July 2016 | Baltimore Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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Bloggers share their stories

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PHOTO COURTESY OF TINA COLLINS

By Carol Sorgen “There was a time when people sat around a campfire and told stories,” said Tina Collins. “Now they sit [in front of] a computer screen.” The result is the same, though, said the 50year-old Towson resident: To share a story that connects you with others. For Collins, the way to do that is through blogging. For the uninitiated, a blog is a personal, chronological log of thoughts published via a website (the term is derived from “web log”). The first website began in the early 1990s, and blogs began soon after. Today, more than 4 million blog entries are posted every day worldwide. Blogs run the gamut from personal news written primarily for family and friends, to topic-specific blogs (on gardening, travel, reading, etc.; name a subject and there will be a blog), to business-oriented blogs that provide information to customers, clients and patients.

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Chronicling your challenges Collins, who majored in English in college, says she “loves to write and loves to talk,” and finds blogging just another way to communicate. She only recently started her blogs, but now has two. One is called Outlier Mind (https://outliermind.wordpress.com). It deals with the challenges she has faced from schizoaffective disorder — a mental health condition that includes a combination of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as mania or depression. Her second blog is called Welcome to Dementialand (welcometodementialand.blogspot.com), which is about her experiences caring for her aging parents. Outlier Mind resulted from Collins’s talk for TEDxBaltimore on how she recovered from mental illness. (TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to publicizing “Ideas Worth Spreading.” It started 26 years ago in California as a four-day conference of short talks, and today there are more than 78,000 TED videos of 18-minute presentations on YouTube. TEDx is an offshoot of local, self-organized events and talks.) Through Collins’s talk (available online at

Tina Collins shares her thoughts about caring for her mother, who has dementia, as well as her own mental illness, in two blogs. Bloggers write about what resonates with them — from gardening to grandparenting — and then post it online. You can create a simple blog at no cost on several sites.

www.tedxbaltimore.com/2016/speakers/) and now her blog, Collins said she wants to help erase the stigma of mental illness so those facing similar struggles will not feel so alone. Collins also finds writing the blog is helpful for her. “I’m not very disciplined, so having a blog is a way for me to develop a focus and hone my skills without too much pressure,” she said. “It’s also a way for me to get those years of being ill out of my system.” Similarly, she hopes that her caregiving blog will offer helpful information to other adult children looking after their parents, as well as letting them know that others are experiencing some of the same issues. “Nobody has any idea what caregiving involves until you’re in the middle of it,”

said Collins, who is now the full-time caregiver for her 89-year-old mother. As the title of her caregiving blog suggests, Collins likes to approach her blogs — despite their serious subject matter — with humor, and offers those undergoing their own challenges a look on the lighter side.

Getting started For other would-be bloggers, Collins suggests you need not be an expert on a subject, or even on the computer, for that matter. “Write about what you love,” she said. “A blog doesn’t have to be about promoting your career (though, of course, it can See BLOGGERS, page 20

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Nothing but the truth? Generally, we profess to love the truth and Research confirms the near universality to admire people who only speak the truth. of lying. Researchers find that we begin to We tend to parody or disparage lie around age 3, when we those “congenital liars” we befirst realize other people lieve to be frequently engaged don’t know what we’re thinkin falsification, calling them ing. By the age of 5, most of used car dealers, spin doctors, us are quite proficient at it. Madison Avenue types. We further develop these But if we are honest with skills of deception through ourselves, we should admit the experiences of our school that much of the time we shade years, often coached in them the truth, and that we like it by our parents and teachers, when others do so, too. In fact, though not always explicitly. on some level, we often consid- FROM THE Bella DePaulo, a psycholoer a person’s ability to fudge PUBLISHER gy researcher at the Universithe truth to be a sign of their By Stuart P. Rosenthal ty of California, Santa Barcompetence and normality. bara, taped volunteers’ conThink about people you’ve encountered versations for a week and found students who seem not to know how to lie, or don’t lied, on average, in every third conversaunderstand the subtle falsehoods of polite tion lasting at least 10 minutes. Adults lied conversation. in every fifth conversation. Maybe they find it difficult to tell white If it sounds like I’m being critical, or am lies, inadvertently insulting someone be- judging people harshly, or as if I’m excludcause that outfit really does make them ing myself, you misunderstand me. I truly look fat. Or they take you much too seri- think most of us believe this is the way of ously when you ask “how are you?” and the world, and that we basically like it this they proceed at great length to fill you in way, for the most part. on all their current problems. All of us need some help from time to Let’s face it: we often feel uncomfortable time marketing our personal brand, proaround those who can’t, or won’t, play the moting our company, or sprucing up our game. resume. Sometimes we need a good PR

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

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person or attorney who will vigorously defend us. Here, I’m not referring to intentional deception, but more to white lies that protect other people’s feelings, and presenting your case in the best possible light, which requires, at a minimum, certain sins of omission. Furthermore, there are many important and well-regarded professions — law enforcement, diplomacy, military intelligence and others — where the ability to lie convincingly at times is absolutely essential, even a matter of life and death. Where would we be if our military leaders, ambassadors, undercover spooks, treaty negotiators and the like were congenital truthtellers? We’d all be at risk. Closer to home, let’s talk about our dearest friends and family. We want them to be truthful with us, most of the time. But if we’ve shared intimate things about ourselves with them, we’d be horrified to find they didn’t keep our confidence because someone asked them about us and they couldn’t tell a lie. So you see, our entire social fabric requires that we know how and when to lie or withhold the truth. The same observations apply to the realm of politics. On the one hand, Americans say they hate lying politicians, and criticize Washington and its influence peddlers for promoting a culture of falsehood and corruption. On the other hand, we tend not to elect candidates who play nice, avoid attack ads, and only make promises they know they can deliver. We expect politics to be a somewhat dirty business, and want our guy to know how to get things done as well

as the other fellow/lady, even if the fact checkers may find their arguments involve misrepresentations or quotes taken out of context. Similarly, if we have an interest in a certain law for personal or political reasons, we rush to contribute to special interest groups that will lobby the dickens out of Congress, and we may even lobby our representatives ourselves. Our end goal is seldom objective truth, but what we perceive to be the best result for us and those like us. And yet, despite all of this, I think it’s also true that people can sense when they or someone else crosses a line. At a certain point — either due to the number of falsehoods or their degree — we may start to wonder if we really understand another person or can trust them at all. And at that point, we have to either call them on it or end the relationship. While there are many occasions on which we really don’t want to speak or hear the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, we ought to still retain a way to recognize when the conversation has gone too far in the other direction. Reasonable people can differ on where the line is, and it may be a moving target as our public discourse evolves. But I think we have to agree that one exists, and that it should affect how we respond. If you have any thoughts on this subject you would like to share, I would like to hear them. Please email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com or write to me here at the Beacon. I really mean it!

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: I read with interest “Healthcare headache” by Stuart Rosenthal (June, From the Publisher). He mentions everything except the precipitating factors. In my practice I have observed that in all cases of migraine, the emotional status of the patient is very important. Once I make them realize the various negative emotional triggers (anger, anxiety, etc.) that cause precipitation of an attack and suggest methods to alleviate the trigger, the frequency and number of attacks diminish. Seshubabu Gosala, M.D. India Dear Editor: I read your article “Healthcare headache” and was moved to share my nightmare with you. Mine also began 36 years ago, when I was working for Frank, Bernstein, Conaway and Goldman, supervising the

word processing for 240 attorneys. One day, as I entered a room to say hello, I was stopped in my tracks by what felt like a hatchet to my skull. There was no blood, just unimaginable pain and the beginning of the end of my life as I knew it. There were tests, machines, doctors and costly meds, which only subdued me to unconsciousness and never stopped the pain. I was convinced after two years to end my life. But I somehow wound up at the office of a doctor who took the place of another who had retired. There was something unusual about his quiet demeanor. He listened so intently and watched me so closely. After I had spun my tale of woe and cried myself dry, he leaned forward and said, “I think I have something that will help you.” See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 20

BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JULY 2016

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Health Fitness &

WALK WITHOUT PAIN A new book by a Baltimore podiatrist helps those with painful conditions TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING Tylenol makes you feel better, but it’s easy (and dangerous) to take too much NO MORE INSULIN A new study shows pancreas cell transplants can greatly help diabetics CHEW ON THIS Chewing gum may help some people lose weight, but probably not a lot

Try behavior therapy for chronic insomnia By Lauran Neergaard Tossing and turning night after night? Don’t automatically reach for the pill bottle. New guidelines say the first choice to treat chronic insomnia should be cognitive behavioral therapy — a way to condition your body to slumber again. It takes more time and effort than popping a pill, but the American College of Physicians says the method known as CBT can be effective and doesn’t carry the side effects of medication. The recommendation is intended to spur primary care doctors to prescribe CBT first. If it doesn’t work, then doctors could consider adding a drug. “Prescribing a sleeping pill is not the desirable first step,” said the group’s Dr. Thomas Tape, chief of general internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. There are challenges, including finding health workers who are trained to deliver CBT for insomnia. Nor is it always covered by insurance, notes an editorial published along with the recommendation in Annals of Internal Medicine. Here are some things to know:

How much sleep do you need? Adults ages 18 to 60 are supposed to sleep at least seven hours a night for good health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, those 65+ should get seven to eight hours of sleep. Cheating sleep can increase the risk of health problems — from high blood pressure, to obesity, to fatiguecaused car crashes. People often get too little sleep because of lifestyle or job circumstances. That’s different from trying to sleep and failing. Many bouts of insomnia that last several weeks to a month or two come about because of stress or an illness. But between 6 and 10 percent of adults meet the criteria for an insomnia disorder: They suffer daytime problems because of difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or more, and it’s not explained by some other disorder. It’s more common among older adults and women.

How does CBT work? It’s far more than sleep hygiene — those common-sense tips to keep the bedroom dark and cool and avoid too much caffeine.

It’s all about reconditioning a brain and body away from now-habitual tossing and turning and back to normal sleep patterns, said Duke University clinical psychologist Meg Lineberger. A certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, she wasn’t involved with the new guidelines but hopes they increase patients’ access to care. The hardest step is so-called sleep restriction. Say you average 5.5 hours of sleep a night — better some nights, worse others. Tack on an extra half-hour, and then count back the resulting six hours from the time you have to wake up. If the alarm goes off at 6 a.m., then midnight is your prescribed bedtime. Staying up that long builds the body’s natural drive for sleep so that once in bed, patients slumber right away, Lineberger explained. Gradually, patients move to an earlier bedtime. They also undergo a variety of other steps. For example, just as dieters might be told to eat only at the table and never in front of the TV, it’s important to strengthen the brain’s expectation that bed is for sleep. If you can’t fall asleep, don’t read in

bed — get up and go to another room to read until you’re drowsy and ready to try again.

What about medications? A variety of prescription sleep medications are available, but a scientific review published in Annals in May concluded they’re best used for shorter-term insomnia. Use beyond four to five weeks hasn’t been well studied. The new guidelines said when insomnia becomes chronic, there’s not enough information to directly compare medications and CBT — but that starting with the behavioral approach avoids medication side effects, some of which can be serious. Indeed, after reports of sleep-driving and other semi-awake activities, the Food and Drug Administration in recent years lowered recommended doses of Ambien, Lunesta and related drugs, saying they could linger in the bloodstream long enough to interfere with activities that require alertness after the person wakes up. Still, the new guidelines say if CBT See INSOMNIA, page 5

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Exercise builds brain as well as brawn

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Typically, CBT involves four to six appointments several weeks apart. There

See YOUNGER BRAIN, page 6

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Finding care

also are some online options. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a source for sleep specialists. But Duke’s Lineberger said other health professionals, such as nurse practitioners or social workers, can learn to perform CBT for primary care offices, freeing specialists for the toughest cases. For more information, see the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s website at www.aasmnet.org.

lated fitness levels with activation in the brain’s frontal lobe — the part of the brain responsible for executive function. Together, these findings suggest that exercise may help keep your brain young, or at least slow down the normal decline in age-related thinking skills. The government’s Physical Activity

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alone isn’t working, doctors should discuss with patients the pros and cons of adding a medication to the continuing behavioral therapy.

The new study included 877 adults with an average age of 65. To assess their cardiovascular fitness, researchers used a standard measure known as VO2 max, which is defined as the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use while you’re exercising as hard as you can. (The V stands for volume, usually measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. O2 is for oxygen, and max is for maximum.) The participants also took a variety of tests to gauge their thinking skills, memory and executive function (a category of mental skills used to manage time, plan and organize, and remember details). When researchers divided the participants into four groups based on their VO2 max values, they found striking differences in executive function between those with the highest and lowest levels. In fact, the test score differences corresponded to an age difference of seven years, they estimated. They saw similar trends for both memory and overall thinking ability, corresponding to age differences of six and four years, respectively.

In a study published last year in Neuroimage, participants underwent functional MRI testing, which tracks the changes that take place when a region of the brain responds during various tasks. The researchers found stronger connections between different regions of the brain in people with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Earlier research also corre-

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From page 4

Stronger heart = younger brain

Slows brain’s aging

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Insomnia

for thinking and memory are larger in people who exercise than in those who don’t.

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By Julie Corliss You probably know that regular exercise offers a wealth of benefits for your body, like staving off excess weight and chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. But mounting evidence suggests that exercise is also good for your brain. A study published in the journal Neurology links better cardiovascular fitness to improved thinking skills in older adults. The findings add to our understanding of how exercise benefits the brain, which seems to stem from several possible mechanisms, said Dr. John Ratey, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. He said, “It’s not just about delivering more oxygen to the brain, although that’s part of it.” Having a fit, healthy cardiovascular system also protects against vascular dementia, which happens when blood vessels feeding the brain become blocked or narrowed, leading to memory and other cognitive problems. But exercise also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, as well as the growth and survival of new brain cells, said Ratey. Brain imaging studies suggest that key brain areas responsible

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JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Book helps people walk without pain By Barbara Ruben From the severe leg and foot pain caused by diabetes, to hugely swollen legs due to lymphedema, some older adults are so stricken by pain that walking is not only challenging, it can sometimes be impossible. Others who have trouble walking have

been told it’s due to myriad issues — from arthritis of the hip, to leg cramps, to spinal stenosis. A new book by Baltimore podiatrist Dr. Stuart Goldman, Walking Well Again, offers a guide for both patients and clinicians to achieve pain-free walking, standing,

sleeping and sitting. Goldman includes information on causes of difficulty walking, exercises to help improve gait, and tools to help make walking easier — from braces to walkers. While the book is intended for both patients and physicians, it is written in accessible language. More advanced sections throughout the book are labeled “for the clinician and the medically curious.” Goldman is a fellow with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and a diplomate with the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Most likely culprits Although foot and leg pain can stem from such diverse problems as anemia, inner ear disorder, deep vein thrombosis, bunions and sciatica, Goldman asserts that a pair of primary culprits may be to blame in many cases.

Goldman says that many times difficulty walking and standing are due to the conditions called spinal stenosis and pseudostenosis. “Our two villains are like a wily pair of nearly identical twins,” he writes, as symptoms are often almost exactly the same. The word “stenosis” itself means narrowing, and here refers to a narrowing of the structures of the spine. Goldman writes that this can lead to pressure on nerves in your lower back, causing symptoms in your buttocks, thighs, legs or feet, and sometimes in more than one area. Goldman recommends physical therapy, medications and epidural injections to treat the pain, using surgery as a last resort. Goldman writes that pseudo-stenosis is very similar to stenosis. It may be caused by one leg being slightly shorter than the other, flat feet, and altered walking patterns caused by arthritis or stroke.

You can test yourself Much of the book focuses on understanding the symptoms and ferreting out the causes of the pain. Goldman offers several tests to help, including ones that use a grocery cart or walker to measure how difficult it is for you to walk, determine when pain occurs, and how long walking can be maintained. “Dramatic improvement of…symptoms when using a walker or a grocery cart strongly suggests that a large part of the problem is affected by spinal position,” Goldman writes. Thus, Goldman includes tips on positioning the spine (such as going down stairs backward), and tools (like orthotic shoe inserts). He says these management techniques can provide relief from symptoms in as little as one to three days. Not all patients will be helped, he acknowledges, but he says that about 70 percent of his patients find improvement quickly. “You may be able to treat yourself with the techniques I provide on these pages, or you may require follow-up with a good podiatrist or physician,” he writes. Walking Well Again (a large format 336page paperback book) is available in print from Amazon.com for $39.95, or in Kindle format for $9.95. More information is available on Goldman’s website at http://walkingwellagain.com.

Younger brain From page 5 Guidelines for Americans are more than adequate for that purpose, said Ratey. For all adults, the weekly goals are: • Two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking OR one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, like jogging. • Muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week. Julie Corliss is the executive editor of Harvard Heart Letter. © 2016. President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Excess pain meds can harm liver, kidneys By Dr. Howard LeWine Q: A friend was recently hospitalized with liver damage. The doctors told her it was caused by the acetaminophen in the over-the-counter medicines she was taking for back pain. I always thought of Tylenol as a safe drug. Now I am scared to use it. Your thoughts, please. A: In general, acetaminophen is a safe drug, as long as you don’t take too much. Acetaminophen helps ease pain and reduces fever. It doesn’t dampen inflammation, like the NSAIDs ibuprofen or naproxen can. But acetaminophen has the benefits of being easier on the stomach and no risk of increased heart problems. I suspect that your friend unknowingly took more than the recommended daily dose of acetaminophen. More than 600 products contain acetaminophen, and inadvertently combining them can nudge you into the red zone. People don’t realize that these doses all add up and before you know it, you’ve exceeded the recommended dose of acetaminophen. The body breaks down most of the acetaminophen in a normal dose and eliminates it in the urine. But some of the drug

is converted into a byproduct that is toxic to the liver. If you take too much — all at once or over a period of days — more toxin can build up than the body can handle. For the average healthy adult, the generally recommended maximum daily dose is no more than 4,000 milligrams (mg.) from all sources. But in some people, doses close to the 4,000 mg. daily limit for adults could still be toxic to the liver. It’s safest to take only what you need, and to not exceed 3,000 mg. a day whenever possible, especially if you have a small body. Here are some general precautions for avoiding an accidental overdose of acetaminophen: • Cold and flu remedies count. When you reach for an over-the-counter cough, cold or flu product, take a look at the label. Does it contain acetaminophen? • Add up the amount in all your pills. Carefully examine the individual ingredients in all your medications, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Add up the total amount of acetaminophen. • Easy on the alcohol. Drinking alcohol causes the liver to convert more of the acetaminophen you take into toxic byproducts. See PAIN MEDS, page 9

Treating Difficulty Standing, Walking, Sitting, and Sleeping attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Painful Swollen Legs, Poor Circulation, and "Growing Pains" in Children. I am a patient who had severe foot pain for 2 years, with no relief in sight....by the end of the 4 days I was 85% pain free in both feet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain. – Alvin, Baltimore

As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking), even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits.

Stuart Goldman, DPM

410-235-2345 20 Crossroads Dr, Suite 15 Owings Mills, MD 21117

New Location

— Dr. Stuart Goldman Fellow American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare Author, multiple articles on Foot & Leg Symptoms

WATCh reAL PATieNT TeSTiMoNiALS oN heLPForYourFeeT.CoM

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Health Studies Page

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THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study seeks former smokers with COPD By Carol Sorgen Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) describes a set of progressive lung diseases that include emphysema, chronic bronchitis, non-reversible asthma and some forms of bronchiectasis (a widening of the airways that can lead to infection). Symptoms of the condition include increased shortness of breath, frequent coughing (with and without sputum), wheezing and tightness in the chest. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms may be negligible. As the disease develops, the symptoms become more pronounced. COPD affects an estimated 24 million people in the U.S. However, more than half do not know that they have it. Many people assume that shortness of breath and coughing are a normal part of aging.

COPD can be caused by smoking, environmental factors and genetics.

Can better air quality help? Johns Hopkins University is currently conducting a study of air cleaners intended to improve indoor air quality and COPD health. The principal objective of the trial is to determine whether former smokers who have COPD and use an air cleaner at home will see an improvement in respiratory symptoms, quality of life and lung function. Approximately 120 participants are being recruited for the study, and the participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive a real air cleaner that has internal HEPA and carbon filters. The other will receive a sham air cleaner without those filters, but

which will otherwise run normally, including similar noise, airflow and overall appearance. Participants will not know which type of air filter they receive. The air cleaners will be placed in the bedroom and the room where the participant reports spending the most time. Participants will be instructed to run the air cleaners continually during the course of the six-month study, and the units will be modified to prevent them from being turned off by the participants.

Taking part in the study The investigators will place air pollution monitors in participants’ homes to measure the air quality over five one-week periods (at three months and one week before placing the air cleaner, and at one week, three months and six months after doing so). During each week of monitoring, participants will be asked to keep a diary of their

breathing and of how they are feeling every day. Participants will have five home visits and five clinic visits, as well as monthly telephone calls during this time to see how they are feeling. One week after each home visit, the monitoring equipment will be picked up. After the second monitoring period, active or sham air cleaners will be placed in the home. Participants must be 40 years old or older and have a physician’s diagnosis of COPD. They must be former smokers, who smoked at least a pack a day for 10 years or two packs a day for five years. They must have quit smoking at least a year ago. They cannot have other chronic lung diseases, such as asthma. Participants must also plan not to move during the study period. For more information, or to see if you qualify, contact Teresa L. Concordia at (410) 5502449 or tconcor1@jhmi.edu, or Lilian Arteaga at (410) 550-9527 or larteag1@jhmi.edu.

BEACON BITS

June 30+

LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES

This free six-week program will teach you how to manage symptoms of diabetes by taking control of your health. The program includes 15 hours of workshops and materials and is held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Keswick Multi-Care, 700 West 40th St. For more information or to register, call (410) 662-4363.

June 30

HEALTHY HABITS FOR HEALTHIER YOU

This program at the Seven Oaks Senior Center on Thursday, June 30 at 2 p.m. provides current research and practical information on ways to age well. Topics include how humans age, how the brain works, cognitive activity, physical health and exercise, diet and nutrition and social engagement. Sign up in advance at the center, 9210 Seven Courts Dr., or by calling (410) 887-5192.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Pain meds From page 7 • Know if your medications interact. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if any of your prescription medications could interact badly with acetaminophen. Q: I recently had a blood test that showed my kidneys are not working like they used to. I have high blood pressure, but otherwise consider myself healthy. What can I do to help preserve my kidney function? A: Great question! Your situation is actually quite common. First, don’t be overly concerned. It’s very likely your kidneys will continue to do their job of filtering toxins from blood. But there are actions you can take now to help make sure that happens. I suspect you had a blood test called a creatinine level. Creatinine is one of the things that the kidneys filter from the blood. If kidney function declines, creatinine rises. Every day, a healthy kidney filters a total of about 200 quarts of blood, removing waste products, excess water and certain chemicals. If the kidneys didn’t keep things in balance, you would slowly poison yourself. The kidneys have a remarkable ability to

keep working despite changing conditions. The tiny filtering tubes in the kidney, called glomeruli, adapt in various ways. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and high blood sugar (diabetes) all harm the kidneys and can lead to chronic kidney disease. A heart-healthy lifestyle of regular exercise and a nutritious plant-based diet helps prevent that from happening. Here are five steps you can take now to protect your kidneys from more damage: 1. Keep your blood pressure and blood sugar within norms. This will help slow the decline in kidney function. 2. Lower your cholesterol. Taking a statin medication to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol may help to protect the kidneys. Also, individuals with reduced kidney function are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, so reducing cardiac risk factors is important. 3. Consider medication. Certain medications can protect the kidneys. The two that physicians often prescribe are ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). They lower pressure in the kidney filters and limit further damage. 4. Limit protein intake. Eating too much

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Ongoing

LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER

The University of Maryland Medical Center offers a quarterly support group for women diagnosed with cancer. Call Karen Seaberry at (410) 547-2522 for more information.

Ongoing

DRIVE PATIENTS TO APPOINTMENTS

Imagine having an important medical appointment but no way to get to your doctor’s office. That’s the situation in which many elderly Jewish Community Services (JCS) clients find themselves on a daily basis. JCS urgently needs Mitzvah Mobility drivers to escort clients to and from medical appointments in the Pikesville/Owings Mills area. The time commitment is flexible. Drive as little or as often as you like. Mileage reimbursement is available. If you or someone you know can provide transportation for individuals needing this assistance, contact Maureen Davidov at mdavidov@jcsbaltimore.org or (410) 466-9200.

protein can strain weak kidneys. Aim for a daily protein intake of 1 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. 5. Use NSAIDs with caution. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, interfere with kidney function. Taking them when you are also

depleted of fluids can lead to kidney shutdown. Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Pancreas cell transplants help diabetics By Lauran Neergaard Transplants of insulin-producing pancreas cells are a long hoped-for treatment for diabetes — and a new study shows they can

protect the most seriously ill patients from a life-threatening complication of the disease, an important step toward U.S. approval. These transplants are used in some countries, but in the U.S. they’re available only through research studies. Armed with the new findings, researchers hope to license them for use in a small number of people with Type 1 diabetes who are most at risk for drops in blood sugar so severe they can lead to seizures, even death. “Cell-based diabetes therapy is real and works, and offers tremendous potential for the right patient,” said study lead author Dr. Bernhard Hering of the University of Minnesota, whose team plans to seek a Food and Drug Administration license for the therapy. In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the pancreatic cells responsible for making insulin, a hormone crucial to converting blood sugar into energy. About 1 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes and depend on regular insulin shots to survive. But they can still experience complications due to swings in their blood sugar.

Minimally invasive Diabetics who get kidney transplants sometimes also receive pancreas transplants at the same time, essentially curing their diabetes. But it’s an uncommon and grueling operation, so scientists for years

have worked on a minimally invasive alternative: Infusing patients with just islet cells, the insulin factories inside the pancreas. The questions: How best to obtain those islet cells from deceased donors, and who benefits most from transplants? When glucose levels drop too low, most people with Type 1 diabetes experience early warning signs — slurred speech, tremors, sweating, heart palpitations — so they know to eat or drink something for a quick sugar boost. But even with optimal care, about 30 percent eventually quit experiencing those symptoms, a condition called hypoglycemia unawareness. They can be in grave danger if their blood sugar plummets when no one else is around to help. Continuous glucose monitors can counteract that problem, but even those don’t help everyone. The National Institutes of Health targeted that fraction of highest-risk patients, funding a study that gave 48 people at eight medical centers at least one islet cell transplant. A year later, 88 percent were free of severe hypoglycemia events, had their awareness of blood sugar dips restored, and harbored glucose levels in near-normal ranges. Two years later, 71 percent of participants still were faring that well, concluded the study published by the journal Diabetes Care.

No (or less) insulin needed

GARDEN SERIES

The goal wasn’t insulin independence, which requires more functioning islet cells than merely restoring blood sugar awareness. But some patients — 52 percent after one year — no longer needed insulin shots

and others used lower doses. “It’s just an amazing gift,” said Lisa Bishop of Eagle River, Wisconsin, who received new islet cells in 2010 and no longer needs insulin shots. Bishop recalls the terror of learning she’d become hypoglycemic unaware, and the difficulty of even holding a job. She hasn’t had hypoglycemia since the transplant, and says if her blood sugar occasionally dips a bit after exercise, “now my body senses it.” Another key: The transplants have long been used experimentally, but different hospitals use different methods to cull the islet cells from a donated pancreas and purify them — and it wasn’t clear which worked best, explained Dr. Nancy Bridges, chief of the transplant branch at NIH’s National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The FDA made clear that there had to be a standard method for islet cell transplants if they were ever to be approved — which is necessary for insurance coverage — so the researchers developed that recipe, Bridges said. Side effects include bleeding and infection, and recipients need lifelong immunesuppressing drugs to avoid rejecting their new cells. Even if given the OK for more routine use, donated pancreas cells are in limited supply. Still, “it’s a very beautiful study,” said Dr. Julia Greenstein of the diabetes advocacy organization JDRF, who wasn’t involved in the latest research. “For most people in the U.S., this was not an available choice, and this is the first step in making that an available choice.” — AP

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Summer Gardening for a Healthier You Join us to learn how YOU can garden your way to the creation of new taste sensations!

Six Week Series June 30, July 15, July 28, August 12 , August 26 and September 16

Topics • Organic Mosquito Repellent Gardening • Grow Your Own Organic Veggies • Make Your Own Organic Oils

• Create Eﬀective & Safe Bug Spray by 10:00 am – Noon at Keswick Blending Herbs & Oils 700 W 40th St, Baltimore, MD 21211 • Transplanting for Your Thanksgiving Harvest Featuring MD’s Green Ambassador,

Cathy Allen

• Celebrating the Fruits (& Veggies) of the Garden

For more information and to register visit choosekeswick.org/events or contact:

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Does chewing gum help with weight loss? Q: Can chewing gum help you lose who chewed gum 90 minutes a day did not weight? lose weight any more successfully than A: It may help some people those who didn’t chew gum. lose weight, but don’t count on Consider other strategies it as an important strategy. to avoid extra eating. BrushThere are several theories ing your teeth immediately why chewing gum may supafter a meal helps some peoport weight loss, but research ple. Try the tradition foldoesn’t show strong results. lowed in India of ending One often-quoted study found meals by chewing a few fenthat chewing gum may burn nel seeds. Or just enjoy a nice about 11 calories an hour. This cup of tea or coffee. could be compared to the small If you find that chewing extra daily calorie burn found in NUTRITION gum helps, that’s great, but people who tap their toes or oth- WISE think of it as just one small erwise “fidget” all day, and it is By Karen Collins, part of changing eating habits unlikely to produce weight loss. MS, RD, CDM to support weight loss. Others propose that the act Q: I keep hearing about of chewing may lead to changes “planks” as an exercise for in digestive hormones that decrease waist and abs. What’s a plank? hunger, thus making it easier to cut calories A: Planks are a great muscle-strengthfor weight loss. This makes sense in theory, ening exercise. They’ve become popular but short-term controlled trials haven’t because they need no special equipment shown the expected hormonal change. and strengthen abdominal muscles — Chewing gum may aid weight loss by re- along with others — without the back placing overeating for some. Participants in strain that sit-ups can cause. one controlled study showed a 10 percent The basic plank starts in a position like drop in mid-afternoon snacking when they the “up” position of a push-up, except chewed gum 15 minutes each hour after rather than moving up and down, plank exlunch. But in a controlled trial that followed ercises strengthen muscles by holding a overweight people for eight weeks, those stable position.

BEACON BITS

Ongoin

VOLUNTEER AT THE PRATT Volunteers are an integral part of the Enoch Pratt library system, performing a variety of activities and assignments. To learn more or volunteer, call (410) 396-9940 or visit www.prattlibrary.org.

MERCY MEDICAL SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Mercy Medical Center has ongoing volunteer opportunities. Contact Mercy’s Volunteer Office at (410) 332-9227 (TTY (410) 332-9888) or volunteers@mdmercy.com to discuss volunteer opportunities or ask questions about application requirements, and to share your interests, goals and skills.

If you are just starting doing planks, try resting on your forearms and knees instead of hands and toes. There are a variety of plank exercises, each targeting a slightly different part of the “core.” Place your shoulders directly above your elbows. It’s important to tighten abdominal muscles, holding your back in a straight line, neither raising your bottom in the air nor letting it sag. Initially aim to hold this position for 10 seconds, then relax, and repeat a few times. As your muscles strengthen, increase holding time and try a variety of other positions (such as side planks) to keep building muscle strength. Planks help strengthen abdominal muscles along with a whole group of muscles that cover the front, back and sides of your abdomen, lower back and pelvis. These muscles are important to help maintain good posture and balance, which are especially vital to reduce falls in older adults.

A strong core also provides stability to avoid lower back pain and injury while performing sports and daily physical activities. Most people can do some form of planks that is both safe and effective, but people with any spine or back conditions should check with their doctor first. A helpful visual guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is available at www.nchpad.org/1391/6235/Planks~101. The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

Seeking Men and Women The University of Maryland & Veterans Aﬀairs of Baltimore are conducting a research study to better understand balance & prevent falls as we age. With your participation you will receive: • Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises • Compensation for your time

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

410-605-7179 Mention code: LIFT *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine for approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours of time per visit

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Giving advice when you could be wrong Dear Solutions: start any time he chooses to get up. FailI would like to be a “smart” grand- ure is not in the falling down. It’s in staying ma and help my grandson down. who’s asking for my opinSo be a “smart grandma.” ion. But I’m afraid of givTrust him to decide whether ing my opinion in case it’s your opinion is right or wrong wrong, so I’m asking for for him. yours. Dear Solutions: My grandson was given We’re fairly young senan opportunity to tr y iors. I’m widowed, he’s disomething risky, which, if vorced, and we’ve been in a it had worked out, would serious relationship for a have been really great. He while. But whenever I ask SOLUTIONS did tr y, but it didn’t go him for a commitment to eiBy Helen Oxenberg, well. He feels like a failure, ther get married or move in MSW, ACSW but now he’s got another together, he finds all kinds of chance to make a fresh excuses, even though he start. says he loves me and loves that we have He’s doing okay if he stays where he fun together. is, but if he takes a new risk and it Why is the word or idea of commitworks, it would be great. I think he’s ment so scary, and what do you think young enough to make a fresh start, I should do to get him to agree to us but he’s afraid of falling down again. being married or living together? Should I tell him what I think? What if — Selma I’m wrong? Dear Selma: — Smart (?) Grandma Okay let’s examine the words. Now Dear Smart: Yes. Since he’s asking and “fun” is a great word with great images, values your opinion tell him what you but what kind of word is “commitment” think. Young or old, a “fresh start” can anyway? It brings up examples such as

“He was committed to an institution for the criminally insane” or “She was committed to the federal penitentiary because she had committed manslaughter.” You know commitment is not a fun word — so why would anyone want to “commit” him or herself to anything? First, make up your mind what you are willing to accept and not willing to accept in this relationship. Then be very clear. Express what you want in positive images: “We could have such fun together if we live

together!” and give some examples (those examples are up to you to visualize, not to me). Be very clear that that’s what you want. And if you won’t accept anything else, be clear and mean it. Good luck and, hopefully, lots of fun. © Helen Oxenberg, 2016. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

RED CROSS SEEKS VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS

The American Red Cross is seeking volunteer transportation specialists to help deliver lifesaving blood products to Central Maryland hospitals for patients in need. Volunteer shifts will originate at the Red Cross headquarters facility located at 4700 Mount Hope Dr. in West Baltimore and include travel around the region. Training and use of Red Cross vehicles will be provided. Volunteers must meet the following minimum requirements: have a valid driver’s license with a minimum of three years driving experience; be able to verify a safe driving record with insurance; be able to lift boxes of up to 45 pounds for hospital deliveries; be available to volunteer for two to four shifts per month (flexible schedules available).Those interested in learning more or applying can call Joe Miletti at (410) 624-2023 or email Joe.Miletti@redcross.org or begin the application process online at https:/bit.ly/red_cross_volunteer

July 10

MILES THAT MATTER PIKESVILLE 5K

More than 1,100 runners and volunteers are expected to come together for the 16th annual Miles That Matter Pikesville 5K, Sunday, July 10, at Woodholme Center, 1829 Reisterstown Rd. Benefiting the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and the Pikesville Chamber of Commerce, this family-friendly event features a 5K Run/Walk and a Post-Race Celebration. On-site registration begins at 6 a.m. Following warm-up exercises, the open amateur race starts at 8 a.m. and travels along Greene Tree Road. The Pikesville 5K registration fee includes breakfast, water, entertainment and commemorative race tech shirts for the first 600 adults, or a commemorative water bottle for kids under 12. Kids’ registration is $25. Adult registration is $35 through July 9 and $40 on race day. Also, teams of 10 or more will receive a $5 discount. To register, visit ww.pikesville5k.com, call (410) 484-2337 or email info@pikesvillechamber.org.

BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; JULY 2016

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Communities that provide memory care By Carol Sorgen As our population continues to age, the demand for housing for residents with serious memory issues or dementia is growing, and with it, an emphasis on making such communities more welcoming and home-like for residents and family alike. “We want our residents and their loved ones to know that they are not forgotten,” said Amber Knab, of Symphony Manor in Baltimore. Memory care is a type of long-term skilled nursing specifically geared to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other types of memory problems. Memory care units usually provide 24hour supervised care within a separate wing or floor of an assisted living or nursing home setting. Residents may live in semi-private apartments or private rooms, and have structured activities that are designed specifi-

cally for those with memory impairment. Because memory care requires specially trained staff and a larger staff-to-resident ratio, monthly fees are usually higher than in other residential communities. Costs may vary, depending on such factors as level of care needed, size of room, whether a room is private or semi-private, and geographical location of the community. A new report by the senior housing referral service A Place for Mom found that the average monthly cost for a memory care facility is $6,033 in Maryland, compared with $4,757 for assisted living. In general, memory care offers 24-hour supervised care with meals, activities and health management for residents. The basic services usually offered include: • Private or semi-private rooms • Daily meals • Housekeeping and laundry service

• Medication management • Exercise and physical therapy programs • Social programs and activities • 24-hour staffing and personal assistance Among the options for residential memory care in Baltimore are the following four communities: Atrium Village 4730 Atrium Ct. Owings Mills, MD 21117 (410) 504-6442 www.seniorlifestyle.com/property/a trium-village Atrium Village offers several levels of care, from independent living, to care for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Memory care offers private rooms, studio and one-bedroom apartments, as well as companion suites. The memory care community is divided into “neighborhoods.” Within these neighborhoods, residents have access to com-

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mon areas and exterior courtyards while accompanied by staff. The Walk With Me program helps ease transition for residents with memory loss by connecting each family with a care partner. To ensure safety and a high level of care, Atrium Village uses a monitoring, tracking and reporting system called QuietCare technology. When new residents move, they are introduced to the QuietCare system, which will track and report certain living patterns, thereby giving both clinical staff and families the ability to make sure residents are receiving the care they need. For instance, monitors can see if a resident has fallen, or if they make frequent trips to the bathroom, which could indicate a problem. Peregrine’s Landing at Tudor Heights 7218 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD 21208 (410) 318-8000 www.peregrineseniorliving.com Peregrine’s Landing at Tudor Heights is part of Peregrine Senior Living, whose philosophy is dedicated to providing assisted living and memory care in a less institutional environment. It is built around three fundamental principles: a commitment to a renewal of the individual growth process, a deepening of the spiritual experience, and the furthering of one’s intellectual pursuits, recognizing the value of lifelong learning. “Our objective is that every resident is treated with dignity, respect and freedom,” said administrator Sherri Zaslow. “We’re not an institution….We’re just another house in the neighborhood, and we’re an integral part of Pikesville.” Amenities and services include: • Private suites with private bath. Double suites can accommodate couples. • Restaurant-style service with three well-balanced meals served daily, featuring a variety of menu choices; Peregrine’s Landing is the only kosher Jewish memory care facility in Baltimore. • Weekly housekeeping and daily trash removal • Weekly personal laundry and linens (except dry cleaning) • Social, spiritual, educational and recreational programs daily, many of which integrate the surrounding neighborhood • Scheduled group transportation to appointments, social events and cultural programs • Concierge service • Trained staff available 24-hours a day • In-house medical services that include a physician, podiatrist, psychiatrist and nurse practitioner. • Physical, occupational and speech therapy • Medication management and continence management • Assistance with all activities of daily living • Support groups for caregivers See MEMORY CARE, page B-3

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Memory care From page B-2 Symphony Manor 4301 Roland Ave. Baltimore, MD 21210 (410) 415-9020 www.symphony-manor.com Symphony Manor caters to early-onset memory-impaired residents. Symphony Manor is part of Compass Pointe Healthcare, and is one of the organization’s Beacon Place Memory Care communities [no connection to the Beacon newspapers]. Among the features of the specially designed environment are: supportive paint colors and accent walls to help create wayfinding points, memory stations designed to promote independent purposeful engagement, low-glare residential style flooring to reduce visual disturbance, and per-

sonal memory boxes to help residents find their way around the facility. The Beacon Place program focuses on five aspects of life to address the needs of the residents, caregivers and families within the community. These include physical wellness, social well-being, spirituality, supportive community and engagement. For those who aren’t ready for a residential facility, Symphony Manor also offers a drop-in social club. “We make sure our residents are actively engaged in their daily lives,” said Knab. Symphony Manor’s Memory Care Program includes: • Private studio apartments • Personalized care services • Special memory care programming • Life enrichment activities • Weekly housekeeping and linen services

• Three nutritious meals per day and snacks • All utilities (except phone and cable) • 24-hour access to caregivers Woodholme Gardens 1700 Woodholme Ave. Pikesville, MD 21208 (410) 415-9022 www.woodholmegardens.com Woodholme Gardens is another Beacon Place Memory Care community that features home-like common spaces, individual care plans and purposeful engagement activities. “Every resident has a personalized care

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plan,” said Steven Gale, sales and marketing director. The residents are also involved in planning the various activities available, from trips to entertainment to visiting speakers. “This is a very empowering environment,” Gale said. Woodholme Gardens features amenities similar to those at Symphony Manor, including private studio apartments, personalized care services, special memory care programming, life enrichment activities like gardening, and 24-hour access to caregivers. Prices start at $3,910 and go up to $6,800, depending on level of care.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 6+

JAZZ AT THE BMA The Baltimore Museum of Art’s popular Jazz in the Sculpture Gar-

den concert series is back. Performers this year are Tizer Quartet featuring Karen Briggs, Don Braden Quintet featuring Vanessa Rubin, and Tony Tovar y Proyecto Jazz. These casual concerts take place on select Saturdays in August at 7 p.m. Concerts regularly sell out, so advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are $45 to the general public; $30 for BMA members. Purchase online at www.artbma.org or in person at Gertrude’s Restaurant at the BMA, 10 Art Museum Dr. For more information, call (443) 573-1701.

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Things Change

Services & Amenities: Most Affordable Memory Care Program in Catonsville Designated Memory Care Area Short-Term Respite Care Available Social, Educational and Recreational Activities Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy In-House Delicious, Well-Balanced Meals & Snacks Gorgeous Scenic Views in Home-like Setting

BUT, HERE, WHAT REALLY COUNTS

Remains the Same Welcome to an extraordinary seniors community offering exceptional Assisted Living services and industry-leading Memory Care programs honoring your loved ones and their treasured Jewish traditions. Here, our wellness and lifestyle programs ensure family relationships are supported and cultural connections remain strong. We feature our own: ON-SITE SYNAGOGUE

ONLY STAR K CERTIFIED KOSHER COMMUNITY IN BALTIMORE

COMMUNITY RABBI VISITATIONS

FULL CALENDAR OF ENGAGING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Yes, things change. But there’s one place where the important things remain the same.

H EART O F

www.ShangriLaSeniorLiving.com

410-744-8433

Call Zack Pomerantz at 410-318-8000 for a Private Tour

www.PeregrineTudor.com

6348 Frederick Road, Catonsville Previously known as Paradise Assisted Living

Sherri Zaslow, Executive Director 7218 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE

PIKESVILLE

Meat

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Housing Options | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Seven reasons your house isn’t selling By Bob Niedt Your family, friends and, yes, neighbors are a little concerned: Your house has been on the market for quite some time and they’re beginning to wonder. Will it ever sell? You’re beginning to wonder, too. So let’s back up a bit: Did you and the real estate agent representing your property have a good heart-to-heart about the asking price? Did you look at recent sales and comparable listings in your neighborhood (“comps,” in Realtor-speak)? Or did you balk at the figure the agent calculated for

your home and wanted it higher? An unrealistic asking price is the obvious reason a home will linger on the market. Here are seven more reasons that might be less obvious, but they nonetheless could be keeping your house from attracting bids. 1. It lacks curb appeal As most agents will tell you, if you can’t get potential buyers past the front yard, you’re not going to get them in the front door. “If buyers don’t like the front [of the house] picture on the Internet or when driving by, they won’t look any further,”

“Mom just wasn’t herself.”

said Joel Hobson of Hobson Realtors in Memphis, Tenn. “Mulch the beds, paint the front door, clean the windows.” Look at your siding, too, and make sure all the gutters are attached and cleaned. And by all means maintain the lawn: No dandelions! Jessica Riffle Edwards, a real estate agent in Wilmington, N.C., has a curb appeal drill for her clients. “I always tell my sellers to do an exercise called the ‘Front Door Check.’ Stand at your front door and imagine you are a prospective buyer. You might be waiting at the front door for a couple of minutes while the agent opens the door for a viewing. “Look up and down, left and right and take notice of any cobwebs, paint chips or scuffs on the door or front porch that need attention,” she said. 2. You refuse to make upgrades No home seller wants to replace appliances, flooring or countertops. Why spend the money on items you don’t plan to stick around and enjoy? The big reason you need to suck it up and do it is competition. If there are similar homes for sale in your area that have upgrades — stainless steel, granite, new windows and so on — and yours doesn’t, buyers will notice. This is particularly noticeable if you haven’t upgraded in a decade or more. Cara Ameer, a broker associate with Coldwell

Banker, listed one house that came with baggage from the ‘80s. Entryway mirrors ran 20 feet from floor to ceiling and continued up the staircase to the second floor. Home buyers were stopped cold as soon as they entered. “That house sat on the market that way for [two and a half] years,” said Ameer, until she persuaded the owners to take down the mirrors, a $3,000 job. 3. There’s too much clutter Real estate agents and other professionals say a big part of selling your home is the staging. (Come on, you watch enough HGTV to know what I’m talking about.) Start by removing personal stuff: family photos, taste-specific artwork, notes attached to the fridge. Buyers want to see the potential, not so much your grandkid’s kindergarten project. Then, turn to large items that make rooms look small and cluttered, such as oversized sofas and bulky exercise equipment. Next, clear out cabinets and closets to make them appear more spacious. And don’t forget the garage, a space that often becomes home to everything except the car. “A big word I use with clients is ‘editing,’” said Ameer. “Get rid of excess furniture and collections of things. Make sure the room is accessible and that it flows.” See HOME NOT SELLING, page B-5

Senior Apartments LIVE WELL FOR LESS Roland View Towers

Assisted living is living, g with a perfect amount of assistance. At first it was little things, like drawers left open and dust on the furniture: Mom had always been so tidy. After a while, I noticed the laundry and dishes piling up. Finally, I saw that some medications were being left in the weekly pill keeper. I knew it was time for us to talk. I asked Mom how she felt about handling things on her own. She confessed that housework was overwhelming, and she sometimes forgot to take her medications. So I asked her if she would consider assisted living. She resisted at first, but I watched her features soften as I related relate how living at Pickersgill would be a lot like home, only better, and it would ld give i her a chance to strike up new Pickersgill offers: friendships. That brought a smile! • Transportation to local doctors Mom has been at Pickersgill for and dentists about six months now. She looks like a new person and says she feels much • Immediate response to emergencies better. She’s even joined a card club! and sudden illness • Access to an on-duty nurse Pickersgill has offered seniors great value and confidence for more than • Supervision of medications 213 years. Living here, you or • Assistance with bathing or showering someone you love can enjoy daily • Daily tidying and bed-making activities and companionship that help • Assistance with dining, if desired ensure a healthyy balance of body, y mind

• One- and Two-Bedroom as well as Efficiencies • Rents from $456-$767* Utilities Included! • 24/7 on-site Maintenance and Reception Desk • Beauty/Barber Shop on premises • Bus Trips and Social Events and many more amenities! • Only 2 blocks from Hampden’s ‘The Avenue’ Spectacular View

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Home not selling From page B-4 You might need to rent a storage unit to stash your stuff temporarily, but it’s a wise investment if it helps your house sell faster. 4. The roof is old This is a deal-breaker for many home buyers who can’t stomach the prospect of spending thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of dollars on top of the sale price. But agents say sellers tend to revert to the “let’s see if we get an offer anyway” argument. Often, that doesn’t fly, especially if the seller wants top dollar for the home. “An older roof scares buyers,’’ said Ameer. Ameer and other agents say costs make it hard to talk sellers into replacing a roof before putting a house on the market. In Florida, where Ameer works, a new roof can range from approximately $6,000 for a 1,500-square-foot house to $25,000 for a 4,000-square-foot home. The figures are particularly daunting for first-time buyers, people selling inherited property, and those selling homes on behalf of aging relatives who are no longer able to remain there. One family initially balked, Ameer said, but relented when low offers kept coming in. The payoff was quick: The house sold within two weeks after the roof work was completed. 5. You still have renters There’s this property you have that’s provided nice side income. You’re renting it out. But now you decide to sell the home. Think it through, agents say. You may want to send the renters packing with plenty of time to freshen up the place before you put it on the market. Allowing the renters to stay while you attempt to sell that house is a tough go. “Renters are not going to have it show like you want it to show,” said Ameer, who deals with this “armchair landlord” situation a lot in Florida, where the housing market was especially affected during the Great Recession.

“It’s a slippery slope. You want the rental income, but you also want to sell. It will lag on the market with tenants in there,” she said. 6. You hate showings Yes, it’s annoying to have to leave the house at a moment’s notice because an agent has a client eager to see your home. But deal with it. The real estate market is 24/7 now. Not surprisingly, home buyers want to look at houses during off-hours including nights and weekends because that’s when it’s convenient for them. In your listing, you can have your agent outline rules for showings, including limited hours or “by appointment only.” But then you need to be willing to accept that you might be missing out on a potential sale. If you want to get it sold as quickly as possible, “make your house easy to show for selling agents. Never turn down a showing, and let them put a key box in for easy access,” said Hobson. He also advises that when you know there is going to be a showing, “make your home as bright and light as possible. Open draperies, turn on lights, leave the temperature comfortable so that buyers want to stay.” Agents agree that it’s best if the homeowner isn’t present during showings, so resist the urge to hang around the house. 7. You didn’t sweat the small stuff Paying attention to the little details is essential. Potential buyers surely will. By painting baseboards and trim, touching up scuffs on the walls, and replacing outdated lighting and switch plates, you can freshen up a house without breaking the bank. Said Edwards: “Buyers today want the house to be move-in ready, and you will be competing with nearby properties that are move-in ready. Painting and carpet cleaning are affordable improvements that you can make to allow your home to stand out” or at least to compete fairly. Then there’s this: “I love dogs, but make sure that your house does not smell bad,” said Hobson. “Cigarette smoke is the worst.” All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

COMPANION CARE

Absolute Companion Care 410-357-9640 www.absolutecompanion.com Talking to your parents about getting help at home: A recent study indicates 55% of Americans say being a burden on their family is their biggest concern during aging. Take this into consideration when approaching your parent about accepting in-home help. Explain to your parent how much you worry about them. If you have been acting as primary caregiver explain that it has become too much on top of career or parenthood responsibilities. You might say, “Mom, I worry about you…and even if you tell me I shouldn’t, it keeps me up at night. Would you try having someone come in once a week for me?” Call Absolute Companion Care to discuss this and other scenarios about honest conversations with elders.

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ASSISTED LIVING LIVING COMMUNITY ASSISTED

Weinberg Park Assisted Living 410-664-0100 5833 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215 Weinberg Park is a vibrant Assisted Living community where you can live with confidence and independence. Whether you need help getting dressed, managing medications or friendly conversation, we are there for you with a gentle helping hand. We offer private or semi-private suites, certified nursing assistance, medication management, a 24-hour emergency response system, laundry & housekeeping services, delicious & nourishing kosher meals and individualized service plans. Our doors are open to everyone, regardless of income level, and we strive to keep our fees at a competitive market rate. Call today to schedule a tour! We look forward to showing you the comfort and care we offer to all our treasured residents!

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Oak Crest 410-877-6624 8820 Walther Boulevard Parkville, MD 21234 www.ericksonliving.com What makes Oak Crest different? Year after year, Oak Crest continues to be Baltimore County’s first choice for retirement living. Bigger is better. The 87-acre campus is home to a wealth of activities and amenities, including five restaurants. Yet, it retains the warmth of a small town. A charming Location. Residents are surrounded by walking paths, mature trees, and a residential neighborhood. The value of experience. For 20 years, Oak Crest has provided financial security with their Refundable Entrance Deposit.* Learn More. Call 410-877-6624 for your brochure, or to schedule a visit. *Carefully read the Residence and Care Agreement for the conditions that must be satisfied before the Provider is required to pay the Entrance Deposit Refund.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Linden Park Apartments in Bolton Hill 410-523-0013 301 McMechen Street Baltimore, MD 21217 They say that the healthiest way to age is to remain socially engaged as long as possible. What better way to do so than to live in a thriving community such as Bolton Hill that encourages engagement and wellness? Offering efficiencies and one bedroom apartments from $739/month*, for ages 62 plus, there are many activities for you to enjoy from fitness workshops to art programs! Newly renovated, Linden Park Apartments in Bolton Hill has undergone $24 Million in Renovations! FREE parking, FREE utilities and 24-hour concierge, plus small pets are welcome! Visit our grand opening festivities through July 17. www.LindenParkApartments.com An Equal Housing Opportunity Community. *see our ad for more details.

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INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Park Heights Place Apartments 410-578-3445 5430 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215 Welcome to senior living at Park Heights Place, located in the revitalized Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore City! Our onebedroom affordable senior apartments feature a fully-equipped kitchen, and individual climate control, and we welcome small pets. Accessible apartments are also available. Park Heights Place offers a variety of amenities and services to promote a healthy lifestyle, and our onsite management and maintenance staff provide excellent customer service. With a great location in northwest Baltimore City, Park Heights Place is close to public transportation for shopping, dining and recreation. Call today for more information 410-578-3445! An Equal Housing Opportunity Community.

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

Shangri-La Senior Living of Catonsville 410-744-8433 6348 Frederick Road Catonsville, MD 21228 www.ShangrilaSeniorLiving.com At Shangri-La Senior Living of Catonsville, we combine comfortable living with compassionate, yet affordable care. From our interiors to our smiling residents and exceptional staff, there is an aura of warmth and caring that sets us apart. We offer three levels of assisted living care. In addition, we are happy to provide: private and semi-private rooms; delicious meals and snacks with special diet requests available; daily assistance with bathing, dressing, and management of medications; daily offerings of activities; weekly religious services offered; housekeeping & laundry services; regular wellness visits by a licensed nurse; emergency call system with secured environment; hospice services; and respite, short-stay care.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Charlestown 410-988-4070 715 Maiden Choice Lane Catonsville, MD 21228 www.ericksonliving.com What makes Charlestown different? Year after year, Charlestown continues to be Baltimore’s first choice for retirement living. Bigger is better. The 110-acre campus is home to a wealth of activities and amenities, including six restaurants. Yet, it retains the warmth of a small town. A charming location. Residents are surrounded by nature trails, mature trees, and stunning views of the historic Our Lady of the Angels Chapel. The value of experience. For 31 years, Charlestown has provided financial security with their Refundable Entrance Deposit*. Learn more. Call 410-988-4070 for your brochure, or schedule a visit. *Carefully read the Residence and Care Agreement for the conditions that must be satisfied before the Provider is required to pay the Entrance Deposit Refund.

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Housing Notes By Rebekah Sewell

Apartments undergo major renovations Linden Park in Bolton Hill, an apartment community open to residents 62 and older, recently completed a $24 million renovation process. Their efficiencies and one- and two-bedroom apartments were reconfigured and renovated, including new kitchens, floors, bathrooms, central heat and air, and new windows. They also created six new apartment units. The community building features a new entrance and lobby, upgraded electric and plumbing, and new rooms — including a computer lab, fitness center, game room, community room, solarium with fireplace,

and a resident garden. Each floor features new laundry and trash rooms, as well as sitting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. The new health and wellness suite and fitness center offers chair-based exercise classes and line dancing. Creative and artistic classes are also available, including ceramics, dance and visual arts. Residents can also participate in community movie nights, barbeques, karaoke, holiday parties and field trips. Linden Park offers 24-hour concierge, energy-efficient laundry, and free parking. All utilities are included with monthly rent. Residents can also bring their small pets. There will be a grand opening celebration extending from Monday, June 27 through Friday, July 1, featuring prize drawings, refreshments and rent discounts. For more information, visit www.lindenparkapartments.com or call (410) 5230013.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FREE LEGAL SERVICES FOR BALTIMORE CITY SENIORS Legal Services to the Elderly provides free legal assistance in gen-

eral civil matters to Baltimore City seniors. The group also offers education and outreach to seniors at local senior centers, nursing homes, and other groups. For more information or to request a speaker, visit www.baltimorebar.org.

Ongoing

LEGAL SERVICES FOR MARYLAND SENIOR CITIZENS The Legal Services for Senior Citizens Program provides free legal assistance, consultation and/or representation to Marylanders 60

or older on healthcare issues, income maintenance, nutrition, housing and utilities, protective services, and unemployment benefits. An attorney will assist in defending a senior in a lawsuit when there is a substantial risk to the client’s person, property or civil rights. Referrals to other legal resources will be made for issues not listed above. Call the Maryland Senior Legal Hotline at (410) 951-7750 or 1800-896-4213.

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FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION For free information from advertisers in this special section, check off those that interest you and mail this entire coupon to the Beacon. Please do not request info if you are not interested. All replies will be entered into a random drawing to win tickets to Hairspray.

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Briarwood Estates . . . . . . . . . .B11 Buckingham’s Choice . . . . . . .B10 Charlestown . . . . . . . . . . .B6 & B8 Christ Church Harbor Apts . . . . .B9 Cove Point Apts . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Evergreen Apts . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Fairhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Gatherings at Quarry Place . . .B11 The Greens at English Consul . . . .B2 The Greens at Hammonds Lane . .B2 The Greens at Irvington Mews . . .B2 The Greens at Liberty Road . . . . .B2 The Greens at Logan Field . . . . . .B2 The Greens at Rolling Road . . . . .B2 Linden Park Apts . . . . . . .B5 & B9 Oak Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 & B8

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Park Heights Place . . . . . .B4 & B6 Pickersgill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Shangri-La Assisted Living . .B3 & B6 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . . .B4 Tudor Heights/ Peregrine’s Landing . . . . . . . . . .B3 Virginia Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Walker Mews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Weinberg Senior Living . . . . . . B12 Weinberg Gardens . . . . . . . . . .B12 Weinberg House . . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Weinberg Manhattan Park . . . .B12 Weinberg Manor East/West . . .B12 Weinberg Manor South . . . . . . .B12 Weinberg Park Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 & B12

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Weinberg Place . . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Weinberg Terrace . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Weinberg Village Community . .B12 Weinberg Woods . . . . . . . . . . .B12

HOME HEALTHCARE ❑ Absolute Companion Care . .B5 & B8 ❑ Genesis SelectCare . . . . . . . . .B10

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REMODELING SERVICE ❑ Homelife Remodeling . . . . . . . .B9

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this entire coupon to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227. You may also include the free info coupon found on page 5. One entry per household please. Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________ BB 716

Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ Please provide your telephone number and e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

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JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Wish you had a village? Do it yourself By Barbara Ruben While there are two aging-in-place “villages” in Baltimore, many neighborhoods still lack this grassroots initiative through which, for an annual fee, residents get access to vetted service providers and neighborhood volunteers who can help with everything from changing hard-to-reach light bulbs to plumbing disasters. But that doesn’t mean that those who aren’t part of a village have to swim through uncharted waters and take their chances on an unknown handyman or

electrician. Free and inexpensive services (usually online) offer reviews from people who have hired them.

Angie’s List One such company is Angie’s List. This service began in 1995 and has evolved over the years to include more than 3 million households nationwide that use Angie’s List consumer-provided reviews to find local service providers — such as roofers, plumbers, handymen, mechanics, and even doctors and dentists.

Please patronize our advertisers. They keep the Beacon free!

GET THE FACTS about active retirement living at CHARLESTOWN or OAK CREST.

“We use proprietary software that ensures the reviews aren’t from the owner of a company’s spouse, or a company isn’t sending a barrage of bad reviews about competitors,” said Cheryl Reed, an Angie’s List spokesperson. Angie’s List members submit more than 60,000 reviews every month about the companies they hire, including the cost for the work they had done. They grade the company’s response time, price, professionalism and quality of work on an A to F scale. Angie’s List members will tell you if a crew was courteous, cleaned up after themselves, or just totally botched the job. Unlike many online review sites, Angie’s List also has a phone number that it encourages its members to call for advice. “We know people like to talk to human beings sometimes. Let’s say your toilet explodes. Do you really want to log on and scroll through pages of information to find someone who can help right away?” Reed said. “We’re here to help, whatever kind of technology you have.” Although Angie’s List has always charged a membership fee, in July the company is doing away with a fee to read and post reviews. Reed said that’s because consumers have become accustomed to getting information free on the Internet and are becoming more reluctant to pay for it. Users will still have to register on the site, and Angie’s List will offer several tiers of memberships to those who want to get exclusive deals, price guarantees on services and other services. For more, see www.angieslist.com or call 1-888-888-5478.

similar way to Angie’s List, with a couple of twists. In addition to perusing reviews of service providers by other customers, users can contact HomeAdvisor about a project they are need done, and the company will have several prescreened service providers get in touch to bid. HomeAdvisor also offers a price calculation tool, where home owners can see the range of prices others paid for similar services. The website is free to use. HomeAdvisor says it is the nation’s largest online home improvement marketplace and has connected more than 35 million homeowners to its network of prescreened home service professionals since it started in 1999. “Homeowners can feel confident using our site because professionals undergo a criminal and financial background screening,” said spokeswoman Steffanie Finkiewicz. For more information, see www.homeadvisor.com or call 1-877-800-3177. Another way to search for customer-provided reviews of services is through the website and app called Yelp. Anyone can post reviews of just about any business, so you can use it to find restaurants, hair stylists, mechanics — as well as home service providers. Since Yelp was founded in 2004, more than 102 million reviews have been posted.

Social activities, too Many villages also provide social and educational activities for their members. While you may not be able to find similar events right in your own backyard, you may be able put together a roster of free (or inexpensive) and fun activities not too far from your own neighborhood.

HomeAdvisor and Yelp The company HomeAdvisor works in a

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Advice for those blending 2 homes into 1 By Melissa Rayworth For couples setting up a new home together, it’s a challenge: how to merge two sets of stuff and two decorating styles into one space both of you can love. “Emotions get really high when it comes to your belongings if the person you’re choosing to spend the rest of your life with doesn’t love what you love,” said stylist Marianne Canada, host of the “HGTV Crafternoon” web series. In our increasingly design-savvy world, many people come to coupledom with a clear idea of how their home should look. Even when couples try to accommodate conflicting tastes, they run into the space issue. “Most of us just don’t have room for two full households together,” Canada said. Here, Canada and two other interior designers — California-based Betsy Burnham and Florida-based Laura Burleson — offer advice on mixing, matching and peacefully negotiating a merger of two homes.

ing the piece a little through painting or reupholstering. Burleson cites one couple who disagreed over a set of cane-backed dining chairs. The solution: lacquering the chairs in a dramatic shade of charcoal gray that matched a modern, concrete and brass dining table. “It takes repurposing things like that for people to look at them in a new way,” Burleson said. “It’s such a great exercise as a first compromise. And we all know marriage is based on compromise.”

“You don’t have to make that big leather recliner work in your traditional living room,” Canada said, even if that’s where it’s always been. What about using it in your bedroom for late-night reading? Small dressers can serve as end tables or sideboards, while end tables can be used as bedside tables. Living room seating can make a guest room cozier, while a small kitchen table can add extra dining space to a family room. Burleson finds that older clients marry-

ing for the second time tend to be more open to embracing new locations for favorite things. “There’s this element of, ‘It’s just stuff,’” she said.

Shop together Buying a few new pieces can tie together a couple’s shared decor and help both partners feel at home. “Maybe they go shopping,” Burnham said, “and they find some great vintage rugs that neither one — AP of them knew they loved.”

Go with the contrast Once those favorite pieces are chosen, Burnham suggests creating a clean slate by painting the walls a crisp white or a white shade with just a hint of color. Then look at all the remaining furniture against this new backdrop as though you were shopping. Rather than trying to group items that are similar, experiment with pairing those that contrast. All three designers say contrast can be the best part of decor. In fact, couples merging two households “have such a leg up, design-wise,” said Burleson, because they can creatively mix and layer a wide range of decor into one stylish space.

Claim your favorites Each person probably has a few treasured pieces of furniture or art that they can’t imagine living without. Burnham suggests that partners agree to each keep perhaps three or four of these pieces in their shared home. If one partner truly dislikes one of the other’s absolute favorites, consider chang-

Try new locations As you assess your remaining furniture and accessories, consider placing things in rooms where they’ve never been.

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JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Tiny homes can offer some big benefits bills and easier upkeep. And retirees are taking notice. Nearly 30 percent of tiny home residents are between the ages of 51 and 70, according to a 2015 survey conducted by TheTinyLife.com, a tiny home website. Cost makes tiny homes particularly appealing to those living on fixed incomes. The average price to build a tiny home yourself is just $23,000, according to TheTinyLife.com. You’ll pay more to have someone build it for you — the three tiny homes for retirees described below start at $45,000 — but the price tag will still be far less than what you’d pay for a full-size home. Of course,

you must add in the cost of land. If you’re intrigued by the prospect of retiring to a tiny home, be sure to find one designed to suit the needs of retirementage owners. Look for safety features such as slip-resistant floors, and avoid sleeping lofts with ladders. Also weigh the pros and cons of a mobile tiny home that can be moved around on a trailer versus one placed on a permanent you own.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOME CARE SUITES

By Andrea Browne Taylor For those looking to undergo extreme downsizing, a tiny home might be the answer. The average tiny home measures just 186 square feet, and is often one single room doing double or triple duty. Tiny houses have exploded in popularity in the last decade or so, buoyed by a number of cable TV shows devoted to the Lilliputian trend, such as “Tiny House Nation” and “Tiny House Hunters.” Most of the houses are 100 to 400 square feet. That’s a fraction of the size of a traditional house. But limited space offers unique benefits, including lower utility

Home Care Suites designs its small cottages for the backyards of existing residences. At 500 square feet, the Floridian model is spacious by tiny home standards.

foundation on land

Downsize without cramping your style The Getaway model Square footage: 400 1 bedroom; 1 bath Price: $63,700 Builder: Escape Homes (Rice Lake, Wisc.) This home is a good fit for those looking for a tiny home that isn’t too tiny. The Getaway is a park model RV, which means it isn’t motorized. Everything is on a single level, with a separate bedroom that’s large enough to fit a queen-size bed. Some universal design features can be added to the layout for an additional fee. These include a step-less front entry and additional grab bars in the bathroom. The home sits on a chassis with wheels that can be transported using an industrial trailer truck if the owner decides to relocate. Once you’ve settled into a new location, the wheels can be covered with a “skirt,” which gives the home the appearance of

being a permanent structure. The skirt comes as part of an install package that also includes stairs and leveling for an additional $6,500. Depending on the amount of customization, this home can be constructed in as little as three months. Escape Homes offers delivery, but the cost varies depending on the home size and desired location.

A backyard bungalow The Floridian model Square footage: 500 1 bedroom; 1 bath Price: $85,000-$100,000 Builder: Home Care Suites (Tampa, Fla.) Home Care Suites specializes in building small cottages in the backyards of existing residences. The aim is to provide a place for a parent or parents to live when they get older. “If you ask a retiree if they would rather live in their son or daughter’s backyard cottage or go into an assisted living facility, See TINY HOMES, page B-11

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Tiny homes From page B-10 I can almost guarantee the answer every time,” said Henry Moseley, president of Home Care Suites. The structures, though designed with aging in mind, could just as readily be used as home offices or man caves, or as quarters for guests or boomerang kids. The backyard cottage is spacious by tiny home standards. It’s an expanded version of the builder’s Floridian model, which typically runs 448 square feet. In addition to a large bedroom and bathroom, the cottage has an oversized porch, a sitting room, a U-shaped kitchen with bar top, a walk-in closet, and space for a fullsize stacked washer and dryer. Home Care Suites builds all of its cottages on permanent foundations, and utilities are tied in to the primary residence. This cottage also has its own tankless propane water heater.

Make a village From page B-8 Check out the book groups, computer classes, music programs and speakers at your local library. Most have daytime offerings (see www.bcpl.info and www.prattlibrary.org). The senior center nearest you also offers a plethora of activities (In Baltimore County, visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/aging/centers/centers.html. For Baltimore City, see http://health.baltimorecity.gov/seniors/s enior-centers). And try Meetup groups in your area (www.meetup.com). Just search under the name of your neighborhood to see if there are any such member-led groups doing activities that appeal to you, or widen your search to all of Baltimore. Some groups meet for meals at restaurants, while others go for walks or discuss movies. You can also check to see if you live in the boundaries for the two villages in the Baltimore area. Northwest Neighbors Connecting is for residents in Northwest Baltimore. Learn more at www.chaibaltimore.org/nnc or by calling (410) 5005300. Village at Home offers services for North Baltimore neighborhoods. Learn more at www.villageathome.org or by calling (410) 235-3171. What about helping start a village of your own in your neighborhood? The national organization Village to Village Network helps communities establish and manage their own villages. A detailed “toolkit” with information on everything from what the village concept entails, to creating a business plan and recruiting volunteers, is available on the organization’s website. You can read the basics free, but the in-depth guide requires a $100 membership fee. To learn more about the Village to Village Network, see www.vtvnetwork.org or call (617) 299-9638.

It takes five or six months to build a backyard cottage from start to finish, according to Moseley, and construction costs run between $170 and $200 per square foot. Weather and inspection delays can impact the timeline, and upgrades and finishes can influence the final price tag.

A petite suite for two The Tiny Studio model Square footage: 160 Studio with 1 bath Price: $45,000 Builder: Tiny Home Builders (DeLand, Fla.) This Tiny Studio model is built on a mobile trailer and can be attached to a vehicle, making it possible to bring the tiny home along on road trips to visit the grandkids. The kitchen does not have a stove, so you’ll need to add your own portable cooktop. The kitchen and dining area are situated on a raised platform that has two steps. The platform steps pull out (similar to a

dresser drawer) to reveal additional storage space. Underneath the platform, there’s a roll-away bed that can double as additional seating when pushed in partially. The bathroom has a toilet and a 36-inchwide shower with a storage loft located directly above it. Buyers can customize the home by adding grab bars in the bathroom for $100, slip-resistant flooring for $400 (you’ll work

B-11

with the builder to select the material), and a ramp adjacent to the stairs at the front door for $2,000. The Tiny Studio can take up 90 days to build. Tiny Home Builders offers delivery nationwide. The first 50 miles are free, and each additional mile can cost as much as $3. All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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B-12

Housing Options

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

Law &

Intermediate-term bonds and high-yield corporate bond funds are alternatives that can offer conservative investors higher investment income than CDs and money markets. See story on page 14.

Has the time come for small-cap stocks? By James K. Glassman A single dollar invested in a basket of large-capitalization stocks in 1926 and held, with dividends and capital gains reinvested, until the present would have grown to $511,502 by the end of February 2016. But even more dramatic is what would have happened had the dollar been invested in a basket of small-cap stocks. It would have grown to $2,490,588. Over the past 90 years, the typical smallcap stock has returned an annualized 11.9 percent — an average of two percentage points per year more than the typical largecap stock. The catch: Small caps are more volatile than large caps. That makes sense. In investing, you get more reward if you’re willing to take more risk. Over the past 20 years, small caps have been about one-fourth more volatile than large caps. In other words, small caps bounce up and down in a more gut-churning way. If you’re willing to hang on for the ride, however, you’ll get paid more for the additional anxiety.

A good time to buy Small caps also tend to move in cycles. They beat large caps over some multiyear stretches, then lag for other stretches. These periods vary in length, so you can forget trying to time them precisely. Still, a particularly good time to buy small caps tends to be when they have been lagging large caps for a few years. And that’s where we happen to be right now. Capitalization refers to a stock’s value in the market. It’s calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current share price. There is no precise definition of a small-cap stock, but the capitalization of the average company in the Russell 2000 index, a popular small-cap benchmark, is $1.8 billion; the largest stock in that index has a market cap of $5.5 billion. The average company in Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index, the traditional large-cap benchmark, has a capitalization of $37.4 billion; the largest — Apple (symbol AAPL) — has a $604 billion capitalization. (Returns and prices are as of June 13.) Small- and large-cap stocks sometimes

seem as if they’re on two different planets. Over the past 12 months, for example, the S&P 500 has increased 1.7 percent, including dividends, but the Russell 2000 has fallen 8.8 percent. Over the past five years, the S&P 500 has returned an annualized 11.6 percent; the Russell 2000 has earned 7.2 percent annualized.

That is the sort of divergence that a contrarian investor should love. Is there a good reason that large caps should be returning about half again as much as small caps? Not really. It’s just the way markets operate. Investors become enthusiastic See SMALL-CAP STOCKS, page 15

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Alternatives for higher investment income I have often written that even conservative investors can’t afford to restrict their investments to low-paying alternatives such as certificates of deposit, money-market accounts and Treasury bills. Even in retirement, I believe a diversified portfolio that includes a significant investment in some form of common stocks and bonds is best. (Although I have been retired for about 20 years, I still maintain about half of my portfolio in equities.) Bond investors do not have to restrict themselves to conservative investments. There are several attractive options that, on an intermediate-term and long-term basis, will likely outperform Treasury bills and other conservative investments.

Intermediate-term bonds One option I have used for many years is mutual funds (or ETFs) that invest in intermediate-term investment-grade bonds. I have invested in Vanguard Intermedi-

ate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFIDX) for several years. This year (as of May 16) the fund has earned 4.34 percent; three-year returns are 3.15 percent; five-year returns are 4.7 percent; 10-year returns are 6.05 percent. The expense ratio is 0.10 percent. The current SEC 30-day annualized yield is 3.04 percent. Another option I have used for many years is the Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX), which is a little more conservative and also invests predominantly in intermediate-term bonds. This year the fund has earned 3.78 percent; three-year returns are 2.51 percent; five-year returns are 3.41 percent; and 10-year returns are 4.96 percent. The expense ratio is 0.07 percent. The 30-day SEC annualized yield is 2.45 percent. I invest in Vanguard because their funds are generally managed conservatively and their expense ratios are generally low. (I prefer mutual funds over ETFs because I

year returns are 6.41 percent. SEC yield 5.54 percent. The expense ratio is 0.13. I do not recommend that you invest in high-yield funds unless you are a long-term investor and you will not sell when the value of the shares fall because of anticipated increases in interest rates or stock market doldrums. There is a high correlation between dramatic decreases in stock prices and the value THE SAVINGS High-yield funds of high-yield funds. However, GAME For the last 20 years, I have the percentage decrease in By Elliot Raphaelson also maintained a significant the value of high-yield funds portion of my bond portfolio in is generally lower than the Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund Ad- percentage decrease in common stock valmiral Shares (VWEAX). ues during market downturns. Vanguard is more conservative than I maintain a high percentage in high-yield most of the other high-yield bond funds. bond funds because it allows me to invest Because of the company’s relatively con- less in the stock market. When the stock servative approach, the yield on this fund market does well, high-yield funds do well is a little lower than that of some competi- also, but there is much less volatility with tors. However, when the value of high- the high-yield bond fund in comparison to yield funds decreases because of anticipat- the stock market in general. In addition, the ed increases in interest rates and pes- yield from high-yield funds is generally simism about corporate earnings, Van- much higher than the yield from mutual guard’s high yield fund will generally out- funds specializing in high-dividend stocks. perform its competitors in down markets. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions Year-to-date returns for this fund are 4.5 and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. percent; three-year returns are 2.84 per© 2016 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by cent; five-year returns are 5.53 percent; 10- Tribune Content Agency, LLC. regularly withdraw funds monthly and reinvest earnings monthly.) Fund families other than Vanguard will have similar funds as well as ETFs. These alternatives are reasonable if you are willing to take some risk and are not investing short-term. If you expect to need to sell these investments soon, you should be investing in money-market funds, T bills or short-term CDs.

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Ongoing

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Small-cap stocks From page 13 about one group, then lose interest and bestow their enthusiasm on the other.

Consider value stocks Not only do small caps appear to be cheap, but small-cap value stocks appear to be even cheaper. Again, a definition: Value stocks are those that are cheap in relation to profits, book value (assets minus liabilities), and other basic measures of corporate performance. Value stocks are typically those that are out of favor with investors when compared with growth stocks. The Russell 2000 Value index comprises stocks with an average price-to-book-value ratio of 1.3, compared with 3.5 for the Russell 2000 Growth index. The Value index also has a lower price-earnings ratio (P/E): 18, compared with 23 for the Growth index. A big reason for the difference is that the earnings of companies in the Value index have grown by an annual average of 6.7 percent over the past five years, compared with 7.7 percent annualized for firms in the Growth index. (To determine which stocks fall under the value and growth rubrics, Russell uses a complicated formula that takes into account price-to-bookvalue ratios, forecast earnings growth and historic sales growth.) The appeal of value stocks is that investors pay relatively few dollars for each dollar of a firm’s profits or assets. Shares of value companies may continue to lag, of course, but they will often pick up steam as a firm’s prospects — and profits — improve. The past decade has been a mediocre one for both large- and small-cap value

stocks. In the small-cap segment, growth returned an annualized 5.4 percent over the past 10 years; value returned just 5.1 percent. But over long periods (20 years and more), history shows that small-cap value consistently beats growth — and does so with less risk. So I’m convinced that the single best sector for investors right now is small-cap value stocks. My timing may not be perfect, but after years of underperformance, it makes sense. If you don’t own small-cap stocks, buy them, and put the emphasis on slower growers with lower valuations.

Recommended buys Finding and analyzing individual smallcap stocks is not easy. Most of the companies aren’t household names, and fewer analysts follow them than large caps. That’s one reason small caps are ideal for buying through index funds. A good choice is iShares Core S&P Small-Cap (IJR), an exchange-traded fund based on an index maintained by S&P. The average capitalization of companies in the portfolio is $1.3 billion. The ETF has an expense ratio of only 0.12 percent, but you may have to pay a commission to buy and sell (most online brokers let you trade certain ETFs without commissions). The value-stock version, iShares S&P Small-Cap 600 Value (IJS), targets small-cap bargains. An example is Sanderson Farms (SAFM, $90), a poultry processor that is a longtime favorite of mine. Its P/E, based on average analyst profit estimates for the fiscal year that ends in October, is 15. (Stocks and funds in boldface are those I recommend.)

accept perhaps less reward, consider Vanguard Small-Cap Index (NAESX), a mutual fund whose portfolio of about 1,500 stocks, based on a benchmark developed by the Center for Research in Security Prices, at the University of Chicago, is larded with midsize firms. Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index (VISVX), with mid caps making up about one-third of its portfolio, is geared toward the Russell 2000 Value index and, like Vanguard Small-Cap Index, has an expense ratio of 0.20 percent. The average market cap of stocks in the two funds is about twice that of the iShares offerings. If you want a human being to pick your stocks, consider Northern Small Cap Value (NOSGX), which charges 1 percent per year and has returned 9.4 percent annualized over the past five years, beating the Russell 2000 Value index by an average

of 2.7 percentage points per year. Two other good choices: Queens Road Small Cap Value (QRSVX), a small fund with a low risk profile, and T. Rowe Price Small-Cap Value (PRSVX), a member of the Kiplinger 25 whose holdings lean a bit more toward growth than the other funds. Queens Road charges 1.24 percent a year; the Price fund charges 0.80 percent, an attractive figure for a managed fund. Whatever you pick, seriously consider small-cap value stocks now. The timing is exceedingly good. James K. Glassman, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, is the author, most recently, of Safety Net: The Strategy for De-Risking Your Investments in a Time of Turbulence. All contents © 2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Travel Leisure &

Discount passes to major sites in big cities are often, but not always, a bargain. See story on page 18.

National parks and sites in our backyard

Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail and Ft. McHenry In the 19th century, the Chesapeake Bay was a center of maritime-related commerce, shipbuilding and government, and

so a key target of the British military. Baltimore was famous for its pirates, including legal privateers licensed to attack the enemy in their private vessels. The Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail highlights several historic sites of the War of 1812 and many more historic sites around the Bay. A 560-mile land and water route, the trail connects sites in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and traces American and British troop movements throughout the Chesapeake region. The “lynchpin” of the trail, in the heart of Baltimore, is the star-shaped Fort McHenry — birthplace of the national anthem and scene of the Battle for Baltimore. Marylander Francis Scott Key, aboard a ship eight miles away, watched the British bombard the fort continually for 25 hours. Finally, the Brits withdrew, leaving the fort standing, and Key saw that the flag was still there! He scribbled out a poem that became the U.S. national anthem in 1931. Today, visitors learn the story from videos, exhibits and ranger talks. The Fort McHenry Guard puts on drill, musket and artillery demonstrations in the summer. The entry fee is $10 for adults. Children 15 and younger visit for free.

PHOTO © NPS

By Glenda C. Booth The Baltimore/Washington corridor is dotted with historic sites and parks managed by the National Park Service — from Ft. McHenry, where Francis Scott Key penned our national anthem, to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and Civil War battlefields in Manassas, Virginia. The National Park Service (NPS) manages 411 parks, natural areas, historic sites, monuments, battlefields, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails covering over 84 million acres spread throughout every state. The smallest park is .02 acres; the largest, 13.2 million. Ken Burns saluted our national parks in film, noting what makes them unique: “For the first time in human history, land was set aside, not for the rich, but for everyone and for all time.” In 1916, Congress created the NPS to manage the country’s special places “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Many parks are celebrating the service’s 100th anniversary this year. Here are a few of the gems just a short drive away:

The waterfalls at Great Falls National Park, in Great Falls, Va., are part of the Potomac River. The park also includes part of the C&O Canal, which stretches from Georgetown to western Maryland.

Washington Parkway is a national park connecting the two cities. NPS manages 19 miles starting at Fort Meade and going south. A major commuter route, the parkway passes through woodlands that block views of dense suburban development on both sides.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the 29-mile, four-lane Baltimore-

George Washington envisioned a canal to transport raw materials from the west to Washington. Only part of it was completed before railroads displaced it. Today a historic monument, the C&O Canal stretches 184.5 miles along the Potomac River’s eastern shore from Cumberland, Md., to Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Visitors can study locks, lock houses, aqueducts, bridges, culverts, dams and weirs — all the work of talented stonemasons of the day. Its environs abound with wildlife, wildflowers and woodlands, and it is a popular walking and biking path, especially the stretch below Great Falls Tavern. Visiting Great Falls is a main attraction of the canals. The park has a flat $10 entry fee for a vehicle; $5 per person if arriving via bike, motorcycle or on foot. An unlimited annual pass is also available for $30.

PHOTO © NPS

Baltimore-Washington Parkway

War of 1812 reenactors fire a cannon at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. The fort’s flag inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814. The poem, set to a popular English melody, was adopted as our national anthem in 1931.

Wolf Trap Park for the Performing Arts

Wolf Trap National Park, located in Vienna, Va., is the only U.S. national park dedicated to the performing arts. Its stage is front and center for performances, this summer featuring the likes of Garrison Keillor, Ricky Martin, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan, as well as opera, dance and more. And there is more, outside. Performers often walk the 65 acres of undeveloped woodlands, streams and wetlands, as well as the three-mile hiking trail, to calm preperformance jitters. There is no charge to visit Wolf Trap Park itself. Ticket fees vary depending on the show and seating.

Manassas National Battlefield Park “What is past is prologue,” said Jon James, the battlefield’s superintendent, borrowing a quote from Shakespeare. James has dedicated his NPS career to preserving history, and now at Manassas National Battlefield, where Union and Confederate armies engaged twice in fierce battles recounted in the park’s film, “Manassas: End of Innocence.” Today’s visitors try to picture soldiers clashing on the park’s 4,000 acres of open See NATIONAL PARKS, page 17

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

National parks From page 16 fields, forests and gently rolling hills. But there’s more than war stories here. Fiftyfour species of birds breed in the park. Spotting flowers springing from empty ammunition boxes in 1865, war correspondent Frank Leslie wrote, “Nature covers even the battlegrounds with verdure and bloom.” Nature does today, too.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial NPS is one of the federal government’s lead agencies for preserving history, from prehistoric petroglyphs out west, to Ellis Island in New York, where 12 million immigrants came to America between 1892 and 1924, to memorials honoring major historic figures. The first memorial to honor an African American on or near the National Mall is

the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks in West Potomac Park. Dedicated in 2011 on the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington, the park features a 30-foot sculpture of a reflective King, depicted as if emerging from a mountain, referencing his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963: “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” Sculpted by Master Lei Yixin, the granite sculpture has several parts, including the Mountain of Despair and a Stone of Hope. The many entrances symbolize democracy’s openness. To learn more about these and the other national parks dotting this region, go to the National Park Service’s website, www.nps.gov, where you can search by park name or by state.

BEACON BITS

July 7

THEATER AND LUNCH IN LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA See Samson at Sight and Sound Dinner Theatre, followed by a

smorgasbord lunch at Shady Maple Restaurant, on Thursday, June 7. Cost is $115. Call Senior Box Office at (410) 882-3797 for information and reservations.

July 11+

TOUR CINCINNATI, OHIO Enjoy the African-American Heritage tour in Cincinnati. Highlights include the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Creation Museum,

the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Newport Gangster Tour, ending with a visit to the Horseshoe Casino. Cost is $769. Call Liberty Senior Center at (410) 887-0780 for reservations.

June 13

A TRIP TO PARADISE Enjoy The Perfect Wedding at Rainbow Dinner Theater, on Wednesday, July 13, in Paradise, Pa. Cost is $75. Call Seven

Oaks Senior Center at (443) 608-0613 for more information.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER LEGISLATIVE LEADERS NEEDED The University of Maryland’s Legacy Leadership Institute on

Public Policy, in partnership with the State of Maryland, is looking for volunteers 50 and older to serve as volunteer legislative leaders during the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Classroom training begins in September for 10 weeks, two days per week, at the College Park campus, with site visits to the state complex in Annapolis. The volunteer assignment will be for a minimum of two days per week, starting in January 2017 in the Annapolis offices of various senators and delegates. For more information or for an application, contact Wesley Queen at wqueen@umd.edu or call (301) 405-2529.

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Which city passes are worth the money? You’ve probably seen the promotions for lanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, passes that promise free admission to a hand- New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, ful of a major city’s top attracSeattle, Southern California, tions — often bypassing ticket Tampa Bay and Toronto, prolines — for a fixed price that is a viding no-extra-cost admission lot less than you’d pay for indito a city’s mix of important vidual admission to all of them. museums and major commerI know of two major procial tourist attractions. grams that sell passes for lots • Each pass is valid for of different cities. And some innine days after first use. dividual cities organize their • Each pass typically covers own passes. The idea is intriguone-time admissions for four ing, both for the lower total to six attractions from a total TRAVEL TIPS cost and bypassing some lines. of six to eight alternatives. By Ed Perkins • Prices range from $41 to CityPass $329 (for Southern California, including a CityPass (citypass.com) issues passes big Disneyland package), depending on for 12 cities/areas in North America: At- the city, but most cost less than $100.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term relationships. Mary came to ManorCare Health Service – Woodbridge Valley debilitated from an infection. Mary couldn’t even get out of bed! She told us ‘Ididn’t didn’tknow know what to expect. I’ve never been hospitalized.’

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• Pass prices claim to “save” 31 percent to 53 percent off the list prices for the attractions they cover. • In many cases, passes cover “no wait” admission, bypassing ticket lines. All in all, my take is that the value of these passes varies among the individual cities: Some are great; others, not so much. The Southern California version is pretty good if you plan a three-day Disneyland visit and one other attraction, for example. But the Philadelphia pass does not include the city’s most important museum. Overall, the formula is pretty obvious: If you plan to visit all or most of the attractions covered by each pass, it’s a good deal, but if you would otherwise visit only one or two, fuhggeddaboudit. Check out each pass online to decide.

Leisure Pass If you’re headed for Europe, Leisure Pass (leisurepassgroup.com) issues passes for Berlin, Dublin, London, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, and an “Omnia Card” pass for Rome. Each pass covers more attractions than CityPass, but pricing is higher and varies by length of validity. As an example, the London version includes admissions to “over 60” attractions, including such blockbusters as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle, often with “fast track” entry. In addition, it includes some general sightseeing options, such as a hop-on-hop-off bus tour and a river cruise, but it also includes quite a few attractions that probably aren’t on your “must see” list, such as a tour of Arsenal Stadium. Prices range from 59 pounds (about $84) for one day, 79 pounds for two days, up

to 159 pounds for 10 days. Pricing and attractions for the other European cities are similar. And most offer non-discounted, all-day local transit passes as add-on options. Leisure Pass also offers comparable passes for Las Vegas and New Orleans. But, at least in my experience, the attractions in these areas are not as important as in the European cities. All in all, Leisure Pass is a tougher proposition to recommend than CityPass. Even the one-day prices are high, and you pay a lot more for multiday validity. Most of you could probably come out ahead using a Leisure Pass for a day or two of intensive museum or commercial attraction visits, but the CityPass formula is a lot better if you don’t want to cram all your museum and attractions visits into a short period. One of the main benefits of both pass families is “fast track” admission to very popular attractions. In busy seasons, that can avoid hours of tedious waiting in line. On the other hand, you can often find independent city passes that may also be better deals. For example, a Paris Museum Pass (en.parismuseumpass.com/) costs from 48 euros (about $53) for two days to 74 euros for four days, and covers all the main “usual suspects” venues. You can buy online or on arrival at De Gaulle or Orly airports. A three-day Berlin Museum Pass, which includes most of the key museums, costs just 24 euros. Do a Google search to find independent passes for other cities you want to visit. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins @mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

Arts &

Adam Gordon Sachs blogs as the Midlife Dude about his kids, divorce and career changes, among other topics. See the continuation of our cover story on page 20.

Seven ways to enjoy summer in the city markets, visit http://marylandsbest.net. 3. Belvedere Square concerts Enjoy the sounds of the season every Friday evening through September 2, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Belvedere Square free summer concert series. It features live music by the region’s most popular bands, and food from Belvedere Square merchants and restaurants. For a schedule of performers, visit www.belvederesquare.com. 4. Little Italy Open Air Film Festival When you’re talking about the “charm” in Charm City, it doesn’t get more charming than Little Italy’s annual film festival. The films are great and, of course, you can’t go wrong with all the great food nearby! This year’s series runs every Friday in July and August, with live music at 7 p.m. and the film of the week — projected onto a wall near the corner of Stiles and High Streets — at 9 p.m. As is tradition, the series ends with the showing of Cinema Paradiso. For more details, visit www.littleitalymd.com. 5. Fourth of July Greater Baltimore’s biggest Fourth of July celebration returns to the Inner Harbor on Monday, July 4, from 7 to 10 p.m. Enjoy live music from the U.S. Navy Band Cruisers, and fireworks produced by Pyrotecnico. The holiday fireworks can be viewed from several locations in downtown and the surrounding areas, including Federal Hill, Locust Point, Fell’s Point, Canton and Harbor East. On the 27th floor of the World Trade Center at 401 East Pratt Street is the Top of

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 7-8:00 a.m. on 680 WCBM

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALTIMORE OFFICE OF PROMOTION & THE ARTS

By Carol Sorgen If you’re sticking close to home this summer, not to worry. There’s still plenty to do in the area. Grab a snowball to keep cool, and head on out to enjoy some of Baltimore’s favorite traditions. 1. Artscape Artscape is the largest free arts festival in the U.S. (last year, over 350,000 attended), and it’s located right here in Charm City. There will be more than 150 fine artists, fashion designers and craftspeople with exhibitions. In addition, the event includes live concerts by name performers on outdoor stages, and a full schedule of performing arts — including dance, opera, theater, film, experimental music and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. A delicious, international menu of food and beverages will be available throughout the festival site. This year’s festival will be held Friday to Sunday, July 15 to 17. For details, visit www.artscape.org. 2. Farmers’ markets Support your local growers by buying fresh at Baltimore’s farmers’ markets. One of the oldest and most popular is the Baltimore Farmers’ Market, held every Sunday through Dec. 18, under the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday and Saratoga Streets from 7 a.m. until noon. This year, cooking demonstrations will be presented from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. each Sunday. For a complete list of Maryland farmers’

Decorated cars will be on display July 15 to 17 as part of Artscape, the country’s largest free arts festival, with dozens of visual projects and performances throughout the Baltimore City venue.

the World Observation Level, offering the Picnic at the Top on July 4 from 7 to 10 p.m. Take in a 360-degree view of Baltimore while getting probably the best view of the

fireworks. Tickets cost $50 for adults; $25 for children ages 3-12. For more informaSee SUMMER FESTIVALS, page 21

THE MUST SEE MUSICAL OF THE SUMMER! OPENING JUNE 16

Don’t miss your chance to see this 8 Tony Award winning musical including Best Musical. Filled with laughter, romance and big hair!

Reserve Your Seats Today!

TOBY• S DINNER THEATRE OF COLUMBIA 1-800-88TOBYS 410-730-8311 TobysDinnerTheatre.com Due to the nature of theatrical bookings all shows, dates and times are subject to change.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Bloggers From page 1 do that). If you enjoy gardening, you can blog about that. As long as you have something to say and want to connect with others, that’s all you need.” Collins tries to do a post a week; some people post daily, some monthly. She set up her blogs on free websites like Blogger and WordPress, and said a blog can be as simple as you like. “You can learn by doing,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect.” To get some ideas on what type of blog you might want to do, Collins suggests reading other blogs on subjects you’re interested in. “By seeing what other people are doing, you can find your own voice,” she said.”

Advice from a “midlife dude”

Forestville

Adam Gordon Sachs thought there would be other “midlife dudes” (which is the name of his blog at https://midlifedude.wordpress.com) who might be interested in reading about a 53-year-old man facing a career change, growing kids, divorce and more. “I’m familiar with that time of life,” said the 53-year-old Columbia resident. “I’ve got a lot of material to write about.” A former journalist and public relations executive, Sachs is now pursuing a degree in pastoral counseling. He published his first novel last year, titled Three Yards and a Plate of Mullet. It’s about a rookie sportswriter, and is based on his own experiences. He plans to publish another book soon, based on a political campaign. Writing a blog is not only a way for Sachs to build a following as an author, but also to share his thoughts and experiences on growing older, and to hear from others interested in sharing theirs. “The Internet has really opened up the world to meeting like-minded people,” Sachs said. “You no longer have to be limited to a five-mile radius.” Like Collins, Sachs is a self-taught blogger who set up his blog on WordPress. He tries to post consistently, at least once a month, but he doesn’t labor over the writing. “I keep the posts short, perhaps 400 to 500 words, and I write them fast,” he said. “This shouldn’t be painful or stressful.”

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Fayette Health 1217 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21223

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From page 2

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He prescribed one dose of something I tried that very day, and within a half hour my pain was gone! The drug was a compound of 3 ingredients: butalbital, acetaminophen and caffeine, known as Fioricet. He ordered a full prescription of the generic that was inexpensive and lasted me a long time. I have taken this medication for 34 years with no ill effects. I have never abused it. In fact, it saved my life. Now that AETNA has jettisoned all of us in Columbia, I am with Kaiser Permanente. One of the young doctors there decided that Fioricet had to be taken away from me. First, I experienced panic, then hope for no pain.

Though the blog focuses on personal aspects of his life, Sachs is careful about what he posts. “You have to judge how much personal stuff you want to give out,” he said. For example, while he doesn’t always ask his kids’ permission to write about them, he does take their feelings into consideration, and doesn’t post anything that would show them in a bad light.

Writing what resonates Charlestown resident Ann MacKay, 72, first started blogging in 2003. Her goal then was to write about her travels with her husband in a small camper van, and learn about blogging in the process. That blog ran until 2007. In 2008, she started another blog, writing about travel, community living, technology and life, which she still continues at http://boylemackay.us. MacKay commits to writing a post a month, and writes on topics that “resonate” with her, including some serious ones such as end-of-life planning. For MacKay, blogging is a natural outgrowth of her fascination with computers. “I got my first Mac in 1985, and it was a marriage of mind and fingers,” said the retired nurse and association management executive. To learn more about how to write effectively online, MacKay attended several weekend “word camps,” as well as an online community college class in HTML (the computer language used to create websites). She also follows several other blogs related to some of her favorite topics — blogging, Apple products, simplicity and aging. Some of her favorite blogs are “Time Goes By” (www.timegoesby.net), “A Monk’s Chronicle,” (https://monkschronicle.wordpress.com), and “Rowdy Kittens,” a blog about tiny house living (www.rowdykittens.com). [For more about tiny houses, see “Three great tiny homes for retirees” in this month’s Housing Options section, page B-10] While many bloggers hope to “monetize their brand”— in plainer English, make money from their blog — MacKay has no such aspirations, saying, “Blogging is simply a good way for me to sharpen my writing and reflect on my life and what’s important to me.” Sounds like a meaningful pursuit for just about anyone.

Now, as I write this, the pain is coming back. I would say that the health”care” industry does not always care. What do you think? Joanne Calloway Columbia, Md. Editor’s Note: I assume the doctor’s reasoning is that butalbital is a barbituate, and Fioricet is currently a schedule III controlled substance that, in some people, can have serious side effects. Given that you have had success with the drug for over 30 years and have never abused it, I would like to think that your new young doctor, or perhaps his supervisor, could be convinced to restore the prescription for you. I encourage you to be a proactive healthcare consumer and to pursue this through any and all channels available to you at Kaiser. I wish you success!

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Summer festivals From page 19 tion about Top of the World and its upcoming events, call (410) 837-VIEW (8439) or visit www.viewbaltimore.org. This year, the BSO is celebrating Independence Day with performances of the

“1812 Overture” and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes,” under the skies at Oregon Ridge. Fireworks will cap off the evening. The concerts will be held on Sunday and Monday, July 3 and 4, at 8 p.m. Come early and pack a picnic. For more information, visit www.bsomusic.org. 6. Baltimore Summer Antiques Show

BEACON BITS

June 19+

The largest indoor antiques show in the country, the annual Baltimore Summer Antiques Show will be held at the Convention Center from Thursday to Sunday, Aug. 25 to 28. More than 500 exhibitors from across the U.S. and four continents will be on hand. For details, visit www.baltimoresummerantiques.com. 7. Maryland State Fair Sausage and peppers? Funnel cake? Cot-

ton candy? Your favorite treat will be available at Maryland’s annual farewell-to-summer celebration held every year at the Timonium State Fairgrounds. This year’s Maryland State Fair will take place from Aug. 26 to Sept 5. As always, there will be rides, games, refreshments, animal exhibits, concerts and a jousting tournament. For a complete schedule of activities, visit www.marylandstatefair.com.

SUMMER THEATRE AT COCKPIT IN COURT

Godspell and Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero kick off the 2016 season for Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre, the longest continuously running summer theatre in Maryland. Cockpit’s production of Godspell runs through June 26 on the Mainstage in the College Community Center at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd. Tickets are $22 general admission, $20 for seniors (60+) and $14 for children 12 years old and younger. Cockpit’s production of Towards Zero runs through June 26 in the Cabaret Theatre, Second Floor of the College Community Center at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd. Tickets are $17 for general admission and $15 for seniors (60+). It is not appropriate for children. For tickets and information for Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre, contact the CCBC Box Office at (443) 840-ARTS (2787).

Classifieds continued from p. 23

lifestyle

Your NEW begins here

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

FROM PAGE 22 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD A S S E S

C L I N K

N E R D Y

S A A B

M U D A

U T A H

C A R P

A F A R

R E N O

E D G A E D M I T T O S M A M H E A T W K S

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

S A D S E R Y S E P H O A S M S U O M N E

A S A H A T T E R

N E S T

B L U R

B O R E

R E A D

A R T S

C U T E

K E Y S

F I N E R

L O T T O

U N S A Y

communLi are SMOKties E FREE

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTER

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

HARFORD COUNTY

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

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

BALTIMORE CITY

HOWARD COUNTY

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

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

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

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

EASTERN SHORE

ALL PARK VIEW COMMUNITIES

Easton 410-770-3070

ARE

PET-FRIENDLY

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

JULY 2016 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Quite a Brouhaha 1

By Stephen Sherr 6

BB716

28 34

Scrabble answers on p. 21.

49 56

Across

Down

1. Side effect of steroids 5. Finishes with powdered sugar 10. Abbreviation, abbreviated 14. Citizen Kane prop 15. Greek marketplace 16. Gin flavoring 17. Seeker of the Holy Grail 19. Heavenly glow 20. Broke off the affair 21. It turns fiction to fact 22. Destroy evidence 23. Improbable pie position 24. Crazed, as if by mercury poisoning (with 10 Down) 26. Hospital fluids 28. Bad place to store needles 33. Potty-mouthed 37. Half of a blackjack 38. Strange but ___ 39. Ford focus 40. Under a moonbeam 41. Inconsequential 42. He did not need to buy a Mother’s Day card 43. Blockhead 44. Assateague mystique 45. Rum-based drinks 48. Basil, basically 49. Alarm clock labels 50. Fever achiever 53. Engagement ring unit 56. Special FX technique 58. Civil War reenactment group 60. Good men count 61. Hallmarks of fun crossword puzzles 63. Create a Top 10 list 64. Doughnut demand 65. “___ course for adventure” (Love Boat theme lyrics) 66. Cons’ combatants 67. Gardening tool 68. Helen’s hometown

1. Numbskulls 2. Sound of two (champagne) flutes 3. Showing more interest in Klingons than humans 4. Outer border of a coin 5. NFC East foe of PHI and WAS 6. Landlocked African nation 7. Gentrified London district 8. Conduct business 9. In a funk 10. Conclusion of 24 Across 11. Make anonymous, on video 12. Be a poor motivational speaker 13. Enjoy Tolstoy 18. Cracks on the witness stand 22. Prom attendees 25. ___ fool can complain, and most fools do” (Ben Franklin) 27. Center of the storm 29. Israeli city 60 miles north of Tel Aviv 30. Still lifes and moving pictures 31. Adorable 32. Janitor’s collection 33. Swedish caar maaker 34. The eastern-most portion of BERMUDA 35. Below Idaho 36. Cruise missiles 40. Steakhouse specialty 41. The Marlon Brando of the animal kingdom 43. It makes a gondola go 44. Green eggs go-with 46. Attended a conference 47. Badly injured 50. More like silt than sand 51. Powerball, for example 52. “Once it’s said, you can’t __ it’ 53. Complain about the fishing prospects 54. In the distance 55. First female Attorney General 57. Palestinian city 60 miles south of Tel Aviv 59. Rat’s messy home 61. Movie trailers, essentially 62. “___ in a million”

Answers on page 21.

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2016

Say you saw it in the Beacon

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent ad-

vertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Caregivers

For Sale

AMAZING CAREGIVING F/T & P/T home care and transportation for daily living. Pam, 410-977-2040.

GARDENS OF OVERLEA, Rosedale Area, 4 Plots, Resurrection Section 17, facing office. 2 plots $5,000. 4 plots $8,000. Value is $16,000. 410-761-6206.

Financial Services

BURIAL SITE WITH VAULT, $2,800. Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium 21093. Located in popular Last Supper Garden. Valued at $3,700 by Advisor. Call 410-665-2737.

ACCOUNTING, TAXES, AND BOOKKEEPING, eldercare. CPA 38 years, reasonable rates. Call 410-653-3363.

Free NEED LEGAL HELP in your Social Security Disability claim? Reserve a free phone consultation by texting “SSDI” to 22828. No fee unless you win.

For Rent/Real Estate GOLDEN GIRLS RESIDENCE, an alternative to traditional rental housing. You may remember the television program, Golden Girls. It was the story of four unrelated older women on fixed incomes who each paid for a separate bedroom while sharing all the amenities of the house. It is a story of women coming together, accepting one another and ultimately growing to become friends. Golden Girls Residence is a 2,100 square foot colonial located near Owings Mills – owned by an older woman. It is tastefully furnished with a formal dining room, formal sitting room, informal sitting room, large eat-in kitchen, spacious kitchen, spacious sunroom, powder room, four bedrooms on second level, one of which has an onsuite and ample closet space. To inquire, please send your interest to goldengirls3419@gmail.com.

FIELD OF HONOR SECTION – 2 Cemetery lots. Value $3,700. $2,500 or best offer. Ken, 410-321-7025. CONSOLE VICTROLA ANTIQUE. Late 20’s. 23x43x38H. New Edison Phonograph. Official laboratory model. Saxophonic. MFG by Playertone. Talking machine. Pittsburg, PA. $350. 410-761-6206. ONE CEMETERY LOT AND GRAVESITE base 24x16. $1,100 + transfer fee. At Lakemont Memorial Gardens. Call 410-553-9763. Leave message. 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

For Sale

BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment since 1973 (43 years). Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com. Furniture refinishing and repairs. All pieces hand striped. Restorations. Missing pieces hand carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Kitchen cabinets refinished. Hand-woven natural cane. Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint. Residential and commercial. 410-323-0467.

CEMETERY LOT – DULANEY VALLEY Memorial Gardens. 2 Grave lots priced lower than cemetery asking price. Cemetery will handle sale. Call 410-252-7471, 443-465-7915.

HAULING AND JUNK – Low upfront pricing, free estimates, senior discounts. 365 days. Licensed and insured demolition. Attic Sweepers Hauling. 443-838-2353. www.atticsweepershauling.com.

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

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Home/Handyman Services

Wanted

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

WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY. Costume too. Gold and silver coins, paper money, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

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

Miscellaneous CALL TODAY FOR FREE Cell Phone Service on the nationwide 4G LTE network. No contract, no credit check, and you can bring your own phone if needed. Call 410-528-7977 for more information.

Personals WHITE FEMALE SIXTY-FIVE looking for someone who enjoys going to movies, dinner, daytrips, cooking at home. Call Nancy, 410-661-2657.

Wanted BUYING ANTIQUES, ESTATES. 20-year Beacon advertiser. Cash paid for jewelry, gold, silver, old coins, pens, art, old toys, dolls, trains, watches, old comics, sports memorabilia, military guns, knives, swords, all collections. Tom, 240-476-3441.

WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces of silver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You have something to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201. CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY – wrist and pocket wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, coins, quilts, old toys, postcards, trains, guns, pocket and hunting knives, linens, fishing equipment and tackle boxes, fountain pens, Christmas garden items, crocks and jugs, lamps and lanterns, pottery, military items, sports memorabilia, advertising signs, paintings and contents of attics, basements and garages. Professional, no pressure individual with over forty years of experience. Lloyd D. Baker. 410-4094965. 717-969-8114, office. COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.

Classifieds continued on p. 21

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Balance Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Blood Clot Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Brain Imaging Study . . . . . . . . . .11 Coronary Artery Disease Study . .11 Falls Prevention Study . . . . . . . . .11 IBNI Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Iron Supplement Study . . . . . . . . .9 Irritable Bowel Study . . . . . . . . . .10 Memory Research Study . . . . . . . .8 Stroke Survivor Study . . . . . . . . .10

Dental Services

Mishpacha Dental . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Northern Parkway Family Dental . . .4

Financial Services

Baltimore Life Insurance . . . . . . .13 Bennett Senior Services . . . . . . . .13 Debt Counsel for Seniors and the Disabled . . . . . .13 JS Richardson Insurance . . . . . . .15 Maryland Able Account . . . . . . . .15 PENFED Credit Union . . . . . . . .15

Hearing Services

Hearing & Speech Agency . . . . . . .7

Home Health Care

Absolute Companion Care .B-5, B-8 DAR Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Genesis Select Care . . . . . . . . .B-10 Independent Home Care . . . . . . .14 One Day At A Time Personal Care .20 Options for Senior America . . . . .17

Housing

Briarwood Estates . . . . . . . . . .B-11 Buckingham’s Choice/Integrace .B-10 Charlestown/Erickson . . . .B-6, B-8 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . .B-9 Fairhaven/Integrace . . . . . . . . .B-10 Gatherings at Quarry Place/Beazer Homes . . . . . . .B-11 Greens, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-2 Linden Park Apts. . . . . . . .B-5, B-9 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . .B-5, B-8 Park Heights Place . . . . . . .B-4, B-6 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . .21 Pickersgill Retirement Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4

Shangri-La Assisted Living . .B-3, B-6 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . .B-4 Tudor Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3 Virginia Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3 Walker Mews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8 Weinberg Senior Living . .B-5, B-12

Housing Referral Service

Oasis Senior Advisors . . . . . . .B-10 Senior Placement Service/ Care Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Legal Services

Disability Support Services . . . . . .4 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . .14

Medical/Health

Dr. Richard Rosenblatt, DPM . . .12 Eldorado Hair Replacement . . . . .17 Physical Therapy and Wellness Center . . . . . . . . . . . .12 SentinelCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Stuart Goldman, DPM . . . . . . . . . .7 UM Health Advantage . . . . . . . . . .6

Real Estate

The Bob Lucido Team . . . . . . . . . .3

Services

Custom Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-6 Greg Young, Exterminator . . . . . .21 Homelife Remodeling . . . . . . . .B-9 Home Safe Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Shopping

Radio Flea Market ..............................19 Wow Computer ...................................24

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

CommuniCare Health . . . . . . . . .20 Keswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Manor Care Health Services . . . .18

Subscriptions

The Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Theatres/ Entertainment

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .19

Travel

Eyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

24 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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