December 2012 Baltimore Beacon Edition by The Beacon Newspapers

FREE

I N

F O C U S

VOL.9, NO.12

F O R

P E O P L E

OV E R

More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore

A refugee’s artistic journey

DECEMBER 2012

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN

By Carol Sorgen When one door closes, another opens, goes the familiar quotation attributed to Alexander Graham Bell. That has certainly been true for sculptor and painter Wasyl Palijczuk. From the humblest — and direst — of beginnings in his native Ukraine to a creative life filled with personal and professional success, the 78-year-old artist and Idlewylde resident is the living embodiment of Bell’s sentiment. Palijczuk arrived in the United States alone as a 15-year-old refugee. He never knew his mother, who died when he was 6 months old. As a child, he and his father lived together in a one-room house with a thatched roof, no running water and no electricity until the older Palijczuk was sent to Germany during World War II to work as a slave laborer in a Munich rubber factory. The two did not see each other from 1941 to 1945, when they were miraculously reunited in a displaced persons camp. “To this day, I have no idea how he found me,” Palijczuk said. During those years on his own, the young Palijczuk lived by his wits, surviving — barely — from food he begged from neighboring villagers. (The experience left a lasting mark, Palijczuk said. To this day, he can’t bear to throw any food away.) Not only was there little to eat, but there were no schools, no books, no pencils, no papers, indeed nothing to foreshadow the life of art that awaited him. “I had no idea what art was,” said Palijczuk, his speech still accented by his native tongue. But when he saw village children playing outside with the dark, Ukrainian mud, instead of making “pancakes,” he created three-dimensional mud “sculptures.” And instead of drawing on a piece of paper, which he didn’t have to begin with, he took the burnt ends of wood from the stove used for heat and drew on the blank walls — a creative effort for which he received a sound beating from his father. Palijczuk may not have known what art was, or even that what he was doing was art, but neither that nor his father’s thrashing stopped him from keeping at it.

5 0

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

Costa Rica’s myriad natural wonders; plus, avoiding holiday travel price gouging page 26

Artist and art professor Wasyl Palijczuk poses in the traditional clothing of his native Ukraine, a country he fled during World War II. One of his sculptures can be glimpsed peeking out from behind the ivy. A retrospective of his paintings and sculptures is now on display at Carroll Community College.

Immigrating to America During the war, Palijczuk also ended up in Germany, first as a servant for a family, where he drew pictures for the children who lived there, and then as a patient in a children’s hospital. After the war, an American social worker saw Palijczuk drawing and asked him what he was doing. “I don’t know,” he recalled telling her. After looking at his sketches, the young woman (who today lives in New Jersey and whom Palijczuk, who is still in touch with her, calls “my hero”) asked if Palijczuk would like to go to America. He knew nothing about the faraway country, but “It was like asking a dead person if he

wanted to go to heaven or hell.” Palijczuk arrived in New York in 1950, and he was sent to live with other refugee boys on the second floor of a Bronx synagogue, though he himself is not Jewish. “I became the ‘shabbes goy,’” he smiled, a Yiddish term referring to a non-Jewish person who is hired by Orthodox Jews to perform routine chores — such as turning on lights or the oven — that aren’t permitted on the Sabbath. Several months later, Palijczuk was told he was being relocated to Baltimore, a city he had never heard of. “I wanted to go to California,” he said, See ARTIST page 32

ARTS & STYLE

Baltimore sparkles with light for the holidays; plus, BMA shines spotlight on dance in artwork page 30

FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Is your online pharmacy legit? k A bull market for testosterone LAW & MONEY k Today’s best investments k Test your financial literacy

VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS k A career in elder care

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

The time is ripe We’re told the need to address our fed- that is, debt owed by one part of the goveral budget deficit (over $14 trillion and ernment to the other. The surplus was thus spent growing by $4 billion a day) and transformed from “savis about to push us over a “fisings” into a financial obligation. cal cliff” that would send us Social Security’s $2.7 trillion back into recession or worse. trust fund is actually a compoAmong the many steps Connent of the $14 trillion national gress is being urged to take to debt we are faced with today! cope with this crisis is the modification of Social Security. In addition, the payroll tax reDoes one have anything to duction holiday all workers do with the other? have benefited from for the past Certainly not, say those two years, part of President who point to the fact that So- FROM THE Obama’s stimulus package, has cial Security is a self-financ- PUBLISHER speeded up the need to tap the ing program where current By Stuart P. Rosenthal trust fund debt to make Social workers pay withholding Security’s ends meet. taxes to support current retirees. So, while the Social Security program is These people also note, correctly, that not technically “at fault” for the deficit (and those taxes have generated $2.7 trillion in probably should never have generated surplus payments over the past few such huge surpluses without a system to decades — money that is held in trust in hold onto them in some way), it is wrong the form of Treasury bills, the world’s to say that Social Security does not contribute to the deficit. most secure government debt. Furthermore, even if the trust funds did Aha! say the others. So you admit that the so-called “trust funds” for Social Secu- consist of cash with which to pay current rity are simply more debt! This is also true. benefits, they would still not last us Every year that surplus Social Security through the boomer retirement years. taxes were paid in by workers, the extra Without some adjustments, Social Security funds were deposited into the General will only be able to pay about 75 percent of Fund (where they were promptly spent) promised benefits starting in 2033. The last time Social Security was overand converted to intra-government debt,

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

5 0

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County and Greater Washington and Palm Springs, CA. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail for $12 or via first-class mail for $36, prepaid with order. MD 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.

hauled was in 1983, when the system’s trustees informed Congress that push had come to shove, and the system was about to be unable to pay current benefits. Why did it take such a crisis to get Congress to act? There’s a reason Social Security is referred to as the third rail of politics: no politician wants to touch it. It’s a hugely popular program that has helped wipe out formerly high poverty rates among our nation’s seniors. And that’s another reason Social Security is being addressed in the context of the fiscal cliff. It has taken this somewhat manufactured crisis to force Congress to even consider doing what it has delayed for too long, namely, getting our national house in order. We need to live within our means as a country. Continuing to borrow more than a trillion dollars a year from foreign governments and individuals worldwide, even at ridiculously low interest rates, is not a viable long-term strategy. Eventually, the debt will need to be repaid, and the longer and faster it grows, the more pain we pass on to future generations. It appears the American people are finally willing, even eager on some level, to tackle our huge financial problems. It remains to be seen just how willing we are to take our medicine and how long we will tolerate the politicians who feed it to us. But for the moment, there is a brief glimmer of opportunity. So now is absolutely the best time to address all our financial problems at once. There are a number of adjustments that can be made to Social Security to cope with the fact that the number of workers paying taxes is declining relative to the growing number of baby boom retirees (who will turn 65 at the rate of 1,000 per day for the next 18 years). Among the most obvious solutions: rais-

ing the age at which future retirees become eligible for benefits, raising the rate of the withholding tax, raising the level of income on which the tax is paid, adjusting the cost-of-living formula, and others. Making gradual and relatively small adjustments to all of these things would spread the pain among workers, employers and retirees over time. Most importantly, the Social Security trustees tell us it is possible to set the system on a sustainable course while completely protecting current retirees (and workers within a decade or so of retirement) from any of these changes. But in order to avoid hurting current retirees, Congress must act now. Kicking this can down the road for another year or ten will ensure that we will be unable to protect those already retired. Most Beacon readers — today’s Social Security beneficiaries and those close to retiring — thus have no reason to object to responsible adjustments to the system. The changes will not cost most of us a dime, and if you are about to say you’re fighting changes to Social Security “for my children and grandchildren,” then you’ve missed a key point. It’s failing to adjust Social Security today that will impose unnecessary burdens on our children and grandchildren. If we leave things as they are, our progeny will have that much larger a problem to cope with, and they will be unable to avoid bearing much of the suffering themselves. Now — while our national mood is briefly accepting of steps to help us secure the future — is precisely the time to support changes to Social Security.

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

• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ............Steve Levin, ........................................................................Jill Joseph

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 35 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions. © Copyright 2012 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Dear Editor: Just want you to know we are headed back to Florida for the winter, and we will miss the Beacon. Keep up the good work. Your articles are so vital for those of us navigating this “aging” process. Look forward to the paper when we return in the spring. Sharon B. Wharton Baltimore Editor’s note: If you aren’t able to get a print copy of the Beacon, you can read it on our website at www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/baltimore-edition. You can also subscribe and receive the Beacon by mail each month. The cost is $12 for third class mail and $36 for first class

mail. Send a check or money order to: Subscriptions, Beacon Newspapers, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. Dear Editor: I read the Beacon all the time. It is delivered to my Catholic Charities building. I feel for free it has so much information and to-the-point information. It is the best free paper out there. The staff is doing a wonderful job. They should be very proud of themselves. All I have to say is, keep on doing what you all are doing. Dorothy E. Hawkins Baltimore See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 35

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A daily dose of Medicare copay savings. You could get copays for as low as $1 when you enroll in the AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus (PPD) plan, insured through UnitedHealthcare. Just fill your prescriptions at one of the Preferred Network Pharmacies, including Target Pharmacy. ®

Medicare open enrollment ends December 7. For more information, call UnitedHealthcare at 1-866-679-3281, TTY 711, 8:00 a.m.– 8:00 p.m., or visit www.UHCPreferredPharmacyNetwork.com/Target.

AARP encourages you to consider your needs when selecting products and does not make specific product recommendations for individuals. Plan is insured or covered by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliates, a Medicare-approved Part D sponsor. UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP and its affiliates are not insurers. You do not need to be an AARP member to enroll. The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Formulary, pharmacy network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. Members may use any pharmacy in the network, but may not receive Preferred Pharmacy network pricing. Target Pharmacy accepts other Part D plans. Copays apply after deductible. Target Pharmacies are not located in all Target stores, hours vary by location, services of pharmacist may not be available at all times when Target stores are open. Free translation services available. ©2012 Target Stores. Target and the Bullseye Design are registered trademarks of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. 112103 Y0066_PDPSPRJ11372_000 CMS Accepted

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Fitness &

LOWERING INFLAMMATION Chronic inflammation isn’t good, but there are many ways to reduce it HIGH HYPE FOR LOW-T Testosterone is being mass marketed to older men, but is it necessary? MORE MAGNESIUM PLEASE Magnesium protects against stroke and may help prevent diabetes MEDICARE AT HOME People in rehab will be able to receive Medicare services longer

FDA warns of risks of online pharmacies By Linda A. Johnson The Food and Drug Administration is warning U.S. consumers that the vast majority of Internet pharmacies are fraudulent and likely are selling counterfeit drugs that could harm them. The agency has launched a national campaign, called BeSafeRx, to alert the public to the danger, amid evidence that more people are shopping for their medicine online, looking for savings and convenience. Instead, they’re likely to get fake drugs that are contaminated, are past their expiration date, or contain no active ingredient, the wrong amount of active ingredient, or even toxic substances such as arsenic and rat poison. Such drugs could sicken or kill people, cause them to develop a resistance to their real medicine, cause new side effects, or trigger harmful interactions with other medications being taken. “Our goal is to increase awareness,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said, “not to scare people away from online pharmacies. We want them to use appropriate pharmacies.”

Which ones are legitimate? That means pharmacies that are located in the U.S., are licensed by the pharmacy board in the patient’s state, and have a licensed pharmacist available to answer questions. In addition, the pharmacy must require a valid doctor’s prescription for the medicine. Online drugstores that claim none is needed, or that the site’s doctor can write a prescription after the customer answers some questions, are breaking the law. Research by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which represents state pharmacy boards, found that of thousands of online pharmacies it reviewed, only about 3 percent follow state and federal laws. In fact, the group’s website lists only a few dozen Internet pharmacies that it has verified are legitimate and following the rules. Most consumers don’t know that. An Internet survey, conducted by the FDA in May, questioned 6,090 adults. It found that nearly one in four Internet shoppers has bought prescription drugs online, and nearly three in 10 said they weren’t confident they could do so safely. The campaign comes after some high-

profile cases of counterfeit drugs reaching American patients earlier this year from their own doctors. In February and again in April, the FDA warned doctors and cancer clinics around the country that it had determined they had bought fake Avastin — a pricey injectable cancer medicine, from a “gray market” wholesaler. The fake Avastin vials originated in Asia or Eastern Europe and were transferred through a network of shady wholesalers before being sold to clinics by a wholesaler claiming to be in Montana. In another case, the FDA issued a warning in May after learning consumers shopping on the Internet had bought fake versions of generic Adderall, a popular medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. No deaths or serious injuries have been linked to those fakes, but Hamburg notes that when drugs don’t help patients get better, doctors usually blame the disease or assume a different medicine is needed. That means most fakes aren’t detected.

How to spot the fakes So the FDA, which has put increasing

focus on the counterfeiting problem, launched a website, www.FDA.gov/BeSafeRx, that shows consumers how to determine if an online pharmacy is safe. It includes tips on how to spot illegal pharmacies, links to state databases of licensed pharmacies, and explanations of all the dangers of rogue pharmacies. Besides likely getting fake drugs, dangers include the risk that they will infect your computer with viruses, sell your personal and financial information to other rogue websites and Internet scammers, or charge you for products you never ordered or received. Many rogue pharmacies claim to be in Canada — because Americans know medicines are cheaper there and assume that’s why they’re getting a deal. Many fraudulent sites even put the word Canada in their name, or display the Canadian flag prominently on the site. Their web storefronts are slick and look professional. And they all offer prices that are unbelievably low. “If the low prices seem too good to be true, they probably are,” Hamburg said. — AP

Families can make hospitals safer places By Lauran Neergaard Head of the hospital bed raised? Check. Patient’s teeth brushed? Check. Those simple but often overlooked steps can help protect some of the most critically ill patients — those on ventilators — from developing deadly pneumonia. And if they knew about them, family members could ensure the steps weren’t forgotten. Hospitals are rife with infections and opportunities for medical mistakes. Now, a nearly $9 million project at Johns Hopkins University aims to combine engineering with the power of patients and their families to prevent some of the most common threats. The idea: Design patient safety to be more like a car’s dashboard, which automatically signals drivers when the oil needs changing or if a passenger forgot to buckle up, or like the countdown systems that make sure no step is missed when a satellite is launched.

Today, safe, quality care largely depends on individual health workers remembering hundreds of steps without good ways to tell if they forget one, said Hopkins’ patient safety expert Dr. Peter Pronovost. And too often, the people best able to spot early warning signs — patients and their families — are treated as passive bystanders rather than encouraged to participate in their care, he said.

Simple steps to safer care Tens of thousands of preventable deaths occur in U.S. hospitals every year. Numerous programs are under way to improve patient safety. Among them is the government’s Partnership for Patients, funded by $1 billion from the new health care law, that is helping hospitals adopt proven safety strategies. Hopkins’ Pronovost led the creation of one of the most well-known — a simple checklist that ensures hospital workers fol-

low steps that lower the risk of deadly bloodstream infections from common IV catheters. That checklist now is being used in ICUs nationwide, and the government reported last year that those infections have plummeted by 60 percent as a result. But catheter infections are just one of a dozen serious hospital-caused harms that threaten ICU patients, Pronovost said. Rather than fighting them one at a time, his new project will target multiple ICU threats simultaneously — from ventilatorassociated pneumonia to deadly blood clots — without relying on old-fashioned paper checklists and with more family involvement. It will require linking medical devices that today don’t talk to each other, he said. For instance, pumps that deliver narcotic painkillers aren’t linked to other devices that monitor breathing. If connected, the painkillers could be stopped automatically at the first sign of respiratory problems, a

known side effect. Other protections are far less complex. Keeping the head of the bed elevated at least 30 degrees and good oral hygiene are among the steps that help fend off the pneumonia that kills 36,000 people a year while they’re on ventilators.

Involving family members That’s something family members can watch for — or they even can be trained to brush a loved one’s teeth around the breathing tube. Already, Hopkins has introduced a “family involvement menu” of care items. “We believe that you know the person that we are caring for far better than we do,” the menu reads. Ultimately, Pronovost envisions an iPadlike device that allows both health workers and family members to see at a glance which of dozens of required daily care See HOSPITALS, page 5

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Hearing loss is common You’re not alone if you have trouble hearing and you’re not doing anything about it. An estimated 27 million Americans could benefit from the use of hearing aids but aren’t currently using them, according to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers found that from 1999 to 2006, only 14 percent of adults 50 and older who needed a hearing aid actually used one. “There’s a stigma attached to wearing hearing aids, suggesting one is aging,” said Dr. Robert Schreiber, a geriatrician and instructor at Harvard Medical School. “Accepting this fact is often difficult for some people.” But hearing loss is a fact for 10 percent of people ages 65 to 75, and 25 percent of people age 75 and older, according to Schreiber. We are able to hear conversation, music or an airplane overhead because sound waves cause tiny bones in the ear to move and stimulate nerve endings. Hearing loss is often caused by conductive hearing problems (affecting the tiny bones) or by sensorineural hearing loss that is the result of nerve damage. A common type of sensorineural hearing loss is a progressive inability in both ears to hear high frequencies. It often affects the ability to hear speech in a noisy environment, or high-pitched sounds and voices. All hearing loss can have serious consequences. When driving or walking across busy streets, for example, it can be dangerous. More subtle but important prob-

lems also can result from uncorrected hearing loss. “You may not be able to hear conversations, or important directions or reminders. That can lead to family discord, social isolation, and loss of self esteem,” said Dr. Schreiber.

Hospitals

called the project intriguing. Engaging the patient and family in some ways is tougher. Hospitals have had a hard time encouraging people to ask doctors and nurses if they’ve washed their hands, said Gina Pugliese of the Premier Safety Institute, a hospital improvement alliance. “So many patients and families are hesitant to ever question the doctor,” she said. “It’s so important they get involved.” — AP

City_________________________________________State__________Zip____________________ Phone (day)_____________________________(evening)_____________________________ E-mail_____________________________________________________________________________

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 BB12/12 or fax to (410) 248-9102.

I N F O R M AT I O N

Address__________________________________________________________________________

F R E E

Name_____________________________________________________________________________

★

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

❏ Anemia Studies (see ad and article on page 14) ❏ Cognition Improvement Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Depression Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Exercise Study (see ad on page 14) ❏ Fall Prevention Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Knee Pain/Sleep Study (see ad on page 14) ❏ Memory and Sleep Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Sleep Apnea/Somnos Study (see ad on page 15)

I N F O R M AT I O N

Health Study Volunteers

F R E E

✃

❏ Alta at Regency Crest (see ad on page 24) ❏ Atrium Village (see ad on page 11) ❏ Augsburg Lutheran Village (see ad on page 23) ❏ Bay Forest (see ad on page 21) ❏ Charlestown Assisted Living (see ad on page 8) ❏ Charlestown Independent Living (see ad on page 20) ❏ Charlotte Hall (see ad on page 21) ❏ Glen Forest (see ad on page 21) ❏ The Greens at Irvington Mews (see ad on page 24) ❏ The Meadows (see ad on page 21) ❏ Oak Crest Assisted Living (see ad on page 8) ❏ Oak Crest Independent Living (see ad on page 20) ❏ Park View Catonsville (see ad on page 32) ❏ Park View Dundalk(see ad on page 32) ❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 32) ❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 32) ❏ Pikeswood Park Apts. (see ad on page 22) ❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 29) ❏ Tudor Heights (see ad on page 6) ❏ Village Crossroads/Catholic Charities (see ad on page 13) ❏ Wayland Village Apartments (see ad on page 5) ❏ Westminster House Apts. (see ad on page 10)

★

Housing Communities

I N F O R M AT I O N

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

F R E E

MAIL OR FAX FOR FREE INFORMATION

★

F R E E

I N F O R M AT I O N

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

I N F O R M AT I O N ★

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

steps have been performed and which still need to be. “The beauty of checklists is it gives you that constant visual reminder,” and an electronic, automated version is the next logical evolution, said Ann Marie Pettis, director of infection prevention at the University of Rochester Medical Center, who

If there is hearing loss in both ears, you may be a candidate for a hearing aid. The devices come in different styles and sizes, with a wide range of features. Some have digital or analog features. Some are programmable. Analog devices are less expensive than digital hearing aids and provide acceptable quality for many people. Newer digital devices have better sound, are smaller, and are more easily customized. Hearing aid costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Some insurance plans pay for the devices. Medicare generally does not. The audiologist who examines your hearing can help you find an option for your budget. While hearing aids do not restore hearing to normal, they usually improve hearing by half of the loss, Schreiber said. Restoring even that can profoundly impact your quality of life. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

F R E E

From page 4

Consider hearing aids

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Ten ways to reduce chronic inflammation By Holly Pevzner Chronic inflammation plays a significant role (as either a cause or effect) in many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, and the three top killers in the United States: heart disease, cancer and stroke. And emerging research is focusing on the link between inflammation and brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The good news is that diet, exercise and

lifestyle changes can be powerful tools against inflammation. Here are 10 ways you can help stave off — or tamp down — inflammation: 1. Balance your omega fats. Americans are gorging on too many inflammation-promoting omega-6 fats (found in vegetable oils, such as sunflower and corn, and processed and fast food made with them) and not consuming nearly enough inflammation-soothing omega-3 fats (found in salmon, tuna, flaxseeds, walnuts,

canola and olive oils). In short: a diet high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s increases inflammation in the body, said Chilton. To better balance your omega fats, opt for as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible, swap your omega-6-rich corn or sunflower oil for omega-3-packed canola, and load your plate with omega-3-rich foods. If it proves difficult to get the recommended 1 to 4 grams of omega-3s daily through food (3 ounces of salmon delivers about 2 grams, 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed has 3 grams), ask your doctor about taking a supplement. A 2011 Ohio State University study found that taking fish-oil pills daily (at a dosage of 2.5 grams/day of omega-3s) reduced stressrelated production of interleukin-6, a prominent inflammatory marker, by 14 percent. 2. Get your om on. A 2010 study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that women who had regularly practiced 75 to 90 minutes of Hatha yoga twice-weekly for at least two years had markedly lower levels of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), two key inflammatory markers, compared to those who were new to yoga or practiced less frequently. “A central tenet of yoga is that practicing can reduce stress responses,” explained Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D., study co-author and professor of psychiatry and

psychology at the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University College of Medicine. Researchers think that yoga’s benefit is that it minimizes stress-related physiological changes. 3. Up your soy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has indicated that eating 25 grams of soy protein daily helps reduce your risk of inflammation-driven cardiovascular disease. But according to two 2009 studies, even as little as half that may be helpful. “We saw a reduction in inflammation after drinking just two [12-ounce] glasses of soymilk a day for three months,” said study co-author Elvira de Mejia, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana. Apparently, lunasin, a peptide found in soymilk and tofu, in combination with other soy proteins, can quell inflammation. (If you have a hormone-sensitive condition, such as breast cancer or endometriosis, check with your doctor before increasing the amount of soy in your diet.) 4. Enjoy a massage. A massage isn’t just a treat — it can be part of staying healthy. Receiving a 45-minute Swedish massage can greatly lower levels of two key inflammation-promoting hormones, according to a study in the Journal of AlterSee INFLAMMATION, page 7

Assisted Living is more than meets the eye.

1.)!"%$/")*& !!"!#$%&'"(")*3&4$&!5/$&#.&6.-72/$&2778$!&#.&2778$!9&>66($&'6B=C$&=C$466($ A&'*?B44@;$D-&.$@6B$/**$+/=E.$&4:&@/$:-&.$@6B$,*.;$0.$FBC6'$)*+,-./2$@6BE44$C+/A61*'$56'*$.-&=$&$ ?&=A@$?&A&C*$&=C$.-'**$5*&4/$&$C&@;$G6BE44$H=C$$$$'*&4$*IJ*'+*=A*$$$$A65J'*-*=/+1*$/*'1+A*/$&=C$&$ $$$/64+C$'*JB.&.+6=$?6'$-*4J+=,$64C*'$&CB4./$ 4+1*$4+?*$.6$.-*$?B44*/.;$1288&:;;<;=:<>?@@$ 6'$1+/+.$/66=;$K6$5&..*'$-6:$@6B$/4+A*$+.2$ :*E'*$/6$5BA-$56'*$.-&=$5**./$.-*$*@*; Meat Kosher Dining Services

Dairy Kosher Dining Services

!"#$%&'($)*+,-./$01*2$3&4.+56'*2$78$!"!9#$$$$:::;<*=+6'>+?*/.@4*;A65$$$$ !!"!#$%&'"(")*&+&,$-./0&12/$

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Inflammation From page 6 native and Complementary Medicine. “Massage may decrease inflammatory substances by [appropriately] increasing the amount of disease-fighting white blood cells in the body,” said Dr. Mark Hyman Rapaport, M.D., co-author of the study. “It may also lower stress hormones. Either way, these inflammation-lowering results can be seen after just one massage.” 5. Limit bad fats. The famed Nurses’ Health Study out of Harvard University (well known as one of the largest and longest-running investigations into women’s health) found that trans-fatty acids are linked to a significant bump in total body inflammation, especially in overweight women. Trans fats can be found in items including fried foods, packaged cookies, crackers, margarines and more. And buyer beware. “Even if a food label reads 0 grams trans fats, it can still contain less than 0.5 gram per serving, so if you eat multiple servings, you could be eating a few grams,” warned Erin Palinski, R.D., C.D.E. Instead, check the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oil. If you see this, the product contains trans fats. While you’re trimming the fat, cut back on the saturated variety, as well, replacing butter with olive oil and being choosy about your protein sources. 6. Eat your greens. Here’s yet another reason not to skimp on green leafy veg-

etables, whole grains and nuts: they are all rich in magnesium, a mineral that about 60 percent of us don’t consume enough of. “I encourage anyone who’s susceptible to inflammation to assess their magnesium intake,” said Forrest H. Nielsen, Ph.D., a research nutritionist at the USDA’s Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. (Ask your doctor to check your magnesium levels with a blood test.) “There’s a lot of evidence that people with high inflammatory markers often have low magnesium levels. Plus, people who have conditions associated with inflammation, like heart disease and diabetes, also tend to have low magnesium levels,” Nielsen said. [See “Most of us don’t get enough magnesium,” on page 15.] 7. Keep stress at bay. Frequently frazzled? You may be opening the door to inflammation. A recent study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity found that people who have a strong emotional reaction to stressful tasks (you bite your nails when you have to make a presentation at work or get tense when someone presses your buttons) experience a greater increase in circulating interleukin-6 during times of stress than those who take stressful tasks in stride. While stress harms your body in many ways, Cannon puts it like this: “Stress increases blood pressure and heart rate, making your blood vessels work harder. EssenSee INFLAMMATION, page 8

With BAYADA Home Health Care…

“Vida helps me in so many ways.” – Virginia S., Client BAYADA Home Health Aide Vida Okine with client Virginia S.

With a broad range of services and a team of professionals who are committed to keeping people of all ages safe at home, BAYADA provides: UÊ ÃÃ ÃÌ ÛiÊV>ÀiÊ> `Ê ÕÃi `ÊÃÕ«« ÀÌÊÃiÀÛ ViÃÊ UÊ / À Õ} ÞÊÃVÀii i`ÊV>ÀiÊ«À viÃÃ > Ã Bayada Nurses is now BAYADA Home Health Care. BAYADA specialty practices include Home Health Care, Pediatrics, Hospice, and Habilitation.

UÊ -Õ«« ÀÌÊÓ{Ê ÕÀÃ]ÊÇÊ`>ÞÃ UÊ ÊÛ>À iÌÞÊ vÊ«>Þ i ÌÊ «Ì Ã

Call 855-807-1085 | www.bayada.com

Compassion. Excellence. Reliability.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Testosterone mass marketed to older men By Matthew Perrone “Are you falling asleep after dinner?” “Do you have a decrease in libido?” “Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?” “It could be Low-T.” Welcome to the latest big marketing push by the nation’s drug companies. In this case, it’s a web page for Abbott Laboratories’ Androgel — a billion-dollar sell-

ing testosterone gel used by millions of American men struggling with the symptoms of growing older that are associated with low testosterone, such as poor sex drive, weight gain and fatigue. Androgel is one of a growing number of prescription gels, patches and injections aimed at boosting the male hormone that begins to decline after about age 40. Drugmakers and some doctors claim testos-

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!” Gentle Foot Care in Your Home Diabetic foot exams Corns/calluses Wound/infection care Toenail fungus Dr. Richard Rosenblatt DPM

Over 25 years experience

410-358-0544 6606 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD

Same Day, Weekend and Evening appointments. Most Insurance Accepted

terone therapy can reverse some of the signs of aging — even though the safety and effectiveness of such treatments is unclear. “The problem is that we don’t have any evidence that prescribing testosterone to older men with relatively low testosterone levels does any good,” said Dr. Sergei Romashkan, who oversees clinical trials for the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health conglom-

erate of research centers.

Inflammation

reason? Exercising at about 60 percent to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate — think brisk walking where you can still talk but it would be difficult to carry on a conversation — lowers levels of the key inflammation marker CRP, Chilton said. 10. Drink green tea. Even if coffee is your beverage of choice, you might not want to bag tea altogether — especially the green variety. Green tea is full of potent antioxidants that help quell inflammation. In fact, researchers from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock recently found that green tea can inhibit oxidative stress and the potential inflammation that may result from it. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com. © 2012 EatingWell, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

From page 7 tially, you’re pounding on them more often and creating damage. If that damage happens over and over, inflammation persists.” 8. Sleep more. If you’re not clocking at least 6 hours of restful sleep a night, you’re more susceptible to inflammation than those who have a solid night of slumber, according to research presented at the American Heart Association 2010 Scientific Sessions in Chicago. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep was linked to significantly increased levels of three key inflammatory markers — interleukin-6, CRP and fibrinogen. 9. Exercise often. Losing excess weight via exercise (or eating better) is a great way to lower inflammation. Working out, however, can lower inflammation even if you don’t drop one single pound. The

Normal? Or a condition to treat? Low testosterone is the latest example of a once-natural part of getting old that has become a target for medical treatment. Bladder problems, brittle bones and hot flashes have followed a similar path — See TESTOSTERONE, page 10

A whole new approach to long-term and rehabilitative care

MOM STAYS SAFE & HAPPY with Assisted Living at Charlestown and Oak Crest

The Green House Residences is the perfect place to get you back on your feet following orthopedic and cardiac procedures. Our goal is to get you back home! Offering the following amenities: •All Private Rooms•All Private Bathrooms•Home-Style Dining•Occupational Therapy•Speech Therapy•Physical Therapy•24/7 Nursing Coverage•TV, Cable, wireless Internet•Lovely Screened-In Porches

Assisted Living at Charlestown and Oak Crest offers your loved one everything she needs to live a rewarding life. Your mom will benefit from an entire community filled with great neighbors, top-notch on-site health care and lots of fun things to do.

Learn more today. Call for your free brochure and activities calendar.

Charlestown

For your personal tour, call 443-414-6218

All faiths welcomed

8482819

Oak Crest

Catonsville, MD

Parkville, MD

410-988-4985

410-734-2592

EricksonLiving.com

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Health Shorts

sure it’s safe for you to exercise. — Harvard Women’s Health Watch

Exercise is good for your memory

Knee replacements soar among older adults

If there weren’t enough good reasons to exercise, here’s another one: A new study finds that exercise improves memory and reduces the risk for cognitive decline as we get older. The study included 86 women ages 70 to 80, some of whom had mild cognitive impairment — a loss of memory and mental function that often precedes Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The women were randomly assigned to do resistance training, aerobics, or balance and toning exercises twice a week. After six months, 77 women remained in the study. Women in the resistance-training group performed much better on tests of attention, conflict resolution and memory than those in the balance and toning group, according to results published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The aerobic training group didn’t see as much of an improvement in mental function, although their physical function did improve. This study suggests that firming your muscles can also tone up your mind. Before starting any resistance training program, check with your doctor to make

Just like age-defying baby boomers, older adults have seen a surge in knee replacement surgeries, driven partly by a desire to stay active and by joint-damaging obesity. The findings are in a study of more than 3 million Medicare patients, 65 and older, who got artificial knees from 1991 through 2010. Almost 10 percent of the operations were redos — replacing worn-out artificial joints. The number of initial knee-replacement surgeries each year on these older patients more than doubled during that time, rising to nearly 244,000 in 2010. Patients were in their mid-70s on average when they had surgery. The aging population and rising numbers of Medicare enrollees contributed to the increase. But the per capita rate also increased, from about 3 surgeries per 10,000 enrollees in 1991 to 5 per 10,000 in 2010. “There’s a huge percentage of older adults who are living longer and want to be active,” and knee replacement surgery is very effective, said lead author Dr. Peter Cram, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa.

The pace of growth slowed in more recent years — possibly because increasing numbers of younger adults have also been getting artificial knees, which typically last 15 to 20 years. The troubled economy may also have slowed demand for an operation that costs about $15,000, the study authors said. About 600,000 knee replacement surger-

ies are done each year nationwide on adults of all ages, costing a total of $9 billion, the authors said. A journal editorial said measures are needed to control costs of these operations, noting that demand has been projected to rise to as many as almost 4 million knee operations annually by 2030. — AP

Please patronize our advertisers. The keep the Beacon free!

Service. Deliver Delivered. FREE

prescription delivery

EASY

prescription transfers

ALL major plans accepted Pharmacy Locations: Erickson Retirement Communities: Charlestown Community, OakCrest Village Hospital Locations: Bon Secours Hospital, GBMC, Mercy Medical Ctr, Sinai Hospital, Saint Agnes Hospital, St Joseph Medical Center Medical Office Building Locations: Liberty/BCCC, Owings Mills/Crossroads Med Ctr, Pikesville/Old Court Prof Bldg, Woodholme Med Ctr, Reisterstown / Signature Bldg

Steve Neal, RPh NeighborCare® s Liberty/BCCC

YOUR FIRST NEW OR TRANSFERRED PRESCRIPTION Present this coupon with your prescription. Limit one per customer. Offer not valid on prescriptions transferred from other NeighborCare locations. No cash value. Per federal law, offer not valid if any portion of prescription is paid for by a government program. Coding: SrB2012

Location:

New Customer

Existing Customer

410-752-CARE neighborcare.com

CALL TOLL FREE, 866-269-3916

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Testosterone From page 8 from inconvenient facts of life, to ailments that can be treated with drugs. The rise of such therapies is being fueled by both demographics and industry marketing. Baby boomers are living longer and looking for ways to deal with the infirmities of old age: Life expectancy in the U.S. today is 78 years, up from 69 years a half-century ago. And so companies have stepped up their marketing to the older crowd: Spending on print and television ads promoting testosterone by firms like Abbott and Eli Lilly has risen more than 170 percent in the last three years to more than $14 million in 2011, according to advertising tracker Kantar Media. Doctors say that’s led to an increase in

men seeking treatment for low testosterone. Prescriptions for the hormone have increased nearly 90 percent over the last five years, according to IMS Health. Last year, global sales reached $1.9 billion. Former marathon runner Damon Lease, 50, had been complaining of low energy and depression, for which his doctor prescribed a combination of four psychiatric drugs. But since he started taking twice-aweek testosterone injections in May, he said he’s been able to stop taking two of those medications and hopes to eliminate them completely. He said he has more energy, improved mood and concentration. “I spent 27 years running long distances, I like biking, I like hiking, and I guess every guy wants to have an active sex life ... I want to keep doing those things as long as I can,” said Lease, who

Westminster House Apartments • Affordable housing for Seniors • Utilities included/underground parking available • In the heart of Mount Vernon • Only steps from the theater, library, churches, shopping and restaurants • Next door to The Walters Art Gallery

410-837-0180

www.westminsterhouseapts.org | 524 North Charles Street

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

works as a software company executive. “I feel 20 years younger.” Despite its rising popularity, testosterone therapy is not completely new. Testosterone injections were long used for men with hypogonadism, a disorder defined by low testosterone caused by injury or infection to the reproductive or hormonal organs. But the latest marketing push by drugmakers is for easy-to-use gels and patches that are aimed at a much broader population of otherwise healthy older men with low testosterone, or androgen deficiency. The condition is associated with a broad range of unpleasant symptoms ranging from insomnia to depression to erectile dysfunction. Drug companies peg this group at about 15 million American men, though federal scientists do not use such estimates. Watson Pharmaceuticals now markets its Androderm patch, which slowly releases testosterone into the bloodstream. Abbott has its gel that can be applied to the shoulders and arms. And Eli Lilly’s Axiron is an underarm gel that rolls on like deodorant. Androderm, launched last year, had $87 million in sales, and Axiron, which was launched in 2010, had sales of $48 million last year. “All of a sudden you’ve got these big players with a lot of money using consumer-directed marketing to change the landscape,” said Dr. Natan Bar-Chama, a male reproductive specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. “They see the

potential, they see the market growth annually and it’s very impressive.”

What level is too low? But government researchers worry that medical treatments have gotten ahead of the science. Male testosterone is mainly produced in the testes and affects muscle mass, sperm production and various sexual characteristics. The hormone can easily be checked with a blood test, but doctors can’t agree on what constitutes a low reading in older men. Typical testosterone levels for younger men range between 300 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter, but once levels begin dropping there is little consensus on what makes a “normal number.” Some doctors believe testosterone levels below 300 lead to sexual dysfunction in older men, but the rule does not cover all cases. A 2010 study by researchers at the University of Manchester and other European institutions found that 25 percent of men with testosterone levels above that threshold had the same sexual problems used to diagnose low testosterone. Adding to the ambiguity is that testosterone levels change by the hour, so a man who takes a blood test for testosterone in the morning may get a completely different reading when tested in the afternoon. Adding to the confusion over what deSee TESTOSTERONE, page 11

Missing the view? Could be Cataracts.

Cataracts affect nearly 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older, and they can occur among young adults or children. The Krieger Eye Institute offers a full range of ophthalmic consultation services. Our experts are at the forefront of diabetic eye disease research and patient care. General eye care is available as well as specialized consultations in glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and cataracts. Two fully-staffed office locations are: Krieger Eye Institute Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Morton Mower, M.D. Medical Office Building, Sixth Floor 2411 W. Belvedere Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21215

Krieger Eye Institute at Quarry Lake Suite 180 2700 Quarry Lake Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21209

To schedule your appointment with one of our ophthalmologists or to learn more about the Krieger Eye Institute, call 410.601.6190 or log onto www.kriegereye.org

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Testosterone From page 10 fines “low testosterone,” there’s not much understanding of whether testosterone replacement therapy actually improves men’s symptoms. Evidence of the benefits of testosterone is mixed, and the potential health risks are serious. The largest study conducted to date, a 2008 trial involving 230 patients in the Netherlands, found no improvement in muscle strength, cognitive thinking, bone density or overall quality of life among men taking testosterone. Muscle mass increased 1.2 percent, but not enough to improve physical mobility. The National Institute on Aging is currently conducting an 800-man trial to definitively answer whether testosterone therapy improves walking ability, sexual function, energy, memory and blood cell count in men 65 years and older. But those results aren’t expected until 2014.

Side effects and serious risks In addition to concerns about testosterone’s effectiveness, the long-term side effects of the hormone are not entirely understood because most trials to date have only followed patients for a few months. But the most serious risks include heart problems and prostate cancer. In 2010, researchers at Boston University’s school of medicine halted a large study

of testosterone in senior men because patients taking the hormone were five times more likely to suffer a serious heart event, including congestive heart failure, than those taking placebo. And a review of 19 testosterone trials in 2006 found that prostate cancer was significantly higher among men taking testosterone. All testosterone drugs carry a warning that the hormone should not be given to men who have a personal or family history of prostate cancer. Also in 2006, the Endocrine Society published the first physician guidelines for prescribing testosterone for men with androgen deficiency. All six of the co-authors had received consulting fees or research funding from drugmakers that market testosterone. Despite those ties, the authors took a cautious tone, stressing the difficulty of accurately diagnosing low testosterone and acknowledging that they were unable to reach an agreement about when doctors should begin therapy. They also recommend doctors have an “explicit discussion of the uncertainty about the risks and benefits of testosterone therapy.” History has shown that hormone replacement therapy can be dangerous. That hit home for women in 2002 when a landmark study shook up the conventional wisdom about the benefits of estrogen replacement therapy for menopause.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 12

— AP

LONG-TERM CARE AND DECISION MAKING Join Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in a daylong program about

end-of-life decision making at the Waxter Senior Center, 1001 Cathedral St., on Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Delegate Dan Morhaim, MD, author of The Better End will discuss why planning is imperative. Hank Dunn, ordained healthcare chaplain and author of Hard Choices for Loving People, will talk about long-term care choices. Participants will get a free copy. Michelle Levin of Gilchrist Hospice Care will speak on “Hospice 101 and Caregiver Communication Tips.” This event is part of the Baltimore City Health Department’s Office of Aging & Care Services’ 13-month workshop series entitled “Waxter Wisdom.” The workshops are geared toward older adults, persons with disabilities and caregiving professionals. For further information, contact Aisha Ross at (410) 3964932 or aisha.ross@baltimorecity.gov.

Avoid Winter Worries Receive One Month FREE for a Limited Time!*

At Atrium Village, we take the work and the worry out of winter. No shoveling. No heating concerns. No dangerous driving. Plus 1 Month FREE if you act now! Trade in the uncertainties of living alone or maintaining a home for the affordable services that simplify life. *Call for details. Available to new residents only.

Call 888-840-2214 for a Private Tour & Complimentary Lunch

4730 Atrium Court, Owings Mills, MD

• Independent Living • Assisted Living • Skilled Nursing • Memory Care

www.SeniorLifestyle.com

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Home Medicare coverage to be expanded By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Thousands of patients with severe chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s would get continuing access to Medicare-funded rehab and other services under a change agreed to by the Obama administration. The proposed agreement in a national class action suit would allow Medicare patients to keep receiving physical and occupational therapy and other skilled services at home or in a nursing home so they can remain stable, said Gill Deford, a lawyer with the Center for Medicare Advocacy. That’s been a problem for some because of a longstanding Medicare policy that says patients must show “improvement” to keep getting rehab. Deford’s group and other organizations representing patients challenged it. “If you have a chronic condition, by definition you are not improving,” said Deford,

the lead attorney on the case. “Our view is that Medicare regulations were intended to allow people to maintain their health status. They don’t have to show they are getting any better. The point is to allow them not to get any worse, if possible.”

Thousands could benefit The agreement was filed with Chief Judge Christina Reiss of the U.S. District Court in Vermont. It is expected to affect tens of thousands — maybe hundreds of thousands — of patients nationally. Those who stand to benefit include not only people with intractable conditions like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and chronic lung disease. It could also help those who are growing weaker because of advancing age, placing them at greater risk of falls and other problems.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

CONSIDERING JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY?

St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson offers joint replacement preop classes every Wednesday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and the third Wednesday evening of the month from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Classes are held in the 6th Floor Classroom/Orthopedic Institute, on the St. Joseph Campus, 7601 Osler Dr. The classes are free and are geared for anyone contemplating or who has already committed to having a total joint replacement and their caregivers. For more information or to register, email janetstefanelli@catholichealth.net.

The impact on Medicare’s budget is unclear, partly because program rules are not always rigidly enforced. Even with a requirement that patients must continue to show improvement, billing contractors sometimes defer to the clinical judgment of doctors and therapists. A patient’s underlying disease may be advancing, but therapy might help them keep up strength up and do more to take care of themselves. Still, that’s no guarantee that Medicare will pay. “That’s what the point of this case is,” said Deford, adding that his center has represented many people repeatedly denied coverage for rehabilitation services. “This will allow them to have access.” Advocates say Medicare could break even financially, if patients don’t have to go to the hospital.

Semantics spell change In court papers, Medicare denied that it imposes an inflexible standard that patients must continue to improve to keep receiving rehab services. Indeed, there is no such requirement in law. Medicare said other factors come into play, such as the patient’s medical condition and whether treatment is reasonable and necessary. Government lawyers called

the policy change a clarification. “This settlement clarifies existing Medicare policy,” said Erin Shields Britt, a spokeswoman for the federal Health and Human Services department. “We expect no changes in access to services or costs.” Nonetheless, the Medicare policy manual will be changed to spell out that coverage of rehabilitation services “does not turn on the presence or absence of a beneficiary’s potential for improvement from the therapy, but rather on the beneficiary’s need for skilled care,” according to the proposed settlement. Deford said it could be several months before the settlement is finalized in court, and perhaps another year before Medicare formally completes the policy change. But patients may start seeing a change sooner. “I’m hoping the new coverage rules will de facto take effect before they are formally revised,” said Deford. Most of the immediate beneficiaries will be the parents of the baby boom generation and younger disabled people, who are also entitled to Medicare coverage. But the change could have its greatest significance for the boomers, many of whom are expected to try to live independently into their 80s and 90s. — AP

BEACON BITS

Nov. 30

SHE RELEARNED HOW TO HOLD A BRUSH.

NOW TOMORROW LOOKS BETTER THAN EVER.

HEART HEALTH & LIFESTYLE SCREENING

LifeBridge Health will sponsor a heart health and lifestyle screening on Friday, Nov. 30, at Liberty Senior Center, 3525 Resource Dr., in Randallstown. The fee is $20. The screening is for men and women ages 18-70, and includes blood pressure, cholesterol/triglycerides, comprehensive metabolic panel blood profile, body composition analysis, personal lifestyle questionnaire, and brief health education counseling with a registered nurse. Appointments are required; screenings begin at 9 a.m. For more information, call (410) 601-9355.

Older adults throughout the region are reading the Beacon every month At the Louis and Phyllis Friedman Neurological Rehabilitation Center at Sinai Hospital, we’re committed to giving people like Patricia Gardner-Smith a renewed sense of hope. Following a stroke, Patricia experienced right-sided weakness, which caused her difficulty walking, talking and even swallowing, but our team of dedicated physicians, therapists and nurses helped her regain her strength and relearn functional skills such as eating and grooming. Now at home with her husband, she continues to progress every day. Learn more at lifebridgehealth.org/sinairehab.

410-601-WELL (9355) www.lifebridgehealth.org/sinairehab

Shouldn’t your ad be here? For advertising rates, call Alan at (301) 949-9766 or email alan@thebeaconnewspapers.com

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Processed meats increase diabetes risk

I am a patient who had severe foot pain for 2 years, with no relief in sight....by the end of the 4 days I was 85% pain free in both feet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain. – Alvin, Baltimore

How fortunate I feel to have found a doctor who could not only diagnose an underlying problem that many specialists missed, but who has been able to find a painless and rapid method of relieving the worst symptoms. – Susan, Baltimore

As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, I have always focused on conservative treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking) , even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1or 2 visits. — Dr. Stuart Goldman

Stuart Goldman, DPM

410-235-2345

4419 Falls Road, Suite A, Baltimore 4000 Old Court Road, Suite 301, Pikesville

Fellow American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare Author, multiple articles on Foot & Leg Symptoms

H elP F orYour F eet.C oM

high. Steer clear of options like moussaka, with rich ground meat and oil-drenched eggplant baked in a creamy sauce. Focus on lean, vegetable-laden choices like chicken souvlaki or fish served with grilled vegetables, or the many lentil- and bean-based soups. For a delicious Greek salad without excessive calories, order it light on the feta cheese (especially if you are ordering another dish that will supply your protein). Although tzatziki sounds healthy (Greek

yogurt with cucumber and garlic), it’s often made with full-fat yogurt that’s concentrated in calories, so watch your portion. Greek restaurants offer delicious meals that may inspire you with new ideas for preparing beans and vegetables at home. Just don’t let the “halo” effect of how healthy it seems lead you to forget the impact of portion size if you are trying to keep calories moderate. Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Getting you back to your life.

Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing

Q: I know sausage and other processed Researchers hypothesize that nitrite-based meats are linked with colon cancer risk. preservatives form nitrosamine compounds Is it true that they’re linked within our gut that increase with risk of diabetes, too? cancer risk. These niA: Yes, several large populatrosamines may also damage tion studies now link greater the cells of the pancreas reconsumption of processed meats sponsible for producing inwith increased risk of type 2 diasulin. betes. Processed meats are Another potential explanathose that are salted, cured or tion for the diabetes link insmoked, or contain preservavolves formation during meat tives such as nitrite- or nitrateprocessing of compounds based products. called advanced glycation endC o m m o n e x a m p l e s o f NUTRITION products (AGEs) that seem to processed meat are bacon, WISE increase low-grade inflammasausage, hot dogs, processed By Karen Collins, tion and oxidative stress. Both canned meats, ham and pack- MS, RD, CDM of these conditions promote a aged lunchmeats. metabolic environment that can Scientists have identified several po- lead to type 2 diabetes. tential mechanisms that could explain Q: I love to go out for Greek food, the convincing link between processed and I know the Mediterranean diet is meats and greater risk of colorectal can- very healthy. How reasonable are the cer. calories in the restaurant options? Risk of type 2 diabetes increases with A: Traditional Greek and other Mediterbeing overweight, so processed meats’ high ranean eating patterns are extremely content of fat (and therefore calories) could healthy because they focus on plant foods explain part of the link to diabetes risk. like vegetables, beans and grains (which However, even after adjusting for weight traditionally were nutrient-rich whole and some other aspects of eating habits, grains). The primary source of fat is olive people who consume the most processed oil, a healthy choice. meat show at least 45 to 60 percent greater Unfortunately, the amount of fat that risk of developing type 2 diabetes. restaurants use in some dishes is extremely

Dulaney – 410.828.6500 Ruxton – 410.821.9600 Towson – 410.828.9494 www.manorcare.com

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Studies Page

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Researchers study anemia in older adults By Barbara Ruben About 1 in 10 adults over age 65 has anemia — a condition in which their blood contains a below-normal level of iron-rich hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body). Those with mild anemia may not have any symptoms, while those with a more severe form may tire easily or experience shortness of breath. Chronic inflammatory diseases and slow internal blood loss are the most com-

mon causes of anemia in older adults. But in 20 to 35 percent of the cases, a cause cannot be determined. Doctors at Johns Hopkins are now looking for volunteers with anemia of unexplained origin to study how well supplemental iron, given intravenously, can help.

All get iron treatment During the study, all participants will be treated with an iron infusion once a week for five weeks. However, one group will be randomly selected to begin treatment im-

Exercise Research Study Healthy men & women 50-80 years old are needed to participate in an exercise research study at the University of Maryland / Baltimore VA Medical Center. Participation involves medical evaluations, blood draws, fitness tests and 2 weeks of exercise sessions. Compensation for your time is provided. Call 410-605-7179 Mention code EPC-X.

mediately, while the rest of those in the study will be observed for 12 weeks prior to beginning treatment. Those in the group that starts the iron drug Venofer right away will be followed for 19 weeks after the five weeks of weekly infusions. They will be assessed at the start of the study, a week after iron therapy has ended, and 18 and 24 weeks after the start of the study. Those in the delayed start group will visit at the same intervals. At each visit, all participants will have tests to measure the amount of iron in their blood, how far they can walk in six minutes, cognitive skills and frailty.

Qualifying for the study To qualify for the study, participants must be at least 65 years old and have unexplained anemia, with a serum ferritin level between 20 and 200 ng/mL. They must be able to walk without the use of a

walker, motorized device or the assistance of another person. Those who have had a blood transfusion or used IV iron in the last three months may not take part in the study. Participants also cannot have a history of unstable angina, heart attack or stroke within the last three months. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (diastolic blood pressure greater than 100 or systolic blood pressure above 160 on two separate occasions) also disqualifies volunteers from participating. This study is one of several clinical trials of anemia in older adults for which Johns Hopkins is seeking volunteers. Those over 65 can join Hopkins’ anemia registry to learn more about their anemia research studies. Some studies can be done at home. For more information, call (410) 5502113.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

STOMACH CANCER AWARENESS November is National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. For

more information on this disease, which predominantly strikes older adults, log on to www.nostomachforcancer.org.

Do You Have Knee Arthritis and Difficulty Sleeping? Volunteers NEEDED for a Clinical Trial on New Non-drug treatment for problem sleeping Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine are looking for volunteers to participate in a research study examining new ways of treating insomnia, in people with osteoarthritis in their knee.  To participate in this study, you must be: • At least 50 years of age OR 35 years of age and older with prior diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis • Have frequent knee pain • Interested in sleeping better  This study involves: • Sleep studies conducted in your home • Sensory testing and knee exam at Johns Hopkins • Meeting with sleep specialist to discuss ways to improve sleep • Additional optional medical tests • All examinations, parking, & tests are provided at no cost.  Compensation up to $870.00

Dec. 6

EATING RIGHT WITH DIABETES Choosing the right kinds of food to control blood sugar is important. Join Patricia Bloh of Ivory House for this free nutrition dis-

cussion on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. in Room 20 of Liberty Senior Center, 3525 Resource Dr., Randallstown. For more information, call (410) 887-0780.

STUDIES ON ANEMIA Are you 65 years or older? Have you been recently diagnosed with anemia? OR Have you had anemia in the past? en you may be interested in: “THE JOHNS HOPKINS registry of older adults with anemia” • Several new research studies are being designed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University speciﬁcally for older adults with anemia. • By volunteering to join our anemia registry, you will be kept up to date on anemia research studies that match your situation.

Call us at 410-550-2113 to join the Anemia Registry today! Approved 8/16/10

Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Protocol: NA_00011802 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

For information, please call (410) 550-7906

We can conduct the study in your home. No travel is required. If you choose to come to Bayview to participate, your parking will be paid.

We look forward to hearing from you! Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeremy Walston, MD. IRB application No: NA_00035307

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Biotin deficiency is frequently overlooked Dear Pharmacist: Low biotin increases risk for fatty liver. Please write about biotin deficiency. Anorexia. You’re not hungry if you This is what killed my hushave biotin deficiency. band. No one detected it, Sounds like a dream, right? and I want to alert everyone. But it can actually contribute Love your work, hope to to depression, lethargy and meet you one day. weakness. — J.P. Anemia. The hemoglobin Dear J.P.: I’m sorry about cells lose their ability to tote your loss. Today, I will write oxygen, leaving you feeling about it. Together we will be winded, short of breath, inatpreventing more deaths. tentive and fatigued with little The problem is that physiexertion. Prolonged anemia DEAR cians and consumers think of raises risk for heart failure. PHARMACIST biotin — also known as vitaCardiac arrhythmia. BiBy Suzy Cohen min H, or B7 — only as a otin deficiency can cause you “beauty” vitamin to improve to suffer palpitations, skipped nail strength and hair growth. The sad beats and other electrical disturbances part is, thousands of medications are that can cause a fatal heart attack. “drug muggers” of biotin, meaning they You must get as irritated as I do to read prevent absorption or diminish our ability Internet posts from so-called experts sayto make it in the body. ing that biotin deficiency is “rare” or that Here are signs that suggest biotin defi- we get enough from foods. I believe biotin ciency: Nerve pain. Numbness, tingling, prickly sensations, pain or any other “paresthesia.” It can occur by itself, or as part of kidney disease, insulin resistance or diabetes. Skin conditions. Eczema, psoriasis, sebThe Johns Hopkins University orrheoeic dermatitis, flaking, itching, flakis currently recruiting men and women ing, scaly, dry or inflamed skin, sores in or for a study examining the relationship between around the mouth, burning mouth/tongue. sleep apnea and glucose metabolism. All of these problems suggest biotin (or anEligible participants will receive a sleep study, other B vitamin) deficiency. blood test, EKG and other medical tests. Poor immunity. Biotin deficiency reParticipants will be compensated up to $860 for their time. sults in more frequent bacterial or viral inSubjects must be between 21 and 75, and fections, anywhere, even in your eye (conin good health. junctivitis). Cognitive problems. The brain needs biPlease call 410-550-4891 and otin to make neurotransmitters that keep you ask for Kelly Devine, Project Coordinator, feeling mentally alert, happy and attentive. for more information. Low biotin can cause fatigue and depression. High cholesterol. Animal studies have The shown that biotin (along with chromium) can reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.

deficiency is extremely common and covered this nutrient in Chapter 6 of my book, Drug Muggers. Biotin is made by yeast and bacteria, the same friendly microorganisms found in our intestinal flora. Keep in mind, all medications strip away our probiotics, reducing our biotin stash. Antibiotics are huge drug muggers, as are estrogen-containing hormones, acid blockers, antacids, anti-convulsants, steroids, anti-virals, breast cancer drugs, anti-inflammatories and certain analgesics. Also people who smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, or take alpha lipoic acid run out of biotin quickly.

Biotin supplements are sold over-thecounter, but of course ask your doctor if it’s right for you. About 1,000 to 5,000 mcg. per day should help. Your body washes away excess biotin. Good food sources include organ meats, nuts, cashews, dairy, liver, eggs, cauliflower, leafy greens, legumes and seafood. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly? Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study at the University of Maryland &Veterans Aﬀairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the prevention of falls in aging individuals. You will receive:

• Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or ﬂexibility exercises • Compensation for your time If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT at Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line

Puzzled? See page 34.

Study Principal Investigator: Naresh Punjabi, M.D., Ph.D. Application Number: NA_00036672

*You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

CALL TODAY!

Are you over 60 and feeling depressed? Symptoms of depression in older adults are common yet often go undetected. Symptoms could include feelings of sadness or hopelessness, loss of energy, inability to enjoy pleasurable activities, changes in appetite or sleeping patterns, or poor concentration/memory. If you are feeling depressed, not taking antidepressant medication and in good physical health, you may be eligible to participate in a research study involving treatment. Qualified people will participate at no cost to them and will be compensated for their time and transportation. For more information about the research study, please call:

410-550-4192 Approved February 21, 2012

IRB Protocol No: NA_00021615 Principal Investigator: Gwenn Smith, PhD

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Am I a saint or sucker if I take him back? Dear Solutions: What’s important here is not what’s wrong I’ve been separated from my husband with him or what’s wrong with you but for six months because he what was wrong with your cheated on me and lied marriage. about it. (He says if he was Don’t take him back until going to cheat, he had to lie.) the two of you sit down — Now he wants to come with counseling help if necesback, and he says he’ll sary — and figure out what never act that way again. went wrong and how it can I really believe what he change in the future. did is very wrong. Would I Without that understanding, be a good person if I take neither saint nor sucker can him back, or would I just be make a difference. Good luck. SOLUTIONS foolish? Dear Solutions: By Helen Oxenberg, — K. I took a tough fall recently MSW, ACSW Dear K: while doing a morning walk in In other words, would you be my community. Several peoa saint or a sucker to take back the sinner? ple who were nearby came quickly and Forget the labels and the images. helped me up after carefully seeing that I

BEACON BITS

Dec. 4

DON’T BREAK A BONE

To conclude its fall series, Good Samaritan Hospital physician Robert Phillips will discuss osteoporosis, a disease that affects millions of women. Estimates suggest that about half of all women older than 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. Join Dr. Roberts for an interesting and informative talk on this important topic on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m., at Parker Conference Center, 5601 Loch Raven Blvd. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Call (443) 444-4100.

was basically OK. One man even stopped his car, got out and offered to drive me to an emergency room if needed. Although I was pretty shaken up I felt that nothing major was wrong, so I thanked everyone, and they went on their way and I went home. These people are all from my community, but I have no idea who they are since there are several thousand people living here. They went out of their way with kindness, and I would like to thank them somehow. What do you suggest? I think there aren’t enough thank-yous sent these days. — Emma Dear Emma: This is a thank-you note to you! We constantly hear of the awful, hurtful things being done by people to people, but there isn’t enough recognition of the kind things people do. How to thank these people? I am guessing that you have a community newspaper. Put an announcement in describing the incident and offering much thanks and appreciation to those mysterious helpers. And watch how you walk — those people are not always around. Dear Readers: Recently, I answered a question from a grandmother whose granddaughter asked

for financial help so she and her “serious” boyfriend could move into an apartment together and save money until they could afford a place on their own. Grandma was conflicted and wanted to make sure her relationship with granddaughter wouldn’t suffer if she said no. I advised her to make it a formal loan with definite arrangements for repayment. One of my readers disagreed and sent me this note expressing her opinion: “I think this young couple ought to learn to wait and to pay for what they want. Sex and living together are adult activities. Work and saving come before pleasure, even if saving money is part of their motivation. If they are as emotionally mature as they ought to be, the relationship with Grandma will survive. If not, that’s useful information. —S.K.” Thank you for your input, S.K. This raises another question to think about. Are parents, and especially grandparents, afraid to say no to their children because they are afraid of losing them? (To be continued.) © Helen Oxenberg, 2012. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 27

SING ALONG AT BROOKLYN PARK

Tune up your vocal skills and join the Brooklyn Park Senior Activity Center for Karaoke Hour on Nov. 27, from noon to 1 p.m. Pick a song from the list available or bring in your own karaoke music. Brooklyn Park Senior Activity Center is celebrating its 12th anniversary and is located at 202 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park. For more information, call (410) 222-6847 or visit www.aacounty.org/aging.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Money Law &

BEAT HIGH FOOD PRICES Last summer’s drought has driven up grocery prices; what to stockpile now and what stocks to invest in FINANCIAL LITERACY QUIZ Test your financial know-how, from reverse mortgages to convertible bonds to small claims court A BRIGHT IDEA New LED light bulbs may seem pricey, but they last for more than 20 years and cast a warm glow

Protecting your portfolio from inflation The Federal Reserve announced in Sep- economy with money could eventually untember that it would engage in its third round leash inflation in the future — an event against which every retirement of “quantitative easing” by purinvestor must guard. The key chasing $40 billion per month is to attempt to grow your portof mortgage-backed securities folio at a quicker pace than the to spur economic growth and rate of inflation, while staying help reduce unemployment. focused on the total risk level Whether or not the plan you are willing to assume. Not will work is subject to debate. What is not debatable is that an easy puzzle to solve! the Fed’s action is stirring And here’s one more soberfears of inflation. ing thought: There has not Inflation occurs when the RETIRE SMART been any single asset that acts prices of goods and services as a perfect inflation hedge. By Jill Schlesinger rise, meaning every dollar you spend in the economy purchases less. Options to use sparingly The annual rate of inflation over the past The following are the assets most fre60 years or so has averaged about 3.8 per- quently used to protect portfolios against cent annually. That may not sound like inflation: much, but consider this: Today you need Commodities: When inflation rises, the $8,693.55 in cash to buy what $1,000 could price of commodities like gold, energy, food buy in 1952. and raw materials also increases. ThereCurrently, inflation is running well fore, many investors turn to investments in below the long-term average pace. As of these assets for protection. However, as a August, the government’s measure of in- former commodities trader I must warn flation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), that this is a volatile asset class that can also has increased only 1.7 percent over the stagnate or, worse, lose money over long last 12 months (1.9 percent without food or stretches of time. So investors would be energy costs included). wise to limit commodity exposure to 3-6 However, the Fed’s strategy to flood the percent of their total portfolio value.

Real estate investment tr usts (REITs): The ultimate “real asset,” REITs, which typically own shopping centers, office buildings and other commercial real estate, tend to perform well during inflationary periods due to rising property values and rents. But the nation’s housing bubble has cured most of us of the notion that one “can’t lose with real estate.” Real estate prices could stay depressed for a long period of time. Stocks: Many investors don’t think about stocks as an asset class to combat inflation, but the long-term data show that stocks, especially dividend-producing stocks, tend to perform well in inflationary periods. That said, during short-term inflationary spikes stocks can plunge quickly before reverting to the longer-term trend. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS): Bonds are susceptible to inflation because rising prices can diminish a bond’s fixed-income return. But the U.S. government directly offers investors inflation-indexed bonds, or TIPS, which provide a fixed interest rate above the rate of inflation, as measured by the CPI. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, because the expectation of future inflation is currently running high, investors are pay-

ing up for TIPS, which has driven the interest rate on these bonds below zero. That’s not a typo: Investors are so worried about inflation, they are willing to pay the government now to protect them later. The current pricing of TIPS makes them hard to recommend, even as an “insurance policy” vs. inflation. International bonds: One of the dangers of inflation is that it destroys the value of the U.S. dollar. As a result, there is an argument to allocate a portion of a bond portfolio to a small percentage of international bonds, which are denominated in a foreign currency. This is another one of those asset classes that tends to be volatile. While inflation may be looming, it’s important to underscore that a diversified portfolio, which takes into account your time horizon and risk tolerance, will go a long way toward providing protection. If you are worried about inflation, these other asset classes should be used sparingly to round out your overall allocation. Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Editor-atLarge for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com. She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@moneywatch.com. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

The best investments when rates are low By Mark Jewell Risk-averse investors, prepare to be disappointed a good while longer. Expect interest rates to remain low at least three more years, with investments earning very little unless you’re willing to accept plenty of risk. Money-market mutual funds are likely to continue paying barely above zero, with 10-year U.S. Treasurys yielding less than 2 percent. That’s the outlook after the Federal Reserve’s latest move to stimulate the economy by prodding Americans to spend and borrow more, and invest in stocks again. The program announced in September has been dubbed QE3 — a third round of what economists call quantitative easing, aimed at helping a slow recovery gain momentum. This program goes further than previ-

ous ones. The Fed made an open-ended commitment to buy $40 billion of mortgage securities per month until the job market improves “substantially.” The central bank also extended its pledge to keep short-term interest rates super-low at least into mid-2015. That’s six months longer than the Fed had previously planned.

Many shun stocks Chairman Ben Bernanke made it clear after the announcement that the Fed’s bond-buying is intended in part to lift stock prices. Stock gains increase Americans’ wealth, he noted, which makes people and businesses more likely to spend and invest more. Yet reluctance to invest in stocks, a likely source of frustration for Bernanke, has been a hallmark of a market recovery

that’s been under way three and a half years. Stock prices have doubled from the market’s low in March 2009, but Americans are still withdrawing cash from stock mutual funds in favor of less risky options. The latest evidence: Stocks rose 7 percent from June through August. Yet investors pulled cash from stock mutual funds each month — $24 billion in net withdrawals, according to industry consultant Strategic Insight. Some of that cash went into bond funds, which offer less potential for sharp gains or losses. Indeed, bond funds have attracted cash for 12 consecutive months. The movement of cash illustrates how nervous investors are about market volatility and the economy four years after the financial crisis. “Stock investors remain in a holding pattern, with many watching the rising stock

prices with regret or disbelief,” said Avi Nachmany, research director with Strategic Insight. That cautious mindset is one reason Wasif Latif doesn’t expect the Fed’s latest move will be enough to get average investors to return to stocks. “You need to have sustainable stability, both in the economy and in the markets, for the traditional long-term investor to get back in,” said Latif, a co-manager of asset allocation funds at USAA Investments that invest in stocks and bonds. “And that is not necessarily going to happen overnight.” He notes that the stable returns that most bonds generate are likely to continue to appeal to the growing ranks of riskaverse investors. Many are retired, and rely on investment income to help cover living expenses. They worry about the See INVESTMENTS, page 18

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Investments From page 17 possibility of another sharp decline in stock prices.

Lower-risk investments If that describes your current attitude about investment risk, but you’re also looking to generate income, here are three relatively low-risk investment options to consider in this low-rate environment: 1. Dividend stocks Invest in dividend-paying stocks or funds that specialize in them and you can

expect steady income, along with potential gains from rising stock prices. Dividend-payers tend to rise more slowly during market rallies, but suffer smaller losses when stocks decline. So if a market downturn is around the corner, dividends will offer some protection. Just remember that companies often cut dividends when the economy skids, as they did in large numbers to conserve cash after the 2008 market meltdown. Still, many investors are finding the potential returns and income worth the risks. Investors deposited a net $22.5 billion into dividend-stock funds — usually labeled

BEACON BITS

Nov. 27

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION Debby Chenoweth of the Baltimore County Criminal Investigation

Bureau will give an overview of crime scene investigation techniques and procedures at the Catonsville Senior Center, 501 N. Rolling Rd., Catonsville. Her free presentation will be at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27. For more information, call (410) 887-0900.

Ongoing

SELF-HELP GUIDE AVAILABLE The Baltimore County Self-Help guide is now available online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/women/resources.html.

The guide lists services for women, families and service providers in areas such as health, education, employment, as well as crisis hotline phone numbers. For more information, call (410) 887-3448.

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

‘equity income’ funds — over the 12-month period through August, according to Strategic Insight. During that period, a net total of $114 billion was withdrawn from all other stock fund categories. 2. High-yield bonds These bonds are issued by companies with credit problems. High-yield investors expect higher returns because there’s a greater risk of default than with companies possessing investment-grade ratings. And they’ve gotten them recently. Mutual funds specializing in high-yield bonds have produced an average return of 15 percent over the latest 12-month period, according to Morningstar. That’s the best performance among all bond fund categories, and only slightly lower than the average returns for most categories of diversified stock funds. High-yield bonds are typically less volatile than stocks, but they’re a high-risk option relative to other bonds. Current risks include the possibility that Europe’s debt problems will spin out of control. That could put the domestic economic recovery at risk, potentially leading to a spike in corporate defaults and losses for high-yield investors. 3. Municipal bonds Investments in the bonds issued by

state and local governments typically won’t make you rich, because returns are generally low. But muni bond interest payments are exempt from federal taxes. That protection may extend to state taxes if the munis are issued by the state in which the investor lives. Those tax breaks can be especially important for those in higher income brackets. Munis have been strong performers recently. Returns have averaged of 6.4 percent over the last 12 months for funds investing in intermediate-term munis, according to Morningstar. That’s roughly double the return that funds investing in intermediate-term U.S. government debt have posted. Muni bond prices have rebounded from a market scare in late 2010, when the poor financial condition of many states and cities left investors nervous about a surge of defaults. Although many governments remain troubled, there has been no default surge, and municipal bankruptcies declined last year. Risks include a setback for the economic recovery, which could put more pressure on government budgets, possibly leading to a jump in defaults. Any rise in interest rates also could crimp bond returns. — AP

BEACON BITS

Nov. 29

RETIREMENT FINANCES

Join Mike Crabb of Synergy Financial Group as he discusses ways to help you organize your cash flow during retirement. He will speak at the Liberty Senior Center, 3525 Resource Dr., Randallstown on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call (410) 887-0780.

Dec. 7

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR TODAY’S RETIREES

Review nine mistakes that could derail your retirement in this seminar at the Bykota Senior Center on Friday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. Participants will explore how to estimate retirement income needs, plan for unexpected healthcare expenses and make the most of their savings. The center is located at 611 Central Ave., Towson. For more information, call (410) 887-2002.

Don’t Let Nursing Home Costs Take Every Dime You’ve Worked For. Medical Assistance Planning and Eligibility Advance Medical Directives / Living Wills Trusts / Estate Planning Administration Wills / Powers of Attorney Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts Guardianship

Frank, Frank

& Scherr, LLC

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

Elder Law, Estate & Special Needs Planning 410.337.8900 | www.frankelderlaw.com | 1.888.338.0400 Towson | Columbia | Easton

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Financial literacy means financial security C. SEC (Securities and Exchange ComA theme I have discussed in past columns is the need for improved financial mission) D. SIPC (Securities Investor literacy. Those who lack a Protection Corporation) sound understanding of perE. None of the above sonal finance principles will 4. Which of the followlikely fail to make the right deing statements are true recisions about saving, investing, garding small claims minimizing expenses, securing court? good insurance, and estate A. You are not required to planning, which are essential bring a lawyer if you are a to their financial well-being and plaintiff. that of their families. B. If you do not bring a I thought it might be enlightlawyer (as plaintiff), the deening to present a quiz so read- THE SAVINGS fendant is not allowed to ers can test their knowledge. GAME By Elliot Raphaelson bring one. The first three questions come C. If you win your case (as from a similar exercise compiled by FINRA, a securities regulatory plaintiff), the judge will make sure you are body. (You can find that quiz at paid. D. If you win your case (as plaintiff), the http://apps.finra.org/quiz/1/investorquiz.a spx.) The other questions, and the commen- judge may (depending on state law) award tary in the answer key, on page 21, are my you court costs and legal fees you paid. 5. Which of the following statements own. 1. In general, if interest rates go are true regarding reverse mortgages? A. As long as you continue to reside in down, then bond prices... your home, maintain it, and pay real estate A. Go down. taxes and homeowner insurance on time, B. Go up. you can stay in the home even if the value C. Are not affected. 2. Which of the following is the best of the property decreases substantially. B. There are substantial fees associated definition of a “junk” bond? A. A bond that is rated as “below invest- with obtaining a reverse mortgage. C. Many financial institutions have ment grade” by rating agencies B. A bond that has declined substantial- stopped offering reverse mortgages. D. If only one spouse obtains a reverse ly in value mortgage, even if he/she dies, the survivC. A bond that has defaulted ing spouse can continue to reside in the D. A bond that is not regulated 3. Which of the following organiza- home under all circumstances. 6. Which of the following statements tions insures you against losses in the are true regarding convertible bonds? stock market? A. If the common stock of the issuing A. FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance corporation increases significantly in Corporation) B. FINRA (Financial Industry Regulato- value, the bondholder can convert the bond into common stock and accordingly ry Authority)

NOTICE TO SENIORS, VETERANS AND THE DISABLED What would you say if we told you – you don’t have to pay your credit card or medical bills? Most of our clients say, “ank you.” Living on Social Security, disability payments, pensions or veteran’s beneﬁts? Federal law states that your income cannot be taken to repay debts, even some student loans. Don’t endure frustrating calls and letters from collection agents. You can live worry-free as thousands of our clients do. DCSD shelters you from harassment DCSD protects your income DCSD is not a bankruptcy Stop creditors from breaking the law by collecting debts you can’t pay. ere is an aﬀordable alternative to bankruptcy. For as little as $20 per month you can employ a DCSD Attorney to deal with your debts.

Call Debt Counsel for Seniors and the Disabled For a Free Consultation at 1-800-992-3275 EXT. 1304 Founded in 1998 Jerome S. Lamet Founder & Supervising Attorney • Former Bankruptcy Trustee www.debtcounsel.net info@lawyers-united.com

make a profit. B. The interest rate on the bonds is higher than the rate for comparable (i.e., same credit rating) corporate bonds that are not convertible. C. Convertible bonds are generally issued by corporations with high credit ratings. D. Once convertible bonds are issued, the interest rate paid to owners of the bond is fixed.

7. If you purchased a home for $150,000, with the expectation that homes in that area will increase in value 8 percent per year, what would you expect the value of the home to be in 27 years? A. $300,000 B. $600,000 C. $900,000 D. $1,200,000 Answers on page 21.

® Maryland’s LARGEST eBay Shop & Drop-Off Store!

We buy your items outright or market them to sell for the HIGHEST PRICE! Call us... we come to YOU! WE BUYAND SELL: Cars, Trucks, Boats, Bikes, Motorcycles, Tools, Electronics, Musical Instruments, Collectibles & more!

Come in and r shop our store fo LS! AMAZING DEA

• TV & Stereo Equipment • Computers & Networking • Vintage Audio • Musical Instruments • Sporting Goods • Cars, Trucks, and Boats

• Hand and Power Tools • Lawn Equipment • War Memorabilia • Video Games & Consoles • Antiques & Collectibles • And much more!

443-770-0128 WhaddyaGot.com Open Mon. thru Sat. 10am–5pm • 4425 Mountain Road, Pasadena, MD 21122

Let us help you with life’s changes. Susquehanna Trust & Investment Company can help you with: • Estate and gift concerns • Investment management • Tax strategies • Financial recordkeeping • Bill payments from your account • Sale of a home as an account service To learn more, call Ken Hoefer, Senior Vice President, at 410.316.0240, or email him at Kenneth.Hoefer@susquehanna.net. SECURITIES AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: • NOT FDIC INSURED • MAY LOSE VALUE • NOT BANK GUARANTEED • NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY

Doing what counts. |

susquehanna.net

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to shop in era of high food prices By Lisa Gerstner Anyone who witnessed the browned and stunted farm fields in drought-stricken states over the summer could tell you that this year’s harvest won’t be up to par. Though the worldwide outlook for food and grains seems healthy, smaller yields in the U.S. will likely lead to a bump in prices on supermarket shelves in the coming year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently predicted that higher crop prices would push prices for fats and oils up by as

much as 5 percent this year, and prices for cereals and bakery products up by as much as 4 percent in 2013. Prices for dairy products, poultry, pork and beef are also expected to spike. Cows produce less milk in extreme heat, and higher prices for corn and soybeans make it more costly to feed livestock.

What to stockpile now But shoppers who make space in their freezers and pantries now will find a silver lining. As cattle become too expensive for

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

RSVP SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Baltimore County’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is seeking volunteers for activities from mentoring children to preparing income tax returns, planting trees and more. For more information, call (410) 8873101 or email volunteers@baltimorecountymd.gov.

Ongoing

farmers to feed, more cows are going to slaughter early. That means beef supplies will increase for the short term, causing prices to dip temporarily before shooting up as supplies eventually decrease. More modest price hikes for processed foods won’t hit fully until well into 2013. But stockpiling now could help you avoid paying more later. Stephanie Nelson, founder of CouponMom.com, suggests being flexible about what you buy as price tags tick up. Prices on frozen foods may run lower than fresh. Purchasing a large cut of meat — such as an entire pork loin rather than just chops, and having the store’s butcher cut it up for you — could save you 50 percent per pound.

Invest in an ETF Want to offset the cash you leak at the grocery store? Consider investing in an exchange-traded fund linked broadly to agriculture production, such as Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (symbol MOO). The fund’s holdings, such as Monsanto and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, could benefit as farmers purchase drought-resistant seeds or more fertilizer to coax yield out of surviving plants, said Dave Nadig, director of research for IndexUniverse. Lisa Gerstner is a staff writer at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

ARE WE SO DIFFERENT? Throughout history, the differences in how we look have been a

VOLUNTEER AT SINAI HOSPITAL

Sinai Hospital relies on volunteers to visit patients in nursing units, greet and direct patients in admitting areas, deliver flowers, books or magazines, and survey patients about their hospital experience. To find out more, call (410) 601-5023.

source of strength, community and personal identity. They have also been the basis for discrimination and oppression. The Maryland Science Center presents “Race: Are We So Different?,” an exhibit that explores the themes of the everyday experience of race, the contemporary science that is challenging common

Ongoing

ideas about race, and the history of this idea in the United States. The Science

If you’d like to receive updates about new volunteer opportunities, one-time events or one-time agency needs, sign up at www.baltimorecountymd.gov and click on “Volunteer Today.”

Let an Erickson Living community take your worries away. Discover the confidence and security thousands of people just like you already enjoy at their local Erickson Living® communities. Our full-service retirement lifestyle is more affordable than you think. Call 1-800-681-0648 for your FREE brochure and schedule a tour.

8728041

Center is located at 601 Light St. Museum pricing for those 62+ ranges from $14-$15.95. For more information, visit www.mdsci.org.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Answers to financial literary quiz 1. B. When interest rates decrease, new bond prices have a lower rate, and accordingly older bonds with a higher fixed rate appreciate. Conversely, when interest rates go up, the value of existing bonds depreciate. Long-term bonds depreciate by a much higher percentage than short-term and intermediate-term bonds, regardless of quality. Even if you purchase long-term Treasury bonds, if interest rates increase, the value of longterm Treasuries will decrease in value. 2. A. Junk bonds, also known as highyield bonds, generally pay much higher interest rates than U.S. Treasury bonds. However, they are riskier because the company may default on the interest or go bankrupt. I recommend that you invest in conservative high-yield funds such as Vanguard if you invest at all in this type of bond. 3. E. FINRA and the SEC ensure that security rules and regulations are followed, and punish violators. SIPC returns funds and securities to investors if brokerage firms become insolvent. No agency insures you against stock market losses. 4. A and D. Re: B, either party may bring an attorney if they wish. Re: C, the judge cannot force the defendant to pay even if you win. He can enter a judgment against the defendant, but you will have to take steps to collect.

5. A, B and C are true. Regarding D, if only one spouse enters into a reverse mortgage agreement, the surviving spouse is not protected. Both spouses should enter into the agreement if the intention is for both parties to reside in the home after the death of the other spouse. 6. A and D. Re: B, convertible bonds generally pay a lower rate of interest than corporate bonds issued with comparable ratings. That is one reason why corporations issue convertible bonds, because they can issue them with a lower interest rate, thus reducing their interest costs. Re: C, convertible bonds generally are issued by corporations that do not have the highest credit ratings, although there are exceptions. 7. D. The Rule of 72 can be used to compute future expected value. If you divide 72 by the expected interest rate, it will result in the number of years it takes to double in value (using the assumption of compound interest). In this example, the value of the home will double three times. You can use this formula also for predicting the future value of a fixed investment in common stocks or other investments. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 30+

HANDCRAFTS AND HOMEMADE TREATS Get in the holiday spirit at Aigburth Mansion’s annual bazaar Nov.

30 and Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. Enjoy delicious homemade holiday treats while browsing through a wide variety of handcrafted items at 212 Aigburth Rd., Towson. For more information, call (410) 296-6695.

Dec. 7+

YULETIDE AT HAMPTON Yuletide at Hampton is an annual tradition. Experience the Towson mansion during the holidays in period fashion. Enjoy family-friendly

events the entire weekend, including storytelling, songs of the season, dancing, arts and crafts. All events are free and accessible. Events are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mansion is located at 535 Hampton Lane. Call (410) 8231309 x 251 or visit www.nps.gov/hamp for more information.

MOVE IN BY 12/31/12 AND GET A FREE FLAT SCREEN TV

The Meadows of Reistertown offers the maintenance-free, independent lifestyle you’ve been looking for in a retirement community. • Social, Educational and Recreational Events • Patios or Balconies • Individual Climate Control • Convenient to Shoppings, Banking and Restaurants

• Emergency Response System • Controlled Access Entry • Hair Salon • Elevators • Smoke Free • Small Pets Welcome

Live the carefree life you’ve been waiting for, and let us take care of all the details!

For more information call

410-526-3380

300 Cantata Court • Reisterstown, MD 21136

www.firstcentrumcommunities.com

930 Bay Forest Ct. • Annapolis, MD 21403

410-295-7557

7975 Crain Hwy. • Glen Burnie, MD 21061

410-969-2000

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Some facts about the new LED light bulbs By Patricia Mertz Esswein They’re pricey, but they promise to shed a lot of light and cost you less over time. 1. Incandescents are dead. As manufacturers phase out traditional light bulbs that don’t meet new federal standards for efficiency, the first to go are 100-watt bulbs in 2012. The phase-out continues with 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 60-watt and 40-watt bulbs in 2014. You could substitute halogens or compact fluorescents (CFLs), but LEDs (short for light-emitting diodes) will take you straight into the future of lighting. 2. Long live LEDs. Well-designed and well-manufactured LED bulbs are rated to last 25,000 hours — or at least 22 years based on three hours’ use a day — and use

about 80 percent less energy than incandescents to produce the same amount of light, as measured in lumens. (CFLs use about 75 percent less energy; halogens, 30 percent less.) 3. They’re not cheap. The cost of an LED bulb — $15 to $40, depending on the equivalency — may give you pause. But the cost per bulb has fallen from just two years ago, and it will continue to fall with improved technology and ramped-up production. The Department of Energy (DOE) found that CFLs (which cost about $5 per bulb) beat LEDs by only $10 in net savings over their lifetime. BGE offers $10 in instant savings on LED bulbs at selected stores to help offset

BEACON BITS

Dec. 14

HOLIDAY PRODUCTION AT ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE The Pascal Senior Activity Center is taking reservations for a van

trip to the Talent Machine’s holiday production on Dec. 14 at St. John’s College in Annapolis. The cost is $5, and a donation for transportation also will be accepted. The van will leave the center at 11:15 a.m. and return at 2:30 p.m. Sign up at the

the steep price. See www.bgesmartenergy.com/residential/lighting-appliances/ lighting-discounts. 4. What you’ll like. LED bulbs can be designed to cast a warm glow or a bright, white light. They emit no ultraviolet radiation and produce very little heat. Flip a switch, and the bulb comes on instantly and fully. When dimmed (the bulb must be compatible with the dimmer in your fixture), it won’t hum, flicker or change color. LEDs are resistant to vibration and breakage, and they come in a variety of specialty styles and shapes. Replacement bulbs for lamps are available in 40-, 60- and 75-watt equivalents; 100-watt equivalents are likely by early 2013. 5. Research your investment. Look for manufacturers that have Energy Star

endorsements, and manufacturers and retailers that participate in the DOE’s LED Lighting Facts program (see the fact sheet at www.lightingfacts.com/content/consumers). The bulbs should carry a warranty of three to five years. 6. Start slowly. Try using LED bulbs in hard-to-reach spots or heavily used areas, such as the kitchen, family room and porch. LEDs may seem brighter than the incandescents they’re designed to replace, so instead of a 60-watt-equivalent bulb, try a less-costly 40-watt-equivalent. You may ultimately need to buy and try a few LEDs to find a model that works for you. Patricia Mertz Esswein is an associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS The Legal Services for Senior Citizens Program provides free legal

assistance, consultation and/or representation to seniors 60 or older on healthcare issues, income maintenance, nutrition, housing and utilities, protective services and unemployment benefits, and will assist in helping a senior in a lawsuit

center’s Trip Desk. Space is limited. For information, call (410) 222-6680 or visit www.aacounty.org/aging.

when there is substantial risk to the client’s person, property or civil rights. Call the Maryland Senior Legal Helpline at (410) 951-7750.

Pre-Planning Special S H  J C and M H R C

Buy one pre-need interment space and get the second at 50% off Buy one pre-need Deluxe Cemetery vault and get the second one at 50% off All Wilbert vaults 20% off

10% off Markers

Now through 12-31-12

20% off Monuments

(Promotional pricing limited to Pre-Need sales only)

Other savings available! See our Family Service Associates for details

Ask about the new Holy Angels Cremation Niches at Sacred Heart of Jesus Spaces still available at Most Holy Redeemer Mausoleum

R Dundalk SACRED H EART OF JESUS 410.284.0648

C

Baltimore MOST HOLY R EDEEMER 443.872.6372

HOME APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

Annapolis ST. M ARY ’S 410.284.3185

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Careers Volunteers &

Does your organization use senior volunteers or do you employ a number of seniors? If you do and you’d like to be considered for a story in our Volunteers & Careers section, please send an email to info@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Caring for elders leads to new profession timore, Kreinik was asked two years ago to set up a new, nonsectarian elder-care management program at Jewish Community Services (JCS). An elder care manager can cut through red tape, navigate the healthcare system, coordinate medical care, and get results, Kreinik explained.

How care managers help Called an ECM for short, an elder care manager “advocates for your older relative and collaborates with the family, almost like becoming part of a team. The ECM can gather information and resources, and help you make informed decisions that are right for your family,” Kreinik said. The field of geriatric care management is relatively new, but growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation is expected to grow by a healthy 19 percent through 2018. The growth is being fueled by the increasing needs of the aging baby boomer population, especially in popular retirement states like Florida, Texas and California. Elder care managers often work for healthcare consulting companies, social

Searching for Senior Living Options? Find what you are looking for in print…

online…

on our award winning App…

or mobile site.

To order your FREE guide, call 1•800•820•3013 log on to www.NewLifeStyles.com download the free iPhone® App

THE SOURCE FOR SENIOR LIVING

service agencies like JCS, or own their own elder care management practice. The National Association of Professional Care Managers can help you find an elder care manager in your — or your loved one’s — community; log on to www.caremanager.org. Other helpful websites in locating a care manager include www.caring.com, www.agingcare.com, www.seniorbridge.com, and www.midatlanticgcm.org. “Elders and their families need an advocate,” said Kreinik, “…someone who can speak for them and follow up to see that their needs are being met.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACQUELINE KREINIK

By Carol Sorgen When Jacqueline Kreinik became a nurse more than three decades ago, she found that she enjoyed caring for her older patients the most. “I liked hearing the stories they told,” recalled Kreinik, 61, who began her nursing career in New York. Kreinik’s interest in elder care led her to California to pursue a graduate degree in gerontology — the study of the process of healthy aging. But a 20-some-year detour into running a family business with her husband in Baltimore took her out of the healthcare profession. About seven years ago, the Kreiniks sold the business — a consumer do-it-yourself-kit manufacturing company — and Kreinik began thinking of following her earlier passion. Kreinik liked the fact that healthcare is more patient-centered than it was when she left the field. She also thought that with the customer service expertise she had gained as a business owner, it might be a good time to apply those skills in a new (or in her case, previous) direction. Through contacts she made while working at several healthcare organizations in Bal-

Individual assessments Along with a team of elder care specialists — including licensed nurses and social See ELDER CARE, page 24

Jacqueline Kreinik turned her nursing experience and interest in gerontology into a career as an elder care manager. She recently established a nonsectarian, elder care management program at Jewish Community Services.

Volunteers & Careers | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Elder care

physicians and other members of a client’s healthcare team. “Our objective is to determine how well the elder is adapting to the process of aging, and to help him or her have a higher quality of life,” said Kreinik. Kreinik and the other JCS care managers can meet clients where they live, whether they reside in their own homes, an assisted living facility, or a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). They can also work within a hospital or hospice situation to make sure the elder’s needs

From page 23 workers who specialize in caring for the aging — Kreinik’s first charge when meeting a new client is to assess the elder’s current physical, emotional, mental and cognitive health, as well as safety within their living environment. In addition to the individualized assessment, the elder care management team can develop a detailed action plan, coordinate ongoing care, and advocate with

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS Baltimore County is seeking volunteers for county school kinder-

garten programs. Opportunities are available in elementary schools throughout the county. There is no minimum requirement for number of hours of service. Training will be provided by the Baltimore County Public Schools. For more information, call Baltimore County Volunteers at (410) 887-2715.

Ongoing

DRIVE CANCER PATIENTS TO TREATMENTS The American Cancer Society provides free transportation by volunteers to and from patients’ lifesaving cancer treatments

through its Road to Recovery program. Volunteers receive special training before they begin driving. Drivers may choose times, day and distance of assignments. Call 1-800-227-2345 to learn more about becoming a Road to Recovery volunteer.

BRAND NEW APARTMENT HOMES FOR ACTIVE ADULTS 62 OR BETTER Regency Crest is an extraordinarily carefree community because of the convenient lifestyle enjoyed by those who live here. We go the extra mile to provide our residents with distinctive amenities and service that cannot be found in ordinary active adult communities. COMMUNITY AMENITIES • Beautiful club room with theater and demonstration kitchen • Wellness center • Indoor saltwater pool • Yoga studio & classes • Cooking Classes, and many more planned activities • Movie theater & Billiards Room • Business center • Incredible courtyard and meditation garden with koi pond and gazebo PLANNED ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WATER AEROBICS, RESIDENT MIXERS, COOKING CLASSES, ZUMBA, MOVIE NIGHTS, BBQ’S AND MANY MORE!

3305 Oak West Drive Ellicott City, MD 21043

855.446.1131

www.RegencySeniorApartments.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

and wants are being met. “That’s paramount,” said Kreinik, adding that care managers can step in when family members become so overwhelmed by the demands of caring for an older loved one that they may not even be aware of the resources available to help them. “We highlight the main issues and create recommendations and suggestions,” said Kreinik, noting that doctors — however wellintentioned — just don’t have the time to provide this kind of integrative healthcare. Kreinik added that by taking many responsibilities and dilemmas off the caregiver’s shoulders and by helping them plan for the future, an ECM allows family members to focus on their relationship with each other. “No matter how good our relationships with our loved ones may be, the responsibilities and stresses of caregiving can feel overwhelming, and they’re intensified when we feel we have to handle things alone,” Kreinik said. In the two years since the program began, Kreinik has seen more than 100 clients. An initial one-hour consultation, which costs $125, identifies the elder’s current issues. “Sometimes that’s all the family needs and they’ll take things from there,” said Kreinik. The next step, for those who want additional services, is a two- to four-hour full assessment for $650 where Kreinik can begin to develop a relationship with the

client, outline the major issues facing the family, and write a report recommending various options — be it hiring an aide who comes to help with medications, to moving to a more secure environment, to arranging for transportation to doctors, shopping and social activities. Ongoing care coordination costs $125 an hour. Kreinik has found that many elders are resistant to change, but as she develops a trusting relationship with them, they begin to be more honest in revealing some of their concerns. In working with them and creating a set of recommendations, Kreinik also takes the burden off the adult children — which benefits all concerned. “Parents don’t want to be told what to do, and grown children don’t want the responsibility of having to make important life decisions if their parents are still able to do so” for themselves, she said. For Kreinik the joys of working as an elder care manager include the opportunity to create change, and the one-on-one relationships she develops. “My true satisfaction is having the time to get to know my clients,” she said. For more information about Jewish Community Services’ Elder Care Management Program, call (410) 466-9200 or log on to www.jcsbaltimore.org. For more information on career opportunities in elder care management, visit the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers at www.caremanager.org.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

You’re on top of your medications. But we make a good back up. You know it’s important to stay on your medications exactly as prescribed. However, if you miss a dose, want a lower-cost alternative, or experience any side effects, we can answer any questions. Speak to your local CVS Pharmacist to learn more. Find a store near you at www.cvs.com

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Volunteers & Careers

014331RXX11

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Travel Leisure &

How to cope with price gouging during holiday travel. See story on page 29.

Costa Rica preserves its natural wonders

close at hand. Because so much of the miniscule country is preserved in its natural state, human development is never far from Mother Nature. More than 1,000 species of butterflies dot the landscape with myriad colors. About 850 types of birds have been spotted, more than 600 of them permanent residents. Fortunately, we escaped encounters with the nearly 100 different kinds of mosquitoes that find Costa Rica’s damp environment to their liking. Even wildlife that prefers to live in isolation has few places of refuge unreachable by people determined to admire animals on their home turf. Wishing to experience as much as possible of what Costa Rica has to offer in the limited time we had available, my wife Fyllis and I chose to go there with a tour operator we had traveled with before. We went with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), the self-styled “Leader in small groups on the road less traveled.” The trip itinerary allowed us to pack as many experiences as possible into every hour of every day. And packed with action every waking hour was. For example, one typical day included a visit to an OAT-sponsored school where the children greeted the group with a charming folkloric presentation, a traditional lunch with a local family, and a guided horseback ride through a dense forest. Another began with a hands-on tortilla-making lesson followed by two opportunities to view giant crocodiles at close range, and ended with a visit to one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches.

A preservation pioneer Costa Rica’s remote Monteverde Cloud Forest covers 26,000 acres and is home to 3,000 kinds of plants, including 500 types of orchids, the most anywhere on Earth.

Much time was spent being introduced to the country’s major claims to tourism fame — animal watching and exploring vast

By Victor Block I knew before traveling to Costa Rica that it has a well-deserved reputation for preserving its magnificent environment. I was aware of the diversity of landscapes and multiplicity of animal and bird life. But only after spending time in what I found to be a virtual Garden of Eden did I fully appreciate the fact that so much variety is compressed into an area slightly smaller than West Virginia. The setting changes quickly and frequently in the compact Central American country. An uphill climb can transport you from an Amazon-like jungle environment to an alpine woodland reminiscent of Switzerland. Both dry stretches of forest and pockets of verdant wetlands lie in the shadow of volcanoes, several of which occasionally remind those within sight and earshot that they’re still active. No matter where you are, an astounding array of animal, bird and plant life is always

Two spider monkeys show off their human-like expressions in Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica. They are among the thousands of species of wildlife that live in the country, which prizes its preservation efforts.

stretches of the unspoiled environment. Those two activities are inexorably intertwined, for the major emphasis the country puts on preservation provides the diverse landscapes that sustain the tremendous variety of wildlife. While Costa Rica today is renowned for being at the forefront of efforts to protect and preserve nature, that was not always the case. Several decades ago, it was one of the most deforested countries in the Western Hemisphere, with major problems of pollution. Forests were being cleared by loggers, highlands were threatened by coffee growers, and the Pacific lowlands were being devastated by cattle ranchers and cotton farmers. Reacting to those challenges in a way that could, and should, be a model for other nations, the government responded efficiently and effectively. It clamped down on the export of more than 60 species of trees and began to require permits for timbering. It established a commission to prescribe remedies for the country’s growing environmental problems. The results have been dramatic and successful. About 28 percent of Costa Rica’s land is set aside in national parks, wildlife refuges and reserves. Nearly one-third of

funds derived from the tax on gasoline goes toward conservation. Among many laws passed to protect the environment is one that requires people who cut down trees for certain uses to plant several more in their place. Some credit for these accomplishments must be given to Costa Rica’s army — or, more accurately, the fact that it does not have one. In 1948, the government disbanded its military and redirected funds it had been spending on defense to environmental and social programs. One result of this widespread effort is that in 2009, Costa Rica was named the “greenest” and “happiest” country in the world. This designation was bestowed by the New Economics Foundation, an independent organization in London that promotes innovative solutions to environmental, social and economic issues. In that same listing, the United States was ranked 114th. This emphasis upon preservation is used to market Costa Rica as the ecofriendly destination it is. For example, nearly 250 hotels, tour companies and other travel vendors have received Certification for Sustainable Tourism, a muchsought-after honor that recognizes and reSee COSTA RICA, page 27

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Costa Rica From page 26 wards their commitment to that goal. The results of these efforts are evident everywhere, and we got to observe a variety of them first-hand. We saw small plots of wooded land owned by low-income people who in the past would have sold the trees to raise money. Now they receive a subsidy from the government to retain them in their natural state. We hiked in Manuel Antonio National Park, which is both one of the smallest preserves in Costa Rica and one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world. Its varied terrain includes a luxuriant rain forest, bird sanctuaries and four inviting beaches.

tops, but had trouble spotting those noisy but elusive critters. When Christopher Columbus reached this land in 1502, he chose the name Costa Rica, or “rich coast,” because he believed the land would yield a vast treasure of gold. However, Spanish conquistadors soon realized they would not discover the mineral wealth they had hoped to find. Visitors today discover wealth of a very different kind. No matter what their expectations, they — like Fyllis and me — are likely to leave Costa Rica with memories of a magnificent natural setting, extraordinary assortment of wildlife, and people who value and protect the riches that Mother Nature has bestowed upon them.

If you go A forest in the clouds Most awesome to Fyllis and me was time spent in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a 26,000-acre preserve that spills down both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of the Tilaran mountain range. We reached the entrance to this jungle-like setting after an 18-mile, 90-minute drive over a road that is more ruts and potholes than gravel. Andres Herrera, our jovial and very knowledgeable OAT guide, explained that the road is maintained in that condition as one way of discouraging too many visitors from descending upon the forest and threatening its fragile ecosystem. The environment into which we entered lives up to its name. Warm air rising from the tropical coast condenses into a persistent fog and mist, more like a constant drizzle than rain. Because sunlight has a difficult time breaking through the thick veil of clouds and dense tree canopy, plant life reaches upward, covering every tree trunk and branch with a proliferation of velvet-like green accented by colorful flowers. More than 3,000 kinds of plants call Monteverde their home, including over 500 types of orchids, the largest diversity of that flowering plant in the world. We explored this dream-like setting by means of six suspension bridges, one almost 1,000 feet long, that wind their way through the high tree canopy about 425 feet above ground level. This provides both a bird’s-eye outlook over the forest below, and close-up views of the plant, bird and animal life that thrives in the mysterious treetop world. Andres explained that the plants that blanket tree trunks are called epiphytes. They grow above the ground, using every trunk and limb as a ladder in their quest for sunlight. Vines that would prompt Tarzan to howl with delight festoon the setting. Adding to the wonder is the opportunity to spot wildlife that thrives in this otherworldy environment. A sign at the entrance to the Cloud Forest notes that 126 species of mammals and 448 types of birds live there. Mammals include jaguars, pumas, ocelots, sloths and tapir. We heard the roar-like sounds of accurately named howler monkeys reverberating from tree-

While Fyllis and I often travel on our own, we agree that some destinations are best visited with a tour company. Group travel combines the convenience of having all logistics and transportation taken care of with

the vast knowledge of seasoned guides. Overseas Adventure Travel boasts a 35year history, offers trips to nearly six dozen countries from Albania to Zimbabwe, and limits land excursions to a maximum of 16 people. It will offer a choice of three 13-day itineraries to Costa Rica during 2013, with prices beginning at $2,395 for trips that in-

clude airfare. Trips are priced about $500 less if you arrange your own air transportation to Costa Rica. From BWI, the lowest airfare is $503 roundtrip on Spirit Airlines in mid-December. Tour prices include most meals. For more information, log onto www.oattravel.com or call 1-800-955-1925. Victor Block is the Beacon’s travel writer.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 6+

CHRISTMAS IN ST, MARY’S COUNTY

Parkville AARP Chapter #3090 is hosting a trip to St. Mary’s County on Dec. 6-7 to get you in the holiday spirit. Lodging, all meals, admissions, gratuities and round trip transportation are included for the $245/double occupancy price. Guided tours of Piney Point Lighthouse, Historic St. Mary’s City with Holiday Madrigal Lunch, Sotterley Plantation and St. Clement’s Island Museum Holiday Doll and Train exhibit are on the itinerary. There will also be visits to Cecil’s Country Store for unique gifts, Flat Farm Holiday Light Display and shopping and wine tasting at Port of Leonardtown Winery. Call (410) 256-4318 or (410) 661-0692 for reservations.

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

We want to be your Family’s Pharmacy That’s why we give you more. Our pharmacists are at the heart of everything we do. They can counsel you on your medications, side effects, drug interactions... even vitamins. We give you more than your medications; we’ll give you the advice you need. Plus a series of pharmacy benefits like no other drugstore.

LifeCheck

When we fill your prescription, our LifeCheck computer system lets our pharmacists triple check your prescriptions.*

Satellite Link

Since all of our Pharmacies are linked by satellite network, we can access your prescription profile and fill your prescription at any location.* *If on file at another Rite Aid store.

Refills By Phone

Internet Refills

Refills just got easier. Call the Pharmacy number on your prescription bottle, enter the prescription I.D. number printed on the label and we will tell you when it will be ready.

With Internet Refills, you can order your prescription without ever leaving the house. Just go to www.riteaid.com and click “Refill Now”, select Store Pick-up or Mail Delivery and simply enter prescription information.

Rite Advice

Vitamin Program

With every prescription, you will receive written information on the dosage, side effects and potential drug interaction.

Only Rite Aid pharmacists are specially trained to know vitamins. Ask your Rite Aid pharmacist for a personal vitamin profile.

Workers’ Compensation

Flavor Rx

“Being injured on the job is hard enough. Your Rite Aid Pharmacist is here to personally help you along your road to recovery.” Ask us about our Workers’ Compensation Prescription Program. There are no hassles, no delays and no out-ofpocket expenses.

We make children’s medicines a lot less yucky. Ask the pharmacist to add any of our 20 great flavors to any of your liquid medications.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Coping with travel gouges at holiday time With Christmas and New Year’s Days falling on Tuesdays, many of you will also be taking the two Mondays off from work, meaning two successive four-day weekends and an 11-day period with only three working days. A vacation clearly beckons. But travel suppliers can also look at the calendar, and many hike their rates for what they expect to be top-demand times.

shows fares actually paid, but the charts do not provide the daily detail that Priceline does. Still, its clear fares to many popular winter destinations increase dramatically. Last year, fares to a handful of warm-weather destinations went up strongly during the last half of December, with some more than doubling. And, over the years, these year-to-year patterns track very closely. Hotwire’s data show that TRAVEL TIPS Best days to fly hotel rates follow the same By Ed Perkins Every year, Priceline posts a patterns. report on the “best” and “good” days to fly Rental car companies can really gouge visduring the holiday season, based on its itors at some popular destinations. Last year, own airfare database. (Visit http://trav- CheapCarRental ela.priceline.com/promo/deals/winter_h (www.cheapcarrental.net/press/christolidays/deals.html.) This year, the only mas11.html) reported that agencies hiked “best” day to fall within the holiday period rates for the cheapest available car during the is Jan. 1; going into the holidays, the clos- Dec. 23-28 period, compared with January est “best dates” are Dec. 16 and 18, too rates, by outrageous increases of 268 percent early for many of you. in Miami, 216 percent in Orlando, and 194 “Good” days give you a somewhat better percent in Honolulu, with increases of 70 perchoice, including Dec. 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, cent to 135 percent in Boston, Chicago, Jack31 and Jan. 2. Not surprisingly, weekend days sonville, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, before, during and immediately after the hol- Philadelphia and San Diego. idays are neither “best” nor even “good.” Priceline’s conclusions are generally sup- What gouges can you avoid? The big question, of course, is how to ported by Hotwire’s TripStarter data (see www.hotwire.com/tripstarter/index.jsp). It avoid price gouges and full occupancies. Be-

Senior Apartments LIVE WELL FOR LESS Roland View Towers • One- and Two-Bedroom as well as Efficiencies • Rents from $443-$744* Utilities Included! • 24/7 on-site Maintenance and Reception Desk • Beauty/Barber Shop on premises • Bus Trips and Social Events and many more amenities!

www.smrvt.com *All residents must meet specific income guidelines.

!"#$%&'()**'+),(-' "..!+/'0)#!'/ "%' 1,*/'2),#'"3$($/2'/)' +)00,%$+"/!4'"#!' 2),'"/'#$*56

“Hearing loss is twice as common in adults with diabetes”

ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE (JULY 2008)

“Older people with mild hearing impairment are nearly twice as likely as those with normal hearing to develop dementia” CNN HEALTHLINE (FEBRUARY 2011)

Call Today for an Assessment (410) 318-6780

For your personal tour contact Arthur or Laura Ruby at

St Mary’s Roland View Towers

To subscribe, see page 35.

ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY (FEBRUARY 2012)

Mention the Beacon for First Month’s Rent FREE!

3838/3939 Roland Ave • Baltimore MD 21211

airlines and the big online travel agencies put together packages that can often come to a lower total than arranging the individual parts on your own. On a quick test, for example, I found that an air-rental car package on Allegiant from Eugene, Ore., to Honolulu for the holiday week added $372 more than airfare for a one-week car rental, compared with the best car-only deal available on Expedia at more than $600. In times past, I’ve been able to find airhotel packages to Hawaii or the Caribbean during the top holiday season when the hotels all showed they were out of available rooms. • Also, consider Europe or Asia. Although airfares to such blockbuster destinations as London, Paris and Rome show a minor spike for mid-December, they’re well under summer levels, and hotel rates are generally low. Clearly, you can’t totally avoid gouges and still travel to an attractive destination. But you can at least minimize those gouges — and still have a great vacation. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

“Untreated hearing loss may increase your risk of Alzheimer’s”

Spectacular View

410-889-8255

yond the frivolous answer of “stay home,” here are some ways you can sometimes avoid the worst gouges: • If you can, try to find an airfare to fly on one of Priceline’s “good” days. Bending the vacation schedule a day or two can have a big payoff on airfare. • Avoid the most popular warm-weather destinations. The year-end holiday period is the busiest time of the year in many destinations — among them Hawaii — and is a very busy season at many others. Airlines and hotels command top dollar. But business travel generally comes to a complete halt during the holidays, so many big-city hotels that normally cater to business travelers are hungry to fill rooms. Some just cut rates; some offer packages that include shopping deals with entertainment. A quick Google search came up with Nutcracker-hotel packages in more than a dozen cities this year, and that’s just a start. • For hotel accommodations, take a look at vacation rentals as well as ordinary hotels. Although most price seasonally, you may find a bit less gouging. • Include air-hotel, air-car, or air-hotelcar packages in your searches. Most big

Rooftop Restaurant

Most major insurance plans accepted

THE HEARING AND SPEECH AGENCY Improving Lives through Communication Since 1926 5900 Metro Drive | Baltimore, MD 21215 www.hasa.org | hasa@hasa.org

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Style Arts &

Read more about Wasyl Palijczuk’s artwork and career on page 32.

BMA shines spotlight on dance in artwork

Matisse’s “Seated Dancer,” 1925-1926, from the series Ten Dancers.

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM

Hermitage collection in Russia, were commissioned in 1910 by Sergey Shcukin, one of the leading Russian collectors of French late 19th and early 20th-century art. Until the Revolution of 1917, they hung on the staircase of his Moscow mansion.) Barnes agreed to pay Matisse $30,000 for the mural, which was expected to take a year, but wound up taking two. Though the project was said to have left the artist physically and emotionally drained, Matisse was pleased with the final result. In a letter to his son, he wrote: “It has a splendor that one can’t imagine unless one sees it….” Some critics believe that the Barnes Dance mural was responsible for a change in direction of Matisse’s art, from more immobile figures — such as those seen in an earlier series of prints of dancers from 1926-27 — to simpler, colorful, more abstract figures that convey more of a sense of movement than his earlier works.

Rodin and Degas works, too In addition to his dance-themed prints and drawings, Matisse made sculptures of dancers that allowed him to explore the challenges of capturing movement in three dimensions. Two early Matisse sculptures of dancers and his well-known “Serpentine” sculpture are also part of the BMA exhibition, along with works by a previous generation of artists who were equally fascinated with dancers, Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas. While Degas is particularly identified with dance — more than half of his works depict dancers, and his tulle-clad “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” at the BMA is one of his best-known pieces —Rodin came late in his career to a love for dance and dancers. In 1906, at the age of 66 and already famous

BMA: THE CONE COLLECTION

dio, we see how Matisse observes a dancer moving through various positions,” he said. “With just a few drawn lines, he captures the essence of the figure’s motion.” Matisse, who was fascinated by the human figure, created the 1931-32 lithograph series about the same time as his famous “Dance” mural in the Barnes Collection, recently unveiled in Philadelphia. “The Dance II” is a 15’ high x 45’ long triptych that was created at the request of art collector Albert C. Barnes after he met Matisse in the United States. (An earlier pair of works, known as “The Dance” and “Music,” which are part of the BMA: THE CONE COLLECTION

By Carol Sorgen When it comes to dance as an art form, Baltimore gets short shrift. But a new exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) may make up for that, at least temporarily…or, then again, leave us yearning for more. “Matisse’s Dancers” is an intimate exhibition of more than 30 dance-themed prints, drawings and sculptures by French artist Henri Matisse. On view in two of the Cone Collection galleries now through Feb. 24, 2013, the exhibition (dedicated in memory of the artist’s grandson and BMA National Trustee Claude Duthuit) spans three decades of the artist’s career — from sculptures created in 1909-11 to delicate drawings of dancers sketched in 1949. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a rarely shown series of 11 transfer lithographs — drawn in 1931-32, but published after Matisse’s death in 1954. They show a dancer/acrobat moving through various positions that evolve into an abstraction of reality, movement and shape. The BMA has the largest and most significant collection of works by Matisse in the world, with approximately 1,500 works, including oil paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, books, textiles, and a ceramic vessel, as well as 220 drawings, prints, and copper plates from the artist’s first illustrated book, Poésies de Stéphane Mallarmé. This exhibition highlights another facet of the museum’s Matisse collection, according to Jay Fisher, deputy director for curatorial affairs. “As if we were present in the stu-

Henri Matisse’s “Dancer Reflected in Mirror,” 1927.

as a sculptor, Rodin saw a performance of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia in Paris. It was love at first sight, and he wrote later, “I contemplated them in ecstasy. There is an extraordinary beauty, a perfect beauty, about these slow, monotonous dances, which follow the pulsating rhythm of the music… [The Cambodians] have taught me movements I had never come across anywhere before…” Rodin followed the dancers from Paris to Marseille, where he spent a week observing them, but it was a week that was to inspire 150 of his most famous drawings. The Baltimore Museum of Art is located at Art Museum Drive. Admission is free. The museum is open Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information, call (443) 5731701 or log onto www.artbma.org.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

How Baltimore sparkles for the holidays! By Carol Sorgen Charm City is never as charming as it is this time of year when it puts on its party clothes to celebrate the holidays. Why don’t you do the same and enjoy some of our hometown’s favorite traditions — and maybe find a few new ones of your own? Art projections on the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

Summertime has open-air movies in Little Italy, and wintertime now has the colorful illuminations of artist and graphic designer Kelley Bell atop the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. The winter-themed creation is projected from three of the four clock faces of the tower so that moving images shine on downtown Baltimore. The projections can PHOTO COURTESY OF THE B&O RAILROAD MUSEUM

be seen from dusk until dawn through Dec. 12. For more information, visit www.bromoseltzertower.com. Power Plant holiday light show spectacular From now through Dec. 31, the Power Plant lights up the Inner Harbor with a magical display of lights, lasers, music and more. Don’t miss this “electrifying” attraction! Find out more at www.itsawaterfrontlife.org. Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees Get a head start on Christmas at the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, Nov. 25-27. This annual three-day extravaganza dazzles with its fairyland forests, gingerbread towns and toy train gardens.

Also, enjoy more than 100 craft boutiques and a line-up of nightly entertainment. Holiday Festival of Trains Celebrate the holiday season at Baltimore’s largest holiday display of toy and model train layouts from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. If there’s a little one in your life, take note that Santa arrives at the Roundhouse by locomotive at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 25. Weekend train rides and photo opportunities with Santa will go on through Dec. 21; then Frosty the Snowman moves in through Dec. 31. For more information, go to www.borail.org. BAZAART: Artful holiday shopping Skip the malls and head to the American See HOLIDAY EVENTS, page 33

Charles Dickens’ Family Holiday Classic

Giant nutcrackers flank model railroads at the Holiday Festival of Trains at the B&O Railroad Museum.

FER F O L A I C SPE REE F 1 t e g Buy 3 : christmas sword

Use pas

Buy Tickets Now! DECEMBER 16TH SUNDAY 6:30PM

410-547-SEAT

Tickets $20-$40

For tickets visit the Modell/Lyric Box Office (M-F 10a-4p). GROUPS SAVE! Call 410-900-1156

MODELLPAC.COM

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Artist

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Teaching young artists

From page 1 where he expected to find cowboys, Indians and gold. A taxi driver convinced him Baltimore was much closer, and except for a stint in the Air Force in Washington State and in Guam, Baltimore has been his home ever since. He spoke no English when he arrived in Baltimore, but Palijczuk eventually graduated from Baltimore City College, went on to earn a B.A. and M.A. at the University of Maryland as the school’s first sculpture candidate, and in 1965, completed a twoyear fellowship at the Rinehart School of Sculpture in Baltimore. That same year, he received an M.F.A. degree and was awarded the prestigious Henry Walters European Traveling Scholarship, which enabled him to spend eight months traveling throughout Europe and the Middle East.

When Palijczuk returned to Baltimore, he began working as a sculptor. But in another happy accident, he received a call from Louise Shipley, then the art director for Western Maryland (now McDaniel) College, asking him if he would be interested in teaching. “I wasn’t,” said Palijczuk, “but she convinced me to meet with her and offered me a job on the spot.” For 38 years Palijczuk taught at McDaniel as a full professor, instructing future generations of artists in such subjects as watercolor, oil painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, 3-D design and more. He also has taught art at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Maryland Institute of Art, and Baltimore Jewish Community Center. Today, his sculptures and paintings are in more than 500 public and private collections across the country and around the world. Now retired from McDaniel, Palijczuk’s

lifetime of artistic accomplishment is being recognized in the exhibition, “Wasyl Palijczuk at 78: Art and Life Retrospective,” on view through Nov. 30 at the Gallery in the Scott Center at Carroll Community College in Westminster.

Works filled with symbolism Palijczuk’s subject matter is as eclectic and diverse as the artistic styles he works in. “It’s whatever comes to my heart and my mind,” he said. “It’s not about the person viewing my work, it’s about my life.” A painting of storks on a thatched roof, for example, might not mean anything to the casual observer, but to the artist, it is a symbol of his early life in Ukraine and the legend there that storks bring good luck. In “Springtime of Our Life,” a transparently pregnant woman is handing a flower to a man dressed in traditional Eastern European garb. That painting was done shortly after Palijczuk’s wife, Oksana, became pregnant with their twin daughters.

Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

Apartment Homes for Those 62 and Better

Designed and managed for today’s seniors at these locations: ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY "#$%&'(!)$&%'*!410-761-4150 ! "#$%&'( +(,($%&!-&$.!410-544-3411 ! +(,($%& )/0123456!7218 )/0123456 ! /9*:&%;!1($$&'(!410-276-6440 ! 7<:;9=$>%?!410-542-4400 )/0123456!74@A18 ! 7&B<%9,>::(!410-719-9464 ! C#%;&:.!410-288-5483 *New D! "#::($B<%!410-663-0665 Renovatlyed! ! 3>$&E&$!0&%;>%?!410-391-8375 ! 5&%;&::9B<F%!410-655-5673 ewly * Rosedale 410-866-1886 Re*N novated! ! 1<F9<%!410-828-7185 ! 1&G:<$!410-663-0363 ! H<<;:&F%!410-281-1120

6/+165A!+I456 ! 6&9B<%!410-770-3070 I/5"45C!74@A18 ! )<J!I>::!410-515-6115 ! )(:!/>$!410-893-0064 I4H/5C!74@A18 ! 7<:<%>&:!0&%;>%?!410-796-4399 ! 7<:#EK>&!410-381-1118 ! +%<F;(%!5>,($!410-290-0384 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BG!410-203-9501 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BG!22!410-203-2096 ! 6E($9<%!301-483-3322 -52A76!L645L6M+!74@A18 NOW! D! ):&;(%9K#$?!301-699-9785 *55 or Better ! 0&#$(:!301-490-1526 ! 0&#$(:!22!301-490-9730

FFFN-&$.O>(F+(%><$0>,>%?N'<E Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com. Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

“I didn’t get married until I was 42,” said Palijczuk, “and this painting represents that new beginning in my life.” Palijczuk’s sculptures are equally symbolic. He likens carving stone to writing a novel. “There are many symbols in my work,” he said. “You can’t just glance and walk away. “Don’t ask me what my art means,” he advises viewers. “Ask what it means to you.” This current exhibit features 48 of Palijczuk’s works, though he estimates he has created “not less than 1,000” paintings and sculptures. And though he still feels the urge to continue working as an artist, he is doing less of that these days, in part because he is occupied with family responsibilities, and in part, because “what the heck would I do with it?” he asked. If he had more spare time, Palijczuk would also like to grow bonsai trees, the Japanese art form of miniature trees grown in containers. “I like nature in all its forms,” he said, to the extent that some of his sculptural pieces even include the skeletal or petrified remains of animals he has found. (He emphasizes, however, that “no animals were killed for my art!”) “I admire what nature does, and I work with what it does,” he explained. While some artists look down on teaching, Palijczuk found that his art complemented his teaching and vice versa. In teaching his students a multitude of art forms, he had to demonstrate those styles to them. It was an ideal melding of his own restless spirit. In his artist’s statement, Palijczuk explains what art means to him: “Art is spontaneous, fresh and exciting. It is love, hate, drama, simplicity, complexity, sadness and joy. It is reality, fantasy, one’s dreams and disappointments. It is a personal view of life, death, the present, the past and the future. Art isn’t a reproduction of another’s work or idea, but is your own personal statement and philosophy of life.” Palijczuk had the opportunity to return to Ukraine in 1991 after the fall of Communism. The one-room house he grew up in was no longer there, nor was there anyone he remembered. And while he has kept his Ukrainian connections strong — he was a member of the Ukrainian-American Association of University Professors, the Baltimore Ukrainian Education Association and the author of a chapter on art in Ukrainians in Maryland — it is the United States that Palijczuk credits with saving his life. “I was born in Ukraine, and she is my mother,” he said, “but America accepted me and she is my love. This is my home.” What still surprises him though, more than a half-century after arriving in this country, is how unplanned his life has been. “One thing just led to another,” he said. Would he have done anything differentSee ARTIST, page 33

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

Holiday events From page 31 Visionary Art Museum on Saturday, Nov. 26, for its Annual Holiday Marketplace of original creations by over 50 regional artists and craftspeople. You’ll find paintings, sculptures, paper crafts, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, mixed media and other work that simply defies categorization! Admission is free. More details available at www.avam.org. Chanukah House Lights abound at the holiday season, and the Chanukah House — a house lit up on the exterior for the eight-day holiday — is no exception. Irwin Cohen has been decorating his house since the late 1980s. Visitors hail from places as far away as Israel and Russia. The house will be lit up for the whole month of December. Its new location is at 6721 Greenspring Ave. For more information, see www.thechanukahhouse.com. Annual Parade of Lighted Boats Baltimore’s nautical spirit shines during the annual Parade of Lighted Boats where more than 50 boats and pleasure crafts festooned with holiday lights make their way to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor from Fell’s Point. It takes place on Dec 1 at 5:30 p.m.

Artist From page 32 ly had he actually made plans? “No,” he said thoughtfully. “Once the war was over, life happened and I’ve enjoyed every part of it.” Carroll Community College, which will exhibit Palijczuk’s work through Nov. 30, is located at 1601 Washington Rd. in Westminster. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD A S A F E

M O R O N

C A S K

A L A I

T S E P E A N

A L E R T

L A N D S A C T A R I D N S E H R A T R I K A

T R A P I S R M I O H A E Y R F E E V E R

B A G A G N A Y G E M A A A L A S T O N E S T R U T B E A N S A E S T P I T T E A R A S N E H A N K Y

M A R T I N I

O L I O

O L D W I A V C E T S

A N N O T A T E D

M A L L

E L S E

A L A M O

C A N O N

O D O R S

From page 34.

S H T I U S N

in Fells Point and 6 p.m. at the Inner Harbor, and will benefit Toys for Tots. Find out more about this Fells Point Yacht Club event at www.fpyc.net. Washington Monument lighting The official lighting of our Washington Monument on Dec. 1 once again features an evening of choir performances, strolling entertainment and more. The event ends with a colorful fireworks finale choreographed to music. Visit www.promotionandarts.com to learn more. Yuletide Candlelight Tours of Fort McHenry Discover how Yuletide celebrations and Fort McHenry’s role changed over time. Join the Park Rangers on Dec. 3 for an exciting walk through the War of 1812, Civil War, World War I and World War II, and a rare glimpse of Fort McHenry at night! Tours are free and last approximately 45 minutes. 39th Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Arts & Style

It’s not holiday season in Baltimore without a trip to Hampden, ‘hon. This year’s Mayor’s Christmas Parade is set for Dec. 4, and features the Baltimore Marching Ravens, Harley Davidson motorcycles, and marching bands. See more at www.mayorschristmasparade.com. Kwanzaa family day Inspired by “Hand Held: Personal Arts from Africa,” this year’s celebration of community and family on Dec. 28 at the Baltimore Museum of Art features a special performance by Keur Khaleyi African Dance Company and fascinating stories brought to life by actress Maria Broom. For more information, visit www.artbma.org. Reginald F. Lewis Museum Kwanzaa activities Red, black and green — Celebrate the colors of Kwanzaa from Dec. 28-30 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum with fun-filled activities for the family. Learn Kwanzaa traditions while working on craft projects.

Dance to traditional African music and enjoy a live performance from Farafina Kan, a professional West African percussion orchestra from Washington, D.C. More details at www.africanamericanculture.org. Inner Harbor entertainment and fireworks Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular, a tradition in Baltimore City for more than 30 years, continues on Monday, Dec. 31 from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The fireworks display is the largest in the region and starts at the stroke of midnight. Fireworks can be seen from downtown attractions, restaurants, hotels, residences and surrounding areas, including Fell’s Point, Harbor East and Federal Hill. Prior to the fireworks show, enjoy live music starting at 9 p.m. at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater, located at Pratt and Light Streets. From all of us to all of you, have a healthy and happy holiday season!

DECEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Puzzle Page

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Fiber Count by Stephen Sherr 1

9 15

27 33

34 39

46 50

41 47

JUMBLE ANSWERS

Scrabble answers on p. 33.

Answer: How the rock star ran for office -- ON HIS "RECORD" Jumbles: CARGO FETID PRISON BOYISH

Across

Down

1. Milkshake or beer request 6. Cattle call 9. Big party 13. Energy option 14. ___ pass 15. Pro’s foe 16. War zone 17. Not at all humid 18. They meet the zebras at the watering hole 19. 1970’s carpool carrier 22. Otolaryngologists, more commonly 23. Snow plank 24. ___ 9:00; out by 5:00 25. Fall contest held annually since 1930 30. Water preservers 33. Rocks, to a mixologist 34. And a bunch of other guys (abbrev.) 35. In the style of 36. Resistance unit 39. Purchaser of X-ray equipment 41. They come three per milliliter 42. Indian dress 44. Org. that breaks into cars 46. Gumbo server 48. They too shall pass 52. Lord’s servant 53. Capote-themed play 54. Mexican munchie 58. High fiber selection 61. Theatre offering 62. Place for the sheriff ’s star 63. Instrument in a jazz trio 64. Start to scope 65. Kitchen extension 66. Strong suit 67. Songwriter Paul, who composed Johnny Carson’s theme 68. Dorm V.I.P.’s 69. Light beer signs

1. “Have ___ trip” 2. Dumbbell 3. Well-rested 4. Reaches Park Place 5. Golf hazard 6. Spy glass content 7. Mishmash 8. Story tellers 9. Emotional encumbrances 10. Added commentary 11. Shock 12. Quick greetings 14. Tearjerker take-along 20. Belief system 21. At least one 26. Carnival city 27. Be in a cast 28. It may have multiple anchors 29. Ultimatum ending 30. It can really hold its liquor 31. Jai ___ 32. Poker hustler 37. Medical condition which is not caused by cut grass, and does not impact body temperature 38. Bell and Barker 40. Pub brew 43. Lethargy 45. Certifies as true 47. Star of Let’s Dance in 1950 49. Before, briefly 50. Deliver the keynote 51. She’s chaste all through the abbey 55. Rental car option 56. Body of rules 57. They are down in the dumps 58. College applicant, probably 59. Early home video recording format 60. Bridge 61. Hot springs

Answers on page 33.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2012

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

Business & Employment Opportunities HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS A Nursing Agency in Baltimore County is hiring. Needed are RNs, LPNs and CNAs with current experience providing direct pediatric/geriatric care. To apply: 410-779-9162.

Caregivers LICENSED, BONDED CNA with decade of geriatric care experience seeks long-term, fulltime overnight position. Currently a grad student pursuing nursing degree, I come with an extensive resume, sterling references & solid pet-care skills. If interested, kindly call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653. CEMETERY LOTS Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. Two – 2 grave lots priced lower then cemetery asking price. Call 410-252-7471 or 443-465-7915.

Health BAD KNEES? I stopped my knee pain using natural supplements. Comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. You lose nothing buy pain! 443462-6083. Email: healthyknees@yahoo.com.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Miscellaneous CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS BOOKSTORE Books – Bibles – Gifts – Music – Church Supplies – Murphy Robes – Gift Certificates – Flowers – Gift Baskets – Spanish Resources. Call 571-765-3558 or order online www.spiritualpraise.net / www.churchfashions.net.

Personal Services LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200. PERSONAL ASSISTANT I do it all. Cook, clean, drive, paint & light computer, etc. Semiretired male. Part-time. $18/hour. 410-6276468, Alan.

Wanted $$$ NEED CASH $$$ We’ll Buy Your Stuff. Moving/downsizing, De-Cluttering, Loved One has passed. We Plan and Operate Estate Sales. Help You Sell on E-Bay and Craigslist. We Clean Out Buildings, Barns, Sheds and More... Call for other services 443-514-8583. CASH BUYER for old costume jewelry, pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watch maker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410655-0412. BUYING NUMISMATIC COINS and most gold or silver items including coins, sterling, jewelry, etc. Will come to you with best cash offer. Call Paul: 410-756-1906. COLLECTOR BUYING MODERN FURNITURE, lighting, art & accessories from the 1940’s – 1970’s. Danish/Scan, Knoll, Herman Miller, Dunbar, Paul Evans, Thayer Coggin, Harvey Probber, Vladimir Kagan, Nakashima ect. Also buying abstract modern art, ceramics, glass and records. Please call 202-213-9768. FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan 301-279-8834. Thank you. VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

Thanks for reading!

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

CENTERSTAGE REVISITS EDGAR ALLAN POE

Baltimore actor Bruce Nelson stars in this tale of the morbid life and mysterious final days of Baltimore’s treasured emblem of oddness, Edgar Allan Poe. By turns a madcap vaudeville and a touching examination of artistic aspiration, The Completely Fictional — Utterly True — Final Strange Tale of Edgar Allan Poe, is the current production at CenterStage, running through Nov. 25. Tickets start at $10, and can be ordered online at www.centerstage.org, or by calling (410) 332-0033.

Ongoing

WAR IS PLAYED FOR LAUGHS AT EVERYMAN

In its last production in its current Charles Street home, Everyman Theatre presents Heroes. The year is 1959, and three aging World War I veterans find themselves residing together in a military retirement home in the French countryside. Heroes combines Tom Stoppard’s wit with the poignancy of the three veterans approaching their final journey together. The play runs through Dec. 2. For tickets, see www.everymantheatre.org, call (410) 752-2208 or email boxoffice@everymantheatre.org.

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

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

Letters to editor From page 2 Dear Editor: I love reading the Beacon. I just read the November letter to the editor from Dr. Timothy Modlin, and it made me think about my cancer. I have been through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and I was very de-

s a t! e ak if M at g e gr

pressed from it. But I also have a positive attitude and faith in God. My mother was not here to help me (she died when I was 5 years old), but I was blessed with four children who were there for me. I am still under the doctor’s care, but I know God is there for me and my family. Mary Dilworth Pasadena

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

OV E R

5 0

NEWS & FEATURES • LAW & MONEY FITNESS & HEALTH • LEISURE & TRAVEL ARTS & STYLE • VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS We are pleased to offer both First-Class and Third-Class subscriptions:

$36/year via First Class Mail* $12/year via Third Class Mail* Please send a one-year subscription to: Name:____________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________ City: _____________________State:_____Zip: ___________ BB12/12

❐ ONE YEAR First-Class rate (Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $38.16) ❐ ONE YEAR Third-Class rate (Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $12.72 in MD) ❐ Check here if this is a gift subscription. A gift card will be sent in your name: _________________ Return form with check made payable to The Beacon, to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Maryland residents: add 6% for sales tax.

DECEMBER 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Dr. Hatem Abdo

410-391-6904

Dr. Clayton Dean

410-539-3434

Dr. Lawrence Shin

410-368-8323

Dr. Spiro Antoniades 410-539-3434

Dr. James Frazier

410-391-6904

Dr. Gurtej Singh

410-849-4270

Dr. Oren Blam

410-644-1880

Dr. Dale Johnson

410-601-5201

Dr. Brian Steinmetz 410-539-3434

Dr. Andrew Brown

410-350-3389

Dr. David Maine

410-332-9036

Dr. Henry Wang

443-849-2311

Dr. William Cook

410-879-0066

Dr. Charles Park

410-391-6904

Dr. Thelma Wright

410-448-7120

Dr. Charles Yim

443-849-2311

Dr. Michael Dabbah 410-337-8888

Dr. Charles Schnee 410-646-0220