November 2024 | DC Beacon

Our own Golden Bachelorette

By Laura Sturza

Of all the talented contestants who viewers faithfully followed on season one of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor,” producers chose Rockville, Maryland’s own Joan Vassos to be the lead in the first season of “The Golden Bachelorette.”

The show is another spinoff of “The Bachelor,” a reality TV program that premiered in 2002. The franchise produces romance and relationship shows that offer unmarried contestants a chance to find love in front of millions of TV viewers.

Vassos, a 61-year-old school administrator and grandmother, lost her husband of 32 years to pancreatic cancer, and first sought love on “The Golden Bachelor” last year. She had to leave that show early when her daughter had complications from giving birth (both daughter and grandchild are fine).

Now, she gets to make the hard decisions about which eligible bachelors get to stay in the running and which go home. ABC will reveal her final choice in the season finale on November 13.

Vassos started off with 24 prospective fiancés, ages 57 to 69, including a retired UN agency director, an ER doctor, a retired Navy captain, a salon owner, and a fire department chief.

Winnowing down the field of suitors takes place at “rose ceremonies,” in which she hands out roses only to the men who will stay on the show.

“The rose ceremonies are so painful, and you don’t want [to hurt] these lovely men who have been so open and vulnerable, and who are maybe not love connections but are your friends,” Vassos said.

Forming fast relationships

In part, these heart-wrenching decisions are a function of how rapidly things move on the show.

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Richmond’s world-class museums and eateries make for a great weekend getaway; plus, tour D.C.’s ring of Civil War forts, and score a few hours in an airport lounge page 31

ARTS & STYLE

“You create these connections with the men really, really quickly because they share things that have happened in their lives that are life-changing events, and you don’t normally get those conversations early on in a relationship,” she said.

In each episode, Vassos faces the challenge of choosing who she imagines spending her future with and doing so on national television, surrounded by a TV crew.

How did she stay in touch with her feelings and listen to her heart’s desire while all that was happening?

“That was really hard,” Vassos said. “Your interactions are brief, and you need to be very revealing, and you need to show who you are right off the bat.

“There’s so much to process, and then

See BACHELORETTE , page 39

Maryland author and Vietnam vet Wayne Karlin publishes his ninth novel; plus, ageism lawsuit at the Hallmark Channel, and Bob Levey on “Wanted” posters page 38

FITNESS & HEALTH4

k How the brain self-cleans

k Tips for a younger face

LIVING BOLDLY 22

k Newsletter for D.C. residents

LAW & MONEY 25

k Romance scam red flags

k Help with medical bills

Joan Vassos, 61, stars in ABC’s new series “The Golden Bachelorette.” Watch the season finale later this month to see which of 24 bachelors the Rockville, Maryland grandmother chooses. “I want to meet a man who has the same feelings about family and the same values that I have,” Vassos said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC

A nice pat on the back

I am happy to share with you the kudos the Beacon received at the North American Mature Publishers Association annual conference, whose journalism competition we enter every year.

Each of our editions (Greater Washington, Howard County and Baltimore) is entered into a different category based on circulation. This year, all three of our editions reaped multiple honors.

Our longtime writer Robert Friedman won second place in the same issue for his article “New memoir tells of family’s life in China.”

took second place for his stories about Southern locales and the Mountain Lake Lodge, where the movie Dirty Dancing was largely filmed.

“Lessons learned from a job search at 77.”

We were especially happy that the Greater Washington Beacon won first place in the “general excellence” category, which involves reviewing three consecutive issues of the paper.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

By Stuart P. Rosenthal

The judges said: “This newspaper is rich with outstanding, well-written articles and impeccable editing…Every high-quality issue offers a distinct and easy-to-read layout, good sectioning, good headline writing and a consistent presentation.”

As for individual article awards, our managing editor Margaret Foster won first place in the “profile” category for her August 2023 cover story, “Big tree man branches out,” about 93-year-old tree tour guide Joe Howard.

And Glenda C. Booth, who regularly writes features for us, won first-place awards for two of her articles. One was her story, “Documenting lost WWII stories,” where she highlighted a nationwide volunteer effort to tell the life stories of American soldiers who lost their lives in that war. The other was for her feature about “Summer camps for grownups,” which was our June cover story.

The second-place award for a feature went to freelancer Laura Sturza for her March 2024 cover story “Bachelorettes of the DMV.” As you can see on this month’s cover, Sturza has returned to tell us more about one of those earlier contestants who is now the star of “The Golden Bachelorette.”

Longtime travel writers Don Mankin and Victor Block were both honored for their “wonderfully written” travel pieces. Entries in this category required two articles by the same author.

Mankin won first place for his stories about London and Tasmania, while Block

TheBeacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore and Howard County, Md. Readership exceeds 400,000.

Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and Maryland residents: add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below.

Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Publisher/Editor –Stuart P. Rosenthal

President/Associate Publisher –Judith K. Rosenthal

Executive Vice President – Gordon Hasenei

Managing Editor – Margaret Foster

Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Vice President of Operations – Roger King

Advertising Representatives –Dan Kelly, M.K. Phillips, Alan Spiegel

Assistant Editor –Ana Preger Hart

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com

Submissions:

We were thrilled that two of our freelance writers were recognized in the “theatre review” category, which also required two articles by each reviewer.

Mark Dreisonstok won first place for “insightful” reviews of Sister Act at Toby’s and Hair at Signature Theatre in Virginia. And Lynda Lantz won second place for her reviews of Sweat at D.C.’s Keegan Theatre and Evita at the Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Once again, columnist Bob Levey and I shared honors in the “senior issues” category. Two of Bob’s humorous columns were awarded second place, and two of my “From the Publisher” columns took first place this year.

Under the “editorial/opinion” category, I’m pleased to say that three other “From the Publisher” columns I wrote were honored with first, second and third-place awards.

Another trifecta occurred in the “personal essay” category. Foster won another first place, while articles sent to us by two local freelancers won second and third.

May Benatar was honored for her piece “Move to a new home is a mixed blessing,” while Taya Jackson won for

In addition to all our Washington edition awards, cover stories written specifically for the Baltimore Beacon by Foster, Friedman, Booth and freelance writer Laura Melamed brought home three awards for first place and one for second place.

Foster also won first- and second-place awards for a cover story and an artist profile written specifically for the Howard County Beacon. And freelancer Susan Ahearn won first place for an arts feature story she wrote for that edition.

These awards appropriately recognize the hard work of our editorial staff, columnists and freelancers.

But the most important honor all of us at the Beacon receive is from you, our readers, who pick up your copy each month from one of our thousands of free distribution sites, subscribe by mail, or read us online at thebeaconnewspapers.com.

However you choose to do it, we thank you for reading the Beacon! By the way, you can look up and read any of the articles mentioned above on our website.

Letters to the editor

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

Dear Editor:

As a former elected official, having served on the Fairfax County School Board and then in the Virginia General Assembly, I know the importance of both listening to and sharing important information with the public.

That’s why I want to be sure everyone in our area understands that the CDC is recommending the updated 2024-2025 Covid-19 vaccines to help protect against serious illness and hospitalization this fall and winter.

Statistics show that seniors remain at higher risk for severe illness from Covid, making vaccination very important. The risk increases further when factoring in underlying medical conditions such as heart disease.

When selecting a Covid vaccine, there are different options available: mRNAbased and protein-based non-mRNA vaccines.

It is safe to mix and match Covid-19 vaccines, so if you previously received an mRNA vaccine, your next dose can be the nonmRNA protein-based vaccine and vice versa.

I’m vaccinated for Covid and the flu, and I hope you and your family are as well or will be soon.

Kris Amundson Alexandria, VA

Dear Editor:

I found Bob Levey’s column in the October issue to be thought-provoking, and the actions of the neighbors of the woman who died alone in her house were inspirational. They decided to reach out to elderly people and tell them that they could reach out to them for help. This is good news. However, I thought that it was going a bit far to put blame on the elderly woman who died because she didn’t engage with her neighbors beyond a hello and wishing the neighborhood children a “Merry Christmas.”

How many people say “hello” and follow it up with a short bio? She may never have married or had children. She may have been shy. She could have suffered from depression. Or the woman may have been suffering from dementia, making it understandable that she couldn’t handle her responsibilities anymore and perhaps just wanted to be alone.

I didn’t get the impression from his column that the neighbors had ever offered their assistance or tried to converse with her. The good thing is that the neighbors are reaching out to their elderly neighbors now.

Hilary Donovan Arlington, VA

Fitness & Health

WRINKLES AND ALL

Slow down signs of facial aging with sunscreen and moisturizer

IT’S A BLUR

Causes of blurry vision include medications, glaucoma and diabetes

SLEEP SOLUTIONS

Can’t stand a CPAP machine? Investigate other options for sleep apnea

BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY

Yogurt, mushrooms and sweet potatoes help you fight colds and the flu

Studying how sleeping brains clear waste

By Lauran Neergaard

A unique peek inside the human brain may help explain how it clears away waste like the kind that can build up and lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain cells use a lot of nutrients, which means they make a lot of waste.

Scientists have long thought the brain has special plumbing to flush out cellular trash, especially during sleep — they could see it happening in mice. But there was only circumstantial evidence of a similar system in people.

Now researchers have finally spotted that network of tiny waste-clearing channels in the brains of living people, thanks to a small study using a special kind of imaging.

“I was skeptical,” said Dr. Juan Piantino of Oregon Health & Science University, whose team reported the findings last month. “We needed this piece to say this happens in humans, too.”

The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Brains are busy during sleep

The brain is remarkably active during sleep. One reason seems to be that’s the time it does a deep clean.

And that’s gotten attention because while losing a good night’s sleep muddles people’s thinking, chronic sleep deprivation also is considered a risk factor for dementia.

So how does the brain cleanse itself?

Over a decade ago, scientists at the University of Rochester first reported finding a network they dubbed the “glymphatic system.” Cerebrospinal fluid uses channels surrounding blood vessels to get deep into tissue and move waste until it exits the brain.

When mice were injected with a chief Alzheimer’s culprit named beta-amyloid, it cleared away faster when the animals were sleeping.

It’s not clear exactly how that network works, although some research has shown the pulsing of the blood vessels helps move the waste-clearing fluid where it needs go.

But it’s been hard to find that system in people. Regular MRI scans can spot some of those fluid-filled channels, but don’t show their function, Piantino said.

Advanced MRI lit the way

So his team in Oregon injected a tracer into five patients who were undergoing brain surgery and needed a more advanced form of MRI.

The tracer “lit up” under those scans, and sure enough, 24 to 48 hours later, it wasn’t moving randomly through the brain but via those channels, just like prior research had found in mice.

It’s a small but potentially important study that Rochester’s Dr. Maiken Nedergaard predicted will increase interest in how brain-waste clearance connects to

people’s health.

But to test if better sleep or other treatments might really spur waste clearance and improve health, “I have to be able to measure glymphatic function in people,” added Dr. Jeff Iliff of the University of Washington, who helped pioneer waste-clearance research.

The question is whether the new study might point to ways of doing that measuring.

Sleep isn’t the only question. For example, animal studies show an old blood pressure drug now used to treat PTSD may improve glymphatic function. Iliff and colleague Dr. Elaine Peskind are about to study it in certain patients.

Additional larger studies in healthy people are needed, and Piantino, whose lab focuses on sleep health, wants to find an easier, more non-invasive test.

“We cannot study all these questions by injecting people,” he said. —AP

What? Another medical form to fill out?

By Heidi Godman

You’re in a doctor’s office with a clipboard and a pile of medical forms on your lap. For the umpteenth time, you must now jot down your medical history — conditions, ongoing symptoms, past procedures, current medications, and even the health of family members.

But how much information should you include? Which details are most important? And why are you slogging through paper forms when a digital version likely exists?

Put down your pen for a moment and take a breath. We have some answers.

Do they need you to fill out the forms again?

In many cases, you do need to fill out medical history forms. That can be true even if you already have a digital record on file, known as an electronic medical record (EMR) or electronic health record (EHR).

The need to collect new information could be due to a variety of reasons:

• The healthcare provider might want an update, since information like medications or new health problems can change over time, or you might have missing or in-

accurate information in your record.

• Different specialists need to know about different aspects of your health.

• Your EMR at one provider’s office might not be accessible to others because practices don’t always have compatible computer software.

• Some practices don’t want to rely on records created by other practices. They may not trust that they’re accurate.

Can you refuse to fill out the forms?

“You don’t have to” complete the forms, said Dr. Robert Shmerling, a rheumatologist and senior faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing.

“But the response from the practice might be, ‘How can we provide the best care if you don’t provide the information?’ And if you persist, you run the risk of marking yourself — unfairly, perhaps — as uncooperative.”

What’s most important to share?

The most important details of your medical history include:

• chronic or new symptoms and conditions

• past surgeries

• family medical history

• insurance information

• current prescription and over-thecounter medicines, supplements, vitamins, and any herbal remedies or complementary medicines you use

• medication allergies

• vaccination history

• any screening tests you’ve had, so they won’t be prescribed unnecessarily

• any metal implants you have, which could affect screenings

If you don’t know all of the details, try to get them from a previous doctor or hospital you’ve visited.

“In some cases, not having the information could be a problem. For example, I need to know if my patients have had certain vaccines or if they have medication allergies,” said Dr. Suzanne Salamon, associate chief of gerontology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

What information is less important?

Sometimes, leaving out certain details might not matter, depending on the purpose of your health visit.

For example, your eye doctor doesn’t need to know that you broke your wrist when you were 18, had the flu last year, or had three C-sections.

But they should know which medicines and supplements you take, and whether you have certain health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Not sure what to leave in or out of your history? Salamon suggests that you focus on the big stuff: chronic symptoms and conditions that need ongoing treatment, medications and supplements you’re taking, and your family medical history.

“If you can, bring a copy of your medical history to all new doctor appointments. It could be written or printed from your patient portal or kept handy on a digital health app.

“That way, you’ll have it handy if you need to fill out medical forms or if the physician asks you questions about your medical history during an appointment,” Salamon advises.

How secure is your personal info?

We trust healthcare professionals with

Forms

(SSNs).

SSNs are used to double-check your identity to avoid medical errors, and to make sure your insurance information is accurate and practices get paid.

Is it really safe to hand over the information? It’s supposed to be. A federal law called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects your health information with very strict rules about who can access it and how it can be shared.

“Medical practices take this very seriously,” Shmerling said. “They have lots of safeguards around personal health information, and routinely warn medical staff about not looking at or sharing informa-

BEACON BITS

Nov. 13+

tion inappropriately — with the threat of being fired immediately if they do.

“Electronic health records usually track those who look at our information, so it’s often not hard to enforce this.”

But no hospital or other entity can guarantee that your information is protected. That’s true of all information, especially with the constant threat of cyberattacks.

“So, if you feel strongly about it, you can try saying that you’d rather not provide certain information, and ask whether the practice can explain why it’s necessary,” Shmerling said.

“It takes a certain amount of trust in the system that personal health information will be kept private, even though that may feel like taking a leap of faith.”

Heidi Godman is executive editor of Harvard Health Letter.

© 2024 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR CAREGIVERS

In honor of National Caregiver Month, join the Alzheimer’s Association on Wed., Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. for a virtual program, “Responding to dementia-related behaviors” to learn strategies to manage some of the most common challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. For login instructions, call 1-800-272-3900. Also, join the Montgomery County Caregivers Family Support Program for an interactive virtual talk, “Balancing care for yourself and your loved one,” on Wed., Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. Connect on Zoom by using Meeting ID: 710 7961 1070, Passcode: 3N3yrk. For more information on both programs, call Ruth Kershner at (240) 962-1151.

MAIL OR EMAIL FOR FREE INFORMATION

For free materials about area housing communities, just complete and clip this coupon and mail, or take a picture and email it to the Beacon

Housing Communities

District of Columbia

❏ Chevy Chase House (See ad on page 10)

Maryland

❏ Brooke Grove (See ad on page 30)

❏ Cascades at Frederick (See ad on page 35)

❏ Charles E. Smith Life Communities (See ad on page 15)

❏ ChurchillSeniorLiving (See ad on page 16)

❏ Grandview,The/Erickson (See ad on page 8)

❏ Homecrest House (See ad on page 19)

❏ Leggett, The (See ad on page 24)

❏ Maryland Seniors Assisted Living (See ad on page 9)

❏ Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 20)

❏ Park View Columbia (See ad on page 20)

❏ Park View Emerson (See ad on page 20)

❏ Park View Laurel (See ad on page 20)

❏ Residences at Forest Glen (See ad on page 19)

❏ Riderwood/Erickson (See ad on page 8)

❏ Ring House (See ad on page 15)

❏ Willow Manor at Cabin Branch (See ad on page 43)

❏ Willow Manor at Colesville (See ad on page 27)

Virginia

❏ Ashby Ponds/Erickson (See ad on page 8)

❏ Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 16)

❏ Falcons Landing (See ad on page 11)

❏ Gatherings/Beazer Homes (See ad on page 13)

❏ Greenspring/Erickson (See ad on page 8)

❏ Harmony at Chantilly (See ad on page 1)

❏ Harmony at Spring Hill (See ad on page 1)

❏ Residences at North Hill (See ad on page 7)

❏ Sommerset (See ad on page 19)

❏ WoodleighChase/Erickson (See ad on page 8)

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or take a picture and email to housing@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Let’s face it: why our faces show our age

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: What are some of the main reasons for an aging face, and what can a person do to help slow it down short of injections or plastic surgery?

A: Dozens of changes take place as the years add up, some of them obvious and familiar:

• foreheads expand as hairlines retreat

Nov. 21

• ears often get a bit longer because the cartilage in them grows • tips of noses may droop because connective tissue supporting nasal cartilage weakens.

There are also structural rearrangements going on behind the scenes. When we’re young, fat in the face is evenly distributed, with some pockets here and

Are you juggling caregiving with the many other demands of life?

This free webinar discusses caregiving challenges and offers local resources that support older adults and those who care for them, including effective methods for coping with dementia-related behaviors. Join the conversation on Thu., Nov. 21 from noon to 1 p.m. online. RSVP at tinyurl.com/CaregivingWebinarDC. For more information, call (202) 289-5690 or email info@seaburyresources.org.

there that plump up the forehead, temples, cheeks, and areas around the eyes and mouth.

With age, that fat loses volume, clumps up, and shifts downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was smooth and tight gets loose and sags. Meanwhile, other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half, so we tend to get baggy around the chin and jowly in the neck.

And, of course, there are the wrinkles. Those deep ones in the forehead and between the eyebrows are called expression, or animation, lines. They’re the result of facial muscles continually tugging on, and eventually creasing, the skin.

Other folds may get deeper because of the way fat decreases and moves around. Finer wrinkles are due to sun damage, smoking and natural degeneration of elements of the

skin that keep it thick and supple.

While a gracefully aging face is a beautiful thing, there are changes that occur with age that we might like to slow down.

One approach is to simply celebrate our age and appearance for what they are. Agerelated changes in our facial appearance reflect our joys and challenges in life.

But not everyone is comfortable with that, and some might like to postpone embracing those changes.

Protecting your face from the sun is the single best way of keeping it youthful. You need to regularly use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB light, with an SPF of at least 30. Wearing a widebrimmed hat is also a good idea.

Moisturizers soothe dry skin and may temporarily make wrinkles less noticeable. Moisturizers for the face contain water to make them less greasy, and many have substances — glycerin, for example — that may help bind water to the skin.

Exfoliant creams can improve the appearance of older skin by getting rid of dead skin cells that don’t slough off as readily as they did when we were young.

Creams containing retinoids, compounds related to vitamin A, may help aging skin by inducing collagen production in the dermis and speeding up the process of replacing old skin cells with new ones.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, see health.harvard.edu. © 2024 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

55+ BIKE CLUB “Tour de Friends” is an Arlington County, VA, 55+ bicycle group that explores trails and neighborhoods in a fun and safe way. Rides range from 10 to 25 miles; durations vary. All levels of ability welcomed! No riders left behind. A ride is scheduled for Tue., Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. 55+ Pass required. For more information or to purchase a pass, contact the Department of Parks & Recreation at registration@arlingtonvs.us.

WINTER WELLNESS HEALTH FAIR

Stop by the Winter Wellness Senior Health Fair for light refreshments, a raffle and more than 20 senior service agencies on hand to answer your questions. The wellness fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wed., Dec 4, at the B’nai B’rith Homecrest House, Moskowitz Social Hall, 14510 Homecrest Rd., Silver Spring, MD. For more information call (301) 598-4000, ext. 79. BEACON BITS Nov. 19 Dec. 4

Heel pain? It might be plantar fasciitis

By Stephanie Kvas

Dear Mayo Clinic: When I wake up in the morning and go to stand up, I have such excruciating pain in my heel that I have to sit back down on the edge of the bed.

As the day goes on, it gets somewhat better, but my heel is still tender. What can be causing the pain and what can I do about it?

A: “My heel is killing me!” is, without a doubt, one of the most common sentences uttered in podiatry offices worldwide.

Heel pain can range from slightly uncomfortable to utterly debilitating. Most often it’s caused by plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is a band of tissue extending from the heel to the ball of the foot. It supports the arch of the foot and absorbs shock when walking.

Although the cause of plantar fasciitis isn’t well understood, typically the plantar fascia has been put under tension and stress, which can cause small tears.

Repeated stretching and tearing brings on irritation, inflammation and, typically, heel pain.

Plantar fasciitis can affect anyone. However, it’s most common in middle-aged adults as well as people who take part in activities such as running, ballet and aerobic dance.

Obesity also can cause this condition be-

cause extra pounds put more stress on the fascia. Other risk factors include high arches, flat feet, and occupations that require walking or standing all day on hard surfaces.

The primary sign of plantar fasciitis is excruciating heel pain when you take your first steps in the morning. It’s not unusual for the pain to subside as you walk around, but it may return after you’ve been sitting for a while. Standing for a long time also can make it flare up.

Wide range of treatments

The good news about plantar fasciitis is that it’s highly treatable. Early detection makes the condition more manageable and prevents further complications.

If left untreated, plantar fasciitis can take a toll on your enjoyment of everyday activities and make you more sedentary.

The pain may also cause you to change the way you walk, which in turn can lead to various problems such as knee, hip and back pain.

If you suspect you have plantar fasciitis, consult with your healthcare team. Although x-rays or MRIs usually aren’t required, imaging may be requested to rule out a stress fracture.

Nonsurgical treatment often has satisfactory results, although it may take several months to get back to normal.

Treatment typically includes:

• Rest: Pain is the body’s way of warning you that something is wrong. Listen to your body and avoid activities that make the pain worse, such as running, hiking or dancing.

So that you can keep moving while your heel improves, try bicycling, swimming, water fitness, elliptical training, strength training, yoga and other low- or no-impact workouts.

• Stretching: Your podiatrist or physical therapist will give you a list of stretches that reduce tension on the plantar fascia and help with healing. Tight calf muscles often play a role in heel pain.

In addition to stretching, a healthcare professional also may show you how to

apply athletic tape to support the bottom of your foot.

• Ice: Ice therapy is a wonderful way to decrease inflammation and manage pain. Place ice on the heel for 20 minutes, three to four times a day. You also can fill a bottle with water and freeze it, then gently roll it under your heel and arch.

• Medication: Pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can help decrease inflammation and speed up healing.

• Night splint: These sock-like wraps with built-in supports help stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon while you’re sleeping or resting. A splint can

Best CPAP alternatives for sleep apnea

Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have been trying to use a CPAP device for the past six months. But I can’t tolerate it. Are there any alternative treatment options you can tell me about?

Dear Sam,

—Sleepy Sam

I’m sorry to hear your CPAP mask is keeping you awake at night, but I’m happy to hear that you’re addressing your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) problem.

sleep because something blocks your airway, like your tongue or relaxed throat muscles.

By Jim Miller

Left untreated, OSA is linked to daytime sleepiness and an increased risk of anxiety, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.

For those whose aren’t familiar, OSA causes your breathing to pause during

Heel pain

From page 9

help alleviate pain experienced with those first few steps in the morning.

• Orthotics and shoes : Adequate arch support is essential when treating plantar fasciitis. Discuss with your podia-

Losing weight, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol can all help ease obstructive sleep apnea symptoms such as snoring.

The primary treatment for people with moderate or severe OSA is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which keeps your airway open by pumping air through a mask you wear over your mouth and/or nose when you sleep.

Many people, like yourself, have difficulty tolerating CPAP and don’t stick with it. But CPAP machines have become smaller and quieter, with more comfortable options available.

trist whether over-the-counter or custom orthotic inserts are right for you.

In addition, avoid going barefoot and choose supportive, firm-soled shoes with good heel cushion and arch support, such as running shoes.

Surgical treatment isn’t often recommended, and is reserved for those not re-

For some people with mild to moderate OSA, less invasive alternatives to CPAP may be worth considering. Here are several to ask your doctor about.

Dental device

This is designed to move the jaw so that the tongue shifts toward the front of the mouth to help keep the airway open.

It’s one of the primary alternatives to CPAP and can also be used with CPAP to help make severe obstructive sleep apnea milder.

A dentist who specializes in sleep medicine (find one at dentalsleep.org) will be able to customize its fit to help your breathing without causing harm to your bite or teeth.

These custom-made oral appliances can cost between $2,000 and $4,000 but may be covered by your insurance.

There are much cheaper options avail-

sponding to conservative treatment.

To prevent recurrence of plantar fasciitis, stretch properly before exercising and wear supportive shoes if you’ll be on your feet for a long time.

Stephanie Kvas, D.P.M., Podiatric Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System, Waseca and New Prague, Minnesota

able online to treat snoring, but experts say these may not help with OSA and could move teeth out of place or cause jaw issues if they’re not properly fitted.

Position therapy

For some, sleeping on the back can make obstructive sleep apnea dramatically worse. In these cases, switching to side sleeping — perhaps using pillows or a tennis ball attached to a shirt back (to keep you from rolling onto your back while asleep) — can sometimes help.

Tongue trainer

In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved a tongue-stimulating device for mild sleep apnea called eXciteOSA (exciteosa.com), which people wear for 20 minutes a day for six weeks,

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

© 2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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ESTATE PLANNING FOR WOMEN

This series, “Financial Literacy for Women,” presented by the Arlington County Office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, aims to empower women to make informed financial choices. Sign up for Estate Planning, Part I, on Mon., Nov. 18 and Part II on Nov. 25 from 6 to 7:45 p.m. The free classes take place at Columbia Pike Library, 816 S. Walter Reed Dr., Arlington, VA. Register at tinyurl.com/EstatePlanningVA. For more information, call (703) 228-5710.

LEARN HOW TO SELL ONLINE

Dec. 2

This Senior Planet Tech Lecture introduces a variety of online platforms for selling anything from furniture and household items to clothing and books. Learn tips for best practices to use these platforms safely and confidently while avoiding scams. This free presentation takes place on Mon., Dec. 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Aspen Hill Library, 4407 Aspen Hill Rd., Rockville, MD. Registration isn’t necessary. For more information, call (240) 773-9414.

CPAP options

From page 10

and then 20 minutes a couple of times a week indefinitely. It costs $1,650 and is not covered by insurance.

Surgery

Those who can’t tolerate CPAP could have upper airway surgery to reduce the size of their soft palate or other tissue in their throat.

But such options don’t always work, have serious potential complications, and cannot be reversed. So, in general, they should not be first-line treatments.

A newer option is a surgically implanted device called Inspire (inspiresleep.com). Approved in 2014, it stimulates a nerve that moves your tongue to keep your airway open.

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Inspire can be removed if it is not tolerated, but it should also be tried only if someone is unable to use CPAP, and it is not an option for everyone.

Drug therapy

A new study, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that tirzepatide — the main ingredient found in type 2 diabetes medication Mounjaro and weight loss treatment Zepbound — helps reduce symptom severity by almost two-thirds in adults with obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. If this applies to you, ask your doctor about it.

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.

VA VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES

The Fairfax Area Disability Services Board wants to hear from Fairfax County, City of Falls Church and City of Fairfax residents with disabilities about their voting experience in 2024. This virtual forum will focus on topics related to accessible voting, like voting options, ballot marking devices and curbside voting. Join the conversation on Fri., Nov. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. online. Register at tinyurl.com/VotingForumVA. To request accommodations, call Ann Kim at (703) 324-7486 or email ann.kim@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Starting a conversation about endings

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

Dr. Vanessa Rodriguez is no stranger to talking about death. As a palliative care doctor at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, she works with families of patients at the ends of their lives.

Many family members are hesitant to talk about death before the fact since it means imagining a future without their loved one.

Talking about death is never easy, but doing so early can help families prepare. Here’s how to open the door to an often tricky conversation.

Start an open, honest dialogue

Thinking through details and resolving loose ends can help families cope when the inevitable happens: Where might their loved one like to be buried? Are finances squared away?

“It really can help ease the anxiety that this moment can bring,” Rodriguez said.

Settling other questions such as what song to play at a memorial or what old boxes to go through allows a loved one to have a say in their situation.

“They’re tough conversations,” Rodriguez said. “But there are so many tough

conversations we have to have in life, and this shouldn’t be of less importance.”

Set expectations

Talking about death with a loved one doesn’t make the loss hurt less, Rodriguez said. But it can help families know what to expect.

Recently, Rodriguez sat down with a 93year-old patient and her family. After talking through the patient’s care details, Rodriguez asked her daughter, “Have you thought about what things might look like when your mom isn’t here anymore?”

The daughter brushed it off at first. But as Rodriguez kept talking, tears welled in the daughter’s eyes. Having limited her mother’s hospital visits as much as possible, she realized it was important to her that her mother died at home.

Rodriguez then suggested setting the patient up with hospice care at home — treatment designed to reduce pain and suffering in the final months.

Conversations about death go over easier when they come from someone you trust, Rodriguez said. It’s important to assess how a family member feels about the

topic before going deep.

Keep it light

Conversations about death don’t have to be heavy. Britna Savarese shrugs off the doom and gloom by being direct, asking: “I’ve been planning my death today. How about you?”

“It almost shocks them,” said Savarese, a death doula who helps navigate the dying process. “But then it’s kind of silly. And that can be disarming.”

Savarese hosts Death Cafés: coffee shop soirees where attendees of all ages eat cake and chat about dying.

Discussion topics at the cafés, which take place globally, range from funeral horror stories to questions about the afterlife.

Cutting through the fear of death can make it less scary to talk about, Savarese said.

But if someone is truly hesitant or scared to talk about it, she recommends framing the conversation around their needs: “As scary as it may be to you, it’s important to me that you have the very best death that you can, and that we are honoring you the way that you want to be honored.”

Fear of death can stem from the uncertainty surrounding it. Voicing those concerns and preparing ahead of time can allow loved ones and their families to control what they can, Rodriguez said.

Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC hosts a monthly Death Café in its chapel. For details, visit congressionalcemetery.org/death-awareness. AP

Ask an At-Home Care Expert

Alex Petukhov, Owner Best Senior Care

Q: We want to stay in our home but need some help. What should we consider when hiring a caregiver?

A: That’s a wonderful choice! Many seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own home—and who wouldn’t?

When looking for a caregiver, it’s important to focus on three key qualities: compassion, reliability, and experience. Ask yourself, “How would I want my caregiver to treat me?”

At Best Senior Care, our caregivers aren’t just workers—they’re family. Many have been with us for years and have cared for their own loved ones. We respect, support, and take great care of them, so they can focus on providing exceptional care to you.

All our caregivers are carefully screened, trained, insured, and bonded. They’re dedicated professionals who find personal fulfillment in helping others. This is much safer and more reliable than hiring someone informally.

Let us help you find the perfect caregiver who will treat you with the respect and compassion you deserve.

Boost your immunity during cold season

By Karla Walsh

We all know that washing your hands is especially important when cold and flu season comes around. But so is what you put on your plate.

“We can really boost our immunity through diet alone. Consistent intake of the micronutrients that help our bodies fight disease is a natural solution to infection prevention,” said Cassie Majestic, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. “Micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals, are vital to disease-prevention and health development.”

So, fill your cart with the following foods to strengthen immune systems (listed in no particular order). All come recom-

mended by Majestic, Rachel Swanson, R.D., L.D.N., a registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of the nutrition consulting firm Rachel’s Rx in Los Angeles, California, and Rachel Fine, R.D., a registered dietitian and owner of the nutrition counseling firm To the Pointe Nutrition in New York City.

1. Citrus fruit: Among the strongest sources of vitamin C, lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit may support your body in its natural immunity process.

For a bonus dose of the best foods for the immune system that are high in C, add strawberries and avocados to your shopping list too.

2. Fermented foods: Kimchi, tempeh, miso and even kombucha are killer

when it comes to combating germs.

“Fermented foods, and the probiotics they contain, are beneficial for the gut ecosystem,” Swanson said. “The majority [about 80%] of immune cells are housed within the gut, which reflects the importance of our diet in maintaining proper functioning.”

3. Chicken soup: “There’s a reason why chicken soup makes its debut a lot during cold and flu season: Poultry, such as chicken, is high in B6, which helps with formation of new red blood cells,” Swanson said.

And if you can stir in a handful of kale or chard, even better. “Dark leafy greens are high in magnesium and vitamin E, a potent antioxidant,” Swanson added.

4. Yogurt: Probiotics are good for your gut and your immune defenses.

6. Matcha tea: The antioxidant EGCG, found in green teas (including matcha), inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, and is “shown to have multiple actions on immune cell function,” Swanson said.

7. Sunflower seeds: Whenever you use this food that helps your immune system (whether tossed into trail mix or for topping your morning bowl of oats or yogurt), you’ll be getting a potent dose of vitamin E. If you’re not in the mood to get seedy, “this powerful antioxidant can also be found in peanut butter and almonds,” Fine said.

8. Sweet potatoes: Roasted, toasted (yes, sweet potato toast is a thing!) or mashed, there are dozens of delicious ways to get your fix of this immune-boosting food.

“Yogurt [with live active cultures] will boost your intake of probiotics to support a strong microbiome, and as a result, a strong immune system,” Fine said.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, which has been shown to play a role in the development of healthy immune system function.

5. Mushrooms: Mushrooms are one of the top immune-boosting foods. Both caps and stems offer beta-glucans, Swanson said, which are soluble fibers that research suggests may lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar control and strengthen immunity. Reishi, shiitake and maitake are especially rich in beta-glucans.

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Ongoing

Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at bhg.com.

© 2024 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

— Cynthia R

Can a nicotine pouch help smokers quit?

By Matthew Perrone

A tiny Philip Morris product called Zyn has been making big headlines, sparking debate about whether new nicotine-based alternatives intended for adults may be catching on with underage teens and adolescents.

Zyn is an oral pouch that contains nicotine powder and flavorings like mint, coffee and citrus. The pouches are the fastestgrowing segment of the tobacco industry, which has struggled for decades to replace falling cigarette sales.

Zyn is marketed by Philip Morris International to adult tobacco users. Competitors sell similar products. Altria, for instance, sells its own flavored pouches called On.

Although the pouches don’t actually contain tobacco, U.S. regulators still treat them as a tobacco product.

How do they work?

Users stick them between their lip and gums, where they slowly release low levels of nicotine that are absorbed into the bloodstream. Because pouches generally don’t contain tobacco, there’s no spitting, unlike older products like chew and snuff.

Philip Morris representatives say the nicotine-only formulation is part of Zyn’s appeal.

“People can be reluctant to move into an

oral tobacco product if they view it as similar to traditional chewing tobacco,” company spokesman Corey Henry said. “Consumer acceptability is a big part of Zyn.”

Is Zyn healthier than tobacco?

All tobacco products carry serious health risks. Cigarettes are widely understood as the most harmful, increasing the likelihood of cancer, heart disease and lung problems. Chewing tobacco is linked to mouth cancer, gum disease and tooth loss.

But in the last decade or so, researchers and health regulators have begun to acknowledge different levels of harm among different tobacco products.

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration said a different oral tobacco product, called snus, contains lower cancer-causing chemicals than cigarettes and could benefit smokers who switch.

Snus are similar to nicotine pouches like Zyn, except that they contain fermented tobacco. Studies from Sweden and other places where they are popular have shown lower rates of lung cancer and related diseases compared with other European countries where smoking is more prevalent.

There’s little research on the long-term effects of nicotine pouches, but many researchers expect they will show similarly

low rates of carcinogens and other toxic components.

Still, that doesn’t mean they’re safe. A study last year found Zyn and similar products contain low levels of harmful substances such as ammonia and formaldehyde.

What does the FDA say?

Currently FDA officials are letting Zyn stay on the market while they review Philip Morris’ marketing application, which was submitted in 2020.

To win FDA authorization, companies generally must show that their products will reduce disease among adult tobacco users without attracting underage use by teens and adolescents.

Is Zyn popular among young people?

Not according to the latest federal data. Only 1.5% of high school and middle schoolers reported using nicotine pouches when surveyed last year. That’s well below the roughly 10% who used electronic cigarettes.

But anti-tobacco advocates point to worrying signs: videos of young people popping the pouches have racked up millions of views on social media in recent months.

A similar surge of online activity preceded the rise of Juul, the sleek e-cigarette widely blamed for triggering a spike in teen vaping.

Could back stiffness be spinal arthritis?

By Gazanfar Rahmathulla, M.B.B.S., M.D.

Dear Mayo Clinic: I am in my late 50s and have started having stiffness in my back. I have become much less flexible and sometimes even have a hard time looking over my shoulder.

I remember my grandparents complaining about arthritis in their knees and hands — and the pain they had later in life. Could I be developing arthritis in my spine? Is there anything I can do?

A: Arthritis is a condition that can develop in the spine. Over time, the cartilage in joints can break down and cause swelling and tenderness.

It’s common in the joints used daily, such as the hands and knees, but it also can affect other areas of the body.

The spine is comprised of 33 bones stacked one over the other, like LEGO blocks, connected by three different joints. Arthritis can affect various joints in the

body that are load-bearing and where movement occurs, including the spine.

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that caps your bones wears away. Degenerative changes can happen over time in joints used daily for motion. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your joints. You may experience pain and swelling, and your bones and joints slowly erode and deform. You can get this type of arthritis at any age, but it usually is more common in adults 40 or older.

The spine is susceptible to osteoarthritis because of the motion between the vertebrae. It’s most common in the lower back, or lumbar spine, because these joints carry most of the body weight.

When a person stands upright, the lumber spine experiences additional strain and

Primary Care

At Home

to services such as x-ray and blood work, at home.

• Close communication with patients and their loved ones.

• Accepting Medicare, Medicaid and most major supplemental insurance plans.

wears out faster than nonmobile levels, such as the middle of the spine.

The neck also is susceptible to arthritis. This is because of the millions of flexions, extensions and rotary movements made by the joints in the neck.

Over time, the disc cartilages and facet joints tend to wear out. This can cause stiffness and a loss in range of motion of your neck.

Managing your risk

There are several factors that can increase your risk of osteoarthritis. Some of these risk factors can be modified, but the others are inherent and not modifiable.

The factors that cannot be changed include age, genetics, gender and ethnicity. For risk factors that can be changed, the saying “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” applies to spinal arthritis. The modifiable risk factors include obesity, metabolic syndrome, previous injury, occupation, diet and physical activity.

There are things that you can do to

Nicotine pouch

From page 15

The FDA says it’s monitoring underage use of Zyn and other pouches and will take action, if necessary.

Can Zyn help adults quit?

Currently only a handful of products are FDA-approved to help with quitting smoking, including medications, nicotine gums and patches.

Some researchers point out that Zyn works similarly to some of those products — gradually delivering nicotine that reduces cravings.

But early research suggests Zyn and

lower your risk of arthritis developing and causing painful symptoms, including: Remain active. The more sedentary people are, the more likely they will have issues with arthritis pain.

Strenuous physical activity isn’t necessary, though. Simple exercises, like walking, help keep you mobile and your joints healthy. Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying extra weight is hard on the joints in your back. Aim for a healthy body weight to keep your joints happy.

Don’t use tobacco. People may understand that smoking affects lung health, but it also speeds up cartilage loss in joints and aggravates back pain. Don’t start smoking, and if you do smoke, quit.

When to seek treatment

Many people have some degree of degenerative changes in their spines due to arthritis. But not everybody who has arthritis on diagnostic imaging has symptoms.

other pouches may not be enough to help smokers quit.

Ohio State University researchers recently found it took smokers 30 minutes to an hour to get enough nicotine from Zyn to relieve their cravings. With cigarettes, smokers achieved the same nicotine levels — and relief — in five minutes.

For now, Philip Morris is focused on obtaining FDA authorization to stay on the market, and eventually it has said it could seek a reduced-risk designation similar to snus.

But no tobacco company — Philip Morris included — has ever asked the FDA to approve their products to help smokers quit completely.

Causes (and solutions) for blurry vision

Do you squint at your phone or have trouble reading the labels or directions on items?

Sometimes it’s the size of the lettering, to be fair. But sometimes the issue is visual impairment. Everyone has dealt with this at one time or another.

Treatments change for blurry vision depending on the cause. Here are eight reasons for it:

1. Refractive errors: This occurs when the shape of your eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina, causing either nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia.

2. Dry eyes

3. Cataracts

tidepressants can contribute to blurry vision.

DEAR PHARMACIST

By Suzy Cohen

4. Glaucoma: This condition damages the optic nerve, often due to high eye pressure, and can cause blurred vision.

5. Age-related macular degeneration: This harms the macula, the part of the retina responsible for clear central vision.

6. Diabetic retinopathy: High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina.

7. Eye inflammation: Conjunctivitis or uveitis cause temporary blurriness.

8. Medications: Antihistamines and an-

Back stiffness

From page 16

Treatment is considered only if a person is experiencing symptoms that don’t go away with exercise or weight loss, and arthritis is present on images, like an x-ray.

To develop an individualized treatment plan, your healthcare team will match your image results with your reported symptoms.

Any surgical procedure carries risk, so the goal is to medically manage arthritis symptoms without surgery in most cases.

Conservative medical options for treating symptomatic spinal arthritis include physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, exercise, massage, medications and weight loss. For most patients, these options lessen back pain and improve mobility.

Additional treatments may be necessary if symptoms aren’t improving or the arthritis is causing compression of the nerves, leading to weakness or loss of mobility.

Surgical options range from a laminectomy to a spinal fusion.

Next steps

Talk with your healthcare team if your back pain and stiffness worsen, or you develop weakness that radiates down your legs or arms. Those are signs that it is time to have an evaluation with a spine specialist or neurosurgeon.

— Gazanfar Rahmathulla, M.B.B.S., M.D., Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Health System, Eau Claire, Wisconsin © 2024 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Understanding the cause of blurry vision will determine your best solution. Here are eight tips:

1. Eye exercises: Eye exercises can help ease eye strain. One exercise is called “focus change;” another is known as “20-20-20 rule.” If you want to understand these exercises better, Google them or visit my website (suzycohen.com), where I’ve posted a more detailed version of this article.

2. Nutrition and supplements: What you choose to eat plays a significant role in eyesight. Ensure you’re getting enough vitamin A, C and E from foods or supplements.

Healthy eye supplements include vitamin E, lutein, zeaxanthin, saffron and bilberry.

4. Drink water: Dehydration can lead to dry eyes and blurred vision. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your eyes well-hydrated.

5. Glasses or contact lenses: Corrective lenses are the quickest and most effective solution for blurry vision. A simple, painless eye exam will determine what you need.

6. Medications: Several medications and over-the-counter eye drops can help. For example, artificial tears lubricate dry eyes.

Doctors can prescribe steroid eye drops to reduce inflammation if it’s uveitis. Black currant extract or fish oil supplements may also work.

7. Limit screen time: Most people are addicted to their phones and computers, or TVs, and bounce all day from one device to another. Some of you have E-readers too!

This takes a toll on your vision, especially if you spend a lot of time on them or the backlight is dim.

8. Reduce oxidation: Other behaviors that damage the delicate tissues of the eyes, leading to vision problems, include smoking, vaping (including secondhand exposure), and drinking alcohol.

Blurry vision can be a frustrating and sometimes worrying experience, but there are several good ways to mitigate and prevent it. By taking proactive steps to care for your eyes, you can ensure clearer vision and better eyesight for a lifetime.

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

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

Ways To Avoid Being Scammed

Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection

Fraud and scams targeting older adults have become a significant concern in today’s digital age. As technology evolves, so do the methods used by fraudsters, making it essential for older individuals and their families to stay vigilant.

Scammers use various tactics to deceive older adults, often posing as trustworthy figures such as government officials, family members or reputable businesses. Common scams include phishing emails (trying to fool you into sharing personal information by pretending to be someone else), fake tech support calls, and fraudulent investment opportunities. These scams can lead to significant financial loses and emotional distress, making it crucial to stay alert.

Staying informed and cautious is your best defense against fraud.

The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) helps protect Montgomery County consumers by investigating and resolving consumer complaints, licensing and registering businesses, and engaging in consumer education and outreach, such as presentations at area senior centers.

Here are some practical steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud:

Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communication

If you ever get a surprise call, email, letter or knock on your door requesting personal information or money, be careful. Scammers often try to make you feel like you need to act fast. Always make sure to confirm the identity of the person or organization

reaching out to you. Use official contact numbers or websites to double-check their legitimacy.

Protect Personal Information

Never share personal information or financial information over the phone or online unless you are certain of the recipient’s identity. Fake websites often look like their real counterpart. Scammers often ask for details such as Social Security numbers, bank account information or credit card details. Genuine organizations will always provide secure and legitimate channels for sharing sensitive information.

Be Cautious Online

Be aware of phishing emails and links to websites that may look familiar or similar to legitimate ones. Do not click on any links or download attachments from unknown sources.

Verify Investment Opportunities

Make sure to conduct thorough research before investing any funds in a new opportunity. Be suspicious of assurances of high returns with little risk. Seek advice from a trusted financial advisor if you have doubts about an investment.

Discuss Scams with Loved Ones

Share information about common scams with family and friends. Talking openly can help you stay informed and feel more confident in recognizing potential fraud attempts.

By taking these steps, you can help protect yourself and your finances from scammers. If you have questions about a consumer issue or would like to have a speaker from the Office of Consumer Protection at your next event, call MC 311 or 240-7770311, or visit their website at www. montgomerycountymd.gov/ocp.

Meatless foods that are high in protein

By Albert Stumm

Many people consider eating less meat, whether for health, environmental or animal-welfare reasons. But they sometimes hesitate because they are concerned about how they would replace all that lost protein.

When Jennifer Anastasiou decided to go vegetarian after learning about the environmental impact of livestock, she worried at first about her protein intake.

“It was kind of hard, because when you eat meat your entire life, you don’t even have to think [about protein],” said Anastasiou, who grew up eating plenty of meat in her Irish-Catholic family in Philadelphia.

Now she relies heavily on foods that dietitians recommend for those cutting down on meat: high-protein legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans, vegetablebased protein shakes, and veggies like cauliflower, peas and spinach.

The USDA has a calculator to determine daily nutrient recommendations, but those values represent the minimum amount you need to maintain healthy functioning, said Jenna Braddock, a dietitian in St. Augustine, Florida.

She said research suggests 0.8 to 2 grams per kilogram of weight, depending on your goals.

Small amounts add up

A good way to reach your goal is what she called protein stacking: adding a small amount of nuts, whole-grain bread or legumes to meals you already are eating.

“It’s going to be hard to get all of that protein from one single plant-based source — whether because of either the quantity of food that you’d have to eat or the calories that it would end up being,” said Braddock, co-author of The High-Protein Vegan Cookbook for Athletes

She recommended making a batch of lentils on the weekend — half a cup has 9 grams — to stuff into tacos, add to salads or just eat on their own.

Frozen edamame is an easy go-to, and tempeh, an Indonesian fermented soy product, has 18 grams “in a pretty manageable serving size,” Braddock said.

Hemp hearts have a chewy texture, high fiber and about 3 grams of protein per tablespoon. One of her favorite snacks is yogurt with hemp hearts, fresh fruit and a drizzle of peanut butter.

Peanuts get forgotten when people talk about healthy nuts, Braddock said, but she highlights them because they’re more affordable than most nuts and still have 8 grams of protein per ¼ cup.

Seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and chia also generally are cheap and high in protein. As is quinoa, which seems like a grain but is actually a seed.

For people who might not like the texture of beans or tofu, Braddock recommended blending them into a creamy soup or making dips out of them.

Or ask around to find the restaurant that makes the best version of tofu, for example, so you start with a positive experience that you’ll want to replicate at home. “Make your entry point as delicious and as easy as possible,” she said.

“When it comes to eating more vegetarian or vegan, it’s not just a switch you turn on. It’s a journey you take that you will grow in skills, ability, knowledge and competency in the kitchen.”

Try these two recipes from The HighProtein Vegan Cookbook for Athletes by Jenna Braddock and Ivy Stark.

Toasted Pumpkin Seed Dip Serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup hulled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

3 plum tomatoes

1 small red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, roasted

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

½ habanero chile, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon chipotle chile en adobo, finely minced

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of ½ orange

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place the pepitas in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the first one pops,

stir constantly until all have popped from flat to round, about 5 minutes. Blend in a food processor to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides a few times.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet under the broiler and roast until blackened and very soft, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes per side. Cool and finely chop.

In a medium bowl, combine the seed paste, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, chipotle and habanero. Stir in lime juice, orange juice and cinnamon. Taste and season with sea salt.

Serve with warm corn tortillas or crisp

Ways to overcome medical test anxiety

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: My adult daughter avoids going to the doctor because she fears any medical testing. How can I help her get the care she needs?

A : It’s normal to be apprehensive about having a medical test, particularly one that can cause discomfort or pose some other risk.

Even a simple blood test involves a moment of discomfort, and some people faint at the sight of the approaching needle.

Some people worry about getting other medical tests, such as CT scans, because they involve exposure to radiation. And being moved into the cramped

confines of an MRI machine can spark panic for someone with claustrophobia.

People with a different phobia are afraid to see a doctor, even a doctor they know and like. For others, a medical exam can feel like an invasion of your privacy, and some parts of the physical examination may be uncomfortable.

Perhaps most of all, people fear the visit to the doctor will bring bad news. Fortunately, there are ways to cope with these anxieties and important reasons why you should.

To decide if skipping a test is a bigger problem than getting it, have her talk it over with you or another loved one, or a

doctor, and suggest that she try the following:

• Change your perspective. Avoiding a test won’t change the possibility that there might be a health problem. And if there is a problem, knowing that as soon as possible will give you more treatment options, and possibly a cure.

• Arm yourself with information. Talk to your doctor to get more information about a test and its risks. Or do some research on trusted websites such as Harvard Health Publishing, Mayo Clinic or the National Library of Medicine.

• Make the test more comfortable. Tell your medical provider about your concerns.

If you need a procedure that involves a needle, ask the clinician to numb the area with a topical agent prior to needle insertion.

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Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150

Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180

Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301

The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487

Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445

Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440

Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344

Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660

Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888

The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000

The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100

The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000

The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988

Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464

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

Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665

Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886

Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185

Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064

Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399

Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118

Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501

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

Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322

Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

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

Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526

Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

Your provider can prescribe a tranquilizer to ease the fear of an imaging test such as a mammogram. If you’re claustrophobic, ask for an “open” MRI, which takes place in a machine that is open on the sides (unlike a standard MRI).

• Bring a friend with you. The buddy can hold your hand and comfort you during the experience.

• Try relaxation exercises. Do some deep breathing. Or focus on a happy experience: How did things look, taste, smell or sound?

• Look away from the needle. You’ll focus on pain if you watch the needle go into your arm. Instead, look away and try to distract yourself.

• Focus on something fun. Have something arranged that you can look forward to after the test, like watching a new movie. It will help you get through the experience and provide a nice reward afterward.

© 2024 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Recipe

From page 19

vegetables like baby carrots, cucumber slices, radishes and sliced fennel.

Quinoa Pilaf with Asparagus

Serves: 4

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups red quinoa

4½ cups water

½ teaspoon salt

1 bunch thin asparagus, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 small red onion, finely chopped

½ small bunch fresh basil, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

Directions:

Place the quinoa in a large strainer. Rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.

Transfer quinoa to large saucepan; add the water and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer quinoa to large bowl, add asparagus and let sit covered for 5 minutes, fluff with fork. Stir in oil, cumin and lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper. Add pine nuts, red onion, basil and thyme to the warm quinoa just before serving.

The quinoa will hold well covered in the fridge for five days; just add the garnishes when you are ready to reheat and serve.

Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and wellness. Find his work at albertstumm.com.

Natural strategies help lower cholesterol

By Suzy Cohen

If you’ve recently been told your cholesterol levels are creeping into unhealthy territory, it’s a wake-up call to embrace more holistic practices for heart health.

As someone who understands both the conventional and natural sides of medicine, I want to empower you with actionable, natural strategies.

Here are five of the top ways to lower LDL, triglycerides and cholesterol naturally:

Increase soluble fiber intake

Fiber is more than just a buzzword. It’s a powerful tool to combat high LDL cholesterol.

Soluble fiber — found in foods like oats, beans, lentils, flaxseeds and fruits (especially apples and berries) — binds to cholesterol in your intestines and helps eliminate it before it’s absorbed into your bloodstream.

Adding just a couple of servings of these fiber-rich foods each day can make a significant difference.

Get enough omega-3 fatty acids

Healthy fats are crucial for cardiovascular health, and omega-3 fatty acids are at the top of the list.

Found in fatty fish, like salmon and sardines, as well as plant-based sources like flaxseed and chia seeds, these fats are known to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

They also fight inflammation, a key factor in heart disease. Including omega-3rich foods in your diet a couple of times a week or supplementing with a high-quality fish oil can bring lasting benefits.

Get moving with exercise

Engaging in regular physical activity —

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MAKE A TINY TERRARIUM

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whether it’s brisk walking, cycling, swimming or weight training — can help lower LDL cholesterol, raise HDL and reduce triglycerides.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise weekly, and don’t shy away from adding some resistance training. Consistency is key, so find activities you enjoy.

It’s not about hitting the gym hard every day, but about incorporating movement into your routine in a way that you’ll stick with.

Remember: your heart is a muscle, and it needs regular exercise to stay strong and healthy.

Adopt a Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based way of eating that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil.

The focus on monounsaturated fats (especially from olive oil) and antioxidants helps lower LDL cholesterol while main-

taining a healthy HDL balance.

Address nutrient deficiencies

Your body needs certain nutrients to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and deficiencies can hinder your progress. Magnesium, CoQ10, and vitamin D all play a role in cardiovascular health.

While medications like statins can effectively lower cholesterol, they don’t address the root cause or support a comprehensive approach to heart health. You can make a big impact with the suggestions above.

Your heart works hard for you every day, so take proactive steps to support its health naturally.

If you’re interested in more information, read the longer version of this article posted at my website, suzycohen.com.

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

BEACON

DIRECTORS MESSAGE

By Charon P.W. Hines

As we welcome the cool breezes of November and adjust to the time change, we find ourselves in a season of reflection and care. The crisp air and shorter days remind us that winter is just around the corner, bringing the need to check in on one another more often. Whether it is family, friends, or neighbors, this time of year can often feel isolating. A simple call or visit can make all the difference, so let’s continue to show up for each other as a community.

In this season of togetherness, November also gives us an opportunity to shine a light on three critical issues that impact the well-being of many seniors in our community: Alzheimer’s Disease, caregiving, and diabetes. Alzheimer’s Awareness Month encourages us to focus on the importance of early detection and intervention. Alzheimer’s touches millions of lives, and noticing signs like memory loss, problem-solving difficulties, or confusion early on can make a meaningful difference. While there is no cure, certain lifestyle choices — such as staying mentally and physically active, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining social connections — may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

At the Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL), we are committed to supporting seniors living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) through culturally competent, personcentered services. These include behavioral symptom management, consultations, and community-based programs designed to help individuals and their families. If you or someone you know needs resources or support, please reach out to my office at 202-724-5626.

National Family Caregivers Month also holds special significance for me. As someone who, alongside my sisters, has been a caregiver for my father, I know firsthand the patience, strength, and love that caregiving requires. It can be both challenging and deeply fulfilling, offering moments of joy and connection despite the difficulties.

The late First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s words have always resonated with me: “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Her words are a powerful reminder that caregiving touches all of us at some point, drawing us closer as a community united by the care we provide for one another.

To all caregivers: I see you, I value you, and I thank you. Your work, though often unseen, is invaluable. Remember that you are not alone, there is strength in sharing experiences, and support is available to help you along the way.

Finally, Diabetes Awareness Month gives us the chance to focus on how we can manage this chronic condition together. While diabetes requires close attention, it is possible to live a full and healthy life with

Fiscal Year 2025 Grantee Kickoff

DACL kicked off Fiscal Year 2025 with a grantee kickoff to connect with our grantees that are in the field assisting the work of DACL everyday! Here’s to teamwork and a successful FY25.

Director’s Message

From page 22

the right care. Regular check-ups, a balanced diet, and staying active are essential. Even small activities, like a walk in the park or a hobby that keeps you moving, can positively impact your health and well-being.

Living with diabetes does not mean giving up on the things you love — it is about making thoughtful adjustments that support your health and longevity. Together, we can promote a culture of wellness, even as we manage chronic conditions.

As we move through this season, I encourage all of us to take small actions that bring warmth and connection to others. A phone call, a visit, or a kind word can make someone’s day. If you would like to learn more about ways to stay connected or active, please contact my office at 202-724-5626 or visit us online at www.dacl.dc.gov.

Let’s continue building a caring and supportive community. Stay well, stay warm, live boldly!

In Service, Charon P.W. Hines

Ms. Senior America 2024

Last month, Ms. Senior DC, Queen Janet Corbitt, represented us proudly at the National Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City, NJ! Competing in talent, nightgown, interview, and her philosophy of life, Queen Janet showed us what it means to live boldly. While she didn’t bring home the crown, she’s still the reigning queen of the nation’s capital! Job well done, Queen Janet!

Darrell Green

Key to the City

Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser honored football legend Darrell Green with the key to the City for his amazing contribution to football and Washington Sports.

26th Annual Senior Holiday Celebration

Money Law &

Need to fix an error on your tax return? Learn how on page 26.

They call you honey, then ask for money

By Kimberly Palmer

Finding a partner can be difficult. You may be tempted to look for love online. Unfortunately, criminals are also on the hunt — but for victims, not romance.

“Meeting people online has opened the door to romance fraud,” said Kim CasciPalangio, program director of the peer support program at the nonprofit Cybercrime Support Network in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“You feel you can trust them,” she said, adding that cybercriminals often cultivate relationships for months before asking for money.

Reports to the Federal Trade Commission show that consumers lost $1.14 billion in 2023 to romance scams. While romance scams can happen to anybody, here are some strategies experts suggest to reduce your risk of falling for one:

Beware of online relationships that move fast

People are often eager to move relationships forward quickly, especially around holidays, said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that provides advice and assistance related to identity theft. She suggests going slowly instead.

Scam artists, Velasquez explained, tend to shower their targets with affection, proclaiming their love early. Then, the victim feels compelled to send money when the scam artist says they need it.

“They make up some excuse, like [they’ve been in] an accident,” she said. If

their target doesn’t send money to them, they move on to the next victim.

Watch for common red flags

Another sign of romance fraud is if the person you are interacting with asks you to communicate off of the dating app, such as by using WhatsApp or email, said Ayleen Charlotte, whose story of being tricked by a romance scam was featured in the Netflix show “The Tinder Swindler.”

She now works with BioCatch, a fraud prevention firm, as a scam advisor and banking customer advocate.

“They want you in a more personal environment to get to you,” Charlotte said — a forum where they can interact with you on their own terms without any limits imposed by dating apps.

Casci-Palangio said another sign that something is amiss is if the person you are communicating with declines to have video calls with you or meet in person. They might cite reasons such as living overseas, serving in the military or working on an offshore oil rig.

“They may not be who they say they are,” Casci-Palangio said.

They might also be using canned scripts that they send to multiple people. Using terms like “honey” instead of your name is a sign you could be communicating with a scammer.

Do your own research

If you start to wonder about the person you are communicating with online, it’s time to go into investigative mode.

Casci-Palangio suggests starting with a reverse image search of their profile photos. You can upload any photo to images.google.com to generate results.

You might discover the images actually belong to someone else or are used across multiple sites with different names and identities.

“But they could also be using a newly created image. Having no online footprint is also a red flag,” she added.

Melanie McGovern, national spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit that promotes marketplace trust, suggests taking notes on your interactions so you can notice any inconsistencies. If your love interest mentions a high school they attended, look it up and confirm whatever other facts you can.

“Make sure you’re asking all kinds of specific questions,” McGovern said, especially if they share a sad story about a sick relative or other compelling tale.

Then, go back and ask the same questions a week later. “If they can’t remember details, you should be skeptical,” she said.

Avoid exchanging money

One common scenario involves the scam artist asking you to accept a large deposit, which you are then to forward to another account. But then, the first check doesn’t clear, and your own money vanishes, warns Seth Ruden, BioCatch’s director of global advisory.

“Don’t take funds from people you’ve never met, and don’t offer to circulate funds for others,” Ruden said. “If you au-

thorize a money transfer, you are probably responsible for it,” he added, which means you might never see your money again.

Report the fraud

Try to swallow your pride, even if you feel ashamed at being scammed. It’s important to report your experience to the proper authorities.

“A lot of people feel stupid for falling into any type of scam, and that’s the taboo I want to take off. You are not stupid. This is what a fraudster does. This is their job,” Charlotte said.

To help victims feel less alone, the Cybercrime Support Network organizes groups for them to meet weekly to help process what they experienced and find emotional support.

“Usually, they haven’t told anyone yet because they’re embarrassed,” CasciPalangio said.

People who have experienced romance scams can help others by reporting the scam to their bank’s fraud department, as well as the FTC, a state’s attorney general’s office, the FBI, a local police station, the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker and the Identity Theft Resource Center, among others. Visit reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).

“Scams can happen to any of us,” Charlotte said. “The right scam just has to find the right person at the right time.”

AP/NerdWallet. This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet.

Help for surprisingly high medical bills

By Cora Lewis

Unexpectedly high medical bills are common in the United States, but there are ways to get relief. While the process of fighting high medical bills can be timeconsuming and frustrating, advocates stress that patients shouldn’t be intimidated by the system.

If you’ve received a surprise medical bill, here’s what you should know:

You may qualify for charity care

When Luisa, 33, received a medical bill

for more than $1,000 after an emergency hospital visit for a viral infection, she was able to have the whole amount covered by the hospital after appealing to their financial assistance policy.

“It was my first time going through something like that,” said Luisa, who asked to be identified only by her first name due to privacy concerns. “I tried to be an informed consumer and ask questions when I was in the hospital about the costs, but obviously it’s hard when you’re sick in the emergency room.”

Luisa had heard about the patient advocacy organization Dollar For (dollarfor.org) thanks to a viral video, and she filled out the nonprofit’s online form after receiving her surprise bill. The organization contacted the hospital, which was based in central Florida.

Eventually, the hospital contacted Luisa directly to let her know she did in fact qualify for financial assistance. Even though she had already paid a portion of the costs with a credit card, Dollar For was able to get those payments refunded.

Laws governing hospital charity care require that nonprofit hospitals lower or write off bills for individuals, depending on household income.

“Federal law requires hospitals to have these programs to keep their tax-exempt status,” said Jared Walker, CEO of Dollar For. “If you’re within their income range, they will write off, waive, forgive or reduce your bills.”

To determine if you qualify, you can simply Google the hospital along with the

Reasons to file an amended tax return

After filing their annual tax return, most Americans — especially those whose employers withhold payroll and income taxes from their paychecks — needn’t think about tax filing for many months.

Some taxpayers, however, will find themselves in a situation where they should file an amended return. The reasons for doing so include:

—The income reported on the original return was submitted incorrectly, either too high or too low.

—There was a change in the filing status because of life events, such as marriage, divorce or death in the family.

—There was an error regarding de-

pendents claimed.

—The filer overlooked tax deductions or credits.

—Relevant legislative changes were made after taxes were filed, such as tax relief due to a natural disaster.

The following situations do not warrant filing an amended return:

—A math error was made. The correction will be found by the IRS.

—An error was discovered shortly after filing. In this situation, you can simply re-file as long as the filing deadline has not passed.

—Missing forms: If a necessary form was missing that is required, the IRS will request it.

Substantive errors

In any situation that calls for filing an amended return, you should be filing Form 1040-X. Ask the IRS (or search online) for the amended return instructions for the applicable year.

Form 1040-X can be filed electronically or manually. You should submit the same forms and schedules as originally filed. You can submit up to three amended returns for one tax year.

—Net operating losses or credit carrybacks

—Service in a combat zone or contingency operation

—Residing in a disaster area

If you are filing an amended return for bad debts or worthless securities, the amended return generally can be filed within seven years after the due date of the return for the tax year in which the debt or security became worthless.

Common errors to avoid

There is no fee if you file individually; you can also use available software packages or use professional tax providers.

By Elliot Raphaelson

You can receive refunds by direct deposit or paper check; you can use Form 8888 to allocate refunds to multiple accounts. If you owe the IRS, include Form 1040-V with your payment.

Contact your state tax department for information if your amended return impacts your state tax return.

The following errors have been made by individuals in their initial filing. You can avoid having to file an amended return if you avoid making these errors when filing your original tax return.

Qualified charitable deductions: Many individuals who use the qualified charitable deduction (QCD) don’t take the deduction properly.

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When to file

If you intend to file an amended return to obtain a credit or refund, you must file it within three years after you filed your original return, or within two years after the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.

In order to receive a tax refund, you must file an amended return within three years after filing the original return.

Some exceptions can extend the time you can file an amended return. The regulations covering these exceptions are covered in the amended return instructions for the applicable year. They include: —Bad debts or worthless securities —Foreign tax credits

The form you receive from the custodian of your IRA account does not specify the amount you contributed to the charity. You have to take the deduction yourself as follows: on line 4(a) of IRS 1040, specify the IRA withdrawal; subtract the amount of the QCD and list the remainder on 4(b); specify QCD next to the 4(b) entry.

If you did not receive a deduction for your QCD because you did not enter the information properly in your original return, file an amended return.

Rental income: If you rented your home for 14 days or less, the income you received is not taxable. If you previously reported the income received as taxable, file an amended return reducing the

phrase “charity care” or “financial assistance policy.” Dollar For also provides an online tool for patients to see if they qualify.

Even if you’ve already been paying off medical debt, the hospital will be required to refund the payments you’ve made.

Appeal

to the No Surprises Act

While protections against surprise bills have long existed for those who have Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare, laws are now also in place for those with private or marketplace insurance.

The federal No Surprises Act covers people who have insurance through their employers, the marketplace or individual plans. It says that insurance companies must reasonably cover any out-of-network services related to emergency and some non-emergency medical care.

That means if you’re being charged more than you’re used to or expect when you receive in-network services, that bill may be illegal.

To challenge any bill covered under this law, you can use the free help desk and hotline of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at 1-800-985-3059, or visit cms.gov/medical-bill-rights/help/dispute-a-bill.

Some states also have free consumer assistance programs to help with disputes

and insurance questions. [See note at end of article.]

You can always contact the medical billing department of any hospital in writing to say that you believe a bill is in violation of the No Surprises Act and ask the hospital to deal directly with your insurance company.

“The complexity of the system itself is as big a problem as affordability,” said Kaye Pastaina, who heads research on patient protections for KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization.

“A lot of it is from the fragmented system and complex rules, but also lack of awareness about existing protections that are a part of federal law that might help.”

Ask for an itemized bill

Even if you don’t qualify for charity care or you’re not sure your bills are covered by the No Surprises Act, you may be able to reduce the charges.

Medical billing is notoriously byzantine and rife with errors. Anytime you receive a bill, ask the hospital or healthcare provider for an itemized bill that includes the billing codes of all the care you received. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates that providers share this information.

Next, check whether the billing codes are accurate. Again, simply Googling the codes with the phrase “medical billing code” can help. If something is off, contesting your bill with your medical provider or

physician’s office can yield changes.

Another approach: comparing the bill with insurance companies’ estimates of fair charges for services. If the price you were charged is more than average, you can have your costs lowered. You could even take the provider to small claims court over the discrepancy (or let them know you have a case).

Finally, compare your insurance company’s “explanation of benefits” to the bill. This explanation of costs covered and not covered must match the hospital’s bill. If they don’t, you have another reason not to pay, and to ask the provider to work with your insurance company further first.

Persistence pays off

Despite the hassle, these steps can save you considerable sums of money. Even after taking these steps, you can always appeal health claims with your insurance

company if you think there is any reason the bills should be covered entirely or more than the company initially decided. You can also contact your state insurance commissioner for support.

“What we’ve seen in our research and the data is that those folks who appeal — and there are few who appeal — but for those who appeal, there’s a high level of overturning,” Pastaina said.

Ed. Note: In Virginia, the Virginia State Corporation Commission can assist you with your questions or concerns if you call (804) 371-9741.

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General helps to consumers with health insurance questions or problems; call 1-800-492-6116.

The D.C. Office of the Health Care Ombudsman and Bill of Rights helps consumers with health insurance issues. Call them at 1-877-685-6391. AP

When to consider a donor-advised fund

By Evan T. Beach, CFP

Too often we think about charitable giving in the context of the rich and powerful, where, it seems, the rich keep getting richer via some complex charitable strategy.

While there are significant tax benefits to properly structured charitable giving, the reality is much less exciting. You will save some percentage of your gift if you do it properly, but you’ll always end up with less money than you started with. That’s the point: You’re giving money away.

When it comes to charitable planning, charitable intent must be the first box you check. Once you have decided you can afford to give and that you want to give, you have to decide how you’ll give.

A donor-advised fund (DAF) may be that “how.” Put simply, a DAF is a financial account that allows you to make tax-deductible contributions of cash or assets, invest those contributions now in the account tax-free, and then recommend grants out of the account to your favorite

charities over time.

Your tax deduction is recognized at the time you put the money into the DAF, regardless of when the money makes it to your charity of choice.

Below are three triggers that you can use as a hand-raising exercise. If you are charitably inclined and raise your hand to one or more of these triggers, you should evaluate a DAF. I have also used this strategy for many clients who are not in these situations, so this is by no means a comprehensive list.

You no longer itemize

where you live, that can be substantial. A $500,000 gain in Maryland is likely to cost you $150,000 in federal and state taxes.

On the plus side: Charitable giving has a bigger impact (offsetting other income) in years when your tax rates are especially high. Because the sale of a home is a onetime hit, your tax rate will be higher that year but drop the following year.

So we often advise clients to make several years of charitable gifts in the year they sell their home. They can then distribute those funds in future years from their DAF as they would have under normal circumstances.

For estate planning, probate, trust administration, contested estate litigation and so much more, knowing where to turn for the right advice can make all the difference in preserving your legacy. When you need us, we’re here.

Paul Riekhof P: 240-399-7899 F: 240-553-1744

priekhof@jgllaw.com

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In 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) significantly changed the tax code. The Tax Foundation estimates that only a third of taxpayers who itemized pre-TCJA itemize post-TCJA.

In plain English, a very small percentage of taxpayers will actually be able to take a charitable deduction for their giving because they do not give more than the standard deduction.

This reality introduced a strategy called “charitable stacking,” where instead of giving every year, you give charity for many years all at once.

You just retired or sold your business

The typical tax trend for those who retire is down, then up. Once wages go away, but before you claim Social Security and take distributions from retirement accounts, your effective tax rate should be lower. Charitable contributions will be less impactful during this period, as they offset a lower obligation.

On the flip side, your last year working is often the one with the highest income and, therefore, the highest tax rate. This is compounded if you are a business owner who has just sold a business.

For example, instead of giving $10,000 per year over five years, you give $50,000 in one year and then don’t give for the subsequent four years. This allows you to get above the standard deduction in year one and receive a tax benefit for your giving.

The handy part of the DAF in this scenario is that this doesn’t have to disrupt the beneficiaries of your giving. You can make the donation into the DAF in year one and then make grants from that fund in future years, just as you would have if the funds were coming from your bank account.

You sold your forever home

We live in the DC Metro area. It seems like in the past five years, every home purchased by a Boomer in the ’80s or ’90s is now worth over $1 million. This is an uptown problem for the owner, but it likely makes a portion of the gain from a sale taxable from the IRS perspective.

Depending on the size of the gain and

Amended

returns From page 26

amount of taxable income.

Self-employed deductions: In a previous column I pointed out that many selfemployed individuals were not aware of an allowable deduction for healthcare premiums. If this situation applies to you, file an amended return in order to receive a refund.

A DAF will allow you to make large charitable contributions in that final year of work (or sale) and take that deduction against a larger amount of gross income without having to decide who you are giving to. You can make that decision in subsequent years when grants are made from the fund to the charities of your choice.

Key questions before giving

When considering charitable giving, ask yourself three questions in this order:

1. Is charitable giving the primary intent?

2. Can I afford to give?

3. How should I give?

This article is all about the last question. Your financial plan should tell you whether you can afford to give.

© 2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Bottom line: Many taxpayers have not taken allowable deductions when they filed their original tax returns. When you make a determination that you have missed taking legitimate tax deductions or credits, don’t hesitate to file an amended return to receive refunds you are entitled to.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2024 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

I’m a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® who is steeped in knowledge and experience. My unique marketing and master negotiating are wrapped up in kindness, honesty, and protective care. I guide you in how to sell for top dollar while supporting you with the very best resources.

Whether you want to remain in your home, or move to a retirement community, I am the guy you want to call.

For your free copy of my “Rightsizing Guide” or my “Senior Living Guide,” download them from the “Resources” section of EricStewartGroup.com or call me directly at (301) 252-1697 for a personal consultation on your real estate needs.

Listen to my weekly radio show,

Getting Older with Eric Stewart every Sunday from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. on WMAL 105.9 FM for insights into living well while getting older.

UPCOMING SEMINARS & CLASSES

at Brooke Grove retirement village

As experts in senior care, Brooke Grove Retirement Village is pleased to offer seminars and classes that promote physical, spiritual and mental well-being.

All programs will be held in person in the Gathering Room at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, located at 18131 Slade School Road on the Sandy Spring, Maryland, campus of Brooke Grove Retirement Village. Register as indicated below or contact Toni Davis at tdavis@bgf.org with questions.

PARKINSON’S COMMUNICATION CLUB

Offered in partnership with the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area

WEDNESDAYS

10:45-11:45 A.M.

This weekly wellness and prevention program for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners focuses on the maintenance of communication skills, with an emphasis on strengthening breath support and the ability to project and speak loudly enough to be heard in social settings.

FREE with $50 annual PFNCA administrative fee. To register, visit: bit.ly/BGRVParkCommClub

PARKINSON’S EXERCISE GROUP

Offered in partnership with the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area

MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 12 NOON–1 P.M.

This ongoing class for those with Parkinson’s or other neurogenerative disorders aims to improve posture, balance and circulation while also increasing strength, muscle control and mobility.

FREE with $50 annual PFNCA administrative fee. To register, visit: bit.ly/BGRVParkExercise

ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Offered in partnership with MedStar Health’s Center for Successful Aging SECOND FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH

1-2 P.M.

Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, this group is designed for family, friends and others engaged in the care and safety of someone touched by dementia. In this safe and confidential environment, you can develop informal and mutually supportive social relationships, gain understanding, share caregiving tips and discover other helpful information.

FREE

To register, visit: bit.ly/BGAlzSupport

LIVING WELL SEMINAR: “MEDICARE 2025: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET THE BEST BENEFITS”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 10:30-11:45 A.M.

Find the answers to questions such as: What do Medicare A and B cover? How does Medicare Part D work? Do I need Part C? What state and federal programs am I eligible for? Medicare doesn’t pay for everything, so what else do I need?

FREE

To register, visit: bit.ly/BGBenefits2025

HEALTHY LIVING CLASS: “GENTLE YOGA FOR A JOYFUL HOLIDAY HEART”

Offered in partnership with Uplift Yoga December 2 through December 20 MONDAYS & FRIDAYS 1-1:45 P.M.

During the holiday season, it is common to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or emotional. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude during the holiday season helps reduce stress, enhance overall well-being, and foster a positive mindset. Please join us for this holiday mini-session. You will be led in mindfulness exercises, calming breathwork, gratitude readings, and gentle chair yoga exercises geared to ground the body and mind, and help promote a sense of fulfillment and joy during this holiday season.

$30 for entire six-week session. To register, visit: bit.ly/BGYOGAJOY

Leisure & Travel Leisure &

How can you access an airport lounge without flying first class? See page 35.

Visit Richmond for its diverse museums

By Glenda C. Booth

Once viewed as a buttoned-up town with a dark history, Richmond today is owning its past and blossoming into a vibrant metropolis that celebrates diversity of all kinds.

The city’s multiple museums offer days of contemplation. One of Richmond’s many history museums, The Valentine Museum, offers an introductory overview of Richmond’s jewels, warts and wrinkles.

Situated in the former studio of sculptor Edward Valentine, the museum includes an exhibit on the “Lost Cause” myth — an ideology attempting to justify the Civil War and slavery as a states’ rights issue.

Other exhibits tell the stories of Indigenous people, African Americans, Civil Rights and women’s suffrage activists, and Richmond’s industries, from Reynolds Metal to Lucky Strike. Photographs and artifacts also focus on the city’s distinctive neighborhoods, like The Fan, which is lined with Victorian rowhouses.

A five-minute walk from The Valentine is the historic State Capitol, where the state legislature has met since 1788. It was designed by Thomas Jefferson, who was inspired by France’s Maison Carrée, a classical Roman temple.

Walk-in visitors can join a free guided tour inside to gaze at the rotunda and its life-size marble sculpture of George Washington.

On Capitol Square, 12 life-size bronze

statues represent a group of accomplished Virginia women whose lives spanned four centuries. Among those whose likeness is preserved by the Virginia Women’s Monument are Cockacoeske, a Native American tribal chief, Clementina Rind, the colony’s public printer, and Adele Goodman Clark, a founder of the state’s Equal Suffrage League.

Nearby, the Civil Rights Memorial honors Barbara Johns — the courageous 16year-old who staged a school walkout protesting racial segregation. She is flanked by seven other desegregation crusaders standing under her comment, “It seemed like reaching for the moon.”

The Virginia Holocaust Museum, located in a former tobacco warehouse on the James River, tracks the Ipson family’s 1943 escape from a Lithuanian ghetto. They hid for six months in a cellar, “the potato hole,” before emigrating to America and settling in Richmond.

Among the museum’s 6,000 artifacts and 1,400 documents is a piece of original barbed-wire fence from the Dachau concentration camp.

The Beth Ahabah Museum recognizes Jewish people who came to the Virginia territory as early as 1650 and created a thriving community in the city. It is located in a synagogue of the same name situated in the city’s Fan District (named for the streets that fan out from Monroe Park).

Black history

Richmond, like the rest of Virginia, has both scars of racism and many heroes.

A few blocks from Shockoe Bottom, the country’s second-largest slave trading center, the Reconciliation Statue memorializes the slave trade and a self-guided Slave Trail unravels slavery’s mechanics and evils.

In historic Jackson Ward, the “birthplace of Black Capitalism,” Maggie Walker’s home tells a story of empowerment.

As the first African American woman bank president, she “turned nickels into dollars.”

When, from the 1860s to the 1930s, white establishments refused to serve Black people, she created a bank, department store, insurance company, newspaper and Girl Scout troop. Her bronze statue is a noble presence at Adams and West Broad Streets.

At the Black History Museum and Cultural Center, exhibits recount slavery from Egypt to the present, along with stories from enslaved people’s resistance, the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement. Visitors learn that in 1849, Henry “Box” Brown, an enslaved man, mailed himself to Philadelphia abolitionists in a wooden crate, a 27-hour journey.

Another statue pays tribute to the well-

known Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, the famous dancer from Richmond remembered for tapping up and down stairs in a complex rhythmic pattern. He was the country’s most highly-paid African American entertainer in the early 20th century.

The city’s historic Monument Avenue no longer has towering statues of Confederate generals, but it does have one of tennis great and Richmonder Arthur Ashe who, surrounded by children, holds a tennis racket in one hand and a book in the other.

Art and nature

Located on Arthur Ashe Boulevard is Richmond’s most internationally acclaimed museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which offers free admission. Its collection includes Himalayan and Indian art as well as works by Goya, Delacroix, John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer, and images by photographers Gordon Parks and Sally Mann.

In the 135-acre park-like Hollywood Cemetery (named for its holly trees, not Tinseltown), funerary art and nature intermingle amid winding roads and paths, mausoleums, reliquaries, obelisks, urns,

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, located 15 minutes from downtown Richmond, lights up every holiday season. This year’s Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights runs from November 18 to January 5, 2025.

PHOTO COURTESY

The Virginia Women’s Monument features life-sized bronze statues of women from the state, including Cockacoeske, a Pamunkey chieftain; Jamestown colonist Anne Burras Laydon; frontierswoman Mary Draper Ingles; entrepreneur Laura Copenhaver; teacher Virginia Randolph; and Adèle Clark, suffragist and artist.

pyramids and crosses.

It is the resting place for 80,000 people, including U.S. presidents John Tyler and James Monroe; governors and other Virginia luminaries; and local writer Ellen Glasgow, who often satirized Richmond families.

To research the master of the macabre, the Poe Museum is the place to go. Museum-goers can gain a few insights into poet Edgar Allen Poe — from his turbulent childhood in Richmond as an adoptee, to his mysterious death in Baltimore at age 40.

Artifacts, including a lock of his hair and a piece of his coffin, rest in dim light on creaky floors. There’s even a black cat named Edgar

wandering around the garden.

War history

Virginia has been at the center of several wars. Historic St. John’s Church is where Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” oration was delivered in 1775. The Church now stages reenactments of that speech several times during the year and weekly in the summer.

Muskets are fired daily at 1 p.m. at the American Civil War Museum, located on the site of the Tredegar Iron Works, an arsenal that made cannons for the Confederate army.

The museum tells the war’s story and legacy from multiple perspectives, including that of women, free and enslaved people of color from both the North and

BOTANIC GARDEN HOLIDAY EXHIBIT

South, Indigenous people and soldiers.

The “1865 Fall of Richmond” exhibit there showcases a Confederate battle flag captured by Tad Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln’s 12-year-old son, when they visited the city two days after the South’s surrender.

The Virginia War Memorial honors those who served in more recent wars, including World Wars I and II, Korea and the Persian Gulf.

The Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s upcoming Vietnam War exhibit, from November 23 to July 6, 2025, will feature oral histories of some of the 230,000 Virginians who served.

Nature aglow

from November 18 to January 5, 2025.

If you go

Richmond is 106 miles south of Washington, D.C. While Amtrak has several daily trains to the downtown Main Street Station and to Staples Mill, seven miles northwest of downtown, a car comes in handy to see Richmond’s different neighborhoods. Parking is easy and often free.

There are many lodging choices, like the historic Linden Row Inn, with its indoor courtyard (nightly rates range from $155$310 per night), or the Quirk Hotel, where guests relax on raspberry-colored sofas and in a rooftop bar (nightly rates start at $196).

This year’s holiday display at the U.S. Botanic Garden features D.C. landmarks constructed from plants, model trains and festive lights. Visit the garden at 100 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC, from Thu., Nov. 28 through Sun., Jan 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free, and tickets are not required. For more information, email usbg@aoc.gov or call (202) 225-8333.

CABIN JOHN WINTER ICE SHOW

Dec. 14

Get ready for the holidays with this free figure skating performance set to music. It takes place on Sat., Dec. 14 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Cabin John Ice Rink, 10610 Westlake Dr., Rockville, MD. Registration not necessary. For more information, call (301) 765-8620. BEACON BITS

Just outside Richmond, the 50-acre Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is worth a visit in any season. Its 15 themed gardens showcase perennials, roses, shrubs, vegetables, wetland plants and native trees.

Winter is a good time to study the gardens’ “bones,” colorful berries and fuzzy buds. In the domed conservatory you’ll find cacti, orchids, other tropical and subtropical plants and butterflies.

The garden’s Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights is an annual winter display of more than one million lights, including 110 trees glowing with them. USA Today named the garden’s 2023 show the number-one botanical garden holiday light show in the country. This year’s show runs

Some travelers splurge on the five-star Jefferson Hotel, which opened in 1895 and has hosted notables like Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and 13 U.S. presidents. Rates start at $319 per night.

Richmond has restaurants for every pocketbook and taste. Mama J’s in Jackson Ward serves classic Southern fried chicken, catfish, collard greens, mac and cheese and pineapple-coconut cake.

The Rappahannock Oyster Company specializes in seafood, including Virginia oysters. Kuba Kuba serves Cuban fare. Perly’s is a popular kosher-style deli downtown.

For more ideas about what to visit, do and eat, see visitrichmondva.com, richmondmagazine.com or historicstjohnschurch.org/reenactments.

Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) connects older adults with meaningful volunteer roles, such as serving as ambassadors to help distribute information on services for older adults and those with disabilities. For more information and to volunteer, email dacl.communications@dc.gov or call (202) 724-5626. BEACON BITS

Remnants of Civil War forts surround us

By Glenda C. Booth

When out-of-town guests stay over, you may want to plan an outing more unusual than to the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Capitol or the Smithsonian’s museums. Instead, the Washington area’s Civil War forts can make for interesting and lesscrowded destinations.

Around the city is a “ring of forts” — the remnants of a system of Civil War fortifications that, by 1865, totaled 68 forts and 93 batteries with more than 800 cannons. Some names survived, like Fort Totten, a Metro station, and Battery Kemble, a national park.

Now called the Civil War Defenses of Washington, most were established at strategic high points overlooking turnpikes, railroads and shipping lanes.

Today, you can visit 17 of them managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Localities protect some, and some are privately owned.

War in mid-city

On a sweltering July day 160 years ago, a battle erupted in Washington, D.C., and the president watched the opposing armies fight it out.

President Abraham Lincoln rode his horse from his summer cottage to Fort Stevens, two miles north, to observe a battle between Union and Confederate troops.

“Get down, you damn fool!” shouted a young officer named Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., when Lincoln came under fire from Confederate sharpshooters. That officer went on to become a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Lincoln’s excursion to the battlefield made him the only U.S. president ever directly subjected to enemy fire.

Every summer, that historic skirmish is re-enacted with Civil War-era music and lectures at Fort Stevens.

The July 12, 1864 confrontation, which became known as “The Battle That Saved Washington,” could have been devastating.

But three days earlier, Union General Lew Wallace engaged Confederate General Jubal A. Early’s troops at the Battle of Monocacy 35 miles away in Maryland, a tactic that delayed Early and gave Wallace time to get reinforcements.

Early withdrew from Fort Stevens, failing to capture the capital. And so, Fort Stevens became one of the most crucial defenses ringing the city.

Now an NPS site and one of the city’s highest points, visitors to the fort can see an earthen wall, embankment, parapet and trench in the one-block-square park.

Ten minutes away is the Lincoln Cottage, the Gothic Revival house where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lincoln ordered the forts

In 1861, after Confederate forces unexpectedly defeated Union troops at the Battle of Bull Run, only 30 miles west of the city, Lincoln ordered the military to protect the nation’s capital and its 75,000 residents, fearing a Confederate invasion.

The Army Corps of Engineers built field fortifications or earthworks from readily available dirt and wood. No two forts were the same.

Generally, a 12-to-18-foot-thick parapet faced the exposed front. On most, they mounted guns on platforms, created a steep slope down to a dry moat, stored ammunition and gunpowder inside, and placed sharpened, pointed tree branches around the outside.

By the end of 1863, with 23,000 troops, Washington was the most heavily fortified city in the world.

“The Civil War Defenses of Washington protected our capital and saved the nation from disintegration and slavery,” said Gary Thompson, president of the Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington. “The forts allowed the U.S. Army to train, supply and then launch the campaigns that ultimately defeated the Rebels.

“The few forts and batteries not lost to development are worth preserving to en-

hance our education and awareness of this critical chapter in American history.”

Here are the surviving Civil War forts in our area:

Rock

Creek Park’s Fort DeRussy

Fort DeRussy was built in 1861 on a hill on the west bank of Rock Creek in the city. Along with Forts Kearney and Reno, it was intended to control the country roads between Rockville Pike and Rock Creek Valley.

Shaped like a trapezium, it ultimately had 11 guns and mortars and a 100-pound Parrott. You can still see the parapet of high earth mounds, the dry moat, and powder magazine remnants.

Fort Ward

In Alexandria, a Union-occupied city during the war, the Army Corps of Engineers built Fort Ward in 1861 — a 35-acre installation considered to be a model of military design at the time. It had up to 3,000 soldiers and 36 gun emplacements to guard the Leesburg and Alexandria Turnpike, now Route 7.

Managed today by the city of Alexandria, it is one of the best-preserved of the Defenses of Washington. Around 90 percent of Fort

Why and how to access an airport lounge

By Becca Van Sambeck

Spending time in airports is one of the worst parts of travel. They’re uncomfortable, loud and crowded. And even a measly bottle of water will cost two or three times as much when purchased at an airport.

However, there is a more enjoyable way to pass time in an airport, whether you’re awaiting your first leg or killing time during a layover: an airport lounge.

A lot of people assume airport lounges are an inaccessible luxury, only available to certain rewards credit card holders or first-class travelers.

That simply isn’t the case. There are a variety of ways to get access to an airport lounge, including day passes and special programs. Here is what you need to know:

What are lounge benefits?

Unless you’re dealing with an extensive layover or flight delay, many people try to spend limited time in the airport before their flight.

But even a short stay in a lounge is vastly more appealing than sitting in an uncomfortable seat at your gate and dragging your carry-on around to find a reasonably priced snack.

Not only do lounges have better WiFi, tons of comfortable seating and televisions, they also usually offer free food and drinks, including alcoholic options. Some even have showers for those coming off long-haul flights or running to an important destination.

Simply put, lounges are quieter, cleaner, more relaxing places to be before a flight.

Ways to access a lounge

Travelers have many different options for gaining airport lounge access, including:

• Buy a first class or business ticket. A higher-class ticket often comes with many perks to justify that cost — including lounge access. However, not every airline still offers lounge access with this ticket level if you’re flying domestic, so you’ll want to confirm before you purchase.

• Gain status with an airline. Joining a loyalty program with an airline is one of the most consistent ways to get access to an airport lounge. After all, airlines want you to keep choosing them over the competition, so the more flights you book with them after signing up for a frequent flyer program, the more benefits you’ll receive.

However, airlines usually require you to reach elite status to be able to use the lounge, which is a lot of flights.

• Sign up for the right credit card. Many credit cards will offer you lounge access as a perk, especially if you sign up for a travel rewards card.

Some of these cards are directly partnered with specific lounges (such as the American Express Centurion card and lounge), while others give you access to ones operated by certain airlines (the Platinum card from American Express gets you into Delta lounges, among others).

Still others work directly with Priority Pass (more on that later) to get you into a wide range of lounges across the globe.

The only downside is these kinds of cards usually have high annual fees and may require a certain spending limit to get this benefit.

• Buy a day pass. Many lounges will allow you to purchase a day pass so you can access all the amenities. The fee is usually somewhere from $35 to $80 — which might actually save you money if you were going to purchase food, drinks or WiFi anyway. Of course, day passes are

not offered by every lounge, so check online in advance to see what your options are at the airport.

• Purchase an annual pass. If you really like a certain lounge, you can get a pass for more access than a day. Several offer annual membership programs, including Delta ($695) and American Airlines ($750).

• Enroll in Priority Pass. Priority Pass, as mentioned above, is a program that grants people access to lounges all over the world.

If you don’t get it for free through your credit card, you can simply enroll in a membership on your own. There are different tiers with different benefits, ranging from $99 to $469 a year.

Priority Pass, like any option, has its pros and cons. If you’re traveling quite a bit, like the idea of spending time in an airport lounge and want to avoid high fees, Priority Pass is a smart choice, offering 1,600 lounges all over the globe (including 150-plus in the United States).

There are three tiers of membership:

• Standard, $99. You pay $35 to get into a lounge, and it’s $35 to bring a guest in.

• Standard Plus, $329. You get 10 free visits a year before you have to pay the $35 to enter a lounge. A guest costs $35.

• Prestige, $469. You get unlimited free visits a year, and a guest costs $35 each visit.

Life-Changing

No more common sickness

By Doug Cornell, PhD

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DMV forts

From page 34

Ward’s earthwork walls still stand, along with a reconstructed bastion and 1865 gate. A replica officer’s hut offers a glimpse into the soldiers’ lives. A museum houses more than 2,000 artillery objects, maps, drawings and other objects associated with the Civil War.

Potomac River’s Fort Marcy

Fort Marcy was built to protect Chain Bridge, a key river crossing. It had a 338foot perimeter and 18 guns, a 10-inch mortar and two 24-pounder Coehorn mortars.

The National Park Service property, located in McLean, Virginia, on the Potomac, is open to visitors, who can study its earthwork walls, entrenchments and magazine dugouts.

Arlington’s Fort Scott

Today, youngsters romp and play ball at Arlington’s Fort Scott Park, sitting atop a

Airport lounges

From page 35

200-foot ridge overlooking Crystal City near Reagan National Airport.

During the Civil War, solders there watched the Long Bridge and Washington, D.C., “to exclude the enemy,” wrote Brev. Maj. General J. G. Barnard in 1871. A plaque explains the land’s Civil War history.

Fort Foote

Prior to the ring of forts, Fort Washington — built in 1809 on the Potomac River in today’s Prince George County — guarded against armed vessels approaching Washington.

Military officials decided the city needed a fort more resistant to naval bombardment than Fort Washington, so in 1863 they built Fort Foote with earthen walls 20 feet thick.

Two of its 15-inch, Civil War Rodman smoothbore cannons still stand, seemingly ready to attack Confederate ironclads.

At war’s end, the War Department dismantled or abandoned most of the forts, returned some to pre-war owners, and auc-

However, there are certainly downsides to Priority Pass. It’s not a given you’ll actually get into a lounge, as they have limited spaces set aside for Priority Pass members. Also, the lounges available aren’t always as nice or high-end as others in the airport, and you never get to bring in a guest for free. Plus, while there’s a tier range, the membership price may end up being just as high as getting access to lounges through the other options listed. It may also be more economical to sign up for a day pass each time you want to use

tioned off the lumber and other materials.

For more information, visit the Civil War Defenses of Washington, nps.gov/cwdw/

a lounge. This largely depends on how much you’re traveling and your travel habits.

The bottom line Airport lounges aren’t just for first-class travelers! Research your credit cards and frequent flier programs to make sure you

index.htm, or the Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington at dccivilwarforts.org.

aren’t missing out on any lounge perks. If you don’t have that and still want to enter a lounge, there are other affordable options so you can make your airport experience as comfortable as possible. © 2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Civil War re-enactors dressed as Union troops commemorate the 1864 Battle of Fort Stevens every July. The National Park Service oversees the fort and 18 others around the Washington area. PHOTO

Arts & Style

Lifelong writer personalizes the abstract

By Sophia Lim

Some people are fortunate to find their life’s work early. “I pretty much always thought that I was going to be a writer,” Maryland author Wayne Karlin said in an interview with the Beacon. “I was a reader — I love reading, and I love stories.”

Now 79 years old, retired college professor Wayne Karlin has published nine novels, three nonfiction books, poetry, short stories and articles in literary journals and newspapers.

His most recent novel, The Genizah , about Eastern Europe during World War II, was published in September. Karlin spoke about his book last month at a reading and discussion at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, moderated by Baltimore radio host Marc Steiner.

A Vietnam War veteran

While many of his roles and jobs contributed to his identity, Karlin’s service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War shaped much of who he is today, as well as the stories he shares with the world.

“That’s where I feel like I was born — in the war. It has defined a lot of the way I’ve

written and lived my life,” Karlin said.

Although he had always known he would be a writer, only after the war — which he calls “a big mistake” — did he feel the need to write. Karlin felt “an obligation to the people who died, an obligation to [this] country,” he said.

Rather than write about the events directly, however, Karlin preferred to create situations and characters that conveyed what he experienced in the war.

“There was a need to write about the war in some way that personalized it and made it non-abstract. I could deal with it through stories. So, in a way [I was] putting it a step away from myself.”

Karlin is always conscious of the dilemma of crafting art based on traumatic events such as war. To draw readers without romanticizing anything, Karlin said he tries to be as honest as possible by creating “characters who are armed with regret.”

Persistence paid off

Like many first-time writers, Karlin had to endure many rejections from publishing companies.

In the early 1970s, after he returned from Vietnam and received his bachelor’s degree in humanities from the American College in Jerusalem and a master’s degree in Creative Writing from Goddard College, he was working as a journalist while submitting stories to magazines.

At that point, though, the war was ongoing, and no publications were accepting his pitches. “Nobody wanted to read that stuff,” he remembered.

So Karlin and a group of veterans writing about the war decided to form First Casualty Press. The name came from the Greek poet Aeschylus’ quote, “In war, truth is the first casualty.”

They published two anthologies, one of poetry and another of short stories, which gained attention.

Despite years of rejections, Karlin didn’t feel like he could stop writing. “That was the way I defined myself. I could not imagine not writing,” he said.

It wasn’t until 10 years later, in 1984, that Karlin published his first novel — and his life shifted. “It felt like the world changed,” he said.

Karlin took a position as a professor of writing at the College of Southern Mary-

land, where he taught for more than 30 years. All the while, he published short

PHOTO BY RON CARVER

Author Wayne Karlin, professor emeritus of the College of Southern Maryland, says his experiences in the Vietnam War first inspired him to become a writer. The death of his wife of 44 years led to his most recent book, The Genizah

Bachelorette

From page 1

you have to kind of weave in your emotions with [what they are saying] to see if you’re a good fit,” Vassos added.

As she developed feelings for the men, she had to get used to the idea of a new life partner.

“That in itself was scary because I hadn’t done that since [my husband] John passed away, so even allowing myself to have feelings that I hadn’t had before was hard.”

In episode three, she grappled with whether she was as ready to remarry as she had thought — a topic many of her suitors also had to address for themselves.

“I thought, how can I do this? I still love John,” Vassos said. “So, I met with the show psychiatrist, who is available to us at all times.”

Doing so helped her have a breakthrough. “They said...you don’t have to let go of John to hold on to this person. You can hold on to both of them.” Vassos said. “It made me so much happier...and I finally got this freedom.”

Long-distance future

The only bachelor who lived relatively close to Vassos was Pablo, a 63-year-old Retired United Nations agency director from Cambridge, Maryland, almost two hours from her home. He left the show in the first episode.

Since the remaining men are from across the United States, how would Vassos, who was born in Olney and works at the Landon School in Bethesda, and her prospective future husband make things work?

“I’m never leaving Maryland. I said that from the very beginning, that my family is the most important thing to me,” said Vassos, citing her commitments to her mom, motherin-law, four children and three grandchildren.

“But I also want to meet a man who has the same feelings about family and the same values that I have.” So she wouldn’t ask him to leave his family, just as she wouldn’t leave hers.

Instead, she pictures them living for weeks or months at one another’s homes, and possibly having a shared location where they meet.

That is good news for her family, including her mother, Mary De Kramer, who lives at a retirement community in Silver Spring, Maryland.

De Kramer celebrated her daughter’s search for love by dressing up entirely in gold to attend a viewing party. There, her friends cheered on her daughter and assessed the husband-worthiness of each prospective mate.

An inspiration for others

Other older adults in the area also follow Vassos’ journey and share her vision for finding love after loss.

Rockville viewer and widow Barbara

Isard-Stone, 73, thinks the men on the show are similar to those she has met.

“My dating experience is that there’s no macho act going on...We don’t have the time for any frenzied nonsense” late in life.

“The men on the show are seasoned enough to know that if they just act like strong men, they’re not going anywhere,” Isard-Stone said. “They have to show their sensitive side...their vulnerability, which is appealing, and I think they know it’s appealing.”

While the glamorous clothes and activities on the show don’t reflect the kind of dates most older adults are likely to go on, Isard-Stone said, “these people still have their inner worlds even if they’re on a Hollywood production.”

And besides, she predicts that when it’s all over, “they’re going to go back to their laundry and Lean Cuisine.”

What she finds most appealing about Vassos is how she listens to the bachelors.

“Joan shows a lot of compassion; the men respond to it,” Isard-Stone said.

Adriana Glenn is a 58-year-old nursing professor in Northern Virginia who, like

CHAIR YOGA

15

Vassos, lost her husband and has been dating in the DMV. She admired Vassos for leaving “The Golden Bachelor” last year to support her daughter.

At the same time, Glenn would have liked to see a Golden Bachelorette who was somewhat more outside mainstream depictions of beauty.

“Any of the other contestants from the first show would have also been appealing” and could have represented people who don’t necessarily meet those traditional standards the way Vassos does, Glenn said.

Like Vassos, Glenn hopes to meet “someone I can confide my secrets with, and I can share my dreams and hopes — because we still have them.”

She and millions of others who await Vassos’ choice of a mate in the season finale can tune in to learn how well each finalist fares and which one finally wins her heart.

After that, those looking to catch an inperson glimpse of the couple should keep an eye out for them when the show wraps. Perhaps the pair will show up at a DMV date night near you.

This free yoga class allows you to safely explore stretching, strengthening and movement while using a chair for support. It takes place on Fri., Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Dolley Madison Library, 1244 Oak Ridge Ave., McLean, VA. Register at tinyurl.com/ChairYogaVA. For more information, call (703) 356-0770.

Hallmark sued for ‘ageist’ talk, behavior

By Claire Savage Hallmark Media executive vice president of programming

Lisa Hamilton Daly instructed a former employee not to cast “old people” for Hallmark roles, saying that “our leading ladies are aging out,” according to a lawsuit filed against the network last month and obtained by The Associated Press.

Penny Perry, a 79-year-old casting director who filed the lawsuit Oct. 9 in Los An-

Wayne Karlin

From page 38

stories, articles and books.

Since then, he has won two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, five Maryland Individual Artist Awards, the Paterson Fiction Prize and the Juniper Prize for Fiction.

16+

geles Superior Court, alleges that she was wrongfully fired from the network known for its feel-good movies because of her age, and despite stellar performance reviews.

“Hallmark’s happy endings are stories made for TV only,” the complaint says. “In Ms. Perry’s case, there was no happy ending, and no feel-good episode to wrap up her career with Hallmark.

“Instead, her finale episode was marred

Grief inspired recent book

Karlin’s mastery of language failed him when he lost his wife in 2020. Karlin had been married to Ohnmar Thein Karlin for 44 years.

“Losing her really led into this last book,” he said. “The whole way that I had used words to deal with the world was failing me. It was just gone.”

CREATIVE PRINT MOVEMENT EXHIBITION

A Smithsonian exhibition highlights the works of the new generation of print artists who broke from Japanese printmaking traditions in the early decades of the 20th century, a movement known as the Sosaku hanga (creative prints). The free exhibit runs from Sat., Nov. 16 through Sun., April 27 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC. For more information, including gallery hours, call (202) 633-1000.

by ageist and ableist harassment, and a callous termination which robbed her of her illustrious career, her pride, and her wellbeing.”

In a statement, Hallmark denied the allegations, adding: “Hallmark continues to consistently cast and maintain positive, productive relationships with talented actors representing a broad spectrum of diversity, including actors who span many age groups and cross generations.”

Bereft, Karlin titled his most recent novel The Genizah, the word for a cache of sacred Hebrew books that had to be buried ceremoniously. “That’s the image of the genizah,” he said. “The words were kind of locked away.”

The plot of The Genizah imagines what would have happened if Karlin’s parents never left Poland before the Holocaust. All of his mother’s family perished.

“I know what their fate would have been,” Karlin said. “By creating a character that’s my mother and another character that’s

Several actors targeted

According to the lawsuit, Hamilton Daly told Perry that they needed to “replace” the “old talent,” including 42-year-old actress Lacey Chabert. She has starred in dozens of Hallmark movies, many of them Christmasthemed, and portrayed Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls (2004).

Daly allegedly said Chabert is “getting

See HALLMARK , page 42

my father, it personalizes it. “It’s personal. It’s not abstract, it’s not history, it’s not just a statistical event,” Karlin explained.

Although novels are his favorite form of writing, Karlin has been writing more poetry lately.

“I’m attracted to the way of intensifying language, of getting something boiled down, being able to articulate its essence and its images,” Karlin said.

The Genizah and Karlin’s eight other novels are available on Amazon.com.

V. . & DEC. EVENTS

hitne oice of W The V Vo Wh eyy: A Symphonic Celebration

Experience Whitney Houston’s astounding musical legacy like never before. This new concerttribute dings of W features original master recor Whhitney’s vocals set tonew orchestrations of her biggest hits—including “I ance with Somebody W Waanna D y,,” “Higher Love,” and “I ve Y ill Alwa W ayys Lo Yoou”—accompanied by home movies, film performances, and never-before-seen footage. Presented in collaboration with the Estate of Whitney a rimary W ark A Houston, P Avvenue Artists, and P Waavve Music.

Steven Reineke , conductor

Nov. 8 | Concert Hall

Leonard Slatkin & Emanuel Ax

ork Times

As the w Y N Ne e Yo s declares, Emanuel Ax’s performances are “never less than spellbinding.” Experience the power and passion of this modern ammy A master live as the seven-time Gr Awward® winner performs Mozart’s fierce and far-reaching Piano Concerto No. 20. Former NSO Music Director am with W Leonard Slatkin closes the progr Waalton’s Symphony No. 1.

Leonard Slatkin , conductor

Emanuel A x , piano

Nov. 14, 16 & 17 | Concert Hall

Alexandra Dovgan plaayys Schumann’s Piano Concerto

Marek Janowski conducts Bruckner’s Fourth

A “revelation” at the 2018 Grand Piano Competition where o ormed t she st o o victory at the age of 10, Alexandra Dovvgan has become a teenage piano phenomenon with sold-out concerts worldwide. Witness her extraordinary talent in a performance of Schumann’s masterwork, considered the ano ultimate romantic piano concerto. Marek J owwski returns to lead Bruckner’s shimmering Symphony No. 4.

Marek Janowski , conductor

Alexandra Dovgan , piano

Nov. 21–23 | Concert Hall

NSO at The Anthem:

A Holiday Pops!

V with Special Guest J Voosk

essica

.’s most dazzling holida

W Waashington, D.C ay y concert returns! Get ready to sing along, laugh, and embrace the magic of the season with sparkling renditions of your oadwa e holida faavvorit ay y classics, Br ay y showstoppers, and yond. This year be r, , the Heritage Signature Chorale and essica V Broadwaay y darling J Voosk—celebrated for her soldout Carnegie Hall performances and star turn as Elphaba in W Wiicked—light up the festively decorated Concert Hall as special guests.

Steven Reineke , conductor Heritage Signature Chorale

Dec. 6 & 7 | Concert Hall

KEM:HomefortheHolidaayys

KEM: Home for the Holida

o your holida

Add some soul t ay y season with the one and only KEM! The Platinum-selling R&B singer-songwriter treats Kennedy Center audiences to an evening of holidaay y magic and jazzy love songs with the National Symphony Orchestra. Celebrate the season of joy at this intimate, uplifting concert event with music from KEM’s acclaimed album W Whhat Christmas Means, r fan faavvorites from his prolific career, , fresh takes on comforting Christmas classics, and more.

Tim Davies , conductor

Dec. 11 & 12 | Concert Hall

Celtic W Wooman

hite Christmas

W Wh s Symphony Tour

nce the magical sound of Celtic W Experie Wooman this holidaay y and-ne season! This br ew w symphony show features the alle Y vorit mble’s fa female ense av e Yuuletide songs: “Silent Night,” “Carrool of the Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Deck the Halls,” and e—along with iconic Celtic W mor Wooman classics including ace,” and “Y Amazing Gr ,” “ y “Danny Boy, “A ra Yoou Raise Me Up.” Lloyd Butler , conductor

Dec. 13 & 14 | Concert Hall

Masaaki Suzuki conducts Handel’s Messiah

e holida .’s fa Hallelujah—W—WWaashington, D.C avvorit ay y eturns! Since its debut nearly thr tradition r reee centuries ago, Handel’sMessiahreignsunchallengedastheultimate

er Holida

Ugly Sweat ay y Concert

’Tis the season to break out your most festively heinous on your fa knitwear—the ugly Christmas sweater! D avvorite eads (ugly or not) for an unforget holidaay y thr t table evening of classic Christmas hits and orchestral beauty from the National Symphony Orchestra.

Steven Reineke , Principal Pops Conductor Dec. 4 | The Anthem

Handels Messiah reigns unchallenged as the ultimate . This year ation of holida celebr ay y joy r, , experience the larger-than-life oratorio in all its splendor as Masaaki Suzuki conducts the NSO, a stellar cast of soloists, and rt Choir in this alwa the University of Maryland Conce ayysdaring, beloved classic.

Masaaki Suzuki , conductor

Dec. 19–22 | Concert Hall

From page 40

older and we have to find someone like her to replace her as she gets older.”

The lawsuit adds that Hamilton Daly said of 60-year-old actress and Our Christmas Journey star Holly Robinson Peete: “No one wants her because she’s too expensive and getting too old. She can’t play

BEACON BITS Nov. 17

SOUTHWEST DANCERS

leading roles anymore.”

Hallmark countered: “Lacey and Holly have a home at Hallmark. We do not generally comment on pending litigation. And while we deny these outrageous allegations, we are not going to discuss an employment relationship in the media,” a company representative told AP in an emailed statement.

Chabert stars in a new Hallmark movie,

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Eagle Bear and friends from Southwest Dancers, featuring stories and dances from Aztlan, the land of the Native people of the Southwest. This free event takes place on Sun., Nov. 17 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Library, 8005 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, MD. Registration isn’t necessary. For more information, call (240) 773-9590.

The Christmas Quest, slated for release Dec. 1, and hosts the reality series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert,” according to Hallmark’s website. Representatives for Chabert and Robinson Peete did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Allegedly harassed and fired

Perry herself endured ageist and ableist harassment at the company. Hamilton Daly — who apparently repeatedly made reference to age as a negative attribute that did not fit the network’s image — “told Ms. Perry she was too ‘long in the tooth’ to keep her job at Hallmark,” the lawsuit says.

It also alleges that senior vice president

of programming and development Randy Pope ridiculed Perry for her relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis by mocking her when she mispronounced words or names — a symptom of the condition.

“Unfortunately, Hallmark treated a venerable Hollywood veteran this way and we hope this action will lead to change in Hollywood and all work environments,” said a statement from Perry’s attorneys Lisa Sherman and Josh Schein.

The allegations arrive amid a period of turmoil for Hollywood, punctuated by historic labor strikes, the pandemic and the streaming revolution.

© 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

CONVERSATION WITH AN ARTIST

“Breaking It Down: Conversations from the Vault” is a new series of conversations with artists from The Phillips Collection. Hear from artist Kate Shepherd, known for her richly colored paintings built with multiple layers of monochromatic enamel, in this talk with historian and art critic Tyler Green. The free event takes place on Thu., Nov. 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW, Washington, DC. Register at tinyurl.com/ArtConversationDC. For more information, call (202) 387-2151.

JAZZ AND GO-GO HOLIDAY CONCERT

Hear The JoGo Project, a band that combines the sound of a traditional big band with the rhythm of jazz and the spirit of D.C.’s own go-go music. The free holiday show by Strathmore’s Bloom Concert Series takes place on Sat., Dec. 14 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center, 14715 Good Hope Rd., Silver Spring, MD. RSVP at tinyurl.com/HolidayConcertMD. For more information, call (301) 581-5100.

Wanting the ‘Wanted’ to be wanted again

It’s my automatic go-to throwaway line. If I meet a stranger, and he thinks he has met me previously, I will always say:

“You must have been studying the Wanted posters in the Post Office. I’m up there. Interstate Flight to Avoid Responsibility.” Guffaws are never far behind.

But it’s time I found some new material. We have just observed the 15th anniversary of the Postmaster General’s decision to remove Wanted posters from Post Offices.

But I can’t say goodbye to the likes of John Dillinger and Osama bin Laden without shedding a sentimental tear.

Yes, they were yanked in 2009 for three reasons.

One, the internet had taken hold so fully that anyone who wanted to glom onto a photo of a bad guy could do it at home, with two or three clicks.

Two, far fewer people were going to Post Offices at all, because far fewer people were using the U.S. Mail. So why spend all that public money to print and post?

Three, the marketing whizzes in Postalland decided that wall space at Post Offices was better used for sales pitches. Nowadays, you will see ads for Scooby-Doo stamps where desperadoes once glared. If all of this is progress, OK, I accept it.

Wanted posters were scary. Wanted posters were educational. And Wanted posters always produced a little tickle up and down the spine of my younger self.

(“Oh, wow, there’s Patty Hearst! And right beside her is Ted Bundy! What do I do if I spot them? Should I capture them with my bare hands? Will I get a handshake from the President?”)

Like so many fantasies of those bygone days, mine were never realized. The only thing I ever captured at Post Offices was a packet of stamps. And yes, they always seemed to cost more than they had the last time I bought some. Still do.

But please return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when a bank robber would stare out at you, and you’d read:

“Should be considered armed and dangerous.” (Every poster said this, even when the wanted guy had not committed a violent crime.)

“Weight between 170 and 210 pounds.” (Doesn’t narrow things down very much,

does it?)

And my favorite: “Born January 15, 1937 — Not supported by birth records.” (Huh? Does that mean the FBI doubts that this guy was ever born? Now THAT would be special, indeed!)

Young-Version-of-Me would read every poster, every time he visited a Post Office. What an amazing array of crimes! Bank robberies galore, but also auto theft, political terrorism, arson, even (once) a theft of stamps.

Then there were the fingerprints — always neatly arranged in two rows. As J. Edgar Hoover always reminded us, science is a key way to fight crime. And here was science, right before my young eyes — 10 smudges, with loops and whorls.

I could almost imagine federal agents collaring a most-wanted criminal: “OK, buddy, let’s see the tips of your index fingers. Uh, huh. Thought so. Right this way, buster.”

Additional lessons lurked among the Wanted posters. Most of the baddies were men. Most were young. Most had not been wanted for very long.

And most sported some of the worst photographs in the history of photography.

I remember wondering, as a 10-year-old, why so few bank robbers had gotten hair-

cuts recently. Didn’t they know that their faces were going to be on public display? Didn’t their mothers nag them about their overflowing locks?

For a while after 2009, Wanted posters were still available at Post Offices. But they were kept in binders behind the counter. You had to ask to see them. Obviously, officials were hoping that no one would.

Today, some Post Offices still keep binders on hand. But most don’t. The bad guys may not have won, exactly. But their badness is now publicized almost entirely on the internet.

Of course, this being America, someone has figured a way to make a buck out of this. You can order replicas of Wanted posters online: Pretty Boy Floyd, Jesse James, James Earl Ray. Perfect for your bedroom wall.

But this sentimental old guy wishes he could restore criminals to their perches of the past.

To wander into a Post Office and to start reading …(“Wow! He stole a truckful of weapons! Gee, you mean he really murdered 11 people?”). Well, that was better than anything the internet or TV has ever produced.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

HOW I SEE IT

By Bob Levey

Scrabble answers on p. 47.

Crossword Puzzle

Get Right to the Point By Stephen Sherr

Across

1. The ___ Splitter (nickname for Honest Abe)

5. Greeting at Kahului Airport

10. Charging station

14. Coin in Ireland or Finland

15. Dimwit

16. Lendl, who won 8 Grand Slam titles

17. Poised to go in either direction (==>.)

19. Uncomfortable topic of conversation (==>.)

20. Unit of currency in the The Simpsons: Tapped Out game

21. Narcissists have fragile ones

22. Honey-makers’ hang-out

23. 22 World Book volumes

25. Sometimes life imitates it

26. Lyric verses

27. Part of every e-mail address

30. Hat-tipper’s word

32. Fall from grace

34. “I love the gray ___ between right and wrong” (Dan Brown)

36. NY univ. for STEM students

37. Cantankerous

41. Just doesn’t matter (==>.)

43. Come to the wrong conclusion (==>.)

45. 12% of U.S. renewable energy in 2021

46. Falcon or Skylark

47. Follow closely

48. Last letter in London

50. “Hold on; I’m still working ___”

52. Abbrev. in a Snickerdoodle recipe

53. Call at first

56. Newhart setting

58. Actor Elliott or Rockwell

60. Reunion attendee

61. Common prop in a 3-camera sitcom

63. The most cramped section of an airplane

67. AD IN, to the server (==>.)

68. Stay on-topic (==>.)

70. “I wholeheartedly agree!”

71. Bert’s buddy

72. Get a foot in the ___

73. Arrange M&Ms by color

74. Disreputable

75. Song with distinct hand-motions

Down

1. Follow the subtitles

2. Start to -crat or -graph

3. Persian Gulf nation

4. National flower of India

5. Start of &

6. Run easily

7. Paper folding art form

8. Word in both the Ten Commandment and the Boy Scout’s Oath

9. Uneasy feelings

10. Sketchy

11. Egg-shaped

12. Work on the buffet line

13. Some skirts cover them

18. Big-ticket ___

24. Root in the middle of “ROOT AROUND”

27. Speaker’s platform

28. Estimator’s words

29. Color in Charlotte Hornets uniforms

31. Appropriate abbrev. for apartment

33. Movie title word with Complicated or Alive

35. Dismay

38. ASAP, in a hospital

39. Day in History

40. Website with over 300 million user reviews

42. Prospector’s goal

43. Recipient of a prostate exam

44. Flower named from the Greek word for “rainbow”

46. Imprison

49. Speaks with contempt

51. “The art of making a point without making an enemy” (Isaac Newton)

53. Roots and Shôgun

54. Rental car company with a booth at San Antonio International Airport

55. One who sets off a bug bomb

57. Dame in Indiana or Paris

59. Temperamental

62. Liquid with a pH lower than 7

64. Elementary particle

65. Neapolitan ice cream section (briefly)

66. Greek goddess of marriage

69. Handcuff accessory

Classifieds cont. from p. 46.

Wanted

I PERSONALLY COLLECT AND WANT TO BUY old Christmas and Halloween decorations, Herend and Royal Copenhagen porcelain, costume and fine jewelry and other pretty things. also buy out estates, full or partial. Or, can send items to auction for you. Please call Susan, (301) 785-1129. Maryland license #2753.

STAMP AND COIN COLLECTIONS

WANTED. China, US, Worldwide. Fair prices paid. Call Glenn. 301 641-5744

OVERFLOWING BOOKSHELVES? Donate gently used books, magazines, CDs DVDs! Free same-day pickup, any genre. Declutter support literacy! Call 703-980-7421 mdbookpickup@gmail.com

DOG FOSTERS NEEDED: Partnership for Animal Welfare has adoptable dogs in need of short- and long-term home stays. Pet necessities and health care provided. Vacation? PAW has you covered. Visit: www.pawrescue.org, or email: volunteer@paw-rescue.org.

Letters to the editor

Dear Editor:

I was incensed and infuriated by Bob Levey’s article, “How private can a neighbor choose to be?” (October 2024). He’s another case of blaming a victim for a tragic situation.

The neighborhood and the neighbors bear the responsibility for not making the sensitive woman welcome during her long, hard life and tragic end. They didn’t care [about] or accept her.

The neighbors got what they deserved by having the slight inconvenience of an unsightly home to deal with.

Don’t worry, Bob. Some real estate vulture will scarf up the house and lot and exploit her sad memory some more.

Richard K. Todd Washington, DC

Dear Editor:

I read Bob Levey’s October column and felt compelled to pose some thought-provoking questions as well:

What if she, fully aware of her financial constraints, chose to forgo the house entirely?

What if she acknowledged her health decline and firmly rejected any notion of being incapacitated?

What if she recognized her lack of a support system and deeply resented the idea of becoming a socio-economic burden?

What if she yearned for the fundamental

BEACON BITS

Nov. 21

ONE BIG HAPPY

By Rick Detorie

right to die on her terms?

Her legacy might be defined as “a kind lady who mowed her lawn, shoveled snow, kept noise to a minimum, caused no trouble, exchanged pleasantries with neighbors, and wished children a Merry Christmas.”

Now, the litmus test is for the neighbors — who insist they have “their own lives to live” — to take on the responsibility of paying the property taxes, maintaining the overgrown lawn, repainting the house, and repairing the cracked driveway.

A. M. Jean-Baptiste Silver Spring, MD

PEOPLE AND TREES BOOK LAUNCH

Visit The Writer’s Center for the book launch of the novel People and Trees by Azerbaijani writer and playwright Akram Aylisli, translated by Katherine E. Young. Young will be in conversation with Caucasus regional expert Thomas de Waal and journalist and novelist Joanne Leedom-Ackerman. This free event takes place on Thu., Nov. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, MD. RSVP at writer.org/event/people-and-trees. For more information, email info@writer.org or call (301) 654-8664.

JSSA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Jewish Social Service Agency offers various volunteer roles in Montgomery County, MD, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. Opportunities include delivering meals or holiday baskets to homebound seniors, grocery shopping for clients who can’t get to the store on their own, teaching older adults how to use their electronic devices, caregiving and hospice support, creating recorded visual content for older adults to enjoy, working at the front desk as a receptionist and more. For more information and to volunteer, call (240) 800-5772 or email volunteer@jssa.org.

HOLISTIC WELLNESS GROUP (VIRTUAL)

Join this free weekly discussion group with Senior Planet to learn about various holistic practices and hear from other adults about their personal experiences with holistic wellness. The group meets on Tuesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. on Zoom. Registration not required. Join at tinyurl.com/HolisticWellnessOnline, or call in by phone at 1-888-788-0099 (meeting ID 895 2422 1328). For more information, call 1-888-713-3495.

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER WITH UNITED WAY

United Way of the National Capital Area offers many volunteer roles across D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Older adults can participate in making encouragement cards, packing essential needs kits, mentoring and more. For more information, including current volunteer opportunities, visit unitedwaynca.org/take-action/volunteer or call (202) 488-2000.

CLASSIFIEDS

The Beacon prints classified advertising under the follow ing headings: Business Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Obituaries; Personals; Person al Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For sub mission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 47.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The Beacon does not know ingly accept ob scene, of fensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. How ev er, we do not in vestigate any advertisers or their prod ucts 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 prohib iting discrim ination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

REDZONE FITNESS STUDIO is looking for talented personal trainers, massage therapists, nutritionalists and physical therapists. Please call Anthony at 410-739-3318 to set up an interview. Have fun where you work and help clients achieve their goals.

3 POSITIONS AVAILABLE No Experience; Training Provided; Great For Seniors and All Others; WFH; PT/FT; No Selling; $2,125/wk/ptnl; EOE; Real Estate; No RE-License Req; Start Immediately; Paid Daily; Call: 1-703-398-1586.

GUIDE SERVICE OF WASHINGTON IS HIRING City Tour Guides. No experience necessary. days per week training Jan/Feb. Fee required. Must be ok with lots of walking. Bilingual also needed. For more information, call 202-628-2842 M-F 10am-4pm

Caregivers

A COMPASSIONATE HOME CARE COMPANION ANGEL - Providing loving, reliable, trustworthy, devoted care for your loved one. HOSPICE trained, 20+ years experience. Call SADIE (240) 522-9591. Please leave voice message for reply.

A HOME HEALTHCARE - Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in care. 15 years’ experience. 240-533-6599.

A CARE AGENCY - Been in business for more than 10 years. Experienced nurses, CNAs, GNAs. Any hours you need. Flat rate for live-in. Duties include cooking, housekeeping, bathing, errands, etc. Tel: 667-231-8235.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE CAREGIVER? Check out this Agency with high ratings for its cultural sensitivity, excellent customer service responsive and attentive to the needs of clients. Call us 24/7 at 301-364-6699 for information.

MOBILE HAIR & NAIL SERVICES - WE COME TO YOU. Professional Licensed Hair Stylist. Women and Men’s Services All Hair Types. Cuts, Styles, Roller Sets, Color, Perms, Men’s Cuts Facial Grooming, Manicures more. Call 301-338-8251

COUCAR CARE HEALTH AND HOME SERVICES We provide long term live in or live out CNA’S, caregivers, housekeepers, companions, personal assistants, nurses, drivers, personal trainers or any other employee a mature male or female my need. For more information and to place an order call #240-243-8560.

PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call David G. at: 301-3282112 301-642-4526.

UNLOCK THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY with Rainwater Growth! We empower you to get the most out of the technology that drives your success. Visit rainwatergrowth.com to learn more and start your journey towards working smarter today.

TAX PREPARATION. Licensed CPA 35+ years, reasonable rates; will travel within 20 miles. Located in Gaithersburg near Rte 270/370. DIANE CHRISTEN CPA; dianechristen@aol.com; 240-355-1135 cell.

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

UP TO $15,000.00 OF GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! No medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company 866-212-1092 or visit www.Life55plus.info/beacon

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-301-960-3174 today to schedule a free quote. It;s not just a generator. It;s a power move.

NEW WINDOWS FROM WINDOW NATION. Special money saving offer zero down, zero payments, zero interest for TWO years AND buy windows and get FREE! Offer is valid for select models. Labor not included. Other restrictions apply. Call Window Nation today! 855-909-2278.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK, Two beautiful sites, Block F, Cemetery Price: $26,000. Both sites offered 50% off; $13,000 obo. Contact: 301-537-6086. Site visit can be arranged.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT - “GET THE BOOK” - Contact us at McConkeyTeam@Aol.Com or 202-255-1900 and we will provide you with a customized binder containing a) the latest price information on similar neighboring properties, b) what we would do specifically to get you the best price in the shortest amount of time, and c) all the necessary legal forms to get started to rent and/or manage your property. “NO cost, NO obligation” Sell DC Real Estate.

THREE LOTS in Crest Lawn Gardens of Memories located at 2150 Mount View Rd., Marriottsville in Howard County. Asking $3,000 each or all for $10,000. Contact Ken 410838-1138.

MOBILEHELP, America’s Premier Mobile Medical Alert System. Whether You’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Brochure! Call Today! 1240-650-9189.

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

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.

REDZONE FITNESS STUDIO. Semi Private Personal Training or more friends will be $50 each per hour session. We have a gym, can do online sessions or can also come to you. Let us set up a free fitness evaluation. Call 410-7393318 to get started.

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400 plus procedures. Real dental insurance NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-844366-1003 www.dental50plus.com/320 #6258

CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-833-742-1303.

SAFE STEP. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-866-478-2363.

AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL HEATING & COOLING. As temps outside start to climb, the season for savings is now. $49 cooling or heating system tune up. Save up to $2000 on a new heating and cooling system (restrictions apply.) FREE estimates. Many payment options available. Licensed and insured professionals. Call today 1-877-691-0273.

JACUZZI BATH REMODEL can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waiving ALL installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change and vary by dealer. (Offer ends 12/29/24.) Call 1833-994-0538.

NORTH VA ELECTRICAL SERVICES. We Install: Ceiling Fans, Recessed Lights, Chandeliers, Power outlets Other related work. We are Licensed Insured. Feel free to call or text to: (703) 898 0797.

SLOWING DOWN AFTER 42 YEARS of contracting. Small to medium jobs mainly residential but will do some commercial work. Will work all over DC area. $45.00 from arrival on job. Andy 703-906-5429.

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. Plus 10% Senior Military Discounts. Call 1-855-977-6078.

MOVING OR LIQUIDATING AN ESTATE? Let Downsizing Specialists, LLC show you how our easy process helps you decide what to keep, gift, sell, donate, or discard. Services include estate liquidation, downsizing, estate sales, house and storage unit clean-outs, and junk removal. We buy estates, vehicles, real estate. Free estimates. Local. Family Owned. Licensed. Insured. Downsizing doesn’t erase history, it shapes the legacy left behind. Call/Text Philip 301-219-3600 DownsizingSpecialists.com

STORAGE SHEDS BUILT ON SITE. Licensed and insured. No permits required. Starting at $3,000. www.Townandcountrysheds.com. Call Noah 571-214-0511.

THE BATHROOM OF YOUR DREAMS in as little as day. Limited Time Offer $1000 off or No Payments and No Interest for 18 months for customers who qualify. BCI Bath Shower. Many options available. Quality materials professional installation. Senior Military Discounts Available. Call Today! 1-855-653-0087.

DON’T LET THE STAIRS LIMIT YOUR MOBILITY! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-866-3655170.

HANDYMAN ELECTRICAL SERVICES

NEEDED. For installation of ROMH air conditioning units and outside control unit. Equipment already on site. Contact via text to 301980-8492.

GIL PAINTING CO. INC Interior and exterior painting. Residential and commercial. Drywall and plaster repair. Power wash. Call 301370-9940 or email gilpaiting@comcast.net

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance PublishingTrusted by Authors Since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-833-992-0110 or visit dorranceinfo.com/beacon

ENCHANTING LADY, AGE 58 - Seeking attractive SWM Gentleman, Age 55+ for long term relationship. Call Charlotte (240) 506-1345. Please leave voice message for reply, serious inquiries only please.

GET DISH SATELLITE TV + INTERNET! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 OnDemand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-844-560-5837.

DIRECTV - All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-572-4953.

ALWAYS BUYING OLD COSTUME JEWELRY, sterling silver flatware holloware, school rings, unwanted jewelry, gemstones broken jewelry, old comic books (pre-1990), old toys/games and other old items. Text or Call Alex at 571-426-5363 DMV area.

CASH FOR ESTATES; Estates, Moving, Downsizing, Etc. buy Gold, Silver, Art, Quality Glass, Historical Items, Cultural Items, and a wide range of other categories. Collections, Accumulations. Website: TheAtticLLC.com, Gary Roman, 301-520-0755.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. Ask for Tom. Call anytime, 301654-8678 (Reg. 883).

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, UKULELES. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack (301) 279-2158, leave message phone number (please speak slowly).

CASH FOR RECORDS, CDS AND DVDS. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music {33, 45, 78 CDs.} Also buying turntables and stereo equipment. Will make house calls with CURBSIDE PICKUPS. Call or text Steve at 301-646-5403

BUYING QUALITY ANTIQUES and midcentury items, including furniture, art, statues, lamps, old signs, military items, gold, silver, costume jewelry, collectibles, toys, tools, anything unusual, etc. Please call Chris at (301) 2621299. MD licensed.

PAYING TOP CASH FOR ANTIQUES and collectibles. Housecalls made with prompt, courteous service seven days a week and 25 years of experience! Buying toys, trains, militaria, glassware, advertising merchandise, paper items and much more! Contact Mason or Megan at: 443-306-8816.

I BUY GUNS: Military/Civilian Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols MILITARY MEMORABILIA from all wars. am a licensed Firearms Dealer and can legally purchase from you. Call Tim Frank 703-447-7243. historian1975@gmail.com. www.midatlanticmilitaryantiques.com

ESTATE LIQUIDATING? MOVING? - cash paid for gold, silver, jewelry, old coins, watches, guns, knives, old comic books, toys old baseball cards, sports memorabilia, christmas, halloween decorations, books, records, etc. Call Tom 240476-3441.

WILL BUY MILITARY, WWII, WWI, Civil War memorabilia items. Uniforms, weapons, helmets, photos, war souvenirs, medals, photos or any other items associated with U.S., German, Japanese or other military history. Call Dave (240-464-0958) or email (david.obal63@gmail.com).

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

ANSWERS

Answer:

Auto Dealers

Park View Laurel

Willow Manor at Cabin Branch

Willow Manor at Colesville

Woodleigh Chase/Erickson

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

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

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

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

Medical/Health Services