October 2017 | Howard County Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

The Howard County

I N

F O C U S

VOL.7, NO.10

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

5 0 OCTOBER 2017

More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County

‘Camp’ pumps up music lovers

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY STUART ROSENTHAL

By Stuart Rosenthal If you ever took music lessons as a child, you may well recall the traumatic experience of performing for fellow students and their families at annual recitals. You might then consider it a nightmare were you to find yourself attending a weeklong “piano camp,” where you would endure a public critique of your technique before performing on stage at the Peabody School of Music in downtown Baltimore. But for several dozen adults each summer, the Piano at Peabody program is heaven on earth. For a solid week, these men and women live in the Peabody graduate dorms (with or without their spouses), eat in its cafeteria, and attend lectures, private coaching sessions, public master classes and faculty recitals from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m. every day. Those who wish can also secure private lessons with the faculty, play duets with other attendees, and practice to their heart’s content — something some of the attendees cherish as much as any other aspect of the program. The week concludes with two nights of recitals by the attendees, presumably pumped up and well-practiced for their public performances. But it’s not the performing that brings them here. It’s the love of music, and what it does for them. Marie Celano, a first-time participant, is a counselor who works frequently with trauma victims. Her work “can become very heavy.” A resident of Clarksville, Md., Celano said she played piano a little as a child. Now 54, she decided to attend Peabody this year “to have a jump-start back to piano.” So far, so good. Though she was intimidated the first day, by mid-week she’s “soaking it all up, hoping it will give me something beautiful to focus on, and will be therapeutic.” She also loves the people. “Everyone’s been so generous and gracious,” despite her being a newbie. Amitabh Basu, 34, another first-timer and the youngest attendee this year, hails from India, where the music is “very different.” While his wife, also from India, finds the Western classical music he plays “a little jarring,” she still wants him to practice daily. “She says I become very calm and peaceful each day I play the piano. Every day I

FREE

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

Exploring Beijing and some of its many attractions; plus, where and how to enjoy fall foliage page 30

Marie Celano, of Clarksville, was a newcomer to the Piano at Peabody program this summer. The intensive one-week “piano camp” for adults brings together experienced and beginning pianists for a full slate of daily music lectures, master classes, classical and jazz recitals and performances. But most of all, it forges a community spirit among the participants, some of whom have been attending for more than two decades.

ARTS & STYLE

High-energy musical Dreamgirls sparkles and shines at Toby’s page 34

don’t, I’m a little more agitated. She wants me to play even more!” Basu teaches applied mathematics and statistics at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, and his wife is a Ph.D. student in the medical school there. Though he says he’s “very nervous” to play in public, you wouldn’t have known it from the powerful performance he gave of the first movement of a difficult Beethoven sonata at one day’s master class.

Began at a real camp What is now known as Piano at Peabody actually started out about 25 years ago as a summer music camp in Maine called Encore Coda. Diane Moskowitz of Timonium, Md., who attended it for several years, remembers the camp fondly.

“You could hear music in the woods all the time,” she said, as there were practice pianos in all the cabins where people stayed. It wasn’t so good for the pianos, which suffered from the weather, but it made for an ethereal experience. Now 84, Moskowitz enjoys giving recitals to her fellow condo residents at Mays Chapel North, even as she continues to take regular piano lessons. Why the lessons? “Because I want to play better. There’s music that I want to play that I need help with,” she said. Combining her years in Maine with the 18 years Peabody has been home to the program, Moskowitz is enjoying her 24th year at what she still calls “piano camp.” Several other current participants are See PEABODY, page 36

TECHNOLOGY k Sleep gadgets

FITNESS & HEALTH 7 k Help for really hard of hearing k Weight training fights fat THE 50+ CONNECTION 17 k Newsletter from Howard County Office on Aging and Independence LAW & MONEY 25 k Avoid car repair rip-offs k Beware post-hurricane scams ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

An exciting challenge A reader approached me a few months Marguerite Hazen, the woman who ago, to tell me the following story. Her moth- inspired it. We see this celebration as er, who died not long ago at the a year-long project. We want age of 100, had taken up a seto see as many of our readers ries of new activities in her 90s: as possible — whether you first painting, then sculpting, read the Baltimore Beacon, then photography and poetry. the Howard County Beacon or With each new creative enthe Greater Washington Beadeavor, she discovered abilities con — try their hand in the she had never known she poscoming year at one or more sessed. As a result, the last of these arts: decade of her life was one in — Painting: of any type which she blossomed and on any medium came to see herself as an artist. FROM THE — Sculpture & 3-D: inThe reader came to me PUBLISHER By Stuart P. Rosenthal cluding work in wood, stone with the understanding that or metal, fired clay/pottery, this story wasn’t just one person’s unusual feat. Rather, she believed fiber art, found object art and the like — Photography: including images of deeply that this turning to art for self-expression was something almost any older people, places or objects, as well as abstract and other images manipulated by adult could — and should — try. She then threw down the gauntlet, say- digital means — Poetry ing she thought the Beacon would be the After giving you a few months to learn right medium to share this message more broadly. She had even come up with an about these arts and develop your skills in idea for us to adopt: an arts competition for them, we will then solicit your best new works for a regional competition to be older adults in our readership area. It took me maybe 30 seconds to realize judged by professional artists. Winners will receive awards, cash this was a great idea. So I am happy to hereby announce prizes, and have their work exhibited. In “The Beacon Celebration of the Arts,” addition, photos of all artists and their which we are presenting in memory of works will be published in a special Cele-

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ......Rodney Harris, ........................................................................Steve Levin • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 39 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

gun a bit. We are still ironing out some details and developing the rules for the competition. And we are only beginning to solicit partners and sponsors for this rather hefty year-long undertaking. So, there will be more to tell you as time goes on. But I wanted to share the news and whet your appetites for what I believe will be a very exciting and invigorating project. In the meantime, I encourage you to experiment with a new craft: Take a painting or sculpture class at a local recreation center. Take a new look at the world through the camera on your phone. Or simply pick up a pen and shape what you’re thinking about, or have recently experienced, into a poem. In short, let yourself blossom in your own unique way. For more information about our Celebration of the Arts, read upcoming issues of the Beacon, email us at arts@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or call us at (301) 9499766. Potential partners and sponsors are also encouraged to contact us to learn how you can participate. We look forward to hearing from you!

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

5 0

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington DC and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below.

Submissions:

bration of the Arts section to be printed in every Beacon next fall. While many of you may already be quite proficient in one or more of these fields, and a number may even be professional artists, we particularly want to encourage amateurs to take a local or online class in their chosen area(s) and explore the possibilities. We will be promoting this project through partnerships with area museums, art schools, recreation departments, retirement communities, galleries and more, as well as through monthly articles and ads in the Beacon. We are especially pleased to announce a partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA), which will be providing us access to their excellent website for soliciting entries in the competition phase. While there is a modest fee of $10 for an entry, entering will entitle you to a oneyear membership in MFA (new members only; value: $70), and enable you to set up your own “gallery” online — a kind of mini-website, where you can share your artwork and poetry with friends. Entries will also be archived on the site, and will be visible to the general public once the winners are announced. In my eagerness to share this exciting news with you, I have probably jumped the

Dear Editor: Heartfelt thanks for the tickets to Toby’s for the amazing production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The show and the food were both outstanding. The upper tier table for six was a challenge to get in and out, and to see the stage. Life is never perfect, but the show and food made up for everything. My husband and I faithfully read your exceptional publication. We love all the articles and learn a great deal from each issue. We try to mention the Beacon to advertisers whenever possible. You fight the good fight. Keep it up. Peggy Wixted Catonsville, Md. Dear Editor: Have enjoyed the Beacon since moving this area in 2013 — just wish it was twice a month. Normal routine is to “skim” to decide which articles of interest, and then on the crossword. Why not two each issue? One of the big stories that show up [on the news] once or twice a year are hundreds of millions [paid out] in lotteries. Notice you have several law firms as advertisers. How about an article about what you should do from a legal standpoint to

protect your sudden wealth? Doubt if I’ll ever be a big winner, but it’s an interesting “what if?” Keep up the good work, and I’ll keep reading. John Morton Glen Burnie, Md. Dear Editor: Your column “Can you relate?” in the August Beacon was so thoughtful and touching! As a retired person on a fixed income, I cannot give as much — or to as many causes — as I want to. But I try to pick out particular causes close to my heart — international needs and animal rescue. I also try to do things needed in my community. I envy folks like Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet who have supported world causes with huge amounts of money. They are wonderful examples! But if millions of us give even a little, it would be very helpful. As you stated — we must “do what we can, on any scale, to make the world a better place. The opportunities for doing good are almost endless.” Thank you so much! Dee Ruppenthal Glyndon, Md.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

FEEL EXCEPTIONAL EVERY DAY DISCOV ER HOWARD COUNTY’S HOME FOR SENIOR HEALTH & WELLNESS

DID YOU KNOW? At Five Star Senior Living, many of our Health & Wellness programs are open to our neighbors. We believe the stronger you feel, the younger you are. HEARTLANDS AT ELLICOTT CITY:

SOMERFORD PLACE COLUMBI A:

Five Point Fitness personal training and group classes

Five Star Rehab & Wellness for post-surgery and injury care for those with memory impairments

Five Star Rehab & Wellness for post-surgery and injury care

CALL OUR COMMUNITIES

TRY A FREE CLASS

HEARTLANDS AT ELLICOTT CITY 3004 North Ridge Road • Ellicott City, MD 21043 • 410-461-9494 Independent Living • Assisted Living • Respite Care • On-site Rehabilitation SOMERFORD PLACE COLUMBIA 8220 Snowden River Parkway • Columbia, MD 21045 • 410-313-9744 Assisted Living • Memory Care • On-site Rehabilitation www.FiveStarSeniorLiving.com ©2017 Five Star Senior Living

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

Technology &

Innovations Sleep gadgets promise better night’s rest By Anne D’Innocenzio Pillows that track your snoozing patterns? A bed that adjusts based on how much you twist and turn? Companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night’s sleep. Some specialized businesses are making gadgets that promise to measure and improve the quality of slumber, while mass-market retailers like Best Buy are offering simpler ideas — like the effect different lighting can have on falling sleep. But with ever-growing options, people may find items are getting more sophisticated, but may not yet be proven. The interest in sleep has intensified. The

number of sleep centers accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine nearly tripled from 2000 to 2015, the group said. People are more likely to brag about how much they spent for a mattress than on their clothes, according to Marian Salzman, CEO of Havas PR North America. “Sleep is the new status symbol,’’ she said.

Smart beds and pillows It’s a big business. One of the more expensive products is Sleep Number’s 360 Smart Bed, which runs from $3,449 to $4,999. It makes adjustments based on how restless people are while they’re sleeping. The Zeeq pillow, which sells for $299 and is from bedding brand REM-Fit, monitors

snoring, and can gently vibrate to nudge someone into a different sleep position. “I’m willing to spend more on sleep technology because it will hopefully help me fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer, and be more rested when I wake up,’’ said Frank Ribitch, a self-described gadget junkie from Martinez, Calif., who tracks his sleep with apps connected to a Sleep Number bed and the Zeeq pillow. Insufficient sleep is a public health concern, federal officials say, with more than one-third of American adults not getting enough on a regular basis. That can contribute to problems like obesity and diabetes. And a study published by the Rand Corp. put the financial loss to U.S. compa-

nies at up to $411 billion a year. Finding solutions could be a lucrative enterprise. Earlier this year Apple Inc. bought Finland-based Beddit, which was making an app and sleep monitoring device that’s placed under the sheet on top of the mattress. The $150 sensor begins tracking when a person lies down, and analyzes data such as the portion of time someone is in bed asleep before waking up. It also monitors heart rate, temperature, movement — and even snoring. “Previously, it was about the sleeping pill, and people didn’t want to talk about sleep apnea,’’ Lasse Leppäkorpi, coSee SLEEP GADGETS, page 6

1.25% APY ON YOUR MONEY 1

12-MONTH CD

$10,000 MINIMUM BALANCE1

INTEREST EARNED ON A 12-MONTH CD2 AT CURRENT ADVERTISED RATES3

INTEREST EARNED ON A 12-MONTH CD2

1,500

$1,250

$900

capital bank

750

$350 $200

TD BANK

SUNTRUST

SANDY SPRING

CAN YOUR BANK

COMPETE WITH THIS?

CALCULATED ON $100,000 BALANCES, MINIMUM BALANCES VARY

CALL 443-221-6866 OR VISIT THE COLUMBIA BRANCH NEAR YOU 6711 COLUMBIA GATEWAY DR., SUITE 170, COLUMBIA MD 21046 1. BASED ON THE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE YIELD (APY) OF 1.25% AND CALCULATED ON A $100,000 BALANCE. MINIMUM BALANCE OF $10,000 IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN THE APY. A PENALTY MAY BE IMPOSED FOR EARLY WITHDRAWALS. FEES MAY REDUCE EARNINGS. INTEREST RATES LISTED AS OF 9/12/2017 AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTIFICATION. THE RATE IS APPLICABLE TO NEW MONEY ONLY. MAXIMUM ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL BALANCE CANNOT EXCEED $249,000.00 2. CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT. 3. INTEREST EARNED CALCULATED ON A 12-MONTH CD WITH A $100,000 BALANCE AND PAID AT MATURITY. RATES TAKEN ON 9/12/2017 FROM THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES. SOURE: TD BANK, N.A. HTTPS://WWW.TDBANK.COM/PERSONAL/CDS.HTML; SUNTRUST, HTTPS://WWW.SUNTRUST.COM/RATES/PRODUCTS/CDRATES?ICID=CDRATES_NONCHECKINGDEPOSIT_CDIR_LEFTNAVP_NA_L3_556_557.DEFAULT; SANDY SPRING BANK, HTTPS://WWW.SANDYSPRINGBANK.COM/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/PDFS/SSBDEPOSITRATES1.PDF. RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTIFICATION.

Get fit with BeFit

Oct. 7

PERSONAL COMPUTER OVERVIEW

I N F O R M AT I O N F R E E ★ I N F O R M AT I O N F R E E ★ I N F O R M AT I O N F R E E

Email_________________________________________________________________

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or fax to (410) 248-9102.

I N F O R M AT I O N ★

FR EE I N FOR MATION ★ FR EE I N FOR MATION ★ FR EE I N FOR MATION ★

HelpYourHearing.com

Please provide your e-mail address if you would like to receive monthly links to the Beacon online and occasional notices of events and programs of interest.

1017HC

Plus six other convenient locations in Annapolis, Severna Park, Easton, Kent Island, Salisbury, and Ocean Pines

Phone (day)________________________(evening)________________________

F R E E

Columbia • 8885 Centre Park Dr, Ste A

Please call ahead to ensure the office isn’t closed for training

City______________________________________State______Zip________________

★

443.832.4562

Address________________________________________________________________

I N F O R M AT I O N

Dr. Tyler Raup, Au.D. • Mariya Hutto, Hearing Aid Dispenser

Name_________________________________________________________________

F R E E

Come by during walk-in hours to have your devices cleaned and checked! The first cleaning is free and we work with all manufacturers.

❏ Alta at Regency Crest (see ad on page 8) ❏ Bayleigh Chase/Integrace (see ad on page 32) ❏ Brooke Grove (see ads on pages 16 & 40) ❏ Buckingham’s Choice/Integrace (see ad on page 32) ❏ Charlestown/Erickson Living (see ad on page 13) ❏ Fairhaven/Integrace (see ad on page 32) ❏ Heartlands Senior Living (see ad on page 3) ❏ Homecrest House (see ad on page 10) ❏ Ivy Manor Normandy (see ad on page 25) ❏ Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant (see ad on page 29) ❏ Olney Assisted Living (see ad on page 12) ❏ Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 33) ❏ Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 33) ❏ Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 33) ❏ Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 33) ❏ Somerford Place (see ad on page 3) ❏ Vantage House (see ad on page 11)

★

Accepting new patients.

Housing Communities

I N F O R M AT I O N

Free Clean and Check of ANY Brand of Hearing Aids

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

F R E E

Tuesdays 10–11:30am Thursdays 1:30–3pm

FREE INFORMATION

★

JOIN US FOR OUR NEW WALK-IN HOURS!

See LINKS & APPS, page 6

★ FR EE I N FOR MATION ★ FR EE I N FOR MATION ★ FR EE I N FOR MATION ★

★

A course for new personal computer users, including software applications, word processing and basic Windows concepts, will be offered at Howard Community College on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hickory Ridge Building, 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. The class costs $109, including $90 in fees, which are waived for persons age 65 and over. For further information and to register, call (443) 518-1700.

In this digital age, while some of the rare music on old 78 rpm records has been

I N F O R M AT I O N

BEACON BITS

Listening in on the past

F R E E

In addition to cute cat videos and cooking demonstrations, YouTube offers hundreds of fitness videos on its BeFit channel, which you can watch any time at no cost. Pick from basics like strength training, ab routines, Pilates, beach body or barre workouts. Or try something new like belly dance cardio, surfer girl workout, Krav Maga defense, ballet, or channel your inner aerialist at Cirque School. There are options for working out if you only have 10 or 15 minutes, as well as

Patients with serious or immediately lifethreatening diseases or conditions that currently have no treatments can gain access to information on potentially life-saving investigational drugs through a new online tool called the Expanded Access Navigator. The development of the Navigator was a team effort led by the nonprofit ReaganUdall Foundation for the FDA, in collaboration with patient advocacy groups, the pharmaceutical industry, FDA, and others in the federal government. Expanded Access permits the product’s manufacturer, with the authorization of FDA,

remastered onto LPs or CDs, there is still a large percentage that the general public has no way of hearing. This is exactly what The Great 78 Project aims to rectify. The community project attempts to preserve the records as well as to digitalize and collect recordings of underrepresented musicians and genres so that they can be electronically accessed and researched without harm to the originals. Visitors to the site can listen to more than 25,000 records that have been digitized, including ones by luminaries such as Lena Horn and Judy Garland, as well as lesser known musicians, such as Butterball Brown and his Orchestra. http://great78.archive.org/

✃

Expanding access to treatments

Links

to provide an investigational drug for a patient, even though the drug is still in development or under review for FDA approval. The patient side of the site explains the process to obtain drugs under Expanded Access, as well as how clinical trials work. The area for physicians goes into more detail about how they can obtain permission to try investigational drugs and the contacts they need. This part can be helpful for patients to show their doctors and understand the process. http://navigator.reaganudall.org/

I N F O R M AT I O N

By Alexis Bentz

longer workout sessions of up to an hour. The channel includes big name trainers like Denise Austin, Jillian Michaels and yoga guru Kino MacGregor. www.youtube.com/user/BeFit/videos

F R E E

Beacon Links & Apps

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

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

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Sleep gadgets From page 4 founder and now former CEO of Beddit, said before Apple bought the company. “Snoring is embarrassing. But this has been an untapped opportunity.’’ Apple, whose own Apple Watch tracks activity and offers sleep-tracking experiences through third-party apps, declined to talk about the future of Beddit. Leppäkorpi noted before the acquisition that Beddit had been working with sleep labs like the MIT Lab, which used the devices to collect data on patients. At the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, neurologist and medical director Clete A.

Links & Apps From page 5

Apps Preserve each day Invented by University of Mar yland junior Benjamin Taragin, Line A Day is a journal-like app that allows users to write the highlights of their days, and jot down their experiences, memories, and feel-

Kushida tests new therapies and medications. Over the past two years, the analysis has expanded to wearable devices. The scientists assess how well the devices match the center’s own overnight sleep studies, which use measures such as heart rate and brain wave activity to determine the length and the stages of sleep. Kushida’s conclusion? “Consumer wearable devices are not there in accurately detecting the stages of sleep,’’ he said. The problem: They focus on motion, which can be deceptive, since a person could be lying in bed awake. In fact, San Francisco-based startup Hello, the maker of a product aimed at tracking sleep via a clip attached to a per-

ings. Line A Day gives users the opportunity to look back to see what their recorded memory, thought or feeling was on any given day. Users can set a daily reminder to prompt them to write their line of the day. All entries are linked to the cloud, so they can’t be lost. With the group feature, users can view other user’s entries, while they can see what you are up to. While the basic app is free, a premium version costs $1.99, which removes ads and the character limit, while allowing users to add three photos each day, as well as audio. Line A Day, free in the Apple App store

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

son’s bedsheet, recently announced it was shutting down amid reports the device didn’t correctly track sleep patterns. Still, Kushida believes that consumer products are getting better and will be able to accurately monitor and solve sleep issues in the next five to 10 years.

Sensory sleep products Separate from gadgets, some stores are highlighting sounds and smells they say can help people sleep better. Longtime insomniac favorite HSN Inc. offers a $299 Nightingale Sleep System that masks indoor and outdoor noises. Best Buy has a Philips Lighting’s system that works with devices like Nest and

Get a notary, stat There’s no need to head out to the bank or search for a notary in the neighborhood. The Notarize app connects you with licensed notary agents who can confirm your identity, witness your signature via live video, and apply an electronic seal. Then

Amazon Alexa to let people choose the colors and brightness of lights, and program them to turn off at certain times or respond to the sun. And a company called Sensorwake is launching a product in the U.S. that releases smells like fresh linen that it says can help you sleep better. If nothing worked and you’ve had a fitful night, you can at least be woken up more gently. The same company makes a $99 olfactory alarm clock, with scent options that include a strong espresso. But if you let it go for three minutes without shutting it off or hitting snooze, it’ll start making noise — good if you have a stuffy nose. — AP

they’ll send the notarized document to your computer, where you can print it out. This convenience comes at a cost: $25, versus $10 or less to get something notarized in person. In addition, some documents, including wills, are excluded. Notarize, free in the Apple App store

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

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health Fitness &

NOT JUST SKIN DEEP Your skin can reveal health issues, from heart disease to asthma SPICE UP YOUR HEALTH Add yellow-orange turmeric to recipes for a wealth of health benefits STRONGER, LEANER Strength training boosts your metabolism rate and decreases belly fat SPIN CONTROL How to get back in balance when vertigo makes you dizzy

Hospitals can treat pain without opioids By Lauran Neergaard A car crash shattered Stuart Anders’ thigh, leaving pieces of bone sticking through his skin. Yet Anders begged emergency room doctors not to give him powerful opioid painkillers. He’d been addicted once before and panicked at the thought of relapsing. “I can’t lose what I worked for,” he said. The nation’s opioid crisis is forcing hospitals to begin rolling out non-addictive alternatives to treatments that have long been the mainstay for the severe pain of trauma and surgery, so they don’t save patients’ lives or limbs only to have them fall under the grip of addiction.

Nerve block instead of pills Anders, 53, from Essex, Md., was lucky to land in a Baltimore emergency room offering an option that dramatically cut his need for opioids: An ultrasound-guided nerve block bathed a key nerve in local anesthetic, keeping his upper leg numb for several days.

“It has really changed the dynamics of how we care for these patients,” said trauma anesthesiologist Dr. Ron Samet, who treated Anders. An estimated 2 million people in the U.S. are addicted to prescription opioids, and an average of 91 Americans die every day from an overdose of those painkillers or their illicit cousin, heroin. This grim spiral often starts in the hospital. A Harvard study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February raised the troubling prospect that for every 48 patients newly prescribed an opioid in the emergency room, one will use the pills for at least six months over the next year. And the longer they’re used, the higher the risk for becoming dependent. Doctors and hospitals around the country are searching for ways to relieve extreme pain while at the same time sharply limiting what was long considered their most effective tool. It’s a critical part of the effort to overcome the worst addiction crisis in U.S.

history but, as Anders’ experience shows, their options are neither simple nor perfect. Anders’ excruciating injury eventually did require a low opioid dose when the nerve block wore off but, Samet said, far less than normal. “Provide them with good pain relief initially, for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, and the pain that comes back after that isn’t necessarily as hard and as strong,” said Samet, an assistant anesthesiology professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Faster recovery And some doctors are discovering an added benefit of cutting back or even eliminating opioids. At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a program called “enhanced recovery after surgery” is getting some patients home two to four days faster following major abdominal operations, using non-opioid painkillers that are gentler on the digestive tract.

“Our patients are very afraid of pain, especially the patients with a history of opioid addiction,” said Dr. Jennifer HolderMurray, a UPMC colorectal surgeon who helped start the program. “When they come back to me and tell me they didn’t even fill their opioid prescription, that’s a remarkable experience.” In trauma centers and surgery suites, there are no one-size-fits-all replacements for prescription opioids — narcotic painkillers that range from intravenous morphine and Dilaudid, to pills including Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin. These so rapidly dull severe pain that they’ve become a default in hospital care, to the point where it’s not uncommon for patients to have an opioid dripping through an IV before they wake from surgery, whether they’ll really need it or not. Now, amid surging deaths from drug overdoses, some hospitals and emergency See OPIOIDS, page 8

Aggressive treatment of sepsis saves lives By Lauran Neergaard Minutes matter when it comes to treating sepsis — the killer condition that most Americans probably have never heard of. And new research shows it’s time they learn. Sepsis is the body’s out-of-control reaction to an infection. By the time patients realize they’re in trouble, their organs could be shutting down. New York became the first state to require that hospitals follow aggressive steps when they suspect sepsis is brewing. Researchers examined patients treated there in the past two years and reported recently that faster care really is better. Every additional hour it takes to give antibiotics and perform other key steps increases the odds of death by 4 percent, according to the study reported at an American Thoracic Society meeting and in the New England Journal of Medicine. That’s not just news for doctors or for other states considering similar rules. Patients also have to reach the hospital in time. “Know when to ask for help,” said Dr. Christopher Seymour, a critical care specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who led the study. “If

they’re not aware of sepsis or know they need help, we can’t save lives.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year began a major campaign to teach people that while sepsis starts with vague symptoms, it’s a medical emergency. To make sure the doctor doesn’t overlook the possibility, “Ask, ‘Could this be sepsis?’” advised the CDC’s Dr. Lauren Epstein.

worrisome signs can include shivering, a fever or feeling very cold; clammy or sweaty skin; confusion or disorientation; a rapid heartbeat or pulse; confusion or disorientation; shortness of breath; or simply extreme pain or discomfort. If you think you have an infection that’s getting worse, seek care immediately, Epstein said.

Recommended care More than an infection Once misleadingly called blood poisoning or a bloodstream infection, sepsis occurs when the body goes into overdrive while fighting an infection, injuring its own tissue. The cascade of inflammation and other damage can lead to shock, amputations, organ failure or death. Sepsis strikes more than 1.5 million people in the United States a year and kills more than 250,000. Even a minor infection can be the trigger. A recent CDC study found nearly 80 percent of sepsis cases began outside of the hospital — not in patients already hospitalized because they were super-sick or recovering from surgery. In addition to symptoms of infection,

Doctors have long known that rapidly treating sepsis is important. But there’s been debate over how fast. New York mandated in 2013 that hospitals follow “protocols,” or checklists, of certain steps within three hours — including performing a blood test for infection, checking blood levels of a sepsis marker called lactate, and beginning antibiotics. Do the steps make a difference? Seymour’s team examined records of nearly 50,000 patients treated at New York hospitals over two years. About 8 in 10 hospitals met the three-hour deadline; some got them done in about an hour. Having those three main steps performed faster was better — a finding that families could use in asking what care a

loved one is receiving for suspected sepsis.

Who’s at risk? Sepsis is most common among people 65 and older, babies, and people with chronic health problems. But even healthy people can get sepsis, even from minor infections. New York’s rules, known as “Rory’s Regulations,” were enacted after the death of a healthy 12-yearold, Rory Staunton, whose sepsis stemmed from an infected scrape and was initially dismissed by one hospital as a virus.

What’s next? Illinois last year enacted a similar sepsis mandate. Hospitals in other states, including Ohio and Wisconsin, have formed sepsis care collaborations. Nationally, hospitals are supposed to report to Medicare certain sepsis care steps. In New York, Rory’s parents set up a foundation to push for standard sepsis care in all states. “Every family or loved one who goes into a hospital, no matter what state, needs to know it’s not the luck of the draw” whether they’ll receive evidence-based care, said Rory’s father, Ciaran Staunton. — AP

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Opioids From page 7 rooms are rethinking their own dependence on the painkillers, taking steps to make them a last resort rather than a starting reflex.

Crafting non-opioid cocktails The new approach: Mixing a variety of different medications, along with techniques like nerve blocks, spinal anesthesia and numbing lidocaine, to attack pain from multiple directions, rather than depending solely on opioids to dampen brain signals that scream “ouch.” It’s known by the

wonky name “multimodal analgesia.” Consider colorectal surgery, so painful that standard practice is to administer IV opioids in the operating room and switch to a patient-activated morphine pump right afterward. The University of Pittsburgh program ended that opioid-first mentality. Instead, doctors choose from a wide mix of options including IV acetaminophen and prescription-strength anti-inflammatory painkillers known as NSAIDs, anti-seizure medications such as gabapentin that calm nerve pain, muscle-relaxing drugs, and others. Without the opioid side effects of nau-

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

sea, vomiting and constipation, patients may find it easier to start eating solid food and walking around hours after surgery. Some do still need a low opioid dose, Holder-Murray cautioned, but few require a morphine pump. And for those who go home earlier, the approach can save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. “It’s not just changing a medication or two. It’s a whole culture change,” she said. At MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, anesthesiologist Dr. Joseph Myers is adding to his non-opioid cocktail a long-acting version of the numbing agent bupivacaine that’s squirted into wounds before they’re stitched closed. Called Exparel, it’s controversial because it costs more than standard painkillers. But Myers said it lasts so many hours longer that he recently used it for a cancer patient who had both breasts removed, without resorting to opioids. Hours after surgery, she was “eating crackers and drinking ginger ale, and she said she’s fine,” he recalled. At Stanford University, pain psychologist Beth Darnall said it’s not just about using different medications. Patients who are overly anxious about surgical pain wind up feeling worse, so doctors also need to address psychological factors if they’re to succeed in cutting the opioids.

ing up in the University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center and telling doctors and nurses, “I am a recovering addict.” Years earlier, another car crash had led him to a pain clinic that prescribed Percocet “just like candy,” Anders said. Before getting addiction treatment, he said, “I came close to losing my job, losing my wife.” Samet, the anesthesiologist, estimates that Anders’ nerve block cut by tenfold the amount of opioids he’d otherwise have received for his latest injury. Samet wheeled over a portable ultrasound machine, placed a probe over Anders’ pelvis and searched the black-andwhite screen for the dots that mark key nerves. He threaded a tiny tube directly to Anders’ femoral nerve, allowing for repeated infusions of a non-addictive numbing medication for three days. “It’s like a godsend. If you can have something like this, why would you want to take anything else?” Anders said a day after surgeons implanted a rod in his femur to fix the break. “I can wiggle my toes, I can move my foot, there’s feeling right above the ankle,” but in that damaged thigh, “I can’t feel anything.” Patients need to ask about these kinds of alternatives, Samet said, but they’re not available at all hospitals. Nerve blocks are becoming more common for elective bone surgery

How nerve block works In Baltimore, Anders remembers wak-

See OPIOIDS, page 9

FINALLY – Straight Talk About Sciatica Are you suffering from back pain or sciatica? Then it’s likely your biggest problem is pain. But there’s another major problem: bad information. To end sciatica misery you must have the right information. Pay close attention because I’m going to destroy sciatica myths and give you the facts. MYTH: Sciatica will just “go away” with some rest. FACT: If you are dealing with back pain, buttock pain or leg pain, then you must seek help from a sciatica specialist immediately. Left untreated, sciatica can lead to permanent nerve damage - and lifelong pain. MYTH: Pain is the only problem associated with sciatica. FACT: In severe cases, sciatica can lead to the inability to control your bowels or bladder. MYTH: You must take pain medications to deal with sciatica. FACT: Drugs like muscle relaxants, pain killers, narcotics, antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications have serious potential side-effects and do not cure the root cause of sciatica. MYTH: “I must have done something wrong to get sciatica.” FACT: Physical work or simply sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to sciatica. Accidents and trauma can also be the culprits. Pregnancy can cause sciatica. Sciatica can affect anyone - including superfit celebrities like Tiger Woods, and Sylvester Stallone. MYTH: Stop exercising and get several weeks of bed rest to overcome sciatica. FACT: Staying active can help to relieve sciatic pain and prevent the pain from getting worse. Staying inactive in bed could be the worst advice - based on a recent study in the Netherlands.

MYTH: Sciatica requires surgery. FACT: NO! There’s been a huge breakthrough in the treatment of sciatica and lower back pain. It’s a new procedure called Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care. The excellent results from this treatment have been published in major medical journals. Success rates are up to 90%. MYTH: “There’s nothing anyone can really do. I’m just stuck with this for the rest of my life.” FACT: With the correct treatment from a healthcare professional who specialize in sciatica, you can find relief from the core cause - and the symptoms. MYTH: Getting sciatica properly diagnosed is expensive. FACT: Not true. Dr. Steve Silverston of World Class Chiropractic in Ellicott City, MD is currently offering an initial consultation and comprehensive examination for Just $49, this includes all tests and x-rays if necessary. Dr. Steve Silverston – In Ellicott City, MD has helped over the past 25 years thousands of patients find relief from agonizing back pain and sciatica. He uses Non-Surgical Re-Constructive Spinal Care. This procedure does not require a hospital stay, drugs or anything invasive. The focus is on finding - and correcting - the original cause of the back pain and sciatica. According to Dr. Silverston, “We use a combination of gentle, non-invasive, proven techniques, for precisely diagnosing and correcting the cause of your low back pain and sciatica. This means superior long-term results for most people.” Almost Immediate Relief from Pain! Because the treatment is non-surgical, safe, and easy, most patients report an almost immediate relief from their back pain. Patient Brad H. from Eldersburg, MD wrote, “For several years I saw numerous

doctors including chiropractors in an attempt to resolve unrelenting low back pain and sciatica from a serious motor vehicle injury. Nobody could help me resolve it and my work and life were suffering. Dr. Silverston was able to quickly identify my problem and within one week of beginning care, for the first time in years, I’m virtually pain free! Now, many years later, I am still better.” Take the Next Step - END the Suffering... Initial Consultation and Comprehensive Examination for Just $49. This includes all tests and x-rays if necessary. The first step is a thorough sciatic examination with Dr. Silverston. Call 410-461-3435 to schedule your appointment. Mention this article (CODE: 49TB01017) and Dr. Steve Silverston will happily reduce his usual consultation fee to just $49! Only 50 reader consultations are available at this exclusively discounted rate.

Call them now at 410-461-3435 (mention code: 49TB01017) and get a full and thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your problem for just $49. The normal cost of such an exam is $345 so you will save $296! Call them now at 410-461-3435 and cut out or tear off this valuable article and take it to your appointment. You’ll be on your way to safe, lasting relief! You can even call on the weekend and leave a message on their answering machine to secure your spot and they promise to return all calls. During the week staff can be very busy helping patients so if they don’t pick up straight away, do leave a message. Call 410-461-3435 NOW. If it’s the weekend or they’re away from the phone the staff at World Class Chiropractic promise they will get back to you. So call now at 410-461-3435 and quote this special discount code: 49TB01017.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Your skin reveals the state of your health Your skin reveals a secret about your scription anticoagulants taken to prevent a health. It will expose you, even if you say stroke or heart attack. you’re feeling “okay” to everyIf you are alcohol- or nicoone. tine-dependent, you will look I’m not referring to a tan. older than you should, and I’m referring to skin tone, texhave saggy skin because these ture and color. lifestyle factors attack your colIf you are pale, you may be lagen and elastin. Drinking anemic and deficient in and smoking age you inside iron. It shows up on your skin and out. even if you mask the accomSun worshippers and smokpanying fatigue with NoDoz ers often have age spots and an or coffee. uneven skin tone, which is DEAR Pale skin that is also dry from the ultraviolet light. But PHARMACIST may be a clue to your hythis oxidation isn’t only happenBy Suzy Cohen pothyroidism, which also ing on your skin surface, it’s causes fatigue and hair loss. also happening to every single Healthy folks have a good supply of organ of your body, including your brain, blood flow and oxygen throughout their heart, blood vessels and reproductive orbody, so their skin appears rosy and pink, gans. as opposed to people with heart disease, People who suddenly take on a yellow high cholesterol or circulatory disorder. People with cancer sometimes have grey or blue-tinged skin or lips, due to the lack of oxygenated blood. Asthma requires the use of steroids (i.e., prednisone) which can cause easy bruising. This problem also occurs from aspirin, ginkgo and fish oil, as well as pre-

Opioids From page 8 than in fast-paced trauma care, for example.

Pain pill refills a concern What Samet calls a lingering weak link: Even if patients go home with only a small supply of an opioid for lingering post-surgical pain, too often they get a refill from another doctor who assumes that prescription must be OK if a hospital chose it. Not Anders. Sent home with some lowdose oxycodone, he carefully disposed of the last 20 pills. “I didn’t want them,” he said, “and I didn’t want nobody else getting their hands on them.” — AP

BEACON BITS

Sept. 23

HELP END ALZHEIMER’S

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The Howard County walk is looking for volunteers to help out on the day of the event, Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Various jobs are available; to find out more or to register, contact Kisha James at (410) 561-9099 or at kjames@alz.org.

tone may have liver compromise from a drug they’re taking, or from alcohol use. If severe, it’s called jaundice and requires medical attention. Perhaps you think beauty is only skin deep, but as I’ve shown you, it clearly isn’t. It is a reflection of your body’s general physical health. Radiant youthful-looking skin, hair and nails is actually an inside job.

Consider these supplements Reducing your exposure to free radicals can help you obtain gorgeous skin. But of course, you also need to make sure that you eat right and drink enough water to nourish your body. You’ll also want to minimize the amount of synthetic chemicals (including prescription drugs) that you take. There are a only a handful of supplements that I recommend to help with cell

protection, collagen formation and general good health. Among the best we have are biotin, collagen (but only high quality), silica, hyaluronic acid and/or lipoic acid. What you’re going for is a healthy glow to your skin, which — at the end of day — translates to a healthy body. I have a more comprehensive version of this article available at my website. To receive it, sign up for my free newsletter at suzycohen.com and I will email it to you. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

What’s behind all the talk about turmeric? By Judith Thalheimer, R.D. The turmeric plant (Curcuma longa or Curcuma domestica) is a relative of ginger grown in India and Indonesia. This yelloworange spice not only gives curries their rich color, it also has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years. Research on some of the chemical com-

pounds in turmeric is finding a wealth of potential health benefits, but does turmeric itself live up to the hype?

The benefits Cooking with turmeric can increase the healthfulness of your foods. Adding turmeric when cooking yellow, orange and

We Offer Two Affordable Programs You MAY be eligible for RENT or SERVICE SUBSIDIES

* The Edwards Personal Care Community: · ·

Daily Meals Weekly Bathing Assistance Weekly Laundry & Housekeeping Optional Medication Administration On-site 24-Hour Staff & Activities

*The Stein and Moskowitz Communities: ·

Meal Plan, Full Activities Calendar Resident Van, Beauty Salon Convenience Store, Computer Lab

Call us today for a tour at 301-244-3579

Email: marketing@homecresthouse.org Next to Leisure World in Aspen Hill, RT. 200, and Layhill Rd. on Bus Route 26

14508 Homecrest Road, Silver Spring, MD 20906 | Take a video tour and access an applica•on on our website @ www.homecresthouse.org | TTY MD Relay 7-1-1

green leafy vegetables, for example, may minimize the loss of beta-carotene. Betacarotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which is good for vision and eye health, a strong immune system, and healthy skin and mucous membranes. And using turmeric when marinating meats could help reduce cancer risk: Studies show that including turmeric in your marinade can reduce the level of potential cancer-causing compounds created when meat is cooked at high temperature, such as when grilling, broiling or deep-frying. But most of the buzz around turmeric is centered on that fact that it’s the best food source of a compound called curcumin. “Curcumin is the compound in turmeric that gives it its bright yellow hue,” said Rachael Hartley, R.D., L.D., C.D.E. It has been shown to block enzymes in the inflammatory pathways, potentially fighting inflammation at the molecular level, and it’s being actively studied for relief of swelling and pain in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant, and lab and animal studies have reported that curcumin inhibits cancer at multiple stages of development, although we don’t yet know how that might work in the body. The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects could help reduce heart disease risk, and this potent turmeric component also may help keep the lining of veins and arteries healthy and reduce cholesterol levels.

search, one thing is sure: You can’t go wrong by adding turmeric to your diet. “The spice’s earthy, almost gingery flavor is not overpowering, and you’ll find you can work it into a lot more than just curry,” said Hartley. “I mix it into tomato sauce, creamy pasta sauces, smoothies and soups.” To maximize the curcumin you get from eating turmeric, be sure to add some black pepper: Piperine, a natural substance in black pepper, enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000 percent. You can find turmeric powder in the spice aisle of any market, and it’s increasingly available as whole rhizomes and in teas. While it may not be the cure-all some say it is, turmeric definitely has health benefits, and it’s delicious!

Turmeric supplements Turmeric supplements are available as capsules, teas or liquid extracts. While there have not been enough human studies to prove these supplements are effective, they are considered safe for most adults.

Dosage Dosage of turmeric extract or curcumin supplements used in studies varies widely. For those interested in trying supplements, the Arthritis Foundation suggests 400-600 milligram (mg.) capsules three times a day (or one-half to one gram of powdered root, up to 3 grams per day) for osteoarthritis, and 500 mg. twice daily for rheumatoid arthritis.

The limits Most research has been done using curcumin, not turmeric itself. But turmeric is only two to six percent curcumin by weight, so the levels of curcumin in turmeric are not nearly as high as the doses tested in most studies. Plus, curcumin is poorly absorbed and metabolized. Supplements, in the form of liquid extracts, capsules and teas, provide higher doses of curcumin, and appear to be safe. But there have been a limited number of good studies done in humans to date, so the jury is still out on how all of these potential benefits will really impact our health.

Upping intake While we wait for more conclusive re-

Safety High doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause indigestion, nausea or diarrhea. In animals, high doses of turmeric have caused liver problems. No cases of liver problems have been reported in people. Avoid turmeric if you take blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), are about to have surgery, are pregnant, or have gallbladder disease. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2017 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Many benefits come from strength training By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: I walk for at least 45 minutes every day. Recently I read that strength training may be more important for overall health. Should I change my routine? A: I wouldn’t say that strength training with weights or machines provides more health benefits than brisk walking or other aerobic exercise. But for too long, strength training has not received the emphasis that it should. Strength training maintains and may even

increase muscle mass, which people tend to lose as they age. Boosting your muscle mass speeds up your metabolic rate, so you burn more calories — even when you’re not exercising. Burning more calories helps you avoid weight gain, which keeps your heart healthier than if you pack on pounds. And strength training may be especially important for keeping off belly fat. This socalled visceral fat, which surrounds your internal organs, is particularly unhealthy.

Abdominal fat is linked to heart disease, diabetes, bone loss, and decreased bone strength. A study done by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that healthy men who did 20 minutes of daily weight training had less of an age-related increase in abdominal fat compared with men who spent the same amount of time doing aerobic activities. Changes within muscles seem to promote these benefits. Muscles store glycogen, a molecule that breaks down into glucose (sugar) to fuel strenuous activity like weight lifting. After a workout, your body gets busy restoring that glycogen and has to rely on fat as an energy source. Strength training also increases the number of mitochondria, the energy-burning structures inside cells. Strength training can help control blood sugar levels by drawing glucose from the bloodstream to power muscles. High blood sugar is the hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Building more muscle mass also makes the body more sensitive to the effects of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. For my patients, I still recommend at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week and an additional 60 minutes of strength training. If possible, divide the strength training into two separate 30-minute sessions.

You can use resistance bands, small hand weights, or weight machines. A well-rounded program works all major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms. Start by warming up for a few minutes by moving your muscles without weights, and don’t forget to stretch at the end. Q: I recently developed cramps that wake me from sleep. When it affects my leg, it aches for the next day or two. What causes this? How can I prevent them? A: Leg cramps at night (also called nocturnal leg cramps) are very common. An estimated one in three adults has had a nocturnal leg cramp, and for many it regularly interrupts sleep. Like you, the affected leg can ache for a day or two after a bad cramp. Leg cramps are muscle spasms caused by overactive nerve fibers supplying the involved muscles. Why this happens is not clear, but the persistent nerve firing impairs the ability of the muscles to relax. Usually the cramp hits the calf or foot. Often the trigger is the involuntary movement of the foot downward from the ankle (plantarflexion). There is no easy way to avoid this from happening. But if you do feel the foot start moving downward and the start of a cramp, you might be able to See STRENGTH TRAINING, page 15

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Avoid spinning out of control with vertigo By Dr. Paul G. Mathew Vertigo isn’t just a catchy song by the band U2, or a famous movie by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s also a common symptom that has multiple potential causes. Although most people think that vertigo has to involve a spinning sensation, vertigo is actually the sensation that one is moving or that one’s surroundings are moving in the absence of any actual movement.

A balancing act To understand vertigo, one must understand that our sense of balance comes from multiple different systems in the body. There is your visual system, which tells you where your body is in space and time in relation to your surroundings. There is the sensory system, which allows your feet to send information to your brain about the terrain you are walking on. A third system, the vestibular system, often goes unappreciated in day-to-day life, but can cause havoc when not working properly. The vestibular system is composed of structures in your inner ear that

function like a carpenter’s level. With a level, when the device is tilted in one direction or another, the bubble moves indicating imbalance. Similarly, during head and body movements, the inner ear transmits information regarding movement or balance to the brain. When there is a mismatch between the visual, sensory or vestibular systems, people can at times have balance issues. Those balance issues can include vertigo. Medications for the treatment of vertigo are used to target structures in the brain that process these signals, which at times can conflict. Antihistamines like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and meclizine (Antivert) can be useful treatments for vertigo. Anticholinergic medications like scopolamine can be particularly useful, as it comes in a patch form, which can be applied just prior to entering a situation where motion sickness can be anticipated.

tions of vertigo occurs when someone travels on a boat. While on a boat, particularly when not standing on the deck, your visual system indicates that there is not much movement, and your surroundings appear still. The vestibular system (inner ear), on the other hand, is telling your brain that there is back and forth rocking movement, which naturally occurs with sea travel. The result is that one part of the brain is registering movement, while the other part of the brain is registering no movement. This mismatch leads to vertigo, nausea and sometimes vomiting, which together are commonly known as seasickness. Unfortunately, when people feel seasick, many go below deck to lie down,

which makes the problem worse. The best remedy for seasickness is actually to go above the deck and look at the motion of the water, or off at the horizon. By doing this, the visual system perceives the motion that the vestibular system perceives, which can alleviate the sense of imbalance. For many who have experienced seasickness, the symptoms can persist for hours to days after getting off the boat. Another place where such balance mismatches frequently occur is when transitioning onto or off of an escalator. Paul G. Mathew, M.D., is a contributor to Harvard Health Publications. © 2017 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Common on ships One of the most common manifesta-

Please patronize our advertisers. They keep the Beacon free!

Growing Our Passion for Care. We’ve added 8 New Facilities to our team!

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

GET THE FACTS about active retirement living at CHARLESTOWN in Catonsville.

– Pat, wife of former patient

FREE 38-PAGE BROCHURE WRITTEN BY THE RETIREMENT EXPERTS!

Call 1-800-989-6981 or visit CharlestownCommunity.com to request your FREE brochure!

Specializing in Skilled Nursing & Subacute Rehabilitation MARYLAND LOCATIONS Anchorage Healthcare Center 105 Times Square Salisbury, MD Bel Pre Health & Rehab Center 2601 Bel Pre Rd. Silver Spring, MD Blue Point Healthcare Center 2525 West Belvedere Baltimore, MD BridgePark Healthcare Center 4017 Liberty Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD Clinton Healthcare Center 9211 Stuart Lane Clinton, MD

12230237

Ellicott City Healthcare Center 3000 N. Ridge Rd. Ellicott City, MD

Catonsville | CharlestownCommunity.com

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

800.989.7337

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

MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNICARE FAMILY OF COMPANIES

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Baltimore County Department of Aging

Wednesday October 4, 2017 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ADMISSION: Donation or two cans of non-perishable food FREE GIFT Sponsored by

BGE and GBMC

Thursday October 5, 2017 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Timonium Fairgrounds Special performance by DARLENE LOVE Wednesday, October 4 • 4-6 p.m.

• Connect with over 300 exhibitors with information and specialty products • Delight in two days of continuous entertainment on the Main Stage • Sample the free demonstration classes being offered by CCBC’s Senior Program • Discover a treasure in the Silent Auction by being the highest bidder • Crown the best local artist in the Power of Age Art Show/Exhibit • Benefit from free preventive health screenings and flu/pneumonia vaccinations • Learn about government resources available in Baltimore County • Investigate resources in the Veteran Muster and Baltimore County Resource Job Fair

Call 410-887-2594 or visit www.powerofageexpo.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

The point of hospitality isn’t the food Dear Solutions: A pet peeve — people who take a take away his generosity and make it an no matter how much she cares for him There is a lovely couple that I want to even exchange. That’s how it feels to him. as a friend, she just never has had the mouthful of food and then talk while invite to a dinner party at my However, if you want to kind of feeling she wants for someone they’re chewing. I’d like to really tell house. I’ve been told that them off. Should I? I can’t stand to make yourself feel better, she would marry. the husband is a gourmet Now the boyfriend, who’s devastat- look at them when they’re doing this. don’t take him to a restaurant cook, and my food, well, it’s — Peeved where there’s an obvious ex- ed, has called me and wants to meet edible. So I feel intimidated. change of money. Invite him with me. I know he thinks I can talk Dear Peeved: The other people I’m invitCan’t swallow that, huh? Don’t chew to your home for a nice din- her into staying with him. ing are all interesting people How should I handle this? I don’t them out. Instead try saying nicely, “Hold ner, preferably with a couple who have lively discussions that thought. I don’t want you to choke on of other family members so want to turn him down coldly. at every gathering, and I be— Her Mom your food. he won’t see it as payback. lieve that this couple would “I’ll wait until you finish. I am anxious to If you or your wife don’t Dear Her Mom: fit in very well. “Her Mom” really says it all. As her hear what you say.” cook, bring in some simple Should I say something SOLUTIONS That should help them close their food. The feeling you want to mom, you’re not going to go against her first so they won’t expect By Helen Oxenberg, project is that you enjoy his wishes. So ask her first how she would feel mouth then and open it later. MSW, ACSW some fabulous food? © Helen Oxenberg, 2017. Questions to be company — favors or no fa- about your meeting with him just to be — Anita nice and understanding of his hurt. considered for this column may be sent to: vors. Dear Anita: If she says OK, then agree to have lunch The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, Dear Solutions: Tell them that the main course of this My daughter has just broken off a with him. But make it clear that you can’t — MD 20915. You may also email the author lively dinner will be food for thought, and long relationship with her boyfriend. I and won’t — interfere with her decisions. at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about you’re sure everyone would enjoy each think she’s right to do this, because Dear Solutions: reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684. other’s company. Don’t apologize for your cooking, Anita. “Edible” is not regrettable. Dear Solutions: ONE OF THESE BROTHERS IS WEARING HEARING AIDS. My cousin, who makes a lot more NOW® Miniscopic™ Synergy® lets him do everything his brother does. money than I do, spent a lot of time helping me to learn how to use my computer. We went out to dinner recently, and I wanted to pay for him, but he wouldn’t let me. He says he doesn’t have to be repaid for doing a favor. My wife says I should stop pushing to buy something for him and just thank him and let it go. I’m uncomfortable with this. Any suggestions? — Charles Dear Charles: • Gives you an invisible* fit You took his favor, and now you want to • Delivers pristine audio and exceptional listening clarity

Strength training

• • • •

NOTHING TO SEE!

From page 12 abort the cramp by firmly pulling your toes upward without jerking your foot. All kinds of remedies have been proposed to prevent muscle cramps. When many therapies are proposed for a condition, it usually means none are highly successful. This is certainly true for muscle cramps. Safe things you can try to prevent muscle cramps include foot wear that provides both cushion and arch support, taking vitamin B complex, taking low dose magnesium supplements (as long as your kidney function is normal), eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding dehydration. While stretching is often recommended for people with leg cramps, the evidence that this helps is mixed. Since it is totally safe, I recommend frequent gentle stretching during the day and especially before bed. For example, you might try gently pulling back on your toes and fingers (if you also get hand cramps) a few times per day and when you first get into bed at night. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. © 2017 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Provides effortless transitions as you go about your day Preserves peace and quiet while amplifying the important things Helps you better understand conversations and hear comfortably Streams TV, phone calls, music and more to your hearing aids

FREE HEARING SCREENING AND CONSULTATION! A+ ®

Offices located in:

Timonium 410-842-1672 Columbia-Elkridge 410-885-4304 Annapolis 410-441-3438

Shannon Wrabel, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology Lutherville-Timonium

Bria Collins, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology Columbia-Elkridge

Cindy Leeb, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology Annapolis

WE WELCOME ALL INSURANCE PLANS • 0% FINANCING AVAILABLE *Invisibility depends on the structure of your ear.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Oct c obe ber r2 2017 7

UUPCCOMING COMMING SEMIN CO SSEMINARS NARS ARS R & EVENTS EVEN EVENNTSS at Br B o o ke Grov e retirement et etirement v ill il age

As experts xp in n senio se or care are re and memory support, port, Brooke ke Grove Retirement Re irement Village is Reti ple pleased to offer seminarrss and a even ents that promote mote physical, spiritual sp and nd mental well well-being. ll-bbeing. All seminars A min and eventts will be held att Brooke ke Grove Rehabilitation bi n and Nursing Nu Centerr, lo o oca ocated at 18131 Slade S Scchool Road on the Brooke Broooke Grove Retirementt V Village illage campus, us, unlesss otherwise wi noted. Please ease as register with T Toonii Davis D at 301-388-7 88 209 9 or tdavis@bgf.org. av

su p p o r t f o r the s e ca regi v er r semin n a r: “M a n agin g You r Em o ti o ns s”

li v in g w ell sem min a r: “Bein g M o r ta ta l - Med d i c ine n a nd n W h at M at ters ter r s in n the eE End ”

Pa rkinso n’s Su p p o r t Grou o p

TUESDAY Y,, OCT C OBER 17 • 2-3 P..M.

WEDNESDAY Y, OCT C OBER R 25 2 1 1-2:15 P..M.

WEDNESD DAY, OCT C OBER BE 11 2-3:15 2 3:15 P P.M. .M.

Gain insight oon how to aassess your ur emotions, devvelop alternative responses to difficult interactions and discover tools t to decompress. FREE. Registeer by October 15.

A ssis ted li v in g o p en h ouse e WEDNESDAY Y, OCTOBER 18 Y, 10 A.M.-12:30 0 P..M.

The Meadows at 1635 Hickory Knoll Roaad Toour our residenti ential-style l yle l h homes messs, meet m our staff and leear ou earn about our innovative pprograms, gram , inclludingg those designed g to stimulate mem mory. Register by October 16. 1

Based on the bestb -selling lli boo ok by Atul Gawande, M.D., th his is PBS P FRONTLINE R documentary is paart of a national onal conversation that bbrings meddical professionals and community c y members together to discusss what mat atters most to those facing diffi iffi fficult treatment atment decisions or termin inal illness. ess. Film followed by a professional ssional panel discussion. Offered d in partnership with JSSA. FREE. Register by October O 23.

A lzheimer’s Su p p o r t Grou p WEDNESDAY, OCT C OBER 18 3:30-4:30 P P.M. .M. M

P FN CA Exerc ise f o r Pa rkinso n’s C l a sses MONDAYS & WED DNESDAYS 3:30-4:30 P P.M. .M.

Improve posture, balance alance and circulation while hile also increasing strength, h, muscle control and mobility ty. FREE with a $20 annual P Parkinson Foundation registration ation fee.

188100 0 Slade Schoool Road, Sandy Spring, MD M 20860

301-2660-2320 · www w.bgf.org .bgf.orgg

Independent n n n living ng

assisted living ng

rehabilitation n

long-term long term care care

memory memory support support

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

50+

THE

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

Connection

Department of Community Resources and Services

Volume 7, No. 10 • October 2017

Howard County’s 50+EXPO 2017 Focus: Preparedness, Information and Education

reparedness, Information and Education and how these concepts relate to successful aging is the focus of Howard County’s 19th annual 50+EXPO on Friday, October 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia. Coordinated by the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI), the 50+EXPO features more than 160 vendors and exhibitors geared to the needs and interests of older adults, but also has plenty to offer families, caregivers, health care providers and professionals. It is never too soon to plan for the future. To carry out this year’s theme, OAI has partnered with the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services (HCFRS) to present Fire, Fall and Life Safety for Aging Adults in the Guidance Room. Part of HCFRS’ Remembering When initiative, the program includes tips on how to maintain working smoke alarms in the home, fall safety and prevention, hands-only CPR, bleeding control, and other fire safety information. Attendees can also sign up for a FREE home safety visit with a Risk Reduction Educator. AARP Maryland is back for a third year as an event sponsor and will offer a Driver Safety seminar and a HomeFit workshop for those who want to safely age in place. To register in advance for these programs, email jholz@aarp.org. Last but not least, don’t miss AARP’s special documentary screening of PBS’ American Masters – James Beard: America’s First Foodie in the Jim Rouse Theatre (JRT) at 1 p.m., then learn how to make quick, healthy meals from a local farm-to-table restaurant. At 2:30 p.m. in the JRT, the Horizon Foundation, a 2017 sponsor, will present Speak(easy) Howard – Have You Had the Conversation? to stress the importance of talking with loved ones

about end-of-life health care wishes. While 90 percent of people say it is important to talk about these issues, only 27 percent have done so. Join us to learn how to start these tough conversations. For a truly unique experience at the 50+EXPO, consider taking the Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT), offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room #222. The VDT is a multi-sensory experience which simulates what it’s like to live with dementia. Sign up for a time slot when you arrive at EXPO; presented by Emily Leclercq, Resource Specialist, Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. For more information, see the article on the VDT on page 19. In addition, a series of free seminars will continue the Preparedness, Information and Education theme. Located on the second floor, all seminars are offered on a space-available basis. Featured topics include:

Avoiding Cyber Crooks and Other Scammers 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. • Room #220 Learn the latest tips and information which can help you avoid becoming a victim of a scam; presented by Rebecca Bowman, Administrator, Howard County Office of Consumer Protection.

Relationships in Grandparenting 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. • Room #238 Learn the latest approaches to modern day grandparenting to make your experience a positive one; presented by Marva Dickerson, Retired Child Health Supervisor, Howard County Health Department, and Valerie Harvey, Adolescent Resource Specialist/Grandparents as Parents, Howard County Office of Children and Families.

Managing Caregiver Stress 12 noon to 12:50 p.m. • Room #237 There’s no doubt that caregiving and making decisions for your loved one can lead to stress. Explore self-care techniques and communication skills to manage your stress before it manages you; presented by Kathy Wehr, Caregiver Support Program Manager, Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. Continued on page 19

IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR 50+EXPO 2017 All parking is at the Mall in Columbia, lower level by Sears. A $1 admission fee will be collected as you board the shuttle bus (or pay at the door). Also, Capitol Steps attendees are asked to make a $5 donation at the ticket booth. All proceeds benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund, which provides emergency assistance to older adults and adults with disabilities in Howard County whose needs are not covered by Medicare or other programs. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The 50+ Connection

A Better Password = Greater Online Safety By Rebecca Bowman, Administrator, Howard County Office of Consumer Protection

he National Institute of Standards and Technology recently revised its guidelines on creating effective passwords. By following these guidelines, you can create easier to remember passwords that are also more difficult for hackers to break. • Make passwords long, simple and memorable. Hackers use sophisticated software that can run millions of combinations of letters and symbols in a short time. Longer passwords (20 characters or more) are much harder to hack. • Use a sentence or phrase that you can easily remember. For example, “My Aunt Sylvia has loved me since I was a child.” Or, turn an easy to remember sentence or phrase into an acronym. For example, “My Aunt Sylvia has loved me since I was a child” would become “MAShlmsIwac.” • Numbers, capital letters or special characters aren’t necessary but can also be used. For example, “I learned to read when I was 3!” • If you can easily visualize your password while others cannot, it’s a good password. Once you have a good password, you don’t have to change it as frequently. • Change your password if you are notified by a website, employer, creditor or government agency that its security has been breached. But before you do, verify that the notice is authentic.

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

New! 2018 Resource Guide Howard County Office on Aging and Independence The latest edition of Howard’s County’s Resource Guide will make its debut at the 50+EXPO. Attendees can pick up a copy at the Office on Aging and Independence booth on Main Street. Additional copies are available from the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI); at any of the OAI 50+ Centers; and at all Howard County libraries. RESOURCE Or, contact Maryland Access GUIDE Point (MAP) at 410-313-1234 or map@howardcountymd.gov to have one sent to you. Visit the OAI booth at the 50+EXPO to learn more about the many services and assistance offered by Maryland Access Point. 2018 HO WA RD CO UN TY

Forr Older Adul ts, Persons with Disa bilities, and Caregivers

MARYLAND ACC ESS

410-313-1234

www.howardc ountymd.gov/aging www.facebook .com/hococom munity

POINT

1-844-627-5465 Maryland Relay: 711 Email: map@howa rdcountymd.gov Searchable datab ase: www.marylanda ccesspoint.info

6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia 21046 www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

Additional Security Enhancements for Your Most Important Online Accounts • Use a different password for each bank, credit or investment account. If one account is hacked, having different passwords will limit the damage to just that account. • If you create multiple passwords, use a “password manager” to store passwords in a well-protected app. By doing so, you will only need to remember one master password to access the entire list. • Use two-factor authentication services to add an extra layer of security to your digital accounts. Once you log in to an account using your usual password, the two-factor authentication site sends your phone a six-digit code that you must enter before gaining access.

P4C Pet Evaluations If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to receive a FREE evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ingrid Gleysteen, PROGRAM COORDINATOR 410-313-7461 • igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov

October 5 7 TO 9 PM

For more information on this or other consumer issues, contact the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection at consumer@howardcountymd.gov, 410-313-6420 (voice/relay) or www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer.

Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia 21044

CONSUMER PROTECTION QUESTIONS? DISPUTES? IDENTITY THEFT • LANDLORD/TENANT • FINANCIAL ABUSE • FRAUD SCAMS • SECURITY DEPOSITS • PRODUCTS • SERVICES

The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. This publication is available in alternate formats upon request. To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov

6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia 21046 PHONE EMAIL

410-313-6420 (VOICE/RELAY) consumer@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer

6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

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

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

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Experience Virtual Dementia at the 50+EXPO

f you could walk in the shoes of a person with dementia and have an opportunity to experience the same overwhelming sense of confusion, isolation and frustration they face every day, would you? The Virtual Dementia Tour,® a new program offered by the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) through its Family Caregiver Support Program, simulates the effects of aging and dementia to provide families, informal caregivers, and the public an opportunity to better understand the disease and how it affects their loved ones. The experience can be life changing for family members and professional caregivers alike, enabling them to better understand the physical and mental challenges faced by those living with dementia, and empowering them to provide better care and support.

The Virtual Dementia Tour® was developed by Second Wind Dreams (www.secondwind.org), a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to change the perception of aging by offering innovative educational opportunities to caregivers and communities. The organization’s flagship sensitivity training, the Virtual Dementia Tour® is a clinically proven evidence-based program which facilitates a greater understanding of dementia using patented sensory tools and instruction. Although it’s impossible to know exactly what it feels like to have dementia, this hands-on experience attempts to replicate the mental decline associated with dementia. OAI staff who completed the Virtual Dementia Tour® reported feeling anxious and frustrated that they could not follow spoken instructions or complete seemingly simple daily activities. The 15-minute tour is followed by a debriefing and educational session so participants can gain a better understanding of how to help and interact with those living with dementia. “My dad has Alzheimer’s and though I try to be as patient as I can with him, I often end up frustrated,” said Darlene Vaselaros, OAI’s Volunteer Coordinator.

“This experience really helped me to change my perspective of what he may be going through. It really is life changing.” Attendees at the 50+ EXPO on Friday, October 20, will be among the first in the community to experience the Virtual Dementia Tour.® When you arrive at the EXPO, be sure to sign-up for a timeslot between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to take the tour (limited to the first 30 to sign up). The tour will also be offered at the Ellicott City 50+ Center from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8 and Tuesday, December 5. Please call Emily Leclercq at 410-313-5917 for more information or to register.

Preparedness, Information and Education Continued from page 17

Futures Planning 101 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. • Room #220 Discuss the importance of talking with family members and caregivers about personal health, legal and financial matters, and end-of-life decisions. Learn where to find information and resources for long-term care, including aging in place and supportive services, and housing options; presented by Jill Kamenetz and Emily Leclercq, Resource Specialists, Howard County Office on Aging and Independence.

AARP Driver Safety Resources 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. • Room #238 Roads and cars are changing, and distractions are at an all-time high. Command the road. Get driving tips and resources to help you stay safe on today’s roads, and explore the latest AARP educational programs including the Driver Safety Course, CarFit, and We Need to Talk; presented by Rose Hobson, MD State Coordinator–Driver Safety, AARP.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS AND EVENT FEATURES Flu vaccines are available at no charge at the 50+EXPO; plus, take advantage of free health screenings at the Health Fair throughout the day. Howard County General Hospital and other local health practitioners will screen for blood pressure, breast health, cholesterol, emotional wellness, glaucoma, glucose, hearing, height/ weight/BMI, oral health, pulmonary function, pulse oximetry and vitamin D levels. Balance screenings will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon and podiatry screenings from noon to 4 p.m.

The 50+EXPO also offers great entertainment and dining options. Stop in the 50+ Café to grab a morning snack or a quick, healthy lunch, and stay to watch Jai Ping Mao’s Tai Chi with Sword; listen to emcee Ellis Woodward; and watch a Soul Line Dance Extravaganza with Jessie Barnes. New for 2017, take part in the Conversation Café roundtable discussions at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to share your thoughts on life in Howard County. And of course, don’t miss the politically incorrect antics of the Capitol Steps who return to the stage at the Jim Rouse Theatre for one show at 11 a.m., sponsored by the Horizon Foundation. Capitol Steps tickets are available beginning at 9 a.m., while quantities last (a $5 donation per ticket is requested). Admission to EXPO is $1; all event proceeds benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund, which provides emergency assistance to older adults in Howard County. Free event parking is available at the Mall in Columbia, lower level, nears Sears (the courtesy shuttle runs all day, and will drop attendees at the front door of the EXPO). Only accessible parking spaces are available at Wilde Lake High School. A printed schedule of the 50+EXPO with event highlights, seminar descriptions, plus a list of sponsors, vendors and exhibitors will be available in the October 12 edition of the Howard County Times and Columbia Flier, and will also be posted on the OAI website at www.howardcountymd.gov/50plusexpo. Follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity #HoCoEXPO17 for more information, or email aging@howardcountymd.gov. To request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations to participate, call 410-313-6410 (voice/relay) one week in advance.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The 50+ Connection

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

Howard County 50+ Centers

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

Bain 50+ Center Tuesday, October 3 • 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Elkridge 50+ Center Temporary Location: 5660 Furnace Avenue, Elkridge 21075

KASA Annual Vivian Reid Thrift Sale Fundraiser

Mondays/Wednesdays in October • 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Shop for gently used and new clothing, jewelry, household items, toys and crafts. Food is available to purchase. Proceeds benefit the Vivian Reid Fund for Older Adults in Howard County. Information: 410-313-7213.

Drawing and Painting with Pastels

Tuesday, October 10 • 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

CPR Training Every two minutes in the United States someone dies from sudden cardiac arrest. It can happen to anyone at any time. Learn how you can help to save the life of someone else. FREE; RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Tuesday, October 24 • 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Murder Mystery Lunch: Midnight at the Masquerade

Learn to draw and paint still life objects in this creative workshop. Join us and create something beautiful! FREE; register: 410-313-5192.

Thursday, October 5 • 10:30 a.m. to noon

Free Balance Assessments Learn about age-related balance changes and how you can avoid painful falls resulting in the need for surgery and hospital stays. Be steady on your feet and safe.

Monday, October 23 • 11:00 a.m. to noon

International Day: Ireland

Don evening wear and Venetian masks and join us for the Billionaires’ Club Annual Masquerade Ball. Trade clues with guests and try to solve the crime during an afternoon of mystery, intrigue and murder. Doors open at 11 a.m. $13. Register by October 17.

Explore Ireland without leaving Elkridge! Enjoy authentic Irish food and learn about Irish history. FREE; register: 410-313-5192.

Tuesday, October 31 • 10:00 a.m. to noon

All Hallow’s Eve Party

Bain’s Got Talent!

Design and make your own Halloween goodies, then enjoy a fried chicken lunch. Donations accepted for lunch. RSVP: 410-313-5192.

Come see what great talent Bain 50+ has, reflected in our programs and classes. Join us for a show filled with music, singing and dancing. Doors opens at 10 am. FREE; refreshments served. RSVP: 410-313-7213.

Friday, October 27 • 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Ellicott City 50+ Center

East Columbia 50+ Center

Thursday, October 12 • 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 4 • Noon

Learn about Rosie the Riveter through the eyes of Rose Leigh Monroe, a Willow Run Factory worker and “meet” Charles Lindbergh, Walter Pidgeon, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. $5; sign up at the front desk.

Rocking Through the Decades with Johnny Powell Take a stroll through the melodies and memories of the 1950’s with music industry veteran, Johnny Powell. A 50’s luncheon will be served (lunch donation applies.)

Thursdays, October 5, 12, and 19 • 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Grief Poetry Writing Workshop Turn hurt into words; learn how to write, share and refine your poetic talents to heal the heart of someone who is grieving. $33. Register: 410-313-7680.

Tuesday, October 10 • 1:00 p.m.

The Healing Power of Forgiveness Join us to find a deep level of peace by learning an ancient method for forgiveness (it works!) FREE; register: 410-313-7680.

History Alive with Mary Ann Jung: “Rosie the Riveter”

Tuesday, October 17 • 12:30 p.m.

Maria Rose & Danny Elswick Enjoy country music at its best with Maryland native, Maria Rose and entertainer Danny Elswick. Maria and Danny have shared the stage with many national recording artists. FREE. Information: 410-313-1400.

Thursday, October 19 • 11:00 a.m.

Smithsonian “United We Stand” Join Loris Simcik to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the “United We Stand” Campaign, explore the impact of the magazine industry in World War II and view a collection of magazines from the era. Free.

Tuesday, October 24 • 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 25 • Noon

Howard County Conservancy: “Bell” the Screech Owl

TED Talk Luncheon: Ageism

Meet Bell, a grey phase screech owl adopted by the Conservancy in 2015 from Owl Moon Raptor. Though native to Maryland, screech owls are difficult to view in the wild. Don’t miss the chance to meet Bell. FREE.

Confront your fears about aging and learn to focus on your abilities and strengths instead as Ashton Applewhite talks about aegism on TED. Bring lunch or reserve one (donation applies). Register: 410-313-7680.

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

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Glenwood 50+ Center

North Laurel 50+ Center

Thursday, September 28 • 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 17 • 11:00 a.m. to noon

Pickleball Basics

Essential Oils for the Circulatory System

Pickleball is all the rage; come learn the ins and outs of the game, including equipment, scoring, hitting and strategy. Designed with the beginner in mind. Register: 410-313-5440.

Learn about the health benefits of essential oils and how to safely use ginger, black pepper, eucalyptus, and cypress oils to promote circulation in the body. FREE. Reserve your seat: 410-313-0380.

Wednesdays, Beginning October 4 • 11 a.m.

Wednesday, October 18 • 11:00 a.m. to noon

Drums Alive

Financial Forum

Designed to enhance emotional and cognitive health, this new class incorporates movement and rhythm using stability balls and drumsticks. Demo September 28, 11 a.m. $50/8 weeks. Register: 410-313-5440.

Learn financial management skills in a user-friendly Q&A session. Topics include budgeting, saving, investing, retirement planning, taxes, understanding credit and more. FREE. Register: 410-313-0380.

Wednesday, October 4 • 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, October 19 • 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Oktoberfest

Fall Afternoon Tea

Join us for a genuine taste of Oktoberfest. Learn about the culture, traditions and history of Oktoberfest and enjoy a traditional lunch. $10. RSVP to 410-313-5440.

Explore a variety of teas available to Americans in the 18th century, and enjoy guided tastings of Bohea, Gunpowder, Young Hyson, and Pu Er teas. $5.00/person. Tickets: 410-313-0380.

Wednesdays, October 4 and 18 • 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 24 • 10:30 a.m. to noon

Textures in Clay

Travel Talk: A Mobile Tented Camp Safari in Botswana

Resident potter Charlene Randolph presents a two-part workshop of hand-building with clay. Have an idea? Charlene will help you create it; no experience necessary. $25. Register: 410-313-5440.

Join travel enthusiast Rick who will share his experiences in Botswana through pictures and videos (including charging elephants, hippos in the camp at night and more). Reserve your seat: 410-313-0380.

Friday, October 6 • 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 24 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

The Estrogen Effect

Fused Glass Mosaic Workshop

Join Ann Wiker to explore famous female artists throughout history and their contributions to the art world. FREE; register: 410-313-5440.

Learn basic fused glass techniques to create a unique mosaic, incorporating colorful chips of glass into a dark base. $25 (includes materials). Register: 410-313-0380.

Howard County 50+ Centers BAIN 50+ CENTER 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 410-313-7213 • bain50@howardcountymd.gov

EAST COLUMBIA 50+ CENTER 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 410-313-7680 • eastcolumbia50@howardcountymd.gov

ELKRIDGE 50+ CENTER TEMPORARY LOCATION: 5660

Furnace Ave., Elkridge 410-313-5192 • elkridge50@howardcountymd.gov

Bereavement Group !"#$%&'(()!*+,#-!.,!(/-$,+(!.0(!-+,1(22!,3!",#+454*6!1,-54*! 2.+7.(*5(26!748!$53(!9(:,48!*+5(3!54!7!2#--,+%;(!7.",2-0(+(<! =,+!74:,4(!9(+(7;(8!",+(!.074!.',!",4.026!9#.!$(22!.074!.',!:(7+2< >+(&+(*52.+7%,4!+(?#5+(8!9:!@1.,9(+!AB!7!4,"547$!3((!7--$5(2<

Wednesday, starting October 11 • 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

ELLICOTT CITY 50+ CENTER

Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 410-313-1400 • ellicottcity50@howardcountymd.gov

For more information, contact Karen Hull 410-313-7466 • khull@howardcountymd.gov

GLENWOOD 50+ CENTER

Remembering When

2400 Route 97, Cooksville 410-313-5440 • glenwood50@howardcountymd.gov

LONGWOOD 50+ CENTER

C,'7+8!D,#4.:!=5+(!748!E(21#(!F(+;51(2!-+(2(4.2!543,+"7%,4!,4 G+(!273(.:!748!37$$!-+(;(4%,4!3,+!78#$.2!'5.0!$,'!;525,4<! F-,42,+(8!9:!F(45,+2H,*(.0(+!I,'&J525,4!F#--,+.!K+,#-< L,!107+*(B!-+(&+(*52.+7%,4!+(?#5+(8!9:!@1.,9(+!MN<

6150 Foreland Garth, Columbia 410-313-7217

Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

NORTH LAUREL 50+ CENTER

For more information, contact Elaine Widom 410-313-7353 • ewidom@howardcountymd.gov

9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 410-313-0380 • northlaurel50@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters

Tuesday, October 17 • 10:15 - 11:45 a.m.

>+,*+7"2!,3!.0(! '''<0,'7+81,#4.:"8<*,;O7*54*

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The 50+ Connection

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

Medicare Open Enrollment: Review/Compare Plans By Barbara Albert, Program Manager, State Health Insurance Assistance Program/SHIP

October 15 through December 7 is OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON for Medicare’s 2018 health and prescription drug plans. Don’t let this limited window of opportunity pass without reviewing your current plan and checking to see if you should make changes. Some Important Things to Consider REVIEW YOUR PLAN — Be sure to carefully review any changes to your current plan for 2018. Even if you are happy with how your plan has been working for you, it is important to know how proposed changes will affect you (such as dropping medications, increasing your share of the costs or network changes). Be sure to read all 2018 plan materials that are mailed to you – if you don’t, you could be in for some unpleasant surprises and you may have to stay with that plan for the entire year. If your plan is terminating, you could be left without coverage if you don’t pay attention to these notices and act now. COMPARE PLANS — Even if your current plan looks good for next year it is possible that a different plan may offer the same coverage at a lower cost and/or fewer restrictions. It can’t hurt to look at the competition. It’s up to you to decide if you want to make a change or not, but at least you will be informed about your choices. Howard County’s Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) provides free, confidential and unbiased assistance with Medicare. A SHIP counselor will meet with you one-on-one to review and compare plans, or show you how to do your own review on www.medicare.gov. Call 410-313-7392 (voice/relay) to make an appointment.

Call the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to assist you with Medicare questions and concerns!

410-313-7392

Quality of Life Services for Older Adults, their Families, Caregivers, and Adults with Disabilities Howard County

YOUR L IN K TO HE ALTH & S UP P OR T SE R VI CES

AS EASY AS

1-2-3-4! 410-313-1234 Contact us for information, assistance and referral on: • Social Day Programs • Caregiver Support • Volunteer Opportunities • Long Term Supports Planning • Wellness Programs • Guardianship/Ombudsman and more! • Aging in Place Resources • Medicare Counseling • 50+ Centers

410.313.1234 VOICE/RELAY • 844.627.5465 TOLL FREE map@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

Medicare

OPEN ENROLLMENT October 15 through December 7, 2017

By appointment only. Call 410-313-7392. In addition to our regular schedule, take advantage of additional appointment availability:

East Columbia 50+ Center 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21045 Tuesday, October 24 • 9:00 a.m. – noon

Ellicott City 50+ Center 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21042 Friday, October 27 • 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Glenwood 50+ Center 2400 Route 97, Cooksville 21723 Tuesday, October 17 • 9:00 a.m. – noon

North Laurel 50+ Center 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723 Wednesday, October 25 • 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. Contact us for help. 410-313-7392 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/SHIP

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

The 50+ Connection

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Bike With A Cop Tuesday, October 3 • 10:00 a.m. Join the casual or moderate/advanced Cycle2Health rides, accompanied by the Howard County Police Pathway Patrol Unit, departing from the East Columbia 50+ Center at 10 a.m., weather permitting. Riders must provide their own bicycle, helmet, water, spare tube, tire pump, and tools to change a flat. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early. Registration is required to participate. To register, contact Jeannie DeCray at jdecray@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-6535. Visit www.howardcountymd.gov/C2H for additional information. The Howard County Police Department’s Pathway Patrol officers provide year-round, highly-visible police presence on pathways and in residential areas. The team works to deter crime, address quality-of-life issues and allows officers to interact more directly with community members. Cycle2Health is a volunteer-led bicycling club for adults of all ages and riding abilities. Weekly rides depart from various locations during daytime hours.

Shop Art With a Purpose for Unique Holiday Gifts

Stop by the Art With a Purpose booth on the second floor of the 50+EXPO to shop for handcrafted holiday gifts for everyone on your list! Created by participants in the Connections Social Day Program, a wide variety of unique items are available for purchase, including jewelry, hand-colored prints, clocks, ceramic vases, pins and dishes. Pictured above, Connections at North Laurel participants show off some of their recent creations. For more information about the Connections Social Day Program, call 410-313-6537.

The Howard County Office on Aging and Independence invites you to a

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION!

Giving Thanks

THE

LUNCHEON and DANCE

Music by Sly 45 A Baltimore-based band rocking the blues, jazz and classic pop scene!

Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Ten Oaks Ballroom 5000 Signal Bell Lane, Clarksville 21029

Doors Open 10:30 a.m. • Program Begins 11 a.m. • Lunch 12 noon Tickets on Sale at all Howard County 50+ Centers $14/person PLEASE BRING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS FOR THE HOWARD COUNTY FOOD BANK FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL

DO YOU LIKE TO KNIT OR CROCHET? Operation Gratitude collects homemade scarves for military members. Please drop off your homemade scarves (in individual sealable plastic bags) no later than November 15. Please pin a note to each scarf with the yarn fiber contents listed and feel free to include a personal note for a military member. Our soldiers are always deeply touched by the care and effort when they receive gifts, but especially handmade items sent from supportive fellow Americans at “home.” Scarves should be 5-6”wide x 36”long. Please, NO fringe! Scarves can be made from wool or acrylic yarn or non-flammable fleece.

Drop off at any Howard County 50+ Center or the Howard County Office of Veterans and Military Families

410-313-5440 (VOICE/RELAY) For more information, contact Lisa B. Terry ★ PHONE 410-313-0821 (VOICE/RELAY) ★ EMAIL lbterry@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 300, Columbia, MD 21046 www.howardcountymd.gov/veterans • www.facebook.com/HoCoMilitary

The 50+ Connection

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

DON’T MISS THE 2017 HOWARD COUNTY 50+EXPO!

Friday, October 20 • 9 am to 4 pm Wilde Lake High School 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia, MD 21044

1 ADMISSION / $5 CAPITOL STEPS* ONE SHOW: 11:00 am

All admission and show proceeds benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund for Older Adults * suggested donation

Only Accessible Parking On-Site at WLHS, all others must USE FREE SHUTTLE from The Mall in Columbia

HIGHLIGHTS • 1:00 pm – Documentary Screening “James Beard: America’s First Foodie” • 2:30 pm – Speak(easy) Howard — Have You Had the Conversation? • 160+ Exhibitors • NEW! Virtual Dementia Tours • Flu Shots and Health Screenings

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

GOLD SPONSORS Howard County Health Department • LifeBridge Health • Sheppard Pratt Health System • The Creig Northrop Team of Long & Foster Real Estate The Evergreens at Columbia Town Center • The Howard Hughes Corporation • The Mall in Columbia • University of Maryland Faculty Physicians

SILVER SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSORS

Five Star Senior Living • Padder Health Services Park View Senior Living • Physical Therapy at Crossroads

Baltimore Sun Media Group • Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook • Her Mind Magazine Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) • The Beacon • The Business Monthly

Be a FRIEND of the 50+EXPO! Sign Up TODAY to Receive Your FRIEND OF THE EXPO Gift Package! ■ One RESERVED seat for “The Capitol Steps” (11 AM) ■ One ADMISSION ticket to the 50+EXPO! ■ One EXCLUSIVE “Friends” raffle ticket for a grand prize basket of goodies! ■ A “Friends” RECOGNITION badge to wear at EXPO! ■ Only $20/person

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

Thank you for your support! Become a Friend of the EXPO today! Contact Jeanne Davis at 410-313-6410 or jwhitedavis@howardcountymd.gov

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

HOW TO BUY HAPPINESS Spending money to save time, such as on house cleaning and yard work, makes people happier, survey shows THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT When starting your own business, talk with other entrepreneurs, network, find a mentor and prepare for uncertainty HURRICANE SCAMS In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, watch out for charity scams, such as those that ask you to wire funds

Vanguard looks ahead at the stock market By Stan Choe It’s easy to get lulled by the gentle and seemingly unstoppable ride higher that investors have been enjoying with almost all their funds. But it can’t last forever. Greg Davis, the new chief investment officer at investing giant Vanguard, isn’t predicting when the next downturn for stocks will happen, but he says investors need to be ready for it given how expensive the market has become. So if swelling stock prices mean they make up a much bigger part of your portfolio than before, and you wouldn’t be able to stomach a 10 percent drop without pan-

icking, consider paring back on them. The largest mutual fund by assets, Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index fund, has already returned 11.4 percent so far in 2017, for example. That’s close to its best performance for any of the past three full years. In his role, Davis oversees more than $3.8 trillion in assets, including the stock index funds that made Vanguard famous and bond funds run by managers looking to beat the market. That’s close to the size of Germany’s economy. Davis is no stranger at Vanguard. He previously oversaw its bond investments. He recently talked about his outlook for

markets and fund investing. Answers have been edited for clarity and length. Q: Nearly every investment is going up, from stocks in the U.S,. to bonds from emerging markets, to stocks in Europe. Is it worrisome that everything is doing so well at the same time? A: I don’t see that as worrisome, those things being in sync. The bigger concern is that valuations have gotten a bit stretched, on the equity side as well as the fixed-income side. That’s a bigger concern to me than all these things moving in tandem. Much of that can be attributed to the very loose

monetary policy from central banks around the world. That’s put a very strong bid across these markets. So it’s not a surprise, but there is a need for caution and a need for customers to be comfortable with the amount of risk in their portfolios. It’s something they should be looking at. You can never predict when a downturn will come, but it will eventually come, and investors need to make sure they’re not too far ahead of their skis. Q: Conventional wisdom says that See STOCK MARKET, page 26

How not to get ripped off for car repairs By Tom Krisher It’s the moment every car owner dreads. The mechanic comes out of the garage to say your ride needs repairs costing hundreds of dollars. Then two big questions pop into your brain: Are the fixes really needed? Am I being overcharged? There might not be a way around getting the car fixed, but there are ways to stay in control of the situation. But it takes some work and planning both before and after the big repairs come. Here are some tips:

Get to know a mechanic Establish a relationship and find a repair shop you can trust — or risk big problems.

Good old word-of-mouth still is probably the best way to pick a garage, said George Geropoulos, service adviser at Ted’s Auto Clinic in northwest Chicago. Ask like-minded friends and neighbors where they go. With or without a recommendation, check online and find shops in your area that have mechanics with Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. Also look for AAAcertified garages and other training for technicians. Check online reviews. Shops that rely heavily on a particular neighborhood for their customers will take extra care to make sure people are happy. When you find a garage, take your car in for an oil change and inspection. See if the

people seem honest and are willing to take time to explain a problem. “It’s like a dating relationship,” said Jill Trotta, director of the automotive group at RepairPal.com, an online service that provides price estimates for auto repairs. The oil change is like having coffee with someone. Getting a small repair done is like going to dinner. A major repair can establish a long-term relationship. “If you do your due diligence up front, when something bad goes wrong, you can feel more comfortable,” Trotta said.

Getting to the truth Say the mechanic said that grinding noise in your front end signals your brake

pads need to be replaced. How do you know he’s telling the truth? Brake pad replacement is almost always accompanied by resurfacing or replacing the rotors, the round things that brake pads grab onto. That can drive the price up more. A good mechanic will take you into the garage, show you worn-out parts, and explain the problems if you ask. If you’re not there, ask the shop to send you cellphone pictures of the worn pads and other parts. Make note of exactly what parts are being replaced. If it’s an expensive repair and you’re still a little skeptical, tell the mechanic you need to wait for your next paycheck to get See CAR REPAIRS, page 26

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Stock market From page 25 the U.S. stock market is more overvalued than in Europe and other countries. Do you agree? A: If you look at Europe, those markets look a bit more attractive than the U.S. market. The way we would talk to investors is: You want to be diversified around the globe. You want to have the diversification so that if there is a downturn in the market, you don’t do inappropriate things at inappropriate times. Q: “Inappropriate things” means selling low whenever stocks take their next tumble?

Car repairs From page 25 the repair done, or you’re just not ready to do it now. Then get a second opinion, even if the next shop charges you for it, said Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

A: Absolutely. Q: And when you’re telling people to “stay diversified,” that sounds like shorthand for making sure you have enough bonds in your portfolio to ease the sting of any downturn for stocks. Can bonds still be that stabilizer if yields are so low? A: If you go back and look at the worst months for the equity markets, high-quality bonds provided a strong ballast to an investor’s portfolio. If you’re in one of those environments where U.S. stocks go down 6 percent, you typically have high-quality bonds showing slightly positive returns. It’s an asset class that’s not expected to go down, even in a low-rate environment. After the “Brexit” vote, even when yields (on Eu-

ropean bonds) were negative, high-quality bonds still held up even as equities sold off. Bonds have historically done their job, even when they’re yielding low amounts or even negative yields. Q: Investors seem to be throwing in the towel on funds run by stock pickers, and they’re choosing index funds instead. Do you think index funds will continue to be the overwhelming favorite for where investors put their new dollars? A: Our view is that investors are clearly voting that paying high costs in an environment where returns are expected to be muted is not the best option for them, and we’re seeing them move to lower-cost funds. If you have a higher cost structure, it’s

harder for you to outperform your market. And if you do, you have to take on substantially more risk to achieve those returns. Q: Do you think the industry could ever get to a point where someone offers a fund with zero fees, to be a loss leader and bring in customers for their other funds? A: You already have people doing lossleader strategies now. You have companies adding new funds that are clones of existing funds that are at a lower price to try to be a loss leader. The reality is you have to look at the entire complex and ask if it’s enduring. The industry broadly is still too-high cost, across the board. There’s still opportunity for many prices to go down. — AP

for the Edmunds.com automotive website. A simple Google search also will tell you if the problem the garage pointed out is common for your car, Geropoulos said.

is needed, there are ways to make sure the price is right. There are several websites such as RepairPal that have data on what prices you should be charged. Costs can vary widely across the country, so in addition to make, model and model year, the sites ask for your ZIP Code. RepairPal even has a mobile app for smartphones, so you could do the price check right inside the shop. Some sites give you estimates from several nearby shops. RepairPal uses the same database that garages use to figure out how long a repair should take. The site shows you the hourly labor rate and part cost data that comes from repair garages. It’ll give you a price

range for what the repair should cost. You can also call another shop or two and ask what they’d normally charge for the same repair on your model. Trotta, whose service makes money by certifying garages and charging them $199 per month to be a recommended shop on the RepairPal site, said the site calculates a fair price for quality repairs done with quality parts. The lowest price may not be the best deal. Trotta said some garages will sell inferior, less-expensive parts that won’t last as long. “The cheapest thing to do when getting your car repaired is to fix it right the first time,” she said. — AP

Don’t overpay Once you’ve determined that the repair

BEACON BITS

Oct. 3+

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

FREE COURSE ON COLUMBIA

The Columbia Association is offering three sessions on the history of Columbia, as well as basics on the government and available services, in three evening sessions from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Oct. 3, 19 and 17 at the Columbia Association Boardroom, 6310 Hillside Ct. Participants are expected to attend all three sessions. To learn more or to register, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/excite or call (410)730-1801.

We’re growing and need another sales consultant!

This full-time, outside sales position pays a base salary, plus commissions and benefits.

We're looking for a hard-working, positive, assertive, detail-oriented people person. Must be outgoing, love selling and be comfortable with computers.

If you would be excited to call and meet with potential advertisers throughout the Metro area, send your resume and cover letter to Alan Spiegel, Director of Sales, at: Alan@theBeaconNewspapers.com.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

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

Buy happiness with time-saving services By Seth Borenstein Yes, you can buy happiness — especially if the money saves you time. People who dole out cash to save time on things like housekeeping, delivery services and taxis are a little bit happier than those who don’t, new research finds. Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 people in four countries, and also ran an experiment, giving people $40 for two weeks. One week, they had to buy something material, like a shirt. The next week, they paid to save themselves time. People said they felt happier after saving time than buying stuff. “Money can buy happiness if you spend it right,” said University of British Columbia psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn, co-author of a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Jettison the drudge work The right way is paying someone else to do the time-consuming drudge work that you don’t like, said study lead author Ashley Whillans at the Harvard Business School. When people do that, they report feeling greater life satisfaction in general and happier that day. But when they buy material objects, it tends not to bring people the happiness they expect, she said. Lynda Jones, a retired critical care nurse in Indianapolis, has been hiring a housekeeper since she got out of college, and said it’s the one thing that kept her from burning out in the high stress job. Now she also has a grocery delivery service. “It’s really not that expensive when you think about what my time costs,” Jones said. “You can always get money. You can’t buy back time.” Earlier research found that using

money to help others or have good experiences — like a spa day or travel — also make people happier than buying things, Dunn and Whillans said. The survey was done in the United States, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands. Except for the U.S., the countries rank near the top of global happiness reports. In general, buying time increases Americans happiness about 0.77 on a 10point scale, with similar increases in the other countries, Dunn said. That may not seem like much but it is statistically significant, Whillans said. Income doesn’t matter. Rich or poor, spending money to save time seems to make people happier, Whillans said. And if anything, the data suggested that people with less money were able to get a bigger happiness boost from time-saving purchases than those with more, she said. Yet, only 28 percent of the people surveyed said they spent money to save time — an average of $148 per month.

think of time as money, she said. Outside researchers in happiness praised the research. “Research shows that people in rich nations are more stressed than people in poor ones, which at first does not seem to make sense. But part of the stress is this time pressure — too much to do, and one cannot get everything done,” said happiness researcher Edward Diener at the University of Illinois. “So buying time through purchases makes a lot of sense.”

Whillans put her findings to the test when she moved from Vancouver to the Boston area. She paid for someone to get rid of all of the boxes from her new house, and hired housekeeping and grocery delivery services — a change from graduate student life. “I was surprised,” Whillans said. “Wow, this really does feel great.” Similarly, Dunn had been fighting with her husband about getting a housekeeper. Now, she said, “I win” and they are getting — AP a housekeeper.

Sol Levinson & Bros. s. Funeral Services, PA A 5560 Sterrett Place, Suite 204 Columbia, MD 21044 Restricted - Operating out of Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc., Pikesville, MD

410-730-7230

Things bring less happiness

Pre ree-Planning Available le

In the $40 experiment, the researchers picked 60 people at a Canadian science museum. When the people spent the money on things, their average happiness score was 3.7 on a five-point scale. But when they spent it to pay a neighbor’s kids to do yardwork or get lunch delivered or take a taxi rather than a bus, their score averaged 4, a small but statistically significant difference, said Dunn, co-author of the book, Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending. Not only is the phrase “money can’t buy happiness” wrong, but so is “time is money,” Dunn said. Earlier studies show people are less likely to volunteer their time or help the environment when they

howardcounty@sollevinson.com www.sollevinson.com

Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Experts in Elder Law, Estate and Special Needs Planning

GREAT RATES ON CERTIFICATES 1-Year Certificate

Jason A. Frank, Esq.

Laurie S. Frank, Esq.

Kandace L. Scherr, Esq.

Medical Assistance Eligibility Planning and Asset Protection Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts / Veterans Benefits Healthcare Directives / Living Wills Trusts / Estate Planning and Administration Wills / Powers of Attorney / Guardianship

2-Year Certificate

1 1 .41 %APY1

Annual Percentage Yield

ACCESS AMERICA CHECKING Access America is the checking account that pays you back.

.61 0.50 0.20 %APY1

%APY2

Daily balance of $20,000 or more, up to $50,000

Daily balance of less than $20,000

IT’S EASY TO APPLY — NO MILITARY SERVICE REQUIRED FOR MEMBERSHIP

PenFed.org To receive any advertised product, you must become a member of PenFed Credit Union.

410.337.8900 | www.frankelderlaw.com | 1.888.338.0400 Towson | Columbia | Easton

1. PenFed Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is current as of August 31, 2017, and is subject to change. Minimum opening deposit is $1,000. A penalty will be imposed for early withdrawal. This will reduce earnings on the account. For all certificates funded by ACH, funds cannot be withdrawn within the first 60 days of the account opening. 2. Account is a variable rate account. APY is valid as of last dividend declaration date of August 31, 2017. APY and tiers are subject to change at any time. Fees may reduce earnings on account. Minimum deposit of $25 required to open account. When an account is terminated prior to the end of a statement cycle, dividends will be paid if the aggregate direct deposit requirement is met on the date of account termination. Dividends are compounded daily and paid monthly. © 2017 Pentagon Federal Credit Union

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Making the leap to be an entrepreneur By Jackie Zimmermann After two decades in the workforce, Ohio businesswoman Deborah Wasylko found herself faced with the prospect of having to move to keep her job while dealing with challenges in her family life. Wasylko concluded that she had a choice: continue her corporate career or become an entrepreneur. “I decided to start a corporate gift company, because that’s what I love to do,” said Wasylko, the founder and president of Baskets Galore, which creates gift baskets for corporate clients. She had long been enthusiastic about visual design and making people feel cared for, she said, and her new venture touched on both interests. “It was my opportunity to re-engineer my career and follow my passion.” The allure of becoming your own boss

seems strong: As of 2014, there were more than 29 million small businesses in the U.S, up 6 percent from 2010, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). But excelling in an office doesn’t mean you’re bound for entrepreneurial success. In addition to many logistical and financial challenges, the transition from employee to entrepreneur involves a distinct shift in mentality. Before you make the leap, take these steps to make sure you’re ready beyond the numbers. 1. Talk with other entrepreneurs The best way to prepare for the jump from a corporate job to calling the shots is to talk with those who have already made the transition. “You don’t want to reinvent the wheel every single time,” said Cathy Posner, a

small-business coach in Ohio. “You don’t have to do it alone.” Ask other entrepreneurs how their roles in corporate America prepared — or failed to prepare — them to run a small business. What do they wish they had done differently? What do they wish they had known ahead of time? And, most importantly, would they do it again? 2. Identify your resources A small-business mentor from SCORE is invaluable to entrepreneurs, Posner said. This free program, which is supported by the SBA, connects seasoned professionals with small-business owners. A mentor can help you turn your understanding of corporate goals into a business strategy by clarifying your vision. They can also help you define your services, determine the fees you’ll charge, and give ad-

Plan NOW to Attend the 2017 EXPO

Friday October 20 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS • 1:00 pm – Documentary Screening “James Beard: America’s First Foodie” • 2:30 pm – Speak(easy) Howard – Have You Had the Conversation?

Wilde Lake High School

• 160+ Exhibitors

5460 Trumpeter Road Columbia 21044

• NEW! Virtual Dementia Tours

$1 ADMISSION $5 CAPITOL STEPS* ONE SHOW: 11:00 am All admission and show proceeds benefit the Vivian Reid Community Fund for Older Adults *suggested donation

• Flu Shots and Health Screenings Only Accessible Parking On-Site at WLHS, all others must USE FREE SHUTTLE from The Mall in Columbia

#HoCoEXPO17 facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

If you need this information in an alternate format or accommodations to attend, contact Maryland Access Point (MAP) at 410-313-1234 or map@howardcountymd.gov; accommodation requests must be made at least one week in advance.

410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging

vice on daily business tasks you may not have handled before, such as marketing and managing employees, Posner said. Ultimately, you are your best resource. The skills you developed in a corporate environment — project management, organizational skills, employee management — will be even more important, said Posner. “Everything that you do starts to be magnified.” Wasylko particularly appreciates having learned in the corporate arena how to remain calm in the spotlight, giving presentations in front of executives or large crowds. As a fledgling business owner, “I wasn’t intimidated, and I had more poise as a result of doing all those things: being clear, being decisive, being organized,” she said. 3. Prepare yourself for uncertainty Being an entrepreneur involves higher highs and lower lows than working in an office, Posner said. “In many corporate environments, your responsibilities can be pretty segmented,” she said. But when you’re a small-business owner, “the buck stops 100 percent at you.” Brainstorm ways to keep yourself grounded in the face of uncertainty. After JJ DiGeronimo transitioned from Silicon Valley startups to running a consulting firm for women in tech fields, she found she had to redefine what success looked like. “I think entrepreneurship brings out your own deficiencies, and for me, a lot of that was around self-identity,” DiGeronimo said. After years of identifying with her title and salary, she found herself in a role that emphasized the significantly less concrete objective of personal and professional growth. “Our society often aligns success to money, but as an entrepreneur, it can take time to make money,” she said. “Finding ways to align to the goodwill of your work is important.” DiGeronimo turned her focus inward. She found support from fellow entrepreneurs, blogs and books. A favorite was The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of Our Inner Resources, which she said changed her notion of what success looks like. 4. Network, collaborate, repeat In a corporate environment, you’ve likely already dipped your toes in the networking pool. Take advantage of those connections before you leave your 9-to-5. Contacts and resources may prove invaluable; plus, you never know who may become a client. Networking events are also a good place to meet other business owners with whom you can collaborate, Posner said. For example, wedding photographers and florists often cross-promote services. And networking groups provide a partial replacement for one of the major benefits you’ll lose after leaving your job: colleagues. “When you go off and work by yourself, sometimes you need that energy,” DiGeronimo said. “You need that soundboard.” — AP

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

Don’t fall victim to fraud after hurricanes By Justin Lavelle In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, two things are certain: 1) Texans and Floridians will rebuild and repair, and 2) scammers will be lurking — ready to take advantage of victims, their circumstances and the people lending a hand to help. Preventing natural disaster relief scams is impossible. But informed citizens doing their research can avoid falling victim. Here are some ways to stay protected from these fraudsters:

Use trusted, local contractors Without a doubt, there will be scammers posing as contractors after a natural disaster. You want to make sure you do research to ensure you aren’t going to be taken advantage of. Here are a few tips to follow: • Don’t hire anyone who rushes or pressures you to sign a repair contract. • Don’t pay in cash. A scammer can take the money and never be heard from again. • Never hire a contractor on the spot. Read reviews and make sure they do quality work before making any deals. • Confirm that the contractor’s business is legal, licensed and registered. Request to see a business license and proof of insurance. • Pay in installments and wait for the repairs to be completed to make the last payment. • Always get everything in writing. A legal contract is your safety net, should any issues arise.

Do a VIN check before buying a car After Hurricane Katrina, fraudsters were fixing up cars damaged by the flooding and selling them as used cars — leaving their victims with a lemon of a car. Conducting a vehicle inspection num-

ber check will tell you if the vehicle had previous repairs or damage.

Spot fake charities Don’t let scammers take advantage of your generosity. Doing your own research is imperative before making any donations. Conning charities and fraudulent fundraisers may do any of the following: • Refuse to tell you the details; its mission, identity or how your donation will be used. • Ask for cash donations. • Ask you to wire money. • Thank you for a donation you didn’t make. • Try to get you to donate immediately, without giving you time to research. • Use a similar name as an established charity. • Refuse to give you proof that a donation is tax deductible. • Offer to provide an overnight shipping service to collect a donation (another way they try to get you to pay immediately). Before Hurricane Katrina even hit, scammers had registered dozens of websites with “Katrina” in the name to pose as charities. These scams circulate quickly on social media due to their sophistication, so watch out. Once someone makes the mistake of falling for a scam, the fraudsters will lure the victim’s social media friends in, knowing that people are more likely to trust what their friend likes. Here’s how to stay protected from online charity scams: • Be careful of which websites you give your email to. • Consider any organization that asks you to send money overseas to be a scam. • Do not open email attachments! Real emails from real charity organizations will not typically include attachments. Opening

an attachment from an unsolicited email may lead to a computer virus. • Investigate the charity’s website. Legitimate charities’ web addresses typically end in .org — not .com. You can also rule out any website that asks for your personal information. These are scams. • Be cautious of people claiming to be victims. If someone contacts you directly for help with something like a disaster or disease, they are likely to be scamming you. • Do not donate immediately over the

phone. Do your research. You can also help those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma by sharing these tips with others. When more people are informed of these scams, more victims can get the help they need. Justin Lavelle is chief communications officer at BeenVerified.com. BeenVerified offers a service to access public records and search for people. Find out ages, marital status, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, criminal records and more at www.beenverified.com.

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

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

VANESSA LIMA, M.D. JESSICA E. CHAN, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D..

410-997-9900

8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

Don’t Miss Out on a lifestyle you’ll love.

Joe and Jean have found inspired senior living. Read their story at www.MillersGrant.org/news Limited Availability on home & apartment styles – Schedule a visit to learn more before they’re all gone! 9000 Fathers Legacy Ellicott City, MD 21042 877-450-2532 | www.MillersGrant.org

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Travel Leisure &

Where and how to best view fall foliage. See story on page 32.

Exploring Beijing and its many attractions

Wandering on your own If your time is limited, do what I and my 14-year-old traveling companion — a friend’s daughter — did. Take to the streets of Beijing to soak up the atmosphere. Though we booked a tour with car, driver and guide for two, we had some pre-

tour time on our arrival day. Based at a hotel in the Chaoyang District, we visited a nearby outdoor market where we browsed for souvenir gifts for friends back home. Among the items we saw was a little book with a red plastic cover, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, ready for purchase. At more than 10 acres sprawling along streets and in pavilions, the Panjiayuan Market is the largest in China, selling secondhand goods as well an array of curios. Jade jewelry, ceramics, calligraphy, teapots, Buddha statues, paper lanterns, Cultural Revolution memorabilia, Ming- and Qing-style furniture — and even opium scales — are laid out on blankets on the ground. Be prepared to do a lot of crouching if you want to examine goods up close. Hundreds of bicycles crammed the bike “parking” area near the outdoor market. Local residents made their way on foot amid colorful banners donning Chinese characters, which lined a plaza. Tourists and locals alike swarmed the market.

PHOTO BY ESB PROFESSIONAL

By Harriet Edleson If you’ve never been to China, maybe it’s time. First-time travelers will be intrigued by the ancient culture interspersed with an enormous landscape, where modern and ancient mix. Of course, to really see China, you’ll need a lot of time or more than one trip. But if you think you’re only going to travel to the ancient land once, plan carefully so you get the most out of your travels. If you have enough time and resources, consider including Shanghai, China’s largest city and its financial center, in your itinerary. You can take one of China’s high-speed trains, the Jinghu High Speed Railway, between Beijing and Shanghai. You’ll need just five hours to make the 800-mile journey! In my case, I visited only Beijing, and due to business considerations did not extend my trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Certainly, if you can take the time to see all three in one trip, that would be appealing. But even on a trip limited to Beijing and its immediate environs, you’ll find plenty to do and see. Here are among the best ways to experience Beijing.

Beijing’s ultra-modern cityscape, including the angular headquarters for China Central Television at the back left of the photo, contrasts with the more than 900 traditional, pagoda-like buildings of the Forbidden City, which dates back to the 14th century. Beijing, with a population of more than 21 million, is China’s second-largest city.

Tiananmen Square The July sun basked the streets the next morning as we headed to Tiananmen Square, the first stop of the day. The well-known 109-acre square in the center of Beijing is named for the Tiananmen, which means “Gate of Heavenly Peace” in Chinese. Ironically, we are reminded of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 at this site. Student-led demonstrations proPHOTO BY APHOTOSTORY

Visitors to Beijing are only an hour or two away from the Great Wall of China. Tourists are welcome to walk along five sections of the 5,500-mile-long wall that once had as many as 25,000 watchtowers.

pelled the government to declare martial law, and government soldiers killed hundreds and possibly thousands of demonstrators. The exact number was never released by Chinese authorities. The day we were there, we watched kites soaring in the sky. Kite making and flying are among the oldest traditions in China, going back thousands of years. Nearby, a young boy carried the same little book of Mao’s quotations with the red plastic cover we’d seen at the outdoor market. Chairman Mao, who ruled until he passed away in 1976, is buried in a mausoleum located in the middle of Tiananmen Square, which draws crowds. Inside of the memorial hall, visitors can observe a large marble statue of Mao, and beautifully carved clay figures, murals and engravings. Halls on the second floor of the mausoleum house memorial rooms for six leaders from the Communist era, as well as a movie room where guests can view a documentary film called Huainian, which loosely translates “to cherish the memory of.” If you’re an early bird, don’t miss the flag-raising ceremony, in which a group of soldiers march through Tiananmen Tower to the Chinese national anthem. The flagraising is timed to be at the precise moment of sunrise. There is also a flag-lowering ceremony towards sunset.

The Forbidden City There’s a lot to see nearby, and we visited the Forbidden City next, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With 980 buildings and total of 9,999 rooms, it is one of the largest, if not the largest, palace complexes in the world. The seat of imperial power for five centuries, it was home to the royal family. One of the most prominent buildings is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Built as a symbol of imperial power in 1406, it was the highest building in the empire. No other structure was allowed to be higher than its 88 feet, including the decorative roof elements. The poetically named Palace of Earthly Tranquility housed most of the empresses of the Ming dynasty through 1644. Chairman Mao’s portrait hangs at the Tiananmen gate of the Forbidden City, a reminder of more recent times past. Allow at least three to four hours for a visit to the Forbidden City, and it probably goes without saying that comfortable walking shoes are a must. One of the most beautiful places I saw in my short time in China was the Summer Palace. No wonder the imperial family retreated here from the summer heat, which can soar into the middle to upper 90s in See BEIJING, page 31

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

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

Beijing From page 30 July and August. Just six miles northwest of the city, it’s worth a visit. The palace is right on the water and is painted in vibrant shades of red and yellow. There, one can see the beautiful palace gardens, take a boat ride to view an island temple, go into the palace’s theater to witness traditional performances, or wander through the recreated shops lining the river’s edge. Incorporating both manmade structures and natural elements, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) heritage site is considered a “masterpiece of Chinese landscape design,” according to UNESCO. Natural hills and open water combine with pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges “to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value,” according to UNESCO. While there, my traveling companion and I rode one of the dragon boats across Kunming Lake, watching the 17-Arch Bridge on the horizon. The striking vista left an indelible impression. The dragon boats themselves are intriguing, with a dragon tail at the back and a dragon head at the front. Painted in hues of cantaloupe, green and terra cotta, they whisk travelers across the lake. Another option is to stroll around the lake, luxuriating under the weeping willow trees. Be sure to see the Marble Boat. Situated

in the northwest corner of Kunming Lake, it dates to 1755. Eighty-feet long and two-stories high, it was destroyed during the Second Opium War in 1860. Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it in approximately1886 with diverted funds intended to build a modern Chinese Navy.

Scaling the Great Wall Don’t miss a visit to the Great Wall of China. Some of the best and most-restored sections are just north of Beijing, within a one- to two-hour drive. On a July day when the mercury hit at least 90 degrees, we drove with our tour guide to the Great Wall at Badaling, one of the most visited sections of the wall, about 50 miles from the center of Beijing. This is the section of the wall that Richard and Pat Nixon visited on their historic visit to China in 1972. Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev have also walked along this 500year-old section of the wall. Cyclists in the 2008 Olympics passed through its gates. Our visit there was one of the highlights of our trip. The sheer size of this portion of the wall — wide enough for five or six horses to be ridden across it — stuns travelers. Winding up and down the Jundu Mountains, it was a sight to behold against the blue sky with scattered cumulus clouds. Climbing to the top was my traveling companion’s goal, and I wasn’t going to be left behind. As we wound to the top, we took periodic

stops where artists painted, and watched other travelers who climbed carrying umbrellas to shield themselves from the unrelenting sun. I wondered if I was going to make it. At the top, there were certificates that read, “I have ascended the Badaling Great Wall.” We each bought one, of course, and I have kept mine as a reminder of how perseverance pays — or at least rewards with the satisfaction of knowing you can finish what you start!

a hutong, where networks of courtyards and narrow streets and alleys in the Xuanwu District date back at least 700 years. A visit to Beijing immerses you in the history and culture of this giant land. Even for a short visit, it’s worth the journey. But beware of the intense heat in summer and, if time is limited, consider a tour that will ensure your trip captures the highlights of China’s capital city.

If you go Cultural attractions I was intent on seeing the Chinese opera, which we did. But I was prevailed upon to consider an acrobatics show as well. I never would have thought of that myself, but I listened to my traveling companion. We headed on our own to the Acrobatics Macrocosm for what turned out to be one of the treats of the trip. Located in the Chaoyang District at 36 North East Third Ring Road, near our hotel, the Chaoyang Theater seats approximately 1,400 spectators. It’s located near the Hujialou station of the Beijing Subway. Colorful costumes and athletic moves characterized the performances. Acrobatic performances are among the oldest Chinese arts, dating back at least 2,000 years. They performed in the Imperial court. In later periods, opera replaced acrobatic shows as the preferred form of entertainment for royalty. If you have the time and interest, visit one of the pearl markets, a jade factory, and tour

July is typically the warmest month in Beijing with January the coldest. September to October is considered the best time to travel to Beijing, with sunshine and cooler temperatures than summer. According to weather.com, temperatures range from approximately 58 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees in September and 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 66 degrees in October. We had a package very similar to the current United Airlines’ Hello Beijing package — a five day/four night trip that costs $449 per person double occupancy at a five-star hotel. The package includes an English-speaking tour guide, four breakfasts and three lunches. See http://unitedvacationsasia.com/tour2017/cn01.html. United Airlines offers the lowest roundtrip fares to Beijing in mid-October, starting at about $750 from BWI. Get more information about travel to China from the China National Tourism Office at www.cnto.org or call (212) 760-8218.

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Where and how to enjoy fall foliage’s peak By Ed Perkins It’s time to plan and reserve fall foliage trip accommodations and tours. And not just to New England — you can find good fall foliage viewing throughout much of the U.S. and Canada. Peak viewing dates move gradually from North to South between mid-September and mid-November. And you can view foliage displays in your car, on a bus tour, or on a train. Where to go. Start by checking TripSavvy’s annual “Top spots in the USA for

fall foliage” page, which rounds up the usual suspects, from New England to Yosemite to Alaska, with links to local sources throughout the country. See the page at www.tripsavvy.com/top-spots-forfall-foliage-united-states-3301223. Also check the National Park Service at www.nps.gov, which touts foliage opportunities at dozens of parks. Log on for details, including best times to visit each park. When to go. Several sources post fall foliage calendars or maps to help you decide

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

Professional

Dignified

Affordable

• 24-hour service specializing in direct cremation • Return of the urn and memorial merchandise to your home • Serving Maryland and Washington, D.C. • Serving Md. & Washington, D.C. since 2000 without any increase in prices!

(301) 854-9038 or 1 (866) 728-4663 (toll free)

when to hit each area. Start with the Foliage Network (www.foliagenetwork.com), with separate regional reports for the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast. Also good: Stormfax, (www.stormfax.com/ foliagemap.htm), with both a national map and links to state and regional fall foliage websites and hotlines. The online weather channels also typically post fall foliage calendars. How to see it. Most people think of fall foliage as a road trip. Fall foliage websites typically include driving directions, many with links to local visitor activities. Lock in your accommodations as early as you can, and be sure to avoid football weekends at any prominent university towns. For several years, Amtrak has added its only full-length dome car to one trainset used for the daily New York-Montreal Adirondack day train, which passes through good leaf scenery, but, as usual,

See FALL FOLIAGE, page 33

BEACON BITS

Oct. 7+

OPEN SWIM

Free swim for those 55+ is offered for six weeks starting Saturday, Oct. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Cedar Lane School, 11630 Scraggsville Rd., Fulton. Exercise accessories will be provided. Fee: $35. To learn more, call Cathy Vigus at (410) 313-7311 or email her at cvigus@howardcountymd.gov.

call for your FREE information package

Visit us at www.GoingHomeCremation.com

Amtrak announces its plans quite late. Last year, the dome car was on the route from Sept. 29 to Nov. 1. Other Amtrak options passing through good foliage areas during daylight hours include the daily daytime Vermonter between St Alban’s, Vermont and New York; and the daily Ethan Allen Express, between Rutland and New York. In both cases, southbound trips offer the best viewing. Other possible foliage opportunities include the Pennsylvanian between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the California Zephyr daytime segment from Denver to Green River. In 2015, SmarterTravel.com listed “Best Fall Foliage Train Rides in North America.” Among them: The Mount Washington Cog Railway, New Hampshire (www.thecog.com);

Oct. 3

BRAIN EXERCISES

Complete puzzles, games, and tasks to keep the brain active and healthy on Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd, Ellicott City. Registration is preferred. To register or for more information, call (410) 313-1950.

Oct. 11

DON’T BE SAD THIS WINTER

Learn how to design a plan to overcome holiday blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) at a free program on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. For more information or to register, visit hcgh.org or call (410)740-7601.

art ist. I’M NOT A SENIOR. I’M AN

At Integrace, we know that your age does not define you. So we’ve created a family of life plan communities where you can connect with your passions and discover new paths every day. Live the life that’s most meaningful to you. Visit Integrace.org to discover all the possibilities that await you.

Barbara Bodie Buckingham’s Choice resident, crafter, painter and jewelry-maker

A Not-for-profit Community

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

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

Fall foliage From page 32 the Durango & Silverton, Colorado (vdurangotrain.com); the Essex Steam Train, Connecticut (www.essexsteamtrain.com); Adirondack Scenic Railroad, New York (www.adirondackrr.com/); Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Georgia (www.brscenic.com); Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Ohio (www.cvsr.com); and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (www.gsmr.com). But dozens of other tourist railways around the country also feature fall foliage packages. In most cases, these are short one-day, out-and-back excursions. The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society is running a series of all-day “New River” foliage excursions (www.newrivertrain.com/nrt.shtml) using vintage mainline railcars in West Virginia on two October weekends. While dome cars are sold out, coach seats are still available on the Oct. 29 excursion as of press time. Vacations by Rail (www.vacations-

byrail.com) run several foliage excursions with at least some travel by rail, and Rail Travel Tours (www.railtraveltours.com) runs several tours with rail travel on VIA Rail Canada. Uncommon Jour neys (www.uncommonjourneys.com/) features several rail and cruise combos. The agency FallFoliageCruise (www.fallfoliagecruise.com), a division of Vacations to Go, lists a diverse set of foliage cruises in New England and Canada. Dozens of local and national operators run bus tours, many including accommodations. Just Google “fall foliage tours” or see a travel agent. Where to stay. You know how to locate whatever accommodations you prefer: hotel, motel, resort, B&B, campground. The prime locations fill quickly, so book sooner rather than later. Often, an inclusive tour package is the best way to make sure you’ll get accommodations where you want them. © 2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Explore fall foliage’s peak by car or train across the mid-Atlantic and New England.

lifestyle

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Your NEW begins here

TRASH, WATESHED AND BAY FEE CREDIT

Homeowners with limited incomes may qualify for a 60 percent credit against the trash fee. For more information and an application, call the Trash, Watershed and Bay Fee Credit Program at (410) 313-2061 or check online at howardcountymd.gov. Written requests may also be sent to P.O. Box 3370, Ellicott City, MD 21041.

Oct. 16

LEARN TO CREATE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

Develop and modify presentation slides combining text and visuals in a one-day class at Howard Community College on Monday, Oct. 16. The session will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gateway Campus, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia. Tuition is $130, including $80 in fees that are waived for those age 65 and older. Call (443) for more information and to register or visit howardcc.edu/ConEd.

Oct. 6

EXPLORING THE NIGHT SKY

Learn about the stars, planets and space science in a program for adults in the NatureSphere planetarium. The program features the fulldome movie Impact! preceded by a presentation about current happenings in the night sky. The event takes place on Friday, Oct. 6 from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Robinson Nature Center, 6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia. Film previews are available at www.howardcountymd.gov/RNCNatu reSpherefeatures. No late seating. Ages 18+ only. The program is $6. To register, call (410) 313-0400.

communLi are SMOKties E FREE

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

EASTERN SHORE

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150 Severna Park 410-544-3411

Easton 410-770-3070

BALTIMORE CITY

Bel Air 410-893-0064 Box Hill 410-515-6115

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440 Coldspring 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY Catonsville 410-719-9464 Dundalk 410-288-5483 Fullerton 410-663-0665 Miramar Landing 410-391-8375 Randallstown 410-655-5673 Rosedale 410-866-1886 Taylor 410-663-0363 Towson 410-828-7185 Woodlawn 410-281-1120

HARFORD COUNTY

HOWARD COUNTY Colonial Landing 410-796-4399 Columbia 410-381-1118 Ellicott City 410-203-9501 Ellicott City II 410-203-2096 Emerson 301-483-3322 Snowden River 410-290-0384

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

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour. Professionally managed by R Home Communities

ALL PARK VIEW COMMUNITIES ARE

PET-FRIENDLY

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Style Arts &

Piano â&#x20AC;&#x153;campersâ&#x20AC;? learn to improvise in the jazz lab at Peabody. See cover story, continued on page 36.

Dreamgirls sparkles and shines at Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of the charts. In the star-building process, lives are damaged and forever changed. The audience- and critics-pleasing play was directed and choreographed on Broadway in 1981 by Michael â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Chorus Lineâ&#x20AC;? Bennett, winning six of its 13 nominated Tonys. It was transferred to the big screen in 2006, and featured BeyoncĂŠ, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx and Rachel Hudson, who picked up an Oscar for best supporting actress. It skipped across the waters for a London premiere late last year, and that production is reportedly going to skip back to Broadway in 2018.

PHOTO BY JERI TIDWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

By Robert Friedman Dreamgirls, the musical melodrama, is glittering again at Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dinner Theater in a production that is scintillating, exhilarating and, finally, exhausting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; though not in a bad way. This is Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third production of the multiple Tony Award-winning play. And the cast, both newly minted and repeat performers, puts heart, soul, guts and more soul into the almost-always singing and dancing action that storms across the dinner-theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage for nearly three hours. Of course, we old-timer followers of the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s entertainment scene are led to think of Diana Ross and the Supremes, James Brown, Little Richard, and those offstage movers and groovers like Berry Gordy Jr. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all of whom the creators of Dreamgirls have insisted over the years are not the real-life models for the characters of the musical. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say coincidences abound between the real-life and stage-life purveyors of the pop R&B scene who are rolled out for this show about three young women who go through lots of manipulating, mostly by scheming guys, to get to the top

Emotional story line Much emotional wrenching, shouting and tear-flowing goes on in the story line and within the wonderful songs that are sung and danced to. Romances between the young women and their managers heatedly ebb and flow, including the pairing (then breakup) of the Dreamgirls lead singer Deena Jones and the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manager, Curtis Taylor Jr. (A coincidence, of course, that this resembles the comings and goings of one-time business and romantic partners Diana Ross

N OW PLAYING G

2018 Sea ason Subscrriptions NO OW ON SALE! Viisit To obysDinneerTheatre.com WR 2UGHU <R RXUV 7R RGD\

410-730-8311

TobysDinnerTheatre.com m Due to the nature of theatrical bookkings, DOO VKRZV DQG GDWHV DUH VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH Â&#x2021; 7RRE\ÂľV 'LQQHU 7KKHDWUH &ROXPELD 0'

Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dinner Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of Dreamgirls includes 32 infectious song and dance numbers, as well as more than 25 shimmering cast members in a show that focuses on three young R&B singers and the producers who scheme to get them to the top of the charts.

and Motown chief Berry Gordy Jr.) Played down, but what perhaps should have been accented more, is how the talents of soulful black performers had to be toned down for them to make the bright lights in a still mostly square white America. There are a few mentions of the big-hit â&#x20AC;&#x153;coversâ&#x20AC;? by white performers of songs first soulfully emoted by black performers. An example: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hound Dogâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an all-time hit by Elvis Pressley â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was â&#x20AC;&#x153;borrowedâ&#x20AC;? from

Big Mama Thornton, who had fashioned it as an original bluesy lament. Also just hinted at is the way many black R&B performers were short-changed by record producers in those far-off days when records were still being â&#x20AC;&#x153;cut.â&#x20AC;?

Energetic performances Anyway, in this current production, the See DREAMGIRLS, page 37

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Peabody From page 1 also veterans of Maine. It’s a group of “fanatics that bonded,” according to Moskowitz. When the Maine camp announced it was closing, they searched the country for a place that would maintain the tradition and give the cohesive group a new home, at least for a week each summer. At the time, the Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel) was offering music classes in the summers at Peabody. They agreed to host the piano camp there. But nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Road Scholar pulled out of the school entirely a few years back, leaving the piano camp group at a loss once again. Enter Steve Baddour, 70, of Washington, D.C., a nine-year veteran of Peabody at this point. He is credited with helping save the program, providing some institutional memory for the administrators at Peabody whom he persuaded to keep it going. Baddour, a retired English teacher, has been playing piano since he was 7. Today, he performs year-round at local retirement communities, and plays solo recitals to raise funds for charities. As much as he loves music and keeps it part of his life, he noted that “the only time I didn’t enjoy music” was during the 18 months he majored in music in college. “It was a disaster!”

Not all classical Alice Rodgers, 76, is attending the Peabody program for the 20th time. What brings her here from Little Rock, Arkansas, every year? “It’s the people,” she said. “[Playing piano] by yourself is so solitary. I come here to get ideas and get inspired...This is totally out of my ordinary routine; like a vacation, an escape.” Rodgers is a certified exercise trainer, teaching classes to, and monitoring, older adults in retirement communities three mornings a week. It’s work she loves, and it gives her the time to practice the piano. Rodgers focuses on the jazz music track at the Peabody program. With lectures by an experienced jazz musician and a daily session in the “piano lab” to practice improvisational technique, it attracts a small but dedicated group of jazz and popular music lovers. Jazz instructor Larry Willis studied with Dizzy Gillespie and performed with the band Blood, Sweat and Tears for much of his career. Willis, who calls jazz “African American classical music,” said to learn to improvise “start tapping your feet. Listen to the rhythm of your heart. Music has to get inside you to move you to dance.”

Playing badly and loving it Another multi-decade veteran of the program, Delores Vestrich of Falls Church, Va., says, “I play a lot of instruments badly.” In addition to piano, she

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

mentions saxophone, marimba and flute. A former scientist, she says she loves to “analyze” music, finding it “fun to experiment, and learn how to make [various instruments] work and sound beautiful.” The self-deprecating 89-year-old jokes about how she started making music “banging on rocks with sticks.” She also says forthrightly, “No one wants to hear me, and I don’t care. I don’t play for others; just for myself.” Vestrich loves coming to Peabody because the instructors who lecture and conduct master classes “respect our curiosity and love” for music. She also revels in the recitals the instructors give. “You hear better music here than on any other stage; repertoire you won’t hear performed anywhere else.”

Spreading the word Wilton Baker, of Bethesda, Md., learned about the Peabody camp while on a tour bus in Istanbul. “I told another traveler that I had taken up piano when I retired, and she said, ‘you’d love this!’ I’ve been coming ever since,” he said. A former lawyer who represented the IRS before the U.S. Tax Court, Baker was “looking for something completely different” once he retired. Unlike many of the Peabody regulars, he was a complete newcomer to the piano. Now 71, he’s taken weekly lessons for about four years now, and “it’s one of the most interesting things I do.” How’s it going? “I progress as everybody does,” he said dryly. “Slowly.” He added that YouTube “is humbling. You struggle through a piece, and then watch this 5-year-old play it much better than you can. But then you realize she’s probably practiced it more than you have, too!” Gail Rudenstein comes from suburban Philadelphia each year to attend Piano at Peabody. She grew up without a piano at home, but her parents still saw to it that she got piano lessons for 10 years. Then she paid it forward, sending her own son to lessons for 10 years. When he quit in high school, she started taking lessons from his teacher herself. That was 17

years ago, and despite the fact that “he’s very demanding, and he scares me sometimes,” she’s still at it. While she plays mostly for herself, she also performs at area nursing homes and does a little accompanying. Why does she come to piano camp? “I come here to get some validation and to learn from other people. I also get some intense practice time, which is so hard to get at home,” with all the distractions.

Mid-year soirees About five years ago, Baddour and some of the other “fanatics” decided that waiting an entire year between meetings was far too long. So they decided to institute thrice yearly gatherings in the D.C. area, where they can perform a short piece for each other and enjoy a pot-luck lunch while catching up with each other. The group, which calls itself “Peabody D.C.,” typically gets between 12 and 20 attendees, and meets in the homes of members who have space for a crowd of that size (and a nice piano). Moskowitz almost always comes from her home in Timonium, and is the most reliable long-distance traveler to the daytime soirees, Baddour said. Baker recalls playing at one such gathering. “You reach a point where you make a mistake [in your piece.] The group is very supportive, as we’ve all been through it. “We may think, because of our age, we shouldn’t have to crawl before we walk, or walk before we run. The hardest thing is realizing that, whether you’re 6 or 60, you have to go through all the steps.” But isn’t it a pleasure doing so among peers who feel the same way you do about music? Piano at Peabody will next meet in the summer of 2018, with dates and costs to be determined. Tuition for participants this year was $520 for the week. Room and board this year (recommended, given the long days) was $750 single, $480 double. Private lessons with faculty members are also priced separately. For more information, email peabodyprep@jhu.edu or call (667) 208-6640.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 38 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

L I C I T

L O O T S

M A I L

O S T E O

W W E A D R

A T R I P

M A G S

A S I N I T N V I E S N I S H U G N E S W H I I R N A G

S A N O T M A N I S E O W P S I A T T I E D S E

P L O W S

O A T H

T R E A T O T A B O L I I T S P S O A I T S N T G E E R

P L E T A U T T U T O A B R E R A B N I G E E R

O S H U A U T C H T A B O O

I S U Z U

S T E T

H O N O R

O U T D O

O T H E R

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

Dreamgirls From page 34 performers are the thing. Let’s point out — while feeling somewhat apologetic for not noting so many others in the top-notch cast — the outstanding performance of Bryan Jeffrey, who’s certainly got the feelin’ as he goes slippin’ and slidin’ through his James Brown-Little Richard character of James Thunder Early. Crystal Freeman also excels as Effie, the former Dreamgirl who is shaken awake when she is given her walking papers by the trio’s very controlling manager. She brings down Act 1’s (figurative) curtain, as well as the dinner theater house, as she emotes to the song “(And I Am Telling You) I’m Not Going.” Then there’s Sequina DuBose as Diana, er, Deena Jones, who sweet sings her way to night club stardom before quitting the trio to go on to something “more important” (like the movies and a solo act). And there’s DeCarlo Raspberry, as Curtis Taylor Jr., who is as sharp and knowledgeable in the music business as he is creepy and manipulating in his personal relationships. Kevin McAllister is the director who moves it all along at an almost breathless pace, while the sequined and beautifully draped costumes by Lawrence B. Munsey sparkle and glitter.

Much of the latter is due to lighting designer Lynn Joslin’s flashing colored globes and cubes, which come alive along the walls to give added sparkle to the costumes and the performers on the minimal dinner theater stage. The music is directed and orchestrated by Ross Scott Rawlings, and the dancing is choreographed by Shalyce Hembey. There are 32 — count ‘em, 32! — musical numbers in the show, including reprises. The singing and dancing to such numbers as “Cadillac Car,” an ode to making it big in the big time, and the wild and wooly “Steppin’ to the Bad Side,” are performed by just about everybody in the 25-plus member cast. The solo shout-outs — the aforementioned “I’m Not Going,” as well as “I Am Changing,” by Effie, as well as the James Brown-Little Richard-James Thunder Early take on “Baby-Baby” — had the couple hundred audience members movin’ and groovin’ in their seats. It’s too bad there’s not enough room at Toby’s for dancing in the aisles.

Performances and tickets Dreamgirls continues through Nov. 12 at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, located at 5900 Symphony Woods Rd. in Columbia. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner prior to the evening performances Tuesday through Saturday, which begin at 8 p.m. For Sunday evening performances, which

PLATINUM MEMBERS: The Beacon Newspapers • Vantage House Retirement Community GOLD MEMBER Howard County Oﬃce on Aging & Independence SILVER MEMBERS Brightview Rolling Hills • Brooke Grove Retirement Village • Ellicott City Health & Rehabilitation Center Home Call of Maryland • Kindred at Home (formerly Gentiva) • Oasis Senior Advisors Right At Home In-Home Care & Assistance• Senior Care Lifestyles, LLC The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Integrity BRONZE MEMBERS ComForCare Home Care of Howard County • Let’s Move, LLC Somerford Place • Stress Free Solutions • Williams Asset Management PATRON MEMBERS Angels of Elder Care Planning, LLC • Alzheimer’s Association - Greater Maryland Chapter Assisting Hands Home Care • Country Gardens Assisted Living, Freedom Mobility • Genesis SelectCare Home Instead Senior Care • Home With You Senior Care • Integrace Copper Ridge • Integrace Fairhaven Life Matters • Luba Services, Inc • Neighbor Ride, Inc • Shangri-La Senior Living The Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant • Visiting Angels • Winter Growth, Inc.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

begin at 7 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. for dinner. On Wednesdays and Sundays, there are matinee performances, which open for brunch at 10:30 a.m., with shows beginning at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Ticket prices range from $45.50 (for children under 12) to $64, depending on the performance. Tickets for those 65+ are available Tuesday and Wednesday nights, as well as Wednesday matinees, for $51.85. Ticket prices include buffet dinner or brunch, tea and coffee. Specialty alcoholic drinks are priced separately.

Toby’s buffet-style meals offer something for everyone. Dinners feature roast beef, BBQ ribs, fried chicken, roast potatoes, cocktail shrimp, a variety of vegetables and salads, and more. Cake and unlimited ice cream are also included. You can also arrange to have coffee or alcohol brought to you during intermission. At Toby’s, the show’s actors also wait on tables. Their tips constitute much of their pay for their performances, so be sure to tip well. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (410) 730-8311 or visit www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.

!" #$%&'()* !"#$%&!'

October 7, 2017, 7:30pm Jim Rouse Theatre Smetana: The Moldau !"#$%&'()*+,! Simpson: World Premiere of a new score !"#!$%& to accompany Charlie Chaplin’s silent film The Immigrant Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 Tickets: $10-$28 ($3 service fee may apply) 410-465-8777 www.columbiaorchestra.org

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus ByStephen StephenSherr Sherr

Film School 1

25 29

38 42

47 49

27 31

40 44

56 59

HC1017

Scrabble answers on p. 36.

Across A 1 Ppetting zzoo pparticipant 6 Ladybug’s feature 10 Stylish 14 Greek letters that look like “I”‘s 15 Apple spray 16 Oahu to-to 17 Dog bred to herd cattle 18 Octave component 19 ___ A Sketch (1998 entry into the Toy Hall of Fame) 20 Start of a Roger Ebert quote (slightly edited to fit your screen) 23 Children’s Tylenol dosage unit 24 “___ corny as Kansas in August” 25 ___-frutti (Italian for “all fruits”) 28 It launched two days after Country Music Television (CMT) in 1983a 29 Hall-of-Famer Mel 30 Obnoxious jerk 32 Second part of quote 38 The A in NBA, but not MBA 39 Yale student 40 Move like The Blob 41 Third part of quote 46 Table holder 47 Push and pull 48 Start to -law or -med 49 “The real secrets are not the ___ tell” (Mason Cooley) 51 Ride in a hot air balloon 53 Owl’s question 56 Conclusion of quote 59 Global conflict that led to the Baby Boom 62 Darken a car window 63 Last inning, usually 64 Get what you deserve 65 A quarter’s has 119 ridges 66 Crystal-lined stone 67 Some Like It Hot costumes 68 Tarot card dealer 69 Screw-up

Down 1 Culturally acceptable 2 Takes during the riot 3 ___ to the Moon (Groundbreaking 1902 moving picture) 4 GQ and SI 5 Senseless 6 Mr. Claus, to pals 7 John Deere’s were made of steel 8 ___ of Office 9 Pick up the tab 10 Skirt fold 11 Like last year’s styles 12 ___ fly (run-scoring out in baseball) 13 “Can you say that again?” 21 Prefix for -potent or -present 22 Item in a ballerina’s wardrobe 26 Culturally unacceptable 27 Japanese car maker 28 Fancy popcorn holders 29 Brief newspaper bio. 31 Proofer’s second thought 32 Pony Express delivery 33 Bone: Prefix 34 Hand-gesture of peace 35 Uses needles and thread 36 Heavyweight champion during the US bicentennial 37 One of Hamlet’s options 42 Quiet down, please 43 Poppy products 44 Fitness centers 45 Select the bride and groom 50 “Dallas” family name 51 Burn slightly 52 Cousin to a weasel or badger 53 Present a Lifetime Achievement Award 54 Perform better than 55 “It’s always one thing or the ___” 57 Top selling liquid laundry detergent 58 German beer 59 Walk down the aisle 60 ___ and Peace 61 Gold fund, reserved for one’s golden years

Answers on page 36.

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

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

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

Home/Handyman Services T’S HAULING & MOVING — I will haul your possessions or haul them away. Fast, friendly service. Call Tim, 410-889-3795 or 443-6906525. Senior and military discounts.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Home/Handyman Services CALVIN’S DIVERSIFIED SERVICES — Licensed and insured. Moving and hauling, residential, commercial. 7 days a week. 410-6028640. SANFORD & SON JUNK REMOVAL. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage + basement cleanouts. Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410-746-5090.

Personals MY NAME IS RENEE ANN CRYER. I am single, cuddly with long, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5’7 ft. tall. I’m very attractive. I’m a nurse and have been for 11 years. I am very much about other people’s feelings. I am very loving, enjoy gardening, cinema, cozy nights in with a bottle of wine, swimming, watching some sports and good movies. I seek a serious marriage-minded, matured guy. Someone good looking, honest, and trustworthy. I am in need of tender loving and care. Write me a letter now with your contact details to PO Box 34926, 3751 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90034-9998. Let’s arrange to meet for a cup of coffee. Call/text me on 1-305-515-5201.

Personal Services MUSIC FOR YOUR SERVICE — Beautiful, uplifting, comforting flute music for end of life services and other special events. Professional. Experienced. Affordable. www.MusicForYourService.com. 410-788-6442.

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

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Wanted CASH FOR JEWELRY: gold, silver, costume, diamonds, watches, scrap gold, coins. Call Gary, 301-520-0755. www.atticllc.com. COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

Thank you for reading the Beacon!

BEACON BITS

Sept. 26+

PHOTOGRAPHY AND WOODWORKING SHOW

Photographer Joan Forester and woodworkers Ron Brown, Jordan Kitt and Dave McCann are featured in the exhibit “Nature Made: Photography and Woodwork” at the Artists’ Gallery, 8197 Main St., Ellicott City. The show runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 29. Gallery hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit artistsgallery.com or call (443) 325-5936.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Events

Options for Senior America . . . . . .12

Baltimore Boomer/Senior Expo . . .14 COGS Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Howard County 50 Plus Expo . . . .28

Housing

Employment The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Financial Services Capital Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 First Maryland Disability Trust . . .25 PENFED Financial Services . . . . . .27

Funeral Services Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . .32 Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .12 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . .27

Hearing Services Chesapeake Hearing Centers . . . . . .5 Miracle-Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Live Better Hearing . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Home Health Care A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . .10

Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Bayleigh Chase/Integrace . . . . . . . .32 Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16, 40 Buckingham’s Choice/Integrace . . .32 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . .13 Fairhaven/Integrace . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Heartlands Senior Living . . . . . . . . .3 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . . . .25 Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant .29 Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . .12 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Somerford Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Legal Services

Retail/Services Budget Bath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . .32 Magic Mountain Chimney Sweeps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Senior Services Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . . .17-24

Skilled Nursing & Rehab CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Theatre/Entertainment Candlelight Concert Society . . . . . .37 Celebration of the Arts . . . . . . . . . .35 Columbia Orchestra, The . . . . . . . .37 Columbia ProCantare . . . . . . . . . . .34

Felinton Elder Law . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . .27 Law Office of Karen Ellsworth . . .26

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . .34

Medical/Health

Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . .29 World Class Chiropractic . . . . . . . . .8

Tour & Travel

ASSISTED LIVING OPEN HOUSE

40 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Simply

DIFFERENT

Because what surrounds you really matters.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 10 A.m. – 12:30 p.m. The meadows assisted living 1635 hickory knoll road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

For more than 65 years, Brooke Grove Retirement Village has built a history of excellence in Montgomery County. Explore our residential-style homes, gardens and secure walking paths. Discover our innovative approach and programs including those designed to stimulate memory. Meet our staff, trained in assisting those with Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Enjoy our 220-acre campus and our live-in pets.

Please RSVP to Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org by October 16.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support 301-260-2320 or 301-924-2811 • www.bgf.org