November 2019 | Baltimore Beacon

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Jazz promoter opens new club

NOVEMBER 2019

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY MICHAEL WILDERMAN

By Timothy Cox Baltimore’s new jazz club, tucked between Fell’s Point and Harborplace, has been hopping since it opened last April.

In its first week, Keystone Korner Baltimore featured legendary bassist Ron Carter. During the summer, lines snaked around the block as people waited to hear smooth-jazz-neosoul Godfather and vibraphonist Roy Ayers. The iconic Blood, Sweat and Tears keyboardist Larry Willis, who died in September, made his last public performance at the club in August.

“Baltimore has a rich jazz legacy, with the likes of Eubie Blake, Cab Calloway and Billie Holiday,” said Keystone Korner’s owner, Todd Barkan, 73, whose San Francisco club of the same name hosted countless musical icons in the 1970s. “I’m in Baltimore now, and it feels like home.”

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

Get your kicks on Route 66 in a classic car, plus, cruising for art and history on the Danube River page 22

Aficionado since a teenager For most of his life, Barkan has been devoted to the perpetuation of the musical style often described as “African American classical music.” Today, Barkan is often described as a jazz impresario and a tireless advocate of the music he loves.

Barkan’s love for jazz began in his early years in Columbus, Ohio. He took piano lessons as a child and became interested in jazz as a teenager. That’s also when he met his mentor, jazz saxophone legend Rahsaan Roland Kirk, known for his ability to play multiple instruments simultaneously.

While attending Oberlin College in the early 1960s, Barkan first began producing jazz shows. By 1968, he relocated to San Francisco and was working nights as the pianist for a Latin jazz band called Kwane & The Kwan Ditos. He eventually performed at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco.

In 1972, Barkan purchased that leg-

Jazz impresario Todd Barkan, 73, opened Keystone Korner, Baltimore’s new jazz lounge and restaurant, in April. Barkan worked in the music industry for decades in New York and San Francisco, but he said, “I’m in Baltimore now, and it feels like home.”

endary club. Under his direction it became known as the “Birdland of the 1970s,” according to Pittsburgh pianist and bandleader Mary Lou Williams.

It was during the 70s that the nightclub earned its acclaim, largely due to Barkan’s ability to produce dozens of highly-regarded live recordings at the club.

“People ask me how I know all these

legendary jazz musicians personally,” Barkan said. “It’s because this has been my life since I was in my 20s. I’ve gotten to know many of these people on a personal basis, and now they are my friends.”

He says he’s proud of the fact that during his ownership, Keystone Korner booked

ARTS & STYLE

Chesapeake Shakespeare’s Dracula goes for the jugular but hits the funny bone; plus, author Marc Freedman builds bridges between generations page 26

TECHNOLOGY 4 k Pros and cons of electric bikes

See JAZZ CLUB, page 28

FITNESS & HEALTH 6 k Ways to boost your metabolism k Best treatment for knee pain

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Giving thanks As we approach the Thanksgiving sea- ernment agencies, and pretty much countson, I want to take this opportunity to less giveaways, ranging from pens and pillshow thanks for the many boxes to LED lightbulbs and, blessings we have here at the as one attendee complained Beacon. to me, “too much chocolate!”

First, we are thankful for Of course, neither our our hundreds of thousands of Expos nor our monthly publireaders. It is for you that we cations would exist without the launched the Beacon more support of our hundreds of than 30 years ago, and for monthly advertisers, ranging whom our small but dedicatfrom retirement communities, ed staff works so hard every government departments of month — putting out more aging and homecare agencies than 200,000 copies of four FROM THE that have been steady advertiseditions distributed free of PUBLISHER ers for 30 years, to medical By Stuart P. Rosenthal charge throughout the cannabis dispensaries that greater Baltimore, Howard came into existence and disCounty, greater Washington, D.C. and covered the Beacon only recently. greater Richmond, Virginia areas.

Not only do our advertisers make it posI also want to thank the thousands of read- sible for us to print and distribute free ers who attended our recent 50+Expos in Sil- copies of the Beacon each month, they also ver Spring, Maryland and Springfield, Vir- supply useful information and helpful ginia. For these — our 20th annual Expos — products and services that our readers dewe had record turnout in both locations. pend on.

Those who came were able to get flu, So, as we say in every issue, please suppneumonia and shingles vaccines, free port our advertisers — they keep the Beahealth screenings, information from more con free, and they also provide important, than 125 businesses, nonprofits and gov- practical content alongside our many arti-

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cles on health, money, law, technology, housing, travel and the arts.

Speaking of which, I want to give a hearty thank-you to the members of our editorial staff who, together with a number of talented freelance writers, report, research and write our local articles, and who curate, localize and edit the content we obtain from a wide variety of wire services (including AP, Tribune Content Agency, Kiplinger’s, Mayo Clinic and Harvard University, among others).

Each year, we enter a selection of stories our staff and freelancers write in the annual editorial competition of the North American Mature Publishers Association, judged by the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism.

I am proud to report that 13 of these writers won 17 awards this year, which in turn qualified us for an 18th award: Best of Show for a publication in our category (over 100,000 circulation).

Of particular interest to Baltimore readers, freelancer Dan Collins won first place for his local theatre reviews, described by the judges as “thoughtfully conceived and memorably detailed.” Writer Carol Sorgen won second place in the same category for her “columns on local exhibitions [that] bristle with history and the human context.”

Sorgen, together with our Howard County freelancer Robert Friedman, also shared second place for our December 2018 cover story, “Is medical cannabis for you?”

In “this timely and informative story…they teamed up to answer all the questions seniors might have,” the judges wrote.

In addition, Sorgen and Friedman won other awards for stories appearing in our

Howard County and Greater Washington editions.

I also want to thank our staff whose dedicated efforts, month after month, keep our publications and our website fresh and new: Margaret Foster, managing editor (who won first place for a cover story she wrote for our D.C. edition); Susan Ahearn, assistant editor; Gordon Hasenei, VP of operations, Roger King, director of operations, Kyle Gregory, art director; Judy Rosenthal, president and associate publisher (and my wife); our sales staff whose efforts keep the rest of us afloat: Alan Spiegel, VP of sales and marketing, and ad reps Steve Levin, Doug Hallock, Dan Kelly, Hubie Stockhausen and Lisa Benton-Hawkins; and Steve Andrzejczyk, web content manager.

A special shout-out to Kyle Gregory, who recently reached his 20th anniversary at the Beacon!

I thanked you, our readers, at the beginning of this column, but it’s only fair that I end with you as well. As much as we appreciate the awards showered on our publications each year, what all of us on the Beacon staff value most is the respect and loyalty of our readers.

Our advertisers and our publications would not be here without your ongoing support — in reading the Beacon telling your friends about it, sharing articles with your doctors and family, and patronizing our advertisers (and telling them you saw them in the Beacon).

Our entire staff joins me in wishing you and yours a wonderful, healthy and happy Thanksgiving season.

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 Richmond, Va. (Fifty Plus).

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Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal Vice President of Operations – Gordon Hasenei Vice President, Sales & Marketing – Alan Spiegel Managing Editor – Margaret Foster Art Director – Kyle Gregory Director of Operations – Roger King Advertising Representative – Steve Levin Assistant Editor – Susan Ahearn Editorial Intern – Ivey Noojin

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Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day.

Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: I enjoyed reading your October column “Music, in theory” (and do like all your “From the publisher” articles). I am not a musician but have always wanted to learn to play the piano, or at least to be able to read and sing the notes in order to join a choir.

I think there is too much emphasis on music theory when learning, especially as a young child. It quickly discourages the majority of students.

Practical, fun results are much more important and are beneficial for general academic learning. But even singing was absent from the schools my kids went to in Canada, and I believe that is often the case in the USA as well.

Marianne Lisenko Via email

Dear Editor: The 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with communitybased civic organizations, high stepping bands, colorful cheer and dance squads, military units, equestrian groups and decorative floats.

This year, the parade is scheduled to begin at noon on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.

Groups who would like to participate in the celebration can apply at www.promotionandarts.org or by calling (410) 7528632. The application deadline is Monday, Dec. 20, 2019.

Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Technology &

Innovations Electric bikes coming to a park near you

By Ellen Knickmeyer and David Sharp Motorized electric bicycles may soon be humming along serene trails in national parks and other public lands nationwide.

It’s part of a new Trump administration order — hotly opposed by many outdoors groups — that will allow e-bikes on every federal trail where a regular bike can go.

Sales of the bikes, powered by both pedals and battery-driven small motors, are booming, and some aging or less fit people have sought the rule change. It will allow them to whir up and down biking trails in the country’s roughly 400 national parks and other

federally managed backcountry areas.

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed the order without fanfare in August, classifying e-bikes as non-motorized bikes.

The e-bikes “make bicycle travel easier and more efficient, and they provide an option for people who want to ride a bicycle but might not otherwise do so because of physical fitness, age, disability or convenience,” National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith said in a statement.

But more than 50 hiking, horse-riding and other outdoor and conservation associations object. They say the administration is funda-

mentally changing the nature of national parks with little or no public notice or study.

“If you’re hiking on a trail in Utah and you’re rounding a bend and something’s coming at you at 20 mph, that really changes the experience,” said Kristen Brengel, a vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit that advocates for the national park system.

“It’s pretty jarring” to those who take to public lands to escape city noise and stress for nature, Brengel said. “You’re adding significant speed and a throttle to those trails.”

An expanding industry E-bikes are the fastest-growing segment of the bicycle industry, with U.S. sales jumping 72% to $144 million last year, according to the NPD Group, which tracks bike sales. The motorized bikes are popular with commuters and older adults who might not otherwise get out on a bicycle.

The bikes, which can cost $2,000 or more, combine the frame of a regular bike with lightweight batteries and electric motors.

In parks and other public lands, as on city streets and sidewalks, people moving on vehicles powered by electric or gasoline engines frequently jostle for the right of way with people on foot or traditional bikes.

In the National Park Service, officials over the decades have tried to carefully sort out rules and systems to minimize conflicts.

In their letter, the outdoor groups complained that the decision to allow motorized bikes on bike trails breaks with policies dating back to the early 1970s confining cars, dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and all other motorized vehicles to roads and designated areas or trails on public lands.

Interior’s order allows motorized bikes that can go up to 28 mph to be classified as

regular bikes.

“Parks are already having a shortage of staffs and rangers,” said Randy Rasmussen, whose organization, Back Country Horsemen of America, opposes the rules. “And now what: they’re supposed to be out there with radar guns? It’s unenforceable.”

He suspects riders will create dangerous encounters with spooked horses.

Interior said riders must use the motor only to boost their pedaling on the trails, and not zip along on motor power alone.

Bernhardt’s order gave agency officials 30 days to come up with public guidance on how the new policy will be carried out by the National Park and National Wildlife Refuge systems, and on land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.

The National Park Service said in a statement that public comment would be sought as it works to develop a revised rule on bicycle use.

Pros and cons Ashley Korenblat, an advocate for preserving public lands and CEO of Western Spirit Cycling in Utah, saw several upsides.

E-bikes could lead to fewer cars at congested national parks, she said. The bikes are quiet, not much faster than regular bikes and allow people who otherwise couldn’t physically ride to go cycling.

“You can bring grandma and a 7-yearold and the whole group will be able to stay together,” said Korenblat.

Adam Gariepy, manager of the Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, said he’s “tentatively happy” about the new rules. But he has reservations because some e-bikes like his See E-BIKES, page 5

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can reach around 28 mph, he said. That speed could be dangerous on trails that have a mix of bicycle riders, horses and carriages, hikers, families and pets.

“It’s a two-edged sword. It’ll be great for

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From page 4

older folks who are afraid of the hills and want to continue riding. But there should be some speed limit with them,” he said.

Park Service Deputy Director Smith said the parks “should be responsive to visitors’ interest in using this new technology wherever it is safe and appropriate to do.”

—AP

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Let’s say you have to move something large. Something heavy. And you don’t have a truck or even a friend to help you.

Do you rent a moving van and sweat it out on your own?

A new app for your smartphone called Bungii can help. Think of it as Uber, but

If you’re taking care of an aging parent who lives alone, Tochie, an app and related devices, can help send reminders to take medicine, visit the doctor or even turn off the stove.

A caregiver can download the app and record a personal reminder with their own voice. Then you can schedule automatic reminders, which will be relayed in the parent’s home from a small speaker.

Can you tell the difference from a factual statement and an opinion? Pew Research Center has a quiz for you — see if you can answer all five questions correctly.

According to a recent Pew report, “When Americans call a statement factual

If you are 62 or older, consider a pass to our National Parks. The Annual Senior Pass is $20 (plus a $10 processing fee), and the Lifetime Senior Pass is $80 (plus the $10 fee).

These replace the former Golden Access and Golden Age Passports. Learn more at store.usgs.gov/senior-pass.

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Moving help on call

The caregiver’s helper

Test your fake news sensor

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F R E E

Does Medicare cover that? The feds have a new app to help determine what your costs will be.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “has launched a new ‘What’s Covered’ app that lets people with Original Medicare, caregivers and others use their mobile device to check whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service,” according to the agency.

It’s a great way to compare costs, get price transparency and avoid surprises. The What’s Covered app is available for free in both Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Links

I N F O R M AT I O N

Apps Medicare coverage app

they overwhelmingly also think it is accurate; they tend to disagree with factual statements they incorrectly label as opinion.”

Take the quiz at pewresearch.org/quiz.

F R E E

By Margaret Foster

The service starts at $89 and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information, visit http://www.tochtech. com/tochie.

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Links & Apps

for trucks. “No couch left behind” is the company’s motto.

First, download Bungii to your phone.

Then you can schedule a pickup or request a truck right away. You’ll be asked to upload a photo of the item to be transported. Then you’ll get an immediate estimate and pickup time. A vetted, backgroundchecked driver will come to help you haul that new Ikea sofa, junk or antique table you found on Craigslist. (You follow the truck in your own car.)

The average move costs about $40, depending on the time spent. It’s about $1 per minute and $1 per mile per driver, with a $39 minimum. For a little extra money, you can hire two helpers with a truck and save your own back.

Bungii, which started in 2014, is now in the Washington, D.C. area. For more information, visit bungii.com or download the app from the Apple App store or Google Play.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Health Fitness &

STAY FIT THIS FALL Summer is over, but you can still exercise outdoors and eat fresh vegetables HOME HELPERS How to choose a healthcare aide who’s the perfect fit for the long term NEEDY KNEES PT, pills for knee pain can be effective as, and more popular than, surgery THE GREAT PUMPKIN Zinc, magnesium and fiber in pumpkins can boost immunity and bone health

More should get breast cancer gene test

By Lauran Neergaard More women may benefit from gene testing for hereditary breast or ovarian cancer, especially if they’ve already survived cancer once, an influential health group recommended in August.

At issue are genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. When they’re mutated, the body can’t repair damaged DNA as well, greatly increasing the chances of breast, ovarian and certain other cancers.

Gene testing allows affected women to consider steps to lower their risk, such as when actress Angelina Jolie underwent a preventive mastectomy several years ago.

Most cancer isn’t caused by BRCA mutations — they account for 5% to 10% of breast cancers and 15% of ovarian cancers — so the gene tests aren’t for everyone.

But mutations cluster in families, and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long recommended that doctors screen women who have relatives with BRCA-related cancers, and refer those

who might benefit from gene testing to a genetic counselor to help them decide.

The task force recently expanded that advice to doctors through the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). It is telling primary care doctors they should also assess women’s risk if: they previously were treated for breast or other BRCA-related cancers including ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancers, and now are considered cancer-free. their ancestry is prone to BRCA mutations, such as Ashkenazi Jewish women.

Helps family members Why screen breast cancer survivors?

After all, they already know there’s a risk of recurrence.

Take, for example, someone who had a tumor removed in one breast in their 40s a decade ago, when genetic testing wasn’t as common. Even this many years later, a BRCA test still could reveal if they’re at risk for ovarian cancer — or at higher than

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usual risk for another tumor in their remaining breast tissue, explained task force member Dr. Carol Mangione of the University of California, Los Angeles.

And it could alert their daughters or other relatives to a potential shared risk.

“It’s important to test those people now,” Mangione said. “We need to get the word out to primary care doctors to do this assessment and to make the referrals.”

Private insurers follow task force recommendations on what preventive care to cover, some at no out-of-pocket cost under rules from former President Barack Obama’s healthcare law.

Cancer groups have similar recommendations for BRCA testing, and increasingly urge that the newly diagnosed be tested, too, because the inherited risk can impact choices about surgery and other treatment.

Not routine yet Identifying BRCA mutation carriers “can be lifesaving, and should be a part of routine medical care,” Drs. Susan Domchek of the University of Pennsylvania and Mark Robson of Memorial Sloan Kettering

Cancer Center, who weren’t involved with the new guidelines, wrote in an editorial accompanying them in JAMA. But too few high-risk women ever learn if they harbor BRCA mutations, they wrote. For example, cancer groups have long recommended that all ovarian cancer patients be tested, but several studies have found testing is done in less than a third.

Don’t skip the genetic counseling, said the task force’s Mangione. BRCA testing can cause anxiety and sometimes gives confusing results, finding mutations that might not be dangerous — things the counselors are trained to interpret.

There’s a shortage of genetic counselors, particularly in rural areas, and she said counseling by phone can work.

There’s a wide array of gene tests, some that search just for BRCA mutations and others that test dozens of additional genes at the same time. There’s even a direct-toconsumer kit sold by 23andMe — but Domchek and Robson warned it only detects the three mutations found most in women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, not dozens of other mutations.

—AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

7

Summer diet tips to stick to this autumn

By Health.com Over the summer, it’s easier to fill your diet with fresh produce (hello, farmers’ markets) and fit in your daily workout (thanks, longer days). Once the fall rolls around, however, a lot of those healthy summertime habits go by the wayside.

But they don’t have to! Here are some warm-weather dieting tips that you should stick with all fall.

Get up and get moving Summer heat can be a powerful motivator. If you know that you’ll have to take your workout indoors if you don’t exercise first thing in the morning, you might be more motivated to get an early-morning run in.

Carry that motivation on into the fall: being a first-thing exerciser means you’re less likely to get derailed by a busy schedule later that day.

Plus, when you exercise in the morning, not only do you burn calories, but you also set yourself up to make better choices all day long.

Take advantage of the weather Fall is a great time to exercise outdoors and enjoy the cooler temperatures and fresh, crisp air.

Walking, running, biking and hiking will

get your heart pumping and also treat your senses to vibrant foliage, crunchy leaves underfoot and fresh fall smells in the air.

burn calories in the heat, try walking around an orchard picking apples this fall!

Head outside for lunch Eat a healthy breakfast In the fall, eating a healthy breakfast should remain part of your morning routine. Starting each day with a balanced, nutritious meal jump-starts your metabolism and gives you energy. It also holds off your hunger between meals, so you don’t overeat later on.

Visit the farmers’ market Lots of farmers’ markets stay open well into November, so drop by to stock up on fruits, vegetables, herbs and local meats.

Many root vegetables are in season, and they’re an inexpensive and nutritious way to add variety to your diet.

Think outside the box Always wanted to take a ballet class or learn how to play soccer? Fall is a great time to learn something new.

New exercise classes get started at gyms, and local teams start to form, so look around for something that piques your interest.

Plus, a good workout doesn’t have to seem like exercise. If you thought spending a day at a water park was a fun way to

Taking a walk on your lunch break is a great way to soak up some summer sun — and to fit in some exercise.

Don’t let this healthy habit fall by the wayside as the weather cools. Just be sure to dress in layers, so you can remove the outer ones once your body warms up.

Drink up During the summer, you need more water than usual because of the heat, so it’s easy to chug it down. It also fills you up between meals.

Drinking more water can help you lose weight, so make sure you stick with this diet tip into the fall and all year long. © 2019 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Harvard Q & As on metabolism and a-fib

By Howard LeWine, M.D. Q: My friend complains that she keeps gaining weight no matter how little she eats because she has a slow metabolism. How much does a person’s metabolism really affect body weight?

A: There is a lot of misunderstanding about the impact metabolism has on our health, especially in terms of weight loss.

In simple terms, metabolism is the internal process by which our body expends energy and burns calories. It runs 24/7, even when we’re resting or sleeping, by converting the food and nutrients we consume into the energy our body needs in order to breathe, circulate blood, grow and repair cells, and everything else it does to survive.

This process works at different intensities in different people. How fast your friend’s metabolism works is determined mostly by her genes. People might have fast, slow, or average metabolism, regardless of their body size and composition.

Age also affects metabolism, as it can slow over the years, even if a person starts out with a fast metabolism.

Differences in metabolism speed are evident in how easy or hard it is for people to gain or lose weight.

A slow metabolism burns fewer calories, which means more get stored as fat in the body. That’s why some people have difficulty losing weight by just cutting calories. A fast metabolism burns calories at a quicker rate, which explains why some people can

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eat a lot and not gain extra pounds.

But you can’t entirely blame a sluggish metabolism for gaining weight. The reality is that metabolism often plays a minor role. The factors that always will matter the most are diet quality, total daily calorie intake and level of activity.

Ways to boost metabolism While it may only be a small change, a person can speed up a naturally slow metabolism, or rev up one that has become sluggish over time. Here’s how: Add some high-intensity intervals and weight training to your regular exercise routine.

After a period of interval training, your metabolism can stay revved up for as much as a full day. Weight training builds muscle mass, and that extra muscle will require more calories, turning up your metabolic rate.

Your metabolism increases whenever you eat, digest and store food, a process called the thermic effect of food. Protein has a higher thermic effect than fats and carbohydrates, so eating more healthy protein-rich food sources might also help speed metabolism a bit.

Some studies suggest that drinking green tea can also rev up metabolism.

Green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, which may slightly

increase the calories and fat you burn.

Q: I have atrial fibrillation and take Coumadin to prevent a stroke. I have not had any problem with it. But I wonder if I should switch to one of the newer drugs instead of Coumadin. What’s your opinion?

A: For 50 years, warfarin (Coumadin) was the only choice for people that needed to take an oral anticoagulant drug. While warfarin is inexpensive, it has downsides.

People taking it require regular blood testing to be sure the dose is correct. The blood test, called an INR, needs to fall into a predetermined range.

Studies have shown that many people on warfarin frequently have an INR out of the desired range. This makes their blood clot prevention ineffective or puts them at risk for significant bleeding.

Taking the wrong dose and missing doses clearly affect the INR test result. But even when a person takes the dose exactly as prescribed, dietary changes and interactions with other medications can change the INR dramatically.

Now new oral anticoagulants are available that are just as effective as warfarin at preventing a stroke in people with atrial fibrillation and normal heart valves. These See A-FIB, page 10

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

9

Arthroscopy for knee pain on the decline

By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D. When knee arthroscopy became widely available in the 1980s, it represented a major advance. Today orthopedists evaluating and treating common knee problems often recommend arthroscopy, during which they insert an instrument into the joint and, with a light and camera on its tip, directly inspect the knee from the inside.

While there, he or she can diagnose and treat common painful knee problems, such as arthritis or torn cartilage. The risks are much lower and recovery times much shorter than standard “open” knee operations.

As with any technology or other advance in medicine, years of research were required to understand when best to use it. Not surprisingly, arthroscopy turns out to be much more helpful for some conditions than others.

For example, if you have a sports injury in which the medial meniscus (a crescentshaped, shock absorbing wedge of cartilage) is torn and blocking the motion of the knee, arthroscopic surgery can provide dramatic relief in a short period of time.

But studies have demonstrated convincingly that for many other common causes of knee pain — including osteoarthritis and many instances of torn cartilage that do not block joint motion — medications and physical therapy may work just as well as arthroscopic surgery.

Despite these recent data, some orthopedists continued to recommend arthroscopic surgery for these conditions. Now, that seems to be changing.

A recent study says the number of knee arthroscopies is falling. Data recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine demonstrate that between 2002 and 2015, the rate

of arthroscopic surgery in Florida decreased from 449 to 345 per 100,000 people (a 23% decline) dropped more among adults under age 65 (24% reduction) than among those over 65 (19% reduction) fell most dramatically after 2008 (after a second important trial showed no benefit of arthroscopy for osteoarthritis of the knee).

Good and less good reasons Reducing the number of unnecessary operations is certainly a good thing, especially for one that is so common. However, we don’t know if the reduction in arthroscopies occurred for the right reasons.

While it’s possible that the reduction was because orthopedists are recommending them more selectively (and more appropriately), it’s also possible that people are not getting the surgery due to lack of insurance, trouble finding an orthopedist, or because they just prefer not to have surgery.

We don’t know about patients’ health or outcomes: Are some people suffering because they didn’t have an arthroscopy they needed? How many had arthroscopies they did not need and had complications, or simply didn’t improve?

We also don’t know whether rates are falling in other states. Still, it’s reasonable to assume that knee arthroscopies are being performed less often because we better understand when they are likely to help and when they are not.

orthopedists to change their practice in the face of studies questioning the usefulness of knee arthroscopy may be this tendency to resist change.

Another reason might be financial considerations: surgical procedures tend to generate a large income stream for the doctor and the hospital or surgical center.

But it’s also true that a single study is rarely enough to change medical practice — doctors are, with good reason, a skeptical bunch. Subsequent research must verify and confirm a new finding.

Perhaps that’s why the rate of knee arthroscopy dropped most significantly after the publication of a second trial regarding knee osteoarthritis.

You can expect to hear much more

about studies that challenge standard practice, especially when that practice is invasive (including surgery) and expensive. My guess is that the number of knee arthroscopies will continue to fall for some time, until only the most appropriate ones are being done.

When it comes to standard treatments being called into question, the big question is, “What’s next?” The answers will come once high-quality research is performed by skeptical researchers willing to question the status quo.

Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., is faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing. © 2019 President and Fellows of Harvard College. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Why are doctors slow to change?

At the risk of gross over generalization, doctors tend to avoid change. That’s true of many — but certainly not all — of my colleagues. So, some of the reluctance of

Nobody needs f ive gold rings.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Easy technique for flakey, buttery salmon

By America’s Test Kitchen Cooking en cocotte — cooking beef, lamb, pork and poultry in a covered pot with little to no liquid — concentrates flavor.

We were skeptical, however, that the technique would successfully translate to fish. Fish cooks quickly. Would the fish dry out in the dry pot?

We gave the technique a shot with fatty salmon fillets and were more than pleasantly surprised. By passing on searing the salmon fillets first, we found that we got just what we wanted: perfectly cooked, moist salmon, basted in its own jus, that flaked apart in large buttery chunks.

Leeks sautéed and then layered first in the pot contributed their onion-like sweetness and protected the fish from the heat

of the pan bottom. A quick sauce made with white wine and butter added some more dimension and richness.

To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cook at the same rate, we prefer to buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it into evenly sized individual fillets ourselves. If buying individual fillets, make sure they are the same size and thickness.

If the fillets are thicker or thinner than 1 1/2 inches, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly. If you can find only skin-on fillets, remove the skin before cooking or the sauce will be greasy.

Salmon en cocotte with leeks and white wine Servings: 4

Start to finish: 50 minutes

Ingredients: 1 (1 ¾ to 2 pound) skinless salmon fillet, about 1 ½ inches at thickest part Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin and washed thoroughly 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Directions:

Another option: Salmon en cocotte with celery and orange

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250° F. Trim any whitish fat from belly of fillet, then cut fish into 4 equal pieces. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add leeks, thyme and a pinch of salt, cover and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Re-

Add 2 thinly sliced celery ribs and 1 teaspoon minced orange zest along with garlic in step 2. Substitute ½ cup orange juice for wine, and add 1 orange, peeled and segmented, when thickening sauce.

Nutrition information per serving: 450 calories; 228 calories from fat; 25 g. fat (7 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 124 mg. cholesterol; 389 mg. sodium; 8 g. carbohydrate; 1 g. fiber; 2 g. sugar; 40 g. protein.

A-fib

can get the drug at a substantial discount.

The DOACs are short acting drugs, while warfarin keeps acting for well over 24 hours. So if you tend to miss doses of your medications often, you probably want to stick with warfarin.

Staying on warfarin is a fine option if your INR blood tests stay in the desired range (2.0 to 3.0) at least 70 percent of the time, meaning you don’t need frequent dose adjustments, and getting regular blood tests is not a hassle. © 2019 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

From page 8 drugs are known as direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

The advantages of DOACs: they don’t require regular blood tests, have no food restrictions, and have fewer drug interactions. The downside: they are much more expensive than warfarin.

To consider switching to a DOAC, you need to have adequate kidney function.

First, make sure you can afford it. This may take some investigation by you to determine if insurance covers a DOAC or you

Your recovery after a hospital stay should begin with a knowledgeable, interdisciplinary team that understands your health care goals. Working with state-of-the-art equipment, we have the expertise and experience to treat patients recovering from a variety of conditions, including: Neurological Cardiac Orthopedic Cancer Pulmonary Complex Medical

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If you need help with any of these conditions, you may benefit from an inpatient skilled nursing and rehabilitation stay.

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move pot from heat.

Lay salmon, skinned side down, on top of leeks. Place large piece of aluminum foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook until salmon is opaque and flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer fish to serving platter and tent with foil. Stir wine into leeks in pot and simmer over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Off heat, whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over salmon and serve.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

11

Finding the right home healthcare aide

By Eleanor Laise When it comes to home-care workers — the aides who provide in-home personal assistance and healthcare support to seniors — Brenda Case has seen it all.

Case, age 55, a real estate agent in Grand Junction, Colorado, was for several years a full-time caregiver for her mother, who had severe rheumatoid arthritis. And in that time, a constantly rotating cast of home care workers came in and out of the home that Case shared with her mother.

There was a nurse who was wonderful.

There was a bath aide who never came to work at all. And there was an occupational therapist who insisted that Case’s mother should practice job skills such as moving coins from one bucket to another — even though the patient had no intention of returning to work. “My 70-year-old mother didn’t need to go out and get a job — she needed to lift her arms to the microwave and get a cup of tea,� Case says. “But that was never part of the regime.�

Turnover was high, Case said, and she sometimes switched agencies in order to retain the aides she liked — or avoid the ones she didn’t. In the three years leading up to her mother’s death in 2015, Case said she worked with seven different home care agencies.

A shortage of workers Seniors and their families are struggling to find in-home help as a growing aging population — combined with the low pay, physical demands and irregular hours of home care jobs — have led to a severe shortage of home care workers.

Between 2016 and 2026, home care work is projected to be the fastest-growing U.S. occupation, with more than 1 million new jobs expected, according to PHI, a research and consulting organization focused on the direct-care workforce.

Home care agencies are already having trouble hiring and retaining enough workers to meet the demand. “The impact on families is enormous,� said Robert Espinoza, vice president of policy at PHI. Even if they surmount the initial challenge of finding a worker who can meet their specific needs, consumers face low odds of hanging on to that worker for any length of time, according to Espinoza, because turnover in the industry tends to hover around 60%.

All too often, family members have to cut back their work hours or quit their jobs completely to fill in the gaps.

Pin down your caregiving requirements.

Before you start your search, “it’s so important to take a step back and think about what you really need,� said Leah Eskenazi, operations director at the Family Caregiver Alliance.

If your mother would feel most comfortable with a female, Spanish-speaking caregiver who has a driver’s license and experience in dealing with dementia patients, for example, it’s best to be clear about that at the outset.

For seniors who primarily need companionship and basic help around the house, a personal care worker (who may have minimal training) may be the right fit.

If you need a worker who can perform

some clinical tasks such as wound care, however, look for a home health aide who has more training.

Training requirements can vary from state to state, but home health aides working for agencies that accept Medicare must have at least 75 hours of training.

Weigh an agency versus direct hire.

A home health agency can offer some key advantages. If the worker gets sick, an agency will send over a replacement, whereas if you hire someone directly, you’re on your own.

If you need a variety of skills — perhaps a worker with nursing skills for a short period but a personal care aide thereafter — See HEALTHCARE AIDE, page 13

How to find the right help Here are four steps to help you find and retain the right in-home help.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Healthcare aide From page 11 an agency will make it easier to coordinate that.

An agency will also check the worker’s background, verify his or her training and handle the employment paperwork, taking some administrative tasks off your hands.

You’ll need to work with a Medicare-certified home health agency if you want Medicare to cover your care. To qualify for that coverage, you must need skilled services such as nursing or physical therapy and be “homebound,” meaning leaving home is difficult or not recommended because of your condition.

For consumers paying out of pocket, however, the higher cost of an agency may be a deal-breaker. If you go through an agency, you may pay $20 to $40 an hour, depending on where you live, whereas if you hire someone directly, you’ll negotiate the wage, which in many cases could be about $10 to $15 an hour, Espinoza said.

Start your search engine.

To find home health agencies, contact your Area Agency on Aging or use Medicare’s Home Health Compare website (medicare.gov/homehealthcompare).

Caregiver support groups and local chapters of organizations focused on specific conditions, such as the Alzheimer’s Association and American Cancer Society, may offer referrals to home health agencies.

Consumers hiring workers directly often rely on recommendations from friends and co-workers — but technology can make the search process a bit more sophisticated.

Care.com and CareLinx, for example, connect consumers with home care workers in their areas.

And in 19 states, “matching service registries” match consumers with home care workers based on needs and availability.

Some registries require workers to have a background check and a certain level of training, while others have no such requirements. You can find details and links to the registries at phinational.org.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 16

GRIEF SUPPORT

A free, one-day class entitled “Loss of a Spouse” will offer practical advice on how to cope with loss, recent or not. The nondenominational class will meet at Valley Presbyterian Church, 2200 West Joppa Rd., Lutherville, on Sat., Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. Please register by calling the church at (410) 828-6234. Additional information about GriefShare can be obtained at griefshare.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

No matter how you find your in-home help, check candidates’ background and references, “preferably from past employment situations or people who have been under the individual’s care,” said William Dombi, president of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. For tips on checking an aide’s background, see the Family Caregiver Alliance’s fact sheet at caregiver.org/hiring-home-help.

Monitor the situation.

When you’ve found the right caregiver, check in frequently to make sure the relationship is working for both parties.

Lynette Whiteman, executive director of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, has engaged multiple in-home workers for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s. She had to let go of one aide who was caring for her mother overnight, after her mother said the worker had slapped her.

13

Another aide repeatedly asked her mother for money, saying she needed cash for car repairs or to buy a new watch. “If we were not on top of this, I don’t know how much money would have gone out the door,” Whiteman said.

Technology can help far-flung family members check in on their loved ones and ease the burden on caregivers, Eskenazi said. “Smart home” technology, including smart speakers, can provide medication reminders and reassure families that a senior is getting proper care.

Or you can go the low-tech route: “Have a neighbor or friend stop in unannounced,” Whiteman said. “Make sure someone is checking in on the situation if you can’t be there.” © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Studies

NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Will exercise help you to sleep better?

By Margaret Foster If you’re over age 60 and don’t sleep well at night, Johns Hopkins University has a study for you.

Researchers at Hopkins’ Center for Innovative Care in Aging suspect that light exercise may improve sleep duration and cognitive performance.

“Research shows promising evidence for exercise or increased daytime physical activity as an effective way to promote sleep and cognitive functions (such as memory and reaction speed) in older adults,” Junxin Li, the study’s principal investigator, said in an email.

“We hope that by designing an exercise program that fits their preference and capacity, we will help them achieve active and healthy aging, including enhanced

sleep and cognitive function.”

Designed for sedentary older adults in the Baltimore area, the two-arm, randomized study lasts six months.

Once enrolled, participants will visit the Wald Community Nursing Center, 901 N. Broadway, to take some tests, fill out surveys, play “brain games” to establish a baseline of their cognitive and physical functions, and give an optional blood sample. Free door-to-door transportation to and from the clinic will be provided via Lyft or Uber.

Some may get a FitBit Some participants will go home with a new gadget: a wristwatch-like electronic activity monitor. These devices, such as the FitBit, can measure sleep duration and inactivity — and remind people to get up

and get moving.

While half of the participants don’t have to do anything more than make one final visit to Hopkins, the others will be asked to increase their physical activity at home — with help from the research team.

The exercises are “geared toward people 60 to 85 years old, and we do modify the program to their personal needs,” said research coordinator Lena Sciarratta.

“We start small and gradually increase the exercise program over the six-month period.

[The exercises] are low impact. They’re not really going to be working up a sweat.”

Participants will be encouraged to do low-impact exercise sessions three or four times a week. This might include chair-supported squats, arm raises, light weightlifting or stretching resistance bands.

To help with the exercises, a personal trainer will make three home visits. Researchers will be available to visit, too, in case participants need help with their wrist monitors. “With this age group, technology isn’t always their friend,” Sciarratta said.

Each time participants meet their weekly activity goals, they’ll get a $5 reward (up to $120).

After the study ends, participants will retake the same tests so researchers can compare results. They’ll also receive a “sleep report” comparing the quality and quantity of their sleep over six months.

The study provides $50 to $100 compensation in addition to the $5 bonuses. Baltimore area residents only. To find out more or to see if you qualify for the study, call (410) 929-5259.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 23+

FREE YOGA CLASSES

Yoga for Everyone is the name of a series of free yoga classes in October and November at the Herring Run Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 3801 Erdman Ave, Baltimore. The classes will be held on Wed., Oct. 23 at 4 p.m., Wed., Nov. 6 at 4 p.m., Wed., Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. and Mon., Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. You will learn basic yoga poses and stretching as well as deep breathing and relaxation methods. The mixed level classes are open to beginners. Bring your own yoga mat if possible. For details, call (410) 396-0996 or visit prattlibrary.org.

Nov. 8

WHAT IS CYBERWAR?

Cyberwar and its impact on society will be the topic of a free lecture on Fri., Nov. 8 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at McGuire Hall, Loyola University Maryland, 4501 N. Charles St., Baltimore. Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication will discuss Cyberwar: Coping with the challenges posed by trolls and hackers. For more information, call (410) 617-2228.

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

15

Fantastic reasons to eat pumpkin seeds

By Suzy Cohen Not all pumpkins are orange. They can also be white, yellow or green. They also grow just about everywhere.

One average-sized pumpkin contains about a cup of seeds (about 500 of them). I like to roast mine and sprinkle them with a little dried lime powder and sea salt. These are also excellent when roasted with olive oil and garlic/onion powder.

[Editor’s note: you can eat the entire seed, with shell, especially if toasted and chewed thoroughly. Some choose to crack open the shell and eat only the seed inside.]

Pumpkin seeds are not only delicious but also nutrient-dense. Here are some health benefits from eating pumpkin seeds.

Diabetes control Thanks to their high fiber content, pumpkin seeds help regulate blood sugar and improve satiety. One study showed that animals who received a combination of ground flax and pumpkin seed powder exhibited better lab values and fewer problems as they pertain to diabetes.

and sleep. The reason is because of their magnesium, which helps create more serotonin, a hormone that quickly breaks down to melatonin, a sleep hormone.

May reduce bladder infections Pumpkin seeds contain zinc and other compounds that support bladder and kidney health. There isn’t enough data to say whether it helps UTIs but I would guess that it probably helps reduce incidence.

Libido improvement Pumpkin seeds contain leucine, and also minerals that help our bodies make testosterone. This is great because it improves energy, endurance, libido and strength. Testosterone is needed for both men and women’s health.

Bone health Zinc, magnesium and selenium deficiencies are harmful to bones. Without these minerals, your risk for osteoporosis goes up. Eating pumpkin seeds can help you if you have osteoporosis.

Blood pressure regulation

Vision protection

Pumpkin seeds are particularly high in magnesium. Both magnesium and potassium are essential for healthy blood pressure and cardiac rhythm.

Pumpkin seeds are ver y high in carotenoids and zinc, which protect your vision.

Pumpkin seeds also contain squalene, which protects your skin from UV light damage and other forms of potentially dangerous radiation.

Like any food, there is the risk for allergy.

If you’re sensitive to pumpkin seeds, you might experience stomach pain after eating them, swelling or itching of the throat, or skin rashes, hives or eczema-like irritations.

You can buy pumpkin seeds at any health food store or supermarket. Storebought pumpkin seeds can be stored in a

Immune system boost Zinc will help with both immunity and prostate health. An ounce of pumpkin seeds contains enough zinc to help you with immune function, prostate health and even testosterone production.

Sleep aid A handful of pumpkin seeds at dinnertime might improve your ability to relax

container for about three or four months.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your con-

dition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

For more, visit SuzyCohen.com.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Remodel for aging in place with style

By Patricia Mertz Esswein Your kids are successfully launched and, suddenly, you seem to have more disposable income. This could be a good time to tackle the remodeling projects you’ve been putting off.

And while you’re updating your house for style, consider adapting it so you can age in place comfortably.

Studies show that most homeowners age 50 and older say they want to remain in their house as they age, but most U.S. homes weren’t built to accommodate older people’s special needs.

For example, only one-third have basic accessibility features, such as a no-step entry and a bedroom and full bath on the entry level, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

If you want to remodel your house to fit your future needs, begin with an inventory.

Walk around your home and note the things that are already difficult for you to navigate.

If you’re in good health and it’s hard to imagine the loss of mobility, think of returning home after surgery on crutches or with a walker or in a wheelchair. Can you get into your house? Can you access your bathroom? In many cases, the answer will be no.

One of the most popular projects is to install a curbless shower, even if it means removing the home’s only bathtub. That has long been a no-no because it could reduce the house’s resale value. But that’s becoming less of a concern for homeowners today, said Dan Bawden, owner of Legal Eagle Contractors and a certified aging-inplace specialist in Houston.

Installing maintenance-free materials is

also important, Bawden said. For example, quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathroom are super-hard, scratch and stain resistant, and never need sealing, unlike natural stone. Quartz is also less expensive than it used to be.

What will it cost?

For estimated project costs, the annual Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling magazine is a good resource.

In 2019, the national average cost for a minor kitchen remodel is $22,507, $66,196 for a major remodel, and $131,510 for an upscale project. The average cost for a bathroom remodel is $33,374 for a midrange project that includes design features to fit any age; it’s $64,743 for an upscale remodel.

If you want to add a first-floor master bedroom, the national average cost ranges from $130,986 to $271,470.

However, if you want to widen a bathroom door, put in grab bars and add a curbless shower, that would typically cost about $11,800 to $14,000 (prices vary by region).

If you’re adding on to your home or building a multistory house, you could prepare for an elevator by stacking 6-footsquare closets. That way, when you’re ready, the contractor can just remove the floor between the closets.

For help designing and constructing larger projects, look for a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist who has completed a program developed by the National Association of Home Builders with AARP. Go to www.nahb.org and search for “CAPS Directory.” © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

PHOTO BY JONATHAN KRIZ

Money Law &

17

Should Rover have his own insurance?

See story, page 19.

How to submit a complaint and get results

By Pat Mertz Esswein Taking a complaint to customer service can be maddening. No one wants to deal with endless phone trees, outsourced representatives reading from inflexible scripts, automated responses or chatbots.

“Despite saying they provide more ways than ever to contact them, companies are building fortresses around themselves so that no one has to interact with you,” said Christopher Elliott of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit consumer group.

To breach the walls and successfully resolve your complaint, Elliott said, use the three Ps: patience, persistence and politeness.

Don’t expect an instant fix; give the company’s complaint process time to work. Be prepared to tell your tale repeatedly, taking your complaint up the chain of command if necessary.

And even if you’re frustrated and furious, make nice. Being polite will help your complaint go to the top of the pile and get you a better response every time.

Here are steps you can take to get the results you want: Document everything. It’s still called a paper trail, even though much of the information may be digital. For any product or service for which you pay a sizable sum, keep copies of your order confirmations, receipts, contracts, work orders, warranties, service agreements and billing statements.

If you opt to get a receipt by email or text, save it. Before you dispose of product packaging, remove enclosed paperwork that may include a warranty, customer-service phone number or even a bar code, which you may need to obtain a replacement item.

Keep copies of emails and take screenshots of online chats. In your first exchange with customer service, write down the reference number if one is assigned to your case.

Recording the call would be ideal. But if you can’t, take notes, including the date, time, name of the person with whom you

spoke, the substance of your conversation and any promises made.

Make your point. It pays to complain as soon as you know you have a problem.

The more recent your experience, the greater the weight your complaint will carry. Plus, memories fade, records get buried, and staff changes, said Nelson Santiago of Consumer Action, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

A face-to-face visit with a local seller may quickly fix your problem. But if you’re dealing with an online retailer or a corporate office, you usually must follow its complaint process.

Go to the next level. If you’re not getting results, take your complaint up the corporate ladder. Ask a customer-service rep, “If you can’t help me, who can I call or write who has the authority to help?”

Visit company websites or LinkedIn to search for contacts. Try clicking on “about us,” “terms and conditions” or “privacy statement.”

On the website of the Better Business

Bureau, search by the company name and look for contact information for owners and executives under “Business Details.”

To bypass corporate phone trees, go to gethuman.com and search by company for phone numbers and shortcuts to reach a real person.

Keep all communication brief, professional and unemotional. Avoid including too much detail or shouting (which includes writing in all caps), Santiago said.

Limit a letter to 250 words or four short paragraphs. Clearly state what you want, and keep your request reasonable.

Ask yourself: What solution would be acceptable, even if it isn’t ideal? Don’t inflate your demands. For example, if you stayed five nights at a hotel and didn’t have air conditioning for one night, you can’t expect a refund for five nights.

Give the recipient a deadline to respond. Ten business days is a reasonable See HOW TO COMPLAIN, page 19

Understand the risks inherent in bonds It’s important for investors interested in For example, you can buy Treasury bills dibonds to understand the potential pitfalls. rectly with varying terms (typically four For example, some don’t reweeks, eight weeks, 13 weeks, alize that there is an inverse 26 weeks or 52 weeks), or you relationship between interest can invest in a mutual fund or rates and bond prices. When exchange-traded fund (ETF) interest rates increase, the that only invests in T-bills. value of bonds decreases in Although you would be value, and vice versa. minimizing interest rate risk, Regardless of the quality of the interest you would rethe bond or bond fund you inceive would be small in comvested in, if interest rates inparison to what you would recrease significantly, the value of ceive with a long-term Treayour bond portfolio, even if you THE SAVINGS sury bond.

GAME only have invested in U.S. TreaYou should invest in T-bills sury bonds, will decrease in By Elliot Raphaelson only if your primary investvalue. If the portfolio is primariment objective is to avoid any ly long-term bonds, such as those with matu- capital loss while also receiving some inrities of 30 years, the decrease will be much come. greater.

Investment risk Interest rate risk There’s a term for this: interest rate risk.

And it’s a significant factor to consider.

The only way to avoid or minimize interest rate risk is to buy short-term securities.

A second type of risk is investment risk.

This is the risk that you won’t get your principle back in full when the bond matures.

If you buy a U.S. Treasury security, you can be sure that you will receive your prin-

cipal back at maturity. Because of this certainty, the U.S. Treasury does not have to pay interest rates as high as other lenders.

You can buy bonds issued by a corporation that pay more interest than the U.S. Treasury with the same maturity length. However, no corporation has an equivalent ability to promise repayment of principal.

During the period you own the bond, the corporation may face financial problems or even bankruptcy. If that happens, the value of your bond in the market may fall significantly. For this reason, if you wish to buy corporate bonds, you should consider buying a diversified mutual fund or ETF.

Finding a good fund Some mutual funds and ETFs manage portfolios of high-yield or “junk” bonds — bonds issued by corporations whose ratings are not considered investment-grade.

The payoff for the greater investment risk is much higher interest than investmentgrade corporate bonds pay.

Some mutual fund managers, such as

Vanguard, have relatively conservative high-yield portfolios that have performed well over the long term.

If you are going to invest in corporate bonds, I recommend bond funds or ETFs. If you have a diversified portfolio, you minimize investment risk.

There are many reliable choices of funds with low annual fees, reinvestment options and check-writing capabilities. If you are conservative, you can restrict yourself to only investment-grade mutual funds.

However, if you are a long-term investor looking for high income and willing to take some risk, you may consider devoting some proportion of your bond portfolio to conservative high-yield funds or ETFs. If you are very conservative, not concerned with income and risk averse, you can restrict your bond investments to short-term Treasury investments.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2019 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

18

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Earn higher yields while doing good

By Eleanor Laise What if you could measure your investment performance not only in terms of yield and total return but also by the number of small businesses financed, tons of waste reduced and affordable homes created?

A growing number of “impact� investments allow investors to do just that — while also earning decent yields.

Impact investments belong to a broader principles-based investment universe that also includes mutual funds focusing on companies with strong environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) track records.

Rather than simply encouraging socially responsible corporate practices, however, impact investments aim to have a direct and measurable impact on society or the environment.

Retirees are increasingly drawn to these

vehicles, which held more than $500 billion at the end of 2018, according to the Global Impact Investing Network.

Many older investors are thinking about the legacy they want to leave future generations, “and that type of long-term thinking is very much in line with what motivates impact investors,� said Amit Bouri, GIIN’s chief executive officer.

While many of these vehicles are conservative fixed-income instruments, they’re not without risk. Check liquidity restrictions carefully: Some products are designed to be held to maturity.

Investing with an impact One of the more established impact investments available to individual investors is the Calvert Community Investment Note, launched in 1995.

The note’s portfolio consists of interme-

diaries and funds that finance affordable housing, community development, education and other initiatives. The minimum investment is just $20, and investors can currently choose maturities ranging from 2020 to 2034, with interest rates of 1.5% to 4%.

Although the product doesn’t offer any guarantees, it has repaid 100% of principal and interest since inception, said Justin Conway, vice president of investment partnerships at Calvert Impact Capital.

CNote offers similar fixed-income products but focuses on economic inclusion.

The firm’s flagship note yields 2.75% and invests in federally certified community development financial institutions (CDFIs), which fund loans for small businesses and support sustainable economic growth and affordable housing.

Early this year, CNote launched the Wisdom Fund, which invests in CDFIs

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Avoiding fossil fuel The firm Aspiration takes the impact concept a step further, urging customers to think not only about the impact of their investment dollars but also their everyday spending.

In the Aspiration Spend & Save Account, customers who make a deposit of at least $1,000 each month earn a 2% yield.

Aspiration is not a bank, but it sweeps customers’ cash to institutions that offer federal deposit insurance and do not lend any money to oil and gas companies.

The firm also scores thousands of companies on how they treat their employees and the planet, so customers can “make spending decisions based on that,� said Andrei Cherny, Aspiration’s chief executive officer.

The account fee is “pay what is fair,� meaning customers can set their own fee — even if it’s zero. Š 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Nov. 37

BEACON BITS

Nov. 20+

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE SET TO MUSIC

The Peabody Opera Theatre is scheduled to present free performances of a new opera in English based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at 7:30 p.m. from Wed., Nov. 20 through Sat., Nov. 23 at the Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, 1 E. Mount Vernon Pl., Baltimore. Call (667) 208-6575 for more information or visit https:// peabody.jhu.edu/event/kirke-mechempride-and-prejudice/ for tickets.

Nov. 27

BOOKS AND COFFEE TALK

Join a book club meeting for coffee and conversation about your favorite books on Wed. Nov. 27 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Catonsville Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library, 1100 Frederick Rd., Catonsville, Md. Call (410) 8870951 for more details.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

19

Is pet insurance a cost-effective purchase?

Dear Savvy Senior, I own two dogs and a cat that I would do almost anything for. But expensive veterinary bills put a strain on my budget. Is pet insurance a good idea?

—Older Pet Owner Dear Pet Owner, If you’re the kind of pet owner who would do anything for their furry family — including spending thousands of dollars on medical care — pet insurance definitely is an option to consider. Here’s what you

How to complain From page 17 length of time, Santiago said. Let the business know that you’ll pursue other solutions if you don’t hear back by then.

Attach only copies or scans of relevant documents, not the originals, and send your letter by certified mail. (Go to consumer-action.org for a sample letter and email and a free guide titled How to Complain.)

Try social media. Should you apply leverage by complaining on social media, also known as “Twitter shaming” or “Yelp blackmail”?

It’s worth a shot, especially if the company is worried about its reputation. At a minimum, you may feel better by airing your complaint or commiserating with other aggrieved consumers.

To avoid exposing yourself to accusations of defamation and a potential lawsuit, be completely honest, don’t exaggerate, and back up your assertions with documentation.

If your efforts don’t get results, file your complaint with an intermediary that can assist or advise you, such as the BBB, Consumer Action or Elliott Advocacy.

should know.

and Canada, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.

Rising vet costs The cost of owning a pet has gone up in recent years. New technologies now make it possible for pets to undergo sophisticated medical treatments for many life-threatening diseases, just like humans.

But these treatments don’t come cheap.

That’s why pet insurance has gotten more popular in recent years. More than 2 million pets are currently insured in the U.S.

How pet plans work

As a last resort, you could sue a business in small-claims court. States set different rules and dollar limits (see Nolo.com’s 50-State Chart of Small Claims Court Dollar Limits).

However, many companies insert arbitration clauses in their contracts, which may require you to take a dispute to a third party for resolution rather than going to court.

contact information at usa.gov/complaints-by-product.

— At the federal level, you can also complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about a financial product or service; the Federal Communications Commission about a telecom billing or service issue; the Federal Trade Commission about fraud or an unfair business practice;

Pet insurance is actually very similar to human health insurance. Pet policies typically come with premiums, deductibles, co-payments and caps that limit how much will be paid out annually.

But unlike people coverage, you usually have to pay the vet bills in full and wait for reimbursement from the insurer.

Pet policies vary greatly from basic plans that cover only accidents and illness, to comprehensive policies that provide complete nose-to-tail protection, including annual checkups and vaccinations, spaying/neutering and death benefits.

You should also be aware that pet policies typically don’t cover pre-existing conditions, and premiums are generally lower when your pet is young and healthy.

See PET INSURANCE, page 21

Medicare about your Medicare health plan or prescription-drug plan; and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about problems with brokers, brokerage firms, investment advisers and other market participants. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

If all else fails If you’ve hit a wall with customer service, contact an intermediary. Some groups will intervene on your behalf; others collect complaints to spot trends and combat fraud for all consumers.

— Contact your state’s consumer protection office or regulatory agency (search by state at usa.gov/state-consumer).

— If you’re dealing with a licensed professional or tradesperson, you can complain to the state or local licensing board with jurisdiction over the person.

— If you think you’ve been the victim of fraud or deceptive practices, complain to your state’s attorney general, your district attorney or the fraud division of a local law enforcement agency.

— Ask for help from the feds. Look for complaint strategies for specific categories of products and services with third-party

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20

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Remodel for aging in place with style

By Patricia Mertz Esswein Your kids are successfully launched and, suddenly, you seem to have more disposable income. This could be a good time to tackle the remodeling projects you’ve been putting off.

And while you’re updating your house for style, consider adapting it so you can age in place comfortably.

Studies show that most homeowners age 50 and older say they want to remain in their house as they age, but most U.S. homes weren’t built to accommodate older people’s special needs.

For example, only one-third have basic accessibility features, such as a no-step entry and a bedroom and full bath on the

entry level, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

If you want to remodel your house to fit your future needs, begin with an inventory. Walk around your home and note the things that are already difficult for you to navigate.

If you’re in good health and it’s hard to imagine the loss of mobility, think of returning home after surgery on crutches or with a walker or in a wheelchair. Can you get into your house? Can you access your bathroom? In many cases, the answer will be no.

One of the most popular projects is to install a curbless shower, even if it means removing the home’s only bathtub. That has

long been a no-no because it could reduce the house’s resale value. But that’s becoming less of a concern for homeowners today, said Dan Bawden, owner of Legal Eagle Contractors and a certified aging-inplace specialist in Houston.

Installing maintenance-free materials is also important, Bawden said. For example, quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathroom are super-hard, scratch and stain resistant, and never need sealing, unlike natural stone. Quartz is also less expensive than it used to be.

What will it cost?

For estimated project costs, the annual Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling magazine is a good resource.

In 2019, the national average cost for a minor kitchen remodel is $22,507, $66,196 for a major remodel, and $131,510 for an upscale project. The average cost for a bathroom remodel is $33,374 for a midrange project that includes design features to fit any age; it’s $64,743 for an up-

scale remodel.

If you want to add a first-floor master bedroom, the national average cost is $130,986 for a midrange job and $271,470 for an upscale one.

However, if you want to widen a bathroom door, put in grab bars and add a curbless shower, that would typically cost about $11,800 to $14,000 (prices vary by region).

If you’re adding on to your home or building a multistory house, you could prepare for an elevator by stacking 6-footsquare closets. That way, when you’re ready, the contractor can just remove the floor between the closets.

For help designing and constructing larger projects, look for a Certified Agingin-Place Specialist who has completed a program developed by the National Association of Home Builders with AARP. Go to www.nahb.org and search for “CAPS Directory.” © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

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BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Pet insurance From page 19 Costs for pet insurance will also vary by insurer and policy, but premiums typically depend on factors like the cost of veterinary care where you live and the age and breed of the pet.

The average annual premium for basic accident and illness coverage was $516 per pet in 2017, while the average claim paid was $278, according to the pet health insurance association.

Shopping tips Major pet policy providers include the ASPCA, Embrace, Healthy Paws, Nationwide, PetFirst, Petplan and Trupanion. To help you shop and compare coverage and costs from pet insurers, go to PetInsuranceReview.com.

If you’re still working, one way to pay

lower premiums, and possibly get broader coverage, is to buy pet insurance through your employer, if available. Eleven percent of employers in the U.S. offer pet health insurance benefits, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, and these plans are usually discounted.

Should you self-insure?

Many animal advocates think most pet owners are better off forgoing pet insurance and instead putting the money you would have spent on premiums into a dedicated savings account to pay for vet care as needed.

Depending on the policy, pet insurance can cost $1,500 to $6,000 over the life of an average pet, and most pet owners will never spend that much for treatment.

Ways to save If you can’t afford pet insurance or

BEACON BITS

Dec. 3

FIND A SIDE JOB A free workshop called “The Art of the Side Hustle: A Business

Development Workshop” is planned on Tues. Dec. 3 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Small Business Resource Center, 3000 Druid Park Dr., Suite 3000B, Baltimore. The workshop will be presented by Jennifer Funn, Small Business Specialist with the Maryland Small Business Development Center. For details, call (240) 342-9410 or visit marylandsbdc.org.

Parking + Utilities Included

STUDIOS: $798/mo. *Income limits apply

TOUR TODAY! 410-523-0013

choose not to buy it, there are other ways you can save.

For example, many local animal shelters offer free or low-cost spaying and neutering programs and vaccinations. And some shelters work with local vets who are willing to provide care at reduced prices for low-income and senior pet owners.

There are also a number of organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. To locate these programs, visit HumaneSociety.org/PetFinancialAid. To save on pet medications, get a prescription from your vet (ask for generic if

21

possible) so you can shop for the best price. Medicine purchased at the vet’s office is usually more expensive than you can get from a regular pharmacy or online.

Most pharmacies fill prescriptions for pets inexpensively, and many pharmacies offer pet discount savings programs too.

You can also save by shopping online at a verified pharmacy like 1800PetMeds.com, DrsFosterSmith.com and PetCareRX.com.

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

22

NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Travel Leisure &

Kitsch and dreams on America’s highway of hope. See story on p. 24.

Visiting European capitals via the Danube

Palaces and gardens Throughout the cruise, each city we ex-

plored was an architectural showcase spanning centuries and styles. We saw so many frescoes, sculptures and mosaics that it seemed we were wandering through outdoor art museums.

Some treasures stood out, particularly the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, built between 1696 and 1712 at the direction of Emperor Leopold I for his son, Joseph I. The emperor’s goal was to replicate the splendor of Versailles in the 1,441-room castle. We agreed that he accomplished that, albeit on a smaller scale.

Another emperor, Franz Joseph, ordered construction of Vienna’s 2.5-mile long grand main boulevard, the Ringstrasse, which is lined by monumental buildings constructed during the last half of the 19th century.

Many of them are ostentatious palaces built by noblemen anxious to display their wealth.

Even more impressive are much larger public structures, like the Parliament, Vienna State Opera and Museum of Fine Arts, which are as well known for their external architecture as for what takes place inside.

There’s so much to experience in Prague that we welcomed the three-night hotel stay there, which our itinerary included. That provided ample time to stroll along its maze of narrow cobbled walkways, find off-thebeaten-track chapels and lovely gardens, and explore quiet neighborhoods that few

PHOTO BY OLENA KOROL/DREAMSTIME.COM

By Victor Block “Now we’re heading toward Durnstein, one of the loveliest towns in Austria,” the voice over the ship’s loudspeaker intoned.

“So many artists have gathered at one spot to portray the magnificent surrounding landscape that it became known as the Painters’ Corner.”

As our vessel continued its journey on the Danube River, my wife and I joined other passengers in oohing and aahing at the beauty of other towns and villages along the way. We passed churches, castles and other historic landmarks, and marveled over scenery that made us wish we had the time, and talent, to capture what we were seeing on canvas.

Our tour took us to the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, past Prague, Vienna and Budapest, three of the grandest capital cities in all of Europe; little Bratislava, the miniscule capital of Slovakia, which replicates much of the splendor in a more compact setting; and smaller towns with their own charms.

We were traveling with Grand Circle Cruise Line, one of several companies that offer voyages along the fabled and fabulous Danube River. We chose the company because of its focus on “Learning and Discovery.”

Riverboats travel the blue Danube River, which divides the Hungarian cities of Buda and Pest. Floating past historic cities and villages on a modest-sized cruise ship that includes land tours as well can be a relaxing and informative way to see Europe.

PHOTO BY ROB HURSON

visitors seek out and find.

Prague Castle, built more than 1,000 years ago, is the largest in Europe. The Castle complex stretches over 18 acres, and encompasses chapels, residential quarters, galleries and gardens. The site served in the distant past as the seat of power for kings of Bohemia. We were told that the Crown Jewels from that time are kept hidden in a secret room.

When we reached Slovakia, we got a glimpse of the massive Bratislava Castle, perched on a rocky hill overlooking the Danube. Erected in 1430, its exterior walls and inside corridors contain fragments from Gothic and Renaissance times.

The white fortress-like structure, with a stocky tower at each corner, houses a museum that traces the history of the area from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as collections documenting the story of Slovak people throughout the world, and coins from the earliest times to today.

Art of all types

Tourists explore Old Town Bratislava, Slovakia, a city that resembles an outdoor art museum. From the four towers of Bratislava Castle (top right), visitors can get a view of Austria and Hungary.

All four capital cities on the itinerary have major museums with world-class art collections certain to attract discerning aficionados. But even those not drawn to classic art will find a number of other intriguing exhibits, like those in Bratislava Castle.

In the charming Czech Republic town

of Ceský Krumlov, museums deal with topics as disparate as the history of torture and marionettes. A museum in Krems, Austria, displays caricatures and cartoon drawings, and among the more than 100 galleries in Budapest, Hungary, we found some devoted to pinball machines, miniature bottles, and Asian art and curiosities.

A sobering historical awareness In Mauthausen, Austria, we visited a very different kind of place, a former Nazi concentration camp. Once known as “The Killing Facilities,” the site includes exhibits with titles like “Murder by Poison Gas” and “Disposal of the corpses.”

Located outside of the Austrian city of Linz, Mauthausen was one of the first large concentration camps built by the Nazis, and the last one to be liberated by American troops. It was populated largely by Jewish prisoners and captured Russian soldiers, along with convicted criminals, “gypsies” and others who were considered to be enemies of the Nazi regime or unfit to represent the ideal Aryan stereotype.

Prisoners toiled in a granite quarry, many literally working to death. They had to carry heavy stones up narrow, steep steps carved out of a hillside that became See DANUBE CRUISE, page 23

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Danube cruise From page 22 known as “the stairs of death.” Many who managed to survive that ordeal were shot, gassed or forced outside in winter, doused with cold water and left to freeze to death.

While this very somber experience was far different from introductions to the countries we visited, we agreed with our fellow passengers that these stories must be remembered so they aren’t repeated.

One positive sign of the impact the camp tour has on people were hand-writ-

ten messages left by visitors in a number of languages. Among those I spotted in English were “Never Again,” “You won’t be forgotten” and simply “Rest in peace.”

Also hopeful was the number of schoolchildren visiting the complex. Their quiet demeanor and solemn expressions, not the norm among teenagers, offered hope that the “Never again” message will be borne out.

Dinner with local families The setting changed completely during a home-hosted dinner in Bratislava, during

BEACON BITS

Nov. 14

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

which we had a basic education in many things Slovakian, and the family members with whom we dined heard about our lives.

During the ride to our destination, before splitting into small groups assigned to different families, our program director encouraged us not to be shy about asking questions. Taking him at his word, we engaged our hosts in a discussion of politics in their country and ours, compared the education systems, and asked and answered questions about our respective situations regarding immigrants.

At their invitation we strolled through the lavish garden in the back yard, picked

and sampled some of the vegetables, and then enjoyed a dinner entrée of chickens which, we learned to our dismay, had been scampering around the fenced yard earlier that day. The lucky rabbits that shared the compound had escaped that fate — at least for the time being.

Grand Circle offers five Danube River cruises, among other destinations. Prices begin at $2,195, including international air fare, all onboard meals with beverages, guided tours with headsets in every port, the use of e-bikes, and gratuities for local guides and drivers. For more information, call 1800-221-2610 or visit gct.com.

REMEMBERING BALTIMORE 1968

Former Black Panther Eddie Conway and activist Ralph Moore will speak about their personal experiences in Baltimore in the late 1960s. The roundtable discussion, called “Baltimore 1968,” is scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, 830 E, Pratt St., Baltimore. Admission is $10 for members; $12 for non-members. For more information, call (443) 263-1800.

Oct. 24

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

If you’re interested in helping a child learn to become a better reader, attend the Reading Partners Volunteer Orientation on Thurs., Oct. 24 at 9 a.m. at 1500 Union Ave., Baltimore. No prior teaching experience is required. Details are available at volunteerBAL@readingpartners.org. For more information, visit readingpartners.org, email volunteerBAL@readingpartners.org or call (410) 949-1552.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

A journey in classic cars down Route 66 vapor lock whenever it got hot — fantasized often about taking the classic American road trip down the storied route.

Finally, just this past summer, that teenager — now a cooler, better-looking geezer (whose delusions are fueled by age) — had an opportunity to fulfill that fantasy on a Route 66 road trip hosted by a company called Two Lane America.

For 12 days, my wife and I traveled in a caravan of six cars, including a vintage 1966 Corvette, from Chicago to the route’s

terminus on Santa Monica Pier. Instead of driving our own car, as most participants do, my wife and I rode along with the owner of the company and his father in the lead van. We also got a lift from other drivers in the caravan to get their perspective on the trip and on America.

In his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck called Route 66 the Mother At quirky roadside attractions like the 1960s Motel ShawRoad because it was an ford and Restaurant in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Route 66 escape route for desper- travelers can get a colorful impression of America. ate migrants heading west in search of jobs and new lives. The Model T made it possi- ways, Route 66 is symbolic of the American character — a metaphor for the magble; the Depression made it necessary.

For Okies fleeing the Dust Bowl in the netic pull of the frontier and the freedom 1930s for the promised land of California, and adventure of the open road.

And not just Americans get this. We ran former soldiers heading west after the end of WWII, and beatniks and hippies search- into many foreign tourists, including a moing for enlightenment, artistic freedom torcycle club from Hong Kong and anothand a joint in the 50s and 60s — Route 66 er from Germany making their thunderhas been a highway of hope for anyone ous way along the Mother Road. pursuing a better life.

Ultimately, this trip gave me an appreciSee ROUTE 66, page 25 ation for the American ethos. In many PHOTO BY THOMAS HAWK

By Don Mankin In the 1940s, everyone was humming about how to “get your kicks on Route 66,” thanks to Nat King Cole and his hit.

In the 1960s, the road fed the fevered imagination of an entire generation due to the two cool, good-looking guys in their hot Corvette who starred in the TV show “Route 66” during those years.

Back in the day, yours truly — a decidedly uncool, homely teenager driving a vomit-green ‘54 Pontiac that seized up with

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

Route 66 From page 24

More than just roadside kitsch As we rolled down the highway day after day, layers of experience unfolded like the sedimentary strata of an archeological dig.

The top layer consisted of the kitschy, iconic sites we saw along the way: old diners, gas stations, motels, vintage cars, museums, architectural landmarks and collections of memorabilia.

We saw lots of oddities, roadside attractions and noteworthy sites, including Mickey Mantle’s childhood home, the Cadillac Ranch, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, and a huge statue of the Muffler Man, now holding a gigantic hot dog in place of the muffler.

Roadside Americana is just what you’d expect on Route 66, but we also saw another layer of the country during our journey — small-town middle America, Main Street USA, that vast land between the coasts that those of us who don’t live there sometimes condescendingly refer to as “flyover country.”

It was an eye opener. We visited places I would have otherwise overlooked that filled in the picture of what the U.S. is all about.

For almost two weeks I was immersed in the Heartland, passing through small towns with friendly people and stately houses flying large American flags, and eating huge portions of grits, biscuits with gravy and red meat in various forms.

It wasn’t all light-hearted fun and rosecolored nostalgia for a bygone era, though.

We made at least one sobering stop along the way: the Oklahoma City Memorial for the 168 victims of the terrorist bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in 1995, including 19 young children.

The memorial is part of our American story, too. It was impossible to get through the museum with a dry eye, and I left with a sense of foreboding that this was probably not the last such memorial we will ever have to build.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 23

CHESS LESSONS

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to play chess, here’s your opportunity. The Cockeysville Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library is holding a free session, Chess for Adults, on Sat. Nov. 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cockeysville Branch 9833 Greenside Dr., Cockeysville, Md. For more information, call (410) 887-7750.

Nov. 23

FRANKLIN WOODLAND TRAILS LECTURE

Learn more about the history of the Franklin Woodland Trails on Sat. Nov. 23 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Reisterstown Branch Library, 21 Cockeys Mill Rd., Reisterstown, Md. Following the free lecture, the public is invited to join the speaker on a walk of the newly created Library Loop trail.

For details, call (410) 887-1165.

A life-changing journey On the ninth day of the trip, we visited the Mineshaft Tavern, the oldest bar in New Mexico, in the former ghost town and now booming tourist destination of Madrid, about 30 miles from Santa Fe. As I sat at the bar, I recalled my own journey on the highway of dreams 44 years ago.

Most of my pilgrimage from Allentown, Pennsylvania to Venice, California was on Interstate I-40, not Route 66 (though the routes often overlapped), and I wasn’t fleeing the Dust Bowl. I was fleeing my own personal depression brought on by losing my job, my girlfriend and the publishing contract for my first book, all in the space of just a few months.

During that trip, I paused for two months to visit a friend in Santa Fe and help him fix up a dilapidated miner’s shack in Madrid. We usually ended our workdays at the bar in the Mineshaft. That was the summer my luck turned around.

Sitting at that same bar, I understood at

a deep, personal level what Route 66 meant for the millions of seekers and dreamers who made their way west on that narrow, dusty road. I only hope that their dreams worked out as well as mine.

25

Two Lane America’s 13-day tours of Route 66 start at $2,399 per person. For more information, visit guidedroute66tours.com. More photos are on Don’s website, adventuretransformations.com.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 1+

BOOK FESTIVAL/LIGHT CITY

For the first time, the Baltimore Book Festival and Light City celebration will be held downtown together. From Fri., Nov. 1 to Sun., Nov. 10, “Brilliant Baltimore” will feature authors, workshops and light displays.

The festival is free and open to the public. For more information, call (410) 7528632 or check the schedule of events at brilliantbaltimore.com.

Nov. 8

FREE CONCERT

The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and Salisbury University Percussion Ensembles are scheduled to present an afternoon of new music at a free concert on Fri., Nov. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Music Box, UMBC Performing Arts and Humanities Building, 1000 Hilltop Cir., Baltimore. For more information, call the UMBC Music Department at (410) 4552942 or visit umbc.edu.

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Style Arts &

See Q&A with Marc Freedman, author of How to Live Forever, on p. 27.

Dracula offers dark humor with its gore interludes may affect the audience’s ability to suspend its disbelief during the play.

Does it impact the play’s tone when sweet Lucy, near death a moment ago, belts out “Alligator” by Of Monsters and Men?

Playing for laughs The dark humor of the play is established in the first scene, when the aforementioned Neil, doing his best slumpedover Igor impression, serves Renfield wine before the latter’s brief monologue.

The scene is meant to provide the audience with a glimpse into Renfield’s fractured mind, but there’s a comic edge to the proceedings. Are we to laugh or be disturbed?

It’s a question one ponders throughout the production.

Take, for example, a scene in which Lucy (Nina Marti) is visited by Dracula (Michael P. Sullivan) in the form of a wolf.

While the blazing red eyes that shine through a curtain herald a rising horror, the scene devolves into absurdity with the appearance of an oversized wolf’s head (requiring two actors to handle) that seems more suitable for a children’s play.

OPENING NOVEMBER 8

Sullivan himself sometimes plays his role for laughs, if the audience’s reaction was any indication, as he cheerfully describes his new home in London (“I like it here!”).

Though Sullivan’s height and girth make him an imposing figure, he lacks the sensuality and passion one expects in the play’s titular role.

PHOTO BY BRANDON W. VERNON

By Dan Collins Theatrical productions of Dracula are a sure sign that autumn and Halloween are upon us. The famed vampire tale is playing now through Nov. 2 at the downtown Baltimore location of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC).

The production, adapted by Steven Dietz, mingles the bloody Bram Stoker novel of 1897 with its 1927 adaptation for Broadway, which starred Bela Lugosi.

It has its fair share of gore (stakes through the heart) and vomitus (Scott Alan Small’s crazed Renfield adheres to a ghoulish version of the Keto diet), but hey, it’s Dracula. Front row patrons are warned of the slight chance of “blood” splatter.

Before the curtain rises, ensemble actor Tim Neil appears on stage, strumming a guitar. He is eventually joined by most of the cast, banging a drum and slapping clapsticks, performing songs like “Devil Side” (by Foxes), “Sympathy for the Devil” (by The Rolling Stones), “Hunger” (by Florence and the Machine), and “The Ghost Who Walks” (by Karen Elson).

The musicians also play during the 15minute intermission. While enjoyable, these

Production pros and cons Dracula is also plagued by pacing issues. Scenes occur on two different levels, requiring actors to ascend and descend a tight circular staircase.

There are awkward pauses to allow actors time to get up and down the stairs.

Fur ther, the scenes Count Dracula (Michael P. Sullivan) wakes up hungry. when Harker (Obinna Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s darkly humorous proNwachukwu) and Dr. Se- duction of Dracula by Steven Dietz runs through Nov. 2. ward (Terrance Fleming) undergo blood transfuShining brightest on the stage is Hansions are too drawn out and played too nah Kelly’s Mina, who proves to be the much for horror. The loudest screams in the true hero, using her connection to Dracula play come from Seward and Harker as a to bring the bloodsucker down. needle is plunged into their veins by ProfesSee DRACULA, page 28 sor Van Helsing (Stephen Patrick Martin).

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

27

Building bridges between generations

By Eleanor Laise Want to live forever? Marc Freedman can help.

No, he’s not one of the Silicon Valley “immortalists� seeking to prolong human life spans. He’s the chief executive officer of Encore.org, an organization that aims to help older Americans make meaningful social contributions and find purpose in later life.

In his new book, How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations (Public Affairs, $27), Freedman demonstrates how programs that build bridges between the generations benefit society as a whole and help older people leave a lasting legacy.

In this conversation with Eleanor Laise, senior editor of Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, Freedman reflects on his own aging process and the promise he sees in building intergenerational bonds.

Q: You’ve worked for many years to connect the generations. What prompted you to write this book now?

Some of it was crossing this personal Rubicon of turning 60 and thinking about what my priorities should be for the years ahead.

But also, as a society we’re crossing a Rubicon. For the first time in America, we have more people over 60 than under 18. And the only way to successfully navigate this demo-

graphic transition, I’m convinced, is older people focusing on the well-being of the next generation.

We need to spend less time trying to be young and more time trying to be there for those who actually are.

Q: You’re critical of efforts by some ultra-wealthy individuals to literally live forever. Can you talk about the type of immortality you’re advocating?

Our obsession over life extension is coming at the expense of why we want to live forever. In 1963, [President Kennedy] said, we’ve added “years to life,� and it’s time to add “life to those years.�

Since then, we’ve added two months a year to the American life span, but we’ve really struggled to understand what all those extra years could mean to us. Society is awash with all this talent and wisdom and experience.

Some have argued the longevity revolution is a disaster in the making, that we’re becoming a society where old and young are at each other’s throats.

But I think if we follow our natural instincts and the true route to happiness, which is investing in younger generations, we can make the most of the extra years in our lives.

Q: Overall, How to Live Forever is a very upbeat book, but one of the more

depressing points you make is that JFK’s plans for mobilizing older people to serve society “would be groundbreaking if unveiled today.� Why have we been so slow to change as a society?

This is the most vexing question for me: Why is it taking so long?

I think we have two major barriers keeping us from realizing the potential of the longevity revolution. One is the misguided conception of later life as a time for disengagement — “greying as playing� and re-

2020 SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW ON SALE HURRY! Quanities are Limited!

capturing our lost youth.

The second problem is the peril of age segregation. We’ve organized society so the generations have very little contact in their daily lives — in education, the workplace, in housing.

Social Security, a major step forward for older people, had the side effect of luring older people out of the workforce and into a set of institutions like senior centers and See FREEDMAN, page 29

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Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Jazz club From page 1 the likes of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis, Phil Woods, McCoy Tyner and other all-star American-born jazz notables.

Thanks to serendipity Keystone Korner Baltimore, a restaurant and lounge, is located in an upscale, welllighted section of downtown, alongside new condominiums and other high-rises.

With a first-rate sound system, the venue holds close to 300 patrons who can watch the performers from the many video monitors placed strategically throughout the space.

Valet parking and other public parking spots are available.

It took a chance meeting for the club to open. In April 2018, Barkan was lauded at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as a “Jazz Master” for his lifelong contributions as a producer, club owner and jazz advocate.

Dracula From page 26 Small’s performance as the lunatic patient Renfield deserves kudos as well, as he is the most physically active on stage, bounding about, raving one moment, philosophizing the next, and coughing up a

NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

At the NEA awards dinner at the restaurant Marcel’s in D.C., Barkan met and became friends with chef and owner Robert Wiedmaier.

Wiedmaier, a Michelin Star-winning chef who owns several acclaimed restaurants throughout the D.C. area, also owns the Mussel Bar and Grille chain.

After Mussel Bar’s Baltimore location shut down, Wiedmaier and Barkan collaborated to open a jazz club in the empty space.

That means an eclectic lineup that has included soul music, such as a “ladies’ night” tribute to Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross, as well as a classical brunch with accompaniments by a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra quintet.

“It’s all about variety,” said Lucas Novaes, assistant manager. “There are so many different types of jazz fans, you have to be prepared to book a welcome mixture.”

Since it opened on April 30 (International Jazz Day), Keystone Korner Baltimore has welcomed hundreds of jazz sophisticates longing for the good old days, along with younger jazz enthusiasts.

But when asked whether the supper club would cater to a clientele strictly focused on traditional, straight-ahead jazz music, Barkan didn’t miss a beat.

“There’s no way I can exclusively rely on presenting only mainstream jazz,” Barkan said. “To survive in Baltimore is to provide a healthy variety of musical styles.”

The popularity of Baltimore’s Keystone Korner reminds Barkan of the San Francisco version he owned for 11 years. Formerly a blues venue, the West Coast club hosted the likes of Betty “Bebop” Carter, Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Dexter “Long Tall” Gordon and other top jazz artists.

After that club fell on financial hard times, Barkan produced various internationally-renowned Keystone Korner concerts in Oakland, California, New York City and Japan.

Before coming to Baltimore, Barkan worked 11 years as programming director

of the jazz club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, named Dizzy’s Club in honor of the late great John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie.

During his 30 years in the Big Apple, Barkan produced more than 800 albums with labels such as Columbia, Fantasy, Milestone, Concord, Sunnyside and HighNote.

Downtown Baltimore hasn’t had an upscale jazz club for more than 25 years, Barkan said, so it has been rewarding to be part of the city’s music scene.

“What excites me most about this project is that it’s a revival of the Keystone Korner, but this time on the East Coast,” Barkan said.

“As was our mission at Keystone Korner in California, our mission now is to provide the best music in the world for the most affordable prices in the most loving environment.”

Keystone Korner Baltimore is located at 1350 Lancaster St., Baltimore, (410) 9466726, keystonekornerbaltimore.com. Ticket prices range from $10 to $45, depending on the performer. Open for dinner daily and for brunch on Sundays. Reservations are accepted.

rat bone or two.

Costume designer Kristina Lambdin deserves credit for the interesting “plague doctor”-style costumes of Dr. Seward’s asylum staff, Dracula’s royal garments, and Van Helsing’s garb.

Dracula lunges for the jugular but occasionally strikes the funny bone. In a world

of Freddie Kruegers and Jasons, not to mention real-life monsters such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, it’s a challenge to work up much angst about a guy in a cape and plastic fangs, but then again, ‘tis the season.

Dracula runs through Nov. 2 at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 S.

Calver t St., Baltimore. Per formances are on Sundays at 2 p.m., Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

Tickets, ranging from $17 to $49, may be purchased online at ChesapeakeShakespeare.com or by calling (410) 244-8570.

No senior discounts.

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Freedman From page 27 retirement communities. And the end result has been the loss of a sense of the wholeness of life.

One thing we need to do is be as creative in bringing people together as we were during the last century in separating them. And we’ll produce solutions to what ails us: conflict between generations, the epidemic of loneliness, the scourge of ageism.

Q: Among the intergenerational programs you’ve studied, what has been the greatest success story?

There are some wonderful international examples. Singapore has invested a little over $2 billion U.S. dollars in creating what they’re describing as a kampong for all ages — kampong being the Malay word for village — built around intergenerational harmony.

New senior centers and preschools are [located together]. New housing developments are built around the idea of “3Gen flats” where older people, people in the middle, and younger people have an opportunity to connect in daily life. They’ve

29

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

launched a volunteer corps of older people to tap those assets.

Q: What do you say to older people who might live in a retirement community and feel that they really have no connection with younger people?

How can they begin to build a bridge to the younger generations?

I think through community involvement, volunteering at local schools, youth agencies and religious congregations, and seeking out opportunities [that] encourage contact with younger generations.

And in organizing community projects that go beyond the walls of their retirement community and make a connection to the surrounding area. All of us want to know that when our days come to an end, we left the world better than we found it.

Q: A few years ago, you launched the Generation to Generation campaign, aiming to mobilize one million older people to help children. What progress have you seen so far?

We’ve already had 100,000 people join in the campaign, and I think they represent a deep yearning on the part of many older

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people to invest in the next generation and to show that older people aren’t just concerned about their own interests, but equally about the interests of the broader community and generations to come.

They’re the embodiment of what we need to do now as we become a more-oldthan-young society — but also of timeless wisdom we’ve understood in many cultures since the beginning of time. There’s a Greek proverb: “A society grows great when older people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”

Q: You lament the segregation and separation created by retirement communities, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes. Can you talk about some of the more promising long-

term-care models you’ve seen?

I was just visiting a remarkable senior living facility in west Seattle, Providence Mount St. Vincent — affectionately known as the Mount.

They have a preschool built-in, and they’ve conceptualized the floors as neighborhoods, not just with children, but parents of the children dropping them off and picking them up, interwoven into every aspect of life.

Visiting the Mount, you forget very quickly you’re in an institution for older people. You truly feel you’re in a neighborhood, and I think they’ve made what’s natural normal. © 2019 Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

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S T I E N A G M E R I T

O X I D E

M P O R H L Y F A O P D S U P C A R Y E R D I N L E L E G A L N O P O I T C H J A E A R M B

I A M A P

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Y A L L O L Y A A B U L Y M E S A R S

C E L E B U B E N S A L D V E E B A R L L Y A T H O M S A S

A C E R B

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S U N N Y

D R N O

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A I D E

S L A W

H Y M N

EVERYMAN THEATRE GREAT STORIES, WELL TOLD.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT

TO LEARN MORE & SUBSCRIBE: BB1119

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Crossword Puzzle

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: Not So Quickly Stephen Sherr www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Not So Quickly 1

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ESTATE LIQUIDATION/ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation, down-sizing and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents/collections. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, military, vintage cars, Mid Century Modern furniture, vinyl records, gold and silver coins and more. Based in Silver Spring, we serve Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore Counties, Washington D.C., NOVA and beyond. Also provide appraisal services for insurance/estates. Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris on cell (202) 731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

SEEKING FULL/SEALED BOTTLES of Vintage Bourbon & Rye (Pre-1990).

Examples include, but are not limited to: Old Grand Dad, Pikesville Rye, Wild Turkey, Old Fitzgerald, I.W. Harper, Old Forester and more! Inquiries are welcome. Call Alex 443-223-7669.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1990. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Punk, Blues, and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 27+

FREE MUSEUM TOURS

The Walters Art Museum’s free tour, “Crypts, Tombs and Secret Rooms,” on Sun. Oct. 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. will highlight how different cultures honored their dead and prepared for the next life. Other free tours of the museum’s extensive collection take place every Saturday and Sunday at the Walters, and the museum offers a free tour in Spanish from 1 to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month. No registration required. Tours begin in the Centre Street lobby of the Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 547-9000.

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1. Hourly worker 5. Spanish island 9. Winner of 7 Tony Awards in 1983 13. Stench 14. Throw one’s ___ the ring 15. Linen color 16. Cinderella’s stepmother and sisters 18. Pastrami possibility 19. Color in 148 national flags 20. October birthstone 21. ___ Brockovich 22. Cater a New Year’s Eve party 26. Like The Exorcist 28. Communion conclusions 29. Colosseum section 30. LA’s region 31. Billy ___ Williams 34. What all the words in 16, 22, 47, and 57 Across do 38. What none of the words are 40. Stat for wine or cheese 41. Airline which only serves kosher meals 43. Eve’s grandson 44. Wine tycoon, Ernest or Julio 45. Lowest rank of British peerage 47. Temporary board game co-conspirator 51. Deplane 52. Blind as ___ 53. Composition of 52 Across (in MLB) 56. Having a huge calorie count 57. Sermon about Independence Day 60. Think tank product 61. “This house is such ___!”

62. Bad Driver of The Force Awakens 63. Jimmy Carter had only one 64. Common joke settings 65. Bound strongly, as a good book 1. Rocker’s travels 2. Advantage 3. Yogurt disqualifier

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COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars & countries. Also Lionel Trains, & slots/coin operated machines. Will pay top prices. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783

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Classifieds from page 31.

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4. Try to get more gossip 5. AAA hand-out to help get one from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines 6. ___ the night 7. Start to many rappers’ stage names 8. “___ last words?”

9. Us Weekly subjects 10. Like a bit of bitter butter 11. “Follow the money ___” 12. Optimistic 14. On cloud nine 17. Count of Apocalyptic Horsemen (or Teletubbies) 22. Indian dress 23. VH1’s #7 dance song of the 20th century 24. Bracelet bit 25. School two miles from Caesar’s Palace 26. Perform in a musical 27. Surrender territory 29. All the ___ in China 31. Mr. Bond’s first film 32. Like 41% of a piano’s keys 33. Snaky curve 35. Semi-monthly tide 36. Slang acronym for “Let Live and Live On” 37. “You guys”, down South 39. Spooooky 42. More like a dog than a cat 44. Answer to one of Bruce Wayne’s password reset questions 45. Mild depression 46. Highest male singing voice 47. Deserve a Nicotine Anonymous chip 48. H2O or CO2 49. More likely to get presents from Santa 50. Vast depression 53. Member of the Congressional staff 54. Picnic sidedish 55. Song directed to a Greek god 57. Quick punch 58. Actress Thurman, who killed Bill 59. Second degrees

Answers on page 29.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

BALTIMORE BEACON — NOVEMBER 2019

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.

Business & Employment Opportunities NEW FRONTIERS OF FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH is seeking God’s man to fill the office of Pastor. Any potential candidate who is ready to preach, teach, and shepherd God’s people through prayer and the ministry of the Word should submit a resume to the Pastor Search Committee, New Frontiers of Faith Baptist Church, 1110 Beaumont Ave, Baltimore, MD 21212. Any questions? Call 410-433-7553 and leave a message.

DOORMAN/LOBBY REGISTRAR for Established Pikesville Office Bldg. Ideal for Retiree, Retired Firefighter/Officer. Responsible OnCall or Sub. Part-time position. Evenings & Saturday. Call 410-484-4162

Caregivers SEEKING PART-TIME CAREGIVER with 5 years experience to take care of 80 year old elderly man with Parkinson’s. Male preferred, assist with daily bathing and restroom breaks, physical therapy, ensuring medication is taken and light housework. Must have a vehicle to transport to and from class and like dogs.

Please contact Linda (301) 520-6937.

Events CREATE WORLD PEACE! Bring yourself and your family to “Peace Begins With Me” rally in Newark, New Jersey December 28th. • Mother of Peace, wife of the Rev. Moon. • 5000 voice Choir. • All Races/Religions Unified.

Roundtrip bus $50. Call 410-544-5954.

For Sale FOR SALE: 2016 CHEVROLET COLORADO — Color red in mint condition. 4wheel drive - Mileage: 23,199. Price: $30,000.

917-774-3009.

SELLING 2008 HONDA ACCORD ES 125.000 miles in good condition for $4,500.00. If interested please call 240-360-9392

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1-855-502-4495

Health DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for [350] procedures. Call 1-844-366-1003 for details. www.dental50plus.com/320. [6118-0219] PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

Home/Handyman Services BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment since 1973.Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com.

Furniture refinishing and repairs. All pieces hand striped. Restorations. Missing pieces hand carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Hand- woven natural cane. Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint.

Residential and Commercial. 410-323-0467.

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-844-359-6933.

STAY IN YOUR HOME LONGER with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation!

Call us at 1-877-240-2061 or visit www.walkintubquote.com/beacon

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions).

Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you.

Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher's discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Home/Handyman Services

TV/Cable

**STOP STRUGGLING ON THE STAIRS** Give your life a lift with an ACORN STAIRLIFT! Call now for $250 OFF your stairlift purchase and FREE DVD & brochure! 1-855-8503183.

GET NFL SUNDAY TICKET FREE w/ DIRECTV Choice All-Included Package. $59.99/month for 12 months. 185 Channels PLUS Thousands of Shows/Movies On Demand. FREE Genie HD DVR Upgrade. Call 1888-572-4953 or satellitedealnow.com/TBN

Legal Services APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys, 1-866-970-0779! FREE Consultations. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

Personals VERY PRETTY single white lady age 62 enjoys socializing with people and recreation (dining and movies). I would like to meet a single white gentleman age 62 or older who enjoys dining and movies. Call Patti 443-845 -7802 CUTE, ATTRACTIVE FEMALE, FIFTIES Fun loving, down to earth woman looking for single white man, fifties/sixties, attractive, robust, non-smoker, large build, reliable, warmhearted, romantic. Have together dates, companionship, devoted relationship. If interested, call 443-466-3717 lve message.

Wanted TOP PRICES PAID for fine antiques, artwork and high quality decorative items including decorated crocks and jugs, rare antique clocks, music boxes and antique phonographs, unusual lamps, slot machines, country store and advertising items, great old toys and dolls to name a few. I am 66 years old with over 40 years in the antique business, well educated and financially capable. Why pay expensive auction house, estate sale, or consignment store commissions when you can get a fair upfront price for your pieces immediately? If you have something unusual and interesting, rare and valuable and are prepared to sell it I would like to speak with you. Please call Jake Lenihan 301 279 8834. No calls after 7 pm please. Thank you.

SELL ME YOUR CAR, Truck or SUV for CASH today instead of a maybe tax deduction tomorrow. I come to you. NO FUSS NO MUSS. 410-916-0776 I also buy Motorcycles, Scooters & Bikes. If it’s got wheels, I am a CASH BUYER. Call Today. Let’s Roll

TV/Cable DISH NETWORK $59.99 For 190 Channels!

Add High Speed Internet for ONLY $19.95/month. Call Today for $100k Gift Card!

Best Value & Technology. FREE Installation.

Call 1-844-560-5837 (some restrictions apply)

Classifieds cont. on page 30.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

Clinical Research Studies

Health

Balance & Falls Study . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Cognitive Impairment Study . . . . . . .14 Diabetic Nerve Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Former Smoker Study . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Gingivitis Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Knee Osteoarthritis Study . . . . . . . . .15 MARC Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Shoulder Pain Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Barenburg Eye Associates . . . . . . . . . .7 CopperZap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Profile by Sanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Snyder Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Dental Services Denture Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 11

Linden Park Apartments . . . . . . . . . .21 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 R Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . . . . . . .23 Village at Providence Point, The . . . . . . .3 Warren Place Senior Apartments . . . . . .20

Legal Services

Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Keswick Nursing Home . . . . . . . . . . .11 Manor Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Oakwood Care Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Subscriptions

Angels of Elder Care Planning . . . . .19 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . .19

Home Health Care

Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Medical Cannabis

Technology

Education

Baltimore City Companion Program . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . .10

Cannabis Docs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Health For Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Computer Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . . . . . .12

CCBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Home Improvement

Moving Services

Theatres/Entertainment Everyman Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Events

Peak Custom Remodeling . . . . . . . . .16

BLUhaul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Caring Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Power of Age Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Housing

Shopping

Financial Services

Blair House at Stoneleigh . . . . . . . . .21 Brightwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . . . . . .27 Glynn Taff Asst.Living . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Travel

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Silver & Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Smyth Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . .23 Guided Route 66 Tours . . . . . . . . . . .24 Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ArborSun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

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NOVEMBER 2019 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

LI V ING

C ON Largest 50+ NE Event in Maryland C

Baltimore County y Department of Aging

TE D

POWER OF AGE EXPO 2019

Formerly known as Baby Boomer/Senior Boomer/Se Expo

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 ADMISSION 9 a.m. toof8Aging p.m.

Baltimore County Department Donation or two cans Timonium Fairgrounds

of non-perishable food

FREE GIFT Sponsored by:

GBMC HealthCare

ALL AGES WILL ENJOY THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL CIAL FEATURES INCLUDING: INCLUDING • Connect with over 300 exhibitors with information and specialty products

• Benefit from free preventive health screenings and flu/pneumonia vaccinations

• Continuous Entertainment

• Learn about government resources available in Baltimore County

• 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

• Explore BCDA’s Living Connected feature area • Enjoy Dating 101 and Speed Dating

Special accommodation requests by calling 410-887-2002

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

FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES CALL 410-887-2012

TIME OF YOUR LIFE Digest