December 2015 | Howard County Beacon

The Howard County

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Helping obtain housing for all

Homelessness amid plenty But Bridges has been around far longer.

In fact, it recently celebrated 25 years of service helping homeless families transition to permanent housing and a stable life.

The celebration was a bittersweet occasion for Jane O’Leary who, after 40 years of social work and eight years as executive director of the organization, will retire at year’s end.

O’Leary, 67, oversees some 15 case workers, program directors and other human services employees, as well as about 75 volunteers “of all ages, many of them seniors,” in efforts to reduce homelessness in Howard County, where the median family income is $110,000 — among the highest in the nation.

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By Robert Friedman Charles Townsend, his wife, their 18year-old son and 2-year-old daughter were left homeless after a fire last winter destroyed their Howard County home. They escaped the fire with nothing but the pajamas they were wearing.

The family eventually was referred to the nonprofit organization Bridges to Housing Stability, located in Columbia.

Although Townsend (not his real name) had credit issues and was under too much stress to return to work right away, Bridges was able get the family affordable housing and provide some furnishings and move-in assistance.

Townsend, who is now back at work, said that, “If it wasn’t for Bridges, I don’t know where my family would be.”

When Mary Norberg (also a pseudonym) visited Bridges in September 2014, she was a single mother with three children and a part-time job, who lived with her family in a cheap motel off a county highway.

With Bridges’ help, she was able to clear her debt with a previous landlord and find a full-time job and an affordable place to live.

She is currently completing an associate’s degree in nursing. Her children have been able to remain in the same school.

Those are just two of the many success stories reported by Bridges, which has been working with government agencies and religious groups since 2010 in what is called the Howard County Plan to End Homelessness.

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Woody Collins is one of 75 volunteers with Bridges to Housing Stability, a nonprofit group that works to reduce homelessness in Howard County. Collins, who coordinates the organization’s main fundraising event (an annual chili cook-off), is pictured in front of one of the apartment buildings where Bridges offers units to needy families based on a percentage of their income.

Despite the county’s relative wealth, more and more area families find themselves in dire straits when trying to pay for housing, O’Leary said.

To give an idea of the scope of the problem, O’Leary noted that in the year ending June 30, a total of 920 Howard County households qualified for support from the county’s system to end homelessness. To be counted in the system, the families have to be either literally homeless or present documents showing they will lose their homes within 14 days.

Furthermore, O’Leary said that more than 3,750 families with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000 live in county housing units, and that just 270 of those units are considered to have rents that are affordable

for working families. Current standards say that workers should not be paying more than 30 percent of their wages for housing.

The 3,000-plus other families living in units they really can’t afford “are at continual risk of losing their homes,” O’Leary said.

While subsidized communities exist for older retired residents, and there are federal rent subsidies for the poor, O’Leary noted that low-income workers fall between the cracks: “We have to find new ways to [enable] low-income workers to live in the county.”

O’Leary pointed out that service industries are growing all over the county, and that Columbia is currently expanding its See HOUSING HELP, page 21

A chance to tour Howard County’s historic houses; plus, a museum exhibit explores Paul Simon’s long musical career page 27

TECHNOLOGY 3 k Hi-tech options make driving safer k New phone plans can save money FITNESS & HEALTH k Breakthrough diabetes drug k Obesity/Alzheimer’s link

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THE SENIOR CONNECTION 15 k Newsletter for Howard County seniors LAW & MONEY 19 k Social Security & Medicare update k More affordable long-term care ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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A time for thanks Last month, I devoted my column to rec- soul of our staff. Everyone at the Beacon ognizing the writers on our staff, and our wears multiple hats, and is dedicated to doing freelancers as well, who won the best job he or she can. recognition in two national I’d like to thank them by writing competitions. name for their efforts and deI am very proud of the highvoted contributions to the quality writing (and editing) Beacon: featured each month in the Managing Editor Barbara Beacon, and of the people who Ruben and Baltimore Condevote their energies to providtributing Editor Carol Sorgen ing our readers with topical, endo the bulk of local writing for tertaining and useful articles. the Beacon, penning awardIn addition, as each year winning cover stories, arts feacomes to an end I like to take FROM THE tures, health studies, volunthe opportunity to thank every PUBLISHER teer profiles and more. Barmember of the Beacon staff for By Stuart P. Rosenthal bara has worked here for his or her hard work and dedimore than 15 years, and Carol cated contributions. for more than 10.

In addition to putting out our four newsIn addition to her writing, Barbara finds, paper editions each month (Greater Balti- manages and edits all our freelance and more, Howard County, Greater Washington syndicated writers — a huge task — while and Coachella Valley/Palm Springs), our answering more than 100 emails a day and staff works year-round to produce our two updating our website event calendar. annual 50+Expos and an annual Seniors’ ReFor over a dozen years, Director of Opsource Guide for Montgomery County, Md. erations Gordon Hasenei has been my These tasks, plus addressing the many re- right-hand man. He has supervised the quests of our readers throughout the year, in- growth of the Beacon, including our staff, volve not only the labor, but the heart and our computer system, our printing, distri-

Beacon The Howard County

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of Howard County, Md. and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, 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 • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................ 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 and advertising is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details.

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bution and more.

He has also well trained his Assistant Director of Operations, Roger King, who has been with us for 10 years and knows how to do just about everything Gordon does. Roger is also our webmaster and email-blaster.

It makes us all feel secure knowing these two men are on top of the many technical and computer issues that can make or break a business in today’s world.

Director of Sales Alan Spiegel has managed and grown our sales force for the past five years. He masterfully helped us maneuver out of the national recession and reach new heights of success for both our advertisers and readers.

I include readers in that, as it’s advertising revenue that keeps the Beacon free and enables our page count to be high enough to hold all the varied stories we want to share with readers in each edition. Printing more than 200,000 copies of the Beacon each month is a major endeavor and cost, and it simply wouldn’t be possible without the work of Alan and his dedicated sales staff.

Speaking of whom, we are indeed fortunate to have with us seasoned advertising representatives Doug Hallock (ten years, and our #1 salesperson), Steve Levin (five years), Dan Kelly (almost five years), plus more recently, Jill Joseph (who also wrote an excellent first-person article for our October issue).

Each of them provides great service to

our advertisers, acting as marketing and design consultants as well as ad reps.

This is the perfect time to welcome aboard our two new advertising representatives: Rena Pensky and MK Phillips. We are thrilled you have joined us and look forward to many years of working together.

Where would we be without Art Director Kyle Gregory? For more than 15 years, Kyle has designed our publications, created monthly ads for our advertisers, and produced our marketing materials and collateral items (stationery, business cards, you name it).

In recent years, he’s been ably assisted

by Gordon and Roger, but Kyle is the not-atall-temperamental artist in charge of it all.

I would never leave out Cheryl Watts — a recently retired sales representative who continues to assist us whenever we need her. We miss her daily presence in the office, but wish her well as she enjoys the well-deserved fruits of a long and varied career (that once included owning and running an ice cream store!).

So many tasks about the office — ranging from prompt and courteous answering of our phones, to writing articles, proofing every issue and managing many important databases — are performed by our Editorial Assistant Rebekah Sewell. It’s hard to imagine how so many of these tasks got See FROM THE PUBLISHER, page 20

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

Dear Editor: Recently, I was writing an email on my PC when I noticed words on the right edge of the screen had ‘gone away.’ Testing myself to find the problem displayed in each eye independently told me quickly it was more than an eye issue. I called my ophthalmologist who said “get to an ER.” Within 15 minutes, I was at the hospital being examined for a stroke. Other than vision impairment, I had no physical, speaking, language or memory difficulties, and no pain. Within 1¾ hours of first noticing vision problems, I was being given tPA — a blood clot buster that has to be administered within hours of the onset of a stroke.

An MRI showed significant damage to the left side rear brain area that controls vision.

This was not a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), but a real stroke. I was moved to ICU and given blood thinners to avoid clots, which I continue to take at home.

I was discharged three days later and would have even been allowed to walk out of the hospital (if my wife had allowed me to). While I still have some visual deficit, my vision improved while still at the hospital, I never lost consciousness, had pain or any other impairment.

I am grateful that the stroke onset was while I was using a computer. Had I not been engaged in such an activity, I probably would not have noticed my right peripheral vision deficit, which was the only symptom I experienced from the stroke.

I likely would have had a very different outcome if the blood clot continued to cause brain damage until I noticed a problem, which would have been too late for tPA to help.

Your readers should know all the various symptoms for stroke and heart attack. Any asymmetry can indicate a stroke. Heart attacks can have different symptoms in men and women. Pain is not always there.

Don’t be casual. Call 9-1-1 and get to an emergency room. They will not ding you for a false alarm. It may save your life or your being able to function.

Also Important: Make sure those you live with and work with know how to detect and act in case you have a stroke or heart attack.

I have been blessed with a “warning” and now go forward differently.

Ron Sheinson via email

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Technology &

Innovations More cars come with safe-driving systems

By Dee-Ann Durbin Fully self-driving cars are a few years into the future. But some of the technology that will make them possible is already here.

Automakers are rapidly adding radarand camera-based systems that can keep a car in its lane, detect pedestrians, and brake automatically to avoid a collision.

For now, they work with a driver behind the wheel, but eventually, versions of these systems will likely power self-driving cars.

Semi-autonomous features used to be confined to luxury cars, but they’re quickly migrating to mainstream brands as technology gets cheaper. Toyota, for example, will offer automatic braking, pedestrian detection and lane departure warning for just a few hun-

dred dollars on all of its vehicles by 2017.

Automakers are also being nudged to add these features by safety advocates like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which gives its top crashworthiness rankings to vehicles with crash prevention technology.

Joseph Gerardi, a communications engineer from Centereach, New York, recently bought a 2015 Nissan Murano specifically for its semi-autonomous safety technology.

As part of its $2,260 technology package, Nissan offers emergency braking and adaptive cruise control (see description on page 4). The package also has forward collision warning, which uses radar to monitor both the car ahead and the car in front of that one.

Gerardi’s wife, Michele, and 4-year-old daughter, Caroline, use the SUV to get around town, so he wanted the most technology he could get for under $40,000. “We just wanted to get the safest thing possible,” he said.

He thinks more people would push for semi-autonomous technology if automakers promoted it, or if dealers had a better understanding of how it works. Gerardi had to call Nissan, for example, to get a complete explanation of the Murano’s emergency braking system.

Where to find information A survey by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center’s Transportation and Ve-

hicle Safety program, suggests big gaps in the public’s knowledge about potentially life-saving features.

Based on the responses, the university and the National Safety Council have developed a new Web site (http://mycardoeswhat.org) to teach drivers about new features — from tire-pressure monitoring systems to automatic emergency braking.

The site is one of several places that car owners and shoppers can learn about safety technology. The federal government’s auto-safety website (www.safercar.gov) lists crash-test results and uses icons to highlight cars with recommended safety See HI-TECH CARS, page 4

Say Goodbye to Nerve Pain

Your nerve system is involved in everything your body does, from regulating your breathing to controlling your muscles and sensing heat and cold. Because your nerve system is so critical for your health when things go wrong with it you may experience excruciating pain and/or some very strange symptoms...

There are three types of nerves in the body: 1. Autonomic nerves. These nerves control the involuntary or partially voluntary activities of your body, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and temperature regulation.

2. Motor nerves. These nerves control your movements and actions by passing information from your brain and spinal cord to your muscles.

3. Sensory nerves. These nerves relay information from your skin and muscles back to your spinal cord and brain. The information is then processed to let you feel pain and other sensations. Because nerves are essential to all you do, nerve pain and damage can seriously affect your quality of life.

What Are the Symptoms of Nerve Pain and Nerve Damage?

With nerve damage there can be a wide array of symptoms. Which ones you may have depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Damage can occur to nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It can also occur in the peripheral nerves, which are located throughout the rest of your body.

Autonomic nerve damage may produce the following symptoms: • Too much sweating or too little sweating • Lightheadedness • Dry eyes and mouth • Constipation • Bladder dysfunction • Sexual dysfunction Damage to motor nerves may produce the following symptoms: • Weakness • Muscle atrophy

• Twitching, also known as fasciculation • Paralysis Sensory nerve damage may produce the following symptoms: • Pain • Sensitivity • Numbness • Tingling or prickling • Burning • Problems with positional awareness In some instances, people with nerve damage will have symptoms that indicate damage to two, or even three, different types of nerves.

For instance, you might experience weakness and burning of your legs at the same time.

To further complicate matters we don’t all develop the same way and different un-expected nerves can cause similar problems. This has made it very difficult to diagnose disorders caused by nerve damage based on which nerve “should” cause what.

That is, until now...

Recent advances in technology that detects nerve damage has led to more precise diagnosis for those people suffering with nerve damage disorders.

And more precise diagnosis leads to better results... results which have been published in major medical journals. With data published in 2014 showing success rates as high as 90% some back surgeons are recommending their patients try this treatment first before having back surgery (for nerve damage that leads to back pain and sciatica).

In Ellicott City, you can get checked for nerve damage at World Class Chiropractic, the office of Dr Steve Silverston.

Your invitation for a comprehensive consultation and examination to pinpoint the cause of your nerve damage.

All you have to do to receive a thorough

diagnostic examination and a comprehensive easy to understand report on your state of health is call 410-461-3435.

Mention this article (CODE: 3TB37) and they will happily reduce their usual consultation fee of $195 to just $37. But hurry, for obvious reasons – this is a time limited offer – with only 100 reader consultations available at this exclusively discounted rate.

Don't suffer a moment longer...

Find out what is causing your nerve damage, book a consultation now by calling 410-4613435, they are waiting to take your call today.

Over the years, they’ve treated thousands of patients with nerve damage. The vast majority of them have enjoyed superior, lasting relief.

In fact, many who’ve suffered and have tried other remedies and have told them they gave them back their lives!

Call them now and get a full and thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your problem for just $37, the normal cost of such an exam is $195 so you will save $158!

Call them now on 410-461-3435 and cut out or tear off the valuable article and take it to your appointment. You’ll be entitled to a comprehensive examination to diagnose the cause of your problem – and you’ll be on your way to safe, lasting relief! Don’t delay your important diagnosis and treatment another moment!

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For obvious reasons they can’t help everyone at this reduced price, so please call soon to secure your special opportunity.

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Hi-tech cars From page 3 features, including lane-departure warning and forward-collision warning.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.iihs.org) also explains key collision-avoidance features like automatic braking, and lists that cars have them.

Not everyone likes the self-driving trend.

“I really, really dislike automobiles that think they’re cleverer than me,” said Will Inglis, who lives outside London and writes about the defense industry. He thinks drivers will come to rely too much

on semi-autonomous technology and driving skills will degrade.

But people like Inglis may soon be in the minority. In a recent U.S. survey by the Boston Consulting Group, 55 percent of drivers said they would likely buy a partially autonomous car in the next five years.

Available features The array of semi-autonomous features now offered on cars can be bewildering.

Adaptive cruise control: Regular cruise control, which has been around for decades, can keep the car at a set speed on the highway. Adaptive cruise control main-

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tains a set speed as well as a set distance from the car in front of it, and it can slow down or speed up automatically.

It started appearing on luxury brands like Mercedes and Lexus about a decade ago. Now, it’s available on less expensive models, like the Mazda3 small car and the Chrysler 200 sedan.

Lane keeping: “Lane departure” warning systems beep or vibrate if the driver leaves a lane.

Camera-based “lane-keeping” systems actually steer the car back into the lane automatically. They have their limits; they might not work in snow or at other times when lane markings aren’t clearly visible.

Lane keeping started appearing on the market in 2014. Among the vehicles that offer it are the Ford Fusion Titanium, as a $1,200 option, and the Jeep Renegade Limited, as a $995 option.

Emergency braking: Some forward collision warning systems beep or flash lights to warn the driver if they detect an object. More advanced ones warn the driver and, if the driver doesn’t react, apply the brakes. The systems may either bring the car to a complete stop or slow it enough to

mitigate damage.

The technology, introduced in 2008, is recommended by the federal government.

It’s already standard on the Volvo XC90 SUV, which can even brake automatically as the driver is turning into an intersection.

Other vehicles that offer emergency braking are the Subaru Outback, as part of the $3,090 EyeSight package, and the Toyota Camry XLE, as part of a $2,570 technology and navigation package.

Self-parking: Self-parking systems can find a spot and automatically park in a parallel or perpendicular spot. The systems, on the market since 2008, are now on many mainstream vehicles. It’s a $395 option on the Ford Focus Titanium.

Highway autopilot: Single-lane highway autopilot is basically just a combination of adaptive cruise control and lanekeeping. It helps keep the car centered in its lane at highway speeds, allowing the driver to cruise with minimal effort.

Mercedes, Infiniti and Audi are among those whose systems work in tandem on the highway. Others, including Tesla and Cadillac, are expected to offer advanced autopilot systems soon.

— AP

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Robot to attend school for cancer patient

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that from her, and really isolates her.”

See WRC-TV’s report at http://bit.ly/ 1MkUIbm. — AP

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“Peyton is able to have a little bit more autonomy in her education,” Schaeber said. “She has control over her day-to-day activities in school, whereas cancer takes

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the robot’s iPad and the iPad to the roller.

“As they see that robot in the hallways, that’s Peyton,” said school principal Douglas Robbins. “She’s here, she’s with us, and she’s going to engage in the school day, just like the rest of them.”

Walton’s friends helped her pay the robot’s $3,000 cost.

The robot comes from Double Robotics, a company that has helped other people in situations similar to Walton’s receive an education remotely. It also sells robots to telecommuters and doctors who need a remote presence.

At Poolesville, Walton is still getting used to her PAVS; “I try not to crash into walls,” she said.

The robot is bringing a little excitement into what otherwise would be an unrelentingly anxious and painful time, according to her mother, Lynn Schaeber.

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A Maryland girl who is undergoing cancer treatment will be able to attend school with the help of a robot.

Ten-year-old Peyton Walton of Montgomery County will soon undergo five weeks of treatment at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center in New York, as reported

by WRC-TV. During that time, a robot she calls “Peyton’s Awesome Virtual Self,” or PAVS, will attend school for her at Poolesville Elementary School.

The robot features an iPad screen attached to a rolling base. Walton will see and hear what the robot observes, and she can socialize with friends as her robot stand-in rolls down the halls.

She’ll control the robot with an app on her smartphone, and be able to respond to people talking with her. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity tie the remote user to

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Take a new look at your smartphone plan

By Kaitlin Pitsker In recent years, wireless carriers have vied for smartphone market share by offering flexibility: no-contract, lower-price service plans for customers willing to pay full price for a phone.

Now, with nearly every cell phone user a smartphone user, providers are applying that model to all their plans, eliminating

the hefty subsidies that longtime customers relied on to knock hundreds of dollars off the price of a phone.

“The market was based on subsidies for such a long time that the U.S. consumer might think the price of the latest iPhone is $200,” said Brad Akyuz, a director at NPD Group, a market research company.

You may no longer be tethered to a two-

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NEW VOTING SYSTEM DEMONSTRATIONS

The Howard County Board of Elections is scheduling presentations of the new voting system that all Maryland voters will be using in the 2016 presidential election cycle, including demonstrations at libraries, community and 50+ centers. To learn the places, dates and times scheduled for the remainder of this year, call (410) 313-5820 or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/boe. Additional places and times will begin in January and may be accessed through the same phone number and website.

year contract, but you’ll pay the retail price for your new smartphone — either up front or in monthly installments.

T-Mobile led the charge in the spring of 2013, when it discontinued two-year contracts. The other three major U.S. carriers — AT&T, Sprint and Verizon — responded with similar, voluntary programs.

But in August, Sprint announced that it was eliminating long-term contracts, and Verizon said it would eliminate long-term contracts for all new customers. AT&T recently stopped offering contracts for sales made at third-party stores.

(most no-contract plans include unlimited calling and texting).

You’ll be able to upgrade immediately or end service with your current carrier by paying off the remaining balance on the phone.

If you forgo another upgrade, you can continue using your current phone and start seeing the benefits of the lower cost of service.

The savings should be about $15 to $25 a month, said Logan Abbott, president of Wirefly.com, a Web site that compares phone plans. So if you continue using a paid-off phone for even one more year, you’ll save $180 to $300.

How the new plans work

How much you’ll pay

Will the imminent death of the two-year contract and subsidies cost you more or save you money in the long run? That will largely depend on how often you upgrade your device and how much data you use

Let’s say you’re ready to upgrade to an iPhone 6. With both Sprint’s and Verizon’s new plans, you’ll pay $27 a month for two years for the 16-gigabyte model, which retails for $650. Sprint charges $20 a month for 1GB of data (and as much as $100 for 10GB), plus a $15 to $25 monthly fee per smartphone to access the service.

Verizon’s data plans start at $30 a month for 1GB of data (and run as high as $80 for 12GB), plus a $20-per-month line access fee. That’s a price break compared with the older contract option: roughly $200 for the phone up front, plus $90 a month, including $50 for service (calls, texts and data) and typically a $25 or $40 access fee.

Whether or not your contract has expired, talk to your mobile carrier about your options. For example, if you are an existing Verizon customer whose contract is up, you may either opt for a no-contract plan, or renew your two-year contract and upgrade your device with a subsidy. (If you switch to a no-contract plan before your contract is up, you’ll pay an extra $20 a month per line until the contract would have expired.)

Bottom line: It’s a good time to re-shop your service, said Akyuz. “Some plans are really appealing,” he said. “And you gain the freedom to go with another carrier if you see a better deal in a year or so.” © 2015 the Kiplinger Washington Editors All contents copyright 2015, The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health Fitness &

7

HELP FOR CAREGIVERS Several websites can help coordinate assistance from friends and family KEEPING CANCER AT BAY What you need to know about antioxidants and phytochemicals SNORE NO MORE Anti-snoring devices, as well as surgery, can help make nights quieter FIGHTING INFLAMMATION A study is recruiting patients with both Type 2 diabetes and heart disease

Type 2 diabetes pill significantly cuts risks

By Linda A. Johnson The Type 2 diabetes pill Jardiance, launched last August, sharply reduces chances of dying in diabetic patients at high risk of heart complications, a study shows, making the medication the first shown to lengthen diabetics’ lives.

The study found Jardiance reduced deaths from heart complications by 38 percent, deaths from any cause by 32 percent, and hospitalizations due to chronic heart failure by 35 percent.

Heart complications prematurely kill many of the estimated 387 million diabetics worldwide, so doctors in recent years have moved from trying to reduce patients’ blood sugar to trying to prevent cardiovascular complications.

The results were particularly striking because nearly four-fifths of the participants were already taking standard medicines to control blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, plus taking either Jardiance or a dummy pill.

Lilly and German partner Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. funded the study, which included 7,020 patients in 42 countries who were followed for about

three years, on average.

In September, the drugmakers announced their study showed cardiovascular deaths were lower in participants taking Jardiance than those given a dummy pill, in addition to standard heart and diabetes drugs. Detailed results were released simultaneously at a European medical conference and in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“Patients who took this drug had basically a 1-in-3 chance of avoiding death,” said Dr. Silvio Inzucchi, director of the Yale Diabetes Center and a professor at Yale School of Medicine. He was part of the committee overseeing the study.

Pricey, but cost-effective Given the savings from averting costly hospitalizations, Jardiance should appeal to insurers as well as doctors and patients, even with a wholesale price of $343 per month — among the most expensive for diabetes medicines.

Heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular damage kill about half of Type 2 diabetes patients, as excess sugar in their blood steadily damages the heart and

blood vessels, along with other organs.

For those at high risk of heart complications — people who’ve already had a heart attack or stroke, have blocked arteries or suffer chronic heart pain — diabetes and heart disease together on average shorten life expectancy by 12 years after age 60, according to a five-decade British study that included about 690,000 people.

The Jardiance study, called EMPA-REG, found the drug reduced by 14 percent the combined number of nonfatal heart attacks, nonfatal strokes and deaths due to heart complications in study participants.

Those outcomes are typically analyzed as a group in studies involving heart risks.

“It’s a quite impressive study,” given the results and number of patients and countries included, said Dr. Yogish Kudva, a Mayo Clinic diabetes specialist not involved in the research.

Kudva noted one riddle: While many deaths and hospitalizations were prevented, the number of nonfatal heart attacks and strokes didn’t decrease significantly.

Inzucchi said researchers are still analyzing study data and may uncover an explanation, but additional research on Jar-

diance and similar drugs may be needed.

How the drugs work Drugs in the class, called SGLT2 inhibitors, help the kidneys excrete more sugar from the blood through urine. Others include Johnson & Johnson’s Invokana and AstraZeneca PLC’s Farxiga. Merck & Co. is testing another one.

Jardiance brought its manufacturer Lilly just $30 million in sales from January through June; privately held Boehringer Ingelheim hasn’t disclosed its revenue.

Sanford Bernstein analyst Dr. Tim Anderson wrote to investors that the study should help all the SGLT2 drugs slightly reduce sales of other classes of Type 2 diabetes drugs over time, though patients usually take multiple types at once. He tripled his forecast for 2020 sales of Jardiance to $2.7 billion.

SGLT2 drugs shouldn’t be taken by patients with kidney damage. Side effects include dehydration, low blood sugar, urinary tract infections, a life-threatening condition called ketoacidosis, bone fractures and, most commonly, yeast infections.

— AP

Midlife obesity may mean earlier Alzheimer’s

By Lauran Neergaard One more reason to watch the waistline: New research says people’s weight in middle age may influence not just whether they go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease, but when.

Obesity in midlife has long been suspected of increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look and reported that being overweight or obese at age 50 may affect the age, years later, when Alzheimer’s strikes. Among those who eventually got sick, more midlife pounds meant an earlier onset of disease.

It will take larger studies to prove if the flip side is true — that keeping trim during middle age might stall later-in-life Alzheimer’s.

But it probably won’t hurt.

“Maintaining a healthy BMI at midlife is likely to have long-lasting protective effects,” said Dr. Madhav Thambisetty of NIH’s National Institute on Aging, who led the study reported in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

About 5 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s, a number expected to more than double by 2050, barring a medical breakthrough, as the population ages.

Alzheimer’s starts quietly ravaging the brain more than a decade before symptoms appear.

With a cure so far elusive, researchers are hunting ways to at least delay the disease, and lifestyle changes are among the possible options.

checked the records of nearly 1,400 participants who had undergone regular cognitive testing every year or two for about 14 years; 142 of them developed Alzheimer’s.

The researchers checked how much those Alzheimer’s patients weighed when they were 50 and still cognitively healthy. They tracked BMI, or body mass index, a measure of the ratio of weight to height.

Every step up on the BMI chart predicted that when Alzheimer’s eventually struck, it would be 6 1/2 months sooner.

In other words, among this group of Alzheimer’s patients, someone who had been obese — a BMI of 30 — during middle age, on average had their dementia

“Every step up on the

BMI chart predicted that when Alzheimer’s eventually struck, it would be 6 ½ months sooner.”

More weight, earlier dementia To explore obesity’s effects, Thambisetty’s team turned to the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, one of the longestrunning projects to track what happens to healthy people as they get older. They

strike about a year earlier than someone whose midlife BMI was 28, in the overweight range, Thambisetty explained.

The threshold for being overweight is a BMI of 25.

The Alzheimer’s study didn’t track whether the patients’ BMI fluctuated before or after age 50. There’s no way to know if losing pounds after that age made a difference in dementia risk, although a healthy weight is recommended for many other reasons.

Brain changes also found Some of the Baltimore Longitudinal study participants underwent brain scans during life, and autopsies at death. Those tests found people with higher midlife BMIs also had more of the brain-clogging hallmarks of Alzheimer’s years later, even if they didn’t develop dementia.

The study adds to previous research See OBESITY, page 8

8

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Caregivers get by with help from friends

By Meghan Streit When you’re caring for a sick spouse or parent, it can be difficult to find time to enjoy hobbies, exercise, or even schedule routine appointments such as dental checkups. As a result, caregivers sometimes suffer from depression, increased anxiety and deteriorating health.

Diane Everett figured out a way to free up her time and reduce her stress. Her husband, Tom, was diagnosed in 2007 with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. A few years ago, Everett, 61, started using the website Lotsa Helping Hands (www.lotsahelpinghands.com) to streamline her communication with family and friends, and to

tap into her social network for help.

Caregivers use Lotsa Helping Hands to create personalized websites where they can post updates about a loved one’s medical condition, and request assistance with tasks such as driving to medical appointments or mowing the lawn. Friends must be specifically invited to access the website by the caregiver, to ensure users’ privacy.

When Everett posts a request for help, all of the members of her Lotsa Helping Hands community receive an e-mail alert.

“Sometimes I will say, ‘I need a couple of meals this week, and Tom doesn’t eat onions, and he’s having trouble chewing red meat,’” Everett said.

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BE A BETTER GRANDPARENT Join other grandparents to discuss ways to support your adult

child as a parent, and learn new skills for yourself as a grandparent, in a free program on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at the Ellicott City 50+ Center, 9411 Frederick Rd. Topics will include ways to safeguard your home for infants and toddlers, and ways to balance your tried and true skills with current best practices. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required: online at www.howardcountymd.gov/familyinstitute or by phone at (410) 313-1440.

If Everett’s family and friends can help with a specific task, they simply click a link to sign up. That lets the other community members know the request is fulfilled.

“Now, I don’t have to make a million phone calls or leave messages,” Everett said. “It’s the most amazing time saver.”

Make coordination easy Lotsa Helping Hands is one of several sites that help caregivers coordinate care.

Brooks Kenny, the site’s executive vicepresident, said 76,000 “caring communities” of family and friends lend help to caregivers. One reason the site is catching on, Kenny said, is that it enables caregivers to turn vague offers of help into practical, tangible assistance. When a well-meaning friend offers to help, most caregivers are reluctant to follow up. But a caregiver who uses Lotsa Helping Hands can refer friends and relatives to her website.

Kenny said the most common requests are for meal drop-off and transportation.

Caregivers might ask for someone to walk the dog or shovel snow. Or the caregiver could ask for people to take turns visiting with the person who is ill so that the caregiver can attend her book club or hit the gym.

“The caregivers we work with say, ‘I had no idea so many people cared,’ or ‘I had no idea it wouldn’t feel funny to have someone drop off a meal,’” Kenny said.

Obesity From page 7 linking midlife obesity to a risk of Alzheimer’s, but it’s the first to also find those brain changes, a clue important to examine further, said Heather Snyder of

More sites that can help CareFlash (www.careflash.com) is similar to Lotsa Helping Hands. Founder Jay Drayer created the site in 2006 after his own caregiving experience.

In addition to a calendar function where caregivers can ask for help, CareFlash includes a “social storytelling” module where family, friends and the ill person can upload photos and record audio stories.

Drayer said that it can be comforting for the sick person to listen to the stories, and the family can keep the module when the person dies. It’s also a way to preserve family history.

CaringBridge (www.caringbridge.org) is another popular site for caregivers. It was launched in 1997 primarily as a tool for people to update friends and family about a loved one’s illness or recovery. In 2012, CaringBridge added SupportPlanner, where caregivers can request assistance with chores.

Many caregivers use CaringBridge to post medical updates and read well wishes from friends and family members, said Sona Mehring, the website’s founder and chief executive officer.

“It’s a great communication tool to let people know what’s going on. Friends can leave messages to show their support as well as sign up for tasks. Being able to connect is very therapeutic for caregivers.” © 2015, Kiplinger. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

the Alzheimer’s Association, who wasn’t involved in the work.

Meanwhile, the Alzheimer’s group has long recommended a healthy weight: “What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” Snyder noted.

— AP

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The role of antioxidants, phytochemicals Q: What’s the difference between an rectly not only in the laboratory, but within antioxidant and a phytochemical? the human body, too.

A: Antioxidants are subPhytochemicals and the stances that prevent damage compounds that form from to cells from highly reactive, them seem to act in a variety unstable molecules called of ways to protect health. “free radicals.” A balance beSome can increase cancer tween antioxidants and free cells’ tendency to self-deradicals in our body is imporstruct; others may stop cartant for health. If not kept in cinogens before they have a check, free radicals lead to chance to begin the process cell damage linked to a variety of cancer development. They of chronic diseases. may also block the developPhytochemicals are natural- NUTRITION ment of new blood vessels tuly occurring compounds in WISE mors need. Some fight inflamplant foods such as fruits, veg- By Karen Collins, mation. etables, whole grains, beans, MS, RD, CDM Many phytochemicals also nuts and seeds. In laboratory seem to support our body’s studies, many phytochemicals act as an- ability to balance antioxidants and free raditioxidants, neutralizing free radicals and cals. The human antioxidant defense sysremoving their power to create damage. tem includes a complex network of enzymes However, lab test results don’t accurate- and other compounds working with one anly depict effects in the body. In fact, many other and with antioxidant nutrients supof the phytochemicals that show high an- plied by food. tioxidant scores in lab tests can’t even be The important take-home message from absorbed from the gut. On the other hand, today’s research is that we need a wide vahealthful bacteria in the colon may break riety of plant foods in our diet to get the full down many of them, forming other com- spectrum of phytochemicals available to pounds that can be absorbed. protect our health. Loading up on any one Some phytochemical nutrients — in- phytochemical or antioxidant just isn’t the cluding vitamins C and E and the mineral same. selenium — seem to block free radicals diQ: How often should I weigh myself?

A: How often is likely different for each person, but overall research suggests that regular weighing can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. A recent analyses of studies concluded that checking your weight somewhere between daily and weekly helps prevent weight gain and supports weight loss.

Regular weighing can act both as a reminder to continue behavior changes you make, and as a way of catching and reversing small weight gains before they become big ones.

In one study of people trying to lose weight, those who checked their weight daily lost more weight and changed more eating and exercise habits even compared to people who checked several times a week.

However, in studies like this, it’s not clear whether checking weight more often led to more behavior change and weight loss, or whether the people more prepared to change behavior were the ones more consistent in weighing themselves.

But it does no good to weigh yourself more than once a day; all you see are shifts in water balance. For some, this behavior can be a sign of developing an unhealthy obsession with weight.

Many factors influence whether weight checks help you. Don’t use weight checks as fuel for self-criticism, but as feedback on the effects of recent eating and activity choices.

In other words, it’s not just getting a number that is helpful, but what you learn as you take a few minutes to think about why your weight did or did not change.

Then make plans accordingly for behavior choices you want to make over the next few days.

Consider how weight checks have worked for you in the past, and perhaps discuss frequency of weighing with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to decide what will work best for you at this particular time in your life.

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

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

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Dec. 12

LAUREL HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR The Laurel Historical Society is sponsoring a holiday tour of reno-

vated and restored period homes and buildings in Laurel’s Historic District on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 2 to 6 p.m. Tickets in advance are available for $15 at www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org, at a number of Laurel businesses, and at the Laurel Museum, 817 Main St., in Laurel. Day-of tickets are $25 and available only at the museum from 3 to 4 p.m. For more information, email info@laurelhistoricalsociety.org or call (301) 725-7975.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

11

Snoring causes and solutions are many If your spouse or sleep partner often seems bleary-eyed and resentful in the morning, you may be one of the millions of adults who snore habitually — a condition that affects twice as many men as women.

Snoring occurs when your upper airways narrow too much, causing turbulent airflow. This, in turn, makes the surrounding tissues vibrate, producing noise.

“Snoring is a sign that there is a really narrowed space,” said Dr. Sanjay Patel, a sleep disorder specialist at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “That happens either in your nasal passages or in the back of your throat.”

Some men are snorers because they have excess throat and nasal tissue. Others have floppy tissue that’s more likely to vibrate. The tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing.

Once the source of the snoring is identified, you can take appropriate steps to dampen the nightly din. These include not drinking alcohol at night, changing sleep position, avoiding snore-inducing medications, and addressing causes of nasal congestion.

How to alleviate snoring Here are some factors that contribute to snoring and what you can do to alleviate them.

Alcohol. Alcohol, a muscle relaxant, can slacken the tissues of your throat while you sleep. “We see this all the time,” Patel said. “Spouses say the snoring is tolerable except for the nights when their

partner has had a couple of beers.”

Body weight. Extra fat tissue in the neck and throat can narrow the airways. Losing some weight could help to open the airways if the person is overweight or obese, although many people who are lean also snore.

Medications. Medications that relax muscles can make snoring worse. For example, tranquilizers such as lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium) can have this effect.

In contrast, antihistamines may actually alleviate snoring by reducing nasal congestion.

Nasal congestion. Mucus constricts the nasal airways. Before bed, rinse stuffy sinuses with saline. If you have allergies, reduce dust mites and pet dander in your bedroom, or use an allergy medication. If swollen nasal tissues are the problem, a humidifier or medication may reduce swelling.

Sleep position. When you lie on your back, slack tissues in the upper airways may droop and constrict breathing. Sleeping on your side may alleviate this. You can also try raising your torso with an extra pillow or by propping up the head of the bed a few inches.

Smoking. Men who snore are often advised not to smoke, but the evidence this will help is weak. Needless to say, there are already plenty of other good reasons to quit smoking.

jaw (along with the tongue) slightly forward to open the upper airway. An appliance made by a dentist can cost around $1,000. Do-ityourself kits cost much less, but may not be as well tailored to your mouth.

Nasal-dilating strips are inexpensive and harmless, and some small studies suggest they may help reduce snoring. You apply these adhesive strips across your nose at bedtime to help to open up the nasal passages. Breathe Right is one well-known brand, but there are many others available at relatively low cost.

If you are unsure what to do about snoring, a physician can advise you and also make sure your snoring is not related to an underlying sleep disturbance, common in men, called obstructive sleep apnea.

“The louder the snoring, the more likely it is to be related to sleep apnea,” Patel said.

“Not all men who snore have sleep apnea, but if their snoring is frequent, loud or bothersome, they should at least be evaluated.”

Outpatient surgical options Try the more conservative steps described above before considering one of these outpatient surgical procedures to alleviate snoring: LAUP. In laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, the physician uses a carbon dioxide laser to shorten the uvula (the hanging dongle of soft tissue in the back of the throat), and also to make small cuts in the soft palate on See SNORING, page 12

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

People can change, or sometimes not Dear Solutions: should I warn the other card players?

A woman who I knew many, many I don’t want to be mean to her or unyears ago has just moved fair to the other women, so I into my community. I was don’t know whether to say never very friendly with her, anything or not. The trouble but some of my friends at is, I have a very good memthat time played cards, and ory. What do you think? some played mahjong with — Emma her. Unfortunately, she was Dear Emma: found to be cheating in both Actually, Emma, a very games, and no one would good memory is one that can play with her anymore. remember what to remember Now I understand that she and knows what to forget!

SOLUTIONS is about to join an ongoing I understand your dilemma.

By Helen Oxenberg, card game in our neighborHowever, has anyone asked you MSW, ACSW hood, and I’m in a quandary. anything about this woman I know it was many years ago, since it was “many, many” years but do people ever really change, and ago? You don’t know what she may have

ALL COMMUNITIES ARE SMOKE--FREE

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New

LIF E S T Y LE BE G I N S HERE

learned, or how she may have changed over the years.

The women in the game she is about to enter are surely smart enough and mature enough to recognize any wrongdoing and make their own decisions about how to react.

So, Emma, remember that you’re a compassionate person — or you wouldn’t feel this as a dilemma — and remember to feel good about yourself.

Dear Solutions: How do I tell the truth without hurting someone’s feelings, or alternatively, how do I lie without feeling guilty?

Our friends have a very nice vacation house with plenty of room. They keep inviting us to come and spend some time there, but up until now my husband wouldn’t go, and I kept making excuses.

My husband doesn’t really like her husband, and he hates to sleep in anyone else’s house, but she’s a very old and dear friend of mine.

Now my husband says he’ll go to please me, but he won’t sleep there, and he doesn’t care if I blame it all on him. I don’t know what to say to them.

— Gail Dear Gail: Since he’s willing to please you, do as he says — blame it all on him. Tell them he’s hung up about where he lies down. He feels uncomfortable in someone else’s house and needs privacy.

Get a motel room in the area, and spend daytime with them and nighttime in the private room with that person you blamed it all on.

You don’t have to mention that he does-

n’t like her husband. It will probably show even if you don’t tell, so in the future you may not have to lie at all.

On the other hand, you could go visit by yourself while your husband stays in his own bed — happily, I would guess.

Dear Solutions: I’m a strict vegetarian and a good cook. I’ve just been invited to a nice dinner party that I want to attend. The hostess is preparing a big feast. Since these people are not vegetarians, I know they’ll be serving meat and poultry, etc.

I have a wonderful vegetarian dish I make, and I’m wondering if I can bring it to the dinner. If so, should I bring enough to let others taste it also?

How should I handle this?

— Jack Dear Jack: No. Don’t be a pusher, and don’t rain your vegetables on her parade. Call the hostess and explain your situation. Ask for her permission to bring one main dish for yourself. Be firm in insisting that she should not make anything special for you.

If anyone at the table questions you, explain quietly that you’re a vegetarian and leave it at that. Don’t proselytize and don’t get into a discussion about vegetables vs. meat, etc. Just be a good egg — uh, I mean eggplant! © Helen Oxenberg, 2015. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Snoring

Somnoplasty. Also known as radiofrequency tissue volume reduction, somnoplasty uses radio waves to heat and shrink soft tissue that vibrates during snoring. It takes a few minutes to perform and doesn’t cause bleeding, but it may have to be repeated to achieve results.

— Harvard Men’s Health Watch © 2015. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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From page 11 either side of the uvula. As these nicks heal, the surrounding tissue stiffens.

Palatal implants. Also known as the Pillar procedure, this treatment involves implanting up to three matchstick-sized plastic stiffening rods into the soft palate.

The rods help prevent collapse of the soft palate that can trigger snoring.

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • LASIK - Laser Vision Correction • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

Full In-House Optical Department Outpatient No-Stitch Cataract Surgery • Laser Surgery MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED LENARD H. HAMMER, M.D., F.A.C.S. GORDON LUI, M.D. SCOTT B. BECKER, M.D. MEDICARE EYE EXAMS

BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D. VANESSA LIMA, M.D.

410-997-9900

8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Studies Page

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Can reducing inflammation save lives?

By Carol Sorgen The condition known as atherothrombosis is defined by the National Library of Medicine as a complex disease in which cholesterol deposits and the formation of blood clots play a significant part. When those deposits or blood clots rupture or break away from artery walls, serious and fatal complications can occur, including heart attack and sudden cardiac death.

It is known that inflammation contributes to atherothrombosis, but not yet proven whether the prevention or reduction of inflammation itself will reduce the number of cardiovascular events in those with the condition.

Hence, a study is underway — the Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial (CIRT) — to investigate whether taking a

low dose of the drug methotrexate will reduce rates of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death among patients with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome who have already had a heart attack or multiple coronary blockages. Both conditions are associated with an enhanced proinflammatory response.

Methotrexate is currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, as well as several kinds of cancer, including cancer of the blood, bone, lung, breast, head or neck.

Investigators hope that if the study is successful and methotrexate is shown both to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cardiac events and death, new directions for cardiovascular treatment can be developed.

Seeking Men and Women The University of Maryland & Veterans Affairs of Baltimore are conducting a research study to better understand balance & prevent falls as we age.

With your participation you will receive: • Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises • Compensation for your time

For Information, please call the Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Phone Line

410-605-7179 Mention code: LIFT *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 for approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours of time per visit

The trial is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the National Institutes of Health, and is being undertaken at more than 400 sites nationwide, including several in the Baltimore area.

Taking part in the study Participants in the trial must be older than 18, have a documented past history of a heart attack or evidence of multi-vessel coronary artery disease diagnosed by angiography, as well as a history of type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome at the time of study enrollment.

Patients cannot take part if they have a history of certain diseases — including tuberculosis, chronic hepatitis B or C, bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis, chronic liver disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

Participants will be randomly assigned

to their usual care plus a once-a-week methotrexate (in a dose within the range of that commonly used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis), or their usual care plus a once-a-week placebo (a similar-looking pill but with inactive ingredients).

All study participants will additionally receive 1 mg. of folic acid (a form of B vitamin) to be taken daily six days per week.

Patients will continue in the study for three to four years, depending on their cardiovascular health.

Locally, the Sinai Center for Thrombosis Research at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, IRC Clinics in Towson, and Woodholme Cardiovascular Associates in Pikesville are participating in the study. Compensation for time and travel is offered, and varies by study location.

For more information, call (855) 4379330 and refer to ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01594333.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 2

HELP FOR THE HOLIDAY BLUES

Health professionals will present a program on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. The presenters will facilitate designing a coping plan for you or your loved ones to get through the holiday season. Free, but advance registration is advised. To register, visit hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

Dec. 10

MEDICARE 101 PROGRAM

Representatives with the State Health Insurance Assistance Program will explain prescription drug coverage in Parts A, B and D of the original Medicare in a free program on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. Free, but advance registration is advised. To register, visit hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

Dec. 18

MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PROGRAMS EXPLAINED

A free program exploring Medicare Part C and supplement programs will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. Presented by the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, the program is free, but advance registration is recommended by calling (410) 740-7601 or registering online at hcgh.org.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

The

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Senior

15

NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on Aging

Connection

Department of Citizen Services

Share the Spirit of Giving this Holiday Season

T

he spirit of giving is alive and well in Howard County this holiday season! Over the years, the Office on Aging and those we serve throughout the community have been grateful recipients of this support, in ways large and small. With our ever-increasing older adult population, the needs are greater than ever. So if you and your family, business or community group are looking for ways to give back this year, we have some great suggestions for you!

PROJECT HOLIDAY needs your help to make the holidays brighter for many older adults in Howard County who don’t have families in the area. The “Wish List” items for men and women include: socks, body wash, gloves/scarves, sweaters, nightgowns/pajamas, puzzle books, stamps or stationery. Our staff and volunteers will wrap and personally deliver these items to residents in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and others in the community, just in time for the holidays.

Drop off your donations by Friday, December 4 at any Howard County 50+ Center or the Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia. Monetary donations or gift cards are also welcomed to help us purchase additional items we may not receive through donations.

For more information, contact Nicole Baptiste-Patterson at 410-313-6423 (voice/relay) or npatterson@howardcountymd.gov.

To make a difference year-round, consider making a donation to the VIVIAN L. REID COMMUNITY FUND. This emergency assistance fund was started by Vivian Reid, the Office on Aging’s first administrator, as a way for the community to show their support for Howard County’s older adults and adults with disabilities who need a little extra help.

The Fund helps pay for essential needs not covered by Medicare or Medical Assistance, like personal care items, dentures and eyeglasses, as well as eviction and utility turnoff prevention.

Imagine having to choose between buying the medications you need or paying your rent to keep a roof over your head. In 2014, 371 individuals received assistance from the Vivian Reid Fund for a total of $44,560.

During the first four months of this year, 184 individuals received help through the fund for a total of $21,900, an increase of 35 percent over 2014. Every donation, large or small, helps the Office on Aging to meet these increasing needs. Tax-deductible contributions, made payable to the Director of Finance, may be mailed to The Vivian Reid Fund, c/o The Howard County Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046.

Of course, not everyone can afford to purchase gifts or donate money.

But most have something just as valuable to offer – their time and talents.

The Office on Aging has always recognized the extraordinary value our VOLUNTEERS offer; without their support, our ability to host large community events like the 50+EXPO and WomenFest, or offer assistance through SHIP, or sponsor popular programs like Paws4Comfort and Cycle2Health, would be seriously limited. The best part is, our volunteers say they get as much back in satisfaction and enjoyment as they give!

Volume 5, No. 12 • December 2015

A Message from

Starr P. Sowers Administrator, Office on Aging It is hard to believe the holiday season is already upon us! While you are shopping for holiday gifts for your family and friends, please consider adding a few extra items to your list for Project Holiday.

Each year, Project Holiday helps to make the holidays brighter for older adults in Howard County who don’t have families in the area. Our staff and volunteers wrap and personally deliver these items to residents in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and others in our community, just in time for the holidays. The article at left, Share the Spirit of Giving, provides more information on Project Holiday and other ways to show your support for those less fortunate in Howard County this holiday season and beyond.

As 2015 comes to a close and we look forward to the new year, I want to encourage you to take some time to read the “Creating An Age-Friendly Community” report, Howard County’s 20-year plan to identify programs, facilities and services to meet the needs of our increasing older adult population over the next two decades. The master plan report (which can be viewed and downloaded online at www.howardcountymd.gov/agingmasterplan) is the culmination of a year-long effort that engaged more than 1,600 community members from the public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as the faith community. But the discussion is far from over; in fact, it’s just beginning!

In 2016, we plan to meet with community members — from small groups like book clubs to larger organizations like Rotary Clubs — to talk about key elements of the report, and gain valuable feedback. The Office on Aging would like to hear from you as well. Contact us at 410-313-6410 or email aging@howardcountymd.gov, or call Maryland Access Point (MAP) at 410-313-5980 (voice/relay).

Happy Holidays!

If you are interested in volunteering, please take a moment to register on HOWARD COUNTY’S NEW VOLUNTEER WEBSITE, www.hocovolunteer.org. The website lists all current volunteer opportunities within the Office on Aging, as well as others throughout the County. For more information on the variety of volunteer positions available within the Howard County Office on Aging, contact Darlene Vaselaros via email at dvaselaros@howardcountymd.gov or 410-313-5951 (voice/relay).

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The Senior Connection

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

COGS Celebrates Success with 2015 Annual Fundraiser to Benefit Vivian Reid Community Fund

The Coalition of Geriatric Services (COGS) Casino Night was a resounding success again this year, raising $10,000 for the Office on Aging’s Vivian L. Reid Community Fund. Pictured above, the current COGS Board members at the 2015 Casino Night, which was held September 11 at The Great Room at Historic Savage Mill. Thank you to everyone who helped make the evening possible, including COGS members, sponsors, attendees and volunteers.

When Holiday Shopping, Be Sure to Check All Refund and Warranty Policies First!

It’s always smart to comparison shop before making a purchase.

However, in addition to comparing prices, be sure to compare the refund policies and warranties offered before making your purchase. Howard County’s Office of Consumer Affairs suggests keeping the following tips in mind while shopping for the holidays.

Refunds ■ The Maryland Refund Rule states that merchants may establish their own refund policy, but must disclose that policy to consumers in writing.

■ Refund policies may offer full or partial refunds, store credit, or state that no refunds are available.

■ Refund policies can be disclosed on a sign posted the store, on the product or on the sales form.

■ If no refund policy is disclosed, the store must provide refunds on returned goods. If you don’t see it posted, ask about their policy before making your purchase. Signs must be clearly visible but can easily be overlooked while you are shopping.

■ Remember to look for the seller’s return policy when shopping online. Who pays the shipping cost if you return a purchase?

Warranties ■ If the goods you buy are defective, the seller must repair or replace the goods or refund the purchase price. In Maryland, all goods come with an “implied warranty” that they are in working condition and will be fit for their intended purpose, for a reasonable amount of time.

■ Goods may also come with an “express warranty” that covers some or all of the parts and/or labor for a set period of time. Make sure you understand the terms of the warranty and determine whether it is offered by the merchant or manufacturer. Check to see if other stores offer a better warranty for the same goods.

■ If the merchant offers to sell you an “extended warranty,” get details on what the coverage includes and think about how likely it is that the item will break during the coverage period.

Such warranties are often not worth the price, and only serve as moneymakers for the merchant.

For more information, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420 (voice/relay) or www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer.

The Senior Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Department of Citizen Services and the Office on Aging.

This publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

To join our subscriber list, email seniorconnection@howardcountymd.gov Howard County Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountyaging.org Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCitizen

Kim Higdon Henry, Senior Connection Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Howard County Office on Aging or by the publisher.

The Senior Connection

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Help usCelebrate the Spirit of the Holidays!

Paws4Comfort will be hosting its annual Lorien Holiday Party and is in need of donations for its residents.

We are asking for donations of adult-sized socks, small stuffed or bean-filled animal toys, books, crossword or word-search puzzle books, trinkets, perfume, scarves, and small lap blankets. Gifts may be dropped of at Bain 50+ Center in the “LORIEN” box no later than December 15. Thank you!

Last 2015 Evaluation Date: Wednesday, December 2 PET EVALUATIONS First Wednesday of Each Month Bain 50+ Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way Columbia 21044

Ingrid Gleysteen, PROGRAM COORDINATOR 410-313-7461 • igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountyaging.org

How to Be a GREAT Grandparent!

Parenting has changed in so many ways since today’s grandparents were just parents, so don’t miss this program!

Wednesday, December 9 • 6:30 - 8:00 pm Ellicott City 50+ Center, 9411 Frederick Road, Ellicott City 21042 FREE, but space is limited and pre-registration is required!

■ ■ ■ ■

Research-based practices to balance with your own tried & true skills Great resources to support your children in their new role as parents Ways to safeguard your home for infants & toddlers Your role as a grandparent vs. a parent

REGISTER AT: OR PHONE:

www.howardcountymd.gov/familyinstitute 410-313-1440 (VOICE/RELAY)

Holiday Luncheon Choose Your Entreé of Salmon, Turkey or Pasta

ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ƐĂůĂĚ͕ ĐŚĞĨ͛Ɛ ǀĞŐĞƚĂďůĞ͕ ƌŽůůƐͬďƵƩĞƌ͕ ĚĞƐƐĞƌƚ͕ ĐŽīĞĞͬƚĞĂ ĂŶĚ ŐƌĂƚƵŝƚLJ

23/person ;ůŝŵŝƚĞĚ ƉĂƌƟĂů ƐĐŚŽůĂƌƐŚŝƉƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞͿ

$

Register by November 20

Thursday, December 3 • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Turf Valley 2700 Turf Valley Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042 For registration and Information, contact Karen Hull 410-313-7466 (VOICE/RELAY) • khull@howardcountymd.gov

2015

Holiday

PROJECT

We are collecting donation for low-income seniors who reside in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in the community.

Our WISH LIST includes items for adult men and women, such as blankets/throws, stamps/stationery, puzzle books, scarves, pajamas, toiletries, etc. Monetary donations are also accepted.

Please drop off your donations by December 4 at any Howard County 50+ Center or the Howard County Office on Aging 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Nicole Baptiste-Patterson 410-313-6423 (VOICE/RELAY) or via email to npatterson@howardcountymd.gov

Medicare Open Enrollment Events October 15 through December 7, 2015

By Appointment Only. Call 410-313-7392.

Bain 50+ Center Thursday, December 3 • 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 5 • 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Ellicott City 50+ Center Friday, December 4 • 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

North Laurel 50+ Center Tuesday, December 1 • 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS. Contact us for help.

410-313-7392 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountyaging.org/SHIP

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The Senior Connection

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

December 2015 Calendar of Events Don’t miss the exciting programs and services at one of the dynamic Howard County Office on Aging 50+ Centers near you!

Bain 50+ Center Friday, December 4 • 1:00 p.m. — BAIN HOLIDAY CONCERT: ENJOYING THE ARTS Enjoy a holiday concert by Dorothye Craft, a classically-trained musician, and Atholton High School’s Classical Musicians. FREE; refreshments provided. Details: 410-313-7213.

Tuesday, December 8 • 10:00 a.m. to noon — EAT, DRINK & KARAOKE MOCKTAIL PARTY Pro-Karaoke DJ will help you unleash your inner rock star! Join us for singing, dancing and just plain fun! FREE, but you must RSVP to attend. Register: 410-313-7213.

Tuesday, December 15 • 11:00 a.m. — HOLIDAY PARTY Join us for the Bain Center’s Gospel Choir & The Violin Cello Duet of Hanukah Music in celebration of this festive season with friends, food and fun. FREE; sign up by December 8 to enjoy a special meal (lunch donation requested). Call: 410-313-7213.

East Columbia 50+ Center Tuesdays in December • 10:00 a.m. — COME COLOR WITH US

Ellicott City 50+ Center Wednesday, December 2 • 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — HOLIDAY CRAFT BOUTIQUE Shop our holiday craft boutique for special one of a kind gifts for your loved ones and friends. Come by to eat, drink and shop; proceeds benefit the Ellicott City 50+ Council. $1 admission; details: 410-313-1400.

Sunday, December 6 • 2:00 p.m. — SHOW TIME SINGERS CONCERT The Show Time Singers present a cappella and accompanied musical selections of Broadway tunes and popular standards. FREE; supported by grants from the Howard County Arts Council and Howard County Government. Pick up tickets at the front desk.

Tuesday, December 8 • 10:30 a.m. — HANUKKAH PROGRAM Felicia Stein will present the symbolism, traditions and fun of Hanukkah; learn about the stories of the Maccabees and the lighting of the Menorah.

FREE. Register: 410-313-1400.

Glenwood 50+ Center

Color between the lines or don’t. Just join us for this relaxing hour of expert level coloring, tea and talk. FREE. Register: 410-313-7680.

Wednesday, December 9 • 11 a.m. — LYRIC OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS: HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Tuesday, December 8 and 22 • 3:30 p.m. — iPad TUTORIALS

Join a Lyric Opera House singer and pianist as they present holiday favorites. The cheerful and bright tradition includes a sing along. FREE. Information: 410-313-5440.

Get connected through technology! The Columbia Association’s Youth and Teen Center students will show you how to use your iPads, phones or any electronic device you have. FREE. Register: 410-313-7680.

Monday, December 21 • 7 to 8:30 p.m. — CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Sponsored by SeniorsTogether, this facilitated group meets the third Monday of every month to focus on four caregiver concerns: practical resources; social networking; emotional support; and leisure time. FREE. Register: 410-313-7466.

Elkridge 50+ Center Wednesday, December 9 • 10:00 a.m. to noon — TEA AND COOKIE SWAP Join us for a good old-fashioned Social Tea and Holiday Cookie Exchange. FREE; refreshments served. Reservations: 410-313-4930.

Monday, December 14 • 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. — GIFT EXCHANGE HOLIDAY BINGO Join our friends from Howard County Recreation and Parks for a gift exchange Bingo. Bring a new, unwrapped gift worth $5 or more.

Call 410-313-4930 for reservations by December 11.

Friday, December 18 • 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — HOLIDAY LUNCH AND GIFT EXCHANGE Enjoy a catered lunch and join in our holiday gift exchange (you never know what you will go home with) but we always have a wonderful meal and plenty of fun! For details and reservations: 410-313-4930.

Monday, December 14 • 1 p.m. — GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN Join Glenwood 50+ Center staff as they showcase their favorite holiday gifts from the kitchen. Learn to make easy, festive holiday treats and how to package them beautifully. $7/person; register: 410-313-5440.

Friday, December 11 • 10:30 a.m. — HOLIDAY SWAGS Relax to the sounds of the season, enjoy spiced cider and create a beautiful swag. We provide all the greens, bows and ribbons you need to create a beautiful holiday decoration! $5/person; register: 410-313-5440.

North Laurel 50+ Center Wednesday, December 2 • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING Come tap your toes to the show tunes, ballads and songs from “South Pacific,” the “Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma” and other memorable musicals. FREE. Call to reserve tickets: 410-313-0380.

Friday, December 4 • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. — HOLIDAY PLANT SALE Browse a selection of poinsettias and holiday wreaths and complete your holiday shopping with handmade gifts for sale by the North Laurel Senior Council. Information: 410-313-0380.

Friday, December 11 • 10 to 11 a.m. — EPONYMOUS EPICUREAN DELIGHTS Find out why Queen Charlotte, the Duke of Wellington, Yorkshire, England and Arnold Palmer have recipes named after them, and explore other dishes named for people or places. $3/person. 410-313-0380.

FOR A FULL LISTING OF EVENTS at the 50+ Centers: www.howardcountyaging.org/50pluscenters To request accommodations to participate, call Maryland Access Point at 410-313-5980 (VOICE/RELAY) one week in advance.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

19

Law &

IMPORTANT UPDATES Recent budget legislation in Congress has made important adjustments to Medicare and Social Security, including changes to proposals described in last month’s Beacon. Turn to page 22 to read all about it.

New annuity type can minimize your RMDs

By Kimberly Lankford Most retirees have two big concerns: outliving their savings and paying taxes on their withdrawals.

Now there’s a way to deal with both of those issues. A new type of annuity, called a qualified longevity annuity contract, or QLAC, lets retirees lock in income in the future and avoid taking taxable required minimum distributions (RMDs) on as much as $125,000 of their retirement savings.

QLACs provide a tax-advantaged twist on deferred-income annuities (also known as longevity insurance), which insurers have offered for several years.

You usually invest in these annuities when you’re in your sixties in order to receive guaranteed lifetime income starting 10 or 20 years down the road. But until recently, you couldn’t delay that long if the money you invested came from an IRA or a 401(k), because such accounts require that you start taking withdrawals at age 70 1/2.

“We saw a tremendous cluster of people taking the payouts at age 70,” said Ross

Goldstein, managing director for New York Life, which has a popular deferred-income annuity. “They had no choice.”

New rules last year The Treasury Department changed the rules last year, permitting people to invest 25 percent of the balance of an IRA or 401(k) account (up to a total of $125,000) in a QLAC without having to take RMDs at 70 1/2.

(You’ll owe taxes on payouts, except to the extent they reflect after-tax contributions.)

Nearly a dozen options from insurers, including American General, Lincoln Financial, MetLife, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, Pacific Life and Principal, are now available.

A deferred-income annuity is one way to ensure you’ll have extra money coming in later in life, when you may need it most, said Andrew Murdoch, president of Somerset Wealth Strategies, in Portland, Ore. “A lot of people are doing this as a way to minimize RMDs,” said Murdoch. “They have enough other assets saved, and they

want to defer the taxes as long as they possibly can.”

Being able to count on guaranteed income in your 80s helps you plan how long the rest of your savings needs to last. It can also help pay for potential long-term care costs and other expenses.

If you’re interested in this type of annuity, you can roll money from your IRA into a QLAC. Or you may be able to invest in one through your 401(k) when you leave your job without rolling it over to an IRA, although few plans offer that option yet.

Choose the features When you pick a QLAC, the key decisions are when to begin payouts and whether to include a death benefit.

The longer you wait, the more you’ll get.

A 65-year-old man investing $125,000 in MetLife’s QLAC, for example, will get about $33,000 per year if payouts begin at age 80; he’ll receive more than $64,000 if he delays payouts to age 85. (Women, who tend to live longer, receive less).

But if you die before the designated payout age, you’ll get nothing. Adding a death benefit, however, reduces your annual payouts.

If the 65-year-old man chooses a returnof-premium death benefit, his heirs will get back the $125,000, minus any money he already received. But his annual payouts would drop to about $26,000 starting at age 80 or about $46,000 starting at age 85.

Some insurers also let you continue payouts for your spouse after you die.

After you choose the features, compare payouts from several insurers, which can vary by more than 7 percent, said Jerry Golden, president of Golden Retirement Advisors, an annuity consultant.

You can see prices and payouts with various options for several QLACs at www.go2income.com/qlac. Or contact insurers that sell primarily through their own agents, such as MetLife, New York Life and Northwestern Mutual.

All contents copyright 2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Ways to afford long-term care coverage

By Kimberly Lankford No matter how carefully you plan for retirement, if you don’t have long-term care insurance, a catastrophic illness could wipe out your savings.

The average private room in a nursing home costs $250 per day — or $91,250 per year — according to Genworth’s 2015 Cost of Care study. Costs are typically considerably higher in this metro area.

The median cost of assisted living is now $43,200 a year, and the cost of hiring a homecare worker is $20 per hour, or more than $41,000 per year for a 40-hour week. (The average length of care is about three years.)

Medicare provides little coverage for long-term care, and Medicaid kicks in only after you’ve spent almost all of your money.

In the past, you could buy long-term care insurance to cover most of the potential costs. But those fully-loaded policies have become incredibly expensive. Today, a healthy 55-year-old man would pay nearly $6,870 per year for a Genworth policy that pays $200 per day for five years and increases the benefits by 5 percent com-

pounded each year. Single women now pay about 50 percent more than single men.

And premiums can spike after you buy the insurance, as they already have for many people.

Save money with trade-offs Making a few tweaks to your coverage can save thousands of dollars in premiums and still protect a portion of your retirement savings.

“I try to strike a balance,” said Sam McPherson, a certified financial planner in Brooklyn, N.Y. McPherson looks at the average cost of care in his clients’ area at www.genworth.com/costofcare, then gets price quotes for a policy that would cover a portion of the costs.

“If the average daily cost of a home health aide is $113 in your area and the cost of a private room in a nursing home is $195 a day, think of [getting a policy] covering $150 per day,” he said.

The same 55-year-old man would pay only $1,534 per year for a Genworth policy that covers $150 a day for three years with

a 3 percent compound inflation adjustment. That less-expensive Genworth policy would provide up to $164,250 in coverage (in today’s dollars) when you multiply the daily benefit by the benefit period.

But some trade-offs are a better deal than others.

Changing the inflation adjustment delivers the biggest savings. You need to have some inflation protection, especially if you buy coverage in your fifties or sixties and may not need care for 20 years or more. Nursing home rates have increased by 4 percent annually over the past five years; assisted living and home care costs have risen 2 percent a year or less.

But insurers have jacked up premiums for 5 percent inflation protection because their own investments are earning low interest rates. Our 55-year-old man would pay $2,666 more per year, or $4,200, if he chose the 5 percent inflation adjustment instead of 3 percent. “That cost differential is too drastic for most people,” said Brian Gordon, president of MAGA Ltd., a longterm care specialist in Riverwoods, Ill.

Shortening the benefit period saves money, but probably wouldn’t provide enough coverage for a degenerative condition, such as Alzheimer’s.

Couples can hedge their bets by buying a shared-benefit policy. Instead of, say, a three-year benefit period each, they’d have a pool of six years to use between them.

Adding this benefit costs an additional 15 to 22 percent.

Extending the waiting period before benefits kick in can also lower the premium, although you’ll have to pay the full cost of care before your insurance covers anything. Policies with a 90-day waiting period tend to offer a good balance.

But look for a “calendar day” waiting period. That starts the clock ticking as soon as you qualify for care, either because you need help with two activities of daily living or have cognitive impairment. A “service day” waiting period has the same benefit trigger but counts only the days you receive care (the average person receives See LONG-TERM CARE, page 20

20

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Long-term care From page 19 home care 3.5 days per week, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI).

Some insurers, such as Genworth, charge about 15 percent extra for a policy with no waiting period for home care.

Find the best deal Annual premiums are lower when you’re younger, although you’ll pay them longer. “To me, the sweet spot for buying long-term care insurance is in your late

fifties and early sixties,” said McPherson.

But it becomes more difficult to qualify for coverage as you get older. In 2014, some 21 percent of people in their fifties who applied for coverage were denied; 27 percent of those in their sixties and 45 percent in their seventies were turned down, said the AALTCI. Most insurers now perform medical exams, which may include cognitive assessments for applicants who are older than 60, said John Ryan, a long-term care specialist with Ryan Insurance Strategy Consultants, in Greenwood Village, Colo. Some companies may charge more if you have a family history of early-onset Alzheimer’s or heart

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

issues, added Gordon.

It helps to work with an agent who deals with several insurers and knows which ones have the best rates. Gordon often works with Mutual of Omaha, MassMutual, Genworth, John Hancock and Transamerica. Before applying, he asks the insurer if it will cover the person’s condition.

You can find a long-term care specialist at www.aaltci.org. A few insurers, such as New York Life and Northwestern Mutual, sell only through their agents.

Along with the coverage trade-offs, you’ll need a plan to tap your income and savings if you have to pay for some care out of pocket.

Scott Sadar, a certified financial planner in Portland, Ore., said his clients identify which investments they plan to sell if they need money to pay for long-term care, and they often use products such as deferredincome annuities to provide additional income when they are likely to need care.

[See “New annuity type can minimize your RMDs,” on page 19.]

Another option is to add a chronic-care rider to a permanent life insurance policy, which boosts premiums by about 10 percent but lets you tap your death benefit early if you need long-term care.

Tax-smart ways to pay premiums

From the publisher

the Beacon’s success owes a tremendous amount to her wise advice.

Add to that her decades of work as our amazingly precise accounts receivable/accounts payable/human resources/payroll and bookkeeping staff person, and you can see what a debt of gratitude I and the rest of the staff owe to her.

I could continue to tell you great things about everyone on our staff, but space is running short. Suffice it to say, the Beacon would not exist without the effort and dedication of each person mentioned above, nor without YOU — our loyal readers — picking up your copy each month (and patronizing our advertisers).

My deepest appreciation — and best wishes for a beautiful holiday season and new year — goes to all of you.

From page 2 done before Rebekah joined us two years ago. We are lucky to have her.

I don’t think I’ve often mentioned the independent contractors who deliver the Beacon each month to over 2,500 free distribution sites throughout the Baltimore/Washington corridor, but now is a good time to do so.

I want to thank Reid Sabatke and Jose Delgado — who have both done this essential work for us for close to 15 years — for their dedication and service.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my wife and Associate Publisher Judy Rosenthal. The Beacon has been a joint project since Judy and I started it 26 years ago.

While Judy kept her day job for a few years at the beginning (so we could keep food on the table), she has always been my bedrock support and sounding board, and

Several tax breaks for long-term care premiums can help you stretch your dollars.

If you have a “tax qualified” long-term care policy (most policies sold today are), you can withdraw money tax-free from a health savings account to pay premiums for yourself and your spouse.

The amount is based on age. If you’re 40 or younger in 2015, you can each withdraw up to $380 tax-free for long-term care premiums; $710 if you’re 41 to 50; $1,430 if you’re 51 to 60; $3,800 if you’re 61 to 70; and $4,750 if you’re 71 or older.

If you don’t use HSA money for longterm care premiums, you can count the same amounts outlined above toward the tax deduction for medical expenses. If you’re 65 or older, medical expenses are tax-deductible in 2015 after they exceed 7.5 percent of income (the threshold is 10 percent if you’re younger).

You can also pay long-term care premiums with a tax-free transfer (called a 1035 exchange) from the cash value of a life insurance policy or annuity.

All contents © 2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 23

NOMINATE FOR WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME

Monday, Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for filing nominations for the 2016 Howard County Women’s Hall of Fame, honoring women who have made significant contributions to Howard County, the state or the nation through their profession and/or community service. To be eligible, nominees may be either living or deceased and must have lived in Howard County for at least 10 years. Up to five selectees will be inducted at the annual Women’s Hall of Fame Ceremony on March 10 in Ellicott City. To obtain a nomination form, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/cfw.htm, call (410) 313-6400 or email women@howardcountymd.gov.

Dec. 10

HELP MENTOR A CHILD

A-OK (Assist Our Kids) Mentoring-Tutoring, Inc. is seeking volunteers available weekdays during school hours to meet one-on-one with elementary and middle-school students. A minimum commitment of one school year is required. An information session will be held on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hawthorne Center, 6175 Sunny Spring, Columbia. For more information, visit www.aokmentor.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Housing help From page 1 downtown area and starting new retail businesses. This will mean more workers, but not enough affordable housing for them to live in the area, she said.

When community planner Jim Rouse founded Columbia in 1963, his vision was of a city where citizens of all races, religions, economic and social groups could live together, she pointed out.

O’Leary noted that Howard County, and Columbia in particular, “continues to be a place where everyone, regardless of their economic condition, can get an education, have access to free libraries and good roads. But low-wage earners cannot live in stabilized conditions here.

“I have seen folks in low-wage jobs who have a crisis in their lives, then have trouble making the rent, and everything is at the risk of falling apart,” she said.

Much of Bridges’ work now has to do with trying to make living conditions more affordable for such low-wage workers.

How Bridges helps O’Leary noted that when Bridges began its work in 1990, homeless families were being offered transitional housing of two years, along with counseling.

But that was not the real solution, said O’Leary. “Giving people a temporary place to stay doesn’t solve instability. Today, we understand that permanent, not temporary housing, is the key to resolving homelessness.”

At the same time, O’Leary noted that “most of the ‘affordable’ housing now being built in Howard County is for households with incomes well over the 60 percent median.” This means that new housing is primarily going to families who earn more than $66,000 annually.

In response, Bridges recently started Bridges Alliance — a program to offer housing to families earning between 30 and 60 percent of the county’s median income, with rent based on a family’s income.

So far, Bridges has acquired 14 living units for the program from the Howard County Housing Commission. All are currently occupied.

Bridges is currently carrying out a campaign to raise $300,000 over the next three years to help expand the Alliance program.

The goal, O’Leary said, is to have 40 units by 2018.

Bridges does not provide shelters for the homeless, she added, although at times it arranges for temporary housing while its case managers work on long-term solutions.

Rather, Bridges provides case management to some 80 households at any given time, “focusing them on long-term housing stability.” It also administers some financial assistance and housing provided by the county, serving about 350 families a year.

Volunteers are essential In addition, Bridges volunteers offer many types of assistance to clients of the program. They help maintain the group’s housing units, move furniture for families,

coming new members, as well as social and educational events.”

County Executive weighs in The Beacon asked County Executive Allan Kittleman his views about homelessness and its relationship to affordable housing in the county.

He replied in a prepared statement: “I’ve long believed it’s vitally important to make housing affordable and attainable for all levels of the people who live and work in Howard County; we’re making steady progress toward that goal by working with housing advocacy groups and the builders and developers who are creating new housing stock here.”

Praising the work of O’Leary when marking her retirement, Kittleman earlier said, “It takes a big heart, and it takes a lot of dedication to be the executive director of an organization that does such great work.”

Kittleman also said, “Some people sometimes talk about, ‘Oh, these people are homeless because they’ve done something bad.’ That’s just not true. Things happen in people’s lives.”

The homeless or those about to lose their homes may contact the county’s Grass Roots Crisis Intervention Center in Columbia at (410) 531-6006; website: grassrootscrisis.org; 24-hour crisis hotline: (410) 531-6677.

For more information about Bridges to Housing Stability, or to volunteer, call (410) 312-5760 or visit www.bridges2hs.org.

CHARLESTOWN

BEACON BITS

Dec. 9

assist in office work, and coordinate special events. Volunteers may sign up for shortterm projects or make longer commitments.

Jackie Eng, of Cooksville, has been a Bridges volunteer since 2000. She has served as a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors, raised funds for its work, and done research that helped convince the county to adopt its current program to end homelessness.

Eng, 68, retired after doing health policy work at the Food and Drug administration for seven years and at nonprofits for 25 years. She started volunteering at Bridges with the goal of bringing her federal government and other work experience to her local community.

“While [Bridges] volunteers do not have a lot of direct contact with the clients, because of the anonymity the clients deserve, it has been an absolute joy and privilege to do work for the organization,” Eng said.

She urged others to volunteer with Bridges, saying, “This is such an interesting organization. There is such a wealth of retired and mature talent in our county, those resources of professional maturity and life experience should be tapped into.”

Tenants in the program work with volunteers like Eng, who, according to a Bridges statement, “provide social support, leadership development, advocacy opportunities, and civic engagement for tenants. Tenants and volunteer allies are involved with property maintenance, wel-

BAIN 50+ CENTER HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR

The Bain 50+ Center will offer a wide selection of craft gifts at its holiday fair on Wednesday, Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The center is located at 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia. For more information or to reserve a table, call (410) 313-7213.

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Congress amends Social Security benefits In addition to funding the federal government through the 2017 fiscal year, the recent Bipartisan Budget Act introduces important changes to Medicare and Social Security.

On the beneficial side, it reduces the proposed increase in premiums of Medicare Part B from 52 percent to approximately 15 percent for those participants not covered by the “hold harmless” provision. [See “2016 Social Security, Medicare changes,” in our November edi-

tion, where this proposed increase was described.]

The bill also provides additional funding for Social Security disability claims — without which disability payments would have been reduced by approximately 20 percent in 2016.

On the downside for many retirees, the law significantly changes the rules regarding eligibility for the “file and suspend” option and for a “restricted application” to collect only a spousal benefit.

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As I’ve explained in past columns, “file ble for restricted status can obtain spousal and suspend” is a strategy whereby a per- benefits and also postpone filing for benefits son who has reached his or until 70, thus becoming eligiher full retirement age (FRA) ble for a higher benefit. files for benefits and then susUnder the new law, however, pends them. This permits him if you turn 62 in 2016 or later or her to accrue an 8 percent you will not be provided rebump-up in retirement benestricted eligibility for a spousal fits for every year of suspenbenefit. This means that if you sion up to age 70. Meanwhile, apply for Social Security benethat person’s spouse and defits, either for a spousal benefit pendent children are entitled or a benefit based on your to benefits based on his or her work record, you will be entiTHE SAVINGS work record. tled to whichever benefit is GAME The budget act bars the higher. You will not be able to

By Elliot Raphaelson spousal and dependent beneapply for one benefit now and a fits for those who file and susdifferent benefit later. pend May 1, 2016 and after. You can still Widows and widowers will still be able file and suspend your benefit, but there to claim benefits based on their exwill be no other benefit to your spouse or spouse’s record and apply later for benefits children. based on their work record, and vice If you have already filed for it, you will versa. Their flexibility has not changed not be affected by the change. And if you with the new budget act. reach your FRA by the end of 2015, you For additional information, see Michael may file and suspend with spousal and de- Kitces’ blog, Nerd’s Eye View, www.kitces. pendent benefits up until April 30, 2016. com/blog. Web Phillips, senior legislative If you are able to do so, I recommend it. representative of the Committee to Preserve There is no downside. If you wait until after Social Security and Medicare, is another exthe deadline to file and suspend, you won’t cellent source. Their site (www.ncpssm.org) have the flexibility to provide these bene- contains up-to-date information. fits to your spouse and dependent children.

The bottom line is the Obama adminisA similar strategy is the restricted appli- tration and Congress have taken away cation for spousal benefit. This is where a some favorable options for younger Social person 62 or older applies only for his or Security participants that older individuals her spousal benefit (equal to up to 50 per- still have. And it was done behind closed cent of the spouse’s benefit), and collects doors with no public notification. that while putting off applying for benefits You can complain to Congress and ask on his or her own work record, accruing them to find other ways to save money. the 8 percent yearly credits for doing so You have nothing to lose. from FRA until age 70.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions This option is available only if your and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. spouse is receiving benefits or if he/she has © 2015 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by filed and suspended. Only individuals eligi- Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 1

WORLD AIDS DAY SCREENING

A walk-in clinic, including a confidential AIDS screening, along with educational materials and local resources, will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Howard County General Hospital Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. The event is co-sponsored by Chase Brexton Health Services. For more information, visit www.hcgh.org or call (410) 740-7601.

Dec. 19

HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOLIDAY CONCERT

Howard County’s Historical Society’s Museum Holiday Concert with the Columbia Jazz Band is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Howard County Historical Society Museum, 8328 Court Ave., Ellicott City. Tickets are $5 for historical society members, $10 for nonmembers, and free for children under the age of 14. To purchase tickets, visit hchsmd.org/events or call (410) 480-3250.

Dec. 20

“MESSIAH” AT STRATHMORE WITH THE NSO

Howard County Recreation & Parks is sponsoring a bus trip to Bethesda’s Strathmore Music Center for a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” by the National Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale. The bus leaves at 1 p.m. and returns at 7 p.m. To reserve a ticket at $99 or for additional information, email viruss@howardcountymd.gov or call (410) 313-7279.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

23

Leisure &

Vacationing in an RV can be an adventure, and help you evaluate a long-term nomadic lifestyle. See story on page 25.

Beyond beaches on Hawaii’s Big Island

Land of volcanoes The major attraction for many visitors is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where the five volcanoes that built up the island over millions of years can be found. This is one of the few places in the world where

people may come face-to-face with an active volcano.

Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times in the past 175 years, most recently in 1984.

Kilauea is the world’s most active volcano.

Lava flowing from Kilauea, which has been erupting since 1983, adds about 42 acres to Hawaii Island every year. Just last year, the lava flow invaded populated areas and prompted an evacuation by some residents.

Those massive mountains have another claim to fame. They measure more than 30,000 feet from their base (located far beneath the sea) to their summits, making them taller than Mount Everest.

Another volcano, Mauna Kea — the name is Hawaiian for “white mountain” — at times receives a mantle of snow during winter that is adequate for skiing and snowboarding. However, skiing there is not for the timid. There are no lifts, grooming or resort, and a 4-wheel drive vehicle is required to reach the 13,796-foot summit. Locals call the snow “pineapple powder.”

A good way to experience the park is to drive along Crater Rim Drive, which leads to several major attractions. The Jaggar Museum provides a detailed introduction to volcanoes, and the overlook outside offers a breathtaking panoramic view.

The Thurston Lava Tube was formed when an underground river of molten lava ran out of its channel, and the walls cooled

PHOTO BY BIG ISLAND VISITORS BUREAU

By Victor Block On beaches with white, black and even green sand, vacationers soak up the sun.

Not far away, skiers speed down the snowcovered slopes of a dormant volcano.

Other people check out a surreal moonscape of hardened pitch-black lava, then hike through a lush tropical rainforest.

If this sounds like a continent-wide choice of activities, that’s because the island of Hawaii in some ways resembles a miniature continent.

Since it shares its name with the state, it’s often referred to as the Big Island to avoid confusion, and with good reason. It’s almost twice the size of all the other Hawaiian islands combined — about one-third as large as Maryland.

Visitors find a miniature world that encompasses virtually every kind of landscape. Cactus-dotted desert lies near rain forests. Barren lava fields contrast with waterfalls plunging into verdant valleys.

Depending upon which classification system is used, Hawaii Island possesses at least eight, and possibly more, of the earth’s 13 climate zones.

PHOTO BY HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY/KIRK LEE AEDER

Two-thousand-foot high cliffs tower over the Waipio Valley, also known as the Valley of the Kings, where numerous waterfalls flow into rivers.

Polynesians were the original settlers of the Hawaiian Islands. Extending along the lava flats of the Kona Coast, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park is home to a reconstructed Polynesian royal compound that once served as a sanctuary for people who had angered the gods.

and hardened. The aptly named Devastation Trail leads through an area that was buried beneath a thick blanket of cinders during an eruption of Kilauea in 1959.

Along with volcanoes and the usual sunand-sand vacation activities, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the island of Hawaii. For fishermen, waters off its Kona Coast are famous as the best in the world for catching giant blue marlin.

Much larger examples of sea life drop by during whale-watching season, from December through May. While humpbacks have top billing, it’s also possible to spot sperm and melon-headed whales.

People who prefer to keep their feet on firm ground will find a wide choice of hiking opportunities. Volcanoes National Park alone offers 150 miles of trails.

Coffee and cowboys Some visitors are pleasantly surprised to discover that coffee and cowboys are among the island’s unexpected treasures.

World-renowned, and costly, Kona coffee has been grown there since it was introduced by missionaries in 1828.

Today, the beans are harvested at countless tiny farms crowded into a narrow strip of land along the Kona Coast.

The rich volcanic soil, cloud cover and elevation of upland slopes combine to provide an ideal environment. A number of the small farms offer tours and tastings.

A farm setting of another kind more closely fits the Big Island nickname, and adds a bit of cowboy culture to the scene.

This story began in 1788, when a visitor presented a gift of five cows to King Kamehameha 1, who had consolidated his rule over the eight Hawaiian islands into one kingdom. After the monarch set the animals free, they multiplied into thousands over the next two decades, wreaking havoc with farm crops and gardens.

When a Massachusetts sailor named John Parker landed on the island, he got permission from the king to shoot the wild cattle. He began selling their meat and hides, became wealthy, and eventually established a ranch that carried his name.

In the 1830s, Parker contracted with vaqueros, horse-mounted cattle herders from Mexico, to tend his large herd of livestock.

The local island men they trained to ride and rope became instrumental in the growth of the Parker Ranch into one of the largest cattle spreads in the United States.

Two historic homes on the sprawling propSee HAWAII, page 24

24

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Hawaii From page 23 erty are open to the public, and the story of the ranch is told at the visitors center.

Hawaii’s Polynesian past For history buffs, the story of the island’s past is as intriguing as what greets visitors today. The earliest settlements were established by Polynesians who arrived after a long and treacherous ocean voyage in large double-hulled canoes. Estimated dates of their arrival span hundreds of years, from the fourth to eighth centuries.

Clues to the lifestyle of the ancient Hawaiian civilization abound throughout the island. They include remnants of villages, temples (heiau), agricultural mounds and other archeological remains.

Some relics — such as royal fish ponds constructed to satisfy noble palates and lava rock carvings called petroglyphs — have been incorporated into the grounds of hotels.

The chiseled images depict humans, birds and other recognizable forms, as well as undecipherable lines and dots.

Their precise meanings are unknown, but scientists believe that they record births, deaths and other major events, and perhaps include astronomical symbols.

One of the more intriguing sites is the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park, a reconstructed royal compound.

Known as the “City of Refuge,” it served as

a sanctuary for people who angered the gods in some way.

Transgressors who were able to reach this sacred place were absolved by a priest and allowed to go free. The compound encompasses temples, sacred burial places, petroglyphs and other reminders of ancient times.

Another chapter of island history comes alive in the Waipio Valley, a six-by-one-mile gash in the land rimmed by 2,000-foot high cliffs over which numerous waterfalls cascade. The meandering river they create gave the valley its name, which means “curved waters.”

Also known as “Valley of the Kings,” it once was home to many rulers, and contains remains of important temples. Visitors may view the valley from a small overlook, or take a guided tour into it.

When not taking the opportunity to look down into deep valleys or across wide panoramas, visitors also have the ability to look up at the stars as few people have seen them.

Hawaii Island is home to one of the most renowned astronomical sites on Earth.

Perched above the cloud cover on the Mauna Kea volcano, 13 powerful telescopes are trained on the sky. Because of the high elevation, clear air and minimal light pollution, at night the stars overhead resemble sparkling glitter. Guided tours to the observatory include transportation, warm parkas and dinner.

An opportunity to peer at stars in a way

Coalition of Geriatric Services We’re a coalition of nonprofits, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to advocate for and help older adults.

December Meeting Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Time: 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Location: Vantage House 5400 Vantage Point Road, Columbia, MD 21044

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

that few people ever have isn’t the major reason why most people visit Hawaii Island. It’s but one in a long list of attractions that appeal to various interests well beyond the beaches, no matter what the color of the sand.

Where to stay and eat When deciding where to stay on Hawaii Island, the perplexing but pleasant challenge is choosing from an abundance of hotels. The Kohala Coast on the northwest corner is known as the “Gold Coast” because of the string of luxurious resorts set amidst the lava landscape.

While many of these properties offer similar attractions, the Hilton Waikoloa Village and Beach Resort stands out for immersing its guests in varied touches of local lore. A stretch of the 175-mile King’s Trail — which linked ancient communities, temples and other historic sites — skirts the hotel grounds. A petroglyph trail winds through a field of early rock carvings.

The intriguing mile-long Museum Walkway is lined by more than 1,800 pieces of art from areas whose cultures influenced that of Hawaii. The resort offers classes in lei making, stone bowling and other traditional activities. Even the spa gets into the act with treatments that include cane sugar, coconut milk and other traditional local ingredients.

Rates at the Hilton Waikoloa begin at $199 per night. For more information, call 1-800445-8667 or visit www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com.

A very different setting awaits guests at the Volcano House, the only hotel located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Situated on the site where the first hotel, a small thatched structure, was built in 1846,

today’s lodging is perched on the rim of the Kilauea caldera — a crater-like depression that was formed following a past volcanic eruption.

The small hotel (33 recently refurbished rooms) is designed to take full advantage of its location, with oversize windows overlooking barren lava fields and numerous steam vents, which glow reddish-orange at night.

Photographs that line lobby walls and a continuous video depict volcanic eruptions from the past, and daily guided walks provide close-up introductions to various volcano-related features.

Rates to stay in this unique setting begin at $285. For more information, call 1-866536-7972 or see hawaiivolcanohouse.com.

At meal time, a virtual cornucopia of locally grown, caught and raised ingredients awaits hungry diners. Fruits and vegetables grown in rich volcanic soil share menus with the freshest of fish and grass-fed beef.

The aptly named Rim Restaurant at the Volcano House serves ample portions of stir-fried veggies from a nearby farm ($19) and pineapple-wrapped fish ($26). Budgetstretching items available in the lounge include pork and pineapple pizza ($12) and grilled prawns ($13).

The imaginatively named, multi-awardwinning Kamuela Provision Company offers gourmet fare along with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and spectacular sunsets. Among its surf-and-turf choices are sesame seared ahi tuna ($45) and beer and wine braised shortribs ($42).

For more information about the Big Island, call 1-800-648-2441 or visit www.gohawaii.com/hawaii-island.

The least-expensive flights to Honolulu from BWI in early January start at $693 on Alaskan Airlines.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 12

BSO SUPERPOPS AT THE MEYERHOFF “Tis the Season,” a holiday show featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell,

is the destination of a bus trip to Baltimore on Saturday, Dec. 12 leaving at noon and returning at 6 p.m. Sponsored by Howard County Recreation & Parks, the fee is $99. For more information or to reserve, call (410) 313-7279 or email viruss@howardcountymd.gov.

Topic: Holiday Networking Extravaganza Go to www.cogsmd.org for more information or learn more by calling (410) 997-0610.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

25

Tips for vacationing (or living) in an RV

Coping behind the wheel First, the bad news. Let’s get the driving part out of the way because it’s pretty miserable. Most rental RVs are Class C motor homes: The cab and chassis of a full-size van are merged with a big box that houses enough beds to sleep up to seven, plus a kitchen, a toilet, a shower, a television and whatever other features the builder chooses to include.

For my recent RV excursion, taking my family to visit friends in Rehoboth Beach,

Del., I rented a Coachman Freelander 28DS from Ace RV in Herndon, Va. The Coachman is a Class C RV, and that means no matter how nicely appointed it is in back, the front is still just a regular work van.

Pull away from a stop and the engine labors loudly, joined by a cacophony of creaks and rattles as the rest of the vehicle slowly realizes that it, too, has to come along.

Turning? Better swing wide (and check those mirrors). Backing up? If you’re lucky, you’ll have a rearview camera. Otherwise, send out spotters. Crosswinds?

Two hands on the wheel at all times.

Crosswinds on narrow, high bridges, such as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which I had to cross to get to the beach?

Now we’re really sweating. As a friend of mine puts it, driving an RV is “like suddenly becoming very, very fat.”

No special driver’s license is typically required to rent an RV, but that belies the complexity of operating one. At the very least, pay close attention during the how-itworks tour of your vehicle, because that’s when you’ll realize that you’re not just checking into a cabin; you’re ripping that cabin from its sewer, water and electrical lines and taking it somewhere. (Cruise America offers an instructional video for renters; you can view it on YouTube.)

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By David Muhlbaum Recreational vehicle sales sagged during the Great Recession, but lately they have ticked back up, thanks to gas prices that have stayed below $3 a gallon for over a year.

If you’ve thought about investing a small fortune in one of these mobile motel rooms, perhaps because you’re contemplating a nomadic retirement, think about renting one first to try out the lifestyle for a week or two.

A number of national chains rent RVs. A weeklong rental from Cruise America, for example, typically costs about $1,000, depending on where you rent and how far you drive. Other national chains include El Monte and Road Bear. Renting is also a good option if you’re looking for an affordable and convenient way to see the scenery on your next vacation.

RV’s offer a life on the open road free of worries about finding a hotel, but they can be hard to maneuver, and they aren’t inexpensive.

using an RV as part of your retirement plan, keep in mind that most Class C motor homes (average retail price, $89,000) don’t measure up in size and amenities to the bus-style, Class A RVs (averaging $180,000) that retirees favor.

If you want a taste of that life, pay the extra for a Class A rental. El Monte and Road Bear offer these for about $2,000 to $3,000 a week, as do many independents.

Camping without the bugs The campground is where the magic of an RV’s little cubbies, folding beds, tables, pull-out stoves and retractable TVs comes to life.

My Coachman came equipped with “slide-outs” — sections of the RV that move outward to give you more space when you’re parked. Pushing a button to See RV TRAVEL, page 26

26

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

RV travel From page 25 make the entire kitchen move three feet is a stunt I got to pull over and over.

But what wowed the five kids in my party was the bed over the cab, which struck them as the world’s biggest top bunk. Three of them slept up there.

You can look for one of the thousands of campgrounds around the country with “full hookups” (electricity, water and even cable TV). Or you can make your RV a truly independent home-on-wheels, at least for a while: The gasoline-powered

generator will make electricity for the airconditioning, and propane will fuel the cooktop, power the fridge, and heat the water for the shower.

About those bathrooms: They’re tiny, and the water flow is modest. If you’re in a campground, you’ll probably opt to use its facilities, except for middle-of-the-night bathroom needs, when rolling out of bed to use the onboard toilet sure beats scampering to the comfort station. No bugs, no bears.

That flexibility to camp pretty much wherever was a big part of a rental RV’s appeal for Kristen Potter Farnham of Fal-

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

mouth, Maine, who checked one out from Cruise America in Las Vegas to tour the Southwest with her husband and three kids. Normally a self-described “total typeA planner,” Farnham made a reservation for only one night of their tour.

“You don’t have to worry about finding a restaurant; you have the RV,” she said. “You don’t have to worry about finding a hotel; you have the RV.” The Farnhams also knew about the RV traveler’s last-ditch option (though they didn’t have to use it): Most Walmarts let you park overnight in their lot.

Other considerations Although having a roof over your head, no matter what, alleviates some stresses of traveling, the RV rental experience still poses demands.

For example, there is air-conditioning and heat in back, but it’s not just a question of punching the thermostat up or down.

You need to think about where the power is going to come from. Are you plugged into a campground’s juice, or will you need to use the generator? What if the campground has quiet hours that restrict generator use?

And you’ll need to budget time to return the RV reasonably clean and with its holding tanks empty (which means finding a dump station), or face punitive fees.

You can cover a lot of terrain in an RV, but don’t be too ambitious. “Some people spend too much time driving or setting up camp in a new place every night, instead of slowing down and enjoying their vacation,” said Phil Ingrassia, president of the National RV Dealers Association.

A week is usually long enough to get the hang of the vehicle, but short enough to preserve the harmony among your traveling companions in close quarters.

Some rental companies, such as Cruise America and Road Bear, include insurance coverage as part of the price (with a damage deductible of $1,000 per incident). And some offer temporary coverage for an extra fee.

With other rental outfits, you’ll need proof that you’re covered by your own insurance.

But unlike a typical car rental, an RV rental may not be covered by your auto policy.

All contents copyright 2015, The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

27

Arts &

An exhibit from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame that traces Paul Simon’s long musical career is on display at the Jewish Museum of Maryland. See story on page 28.

Tour historic homes, farm and a church masters who have been robbed by Confederate forces or rebel guerillas.” His annual postmaster’s salary was $116.28.

County’s “architectural gem” The tour will also visit Hobson’s Choice, which the historical society calls “the architectural gem of Howard County, being the finest example of early 19th century brick architecture.”

The home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It’s a five-bay, two-and-a-half-story rectangular brick house, with a low-pitched gable roof and a two-story rear wing, which was a later addition.

The Woodbine home, built around 1828

by James Meredith, fell into near ruins before it was restored to its original splendor in 1970 by a descendent of one of the early owners.

Also set for a visit is the estate of Oakdale, built circa 1838 in Woodbine. Before Emancipation, it was a slave plantation.

In 1898, Edwin Warfield, who was elected governor of Maryland in 1903, inherited the home from his father. Known as the “preservationist governor,” Warfield made many restorations to the interior of the house.

COURTESY OF THE HOWARD HISTORICAL SOCIETY

By Robert Friedman Three mid-19th century homes, a morethan-100-year-old working farm, and a church that helped unify the budding African-American community at the turn of the 20th century are the historic properties that will be featured Dec. 13 during the Howard County Historical Society’s yearly Holiday House Tour.

The properties are located in western Howard County around the Glenwood, Woodbine and Cooksville areas.

The bus tour starts with Bloomsburg, built about 1830 by James Burroughs Matthews, the founder of Glenwood. The home features, among other things, a circular copper plate between two chimneys inscribed with the 1830 date.

Matthews carried out business there by building a general store in the area and added a post office in 1841. He was the settlement’s first postmaster.

His property weathered both Union and Confederate troops marching on what is now Route 97 toward Antietam, Sharpsburg and Gettysburg. An 1864 Post Office Department document showed that he was awarded $27 as “an act of relief of post-

Oakdale, located in Woodbine and built around 1838, was home to Edwin Warfield, who became governor of Maryland in 1908. It is one of five properties that will be toured during the Howard County Historical Society’s yearly Holiday House Tour on Dec. 13.

He also was instrumental in restoring the Old Senate Chamber in Annapolis, where George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Annapolis served as the capital of the United States in 1783 and

1784. Warfield also led the Maryland legislature in adopting the state flag.

The former governor’s son, Edwin, Jr., prolonged the life of the canning factory in See HOUSE TOUR, page 29

Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus s

THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 7 P.M.

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS, MOSAIC SOUND

“SPIRIT OF THE SEASON” RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC - REED

Saturday – DECEMBER 5 – 7:30PM Sunday – DECEMBER 6 – 3PM

River Hill High School 12101 Clarksville Pike Clarksville, Md.

Wednesday – DECEMBER 9 – 7PM

The Hippodrome Theatre • Baltimore, Maryland

Meade High School Auditorium • Ft. Meade, Maryland

Jazz Ambassadors Saturday – DECEMBER 12 – 3PM

Centennial High School • Ellicott City, Maryland

Sunday – DECEMBER 13 – 3PM

Bowie Center for the Performing Arts • Bowie, Maryland

Beaccon

All concerts are FREE and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not required. For more information about additional concerts in your area, please check our online performance calendar at: www.navyband.navy.mil.

For information on these and other holiday concerts: (301) 301) 6677 677-6586 7 -666586 77 5 6 58

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28

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Exhibit explores Paul Simon’s life, music Tapping into his influence The exhibit’s opening weekend numbers in October seem to bear out Pinkert’s optimism. Approximately 400 people attended the three opening events — about half of last year’s total October attendance.

“People really connect to Paul Simon,” said Pinkert. “Whether as part of Simon and Garfunkel or as a solo performer, he has been an important part of many people’s lives.”

An exhibit focusing on the singer/songwriter who, though Jewish is not particularly observant, might seem out of place in a Jewish museum. But Pinkert disagrees.

“Every Jewish museum is different,” he said. “In Baltimore, we focus on community, and how different individuals and institutions — from the recent exhibit on Mendes Cohen, a Jewish American soldier who helped defend Fort McHenry, to the impact of department stores such as Hutzler’s — have contributed to both Maryland and the nation in terms of developing American identity,” said Pinkert.

“Paul Simon: Words and Music” features autobiographical films, videos of select performances, and more than 80 artifacts chronicling Simon’s life, career and creative inspiration. Included is original narration by the artist, recorded specifically for the exhibit and unavailable elsewhere, as well as costumes, film clips, letters and memorabilia associated with his career.

“We wanted to give Paul Simon the opportunity to tell his own story. We interviewed him for hours, and asked him how he got started, his creative process, and how he came up with some of his songs,” said Karen L. Herman, vice president of curatorial affairs for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“His stories provide context to the places where his music intersected with our culture — from Simon and Garfunkel to ‘Saturday Night Live.’ We used that to really define how the exhibit would work, with much of the footage used to guide visitors through his life and career.”

Exhibit artifacts range from guitars — like Simon’s first guitar and his 1967 Guild F-30-NT-Spec (used to write and record most of Simon & Garfunkel’s canon) — to handwritten lyrics, personal summer camp correspondence between Paul and Art, album jackets, rare photos and more.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

By Carol Sorgen If you’re a Paul Simon fan (and honestly, who isn’t?) you’re in for a treat at the Jewish Museum of Maryland (JMM). It’s the first stop on a nationwide tour of “Paul Simon: Words and Music” — an exhibition first mounted at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in October 2014 to mark the 50th year of Simon’s career. The exhibit will be on view in Baltimore through Jan. 18.

Simon — who celebrated his 74th birthday in October — is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a winner of 12 Grammy Awards (three of which were albums of the year), and a 2003 recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel.

His song, “Mrs. Robinson,” from the motion picture The Graduate, was named in the top 10 of the American Film Institute’s “100 Years...100 Songs.”

He was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002, and was named one of Time magazine’s “100 People Who Shape Our World” in 2006. In 2007, Simon was awarded the first annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

“Whether you grew up in the era of Kate Smith or of Justin Timberlake, two singers Simon has appeared with at either end of his career, you’re bound to know his music,” said JMM director Marvin Pinkert, who had not yet seen the exhibit in person when he “jumped at the opportunity” to bring it to Baltimore.

“We had an opening in our schedule, and we were at the right place at the right time,” said Pinkert, adding that the show is a “great fit” for the museum and for the residents of Baltimore.

Additional related programs In addition, the exhibit is a platform for the museum’s programs that explore the Singer-songwriter Paul Simon, shown here in an old s t o r i e s o f g r e a t J e w i s h photo, has been performing for more than 50 years. singer/songwriters — from A traveling exhibit from the Rock and Roll Hall of Simon and Bob Dylan to Fame that traces his work from his days with Art Garfunkel to the present is on display at the Jewish MuTheodore Bikel and Debbie seum of Maryland until Jan. 18.

Friedman.

Through programs and On Nov. 22 at 2 p.m., for example, Nora events, the museum is looking at the intersection of folk, folk-rock and the Jewish ex- Guthrie, daughter of legendary musician perience, including political activism in the Woody Guthrie, will discusses the artistic 1960s; the meeting of African-American implications of Woody’s relationship with and Jewish musical traditions; the incorpo- his Jewish mother-in-law, Yiddish poet ration of folk melodies into synagogue Aliza Greenblatt, in “Holy Ground: Woody music; and the Jewish entrepreneurs who Guthrie’s Yiddish Connection.” shaped the folk and folk-rock record labels See PAUL SIMON, page 29 and the Greenwich Village folk scene.

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House tour From page 27 Woodbine, while his grandson, Edwin Warfield III, served heroically in World War II, then returned to Oakdale to become a farmer and political leader.

The family sold Oakdale in 1973. It was restored in 1974 and purchased in 1980 by Ted Mariani who expanded the property with a solarium. In 2014, he announced plans to convert the property’s farm to a winery. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Historic farm and church Also on the tour is Rose Hill Farm, a neo-colonial stone home constructed by the prominent Howard County family of James and Mary Forsyth. The house, built about 1920, was part of a 208-acre working farm for more than a century.

Tour participants will also visit Mount Gregory United Methodist Church. The original church was constructed around 1898 and destroyed by fire in 1922. The current structure was built in 1927.

The church was founded in the early 1860s in an old stone building known as Warfield Academy. After the Civil War, in

Paul Simon From page 28 On Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m., as part of the JMM’s Folk Film Festival, the documentary Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune will be shown, chronicling Ochs’s topical music that engaged his audiences in the issues of the ‘60s and ‘70s, including civil rights, the anti-war movement and the struggles of workers. (For more events that broaden the scope of the exhibit, visit the museum’s website at www.jewishmuseummd.org.)

The exhibit offers insight into Simon’s creative process, documenting the evolution of lyrics to songs like “The Boxer” (starting with notes made on an in-flight magazine) and the album “Graceland” (scratched out on a yellow pad). It covers all the genres of Simon’s work — folk, rock and world music.

1867, Thomas H. Hood and his wife, Sarah, granted the building and one acre of land to George Snowden and other trustees of the Cooksville Community.

The building was used as a school to educate the African American children of Cooksville, and was soon also allowed to function as a place of worship for the growing black community in the area. The lower level of Warfield Academy was set up for worship, while the upper level was used to teach academic courses.

After the fire, the school was rebuilt in 1922 and named the Cooksville Colored School. In 1935, it became the first African American high school in Howard County before school integration in 1964.

Tickets for the house tour are $45 for Howard County Historical Society members and $55 for guests of members. General admission is $65, which includes a one-year membership in the society. The Dec. 13 tour will last from 1 to 6:30 p.m., and includes sandwiches and wine for the participants.

Tour buses leave at 1 p.m. from the Bushy Park Elementary School, 14601 Carrs Mill Rd., Glenwood. For tickets and more information about the 39th Annual Holiday House Tour, call (410) 490-3250 or go online to http://hchsmd.org/events.

“So much of the soundtrack of our lives was written by a handful of talented people like Paul Simon,” said Pinkert. “Such creative metaphors as ‘sounds of silence,’ and ‘bridge over troubled waters’ echo through the years, evoking emotional memories.”

Visitors can share their memories on a feedback wall at the end of the exhibit, leaving post-it notes on album covers. On the album cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” for example, one visitor wrote, “This song got me through lots of tough times as a teenager. It was like a lifeline to me!” “Best exhibit ever” wrote another visitor on the “Bookends” album cover.

Pinkert agrees. “I think this will indeed be one of our most popular exhibits.”

The Jewish Museum of Maryland is located at 15 Lloyd St. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for those 65+. It is free for members. For more information, go to http://jewishmuseummd.org/paul-simon.

Concert sponsored by:

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COPLAND & ELGAR DEC52015 7:30pm Jim Rouse Theatre BERNSTEIN: Overture to Candide COPLAND: Danzón cubano

ELGAR: Enigma Variations SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto Jonathan Carney, violin Soloist sponsored by:

Tickets range from $10-$25 ($3 service fee may apply) 410-465-8777 www.columbiaorchestra.org

29

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

BEACON BITS

Nov. 21

ALL-RUSSIAN CONCERT PROGRAM Candlelight Concert Society will host a concert of all Russian

music on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. featuring the Hermitage Piano Trio performing works by Shostakovich, Arensky and Rachmaninov. The concert will take place at the Horowitz Center’s Smith Theatre on the campus of Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. A pre-concert reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Rouse Gallery will feature vodka-tasting and traditional Russian appetizers. Concert tickets are $35 for adults, $32 for seniors. Ages 9 to 17 are admitted free with a paying adult. Reception tickets are $15. To order tickets and for more information, visit www.candlelightconcerts.org. To purchase tickets by phone or to reserve handicapped accessible seating, call (410) 997-2324.

FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD P R O L E O N B R A T J U R A P T A M S L A T P A Y S B A F E R L I L I N L I K I E V E T N A S E E N

M E S S A G E M A R K

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

S H A R Q A R U E R D R U E T E I N R E E M D Y

C A S U A L S U I T

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

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

by Stephen Sherr 1

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1. Party, on Beverly Hills, 90210 5. Clothing item sold by both Under Armour and Victoria’s Secret 8. “Beat it!”

12. Western director Sergio 13. Commoner 14. Fit as a fiddle 15. Grilled sausages 16. Act like an eagle 17. Moderates a debate 18. Really old flooring tile 21. Greek god of the wild 22. Word in the chorus of Brown Eyed Girl 23. “If you don’t know where you are going, ___ road will get you there” (Lewis Carroll) 24. Flat hat 27. Back-half of 21 Across 30. As ___ (generally) 32. Up and coming tiles 35. Settles up the tab 36. List of Rx’s 37. Class of citizenship 40. Shipment of tiles from oversees 45. Untamed 46. Holding bitter feelings 47. First word in “the dictionary” 48. “___ Abner” 49. Pirate’s potion 51. Attended the luncheon 53. Like easy to install tile 60. Ukraine’s capital 61. Common name for Spanish boys and Chinese girls 62. Team event at the summer Olympics 63. European volcano 64. Enthusiastic 65. Try to be a thespian 66. Witnessed 67. Desire (for sushi, perhaps) 68. Decorates eggs

1. Nation with Pacific beaches 2. Muscle car’s greeting 3. Available right now 4. Repurposed bottle content 5. Alliance 6. Harvests 7. He received his name in Genesis 17 8. When on the Lakers, he weighed 325 lbs.

9. Item in a man’s wardrobe 10. Chemical in plastics 11. Irritable 12. Senate majority leader for most of the ‘50s 13. Michelin measure 19. Name-dropper 20. Hard to find 24. Qty. of vanilla 25. Penne ___ vodka 26. Chuck Berry’s first hit, in 1955 28. Pet food brand, originally named as an abbrev. of Allen Products 29. Task list items 31. National language of Pakistan 33. Russian ruler 34. Roughly 38. Cigarette residue 39. Her second novel Go Set a Watchman was published in 2015 41. Creator of Tom and Huckleberry 42. Hitter of Canadian doubles 43. Put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag 44. Drawing on the 401(k) 45. Limited 48. Approves of, on Facebook 50. Purplish tile color 52. “The perfect is the ___ of the good” (Voltaire) 54. Tennis great Lendl 55. Lounged in bed 56. ‘n, &, or + 57. Soothing ingredient 58. Some say “mom” (briefly) 59. Triangle (on a jack-o’-lantern)

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Caregivers HYGIENE CARE, MEAL PREPARATION, Housekeeping, Errands, Appointments, Medication reminders, Companionship. I’m a loving, experienced, trusted caregiver available for FT/PT or Live-In care for a flat rate. Call 301-490-1146.

Financial Services ACCOUNTING, TAXES AND BOOKKEEPING, eldercare. CPA 38 years, reasonable rates.

Call 410-653-3363.

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For Rent WANTED ROOM/EFFICIENCY, Howard County. Cultured senior lost home during unlawful incarceration – vacated! Need peaceful environment while compiling case against State/Department Aging who scoff at Justice, persecute innocent seniors, while actively promoting homelessness. G_d bless America. Mr. Doug, 410-792-0514.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.

Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

Home/Handyman Services THE HOLIDAYS ARE QUICKLY APPROACHING. Let our company help you spruce up the house and get rid of some unwanted items. Clean out houses, garages, basements, attics, sheds, yards and more. Insured.

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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.

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Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

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

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P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Wanted

Wanted

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

COSTUME JEWELRY, BROKEN WRIST WATCHES, Pocket watches (any condition), Glassware, Dolls, Coins, Quilts, Sewing baskets and boxes, Music boxes, Tools, Old toys, Postcards, Trains, Guns, Pocket knives, Swords, Linen, Fishing equipment, Tackle boxes, Fountain pens, Christmas decorations, Christmas garden items, Crocks and Jugs, Lamps and Lanterns, Pottery, Military items, Police and Fire badges, Sports memorabilia, Beer signs and related items, Advertising signs, Paintings, and contents of attics, basements and garages.

Cash. Professional, no-pressure individual with over 30 years of experience. Lloyd D. Baker. Office: 717-969-8114, 410-409-4965.

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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.

WE BUY JEWELRY, SILVER, GOLD, AND COSTUME. Coins, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

OLD AND NEW, WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, Tea Sets, Single Pieces of Silver, Large pieces of Silver Plate. Attic, Basement or Garage. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. You have something to SELL, we are looking to BUY.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

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ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Dementia Behavior Study . . . . . . . . . .14 Fall Prevention Study . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Events

COGS Monthly Meeting . . . . . . . . . . .24

Funeral Services

Harry H. Witzke’s Family

Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . .24

Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . . .4

Home Health Care

A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . .11

Homewatch Caregivers . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . .26

Housing

Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Brightview Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . .9

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . . . .21 Country Gardens Assisted Living . . . .10

Gatherings at Quarry Place . . . . . . . . . .6

Heartlands of Ellicott City . . . . . . . . .13

Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Homewood at Willow Ponds . . . . . . . .25

Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Shriner Court/Quantum . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Somerford Place/5 Star

Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Legal Services

Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . . . .21

Miscellaneous

Comic Book Collector . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . .10

Magic Mountain Chimney Sweeps . . . .4

Senior Services

The Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . .15-18

Skilled Nursing & Rehab

CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Theatre/ Entertainment

Candlelight Concert Society . . . . . . . .29

Columbia ProCantare . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Law Office of Karen Ellsworth . . . . . .20

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Medical/Health

US Navy Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 World Class Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Tour & Travel

BW Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

US Army Field Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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