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VOL.26, NO.10

Art and music erase limitations

OCTOBER 2014

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

By Barbara Ruben With a flourish of his bow, Anthony Hyatt segues from playing an Irish jig on his violin to “The William Tell Overture,” whose galloping tune is perhaps better known as “The Lone Ranger” theme. Next, he plays some golden oldies. Just a few notes into the songs, many of the participants of the Kensington Club, a program for those with early memory loss, join in, singing every word. “Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag, and smile, smile, smile,” sings Susan Hoffman, 74. And when she’s at programs like this one provided by the nonprofit Arts for the Aging, Hoffman is indeed often beaming. “I always sing along,” she said. “I sometimes don’t remember where I am, but I remember these songs.” Participant Len Wagner, 85, shares a similar sentiment. ”Music is something you don’t lose throughout your life, no matter how your circumstances might change. Music is wonderful,” he said.

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TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS

YouTube series helps older adults navigate the latest technology; plus, keep a library in your pocket, and how to protect yourself online page 6

Transcending troubles That’s certainly the intention of Arts for the Aging. No matter if a stroke has made someone’s gait ungainly, or Alzheimer’s has robbed them of the ability to remember what happened earlier in the day, arts — from dance to painting to poetry — can help people move beyond their physical or cognitive disabilities, says the organization’s director and CEO, Janine Tursini. With a faculty of 13 “teaching artists,” Arts for the Aging brings a variety of ongoing arts programs to more than 600 older adults at 21 centers throughout the Washington area. In addition to its traveling artists, the 26-year-old organization, based in Rockville, Md., includes a dance company called Quicksilver, whose dancers are age 65 to 95. “I think the impact of arts stems from the validation and the joy that come from putting something new out there,” Tursini said. “Having a teaching artist that really nurtures that and helps them understand the beauty of what they have to say, and how they move, and the stories they have to tell, feels so good. The arts have this transcendent way of leveling playing fields.” Violinist Hyatt, who also works with the

LEISURE & TRAVEL

Artist Nancy Havlik works with an Arts for the Aging participant creating a collage. Arts for the Aging’s programs span visual art, music, dance and poetry, and allow older adults with cognitive and physical limitations to let their imaginations soar.

dance company, enjoys engaging in repartee with the Kensington Club’s participants. The “William Tell Overture” spurred memories of watching “The Lone Ranger,” while the song “Happy Days Are Here Again” led to a discussion about the recent Ken Burns documentary “The Roosevelts: An Intimate Portrait.” “They become enlivened. They may have cognitive loss, but they still have strong imaginations,” Hyatt said.

Coming alive through improv The improvisational nature of some of the performing and literary arts programs can also be inspiring. “Improv is so helpful because...finding a successful mode of expression is like a re-

lief. People are always asking them, ‘Do you remember? Do you remember?’ It is kind of like letting them off the hook,” said Colleen Kemp, the manager of the Kensington Club. Teaching artist Nancy Havlik thinks art helps people with Alzheimer’s overcome their limitations and find something worthwhile within. “I think for people who have a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, the world kind of dismisses them. There’s an assumption that they don’t have anything to offer, which is really not true at all,” she said. “We see people share their own stuff and come alive in sharing it. I’m continually surprised by the expressive beauty of See ARTS FOR AGING, page 64

Cancun mixes resort life and Mayan culture; plus, Civil War sites for recreation and contemplation, and the top 10 tourist scams page 53 FITNESS & HEALTH 13 k Why to pack in more protein k What’s new with flu shots? SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

LAW & MONEY 45 k Finding long-term winners k Unusual source for dividends ARTS & STYLE k Hispanic Theater Festival k Bob Levey on fancy cars

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Your opinion please Last month, reading the Beacon was de- 50+Expos this month, in both Maryland scribed in John Kelly’s column in the and Virginia. As always, admission is free Washington Post as a “nonand open to all ages. Come physical sign of aging.” and bring your family and friends. Actually, it was not John From noon to 4 p.m. on Sunwho made this observation, day, Oct. 19, our 50+Expo will but one of his (and, apparentbe at the Silver Spring Civic ly, our) readers who basically Center in downtown Silver completed the phrase, “You Spring, Md. know you’re old when...” by There you can obtain health saying “you actually start screenings, a flu shot and picking up those free copies pneumonia vaccine (new this of the Beacon everywhere.” year!), pick up information Now, I don’t take offense at FROM THE from dozens of government any free publicity, and we’re PUBLISHER flattered that we’re known for By Stuart P. Rosenthal agencies and nonprofit organibeing “everywhere.” zations, and visit booths of But I would like to turn the question area businesses providing services and around and ask you, our readers, how you products of special interest to older adults would complete the following phrase: and their families. “When I read the Beacon, I know I’m...” Many exhibitors will be offering free You can email your replies to me at: giveaways and holding prize drawings. publisher@thebeaconnewspapers.com, or And we will have live entertainment and mail them to: From Publisher, The Beacon, door prizes as well. We are especially excited about this P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. We will publish many of your replies in year’s keynote speaker, Robert Fischell, an upcoming issue. And we might even who was featured on the cover of last forward them to John Kelly for future month’s Beacon. As you will recall, he is columns! one of the most prolific inventors of our day — creator of the first widely-used Get Expos-ed in October rechargeable pacemaker, the implantable We are proud to present our 15th annual insulin pump, and the flexible coronary ar-

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

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (301) 949-9766 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Website: www.theBeaconNewspapers.com Submissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 10th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 70 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

tery stent, among other life-saving devices. Any one of those inventions would earn a person a place in history. And there’s more to come. At the age of 85, he continues to work daily on new advances. Come see his inventions and hear him speak about biomedical engineering and its promise for the future. Our keynote topic ties in with the Beacon’s new focus on technology and innovation. You may have noticed we introduced a new section on these topics last month. You will find another example of this focus at our Expo: technology seminars taught by experts from AARP’s new TEK (Technology Education Knowledge) program. At our Silver Spring event, we will be offering three sessions of hands-on digital technology training, where each attendee will have their own device for the duration of the class and learn how to use its key features in 45 minutes. You will notice I am being somewhat vague about the “device.” That’s because we hope (but cannot yet be certain) to be introducing at our Expo the brand-new AARP “RealPad” tablet — a device geared to older adults who have not yet become comfortable with iPads or other widely marketed tablets. The tablet is preloaded with applications and instructional materials designed specifically for older adults, various “easyfix” features that require only one click to

activate, and comes with 24-hour live tech support. In short, it promises to address many of the fears some of us have about using the latest technology. Our Northern Virginia expo takes place the following Sunday, Oct. 26, again from noon to 4 p.m., on the third level of Ballston Mall (near the movie theatre) in Arlington, Va. Almost everything from our Silver Spring Expo will be found at our Ballston event: nonprofit and government resources, businesses, entertainment, health screenings, flu shots, etc. We will also have Robert Fischell as our keynote speaker. However, we also have a nice surprise in store at Ballston: Dr. Ruth will be joining us to open up the Expo at noon, speaking about her latest book and autographing copies. If you’ve always wanted to meet the octogenarian sex therapist and prolific author, be sure to join us, and come on time! By the way, on Oct. 26, rather than a hands-on tablet class, AARP TEK will be offering two seminars, one on protecting your identity online, and one on video chatting options. I hope you will join us this month at either — or both — of our 50+Expos. Please come up to me to say hello.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: I enjoyed your article on the Berkshires (September) very much. I grew up outside Boston, but have not spent much time in the Berkshires. I have had a drink on the porch of the Red Lion Inn on my way to Vermont once, and I visited my brother once when he was going to school in North Adams. I have just gotten back from three weeks in New England, but your article made me want to jump right back in my car and head north. I’m sure it is beautiful at this time of the year. Good job! Carol Cooke Alexandria, Va. Dear Editor: Every year, an estimated 2.1 million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological or other forms of neglect, abuse and financial exploitation In the past year alone, at least one in thirteen persons 60 years and over was abused. And for every case of elder neglect, abuse and financial exploitation reported to authorities, at least 23 cases go unreported.

Studies show that family members are the culprits in more than half of financial abuse cases. Consequently, unless an outside service provider reports the abuse, it may go unpunished. Besides lenders, real estate investors, and a host of scam artists, other culprits include friends and trusted others, caregivers, care managers, court-appointed and other attorneys, guardians and conservators. Three bills have been introduced by DC Councilmembers to protect elderly DC residents from neglect, abuse and financial exploitation. Bill 20-107, “Charles and Hilda Mason Elder Abuse Clarification and Expansion Act of 2013,” expands the definition of elder abuse (to include financial abuse, among other things), and increases criminal penalties. Bill 20-0710, “Limitations on Guardianship Amendment Act of 2014,” places limitations on court-appointed guardians and conservators for elderly wards of the court. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 69

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This year’s Expo Exhibitors A&A Hearing Group AAA Mid Atlantic AARP MD AARP VA AARP Virginia Abbvie Patient Advocate Program Alexandria Clinical Research Arlington Aging & Disability Services Arlington County Sherriff’s Office Arlington Jazzercise Center Arlington Office of Senior Adult Programs Arlington Police Bath Fitter Bath Make Over BGK Enterprises Brooke Grove Foundation CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Casey Health Institute Celtic Healthcare Center for Vein Restoration Chesapeake Urology Community Radiology Associates CVS/Health Davenport Senior Connections

DHC Medical Supply Elville and Associates Encore Learning Eric B Home Improvement The Estate Planning & Elder Law Firm Fairfax Memorial Park Family & Nursing Care Garden of Remembrance Gardens of Traville Gutter Helmet Habitat America HCR ManorCare HealthQare Associates High Tech Lock Company Holy Cross Hospital Home Care Assistance Humana Inderjeet Jumani, Long and Foster Jewish Council for the Aging John Basmajian Insurance Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Kaiser Permanente Kitchen Saver Leaffilter-North Inc.

LeafGuard/Team Window of MD & NVA Lesner Hearing Center Life Echoes Maintaining Life Health and Fitness Maryland Insurance Administration Maryland Relay Montgomery County Recreation Dept. Montgomery Vascular Care NARFE National Institute on Aging National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Northern VA Resource Center for Deaf & Hard of Hearing NOVA Alcohol and Aging Awareness Group Olney Assisted Living Optimal Dental Center Optimal Research Poet's Walk Memory Care Practically Organized Premier Homecare Prevention of Blindness Society

Prince William Home Improvement PSG Clarity Ready Hands Home Care Renewal by Andersen ReSet Roberts Home Medical, Inc. Schifter, Carol R., Esquire Seabury Resources for Aging SeniorCare Moving Senior's Theatre Sibley Hospital Smarter Advantage LTC Sonus Hearing Care Professionals Sound Hearing Centers Stuart Financial Group Total Remodeling Systems Training with Jane TransAmerica Network United Methodist Family Services Urban Financial of America Vamoose Vascular Institute of Virginia Virginia Hospital Center Virginia Relay-CapTel

Thank You to our Community Partners Alexandria Adult Day Service Center Alexandria-YMCA Alfred House Eldercare Arbor Crest of Silver Spring Arden Courts of Annandale Arden Courts of Fair Oaks Arleigh Burke Pavilion Arlington Agency on Aging Arlington Commission on Aging Arlington Employment Center Arlington Mill Community Center Arlington Public Library Asbury Methodist Village Aspenwood Senior Living Aurora Hills Senior Center Bailey's Senior Center Bedford Court Bradford Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Brooke Grove Retirement Village Cambridge Apartments Carlin, The Carol's Care Assisted Living Cavalier Apartments Charles Houston Senior Center Charter House Chevy Chase House Chinquapin Park Community Center City of Alexandria City of Fairfax Senior Center City of Gaithersburg Senior Center

Claridge House Arlington Compassion & Choices Covenant Village Culpepper Garden Senior Center Damascus Senior Center David R. Pinn Senior Center Dayspring Senior Home Dupont Park Adventist Apartments Emeritus at Arlington Evergreen House Fairfax, The Five Star Premier Residences of Chevy Chase Forest Hills of DC Franklin Apartments Friends House Retirement Community Gardens of Traville Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital & Nursing Center Goodwin House Greenspring Gum Springs Glen Habitat America Herndon Harbor House Ingleside at King Farm Ingleside at Rock Creek James Lee Community Center Jefferson, The Johnson Towers Kendrick Court McNair Farms Knollwood Lake Anne Fellowship House Lakeview House

Langston Brown Senior Center Lee Senior Center Lewinsville Senior Center Lewinsville, The Lincolnia Senior Center Little River Glen Senior Center Lockwood/Elmwood House Long Branch Senior Center Lorton Senior Center Loudoun Senior Center Madison Senior Center Manchester Lakes Senior Apartments Maplewood Park Place Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center McLean Community Center Metro Maryland Ostomy Association Montgomery County LTC Ombudsman Program Montgomery County Volunteer Center/RSVP Montgomery Police Dept Montpelier Arts Center/ M-NCPPC Oaks at Four Corners Oaks at Olde Towne OASIS Original Pancake House Paul Spring Retirement Community Pavilion on the Park Presbyterian Meeting House Randolph Village Residences at Thomas Circle

Revitz House Riderwood Ring House Seabury at Friendship Terrace Senior Connection Shepherd's Center of Oakton-Vienna Sibley Senior Association Silver Spring Village Sommerset Retirement Community South County Senior Center Springhouse of Bethesda Springhouse of Silver Spring State Health Insurance Assistance Program Sully Senior Center Sunrise at Bluemont Park Sunrise at Fox Hill Sunrise at Montgomery Village Sunrise of Arlington Tall Oaks Assisted Living Town of Garrett Park Tysons Towers Apartments US Soldiers & Airmen’s Home Victory Forest Victory Tower Village at Rockville Vinson Hall Virginia Hospital Center Virginian, The Wakefield Senior Center Walter Reed Senior Center Willow Manor at Colesville Willow Manor at Fairhill Farm

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Technology &

Innovations Tech-savvy actor still explores new worlds

“Star Trek” gadgets now reality Takei is most famous for originating the role of Hikaru Sulu in the popular sciencefiction show “Star Trek,” which premiered

in 1966. He has often been credited with providing one of the first positive portrayals of an Asian character on television. Takei’s appeal to the sci-fi crowd that so adored “Star Trek” inherently ties him to the technological community. His role as an actor on that show continues to provide him with a measure of authority when discussing and exploring current technologies that once only existed in fantasy. “We live in a whole different world from the one that I grew up in,” he noted. “In ‘Star Trek,’ the compact device we carried around on our hip and [let us] start talking [to others] wherever and whenever was an astounding technology. “And here — less than half a century later — we have this amazing device [the smartphone] that connects us to the global audience, sharing and liking and communicating with each other.” He noted that some older adults are afraid to explore new types of technology. “There are a good number afraid to boldly go where they haven’t gone before,” he said with a smile, recalling the “Star Trek” mantra. His sister, for example, doesn’t own a computer and frequently leaves her iPhone at home.

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“It’s so frustrating!” he sighed.

Starting a regular show Though an internet celebrity now, Takei wasn’t always so savvy about online marketing. He didn’t become active on Facebook or Twitter until 2011. Today, he has over seven million “likes” and followers. Prior to that, “my fan base was very small: essentially sci-fi geeks and nerds. I had to grow it. By trial and error, I discovered that humor is something that gets the most shares and likes. I started concentrating on that, and the audience grew,” he said. For those unfamiliar with Facebook, imagine a computer screen with a personal bulletin board where you and your friends (and even strangers, if you allow them) can post jokes and pictures with captions. Users can communicate and interact with each other by “liking” each other’s posts, leaving comments, or “sharing” the posts with their friends. In addition to his Facebook page and the AARP program, Takei has his own website, blog, Twitter account (where people share opinions or observations through short, frequent statements called “tweets” that others can “follow”) and Pinterest board — a kind of online bulletin board where users can “pin” websites and pictures they like. Takei excels at posting photos and video clips with humorous comments that catch on quickly via these social media outlets. Posts that are particularly popular “go

PHOTO BY CHRIS YOUNG/AP

By Rebekah Sewell In the second season of “Takei’s Take” — a web series hosted by George Takei, the 77-year-old actor who played Mr. Sulu on “Star Trek” — Takei punches a virtual reality shark in the face, learns about a “brain-activated” skateboard, drives an electric car, and explores how Boston could become the next Silicon Valley. The rapid-fire technology program, sponsored by AARP, premiered last fall on YouTube and quickly gained a following. “Takei’s Take” now has 100,000 subscribers, and his video episodes have been viewed nearly 2 million times. In the program, he conducts one-on-one mini-interviews with experts and celebrities, discussing new technologies and their developments. In an interview with the Beacon, he said, “This season we’re going on location. It is going to be even more engaging,” he promised.

“Star Trek” star George Takei now hosts an AARP YouTube series called “Takei’s Takes,” which covers a wide range of technology topics. Takei also recently created a musical called Allegiance about his Japanese American family’s internment in a camp during World War II. The musical will soon be headed to Broadway.

viral” as thousands or millions of people spread them through sharing or liking. Takei’s growing following on the web made him a natural choice for the role of host of the AARP series that began last year. “The original “Star Trek” fans are now AARP members,” Takei noted. “This way, I can keep in contact with our original fans. “We also cover other demographics as well [on “Takei’s Take”], because the original fans have children who are fast apSee TAKEI, page 7

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JCA SeniorTech offers computer courses in Rockville and Gaithersburg, Md. and Northern Virginia throughout the year, including basics, email, graphic design, Word, Excel, Facebook, iPad, iPhone and more. Classes lasting one to six weeks begin in September, October and November. Fees range from $15 to $80. For a copy of the course catalog, visit www.accessjca.org and click on Learn Computers. For more information, email seniortech@accessjca.org or call (240) 395-0916. Starting this November, the full SeniorTech course catalogue will be published in the Beacon’s new “Technology & Innovations” section. Look for it!

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Takei has long been active in human rights issues. He was born in Los Angeles, but following the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, he was no longer treated like an American citizen. Takei’s family is of Japanese heritage, and the attack ignited severe racial tensions and mistrust of Japanese Americans. Concerned about their loyalty, the government imprisoned nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps.

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proaching AARP membership age, and they also have children. So our demographic covers three generations.” Takei insists that educating others about technology, especially older adults, is imperative. “We’re making people aware of our technological environment. The developments are coming fast and furiously. We need to be aware of this rapidly changing dynamic.” Takei also noted how families living all over the world can benefit from cell phones, video chat and social media to help them stay connected. Face-to-face calls, made possible at no extra cost by programs like Skype and Face Time, enable people to see their loved ones in real life. These services are quickly becoming more commonly used by the older generation. “Skype is a won-

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derful way to not only keep in touch with grandchildren, but to see them developing,” Takei said. “Older people are losing the community they grew up with. Technology keeps people engaged. It’s a great way of combating isolation,” he added.

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Technology takes toll on young and old When you hear the word technology, what do you think of? Probably not the same thing as someone my age (12) thinks. The fact is that the generations may look at technology in very different ways. Many kids think that technology is “cool” because not only does it make them more popular, it allows them to play video games, contact others, and express themselves at any time. On the other hand, there are plenty of kids with no access to technology whatsoever or who find it unnecessary. Meanwhile, some older adults don’t own, approve of, or even understand anything technology-related, while others use a laptop, smartphone and iPad regularly. Whatever their experience, people of every age have an opinion on technology —

whether it is good, bad, ugly or addictive — and no matter what that opinion is, technology takes a toll on everyone in some way. Many kids spend a lot of time on smartphones and computers. Technology allows us to contact others in emergencies, get our work done anywhere we want, and allows us to have some fun. I am no exception: I wrote this column on my laptop while listening to music on my phone! Meanwhile, many people feel that although smartphones and computers are very beneficial, it means that no matter where they are, their work and contacts follow them. Even vacation time can be negatively affected. There is also the issue of cyber-bullying. People post and write mean things about oth-

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ers on social media sites, and the humiliating we’re not “using” them. Also, when you disphotos, comments or lies they post can be pose of them, toxic substances can somevery hurtful. Sometimes people forget that times get into the soil or water from their components. once you post something, you No matter what you think can’t take it back. on this subject, you should alThis isn’t just an issue when ways be a responsible citizen: it comes to cyber bullying. If Turn off your technology you apply for a job, chances are when it isn’t in use, and disthe company will do a backpose of your devices and ground check…and you might their batteries in a safe, ecomiss out on a chance to work friendly way. because of a photo or comment Do you have grandchilyou posted long ago. dren or great-grandchildren? Not only that, but using digiA great thing to do is use tal devices can also be danger- GENERATIONS TOGETHER Skype or Face Time to comous! Texting while driving or municate with them. These crossing the street can lead to By Alexis Bentz programs allow you to see serious accidents. Technology can affect relationships, too. and hear others through a computer or When my family dines out, I hate seeing phone screen. If you don’t know how to use these feaother families sitting around the table spending time on their mobile devices when they tures, have your grandchildren show you! This is a great way to bond with family memcould be spending time with each other. There is also “good progress” vs. “bad bers, especially if you live far away from each progress.” Some believe that technology is other. However, it is good to remember that you great because we are moving forward and shouldn’t let technology rule your life. Algetting bigger and better each time. Others argue that our production, as well ways try to make time to see your relatives as use, of devices can have a negative impact in person, or write them a letter if you can. on the Earth and its people. For example, As you can see, even when you’re commany computers and other electronic de- fortable with technology and understand it, it vices use energy when plugged in, even if still isn’t simple!

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

Takei From page 7 Takei was only 5 years old when his family was moved to a camp in Arkansas that featured “barbed wire fences, sentry towers, and machine guns pointed at us,” he said. The family was there for more than three years. “I’ve been on lecture tours ever since I was in my 20s, talking about what it was like to be an American citizen who suddenly has everything that citizenship means — including our property, home and freedom, and in the case of my father, his business” taken away, Takei said. He doesn’t understand why most Americans know little to nothing about this grim part of American history. “I’m always surprised there are so many people — seemingly well-informed people — who are aghast when I tell them about that. They don’t know a thing about it.” That realization led Takei to an unexpected solution: a musical that tells the story of the internment experience. The most powerful way to reach people is through a musical, because music and drama has a way of reaching into the heart, as well as the intellect, the mind,” he said. After a chance meeting in 2008, Takei worked with composer and lyricist Jay Kuo, and writer and producer Lorenzo Thione, to create Allegiance. The production opened in 2012 at The Old Globe The-

atre in San Diego, Calif. Takei initially concentrated on promoting the show through Facebook, but he soon began using several other media platforms. The technique worked, and Allegiance opened to a sold-out show. It was named the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle’s “Outstanding New Musical” of 2012. Plans are underway to open Allegiance on Broadway in the near future. In addition to the musical, Takei has used his newfound Internet celebrity to start “introducing social justice issues, like equality for the LGBT community” of which he is a member. All of Takei’s passions and activities keep him young at heart. He travels frequently, and he looks considerably younger than his 77 years. His signature deep voice booms whenever he speaks. Takei’s advice for living a long and healthy life is simple. “For longevity, I obey the laws of nature: Eat properly. Sleep properly. Exercise sufficiently and keep the mind engaged. “It’s up to you to be ‘law-abiding’ people. Some people don’t eat properly, and they gain weight. Some people don’t exercise properly, and that makes their bones weaker. Some don’t get calcium, and when they fall, their bones are brittle. You have to obey the laws to be able to live a good life.” To view current and past episodes of Takei’s Take, visit www.youtube.com/user/TakeisTake.

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E-book services offer a library of choices By Anick Jesdanun Own a tablet or a smartphone? Then for a few bucks a month, you can have a (virtual) library in your pocket or carrying case. Two startups are trying to do for ebooks what Netflix does for movies: Oyster and Scribd let you read as many books as you want for a fixed monthly price — $10 for Oyster and $9 for Scribd. I was skeptical at first. I can never find enough time to read, and I’m picky about what I do read. I was worried about their limited book selections. But I found plenty to read in no time, and I found myself reading more than I normally would. There are enough books on these e-book ser vices to keep you

busy for years. Oyster has more than 500,000 titles, while Scribd has more than 400,000. These services are great if you have a long weekend or a vacation coming up or, as in my case, three weeks of travels from California to New York. Just don’t think it’ll be the same as walking into a library and finding just about any book you want.

How good is the selection? I checked several titles from my wish list and asked colleagues for other suggestions, including a few for kids or in foreign languages. Of the 75 titles I checked, Oyster had 17 and Scribd had 16.

For some popular novels, such as The Hunger Games series and The Fault in Our Stars, I got readers’ guides and other companions, but not the actual books. Both services have selected titles from Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and lots of smaller publishers. But other major U.S. publishers — Hachette, Macmillan and Penguin Random House — remain holdouts. And even when there’s a deal with a publisher, newer books tend to be excluded. Avid readers won’t be bored, though. When I signed up, Scribd asked about the types of books I like. Oyster didn’t, but still made good recommendations based on what other subscribers are reading. I quickly found about two dozen books between the two services. Each time I added a title, I got recommendations for more. I just finished books on lobster populations and the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company. I’m now reading about Lance Armstrong and the doping scandal — another book I wouldn’t have known about if it hadn’t popped up on Scribd. In that sense, both services are much like Netflix. Netflix’s streaming selection looks poor when you are searching for a specific title, but Netflix is smart enough to recommend enough movies to keep you

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paying $8 or $9 a month.

You’ll need the apps Neither Oyster nor Scribd works on dedicated e-readers such as Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite. Rather, you need a device that lets you install apps. Both work on iPhones, iPads and Android devices, including Kindle Fire tablets. Oyster also works on Nook tablets, while Scribd has apps for Windows devices. Only Scribd lets you read on Web browsers on personal computers, though Oyster plans to add that soon. Apps for both services offer features typical for e-books. You can start a book on one device and pick up where you left off on another, though I’ve often run into syncing problems with both. You can see where you are in a book, change text size and even add notes. The options aren’t as extensive as what I’m used to with Kindle devices and apps, though. Oyster lets you store up to 10 books per device to take with you on the road, while Scribd lets you save up to 20 books. Both services permit reading on up to six devices. Of the two, I like Oyster’s apps and e-book selection better, and it’s been adding feaSee E-BOOKS, page 11

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Beacon Links By Barbara Ruben

Test your knowledge Keep your brain nimble by learning new words and information — and help world hunger at the same time. Free Rice donates grains of rice to the World Food Programme for every correct answer you provide in progressively harder vocabulary quizzes, math problems, painting identification, chemistry questions and more. www.freerice.com

Changing Aging Dr. Bill Thomas is an international expert on seniors and geriatric medicine, and is the founder of the Eden Alternative and Green House project to transform nursing homes. His blog examines everything from Shakespeare’s old age, to treating dementia with music, to the concept of kindness. http://changingaging.org

Unleash your inner abstract artist And now for a little fun. Create your own Jackson Pollack painting. Just move the mouse quickly or slowly to create splotches or squiggles on the screen. Left click to change colors. http://manetas.com/pollock

Senior health information from NIH The NIH SeniorHealth website, providing information for older adults, was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health. This website contains a wide range of information on many health topics including: Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, balance problems, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, exercise for older adults, hearing loss, lung cancer, prostate cancer, taking medicines, and many more. www.nihseniorhealth.gov

Accessible travel Looking for a barrier-free hotel in Italy, or a wheelchair rider’s guide to Los Angeles? This site pulls together dozens of resources to help travelers with disabilities navigate around the world. Look for links to magazines; databases, like the Accessible Vacation Home Exchange; outdoor recreation sites and more, such as Accessible Virginia, a new website about exploring the state. www.travelguides.org

E-books From page 10 tures and device support quickly to catch up with Scribd. But it’s also $1 a month more. I tend to prefer distraction-free reading on a dedicated e-reader, but phones and tablets work when I’m able to exercise some discipline from checking email and Facebook. Plus, I’m more likely to be carrying a phone, so I’m able to get reading done while waiting for a bus or tardy friends.

What about Amazon? There are plenty of other ways to get ebooks for free or for a set price. Check your local library for starters. If you have Amazon’s $99-a-year Prime membership, you can read an e-book for free each month if you also have a Kindle device or the Fire phone, though you’re not offered everything that Amazon makes available for purchase. That’s where the new Kindle Unlimited

service comes in. The $10 a month Kindle Unlimited lets you download 10 books at a time on up to six devices. Those devices don’t have to be Amazon devices, as Prime requires. But the selection is somewhat limited; I only found six of the 75 books I was looking for. But Kindle Unlimited beats its rivals in several ways. It has 2,000 audiobooks from Amazon’s Audible business. They’re synchronized to the corresponding books, so if you need to break off reading to drive, you can have the audiobook play instead, starting where you left off reading. Also, Kindle apps are available for a

greater range of devices. Oyster works on iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Scribd supports those, plus Macs and Windows devices. Kindle does all that, plus webOS and BlackBerry devices. [Ed's. note: For access to thousands of books in the public domain — including classics and older books no longer copyright protected, as well as hundreds of audio books — visit www.classicbooks.com. These can be read on computers as well as digital devices with download of the appropriate free software. Free books and audiobooks may also be downloaded from the Gutenberg Project at www.guterberg.org.] — AP

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Ways to create better, stronger passwords By Anick Jesdanun With more frequent news that hacker rings are amassing millions of username and password combinations from major retail outlets, it’s a good time to review ways to protect yourself online. If there’s reason to believe your information might have been compromised, change your passwords immediately. One of the best things you can do is to make sure your new passwords are strong. Here are seven ways to fortify them:

Long, convoluted combinations • Make your password long. The recommended minimum is eight characters, but 14 is better and 25 is even better than that, though some services have limits.

• Use combinations of letters and numbers, upper and lower case and symbols, such as the exclamation mark. Some services won’t let you do all of that, but try to vary it as much as you can. “PaSsWoRd!43” is far better than “password43.” • Avoid words that are in dictionaries, even if you add numbers and symbols. There are programs that can crack passwords by going through databases of known words. One trick is to add numbers in the middle of a word — as in “pas123swor456d” instead of “password123456.” (In general, you should avoid easy-to-guess words or numbers, such as “password,” or consecutive keys on the keyboard, such as “1234” or “qwerty.”) Another trick is to think of a sentence and use just the first letter of each word as your

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password. Thus, “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” become “tqbfjotld.” • Substitute characters. For instance, use the number zero instead of the letter O, or replace the S with a dollar sign. • Avoid easy-to-guess words, even if they aren’t in the dictionary, such as your name, company name or hometown. Avoid pets and relatives’ names, too. Likewise, avoid things that can be looked up, such as your birthday or ZIP code. But you might use those numbers as part of a complex password. Try reversing your ZIP code or phone number and insert that into a string of letters.

When you can repeat passwords • Never reuse passwords on other accounts — with two exceptions. Over the years, I’ve managed to create hundreds of accounts. Many are for one-time use, such as when a newspaper website requires me to register to read the full story. It’s OK to use simple passwords and repeat them in those types of situations, as long as the password isn’t unlocking features that involve credit cards or posting on a message board. That will let you focus on keeping passwords to the more essential accounts strong. The other exception is to log in using a centralized sign-on service such as Face-

book Connect. Hulu, for instance, gives you the option of using your Facebook username and password instead of creating a separate one for the video site. This technically isn’t reusing your password, but a matter of Hulu borrowing the log-in system Facebook already has in place. The account information isn’t stored with Hulu. Facebook merely tells Hulu’s computers that it’s you. Of course, if you do this, it’s even more important to keep your Facebook password secure. • Some services, such as Gmail, even give you the option of using two passwords when you use a particular computer or device for the first time. If you have that feature turned on, the service will send a text message with a six-digit code to your phone when you try to use Gmail from an unrecognized device. You’ll need to enter that for access, and then the code expires. It’s optional, and it’s a pain — but it could save you from grief later on. Hackers won’t be able to access the account without possessing your phone. Turn it on by going to the account’s security settings. NOTE: At the Beacon’s 50+Expo on Sunday, October 26 at Ballston Mall, learn simple ways to protect your identity online and strengthen passwords. There will also be a seminar on video chat services. — AP

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Health Fitness &

BEWARE NEW TICK TRICK A bite from a common tick can cause you to become allergic to red meat SNORE NO MORE Devices can help with apnea, while lifestyle changes may also work BACTERIA BONANZA Your home is covered in a unique beneficial bacteria fingerprint NEW VACCINE OPTIONS Older adults have several flu and pneumonia vaccines to choose from

We need to eat more protein as we age By Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D. Say the word “protein,” and it conjures up everything from Paleo and Atkins diets for weight loss, to soy protein for heart health, and whey protein for muscle building. At the other end of the protein spectrum are claims that too much can harm your kidneys, or that the key to good health is to avoid animal protein and focus on eating only plant protein. The science behind how much and what type of protein your body needs is complex. But the tide seems to be shifting as more and more researchers suggest one simple fact: For most of us, protein needs are greater than called for by current dietary recommendations. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) say adults of all ages should have a protein intake of 0.8 grams/kilogram body weight/day. To calculate protein needs, multiply .8 by your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2; that’s 55 g./day for a 150-pound person. Note: This is based on the amount of protein required to avoid a deficiency. However, researchers now believe diets that provide more protein than the RDA may improve health by helping to prevent obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, according to a study from 2009 in Nutrition and Metabolism.

Calorie intake often decreases with age, but protein requirements do not. “When we’re young, hormones help us use dietary protein very efficiently for growth. Adults need more dietary protein to maintain healthy muscles and bones,” said protein researcher Donald Layman, professor emeritus in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois-Urbana. A recent report on the protein needs of older people concluded that to maintain physical function, healthy older people need more dietary protein than younger people — in the range of 1.0 g./kg. to 1.2 g./kg./day. That translates into 68-81 g. of protein/day for a 150-pound person (Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2013.) Older people who are acutely or chronically ill need even more — 1.2 g./kg.-1.5 g./kg./day (81 to 102 g. of protein/per day for that same 150-pound person). If you’re trying to manage your weight or simply eating less than you used to, getting enough protein is even more important for your overall good health. The bottom line? Protein needs are based on weight, not calorie intake, so even if calorie intake drops, protein intake should stay the same or increase as you age.

Necessary for strong bones Protein needs rise with age While the current RDA for protein stays the same regardless of age, researchers now believe the amount of protein intake becomes even more important as we age.

Protein is necessary for energy balance, blood sugar regulation and bone health. While there has been a widely held belief that high-protein diets were bad for bones, causing calcium to leach out and

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leading to osteoporosis, research now suggests that calcium and protein intake interact to actually improve bone health. As part of the Framingham Offspring Study, researchers found that greater protein intake may benefit bone health in older women, especially those with lower calcium intakes, according to research published in Public Health Nutrition last year. Protein makes up about 50 percent of the volume of bone and one-third of its mass. Researchers also are discovering that the way in which dietary protein is distributed throughout the day is important. To maximize the muscle-building and help prevent bone loss, daily calcium intake should be adequate (1,000 to 1,200 milligrams/day) and protein should be provided with each meal.

Ways to get more protein Researchers suggest about 25-40 g. of high-quality protein (proteins that provides all the essential amino acids) at breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Current Opinions in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Care, 2009.) Small meals that contain less than 15 g. of protein provide no benefit to muscle health, Layman said.

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“Ideal protein intake doesn’t mean extra large serving sizes,” he said, “but 25 to 40 grams of protein at each meal. A balanced diet should provide proteins from a mixture of foods that may include milk, meats, eggs or beans.” Here are a few examples of high-quality proteins to include in your diet. One or more of these should be present at each meal: Beans (7 g./½ cup) High-protein breakfast cereals (up to 13 g./1 cup) Eggs (7 g./1 large) Skim milk (8 g./cup) Lean beef and pork (21-24 g./3 ounces) Nuts — peanuts, pistachios and almonds are highest (6-7 g./1 ounce) Veggie burgers (11-15 g. each) 100 percent whey protein powder added to smoothies and shakes (up to 24 g./1 ounce) Greek yogurt (12 g./5 ounces) Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384. www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com. © 2014 Belvoir Media Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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A tick bite can cause allergy to red meat By Marilynn Marchione A bug can turn you into a vegetarian, or at least make you swear off red meat. Doctors across the U.S. are seeing a surge of sudden meat allergies in people bitten by a certain kind of tick. This bizarre problem was discovered only a few years ago, but is growing as the ticks spread from the Southwest and the East to more parts of the United States. In some cases, eating a burger or a steak has landed people in the hospital with severe allergic reactions. Few patients seem aware of the risk, and even doctors are slow to recognize it. As one allergist who has seen 200 cases on New York’s Long Island said, “Why would some-

one think they’re allergic to meat when they’ve been eating it their whole life?” The culprit is the Lone Star tick, named for Texas, a state famous for meaty barbecues. The tick is now found throughout the South and the eastern half of the United States. The University of Maryland Extension Service considers it common in this area. Researchers think some other types of ticks also might cause meat allergies; cases have been reported in Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Japan and Korea.

Triggers the immune system Here’s how it happens: The bugs harbor a sugar that humans don’t have, called

alpha-gal. The sugar is also is found in red meat — beef, pork, venison, rabbit — and even some dairy products. It’s usually fine when people encounter it through food that gets digested. But a tick bite triggers an immune system response, and in that high-alert state, the body perceives the sugar the tick transmitted to the victim’s bloodstream and skin as a foreign substance, and makes antibodies to it. That sets the stage for an allergic reaction the next time the person eats red meat and encounters the sugar. It happened last summer to Louise Danzig, a 63-year-old retired nurse. Hours after eating a burger, “I woke up with very swollen hands that were on fire with itching,” she said. As she headed downstairs, “I could feel my lips and tongue were getting swollen,” and by the time she made a phone call for help, “I was losing my ability to speak and my airway was closing.” She had had recent tick bites, and a blood test confirmed the meat allergy. “I’ll never have another hamburger, I’m sure,” Danzig said. “I definitely do not want to have that happen to me again.” Seventy-one-year-old Georgette Simmons went to a steakhouse on June 1 for a friend’s birthday and had a steak. “About 4:30 in the morning, I woke up and

my body was on fire. I was itching all over, and I broke out in hives. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before,” she said. A few weeks later, for a brother’s birthday, she ordered another steak. Hours later she woke “almost hysterical” with a constricted throat in addition to hives and a burning sensation. She, too, recalled tick bites. Dr. Robert Valet at Vanderbilt University said Simmons was one of two patients he diagnosed with the meat allergy that day. He warned her it could be worse next time. At the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, “I see two to three new cases every week,” said Dr. Scott Commins, who with a colleague, Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, published the first paper tying the tick to the illness in 2011. One of the first cases they saw was a bow hunter who had eaten meat all his life but landed in the emergency department several times with allergic reactions after eating meat. More cases kept turning up in people who were outdoors a lot. “It seemed something geographical. We thought at first it might be a squirrel parasite,” Commins said. “It took us a while to sort of put everything together” and finger the tick, he said.

See MEAT ALLERGY, page 16

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

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Blood pressure self care can beat doctor’s By Lindsey Tanner “Do-it-yourself” blood pressure measurements and medicine changes work better than usual doctor-office care in some patients, a study of older adults in England found.

Those who did their own readings at home and adjusted their medicine as needed had healthier blood pressure levels after a year than those who got standard doctors’ care. Self-care patients weren’t completely on their own — any changes they made were

part of a treatment plan previously approved by their doctors. But the patients didn’t need to consult their doctors every time they increased the dose if it was part of the original treatment plan.

Likely reasons Why self-management worked best is uncertain, but patients who participated were taking more medication than the others and were perhaps more vigilant than doctors treating the usual-care group, the study suggests. It’s possible usual-care doctors had “clinical inertia” — a phenomenon described in other research showing that physicians often fail to increase blood pressure medication doses even when office measurements show patients’ levels are too high, said study author Richard McManus, a professor and researcher at the University of Oxford.

[Doctors may assume office measurements are unusually high due to a patient’s anxiety, known as “white coat syndrome.”] The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults have high blood pressure — measuring 140 over 90 or higher — but only about half of them have it adequately controlled, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High blood pressure rates are similar in England, health surveys there have found. The study involved 450 patients with previous heart trouble, strokes, diabetes or kidney disease, aged 70 on average, who were followed for a year. About half got usual care; the others did self-care. Average blood pressure measurements at the study’s start were about 143 over 80. At the end, that dropped to about 128 over 74 in the self-care patients and 138 over 76 in the usual-care group. That difference would be expected to result in a drop in heart problems or other complications, although more research is needed to evaluate long-term benefits, according to a JAMA editorial. The researchers estimate that if the selfcare group’s lower levels could be sustained, they’d likely see a 30 percent reduction in stroke risk compared with the other group.

More popular elsewhere Self-monitoring blood pressure is comSee BLOOD PRESSURE, page 17

Meat allergy From page 14

Unlike other allergies Dr. Erin McGintee, an allergy specialist on eastern Long Island, an area with many ticks, has seen nearly 200 cases over the last three years. At least 30 involved children, and the youngest was 4 or 5. She is keeping a database to study the illness with other researchers. “It is bizarre,” she said. “It goes against almost anything I’ve ever learned as an allergist,” because the symptoms can occur as long as eight hours after eating meat, rather than immediately, and the culprit is a sugar — a type of carbohydrate — whereas most food allergies are caused by proteins, she said. Allergic reactions can be treated with antihistamines to ease itching, and more severe ones with epinephrine. Some people with the allergy now carry epinephrine injectors in case they are stricken again. Doctors don’t know if the allergy is permanent. Some patients show signs of declining antibodies over time, although those with severe reactions are understandably reluctant to risk eating meat again. Even poultry products such as turkey sausage sometimes contain meat byproducts and can trigger the allergy. For tips on how to avoid and remove ticks, see http://tinyurl.com/md7y78g.

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

Try different treatments to ease snoring By Dr. Joseph Kaplan Dear Mayo Clinic: Is there anything that can be done for snoring other than using a CPAP machine? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried using one for the past year, and while my wife says it does prevent me from snoring, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sleep comfortably with it on. Answer: Although they do reduce snoring, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines usually are prescribed for people who have sleep apnea, and not for snoring alone. If the problem is confined to just snoring, then a variety of alter-

natives are available. If your snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, there are a number of steps you can take to try to make the CPAP machine more comfortable. Other treatment options and lifestyle changes may help, too. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep. Loud snoring is a common symptom. A CPAP machine relieves sleep apnea by delivering air pressure through a mask placed over your nose while you sleep. With CPAP, the air pressure is somewhat

Blood pressure

tion to control health care costs, and a parallel trend toward giving patients a bigger role in their decision-making and management.â&#x20AC;? Most patients studied were white and worked at white-collar or skilled manual labor jobs. Whether similar results could be achieved with less skilled or less educated patients isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t known. For self-care programs to work, patients need to be carefully selected, said Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to have compliant, knowledgeable patients,â&#x20AC;? said Bauman, medical director for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and community relations at Integris Health, Inc. in Oklahoma City. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

From page 16 mon in some countries and in the United Kingdom, and the study notes that blood pressure monitors are widely available there, costing as little as $25. Similarly priced home blood-pressure monitors are sold in the United States. Some U.S. centers have tried self-management approaches although more research is needed before a program like the one studied could be widely recommended, said Dr. Laura Svetkey, a hypertension specialist at Duke University. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re moving in that direction,â&#x20AC;? Svetkey said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tremendous motiva-

greater than that of the surrounding air, so it keeps your upper airway passages open, preventing apnea and snoring. CPAP is the most common and reliable way to treat sleep apnea, but the machine can be cumbersome or uncomfortable. Before you go to a different approach, you could try working with the company that supplies your CPAP machine to find a more comfortable mask. Adding heated humidity to the CPAP or lowering the CPAP pressure slightly also

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Snoring From page 17 you inhale and less when you exhale, and tends to be better tolerated than CPAP. Another option is an oral appliance designed to advance your lower jaw to keep your throat open. This type of device is not as reliable as CPAP, but it usually is more comfortable. You also could try nasal valves. These small, single-use devices are placed over each nostril. They allow air to move in freely. But when you exhale, air must go through small holes in the valve. This in-

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

creases pressure in the airway and keeps it open. Weight loss can often help relieve sleep apnea and decrease snoring. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about creating a weight-loss plan. For many people, returning to a healthy weight can cure sleep apnea.

More snoring solutions If you’ve been using CPAP only for snoring, a number of other remedies may be helpful. First, try a few lifestyle changes. Avoid alcohol, especially before bedtime. It relaxes the muscles in the back of your throat, increasing snoring. Sleep on your

abdomen or side, rather than on your back. Sleeping on your back can cause your tongue and soft palate to rest against the back of your throat and block your airway. If those measures are not enough to eliminate snoring, talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend an oral appliance. These custom-fit dental mouthpieces position your tongue and soft palate to keep your air passage open as you sleep. Or, in a treatment called the pillar procedure, a doctor can insert braided strands of polyester filament into your soft palate, which stiffens it and reduces snoring. Surgery to reduce snoring, which involves trimming and tightening the excess tissue in your throat, also may be an option. Finally, in some situations, consultation

with an ear, nose and throat, or ENT, specialist is appropriate. An ENT evaluation may reveal that nasal obstruction is causing snoring. That type of obstruction can often be effectively eliminated with medical or surgical treatment. — Joseph Kaplan, M.D., Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All Rights Reserved Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Health Shorts FDA approves stay-asleep pill Merck & Co. Inc. has won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a new type of sleeping pill designed to help people with insomnia stay asleep. The tablet, Belsomra, works by temporarily blocking chemicals known as orexins that control the sleep cycle and can keep people awake at night. The FDA said it approved Belsomra based on three company studies involving 500 patients that showed people taking it fell asleep faster and spent less time awake compared with people taking a dummy pill. Because it was tested against a dummy pill, rather than other sleeping medications, it’s unclear whether the new drug is

safer or more effective than older drugs. The FDA approved the drug in four different doses for various degrees of insomnia. The agency noted that patients who took the highest dose, 20 milligrams, experienced drowsiness and difficulty driving the next morning. Doctors should warn patients taking the highest dose against next-day driving or activities that require full concentration, the FDA said. It added that side effects such as next-day drowsiness can be reduced by using the lowest effective dose. Drowsiness is a side effect listed on the labels of all anti-insomnia drugs. In the last year, the FDA lowered the recommended dosage on Ambien, Lunesta and related drugs based on studies showing a link to driving problems and impaired memory and coordination. The FDA is requiring that patients who get the new drug receive a medication guide detailing the drug’s potential safety issues, including sleep-walking, sleep-driv-

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

ing and other semi-awake activities.

First DNA test for colon cancer The FDA has approved the first screening test for colon cancer that uses patients’ DNA to help spot potentially deadly tumors and growths. The Cologuard test from Exact Sciences detects irregular mutations in stool samples that can be an early warning sign of cancer. Doctors have long used stool tests to look for hidden blood that can be a warning sign of tumors and precancerous polyps. But company studies of Cologuard showed that it was more accurate at detecting cancerous tumors and worrisome polyps than traditional stool blood tests. Cologuard detected 92 percent of colon cancers and 42 percent of advanced polyps in a study of 10,000 patients, while tradi-

tional blood screening only detected 74 percent of cancers and 24 percent of advanced polyps. The new test was not superior on all counts though. Cologuard was less accurate than older blood tests at correctly ruling out cancer, reporting more growths when none were actually present. Therefore, patients who test positive for the mutations should undergo a colonoscopy to confirm the results. The new test’s approval has the potential to reshuffle current medical practice, though FDA officials stressed that DNAbased stool screening has not been endorsed by federal medical advisers, who set screening guidelines. A spokeswoman for Exact Sciences, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, said the new test would cost $599 per patient. That compares to about $25 for a traditional stool blood test.

New regulations for opioid painkillers The federal government is finalizing new restrictions on hundreds of medicines containing hydrocodone, the highly addictive painkiller that has grown into the most widely prescribed drug in the U.S. The new restrictions, which go into effect this month, mean that drugs like Vicodin, Lortab and their generic equivalents will be subject to the same prescribSee HEALTH SHORTS, page 21

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ALZHEIMER’S AND DRIVING

Holy Cross presents an information session on Alzheimer’s disease and driving on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in room 11B at the Holy Cross Resource Center, located at 9805 Dameron Dr., Silver Spring, Md. Participants will watch the DVD “A Roadmap to Alzheimer’s Disease and Driving,” which will be followed by discussion. Highlights include interventions and caregiver stress. For more information or to register, call (301) 754-7152.

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Free counseling for seniors 55 and older is now available with a licensed therapist at the Bowie Senior Center. Counseling can assist with grief, anxiety, decision making and problem solving. This free counseling will be available on Fridays (other days can be scheduled) through May 2015. The Bowie Senior Center is located at 14900 Health Center Dr., Bowie, Md. For more information or to schedule a private appointment, contact Susan DeNardo, LCPC, at (202) 256-3336 or sddenardo@aol.com.

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

Health shorts From page 20 ing rules as painkillers like codeine and oxycodone. Patients will be limited to one 90-day supply of medication, and will have to see a healthcare professional to get a refill. In many states, only doctors will be able to prescribe the medications, not nurses or physician assistants. The “action recognizes that these products are some of the most addictive and potentially dangerous prescription medications available,” said Drug Enforcement Administration chief Michele Leonhart, in a statement in August. The move, announced in a federal notice, comes more than a decade after the DEA first recommended reclassifying hydrocodone due to its risks for abuse and addiction. For years, physician groups and the FDA opposed the move, saying it would burden healthcare providers and patients while driving up costs. But last year the FDA changed its position, citing the national epidemic of overdoses and deaths tied to prescription painkillers known as opioids. Deaths linked to the drugs more than tripled between 1999 and 2010, during which sales of opioids increased four-fold. Anti-addiction groups praised the restrictions, but criticized the FDA for taking nearly a decade to embrace the changes.

Another gene tied to breast cancer risk It’s long been known that faulty BRCA genes greatly raise the risk for breast cancer. Now scientists say a more recently identified, less common, gene can do the same. Mutations in the gene can make breast cancer up to nine times more likely to develop, an international team of researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are thought to be due to bad BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Beyond those, many other genes are thought to play a role, but how much each one raises risk has not been known, said Dr. Jeffrey Weitzel, a genetics expert at City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif. The new study on the gene — called PALB2 — shows “this one is serious,” and probably is the most dangerous in terms of breast cancer after the BRCA genes, said Weitzel, one of leaders of the study. It involved 362 members of 154 families with PALB2 mutations — the largest study of its kind. The faulty gene seems to give a woman a 14 percent chance of breast cancer by age 50, a 35 percent by age 70, and an even greater risk if she has two or more close relatives with the disease. That’s nearly as high as the risk from a

faulty BRCA2 gene, said Dr. Michele Evans of the National Institute on Aging and Dr. Dan Longo of the medical journal staff, writing in a commentary in the journal. The PALB2 gene works with BRCA2 as a tumor suppressor, so when it is mutated, cancer can flourish. How common the mutations are isn’t well known, but it’s “probably more than we thought, because people just weren’t testing for it,” Weitzel said. He found three cases among his own breast cancer patients in the last month alone. Among breast cancer patients, BRCA mutations are carried by 5 percent of whites and 12 percent of Eastern Euro-

pean (Ashkenazi) Jews. PALB2 mutations have been seen in up to 4 percent of families with a history of breast cancer. Men with a faulty PALB2 gene also have a risk for breast cancer that is eight times greater than men in the general population. Testing for PALB2 often is included in more comprehensive genetic testing, and the new study should give people with the mutation better information on their risk, Weitzel said. For more information on the gene, see http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/PALB2. — AP

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Most healthy women can skip pelvic exam No more dreaded pelvic exam? New guidelines say most healthy women, regardless of age, can skip the yearly ritual. Routine pelvic exams don’t benefit women who have no symptoms of disease and who aren’t pregnant, and they can cause harm, the American College of Physicians said as it recommended that doctors quit using them as a screening tool. It’s part of a growing movement to evaluate whether many longtime medical practices are done more out of habit than necessity, and the guideline is sure to be controversial. Scientific evidence “just doesn’t support the benefit of having a pelvic exam every year,” said guideline coauthor Dr. Linda Humphrey of the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University.

acknowledges a lack of evidence supporting, or refuting, them. Pelvic exams have long been considered part of a “well-woman visit,” and some 62 million were performed in the United States in 2010, the latest available data. Here’s what put the test under the microscope: Pap smears that check for cervical cancer used to be done yearly but now are recommended only every three to five years. So if women weren’t going through that test every year, did they still need the pelvic exam that traditionally accompanied it? During a pelvic exam, a doctor feels for abnormalities in the ovaries, uterus and other pelvic organs. But two years ago, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the internal exams weren’t a good screening tool for ovarian cancer and shouldn’t be required before a woman was prescribed birth control pills.

on schedule — but a Pap doesn’t require the extra step of a manual pelvic exam, it said. For symptom-free women, years of medical studies show routine pelvic exams aren’t useful to screen for ovarian or other gynecologic cancers, they don’t reduce deaths, and there are other ways, such as urine tests, to detect such problems as sexually transmitted infections, the doctors’ group reported in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Moreover, pelvic exams can cause harm — from unnecessary and expensive extra testing when the exam sparks a false alarm, to the anxiety, embarrassment and discomfort that many women report, especially sur-

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Some disagree “There will be women who are relieved, and there are women who really want to go in and talk with their doctor about it and will choose to continue this,” she added. The recommendations aren’t binding to doctors — or insurers. Indeed, a different doctors’ group, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, still recommends yearly pelvic exams, even as it

vivors of sexual abuse, the guidelines said. No one knows how many women postpone a doctor’s visit for fear of a pelvic exam, Humphrey said. Dr. Ranit Mishori, a family physician and associate professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine, said the new guideline “gets rid of an unnecessary practice” that takes up valuable time that could be put to better use. “Many women will be happy to hear that, and I think also, frankly, many physicians will be happy to hear it. Many of us have stopped doing them for a long time,” said Mishori, who wasn’t involved with the recommendations. — AP

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Appropriate for some women The American College of Physicians, specialists in internal medicine, took a broader look. Pelvic exams are appropriate for women with symptoms such as vaginal discharge, abnormal bleeding, pain, urinary problems or sexual dysfunction, the ACP said. And women should get their Pap smears

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

Your home is covered in bacteria — yours By Lauran Neergaard Sorry, clean freaks. No matter how well you scrub your home, it’s covered in bacteria from your own body. And if you pack up and move, new research shows, you’ll rapidly transfer your unique microbial fingerprint to the doorknobs, countertops and floors in your new house, too. In fact, researchers who studied seven families in Illinois, Washington and California could easily match up who lived where using their microscopic roommates — almost like CSI for germs. The study is part of an effort to understand how the trillions of mostly beneficial bacteria that live in and on our bodies — what’s called the human microbiome — interact with bugs in the environment to affect our health.

“We have so little information about where the microbes come from that shape our microbiome, whether it’s for health or disease,” said microbiologist Jack Gilbert of the Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago. Where do people spend most of their time? “It’s the indoor environment. The best place to look at that was the home,” said Gilbert, who led the Home Microbiome Project and included his own family.

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Many of these bugs play critical roles in digestion, the immune system and other health-inducing factors. Others may make it easier to gain weight, or influence disease. What shapes the balance of good bugs and bad is a huge scientific question. Hospital studies make clear that someone who already is sick can catch a new infection from pathogenic bacteria left behind by a previous patient. In contrast, the new study examines healthy people, and it marks an important step: Beginning to show what’s normal in a regular home, said Dr. Lisa Helbling Chadwick of the National Institutes of Health. That’s a key question before scientists can explore how to possibly create healthier homes. “You have to think about the microbiome of your home as part of your home’s immune system,” said Chadwick, of NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, who wasn’t involved with Gilbert’s project. “Instead of relying on killing bugs to stop the spread of infection, maybe we need to cultivate better bugs.” For the study, Gilbert recruited seven households that included 15 adults, three children, three dogs and a cat. For six weeks, participants collected samples of the microscopic bugs living on and around them by swabbing the hands, feet, noses and paws of everyone in the household, plus doorknobs,

light switches, floors and countertops. Back in the laboratory, Gilbert’s team identified the bugs by their DNA, and they reported in the journal Science that people substantially affect the microbial communities in their homes. Different homes harbored markedly different bacterial populations, but they closely matched the microbiomes of their residents.

Quick colonization The big surprise: How quickly the bugs settled in. Like Pigpen’s trailing cloud of dust in the Peanuts comic strip, when three families moved — one of them from a hotel room to a house — it took about a day for the microbes in their new homes to closely resemble those in the old ones. “The speed at which that colonization happens was quite remarkable,” Gilbert said. Sure, there are some leftover bacteria from previous occupants, he said. But many bacteria die or go dormant after a while on a hard, air-conditioned surface. At the same time, the oil in your skin readily transfers your own bacteria to surfaces. That’s not counting all those tiny flakes of dead skin that people constantly shed, microbe-filled dust that probably just blankets the bugs that were there first, Gilbert noted. See BACTERIA, page 25

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Fist bumps less germy than handshakes When it comes to preventing the spread of germs, maybe President Obama is on to something with his fondness for fist bumps. The familiar knocking of knuckles spreads only one-twentieth the amount of bacteria that a handshake does, researchers report. That’s better than a high-five, which still passes along less than half the amount as a handshake. So fist bumps seem to be the wisest greeting, especially during cold and flu season, said researcher David Whitworth of Aberystwyth University in Wales. The importance of hand hygiene is nothing new in medicine. But the researchers realized that while a lot of research focused on hands getting germy from touching doorknobs and other surfaces, only a few studies had looked at handshakes. “And there are alternatives to handshakes. You see them on telly all the time — the fist bump and high-five and all that,” Whitworth said. He and a student, Sara Mela, shook

hands, fist-bumped and high-fived each other dozens of times for the research. One wore a glove covered in bacteria, while the other had a clean sterilized glove. After each greeting, they measured how much bacteria had been transferred. Their results were published in the American Journal of Infection Control. What makes the fist bump more sanitary? Mostly, it’s the smaller amount of surface area in contact between the two hands, an analysis suggests. The researchers did practice runs with paint to measure how much surface area each form of greeting involved. “It’s a novel study,” though the results are not surprising, said Mary Lou Manning, president-elect of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Her organization publishes the journal. She said she hasn’t seen much fistbumping or high-fiving in hospitals. Handshakes are more common. But they must be followed by good handwashing, she added. — AP

Bacteria From page 24 “It changed my perspective on hotel rooms,” he added with a laugh. In another home, someone went on a three-day trip, and that person’s contribution to the usual household microbe mix dropped noticeably. And dogs moved the bacteria from surface to surface even more rapidly. As for potentially dangerous bacteria, in one house, the scientists tracked a germ called Enterobacter from one person’s hands to the kitchen counter and then to

another person’s hands. No one got sick, possibly because the residents were healthy and hadn’t recently used antibiotics [so their good bacteria remained to help resist the intruders], Gilbert said. It will take more research to figure out where the different bugs that people and their pets bring into their homes originally come from. And Gilbert pointed to the study’s other implication: Maybe people should make sure they’re regularly getting outside to expose themselves, and their immune systems, to a wider variety of bugs. — AP

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

More kidney patients try in-home dialysis By Adam Smeltz Brad Davern could commute for his dialysis treatments, like about 400,000 Americans who depend on clinics to filter their blood. But going to a clinic would mean less exercise time — and less independence — for Davern, who joined a growing segment of kidney patients receiving dialysis at home, often with help from family members. Scholars say the change encouraged by Medicare, which spends more than $29 billion a year to treat kidney failure, can cut annual healthcare costs by as much as $20,000 per patient. “You’re more in charge of your health. You’re more in charge of everything,” said Davern, 33, who spent six years on clinicbased dialysis before switching to in-home

in 2007. “I needed a change.” About 8 to 9 percent of American kidney patients on dialysis receive the treatment at home, up from about 5 percent a decade ago, said Dr. Jeffrey S. Berns, an associate dean in graduate medical education at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

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suggest the in-home option to patients, for whom clinic-based treatment can run $80,000 a year, doctors said. The cost often drops to $60,000 for those who stay at home for most dialysis sessions, said Dr. Barbara Clark, a nephrologist at Allegheny General Hospital and medical director at DaVita Northside Dialysis. Medicare officials would not comment on the reimbursement changes or savings. Federal leaders guaranteed Medicare coverage for kidney failure starting in the 1960s, Clark said. “They never could have foreseen how many healthcare dollars would be used for taking care of end-stage renal disease,” Clark said, calling the trend a $40 billion strain on the national healthcare system. Caring for kidney failure accounts for more than 6 percent of the agency budget, according to the U.S. Renal Data System. Clark and other experts estimate that reported incidence rates climbed several hundred percent since the 1980s because of higher rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, along with better awareness, better testing and an aging population. About 31 million people in the United States, or about 10 percent of the population, are thought to have chronic kidney disease, according to the American Kidney Fund. More than 400,000 of them are in the final stage that typically requires dialysis, data system numbers show. Incidence rates tend to be higher among blacks, but researchers said the reasons remain unclear. Patients with ailing kidneys often use dialysis as a bridge to transplants, relying on the artificial purification to clean their blood several times a week.

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Lower cost at home He and other observers attribute the shift mostly to changes several years ago in how Medicare compensates healthcare providers for dialysis. In particular, doctors said the federal program increased reimbursements to cover training for patients who want to administer their own dialysis or have a friend do it. That made it more lucrative for clinics to

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Those who stay home might use one of

two methods: hemodialysis, which involves flowing the blood through external filters, or peritoneal dialysis, which involves a longer-term catheter in the abdominal area. Infections, the risk of complications and ultimate outcomes do not appear substantially different for in-home patients or those who use clinics, though doctors say some patients should stay in professionally monitored settings. “This is not rocket science. People can learn how to do this,” said Dr. Beth Piraino, the National Kidney Foundation president and a UPMC kidney specialist. “I like to say it’s home dialysis, but it’s not alone dialysis.” She said home dialysis patients tend to receive kidney transplants faster than those in clinical settings, perhaps because those at home are more motivated. Home patients often have more control over their schedules and an easier time holding jobs, experts said. Still, many patients prefer the social element of going to a clinic, or might lack home support to do dialysis comfortably on their own, said Dr. Leslie Spry, an NKF spokesman and dialysis center director in Lincoln, Neb. About 30 percent of his center’s patients, many of them spread across rural areas, undergo dialysis at home. Spry said rural areas “have probably been the leaders in this area just because it’s hard to build dialysis units in every small area.” Home treatment was a new concept to Betty Zilch, 80, when she began dialysis about a decade ago. She stuck to convention, undergoing treatments in Allegheny General — four hours a day, three times a week — for more than two years before undergoing a successful kidney transplant. “I would’ve felt safer in the hospital with the technicians and my doctor there,” Zilch said. — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, via AP

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

Assisted living

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

Tripping seniors on purpose to stop falls By Lindsey Tanner Researchers are tripping seniors on purpose, and it’s not some kind of warped practical joke. The experiment is among techniques being studied to prevent falls, the leading cause of injury in older adults. Falls in the elderly cost $30 billion yearly to treat, and can send them spiraling into poor health and disability. Conventional efforts to prevent falls include exercises to boost strength and balance, but researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago are trying a completely different approach. It’s based on promising, preliminary results with a lab-built walkway that causes people to unexpectedly trip, as if stepping on a banana peel.

Now the same scientists are testing a similar approach with computerized treadmills. If it works, they envision specially designed treadmills in doctors’ offices, clinics and physical therapy centers for training people how to avoid falling.

“Vaccinating” against falls Clive Pai, a physical therapy professor leading the research, calls the method a potential “vaccine against falls.” Standard fall prevention techniques aim to improve physical condition by strengthening certain muscles and improving range of motion. And they may require dozens of sessions to be effective, Pai said. His research is focusing on building subconscious learning, and evidence so

far shows it can happen surprisingly fast. “This is all implicit learning. We don’t give any instruction. They don’t have to be motivated. They’re naturally motivated because they don’t want to be on the floor,” he said. Pai has a $1 million, five-year grant from the National Institute on Aging to study and develop the treadmill system, and plans to enroll 300 participants within the next five years. The scientists demonstrated the technique recently in Pai’s lab with 81-year-old Mary Kaye, who had participated in the preliminary walkway research. Graduate students taped little sensors to Kaye’s arms and legs allow her movements to be tracked and analyzed. Then she was

hooked up to a harness attached to an overhead cable to help her remain upright if needed. First, she used the walkway, striding several paces before a student clicked the computer mouse to make a sliding walkway section move suddenly under Kaye’s feet. Kaye stumbled slightly, but kept her balance.

50 percent improvement Pai’s preliminary research, published in June, found that 24 similar “trips” in just one walkway session taught older adults to learn to catch themselves and reduced their chances of falling outside the lab, See PREVENTING FALLS, page 29

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Oct. 27

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

Preventing falls From page 28 during everyday living, by 50 percent up to a year later. Back in the lab, Kaye next tried the treadmill, set at a steady walking pace that was occasionally interrupted by sudden brief skips. Kaye stumbled at each jolt but managed to stay afoot. Pai thinks Kaye’s training in the previous study may have helped keep her steady. Retired from the travel industry and public relations, Kaye is fit and healthy and looks a decade younger, but said she still occasionally falls — even after the training. “I land on my face and it’s usually quite disastrous — for my face. But I recover and I try to get through another season,” she said. Kaye tends to trip on Chicago’s uneven sidewalks. The last time was earlier this year, when she landed on her face, splitting her lip and injuring her elbow — not bad enough to be hospitalized, but enough to scare her. Kaye threw out all her ill-fitting shoes and said she hasn’t fallen since. Older people are at risk for falls for many reasons, including age-related muscle weakness, vision problems and medication issues including side effects and improper doses.

The National Institute of Health announced in June that it is helping sponsor a $30 million study to test mostly conventional prevention techniques that can be tailored to older adults’ individual risks and used in community settings. The government aims to enroll 6,000 adults aged 75 and up at 10 centers nationwide. Pai’s treadmill technique will likely need several years of study to prove whether it works. But Dr. Basil Eldadah of the National Institute on Aging said Pai’s research is potentially very promising, and the training technique might someday be incorporated into standard clinical care. “We don’t want older adults to learn the hard way,” Eldadah said.

Fall prevention tips Meantime, there are steps older adults can take to reduce their risks for falling. Some from the National Institute on Aging and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: — Exercise, including walking and stretching to improve muscle strength and balance. — Have the doctor review all medications to check for side effects, doses or drug interactions that could cause dizziness or drowsiness.

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Oct. 18

DOMESTIC ABUSE SUPPORT LUNCH The 8th annual “Restore the Joy” domestic violence empower-

ment luncheon will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 2 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. The event features a resource fair, a panel of experts, an address by Yvette Case, performances and vendors. Tickets cost $35, and tables of 10 cost $350. Admission for children and seniors costs $15. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.womenwhocareministries.org or contact Judith Clark at (301) 963-8588 or womenwhocare@comcast.net.

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— Get yearly vision exams to make sure eyes are healthy and glasses are the proper strength. — Reduce risks at home, including clutter and poor lighting, and install handrails in tubs and showers. — Limit intake of alcohol, which can af-

fect balance. — Stand up slowly: Rising too quickly can sometimes result in a sudden drop in blood pressure, causing dizziness. — Use a cane or walker if needed for steadiness. — AP

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

Vaccination options available this flu season Dear Savvy Senior, Quadrivalent flu shot: This vaccine, I understand that there are several which was introduced last year, protects types of flu vaccines being against four types of influenza offered to seniors this flu — the same three strains as the season. What can you tell standard flu shot, plus an addime about them? tional B-strain virus. Cautious Senior High-dose flu shot: DeDear Cautious: signed specifically for seniors, Depending on your health, age 65 and older, this vaccine, age and personal preference, called the Fluzone High-Dose, there’s a buffet of flu shots has four times the amount of available to seniors this flu seaantigen as a regular flu shot son, along with two vaccinaSAVVY SENIOR does, which creates a stronger tions for pneumonia that you immune response for better By Jim Miller should consider getting too. protection. But be aware that Just as they do every year, the Centers the high-dose option may also be for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more likely to cause side effects, including recommends a seasonal flu shot to almost headache, muscle aches and fever. everyone, but it’s especially important for Intradermal flu shot: If you don’t like seniors who are at higher risk of develop- needles, the intradermal shot is a nice option ing serious flu-related complications. The because it uses a tiny 1/16-inch long microflu puts more than 200,000 people in the needle to inject the vaccine just under the hospital each year and kills around 24,000 skin, rather than deeper in the muscle like – 90 percent of whom are seniors. standard flu shots. This trivalent vaccine is Here’s the rundown of the different op- recommended only to those ages 18 to 64. tions: To locate a vaccination site that offers Standard (trivalent) flu shot: This tried- these flu shots, visit vaccines.gov and type and-true shot that’s been around for more in your zip code. You’ll also be happy to than 30 years protects against three strains of know that if you’re a Medicare beneficiary, influenza. This year’s version protects against Part B will cover 100 percent of the costs of the two common A strains (H1N1 and any flu shot, as long as your doctor, health H3N2), and one influenza B virus. clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge

you more than Medicare pays. Private health insurers are also required to cover standard flu shots, however, you’ll need to check with your provider to see if they cover the other vaccination options. The other important vaccinations the CDC recommends to seniors, especially this time of year, are the pneumococcal vaccines for pneumonia. An estimated 900,000 people in the U.S. get pneumococcal pneumonia each year, and it kills around 5,000. This year, the CDC is recommending that all seniors 65 or older get two separate vaccines, which is a change of decades-old advice. The vaccines are Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23. Previously, only Pneumovax 23 was recommended for seniors. Both vaccines, which are administered

just once, work in different ways to provide maximum protection. If you haven’t yet received any pneumococcal vaccine you should get the Prevnar 13 first, followed by Pneumovax 23 six to 12 months later. But if you’ve already been vaccinated with Pneumovax 23 you should get Prevnar 13 at least one year later. Medicare currently covers only one pneumococcal vaccine per older adult. If you’re paying out of pocket, you can expect to pay around $50 to $85 for Pneumovax 23, and around $120 to $150 for the Prevnar 13. Send your questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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

What do drug companies pay your docs? By Matthew Perrone When many of us have a medical appointment, we’re concerned about our finances: how much will we owe out-of-pocket? What’s our co-pay? But next time, you may also want to ask your doctors about their financial situation. That’s because nearly 95 percent of U.S. physicians accept gifts, meals, payments, travel and other services from companies that make the drugs and medical products they prescribe, according to the New Eng-

Act, requires most makers of drugs and medical supplies to report all payments, gifts and other services worth $10 or more that they provide to health professionals. While the database, to be hosted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is not yet available as of press time, more information and updates can be found at http://bit.ly/open_payments.

$20 billion paid annually

said Paul Thacker, a fellow at Harvard University’s Safra Center for Ethics. “The one thing we know is that money changes behavior and people tend to respond to who is giving them money.” As a Senate staffer, Thacker helped craft the disclosure rules, which are designed to lay bare the industry practice of “detailing,” in which company sales people court doctors with everything from pens and mugs to lucrative speaking engagements.

“I think every patient out there should know who actually is paying their doctor,”

See DRUG COMPANIES, page 33

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!"#""#$ %$&#'

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land Journal of Medicine. This has been a common practice for decades, and studies show it affects what medicines doctors prescribe. But for the first time, patients will soon be able draw back the curtain. By September 30, the federal government is supposed to make available an exhaustive online database of payments during 2013 to U.S. physicians and hospitals, under a section of the healthcare overhaul passed in 2010. The measure, known as the Sunshine

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Ongoing

HOARDING SUPPORT GROUP

The Jewish Social Service Agency and the Gaithersburg Task Force on Hoarding present a monthly support group for hoarders and their families. Families and significant others meet in a friendly, confidential environment facilitated by a JSSA clinical social worker with experience in the areas of hoarding and working with family caregivers. The cost is $15 per session. The support group meets at JSSA, 6123 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. Pre-registration is required to attend. For more information or to register, call (301) 816-2665.

Oct. 16

GOLD MINING LECTURE

The Fairfax Antique Arts Association presents a lecture by engineer and gold mine historian Walter A. Goetz on Thursday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. Goetz has been doing historical research on gold mining close to the Nation’s Capitol, in Maryland and nearby Virginia for 40 years. This event will take place at the Green Acres Senior Center, 4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax, Va. For more information, call (703) 273 6090.

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Legal Counsel for the Elderly is an affiliate of AARP.

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

Drug companies From page 32 Pharmaceutical companies spend an estimated $20.4 billion on these activities each year, and then track doctors’ prescribing patterns to gauge the return on their investment. Using the federal website, patients will be able to search most payments made to their healthcare provider — from $20 lunch bills to hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees. Some of this information has already come to light, mainly due to legal settlements that required drug makers to disclose the information. We b s i t e s l i k e D o l l a r s f o r D o c s (http://projects.propublica.org/docdollars), from the nonprofit journalism group ProPublica, pool this data together and enable users to search doctors by name to see what payments they’ve received. The database covers 15 pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer Inc. and Johnsons & Johnson, and begins with payments made in 2009.

Some goes for research studies But how is a layperson to make sense of it all? And how does one separate common medical practice from truly questionable activity? Dr. Leana Wen of the George Washington University said she simply groups all payments into two categories: research and everything else.

Most studies on new drugs and devices are funded by companies, which partner with physicians to enroll patients and track their response to the treatment. Wen and others say these partnerships are a necessary part of clinical research and are common at leading medical centers. But she said virtually all other payments are problematic. “If someone gets significant consulting fees or speaking fees, I would be more concerned about that, because they are doing something that has been shown in studies to change their prescribing habits,” said Wen, who teaches at the university’s emergency medicine department. An analysis of 29 studies published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2000 found that doctors who accept fees, meals and other perks from drug makers are more likely to prescribe their brand of drugs. This can negatively impact patients, because the medicines promoted by drug makers are usually newer, more expensive and potentially less safe than older medicines. Another 2012 study published in JAMA found that one in five new prescription drugs introduced between 1995 and 2005 were linked to unforeseen side effects after they reached the market.

not capture all the financial forces that motivate physicians. For instance, many interventional cardiologists are paid for each procedure they perform, such as implanting stents that prop open clogged arteries. The more stents cardiologists implant, the more they are paid. Wen said patients should know whether their doctor is being paid based on a fixed salary or a per procedure rate. About 100 doctors disclose this information and other financial details on a website Wen created, whosmydoctor.com, which advocates “total transparency” for medical professionals.

Although patients will benefit from increased transparency in coming years, the ultimate goal of policymakers is to pressure doctors to give up some of their more egregious relationships with industry. It’s too early to tell whether those ties will be weakened, but supporters of the Sunshine Act are encouraged by early reactions from their colleagues. “Some of them are now saying, `It’s just as easy for me to buy my own lunch. I don’t need drug company people coming in and doing that,”‘ said Dr. Stephen Smith, professor emeritus at Brown University. — AP

Other financial incentives Even with all the new information coming online this fall, the Sunshine Act will

A lot more than you thought. For a lot less than you think. The Village at Rockville— the area’s greatest value in Continuing Care Retirement You probably didn’t realize that The Village at Rockville included a friendly neighborhood of one- and two-bedroom cottage homes within a beautiful 30-acre enclave. You get all the benefits of home ownership without the burden of upkeep and maintenance—we take care of all of that for you, inside and out. An additional benefit: You have access to our highly-rated continuum of care, including our new Assisted Living suites (Memory Care coming 2015), Long Term Care, as well as myPotential Rehabilitation in newly-renovated private rooms.

Upcoming Events Protecting & Enhancing Your Memory Lunch & Community Tours Wednesday, October 22, 2014 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Fall Festival & Community Tours Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tour Times: 11 a.m., 12 noon, & 1 p.m. To RSVP, visit our website or call.

Would you like to learn about The Village at Rockville? Call 301-354-8487 to schedule your personal tour of our community. 9701 Veirs Drive | Rockville, MD 20850 | 301-354-8487 | www.thevillageatrockville.org The Village at Rockville is sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serving people of all beliefs.

301-354-8487 www.thevillageatrockville.org

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

These seven foods whiten teeth naturally By Jacqueline Lanigan If your teeth need a little brightening, but you’d prefer to skip whitening treatments, you’re in luck. Here are seven natural remedies for whiter teeth that you may already have in your kitchen: 1. Apples Just chewing on apples helps scrub your teeth. Apples also have a high concentration of malic acid, which is used in some toothpastes. Malic acid increases saliva, which cleans your teeth and helps remove stains, according to a 2013 study conducted at the University of Grenada (Spain). 2. Pineapple Pineapple is the only food that naturally contains bromelain — a compound with

anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties. A recent study in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene found that bromelain is an effective ingredient in a stain-removing toothpaste. 3. Broccoli Broccoli is high in fiber, and eating lots of fiber helps reduce inflammation in your mouth (along with the rest of your body). Eating crisp raw broccoli can help clean and polish your teeth. According to research in the European Journal of Dentistry, the iron in broccoli offers the added benefit of providing a wall of protection for your teeth against the enamel-degrading acid that’s produced by bacteria. This helps prevent stains and cavities.

4. Raisins You may think raisins are bad for your teeth because of their sticky sweetness, but they’re actually protective. Research shows that bran cereal with raisins helps clean the mouth faster than the same cereal without raisins. Chewing raisins stimulates saliva, which helps prevent plaque, stains and cavities from developing by neutralizing the acidic environment created by other foods and bacteria in your mouth. 5. Cheese Here’s another reason to smile for the camera and “say cheese.” Cheese helps keep your teeth strong with minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, and protein that protects tooth enamel. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the lactic acid in

cheese is also protective against tooth decay. Plus, hard cheeses help clean your teeth by stimulating saliva. 6. Water Drinking water throughout the day promotes saliva production, which in turn helps keep your pearly whites, well, white. Sipping water during and after a meal also helps rinse your mouth of any debris and loosen plaque. 7. Strawberries Like apples, strawberries also contain malic acid, and they have the added benefit of ellagitannins — antioxidants that can help reduce stain-attracting bacteria and inflammation in your mouth. Also, the vitamin C in strawberries can help prevent gum inflammation and periodontal disease. © 2014 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

FITNESS & HEALTH continues on page 39, after the Spotlight on Aging section.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 21+

WASHINGTON HORSE SHOW The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), an annual

world-class competition and week-long series of indoor equestrian events, will take place from Tuesday, Oct. 21 through Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Verizon Center. WIHS provides an array of family-friendly entertainment options including Wednesday morning’s Breakfast with the Mounted Police, a free Kids’ Day event on Saturday, and Thursday’s Barn Night, featuring contests and scavenger hunts. General admission tickets for daytime performances are $15 (plus applicable service charges), Tuesday through Sunday. Free for children 12 and under. Tickets

The Career Gateway! features small classes, 30 hours of intensive training over two weeks, a long-term mentor, and valuable take-home materials This intensive five-day course will help you: • turbo-charge your resume • hone your interviewing skills • learn how to network

WHEN:

• discover the hidden job market • develop personal job search plans...and more

Courses offered monthly for computer-savvy seniors Coming up: October 20, November 10, 2014, and January 20, February 23, 2015

WHERE: 12320 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, MD 20852 FEE: $75 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call (301) 255-4215 or e-mail JCAUniversity@AccessJCA.org Funded By Montgomery County Aging & Disability Services; e Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the Jewish Council for the Aging®

Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA)® www.AccessJCA.org

are at the Verizon Center box office, online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. For more information, visit www.wihs.org/tickets or call (202) 661-5061.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXV, ISSUE 10

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

October 2014

Senior Wellness Centers New Hours of Operation

By John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA In this issue of “Spotlight on Aging” I would like to discuss senior hunger in the District of Columbia. I have discussed this issue twice in the past (November 2012 and November 2013); however, as the staggering data reveal, we must continue to increase the public’s awareness about this terrible plight impacting so many seniors in the District of Columbia. Through education and advocacy, I am confident that one day there will be no seniors who are hungry in the District of Columbia. In the past issues that focused on senior hunger, I informed readers about what the District of Columbia government is doing to combat the problem. More specifically, the District’s Office on Aging has an 111 percent increase in funding to ensure that no frail, homebound seniors are on the waiting list for homedelivered meals. The funding was also used to expand the number of congregate meal sites across the District of Columbia. I am also excited to announce that at the District’s six senior wellness centers, we made the dining experience a little nicer, as we have added a fresh salad and fruit bar, which gives our seniors food options for the first time. Moreover, many seniors prefer fresh fruit options over the canned fruits that are less healthy because of the high amount of sugar and preservatives added to them. In addition to opening more food sites and improving food options, we have also streamlined the process for seniors to access food by acquiring the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the

Seniors Farmers’ Market Program from the District of Columbia Department of Health. This means that seniors can come to one agency, the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA), and apply for these two programs along with the congregate meal program or the homebound meal program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamps Program). Through this streamlined process, we hope that seniors find it more convenient to work with a single agency to learn about these nutrition programs and other services that may be useful to them. Let me also add that through a new partnership with the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, we are ensuring that seniors are eating foods that are appealing to them so that they may maximize their food intake in our nutrition programs. Through the What a Waste Program, we are tracking the amount of waste accumulated by seniors who are not eating their entire meals. Through a detailed analysis, we can determine which foods are less appealing to seniors, and we are committed to making any changes to the menu to ensure that seniors are eating all of their nutritious foods, as it represents onethird of their dietary intake according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is very important, as some seniors are on medications to treat their chronic diseases and a full, healthy meal can go a long way in keeping seniors balanced. Also, through a partnership with See DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE, page 36

Seniors at the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center in Ward 8 give a thumbs up to the newly installed salad bar at their site. The center is located at 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE.

DCOA has expanded the senior wellness centers to include new evening and Saturday hours to accommodate working seniors and others who cannot attend during regular hours. Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, Ward 1 3531 Georgia Ave. NW, 202-727-0338 Monday and Friday 8:30 to 4:30, Tuesday and Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center, Ward 4, 324 Kennedy St. NW, 202-291-6170 Monday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, Ward 5 1901 Evarts Street, NE, 202-635-1900

Monday, Wednesday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Every 4th Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.); ad Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hayes Senior Wellness Center, Ward 6, 500 K St. NE, 202-727-0357 Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Washington Seniors Wellness Center, Ward 7 3001 Alabama Ave., SE, 202-581-9355 Monday and Wednesday to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday class 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center, Ward 8 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE, 202-563-7225 Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Club Memory The DCOA has partnered with Sibley Hospital to establish the Club Memory Program on the East End of the City. Club Memory is a stigma-free social club for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment or other forms of dementia and their spouses, partners and caregivers.

If you or someone you know is affected by Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, make sure they know more about Club Memory. Club Memory is hosted by the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center, which is located at 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. Call our office 202724-5622 to sign up for the program.

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

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

New Program Reduces Food Waste and Combats Hunger The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger (NFESH) has launched What a Waste, a new initiative to combat senior hunger by reducing and recapturing food waste in the District of Columbia. Under contract to D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA), NFESH will develop and lead DCOA in implementing the two-year high-tech pilot study in three senior wellness centers that operate nutrition programs to serve meals to seniors. All kitchens, regardless of size and type, experience some food waste. This innovative project is designed to help senior nutrition programs identify and categorize it, so that unnecessary waste can be reduced and waste that cannot be eliminated can be recaptured and turned to good use. What a Waste brings state-of-the-art technology, along with live instruction on how to use it, into the senior wellness center kitchens. Together these will enable kitchen workers to measure, categorize and quantify food waste throughout the process, which begins with pur-

chasing and preparation and ends with what is left on seniors’ plates. The technology will show exactly where the food waste is occurring and what particular food items are not being consumed. This, in turn, will help nutrition programs improve both their purchasing decisions and their menus. That will translate into dollars saved and more seniors served. “The D.C. Office on Aging has been working tirelessly with its partners to combat senior hunger in the District,” said Dr. John M. Thompson, executive director of the District of Columbia Office on Aging. “Strategic partnerships, such as the one with NFESH, help DCOA to bring innovative and best practices to the District that improve seniors’ quality of life. Our collaborative efforts will ensure that more seniors have access to nutritious meals, health and wellness programs, and social activities that promote good health and combat social isolation.” Based on the data collected in the

initial weeks of the project, NFESH will create a customized waste reduction plan and work with DCOA to implement new practices and procedures designed to significantly reduce unnecessary food waste. The waste that cannot be eliminated, and which previously had been disposed of, will be captured and turned into nutrient-rich soil through composting. Composted soil will be then used to create on-site gardens, where seniors at the wellness centers can grow fresh vegetables. This food production adds an element of sustainability to the operation and will be a source of additional food for use by the centers. And that contributes to reducing hunger. By reducing the amount of food waste occurring in the wellness centers, DCOA will be able to optimize current resources to enhance vital services and potentially expand them to meet the future needs of seniors in DC. “The serious problem of senior hunger is solvable, but it is clear that

‘business as usual’ is not part of the solution. It takes courage and visionary leadership to try something new,” NFESH Founder, President and CEO Enid A. Borden said. “Here in the District, DCOA is providing that courageous leadership. Through this project, DCOA is serving as a model for the nation to follow. Every citizen of the District should applaud that.” Nearly one in six, or 15.3 percent, of seniors in the United States faced the threat of hunger in 2012. In the District, the rate of senior hunger mirrors the national average, according to the latest research from NFESH. That same year, the United States generated more than 36 million tons of food waste, according to the EPA. Through waste reduction and composting, the DC senior wellness centers are decreasing their carbon footprints and building a more sustainable, environmentally friendly city for all its residents. For more information on What a Waste, see www.nfesh.org/what-a-waste.

Commodity Foods Available for Seniors Chances are you may know something about the National School Lunch Program and why it’s important. What you may not realize is that the USDA has a similar program for seniors, which the Capital Area Food Bank has been operating in the District of Columbia on behalf of the DC Office on Aging (DCOA) since 2012. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides a monthly grocery supplement to low-income seniors to help stretch their already taxed fixed incomes. Participants receive nearly 30 pounds of nutritious food, which meets their specific dietary needs including healthy canned protein and dairy, whole grains, low sodium vegetables, and low added-sugar fruit.

Director’s message From page 35

Common Good City Farm, DCOA has established intergenerational gardens at the Ward 5 Model Cities Senior Wellness Center and the Ward 7 Washington Seniors Wellness Center. The purpose of these programs is to increase access and availability of fresh produce for seniors, enhance cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes at the senior wellness centers, and provide intergenerational opportunities with Common Good City Farm’s students. Seniors will

The grocery mix encourages seniors to cook from scratch, and many choose to make the ingredients their own. In response to a significant demand for fresh produce, the Capital Area Food Bank provides fruits and vegetables to seniors who pick up at its two CSFP clinic sites (one in Congress Heights at 3720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE and the other at 5601 East Capitol St. SE). The DC Commodity Supplemental Food Program is unique among jurisdictions in that it is administered in tandem with the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides participants with an annual fresh produce voucher to be redeemed at participating local farmers markets.

also have an opportunity to consume some of these vegetables at home. Even with all of the progress that we have made in the past three years to address senior hunger in the District of Columbia, there are approximately 15,000 seniors who continue to experience hunger. Therefore, our fight continues as we combat senior hunger in the District of Columbia. I trust that you will join the Office on Aging, the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, D.C. Hunger Solutions, and a host of other organizations committed to resolving this devastating problem. Every senior deserves good, nutri-

For many, the farmers’ market vouchers serve as a major incentive to participate in the CSFP program. Providing nutritious food to a food insecure senior population is critical. The adverse health effects of food insecurity are magnified for seniors. Food insecure seniors have significantly worse health outcomes than food secure seniors. They are 50 percent more likely to be diabetic, three times more likely to suffer from depression, and 60 percent more likely to have heart failure or experience a heart attack. The Capital Area Food Bank administers CSFP on behalf of the DC Office on Aging (DCOA). Through the partnership with DCOA, the Capital Area Food Bank is able to expand the

tious food and we have the resources to make it happen. Please join us by identifying seniors in your neighborhood, church, civic associations and other places that may live alone and may be in need of additional resources or who may be frail and are unable to prepare their meals. By identifying these seniors, we will be one step closer to combatting senior hunger in the District of Columbia. It is my hope that a year from now, I can report on senior hunger with some exciting news about the decreasing number of seniors who are hungry in the District of Columbia. Please partner with us by calling

realm of resources that can be provided to at-risk seniors. Congregate meal programs, home delivered meals, and transportation assistance are all available to ensure that DC meets its goal of being “Age Friendly.” More nutritious foods in the hands of seniors means seniors, like students, remain active and engaged. It’s time we give back to those who have given so much, the true experts in the school of life. For more information on the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, call 202-644-9880 or email csfp@capitalareafoodbank.org. For more information on DCOA programs, please call 202724-5626 or visit http://dcoa.dc.gov/ page/food-meals-and-nutrition.

202-724-5622 with information on any senior age 60 and over who is in need of a hot meal, groceries and/or additional resources to purchase groceries. I also encourage you to partner with D.C. Hunger Solutions by participating in its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Challenge from Oct. 6 to 12. The purpose of this challenge is to highlight the struggles faced by so many people throughout the Washington Metropolitan region who cannot afford to pay for the much needed food. To learn more about the SNAP Challenge, please visit http://www.dchunger.org/.

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Intergenerational Gardens at Local Centers The D.C. Office on Aging has begun a pilot program with Common Good City Farm to bring intergenerational gardens to Model Cities and Washington Seniors Wellness Centers. The program hopes to increase access and availability of fresh produce for seniors, enhance nutrition education at the wellness centers, and provide intergenerational opportunities with Common Good City Farm’s students. Seniors at the wellness centers planted seeds and seedlings of a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in garden beds, and learned about gardening from Common Good City Farm’s staff. They will harvest the produce as it grows throughout the fall!

2014 General Election Key Dates & Races The General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Absentee Voting by Mail Oct. 20 - Nov. 1 Deadline to request: Oct. 28 Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 and received by DCBOE no later than Nov. 14. To request an absentee ballot, visit www.dcboee.com

Early Voting One Judiciary Square (441 4th St., NW) Oct. 20 - Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., (Closed on Sunday) Nine Early Voting Centers Oct. 25 - Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., (Closed Sunday)

Election Day Seniors at Model Cities Senior Wellness Center plant flowers, herbs and vegetables with Common Good City Farm students.

DCOA Holds Generations Community Festival

Tuesday, Nov. 4th, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Register The deadline to register and update registration information at vote4dc.com or via DCBOE Vote (mobile application) is Oct. 6, 2014. UOCAVA voters (military and overseas voters) may also update their registrations until Oct. 6, 2014 Local voters wishing to register or update their information after Oct. 6th should do so in person at an Early Voting Center or apply for same day registration at their local polling place on Election Day.

Contests on the Ballot Delegate to the US House of Representatives Mayor of the District of Columbia Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia Ward 1, 3, 5 and 6 Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Attorney General for the District of Columbia United States (“Shadow”) Representative United States (“Shadow”) Senator Ward 1, 3, 5 and 6 Members of the State Board of Education Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Offices Initiative 71: “Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amounts of Marijuana for Personal Use Act of 2014” For more information, visit www.dcboee.com or contact DC Board of Elections, 441 4th St. NW, Suite 250 North, Washington, DC 20001 Tel: (202) 727-2525 | TTY: (202) 639-8916 | Tollfree: 1-866-DC-VOTES

Seniors from the Hayes Senior Wellness Center were one of many acts that performed during the Generations Community Festival.

Hundreds of District residents attended the Generations Community Festival: A Celebration of Life held at the Gateway Pavilion, 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. SE. The free event featured activities for the entire family, including workshops on interior design and long-term care services; activities for children; information and resources for seniors, persons living with disabilities and veterans; fresh produce and meats from Whole Foods

Market; and free gently used clothing from A Wider Circle Pop Up Clothing Boutique. Senior vendors also had the opportunity to sell their handmade items, while live music and entertainment was also featured on the main stage hosted by WPGC 95.5 FM’s Pablo and Tati. For more information and to view more photos from the event, visit our website at www.dcoa.dc.gov or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DCAgingNews.

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

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar October Events 1st • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Flu shots will be available at Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, 1901 Evarts St. NE. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

2nd Flu shots will be available at Asbury Dwelling, 1616 Marion St. NW. For more information, call 202535-1321.

4th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a Community Health, Wellness and Informational Fair at Holy Name Catholic Church, 920 11th St. NE. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

6th • 11 a.m. A presentation on depression in older adults will be made at all Ward 5 senior nutrition sites. For more information, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

6th • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 10th Street Baptist Church will host a Community Health, Wellness and Informational Fair. The church is located at 1000 R St. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

7th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get a flu shot at the Asian/Pacific Islander Senior Service Center, 417 G Pl. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

7th and Nov. 5 • 6:30 to 8 p.m. Iona and Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights are partnering to provide a free forum for adult children and other caregivers of those with memory loss. On Oct. 7, the program is “Keeping Family Members with Memory Loss Active and Engaged,” presented

by Sharon O’Connor, director of Iona’s Wellness & Arts Center. On Nov. 5, the program “Supporting a Family Member with Memory Loss, Depression, or Anxiety” will be presented by social worker Bill Amt. The program will be held at Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights, 5555 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase, Md. To register for either or both sessions, email registration@iona.org or call 202-895-9448.

8th • noon to 2 p.m. Get a flu shot at Hubbard House, 3500 14th St. NW. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

9th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Flu shots will be available at, Vida Senior Center, 1842 Calvert St. NW. For more information, call 202535-1321.

9th • 11 a.m. A town hall meeting will be held at the Petersburg Senior Nutrition Site, 3298 Ft. Lincoln Dr. NE. For more information, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

9th • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 2014 Mayor’s Annual Disability Awareness Exposition will be held at the Great Hall of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. The free event is for all the D.C. residents with a disability, advocates, caregivers and providers to share information and valuable resources; build new relationships; participate in activities that are fun, relaxing and empowering. This event will feature more than 30 public and private programs & service providers. Register online at https://DisabilityAwarenessExpo.eventbrite.com. For more information and/or accommodations, contact Kali Wasenko at the Office of Disability Rights, 202-724-5055 or kali.wasenko@dc.gov.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING Spotlight On Aging is published by the Information Office of the D.C. Office on Aging for D.C. senior residents. Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the D.C. Office on Aging or by the publisher. 500 K St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002 202-724-5622 • www.dcoa.dc.gov John M. Thompson, Ph.D., FAAMA Executive Director Darlene Nowlin Editor Krystal Branton Photographer The D.C. Office on Aging does not discriminate against anyone based on actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subjected to disciplinary action. The Office on Aging is in partnership with the District of Columbia Recycling Program.

14th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bernice Elizabeth Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, 3531 Georgia Ave. NW will offer flu shots. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

14th • 11:30 a.m. Learn about mail scams at North Capitol @ Plymouth Senior Nutrition Site. For more information, contact Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

15th • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Southwest Waterfront AARP Chapter and DCOA’s Annual Community Health and Wellness Fair will be held at River Park Mutual Homes, 1311 Delaware Ave. SW. For further information, contact Chapter President Betty Jean Tolber t Jones, bettyjeantolbertjones@yahoo.com or 202554-0901.

16th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The D.C. Retired Teachers Association will host a Community Health, Wellness and Informational Fair at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, 4606 16th St. NW. DCOA Executive Director John Thompson will be the keynote speaker. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

17th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get a flu shot at the Hayes Senior Wellness Center, 500 K St. NE. For more information, call 202-535-1321.

22nd • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get a flu shot at St. Albans Senior Center, 4001 Wisconsin Ave. NW. For more information, call 202535-1321.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The earlier breast cancer is found, the better. Sign up for a breast cancer screening reminder from Project WISH, and we’ll remind you based on early detection guidelines. Women 40 years or older should have a mammogram and breast exam every year and report any breast changes to your doctor right away.

Project WISH recommends that women 40 and over have yearly mammograms — unless otherwise recommended by their practitioner. If you need further information on Breast Cancer or where to go get a mammogram please call Project WISH at 202-442-5900. According to a Rand report, D.C. ranks: # 1 in breast cancer deaths. # 1 in prostate cancer deaths. # 1 in colorectal cancer deaths among women, 5th among men.

DC Seniors Visit Canada Members of the Model Cities Senior Wellness Center joined the YMCA Golden Agers on a trip to Ottawa, Canada for a six-day excursion. The visit to the capital city of Canada included visits to the Royal Canadian Mint, a cruise on the

St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands, and visits to museums and art galleries. To find out more about exciting trips, contact your local center or call Sandra Hunter, YMCA Golden Agers at 202-862-9622.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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

Health Studies Page

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Help determine best treatment for gout By Barbara Ruben Gout, a painful form of arthritis, causes swollen, hot, red and stiff joints. Those who suffer with it do so in good company: Henry VIII suffered from gout. So did Luciano Pavarotti and Ansel Adams. Gout occurs when needle-like crystals of uric acid build up in the body as a result of the breakdown of substances called purines. Purines naturally occur in the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tissues and are also found in such foods as liver, dried beans and anchovies. Gout often attacks the big toe first, sending shooting pain through the joint. But it can also affect ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows. The condition often gets progressively worse. Men who are overweight, drink alcohol or eat foods high in purines, as well as people who have a family member with gout, are more likely to get the condition. There are several drugs on the market to control it. Researchers are now studying a drug called febuxostat, sold under the name brand Uloric, to see what dose might be most effective. Febuxostat is in a class of medications called xanthine oxidase inhibitors that work by decreasing the amount of uric acid made in the body. The study is recruiting 1,750 gout patients across the country. Locally, Alexandria Clinical Research in Virginia is seeking participants.

Some get new form of drug Those in the double-blind study will be randomly divided into five equal groups. All will take a daily pill, but neither the pa-

tients nor the doctors will know which medication they are getting. The first group will take 40 mg. of the extended release form of febuxostat, while the second will take an 80 mg. extended release capsule. The third group will take the 40 mg. intermediate release form, and the fourth, the 80 mg. intermediate release. The fifth group will take a placebo, a pill with no active drug. The extended release form of the drug has not yet been approved by the FDA, while the intermediate release form has. Everyone in the study will also take a 0.6 mg. dose of colchicine daily or every other day to prevent gout flare ups. Because colchicine can cause such side effects as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, those who cannot tolerate the medicine may be assigned other medications. All participants will be asked to take one capsule at the same time each day throughout the study. In addition, they will be asked to call an interactive voice response system any time they are having a gout flare up. The study lasts for approximately four months, and participants will make up to seven visits to the clinic.

Who can join the study? To qualify for the study, participants must be at least 18 years old, have a diagnosis of gout, and have had at least one flare up during the year prior to being screened for the study. Patients cannot have xanthinuria, a rare metabolic disorder, or have taken other gout medications, such as allopurinol or probenecid, within 20 days of starting the study drug.

Those with peptic ulcers cannot participate in the study, nor can those who have a history of cancer, other than basal cell carcinoma of the skin, within five years prior to the screening visit. Additionally, they cannot have had a heart attack, stroke or certain other cardiovascular conditions, or hepatitis B or C.

Those who consume more than 14 alcoholic beverages per week are also excluded. Qualified participants will receive all study-related procedures at no cost and may be compensated for time and travel. For more information, call Alexandria Clinical Research at (571) 286-8083, see www.alexanderclinicalresearch.com.

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

E-cigarettes might help some quit smoking By Marilynn Marchione The American Heart Association’s first policy statement on electronic cigarettes backs them as a last resort to help smokers quit. The American Cancer Society has no formal policy but quietly took a similar stance in May. Both groups express great concern about these popular nicotine-vapor products and urge more regulation, especially to keep them away from youth. They also stress that proven smoking cessation methods should always be tried first. But if those fail, “it is reasonable to have a conversation” about e-cigarettes, said Dr. Elliott Antman, president of the Heart Association, an organization that fights heart

disease through policy advocacy, research funding and other efforts. The Cancer Society, another group dedicated to medical research and advocacy, said e-cigarettes “may be a reasonable option” for people who could not quit after trying counseling and approved methods, such as nicotine gum and patches. Neither group recommends e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, and makers of the devices do not market them that way.

Do they replace or encourage smoking? E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that vaporize nicotine. They’ve been sold in the U.S. since 2007 and now have

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millions of users worldwide and nearly $2 billion in annual sales. They contain fewer toxic substances than traditional cigarettes do, but little is known about their health effects. Whether they help or hurt anti-smoking efforts is hotly debated. Some say they encourage smoking by letting people maintain their habit in places where cigarettes are banned. Others say they are a less risky way to satisfy a nicotine craving for people who want to quit, similar to how methadone is used to curb heroin abuse. This concept, called harm reduction, “is probably the most important and the most contentious issue that the tobacco community is dealing with right now,” said Tom Glynn, who recently retired as the Cancer Society’s top scientist on the e-cigarette issue. No solid evidence shows that e-cigarettes aid smoking cessation the way that nicotine gum and patches, and certain approved medications, can do. “We need hard-nosed regulation for ecigarettes, and we need more research,” Glynn said. But mostly, “we need to have people stop smoking combustible cigarettes.” The Heart Association stressed the toll — 20 million deaths in the U.S. alone from tobacco use over the last 50 years. “We are fiercely committed to preventing the tobacco industry from addicting another generation of samokers,” said the association’s chief executive Nancy Brown in a statement.

New health concerns? Besides nicotine — “a highly addictive chemical no matter what form it comes in”

— some e-cigarettes form other products such as formaldehyde, a carcinogen, Antman said. “There are many things we see as dark clouds on the horizon” about e-cigarettes’ effects on blood vessels and secondhand exposure, especially to pregnant women, he said. The Heart Association policy was published in its journal Circulation. The Cancer Society statement was in a patient page accompanying an article on e-cigarettes in the group’s journal for doctors. In April, the federal U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed treating e-cigarettes as tobacco products with rules such as a ban on sales to those under 18 and warning labels. In August, attorneys general from more than two dozen states sent a letter asking the agency to also ban flavors — more than 7,000 are available. The American Medical Association also has urged a ban on kid-appealing flavors and other moves to keep e-cigarettes out of young hands. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has pushed for regulation and does not embrace the view that e-cigarettes may have a role in smoking cessation. “Quitting smoking is hard,” and people often try several times before they succeed, said a statement from Vince Willmore, a spokesman for the group. If they can’t, doctors should work with them to come up with a plan, but the focus should be on approved therapies, he wrote. The American Heart Association’s e-cigarette policy is available at http://tinyurl.com/lc6sw43. The American Cancer Society’s position can be read at http://tinyurl.com/kxae2xk, — AP

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

Avoid too much, or too little, stomach acid Dear Pharmacist: Thank goodness we have them for when You’ve said that if you have twitches, those spicy buffalo wings revisit us at 1 a.m. leg cramps, spasms or heart arrhythBut indiscriminate consumption of acid mias you could be deficient blockers (sold without prescripin acid. tion in the United States) is not What does this mean? I a good idea. Understand, stomam taking an acid pill myach acid is not bad. It’s only bad self for reflux. — L.B. if it’s produced in excess. Dear L.B.: Did you know that you will You’re not taking an “acid” experience symptoms of heartpill, you’re taking an acidburn if you make too much blocking pill for reflux. Those acid, but also if you are defidrugs are suppressing acid so cient in acid? Weird, but true. you don’t get reflux. Healthy amounts of stomDEAR But this is important to ach acid keep the tiny trap door PHARMACIST know: If you run low on stom(sphincter) shut between your By Suzy Cohen ach acid, you will experience stomach and esophagus. This those symptoms above due to valve is pH sensitive, so in a your inability to extract minerals from healthy person it stays shut because of the your foods. natural production of acid in the stomach. You see, stomach acid is necessary to When you reduce stomach acid, your get minerals and nutrients out of your food stomach pH increases, and this causes the and into your cells. Acid-blocking drugs in- trap door to swing open, causing hearthibit that process, causing undigested burn. That’s why some people who take a food globules to pass through your stom- digestive acid supplement (like betaine) ach, and microscopic proteins to leak into sometimes feel better. your blood stream. Small amounts of healthy digestive That could launch an auto-immune at- acids keep the trap door shut and the acid tack. So having sufficient stomach acid is where it should be (down in your stomimportant to your entire digestive tract. ach) as opposed to your throat! I’m not against acid-blocking drugs. ConSigns of low acid (termed hypochlorhytrolling a genuine problem is fine with me. dria) include heartburn! Surprised? It’s

true. Also, you may see irritable bowel, belching, cramps, food sensitivities, rheumatoid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, gallbladder disease, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, yeast infections and rosacea. You will certainly have chronic fatigue, because acid is needed to give you minerals, which then participate in the production of both thyroid and adrenal hormones. No doubt, a little betaine can breathe life into some tired people, but get your doctor’s approval first, even though this is available over the counter. Only your doctor knows what is right for you. Digestive acids are sold at health food stores under names such as “betaine hydrochloride,” “betaine with pepsin” or

“trimethylglycine.” Begin supplementation by titrating your dosage upward based on symptom relief. Take acid supplements during your meal or right after, and space them apart by five minutes if you take more than one pill. Ask a knowledgeable practitioner if acid supplements are right for you, and have your zonulin and gastrin levels tested. 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.

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Lots of choices in cancer-fighting veggies Q: I hear a lot about cruciferous vegetables, but what else does this include besides broccoli? Do the others offer the same health benefits? A: All cruciferous vegetables provide compounds that show potential to reduce cancer risk in several ways. In laboratory studies, these compounds seem to decrease inflammation, inhibit enzymes that activate carcinogens, stimulate enzymes that deactivate carcinogens, and decrease cancer cells’ ability to spread. They seem to turn on tumor suppressor genes, which slow cell growth so that cell damage can be repaired, and stimulate self-destruction of abnormal cells. What’s more, cruciferous vegetables are all excel-

lent sources of vitamin C. However, human studies are inconsistent in showing a link between cruciferous vegetable consumption and reduced cancer risk. It’s possible that some people may get greater cancer protection from cruciferous vegetables than others due to genetic differences affecting how the body processes the compounds they contain. Within the wide variety of cruciferous vegetables, choices differ in the other nutrients they provide. Dark green choices such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe (rapini), mustard and collard greens, Swiss chard, kale and bok choy provide beta-carotene

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Other sources of excess calories from and tend to be rich in vitamin K. The red color in red cabbage and radishes signals vegetarian foods include beverages like the presence of flavonoid compounds sodas, alcohol, and even juice, smoothies and sweetened milk alternacalled anthocyanins. tives. Some cruciferous vegetaIntervention studies show bles, such as broccoli, Brusthat as long as people limit sels sprouts, cauliflower, colcalories, a vegetarian diet lard and mustard greens and does not produce any greater broccoli rabe (rapini) are high weight loss than a non-vegein folate, which helps protect tarian option. our DNA. Other cruciferous If you tend to eat portions vegetables that add further larger than you need, or eat in variety include cabbage, brocresponse to stress or emocolini, broccoflower, kohlrabi, NUTRITION tions, those are habits to adturnips and rutabaga. WISE dress regardless of the type of Differences in cooking and By Karen Collins, diet you eat. preparation may influence MS, RD, CDM A vegetarian diet is one alwhat these vegetables proternative for a diet that can vide. Enjoy experimenting with variety in the ways you fix broccoli both promote good health and provide filland the many other cruciferous vegeta- ing amounts of low-calorie foods to promote weight loss. bles. Even if you don’t completely adopt a Q: Will adopting a vegetarian diet vegetarian diet, you can replace some of help me lose weight? A: It may. Vegetarians, especially vegans your high calorie food and drinks with (who eat no animal products at all) do tend non-starchy vegetables and unsweetened to be less overweight than non-vegetari- drinks. You can also reduce your portion size ans. But to lose weight, you’ve got to eat of other foods to cut calories with a plantfewer calories than you burn. Vegetarian focused, but non-vegetarian, eating patdiets typically include lots of vegetables tern. The American Institute for Cancer Reand fruits, which contain fewer calories than the same size portion of most other search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800-843foods. So by following this type of diet, 8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through you may automatically reduce your calo- Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A ries. Overeating even healthful vegetarian registered dietitian will return your call, usufoods though, will likely keep you from los- ally within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for ing weight. For example, a serving of vegetarian foods such as guacamole, cheese, Cancer Research. Questions for this column nuts and seeds, is actually higher in calo- may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St. ries than a serving of some seafood, poul- NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally. try and lean meat.

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Spicy, colorful Moroccan-style cauliflower Treat yourself to turmeric-spiced cauliflower. With its vibrant yellow color and superb nutritional value, turmeric lets you get creative with cauliflower. A prized aromatic spice in African, East Indian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine, turmeric powers both the flavor and color in this cancerprotective cauliflower dish. Obtained from the rhizome of a plant of the ginger family, it was traditionally called “Indian saffron.” Peppery, warm, yet pleasantly bitter with a mild fragrance that slightly resembles orange and ginger, turmeric is gaining popularity in U.S. cooking for its aesthetic qualities as well as its cancer-prevention potential. Turmeric has long been used as a powerful anti-inflammatory in other parts of the world. Among many mechanisms that may help prevent cancer, research shows that the antioxidant actions of turmeric’s yellow-orange pigment curcumin help protect cells from free radicals that can damage cellular DNA. When coupled with cauliflower’s cancerprotective isothiocyanates, which include sulforaphane, you have a super nutritious, attractive dish. When buying turmeric, consider looking for it in a local spice store; doing so

may be almost as good as smelling the spice-filled air of chaotic outdoor Moroccan markets. The color of turmeric varies and is not an indication of quality, so select one with a pleasant fragrance. Store turmeric in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place. Turmeric can be used to brighten and flavor rice, lentils, salad dressings and other vegetables. Be sure to cut the cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces to ensure uniform cooking. Also, let the garlic sit for 10 to15 minutes after mincing to let the cancerprotective allicin compounds in garlic form. Cutting the garlic activates its alliinase enzyme that releases these beneficial phytochemicals. Quick-steaming the cauliflower and garlic in broth with turmeric infuses a rich flavor and gorgeous color, and gets the just right tender-crisp quality while preser ving cauliflower’s beneficial sulforaphane. Moroccan cooking often uses a trio of olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro to bring out the full flavor of vegetables. Easy to make, this cauliflower dish can be enjoyed warm, room temperature or chilled. Pair Moroccan-style cauliflower with roasted herbed chicken and whole-wheat couscous, or serve with hummus, whole-

wheat pita bread and a salad with an olive oil dressing brightened with a pinch of turmeric for a dazzling and delightful meal.

Moroccan-Style Cauliflower 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth 4 cups cauliflower florets 2 medium cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. powdered turmeric 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1-2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro Pour broth in large skillet over mediumhigh heat. When broth begins to steam

add cauliflower, garlic and turmeric. Stir to combine and cover. Cook cauliflower 4 to 5 minutes for al dente or 5 to 6 minutes for more tender. Remove skillet from heat and transfer cauliflower mixture into medium bowl. Add oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss to combine well. Sprinkle on cilantro and gently toss. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 101 calories, 7 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 8 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 167 mg. sodium. — American Institute for Cancer Research

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When you want something, or want it back Dear Solutions: I don’t know how to go about this. I love a set of silver bowls that my mother-in-law has. I think they’re out of this world and I’d really like her to leave them to us in her will. My husband has an older brother who’s married, and we get along, but I’d be very disappointed if they got the set. Can I say something about it to my mother-in-law or would that sound like I’m pushing? — Anita

Dear Anita: If “say something about it” means ask her to leave them to you in her will, don’t do it. It sounds like you’re pushing her “out of this world” so you can keep the bowls in this world for yourself. The whole idea might really bowl her over. What’s the hurry? Actually, what you should do is express your admiration of the bowls to her. She might get the idea herself that a bequest would be appreciated. However, silver has a long life, so don’t tarnish your image by making her think

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

LONGER SENIOR CENTER HOURS The Montgomery County Department of Recreation has

announced expanded hours and programs for seniors at three local centers. Holiday Park Senior Center has added extended evening hours (now open until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays). The Margaret Schweinhaut Center is now open six days per week, and the Damascus Senior Center is now open eight additional hours per week. For more information about senior services or programs, call (240) 777-4924.

you’d like to shorten hers. ship is more valuable than the bowl. AskDear Solutions: ing for it back after all this time may be At a gathering in my neighbor’s house good for your pantry but bad for your relasome time ago, ever yone tionship. Take your choice. brought a little dessert or Dear Solutions: salad or something to add to I met a man I like, and the festivities. I’m very attracted to him. I brought something in a We’ve only gone out a coufavorite bowl of mine, and ple of times, but I know it’s since it was still in use going to lead to sex. when I left, I couldn’t take I’m ver y afraid of disit back with me at the time. eases. Do you think I could Now I would like it back, ask him to be sexually exbut I stepped into a meeting clusive with me right at the SOLUTIONS she was having recently and beginning? By Helen Oxenberg, saw it actually being used as — I. MSW, ACSW part of her service. I think Dear I.: Begin at the beginning, she thinks it was part of the which is the relationship, not the sex. Exclugift and was meant for her to keep. It’s been a couple of months now, so sivity grows naturally out of the talks, the how do I ask for it back without em- walks, the movies, the dinners, the values, barrassing her or myself? I would like the getting to know someone and the caring. to remain friendly with her. When you both care enough about each — Miriam other to want an exclusive relationship, Dear Miriam: that’s when you can talk about your sex life. © Helen Oxenberg, 2014. Questions to be Sounds like it’s past its due date, and there will be a penalty if you ask for its late considered for this column may be sent to: return now. Unless it’s really of great The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, value, you’ll be better off joining her in her MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about assumption that it was a gift. The main assumption is that the friend- reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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Oct. 12

OKTOBERFEST The City of Gaithersburg presents the 23rd annual celebration of

Oktoberfest at the Kentlands on Sunday, Oct. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. The festival covers Kentlands Village Green, the grounds of Kentlands Mansion, Main Street and Market Square, all connected by marked walking paths and a festival-wide trolley route. There will be wine-tasting, a traditional beer garden, food vendors, music and dancing. Admission and parking are free. Free wheelchair accessible

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Money Law &

THINK SMALL FOR BIG $$ Smaller companies can pay out large dividends; how to find them TRIM YOUR GROCERY BILL Learn how to strategically shop sales, use store apps and haggle to save JUICE UP CASH RETURNS To earn more on cash holdings, diversify with money and bond funds BAD PENNIES? Low-cost penny stocks can sometimes be fraudulent investments

Ditch rising stocks or stick with them? By Bernard Condon Is it time to cash out of stocks? The market has nearly tripled in a little over five years, and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed above 2,000 for the first time in late August. With each record, the temptation grows to take your winnings and flee. Plenty of experts think stocks are about to drop. But many others offer compelling arguments for the rally to continue for years. The bulls point to a strengthening U.S. economy. They also like that companies have plenty of money to keep buying back their own stock. The bears argue that stocks already reflect years of future profit gains. They also note that many economies around the world are stumbling, and that U.S. interest rates could rise soon. Remember, though, that even the best investors find it nearly impossible to time the market to catch the lows and highs. Here are the bull and bear cases in detail:

Reasons to be bullish A stronger economy: Four of the past five bull markets have ended with investors selling in a recession, or bailing

out because they anticipated one. The odds of a downturn anytime soon? Not very high, at least based on the latest economic reports and forecasts. The U.S. economy is expected to grow 1.5 percent this year, then 3.4 percent in 2015, according to recent Congressional Budget Office estimates. One reason is companies are hiring at the fastest pace in eight years. “This recovery will last several more years,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management. Analysts expect earnings from companies in the S&P 500 to rise 8 percent this year, then 12 percent in 2015, according to S&P Capital IQ. Low interest rates: Interest rates are low, and that’s been great for stocks. They help lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. They also hold down interest payments on bonds, making stocks look more attractive by comparison. Many investors expect the Federal Reserve to start raising short-term rates in the middle of next year. If the Fed keeps the hikes small, the stock market might shrug it off. That’s what happened in the last round of Fed hikes, in 2004, when the

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S&P 500 gained 9 percent. Torsten Slok, chief international economist at Deutsche Bank Securities, notes that the short-term rates that helped drag stocks down at the end of the last seven bull markets were all higher than 4 percent. With the Fed holding those rates near zero, it could take many hikes for borrowing costs to rise enough to cause damage. Buyback boom: One of the biggest forces in the stock rally so far is companies buying back their own shares. Companies in the S&P 500 have spent $1.9 trillion on buybacks since the bull market began in March 2009, according to Howard Silverblatt, a senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. By creating more demand for stocks, buybacks have kept prices rising even as other big investors sell. Mutual funds, investment brokers, foreigners and pension funds have been net sellers of stocks over most of the last five years, according to the Fed. Companies have pulled back sharply from their near-record buying in the first quarter, but their buybacks are still pushing up prices. And companies in the S&P 500 still have more than $1.1 trillion in cash, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Reasons to be bearish Stocks aren’t cheap: It’s fine to forecast big profit gains well into the future, but what if prices fully reflect expected gains? That’s what many bears think. They cite the price-earnings ratio, or the price of a stock divided by its earnings per share. If a share costs $100 and the company is expected to earn $5 per share in the coming year, the P/E ratio is 20. The S&P 500 now trades at 15 times what companies are expected to earn over the next 12 months, according to FactSet. That is slightly above the 10-year average of 14.1. The problem is, P/Es are often not reliable gauges of stock value. They are based on just one year’s earnings, which can rise and fall along with the economy. Many experts believe a better P/E is a “cyclically adjusted” ratio, which averages earnings over 10 years. It is currently 26. That’s far below the peak of 44 it reached in the late 1990s, but it’s still very high. Since the end of World War II, the average is 18.3. Those expected rate hikes: The Fed may be able to raise rates slowly without

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Smaller companies may pay big dividends By Stan Choe In the hunt for dividends, biggest doesn’t always mean best. Big, blue chip stocks are often the first stop for many dividend investors. Companies like Exxon Mobil or Procter & Gamble have long histories of paying dividends and higher yields than the market’s average. But smaller companies pay dividends too, and some mutual-fund managers count them among the best opportunities to find dividend growth. That’s why Don Taylor, who has managed the Franklin Rising Dividends fund since 1996, prefers companies a tier or two below the dividend behemoths. He considers the sweet spot to be companies valued

between $20 billion and $50 billion. Exxon Mobil, in comparison, is worth $422 billion, and Procter & Gamble, more than $219 billion. The average market value of companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index is $36 billion. One of the biggest investments in Taylor’s fund is Roper Industries, an industrial company worth $14 billion. At first glance, it may not look like a great dividend stock with a yield of 0.6 percent. Taylor has been comfortable with the low yield because Roper has been using a lot of its cash to buy competitors to accelerate its growth. Those acquisitions helped Roper’s annual revenue nearly quintuple over a decade and top $3 billion last year.

But finding acquisitions big enough to make a significant impact on its results — at attractive prices — is getting tougher. So Taylor expects Roper to steer more of its cash toward its dividend. Earlier this year, Roper hiked its payout by 21 percent.

Easier to grow when small “These companies are big enough that they’re important or leading businesses, but they’re not so big that it becomes really difficult to grow,” he said. His fund’s 15-year returns rank in the top 9 percent of its category and top the S&P 500, though they’ve lagged the index the last few years. Some dividend-focused mutual funds focus on even smaller companies. The Principal Small-MidCap Dividend Income fund concentrates on stocks with market values below $7 billion, for example. It has a four-star rating from Morningstar. “People tend to overlook these small and mid-cap companies,” said Jill Cuniff, president of Edge Asset Management, which runs the fund. “This space is absolutely under-cov-

Stocks From page 45 damaging the economy and stock markets. But its record isn’t entirely reassuring. Three of the past five bull markets ended after the Fed increased rates. If the central bank finds itself scrambling to contain inflation and has to raise rates sharply, stocks could fall 20 percent. Inflation doesn’t appear to be a problem right now. But that could change fast if the economy heats up. Struggling economies abroad: U.S. companies rely more than ever on foreign economies remaining healthy. Unfortunate-

ered by Wall Street,” enabling investors to find underappreciated dividend payers. The fund has been focusing on Business Development Companies, or BDCs, for example, which invest in small and mid-size companies. Cuniff expects these companies, which are generally small in size, to grow due to heightened regulations at competing big banks. BDCs are also structured in a way that allows them to pass on most of their earnings to investors without paying corporate income taxes. That means they can offer dividend yields as high as 9 percent, though their stock prices have also been volatile in recent months.

Risks and rewards To be sure, smaller dividend stocks aren’t sure things. A big run up in prices for the smallest stocks during this bull market means they generally look more expensive than large-cap stocks relative to their earnings. Small-cap stocks can also See DIVIDENDS, page 47

ly, many of those economies are stumbling. The 18 countries that share the euro didn’t grow at all last quarter. China is slowing rapidly, and Japan shrank 7 percent compared with a year earlier. Most economists expect the U.S. to shrug off the troubles abroad. But not everyone. David Levy, an economist, predicted the last U.S. recession with uncanny precision. He said another one is coming next year. The cause: Downturns elsewhere, not domestic trouble. Even if he’s wrong, slowing economies overseas will still matter, since companies in the S&P 500 generate nearly half their sales abroad. — AP

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How to choose the best long-term stocks By Elliot Raphaelson One of the central maxims of billionaire investor Warren Buffett is that you want to buy stock in companies that have good moats. We all know what a castle moat does: It keeps out invaders. What Buffett is referring to is an impregnable barrier that keeps out business competitors. He likes to buy undervalued securities of companies with competitive advantages they can sustain for the long term — and to hold onto the securities forever. The financial research and management firm Morningstar has used the moat concept as the foundation of a successful stock-investing philosophy, according to a new book compiled by a team of executives and analysts. In Why Moats Matter (Wiley), they elaborate on the company’s rating system for companies whose common stock it believes is both underpriced and will main-

Dividends From page 46 have sharper declines than bigger companies when markets are rocky. But adherents say that dividend payers among small-cap stocks aren’t as expensive as their high-growth peers. They also point to the pluses of dividend stocks in general: Returns when stock prices are volatile: The value of dividends shone through in 2011. That year, the S&P 500 index was virtually flat after worries about the European debt crisis and a downgrade of the U.S. credit rating shook markets. But the index nevertheless returned 2.1 percent after including dividends. From 2000 through 2010, the S&P 500 dropped 14.4 percent, but the payment of dividends meant that it still had a positive

tain value on a long-term basis. Short-term speculators will not benefit from this book, but buy-and-hold investors will learn a lot about figuring out which companies have such long-term advantages, and how to tell if a stock price is undervalued.

Cost advantage is the power to price products or services cheaper than the competition. When companies with this advantage offer the same price as the competition, they are more profitable. Managed care companies are an example of large organizations that use economies of scale to drive down their costs. Switching cost — the one-time expense or inconvenience that a customer incurs when he changes from one product to another — protects other companies. The authors cite Apple as a prime example of a company whose customers suffer if they change products. Network effect occurs when more and more consumers use a given company’s product or service, increasing its value

Five competitive advantages Morningstar has identified five sources of competitive advantage: intangible assets, cost advantage, switching cost, network effect and efficient scale. Let’s consider each. Intangible assets include such things as brands, patents or government licenses that provide a long-term competitive advantage. The authors cite Disney as an example of a company whose brand power allows it to diversify into many profitable areas while making it difficult for competitors to keep up. Examples of government protection are casinos, which benefit from limited licenses. 4.6 percent return. Income in a low-yield world: With populations aging around the world, the appetite is high for income-producing investments. Bond yields remain low, and many income investors have moved to stocks in search of greater returns. Edge’s Cuniff said some of the strongest demand she’s seeing for its dividend-focused strategies is coming from Asia and elsewhere outside the United States. A commitment to investors: Some investors find reassurance in seeing actual cash payments from companies, particularly after the lingering effects of Enron and other accounting scandals. When a company pays a dividend, it also forces a level of discipline on its managers. CEOs are reluctant to cut a dividend for fear of a backlash by investors. — AP

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and making it more difficult for competitors to enter the field. Expedia and Priceline are examples of companies whose “economic profits are protected by the network effect.” These companies maintain large collections of travel inventories, which increase their appeal. Whenever I travel, I always start with Expedia, and rarely do I have to go elsewhere. Efficient scale occurs when a market of limited size is effectively served by one or a few companies. The companies in the business generate sufficient profits, but potential competitors are discouraged because that would result in insufficient profSee LONG-TERM STOCKS, page 49

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Many ways to trim spending on groceries By Cameron Huddleston I’m not a big fan of using coupons at the supermarket because of the time it takes to find, clip and organize them. I employ several other strategies to save on groceries instead. But after talking to supermarket savings expert Teri Gault, I realized I was missing a lot of opportunities to cut costs even more. Gault is the founder and CEO of TheGroceryGame.com, which helps consumers get the best deals on groceries by combining sales with coupons. She said that buying only what you need for a week’s worth of meals is the worst thing for your budget. Instead, Gault advocates what she calls investing — stocking up on nonperishable items or foods that

can be frozen when they’re deeply discounted — and planning meals around what’s on sale and what you already have. This strategy alone can help cut your grocery bill in half, she said. By following the following 10 tips, you can take advantage of sales and special discounts — with or without coupons — so you can save money at the supermarket and have more money in your budget for other things: 1. Know how to use the sale circular. You can find supermarkets’ weekly ads, or circulars, on their websites or as you enter the stores. These will help you pinpoint some of the best deals. Typically, loss leaders — products sold at or below cost to entice shoppers — are featured on

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the first page of a store’s circular. You should stock up on any of these deeply discounted items that can be frozen, and plan your week’s meals around the perishable ones. Be aware that not everything listed in the circular is actually on sale, Gault said. Some are simply items the store is promoting in hopes of getting customers to buy them at full price. You’ll know because there won’t be a sale price listed on the shelf sticker. 2. Download store apps. Most supermarkets have free mobile apps that offer shoppers exclusive discounts. You’ll likely need to be a member of the store’s loyalty program so you can add the deals you want to your account and have the discount applied at checkout. However, Gault said most of the discounts offered via apps are for regularsized packages, and the better deal can actually be the value pack...which brings us to the next point: 3. Learn how to recognize the best sales. Just because an item is on sale doesn’t mean it’s the best deal. Anything that has a limit on it likely is a loss leader and a good deal, she said. However, a buy-one-get-the-second-50percent-off promotion is really only 25 percent off each item, and a good sale is a dis-

count of at least 50 percent, Gault said. And before you pick up produce from the big display marked “sale” as you enter the store, look around that department or check the circular, because Gault said you’ll likely find fruits and vegetables that have even better markdowns. 4. Take advantage of holiday sales. Some items are at their lowest prices of the year around certain holidays. Use these opportunities to stock up. For example, condiments, salad dressing, ground beef, hot dogs, chicken, chips, soda, beer and paper goods are deeply discounted around Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day, Gault said. Around Thanksgiving, you can find sales on canned goods, stuffing, turkey, frozen pies, and baking items such as flour, yeast, sugar and chocolate chips. Purchase low-calorie frozen meals and diet items, cold remedies, frozen appetizers, teas and soups around New Year’s Eve and into January. And you’ll find the cheapest prices of the year on steaks on Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day, Gault said. 5. Don’t assume organics are more expensive. When organic items — especially proSee GROCERIES, page 49

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Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge. Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. • Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing. Contact Washington, DC Lifeline Program at 1-800-253-0846 to apply To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org. Economy II is a Lifeline supported service. Lifeline is a government assistance program. Only eligible consumers may enroll. You may qualify for Lifeline service if you can show proof that you participate in certain government assistance programs or your annual income (gross and from all sources) is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. If you qualify based on income, you will be required to provide income verification. Proof of participation in a government assistance program requires your current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a qualifying state or federal program; a notice letter or other official document indicating your participation in such a program; and/or another program participation document (for example, benefit card). Proof of income requires your prior year’s state or federal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a statement of Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement, pension, or Unemployment or Workmen’s Compensation benefits; a federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; a divorce decree; a child support award; and/or another official document containing income information. At least three months of data is necessary when showing proof of income. In addition, the Lifeline program is limited to one discount per household, consisting of either wireline or wireless service. You are required to certify and agree that no other member of the household is receiving Lifeline service from Verizon or another communications provider. Lifeline service is a non-transferable benefit. Lifeline customers may not subscribe to certain other services, including other local telephone service. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain the Lifeline benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or can be barred from the program.

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

Long-term stocks From page 47 its for everyone. The authors give the example of a pipeline that has a slightly larger carrying capacity than existing demand. No competitor would build a new pipeline without a significant cost advantage.

Look for undervalued companies From an investor’s perspective, these advantages are not enough. Valuation is

Groceries From page 48 duce — go on sale, you often can get them cheaper than conventional ones, Gault said. 6. Check package sizes. Rather than raise prices on their products, some manufacturers have shrunk package sizes. So before you grab the item with the cheaper price, Gault said, compare its “per unit” price with that of other brands to see if you’re really getting a deal. She also said that many shoppers mistakenly assume that the biggest package is the best deal. Many times, though, the medium-size package has the better price per unit — except when the small packages go on sale, Gault said. 7. Don’t limit your search to one department. Gault said there typically are four places in a supermarket to find bread: the bakery, the bread aisle, the frozen section and the refrigerated section. You can find juice in the produce department, the refrigerated juice case and the frozen aisle. Cheese is available at the deli, in the cheese aisle, and with gourmet items. So if you can’t find these items on sale in one section, check another. 8. Be wary of clearance items. Items on clearance usually aren’t marked

important as well. Buffett only buys companies he considers undervalued, and so does Morningstar. A chapter of Why Moats Matter is devoted to the company’s rating system for the value of specific common stocks. A fivestar rating — their highest — is assigned when a stock trades at a 20 percent discount to fair value. However, the rating system takes uncertainty into consideration, and if analysts feel highly uncertain about the value of a given security, they might require a 50 percent disdown more than 50 percent and often are damaged, Gault said. You frequently can get better prices when items go on sale. The exception is spices, which rarely are marked down 50 percent. So when you see them on the clearance shelf, grab them. 9. Haggle. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount on food items that are near their “sell by” date, Gault said. Stores must sell items by that date, but it doesn’t mean the item will be bad after that day. [See “Expiration dates aren’t about safety,” in the April Beacon.] If you buy sandwich meat at the deli counter, ask the deli manager if the store has meat that’s about to expire and is discounted. It still should be fresh several days after its expiration date. 10. Be diligent at the checkout. It might be hard to pay attention as the clerk is ringing up the items from your cart. But you need to watch the prices as they appear on the checkout screen to make sure you’re getting all the discounts you deserve, Gault said. For example, sometimes scanners haven’t been programmed for sales, so you get charged full price for an item that’s supposed to be 50 percent off. Check your receipt, too, for any errors. © 2014, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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count to fair value to award five stars. A onestar rating indicates a company that is significantly overvalued and suitable for selling. The book contains several chapters about specific industries, such as basic materials, consumer products, energy, financial services, healthcare and so forth. These chapters provide very useful information if you are considering purchasing stocks in these industries. Many investors prefer to own individual

stocks instead of, or in addition to, funds. If you are a long-term investor, I recommend this book highly. Morningstar and Buffett have shown that, if you are careful in selecting companies with a competitive advantage at the right price, you can earn excellent returns. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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

Some ways to juice up your cash returns By Jeffrey R. Kosnett Cash has its virtues. It lets you sleep better. And everyone eventually needs some liquid currency, whether it’s to pay for a minor aggravation (say, to fix a fender bender) or a major one (the car was totaled). By design, I keep 10 percent of my IRA in my broker’s cash account. When that proportion creeps up, I flag the excess cash and reinvest it in a high-dividend stock and a couple of bond funds. So my mission here isn’t to debate whether you should build a cash reserve. You should. Rather, the topic is where you can get 1 percent or more safely. Let’s call 1 percent the Bernanke Line, a play on baseball’s Mendoza Line, the .200 batting average that separates awful hitters from the merely mediocre.

Diversify cash holdings Three times a year, we devote a page in our monthly newsletter, “Kiplinger’s Investing for Income,” to a portfolio called Juiced-Up Cash. One of the goals of this portfolio is to get you to think of cash as a financial asset that should be spread among six to eight different investments. Should interest rates eventually increase to the point that you can collect, say, 2.5 percent from an insured online bank account, you won’t need as much diversification. In the meantime, you need to squeeze the most juice out of your cash. Start by putting 20 percent of your cash stash in Fidelity Floating Rate High Income (symbol FFRHX, yield 2.9 percent),

which invests in bank loans made to companies with below-average credit ratings. Put 10 percent in Wells Fargo Advantage Short-Term High Yield bond (STHBX, 2.0 percent). Like the Fidelity fund, the Wells Fargo fund takes credit risk, but offers some protection against rising interest rates (bond prices move in the opposite direction of rates). For foreign diversification, put another 10 percent in SPDR Barclays Short Term International Treasury Bond ETF (BWZ, 0.6 percent). For safety, put 15 percent into an online savings account and 15 percent in a oneyear certificate of deposit. Then put 15 percent in a short-term bond mutual fund or exchange-traded fund, and another 15 percent in an ultra-short bond fund or ETF. Choose among top-tier firms, such as Fidelity, Pimco and Vanguard, and the risk of mismanagement will be low. If you had invested $50,000 in this portfolio at the start of 2014, it would have generated $576 of income, and the principal would have grown in value to $50,172 by midsummer, for a total return of roughly 1.5 percent. If the second half of the year is as good as the first, you’ll earn about 3 percent for the year. That would put you well beyond the Bernanke Line. Jeffrey R. Kosnett is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Investors can lose big with penny stocks By Kathy Kristof Paul Allen understands all too well the pitfalls of purchasing penny stocks. Last spring, Allen, a 65-year-old retiree from Boston, invested in Vapor Hub International (symbol VHUB) after receiving a flood of e-mails suggesting that shares of the e-cigarette company were about to take off. He quickly lost 80 percent of his investment. The stock, which hit 87 cents in early April, closed at 11 cents on July 31 and sank to 1 cent on Sept. 15. Allen won’t be the last investor to suffer such a fate. Encouraged by a bull market and the exorbitant prices companies are paying to buy start-ups, more and more people are hoping to make a killing with penny stocks. According to OTC Markets Group,

where many tiny companies trade, some $26 billion in penny stock shares changed hands in 2013, up 46 percent from the previous year’s volume.

Fraud concerns The SEC, which defines penny stocks as those that trade for less than $5 per share, said this market is unusually vulnerable to fraud for a variety of reasons: Few seasoned analysts follow penny stocks, financial information is scarce, and many supposedly unbiased reports are actually written by paid promoters. The SEC doesn’t list enforcement actions based on market capitalization, but the agency has shut down hundreds of suspicious stocks in the past year. Of course, plenty of legitimate outfits with tiny share prices — so-called micro caps — eventually grow into bigger concerns and reward shareholders. On average, about 50 firms graduate to larger exchanges each year, said Cromwell Coulson, CEO of OTC Markets Group. He said his exchange tries to curb fraud by making financial information more readily available, and by adding a skulland-crossbones warning to a company’s listing when the exchange learns that the stock is the subject of an e-mail campaign. But the warnings often come too late for individual investors such as Allen. The best way to avoid penny stock scams is to do independent research, said Ken Springer, a former FBI agent who conducts investigations for institutional investors.

Finding legitimate investments Start by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Look at a company’s 10-K annual report, 10-Q quarterly reports, and Form 8-K filings, in which companies report “material” events. Checking out promoters can be tougher, but some telltale signs are readily available. For example, disclosures on the websites of the two newsletters that contacted Allen revealed that they had received payments from Vapor Hub. Said Allen: “I’ve been torturing myself over this. It’s not that I didn’t know the right questions to ask. It’s that I invested before I asked the questions.” Kathy Kristof is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2014 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

Civil War buff Keith White leads hikes through nearby Civil War sites. See story on page 56.

Cancun mixes resort life, Mayan culture

Home base built for tourists Today, visitors to the modern city of Cancun, and the surrounding Yucatan peninsula, have opportunities to combine the attractions of a major resort destination with explorations of remnants of the Mayan culture, ranging from tiny struc-

tures to vast magnificent cities. The isolated site inhabited by iguanas could be hidden deep in the jungles of Mexico. Instead, the ruins of El Ray are only a short walk from modern civilization in Cancun, with its sparkling white sand beaches and high-rise hotels. The city stretches along 14 miles of beaches that overlook the crystal clear, multi-hued water of the Caribbean Sea. Most visitors stay in the hotel zone (zona hotelera), a narrow strip of land nestled between the sea and a wide inland lagoon. Towering hotels line the waterfront, familiar chain restaurants vie for customers with locally owned eateries, and upscale shops offer the latest fashions in clothes and expensive accessories. This glitzy setting resulted from the selection of the location by the Mexican government decades ago, along with other sites in the country, to be developed as tourism destinations. At the time, this was an area of mangrove forests, deserted beaches and scattered fishing villages. The coastline that stretches south of Cancun is known as the Riviera Maya, and it is dotted with inviting beachfront resorts like pearls on a necklace. As with its European counterpart, visitors to the Mexican version may combine relaxing sun-andsand vacations with a full menu of recreational activities. Golfers have a choice of courses that were designed by such legends as Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, among others. Water-related sports include fishing,

PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT CANCUN

By Victor Block The narrow path leads through low jungle growth, beneath long vines hanging from tree branches that would prompt Tarzan to howl with delight. Iguanas lazing in the sunlight that filters through the trees resemble prehistoric monsters frozen in stillness. The shadowy setting suddenly gives way to a clearing. Along its edge stands the remains of a small pyramid-shaped temple surrounded by stone platforms and round columns which, centuries ago, supported a roof. Here at some time during the 13th to 15th centuries BCE, worshipers built ceremonial memorials to their gods. They were members of the Mayan people, who inhabited much of what is now Mexico and several surrounding countries. The rich civilization that they built beginning about 2000 BCE lasted until the arrival of Spanish explorers and settlers in the 16th century CE. The Mayan people left behind a legacy of advanced achievements — including a fully developed written language, magnificent architecture, vibrant art, and sophisticated systems of mathematics and astronomy.

The Mexican city of Cancun features 14 miles of beaches sandwiched between the turquoise Caribbean and a wide inland lagoon. In addition to the usual tourist attractions of an ocean beach, visitors can take a 45-minute boat ride to four-mile-long Isla Mujeres to see the remains of a small Mayan temple. More dramatic Mayan ruins can be found south of Cancun, along the Riviera Maya.

snorkeling and diving, wind surfing, jet skiing and parasailing. For those who prefer to keep their feet planted firmly on the ground, opportunities for bicycling, horseback riding and allterrain vehicle touring are available.

Mayan archeological treasures

PHOTO BY LEN KAUFMAN

Chichen Itza includes a 98-foot tall pyramid that towers over a Mayan compound that was settled more than 1,200 years ago. About a 2½ hour drive from Cancun, it is one of the best-restored Mayan settlements.

Along with the glitz and glitter of contemporary Cancun, connection with the world of the Mayans remains strong. Resorts have names like Mayan Palace and Ocean Maya Royale. The architecture of some hotels echoes the pyramid shape of Mayan structures and other design features. Some health and beauty spas offer treatments derived from Mayan formulas. These random examples only hint at the nearby archeological treasures that await exploration. In addition to touches of that civilization that are found in Cancun itself, more than 30 ancient sites are within driving distance, making the city a major gateway to the Mayan world. The Mayan Museum in the hotel zone is the perfect place to begin an immersion in that ancient culture. While its exhibits showcase great architectural achievements, I found equally interesting artifacts from the people’s daily lives. Cooking implements, incense burners, jewelry and other displays provide evidence of the good life, Mayan style. Sculptures and structural fragments brought

from a number of sites serve as reminders that the once-great culture stretched across Mexico and beyond. The perfect segue after leaving the museum is to follow the path that winds through a compact jungle-like setting adjacent to the building to the San Miguelito archeological site. Small in size but not in interest, this was the site of a Mayan settlement more than 800 years ago. The path meanders past more than three dozen structures, some restored but most left in their natural state. Of greatest interest are a 26-foot-tall pyramid, the ruins of what once were residences, and a small temple where remnants of ancient mural paintings of animals are still visible. Not far south of the city, along the Caribbean coastline, is Xel-Ha, a park that combines recreational activities with history. It offers excellent snorkeling, a small museum, restaurants and souvenir stalls. An early Mayan ruin is located close to the park entrance. Paintings are still visible on the walls of the Casa del Jaguar (“House of the Jaguar”) and the Templo de las Pajaros (“Temple of Parrots”). Several miles further on is Tulum, one of the most inviting Mayan sites, but not for the ruins themselves. Instead, it’s the setting that makes this many a visitor’s favorite archeological location. The structures stand on a rolling field See CANCUN, page 54

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Cancun From page 53 on a 40-foot-high cliff, protected on three sides by walls and on the fourth by the precipice and the turquoise water of the

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

Caribbean Sea. A carved figure named the Diving God, with wings and a bird’s tail is repeated on many of the walls. Words etched in stone, and painted murals said to date from the 13th century, adorn the Temple of Frescoes.

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Visiting Chichen Itza Further from the sea, about a 2-1/2 hour drive from Cancun, is Chichen Itza, one of the most impressive and best-restored Mayan places. Its mysterious past adds interest to its already fascinating story. The area was settled by the Mayans between 500 and 900 CE, then abandoned for a reason that no one knows. It was resettled about 1100 and, it is believed today, then fell under control of the warlike Toltecs whose home base was what now is Mexico City. Chichen Itza was primarily a ceremonial place of massive structures spread out over two square miles. El Castillo (“the Castle”) is a 98-foot-tall pyramid that overlooks the lower buildings. Eight ball courts were used for a game that was won by guiding a rubber ball through rings suspended 20 feet above the ground. A series of limestone sink holes, called “cenotes” (see-NOTE-eez), provided most of the water that was required by the people. One, called the Sacred Cenote, also was used by the Toltecs, when they controlled the site, as a sacrificial well. Victims were thrown into it and drowned in order to appease the gods in which the people believed. Another reminder of the Toltec practice of human sacrifice are sculpted images of Chacmool, a reclining stone figure with bent knees whose hands hold a receptacle. It’s believed that some sacrificial ceremonies included cutting the heart from the chest of victims and placing it, still beating, in the stone dishes. It requires a 45-minute boat ride to reach another, much smaller, Mayan monument. The four-mile-long Isla Mujeres (eesla mu-hair-us) presents a split personality to those who make the trip. The dock area includes an inviting beach, restaurant and snorkeling operation, while the compact “downtown” neighborhood is jammed with modest restaurants, jewelry stores and tourist shops, all selling pretty much the same merchandise. On a plateau overlooking the sea at the opposite end of the island stand the remains of a small Mayan temple that was dedicated to Ixchel, the goddess of love and fertility. According to legend, when Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century and found numerous stone statues of the goddess, they gave the island its name, which means “island of women.” Whether exploring sprawling Chichen Itza or viewing much more modest Mayan

sites, relaxing in the sun or taking in the excitement of the hotel zone, visitors to Cancun and the surrounding area have a wide choice of alternatives. The combination of old and new, of inviting beach destinations with fascinating reminders of a once-great civilization, offers something-for-everyone appeal.

If you go While many visitors like the convenience of staying in the hotel zone, with its proximity to restaurants, shopping and other non-beach attractions, others head for the resorts that are strung out along the Caribbean coast south of the city. The Sunset World Resorts is a Mexicanowned, family-operated mini-chain of properties, each of which offers a very different experience, plus the added benefit to guests of taking advantage of the facilities and services available at all of them. One of them, the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa and Nature Park, features a 340-acre setting encompassing five major ecosystems. The focus at the Sunset Marina Resort & Yacht Club is on a long list of water sports. The Sunset Fisherman resort, south of Cancun, is located near several Mayan sites as well as a small town known for its bustling night life scene. Rates at the Sunset World Resorts change fairly frequently. The all-inclusive cost of a room, including all meals and a wide variety of services and activities, begins as low as $79 per person, double occupancy. For more information, visit sunsetworld.net or call (800) 494-9173. For an experience that combines culture and cuisine, check out Mercado 23, an authentic local market very different from the more commercial Mercado 28 that many tourists visit. This small market is located on Avenue Tulum. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat on Isla Mujeras, don’t let the name of the “Joint” dissuade you from going in. It combines a funky Caribbean feel with a lengthy menu of Mexican dishes. Burritos ($6), and chicken, fish or shrimp ($7), all served with French fries, are filling and tasty. For more information, call (52) 998-243-4475 or visit www.islamujeresdining.com. For information about visiting Cancun, call (52) 998-881-2745 or visit www.cancun.travel. Spirit, Aeromexico, Delta and American Airlines fly from Washington-area airports with one stop. Roundtrip fares in late October range from $417 to $467.

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Sensory adventure in Cancun By Fyllis Hockman When I was first blindfolded, I felt disoriented, out of control, with the added annoying question lurking in the back of my head: I am a travel writer, how am I supposed to take notes? But our guide propelled me back into the moment by explaining that when our sight — our main sense in relating to the world around us — is cut off, the others senses are expanded. And I had better start paying attention. Thus began our Sense Adventure Tour, part of a larger eco-oriented nature park and sustainable tourism program at the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. First came the sounds. Cymbals? Drums? Thunder? What did they mean? Were they supposed to mean something? But I didn’t have time to ponder before the next sensory assault — this time different textures caressing my feet as we proceeded blindfolded and bare foot, from gravel to burlap, wooden slats to smooth slate to soft rug. The avalanche of sensory overload continued — smells, textures, taste, sounds. All the senses were challenged, often in conjunction with one another, sometimes competing, sometimes complimentary. Periodically, the guides placed our hands on our heart, reminding us to breathe. The theme repeated — listen to your heart beat, this is what keeps us alive. Be one with the universe. And shortly thereafter, I was once again moving to the sounds — I lost track of what they were — but I knew I was simulating the flying motions of a bird. Even though I had no idea what ritual I was taking part in, I felt a sense of belonging — that I was somehow connected to something that was important in some past culture.

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Sounds again: fire, thunder, birds, wind. And, of course, the repetitive chanting — but with maracas now in hand I could share in the experience directly. And yes, this was my dance — with that of the others (whoever the others might be). Everyone moved to their own rhythm, somehow in concert with each other, and I could feel that even through the blindfold. And then I felt the rainwater I only heard before — icy cold and down my back. It was the only time I heard collective sounds of first shock and then guffaws from my compatriots. I didn’t know how it was done, but it was not important. I breathed in, I exhaled, I moved my arms and swayed my body. I was alone, yet part of a larger whole, and it all felt right. Again, my hands were placed on my heart. When not floating in air or touching my heart, my hands were on the shoulder of the person in front of me, traversing about our own private world, wondering what tactile surprise lay ahead. “And so nature comes to say to us, ‘the earth is my body, the water is my blood, the air is my breath, the fire is my spirit,’” so sayeth the guide as we near the end. “In front of you is a mirror. See your reflection and know that somewhere inside you, if you have a question, you will find an answer. All the universe is inside you.” As I removed my blindfold and gazed upon my reflection in the cenote pool in front of me, I was not sure I felt one with the universe, but I certainly felt I had experienced a very unique part of it in a magical hour’s time. For more information, visit http://www.haciendatresrios.com/riv iera-maya/nature-park/nature-parkactivities.

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Civil War sites: recreate and contemplate By Carole Feldman About 150 years after the “Battle that Saved Washington,” journalist and Civil War buff Keith White leads a dozen friends on a tour of the farmland south of Frederick, Md., where Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace were credited with delaying the Confederate advance toward the nation’s capital. The group will spend nearly three hours hiking many of the half-dozen or so miles of trails at the Monocacy National Battlefield, listening as White relays details of the battle that July 9 in 1864, which resulted in a Confederate victory and more than 2,000 Union casualties. “It’s not just a hike, but there’s some-

thing additional,” he says in an interview later. “You can go to a battlefield and get a little sense of that history.”

Two dozen battlefields There are more than 300 miles of trails to explore in the 24 national parks designated as significant battlegrounds of the Civil War, according to figures provided by the National Park Service. The Manassas National Battlefield in Virginia, for example, has more than 40 miles of trails. Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico has just two. The 24 battlefields drew nearly 10 million visitors last year. “Each one is unique, yet the vast majori-

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ty share things in common,” said Mike Litterst, a National Park Service spokesman. Most have a visitor’s center and a museum to help put the site in context. Many have park rangers or volunteers who give walking tours. And these aren’t the only preserved Civil War battlefields. Others are under state, local or private jurisdiction. “Some 10,500 armed conflicts occurred during the Civil War, ranging from battles to minor skirmishes,” the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission said in a report to Congress in 1993. Of those, 384 were determined to be “principal battles” that had a significant impact on the course of the war. Those bat-

tles occurred in 26 states. “The war really did touch pretty much every corner of America,” said Mary Koik, deputy director of communications for the Civil War Trust, an organization that works to preserve the battlefields. “You have battles fought from Pennsylvania all the way out through New Mexico.” Some people may use the battlefields for fitness or recreation, a place to walk the dog or take a stroll with the kids and be out in nature. The Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park near Atlanta is historic, but also “quality outdoor space,” Koik said. See CIVIL WAR, page 57

BEACON BITS

Nov. 6

AMISH EXPERIENCE TOUR

Montgomery County Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) presents a daytrip to Lancaster, Pa. for a tour of the Amish countryside on Thursday, Nov. 6. View an “experiential theater” film that tells the story of an Amish Family from Europe to America, take a guided tour of Amish farmlands and the Amish countryside, and enjoy a family style meal at Plain & Fancy, which features a sampling of local specialties. Also take an Amish house tour. An autographed Amish cookbook is included as a souvenir. The trip cost is $85 for residents and $100 for non-residents. The busses will depart from Olney Manor Park, 16601 Georgia Ave., Olney, Md. at 7:15 a.m. and return at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call (240) 777-4926.

Keeping Your Keys: To Drive, or Not to Drive? Wednesday, October 22, 10:30 am - noon

Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center, 1000 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD

Getting a drivers license is a milestone in a person's life. Another milestone that people may have to face, far more reluctantly, is hanging up their car keys.

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• Learn about the effects of aging on our ability to drive. • Understand that it is not inevitable that you or a loved one will have to stop driving.

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Timothy Jones, Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist

Pre-Registration Required. Call 240-777-8085 to register. Free. Door Prizes and Lunch Snack.

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

Civil War From page 56 Surveys done by her group, however, indicate that most park visitors are interested in the history.

Tips for visiting Before visiting a battlefield, White recommends reading up on it. You can get information about the battlefields on the Civil War Trust and National Park Service websites, or pick up brochures and maps at the visitor center. “It’s also good to sit down and talk to a ranger,” White added. Markers along the way will point out historical spots on the battlefield and give you a snapshot of what occurred there. “By visiting these in succession, in the right order, you’ll see how the battle unfolded,” Koik said. Before his tours, White does research on the battle fought there and prepares a script. “Usually, time permitting, I will go

up and walk the trail before I lead the tour so I’m not caught unaware.” White became interested in the Civil War after learning that he had ancestors on both sides of the conflict. He also volunteers at the site of the Battle of Chancellorsville, part of the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia. He plans to lead friends on a tour of two additional battlefields this year. “The more you learn, the deeper you get into it,” he said. “There are so many people and so many story lines involved.” The National Park Service and the Civil War Trust also have free GPS-based smartphone apps that will act as tour guides for some of the parks. “We think the most important thing is to get people out to see these places,” Koik said. Learn more about visiting battlefields at the National Park Service’s Civil War page, www.nps.gov/civilwar/index.htm, and from the Civil War Trust at www.civilwar.org. — AP

BEACON BITS

Nov. 3+

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL

The Jewish Community center of Northern Virginia (JCCNV) presents “Exotic Travel Destinations,” a digital exploration seminar by world travelers Sandy and Gail Cohen on Mondays from Nov. 3 to Dec. 1 from 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. Venture off the beaten track to places like Bali, Ecuador, Tanzania and Australia. Each week, Sandy and Gail will share a different video travelogue adventure, complete with voice-over and music unique to the country. The class fee is $48; $32 for members. To register, visit www.jccnv.org for online registration; mail completed registration form, available online or at the JCCNV, with payment to: Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, Va; or call the JCCNV at (703) 323-0880 and provide a credit card. Registration will also be available in the JCCNV lobby Monday through Friday, Sept. 8 to 12, from 9 a.m. to noon.

AP PHOTO/CAROLE FELDMAN

Graciousælivingæ atæRingæHouse

A community with the convenience you are looking for Keith White, right, leads a group of friends on a tour of the Monocacy National Battlefield south of Frederick, Md. The battle of Monocacy, which took place on July 9, 1864, is credited with delaying the Confederate advance toward Washington, D.C.

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ALEXANDRIA (703) 765-7044 1636 Belle View Blvd. ANNANDALE (703) 256-4030 7205 Little River Turnpike BAILEY’S CROSSROADS (703) 820-6360 3535 South Jefferson Street CENTREVILLE (703) 631-9440 5652 Pickwick Road CHANTILLY (703) 378-2337 3919 Centreville Road RD. DALE CITY (703) 680-2023 4338 Dale Blvd. FAIRFAX (703) 378-7550 13031 Lee-Jackson Highway FAIRFAX (703) 560-4862 3053 Nutley Street FALLS CHURCH (703) 538-6926 6637 Arlingon Blvd. FALLS CHURCH (703) 560-7280 8124 Arlington Blvd, Yorktown Center

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FALLS CHURCH (703) 534-4500 1150 West Broad Street HERNDON (703) 471-7000 1062 Elden Street MCLEAN (703) 356-5900 1452 Chain Bridge Road SPRINGFIELD (703) 978-8810 8928 Burke Lake Road SPRINGFIELD (703) 451-1400 6436 Springfield Plaza SPRINGFIELD (703) 569-1220 8330 Old Keene Mill Rd/Cardinal Forest Plaza VIENNA (703) 938-2374 337 East Maple Street WOODBRIDGE (703) 494-3126 13600 Jefferson Davis Highway

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A quick review of top 10 tourist scams By Ed Perkins A recent posting on Justtheflight.com warned travelers of 40 tourist scams prevalent around the world. Wow — that’s a long checklist. Fortunately, many of the 40 are “variations on a theme,” and a comparable posting of 10 scams from Cheapflights.com is more realistic. Yes, none of the 10 or even the 40 is really new or innovative, but they bear repeating, so here goes. Fake police. A street merchant may put something in your hand or around your wrist, then, when you try to give it back, complain that you’re trying to steal it. A uniformed policeman — fake — happens to be passing by and threatens to arrest you if you don’t pay for what you supposedly stole. Variations include trumped-up arguments with taxi drivers and merchants. Fake valuables. A vendor on a Bogota street offers to sell you “emeralds” at a fraction of the going price. A related scam: You’re standing in line to buy a ticket for something and someone offers to sell you a “better” ticket and avoid the line. Distraction theft. The list of 40 scams includes many variations on this basic theme. Someone distracts you while an accomplice picks your pocket or goes through your baggage. The scenarios are endless: kids swarm

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around you asking for money, someone “accidentally” spills something on you, someone punctures the tire on your rental car and pilfers your stuff while supposedly “helping” you change the tire, someone throws a doll dressed up like a real baby at you. The list goes on and on, and it can happen almost anywhere. Taxi tricks. When you hop in a cab and ask to go to a specific restaurant, hotel or shop, the driver tells you it’s “closed” but offers to take you to a “better” one. At best, the new place is a long trip; at worst, it’s a rip-off joint in partnership with the driver. The fake “gift.” A street musician hands you what appears to be a “free” CD, asking you to check out his/her music, then, after you have it, demands payment, even when you try to return it. Variations apply to just about any item. Photo finagling. Someone offers to take a picture of you and your companion with your camera — and runs off with the camera. Or you pose with a picturesque but apparently willing local, who then turns mean and demands a fee. Fake friends. You go into a bar and a friendly group of locals asks you to join them. Then, after a few rounds, they suddenly depart, leaving you with a padded bill. PIN theft. A casher surreptitiously takes a picture of your credit card, or someone

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who “helps” you at a foreign ATM notes and remembers your PIN for later theft use. Old-fashioned pickpocketing. Pickpockets don’t need elaborate scams or setup scenarios. They can get as close to you as they need to on crowded public transit, intercity trains, and in busy shops. Currency capers. A merchant counts out your change correctly, accidentally drops it, retrieves it, and hands you a substitute wad that’s a bit lighter. Or you get a mix of counterfeit and real bills.

How to prevent theft You can easily avoid some of these scams. If you can’t tell the difference between an emerald and a fragment of green glass, don’t buy “emeralds” on the street. Assume any-

thing someone tries to sell you on the street is either a fake or carries a grossly inflated price. Know enough about the local geography that you can tell when you’re being “taken for a ride.” Dress modestly and try to fit in with the locals. Avoid constant glances at guidebooks or maps. But those strategies work only in obvious situations. Yes, most locals you encounter are honest and genuinely want to help. But you need to remain alert at all times. Sad to say, “paranoia is its own reward.” As an obvious tourist, you have to be aware that you might be targeted in just about any situation. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. © 2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Style Arts &

Columnist Bob Levey is befuddled by the high-tech bells and whistles on newer cars. See his commentary on page 66

Spanish plays with live English dubbing those who do not speak the language. Teatro de la Luna producer Nucky Walder says the festival is integral to the group’s mission of providing an authentic Latin American perspective to both the Spanishand English-speaking communities here.

Learn about many cultures People attend the festival “to enjoy something different,” Walder explained. “They can learn a lot because on Fridays we have a post-performance discussion, which is bi-lingual also. “People can really learn about our culture and our different countries. You know, an Argentinean is so different from a Columbian or a Venezuelan. Or Spain, which is so different.” The troupe, which has a regular schedule of workshops for children and adults, prepares study guides for parents and teachers. “The kids enjoy it more when they know what they’re seeing and watching,” Walder said. Teatro de la Luna also stages poetry marathons, music and dance programs, and a regular season of its own plays. But the international festival is becoming their

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HISPANIC THEATER FESTIVAL

By Michael Toscano It has been flying under the radar of mainstream media for years, but a local Spanish-language theater company’s annual festival of plays from Spanish-speaking countries may be poised to break into general public consciousness. Teatro de la Luna (Theater of the Moon) has been performing in Arlington since 1991. Since 1998, they have brought productions from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain here each year for their International Festival of Hispanic Theater. Theater companies from Spanish-speaking countries come here, actors in tow, usually performing plays which have never been seen in the U.S. Each show gets from three to 10 performance slots over a six-week period, which begins this year October 17 at Gunston Arts Center’s Theater Two in Arlington. This year’s festival includes plays from Uruguay, Ecuador, Spain, Honduras, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, and children’s shows from the United States. Except for the children’s shows, which are bilingual, all performances will be performed in Spanish, with live English dubbing for

The children’s play Sanos y Contentos (“Happy and Healthy”) is part of the six-week Hispanic Theater Festival that begins on Oct. 17 at Gunston Arts Center’s Theater Two in Arlington. The festival includes plays for both adults and children from numerous countries, including Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador and the United States.

most high-profile product. Embassies of the participating countries support the festival as an important part of their cultural outreach. For example, an invitation-only, opening-night reception will be held at the Embassy of Uruguay. Marcelo Magnou, the embassy’s cultural attaché, said the festival is something in which they take pride. “For Uruguayans who are living and working here, it is a chance to see plays from home, in their language,” he said. “It is something they really appreciate. And we also like to reach the people of the United States, to let them

know of our culture, how we are, how we live, and our traditions. “And with all the countries in the festival, the American public can see that Latin America has a lot of diversity. So maybe, through theater, they can become more interested in us and visit Uruguay.” Walder echoes Magnou’s thoughts on diversity, saying, “[Different nations] have the same words, language, but the way we say them or interpret them is different. What kind of productions are on the See HISPANIC FESTIVAL, page 61

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

Hispanic festival From page 60 schedule this year? “Basically, comedies,” Walder said. “But within that, some are satires, another could be more of a farce, and another could be more dramatic. “The show from Uruguay [is] a comedy. From Honduras, the first time we have a play from that country, it’s more a drama. And we have some outstanding solo performances, where you can really see the quality of a good actor.” For the actors and directors coming here, there is also a benefit, according to Walder. “They enrich their experience. They also get to see different things. They are curious.” Magnou is amused by a question asking whether there is competition among the embassies regarding which country might have the best show, or attract the biggest audiences. “We’re not thinking about competition, just cooperation,” he replied, ever the diplomat. “We hope our fellow Uruguayans will go to the whole festival and see all the other plays, because the other countries are also bringing nice plays.”

Festival schedule Oct. 17, 18, 19 Uruguay: Gracias Por Todo (Thanks for Everything) by Julio César Castro. Troupe: Nidia Telles Company.

Comedy. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 13 and up. A woman questions herself, and she questions, interrogates, entertains, thrills and surprises us. Alone with her secret, she moves in and out of her own life, which is somehow also ours. She reproaches, accepts, rejects, seeks and converses with her past. Guilty or innocent, from the psychoanalyst’s couch to the preacher of fashion, there is debate amidst a world where prejudices drown better dreams. Oct. 24, 25, 26 Ecuador: Loca la Juana (That Crazy Joan) by Pablo Aguirre Andrade. Troupe: J.E. Productions. Comedy. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 15 and up. It was always thought — and still is — that there is no greater madness than to talk to oneself. In theater, this madness is called a “monologue.” Today we have before us history’s three best-known and/or most famous Joans: Joan of Arc, Joanna the Mad of Castile and Pope Joan. These three important historical figures will be portrayed in a serious and praiseworthy piece of work by our own presentday Joan — “Star Joan” (Juana Estrella) — who with her immense and wild sense of humor will demonstrate for us in true comedic fashion that she’s not Joanna the Mad, but “That Crazy Joan.”

BEACON BITS

Oct. 11+

MAVIS STAPLES IN CONCERT

The Library of Congress presents a series of free fall concerts, beginning on Saturday, Oct. 11 with Marvis Staples, gospel, soul, R&B, jazz and rock legend, in the Coolidge Auditorium on the ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE, Washington, D.C. Her singing will accompany an exhibit illustrating the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The concerts are free, but tickets are required and service charges apply. Tickets are distributed by Ticketmaster at (202) 397-7328, (410) 547-7328 and (703) 573-7328. For a full list of the upcoming performances, visit www.loc.gov/concerts or call (202) 707-5502.

SILENT FILM WITH LIVE MUSIC

JOHN EATON

HITCHCOCK’S “BLACKMAIL”

SATURDAY, OCT. 4 AT 1 P.M.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22 AT 7:30 P.M.

JAZZ MASTERS : JEROME KERN

facebook.com/thealden

1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, VA 22101

twitter.com/@thealdenva

703-790-0123

See HISPANIC FESTIVAL, page 62

WWW.ALDENTHEATRE.ORG

Photo by Matthew Karas

Bring Your Group to the Kennedy Center for Entertainment on a Grand Scale! Little Dancer

SAVE UP TO 15%

With direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award ® winner Susan Stroman, this world premiere Kennedy Center musical is inspired by the story of a young ballerina immortalized by Edgar Degas in his famous sculpture at the National Gallery of Art. Starring four-time Tony® winner Boyd Gaines as Edgar Degas, three-time Tony® nominee Rebecca Luker as adult Marie, and New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Tiler Peck as young Marie, the musical is being penned by the Tony Award®–winning team of book and lyrics writer Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty. Recommended for age 12 and up.

Oct. 25–Nov. 30 • Eisenhower Theater Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Adrienne Arsht Musical Theater Fund.

The Kennedy Center Theater Season is sponsored by Altria.

Additional support is provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation and Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation, Inc.

Happy Holidays! with Cirque de la Symphonie

Photo by Daniel A. Swalec

Little Dancer

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

SAVE UP TO 15%

One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical about the trials and triumphs of Israel’s favorite son features Broadway stars and American Idol sensations, husband-and-wife duo Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young. Retelling the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers, and the coat of many colors, this magical musical is full of unforgettable songs, including “Those Canaan Days,” “Any Dream Will Do,” and “Close Every Door.”

Dec. 16–Jan. 4 • Opera House Sherezade Panthaki

Thomas Cooley

Happy Holidays! with Cirque de la Symphonie

SAVE UP TO 15%

Steven Reineke, conductor

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

High-flying fantasy soars once again with Cirque de la Symphonie—back by popular demand for a special holiday program, following its sold-out 2013 engagement! Acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, strongmen, and other new and returning acts perform astonishing feats uniquely choreographed to classical masterpieces. Christopher Purves

Nicholas McGegan

Dec. 11–13 • Concert Hall David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

General Dynamics is the proud sponsor off Happy Holidays!

Additional support for the 2014-2015 NSO Pops Season is provided by The Honorable Barbara H. Franklin and Mr. Wallace Barnes.

Call now to reserve your Group tickets!

(202) 416-8400 kennedy-center.org/groupsales Toll-free (800) 444-1324 The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Handel’s Messiah

SAVE UP TO 25%

Each year, the Washington Post praises the NSO’s fresh perspective on Handel’s epic masterpiece, hailing past renditions as “radiantly cheerful” with an “exuberant Hallelujah Chorus.” This year, Nicholas McGegan conducts soprano Sherezade Panthaki, tenor Thomas Cooley, countertenor Jay Carter, baritone Christopher Purves, and The Washington Chorus in this uplifting work.

Dec. 18–21 • Concert Hall David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Hispanic festival From page 61 Oct. 31, Nov. 1 & 2 Spain: Pasos al Azar (Random Steps) by Angeles Páez. Troupe: Si Acaso Teatro. Dramatic comedy. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 15 and up. Alone on the Moors of Castille, three female comedians (popular actresses) discover that their director has died. Far from anywhere and with a sense that they are being threatened from all directions, they ask themselves: What do we do with the dead man? Speaking in a made-up language, they describe with words of Golden-Age beauty everything about how it feels to exist in the present that surrounds and shows itself to us. Nov. 7, 8, 9

Honduras: Mea Culpa by Felipe Acosta. Troupe: Grupo Teatral BAMBU. Drama. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 15 and up. Telling the story of the lives of thousands of men and women who are struggling to get out of a well — one they never wanted to fall into — about people who laugh and cry at every step along the way; who love and hate with intensity, desperately seeking to attain a better life. Nov. 14, 15, 16 Argentina: Vegetal (Vegetable) by Claudio Pazos. Troupe: Producciones Claudio Pazos. Dramatic comedy. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 15 and up. Vegetal seeks to provide a humorous glimpse at human beings, their use of time, and the links between them. As Seneca said: “It’s not that we have too little

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

time, it’s just that we waste so much of it.” Vegetal speaks about the importance of the present, about what is wanted, what is feared, what is kept hidden, and what is disguised in life. Nov. 21, 22, 23 The Dominican Republic: El Tsunami (The Tsunami) by Manuel García Cartagena. Troupe: Teatro Guloya. Satiric comedy. U.S. premiere. Suitable for ages 15 and up. Signs are beginning to appear that the end is at hand... In this “terrible and naughty” production, fiction and reality are turned into an interesting allegory about the destiny of a Caribbean island.

Productions for children Troupes: Teatro de la Luna & Teatro Guloya Nov. 8, 3 p.m. U.S.A.: Siempre Amigos (Buddies Not Bullies) by Neher J. Briceño. Bilingual. With the use of elements of comedy, this play exposes students to the harsh realities of this ever-so present issue, schoolyard bullying. It highlights the “cons” of bullying and reinforces all the “pros” of being buddies. Nov. 15, 3 p.m. U.S.A.: Sanos y Contentos (Happy and Healthy) by Neher J. Briceño Bilingual.

Sweet Miss Lettuce and her uncle Mr. Cucumber teach us that we can fight the evil Mrs. Laziness, discovering a world of good nutrition that, along with exercise, allows us to live happily and healthfully. Suitable for all ages. Nov. 22, 3 p.m. The Dominican Republic: Platero y Yo ( Platero & I) Spanish only. The interpretation and stage direction of Claudio Rivera is based on the book by Juan Ramón Jiménez [winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature] and celebrates the 100th anniversary of its publication. Joy and innocence go hand-in-hand in this production, sowing seeds of friendship and tenderness. All productions of the 17th International Festival of Hispanic Theater are staged at Gunston Arts Center’s Theater Two, located at 2700 S. Lang Street, Arlington. The theater is wheelchair accessible and there is ample free parking. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $35 ($30 for students and seniors). A three-ticket pass costs $95 ($80 for students and seniors) and a full festival pass costs $175 ($150 for students and seniors). Theater for children: Adults, $15; children under 13, $10; Children under 4, free (Saturdays, Nov. 8, 15 & 22). For information and tickets, call (703) 548-3092 or visit www.teatrodelaluna.org.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 25

FREE PIANO CONCERT

On Saturday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m., the Washington Conservatory Piano Plus! Concert Series opens with a concert by Edvinas Minkstimas, widely regarded as one of Europe’s top emerging young pianists. The concerts are free, with donations accepted at the door. The nine-concert series features members of the Washington Conservatory faculty and guest artists. The concerts take place at Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, Md. For more information and a full concert listing, visit www.WashingtonConservatory.org or call (301) 320-2770.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

GIACOMO PUCCINI

RACHEL PORTMAN

LA BOHÈME

THE LITTLE PRINCE

“One of the world’s most popular operas” (NPR), Puccini’s La bohème follows a group of six friends in Paris’s Latin Quarter as they struggle to fulfill their dreams through a winter of jealous breakups, rowdy celebrations, and rekindled romances—all the while hoping spring cures a tragic illness looming in their midst. An engaging cast of young artists, many in their WNO debuts, bring a fresh perspective to this brand-new WNO production.

For its annual family-friendly opera over the winter holidays, WNO brings all the joy and wonder of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic illustrated storybook. Featuring a beautiful, tuneful score by Academy Award®-winning film composer Rachel Portman, this opera “full of warmth, wisdom, and generous lyric beauty” (The Boston Herald) showcases Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists alongside other emerging stars and the WNO Children’s Chorus. Suitable for ages 8 and up.

Nov. 1–15, 2014 Kennedy Center Opera House

Dec. 19–21, 2014 Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

In Italian with projected English titles

In English with projected English titles

Generous support for WNO Italian opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.

The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

La bohème is a production of the Clarice Smith Opera Series. Additional funding for the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is provided by Judy and Billy Cox.

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“An enchanting opera... satisfying to child and adult alike”

—NPR

New Production!

Photo by George Hixson/Houston Grand Opera

“Radiant, supremely expressive musical portraiture”

Cor C orrinn o inne nn ne Wiint ntte ers rs a ass Mi M mí mí,, ph p ot oto o tto by y Ca Cade de Ma Mar M arrttin a in n

—The Financial Times

Family Opera!

Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars. David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO. General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of WNO’s 2014–2015 Season. WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.

Tickets at the Kennedy Center Box Office or charge by phone (202) 467-4600 Order online at kennedy-center.org/wno

Groups (202) 416-8400 The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Arts for aging From page 1 people’s stories and their voice. It’s something that’s empowering to people, and I think it’s also a lot of fun.” Havlik works with Quicksilver, which rehearses weekly and takes performances to conferences and nursing homes, where members help introduce frail seniors to dance. She also teaches a class called Moving Art, in which participants with a range of disabilities view famous artwork and learn about the artist before creating artwork of their own. Havlik, who has worked with the organization for 20 years, appreciates the fact that Arts for the Aging provides artists with employment. “It’s hard to be an artist in the world right now, so it supports my own work,” she said. Arts for the Aging helped Carol Siegel establish a second career. The photographer and high school teacher went back to

school at age 55 and got a master’s degree in expressive arts therapy. Now 75, she combines poetry and art in her program. She uses the short, structured poetry of Japanese haiku as a way to engage participants in language, and also creates art with them.

Proven health benefits These and other benefits of engaging in the arts are supported by empirical data. A year-long study of 166 older adults in the Washington area, published in the journal The Gerontologist in 2006, found that older adults who were engaged in community-based cultural programs had higher overall physical health, fewer doctor visits, fewer falls, and used less medication than a control group, whose health declined during the study. Arts for the Aging’s own research at each of its workshops shows increased engagement by participants. For example, their research during 2013 found that be-

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

fore the program, only 43 percent of participants were smiling, while 83 percent were beaming by the end. While 52 percent were interacting with others before the program, 79 percent were afterward. They have discovered that more progress is made when programs are offered on a weekly or biweekly basis over a number of sessions. For example, one participant had discovered she was a talented visual artist though an Arts for the Aging program. She developed an excellent technique working with her right hand. Then she suffered a stroke, and suddenly had to switch from using her right hand to her left. It was challenging, but she was driven to succeed, “knowing she had this group to come back to, knowing she had a teacher who not only taught her how to draw, but encouraged her to keep going,” Tursini said. “I think she felt her drawings after the stroke weren’t as good. With her right hand, they were very meticulous. [But ac-

Crossing the street shouldn’t include crossing your fingers.

tually,] the left hand is more free and even more expressive. They are incredible.” Havlik is also inspired by those she works with. “At first, you see the disability. Then, when you’ve worked with them for a while, you stop seeing the disability. I start seeing who they are as people and how interesting they are. “These are people who have lived a long time, so they have amazing life experiences. That’s what Arts for the Aging is really about. We honor people’s own expression.”

Honoring a Supreme Court justice Almost all programs by Arts for the Aging are free and offered to those who are already participants at day and community center programs, as well as nursing homes and assisted living communities. The organization is supported by foundations, for-profit companies and individual donors. Arts for the Aging is also developing a fee-for-service program for some senior living communities, as well as programs for adults who live more independently. Its annual gala raises about one-sixth of the budget for the year. This year’s gala will be held on Oct. 26 at the Society of the Cincinnati’s Anderson House in Washington, D.C. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be presented with the annual Lolo Sarnoff Award. Sarnoff, now 97, founded Arts for the Aging in 1988 and is friends with Ginsburg, who has been a supporter of the organization for years. Tickets for new donors are $150. For more information about Arts for the Aging, see www.aftaarts.org, email info@AFTAarts.org, or call (301) 255-0103.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 7

MEET YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS

The Arlington and Alexandria Commissions on Aging will hold a legislative forum on Friday, Nov. 7, from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. at the Fairlington Community Center, 3304 S. Stafford St., Arlington, Va. Senators and delegates representing Arlington and Alexandria have been invited to participate to provide an opportunity for the public to discuss aging issues with them prior to the Re Re eal al Poss Poss sssib ibiilit litties is a trademark of AARP.

General Assembly session that begins in January. For more informa-

As an area’s population evolves, so must its community. But not every public leader knows how to keep pace. AARP can help you keep your community more livable. By taking advantage of our expertise and support, a richer quality of life can be possible for everyone. Another way AARP promotes Great Places for All Ages. Learn, plan and act today at aarp.org/livable

tion, visit http://commissions.arlingtonva.us/coa/, or contact the Arlington Agency on Aging at ArlAAA@arlingtonva.us or (703) 228-1700.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

Mendelssohn “Lobgesang” g g / Poulenc Organ Concerto Matthew Halls, conductor Paul Jacobs, organ Tamara Wilson, soprano Twyla Robinson, soprano Paul Appleby, tenor The Washington Chorus, Julian Wachner, music director POULENC: Organ Concerto J.S. BACH: Prelude and Fugue in A minor MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 2 “Lobgesang”

WED., OCT. 1 AT 8 | THU., OCT. 2 AT 7 | SAT., OCT. 4 AT 8 AfterWords: Thu., Oct. 2 performance followed by a free discussion.

R. Strauss Also sprach Zarathustraa / Hewitt Plays Mozart David Zinman, conductor Angela Hewitt, piano SCHOENBERG: Five Pieces for Orchestra MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 22 R. STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra

THU., OCT. 9 AT 7 | FRI., OCT. 10 AT 8 | SAT., OCT. 11 AT 8 Part of the Green Series

OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER CONCERTS

Midori Plays y Schumann / Mendelssohn & Mozart Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Midori, violin MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 5 “Reformation” SCHUMANN: Violin Concerto MOZART: Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”

THU., OCT. 30 AT 7 | SAT., NOV. 1 AT 8 Part of the Blue Series

Brahms 4 / Bohórquez plays Prokofiev Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Claudio Bohórquez, cello HAYDN: Symphony No. 49 “La Passione” PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia concertante BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4

THU., NOV. 6 AT 7 | FRI., NOV. 7 AT 8 | SAT., NOV. 8 AT 8 AfterWords: Thu., Nov. 6 performance followed by a free discussion. Part of the Green Series

HEWITT

MIDORI

BOHÓRQUEZ

(202) 467-4600 nationalsymphony.org Tickets also available at the Box Office Groups (202) 416-8400 David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger and Vicki Sant. The Blue Series is sponsored by United Technologies Corporation.

The Green Series is sponsored by

Beyond the Score® is produced by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Gerard McBurney, Creative Director; Martha Gilmer, Executive Producer.

Stravinsky y Le Sacre du printemps (“The Rite of Spring”) Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Aaron Goldman, principal flute AUERBACH: Eternidayy [Homage to W.A. Mozartt]] MOZART: Flute Concerto No. 2 STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du printemps

THU., NOV. 13 AT 7 | SAT., NOV. 15 AT 8 Part of the Green Series

Beyond y the Score®–Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” Ankush Kumar Bahl, conductor (Beyond the Score) Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Take your musical appreciation to the next level with this half concert, half multimedia educational experience. STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du printemps

FRI., NOV. 14 AT 8 Part of the Green Series

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

A stick-in-the-mud stuck on auto pilot My friend Ronnie bought a new car re- much air is in each of his tires, how cold it cently. It’s mega-amazing. Its bells and is outside, and how many miles he can go whistles have bells and whistles. before he runs out of gas. Here’s a limited rundown • A bunch of buttons on his of the toys in Ronnie’s car: steering wheel that can acti• A camera that shows him vate and de-activate everything what’s directly behind him. — the cruise control, the radio, • A GPS display on his the whoodickey that heats the dashboard that tells him not front seats, everything. only where he is, but which “Isn’t it great?” Ronnie businesses are near him — by asked me, with a wide smile. I name. agreed that it was. • An “entertainment cenAnd then I ran for cover, ter” that can deliver just about HOW I SEE IT back to my Run-Of-The-Millany kind of music mankind By Bob Levey Mobile, which does only a has ever made. Maybe it can couple of those things. also shine Ronnie’s shoes. If you promise not to laugh… • A “data center” that tells Ronnie how I’ve never used my cruise control. I just

step on the gas and keep stepping. I’ve never used my data center. If I want to know whether my tires are soft, I kick them. If I want to know whether it’s cold outside, I stick my hand or my head outside. I only recently figured out how to navigate from the FM to the AM band on my space-age radio. I only recently learned that the steering wheel has a couple of zillion positions, not just one. The piece de resistance came one day when my wife asked me to get something out of the trunk. Obediently, I hopped out and opened the trunk the way 20th century human beings always did — with a key. Who knew that there was a button right beside the driver’s left thigh that would have done this far more quickly and easily? Sorry, Ronnie, old man, but I can only be a rooter for you and your latest ride. I cannot be a co-worshipper. I am the driver and car-owner I always was. I rely on my eyes, my memory and my right foot. I am a stick-in-the-mud, and I’m not about to get unstuck. This can lead to some very strange moments. The other night, four of us were driving to dinner somewhere very unfamiliar. I plotted the trip on a map before we left. You know, a map. Those folded-up paper things that served us just fine for about ten 5 centuries.

We got to near where we were going, but because of an unexpected barricade, I couldn’t turn left onto the street that would have led us to our dinner. I continued along for about another mile, but I was frozen by no-left-turn signs. No sugarcoating it: We were lost. I pulled over and began burrowing through the armrest for another map. At the same time, my front seat-mate began to scroll through his smartphone. But not before he gave me a look that was somewhere between horror and disgust. About a month earlier, I was again behind the wheel. It was a hot day. A back seat passenger asked if I could please lower one of the rear windows. I hit the switch on the armrest to my left. No soap. I hit it again. Nothing. Had my Run-Of-The-Mill-Mobile developed a glitch? A fatal electrical flaw? Was I hitting the wrong button? I threw my palms up, in the classic gesture of “I’m stumped.” My back seat passenger, a true citizen of the 21st century, urged me gently (and a little patronizingly) to try turning off the child safety lock. “The what?” I asked, as innocent as a lamb. See BOB LEVEY, page 67

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

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

Bob Levey From page 66 I had no idea that my car possessed such a device, much less where it was or how I could disable it. As for the heating-cooling system, I’m a hopeless case. I still can’t always make it cool when I want and warmer when I want. And we’ve owned our current car for two years. Meanwhile, the defroster remains one of the great mysteries of my life. Can’t I please have a button that says ON and another that says OFF? No, sorry, that would be too sensible. My wife explained to me one day — gently and a little condescendingly — that you have to turn on the air conditioner to activate the defroster. If you can explain this to me, I’m all ears. Sure, I could spend a few minutes studying the owner’s manual. But I learned to drive in an era when it was all about establishing a relationship between driver and car, not about reading. It was an active relationship. You shifted the gears. You adjusted the side view mirror by hand. If the windshield was foggy, you wiped it with your glove or your palm. We’re talking self-reliance, boys and girls, not depending on some unseen, under-the-hood computer to save you from

yourself. We remembered to change the oil because we remembered to change the oil. We didn’t need Big Brother to flash a dashboard alert. Ronnie listened to my crankiness. He is used to it. He is also used to demolishing it. He began with safety. “Remember the blind spot that causes so many accidents? Now a gizmo warns you if another car is there,” he said. I had to admit that this was a plus. He continued on to economics. “If the dashboard tells you how many miles per gallon you’re getting on average, and the number looks low, won’t that shame you into better driving habits?” he asked. I had to admit that this was another plus. And then…convenience. “If I want to call someone while I’m driving, hands-free, I can do that,” Ronnie said. “You have to pull over and fumble around with a cell phone.” I had to admit that this was another plus. Ronnie then produced the clincher. It had nothing to do with cars. It was a flashlight. It

turned on and off with a push button. “Remember when flashlights all had a knob that you slid up and down?” he asked. I remembered. “Remember how you learned to use a push-button flashlight?” he continued. I remembered. “Then you could learn to use everything on my car. You just have to want to do it.” OK, I don’t want to do it. Truth be told, I

want my 1955 Chevrolet back — that magnificent vehicle without seat belts, without overdrive, without four-way flashers. But Ronnie is right. The issue is not his car. It’s my attitude. His car needs no improvements. My old-guy, 20th Century attitude needs lots. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 15+

LEARN ABOUT AMERICAN SONG WRITERS

Renowned piano player, vocalist, musicologist and humorist John Eaton will teach his popular American Songwriters series at the Friendship Heights Village Center. Classes are Wednesdays, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5. Composers studied include Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and Harold Arlen. Every class includes a short concert by Eaton. The cost is $85. The center is located at 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. For more information, call (301) 656-2797.

Oct. 11+

ARCHEOLOGICAL EXHIBIT

The Freer Sackler Galleries will open a new archeological exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 11 that will be open through Sunday, June 7, 2015. The exhibit showcases unearthed items, a film and photography of excavations by Wendell Phillips, who as a young paleontologist and geologist led the largest archeological expedition to South Arabia (now Yemen) from 1949 to 1951. The galleries are located at 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. and are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.asia.si.edu or call (202) 633-4880.

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DESIGNED AND MANAGED FOR TODAY’S SENIORS AT THESE LOCATIONS: ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

EASTERN SHORE

• Furnace Branch 410-761-4150

• Easton 410-770-3070

• Severna Park 410-544-3411

HARFORD COUNTY

BALTIMORE CITY

• Bel Air 410-893-0064

• Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440

• Box Hill 410-515-6115

• Coldspring 410-542-4400

HOWARD COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY

*Newly Renovated! • Colonial Landing 410-796-4399

• Catonsville 410-719-9464

• Columbia 410-381-1118

• Dundalk 410-288-5483

• Ellicott City 410-203-9501

* Fullerton 410-663-0665

*Newly Renovated! • Ellicott City II 410-203-2096

• Miramar Landing 410-391-8375

• Emerson 301-483-3322

• Randallstown 410-655-5673

• Snowden River 410-290-0384

* Rosedale 410-866-1886

*Newly Renovated! PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

• Taylor 410-663-0363

* Bladensburg 301-699-9785 • 55 or BETTER!

• Towson 410-828-7185

• Laurel 301-490-1526

• Woodlawn 410-281-1120

• Laurel II 301-490-9730

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

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Puzzle Page

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

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

40 43

59 65

1. Gets hitched 5. Audibly express surprise 9. Chest muscles, briefly 13. Produce carbon monoxide 14. 365 days 15. Un ___ 365 dias 17. Violate a book banning 20. Fled on foot 21. Lady lobster 22. It tolled ya’ 23. Toy with 28. Groovy 29. “___ on it, Potsie” 30. Go out with 31. Departing part of ETA 32. Be under the weather 33. Kournikova or Karenina 36. Come down like the dickens 41. ___ gin fizz 42. Less of Lester 43. Evidence on Law and Order: SVU 44. Argentine aunt 46. Unedited 47. Commandment count 48. Overly elaborate presentations 54. Carpools’ right side 55. Watercolors and fingerpaints 56. Logical way to start 57. See ___ (and complete this puzzle’s Circle of Life) 63. Excessive outing 64. “Roadwork scheduled ___ about...” 65. One of the Bears 66. Cuts down trees 67. Since 2009, tobacco regulation is part of ___ mission 68. Not quite an all out war 1. Complex trail of deception 2. Bird from Down Under

Across

Down

54 57

19 21

Scrabble answers on p. 70.

9 15

3. One-person fixer-upper project 4. Alibi 5. Halls of records 6. First 60% of a kindergartner’s sequence 7. Scent to one’s bedroom 8. Spruce up 9. Criticize in print 10. “If all economists were laid ___, they would not reach a conclusion” (Shaw) 11. ___Serve (early on-line service) 12. Looks for the hider 16. Snick-or-___ 18. Start of the second-most-visited website 19. Throw-ins 23. Letters in an Rx sign 24. Pre-Euro currency 25. Jazz Appreciation Month 26. Abuse a pinball machine 27. Honey drinks 32. ___ the hole 34. Greet from afar 35. Vice President during every manned moon landing 37. Older 38. The “A.” in Chester A. Arthur 39. Bank holiday 40. Without 45. It’ll do ya 46. Chubby 48. “___ I do, not...” 49. Vitality 50. Piercing stare 51. Vodka value 52. Hogwarts or Monsters U. 53. B-ball 58. Two-time loser to D.D.E. 59. ___ fault (excessively) 60. It can be taken or beaten 61. Health resort 62. Devour cauliflower

Answers on page 70.

Answer: What the blacksmith did when his helper was late -- "BELLOWED" Jumbles: AWOKE CABLE ABOUND GLOOMY

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

Letters to editor From page 2 Bill B20-0367, “Department on Aging & Community Living Establishment Amendment Act of 2013” renames the Office on Aging as the Department on Aging and Community Living and realigns Adult Protective Services and other programs that serve the elderly with the Office on Aging. So far, Judiciary Committee chair Tommy Wells refuses to report a mark-up of Bill 20107 and Bill 20-0710 out of Committee for a vote by the Committee of the Whole. Also, Health Committee chair Yvette Alexander and Human Services Committee chair Jim Graham refuse to report a mark-up of Bill B20-0367 out of their committees for a vote by the Committee of the Whole. These bills will die in committee if action is not taken before the end of this year. I am astounded that these committee chairs can independently decide to refuse to move forward bills that other Councilmembers have introduced and support. I urge your DC readers to contact Judiciary Committee Chair, Tommy Wells, at twells@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8072, Health Committee Chair, Yvette Alexander, at yalexander@dccouncil.us, (202) 724- 8068, and Human Services Committee Chair, Jim Graham, at jgraham@dccouncil.us, (202) 724 8181, to insist that they report out these bills, which are needed to protect elderly District residents, for an up or down vote. Carolyn Dungee Nicholas, MPA President, Advocates for Elder Justice Washington, DC Dear Publisher: I was so shocked when I opened the Beacon and read about the death of your mother. Two thoughts struck me: the overwhelming loss for you and your family, and what must have been the great need for your parents to be reunited in a better place. Losing both parents so quickly must be extremely difficult, even though you treasure the time you shared together after your mother moved up here. That was her special gift to you and one you will always have. They are together again enjoying eternity and, hopefully, sending blessings to you and your family. Sister Kathy Weber Silver Spring, Md.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

Dear Editor: Oh my goodness, what a wonderful review [by your publisher] of his mom and the love she gave and the love he gave her. I was very moved by this write up and extend my sorrows to him and his brother for the loss of their mom and dad. True words about them being together in heaven. Thank you for your wonderful writing. Cathy Swanton Silver Spring, Md.

BEACON BITS

Oct. 28+

JULIUS CAESAR The Folger Theatre presents Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar from

Tuesday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Dec. 7. Shows are Tuesday through Thursday at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The preview runs from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2, when tickets cost $30 to $40. Regular tickets cost $40 to $75. There will be an open-captioned performance on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/FolgerJuliusCaesar or call (202) 544-4600.

WB10/14

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on page 71. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business and Employment Opportunities GET FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE today! www.myfes.net/MMccollum1 or 202-734-2555. Watch Video (Career Opportunity). Select Products. FES Protection Plan. Enroll.

Caregivers CNA CAREGIVER – Kind, professional, and always patient. Hygiene and other personal care, medication tracking as desired, meal preparation, errands, light housekeeping. 17 years experience. Live-in and live-out. Call 240614-6676. “A” Home Health Care – Experienced nurses, CNA, GNA are available 24/7. Cooking, companionship, personal care, housekeeping, driving. Full/Part-time or live-in. Flat rate for live-in care. 15 years experience. 240-533-6599. KIND, DEPENDABLE, EXPERIENCED caregiver for live-out care or live-in care for a flat rate. Hygiene care, Meal preparation, Housekeeping, Errands, Appointments, Medication reminders. Call 301-490-1146.

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

Entertainment THE SHALOM SIGNATURE CLUB: If you like Bagels and Lox, Matzah Balls and Kugel, then you need to try our activities. We’re a dynamic social club geared to folks 50 and up. Many of our activities have a Jewish theme; most are free of charge and take place in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Chevy Chase. Currently, our regular monthly schedule features two afternoon activities (at 1 p.m. and includes lunch) and two evening activities (usually 7 p.m.), plus a monthly Friday-eve Shabbat Dinner. For further info, visit www.ShalomSC.org or call 240-200-4515. PIANIST, VOCALIST, DANCER provides fun and interactive music programs, sing-a-longs, ballroom dancing and more; all with a touch of humor. See brief videos and info at MarkHanakMusic.com or call 301-293-2933.

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

Events

For Sale

Personal Services

MONTREAL & QUEBEC CITY, Canada-Land Tour – May 17-23, 2015. $695. Depart from Clinton Fringe Parking Lot at 8 a.m. Price includes Motorcoach transportation, 6 nights lodging, 10 meals, Guided Tours of Montreal and Historic Quebec City, Visit to Montmorency Falls, Tours of St. Anne De Beaupre Shrine and Notre Dame Basilica, Olympic Park in Montreal, Montreal’s “Biodome” and the Montreal Tower, Visit to the Underground City in Montreal and much more. $75 deposit due upon signing. To register, call 301-877-7953 or email tjustforthefun@aol.com.

3 SIDE-BY-SIDE CEMETERY lots for sale. George Washington Cemetery. Priced $2,750, will sell for $1000 each. Call Wilma, 301-439-6481.

FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED. Math and more for GT.com. jim4nv92@verizon.net.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

FT. LINCOLN CEMETERY – Gardens of Reflections. 2 burial rights – bronze/granite memorial. $5795 or best offer. Call Harold, 301-9289731. 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

NEWLY-RENOVATED BASEMENT apartment in the cozy Brookland and CUA area. Quiet, safe neighborhood close to Metro, bus line, and local hospitals. $900/month (utilities included). Non-smoking/no pets allowed. Available immediately! If interested, please contact Ms. Habermehl after 4pm for details at 202-276-4958.

SUPPLEMENT YOUR WELLNESS and be in better health! Stress – Pain, Inflammation – Weight Loss - Prevention. Ask about the State-ofthe-Art, Worldwide Wellness Centers. TRY TGLOBAL & Feed A Child! T-Global Health – (844) TRY-TGLOBAL (879-8456), www.wellnesswelldone.com (reps needed – FT/PT – will train).

I BUY HOUSES ANY CONDITION – Fairfax County, VA. Save time, money and worry. Not an agent, no commissions. Female owned. 703-9695847, ibuyfairfaxhouses@gmail.com.

PAID RESEARCH STUDY: Participants needed for NIH-funded hearing experiments conducted at the University of Maryland, College Park. Seeking people ages 65-80 with hearing loss. Hearing evaluation included as part of the study. Participation time: ~12 hours; $12 per hr. Contact Kerrianne or Rebecca (301-4057454; hearingresearch@umd.edu).

LOOKING TO TAKE THE LEAP? I’ll take you on a tour of the community, show you floor plans, discuss campus amenities, & offer how to best coordinate your move. I will preview units & contact you with a match. I also offer exceptional service selling your home. I’m a Seniors Specialist, Buyer Broker, Top 1% of Agents Nationwide, and a Leisure World resident! You can see my current listings on page 48. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert Realtors.

NATIONAL MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM – Reliable, 24/hr access to help , feel safe and live independently for only $29.95/mo. Call now and receive a discount code at (844) TRY-TGLOBAL (879-8456) or fill out the NEEDS CHECKLIST form at www.t-globalgroup.com.

SENIOR, HAVE LARGE ROOM TO rent to same. Non-smoking, non-drinking, looking for long-term renter. 202-629-4096.

LICENSED PHYSICIAN, PROVIDE: Urgent Care. 24/7, where you are. Accept: Medicare, Medicaid. Call: 703-303-2543. Fax: 703-6418321. Email: dr.zhousclinic@gmail.com.

BEAUTIFUL 1125 SQ. FT, 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit in a 55 and over condo community in Fairfax, Va. Adjacent to Vienna Metro, bike and walking trail. Second floor, elevators, balcony facing landscaped courtyard with fountains. Hardwood and newly carpeted floors, granite countertops in kitchen, freshly painted. Washer and dryer in unit. Assigned parking space. Wheelchair accessible. No smoking. $1900/month includes water. Call Jean Lenz at Coldwell Banker, 703-980-5061.

HEARING RESEARCH STUDY for older adults. If you are 60 – 85 years old, you may be eligible for a research study examining the effects of aging and/or hearing aids on auditory processing on UMD’s College Park campus. Initial testing will take 5 to 10 hours and include a hearing test. You will be compensated for your time. Please call 301-405-8362 for information. hearingbrainlab@gmail.com. IRB#: 415685-5 PI: Dr. Samira Anderson.

MAKE AN OFFER ON THIS 2BR/2FB unit! It features a table-space kitchen, formal dining room, glass enclosed balcony, economical gas heat, washer/dryer, and is located in gated 55+ community. Call Joan Brown now! 240-777-3132 or 301-681-0550, ext. 138. Weichert, Realtors.

Miscellaneous

LEISURE WORLD ® – $139,000. 2BR 2FB 1HB “Dartmouth” model townhouse. Separate dining room with bay window overlooking sunny patio, dual master suites. 1359 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $359,000. 3BR 2FB 1HB “H” model with garage in “Villa Cortese.” Separate dining room plus table space kitchen with window, enclosed balcony, laundry room, new paint and carpet. 1629 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $179,000. 2BR 2FB “CC” model in Turnberry Courts. Open floor plan with enclosed balcony, new paint, close to the elevator. 1092 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $225,000. 2 BR 2 FB “D” model in “Villa Cortese. Upgraded interior with wood floors, granite counters and custom cabinets and closets. Enclosed vented balcony. 1312 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $189,000. 2BR 2FB “C” model in “Overlook” with fully appointed kitchen with pass through to living room, enclosed balcony. 1090 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® – $119,900. 1BR 1FB “A” model in “Fairways South” Spectacular views of golf course, updated kitchen, separate dining room, wood floors. 850 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors. 301-928-3463.

For Sale FRENCH HOME DOWNSIZING – 2 Russian samovars + tray + pot, French records + books, tapestry, painting, 2 living room leather chairs, black diamond mink coat. 703-591-6321. Va.

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

Personals I AM A WIDOWER IN THE 80s, moved to Silver Spring, MD next to my family, looking for a pen pal for friendship with lady, write about life as seniors, future, current topics, what one could have and didn’t. I will acquaint you about myself and my Weltanschuung for you to see that I am above board. Email is Bebe5906@aol.com. HUSBAND OF BRAIN-INJURED WOMAN seeks Long-Term Relation with Marriage in Mind. In my late 60s, DC area, active and fit, gentlemen. Wife in accident 2 years ago with major brain injury, mental and physical abilities poor, no communication or companionship. Relation reduced to caregiver. No immediate divorce now, but want relation with good lady. Marriage likely. Race irrelevant. Please contact Paul at saver7777@aol.com. ARE YOU DISTURBED BY THE MESSED up world we are leaving our children and grandchildren? Want to do something about it? Bob. Email: rhmgl@verizon.net.

Personal Services JUNIOR/SENIOR ERRAND GUY – for any reasonable errand. Walk dog, feed cat, pick up prescriptions, grocery shop, house watch while you are away, dept. store returns, wait in line at MVA, take care of oil change, wash, shop, schlepp, serve. Joe Rice. H: 301-947-4933. C:301-944-4924. Gaithersburg/Kentlands resident 17 years.

CHERYL’S ORGANIZING CONCEPTS LLC – Professional Organizing Services. Help with all aspects of home organizing. Experienced – References – Member NAPO. All work confidential. Licensed – Bonded. $25 discount on initial appointment. www.CherylsOrganizing.com. 301-916-9022. WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van. Call Mike, 301-565-4051. CONTINENTAL MOVERS. Local – long distance. $80 x two men x hour. $90 x three men x hour – additional gas charge. 202-438-1489, 301340-0602, 703-929-1302. Cmora53607@msn.com. www.continentalmovers.net.

Wanted WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins, Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches, Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and Patches Old and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIA WW2, WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos and items associated with US, German, Japanese or items of other Military History. DAVE, 240-4640958. VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201. OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling Silver Flatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces, Fountain Pens, Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Glassware, Art Work. Toys From Trains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. WE PAY CASH for antique furniture, quality used furniture, early American art, pottery, silver, glassware, paintings, etc. Single items to entire estates. Call Reggie or Phyllis at DC 202726-4427, MD 301-332-4697. CASH FOR JEWELRY: Buying jewelry, diamonds, gold, platinum, silver, watches, coins, flatware, etc. We make house calls. Ask for Tom. Call anytime 301-654-8678 or 301-654-0838.

Classifieds cont. on p. 71

FROM PAGE 68

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD W E D S E M I T B U Y O R P L A Y H I P A R R R A I N S L O T D O G A O O L S A M A N S P R E H E W

F A C

G Y M N A S I A

A C E I A N D A A B E S

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

P E C S A N O E N D M E T P K M O U S E E A N N A D D O G S D N T E S H O W C O H O R S P A P S P A

S N E E

S A N S E A T

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

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Classifieds cont. from p. 70 Wanted

Wanted

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, ESTATES. I have been advertising in the Beacon for 20 years. Montgomery County resident – will travel to D.C., MD, VA. Buying following items: Furniture, art, jewelry, gold, sterling silver, old coins, vintage pocket and wrist watches, old tools, books, camera, military items – guns, rifles, knives, pocket knives, swords etc. Also buying: old toys, dolls, trains, comic books, photographs, autographs, musical instruments, guitars, violins, etc. Also old sports memorabilia and equipment – baseball, golf, football, fishing etc. Please call Tom at 240-476-3441.

STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301-309-3622. Stampex1@gmail.com.

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.

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

MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202841-3062.

CASH FOR ESTATE BUYOUTS, estate clean-outs, jewelry to furniture, one item or whole state. Free Estimate, Will Travel. 301520-0755. CIVIL WAR SOLDIER’S LETTERS, autographs, documents, images, archives wanted by local historian for use in research and feature articles. Free consulting and research, no obligation. Ron, 301-869-2623, 240-498-3535.

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

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

BEACON BITS

Nov. 1

5K TO HELP LOCAL WIDOWS

Widow Care, a Montgomery County organization assisting widows and widowers after the loss of their spouse, is holding a fall 5K to raise money and increase awareness about volunteer opportunities. After the run, enjoy snacks, meet fellow walkers and runners, and stop by the info or volunteer tables to learn more about getting involved with Widow Care. This event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at Lake Needwood at Rock Creek Regional Park, 6700 Needwood Rd., Derwood, Md. The registration fee is $30 for adults and $25 for children ages 13 and under. To register, visit www.widowcare.org.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Business & Employment Opp.

Franchise Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Hebrew Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Clinical Research Studies

7 Corners Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Dempsey & Rodbard Medical Practice .39 IDEAL Healthy Aging Study . . . . . . . . .39

Dental Services

Fairfax Dental Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Friedman, Stephen, DDS . . . . . . . . . .44 Oh, Judy, DDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Events

Beacon 50+Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-5 Fairfax Fall Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 JCA - Career Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . .34 To Drive or Not Drive . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Financial Services

Children’s National . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Four Sales LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 G&G Pawnbrokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 HC Custom Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Quinn’s Auction Galleries . . . . . . . . .52 USA Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Funeral Services

Fram Monuments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Going Home Cremation Services . . .56 Rockville Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Government Services

D.C. Office on Aging . . . . . . . . . .35-38 D.C. Dept. of Health . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 D.C. Early Voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services . . . . . . . . . .42 Montgomery County Information & Services/311 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Hearing Services

Auditory Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Miracle Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Sound Hearing Centers . . . . . . . . . . .31

Home Health Care

Best Senior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Elder Caring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Espirit Home Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Old Dominion Home Care . . . . . . . . . . .6 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . . .26

Hospice

Community Hospice . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Housing

Asbury Methodist Village . . . . . . . . . .8 Ashby Ponds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Aspenwood Senior Living Community .25 Brooke Grove Retirement Village . .19, 27 Charter House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Chesterbrook Residences Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Churchill Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . .23 Culpeper Baptist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Culpepper Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 ELA Interior Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Falcons Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Forest Hills of DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Friendship Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Greenspring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 M. Quinn Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 New Lifestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Oaks at Olde Towne, The . . . . . . . . . .18 Olney Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Park View Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Potomac Place Assisted Living . . . . .49 Quantum Property Management . . . .50 Residences at Thomas Circle . . . . . . . . .31 Riderwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Ring House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Solana of Olney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Sommerset Retirement Community . .59 Springvale Terrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Victoria Park Senior Apartments . . . .50

Village at Rockville . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Vinson Hall Retirement Community . .56

Legal Services

AARP Legal Counsel for Elderly . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Law Firm of Evan. H. Farr . . . . . . . . .47 Law Offices of Paul Riekhof . . . . . . . . .49

Medical/Health

2 Fitt Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Advanced Spine & Wellness Systems . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 11 CareFirst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Casey Health Institute & Wellness Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind . .10 Doctors First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Freedom Walk In Tubs & Showers . .25 HealthQare Associates . . . . . . . . .29, 42 Holy Cross Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 IDC, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Low Vision Specialists of Maryland & Virginia . . . . . . . . .25 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Montgomery Vascular Care . . . . . . . .10 NAVA Health & Vitality Center . . . . . .9 Novant Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Podiatry House Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Providence Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Roberts Home Medical . . . . . . . . . . .10 Silver Spring Medical Center . . . . . . . . .43 Stem Cell Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Vascular Institute of Virginia . . . . . . .33

Pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Rite Aid Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Real Estate Services

Eric Stewart - Long & Foster Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Keller Williams - Lisa Langlais . . . . .41 Swan Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Weichert Realtors - Sue Heyman . . . .48

Restaurants

Original Pancake House . . . . . . . . . .54 Wrap2Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Retail

Boone & Sons, Jewelers . . . . . . . . . .48

Senior Organizations

AARP Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 AARP Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Shalom Signature Club . . . . . . . . . . .14

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

CommuniCare Health . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Manor Care Health Services . . . . . . .24 Village at Rockville, The . . . . . . . . . .33

Subscription Services

Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Washington Jewish Week . . . . . . . . .66

Theatre/Entertainment

Alden Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Ford’s Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Kennedy Center . . . . . . . . . . .61, 63, 65 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . .62

Tour & Travel

Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . .55 Potomac Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Tripper Bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 US Navy Memorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Vamoose Bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Transportation

Jewish Council for the Aging . . . . . .22

Utilities

PEPCO Energy Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 PEPCO Take Control of Energy Use .30 Verizon DC Lifeline Program . . . . . .48

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

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

Opening October 1 For over 50 years, Holy Cross Health has been dedicated to improving the health of the communities we serve. Now, Holy Cross Germantown Hospital brings much-needed health care to upper Montgomery County. This new hospital features: – – – – –

A full-service emergency department All private patient rooms with 24/7 visitation Beautiful new maternity suites Medical, surgical and behavioral health services The latest technology and equipment

Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is conveniently located right off I-270. With peaceful views and state-of-the-art technology, you can trust our team to provide a safe and positive healing environment that you’ll want to call your very own.

19801 Observation Drive Germantown, Maryland 20876

HolyCrossHealth.org