December 2012 DC Beacon Edition

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VOL.24, NO.12

Excited about aging in D.C.

Creating an age-friendly city The DCOA recently completed its first senior needs assessment since 1978, and from that developed a three-year strategic plan encompassing a number of departments throughout DC government. Mayor Vincent Gray announced the initiative at a recent press conference.

The first of its four major goals is to make the District of Columbia into an “age-friendly city.” It’s part of an international effort begun by the World Health Organization and supported in the U.S. by AARP. This means pulling together government

DECEMBER 2012

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY BARBARA RUBEN

By Barbara Ruben “What changes would you like to see at the center?” D.C. Office on Aging Executive Director John M. Thompson asked several women visiting the Hayes Senior Wellness Center in Northeast Washington.

One asked that it serve lunch. Another wanted the music therapist to make a return visit. A third visitor requested crocheting classes, which Thompson said he’d like to pick up as a hobby himself because he thought it would be relaxing.

“My job is to make sure you’re served.

We want to be a country club for you,” Thompson said to the ladies with a smile before walking back upstairs to his office.

The D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) moved into the renovated 115-year-old former Hayes School last fall, joining the senior wellness center there as well as the District’s Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC).

Thompson, who was appointed the DCOA’s executive director last year, saw the move as an opportunity to interact more directly with some of the 106,000 District of Columbia seniors his office serves.

“When we were located downtown at One Judiciary Square, we were just in a giant government office building. But now we’re integrated into the community,” he said of his new digs, located on a street of brick row houses near the up-and-coming H Street corridor. “It makes such a difference,” he added.

A primary goal for Thompson is to integrate programs and services for older adults, and for adults of any age with disabilities, into the fabric of Washington’s communities. He sees his office’s location as a symbol for making that happen.

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Reveling in New Orleans’ eclectic charms; plus, cruising down the Rhine River, and how to keep costs down with solo travel page 49

ARTS & STYLE

Local stages abound with holiday cheer; plus, authors who don’t let age slow them down, and Bob Levey on a new generation’s work ethic Hayes Senior Wellness Center participant Doris Droughn poses with District of Columbia Office on Aging director John M. Thompson. Thompson is working, together with counterparts in other city agencies, to reshape Washington as an “age-friendly” city that residents can remain in and navigate better as they grow older.

offices from across the city to anticipate and alleviate problems — from the Transportation Department tweaking traffic lights to allow older pedestrians more time to cross Washington’s wide streets, to the Department of Parks and Recreation adding accessibility features when doing renovations.

“One senior said to me, ‘If the person who empties my trash can would just leave it where it is rather than dropping it down the street’ it would make a big difference,” Thompson said.

“We’re not talking about a huge investment to make this an age-friendly city, just changing the way we think. [Still,] it’s going to be a huge culture change, an organizational change for the city,” he said.

“The mayor is very supportive.”

Other parts of the plan bolster linking seniors to available services. Only about 40 percent of the District’s seniors currently utilize one or more of DCOA’s services and Thompson would like to see that grow.

“We need to focus on more than just getting a person a meal. We need to focus on the entire person,” he said.

Another goal is forming strategic partnerships, especially intergenerational ones.

For example, while DCOA has a staff member devoted to helping residents find new housing when needed, it doesn’t have a large program that helps seniors continue See THOMPSON, page 40

page 55 FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Medicare premium hike k Foods that fight prostate cancer SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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LAW & MONEY 30 k Advice on looming tax changes k Cooling down heating costs VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS 39 k Creating a healthier community LIFETIMES k News from the Charles E. Smith Life Communities

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

The time is ripe We’re told the need to address our fed- ernment to the other.

The surplus was thus spent and transeral budget deficit (over $14 trillion and formed from “savings” into a figrowing by $4 billion a day) nancial obligation. Social Secuis about to push us over a “fisrity’s $2.7 trillion trust fund is cal cliff” that would send us actually a component of the back into recession or worse. $14 trillion national debt we are Among the many steps Confaced with today! gress is being urged to take to In addition, the payroll tax recope with this crisis is the duction holiday all workers modification of Social Security. have benefited from for the past Does one have anything to two years, part of President do with the other?

Obama’s stimulus package, has Certainly not, say those speeded up the need to tap the who point to the fact that So- FROM THE trust fund debt to make Social cial Security is a self-financ- PUBLISHER ing program where current By Stuart P. Rosenthal Security’s ends meet.

So, while the Social Securiworkers pay withholding ty program is not technically “at fault” for taxes to support current retirees.

These people also note, correctly, that the deficit (and probably should never those taxes have generated $2.7 trillion in have generated such huge surpluses withsurplus payments over the past few out a system to hold onto them in some decades — money that is held in trust in way), it is wrong to say that Social Security the form of Treasury bills, the world’s does not contribute to the deficit.

Furthermore, even if the trust funds did most secure government debt.

Aha! say the others. So you admit that consist of cash with which to pay current the so-called “trust funds” for Social Secu- benefits, they would still not last us rity are simply more debt! This is also true. through the boomer retirement years.

Every year that surplus Social Security Without some adjustments, Social Security taxes were paid in by workers, the extra will only be able to pay about 75 percent of funds were deposited into the General promised benefits starting in 2033.

The last time Social Security was overFund (where they were promptly spent) and converted to intra-government debt, hauled was in 1983, when the system’s that is, debt owed by one part of the gov- trustees informed Congress that push had

Beacon The

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

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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.

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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: raising the age at which future retirees be-

come 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 email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Dear Editor: I was thrilled to see Jeff and Jane Bulman smiling on the cover of your November issue. Great story!

I am proud to say our RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) partners with them for their wonderful Christmas Day breakfast for the homeless. Last year, our RSVP yarners (at Schweinhaut, Holiday Park, Ring House, University Towers and Rockville Senior Centers) knitted or crocheted 434 scarves and hats for Jeff to distribute as presents.

Thanks for doing this story!

Kathleen Meaney Stobie RSVP Program Director Germantown, Md.

Dear Editor: I really enjoyed the Bob Levy column with Tommy Godchaux (“As American as WWII and apple pie,” November). He raises good questions re: keeping the war relevant, especially with young people.

I have always thought our entertainment industry did a good job overall in telling the story of the Second World War, Civil War and Revolution.

I would like to see films (such as the new Lincoln, or Redford’s The Conspirator) relating to the First World War and the Second — even the connection between the two, if possible.

See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 61

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

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MEDICARE PREMIUMS RISE Medicare will cost $5 more per month for most; more for the wealthy FEED YOUR PROSTATE Tomatoes, broccoli, garlic and soy may help reduce prostate cancer risk ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE Robotics can help the blind navigate independently both indoors and out A PAIN IN THE NECK Neck and shoulder pain has many causes; varied treatments provide relief

Aspirin improves colon cancer survival

By Marilynn Marchione Aspirin, one of the world’s oldest and cheapest drugs, has shown remarkable promise in treating colon cancer in people with mutations in a gene that’s thought to play a role in the disease.

Among patients with the mutations, those who regularly took aspirin lived longer than those who didn’t, a major study found. Five years after their cancers were diagnosed, 97 percent of the aspirin users were still alive versus 74 percent of those not taking the drug.

Aspirin seemed to make no difference in patients who did not have the mutations.

This sort of study can’t prove that aspirin caused the better survival, and doctors say more research must confirm the findings before aspirin can be recommended more widely. The study wasn’t designed to test aspirin; people were taking it on their own for various reasons.

Inexpensive treatment Still, the results suggest that this simple medicine might be the cheapest gene-targeting therapy ever found for cancer. About one-sixth of all colon cancer patients have the mutated gene and might be helped by aspirin. And aspirin costs just pennies a day.

“It’s exciting to think that something that’s already in the medicine cabinet may really have an important effect” beyond relieving pain and helping to prevent heart attacks, said Dr. Andrew Chan of Massachusetts General Hospital. He and others from Harvard Medical School led the study, which appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Cancers of the colon or rectum are a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.

More than 140,000 new cases and 51,000 deaths from them are expected this year in the United States.

Several studies suggest that aspirin may help fight cancer, especially colorectal tumors. It is often recommended for people who have colon cancer and others at high risk of developing it. But it’s not advised for wider use, or for cancer prevention, because it can cause serious bleeding in the stomach and gut.

What has been lacking, doctors say, is a good way to tell which people might benefit the most, so aspirin’s risks would be justified. Chan’s study suggests a way to do that.

It involved 964 people diagnosed with various stages of colon cancer who were among nearly 175,000 participants in two health studies based at Harvard that began in the 1980s.

Every two years, they filled out surveys on their health habits, including aspirin use.

Most had surgery for their cancer, and many also had chemotherapy. They gave tumor tissue samples that could be tested for gene activity.

Researchers focused on one gene, PIK3CA, which is involved in a key pathway that fuels cancer’s growth and spread.

Aspirin seems to blunt that pathway, so the scientists looked at its use in relation to the gene.

In those whose tumors had a mutation in that gene, regular aspirin use cut the risk of dying of colon cancer by 82 percent and of dying of any cause by 46 percent during the study period of about 13 years.

Only two of the 62 regular aspirin users whose tumors had the mutated gene died within five years of their cancer diagnosis versus 23 of 90 non-aspirin users with such a mutation.

The results are “quite exciting,” said Dr. Boris Pasche, a cancer specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who wrote an editorial that appears with the study in the medical journal.

Half a dozen drugs are used to treat colon cancer, but only one of them meaningfully extends survival in people whose

cancers have not widely spread, he said.

“Now we may have aspirin. That’s why it’s a big deal,” Pasche said.

Regular use, not dose, key In the study, the dose of aspirin — baby or regular — didn’t seem to matter, just whether any aspirin was regularly used.

The test for the gene is not expensive and is simple enough that most cancer centers should be able to do it, Chan and Pasche said.

The National Institutes of Health and several foundations paid for the study. One of the 17 authors consults for Bayer, a leading aspirin maker. Pasche has been a paid speaker for two companies that make cancer treatments and has two patent applications under review related to cancer treatment.

Researchers warn that aspirin may not be responsible for the improved survival seen in this study. Differences in how the patients’ cancer was treated could have played a role.

For that reason, they say the next step should be a study where some people with the mutated gene are given aspirin and others are not, so their cancer outcomes can be compared more directly.

— AP

Poor less likely to get (or perform) CPR

By Lindsey Tanner People who collapse from cardiac arrest in poor black neighborhoods are half as likely to get CPR from family members at home or bystanders on the street as those in better-off white neighborhoods, according to a study that found the reasons go beyond race.

The findings suggest a big need for more knowledge and training, the researchers said.

The study looked at data on more than 14,000 people in 29 U.S. cities. It’s one of the largest to show how race, income and other neighborhood characteristics combine to affect someone’s willingness to offer heart-reviving help.

More than 300,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest in their homes or other nonhospital settings every year, and most don’t survive. A cardiac arrest is when the heart stops, and it’s often caused by a heart at-

tack, but not always. Quick, hard chest compressions can help people survive.

For their study, researchers looked at the makeup of neighborhoods and also the race of the victims. They found that blacks and Hispanics were 30 percent less likely to be aided than white people. The odds were the worst if the heart victim was black in a low-income black neighborhood.

The researchers also found that regardless of a neighborhood’s racial makeup, CPR was less likely to be offered in poor areas. That shows that socio-economic status makes more difference than the neighborhood’s racial makeup, said lead author Dr. Comilla Sasson, of the University of Colorado in Denver.

CPR doubles survival odds While few people in poor black neighborhoods got CPR, those who did faced double the odds of surviving. Overall, only

8 percent of patients survived until at least hospital discharge. But 12 percent of those who got bystander CPR survived versus just 6 percent of those who did not.

About 80 percent of the cardiac arrest victims in the study had collapsed in their own homes. That suggests lack of knowledge about how to do CPR. But also, people tend to panic and freeze when they encounter someone in cardiac arrest, and they need to know that cardiopulmonary resuscitation is easier than many realize, Sasson said.

She said the study results should prompt public outcry — especially since most people who suffer cardiac arrest in non-hospital settings won’t survive and those statistics haven’t changed in 30 years.

“We can’t accept that anymore,” she said. “It shouldn’t matter where I drop to have someone help me.”

The researchers, whose study appears in the New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed data from 2005-2009 from a cardiac arrest registry coordinated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University.

They also examined U.S. Census data in cities where study patients were stricken — including Atlanta, Boston, Columbus, Denver, Houston, Nashville and San Francisco. Whether similar results would be found in small cities or rural areas isn’t known.

Much of the research was done before experts changed CPR advice in a move many think may encourage bystanders to offer help. American Heart Association guidelines issued in 2008 emphasize quick, hard chest compressions rather than mouth-to-mouth resuscitation — reSee CPR, page 5

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Medicare premiums going up in January

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Medicare premiums are going up $5 a month in 2013, the government announced in mid-November. It’s less than expected, but still enough to eat up about one-fourth of a typical retiree’s Social Security cost-of-living increase next year.

Medicare chief Marilyn Tavenner said the new “Part B” premium for outpatient care will be $104.90 a month. In most cases, it’s deducted directly from a beneficiary’s monthly Social Security check.

Currently the premium is $99.90 a month.

Earlier this year, the government projected an increase of as much as $9 a month for 2013, but healthcare inflation turned out to be more modest.

Still, advocates for older adults didn’t see much to cheer about, particularly since Medicare cuts are on the table in budget negotiations between President Barack Obama and Congress. Obama has promised to protect beneficiaries, but even his plan calls for upper-income retirees to pay more.

“These increases aren’t as big as projected, but they are still increases,” said Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, a New York-based advocacy group. “Our fear is that as policymakers discuss deficit reduction, they’ll pile even more costs on to seniors.”

above $85,000 a year individually or $170,000 for a couple, will face bigger increases. They will pay an additional amount ranging from $42 to $230.80 a month, depending on income. Most low-income beneficiaries have their premiums paid by Medicaid.

Tavenner also announced that Medicare’s hospitalization deductible will increase by $28, to $1,184. The deductible is the amount a person must pay before health insurance kicks in. Many seniors have some form of additional coverage to handle their Medicare hospital deductible.

The annual deductible for outpatient care will increase by $7, to $147.

Wealthier will pay more High-income beneficiaries, those making

How Part B works Coverage for outpatient care under Medicare Part B is optional, but more than 90 percent of the program’s 52 million beneficiaries sign up. Medicare covers people 65 and older, the disabled and those with serious kidney disease.

Part B pays for office visits to doctors, preventive services and medical equipment. It’s a good deal by any measure, since 75 percent of the cost is borne by taxpayers, with premiums set to cover the remaining 25 percent. Still, many benefici-

aries are on tight budgets, so the monthly premium is a closely watched indicator.

In October, the government announced a 1.7 percent cost-of-living increase for the 56 million Americans on Social Security.

That works out to raises averaging $19 a month come January. The typical increase for retired workers will be slightly larger.

Obama’s healthcare law reins in Medicare spending by curtailing payments to hospitals, insurers, drug companies and other service providers. Congress, however, has frequently voted to avoid imposing such cuts in the past, especially after doctors threaten to discontinue treating Medicare patients.

Democrats want to focus the next round of cuts on providers, particularly pharmaceutical companies. But Republicans are looking for significant changes in the program’s costs as well, such as increasing the eligibility age to 67.

The healthcare law improved preventive care for Medicare recipients and cut costs for people with high prescription drug bills.

It also initiated a multitude of experiments on how to deliver quality care at lower cost for taxpayers. And it set up a cost control board whose goal is to limit future increases in Medicare spending.

— AP

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moving some of the discomfort factor.

Mary Tappe owes her life to bystanders’ willingness to offer help. In 2004, she collapsed at her office in Iowa. A co-worker called 911; another quickly began CPR and someone else used the office’s automated heart defibrillator.

An ambulance took Tappe to the hospital, where doctors said her heart had stopped. They never determined why, but implanted an internal defibrillator.

Tappe, 51, who now lives in Englewood, Colo., said raising awareness about the importance of CPR is “incredibly important because that’s the first step” to helping people survive.

CPR specialist Dr. Dana Edelson, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said the new research echoes smaller studies showing bystander CPR depends on neighborhood characteristics, including a Chicago study that found intervention occurred most often in integrated neighborhoods.

“Nothing that we do has as big an impact on survival as CPR, and it’s so cheap,” Edelson said, noting that online videos demonstrate how to perform CPR. It involves pushing hard and fast on the victim’s chest; research has shown using the beat of the old Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive” is a good guide to speed.

“It’s your ultimate low-budget solution to improving survival,” Edelson said.

Learn more about how to perform CPR and view a video demonstration at the American Heart Association’s website at http://bit.ly/LhVoQl. Dr. David Keseg, an emergency medicine specialist at Ohio State University, has helped teach CPR to eighth-graders in inner-city Columbus, Ohio. That includes giving them free classes and CPR kits.

“We tell them to take them home and show their families and neighborhoods how to do it,” Keseg said.

“It’s kind of a drop in the bucket,” but it’s the kind of targeted approach that is needed to improve the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest, he said.

— AP

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How your diet affects prostate cancer risk

By Sharon Palmer “It seems nearly all men will develop prostate cancer if they live long enough,” said Karen Collins, a registered dietician and nutrition advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research. Thus, scientists have been searching for lifestyle measures that can help stack the odds in your favor.

Promising research reveals three important diet strategies that can help you mount a defense: A plant-based diet, mod-

erate dairy consumption, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Focusing on a predominantly plantbased diet, which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, is key to prostate cancer protection, according to Collins.

This style of eating means that you fill up at least three-fourths of your plate with whole plant foods, such as beans, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Plant foods are rich in thousands of nutrients and compounds.

“A variety of vegetable and fruit choices is especially encouraged, because some choices may provide unique protective effects,” said Collins.

Foods to eat more of Here are a few plant foods recently being researched for their role in prostate cancer prevention:

1. Tomatoes. Tomatoes and tomato products, such as canned tomatoes and pasta sauce, are rich in carotenoids that impart red, yellow and orange colors.

The most abundant carotenoid is lycopene, which studies have linked with cancer protection. The lycopene from See PROSTATE CANCER, page 7

When to stop taking prostate medicine

By Dr. Marc Garnick Q: I was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate. My urologist has prescribed finasteride (Proscar) and tamsulosin (Flomax) to treat it.

My urine flow has improved and I am able to empty my bladder. When can I stop taking these drugs?

A: You ask a very important question about withdrawing drug treatment for an enlarged prostate, what doctors call benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH. But the question does not have a onesize-fits-all answer.

Have you filled out the BPH questionnaire? It asks seven questions about your urinary function, and a quality of life question. It helps inform your doctor about how much symptoms of BPH bother you personally. If you haven’t done so already, ask your doctor for a copy. Fill it out and see how you’re doing now, while you’re still taking the medications.

It’s also important to determine the amount of urine you have left in your bladder after attempting to empty it. It’s a simple test — called the post-void residual — done with an ultrasound machine in the doctor’s office. This result, along with the results of your questionnaire, would be important factors in deciding if and when to stop taking one or both medications.

A third important aspect is whether you have side effects from your medications. Some patients have few, while others have significant ones, including sexual dysfunction.

Talk with your doctor about stopping

one or both drugs. If the symptoms come back, then it makes sense to go back on them.

Some men are on medicine for BPH for many years. Other men go off medicine once the initial prostate shrinkage has taken place. Others can’t tolerate the side effects of the drugs and choose treatments such as surgery. So there’s no one answer for your important question.

One other thing: One group of men who need their PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) checked are those who take finasteride. Your baseline PSA before finasteride should be measured through a simple blood test. And then at 6 months, if the PSA value does not go down by at least 50 percent from baseline, you may want to speak to a urologist. This may be a sign of prostate cancer.

[Editor’s Note: Although studies have shown finasteride, tamsulosin and other 5-alpha reductase inhibitors reduce the risk of low-grade prostate cancers, two large clinical trials indicated a link between such drugs and an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancers. The FDA now requires a warning to this effect on the medications.]

Marc Garnick, M.D., is an internationally renowned expert in medical oncology.

He is a clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and maintains an active oncology practice at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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

Prostate cancer From page 6 processed or cooked tomatoes is more bioavailable than that of fresh tomatoes.

While lycopene is found in other fruits such as watermelon and guava, tomatoes account for 80 percent of our consumption.

There’s a body of evidence to show that tomatoes are associated with lower incidence of prostate cancer. Britt BurtonFreeman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Institute of Technology, reviewed 86 studies related to

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tomato and lycopene intake and prostate cancer, and concluded that there is a protective relationship between tomato and tomato-based foods and prostate cancer.

“An important distinction is that research provides greater support for consuming tomatoes as part of a healthy diet, but does not support the use of lycopene supplements to reduce risk of prostate cancer,” said Collins.

2. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy, are good choices to include regularly, although we need more research to confirm how much impact their glucosinolate compounds — naturally occurring compounds that appear to have anti-cancer effects — have on prostate cancer, Collins said.

3. Garlic. Some preliminary laboratory and animal studies suggest that the compounds in garlic, such as the organosulfur compounds, may help slow the development, and reduce the risk, of prostate cancer.

4. Soy. While there is only limited scientific support for soy in prostate cancer prevention — laboratory studies suggest protection, but human studies have shown mixed results — soy clearly offers other health benefits, such as reduced heart disease risk and enhanced bone health. So, it may be a good idea to include more whole soyfoods, such as soymilk, tofu, soybeans,

and edamame, in your diet.

5. Green tea. Polyphenols found in green tea arrest the growth of prostate cancer cells in laboratory studies, but more research is needed before recommendations can be made to drink green tea for prostate cancer protection. HowevSee PROSTATE CANCER, page 8

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Prostate cancer From page 7 er, many other benefits, such as heart health and immune system support, are linked to this plant-based beverage.

6. Pomegranate. One clinical trial showed that drinking pomegranate juice may slow the progression of prostate cancer, but “other human studies are seriously lacking,� said Collins. “We just don’t have enough data on which to base any recommendations about pomegranate juice.�

Don’t overdo dairy Some research indicates that excess consumption of dairy products may increase prostate cancer risk. The EPIC Study, published in the European Journal

of Cancer in 2010, found that dairy consumption above 27 grams of dairy protein and 880 milligrams of dairy calcium per day (the amount found in more than three cups of milk) was linked to increased risk.

However, those who consumed moderate amounts — equal to about 1-½ to 2-½ cups of milk— showed a non-significant increase in risk.

Collins said, “The bottom line at this point is that men who want to consume dairy products need not be afraid that moderate consumption puts them at risk of prostate cancer. However, excess consumption should be avoided. Two or perhaps three standard servings per day appear safe. “Men who consume dairy products should be cautious about foods that are highly fortified with calcium. Also, adding

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

calcium supplements is not recommended, especially if it brings total calcium intake beyond the 1,200 mg./day that is the highest RDA for men, unless they are personally advised to consume more by their physician.�

A standard dairy serving is one cup (8 ounces) of milk or yogurt, two cups cottage cheese, or 1 ½ ounces of hard cheese.

One of the key strategies to lower cancer risk is to reach and maintain a healthy weight. “Obesity is only weakly linked to prostate cancer incidence, but obesity is linked to increased risk of dying from prostate cancer,� said Collins.

The most effective way to achieve a healthy weight is to increase physical activity — which on its own is linked with a 10 percent lower risk of prostate cancer — and increase the nutrient quality of your food choices.

Supplement watch Research has shown that supplements may not have a protective impact on prostate cancer — in fact, they may even have a negative impact. “At one time, there was big hope for vitamin E and selenium,� said Collins. And then came the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, a large study of vitamin E (400 International Units) and selenium (200 micrograms). The results, which were first published in 2008, showed an increased risk of prostate can-

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cer with vitamin E alone, which continued even after supplements were discontinued, and the trial was halted early.

Selenium supplements showed no decrease in prostate cancer risk, and a nonsignificant trend for increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “It’s not just that these supplements are no longer recommended, it’s that men [now] are discouraged from using them,� stressed Collins. It appears there are more benefits from eating nutrients found in real food, in which countless compounds and nutrients interact, than nutrients isolated in supplements.

Some studies link prostate cancer with high amounts of red meat — in particular grilled or fried meats cooked at high temperatures till “well-done,� since carcinogenic compounds may form in meat under these conditions. “The evidence is not nearly enough to make recommendations about red meat consumption or meat preparation in regard to reducing prostate cancer risk,� said Collins. However, an established link does exist for red meat and colon cancer, so it might be wise to avoid large amounts.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. Š 2012 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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

Digestive Health Corner Sponsored by Capital Digestive Care

How to survive the holiday with a happy digestive system Most people worry about gaining We also run short on time, and weight during the holiday season. both exercise and home cooking Those of us with comcan fall by the wayside. mon chronic digestive Add to that the beginissues such as acid rening of the fall/winter illflux (GERD) and irritaness season and it is not ble bowel syndrome surprising that I hear (IBS) have the additionfrom many of my paal challenge of keeping tients in early January, the symptoms under wanting help for flares of control during these GERD or IBS. busy times.

While it may be diffiFor patients with ei- By Julia Korenman cult to navigate the seaMD ther of these illnesses, son, it’s not impossible to what we eat and how we keep yourself on track manage our lives can either help or using a few helpful hints. hurt our digestive problems. The First, this is not the time to weeks between Thanksgiving and change or taper medications, if you the New Year are filled with all sorts are doing well. A lot of us wish to of obstacles to good intestinal minimize our medications, and health. Our routines often change while I admire and support that as we try to fit seasonal obligations goal, I advise postponing the atinto already busy schedules. Holi- tempt until January — it helps to day parties and dinners mean that stick to one's routine. meals may be larger and later than Do not skip meals all day long in usual and likely include indul- order to "save calories" for the gences that can trigger symptoms. evening party or meal. It is better

for both GERD and IBS to eat frequent small meals, and it is better for preventing weight gain not to arrive at any holiday meal too hungry. Overeating tends to trigger both IBS and GERD. And for IBS patients with gas and bloating, remember to exercise portion control in everything, including salads, fruits and vegetables. While these may help save calories, they can cause uncomfortable bloating.

It’s okay to indulge in special holiday treats, but do so in moderation. If you know a certain food is a trigger of symptoms, try to avoid it or just take a small taste. The worst offenders are caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, rich or fatty foods, and eating just prior to going to bed.

Keep an eye on these triggers and try to control as many as you can using strategies such as staying up for a while after a large meal or taking small portions of dishes rather than overeating.

None of us are perfect, so for that late night meal or overindulgence, line up rescue medications that you may have discussed with your doctor. For example, you may want to take an extra antacid if you’ve eaten late or had alcohol. If you suffer from IBS with constipation, you may need a rescue laxative, or alternatively if you suffer from diarrhea, an anti-diarrheal agent may be helpful.

Travel brings its own issues, including lack of control over your

diet. Plan ahead by bringing healthy snacks, and if you are staying in someone’s home, discuss your food needs or buy some groceries that include foods you can eat.

It may be worthwhile to get a flu vaccine if you are the type of patient whose digestive symptoms are precipitated by either illness or antibiotics. While this won’t protect you from the common cold, it will likely prevent the flu with its complications.

Stress can also precipitate symptoms, so don’t forget to put your stress relievers into your schedule — exercising, meditating, reading, etc.

Most importantly, don't get too down if you experience a flare. The holidays only come once a year and you can always call your gastroenterologist for a tune-up!

Julia Korenman, MD is a board certified physician specializing in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Recognized by her peers as a “Top Doctor” in the Washington area, she chose the fields of Gastroenterology and Hepatology because of the varied nature of the illnesses she treats and the ability to make a real difference in the quality of life of her patients.

Dr. Korenman sees patients in the Rockville office of the Digestive Disease Consultants division of Capital Digestive Care. To schedule an appointment, please call 301.340.3252.

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

Health Shorts Medicare deadline extended The mid-Atlantic region got off relatively easy during ferocious Superstorm Sandy that battered the Northeast. But Medicare is allowing all beneficiaries extra time if needed for its open enrollment, which officially ends Dec. 7. That’s because some people looking to change health or drug plans may be relying on a relative or friend in the badly affected areas for guidance. “[The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] understands that many Medicare beneficiaries have been affected by this disaster and wants to ensure that all beneficiaries are able to compare their options and make enrollment choices for 2013,” Arrah Tabe-Bedward, acting director for the Medicare Enrollment and Appeals Group, wrote in a Nov. 7 letter to insurers.

Those who need extra time to select a plan should call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) to review options, she said.

Medicare representatives will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While plans for those who enroll by Dec. 7 will begin on Jan. 1, 2013, later enrollment in a new plan will start the first day of the month after you enroll. Thus, if you enroll on Jan. 2, your coverage will begin on Feb. 1.

— Barbara Ruben

Technology can tell if you’ve taken a pill Figuring out who’s taking their pills is about to get easier. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a “smart pill” that can tell whether a medication has been taken as prescribed.

Made by Proteus Digital Health, the small pill is made primarily of silicon and embedded with a microchip sensor no bigger than a grain of sand. When activated

by stomach acid, the sensor transmits a signal to a skin patch that indicates that a medication has been swallowed.

The patch sends the information to a smartphone app, along with the wearer’s heart rate, temperature and activity level.

The battery-operated patch must be changed weekly.

With about 50 percent of people not taking their medications properly, U.S. doctors are excited about the potential of this technology, particularly in diseases where medications are vitally important to survival or the prevention of serious side effects. It is also expected to help doctors refine dosages and measure benefits.

Another smartphone technology helps identify if the right pill is being taken.

There are thousands of prescriptions in pill form, but few colors and shapes to choose from, which can lead to dangerous mix-ups, especially in hospitals.

To help prevent such errors, Jesus Caban at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and colleagues have developed software that can identify a pill from a phone camera image.

Websites such as Drugs.com and WebMD also have tools to help distinguish between pills, but you have to type in a description, making these services time-consuming to use.

Caban’s software extracts the shape, color and imprint of a pill from its image and identifies the drug with 91 percent accuracy in less than a second. Future accuracy will be improved when the system learns to recognize a pill from a wider range of angles. The technique is also simple enough to work as a smartphone app so could be used at home.

The team tested the system on images of 568 of the most commonly prescribed pills, taken from different angles and in a range of lighting conditions.

— Harvard Health Letter and New Scientist

Think younger to feel younger Stuart Burney, 72, teaches and practices karate. “I feel 25,” he said. “Sometimes I See HEALTH SHORTS, page 11

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Health shorts From page 10 feel 13.�

Aside from hearing more “sirs� and noticing his thinning hair, Burney never really thought of himself as 70 — until he went to an audition and was paired with a woman who reminded him of his 90-yearold mother. “I didn’t realize that’s my age group,� he said.

Burney’s feelings are hardly unique. A trio of studies in Psychology and Aging suggests that we often resist seeing ourselves as old for good reason. Common ideas about old age — weakened bodies, loss of mental faculties — become ingrained in our psyches when we’re still young and spry.

When we (ineluctably) age, we risk conforming to our own low expectations and using stereotypes as excuses. “I skipped the gym today because I’m tired� becomes “I skipped the gym today because I’m old.�

But while aging is unavoidable, succumbing to long-held stereotypes about what that means is not. People who have the most pessimistic views about old age are, in fact, the most likely to resist seeing themselves as elderly — an attitude that can help stave off the very things they fear.

University of Zurich researchers found that older adults who psychologically distance themselves from their own age group feel younger and perceive their future as more open-ended.

Diane Rodriguez, 58, said she and her husband surround themselves with friends in their early 40s, which helps them act — and feel — “younger than some people [who are] younger than we are.�

No one wants to be lumped into an unappealing stereotype. “There’s a lack of a sense of the older person as a full human being, even though our bodies change considerably more than our personalities,� said

Andrew Scharlach, a professor of aging at the University of California-Berkeley. “It’s important to focus on individual differences,� agreed University of Zurich psychologist David Weiss, “not to view oneself as just part of this elderly group.�

For many seniors, the illusion of youth is not harmful or misguided — it’s protective. “They think: ‘I’m not old — old people are old!’� said Weiss. “‘I’m the exception.’� — Psychology Today

Patients overestimate value of chemo

those with lung cancer and 81 percent of those with colorectal cancer felt their treatment was likely to cure them.

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11

likelihood of mistaken beliefs about chemo’s potential. Hispanics and blacks were three times more likely than whites to hold inaccurate beliefs. — AP

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Most patients getting chemotherapy for incurable lung or colon cancers mistakenly believe that the treatment can cure them rather than just buy them some more time or ease their symptoms, a major study suggests. Researchers say doctors either are not being honest enough with patients, or people are in denial that they have a terminal disease.

The study highlights the problem of overtreatment at the end of life — futile care that simply prolongs dying. It’s one reason that one quarter of all federal Medicare spending occurs in the last year of life.

For cancers that have spread beyond the lung or colon, chemo can add weeks or months of life, and may ease a patient’s symptoms, but usually is not a cure. This doesn’t mean that patients shouldn’t have it, only that they should understand what it can and cannot do, cancer experts say.

Often, they do not. Dr. Jane C. Weeks at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and researchers at several other Boston-area universities and hospitals led a study of nearly 1,200 such patients around the U.S. All had been diagnosed four months earlier with widely spread cancers and had received chemo.

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

Genetic testing raises new ethical issues

By Lauran Neergaard It sounds like a scene from a TV show: Someone sends a discarded coffee cup to a laboratory where the unwitting drinker’s DNA is decoded, predicting what diseases lurk in his or her future.

A presidential commission found that’s legally possible in about half the states — and says new protections to ensure the privacy of people’s genetic information are critical if the nation is to realize the enormous medical potential of gene-mapping.

Such whole genome sequencing costs too much now for that extreme coffee-cup scenario to be likely. But the report said the price is dropping so rapidly that the technology could become common in doctors’ offices very soon — and there are lots

of ethical issues surrounding how, when and with whom the results may be shared.

Without public trust, people may not be as willing to allow scientists to study their genetic information, and that is key to learning to better fight disease, the report warned.

“If this issue is left unaddressed, we could all feel the effects,” said Dr. Amy Gutmann, who chairs the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

As costs fall, tests will increase Mapping entire genomes now is done primarily for research, as scientists piece together which genetic mutations play a role in various diseases. It’s different from getting a lab test to see if you carry, say, a single gene known to cause breast cancer.

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Gutmann said her commission investigated ahead of an anticipated boom in genome sequencing as the price drops from thousands today to about $1,000 — cheaper than running a few individual gene tests.

The sheer amount of information in a whole genome increases the privacy concerns. For example, people may have their genomes sequenced to study one disease that runs in the family, only to learn they’re also at risk for something else — with implications for relatives who may not have wanted to know.

The report shows a patchwork of protection. A 2008 federal law prohibits employers or health insurers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information, so that people don’t put off a potentially important gene test for fear of losing their job or health coverage.

But that law doesn’t prevent denial of life insurance or long-term care insurance.

Plus, there’s little oversight of how securely genetic information is stored electronically, the report found.

Then there’s the question of surreptitiously ordering genome screening from a private lab, such as during a nasty custody battle. The report didn’t say that’s ever happened, just that it could, and found no overarching federal or industry guidelines

on how commercial testing companies should operate.

“It is not a fantasy to think about how, in the future, without clear baseline privacy protections people could use this in ways that are really detrimental,” Gutmann said.

Recommended protections • Governments should prohibit genome sequencing without the consent of the person from whom the sample came, as part of a minimum, consistent privacy standard for every state.

• Health authorities should establish clear policies defining, in research and clinical settings, who can access someone’s genomic data, allowing individuals to share it as they see fit while guarding against misuse.

• Consent forms for people enrolling in research studies should make clear how their data might be used now and in the future. Also, researchers should make clear if participants will be told about all the known disease risks spotted in their genome, including those not being expressly studied.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees genetic research, called privacy an important issue and said officials looked forward to evaluating the recommendations.

— AP

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HELP OUT AT HERNDON SENIOR CENTER The Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace St., Herndon, Va., needs

volunteers to manage 400 chairs from 1 to 4 p.m. any day except Thursdays.

They also need a volunteer piano player and licensed hairdresser. For more information, contact Fairfax County’s Volunteer Solutions at (703) 324-5406 or TTY (703) 449-1186, visit www.VolunteerSolutions@fairfaxcounty.gov, or click on “volunteers” at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadults.

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

13

Robotics can help the blind to navigate

By Helen Knight Technologies that help machines navigate are being adapted to help blind people find their way around.

Robots need help navigating their surroundings and use sophisticated location systems to keep track of their position.

Now the same technologies are being adapted to help blind people navigate indoor and outdoor spaces independently.

One such system, being developed by Edwige Pissaloux and colleagues at the Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, France, consists of a pair of glasses equipped with cameras and sensors like those used in robot exploration.

The system, unveiled at a talk at the Mas-

sachusetts Institute of Technology this spring, produces a 3D map of the wearer’s environment and their position within it that is constantly updated and displayed in a simplified form on a handheld electronic Braille device. It could eventually allow blind people to make their way, unaided, wherever they want to go, said Pissaloux.

“Navigation for me means not only being able to move around by avoiding nearby obstacles, but also to understand how the space is socially organized — for example, where you are in relation to the pharmacy, library or intersection,” she said.

processor analyses the image, picking out the edges of walls or objects, which it uses to create a 3D map.

The system’s collection of accelerometers and gyroscopes — like those used in robots to monitor their position — keeps track of the user’s location and speed. This information is combined with the 3D image to determine the user’s position in relation to other objects.

The system generates almost 10 maps per second, which are transmitted to the

handheld Braille device to be displayed as a dynamic tactile map. The Braille pad consists of an 8-centimeter-square grid of 64 taxels — pins with a shape memory alloy spring in the middle. When heat is applied to the springs, they expand, raising the pins to represent boundaries.

The Braille version of the map is updated fast enough for a visually-impaired wearer to pass through an area at walking See ROBOTICS, page 15

3D tactile maps Two cameras on either side of the glasses generate a 3D image of the scene. A

BEACON BITS

Dec. 12+

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A jam-packed, action-oriented, free training program for those serious about finding a job will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 12 and 13. Learn how to find the hidden job market, navigate the tight job market, write a powerful resume, organize a job search, network effectively and interview with confidence. The program will be facilitated by Judy Smith, a registered career coach with JSSA Employment and Career Services, and will be held in the 3rd floor boardroom of the JSSA offices, 200 Wood Hill Rd., Rockville, Md. Pre-registration is required. To register online, visit www.jobsearchbootcamp12-12.eventbrite.com. For more information, call (301) 881-3700.

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

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

Robotics From page 13 speed, said Pissaloux. Seth Teller, who develops assistive technologies at MIT, called the work exciting and ambitious.

This is not the only robotics project to be re-purposed. Software that predicts how far a robot has traveled based on information from its on-board sensors is being modified to track a person’s movements based on their stride length.

The low-cost system, being developed

by Eelke Folmer and Kostas Bekris at the University of Nevada in Reno would help blind people navigate around buildings using just a smartphone.

The new system uses freely available 2D digital indoor maps and the smartphone’s built-in accelerometer and compass. Directions are provided using synthetic speech.

To help the smartphone calibrate and adjust to a user’s individual stride length, the user must initially use touch to detect the landmarks in their environment, such as corridor intersections, doors and elevators.

are holding and uses voice commands to say what they need to know — the color of an item of clothing, say, or the denomination of paper money.

The ring takes a picture of the object, which is transmitted wirelessly to a cellphone, where software analyses the image.

15

The required information is then read out by a synthesized voice. It was presented at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Austin, Texas, in May. — © 2012 New Scientist Magazine. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Virtual assistants A virtual assistant can help blind people explore their surroundings. Developed by Suranga Nanayakkara at the MIT Media Lab, EyeRing consists of a ring equipped with a camera, and a set of headphones.

The user points the ring at an object they

BEACON BITS

Dec. 11+

BALANCING SORROW AND CELEBRATION

Montgomery Hospice will offer two free bereavement workshops this month, called “Balancing Sorrow and Celebration While Grieving,” for any Montgomery County resident mourning the death of a loved one.

The first will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, with the second from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 19. The hospice is at 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md. For registration and more information, call (301) 921-4400.

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Holiday Park Senior Center is accepting sign-ups in December for a wide variety of lively exercise classes slated to begin in January. Courses include Zumba, cardio workouts, yoga, dance and other forms of exercise. The senior center is at 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton, Md. For reservations, start dates, fees and other information, call (240) 7774999 or visit www.holidaypark.us.

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

Why hospitals don’t want you back soon

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar If you or an elderly relative have been hospitalized recently and noticed extra attention when the time came to be discharged, there’s more to it than good customer service.

On Oct. 1, Medicare started fining hospitals that have too many patients readmitted within 30 days of discharge due to complications. The penalties are part of a broader push under President Barack Obama’s healthcare law to improve quality while also trying to save taxpayers money.

About two-thirds of the hospitals serving Medicare patients, or some 2,200 facilities, will be hit with penalties averaging around $125,000 per facility this coming

year, according to government estimates.

How to check your hospital Data to assess the penalties have been collected and crunched, and Medicare has shared the results with individual hospitals. Medicare plans to post details online, and people can look up how their community hospitals performed by using the agency’s “Hospital Compare” website (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov).

It adds up to a new way of doing business for hospitals, and they have scrambled to prepare for well over a year. They are working on ways to improve communication with rehabilitation centers and doctors who follow patients after they’re re-

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leased, as well as connecting personally with patients.

“There is a lot of activity at the hospital level to straighten out our internal processes,” said Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and safety at the American Hospital Association. “We are also spreading our wings a little and reaching outside the hospital, to the extent that we can, to make sure patients are getting the ongoing treatment they need.”

Still, industry officials say they have misgivings about being held liable for circumstances beyond their control. They also complain that facilities serving low-income people, including many major teaching hospitals, are much more likely to be fined, raising questions of fairness.

“Readmissions are partially within the control of the hospital and partially within the control of others,” Foster said.

thing that changes the status quo.”

For the first year, the penalty is capped at 1 percent of a hospital’s Medicare payments. The overwhelming majority of penalized facilities will pay less. Also, for now, hospitals are only being measured on three medical conditions: heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.

Under the healthcare law, the penalties gradually will rise until 3 percent of Medicare payments to hospitals are at risk. Medicare is considering holding hospitals accountable on four more measures: joint replacements, stents, heart bypass and stroke treatment.

If General Motors and Toyota issue warranties for their vehicles, hospitals should have some similar obligation when a patient gets a new knee or a stent to relieve a blocked artery, Santa contends. “People go to the hospital to get their problem solved, not to have to come back,” he said.

Modest penalties Consumer advocates say Medicare’s nudge to hospitals is long overdue and not nearly stiff enough.

“It’s modest, but it’s a start,” said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. “Should we be surprised that industry is objecting?

You would expect them to object to any-

12 percent readmitted Excessive rates of readmission are only part of the problem of high costs and uneven quality in the U.S. healthcare system.

While some estimates put readmission See HOSPITALS, page 17

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

Hospitals From page 16 rates as high as 20 percent, a congressional agency said the level of preventable readmissions is much lower. About 12 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who are hospitalized are later readmitted for a po-

tentially preventable problem, said the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, known as MedPAC. Foster, the hospital association official, said medication mix-ups account for a big share of problems. Many Medicare beneficiaries are coping with multiple chronic conditions, and it’s not unusual for their

BEACON BITS

Dec. 11+

THREE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WITH LOW VISION The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington

will present three informational seminars to help those with low vision and their loved ones learn adaptive skills. Gerontologist Elinor Waters will share personal and professional insights in “Living with Low Vision: the Journey,” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. Call (301) 656-2797 to reserve a light lunch for this program. Low vision occupational therapist Joan Gilliard will present strategies for enhancing living skills in “Better Light for Better Sight & More,” from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 13, at Charles Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, Va. For more information, call (703) 7461702 or (202) 234-1010. Marti Bailey, director of Sibley Senior Association & Community Health, will present an open discussion, “Finding Purpose in the New Year,” from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 16. This program will be held in Room 2 of Sibley Medical Building, 5215 Loughboro Rd., Washington, D.C. For more information, call (202) 234-1010.

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medication lists to be changed in the hospital. But their doctors outside sometimes don’t get the word; other times, the patients themselves don’t understand there’s been a change.

Another issue is making sure patients go to their required follow-up appointments.

Medicare deputy administrator Jonathan Blum said he thinks hospitals have gotten the message. “Clearly it’s captured their attention,” said Blum.

“It’s galvanized the hospital industry on ways to reduce unnecessary readmissions.

It’s forced more parts of the healthcare system to work together to ensure that patients have much smoother transitions.”

MedPAC, the congressional advisory group, has produced research findings that back up the industry’s assertion that hospitals serving the poor, including major

teaching facilities, are more likely to face penalties. But for now, Blum said Medicare is not inclined to grade on the curve.

“We have really tried to address and study this issue,” said Blum. “If you look at the data, there are hospitals that serve a low-income patient mix and do very well on these measures. It seems to us that hospitals that serve low-income people can control readmissions very well.”

Under Obama’s healthcare overhaul, Medicare is pursuing efforts to try to improve quality and lower costs. They include rewarding hospitals for quality results, and encouraging hospitals, nursing homes and medical practice groups to join in “accountable care organizations.”

Dozens of pilot programs are under way.

The jury is still out on the results.

— AP

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

19

Many causes of neck and shoulder pain Do your neck and shoulders feel stiff when you awaken in the morning? Do the muscles seize painfully with no warning?

Does neck and shoulder pain limit your physical activity and become your constant companion?

If you suffer from pain in your neck and shoulders, you have plenty of company.

Doctors estimate that seven out of 10 people will be troubled by such pain at some point in their lives. One in 10 adults is hurting right now. And between 50 percent and 85 percent of people with such pain will be bothered by it again within the next five years.

Clearly, neck and shoulder pain is a common, and troubling, problem. But the solution is no quick-fix. Managing and relieving neck and shoulder pain can involve a combination of therapies including medication, physical therapy, self-help techniques and, less commonly, surgery.

Neck pain isn’t all the same. There’s no shortage of ways to describe it, in part because people have different perceptions of how they experience pain. The type of pain will also vary based on what’s causing it.

How would you describe your neck pain? Are your neck and shoulders stiff?

Do they ache? Do you feel a sharp pain or hear a grinding noise when you turn your head? Pain can be mild or severe, achy or

sharp, stationary or shooting. It may stand alone or be accompanied by other troublesome complaints.

By clearly describing your specific neck symptom — or combination of symptoms, because they often overlap — you can help your doctor determine what’s wrong and how to help.

Types of symptoms The following descriptions will help you clearly explain your symptoms to your doctor: • Muscle pain. Aching or sore neck and shoulder muscles may occur in response to overexertion, prolonged physical stress (usually from poor neck positioning during everyday activities), or emotional tension. Muscles may also develop hard knots that are sore to the touch, sometimes called trigger points.

• Muscle spasm. This is a sudden, powerful contraction of neck muscles.

When you wake up with a painful stiff neck, that’s likely a muscle spasm — what is sometimes called a “crick” in your neck.

The muscle usually feels painful, tight or knotted, and may be impossible to move.

Muscle spasm can result from a muscle injury, but it may also occur if there is a deeper problem (say, in a disk or nerve) and the muscle tenses in order to stabilize

the neck and prevent you from moving in a way to cause pain or further damage.

Neck muscle spasms sometimes accompany emotional stress, but often there is no identifiable reason for muscle spasm.

• Headache. Neck-related headache, called cervicogenic headache or cervical headache, is most often felt in the back of the head and upper neck, where muscles extending along the skull are contiguous with neck muscles that may become tense or go into spasm.

Neck-related headache pain is typically dull or aching, rather than sharp. It is aggravated by neck movement and often accompanied by stiffness and tenderness of neck muscles.

• Facet joint pain. Often described as deep, sharp or aching, facet joint pain typically worsens if you lean your head toward the affected side, and may radiate to your shoulder or upper back. Arthritis in the facet See TREATING PAIN, page 21

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Health Studies Page

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

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Diabetics sought for weight-loss study

By Barbara Ruben One of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes is being overweight. So it’s ironic that a number of medications that treat diabetes can cause patients to put on more weight.

However, newer diabetes drugs are being developed to help diabetics lose weight while controlling their diabetes.

Endocrine & Metabolic Consultants in Rockville, Md., is now looking for patients with type 2 diabetes to try an FDA-ap-

proved diabetes medicine called Victoza (liraglutide) in combination with their other medications to see if it will both help control blood sugar and help them lose weight.

Lose six pounds Patients should expect to lose about six pounds over the six-month-long study, said Dr. Michael Dempsey, one of the researchers with Endocrine & Metabolic Consultants.

“The weight loss is one of the perks of taking part in the study. I think patients

with diabetes will be very interested in this aspect,” he said.

While in the study, patients will take basal insulin, which provides a steady stream of insulin between meals and while they sleep. If patients take metformin, they will continue on that drug.

Study participants will be randomly selected to either take Victoza or a placebo in addition to the other medications. Victoza, which was approved by the FDA in 2010, is injected just under the skin.

Participants will make seven clinical visits and have seven phone contacts over six months.

Who is eligible?

To qualify for the study, participants must be from 18 to 80 years old and have had type 2 diabetes for at least two months. They must have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 40, which is in the overweight to obese range.

Participants cannot have used any oral diabetes drug, except for metformin, within 90 days of starting the study. They cannot have cardiovascular disorders, such as congestive heart failure, or have had a heart attack within a year of beginning the study.

While there is no compensation offered for taking part in the trial, patients will receive comprehensive care with regular health checks and medical tests, as well as medication and blood glucose testing equipment at no charge.

“People in the study get follow up and a lot of health checks, much more than the typical schedule of seeing your doctor every three months, which offers them closer monitoring of their diabetes,” Dempsey said.

Endocrine & Metabolic Consultants is also recruiting diabetic patients for several other studies that are studying Victoza’s effects on cardiovascular health.

For more information, call Dempsey or Dr. Helena Rodbard at (301) 770-7373.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HAVE TYPE 2 DIABETES AND TAKING METFORMIN? Do you have Type 2 Diabetes? Are you currently taking metformin to control your diabetes and it’s not working?

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Qualified volunteers may receive, at no cost, study related: medical care, investigational study drug or placebo, blood work, glucose monitoring supplies, and diabetes and nutrition counseling.

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INTERGENERATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

Legacy Project is accepting essay submissions from youth for its national “Listen to a Life Contest,” which teaches young writers about the life histories of their elders. To enter the contest, youth ages 8 to 18 interview a grandparent or grand-friend 50 years or more their senior about the older person’s hopes and goals throughout their life, how they achieved their goals and overcame obstacles, or key life experiences. They then write a 300word essay based on the interview. Winning essays become part of the online Legacy Library, recording life wisdom to send a message into the future. Legacy Project sponsors the learning project in concert with the nonprofit Generations United in Washington, D.C. The contest deadline is March 22. For more information on contest requirements and prizes awarded for winning entries, call (905) 640-8914 or visit www.legacyproject.org/pressroom/newsrelltal.html.

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

Treating pain From page 19 joints, as in other locations, may feel worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity.

• Nerve pain. Irritation or pinching of the roots of the spinal nerves causes pain that may be sharp, fleeting, severe or accompanied by pins and needles. Depending on the nerve involved, the pain may shoot down the arm or even into the hand.

• Referred pain. When you feel pain at a site removed from the area where the problem lies, it is said to be “referred.” A variety of conditions may cause referred neck pain.

For example, neck pain that worsens with exertion may indicate a heart problem, while pain when you eat may stem from a problem in the esophagus.

You may feel pain in your neck from shoulder damage; conversely, what you feel as pain in your shoulder, head, arms, hands or chest may actually be referred pain from your neck.

• Bone pain. Pain and tenderness in the cervical vertebrae are far less common than neck pain from the soft tissues. Bone pain needs medical evaluation because it can stem from serious conditions such as cancer or infection.

pecially if the arm or hand is weak, numb or tingling. Your symptoms might indicate that a herniated cervical disk is pressing on a nerve.

3. Loss of bowel or bladder control.

This might indicate pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots, needing immediate attention.

4. Extreme instability. If you can suddenly flex or extend your neck much farther than usual, it might indicate a fracture or torn ligaments. This usually occurs only after significant impact or injury, and is more likely to be detected by your doctor or on an x-ray than by your own perception.

5. Persistent swollen glands in the neck. Infection or tumor can result in swollen glands and neck pain.

6. Chest pain or pressure. A heart attack or inflamed heart muscle can cause neck pain, along with more classic heart symptoms.

Excerpted from Harvard Health Special

Report, “Neck and Shoulder Pain,” prepared in collaboration with the editors at Harvard Health Publications and Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School and associ-

Most neck pain doesn’t stem from anything medically serious, making it safe to try self-care strategies before seeking medical help.

However, if your neck pain is so severe you can’t sit still, or if it is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, contact a medical professional right away: 1. Fever, headache and neck stiffness. This triad of symptoms might indicate bacterial meningitis, an infection of the spinal cord and brain covering that requires prompt treatment with antibiotics.

2. Pain traveling down one arm, es-

156,434

*

PATIENTS CAN’T BE WRONG.

Heartland of Hyattsville Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation 6500 Riggs Road • Hyattsville, Maryland 20783

301-559-0300 *Number of patients admitted for post acute care in the last 12 months.

ate physician, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

When to call the doctor

Burke Internal Medicine & Research 9243 Old Keene Mill Road • Burke, VA 22015

703-455-9711

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

Pain rehab programs target chronic pain

By Cynthia Townsend, Ph.D Dear Mayo Clinic: Since a car accident three years ago, I’ve had chronic back pain. Medication is no longer working. The pain makes it hard for me to get out of the house.

Would a pain rehabilitation program be a good next step? If so, what can I expect?

Answer: From your description, it sounds like you may benefit from a pain rehabilitation program. Because chronic

pain cannot be eliminated, the goal of these programs is not to get rid of pain. Instead, they can help you take control of your life in spite of the pain.

Pain rehabilitation programs usually involve experts from many medical backgrounds. They bring together physicians, psychologists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists and pharmacists to help participants improve their quality of life.

Many of these programs are intensive and include full-day schedules that last

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several weeks. This may seem like a big commitment. But participating in this kind of comprehensive program can give you the tools and confidence you need to start enjoying life again.

Pain rehabilitation programs involve a variety of activities. Most have daily physical and occupational therapy sessions.

Planning also plays a key role.

For example, at Mayo Clinic, we ask participants to set a structure for their days that they can follow even if they have pain. This technique allows people to get past the tendency of waiting to make plans until they see how much pain they have on a certain day.

We also ask them to develop a plan for difficult days. Then on days when pain is more troublesome, they have in mind activities or support that they know will help.

Spending time with others who are dealing with pain issues also can be a benefit of a pain rehabilitation program. Even people who have supportive family members may feel isolated when they have long-term pain.

Others in similar situations can offer ideas that may help manage pain, increase confidence and provide encouragement.

Most people who enter pain rehabilitation programs take pain medication. With long-term use, these drugs may eventually fail to lessen pain and can actually make pain worse.

In many programs, participants are slowly tapered off pain medications. Plenty of support is provided to help people through the process.

At the same time, participants gain skills that allow them to manage pain and get back into daily activities. While they may be nervous about tapering off the medications, patients often describe feeling and functioning better and thinking more clearly.

Although many people do have less pain after they finish a pain rehabilitation program, that is not the primary goal. Many factors can affect a person’s pain level, from the weather to stress. Instead, pain rehabilitation programs teach participants to focus on the things they can control.

Despite having long-standing chronic pain, about 90 percent of participants complete Mayo Clinic’s program. About 80 percent report improved functioning, better mood and decreased pain. Most do not go back to taking pain medications.

In many cases, those who come into pain rehabilitation programs willing to try the various therapies offered and who follow through on their team’s recommendations are able to get back to their day-today routines and begin to enjoy life again. © 2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

AARP is making a difference.

Serving over 860,000 members across Maryland, we work toward: 8dccZXi^c\ ndj l^i] kdajciZZg deedgijc^i^Zh ;^\]i^c\ id hide jc[V^g ji^a^in gViZ ]^`Zh VcY YZbVcY^c\ WZiiZg gZa^VW^a^in [dg ji^a^i^Zh a^`Z iZVX]^c\ 66GE 9g^kZg HV[Zin XdjghZh VcY ijidg^c\ X]^aYgZc l]d cZZY WVh^X a^iZgVXn l^i] CD hjgX]Vg\Zh Ldg`^c\ [dg bdgZ adc\"iZgb XVgZ hZgk^XZh h`^aah i]gdj\] 66GE :meZg^ZcXZ 8dgeh Hjeedgi^c\ XVgZ\^kZgh Wn egdk^Y^c\ iddah i]Vi VgZ ]dbZ VcY Xdbbjc^in WVhZY VcY gZhdjgXZh SM

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23

A list of herbal remedies for every house Dear Pharmacist: or to help you sleep. Rub on pulse points.

Help me make an herbal medicine Tea tree essential oil: A powerful anticabinet since you have such fungal and antiseptic. Clean a good understanding of cuts/scrapes with it and apply plants that act like drugs. to discolored fingernails and — B.L. toenails twice daily. Can dab Dear B.L.: lightly on pimples. Do not inSure. This will be great begest. cause herbal remedies are usuNeutralizing cordial: Take ally very inexpensive, and they this tincture by mouth. It’s come with fewer side effects great for stomach aches, gas, than most prescribed medidiarrhea, constipation, heartcines. Here are the must-haves: burn or acid reflux. I like Eucalyptus essential oil: DEAR Gaia’s brand for this.

Purifies the air, and may relieve PHARMACIST Echinacea: Boosts immunisinus and lung congestion. I By Suzy Cohen ty and enhances the production keep a tiny bottle (similar to the of white blood cells. Also great sort that department stores keep for per- to ward off colds, minimize allergies, prevent fume samples) filled with pure eucalyptus infections, and protect from toxins from spioil. I sniff it before boarding an airplane, es- der, scorpion or jellyfish bites. Don’t take if pecially if people are sick around me, and you’re allergic to ragweed.

I’ve never gotten sick during or after a flight.

Usnea: Never heard of this, I bet!

You inhale it; do not ingest it. You can also di- Usnea tincture is an antibacterial, antilute with a little oil and rub on sore muscles. viral, anti-fungal and anti-amoebic. It kills Lavender essential oil: Another must- everything, so I’d suggest this for people have, that you apply to your skin for minor with serious lung, staph, strep or bladder burns, bites, stings, rashes, abrasions, pim- infections. Of course, do not delay medical ples and so forth. You can take a few deep treatment if you really need it. inhalations of this oil for instant relaxation Bentonite clay: Always in my house.

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When taken internally, it binds toxins, but too much can cause constipation. I suggest 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon mixed in water daily, but do not take within four hours of important medications because it will inactivate them. Clay can be applied to the skin to draw out poison from stings and bites, and to dry up pimples.

Bach Rescue Remedy: An energetic remedy — you take a few drops by mouth.

It’s a brilliant combination of flower essences, and affects the emotional and spiritual layer of our body. People use it to help manage trauma or shock, convulsions, fainting, and even severe stress like a car crash, animal attack, or witnessing death. Interesting, huh? I suspect you want more information, so visit www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com.

White willow bark or California poppy: These are used in the same way that you might use ibuprofen, aspirin or Tylenol. I recommend them as herbal tinctures.

There’s a whole world out there on herbal medicine (the way it used to be!), and if you’d like more information, just visit the American Botanical Council’s website at www.herbalgram.org.

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

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

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

Health claims often call for skepticism Q: Is it true that coral calcium is source has any advantages over calcium better for me than regular calcium from other sources.” supplements?

Furthermore, the safety of A: Promotional material ingesting coral calcium may suggests that coral calcium — be an issue, since some earlier calcium supplements supposlaboratory analyses reported edly made from remnants of lead contamination. Finally, Asian coral — is responsible some question the potential for the longevity and good ecological disruption if coral health of people on Okinawa. reefs are disturbed to get this Okinawans do have low insubstance. cidence of cancer and heart For now, there appears no disease, and overall good reason to switch from dairy health, but many things about NUTRITION products and calcium-fortified their lifestyle are far more WISE foods to get calcium, or if

By Karen Collins, likely to be responsible. needed, economical calcium For example, the Okinawan MS, RD, CDM supplements that have been diet features an abundance of shown effective. vegetables and frequent seafood, is low in Q: Is it true that beef is now considfat, and emphasizes portion control. Fur- ered heart-healthy? thermore, people on this island are physiA: Most research shows that frequently cally active and maintain healthy weights. eating red meat, which includes beef, lamb Promoters of coral calcium say that it is and pork, is linked to increased risk of heart better absorbed than standard calcium car- disease. This is especially true for processed bonate supplements, but I cannot find any red meat, such as hot dogs and sausage. scientifically sound studies published in You may have heard that beef can be journals to support such a statement. heart healthy from recent news stories. One According to the Natural Medicines study of 36 adults with elevated cholesterol, Comprehensive Database, a recognized for example, compared a diet high in beef source of solid, research-based informa- and low in fiber to a diet low in beef and tion on supplements of all types, “There’s filled with high-fiber vegetables and fruits. no evidence that calcium from a coral Both diets reduced LDL (“bad”) cholesterol

equally well whether high or low in beef.

The low-beef diet in this study provided lean beef in amounts equivalent to about two decks of cards (about 6 ounces) per week. The higher beef diet provided lean beef equal to about one to one-and-a-half decks of cards (about 4 ounces) daily.

The study lasted five weeks and was funded by the beef industry. It is not enough to support a change in diet recommendations.

And although the drops in lipids like LDL were similar, that may not be the whole answer for heart health, as factors like inflammation play an important role.

Beef is high in a form of iron called heme iron. One large population study recently linked higher consumption of heme iron from red meat with a 65 percent increase in heart disease.

Higher heme iron content is also thought to be one of the reasons that high red meat consumption (over 18 ounces per week) is linked to increased risk of colon cancer.

For now, the best move for most of us for heart and overall health, if you want to include beef, is to choose lean cuts of fresh meat and to limit amounts to no more than 18 ounces per week.

Q: Are the green and orange colored tortilla wraps more nutritious than regular tortillas since they are made

with vegetables?

A: No. So little spinach and tomatoes are used to make “spinach” and “tomato” tortillas that the nutritional difference between colored and regular tortillas is negligible.

The four to six percent of daily value for vitamin A or C that may be found on labels of some of these specialty tortillas is not enough to qualify them as a good source of these nutrients.

It’s more important to choose tortillas that are made from whole grain and not refined flour, and to pay attention to calorie differences stemming from tortilla size and the amount of fat added.

Make vegetables a major part of the filling, and perhaps have an extra salad to accompany your wrap to get the important nutritional value vegetables provide.

The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

BEACON BITS DIABETES SEMINAR

Dec. 9

What do people who know Assisted Living Brightview say?

The Georgetown University Diabetes Program will host a free seminar from 12:30 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 9, in Gorman Auditorium on the first floor of Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Rd. NW, Washington, D.C. Hospital personnel will cover new treatments for type 2 diabetes, non-invasive sugar monitoring and nutrition. Pre-registration is recommended and parking will be provided. For registration and more information, call (202) 342-2400.

Dementia Care

“I am thrilled to have Mom living at Brightview. Yesterday’s experience certainly was reflective of your motto: Vibrant Living.” – Mindy, Towson, MD “This is care you can feel good about . . .” – Brent Forester, M.D., Belmont, MA “My husband and I looked long and hard and this is the only place that met all of our needs. Brightview couldn’t do better.”

– Joyce Swanson, Timonium, MD

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25

Red berry pudding makes holidays festive

By Dana Jacobi On my first trip to Denmark, I stayed with a family in Aarhus. My hostess, Mrs. Anderson, made typically Danish food — simple and fresh, but sometimes bland.

One dessert she made though, a red fruit pudding, was bliss.

Danes, I discovered, love serving this dessert to visitors. Justly proud of it as a delicious dish, they insist on making guests pronounce its name, Rødgrød Med Fløde, and then enjoy the mangled result. If you are not Danish, forget about wrapping your lips around its constricted vowels. Just say tak (thank you) and keep eating.

Rødgrød refers to the pudding part of this dessert, made using the juice from red fruits, traditionally fresh raspberries and currants, which are boiled down to the fruits’ essence, then thickened using cornstarch or potato starch to make them spoonable.

Med fløde means “with cream.” Not a flood, but a few spoonfuls of light cream.

The cool liquid makes the soft pudding feel like velvet in your mouth and adds a perfect taste contrast to the lightly sweetened fruit. (Heavy whipping cream or halfand-half will not have the same effect.)

Red Berry Pudding made the authentic way starts with several quarts of fresh fruit, meaning it costs a fortune. Cooking, straining, then cooking down the strained fruit takes ages. So I have created this easier version. Using frozen raspberries and strawberries, it has the same glowing color, creamy texture and intense fruit flavor, plus it is financially sensible.

Even bliss does have a price, though.

Defrosting and bringing the fruit to room temperature yields the most juice and flesh, but it requires advance planning.

Pushing the berries through a strainer is physical work. Think of it as earning the calories to enjoy the result.

Served in small glass bowls, Red Berry Pudding is pretty at brunch as well as for

dessert, especially during the holidays.

Red Berry Pudding with Cream 1 (10-oz.) bag frozen raspberries, defrosted, at room temperature 1 (16-oz.) bag frozen strawberries, defrosted, at room temperature 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons, divided 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds, optional, for garnish 1/4 cup light cream, chilled Set sieve over mixing bowl. Pour defrosted fruits and their juices into strainer.

Dip out 3 tablespoons of combined juices and put in small bowl. Whisk cornstarch into berry juice mixture until smooth. Set mixture aside.

Using a wooden spoon, push defrosted berries through strainer. Occasionally scrape pureed fruit on outside of strainer into bowl using a flexible spatula. When mashed pulp clings in a ball inside strainer, discard it.

Measure pureed fruit and juices (there will be about 2 cups) and pour into heavy, medium stainless steel or other non-reactive saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture and 1/3 cup sugar to pot and stir to combine.

Set pot over medium-high heat and cook, whisking frequently, until berry mixture thickens and looks glossy, about 5 minutes in total, taking care not to let it boil. Divide hot pudding among 4 small dessert dishes rinsed in cold water and drained but not dried. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of remaining sugar over top of each serving to prevent a skin from forming. Or, pour pudding into one large serving bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Let pudding sit until it is room temperature.

Cover and refrigerate to chill. This dessert keeps, covered in refrigerator, for up to three days.

To serve, sprinkle sliced almonds over top of pudding, if using. Spoon 1 tablespoon

of cream over each serving, or pour cream into a small pitcher and pass it separately.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 206 calories, 3 g. total fat (2

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g. saturated fat), 45 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, 6 g. dietary fiber, 9 mg. sodium.

Dana Jacobi creates recipes for the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Please call us anytime for peace of mind for your family.

Our caring team is there to help.

DONATE YOUR CAR TO EDUCATION The nonprofit Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades

Foundation is seeking donated vehicles, which will be used to teach students about mechanics and car repair. Donations are tax deductible. Call (301) 929-

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

How to increase communication, respect Dear Solutions: now the slowest form of communication.

I love to have my grandchildren come However, there is much for them to visit, or at least I used to. I learn from the “art of converlike to talk to young people sation,” and it is an art. Not and get their ideas. Now, only do you learn the use of though, when they come language instead of shortcuts, they’re busy looking down but there is also much to be all the time and typing into a learned from looking at somehand-held phone, machine, one and watching their facial tablet or something. expressions, listening to their They never look up, and tone of voice, seeing their gesthey’re busy the whole time tures, etc. These skills help to tweeting, searching or whatimprove understanding and ever it is they’re doing, and SOLUTIONS maintain relationships. they do it so fast and so much By Helen Oxenberg, Make their visits a learning MSW, ACSW that I get dizzy watching. experience for them. Set rules.

They say, “Grandpa, we’ll Machines must be turned off at teach you how to tweet and then you mealtimes. While you are driving they can can do it with us.” tweet all they want, but as soon as you get to I don’t want to do that. They think they your destination, all machines must be have something to teach me. Shouldn’t turned off or, even better, left in the car. they learn something from me, like how Tweeting is off. Talking is on. In case to look up and have a conversation with they have forgotten how to talk, have some people? What do you think? interesting topics to help start them off. All The Grandpa this will not only be good for their brain, it Dear Grandpa: will also be good for their hands, so they Ah, yes. There used to be something called don’t get carpal tunnel syndrome from all conversation. Unfortunately, conversation is that typing!

When faced with the loss of a loved one, many people are uncertain as to the best way to bury.

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Dear Solutions: I own a company, and a few of the people who work for me come from a different culture that always looked down on my people. Now they depend on me for their living, so I pay them fairly, and when I give them their salary every two weeks, I always tell them to remember who gave it to them.

I figure that should make them appreciate and like us more and work harder. So far it doesn’t work that way, but I figure it will eventually.

Now my son who just got a master’s degree in business keeps arguing with me and tells me I’m inspiring my workers to be resentful and work less, not more.

We keep arguing about this now that he’s in the business with me. He thinks he’s a big shot now and can call the shots. Who do you think is right?

— The Boss Dear Boss: Your son is right. He is a big shot because he’s calling the right shots. Howev-

er, those right shots are hitting you the wrong way.

Your biggest problem here is not your relationship with your workers but your relationship with your son — now and in the future. You evidently want him in the business, but you’re beginning to feel a loss of control as he gradually takes over.

To make this work, you must stop seeing him as a competitor and start seeing him as a partner who can learn from you at the same time that you can learn from him.

As for those workers, stop “rubbing it in” that they’re dependent on you. This just makes people resentful. Respect is what you want and to get it you have to give it. Pay a fair wage for a fair week’s work without the barbs, and respect will flow both ways. © 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

Dec. 16

THE FUTURE OF JUDAISM

The Honorable Stuart E. Eizenstat, who heads the international practice division of Covington & Burling LLP and was former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, will present a program on the future of the Jews at 10 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 16, for the Hazak Active Seniors group of the B’nai Israel Congregation. The event is free, and a light brunch will be served. The temple is at 6301 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. For more information, call Jo at (301) 881-6550.

Dec. 27

CELTIC CONCERT AND HISTORIC HOME TOUR

One of the top-rated pan-Celtic music groups in the world, Iona, will entertain at the Sully Historic Site, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly, Va., at 1 and 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 27. The group features Scottish fiddle, percussion and vocals. A house tour is included and refreshments will be served in the 18th-century kitchen. The cost is $12. For reservations and more information, call (703) 222-4664 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes.htm.

27

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

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 12

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA This issue of “Spotlight on Aging” is about our goal to transform Washington, D.C. into an "Age-Friendly" city within five years. Mayor Vincent C. Gray recently announced his New Community Living strategic plan for serving seniors and persons with disabilities in the District of Columbia.

The essence of this plan is to ensure that DCOA’s customers have access to adequate and affordable home and community-based services (HCBS) that promote active, productive living, wellness, socialization, and intergenerational programs. However, the expectation does not stop at HCBS as we all, regardless of age, depend on more than HCBS to survive and maintain a quality life.

I am excited to describe to you the District’s Age-Friendly City movement — a movement that will benefit seniors and persons with disabilities! The agefriendly campaign was established by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In the United States, WHO has partnered with AARP to identify cities that are willing to transform into age-friendly communities.

Sometimes change can be difficult because it involves adapting to new ways of performing functions and interacting with different people. However, I believe that this change is a muchneeded one for the District of Columbia and one you will support, as it will facilitate the transformation of perspectives so that all will recognize this city's seniors as primary stakeholders.

In an age-friendly city, the District will address eight domains or areas to receive "makeovers" as identified by WHO. They include outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and community support and health services.

As you can see, every domain im-

pacts a senior in some type of way, and our job as the District government is to improve these domains in such a way that it adds value to a senior’s quality of living in the District of Columbia.

For example, I frequently receive complaints from seniors that certain traffic lights do not allow seniors sufficient time to cross the street.

Through an age-friendly city movement, it is the District’s job to work with all interested stakeholders to address this as one of many issues that could be easily resolved to promote a safe environment.

In another example, we understand that District seniors need more transportation to recreational activities.

Well, a solution could be the utilization of idle school buses that could transport seniors to different venues during the day while students are in school.

There are major steps that must be in place in order to realize this agefriendly city within five years. First, the District government must assemble the Mayor’s Age-Friendly City Steering Committee, which will consist of aging service providers, innovation leaders, researchers, advocates, business leaders, and representatives from special populations.

Second, the Mayor will commission a comprehensive needs assessment study to examine the District’s current efforts related to the aforementioned domains. As part of this assessment, there will be a series of public forums to hear from you to determine what you would like us to include in our plan for an age-friendly city.

Third, based on the results of the needs assessment, the steering committee will develop its recommendations for the Mayor’s consideration. Finally, the fourth step is to execute our plan to See DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE, page 29

December 2012

DCOA Receives Top Score The Grade DC ratings are in for October, and the D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) has received the highest grade out of all 10 agencies participating in the program.

DCOA scored an "A" overall in its first rating period of the advanced customer-service platform Grade DC, designed to provide the best possible feedback on, and analysis of, service delivery and customer care by District government agencies.

DCOA was one of five agencies added to the original five pilot agencies participating in Grade DC. Newly added agencies include the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS), the Office of Unified Com-

munications (OUC – 911/311) and the D.C. Public Library (DCPL).

The original five agencies are the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and the Department of Public Works (DPW).

Grade DC allows residents to provide feedback on their encounters with participating agencies by text, tweet, Facebook post or through the Grade DC website directly. To provide feedback on customer service or ser vices rendered by DCOA or any other Grade DC agency, visit www.grade.dc.gov.

Elder Abuse Campaign The D.C. Office on Aging’s Elder Abuse Prevention Committee has launched a campaign to make more residents aware of elder abuse, including common forms of abuse, how to recognize the warning signs, how to help prevent the abuse, and whom to contact in case there is a suspected case of abuse.

The committee has developed door hangers and magnets to bring more awareness to various forms of abuse.

For persons interested in sharing these informational items with your church, community group or organization, please contact Cheryl Taylor at 202-741-5282.

A copy of the magnet being distributed to increase awareness of elder abuse.

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

D.C. OFFICE

ON

AGING NEWSLETTER

Senior Volunteers Recognized Family Matters of Greater Washington hosted an Annual Senior Volunteer Recognition Luncheon to honor participants in its Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and Senior Works Volunteer Internship Program. The luncheon provided an opportunity to express appreciation and gratitude for their volunteers’ outstanding and dedicated service.

The following individuals were given special awards for going the extra mile in providing service in the community: The Honorable Judge Mar y Terrell: Family Matters 2012 Outstanding Public Ser vant Award — Judge Mary Terrell received a 15-year appointment by President William Jefferson Clinton in 1997 to be an Associate Judge for the District of Columbia Superior Court. She retired in 2008 to devote her energies to deterring girls from the juvenile justice system.

Antonette Dozier was the recipient of the Supervisor of the Year Award, presented by Dr. John Thompson, FAAMA, executive director, D.C. Office on Aging.

Super visor Of The Year — Sherrell Briscoe nominated Antonette Dozier — Dozier was nominated for her leadership and communication ability. She considers no job too small or too large; she is willing to assist in any way she can to ensure that an operational process is completed. Dozier’s professionalism to ensure phone coverage is superior.

She is the lead person (supervisor) for the reception coverage in the lobby of the D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA). Dozier is always pleasant, and possesses the ability

to ensure that needs of each caller and visitor to the DCOA are met.

Volunteer of the Year — Chris DeYoung the Co-Director of the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinic nominated Richard Jones — Jones tirelessly works to ensure that District residents have access to affordable healthcare ser vices.

During the past year alone, Jones assisted 951 seniors and 251 disabled adults with questions about Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and helped 160 people with the application for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program.

The Health Insurance Counseling Project at George Washington University has received several personal testimonies this year from Jones' clients, praising him for his tireless work advocating on their behalf.

Overall, Jones’ dedication and service continues to impact the service we are able to give to our clients.

The Health Insurance Counseling Project is extremely grateful to continue having Jones assist us with the work that we do for District residents.

William “Mack” Campbell Award: Awarded to Daisy J. Savage — A tireless soldier in the community of volunteerism, Savage, Ms. Senior D.C. 2002, actively serves in a membership capacity in the following volunteer-based organizations: the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club, the RSVP Advisor y Council, and the Angel Tree Holiday Committee. Savage is also active in her church and community overall.

Savage’s volunteer service is vast.

For example, in 2012 she topped the President’s Service Award, racking in 1,972 hours and an additional 1,000 hours of ser vice for the William “Mack” Campbell Award.

Penny Booster Award: Awarded to members of the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club.

Louise Bullock RSVP Advisor y Award: Awarded to Lucille Watson — Watson actively serves, in a membership capacity, in the following volunteer-based organizations: the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club as Ms. Senior D.C. 2007, the RSVP Advisor y Council, and the Angel Tree Holiday Committee. Watson is also a dutiful volunteer in her church and community overall.

Special Awards: The group of

Green Volunteers spearheaded by Bonita Thompson, with the District Department of the Environment. She coordinates the Annual Anacostia River Fair, and encourages volunteer involvement in ecological conser vation for various Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI) projects. Their work is incredible and is having a positive impact on our environment by making the Anacostia River a cleaner and safer place for the entire District of Columbia.

Richard Jones received the Volunteer of the Year award for his service at the Health Insurance Counseling Project at George Washington University.

The Honorable Judge Mary Terrell was presented the Family Matters 2012 Outstanding Public Servant Award by Tonya J. Smallwood, CEO of Family Matters of Greater Washington.

Presidential Volunteer Ser vice Award The following individuals participating in Family Matters of Greater Washington volunteer programs, the Retired Senior & Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Senior Works Volunteer Internship Program, are recipients of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

Daisy Savage Gertrude Lomax Estrelda Henderson Selma Dillard Lillie Gafford Regina “GiGi” Pitts Alice Degraffenreidt Janice L. Bennett Embroy Barksdale Bettie J. Blount Ida M. Anderson Hazel L. Charity Catherine V. Pridgen Virginia D. McCray Cutura B. Hill Virginia Johnson Fred Simmons Ula Johnson Thelma Hair Sheila Poole Ellen O. Van Edwards

1972 1490 1330 1317 1201 1173 1104 1077 1040 1019 1012 1012 1012 988 969 960 960 928 924 924 905

29

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

D.C. OFFICE

ON

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar tainment, a festive lunch and more. For tickets and information, call 202-724-5626.

December events

10th • 10 a.m.

4th • 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The workshop “Compassionate Choices at the End of Life” will help caregivers understand the healthcare decisions that need to be made and how to find the right resources to take the best care of their older relatives and themselves during this challenging time. Sponsored by Iona Senior Services, the session will be held at Grand Oaks, 5901 MacArthur Blvd. NW. To register, call Beth McLean or Vanessa Spevacek at 202-349-3400.

5th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join District seniors from across the city at the Mayor’s Annual Senior Holiday Celebration at the D.C. Armory, 2001 E. Capitol St. SE. The event will feature information and senior resource exhibits, free health screenings and immunizations, health and wellness demonstrations, live music and enter-

13th • 11 a.m.

14th • 9 a.m.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher.

500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin, Editor Selma Dillard, Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, mari-

tal status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

Attend Seabury Resources Open House to learn more about programs offered for seniors. The event will take place at 2900 Newton St. NE. RSVP to Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

19th • 10 a.m.

Become a DCOA Ambassador! Receive training on government-funded resources for seniors, the disabled age 18 and older, and caregivers. Call 202724-5622 to register for this or upcoming training

untreated.

TERRIFIC, Inc.’s Older Adults and HIV Program seeks to educate, offer testing, integrate linkages to care, and provide training and support for community providers.

For information on safe sex, HIV testing, older adult peer and support groups, HIV training, and free condoms, contact Susan Shepard at TERRIFIC, Inc., 202-462-8526 or 202-234-4128, or visit www.terrificinc.org.

Terrific, Inc will be having its holiday party for seniors in Wards 1 and 4 at the 19th Street Baptist Church, located at 4606 16th St. NW. The event will feature a skit, "That's My Show." For more information, contact James Thompson at 202-234-4128.

18th • 2 to 4 p.m.

Seabury’s Lunch & Learn series presents “Keeping Seniors Safe During Winter” at all Ward 5 Senior Nutrition sites. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

HIV Does Not Discriminate, Get Tested Today!

According to the 2010 District of Columbia HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Report, nearly 40 percent of all persons in the District currently living with HIV are over the age of 50.

More and more, older adults are diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Older adults are also being diagnosed late in their disease. Many older adults have compromised their quality of life because they are unaware they have HIV or have gone

14th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Seabury Resources for Aging will distribute donated toys to the Central Union Mission. To contribute, bring new toys to 2900 Newton St. NE from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

World AIDS Day — Dec. 1, 2012

sessions. DCOA Ambassador Training will be held at the DCOA headquarters, 500 K St. NE.

The Ward 5 Mini-Commission on Aging will meet at Seabury Resources for Aging, 2900 Newton Street, NE. Contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701 for more information.

Caregivers Honored During November, National Family Caregivers Month, the D.C. Caregivers’ Institute held a celebration, “Good Time Jazz,” to honor its caregivers and present the Caregiver of the Year Award.

This year’s Caregiver of the Year is Joseph Clark, who provides care for his 91-year-old grandmother. He receives inhome support services for her through Seabury Ward 5 Aging Services.

The services include homebound meals provided by a new D.C. Office on Aging vendor, Mom’s Meals. Clark’s grandmother, who has dementia and high blood pressure, did not recognize the difference in the meals prepared by the new vendor right away, he said.

“She didn’t notice the difference in the food, but she liked the new container,” said Clark. What he liked is the ability to order two weeks’ worth of meals at a time from a menu.

“It is better when you can order what you know she likes. I know what she can eat and what she can’t. The only inconvenience is [having enough] storage space, but I just put some in the freezer and bring them down to the refrigerator when I need them.”

Mom’s Meals provides homebound meals to senior citizens citywide. With this new delivery service, seniors or their caregivers can select from a menu whatever type of prepared refrigerator meals they would like to eat for two weeks. The meals are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and can be stored in the refrigerator for 14 days or frozen.

Clark, 32, was unable to attend the caregiver celebration this year because of a scheduled doctor’s appointment.

Other nominees for this year’s Caregiver of the Year Award included Eloise Hinton, Sandra Lee, Judy Mitchell, Roy Saunders and Ava Wright.

For more information about programs and services provided to assist seniors and their caregivers, call the D.C. Caregivers’ Institute at 202-4641513, visit it on the Web at www.dccaregivers.org, or contact by email at info@dccaregivers.org.

If you are interested in receiving meals through the homebound meal delivery service, call your lead agency or contact the D.C. Office on Aging’s Information and Assistance Unit at 202-724-5626.

Director’s message

you will play an integral role in shaping the future landscape of the District.

In the interim, please share your ideas with us about making Washington, DC an age-friendly city by calling us at 202724-5622. We look forward to hearing from you. Through a collective effort, we will make the District an age-friendly city for all seniors!

From page 27

transform the District into an age-friendly community.

I hope that I have given you an adequate snapshot of what our age-friendly city might look like in five years, and I trust that

30

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

Money Law &

DOWN ON DIVIDENDS Dividend investors face steeply higher tax rates unless Congress acts NEW DEALS ON OLD CARS Dealers are slashing prices on 2012 cars to make way for new models A HEALTHY TAX HIKE Some investment taxes will rise in 2013 to help pay for healthcare reform COOLING YOUR HEAT BILL Let the sunshine in your house, close fireplace dampers and other ideas

How to deal with 2013 cap gains tax hike

By Dave Carpenter The impending jump in capital gains taxes has prompted a flood of nervous calls to financial advisers in recent months.

Less than a month remains until the maximum rate of 15 percent on long-term gains rises to 20 percent unless Congress extends the Bush-era tax cuts.

On top of that, the healthcare reform package imposes a new 3.8 percent Medicare tax on the investment income of high-income earners. That means their capital gains tax bill will increase by more than half to 23.8 percent for single filers with incomes of more than $200,000 and couples who make over $250,000. [See “New healthcare investment tax next year,” on page 37.]

The looming increase poses a tempting reason to sell now for anyone who’s sitting on large unrealized gains in stocks, property or other assets. But pulling the trigger on a sale hastily could be a mistake.

A couple of Joe Heider’s clients were in “almost a Chicken Little mode” over the much steeper tax bills they could face, said the regional managing principal of Rehmann Financial Group in Cleveland. One, a corporate executive with stock holdings worth several million dollars, wanted to sell all his shares until Heider talked him out of it.

It’s not just millionaires with money at stake. Plenty of retirees who regularly sell off some of their portfolio for living expenses could face heftier bills on stocks, mutual funds or bonds that have grown appreciably in value over the years.

Those inclined to overreact by selling now without analyzing their situation would be wise to heed the old Wall Street adage: “Don’t let the tax tail wag the investment dog.” In other words, don’t become preoccupied with taxes at the expense of the ultimate objective.

“Keep in mind that first and foremost it’s about making a gain,” said Heider. “The key is making money.”

With that caveat in mind, here are five tips for approaching the possible capital gains tax hike: 1. Don’t hold a fire sale.

Do some basic math, or have a financial adviser do it for you.

“If you’re selling just because rates are going up, think twice,” said Rande Spiegelman, vice president of financial planning in the Schwab Center for Financial Research.

“I don’t see selling just to lock in a lower capital gains rate.”

Start by reviewing your portfolio to determine which investments have risen signifi-

cantly in value since you purchased them.

Think about when you are likely to sell.

Then crunch the numbers on how much tax you’d pay by selling now or later. Refer as needed to an online capital gains calculator such as http://www.moneychimp.com/features/capgain.htm.

Selling now means you’d be left with a smaller sum of money or other assets to grow. So factor in lost opportunities for the assets to appreciate in years ahead. Plus there’s the out-of-pocket cost.

2. Keep it in perspective.

Remember that the past decade has been an era of very low taxation by historical standards. A long-term capital gains rate of 20 percent starting in 2013 would still be relatively modest. Even the likely worst-case scenario of 23.8 percent for high earners would hardly be dire in comparison with many recent years.

The maximum long-term capital gains rate was as high as 39.9 percent in the 1970s and 28 percent for a good chunk of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

3. Accelerate a sale you already were planning.

Assuming the price is right, go ahead and sell this year if you were going to do so soon anyway. That’s particularly the case

with property or real estate, where the rate increase for capital gains is slightly different but the same principle applies.

A South Dakota man who had been planning to sell the family ranch he inherited from his parents is pushing the transaction through this fall. Rick Kahler, a certified financial planner in Rapid City, advised him he would likely pay at least $90,000 less in taxes by doing so than by waiting until next year.

Kahler is telling clients they should consider moving up any sale that they were expecting to make in the next 12 to 24 months. PwC, the U.S. arm of professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers, goes even further, recommending selling any asset now that you might otherwise sell in the next 10 years.

Be wary of waiting until the last few days of the year, or you could get stuck selling at a market low. Investment guru Jeremy Siegel, finance professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, said stock prices could fall as much as 20 percent by year-end if Congress does nothing to keep the economy from falling over the fiscal cliff.

4. Watch your bracket.

Carefully consider the consequences of See CAPITAL GAINS, page 31

Changes coming in estate and gift taxes

By Dave Carpenter Taxes that are largely a concern of the very rich will soon affect far more people unless Congress steps in.

The impending drastic changes in the estate and gift tax laws are prompting a flurry of activity as 2013 draws near. Family members are making financial gifts, creating trusts and considering other tax-minded moves.

Financial advisers, and trust and estate attorneys have been flooded with requests for assistance in the final months before the record-high exemption for both taxes is scheduled to plunge from $5.12 million to $1 million on Jan 1.

If unaltered, the value of any estate in excess of $1 million will be subject to the estate tax, at a top rate of 55 percent next year, before passing to family or other heirs. Currently the top rate is 35 percent, starting at a level more than five times higher.

“There’s been a little bit of a frenzy all of a sudden,” said Janis Cowhey McDonagh, a principal with New York accounting firm Marcum LLP. “People are saying ‘Wait a minute, this is really going away. I need to do something before the end of the year.”’

The concern may not stir sympathy among most middle-class Americans, but it’s a pressing issue for many in costly locations, such as the Washington area, where it’s not unusual for household assets to surpass the million-dollar mark.

The new federal rates would affect roughly 55,000 estates next year, according to Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation, compared with fewer than 4,000 under current rates.

An example cited by Fidelity Investments underscores the impact of the potential change. A single person or married couple with an estate of $3 million could

face a $945,000 federal estate tax bill next year. Under current law, that bill is zero.

Gift taxes may follow suit Heightening the 11th-hour tax commotion are the near-identical drops in the lifetime gift tax exemption and the generation-skipping transfer tax. The latter is imposed on grandchildren or others who are 37 1/2 years younger than you.

Wealthy families who are set up to pass along millions to their children and grandchildren are scrambling to give away or otherwise set aside huge chunks of their assets by the end of the year. The aim is to lessen their future estate tax liability and spare their heirs much larger bills.

President Barack Obama prefers an estatetax exemption of $3.5 million and a top rate of 45 percent. While running for president, Republican Mitt Romney wanted to eliminate

the estate tax but retain the gift tax as is.

But congressional action would still be needed to enact any changes, which is why taxpayers with million-dollar estates are scurrying to make changes now.

Plan your strategy Here are some of the key strategic moves that can be made, with the assistance of attorneys and advisers, to gain a tax advantage before the laws change: Give away cash. For the time being, taxpayers can gift as much as $5.12 million during their lifetimes without paying taxes. That total is above and beyond the $13,000 annual gift-tax exemption that many taxpayers are aware of. That exclusion allows you to make an unlimited number of gifts of up to $13,000 each year withSee ESTATE TAXES, page 31

Estate taxes From page 30 out incurring any taxes.

But gifts much larger than that will be needed between now and year-end to make a difference in estate and tax planning.

At the extreme wealthy end, McDonagh said one couple she’s advising wrote separate checks for $5 million to their adult children recently. It’s money the children would have inherited anyway, and now will be tax-free.

People who aren’t quite so affluent can benefit from smaller but still substantial gifts.

Many parents make large loans to their children to buy a home or for some other purpose. Calling it a simple cash gift, or forgiving a previous loan, can shrink the estate tax bill.

Put it in a trust. A fear of giving away too much and ending up short-handed later in future years has caused “gifting paralysis” among many well-off people who could benefit, said estate planning attorney Todd Angkatavanich, a partner at Withers Bergman LLP in New Haven, Conn. That procrastination has turned into a late-year rush to action.

Those who are still reluctant to make out-

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

right gifts to beneficiaries may wish to consider transferring assets into trusts, which can give the donor more of a say in how they are distributed. A trust is an arrangement in which an individual turns over property or assets to a trustee to hold for beneficiaries, generally with tax savings in mind.

Among the many, often-complex options: An irrevocable trust can benefit children and grandchildren. One type, a grantor retained annuity trust or GRAT, provides for annual payments to the donor for a fixed period of time before the assets go to the beneficiary as a tax-free gift.

A spousal lifetime access trust sets assets aside for a surviving spouse that can still be accessed if needed, with limitations. And a self-settled trust makes the person who created it the beneficiary, but the money is controlled by an independent trustee.

Give away a home. Giving a primary residence or vacation home to a child often is done through a qualified personal residence trust, or QPERT. The trust is irrevocable but specifies that you can maintain use of the property for a certain number of years. The property is then valued at a discount because heirs don’t get immediate use.

tax scramble: State laws on estate taxes differ from federal ones. Twenty-two states have either an estate tax, an inheritance tax, or both. It’s another reason why anyone trying to take advantage of current federal laws should seek help from an expert.

Both Maryland and the District of Columbia levy their own estate taxes of up to 16 percent on estates over $1 million. Virginia does not have an estate tax. None of the three has a separate gift tax.

— AP

Retaining the right to live in the house makes it a “have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too” scenario for those who have expensive homes but are concerned about leaving themselves with too few resources, said Jim Cody, director of estate and trust services for investment advisory firm Harris myCFO in Palo Alto, Calif.

State taxes, too A wild card to consider in the year-end

PAUL F. RIEKHOF ATTORNEY AT LAW

Capital gains From page 30 any sale on your adjusted gross income.

Selling a substantial amount of assets could drive you into a higher tax bracket than you would have been otherwise, and this would skew your math on tax savings.

And you don’t want to trigger the additional 3.8 percent surplus tax on a big chunk of investment income.

5. Preserve your capital losses.

Don’t rush to sell if you have capital tax losses carried over from earlier sales.

The technique known as tax-loss harvesting is generally a savvy way to reduce your tax burden. If you have sold shares of a stock

or mutual fund for less than you paid, that created a capital loss for tax purposes. It can be used to offset a capital gain that you incurred by selling another stock or fund.

Taxpayers who have more losses than gains can carry them over to subsequent years indefinitely and apply as much as $3,000 per year against their regular income.

But using the tax losses this year wouldn’t go as far as they would in 2013 and beyond when you’d likely have more capital gains taxes to offset. So, no need to sell shares now just to have a gain to offset in 2012. Better to hang onto those losses and use them in later years, advises Jeff Saccacio, partner in PwC’s private company services practice.

— AP

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

Dividend investors face higher tax in 2013

By Mark Jewell What if one of your key sources of income were taxed at three times the rate you pay now?

That’s a realistic possibility next year for high-income investors who own dividendpaying stocks or mutual funds. Dividend investors earning modest income and retirees who count on quarterly payouts could face a higher rate as well.

Investors have enjoyed historically low rates on investment income since 2003.

But those will expire in January unless Congress and President Barack Obama reach a compromise first on taxes and government spending.

Failure to reach a deal would trigger higher rates on other income as well, plus automatic federal spending cuts. The combination could send the economy back into recession.

The prospect of higher rates on dividend payouts starting in January has left

dividend investors, as well as dividend-paying companies, with plenty of news to track and what-ifs to consider.

Here’s a look at the key moving parts:

New rate reality?

Investors today pay 15 percent tax on most dividends and on capital gains, the profits from selling investments that have appreciated in value.

Unless Congress and Obama say otherwise, dividends will be taxed as ordinary income in 2013, the same as wages. So rates will go up depending on which income bracket a taxpayer is in.

For the highest earners, the dividend rate could jump to 43.4 percent. The president wants to restore a 39.6 percent ordinary income rate for top earners, up from the current 35. High-income taxpayers will also face a 3.8 percent tax on investment income to help pay for Obama’s health care overhaul.

For those in middle tax brackets, divi-

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dend rates in the 20 to 30 percent range are likely. The result is that middle-income earners could pay a dime or so more on each dollar of dividend income flowing into a taxable account. For high earners, it would be a quarter or so more.

Dividend rate increases could be smaller if congressional leaders and Obama agree on a compromise to raise the level to something less than what the president wants.

A tax bill can be delayed by holding investments in a tax-sheltered account. But many investors, especially those in higher tax brackets, don’t rely exclusively on an individual retirement account or 401(k), in which earnings can grow tax-free.

Manufacturer Leggett & Platt and industrial products maker Johnson Controls have announced plans to move their next payouts to December to beat a potential rate increase. In both instances, the payouts will be made less than a week before year-end.

Dividend-paying companies have another week or two to decide whether to make special payouts, Silverblatt said. Waiting much longer would complicate matters because dividends are typically distributed a few weeks after the payout is announced.

“Companies still have a little leeway to see how the negotiations start,” Silverblatt said. “But you don’t want to wait until Dec. 25 to do something, because that would be too late.”

Beating the deadline Dividend-paying companies want investors to be taxed minimally because it makes their stocks more attractive to hold.

And many companies are reviewing their dividend policies, now that it appears investors could soon pay higher taxes.

Those companies face a decision: Keep dividend payouts at current levels and see how the budget talks go, or distribute special payouts in December, before taxes go up.

A few companies already are approving such unusual “fifth quarter” dividends, the term that Howard Silverblatt of S&P Dow Jones Indices uses for these payouts.

“If I’m in the top tax bracket, a company better have a great reason for paying me after Jan. 1 when my rate will be 43 percent, rather than the 15 percent I could have paid back in December,” Silverblatt said.

In late October, telecommunications company IDT Corp. said it would make a special payment in mid-November, then suspend its quarterly dividend. “Our stockholders are best served by paying this dividend now,” IDT CEO Howard Jonas said.

Further into the future In the long term, higher dividend tax rates should lead companies to consider whether to buy back some of their stock rather than approve further dividend increases.

It could be a better use of a company’s cash holdings. By repurchasing stock, companies reward investors by increasing the value of remaining shares. Per-share earnings get a lift as results are divided among fewer shares.

Other companies could continue increasing dividends, but at a more modest pace than when the payouts were taxed at a lower rate.

“If you’ve increased a dividend five years in a row, you’re probably going to continue to do so, if you can,” Silverblatt said. “But rather than increasing it 10 percent, it may be just 8 or 6 percent.”

Higher rates would make dividend stocks less attractive because investors would keep less of their earnings. But dividends would See DIVIDENDS, page 36

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Some surprising dividend stocks to buy

By Anne Kates Smith Despite the likelihood of higher tax rates on dividends next year, investors can’t buy dividend-paying stocks fast enough these days. And for good reason.

Bond yields, especially those of Treasurys, are bumping along the floor, and the stock market, though tamer lately, can erupt at a moment’s notice.

What could be more satisfying than cashing dividend checks from a company that delivers them like clockwork for a plump 3-percent yield or higher?

But investors seeking dividends today will do well to venture beyond the usual suspects. “We’ve seen tech companies initiate and raise dividends, as well as energy and industrial companies,” said analyst Todd Rosenbluth, of S&P Capital IQ. Firms that recently began paying dividends, or those that pay modest but growing dividends, will likewise prove to be better buys now.

Check out these companies We found a number of reasonably priced stocks that deliver above-average yields (the S&P 500 yields 2.2 percent). These companies have solid balance sheets with enough cash to finance and increase their dividends.

• Aflac (symbol AFL; recent price, $49). This life, health and long-term care insurance giant is known in the U.S. for its popular ads starring the Aflac duck. But the Columbus, Ga., company has a much larger footprint in Japan, which accounts for 75 percent of its revenues.

Japan’s aging population makes the country a favorable market for the sale of policies to supplement state-provided health care. And the underserved U.S. market provides plenty of opportunity, too.

The stock looks like a bargain at 7 times estimated year-ahead earnings and yields 2.7 percent. Analyst Steven Schwartz, of Ray-

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Ongoing

NEW SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE HOURS

All Washington, D.C. metropolitan area Social Security offices have shortened their public hours. New hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition, beginning Jan. 2, the offices will close to the public every Wednesday at noon. The reduced hours will allow staff more time to maintain their workloads without incurring overtime. To reach Social Security, call 1-800-772-1213, TTY 1-800-325-0778, or visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

mond James & Associates, has a 12-month price target of $61.50 for Aflac’s stock.

• Chevron (CVX; $113). The world’s fourth-largest energy company (based on reserves) is downsizing its refining operations in the U.S., but it maintains a large refining business in Asia, where it should benefit from growing demand in developing markets. Chevron has the financial muscle to fund mega projects, pursue acquisitions, boost dividends and buy back shares.

The company, which has paid dividends since 1912, bumped up the quarterly payout by 11 percent in April. The shares trade at just 9 times estimated year-ahead earnings, especially given the stock’s 3.2percent yield.

• Kohl’s (KSS; $52). Despite today’s reluctant consumers, Kohl’s has been able to open new stores and remodel others while reducing debt, buying back shares

and paying dividends.

Kohl’s initiated dividends only last year, and the stock’s yield — currently 2.5 percent — barely bests the S&P 500’s yield. But growth prospects are good, and catching a rising dividend star at the outset can pay off.

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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

Now is a good time to find new car deals

By Jessica Anderson One of the best ways to save money on a new car is to buy at the end of the model year. As dealers try to clear their lots to make way for new inventory and to meet sales goals, they’ll be in the mood to bargain.

The type of vehicle you’re looking for will dictate the size of the discounts you’ll find.

Small cars and crossovers have been in demand due to high gas prices, so steep discounts are hard to come by. But big sedans, SUVs and minivans are ripe for a deal.

According to estimates by TrueCar.com, an automotive data firm, the average transaction price of a Chevrolet Impala will be 11 percent off sticker price this fall, a Ford Edge will be 14 percent less than sticker, and a Kia Sedona minivan will carry about a 10-percent discount. “If you need a family hauler, it’s a great time to be in the market,” said Jesse Toprak, vice-president of industry analysis at TrueCar.

Low-cost financing Manufacturers have cut back on cashback offers, but low-rate financing and lease deals are plentiful. Automakers offer incentives on the vehicles they most want to move, and vehicles getting a redesign in the upcoming model year often get a sweetener.

For example, Honda is offering 0.9-percent financing for 60 months on the outgoing Accord. If you plan to trade in the car

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within three years, keep in mind that you’ll take a bigger hit on the resale value if you buy the older model instead of the redesigned version.

Lease for less Because the used-car market is still hot, carmakers are offering low-cost leases — for 24 months as well as the standard 36 months — on vehicles they want to recycle into the certified used-car market down the road. Lease a Hyundai Santa Fe for $269 a month for 36 months (it’s redesigned for 2013) or a Volkswagen Jetta for $159 a month for 36 months.

Even pricey electric vehicles are quietly being leased for less. Chevrolet offers the Volt for $269 a month for a 24-month lease, and Nissan’s Leaf goes for $249 a month with a 39-month deal. Luxury carmakers typically roll out lease deals on outgoing models close to the holidays.

There may be fewer cash incentives, but there’s still room to negotiate. Stair-step incentives — back-end bonuses for dealers that meet certain sales targets, often by the end of the month — are persuading dealers to accept less for a vehicle upfront, knowing the carmaker will reimburse them later.

Unlike factory cash rebates, you won’t find these incentives touted in ads. To find dealer as well as customer cash rebates, go to www.edmunds.com/car-incentives.

Jessica Anderson is an associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Dividends From page 34 still offer attractive after-tax yields relative to many investment alternatives.

For example, 10-year Treasurys yield about 1.6 percent. That’s substantially below the average 2.64 percent yield of the 404 dividend-paying companies in the S&P 500 stock index.

That’s upside-down from the normal relationship between those investments.

Since 1962, yields of S&P 500 stocks have averaged 43 percent of Treasury yields, Silverblatt said.

And Treasurys don’t offer the growth potential that stocks do from price appreciation. Even considering higher rates, dividends offer higher after-tax returns than Treasurys, albeit with greater risk.

Dividends’ after-tax yield advantage is even wider compared with interest earned from bank accounts.

“Even with a higher tax rate,” Silverblatt said, “there’s plenty to like about dividends.”

— AP

Write a letter to the editor.

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New healthcare investment tax next year

By Kimberly Lankford Q. I understand that the healthcare reform law imposes a new tax on investments. To whom does the tax apply, and when does it take effect?

A. Starting in 2013, taxpayers who have a modified adjusted gross income of $200,000 or more ($250,000 for joint filers) will pay a 3.8-percent surtax on certain kinds of investment income, such as interest, dividends, capital gains, rent and royalties. (Interest on tax-exempt municipal bonds doesn’t count.)

The calculation is tricky: The surtax applies either to the investment income or to the amount of modified AGI exceeding the threshold, whichever is less.

For example, if your joint income is $300,000 and you have $5,000 of investment income, you’ll pay the tax on the $5,000. But if your investment income is $50,000 and your joint modified AGI is $260,000, you’ll pay the tax on the $10,000 that exceeds the AGI limit.

There is also a 0.9-percent Medicare surtax on any salary or self-employment income that exceeds the modified AGI threshold.

Q. Does this new tax apply to home sales?

A. It does apply to home-sale profits, but it might not hit very many people. When you sell your home, up to $250,000 of the profit is tax-free if you’re single and have owned and lived in the home for at least

two of the five years leading up to the sale.

The exclusion rises to $500,000 for married couples filing a joint return. That part of the profit is not subject to capital gains taxes, and it also avoids the new surtax.

However, if your profit on the home sale is more than the tax-free amount, or if you lived in the house for fewer than two out of the past five years, your investment profit will be subject to this extra tax if your modified AGI is more than $200,000 (if you’re single) or $250,000 (if you’re married filing jointly).

Furthermore, the tax exclusion does not apply to second homes or vacation homes, so the entire profit on the sale of a second home or vacation home could be subject to the surtax.

Q. What can I do to minimize the new tax?

A. Any steps you can take to keep your

income below the $200,000/$250,000 modified AGI threshold in 2013 — such as contributing to a 401(k) or flexible spending account — can help you avoid the tax. Also consider buying investments that aren’t subject to the surtax, such as tax-exempt

municipal bonds.

Kimberly Lankford is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and the author of Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, $18.95). © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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Chief Richard Bowers of Montgomery County Fire & Rescue will lead a Senior Safety Summit from 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the White Oak Recreation Center.

Topics covered will include home fire safety; preventing trips and falls; protection from scams, cons and fraud; security at home and away; and general emergency preparedness. The center is at 1700 April Ln., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (240) 777-4924.

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2-1-1 Maryland has information on numerous programs and services designed to provide assistance to seniors, those with a disability and their loved ones. Dialing 2-1-1 can provide resources for those facing a crisis and information on such topics as senior housing, caregiving and retirement. The service is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The website at www.211md.org provides searchable information.

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

Try these hot tips for saving on heating costs

By Jonathan Fahey This winter is expected to feel like more winter. That means you’ll have to pay more to heat your home.

Last winter was the warmest on record, and homeowners may have forgotten where the weather stripping and space heater are stashed. They’ll come in handy for the 2012-2013 season, when temperatures are expected to be close to normal.

The price for heating oil, natural gas and other fuel will be relatively stable. But customers will have to use more energy to keep warm, according to the annual Winter Fuels Outlook from the Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration.

There are a number of ways to try to make sure your bill doesn’t rise quite so

fast. If you’re a heating oil user, you may want to try all of them.

Heating oil customers are expected to pay the highest prices ever. That will result in record heating bills, an average of $2,494.

That’s nearly $200 more than the previous high, set in the winter of 2010-2011.

Customers who use natural gas, electricity or propane won’t pay as much as they have in typical winters because prices are relatively low. Natural gas users will spend an average of $697 this winter, 13 percent less than the five-year average.

“It’s two different worlds. For most families this is still going to be an affordable year, except for those who use oil heat,” said Mark Wolfe, the Executive Director of the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association.

“For them, it’s going to be very difficult.”

At the same time, funding for low-income heating assistance is falling. Over the last two years, heating assistance funding has been cut to $3.5 billion from $5.1 billion in 2010. The number of households receiving assistance fell by 1.1 million over the period, according to Wolfe.

Easy cost-saving measures One obvious way to lower your heating bill is to don some fluffy slippers and turn down the thermostat. The Energy Department estimates that a resident can save 1 percent on their heating bill for every degree a thermostat is set back. Here are a few other ways: • Think of the sun as a heater, and your drapes as a blanket. Open drapes when you are getting direct sunlight, then close them at night to keep heat from escaping.

• Make sure the damper in your fireplace is closed when you aren’t using it.

• Keep air vents clean and uncovered so heat can easily flow throughout your home.

• Shut off kitchen fans and bathroom fans as soon as they are no longer needed.

• Lower the temperature of your water heater. That can be done without your shower getting noticeably less steamy.

Energy audits can help Many states and utilities offer incentives

for home energy audits and home weatherization programs that include things like adding insulation, installing more efficient windows, and replacing an old boiler or furnace with a new one.

These investments can pay for themselves in heating savings in just a few years, especially when energy prices are high.

John Huber, President of the National Oilheat Research Alliance said that customers learned to drastically cut the amount of oil they burned during the 1970s oil crisis and again when prices began to rise sharply in 2007 and 2008. “Americans really do respond to economic signals,” he said.

Switching from oil heat to natural gas can be an expensive project — $5,000 to $10,000, according to Sobieski Services of Wilmington, Del. The price depends on how difficult it is to connect to public lines and remove the old furnace, and how much other infrastructure your house may need. But you could make up the cost in three or four winters at today’s prices.

Just 6 percent of the nation’s households use heating oil, but they tend to be in some of the coldest parts of the country where heating needs are high, mainly in the Northeast.

About half use natural gas for heat and 38 percent use electricity. Five percent of households use propane and 2 percent use wood.

— AP

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

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Careers Volunteers &

39

Did you (or someone you know) change careers, start a business or go back to school after retirement?

Please share your story. Email info@theBeaconNewspapers.com or call Barbara at (301) 949-9766.

Retired nurse continues to care for others

Working with hospice patients In addition, she became a trained volunteer with Montgomery Hospice so she could provide emotional comfort to families and patients receiving hospice services at the Village.

“I’ve taken care of a lot of people in my lifetime, and because there was a need for hospice volunteers, I felt like it was the

right thing to do,” she said.

Madsen’s husband received hospice care at the Village, and she began serving as a volunteer assistant to the medical director at that time, continuing to lend her medical skills after her husband passed away in 2005.

She found the work to be meaningful and it helped her heal. In fact, “it saved my life,” she said, and her volunteerism at the community grew from there.

Madsen’s lifetime of caring for others has resulted in her being named to the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

She was honored as one of 43 inductees at the 26th annual Hall of Fame award ceremony in October.

Madsen also motivates her neighbors to get the medical attention they need. Because she is a fellow resident, she believes it is more comfortable for some in her community to seek her input first, rather than going straight to a doctor.

“They know me as a person,” she said.

“We’re friends.”

“Sometimes people are hesitant to go to the doctor,” Madsen added. “A lot people are intimidated and afraid of being a bother.” But because of her medical training, when someone is in need of care, “I can tell, so I tell them that they need to make an appointment.”

She is also able to help direct her neighbors to the right resource for the care they need. “People will call me at my home and ask for help because they don’t

often know where to go for help,” she said.

The interaction with her community through her support of fellow residents has paid off socially as well.

“What’s been so rewarding for me,” she said of her extensive volunteer involvements, “is that I know everyone in the Village here.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIRGIT MADSEN

By Connie George A native of Denmark, Birgit Madsen began looking out for the well-being of others as a teenager during World War II. As an 18-year-old, she joined the underground movement to help find safe havens and hiding places for those fleeing the Nazis and their concentration camps. At one point, she narrowly survived a Nazi interrogation of her activities at gunpoint.

Madsen ultimately studied nursing in Copenhagen before immigrating to the U.S. in 1968, then updated her nursing license at the University of Michigan.

Fast-forward to today. After retiring from her nursing career, Madsen, now 88, continued to put her healthcare skills to work. In fact, she has contributed more than 4,500 hours as a volunteer at her retirement community, the Village at Rockville, where she has lived for 11 years.

She provides extensive medical assistance, including conducting EKGs, blood tests and other screenings at the Village.

Madsen also manages its 1,400-volume lending library.

A humbling honor Madsen said she has been very humbled and surprised by her Hall of Fame award. “I kind of feel overwhelmed,” she said, “because I love doing what I’m doing, and I really don’t feel like I need an award for it.”

She added that she believes “I haven’t really Retired nurse Birgit Madsen has devoted more than done anything heroic. I’ve 4,500 hours to volunteering at the Village of Rockville, worked all my life and I where she lives, conducting health screenings, comforting hospice patients, and running the community’s like to stay busy.”

1,400-book library. She was recognized for her work in But according to volun- October, when Madsen was inducted into the Maryland t e e r m a n a g e r F e l i c i a Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

Brown, who nominated Madsen for the honor, “Birgit is an invalu- she helped develop a computer tracking able asset to the Village at Rockville and is system for the incoming and outgoing books, has increased the volume of resione of our most diligent volunteers.”

In addition to Madsen’s medical services, Brown said, “Since serving as librarian See VOLUNTEER, page 40

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Thompson

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

teachers as mentors for educators who are just starting out in their careers.

From page 1 to live independently in their own homes, which is what most of them want to do.

Hence, the strategic plan promotes the concept of “aging-in-place” by aiming to provide more support services to older homeowners.

One way to do that is through “villages” that bring whole neighborhoods together to keep an eye out for older residents and those with disabilities. DCOA is designating funds as seed money to help such villages get started in every ward of the city.

So far, there are about 12 of them, but more are needed. “Being able to create that synergy and involve the whole community is what the villages are all about,” Thompson said.

The strategic plan also aims to increase intergenerational programs and partnerships to accomplish the age-friendly city goal.

For example, DCOA plans to partner with a D.C. vocational charter school that teaches students how to renovate homes.

The students will get on-the-job training by helping seniors with tasks such as drywall repair and painting.

“Those are the types of services that can really help modify a senior’s home and give the youth the experience. So that’s a win-win situation,” Thompson said.

On the flip side, another DCOA program will be pairing experienced retired

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An affinity for seniors At age 36, Thompson is young enough to be his constituents’ son or grandson.

But he calls his career “a natural progression toward working with seniors.”

Thompson grew up in Columbia, S.C., earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degrees in health services management and business administration at universities in his home town.

He also holds a Ph.D. in health services administration from Walden University in Minneapolis and is a fellow of the American Academy of Medical Administrators.

Thompson worked in the nursing home division of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid as a health insurance specialist. He also served as director of the National Aging Information & Referral Support Center and as Senior Policy Advisor of the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities.

Before becoming DCOA’s executive director, he was the District’s ADRC supervisory public health analyst from 2008 to 2010. ADRCs have been partly funded by the federal government throughout the country to encourage state and local governments to combine services for older adults with those for adults of any age with disabilities.

But even as a child, Thompson was in-

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“There are so many ways that residents interact with each other, and I am very, very happy to have the chance to use my gifts and talents as a chaplain to help others here in my community.”

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troduced to aging issues. He accompanied his father as he did field work to earn a degree in healthcare administration.

“He would go to group homes. At Christmas time, we’d go to the VA hospital and sing Christmas carols. Somehow we always had something in our world that dealt with seniors,” including visiting his grandfather, he said.

“My road growing up was around seniors, and the pieces of the puzzle just fit together,” Thompson said.

Today, Thompson, who has a 4-year-old daughter and 14-year-old stepson, is seeing aging from the perspective of his parents, who still live in South Carolina.

While his father is active in the community, his mother spends much more time at home. A native of Thailand (with parents who were Thai and Chinese), she feels isolated by a lack of connection with culture, he said.

Reaching out to the underserved Thompson said he thinks of his mother when he looks at making the District’s services more inclusive.

“Our job is to interest folks who have a barrier — whether it’s a social barrier, a cultural barrier, or if they decide not to participate in activities because of illness. Our job is to offer something that will entice them to participate in the different types of activities the city offers,” he said.

And once residents visit a wellness center, congregate meal site, or other location with senior services, Thompson wants to make sure they get more than they came in for.

“We need to do a better job of integrating the social and the health component,” he said.

That means offering more social activities at wellness centers, which primarily have exercise equipment and fitness classes, as well as bringing healthcare practitioners to events and activities so that seniors can get their blood pressure checked

Volunteer From page 39 dents who utilize [the community’s] library services, and helps train and teach new library volunteers.”

Madsen said she hopes that her award might motivate other individuals to begin serving in their communities.

“I hope this will inspire other people to volunteer,” she said, “and that those who have the time will work to help other people in need.”

or even chat with a doctor when they come to hear a speaker or have lunch.

Howard University’s Geriatrics Division operates the Hayes Senior Wellness Center in the building where Thompson works.

The center is run by the university’s chief of geriatrics, who has brought 10 to 15 medical residents in to help do screenings.

Also, a surgeon has provided vascular screenings, saving several seniors from requiring the amputation of a limb, Thompson said.

“Not every senior has a primary care physician. So when we have our holiday party on Dec. 5, we’re bringing practitioners to do in-depth screenings….Our job is to offer the resources to help them get some type of annual checkup, to make [care] easy for them to access,” he said.

Another new tool to help introduce seniors to the city’s services is the DCOA Ambassador program, which educates community volunteers about available resources and trains them to advocate for seniors, persons with disabilities and family caregivers, helping connect them to services.

More than 200 volunteers have taken the four-hour training course. “The more people we can train, the more we can extend our reach to those individuals we normally do not touch,” Thompson said.

Back in his office on K Street NE, Thompson is working to offer more programming at the Hayes Senior Wellness Center, such as hand dancing and walking clubs, ideas suggested by visitors.

While Thompson hears complaints and suggestions every day from seniors, for the most part, “they’re very appreciative of the work that we do, and that makes my job very worthwhile,” he said.

[For more information on the programs of the DCOA, see this month’s edition of “Spotlight on Aging,” the department’s monthly newsletter, on page 27 of this issue.]

The community has numerous openings for both resident and non-resident volunteers, from fitness instructors to bingo assistance.

For more information, call (301) 354-8447 or see www.thevillageatrockville.org/volunteeropportunities-washington-dc.php.

The Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame is a private, nonprofit, volunteer-run organization established in 1987. Its sole purpose is to honor the state’s residents who are at least 65 years old and have performed outstanding service in their communities. For more information, visit www.mschf.org.

Delicious Kosher,* Fresh, Pre-Packaged Meals Salads • Sandwiches • Entrees • Desserts Available at locations throughout the DC area

For details or locations, visit www.wrap2go.com Or call (301) 328-1418 *certified Kosher by the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington

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A Special Supplement to The Beacon newspaper

Let the traditions of old bring new joy as we kindle the first Chanukah candle, December 8.

Happy Chanukah!

December 2012/No. 27

How Chinese silk and an Army prayer shawl shaped a resident’s life by Emily Tipermas It’s hard to believe Jack Hurwitz just celebrated his 93rd birthday. He converses with the verve of a man half his age.

Tracing fingers over a sleek black swatch of Chinese silk, Jack describes the fabric’s role in sparking his ideas for the design, manufacture and sale of fine decorative

At Landow House, Jack Hurwitz epitomizes “the new 93.”

Left, Cantor Yakov Hurwitz, age 14 Chaplain Hurwitz, second from left, at makeshift synagogue in China, 1945

fabrics. Its quality, workmanship and magnetic beauty caught his attention while he was stationed in China during World War II, propelling him to launch a textile business that ultimately grew to international stature.

To this day, Jack remains passionate about formulating marketable color combinations for production; indeed, his son Donald, now president of Jack Hurwitz Inc., encourages his dad’s involvement in fabric creation and selections at their Gaithersburg headquarters.

Yet, textiles are but one dimension of the Jack Hurwitz portrait.

In the 1920s, the director of nine-yearold Yakov Hurwitz’s Hebrew school “discovered” the young student’s distinctive singing voice. This educator “found a place for me in the cantorial world,” relates Jack, “and I was a child cantor by the age of 13.” From this remarkable background, further enhanced by his participation in professional choirs of cantors arriving from Europe for training, Jack advanced his formal education, first at Boston’s Hebrew High School and then at Boston Hebrew College. He hoped to build a career within the American Jewish community.

WWII altered his destiny. Enlisting in >> continued on page 3

HEBREW HOME OF GREATER WASHINGTON • SMITH-KOGOD & WASSERMAN RESIDENCES COHEN-ROSEN HOUSE • HIRSH HEALTH CENTER • LANDOW HOUSE • REVITZ HOUSE • RING HOUSE

In the apps groove Page 2

“Game On” Cohen-Rosen grand opening Page 4

The buzz on events

Page 7

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Featured on Facebook Sonia Rodrigeuz and Hedy Peyser accept a Chanukah gift for residents. Each year, Susan Korsower and her husband Ira Priesman ask guests to their holiday party to bring gifts for Hebrew Home residents. This year they also delivered a pre-holiday cartful of games and puzzles for our seniors.

Generation to Generation Perspectives

In the Apps Groove As seniors catch on to using the latest mobile phone devices and tablets, their sights expand to acquiring clever new apps, or computer applications, not only to have fun, but also to enhance communicating, keep current with news, find information, and, one might add, to understand and be part of the tech revolution.

“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life.”

— Bill Gates

Apps for Android Users • Google Shopper (Free) – Find best prices nearby or online. Either scan a bar code or speak the product’s name into your device.

In a previous issue of Generation to Generation (Feb. 2012), we highlighted the breadth of interests apps can serve; here we go a step further to suggest some popular apps that seniors—not to mention the rest of us—might like to check out. Whether you’ve got an Apple or Android device, we’ve got suggestions for both camps. Please note: there are literally thousands of apps available, with more coming out every day, so view this list as simply a door opener.

• Urbanspoon (Free) – Find restaurant suggestions, including reviews, price comparisons, directions, and contact information.

Apps for Apple Users

• DroidLight (Free) – Enjoy this bright, easy-to-use flashlight.

“The Senior List” website, recently posted a “Top 10” list of apps that might appeal to seniors. Here are some of their recommendations: • Birthday Reminder Pro ($.99) – Helps you keep track of birthdays of friends and family, with advance notifications.

• Magnifying Glass with Light (Free) – A visual boost for reading menus, maps, and small print.

• The Weather Channel (Free) – Program in your home or favorite destinations.

• My Medical ($2.99) – This record-keeping app can hold your medical information and history (can also store records for family members). It’s especially useful for visits to specialists or the emergency room.

• WebMD (Free) – Access this reliable source of facts and advice on diseases, symptoms, and treatment.

Page 2 | December 2012

• Home Controls.com has praise for Elder 411 (Free), an app for caregivers that provides expert advice covering 11 eldercare topics.

Other iTune apps garnering praise from reviewers with an eye on seniors include:

• Slacker Radio (Free to start; $4/month thereafter) – this app is like Pandora, the popular personalized radio service, but with a far more extensive catalog of songs. Pandora, by the way, is also available for Androids.

• GasBuddy (Free) – Lists cheapest gas in your zip code area.

• iTriage (Free) – Explains all medical conditions and directs you to closest medical facilities from your location.

• Stress Stopper (Free) – A battery of ways to counter or head off stress.

• Senior Health (Free) – Understand how your body is changing with age and learn how to adjust in a positive way.

• NPR (Free) – Enjoy National Public Radio’s news reports, stories, and favorite programs on-demand.

• Healthy Recipes (Free) – Browse and search for thousands of healthy recipes for home cooking.

• Facebook (Free) – Share, learn and interact with friends and family, including grandkids. Also available for Android devices.

• Instant Heart Rate ($1.99) – You can measure heart rate with your phone. Optimize your exercise routine and monitor progress.

• NYTimes Crosswords (Free for a week; different renewal options) – Play the daily puzzle or delve into archives. Automatically highlights related clues.

• Zinio (Free) – This is considered the premier app for magazines on Android. Read and download single issues or subscriptions of your favorite magazines from around the world. ■

www.smithlifecommunities.org

LifeTimes

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Is a new car in your future? Consider donating your used one to the Hebrew Home. Proceeds directly benefit our elderly residents.

A vase of vibrant flowers — It’s the perfect gift to brighten a Hebrew Home resident’s room!

To order an arrangement, please contact the Hebrew Home’s Volunteer Department at 301.770.8333.

For details call

301.770.8329

Jack Hurwitz, “the new 93”

Mazel Tov on...

Ring House resident Bess Carroll, who is visually challenged, has a new opportunity to pursue her passion for gardening.

The Montgomery County Master Gardeners visit Ring House monthly to teach our seniors about plants and floral arrangements (this is Bess’s first arrangement), and in a new ongoing program they are also refining the Ring gardens to attract butterflies and provide year-round beauty.

LifeTimes

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the Army the day after FDR’s Pearl Harbor speech, Jack left his leadership position at a Massachusetts synagogue and was assigned to the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Within weeks, he was appointed assistant chaplain for Jewish servicemen under the Army’s chief chaplain. At the first Shabbat service, he met his future wife Ruth, then secretary of the Jewish Welfare Board, Baltimore Division. She was essential in helping obtain supplies needed for religious services, and for Jack, “It was love at first sight,” he says, holding her portrait.

In 1943, Jack served in India as theater chaplain for Jewish troops assigned to work on construction of the Lido Road, a convoy route from India through Burma and into China. Over a thousand Americans died in this effort. After every Jewish funeral, Jack clipped a fringe from his official tallit, a simple prayer shawl marked with Army insignias, to mail with the condolence letter sent to the soldier’s parents. Overcome by memories, Jack unfolds the Army tallit with its missing fringes. “I tried to do some good things in my life,” he says, eyes filling with tears. This tale of a treasured tallit with missing fringes strikes a chord for anyone drawn to Jewish history and values.

Now comfortably settled into his new home at Landow House, Jack has returned to his cantorial roots, davening at Shabbat and Jewish holiday services on campus. And, when the voice of this big-hearted gentleman rings forth, he enriches our lives, much as he has throughout his long and meaningful lifetime. ■

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continued from page 1

Sophie’s mitzvah As part of her Bat Mitzvah preparations, Sophie Schulman is doing a mitzvah at Revitz House by running a Sunday morning program.

Getting to chat with residents means a great deal to Sophie, whose great-grandmother lived at Revitz House some years ago and whose grandmother is past Board of Governors Chair Hanita Schreiber.

Sophie’s parents, Marla and Bruce Schulman, are setting up a fund to allow Revitz House to continue Sophie’s program into the future, the Social Hour Fund in honor of Sophie Schulman's Bat Mitzvah, in loving memory of Genia Zalesky and Sophie Weissman.

www.smithlifecommunities.org

Edith’s award Congratulations to Revitz House resident Edith Newman, recipient of the Maryland Activities Coordinator Society’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award. Edith, wearing red and surrounded by family, devoted over 1,200 hours to assisting with religious services, intergenerational programs and activities at Revitz House. She also aids her neighbors with shopping, picking up mail, and helping with meals when they are ill, and she visits members of the Revitz community who have moved into the Hebrew Home. A Holocaust survivor, Edith owes her life to her sister, who saved her from the gas chambers. They both survived the war.

➢ Dr. Lett’s super listing Medical Director and VP for Medical Affairs Dr. James E. Lett II, made the Washington Post’s “Super Doctors/2012” list, under Geriatrics. Now others know what we already know: an exceptional physician is leading our on-site, staff medical team. Congratulations, Dr. Lett.

December 2012 | Page 3

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Enjoy life and make new friends!

Ring House and Revitz House offer independent living in friendly communities that encompass a wide range of activities and services.

For information, please call 301.816.5012.

FirstPerson Bringing our plans to life This month, we will dedicate the sixth residence on our campus, the new Cohen-Rosen House for memory care. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is rising, and may already affect 4.5 million Americans. One person out of eight over age 65 will develop some type of dementia.

With the opening of our newest residence, Charles E. Smith Life Communities will be able to proWarren R. Slavin, vide attentive, compassionate President/CEO and comprehensive care in a warm, household setting and will become a premier care provider in this important arena.

The 18 seniors who come to live in Cohen-Rosen House will experience the unique aspects of care listed in the box to the right. Everyone on staff will be professionally trained in Alzheimer’s care, and everyone will know how to help with all aspects of personal care, dining and activities to wholly support the family household concept. I invite you to become acquainted with this remarkable and capable team.

We want to thank the following for bringing CohenRosen House into being: Lead donors: Judy and Richard Cohen, for their generosity Construction Committee: Rusty Minkoff, Chair; Moe Dweck, Richard Cohen Architect: THW Design of Atlanta, Georgia; Eric Krull, Principal Architect Contractor: Whiting Turning Construction Company

Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO Charles E. Smith Life Communities

Page 4 | December 2012

Cohen-Rosen House’s vibrant lifestyle • Living in a safe setting, with a secured perimeter, enjoying an outdoor butterfly garden and walking paths.

• Having a private studio apartment with shower and restroom, especially designed to help with physical and cognitive challenges.

• Enjoying an activity and media center, a purposefully-built quiet room with soothing music and lighting, a massage room offering aroma therapy, hand and body massages, and a memory tech space where staff assist with computers.

• Appreciating the convenience of a physician’s office where care takes place in comfortable, familiar surroundings.

• Having access to comprehensive mental health services provided in partnership with the Axis Healthcare Group affiliated with Suburban Hospital. Their team includes psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers all experts in psychiatric medication management, psychotherapy and non-pharmacological approaches.

• Visiting with family in a beautiful two-story great room, bathed in natural light, with an aquarium, two-sided fireplace, seating options to make everyone comfortable.

• Being able to continue your own preferred schedule -- waking and eating as you choose -- including if you want, a bagel snack at 3:00 a.m. This household concept encourages residents and staff to be more involved, and decreases boredom and depression. The household works cooperatively as a family unit, planning menus and trips together.

• Having your own personal history shape the activities offered.

Clubs, outings, gardening, baking and cooking, exercise and brain fitness all will be customized.

www.smithlifecommunities.org

LifeTimes

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The new Elsie and Marvin Dekelboum Therapy Center in our Wasserman Residence provides an amazing setting for recovery and rehabilitation.

High-tech equipment like this innovative car simulator enables patients to relearn important skills.

Call 301.770.8476 for information.

Bringing Our Plans to Life

MEET COHEN-ROSEN’S EXCEPTIONAL LIFE SKILLS PARTNERS

Damien Doyle, MD, Geriatrician/Staff physician

Heidi Brown, Administrator

“My vision is to provide compassionate, comprehensive care in a uniquely designed community for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia disease.”

Heidi is responsible for the leadership and overall operations of assisted living and residential memory care on campus. Passionate about serving seniors, she has been devoted to health care for the past 27 years and believes “one person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.”

Bill Chambers, General Manager of Food Service for Housing Sandy Levin, Marketing Coordinator

“My goal is to reassure families that their loved ones will be nurtured and safe with us at CohenRosen House.”

Throughout the admissions process, Sandy will help families address the challenging decisions involved with helping a loved one move into a new home and new environment.

“Our goal in dining is to provide excellent meals for our residents that meet their nutritional needs and remind them of home cooking, in a quaint atmosphere.”

Bill will oversee preparation of three delicious meals per day in a family-style dining room designed to foster resident interaction. Snacks will also be available 24 hours a day in our family kitchen.

“We want to foster a creative, vibrant daily life in a safe, comforting environment. We focus each day on each individual’s daily pleasures, choices and decisions.We bring purpose to each individual’s values and goals; we ask what matters – what is significant. Together, as specially-trained ‘Life Skills Partners,’ we make it happen.”

Patty Hagen, Director, Alzheimer's and Dementia Programs

LifeTimes

Patty, our Alzheimer’s care blogger, has 20 years experience as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist in acute rehabilitation (stroke, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury), in hospitals, longterm care and senior communities. She holds certifications as a dementia practice specialist and a dementia capable care instructor, and has completed advanced training in dementia care.

She is now training staff in best practices and will shape programming for memory care residents on our campus.

Dale Zazanis, House Manager

"I have a passion for seniors, especially those with memory loss. I feel it is an honor to have families entrust their loved ones to us and pledge to do all I can to uphold their dignity and respect."

A DC native, Dale has over 25 years of experience at Sibley Hospital, Veterans Hospital, a radiology group and an orthopedic practice.

After caring for her own father who had dementia, Dale refocused her education on memory care and was memory care manager at Brooke Grove and at Sunrise at Fox Hill.

Mary Mulligan, RN, Director of Clinical Services

“There is a new old age waiting to be discovered, ready to be explored. This community exhibits the epitome of care, compassion and acceptance of elders with cognitive decline.”

With 30 years of RN experience in different areas, Mary expects the residents in her care will be at a stage of life where changes occur and balance is lost and continually recovered.

She will help her residents to contribute to the best of their functional capacity and embrace elderhood with all its pitfalls and successes.

“I’ve heard life described as a rainbow with a beginning, an end and an arching pathway between. My role as a geriatrician is to help insure the latter portion of that path is as productive, engaging and problem-free as possible, while always taking into account the desires and wishes of the patient in directing his or her own journey.”

A part of the comprehensive care team at Landow House/CohenRosen House and the Charles E. Smith Life Communities medical staff, Dr. Doyle works in concert with our other providers to help insure the highest quality of life possible.

301.816.5050 • www.cohen-rosen.org

www.smithlifecommunities.org

December 2012 | Page 5

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As Holiday Gift Fund contributions arrive, they often include special hand-written notes like these, which we’d like to share:

“To the Staff on Fourth Floor West: I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the never-ending care that is given to my son. I sincerely appreciate all that is done for him.”

“I’d like my contribution and this note to go to all the people on 4th Fl. North for their extreme patience with my mom. Thanks for always talking to me & being so cooperative.”

“To the Staff: Thank you for taking such good care of my dear friend.”

In an intergenerational collaboration, C & T Academy students interview Ring House resident Charlotte Podgor.

Students interviewed residents and used their stories as the basis for creating poems, songs, and art work which they then presented to us.

LifeLines

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In Our Mailbox Dear Mr. Slavin,

But most of all, we were impressed with the people who work in the Hebrew Home – they all surrounded my mother with love, patience and care. In particular, I’d like to mention the staff of 2 East and Nurse Manager Enoch Addo.

My mother did not speak English and was legally blind.

She could not call me if she wanted to talk to me on the phone. Nurses Erica Saunders and Claudine Desbhy always helped her to dial up my phone number regardless of how busy they were. Her aides, Jenney Kamarra, Miriam Montengro, Neneh Bureh, and Adisa Deborah, took excellent care in aspects of bathing, dressing, grooming and feeding on a daily basis. They did this with love, warmth and care.

Environmental service team member Michael Foster was also a good friend for my mother. He always helped her to tune up her TV for the Russian channel.

My entire family really appreciates their high level of professionalism, warm hearts and deep souls. We will never forget how much people of the Hebrew Home helped my mother and our entire family to make these past five years of my mother’s life painless, decent and humane.

Sincerely, Viola Samedov

LifeTimes is published quarterly by the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Inc. The Hebrew Home is registered in Maryland as a charitable organization. Documents and information filed under the Maryland Charitable Solicitation Act may be obtained from the Maryland Secretary of State, 410.974.5534. We are an equal opportunity employer and we provide access to community programs without regard to race, age, national origin, familial status, religion, sex or disability. Our services and programs are open to all in the community.

Andrew S. Friedlander, Chair Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO Marilyn Feldman, Editor Nicholas Simmonds, Vice President, Development and Public Affairs © 2012 by The Hebrew Home of Greater Washington 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852-4856, 301.881.0300

Page 6 | December 2012

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My mother, Alla Milovanova, has lived at the Hebrew Home for the past five years. From the first moment, we were impressed with the design of the facilities.

At last count, a post on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/celsc) about Alicia Mahmot’s volunteer efforts with our seniors prompted 241 views, 74 Likes and comments. This compassionate woman is clearly an inspiration to friends…and hopefully to new Hebrew Home volunteers.

Accounting Department's Brina Beltre recently enlisted girls from her church youth group to volunteer their time at the Home giving fancy manicures and hand massages to residents. "The ladies loved choosing polish colors and having lavender-scented hand treatments," said Brina, "and they even blew kisses at us when we left." ➢

Youth Philanthropy begins fourth season The fourth season of the Hebrew Home’s successful Harold and Shirley Robinson H2YP Youth Philanthropy Program will begin in January. In its first three seasons, the teens participating in this program have funded Park Naturalist and Shakespeare for Seniors programs, purchased Kindles and computer equipment for residents and added high-tech geriatric training “dummies” to our in-house nurse education program.

About 15 to 20 high school students participate each year. They play an active role as philanthropists and decision-makers for grants to benefit campus residents. Each participant will make a contribution of $250 toward the grant pool. Departments from the Hebrew Home present grant proposals to the students, who meet monthly from January to May, 2013 as a foundation board, reviewing proposals, asking pertinent questions and then voting on which programs will receive grants and for how much. During this time, the students gain a personal and deeper knowledge of tzedakah and what it can accomplish, and learn more about Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

Rabbi Sarah Meytin will continue her role as the facilitator for our youth board. If you know of high school students who might be interested in this worthy program, please forward their names and contact information to Gale Deitch at deitch@hebrew-home.org or call 301.770.8409. ■ www.smithlifecommunities.org

LifeTimes

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A Gift that Gives Back: Gift Annuities

Photo by John Deamond

✓ Part gift to support our elderly, part investment to benefit you ✓ Receive payments for life ✓ Payment rates up to 9% based on age ✓ Gifts usually range from $10,000-$100,000

Elana F. Lippa

Please call 301.770.8342 or mail this form to: Elana F. Lippa, Director of Gift Planning Charles E. Smith Life Communities 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville MD 20852

Please send me a personalized gift annuity illustration without obligation: Name/s Address City/State/Zip Phone/E-mail Birth date/s LT 12/12

EventMakers

Home Run’s biggest success The Home Run 10k/5k and fun run chaired by Marc Schlesinger logged the largest number of runners in the event’s history. Race participants were able to train for the race with Fleet Feet Sports Gaithersburg, and through a generous donation by Angela and Joel Glazer, the first 450 registered runners received an authentic Manchester United FC jersey. Participants enjoyed a festive post-race party thanks to the participation of many local vendors. Race results are posted on www.hebrew-home.org/homerun. ■

Tasty tidbits from White House chef White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier served delicious treats and stories of five administrations at the President’s Circle Event on November 11 at the elegant Anderson House, home of the Society of the Cincinnati. This event thanked our most valued donors. Hosts for the evening were Bruce and Paula Robinson (left) and Howard Sollins (right) of Ober|Kaler Attorneys at Law. ■

Eight holiday gift-giving ideas

Sara@Starlight

1. Make a donation in honor or memory of someone – or just to wish Happy Chanukah. We’ll send a card.

2. Donate your car.

3. Help support care for needy residents through the Guardian Campaign – and give yourself the gift of an evening with award-winning vocalist Sara Bareilles.

4. Make a gift of stock, Israeli bonds or other appreciated assets.

5. Leave a meaningful legacy: We’ll be dedicating some beautiful new areas in the Wasserman residence and specially-designed living, dining and activity spaces in our new Cohen-Rosen House.

Make your name – or a loved one’s name – part of our history.

Or, establish a Charitable Gift Annuity or other planned gift.

6. Ask your employer to match your gift and double the impact of your contribution.

7. Designate the Hebrew Home through the United Way (#8111) or CFC (#49705) campaign.

8. Contribute to the Employee Holiday Gift Fund. This provides holiday bonuses to the dedicated staff that cares for our residents.

Carolyn and David Ruben chair this year’s Starlight Lounge.

It’s not too late to join us for an evening featuring entertainer and hit singer Sara Bareilles, on Thursday, December 13 at the Bethesda North Marriott. Call 301.770.8329 for details and tickets or visit www.hebrewhome.org/starlightlounge ■

All of these gifts will repay you at tax time with a nice deduction.

Call 301.770.8409 for more information or to charge your gift. ■ LifeTimes

www.smithlifecommunities.org

John Feinstein Sports writer John Feinstein delighted about 100 fans at Woodmont Country Club on October 18 with stories about Bobby Knight, Jimmy V and Tiger Woods, to name a few.

Each attendee received a copy of Feinstein’s newest book, Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics. ■ December 2012 | Page 7

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Sylvia Greenberg treated Charles E. Smith Life Communities residents to an afternoon at Woodmont Country Club, including accessible transportation, an impeccable luncheon, music by a jazz combo, and gift bags. What a wonderful way to enrich lives and bring pleasure to our seniors.

Remember This Dementia and memory care were the focus of this fall’s “Remember This” seminar series. Outstanding speakers addressed topics crucial to caregivers, healthcare professionals, and families who care for individuals living with dementia. To read lecture summaries, visit the website of Cohen-Rosen House, www.cohen-rosen.org, our newest residence that offers specialized memory care.

As director of Alzheimer's and Dementia Programs, Patty Hagen plays an essential role at Cohen-Rosen House (see pages 4-5). Check out her informative blog, Cognitive Loss: Insights and Fresh Approaches at http://cohenrosen.wordpress.com. ■

An enthusiastic Cohen-Rosen team of 29 staff and family members joined the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on the National Mall in October. "Fighting this horrible disease needs all the help it can get," said Family Council Co-chair Carolyn Levine.

Save the dates

While the Hebrew Home partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington on community issues, we are not a beneficiary agency and do not receive any of its funding.

✓ check 8111 or for CFC ■ ✓ check 49705.

Support the Hebrew Home through your gift to United Way ■

Thursday, 13 Decembe0r12

Starlight 2 ara Bareilles Featuring S tt orth Marrio Bethesda N

er 17 b m e c y, De en House a d n Mo hen-Ros Co

ation

Dedic

itation

By inv

Our Other Special Events First Sunday of each month Jewish War Veterans, 10:30 am, Ring House veterans and interested persons welcome

For more information about community events, resident programs and family support groups, visit www.hebrew-home.org and www.smithlifecommunities.org

Page 8 | December 2012

Hebrew Home resident Lucille Kligerman has had her painting chosen for the 2013 Charles E. Smith Life Communities calendar. An artist in her own right, Lucille and her late husband Josh owned a gallery in the art community of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for 40 years. She moved to the Hebrew Home for needed care and to be closer to her son Mike, pictured with her above.

How to reach us...

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■

Hebrew Home 301.770.8476 Rehab and Long Term www.hebrew-home.org Landow House 301.816.5050 www.landowhouse.org

■

■

Cohen-Rosen House 301.816.5050 www.cohen-rosen.org Revitz House 301.770.8450 www.revitzhouse.org

www.smithlifecommunities.org

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■

Hirsh Health Center 301.816.5004

Ring House 301.816.5012 www.ringhouse.org

facebook.com/ceslc

twitter.com/hhgw

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Leisure &

Take a river boat cruise down the Rhine. See story on page 51.

Reveling in New Orleans’ eclectic charms

French Quarter and Garden District The best way to plan your sightseeing is to take advantage of the fact that the city is divided into distinct neighborhoods, each

© CAFEBEANZ COMPANY | DREAMSTIME.COM

with its own unique appeals.

For many people, New Orleans means the French Quarter. The original district of cobblestone streets — lined by hotels and restaurants, music venues, boutiques and art galleries — is centered on Royal Street.

A short block away on Bourbon Street, the scene is very different. T-shirt shops vie for attention with posters touting adult entertainment. Music spills out of lounges, along with patrons sipping from plastic “take-out cups.” As my wife Fyllis remarked, the scene is like New Year’s Eve, Halloween and the Fourth of July combined.

French Quarter architecture harkens back to its European roots. Graceful townhouses are adorned with cast iron balconies set off by intricate ironwork. Courtyards are filled with lush greenery and flowers surrounding splashing fountains.

A focus of the neighborhood is the French Market, a collection of shops, restaurants and farmers’ stalls that has existed at the same spot for more than two centuries. The longest line usually is outside the famous Café du Monde, waiting to order café au lait and beignets — artery-clogging fried dough slathered in powdered sugar.

Very different is the quiet elegance of the Garden District. Established in the early 19th century, it became a haven for the newly rich, who built stately mansions shaded by towering oak trees. The area’s name refers to magnificent gardens that surround many houses. The neighborhood is a favored hideaway of Sandra Bullock, John Goodman and other Hollywood and sports celebrities.

Touring Treme

A horse-drawn carriage travels down a street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, lined with graceful townhouses with wrought-iron railings and home to the country’s largest Mardi Gras celebration, which will next take place on Feb. 12.

Another enclave was little known to out-of-towners until it became the setting for a popular HBO television series. Treme (pronounced treh-MAY) is one of the oldest black neigh-

© KEN COLE | DREAMSTIME.COM

By Victor Block How can you not love a city where rogues and scoundrels are among local “dignitaries” who have streets and bridges named after them? A place that celebrates its oddball residents on a website called EccentricNewOrleans.com? A destination where elegance and decadence go hand in hand?

Welcome to New Orleans, where no matter what your interests, you’re likely to satisfy them and more.

If you enjoy outstanding cuisine — and who doesn’t? — this is the place to be. No matter what your musical preference, it’s here in abundance. The city’s history is as colorful as its varied architecture.

New Orleans’ strong links with its past greet the eye and ear around every turn.

The chief challenge facing visitors is avoiding too much of a good thing.

A paddlewheel steamboat docks along the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Boat cruises offer visitors views of the city, food and entertainment.

borhoods in the country.

It was an early haven for free persons of color and African slaves who bought their freedom. Some of them gathered on Sundays to socialize and dance, and the music they played was a forerunner of African influence on American jazz.

The St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, in Treme, is the best known of a number of New Orleans graveyards where the deceased are buried above ground in elaborately decorated stone crypts and mausoleums.

One tomb is believed to be that of Marie Laveau, a legendary “Voodoo Priestess” who was said to possess magical powers.

Some present-day visitors scrawl X marks on the grave in the hope that even after death her spirit will grant them a wish.

It’s fitting that near the resting place of the Voodoo Priestess is the Voodoo Spiritual Temple, one of several venues in New Orleans related to that mysterious combination of religion and superstition. Voodoo originated in Africa, was carried to the Western Hemisphere by slaves, and continues to maintain a foothold in New Orleans.

At the Temple, Priestess Miriam Chamani reigns over what is said to be the only “formally established” spiritual temple in New Orleans that adheres to “traditional West African spiritual and healing practices.” Among services that Priestess Miriam offers are blessings, bone readings and removal of curses.

The lavishly decorated altar room and a

cultural center attract both voodoo believers and visitors curious about the religion.

The complex also includes a small apothecary and a gift shop, which offers items ranging from voodoo dolls and talismans to self-help kits and “candles specially blessed and dressed for many occasions.”

Mardi Gras all year long In a city with a wealth of museums, the Voodoo Spiritual Temple is certainly one of the more intriguing. Fyllis and I found two others worth a visit. One coveys much of the wonder of Mardi Gras without the wildness.

While the annual Mardi Gras festivities attract hundreds of thousands of celebrants, and celebrate they do, we preferred to skip the crowds and craziness. At the same time, we wanted to savor the flavor of that famous, almost anything goes revelry.

We found the perfect solution at Mardi Gras World where, as its promotional material claims, “Every day is Mardi Gras.”

There, in a warehouse so huge I remarked that it should have its own Zip code, artists spend a full year creating floats for the Mardi Gras parade and other events.

We became Lilliputians in a world of giants.

Visitors are dwarfed by larger-than-life papiermâché characters, including gladiators, movie personalities, cartoon figures and fantasy creatures. Flowers are the size of trees, and See NEW ORLEANS, page 50

50

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

New Orleans From page 49 the “Old woman who lived in a shoe” could move right into oversized footwear.

Fyllis and I also enjoyed the less well known but more mouth-watering displays at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum. Exhibits celebrate the food, drink and related culture of New Orleans, Louisiana and the South.

We weren’t surprised to find sections titled “Tout de Sweet: All About Sugar,” “Eating from the Gulf” and “Barbeque Nation.” Less expected were collections in the “Southern Likker” area and another that pays homage to a “true American cultural icon” — the cocktail.

The mighty Mississippi

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In recent years, many visitors to New Orleans have toured the Ninth Ward to view remnants of the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, as well as ongoing recovery and revitalization efforts. Among stark reminders of that disaster are numerous vacant lots where houses once stood, and homes whose doors still bear the chalk marks made by rescuers to indicate if any bodies were found inside.

Recently, the city has started enforcing a ban on tour buses in the Ninth Ward, though tours by bicycle, car and van are still permitted.

The destruction left by Katrina served as a reminder that no matter where you are in New Orleans, you’re never far from the mighty Mississippi River. Because Old Man River rolls along its path several feet higher than the city, held back by those now infamous levees, it is often hidden from view.

Yet its importance cannot be overstated.

Without the Mississippi, there would be no New Orleans. On its 2,400 mile journey from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, it carries millions of tons of sediment every day, and it is that soil which created the land that is Louisiana.

Benches along the levee in the French Quarter provide good views of the river as well as the barge and other traffic that make it an important waterway. There also are opportunities to mingle with the vessels’ operators as they chug along.

Since 1827, the free Canal Street Ferry has transported passengers on the short ride to Algiers Point on the opposite shore.

There, they may admire the New Orleans skyline and stroll through a charming 19th-century village before hopping aboard for the return trip.

A steamboat river cruise combines views of the city with an authentic taste of the past.

The Creole Queen and Steamboat Natchez offer enchanting paddlewheel cruises, including sightseeing and dinner trips.

During our mini-voyage on the Natchez, Fyllis and I alternated listening to the sightseeing narration, bellying up to the buffet, and dancing off a few calories to the foot-tapping music of the Dukes of Dixieland.

As we passed long barges being pushed by tug boats and massive cargo ships coming and going, we understood the com-

ment of Michelle, an on-board food and beverage server. Even after years working on the vessel, she told us, “I still like being out on the river.” To which I replied, “And I like visiting New Orleans.”

The list of things to see and do in New Orleans turned out to be too long for Fyllis and me to complete. Here are some that came recommended to us: • See locations where a number of wellknown stars and movies were filmed, such as Vivien Leigh (A Streetcar Named Desire), Elvis Presley (King Creole), and Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).

• Enjoy music that blankets the city, from the iconic Preservation Hall to the modest clubs grouped along Frenchmen Street, to many a corner, where informal ensembles gather to entertain passers-by.

• Take a ride (fare: $1.25) on the world’s oldest continuously operating streetcars.

Where to eat and stay When it comes to both dining and accommodations, New Orleans has something for everyone, and is one of those cities where it’s unlikely you’ll have a bad meal.

A restaurant that has been operated by the same family since 1840 must be doing something right. Antoine Alciatore immigrated from France and helped to introduce haute cuisine to New Orleans.

Among less costly dishes that were “invented” there are oysters Rockefeller ($13.75) and shrimp remoulade ($11.75).

Antoine’s is at 713 Rue Saint Louis. For more information, call (504) 581-4422 or log onto www.antoines.com.

Less costly and more casual is the Acme Oyster House at 724 Iberville St., a New Orleans institution since 1910. In addition to oysters on the half-shell (six for $8.75, a dozen for $13.50), the menu includes local favorites like seafood gumbo ($5.49 and $7.49) and a New Orleans Medley of jumbalaya (rice, sausage and chicken), red beans and rice, and grilled smoked sausage ($12.99). For more information, call (504) 522-5973 or log onto www.acmeoyster.com.

Choosing to stay just outside the French Quarter, we stayed at the Frenchmen Hotel at 417 Frenchmen St., an intimate, all-suite property in a quiet courtyard setting. A full kitchen provided an opportunity to save money on meals. Rates begin at $89. For more information, call 1-800-831-1781 or log onto www.frenchmenhotel.com.

For those who prefer the bustle of the French Quarter, the Ursuline Guest House at 708 Ursuline Ave. combines an inviting atmosphere with history. Six rooms behind the main house once served as slave quarters. Rates start at $129, but can be less expensive if rooms are paid for in advance. For more information, call 1-800-654-2351 or log onto www.ursulineguesthouse.com.

For more information about visiting New Orleans, call 1-800-672-6124 or log onto www.neworleanscvb.com.

The lowest current roundtrip airfare from the Washington area is $221 on United from BWI. Flights from Reagan National are about $15 higher, and from Dulles the least expensive fare is $392.

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

River cruises: smaller and more intimate

By Anne D’Innocezio I’ve been a land-based traveler for most of my life. Motor coaches and cars have helped me explore everything from Italy’s Tuscany region to Ireland’s Rings of Kerry.

But recently I discovered a love for river cruising. After returning from a cruise on the legendary Rhine, I’m happily considering trips to other iconic waterways such as the Danube for next year.

Sure, there were a few wrinkles, but they didn’t take away from what I found was a charming, intimate experience — with not only the river, but the people on the ship.

Whether from the deck or the sliding glass door in my cabin, there was always something to see, from steep vineyard hills and medieval castles to industrial plants.

I also got to know the eclectic group of 130 passengers on the ship, mostly baby boomers. They included a law firm partner, a teacher, a physics professor on a honeymoon and a priest.

Some of the benefits The small scale of river ships — which typically carry no more than a couple hundred passengers — is a large part of their

appeal, in contrast to ocean-going megaships that carry thousands.

On a river ship, you don’t need a GPS device to figure out where the lobby or the dining room is. And there’s a sense of intimacy, with plenty of cozy moments.

On my trip, some passengers partook in movie night, with popcorn shared in paper bags while watching Eat Pray Love on a flat-screen TV in a lounge. I participated in an impromptu mini-Mass with five others in a corner of the ship, officiated by the passenger priest. He improvised with that night’s dinner bread.

The idea for the trip started with my globe-trotting mother, who’d taken a trip on a barge on the Seine in the 1990s and had always raved about it. So for $3,100 (per person, double occupancy, excluding airfare), my mother, my sister, a friend and I booked an eight-day trip with Avalon Waterways on the Rhine.

We started in Basel, Switzerland and ended in Amsterdam, with stops that included Strasbourg, France, and Heidelberg and Cologne, Germany. Typical of most river cruises, the price covered meals, wine with dinner, and most shore excursions.

Some downsides, too The vessels must be narrow enough to fit through locks, and low enough to pass under bridges that predate large cruise ships. So their cabins are traditionally smaller than on ocean-going ships, with less room for large recreational areas.

But new river boats also have more amenities than in the past. River cruise operators are finding ways to add features such as small pools, and they’re upgrading in other ways, too, improving menus and decor.

Sunday-Saturday, March 17-23, 2013 The Gulf Coast is back, and it’s time to return. Join us on this fun-filled trip that includes four nights at a luxurious Biloxi casino. From Biloxi we will take an excursion to New Orleans; and we’ll explore the Bayou Wilderness, Bay St. Louis, NASA Stennis Space Center, an antebellum plantation, and other area attractions. This trip will include an overnight stay in each direction. $999 per person, double occupancy; $1399 single occupancy

Also upcoming in 2013: The Greenbrier

VISIT ARUNDEL MILLS AND MARYLAND LIVE

Sunday-Tuesday, April 21-23 $799 pp, dbl. occ.

Enjoy shopping at one of the largest outlet malls in Maryland and visit the new Maryland Live casino at Arundel Mills in Hanover, Md. The trip will depart from the Langley Park Senior Activity Center, 1500 Merrimac Dr., Hyattsville, Md., on both Friday, Dec. 7 and Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. The cost is $10 for Prince George’s County residents and $12 for all others. Lunch is on your own. For more information or to sign up, call (301) 408-4343.

Jan. 23

See RIVER CRUISES, page 53

Biloxi and New Orleans

BEACON BITS

Dec. 7+

Still, ahead of my trip, I worried I would get a narrow sense of the region — after all, the itinerary is limited to destinations with river ports and what you can see during a few hours on a port call.

I also thought I might get bored on a vessel that lacked the comforts of a big ship. In fact, the fitness room turned out to be the size of a large closet, and there was no swimming pool, just a whirlpool.

Philadelphia!

Sunday-Tuesday, May 5-7 $639 pp, dbl. occ.

The Catskills–Villa Roma

Tuesday-Friday, June 18-21 $599 pp, dbl. occ.

Montreal and Quebec

Sunday-Saturday, April 21-27 $1495 pp, dbl. occ.

SKI TRIP TO WHITETAIL MOUNTAIN RESORT

Sign up now to be included in the Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) ski outing on Wednesday, Jan. 23, to Whitetail Mountain Resort in Mercersburg, Pa. A $25 fee covers transportation by van or bus; lift ticket and equipment rental fees will be separate. Departure is at 8:30 a.m. with a return by 4:30 p.m. For reservations and more information, including meeting location, call (240) 777-6870.

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

How to keep costs down with solo travel Like Noah, travel suppliers seem to think a double accommodation.

— and price — only for couples, so singles These days, almost all hotel rooms are often pay a lot more for a trip designed for at least double than the per-person price for a occupancy, and, in most of the couple. Fortunately, you have world, hotels charge the some ways to avoid overpaying. same prices for a single as for Those of you who really want a couple. to travel solo have the toughest challenge. Other than for air A few single options and ordinary coach rail tickets, Even where a hotel has a few “per-person, double occupancy” single rooms, or publishes sinrates (PPDO) are almost always gle rates, those single rates are lower than what solo travelers generally more than PPDO TRAVEL TIPS have to pay, including most inrates. Hostels are about the

By Ed Perkins dependent travel expenses. And only accommodations I know you often face a “single supplement” ap- that charge by the person for everyone. proaching double the PPDO price to occupy Some cruise ships have a few single-oc-

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cupancy cabins. They typically cost more than the PPDO rate for a low-end cabin, but are usually less than full two-person rates. However, I seldom see really great last-minute deals for single cabins.

Some agencies claim to specialize in solo travel search and list tours and cruises with either low single supplements or none. Connecting Solo Travel Network (www.cstn.org), for example, currently lists dozens of tours and cruises with good pricing for single occupancy.

Also, mainstream tour operators and cruise lines sometimes reduce or waive single supplements on last-minute deals.

Pair up for better prices But the travel industry’s preferred approach to singles travel isn’t to facilitate true solo traveling. It’s to pair you up with someone so you pay just the PPDO price.

And you have several ways to organize that, depending on whether you prefer sharing hotel rooms/cabins with someone you know or with a stranger.

If you prefer to travel with someone you know, you may be able to locate your own traveling companion from among your usual circles — friends, relatives, co-workers, members of your church, club or professional association, or Facebook “friends.”

If that doesn’t work, you can explore the “halfway” alternative: Enroll in one of the several “clubs” that match potential travelers weeks or months in advance of an actual trip and allow you to meet and get acquainted before you make a travel commitment.

The first such organization, as far as I know, was the pre-Internet Jens Jurgen’s Travel Companion Exchange. Jens retired and shut it down 10 years ago, but a former member is reviving it (www.travelcompanionexchange.com).

Others offering similar matching services include SoloMate Travel (www.solomatetravel.com) and Travel Chums (www.travelchums.com).

They all work about the same way: You enroll (usually with modest dues) and submit a personal profile with a list of places you want to visit. The organization then sends you a list of potential matches, and you can start contacting or even meeting with any that seem of interest. Depending on your interests, these organizations arrange either same- or opposite-sex matches.

If you’re OK with — or even prefer — traveling with a stranger, many tour operators and cruise lines arrange matched-up tours and cruises for singles. Virtually all of the self-announced “singles travel” specialists actually match.

Among them are All Singles Travel (www.allsinglestravel.com), Escapade Cruises (www.singlescruises-tours.com), O Solo Mio (www.osolomio.com), Singles-Cruises (www.singles-cruises.com), and Singles in Paradise (www.singlesinparadise.com).

Women Traveling Together (www.womentraveling.com) specializes in all-women singles tours and cruises. Some senior-only cruises are offered by All Singles Travel and Singles Travel International (www.singlestravelintl.com).

Often, these agencies offer to “guarantee” that they will find someone to share your cabin/hotel accommodations and, if they fail, they’ll let you occupy double accommodations at the regular per-person price.

Some claim they try to assign matches based on some sort of personal screening rather than just the luck of the draw. Beyond same sex, however, this matching does not promise compatibility — it just avoids the singles gouge. And that’s enough for many. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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

River cruises From page 51 Still, I was pleased with the trip and the at-your-service staff of 40 — a better than 3:1 ratio of crew to passengers. Food was top-notch, with buffets for breakfast and lunch, and more formal sit-down dinners.

The only downside about the food was that we had all of our meals on board, with few opportunities to interact with locals.

So whenever I got the chance, I had coffee or dessert in the towns.

My cabin, which I shared with my mother, was small but comfortable, with twin beds inches apart. Luggage had to be stored under the beds, but there was enough cabinet space to unload belongings.

The highlight was sitting on the deck with other passengers as we passed by the romantic middle of the Rhine — the 40 or so miles between Bingen and Koblenz, Germany, that define our dreamy notion of the legendary waterway.

There, our cruise director, Romanian-born Hans Beckert, offered a narrative about the string of medieval castles, quaint villages and fortresses we passed. Not to mention the towering Lorelei rock named after the siren whose beauty distracted sailors. It’s where the river is the narrowest and deepest.

Many ports of call We visited a different port every day, sometimes even two. Sightseeing included walking tours, canal rides, and tours of museums and churches. Occasionally the schedule felt stressful, with some departures just a few hours after arrivals.

On the day we visited the German town of Mainz, after checking out an original printed bible in the Guttenberg Museum, we ran up the cobbled streets to look at Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows in St. Stephen’s Church, then sprinted back to the vessel for lunch before we set sail in the afternoon for

Rudesheim, known for its wine.

One of my favorite outings was wine-tasting in Obernai, France. And I fell in love with Rudesheim, where we visited the enchanting Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum, which featured self-playing instruments dating back to the 18th century.

Activities in Amsterdam included a tour of the Van Gogh museum and a canal boat ride. But we also took an optional, 26-euro two-hour chaperoned tour of the city’s famous Red Light district.

Imagine three dozen tourists — many of them gray-haired retirees — gawking at the bikini-clad young women in the windows. A couple of times we were heckled by rowdy revelers.

Amsterdam was the cruise’s final port.

We decided to stay a few days in the Dutch capital for more sightseeing, so we checked into a hotel near the port. I could see the ship from my hotel room’s window.

Later the next day, I noticed the ship was gone, off with a new group of passengers on

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another adventure. I felt a twinge of sadness, but knew I would come back to the river again.

Prices vary by time of year, itinerary and level of luxury, with fares typically per person, double occupancy, covering meals and most shore excursions.

European river cruise season generally runs from March to October, but there are also Christmas market cruises in Austria

53

and Germany in late November and December. This is a good time of year to plan for and book a cruise for next season.

Companies that offer European river cruises include Avalon Waterways, AmaWaterways, American Cruise Line, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Vantage, Viking, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea.

— AP

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Arts &

Herman Wonk, 97, is one of a number of nonagenarian authors who have recently published new works. See story, page 58.

Local stages abound with holiday cheer

What the Dickens?

Tradition, tradition. Christmas in D.C. means lots of Charles Dickens.

Leading the way, as always, is Ford’s Theatre, the annual holiday home of A Christmas Carol. A perennial favorite, the show is a spirited (you should pardon the pun) and faithful adaptation of Dickens’ classic tale exploring redemption and renewal.

Top DC actor Edward Gero leaves Shakespeare behind for his yearly portrayal of miserly, miserable Ebenezer Scrooge.

With music enhancing the tale, Ford’s A Christmas Carol has become an enduring part of Christmas in Washington and is a good choice for a family outing.

It plays through Dec. 30 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St., NW in DC. For information and tickets, visit www.FordsTheatre.org or call (202) 347-4833.

Another exploration of the Dickens tale is more subdued, but enchanting nevertheless.

Acting fave Paul Morella stars in a one-man version of the story at Olney Theatre Center.

Adapted from Dickens’ original novella and reading tour, Morella’s version focuses on

the heart of the timeless morality tale.

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas plays through Dec. 30 at Olney Theatre’s Mulitz-GudelskyTheatre Lab, 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Rd. in Olney, Md. The theatre says it’s recommended for ages 10 and up. For information and tickets, visit www.OlneyTheatre.org or call (301) 924-3400.

Across the river in north Alexandria, MetroStage gives us a yet another take on Dickens, with A Broadway Christmas Carol. And as it’s back for a third year at MetroStage, following seven years at Round House Theatre in Silver Spring, I guess we can safely say that it, too, is a D.C.-area tradition.

How is this different? Well, there’s more snark than sentiment, befitting a spoof of the Dickens story. It’s non-stop music featuring parodies of favorite Broadway show tunes and the cast goes all out for laughs.

There are moments of seasonal sentiment, to be sure, but this show has Broadway in the title, so you know it’s aiming for over the top, and gets there. For the cognoscenti among us, part of the fun is being one of the first to identify the tunes up for parody.

At MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria, Va. through Dec. 23. For information and tickets, visit www.MetroStage.org or call (703) 548-9044.

A different take on Christmas If A Broadway Christmas Carol makes you yearn for a balancing dollop of authen-

PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

By Michael Toscano Feel like taking some time out from the holiday hustle and bustle for a few hours?

There’s no better refuge than indulging yourself in the current offerings of Washington’s theater companies. You can immerse yourself in holiday spectacle and sentiment, maybe with kids in tow, or choose to experience something completely different.

The cast of A Christmas Carol lights up the stage at Ford’s Theatre. Versions of the Charles Dickens’ classic, including a spoof, are also playing at several other local theaters this month.

tic Christmas spirit, you might consider James Joyce’s The Dead, staged by Quotidian Theatre Company in Bethesda.

I know, I know. “The Dead” part of the title doesn’t exactly scream holiday cheer.

Of course, neither does the “James Joyce”

part. But it’s actually a warming tale, taken from one of Joyce’s short stories and set in 1916 Dublin.

The story takes place at a Christmas See HOLIDAY SHOWS, page 57

56

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

“One of the most gifted pianists of her generation” —The New York Times

chopin’s piano concerto no. 1 2012–2013 SEASON

HANS GRAF conductor YUJA WANG piano

“GENUINE EXCITEMENT AND FEELING… VIRTUES THAT TOO MANY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS LACK THESE DAYS.” —The Washington Post

Join the NSO for an extraordinary season of music to live by in the Concert Hall.

DECEMBER CONCERTS

LUTOSŁAWSKI Musique funèbre CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 3 “Polish”

THU., DEC. 6 AT 7 P.M. FRI., DEC. 7 AT 8 P.M. SAT., DEC. 8 AT 8 P.M.

GRAF

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

CHEYENNE JACKSON...

MUSIC OF THE MAD MEN ERA Steven Reineke, conductor

Ring in the New Year with Broadway, film, and television star Cheyenne Jackson, members of the NSO, and Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke in suave and stylish performances of the cool sounds of the ‘50s and ‘60s.* Mon., Dec. 31 at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets from $55

SUND AY M A T IN EE

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Randall Craig Fleischer, conductor

Rolf Beck, conductor Katherine Whyte, soprano Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor Sunnyboy Vincent Dladla, tenor Panajotis Iconomou, bass-baritone University of Maryland Concert Choir, Edward Maclary, director

that day’s Kennedy Center restaurant receipts include admittance to the Grand Foyer Party. Usher in 2013 with a festive party and dancing until 1 a.m.

The spirit of the season is yours to enjoy in this evening of joyful song that also features a visit from Santa Claus and other special guests.

There are flurries of flakes and holiday hits in the forecast for the Concert Hall, so don’t miss this annual Kennedy Center tradition!

Thu., Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. | Fri., Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. | Sun., Dec. 23 at 1 p.m.

The Kennedy Center’s Grand Foyer Party is made possible by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

Thu., Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. | Fri., Dec. 14 at 8 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. | Sun., Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.

*Tickets for all New Year’s Eve evening performances and

(202) 467-4600 kennedy-center.org Tickets also available at the Box Office | Groups (202) 416-8400 | TTY (202) 416-8524 Presenting Underwriters of the NSO David and Alice Rubenstein

Presenting Sponsor of the NSO Pops Season

Presenting Sponsor of the NSO Classical Season NSO Media Partner: The Beacon Newspaper

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

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

Holiday shows From page 55 party, and it has been garnished with authentic music as performed and enjoyed by the partygoers. The family-centered themes and natural, minimalist story telling combine with the music for an enthralling experience.

It will be performed by Quotidian Theatre Company through Dec. 16 at the Writer’s Center theater, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, Md. For information and tickets, visit www.QuotidianTheatre.org or call (301) 816-1023.

Christian-lite pop music is filling the 1st Stage theater in Tyson’s Corner as Altar Boyz plays through Dec. 30. It’s 90 minutes of musical comedy and tongue-in-cheek lyrics about a boy-band that tries to save the world in a concert.

The boys are named Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. And it’s no spoiler to mention it, but they’re dead. Still, they can dance.

1st Stage is at 1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons Corner, Va. For information and tickets, which are $30, visit www.1stStageTysons.org or call (703) 854-1856.

making it big while fighting for control of their careers, friendship and love.

Signature is located at 4200 Campbell Ave. in Arlington, Va. For information and tickets, visit www.Signature-Theatre.org or call (703) 820-9771.

Want to escape the holidays and glitz for a few hours? Try Studio Theatre’s production of The Aliens, which is running through at least Dec. 23. There are no dancing sugar plums in the dingy back alley of a sleepy Vermont coffeehouse where two affable slackers and an awkward teen experience a summer of “small triumphs and quiet, unforeseen devastations.”

From playwright Annie Baker, the critically acclaimed writer of Circle Mirror Transformation, this drama is described as “a subtle ode to the truth and compassion hidden in unexpected people and places.” Studio Theatre is at 1501 14th St. NW in D.C. For information and tickets, visit www.StudioTheatre.org or call (202) 332-3300.

And Round House Theatre in Bethesda

has a world premiere production that might be good for holiday-addled kids. It’s Young Robin Hood, which brings back the legendary archer in a new story. But don’t worry, he’s still in Nottingham fighting the nasty Sheriff, with help from the Sheriff’s lovely daughter Marian.

The show runs through Dec. 30 at Round House’s main stage, located at 4545 East-West Highway in Bethesda. For information and tickets, visit www.RoundHouseTheatre.org or call (240) 644-1100.

Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theater critic.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8+

HOLIDAY PANTOMIME The British Players are performing a traditional holiday pan-

tomime, The Princess and the Sprout, through Sunday, Dec. 16, at Kensington Town Hall. Songs, dances, buffoonery, in-jokes, audience participation and a bit of innuendo are all part of the entertainment, which is suitable for all ages. Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays, and 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Matinees will play at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, Dec. 8 and 15, as well as Sundays, Dec. 9 and 16. Tickets are $20 for adults; $12 for children 11 and younger. Group tickets for 8 or more are $15 each. The town hall is at 3710 Mitchell St., Kensington, Md. For reservations and more information, call (301) 838-0042 or visit www.britishplayers.org.

More than holiday fare It’s not all Yuletide spirit on D.C. stages this month, but there’s plenty of glitter to go around. My Fair Lady continues at Arena Stage’s Fichandler Stage through Jan. 6.

With a classic score from Lerner and Loewe, it’s family entertainment (but rather long for younger kids at 2 hours and 45 minutes).

Arena is also staging its portion of a world premiere co-production (with Seattle Repertory Theatre) of Pullman Porter Blues. Set in 1937 on the Panama Limited train between Chicago to New Orleans, it’s a lively tale of three generations of porters and how the upcoming Joe Louis/James Braddock championship bout affects their lives, set to bluesy music.

It is scheduled to run through Jan. 6 in Arena’s Kreeger Theatre. Arena Stage is located at 1101 6th St. SW in D.C. For information and tickets on both shows, visit www.ArenaStage.org or call (202) 554-9066.

Olney Theatre Company has a kidcharming show with its production of Cinderella. The favorite fairy tale is set to music by Rodgers & Hammerstein, and features glass slippers, a fairy godmother, a handsome prince, nasty stepsisters and a pumpkin coach along with the poor girl who becomes a princess.

It’s running through Dec. 30 at Olney Theatre Center’s main stage, 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Rd. in Olney, Md. For information and tickets, visit www.OlneyTheatre.org or call (301) 924-3400.

If you’re enjoying all those old Motown versions of Christmas tunes on the radio, you may be ready for yet another return of Dreamgirls, the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash musical (and movie).

This time, Signature Theatre offers the thinly veiled look at the Supremes’ rise to the top of the pop charts in the 1960s, onstage through Jan. 6. A robust score enlivens the tale of a girl group from Chicago

SPECTACULAR SUMMER SHOWS AHEAD NEW SHOWS JUST ANNOUNCED • TICKETS ON SALE DECEMBER 8!

A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor in association with Minnesota Public Radio & WAMU 88.5 FM FRI. & SAT., MAY 24 & 25

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Louisiana Swamp Romp™ Culture and cuisine at a spirited New Orleans-style party SUN., JUNE 16

The Mikado New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Timeless Japanese musical tale laden with satire and romance FRI. & SAT., MAY 31 & JUNE 1

Rock of Ages

Mature Content Musical phenomenon and ’80s rock blowout FRI. & SAT., JUNE 7 & 8

The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie Chuck Negron formerly of

The Temptations Gary Puckett & The Union Gap The Four Tops Nostalgic classics and love songs by Mark Lindsay former lead singer of Motown’s irresistible mainstays

Three Dog Night

Paul Revere and The Raiders

Gary Lewis & The Playboys

Celtic Woman

Bill Cosby

Breathtaking renditions of contemporary ballads and traditional Irish music FRI., JUNE 14

Consummate comedian, actor, recording artist, and author SAT., JUNE 15

Straight No Chaser

BUDDY The Buddy Holly Story

Fun-loving, upbeat a cappella SUN., JUNE 30

THURS., JUNE 27

Revisit rock ‘n’ roll’s Golden Age with this world-renowned jukebox musical TUES. & WED., JULY 2 & 3

SUN., JUNE 23

Video Games LIVE! A Spectacular fusion of live orchestral music and video game visuals.

HUGE SCREENS in-house and on the lawn!

SAT., JULY 13

The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show

All-Tchaikovsky

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

Singin’ in the Rain

Benjamin Grosvenor, piano

Emil de Cou, conductor

A feel-good evening of your favorite oldies SAT., JULY 20

1812 Overture, the Piano Concerto, and more!

FRI., JULY 26

World premiere commission by groundbreaking contemporary ballet company TUES., JULY 30

Remastered musical classic on HUGE SCREENS with live music SAT., AUGUST 3

MORE SHOWS TO BE ANNOUNCED IN FEBRUARY! ABBA – The Concert Ultimate pop tribute to “Mamma Mia” masterminds SAT., AUGUST 17

Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls

Sing-A-Long Sound of Music

Tony-winning R&B-inspired musical starring the queen of broadway gospel THURS. – SUN., AUGUST 22 – 25

Classic film on HUGE SCREENS and a costume contest!

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

Authors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let age slow them down

By Hillel Italie Philip Roth, 79 and looking fit in recent photographs, has said that after looking back on his long and prolific career he decided he had written enough. The novel Nemesis, published in 2010, apparently

will be his last.

Other authors, some of them years older, are carrying on.

Elmore Leonard, winner this year of an honorary National Book Award, is 87 and said the prize inspired him to write more

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novels. The winner of the National Book Award for poetry, David Ferry, is 88.

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, 81, had a novel out in the spring and has said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working on a new one. Tom Wolfeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back to Blood came out this fall, and he has more fiction and nonfiction planned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being an octogenarian is just a hobby of mine,â&#x20AC;? Wolfe, 81, said with a laugh, â&#x20AC;&#x153;something I do at night.â&#x20AC;?

Just this fall, new works came out from 97-year-old novelist Herman Wouk, 93year-old poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and 90-year-old historian Bernard Bailyn. Author-playwright A.E. Hotchner, 92, has a book of essays about aging due in February.

The first novel in more than 30 years by James Salter, 87, will be published in April.

The first novel by William Gass, 88, since 1995, is expected in March.

PHOTO BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN

Bring Your Group to the Kennedy Center for Entertainment on a Grand Scale!

Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adventures in Wonderland

4HE .ATIONAL "ALLET OF #ANADA

Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adventures in Wonderland

Manon Lescaut

Karen Kain, Artistic Director

The National Ballet of Canada returns with an eye-popping, outrageously theatrical production that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;certain to impress, delight, and amuseâ&#x20AC;? (Toronto Sun). *AN n s /PERA (OUSE The Kennedy Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ballet Season is presented with the support of Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian.

!LVIN !ILEY !MERICAN $ANCE 4HEATER

Healthy living (and wine) helps Hotchner and others say that thanks to better medical care and cleaner living, creative expectancy has never been higher.

Nathaniel Hawthorne was just 59 when he died, in 1864, and had described himself as â&#x20AC;&#x153;wrinkled with time and trouble.â&#x20AC;?

Some of the greatest 20th century authors, from F. Scott Fitzgerald to John Steinbeck to William Faulkner, were heavy drinkers and never made it to 70.

Gass likes to joke that authors now live longer because of â&#x20AC;&#x153;better booze.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;During the 1950s, the academic world was full of people who drank too much,â&#x20AC;? Gass said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The parties were cocktail parties and pretty potent. Now, there are dinners with nice wines.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ernest [Hemingway] said that life is like a bank account and how you use it is your determination,â&#x20AC;? Hotchner said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can withdraw it in a hurry and live a very short life. Or you can be more careful, not that you baby yourself, but that some modSee OLDER AUTHORS, page 59

Intensely romantic and beguiling, Manon Lescaut is the first tragic heroine in a long list of Puccini favorites. Patricia Racette makes her role debut in the WNO revival of John Pascoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;impassioned, sensual productionâ&#x20AC;? (Baltimore Sun), which is conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin. Performed in Italian with English supertitles.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 10

STOLEN MASTERPIECES AND LOST TREASURES

Leonardo da Vinci, Jan Vermeer,

-AR n s /PERA (OUSE

PHOTO BY KARIN COOPER FOR WNO

Claude Monet and Edward Munch

Robert Battle, Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director

One of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite dance companies returns with a week of new works and classics, including the iconic Revelations on every program. Visit kennedy-center.org for more information about the programs. &EB n s /PERA (OUSE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that the barriers have pretty well fallen,â&#x20AC;? said Hotchner, whose career dates back to adapting the stories of his friend Ernest Hemingway for 1950s television productions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Hemingway died, he was 61 and he really looked old,â&#x20AC;? Hotchner said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Writers used to fade out by the time they were 70. A phenomenon like Herman Wouk was virtually unheard of.â&#x20AC;?

ALICIA GRAF MACK PHOTO BY ANDREW ECCLES

4HE #HIEFTAINS Lucky You EMIL DE COU, conductor

Norma

are just a few of the many artists

In Belliniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Norma, rising star Angela Meade is the Druid priestess who secretly carries on a love affair in the midst of the Gallic-Roman wars. She stars opposite the formidable mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick, who sings the role of Normaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival, Adalgisa, in this thrilling new WNO production directed by Anne Bogart and conducted by Daniele Rustioni. Performed in Italian with English supertitles.

whose works of art have been stolen

-AR n s /PERA (OUSE David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.

How luckyâ&#x20AC;Ś Just in time for St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, acclaimed Irish artists The Chieftains bring their Grammy-winning music and a pinch of good cheer to paint the town green.

or lost. Art educator Joan Hart from Museum One will present a lecture on thefts of some of the art worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest pieces from 1 to 2:45 p.m., Monday, Dec. 10. Learn about great ANGELA MEADE PHOTO BY DARIO ACOSTA

Generous support for WNO Italian opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aniello.

Norma is a production of the Clarice Smith Opera Series.

The 2012-2013 NSO Pops Season is presented with the support of

the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mona Lisaâ&#x20AC;? to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Scream,â&#x20AC;? to

Additional support for Norma is provided by the Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.

the most current thefts and the culprits involved. The ongoing recovery

-AR n s #ONCERT (ALL David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

multi-million dollar art heists, from

4HE +ENNEDY #ENTER WELCOMES PATRONS WITH DISABILITIES

of art collections lost as a result of World War II will also be covered.

The program will be held at Aurora

Call now to reserve your Group tickets Visit our Web site at kennedy-center.org/groupsales

(202) 416-8400

4OLL FREE s 449

Hills Senior Center, 735 S. 18th St., Arlington, Va. Cost is $6. For registration and more information, call (703) 228-5722.

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

physical power to expand a short work of fiction into his new novel, Middle C.

From page 58 eration is necessary.”

Wouk’s editor, Jonathan Karp, said that Wouk has always taken good care of himself. The author’s first book came out more than 60 years ago, but his lifestyle has remained steady — work, family and religious faith, studying the Torah daily.

The author of such favorites as The Caine Munity and The Winds of War keeps up with modern trends, working in Skype and text messages for his latest, The Lawgiver.

“He has such vitality,” Karp said. “I was on the phone with him the other day discussing our publishing campaign for about an hour and he finally ended the conversation because his personal trainer had just arrived.”

Gass said that he had heart problems a few years ago and may well have died without receiving stents, a procedure unavailable before the 1980s. The author of Omensetter’s Luck and other books didn’t simply recover, but had the mental and

The passion to write Salter’s upcoming novel is called All That Is, the story of a book editor and his romances that retains the themes of erotic exhilaration and emotional distance of such previous works as A Sport and a Pastime and Light Years.

He has worked through much of his 80s on All That Is, aware that at a certain age the mind does not quicken or expand, but also compelled by nature to continue.

“You can’t stop writing,” said Salter, who notes that Roth is reportedly in active correspondence with his biographer, Blake Bailey.

“Even if you say you’re not writing books anymore, you’re making notes, perhaps writing in your journal. I dare say, even when you feel, ‘Christ, I can’t do it anymore,’ you’re still observing life and taking things in. You’re thinking, ‘I’d love to write that story. I wonder how I’d do it?’”

— AP

PHOTO © 2012 LIZA C. STEIN

Older authors

Herman Wouk, 97, published his latest work, The Lawgiver, this fall. He and many other authors age 80 and older, including William Gass, James Salter and Toni Morrison, have new books out this year and in 2013.

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HOLIDAY TRUNK SHOW DECEMBER 1-4

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH THE ‘RAT PACK’

Experience the music that marked an entire generation when “Christmas with the Rat Pack: Live at the Sands” plays at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 21, at the art deco Carlyle Club, 411 John Carlyle St., Alexandria, Va. Three singers and actors will bring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., to life for the show that features Christmas songs, comedy sketches and other holiday fun. Tickets are $20. For reservations or more information, call (703) 549-8957 or visit www.thecarlyleclub.com.

Dec. 15

INTERGENERATIONAL HOLIDAY CONCERT

Encore Chorales, comprised of singers age 55+, will include the Arlington Children’s Chorus in a free concert at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 15, at Kenmore Middle School. Familiar tunes, from pop hits to orchestral and opera repertory, will be on the program, along with traditional holiday favorites and a unique twist on the Hallelujah Chorus. The school is at 200 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va. For more information, contact Jeanne Kelly at (301) 261-5747 or jeanne.kelly@encorecreativity.org.

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The Gaithersburg Community Chorus will present a free winter concert, “A 25th Anniversary Retrospective,” this month at two venues. The program will feature a specially commissioned piece, Let Us Be Merry, by Chris Fraley. The show will be presented at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Rosborough Cultural Arts Center Theater in Asbury Methodist Village, 409 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, Md., with a public reception following the performance. The concert will be repeated at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15 and 16, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 9000 Warfield Rd., Gaithersburg. For more information, contact Suzanne Takahashi at (301) 2586394 or stakahashi@gaithersburgmd.gov.

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

My, how attitudes at work have changed!

Cynthia is 60. She left the full-time work But the biggest change, she thinks, is force in 1987, when her oldest child was the gulf between 60-somethings and 20born. somethings.

Now he’s flown the coop, “I am having real trouble and so has his younger sister. communicating with these Neither seems likely to younger workers,” she says. boomerang. Meanwhile, her “So are all the managers who husband, also 60, still works are my age.” full time and shows no sign of It isn’t just language, Cynwanting to feather back. thia says, although “all the So Cynthia has just taken ‘likes’ and ‘you-knows’ are an executive-level job for the very hard to take.” It’s an attifirst time in 25 years. tude toward work itself.

HOW I SEE IT She has noticed many By Bob Levey “I always used to hate it when changes in the workplace, she older people would begin a sentells me over coffee. Technology. Diversity. tence with, ‘When I was 25…’ “ Cynthia said.

Immense progress by women. An immense Then a big grin. “But when I was 25, increase in “useless, pointless meetings.” there was no such thing as taking a ‘mental

health’ day off — especially when you knew you were going to spend it in a bar celebrating Cinco de Mayo with your boyfriend.

“There was no such thing as listening to the radio while you worked. There was no such thing as making 30-minute personal phone calls during the work day. And there was no such thing as leaving early to beat the traffic.

“The job was Job One. And now it’s Job Two or Three.”

Cynthia and I have been pals for a long time, so I could take a long swig of coffee and push back. “You’ll forgive me,” I said, “but the workplace was no bed of roses when you and I were young.

“The 60-somethings drank. The 60-somethings swore. The 60-somethings tried to fall in love with every cute young co-worker, every other second, even if they were married and even when deadlines loomed.

“And everyone made very sure to take every second of leave to which they were entitled, every single year.”

“Entitled. That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Cynthia said.

“These 20-somethings might have two weeks of vacation time in the bank. But they come into my office and ask me for a third, in advance, so they can watch the bulls run in Spain. One of them actually said to me, ‘I deserve it.’ When I was young, I wouldn’t have dared to ask that kind of question.”

“But when you were young,” I pointed out, “there were no protections if you were a minority, and very few if you were female.

Today’s workplace is much, much fairer to everyone — even to 60-somethings.”

Cynthia ordered another coffee.

“I’m not sure you’re right,” she said. “I’m not sure it’s a better workplace if a manager has to watch every single syllable she says, every day. If I were a male manager in today’s world, and I told a young female worker she looked nice in that dress, I could be sued.”

“But you could also be appreciated,” I said. “The workplace is nothing more or less than people dealing with other people. The better your relationships, the better your results. You catch more flies with honey.”

Cynthia insisted that I must have been born yesterday.

“I have many, many young employees who are very conscientious,” she said.

“But I have just as many who start looking at the clock as soon as it hits 4:30.

“They wouldn’t do a better job if I tried to build a better relationship with them. They hate work, and they hate having to work.

They are more interested in nachos and beer than they are in the quality of what they do.”

I asked Cynthia if her young employees are ambitious.

“Only a handful,” she said. “And I find myself concentrating on them much more.

You know how a first-grade teacher says she teaches to the best students she has, even when she knows she should teach to all of them? I do the same. I can’t help it.”

I told Cynthia she didn’t have to help it.

She only had to stop painting with such a broad brush.

“Maybe you just have an unusually weak crop of young employees,” I told her. “I have seen 20-somethings working their tails off, and not in air-conditioned offices, either.

“They’re first responders. They’re medical students. They teach in crummy schools. And they don’t spend their time bathing in jealousy over how much money hedge fund managers make.

“They are committed. They are about more than themselves. I think they’re very, very impressive.”

Cynthia sighed. “Maybe I’m just getting old,” she said, with a rueful smile.

“We all are,” I said. “Even the 20-somethings.”

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8+

NUTCRACKER IN MINIATURE

Maryland Youth Ballet will showcase an abbreviated version of The Nutcracker called The Mini-Nut. The show runs 50 minutes and will play at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8 and 9, at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md. General admission is $18; $12 for children 12 and younger. Tickets may be purchased in advance from the youth ballet studio at 926 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, Md. Call (301) 608-2232 for more information.

All Pet Crematory, Inc. (410) 552-0703 or 1(888) 552-0703 (toll free) • open directly to the public for private cremations only • caring & professional staff • memorial urns and merchandise available “Pet Lovers Serving Pet Lovers” | WWW.APCrematory.com

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ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

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ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

Letters to editor From page 2 It might work best by telling the story of an individual. It might be helpful for the industry to consult teachers and get their ideas.

Gail Osburn Washington, D.C. Dear Editor: My wife and I recently visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona and the memorial to those who died in a plane crash near Shanksville, Pa., on 9/11/2001. Each of these places has its own beauty and meaning.

The natural beauty of the Grand Canyon is indescribable. It is truly one of the wonders of the world. The 9/11 memorial, with its marble and granite, evokes memories of the

a es ift! k a g M eat gr

courage shown by the heroes who gave their lives to save others on that tragic day in 2001.

Unfortunately the beauty of the Grand Canyon and the reverence of the 9/11 memorial were marred by the presence of tobacco butts strewn about.

At the canyon, one can ride buses that stop at viewing spots. Even though cigarette butt receptacles were provided at the bus stops, there were butts on the ground at nearly all the stops.

I propose that smoking be banned at all of our National Parks and memorials. Such a ban would protect visitors from toxic tobacco

Beacon The

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chemicals in the air, eliminate the cigarette butt filth, and save money by eliminating the need for butt receptacles and cleanup.

John O’Hara, Ph.D., President Md. Group Against Smoker’s Pollution Bowie, Md.

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CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box at the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either.

Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

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.

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

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use, and more. Learn at your own pace with gentle and patient tutor. We also fix computers, set up your new computer and troubleshoot. Working with Seniors since 1996. Ask about your Senior Discount. Call David, 301762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR. PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-642-4526.

COMPUTER PERSONAL IT SERVICES HELP – Transfer 3.5 floppy or camera pictures to CD, download music & books, upgrade computer programs, training, setup email, Apps & accounts. Gift certificates available. Wilson, 301830-2344, Personal_IT@aol.com.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate LEISURE WORLD® - $349,000. 2BR 2FB “G” in Creekside. Table space kitchen, separate laundry room, enclosed balcony, garage space. 1325 sq ft..

Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $279,000. 2BR 2FB “EE” with Garage in Vantage East. Open table space kitchen, large enclosed balcony, separate laundry room, 1260 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors 301-928-3463.

Business & Employment Opportunities

LEISURE WORLD® - $314,500. 3BR 2-1/2BA “M” model in Fairways. Spectacular view from enclosed balcony, table space kitchen, Garage + golf cart space. 1480 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors 301-928-3463.

EXPERIENCED SALESPERSON to sell nonprofits grant subscription services. Downtown Silver Spring office. Endorsed by Grant Professionals Association. Part-time, flexible weekday hours. Excellent earnings. 301-588-6380 x134.

LEISURE WORLD® - $129,000. 2BR 2FB “Bristol” model patio home, new paint, close to parking. 1059 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

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 a decade of geriatric care experience seeks long-term, full-time 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.

CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE – reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness.

Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24-hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes. MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.ChChHomecare.com.

COMPANION GHA/HH AIDE AVAILABLE NOW Live-in or out day or night. With excellent references. Very reliable and punctual. Own transportation. Pets okay, no reptiles. Please call 240-543-5024.

TWO RELIABLE CAREGIVERS with many years experience. Available Monday-Friday, weekends, full or part-time, days or nights.

Please call 240-893-0119 / 301-537-2495.

LOVING CARETAKER Lety Garcia 240-8552477. Caretaking you can afford and trust with years of experience in Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s and hospice care. Meal preparation, companionship, housekeeping, errands, appointments, or just getting out! Very dependable. References available.

COMPANION/SITTER I am available to assist with errands, shopping, light housekeeping, meals and personal care. Experienced, excellent references. 301-760-7474.

HERE AND NOW HOME CARE – Very reliable and certified caregivers who provide care with quality, dignity and respect. Personal care, companionship and light housekeeping at competitive prices. 24 hours around the clock.

Homes, hospitals, nursing homes. 240-507-7120. www.hereandnowhomecare.com.

Computer Services TECH/COMPUTER TUTOR/ TROUBLESHOOTER, Consumer Electronics consultant with 17 years experience making house calls.

PC, Mac, iOS, Android, networks. Call Claude 202630-5016 or visit kerno.biz.

LEISURE WORLD® - $229,000. 2/3BR 2FB “Sherwood” model patio home. End of group, custom reconfiguration with Great Room, enclosed patio, recent paint and carpet. 1400 sq ft.

Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $92,000. 1BR 1FB “A” in ‘Greens” with great Golf course view, enclosed balcony, garage space $20,000 extra. 860 sq ft, Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $268,500. 2BR 2FB “Marlboro” patio home. Updated kitchen, new paint and carpet, 1 car garage, Florida room. 1155 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - $299,000. 3BR 2-1/2BA, “M” in “Greens”, sep din rm, mirrored closet doors, enclosed balcony, garage parking, 1530 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1300. 1BR 1FB “A” model in the “Fairways”. Marble entry, ceramic tile kitchen, enclosed balcony, custom window treatments, custom shower. 850 sq ft., Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will preview units & contact you with a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings on page 16. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

COLONIAL BEACH, VA – FOR RENT: Beautiful home on river in quiet neighborhood. Golf Cart Community. 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Finished attic. Washer/Dryer. Screened porch. New kitchen. Garage. Nice yard. $1250. Water/Sewer included. Call 703-430-7988.

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.

Health BREAKING NEWS FOR DIABETICS, pre-diabetics and weight challenged people! Revolutionary plant-based product can change your life by reducing medication and insulin requirements. Recommended by physicians and pharmacists. Request a free sample! 240-461-0519. www.prevention.myunicity.net.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

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

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

Home/Handyman Services

Wanted

MGL CLEANING SERVICE Experienced.

Same team every time. Licensed bonded, insured. Good references, free estimates. Our customers recommend us. Mario & Estela: 202-4916767 & 703-798-4143.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com.

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

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, ESTATES. FREE evaluations and house calls.

We pay the most for your valuable treasures because we get the most money on eBay – the worldwide Internet. Serving entire metro area – Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia.

Buying the following items – furniture, art, paintings, silver, gold, old coins, jewelry, vintage wristwatches, military items, including guns, rifles, swords, daggers, knives, musical instruments, guitars, violins, banjos, old toys, dolls, trains, old golf clubs, baseball, football, tennis equipment and memorabilia, old fishing, tools, books, photographs, comic books. I am a resident of Silver Spring and work in Bethesda. I have 25 years experience. Please call Tom Hanley at 240-476-3441 – Thank you.

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 MOTHER WILL DRIVE you to your appointments, church, shopping and assist you. Honest, reliable, References. DC & Maryland. Bee 301949-4873.

WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854.

VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van.

Call Mike 301-565-4051.

Personals GIVE THE GIFT OF A LIFETIME – with your life story told in a documentary video by an award winning filmmaker to give to loved ones as a treasured gift on DVD. For details contact setagvideo@earthlink.net.

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

Wanted 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.

STERLING SILVER will pay top dollar for your silver marked “Sterling”, “925” “800.”

Please no silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Call Richard 301-6460101.

WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, ETC. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments.

Jack (301) 279-2158.

CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838.

HIGHEST PRICE PAID FOR ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES! Compare my estimate before you sell... Antique and quality modern furniture, paintings, pottery, rugs, clocks, gold, silver, costume jewelry, silver flatware, watches, military items, guns, swords, daggers, helmets, fishing, toys, sports memorabilia, American tools. One piece or an entire collection. I AM an established dealer with 25 years experience, with 2 locations, Silver Spring [Hillandale] & Bowie. Please call Chris KELLER for prompt professional service. 301-262-1299. Thank You. WANTED: ELECTRONICS, radio tubes, ham radios, huge old loud speakers, tube HiFi, stereo amps, earliest computers ever made, vinyl records, professional musical instruments, scientific curiosities, early electronic books, magazines, engineers, physicists, scientist, accumulations. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE 240-4640958.

CASH FOR ESTATES, Gold, Silver, Coins, Costume Jewelry, Antiques/Collectibles, Etc. Will travel 301-520-0755.

Classifieds continued on page 63.

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

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

by Stephen Sherr 1

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CASH FOR RECORDS & CDs. BEST PRICE GUARANTEED. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan (202) 841-3062.

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.

WANTED: OLD ORIENTAL RUGS. Please call 1-888-334-4891.

Thanks for Reading!

BEACON BITS

Dec. 16

HOLIDAY JAZZ FEST IN ALEXANDRIA

Celebrate the season at the “Holiday Jazz Fest” with the Mike Gillispie Quartet, 2 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 16, at Charles E. Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, Va. Sponsored by Friends of the Beatley Central Library, the event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call (703) 746-1702 or visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us.

Dec. 7+

HOLIDAY EXCURSIONS AND OTHER OUTINGS

Arlington County’s 55+ Guide’s travel section is loaded with excursions this month, including: Annapolis Holiday tour, Friday, Dec. 7, $80 for residents/$86 for nonresidents; Dominion GardenFest of Lights plus buffet in Richmond, Va., Tues., Dec. 11, $49/$55; and many other outings to concerts, unique museums and other destinations. Pre-registration for all trips is required. For more information, call (703) 228-4748.

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WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202-726-4427, MD 301-332-4697.

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Scrabble answers on p. 61.

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Across

Down

1. The limit for how many fish you can catch in this puzzle 4. “Doe ___” 9. Confusion 12. Steeple sound 15. Cheese connoisseur 16. Futbol tally 17. Mouth sore 18. Body images 19. Not quite gross 20. Subtext to every Cubs World Series victory 23. Sign outside H.M.S. Pinafore, maybe 24. School in L.A. (or Columbia) 25. Method to convert bits to bytes 28. Protected from the weather 32. Appeared innocent 35. Ice cream purchase 36. Bit of Morse Code 37. Nobel laureate Niels 38. Homework assignment 40. ___ physicist (was introduced to Stephen Hawking) 41. Ginger drink 42. Alice’s balladeer 43. Removed a burden 44. Military band instrument 48. The largest city in Pitkin County, Colorado 49. Barn bird 50. Inventor of the detective story 53. Judge’s question to the foreman 58. Wine barrel wood 60. Some are dominant 61. See 29 Down 62. Use a credit card 63. Verb with thou 64. Profession 65. And I Love ___ 66. Returns to the stable 67. 2012 candidate Paul

1. Gulf War missiles 2. Further under the weather 3. Cutting company 4. Three on ___ 5. Sullen 6. Peseta replacer 7. Abraham’s grandson 8. Log off and on 9. Stock market symbols 10. Soccer tally 11. Understood 13. Middle third of an ITINERARY 14. Airplane’s destination 21. Contortion conclusion 22. Uncommon sense 26. Fuming 27. ___ To Be You 28. The end of cash 29. Bath additives (with 61 Across) 30. Spy story org.

31. “___ questions?”

32. Addis ___ (Ethiopian capital) 33. Secret recipe subjects 34. Important volleyball player 38. Mess up a pop-up 39. ___-mo 40. West side name 42. When most NHL (but not NFL) games are played 43. Sign up 45. City quadrants 46. Tells war stories 47. Pay off the mortgage 50. Kodiak relative 51. Get the higher score 52. German steel city 54. Injure a muscle 55. Hit the reset button 56. Cozy abode 57. 31-day mo.

58. “Preeeettty” 59. Amazement

Answers on page 61.

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