fresh bottle of wine and a deep breath. Having achieved both, I told Emily that she had to bring her daughter up short. “This is obviously a power struggle,” I said. “But it isn’t the kind of thing you sometimes hear about — where Grandma is asked to take the grandchild on zero notice so daughter and this week’s boyfriend can have a wild weekend in Bermuda. And it isn’t the kind of thing we all faced in the business world — where one party simply has to win so the other will lose. “No,” I said, “this is your daughter reverting to being a kid again. She’s leaning on you as if she were still 13.” Emily nodded. “But if I call her on this, she might blow up at me,” she said. “A risk you have to run,” I said. “You

don’t need to be obnoxious about it. But you definitely have to stop this before three days a week becomes seven.” Emily said that what bothers her the most is the implicit underscript — that her time matters less because she’s 60-plus and doesn’t work full-time. “Didn’t I pay my dues?” she wanted to know. “I knocked myself out for my daughter. Some gratitude.” I made Emily promise three things: That she wouldn’t threaten to move back to New York, she wouldn’t keep feeling sorry for herself, and she wouldn’t discuss any of this in front of the grandchild. She added a fourth no-no: discussing it in front of her son-in-law. “This one is for me and my daughter alone,” she said. The check arrived. As I slapped down my credit card, I said: “You will get through this. But you won’t get through this if you duck. Make a date to talk to her and give peace a chance.” We parted with a giggle and a long hug. A week later, the phone rang. No hello. No preamble. Just this: “My daughter said she has been a selfish fool, and she won’t do it anymore. I owe you a lot. You’re still one of the smartest kids in the class.” Doubtful. But I guess I’m still fooling some of the people some of the time.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

FROM PAGE 70

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD S A N D A L

E N E R G Y

M O R A L E

O P A C A B T W O V B E A R A B E L S A L

I R A N N D I N A E A M D O M A K L B A G I E E R N A N B G E L S E S

A G O G

M U T E

S E I S M G O E A G N C R E S A R M E A G E D O T E T A R O S

Y A L E L O O S E L Y

T U S S L E S A S P S

O R A T E

T A K E S O T U A T D M P O E N A D C A E Y

E S L S E S M P T R E O N E S C A P E

T E E M E D

Classifieds cont. from page 71. Wanted PULP MAGAZINES WANTED. Paying Cash. The Shadow, Doc Savage, G-8 Westerns, Crime, Horror. Pulp drawings and paintings. Older comic books. Please call Larry, 240-5331445. WE BUY OLD AND NEW COINS, Jewelry, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

Wanted

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, ESTATES - Cash paid for antiques, estates. I’ve been in the antiques business for over 25 years. I live in Silver Spring and work in Bethesda. I’ve been selling on EBAY for over 15 years. I pay the most for your valuable treasures. Buying the following items: furniture, art, silver, gold, old coins, jewelry, wrist watches, military items including, guns, rifles, knives, swords, medals, etc. also buying old toys, dolls, trains, books, tools, musical instruments, old sports items, memorabilia, gold, baseball, fishing, old photos, comic books, etc. Please call TOM at 240-476-3441. Thank you.

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.

OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets or Single Pieces, Furniture, Tools, Cameras, Good Glassware, Art Work Too. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels, Action Figures to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole state. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838. 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 301-332-4697. VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-5966201.

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.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious, capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree], knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate, I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

Wanted WANTED: ANTIQUE ELECTRONICS, engineers’ estates, Hi-Fi Stereo, huge old loudspeakers, ham radios, records, professional quality musical instruments, antique computers, scientific curiosities. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com. STERLING SILVER – I WILL BUY your silver marked sterling, 925, 800 for a fair price to be preserved for the future. Please call Richard, 301-646-0101. COINS WANTED – BOTH UNITED STATES AND FOREIGN. Also paper money, old postcards, militaria, antique cars/antique car items. Lifelong private collector. Cash paid. Kenny, 703-369-0520. A LADY WANTS ANTIQUE DOLLS, doll clothing, Kewpies, paper dolls, Spanish shawls, beaded bags, cameos, gold and silver jewelry. Highest cash. 202-338-5349.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

BOOKS AT THE FARM

The Claude Moore Colonial Farm opens its book store every Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday, Nov. 27th. Browse through books, CDs, DVDs, LPs and tapes. Hardcover books cost between $1 and $2; standard paperbacks cost 5 for $1.The store offers complimentary coffee and free parking. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. All proceeds benefit the local living history museum and

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park. The farm is located at 6310 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Va. For more information, call (703) 4427557 or visit www.1771.org.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle

Puzzle Page

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus g Ages y Sherr p Middle by Stephen 1

32 36

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

OV E R

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Beacon

28 33

The

a s ft! e i ak t g M ea gr

Scrabble answers on p. 69.

Across

Down

1. 18-wheeler 5. Followers of the first zodiac sign 9. Lugs 14. Any minute now 15. Chills and fever 16. Russian range 17. Crossword creator, most likely 18. “Don’t look at me” 19. “... Heaven’s ___” 20. Rainwater management approach 23. Radiant 24. The first 63 Secretaries of State 25. A dangerous liquid, truthfully 26. ___ tags 28. “That was an excellent goal!” 29. Get off the fence 32. Insult from a distance 35. National gemstone of Australia 38. Manufacturer of A.T.M.’s 39. ___ of bricks 40. Backyard barbecue side dish 45. Tea total 46. The final (part of) “frontier” 47. Jan. and Nov. 48. Bumped into 51. The Father of Science Fiction 53. Picket against 55. Plastic beads, usually 58. In ___ (flew off the handle) 59. Care for, excessively 60. He named the animals 61. Carillon components 62. “And some other guys” 63. Item in Dracula’s wardrobe 64. Tax type 65. Optimistic 66. Examined closely

1. It shows toes 2. Liveliness 3. Group attitude 4. Low-budget film, often 5. Went mad 6. With gaped mouth 7. Remote button 8. Shaky accounting 9. Undoes hairdos 10. Describe the state of the union 11. Dates 12. School that teaches the three Rs 13. Sound of a slow leak 21. Nothin’ 22. College of Mr. Burns and Sideshow Bob 27. DNA analyst 30. Golf instructor 31. Digits in a phone number 32. Letters on an ump’s paycheck 33. Coolers, briefly 34. Skosh 35. Mo. with both baseball and football games 36. White part of a “tuxedo cat” 37. Most importantly 41. His ___ (Michael Jordan nickname) 42. Second period 43. Without precision 44. Poisonous snakes 48. Dark day on Broadway, often 49. Much needed vacation 50. Overflowed 52. Birdie beater 54. Serenity 55. Rancho La ___ (land now known as Hollywood, CA) 56. Attend 57. Sorority letters 58. Stomach muscles

Answers on page 69.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

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

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

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate SPIRITUAL, PROGRESSIVE HOUSEHOLD OF WOMEN (39-69) in Takoma Park, MD (at DC edge) seeks two separate compassionate women – with these kindred underlying values – for friendships and mutual supportiveness. Share gingerbread charming house overlooking forest with stream, including open-space kitchen, dining/living room with fireplace opening to deck with 5-person massage-jets hot tub, two porches, yard with gardening privileges, storage, w/d, internet, CA/c and easy parking. Two bedroom suites with private bathrooms plus one kitchen, other deck & walk-in closet. Non-smokers. No pet. $595-895/month + shared utilities (1/3) + deposit. One reducible for bartering & help, and/or option of smaller less expensive room. Begin Nov. 1 or later. Email: thefairygodmom@gmail.com.

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.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY home site, camping, horse, etc. lots near Shenandoah River, 90 miles west of Washington, D.C. Breathtaking views of Skyline Drive and Massanutten mountains. Twoto eight-acre lots five miles north of Luray, VA. Chris Gindhart, 540-742-9804, cgindhart@cavalierfarms.com. Website: www.cavalierfarms.com. Request flyer: Chris Gindhart, 422 Cavalier Rd., Rileyville, VA 22650.

Business & Employment Opportunities

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 preview units & contact you with 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 on page 30. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

AUTHORS! WRITERS! I am an author of 32 books. I’m willing to help you finish and publish your book. Call Donald R. Downing, 301-839-1583.

Caregivers COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVER – LADY COMPANION available for elderly or adult with disabilities. Very reliable, experienced, own car with excellent references. CPR/First Aid/Hospice/Mental Health Aide Certified. I can provide respite care, concierge, plus more services for your loved one. Please call 240-426-3548 and kindly leave me a message. CNA/MED TECH ELDERLY CARE for livein/live-out, taking care of the elderly. 15+ years experience. Own transportation. Excellent references upon request. 240-482-9027, 202-710-3127. LOOKING FOR A LOVING, caring, compassionate, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your elderly loved ones? Have experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and other health problems. Please call, 301-908-9134. CAREGIVER PART-TIME, MON-FRI will do personal care, meals and laundry. DC and PG area only. Good references furnished. Call 301758-5159.

WE’LL BUY YOUR HOME Without the Hassles. Local Company in business since 2003. BBB Accredited. Call 877-948-3232 today for details. No Obligation or Fees. DON’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE LONGER to begin the marvelous new lifestyle you will experience when you make the move to this exciting senior community. Lovely 2BR, 2BA condo at Creekside offers open-floor plan with pretty kitchen cabinets, Corian counters and breakfast bar! Enclosed balcony with view. $269,900. Nancy Einwaechter, Weichert Realtors, 301-4606976. THE GREENS $277,500. 1615 SQ FT! Bring everything! 3BR, 2.5 BA condo. Freshly painted, new carpet, table space kitchen w/ stainless steel appliances, new washer/dryer and new A/C compressor. Balcony and patio. Nancy Einwaechter, Weichert Realtors, 301-460-6976.

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.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Miscellaneous

LEISURE WORLD® - $159,000. 2BR 2FB “H” in “Fairways.” Table space kitchen with big pantry closet and window, separate dining room with window. Huge living room, enclosed balcony, owners’ suite with dressing area. 1220 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

THE SHALOM SIGNATURE CLUB - A Social Program for Active Retirees. Next activity: Hebrew Reading Lessons and Authentic Falafel. No charge. Two 75-minute sessions, Wednesday, October 16 @ 1:00PM and Wednesday, October 23 @ 1:00PM. Location: Wisconsin Place Community Center, Friendship Heights, Chevy Chase, DC. Visit our website for information and to RSVP: www.ShalomSC.org or call 240-2004515.

LEISURE WORLD® - $281,000. 2BR 2FB “D” in Villa Cortese. Table space kitchen, separate kitchen, enclosed balcony, new paint and carpet. Garage space. 1300 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

For Sale

UNHAPPILY MARRIED MAN looking for kindred woman to be soul mates, for mutual enjoyment. Let’s talk. P.O. Box 10456, Silver Spring, MD 20914.

LUGGAGE TRAILER – 4 x 8 with an extra wheel and tire. $375. 703-360-4137.

Personal Services

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.

VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van. Call Mike, 301-565-4051.

Health GREAT NUTRITION IS THE KEY to feeling good and enjoying life. Information on the TV, Internet and Print can be a bit confusing and overwhelming. My name is David Monroe, and I am an independent Herbalife distributer that can help, call 571-213-5122 today. HELP US HELP YOU BECOME PAIN FREE – Give us your opinion on our all Natural, Topical Pain Relief Lotion. Back, Neck, Nerve, Arthritis, Joint & Muscle Pain etc. Call: 240-464-0544. Email: dlcsupplies@gmail.com.

Home/Handyman Services

I WILL CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES NIGHT/DAY. Own transportation. Good references. Lots of experience. 301-502-2258. I AM A NURSING ASSISTANT looking for a job to care for the elderly, full time, day or night. Own car. Excellent references. Call 301-7406645.

EXPERT ROOF REPAIRS and new installations. 40 years experience. 5-year warranties. Rated A on Angie’s List. See our photo gallery at RamboandRamboConstruction.com. MHIC# 8342. Call, 301-220-4222.

LEISURE WORLD® - $98,500. 2BR 1-1/2 BA “Elizabeth” Coop. Window in the kitchen, builtin microwave, enclosed balcony.1308 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

REGISTERED NURSE AVAILABLE for home visits. Under your physician’s orders, will provide multi-faceted skilled nursing services, including O2 saturation monitoring, intravenous therapy, wound care, injections, phlebotomy services. 25 years experience, licensed and insured DC, Maryland, Virginia. Excellent references. Private pay only. Call 703-201-4157.

MICHAELS HAULING Clean-outs, scrap & debris removal yard waste, etc. Mulch, dirt & stone delivery, lite dump truck, 20’ trailer & bobcat. Fully insured. 240-388-1898.

LEISURE WORLD® - $299,900. 2BR 2FB FF in Overlook with Garage + Golf cart space. Table space kitchen open to enclosed balcony with custom shades. Close to elevator. 1320 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

M.E.L’s PAINTING SERVICES. Interior and exterior work. Pressure washing, carpentry, drywall repairs. Free estimates. Call Mike at 703282-2685.

LEISURE WORLD® - $105,000. 2BR 1-1/2 BA “C” model in “The Greens.” New paint and carpet, close to elevator. 952 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

Legal Services

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use. Windows 8, Smartphone/tablet, digital camera. Learn at your own pace with gentle & patient tutor. We also troubleshoot problems & setup new computers. Teaching Seniors since 1996. Senior Discount. Call David, 301-762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR.

LEISURE WORLD® - $295,000. 2BR 2FB “EE” in Overlook. Garage space. Open kitchen, enclosed balcony with golf course view. 1242 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-9283463. LEISURE WORLD® - $284,900. 2BR 2FB “E” in “Villa Cortese.” Table space kitchen, large enclosed balcony, and Garage parking. 1340 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $259,000. 3BR 2-1/2B “M” in the “GREENS.” Great space with enclosed balcony, new paint and carpet and separate storage room in basement. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

Personals

MOBILE HOME FOR SALE. Audubon Estates, 7858 Parrot Place, Alexandria, VA 22306. 2 BR, 2BA – 12 x 60. 30K or best offer. 703-799-7859.

LEISURE WORLD® - $259,000. 3BR 2FB 1HB “M” in Greens. Table space kitchen, separate dining room. Large enclosed balcony. New paint and carpet. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

FINDING IT HARD TO EMBRACE DAILY LIFE because of medical reasons? 20 years experienced GNA, CNA and medication tech. MD Certified day & night. Contact Audrey Yvonne, 202-600-1092.

PARALEGAL EXPERIENCED IN WILLS, trust and estate administration as well as other accounting and administrative paperwork. Will make house calls. 301-565-2917.

Miscellaneous ST. JUDE’S NOVENA. May the sacred heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Pray this Novena to St. Jude nine times daily for nine days and promise publication, and your prayers will be answered. ML

WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. CHERYL’S ORGANIZING CONCEPTS LLC – Professional Organizing Services. Help with all aspects of home organizing. Experienced – References – Member NAPO. All work confidential. Licensed – Bonded. $25 discount on initial appointment. www.CherylsOrganizing.com. 301-916-9022. NEED HOUSE CLEANING? PROFESSIONAL SERVICE at an affordable rate! Weekly, BiWeekly, Monthly or One Time. Call Fulvia for a free estimate, 240-644-4289. NEED HELP ORGANIZING YOUR HOUSE? I transform rooms for clients who call my work a miracle. If you could use my magic, call 240-5047797.

Volunteer Opportunities COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND, a nonprofit organization serving people of all ages in the Washington metropolitan area who are blind and visually impaired, is recruiting adult volunteers to serve as Readers and Friendly Visitors. Participants in the Readers & Friendly Visitors program are adult volunteers who are matched one-on-one with blind or visually impaired adults. Volunteers arrange weekly meetings with clients at their homes to assist with activities, such as reading mail, grocery shopping or running errands. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Jocelyn Hunter at 202-454-6422 or jhunter@clb.org to attend an upcoming orientation.

Wanted WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301279-2158.

Classifieds cont. on p. 69

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