December 2016 | DC Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

The I N

F O C U S

FREE

F O R

P E O P L E

OV E R

More than 200,000 readers throughout Greater Washington

VOL.28, NO.12

Cerphing with rock’s royalty

Introducing the Boss Take Bruce Springsteen in his D.C. debut

PHOTO COURTESY OF CERPHE COLWELL

By Barbara Ruben One winter night in 1969, Cerphe Colwell hitchhiked up Wisconsin Avenue to the Bethesda office of radio station WHFS to pass the time with his roommate, who was an overnight DJ. He enjoyed that so much that soon he was a regular visitor, bringing with him armfuls of records by such groups as Buffalo Springfield and Jefferson Airplane, and bantering with his roommate on the air. A few weeks later, he, too, had a job at the legendary radio station — known for its eclectic rock playlist, not fettered by the usual mandate to play top 40 hits. “It was a happy accident,” he recalled in a recent interview. “WHFS was a community-minded station where the inmates ran the asylum. “The counterculture fostered the birth of great music, a mosaic of creative drama. And we radio DJs got to satisfy our relentless, inventive impulses by playing whatever we wanted,” Colwell recalled of his eight years at the station that launched his 45-year (and counting) radio career. Colwell, who is 67 and lives in Leesburg, Va. with his wife Susan, recounts his life on and off the air in a new memoir, Cerphe’s Up. Subtitled “A Musical Life with Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, CSNY and Many More,” Colwell recalls the dozens of on-air interviews and backstage visits he has had with rock’s biggest stars of the last half century. Colwell has always gone by his middle name, Cerphe (pronounced “surf”), a family name, and uses only that name as a DJ. He followed his high school girlfriend from his hometown outside Boston to American University in Washington for college and has never left. “The D.C. scene, with music clubs like the Cellar Door and Childe Harold, were attracting major acts like Neil Young and Miles Davis, and then also showcasing local musicians like Emmylou Harris, Nils Lofgren and virtuoso guitarists, Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan. On WHFS I had the opportunity to introduce unknown artists to local audiences and watch them develop,” he recalled.

5 0 DECEMBER 2016

I N S I D E …

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Colorful Curacao is an oftenoverlooked Caribbean gem; plus, swimming with dolphins, stingrays and sea lions, Scotland’s misty Isle of Skye, and coping with countries that still require tourist visas page 55

ARTS & STYLE

Cerphe Colwell, a former DJ at the legendary independent rock station WHFS and many others in the Washington area, now hosts four daily shows online at Music Planet Radio. His new memoir, Cerphe’s Up, recounts his career, and describes many of his interviews with rock stars — from Bruce Springsteen to Jerry Garcia to George Harrison.

at the Dupont Circle bar Childe Harold in 1973. Springsteen came onto Colwell’s show for an interview, a “bearded and skinny” guy who was “shy and unassuming.” Two years later, Colwell emceed a Springsteen show at Carter Baron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park on a rainsoaked night. By 1978, Springsteen was selling out shows at huge arenas, and Colwell was still announcing him. His favorite interview was with George Harrison. Colwell felt like a fish out of water with his long hair and “hippie jacket” at a Harrison press conference in 1976 with music critics from the Washington Post and Washington Star. But as he describes in his memoir, “As I talked to one of the suits, I noticed George looking at the tantric yoga button pinned

to my jean jacket. He looked at the button, up at me, and back at the button. “Then something crazy happened. With his eyes fixed on me, he wrapped up the conversation and walked over. He said, ‘Hi, would you care to have a cup of tea?’” “Here was a Beatle asking me if I would like to have tea with him! And it was the Beatle I most closely identified with,” Colwell writes. He’s also interviewed numerous other musicians whose stratospheric careers meant their albums were best sellers around the world. They include: Stevie Nicks, Robert Plant, John Prine, Frank Zappa, Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, Lowell George of Little Feat, Tom Waits, Jerry Garcia of the See DJ CERPHE, page 64

Signature Theatre’s locallywritten holiday musical; plus, Washington’s City Choir, and Bob Levey’s reminiscences at a Joan Baez concert page 61 TECHNOLOGY k Tech takes over money tasks

FITNESS & HEALTH 12 k Anger and exercise don’t mix k Is it arthritis? SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

LAW & MONEY k 2017 Medicare costs k Save $ with price matching

LIFETIMES 47 k Newsletter of the Charles E. Smith Life Communities ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Being heard In so many aspects of life, we can find our- protesters gathered near Johns Hopkins Uniselves frustrated because we feel we aren’t versity and marched to the M&T Bank Stadium during a Ravens game. being heard. It happens beIn all of these cases, people tween parents and kids; it hapsaid they were protesting the pens between spouses; it hapfact that Donald Trump won pens at school and at work. the presidential election. TeleWhen we feel our views are vision reporters quoted one dismissed and our needs are protestor as saying, “people ignored, we want to bash a need to know that we’re not wall, gnash our teeth, trash going to stand for this, and that our rooms or worse. nobody is happy with this.” AnThese feelings can affect us other protester was quoted as no matter what our age. But saying, “We are just exercising perhaps it is even more the FROM THE our right to protest that the syscase when we are young and PUBLISHER tem is corrupt.” perceive our legitimate means By Stuart P. Rosenthal I know neither of those of expression to be limited. quoted protestors is likely to I was thinking about this as I read about the many protests around the be reading the Beacon right now, and that region by high school and college students their sentiments don’t necessarily reflect after last month’s national election. those of the majority of protestors. In Washington, D.C., thousands of protestBut if I were to meet them, this is what ing students gathered outside the new I’d say: I understand how strongly you feel Trump hotel near the White House. In Mont- about the election results, and why. I ungomery County, hundreds of students from derstand and share many of your fears several high schools marched for miles down about the future. I even understand the immajor thoroughfares, snarling traffic for pulse to march around and shout. But regardless of how you feel about the hours. One pro-Trump student who joined that march to argue with protestors was beat- results of this election, it is not correct to say that “the system” is corrupt or that en up and taken to a hospital. And in Baltimore, students (and faculty) at “nobody” is happy with the results. And it Towson University walked out of classes in is certainly not appropriate to physically atprotest. Some days later, another group of tack those who disagree with you.

Beacon The

I N

F O C U S

F O R

P E O P L E

O V E R

5 0

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Readership exceeds 400,000. Subscriptions are available via first-class mail ($36) or third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. D.C. and Maryland residents: add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President of Operations ....Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................Dan Kelly, Rena Pensky, Chip Py • Editorial Assistant ......................Rebekah Alcalde

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 10th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 71 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

Think about how nearly half of American voters must have felt when President Obama won reelection in 2012 with 51% of the vote. If you were an Obama supporter, you were elated; if you voted for Romney (who won 48% of the vote), you might have been very unhappy. But neither group could rightly claim that “nobody” was happy, or conversely that “the people” won. In reality, the country was pretty narrowly divided. The same is true this year. Nobody “stole” anything, and nothing was rigged. No candidate won a majority of the votes, so the system functioned as it was designed to function: individual votes made a difference in each state, but the electoral college gave state-wide totals some additional clout, resulting in a Trump victory. By design, our system is not a pure democracy. It incorporates elements purposefully crafted by our founding fathers to elevate the influence of states and dilute the voting power of individuals. One of those elements is the electoral college. Another is our bicameral legislature, with a Senate (two votes per state) and a House of Representatives (votes based on total population). These institutions were created in order to offset what the founders saw as the inherent tendency of a pure democracy to trample the views and rights of minorities. There are many younger democracies in the world today without such moderating influences, where majorities regularly ignore minority rights. Had the founders refused to take account of differences among the 13 colonies, and their insistence on retaining some state-level clout, those colonies would never have banded together to form the United States in the first place. And in the 200+ years since, even more differences have come to characterize residents of different parts of the country — those from large and small states, rural and urban regions, etc.

There is grist here for discussion over whether this system is still best for us today. And as a matter of fact, that issue is being debated right now in Congress and around the country. Which leads me to another point: It is every citizen’s right to speak to their congressional representatives and express their opinion. In fact, this is the most direct and probably most effective way of influencing policies and laws in this country and bringing about change. I have been told by several legislators that even a surprisingly modest number of calls or emails from constituents grabs their attention because so few citizens take the time to do so. Marches and protests may attract media attention, and sometimes capture the imagination of much of the country. And there can be some value in that. But for practical effect in our system of government, it is more important to get your congressional representatives on board. Speaking of which, the prime way we exercise influence in this country is by exercising our right to vote. Despite the many months of press coverage, televised debates, and commercials that stressed the importance of voter turnout in this election, only 58 percent of registered voters bothered to cast a vote. That’s actually a pretty respectable percentage, looking at recent history. But it means that 97 million eligible voters didn’t participate in the process. In my view, if you didn’t participate in the election, you have no grounds to criticize the outcome. And as for post-election protests and debates, only when we engage in respectful dialogue and recognize the basic rights and humanity of those we disagree with can we really say that we — and they — will be heard.

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: Thank you very much for writing the lovely November cover story about our free news and information services for people challenged by vision loss. Your article was very comprehensive, and hopefully it will let people know about our services that could help them meet the challenges they face each day. We look forward to reading The Beacon aloud for our Dial-In News service as soon as the system upgrade has been completed. That could be after the first of the year, but we hope it will be sooner. Neely Oplinger Metropolitan Washington Ear, Inc.

Dear Editor: Thank you for the lovely October cover story, “Leisure World designer moves in.” Reading this inspirational account of architect Harold Navy’s accomplishments made me realize and appreciate that we need more stories like these to remind readers that there are such wonderful people who try to make our society better by having a vision and working hard to realize it. Perhaps Mr. Navy could share his story with the children in our schools. Diane Perry Germantown, Md. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 69

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations Technology that simplifies money tasks By Liz Weston Think about how difficult it was to clean a house 100 years ago, or make a phone call, or travel across the country. Tasks that were routine then — like, say, beating a rug to clean it — have all but disappeared. Likewise, technology has obliterated or automated a lot of the money tasks that were once mandatory for people who wanted to be responsible with their finances. If you do any of the following chores, you can (and should) do them a lot differently now: 1. Balance your checkbook Once upon a time, you got a paper statement each month from your bank. You com-

pared the transactions on that statement with what you’d recorded in your check register, adding in any deposits and subtracting any checks or other transactions that hadn’t posted by the time the statement was printed. Then you spent the next hour trying to figure out why the totals didn’t match. At least some of us did. These days, though, we write far fewer checks, most transactions post pretty quickly, and bank errors are rare. We still need to monitor our accounts to spot bogus transactions, keep track of our balances and avoid overdrafts, but the monthly ritual of trying to reconcile a statement to a register is pretty much obsolete. (If you still do write a lot of checks, please

switch to more secure payment methods. The information on each check gives the bad guys every bit of information they need to raid your account.) 2. Rebalance your investments The right asset allocation — how you divvy up your funds among various classes of stocks, bonds and cash — can help you achieve your investment goals with less risk. In the olden days, we had to decide how much to put where, and then regularly rebalance our portfolios back to those target allocations. If stocks did particularly well, for example, we’d have to sell some of those and buy some bonds to get our allocations back on track. If we failed to rebalance, we’d get our clocks cleaned when inevitable stock

downturns cratered our portfolios. Now we can outsource this burdensome task by buying target-date retirement funds, which have asset allocation and rebalancing services baked in. Or we can invest our money with an automated financial adviser that uses computer algorithms to allocate and rebalance our funds. Betterment, Wealthfront, Charles Schwab Intelligent Portfolios and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services are among the investment managers that use technology to automate investing. 3. Save paperwork The IRS accepts electronic documents, See FINANCIAL TASKS, page 6

LIMITED TIME OFFER APY

Open a 12-month CD and get one of the highest rates in the area.

Minimum balance is required to obtain the Annual Percentage Yield (APY). A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawals. Fees may reduce earnings. Interest rates effective as of 11/18/2016, and are subject to change at any time without notification. The rate is applicable to new money only. Maximum original principal balance cannot exceed $99,999.99. 2 Certificate of Deposit account. 3 Based on Bankrate.com research. Rates listed for Washington DC Metropolitan area as of 11/18/2016.

1.20% on Your Money 1

$10,000 minimum balance

Call 240-283-0416

or visit a branch near you. Rockville One Church Street, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20850 240-283-0416

North Bethesda 6000 Executive Blvd, Suite 101 North Bethesda, MD 20852 240-283-0420

Washington, DC 1776 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20006 202-861-2265

See LINKS & APPS, page 7

City______________________________________State______Zip________________ Phone (day)__________________________(evening)_________________________ E-mail_________________________________________________________________

Please mail this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 or fax to (301) 949-8966

✃

I N F O R M A T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N F R E E I N F O R M A T I O N

★

Monday-Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm | Evening hours available by appointment

Address_______________________________________________________________

★

www.graceinmotionstore.com 8480 A Tyco Rd. Vienna, VA 22182

Name______________________________________________________________

WB12/16

703.556.8998

F R E E

We Make House Calls!

❏ Gestalt Healthy Volunteers (See ad on page 29) ❏ Heart Health Supplement Study (See article on page 28) ❏ Insomnia Study (See ad on page 28) ❏ Insomnia Plus Alzheimer’s Study (See ad on page 28)

FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

Indoor or Outdoor • Curved or Straight • 400 lb. capacity

Health Studies

I N F O R M A T I O N

Bruno stairlifts restore access, safety and peace of mind to your home or the home of a loved one.

❏ Almost Home Senior Living (See ad on page 39) ❏ Ashby Ponds (See ads on pages 25 & 68) ❏ Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page 31) ❏ Culpepper Gardens (See ad on page 22) ❏ Falcons Landing (See ad on page 17) ❏ Greenspring (See ads on pages 25 & 68) ❏ Gum Springs Glen (See ad on page 26) ❏ Herndon Harbor House (See ad on page 26) ❏ Lockwood House (See ad on page 26) ❏ Morris Glen (See ad on page 26) ❏ Potomac Place (See ad on page 8) ❏ Shenandoah Senior Living (See ad on page 27) ❏ Tall Oaks Assisted Living (See ad on page 21) ❏ Tribute at the Glen (See ad on page 31) ❏ Tribute at One Loudoun (See ad on page 14) ❏ Vinson Hall (See ad on page 33) ❏ Waltonwood (See ad on page 33) ❏ Wingler House (See ad on page 26)

F R E E

Dependable. Safe. Compact.

Virginia

★

all levels

❏ Arden Courts (See ad on page 25) ❏ Aspenwood Senior Living (See ad on page 19) ❏ The Bonifant at Silver Spring (See ad on page 8) ❏ Brooke Grove (See ad on pages 36 & 37) ❏ Buckingham’s Choice (See ad on page 15) ❏ Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 18) ❏ Covenant Village (See ad on page 26) ❏ Emerson House (See ad on page 26) ❏ Fairhaven (See ad on page 15) ❏ Gardens of Traville (See ad on page 21) ❏ Homecrest House See ad on page 40) ❏ Olney Assisted Living (See ad on page 27) ❏ Park View Bladensburg (See ad on page 60) ❏ Park View Columbia (See ad on page 60) ❏ Park View Emerson (See ad on page 60) ❏ Park View Laurel (See ad on page 60) ❏ Riderwood (See ads on pages 25 & 68) ❏ Springvale Terrace (See ad on page 22) ❏ Victory Terrace (See ad on page 42)

I N F O R M A T I O N

your home on

Maryland

F R E E

Enjoy

❏ Friendship Terrace (see ad on page 22)

★

Please patronize our advertisers.

District of Columbia

I N F O R M A T I O N

From five kinds of solitaire to mah jongg to video poker, MSN Games offers dozens of games to play online — all for

Housing Communities

F R E E

Free games galore

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

★

Healthgrades, a site that patients can use to review doctors, now offers a new way to measure personal risk for common surgical procedures. It is based on a new report it did that identifies top quality hospitals throughout the country for six types of surgeries: total hip replacement, bariatric surgery, hysterectomy, pacemaker procedures, total knee replacement and coronary artery bypass graft. One of the factors the Risk IQ looks at is how close a patient is to a hospital for which Healthgrades has given its top rating. In the Washington area, patients have a number of choices. Other factors that users can plug into a

F R E E

What’s your surgery risk?

Is your Internet seemingly working, but the site you just tried to log into just not popping up on your monitor? Check with the website isitdownrightnow.com to see if your favorite sites are offline. Many of the major sites and their status are listed on its home page. Users can also search to see what is happening with other sites. www.isitdownrightnow.com or www.iidrn.com

★

Links

MAIL OR FAX FOR FREE INFORMATION

I N F O R M A T I O N

What’s up with down sites?

I N F O R M A T I O N

By Barbara Ruben

★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★ FREE INFORMATION ★

F R E E

risk calculator include age, height and weight, and other health problems they currently have. www.healthgrades.com/quality/fall -ratings-2016

F R E E

Beacon Links & Apps

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Financial tasks From page 4 and so does nearly everyone else. You can reduce the paperwork that comes into your home by opting for electronic statements and receipts whenever possible. Services such as FileThis can automatically download electronic statements into your computer, relieving you of this chore each month. Virtually any document you get in paper form can be scanned; paper receipts needed for tax purposes should be, since many receipts fade over time otherwise and become unreadable. Remember to back up your computer regularly to a secure online service or to a disk or drive you can store off site (to avoid losing crucial data through fire or theft). The only documents you absolutely

need to keep in paper form are those that are a hassle to replace, such as birth, marriage and death certificates. 4. Visit a bank Get this: People used to stand in lines to give banks their money. I kid you not. Bringing your paycheck to the bank was a regular ritual for most workers. Today, direct deposit is the safer, automated way to go, while other checks can be deposited with your bank’s smartphone app. Most other chores that used to be done in person, such as applying for a loan, can be done faster and more easily online. 5. Create a budget It’s still important to have a plan for where your future money will go, and to compare your expenditures against that plan to avoid overspending. But you no longer have to start from scratch, sifting through a pile of state-

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

ments and receipts to craft a budget. Account aggregation sites such as Mint can analyze months’ worth of transactions to help you create a spending plan, monitor your progress, and warn you when you’re about to overspend in a given category. 6. Track your mileage Back in the day you needed to keep a driving log, usually handwritten, to track your mileage if you wanted to be reimbursed or to deduct the expense in your business. You had to include dates and miles driven, plus where you went and the business purpose of the trip. It was a lot of work, and it was easy to forget trips, which meant leaving money on the table. Fortunately, most of the hassle has been automated away now with mileage-tracking apps such as MileIQ that record when and where you drove. You swipe right to classify a trip as business or left to deem it personal. The app lets you assign each trip a specific purpose, such as a commute between offices, customer visit, meeting, travel, etc. [See Links & Apps on page 7 for more.] 7. Pay for a credit score or report Knowing what lenders are saying about you is important, since the information in your credit reports is used to set insurance premiums and utility deposits, in addition to determining the rates and terms you get on loans. Credit reports are also used by landlords and many employers. Not that long ago, you typically had to pay

for copies of your credit reports and scores. It was a big step forward when the federally authorized website AnnualCreditReport.com went online more than a decade ago. But you still could access your free credit reports only once a year and you had to pay for scores. Now you can get both pretty much on demand. NerdWallet and other personal finance sites offer free credit scores and reports updated monthly or even weekly. The credit reports tend to come from a single credit bureau, and typically the scores are VantageScores, which share a 300-to-850 scale with FICO scores and weigh the information in your credit reports similarly. So while you won’t get a comprehensive view of your credit picture, you’ll get enough information to know generally where you stand with lenders, and you can track your progress as you work to improve and maintain your scores. Many credit card issuers, including American Express, Bank of America and Barclaycard US, offer free FICO scores to their cardholders, while Discover offers free FICO credit scores to anyone. Capital One offers free VantageScores to anyone. You may still want to buy your scores from MyFico.com, since FICOs are the scores used in most lending decisions. But you don’t need to pay just to keep an eye on your credit. This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Links & Apps From page 5 free. There are also Candy Crush-type matching games and puzzles. If you want an ad-free version or to download the games to own, players pay $6.99 to $9.99 a month. http://zone.msn.com

Apps Track your mileage If you freelance or own your own business, you’re paying a lot in self-employment tax. One way to get deductions is to keep scrupulous records on the miles you drive for your work. In 2016 the deduction is 54 cents per mile. The MileIQ app automatically logs the miles you drive using the sensors in your phone. Then you swipe right or left to show if the trip was for business or personal reasons. The app also shows how much

BEACON BITS

Dec. 11

TECH CAFÉ

Learn from local teens how to use technology — including smartphones, iPads, tablets, Facebook, email and more — on Sunday, Dec. 11 at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, located at 6125 Montrose Rd. in Rockville, Md. from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Space is limited, so register early. For more information or to register, email srelkin@awsllc.com or call (301) 928-0414.

you could potentially save on taxes. The first 40 logged drives a month are free. For unlimited tracking, the rate is $6 a month or $60 a year. Mile IQ, for iPhone and Android

Text around the world

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

Clear your mind Practice paying attention to your breathing, quieting your mind, and focusing on positivity in the app and website Headspace, which has over 5 million users, thanks in part to being featured on “Today” and “The Doctor Oz” shows. Meditation can reduce stress, elevate

mood, increase creativity and help with sleep. Some sessions focus on health, others on relationships and additional topics. Get the first 10 10-minute sessions free. Hundreds of additional sessions are available at $12.95 a month, or $8 a month with a year-long subscription. Headspace, for iPhone and Android

If you still have a limited texting plan or text a lot internationally, the WhatsApp app can let you contact other smartphones for free using your phone’s Internet connection. In the seven years since WhatsApp was launched, it’s become one of the most widely used communication tools in the world, with more than one billion users. It’s owned by Facebook, and in November announced it will roll out a new video calling feature. WhatsApp, free for iPhone and Android

Knee Arthritis - “Which Of These 7 Costly Mistakes Will You Make When Trying To Successfully Avoid Surgery...?” WASHINGTON, (DC) - If you or someone you know is suffering with knee pain or arthritis, tormented by daily, annoying, chronic pain or swelling, then reading this report could be the most important thing you do this year. It may even help you avoid the dangerous surgery that you currently think is your only option. What we’re talking abouthere is the type of “ache” and “sharp pain” where you get so nauseated that you feel your only option is to stop what you’re doing completely, reach for the painkiller drawer and wonder how long you’ll have to rest up for this time! The thing is, all of those painkillers are not good for your stomach - and the long periods of rest you’ve been told about are not likely to be doing your heart and lungs much good. And if you currently think that your only option is SURGERY, in the form of an even more painful knee replacement, then I urge you to read this report right until the end. Over the last 15 years I’ve been working on a daily basis to help people aged 50+ find relief from daily, annoying, and often severe, chronic knee pain – and I can tell you that the cocktail mix of more rest and more pills will do absolutely nothing to get to the root cause of most types of chronic knee pain... no matter what most family Doctors say! Because I’ve grown increasingly frustrated with the number of people suffering unnecessarily, I’ve written a 13 page report that details the 7 things any person can do to relieve knee pain naturally... and I want to send you this report at no charge. Now, I don’t know if these 7 things will relieve you of your knee pain completely - and I can’t promise that what has already worked for most of my patients and clients over the past 15 years, will work for you…

By Knee Pain Relief Specialist, Dr. Brian Paris However, reading my free report is sure better than spending another day “resting”, “accepting it”, thinking “it’s your age” or worse yet, risking surgery by masking it with harmful and costly pills. If your severe, daily annoying or recurring knee pain or arthritis is affecting your job and your ability to keep active and it threatens your independence or hinders your family leisure time, then you really need to read my free report. The 7 things I’m going to share with you in my report are not what “THEY” (the prescription pushers or surgeons) want you to hear - simply because all of my tips are mainly natural - and free. I want you to imagine how life will be years from now if you DON’T get a grip on your knee arthritis now. How will your knee pain affect your job? Your preservation of self worth and your mobility or independence? Will you be a fun person to be with? Or live with? Ok, you get my drift... It’s time to request my free tips report...by calling this free phone number now: (301)-804-2088. There are a limited number of free copies available - so please call today: (301)-804-2088 or visit www.iHateKneePain.com/free-knee-report to download your free report instantly. Sincerely, Dr. Brian Paris. I Hate Knee Pain P.S. No one will ask you for money for anything else when you call to request your free tips report written by one of the country’s leading experts on finding relief from knee pain. It’s perfect for people with knee arthritis hoping to avoid costly and dangerous surgery. Call now: (301)-804-2088 (you can leave a message 24 hours a day) or visit: www.iHateKneePain.com/free-knee-report to get your report sent to you right now.

Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Phone apps organize your photos, videos By Anick Jesdanun If you’re like many people, you have thousands of photos on your phone, long forgotten after you’ve posted a few on Instagram or Facebook. But they don’t have to stay forgotten. Apple and Google are both applying a form of artificial intelligence called “machine learning” to organize your pictures and video — and along the way, help you rediscover last year’s vacation, dinner with close friends, or a casual summer outing to the park.

Apple’s tools are part of this fall’s iOS 10 system update for iPhones and iPads. The Google Photos app for Apple and Android devices has a digital assistant to automatically organize these memories — and Google signaled that it will only get smarter over time. Here’s a look at how these apps take you down memory lane:

Apple’s Memories Apple’s new Memories feature automatically generates video highlights around a

Aid & Attendance Benefits Workshop Learn about monthly benefits available to wartime veterans and their spouses. Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the assistance of another person for activities of daily living may be eligible for additional monetary payment. Join us to learn what benefits are available, who qualifies, and how to apply. This event is free and open to the public!

Thursday, December 8 • 6-8 PM

PotomacPlace.com

Space is limited! Call 703-494-3817 to RSVP.

2133 Montgomery Ave. Woodbridge,VA 22191

Coordinated Services Management, Inc. - Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

theme, such as a trip or birthday party. Individual photos and snippets from video are chosen for you, as is the music, though you can change it to reflect a different mood. This isn’t just a slideshow. There’s slow zooming and panning, reminiscent of Ken Burns’ historical documentaries. For me, Apple’s app created a “Florida to Illinois” package for a three-week trip in January, and one for a day trip to Philadelphia last November. But Apple goes beyond date and location. Apple created a “Together” package for shots with family over the past two years. It also created an “At The Beach” package with beach photos since 2013. Apple offers users up to three new Memories a day. You can create more based on photos you add to an album, and generate new automated ones. You can also add or delete images. Nothing will ever replace the human touch. But let’s face it, even though I keep meaning to organize my photos, I never find the time. The machine-generated selections aren’t necessarily ones I’d choose myself, but with a small amount of tweaking, they’re presentable, and will tide me over until I get around to catching up manually ... someday.

Google’s Assistant Google Photos has been at this longer

and offers more types of packages. With collages, Google combines smaller versions of several shots into one layout. Animations combine a bunch of photos taken in succession so that they resemble a moving image. Google also offers albums and video highlights, though without the Ken Burns effect. Google’s Assistant generates much of this for you automatically. You can edit autogenerated albums and video highlights, but not collages or animation — although you can create your own from scratch.

Making room To free up space, both services will automatically clear photos from your phone after uploading them to the Internet, once you activate the option. You still have a lower-resolution version on the device, and can get the sharper image anytime, as long as you’re online. Google Photos offers unlimited online storage of photos at up to 16 megapixels and videos at 1080p high definition — good enough for most people. It will compress larger photos, or you can store the original and have it count toward your Google Drive limit, which starts at 15 gigabytes for free. Apple’s iCloud Photo Library requires paying once you exceed 5 gigabytes, which is enough for a few thousand photos. — AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations T

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Asbury Methodist Village 409 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 301-987-6291

MASTER THE MICROSOFT EDGE® BROWSER

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 2 sessions Limit: 10 # 624 Tue Jan 10 – Jan 17 9:30am-11:30am # 625 Tue Mar 14 – Mar 21 9:30am-11:30am

Microsoft Edge is the web browser provided with Windows 10. It contains a number of useful features that make your browsing easier and more secure. This course shows you how to take advantage of the new features and how to setup the browser to best meet your online needs.

HOW CORTANA® CAN ASSIST YOU

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 session Limit: 10 # 626 Fri Jan 13 9:30am-11:30am # 627 Tue Feb 14 9:30am-11:30am

Cortana is the digital personal assistant integrated into Windows 10. Learn how to setup Cortana and see how you can use Cortana to find information, answer questions, and complete tasks, and find/search for things on your computer.

CUSTOMIZE & CONTROL WINDOWS® 10

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 2 sessions Limit: 10 # 628 Mon Jan 23 – Jan30 9:30am-11:30am

ATTENTION:

Instruction, course materials and all computer language settings are in

English.

Unless otherwise noted, courses are taught with Windows computers.

This course shows you how to use the Settings app to customize your Windows environment to better suit the way you use your computer and to control many features of Windows. The options you have are easy to use once you understand what they can do for you.

ONEDRIVE® & THE CLOUD

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 session Limit: 10 # 629 Tue Jan 31 9:30am-11:30am # 630 Tue Apr 4 9:30am-11:30am

The Cloud is a new place to store files and do computing. Windows 10 provides you with free storage space on the OneDrive service. This course shows you what you can do with OneDrive and how you can use the Cloud to do computing.

MASTER THE WINDOWS® 10 START MENU

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 session Limit: 10 # 631 Fri Feb 3 9:30am-11:30am

The Windows 10 Start menu is a useful tool once you understand how to use it. The Start menu provides access to things that have been a part of Windows for a while. Additionally, it provides easy access to the Uniform Windows Platform apps that are new to Windows 10. This course shows you how to customize and manage the menu to best suit your needs.

WINDOWS® 10 & YOUR SMARTPHONE

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 sessions Limit: 10 # 632 Mon Feb 13 9:30am-11:30am

You have a Windows 10 PC and a smartphone using the google Android of apple iOS operating system. Would you like to see your Windows 10 email, calendar and contacts on your smartphone? This class shows you how using the Phone Companion Universal app that comes with your Windows 10. Please bring a fully charged smartphone to class (this class in not for people with an iPhone).

EXPLORE WINDOWS® 10 APPS

Prerequisites: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 1 sessions Limit: 10 # 633 Fri Feb 17 9:30am-11:30am

Windows 10 comes with a number of Universal apps that provide useful features. This course explores several of the apps and shows you how to use the Windows Store to obtain additional apps.. You will also learn how to manage apps on the Start menu.

9 7

WINDOWS® 10 ESSENTIALS

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 6 sessions Limit: 10 # 634 Fri Mar 10 – Apr 14 9:30am-11:30am

This course teaches you the essentials you need to know to be able to use your Windows 10 computer effectively. You cover the Start menu, the Desktop and taskbar, using File Explorer to manage your files, highlights of the Universal Windows Platform apps, and how to use the Settings app to customize and control Windows 10.

ORGANIZE YOUR FILES WITH WINDOWS® 10

Prerequisite: Computer experience & Windows 10 PC 3 sessions Limit: 10 # 635 Mon Mar 13 – Mar 27 9:30am-11:30am

Do you need to bring a little organization to your computer-based life? This course shows you the features of the new Windows 10 File Explorer application and how to use them to bring organization to your collection of documents and photos. File Explorer has a new “look” plus serval built-in features to assist you in crating and viewing folders, as well as moving, copying and renaming files.

ASSISTED PRACTICE

FREE sessions: an integral part of your learning. You must be registered for at least one class to participate. No Fee Wed Jan 11 – Feb 15 9:30am-1:30pm Wed Mar 15 – Apr 19 9:30am-1:30pm

JCA Bronfman Center 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 240-395-0916

EXCEL: THE BASICS

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 636 Mon Jan 23 – Jan 30 10:00am-12:00pm # 637 Mon Mar 27 – Apr 3 10:00am-12:00pm Develop and learn how to create a basic spreadsheet and enter data, edit the cells, adjust columns and rows, “crossfooting” spreadsheets, using formulas in spreadsheets

continued next page

Technology & Innovations

GOOGLE APPS AND EXTENSION

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 638 Tue Jan 17 – Jan 24 10:00am-12:00pm Ever wonder about those nine little boxes forming a square in the upper right corner of any google page? Well, those boxes are a portal into a whole new Google world that includes calendars, maps, photos, and anything else you can think of to make your time online more productive, useful and fun.

MOVING UP TO WINDOWS 10

Prerequisite: Have prior Windows 7 or 8/8.1 experience 7 sessions Limit: 12 # 639 Wed Feb 15 – Mar 29 10:00am-12:00pm

This course is for students who want to move up to Windows 10 and have computer skills using Windows 7 or 8/8.1. It covers hardware, mouse use, keyboard commands, the start menu, the taskbar, File Manager, the internet, and some of the built-in applications and utilities. Being familiar with PC’s keyboard layout, (including cursor control keys and function keys) will be helpful. This course is not for students who’ve never used a computer.

MICROSOFT WORD 2016: FROM THE BEGINNING AND BEYOND Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent/ Knowledge of the keyboard 3 sessions Limit: 12 # 640 Tue Mar 7 – Mar 21 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn word-processing skills for using Microsoft Word (versions 2010, 2013 and 2016). Learn to create documents of varying levels of complexity. Simple skills include document layout, simple formatting, keyboard commands, and use of the Ribbon. More advanced skills include illustrating documents with graphics, creating tables, advanced formatting, and using templates. Knowing the PC’s KEYBOARD is a requirement. Notice that you don’t need typing skills, per sé, but you do need to know where the keys are located on the keyboard and what they do. This is NOT a typing class.

YOUR IPAD® AND YOU

Prerequisite: iPad needs to be updated to the ios9.1 and have an Apple® ID and password Bring fully charged iPad to class 4 sessions Limit: 12 # 641 Thurs Mar 9 – Mar 30 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn the basics about what you can do with your iPad and how using a tablet is different from using a desktop or laptop computer. Topics include basic navigation, apps and where you get them, how to set up your email account, managing your contact list, taking and sharing pictures, listening to music, how to keep your iPad safe and running efficiently, and how to back up data. IPHONE®,

AN INTRODUCTION

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged iPhone to class 2 session Limit: 12 # 642 Mon Feb 6 – Feb 13 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn to navigate the iPhone, make phone calls, surf the web, send messages, manage apps and more! IPHONE®

APPS

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged iPhone to class 1 session Limit: 12 # 643 Mon Mar 13 1:00pm-3:00pm

Learn to use and organize apps. Explore apps to create reminders, read or listen to books, find directions, track health and fitness activities, share photos and more! Share YOUR favorite app! IPHONE®,

PHOTOGRAPHY: AN INTRODUCTION

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged iPhone to class 1 session Limit: 12 # 644 Mon Mar 20 1:00pm-3:00pm

JCA SENIORTECH Learn how to use the iPhone’s capabilities to take great pictures, organize photos, and share photos with friends and family.

SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS USING THE ANDROID OPERATING SYSTEM WORKSHOP

Prerequisite: Bring fully charged Smartphone or Tablet 1 session Limit: 12 # 645 Tues Jan 10 10:00am-12:00pm

Learn what the Android operating system is and how to work with its direct manipulation interface and see demonstrations of popular applications (apps) that run on Android.

FROM MESS TO LESS: ORGANIZING THE FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent/ Knowledge of the keyboard 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 646 Mon Mar 13 – Mar 20 10:00am-12:00pm

You know how you sometimes put something away in such a safe place and you can never find it again? Well that can happen on a computer, too. Learn how to organize your documents, photos etc. so that you can find what you need when you are looking for it.

 NEW  NEW  NEW 

BROWSING AND SEARCHING THE WEB

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent 2 session Limit: 12 # 647 Thurs Feb 16 – Feb 23 10:00am-12:00pm Using Internet Explorer®, Google Chrome®, and Google® search to learn how to more effectively use the World Wide Web. We will teach the basics but go beyond including setting up favorites and bookmarks, creating a bookmark bar, opening multiple tabs, and adding extensions to the browser. Learn many techniques to more precisely find the information you want.

POWERPOINT®

Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent 2 sessions Limit: 12 # 648 Mon Feb 27 – Mar 6 10:00am-12:00pm In this course you will learn to create your own Microsoft PowerPoint presentation by adding and deleting slides, creating different layouts, formatting your presentation and inserting images.

MEET THE TECHNOLOGY GURUS! BRING US YOUR PROBLEMS!

Unlimited # 649 Date and time to be determined by Tech Guru

Have a one-to-one lesson with our Tech Gurus. Experts are available to help individuals with hardware or software issues. Topics: Windows® 10, buying a new computer, securing your computer, backing up

SENIORTECH VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO TEACH OR COACH We are looking for volunteers who are computer savvy, willing to share their knowledge, and would like to help people age 50+ learn new computer skills.

Call 240-395-0916 for more information

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

the cloud, laptop/desktop Issues, photos/videos, PowerPoint® and more. Your session will last 2 hours. After you register, you will be contacted to select a date and time for your session and to discuss the questions or issues you will be working on with one of our Tech Gurus.

 NEW  NEW  NEW 

MEET THE MAC® TECHNOLOGY GURUS! BRING US YOUR PROBLEMS!

Unlimited # 650 Date and time to be determined by Tech Guru

Have a 1:1 lesson with our Mac Tech Gurus. Experts are available to help individuals with hardware or software issues. Topics: iPhone®, iPad®, Apple® Laptops/computers. Your session will last 2 hours. After you register, you will be contacted to select a date and time for your session and to discuss the questions or issues you will be working on with one of our Tech Gurus.

 NEW  NEW  NEW 

JCA SeniorTech is proud to present our NEW class given on the MAC Operating System!

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAC® OPERATING SYSTEM X

2 session Limit: 4 # 651 Thurs Jan 19 – Jan 26 10:00am-12:00pm # 652 Tues Mar 28 – Apr 4 10:00am-12:00pm Class size is limited to 4. If class is full, students with Mac laptops are welcome

The Apple Mac Operating System (OS), known as OS X provides the interface to the Mac hardware and applications. In this class we will cover the essential components that users need to know in order to operate their computers in a safe and productive manner. The class will combine lecture and hands-on exercises. Topics will include the Desktop components including the Dock and Menu Bar, System Preferences, Finder, the safari browser, user accounts, spotlight, Mission Control, ways to run Windows on your Mac, and backup with Time Machine.

TECH TALK!

PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON HOT TOPICS IN TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO THE CLOUD

1 session # 653 Wed

Limit: 25 Feb 15

1:30pm-3:00pm

There has been a lot of talk about “the cloud” recently. Learn what the cloud is and how to use it for storage, backup and sharing of files, pictures and music.

CUTTING THE OF CABLE 1 session # 654 Wed

CABLE – TV WITHOUT THE PRICE Limit: 25 Feb 21

1:30pm-3:00pm

With the availability of high-speed broadband internet, it is possible to enjoy television without the high price of cable TV. Learn about programs that are available online and how to watch on a standard HDTV set.

JCA must receive registration for classes at least 1 week prior to the beginning of the class. We will not be able to accommodate walk-ins.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

SeniorTech

DESCRIPTION AND GUIDELINES Classes are designed to help adults, 50+, refresh or advance their computer skills and learn to use social media. Courses are taught by volunteer instructors and coaches.

Courses are almost always “hands on” in which students practice skills and techniques on a computer during class.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

✃

9 11

gy & Innovations Say you saw it in the Beacon | TTechnology

JCA SENIORTECH

SENIORTECH REGISTRATION FORM

COMPUTER TRAINING

WAYS TO REGISTER: BY MAIL:

Include your payment with form to JCA SeniorTech 12320 Parklawn Drive Rockville, MD 20852-1726

BY PHONE: Call 240-395-0916 Donations gratefully accepted allowing JCA to help all seniors thrive.

YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION BELOW. NOTE: ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE 7 DAYS PRIOR TO START OF CLASS. Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________ State: _______ Zip Code: _______________ Phone#: ______________________________ Email: __________________________________________________ I have taken a JCA SeniorTech class before: ____ Yes ____ No

Student ID (Office use only)_______________

I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER FOR: Class #

Class Title

Location

Start Date

Start Time

Registration

$ FREE

YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION BELOW.

❒ Master Card ❒ VISA ❒ American Express ❒ Check (Make Checks payable to Jewish Council for the Aging.)

Amount $______________

Name as it appears on card: ____________________________________________________________

Card Number

Exp. Date

Sec. Code

SeniorTech follows the weather-related decisions of Montgomery County Public Schools, except that if the school system is closed for even part of the day, the center will be closed the entire day. As soon as possible, your instructor will arrange to make up any classes cancelled due to inclement weather.

WB12/16

____________ ____________ ____________ _____________ ______ /______ __________ OFFICE USE ONLY Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________ Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________

Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________ Course #_____ Paid_____ Registration #_______ Date________

NOTICE: WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ITS RESOURCES, JCA SERVES PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. INDEED, WE TRY TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE IN ALL THAT WE DO. SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, JCA MAY DENY A PERSON OR GROUP THE OPTION TO ENROLL OR TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL OR PARTICULAR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO, AT OUR SOLE DISCRETION, SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT OUR ACTION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR PROGRAM OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON NOT PRECLUDED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Each contribution or remittance of payment by check is considered authorization to convert that particular check into an electronic fund transfer. If your check is unable to be converted, it may be processed as a Check Replacement Document drawn against your account. When we use information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer, funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day you make your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution. You have the right to opt out of Electronic Conversion. If you choose to exercise this right, write the words ‘Opt Out’ in the memo field of your check and JCA will process it as a draft against your account.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: JCA is registered with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, P.O. Box 92300, Washington DC 200903020. FLORIDA: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR THE JEWISH COUNCIL OF THE AGING OF GREATER WASHINGTON, INC. (REGISTRATION NO. CH36992) MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING WWW.800HELPFLA.COM REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE, MARYLAND: Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Maryland Secretary of State’s Office, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 for the cost of copying and postage. NEW YORK: A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained by contacting the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10271. VIRGINIA: A financial report is available from the Virginia State Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209. As is true for all charities, registration by these governmental organizations does not imply their endorsement.

A copy of JCA’s 990 is available for public inspection at JCA’s Rockville office during normal business hours, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

GOODBYE TO DAIRY You can develop lactose intolerance at any age and for many reasons WRITE YOUR OWN OBIT More people choose to define their own legacy, and to post it online A TOUCHING ADVANCE A new artificial hand is the first that lets users truly feel sensations WHO NEEDS MAMMOGRAMS? A study questions the value of mammograms, but they help most in your 60s

Exercise when angry ups heart attack risk By Marilynn Marchione If you’re angry or upset, you might want to simmer down before heading out for an intense run or gym workout. A large, international study ties heavy exertion while stressed or mad to a tripled risk of having a heart attack within an hour. Regular exercise is a healthy antidote to stress and can help prevent heart disease. In fact, the biggest problem is that too many people get too little of it. But the new research suggests there may be better or worse times to exercise, and that extremes can trigger harm. “This study is further evidence of the connection between mind and body. When you’re angry, that’s not the time to go out and chop a stack of wood,” said Barry Jacobs, a psychologist at the Crozer-Keystone Health System in Philadelphia. He had no role in the study, led by the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Results were published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

Earlier studies have looked at anger and exertion as heart attack triggers, but most were small or in one country, or included few women or minorities. The new study involved 12,461 people suffering a first heart attack in 52 countries. Their average age was 58, and threefourths were men.

Biggest risk factors They answered a survey about whether they were angry or upset, or had heavy exertion, in the hour before their heart attack or during the same time period the previous day. That way researchers could compare risk at different times in the same people, and the effect of these potential heart attack triggers. Being angry or upset doubled the risk of suffering heart attack symptoms within an hour. Heavy physical exertion did the same. Having both at the same time more than tripled the risk for a heart attack. The risk was greatest between 6 p.m. and midnight, and was independent of

other factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or obesity. Big caveats: Patients reported their own stress or anger, and people who just had a heart attack may be more prone to recall or think they suffered one of these triggers than they otherwise might have been. Also, strenuous exertion is whatever the patient perceives it to be — for some people that could be climbing stairs, and for others, running a marathon. The study also is observational, so it cannot prove cause and effect. But it’s likely to be the best kind of information available — it’s not possible to randomly assign people to be angry and exercise, then see how many have heart attacks. “This is a large enough sample size that we can put stock in the findings,” Jacobs said. “We all need to find ways of modifying our emotional reactions and to avoid extreme anger,” such as distracting ourselves, walking away from the stressful situation, trying to see it from a different perspective, talking it out, and getting support

from other people, he said.

Emotions affect the body The study’s findings also are biologically plausible. Emotional stress and exertion can raise blood pressure and heart rate, change the flow of blood in the vessels, and reduce the heart’s blood supply, said the study leader, Dr. Andrew Smyth of McMaster University. In an artery already clogged with plaque, a trigger could block blood flow and lead to a heart attack. “From a practical perspective, there will be times when exposure to such extremes is unavoidable,” Smyth said. “We continue to advise regular physical activity for all, including those who use exercise to relieve stress.” But people should not go beyond their usual routine at such times, he said. The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, other governmental bodies from various countries that participated, and grants from several drug companies. — AP

Probiotics may help prevent osteoporosis Probiotic supplements protected female mice from the loss of bone density that occurs after having their ovaries removed, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia State University have shown. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. In mice, ovary removal induces the hormonal changes that occur with menopause in women. The findings suggest that probiotic bacteria may have potential as an inexpensive treatment for post-menopausal osteoporosis.

What probiotics do The immune system is known to be involved in post-menopausal osteoporosis, but the mechanism was previously unclear.

Emory and Georgia State researchers found that in mice, the loss of estrogen increases gut permeability, which allows bacterial products to activate immune cells in the intestine. In turn, immune cells release signals that break down bone. The researchers found that probiotics both tighten up the permeability of the gut and dampen inflammatory signals that drive the immune cells. “Our findings highlight the role that intestinal microbes play in modulating gut permeability and inflammation in the context of sex steroid depletion,” said senior author Dr. Roberto Pacifici, professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. “We think there are direct impli-

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

TREMORS SUPPORT GROUP

A Tremors Support Group meets monthly at Leisure World and is open to the public. If you shake or tremble uncontrollably, you may have essential tremor syndrome. The group meets on the first Thursday of every month at Leisure World’s clubhouse I, located at 3701 Rossmoor Blvd., Silver Spring, Md. at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit http://thehopenet.org or contact Marlene G. at (301) 438-7773.

cations for the treatment of osteoporosis that should be tested clinically.” Researchers led by Pacifici treated female mice twice a week with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), a type of bacteria found in some yogurts, or with a commercially available mix of eight strains of bacteria known as VSL#3. A month after ovary removal, mice that were not treated with probiotic bacteria had lost half of their bone density. But the bone density in probiotic-treated mice stayed the same, the researchers observed. And in mice that did not have their ovaries removed, probiotic treatment actually led to an increase in bone density.

Good vs. bad bacteria The type of bacteria was important. Treating mice with a laboratory strain of E. coli bacteria lacking probiotic properties did not help, and a mutant LGG bacteria with a defect in sticking to intestinal cells provided a weakened protective effect. The scientists also tested the role of gut bacteria in bone loss by studying mice that were raised under germ-free conditions. In

this situation, surgical ovary removal is not feasible, so the research team used the drug leuprolide, which reduces hormone production by the ovaries. Germ-free mice treated with leuprolide do not have a reduction in bone density. “What this means is that the presence of some intestinal bacteria is required for sex steroid depletion-induced bone loss,” said co-author Rheinallt Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics. Jones said the team’s current investigations are focused on assessing the diversity of the gut microbiome following sex steroid depletion. “One possibility is that sex steroid deficiency leads to decreased microbiota diversity that exacerbates bone loss, and that probiotics preserve greater diversity,” he said. A Wellness Update is a magazine devoted to up-to-the minute information on health issues from physicians, major hospitals and clinics, universities and health care agencies across the U.S. Online at www.awellnessupdate.com. © 2016 www.awellnessupdate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

A e-Frie Ag e Frie F iendly dl Mont M tg gome omeery A Com mmunity for a Life fetime

“I’m in “I’ i viting i i you to enjo j y our County’s ’s resources e and d program ms.” County Executiv ve Ike Leggett

Discoverin ng Fun Waay

y Active

With the weeather getting colder, this is a great r time to take advvantagee off some fun way ys to stay y acctivve indoors in Montgomery Cou unty.. There are nu umerouss senior centers, recreation centerss and indoor pools across Montgomery County with lots of opporrtunities to ha hav avvvee fun and meet m new people. One approach is to t check out what’s near you and call or visit that facility tto see what you might lik ke to do. Many haav ve weekly actiivities vities and a a call or visit often iss the best way to find out the full sched dule of offerings g. To find a recreation center, senior centerr or even an indoor pool near you: • Call 3-1-1 to ask the location and phonee number of your nearest senior center, recreation center and/or a aquatic center. - OR • Go to www w.Montgomer .MontgomeryCountyMD.go ov/senior and click on “R Recreation” ecreation” to find what’s near you u. For starters, here’s a broad sense of where these facilities arre located: Recreation Centers: Brookeville, Burtonsville, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Germanto own, North Potomac, Potomac, Rockville, Sandy Spring, S Silver Spring and Wheaton.

Senior Centers: Damascus, Potomaac, Silveer Spring, Wheato on and Rockville. Indoor pools: Germantown/Boyds, North Bethesda, Olney ney and Silveer Spring. Another approach pp is to check out the classes, classes, cliinics,, spor p ts leagues and more offered ed throughout the County y.. Many are y located at facilities such h as schools,park buildings gs, recreation centers or senior centerss. Whether you’re interested ted in the arts, adult swim m, basketball, cooking ki , dance d , fitness fit ( ven water (e t fitness), fit ) golf, lf, f guitar f, it , pottery, strength trainin training ng, tai chi, tap dancing, tennis ennis, yoga, and more, you might well e find something you’ll like. T To o find out what’s av availablee and to register, please vvisit www w.. MontgomeryCountyMD D.gov/senior and click on Recreation. Many activities are freee or low cost. Some are accessed with a yearly pass, with a reduced fee for residents nts age 55 and olderr.. To see all you ur membership options, vvisit www w.. MontgomeryCountyMD D.go gov/senior and click on Recreation. As you’ll see, one of thee most economical fitness options is the “Senior Sneakers” pass p , which costs $50/year for County residents who are age 55 5 or olderr.. It’s good for access to any Community Center Exercise e Room and Open Gym during center open hours. It’s the t perfect pass for the boomer or senior who wants to work out and staay y fit!

-3000 • Aginng & Disability Resource Line 240-777-3000

• 3-1-1 or 240-777-03111 for County programs and services; 9-1-1 for emergenccy w w.montgomerycountymd.gov/senio or • www

Toda odaay” airs on Sundaays y , Tuesdaays ys ys and Thursdaays ys at 6:00 p.m. on Comcast/R RCN CN 6, 6 V Verizon erizon 30 • “Seniors T

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Lactose intolerance can develop at any age Dear Mayo Clinic: What would cause someone to become lactose-intolerant later in life? I’m in my 40s and have never had an issue with dair y, but, now, I can’t seem to have it without problems. Do I need to see a doctor to be tested for allergies, or should I just avoid dairy? Answer: Lactose intolerance isn’t a true allergy, and it can develop at any age. In some people, lactose intolerance may be triggered by another medical condition, such as Crohn’s disease. In others, it develops without a specific underlying cause. It would be a good idea to have your condition evaluated by your doctor to confirm that what you’re dealing with truly is lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance results from a problem with the carbohydrate lactose — a type of sugar found in dairy products. When you eat or drink dairy products, enzymes in your small intestine digest lactose, so the body can make energy. In people with lactose intolerance, a certain enzyme, called lactase, is missing from the body. When those people eat dairy products, the body has no way to break down the lactose. This leads to fermentation of the sugar in the intestines, and triggers symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating and gas.

Why it develops Sometimes, lactose intolerance develops when the small intestine’s production of

lactase decreases after an illness, injury or surgery involving the small intestine. This is called secondary lactose intolerance. Among the diseases associated with this kind of lactose intolerance are celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth and Crohn’s disease. Treatment of the underlying disorder may restore lactase levels and improve symptoms. More common than secondary lactose intolerance is primary lactose intolerance. People who develop primary lactose intol-

erance start life making normal levels of lactase — a necessity for infants, who get all their nutrition from milk. As children replace milk with other foods, lactase production normally decreases. It stays high enough, though, to digest the amount of dairy in a typical adult diet. In primary lactose intolerance, lactase production declines below normal at some point for reasons that are unclear. The low See LACTOSE, page 15

BEACON BITS

Dec. 14

ENVISION A HEALTHIER YOU

Arlington 55+ is offering a free vision boards seminar to help county residents complete their new year’s resolutions. Vision boards are a collection of images and words with helpful reminders when motivation lacks. The seminar is on Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Arlington Mill Community Center, located at 909 S. Dinwiddie St. For more information, call (703) 228-7369.

Dec. 15

LOW VISION LIGHTING

The Aging Eye & Macular Degeneration Network and Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington present “Better Light for Better Sight,” with guest speaker Terry Eason, executive director of the Low Vision Center, on Thursday, Dec. 15 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Friendship Heights Village Center, located at 4433 South Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. For more information or to register and reserve a light lunch, call (301) 656-2797.

Experience Assisted Living Like You’ve Never Seen Before! SM

One Loud Welcome C oun en Now Open ter !

Welcome Center Address 20618 E Hampton Plaza Community Address 20335 Savin Hill Drive Ashburn, VA (571) 223-5766 TributeAtOneLoudoun.com Hello@TributeAtOneLoudoun.com

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Lactose From page 14 amount of lactase then makes milk products difficult to digest and leads to lactose intolerance symptoms.

Testing for intolerance Your doctor can confirm a diagnosis of lactose intolerance with a clinical test. One that’s often used is a lactose tolerance test. It assesses your body’s reaction to a dose of lactose. After you consume a drink containing lactose, a sample of your blood is taken to measure glucose levels. If your glucose level does not rise, it means your body isn’t properly digesting and absorbing the lactose. Alternatively, another test called the hydrogen breath test may be used. This test also requires you to consume a drink that contains high levels of lactose. Your doctor next measures the amount of hydrogen in your breath. Normally, very little hydrogen is detectable. However, if your body doesn’t digest the lactose, the fermentation reaction in your colon releases hydrogen and other gases. Your intestines absorb those gases, and you exhale them. Larger-than-normal

amounts of hydrogen measured during this test are a sign that your body isn’t fully digesting and absorbing lactose. If you have lactose intolerance, there isn’t a way to cure it. The most effective way for people with lactose intolerance to get relief from symptoms is to lower the amount of dairy products they eat. You may be able to use dairy products that have reduced levels of lactose or are lactose-free. Some people who have lactose intolerance benefit from taking lactase enzyme supplements, as well. If test results do not point to lactose intolerance, your doctor may recommend additional tests to check for another condition that could be causing your symptoms, such as a milk allergy, intestinal disorders or other problems within your digestive tract. — Rohit Divekar, Ph.D., Allergic Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail questions to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org. © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Find more ways to save. START HERE h Tips and programs at pepco.com/everyonesaves can help you save money and energy year-round.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING

Doctor’s Community Hospital offers a free colorectal cancer screening program for Prince George’s County residents. Colon or colorectal cancer is often preventable and curable, and regular colon cancer screening (colonoscopy) is one of the best ways to prevent this disease or identify it early — when it is most treatable. Participants should be 50 or older (or under 50 with a family history for this type of cancer) and can be uninsured or underinsured. All colonoscopies are performed by experienced gastroenterologists at Doctors Community Hospital, which is located at 8118 Good Luck Rd., Lanham, Md. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (301) 324-4968).

What kinds of resources are available? ■

Find tips for saving money and energy

■

Use online tools to look closer at your daily energy use and calculate savings from a few easy changes

■

Learn about energy-saving programs available to our customers in the District

■

Get assistance to help make bills more affordable

Who can save? You’ll find options for everyone, even kids. And if you need help, just call 202-833-7500. We’ve made major improvements in our electric system over the past three years, including new technology that helps us offer more ways than ever for you to save.

Visit pepco.com/everyonesaves to learn how.

Senior High. !"#$$!%"&"'($!)*+'!"#$ ",!-(.('(*+"&/0"12#(1!"*2&*"3%#4(0!)"+#5"/!6" #33#%*5/(*(!)7"8-3!%(!/1!"+#5%"(/0!3!/0!/1!"&/0"!/%(12"+#5%"'($!7"

!"#$%&'$()#$*!""+&,(-$.#/($/+,(#'$(!$-!+0 122$!3$4,/,($+/$1( www.Integrace.org

301-644-1604 410-795-8801

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Questions to ask about painful, stiff joints By Dr. Scott Burg Over the years, a lot of people have come to see me about an aching knee, back, shoulder or other joint. The first thing I do with every patient is try to determine whether their arthritis is degenerative (less serious) or inflammatory (more serious). I start by asking three questions. 1. Does your pain get better or worse as the day goes on? If your pain gets worse throughout the day, that suggests degenerative or mechanical (wear-and-tear) arthritis. If your pain gets better, that suggests an inflammatory arthritis. Osteoarthritis and mechanical low back

pain are degenerative forms of arthritis. Inflammatory forms of arthritis include: • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the granddaddy of them all • Gout and other types caused by crystals forming in the joints • Psoriatic arthritis and similar types caused by spinal column inflammation 2. Do you ever get stiff, and if so, for how long? I always ask about stiffness, especially in the morning. Ten, 15 or 20 minutes of morning stiffness don’t bother me so much because they likely are caused by degenerative arthritis. But if you tell me, “Doc, it takes me 30 to 45 minutes to sort of get unglued,” that suggests an inflam-

General and Cosmetic Dentistry • Senior Citizen Discount Available • We use ‘Low Radiation Digital X-Rays’ • Aesthetic Crowns, Implants, Bridges • Natural-looking Dentures, Partials, no adhesives needed

Judy Jo Oh, D.D.S. (UCLA School of Dentistry, 1992) 4607 Connecticut Ave., N.W. #109, Washington, D.C. 20008 (Within 4 Blocks North of Van Ness/UDC Red Line Metro Station)

202-244-2212 • 301-300-7579 www.judyohdds.com

matory arthritis. Because we see stiffness in both types of arthritis, I may ask you about the “gelling” phenomenon. I’ll say, “If I give you a one-way, all-expenses-paid limo trip to Philadelphia for a Redskins game, how will you feel after your ride?” If not moving much for a few hours would make you feel stiff for a few minutes, I’d think mechanical arthritis. But if it takes you half an hour to feel right again, I’d think inflammatory arthritis. 3. Are joints painful on one or both sides of your body? If your arthritis is symmetrical — involving both shoulders, wrists or elbows, for example — I’d be more concerned about an inflammatory arthritis like RA. But if you tell me, “Everything is fine, doc, except for my right knee,” or “My left shoulder is killing me,” I’d be less concerned because they suggest degenerative arthritis. However, arthritis can develop on a spectrum. Sometimes one knee is the problem and then, a few weeks later, both knees become problems. I will also ask about your family history. For certain people with arthritis, genetics can play a role. I’ll ask you about medications, too. Statins and other medications can cause aches and pains.

Exam, X-rays and lab tests A physical exam is critical. We can feel and see certain things that we can’t learn just by talking to you. For example, osteoarthritis may develop at the site of an old injury. Obesity may also cause joint degeneration. Plain X-rays (not MRI scans) can be vital. They can tell us which joints are affected by either inflammatory or degenerative arthritis. People are often surprised to learn that positive lab results don’t always mean you do have arthritis, and negative lab results don’t always mean you don’t have arthritis. Take the ANA (antinuclear antibody) screening test for RA. If we did blood work on every man, woman and child at, say, a football game, nearly 5,000 of the 80,000 fans would have a positive ANA. But they’d be absolutely, completely normal. That’s why, in rheumatology, we use lab tests to confirm — rather than make — a diagnosis. Joint pain and stiffness, together with loss of range of motion, can mean early arthritis. If you’ve experienced sustained joint pain for two to four weeks, it’s a good idea to see your primary care physician. Your doctor can decide if, and when, you need to see a rheumatologist like me. © 2016 www.awellnessupdate.COM. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 12

BEREAVEMENT WORKSHOP Montgomery Hospice presents “Winter Blues: Balancing Sorrow

and Celebration While Grieving,” a bereavement workshop for Montgomery County residents, on Monday, Dec. 12 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Montgomery Hospice is located at 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, Md. Registration is required. For more information, call (301) 921-4400.

Caring for your aging parent or loved one? It’s not all up to you. Call us. 240-777-3000 ADS@ MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

Aging & Disability Services Mon and Fri: Tue, Wed, & Thur:

8:30am – 5:00pm 8:30am – 7:30pm

A free service of your County Government

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Are you a planner? We invite you to explore the benefits of a Life Plan Community (CCRC).

20 5 2 2 FA L CO N S L A N D I N G C I R C L E - P OTO M A C FA L LS , VA 20165 - (703) 439-1521

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Shorts Cranberries don’t fight infections Another folk remedy bites the dust.

Cranberry capsules didn’t prevent or cure urinary infections in nursing home residents in a study challenging persistent unproven claims to the contrary. The research adds to decades of conflicting evidence on whether cranberries in any form can prevent extremely common bacterial infections, especially in women.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Many studies that suggested a benefit were based on weak science. But that hasn’t stopped marketers and even some healthcare providers from recommending cranberry juice or capsules as an inexpensive way to avoid these uncomfortable and potentially risky infections. The new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used rigorous methods, and the results are convincing, according to a journal editorial. Healthcare providers who encourage using cranberry products as a prevention method “are doing their patients a disservice,” the editorial said. People who think they have a urinary infection should see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment, but avoid cranberry products “in place of proven treatments for infections,” according to the National Institutes of Health alternative medicine branch. — AP

New cancer drugs may damage heart Doctors have found a disturbing downside to some powerful new drugs that harness the immune system to fight cancer: In rare cases, they may cause potentially fatal heart damage, especially when used together. “The problem is, no one has this on their radar,” so patients are not routinely checked for it, said Dr. Javid Moslehi, head of a Vanderbilt University clinic specializing in heart risks from cancer therapies. He led a report in the New England Journal of Medicine describing two patients who died of heart trouble two weeks after receiving their first doses of two BristolMyers Squibb drugs, Opdivo and Yervoy, for the deadly skin cancer melanoma. Two similar drugs also are on the market, and the study leaders believe they might pose heart risks, too. “My sense is that this is a class effect, not limited to one drug,” Moslehi said. The risks do not negate the huge benefits of these relatively new types of drugs, doctors stress. Called checkpoint inhibitors, they have transformed treatment of several types of cancer by helping the immune system see and attack tumors. See HEALTH SHORTS, page 19

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8+

TECH TUTORS

Dec. 10

BLUES AND POLITICS

Arlington 55+ offers a 60-minute technology tutoring session. Register for a timeslot and get your questions answered by tech tutor Lisa Tarpley on Thursday, Dec. 8 or 22. Bring a laptop or tablet device. Registration is required. The session takes place at Walter Reed Senior Center, located at 2909 16th St. S. For more information or to register, call (703) 228-0955.

Levine Music presents a performance of the music of Charles Mingus, the famed jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader, on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. Mingus was also a vocal proponent of the civil rights movement. The cost is $15 if bought online, $20 at the door; free for Levine students. This event will take place on the second floor of Silver Spring Library (Levine’s campus), located at 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring, Md. For more information or to register, visit www.levinemusic.org/calendar/event/1194.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Health shorts From page 18 In rare cases, the immune system seems to attack not only the tumor but also the heart and other muscles, causing dangerous inflammation and heart rhythm problems. Patients need to be told of the risks, monitored closely, and treated quickly with medicines to quell the immune response if trouble develops. Besides melanoma, the Opdivo-Yervoy combination is used to treat some lung cancers, though at different doses. Other checkpoint inhibitors include Genentech’s Tecentriq, for bladder cancer, and Merck & Co.’s Keytruda, which former President Jimmy Carter received for melanoma that spread to his brain. Many more are in testing. — AP

New cause found for Parkinson’s disease Northwestern University Medicine scientists have discovered a new cause of Parkinson’s disease: mutations in a gene

called TMEM230. This appears to be the third gene definitively linked to confirmed cases of the common movement disorder. Scientists provided evidence of TMEM230 mutations in patients with Parkinson’s disease from both North America and Asia. They also demonstrated that the gene is responsible for producing a protein involved in packaging the neurotransmitter dopamine in neurons. Loss of dopamineproducing neurons is a defining characteristic of Parkinson’s disease. Taken together, the study’s findings provide new clues to explain how Parkinson’s disease develops in the brain. Those clues may inform future therapies for the disorder, which currently has no cure and few known causes. “Previous research has associated Parkinson’s disease with various factors in the environment, but the only direct causes that are known are genetic,” said principal investigator Dr. Teepu Siddique, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Many genes have been claimed to cause Parkinson’s disease, but they haven’t been validated. We show that mutations in this new gene lead to pathologically and clinically proven cases of the disease.”

About 15 percent of Parkinson’s disease cases are thought to be caused by genetics, such as mutations in two genes called SNCA and LRRK2. Siddique said that other genes

have only been associated with features of parkinsonism, a general term for neurological disorders with motor symptoms. — A Wellness Update

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE LINE DANCING

The Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center offers free, drop-in line dancing classes on Mondays at 10:45 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Participants should be members of the center. The center is located at 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (240) 777-8085.

Dec. 9

MIRANDA WARNING TALK

In Honor of Human Rights Day, the Law Library of Congress presents a talk on the Miranda warning and its impact on human rights in Eastern Europe. This free talk will take place in room LJ-119, on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, located at 10 First St. SE, Washington, D.C., on Friday, Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Seating is limited, and tickets are not required. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/MirandaWarningTalk.

DREADING WINTER? TOSS THE SHOVEL AND MOVE TO ASPENWOOD

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8

WARSAW DOCUMENTARY

14400 Homecrest Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

The European Division and the Hebrew Language Table of the Library of Congress and the Embassy of Israel present “If the Dead Could Speak,” a film by Asaf Galay on Thursday, Dec. 8 at noon. Galay will also speak about his new film, which focuses on the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery. This free screening and talk will take place in the European Division Conference Room in the Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress, located at 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C. For ADA accommodations, request at least five days in advance at (202) 707-6362, TTY or ADA@loc.gov. For more information, email Gail Shirazi at gshi@loc.gov or Galina Teverovsky at gtev@loc.gov or call (202) 707-8814.

Quality health care support for all types of situations SKILLED REHABILITATION Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy are available as well as Skilled Nursing Care to assist residents in achieving maximum independence.

COMPREHENSIVE NURSING CARE

301-598-6424

Forget winter weather worries and experience winter at its best at Aspenwood. Whether you prefer being inside and cozy or out and about, we’ll shovel the ice and snow and even take care of the driving so you can enjoy carefree retirement living. O U R R E SI DE N TS LOV E O U R : • Five Star dining and hospitality

• Scheduled transportation for shopping, outings and appointments

Providing a structured environment with medical supervision for short- or long-term care needs.

• 24-hour care team at your service

MEMORY CARE

• On-site generator for power outages

• Full calendar of social and recreational programs, no matter what the weather

• Maintenance and shoveling included

• Monthly rental apartments, with no buy-in fees

Specially-trained staff focus on preserving dignity and quality of life as well as physical health and wellness. For more information, call the Health Care Center Admissions Coordinator at 301-644-5600.

7407 Willow Road • Frederick, MD • www.homewood.com

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Improve your health with a younger buddy The holiday season is approaching, and with it the celebratory feasts and delicious baked goods that we all love. However, despite our cravings for those goodies, it is essential to remember to maintain our health. Whether we are 6, 16 or 60, good nutrition and exercise play a pivotal role in our wellbeing. So, as I always advise in this column, find a younger friend, and let’s get started!

It was a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with him and get to know him better. He told me about where he had learned the recipes, as well as humorous experiences he had while cooking in the past. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and got to eat a delicious and healthy meal! You and your friend can do something similar. Or consider taking a cooking class, finding recipes online, and Bond around meals sharing family recipes and There is plenty that both the stories that accompany kids and older adults can do to them. bond, have fun, and lead a If you aren’t interested in GENERATIONS healthy lifestyle simultaneouscooking, you can also go out TOGETHER ly. I remember vividly how, to dinner together and hunt By Alexis Bentz when I was a lot younger, my for healthy and delicious great-grandmother and my restaurants. This is also a mom and I went to pick apples together at great bonding experience, as it allows for a nearby orchard. We built strong memo- great dinner conversation. ries over a very nutritious food. Whether you stay in or go out, working In order to ensure that you are eating together to create well-balanced, simple nutritiously, you and a younger buddy can and colorful meals will surely benefit your plan and prepare meals together. I recently health. went over to my own grandparents’ house to prepare a meal with my grandfather. We Exercise, learn together made salads and macaroni-and-cheese As for exercise, there are plenty of variations of physical activities that lend themfrom scratch.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8

RENTERS ALLIANCE PARTY

After six years of renter outreach, education, organizing and advocacy, the Montgomery County Renters Alliance is holding their second annual celebration and reception on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. Renters, elected officials, community leaders, friends and allies are invited to meet former Governor Martin O’Malley for wine, beer, hors d’hoeuvres and live music. Tickets cost $25; $99 for VIP. The VIP reception begins at 6 p.m., and the general reception begins at 7 p.m. This event will take place at the Silver Spring Civic Center, located at 1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, Md. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.rentersalliance.org.

selves to intergenerational fun. Taking an exercise or dance class, going to a local gym, or just going for a walk are easy activities you can do together. Although most of us seldom think about it, emotional and mental health are large components of our well-being, too. Taking a few minutes a day to do yoga, meditate, do coloring, or just relax is essential to a happy and mindful you. You and your friend or family member can do any of these activities together, and observe how they make you feel in your daily lives. Keeping your mind sharp by developing your intellectual health can be a great way for you and your friend to bond. You can complete puzzles, host a multi-generational book club, select words of the day to

learn, conduct science experiments, attend museums, debate current events and more. You may find that, by doing this, you feel more alert and more confident, as well as more informed. Finally, you can discuss the benefits of maintaining your health and how you can work to improve it. Maybe it’s incorporating more vegetables into your diet, getting up off of the couch and watching less TV, spending more time outside, or reading that novel you’ve heard so much about. Whatever it is, you and your younger buddy can do it together, and pave the way to a healthy life for each of you. Alexis Bentz is a ninth grade student at Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, Md.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Good heart attack care lengthens your life By Marilynn Marchione Going to the right hospital for heart attack care could add a year to your life, a new study suggests. Using Medicare records, researchers found that roughly 17 years after a heart attack, average life expectancy was 9 to 14 months longer for patients who had been treated at hospitals that do best on widely used quality measures than for those treated at low-rated ones. “Where you go really does matter,” not

just for surviving the heart attack but also long-term, said Dr. Emily Bucholz, a study leader and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital. A year of life from high-quality care is a big deal; consider that some cancer drugs won approval for adding a few months or weeks. But if you’re having possible heart attack symptoms, don’t delay getting help because you’re worried about which hospital to go to, said another study leader, Yale cardiologist Dr. Harlan Krumholz.

Award-Winning Senior & Assisted Living Community

Where Quality Meets Affordability ulpepper arden

C G

4435 N. Pershing Drive Arlington, VA 22203 703-528-0162 VA Relay # 800-828-1120 www.culpeppergarden.org

Coordinated Services Management, Inc. Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

“Just call 911. Too many people wait at home too long,” and any delay means more risk of permanent heart damage, he said. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Long-term benefit Hospitals often are rated based on their heart attack death rates at 30 days, taking into account how sick their patients were, such as how many had diabetes. But it’s not known whether doing well in the short term translates to a lasting benefit. The new study finds it does. Researchers compared life expectancy for 120,000 Medicare patients treated between 1994 and 1996 at roughly 1,800 hospitals. The difference in life expectancy at top and low performing hospitals emerged at 30 days and remained over time. “This is really an important study,” said an independent expert, Dr. Ralph Brindis, a University of California at San Francisco cardiologist and former president of the American College of Cardiology. “Delivering better care not only saves lives, but that gain persists over 17 years,

independent of how sick the patients were initially.”

Finding the best hospitals Heart attack care has improved a lot since the 1990s, but more recent comparisons of short-term hospital mortality rates show that big differences still exist. “Where the good hospitals in your community are is worth knowing,” Bucholz said. And they’re not necessarily the ones that advertise on TV. Medicare has a website that lets you check how they do in your area so you can be prepared, especially if you or someone in your family is at high risk for a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms can be sudden, but many start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort, according to the American Heart Association. Signs can include pressure, squeezing or pain in the chest, one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach; shortness of breath; breaking out in a cold sweat; nausea, or lightheadedness. Medicare’s Hospital Compare site is at www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare. Its guide on choosing a hospital can be viewed at www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10181.pdf. — AP

Enjoy the Beacon? Tell your friends.

Seabury Senior Living Communities Convenient Washington, DC Location C

Great Silver Spring, MD Location

Friendship Terrace makes affordable DC living possible for seniors. Independent living includes fun activities and opportunities to develop rewarding friendships. Residents love our park-like setting, on-site greenhouse, and convenient location—just two blocks from the Tenleytown Metro—close to shopping, restaurants, and more.

Springvale Terrace is a welcoming, caring community for seniors offering independent living as well as personal and assisted living care services. Many social events, seasonal activities, and exercise programs help keep residents active and engaged. Qualifying residents may receive vouchers/subsidies for personal care services.

Stay warm this winter at Friendship.

Experience safety and comfort at Springvale.

Call 202-244-7400 (TRS 711) to schedule a visit.

Call 301-587-0190 (TRS 711) to schedule a visit.

FriendshipTerrace.org 1-800-643-3769 DC RELAY SERVICE • 1-800-643-3768 TTY 4201 Butterworth Place, NW, Washington, DC 20016

SpringvaleTerrace.org 1-800-552-7724 MD RELAY SERVICE 8505 Springvale Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Writing your own obit: a chance to reflect By Melissa Kossler Dutton When Edna Briggs dies, she doesn’t want a well-meaning loved one to whitewash the ups and downs of her life. To avoid that, she is writing her own obituary. Briggs, who is 69 and lives in Los Angeles, wants her farewell to offer insights into why her life turned out the way it did. Her two children might not understand how certain events — her father forbidding her from trying for a scholarship to Howard University, for example, or the pride of earning a prestigious internship — affected her path, so she’s handling it herself. “I will describe my life the way I want it described,” said Briggs, a healthcare administrator and passionate genealogist. “I believe in having the final say.” Briggs has chosen to have her obit appear someday on Legacy.com. While less than 1 percent of the obituaries on the site are self-written, the number is growing, she said. Last year, the site ran about 525 self-penned obits, compared to only about

165 a decade ago. [For more information about online obituary and memorial sites, see “Remembering loved ones online” on page 25.]

No one knows you better Who better to recount your story than yourself, said Sarah White, a writing coach in Madison, Wisconsin, who teaches a “selfie obituary” writing class online and at senior centers and libraries. “Who knows all the parts of your life? Your children know you as a parent. Your co-workers know you professionally. Your spouse probably knows very little about your life at work. They say your siblings are the people with you your whole life,” she said. “I wouldn’t leave this up to my siblings. They don’t know anything about me.” Kerry Kruckmeyer, who died unexpectedly in April, wrote the obituary that recently appeared about him in the Arizona Daily Star. “I thought this would be different,

amusing and enjoyable,” he wrote. He concluded that he had lived “a very good and blessed life for which I am most thankful.” Kruckmeyer had distributed the document to his family about a decade ago, said his brother, Korey Kruckmeyer of Tucson, Arizona. “It’s typical of him,” Korey said. “It reflects his sense of humor.” And the self-written obituary struck a chord with readers. “I’ve gotten a bunch of calls from people who don’t know me or Kerry, just wanting to talk about it,” Korey Kruckmeyer said.

You learn about yourself, too Writing such an essay — whether or not it’s actually published someday as an obituary — can be “very affirming,” White

said. “It always seems to add up to more than the person realized.” The writing process got Jim Weber of Tumwater, Washington, thinking about his future as well as his past. “You may find you have some unfinished business,” said Weber, 60. “It may cause you to make decisions about how you want to spend the rest of your life.” In his self-written obituary, he noted a strained relationship that he would like to see healed. He also pokes fun at his life, connecting his pursuit of a law degree to hours spent watching “Perry Mason” with his mother, and pointing out that he met his “third and final wife” in the freezer secSee OBIT WRITING, page 24

BEACON BITS

Dec. 10

IRISH COUNTRY DANCE

The Ancient Order of the Hibernians presents the Northern Virginia Ceili (Irish Country Dancing) on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Adult admission costs $15; families cost $25. This event will take place at Green Acres Center, located at 4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax, Va. For more information, call (703) 273-6090.

Ongoing

FREE SENIORTECH COMPUTER CLASSES

JCA offers a wide variety of senior technology courses — from Excel and email, to digital photography, Facebook and more — on a regular basis at two locations: Asbury Methodist Home in Gaithersburg, Md. and the JCA Bronfman Center in Rockville, Md. For the upcoming semester only (Jan.-April), all classes are being offered free of charge, and there is no limit on the number of classes you may take. For the semester class list, see pages 9-11 of this issue, or call (240) 395-0916 or (703) 652-1512.

The care you need to get you back to your life.

Best Senior Care Gets Thumbs Up

bonded, and insured

301-717-2212

www.bestseniorcare.us RSA # R 2041

Complimentary Consultation and Assessment Expires 12/31/16

You may qualify for services at no cost! Call now for details.

WB 12/16

ManorCare - Adelphi

ManorCare - Largo

301.434.0500

301.350.5555

ManorCare - Bethesda

ManorCare - Potomac

301.530.9000

301.299.2273

ManorCare - Chevy Chase

ManorCare - Silver Spring

301.657.8686

301.890.5552

ManorCare - Hyattsville

ManorCare - Wheaton

301.559.0300

301.942.2500

• Companionship, Meal Assistance, Medication Reminders, Personal Hygiene Assistance, Grocery Shopping, and much more • A family company: You will always speak directly with our owner • Only highly qualified and experienced caregivers • Fully licensed,

Experience Makes a Difference.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

BEACON BITS

Obit writing

Dec. 13

AARP HOLIDAY LUNCHEON

From page 23

The Southwest Waterfront AARP Chapter presents its annual holi-

tion of the local grocery. White’s own selfie obituary highlights her love of traveling with her husband, her career as a commercial artist and writer, and her passion for her pets and the outdoors. “She also camped frequently in Wisconsin’s north woods,” she writes, “but would not reveal her favorite campsite even upon her deathbed.”

day luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Capitol/Potomac Room at 1411 Parsons St. SE, Washington, D.C. The venue is wheelchair accessible. Onsite parking is available. The cost of lunch is $35. Checks are payable to SWWF/AARP Chapter. The Navy Yard Entrance requires a Military ID or completion of Security Form 5013. Picture IDs are also required. For more information, contact chair Evelyn Dorsey at (202) 488-9685 or president Betty Jean Tolbert Jones at (202) 554-0901.

For future generations

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists • 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. BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D.

VANESSA LIMA, M.D. JESSICA E. CHAN, M.D. CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D..

410-997-9900

8860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

Putting your life down on paper is also an opportunity to share family history with future generations, White noted. “I think people should leave a record of their life. Be the ancestor you wish you had,” she said. Taking White’s class made Pattie Whitehouse of Victoria, British Columbia, realize she had a lot she wanted to say. She ended up with a document of more than 900 words, and intends to continue editing until she meets her ultimate deadline. Whitehouse injected some humor in the piece, which focuses on her passion for the environment. For now, the final line reads: “As she wished, Pattie’s remains were chipped and used as mulch.” “Which tells you a lot about me,” the 65year-old said. “The people who know me will recognize me in it.” She plans to give the document to her

partner, Robert, and her sisters to distribute upon her death. Briggs, a widow, is putting everything in writing because her daughter doesn’t want to discuss the matter, she said. As a genealogist, Briggs said, she has seen too many erroneous obituaries. She also knows that handling the task now will make things easier for her daughter when she passes. Alan Gelb, 66, of Chatham, New York, began thinking about preparing his final words when he started attending more funerals. “When I would go to services, I found myself missing the voice of the person who was not with us,” he said. Gelb, who helps high school students draft college entrance essays, decided that older adults could benefit from a similar task. In his book, Having the Last Say: Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story (Tarcher Books, 2015), he encourages readers to write a story that captures some of their core values, to pass it on to future generations. Gelb recommends having the story read aloud at your funeral. The exercise is a good segue into obituary writing as well, he said. “Writing your own obituary is sort of like voting for yourself when you run for office,” he said. “It may be a bit self-serving, but it is fully warranted, and it can make all the difference.” — AP

Legal Counsel for the Elderly helped 64-year-old Ms. T avoid eviction, and found her a new wheelchairaccessible home. If you’re facing eviction or foreclosure, please call us for free legal assistance. 202.434.2120. Part of the Senior Service Network Supported by the DC Office on Aging.

Legal Counsel for the Elderly is affiliated with AARP.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Ways to remember loved ones online By Rebekah Alcalde Whether you’re writing your own obituary or remembering someone else’s life, there are many places online where you can share and remember a deceased person’s life. While most sites require membership costs to maintain, some are free and still offer a variety of features and capabilities. Here are some of the options: ForeverMissed.com This user-friendly site offers a variety of templates and background music. Visitors can leave virtual flowers and lights. Basic

membership is free. Premium costs $35 annually and features the ability to add video and photos, and allow multiple administrators. Lifetime membership costs $75. iLasting.com This basic site features simple music and a section to post stories and photos. Visitors can leave virtual candles. Basic membership is free. The site’s “plus” membership allows more text, video capability, song choices, photos and an area for donations. It costs $49 annually. Lifetime membership can be purchased for $99. Imorial.com

Imorial is a smaller page that offers a place for friends, family and community members to grieve and connect online. This site offers personalized pages, tributes, photo albums, and different groups for family and friends. Membership tends to feature the younger generation and is free. Legacy.com Legacy.com is one of the most popular and customizable options for memorial websites. The page offers a variety of simple templates, background music, custom

URLs and privacy options. Visitors can connect to a chosen charity, post messages, and view a timeline of their loved one’s life. Membership costs $49 per year. NeverGone.com NeverGone is another free site with many options for memorializing loved ones. It offers several templates, and features photos, stories and tributes. Visitors can sign the guest book and leave virtual candles. See ONLINE OBITS, page 26

BEACON BITS

Dec. 10

HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS WORKSHOP

Dec. 10

USED BOOK SALE

Green Springs Garden is offering a natural holiday ornaments workshop with horticulturist Nancy Olney on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $38 per person. Green Spring Gardens is located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. For more information or to register, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or call (703) 642-5173.

Friends at Petworth Library presents a used book sale on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The library is located in the meeting room at Petworth Library, located at 4200 Kansas Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. Children’s books cost $0.50, and fiction and non-fiction costs $3 per book; four for $10. For more information, email friendsatpetworthlibrary@gmail.com.

GET THE FACTS about active retirement living at ASHBY PONDS, GREENSPRING, or RIDERWOOD.

Give Yourself

The Gift of Time

FREE 38-PAGE BROCHURE WRITTEN BY THE RETIREMENT EXPERTS!

Call 1-877-575-0231 or visit EricksonLiving.com to request your FREE brochure!

During this holiday season, give yourself the gift of time by taking advantage of the Arden Courts 30-Day Trial Program and Respite Stays*. These programs will give you an opportunity to relax and provide the extra time to take care of holiday responsibilities. Additionally, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your loved one is being taken care of by professionals specially-trained in caring for persons living with memory loss.

Call today to learn more about our short-term stay programs.

11558922

*Minimum length of stay required for respite varies by location.

Annandale • Fair Oaks Kensington • Potomac • Silver Spring

(888) 478-2410

Memory Care Community

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Affordable Senior Communities Discover how great senior living is at one of our affordable apartment communities. Many of our communities feature 24-hour emergency maintenance, full activities programs, spacious floor plans, affordable rents, caring and dedicated staff, and much more. We are conveniently located near shopping, including grocery stores and pharmacies. Let us help you live life to the fullest. Call or visit our web site to view these communities: 600 North Madison Street, Arlington, VA 22203

Rent based on income

703-538-6000 Lockwood House

Online obits From page 25 Qeepr.com Qeepr (pronounced “keeper”) is a free site that offers unlimited photos, videos and stories of your loved one. Collaborators can add their own tribute, and visitors can send condolences through the guest book. You can also geotag your loved one’s place in the cemetery for more precise directions. Tributes.com This site offers basic templates for a memorial page as well as extensive resources, such as grief assistance and funeral planning information. Basic membership is a one-time fee of $20; premium costs $50, which includes unlimited photo storage. YourTribute.com This site works well with social media sites like Facebook for easy login and

sharing. Standard features include a guestbook and section for stories and photos. Basic membership is free and includes posting of an obituary and two albums of photos. Advertising can be removed from basic accounts for a one-time fee of $19.95. Premium membership costs $50 per year or $150 for a lifetime, and includes additional features like custom URLs, high resolution photos and no advertising. AmericansAll.org Though not exclusive to obituaries, the web portal created by the nonprofit People of America Foundation allows individuals, groups and even businesses to share their legacy online. Entries can feature photos, hyperlinks, audio clips and videos. They can also be published in multiple languages at no additional cost. The page can be linked and shared to social media. Membership costs a one-time fee of $49.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 17

ART AUCTION Beth Sholom Congregation Sisterhood presents a gala art exhibition and auction on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The preview begins at 7:30, and the auction begins at 8:30. There will be wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Admission costs $20 per person or $36 per couple

7010 Schoonmaker Court Alexandria, VA 22310

From $876

703-719-7268

in advance; $30 per person or $45 per couple at the door. This event will take place at Beth Sholom Congregation, located at 11825 Seven Locks Rd., Potomac, Md. For more information, visit https://bethsholom.org or contact Harriet Edleson at (202) 631-1794.

873 Grace Street Herndon, VA 20170

From $930

703-904-9444

20900 Runny Meade Terrace Ashburn, VA 20147

703-858-9507

From $921

Wingler House Apartments

7837 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22306

From $966

703-780-9072

5999 Emerson Street Bladensburg, MD 20710

301-779-6196

18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874

301-540-1162

Rent based on income

From $1,015 for 2 bedroom

5101 River Road, Suite 101 • Bethesda, MD 20816

301-941-8040 www.qpmgmt.com Professionally managed by Quantum Real Estate Management LLC T/A Quantum Property Management

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Artificial hand offers the sense of touch By Lauran Neergaard A next-generation artificial hand is letting two amputees tell the difference between a soft or firm touch — like holding a child without squeezing too tightly. It’s another step toward developing prosthetics that can feel. Implanted electrodes allowed the men to feel the same intensity of pressure in the artificial hand as they could in their other hand, scientists at Case Western Reserve University reported. To Keith Vonderhuevel, testing the experimental device meant finally cradling his 2-year-old granddaughter without first taking off his artificial hand for fear of hurting her. “Just to be able to touch and feel, it’s an amazing thing,” said Vonderhuevel, of Sidney, Ohio, who lost his right arm below the elbow 11 years ago in a job accident. “It feels like a light pressure. The harder I squeeze, the stronger that pressure gets.” And while enhancing prosthetics with a sense of touch will take much more research, the Case Western team is beginning the next big step: Vonderhuevel and a second volunteer can use the experimental hand at home, not just the laboratory, to start learning if it makes a difference in everyday life. Vonderhuevel cooks with it in place of his usual prosthetic, more comfortable that he won’t crush an egg or the bread he’s buttering.

First step in sensations Getting to the point where users respond as they would to a normal limb is

key “to moving toward truly creating a replacement for the hand,” said Case Western biomedical engineer Dustin Tyler, who leads the project. Normally when people reach for something, the hand automatically grasps with just enough force to hang on. Nerves in the skin fire rapid messages to the brain so the muscles immediately squeeze tighter or loosen up. But users of prosthetic hands don’t have that intuitive control. Instead they have to judge every motion by eye so they don’t crush or drop something. It’s difficult even with practice. That’s why many hesitate over shaking hands or holding something delicate. Lots of work is under way to add a sense of touch. In October, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh reported harnessing brain waves to help a paralyzed man not only move a robotic arm with his thoughts but, in a first, to feel pressure in his own motionless fingers when the artificial ones were touched. Electrodes implanted in the part of his brain that controls hand sensation made it happen.

touched, they activated a portable stimulator that sent electrical signals to the nerves, which detected textures like a cotton ball or sandpaper. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, went further: How to stimulate the intensity of touch? Scientists didn’t know exactly how nerves fire in response to pressure — necessary for recreating the sensation with electrodes. But in a series of experiments, the team from Case Western and the University of Chicago learned how the number and frequency of nerve fiber stimulations adjust with different amounts of pressure. “Our stimulation is as sensitive as your real hand,” Tyler said. He’s been gratified to feel Vonderhuevel change from “the

wet-fish handshake to the solid I’m-interacting-with-you handshake. There is so much information in the subtleties of touch.” Learning how stimulation can produce more realistic sensations is a key step, said University of Pittsburgh rehabilitation specialist Robert Gaunt, who wasn’t involved in the work but is part of a team developing similar technology for the paralyzed. But he’s especially intrigued by how the touch-enabled hand will fare in at-home use. “This is an absolutely crucial step for making systems that really work,” Gaunt said, noting there are scenarios a lab can never replicate. “Home use will provide an opportunity to really see the benefit of sensation.” — AP

Protect the ones YOU love against

Nerves still there For amputees, key nerves that once controlled the hand still remain in the stump of the missing limb. Two years ago, Case Western researchers wired those nerves to a prosthetic outfitted with sensors that let Vonderhuevel and fellow volunteer Igor Spetic of Madison, Ohio, sense different textures. When the prosthetic sensors were

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

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

Don’t wait for your loved one to wander. Protect them now. Call Olney Assisted Living, A Memory Care Residence today. Schedule a tour and receive a free wandering kit for your home.

IJKC@&L!'$.*1&>;!)#!&M G2)!,:&N1$,21)%&?@OP? M QP@IR&ST@8@S?S www.olneymemorycare.com

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Studies Page

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Studying if supplements help heart health By Barbara Ruben Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for about one-third of all deaths. Nearly 20 percent of men ages 60 to 79 have cardiovascular disease, while almost 10 percent of women do. Those numbers jump to 32 percent of men and nearly 19 percent of women at age 80 and older. Doctors think that natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables, called flavonoids, may protect against heart disease and improve blood flow to the heart. Also, omega-3 fats, found in fish and mussels, have been shown to protect the heart. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., want to know if supplements containing blackcurrant extract (for flavonoids) and omega-3 fats can

55+ Inderjeet Jumani REALTOR® Senior Real Estate Specialist 703.472.8804 ijumani@LNF.com www.IJumani.com Alexandria / Old Town Historic District 400 King Street ~ Alexandria, Virginia 22314

improve blood flow to the heart. They also want to learn about the health of blood vessels, and how the heart works while taking these supplements.

Studying adults 55+ They are now enrolling healthy adults age 55 to 75 in a study to see whether and how these supplements can improve heart health. To be eligible, volunteers must have normal blood pressure or be pre-hypertensive with blood pressure up to 139/89. Similarly, their cholesterol levels must be normal or mildly elevated, up to 239 for total cholesterol, LDL up to 159, HDL up to 40, and triglycerides no higher than 199. Their BMI must be in the normal range, between 18.5 and 25.

Are you a 55+ homeowner? Have you thought of moving to: a smaller home, · one-level living, · active adult community, or · an assisted living community? I can help you sell your home in the shortest time for the best price. Downsizing can be easy . . . ·

LET’S MEET AND TALK!

703.472.8804

Their C-reactive protein (CRP) level, a measure of inflammation in the body, must be less than 3, and their fasting blood glucose level must be greater than 120. Those in the study cannot have any progressive or unstable disease, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, psychiatric, endocrine, hematologic, renal or immunologic disorders. They cannot smoke or have more than one to two alcoholic drinks per day.

Supplements off and on During the first study visit, participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam and blood tests. A small device will be placed on their arm to take pictures of blood vessels. A blood pressure cuff will be tightened on their arm and more pictures will be taken. The visit will take six or seven hours. After that, participants will make four visits to NIH eight weeks apart. Those in

the study will be divided into two groups. One group will take blackcurrant and omega-3 tablets for eight weeks, while the other will take a placebo — tablets with no active ingredients in them. Participants will then switch the type of tablets they were taking and take the other type for eight weeks. The whole process will then repeat, for a total of 32 weeks. There will also be a short time with no supplements taken to make sure they have washed out of participants’ systems before switching. Every eight weeks, participants will have another, shorter clinic visit that will repeat most of the tests from the first visit. All tests and study supplements are provided free or charge, but no compensation is offered for participation. To learn more, contact the NIH Clinical Center’s Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office at 1-800-411-1222 or email prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov. Refer to this study by its ClinicalT rials.gov identifier: NCT02019680.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 14

XMAS GIFT SHOWCASE Springfield Christian Women’s Connections is offering a luncheon

Christmas gift showcase on Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Gifts include Longaberger baskets and pottery, MAGZ Art handcrafted jewelry and gifts, Matilda Jane clothing, Mary Kay cosmetics and more. This event costs $20 and will take place at Springfield Golf and Country Club, located at 8301 Old Keene Mill Rd., Springfield, Va. For more information or to rsvp, call (703) 9226438 or email 703SpringWmConn@yahoo.com.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Study questions value of mammograms By Marilynn Marchione A new study questions the value of mammograms for breast cancer screening. It concludes that a woman is more likely to be diagnosed with a small tumor that is not destined to grow than she is to have a true problem spotted early. The work could further shift the balance of whether screening’s harms outweigh its benefits. Screening is only worthwhile if it finds cancers that would kill, and if treating them early improves survival versus treating when or if they ever cause symptoms. Treatment has improved so much over the years that detecting cancer early has become less important. Mammograms do catch some deadly cancers and save lives. But they also find many early cancers that are not destined to grow or spread and become a health threat. Unfortunately, there is no good way to tell which ones will, so many women get treatments they don’t really need. It’s a twin problem: overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Whether to have a mammogram “is a close call, a value judgment,” said study leader Dr. H. Gilbert Welch of Dartmouth Medical School. “This is a choice, and it’s really important that women understand both sides of the story — the benefits and harms.” Welch has long argued that mammograms are overrated. The study parallels work he published from the same data sources four years ago. This time, the authors include Dr. Barnett Kramer, a National Cancer Institute screening expert, although the conclusions are not an official position of the agency. The study was published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

Does early detection help? Researchers used decades of federal surveys on mammography and cancer registry statistics to track how many cancers were found when small — under 2 centimeters, or about three-fourths of an inch — versus large, when they are presumably more life-threatening. They estimated death rates according to the size of tumors for two periods — 1975 through 1979, before mammograms were widely used, and a more recent period, 2000 through 2002. In the earlier period, one-third of cancers found were small. In the later period, two-thirds were small. But the change was mostly because screening led to so many more cancers being detected overall, and the vast majority of them were small — 162 more cases per 100,000 women, versus only 30 more cases of large tumors. Assuming that the true number of cases of cancer in the population was stable, this implies that 132 cases per 100,000 women were overdiagnosed. “The magnitude of the imbalance indicates that women were considerably more likely to have tumors that were overdiagnosed than to have earlier detection of a tumor that was destined to become large,”

the authors write. Next, they estimated how much of the drop in deaths since mammography started was due to early detection versus better ways to treat the disease. They concluded that at least two-thirds of the drop was due to better treatments — a trend other studies also have found.

Criticism from doctors Size matters, but it’s not the whole story, and isn’t a proven sign of how aggressive a tumor is biologically, said Dr. Kathryn Evers, director of mammography at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Tumors have to be found before they can be treated, and so far mammography is the best way to find ones that can’t be felt, she argued. A statement from the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Im-

aging says “smaller cancers result in better outcomes for women.” The study’s assumption that there’s been no change in cancer incidence is not valid — cases have increased, said Dr. Robert Smith, the American Cancer Soci-

ety’s screening chief. “When we find breast cancer early, women have a much, much better prognosis,” he said.

See MAMMOGRAMS, page 31

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Introducing The new and revolutionary

Jacuzzi Hydrotherapy Shower. ®

AGING = PAIN For many, arthritis and spinal disc degeneration are the most common source of pain, along with hips, knees, shoulders and the neck. In designing the Jacuzzi Hydrotherapy Shower, we worked with expert physicians to maximize its pain relieving therapy by utilizing the correct level of water pressure to provide gentle yet effective hydrotherapy.

JACUZZI® SHOWER = RELIEF Four Jacuzzi® ShowerPro™ Jets focus on the neck, back, hips, knees and may help ease the pain and discomfort of:

The Jacuzzi Hydrotherapy Shower provides a lifetime of comfort and relief… safely and affordably. As we age, the occasional aches and pains of everyday life become less and less occasional. Most of us are bothered by sore muscles, creaky joints and general fatigue as we go through the day- and it’s made worse by everything from exertion and stress to arthritis and a number of other ailments. Sure, there are pills and creams that claim to provide comfort, but there is only one 100% natural way to feel better… hydrotherapy. Now, the world leader in hydrotherapy has invented the only shower that features Jacuzzi® Jets. It’s called the Jacuzzi® Hydrotherapy Shower, and it can truly change your life.

• Arthritis • Circulation Issues • Aches and pains

For over 50 years, the Jacuzzi® Design Engineers have worked to bring the powerful benefits of soothing hydrotherapy into millions of homes. Now, they’ve created a system that can fit in the space of your existing bathtub or shower and give you a lifetime of enjoyment, comfort and pain-relief. They’ve thought of everything. From the high-gloss acrylic surface, slip-resistant flooring, a hand-held shower wand, a comfortable and adjustable seat, to strategically-placed grab bars and lots of storage, this shower has it all. Why wait to experience the Jacuzzi ® Hydrotherapy Shower? Call now… it’s the first step in getting relief from those aches and pains.

FRE

• Neuropathy • Sciatica • Inflammation

Call toll free now to get your FREE special report “Tips on Living to be 100” Mention promotional code

102751

1-888-374-0628

82028

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

A gluten-free wild rice holiday side dish By Melissa D’Arabian We all have our favorite winter dishes. Mine is stuffing — or dressing, technically, since I don’t stuff it in a turkey. My oldest daughter, Valentine, is also a fan. She is also gluten intolerant. For several years, I simply made my holiday dressing with dried gluten-free bread cubes, but we wanted other options that didn’t involve fussing with gluten-free breads whose texture can be unpredictable in a dressing recipe. This Wild Rice Holiday Stovetop Dressing fits the bill. It has all the classic taste of my grandma’s holiday stuffing, and none of the gluten, so my daughter can enjoy it. Plus, it’s pulled together in under 30 minutes in one pan on the stove. (You can use brown rice if you prefer, but note that the

cooking time will be longer). One link of turkey sausage is enough to add flavor and richness, so this dish is comforting without being overly heavy. Note, you can omit sausage entirely and use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian. The recipe’s typical holiday herbs — rosemary, thyme and sage — can be dried or fresh. Cubed butternut squash adds a touch of welcome color, sweetness and vitamins. Feel free to change up the squash/rice ratio, and add more if you want a more vegleaning side dish. A small sprinkling of dried cranberries and pecans completes the holiday touch. But feel free to serve this dish anytime. It’s a perfect complement to any grilled or roasted meat or fish.

Mammograms

problem is suspected, and only to women at average risk, not those with gene mutations that make them more susceptible to cancer. Dr. Joann Elmore, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, writes in a commentary in the journal that it’s time to pay more attention to the “collateral damage” of screening — overdiagnosis. “The mantras, ‘All cancers are life-threatening’ and ‘When in doubt, cut it out,’ require revision,” she wrote. — AP

From page 29

Most important in your 60s Women in their 60s get the most benefit from mammograms, major guidelines agree. A government task force recommends screening every other year starting at age 50, and that women in their 40s weigh the pros and cons. The study only applies to screening mammograms, not diagnostic ones done when a

Experience Assisted Living Like You’ve Never Seen Before!

For families needing Assisted Living and Memory Care, with an enriching quality of life. Care is at the Core of Tribute communities. Imagine the peace of mind you’ll feel knowing your senior family member is getting professional care in a community of such unbelievable beauty, luxury, and comfort. Tribute residents live Connected, Active, and Purposeful lives. Throughout the community they can socialize, be active, or pursue personal interests. Tribute’s advanced Memory Care programming focuses on serving and connecting with seniors living with memory impairment. Tour Tribute and experience Assisted Living Like You’ve Never Seen Before!SM

Wild Rice Stovetop Dressing Start to finish: 25 minutes/4 servings 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 link sweet Italian turkey sausage, casing removed 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup butternut squash cubes 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage, or 1

teaspoon fresh sage, chopped 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary 1 1/4 cup wild rice blend (usually wild rice and basmati mixed) 3/4 cup chicken or turkey broth 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans salt and pepper See WILD RICE, page 32

Do You Remember Last Winter?

We Do. We remember playing in the snow, festive celebrations, and delicious meals served with flair. Despite the snow outside, our residents were safe and comfortable, living an uninterrupted life. With an emergency generator and care team on-site 24 hours a day, our residents are taken care of regardless of the season. Don’t wait for a storm to wonder if your loved one is safe. Call today to learn more about our vibrant community!

Assisted Living | Memory Care

571-402-6244 AFFORDABLE SENIOR LIVING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA 4101 Old Bridge Rd., Woodbridge, VA 22192 TributeAtTheGlen.com Hello@TributeAtTheGlen.com

703-531-0781 | chesterbrookres.org 2030 Westmoreland Street | Falls Church, VA 22043 Coordinated Services Management, Inc. - Professional Management of Retirement Communities since 1981

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Vitamin D plays a big role in winter health I’m willing to bet you have been sick in the our summer days in a big city where tall past and experienced a runny nose and con- buildings block the sun’s rays can lead to gestion, sneezing, fever/chills deficiencies of the vitamin.) or body aches. All you can do is Vitamin D is a media dartreat the symptoms and hope ling. Time Magazine even lists your immune system fights for D among its Top Ten Medical you. Breakthroughs. FYI, taking antibiotics won’t In an American study of 198 help. Your immune system healthy adults, researchers strength (not the germ itself) found that individuals with directly influences how bad you blood concentrations of 38 feel and how long you suffer. ng/ml or more of vitamin D Vitamin D levels are lower enjoyed a two-fold reduction DEAR during the winter months, so PHARMACIST in the risk of catching cold, it’s no coincidence that cold By Suzy Cohen and were able to get back to and flu outbreaks happen work faster. I recommend more frequently during the even higher levels — closer to wintertime. (Shockingly, even spending 60 ng/ml.

Caring places. Healing spaces. Specializing in Skilled Nursing and Subacute Rehabilitation

Two immune systems Allow me to brief you on what may very well be vitamin D’s most exciting role yet. We all have both an adaptive and an innate immune system. The branch of our immune system that ‘remembers’ specific attackers — so that it can mount a faster defense next time an encounter is made — is called the “adaptive” immune system. Vitamin D helps our adaptive immune system by boosting our T cells — a type of white blood cell that patrols around our bodies like soldiers, ready to destroy any infected or cancerous cells they come across. Researchers in Denmark made a truly incredible connection. For T cells to be able to activate themselves and mount an attack, vitamin D must be present. Without adequate vitamin D, our T cells are like sleeping soldiers, virtually incapable of defending us. This research suggests that perhaps we can retrain our immune system to prevent it from being so reactive and hyper, translating to a lower risk for cold and flu, and obviously fewer auto-immune assaults. Adequate Vitamin D helps your immune cells manufacture your own natural antibi-

otic-like substance called cathelicidin, which destroys all sorts of ‘bugs’ as they’re encountered. This activity supports your innate immune system. By the way, your innate system is your first line of defense against pathogens of all sorts, so if you get sick a lot, this is the part of your immune system that you should focus on. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, weakness, bone or muscle pain, fractures, cracked teeth, arrhythmias, wintertime depression and autoimmune flare ups. Certain cancers are also associated with low D levels. In my humble opinion, Vitamin D3 is an affordable way to keep your immune system in tip-top shape. It’s easy to test your blood levels, and the supplement is sold pretty much everywhere. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

Bel Pre

2601 Bel Pre Road Silver Spring, MD 20906

301.598.6000

BridgePark

4017 Liberty Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21207

410.542.5306

Ellicott City

3000 N. Ridge Road Ellicott City, MD 21043

410.461.7577

Fayette Health 1217 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21223

410.727.3947

Forestville

7420 Marlboro Pike Forestville, MD 20747

301.736.0240

Fort Washington MEMBERS OF THE

12021 Livingston Road Ft. Washington, MD 20744

301.292.0300

Marley Neck Serving with Pride.

800.989.7337 communicarehealth.com

7575 E. Howard Road Glen Burnie, MD 21060

410.768.8200

South River

144 Washington Road Edgewater, MD 21037

410.956.5000

Wild rice From page 31 Cook the sausage in the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat until meat is golden, about 4 minutes. Add in the celery and onion, and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic, squash cubes, herbs and rice blend and sauté for 1 minute. Add the broth and water, and raise temperature to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir the rice once, and then cover and reduce the temperature to low and allow to simmer gently, covered

tightly, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, toss in the dried cranberries (quickly covering again) and let sit covered tightly for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, taste for seasoning, add toasted pecans and serve. Nutrition information per serving: 314 calories; 80 calories from fat; 9 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 4 mg. cholesterol; 554 mg. sodium; 58 g. carbohydrate; 6 g. fiber; 8 g. sugar; 7 g. protein. Food Network star Melissa d’Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook Supermarket Healthy. — AP

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Issues with new job, new lack of a job Dear Solutions: “He’s not ______ (whoever you’re thinking I’m a young senior, and I recently of from your past). He’s not criticizing me. went back to school to adHe’s helping me to learn so I vance my degree. I’m in a can do well.” training program, and I Try this first. If it doesn’t have a super visor at the help, seek some therapy to job. help you. I’m having a terrible time Dear Solutions: accepting any criticism he My husband is retired, yet makes of my work. He he’s not retired. He keeps keeps telling me I’m going working freelance now at to do well, and his suggesthings that he used to do. He tions are to help me grow has this idea that he must SOLUTIONS in the job. But every time keep contributing or he’s not By Helen Oxenberg, he tells me I should have worthwhile. MSW, ACSW done something I didn’t do, As a result, he has no time I burst into tears. for other things that should How can I stop this? bring him pleasure in retirement, like — Student Again travelling and other activities. Dear Student: I can’t seem to convince him that he You have to get to the mouth of this should do other things. How can I river of tears before it turns into an ocean. help him with this? That means, where is it coming from? — Amy His criticism is pushing old buttons and Dear Amy: old hurts in you. You’re seeing him as First, stop “shoulding” on him. Then some other important person in your life — stop “shoulding” on yourself. If this is what probably a parent who you couldn’t please. he wants to do in his retirement, and if he First, recognize who that person was. is happy doing it, that’s fine. Then recognize that you can’t fix now It is not your job to convince him otherwhatever was wrong then. It’s over. wise, unless this really interferes with what Before you go in for supervision with this both of you want to do. I suspect that it’s you person, sit down quietly and tell yourself, who looked forward to his retirement so

“Live L Life Your Way”

you could both travel, among other things. In that case, say what you mean and suggest some compromise, such as: you’ll stop telling him what he “should” do full

time, if he’ll start working part-time so you can do other things together. © Helen Oxenberg, 2016. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Holiday Open House Thursday, December 29th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

We invite you and your family to stop by our Sales Information Center (located directly across from our construction site at the corner of Ashburn Village Boulevard and Russell Branch Parkway) for a warm and cozy time. We will answer questions about Waltonwood, Ashburn’s Luxury Senior Living Community opening in 2017, and share information about the carefree lifestyle we will provide. Serving delicious mimosas and mulled hot cider, plus a Holiday gift for every family!*

Call Ardell to RSVP for the Holiday Open House or to schedule a separate personal appointment.

(571) 982-6318

Spacious and modern ap partment hom mes, ranging in size from studios to 3 bedrooms, r and the security of knowing assistance is there if and when you need it.

A SHBURN

Vinson Hall Retirement Com mmunity Independent Living Assissted Living Nursing Care Memor y Support Short-term Rehabilitation ation

Calll for a tour toda ay! y (7 703) 536 - 4344 4 Vinson Hall Retirem ment Community 6251 Old d Dominion Drive McLean, VA 22101 703-536--4344 www.vinsonhall.org

*While supplies last. INDEPENDENT LIVING|ASSISTED LIVING|MEMORY CARE

Information Center located at 44141 Russell Branch Pkwy., in Ashburn www.facebook.com/waltonwoodseniorliving

www.Waltonwood.com | www.SinghJobs.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVII, ISSUE 12

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

December 2016

Safeway Feast of Sharing

By Laura Newland Executive Director, D.C. Office on Aging I’ve been in this position now for just a little more than a year, so you’ll have to forgive me for getting sentimental. You may know by now that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I’ve had the pleasure of breaking bread with many of you, and some of you know how much I love to eat! But Thanksgiving is about more than eating. It’s about fellowship, and giving thanks. I was reminded of why I love this holiday during a Thanksgiving dinner at a senior wellness center. All of us at the table said what we were grateful for, and one person said that this was the only Thanksgiving she’d have this year. That she’s an outsider to her family, but not at the wellness center. This sentiment was echoed by others in the room. I am so grateful to work at this agency, within this District government, that says no matter who you are, no matter where you’ve come from, you can be a part of D.C. We welcome you. The District exemplifies what this country was founded on — a government that is truly of the people and by the people. We are D.C. I know I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed by the divisive rhetoric and negative stereotypes used to describe me, my friends, my neighbors, my community throughout the presidential campaign. Regardless of where you stand on the issues, we can all agree that we all have the right to live, work and age peacefully without harassment, intolerance or fear. The Office on Aging has worked tirelessly to show you that we are an agency that cares about you as an individual. Who you are, your life experiences, your point of views are valued and respected here regardless of your race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or immigration status. As Mayor Muriel Bowser reaffirmed, the

District is a sanctuary city. She is committed to ensuring we are and will continue to be a community that values inclusion and celebrates diversity. Many of you have witnessed history at your own front door. Many of you have made history. Some of you may even remember when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I’ve heard that quoted many times in my lifetime, and many more over the past several weeks. What people don’t talk about is that right before that famous line, Dr. King proclaimed, “that there are still dark and difficult days ahead. Before we get there, some more of us will have to get scarred up a bit. Before we reach that majestic land, some more will be called bad names…Before we get there, some more will have to be thrown into crowded, frustrating and depressing jail cells. Before we get there, maybe somebody else…will have to face physical death.” Yes, the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice. But we must bend it with our own hands. That is our responsibility. I know from talking to you that you know this. If this election means anything, it’s a call back to civic engagement. Let’s show up for one another. Check on your neighbors, engage with your community, and advocate for one another. You have been critical in making D.C. a strong community, open to all people. You are critical in keeping D.C. so. Thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for your contributions to this city — for making this a place where everyone is welcome. For many, holidays are lonely and isolating. Please join me in spreading love and joy this holiday season!

Mayor Muriel Bowser is pictured with members of the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club at the Safeway Feast of Sharing. Thousands attended the annual holiday event held at the Washington Convention Center. Attendees received a FREE Thanksgiving meal, live music, free health screenings, community exhibits, door prizes and more.

Organizations and community-based service providers provided information and resources to those who attended the event.

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

500 K St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov Executive Director Laura Newland Editor Darlene Nowlin Photographer Selma Dillard The D.C. Office on Aging does not discrim-

inate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action.

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

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

D.C. OFFICE

Community Calendar December 6th and 20th • noon Join the D.C. Caregivers Online Chat at Noon to discuss “Caregiver Burnout” on Dec. 6 and “Top Ten Ways to Care for Yourself During the Busy Holiday Season” on Dec. 20. Log on to http://dcoa.dc.gov/page/caregiver-chat at noon, or visit at your convenience and hit replay to see the chat. For more information, contact linda.irizarry@dc.gov or call 202-5351442. 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th • 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Martin Luther King Memorial Library holds Tech Talks each Tuesday to help those who want to learn more

about assistive features in their devices and other technology. On Dec. 6, the subject is iPhones and Android phones. Dec. 13 and 20th are drop-in clinics where patrons can get advice and help with their devices. A game night will be held Dec. 27. The library is located at 901 G St. NW. All events will be held in room 215, the Center for Accessibility. For more information, call 202-727-2142.

15th • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Train to become a DCOA Ambassador. Learn information about D.C. Office on Aging programs and services and help us connect to DC residents who are age 60+, people with disabilities who are 18+, and their caregivers. Call 202-724-5626 to register for this or future training classes.

Accessible Transportation Survey Help us make this study relevant to your accessible transportation needs. Please complete the survey at http://accessdc.questionpro.com no later than 11 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15.

If you are unable to access the link, please contact the project team at access.dc@dc.gov for a PDF version of the survey.

AGING NEWSLETTER

CLUB MEMORY® CARE PARTNER SUPPORT GROUP Are you caring for a family member or friend who is experiencing memory loss? Are you feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed? Join us for a free informal support group. Light refreshments will be provided.

from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Anacostia Neighborhood Library Meeting Room 2 1800 Good Hope Road S.E., Washington, D.C. 20020 What to expect: • A sense of community • Information and support • Stress reduction and self care techniques • Coping skills

For information, call Sharon Sellers at 202-660-6957.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Brooke Grove's New Rehab Wing to Offer State-of-the-Art Care in Healing Spaces F

VILLAGE LIFE

36 z

rom its dramatic entryway that includes a cupola-topped port-cochere, to its stateof-the-art, two-story physical therapy gym, the 70-bed, dedicated rehab wing taking shape at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (BGRNC) is designed to heal and revitalize those who come through its doors. The $25 million project will add an additional 77,000 square feet to BGRNC’s existing 83,000 square feet and will increase capacity to 190 beds. Developed to meet the post-acute needs of the growing aging population in Brooke Grove Retirement Village’s (BGRV) service area, the project includes equipment and technology upgrades that will optimize the rehabilitation potential of those in BGRNC’s care, shorten lengths of stay and reduce expenditures by the Medicare program. At the heart of this venture is BGRV’s commitment to continue to “touch people’s lives” by offering healing spaces that capitalize on the natural aspects of the recuperative process while also providing the excellent healthcare associated with Brooke Grove’s legacy. The spacious physical therapy gym, for example, will feature large windows with a rejuvenating view of fields and Lake Hallowell, as well as a balcony overlook. In addition to a skilled staff and cutting-edge equipment, rehab guests will have access to a large, garden courtyard that includes outdoor rehab opportunities, a gazebo, water feature, patio and walking paths.

Natural sunlight and moonlight will pour into restorative spaces throughout the building. Guest rooms will also showcase this element. “Because we recognize and honor the curative aspects of both solace and social connectivity, our rehab center will

offer large guest rooms as well as areas for gathering and enjoying the healing companionship of others,” said BGRNC Administrator Eileen Alexander. While private rooms will be available, companion rooms will also offer privacy with a shared entry and

bathroom, but separate, carpeted bedrooms – each with its own window, vanity, recliner, 43-inch 4K Smart TV, and thermostat. Gathering areas include a coffee lounge with a vaulted ceiling and two-story gas fireplace, a living room with an electric fireplace on both floors, patios, porches and more. The dining experience will continue to support the healing process in an energizing, restaurant, cooked-to-order fashion. Large dining rooms on each floor include a country kitchen, an adjoining parlor for private dining or conferences, and windows that offer sunset views over the lake. Outdoor dining will also be available, or guests may opt to enjoy a quiet meal in their own room. Other exciting features include a spa with massage room and reclining bath, and a beauty salon – both with spectacular views. Carpet, furnishings and décor throughout the building will utilize a palette of rich, yet soothing, earth tones and textures that flow in tandem with the natural beauty of BGRV’s extensive pastoral grounds. The first phase of the new wing (56 beds) is slated to open in early 2017, followed by the second phase at the end of the year. “We really feel that we will be able to offer a rehab experience unmatched in Maryland,” noted Brooke Grove Foundation Vice President Dennis Hunter. “We are excited and proud to bring this ‘Simply Different’ facility to our community.”

For more information about Brooke Grove, call 301-260-2320 18131 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 Vice President Dennis Hunter, BGRNC Administrator Eileen Alexander and Project Manager Greg Porter review plans in the physical therapy gym under construction.

www.bgf.org

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Money Law &

BOND ANXIETY Bond prices are slipping after the election. Why bond holders worry EMERGING WORRIES Post-election fears about trade and currencies hurt emerging markets MATCH GAME Many retailers will match sale prices on items from competitors — just ask REWRITING YOUR RESUME Keep your new resume concise and direct to appeal to employers

What you’ll pay for Medicare next year Dear Savvy Senior, curity Act’s “hold harmless” provision, I know there won’t be much of a Medicare cannot pass along premium incost-of-living increase in creases greater than the dolSocial Security benefits lar increase in their Social Senext year, but what about curity checks. Medicare? So, if your Medicare Part B How will the 0.3 percent monthly premium is currentSocial Security raise affect ly $104.90, you can expect it our Part B monthly premito be around $109 (on averums in 2017? age) in 2017. Or, if you signed — Inquiring Beneficiary up for Part B for the first time Dear Inquiring: in 2016, your $121.80 monthly Considering the rising cost premium will rise to around of healthcare coverage, the SAVVY SENIOR $127 (on average) next year. news regarding your Medicare By Jim Miller costs for 2017 is not too bad. Some will pay more Here’s what you can expect: Unfortunately, the hold harmless provision does not protect all Medicare recipiPart B Premiums ents. New Medicare enrollees (those who Because the Social Security Administra- will enroll in 2017), beneficiaries who are dition is giving out a measly 0.3 percent cost of rectly billed for their Part B premium, and living increase starting in January — that current beneficiaries who have deferred equates to about a $4 to $5 monthly increase claiming their Social Security will pay more. on average — the 2017 Part B monthly preIf you fit into any of these categories, mium for about 70 percent of Medicare re- your Medicare Part B premium will be cipients will increase only about $4 to $5. $134 per month in 2017, up from $121.80. That’s because, thanks to the Social SeThe hold harmless rule also does not

protect high-income Medicare beneficiaries who already pay higher Part B premiums because their annual incomes are above $85,000 for an individual or $170,000 for a couple. If you fit into this category, here’s what you’ll pay for your Part B premium next year, based on your 2015 tax returns: • Individuals with incomes of $85,000 to $107,000, or married couples filing joint tax returns with incomes of $170,000 to $214,000, will pay $187.50 per month. • Individuals earning $107,000 to $160,000 (couples $214,000 to $320,000) will pay $267.90 per month. • Individuals with incomes of $160,000 to $214,000 (couples $320,000 to $428,000) will pay $348.30 per month. • Individuals with incomes over $214,000 or couples above $428,000 will pay $428.60 per month. Another increase that high-income beneficiaries (those with incomes over $85,000, or $170,000 for joint filers) need to be aware of is the surcharge on Part D premiums. Affluent seniors that have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan will pay an

additional $13.30 to $76.20 per month, depending on their income, on top of their regular Part D premiums.

Deductibles and co-pays Other changes that will affect all Medicare beneficiaries include the Part B deductible, which will increase from $166 in 2016 to $183 in 2017. The Part A (hospital insurance) annual deductible will also go up to $1,316 in 2017 (it’s currently $1,288) for hospital stays up to 60 days. That increases to $329 per day for days 61 through 90, and to $658 a day for days 91 and beyond. And the skilled nursing facility coinsurance for days 21100 will increase from $161 per day in 2016 to $164.50 per day next year. For more information on all the Medicare costs for 2017, visit www.medicare.gov and click on “Find out how much Medicare costs in 2017,” or call 1-800-633-4227. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Look for taxable distributions this month By Stan Choe December’s here, which means many fund investors are about to get a taxable lump in their accounts. The end of the year is distribution season for mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. That’s when funds send payments to their investors called capital gains distributions, and shareholders receive them even if they don’t sell any shares. These distributions can be as big as 20 percent of a fund’s price, and investors holding funds outside a 401(k), Individual Retirement Account or another tax-advantaged account can be liable to pay capital gains taxes on them. Funds have already put notices on their websites to give shareholders an idea of what to expect. The biggest mutual-fund family by assets, Vanguard, expects to send gains distributions for several dozen of its funds in late December, for example, running the gamut from a healthcare stock fund, to a New Jersey municipal

bond fund, to a dividend stock fund.

Why higher now? A confluence of several disconnected factors is pushing distributions higher this year — from investors’ continued march to index funds, to the rash of buyouts that has occurred in recent months. Capital gains distributions are a result of trades that funds make through the year. When a fund sells a stock, it records how much it made or lost on the investment. At the end of each year, the fund tallies up all the gains made and passes them on to shareholders as a capital gains distribution. When that happens, the price of the mutual fund drops by the same amount. So, if a fund trading at $50 passes along a $5 capital gains distribution, its price drops to $45. Shareholders still have $50 worth of investments, but they have to pay capital gains taxes on the $5, if the fund is held in a taxable account.

Funds that make a lot of trades in a year have bigger gains distributions than those that hold investments for the long term. A special class of funds, called tax-managed funds, tries to limit their trading in hopes of minimizing these distributions. Index funds also tend to have less because they do less trading. The recent flurry of corporate takeovers has also triggered some gains: October saw a record amount of U.S. mergers and acquisitions announced for a month, highlighted by AT&T’s $85 billion deal for Time Warner. When a stock in a fund’s portfolio gets taken out, it automatically triggers a gain.

What to watch for With that in mind, here are several factors to stay mindful of this distribution season: Watch out for funds with shrinking assets or new managers. When a mutual fund’s size is shrinking

— and its shareholders are fleeing — its managers need to raise cash to return to them. They do that by selling stocks or bonds, and those transactions can trigger capital gains. The S&P 500 is at a record high and closing in on its sixth year of gains in the last eight. That means funds are likely booking gains when they’re making any sales. Exacerbating things for some funds run by stock pickers is the rise of index funds. Investors are increasingly opting for the lower costs offered by mutual funds and ETFs that merely track market indexes, rather than try to beat them. Nearly $40 billion went into index funds during September, for example, while nearly $23 billion left actively managed funds, according to Morningstar. Those departures further force funds led by active managers to sell stocks and See DISTRIBUTIONS, page 39

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Questions and answers about Medicare By Kimberly Lankford Q: Does the Medicare Part D doughnut hole continue to close next year? What is the threshold for 2017? A: Yes. The gap in coverage that Medicare beneficiaries reach after incurring a specified total cost for prescription drugs in a given year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; known as the doughnut hole â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will continue to shrink gradually each year until it levels off in 2020. In 2017, after you pay a deductible of up to $400, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be responsible only for copayments until your total drug costs reach $3,700 (including your share and the insurerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of the costs). At that point, the doughnut hole kicks in, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to pay 40 percent of the cost of brand-name drugs (50 percent is a discount paid for by the drug company and 10 percent is covered by the plan), and 51 percent of the cost of generic drugs. Once your out-of-pocket costs reach $4,950 (including the brand-name manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50 percent discount), youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of the doughnut hole, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pay no

more than 5 percent of the cost of each drug. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re approaching the doughnut hole for 2016 ($3,310 in total costs for covered drugs) and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking an expensive brand-name drug, ask your doctor whether you can switch to a generic medication or therapeutic alternative that has a similar benefit but costs less. Q: My Medicare card still has my Social Security number on it. I know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bad idea to keep anything that displays my Social Security number in my wallet. Wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the government supposed to stop putting Social Security numbers on Medicare cards? A: ID thieves can do a lot of damage if they get your Social Security number, which is why we recommend that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t carry your Social Security card or number in your wallet. But Medicare beneficiaries are in a tough spot because SSN-based health claim numbers still appear on their Medicare cards. President Obama signed

Distributions

can lead to gains distributions. Of the 21 ETFs where iShares expects to make a gains distribution later this year, 10 are currency-hedged funds, for example. Capital gains distributions for index funds and ETFs, though, tend to be small and rare in general. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to buy a fund, it can pay to wait. If you buy a fund for your taxable account just a few days before the distribution is made, you have to pay taxes on it, even though you werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t part of the fund when the trades that triggered the distribution occurred. So if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in a fund for your taxable account, waiting just a few days to purchase it can mean avoiding a tax bill. Likewise, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planning on selling a fund thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a taxable account, it can pay to do so before the record date for its capital gains distribution. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

From page 38 bonds, triggering more gains. In a similar vein, when a new team of managers takes over an actively managed fund, they often turn over the portfolio to bring in their favorites and excise the old regimeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re immune if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in an index fund or ETF. Index funds and ETFs are certainly more tax efficient than funds run by active stock pickers, but they can also pass along distributions. Indexes change over time, and funds have to make purchases and sales to continue to match the index. Some specialized ETFs can also have distributions, such as those that invest in foreign stocks but try to eliminate the effect of shifting currency values. These ETFs â&#x20AC;&#x153;hedgeâ&#x20AC;? against currencies by trading financial derivatives, and these deals

ESTATES & TRUSTS

Need help getting your affairs in order by Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s End? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not too late to make a new will or trust, make major year-end gifts, or develop a succession plan for a business, farm or other important family asset. Ĺ&#x2DC; \HDUV RI H[SHULHQFH Ĺ&#x2DC; Planning for individuals, families, or businesses

PAUL F. RIEKHOF Estates & Trusts 240.399.7899 Rockville, MD priekhof@jgllaw.com jgllaw.com

Ĺ&#x2DC; &RQVXOWDWLRQ LQ RXU RIĹľFH LQ \RXU KRPH RU E\ SKRQH

a law in April 2015 requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to remove SSNs from Medicare cards, but the change is being implemented gradually. CMS will start sending the new cards in April 2018, but it will take until April 2019 before SSNs are removed from all cards. Under the new system, a randomly gen-

erated 11-character Medicare Beneficiary Identifier will replace the SSN-based health claim number on your new Medicare card. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get information in 2018 letting you know about the new Medicare card, with an explanation of how See MEDICARE Q & A, page 40

Gifts That Pay You Income! Sample Charitable Gift Annuity

Age: 75

Donation to Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Fixed Annual Payments at 5.8%* Tax-free portion of Payments Income Tax Deduction

$25,000 $1,450 $1,180 $10,490

*Rate as of December 2016 and based on age. Donations start at $10,000. www.childrensnational.org/planagift

Call today! Rita S. Corwin 301-565-8524

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Medicare Q & A From page 39 to use the new card and what to do with your old one. You can start using your new Medicare card with the new number as soon as you receive it, and there should be a transition period in 2018 and 2019 when you can use either the old card or the new card. Keep an eye on www.cms.gov/Medicare/SSNRI for updates. Changing the health claim numbers for the more than 55 million Medicare beneficiaries is a big undertaking, and Medicare isn’t issuing any new cards without an SSN yet.

But there are ways you can protect yourself until the new cards are issued. Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, recommends that you carry your Medicare card only when you visit a healthcare provider for the first time, so the provider can make a copy for its file. Otherwise, he recommends making a copy of your card with the last four digits of your Social Security number blacked out, and keeping that in your wallet in case of an emergency. © 2016 Kiplinger, all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

PET FOOD BANK

The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County operates a free food bank that distributes canned and dry food for kittens, cats, puppies and dogs. The goal of the Chompers Pet Food Bank Program is to help Montgomery County families who are unable to afford pet food so the pets can remain with the families who love them. Pet food donations are also being sought and can be dropped off at the shelter on Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. The shelter is also looking for people to foster cats and kittens in volunteers’ homes until permanent adoptive homes can be found. For more information on the food bank program, email chompers@awlmc.org. For foster information, email foster@awlmc.org. You may also call (301) 740-2511. The shelter is located at 12 Park Ave., Gaithersburg.

Dec. 7

PLAN TO STAY HEALTHY

Arlington 55+ is offering a seminar to help plan for exercise following retirement. Staying active involves energy, planning and motivation. The class will go over the benefits of exercise and the ways you can financially plan to stay fit and moving. This event will take place at Lee Community Center, located at 5722 Lee Hwy., Arlington, Va. For more information, call (703) 228-0555.

Dec. 14

INSURANCE 101

The Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center is offering an Insurance 101 seminar on Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. The center is located at 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (240) 777-8085.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Bonds slipping under Trump presidency By Bernard Condon [Editor’s note: Last month, a money story we reprinted from Kiplinger Washington Editors, titled “Attn: Bond investors. What to do now,” indicated most bond investors should sit tight. But the election of Donald Trump as president has caused great turmoil in the bond markets. The article below addresses the reasons for that. While this may be bad news for current bond holders, it could be good news for those looking to earn a higher interest rate on their investments going forward.] He’s called the spiraling federal debt a disaster, leads a party of avowed fiscal hawks and has promised to balance the budget. But if you expect Donald Trump to act as a model of fiscal rectitude as president, the bond market has a message for you, and a very Trumpian one at that: “Wrong!” Investors started yanking money out of bonds around the world since Trump’s victory, sending prices tumbling and wiping out several months of gains. They expect higher debt, higher inflation and higher interest rates — all negatives for bonds. Bond investors can get things horribly wrong, and it’s only been a few weeks. But for a normally calm market, a sort of sleepy cousin of the stock market that has been

mostly rising, it’s been a stunning turn of events. “The bond market is supposed to be a dull, boring, stable place,” said Colin Lundgren, head of U.S. fixed income trading at Columbia Threadneedle Investments. “Instead, it’s been at the center of the storm.”

National debt worries After years of too little inflation, investors are worried that Trump will inadvertently kick off too much and send the national debt up sharply. If that happens, he could do something long forecast and much feared: kill off the three-decade-long bond bull market that has lifted prices so high, and pushed borrowing rates so low, many experts think it’s a bubble ready to pop. At the very least, investors are demanding more interest to lend to the U.S. government now because they fear higher inflation is coming as Trump opens the spending spigots to get the economy to grow faster. He’s promised to deliver 3.5 percent growth a year. That is much faster than the average 2 percent or so recently, and higher than many economists think possible on a sustained basis. To get there, Trump says he’ll slash regulations and taxes, and use $1 trillion from public and private sources to fix and expand the nation’s roads, bridges, airports

and transit systems. That has helped send stocks higher in anticipation of bigger corporate profits. But the country will likely need to borrow more under Trump’s plans — a lot more, according to estimates from the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It says the combination of higher spending and lower taxes will add $5.3 trillion to the nation’s debt over the next decade. That is on top of the nearly $20 trillion in debt that ballooned under President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W. Bush. The Trump campaign says his spending won’t be a problem because faster growth will increase tax revenue even at lower rates.

Michael Lewitt, a bond fund manager who says he voted for Trump, isn’t buying it. “Cutting taxes and spending more money, and not reforming entitlements, that’s going to send debt through the roof,” said Lewitt of the Credit Strategist Group. “The market is saying he is not going to worry about this, and that’s going to be bad for bonds — really bad for bonds.”

Tariffs could boost inflation Another possible problem for bond holders is Trump’s protectionist leanings. On the campaign trail, he threatened to slap tariffs on Chinese and Mexican goods See BONDS, page 42

FREE WORKSHOP: LEARN TO PROTECT YOUR ASSETS FROM THE EXPENSES OF PROBATE & LONG-TERM CARE Come learn about the 4 Levels of Lifetime Protection Planning and how you can protect your assets from probate PLUS lawsuits PLUS nursing home expenses. Learn about the Living Trust Plus – the only type of asset protection trust that allows you to be trustee and retain an interest in the trust while also protecting your assets from being counted by state Medicaid agencies. TM

FREE WORKSHOPS IN FAIRFAX Saturday, Dec. 10th, Jan. 14th, or Feb. 11th, 2017 10 am – 12 pm " "

PERSONAL LOANS Rates as low as:

.99

" "

# The# Law #Firm of Evan Farr######### # Fairfax Main Office: 10640 Main St., Suite 200, " " "Fairfax, " " " " |" 703-691-1888 " " " " " VA 22030

" "

" " To Reserve " " Your " Now Seat: "

703-691-1888

" " " " " "

" "

" " "

" "

" #

" "

Fredericksburg, VA 22401 | 540-479-1435 # # I Street # # # DC Office:1775 NW, # | 202-587-2797 # ### Washington,# DC 20005

MD Office: 1 Research Court, Suite 450, # # # # Rockville, MD 20850 | 301-519-8041

Visit PenFed.org/GreatRates or call 866-367-0231. No military service required.

"" " " " " " appointments "" Also " accepting " " " " at our other offices: " " " " " " " " " Fredericksburg 511 Westwood Office Park, " Office: "

For a loan term of 36 months. No collateral required.

* Rates and offers effective November 1, 2016, and are subject to change. Your actual APR will be determined at the time of disbursement and will be based on your application and credit information. Not all applicants will qualify for the lowest rate. Rates quoted assume excellent borrower credit history. Loan amount determines term. All loans subject to minimum monthly payment of $50. Loan example: $15,000 at 9.99% APR for 36 monthly payments of approximately $483.94 each. PenFed does not permit internal refinances of an existing PenFed personal loan.

"Call " "

# Online # # at: www.VirginiaElderLaw.com Or Register

% APR*

To receive any advertised product, you must become a member of PenFed Credit Union.

" " " H. Farr, " "Certified " Elder " Law " Attorney, " "creator of the " Living " "Trust"Plus " TM Your Speaker is Evan Asset Protection Trust " " # and one# of the foremost "" legal authorities " " in" the Country" in the " fields of " Medicaid Asset Protection and Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts. #

# #has no procedure # # ########### # # Virginia for# approving certifying organizations.

#############

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Bonds From page 41 and rip up trade pacts. If he follows through, that could stoke inflation by sending prices of imported goods sharply higher. Bond investors loathe inflation because it erodes the purchasing power of their fixed payments. A little more inflation might be a good thing, of course. If anything, the world has been suffering from too little of it. Consumer prices have risen 1.5 percent in the past year, about a half point lower than what is considered the ideal level. Higher inflation is usually a sign of faster economic growth, and it has a way of building on itself. It causes people to spend right away on things out of fear they might have to pay more for them later, and that can stimulate even more growth.

But it’s hard to contain inflation once it starts revving up. A Trump presidency, some investors think, makes it more likely the Federal Reserve will raise short-term borrowing rates next month to keep prices from rising too fast. What makes this all unnerving is that the bond market is such a fragile place now. The interest that investors are getting on some government bonds is lower than it has been in hundreds of years. Even a little more inflation could wipe out gains from collecting that interest over the life of their bonds, and so many investors are jittery and have moved fast to dump their holdings. That is what happened in trading in the U.S. government bonds in recent weeks. Investors dumped Treasury notes due in 10 years, sending their yields soaring from 1.75 percent to 2.15 percent in just 36 hours and then to 2.33 by Nov. 25. It typi-

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

cally takes many months for yields to move that much. All this would be bad enough if there wasn’t so much debt at risk now. In the eight years since the peak in borrowing before the 2008 financial crisis, governments, households and companies around the globe have taken on another $69 trillion in debt, a jump of 53 percent, according to McKinsey Global Institute. Given the complicated global web of bond trading, the danger is that a sudden drop in the price of bonds could trigger selling across markets and for many different kinds of assets. In the 2008 financial crisis, a drop in the value of mortgage bonds sent the prices of stocks and other bonds plunging as investors scrambled to raise cash by selling even things they thought were fairly priced.

Future is still murky Of course, bond investors could be get-

ting the Trump presidency all wrong, and quickly start buying bonds they were just selling. A Republican Congress might reject, or at least limit, any Trump stimulus that would entail gobs of additional spending and borrowing. And just how much Trump wants to spend is unclear because he was so vague on the campaign trail about his plans, and he has no political record. James Abate, chief investment officer of Centre Asset Management, said bond investors have plenty of reason to worry, though. It’s not just Trump’s campaign promises. He spent his business career, after all, as a developer — putting up buildings and borrowing a lot to do it. “Project what he’s done his entire lifetime, and think of that on a government level,” said Abate. “He’s going to issue debt, and that is what the bond market is spooked about.” — AP

BEACON BITS

Dec. 15+

DC TRANSPORTATION SURVEY NEEDS YOU

The accessDC Transportation Study is an 8-month study, funded by a federal grant. The goal is to “identify ways to give people with disabilities and older adults [in D.C.] better access to multiple transportation services, allowing for greater mobility with dignity and independence, and easier integration in the community.” D.C. residents can contribute input and help make this study more relevant by completing an online survey. The deadline is 11 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15. For more information and to complete the survey, visit http://ddot.dc.gov/page/accessdc-study.

Ongoing

SHARE HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE

Delmarva Foundation — a private nonprofit looking to improve healthcare in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and nursing homes — is looking for volunteers in the District of Columbia who are Medicare beneficiaries (or their families) to share their healthcare experiences. Delmarva is creating a Beneficiary and Family Advisory Council (BFAC) to better understand the healthcare system from a patient’s standpoint. For more information or to apply, visit http://aqin-dc-bfac.org or contact Bonnie Horvath at horvathb@delmarvafoundation.org or (410) 872-9610.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Recent election spooks emerging markets By Stan Choe [Editor’s note: Last month, we printed a story from the Associated Press, “Emerging markets climb back to growth,” listing reasons for optimism about emerging market investments. But the election of Donald Trump has hurt those investments, at least in the short run. This story explains what has happened so far and why.] Investing in Mexico, China and other emerging markets has never been for the fainthearted. Big swings have been a hallmark, caused by everything from the 1994 “tequila crisis,” where Mexico devalued the peso, to Russia’s default on its debt in 1998. Here’s the latest addition to the list: Donald Trump’s victory last month, which some analysts are calling an “orange swan” event for emerging markets. Trump’s election was unexpected, and investors were unprepared for it — the kind of event that economists liken to seeing a black swan for the first time — and it has caused stock markets to tumble from Mexico City to Seoul. As investors try to piece together what a Trump presidency will mean for stocks, a growing consensus is that emerging markets will be some of the biggest losers, at least in the short term. Funds devoted to emerging market

stocks tumbled after the election, even while stocks in the United States were surging. The largest exchange-traded fund that tracks emerging-market stocks sank 2.6 percent the day after the election, when the S&P 500 index of U.S. stocks jumped 1.1 percent. Vanguard’s FTSE Emerging Markets ETF fell to its lowest point on Nov. 15, losing a total of 7 percent before rebounding slightly by Nov. 25. Meanwhile the S&P 500 added more than 3 percent between the election and Nov. 25.

Trade rules in limbo The fear coursing through emerging markets is that Trump will follow through on his rhetoric from the campaign. More open trading rules kept factories whirring in Mexico, China and other emerging markets, and the resulting growth helped those countries build up their own middle classes, which created more new customers for companies in emerging markets and elsewhere. But Trump has talked about pulling back from trade deals. That’s why export-heavy emerging markets have seen some of the biggest declines recently. South Korean stocks lost 3.5 percent in dollar terms right after the election, and Taiwanese stocks fell 3.1 percent, according to MSCI indexes. The U.S. is Mexico’s largest trading

partner, so trade restrictions would hurt it as well. It faces additional pressure from Trump’s calls to build a wall along Mexico’s border — at its expense — and for the deportation of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. That could cut off a lot of remittance payments headed back to Mexico from workers in the U.S. Mexican stocks lost 9 percent in dollar terms the day after the election, but bounced back a percentage point by the end of the month.

Weaker currencies a concern Besides the possibility of a trade war, emerging-market investors are also worrying about the ramifications of a stronger dollar and higher U.S. interest rates that could arise from a Trump presidency. Weaker emerging-market currencies hurt investors counting their returns in U.S. dollars because they make each rand’s worth of South African stock worth fewer dollars. See MARKETS, page 45

WHAT'S IN YOUR ATTIC? Quinn's got $2,700 for this jar! FREE EVALUATIONS 360 South Washington Street Falls Church, Virginia 22046 (703)532-5632 www.quinnsauction.com

Free Appraisal Day

December 21

One item per person, please.

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Apply for Discounts on Your Utility Bills Discounts are Subject to Income Eligibility Requirements

- Apply for Discounted Rates on Telephone

Lifeline Program (Economy II)

Electric

Residential Aid Discount (RAD) Program

Annual discount on one land line service per household.

Natural Gas

Residential Essential Service (RES) Program

Potential savings are between $300-$475 annually.

Water

Customer Assistance Program (CAP)

Potential savings up to $276 during the winter heating season.

For more info call 311 or visit doee.dc.gov/udp To apply for the telephone Lifeline Service (Economy II), call 800-253-0846.

Potential discount could be over $450 annually. These programs are for DC residents only.

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIED – BIGGER AND BETTER

Wow! A Simple to Use Computer Designed Especially for Seniors! Easy to read. Easy to see. Easy to use. Just plug it in! NEW Now comes with... Larger 22-inch hi-resolution screen – easier to see 16% more viewing area Simple navigation – so you never get lost Intel® processor – lightning fast Computer is in the monitor – No bulky tower Advanced audio, Better speaker configuration – easier to hear Text to Speech translation – it can even read your emails to you! U.S. Based Customer Service

FREE

Automatic Software Updates

Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easyto-use, worry-free and literally puts

the world at your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now, the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time

you took part? Call now, and you’ll find out why tens of thousands of satisfied seniors are now enjoying their WOW Computers, emailing their grandchildren, and experiencing everything the Internet has to offer. Call today! • Send & Receive Emails • Have video chats with family and friends • Surf the Internet: Get current weather and news • Play games Online: Hundreds to choose from!

Call now toll free and find out how you can get the new WOW! Computer. Mention promotional code 104916 for special introductory pricing.

81059

“I love this computer! It is easy to read and to use! I get photo updates from my children and grandchildren all the time.” – Janet F.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Use price match to always get sale price purchase grace period. To price match online, call the site’s customer service line. You’ll usually need a digital or physical ad for evidence of the lower offer, and there can be exceptions and exclusions. Brasler is executive editor at the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook. The group has found that mystery shoppers saved considerable amounts by price matching, including $140 on an LG sound bar speaker system at Best Buy. Even though price matching works, fewer than 10 percent of consumers do it, according to Sucharita Mulpuru, chief retail strategist for Shoptalk. She said that although price matching has grown during the last decade, many

Markets

ing markets. Stocks from developing economies are among the riskiest investments to own, and they have often followed up big gains with big losses. Of course, the recent losses come with the big caveat: namely, that a President Trump may not be able to follow through on all his campaign rhetoric. That high degree of uncertainty is one reason why Wasif Latif, head of multi-global assets at USAA, suggests investors hold steady despite the tumult. He’s not paring back on the emerging-market investments held in the mutual funds he oversees, including target-date retirement funds. Emerging-market stocks looked to be some of cheapest in the world, based on their prices relative to their earnings, and the recent declines make them look only cheaper. “The markets sometimes discount things too much, too quickly, at the Nth degree, and usually what ends up happening is the reality is somewhere in between,” Latif said. — AP

From page 43 And the rand has lost more than 5 percent of its value against the dollar since election day. The Mexican peso is at a record low. A stronger dollar also adds pressure on emerging-market central banks to raise interest rates to support their faltering currencies. It at least gives them pause if they want to cut rates in hopes of boosting their economies. The big losses in recent days are a sharp turnaround from earlier this year, when emerging-market funds were among the hottest investments. The Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF returned more than 19 percent through early September, for example, and investors poured $18.4 billion into emerging-market stock mutual funds and ETFs during the first eight months of the year. But the recent struggles are also just the latest turn in the whiplash love-hate cycle that investors have had with emerg-

consumers are still unaware of it, and others don’t bother because it seems like a hassle. And some stores keep such a close eye on pricing that matching isn’t often necessary.

How to price match • Check retailer websites for price matching policies. For example, Amazon honors TV prices from select stores, but won’t price match anything else. Best Buy matches Amazon.com, Bhphotovideo.com, Crutchfield.com, Dell.com, HP.com, Newegg.com and TigerDirect.com, in addition to local competitors. But Kumar said price matching policies often exclude businesses offering the lowest prices because they might not sell genuine products. • Match comparable products. It can be

more difficult to price match items such as electronics because retailers might sell different model numbers, Mulpuru said. • Download a price comparison app such as ShopSavvy or Scan. Then scan the barcode of the item you want and see what it’s selling for elsewhere — and whether you should request a price match. • Some retailers, including Target, will match their own online prices in store, so check both before buying. • If you find your item for less post-purchase, ask for a price adjustment. Many credit cards offer a price protection perk if an item drops in price after you buy. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet.

Our Mission: To secure the well-being of Montgomery County Seniors through the shared strength of diverse organizations and individuals.

Professionals working with seniors are invited to our Monthly GROWS meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 8:15 a.m. usually at Holiday Park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton, Md.

GROWS Meeting • January 5, at 8:15 a.m. Speaker: Nancy Ruberto-Beachler • Topic: Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Holiday Park Senior Center • 3950 Ferrara Dr.

For more info, call (301) 765-3325.

REHABILITATION AT GREENSPRING

We help you get back to what matters. For a speedy recovery after illness or injury, turn to Greenspring. Here, your care doesn’t end when you go home. We offer the following services to help you thrive: • Patient education about • Home care coordination exercise, medication, medical should you require additional equipment, and follow-up care. care in your home. • Caregiver education including a thorough home assessment for your safety and comfort.

• Long-term care coordination should you require a higher level of medical care.

You don’t have to be a resident of Greenspring to receive care here.

Call 703-879-6186 for your free brochure and bonus copy of our “Healing at Home” checklist.

Springfield EricksonLiving.com Greenspring has received a 5-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

11645575

By Courtney Jespersen Kevin Brasler recalls barraging an obliging salesperson with questions about car seat safety when he was a concerned new parent. Before they checked out, Brasler and his wife found the seat they were considering for $50 less on Amazon. But they were so invested in their in-store experience that they bought from the salesperson anyway. However, they likely could have purchased the car seat at the store and gotten the Amazon price by simply asking the retailer to match it. Price matching typically requires asking the cashier to meet a lower advertised price at the time of purchase, or asking a representative at the customer service desk for a price adjustment within a post-

Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Rewrite your resume to land today’s jobs Q: How can I get my arms around the overwhelming task of rewriting my resume? A: I think the first step in the resumewriting process is getting into the right frame of mind. There’s nothing quick or easy about crafting a document that puts you in the best light on paper. Many people find the process to be frustrating. I can relate. Advising hundreds of people on preparing their resumes has made me keenly aware of attitudes that can

stand in the way of digging into this task in a positive way. Here are some of the common barriers that job seekers face, and my thoughts on getting past them: I don’t know how to write. A resume doesn’t have to read like a great piece of literature. Nowadays, most employers scan new resumes for only a matter of seconds! Just use plain English to describe what you’ve done clearly. Use short phrases. Keep this important con-

Finding the Right P lace Just Got Easier! Oasis understands that changing homes – at any !"#$%&'%(&)$%*%& %+&),-.(!/%012% $'&12 3%!4& %521-$ % & %).2!4$2%-165(&-"!$+%78%!4$%'$9$2:$'+&'#% -41&-$ %"'+%-1 ! %" 1-&"!$+%;&!4%" & !$+%(&9&'#% 15!&1' /%<%;&((%6$$!%;&!4%81.%!1%-"2$).((8%" $ % 81.2% 5$-&,-%'$$+ 3%52$ $'!%81.%;&!4%"%2$,'$+% (& !%1)% .&!"7($%" & !$+%(&9&'#%-166.'&!&$ 3% -4$+.($%!1.2 3%"'+%"--165"'8%81.%1'%9& &! / Our services are absolutely FREE. There is no cost to you.

703.638.8629 Matrona Busch, CSA • 703.638.8629 • MBusch@YourOasisAdvisor.com FairfaxCounty.OasisSeniorAdvisors.com

organization function better. cept in mind: Less is more. I really haven’t done that much. I can’t fit years and years of experiAt times, life confronts us ence onto the two pages with real challenges and denow recommended. mands – and not just at work. A resume is neither a piece How you respond reflects of literature nor an encyclopeskills and characteristics dia entry about you. Think of it known as ‘transferable skills’ as a marketing document that because they apply on the job only lists highlights to conas well. vince the employer (the For example: Making pur“buyer”) to invite you (the chasing decisions for your “seller”) in for an interview — home includes budgeting where much more can be CAREER COACH and managing finances; getshared. ting five things done in one By definition, a resume is a By Judy Smith day involves time managesummary of your qualifications. Employers focus on what you’ve ment; hosting a get-together in your home done lately. Include only the last 10 to 15 involves event planning and organizing. (See the September Career Coach column years. I think all the items on my resume for more tips on transferable skills.) Be sure to include skills like these. are important. Why are you telling me Don’t undervalue your achievements. A to take them out? Keep this rule forefront in your mind: resume is not the place to be modest. Let The text of a resume should be structured your strengths shine through. In job-hunting, much as it is in life, attiaccording to the viewpoint of the prospective employer. Know too that there are tude is everything. I find when approachlikely to be many other qualified applicants ing the critical task of creating a resume, a willing spirit makes a big difference. vying for this employer’s attention. Your resume must make it easy for him Judy Smith is a registered career coach. or her to assess your candidacy for a spe- Send your job search questions to Smith at cific job opening — quickly. Only include smithjudit@gmail.com or visit her website information that will help this employer’s at www.judysmith.solutions.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

A special supplement to The Beacon newspaper

Charles E. Smith Life Communities celebrates its tenth anniversary. Read a tribute to the legacy of Charles E. Smith, page 4.

December 2016/No. 43

Post-acute miracle Dr. McNamara’s restoration of strength and When Dr. William McNamara awoke from functional capabilities has been nothing short a month-long, medically induced coma, he of miraculous. He departed the Hebrew Home couldn’t lift a finger, much less himself from on July 1 reinvigorated, upright, and unassisted— the bed. all thanks to a combination of the following An orthopedic surgeon for over 30 years, Dr. customized therapeutic interventions supervised McNamara, 76, was rushed to Suburban Hospital by his primary therapist, Sneha Salian: on February 2 in grave respiratory distress due to • Voice and swallowing therapy: He pneumonia, with an oxygen intake score hovering at 83 progressed from a feeding percent. While unconscious, he underwent a battery of tube to eating regular food. life-saving procedures, including intravenous antibiotics, • Occupational therapy (OT): He can intubation, a tracheostomy, a bronchoscopy, and physical now care for himself independently and suspension from a variety of postural positions to drain pursue all activities of daily living. fluid from his lungs. To further complicate his condition, • Physical therapy (PT): He walks without an abdominal hernia was discovered, unrelated to his the use of a walker or cane. infection but nonetheless requiring an operation and then a “second-look” operation several days later. The doctor’s praise for the Post-Acute Protracted immobility has its consequences, and for Care Center is boundless. “This facility is Back home after three months at the Post-Acute Care Center, Dr. McNamara they included acute muscle loss (critical unbelievable,” he asserts. “Honest to God, every Dr.William McNamara relaxes with Gracie. care myopathy), a weight loss of 55 pounds, and paralysis area is just superior,” referring to his top-notch of the right vocal cord. The path to his recovery, initially considered touch and go, interdisciplinary team, the comfort of a private room, a flat screen TV, grooming at the began with 28 days at DC’s MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital. on-site salon, and appealing home-style meals. Another point he hastens to emphasize: To determine where to go next, Dr. McNamara’s wife Jane, a nurse by the social worker on his care team made full arrangements, long distance, for him to profession, researched all rehab facilities in DC, Maryland, and Philadelphia before continue PT, OT, and have the services of a visiting nurse three days a week for two concluding that the Post-Acute Care Center at the Hebrew Home of Greater weeks at his Ocean City summer residence. Washington “was one of the best places to come,” explains Dr. McNamara. It clearly But what Dr. McNamara appreciates most, above and beyond excellent care, is the was a wise choice: he is now back home, back to work half-time, and able to drive Center’s policy of allowing pets to come in for visits. “It’s a big deal,” he notes, describing himself to outpatient therapy three days a week. It took three months, but his is a the sensational boost to his spirits and sense of normalcy achieved every time his dog success story for the records. Gracie, an affectionate, curly-haired Cockapoo, scampered into his room. “When I arrived on April 1, I was on a feeding tube and barely able to stand at To learn more about personalized therapy and positive outcomes at the Postthe parallel bars—and I was terrified of a fall,” he recalls. “Transfers between bed, Acute Care Center, visit www.smithlifecommunities.org or call 301.770.8476. n chair, and the shower required a hoist, and that scared the hell out of me.”

Inside this issue

Warren Slavin retires after 22 years

Sharing our expertise

Why are charitable gift annuities so popular?

Maryland’s 2016 Director of Nursing of the Year!

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

For optimal health, older adults need convenient access to quality medical and rehabilitative services suitable to their needs. At the Hirsh Health Center—a medical outpatient practice specializing in primary geriatric care—our physicians address individual preferences and offer treatment with respect, empathy, and compassion. New patients are always welcome. Call 301.816.5004 to schedule your first appointment.

Farewell note After 22 great years, Warren Slavin retires Over the past few months I have experienced a series of “lasts” as I prepare for my upcoming retirement this January as CEO of Charles E. Smith Life Communities, after a tenure of 22 years. Thus, this is my last column in LifeTimes as CEO. It has been a privilege for me to serve this great organization and our wonderful community. When I chose health care management as my career, I hoped I would have the opportunity to lead an organization that helped people to wholeness and improve the Warren Slavin, President/CEO quality of their lives. At Charles E. Smith Life Communities and the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, I have been given that opportunity. I am proud to reflect that over the years we have expanded the scope and depth of our services, developed into a complex senior care system, and, most importantly, worked to continually improve our quality and customer service—our care and caring. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with a dedicated and talented Board, generous donors, and a management staff that is among the best and brightest in our field. In the end, however, it is the staff of CESLC that deliver our world-class care and foster our life-enriching environment. It has been my honor to be called to be their leader. It is time for us, however, not to dwell upon the accomplishments of the past, but to look to the future, to meet the challenges of a growing senior population in new and innovative ways, built upon our mission and values. So, as I prepare to leave this office, I do so with great comfort knowing that Charles E. Smith Life Communities is in good hands, with the guidance of our dedicated Board and the leadership of my successor Bruce Lederman, whose vision, talent, knowledge, and values will successfully lead us into the future.

Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO

Page 2 | June 2016

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Personalized therapy. Positive outcomes. At the Post-Acute Care Center at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, we modify every patient’s unique treatment plan with the goal of boosting functional independence and ensuring a safe return home. Call 301.770.8476 or visit www.smithlifecommunities to learn more.

Sharing our expertise Confronting loss: Q&A with Rabbi James R. Michaels “Everyone who experiences a loss will grieve,” notes Rabbi James R. Michaels, director of Pastoral Care at Charles E. Smith Life Communities. “The question is whether or not we allow ourselves to work through the grieving process fully, thoughtfully, and openly.” Because Rabbi Michaels devotes much of his time to helping people cope with and survive periods of intense grieving, we have invited him to share insights gained from these efforts. Is there a difference between grieving and mourning? Yes. Grieving is the internal emotion that we experience when confronting any loss, whether it be that of a loved one or even a physical possession. Mourning, on the other hand, is the external manifestation of grief. In the Jewish tradition, for example, we can participate in specific mourning rituals surrounding death, including Shiva, Kaddish, and marking a Yahrzeit. Yet when someone says they don’t need to do more than visit a synagogue to recite the mourner’s Kaddish, I explain that rituals alone are not sufficient to address emotions inherent in grieving. Mourning rituals come to an end, but we never stop grieving. We simply accommodate the sense of loss…and we learn to live with it. Is there a set time to begin grieving? No. When we suffer a loss, that’s when we start grieving. But we also can begin to grieve in anticipation of an impending loss. To illustrate, a person whose loved one has dementia will probably experience grief because he/she is going to lose an important relationship—even though that loved one is still very much alive and capable of expressing love. How do you live with an acute loss? Individuals adjust differently. Some may create a ritual, some may turn to a therapist, and still others may say to themselves that this is the way it must be. When I talk with people about this, the one thing that I can assure them is that the painful feelings they have today will not necessarily stay around. You say there’s another factor in grieving: the “ghosts of grief.” Over time, the highs and lows of anguish will wane and reach a kind of equilibrium, but at an unexpected moment something may suddenly remind us of a loss. It can be a favorite song, food, object, photo, or recording of a person’s voice. The painful feelings that can be awakened months, years, or even decades after a loss are called the “ghosts of grief.” We need to understand that they will abate and recede. Is there a time to stop grieving? There’s a common belief that if people work through “the stages of grief ”

‘‘

Mourning rituals come to an end, but we never stop grieving. We simply accommodate the sense of loss…and we learn to live with it. — Rabbi James R. Michaels

’’

they can eventually stop grieving. But the issue isn’t about when to stop grieving, it’s about how to live with grief. Fortunately, there are resources available: support groups and books are plentiful and readily available; therapy might be advisable, too. When people bury their feelings, are there consequences? Yes, and they can be quite severe, leading to what we call “complicated grief.” When you haven’t allowed yourself to grieve, repressed feelings can subconsciously seek release, tending to merge into other realms of life as maladaptive behaviors that can interfere with what should be normal relationships. Physical or emotional symptoms of illness may also occur. If this happens to you, it’s worth seeking professional help. n

Rabbi James R. Michaels is a graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, and holds a doctorate in Bereavement Counseling from the Graduate Theological Foundation.

You make a difference! Your support ensures that Charles E. Smith Life Communities can provide the highest quality of care and services to older adults throughout the region. Your gift helps us: • deliver programs and services that are uniquely Jewish and superior in quality. • offer older adults the dignity of choice in residential living along with superior primary, home health, and post-acute care. • care for the most vulnerable and needy older adults. • offer advocacy and temporary shelter to victims of elder abuse. WAYS TO GIVE: Check: Mail checks made out to Charles E. Smith Life Communities to: Office of Development, 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852. Credit Card: Online at www.smithlifecommunities.org or call 301.770.8409. IRA Rollover Gift: The IRA Charitable Rollover provision allows individuals age 70½ and up to donate up to $100,000 from their IRA without treating the distribution as taxable income. Stock: Donate appreciated assets while increasing tax deductions and avoiding capital gains. Israel Bonds: These can be purchased for our benefit. For help with questions about these or other ways to support CESLC, please call us at 301.770.8409. Thank you for your generosity. n

LifeTimes | Page 3

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A special thanks to everyone who voted for Charles E. Smith Life Communities as Best Senior Living Community in the latest “Best of Bethesda” Readers’ Poll. We appreciate your support! Visit www.smithlifecommunities to learn about the high-quality care and services we deliver.

On our campus CESLC celebrates its tenth anniversary In May of 2006, our system of care—anchored by the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and including all residences and on-site and outpatient medical services—was united under the name Charles E. Smith Life Communities. We are now celebrating the tenth anniversary of that consequential moment, in which we honored both the visionary leadership of the late Charles E. Smith (1901–1995) and the notable generosity of the Charles E. Smith Family Foundation. Over the past ten years, we’ve expanded our services, particularly with advancements at our Post-Acute Care Center, considered one of the finest rehabilitation centers in the area, the opening of two residences, Landow House and Cohen-Rosen House, and the launch of the ElderSAFE Center, a shelter and resource center for victims of elder abuse. It is especially fitting, in marking CESLC’s tenth anniversary, that we highlight the legacy of Charles E. Smith himself. For this we turn to his grandson David Bruce Smith, who presented the following tribute to his beloved Papa Charlie at a recent event:

When my grandfather came to Washington, in the fall of 1942, he had dreams—but they were not yet large or even visionary. At that point, he hoped only to make a good living for my grandmother, my father, and my Aunt Arlene—after a swath of bad financial luck in Brooklyn. Papa Charlie soon became immersed in the process of constructing 56 homes in District Heights, using contractors picked from The Yellow Pages. It was a gamble, one requiring him to split his time between work in Washington and weekends with family back in New York. The project sold well initially, but then suddenly he was unable to get utilities hooked in, depositors abandoned him, and the venture failed. At age 41, my grandfather had to start over. Papa Charlie’s next job, as a construction superintendent for a large DC developer, established his reputation for excellence within the general community, but among the coterie of Jewish builders he was an emerging enigma. It was said that my grandfather’s boss was anti-Semitic, so why, many asked, was Papa Charlie working so hard for someone like that. “The answer is very simple,” he confessed. “I have no money.”

At the tenth anniversary celebration of Charles E. Smith Life Communities, from left: Joseph B. Hoffman, Chair, Board of Governors; David Bruce Smith, grandson of Charles E. Smith; Clarice Smith, daughter-in-law of Charles E. Smith; Robert Kogod, son-in-law of Charles E. Smith; and Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO.

Page 4 | September 2016

‘‘

I felt that my life was greatly enriched by my service to the Home, and that it gave me a deeper understanding of what — Charles E. Smith it meant to grow old.

’’

Soon there were offers to construct projects for the Jewish builders, which my grandfather successfully completed, leading, in 1946, to his creation of The Charles E. Smith Companies. In many cases, his business breaks morphed into long-lasting friendships, which in turn led to greater involvement in the Jewish community, socially and philanthropically. The first significant position Papa Charlie had in the orb of Jewish charities occurred in 1959, Installation ceremony, 1959 the year he was elected president of the Hebrew Home. During his three-year term, my grandfather, the builder-developer, learned—literally—about healing and tending to the lives of others. These became the metaphors for the rest of his life, and, the experience propelled him to think beyond his time. When his term was completed, Papa Charlie was 61, healthy, optimistic, and, anticipating a long trajectory of accomplishment. This was a remarkable presumption, because the life expectancy for a man then was 66.8 years. But, for a variety of reasons Papa Charlie had a special relationship with God, which he believed would help carry him into a future old age. His intuition was correct. Papa Charlie imagined and conceived of the Jewish Community Center Complex and the Jewish Day School (JDS); the Life Communities came afterwards, but his friendly spirit and influence are inside of each. So far, more than three generations have been cradled, coddled, coached and comforted on the once-upon-a-time pasture lands that became a Metropolis on Montrose Road. n

Charles E. Smith, 1961, at the Hebrew Home Annual Meeting. Mr. Smith is third from left, back row.

W A S H I N G T O N

BEACON — DECEMBER 2016

Say you saw it in the Beacon

In 2016, the Maryland Health Care Commission conducted its annual Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey. HOW DID WE DO?

97% 79%

OF FAMILIES WOULD RECOMMEND the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington to others.

The Maryland State average for all other long-term care organizations.

Gift planning with impact Charitable gift annuities – explained Charitable Gift Annuities are the second most popular charitable gift-planning vehicles in the United States after charitable bequests. The reason? They provide a way for an individual with philanthropic interests to support charities of their choice in exchange for regular payments for life. Donors also can receive an income tax deduction for their contribution. Elana Lippa, director of Gift Planning

How does a gift annuity work? A donor transfers cash or appreciated stock to a charity, such as ours, in exchange for fixed payments for one or two people for life. A charitable tax deduction can then be taken for a portion of the gift. Sample illustration: Ruth, 75, donates $100,000 in cash to CESLC in exchange for a charitable gift annuity.

Her quarterly payment is $1,450 — for a total of $5,800, or 5.8% annually.

Are there minimum charitable remainder requirements when calculating a gift annuity? Yes. If the gift’s remainder is projected to be less than 10% of the original gift, it will not qualify as a gift. Does Charles E. Smith Life Communities offer gift annuities to donors under 60 years of age? No. Sixty is the minimum age for an annuitant, but annuitants tend to be age 65 and older. For them, annuities are a retirement planning tool. How can I learn more? To learn more about the benefits of charitable gift annuities and how one can help the residents of Charles E. Smith Life Communities, please contact Elana Lippa, director of Gift Planning at lippa@ceslc.org or 301.770.8342. Ms. Lippa can provide a no-obligation illustration tailored to you and your priorities. n

REMEMBER TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISER REGARDING YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

In the year the gift is made, she can claim a charitable tax deduction of up to $42,678.

How is the payment rate determined? The payment rate that most non-profit organizations use is determined by the American Council on Gift Annuities. The rate, based on a number of factors including age of the donor, is calculated annually with the goal of leaving the charity with at least 50% of the original gift amount after the death of the person, called the annuitant, who has been receiving payments. What is the minimum amount I can contribute for a charitable gift annuity at CESLC? $10,000, in cash or stock. Is there an income tax deduction when the gift annuity is funded? Yes. However, because donors benefit from payments during their lifetime, the amount used to fund a gift annuity is not fully deductible. A donor is entitled to a charitable income tax deduction equaling 35–50% of the amount transferred. How are the payments of a gift annuity treated for tax purposes? The answer depends on whether the annuity contract is funded with cash or appreciated stock. In the case of cash, the payment is divided between ordinary income and a tax-free return of the original amount given. When the donor uses appreciated assets, such as stock, the payment is divided among ordinary, capital gain, and tax-free income. Other rules apply when funding a gift annuity for someone other than the donor transferring appreciated assets. Is the amount used to fund a gift annuity removed from the donor’s taxable estate? Yes, if the donor is the person receiving payment. If not, a portion of the gift annuity will be included in the donor’s taxable estate.

‘‘

It’s satisfying to feel that I can contribute to the care available to residents of Charles E. Smith Life Communities with my charitable gift annuities— and at the same time receive an unchanging stream of annuity payments on a quarterly basis to secure my own future. Today I call CESLC my home, having moved to Ring House this past summer. I find it marvelous not only to be a part of this enriching and distinctively Jewish community but also to know that I am providing support for services offered on campus that will benefit my new neighbors as well as myself. – Zach Fromberg, donor

’’

LifeTimes | Page 5

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Community Minyan We warmly invite members of the community to worship with residents on Thursday, December 8 at a Community Minyan. Services take place 3:30 p.m. in the Sam and Minnie Feldman Synagogue, Wasserman Residence, Charles E. Smith Life Communities. Light refreshments follow the service. Questions: 301.770.8329

People in the news

‘‘

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!

May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with — Thomas Jefferson kindness and compassion.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities is dedicated to serving older adults who have spent their lives loving and caring for others. Now it’s our turn to step up and care for them with gratitude, compassion, and respect.

’’

Donate today at www.smithlifecommunities.org.

As the year draws to a close, you may be contemplating ways to add more meaning to your everyday life, perhaps to counterbalance the demands of work, family, and outside commitments. Volunteering may be the answer. At Charles E. Smith Life Communities, the opportunities to do positive, worthwhile deeds for older adults are endless—whatever your age, circumstances, or background. And, to help you explore the choices available, Monica Mayer, our new manager of Volunteers, has the experience, skill, and insight to match your interests and availability to the perfect position.

Monica Mayer, manager, Volunteers

Area students with a passion for helping others discover that when they volunteer on campus their efforts are appreciated more than they ever expected. One such student is 16-year-old Anh Duong of Rockville, who moved to the area from Vietnam in 2015 and has her sights set on medical school. Anh is learning about the unique needs of a geriatric population, senses the impact she makes in her weekly one-on-one visits with residents, and is increasingly energized by the growing responsibilities that have been assigned to her. To learn how a volunteer experience at Charles E. Smith Life Communities can expand your horizons, please contact Monica Mayer today at mayer@ceslc.org or 301.770.8333.

Amber Guthrie of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. Guthrie recently led an October Lunch & Learn session for staff sponsored by the ElderSAFE™ Center. Guthrie focused on the intersection of domestic violence and substance abuse, offering invaluable advice on how best to interview clients to obtain an accurate assessment of their substance abuse history in order to implement optimal interventions.

Anh Duong, student volunteer

Thank you, Mr. Kaufman! Some people get misty-eyed when they hear People Will Say We’re in Love from the Broadway musical Oklahoma. So did residents at Revitz House at a spectacular September performance by the renowned Glenn Pearson Band, conducted by bandleader Glenn Pearson himself, with Director of Gift Planning Elana Lippa and Dick Kaufmann belting out the hit song duet-style. Mr. Kaufmann, who sings with the band for fun, helped to underwrite the event with a generous gift. Glenn Pearson, president of his entertainment company Glenn Pearson Productions, is a “favorite performer for White House events, Heads of State, and Kings and Queens,” according to his website.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities is pleased to announce that our director of nursing for long-term care, Olivia Kitcher-Yamikeh, has been named by the Maryland Chapter of the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration as Maryland’s 2016 Director of Nursing of the Year. Kitcher-Yamikeh was rated the highest among her peers in a competitive point system. In addition, we also extend special congratulations to nine CESLC geriatric nursing assistants who were recognized as some of Maryland’s top caregivers and given “Compassion in Caring” awards. “This is a proud moment for the Hebrew Home and CESLC,” said Nursing Home Administrator Neal White. “The awards serve as a great example of how we live our values here at CESLC, and follow our mission each and every day.”

Page 6 | September 2016

PICTURED: Sixth from left, Kitcher-Yamikeh is surrounded by the caregivers, who are, from left Maizena Stewart, Michelle Simpson, Hirut Mohammed, Rebeca Stucchi, Miriam Montenegro, Mariama Mansaray, Rkiya Bensguir, Christiana Isreal, and Manite Fleurgiste.

W A S H I N G T O N

BEACON — DECEMBER 2016

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Happy Hanukkah

from Charles E. Smith Life Communities!

May this year’s Festival of Lights bring joy and happiness into your home.

Quality services Honoring Volunteer Dentists Oral health holds a seat at the table in any discussion about overall health and wellbeing. And for that reason, we are so fortunate that Washington area dentists and hygienists have been volunteering and meeting the dental needs of the residents of the Hebrew Home since the 1940s. In November, we honored the current members of the Dental Volunteer Panel of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington. They are a team remarkably dedicated to maintaining this unique tradition of care. After a three-year renovation effort, CESLC now has updated, state-of-the-art dental offices in the Wasserman and Smith-Kogod Residences of the Hebrew Home. As a result, we can deliver the kind of safe and effective care that our residents deserve. Plans are underway to increase our dental volunteer force to keep both dental clinics teeming with activity

as they provide even more essential services. “I volunteer because I love to hear stories from the residents and their loved ones,” says Richard G. Meltzer, DDS, chairman of the dental panel. “These are our friends, and now they need our skills.” Dr. Meltzer says the panel’s mission is to maximize the quality of life for residents, particularly with regard to eating comfortably, smiling, and speaking. He explains that this is accomplished through a combination of “hygiene services, emergency services, restorative, endodontic, and prosthetic dental services, and 24/7 consultation support concerning questions relating to the oral and maxillofacial health of our residents.” In addition, they provide in-service training for the entire staff of the Hebrew Home in the art of daily oral care and denture care.

In our mailbox To the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington: As the days of mourning for my mother Esther have passed, I wish to reflect on the wonderful five years my mother has spent at the Hebrew Home. She came in for physical rehabilitation, and ended up staying mostly at… the Smith-Kogod building. My mother was a Holocaust survivor, who worked very hard all her life. Even in the camps, she refused to eat nonkosher food; and it was an incredible relief for her that [your] entire facility was kosher. (At the beginning she actually wouldn’t eat the meat, until I assured her that all was strictly kosher!) The boundless care of the staff was incredible, and [on her unit] there was only calm and patience. From the people at the desk to the aides, everyone was professional and gracious. Dr. Sorkin was both highly professional and deeply compassionate. Rabbi Michaels was very helpful at some difficult junctions. We are somewhat consoled in the knowledge that at the time that she needed it most, we were able to provide the most suitable care for her; she never did anything less than the utmost, in providing for us. May you continue doing the marvelous care for the infirm and elderly, being the chessed arm of the Jewish community of Greater Washington.

With profound blessings, Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky

The divine light illuminates the soul of man… — Proverbs Yahrzeit is a Yiddish word meaning “time of year.” In Kudos to the Dental Volunteer Panel. Seated, from left: Linda Schatz, RDH; Roxanna Forsaty, RDH; Dr. Jennifer Tipograph; Mrs. Maria Arguello; Dr. Jane Brodsky. Standing, from left: Dr. Clark Rogers; Dr. Jason Cohen; Dr. Marc Fisher; Dr. Norman Alpher; Dr. Richard Meltzer; Dr. Robert Shub; Dr. Adam Frieder; Mr. Stuart Tipograph. Not pictured, Dr. Steven Keller, Dr. Arnold Feldman, Mr. Chester Levine, Dr. Leonard Goldman, Evelyn Ralowicz, RDH, Dr. Alan Singer, Dr. Charles Doring, Dr. Leonard Merlo, Dr. Charles Cooper

LifeTimes is published quarterly by the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Inc., dba Charles E. Smith Life Communities. The Hebrew Home is a registered charity in Maryland and Virginia. A copy of the Home’s financial statement is available from the Maryland Secretary of State or the Virginia State Office of Consumer Affairs. We are an equal opportunity employer and we provide access to community programs without regard to race, age, national origin, familial status, religion, sex, or disability. Our services and programs are open to all in the community.

Support us through a gift to United Way

Joseph B. Hoffman, Chair Warren R. Slavin, President/CEO Lisa S. Friedman, I nterim Director, Development Emily L. Tipermas, L ifeTimes Editor © 2016 by Hebrew Home of Greater Washington 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852 Contact us: info@ceslc.org www.smithlifecommunities.org

Jewish tradition, it is the anniversary of the death of a relative, commemorated by the recitation of Kaddish, the mourner’s prayer. At Charles E. Smith Life Communities, you can honor the memory of your loved one by purchasing an engraved yahrzeit plaque for the tranquil Meditation Alcove located in the Wasserman Residence. Benefits of this gift include an annual written reminder of the approaching date and an assurance that the name of the deceased will always be read on the yahrzeit at daily services. Learn more by calling Elana Lippa, director, Gift Planning, at 301.770.8342. n

3 check 8111 or CFC n 3 check 49705. n LifeTimes | Page 7

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Our calendar

CELEBRATE!

DECEMBER

Game Day at Ring House Mah Jongg, Bridge, Canasta, Scrabble, and more 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. | Lunch at noon, $5 1801 E. Jefferson Street, Rockville Free transportation from Leisure World departing at 9:30 a.m. RSVP: 301.816.5052

Thursday, December 8, 2016 6:30 p.m. | VisArts | 155 Gibbs Street | Rockville, MD

Join us for an evening with Steven

8 CELEBRATE! Dinner, cocktails, with special guest

journalist, author, and columnist for The Washington Post. Light First Hanukkah candle

Steven Petrow is a respected journalist and the go-to source for modern manners, as cited by The New York Times, People, Time, and NPR. Steven’s often humorous, but always insightful advice has made him a nationally-recognized and much sought after advice expert. In addition to his five etiquette books, Steven writes the “Civilities” column for The Washington Post as well as “Digital Ethics” for USA Today. Previously, he penned The New York Times “Civil Behavior” column, “Digital Dilemmas” for Parade magazine, and “Medical Manners” for Everyday Health.

Steven Petrow, Washington Post columnist 6:30 p.m. | VisArts at Rockville – free valet parking Complimentary for households contributing gifts of $500 or more in 2016. Registration: www.smithlifecommunities.org

JANUARY

H²YP Application deadline The 2017 session of the Harold and Shirley Robinson H²YP Youth Philanthropy program for high school students kicks off its eighth year. Acting as a foundation board, students review grant proposals and learn about tzedakah. Info/Application: www.smithlifecommunities.org or 301.816.7746

Open House at Ring House 1:00–3:00 p.m. Open to the community. Tour our independent living residence, enjoy refreshments, and discover surprisingly affordable options. RSVP: 301.816.5052

MAY

Share our success and

CELEBRATE YOUR SUPPORT of Charles E. Smith Life Communities, one of the nation’s leading providers of senior services, now in its 106th year. This year’s event is complimentary for households with 2016 gifts of $500 or more to Charles E. Smith Life Communities.

SAVE THE DATE!

Petrow

2017 Sara and Samuel J. Lessans Healthcare Symposium Aging in America: Mental Health Crisis in a Geriatric Population: Strategies for Clinicians and Caregivers Keynote: Steven S. Sharfstein, MD, President Emeritus Sheppard Pratt Health System

The evening includes cocktails and dinner. Complimentary valet and self-parking | Dietary laws observed.

For information or to register: www.smithlifecommunities.org

OTHER EVENTS 1st Sunday of the month — Jewish War Veterans Meeting 10:00 a.m. | Ring House, Rockville Veterans and interested persons welcome.

2nd Monday of the month — Family Caregiver Support Group Presented jointly by Ring House and JSSA Senior Services. Free, open to the community Noon –1:30 p.m. | Ring House, Rockville Call 301.816.2635

December 8, 2016 Community Minyan Community invited to worship with residents All are welcome! | 3:30 p.m. Feldman Family Synagogue, Wasserman Residence, Rockville Refreshments and an opportunity to engage with Hebrew Home residents follow.

Online now at www.smithlifecommunities.org: • Registration for all events • Volunteer and career opportunities

Contact us: 301.770.8448 | www.smithlifecommunities.org n H ebrew Home Post-Acute Care Center and long-term care 301.770.8476

Page 8 | September 2016

House n Cohen-Rosen 301.816.5050

® Center n ElderSAFE 301.816.5099

n H irsh Health Center 301.816.5004

n L andow House 301.816.5050

n R evitz House 301.770.8450

n Ring House 301.816.5012

To register and learn more about community events, resident programs, and news for families, visit www.smithlifecommunities.org. Follow CESLC on:

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

For highlights of a visit to Scotland’s Isle of Skye, where “Outlander” is filmed, see story on page 59.

Dutch heritage colors Caribbean Curacao ing their luck, and extremely friendly people. Furthermore, we concluded that the beaches deserve a better reputation than they sometimes get. After all, how many stretches of sand does a person need during a stay of a week or two? The three dozenplus on Curacao include both those expansive enough to satisfy most sun bathers as well as tiny swatches perched in little coves protected on both sides by craggy cliffs. Knip Bay has two beaches, Grote (Big) Knip and Kleine (Little) Knip. Both offer soft white sand, shade provided by large trees, and are lapped by stunning turquoise waters. The nearby Playa Lagun, tucked in a small inlet, shelters fishing boats whose owners return to clean their catch at a small stand near one end of the beach.

By Victor Block I knew that the Caribbean island of Curacao is unfamiliar to many people from the United States, but the flight attendant’s announcement still caught me by surprise. As the plane from Washington prepared to land in Miami, she read a list of connections but stumbled over the name of my final destination. Then she admitted, “I don’t know how to say the name of that island.” A similar thought was expressed by a fellow American during my stay. She described Curacao as “one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean.” Maybe the challenging pronunciation of its name — cure-a-sow — is a turn-off. Perhaps the fact that it lacks as many long stretches of magnificent beach as some other islands convinces sun-seekers to head elsewhere. But the relatively small number of vacationers from the United States who join a larger influx from South America and Europe are richly rewarded. Begin with the island’s intriguing history and rich cultural tapestry. Add some of the best diving and snorkeling in the area. Throw in an architectural gem of a minicity that combines tropical touches with European flair. My wife Fyllis and I augmented the list with an enticing choice of outdoor activities, a sprinkling of casinos for those who enjoy test-

Dutch history

Boats line a pier in Willemstad, Curacao, forming a “floating market” that delivers fresh produce and other goods from Venezuela to the arid but lovely Caribbean island.

Grote and Klein Knip are by no means the only places on Curacao to have Dutch names, as the island’s history and culture are closely entwined with what today is the Netherlands. The earliest inhabitants were Arawak Indians who lived there more than 6,000 years ago. They were followed by Spanish explorers who arrived in 1499, seeking gold and other treasure. Finding none, they included Curacao on their country’s list of islas inutiles (“useless islands”). But the Dutch who showed up were PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

Pedestrians cross Willemstad’s Queen Emma Bridge, which links the city’s two main neighborhoods and can swing open to allow boats to pass. Some call Curacao “the best-kept secret” in the Caribbean.

after something else. Attracted by Curacao’s deep-water port, they took over the island in the early 17th century, and it became a colony of the Dutch West India Company. That launched Curacao’s long tradition as a trading center, including the slave trade, that helped make it one of the most prosperous islands in the Caribbean. Trade also was responsible for attracting immigrants from around the world. That created an ethnic melting pot that today includes people of more than 50 nationalities. One way in which this diversity manifests itself is language. While Dutch is the official means of communication, Spanish and English also are widely spoken. Many residents also converse in Papiamentu, which originally was developed by slaves. It’s a mixture of Dutch, Spanish, African, Portuguese and Caribbean Indian dialects, with touches of other languages thrown in for good measure. Some Dutch settlers built stately plantation homes and used slave labor to grow sugar cane, corn and indigo. Most of these land huizen (land houses), which date back to the mid-17th century, were perched on hills within sight of others in case help was needed during a slave revolt or calamity. A number of them have been restored, and today serve as restaurants, art galleries and museums, while others remain

in private hands. It’s well worth a visit to at least one of these great houses to explore that period of Curacao’s history.

Whimsical Willemstad The island’s rich history may be explored in many ways. The obvious starting point is Willemstad, the storybook capital of the island. Given its rich past and architectural treasures, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage City in 1997. The architecture is one well-deserved claim to fame. A number of buildings feature a tropical adaptation of 17th-century Dutch design, often adorned with fanciful gables, arcades and columns. Adding to the whimsical scene is a virtual fruit salad of peach, raspberry, mango and other pastel colors with which many structures are painted. That eye-catching chromatic explosion is attributed to a governor general of the island who suffered migraine headaches that he blamed on the glare of white paint. In 1817, he decreed that only pastel colors could be used. According to some accounts, the fact that he owned a paint factory in Holland may also have played a part in his decision. The Technicolor setting of Willemstad is best seen on foot. The two main neighSee CURACAO page 56

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Curacao From page 55 borhoods, Punda and Otrabanda (“the other side”), are linked by the Queen Emma Bridge — one of three spans that were named by the Dutch after monarchs. Because the pontoon Queen Emma Bridge swings open to allow ships to pass, it is affectionatly nicknamed “the Swinging Queen.” The other two are the Queen Juliana Bridge over the harbor, which at 200 feet is the highest span in the Caribbean, and Queen Wilhelmina Bridge. Close to the Queen Juliana Bridge is a

“floating market” which doesn’t really float. Because Curacao has such an arid climate, much of the fresh produce is transported from Venezuela in small wooden boats. Hence the name. The fruit, vegetables, fish, some handicrafts and other items are sold from stands that line the dock next to where the vessels are moored.

An historic synagogue Of more historic interest is the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, which was built in 1732 and lays claim to the honor of the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The sand that covers the floor is said to symbolize the wandering of Israelites in the desert following the Exodus, and also to recall the way that sounds of worship were muffled during the Inquisition period, when Jewish people had to pray in secret. The congregation uses Torahs that are more than 300 years old, and keeps in protective storage several others that date back to the 15th century. A small but interesting museum in the courtyard displays scrolls, bibles and other religious objects. A number of other little museums are gems in terms of their collections. The Curacao Museum provides an overview of the island’s lifestyles and customs. Exhibits range from geological history and the first Indian inhabitants, to the arrival of Europeans, and include examples of thatch-roof slave dwellings and 19th century mansions. The Maritime Museum traces more than 500 years of Curacao’s seagoing history. On display are authentic nautical charts, original maps dating back as far as 1666, navigation equipment, and a number of highly detailed ship models. I was intrigued by a book with the following hand-written notation from 1713: “We will not be making a profit this year. Curacao has had to pay the French privateer Jacques Cassard 115,000 pesos to leave the island.” The piece de resistance in our sightseeing sojourns was the museum at the Sonesta Kura Hulanda Village & Spa. A major focus of that eclectic collection is the history of slavery — including the slave trade, Africans in Latin and North America, and abolition. It contains the largest African collection in the Caribbean. We found especially moving the full-size replica of the hold of a ship in which captured slaves were transported to the New World in appalling overcrowded conditions. It demonstrates dramatically how people were crowded onto wooden platforms where they could hardly sit, much less stand, to be taken from their homeland to their new lives as slaves in a distant and different place. Collections in the museums also include pre-Columbian gold, 4,500-year-old bronzes and ceramics from the Middle East, and other treasures that would fit comfortably in

much larger world-class museums.

An off-road adventure It doesn’t take long after leaving Willemstad to encounter a very different environment. In contrast to the multicolored hues of the city, much of the surrounding landscape is barren and dry, the victim of sparse rainfall. Undulating hills are blanketed by rock outcrops and cacti that grow as tall as trees. In a few places, the terrain more closely resembles a moonscape than a Caribbean island. Our ride on all-terrain vehicles allowed Fyllis and me to get off-road to explore hidden nooks and crannies that no car can reach. We also took to foot in Christoffel Park, which was created by joining together three former plantations and is laced with pleasant hiking trails. We skipped the heart-pounding climb to the top of 1,230foot Mount Christoffel and instead enjoyed the tranquil setting of more level terrain, and the company of countless small lizards and an occasional iguana that slithered across our path. We followed that stroll with a refreshing dip in the sea. The beach from which we swam was pleasant enough and, unlike many on other Caribbean islands, virtually deserted. Maybe, we concluded, there’s something good to be said for Curacao’s low profile as an inviting Caribbean vacation destination.

If you go For guests at the Sonesta Kura Hulanda Village & Spa, the setting and accommodations become part of the Curacao experience. The 82 rooms are furnished with antiques and hand-carved mahogany and teak pieces, and the walls are adorned with hand-painted designs by local artisans. Transportation is provided to the resort’s beach-front sister property. The room rate for a three-night winter package on select dates is $600. For more information, log onto www.kurahulanda.com. The Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort offers a more traditional setting, with golf, tennis and spa facilities, seven restaurants See CURACAO page 57

BEACON BITS

Jan. 4

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Arlington County presents a trip to the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday, Jan. 4. This guided tour will feature Herman Leonard’s iconic images of jazz legends such as Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. There will be time to dine and view the rest of the collection afterwards. Busses will depart from Lee Community Center, located at 5722 Lee Hwy. at 10:15 a.m. It will also pickup and depart from Walter Reed Center, located at 2909 16th St. at 10:30 a.m. Busses will return around 5 p.m. The cost is $8 for residents and $9 for non-residents. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/ArlingtonTrips or call (703) 228-4744.

Ongoing

MOCO SENIOR CENTER BUS

JCA offers door-to-door transportation, Monday through Friday, to Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center in Silver Spring, Md. For more information or to see if you are within the pickup area, call (240) 777-8085 and ask for a nutrition site manager.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Swimming with dolphins and stingrays By Fyllis Hockman Their bodies were sleek and graceful, the skin soft to the touch, their demeanor welcoming even if a bit skeptical. Still, they were more used to this than I was. But I spread my arms out as instructed and flapped them in the water. Romeo and Paski, two of my dolphin snorkeling companions, then swam under my outstretched limbs, and we laid back into the water as though sunbathing. Then we went back to free swim. Such is one of the many highlights at the Dolphin Academy, one of several upclose-and-personal animal encounters available at the Sea Aquarium on the Caribbean island of Curacao. Now I don’t usually like watching animals perform tricks that are alien to their DNA for the amusement of tourists. But at the Dolphin Academy, the residents are

treated with such loving care, I swam alongside them with minimal guilt. According to trainer George, the dolphins are the first priority. “They are on a very light work schedule and every day; it varies. And if for any reason they don’t want to perform — perhaps they’re preoccupied with a personal family situation [I didn’t pursue that] — the program is called off,” he said. As if on cue, a participant related a past experience in which dolphins used to give rides to people holding onto their fins. Nope, not any more — it was determined that it was too damaging to their dorsal fins, so it was stopped years ago. Prior to the snorkel, George instructed us on how to proceed: be patient; let them come to you; stroke them along their flanks. He taught us how to encourage the dolphin to come alongside us and then

Curacao

beef and chicken to stewed goat meat. Fish filet with rice and peas costs $12 and is large enough to serve two people. For more information, call (599) 9-524-8529. In addition to restaurants at the Santa Barbara resort that range from fine dining to beach and pool eateries, Boca 19 (19th hole) is a fun and funky spot where the owner greets first-time guests like old friends. In addition to familiar fare like the Boca Burger and fresh fish, there are local favorites like goat stew with prunes and olives ($14). For more information, call (599) 9-840-1075 or log onto boca19.com. The least expensive roundtrip airfare from the Washington area for mid-December is $777 on American Airlines from Reagan National Airport. For more information, call the Curacao Tourist Board at 1-800-328-7222 or log onto www.curacao.com.

From page 56 and lounges, three swimming pools and a beach. Reminders of Arawak tribes that lived on the site include the use of Indian words throughout the resort, spa rituals based on Arawak traditions, and artifacts that have been unearthed from the premises. Rates begin at $219 during the winter high season and fall to a budget-stretching $139 during summer. For more information, call (855) 590-2266 or log onto www.santabarbararesortcuracao.com. To lunch with locals, head for the Plasa Bieu (Old Market), a covered space located at Waaigat Punda, where several vendors prepare lunch in open kitchens and some menus are written on chalk boards. The choices at Ivonne’s Place range from

free dive in unison. Romeo and I shared a number of shallow dives together, and in parting he gave me a kiss. OK, so he did it because he got a fish, but still I thought he was actually smiling at me at the time.

Snorkeling with Herbie That was only the start of my very personal connection with sea life in Curacao. My next encounter took me even further underwater.

BUS DIRECT

I’ve been snorkeling before — but never in the past did the fish swarm to me rather than my having to swim out to them. But then again I don’t usually carry a supply of squiggly little sardines with me when I go, while at the same time making meaningful eye contact. Well, meaningful to me anyway. At the Animal Encounters experience, interacting directly with a variety of denizens of the deep is the whole purpose. See DOLPHINS, page 58

TO NYC

ARLINGTON * BETHESDA * PENN STATION

WIFI AND ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ON BOARD

TripperBus.com 718-834-9214 Follow us on

Operated by Gunther Charters, Inc. USDOT #110308 MC #128577

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Some countries still require visas to visit was a huge hassle. And several other countries impose what seem to be absurd requirements on their visa processes. The good news on visas is how many countries no longer require them, at least for short tourist visits. That list includes all of Western Europe, the Caribbean, Central America and much of South America, plus Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand and South Africa.

Dolphins

learned the difference between sea lions and seals and watched Snapper do a seal imitation as he flopped along on his belly. Sea lions are much more genteel when they move — they walk on all fours. Using flippers, of course, but still… Snapper had a bit to say during our tetea-tete, but his vocalization unfortunately resembled a very loud, deep belch that tended to continue long after it was socially acceptable to do so. But he was very cute — and, like Romeo, very affectionate. Yup, I got another kiss. Between the two, I got more action that weekend than I remember occurring at the height of my dating career. For more information about the aquarium and its aquatic experiences, visit www.royalseaquariumresort.com/curacao-sea-aquarium.asp.

From page 57 So there I was co-mingling with tarpon, common snook, French grunts, permit fish, horseeyed jack and so many sting rays that I felt covered most of the time by a soft lightweight blanket caressing my body — only this blanket wanted to be fed fish, which it ate with its underbelly. Herbie — the 400-pound goliath grouper who has been king of the hill here for over 30 years — pretty much just observed the proceedings. No one messes with Herbie.

The playful sea lion Back on land, my next animal rendezvous was of a more playful nature. I got to meet and greet Snapper, the sea lion. I

Although a few other countries, notably Australia and Turkey, require visas, you can get them online without having to submit your passport or use a visa service. And a bunch of others issue visas (or other entry documents) on the spot when you arrive at their airport, including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Indonesia (including Bali), Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal, Oman, Qatar and Sri Lanka.

Where you need a visa But a few popular tourist countries — chiefly Brazil, China, India and Russia — still require a formal visa application and a paper or stamp that goes into your passport. Brazil is arguably the toughest, as my traveler friend discovered: • You start with an online form that See VISAS, page 59

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

By Ed Perkins We tend to ignore visas these days: We can hop on a plane with just our passport and head to so many countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America that we can sometimes forget that a few important visitor destinations still require visas. And getting a visa can be both expensive and exasperating. A traveler I know recently found out the hard way that getting a Brazilian visa for a South American cruise

The author, Fyllis Hockman, gets a kiss from her new dolphin friend at the Sea Academy in Curacao. The program allows also visitors to get close-up encounters with stingrays, tropical fish and sea lions.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Visitors love Scotland’s misty Isle of Skye By Michelle Locke Bonny Prince Charlie saw Scotland’s Isle of Skye on the run. He was fleeing government troops after his Highland rebellion ended disastrously at the 18th century Battle of Culloden. My visit was hurried, too, although due to nothing more exciting than a tight schedule — no redcoats on my tail. Luckily, even a short stay is long enough to glimpse why the Misty Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions. Here are a few reasons.

Dream scenes

jagged mountain range looming over the island, to the cheerfully pastel houses of Portree harbor. You can take in the views by driving Skye’s winding roads, get out for a shoreline amble or, if you’ve got the skills, go mountaineering. Guides can be hired for more challenging itineraries; a good option is www.skyeguides.co.uk. Recommended spots include the Trotternish ridge, known for rock formations like the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing pinnacles. Also a must-see — the Fairy Pools, a series of crystal clear and flowing pools on the River Brittle. www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/fairypools.shtml.

Rain or shine, most likely both in the same day, Skye is a stunner — from the stark grandeur of the Black Cuillin, the

Highland history

Visas

Consulates and visa services

From page 58 asks a laundry list of questions, including details about your parents that you might not know. • The form requires above-average computer skills to upload and fit personal photos and signatures to the form. • If you live in some states, you need to have your driver’s license notarized. • Even though you complete the form online, you still have to get your passport to a Brazilian consulate or embassy for processing. • And Brazil no longer accepts your passport by mail or express service: You either have to schlep it to a consulate in person or use a visa service, adding up to $100 in fees. According to trade reports, Brazil is considering ending the $160 retaliatory fee for U.S. visitors, but not the onerous visa requirement. Russia is also tough: In addition to the usual long list of personal details and a photograph, you need a “support letter” or “invitation” issued by an authorized Russian travel agency or hotel. Chances are your visa service agency can arrange that — for a fee. India can also be a hassle, but I found China was reasonably straightforward on my recent trip. Many countries in central Asia and central Africa also require visas; check with a visa service for details.

“Outlander”? If so, you should already be familiar with the beauty of the Highlands, the setting for that time-traveling drama. The series hasn’t gotten into Prince Charles’ flight yet; Season 2 ended just as the Battle of Culloden started. The show’s been renewed for two more seasons, but we don’t know a lot of details on what’s coming. In real life, the prince, Charles Edward Stuart — who was the grandson of the deposed James II and was trying to win back the British throne for the Stuarts — escaped government troops aided by several Highlanders, including the brave Flora MacDonald, who got him to Skye dressed as her maid. If you are headed into the Highlands by

way of Inverness, you’re close to the Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Center, which does a good job of explaining the rise and fall of the doomed campaign. You can’t go far in Scotland without finding a castle, and Skye’s Dunvegan Castle is billed as the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. It’s been home to the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for eight centuries. Admission to castle and gardens is about $16. For more island history, visit the Skye Museum of Island Life in Kilmuir, which features a recreation of a Highland village. Admission is about $3.25. See SCOTLAND, page 60

Are you a fan of the Starz TV series

Here in Washington, there’s likely a consulate for the country you plan to visit, and you can walk your passport through these offices, paying only the consulate fee — anywhere from a few dollars to $160 or so. Otherwise, you will probably want to use a visa service: You fill out the forms and send them and your passport to the service, which runs it through all the necessary steps and returns it with all the documentation you need. The cost varies by country, with some starting at $50 or so per country plus government fees and shipping charges. But if you leave your visa to the last minute, you can pay hundreds of dollars per visa for “expedited” service. Among the larger visa ser vices: Cibtvisas.com (also incorporating American Passport, Travisa, and VisaCentral), Passportsandvisas.com, TravelDocs.com, VisaExpress.net and VisaHQ.com. I used Visa HQ, with an office in San Francisco, for my recent China visa, but I see no reason why any of the others can’t do an equivalent job. But prices vary, so check before you decide. The most important reminder is to start the process early enough that you don’t have to pay for expedited service and shipping. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

More fun things to do? Call 311 to Get it Done! Tweet @311MC311 Visit MC311.com Call 240-777-0311

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

The 13th century Eilean Donan Castle in the Scottish highlands overlooks the Isle of Skye. The castle was partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, and lay in ruins for almost 200 years until an army officer bought the island in 1911 and restored the castle to its former glory.

Scotland From page 59

Dining and drams Think Scottish cuisine begins and ends with broth and haggis? You’re in for a surprise (not that there’s anything wrong with broth and haggis). Skye boasts a variety of dining choices, including the Michelin-starred Kinloch Lodge, and The Three Chimneys, which lost its Michelin star after a change in chefs in 2015 but continues to put out excellent food. If you’re there for lunch, look for the Crispy Croft Egg starter, a perfect mix of rich, dense egg and crisp crust. On the drinks side, Skye has one whisky distillery, Talisker in Carbost. And it’s the home of another Scots libation, Drambuie, now made in Glasgow but first developed and served at Skye’s Broadford Hotel in the 1870s. The liqueur, a blend of aged scotch, spices, heather honey and herbs, is said to be based on a recipe of the

lifestyle

Your NEW begins here

communLi are SMOKties FREE

E-

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTER

bonny prince himself, who gave islanders the secret to his private elixir in gratitude for their help. Skye’s largest town, Portree, has a supermarket and other shops. It also has a visitor center (Bayfield House, Bayfield Road) with information on walks, attractions and boat trips. You can even arrange a boat tour to the coastline of Elgol, on the southern end of the island — home to a cave where the prince is said to have hidden. No telling whether you’ll feel the presence of Highlanders past. But keep an eye out for men in red coats.

If you go Get visitor information on the Isle of Skye at www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/isle-skye/see-do/. A bridge connects Skye to the mainland, so the easiest way to get to, and around, Skye is by car — either your own or on a booked tour. Some island roads are singletrack, with places where you can pull over to let others pass. There are B&B’s, hotels and self-catering cottages. Rooms fill up quickly at high season (spring and summer), so book ahead. The Isle of Skye is about 250 miles north of Edinburgh. United had a roundtrip fare of $485 for late December and early January from Dulles and Reagan National Airports as of the Beacon press time. That fare is unusually low; the next lowest fare is $730 on British Airways. — AP

BEACON BITS

Dec. 22 ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

HARFORD COUNTY

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150 Severna Park 410-544-3411

Bel Air 410-893-0064 Box Hill 410-515-6115

BALTIMORE CITY

HOWARD COUNTY

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440 Coldspring 410-542-4400

Colonial Landing 410-796-4399 Columbia 410-381-1118 Ellicott City 410-203-9501 Ellicott City II 410-203-2096 Emerson 301-483-3322 Snowden River 410-290-0384

BALTIMORE COUNTY Catonsville 410-719-9464 Dundalk 410-288-5483 Fullerton 410-663-0665 Miramar Landing 410-391-8375 Randallstown 410-655-5673 Rosedale 410-866-1886 Taylor 410-663-0363 Towson 410-828-7185 Woodlawn 410-281-1120

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Bladensburg 301-699-9785 55 AND BETTER! Laurel 301-490-1526 Laurel II 301-490-9730

EASTERN SHORE

ALL PARK VIEW COMMUNITIES

Easton 410-770-3070

ARE

PET-FRIENDLY

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

MARYLAND LIVE! CASINO TRIP

Arlington County presents a daytrip to Maryland Live! Casino on Thursday, Dec. 22. The bus will depart from Lee Community Center, located at 5722 Lee Hwy. at 11:05 a.m. It will also pickup and depart from Walter Reed Center, located at 2909 16th St. at 11:20 a.m. Buses will return at 6 p.m. The cost is $9 for residents; $10 for nonresidents. For more information or to register, visit bit.ly/ArlingtonTrips or call (703) 228-4744.

Dec. 9

OLDIES SING-ALONG

The Unity of Gaithersburg spiritual community presents a sing-along featuring oldies and show tunes on Friday, Dec. 9 at Unity, located at 111 Central Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the singing begins at 7 p.m. A $10 donation is suggested. For more information, visit www.unityofgaithersburg.org/ongoing-activities or call (301) 947-3626.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

Arts &

Robert Shafer celebrates 10 years directing the City Choir of Washington, after 35 years with the Washington Chorus. See story on page 65.

Signature’s holiday musical with bells on

The Silver Belles are the local drama group — in more ways than one — in Silver, Tennessee. They’re known for their annual Christmas show that raises money to give the orphaned kids at the county home a real Christmas. Their leader is the formidable Oralene, played by a now-resplendently blonde

The locally written, funny-but-touching, holiday musical Silver Belles, playing at Signature Theatre through the end of the year, stars (left to right): Peggy Yates (Ruth Ann), Nova Y. Payton (Gloria), Dan Manning (Earl), Donna Migliaccio (Oralene), Ilona Dulaski (Berneice), and Naomi Jacobson (Bo Jack).

Written by locals One of the cool things about the show is that it’s homegrown at Signature, from local playwright Allyson Currin and Signature collaborator Matt Conner (music),

who teamed up with frequent performer Stephen Gregory Smith (lyrics). Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer directs, See BELLES, page 62

“ A TRULY SUPERB ADAPTATION ... Exceptionally enjoyable and accessible.” — Chicag Chicago h o Tribune Tr ibune b

MUST CLOSE DECEMBER 24

ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY DAVID CATLIN FROM THE BOOK BY HERMAN MELVILLE

ORDER TODAY! 202-488-3300 ARENASTAGE.ORG

Photo of Anthony Flemming III by Sean Williams.

Putting on a show

Donna Migliaccio — a Signature stalwart who can never do any wrong onstage. Problem is, Oralene just got herself killed by lightning. That leaves her loving husband Earl, played with characteristic shades of personality and temperament by Dan Manning, to try to write the songs they used to create together. He did the music; she provided lyrics. Now he’s just a chord with a few notes missing, as the other belles flutter around him, trying to ply him with food and comfort over his loss. Behind the jokes and campy performances, there’s a clear-eyed look at what happens when a community loses the integral piece that holds it together. As the Belles flounder, and this year’s show looks like it might not happen, Oralene’s indomitable spirit comes back into their midst, unbeknownst to all of them, to save the show — and Earl. And, as it turns out, she comes back to learn something about each of the Belles (and herself) that she did not know before. So it’s funny and it’s poignant, often at the very same time. And that’s hard to do. You just try it.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MUELLER

By Michael Toscano The promotional material for Silver Belles, onstage at Signature Theatre through Christmas Eve, describes this world premiere production as “Golden Girls meets Designing Women with a heaping helping of well-known Christmas tunes and clever new ditties.” Well, that’s it. My work is pretty much done here, and I’ve got Christmas shopping to do, so I’ll run along... Basically, the Signature PR blurb tells you what you really need to know. But I did take four or five pages of notes. So let me try it my way: Silver Belles is a Christmas-themed show, much in the same way “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” is a Christmas carol. But with feeling.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Belles From page 61 and he seems to have shaped his cast into a tight ensemble while letting their inner belles emerge in all their eccentricities. The characters almost seem written just for these performers. There’s Naomi Jacobsen as Bo Jack, the scrappy belle who rings a little bit different. Ilona Dulaski is Berneice, the slightly addled taxidermist (“Your animals will be loved to death”), who loves her inanimate animal pals, maybe a bit too much, and always brings the Tums along with her hot dishes. Peggy Yates is still the same baton twirler she always was, sparkly and smiling as homemaker Ruth Ann. Nova Y. Payton is the lusty Gloria, whose sweetly com-

pelling voice you may remember from Signature’s Dreamgirls. In fact, Conner and Smith have given her an “11 o’clock number” (a big, show-stopping song) reminiscent of Dreamgirls that plays early in the show at about 8:40. Come to think of it, Migliaccio gets an “11 o’clock number” even earlier than that, at only three songs in. And when Payton and Migliaccio team up for a song about mistletoe, you’ll be transported far beyond the usual winter wonderland. The songwriters incorporate quite a few familiar themes (even a little Dave Brubeck, for some reason), and appropriate some traditional Christmas melodies into a pleasant mélange. There’s mistletoe and moonshine and Christmas cookies in the songs. But it all wouldn’t work as well as it does without some real heart. You’ll first notice

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

it in Manning’s work as broken-hearted Earl. Manning always plays it straight, channeling up some Andy Griffith (serious Andy, not broad, grinning Andy), and grounding his character in sentiment despite the broadly drawn characters around him. As somebody here says about the ice cream on the cake, “it cuts the sweet.”

Laughter and tears This is not a show of quiet chuckles. It’s a show that draws lots of snorts and hoots. But it also generates a bit o’ mist in the eyes. As Oralene reaches across the great divide to her friends and her husband — and sees them without their public facades — she learns more about them then she did while physically among them. The duet between Oralene and Earl, a gently country ballad called “I Don’t Know What to Say,” is strong enough to stand alone as a song. Silver Belles winds up with the Christmas show having abandoned the title “A Christian Christmas for Christ” in favor of “When the Gettin’ is Good,” and it goes out with a couple of high energy ensemble numbers. But don’t worry: nobody’s religion is made fun of. The show just “cuts the sweet” that may get too much every season. Silver Belles is a ring-a-ding show. Silver Belles continues through Dec. 31 at Signature Theatre’s ARK Theatre, 4200

Campbell Ave., in Arlington, Va. Performances are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are a noon matinee and a 5 p.m. performance on Saturday, Dec. 24, and 4 and 8 p.m. performances on Saturday, Dec. 3. Discussion nights are Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Pride night is Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. There are open-captioned performances Sunday Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $40 to $99 and may be purchased online at www.signaturetheatre.org, by calling Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT, or by visiting the box office during business hours, weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from noon to 6 p.m. A limited number of $40 tickets (typically at the sides and rear) are available for every performance at Signature — while supplies last. No promo code is needed. The theater is accessible for people with disabilities, and it is recommended that special seating needs be mentioned when tickets are purchased. Free listening devices are available. Free parking is available in nearby public garages. For general information, contact Signature at (703) 820-9771 or visit www.signature-theatre.org.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 9+

HARMONICA CONCERT Dumbarton Concerts presents harmonica player Frédéric Yonnet on Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. Yonnet has toured

with Stevie Wonder and Prince, and is joined by many other talented musicians. Tickets cost $30 to $35. Dumbarton House is located at 3133 Dumbarton St. NW, Washington, D.C. The venue opens at 6 p.m.; seating begins at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dumbartonconcerts.org/tickets2016 or call (202) 965-2000.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Handel’s Messiah

Cummings

Laurence Cummings, conductor Joélle Harvey, soprano Christopher Ainslie, countertenor James Kryshak, tenor Douglas Williams, bass-baritone University of Maryland Concert Choir, Edward Maclary, director

Thu., Dec. 15 at 7 Fri., Dec. 16 at 8 Sat., Dec. 17 at 8 Sun., Dec. 18 at 1

SUN. MATINEE!

A Holiday Pops featuring Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana

You’re Home for the Holidays at the Kennedy Center!

Steven Reineke, conductor

Osnes

Fontana

Warm your spirit with fresh takes on comforting classics and singalong carols in this NSO Pops tradition—this year featuring The Washington Chorus along with frequent collaborators Laura Osnes (Anything Goes) and Santino Fontana (Frozen), notable for their star turns on Broadway in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Fri., Dec. 9 at 8 Sat., Dec. 10 at 2 & 8

SAT. MATINEE!

COMING SOON IN JANUARY The Wonder of It All! Stravinsky’s The Firebird Ravel’s “Left Hand” Concerto

Portraits of America

Sir Mark Elder, conductor Jeremy Denk, piano

STRAVINSKY J. WILLIAMS COPLAND BERNSTEIN J. WILLIAMS GERSHWIN

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV RAVEL STRAVINSKY

Denk

Thu., Jan. 12 at 7 Fri., Jan. 13 at 11:30 Sat., Jan. 14 at 8

Gianandrea Noseda, conductor Jon Kimura Parker, piano

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya Suite Piano Concerto for the Left Hand The Firebird COFFEE CONCERT Jan. 13 at 11:30 a.m.

Thu., Jan. 19 at 7 Sun., Jan. 22 at 3 Noseda

Part of JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG (202) 467-4600

The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Victoria and Roger Sant.

Tickets also available at the Box Office. Groups call (202) 416-8400.

The Blue Series is sponsored by United Technologies Corporation.

For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.

The Star-Spangled Banner Music from the film Lincoln Lincoln Portrait Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy Suite from the film JFK Rhapsody in Blue

Support for JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy is provided by Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation. AARP is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2016-2017 NSO Pops Season.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

DJ Cerphe From page 1 Grateful Dead and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd. Most of his conversations with them are recounted in Cerph’s Up.

Moving on But Colwell’s career at WHFS came to an abrupt halt in 1977, when the station’s owner fired him. The reasons are a little murky, but Colwell says the station owner didn’t like the way he was promoting artists on the air. The firing of the popular DJ made headlines in both the Washington Post and Washington Star. “I felt terrible. It was my first and only job for eight years. Getting fired shook my faith in radio,” Colwell said. WHFS itself went off the air in its rock

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

format in 2005 when it abruptly changed to a Latin music format. But Colwell went on to spin records at numerous Washington stations. He landed on his feet at WAVA for the next five years, where he helped the station transition from soft rock to a more album-oriented rock format. Listeners have also heard him on DC101, WJFK, WARW and WVRX. In the last decade or so, the Internet has reshaped the listening landscape. Streaming music from around the globe means that listeners now have seemingly infinite choice at their fingertips if they tire of the same FM music playlists. Since 2009, Colwell has had an online show, “Cerphe’s Progressive Show,” at Music Planet Radio that airs in both the mornings and evenings at 7 and 10. He plays lesser-known classic rock tracks as

Going Home Cremation Service Beverly L. Heckrotte, P.A. Personalized

Professional

Dignified

• Specializing in direct cremation • Return of the urn and memorial merchandise to your home • Serving Maryland, Washington, D.C., and N. Virginia

(301) 854-9038

or 1 (866) 728-4663 (toll free) call for your FREE information package

Visit us at www.GoingHomeCremation.com

1 LONG #

ESTRUNNING

AMERICAN

MUSICAL in

Broadway Histo ry!

Photo by Naomi Kaltman

April 4–16, 2017 | Opera House GROUPS OF 20 OR MORE SAVE! (202) 416-8400 TOLL FREE (800) 444-1324

Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible by

Major support for Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is provided by

Visit us online at kennedy-center.org/groupsales For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540

Kennedy Center Theater Season Sponsor

Surprisingly clean living Fans might be surprised to learn that in an industry rife with drugs and hard living, Colwell doesn’t imbibe. He’s also a vegetarian and meditates. Between playing soccer when he was younger and having asthma, Colwell said he never had an interest in drugs. “I think many listeners found me disappointing in person because they had in their mind that I was ‘Cerphe, the party guy,’” he said. “I’ve been this way for over

Affordable

The

well as new music by favorite artists, such as Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and Bonnie Raitt. He also tries to mix in some local musicians like Todd Wright, Stilson Greene, Patrick Thornton, Kim Pittinger and Jon Carrol, since his shows, while available worldwide, focus on Washington. “The songs I play aren’t dictated by a corporate music executive a thousand miles away, so it’s much like my time at WHFS. I can play and say what I want. It’s spontaneous, improvisational and freewheeling,” he said of his online show. Beyond radio, he helps with fundraising events, such as one for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He recently worked with Sting and Paul Simon, raising $1.2 million for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington. He’s also a member of the Global Advisory Committee at Earth Day Network.

four decades. That’s why they call me the Guru of Tofu, Sultan of Soy, Vicar of Vegan, Maharaja of Meatless!” Colwell said he enjoyed unspooling the years as he recounted his adventures for the book, which he wrote with coauthor Stephen Moore, who plays in the Bethesda, Md., rock cover band the Razors. The idea for the book took shape during a 2013 reunion with fellow WHFS DJs, which led to the genesis of a documentary film, Feast Your Ears, about the station. The film is still in production. “I’ve been very fortunate, and I’m fine with the changes in the radio biz. That super-creative, freeform underground format that was WHFS has pretty much vanished,” he said. “Streaming radio and what we do now on MusicPlanetRadio.com is making music more exciting again for the adult audience, the way we felt about it 25 or 30 years ago.” Listen to some of Colwell’s interviews with rock musicians at http://talkplanetradio.com/cerphes-audio-vault. Listen to Music Planet Radio at http://musicplanetradio.com, or download its app to your smartphone, free from iTunes or Google Play. Colwell and Moore will be speaking about and signing Cerphe’s Up on Dec. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tryst Gallery, 312 E. Market St., Leesburg, Va., and on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. at Politics and Prose bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

City Choir and director celebrate 10 years By Michael Doan Almost 50 years since he started conducting, Robert Shafer is still waving his baton. The former Washington Chorus director, 70, is now leading the City Choir of Washington into its 10th anniversary season. Shafer’s 35 years of work with the Washington Chorus included more than 400 concerts that he conducted or helped prepare for the Kennedy Center. During that time he had six European tours and a Grammy win in 2000 for Britten’s War Requiem. But after he was ousted from the Washington Chorus, for reasons that are unclear to many singers, more than 50 chorus members followed him to help form the City Choir. “Bob had enough choral equity built up

that the City Choir of Washington could burst onto the Washington choral scene and shine brightly,” said Debra Wynn, who has sung with him in both choruses.

Filling a choral niche Starting with a small budget, City Choir debuted in the fall of 2007 with Handel’s Solomon performed at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va. Since then, the group has performed at Lincoln Center in New York, the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, the Washington National Cathedral, the Music Center at Strathmore and other wellknown venues. “With 100 or so singers, we can provide the intimate expression of a chamber choir that you could never provide in a chorus of 180 to 200,” said Shafer. “Yet, we can perform

pieces that a smaller chorus could never do.” Shafer notes the choir’s size and venues also allow it to do more innovative works than could be done if there was a need to sell thousands of tickets in a big hall. Among works recently performed are Sir John Tavener’s Requiem Fragments, (a North American premiere), Benjamin Britten’s Cantata Misericordium, and works by Arvo Pärt and Tarik O’Regan, along with traditional masterworks. Thus he feels City Choir has found its niche as a medium-sized ensemble mixing experimental works with those of the masters. As a serious director, Shafer admits that his rehearsals are not designed only to have

fun. “When singers seek greatness in something they truly love, it can create joy far greater than having fun, say, at an amusement park,” he said. At rehearsals, rather than repeatedly run pieces all the way through, Shafer will drill intensely on small sections until they are refined. “It is like taking a Swiss watch apart, polishing each piece and putting it together again,” he said. Washington Chorus alumni explain why they joined him with City Choir: “He has the best ‘ear’ of any conductor I know,” said Elaine Wunderlich. “He has a commitment to precision and See CHOIR, page 67

BEACON BITS

Dec. 9+

CHORAL CONCERT

The Gaithersburg Chorus presents its winter concert, featuring holiday favorites and selections by Stephen Sondheim, John Rutter and Eric Whitacre. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9 at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church, located at 610 South Frederick Ave., and on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Rosborough Theatre at Asbury Methodist Village, 409 Russell Ave. Admission is free, though donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, contact Laurie Levy-Page at (301) 258-6394 or llevypage@gaithersburgmd.gov.

Reserve your group’s seats now before single tickets go on sale to the public in March!

Specially Priced Ward 7 & 8 Tickets Up to $15 off select tickets for residents of Ward 7 & 8, proof of residency required.

Visit THEARC or call 202.889.8150 today

Tickets start at $33

washingtonballet.org 202.397.SEAT (7328)

“Simply gorgeous!”

June 13–July 16, 2017 Opera House

July 18–August 20, 2017 Opera House

~The Washington Post

Maki Onuki by Dean Alexander

Dec. 1–24 at the Warner Theatre

Kelli O’Hara & Hoon Lee. The Lincoln Center cast. Photo by Paul Kolnik

Nov. 26 & 27 at THEARC Theater

GROUPS OF 20 OR MORE SAVE! (202) 416-8400 TOLL FREE (800) 444-1324

Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible by

Major support for Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is provided by

Visit us online at kennedy-center.org/groupsales For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540

Kennedy Center Theater Season Sponsor

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Harking back to a more passionate time Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, Joan Baez was coming to town. Joan Baez there was a teenage boy who looked a lot would be in concert, just as she had been like me. that night 54 years earlier. He could sing — people I believe I bought a ticket in would tell him so. He learned 25 seconds. But it might have to play the guitar — not well, been 20. but serviceably. He began to On the night of the perplay folk music for friends, formance, I showed up early, and then in clubs, for a little to soak up the “vibe” among pin money. the arriving multitudes. He plucked. He practiced. Their hair was gray, or He dreamed. gone. Their work shirts were And then, one night in faded. Their snatches of overHOW I SEE IT 1962, he went to hear Joan heard conversation were very By Bob Levey Baez in concert. age-appropriate. He was strictly an amateur from that “It was a club in Cambridge, Massachumoment on, in two senses of the word. He setts. I remember it well…” became the biggest Baez fan on the planet. “I went to hear her with my first husAnd he never again played for money. band. She lasted longer than he did (gigIt would have been futile. How could he gles)!” — how could anyone — compete with a lu“If Bob Dylan can win the Nobel Prize minescent talent like hers? for literature, Joan should win one for That boy stopped being a boy, but he sheer beauty.” never stopped being a Baez believer. One “The ‘60s seem so long ago.” recent night, he was scanning the arts secIndeed they do. But as soon as Joan tion of the newspaper when his eye fas- Baez took the stage and began to run tened on an ad. through her famous repertoire, it might

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

have been the era of John Kennedy and Vietnam and Martin Luther King, Jr. all over again. We graybeards in the hall might not have hummed any of those songs for decades. But the lyrics came tumbling out just the same… “Nothing ain’t worth nothing if it ain’t free.” “I ain’t sayin’ you treated me unkind… You could have done better, but I don’t mind.” “I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me…” “Love is just a four-letter word.” During “The House of the Rising Sun,” I couldn’t help myself. I began to sing along. The lady sitting next to me shot me daggers. I whispered that I was sorry. But I really wasn’t. When Joan Baez rolled into the payoff stanza of that ballad — “I’m going back to New Orleans; my race is almost run” — was I seriously supposed to sit there like a statue? Not when it’s Joan. Age is not treating Joan Baez kindly. She is about to turn 75, and it shows. Her piercing soprano — always so pure, so effortless, so distinctive — is pretty much gone now. She can sing only in the middle range. Her walk has become a shamble, not a

confident strut. And don’t even ask about her hair. Brown left a long time ago. As for her famously left-wing politics, they, too, seem to have lost some pucker power. When she alluded to having spent time in prison to protest the draft, her recollection lacked fire. The audience applauded politely, as if at a senior class play. I well remember the debate over the draft in the 1960s. It was fists raised. It was marching in the streets. Now, the 70-somethings applaud ritually. Have they forgotten the passion? Or, like most things, has it simply faded with time? Near the end of the concert, Baez launched into the iconic Bob Dylan song, “Blowing In the Wind.” What was I saying about passionless and ritualistic? I take it back. She repeated the chorus three times. The audience sang along with her, their voices rising with more and more emotion each time. “The answer, my friend/Is blowin’ in the wind/The answer is blowin’ in the wind.” In Row R, there was an aging guy who looked a lot like me. He kept snuffling into a handkerchief as if he had a cold. He didn’t have a cold. He had memories. Lots and lots of memories.

From page 65 discipline in choral singing that I have not experienced elsewhere,” said Bill Gilcher. “Bob is a good teacher, and singers want to learn from him,” added Carol Edison.

From piano to people The City Choir’s maestro actually started off as a pianist, earning his bachelor’s degree in piano performance and a master’s in music composition at Catholic University. But he began his career in choral conducting 48 years ago, at the age of 22, at Madison High School. He’s never looked back. As a conductor, “you are working with people — not a machine called a piano. The human voice is the most direct way of artistic and musical expression, and you are not looking at black and white keys all day,” he said. “On the other hand, the ivory keys don’t talk back to you,” he added. For nine summers, Shafer trained in France with Nadia Boulanger, who taught some of the 20th century’s greatest conductors and composers. In 1971, he took the reins of the Oratorio Society of Montgomery County, which later became the Washington Chorus. He was also music director of St. Matthew’s Cathedral for three years, and at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for six years. He also served as professor of music at

Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Va., from 1983 until his retirement from that post last spring. After such a lifetime of accomplishments, some conductors might want to scale back. In contrast, Shafer is going full throttle with City Choir. “I am working at the highest level I have ever been able to do in my concerts,” he said. Shafer has established a three-year plan for City Choir, to include such works as Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Monteverdi’s Vespers, the Handel opera Acis and Galatea, and a possible tour in the United Kingdom. Looking back on his 48 years as a conductor in Washington, Shafer reflected, “I am so grateful for every opportunity that I have had in symphonic and chamber choral music, every student I have taught, and every note of church music that I have played and conducted. Even at a couple of unsure crossroads along the way, God has always led me to something better. I couldn’t be happier.”

Holiday music up next The anniversary year calendar includes “The Holly and the Ivy: Music for Christmas” on Dec. 18, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem on March 12, and a reprise of Handel’s Solomon on May 7. The Dec. 18 Christmas concert will take place at 4:30 p.m. at the National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. Ticket prices range from $40 to $50. Ob-

structed view tickets are $15. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (571) 206-8525 or see http://thecitychoirofwashington.org. Michael Doan is a retired journalist with the Associated Press, US News & World Report and Kiplinger, and a member of the City Choir.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL DOAN

Choir

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

City Choir of Washington director Robert Shafer has a long history leading choruses in the Washington area, and will direct the choir in a program of holiday music on Dec. 18.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 68 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

U S S R

F A T E

M I R O S T A S H A P E

T U D O R

O T I C

S E C R E S T T I C C R K I Y E N D O T E

O C B O S K F I G U I T S T S N U T S E T A K S A N E S Z D M A M A S R E D E T C H T R A I D O P E

T R U T H S

E E R I E

A D S I P G I R P I I N T Y

T R E E C A H I A R T O S A E V L A S T E A R

H A I L S T O N E S

S T R I P

T O T E

E N I D

T E M P S

N E S C O K S S E N D

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

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

GET THE FACTS ABOUT

ACTIVE RETIREMENT LIVING

Bone Breakers

at Ashby Ponds, Greenspring, or Riderwood. Call 1-877-575-0231 or visit EricksonLiving.com to request your FREE brochure! See our ad on page 25.

11558922

By Stephen Sherr

41 43

19 21

Scrabble answers on p. 67.

Across 1. Silver ships for green men 5. Basic box of crayons 10. One after FDR 13. Fills to capacity 15. Droning speaker 16. Returned from the salad bar 17. Simple drawing 19. It’s in FIRM 20. New soldier 21. Dapper accessory 23. The difference between dapper and dapperest 24. ___-crab soup 25. Nile region reptiles 26. Humidifier output 29. They make Chunky Monkey chunky 31. Slugging percentage increaser 32. Be a bad apple 33. “Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to ___ bad example” 34. First man in the bible (alphabetically) 36. Bone breakers (maybe) 40. Realty bites 41. Compresses a large computer file 42. Type of terrorist 43. Youngster 44. Jesus’ first visitors 45. Serves as a game show host 46. It may dot your eyes 48. Second degrees 49. Gun the engines 51. Mediterranean C 53. Joseph, who actually named his physical fitness system “Contrology” 57. Big fuss 58. Make permanent 60. Flower holder 61. Characteristic 62. Raid the ‘fridge 63. Shortly before 64. Snow White’s only beardless dwarf 65. Commic Foxx

62 65

Down 1. Beatles’ plane destination 2. Plain predestination 3. Ear-relevant word 4. Middling security level 5. Final words 6. “ I’m just a small ___ in a large machine” 7. Some are self-evident 8. Like American Horror Story 9. Christmas decoration 10. Some are as big as golf balls 11. Remove paints or pants 12. Office fill-ins 14. Inventory codes 18. Health club objective 22. Nile region capital 24. Poem parts 26. Two husbands, or one wife 27. Simplest Greek letter to draw 28. Small reminder 30. Hagen, winner of a 1999 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement 31. Rabbits’ hiding spots 33. Put on the calendar, briefly 34. Fever reliever 35. Executioner’s target 37. Watched a tear-jerker 38. Search for buried treasure 39. In Morse Code, it is “... —- ...” 44. Zany 45. Top grossing film of 2009 46. ___ up or ship out 47. Dynasty that resulted from The War of the Roses 48. Subway in Paris or DC 50. Ultimate word in an ultimatum 52. No longer factored into unemployment stats. 53. Mr. T’s emotion 54. Carry, fashionably 55. Oklahoma city, legendarily named from a reversed “DINE” sign 56. Provide mixed signals 59. Make haste

Answers on page 67.

Answer: When the marathon runner developed blisters, there was - TROUBLE, A FOOT Jumbles: FELON AORTA ZEALOT DOUBLE

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Letters to editor From page 2 Dear Editor: Your November Issue printed a politically right-leaning letter addressed to Beacon readers from a Lucy Ortega of Bethesda, Md. How disappointing! I always enjoy the content of the Beacon, but found this thinly disguised tactic to sway the vote offensive. If the Beacon wants to sway voters, put this “letter” where it belongs, on page 2, under the column heading “From the Publisher.” The Publisher responds: As long-time readers know, the Beacon (and its publisher) never endorse politicians and take no political positions in our publications. We do, however, encourage readers to express their opinions in letters to the editor. As it happens, the letter to which you refer was the only political letter to the editor we received in the month of October. Dear Editor: Thanks for your November cover story on the Washington Ear. I’m going to contact them to find out more about volunteering. I always find some worthwhile information in each issue! Here’s another resource for blind and visually challenged that the Beacon might want to mention: The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) is a free library service available to U.S. residents and citizens living abroad whose low vision, blindness or physical disability makes it difficult to read regular print. Local cooperating libraries throughout the United States mail NLS talking books, magazines and playback equipment directly to enrollees at no cost. Braille books and magazines are also available at no cost. Braille and talking books and magazines also may be downloaded from the Internet through the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) service. To speak to a librarian in your area during regular business hours, call 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323) and follow the prompts. Your call will be connected to the appropriate library. Diane Haddick Via email Dear Editor: A hundred thanks to writers Victor

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

Block and Fyllis Hockman for “A walking tour through Japanese history” (November) and more. Wonderful writing! I am grateful to learn interesting Japanese history, about which I knew little to nothing before these pieces. Barbara Young Greenbelt, Md.

BEACON BITS

Dec.

ENCORE CHORALE CONCERTS Area Encore Chorales, choral groups for seniors, are holding sev-

eral holiday concerts during December. The Capital Encore Chorale is holding two of theirs in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Epiphany, located at 1317 G St. NW, and Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, located at 945 G St. NW. The Virginia Encore Chorales are holding their concerts on Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at United Christian Parish, located at 11508 N. Shore Dr., Reston, Va., and Friday, Dec. 16, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. at Convergence, located at 1819 N. Quaker Ln., Alexandria, Va. For more information or a complete list of local performances, visit http://encorecreativity.org, call (301) 261-5747, or email info@encorecreativity.org.

WB 12/16

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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 page 71. 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 CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE – reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness. Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24-hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes. MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.ChChHomecare.com. JOB WANTED ON WEEKEND – I provide elderly care for people with Alzheimer’s and other health issues. Will do light housekeeping too. Call JP @ 301-598-3627. “A” HOME HEALTH CARE – Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years experience. 240-533-6599. ELDERLY CARE – Male care provider. English speaking with car. I’m experienced in caring for people with MS, Alzheimer’s and other problems. Excellent references, 301-633-1150. ELDERLY CARE – Female care provider. English speaking with car. I cook, clean and take to appointments. I’m experienced in caring for people with MS, Alzheimer’s and other health problems. Excellent references, 301-275-7283. CAREGIVER – EXPERIENCED NURSE, available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in. 20 years experience. 301-803-9000 or 240-510-7125. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A LOVING, CARING, compassionate, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your loved one? Has experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, diabetics and other health problems. Please call, 301-908-9134. ELDERLY CARE – Female with car. Will clean and take to all appointments. Experienced in taking care of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients and other health issues. Excellent references. Call Alicia, 240-614-0320.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate LEISURE WORLD® – $175,000. 2BR 2FB “GG” in the Greens, 2BR 2FB, new paint, enclosed balcony. 1195 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $299,000. 2BR 2FB “QQ” in Vantage Point East. Open table space kitchen, new paint, master bath with separate tub and shower, 1335 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $280,000. 2 BR 2FB “EE” model in “Turnberry” with garage. Across from the elevator. Open kitchen, golf course view. 1244 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-928-3463.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Miscellaneous

Wanted

LEISURE WORLD® – $329,000. 2BR 2FB “FF” in “Overlook,” close to elevator, open kitchen, pond view. 1335 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

HYPNOTIC SALON & SPA IN OLNEY – Holiday package. One-hour facial and one-hour massage plus aromatherapy or foot scrub. $150. Call 301-774-4777 for appointment.

LADY WHO LOVES FINE CHINA and crystal would like to buy yours. Especially interested in figurines and dishes by the following makers: Herend, Lenox, Lladro, Meissen, Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Shelley and Wedgwood. Baccarat, Lalique and Waterford stemware and miscellaneous. Bone china cups and saucers, quality dog and cat figurines and sterling silver flatware and hollowware also. (301) 785-1129.

LEISURE WORLD® – $195,000. 2BR 2FB “B” in “Overlook,” fresh paint, golf course view, 1035 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-9283463. LEISURE WORLD® – $324,900. 2 BR 2FB + DEN + Garage, “G” in “Turnberry”. Separate dining room, den w/ built-in. Enclosed balcony. 1446 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $264,000. 2BR 2FB “F” in Turnberry Courts. Close to the elevator, table space kitchen with window, lots of closets. 1315 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors. 301-9283463. GORGEOUS 2-BEDROOM, 2-BATH CONDO constructed in 2007 available for lease in Premier Community of Leisure World of Maryland for adults age 55 and over. This condo features brand new wood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite counters, decorative glass back splash, washer/dryer, closet organizer, crown molding, chair rail and enclosed sunroom with a spectacular breathtaking view. Call 301-312-3843 to schedule appointment to see this exceptional home. No smoking, no pets. Your own parking space, utilities and cable included in rent. HOMESELLERS – Find out what the home down the street sold for. Free list with pictures of area home sales and current listings. Free recorded message, 1-800-505-1870, ID #1041. Keller Williams Realty. GET A FAST OFFER ON YOUR NOVA HOUSE today! We buy your house as is. No need to repair. No commissions. Free no-obligation consultation. Female owned, references. Call 703-969-5847 or email IBuyFairfaxHouses@gmail.com. LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will set up an automated online search for you, preview units, and contact you to arrange a showing when there is a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings in this issue. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

For Sale FOR SALE – INDIAN POTTERY, book cases, books, old magazines, old photos, records, sewing machines, China, crystal, old movie star pictures, old bells, comic books, award pins, pottery, old toys, saxophone, art paintings, post cards, sheet music, old Bibles, old vases, silver plate, sports memorabilia, jewelry, brass and copper items, coins. Call between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 202-265-0882. SLIGHTLY USED STANNAH CHAIR LIFT system. Siena Model 600 with foldup seat. The lift can be installed on left or right side of the stairwell and operates with hand or remote control. Asking $1,500. Contact Velma, vjspeight@yahoo.com or 202-494-9824. PARKLAWN CEMETERY, ROCKVILLE, MD – Two turf-topped crypts. Valued at $10K, only asking $5K OBO. Please call, 301-4612133. 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health EXERCISE STUDY, VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Healthy adults (55-80) able to have an MRI scan and participate in 30 minutes of exercise may qualify. Contact aalfini@umd.edu, 970-319-1616.

Home/Handyman Services GARDEN ANGLE LANDSCAPING SERVICE: Lawn and yard cleanups etc. Hauling anything. For all your household needs, please give Robert a call at 240-477-2158 or 301-987-1277. Free estimate.

Personals PRETTY WF, 50’S, YOUTHFUL, voluptuous lady, non-smoker, down to earth seeks SWM, 50’s-60’s attractive gentleman non-smoker for old-fashioned fun, friendship, possibly more who enjoys fine dining, dancing, movies, etc. 301-8806977. Please leave a voice message with phone number.

Personal Services HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES – Husband and wife team. Experienced, reliable, and responsible. Excellent references. Call Robert, 240-821-3500. DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL? I will help you turn your stories into a published book. I am a published author. 857-615-0520. NOT ABLE TO DRIVE? Need to do errands? I will pick you up and bring you home. Metro Woodbridge. 857-615-0520. READY TO DE-CLUTTER? Sort, donate, discard. Reasonable rates. Call Jan, 301-933-7570. TURN YOUR STERLING SILVER and old gold jewelry into cash and do something good for yourself. I purchase gold and silver jewelry and coins for my company Gold 4 Good. I will come to your home and provide a no-fee, no-obligation estimate. If you decide to sell, I will transport you to and from my shop in Silver Spring. Local references. Montgomery County license #2327. Call Bob, 240-938-9694. MASSAGE THERAPY in your home. Prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasms, arthritis pain and stress of affordable price. Call 240-510-7125 for appointments. HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE – Looking to clean house. Good references and experience. Please call Vio, 301-706-6317. MOBILE NOTARY SERVICE – Do you need a notary to legalize your documents? I will visit your home, office, assisted living, nursing or hospital room. Call for reasonable quote. Robert: (310) 709-5880.

Wanted WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY. Costume too. Gold and silver coins, paper money, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces of silver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You have something to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com. MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202-841-3062. 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. CASH FOR RECORDS, CDs, DVDs AND TAPES. Best price guaranteed. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-646-5403. Will make house calls.

CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole estate. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755. CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838. YOUR KIDS DON’T WANT YOUR STUFF. Sell your heirloom silver and gold jewelry and old coins. Licensed dealer in Silver Spring buys gold and silver. I will meet you at your home or bank, analyze your jewelry, or coins, and tell you how much I can pay if you should decide to sell. No fees or obligation. Call Bob, 240-938-9694. Gold 4 Good. 8241 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. License #2327. I have references. BUYING VINYL RECORDS 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. STERLING SILVER. TOP DOLLAR paid for silver marked “Sterling,” “925” or “800.” Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Please, no silver plate. Call Richard, 301-646-0101. WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, etc. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack, 301- 2792158. 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, 301-9100783. WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697. GET A FAST OFFER ON YOUR NOVA HOUSE today! We buy your house as is. No need to repair. No commissions. Free no-obligation consultation. Female owned, references. Call 703-969-5847 or email IBuyFairfaxHouses@gmail.com. HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Beacon for 20 years. Montgomery County resident – will travel to D.C., MD, VA. Buying following items: Furniture, art, jewelry, gold, sterling silver, old coins, vintage pocket and wrist watches, old tools, books, camera, military items – guns, rifles, knives, pocket knives, swords etc. Also buying: old toys, dolls, trains, comic books, photographs, autographs, musical instruments, guitars, violins, etc. Also old sports memorabilia and equipment – baseball, golf, football, fishing etc. Please call Tom at 240-4763441. BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-4640958.

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6

Say you saw it in the Beacon

BEACON BITS

Dec. 9

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED

CHRISTMAS CONCERT The City of Fairfax Commission on the Arts presents a free con-

cert featuring the Cathedral Brass on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. at Old Town Hall, located at 3999 University Dr., Fairfax, Va. The group performs sacred and secular works from all eras. Tickets are not required. For more information, visit www.fairfaxva.gov/culturalarts or call (703) 385-7858.

Dec. 10

Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment are due by the 20th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

DAR BOOK LECTURE DAR Library presents a free lecture by Christian M. McBurney, author of Abductions in the American Revolution: Attempts to

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Kidnap George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Other Military and Civilian

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Leaders on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. The tactic of kidnapping enemy

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

leaders, used in recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dates to the American Revolution. DAR Library is located at 1776 D St. NW, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/KidnappingLeadersBookTalk.

The Beacon, D.C. Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 For information about display advertising, or to request a media kit, call (301) 949-9766.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Joy for All...................................3 Quinn’s Auction Galleries ........43

Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . .23 Elder Caring .............................29 Options for Senior America .....45

Tribute at the Glen ...................31 Tribute at One Loudoun...........14 Victory Terrace.........................42 Vinson Hall ..............................33 Waltonwood .............................33

Computer Classes

Home Services

Legal Services

JCA SeniorTech ....................9-11

Homefix Custom Remodeling ...6

Dental Services

Housing

Law Firm of Evan Farr.............44 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof ...39 Legal Counsel for the Elderly ...24

Cavallo, Joseph P., DDS...........31 Friedman, Stephen, DDS .........32 Lee Dentistry............................14 Oh, Judy, DDS .........................16 Sklar, Andrew, DDS .................25

Almost Home Senior Living ....39 Arden Courts............................25 Ashby Ponds.......................25, 68 Aspenwood Senior Living........19 Bonifant at Silver Spring, The ...................8 Brooke Grove Retirement Village..............................36-37 Buckingham’s Choice ..............15 Charles E. Smith Life Communities....................47-54 Chesterbrook Residences .........31 Churchill Senior Living ...........18 Culpepper Garden ....................22 Fairhaven ..................................15 Falcons Landing .......................17 Friendship Terrace....................22 Gardens of Traville, The...........21 Greenspring........................25, 68 Homecrest House .....................40 Olney Assisted Living..............27 Park View .................................60 Potomac Place ............................8 Quantum Property Mgmt............26 Riderwood..........................25, 68 Shenandoah Senior Living .......27 Springvale Terrace....................22 Tall Oaks ..................................21

Communicare Health ...............32 Greenspring..............................45 HealthSouth Rehab Hospital .................................26 Homewood at Frederick ...........19 Manor Care Health Services ....23

Clinical Studies

Home Health Care

Center for Sleep & Wake Disorders .....................28 NIH Aging Study .....................29

Events GROWS ...................................45

Financial Services Capital Bank...............................4 Children’s National Hospital .................................39 PENFED Credit Union ............41 Totally for Seniors....................33

Funeral Services Fram Monuments .....................41 Going Home Cremation...........64

Government Services DC Office on Aging ...........34-35 MC311 .....................................59 Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services ...13, 16

Hearing Services Mendelson Group.......................6

Medical/Health AMS Men’s Health.....................8 Grace in Motion .........................5 I Hate Knee Pain ........................7 Low Vision of Maryland ............7 Medical Eye Center..................24 Silver Spring Medical Center...18

Miscellaneous JCA ..........................................42 Oasis Senior Advisors ..............46 Senior Zone..............................66

Real Estate Long & Foster/Eric Stewart 40,46 Long & Foster/Inderjeet Jumani ...................................28 Weichert/Sue Heyman..............16

Restaurants Original Pancake House...........65

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription ................69 Washington Jewish Week.........58

Theatre/ Entertainment Akmedova Ballet......................62 Arena Stage........................61, 62 Kennedy Center ...........63, 64, 65 Toby’s Dinner Theatre ..............61 US Air Force Band ...................62 Washington Ballet ....................65

Tour & Travel Eyre Travel ...............................57 Nexus Holidays ........................56 RowanLark.................................7 Tripper Bus ..............................57 US Navy Memorial ..................56 Vamoose...................................59 Walper Travel ...........................57

Retail/Pawn/Auction

Utilities

Dan Kugler’s Design Center..............................20, 72 First Street .........................30, 44 Four Sales LTD ........................39

DC Department of Energy & Environment .........43 Pepco........................................15

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N