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VOL.26, NO.4

A life forged by fire and friends

Reinventing herself At first, her addiction worsened. But during those years Arnold was trying to heal, she also started to think about life and reconsider her path. Before the accident, Arnold had followed in her father’s footsteps as a salesperson. Working in outside sales kept her out and about, traveling to clients all day. Her family and friends assumed she would return to that career following her recovery. But Arnold knew she had a choice be-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARGO ARNOLD

By Rebekah Sewell To look at Margo Arnold now — as an active, fit 73-year-old who recently returned from an African safari and has three tandem skydiving jumps under her belt — you might assume she has led an adventurous life. You wouldn’t be wrong. But not all of her adventures have been such positive ones. In fact, much of her youth was marked by hardship and tragedy. For many years, Arnold struggled with alcohol and substance abuse. When she was growing up, members of her family dealt with their emotions and anger physically, by slamming doors and throwing things. Worse, they would drown their sorrows. “In my family, the bottle came first,” she said matter of factly in recent remarks to a 12-step group. Her first memory of being drunk was at age 16, when she began a pattern of partying, drinking and abusing drugs. She recalled one wild evening, when she stood on a car roof and broke a boy’s bedroom window with her elbows. “It was natural behavior to me. This is what we did,” she sighed. Alcohol had become her solution for dealing with her problems. At age 21, Arnold was pregnant. “I felt I had to marry” the child’s father, she said. Within four years, the marriage dissolved and she turned, naturally, to alcohol to “deal with the breakup.” As if this wasn’t enough, when she was 26, an accident changed Arnold’s life forever. At a beachside dinner party with friends, the material of her dress caught fire from a tabletop chafing dish. She suffered severe burns over half of her body, and spent the next five years undergoing multiple reconstructive surgeries.

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Geyser and grizzly gazing in Yellowstone; plus, a step back in time to Andy Griffith’s home, and a roundup on riding the rails around the world page 49

ARTS & STYLE After a youth marked by substance abuse, and suffering life-threatening burn injuries as a young adult, Margo Arnold was introduced by friends to a 12-step program that gave her strength and the ability to recover. She went on to careers in art and sales, and has been enjoying retirement through adventures like tandem skydiving. Here she is shown with her instructor, Jean-Marie LeGrand.

tween playing to her strengths and pursuing her passions. She was skilled in the business world, but longed to have a career in art. So she enrolled in a four-year degree program in commercial art (now called graphic design), surprising all who knew her. Then some of her friends surprised her in turn, asking her not to take a drink or drug for the next 90 days. One of them suggested she go to a meeting of a 12-step program. Feeling that her personal “life was in shambles,” she decided to give it a try. “I had no idea I had a substance [abuse] problem that day,” she now says. “It felt like a life line had been thrown to me when I went to my first meeting.” Still, while on some level she wanted to take con-

trol of her life, “I had a very bad attitude” at first, she admitted. “Eventually, I got serious about the program and worked the steps.” In December, Arnold celebrated her 36th year sober. “Today, I live and breathe the program,” she said.

A support group for artists After graduating with her art degree, Arnold began creating and selling her art, which features bold colors and brushstrokes. In 1990, Arnold started her own graphic design company, which she headed for nine years. See ARNOLD, page 37

Musical at Ford’s Theater spells fun; plus, a visit to the U.S. Navy Memorial, and Bob Levey on his nameless generation page 55

FITNESS & HEALTH k Get a colonoscopy on the run k Is “expired” food dangerous? SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

A man of valor Editor’s note: Some readers may remember he came from parents who had largely my columns about my parents’ transition to as- dropped the Jewish practices they had been sisted living. I am sad to say that raised with. But he was always my father, Leonard Rosenthal, seeking spiritual and ritual elepassed away in Austin, Texas, vation in his own personal life. on March 5. This month, in lieu Because chaplains serve of my usual column, I would like troops of all faiths, he also found to share the tribute I gave at his himself conducting Protestant funeral. and even Catholic services on Our dad was a first-born occasion, taking the opportunison, and perhaps partly due to ty to share lessons from the that fact, he was a leader — parts of Scripture we share determined and responsible that the soldiers could appre— and also a fighter. He FROM THE ciate and take comfort from. fought for what’s right, he PUBLISHER He was popular with the fought for his family, and he By Stuart P. Rosenthal ladies, and had dismissed my fought against life’s troubles, mother, nine years his junior, both for himself and for others. after their first date, when she was only 18. As a child, he faced anti-Semitism at But when he was reintroduced to her a few school — name calling, rock throwing, years later, what I call the “Gigi effect” was at threats and beatings — so he learned to work, and he was immediately smitten. She box and wrestle so he could defend himself. was also raised without Jewish ritual pracHe joined ROTC in high school, and tice, but they both decided to have a kosher when he joined the Army, he was troubled home, and their devotion to the Sabbath and by the fact that his base had no Jewish keeping kosher helped bring my brother chaplain. So he talked his way into becom- Arnold and me back to traditional Judaism. ing an assistant to the chaplain so he could After college, Dad went to work in the lead services and make sure there was meat packing plant founded by his grandprovision for the Sabbath, Jewish holidays father (who was a cantor and kosher meat and kosher food. slaughterer, and who also started the first This was all the more admirable because kosher market in Fort Worth, Texas). At

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Washington DC area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Greater Baltimore, Howard County, Md. and Greater Palm Springs, 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 • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock, ................................................Dan Kelly, Cheryl Watts • Publishing Assistant ....................Rebekah Sewell

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the time, the plant —which provided both ties, and he chauffeured her to doctor apkosher and non-kosher beef to the com- pointments, helped prepare meals, did the munity and to communities around the shopping and much of the cleaning of their apartment. country — was run by his father. When he came down with pneumonia a Dad played second fiddle for many years, but then became its president just few weeks ago, at the age of 93, he went to as competition from the big companies the hospital where he (and we) fully exwas forcing their independent plant, and pected him to recover. In the hospital, he acquired a couple of additional infections others like it, out of business. So he reinvented himself as a business (which hospitals are known for nowadays), broker — helping others buy and sell small but continued to fight the good fight. In the process, he charmed all the nurses businesses of all sorts. When he retired from that business, he started up and ran several and aides, who fawned over him and always nonprofits, together with my mother, that raced to answer his help calls. He was just as helped older workers who wanted to rejoin dearly loved at the community where he the workforce. They taught them computer lived, where he would put on his tie and suspenders daily and go down to skills, how to write resumes, meals, attend events, and and trained them for employeven go shopping and to docment in the contemporary tor appointments so attired workplace. and wearing a jaunty hat. It was also at that time, Just 10 days ago, he was when I spoke to Dad about attempting physical therapy my thoughts of leaving the in his hospital room to keep practice of law and going into up his mobility, after lying business, that he suggested I in a hospital bed for two consider the senior market weeks. He did leg exercises as a growing niche. He also in bed, and tried to walk a referred me to the Senior few steps and sit up in a Beacon of Austin, Texas, chair. I think it was the diffiwhere he and my mother Leonard J. Rosenthal were on the board of direc- 5/22/1920 – 3/5/2014 culty of those attempts that made him start to realize he tors. I credit him with helping me find what was to become my passion. might not get back the strength to resume In his later years, Dad suffered from a his former life. Dad, for all these reasons, you have alnumber of physical challenges: He started to lose his voice gradually, to the point ways been a role model to almost everyone where he was able only to whisper. The who met you. You showed us all how we can paralyzed vocal cord that caused this also face reality, fight against all odds, and always caused him to lose the capacity to safely keep our pride and our devotion to G-d. Every Sabbath, you read Proverbs 31, swallow food or liquids, requiring the installation of a stomach tube through which “A Woman of Valor,” to our mother with tremendous feeling, as you both looked he could be nourished with liquid food. When the community where he and my deep into each other’s eyes. Dad, you were a Man of Valor, and we mom then lived said he could not remain there with a feeding tube because they will miss you. weren’t capable of providing that service, he learned how to handle his feedings himself, and did so five times a day for years. During this time, it was really my mom who was in need of help with daily activi-

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: I’m writing regarding Matt Sednesky’s very interesting article, “Do older workers take jobs from the young?” in your March issue. My experience over the last decade has been that, when older workers retire, their jobs are often not filled. I’d be curious to read a follow-up article on the role that this type of attrition plays in the economy. Liz Milner Via email

Dear Editor: While Naproxen may entail lesser risks than other popular anti-inflammatory drugs, my experience with NSAIDS should serve as a caution (“Naproxen carries fewer risks than its rivals,” March). When I encountered severe back pain due to unusually heavy lifting, I went to a specialist who prescribed an NSAID, and after taking the medicine for about two weeks, the See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 61

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 3

Think Again. Think Holy Cross Hospital for some of the brightest minds in Neuroscience Care.

Deep Brain Stimulation Relieves Carolyn’s Parkinson’s Disease for the electrical wires, or leads, to control symptoms. A week later, the battery pack that sends electricity to the leads is implanted in the chest or abdomen. Placing the leads involves a two-day hospital stay, while the battery pack insertion is an outpatient procedure.

For more than 10 years, Carolyn Bridges managed to live well with the shakiness and stiffness on her left side. Her symptoms—the result of Parkinson’s disease —were slight, sporadic and mostly subdued by medication. But then her disease advanced. “By 2011, I didn’t really ‘walk’ anymore, I was dragging my leg, and both my hand and foot curled inward,” says the Olney, Md. resident. “People thought I experienced a stroke.”

An Amazing Experience Carolyn had surgery in December 2012. “Before DBS, I had almost no control over my left side,” says the 52-year-old. “Now I can hold a glass full of water and eat in a restaurant again.” Calling DBS “absolutely painless,” Carolyn wishes she had undergone the procedure earlier.

Frustrated and depressed, she fortunately knew where to turn for the help she needed: Zachary Levine, MD, medical director of neurosurgery for Holy Cross Hospital.

An Innovative Approach Dr. Levine is one of the world’s most renowned and experienced experts in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)—a surgical procedure that can relieve symptoms from certain movement disorders. He teaches and mentors other doctors in the technique, both here and abroad. In 2012, Dr. Levine brought his expertise, reputation and team to Holy Cross Hospital’s established neuroscience program. The addition of DBS makes the hospital the fifth in all of Maryland Zachary Levine, MD Medical Director, Neurosurgery

View a video about Carolyn’s treatment at HolyCrossHealth.org/parkinsons-disease and the District of Columbia to offer fffer the high-level service.

How It Works Movement disorders are caused by brain signals that go haywire, firing off faulty instructions to the body. DBS stops or reduces that process by generating other, more powerful electrical stimulations that counteract the misguided messages. The procedure is completed in several stages, starting with advanced 3-D imaging to pinpoint the source of the problem. Next, the neurosurgeon tests different spots in the brain to find the most effective placement

“Dr. Levine is remarkable, and Holy Cross Hospital was amazing,” she says. “Everyone, from admitting to discharge, was so nice. I felt like I was the president, and their only patient.” Now back at work, Carolyn has this advice for others with uncontrolled movement disorders: “You don’t have to suffer with those severe symptoms. Don’t let fear of ‘brain surgery’ scare you away from DBS. It changed my life and it may change yours, too.”

To learn more about neuroscience care at Holy Cross Hospital call 301-754-8266 or visit HolyCrossHealth.org

FREE PHYSICIAN LECTURES All lectures are held at Holy Cross Hospital, 1500 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910. To register or for more information, call 301-754-8800 or visit HolyCrossHealth.org.

Tuesday, April 29, 6 p.m. Parkinson’s Disease Treatments: Medical and Surgical Therapies Zachary Levine, MD, Neurosurgery, and Anne Constantino, MD, Neurology

Tuesday, April 29, 6 p.m. Kyphoplasty for Management of Acute Spinal Compression Fractures Anil Narang, DO, Neuroradiology

Wednesday, May 28, 6 p.m. Stroke Prevention Shahid Rafiq, MD, Neurology

Wednesday, June 25, 6 p.m. What is Epilepsy? How Does It Affect You? Gregory Mathews, MD, Epileptology

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Health Fitness &

NOT SO SWEET Too much sugar can raise blood pressure and cause early death VIRUSES VS. CANCER Viruses harnessed to fight cancer, including deadly multiple myeloma OLDIES BUT GOODIES Food expiration dates don’t necessarily mean the food is unsafe to eat A WEIGHTY EXCLUSION Weight loss surgery isn’t covered by many health plans and exchanges

Smile! Your colon is on candid camera By Matthew Perrone A kinder, gentler approach to one of the most dreaded exams in medicine is on the way: U.S. regulators have cleared a bitesize camera to help screen patients who have trouble with colonoscopies. The ingestible pill camera from Given Imaging is designed to help doctors spot polyps and other early signs of colon cancer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the device for patients who have had trouble with the cringe-inducing colonoscopy procedure, which involves probing the large intestine with a tiny camera embedded in a four-foot long, flexible tube. The Israeli company’s technology, developed from missile defense systems, uses a battery-powered camera to take high-speed photos as it slowly winds its way through the intestinal tract over eight hours. The images are transmitted to a recording device worn around the patient’s waist and later reviewed by a doctor. While Given’s wireless, image-beaming

system may sound like science fiction, it’s actually more than a decade old. In 2001, the company received FDA approval for a similar device used to get a close-up view of the small intestine. At that time, analysts expected Given’s approach to grow into a direct competitor to traditional colonoscopy. But company studies found that images taken by the mini-camera were not quite as clear as those from the in-office procedure. As a result, the company has pursued a more limited market for its device: patients who have trouble undergoing standard colonoscopies.

lysts estimate the new PillCam could grow to sales of over $60 million in North America by 2019, with room for expansion as the technology improves. MorningStar analyst Debbie Wang said the company has shrewdly positioned the device as another tool in the gastrointestinal specialist’s kit, rather than a direct competitor. “Given’s management understands that the traditional colonoscopy is the gastroenterologist’s bread and butter right now,” Wang said. “So they didn’t want to do anything that would position this as a substitute.”

Not for everyone

Cheaper, but prep is same

In February, the FDA cleared the company’s PillCam Colon for patients who have experienced an incomplete colonoscopy. Given estimates 750,000 U.S. patients are not able to complete the procedure each year, due to anatomy issues, previous surgery or various colon diseases. Even with this limited indication, ana-

Wang notes that Given’s PillCam costs $500, significantly less than the roughly $4,000 rate for colonoscopy. Eventually, she thinks doctors may use the device to attract adults who avoid regular screenings due to fears of pain, embarrassment and general discomfort. However, the preparation is similar to

that for a colonoscopy, and the PillCam procedure may require up to three more cups of bowel prep solution during the day of the procedure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines currently recommend regular colonoscopies beginning at age 50 and continuing through age 75, though most U.S. adults don’t follow the recommendations. In December, Irish medical device firm Covidien said it would buy Given for about $860 million. Given Imaging, headquartered in Yoqneam, Israel, markets seven lines of medical devices and surgical supplies, including PillCams to screen the esophagus and small intestine. PillCam Colon was previously approved in 80 other countries, including in Japan, Europe and Latin America. To see a video of the PillCam Colon’s journey through an intestine, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbC B2_vCt0. — AP

Medicare Advantage plans may face cuts By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Cuts are on the table next year for Medicare Advantage plans, the Obama administration says. The politically dicey move, which affects a private insurance alternative highly popular with seniors, immediately touched off an election-year fight. The announcement gave new ammunition to Republican critics of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, while disappointing some Democratic senators who had called on the administration to hold rates steady. Insurers are still hoping to whittle back the cuts or dodge them altogether. In late February, Medicare issued a 148page assessment of cost factors for the private plans next year. It included multiple variables, some moving in different directions. But analyst Matthew Eyles of Avalere Health estimated it would translate to a cut of 1.9 percent for 2015, a figure also cited by congressional staffers briefed on the proposal. “There’s nothing to like here if you’re one of the plans,” said Eyles.

Better for taxpayers? Administration officials say the plans don’t need to be paid as much to turn a profit, because the growth of healthcare spending has slowed dramatically. They see the cuts as a dividend for taxpayers. But the political clout of the plans is growing as seniors flock to them seeking better healthcare value. Medicare Advantage plans now serve nearly 16 million people, or about 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries. They can offer lower out-of-pocket costs and broader benefits than traditional Medicare, but often restrict choice. Insurers say they will be forced to pass on higher costs to seniors or cut benefits if their rates are reduced, and some plans may discontinue altogether. The impact could vary significantly around the country. The industry says the cuts come as Medicare Advantage reductions programmed under the healthcare law are ramping up. The law sought to compensate for prior years in which the plans were overpaid. But it also includes a new tax on insurers, so industry officials fear the com-

bined impact will be much higher. The largest insurer trade group, America’s Health Insurance Plans, is sparing no effort to head off cuts, with an extensive advertising and lobbying campaign. It has won the support of 40 senators from both parties who, in a Feb. 14 letter, called on the administration to essentially hold Medicare Advantage rates steady. Among the signers were six Democratic senators in contested races whose outcome will determine whether Obama faces a Congress next year that’s completely controlled by Republicans.

Rates to be issued April 7 Final rates won’t be released until April 7, so the lobbying will get even more intense. In prior years, Medicare has sometimes pulled back from proposed cuts. The administration’s announcement will help the government decide basic rates for the Medicare Advantage plans. But the actual change individual plans and customers eventually see will vary, depending on factors like a plan’s quality rating or

where the plan is located. The plans have become a key source of revenue growth for insurers who sell and administer the subsidized coverage. They offer basic Medicare coverage topped with extras like vision or dental coverage or premiums lower than standard Medicare rates. There are hundreds of different plans around the country, each with its own set of variables like different deductibles, premiums and co-insurance. UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc. are the two largest Medicare Advantage providers. Health insurance stocks that soared in 2013 slipped at the start of this year after Humana Inc., the secondlargest in the market, said rate cuts could be deeper than expected. Editor’s note: Another Obama administration proposal, described in our lead health story last month, would have restricted Medicare beneficiaries’ access to certain types of drugs. It was withdrawn after intense lobbying from patient groups and media publicity. — AP

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movement of food from your stomach into your small intestine. That works to discourage overeating and help you sustain that full feeling for a greater length of time. Still have your doubts? One study showed that substituting pectin for regular fiber doubled the time it took subjects’ stomachs to empty, keeping them full that much longer. In another study, scientists found that when participants ate an apple or a pear before meals, they experienced weight loss. So, while it might seem counterintuitive, adding in those extra calories before meals can actually help you stay full for longer so that you resist those dangerous junk foods between meals. But that’s not all. Apples also provide many positive health benefits, including anti-cancer benefits. One report published in 2008 claimed that apple extracts and components have been shown to influence multiple mechanisms relevant for cancer prevention in in vitro studies. They also went on to say that epidemiological observations indicate that regular consumption of one or more apples a day may reduce the risk for lung

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Lose weight by eating more (apples) Americans have a nasty habit of depriving ourselves when we want to drop pounds. We often believe that cutting calories is the secret to success, but we just wind up feeling hungry all the time. It may surprise you that one healthy alternative to the hopeless feeling of hunger is to actually add food to your diet. Evidence suggests that adding nutrientdense, fiber-rich foods to your diet can actually help reduce your cravings. The secret? Fiber slows down the digestion of food, so you get a slow and steady source of glucose rather than ups and down in blood sugar levels. Most Americans don’t get enough fiber. On average, we take in 15 grams a day of the 25 to 38 grams that are recommended, depending on gender. So where do apples fit into all this? One apple with the skin on contains roughly 4.4 grams of fiber, about one fifth of your recommended daily intake. Also, apples are rich in a very powerful kind of fiber called pectin. Pectin is typically used as a gelling agent and stabilizer in foods, such as jams and jellies. Pectin also is effective in delaying the emptying of the stomach by slowing the

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Sugary diet can triple risk of early death By Lindsey Tanner Could too much sugar be deadly? The biggest study of its kind suggests the answer is yes, at least when it comes to fatal heart problems. It doesn’t take all that much extra sugar, hidden in many processed foods, to substantially raise the risk, the researchers found. Most Americans eat more than the safest amount. Having a cinnamon roll with your morning coffee, a super-sized sugary soda at

lunch, and a scoop of ice cream after dinner would put you in the highest risk category in the study. That means your chance of dying prematurely from heart problems is nearly three times greater than for people who eat only foods with little added sugar. For someone who normally eats 2,000 calories daily, even consuming two 12ounce cans of soda substantially increases the risk. For most American adults, sodas and other sugary drinks are the main source of added sugar.

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Lead author Quanhe Yang of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called the results sobering, and said it’s the first nationally representative study to examine the issue.

Sugar raises blood pressure Scientists aren’t certain exactly how sugar may contribute to deadly heart problems, but it has been shown to increase blood pressure and levels of unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides. It also may increase signs of inflammation linked with heart disease, said Rachel Johnson, head of the American Heart Association’s nutrition committee and a University of Vermont nutrition professor. Yang and colleagues analyzed national health surveys between 1988 and 2010 that included questions about people’s diets. The authors used national death data to calculate risks of dying during 15 years of follow-up. Overall, surveys of more than 30,000 American adults, age 44 on average, were studied. Previous studies have linked diets high in sugar with increased risks for non-fatal heart problems and for obesity, which can also lead to heart trouble. But in the new study, obesity didn’t explain the link between sugary diets and death. That link was found even in normal-weight people who ate lots of added sugar.

Lose weight From page 5 and colon cancer. The next time you’re looking around for something to eat, grab an apple. By the time you’ve taken that last bite, you probably won’t be hungry anymore. You may just find that, over time, it helps you be-

Added to many foods The researchers focused on sugar added to processed foods or drinks, or sprinkled in coffee or cereal. Even foods that don’t taste sweet have added sugar, including many brands of packaged bread, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Naturally occurring sugar found in fruit and some other foods wasn’t counted. Most health experts agree that too much sugar isn’t healthy, but there is no universal consensus on how much is too much. U.S government dietary guidelines issued in 2010 say “empty” calories, including those from added sugars, should account for no more than 15 percent of total daily calories. The authors divided participants into five categories based on sugar intake, from less than 10 percent of daily calories — the safest amount — to more than 25 percent. Most adults exceed the safest level; and for 1 in 10 adults, added sugar accounts for at least 25 percent of daily calories, the researchers said. The researchers had death data on almost 12,000 adults, including 831 who died from heart disease during the 15-year follow-up. They took into account other factors known to contribute to heart problems, including smoking, inactivity and exSee SUGARY DIET, page 9

come a slimmer, healthier you! WhatDoctorsKnow 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.whatdoctorsknow.com. ©2014 Whatdoctorsknow.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

How viruses are used to combat cancer By Dr. Stephen Russell Dear Mayo Clinic: I’ve read that some day it may be possible for doctors to use viruses to cure cancer. How does it work? What types of cancer could it affect? Answer: A considerable amount of research is currently underway that’s examining the use of viruses to fight cancer. It is an exciting field of study that could have an impact on the treatment of many forms of cancer. Recent clinical trials of virus therapy for one type of blood cancer, multiple myeloma, have been particularly successful. Engineering viruses to use as tools to treat cancer has long been an area of interest for cancer researchers. At its core, the concept is simple. Viruses naturally come into the body and destroy tissue. The idea in cancer treatment is to harness that destructive power, and focus it on cancer cells. The viruses used for this purpose are called oncolytic viruses. In the multiple myeloma study, a measles virus was used to target the cancer cells. The specific form of the virus is actually a strain of the measles vaccine that was developed in the 1950s. Laboratory research has shown it to be quite effective in infecting and killing cancer cells. But because it is a vaccine strain, it is not able to damage healthy body tissues.

For the clinical trial, the researchers modified the virus so it could be easily seen on imaging studies, such as a nuclear medicine scan. To do this, they included in the virus a gene naturally present in the thyroid gland. One of the tasks of the thyroid gland is to remove iodine from the blood. So when the thyroid gene is in the virus, the location of the virus can be tracked in the body using an iodine scan. In the future, the thyroid gene in the virus may be used to absorb a potent form of radioactive iodine treatment to enhance the power of the measles virus against cancer. But for now, it’s only a tracking tool. Multiple myeloma was chosen for the study in part because it can be a challenging cancer to treat effectively. It often appears throughout the bone marrow and in the skull, ribs, limb bones, spine and pelvis. Results showed that high doses of the modified measles vaccine virus did have an impact. In one patient in particular who had several tumors, as well as cancer in her bone marrow, the virus treatment appeared to effectively attack and destroy the cancer cells without significant side effects. With those results in mind, research will continue to the next phase of clinical trials. The focus for those trials will remain multiple myeloma.

But other kinds of cancer are being studied to see if oncolytic viruses could be an effective treatment for them, as well. They include ovarian cancer, head and neck cancer, mesothelioma and brain cancer. Development of a variety of other oncolytic viruses is ongoing, too. The hope is that eventually these viruses will be able to provide long-term control of cancer with just one dose. That is very different from today’s existing cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which must be given repeatedly and can be associated with some severe side effects.

Although a significant amount of research remains before viruses can be used as standard cancer treatment, the future for this therapy looks promising. — Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Shorts Prescription drug labels that ‘talk’ Distinguishing between prescription pill bottles is a difficult task for blind and visually impaired individuals. Deciphering dosage instructions is even more difficult. But special labels called ScripTalk, embedded with a tiny antenna and microchip, can read all the information on the label aloud, including warnings and prescription number, using a special reader. The reader, by En-Vision America, has an adjustable volume and can read the label in multiple languages. CVS/pharmacy now offers the ScripTalk

labels on prescriptions ordered online at CVS.com. Customers can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from En-Vision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label. “The lack of accessible labels on prescription drug containers puts people with vision loss at serious risk of medication mishaps,” said Paul Schroeder, vice president of programs and policy at the American Foundation for the Blind. “We applaud CVS/pharmacy for taking steps to provide speech access to label information for customers with vision loss, along with its willingness to evaluate methods to improve large print labels.” To request the labels with a prescription ordered through cvs.com, call 1- 888-2273403. For more information on the reader and to order a free device from En-Vision America,

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call 1-800-890-1180 or go to http://bit.ly/talkinglabel. — Barbara Ruben

New app for heart patients People who have had a heart attack are at significant risk of having another one. If this happens, calling an ambulance and rushing to the nearest hospital that has a catheterization lab is crucial. But the nearest hospital is often not the same as the one the patient previously visited, and medical records might not be available. The new CathMaps+ app for Android and iPhone devices stores documentation of the patient’s cardiac medical history so that it can be easily presented to the attending physician in an emergency situation. Patients can also use the app to locate and receive directions to the nearest catheterization labs in many countries around the world, shown on an interactive map. CathMaps+ was created by Danny Oberman, who himself experienced a cardiac incident in 2013. Because of this experience, and his personal understanding of what it means to live with an elevated risk of a heart attack, Oberman envisioned creating a tool that would help alleviate the associated anxiety. “By cr eating and launching the CathMaps+ app, it is my hope that heart disease patients and their families will be equipped with a sense of normalcy and peace of mind as they go about their daily lives, and even travel,” he said. “As a life-or-death condition, the idea of suffering a repeat [heart attack] can be an almost constant concern. This app will help offset patient anxiety while also serving as a valuable tool for cardiologists and the medical community overall.” — Barbara Ruben

Online doctor reviews aren’t too popular; doctors are glad Ratings of doctors are less popular than those of toasters, cars and movies, when it comes to online consumer sites. That’s ac-

cording to a survey that found most adults hadn’t checked online physician reviews — and most said a conveniently located office and accepting patients’ health insurance was more important. Still, the sites do appear to be swaying opinions. About a third of patients who viewed online sites sought out or avoided physicians based on their ratings. The findings come from a nationally representative Internet-based survey of 2,137 adults. Results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More than one-third of those surveyed had checked out online reviews for movies, restaurants, appliances or electronics, and more than 1 in 4 viewed online car ratings. But less than 1 in 5 said they had viewed online physician ratings. The 2012 sur vey may overestimate awareness among the general population, since about 1 in 5 Americans don’t have Internet access. But the researchers attempted to compensate for that by providing free Internet-connected computers for consumers without access. The results suggest that online doctor ratings have gained popularity since earlier surveys. That’s a concern, since there’s no way to know if a review is real or fake, or what might have motivated the reviewer, said lead author Dr. David Hanauer, a pediatrician and associate professor at the University of Michigan. Consumer reviews of doctors can be found on dozens of online sites, including some that rate only doctors, as well as some, like yelp.com, that cover a panoply of goods and services. Most reviewers don’t include their full names or remain anonymous. Some other sites with doctor reviews include Healthgrades.com, Zocdoc.com, RateMDs.com and Vitals.com. Some doctors who oppose the idea of online reviews make their patients sign “gag orders” agreeing not to post comments about them online. Hanauer said he doesn’t do that. He added that he hasn’t found any reviews of himself online. The American Medical Association — the nation’s largest physicians’ group — is wary of the sites. “Anonymous online opinions of physicians should be taken with a grain of salt, and should certainly not be a patient’s sole source of information when looking for a new physician,” Dr. Ardis Dee Hoven, AMA’s president, said in a statement. — AP

BEACON BITS

Apr. 26

PG COUNTY HOUSE & GARDEN TOUR

Prince George’s County’s part of the annual Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage will take place on Saturday, April 26. The tour, which includes 15 sites, is $30 when purchased in advance. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit at mhgp.org or (410) 821-6933.

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Apr. 25+

GARDEN FAIR AND PLANT SALE

The National Arboretum presents its annual spring gardening event on Friday, April 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features an extensive selection of unusual plants, garden supplies, books, art, family activities and more. Get expert answers to your gardening questions from Arboretum staff. Admission is free. For more information, call (202) 245-2726.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Sugary diet From page 6 cess weight, and still found risks for sugar. As sugar intake increased, risks climbed steeply. Adults who got at least 25 percent of their calories from added sugar were almost three times more likely to die of heart

problems than those who consumed the least — less than 10 percent. For those who got more than 15 percent — or the equivalent of about two cans of sugary soda out of 2,000 calories daily — the risk was almost 20 percent higher than the safest level. Sugar calories quickly add up: One tea-

BEACON BITS

Apr. 19

SPRING BLOSSOM GARDEN TOUR

Green Spring Gardens presents a tour of their garden, highlighting cherry trees and other early spring bloomers on Saturday, April 19 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Afterward, in honor of the cherry blossoms, enjoy Japanese tea and sweets in the Historic House. Green Spring Gardens is located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, Va. The cost is $12. For more information or to register, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring or call (703) 642-5173.

Apr. 27

POPULATION STUDY LECTURE

Paul Ehrlich, world-renowned biologist and author of the book, The Population Bomb, will speak on Sunday, April 27 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (RRUUC), 6301 River Rd., Bethesda, Md. Ehrlich will discuss ethics, the environment, and avoiding the collapse of civilization. A reception, from 3 to 4 p.m., will follow the lecture. Tickets cost $20 until April 18. After, they cost $25. To purchase tickets online, visit www.rruuc.org/social-justice/task-forces/environmental/paul-ehrlich-april-27-2014.html. For more information, (301) 229-0400.

Apr. 12

TRASH AND TREASURE SALE

Aurora Hills Senior Center presents a trash and treasure sale on Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be gently used furniture, electrical items, books, bric-a-brac, craft items, jewelry and more. The center is located at 735 18th St., Arlington, Va. For more information, call (703) 228-5722.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

spoon has about 16 calories; one 12-ounce can of non-diet soda contains about 9 teaspoons of sugar or about 140 calories. Many cinnamon rolls have about 13 teaspoons of sugar. One scoop of chocolate ice cream has about 5 teaspoons of sugar. Dr. Jonathan Purnell, a professor at Ore-

gon Health & Science University’s Knight Cardiovascular Institute, said while the research doesn’t prove that “sugar can cause you to die of a heart attack,” it adds to a growing body of circumstantial evidence suggesting that limiting sugar intake can lead to healthier, longer lives. — AP

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Food expiration dates aren’t about safety By Margaret Lampert Emily M. Broad Leib directs the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic. Here are excerpts from a recent Kiplinger interview with Leib regarding food packaging:

Q: In your recent study “The Dating Game,” you argue that date labels on food are misleading and unclear, and say Americans throw away billions of pounds of food as a result. What is this costing us?

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A: We know a family of four spends between $1,365 and $2,275 per year on food that is wasted. A study out of the United Kingdom found 20 percent of total household food waste was caused just by confusion over dates — not because food went bad or was inedible. And over a billion dollars’ worth is thrown away annually in the U.S. before it even gets to consumers because of expiration dates. Retailers don’t sell the items, and as a result, they bump up the prices on other food items. Q: Why are the labels confusing? A: People believe expiration dates are related to safety. But the dates are not defined by law; they’re a manufacturer’s best guess of when the food is at peak quality. There’s no saying a few days later it won’t still be at top quality. The “sell by” date in particular leads to waste because it’s an indicator from manu-

facturers to retailers that they can sell food up to this date and it’s still going to be fresh for consumers. But people can generally add on five to seven days to that date. Q: What can we do to avoid throwing out edible food? A: Expiration dates can provide some guidance. But for foods such as milk and cheese, first smell them or taste a tiny bit. If the food doesn’t taste good, don’t eat it. Foods such as cereal and crackers might get stale, and you can choose whether or not you want to eat them, but they’re not unsafe. People get really nervous about meat and poultry. But if they go bad and smell before you cook them, that should be your indicator. Q: How can we make the most of our food budgets? A: Plan meals in advance and think about how to use leftovers. People forget how many things you can freeze successfully. And many don’t keep their refrigerators cool enough; that leads to a lot of waste. Shelf-life guides, such as the Food Marketing Institute’s “Food Keeper” guide and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Kitchen Companion Safe Food Handbook,” are helpful. Q: What do you make of retail outlets for expired foods that are springing up, such as the one planned by former Trader Joe’s president Doug Rauch, in Boston? A: You can get good bargains by buying food past their dates, if you’re willing to take the risk that food will not be at top quality. But remember that these dates are about quality and not safety, so they are not a safety risk. © 2014, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Rapid heartbeat can have many causes By Dr. Howard LeWine and Dr. Michael Craig Miller Q: Other than anxiety, what can cause your heart rate to increase when you’re not exercising? A: Rather than just listing the causes, here’s my approach to investigating a rapid heartbeat. First, I’d like to know if you have any other symptoms. That especially includes chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and/or feeling faint. Any of these could suggest an abnormal heart rhythm. If you have any of these and a fast heartbeat, you

should call your doctor right away. Ideally, I’d want you to check your pulse at the time you feel your heart rate is high. You can check your pulse at the wrist or on the neck. At the wrist, lightly press the index and middle fingers of one hand on the opposite wrist, below the fat pad of the thumb. At the neck, lightly feel for your carotid pulse next to your windpipe. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds, and multiply by four. That’s your heart rate. Sometimes, it can feel like your heart is racing when actually it is in the normal range, which is less than 100 beats per

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minute. Doctors refer to a heart rate of 100 or higher as tachycardia. As long as you feel perfectly fine, tachycardia rarely has a serious cause. But if you have other symptoms with tachycardia, you should see your doctor. Your doctor would first determine if the heartbeat is regular (steady, like clockwork) or irregular (jumping around or skipping beats). Causes of a regular rapid heartbeat (regular tachycardia) not related to exercise or anxiety include: 1. Fever 2. Dehydration 3. An overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) 4. A heart rhythm abnormality, such as atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter and ventricular tachycardia. However, these would almost always cause additional symptoms, not just a fast heart rate. The most common cause of a very irregular, fast heartbeat is atrial fibrillation. I suggest that you call your doctor to discuss your symptoms. If he or she has any concerns, the next step would be a routine EKG. Additional testing might include wearing a heart monitor, called a Holter or event monitor. This device records your heart rate and rhythm for 24 hours or longer. Q: What exactly is a panic attack? It feels like I’m uncomfortable and scared of everything. I need to return to work. Any helpful advice? A: A panic attack is a wave of intense fear. Added to the fear are uncomfortable physical symptoms, such as a pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, stomach upset and lightheadedness. Panic attacks often come with no warning, but sometimes they have a specific trigger.

People who suffer from panic attacks may avoid situations where an attack might start. In particular, they’ll keep away from places such as theaters or airplanes, where it would be hard to get away quickly. Panic attacks are common, but the symptoms don’t last. That is, they have a beginning and an end. But what you describe — being scared of everything — doesn’t sound like a panic attack. Your anxiety and fear sound more constant. Thus, you may have “generalized anxiety disorder.” With this disorder, a person has nearly constant feelings of worry or anxiety. These feelings are either unusually intense or out of proportion to the reality. You may feel that you’ve always been a worrier. Or the anxiety may be triggered by a crisis. You may have extra stress at work or in your family. Although the crisis eventually goes away and the stress passes, an unexplained feeling of anxiety may last for months or years. Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include restlessness, irritability, poor concentration, muscle tension and sleep problems. A wide range of anxiety-related physical symptoms may seem like symptoms of heart disease, respiratory illness, digestive diseases and other medical illnesses. I recommend speaking with your primary care doctor. He or she can evaluate whether there is any medical illness contributing to how poorly you feel. If all that checks out, get a referral to a mental health professional who can discuss your treatment options. There are many very effective treatments — such as medicine and psychotherapy — for both panic and generalized anxiety. © 2014 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Is thyroid cancer being overdiagnosed? By Lindsey Tanner The thyroid is a hormone-releasing gland in the neck that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. A dramatic rise in thyroid cancer has resulted from overdiagnosis and treatment of tumors too small to ever cause harm, according to a study that found cases nearly tripled since 1975. The study is the latest to question whether all cancers need aggressive treatment. Other research has suggested that certain cancers of the prostate, breast and lung, as well as thyroid, grow so slowly that they will never become deadly, and that overzealous screening leads to overtreatment. Thyroid cancer treatment often includes surgery to remove the butterfly-shaped gland, followed by lifelong daily hormone pills. Cancer treatment may also include chemotherapy and radiation, both of which can cause secondary cancers in a small number of patients. For example, men who received radiation for prostate cancer have a higher risk of bladder cancer in subsequent years than men who had surgery to remove their prostates. Thyroid cancer patients face a 30 percent risk of developing another type of cancer. While there isn’t a clear reason for the new cancers, the use of radioactive iodine

in treatment might be the culprit in some of the cases.

Aggressive surgery Thyroid removal is done for 85 percent of all people diagnosed, despite guidelines that say less aggressive surgery is reasonable for lower-risk thyroid tumors, the study authors said. “Our old strategy of looking as hard as possible to find cancer has some real side effects,” said Dr. Gilbert Welch, co-author of the thyroid study and a professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. Welch said patients “can no longer assume” that labeling a disease as cancer means treatment is necessary. “It’s a challenging rethinking,” he added. Welch and Dartmouth colleague Dr. Louise Davies analyzed government data from 1975 to 2009, and found thyroid cancers jumped from 5 cases per 100,000 people to 14 per 100,000. Most of that increase was in papillary thyroid cancers, the most common and least deadly kind; those cases jumped from about three cases per 100,000 to more than 12 per 100,000. The results suggest there is “an ongoing epidemic of thyroid cancer” nationwide, they said. The study was published online in JAMA Otolaryngology.

Despite the increase, thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon; more than 60,000 cases were diagnosed nationwide last year, according to the American Cancer Society. Risk factors for thyroid cancer include diets low in iodine — rare in the United States — and radiation exposure. Women are more commonly diagnosed than men. The new research echoes previous studies but “certainly raises some provocative questions,” said Dr. Brian Burkey, a Cleveland Clinic head and neck cancer specialist.

High recurrence rate Experts know that better detection methods, including CT scans and ultrasound, have led to more thyroid cancers being diagnosed. But they don’t know which ones

will become aggressive, Burkey said. “Thyroid cancer, even if treated, has a fairly high recurrence rate, even if it doesn’t kill,” he said. Burkey is among researchers planning a major study seeking to provide answers. In the meantime, the study authors offer some advice: Physicians could “openly share with patients the uncertainty surrounding small thyroid cancers — explaining that many will never grow and cause harm to a patient,” but that it’s not possible to know for certain which ones are harmless. That would allow patients to make better informed decisions, and some might opt for close monitoring instead of treatment, the authors said. — AP

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Weight loss surgery not covered by plans By Matthew Perrone Like 78 million other Americans, MaryJane Harrison is obese. And like many critically overweight Americans, Harrison cannot afford to have weight loss surgery because her health insurance doesn’t cover it. The financial burden makes it nearly impossible for her to follow the advice of three physicians who have prescribed the stomach-shrinking procedure for Harrison, who is four-feet, 10 inches and weighs 265 pounds. Harrison’s health insurance plan, pro-

vided by UnitedHealth, excludes coverage of any surgical procedures for weight loss. As a result, she and her family are trying to raise $15,000 to pay for the surgery that she thinks will save her life. “I am now 53, and I don’t think I’m going to live to be 55,” said Harrison, who lives outside of San Antonio and has tried for years to lose weight through dieting and exercise. “When you feel your health deteriorating this fast, you know it.” UnitedHealth said it can’t legally comment

on Harrison’s health plan unless she signs a privacy waiver. But Harrison declined to sign one due to concerns about how the company might use the information.

Only 1 percent get surgery Harrison’s case underscores a surprising trend: While the number of obese Americans persists at record levels, the number of patients undergoing weight loss surgery hasn’t budged in a decade. Last year, about 160,000 U.S. patients underwent weight loss surgery — roughly the same number as in 2004. That’s only about 1 percent of the estimated 18 million adults who qualify nationwide for the surgery, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. “If we were talking about breast cancer, no one would be content with having only one percent of that population treated,” said Dr. John Morton, professor of surgery at Stanford University. “Yet if you look at the impact of obesity on life expectancy, it’s by far one of the most dangerous conditions we have in public health.” Surgeons blame a combination of factors for the stagnating numbers, including the economic downturn and a social stigma against resorting to surgery to treat weight problems. But insurance coverage is the largest hurdle, they say. Nearly two-thirds of health plans spon-

sored by employers don’t cover weight loss surgery, which can cost between $15,000 and $25,000. Those that do often mandate that patients meet a number of requirements, including special diets and psychological evaluations, before they can get the procedure covered.

Some health exchanges cover Early signs indicate many of the same challenges seen in the private market have carried over to the new, state-run insurance exchanges that are part of the healthcare overhaul. Only 24 states require insurers to cover weight loss surgery for patients. And when the procedure is covered, many plans require patients to pay up to 50 percent of the cost out of pocket. Maryland and Washington, D.C. exchanges cover some types of weight loss surgery, while none is covered in Virginia. Insurers have said for years that bariatric surgery should only be used as a last resort, hence the many preliminary requirements and evaluations. “All major surgeries are risky. This one is life altering, and if there is an approach that’s less invasive and less risky for the patient, you want to try that one first,” said, Susan Pisano, a spokeswoman for AmeriSee BARIATRIC SURGERY, page 15

BEACON BITS

May 1

HEARING LOSS SOLUTIONS

To kick off “May is Better Hearing Month,” Dr. Sandra Romano is hosting two lectures on Thursday, May 1 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Sonus Arlington Hearing Center, 2500 Wilson Blvd., Suite 105, Arlington, Va. “Breakthrough Hearing Solutions” will feature current findings and discussion on solutions for hearing loss. For more information or to register, call (703) 525-1898.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Bariatric surgery From page 14

Surgery successes The most popular procedure is gastric bypass, which involves stapling off a small pouch from the rest of the stomach and connecting it to the small intestine. Patients eat less because the pouch holds little food, and they absorb fewer calories because much of the intestine is bypassed. Another procedure called gastric band-

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BEACON BITS

Apr. 8

Health in 1998, when weight loss surgery was still an emerging field with serious risks. At the time, about 1 in 100 patients died in surgery. The death rate today is 1 in 1,000, making it as safe as a hip replacement, according to surgeons. — AP

America’s Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade group, said companies are simply following federal guidelines that recommend surgery for “carefully selected patients” who have failed other methods. But the guidelines insurers point to were issued by the National Institutes of

MEMORY CARE LECTURE

Charles E. Smith Life Communities presents “Remember This,” a free lecture series on topics in memory care. The next program, “How to Boost Your Memory and Brain Performance — at Any Age,” is on Tuesday, April 8 at Landow House, 1799 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, Md. with Dr. Majid Fotuhi. There will be a light supper at 5:30 p.m., and the program begins at 6 p.m. To register, call (301) 816-5052.

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ca’s Health Insurance Plans, an insurance industry trade group. But the insurance hurdles are pushing up against new medical guidelines urging doctors to more aggressively address obesity, including referring patients for surgery. Guidelines issued in November by the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Obesity Society call on doctors to calculate a patient’s body mass index — an estimate of body fat based on weight and height — each year, and recommend surgery for those who face the most serious health problems. More than a third of U.S. adults are obese — defined as someone with a BMI of 30 or higher — and that’s been the case since the middle of the last decade. Weight loss surgery is recommended for those with a BMI of 40 or those with a BMI of 35 who have other risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. A 5-foot-9 person would be obese at 203 pounds.

ing places an inflatable ring over the top of the stomach to restrict how much food it can hold. The latest long-term studies show that the typical patient loses about 30 percent of their excess weight with the bypass procedure and 17 percent with the band after three years. That compares with weight loss of just 2 to 8 percent with diet and lifestyle changes. Researchers estimate the initial costs of surgery are recouped within 2 to 9 years, as patients cut down on prescriptions, trips to the doctor and emergency hospital care. On top of all that, two groundbreaking 2012 studies suggest bypass surgery can reverse and possibly cure diabetes. When insurers cover weight-loss surgery, it often comes with a number of requirements. Patients must first pass a psychological evaluation, showing that their obesity is not due to an eating disorder or other mental problems that can contribute to weight gain. Most insurers then require six to 12 months of doctor-supervised dieting, in which patients keep a journal of their eating habits and visit their physicians for regular weigh-ins and check-ups. Surgeons say many patients are unable to keep up with the appointments and never qualify for surgery — a fact they say helps insurers control costs. “Half of the people I see drop out because they can’t commit to the time away from their jobs,” said Dr. Carson Liu, a bariatric surgeon in Los Angeles. “Insurers know that 50 percent of patients will drop out.”

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Women face additional risks for stroke By Marilynn Marchione Just as heart attack symptoms may differ between men and women, so do stroke risks. Now, the American Heart Association

has issued its first guidelines for preventing strokes in women. They focus on birth control, pregnancy, depression, and other risk factors that women face uniquely or

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more frequently than men do. The advice applies to patients like Denise Miller, who suffered a stroke last year that fooled doctors at two northeast Ohio hospitals before it was finally diagnosed at the Cleveland Clinic. She was 36 and had no traditional risk factors. “There was nothing to indicate I was going to have a stroke,” other than frequent migraines with aura — dizziness or altered senses such as tingling, ringing ears or sensitivity to light, Miller said. These headaches are more common in women, and the new guidelines flag them as a concern. Miller recovered but has some lingering numbness and vision problems. Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a new or recurrent stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked by a clot or bursts. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death for women and the fifth-leading cause for men. The key to surviving one and limiting disability is getting help fast, and recognizing symptoms such as trouble speaking, weakness or numbness in one arm, or drooping on one side of the face.

New guidelines for women Stroke risk rises with age, and women tend to live longer than men. Women are more likely to be living alone when they

have a stroke, to have poorer recovery, and to need institutional care after one. Certain stroke risks are more common in women, including migraine with aura, obesity, an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, and metabolic syndrome — a combo of problems including blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. General guidelines for stroke prevention currently focus on controlling blood pressure and diabetes, quitting smoking, getting more exercise and healthy diets. The new ones add gender-specific advice, said Dr. Cheryl Bushnell, stroke chief at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. She led the panel that wrote the guidelines, published in Stroke, a Heart Association journal. Birth control pills: Women should be checked for high blood pressure before starting on oral contraceptives because the combination raises stroke risks. The risk is small but rises steeply in women ages 45 to 49. More than 10 million American women use birth control pills. Pregnancy: Strokes are uncommon during pregnancy but the risk is still higher, especially during the last three months and soon after delivery. The big worry is preeclampsia — dangerously high blood See STROKE IN WOMEN, page 18

BEACON BITS

Apr. 22

DEMENTIA CARE SEMINARS

Senior Helpers and Arden Courts present two seminars on Tuesday, April 22 to discuss dementia care. The first, “Understanding Behaviors and Then Helping” will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the second, “Connecting and Communicating: It’s Much More Than Words” will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Interfaith Chapel of Leisure World, 3680 S. Leisure World Blvd., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (301) 592-1611 or email silverspring@arden-courts.com.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Music and speech use common language By Lauran Neergaard Jazz musicians are famous for their musical conversations — one improvises a few bars and another plays an answer. Now research shows some of the brain’s language regions enable that musical back-and-forth much like a spoken conversation. It gives new meaning to the idea of music as a universal language. The finding, published in the journal PLoS One, is the latest in the growing field of musical neuroscience: Researchers are using how we play and hear music to illuminate different ways that the brain works. And to Dr. Charles Limb, a saxophonistturned-hearing-specialist at Johns Hopkins University, the spontaneity that is a hallmark of jazz offered a rare chance to com-

pare music and language. “They appear to be talking to one another through their instruments,” Limb explained. “What happens when you have a musical conversation?”

where the pianist made up four bars, and then Limb or another musician-scientist in See MUSIC AND SPEECH, page 18

Studying music through MRIs Watching brains on jazz requires getting musicians to lie flat inside a cramped MRI scanner that measures changes in oxygen use by different parts of the brain as they play. An MRI machine contains a giant magnet — meaning no trumpet or sax. So Limb had a special metal-free keyboard manufactured, and then recruited 11 experienced jazz pianists to play it inside the scanner. They watched their fingers

BEACON BITS

Apr. 23

through strategically placed mirrors during 10-minute music stretches. Sometimes they played scales. Other times, they did what’s called “trading fours,”

HEALTH AND FITNESS EXPO

Senior Services of Alexandria, Inova Alexandria Hospital and the Successful Aging Committee of Alexandria are sponsoring a health and fitness event for seniors on Wednesday, April 23 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Nannie J. Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria, Va. Seniors will hear from local experts about valuable health information, workshops, exercise demonstrations and cooking demonstrations by Chef Hans from Inova Alexandria Hospital. This event is free, and light refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.seniorservicesalex.org or call (703) 836-4414, ext. 10.

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Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Stroke in women From page 16 pressure that can cause a seizure and other problems. “It doubles the risk of stroke later in life, and it quadruples the risk of high blood pressure” after pregnancy, Bushnell said. Aspirin: It’s usually recommended for anyone who has already had a stroke, un-

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

less the stroke was caused by bleeding rather than a clot, or if bleeding risk is a concern, Bushnell said. Aspirin also is often recommended for people with diabetes to lower the risk of stroke and other problems. A low-dose aspirin every other day “can be useful” to lower stroke risk in women 65 and older, unless its benefit is outweighed by the potential for bleeding or other risks, the guidelines say.

Migraines: Women are four times more likely to have migraines than men, and they often coincide with hormone swings. Migraines alone don’t raise the risk of stroke, but ones with aura do. Using oral contraceptives and smoking raise this risk even more, so the guidelines urge stopping smoking. Irregular heartbeat: Women over age 75 should be checked for atrial fibrillation. Doctors do this by taking a pulse or listen-

ing to the heartbeat. Menopause: Hormone therapy should not be used to try to prevent strokes. The new guidelines put women’s issues “on the table” so more doctors talk about them, said Dr. Shazam Hussain, stroke chief at the Cleveland Clinic. “Gender does make a difference. The medical community has neglected it for some time.” — AP

Music and speech

— were tuned down, Limb found. That makes sense because “the richness of the structure of music is what gives it its significance,” Limb said. “You can have substantive discourse using music without any words, yet language areas of the brain are involved in this unique way.”

From page 17 the lab improvised four bars in return, and the pianist responded with still new notes. Even between their turns playing, the brain wasn’t resting. The musicians were processing what they were hearing in order to come up with new sounds that were a good fit. At the same time, certain other regions of the brain involved with language — those that process the meaning of words

Understanding brains via music One ultimate goal of musical neuroscience is to better understand the brain’s circuitry and how it can rewire itself, in hopes of eventually finding new treatments for neural disorders. Limb made headlines several years ago when he measured jazz musicians’ riffs — longer, solo improvisations — to study creativity in the brain. “We know nothing about how the brain innovates,” he said. “This is one way to learn what innovation means neurologically.” Stay tuned: Next he hopes to study children who are just learning music, and to compare amateurs to professionals, as he explores how people become creative. — AP

BEACON BITS

Apr. 22

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END OF LIFE DECISIONS

Join Hope Connections for Cancer Support on Tuesday, April 22 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. for a presentation on the legal documents needed to ensure the personal decisions of dying or deceased loved ones are carried out. President of Compassion & Choices NCA Rosalind Kipping will lead a discussion at the Beaumont House, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Md. For information, contact (301) 634-7500 or info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.

Apr. 12

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP

Haven of Northern Virginia is offering a free six-week Bereavement Widow or Widower Support Group every Saturday, beginning April 12 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at 4606 Ravensworth Rd., Annandale, Va. Space is limited, and registration is required. For more information or to register, visit www.havenofnova.org or call (703) 941-7000.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Artificial hand can ‘feel’ what you touch By Lauran Neergaard It’s not quite the bionics of science fiction, but European researchers have created a robotic hand that gave an amputee a sense of touch he hadn’t felt in a decade. The experiment lasted only a week, but it let the patient feel if different objects — a bottle, a baseball, some cotton, a mandarin orange — were hard or soft, slim or round, and intuitively adjust his grasp. It will take years of additional research before an artificial hand that feels becomes a reality. But the research is part of a major effort to create more lifelike and usable prosthetics. “It was just amazing,” said Dennis Aabo Sorensen of Aalborg, Denmark, who lost

his left hand in a fireworks accident and volunteered to pilot-test the bulky prototype. “It was the closest I have had to feeling like a normal hand.” This isn’t the first time scientists have tried to give some sense of touch to artificial hands; a few other pilot projects have been reported in the U.S. and Europe. This newest experiment is among the most advanced, essentially creating a loop that let the robotic hand rapidly communicate with Sorensen’s brain so he could feel and react in real time. The work was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “It was interesting to see how fast he was

BEACON BITS

Apr. 9+

DISCUSSION CIRCLE

Jefferson Cafe, a grassroots discussion circle, has two meetings in April. Participants complete a pre-cafe reading and discuss it with the group. The first meeting will feature the reading “What’s Wrong with Democracy” and offers two sessions on Wednesday, Apr. 9 in 202-K of the Commons at Montgomery College, 7600 Takoma Ave., Takoma Park, Md. The first session takes place from 1:05 to 2:30 p.m., and the second from 2:50 to 4:15 p.m. To register and obtain a copy of the reading, call (240) 567-1385 or email francine.jamin@montgomerycollege.edu. The second meeting will feature the readings “Every Breath You Take” and “How Your Data Are Being Deeply Mined” on Friday, Apr. 18 at the Chevy Chase Library, 8005 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. from 10:30 to noon. To register, call (301) 654-5333 or email knrjeschke@comcast.net.

able to master this,” said neuroengineer Silvestro Micera of Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, who led the Swiss and Italian research team. “He was able to use this information immediately in a quite sophisticated way.”

A touchy challenge Scientists have made great strides in recent years in improving the dexterity of prosthetics. But the sense of touch has been a much more difficult challenge, and is one

reason that many patients don’t use their prosthetic hands as much as they’d like. Consider: Grab something and your own hand naturally grasps with just enough force to hang on. Users of prosthetic hands have to carefully watch every motion, judging by eye instead of touch how tightly to squeeze. The results can be clumsy, with dropped dishes or crushed objects. “You always have to look and see what’s See ARTIFICIAL HAND, page 21

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Health Studies Page

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — 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

Testing a new drug for mild Alzheimer’s By Barbara Ruben Sometimes forgetfulness can become more serious than misplacing the keys or forgetting an acquaintance’s name. A gradual decline in memory might indicate mild Alzheimer’s disease. Mild Alzheimer’s disease includes poor recall of recent events, impaired ability to perform mental arithmetic, greater difficulty in performing complex tasks like managing finances, and becoming moody or withdrawn in challenging situations, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Doctors at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., are now studying whether a drug called solanezumab might be able to slow the progression of the disease. Although the drug was not helpful for those with moderate Alzheimer’s disease in previous studies, researchers say it might have potential for those whose disease is not as severe.

Infused drug The 18-month-long study involves intravenous infusions of the drug every four

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weeks. Those who show improvement at the end of the study will have the option to continue taking solanezumab. The study, called Expedition 3, will require participants to make at least 22 visits to Georgetown. Participants must have a caregiver who can accompany them to each visit, be available by phone, and monitor medication. Tests to be administered include ECGs (a painless, non-invasive way to look at the heart), urine and blood tests, MRI scans, and questionnaires about the patient’s memory and thought processes. Participants will also have a PET scan, a brain scan using a radioactive dye, at the start and end of the study. Half of the study participants will receive the study drug, and the other half will get a placebo that contains no active ingredients. Patients will be randomly selected for the drug or placebo groups, and neither patients nor doctors will know who is getting solanezumab while the study is underway.

Who can participate AFFILIATED WITH HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL

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and 90 years old and have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or meet the criteria for probable Alzheimer’s disease by taking several tests and evaluations. Those in the study cannot have current serious or unstable illnesses, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, gastroenterologic, respiratory, endocrinologic, neurologic (other than Alzheimer’s), psychiatric or hematologic disease. They also cannot have a history within the last five years of a serious infectious disease affecting the brain, or head trauma resulting in protracted loss of consciousness. Participants cannot have had cancer (with the exception of certain skin and prostate cancers) in the last five years, have HIV, severe drug allergies, or a history of chronic alcohol or drug abuse/dependence within the past five years. Although no financial incentive is offered, all study drugs and procedures are provided at no cost. Participants may also be reimbursed for travel expenses. For more information, or to volunteer as a participant, call Kelly Behan at (202) 6870413 or see www.Expedition3Study.com.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 11

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES LUNCHEON

Jessica Klement, legislative director of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), will describe the organization’s 2014 priorities and its recent victories in Congress at the NARFE luncheon on Friday, April 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Alfio’s La Trattoria Restaurant, 4515 Willard Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. The cost is $21, which includes valet parking. For more information, call (301) 657-9133.

Apr. 22

EXPERT LECTURE ON CRISIS IN SYRIA

The Woman’s National Democratic Club presents a lecture on the Syrian crisis. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard will speak on Tuesday, April 22. The bar opens at 11:30, and the lunch and presentation will follow from 1 to 2 p.m. The cost of the lecture is $10. Members pay $20 for lunch, and non-members pay $30. The club is located at 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW (at Q St.), Washington, D.C. For more information or to register, visit www.democraticwoman.org/events or call (202) 232-7363.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Artifical hand From page 19 going on, so that’s what is so much different from this new hand that I tried,” Sorensen, 36, said in a telephone interview. First, doctors at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital implanted tiny electrodes inside two nerves — the ulnar and median nerves — in the stump of Sorensen’s arm. Those nerves normally would allow for certain sensations in a hand. When researchers zapped them with a weak electrical signal, Sorensen said it felt like his missing fingers were moving, showing the nerves still could relay information. Meanwhile, Micera’s team put sensors on two fingers of a robotic hand to detect information about what the artificial fingers touched. For one week, cords snaked from a bandage on Sorensen’s arm to the artificial hand,

and the electrodes zapped the nerves in proportion to what the sensors detected. “It is really putting the brain back in control of the system,” said biomedical engineer Dustin Tyler of Case Western Reserve University. Tyler wasn’t involved with the European work, but leads a team in Ohio that recently created and tested a similar touch-enabled hand. “That’s an important step.” Added neurobiologist Andrew Schwartz of the University of Pittsburgh: “It shows with a few sensors and some pretty elementary technology that they can recover a fair amount of functionality.” To be sure Sorensen used touch — and didn’t cheat by looking or hearing telltale sounds — he wore a blindfold and headphones as Micera’s team handed him different objects. “Suddenly I could tell if it was a hard object,” Sorensen recalled, describing sensations that changed along with his grip.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FORECLOSURE PREVENTION Housing Counseling Services, Inc. recently began a foreclosure pre-

vention and legal services hotline and counseling for D.C. residents. The hotline is accessible Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (202) 265-2255 or 1-855449-2255. Free foreclosure prevention counseling will also take place every Thursday by appointment at Faith Temple No. 2, located at 211 Maryland Park Dr., Capitol Heights, Md. To make an appointment, call (202) 667-7006.

Apr. 26

WOMANFEST WomanFest is an interactive event focusing on health, wellness, fashion and beauty in Howard County on Saturday, April 26 from

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gary J. Arthur Community Center, 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, Md. The event features 90+ vendors and exhibitors, seminars, health screenings and a presentation by Jackie Newgent, award-winning author of the cookbook, The Fish on Plant-Centered Eating: Enticing Ideas for Creating Healthful Entrees Without Meet, at 1:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/womenfest.htm or call (410) 313-5440.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

“The response, the feedback from the arm to my nerves and to my brain, they came very strong.”

Other approaches studied Micera cautioned that much more research is needed — starting with proof that these nerve implants can last. For safety reasons, Sorensen’s were surgically removed from his arm after the brief experiment. But a lot of work is underway. In Ohio, Tyler’s team recently issued video showing a blindfolded man gently pulling stems from cherries without crushing them, thanks to similar implanted nerve stimulators and a sensor-equipped prosthetic hand. The main difference, said Switzerland’s Micera, is in how the nerve electrodes are implanted. For better control, the European approach puts them inside the nerve

rather than around it, but that’s more invasive and some researchers worry it could damage the nerve over time. In Pittsburgh, Schwartz’s team is about to test another approach — a brain-controlled robotic hand for the paralyzed that would “feel” through electrodes implanted in a brain region known as the sensory cortex. Whatever the approach, touch is a complex sense, and these are all basic first steps involving how someone grasps — not more sophisticated sensations such as texture or temperature. “There is definitely tremendous value to having a sense of touch, a sense of feeling from the hand,” said Case Western’s Tyler. “What that feeling is, how we use it — that’s yet to come.” — AP

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Getting whole grains without high sodium Q: I’d like to eat more whole grain products, but I need to limit sodium, and many are surprisingly high in sodium. What do you suggest? A: It’s true that an easy way to consume whole grains is with breads and cereals, though whether whole grain or not, these often contain high amounts of sodium. So, to keep sodium in check, try expanding your vision of whole grains to less processed options. Compare labels to find lower sodium options like old-fashioned or one-minute oatmeal rather than instant, and shredded wheat rather than higher-sodium types of cereals. Instead of prepared whole-grain mixes, like boxed seasoned brown rice, that include large amounts of sodium (some contain

about 500 mg. of sodium per serving), choose plain, unseasoned whole grains (0 mg. sodium) and add your own herbs, lemon juice and other sodium-free flavorings. Some whole grains that cook in less than 15 minutes include bulgur, quickcooking brown rice, whole-wheat couscous, quinoa and whole-grain pasta. Try wild rice, millet, barley, wheat berries, amaranth and freekeh (“free-kuh”) when you have more time for cooking. If some of these grains are unfamiliar to you, check the Whole Grains Council website http://wholegrainscouncil.org/wholegrains-101/whole-grains-a-to-z or recipes from the American Institute for Cancer Research www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancerrisk/diet/reduce_diet_recipes_test_kitchen.

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html for ideas. Then have fun experimenting! 11,000 to 12,000 steps a day may be more Q: Do pedometers really help if you effective. To reach these targets, some want to be more active? experts recommend setting inA: They can. Overall, studdividualized gradual increases ies suggest that using a peto avoid getting physically or dometer tends to produce a psychologically overwhelmed. greater increase in physical acThey suggest taking a week to tivity than simply having a goal establish a baseline average, of walking 30 or 40 minutes a and then creating a new target day. each week by adding 500 or That’s important because more steps a day beyond the being moderately active at previous week’s target. least 30 minutes a day is one Just wearing a pedometer of the top recommendations to NUTRITION isn’t magic, but it can increase lower cancer risk from the WISE awareness of your activity level, American Institute for Cancer By Karen Collins, track your progress toward a Research. And health benefits MS, RD, CDM specific goal, and (perhaps accrue even when physical activity occurs in blocks of 10 or 15 minutes most importantly) increase your self-confidence that you really can achieve a healthy rather than all at once. But it can be hard to keep track of these level of physical activity. The American Institute for Cancer Resmall blocks. This is a problem pedomesearch offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800ters may solve. Studies show that simply wearing a pe- 843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday dometer might lead to only small improve- through Friday. This free service allows you ments for many people if they do not have to ask questions about diet, nutrition and a goal and do not track progress toward cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days. that goal. Courtesy of the American Institute for Some programs recommend a target of 10,000 steps a day from the start, which is Cancer Research. Questions for this column associated with meeting the recommend- may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. ed 30 minutes of moderate activity a day. If NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot someone’s goal is weight loss, a target of respond to questions personally.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 16

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DECISION DAY Wednesday, April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day. All

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Raisins raise the nutrient bar in scones By Lori Zanteson Raisins have been revered since ancient times. Grapes were dried into tiny wrinkled gems as early as 2000 BCE, when they were eaten and used as decorations during feasts and religious ceremonies, as well as utilized for barter currency and prizes during sporting events by the Romans. Grape varieties, such as Thompson seedless, Muscat, Sultana, and Malaga, are the most popular to dehydrate, whether by sun or oven drying. A one-quarter cup serving of raisins delivers 6 percent Daily Value (DV, based on 2,000 calories per day) of satiating dietary fiber, 9 percent DV of heart-healthy potassium, and a dose of health protecting antioxidants. However, because most raisins are made from white grapes, they do not contain a significant amount of resveratrol, the healthy antioxidant found in red grapes. Raisins are readily available year-round, both in bulk and small packages. Choose richly colored, moist raisins when you can hand select or see them through the packaging. Store them in an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze for longest life — up to six months. Pour a little hot water over raisins to “plump” them before use. Especially deli-

cious in baked scones, quick breads and muffins, raisins are easily tossed onto hot or cold cereals, yogurts and salads, as well as added to pilafs and stuffing, trail mix, or eaten straight out of hand.

Notable nutrients 1 ounce of seeded raisins contains: Calories: 83 Dietary fiber: 2 g. (8 percent recommended Daily Value) Potassium: 231 mg. (7 percent DV) Copper: 0.1 mg. (7 percent DV) Iron: 7 mg. (4 percent DV) Manganese: 0.1 mg. (6 percent DV)

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Raisin scones Ingredients: 2-1/3 cups whole grain biscuit mix 3 tablespoons sugar 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup milk ¾ cup raisins Milk and sugar for topping Preheat oven to 450 degrees F Stir together biscuit mix, sugar and raisins. Blend egg and milk; add to dry mixture, stirring thoroughly.

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Some natural alternatives to common meds Dear Pharmacist: What are some pop- recommending you stop your drugs and ular medications and their natural take these, either. That sort of decision is counterparts? between you and your doctor. — A.T. With that said, here are some Dear A.T.: interesting ideas. This is a great question, Allergy drugs (antihistaand there are a lot of different mines) — Quercetin, a supthings that come to mind. plement that occurs naturally For example, when I think of in fruits and vegetables, is a popular medications, I think of powerful mast cell stabilizer, allergy drugs (antihistamines), which means that it helps repain relievers, antacids, blood duce histamine in the body. pressure drugs, cholesterol reThink of it as a natural verDEAR ducers and sleeping pills. sion of loratadine, a popular, efPHARMACIST That covers a lot of ground. By Suzy Cohen fective drug used to treat allerI’ll give you some options here, gies. As a benefit, quercetin but these natural choices do may help with other things like not work as strongly as a drug, and I’m not stress-induced anxiety, asthma and inflam-

matory pain syndromes. Pain relievers — Willow bark and California poppy are two herbal remedies used to relieve pain by holistic physicians. There are drug interactions and side effects to herbs, too. But these two herbs offer effects like natural aspirin and natural (weak) opiate drugs (respectively). Antacids — Slippery elm, marshmallow root, digestive enzymes, DGL and probiotics are my go-to supplements here. It’s not that they directly reduce acid (they don’t), but they help reduce gut inflammation and other problems that could trigger the burn. There is also the possibility you need more acid to digest your food, in which case you might try betaine HCL with pepsin supplements. Blood pressure drugs — Grape seed extract can help reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number). Potassium citrate found in foods and supplements can do so, too. Be careful though, not everyone can take potassium, it has interactions. Magnesium is a strong anti-hypertensive as well. You’ll want to eat more basil, and perhaps garlic. I recommend eating garlic, or taking “aged garlic” supplements. Cholesterol reducers — I think of natural “statins” here, such as Red Yeast Rice or vitamin C, particularly “liposomal C.” Coenzyme Q10 can help, as can a cup of

Tulsi tea each day. Sleeping pills — This category is perhaps the hardest. As humans, we sleep thanks to melatonin and GABA. To get this pathway running, you have to go slowly and carefully, under supervision. Supplements of 5-HTP turn into serotonin, then melatonin (provided you have good B vitamin status), but I suggest low doses. Special “phenylated” GABA supplements may help, like “Kavinace” sold online. Lemonbalm, hops and passionflower are other natural relaxation herbs to discuss with your doctor. In summary, there are many choices you can consider. I’ve only touched the surface. I love natural options, but your safety comes first. While natural, and expected to be safer than pharmaceuticals, botanicals may cause similar interactions, allergies and setbacks. Always discuss changes to your health regimen with your doctor because each of us is different. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

Raisin scones

Makes 12 scones. Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories, 3.5 g. fat, 23 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 230 mg. sodium. Recipe adapted courtesy of California Raisin Marketing Board. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition. © 2014 Belvoir Media Group, distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

From page 23 Turn out onto lightly floured board. Pat and roll into an oblong about ½-inch thick. Cut in diamonds by making diagonal cuts with a knife. Prick tops with fork; brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on greased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

How to shield a son from his no-good dad

See useful links and resources at www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com

you with sisters or brothers to help you out. First, count the advantages you’ve gotten from being an only child — no sibling rivalry, all the attention and love, and oh yes, all the money. You can count the disadvantages if you want to waste your time. Instead, round up the usual relatives and friends of theirs and ask them to help

you plan this and to help you carry it out — aunts, uncles, cousins, surrogate siblings. So start making travel plans. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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.

Annual Silent Auction & Networking Breakfast Thurs., June 5 at Brooke Grove – $25; $30 at the door. Call (301) 765-3325 for tickets or to donate auction items.

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Dear Unsure: Dear Solutions: She should not do anything unless or My daughter is going back and forth trying to make a decision about how until her son asks. Then honesty is her only option. to handle something with You say she’s done well, so I her 20-year-old son. assume her son has a good self Since she never married, image, which will help him she and my grandson lived deal with rejection. He must be with me for many years as reassured that, if he is rejecthe was growing up. ed, it has nothing to do with She is asking me for adhim but only with the unfortuvice, and since I’m unsure, nate character and fears of this I’m asking you. She’s afraid man. her son is going to have a Your daughter’s job now is problem with rejection if he SOLUTIONS to be flexible, give her son a tries to contact or even see By Helen Oxenberg, lot of love, and be there if he his biological father. MSW, ACSW needs her. She was never married to Dear Solutions: his father because she found My parents live across the country. out after she was pregnant that he was already married. She once tried to contact Their 40th anniversary is coming up, him when my son was small and was and I don’t know whether I should sick, and he threatened to sue her for plan a celebration for them. When I feel like I won’t do it, I get slander if she named him as the father. guilty feelings. But when I think of He was really nasty to her. So she took care of herself, and she doing it, I resent them. If I had a sister or brother, it would be easier. did well without him. Besides, I don’t know what to plan My grandson asked about his father once when he was younger, and she even if I decide to do something. Any told him that the person wasn’t respon- suggestions? — Phil sible enough to be a husband or father. Now that he’s a young adult, he may Dear Phil: So you feel stuck between a rock and a want to contact him. How should she prepare him to be hard place? If you don’t do it, you feel welcomed or to have the door slammed guilty because they’ve been good to you, and they’re getting older. If you do it, you in his face? — Unsure resent the fact that they never supplied

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

ALEXANDRIA (703) 671-5600 • 1462 Beauregard Street ALEXANDRIA (703) 683-4433 • 415 Monroe Avenue ALEXANDRIA (703) 823-3584 • 3130 Duke Street ALEXANDRIA (703) 548-8357 • 503 King Street ALEXANDRIA (703) 823-7430 • 5101 Duke Street ARLINGTON (703) 671-2331 • 5017 Columbia Pike ARLINGTON (703) 522-0260 • 3133 Lee Highway ARLINGTON (703) 522-1202 • 256 North Glebe Road ARLINGTON (703) 243-4239 • 2121 15th St. N. ARLINGTON (703) 418-0813 • 2400 Jefferson Davis Highway

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 4

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA In this issue of “Spotlight on Aging,” I would like to discuss how important it is to ensure that every senior in the District of Columbia is safe and secure during a disaster. At the D.C. Office on Aging, we try to take a proactive approach to ensure that all of our seniors and persons with disabilities are well equipped, and are able to access the necessary services during a catastrophic event. During an emergency, the agency works with its partners to deliver meals and provide critical transportation for medical appointments. We also partner with our six lead agencies to provide a wide range of social and health services throughout all eight wards. These agencies act as community satellites that continually strengthen our link to older Washingtonians. Through our Senior Service Network, we provide assistance to nearly 30,000 seniors in the District. And in emergencies, such as those caused by inclement weather and power outages, we rely on our Network and other community partners to keep seniors informed. In addition to working with our Senior Service Network, the D.C. Office on Aging partners with other District agencies to prepare District seniors for potential emergencies. Examples of these collaborations include: • Smart 9-1-1 — The D.C. Office on Aging partners with the Office of Unified Communications to inform seniors and other District residents about the Smart 9-1-1 pro-

gram. This is a free service that allows participants to create a safety profile for their households that will automatically appear when someone from an associated number calls 9-1-1. The Smart 911 Safety Profile provides first responders with vital information that will assist them with knowing who is in the home and their needs during an emergency. • First Responders Program — In partnership with the Department of Health and the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Administration, the D.C. Office on Aging trains volunteers to help as first responders in case of an emergency. These volunteers will be used to support their local communities during a city disaster caused by nature, terrorist or unforeseen events where first responders need support. It is important that all of our seniors are equipped with the proper supplies they may need in the event of an emergency or disaster. I encourage you to get informed, make a plan, make an emergency kit that includes water, nonperishable, easyto-prepare food items, flashlight, extra batteries, a battery powered or hand crank radio (NOAA weather radio, if possible) and a wellstocked first-aid kit. If you or someone you know is interested in getting involved with any of these initiatives and/or wants to learn more about the resources available for emergency preparedness, please contact the D.C. Office on Aging at 202-724-5622.

April 2014

Senior Receives Honorary Doctorate Degree Congratulations to Ward 7 resident Doris A.M. Thomas, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Abundant Life Bible College and Theological Seminary. Thomas, a cancer survivor for more than 45 years, has worked with the “Reach to Recovery Program” with the American Cancer Society, visiting hospitals and homes of persons who have undergone cancer surgery. Thomas, 89, has also served as a spokesperson for the disease in public service announcements and in radio and television interviews. An active member of the Washington Seniors Wellness Center, she founded the Serenity Players Theatre Company, a professional community theater program that performs for underserved communities, and served as the company director for nearly 30 years. She is also the author of two books of poetry, The Will to Live

and The Will to Live Continues. She presently hosts “Senior Talk” on Inner Light Radio, which is heard every third Thursday at 11 a.m. on www.PositiveEnergyWorks.com or via Skype: inner_light_radio.

Honorary Doctorate recipient Dr. Doris Thomas

Mayor Gray Signs Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act Legislation Designed to Help Keep Longtime Residents from Being Forced Out of District Mayor Gray, joined by members of the D.C. Council, other District government officials and senior residents, signed the Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2014 on March 25. The legislation exempts low- and middle-income seniors from real-property taxes if they are at least 70 years old and have owned a residence in the District for 20 consecutive years or longer. “When I first became Mayor, I made a commitment to ensuring that our senior residents remain an integral part of the economic development and growth of our city — and this legislation helps us achieve that goal,” Mayor Gray said. “My budgets and my administration’s policies will continue to place a priority on ensuring that our seniors have the option of aging in the place they have called home for decades, even as we continually attract

new residents to our vibrant, diverse and growing city.” Mayor Gray also thanked At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds, who originally drafted the bill. “This legislation fits nicely with our priorities, and I very much appreciate the efforts it took Councilmember Bonds to get us here today,” he said. During Mayor Gray’s State of the District Address on March 11, he detailed his commitment to an additional $100 million investment in affordable housing on top of the $187 million investment he previously announced. The vast majority of it will go into the District’s Housing Production Trust Fund. But he also proposed dedicating some of that funding to make certain the “Senior Citizen Real Property Tax Relief Act of 2014” is funded. This commitment includes making sure the Office of the Chief Financial Officer has the resources available to assist applicants seeking an exemption.

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

28th Annual Salute to District of Columbia Centenarians Nearly 30 centenarians attended the 28th Annual Salute to District of Columbia Centenarians held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University. Mayor Gray greeted the centenarians and their family members during the event, and had an opportunity to present several honorees with medallions celebrating their longevity. One of the oldest centenarians present, Corporal Alyce Dixon, 106, cut a ceremonial cake to celebrate the occasion.

yea 0 rs

Ada Clark - 102

Angella Hayes - 101

Arthur Peterson - 100

Charlotte Wilkins - 101

Corporal Alyce Dixon - 106

Eleanor Valentine - 105

Elizabeth Lee - 107

Fannie Gibson - 100

Geneva Perry - 101

George Boggess - 102

Inez Dade - 101

Laura Griffin - 101

Lois Showell - 101

Lola Saunders - 100

Lucille Just-Buddy - 102

Lula Mae Henderson Scott - 102

Mable Henson - 102

Madelyn Brown - 100

Margaret LaFrank - 100

Marie Johnson - 102

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

D.C. OFFICE

Mary Parsons - 104

Marybelle Stoney - 100

AGING NEWSLETTER

Milton Scandrett - 101

Pauline Bates - 100

DCOA After Hours Emergency Assistance

Virginia McLaurin - 105

District residents who are either age 60 and older or living with disabilities at age 18 and older, or their caregivers, can now call DCOA and get assistance for crisis intervention and other emergencies after hours, on holidays and when the government is closed. When the office is closed, emergencies can now be handled by calling our main number, 202-724-5622, and our information and assistance number, 202-724-5626. We are here to serve you. Just give us a call. Note: All callers requiring fire and medical assistance should still contact 9-1-1.

SAVE THE DATE! Third Annual Mayor’s Senior Symposium

Wednesday, May 7 At Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill 400 New Jersey Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20001

For more details, visit www.dcoa.dc.gov or call 202-724-5626.

New Date for Agency Performance Hearing The DCOA Budget Oversight hearing, to take place before the Committee on Health, has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 8 at 10 a.m. in Room 123 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Persons interested in providing testimony should contact Rayna Smith, Committee Director, at 202-7248170 or rsmith@dccouncil.us.

Like DCOA on Facebook If you haven’t done so already, visit www.facebook/DCAgingNews and click “Like.” Leave a comment and tell us about a senior that has influenced your life. Facebook is a great way to connect with the Office on Aging daily. Give us your feedback, find out information, and let us know how we can assist you. See you on Facebook!

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar April events

free health fair, food and entertainment. For more information, contact Willa Hamer at 301-420-2444.

5th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join the Temple of Praise’s Employment Ministry for its spring 2014 Job Fair for Ward 8 residents at the Mary Virginia Merrick Center, 4275 4th St. SE. For more information, call 202-552-9451.

12th • 10 a.m. Seabury Resources for Aging is hosting a volunteer appreciation brunch at Trinity University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

9th • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Washington Seniors Wellness Center will host a D.C. Office on Aging Town Hall Meeting with guest speaker Dr. John Thompson. The center is located at 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call Kellie Cass Broussard at 202-581-0963.

14th • 11 a.m. There will be a Town Hall meeting for Ford Lincoln Tower 3 at 3298 Fort Lincoln Dr. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

19th • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 11th Join Seabury Resources for Aging on their Ward 5 “Volunteer Appreciation Day” at all Ward 5 Nutrition Sites. To register, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

12th • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Capital Heights Police Department and the Washington, D.C. Sixth District Metropolitan Police are hosting the first annual “Unity in the Community” Parade and Festival for Ward 7 residents. The parade will begin at the crossing of Central Ave. and Addison Rd. and will end at the Marvin Gaye Park, where the main event will follow. There will also be a

The District of Columbia Homeland and Security and Emergency Management Agency presents an emergency preparedness and CPR training session for Ward 8 residents in the first floor media room at the Unified Communications Center, 2720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. To register, submit a registration form to JC Cruz, outreach coordinator, at 202-481-3174.

22nd • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Washington Seniors Wellness Center will host a mini wellness fair for all Ward 7 residents. The center is located at 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call Kellie Cass Broussard at 202-581-0963.

24th • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The East River Family Strengthening Collaborative and the DCOA present a Community Health and Wellness Fair at the Mayfair Mansion Senior Center, 3744½ Hayes St. NE. For more information, contact John Pinkney at 202-440-2339.

26th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The DCOA presents a Community Health, Wellness and Informational Fair for Ward 2 residents at the Georgetown Retirement Residence, 2512 Q St. NW. For more information, contact Zee Martin at 202-338-6111.

May event 15th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Save the date for the East River Swing Prom for senior Ward 7 residents. For more information, contact Robin Gantt at 202-534-4880, ext. 110, or Mrs. C. Bryant at 202-534-4880, ext. 125.

Ongoing Ward 5 residents who are 60 or older and need legal advice can call Seabury Resources for Aging to speak to a lawyer on Mondays. For more information or to receive advice, call 202-529-8701.

Seabury Connector Transportation Service Seabury Connector is a Washington, D.C. city-wide transportation service and a part of the D.C. Office on Aging Senior Network. It provides transportation to medical appointments, adult day services and senior group trips, and meal delivery to the homebound. Services are free to D.C. residents 60 years of age and older. Last fall, Seabury Resources for Aging received the grant to transform the transportation service for older adults called WEHTS (Washington

Elderly Handicapped Transportation Service) into a model transportation service. Customer service, including a new Service Center to handle all reservations, is paramount. In addition to new vehicles and new technology, the vision includes expanded hours, shorter wait times and alternative services. The new name, Seabury Connector, was selected to reflect its mission to keep seniors connected with their community.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher. 500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin, Editor Selma Dillard Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual

or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, 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.

Transportation to Medical Appointments Seabury Connector provides a critical service transporting older D.C. residents to medical appointments, including dialysis and cancer treatment centers. The curb-to-curb service uses wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Escorts are allowed and, indeed, required for anyone with dementia or anyone who needs assistance going from their home to the vehicle or from the vehicle to their medical appointment. In January, Seabury Connector added transportation to Saturday dialysis appointments, and the ridership has grown 75 percent in two months. For a better understanding of the service options and enrollment, call the Service Center at 202-727-7771.

roll new clients. The Center also has a Spanish-speaking counselor, as well as access to language translation services.

Updated Vehicles To be a first-rate service, Seabury Connector requires vehicles that are new, comfortable, and updated with navigation systems and safety features. The newest vehicles in the current fleet have been rebranded and will be retrofitted with additional equipment. Seabury has ordered 39 new vehicles to replace older vehicles and expand the fleet and mode of transportation options. Seabury is designing a fleet that best fits the needs of the community.

More Options New Service Center Seabury Connector recently opened a new Service Center to schedule and track all reservations citywide, and to respond to inquiries about transportation service options. The Service Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Service Center counselors are trained to assist callers, make referrals to other service options, and en-

Seabury Connector is looking at additional options for transportation so that older adults can enjoy the Washington community and age successfully. Currently, the program also offers taxicab fare discounts based on income eligibility. So, if you are a Washington, D.C. resident age 60+, call Seabury Connector 202-727-7771 and ride with us!

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

WHAT’S INSIDE:

Q&A WITH MIKE BREADS A LOOK BACK AT OUR 90-YEAR HISTORY LEADERSHIP IN AGING AWARD RECIPIENTS

Seabury Resources for Aging

Welcome!

Seabury is celebrating a big birthday this year, our 90th Anniversary! We are committed to offering quality care to residents in and around the district and have been for many years. On this special occasion, we’d like to invite you to learn a little about us.

SEABURY Q&A WITH MIKE BREADS Michael D. Breads, Esq. is the President of the Seabury Board of Directors. He is a Silver Spring attorney specializing in family law and estate planning.

Q: How did you get involved with Seabury Resources for Aging? I have been on the board of Springvale Terrace since 1997 when it was owned and operated by the United Church of Christ, and later when it was reorganized under Homewood Retirement Centers of the United Church of Christ. I stayed on that Board when Springvale became a part of Seabury Resources for Aging in 2009. Since then, I have been serving on Seabury’s Property and Management Committee, the Finance Committee and the Development Committee, and was elected Vice President of Seabury in 2011 and then President in June 2013. I have had a long standing interest in aging issues and first-hand experience as the primary caregiver for my mom while she lived with my wife and me. Q: What are some of the greatest issues impacting older adults in our area? There is a shortage of affordable options. Regardless of income, older adults want and deserve a safe place to live, access to transportation, good nutrition and opportunities for social interaction as well as volunteer opportunities. Having a social network is so important through our life. Seabury offers many programs and services that address these issues, and we recognize that there are many more who could benefit from our services if we can expand them. Q: How is Seabury recognizing its 90th anniversary? Seabury is holding events throughout the year to share our 90 year history, provide information about our current housing options and services, and engage the larger community in our vision. Celebrating 90 years has to include forward-thinking conversations about aging. Providing opportunities for those who want to share their time, talents and resources to maintain our vision for future generations is so important. Needs are growing and evolving, and Seabury must continue to grow and evolve if we are going to remain the trusted leader in aging services. At 90, we are giving a special salute of thanks to our staff, our volunteer leaders and day-to-day volunteers, our donors and colleagues who have made Seabury what it is today and who are forging ahead with us. We are holding a special 90th Anniversary Seabury Leadership in Aging Celebration event on June 1 at the National Press Club. Q: What is ahead for Seabury? To maintain its mission and vision, Seabury has to expand its services to keep pace with a growing older adult population and increasing needs. More volunteer involvement, donor support and partnerships are key. What is ahead for Seabury is smart, effective growth and increasing impact in the greater Washington, DC community.

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

H I S TORY OF

Housing g

1924: A single family home, donated by Cornelia Jones, becomes the first residence for older persons in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington who lacked the means in their retirement years. 1958: The Episcopal Church Home moves to a new facility added onto an historic Georgetown home. Services are provided at this site for 33 years. 1970: Friendship Terrace opened through a loan from Housing and Urban Development. 2000: Seabury welcomed Home First Residences into its family of services. Home First operates three homes for very low income, often formerly homeless seniors. 2009: Seabury grew its affordable senior housing options and added 120 personal care and 36 assisted living apartments by acquiring Springvale Terrace. 2011: A $5.4 million building renovation was completed at Friendship Terrace. 2014: A $5 million community renovation is underway at Springvale Terrace and is expected to be complete in the fall.

FROM THE COVER: Twelve residents at Friendship Terrace and Springvale Terrace are also reaching their 90th year in 2014. We want to wish Happy Birthday to the following wonderful ladies and gentlemen who recently enjoyed a piece of birthday cake with Mike Breads, President of the Board for Seabury Resources for the Aging, and to all of our residents turning 90 this year. Pictured Friendship Terrace Eleanor Bouwman Sam Dendy Estelle Howard Pearl Pierce Marcus Rowe Not Pictured Friendship Terrace Winifred Chevalier

The Seabury Resources Care Management team.

Springvale Terrace Adell Bell Carrie Lou Pete Doris Schleer

Springvale Terrace Mary Jean Giancola Martha McMahon Doris Pierre

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

SEABURY SENIOR LIVING Seabury at Friendship Terrace Retirement living for active, independent older adults located in the Tenleytown area of northwest Washington, DC. Phone: (202) 244-7400 Website: www.friendshipterrace.org Seabury at Springvale Terrace Affordable personal care and assisted living is offered at Springvale Terrace, within walking distance of downtown Silver Spring, MD. Phone: (301) 587-0190 Website: www.springvaleterrace.org Home First Residences* Located in NE Washington, Home First Residences provides a shared-living home and support for older adults needing assistance with personal care and medication management. Phone: (202) 635-9384

Seabury Resources for Aging

Senior Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired* The Center enhances the quality of life and independence of older adults who have lost or are losing their vision. In addition to the noon meal, Center services include independent living skills training, Braille and other communication skills training, music therapy, and arts and crafts. Transportation is provided to and from the Center from any part of Washington DC. Phone: (202) 529-8701

families near and far up-to-date, and find, screen and monitor caregivers. Onetime consultation and care management services are available. Call for information on fees and subsidies. Phone: (202) 364-0020 Congregational Resources Seabury’s Congregational Resources provides guidance for Episcopal and United Church of Christ congregations as they develop programs, services, and share resources with older adults and caregivers. Phone: (202) 414-6316

Seabury Connector* Seabury Connector provides transportation to medical and public benefit appointments for DC seniors 60+ 6 at no charge. Discounted taxi cab optiions are available as well as group trips and d information on other transportation options. Phone: (202) 727-7771 * A part of the Senior Services Nettwork supported by the DC Office on Aging

WASHINGTON, DC Aging and Disability Resource Centers* Services include home-delivered meals and group meal sites, nutrition counseling and education, and case management and support for caregivers, and social, recreational and wellness activities. Ward 5: Phone: (202) 529-8701 Ward 6: Phone: (202) 397-1726 Age-In-Place® Age-In-Place coordinates volunteers to provide yard work and house cleaning service to older adults living in Washington’s Wards 4 and 5. Phone: (202) 635-9384, ext. 105

H I S TORY OF

METRO AREA SERVICES InfoLine (202) 364-0020 Call for free information, assistance and referral to the appropriate Seabury or other community program. Care Management Care Management provides professional guidance and support for older adults and their families / caregivers. Seabury Care Managers listen to your concerns and explain the options, guide decision-making, coordinate medical providers, keep

The Seabury Age-In-Place team celebrates.

Community y Programs g

1995: Seabury begins to focus on the development of services for and by older adults in congregations and the community. The first educational forums on aging issues are offered to the community and the first annual volunteer recognition “Senior Celebrations” are held. 1996: Seabury’s care management service begins to provide counsel and professional guidance to older adults and their families.

2000: Seabury coordinates volunteer assistance with housecleaning and yard work through the Age-In-Place program. 2007: The first Leadership in Aging Awards are presented to recognize innovative leaders in aging services. 2009: Seabury partners with the DC Office on Aging to provide a broad range of services to older adults and caregivers in Washington’s Ward 5 and operates the Senior Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

2012: Seabury assumes management of Seabury Connector providing critical transportation to Washington’s older adults. 2013: Seabury begins work as the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Ward 6. 2014: Seabury celebrates its 90th year of service to the Washington community.

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Seabury Resources for Aging

Join us at a special 90th anniversary

Leadership In Aging Celebration

HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR SENIORS

J U N E 1 , 4 : 3 0 P. M . AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB Honoring: Donna M. Butts, Executive Director, Generations United Donna Butts, Executive Director of Generations United, recognizes the power and potential of intergenerational relationships. Generations Unitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to improve the lives of youth and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs for the enduring benefit for all. An internationally sought-after speaker, author and advocate, Ms. Butts frequently speaks on intergenerational connections, grandparents raising grandchildren and policies effective across the lifespan. In 2013, Ms. Butts was named to the NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50 for the second year in a row. For her work as a champion of the development and expansion of policies and programs bringing children, youth and older adults together, Seabury is honored to present its 2014 Leadership in Aging Award to Ms. Donna M. Butts.

Kevin Sexton, President and CEO, Holy Cross and President of the Maryland Region of CHE Trinity Health Under Mr. Sextonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, Holy Cross has been a pioneer in senior health services. This includes the development of the first Seniors Emergency Department i n the U.S., a Seniors Surgery Center, and an Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) program. Holy Cross also participates in the national Senior Health Initiative, NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders). In addition, Holy Cross offers numerous home and community based fitness/wellness and disease prevention and management programs specifically for seniors. Mr. Kevin Sexton is a recipient of Seaburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 Leadership in Aging Award in recognition for his groundbreaking role in developing model health services for older adults.

Ian Kremer, Executive Director, Leaders Engaged on Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease (LEAD) Mr. Kremer is leading the fight against Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease on Capitol Hill. Mr. Kremer is the first Executive Director of LEAD, a national coalition of organizations including non-profits, foundations, trade and professional associations, academic and clinical institutions, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The coalition works to focus the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic attention on Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease and related disorders and to accelerate progress in care and support, detection and diagnosis, and research leading to prevention, effective treatment and eventual cure. Before joining LEAD, Mr. Kremer worked for the Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association with a focus on policy issues. For his work in focusing federal policy attention on Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, Mr. Ian Kremer has been selected to receive Seaburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 Leadership in Aging Award.

Tickets $125 for individuals/ $225 for a couple Purchase at www.seaburyresources.org or by mailing to Seabury Resources for Aging, 4201 Butterworth Pl, NW, Washington DC 20016. Sponsorships are available, contact Greg Wagner, (202) 414-6313, gwagner@seaburyresources.org.

Faces of Friendship !"#$%&"'()'"!"*)+"&)'",+"'(&"-,+,+."/$$01"2)#3"'$")"/&4')5/)+'1"$/"*$$3",+"06")7)/'0&+'89 - !"#$%&'()*+!,, resident since 2007 Jean met her husband, a native of Puerto Rico, in Washington, D.C. while he was working at the White House. They would later move to his home country where he worked for the Navy and Jean served as a middle school principal. As his health began to decline, Jean made plans to move back to D.C. She was happy to find Friendship Terrace, which stood out to her because of the peaceful neighborhood location.

VOLUNTEER More than 3500 volunteers choose Seabury each year. Volunteers are needed for direct service through the Age-In-Place program, at our community sites in Wards 5 and 6, and at Seabury Senior Living communities. Volunteer members of Seaburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board, advisory councils and event committees provide valuable guidance, insight and support to make Seabury the trusted leader in aging services. Phone: (202) 414-6312 Email: volunteer@ seaburyresources.org

CONTRIBUTE Through the support of the Washington community Seabury provides affordable or free services to the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s older adults and caregivers. Please support us through a gift, workplace pledge, or by naming Seabury in your will or estate planning. Phone: (202) 414-6312

Senior Living,in the Heart of it All Be a part of the heartbeat of progress and make the move to Springvale Terrace. Our $5 million dollar renovation on project j ct is underway, enhancing lives in the Heart of Silverr Spring Spring. An affordable alternative to traditional assisted sisted li living ng, oour unique Enhanced Living program providess seniors niors w with per personal care re services in an active, friendly comm muniity. But ut if assi ssiisted ted livingg is what you or your loved one requirees we w h have ve the q quallity care yoou u are looking for.

Call us today about immediate move-in opportunities and to schedule your personal tour.

202-244-7400 TRS 711 www.friendshipterrace.com Call today to schedule a tour.

301-587-0190

(TRS 711)

!"#$%&'()*+,+$$)-+!-./010234305#$%&'()*+067!0105%*(+$05#$%&'809:

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Careers Volunteers &

Did you (or someone you know) change careers, start a business or go back to school after retirement? Please share your story. Email info@theBeaconNewspapers.com or call Barbara at (301) 949-9766.

Long-time volunteers honored for service By Barbara Ruben People start out from, and follow, very different paths in life. But sometimes two people’s lives can circle around and end up in the same place. So it is with Joseph Howard and Mona Negm, two Montgomery County residents with very different childhoods and interests, who will be honored this month with 2014 Neal Potter Path of Achievement awards for their life-long efforts on behalf of others. The annual awards honor two county residents age 60 or older whose lifetime of volunteer service and local commitment make them outstanding role models for young and old alike. The awards honor Potter’s memory, and will be presented at the Montgomery Serves Awards event in late April. Potter, who died in 2008, was Montgomery County executive from 1990 to 1994, a county councilman and activist.

An advocate for diversity When she was 17 and living in her native Egypt, Mona Negm married a boy she had never met before and immigrated to the United States. “I had led a very sheltered life, and thought I was going to Hollywood,” said Negm, who came to the U.S. in 1960. “I was like Doris Day singing ‘Que Sera, Sera.’ I thought it was going to be all high heels and lipstick, and that I would have a fantastic life.” What she found on the campus of the University of Illinois, where her husband

was a Ph.D. student, was very different and difficult — but it helped shape the work she still does today. “It was like living on the moon,” she recalled. “I couldn’t speak English. It was so far away [from home], and I felt all by myself. “People would make fun of me. They would speak to me with raised voices, as if they thought if only they spoke louder I could understand them. “This is why I do everything that I do,” Negm said of the panoply of activities she has engaged in to advance the needs of aging adults, particularly minorities. “I know it means a lot for someone to come forward and say that ‘it will be alright.’” Pazit Aviv, who works with Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services, is one of two people who nominated Negm for the Path of Achievement Award. “Mona Negm is often referred to by those who know her as ‘the angel.’ This wellearned title is largely due to her relentless work on behalf of those who have no voice: refugees, the elderly, the low-income ethnic minorities and women from developing countries,” Aviv wrote in the nomination. Her other nominator, Rashid Makhdoom, president of the Muslim Community Center, said Negm is popularly known there as “Momma Mona” because she’s “the kind of person you would love to have as a mother or sister.”

Moving to Washington When Negm’s husband (to whom she

has been married for 54 years) got a job at the University of the District of Columbia, the Negms moved to Washington, D.C., and she began school in social work. An adviser thought Negm would excel at working in gerontology. So Negm started volunteering at a senior center in Washington that served primarily low-income African Americans. She observed that the participants weren’t very active or social. So Negm persuaded several of her Egyptian friends to teach a belly dancing class at the center. “It was the most popular physical activity. The men would get their hair all slicked up and put cologne on and get dressed up. Things started really swinging,” she said, and the seniors formed both new friendships and romances with others at the center. Negm moved on to a job creating a program for seniors in the City of Rockville, working primarily with low-income residents. When she asked her boss how she could get more funding for them, she was told to start knocking on doors. Negm took the advice quite literally and marched into the office of the director of the U.S. Administration on Aging. “The guy looked at me and said, ‘You’re either extremely green or extremely shrewd,’” she recalled. It was probably a bit of both, because Negm walked out with a $75,000 grant. Negm, who is 72 and lives in Silver Spring, spent much of her career working with diversity programs at AARP and the

Mona Negm World Bank, and has volunteered extensively helping refugees find resources for food, jobs and housing. After retirement, Negm started volunteering for older adults who are Muslim, initiating a program for seniors at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring. She brings in speakers on health, housing and other issues, and has built up a list of more than 400 to whom newsletters on resources are emailed. See VOLUNTEERS, page 36

Volunteers & Careers | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Volunteers

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

ping one God, believing in all the good things on this Earth.”

Douglass at the U.S. Capitol last year. Howard, now 83, started his career as the

From page 35 Traditionally, many Muslims have counted on their children to take care of them as they age. But in the United States, families are often scattered, and many local seniors need to rely on help from the larger community. Negm sometimes has a difficult time convincing them to ask for assistance. She works with the nonprofit group Senior Connection, which provides transportation to older adults through volunteers. Negm recruited volunteers from the Muslim Community Center to help give rides, hoping that older adults in her community would be encouraged to accept their help. Negm also works to ameliorate prejudice of Muslims through the community center’s programs for all ages. “Stereotyping is so awful. The interfaith activities we do are so essential. We invite the general community and get them to recognize us as one community worship-

The great outdoors Joe Howard’s affinity for trees began when he was growing up in Talbot County, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. “I spent a lot of time in trees as a boy. It was World War II, and I’d watch for enemy airplanes,” he said. And he had a soft spot for Tarzan as well. Howard also lived near the massive Wye Oak tree, the largest white oak tree in the U.S. He was awestruck by its age (about 460 years old when it was felled during a thunderstorm in 2002) and its size (a circumference of nearly 32 feet). Today, his Silver Spring yard is home to the largest river birch tree in Montgomery County, his door mat reads Save a Tree, and his front door has a large carving of a tree on it, made by sculptor Steven Weitzman decades before he was commissioned to create the statue of Frederick

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principal of a small elementary school in Talbot County, soon moving to Montgomery County, where he also worked as a principal. He was promoted to the position of supervisor of curriculum and instruction for the county. Forty years ago, he instituted the county-wide outdoor education program in which sixth grade students spend three days and nights each year learning about the environment at the Smith Center in Rockville. During this time, Howard worked with his friend Neal Potter to create the Montgomery County Conservation Corps, which helped give direction to youths who had dropped out of school or were searching for meaning. Through the Corps, they could explore work in the outdoors by building trails, planting trees and helping the environment. “When they get outdoors, these socalled problem kids aren’t problem kids at all,” Howard said. After Howard retired from the Smith Center in 1989, he established and still manages the county’s Champion Tree Program, which records the largest tree of each species in the county. He hikes through forests, yards and suburban side streets measuring up to 50 trees a day for the program. “We have four national tree champions in the county. I didn’t expect that. Everyone thinks it’s wall-to-wall houses in Montgomery County,” he said. In addition, he cleans up the meandering Sligo Creek Parkway by bike, and takes people on tours of the park in Silver Spring. He recently led a tour for which he expected just a few people, but 42 showed up. “I don’t ever get tired of trees,” he said. “It’s like visiting old friends. The only sad part is every year you lose some of them.” Kimberly Knox, who works for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, nominated Howard for the award, saying, “Like his friend and former colleague, Neal Potter, Joe Howard’s vision, leadership and steadfast work have crafted the environment of Montgomery County for over 50 years.” The Path of Achievement awards are presented in partnership with the Montgomery County Commission on Aging and the Beacon Newspapers. The winners will be celebrated at the Montgomery Serves Awards on April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. For more information, or for free tickets for the ceremony, see www.montgomeryserves.org/montgomery-serves-awards2014 or call (240) 777-2600. Seating is limited.

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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

Send a letter to the editor. See page 2.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Arnold From page 1 During those years, she fell in love and married her husband Douglas, a historian working for the federal government. They moved from Connecticut to Washington, D.C. to accommodate his job. “It was a big adjustment,” she said, as she had lived in Connecticut for 30 years. In Washington, Arnold discovered that many aspiring artists like herself were struggling. She had been selling her own work and was familiar with the problems that many artists face. Even the most talented can find it difficult to make a living out of their passion. Arnold had the idea of applying some 12-step principles to the problem. So, with some of her artist friends, she formed an artists’ support group in 1992. The group was initially formed to enable artists to share “tips and tricks” with each other, but it grew to become a practical platform for artists to gain exposure. Members used their mutual connections and teamwork to exhibit their work through annual shows. They raised the funds, rented the exhibition space, and charged a small entrance fee. The artists came to recognize the value of the exposure, instead of looking for profit alone. “We operated out of my apartment. There was no overhead,” she said. “We worked on a part-time, volunteer basis and only raised money for our expenses, like

our newsletter, mailings and exhibitions. I didn’t get a salary.” The group’s idea spread beyond the United States, and chapters with a similar structure followed in Australia and Denmark. For many years, Arnold served as executive director of the International Artists’ Support Group (IASG), and then on its advisory board. Even while pursuing success as an artist, Arnold began to return to her sales roots, taking a position at the age of 64 as an outside sales representative for a local Sir Speedy printing franchise. “For a long time, my heart was with art. I didn’t want to admit that [sales] is where my skills lay,” she confessed. For a while, she juggled her job responsibilities with her role at IASG. Eventually she found it too much of a commitment to remain in both, and left the artists’ group. At Sir Speedy, Arnold was hired to help the new owner expand his client base. Outside sales involves a lot of travel, and Arnold found herself more active than ever. “I ran all over the District, taking the Metro or the bus. I met the clients and got the printing jobs. “Sure I got tired,” she said, “but it was invigorating.” By her retirement at age 71, Arnold had gained Sir Speedy more than 500 clients, notably Georgetown Hospital, George Washington University Hospital and the Embassy of Australia.

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Arnold

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From page 37

Colesville Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver meals to

“I loved it the first time,” she said. Despite loving it less and less on her second and third dives, she has no regrets. She admitted feeling frightened the second time, and did the third one to prove she’d conquered her fear. “I wouldn’t go again, though,” she laughed. Arnold has also stayed busy volunteering, which mainly consists of event planning. Over the holidays, she organized and ran a sing-along for the Washington, D.C. branch of the English Speaking Union, a nonprofit aimed at scholarship and success through the use of the English language. They frequently sponsor cultural and educational programs for their students and teachers. She has also continued her relationship with the initial 12-step program she attended in Connecticut that helped her all those years ago. She sponsors several members of the group, staying in touch via Skype —

the homebound in the Colesville, Woodmoor, Calverton, Four Corners, Burnt Mills, White Oak and Burtonsville areas of Silver Spring, Md. Meals are delivered Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. For more information, call Becky at (240) 583-0728.

Ongoing

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

RESPITE CARE VOLUNTEERS IN FAIRFAX Respite care volunteers give family caregivers of a frail older adult a break so they can go shopping, attend a doctor’s appointment,

or even have coffee with a friend. Volunteers visit and oversee the safety of the older adult for a few hours each month. Support and training are provided. For more information, contact Kristin Martin at (703) 324-7577, TTY 711, or Kristin.Martin@fairfaxcounty.gov.

the free online service that allows video chat and messaging. Arnold’s husband shares her love of adventure and travel. They recently returned from a South African safari, where they explored Cape Town and Robben Island. The couple enjoyed the warm sun, a welcome break from this year’s unusually cold winter. They also stay in shape by ballroom dancing. “We don’t dance competitively,” she said. “We just do it for the fun of it.” Arnold credits the fire all those years ago as an inspiration to stay active and value the help and support of others. “I gained the ability to ask for help. I had a team of people taking care of me,” she noted. Today, Arnold continues to rely on many people to help her stay active and connected. Along with her support group, she works with a dietician, her trainer and a spiritual advisor. “My project now is me,” she said. “As long as I take care of my body and can physically do things, the world is open to me.”

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The Senior Connection is looking for volunteers to escort and assist seniors with grocery shopping in Montgomery County. Volunteers are assigned one senior to work with and should be willing to commit to a minimum of six months. For more information, call (301) 962-0820, ext. 14.

INTRO TO LINKEDIN

Apr. 9

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Volunteers & Careers

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

PRE-REGISTRATION FOR JOB SEEKERS.

FREE

ADMISSION & PARKING!

50+ EMPLOYMENT EXPO RETOOL, RECHARGE, REINVENT

Monday, May 12, 2014, 10am-3pm Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda, Maryland Easy access via the Metro Red Line – White Flint metro stop.

Over 50 & Looking for a New Job?

Be sure not to miss Keynote Speaker:

BOB LEVEY is a prize-winning journalist who has covered the Washington scene since the Johnson Administration. For 23 years, he wrote a daily column, “Bob Levey’s Washington,” for e Washington Post.

Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, Surfing the Net for Jobs, Changing Careers, OnlineApplications, and much more!

PLUS MANY:

COMMUNITY RESOURCES!

Recruiters from dozens of employers, including nonprofits, government, healthcare, retail, technology and more! SEMINARS: Online Applications Changing Careers CONTINUING EDUCATION: Job Training Information

RESUME HELP: Resume Assistance and Critiques INTERNET SEARCHES: How to Surf the Net for a Job Website Lists

Looking for experienced, responsible employees? Montgomery County is home to one of the most educated and experienced workforces in the country. Filling your vacancies with these mature workers can raise your productivity and reduce expenses. • • • • •

Free recruiter registration and table Free employer name listed in the Beacon Newspaper Free employer name listed in program Potential employees with resumes in hand Great employer exposure for your organization

For more information or accommodations, e-mail mgordon@AccessJCA.org or call 301-255-4209 JCA® – The Jewish Council for the Aging® – thanks our sponsors:

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50+

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

10:00 a.m.

GRAND BALLROOM FOYER Welcome by David Gamse, CEO of JCA - The Jewish Council for the Aging Opening Ceremony by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and other dignitaries Presentation of the Montgomery County "Experience Counts" Awards

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

GRAND BALLROOM D & E Meet Employer Recruiters – Meet representatives and obtain information about job opportunities from local employers.

Community Resources – Find out what Montgomery County services are available. Learn about volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits where you can try out a new job, build your resumé and use your skills while helping people in need. Discover valuable training programs.

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

BALLROOMS F & G Resume Place – Review your resume one-on-one with a professional who will advise you regarding layout, completeness, consistency, relevance and word choices – 15 minutes per person.

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

BALLROOM H Internet Café (no food served) Need to apply for a job online or just want to learn the basics of searching for a job online? Computer coaches will assist you on one of 10 computers.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

WHITE FLINT (Lower Level) Keynote Speaker: Bob Levey, Prize-winning journalist

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. &

BALLROOMS B, C, Great Falls, Middlebrook, Oakley,

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Linden Oaks & Timberlawn Concurrent Seminars offered at 12:30 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.

Ballroom B Ballroom C Great Falls (Lower Level) Middlebrook (Lower Level) Oakley (Lower Level) Linden Oaks (Lower Level) Timberlawn (Lower Level)

1. AARP – Life Reimagined 2. LinkedIn 3. Volunteering As A Strategy To Employment 4. Smart Interview Strategies For The Older Job Seeker 5. Digital World To Advance Your Career 6. Success Bites: The Building Blocks To Selling Yourself 7. Entrepreneurship

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

50+

EMPLOYERS & RESOURCES

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Volunteers & Careers

years have included: Exhibitors over the last two Cotton Tree Nursing Agency RESOURCES EMPLOYERS CVS* AARP* Circle A Wider Greater Washington* Educational Systems Federal 40 Plus of Aflac* Credit Union Aging in Place/Falls Prevention* Alignstaffing Family & Nursing Care for the Aging Group* Arts Insurance Altar Design* Farmers DC Central Kitchen Asbury Methodist Village* Hammond Law, LLC Driving Moms & Dads Athena Consulting LLC Holy Cross Hospital* Graduate School USA* Avon* Instead Senior Care* Home Hammond Law, LLC* A Wider Circle* For Fall Prevention Infinity Business & Concierge Home Improvements Belcan Corporation Services, NIA* IDEAL Study, Bright LLC Horizons Family Solutions* Kelly Government Solutions at the NIH* Jewish Council for the Aging* Cabi Clothing Agency Leaf Guard Jewish Social Service Care For You LegalShield* Kangen Water* Cartridge on Wheels Livesmart 360* Community Service Korean Center Congressional Bank LMS Recruiting Lifelong Learning Institute, LTLCS Services* Workforce Development & Continung Macy’s* Education / Montgomery College Manpower Literacy Council of Montgomery of Human Maryland Deptartment County* Resources Maryland Department of Human Maryland Live Casino Resources* Greater Mass Mutual of Maryland Insurance Administration* Washington* Montgomery County Aging & Montgomery County Government* Disability Services Motionsoft Inc. Montgomery of County Department Montgomery County National Older Worker Career Health & Human Services* Center* Executive Montgomery County Public

will open Ike Leggett Expo the 2014

Nerium AD Options for Senior America* Peace Corps Premier Designs Jewelry* Associates* Primerica/Cianflone Qiagen* Roy Rogers Restaurants* Safeway Inc. Sandy Spring Bank* Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital/Johns Medicine* Silpada Designs* SNI Companies* Social Scientific Systems Transforming Life Ministries, Inc. Ultimate Staffing Viridian Energy Weichert Realtors* Wells Fargo Bank*

“There a lot of eager are jobseekers representing a

of skills and wide array backgrounds – that is the most exciting part.”

PARTIAL LIST

Libraries Montgomery County Life Long Learning Institute* Montgomery County Recreation Department Montgomery County Volunteer Center / RSVP* SCORE Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)* Social Security Administration The Beacon* The Senior Connection The Transition Network* Capital Business* The Washington Post, Top Banana United Way of the National Captal Area Encore Vamoose Bus / Senior Vital Living Network* Westat – National Institute on Aging

* Registered for the 2014 Expo as of March 25. IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYER AND WOULD LIKE TO RECRUIT AT THIS EVENT, CONTACT MICKI GORDON AT 301.255.4209 or MGORDON@ACCESSJCA.ORG FREE BOOTH SPACE. FOR

Volunteers & Careers | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

MAP OF EXPO

PRE-REGISTRATION FOR JOB SEEKERS.

Bob Levey

Employers Tables to the right, Community Resources Tables to the left

JCA suggests that you bring 5 copies of your resumé. Come dressed to impress!

Note: FREE to all employers - to register, contact Micki Gordon at 301-255-4209 or mgordon@AccessJCA.org

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money Law &

INVESTING FOR THE LONG TERM Keeping a large portion of retirement savings in stocks allows for growth INVESTMENT REPORT PRIMER A lexicon for learning to read a company’s annual 10-K report TRY BEFORE YOU BUY Buying online? Try on glasses, shoes, clothes and more for free THE MOTHER OF INVENTION Familiar companies, like 3M and General Electric, are also innovators

Don’t be mislead by funds’ 5-year returns By Stan Choe Fabulous can have a flip side. It’s something investors should remember as mutual funds’ five-year return figures grow more eye-popping by the day. Many funds have more than doubled over that time, but that’s due in part to the calendar hitting the five-year anniversary of the March 9, 2009 bottom for the market. That means the darkest days of the financial crisis are no longer counted in fiveyear returns, leaving only the recovery that sent the Standard & Poor’s 500 index to a record high. The anniversary was a key milestone because many potential investors scrutinize a fund’s five-year record when deciding whether to buy a fund. It’s important, though, to put those stellar performance numbers in context and to temper expectations. Market conditions are stacked against both stock and bond mutual funds having such strong returns over the coming five years, analysts say. Plus, some of the funds with the best five-year returns led the pack because they focused on the riskiest investments. Many conservative managers, meanwhile, got left behind in the bull market. To see how big (and potentially misleading) the numbers are, check the performance of the largest mutual fund by assets. Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index fund (VTSMX) has a five-year annualized return of 23.2 percent, according to Morningstar. At the end of 2012, its five-year an-

nualized return was 2.2 percent. To be sure, investors already have some experience with this effect. Something similar happened with funds’ three-year returns in early 2012. A fund’s three- and five-year returns are typically the numbers that average investors find most important, said David Mertens, a principal at Jensen Investment Management. Its mutual funds include Jensen Quality Growth (JENSX), which has Morningstar’s gold medal analyst rating. Mertens would prefer that investors give greater weight to a fund’s returns over 10 years or even longer. But “people tend to buy what’s just happened,” he said. “People buy yesterday’s story.” Before you invest, here are some key considerations to put that story in perspective:

the prior 10 years, adjusting for inflation. By that measure, the S&P 500 in March 2009 was at its cheapest level in 23 years. Now, it’s nearly twice that level and back above its average since World War II. That suggests future gains for stocks won’t come from a further rise in price-earnings ratios as much as from growth in earnings. This year, analysts forecast earnings per share for S&P 500 companies to rise 7.9 percent. For bond funds, strategists are more pessimistic given expectations that inter-

est rates will rise from their relatively low levels. Five years ago, the yield on the 10year Treasury note was 3 percent and on its way down. Falling interest rates help bond mutual funds because they push up prices for existing bonds. Now, the 10-year Treasury’s yield is below 2.7 percent, but strategists say it’s on its way up. Many bond mutual funds in 2013 had their first down year in more than a decade amid rising interest rates. See 5-YEAR RETURNS, page 45

Repeat performance doubtful Stocks are unlikely to rise as dramatically, in part because they don’t look as cheap as they did in 2009. One popular way to measure whether a stock is expensive is to divide the price of a stock by its earnings per share over the last 12 months. Robert Shiller, a professor at Yale University and one of the winners of the Nobel Prize in economics last year, takes it a step further. He thinks it’s misleading to look at just one year because earnings can surge or drop in an economic cycle. To smooth out distortions, he looks at the S&P 500’s level versus its average earnings per share over

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

How to be a successful long-term investor I have frequently emphasized the importance of a diversified portfolio and of having a significant portion of common stocks in your portfolio, even in retirement. Although I have been retired for 18 years, I still maintain about half of my portfolio in some form of common stocks — either the shares themselves or mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In a prior column, I recommended Stocks for the Long Run by Jeremy Siegel (McGraw-Hill) for investors who wanted to invest in common stocks. Siegel is a professor of finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has revised and updated the book, now in its 5th edition. I have reviewed the latest edition, and I believe it contains valu-

able information for investors who expect to continue to invest in the stock market. In this edition, Siegel analyzes the economies of China and India, and provides information that will provide guidance for investing in these economies. He devotes a lot of attention to global markets, discussing the nature and size of these markets and sharing his long-term projections. He also emphasizes the importance of including global investments in your portfolio.

Guidelines for growth The most important chapter for most investors takes up the subject of structuring a portfolio for long-term growth. Siegel specifies guidelines for successful investing, which requires maintaining a long-term

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focus and a disciplined investment strategy. have the same diversification as a large inHere are some of the principles he rec- vestor in the same fund. ommends, with my commenA good example of this tary. principle in action is the track • Keep your expectations record of a broad-based fund in line with history: Over the such as Vanguard’s Total last two centuries, stocks have Stock Market Index Fund Inreturned between 6 and 7 pervestor Shares (which I have cent after inflation, including invested in for many years), re-invested dividends. Furtherand which returned approximore, stocks have sold at an mately 30 percent in 2013. average price/earnings (P/E) • Invest at least oneratio of about 15. third of your equity portfoTHE SAVINGS In the future, he points out, GAME lio in international stocks, there may be reasons that the By Elliot Raphaelson specifically those not based in stock market may rise to a the United States. Siegel cauhigher P/E ratio than 15, tions investors not to oversuch as lower transaction costs and lower weigh your portfolio in high growth counbond returns. tries whose P/E ratio exceeds 20. A good rule to remember when you are • Tilt your portfolio toward value projecting the future is “the rule of 72.” If stocks by buying passive indexed portfoyou divide 72 by the expected total annual lios of value stocks. Siegel points out that return, the result is the number of years value stocks, which have lower P/E ratios for your investment to double in value. and higher dividend yields, have had betThus, an 8 percent return will double your ter results and lower risk than growth investment in nine years. stocks. I agree completely. I have consis• Stock returns are much more sta- tently invested in this type of index fund, ble in the long run than in the short and the results have been very good. run: Investments in stocks will help you • Establish firm rules to keep your compensate for future inflation; bond invest- portfolio on track. Siegel devotes a chapments will not. There will be years in which ter to discussing the common psychological pitfalls that cause poor market perthe overall stock market will be negative. That should not prevent you from main- formance. It is too tempting to buy when taining a significant portion of stocks in your everyone is bullish and sell when everyportfolio following a fall in stock prices. In- one is bearish. vestors who bailed out of stocks completely Worried that the stock market is due for following the stock market fall in 2008 found a correction? Siegel offers the following it very difficult to get back in the stock mar- guidance for 2014: “This bull market is not over, although ket, and as a result they missed excellent regains won’t be as large as 2013. Stock returns in the last few years. • Invest the largest percentage of turns likely to average 6 percent to 7 peryour stock portfolio in low-cost stock cent over the next three to five years.” index funds. This may be one of the best Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions recommendations, especially for investors and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by who don’t have a huge portfolio. In this way, even if you have a small portfolio, you Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

5-year returns From page 43

Last five years have rewarded risk The top-performing stock fund over the last five years has been the Direxion Monthly NASDAQ-100 Bull 2x fund (DXQLX), which has a 60.7 percent annu-

alized return. But it’s not what most people would consider a core investment. The fund is meant more for short-term traders than long-term investors. It uses leverage in its attempt to double the monthly results of the Nasdaq 100 index, before fees and expenses. While that supercharges gains when the market is strong, it

How to read a company’s annual 10-K report If you own stock in a U.S. corporation, you have probably received a copy of its Form 10-K — the annual filing required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Don’t be put off by the form’s intimidating appearance. There is important information in there you might want to be familiar with. Here, we highlight some key sections — and what to focus on in each. Business. The first part of the 10-K provides a thorough look at what the firm does or makes, its divisions, and where its products are made and sold. It also gives information on key customers and competitors, and where the company stands in its industry. Risk factors. Listed in order of importance, these are the factors that may adversely affect the company’s business. Much of this section may seem obvious, such as P&G’s disclosure that “our businesses face cost fluctuations and pressures that could affect our business results.” But read carefully and you may ferret out less-obvious risks, such as a disproportionate share of sales coming from a single product or customer. Management’s discussion and analysis. In Part II of the 10-K, the company reports and analyzes its performance over the past year compared with the previous year’s results. Income statement. This is a basic report of sales, expenses and profits. Ideally, you want to see a trend of rising sales and earnings. A 10-K typically shows three years of results, as well as

a five-year summary in the section called “Selected Financial Data.” Focus on the trend in net earnings rather than earnings per share, in part because share buybacks, which cut the number of outstanding shares, can skew earnings per share and thus camouflage a drop in overall profits. Balance sheet. This is a snapshot of the company’s assets (such as cash and inventory) and its liabilities (such as outstanding debt). Zero in on how much long-term debt the firm carries and whether retained profits — the earnings a company reinvests in its business — have grown in each of the past three years. Notes to financial statements. To some people, the 10-K notes matter as much as the statements. That’s because Note 1 describes the accounting methods used to prepare the financial statements. If a company has made a change to its methodology from the previous year, that renders a comparison of the current year’s financial statements with the previous year’s useless. Auditor’s report. Look for this key sentence: “In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly...the financial position of the company.” That means the company has honestly described its finances over the past year to the best knowledge of the accounting firm that is auditing the 10-K. — Nellie S. Huang, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

also accelerates losses during downturns. The fund lost 82.8 percent in 2008. The reward for risk taking can also be seen among target-date mutual funds, which many savers depend on for their retirement accounts. These funds own mostly stocks when an investor’s retirement date is far off, and automatically migrate toward bonds as the date nears. But some have less in stocks than others, even if they’re targeted at the same year of retirement. The Wells Fargo Advantage Dow Jones Target 2025 fund, for example, is more conservative. That’s why it’s in the bottom 3 percent of its peer group for five-year returns.

But in 2008, its greater emphasis on bonds helped to cushion the stock market’s losses, and it was in the category’s top 7 percent. The good news is that investors don’t have to look back too far to see how a fund manager performed in a variety of markets, according to David Lafferty, chief market strategist for Natixis Global Asset Management. It has $867.2 billion in assets under management. Since the late ‘90s, stocks have undergone three bull markets (the dot-com boom, the housing bubble, and the most recent recovery for stocks) and two bear markets (the dot-com bust and the financial crisis). — AP

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Online retailers let you try before you buy By Joseph Pisani The fitting room is coming to your home. Some online retailers that sell jeans, eyeglasses and shoes are shipping their products to customers for free to try on at home before buying them. It’s a way for newer online brands to hook potential customers. A credit card is needed, but nothing is charged unless the items aren’t returned on time. The limit for how long you can keep items is usually about a week. Shipping is free both ways, and there’s no obligation to buy anything. Most of the companies tend to sell higher-priced items. It’s in some ways a much slower way to

shop. You have to wait for the box to arrive, which can take days, and then arrange to send items back if you don’t like anything. But online retailers say it works for busy professionals and others who can’t make it to a store or need help trying things on. “Our customers tend to have more money than time,” said Rob Wright, the founder of Bungalow Clothing, which sells high-end women’s clothing online and ships boxes of clothes for free for 10 days. Wright said customers like trying on items at home because they can see if they match with the jackets or shoes they already have in their closet.

No pressure to buy And being at home can be more comfortable than an in-store fitting room. “There’s no pushy salesperson and no funky lighting,” said Wright. Eric Clark agreed. “Stores are annoying. They try to upsell everything,” he said. Clark, who owns a tutoring company called Quincy Tutoring in Massachusetts, used to buy his prescription glasses from brick-and-mortar stores. That changed last spring when he stumbled upon Warby Parker, an online seller of eyeglasses, on social media site Twitter. “I had never even heard of them,” Clark said. He gave Warby Parker a try after seeing that the company would send him five pairs of frames to try on at home for free. When he received the glasses, he snapped photos of himself wearing them and uploaded them to photo-sharing app Instagram. His friends told him which ones they liked best, and he ended up buying two pairs for about $300. If you plan to try out one of these retailers, make sure you read the rules carefully first. You don’t want to keep items for longer than allowed or you’ll have to pay for stuff you don’t want. And if you damage an item, you’ll pay for it. When asked to enter a card number, use a credit card instead of a debit card. Some of the sites will put a hold of different amounts on your account, which is later removed, to verify that your card works. You don’t want that hold to potentially bounce a check against your checking account.

Here are some of the companies that offer free home try-on programs: Clothing and bras: There are a couple of clothing retailers to check out. One is www.bluerdenim.com. Denim, which sells American-made premium jeans for $98 and more, ships up to three pairs that you can try on at home for seven days. Bungalow Clothing, www.bungalowclothing.com, which sells everything from $200 jeans to $700 leather jackets, lets you text the company when you’re ready to ship the box back, and they’ll arrange for FedEx to pick it up. Women can try bras at home, too. True & Co., https://trueandco.com, which sells bras that average around $25, allows women to try up to five at home for five days. Glasses: There are also a few eyeglass sellers to choose from. The glasses that Warby Parker, www.warbyparker.com, sends out are samples that don’t have prescription lenses in them. So you’ll need to send them all back, and then the company will send you a fresh pair of the ones you want. Most prescription glasses cost about $95; sunglasses with a prescription lens cost more. Rivet & Sway, http://rivetandsway.com, which sells $169 glasses for women only, has a similar home try-on program. Made Eyewear, www.madeeyewear.com, makes the process a bit simpler, sending out glasses with the prescription you need, so you can keep the ones you want right See ONLINE RETAIL, page 47

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Consider shares in innovative companies By Anne Kates Smith If we knew what the next big thing was, we’d all make a fortune, right? Maybe the next-best thing for investors is to seek out the innovators. These are the companies that dream up the new things — or new ways to make them or get them to customers. You’ll find innovators in such esoteric fields as genomics and cloud computing, of course. But other innovators create products that may be as familiar to you as the office supplies in your desk drawer or the car in your garage. 3M (symbol MMM, $132). Since 1948, this industrial conglomerate has encouraged employees to spend 15 percent of their work time on their own projects. It was through one of these efforts that PostIt Notes came to be in the early 1970s. More recently, Popular Science named 3M’s Enhanced Combat Helmets one of the 100 best innovations of 2013. Investments in new products and manu-

facturing have pinched profit margins lately. Still, the company, which sells thousands of products ranging from special films for LCD displays to Scotch tape, hiked its quarterly dividend 35 percent in December, to 85.5 cents a share. The stock yields 2.6 percent. General Electric (GE, $25). GE has operations in everything from aviation and oil and gas to healthcare and home appliances. Analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch consider it the leader in building out the “industrial Internet.” The phrase, coined by GE, refers to networked machines embedded with sensors and other instruments that collect and analyze huge amounts of data in order to adjust the machines’ performance — even in real time. The company is also focusing on clean energy and is a dominant player in the wind-turbine business. The stock trades at 15 times estimated 2014 earnings (just a bit more than the overall U.S. stock market) and yields an attractive 3.4 percent.

Online retail

about $98 and up. Shoes that are shipped back have to be in their original condition. Zappos (www.zappos.com) sells men’s and women’s shoes (and women’s clothing). Unlike the above companies, Zappos charges you up front for your order, but shipping is free (no minimum order), and returns may be shipped free as well for up to one year from purchase, provided items are unworn and in original condition. That’s close to being an at-home try out. — AP

From page 46 then and send the rest back. Made Eyewear’s glasses start at $84. Shoes: There’s at least one women’s shoe company that offers at-home try outs. Brian James Footwear, www.brianjamesfootwear.com, will give you 12 days to try on up to five pairs of shoes for free. The company sells its own brand of boots, wedges, flats and sandals that sell for

Ford Motor (F, $15). Investors hammered Ford shares in December when the company warned that pretax profits in 2014 would be lower than 2013 levels as a result of the most aggressive product-launch schedule in its history. The carmaker also said that sluggish economies in Europe and South America put it behind schedule in meeting mid-decade financial goals. But investors overreacted, according to Morningstar analyst David Whiston. He thinks the stock’s fair value is about $26 per share, a whopping 69 percent above the current price. (Other analysts see the

stock trading at about $20 within a year.) Whiston said that Ford’s focus on quality is paying off. “Ford now makes cars that people actually want to own, instead of vehicles that are purchased only because of heavy incentives.” Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

A visit to Mount Airy, N.C., the birthplace of Andy Griffith and a model for Mayberry. See story on page 51.

Geyser and grizzly gazing in Yellowstone Mesmerized by a shallow, baby blue pond resembling a child’s finger painting, my friend Julia said, “I want to jump in the jacuzzi.” Tempting, but it’s a no-no. These are very hot spots that can scald humans and most animals. The hottest temperature recorded is 459 degrees Fahrenheit, 1,087 feet below the surface. You wonder how anything could live there, yet rangers say that the colors are created by microbes living in extreme conditions.

By Glenda C. Booth They spew, they gurgle, they boil, they froth. Some spurt, some burp, some suddenly erupt. Geyser-rich Yellowstone National Park is the land of hydrothermals and thermophiles, a geologist’s paradise, where deep forces inside the earth seem to both eke out and leap out at will. Early 19th century adventurers who happened upon the mysterious area, such as American author Washington Irving, told tales of “hidden fires, smoking pits, noxious steams, and the all-pervading smell of brimstone.” Old Faithful, which gurgles and steams steadily and jets out a 150-foot-or-so plume, is Yellowstone’s most famous geyser. But there are more than 10,000 thermal features in the park — geysers, hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles — making it the largest collection of hydrothermal features on the planet. Among them are scalding pools, hissing vents, bubbling chocolatecolored puddles, seething crevices, and squiggly streams that look like skim milk or runny scrambled eggs. In this land of extremes, each has its own “personality.” The magmatic heat that powered volcanic eruptions approximately two million, 1.3 million and 640,000 years ago, continues to power this broad cauldron of geologic activity. Rangers say that every year new hot springs and geysers appear and others become dormant.

A geological wonderland Established in 1872, 2.2 million-acre Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first national park and certainly qualifies as a “bucket list” candidate. It lies in northwest Wyoming, with one percent in Idaho and three percent in Montana. The Grand Loop Road, circling 142 miles inside the park, can be traveled in a day and a half, but full immersion in the Yellowstone experience takes several days. You will miss much of it if you don’t leave your car and set out on foot. The geyser basins — Norris, Porcelain, Upper and others — are other-worldly landscapes. Steam rises from seen and unseen holes, cracks and vents. Broad desertlike expanses are tinted with shades of turquoise, emerald, yellow, red and brown. Aquamarine, limey green and orange rivulets snake across what to Earthlings seems like Martian land.

Buffalo roam across a road in Yellowstone National Park. The park is also home to big horn sheep, grizzly bears, wolves, moose and antelope, not to mention its famous geysers.

Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States and one of the biggest in the world. Microbes in the hot spring produce the vibrant hues.

Geysers have names like the Morning Glory pool, Grand Prismatic Spring, Dragon’s Mouth, Sapphire Pool, Mustard Spring, Black Growler and Whirligig. All live up to their names. Even the glop, glop, glop of the mudpots bedazzle. This liquidy netherland tickles all the senses. Some exude a sulfury rotten-egg smell. Old Faithful spits out 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water every 60-100 minutes (a sign predicts eruption time), expelling steam, water and microbes on a more reliable “schedule” than any of the other big geysers. A circular bench attracts a regular audience of geyser watchers fixated on steamy wisps and puffs that spurt out, speed up, then become five-foot splashes, and climax into a roaring watery column reaching 106 to 184 feet and lasting one to five minutes. The person next to me commented, “It’s like someone pushed a button.”

Hot springs, frigid lake Mammoth Hot Springs is a staircase resembling a wedding cake with white frosting and skim milk flowing over the layers, one of the world’s best examples of limestone travertine terraces. Some formations look like soft, cottony mounds. Water constantly seeps over and down the layers. The volume of water remains relatively constant, but the terraces — like living sculptures — change constantly. Here, too, heat-

loving microorganisms flourish, creating tapestries of white, orange, green and tan. Visitors can climb to the top on a series of boardwalks. Bison and elk usually wander nearby. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a 20-mile-long canyon of yellow, pink and orange-brown cliffs that plunge down 1,200 feet on each side. Two waterfalls roar through the canyon. Visitors can get great views from overlooks along the rim. A new generation of lodgepole pines is replacing those destroyed by the 1988 fires that scorched 1.2 million acres in Yellowstone. Lodgepole pines are adapted to, and indeed depend on, the natural cycles of fire. Their pine codes release seeds, to start the next generation, only when temperatures reach 113 to 120 degrees. Yellowstone Lake — 20 miles long, 14 miles wide and 132 square miles of surface area — is North America’s largest mountain lake (Lake Tahoe is bigger, but lower). An 1869 visitor, David Folsom, described the lake’s “crystal waves dancing and sparkling in the sunlight as if laughing with joy for their wild freedom.” Even though the lake has 110 miles of shoreline, the National Park Service discourages swimming because summer water temperatures rarely get above 60 degrees. Interesting Yellowstone factoid: The See YELLOWSTONE, page 50

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Yellowstone From page 49 lake drains into the Gulf of Mexico, via the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Wowed by wildlife The Northeast section of the park, from Mammoth Hot Springs to the Northeast entrance, is the least visited part of Yellowstone, the quieter side. It has broad vistas, sagebrush-dotted valleys, fields and ponds. The area is a favorite place for spotting wildlife, including elk, moose, bears and sandhill cranes. Don’t miss the petrified tree. “Yellowstone animals are not tame,” National Park Service materials make clear. People have been gored by bison and elk. That aside, wildlife viewing is the lure of Yellowstone for many. At least 67 types of

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

mammals live in the park. The park’s grizzly bear population has rebounded, with probably around 700 in the region — the second-largest concentration in the lower 48 states. The park has black bears, too. Hikers beware: Always carry bear-repellent pepper spray. Bison graze and wander freely, often near people and buildings. While they can seem docile and tame, bison can sprint three times faster than people can run, say officials. Yellowstone is home to bighorn sheep, wolves and pronghorns. Pronghorns, America’s antelopes, can sprint 60 miles per hour. There are also bats, pikas, beavers, marmots, voles and porcupines. Brightly colored dragonflies swirl. Killdeer, a bird with a double banded “necklace,” nests on bare ground in the geyser basins. Its name reflects the sound

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of its call. Rangers can advise where to see wildlife and optimal times.

How to visit Yellowstone The towns of Cody and Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bozeman and Billings, Mont., and Idaho Falls, Idaho, have airports. The park has five entrance stations in Montana and Wyoming. See http://www.nps.gov/yell /planyourvisit/entrances.htm to plan your travel. United has flights from BaltimoreWashington International Airport to Jackson Hole in mid-May for around $550 round trip. You need a car to explore at your own pace. Some commercial companies provide bus tours in the park in summer. See http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/tr anspinpark.htm. From early November to early May, most park roads are closed. Services re-open in mid-May. Temperatures may be cool then. In the spring, rejuvenation is underway. Wildlife rear their young. Reddish baby bison emerge. Grizzlies are fresh out of hibernation, perhaps digging gophers out of holes. In June, wildflowers display their splendor. Summer is the most popular season to visit, when the geyser areas are without snow. Summer activities include fishing (permit required), hiking, horseback riding and wagon rides. Roads are often under construction and crammed with crawling, family-filled vehicles, as the curious scan for wildlife.

Fall weather can be unpredictable. The elk rut, or mating period, peaks in late September. Visitors may catch some antler wrestling and bugling as male elk try to establish dominance and attract females. Fall is also the height of migration of birds of prey. Winter transforms Yellowstone into broad snowy landscapes, with crisp temperatures and steaming geyser basins. Visitors can take snow coach tours. Winter can be optimal wolf-watching time because the wolves stand out against the snow. After being extirpated, there were no wolves in the park in 1994. Now, after they were reintroduced, there are over 300. For winter travel, thoroughly research Yellowstone and the National Park Service website for road conditions and services. The park has nine lodges and five reservation campgrounds. See www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com or call 1-866439-9375. The Old Faithful Inn, a national historic landmark that opened in 1904, brings the outside in, with its multi-story lobby of lodgepole pine, including twisted lodgepole supports, and an 85-foot stone fireplace. There are many lodging options outside the park in the gateway communities. Information is available at the four visitor centers in the park, online at www.nps.gov /yell and www.yellowstoneassociation.org, and by calling (406) 848-2400.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Step back in time to Andy Griffith’s home By Lisa Halvorsen Not long after I arrived in Mount Airy, N.C., I found myself in the back of a squad car. I didn’t know what to think when the sheriff informed me he was taking me downtown, but as we rumbled down Main Street past the Bluebird Diner, Floyd’s City Barber Shop and Snappy Lunch, I suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu, as if I had been here before. And, in a way, I had. My ride in the police car, a classic blackand-white 1963 Ford Galaxie 500, was courtesy of Squad Car Tours and had nothing to do with me breaking the law. Instead it was a unique introduction to the friendly community that inspired Mayberry — the setting for “The Andy Griffith Show” during its eight-year run in the 1960s. Mount Airy, birthplace of Griffith, has embraced its connection to the fictionalized town, where crime was seldom more serious than jaywalking and Sheriff Andy Taylor always had time for son Opie. It was a place where no one stayed a stranger for long, just like this modern-day town of 10,000 tucked against the foot of

the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Virginia state line.

an eclectic array of items from Griffith’s life. The collection begins with his early childhood, but the bulk of the collection features movie posters, props, photographs and other memorabilia from his movies and two major television shows — “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Matlock.” Cast members also donated items, including the salt-andpepper suit worn by Don Knotts, who was Deputy Barney Fife on the earlier series. The $3 museum admission ($5 with audio guide) includes access to two ex-

Andy Griffith slept here Andy, as he’s known locally, was born here in 1926 and lived in a modest two-bedroom, one-bathroom home at 711 E. Haymore St. — a favorite photo stop on the squad car tours. Available for overnight or weekly rentals through the local Hampton Inn, Andy’s Homeplace Bed and Breakfast is replete with ‘60s furnishings, right down to the vintage magazines on the coffee table and chenille coverlets on the beds. The late actor had his first brush with stardom in the 1930s on the stage at the Rockford Street School, just down the road from his boyhood home. The elementary school was later renovated into a community theatre and arts center and renamed the Andy Griffith Playhouse. A bronze TV Land statue of Andy and Opie “goin’ fishin’” stands near the playhouse and adjacent Andy Griffith Museum. The museum was a labor of love for boyhood friend Emmett Forrest, who amassed

hibits at the playhouse — the “Mayberry to Mount Airy” photo display, and an exhibit on the original Siamese twins, Eng and Chang Bunker, who resided in the area in the 19th century. If the playhouse is closed, the museum has a key. Admission also is good for the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall at the Earle Theatre on North Main Street, within easy walking distance of the museum. See MAYBERRY, page 52

PHOTO BY LISA HALVORSEN

Visitors to Mount Airy, N.C., birthplace of Andy Griffith and Mayberry’s alter ego, can take a tour of the town in a black-and-white 1963 squad car. The town pays homage to Griffith in many ways, including an Andy Griffith Museum and a bed and breakfast in his boyhood home.

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Mayberry From page 51

Forever Mayberry Betty Lynn, who played Barney’s girlfriend Thelma Lou on the show, stops by the museum on a regular basis to greet fans, pose for pictures and sign autographs. The genial octogenarian moved here from Los Angeles after attending Mayberry Days, which got its start more than 50 years ago. The annual four-day gathering in September of fans, lookalikes and actors from the show features music, big-screen airings of reruns, and an hour-long parade up Main Street. There’s even a pork chop sandwich-eating contest hosted by Snappy Lunch, which was mentioned, but never visited, on the TV show. Owner Charles Dowell tinkered with

the recipe, the diner’s signature dish, for several years before coming up with the unusual combination of a fried boneless pork chop coated in an egg batter and served on a bun dressed with chili, coleslaw, mustard, onions and tomatoes. At $4.05, it’s the most expensive item on the menu, which includes a $1.80 ham and cheese sandwich and $1.85 breaded or allmeat hamburger. Mayberry devotees also flock to the Bluebird Diner, which serves its own version of the pork chop sandwich, and the Mayberry Soda Fountain, where soda jerk David Jones dishes up malts and ice cream daily. Barney’s Café and Opie’s Candy Shop capitalize on the Mayberry theme, as do a number of businesses with Mayberry in the name, including the Mayberry Motor Inn — where curious visitors can ask to

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see the Aunt Bee Room, with its assortment of personal items, clothing and the bedroom set that once belonged to Francis Bavier, who played Opie’s favorite aunt. At Floyd’s City Barbershop, Russell Hiatt, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Howard McNear (Floyd the barber on the show), will be only too happy to “lower your ears” or snap a photo to put on the wall of his two-chair barbershop. The cost of a haircut? Only $8. At first glance, it’s easy to mistake Wally’s Service Station on South Main for a working station. A tow truck shares space with the gas pumps in front of a double-bay garage. A closer look reveals that the pumps haven’t worked since “Hi-test” was an option, and the original Gulf station, built in 1937, is now a gift shop that sells old-fashioned candy and soda pop, moon pies and Mayberry souvenirs. Just as in the TV town, customers sip bottles of Grape Nehi from comfortable rocking chairs, and wave and say “Hey” to passersby as auto mechanic Goober Pyle always did. Next door to the station, the departure point for the squad car tours, just past the faux store fronts of Fred’s TV and Radio Repair and Foley’s Market, is a recreation of the Mayberry Court House. Here visitors can call Sarah on the candlestick phone, or lock themselves up in the old city jail like Otis, Mayberry’s friendly town drunk, did when he needed to “sleep it off.”

Other celebs and attractions While Andy may be the biggest draw for Mount Airy, he’s not the only celebrity with strong ties to the community. Donna Fargo, a Grammy award-winning country music star, lived here, as did Tommy Jarrell. His story is told at the Earle Theatre’s Old-Time Music Heritage Hall, which was established by the Surry Arts Council to honor the legendary fiddler and banjo player and other local musicians. The 1930s-era theater shows first-run movies, although also hosts jam sessions and WPAQ’s Merry-go-round, a live broadcast of old-time music, every Saturday just as it has since 1948. Exhibits about Fargo and Jarrell can be viewed at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History on North Main, along with photos and other information about Eng and Chang Bunker. The conjoined twins settled in nearby White Plains after years of touring as a curiosity act, married sisters, and produced 21 children. Some of their relatives still live in the area today. In addition, this four-story repository of the area’s history contains displays on everything from the Saura Indians, the earliest inhabitants, to the first communities in the “hollows,” early commerce, natural history and more. One of the exhibits describes the local See MAYBERRY, page 53

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Mayberry From page 52 granite industry and the world’s largest open-face granite quarry, in operation since the late 1800s, which can be viewed just off the Donna Fargo Highway in Mount Airy. It’s a popular stop on the squad car tour.

Wineries and hiking trails Old North State Winery and Brewery, across the street from the museum, is among the nearly three dozen wineries in the Yadkin Valley, which is quickly becoming recognized as a preeminent winemaking region. Many of the wineries on the Yadkin Valley Wine Trail, including Shelton Vineyards, Round Peak and Carolina Heritage Vineyards, are open to the public for tastings and on-site sales. At the North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology at Surry Community College, which has its own working vineyard and bonded winery, students learn the art of winemaking and produce their own wines. The Yadkin Valley Wine Festival is held on the third Saturday in May in Elkin, a laidback community with small-town appeal that lends itself to leisurely strolls down Main Street. Several of its buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The quaintly historic village of Rockford, part of Dobson, also has a number of well-preserved buildings, including the Rockford Methodist Church built in 1913, a Masonic Lodge circa 1797, and an antebellum home circa 1848 that is now the Rockford Inn Bed and Breakfast. The old-timey general store with its creaky, uneven wooden floors and nearly 100 different kinds of old-fashioned candy for sale has been in nearly continuous operation since 1890. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Yadkin Val-

ley is a premier destination for hiking, water sports and other outdoor recreation. The 3,703-acre Pilot Mountain State Park has an expansive network of trails for hikers and horseback riders, including the 35-mile Sauratown Trails system that connects to Hanging Rock State Park in Danbury. The centerpiece of the park is the 2,421-foot Pilot Mountain with its distinctive rocky “knob” at the summit. Several characters on the “Andy Griffith Show” referred to the neighboring town of Mount Pilot, a nod to this mountain and town of the same name. The Overmountain Victory National Trail, popular with hikers and mountain bikers, can be accessed from the trailhead in Elkin. The “overmountain men,” a Revolutionary War patriot militia, used this same route to travel to South Carolina where they defeated the Loyalists in the Battle of Kings Mountain in October 1780. For kayakers and canoeists, the Yadkin River, which flows through Pilot Mountain State Park, provides plenty of opportunities to get out on the water. Visitors to Mount Airy — a place where the pace is a little slower and townsfolk welcome everyone like family — will discover that there’s still a little Mayberry left in the world.

book Andy's Homeplace Bed and Breakfast, at $175/night for the entire house. For reservations, call 1-800-565-5249. Or rent one of the Arts and Craft-style mountain cabins at White Sulphur Springs (www.wsscabins.com), built on the site of the former historic White Sulphur Springs Hotel, just 10 minutes from downtown Mount Airy. To reserve a cabin, starting at $165/night, call 1-866-901-1910 or email info@whitesulphurspringsNC.com. The Rockford Inn Bed and Breakfast (www.rockfordbedandbreakfast.com) offers vintage accommodations, from $119/night including breakfast, in a historic village close

to several wineries. The Vineyard suite, overlooking a vineyard, occupies an entire floor of the inn. Call 1-800-561-6652. Mount Airy is about a five-hour drive from downtown Washington, D.C. The closest airport is Greensboro, N.C., where you can rent a car for the one-hour drive. To plan your trip, visit www.verysurry.com or call 1-877-999-8390. Or stop by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce at 200 North Main Street in Mount Airy, which can be reached at 1-800-948-0949 or (336) 7866116 or online at www.visitmayberry.com. Lisa Halvorsen is a travel writer based in northern Vermont.

If you go Mount Airy and the Yadkin Valley offer plenty to do every season, but if your interest lies with Mayberry, visit the last weekend in September for the annual Mayberry Days festival. Contact the Surry Arts Council for specific dates and schedule at 1-800-286-6193, or visit the web site at www.mayberrydays.org. To tour Mount Airy by squad tour (available year-round), call (336) 789OPIE or visit www.tourmayberry.com. The area has a number of affordable accommodations, but for a unique experience,

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A roundup on rail passes around the world Traveling by train is far more pleasant any age are sometimes better. than traveling by economy-class air in just USA. Amtrak routinely gives 15 perabout any part of the world cent discounts on coach tickthat has a good rail system. ets, system wide, to riders age Seats are wider, legroom is 62 or over, members of Stubetter, you avoid the time and dent Advantage or student expense of getting to/from aircard holders, and members of ports, you avoid security hasVeterans Advantage. Memsles, and you see some great bers of AAA and the National scenery out of wide windows. Association of Railroad PasRelative costs vary — in sengers get 10 percent dismany places, trains are cheapcounts, regardless of age. er than flying; in others, rail These discounts do not TRAVEL TIPS fares are higher. Many rail sysapply to weekday Acela ExBy Ed Perkins tems offer discounted rates to press trains, business class, seniors, youth and members of various or- sleeper accommodations, and some rail ganizations, but “sale” fares for travelers of services. Membership discounts may re-

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quire three-day advance purchase. Amtrak seldom offers system-wide discounts, so these are good deals when you qualify. Canada. VIA rail routinely offers modest, variable system-wide discounts to riders age 60 or over and to youth ages 12 to 25. They usually apply to sleeper accommodations as well as coach. But several times a year, VIA rail offers 50 percent-off system-wide deals in all classes to travelers of any age, and its lastminute “express” deal discounts are even bigger. If you’re flexible, you’re better off with the any-age discount deals. Europe/UK. Senior railpasses, for travelers age 60 or over, are available for the UK, France and Romania in first class only, and in either class for Ireland. The Britrail Senior pass costs about 15 percent less than the any-age first-class pass, but it’s 20 percent higher than the any-age second-class pass. The French first-class senior railpass is a somewhat better deal, as it’s only a few dollars more than the any-age second-class adult pass. Most railpasses offer reduced-price youth versions in second class for travelers age 4 to 25. For extended stays or trips when you expect to take lots of short trips, some countries sell senior and youth cards that provide discounts for a full year on most tickets: The UK senior and youth RailCards, 30 pounds for either (about $48), offer 30 percent discounts on almost all tickets; the French Carte Senior, 60 euros (about $80) offers standard-class discounts of 50 per-

cent on some trains and 25 percent on all trains, or 40 percent on all first-class tickets on TGV and intercity trains, and the corresponding youth Carte Jeune, at 50 euros, offers 25 to 60 percent discounts. The problem with these railcards is that, although you can buy them online, the French system will not mail them to addresses in the United States or Canada. And if you wait until you arrive to buy, you find that you’ve missed out on some even better advance-purchase deals for travelers of any age. Your best bet is to arrange for someone in France to receive the mail and then express it to you. Other areas. Many countries around the world offer reduced fares for children as old as 16. But as far as I can tell, the extensive rail systems in China, India, Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand offer no senior or youth deals. Australian railways offer a “backpacker” discount of approximately 20 percent on the six-month unlimited travel Explorer passes. The outstanding rail website www. seat61.com reports an interesting quirk for buying tickets for New Zealand train trips. If you buy from your own computer, the New Zealand office detects that you’re in the U.S. and fails to show the lowest fares. Seat61 tells you how to fool the system into thinking your request comes from a computer within New Zealand. This trick might be useful for other areas, as well — if you’re enough of a computer pro, give it a try. Send email to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2014 Tribune Content Agency

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

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Arts &

The U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. will hold a blessing of the fleets ceremony on April 12. See story on page 57.

Putnam County Bee spells fun at Ford’s Audience participation As an added bit of quirkiness, four audience members are selected to become part of the show, lending a bit of improvisational flair. To participate, arrive early and look for the sign-up window at the box office for your chance to be one of four guest spellers. Signup starts one hour before the show; patrons can sign up anytime up until 20 minutes before the start of the performance. The winning participants are announced 15 minutes before the start of the show. Each of the characters played by actors onstage gets to explore their inner eccentricities with innocuous songs, mixing in some light dance occasionally. The amateurs are there strictly as comic foils. This is broad comedy in a show played strictly for laughs, with the music providing energy to propel the slender storylines. The “kids” in the Bee get to learn about themselves and, of course, take control of their insecurities and deal with the things that make them “different” from the others. But we never get bogged down in sentiment. The show moves along briskly, and as there is no intermission, you’re out of there in about an hour and 40 minutes. Before the kids start to fidget. The show was a surprise hit on Broadway, running more than 1,000 performances, and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning for best book. (Book by Rachel Sheinkin, music and lyrics by William Finn.)

PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

By Michael Toscano Don’t make the mistake of passing up the chance to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee because you think it’s just a silly kid’s show. Yes, it is very silly. And yes, kids get a kick out of it. Ford’s recommends 12 and older, but some younger ones may enjoy it as well without permanent damage from a bit of language. (There is an R-rated version of the show, but with school tours bringing thousands of students into Washington for spring tours, Ford’s is sticking with the PG-13 version.) The entire show is an onstage spelling bee, at which a half-dozen idiosyncratic kids grapple with the dictionary, their developing self-awareness, and three equally idiosyncratic adults. The contestants are just entering adolescence, so they are full of angst and pubescent stirrings. They are also determined to win, or they would not have made it to the county level of spelling competition. Some have unusual habits that help them conquer the challenging words. Some are just generally unusual. And all have an inner struggle to find themselves. So there is underlying sentiment we can all relate to, having been kids ourselves and perhaps raising one or two. This keeps the rapid-fire comedy zingers grounded. The laughs start coming rapidly and roll through to the end with only a few pauses.

The quirky finalists of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee give a high-energy, comedic performance. The musical continues at Ford’s Theatre through May 17.

There is always a national tour moving about the provinces, but one of the pleasures of this production, directed by Peter Flynn, is that it features a local cast of versatile Helen Hayes Award nominees, all but one of whom are Ford’s veterans.

Excellent comedic acting There are a couple of my favorites here, including Matthew A. Anderson (1776), whom I have been watching with pleasure See SPELLING BEE, page 56

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Spelling Bee From page 55 since he started in community theater. A talented actor and singer, Anderson has a special flair for comedy, and he brings it to the fore as Vice Principal Douglas Panch. He plays him as if John Belushi were portraying Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. One of the strongest comedy bits has him reading definitions of words for the spellers, most of which are excruciatingly ridiculous. Felicia Curry (A Christmas Carol, The Civil War) is tightly-wound Marcy Park, a classic super-achiever kid, over-groomed for success. Curry doubles as Dance Captain, maintaining Michael Bobbitt’s organic choreography. The entire 11-member cast is excellent,

combining heart and razor-sharp comedic timing and some improvisation. Current local references are sprinkled in, with mention of the spring snow which fell the day I saw the show, Marion Barry, and the iconic Lincoln Waffle Shop across the street. (There was also a tasteless joke about presidential assassination that night. Yeah, it’s still too soon, and the wrong venue.) The night this reviewer attended the show, the place was packed with about 400 fresh-faced and excited students, and it was especially pleasurable to hear so much unfettered laughter from them.

Music is secondary You may have noticed there has been scant mention of the score. A couple of the songs are rather nice. The first one of note, to use a pun, is “Pandemonium,” which

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

generates exactly the kind of spectacle onstage the name suggests. The show’s comedic energy builds steadily until leading into this antic number with the pulsating beat. “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” has a gospel rock motif that shakes the building and allows Kevin McAllister (most recently in Violet) to showcase a powerful and rich voice. He plays Mitch, who is at the Bee to “comfort” the losers as they exit the stage by presenting them with a juice box. This, by the way, is part of his parole community service. McAllister is quite funny in this role. But he effectively trades in the slouch and hoodie when he takes on brief appearances in some of the kid’s fantasies as a parent or two. Rachel Zampelli (Shenandoah), who plays Bee emcee Rona Lisa Peretti, and several of the other actors also take on parental figure parts as the kids ponder their lives. The only other song standout is the late entry called “The I-Love-You Song.” It comes in a vividly staged fantasy sequence, generating a few moments of genuine emotion to color late minutes of the show. Young Olive, played by Carolyn Agan (Hello, Dolly! 1776), has been neglected by self-absorbed parents, neither of whom has made it to the Bee. Vincent Kempski, in his Ford’s debut, plays Olive’s dad (in addition to playing speller Chip Tolentino, who struggles to keep his adolescent urges in check), and Zampelli plays the mom, singing from an ashram in India. In the child’s fantasy, they express their love and bond as a family. It is a pretty tune, sung with expressive feeling, and a nice moment. It is not that the rest of the score is bad. It is merely innocuous, and designed to serve as storytelling and to maintain energy. Longtime area conductor Christopher Youstra leads a group of five, pumping out the songs.

The comedy is rat-a-tat. So if you don’t like one joke, wait a second and another will come along. Satisfyingly funny and warm, the show blends in just enough emotion to add some grit. This Spelling Bee makes one hope for a 26th.

Show times and tickets The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee continues through May 17 at Ford’s Theatre, 511 Tenth St., NW, Washington. Show time Mondays through Saturdays is 7:30 p.m. (except April 21). Matinees are Fridays and Saturdays (except May 2 and May 9) at 2 p.m. The Friday matinees on May 2 and May 9 are scheduled for noon. Ticket prices range from $18 to $67, with discounts for those 60 and older for matinee orchestra seats. There will be audio-described performances on Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. The sign-interpreted performance will take place Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m., and there will be a captioned performance Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m. Cast members will be available after the 7:30 p.m. performance on May 3 to talk with the audience. Ford’s Theatre has also scheduled some special events — including a “Meet and Mingle” with cast members and a “Words with Friends” contest running through April 10. Visit the theater’s website for information. Ford’s Theatre is accessible to persons with disabilities, offering wheelchair-accessible seating and restrooms as well as audio enhancement. For information and tickets, visit the box office (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, or at 8 p.m. when there is an evening performance), call (202) 347-4833, or visit www.fords.org. Tickets are also available via Ticketmaster, at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1800-745-3000.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

April ceremony at U.S. Navy Memorial By Rebekah Sewell Growing up, Mark Weber felt he was meant to work in a museum. He was also fascinated by military history. He has been fortunate to be able to combine these passions in his career, and is now the curator of the U.S. Navy Memorial Heritage Center — a small museum honoring the history and accomplishments of the U.S. Naval forces. It is situated on Pennsylvania Ave. NW, in downtown Washington, D.C., beneath the imposing U.S. Navy Memorial. The original vision for the memorial harks back to President George Washington himself, and to the architect of Washington, D.C., Pierre L’Enfant. But the actual memorial wasn’t built for more than 200 years. In 1977, naval hero Admiral Arleigh Burke founded a nonprofit that would eventually create the memorial plaza and its underground Heritage Center. Burke was inspired by fellow naval hero

President John F. Kennedy. The “President’s Room,” a room in the center dedicated to U.S. presidents who fought or served in the Navy, features portraits of the fighting first men, including Kennedy and President George H.W. Bush. The memorial’s construction began in 1985 and was completed on the 212th birthday of the U.S. Navy in 1987. The current monument is a striking physical structure near the Metro station that bears its name: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter on the Yellow and Green lines. Perhaps the most famous of its features is the memorial’s bronze sculpture, “The Lone Sailor,” crafted by sculptor Stanley Bleifeld. The piece is a standing tribute to all naval personnel, and appears to watch over the outdoor plaza, which is carved with a depiction of the earth’s surface called the “Granite Sea.” The huge circular carving is intended to show the world’s bodies of land

and water as seen from space. The southern hemisphere of the Sea features bronze bas-reliefs, or shallow pictorial carvings, which illustrate naval events and people. The memorial also features two fountain pools, which operate from spring through fall.

Exhibits at the center Weber spent his childhood on the Great Lakes in Erie, Pa,. and frequently heard the stories of local veterans. He even began a personal collection of their military memorabilia, which led to his interest in museum work. As curator of the Heritage Center, Weber is responsible for planning, organizing and showcasing each year’s special exhibit. The current exhibit, which has run since last

A boy reaches out to touch the bas relief figures on the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. last Memorial Day. A small museum is situated underground, featuring informative and commemorative exhibits as well as a database of more than 600,000 sea servicemen and women.

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spring and will soon be changed, celebrates the “Year of Military Women.” It features information about famous military women, including their achievements, history and service uniforms. One of the exhibit’s particularly moving elements is a wall of names of fallen female soldiers. The names of additional females who have died in action since the exhibit was installed have been added to a book to honor them, as well. Keeping track of naval veterans and personalizing their stories is another goal of the memorial. It maintains a permanent record of all sea servicemen and woman called the Navy Log. Currently numbering some See NAVY MEMORIAL, page 59

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Weighing in with a generational moniker I showed up for a community event. The So I bucked the question back to the young man behind the table asked my young man. name and address. I dutifully “I was born at the end of supplied them. He dutifully World War II,” I told him. “I wrote them down. have no idea which generaThen he knocked my socks tion I belong to. Go ahead and off with this unexpected queslist me however you like.” tion: When I got home two hours “Sir, we’re compiling demolater, I looked for the first time graphic data about who attends at the registration form the today. Would you mind telling young man had compiled. me which generation you beIt listed my generation as long to: Baby Boomers? Great- HOW I SEE IT Greatest. He had advanced est Generation? Some other?” me by a full 20-plus years. By Bob Levey I didn’t know how to reWas I insulted? No, merely spond, because I’m too old to be a Boomer amused. Now maybe my family will beand far too young to be a Greatest. lieve me when I say I’m getting old. I didn’t think he’d go for X or Millennial, But inadvertently, the young checkersince my hair has long since veered into inner nailed a problem that has followed me silver and I wasn’t nervously studying a and my fellow in-betweeners all our lives. smartphone every two seconds. If we’re not Greatests, and not Boomers,

and not anything else that headline writers have overused into dust, what are we? Ladies and gentlemen of the 1930s and first half of the 1940s, we have suffered in the shadows long enough. It’s time for us to invent and adopt a snappy catch-all to describe our cohort. I hereby volunteer for duty. Here are the first few ideas that came to me — and the reasons why they ended up in the dustbin. “Pre-Boomers.” I passed on this one out of sheer jealousy. Boomers already think they are the smartest, hippest, suavest, achieving-est group of people who ever lived. Why should we, their older brothers and sisters, define ourselves in terms of them? “Depressionists.” Granted, it’s hard to have been born immediately after 1929 and not reflect that disastrous period in some way. But half of us were born well after the

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Depression ended. Besides, this sounds more like a school of Parisian art than a name for millions of people. “Birdseyes.” Frozen vegetables were first sold in this country in 1930. Their tastelessness has followed me and my agemates all the rest of our lives. But why name an entire generation in honor of dulled-out peas? “FDR-madillos.” This one has some ring-a-ding-ding (itself a phrase that was invented when we were). However, the 32nd president was not universally loved, even though he was elected four times. As for armadillos, they have hard shells — hardly the right image for our always-flexible selves. And the one that hit the bottom of the trash can fastest... “Televisionistas.” Yes, a TV signal was first broadcast in 1936 — smack in the heart of our era. Yes, we are — and will always be — the last group of Americans who remember not having a TV set at home. But do we really want to be known for test patterns and early blackand-white versions of “Howdy Doody?” I decided to widen my search beyond my own fevered brain. I spent a couple of weeks cruising this conundrum past several people born between 1930 and 1945. Here are some of their greatest hits: “Tweeners.” As one 70-something explained, this is a phrase from sports, used to describe a baseball hit between two fielders or a basketball player who’s too tall to be a guard and too short to be a forward. But I rejected this candidate because it sounds like a brand of diapers. “Greatest II.” See Pre-Boomers, above. Not distinctive. Not memorable. Not “us.” “Swingers.” Benny Goodman and his ilk played this form of music as we were getting hatched. But I’m afraid this word has developed, um, uh, other meanings. “The Munchkins.” Yes, “The Wizard of Oz” was the defining movie of our earliest era. But after 70-plus years of calories, many of us are far beyond munchkin-size. No, none of these would do. But what would? I mulled. I stroked my chin. I got up in the middle of the night to jot notes. And then, one day....I was in an elevator. Ordinarily, this isn’t brilliant-idea time. But the piped-in music gave me the answer. It was Sinatra, singing “My Way.” I gave a listen: “I’ve lived a life that’s full, I traveled each and every highway…. And more, much more than this, I did it my way-y-y-y.” Thank you, Old Blue Eyes, you who first became known in the 1930s and surged to the top of the heap in the early 1940s. Thank you for an answer. We are The My Way Generation. We haven’t always been perfect. We haven’t always had it easy. But as Francis Albert Sinatra reminds us, we faced it all and we stood tall. We did it our way. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

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WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Navy Memorial From page 57 640,000 names, the log is kept digitally. At the memorial, visitors may search the log to look for loved ones who have served, as well as add information about their own service or that of a loved one. Memories of the Navy, photos and personal anecdotes are welcome. While this can be done on any computer by visiting http://navylog.navymemorial.org, a special Navy Log Room in the museum has easy-to-use terminals. The room itself has been recently renovated to look like the inside of a ship, complete with stunning digital pictures of the sea on the walls. Registry in the log is free and user friendly, and volunteers are available onsite for assistance. Beverly Botha, 86, is one such volunteer. On Thursday afternoons, she greets visitors and gives mini-tours of the exhibits to small groups. “I like to contribute to things I think are worthwhile,” said Botha, who has volunteered at the Heritage Center for 20 years. In addition to the log, the museum features another permanent exhibit, a wall of commemorative plaques. The plaques, which are privately paid for, are personalized by their creators and are dedicated to individuals, groups, ships, squadrons, battles or events within U.S. Sea Services. Once created, they are permanently exhibited in the Heritage Center and online.

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Each plaque costs $3,000, which also entitles the sponsor to a dedication ceremony in the center’s 250-seat Burke theater.

Blessing of the Fleets Each spring, the memorial hosts the Blessing of the Fleets, a formal ceremony “intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a blessing given by a clergyman,” said Weber. Sailors from the Navy’s Ceremonial Guard proceed across the “Granite Sea” to pour water from the seven seas and Great Lakes into the fountains. “Ceremonies like this have occurred in maritime communities around the world for thousands of years,” said Weber. “The idea of gathering the community and blessing the boats, ships and, most importantly, the men and woman who will sail on them, is very meaningful.” The memorial also unveils its new exhibit each year at the Blessing of the Fleets. The coming year’s theme will be the “Year of the Coast Guard.” “Growing up on the Great Lakes, I got to see firsthand the great things our Coast Guard does for us,” Weber said. “I’ve always been impressed with the many diverse missions they effectively carry out with a very small force.” As this year’s honoree, the Coast Guard will also participate in the Blessing of the Fleets ceremony. It has donated water that will also be poured into the fountains,

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marking their symbolic presence and solidarity with the Navy. The Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., will speak, and the Coast Guard Band will play on the plaza following the ceremony. This year’s Blessing of the Fleets will take place in front of the memorial on Saturday, April 12, from 1 to 5 p.m., after the Cherry Blossom Parade. Following the

formal ceremony, visitors can enjoy live music and samples of Navy bean soup prepared by the White House Mess. For more information, visit www. navymemorial.org/events/calendar/blessing-fleets or call (202) 380-0710. The U.S. Navy Memorial Heritage Center is located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free.

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Apr. 25+

SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS

The City of Fairfax’s 29th annual Spotlight on the Arts begins its three-week festival on Friday, April 25 and runs through Monday, May 12. The festival’s theme is “A Voyage of Discovery,” and will include a production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a runway fashion show, a choral show, seasonal concerts and more. Most events are free, but some charge admission. For more information, visit www.visitfairfax.com/2013/thecity-of-fairfax-spotlight-on-the-arts.

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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

FROM PAGE 62

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD L O T C O B R A C O O T H E W E A L L S C L C H A F A I M E B L A Z S D S J H A V O B L A S O A T H

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

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

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

E L A T E S

P Y R E X

O D I E

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Classifieds cont. from page 63. Wanted BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-464-0958. WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202-726-4427, MD 301-332-4697. 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. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com. CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole state. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755.

Wanted 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. 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 301-6540838. WANTED: ANTIQUE ELECTRONICS, engineer’s estates, Hi-Fi Stereo, huge old loudspeakers, ham radios, records, professional quality musical instruments, antique computers, scientific curiosities. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com.

Letters to editor From page 2 same doctor, after hearing that I had stomach pains, prescribed the non-NSAID, ibuprofen. However, the damage already had been done. Within a few days, a ruptured ulcer had reduced my red blood cell count by more than

BEACON BITS

Apr. 7

MONTGOMERY CO. TALENT SEARCH Montgomery’s Got Talent! is recruiting adults 55+ for the Spring

Showcase. Singers, comedians, dancers and musicians are welcome. Auditions will take place in April. Selected performers will share their talents at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club on Sunday, May 18. For more information on how to register, visit www.montgomerysgottalent.com.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Attend an information session to learn about Senior Leadership Montgomery, a unique seven-month program for new retirees or those considering retirement to learn about Montgomery County while forming new and enriching relationships. The session will take place on Monday, April 7 from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. at the Music Room at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. For more information, send RSVP email at least two days in advance to kati.grimes@leadermont.org.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

half, necessitating a week in the hospital. To my surprise, this well-known specialist, when I contacted him to mention the problem, refused to see me and did not apologize for failing to monitor my blood count. A word to the wise about NSAIDS should be in order. Nelson Marans Silver Spring, Md.

May 15

FORT MCHENRY NATIONAL PARK

The Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) program presents a visit to Fort McHenry, the War of 1812 battle site that inspired the penning of our national anthem. The bus will depart from Olney Manor Park, located at 16601 Georgia Ave., Olney, Md., at 8:15 a.m. and return at 3:30 p.m. The tour begins with a film, a narration by a National Park Ranger, and a tour of the Fort. Afterwards, enjoy lunch and sightseeing on your own at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The cost is $40 for Montgomery County residents and $55 for non-residents. To register, visit http://bit.ly/FortMcHenry or call (240) 777-4926.

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Puzzle Page

A P R I L 2 0 1 4 — WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Tops of 1974 by Stephen Sherr 1

38 41

40 44

51 53

43 47

52 57

33 37

31 34

Scrabble answers on p. 61.

Answer: What the sailor with the noisy bunkmate wanted when the ship docked -- “SNORE” LEAVE Jumbles: NAIVE COVEY SWIVEL APPEAR

Across

Down

1 Quantity of luck 5 Position of this word in this puzzle 8 Demonstrated good dining posture 13 Health ins. continuance 14 Ripen 15 Item in Kate Middleton’s wardrobe 16 ___, Dry Place (1999 Vince Vaughn drama) 17 Opposite of post18 Privileged one at the public pool 19 1974’s number one song 22 Blood-related (suffix) 23 The name of over 500 US streets 24 Cheerleader’s specialty 27 Top-rated TV show of 1974 31 Summa Cum Laude, briefly 32 Navy’s realm 33 Opposite or bear 34 Become agitated 37 Rib seasoning 39 Knocked out 40 Looked through the scope 41 Part of a surfer movie costume 43 “___ sells” 44 Top-grossing movie of 1974 49 Leftist grp. of the 60’s 50 It sets “black box” rqmts. 51 Famed fiddler 52 Top athlete of 1974 57 Chaos 60 Debt letters 61 Less straight-laced 62 Jaded and bored 63 Misquote 64 “__, ands, or buts” 65 Curse words 66 “Better dead than ___” 67 Singles

1 Lake, to an Scotsman 2 English horn’s shorter cousin 3 Bricklayer’s tool 4 Antipasto component 5 Restaurant freebie, usually 6 Relative of Shrek 7 Pint-sized 8 Hollywood hand-outs 9 Girl Friday 10 Sigma succeeder 11 ‘Net identifier 12 A bit of butter 13 He may be hep 20 Chinese philosophical forces 21 Toymaker 24 Covered with long soft hairs 25 Exhilarates 26 Maker of measuring cups 27 “___ shall lead them” 28 Petting zoo participants 29 Trucker’s cargo 30 Pop’s partner 31 Healing signs 35 Shriner’s topper 36 Imposing buildings 38 Ingredient in Tofu Parmigiana 42 Logical beginning 45 Viet ___ 46 Less fresh 47 Taboo Bond villain? 48 2012 Olympic host 52 Tease, good naturedly 53 Time long ago 54 Garfield’s pal 55 FIFA’s card dealers 56 Almost alums. 57 Game of Thrones home 58 Almost Miss. 59 Wine container

Answers on page 61.

WA S H I N G T O N B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 4

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

Business and Employment Opportunities “SECURE A SECOND INCOME, not a second job.” Call for a free info-postcard that explains everything. 202-734-2555 or visit www.abminfo.com. Referred by #4538 Michael M.

Caregivers COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVER – LADY COMPANION available for elderly or adult with disabilities. Very reliable, experienced, own car with excellent references. CPR/First Aid/Hospice/Mental Health Aide Certified. I can provide respite care, concierge, plus more services for your loved ones. Please call 240-426-3548 and kindly leave me a message. CERTIFIED HOME CARE COMPANION – Qualified, dependable, experienced devoted English speaking caregiver available immediately for work. Please leave message, 301-300-6959.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use. Windows 8, Smartphone/tablet, digital camera. Learn at your own pace with gentle & patient tutor. We also troubleshoot problems & setup new computers. Teaching Seniors since 1996. Senior Discount. Call David, 301-762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR.

Entertainment THE SHALOM SIGNATURE CLUB: If you like Bagels and Lox, Matzah Balls and Kugel, then you need to try our activities. We’re a dynamic social club geared to folks 50 and up. Many of our activities have a Jewish theme; most are free of charge and take place in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Chevy Chase. Currently, our regular monthly schedule features two afternoon activities (at 1 p.m. and includes lunch) and two evening activities (usually 7 p.m.), plus a monthly Friday-eve Shabbat Dinner. For further info, visit www.ShalomSC.org or call 240-200-4515.

Events YARD SALE APR. 26 BENEFITTING HAITI school classrooms. Rent outdoor table; $20 by April 10 to sell your goods at St. Elizabeth Church, Rockville, 301-881-1380.

Financial Services AFFORDABLE ACCTG/TAX SOLUTIONS @ BAI-TECH. Automation, Bookeeping, Payroll Tax Planning, Preparation & Representation. CPA on Demand 24/7. 26+ years experience. Email inforequest@bai-tech.com or call 301-608-2248.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate LEISURE WORLD - $355,000. Vantage Point West – Just Listed! Light-filled 2-bedroom with den and large, enclosed balcony and fireplace on the 4th floor (1,490 sq. ft.). Call Lorraine Gottlieb at 240-731-7885 or 301-299-0222 RE/MAX Realty Services. LEISURE WORLD® - $238,500. 3BR 2FB 1HB “M” in Greens. Table space kitchen, separate dining room. Large enclosed balcony. New paint and carpet. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

ELDERLY CAREGIVER – I am looking for a full/part-time job. I have my own car, speak Spanish and English, am experienced, have good references and will accompany you. Please call 240-899-1380. Rate $15/hour.

LEISURE WORLD® - $259,000. 2 BR 2 FB “FF” in Overlook with Garage + Golf cart space. Table space kitchen open to enclosed balcony with custom shades. Close to elevator. 1320 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-9283463.

“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.

LEISURE WORLD® - $145,000. 3 BR 2 FB “Ellicott” model with table space kitchen, separate dining room, separate laundry room, new paint and carpet, enclosed balcony. 1400 sq. ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CAREGIVER for the elderly? Who is very compassionate and caring? Call Cheryl at 954-608-7396. 13 years as a Certified Nursing and Geriatric assistant. Excellent references. Owns a car. Will work flexible hours.

LEISURE WORLD® - $265,000. 3BR 2FB “Cabot” Patio home, with full 2-car garage, updated kitchen and new master bath. New paint and carpet. 1193 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

CNA/MED TECH ELDERLY CARE for livein/live-out, taking care of the elderly. 15+ years experience. Own transportation. Excellent references upon request. Pet friendly. 301-803-9000.

LEISURE WORLD® - $239,000. 3BR 2-1/2B “M” in the “GREENS.” Great space with enclosed balcony, new paint and carpet and separate storage room in basement. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

NURSING STUDENT AND LICENSED, bonded CNA with over 10 years clinical experience seeks full-time overnight caregiving position. Extensive resume, stellar references & pet friendly. If interested, please call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555. LOOKING FOR A LOVING, CARING, COMPASSIONATE, dependable and reliable caregiver with years of experience and references for your loved ones? Have experience with MS, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and other health problems. Please call @ 301-908-9134. I WILL CARE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES NIGHT/DAY. Own transportation. Good references. Lots of experience. 301-502-2258.

Computer Services PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-6424526.

LEISURE WORLD® -RENTAL - $1400. 1 BR 1-1/2 BA “Cordoba” model. 2nd floor in elevator building, balcony, reserved carport space. 1014 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-9283463. LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1550. 2 BR 2 FB “Monte Carlo” with enclosed patio, new paint, reserved carport parking. 1200 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. FOR RENT IN THE WORLD OF LEISURE (Age 55+ only): 1-bedroom condo on the 6th floor in the “Greens.” Nice view, enclosed balcony, mostly new appliances, close to elevator. $1150 per month. Roberta Campbell, Weichert Realtors, 301-681-0550 (office), 301-801-7906 (cell). FOR RENT IN THE WORLD OF LEISURE (Age 55+ only): 2-bedroom, 2-bath end condo unit in the “Pines.” 4th floor, lots of light, huge master bath, separate dining room. $1300 per month. Roberta Campbell, Weichert Realtors, 301-681-0550 (office), 301-801-7906 (cell).

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 20th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $15 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $35 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

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

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Personal Services

NEWLY FORMING TAKOMA PARK SPIRITUAL, PROGRESSIVE 3-women household (3969). Seeking 2 separate kindred souls. Share lovely 3-story house overlooking woods (eat-in kitchen, living room, deck, porches, fireplace, hot-tub, CAC, w/d, Fios-TV, internet). Beautiful, unfurnished Master bedrooms (one: kitchen, other: walk-in closet/deck or smaller bedroom (all with private bathrooms). $895/$720/$595/mo. + Utilities and deposit. One slightly reducible for “house assistance” barter. Year lease. Metro-accessible. No pets/smoking. Begin June-August (flexible). Detailed email to aldenwrite@aol.com (cc: the fairygodmom@gmail.com).

GIRL FRIDAY – My name is Rosa. I have been in the United States for many years, am legal, have a green card and speak perfect English. I do housework, elder care and child care. References available. Kindly call me at 301-332-0752.

I BUY HOUSES ANY CONDITION – Fairfax County, VA. Save time, money and worry. Not an agent, no commissions. Female owned. 703-9695847, 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 preview units & contact you with a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings on page 52. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Home/Handyman Services EXPERT ROOF REPAIRS and new installations. 40 years experience. 5 year warranties. Rated A on Angie’s List. See our photo gallery at RamboandRamboConstruction.com. MHIC# 8342. Call, 301-220-4222. MICHAELS HAULING Clean-outs, scrap & debris removal yard waste, etc. Mulch, dirt & stone delivery, lite dump truck, 20’ trailer & bobcat. Fully insured. 240-388-1898.

Miscellaneous THE GOLDEN NETWORK offers Jewish seniors and retirees a variety of engaging programs, including lectures, classes, one-on-one learning in person and by phone, concerts, sing-alongs and more! For more information and details about upcoming events, call 301-338-4810, email info@goldennetwork.org, or see goldennetwork.org.

Personals WHERE IS A GENTLEMAN who believes that Spring is an opportunity to find new ways of enjoying each of life’s moments, creating new experiences and sharing all that with a lady? Here is a lady in her early 70s, smiling at life, successful, professional, attractive and fit, with a Latin flavor in her heart, grateful for everything she got in life and ready to enjoy a nice man’s company. We are both good listeners and conversationalists, willing to learn, delighted to cultivate an honest connection and more with each other. I’ll welcome you only if you feel that you have most of the qualities outlined. Chris, 240-274-7841.

WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. PIANO LESSONS AT REASONABLE RATES! After 20 years of piano lessons, I would love to offer seniors a chance to learn piano. Only $40 an hour in your home or $30 in my Rockville home. No piano? A great keyboard is under $300. Contact Laurie at 301-767-5223. CHERYL’S ORGANIZING CONCEPTS LLC – Professional Organizing Services. Help with all aspects of home organizing. Experienced – References – Member NAPO. All work confidential. Licensed – Bonded. $25 discount on initial appointment. www.CherylsOrganizing.com. 301-916-9022. READY TO DE-CLUTTER? I can help. Sort, donate, discard. Reasonable rates. Call Jan, 301933-7570.

Wanted WANTED TO BUY: COINS – Both United States and foreign. Also paper money, postcards, military items, antique cars/car-related items. Lifelong collector. Senior Citizen. Confidential. Cash paid. Kenny, 703-369-0520. Best after 7 PM. CASH FOR COMICS. Buying 1940s-1970s comics, toys, and pop culture items. The older the better. Collectors welcome. Will travel. Call Ed, 410-262-4103. WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. STERLING SILVER – I WILL PAY TOP DOLLAR for your silver marked “sterling,” “925,” “800.” Please, no silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Call Richard, 301-646-0101. VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201. OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces, Fountain Pens, Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Glassware, Art Work. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Senior 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 240-476-3441.

Classifieds cont. on p. 61

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