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Less stress through meditation

Easy to learn; not a religion Strong and Corrick explain that the TM technique is effortless, easily learned, and is practiced sitting comfortably in a chair with the eyes closed for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. “During the TM practice, the active, thinking mind settles down naturally to a state of ‘pure consciousness,’ where the mind is silent yet fully alert. At the same

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By Carol Sorgen “I thought I’d have to go off and meet the Dalai Lama,” said Barbara Webb-Edwards, recalling some of the misperceptions she had when she was first introduced to the practice of transcendental meditation. “But I don’t,” she quickly added with a laugh. The 62-year-old Bowie resident, who works in Baltimore as the Maryland Division Administrator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is new to the practice of TM (as it is familiarly called). She first heard about TM as a college student in the 1970s, and more recently on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN television network and on a radio program. “I found it really interesting,” said Webb-Edwards. She suggested to her husband, Alvin “Ed” Edwards, an executive recruiter for a federal housing agency, that they both give it a try. “We’re not ready for retirement yet,” said Webb-Edwards, “and we thought TM would help us relax from the 10- to 12-hour workdays we both keep.” The couple started their training with TM instructors Paula Strong and Steve Corrick, directors of the Transcendental Meditation Program of Baltimore. “It hasn’t even been a month,” said Webb-Edwards, “but I’m so enamored with it, I can’t see ever not doing it.” Webb-Edwards said she has already noticed that she’s much calmer and able to “take things as they come.” Always a “seeker,” Webb-Edwards had previously investigated such relaxation techniques as visualization, but finds TM much more effective. “With visualization, you’re trying to focus,” she said, “but with TM it’s not about putting any stress on your mind.”

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The splendor (and salmon) of Northwest Oregon; plus, New York City — from the classics to new attractions page 25

ARTS & STYLE Steve Corrick and Paula Strong moved here from Montana two years ago to establish the Transcendental Meditation Program of Baltimore. Research shows that TM, as well as other forms of meditation, can lower the risk of heart attack and strokes, as well as lower blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

time, the body gains a profound state of rest and relaxation,” Strong said. Webb-Edwards wants to dispel any notion people might have that TM is a religious practice. “Not in any way,” she said. “You don’t have to change your religion or your lifestyle.” Unlike new practitioner Webb-Edwards, 74-year-old Mike Mason, an independent commercial loan officer who lives in Westminster, has been practicing TM for 35 years. When he first started, TM was not on everyone’s radar, and it was difficult to talk about with others not already on board with the practice. That has changed through the years, though, as complementary therapies, and

practices such as acupuncture and yoga, have become more a part of everyday culture. Mason was initially drawn to TM because he wanted to know what enlightenment meant. In addition, the increasing amount of scientific research into the benefits of TM appeal to his engineering background. “Other meditation systems didn’t seem coherent,” Mason said. “I started with TM and that’s where I have stayed.” TM differs from other types of meditation and mindfulness in both its intensive training program and the way it is practiced. TM uses a mantra or particular See MEDITATION, page 32

Tiny libraries spread the joy of books widely; plus, the Crime Museum isn’t just cops and robbers page 29

TECHNOLOGY k What to do if you’re hacked k Cutting-edge tech products

FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k Avoid shady supplements k Do you know how to save a life? LAW & MONEY 21 k Fighting crime can pay k Why try a retirement coach? ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

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Fairness in research I would like to share with you some federal Agency for Healthcare Research things I learned at a recent program about and Quality estimated the total cost of care Alzheimer’s disease and effor all cancer patients in the forts to increase federal reU.S. in 2011 at $88.7 billion. search funding for it. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s You will see that you can is currently the 6th leading play a part in helping bring cause of death in this counabout much-needed improvetry, and is the only leading ment in this effort. cause of death for which we First, some basic facts. have no means of prevention, Speaking in round numbers, delay or treatment. about 5 million Americans, 95 Given the scope of the percent of them over 65, curproblem, you might wonder, rently suffer from Alzheimer’s. FROM THE how much are we currently This number is expected to PUBLISHER investing in terms of basic retriple by 2050 if current trends By Stuart P. Rosenthal search to learn how to delay, continue. if not prevent, Alzheimer’s Quite apart from the lost productivity of and the explosive growth in costs it is sure Alzheimer’s patients and their 15 million to require? caregivers, the Alzheimer’s Association esFederal investment in Alzheimer’s retimates that the direct medical costs to search has been about $400 million per American society of Alzheimer’s will total year. $226 billion this year, with half of those Compare that to the $3 billion per year costs borne by Medicare. we still invest in HIV/AIDS research That means nearly one of every five (which has made tremendous strides in the Medicare dollars is spent to care for those past two decades, transforming it from a with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. By certainly fatal condition into a manageable 2050, costs are projected to exceed $1.1 chronic disease), and to the $5.4 billion per trillion, which will include one of every year we invest in basic cancer research three Medicare dollars. through the National Cancer Institute. For comparison purposes, note that the Pending appropriations bills in Con-

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gress would increase Alzheimer’s funding by an additional $300 million per year. But first these bills need to be passed. And even if we do increase research to $700 million a year, scientists have estimated we need to be spending $2 billion annually to make the kind of progress we need. What about the private sector? The Alzheimer’s Association — which says it is the third largest funder of basic Alzheimer’s research in the world (after the U.S. and Chinese governments) — awarded grants worth nearly $14 million last year. It’s invested over $335 million since 1982. Important, but insufficient. In addition, the major pharmaceutical companies have probably spent billions of dollars developing and testing potential new drugs for decades. To date, unfortunately, most of their efforts have been disappointing. Only five Alzheimer’s-related drugs have been approved by the FDA since 1996, and while they help somewhat with symptoms in many patients, none constitutes a real treatment that would delay or prevent its progression. However, new areas of research are showing more promise. We have learned much in the last few years about the amyloid plaque deposits and neurofibrillary tangles called “tau” that take over the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Using the latest imaging techniques — including the Advanced Photon Source developed by federal researchers and made available to private drug companies at the Argonne National Laboratory — researchers can, for the first time, see how drug treatments directly affect the brains of volunteers. At the program I attended, Senator Dick Durban (D-IL), who introduced the Senate bill to boost Alzheimer’s research funds, noted repeatedly how much basic federal

research contributes to the overall development of new drugs and treatments by private drug companies (which he referred to collectively as Pharma). The federal investment includes not only the nearly $30 billion spent each year on research conducted or supported by the National Institutes of Health, but also billions more spent by the Department of Defense and the Office of Science in the U.S. Department of Energy (which funds Argonne). I asked the senator, why doesn’t Congress require the drug companies that benefit so greatly from taxpayer-financed research to pay more significant licensing fees for the blockbuster drugs that result, or at least offer substantial discounts to Medicare and Medicaid when they acquire these medications to treat U.S. taxpayers? He conceded, “There’s no reason why Pharma shouldn’t pay more.” And added that, while taxpayers “will ultimately benefit from the research, usually Pharma will benefit first.” That was not entirely the answer I wanted. I wanted him to say he will introduce legislation to require a more equitable arrangement — before Pharma finds the blockbuster cure for Alzheimer’s and starts charging Medicare tens of thousands of dollars per year per patient. Please join me in contacting Senator Durbin and others in Congress — both to support increased funding for basic research into Alzheimer’s, and to encourage them to require drug companies to more fairly share profits from commercially successful drugs developed with the aid of federally funded research, and/or to offer such drugs to U.S. taxpayers at a discount reflecting our contributions.

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 am writing this in response to Stuart Rosenthal’s column (“What could we have done?, August) about the stabbing on the Washington Metro. There are only two ways in life to react to any situation, fight or flight, and I think everyone on that train car should be ashamed of themselves. I was recently faced with a similar situation, when an employee tried to stab my boss to death, and I immediately reacted. I fought and struggled with the guy to get him off my boss and the knife out of his hand. I’m a 47-year-old man who weighs 140 pounds; the attacker was 240 and solid muscle. I had just lost over 50 pounds in a month, and one week after the incident I was diagnosed with stage three esophageal cancer. I

am currently going through chemo and radiation, so I have a chance to live through this. I really believe we should go back to the mentality of the 1800s, where everyone had a gun on their hip. Then and only then will all this senseless victimizing stop. People have become brazen in committing these crimes, but if everyone had a gun, these idiots wouldn’t be doing this. All I ever learned the one time in my life I got locked up was how to read law books, [and I did that] so if I decided to stay on the wrong path I would know about the loopholes. Fortunately, I went the other way and gave 31 years to becoming an accomplished chef. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 28

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Technology &

Innovations Think you’ve been hacked? Do this now By Brandon Bailey and Joseph Pisani The entire U.S. federal workforce may be at risk after yet another intrusion from what security experts believe were hackers based in China. The Department of Homeland Security said that data from the Office of Personnel Management — the human resources department for the federal government — and the Interior Department were infiltrated. Two hacking incidents this summer affect a total of 21.5 million federal workers, military personnel and contractor employees These are not the first and it follows massive data breaches at health insurance companies, major U.S. banks like JPMorgan, and retailers such as Target and Home Depot. Here’s what to do if you think you’ve been compromised.

First things first • Notify the three main credit agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and request a 90-day credit alert. Each reporting agency is supposed to notify the others, but you may want to contact all three yourself. The three are Equifax (1-888-7660008), Experian (1-888-397-3742) and TransUnion (1-800-680-7289). The alert tells businesses to contact you

Tech Shorts By Rebekah Sewell

New subsidy for Internet service The Federal Communications Commission has expanded a phone subsidy program for the poor to include Internet access. Expanding the Lifeline phone program to Internet service aims to narrow the “digital divide” between those with access to the Internet and other modern technologies and those without. According to a Pew Research Center report from 2013, 70 percent of U.S. adults have a high-speed Internet connection at home. However, only 54 percent of households earnings less than $30,000 a year do. The FCC says low-income Americans are more likely to rely on smartphones for Internet access. According to the Pew report, 67 percent of households that make

before opening any new accounts in your name. You can renew the alert every 90 days, or you’re entitled to keep it in effect for seven years if you find that your identity is stolen and file a report with police. • You might consider asking the reporting agencies to place a full freeze on your credit. This blocks any business from checking your credit to open a new account, so it’s a stronger measure than a credit alert. But you should weigh that against the hassle of notifying credit agencies to lift the freeze — which can take a few days — every time you apply for a loan, open a new account, or even sign up for utility service.

Be a detective • When your credit card bill comes, check closely for any irregularities. And don’t overlook small charges. Crooks are known to charge smaller amounts, usually under $10, to see if you notice. If you don’t, they may charge larger amounts later. • Get a free credit report once a year from at least one of the three major credit agencies, and review it for unauthorized accounts that may have been opened in your name. Ignore offers from companies that charge a fee for credit reports. You can order them without charge at www.annual-

less than $30,000 a year have home broadband or a smartphone. Lifeline was started in 1985 and expanded to include wireless phones in 2005. The FCC’s expansion this summer extends Lifeline’s $9.25 monthly credit to give lowincome households a choice of phone service or Internet access, via a wire to the home or a smartphone. But Lifeline has been criticized for being susceptible to fraud, and the proposal may get pushback from Republicans. The FCC says it will build on anti-fraud measures that were put in place in 2012, such as extending the period that providers must keep documents on customers’ eligibility for the programs. In 2014, Lifeline served 12 million households and cost $1.7 billion, paid for by surcharges on the country’s telephone customer bills. Eligibility depends on income being at or less than 135 percent of the federal government’s poverty line, or participation in programs including Medicaid, food stamps or free school lunch.

creditreport.com. If you order from each credit agency once a year, you could effectively check your history every four months. Some experts say there’s not much to be gained from a paid credit monitoring service. But it can’t hurt to sign up for any monitoring offered for free by a company or any other entity that may have held your information when it was hacked. Note: These services will tell you if a new account is opened in your name, but they won’t prevent it, and many don’t check for things like bogus cellphone accounts, fraudulent applications for government benefits, or claims for medical benefits. Some do offer limited insurance or help from a staffer trained to work with credit issuers and reporting agencies.

If your info is stolen • Contact the credit issuer to dispute fraudulent charges and have the bogus account closed. • Request your credit report and ask the reporting agencies to remove bogus accounts or any incorrect information from your record. • Submit a report through the FTC website: www.consumer.ftc.gov. Click the

As Internet access is often more expensive than $9.25 a month, program participants may have to pay an additional amount for service. Some broadband providers already offer low-cost Internet to households that get food stamps or are in the school lunch program. But Comcast’s $10-a-month Internet Essentials program, for example, has been criticized as having too-slow speeds (up to 5 megabits per second) and for too few people being eligible. The FCC defines broadband as having download speeds of 25 megabits per second and higher. Individuals may sign up for Lifeline through their phone service provider. — AP

Screen magnifier The assistive technology company Ai Squared has released ZoomText 10.1, the latest version of their computer screen magnification software. ZoomText enlarges text and graphics to make it easier for individuals

“privacy & identity” tab, which will walk you through creating an affidavit you can show to creditors. • Keep copies of all reports and correspondence. Use certified mail to get delivery receipts, and keep notes on every phone call. Beware: after a hack, scammers may try to use the stolen data to trick you into giving up more personal information. They can use that info to steal money in your accounts or open new credit cards. • Don’t click on any links from emails. Bad software could be downloaded to your computer that can steal account passwords. • You might get letters in the mail saying you won a tablet or vacation and give you a phone number to call. Don’t do it. It’s likely a ploy to gather more information from you. • Hang up the phone if you get a call asking for account numbers or other information. Scammers may also send texts, so don’t click on any links from numbers you don’t know. The FTC now has a website, www.identitytheft.gov, that provides step-by-step advice and more information on what to do if you think you have been the victim of a data breach. — AP

with low vision or other visual impairments to see what’s on their computer screen. The deluxe version of this program, ZoomText Magnifier/Reader, provides a voice that reads the words on a screen aloud, along with magnification. The program is compatible with Internet Explorer, Microsoft office and computer games. The Magnifier software will read emails, documents and web pages aloud and utilizes a non-robotic, human-sounding voice for easier comprehension. Users can also convert text from documents and emails into audio files that can be retrieved and listened to later. The audio files can be accessed on mobile devices as well. Ai Squared also offers large-print keyboards for PC and Mac computers, and a ZoomText Camera — a high-definition camera that magnifies printed text and displays it on the computer screen. For more information about ZoomText and other assistive technologies by Ai Squared, visit www.aisquared.com or call toll-free 1-800-859-0270.

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A couple decades ago, you could find the blue eagle-emblazoned US Mail boxes every few blocks on city and suburban streets. But as fewer people sent letters and cards, the US Postal Service began uprooting the ubiquitous boxes. However, there are still plenty of times you need to drop something in the mail. Now there’s a website to help you find the remaining boxes. Simply type in your ZIP code to find a list of addresses (complete with cross streets) where you can deposit your mail. www.payphone-project.com/mailboxes

If you are planning a move or just want to reduce clutter, Freecycle can help you give away your goods — from furniture to dishes to shoes. Even things you have no idea what to do with but would like to keep out of the landfill, such as old trash cans or bricks, can be given away. Find the closest Freecycle group to your neighborhood (there are more than 5,000 groups) by typing in your city name. Then join the local list to post things you’d like to give away. Choose someone who responds to your listing to pick it up from your curbside at a specified time. You never have to meet. Of course, the flip side to Freecycle is that you can also request things others are giving away. But don’t give in to temptation for things you don’t need simply because they cost nothing. www.freecycle.org/

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Travelzoo.com aggregates dozens of top deals from cruise lines, hotels, airlines, entertainment venues and more. Depending where you want to travel to and when, the site can be hit or miss. But you can snag very good deals. The ever-changing offerings recently included $999 for a nine-night Alaskan cruise, $43 tickets for Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center, and a seven-night tour of Italy, including hotels and roundtrip airfare from Baltimore for $1,146. http://Travelzoo.com

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New tech gadgets amuse adults and kids By Bree Fowler Imagine turning a standard can of beer into a frothy draft beer with a head. Or how about using the charge in your fingers to clean your teeth, or taking a walk with a robot dinosaur? At the CE Week gadget show in New York recently, there were several standouts amid the sea of smartphone chargers and 3-D printers. Some are set to hit stores near you in the not-too-distant future. Here is a sampling:

Human-powered power toothbrush There’s a lot of power in your little finger. The Ionic ProClean toothbrush generates millions of negative ions by creating a circuit involving the moistened toothbrush and a person’s palm or finger. According to the company, the completion of the circuit gets the ions flowing. The ions then polarize plaque fluid, causing a person’s tooth enamel to repel it. This loosens and removes the plaque.

A small light on the brush indicates when this is happening. The brushes sell for about $10.

Beer Fizzics For the beer aficionado who wants to experience the frothy head of a properly poured draft beer at home, there is Fizzics. The personal beer dispenser takes beer from any store-bought can, bottle or growler and applies some magic to give it the bubbles and taste of something straight from the tap. All styles of beer from pilsners to stouts work with the machine. The invention was funded by an Indiegogo campaign that raised about $148,000, nearly triple its goal. Commercial sales are expected to start in September, with the machines retailing for nearly $200.

A T-Rex that plays fetch If you think a puppy is too much responsibility for your grandchild, how about a mini robot Tyrannosaurus Rex? Using location technology, the MiPosaur can chase after a matching ball, go for a walk with its owner, and even dance and make happy sounds. The exceptionally cute robots will go on sale this month at major retailers such as Tar-

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get, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us. The combination of a MiPosaur and a ball will cost about $120. WowWee, the MiPosaur’s parent company, also showed off its REV battle cars. For $100, you can get a pair of race cars controlled by a smartphone or tablet app. Players use the cars to chase and shoot at each other. Lights and sounds signal a hit. Those who can’t find a partner can choose a computerized bad guy to play against.

Coding for kids Given the job possibilities down the road, it’s never too early to start teaching your kids how to write computer code. Ozobot aims to do just that. By drawing lines in various colors, kids as young as 7 can tell the pingpong-ball-sized robot to do things like go forward, backward or spin around. While the original Ozobot has been around for a while, an updated version is geared at older children. Rather than draw colored lines, kids program their Ozobot on a computer. The new Ozobots sell for $60 on Amazon. Older models, which sell for about $50, can be upgraded to add the coding software for $10. — AP

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The smartest smartphones fight disease By Lauran Neergaard Scientists are turning those ubiquitous smartphones into microscopes and other medical tools that could help fight diseases in remote parts of the world. For example, Columbia University scientists recently created a device powered by a smartphone to detect signs of HIV and syphilis in blood, pilot-testing the tool in clinics in Rwanda. At Massachusetts General Hospital, doctors are researching a tool that clips over a smartphone camera to detect cancer in blood or tissue samples. Still other researchers are using phone cameras to detect intestinal parasites in stool samples.

Detecting parasites in blood This summer, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley are planning to use a smartphone’s camera to target a challenge in parts of Central Africa — some devastating infections caused by tiny parasitic worms. The researchers created a handheld device that converts a smartphone into a video microscope, and uses custom software to record and analyze movements in blood cells that signal worm larvae are wriggling, said UC-Berkeley bioengineer Dr. Daniel Fletcher, who led the work.

Essentially, the phone acts as a cheap, portable laboratory — no lab technician required. It’s part of the trend in medical uses for smartphones that goes far beyond simple tasks like measuring heartbeats or emailing photos of a suspicious mole to your doctor. “This is a very important technology,” said Baylor College of Medicine’s Dr. Peter Hotez, a well-known specialist in neglected tropical diseases who wasn’t involved in the new research. “It’s very practical,” by eliminating the need for specially trained health workers and pricey equipment in remote villages, he added. “We’re using this phone not just as computer power or for its camera, but to run the test,” Fletcher explained.

parable to standard microscope testing, the researchers recently reported. Now, the team hopes to test the devices in a study of at least 30,000 people in Cameroon this summer. Dr. Thomas Nutman of the National Institutes of Health estimates the devices could be manufactured for $50 to $100, not including the phone. The research targets a public health dilemma: A drug named ivermectin can fight two kinds of microscopic worms, spread to people through insect bites, that cause debilitating infections in much of Africa — river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, a disabling swelling. Mass campaigns to treat affected communities are underway in many areas.

But in certain parts of Central Africa, the treatment campaigns had to be suspended because some people also harbor a third worm, named Loa loa, that can trigger a potentially fatal neurologic reaction to the medication, Nutman said. For now, the only way to tell who’s at risk requires manually testing blood samples, taking hours and specially trained workers that simply aren’t available during mass treatment programs, said Nutman, who worked with the Berkeley team on the faster phone-based alternative. The work was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NIH and other groups. — AP

How it works Squeeze a finger-prick of blood into a small tube and slide the tube into the 3-D printed base. Click the smartphone on top, its camera lined over the blood sample. Touch the screen to start an app, and an image-processing system analyzes wriggling motions that are the size and shape to be of concern, and reports a count. When used on 33 potentially infected people in Cameroon, the results were com-

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SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Health Fitness &

STROKE STENT APPROVED New Heart Association guidelines endorse a device to treat strokes A LOWER LIBIDO Some blood pressure medications can lead to a decreased sex drive CAN YOU BE TOO THIN? Being underweight can increase the risk of osteoporosis, COPD and more DOPAMINE AND DEPRESSION Dopamine deficiency can make you sluggish; how to break out of the fog

You can save a life performing simple CPR By Lauran Neergaard Would you know what to do if you see someone collapse, not breathing — a loved one at home, a co-worker at the office, a stranger on the street? Far too many Americans die of cardiac arrest, and now a major new report urges a national campaign to improve survival, in part by making sure more bystanders know how to help. Every year, about 395,000 people suffer cardiac arrest in their homes or other nonhospital settings — and less than 6 percent of them survive, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) estimates. That’s not the whole toll: An additional 200,000 cardiac arrests occur in hospitals every year, and even there only a quarter of patients survive, the report found. Cardiac arrest is not a heart attack — it’s worse. It means the heart abruptly stops beating, its electrical activity knocked out of rhythm. CPR can buy critical time if it’s started immediately, but the report concludes the nation must take key steps to give victims a better shot. “Cardiac arrest survival rates are unacceptably low,” said Dr. Robert Graham of George Washington University, who chaired the IOM committee’s investigation. “There is a lot an individual can do to assist somebody if they witness one, and to work with their communities to improve the system of response.”

What to do may sound straightforward: Call 911, and then start quick, hard compressions of the person’s chest until trained responders arrive. If a device called an AED — an automated external defibrillator — is available, use it.

Why don’t bystanders help? In reality, the IOM committee said, fear — rather than not understanding what cardiac arrest is, lack of first-aid training, and concern about legal liability — can hamper response and cost precious time. Each year, less than 3 percent of the U.S. population receives training in CPR or defibrillator use, while some European countries mandate training, the report found. Moreover, there are wide disparities in outcomes: One study found that survival ranged from about 8 percent to 40 percent across 10 different communities. The IOM called for a major public education effort to teach people how to recognize and react to cardiac arrest — including making CPR training a graduation requirement for high school. According to the American Heart Association, Connecticut just became the 24th state to pass legislation to do that. State and local health departments should team with health groups to create “a culture of action,” the IOM recommended. It also urged employers to stock defibrillators and train workers to use them,

and expanded access to CPR training for people over age 65 and their caregivers. Good Samaritan laws provide varying legal protection by state. At the same time, laymen shouldn’t feel they have to provide perfect care, said IOM committee member Dr. Tom Aufderheide of the Medical College of Wisconsin. “Any CPR and any early defibrillation delivered by the public is better than no care at all,” he said.

Additional recommendations • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should create a national registry of cardiac arrest. There are no good statistics on this killer, the IOM said, calling its own numbers the best available estimates. A registry would track outcomes so communities could take steps to improve. The CDC said it will review the recommendation. • National standards are needed for emergency medical systems, to ensure that 911 callers are talked through how to provide CPR. • The National Institutes of Health should expand research for better treatments. The report found the NIH spends far less on cardiac arrest research than on other cardiovascular problems. Among the issues to address: defibrillators attempt to shock the heart back into rhythm so it can resume beating. But most out-of-hospital

cardiac arrests aren’t the kind of abnormal rhythms that a shock can fix, said IOM committee member Dr. Lance Becker of the University of Pennsylvania. • Hospitals should have to meet national accreditation standards on cardiac arrest care. Survival of patients who suffer cardiac arrest while hospitalized for some other reason can vary by 10 percent between hospitals, the IOM found. Improvement is possible, the IOM found, calling some communities examples. In King County, Washington, there’s a 62 percent survival rate among patients with a specific shockable form of cardiac arrest if they collapse in front of someone. It’s not an accident: Policymakers there have spent decades studying what care works best, and getting bystanders and professionals on board with response practices. The American Heart Association — which, along with the American Red Cross, American College of Cardiology and the federal government, had requested the IOM’s study — welcomed the recommendations. Cardiac arrest is “the most critically ill state a human being can be in,” said Dr. Robert W. Neumar of the University of Michigan, who chairs a heart association emergency care committee. The nation needs to create a culture where “if someone collapses in front of you with cardiac arrest, it’s your obligation to help.” — AP

Don’t fall for brain supplement claims By Matthew Perrone A high-ranking Senate Democrat is probing retailers and online companies about sales of dubious dietary supplements — especially those promising protection from memory loss, dementia and other age-related problems. The pills, tablets and formulas targeted by Senator Claire McCaskill bear names like “Brain Awake,” “Dementia Drops” and “Food for the Brain,” which claims to ease “forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease.” In letters sent to 15 companies — including Wal-Mart, Target Corp., Amazon and Google — McCaskill asks executives to explain how they vet dietary supplements and weed out products making false claims. The Missouri Democrat is the ranking member on the Senate Aging

Committee, which frequently investigates health scams targeting older Americans. “Frankly, I think there’s a special place in hell for someone who markets a product and says it will cur e Alzheimer’s,” McCaskill told the Associated Press. “And that’s essentially what these scammers are doing, and they’ve had assistance in that.”

marketing and manufacturing practices. Supplements have never been subject to the same Food and Drug Administration regulations as prescription and over-thecounter drugs, which must be reviewed as safe and effective before being sold in the U.S. Earlier this year, the attorneys general of 14 states asked Congress to investigate the herbal supplement industry. They pointed to DNA-based test results apparently showing that some store-brand supplements have none of the ingredients listed on their labels. McCaskill’s probe focuses on supple-

show some “Tests supplements

contain none of the ingredients listed on their labels.

Supplements aren’t regulated This is the latest probe into the $30 billion dietary supplement industry, which encompasses thousands of products and has long been plagued by questionable advertising,

’’

ments targeting older adults who are concerned about dementia. More than 5 million people in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no cure, and even prescription drugs only temporarily ease symptoms.

Targeting retailers, search engines But rather than focusing on the supplements themselves, McCaskill’s investigation is probing how they make their way into consumers’ shopping carts and medicine cabinets. In a letter to Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon, McCaskill asked for a briefing See SUPPLEMENTS, page 9

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Supplements

A spokesman for Amazon Inc. declined to comment for this story.

From page 8 with the company to “better understand Wal-Mart’s policies and practices related to dietary supplements.” McCaskill also requested meetings with Internet search engines, including Google Inc. She requested details about how Google is compensated by supplement producers who advertise through the search engine, and whether Google reviews customer complaints about such products. Companies are not legally required to comply with congressional requests, but they can be ordered to appear before Congress and turn over documents when compelled by subpoena. The new investigation shines light on how supplement makers skirt federal rules that are supposed to stop companies from marketing their products for specific diseases and conditions. For example, a product called Eureka Intensified Focus, sold through Amazon, claims to “support and maintain memory, concentration and focus.” Another product available on Amazon, AloeMarine, is promoted to support “increased memory and brain function.”

Little FDA oversight Because the FDA does not review supplements, manufacturers are technically responsible for making sure their products are safe and truthfully advertised. Products making certain types of health claims are required to carry a disclaimer that “this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA,” though many supplements do not. The FDA frequently sends warning letters to companies that appear to be violating federal rules, but the agency cannot withdraw a supplement from the market until it shows that it is unsafe. Attempts to pass new laws giving the FDA more authority over supplements have repeatedly been scuttled by industry lobbyists and their allies in Congress. Despite the FDA’s limited powers, McCaskill suggested the agency could be doing more. “They do have some authority here, and we want to take a closer look at how they are using that authority,” she said. An FDA spokeswoman said in a statement the agency would respond directly to the Senators. — AP

BEACON BITS

Aug. 25

A SHOT IN THE ARM

With flu season on its way, learn the pros and cons of this and other immunizations. The program takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. at Catonsville Senior Center, 501 N. Rolling Rd. Call (410) 8870900 for more information.

Aug. 26

GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS

In “Say What You Mean & Get What You Want,” learn a threestep approach to dealing with the barriers that exist when you are trying to get a health-related message across to another person. The class will be held from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26 at the Pikesville Senior Center, 301 Reisterstown Rd., Pikesville. For more information, call (410) 887-1245.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Health Shorts Which is better: juice or smoothies? Juicing and smoothies are all the rage right now. While both can boost your fruit and vegetable intake (something most Americans need to do), and are great for getting a variety of produce into your diet, one is the better choice. That’s the smoothie. Why? Juicing leaves behind a pulp — which contains fiber and nutrients that you end up tossing away — and thus you lose most of the benefits of whole fruits and vegetables. Blending produce into a smoothie, however, preserves fiber. A smoothie can deliver an extra boost of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals because it often includes fruit skins and pith. If your smoothie includes yogurt or milk, you get some calcium, too. Blending, however, introduces oxygen and sometimes heat, which will knock out a little vitamin C and some B vitamins. (No big deal, really, as most of us get plenty of C, and produce isn’t a top source of the most sensitive B vitamins.) Smoothie-lovers beware, though: These

drinks can easily turn into high-calorie, sugar-soaked desserts if they include sweetened yogurt, sweetened juice, sorbet, frozen yogurt or ice cream (that’s called a milkshake, folks). Sadly, many made-to-order and bottled smoothies include these ingredients. DIY smoothies reign supreme — you know what you’re getting or, for that matter, not getting. They’re no substitute for whole fruits and vegetables in your diet, however, since it’s easier to take in more calories when you drink them instead of eat them. The Produce for Better Health Foundation recommends no more than 8 to 12 ounces of blended or juiced produce daily. — EatingWell

New stroke treatment gets go-ahead Many stroke patients have a new treatment option — if they seek help fast enough to get it. New guidelines endorse using a removable stent to open clogged arteries causing a stroke (see “Game changer: Stents for stroke patients,” April Beacon). The guidelines, issued by the American Heart Association, are the first time the

BEACON BITS

Aug. 25

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR LGBT OLDER ADULTS

The online National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, at www.lgbtagingcenter.org, has articles, multimedia resources and training designed to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults.

Ongoing

CAREGIVER CONNECTION SUBSCRIPTION AVAILABLE Caregiver Connection is a quarterly newsletter distributed via email. To subscribe, go to www.baltimorecountymd.gov/subscribe/caregiver.

group has recommended a device for treating strokes, and it’s the first new stroke treatment in two decades to win the group’s strongest backing. The federal government no longer issues guidelines like these, so the Heart Association’s ad-

vice clears the way for more doctors to offer the treatment. “It is pretty exciting,” and many patients will benefit if they seek help when sympSee HEALTH SHORTS, page 12

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Health shorts From page 11 toms first appear, said the head of the guidelines panel, Dr. William J. Powers, neurology chief at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Most of the 800,000 strokes in the U.S. each year are caused by a blood clot lodged in the brain. The usual treatment is a clot-dissolving medicine called tPA, and it remains the first choice. But the drug must be given within 4 1/2 hours after symptoms start, and most people don’t seek help in time. The drug also

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

fails to work in one or two of every four cases, Powers said. The new device is called a stent retriever. It’s a tiny mesh cage that is pushed through a tube into a blood vessel and guided to the clot, like the stents long used to treat blocked heart arteries. But unlike heart stents, which are left in place to prop the artery open, brain stents trap the clot and are removed with it. Earlier this year, several major studies found these devices dramatically cut the risk of death or disability in people whose clots persisted after treatment with tPA. The guidelines say these patients now

can be treated with a stent retriever if it can be done within six hours of symptom onset, they have a severe stroke caused by a clot in a large artery, and have brain imaging showing that at least half of the brain on the side of the stroke is not permanently damaged. The benefit of stent retrievers beyond six hours, or for people not treated first with tPA, is unknown. “We think it probably works in some of them but we just don’t have the hard evidence” to recommend it, Powers said. Where patients seek help matters. Only major stroke centers can do the technically difficult procedure with stent retrievers. — AP

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The pushback against soaring cancer drug prices is gaining steam. A leading doctors group has proposed a formula to help patients decide if taking a new medicine is worth it. The formula is something doctors can work through with patients to get a bottom line on the survival benefit, side effects, and costs of a new treatment or combo versus older ones. In the formula, treatments are given scores for how much they improve survival or the time until cancer worsens. For advanced cancers, bonus points are given for drugs that greatly relieve symptoms or give patients a break from treatment. Side effects also are scored, and the points are combined to get a “net health benefit.” The final step is to compare costs. The tool gives drug prices provided by insurer United Healthcare as a guide, but they

vary greatly among hospitals, and copays depend on each person’s insurance plan. The move by the American Society of Clinical Oncology is the third recent effort to focus on value in cancer care. The European Society for Medical Oncology has proposed a similar guide. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York recently posted an online tool suggesting a drug’s fair price, based on benefits and side effects. “We have a broken system,” with drug prices rising more than the degree of benefit, said Dr. Peter Bach, director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Sloan Kettering. “We hope consumers increasingly think about value.” New cancer drugs typically cost more than $10,000 a month, and patients are paying a greater share through higher copays and deductibles. “We have extraordinarily expensive technology that we have developed, but a lot of it doesn’t seem to move the needle that much” in terms of survival, Michael Porter, a Harvard Business School economist, told an audience at the U.S. oncology group’s annual conference last month. Patients often are not fully aware of costs, which include not just the drug, but also whether a patient needs to be hospitalized to get it, or to take other drugs to manage side effects, he said. So far, the proposed formula is just a prototype for four situations — lung or prostate cancer that has spread, advanced multiple myeloma, and a common type of breast cancer. The group will take comments from the public until Aug. 21 and plans similar efforts for other types of cancer. To learn more or submit comments, see www.asco.org/value. Tips on managing cost are available at www.cancer.net/navigatingcancer-care/financial-considerations. SloanKettering’s calculator is available at www.drugabacus.org. — AP

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Blood pressure meds can affect sex drive By Dr. Howard LeWine and Dr. Michael Craig Miller Q: I recently started a new blood pressure medicine. I know that some of them cause erectile dysfunction in men, but my problem is low sex drive. Is this a side effect of the drug? A: Sexual problems are one of the most common side effects from drugs used to treat high blood pressure. These problems can include decreased sexual drive (loss of libido) and difficulty reaching orgasm (anorgasmia) in both sexes. Also, men can experience erectile dysfunction (impotence) or altered ejaculation. Women may notice vaginal dryness secondary to decreased vaginal lubrication, leading to painful intercourse. Of the different classes of drugs prescribed to reduce blood pressure, beta blockers and diuretics (“water pills”) probably cause the most sexual side effects. In

contrast, sexual side effects less commonly occur with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). If you start a new blood pressure drug and develop sexual side effects — or any bothersome side effects, for that matter — be sure to speak to your healthcare provider. Often, it will possible to switch you to a different drug that won’t cause the same problems. Sexual side effects are a common “placebo effect” with many drugs used to treat a wide variety of conditions. In other words, the symptom is real, but might not be caused by the drug. Simply worrying about a particular side effect might also make it more likely to develop. Therefore, it pays to be patient when starting a new drug. Unless a side effect is severe or dangerous, you may want to wait several weeks before concluding that the drug is actually causing the symptoms that

BEACON BITS

Aug. 27

DRIVER SAFETY SEMINAR

The AARP Maryland Chapter will host a free seminar on Thursday, Aug. 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 200 St. Paul St., 22nd floor. The topic is “We Need to Talk,” and will focus on having a conversation with someone you care about regarding their driving skills. Register by Aug. 25 by emailing peterkin1@comcast.net or calling (240) 603-2950.

you’re experiencing. Under a doctor’s supervision, you may also be able to try stopping the drug for a while to see if your symptoms improve. If they do, a trial back on the drug may help confirm the link between the drug and the side effects. Q: I recently had a kidney stone. Should I change my diet? I drink two to three cups of mint tea daily — could that be the problem? A: First and foremost, be sure you drink plenty of fluids every day and avoid dehydration. Kidney stones form when certain minerals concentrate in the urine and form hard crystals. By drinking plenty of fluid, you can decrease the concentration of these minerals. Drink eight to 12 cups (64 to 96

ounces) a day. About 80 percent of all kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate. The name might make you think you should eat a low calcium diet to avoid getting them, but you should actually do the opposite. The problem is oxalate. Most people who develop calcium oxalate absorb too much oxalate. The extra oxalate is absorbed by the intestines and passed into the blood stream. The body uses what it needs, and the extra oxalate is excreted in the urine. In the urine, the higher concentration of oxalate can combine with calcium to cause kidney stones. Many of the foods we eat, including See BLOOD PRESSURE, page 14

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Blood pressure From page 13 some very healthy foods, contain oxalate, so it’s difficult to go on an oxalate-restricted diet. What can you do? This is where eating a high-calcium diet comes in. Calcium binds the oxalate in your intestine. This way, less oxalate can get absorbed into your blood stream and less will need to pass into your urine. Higher protein intake, especially from animal protein, increases the likelihood of kidney stones. High-protein diets are acidic and reduce the amount of natural stone inhibitors in the urine. In addition, high-protein diets tend to contain more oxalate. Tea and coffee in moderation are not a problem. In fact, some studies suggest that drinking moderate amounts of tea and coffee can actually decrease the risk of

kidney stones. Tea and coffee do contain some oxalate, but the amount of water in these drinks more than compensates. The two to three cups of mint tea you’re drinking a day (as well as other herbal teas) should not cause a problem, as long as you’re drinking additional amounts of other fluids. Black tea is the one tea that you might avoid because it has higher amounts of oxalate than other teas. Q: When I’m forced to fly, I sweat, shake and feel like I’m going to faint. I’ve avoided flying for four years, but now I have a work trip coming up that I can’t miss. What can I do? A: Fear of flying, heights, animals, insects and the like are all phobias. A phobia is an extreme fear of something that poses little or no real danger. The symptoms you describe sound very much like a panic attack. You may also

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have other symptoms like chest discomfort, shortness of breath, palpitations or a smothering sensation. The most distressing feeling may be one of losing control. You can manage a phobia by avoiding the trigger. Of course, that’s not always desirable or possible. Life sometimes forces you to face the fear. There are some very effective treatments to help you overcome your phobia. The best known is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called desensitization, also called exposure and response prevention. This technique involves gradually increasing exposure to the feared situation. But it’s done at a slow pace, under controlled circumstances. Along the way, you master your fear through relaxation, breathing control, or other anxiety-reducing strategies. This approach is especially useful if what you fear is hard to avoid, such as dogs or insects. You may not need treatment if exposure is occasional and predictable — like your upcoming business trip. In such a case, anti-anxiety drugs such as lorazepam and clonazepam can help. You can take them only when needed. The goal is to find a dose that reduces

symptoms enough so that you can get on the plane and stay calm enough while en route. Given the intensity of the symptoms you describe, it’s probably a good idea to explore both options. Most people find that a dose of anti-anxiety medicine plus a simple relaxation technique is enough to make air travel bearable. The problem you describe is surprisingly common, so you need not feel any shame. Contact your doctor. He or she can help with a prescription or a referral to a therapist — or both. Howard LeWine, M.D., is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., and chief medical editor of internet publishing at Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. Michael Craig Miller, M.D., is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an associate physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is a Senior Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publications. For additional consumer health information, visit www.health.harvard.edu. © 2015 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed By Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS 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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After our rehab team worked with Mary, she was up on her own two feet, managing all of her own needs and, in no time, was discharged and back to her regular routine. As an added bonus, ManorCare’s exercise regimen jump-started a weight loss which helped her to resolve her diabetes. Mary says, “Thanks to ManorCare, I feel great!”

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Ongoing

HELP MAKE BLANKETS FOR KIDS

Work on your own time making blankets for children in need of hugs for a group called the Binky Patrol. Email Donna Serra at dmserra2@juno.com or call (410) 239-8646 for more information.

Oct. 28+

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT POWER OF AGE EXPO

The Power of Age Expo will take place at the Timonium Fairgrounds on Oct. 28-29. The two-day event is the largest resource and entertainment Expo for older adults, caregivers and professionals in the area. For more information, visit www.seniorexpoonline.com. Volunteers are needed for a variety of Expo jobs. If you have a minimum of three hours to spare on those days, email seniorexpo@baltimorecountymd.gov or call (410) 887-2002.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Problems arise from being underweight By Caroline Kaufman While headlines often sound the alarm on the dangers of being overweight, less attention is given to the two percent of U.S. adults who are underweight. Their ranks may be smaller, but the health risks that affect many people who are underweight — having a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 — are significant. Health risks from low body weight include: 1. Increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Thin, small-boned women have an increased risk of osteoporosis, particularly if they are undernourished. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies contribute to hip fracture because they speed up bone loss, contribute to impaired coordination, and reduce the body’s ability to protect itself during a fall. The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that 20 percent of seniors who break a hip die within one year from problems related to the broken bone itself or the surgery to repair it. Many of those who survive a fall require long-term care. 2. Increased risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Underweight patients had a 1.7 times higher risk of death from COPD compared to people with a normal BMI, according to an abstract presented at the 2011 European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress in Amsterdam. 3. Increased risk of death from surgery. According to a 2012 study in JAMA Surgery, of the nearly 200,000 patients who underwent major surgery, those with a BMI under 23.1 were 40 percent more likely to

die within 30 days of the surgery compared to overweight patients (BMI of 25-29.9).

Causes of being too thin What contributes to being underweight? Outside of cancer, chronic lung disease and heart failure, common causes include: 1. Underlying medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism and eating disorders. 2. Not eating enough food. 3. Heavy alcohol or drug use. 4. Conditions that affect your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, such as irritable bowel disease or Crohn’s disease. 5. Depression and anxiety. 6. Certain medications — particularly antidepressants, blood pressure and osteoporosis medications — which may decrease appetite, and aspirin and ibuprofen, which can upset your stomach. 7. Barriers to buying, transporting or cooking food, which can include anything from breaking a bone to financial hardship.

Steps to healthy weight gain Are you having trouble gaining weight because you’re tired and don’t have an appetite? You’re not alone. Those are the two most challenging obstacles to overcome, said registered dietician Lori Zanini, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Here are strategies to help you gain weight: a) Make mini meals. Don’t worry about sitting down for large, daunting dinners. Instead, eat small meals every two to three hours.

b) Start small. Start meals with foods that pack a lot of nutrients and calories into small servings — like eggs, peanut butter, avocados, nuts and seeds. c) Get strong. Do weight-bearing exercises, like strength training yoga, tai chi, or brisk walking at least three times a week. Since muscle weighs more than fat, these exercises help you gain weight, plus they’ll help you boost energy levels and protect bones. d) Drink your calories. Get in on the smoothie and juice trend! To boost nutrition and add extra calories, throw in avocado, dry oats, nut or seed butters, tofu, pre-cooked rice, protein powder, cottage cheese, milk powder or yogurt. It’s faster and feels less filling to drink calories rather than chew them. e) Add extras. No matter what you’re

making, add something high-calorie and nutritious to the mix. Pour extra olive or canola oil into the pan when you’re cooking vegetables, sprinkle nuts or sesame seeds on top of cooked dishes, add avocado slices to a sandwich, and sprinkle granola over yogurt. f) Stash your snacks. Keep snacks everywhere so you always have an opportunity to eat a mini-meal. Leave granola bars in the car, trail mix at work, and energy bars in your bag. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2015 Belvoir Media Group distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Low dopamine can make you depressed Some people feel so bad they want to die, but don’t follow through because they lack motivation. Is that you? You may have been taught to equate depression with serotonin deficiency. But in fact, people with that type of depression don’t usually wish to die. Those with low dopamine might wish to, though. Dopamine deficiency will cause you to wake up sluggish in the morning, usually with brain fog, but you might feel happier and suddenly more enthusiastic with a

“hit” of some sort, perhaps a cup of coffee. Low dopamine causes a different kind of depression from low serotonin, one that is hallmarked by a lack of pleasure. Serotonin deficiency makes life less optimistic, and it’s like the glass is always half empty. Dopamine-related depression forces you to need a “hit” of something sugary, or caffeinated. It may manifest itself differently in different folks. Some women want to go shopping; men may want to gamble. Dopamine deficiencies affect more than

mood. Most of us don’t think about the efConsider the following if you have these fort it takes to get up out of a chair, walk, symptoms of depression and want to feel better: hold a glass of water or write. 1) Quell the free radicals in We take those things for grantyour body with antioxidants ed. But difficulties here may 2) Consider and discuss point to damage in the substanthe use of dopamine-lifting tia nigra, a part of your brain supplements where dopamine is made. 3) Check thyroid hormone Tremors and balance problevels properly, following the lems, trouble with planning, instructions for testing as and slower thinking processes well as the lab values I recomare all issues that individuals mend in my book, Thyroid with Parkinson’s disease DEAR Healthy. struggle with. Parkinson’s dis- PHARMACIST 4) Opt for a healthier diet, ease is due to abnormally low By Suzy Cohen not the Standard American Diet dopamine levels, compounded (which I call SAD), which inwith high levels of inflammation chemicals in the brain. See LOW DOPAMINE, page 17

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Ongoing

MEDICAL FOSTER HOMES FOR VETERANS The VA Maryland Health Care System has introduced a program called Medical Foster Home. The program gives veterans who are

enrolled in the VA Maryland Health Care System, and who require hands-on assistance care, the opportunity to remain in a home-like environment. All homes designated as Medical Foster Homes are licensed by the state and are independently operated by private owners who act as caregivers. To learn more, call Nicole Trimble at (410) 642-2411, ext. 6094.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Health Studies Page

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study seeks relief for rheumatoid arthritis By Carol Sorgen Johns Hopkins University is currently recruiting participants for a study to evaluate if the combination of resistance exercise and protein supplementation will increase muscle strength and muscle mass among older adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The body’s immune system normally protects its health by fighting off foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. In the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, however, one’s immune system targets one’s own joints. RA most often occurs in women (though men can also be affected), often starts in middle age, and is most common in older people. What causes RA is not fully understood, although doctors have determined that an abnormal response of the immune system plays a leading role in the inflammation and joint damage that occurs. In addition to joint inflammation and pain, many people with RA experience fatigue, loss of appetite, and a low-grade fever. Because RA is a systemic disease (meaning it affects the entire body), or-

Low dopamine From page 16 creases free radicals. Your microglial cells (immune cells in the brain) fight an uphill battle when there is inflammation there. At first it may be subtle, but over time, the cerebral edema erodes your health. Don’t squirt any lighter fluid onto your hot outdoor grill. By that I mean, your brain is on fire, you may already have a diagnosis of depression or Parkinson’s, or you may be post-TIA or stroke — and still you do things (or eat foods) that light a fire on your brain. Understanding this process is fundamental to improving mood and slowing neurological degeneration.

gans and other body systems may also be attacked. There is currently no cure for RA, but treatment is designed to stop inflammation, relieve symptoms, prevent joint and organ damage, improve physical function and overall well-being, and reduce longterm complications.

How the study works Participants in the Hopkins study will be divided into two groups. In the placebo group, participants will be enrolled in an individually supervised resistance exercise program that meets twice weekly for 16 weeks. They will receive a carbohydrate supplement to take twice daily. In the experimental group, participants will also be enrolled in the resistance exercise program, but will receive a twice-daily protein supplement instead. Participants will not know which supplement they are taking during the study. Researchers say that the exercise protocol in this study is distinctive because it combines dynamic (involving movement) and isometric (static) resistance exercise

performed on specialized equipment that can accommodate the range of motion limitations frequently encountered by older RA patients.

Who is eligible? Volunteers who are between the ages of 60 and 95, have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and are willing to participate in twice-weekly exercise sessions may be eligible to participate. You cannot take part in the study if you

have cognitive impairment, severe kidney disease, or had heart surgery in the last year. Those with diabetes that requires insulin also cannot participate. Volunteers also cannot have a pacemaker, use supplemental oxygen, or be allergic to soy or milk. The study is being conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus. For more information, or to see if you qualify for the study, contact Dr. Rebecca Manno at (410) 5500722 or email her at rmanno3@jhmi.edu.

Supervised Exercise Research Healthy men & women 50-80 years old needed to participate in an exercise research study at the University of Maryland / Baltimore VA Medical Center. Work with Doctors and Exercise Physiologists to safely start exercising. Participation involves tests to measure your fitness and function. You will receive medical and fitness evaluations

Parking and compensation for your time will be provided. Call 410-605-7179. Mention code: EPC-DM.

For a more comprehensive version of this article, sign up for my free newsletter at my website, www.suzycohen.com. In two weeks, I’ll email you the longer version of this article, and you will also be able to leave comments and questions under my articles online. When you sign up, I’ll also send you a free copy of my newest ebook, valued at $12.95. It’s called Spices that Heal: 29 Spices that Work Better than Drugs. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

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

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SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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

you took part? Call now, and a patient, knowledgeable product expert will tell you how you can try it in your home for 30 days. If you are not totally satisfied, simply return it within 30 days for a refund of the product purchase price. Call today. s Send & Receive Emails s Have video chats with family and friends s Surf the Internet: Get current weather and news s Play games Online: Hundreds to choose from!

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

How to help a friend back onto her feet By Helen Oxenberg, MSW, ACSW Dear Solutions: I need some advice about how to help a friend. My very good friend has had a series of terrible losses all at once — loss of her spouse, loss of her job, probable loss of her home. She won’t go for help and has isolated herself. If I say, “How can I help you?” she just waves me away like she’s annoyed that I asked. Should I just stay away, or what do you suggest? — Jean Dear Jean: Don’t ask. Do tell! Arrive at her doorstep and tell her you’re taking her shopping with you. Tell her you’ve gotten tickets for the two of you to go to something she used to enjoy going to. Think of simple things you know she used to enjoy, and just pick her up and go. Tell her she doesn’t have to talk about anything, she just has to go. Eventually, she may open to the possibility of going for professional help, but that’s not your job. Your job as a friend is to lift her to her feet when she doesn’t remember how to walk. Dear Solutions: I’m a younger senior, and after all these years I believe that I have learned a lot and have had a lot of experience.

Unfortunately, it has not been work experience, and now I need a job. I have been recommended for an interview for work I really think I can do better than most people. I’ve been asked to come in with what I think my salary or compensation should be and then, of course, the company will decide what it will actually be. So now I’m undecided. I think I know what my salary should be, but I’m afraid if I ask for that, they will think I’m putting a grandiose value on myself. What do — Mollie you suggest? Dear Mollie: Well, Mollie, if you put a smaller value on yourself, you can be sure that no one will raise your price. So, don’t devalue yourself. Come to the interview with self respect and dignity and say honestly what you think you should earn. Tell them also that you are enthusiastic about the job and hope to get it. If they offer you less and you really want it, take it. But set a time line in your mind when you will ask for more, as you show them your good work. Good luck. Dear Solutions: I just read the letter from Harriet, worried that her brother, a recent widower, was attracted to a lady “gold digger” who had been married several

Treating Difficulty Standing or Walking, attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Poor Circulation or Poor Balance 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.

How fortunate I feel to have found a doctor who could not only diagnose an underlying problem that many specialists missed, but who has been able to find a painless and rapid method of relieving the worst symptoms.

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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. — Dr. Stuart Goldman

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times before (June Solutions). How about contacting one of her exhusbands to get the real story? Maybe that would convince the brother to be careful. — Fran Dear Fran: That’s an interesting suggestion, and since Harriet reads this column, she can decide if she wants to do that or thinks her brother should. But I don’t believe Harriet should touch this without her brother’s approval. I’m afraid both Harriet and her brother would be stepping into troubled waters, and better know how to swim their way out. Dear Solutions: I just read with interest your response to the husband whose wife has

a Masters degree in Procrastination. I too am addicted, but I found a wonderful book to help me. Its title is (guess what!) Procrastination. The authors are Jane B. Burka, Ph.D. and Leonora M.Yuen, Ph.D. The publisher is Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Little did I know how many closet procrastinators there are! — Elizabeth Dear Elizabeth: Thank you for the information. Any day now, all of us are going to get out of the closet and over to the library — uh, soon. Really! © Helen Oxenberg, 2015. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915.

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Money Law &

After you stop working, a retirement coach can help you plan what’s next. See story on page 22.

Crime may not pay, but fighting it does By Kathy Kristof Who said crime doesn’t pay? You can make money off of lawlessness by investing in companies involved in the prevention and punishment of misdeeds. Analysts say there’s promise in outfits that do everything from building and operating prisons to making guns and surveillance equipment for law enforcement agencies. Although the number of serious crimes has been trending down over the past two decades, a gradual rise in the number of Americans age 18 to 25 — the group that is most likely to commit crimes and whose members are most likely to be under economic pressure — is pointing to higher incarceration rates. Moreover, the rising threat of cyber crime — from corporate espionage to identity theft — is fueling a need for software sheriffs who can identify

and stop high-tech criminals.

Prison REITs Corrections Corp. of America (symbol CXW, $34.69) and GEO Group (GEO, $35.50) are real estate investment trusts that specialize in building and operating prisons, immigration detention facilities, and rehabilitation centers. Prison REITs benefit from both demographics — the rise in larcenous (statistically speaking) youth — and a reluctance among state and local governments to spend precious tax dollars to improve aging cells, said Brian Ruttenbur, an industry analyst. (All share prices and returns are as of July 23; recommended stocks are in bold.) Politicians and investors warmly embrace businesses that are willing to not only build prisons but also run them at a

lower per-inmate cost than publicly run prisons. To be sure, the growth rate of prison REITs is unspectacular. But they generate copious amounts of cash and, because REITs must pay out at least 90 percent of their taxable income to shareholders, dividend yields are generous. Because investors generally buy REITs for income, the stocks tend to be interestrate sensitive. That can be unpleasant when rates are rising, as has been the case the past few months. Vanguard REIT ETF (VNQ), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the MSCI U.S. REIT index, has dropped 11 percent since peaking on January 27. Corrections Corp. and GEO reached their tops on March 20 and have both since corrected 17 percent. Ruttenbur doesn’t expect higher interest rates to derail profits at the

prison REITs, so the sell-off may signify a buying opportunity. Corrections Corp., already the nation’s fifth-largest prison operator (only the federal government and three states are bigger), just completed a facility in Texas that could ultimately house 2,400 prisoners. The Nashville-based company is also constructing facilities in Tennessee and California. That should bode well for growth in 2016 and beyond, although growth in funds from operations — the REIT industry’s preferred measure of cash flow — is likely to be tepid this year. The stock now yields a tidy 6.3 percent, and Ruttenbur sees it returning to $40 within the next 12 months. The prognosis is even better for GEO Group, which Ruttenbur predicts will genSee CRIME, page 21

Rule on short hospital stays may change By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Medicare has proposed to ease a coverage policy on short hospital stays that has been criticized because it can result in higher costs for seniors. Under Medicare, coverage for inpatient and outpatient care is determined under different payment rules. A hospital admission classified as inpatient is covered by Medicare Part A, which can result in lower hospital bills for beneficiaries and, often even more important, is required for Medicare coverage of post-hospital skilled nursing care. Under the “two-midnight rule,” which went into effect in October 2013, patients qualify for inpatient care (and follow-up rehab coverage) only if they will require a

hospitalization of at least two midnights’ duration. Outpatient care, in contrast, is covered by Medicare Part B, which generally covers doctor bills but not hospitalization or post-hospital rehabilitation costs.

Who is an inpatient? The problem arises when patients are placed in a hospital room for treatment but are officially admitted for “observation” (an out-patient status) without being informed of the Medicare coverage implications. In cases when such patients are discharged for follow-up skilled nursing care, they are often surprised to find Medicare will not pay for their subsequent rehabilita-

tion, even if they spent three or more days in the hospital. A congressional moratorium that prevents Medicare from carrying out the twomidnight policy expires Sept. 30. The new proposal from Medicare would, based on a doctor’s judgment, allow certain hospital stays not on the “inpatient only” list — and expected to require less than two midnights of hospital care — to nonetheless be covered under inpatient payment rules and thus eligible for Medicare Part A reimbursement. The doctor’s decision is subject to medical review and requires supporting documentation in the medical record. The proposed new policy will not take effect until November, following a public

comment period that ends Aug. 31. To submit comments on the proposed rule, go to www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions under the ‘‘submit a comment’’ tab. You may also mail written comments to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS–1633–P, P.O. Box 8013, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850. Maryland was one of the first states in the country to pass a law requiring hospitals to notify patients of their observation status. Patients must be warned that outpatient status “may increase the patient’s out-ofpocket costs for their stay.” — AP, with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben

BEACON BITS

Aug. 25

LEARN POWERPOINT

Take a free Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint class at the North Point Branch of the Baltimore County Library, 1716 Merritt Blvd., on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Registration is required. Call (410) 887-7255.

Ongoing

LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS

The Legal Services for Senior Citizens Program provides free legal assistance, consultation and/or representation to those 60 or older on healthcare issues, income maintenance, nutrition, housing and utilities, protective services and unemployment benefits, and will assist in helping a senior in a lawsuit when there is substantial risk to the client’s person, property or civil rights. Call the Maryland Senior Legal Helpline at (410) 951-7750.

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Ongoing

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL

Northwest Hospital Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities available, from greeting and escorting patients, to filing and copying charts, to assisting at community health screenings, to name just a few. Call (410) 521-5911 for more information.

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES

A variety of volunteer opportunities are available with Catholic Charities. To learn more, call (410) 547-5553 or email volunteer@cc-md.org.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Crime

Electronic security

From page 20 erate 14 percent growth in funds from operations this year and 5 percent growth in 2016. The Boca Raton, Fla., company has struck deals with Vermont and Washington State to house some of their inmates in a recently completed prison in Michigan. At its lower share price, GEO now yields 7 percent.

Firearms Federal, state and local law enforcement officers buy about 100,000 guns a year — a stable base of business for gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson (SWHC, $16.19) and Sturm, Ruger & Co. (RGR, $55.95), among others. The military accounts for roughly 26 percent of gun and ammunition sales, according to researchers at IBIS World. But consumers, who buy about 4.5 million guns annually, account for the bulk of sales and all of the industry’s growth, said analyst Andrea James, of Dougherty & Company, a Minneapolis-based investment banking firm. Gun sales fell last year after a big gain in 2013, but they’re starting to pick up again. James attributes part of the reversal to a rise in households headed by single women, who buy guns for protection. Ruger, dubbed “the people’s gun company” because of its broad product line — from compact pistols to long-range rifles — handily beat analysts’ first-quarter sales estimates. James expects the stock to pop to $61 over the next 12 months. She’s also high on Smith & Wesson, but its stock has lost some appeal after soaring over the past two months, first because of a positive earnings forecast by the company and then after the FBI released May background-check data that indicated a big year for gun sales.

Frank, Frank

You may be familiar with Taser International (TASR, $31.97), which makes weapons that are designed to stun, not kill, suspects. The company’s stun-guns are already standard issue in more than a dozen cities around the U.S. However, the Scottsdale, Ariz., company wasn’t content to be a one-trick pony, so it recently bought MediaSolv, a provider of interview-room video and in-dash cameras. Seven major cities, including Chicago, Toronto and Washington, are already customers, adding to Taser’s growing stable of law enforcement clients. The catch? The acquisition is likely to depress near-term earnings, and Taser’s shares, trading at 66 times estimated 2015 earnings, are too richly priced to buy at these levels, said J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster. Nice Systems (NICE, $64.11), an Israeli maker of cyber-security systems, has a better prognosis, Coster said. Nice software sorts and analyzes vast quantities of data to head off cyber fraud, manage corporate security and optimize employee productivity. Nice recently laid out a plan to triple revenues in each of its core markets over time. Analysts see earnings climbing a modest 7 percent this year and 13 percent in 2016. The stock trades at a palatable 22 times estimated 2015 earnings, and Coster predicts that the price will reach $72 over the next year. Verint Systems (VRNT, $60.40) has a similar business model. Its software crunches vast amounts of disparate data — voice, video and text — in an effort to glean when a secure system is being hacked, as well as to uncover terrorist threats. Like Nice, Verint also provides companies with data that helps them manage their employees and customer relationships, too. These are growing markets, so rich valuations are common. The shares fell 7 percent over four days after the company released disappointing first-quarter earnings, which were de-

& Scherr, LLC

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BEACON BITS

Aug. 21

MEDICARE AND HOME HEALTH Sherry Kolbe, coordinator of the State Health Insurance Program,

will present a seminar titled “How Does Medicare Pay for Home Health?” on Friday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m. at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd. For more information, call (410) 887-5338.

Ask the Expert–

to a funeral or memorial service and beyond—to help you understand the options that are available to you, choose what will work best for you and your loved ones and carry out your wishes by coordinating ! "#$% &'()$*+$'$, '-(-.+/)$0-')$&"(1/& 2

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If you have more questions, visit your local funeral provider. They are a good source of information for funeral, cremation and cemetery options. John Evans is a fourth-generation funeral director with over 30 years of experience in funeral service. John has spent the better half of his life serving families with compassion and !"#$%%&"'()&%*+ (,+ "'$+ "#+ ,-$+ *"%,+ .&#/01),+ times in their lives. To learn more, please visit SchimunekFuneralHomes.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Retirement coaches help plan post-career By Jane Bennett Clark I don’t know when I’m going to retire. At my age (63), it could be in a few years or maybe further out. What I do know is that I won’t embark on the next phase of life — which could be longer than my childhood, longer than the time it took to raise my family, and longer than my 21-year freelance career — without a game plan. That’s why I had the idea of signing up for a few sessions with a retirement coach. Retirement coaches — who may have a

background in psychotherapy, executive training or financial planning — help clients identify their interests and priorities, align their finances with their retirement goals, and give shape to the vast expanse of time that represents life after a career. After researching coaches in my area, I set up a series of four sessions with Dee Cascio, a certified retirement coach and licensed therapist in Sterling, Va. The cost: $120 for each session, with an optional fifth session thrown in free. Like many coaches,

Cascio sees couples as well as individuals, and counsels them in person or by phone. I chose phone sessions for convenience.

Assessing readiness Before our first phone session, Cascio had me fill out the Retirement Success Profile, an online questionnaire that gauges retirement readiness. If anyone could flunk (which the instructions assured me is not possible), I certainly did. How so? The analysis revealed that working is essential to my well-being. Not only does it deliver a paycheck, it also gives me satisfaction, a sense of worth, the opportunity to socialize, and built-in time management. Plus, I hate change, my attitude toward leisure is “anemic” (read: I don’t have a lot of hobbies), and I’m leery of life transitions. People like me “have anxiety regarding their retirement,” the report concludes. “They usually prefer their present situation to the unknown future.” You’d think the solution to all this angst would be to stay on the job as long as possible, or at least continue to write during retirement. Having spent my entire career working with words, however, I’m looking to try something new. To get a sense of what that might be, I’m tasked by Cascio with outlining my values (maintaining relationships with family and friends tops the list); my interests (cook-

ing, travel and mastering new subjects); and challenges (having enough savings for retirement). She also asks me to imagine a typical day in retirement. I find it surprisingly difficult to populate even one day.

Filling a social gap One reason my hypothetical day seems so empty, I soon realize, is that it lacks a key ingredient: people. I hope to maintain work friendships once I retire and to spend more time with family. But replacing the day-to-day camaraderie of the office is a worry. That’s a typical concern, said Cascio. “It’s the first thing people say — ‘I’ll be leaving my friends.’” Further, because I’m single I can’t count on having a built-in companion in my future. (On the bright side, I won’t have a stir-crazy spouse underfoot, either.) Cascio’s solution covers both sides of the equation: Set up a routine for seeing friends in retirement — say, by scheduling a weekly lunch, a regular movie night, a daily walk, or a weekend expedition to the farmer’s market. “You have to think about how to build relationships and expand connections,” she said. In my case, she also suggests that I join a group of freelance writers, despite my intention to try something new. “That’s something that keeps you in the game,” she said. See COACHES, page 23

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FEET ON THE STREET Head to Towson to listen to local bands and enjoy refreshments

and family activities in “Feet on the Street Fridays” through Sept. 25 on Allegheny Avenue from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (410) 825-1144 or visit www.towsonchamber.com.

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Coaches From page 22

Exploring the possibilities In the next session, we discuss options based on the list I provided earlier. Travel? I’d like to, but can’t afford regular major trips. She suggests writing about travel, or lecturing about retirement planning on a cruise ship, to defray costs. I mention going to cooking school. Her response: How about using that as a basis for writing a food blog or getting freelance gigs for a food magazine? Me: I could take classes at a nearby community college. Cascio: Why not also teach writing or tutor students? Sheesh. I thought I was retiring to a life of leisure, but Cascio keeps returning to the idea of working or volunteering or otherwise using my skills. What gives? “We think about work as what we do. Earning money, raising kids, that’s work,” she said. “Leisure is the break you take from what you’re doing, to refresh you.”

Making a plan After that pep talk, I consider the skills I could bring to this new form of career. One

of them is expertise in college financing, a topic I once covered. Helping prospective college students identify affordable schools and apply for financial aid would be as rewarding for me as it would be useful to them. I also remember that I have two book manuscripts in a drawer — one a children’s novel I wrote decades ago, and the other a book of cooking advice I wrote for my kids a few years back. I’ve always meant to revise the manuscripts with the aim of getting them published or publishing them myself. In retirement, I’ll have the time. That’s what coaching is all about, said Cascio, “digging around, eliciting your purpose, and appealing to your heart and intellect. At the end of the process, you want to say, ‘This is my vision going forward.’”

Find the right match Retirement coaches can also be life coaches, financial planners, corporate trainers or psychotherapists. If you’re mainly looking for financial planning, go with a certified financial planner who has carved out a niche in retirement coaching. If your goal is to retrain for a new career, look for a coach with expertise as a corporate trainer. Therapists can elicit your hopes and concerns and help formulate strategies, but

BEACON BITS

Aug. 26

TELLING YOUR STORY ONLINE Everyone has a story to tell, and none of them is quite the same.

What makes a good story, and how can you begin to share it with others? This free class also discusses online storytelling tools, such as blogs, podcasts and videos. You’ll learn about websites from expert storytellers that will inspire you to share your story. The class will be held at the Enoch Pratt Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., on Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon. To register, call (410) 396-5430.

LOOKING FOR A LOW-COST, LEGAL ALTERNATIVE TO BANKRUPTCY? Are you a Senior, Veteran or Disabled Person Living on Social Security, Disability, Pensions or Veteran’s Benefits? Federal law protects your income from creditor garnishment. Debt Counsel for Seniors, Veterans and the Disabled (DCSD) can protect you from creditor harassment. If you can’t pay your credit card or medical bills or your student loans or payday loans, you can stop paying them without filing for bankruptcy. We are celebrating 15 years of helping seniors with their debt without filing for bankruptcy and protecting them from letters and calls from collection agents. You too can live worry-free, as thousands of our clients do.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

coaching and therapy are not the same, said Cascio, who is cfrtified to do both. “Coaching is more forward-looking than therapy,” she said. “It helps you focus.” Coaching sessions range from $75 to $300 or more; figure you’ll need at least four to six sessions to get the most out of the process. To search for a coach, go to Retirement Options (https://www.retirementoptions.com), which provides certification specific to retirement, or the International Coach Federation (http://coachfederation.org), where you can plug in your criteria for a list of candidates who fit the bill. Ask what training their credentials repre-

sent, and find out how long they’ve been practicing in this niche, said Kim Mills, at Retirement Options. “How comfortable would you be working with someone who’d been a retirement coach for only a year?” Ideally, you should start the coaching process three to five years ahead of retirement, said Cascio, the better to have a plan in place when you leave the workforce. But if you find yourself disappointed or at loose ends in retirement, it’s not too late to benefit from a coach’s help. All contents © 2015 the Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

From new attractions to old favorites, there’s something for everyone on a trip to New York City. See story on page 27.

The splendor (and salmon) of NW Oregon

Good place for a town The mighty Columbia — one of North America’s largest rivers, and the boundary between the states of Washington and Oregon — crashes into the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, Ore. John Jacob Astor saw more than a roaring ocean here and established a fur trading post which he named Fort Astoria in 1811, later becoming the city of Astoria.

In the late 1800s, 2,000 salmon canneries flourished here, thanks mostly to lowpaid Chinese immigrants. Salmon dominated the town’s economy and became a popular food for American soldiers and at many American tables. Salmon was a staple for Pacific Northwest peoples for thousands of years. The Shoshones introduced Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s hungry Corps of Discovery cadre to fresh roasted salmon in 1805. When the explorers reached the Columbia River, “the men were astonished at the numbers of salmon in the river…” wrote Stephen E. Ambrose in Undaunted Courage, his chronicle of their 1804-1806 expedition to find an all-water route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Early traders negotiating with Native Americans could swap a nail for two salmon. Salmon became Astoria’s economic engine at the mouth of the Columbia River in the late 1800s when fish canneries exploded. There’s even a shrub named for the fish, the salmonberry.

PHOTO © BRIDGET CALIP

By Glenda C. Booth “Ocean in view! O! the joy,” exulted Captain William Clark on November 7, 1805, when he heard deep rumbling and thought he had finally reached the Pacific Ocean, as the waters before him roiled and frothed. The ocean was actually still 20 miles away, and Clark had encountered an area near the mouth of the Columbia River instead. While awed, little did he understand the rough waters he was about to encounter, later called “the graveyard of the Pacific.” At the five-mile-wide mouth of the 1,200mile Columbia, where the river clashes and churns into the Pacific Ocean, the tide is seven feet high on average, waves can roll in at 40 feet, and fog can shroud everything in sight 200 days a year. Here, 5,000 miles of Pacific Ocean energy, unbroken by barrier islands, storms in and meets what’s been dubbed the “firehose” of the river. Since 1792, 2,000 boats have sunk in the water’s fury.

Mt. Hood towers over vineyards (and everything else) in the Columbia River Valley in northwest Oregon. The 1,200-mile Columbia River is one of North America’s longest, and forms the boundary between Oregon and Washington.

Exploring Astoria Today, downtown Astoria and many restored Victorian homes have earned a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Astorians brag that the town’s charm has made it a favored setting for movies like The Fisherman’s Bride in 1908, PHOTO © THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

In 1805, Lewis and Clark built a winter encampment at Fort Clatsop, near Astoria, Ore. Today, the National Park Service oversees a replica site, where reenactors portray daily life of the early settlers. Here, one prepares fur pelts for sale.

Free Willy I and II in 1992 and 1994, and Wendy and Lucy in 2008. A stroll along the Riverwalk is a good introduction to the gritty side of town — a mix of warehouses, restaurants and seafaring establishments. People can hail the trolley by waving a dollar at a trolley stop. During the 40-block ride, an on-board commentator expounds on the area’s history. The Astoria column, a tower with 164 spiral stairs up to an observation deck, sits atop Coxcomb Hill and offers 360-degree panoramic views — including a mega-view of the Columbia, the ocean and the mountains. Murals recount Astoria’s history from Lewis and Clark to the arrival of the train. The confluence of the river and ocean are the central theme of the Columbia River Maritime Museum (www.crmm.org). A video dramatically brings home some rough water passages during severe winter storms. The museum’s 40,000-square-feet of exhibit halls and over 30,000 maritime artifacts — the most extensive collection in the Pacific Northwest — lay out the region’s rich maritime history. Particularly captivating is the fiberglass, 20-foot, Japanese abalone fishing boat that washed up in March 2013 with its intact Japanese license — a particularly notable

piece of “debris” from the 2011 tsunami generated by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Japan. The owner told the museum he didn’t want the boat returned. Don’t miss family-owned Josephson’s smoked fish shop (www.josephsons.com) established in 1920 at 106 Marine Drive. Try the smoked halibut, oysters, sturgeon, rainbow trout, and that health-promoting salmon — smoked salmon jerky and canned coho and alderwood-smoked fillets made the way Grandpa Anton did it.

Forts and trails To the native Clapsops and Chinooks, the Pacific Northwest was “almost paradise,” wrote Lewis in 1806. But to the probably exhausted expeditioners, it was “a miserable place.” Arriving in December 1805, they built their winter encampment, Fort Clapsop, with felling axes, drawknives and hatchets. Suffering through 94 days of rain out of 106 in the drippy, woodsy wetness, they worked on their journals and made elk hide clothes and elk fat candles. At today’s Fort Clapsop replica, a National Park Service site about five miles south of Astoria, visitors can see firsthand See OREGON, page 26

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Oregon

argues the environmental group American Rivers. They rated it as the country’s second most endangered river in April.

From page 25 in six rooms how 33 people endured the “dreadful weather,” as Clark complained. Rangers in buckskins, a la Lewis and Clark, demonstrate flintlock gun shooting, hide tanning and candle making. Visitors can also walk the park’s trails and enjoy shoulder-high ferns, sitka spruce, thimble berries, huckleberries and wapato in the damp, mossy forest. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/fortclatsop.htm. The hardy, 19th century settlers found a wild, raging, untamed Columbia River a mile wide at many spots. Those who venture inland today from the Pacific see a more docile waterway, transformed by 20th century dams that have slowed its rapids and currents. Because some salmon cannot get past many of these dams to spawn, many salmon runs and other fisheries are at risk,

Gorge on scenery The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa) spans 292,500 acres stretching from the mouth of the Sandy River to the mouth of the Deschutes. The gorge, up to 4,000 feet deep in some places, is an 80-mile river canyon through the Cascade Mountain Range, going from dry grasslands in the east to dry woodlands and temperate rainforest in the west. The forests are home to bigleaf maples, Douglas firs, western hemlocks, Ponderosa pines and cottonwoods. Travelers find diverse ecosystems, waterfalls and great vistas. It is a popular destination for sight-seeing, fishing, windsurfing, paddling and hiking. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail crosses the area. Lewis and Clark passed

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

through this historic transportation corridor for Native Americans en route to the Pacific. Oregon Trail pioneers soon followed, and settlers established steamboat lines and railroad lines through the gorge. Today, most people access the gorge from I-84 in Oregon or state route 14 in Washington. The engineer for the historic Columbia River Highway — Highway 30 paralleling I-84 from Troutdale (16 miles east of Portland, exit 17 off I-84) east to Dodson — did not want “to mar what God had put there.” Today, between Troutdale and The Dalles, visitors can explore historic sites and over 75 waterfalls. Some waterfalls are a short hike from the road, and some are right smack in front of you near the parking lot. Tourism promoters call the gorge “the world of waterfalls.” The 620-foot high Multinomah Falls (exit 31 off I-84), the second highest year-round falls in the country, is a must-see. A steep, paved trail takes visitors to hiking paths and a platform above the interpretive center, restau-

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If you go The closest airport is Portland, Oregon. United has the lowest-price roundtrip tickets, starting at $382 in mid-September from BWI. Some lodging facilities in the gorge have shuttle services. Visit www.flypdx.com. Astoria is two hours from Portland. The Northwest Point Bus (www.northwestpoint.com) connects Portland and Astoria. Visiting the Columbia River Gorge’s waterfalls and shoreline sites requires a vehicle. Several cruise companies offer sightseeing trips on the river, including the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler (www.portlandspirit.com/sternwheeler.php), RiverCruise.com, and American Cruise Lines (americancruiselines.com). The Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association is a good basic source of information about sites, events and lodging. Visit www.crgva.org. Wind River Publishing (www.windriverpublishing.net/) puts out a free paper and online tourist’s guide. For Astoria information, including where to stay and eat, stop by the Welcome Center, 111 West Marine Dr., call 1-800-8756807, or visit www.travelastorial.com. The renovated, centrally-located Hotel Elliot (www.hotelelliott.com, (503) 325-2222) has a rooftop garden. Rooms start at $230 a night. The Multnomah Falls Lodge, built in 1925, has a restaurant but no overnight accommodations (www.multnomahfallslodge.com). For a rejuvenating Pacific Northwest mountain retreat, try the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Wash. (www.skamania.com, 1- 800-316-9495), 45 miles east of Portland. Set on 175 acres, the lodge has a spa, golf course, trails, complimentary mountain bikes, and a dining room featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine. Rooms start at $180 a night for those who are 55 and older. There is an additional $20 per night resort fee.

Take a vacation without leaving your community.

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rant and gift shop. Pick up some travel tips at the U.S. Forest Service counter at Multnomah Falls Lodge (www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia). The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum on the Washington side in Stevenson (www.columbiagorge.org) has 11,000 square feet of exhibits, including Indian artifacts, a replica of a fish wheel (used to catch fish), and the world’s largest rosary collection — 4,000 rosaries. A 12-minute film examines the area’s geologic history, the Corps of Discovery’s expedition, native peoples, timbering and salmon harvesting. There’s also a Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles. Mount Hood, all 11,000 feet of it, looms from many vantage points. The Mount Hood loop is a popular scenic drive, and the mountain offers hiking and the only year-round skiing in the U.S. On the Washington side of the river, Mount Adams “competes” at 9,000 feet.

For gift subscriptions, see page 34.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

NYC from the classics to new attractions

What’s new For the newest bird’s-eye view of New York, head to the top of One World Trade. The ride up is so smooth, your tummy won’t even flip. A time-lapse video in the elevator shows the evolution of the cityscape over centuries, including a glimpse of the twin towers melting in and out of view. Once you’re up, the initial views are dominated by New Jersey. You know you’re looking at Manhattan when you spot the Empire State Building. Live guides are available to answer questions, including this one: Which bridge is the Brooklyn Bridge? (It’s the one with the double Gothic arches.) The city’s other just-opened standout is the Whitney Museum, south of 14th

Street, on Gansevoort Street near 10th Avenue. But the best part of this museum isn’t the art — it’s the outside spaces. Take the elevator up and walk down using exterior stairs where possible. The terraces offer a thrilling, visual urban jazz of people-watching, outdoor art, and views of everything from the Hudson River to old tenements and new towers.

Old favorites New York’s an expensive city, but many must-sees are free: Times Square, Central Park, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which provides terrific views of the Statue of Liberty. Two more spots that opened in recent years have quickly become among the city’s most popular (and crowded): the 9/11 Memorial, a park with pools in the footprints of the twin towers, and the High Line — a park built on an abandoned rail line that lets you see the city from 30 feet up. The observatory at One World Trade is

BEACON BITS

Sept. 27

MURDER MYSTERY TRAIN RIDE TO GETTYSBURG

Join the Pikesville Senior Center on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 12:30 to 8:30 p.m., on a Murder Mystery Train Ride to Gettysburg, Pa. Dinner is on your own at Cracker Barrel. Activity level is easy. Cost is $60 per person. Call (410) 484-5285 to register.

Sept. 9

TRY YOUR LUCK AT HARRINGTON CASINO

Join Liberty Senior Center on Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on this trip to the Harrington Casino in Harrington, Delaware. Bus departs from Home Depot parking lot in Randallstown and cost is $25. Call Liberty Senior Center at (410) 887-0780 to reserve a spot.

Sept. 11+

HEAD SOUTH TO NEW ORLEANS

Tour New Orleans from Friday, Sept. 11 to Friday, Sept. 18, with the Liberty Senior Center. Visit the New Orleans School of Cooking and Harrah’s Casino. Cost is $750 to $1,075. Call (410) 887-0780 for reservations.

Sept. 13+

ENJOY THE CAPE

Essex Senior Center invites you to join them from Sunday, Sept. 13 to Thursday, Sept. 17 on this tour of Cape Cod. Enjoy escorted tours of Hyannis, Kennedy Memorial, Provincetown, Chatham, Boston, Plymouth Rock and more for $525 per double, $620 per single, $510 per triple. Call (410) 687-5113 for reservations.

PHOTO BY JULIENNE SCHAER/NYCGO

By Beth J. Harpaz If you haven’t visited New York City recently, you’ve got some catching up to do — from the observatory at One World Trade, to the new Whitney Museum, to happening neighborhoods far from Manhattan. Here’s a look.

One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, rises from the skyline of lower Manhattan, near where the Twin Towers fell on 9/11. Visitors can take in a panoramic view of New York City from its glassed-in observation deck.

glassed-in. If you prefer the wind in your hair, go old-school with the Empire State Building. Another option for a look from high up is Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, which has the advantage of offering views of both One World Trade and the Empire State Building. A Broadway show is also a must for many visitors. And top museums include

the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Modern Art, which is hosting an extraordinary exhibit (through Sept. 7) of Jacob Lawrence’s paintings of the early 20th-century Great Migration of African-Americans from the South to See NYC, page 28

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

NYC

BEACON BITS

Sept. 20

“GET READY! GET SET! GET FIT!” 5K RUN-WALK

Baltimore County Department of Aging’s ninth annual “Get Ready! Get Set! Get Fit! 5KRun-Walk/1-Mile Walk” will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20, on the CCBC-Essex campus. Register at www.getreadygetsetgetfit5k.com or at your local senior center. For more information, call (410) 887-2040.

Sept. 26+

ALZHEIMER’S WALK EVENTS

“Walk to End Alzheimer’s” events are scheduled throughout the fall. The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Maryland Chapter invites you to attend on the following dates: Sept. 26, Howard County; Oct. 3, Harford County; Oct. 25, Anne Arundel County; and Oct. 31, Greater Baltimore. For more information and to register, visit online at www.alz.org/walk or call (800) 272-3900.

Ongoing

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

From page 27 northern cities. The Guggenheim Museum is best-known for its architecture, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. For immigrant history, check out the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Ellis Island. For fresh air beyond Central Park, take the ferry to Governor’s Island. You can hardly walk a block in New York without being tempted to buy something, but favorite neighborhoods for shopping include 34th Street, anchored by Macy’s; SoHo, known for pricey boutiques as well as mass-market emporia like Uniqlo; and 14th Street-Union Square, where a veritable palace of shoes, DSW, reigns over a strip of trendy but affordable retailers.

BRIDGE CLUB LOOKING FOR MEMBERS Enjoy a game of bridge with the Bridge Club of Baltimore. Call (410) 415-6885 for more information.

Getting around The subway is old, dirty, crowded and noisy, but it’s the fastest, most efficient way to get around. Consider buying a $31,

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Letters to editor From page 2

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seven-day Metro card (plus a $1 fee for the card), which covers unlimited rides for a week. Since individual rides are $2.75, the card pays for itself in 12 rides. The subway is relatively safe, but be prepared for panhandlers, the homeless, loud musicians and the occasional preacher. If one car on a crowded train is mysteriously empty, there’s inevitably an unpleasant reason that you’re better off not discovering — just squeeze into a different car and call it a day. The subways can also be confusing. Every train car has a framed paper map and many have digital guides, too. One of the best websites for point-to-point directions is Hopstop.com, but most New Yorkers know the lines fairly well and can give basic advice if asked. Free maps are available from manned booths inside subway stations. Trains are sometimes rerouted on weekends; check the MTA.info/weekender website for guidance. Spend some time outside Manhattan. Among the many Brooklyn neighborhoods worth a visit are trendy Williamsburg, DUMBO and Bushwick. Coney Island has the beach, an old-time amusement park and Nathan’s Famous hot dogs. In Queens, there’s Greek food in Astoria, plus many museums there and in nearby Long Island City: Museum of the Moving Image, Socrates Sculpture Park, Noguchi Museum, and PS1 with its fabulous eatery, M. Wells Dinette. For the beach in Queens, take the A train to Rockaway. The Bronx offers the Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden (with a Frida Kahlo exhibit through Nov. 1), and Italian food on Arthur Avenue. For an online guide of more things to see and where to stay, see http://nycgo.com. — AP

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I don’t start trouble, but would kill or die without hesitation for those I love and care about. Herbert E Ritter, Jr. Baltimore Dear Editor: This is in response to your article “Cocoa improves thinking skills, memory” in your August edition. The label on Swiss Miss hot chocolate claims “natural antioxidants are found in cocoa” — making no claims they are found in their cocoa. But in the fine print, they disclose this cocoa is alkali processed. [Editor’s note: The article states that to get health benefits, you should avoid chocolate processed with alkali, because that reduces the flavanol content.] Since they have more lawyers on retainer than you can afford, you can’t do much more than keep reminding your readers to read the fine print. Love your paper. Richard Stein Timonium

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

Arts &

Visitors enjoy a police chase simulator at the Crime Museum in downtown D.C. See story on page 30.

Tiny libraries spread joy of books widely By Carol Sorgen It’s a giant birdhouse! It’s a mailbox! No…it’s a library? Yes, those adorable little “houses” popping up around town are libraries: Little Free Libraries to be exact. The Little Free Library movement began in 2009, when Tod Bol of Hudson,

Wisc., built the first one as a tribute to his mother — a former teacher and lifelong avid reader. The sign on the house-shaped box said “Free Books,” and that first miniature library has given rise to more than 25,000 Little Free Libraries, now in every state and more than 80 countries. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULA FAZIOA

How it works According to LittleFreeLibrary.org, the concept is simple: A Little Free Library (LFL) is simply a container of books placed in an accessible spot, such as outside a home, in a community center, etc. Many are designed to look like various styles of homes, and are placed on posts set at eye level, like an oversized bird house. Anyone who walks by can stop and browse the books inside. If you see a book you like, feel free to take it home. Want to share some of your already-read books? Drop

them off. The LFL motto is “Take a Book, Return a Book,” and that includes children’s books, philosophy books, or the latest best-selling mystery. Charles Village resident Zora Salisbury installed an LFL in front of her home last year. It had been a Mother’s Day gift from her children, who knew she was enamored of the idea. “I’ve loved the concept of the Little Free Library since I first heard about them several years ago,” said Salisbury, adding that she’s also a great fan of libraries in general. She keeps about 15 to 20 books at a time in her teensy library. One of her neighbors has taken it upon herself to make sure it is always wellstocked with children’s books. “One little boy came running down the street the other day saying, ‘Thank you for my poop book,’” Salisbury laughed. Additionally, “every kind of book” has found its way there — from current mysteries (the Scandinavian noir mysteries are especially popular now), to poetry, current novels, even classical literature. “One day I saw a book by [the French philosopher/writer] Albert Camus, and I

thought, ‘Well, that’s going to be there a long time,’” said Salisbury. But when she went to look the next time, she was surprised to see that “it was gone!” Salisbury said sometimes the borrowers return the same book and sometimes they donate others. She herself donates books given to her by friends and family, or those she picks up at The Book Thing (a used book location in Baltimore where all books are free; see www.bookthing.org). There’s no accurate count of how many LFLs there are in Baltimore. LittleFreeLibrary.org invites library “stewards” to register their libraries, but it has been so overwhelmed that the list is not up-to-date.

Artistic boxes While many LFLs are located at residential homes, there are other locations. For example, the Village Learning Place (VLP) is also home to an LFL. This Charles Village independent non-profit library houses educational programs, enrichment opportunities, and informational resources for residents of Charles Village and the city of See LITTLE LIBRARIES, page 31

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Crime museum not just cops and robbers By Gregory J. Alexander Late summer is a great time to take a field trip to Washington, D.C., while many lawmakers and locals are on vacation and the city is a little less crowded. You could spend months exploring all the museums in Washington, and although the Spy Museum may receive more attention, the Crime Museum nearby should not be missed. I visited on a recent weekend, and spent over three hours captivated by the exhibits and artifacts. If I had worn more comfortable shoes, I would have stayed longer. You start your visit with a chronological tour of crime — from medieval knights to pirates, the Wild West, and today’s whitecollar criminals, like Bernie Madoff and computer hackers. The Medieval section is especially fascinating, with the gruesome torture devices

YO U R

utilized, while the Colonial American exhibit showcases familiar items such as public stocks. (One humorous tale included is a sailor who was punished for kissing his wife on a Sunday.)

Infamous 20th century criminals Much attention is paid to the 1930s Depression era, thanks to notable criminals such as John Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde, whose “Death Car” from the movie is on display. Importantly, the Crime Museum reminds visitors that although Hollywood has glamorized these and other criminals, such as mobsters, these men and women were truly horrific individuals who terrorized the nation. The rapist and murderer Ted Bundy — who used his charm and good looks to get close to his female victims in the 1970s — is also featured, as is John Wayne Gacy,

New

the “Clown Killer,” who killed over 30 boys and young men. Two of the clown costumes he wore are on display. Boomers may be especially interested in the exhibit chronicling the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. It was chilling to be reminded that RFK and MLK were killed within a two-month period. Equally unnerving is the exhibit dedicated to terrorism at home, including the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9/11 attacks, and the “Unabomber.” The next section focuses on the consequences of crime. Stroll through a full-scale model police station where you can get fingerprinted, have your mug shot taken, take a lie detector test, and participate in a police lineup. Kids will enjoy crawling through an escape tunnel of a jail cell. Also on display are a guillotine, gas chamber, electric chair, and a

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replica of Al Capone’s lavish jail cell.

Fighting crime So as to not focus solely on the criminals, crime fighters also get their due here, including founding FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and “Untouchables” star Eliot Ness. Artifacts include police uniforms, firearms, and high-tech equipment such as night-vision goggles. Thanks to the popularity of all the “CSI” shows on television, the Crime Scene Investigation wing was especially crowded on my visit. The museum has a fully intact “crime scene” where you can see how investigators solve crimes using blood analysis, ballistics, DNA, fingerprints and more. A simulated morgue shows how pathologists conduct autopsies and give vital information to law enforcement. On the lower level of the museum, you can take a break from violent crime to explore how counterfeit goods — such as fake Louis Vuitton purses sold in New York that look remarkably similar to the real deal — hurt the U.S. economy, and how a seemingly harmless purchase of a good knock-off helps support the drug trade, human trafficking, child labor and perhaps even terrorism. Like most museums, the Crime Museum has rotating temporary exhibits. When I visited, I saw the exhibit called, “Ivory, Tortoise Shell & Fur: The Ugly Truth of Wildlife Trafficking,” which was particularly timely considering the recent news of lion killings in Zimbabwe. (This exhibit continues through February 2016.) The exhibit is small, but powerful in reminding how buying an ivory necklace contributes to the gruesome murder of elephants. There are also televisions showing public service announcements taped by celebrities, such as soccer star David Beckham and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, educating visitors about wildlife trafficking.

Be a hands-on detective In addition to the main galleries, the Crime Museum has other activities that visitors can register for at an additional cost. If you are bringing the grandchildren, the Top Detective Challenge Scavenger Hunt is a good fit, as young explorers locate clues throughout the museum, hunting for a missing artifact. A two-mile walking tour of some of D.C.’s notable locations of crime is also offered, as well as hands-on workshops taught by forensic scientists. Topics range from autopsies to bones, DNA, firearms, and how real those television crime shows are. We opted for the “Body Decomposition” workshop, which explored how scientists can help investigators determine a victim’s time of death. While the subject matter was fascinating, unfortunately, our instructor’s presentation was disjointed. Keep in mind that many of these workSee CRIME MUSEUM, page 31

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

Little libraries From page 29 Baltimore generally. VLP became part of the LFL project in early 2013. Those who spearheaded the project locally came up with the idea to ask local artists to design LFLs to be auctioned off at VLP’s annual fundraiser, “Read between the Wines.” Five artists were chosen, but after the LFLs were auctioned, the buyers donated them back to the VLP. Over the past two years, those little libraries have been making their way into the community. The first two placed can now be found in the Abell Green Space

Crime museum From page 30 shops are not suitable for young children. The Crime Museum is located at 575 7th St. NW, in Washington, D.C. Basic tick-

and at the Village Learning Place, in VLP’s community garden. You’ll find others at Wyman Park (29th and Charles) and the Baltimore Food Coop Garden (on 22nd and St. Paul). Another decorative LFL lives at Stoney Run Trail. Paula Fazio became intrigued by the LFL movement several years ago and decided to put one by her Montgomery Hills home. “What a neat idea,” she thought when first learning of the micro-libraries. She ordered one from the organization’s website, had it installed, but ran into some trouble after a year’s worth of weather events rotted the wood. A neighbor rebuilt it for her, and she was back in business.

“People don’t always understand the concept at first,” said Fazio, an information technology director at Johns Hopkins Hospital. “I think some thought it might be used for drug drops!” It soon became apparent, however, that that wasn’t the case. Children’s books are the most popular items in Fazio’s library, but there is also a steady stream of bestsellers, “Oprah books,” magazines, even books on tape. Every year Fazio holds a party for her community and invites guests to bring books. She said it turns out most of those attending are her friends — “I had hoped it would become more of a community event” — but they have a good time, and

replenish the book supply. For Salisbury, of Charles Village, the feedback she gets from neighbors and borrowers more than repays her for her efforts. “It’s a beautiful library,” she said. “It’s such a joyful thing.” To find out more, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org or check out the organization’s new book, The Little Free Library Book: Take a Book, Return a Book, by Margaret Aldrich. Pre-built libraries in various styles can be purchased at the website for prices ranging from $149 to $1,499, though of course, if you’re handy, you can build your own.

ets cost $21.95 at the door for those ages 12 to 59; $19.95 for those 60 and older. Get discounted tickets in advance at the museum’s website for $18 and $16, respectively. Forensic workshops are about $8. The museum is open Monday to Thurs-

day, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more, call (202) 393-1099 or

see www.crimemuseum.org. Gregory J. Alexander is a Baltimore freelance writer.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 27

STORIES FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS “A Time for Us” is a special story time for seniors with cognitive

challenges and their caregivers at the Randallstown Branch of the Baltimore County Library, 8604 Liberty Rd. The event will take place on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 12:30 p.m. To learn more, call (410) 887-0770.

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Meditation From page 1 sound that is repeated, rather than focusing on breathing, as some other meditation practices do. Mason said the benefits he derives from TM are many, from experiencing less stress, to focusing more easily, to enjoying “smoother” personal relationships. “I have much more patience with others,” he said, attributing this to TM. “I wouldn’t give it up for anything.” Mason also believes TM keeps him healthy and youthful: “I feel like I’m in my

mid-50s, not my mid-70s.” And he says his doctor agrees. Last year, Mason trekked the Himalayas “and kept up with everyone else.”

Proven health benefits Research seems to bear our Mason’s beliefs. A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that TM was an effective tool in reducing blood pressure, anxiety, depression and anger among college students at risk for high blood pressure. Dr. Gary Kaplan, a neurologist and associate professor of clinical neurology at

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

New York University School of Medicine, has been quoted as saying that there are no known negative side effects of TM. On the contrary, research has shown that TM significantly improves mental, physical and emotional health. Nearly 150 studies of TM have been published in peer-reviewed medical journals, including Scientific American, the American Heart Association’s journals Hypertension and Stroke, and the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine. The National Institutes of Health has also awarded nearly $24 million in grants to study the effects of TM on heart disease, hypertension and stroke. Research to date has shown significant reductions in high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, insomnia and other stress-related disorders. One study, conducted by the Medical College of Wisconsin in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Man-

agement in Fairfield, Iowa, found that heart disease patients who practice TM have almost 50 percent lower rates of heart attacks, stroke and deaths compared to similar patients who don’t practice meditation.

A program in Baltimore Strong and Corrick, who are married to each other, moved from their home state of Montana to Baltimore two years ago to establish the Transcendental Meditation Program of Baltimore. They currently offer classes in Pikesville, Canton and in the Annapolis area. Strong first took up TM in the 1970s in search of something to help her feel less tired. “I was working, going to class and moving in so many different directions that I was always exhausted,” she said. A friend mentioned TM to her and the benefits he had seen, and she thought it was See MEDITATION, page 33

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

WINE BIN MOVIE NIGHTS Wine Bin hosts film screenings with wine, beer, popcorn and lots

of fun, in its parking lot at 8390 Main St., Ellicott City, Saturdays at 9 p.m. through Sept. 26. For more information, call (410) 465-7802 or visit www.winebinec.com.

Meditation From page 32 worth a try. “The wonderful thing about TM is that even if you’re skeptical, it will work,” said Strong. “I was pleasantly surprised. I felt energized right from the beginning.” Strong eventually became trained as a TM teacher, and also worked as an administrator at the Maharishi University of Management for 19 years before deciding she wanted to teach full-time. She moved back to Montana to care for her aging mother, and began her TM teaching practice there, working often with the state’s Native American population. At the same time, Corrick — who had gone to grade school and high school with Strong but didn’t reconnect with her until

years later — took up TM himself in college, and noticed how it helped his competitive golf game. “I had my best year as a student golfer when I was studying TM as well,” he recalled. After a much-varied career, Corrick also wound up in Montana caring for his parents. He and Strong ran into each other one day, while together with their mothers, and “all of a sudden I became a lot more enthusiastic about TM,” Corrick laughed. The two are enjoying Baltimore. “It’s a wonderful town with straightforward people who love to have fun, love their sports, the water, and put on no airs,” they said in an interview, taking turns completing each other’s thoughts. They are also enjoying growing the population of TM practitioners in the Balti-

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

more area. “We’re putting in 60 to 70 hours a week. But because of our own practice of TM, we’re not exhausted in the least,” they said, before leaving on a much-anticipated vacation back to their home state. The couple says they have an interesting mix of people in their classes — from students and parents, to CEOs, dentists, physicians, business professionals and retirees. Some have been meditating for 40 years or more and are now in their 80s. TM training consists of four 1-1/2 hour sessions over the course of four consecutive days. The fee for retirees is $720; for those still working, $960. Limited scholarship funds are available, as are no-interest payment plans.

Membership is for life, and you can come back as often as you like for “tuneups” or to attend some of the special events the couple holds. Recently, an event featured former Baltimorean and renowned TM researcher Dr. Craig Berg, who spoke about his own experiences with TM, living and teaching throughout the world, and on TM and sports (especially as it relates to his beloved Orioles!). Strong and Corrick offer a free introductory talk to explain the TM technique and how it can enhance health and well-being. “It’s amazing what happens when we get quiet,” they said. “It’s like ‘rebooting the brain.’” For more information, call (410) 3362991 or visit www.TM.org/Baltimore.

FROM PAGE 34

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

ENJOY THE ARTS WITH SENIOR BOX OFFICE

Senior Box Office offers complimentary and discounted tickets to members for cultural, educational and entertainment events. SBO also offers exciting travel opportunities to both members and non-members. A brochure outlining events and trips is published quarterly. Those age 60 and older are eligible to join. The 2015-16 membership runs Oct. 1, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2016. Annual membership dues are $30 per household with brochures delivered by email, or $38 per household with printed brochures delivered by regular mail. More information, as well as a membership application, is available on the SBO website, www.seniorboxoffice.org. You may also call SBO at (410) 887-5399 or email sbo@seniorboxoffice.org.

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Crossword Puzzle

PUZZLE PAGE

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Smooth Operators by Stephen Sherr 1

2. Garlicky sauce 3. Call off the dogs 1. After-bath powder 4. Yearbook feature 5. Frolic 5. Big name in lodging (and crackers) 9. Strait-laced 6. Instrument featured in I Got You Babe 13. Cambodian currency 7. Flurries 14. It connects the ankle bone to the 8. Dispose of, deceptively knee bone 9. Bluenose 15. Use a Ferris Wheel 10. Overrun 16. Just a minute amount 11. Goal, for Indiana Jones 17. Bikini, perhaps 12. Dining hall, to some 18. Flying saucers 14. ___ personality (Taiwanese 19. Bikini wearers, perhaps temperament) 22. Drinks with a straw 20. Takes to court 23. Type of lip or loser 21. Type of vaccine 24. Middle of Kathie Gifford 26. Rhyme scheme in Do Not Go Gentle 25. It’s in the midst of FANFARE into That Good Night 26. Mork and Mindy network 27. West German capital during the 29. One of the Marx bothers Cold War 35. Start of a fictional byline 28. Street ___ (urban respect) 36. Act ___! 29. “Dirty Little Secrets”, “Day Light 37. End of a fictional byline Savings”, and the like 38. Developer’s pieces 30. Promises of payment 43. Dir. of boat traveling the Red Sea 31. General feeling 44. See 47 Across 32. Annually 45. End of raf-, rif-, and ruf33. “I’m ___ Mother Teresa” (Mike Tyson) 46. She walked into Rick’s gin joint 34. Reduce suffering 47. About when the SNL host says 39. Sophie, for Meryl goodnight (with 44 Across) 51. The gold standard of crossword puzzles 40. Picks up the phone 41. Out of tune 56. Carry cargo 42. Travel from flower to flower 57. Like Rosemary’s Baby 46. “I’d rather be an outlaw than an ___ to 58. Is not wrong you” (Elvis Costello lyric) 59. Book before Nehemiah 48. Mideast leaders 60. Long-legged and thin 49. Core belief 61. Fir example 50. Prefix, relating to bones 62. The cat’s ___ 51. Those guys 63. Hit show signs 52. Dusty cloud 64. ___ es Guerra (Spanish-language 53. Replacer for Franc and Mark reality show) 54. “Yes ___?” Down 55. Fixes with available tools 1. Loses one’s footing

Across

BB9/15

26 34

Scrabble answers on p. 33.

23 24

Answers on page 33.

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2015

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

Business and Employment Opportunities SENIOR: PART-TIME AND/OR SECOND CAREER with retirement plan in place. Field underwriter/manager position, open to all. Secure your future with one call. Mr. James Bull, 703-597-4628.

Caregivers EXPERIENCED, NURTURING, HONEST Nursing Assistant and medication administrator looking to care for clients in need of bathing, dressing, meal preparation, eating, toileting, medication management, errands, light housekeeping. Call 443-518-6997.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

For Sale COINS – 40 BUFFALO NICKELS in very nice condition with full dates, $30. 410-8128867. TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE CRYPTS in Cloisters Mausoleum at Dulaney Valley Gardens. Retail value, $15,000. Sell for $6,000 or best offer. 410870-1772. LOUDON PARK CEMETERY LOT – $4,000 value. $1,499 or best offer. 410-504-7118 or 443253-2640. WOODLAWN CEMETERY – 4 grave lots and 2 adjoining cremation sites, beautiful enchanting location, East Stratford section. $14,000 for all, will divide. 410-661-9079. I WOULD LIKE TO SELL a Hammond Organ. It was never used like new. The sounds are very good, and really pretty. Mrs. C. Rizzo, 410-866-4324. 2 GRAVE SITES – Glen Haven Memorial Park. Current price, $4,000 for both. Asking $2,000 for both. 443-996-1937. SOFA AND LOVESEAT, TOMATO bisque with 4 pillows purchased at the Sofa Store Hickory Hill brand, 410-335-7821. DULANEY VALLEY CEMETERY – 2 grave plots + 2 vaults. Chapel of Apostles, at roadside, beautiful spot. $5,000. Great price. Call 410665-0741 or 443-653-1432. PARKWOOD CEMETERY – TAYLOR AVENUE – Poplar Lot 831 – Site 2. Also includes one burial vault and one opening and closing of grave site – value $2,795. Sell for $1,400 or best offer, 410-529-1191. 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.

Health MOBILE EYE EXAMS – Comprehensive and/or low vision eye exams provided to Baltimore seniors with limited mobility. Visit www.HomeEyeOD.com or call 443-802-9920 for more information.

For Rent Home/Handyman Services APT FOR RENT – LARGE 2 FURNISHED rooms. Private bath for rent to single person on 2nd floor of single home. Off-street parking. Clean and quiet. Reasonable. 410-661-8821. CARE FROM CARING HOME ASSISTED LIVING. Room available for you or your loved ones. Looking for a place just like home? Call us today, 443563-2695 or 443-844-1444. Affordable rates available.

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).

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

RESIDENTIAL PAINTING: RETIRED PAINTER seeking residential, light commercial work in Baltimore area. Call Mark at 443324-0091. Good work at good prices.

COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Large quantities are okay. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-9100783.

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

Miscellaneous

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

CZECH AND SLOVAK LANGUAGE CLASSES for adults, Saturdays beginning September 12 in Perry Hall. Contact lhybl@verizon.net, call 410-243-1710, or see www.czslha.org.

CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEWELRY – pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watchmaker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410-409-4965.

Personals MATURE, TALL, SLIM, WELL-EDUCATED white man in Timonium looking for a fun-loving mature woman to play. Contact me at sunandfun1094@gmail.com.

Wanted WE BUY JEWELRY, SILVER, GOLD, AND COSTUME. Coins, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. OLD AND NEW, WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE, Tea Sets, Single Pieces of Silver, Large pieces of Silver Plate. Attic, Basement or Garage. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. You have something to SELL, we are looking to BUY.

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.

Thanks for Reading!

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Falls Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Healthy Memory/Exercise Study . . . .17 HYPNOS Diabetic Sleep Study . . . . .17 Ideal 80+ Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Education

CCBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Events

Beacon 50+Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Financial Services

Bennett Senior Services . . . . . . . . . . .21 Debt Counsel for Seniors and the Disabled . . . . . . . .23 Golden Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Funeral Services

Schimunek Funeral Homes . . . . .21, 32

Hearing Services

Hearing & Speech Agency . . . . . . . . .11 Hear For You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Taylor Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . .19

Home Health Care

Senior Placement Service/Care Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Housing

Disability Support Services . . . . . . . .12 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . .21 Nursing Home Justice . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Security and Integrity, LLC . . . . . . . . .9

Independent Home Care . . . . . . . . . .16 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . .22 Seniors Helping Seniors . . . . . . . . . .12 Briarwood Estates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Brookdale Senior Living . . . . . . . . . .28 Charlestown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Gatherings at Quarry Place . . . . . . . .26 Homewood at Willow Ponds . . . . . . .33 Keller Williams/Tyrone Maxwell . . . .7 Memorial Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Oak Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Park Heights Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Shangri-La Assisted Living . . . . . . . .33 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Westminster House Apts . . . . . . . . . .32

Housing Referral Service

Oasis Senior Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Legal Services

Medical/Health

Cologuard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Dr. Richard Rosenblatt, DPM . . . . . .11 Dr. Stuart Goldman, DPM . . . . . . . . .19 Hamilton Foot Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Mishpacha Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Skin Cancer EB of Maryland . . . . . . .14 Stem Cell Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Pharmacies

Professional Pharmacy Group . . . . . . .9 Rite Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Walgreen’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Remodeling

Blake & Sons Contracting . . . . . . . . .22

Retail

Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Wilkens Beltway Plaza . . . . . . . . . . .23 WOW! Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

CommuniCare Health . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Holly Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation . .16

Manor Care Health Services . . . . . . .14

Progressive Rehab Services . . . . . . . . .6

Theatres/ Entertainment

Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Tour & Travel

Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . .27

Utilities

BGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

SEPTEMBER 2015 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA

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