December 2014 | Baltimore Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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Avoiding a fall is no small feat

DECEMBER 2014

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

By Carol Sorgen Two years ago, Harriet Kohl fractured her right kneecap when she tripped over a jutting piece of sidewalk while taking a walk in her Charles Village neighborhood. Two months ago, while on a long-awaited trip to Amsterdam, she tripped over a suitcase in a crowded train station. That time, Kohl fractured her left kneecap. “To put it mildly, I was ticked off,” said the 71-year-old artist. (Actually, that’s not the word she used, but you get the drift.) Fortunately, she didn’t need surgery either time. Spending six to eight weeks in a knee brace, and using a cane for assistance, put her back on track. But Kohl said that the experience of falling is frustrating, to say the least. “It’s uncomfortable and tiring, and there are days you just want to throw the cane or the crutch across the room,” she said. Kohl has found out first-hand — twice now — just how debilitating a fall can be. And she’s not alone.

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TECHNOLOGY

What is ‘social media,’ and is it for you?; plus, how to protect your ID from breaches, and apps that let you control your house remotely page 3

Number of falls not falling Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65. Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for an injury related to a fall. In 2012, nearly 24,000 people over 65 died after a fall — almost twice the number of a decade earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Clutter, inappropriate footwear, poor balance, distractions and tripping hazards — such as an uneven sidewalk or piece of luggage — can contribute to a stumble or fall. The increased number of falls has also been partly attributed to a rise in diseases that are often linked to falls — including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease — as well as to the medications frequently used to treat these diseases. (Many medications can cause dizziness and lightheadedness.) Impaired vision and, perhaps surprisingly, hearing loss are additional potential culprits. According to a recent study by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, falls are nearly three times more likely to occur among people with mild hearing loss. When people can’t hear well, they may be unaware of

While staircases can be the culprit in some falls, Harriet Kohl broke both her kneecaps in recent years, tripping over an uneven sidewalk and a piece of luggage. Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in older adults, but there are many steps, from exercise to better lighting, that can help prevent them.

their surroundings and struggle more to maintain proper balance, increasing their chance of tripping and falling. Nancy Jackson is not unfamiliar with falling. She spent many years horseback riding, and even suffered a fractured pelvis after being thrown from a horse. But she wasn’t prepared for breaking an ankle last summer while hiking with her husband and two nephews. “I stepped on a rock, fell on my leg and heard my ankle snap,” she recalled. This was Jackson’s second fall in as many years. Her first was caused by tripping over an uneven sidewalk while carrying a box into her office. Instead of trying to save herself, she tried to save the box, and wound up with a sore head and a cracked rib.

“After a fall, you feel old,” said Jackson, who is 56 and lives in Perry Hall. “It changes your life.” Jackson said she now finds herself looking down all the time to try to avoid missteps. Still, as cautious as she is, she worries. “I like to be active,” Jackson said. “But I’m very nervous about falling again.” Indeed, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) reports that some people become so afraid of falling (either before or after an actual fall) that they stop doing activities they used to enjoy. Ironically, this is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing. “Remaining physically active is an essential part of preventing See PREVENTING FALLS, page 32

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

Carlsbad’s caverns reveal underground wonders; plus, sites associated with the Roosevelts, and last-minute travel deals page 12

FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k Time to revisit Medicare choices k Quicker recovery from surgery LAW & MONEY k When to sell bond funds k Burial benefits for vets

ARTS & STYLE k A model for railroad buffs k BMA opens American wing

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Credit where it’s due In my column last month, I promised to es on sharing best practices for publication share more about the awards our writers enhancement, exchange of ideas, maintehave recently garnered in nanance and improvement of tional competitions. standards, and the improveEach year, we enter a selecment of business conditions tion of our writers’ original stowithin the publishing indusries in two journalism competitry. tions: those of the North AmerIn this year’s competition, ican Mature Publishers Associhundreds of submissions ation (NAMPA) and the Nafrom NAMPA member publitional Mature Media Awards. cations were judged in variThis year, we received ous categories by an indemore than 20 awards at the pendent panel of experts annual NAMPA convention, FROM THE from the University of Misheld in Shreveport-Bossier PUBLISHER souri School of Journalism, City, La., in late September. By Stuart P. Rosenthal generally considered one of NAMPA is an association the top journalism schools in of publishers producing newspapers and the country. magazines for the mature market. It focusBoth the Greater Washington and Balti-

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CHRISTMAS IN WLLIAMSBURG

Cockeysville Senior Center invites you to join them as they celebrate Christmas in Williamsburg. Depart Sunday, Dec. 7, at 7 a.m., and return Monday, Dec. 8. Enjoy a Christmas Illumination tour by motorcoach, two-day pass and historic exhibition buildings, all for $289. Call (410) 8877694 for reservations.

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more Beacons won first place “General Excellence” awards in their circulation categories, as well as “Best of Show” awards for the most total awards in their categories. The judges found that the Baltimore Beacons “engaging local features are thoughtfully conceived, written and edited. Much of the rest of the publication is no less useful, with content including leisure, travel, money and health. One can open this at any point and find something interesting to read.” Our contributing editor, Carol Sorgen, won two first-place feature writing awards: for “One flag with many meanings,” our May cover, and for “Contemporary grandparenting,” last November’s cover story. The judges rightly commented that Sorgen “makes a strong connection with the publication’s audience.” Frequent freelancer Jennifer Waldera won a second place award in the profile category for “Who’s the area’s chief chef?” our June cover story. She was praised for doing “a masterful job telling the chefs’ stories.” Other stories in our Washington and Howard County editions won NAMPA awards in the Feature Writing, Profile, Travel, Topical Issue, Reviews and Personal Essay categories. Meanwhile, in the Mature Media Awards competition, our managing editor, Barbara Ruben, won Silver Award for her story “Secrets of healthy aging,” which ap-

peared on the cover of both our Howard County and Baltimore editions in May 2013. Ruben also won a Silver, Bronze and Merit award for three other Greater Washington cover stories, while Sorgen won two Bronze Awards for her January and June cover stories last year. Our theatre reviewer, Michael Toscano, won a Silver Award for a cover story that appeared in our Washington edition. In short, this was our best year to date judged by number of awards in both competitions. Last month, I recognized the entire Beacon staff by name for their hard work and contributions to our success. So let me just say “ditto” this month, as we pat ourselves on the back for all these awards. Of course, whatever awards we do or do not win, what matters most to us is that you, our readers, find the information you are looking for in the Beacon. Please let us know what you think — even (actually, especially) if you think we are missing the boat in any particular area. Also feel free to share ideas for future stories, and to recommend your fellow citizens for profiles. Your opinions and suggestions are always welcome, whether you contact us by mail, phone, fax, email or online. I look forward to hearing from you.

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

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington DC and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei

Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

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CATHOLIC CHARITIES SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

With over 80 programs serving more than 160,000 Marylanders each year, Catholic Charities relies on the generosity of nearly 20,000 volunteers who serve more than 250,000 hours every year to help the organization fulfill its mission of improving the lives of Marylanders in need. See more at: http://cc-md.org/volunteer/ or call (410) 547-5490.

• Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ............Steve Levin, ........................................................................Jill Joseph • Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 35 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions. © Copyright 2014 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

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TALK TO THE ANIMALS

The Maryland Zoo needs volunteers who are friendly and outgoing, genuinely interested in conservation of wildlife and wild places, and can make and fulfill a regular commitment. For more information, visit www.marylandzoo.org or call (443) 552-5266.

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VOLUNTEER AT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families, and helps to fund programs in the local area that directly improve the well-being of children. For information about volunteer opportunities, visit www.rmhcbaltimore.org or call (410) 528-1010.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Technology &

Innovations What is ‘social media,’ and is it for you?

Facebook (www.facebook.com) Facebook is a platform designed to rekindle and preserve existing social connections using on online “forum” for sharing personal messages, written updates,

photos and videos. The site is the most popular social media site in the world, with 1.23 billion people using it monthly. Users sign up for a Facebook page at no charge, and then may invite other users to connect with them as “friends.” In return, users can accept or reject invitations to connect with other individuals. Based on the information you supply about yourself, and the Facebook pages you chose to connect with, the site recommends other users or groups you might know or want to know. While users “friend” other individuals, they can “like” their favorite brands, groups, charities, TV shows and more — and receive updates from those designated Facebook accounts. Facebook provides millions of older adults with the ability to keep in touch with family members, as well as learn of each other’s day-to-day activities, through messages and photos posted to their pages. Laura Dorn Foxworth, who is 52 and lives in Woodmoor in Baltimore County, has been a Facebook user since 2008. “I started originally [in order] to keep track of what my daughter was doing on it,” she said. “But now I enjoy reconnecting with old friends that I have not heard from in years, and have gotten together with some who are still in town but with whom I had long since lost touch.”

Foxworth’s high school class uses Facebook to inform members of reunions. Foxworth has also “friended” current friends, family members and church members, and “likes” a weight loss surgery support group. “I go on Facebook once or twice a day,” said Foxworth. “With the new messenger feature, I can get instant messages from people even if we do not have each other’s phone number.” One social media site is “all I can handle,” said Foxworth, explaining why she’s not a fan of some of the other popular sites discussed below. Her only complaint about Facebook? “Sometimes I learn more about people than I care to know!” For “semi-retired attorney, dad, older hipster and pseudo-hippie” Eric Bergerson, who is 63 and lives in Potomac, Md., Facebook is an opportunity to connect with a “remarkable amalgam of folks,” such as a swami whom he recently met on a lonely country road in Illinois as he was driving along Historic Rt. 66. “[The swami] was walking across the country on a peace mission, and I felt compelled to stop for the man in his orange robes as he gave a beaming smile and en-

CREDIT

By Morgan Lamphere and Carol Sorgen There’s a notion common among many young people that older American’s don’t “get” social media. But actually, older adults are now the fastest-growing group of new users of social media in the United States. The growth has been spectacular: In 2013, 43 percent of Americans over 65 used at least one social networking site, compared with 26 percent in 2010 and one percent in 2008. The term “social media” refers to websites and mobile applications (or the more inclusive term: platforms) that enable people around the world to interact and communicate with others who have similar interests. There is generally no charge to use these sites, once you have Internet access and a computer or web-connected mobile device (smartphone or tablet). When it comes to using social media, older Americans tend to be more private and cautious about what they share than are younger generations. But once they see the potential benefits of different types of social media, older adults do participate to the extent they are comfortable doing so. We present below an overview of the most popular social media platforms, describing some of their features and benefits that may be of interest to you.

Eric Bergerson is a frequent Facebook user.

thusiastic wave in my direction as I passed by,” said Bergerson, a Baltimore native. The two are now Facebook friends. “For me, Facebook acts as a podium to post compelling articles that may have some connection to the lives of family or friends who will see them,” he added. Bergerson, who uses Facebook daily, See SOCIAL MEDIA, page 4

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Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Social media From page 3 also participates in various forums on the site, including several related to growing up along Liberty Road in Baltimore County. And, like most Facebook users, Bergerson uses the site to store and post photographs, many of which document various areas within and around Baltimore. “Of course, I also post [photo] albums of many other events and other places to which I have travelled, and I am not shy about posting photographs of my daughters.”

LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com) LinkedIn is a social media platform intended primarily for business connections. It currently has more than 277 million users. The site is frequently used by workers and businesses to network, in an effort to

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

gain new business or find jobs. Many employers have begun posting job openings on LinkedIn. Once your profile is complete, the site will even match you to potential job openings according to your skills and previous job experience. But retired and semi-retired people also use LinkedIn. It’s a way to keep in touch with former business contacts who may not necessarily be considered friends you would connect with on Facebook. According to Social Media Today, 70.6 percent of LinkedIn users utilize it to reconnect with past business connections. LinkedIn users may also join various groups with some sort of business connection. There are groups devoted to certain professions, associations, interests, geographic regions, and even current and former employees of certain companies (e.g., a Current and Ex IBM Employees Group). In addition to networking with individuals, LinkedIn users can also “follow” particular companies, and keep abreast of the

latest news from those organizations.

Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) Pinterest is a website that allows users to share, collect and organize a variety of different items of interest represented by photos or graphics. Think of it as a very large online personal bulletin board. Pinterest has more than 70 million users, the majority of whom are women. The most popular shared images or “pins” contain recipes, home décor, arts and crafts, fashion, fitness tips and do-ityourself (DIY) ideas. But there are also categories that tend to be of more interest to men, including cars, photography, design, architecture and film. Many consumer brands also have Pinterest pages and share their content in little images that can in turn be re-pinned to a user’s own Pinterest “board.”

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“Pinterest is easy to use, easy to share, and it tells me whenever my Facebook friends join, so I can decide whether or not to follow,” said Cheryl Snyder Taragin, who lives in Baltimore. “I have gotten the best recipes off of Pinterest. It is also a great way to bookmark URLs (website addresses) I think are interesting,” she said.

Twitter (twitter.com) Twitter is known as a micro-blogging site. On a blog, people write regularly, often at length, to share their thoughts and opinions and invite comment from other readers. As a micro-blog, Twitter allows messages limited to no more than 140 characters (letters, numbers and spaces). Each message is called a “tweet,” and can be replied to or forwarded (retweeted) to others. People who want to read other people’s tweets are said to “follow” that tweeter, and in turn may be followed by others who are interested in what they have to say. Users can also share links, photos and videos via Twitter. Local businesses often tweet their daily specials or special deals to their followers. Today there are more than 645 million Twitter accounts. Many feel that the real value of Twitter is when it is used as a means of instant communication. News organizations and even police departments “tweet” important messages to the public that can be viewed on their computer or mobile device. During the manhunt after the Boston Marathon, the Boston PD regularly tweeted updates to its followers. Twitter has also been widely used by protesters involved in various political uprisings around the world. Twitter has popularized the use of “hashtags” (descriptive terms preceded by the “#” symbol). Hashtags are a shortcut way of explaining what the tweet is about. By monitoring certain hashtags, users can view online conversations about particular topics. Facebook has now adopted hashtags as well. Depending on their needs, interests and comfort level with technology, potential users can easily test out these and other social media platforms, and explore them before deciding whether or not they are worth signing up for. Also, many community colleges and continuing education centers offer seminars on social media. Social media sites will never completely replace face-to-face interactions, but they can provide other ways to stay connected to friends, family and former colleagues, as well as a means to learn more about what’s happening in the world today. Morgan Lamphere is director of marketing for SearStone, a North Carolina continuing care retirement community. Carol Sorgen is contributing editor of the Baltimore Beacon. You can find Sorgen on Facebook, Twitter (@BaltimoreWriter), LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

How to protect your ID from data breaches rectly instead of clicking on links. 4. Keep up with statements Scan credit card statements every month for any unauthorized charges. And keep an eye out for smaller charges. Thieves will charge smaller amounts to test to see if you notice, and then charge a larger amount later, Litan said. They may also steal a small amount from millions of accounts, scoring a big payday, she said.

And check your credit report for any accounts that crooks may have opened in your name. Credit reports are available for free, from each of the three national credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — every 12 months from AnnualCreditReport.com. 5. Go old school Use cash. When possible, the safest bet is to not swipe a card at all. — AP

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so far, and only people with an iPhone 6 can use it. Stored-value cards or apps, such as the ones used at coffee chains Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, are also a safer bet, said Gartner security analyst Avivah Litan. That’s because they don’t expose credit card information at the register. 2. Sign it, don’t use your PIN If you’re planning on paying with a debit card, sign for your purchase instead of typing in your personal identification number (PIN) at the cash register. You can do this by asking the cashier to process the card as a credit card or select credit card on the display. Not entering your PIN into a keypad will help reduce the chances of a hacker stealing that number too, Young said. Crooks can do more damage with your PIN, possibly printing a copy of the card and taking money out of an ATM, he said. 3. Beware of email scammers After big data breaches are exposed and get a lot of media attention, scammers come out of the woodwork looking to steal personal information. Some emails may mention Home Depot or offer free credit monitoring, but you should never click on the links. Many are for fake sites that try to steal bank information or passwords. “Avoid these entirely,” Young said. If an email looks credible, go to Home Depot’s site di-

F R E E

By Joseph Pisani Data breaches at retailers aren’t going away, but there are ways consumers can protect themselves from future heists of their payment card information. Home Depot said that malicious software lurking in its check-out terminals between April and September affected 56 million debit and credit cards that customers swiped at its stores. Target, Michaels and Neiman Marcus have also been attacked by hackers in the past year. More breaches are likely. The Department of Homeland Security Department warned recently that more than 1,000 retailers could have malware in their cash-register computers. Here are five ways to protect yourself: 1. Consider another way to pay Try newer ways to pay, such as PayPal or Apple Pay. “Any technology that avoids you having your credit card in your hand in a store is safer,” said Craig Young, security researcher for software maker Tripwire. Those services store your credit card information, and it’s not given to the retailer when you make a payment. Many big retailers, including Home Depot, accept PayPal at their stores, but many others don’t. Apple Pay, which was just introduced in September, has even more limitations: It is available in just a small number of stores

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Apps let you control your home remotely By Jeff Bertolucci You could call it the march of progress. First, technology allowed you to preset your VCR, and later it let you program

your TiVo. Now you can watch videos on demand on your phone or tablet. Next up: devices and apps that let you set and reset your home’s systems and appliances.

Free home security camera Got an extra iPad, iPhone or iPod touch? Repurpose it as a home security cam. Just download People Power’s Presence app to an Apple device (free from the Apple App Store; requires iOS 5.0 or higher) and plug it into an electrical outlet.

The August Smart Lock app lets you send digital keys to the smartphone of anyone who needs access to your home.

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Then aim the camera at whatever you want to watch remotely. (The company sells optional stands, including the $100 Galileo, which rotates 360 degrees as per your remote command.) Motion sensors trigger the video feed. To watch, sign into Presence from another Apple iOS device. Presence Pro video (www.presencepro.com; $5 monthly or $50 a year) adds several features, including 2 gigabytes of cloud storage for your videos and the ability to make longer recordings (five minutes versus one minute). The company says it plans to add the ability to view the feed from a Web browser soon.

Digital housekeys Copying a key and handing it to anyone who needs to get into your house isn’t wise. August Smart Lock (www.august.com; $250) is an innovative alternative: It’s a deadbolt that unlocks via a smartphone app. The Bluetooth-enabled Smart Lock replaces the latch on the inside of your door; the outside hardware remains the same. Using your iPhone or Android phone’s contacts, you can send a “virtual key” that allows the recipient to unlock your door wirelessly. Bonus: Smart Lock, which runs on four AA batteries, also works with a real key if the juice runs out.

Adjust temp from afar Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat (www.nest.com; $250) studies your habits and adjusts itself accordingly. For instance, if you lower the temperature a few days in a row at 4 p.m., Nest starts making that change automatically. The mobile app, which works with Apple and Android devices, allows you to check your energy usage and change the temperature settings remotely.

The Wink app lets users control their home’s lights, appliances, sprinklers, thermostats and more — from wherever they are.

Control your appliances The free Wink app (www.winkapp.com) lets you use your Android or Apple device to control more than 60 home appliances — including lighting systems, thermostats, smoke alarms and sprinkler systems. The most inventive use of the Wink technology may be the Aros Smart Window Air Conditioner ($280), which, like Nest, learns from your usage patterns. It is the product of a collaboration between General Electric and Quirky, a crowdsourcing site for inventors. Jeff Bertolucci is a freelance writer for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Beacon Links By Barbara Ruben

Computing help for the visually impaired Window-Eyes is a screen reader that enables individuals who are blind or visually impaired to access Windows PCs via speech and/or refreshable Braille displays. The display is connected to the computer by a cable and produces Braille with small plastic or metal pins that move up and down to display the characters. Consumers using Microsoft Office version 2010 or higher can download the screen reader for free. The website provides download instructions and additional details. www.WindowEyesForOffice.com

Free classics on the computer From Charles Dickens to Willa Cather to Jack London, the full text of hundreds of books by classic authors are available free at Classic Reader. Dozens of poets, including Emily Dickinson and William Blake, are also featured, along with plays by William Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen. Share the classics of your childhood with your grandchildren as well. The site includes 10 Bobbsey Twin books, as well as the Five Little Peppers books and over a dozen in the Tom Swift series. www.classicreader.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

Library of Congress exhibits Can’t make it to Capitol Hill in Washington for the Library of Congress’s current exhibit about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the history of the American Ballet Theatre? The library’s website includes each photo and artifact, which can be enlarged for up-close viewing, as well as extended captions and explanatory information. And if you missed an exhibit — say, last year’s retrospective on Danny Kaye— that’s there, too. The site includes full exhibits dating back to 1995. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits

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Say it your way “Crazier than a June bug in May.” “Her driveway doesn’t go all the way to the road.” “The lift doesn’t go all the way to the top floor.” Who knew there were so many ways to say someone is crazy? The American lexicon is richer for the regional, colloquial phrases that have been passed down through generations. AmeriSpeaks collects these phrases (on subjects from aging to food to weather) and what they mean. Visitors can add their own. http://www.goodlingos.com/amerispeak

Mental health help The Geriatric Mental Health Foundation offers a variety of fact sheets on issues ranging from alcohol abuse to dementia to depression. The site also has a searchable database of geriatric psychiatrists. http://www.gmhfonline.org/gmhf/ consumer/index.html

PERFORMANCE. PEOPLE. PRIDE.

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Health Fitness &

NEW COGNITIVE CULPRIT Cognitive problems are being linked to high blood glucose levels NOT GOING GENTLY Too many suffer needless discomfort and unwanted end-of-life care NOT SO HUMBLE OPINIONS How to handle people who loudly trumpet their ill-founded opinions FALLING INTO PLACE Join a study to the find the best exercise plan to prevent falls

Review Medicare options before Dec. 7 By Kimberly Lankford Falling leaves and pumpkins are signs of autumn — along with Medicare’s open enrollment season, when those with the health program can switch plans. As your list of seasonal chores grows, you may be tempted to stick with your current Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription-drug plan. But that plan may no longer be your best option. Insurers are boosting premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. They’re also adding expensive drug-pricing tiers, charging extra if you don’t go to approved pharmacies, imposing new restrictions on drugs, and dropping doctors from plans. So even if you’ve been happy with your

current plan, its coverage may change significantly next year. It’s important to take a look at what your plan will offer next year and review alternatives while open enrollment is available — through Dec. 7.

Finding the best drug plan For seniors who take many expensive medications, here’s the good news about Medicare Part D: The “doughnut hole” continues to shrink. Those who enter the coverage gap in 2015 will get a 55 percent discount on brand-name drugs and a 35 percent federal subsidy for generic drugs. The doughnut hole works like this: For 2015, after you pay a $320 deductible, the plan provides coverage until your drug ex-

penses reach $2,960 (including both your share and the insurer’s share of the costs). Then the doughnut hole begins, and you pick up 45 percent of the cost of brandname drugs and 65 percent of the cost of generic drugs. When your out-of-pocket costs reach $4,700, the government picks up most of the tab. Part D premiums are rising by just $1 a month on average in 2015, to $32 a month. But those stable premiums could mask changes within plans that could boost your costs. Here’s what to watch out for: 1. Beware changing formularies. Insurers have been changing their formularies — the list of drugs that are covered — and adding more pricing tiers. Such moves can increase your out-of-pocket costs. A drug can also cost more because the Part D plan is placing it on a higher-cost pricing tier. Most plans have five pricing tiers, generally with preferred and nonpreferred generics, preferred and nonpreferred brandname drugs, and specialty drugs. Some insurers that previously charged the same co-payments for all brand-name drugs, for instance, have started charging more for certain brand-name medications by adding a nonpreferred tier. 2. Buy at preferred pharmacies. The number of plans with preferred pharmacies jumped from 7 percent to 72 percent over the past three years. While an insurer will pay a portion of the costs of drugs bought from pharmacies in its network, it pays a greater share at preferred pharmacies. It’s

not enough to go to a network pharmacy. 3. Overcome obstacles. Even if your drug is on the formulary, you may need to clear some hurdles before an insurer will cover it. For example, some insurers use “step therapy” for some expensive drugs — requiring you to try a lower-cost medication first before they’ll cover your drug. Or they may require “prior authorization,” asking for your doctor to fill out a detailed form explaining why you need that medication. And insurers are imposing limits on the number of dosages. The first step in determining whether to stick with your current plan, or to switch, is to review your “annual notice of change,” which explains any changes in coverage and costs for 2015, which you should have received by Sept. 30. Before you change coverage, ask your doctor if you can switch any of your brandname medications to generics. The plan with the best deals for generics may be different from the one that offers the best rates for brand-name drugs. With the online Plan Finder, you plug in your zip code and then your drugs and dosages. The tool then pulls up the plans in your area — providing details on premiums, deductibles and co-payments, and whether all of your drugs are on each plan’s formulary. It will also show you how much you can expect to pay out of pocket under each plan during 2015. Focus on that number See MEDICARE OPTIONS, page 11

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

How quickly will you recover from surgery? By Lauran Neergaard One of the big frustrations of surgery: There’s little way to know if a patient will be a fast or slow healer — someone who feels back to normal in a week, or is out of work for a month with lingering pain and fatigue. Now Stanford University researchers have discovered that right after surgery, patients’ blood harbors clues about how fast they will bounce back — and it has to do with the activity of certain immune cells that play a key role in healing. The work one day may lead to a test to predict who’ll need more care, or maybe even if an operation is the best choice. “We could ask, ‘Are you fit for surgery?’” said Dr. Martin Angst, a Stanford professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, who helped lead the research.

Enhancing recovery U.S. doctors perform millions of operations every year, many of them minor but others much more complex. Speed of recovery depends in part on the type of surgery and how sick the person is. Some hospitals have begun implementing “enhanced recovery” strategies — specific steps to take right before and after certain major operations in hopes of at least speeding the patient’s discharge from the hospital, if not their overall recuperation time.

But scientists haven’t known why some patients recover so much faster than others who are equally sick, information that could help guide development of those enhanced-recovery programs. “I’m very excited that the science around surgery recovery is going that direction,” said Dr. Julie Thacker, a colorectal surgeon at Duke University who wasn’t involved in the new study but praised the work. Thacker has helped implement an enhanced-recovery program at Duke that she said works well, but said she can’t explain which steps are most important or why without more research into how they affect such things as the body’s inflammatory response.

Studying immune cells The Stanford team took an unusually close look at 32 otherwise fairly healthy people who underwent a first-time hip replacement. They took blood samples from the patients before surgery and at several points afterward, and questioned them about pain, fatigue and other elements of recovery every few days for six weeks. Their recovery was quite varied: Some experienced only mild pain just two days after surgery, while others didn’t report their pain was mostly gone until 36 days later. The median time to recuperate from post-surgical fatigue — extreme tiredness after simple activ-

ity — was three weeks, meaning half of patients fared better and half took longer. To learn why, the researchers looked to immune cells that are behind the inflammation that always occurs with a wound. To find and map the activity of key players, they turned to the lab of Stanford immunology professor Garry Nolan, who helped develop a technology that measures dozens of features of individual immune cells simultaneously. The discovery: Patients’ blood shows an immune signature of recovery that accounts for much of their variability in recovery time — a pattern of activity in certain immune cells that are first responders to the injury site, the researchers reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

If that particular reaction is controlled in the first 24 hours after surgery, patients recover faster. But when that reaction increases instead, patients recover more slowly, Angst said. “We were surprised” that such an early reaction set the stage for recovery, he said. But it makes sense, he added. Inflammatory processes initiate healing, but “you have to keep them on a leash and dwindle down efforts,” because too much inflammation does harm. The team has begun a larger study to see if the results hold up, and plans to study whether the same kind of immune reaction may play a role in other kinds of See RECOVERY, page 11

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Health Shorts Cognitive problems linked to glucose Poor dietary choices, being overweight and being inactive often lead to blood glucose problems. And research suggests that elevated blood glucose levels — in people with or without diabetes — may be linked with cognitive problems. In a study published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine (August 2013), researchers followed more than 2,000 adults, with and without diabetes, for an average of almost seven years. At the start of the study, all of the participants were free of dementia — a group of disorders that includes Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Among the participants who did not have diabetes, risk for dementia increased with glucose levels. And among the participants with diabetes, risk for dementia rose along with glucose levels. Diabetes was also linked to cognitive function in a study published in September 2012 in Archives of Neurology. There, scientists measured the degree of change in the mental abilities of more than 3,000 elderly adults over an average of nine years. The participants who began the study with diabetes had the poorest cognitive

functioning both at the beginning and at the end of the study. During the study period, 159 subjects developed diabetes — this group also had a higher decline in mental abilities, compared to those who stayed free of diabetes, though not quite as high as those who started the study with diabetes. What’s the connection between blood glucose and the brain? Elevated blood glucose levels may damage blood vessels or increase inflammation in the brain. However, research does not yet confirm that higher blood glucose levels cause dementia or cognitive decline. Further, the problem may stem from insulin resistance — the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. — Environmental Nutrition

Double mastectomy doesn’t boost survival Removing both breasts to treat cancer affecting only one side doesn’t boost survival chances for most women, compared with surgery that removes just the tumor, a large study suggests. The results raise concerns about riskier, potentially unnecessary operations that increasing numbers of women are choosing. The study involved nearly 200,000 CaliforSee HEALTH SHORTS, page 12

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Medicare options From page 8 rather than on the premium cost. The Plan Finder also notes the plans that impose restrictions, such as preauthorization and step therapy. It’s important to enroll in a Part D plan, even if you use few drugs now. You never know if you will need expensive coverage several months into the year. You’ll have to pay a lifetime penalty if you decide to enroll later, unless you have “creditable coverage” from an employer, retiree or other approved plan. To find a new Part D or Advantage plan, go to the online Medicare Plan Finder (www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan) or contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (find your local SHIP at www.shiptalk.org or call 800-633-4227). A SHIP adviser will run through your best options either by phone or in person.

If you have Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage plans are private insurance plans that provide both medical and drug coverage. Some do not charge a monthly premium beyond the monthly cost of Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care. The standard premium for Part B next year will be the same as this year: $104.90 a month. (Medicare Part A, which pays for inpatient care, is generally free.) Premiums for Advantage plans have averaged $35 per month for the past several years. Unlike traditional Medicare, Advantage plans provide medical care through networks of doctors and hospitals. Recently,

Recovery From page 9 surgery, such as abdominal operations. The ultimate goals are to create a simple blood test that could tell who is more

these plans have been shrinking their networks. Some plans dropped doctors in the middle of the year, forcing many policyholders to switch physicians. If this happened to you, this is the time to reassess your options. If you have a Medicare PPO, you’ll pay a lot more to see out-of-network doctors — perhaps 20 percent for in-network doctors vs. 40 percent for out-of-network physicians. And you may face a higher out-of-pocket maximum if you seek out-of-network care — perhaps $6,700 in-network compared with $10,000 for out-of-network. If you’re enrolled in a Medicare HMO, you may not get reimbursed at all for care delivered by out-of-network providers, except in emergencies. As with Part D, Advantage insurers should have sent current clients a notice by Sept. 30 explaining any changes in coverage and costs. After typing in your zip code in the Plan Finder, look at “Medicare Health Plans.” Type in your drugs and dosages and your general health condition (excellent, good or poor in the “refine your search” section), and you’ll get an estimate of each plan’s medical and drug out-of-pocket costs for your situation. You can also compare estimated out-ofpocket costs based on health condition (defined as good, fair and poor) at MedicareNewsWatch.com. This site lists Senior Gold Choice awards for the value of benefits and plan design for plans in 80 cities. Check that the plan covers hospitals, doctors and other providers you use. Contact the plans for up-to-date information. If you’re now in a plan, ask your physician if he or she will be staying in 2015. likely to experience a protracted recovery — right after surgery or maybe even before — and to hunt for treatments that might alter the immune reaction in order to help. — AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Weigh the importance of sticking with each doctor. If you have a chronic condition, keeping your current doctor may be a top priority. You may want to change doctors if you visit your primary care doctor just once or twice a year. If you’ve been diagnosed with a major medical condition but discover that the top specialists aren’t included in any Advantage plan, consider switching to traditional Medicare and buying Medigap and Part D policies, Schwarz said. Before you switch to traditional Medicare, find out whether you can qualify for a Medigap policy. In many states, you can be reject-

ed or charged more for Medigap coverage based on your health if you don’t enroll when you first sign up for Medicare Part B. Contact your state insurance department to check your Medigap options. Go to the Web site of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (www.naic.org) for a link to your state agency. Look carefully at the Advantage plan’s maximum out-of-pocket expenses, which is the most you have to pay for covered services during the year. Some plans provide extra coverage, such as vision and dental care. © 2014, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health shorts From page 10 nia women treated for cancer in one breast and followed for several years afterward. Ten-year survival rates were nearly identical — roughly 82 percent — for women who had lumpectomies to remove the tumor plus radiation, and for those who had double mastectomies. Women who had a single mastectomy, removal of just the cancerous breast, fared slightly worse. The results confirm what many doctors have suspected, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. “There’s no guarantee that by having the second breast removed that you will do better,” said Lichtenfeld, who had no role in the research. In the study, just over half the women had lumpectomy treatment. But the num-

ber who had double mastectomies increased substantially to 12 percent between 1998 and 2011. The trend was most notable in women younger than 40, climbing from just 4 percent to 33 percent. Other research suggests that removing both breasts to treat one-sided cancer may improve survival chances for the relatively small number of women who have genetic breast cancer or strong family histories of the disease, said study co-author Scarlett Gomez, a research scientist with the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. But most breast cancer patients have neither of those risks. The medical community is paying increasing attention to overtreatment and excessive costs, and the study results raise questions about reasons for rising use of an expensive, potentially risky treatment “of dubious effectiveness,” the researchers said. Patients’ preferences and fear that cancer

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will return play a role, but that fear “usually exceeds estimated risk,” the study said. Reasons why survival was slightly worse for woman who had just one breast removed are uncertain, although this treatment is more common among Hispanic and black women and those with lower incomes and public insurance than among wealthy whites. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. — AP

Many get unwanted care near death According to a recent report, Americans suffer needless discomfort and undergo unwanted and costly care as they die. Though people repeatedly stress a desire to die at home, free from pain, the opposite often happens, the Institute of Medicine found in its “Dying in America” report. Most people do not document their wishes on end-of-life care, and even those who do face a medical system poorly suited to give them the death they want, the authors found. The result is breathing and feeding tubes, powerful drugs and other treatment that often fails to extend life and can make the final days more unpleasant. The report blamed a fee-for-service medical system in which “perverse incentives”

exist for doctors and hospitals to choose the most aggressive care, inadequate training for those caring for the dying, and physicians who default to life-saving treatment because they worry about liability. Advance directives, including living wills, have been unpopular and ineffective, the report said. It urged repeated conversations about patients’ wishes beginning far earlier than many would think and continuing the talks throughout life. “The fee-for-service model, the lack of coordination between medical and social services, the challenges that individuals face in finding a provider who’s willing and knowledgeable to speak with them about death and dying, all conspire against them coming up with the right individual plan,” said Dr. Philip Pizzo, an Institute co-chair. The report praised programs in palliative care, which focuses on treating pain, minimizing side effects, coordinating care among doctors, and ensuring concerns of patients and their families are addressed. This type of care has expanded rapidly in the past several decades and is now found in a majority of U.S. hospitals, but the report said many physicians have no training in it. In addition, the 500-page report authored by 21 experts said the very type of end-of-life care Americans say they want would shrink medical bills and reduce the governmental healthcare burden. — AP

BEACON BITS

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Ways to confront different opinions Dear Solutions: that hate speech has on people. This is in reference to a neighbor who Secondly, when she says these things, tell is a hater. Everyone who is her clearly that you do not want not of her religion or ethnic to hear her nasty opinions, and background is “crapola,” as that she will be isolated by the she refers to us. community if she doesn’t stop. She asked me if I was JewYou can always turn your ish, and when I said “no,” back and just walk away. Reshe said “Thank God.” I’ve member, she has the freedom heard her call people whom to speak, and you have the freeshe hardly knows “gay,” and dom not to listen. she puts down everyone else Dear Solutions: who is different. She’s a genI have strong political SOLUTIONS tile yenta. opinions and I’m pretty By Helen Oxenberg, Is there any legal way we vocal about them. And my MSW, ACSW can stop her? We call her the friends know it. Wicked Witch of the First I’m also very much in Floor. favor of a certain candidate. There’s one — 17 Irritated Owners friend who disagrees with me politically, Dear Irritated: and especially about that candidate. I try Unless she actually does something be- to avoid discussing it, so that we won’t sides talking, there is no legal way to stop argue. But she keeps sending me long, her. nasty e-mails about that candidate. However, I have two suggestions. Since I wouldn’t care if these were just her there are many of you who feel this way in opinions, but these are written by your building, try inviting her to a meeting other people, and they’re full of lies. where grievances will be discussed. It bothers me that this kind of false There, she can be told how her behavior is information is floating around, and that affecting people and their regard for her. people believe it. How can I point out It might be helpful if a religious leader in the truth without arguing with her or the community would be willing to speak to hurting the relationship? the group about mutual respect and the effect — Kate

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Dear Kate: Make a choice. Choice #1: You don’t want to hurt the relationship, so decide that the “e” in “email” means “e-rase,” “e-radicate,” “e-liminate,” or go back to the letter D, which stands for “delete.” Choice #2: You don’t want to be tempted to read these, so ask her to please stop sending you political material. Choice #3: You can’t stand to let these lies go unchallenged, so correct each one with

reliable evidence. Then tell her that good friends can disagree and still stay friends. However, these issues are emotional, so don’t count on changing her mind. People discount truth, defend their lies, and go on believing whatever they want. Remember the old adage, “Truth will out.” Count on that, and you can choose to do nothing. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. Send your comments, or questions to be considered for this column, to helox72@comcast.net.

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What chia seeds, mushrooms can/can’t do Q: Is it true that chia seeds can help people lose weight and that they’re super nutritious? How would I use them? A: When chia seeds combine with liquid, they swell and form a gel. That’s probably why some people suggest that, by expanding in your stomach and helping you feel full, chia seeds could help you lose weight. In other words, if they support weight loss, it’s by helping you eat less, not by some magical fat-burning power. However, only a few controlled studies have tested this, and so far, they do not show that chia seeds make weight loss any easier. Studies of participants using two to four tablespoons of chia seeds daily for 10 to 12 weeks generally show no effect on weight or body fat.

However, chia seeds are an excellent source of the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). They are also rich in dietary fiber and provide a small amount of protein. They add a nutty flavor sprinkled on cereal, vegetables or yogurt, but it’s mild enough that most people seem to appreciate them more for the crunch or texture they add, or as a nutrient boost. Combine about one teaspoon chia seeds to four teaspoons of water for a gel that can be used as a thickener in smoothies or salad dressings or as a vegan egg substitute. If you’re trying to lose weight, keep in mind that each tablespoon of dry chia seeds contains about 70 calories. So if chia seeds are among the healthful foods you eat, sub-

stitute those calories for something else. substituting mushrooms for all the meat or Q: Are mushrooms a good vege- poultry in a recipe. However, in this case, tarian alternative to meat? make sure the meal also inA : Mushrooms have a cludes a good source of protein “meaty” texture, and add a fla— for example, at least a halfvor known as “umami” that cup of dried beans or quartertends to be very satisfying. cup of nuts. These qualities make them This strategy can help you ideal to include in pasta sauce, follow a cancer-protective plantstews, casseroles, chili and based diet by keeping animal protein to no more than oneother mixed dishes to mainthird of your plate. tain a rich flavor and texture You can also reduce risk for while reducing or eliminating NUTRITION colorectal cancer by eating no the meat they contain. more than 18 ounces of red That said, mushrooms are WISE By Karen Collins, meat weekly, which meets one not a substitute for meat nutriof the recommendations for tionally because they are not MS, RD, CDM cancer prevention from the equivalent in protein amount or quality, and they do not provide compa- American Institute for Cancer Research rable amounts of iron, zinc or vitamin B-12. (AICR). The American Institute for Cancer ReOn the other hand, mushrooms do provide a variety of nutrients with just 15 calo- search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800ries in a whole cup of raw chopped or 843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday sliced mushrooms. For example, they are through Friday. This free service allows you a good source of the mineral selenium, an to ask questions about diet, nutrition and antioxidant that may play a role in reduc- cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business ing risk of chronic diseases. In dishes that contain large amounts of days. Courtesy of the American Institute for meat, you can replace a quarter to a half of the meat with mushrooms to make the Cancer Research. Questions for this column dish lower in calories and still delicious. may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. You can also create a vegetarian dish by NW, Washington, DC 20009.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Health Studies Page

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Help find the best exercise to prevent falls By Carol Sorgen As the cover story in this issue demonstrates, falls and their consequences are a serious medical concern to older adults. Approximately 30 percent of people 65 or older who are living independently or with family — and over 50 percent of those living in institutions — fall each year. Among older adults, complications of falls are the leading cause of deaths due to injury, and are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospitalization for trauma. The total lifetime healthcare cost of fall-related injuries for the elderly is estimated to reach $85 billion by the year 2020. Even if an individual who falls does not sustain an injury, impaired balance often results in an overall lessening of physical activity and less ability to function satisfactorily both independently and in social situations. The University of Maryland is currently conducting a study of individuals 65 and older to determine whether a therapeutic intervention can improve balance and prevent falls in older people. Approximately 200 people will participate in this study, scheduled to end in August 2015. In addition to the University of Maryland, the VA Maryland Health Care System in Baltimore is also participating in this study.

Sidestepping the problem Those who fall experience more significant impairment in neuro-mechanical factors — such as balance and gait — than do older adults who don’t have falls. When balance is impaired, taking protec-

tive steps is an important part of preventing a fall. Many older people at risk for falls find it particularly difficult to step sideways to help recover from losing their balance. Researchers suggest that age-related declines in this sideways (lateral) balance function, known as “protective stepping,” is a result of limitations in hip muscle strength. The researchers also suggest that these impairments can be reversed with a combination of a type of specialized exercise — called “high-intensity induced step training” — and muscle strengthening. Participants in the study will be randomly assigned to one of four training groups. Training will occur three times a week for 12 consecutive weeks. The first group — Induced Step Training — will use specialized equipment that applies motorized waist-pulls in both the left and right directions to produce sideways stepping. Those in the second group — Hip Strength Training — will perform muscle resistance exercises. Participants in the third group — Combined Induced Step and Hip Strength Training — will receive both waist-pulls and muscle resistance exercises, while those in the fourth group — Standard Flexibility and Relaxation — will perform only relaxation and flexibility exercises. The researchers hope to show that the training groups will achieve a significant and longer-lasting improvement in their balance function and hip strength.

Who can join the study? To qualify for the study, participants

must be 65 or older and have a body mass index between 18 and 30 (a range from normal weight to overweight). Potential participants will be tested to

see if they are at risk for falls. Those at very low risk may not take part in the study. See FALLS STUDY, page 16

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

• Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or ﬂexibility exercises • Compensation for your time If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT at Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

10 questions to ask about new medicines Dear Pharmacist: important and should be adhered to beHow important is it when a pill label cause the combination could be fatal. has warnings like, “take on an empty Same thing with certain antidepressants stomach” or “take with (MAO inhibitors) that can’t be food?” I never adhere to combined with cheese, or those warnings, and I’m death could result. still alive. Does it really For your safety, let me give matter? you the proper questions to — J.J. ask your doctor and/or pharDear J.J.: macist about any new medicaIt matters in most cases, tion: but not all. 1. What is the name of the With antibiotics, it may be condition that you are treating that your medicine reaches a me for? DEAR higher blood level when you 2. What is the brand name PHARMACIST take it on an empty stomach. and generic name of the medBy Suzy Cohen But over the course of theraication that you’re prescribing? py, it doesn’t change the out3. Do I take it in the morncome, meaning the pathogens are killed. ing, at night, or divide the dose throughout With other medications, for example the day? sleeping pills, a warning to avoid alcohol is 4. Better with food or on an empty stom-

ach? 5. About how long before I begin to see results? 6. Is there a less expensive generic alternative? 7. Are there any supplements that could help this medicine work better, or any to avoid? 8. Is it okay to drink wine (if that applies) with my medicine? 9. Will coffee, dairy or mineral supplements inactivate my medicine? 10. How long do I stay on this medication? Some medications are only intended for a few days or weeks, but people remain on them indefinitely. This is the most important question to ask. If the caution label states “on an empty stomach” that means two hours after you eat, or one hour beforehand. If it states “take with food,” it means to take it while

eating or right after. If it says “do not operate machinery or equipment,” that is your clue that the medicine will make you drowsy or clumsy. It means to avoid driving, using a chainsaw, mowing your lawn, or any other activity that requires you to focus. Here’s another good rule of thumb: Start low and go slow! With medications, the lowest effective dose is ideal. You don’t need to kill a fly with a shotgun, and if you try, you could wind up with side effects that you would not experience with a lower dose. And finally, if you notice your medication keeps you up at night, then don’t take it too late in the day. Examples of medicines that are best taken in the morning include thyroid medicine, steroids like prednisone, attention-deficit drugs like Ritalin, and the fatigue buster Provigil. Examples of medicine that should be taken at night include certain antihistamines (like diphenhydramine), anxiolytics like alprazolam, pain medicines like hydrocodone, and muscle relaxers. If in doubt, call your local pharmacist or physician. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

Falls study From page 15 Others who are not eligible to participate in the study include those with Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy or a history of stroke, and those who have had a knee or hip replacement in the last six months. Reimbursement for time and travel may be available to those accepted into the study. For more information, or to see if you are eligible to participate, contact physical therapist Mark W. Rogers, PhD, at (410) 706-0841, mrogers@som.umaryland.edu, or physical therapist Michelle Prettyman at (410) 7067165, mprettyman@som.umaryland.edu.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 10+

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HARMFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Social worker Ellen Loy, director of the Elder Abuse Project at CHANA, will discuss what you can do when a relationship turns harmful, whether it’s one with a spouse, adult children or caretaker. The workshop will be held on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m., at Victory Villa Senior Center, 403 Compass Rd., and again on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m., at Cockeysville Senior Center, 10535 York Rd. For more information, call (410) 887-2040.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Crunchy, creamy sweet potato wedges Most everyone loves traditional potato wedges. Sweet potatoes offer a new way to enjoy potato wedges, yet these wedges are packed with beneficial beta-carotene. Oven-roasted with a light coating of olive oil, instead of fried, these crunchy-on-the-outside and creamy-on-the-inside wedges are seasoned with rosemary, garlic and mustard. Commonly referred to as “yams,” sweet potatoes actually come from a different botanical family. Sweet potatoes with their orange flesh are packed with beta-carotene — a carotenoid that may inhibit cancer cell growth, work as an antioxidant and improve immune response. The brighter the orange color of the flesh, the more betacarotene there is. Sweet potatoes also are rich in vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Though available year round, sweet potatoes are in peak season during November and December, finding their way onto holiday tables. Select firm sweet potatoes with no cracks, bruises or soft spots, and store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place for up to 10 days. These wedges can be made in advance — especially for the Thanksgiving meal, where culinary tasks can be overwhelm-

ing. Reheat in the oven for a crispy texture, or in the microwave for soft slices.

Sweet Potato Wedges with Rosemary 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise in 8 wedges 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus a few sprigs for garnish ½ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. dry mustard powder 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive or canola oil Salt Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place wedges in large bowl. Add rosemary, garlic powder, mustard and oil. Toss to coat well. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet, making sure not to overlap potatoes. Bake 15 minutes. Turn wedges over and bake another 15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and beginning to brown. Lightly season to taste with salt. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 146 calories, 7 g. total fat (<1 g. saturated fat), 20 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 54 mg. sodium. — American Institute for Cancer Research

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Money Law &

LOCK IN STOCK GAINS Protect stock market profits from the last five years by rebalancing your portfolio and choosing which stocks to sell BURIAL BENEFITS Veterans and spouses are eligible for many funeral benefits through the VA, from headstones, to military honors, to expense allowances

What’s the right time to sell bond funds? By Stan Choe If bonds start to tumble, should I sell my bond mutual fund? It’s a question investors are asking as expectations rise for a more volatile bond market. But a better question may be: How difficult will it be for my fund manager to sell? Worries are increasing that some managers will have a tough time finding buyers for their bonds if a flood of investors tries to pull out of their funds at the same time. It’s a concept called liquidity, and a lack of it can accelerate losses for bonds when prices are falling, at least in the short term. It would likely have less effect on fund investors willing to hold on through the volatility than those who sell amid a storm. But it’s another risk that all bond fund investors need to consider.

Why a concern now? The worries partially stem from new regulations that have led to banks holding fewer bonds on their balance sheets. Previously, banks’ willingness to hold inventories of bonds offered a buffer when sellers in the market outnumbered buyers. Inventories of investment-grade and

high-yield bonds at Wall Street banks and other primary dealers are now just 20 percent of where they were in 2007, according to State Street Global Advisors. The areas of the market most likely to be hurt by the liquidity concerns include corporate bonds, particularly high-yield bonds that are issued by companies with weak credit ratings, said Dan Farley, chief investment officer of the investment solutions group at State Street Global Advisors. Treasurys, the largest sector of the bond market, aren’t a source of concern.

Periodic fears affect munis Some bond fund investors are already familiar with the phenomenon, such as those focused on bonds issued by cities and other local governments. Several times in the last six years, fear has pushed investors to rush for the exits out of municipal-bond mutual funds. Managers typically keep a portion of their funds’ portfolios in cash, so they have some ready for departing investors. But when a flood of sell orders converge, it forces managers to sell bonds to raise more cash.

In past periods of low liquidity, when managers went looking for buyers for their muni bonds, they often found many others also looking to sell. That caused municipal bond prices to tumble, which further frightened fund investors, leading them to pull yet more money, and fueled even more forced selling. Last year, the trigger was worries about rising interest rates and the creditworthiness of Puerto Rico and other municipal borrowers. Investors began withdrawing their money from muni funds in the spring, and the largest category of municipal-bond funds lost 3.1 percent during the second quarter, according to Morningstar. A financial analyst’s highly publicized prediction for a wave of defaults in the municipal bond market sparked a similar rush for the exits in late 2010. Investors pulled $13.3 billion from muni bond funds that December, according to the Investment Company Institute. The toughest conditions, though, were during the financial crisis in 2008, according to John Miller, who leads the $95 billion municipal bond investing team at Nuveen Investment Management.

“In 2008, there was a feeling of being handcuffed,” Miller said. The few buyers available demanded steeper price cuts, and for a smaller number of bonds than he was looking to sell. Following each of those episodes, though, municipal bonds rebounded once the rush for the exits subsided. Miller’s Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond fund (NHMAX), for example, has returned 13.5 percent this year after losing 4.7 percent last year.

Other types of funds High-yield corporate bond funds saw a similar scare in August. Investors pulled out of such funds following warnings from the Federal Reserve that junk bond valuations may be “stretched” and worries that interest rate hikes may come sooner than expected. That led to an average 1.2 percent drop for high-yield bond funds that month, their first loss in 11 months, according to Morningstar. High-yield funds have continued to slide, losing .9 percent between Sept. 21 and Oct. 21. See SELLING BONDS, page 21

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Time to lock in your stock market gains? By Elliot Raphaelson If you have been investing in the stock market for the last five years or so, you know that the results have been excellent. Since the stock recovery started in March 2009, the market has increased at an annual rate of approximately 25 percent through July 2014. It is not unusual for the market to have a “correction” — a drop of 10 percent or more — at the end of a lengthy period of stock market gains. However, no one can tell you when or if you should protect your gains in some way. How you proceed depends on a number of considerations. If you have a stable job and more than 20 years before retirement, and you have a diversified common stock portfolio, there is no compelling reason to sell your common stocks, whether they are in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or individual securities. Because, on a long-term basis, common stocks should do better than bonds or other conservative investments — such as CDs, savings accounts and money-market instruments — you should maintain a significant percentage of your portfolio in common stocks. Even if there is a short-term fall in stock prices, time is still on your side. In the long run, as long as you maintain a diversified portfolio of common stocks, you should be able to stay ahead of inflation and have a prosperous retirement.

portfolio recently, it is likely that the proportion of common stocks has increased relative to bonds. For example, assume you determined a few years ago that you wanted your portfolio to be 60 percent stocks and 40 percent bonds. Because of the increase in common stock prices, your portfolio now might be 70 percent stocks vs. 30 percent bonds. It would be prudent to sell some of your stock holdings and go back to a 60-40 ratio. In that way you are protecting some of your gains in case there is a general fall in common stock prices. It is hard to predict Federal Reserve policy. However, with interest rates as low as they are, it is likely that they will trend upwards. If long-term rates increase substantially, long-term bonds, even Treasurys, will fall substantially in value. Thus, it’s prudent not to have the majority of your bond holdings in long-term issues. I maintain most of my holdings in intermediate-term bonds (both in mutual funds and ETFs.) In this way, I receive moderate income without a great deal of capital risk should long-term rates increase a great deal. If you have short-term needs, such as tuition payments or a down payment for a home, then you should keep these funds in short-term investments, such as shortterm bonds, Treasury bills and moneymarket instruments.

Some should rebalance

To sell or not to sell?

On the other hand, if you are retired or close to retirement, it is important to have a balanced portfolio, with a significant proportion invested in bonds. Balancing is important. I do it at least once a year. If you have not balanced your

If you have substantial investments in individual common stocks that have increased greatly in value, you have other options. The most conservative is to sell all See MARKET GAINS, page 20

•

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Burial and memorial benefits for veterans Dear Savvy Senior: Does the Veterans Administration provide any special funeral services or ben-

efits to older veterans? My father is a 90year-old World War II veteran with late stage Alzheimer’s, so I’m looking into fu-

BEACON BITS

Nov. 25

WANT TO START A BUSINESS?

The Maryland Small Business Development Center teaches you how to write a business plan and other aspects of starting a business in a programmed titled “Nuts and Bolts of Starting and Planning Your Business.” It will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m. at the Towson Branch library, 320 York Rd., Towson. The program is free, but registration is required by calling (410) 837-4928 or visiting www.centralmdsbdc.org/training.

Nov. 25

ENERGIZE YOUR SAVINGS

Learn what deregulation means, how to read a utility bill, how to select third party supplier and more at this program at Seven Oaks Senior Center on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 11 a.m. The center is located at 9210 Seven Courts Dr. Sign up at the center or call (410) 887-5192.

neral options and would like to know National and state cemetery what the VA may provide. benefits — Planning Ahead If your dad is eligible, and wants to be Dear Planning: buried in one of the 131 national Yes, the Veterans Adminisor 93 state VA cemeteries tration offers a number of bur(see www.cem.va.gov/ ial and memorial benefits to cem/cems/listcem.asp for a veterans if their discharge list), the VA benefits provided at from the military was under no cost to the family include a conditions other than dishongravesite; opening and closing orable — which will need to be of the grave; perpetual gravesite verified. To do this, you’ll need care; a government headstone a copy of your dad’s DD Form or marker; a United States bur214 “Certificate of Release or ial flag that can be used to drape Discharge from Active Duty,” SAVVY SENIOR the casket or accompany the which you can request online By Jim Miller urn (after the funeral service, at archives.gov/veterans. Here’s a rundown of some of the different benefits that are available to veterans who die a non-ser vice related death.

the flag is given to the next-of-kin as a keepsake); and a Presidential memorial certificate, which is an engraved paper certificate signed by the current President expressing the country’s grateful recognition of the veteran’s service. National cemetery burial benefits are also available to spouses and dependents of veterans. If your dad is cremated, his remains will be buried or inurned in the same manner as casketed remains. Funeral or cremation arrangements and costs are not, however, taken care of by the VA. They are the responsibility of the veteran’s family. See VETERANS BENEFITS, page 22

Market gains From page 19 of your shares and conserve all your profits. However, if you are confident that the underlying company will continue to increase its profits, and believe the stock will continue to do well, you can sell some of your holdings and reinvest the proceeds in more conservative vehicles, such as diversified mutual funds or ETFs, or intermediate-term bonds. Another alternative is to use a stop-loss order. That’s an order to sell a stock that is triggered when the share price reaches a specified level. For example, suppose you bought a stock at $20 per share. It is now selling for $38. You think it will increase more in value but you want to protect some of your gains. You can put a stop-loss order at $35. If the stock does fall to $35, your shares will be sold at prevailing market prices. If the stock continues to increase in value, you can cancel your previous stop-loss order and place a new one at a higher price. If you have done well in the stock market, congratulations. If you want to protect your gains, however, you should consider some of the options discussed. Commons stocks prices don’t always go in one direction. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Selling bonds From page 18 Some areas of the bond market are better insulated from the liquidity concerns. Buyers of high-quality bonds continue to outnumber sellers, for example. “Where we operate, it’s very healthy,” said Rob Galusza, who runs Fidelity’s Limited Term Bond fund (FJRLX), which invests in shorter-term corporate bonds and Treasurys. “People feel like they can withstand the volatility there.”

A matter of timing The liquidity concerns don’t mean in-

vestors should abandon their bond funds, but State Street’s Farley says it could influence the timing for investors who are looking to either buy or sell. It’s impossible to know when the next liquidity scare could hit the bond market — the trigger is likely to be an unexpected event that shocks investors. But if everyone is exiting bonds, and a lack of liquidity is sending prices down even further, it may make for a good buying opportunity for those who were already interested in buying. Similarly, for those looking to sell, it may pay to do so before there’s a run on the exits. — AP

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE HEALTH INSURANCE ASSISTANCE

Trained volunteers are available to answer your questions regarding Medicare A and B, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance (medigap), Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), Medicaid and potential Medicare frauds. Volunteers can also assess callers for eligibility to obtain financial assistant to help with Medicare and prescription costs. Call (410) 887-2059 for more information.

Ongoing

INFORMATION ON RENTAL HOUSING

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development offers information on availability of rental housing units across the state. Housing providers, developers and property managers can use this service free of charge to advertise their property listings. For more information, go to www.mdhousingsrarch.org or call 1-877-428-8844.

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Veterans benefits

Nov. 25

From page 20

LEARN TO EXCEL AT EXCEL

The North Point Branch Library offers a class on learning the basics of Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program, on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. The library is located at 1716 Merritt Blvd. To register, call (410) 887-7255.

Nov. 24

LEARN HOW TO USE IPADS & IPHONES

Learn the basic functions of the iPad/iPhone, including how to use the camera, messaging, emailing, downloading apps, iTunes, etc. Bring your device and questions with you to this session at the Seven Oaks Senior Center on Monday, Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m. The center is located at 9210 Seven Courts Dr. Sign up at the center or call (410) 887-5192.

Dec. 6

CHARM CITY CRAFT MAFIA

This juried show on Saturday, Dec. 6, features our area’s best independent crafters peddling their wares for your holiday shopping needs. Food and beverage sales, music, free craft activities for the kids, and plenty of free parking are available. The event will be held at 2640 St. Paul St. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (410) 366-7733 or visit www.charmcitycraftmafia.com.

Private cemetery benefits If your dad is going to be buried in a private cemetery, the benefits available include a free government headstone or marker, or a medallion that can be affixed to an existing privately purchased headstone or marker; a burial flag; and a Presidential memorial certificate. Funeral or cremation arrangements and costs are again the responsibility of the family, and there are no benefits offered to spouses and dependents who are buried in private cemeteries.

Military funeral honors Another popular benefit available to all eligible veterans buried in either a national or private cemetery is a military funeral honors ceremony. This includes folding and presenting the U.S. burial flag to the veter-

an’s survivors, and the playing of Taps, performed by two or more uniformed military members. The funeral provider you choose will be able to assist you with all VA burial requests. Depending on what you want, certain forms may need to be completed, which it is always better to have done in advance. For a complete rundown of burial and memorial benefits, eligibility details and required forms, visit www.cem.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000.

Burial allowances In addition to the many burial benefits, some veterans may also qualify for a $734 burial and funeral expense allowance (if hospitalized by VA at time of death), or $300 (if not hospitalized by VA at time of death), and a $734 plot-interment allowance to those who choose to be buried in a private cemetery. To find out if your dad is eligible, see benefits.va.gov/benefits/factsheets/burials/burial.pdf. To apply for burial allowances, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21-530 “Application for Burial Benefits.” You need to attach a copy of your dad’s discharge document (DD 214 or equivalent), death certificate, funeral and burial bills. They should show that you have paid them in full. You may download the form at va.gov/vaforms. Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

BENEFITS FOR VETERANS

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers benefits to those who have served in the armed forces. These benefits include healthcare services ranging from routine screenings and check-ups to long-term care. Additional benefits are also available for aging veterans. For more information, go to www.va.gov/geriatrics.

Ongoing

INSURANCE INFORMATION FOR SENIORS

The Maryland Insurance Administration offers “A Consumer Guide to Insurance Needs for Seniors & Empty Nesters.” The guide is one in a series of educational materials that take into account your current stage of life and which insurance products you are most likely to need. Copies are available at public libraries and senior centers, or by calling 1-800-4926116 or visiting www.mdinsurance.state.md.us.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

Visit sites related to Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, from Georgia to New York to the Dakotas. See story on page 24.

Creepy but captivating Carlsbad Caverns

NPS PHOTO BY PETER JONES

lagmites; glistening, glazed formations; “puffy” popcorn; soda straws; and flowstone resembling molasses — plus 45,000year-old bat guano. It’s is a geological wonderland for speleologists, spelunkers and amateurs, with 120 caves in a park of over 46,766 acres. Will Rogers called it the “Grand Canyon with a roof on it.” Its spooky allure attracted the filmmakers who produced the 1959 flick Journey to the Center of the Earth, based on the Jules Verne novel and filmed in the caverns with actors Pat Boone, James Mason and Diane Baker. Carlsbad’s 400,000 visitors per year start in the headquarters at 4,400 feet and descend. There are eight tours, with the lowest dropping to what’s called the Lower Cavern, 800 feet below the entrance, the deepest part of the cavern open to the public. Of the park’s 120 known caves, with 185 “cave miles” surveyed, Carlsbad Cavern is the most accessible and famous. Visitors can explore about 10 percent of the underground acreage. (For comparison, Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave system is the longest known cave system in the world. Around 400 cave miles have been mapped.) If New Mexico is the “Land of Enchantment,” as its license plates tout, Carlsbad enchants underground.

Ancient origins

As visitors descend to Carlsbad Cavern’s 25-story Big Room, largest underground room in the world, they pass several spectacular speleotherms (mineral deposits), including this one, named the Temple of the Sun.

Scientists say the caves of Carlsbad are actually a fossil reef laid down by an inland sea 250 to 280 million years ago. They believe Paleo-Indians inhabited the Guadalupe Mountains 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. More recently, Spanish explorers, then U.S. Army surveyors and cattle ranchers combed the area. Around the turn of the 20th century, locals extracted bat guano from the cave and hauled it up 170 feet in buckets for shipment to southern California to fertil-

NPS PHOTO BY PETER JONES

By Glenda C. Booth Drip...drip...drip... The slow-motion drip is mesmerizing. For millions of years, dripping, seeping, condensing, flowing, and ponding water has performed nature’s artistry in the depths of southeastern New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns National Park under the Guadalupe Mountains. It’s a persistent and powerful force — though it takes between 17 and 34 years for one drop of water to reach the bottom. Carlsbad Caverns are a subterranean maze where water steadily shapes otherworldly cave formations — bearing names like icicles, icebergs, draperies, witch’s finger and lion’s tail (and which look uncannily like their monikers). Carlsbad has all of those, plus frozen waterfalls, strands of pearls, organ pipes, cookies, sponges, totem poles, miniature castles, bulging veins and more. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a netherworld of ghostly stalactites and sta-

A park ranger discusses the geological features of Devil’s Den in Carlsbad Cavern. Visitors may take either an elevator or this 1.25-mile paved trail to descend 800 feet to the Big Room, where many of the cavern’s largest formations are found.

ize citrus groves. In 1923, the federal government made Carlsbad Caverns a national monument, and in 1930 Congress designated it a national park. It became a World Heritage Site in 1995. It was discovered quite by accident. In 1898, a local ranchhand, Jim White, was repairing a fence and saw what he thought was smoke rising from a gaping hole in the earth. He held a lantern over the opening, tossed in a rock and did not hear a sound. He had happened upon a vast underworld. Today, visitors can see the ladder he used to probe the depths. The smoke? It was a cloud of bats swirling out of the caverns to feast on nighttime insects. Today, at least seven bat species use the caves, most as a nursery for bat pups, one per mom. The most common bats are Brazilian or Mexican free-tailed bats that fly from Mexico to summer in the cave, congregate and have their young. Free-tailed bats have been in Carlsbad for thousands of years. They produce so many droppings they’ve been called “guano bats.” Today, 250,000-400,000 bats sleep during the day in the caverns, and spiral up at sunset like a whirlwind to catch mosqui-

toes, flies, ants, beetles and other insects. Freetails, which weigh only half an ounce, consume at least half their weight in insects every night. From May to October, rangers hold educational programs about the bats 30 to 60 minutes before sunset, when bats depart, and on some mornings as early as 5 a.m., when the bats return. A final bat note: Some people fear and malign bats. But they are an important component of our natural environment. They do not attack people, and perform valuable ecological services, such as eating insects and pollinating flowers.

Touring the caverns Visitors can take several guided and unguided tours of the caverns, and rent audio guides. Carlsbad Cavern, Spider Cave, and Slaughter Canyon Cave are open to the public, and nine caves are open for skilled, recreational cavers with the proper equipment. A favorite destination in the Carlsbad Cavern is the largest underground room in the world, the 8.2-acre Big Room, 25 stories high. The self-guided walking tour to the Big Room descends on a 1.25-mile paved trail, mostly level but with a few See CARLSBAD CAVERNS, page 25

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DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Fans can follow trail of famous Roosevelts By Beth J. Harpz Ken Burns’ recent documentary about the Roosevelts — presidents Theodore and Franklin, and Franklin’s wife Eleanor — is bound to stir interest in some of the places connected to them. Here’s a look at some major Roosevelt sites, including birthplaces, family homes, vacation retreats, and national parks and monuments across the U.S.

Theodore Roosevelt sites

Sagamore Hill, on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y., was Theodore Roosevelt’s home from 1885 until his death in 1919. It was used as the “Summer White House” while he was president. Roosevelt is pictured with his children.

Theodore Roosevelt bir thplace: Theodore Roosevelt lived at 28 E. 20th St. in Manhattan from his birth in 1858 until he was 14. The building was demolished in 1916, but later reconstructed and decorated with original and period furnishings. A free half-hour tour tells the story of Roosevelt’s family: He was descended from Dutch traders who made their fortune in

New York (Roosevelt means rose field in Dutch, and is pronounced “rose-velt”), and he was Eleanor Roosevelt’s uncle and Franklin Roosevelt’s distant cousin. A sickly child, Teddy became fit using a gym on a terrace off his bedroom here. Museum artifacts include a shirt with a bullet hole. Roosevelt was shot on the campaign trail in Milwaukee but finished his speech before getting medical care. See www.nps.gov/thrb. Theodore Roosevelt National Park: This park, in the badlands of western North Dakota, commemorates Theodore Roosevelt’s sojourn to the region in the 1880s, hunting bison and working on a ranch. See www.nps.gov/thro. Mount Rushmore: Theodore Roosevelt is one of four presidents whose faces adorn Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, along with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Roosevelt’s legacy includes his leadership in conservation, creating national parks and wilderness areas, and preserving antiquities. He was also seen as a fighter for the common man, taking on corporate monopolies. See www.nps.gov/moru. Sagamore Hill: This was Teddy Roosevelt’s summer White House, where he vacationed with his family. The home, on the North Shore of Long Island near Oyster Bay, New York, is closed for renovation, though a nearby museum and grounds are open. See www.nps.gov/sahi.

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt sites Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum: Through exhibits on Pearl Harbor, “Fireside Chats,” the New Deal, and many other defining aspects of FDR’s presidency, this site in Hyde Park, New York, brings to life his leadership during the Great Depression and World War II. Visitors will also learn about FDR’s personal life — from his domineering mother, to his struggles with polio, to his relationships with Eleanor and other women. Nearby National Park Service sites include Springwood, where FDR was born and lived; Val-Kill, Eleanor’s retreat; and Top Cottage, FDR’s private digs. See www.nps.gov/hofr and www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial: This evocative, unusual memorial in Washington, D.C., consists of a series of outdoor galleries with waterfalls, sculptures and famous FDR quotes, such as “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Sculptures show FDR with his dog, and FDR in a wheelchair. See www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/fdr_me morial.html. Warm Springs: Warm Springs, Ga., was known for therapeutic swimming pools that offered relief from polio. FDR, who was partly paralyzed from polio, frequently visited, regaining some of his strength here and eventually building a See ROOSEVELTS, page 26

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Carlsbad Caverns From page 23 steep slants — a descent equivalent to 79 stories. You can also reach the Big Room by elevator, recommended for people not in good physical condition. But then you’ll miss the sights walkers get on the way down, including Bottomless Pit, Rock of Ages, the Lion’s Tail, the six-stories-tall Hall of Giants, and the Giant Dome, a 62foot high stalagmite. Allow at least an hour and a half to absorb the enormity of it all. The self-guided tour starting at the natural entrance drops about 800 feet in one mile, winds around in switchbacks, and offers good views of Devil’s Spring, Whale’s Mouth and Iceberg Rock. In the mouth of the cave, you might see nesting or roosting cave swallows, and you can study red and black thousand-year-old pictographs high up on the walls. The guided King’s Palace tour shows off ornate cave rooms, including giant draperies formed by water trickling from a slanted ceiling. Park rangers briefly turn off the lights to show the natural darkness of the caves. The caverns may seem bare of life, but keen observers could spot a horsehair worm, water fleas, sow bugs and pillbugs, for example. Ask a ranger. Carlsbad is the only cave in the park with paved walkways, handrails and lights. Enthusiastic cavers might also want to explore ranger-led tours in Spider Cave and Slaughter Canyon Cave.

Protecting the fragile formations Caves have very delicate environments, posing special challenges to managers and visitors alike. To preserve the caves’ pristine and fragile environment, park staff use Formula 409 cleanser to decontaminate shoes if a visitor’s been in a cave in the last seven years. That’s because people can inadvertently bring in harmful spores, fungi and other materials. A major concern today is a bat disease called white nose syndrome, a fungus spread among bats that has killed millions of them — in fact, 80 percent of the bats in the northeastern U.S. The disease is spreading throughout North America,

though it had not been found in New Mexico or Carlsbad as of August. Then there’s lint from visitors’ clothing — so much that volunteers with tweezers and special tools pick over 32 pounds of lint off the formations each year. Lint changes the ecology. To confine lint in the underground gift shop, T-shirts are kept in plastic bags. Lights installed to accommodate the public change what otherwise would be a dark habitat. Lights and the heat they generate encourage photosynthesis and algae growth, so staffers must bleach some formations monthly to remove the algae. In addition, camera lights and high frequency sounds from digital devices can disturb bats. Oil from human skin can discolor rocks. “Caves have unique and rare qualities,” said Chuck Burton, Carlsbad’s acting superintendent. “The formations that are so spectacular and awe-inspiring have taken millions of years to create. Caves are very special environments, ecosystems that people do not know much about.” Caves served as shelter to our Paleo-Indian ancestors. They are still home to microorganisms and troglobites, animals that live in the dark. And caves preserve the geologic and climactic record of an area. David VonSeggern, an amateur caver, commented, “Caves often contain remains and relics of early mankind and of now extinct wildlife. They are the last frontier for exploration on Earth. Many deep and difficult passages remain to be explored, while a vast, unknown realm of caves has not even been discovered.” Then there’s medicine: The National Park Service website says, “Studying [caves] has already revealed a food chain that begins with minerals in the rock, and has shown that some of the organisms may help serious human diseases, such as cancer.”

mer temperatures can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit; winter highs are in the 50s and 60s, with lows in the 20s and 30s. The visitor center is at 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220. The only entrance is from New Mexico Highway 7, 20 miles southwest of Carlsbad by way of U.S. 62/180. F o r l o d g i n g , t r y B e s t We s t e r n , http://bestwesternnewmexico.com/hotels /best-western-stevens-inn, (575) 887-2851, $162 a night, or Days Inn http://daysinncarlsbadnm.com, (575) 887-7800, $189 a night. For accommodations with a little more personality, check out the Trinity Hotel,

built in 1892 as a bank, www.thetrinityhotel.com, (575) 234-9891, $239 a night. No airport is very close. Albuquerque is 304 miles from Carlsbad, while Roswell, N.M. is 103 miles away. In Texas: Lubbock, 206 miles; Midland, 194 miles; El Paso, 151 miles. Carlsbad is served by Greyhound bus. More information is available from: National Park Service, www.nps.gov/ cave, (575) 785-2232 Carlsbad Caverns-Guadalupe Mountains Association, www.ccgma.org, (575) 785-2484 Chamber of Commerce, www.carlsbadchamber.com, (575) 887-6516

MAKE A CALCULATED MOVE to Charlestown or Oak Crest. + When choosing a retirement W community, you need all the facts. You’re searching for the most value, in every sense of the word. At Charlestown and Oak Crest, PREDICTABLE you can count on exceptional MONTHLY BILL value throughout our campus. Enjoy maintenance-free living, financial stability, and endless fi opportunities to stay social, active, and healthy. +

If you go Park officials recommend reservations for guided tours by visiting www.Recreation.gov or calling 1-877-444-6777. Wear sturdy footwear and inquire about physical requirements. Some trails are strenuous; some are not. Underground, it’s a consistent 56 degrees Fahrenheit year round. Aboveground, sum-

ONE

FIND MORE FACTS Visit EricksonLiving.com/facts or call 410-941-4948.

10383641

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Roosevelts From page 24 home known as the Little White House. He died here in 1945 during his fourth presidential term. Visitors can see the home, pools and other sites related to polio history. Visit http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/roosevelts_little_white_house.html. Campobello: FDR had a 34-room summer home off the coast of Maine on Campobello Island, in New Brunswick, Canada. This is where his mother’s family vacationed, and it was here that he first experi-

enced symptoms of polio in 1921. The home is open for tours from late May through Columbus Day (Oct. 13). The area’s rocky shores, trails and driving roads can be visited year-round. A bridge connects Lubec, Maine, with Campobello, but you must have a passport to cross. See www.nps.gov/roca/index.htm. Four Freedoms Park: This park, located on Roosevelt Island in New York City’s East River, memorializes FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech, made in 1941. In it, he extols freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. An excerpt is engraved on a

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

granite monument near a bust of FDR. The park, designed by architect Louis I. Kahn, is considered a sleek Modernist masterpiece. Its tree-lined plazas, steps and other structures offer vantage points full of symmetry and angled views for seeing the Manhattan skyline. Reachable via subway or the Roosevelt Island tram. See www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org. Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College: FDR and Eleanor received this six-story Manhattan town house as a gift in 1908 from FDR’s mother Sara Delano Roosevelt. A single front door opened into two units — one for the mother-in-law and one for FDR and his

family. They lived here for decades; this is where FDR recovered from polio, ran for governor and president, and planned the New Deal. It’s now owned and used by Hunter College for lectures and events, and can be toured Saturdays, at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Address: 47-49 E. 65th St., New York City. See www.roosevelthouse.hunter.cuny.edu/tours. Although the Burns documentary won’t screen on PBS again until spring, segments of the 14-hour show are available online at www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-roosevelts/watch -videos. The series is also available on DVD. — AP

BEACON BITS

Dec. 5

A SWEET TIME IN HERSHEY, PA. Parkville Senior Center hosts this visit to Hershey, Pa., on Friday,

Dec. 5, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy a guided tour through the town of Hershey, lunch, a Christmas musical show at the Hershey Lodge, and time on your own at Chocolate World. Cost is $95 per person. Call (410) 882-6087 to reserve a spot.

Dec. 6

SEE THE LIGHTS IN WASHINGTON, DC Join Bykota Senior Center on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 1 to 10 p.m., to see the Mormon Temple Festival of Lights and have dinner.

Tickets are $85. Call (410) 887-1691 for reservations.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Book last-minute vacation rentals online Although HomeAway seems to be consol- lando area, and none in Canada or Mexico. cial offer, however, only that it’s a deal. Although the main HomeAway site idating some of its many subsidiaries, it still In addition to varying deal display, the operates four separate English- doesn’t post specific “last-minute” deals, it big online sites encourage you to sign up language systems: Home- does allow you to filter your search by pri- for periodic bulletins that feature any speaway.com, VRBO.com and Va- oritizing “special offers.” cials that might arise. Clearly, that’s a good VacationRentals tags some listings as idea if you’re at all interested in spur-ofcationRentals.com that cater to North American markets, plus special deals, although its former last- the-moment vacation rentals. minute blog seems to have been discontinUK-based ownersdirect.co.uk. And remember: regardless of the online For some reason, Owners- ued. VRBO does not screen by special posting prices, you can always email or direct seems to have the deals — or at least I couldn’t find it. phone a property owner to ask about any friendliest last-minute search special promotions that might be available system. Log on, select the Flipkey for the dates you want to visit. Owners are “Find a Deal” button, enter Flipkey’s primary property display page free to negotiate as they choose. TRAVEL TIPS country and region, and you includes a “deal” button that filters results Snaptrip Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at get a list of deals. Examples in- according to special offers. The display eperkins@mind.net. Newcomer Snaptrip pro- By Ed Perkins clude percent discounts, fixed does not show the exact nature of the spevides a friendly search system. © 2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Enter a destination — either a town or a “reduced” rates, and extras such as a county — plus dates you want, length of rental car. This site has limited coverage of North stay, and number of beds, and the site posts available results. The price displays ac- America, however, with only 13 properties in count for your length of stay; they post full- the United States, of which 12 are in the Orstay prices rather than prices per night. The top menu also includes a “top deals” option that returns, as you might guess, the best available deals for your dates throughout the UK, listed in order of percentage discounts. I tested the site for one-week stays at the industry standard Saturday to Saturday periods. For a stay starting one week after the day I tested, the site returned 33 properties with discounts ranging from 6 percent to 29 percent, with several above 15 percent. I got about the same results for rentals starting two weeks after my test. However, three weeks ahead, discount percentages dropped sharply, and starting four weeks down the road, only four deals were available. Snaptrip also displays a map with deal locations highlighted. I focus on Snaptrip because, to my knowledge, it’s the first website devoted specifically to last-minute vacation rentals, BGE’s commitment to electricity reliability goes beyond maintaining just the poles and lines—it extends and the pricing pattern provides some into the trees surrounding more than 10,500 miles of overhead power lines. Our Tree and Vegetation sight as to how the market operates. Management Program includes pruning and removing trees that may cause electric outages, as well as All in all, Snaptrip is a well-planned and managing the vegetation above our underground natural gas transmission pipeline network. All of this user-friendly website, making last-minute attention to trees has reduced tree-related power interruptions by more than 35% where branches have searches easy within its relatively small been cut back from the lines. To learn more about how smart energy gets more reliable every day, universe of rentals in the UK and Ireland. But I wonder how scalable it would be for visit BGE.COM/RELIABILITY Y. really large worldwide databases. RELIABLE ENERGY. SMART ENERGY. Given the typically high cost of lastminute airfares, a last-minute rental in the UK is a very limited market for North Americans. So Snaptrip is more interesting as a template for potential U.S.-based search systems than as a resource for typical North Americans. Presumably, interest in last-minute rentals concentrates on destinations within comfortable driving distance rather than those that require you to buy airline tickets. The giant rental websites do post some lastminute deals, but they’re generally not as easily accessible as those through Snaptrip. With all the travel writers urging “rent early,” you might think that “last-minute vacation rentals” is an oxymoron. Fortunately, it isn’t. A newly launched British website, snaptrip.com, focuses on last-minute vacation rentals, while the industry giants HomeAway and Flipkey allow you to locate various special deals, including lastminute offers.

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HomeAway The industry’s giant, HomeAway, continues to be puzzling. Altogether, it lists more than a million properties worldwide, well ahead of Flipkey’s 300,000.

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Style Arts &

Prize-winning poet W.S. Merwin writes about aging, loss and memory. See story on page 31.

Model railroading is a passion for many “When you design a layout, you really want to stick with one time period so it doesn’t detract from the layout,” said Roberta Poulton, co-chair of the Model Railroad Club. “All of our cars and trolleys are akin to the 1950s. The trolley is even a replica of one that used to run here in Baltimore.” Like millions of Americans, Roberta’s love of trains started in childhood. “My father, grandfather and great-grandfather all worked for the B&O Railroad,” said Poulton, a Catonsville native who recalls the Short Line Railroad that once ran from St. Agnes Station to Catonsville, and from which Charlestown’s Shortline restaurant gets its name. “I’ve enjoyed model railroading for the last 30 years,” said Poulton. “In fact, I was about 10 when I got my first train — a [historic type of train called an] O-scale, which I still have today. Working with the trains now lets me be creative and hold onto a part of my childhood that I loved.” With an eye for landscape and design, Poulton said that having smaller hands than most of her male counterparts comes in handy when working with the miniature items. “I’m not electrically savvy, but I enjoy working on the scenery and landscaping,” she said. “I go down several times during the week and improve on the roads or add things.” The club has a large inventory of nearly 250 rolling stock — engines and cars —

DVOŘÁK & GERSHWIN DECEMBER 6, 2014 at 7:30pm

PHOTO BY MEL TANSILL

By Danielle Rexrode Trains have always been a big part of John Jarboe’s life. Growing up, he could hear the trains go by his home in Annapolis Junction, Md., near where his father and grandfather both worked for the B&O Railroad. As a civil engineer, he also enjoyed working on projects that involved railroads. So it’s no surprise that when he and his wife moved to the Charlestown retirement community 18 months ago, he gravitated toward the community’s Model Railroad Club. “Model trains have been a lifelong hobby of mine,” said Jarboe. “I brought my own collection with me when I moved, and I have them on display in my den. I go down two or three days a week to the model railroad room here at Charlestown and work on the engines, tracks and scenery.” The 14-member Model Railroad Club oversees an elaborate train display featuring a few hundred feet of track that wind model trains through a miniature 1950sera town. Authentic-looking storefronts, farms, local landmarks, and sound effects like crickets and thunder add to the town’s realistic look and feel. “When you are working with model trains, it’s important to keep things to scale in order to make the set up look as realistic as possible,” said Jarboe, whose civil engineering skills are put to good use by the club.

Roberta Poulton and Gary Papritz, along with a dozen other members of Charlestown’s Model Railroad Club, oversee an elaborate train display, a small portion of which is shown. The display is open to the public every Saturday from noon until 2 p.m.

that operate on two main tracks, as well as a separate streetcar line that runs independently. The trains are operated by handheld remote controls that run on Digital Command Control, which allows locomotives on the same electrical section of track to be independently controlled. “We clean the tracks and engines, and oil the engines to keep them in good running order. We usually only run two trains at a time, otherwise they are difficult to control and you run the risk of derailing or crashing them,” said Poulton. In the last few years, the display was

lowered to be handicapped-accessible and kid-friendly. The room itself will also soon undergo a facelift, as the club has commissioned resident artist Bill Wilson to paint a 14-foot mural on the rear wall of the club’s room. The model railroad room is open to all Charlestown residents as well as to the public year-round on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. For Poulton, being able to share her favorite hobby with others is just the icing on the cake.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

BMA’s American art wing reopens at 100 By Carol Sorgen On Nov. 23, one of Baltimore’s most well-recognized landmarks, the Baltimore Museum of Art, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in a grand way — with the longanticipated reopening of the newly renovated Dorothy McIlvain Scott American Wing, together with the reopening of the Merrick Historic Entrance, and a redesigned Zamoiski East Entrance, lobby and BMA Shop. The BMA was formally incorporated a century ago by eight Baltimoreans who believed a great city deserves a great museum. The inaugural exhibition opened in 1923 in the museum’s temporary home in the Garrett Mansion at 101 W. Monument St. The founders must have been pleased at their foresight; attendance during the first week topped 6,775. In 1924, Baltimoreans approved a $1 million loan to construct a municipal museum. Prominent neoclassical architect John Russell Pope was commissioned to design the new building, which opened in 1929 and is today considered a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture. The museum’s original entrance was in use until 1982. When it reopens (with the support of a $1 million gift from the France-Merrick Foundation), visitors will once again be able to enter the museum

through the elegant doors, ushered into a grand columned hall.

Part of overall renovation The BMA is renowned for its Cone Collection of post-Impressionist and modern art. Similarly, its collection of American art is considered one of the finest on the East Coast. The reinstallation of the American Wing is a major milestone in the museum’s $28 million renovation. The first phase was completed in 2012, with the reopening of the Contemporary Wing. The final phase of the renovation will take place next year with the reinstallation of the African and Asian art collections in April and the opening of a new center for learning and creativity next October. The museum’s new presentation of the American art collection has been organized by David Park Curry, BMA Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and American Painting and Sculpture. The objective of the redesign, Curry explained, is to place American art in a global context with artworks from England, France and other countries, displayed to emphasize America’s participation in international art circles and Baltimore’s role as a major center for art production and intercontinental trade in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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Painting and sculpture will be integrated with decorative arts to show the social, economic and cultural links among the disciplines. “By expanding the approach to American art both geographically and chronologically, the BMA’s reinstallation highlights the deep ties between American art, our nation’s history and the broader world,” Curry said. “We hope visitors will be inspired by the stories contained in each of these incredible works of art, con-

necting the objects to the people who created and collected them.”

Maryland artists on display The American Wing was founded in 1929 and is among the oldest collections of its kind in the country. Today the museum owns 30,000 American paintings and items of sculpture and decorative arts dating from the colonial era to the late 20th century. See BMA AT 100, page 30

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

BMA at 100

BEACON BITS

Dec. 5

From page 29

A CONVERSATION WITH JESSYE NORMAN

Among the highlights are important regional holdings, such as Maryland-related portraiture by Charles Willson Peale, Rembrandt Peale and other members of the renowned Peale family; silver from prominent Baltimore silver manufacturing company Samuel Kirk & Son; and painted furniture by John and Hugh Finlay of Baltimore. More than 850 objects will be on view in the renovated wing. Among the highlights of the reinstallation is a gallery showcasing the stained glass, mosaics and silver of Louis Comfort Tiffany; two galleries of modern American masterworks by Georgia O’Keeffe, Jacob Lawrence, Joseph Stella and others; and a large gallery of art created by Maryland artists, in Maryland, of Maryland subjects, or owned by Maryland collectors. Nearly 50 paintings, sculptures and decorative art objects are new to the collection, have never been on view before, or have rarely been shown.

Hear internationally renowned opera star Jessye Norman discuss her new book, Stand Up Straight and Sing!, on Friday, Dec. 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Graham Auditorium at the Walters Museum, 600 N. Charles St. The Grammy Award-winning international opera star will offer perspectives on her life, from growing up in the South to performing on the world’s greatest stages, in conversation with Tom Hall, music director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit www.thewalters.org or call (410) 547-9000.

The reinstallation also includes four late18th century architectural interiors from historic homes in Maryland — Eltonhead Manor (c. 1760-70), Chestertown Room (c. 1771), Habre de Venture (c. 1773), and Willow Brook (1799). These will become galleries for silver and painted furniture. In conjunction with the American Wing reopening, the BMA is presenting three new exhibitions that will showcase the creativity of contemporary artists in the U.S., as well as the needlework achievements of 17th-20th century American schoolgirls. The American Wing Opening Celebration will take place on Sunday, November 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The daylong event will include live music, art-making activities, storytelling and artist demonstrations. For more information, visit www.artbma.org or call (443) 573-1700. The BMA is open Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The museum is located at 10 Art Museum Drive. Admission is free.

PHOTO BY MITRO HOOD

In the Baltimore Museum of Art’s newly renovated American Wing, a 21st century reading chair designed by Nils Holger Moormann and a 19th century reading chair are paired with paintings by Milton Avery and Gertrude Greene.

More ways to say “I love you.” If you, or a loved one, is Deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind, or have diﬃculty speaking, Maryland Relay oﬀers many calling options to keep you connected by phone. You may also qualify for a free assistive device through the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications program.

Calling Options t TTY (Text Telephone) t Voice Carry-Over t Hearing Carry-Over t Speech-to-Speech t Captioned Telephone t Spanish Relay Just dial 7-1-1 to make a Relay call. Visit mdrelay.org to learn more.

800-552-7724 (Voice/TTY) 443-453-5970 (VP)

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

Prize-winning poet is curious about aging

Poems of loss and memory Speaking by phone from his house on the island of Maui in Hawaii, Merwin said he hopes to finish at least another book, health permitting. He also discussed his latest collection, The Moon Before Morning. Like his Pulitzer Prize winner from 2008, The Shadow of Sirius, its themes are age, time and memory. Phrases such as “this unrepeatable present,” “the current music of vanishing,” and “the long-gone night pasture” can be found throughout. In “Relics,” he writes of his affinity for worlds that have disappeared. Before I knew words for it I loved what was obsolete crumpled at the foot of the closet lost in the street left out in the rain in its wet story from another age “I think I’ve seen so many things in my lifetime just as they were vanishing, and sometimes I realized it was happening and sometimes I didn’t,” Merwin said. “I remember one wonderful period of late summer and autumn into winter, way up in the mountains of northern Portugal, an area that really had not changed since the Romans. So this was very, very ancient

Trains From page 28 “We have grandkids, great-grandkids and school groups come in,” she said. “We have a scavenger hunt where the kids can search for specific things, like our Ravens car or ladies hanging up the wash on the clothesline. “We’ve had some kids who will just stand there and watch the trains go around for the entire two hours we are open. They really love it!” Call (410) 737-8324 for more information about the model railroad display. Model trains and the holidays go hand in hand, and Christmas train gardens are a longtime tradition in Baltimore. For a listing of holiday train gardens in the area, visit http://www.wvmgrs.org/TrainGardens.htm.

in so many ways — the architecture, the way of farming. I was just hugging myself. It was wonderful.”

and philosophical verse of recent years, influenced by his immersion in Buddhism. Throughout, he has been a man of peace (he was a conscientious objector during World War II), a recorder of the past, a believer in nature, and a skeptic of humankind. At his Princeton graduation, he read a commencement poem that mourned those who had died in war, and explained to the graduation committee that he had “little optimism” about the future. “I think what we’ve been doing to the

An early affinity for words A Presbyterian minister’s son, born in New York City and raised in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Merwin’s earliest memories of language include writing out the sermons of his father. He was composing his own verse while still a boy, and was class poet at Princeton University. His first collection, A Mask for Janus, won the Yale Younger Poets prize in 1951, and by the end of the decade, his friends and acquaintances included Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath and Robert Lowell. His style and subject matter would change profoundly — from the classical influences of his early poems, to the anti-war themes of the 1960s, to the more condensed

PHOTO BY MATT VALENTINE

By Hillel Italie He turned 87 on Sept. 30, his eyesight is failing, and much of his recent work reads like that of a man saying goodbye. But W.S. Merwin continues to write poems; he cannot help himself. “I wrote the last one about 10 days ago. It doesn’t stop, and I don’t know where it comes from,” said Merwin, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. poet laureate, widely regarded as among the greatest poets of the past half-century. “I remember, just over a year ago, after several readings and two red-eye flights, I was absolutely exhausted. But in the middle of the night, I woke up with a line and a half of poetry to write.”

See POET, page 33

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. poet laureate W.S. Merwin, 87, says he feels compelled to continue writing poetry. His more recent work focuses on themes of memory, time and loss.

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• Ellicott City II 410-203-2096

• Miramar Landing 410-391-8375

• Emerson 301-483-3322

• Randallstown 410-655-5673

• Snowden River 410-290-0384

* Rosedale 410-866-1886

*Newly Renovated!

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

• Taylor 410-663-0363

* Bladensburg 301-699-9785

• Towson 410-828-7185

• Laurel 301-490-1526

• Woodlawn 410-281-1120

• Laurel II 301-490-9730

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com. Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

• 55 or BETTER!

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Preventing falls From page 1 falls,” advised Marlene Riley, clinical associate professor in Towson University’s Department of Occupational Therapy & Oc-

cupational Science, and an OT with University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. According to the CDC, research shows that doing balance and muscle-strengthening activities each week, along with moder-

BEACON BITS

Dec. 1+

HOLIDAY GLASS SHOW AND SALE Parkville Senor Center’s Holiday Glass Sale offers an opportunity

to buy unique holiday gifts and home décor. The sale begins Monday, Dec. 1, and runs through Friday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, at 8601 Harford Rd. For more information, call (410) 887-5338.

Dec. 18

YULETIDE TEA Arbutus Senior Center hosts a Yuletide tea party and luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center, 855A

Sulphur Spring Rd., Halethorpe. Entertainment will be provided by hammered dulcimerist Donna Nomick. Cost is $10. RSVP by Dec. 11 to (410) 887-1410.

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

ate-intensity aerobic activity like brisk walking, can help reduce the risk of falling.

How to prevent falls Riley offers some other tips to reduce your fall risk: • Remove clutter in your home, and walk carefully when there are potential hazards, such as throw rugs and pets underfoot. • Arrange furniture so that there is plenty of room to maneuver and to create sturdy balance-catching points throughout the home. • Add light to dimly lit areas. • Never stand on chairs or similar items to get to something you can’t reach. Ask for help, or use a sturdy stool with hand rail or a ladder. • Do not use towel bars, sink edges and the like for support, because they could come away from the wall. • Use a nightlight in the bedroom and bathroom. • To prevent the bathroom floor from getting wet, immediately wipe spills off the floor,

and use a rubber-backed bathmat. Even a small amount of water can lead to a slip. • Stay active to maintain overall strength, endurance and balance. • Know your limitations. If there is a task you cannot easily complete, do not risk a fall by trying to do it. • Have your vision, hearing and medications checked regularly. While Kohl and Jackson still worry about falling in the future, they are now healed from their latest tumbles. For Lee Kaufman, however, who will turn 87 in December, the fall she took two months ago while out with friends has left her shaken, and not just because of the broken wrist and fractured pelvis she suffered. “If I fell again,” she said, “I know that would be it for me.” Kaufman is still experiencing the effects of her fall, and has been unable to drive, even to doctors’ appointments. The worst part of falling, she said, is the loss of independence. “It’s hard to find rides. [Her daughters do what they can, but are not always available] and friends don’t want to be bothered,” she said. Making things worse is that Kaufman has been a passenger in three car accidents since her fall. As a result, she’s not only afraid of falling, she’s now afraid to return to driving even when the doctor gives her permission to do so. “This has not been a good six months,” she said. “You get very depressed.”

Local programs abound Falls are such a serious concern as we age that a Maryland-wide falls prevention coalition called Gaitway-2-Better Balance has been formed. So far, the group has imSee PREVENTING FALLS, page 33

FROM PAGE 34

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD M A S A D A

A B A C U S

D I S R E P A W A I A C R Y E S S K W H E E M E B O N

E T H O S S O O C R T O S C P A U L R E E R E S

M A E S T R O

O U T T A

S A S C E S L L A S P

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

L U R I D E A R S R O P E

U P O N

R S I L N Y G

B A B Y S H O W E R

U S R T L Y E A S E R S

T I S S U E

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; DECEMBER 2014

Preventing falls From page 32 plemented a number of programs throughout the state to educate citizens about the issue. This coalition includes local rehabilitation specialists as well as representatives from the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Injury Prevention Unit, the Baltimore County Department of Aging, and from academic programs such as the Towson University Department of

Poet From page 31 Earth, especially since the dawn of the machine age, is so appalling that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know [if] we can turn it back,â&#x20AC;? he said during his interview. The poem â&#x20AC;&#x153;No Flagâ&#x20AC;? scorns the pursuit of earthly glory, noting that after â&#x20AC;&#x153;the speeches the medals the fameâ&#x20AC;? comes the â&#x20AC;&#x153;unmapped cold of death.â&#x20AC;? But some of the poems in Moon Before Morning are statements of gratitude, like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Variation on a Themeâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a procession of â&#x20AC;&#x153;thank yousâ&#x20AC;? for everything from friendship and language to the parts of his body

Occupational Therapy, the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Physical Therapy, and the Notre Dame University School of Pharmacy. The coalition has participated in local programs such as the Baltimore Senior Expo in October and the annual Falls Prevention Week held in September. The Baltimore County Department of Aging is also partnering with students from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at the Community College of Baltimore Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Catonsville to provide bal-

ance screenings, fall screening evaluations, and fall prevention education at Baltimore County Department of Aging (BDCA) senior centers. Check your local center for a schedule. In addition, the Towson University Department of Occupational Therapy & Occupational Science is working on a project with the Baltimore County Department of Aging on falls prevention. Throughout the coming year, senior centers throughout the county will offer classes such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tai Chi for Better Bal-

anceâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;EnhanceFitness,â&#x20AC;? which are designed to improve balance, strength, physical performance, postural stability and walking; reduce the risks of falls; improve self-management; and increase quality of life. For more information on how to register for a class, call (410) 887-2040. For information about a fall prevention exercise study being conducted at the University of Maryland and the VA Maryland Health Care System in Baltimore, see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Help find the best exercise to prevent falls,â&#x20AC;? on page 15 of this issue.

and his windows â&#x20AC;&#x153;above the rivers.â&#x20AC;? Work these days can be a struggle for Merwin, in part because he writes in longhand (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The computer and I are not friends,â&#x20AC;? he explained) and has to make the letters large in order to read them. Still, the pictures are clear in his mind, and words themselves make him hopeful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do not have to see/in order to believe,â&#x20AC;? he writes in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Color They Come To,â&#x20AC;? from his new collection. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know that the flame tree is flowering/when I see petals at my feet.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think of one of my greatest heroes, [William Butler] Yeats,â&#x20AC;? Merwin said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He wrote at length â&#x20AC;&#x201D; although nothing of

Yeats is too long â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about old age. He came to it with real anger, as though it was an outrage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think of old age as being a time like the others,â&#x20AC;? he continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has its reve-

lations of its own that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to any other way. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any of those feelings Yeats had at all. I accept [old age] with a certain amount of curiosity.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

Wanted OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces of Silver, Large pieces of Silver Plates, Fountain Pens, Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Art Work. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

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.

CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410-655-0412.

ge ad

tio ns !*

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is th

WATERSIDE A CT I V E A D U LT HOM E S !

LEARN ENGLISH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SPANISH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ITALIAN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FRENCH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

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.

fre

PIANO LESSONS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; START a new hobby or brush-up old skills. Experienced, patient teacher. Children age 6 through seniors. Keyboards accepted. Neat Towson. Call Linda at 410-532-8381.

Wanted

W ith

Personal Services

Classifieds Cont. from p. 35

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Lď?Żď?ˇ Mď?Ąď?Šď?Žď?´ď?Ľď?Žď?Ąď?Žď?Łď?Ľ Hď?Żď?ď?Ľď?ł

Fď?Šď?´ď?Žď?Ľď?łď?ł

LEASE A BOAT SLIP ď&#x153;Ą (3"/% 01&/*/( o 0TQSFZ -BOEJOH PO .BSMFZ $SFFL t 'SPN UIF .JE T t (BUFE $PNNVOJUZ t 'JSTU 'MPPS 4VJUFT (PVSNFU ,JUDIFOT and Open Plan Designs

Call 443-896-3664

t $POWFOJFOU -PDBUJPO OFBS 3U t $MVCIPVTF 5SBJMT 1JFS t Plus

in closing help!**

Visit our decorated model! I-95 to Rte 100 E exit. Take Rte 2 toward Glen Burnie for .8 miles. Right on Marley Station Rd. Left on E. Howard. Left on Marley Neck Rd. First right on Osprey Landing Ct. Model on the right. OPEN DAILY 11-6. CLOSED THURS./FRI. MHBR# 155 williamsburgllc.com *On new contracts only. Limited time oďŹ&#x20AC;er. Promotional amount capped at $20K. **Must use preferred lenders and settle at Lakeside Title. Brokers Welcome.

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Crossword Puzzle

Puzzle Page

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus

Across Words 1

by Stephen Sherr 6

28 33

39 43

47 51

50 54

19 22

BB12/14

Scrabble answers on p. 32.

Across

Down

1. Crafted 5. Eight wks., or more 8. Defamations 13. 12 1/2 cents 14. Mustang or Pinto 16. One who sets his sights on knowledge 17. Miss America accessory 18. And some other folks 19. Literary device 20. Puzzler’s practice 23. Ready to give birth 24. Red carpet walker 25. Mood ring, or pet rock 26. ___ as a church mouse 28. Grp, with Eagles, Falcons, and Seahawks 29. Commuter’s option 32. Puzzler’s vow 36. Sit by the railroad crossing 38. Railroad crossing letters 39. With competence 40. Puzzler’s journey 45. Twenty Questions response 46. Bridge designers (abbrev.) 47. French hound 50. Comrade 51. Finalize wedding invitations 53. “Bali ___” 54. Puzzler’s flag (with 64 Across) 58. Longest of the five W’s 59. “Fine and dandy, like ___ candy” 60. Activates a home equity loan 61. Islamic prince 62. Brownish purple (or purplish brown) 63. Nation due south of Delaware 64. See 54 Across 65. ___ and crumpets 66. Conclusion of REV- or DIV-

1. Fortress overlooking the Dead Sea 2. You can count on it 3. Crumbling neglect 4. Logical beginning 5. Esteemed musician 6. “Get me ___ here!” 7. The fourth Beatle 8. Ingredient in Chicken Florentine 9. Sensational 10. Second word of many fairy tales 11. Land-line sound 12. Cagy 15. Suffix for motor, pay, or schnozz 21. SCISSOR, kicked of its start 22. Questionable 27. Tetra- times two 28. Las Cruces inst. 29. Event with diaper wipes ... and cake 30. www.thebeaconnewspapers.com, e.g. 31. Pigpen 33. Pouches 34. B’way sellout sign 35. Corn units 36. The ___ of the world 37. High card 41. Himalayan hopefuls 42. Divest one’s real estate portfolio 43. San Antonio or Oklahoma City 44. After-bath powder 48. Short cuts and cheat sheets 49. Lightweight paper 50. Use a Cuisniart 51. Foremost part of a pig 52. Derive from the facts 54. Dumb jerk 55. Razor-sharp 56. Nile snake 57. Clue weapon 58. ___ of lies

Answers on page 32.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2014

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

Business and Employment Opportunities ASSEMBLE PRODUCTS AT HOME. Easy work, great pay, over 80 easy-to-assemble products. Everyone accepted. For free information, write to: HomeJobs-BB, PO Box 29, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Financial Services ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING, TAXES – conscientious CPA, 37 years experience, reasonable rates, accepting additional business, personal and eldercare clients and preparation of business plans. Call 410-653-3363.

For Rent/Sale Real Estate TIME TO DOWNSIZE BUT DON’T KNOW where to start? Let me handle the details of your move, and I will help you step by step. Seasoned, patient, caring realtor for 30 years. Free consultation & home evaluation. Don’t be overwhelmed. Call me today. Ask for Rosemary Taylor, 443-474-2784, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 410-461-7600. NEWLY-RENOVATED LOVELY one-bedroom apartment in private home. Ground floor, private entrance, washer/dryer. Quiet neighborhood in Pikesville. $800. If interested, please call 410-653-2594. WE BUY HOUSES FOR CA$H – Call today, 240-670-6797. Iwant2helpyou.com. 1919 MONROE STREET, Baltimore, MD. 21217. Large room with bathroom and storage space. Ideal small business opportunity or clubroom. $400/month. Call 410-298-8048.

For Sale PARKWOOD CEMETERY – One grave plot, in Peace section, next to pond, geese, lots of trees. Lower than Parkwood price. $4,000 obo. Linda, 410-657-7747. BOOKS, THOUSANDS, for the collector and reader, all ages and subjects. Antique Depot, historic Ellicott City, Booth 119, 3rd floor. 5 PC STORAGE DINING SET – W 42” x L 42” x H 36” Dark wood, $200. Air mattress – double pump, $15. Reams of paper, half price. Chess set – $15. Call 443-814-6194. FURNITURE – SERVER (Orig. $900), $400. Bookcase 4 shelves (Orig. $275), $75. Both cherry wood. 410-828-7552.

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

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

Home/Handyman Services

MAPLE SPINNING WHEEL 1960. 3 extra bobbins. Antique niddy noddy. $200 cash. Call Anna, 410-853-7425.

SANFORD & SON HAULING & RECYCLING. Trash + Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts, garage+ basement cleanouts. Demolition – Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + insured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7 days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410-746-5090.

CRYPT, ONE BEHIND THE OTHER, Chapel Mausoleum, Louden Park, $5,000. Please call Pat: 410-617-2328 or 410-666-7562. PARKWOOD CEMETERY – Taylor Avenue – Poplar Lot 831 – Site 2. Also includes one burial vault and one opening and closing of grave site – value $6,685. Sell for $3,300 or best offer, 410529-1191. 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Home/Handyman Services HANDYMAN AND HONEY-DO SERVICE – Small jobs are my specialty. Prices by the hour, day or job. MHIC # 95672, Fully Insured. Dave, 443-514-8583.

BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL – Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency, Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Removal, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling, Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates. 10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).

Miscellaneous UNLIMITED TALK, TEXT AND DATA. No contract. No credit check. On Sprint Network. Free smart phone or bring own phone. $47/month. Call 443-801-4335.

Classifieds Cont. on p. 33

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Alzheimer’s Disease Study . . .15 Dementia Caregivers Study . .14 HYPNOS Diabetic Sleep Study .15 Elderly Falls Study . . . . . . . . .15 Parkinson’s Disease Study . . .15

Financial Services

Associated, The . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Catholic Charities . . . . . . . . . .19 Debt Counsel for Seniors and the Disabled . . .18 Golden Real Estate . . . . . . . . .33 JSR Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Keeping Money Safe . . . . . . . .21 Ridgebrook Insurance . . . . . . .18

Funeral Services

Holly Hill Memorial Gardens . . .20 Sterling Ashton Schwab Witzke Funeral Home . . . . .26

Hearing Services

Clarity & Comfort Hearing Center . . . . . . . . . . .11 Hearing & Speech Agency . . . . .9 Maryland Relay . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Home Health Care

Options for Senior America . . . .12

Housing

AHEPA Senior Housing . . . . . .7 Aigburth Vale Apts . . . . . . . . . .3 Alta Regency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Atrium Village . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Benet House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Charlestown . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Cove Point Apartments . . . . . .24 Ednor Apartments . . . . . . . . . .19 Evergreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Greens/Hammond Lane . . . . .24 Greens/Irvington Mews . . . . .24 Greens/Liberty Road . . . . . . . .24 Greens/Rolling Road . . . . . . . .24 Liberty Village . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Meadows of Reisterstown . . . .10 Memorial Apartments . . . . . . . .5 New Shiloh Village . . . . . . . . . .7 Oak Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Osprey Landing on Marley Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Paradise Assisted Living . . . . .21 Park Heights Place . . . . . . . . .26 Park View Apartments . . . . . .31 Shangri-La Assisted Living . . .21 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Wayland Village . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Weinberg Manor South . . . . . . .7 Westminster House Apts . . . . .30

Housing Referral Service

Senior Placement Service/ Care Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Legal Services

Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . . . .19

Medical/Health

Ideal Health Chiropractic . . . .13 Low Vision Specialists of Maryland & Virginia . . . . . . .9 Dr. Stuart Goldman, DPM . . .13 Mishpacha Dental . . . . . . . . . .10 Progressive Rehab Services . .17 Dr. Richard Rosenblatt, DPM . .10 Smart Pain Management . . . . .14 State Health Insurance Assistance Program . . . . . . . .8

Movers

Easy Movers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Pharmacies

CVS Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Rite Aid Pharmacy . . . . . . . . .22 Walgreen’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Retail

Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Wilkens Betway Plaza . . . . . .26

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Bluepoint Nursing & Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . .11 Communicare Health . . . . . . .12 Forest Haven Nursing & Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . .8 Holly Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . .13 Manor Care Health Services . .17 Northwest Nursing & Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . .11

Theatres/ Entertainment

Chesapeake Shakespeare . . . .29 Columbia Orchestra . . . . . . . .28 The Lyric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . .28

Tour & Travel

Chesapeake Travelers . . . . . . .25 Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . .25

Utility Services

BGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Fuel Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Volunteers

Baltimore City RSVP . . . . . . .29

DECEMBER 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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