February 2012 DC Beacon Edition by The Beacon Newspapers

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A life filled with shooting stars

FEBRUARY 2012

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY CONNIE GEORGE

By Connie George Bill Kobrin spent several hours snapping pictures of Marilyn Monroe in her underwear one steamy summer night, but had no idea it was going to make him famous. The photographer responsible for Monroe’s most iconic image — standing atop a breezy subway tunnel vent with her skirt billowing up above her panties — recently reflected on a 60-year career that began with pictures of babies and weddings and culminated in decades spent capturing hundreds of famous show business faces. The journey took him to Harlem and Korea before landing him in Hollywood, and through work for the Associated Press, Look magazine, 20th Century Fox, CBS and ABC. It also taught him to think quickly on his feet and, as importantly, the vital skills necessary to cultivate working relationships with those in the entertainment business, where such associations are frequently unpredictable. “To be a successful celebrity photojournalist you have to be part psychiatrist, part psychologist, part philosopher, and above all you have to be charming and likeable,” Kobrin said. “Now that’s easy for some celebrities and photographers, but it is not easy for some.” It’s also a tall order on a daily basis, he acknowledged, but getting off on the right foot with his big-name subjects was critical when his livelihood was based on photographing men and women protective of their images who did not like being caught unaware by a photo shoot. “You’ve got 30 seconds to make an impression,” he explained. “So when you had an assignment that was the case of ‘Surprise, surprise, I’m here,’ then you’ve got a problem. But sometimes when you hit it off right and both parties get along and kind of dig each other, then it’s alright.” Kobrin, who has since retired to the Palm Springs area, excelled at getting the needed cooperation, as can be seen from his favorite photos, which have been compiled in a book, Bill Kobrin’s Stars and Celebrities. From candid studio images to formal headshots, the book features the most popular television, motion picture and music stars of their era, from Cary

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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Las Vegas through the eyes of a first-timer; plus, taking a cruise with Hollywood legends, and scenic cross-country rail trips page 40

ARTS & STYLE Celebrity photojournalist Bill Kobrin is shown with his well-used Nikon and recently published book, Bill Kobrin’s Stars and Celebrities, featuring photos of the famous he shot over six decades. The book is open to an image taken the same night as his best-known photo — of Marilyn Monroe standing over a breezy New York subway grate.

Grant to Grace Kelly, from Eartha Kitt to George Michael. “This is no boast,” Kobrin said, “but I would imagine — being involved with AP, Look, CBS and ABC — that every major star or celebrity that ever existed between 1941 and 1990 I have photographed in one way or another.”

The road to Hollywood The Brooklyn-born Kobrin took up photography in his teens, scoring a few small-scale freelance jobs before landing a position in the darkroom at New York’s Associated Press office in 1942 when he was 20.

Though he hadn’t been hired as a lensman, he was asked one night to cover a massive race riot in Harlem because the staff photographers had other assignments. At the time, Kobrin said, “Harlem was a tinderbox and kind of scary,” but he was game to prove his worth to AP. So he headed out to the neighborhood by subway at 3:30 a.m., snapped shots of riot victims at a local hospital, and then ventured out into the streets at daybreak to capture images of looting and fires. The riot lasted two or three days, he recalled, and made national headlines. His See SHOOTING STARS, page 48

A contemporary spin on Shakespeare’s comedy Two Gentlemen of Verona page 46

FITNESS & HEALTH k Stem cells fight blindness k Save on healthcare abroad

LAW & MONEY 24 k Time to focus on dividends k Grandparent money missteps VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS k Alexandria volunteers

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors

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

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A California Beacon I am pleased to announce the “birth” of a starting up his own version of the Beacon new Beacon last month. Not exactly a sibling in the Palm Springs area. of our Washington, Baltimore A more involved answer and Howard County editions. would explain that, while we More of a cousin perhaps. have never entered into such I am referring to the new an arrangement before, we Coachella Valley Beacon — have thought about it many serving residents 50 and over times in the past. In fact, a numin Palm Springs, Palm Desert ber of people have approached and other cities in Califorus over the years seeking to nia’s Coachella Valley, situatstart up Beacons in areas of the ed about 100 miles east of country where the need for FROM THE Los Angeles. such a publication exists. This new Beacon is actual- PUBLISHER As it turned out, none of ly independently owned and By Stuart P. Rosenthal those people ever followed operated. But if imitation is through. But Michael Brachthe sincerest form of flattery, we are high- man, the publisher of the Coachella Valley ly flattered, for the paper looks and reads Beacon, has made the vision into a reality. very much like the Beacon you are holding In the process, he and the talented local in your hand. writers and ad sales staff he has assemThat’s because we have been retained to bled have impressed us tremendously. design the new publication and provide a His first edition, put together in only two good part of its content. We also host its months, is filled with interesting Beacon online edition on our website, at www.the- Bits and local stories, plus a selection of BeaconNewspapers.com. health, money and travel stories supplied You might ask why we are doing this. from our editions. The quick answer is that we were apOf course, advertising content is also esproached by an experienced California sential to free publications like ours — bepublisher who had retired and was looking cause readers appreciate seeing a variety of for an encore career and entrepreneurial products and services targeted to their venture. He had recently learned of our needs, and the publication needs advertiser publications and expressed an interest in support to remain free. On this score, too, the

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain residents of the Greater Washington D.C., Howard County and Greater Baltimore areas, and is privately owned. Readership exceeds 350,000. 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.

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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, Ron Manno, Cheryl Watts

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 53 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

Coachella Valley Beacon is off to a fine start. Furthermore, we so liked his premier issue cover story — an interview with the 90-year-old photographer who, among many other famous photos, shot the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe standing over a New York subway grate, skirt flying — that we have returned the “imitation” favor and are printing it as our cover story this month in Baltimore, Howard County and Greater Washington. We hope you enjoy this cover story, though it is not about a local personality, and see it as our way of introducing you to the new audience of Beacon readers living on the West Coast. If you know of any other potential publishers who might have what it takes to establish and successfully run a Beacon elsewhere in the country, please let them know about us. We are certainly open to working with them to spread the light of the Beacon to other communities. On a related note, I was struck to realize that the January day we completed the first issue of the Coachella Valley Beacon was exactly one year to the day from when I had received a fateful telephone call from the Howard County Office on Aging last January. That was when I learned that Generations, a monthly paper for people over 50 that had been published for 10 years in Howard County, was discontinuing operations after its February edition. The Howard County aging office had

long printed its newsletter inside Generations, and was concerned both about losing its media outlet and about Howard County residents over 50 losing an information source tailored specifically to them. Being familiar with our papers in Baltimore and Washington, they asked if we would consider publishing a new edition in Howard County. After giving the matter considerable thought, we decided to do so, and we are very glad that we did. It has grown each month in distribution and readership, as well as advertising. In short, 2011 was a very special year for us, planting the seeds for an expansion of our operations from two to four editions. Naturally, this has made for some additional late nights and hard work by our dedicated staff, and I want to thank them all, in particular Kyle Gregory, our graphic designer; Barbara Ruben, our managing editor; and Roger King, our operations assistant and webmaster, who have been especially involved in the new editions. We are proud of all our publications, and grateful to all our readers — whichever coast you reside on. We would not be here, and would not have a mission, without you. Thank you for reading, for patronizing our advertisers, and for telling your friends about the Beacons.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Living in an affluent neighborhood with citizens of like means, Bob Levey is willing to be generous with the hard earned rights of senior citizens of lesser financial worth (“Some grand advice for the candidates,” January). If the friends that he interviewed are willing to rebate some of their Social Security checks and Medicare allotments to the U.S. government, then fine, and I praise them. However, for many senior citizens who faithfully had moneys removed from their paychecks for Social Security and Medicare, reduction in their earned benefits to allow balancing of the budget is a promise violated. For too long has the U.S. government frittered away the moneys designated for Medicare and Social Security. For those senior citizens who do not need the funds, fine. But for the vast majority of senior citizens of lesser means, they deserve to be compensated for the amounts that they contributed to the plans. Nelson Marans Silver Spring, Md.

Dear Editor: It was nice to see the auction house article appear on last month’s Beacon cover (“Going, going, gone at auction,” January). Unfortunately, the piece does a lot to promote the use of local houses and little to identify and point out the pitfalls any consumer, and particularly those of retirement age, should watch for and avoid. Auction houses have people sign contracts that often contain a host of hidden charges. Auction houses lose items. Auction houses often do not pay for items sold in a timely manner. The list goes on. The Beacon had a chance to inform the public. It chose instead to encourage without appropriate cautioning. It forgot that appraisals worth the name are not free, and forgot to warn customers to never pay for an appraisal from an auction house where you intend to consign items. Finally, for those interested in “checking out” an auction house, I suggest going online to sites like Yelp — much simpler See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 52

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

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

Health Fitness &

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION Check with your insurer to make sure that preventive healthcare is free LOSING ENERGY There’s not much evidence for energy drinks and supplements MEDICARE DEBATE Policy prescriptions for fixing Medicare’s finances will affect baby boomers CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST! Try this Valentine’s Day chocolate bread pudding; it’s great, but healthy

Stem cells may restore vision in the blind By Alicia Chang Two legally blind women appeared to gain some vision after receiving an experimental treatment using embryonic stem cells, scientists reported in January. While embryonic stem cells were first isolated more than a decade ago, most of the research has been done in lab animals. The new results come from the first tests in humans for a vision problem. Researchers caution the work is still very preliminary. “This study provides reason for encouragement, but plans to now get such a treatment would be premature,” said stem cell expert Paul Knoepfler of the University of California, Davis, who had no role in the research.

“Incurable” conditions improved Last summer, each patient was injected

in one eye with cells derived from embryonic stem cells at the University of California, Los Angeles. One patient had the “dry” form of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness. The other had a rare disorder known as Stargardt disease that causes serious vision loss. There’s no cure for either eye problem. After four months, both showed some improvement in reading progressively smaller letters on an eye chart. The Stargardt patient, a graphic artist in Los Angeles, went from seeing no letters at all to being able to read five of the largest letters. However, experts said the improvement of the macular degeneration patient might be mostly psychological, because the vision in her untreated eye appeared to get better, too.

Both patients remain legally blind despite their improvements, said experts not connected with the study.

A small safety study only “One must be very careful not to overinterpret the visual benefit,” said Vanderbilt University retina specialist Dr. Paul Sternberg, who is also the president-elect of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The findings were published online by the journal Lancet. This early test was meant to study whether the stem cell therapy was safe in people and not whether it would improve vision. Scientists at UCLA and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), which funded the work, said they were pleased that there have been no signs of rejection or abnor-

mal growth months after the procedure. Embr yonic stem cells can transform into any cell of the body. Scientists are hoping to harness embr yonic stem cells to create a variety of replacement tissues for transplant, but their use has been controversial because human embr yos have to be destroyed to har vest the cells. The latest news comes two months after Geron Corp. halted its stem cell-based experiment for spinal cord injuries, saying it planned to focus instead on two experimental cancer drugs. Meanwhile, ACT is pushing ahead with its blindness study. The company said that surgeons in London injected stem cells into a patient with Stargardt disease recently. —AP

How you can save on healthcare abroad By Anne Kates Smith Last year, more than a half-million U.S. residents got medical care abroad, according to Patients Beyond Borders, a consumer advisory service. That number is likely to grow at a 25 to 35 percent annual rate. Some procedures lend themselves to international travel. The five most-popular overseas procedures are cosmetic surgery, dentistry, orthopedics, weight-loss surgery, and in vitro fertilization and other reproductive services. Complex procedures that require lengthy recuperation (think bone-marrow transplants) are problematic. Cancer is a gray area, with travel dictated less often by potential cost savings and more often by the desire to undergo treatment close to friends and family. Even with lower-stakes procedures, costs can add up. It makes more sense to travel for four dental implants than for two because you have to make a second trip to get crowns on the implants. A good rule of thumb, according to experts, is that cost savings should be at least $5,000 to $6,000 to make a trip worthwhile. Medical care overseas is cheaper in many places because the cost of living is lower than in the U.S. Efficiencies are often greater overseas as well. In Singa-

pore, you’ll find few general hospitals, for instance. Most medical procedures are performed in specialized centers.

World-class hospitals Many hospitals abroad are world-class facilities that roll out the red carpet for medical tourists. Bumrungrad International Hospital, in Bangkok, Thailand, is one of the biggest, boasting more than 400,000 international patient visits per year. Many of its 900 doctors completed fellowships or residencies in the U.S.; some 200 are U.S. board-certified, and nearly all speak English. The hospital’s International Medical Coordination Office will schedule procedures, attend to family logistics and coordinate follow-up care. Bumrungrad will even send someone to pick you up at the airport. Facilities don’t have to be huge to be attractive. The Barbados Fertility Centre is the smallest hospital to receive accreditations by the Joint Commission International, the global arm of the Joint Commission, the major hospital accrediting body in the U.S. The appeal of medical travel is obvious for the uninsured and under-insured. Travel is also appealing to workers with highdeductible health plans. Not only might they save a bundle abroad,

but they can use tax-free dollars from a health savings account to pay for care (and some of the travel), provided the procedures meet Internal Revenue Service criteria for qualified medical expenses. (To see what the IRS permits, visit www.irs.gov/publications/p502.) Or you can always deduct the cost of qualified procedures that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. It’s rare that U.S. insurance is accepted by overseas care providers.

How to book a trip If you’re considering medical travel, your first stop should be the book Patients Beyond Borders by Josef Woodman, a comprehensive guide to medical travel with information about the best international hospitals and clinics. A newly revised edition is due out in March (about $16 on Amazon.com). The organization (www.patientsbeyondborders.com) also offers one-on-one advice in free 15-minute consultations or more in-depth advice for $250. Some medical tourists prefer to arrange a trip with the help of facilitators, or brokers. Many work with networks of hospitals, doctors and clinics with which they’ve negotiated discounted rates. But be careful. The industry is unregu-

lated, and anyone can hang out a shingle. Look for a long track record and satisfied customers, an affiliation with major insurers or employers, or safeguards against bias in recommendations. Brokers should thoroughly inspect the facilities they recommend. For example, David Boucher, the CEO of Companion Global Healthcare (www.companionglobalhealthcare.com), said that Companion physically visits every hospital in its network and that his company does not accept referral fees from hospitals. Instead, patients pay a $700 case-management fee, in addition to the cost of travel and medical care. Planet Hospital (www.planethospital.info) typically recommends three or four hospitals for you to choose from, and although the company is paid by the hospitals in its network, staffers have no incentive to recommend one over another. Most patients pay for concierge service that costs $100 per day for the first three days and $75 a day thereafter. Be aware that in some countries, doctors may use products that are of lower quality than ones required in the U.S., such as certain types of silicone implants and cosmetic injections. Infection is a leadSee MEDICAL TOURISM, page 5

Do your homework Whether you travel for care on your own or with help, insist on a few things. Accreditation by the Joint Commission International is a must. (More than 400 public and private healthcare organizations in 39 countries are accredited or certified by JCI.) Look for English-speaking patient representatives. And ask your doctor the same questions you’d ask a doctor anywhere: Where were you trained? How many of these procedures have you done? Who makes the im-

BEACON BITS

Feb. 11

HEART HEALTH SCREENING The African American Health Program and the Holy Cross Hospital

Community Health Department invite you to the Fifth Annual Heart Health Screening and Education event on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (snow date Feb. 18). The event and all screenings are free. Screenings include blood pressure, body fat, glucose, cholesterol and oral cancer. The event is held in the Holy Cross Hospital Professional & Community Education Center (Main Building), 1500 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md. Free parking is available in the Dameron Garage, located off Dameron Drive.

Feb. 15

CREATIVITY AND BRAIN HEALTH In the free community seminar, “Creativity, Longevity and Brain Health,” Michael Patterson, a brain health educator and board

member of the National Center for Creative Aging, will discuss the creative brain and why engagement in creative activities can help ward off dementia and cognitive decline. The event on Wednesday, Feb. 15 begins with a complimentary light supper at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 18131 Slade School Rd., Sandy Spring, Md. RSVP to Toni Davis at (301) 924-2811 or tdavis@bgf.org.

Learn more about the area’s housing options Check the boxes of communities from whom you would like to receive information with no obligation and mail or fax this form to the Beacon. Washington D.C. ❏Friendship Terrace (See ad on page 27) ❏The Georgetown (See ad on page 13) ❏Victory Square (See ad on page 50)

Maryland ❏Asbury Methodist Village (See ad on page 29) ❏Brightview (See ad on page 23) ❏Brooke Grove (See ad on page 14) ❏Charter House (See ad on page 16) ❏Churchill Senior Living (See ad on page 45) ❏Covenant Village (See ad on page 43) ❏Emerson House (See ad on page 43) ❏Homecrest House (See ad on page 17) ❏Mrs. Philippines Home (See ad on page 43) ❏Park View at Bladensburg (See ad on page 26) ❏Park View at Columbia (See ad on page 26) ❏Park View at Ellicott City (See ad on page 26) ❏Park View at Laurel (See ad on page 26) ❏Renaissance Gardens Riderwood (See ad on page 12) ❏Riderwood Village (See ad on page 30) ❏Ring House (See ad on page 45) ❏Shriner Court (See ad on page 43) ❏Springvale Terrace (See ad on page 35) ❏Village at Rockville (See ad on page 10)

Virginia ❏Arleigh Burke Pavilion (See ad on page 17) ❏Ashby Ponds (See ad on page 30) ❏Chesterbrook Residences (See ad on page 46) ❏Culpepper Garden (See ad on page 26) ❏Forest Glen (See ad on page 22) ❏The Glebe (See ad on page 33) ❏Greenspring Village (See ad on page 30) ❏Milly’s Home (See ad on page 22) ❏Park Place Apts. (See ad on page 19) ❏Quantum Affordable Apts. (See ad on page 43) ❏Renaissance Gardens Greenspring (See ad on page 12) ❏Sommerset (See ad on page 31) ❏The Virginian (See ad on page back page) Name________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________________ City______________________________________State______Zip________________ Phone (day)__________________________(evening)_________________________ E-mail_________________________________________________________________

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Or fax to (301) 949-8966.

2/12

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ing cause of complications — as it is in U.S. hospitals.

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From page 4

plants you’ll use? Ask if you can contact the doctor before, during and after care. Before you go, arrange for the transfer of medical records and for after-care in the U.S. Insurers, facilitators, and clinics and hospitals may try to reduce or eliminate their liability in case of malpractice, so read the paperwork carefully. Foreign medical arbitration systems often drag out the process, and if you do get compensation, don’t be surprised if it’s much less than what you’d expect in the U.S. Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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

Preventive care might or might not be free By Carla K. Johnson Bill Dunphy thought his colonoscopy would be free. His insurance company told him it would be covered 100 percent, with no copayment from him and no charge against his deductible. The nation’s 1-year-old

health law requires most insurance plans to cover all costs for preventive care including colon cancer screening. So Dunphy had the procedure in April. Then the bill arrived: $1,100. Dunphy, a 61-year-old Phoenix small business owner, angrily paid it out of his

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own pocket because of what some prevention advocates call a loophole. His doctor removed two noncancerous polyps during the colonoscopy. So while Dunphy was sedated, his preventive screening turned into a diagnostic procedure. That allowed his insurance company to bill him. Like many Americans, Dunphy has a highdeductible insurance plan. He hadn’t spent his deductible yet. So, on top of his $400 monthly premium, he had to pay the bill. “That’s bait and switch,” Dunphy said. “If it isn’t fraud, it’s immoral.”

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President Barack Obama’s health overhaul encourages prevention by requiring most insurance plans to pay for preventive care. On the plus side, more than 22 million Medicare patients and many more

Americans with private insurance have received one or more free covered preventive services this year. From cancer screenings to flu shots, many services no longer cost patients money. But there are confusing exceptions. As Dunphy found out, colonoscopies can go from free to pricey while the patient is under anesthesia. Breast cancer screenings can cause confusion, too. In Florida, Tampa Bay-area small business owner Dawn Thomas, 50, went for a screening mammogram. But she was told by hospital staff that her mammogram would be a diagnostic test — not preventive screening — because a previous mammogram had found something suspicious. (It turned out to be nothing.) Knowing that would cost her $700, and knowing her doctor had ordered a screening mammogram, Thomas stood her ground. “Either I get a screening today or I’m putting my clothes back on and I’m leaving,” she remembers telling the hospital staff. It worked. Her mammogram was counted as preventive and she got it for free. “A lot of women ... are getting labeled with that diagnostic code and having to pay year after year for that,” Thomas said. “It’s a loophole so insurance companies don’t have to pay for it.” For parents with several children, costs can pile up with unexpected copays for kids needing shots. Even when copays are inexpensive, they can blemish a patientdoctor relationship. Robin Brassner of Jersey City, N.J., expected her doctor visit to be free. All she wanted was a flu shot. But the doctor charged her a $20 copay. “He said no one really comes in for just a flu shot. They inevitably mention another See PREVENTIVE CARE, page 7

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Ways to avoid costly insurance surprises

Services with no copay The following is a partial list of services that should be covered without copays or other cost-sharing by the patient: • Alcohol misuse screening and counseling • Aspirin use for men and women of certain ages

Preventive care From page 6 ailment, so he charges,” Brassner said. As a new patient, she didn’t want to start the relationship by complaining, but she left feeling irritated. “Next time, I’ll be a little more assertive about it,” she said.

Practitioners puzzled, too How confused are doctors? “Extremely,” said Cheryl Gregg Fahrenholz, an Ohio consultant who works with physicians. It’s common for doctors to deal with 200 different insurance plans. And some older plans are exempt. Should insurance now pay for aspirin? Aspirin to prevent heart disease and stroke is one of the covered services for older patients. But it’s unclear whether insurers are supposed to pay only for doctors to tell older patients about aspirin, or whether they’re supposed to pay for the aspirin itself, said Dr. Jason Spangler, chief medical officer for the nonpartisan Partnership for Prevention. Stop-smoking interventions are also supposed to be free. “But what does that mean?” Spangler asked. “Does it mean counseling? Nicotine replacement therapy? What about drugs like Wellbutrin or Chantix (that can help smokers quit)? That hasn’t been clearly laid out.”

Colonoscopy concerns But the greatest source of confusion is See PREVENTIVE CARE, page 8

• Blood pressure screening for all adults • Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk • Colorectal cancer screening for adults, starting at age 50 • Depression screening for adults • Type 2 diabetes screening for adults with high blood pressure • Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease • HIV screening for all adults at higher risk • Flu shots and other recommended vaccines for adults and children • Obesity screening and counseling for adults and children • Tobacco use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users • Breast cancer mammography screen-

ings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40 • Cervical cancer screening for sexually active women • Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60, depending on risk factors Sources: U.S. Department of Health and

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Experts offer the following tips for avoiding surprise medical bills for preventive care: • Call your insurance plan — the 800number on the back of your insurance card — to find out whether the plan must comply with the Affordable Care Act. If your plan is “grandfathered,” it’s exempt from the law’s requirement to pay for preventive care. • When scheduling an appointment or talking with your doctor, clarify that you’re coming in for a covered preventive service and you don’t expect to be charged. The doctor must be in your health plan’s network. • If you’re hit with an unexpected bill, call the doctor’s office and ask how the bill was submitted. Was it submitted as a preventive care service? • Complain to your state’s insurance department if you believe you’ve been billed in error.

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

Do any supplements really boost energy? Do you feel tired or run-down? Do you lack the energy you used to have? If so, you’re part of a large group. Fatigue is one of the most common problems patients report to their doctors. As many as 14 percent of men and 20 percent of women say they feel “frequently fatigued,” and in a survey of more than 17 million people 51 and older, 31 percent reported the symptom of fatigue.

Go to the store, and you’ll see a multitude of vitamins, herbs and other supplements touted as energy boosters. Some are even added to soft drinks and other foods for this purpose. Especially popular are supplements containing ginkgo biloba, ginseng, guarana, chromium picolinate, vitamin B12, DHEA, coenzyme Q10 and creatine. Even ephedra, which was banned by the U.S. Food and

Preventive care

they can remove precancerous growths called polyps at the same time. The test gets credit for lowering colorectal cancer rates. It’s one of several colon cancer screening methods highly recommended for adults ages 50 to 75.

From page 7 colonoscopies, a test for the nation’s second leading cancer killer. Doctors use a thin, flexible tube to scan the colon and

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Drug Administration several years ago, remains available on the Internet.

Evidence is slim, conflicting There’s little or no scientific evidence to support the claims for most of these substances. The fact is, the only pill that’ll boost your energy is one containing a stimulant, such as caffeine. And the effects of these stimulants wear off within hours.

But when a doctor screens and treats at the same time, the patient could get a surprise bill. “It erodes a trust relationship the patients may have had with their doctors,” said Dr. Joel Brill of the American Gastroenterological Association. “We get blamed. And it’s not our fault.” Cindy Holtzman, an insurance agent in Marietta, Ga., is telling clients to check with their insurance plans before a colonoscopy so they know what to expect. “You could wake up with a $2,000 bill because they find that little bitty polyp,” Holtzman said. Doctors and prevention advocates are asking Congress to revise the law to waive patient costs — including Medicare copays, which can run up to $230 — for a screening colonoscopy where polyps are removed. The American Gastroenterological Association and the American Cancer Society are pushing Congress to fix the problem because of the confusion it’s causing for patients and doctors. At least one state is taking action. After complaints piled up in Oregon, insurance regulators now are working with doctors and insurers to make sure patients aren’t getting surprise charges when polyps are removed.

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See ENERGY BOOSTER, page 10

Florida’s consumer services office also reports complaints about colonoscopies and other preventive care. California insurance broker Bonnie Milani said she’s lost count of the complaints she’s had about bills clients have received for preventive services. “’Confusion’ is not the word I’d apply to the medical offices producing the bills,” Milani said. “The word that comes to mind for me ain’t nearly so nice.” When it’s working as intended, the new health law encourages more patients to get preventive care. Dr. Yul Ejnes, a Rhode Island physician, said he’s personally told patients with high deductible plans about the benefit. They weren’t planning to schedule a colonoscopy until they heard it would be free, Ejnes said. If too many patients get surprise bills, however, that advantage could be lost, said Stephen Finan of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He said it will take federal or state legislation to fix the colonoscopy loophole. Dunphy, the Phoenix businessman, recalled how he felt when he got his colonoscopy bill — like something “underhanded” was going on. “It’s the intent of the law is to cover this stuff,” Dunphy said. “It really made me angry.” — AP

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The same holds true for drinks touted as energy boosters. Most contain a combination of vitamins, as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, and lots of sugar. Furthermore, supplements (including herbs, vitamins, and other substances) aren’t subject to quality control by the U.S. government. The FDA doesn’t regulate

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Is creatine worth taking? By Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D. Q. Please discuss the benefits of creatine supplements for older, postmenopausal women. Are there any drawbacks? A. Creatine is a substance made in our bodies from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. Amino acids are the chemical building blocks of protein; we get them from consuming protein in our diets. The body makes 1 to 2 grams of creatine a day, and we also get creatine from certain foods, such as fish and meat. Most (95 percent) of the body’s creatine is located in muscle, though some is found in other tissues, including the brain and retina. Creatine increases energy by producing adenosine triphosphate — a high-energy compound released in muscle during intense, anaerobic exercise. Creatine supplements promote protein manufacture and provide a quick source of energy for muscle contraction. Some studies suggest that supplemental creatine can help young athletes increase muscle mass and strength and improve their athletic performance during brief, high-intensity activity that requires short bursts of energy. This is one reason why it’s incorporated in various nutritional supplements used by bodybuilders and by adolescent and professional athletes.

Some evidence for seniors While most of these studies have found that creatine doesn’t enhance performance in older men and women, and doesn’t improve endurance at any age, there are a few exceptions to that conclusion. In a 2003 Canadian study of men and women 65 and over participating in a sixmonth strength-training program, those who took creatine had a twofold increase

in lean muscle mass compared with a placebo group. Also, in a small European study published in 2008, creatine seemed to confer a shortterm benefit on postmenopausal women. At the start of the study, the women were evaluated for muscle performance — bench press, hand grip, tandem walking, and leg press. After one week, women who took creatine, compared with those taking a placebo, showed significant increases in bench-press and leg-press strength (measures of upperand lower-body strength) and improvement in tests of coordination and balance. These studies and others have involved only a small number of participants. Moreover, there are no studies of the long-term effects of creatine supplementation.

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Possible side effects Creatine’s most common known side effects include weight gain, stomach upset, diarrhea, muscle cramps, headache, anxiety, nervousness, sleepiness and dizziness. Less common, but potentially serious, side effects include liver problems, kidney damage, and interaction with insulin. Women with diabetes or kidney or liver disease should not take creatine supplements. My conclusion is that there’s not yet enough evidence that creatine can help women your age build muscle or increase strength. So your best way to build and maintain your muscle strength is to exercise and get the recommended amount of dietary protein. Healthy women ages 19 to 70 need 46 grams of protein per day, and they should perform regular strength training and aerobic exercise. © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Energy booster From page 8 their content, purity or effectiveness. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to the individual manufacturers to police the purity and content of their own products. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at what studies suggest about some substances commonly touted as energy boosters: 1. Ginkgo biloba. Derived from the maidenhair tree, ginkgo biloba has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine and is now a common dietary supplement in Western countries. Its effects on cognition (thinking), mood, alertness and memory have been the subject of many studies, but many of those studies have not been of high quality. A 2007 Cochrane Collaboration review of the better studies found evidence too weak to

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

conclude that ginkgo biloba improved cognition in people with Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease. Other studies suggest ginkgo biloba may improve some aspects of mood, including alertness and calmness, in healthy subjects. Regarding memory, evidence is conflicting. 2. Ginseng. This is a relatively safe and popular herb, said to reduce fatigue and enhance stamina and endurance. Data from human studies are sparse and conflicting. Some studies report that ginseng improves mood, energy and physical and intellectual performance. Other research concludes it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t improve oxygen use or aerobic performance, or influence how quickly you bounce back after exercising. 3. Guarana. This herb induces a feeling of energy because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a natural source of caffeine. But consuming a lot of guarana, especially if you also drink coffee

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and other caffeinated beverages, could ultimately lower your energy by interfering with sleep. 4. Chromium picolinate. This trace mineral is widely marketed to build muscle, burn fat, and increase energy and athletic performance, but research has not supported these claims. 5. Vitamin B12. Some people take vitamin B12 by injection or pills as a way to get a quick energy burst, but most experts attribute any results to the placebo effect. Unless you have a B12 deficiency, taking shots or supplements is unlikely to make a difference. 6. DHEA. Sometimes marketed as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;fountain of youth,â&#x20AC;? this naturally occurring hormone is said to boost energy as well as prevent cancer, heart disease, and infectious disease â&#x20AC;&#x201D; among other things. The truth is that supplemental DHEA has no proven benefits and some potentially serious health risks, such as lowering levels of healthy HDL cholesterol and increasing levels of testosterone, which can encourage acne and facial hair growth in women. Some research shows DHEA can damage the liver. Because this hormone is related to estrogen and testosterone, there is also concern that it may increase the risk for breast and prostate cancers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wise to avoid taking DHEA until further research clarifies its side effects. 7. Coenzyme Q10. This enzyme is

found in mitochondria, the energy factories of our cells. Supplements have been shown to improve exercise capacity in people with heart disease and may do the same in people with rare diseases that affect the mitochondria. One small European study in 2009 suggested that people with chronic fatigue syndrome might benefit from supplementation with coenzyme Q10, but more research is needed on this topic. 8. Ephedra. Although this product was banned by the FDA in 2004 because of major safety concerns, including increased risk of heart attack and stroke, it remains available for sale on the Internet. Any effectiveness ephedra may have in terms of boosting energy probably results from two substances it contains â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ephedrine and pseudoephedrine â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which may increase alertness. However, there is no safe amount of ephedra you can consume. If you want to boost your energy by stimulating your central nervous system, a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage will work just as well. For information about the supplement creatine, see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is creatine worth taking?â&#x20AC;? on page 9. From Harvard Special Report: Boosting Your Energy ÂŠ 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Health Shorts FDA adds warning to heart rhythm drug Federal health officials have added new safety warnings to the heart rhythm drug Multaq, after a company study by Sanofi linked the tablet to higher rates of heart attack, stroke and death in a subset of patients. The boxed warning highlights the results of a study in which Multaq doubled the risk of heart-related complications in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation — a condition in which the heart’s cham-

bers pump out of sync. The revised label stresses that Multaq is only approved for the short-term form of the condition and a related ailment known as atrial flutter. Despite such language, doctors routinely prescribe drugs for conditions not listed on the labeling approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The label, written by the FDA in cooperation with drugmaker Sanofi, instructs doctors to check patients’ heart rhythm at least once every three months. If patients appear to have the permanent form of atrial fibrillation, Multaq should be discontinued. The FDA said that Multaq remains a beneficial drug when used appropriately. In the study that triggered the warning, Sanofi recorded 25 deaths in the Multaq group compared with 13 in the placebo

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group. All 3,200 the patients in the study were older than 65 and had permanent atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder and a frequent contributor to stroke. The French drugmaker estimates there are 2.5 million atrial fibrillation patients in the U.S., and another 4.5 million in the EU. About 278,000 people in the U.S. have received prescriptions for Multaq as of last October, according to the FDA. Sanofi reported about $224 million in sales for the drug in 2010, with most prescriptions written in the U.S. Since 2010, the FDA has approved two other drugs for atrial fibrillation: Johnson & Johnson’s Xarelto and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa. Both drugs are marketed as alternatives to the hard-to-use warfarin, a 60-year old drug that doctors often prescribe for atrial fibrillation. Too much warfarin can cause dangerous internal bleeding, and too little can result in strokes. — AP

Pneumonia vaccine for those over 50 Federal regulators recently approved for use in adults 50 and over a pneumonia

vaccine previously used only for infants and young children. The announcement late last year from the FDA that it has approved Pfizer Inc.’s best-selling Prevnar 13 vaccine for such use was widely anticipated. It came shortly after a panel of federal health experts voted overwhelmingly to recommend Prevnar 13 as a safe and effective vaccine to prevent pneumococcal bacteria infections in adults. Prevnar 13 protects against 13 strains of the bacteria, which cause meningitis, pneumonia and ear infections. While used mostly in children for the past 10 years, the FDA said 300,000 adults 50 or older are hospitalized every year for pneumococcal pneumonia. “The FDA approval of Prevnar 13 for these adults offers the potential to contribute to the health of millions of aging Americans,” Ian Read, Pfizer’s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. Some 5,000 older adults succumb to the disease annually, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevnar, which was first approved in 2000, is a conjugated vaccine, which means it contains pneumococcal bacteria bound to a protein. The addition of the protein helps the body’s immune system recognize the bacteria, especially in babies. See HEALTH SHORTS, page 13

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

Health shorts From page 12 The drug also has received approval for adults 50 and older in the European Union, Australia, Mexico and more than 10 other countries, Pfizer said. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

Sugar helps researchers destroy cancer cells Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a heavy price to pay for a sweet tooth. Researchers have tricked glucoseeating cancer cells into consuming a sugar that essentially poisons them; it leaves a â&#x20AC;&#x153;suicideâ&#x20AC;? switch within the cells open to attack. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most cancer cells rely almost exclusively on glucose to fuel their growth,â&#x20AC;? said Guy Perkins of the University of California at San Diego. With Rudy Yamaguchi of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, Perkins found the cells would take up a

similar sugar called 2-deoxyglucose. But this sugar physically dislodges a protein within the cell that guards a suicide switch. Once exposed, the switch can be activated by a drug called ABT-263. This kills the cell by liberating proteins that order it to commit suicide, according to the research published in the journal Cancer Research. The approach could ultimately spell doom for several types of cancer, including liver, lung, breast and blood. In mice, the treatment made aggressive human prostate cancer tumors virtually disappear within days. Yamaguchi and Perkins are now hoping to mount a clinical trial at UC San Diego. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; New Scientist

Drugs may counteract â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lethalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; radiation Mice can survive a dose of radiation that should have killed them when given a double-drug therapy, even if they get the drug cocktail 24 hours after exposure.

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African American over 40, you are at greater risk for vision loss from glaucoma. Learn more about the disease from Dr. Andrew Adelson, adult screening medical advisor for Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington, at the Macular Degeneration Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting on Sunday, Feb. 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Sibley Memorial Hospital Medical Building, 5255 Loughboro Rd., N.W. Washington, D.C. Free garage parking is available. For more information, call (202) 234-1010.

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

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“Our neighbors are congenial and interesting. Company when you want it; privacy when you don’t. And this is not a subsidiary of a profit-making company. It is owned and conservatively managed by a nonprofit foundation devoted to healthcare and the needs of older adults. We take comfort knowing that Brooke Grove’s other services are available to us should we need them.” – Arnold Palley *All individuals pictured are residents or staff of Brooke Grove. Quotes are also from residents, though not necessarily from those shown.

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

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Questions and answers on heart health From Harvard Health Letters Q. I’ve read that if you take aspirin every day, stopping it temporarily increases your chance of having a heart attack even higher than it would have been if you had never taken aspirin. Is that true? If I need to stop taking aspirin for some reason, is there a safer way to do it than stopping cold turkey? A. What you are describing is sometimes called the rebound effect or rebound phenomenon. It occurs when a person stops taking a medication and the symptoms or problem that the medication had controlled reappear, but more severely than before the person started taking the medication. Although a rebound effect has been seen with some beta blockers and some sedatives used to treat insomnia, it is unlikely this happens with aspirin. Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks and the most common form of stroke (ischemic stroke, caused by a blood clot) by making platelets in the bloodstream less “sticky.” It does this by inactivating an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX). Without this enzyme, platelets have a difficult time sticking to each other, a key step in the formation of a blood clot inside an artery. In most people, a single low dose of aspirin (81 milligrams) is enough to inactivate all of the COX in all of the platelets cir-

culating through the bloodstream. The effect of a single dose lasts for several days, as older COX-inactivated platelets are removed from circulation and new COXactive platelets enter circulation. That makes an immediate “withdrawal effect” unlikely to happen. It isn’t necessary, then, to taper off aspirin, as is recommended for beta blockers. Among individuals who have had a heart attack or ischemic stroke, or who are at high risk for having one, aspirin offers proven protection for the heart and arteries. If you need it, take it every day and don’t stop unless you are experiencing harmful side effects, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, or you are due to have an operation in which excess bleeding would be especially hazardous, such as brain surgery. In that case, your doctor will recommend that you stop taking aspirin a week beforehand — no tapering off needed. —Kenneth A. Bauer, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. Q. I had a pacemaker implanted a few months ago. I’m planning to join a gym to get back some strength in my arms and upper body, but I’m afraid of damaging the wires with some of the presses and pull-down movements I’d have to do to work out on the gym’s machines.

Are there any exercises or movements I should avoid? A. It’s great that you want to exercise and improve your upper-body strength. You just need to be a bit more careful going about it than someone without a pacemaker. Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have two basic working parts — the generator, which is implanted under the skin between the shoulder and chest, and one or more wires that stretch from the generator to the heart. These wires, called leads, are designed and built to flex and move freely when the arm or shoulder nearest the pacemaker or ICD moves.

Like all mechanical devices, leads are subject to wear and tear. It is minimal with the routine movements of everyday life, but can be substantial with repetitive arm movements. Using arm-strengthening machines, rowing, lifting weights and the like cause the lead to bend and relax repeatedly at the same spot. Over time, this can damage the lead. Activity that involves excessive extension of the arm nearest the pacemaker or ICD, like using an overhead press machine or doing some yoga positions, poses a different problem. It can crush the lead See HEART HEALTH, page 17

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

Medicare debate is all about the boomers By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Baby boomers take note: Medicare as your parents have known it is headed for big changes no matter who wins the White House in 2012. You may not like it, but you might have to accept it. Dial down the partisan rhetoric, and surprising similarities emerge from competing policy prescriptions by President Barack Obama and leading Republicans such as Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. Limit the overall growth of Medicare

spending? It’s in both approaches. Squeeze more money from upper-income retirees and some in the middle-class? Ditto. Raise the eligibility age? That too, if the deal is right. With more than 1.5 million baby boomers a year signing up for Medicare, the program’s future is one of the most important economic issues for anyone now 50 or older. Healthcare costs are the most unpredictable part of retirement, and Medicare

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Finances will force change “People would like to have what they used to have. What they don’t seem to understand is that it’s already changed,” said Gail Wilensky, a former Medicare administrator and adviser to Republicans. “Medicare as we have known it is not part of our future.” Two sets of numbers underscore that point. First, Medicare’s giant trust fund for inpatient care is projected to run out of money in 2024. At that point, the program will collect only enough payroll taxes to pay 90 percent of benefits. Second, researchers estimate that 20 to 30 percent of the more than $500 billion that Medicare now spends annually is wasted on treatments and procedures of little or no benefit to patients. Taken together, that means policymakers can’t let Medicare keep running on autopilot, and they’ll look for cuts before any payroll tax increases.

tween Democrats and Republicans. Currently about 75 percent of Medicare recipients are in the traditional government-run, fee-for-service program, and 25 percent are in private insurance plans known as Medicare Advantage. Ryan’s original approach, part of a budget plan the House passed last spring, would have put 100 percent of future retirees into private insurance. His latest plan, developed with Sen. Ron Wyden, DOre., would keep traditional Medicare as an option, competing with private plans. Older people would get a fixed payment they could use for private health insurance or traditional Medicare. Proponents call it “premium support.” To foes, it’s a voucher. Under both of Ryan’s versions, people now 55 or older would not have to make any changes. GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich praise his latest plan. How would it work? Would it save taxpayers money? Would it shift costs to retirees as Ryan’s earlier plan did? Would Congress later phase out traditional Medicare? Those and other questions must still be answered. “I’m not sure anybody has come up with a formula on this that makes people com-

Privatization pros and cons Privatization is the biggest divide be-

See MEDICARE DEBATE, page 17

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

Medicare debate

sumers and medical providers to be more cost-conscious. Obama does it with a powerful board that can force Medicare cuts to service providers if costs rise beyond certain levels and Congress fails to act. Like several elements of Obama’s healthcare overhaul, the Independent Payment Advisory Board is in limbo for now, but it is on the books. If the board survives Republican repeal attempts, it could become one of the government’s most important domestic agencies. The White House wants to keep the existing structure of Medicare while “twisting the dials” to control spending, said a current Medicare trustee, economist Robert Reischauer of the Urban Institute think tank. Ryan’s latest approach is arguably an evolution of the current Medicare Advan-

From page 16 fortable,” said health economist Marilyn Moon, who formerly served as a trustee helping to oversee Medicare finances. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Wyden-Ryan plan “would end Medicare as we know it for millions of seniors,” causing the traditional program to “wither on the vine.”

Healthcare overhaul’s role But what administration officials don’t say is that Obama’s healthcare law already puts in place one of Ryan’s main goals by limiting future increases in Medicare spending. Ryan would do it with a fixed payment for health insurance, adjusted to allow some growth. In theory that compels con-

Heart health

Weightlifting with repetitive flexing of the chest muscle on the side where the device is implanted is ill-advised. —Peter Zimetbaum, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass. © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

From page 15 between the collarbone and the first rib. I tell my patients that they can and should do upper-arm exercises, but not go crazy with them. A moderate session once a week at the gym should be fine. Ask if a trainer can show you exercises that are suitable for someone with a pacemaker.

tage private insurance program, not a radical change, Reischauer said. That’s particularly so if traditional Medicare remains an option. “In the hot and heavy political debate we are in, participants are exaggerating the difference between the proposals,” he said. During failed budget negotiations with Republicans last summer, Obama indicated a willingness to make more major changes to Medicare, including gradually raising the age of eligibility to 67, increasing premiums for many beneficiaries, revamping co-payments and deductibles in ways that would raise costs for retirees,

and cutting payments to drugmakers and other providers. “I was surprised by how much the president was willing to offer in terms of Medicare changes without a more thorough vetting and discussion,” said Moon. Obama says he will veto any plan to cut Medicare benefits without raising taxes on the wealthy. Democrats are still hoping to use Ryan’s privatization plans as a political weapon against Republicans, but the Medicare debate could cut both ways. For the 76 million baby boomers signing up over the next couple of decades, it will pay to be watching. — AP

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Health Studies Page

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

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Help test a new colorectal cancer screen By Barbara Ruben Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, and about 51,000 people will die of the disease this year, according to the National Cancer Institute It is often considered the most preventable, yet least prevented, cancer. Colorectal

cancer is highly treatable if found early, but 40 percent of adults age 50 and older do not get screened as recommended. Exact Sciences, a molecular diagnostics company focused on colorectal cancer, is now studying a new screening test to detect colorectal cancer and pre-cancerous conditions. The test works by detecting specific

COPD OR EMPHYSEMA? If you are at least 40 years of age, current or ex-smoker, with COPD, you may be eligible to participate in a 26 week research study of an investigational medication for COPD. s #OMPENSATION FOR TIME AND TRAVEL MAY BE PROVIDED s -ETRO !CCESSIBLE s 0ARKING AT NO CHARGE Please contact Kim at (301) 962-1610 or iaaresearchkimberlly@yahoo.com if interested.

altered DNA sequences in cells that are shed from the lining of the colon into the stool, which is collected in a test kit at home “This test would not supplant colonoscopy. This would select patients for colonoscopy who would have a high likelihood of needing it — [those] who probably have colon cancer or a large polyp,” said Dr. Robert Hardi, medical director and principal investigator with Chevy Chase Clinical Research, one of 77 practices around the country conducting the study. “There remains a significant unmet medical need to provide additional options for patients at average risk for colorectal cancer,” said Kevin T. Conroy, president and chief executive of Exact Sciences, which is seeking FDA approval of the test. “We believe this test could become a great tool for the early detection of this ter-

rible disease and help many of the thousands of patients who are currently not getting screened.”

Get a colonoscopy, too Those taking part in the study will make one 15- to 30-minute visit to Chevy Chase Clinical Research for a pre-colonoscopy visit and get a take-home stool sample collection kit. The sample is returned via FedEx. Participants then must make an appointment to have a colonoscopy within 90 days. Researchers will compare the results of the new stool test with one that is already on the market as well as with the findings of the colonoscopy. Compensation of $150 is offered for collecting the sample. Participants must use See COLON CANCER, page 19

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

TELEPHONE CAREGIVER SUPPORT In support of spousal caregivers unable to leave home, Holy Cross

Hospital is offering a new support group via telephone facilitated by Sister Kathy

Weber on Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To become part of this group and receive the dial-in number and password, call (301) 754-7152 to register.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Clinical Research Study Do you qualify for the study? Be a part of an important cancer research study! • Are you between the ages of 50 and 84 (inclusive)? • Are you scheduled for or do you need to schedule for a colonoscopy? • Are you at average risk for colorectal cancer? • Are you willing to provide a stool sample and undergo a screening colonoscopy within 90 days of enrollment? • Has it been at least nine years since your last colonoscopy? Or have you never had a colonoscopy? The primary goal of the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Test for the Detection of Colorectal Advanced Adenomatous Polyps and Cancer (DeeP-C) study is to determine the ability of the Exact Sciences CRC screening test to detect colorectal cancer and pre-cancer. Qualiﬁed participants may be eligible for compensation. A take-home collection kit will be provided if you qualify for the study. Once you provide the stool sample, you call a toll-free number. You will be asked a series of questions related to the stool collection process, and a courier will be scheduled to pick up your sample. Once your stool collection process is complete, you will need to schedule a screening colonoscopy, as instructed by your physician, within 90 days of enrollment. To learn more about this colorectal cancer screening study, call:

Chevy Chase Clinical Research 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite T-90 • Chevy Chase, MD 20815

(301) 652-5520 exactsciences.com

Feb. 11+

KNOCK OUT NICOTINE Inova Health Source offers a support group for those trying to quit smoking. The group meets the second and fourth Saturdays

of each month from 11 a.m. to noon. The group is held at 2700 Prosperity Ave., Suite 100, Room 12, Fairfax, Va. No registration is required. For more information, call 1-855-694-6682.

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

Who can participate? To qualify for the study, participants must be between 50 and 84 years old and be at average risk for colon cancer. That means those with inflammatory bowel disease, including chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC) and Crohn’s disease, cannot take part, nor can those with parents, siblings or

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STROKE SUPPORT The Montgomery County Stroke Association holds monthly sup-

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• H EALTH STU DY I N FO • H EALTH STU DY I N FO • H EALTH STU DY I N FO •

H E A LT H S T U D Y I N F O • H E A LT H S T U DY I N F O

their own health insurance or Medicare to cover their colonoscopy.

children who have had colorectal cancer. They also cannot have had a positive fecal occult blood test within the last six months and cannot have had a colonoscopy within the last nine years. Participants also cannot have had colorectal cancer, adenoma or aerodigestive tract cancer. They cannot have had colorectal surgery for any reason other than sigmoid diverticular disease. To learn more about the study, or to volunteer, call Chevy Chase Clinical Research at (301) 652-5520 or see www.exactsciences.com.

Check off the health studies you’d like to receive FREE information about. ❏

Colorectal Cancer Screening Study (See article and ad, p. 18)

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Name_________________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________ City______________________________________State______Zip________________ Phone (day)________________________ (eve)___________________________

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Clip and return to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 or fax to (301) 949-8966

H E A LT H S T U D Y I N F O • H E A LT H S T U DY I N F O

From page 18

✃

Colon cancer

• H EALTH STU DY I N FO • H EALTH STU DY I N FO • H EALTH STU DY I N FO •

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HEALTHY EATING SHOPPING TOUR Certified natural foods

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A Study to Evaluate the Effects of Standardized Aerobic Exercise-Training on Memory

tour will take place on Saturday, March 3 at 10:30 a.m. at the P Street Whole Foods Market, 1440 P St., N.W., Washington, D.C. The tour, sponsored by the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, is free. For more information, call (202) 483-8600.

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

Not hungry but still want to eat? Some tips Q: You’ve talked about tuning in to hunger signals to guide my portion sizes. But what can I do when I feel like eating even though I’m not hungry? I think that’s the root of my excess weight. A: Great job at tuning in to hunger signals! People can feel like eating — despite lack of hunger — for a variety of reasons. The next step, when you realize that you are not hungry, but feel an urge to eat anyway, is to tune in again. Can you figure out what’s behind the urge? Maybe you are actually thirsty and simply need to drink more water. Or is more sleep what you really need? You might be trying to address feelings such

as stress, anger, loneliness or boredom with food. Set aside time when you are not in the midst of one of these urges to make a list of things other than food that might meet the need. For example, you could take a crossword puzzle break from challenging work, do deep breathing, or phone a good friend when feeling stressed. Here’s a little trick: Behavioral therapists often note that this desire to eat when not hungry tends to come in a wave. If you aren’t truly hungry, the urge will usually pass if you can distract yourself with something else for a little while. So when the urge comes to eat and you are not hungry, check your pre-planned

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distraction ideas list and try one of the pos- frying or sautéing to retain folate and vitasibilities there before you head for food. min C, since boiling spinach in a pot of Q: Is frozen spinach as water can cut content in half. nutritious as fresh spinach? When using frozen spinach, A: If you will be serving you can reduce vitamin C lossspinach cooked, don’t hesitate es by cooking it directly from to use the frozen product. Fresh the freezer without thawing it spinach that is truly fresh is the first. form highest in folate, a B vitaFrozen spinach is easy to min that may help prevent cankeep on hand and provides an cer and heart disease. easy way to boost nutrition in However, a study at Pennsylsoup, pasta sauce, eggs and vania State University shows casseroles. that when fresh spinach sits in NUTRITION The American Institute for a truck for transportation long WISE Cancer Research offers a Nutridistances, or sits in your refrig- By Karen Collins, tion Hotline, 1-800- 843-8114, erator for a week, folate content MS, RD, CDM from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday drops so much that frozen through Friday. This free service spinach becomes the better source. allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition Research is inconsistent about whether and cancer. A registered dietitian will return or not content of beta-carotene and other your call, usually within three business days. carotenoids drops during storage of fresh Courtesy of the American Institute for spinach, but does suggest that beta- Cancer Research. Questions for this column carotene stays level when spinach is frozen. may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., Spinach is also a good source of vitamin C. N.W., Washington, DC 20009. Collins canCook by steaming, microwaving, stir- not respond to questions personally.

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Chocolate for breakfast on Valentine’s Day By Dana Jacobi When Valentine’s Day falls during the week, as this year, time for sharing a leisurely breakfast is unlikely. You can, however, still start the day with a romantic surprise. Writer Ernestine Ulmer said, “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” When I first began to create recipes, in 1994, this inspired me to make dessert-like breakfasts. Rice pudding and bread pudding have been particular favorites since they include a healthy combination of protein, complex carbs via whole grain, fiber, plus pleasure. And you can eat them while putting on make-up, reading the paper, heading out to work, or sitting at your desk when necessary. For Valentine’s Day, the chocolate and cherries in this bread pudding make it luxuriously seductive. They have health benefits, too, that say you care — combining the goodness of whole-grain bread with health-promoting antioxidants in chocolate and cherries. I recommend making this moist pudding a day or two ahead, since it is even better after it sits. Doing this also leaves more time to share on Valentine’s morning.

Bread that is too soft makes a mushy pudding, so select a loaf that resists slightly when you press it in its package. For example, I used Arnold Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat bread. Dried tart Montmorency cherries are my preference over sweet ones. Do use dried fruit — the sour cherries in a jar, even well drained, can turn your pudding soggy.

Cherry Chocolate Bread Pudding 3/4 cup dried tart or sweet cherries 3/4 cup apple juice or water 8 slices whole-wheat bread 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 1/2 cups refrigerated plain coconut milk, divided (This is an unsweetened refrigerated coconut milk beverage with about 50 calories per cup.) 2 large eggs 3 large egg whites 2 tsp. vanilla extract Canola oil cooking spray 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, at least 60 to 63 percent cocoa 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F. In small bowl, soak cherries in apple juice or water to plump them. Drain well and set aside. Stack bread slices and, using serrated knife, cut off crust. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, making about 7 cups. In large mixing bowl, combine cocoa, sugar and salt. Add 1/3 cup of coconut milk and whisk until smooth. Add remaining coconut milk and whisk to combine well. Add eggs, egg whites and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add cubed bread and drained cherries, mixing gently until all bread is moistened. Set mixture aside to soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Coat 9-inch square baking dish with

cooking spray. Stir mixture again to evenly distribute cherries. Spread mixture in prepared pan. Sprinkle on chocolate chips and almonds. Bake until knife inserted in center of pudding comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool on rack until just warm. Cut pudding into 12 pieces and serve. Or cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Serve this bread pudding cold or at room temperature. Makes 12 servings. Per serving: 176 calories, 4 g. fat (2 g. saturated fat), 31 g. carbohydrates, 5 g. protein, 3 g. fiber, 232 mg. sodium. Dana Jacobi creates recipes for the American Institute for Cancer Research.

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What should I do to reduce risk of colds? Dear Pharmacist: Every winter I worry about catching cold and flu. What are some simple steps I can take to keep my immune system healthy? — L.F., Alexandria, Va. Dear L.F.: Preventing the spread of germs is job one. If you feel any symptoms of a cold, please stay home and delegate your errands to a friend or relative. Also, keep your distance from other individuals home with you, such as your husband or child, who could potentially fall ill. Being mindful of this could have lasting benefits if you consider the fact that another person who catches your cold could end up with pneumonia should they have a

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weak immune system. If you have to cough or sneeze, please do so into the crook of your elbow. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently and for at least 30 seconds. To protect yourself, while shopping for bargains at the mall, or waiting in airport security lines, or anywhere for that matter, keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. I also recommend keeping antibacterial lotion or wipes handy. With that, here are some of my top vitamin recommendations to help support immunity: Probiotics: These are beneficial bacteria that naturally help maintain immune system wellness. They also aid in proper digestion.

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Vitamin C: The human body doesn’t been revered for centuries and is best make vitamin C, so it’s important that we known for its anti-viral effects. Two sepaget it from other sources such rate studies have found that as supplements, citrus fruits or it can inhibit influenza if vegetables (bell peppers are a taken during the first 48 good source). It’s a strong anhours of symptoms. tioxidant that does “housekeepEchinacea: Related to ing” on your cells and helps daisies, this herbal supplesupport the immune system. ment is thought to rev up the Vitamin D: Getting your Viimmune system, thereby lowtamin D from sunlight isn’t alering risk of infection. Recomways reliable, especially if you mended dosage is usually in use sun block to protect your cycles, not every single day. DEAR skin or live in a state with a PHARMACIST When choosing dietary long winter. supplements, seek out brands By Suzy Cohen Most people don’t realize that are committed to sciencethat Vitamin D is mostly obbased protocols for product tained from fortified foods. A Vitamin D development and testing. supplement can provide added support. Be sure to ask your healthcare professionTry 1,000 to 5,000 IUs, but ask your doctor al or pharmacist what supplements are best first to confirm the amount. You want the for you, especially if you take medications. bio-active form, “Vitamin D3,” and highThis information is opinion only. It is not quality supplements say that on the label. intended to treat, cure or diagnose your conZinc: This mineral is a strong antioxi- dition. Consult with your doctor before using dant best known for supporting prostate any new drug or supplement. health, but it also happens to neutralize Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist free radicals. It may reduce the duration of and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist a cold. and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To Elderberr y extract: This herb has contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

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How to slow down a too-fast relationship Dear Solutions: Dear Len: I met a very attractive man at a singles Before the first course, not during resort. He’s very sophisticatit. The best course to take ed and quite affluent. I had is the management/owner no intention of going to bed course not the waiter/buswith him at that time, and boy course. yet that’s what I did. Tell the maitre d’ that I really didn’t feel great you appreciate not being about it and thought he rushed and if they can’t acwouldn’t call. He did, though, commodate your desire for and I went out with him. a leisurely dinner you’d Since I thought I couldn’t go rather go elsewhere. After backward, I went to bed with all, you don’t want their him again. overbooking to prevent you SOLUTIONS I really hate myself now, By Helen Oxenberg, from overeating! but I feel that I can’t just keep MSW, ACSW Dear Solutions: up a conversation with him I’m writing to you about my for a whole evening and think I just won’t mother, who is a senior. My parents were see him again. divorced when I was little, and all I rememWhat is wrong with me that I end up ber is bad things said about my father by doing exactly the opposite of what I think my mother and her family. I should? While I was growing up, and all these — Disturbed years since, I thought he was dead. Now Dear Dis: I’m in my 30s, and I accidentally found out What’s wrong is that you think, “good that he is alive and lives in the state where in bed, ‘nuff said!” You obviously think I am about to move for my job. your sexual skills are much greater than I really want to contact him but my your conversational skills. You also think mother is upset that I’m moving away (I this man is so superior to you that he won’t live near her now), and I don’t know if I be interested in boring little you. should tell her this. Take back some power. I’ve always been honest with her, but I First, decide that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know if he’ll see me, and I’m in a don’t see him again. Then tell him that in dilemma about upsetting her now. Should I spite of what happened, you’d like to just tell her my plans? go slow and develop a friendship with him. — Marge Conversation? Get tickets to plays and Dear Marge: or interesting things that you can talk Why open up a can of worms if you may about afterward. Spend time doing things not even fish? You don’t know at this point and getting to know him. Get out of his whether you will get to see your father. bed and into his head! You’re an adult, and if you can establish a Dear Solutions: relationship with him, that is strictly beI’ve found this happening a lot lately. tween you and him. You’re certainly entiWhen I go to a restaurant and see that other tled to try. people are waiting for tables, I find that sudIf you do get to see him, then you can tell denly the waiters or busboys are on top of us your mother that this doesn’t change your asking if we finished a course while it’s obvi- feelings for her. You can tell her you know ous that we’re still eating. how hurtful her relationship with him was, They also start bringing out the next but he’s your father, and you hope she’ll uncourse while we’re still on the first course. derstand your need to contact him. I really got angry at a waiter the other Perhaps, since you’ve always been honnight. I don’t want to have to hurry be- est with her, this might open up an honest cause they make too many reservations. discussion of why she allowed you to think Part of the pleasure of going to a restau- he was dead all these years. Remember, rant is to have time to visit and even to you’re not asking for her permission to see overeat once in a while. What’s the best him, only her understanding. way to handle this? — Len © Helen Oxenberg, 2012. Questions to be

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Money Law &

GRANDPARENT MONEY MISSTEPS Problems include spoiling the grandkids and not setting up an estate plan PROFIT FROM THESE RULES Focus on buying low, selling high and investing in dividend-paying stocks KNOW THE SCORE Businesses now score — and predict — your behavior as a consumer VANGUARD FOUNDER’S ADVICE Most investors should lower their expectations for stock returns

Dividend-paying stocks still looking good By Mark Jewell Stock investors as a group ran in place in last year. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index ended 2011 about where it started. Invest in a stock mutual fund, and you likely ended up losing because of fee expenses. About three-quarters of the U.S. stock fund categories that Morningstar tracks closed out the calendar year with a loss. That’s another knock for investors who are still stinging from their losses in the financial crisis of 2008. Although the market rebounded sharply beginning in March 2009, it’s still about 20 percent shy of its peak in late 2007. Yet even in the gloom, there was a bright spot in 2011 — dividend-paying stocks. Across the board, the top-performing mutual fund categories were those that invested in dividend stocks, led by funds specializing in utilities stocks. Other top categories were funds that primarily invest in real estate investment trusts, the healthcare sector and stocks of consumer goods companies that make necessities. What’s more, large company stocks outperformed small- and mid-cap stocks. It’s

the big companies, rather than the smaller ones, that are the most reliable dividend payers. Nearly 80 percent of S&P 500 companies make regular payouts. The results are a complete reversal from 2010, when the top-performing funds specialized in small-cap stocks. Those stocks typically outperform larger ones when economic news turns positive, as it did in 2010, a year when stocks rose 13 percent.

Reaping the dividends But the economic recovery lost momentum in 2011, and investors bid up the prices of dividend stocks, while small-caps fell. “Practically anything paying a dividend was hot,” Morningstar fund analyst David Kathman said. Dividend-payers are typically well-established companies that share profits through quarterly payouts, rather than plowing the cash back into the company to fuel growth. Stocks of smaller companies can offer greater long-term potential, but are more vulnerable when the economy stumbles, or when fears like the European debt crisis send stocks tumbling.

Investors have been hard-pressed to find decent sources of investment income, which has made dividends more appealing. Consider that 10-year Treasury bonds yield around 1.9 percent. That’s less than half the yield of more than a dozen S&P 500 stocks. With interest rates low, bank accounts and savings options such as certificates of deposit provide even less income than Treasurys. “People are looking to dividends for income, because they can’t get it from the other sources they normally rely on,” Kathman said.

Industry best bets Here’s a look at average returns through the end of 2011 for some notable stock fund categories, starting with top four performers: Utilities (9.7 percent): These stocks tend to be stable performers in both a rising and falling market. It’s an outgrowth of the typically steady demand for electricity and natural gas. The average dividend yield of utilities stocks within the S&P 500 is 4.1 percent, about twice the average yield of the index.

A handful of utilities sector funds delivered returns of around 20 percent in 2011, including Franklin Utilities (FKUTX), which earned top-rung gold honors from Morningstar under its new analyst ratings of funds. Some of the strongest-performing utilities, with gains of more than 30 percent including dividends, were big names like Progress Energy Inc. and Consolidated Edison Inc. Real estate (6.9 percent): Real estate investment trusts generate income from properties they own, and often operate. They’re big dividend payers, because they’re required to distribute at least 90 percent of their taxable income to shareholders. Although the real estate market clearly isn’t back to where it was a few years ago, commercial real estate has fared better than residential real estate. Healthcare (6.6 percent): Uncertainty over President Obama’s healthcare overhaul hurt healthcare stocks in 2009 and 2010, but that cloud lifted a bit in 2011. Drug maker Pfizer returned nearly 28 perSee DIVIDENDS, page 25

It pays to pay attention to stock fund fees By Mark Jewell Price-conscious or not, consumers invariably slip from time to time. What’s the big deal if you buy something you want for $1.50 at a convenience store rather than spend $1 at a discounter? It can seem that way with mutual fund expenses, although investments clearly aren’t impulse buys. Many investors give little thought to the impact of choosing a fund that charges 1.5 percent over another charging a 1 percent expense ratio. Given that the stock market frequently moves a few percentage points in a single day, do those seemingly minor pricing differences really amount to much over the long run? They sure can — to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, over decades.

How modest fees add up Take for example, the growth of a $10,000 investment in a stock fund over 30

years, if the market gains an average 10 percent a year. (Although that rate may seem unlikely given recent experience, it’s close to the market’s historical average going back several decades.) An investor paying 1.5 percent of assets in annual expenses ends up with nearly $116,000. That doesn’t factor in inflation or the potential drain of commissions known as loads and taxes. The same investment in a fund charging 1 percent grows to nearly $133,000. Those two expense ratios — the ongoing charges that investors pay for operating costs, expressed as a percentage of a fund’s assets — are about average for managed stock mutual funds. Go to the extremes, and expense differences have a far bigger impact. An investor in a pricey fund charging 2.5 percent ends up with less than $88,000. An ultra low cost index fund charging 0.1 percent comes away with almost twice as

much, nearly $170,000. And while there’s no controlling the market’s direction, individuals can control how much they pay to invest. So take charge. “Cost is the driving force in any investment equation — minimize it,” advised John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group and index mutual fund pioneer who now runs Vanguard’s Bogle Financial Markets Research Center. [For more advice from Bogle, see “Vanguard founder: expect modest returns” on page 33.] There are, of course, many examples of fund managers whose investment-picking skills earn their investors bigger returns than their benchmark indexes. But a wealth of research shows the ranks of such star managers are relatively small. And their record of outperformance is typically fleeting, measured against the decades needed to save for retirement. “It’s clear that over longer stretches,

costs are a big, big hurdle,” said Karen Dolan, Morningstar’s director of fund analysis. From 2005 through March 2010, U.S. stock funds charging the lowest fees posted average annualized returns that were nearly two-thirds higher than funds charging the highest fees, according to Morningstar. More often than not, funds charging above-average fees are leaky faucets. Many investors fail to hear the drip-dripdrip that drains their investment returns, when they could be switching to a lowercost option.

Fees matter more in tough times There are times when differences in fund expenses don’t seem to matter much. Stocks surged in the 1980s and `90s, and fee differences were relatively small See MUTUAL FUND FEES, page 25

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Dividends From page 24 cent. One attraction was the stock’s dividend yield of 3.7 percent. Biotech stocks were among the year’s biggest winners. Biogen Idec shares jumped 64 percent, and a specialized fund, Fidelity Advisor Biotechnology (FBTAX), returned nearly 17 percent. Consumer staples (4.5 percent): These funds invest in stocks of companies that provide everyday essentials, from food to soap to trash bags, and typically pay dividends. Demand for these products is stable in good times and bad. Two of the standout stocks in 2011 are tobacco companies paying dividends of 3.9 percent or higher. Lorillard returned about 46 percent, and Philip Morris International 39 percent. Financials (16 percent loss): Funds that specialize in stocks of banks and other financial services companies were the worst-performing mutual fund category of 2011. It’s familiar territory. Financial sector funds also have the worst results over the past three- and five-year periods. In 2011, these stocks were hurt by the

Mutual fund fees From page 24 stacked up against the big market gains. But the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index is down about 17 percent since January 2000. Fees take on greater importance when returns are measured in single digits, or when stocks are declining. The same is true now for bond funds. Yields are so low for many lower-risk bond categories these days that minor differences in bond fund expenses are magnified — 10-year Treasurys are yielding about 1.9 percent now, for example. But there’s good news. Fund fees on average have been declining for decades, and the trend is likely to continue. A Morningstar study that gauged what the average fund investor pays came up with an average expense ratio of 0.77 percent in 2010. That reflected a mix of assets in stock funds as well as bond funds. In

slowdown in the economic recovery; legal liability stemming from the flood of home foreclosures; and fears that debt-burdened European governments would fail to fully pay their debts, potentially hurting European and U.S. banks. Shares of Bank of America tumbled 60 percent. Technology (8 percent loss): These stocks are among the top performers over the past three years, but the slowdown in the economic recovery hurt their 2011 results. There were exceptions, like Apple, whose shares gained nearly 25 percent as consumers continued to demand the latest versions of the iPhone and iPad. As for dividends, the outlook remains strong. The cash coffers of companies in the S&P 500 are at a record $1 trillion, putting them in good position to keep increasing dividends. Payments rose about 16 percent in 2011 compared with the previous year, and more than half of S&P 500 companies increased their dividends. S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt is quite confident about the outlook for dividends: “You can write the copy for [the] year now: Dividends continue to increase for 2012.” — AP

1990, the average was 0.94 percent. Costs are declining, in part, because index funds are increasingly popular. They now hold about one of every seven dollars invested in stock mutual funds, and the proportion is growing. Low-cost options abound. For example, Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX) charges as little as 0.07 percent — $7 a year for every $10,000 invested. Similar offerings from Fidelity and Charles Schwab charge only slightly more. You won’t beat the market — index funds seek to match market performance, minus the fees they charge — but you could end up with a lot more to live on in retirement than from choosing a fund that’s far pricier. “More often than not,” Lipper fund analyst Tom Roseen said, “it’s the investor in the fund with the lowest expenses who ends up the winner.” — AP

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Feb. 27

TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE

A discussion of the pros and cons of moving to a retirement community will take place Monday, Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the Aurora Hills Senior Center, 735 S. 18th St., Arlington, Va. The free discussion includes retirement and care options, as well as costs and benefits, and is presented by Washington House marketing director Heidi Garvis. To register, call (703) 228-5722.

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Learn these rules to profit in the market By Jeffrey R. Kosnett It’s no longer the stock market — it’s the stuck market. Or at least that’s what it seemed like for much of last summer and

fall as the Dow Jones industrial average fluctuated between roughly 10,500 and 11,600. What’s upsetting is that all that motion

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ORGANIZE YOUR IMPORTANT PAPERS “The Family Love Letter” is a free workshop that guides seniors

through the steps of making an inventory of information that will help loved ones find important papers and legal documents in case of a sudden need. The program is presented by financial advisor Elizabeth Schwartzman at three senior centers in Arlington: Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at Langston-Brown, 2121 N. Culpeper St.; Thursday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. at Walter Reed Senior Center, 2909 S. 16th St.; and Monday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. at Culpepper Garden, 4435 N. Pershing Dr. Call (703) 228-4403 to register.

didn’t earn you much. The major market indexes and your investment balances ended up flat after weeks or months. How do you cope with a trading-range market? It not enough to put your money into a broad stock-market index fund and forget about it. Here are four tips for earning a decent return even if stocks stay in a funk for years. • Buy on weakness, sell into strength. Once stocks drop 15 percent or more, it’s almost always too late to sell. Instead, buy some stocks or stock funds if you happen to have the cash. Similarly, after stocks roar for a month, as they did in October, it’s too late to go on a buying binge. But it’s not too late to cash in some profits to arm yourself for the next decline. Don’t confuse this with market timing. Consider this a hedging exercise designed to let the market’s rhythms work

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for you, not against you. • Focus on dividends. Dividends are a bonus in up markets and provide comfort during slides. Over time, dividends have provided about 44 percent of the U.S. stock market’s annualized total return of 10 percent. And they are sure to remain an important component of returns if appreciation is hard to come by in coming years, as we expect. And although there are always exceptions (see bank stocks in 2008), dividendpaying stocks tend to hold up better than non-payers in down markets. • Set low-ball limit orders. If your strategy includes building stakes in companies that regularly raise dividends, you’d be wise to add more shares as time passes. Here’s a tip: Even if a stock has been weak of late, enter a limit order to buy shares at 3 percent off its current price. There’s a good chance you’ll get your price as soon as traders create some drama because of the euro, the budget deficit or whatever floats their boats on a given day. Every percentage point or two you save on your buys adds to your return later. • Avoid high-octane, all-or-nothing mutual funds. Sometimes, aggressive managers make brilliant investments and deliver spectacular results. The problem is that most investors buy and sell these funds at just the wrong time: They buy after spectacular performance and they sell after a fund craters. That’s no recipe for success. 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 www.Kiplinger.com.) © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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Money missteps many grandparents make By David Pitt It’s so tempting to want to give your grandchildren everything, and to put their wants and needs first. However, one of the common money mistakes grandparents make is to put spending on grandkids ahead of their own retirement security. Here are three money missteps grandparents make and ways to avoid them: 1. Excessively spoiling grandchildren Financial advisers and estate planners have all kinds of stories about retirees who insist on spending significant amounts of their savings on grandchildren. Too often they fail to recognize the severity of the risk it poses for their own retirement security. “You really cannot reason with people not to do it,” said Jean A. Dorrell, an estate planner. “They know they shouldn’t be doing it, but they will continue until they don’t want to do it anymore.” Another temptation is for grandparents to set up Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) accounts for children as a way to pay private school expenses or for college costs such as tuition, books, or room and board. However, many don’t realize that when their grandchild becomes an adult (age 18 or 21 depending on the state where the account was established), the money can be spent on anything the child wants, said Casey Weade, a financial planner. The assets in these accounts are owned by the child. That also means the account can affect the amount of financial aid a college student may be eligible for. Weade said it makes more sense to set up a 529 college-savings plan that offers tax benefits when used for qualified college expenses, including tuition, books and housing. 2. Failing to establish an estate plan Estate planning is essential. The smooth transfer of wealth between generations is an important part of a family’s financial well-being, yet most families don’t have

the proper documentation in place. That would include a will, a power of attorney for finances, or a trust. In a 2009 survey of more than 1,000 people 18 and older by Lawyers.com, just 39 percent of respondents reported having a will. Even fewer had a power of attorney and fewer still had set up a trust. While it may seem daunting to think about all the aspects of estate planning, it’s not impossible to pull together the basics so that last wishes are fulfilled when the time comes. T. Rowe Price offers an estate planning checklist that provides a good start at: http://tinyurl.com/3m2ondx . 3. Leaving retirement funds on autopilot It’s very common to have multiple retirement accounts, said Chuck Cornelio, president of defined contribution for Lincoln Financial Group, which provides retirement and other financial services. It’s not unusual to see workers with as many as six or seven. Frequently workers fail to consolidate accounts in a way that would enable them to manage their money effectively. Consolidating accounts into an IRA, for example, helps ensure the money is adequately diversified across investment options and can help in developing an overall retirement plan. “That’s actually a good idea because then you can get a holistic picture of all your investment opportunities and where you can get your money from in retirement,” Cornelio said. Workers frequently leave 401(k) money with a previous employer or sometimes roll it over to an IRA and keep it invested in the stock market, said Dorrell. She advises them to evaluate the risk of keeping too much exposed to the volatility of stocks when at or near retirement age. Having both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA account to pull money from can help a retiree control taxable income. With a Roth IRA, deposits are taxed when made to the account, but money can be pulled

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out in retirement tax-free. For many it would make sense to consider converting to a Roth. Anyone who expects to be in a higher tax bracket at retirement would benefit by paying the taxes on those savings now. And with tax rates widely expected to rise in the future, many retirees may end up in higher brackets

than they are currently. The Vanguard Group provides a good review of Roth conversions at www.vanguard.com/pdf/rpd21.pdf. For further help, check this calculator to help determine whether a Roth conversion makes sense: www3.tiaa-cref.org/iracalcs/conversion—calc.jsp. — AP

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Most states participate in the large MissingMoney.com database, too. Enter your name and the states where you have lived, and you’ll be able to see whether there is unclaimed property for someone with your name; the last address on file with the financial institution; and whether the unclaimed property is worth more or less than $100. Most states then include links to the forms you’ll need to submit to the state treasury to verify your identity and claim the money. Despite all this, it’s worth being suspicious of any letters, calls or emails offering to help you locate lost cash. Scam artists and identity thieves use such messages to try to steal your money or personal information. (The IRS never sends personal emails requesting information). Instead of clicking on a link in an email claiming to be from the government, go to agency sites directly to view their databases. Also check the FBI’s New E-Scams & Warnings page for information about recent scams (www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/escams).

Money Shorts How to collect your unclaimed bonds, funds, refunds Although there are plenty of scam artists who claim to be from the IRS, this announcement is for real: The Internal Revenue Service is holding on to $153.3 million worth in tax refund checks that were returned to the agency because of mailing-address errors. The average check is $1,547, so it could be worthwhile doing a search using the IRS’s “Where’s My Refund?” tool (www.irs.gov), particularly if you have moved in the past few years and did not update your address with the IRS. You may also discover unclaimed money by locating old U.S. savings bonds that have been forgotten over the years. Billions of dollars in savings bonds have stopped earning interest but haven’t been cashed. Go to www.treasuryhunt.gov to look up savings bonds issued in 1974 or later. State governments may be holding some of your money, too. State treasuries hold billions of dollars in unclaimed property from uncashed dividend checks, returned utility deposits, uncollected insurance benefits, old savings accounts and other money that may have been returned to a financial institution after being sent to a defunct mailing address. Most states have an unclaimed-property database that makes it easy to see whether any of the money is yours. You can find links to each state’s agency through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (www.unclaimed.org).

ed 1.82 percent, charges a penalty of only 60 days’ yield if you withdraw the money early. In contrast, a five-year CD from Intervest National Bank, which offered a slightly higher rate of 1.96 percent, takes back half your interest with its early-withdrawal interest penalty of 30 months. Constructing a CD ladder — putting chunks of cash in CDs of varying maturities — allows you to benefit from the best current yields and stay flexible enough to snag top rates down the road. When interest rates rise, you reinvest cash from shorter-term CDs to take advantage of higher yields. Your longer-term CDs will continue to earn interest at today’s highest rates. If you’d like to put more than $250,000 (the maximum that the FDIC will insure in a single account) in CDs, the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (CDARS) of-

fers a convenient way to invest your funds. You deal with one participating bank, which sets the rate and parcels out $250,000 chunks to some of the more than 3,000 participating institutions. U.S. savings bonds are another safe way to invest money you can tie up for a year. EE bonds pay low rates (0.6 percent), but I-bonds, which pay based in part on the inflation rate, are currently paying an attractive 3.06 percent. You can cash in savings bonds after 12 months, but if you redeem them before five years have passed, you forfeit the last three months’ worth of interest. The I-bond’s rate is composed of a fixed rate, currently 0 percent, that lasts for the life of the bond, plus a semiannual inflation See MONEY SHORTS, page 31

How CDs can work for savers For money you can tie up for a few months or more — say, a portion of your emergency fund that you wouldn’t need for at least three months, or money earmarked for tuition or retirement income — consider certificates of deposit. CDs come with maturities that typically range from three months to five years, with longer maturities offering higher yields. You can invest in a long-term CD even if you think you may cash out early or if you want to take advantage of rising rates — just be sure to check the interest penalty. For example, a five-year CD from Ally Bank (www.ally.com), which recently yield-

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Companies rate, score & predict behavior By Candice Choi Companies are getting smarter at predicting your next move. As it becomes easier to gather information on consumers, businesses are crunching personal data in new ways to forecast a wide variety of behavior. In much the same way that credit scores predict how likely you are to pay your bills, a new generation of scores now rate the likelihood that you’ll take your medications or redeem a specific coupon. In some cases, transactions that were traditionally considered off the books — such as rent payments and payday loans — are being incorporated into the growing body of information used to size up customers. The new uses of personal data raise a

host of concerns for consumer advocates, who question the reliability of the scoring models and the accuracy of the information they rely on. Also troubling is that many consumers are oblivious that they’ve been tagged with these numbers, notes Chi Chi Wu, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. In many cases, consumers have no way to learn what their scores are. “If this score is about me, I should be entitled to it,” Wu said. With credit scores, for example, lenders are required to disclose a score if it was used to deny a loan or assign a higher interest rate. Those who aren’t actively seeking a loan can also pay to learn their credit scores from Fair Isaac Corp., which also goes by

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the name of its widely used FICO score. If you’re wondering how else businesses are rating you, here’s a look at four recently introduced scores you may not know about:

Mortgage scores Anyone who has applied for a mortgage understands the importance of credit scores. The three-digit figures not only help determine whether a bank will approve a loan, but its interest rate as well. Now a company called CoreLogic is developing a score it said will zero in on predicting a borrower’s likelihood of repaying a mortgage. The score will be based on a new breed of credit reports the company released recently. These reports gather information that isn’t typically listed on credit reports, including information from CoreLogic’s in-house databases of rental records and payday loan applications. Also included are public court records, such as property liens, evictions and child support judgments. The new score is intended to give lenders a more “complete picture” of mortgage applicants, said Tim Grace, a CoreLogic executive. He said that should lead to better lending decisions and reduced delinquencies for banks. The exact formula for the score is still

being developed with FICO. But once they’re available in March, Grace said consumers will be able to purchase their scores for a price yet to be determined. For now, CoreLogic is required by law to provide customers with a free annual copy of the more detailed credit reports the company introduced late last year. Consumers can request their reports by calling 1-877-532-8778.

Medication scores The business of scoring consumers isn’t limited to financial matters. A score that was introduced last summer seeks to predict the likelihood that patients will take their medications. An individual’s score can even vary depending on the condition: The score is available for hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression and asthma. FICO said its Medication Adherence Score is intended to help healthcare providers flag patients at risk of ignoring doctor’s orders. The idea is to improve overall patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The score is not available to individuals. Interestingly, a patient’s health and credit data are not used to determine the score. Instead, FICO said it can predict compliance See RATING CONSUMERS, page 31

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Rating consumers From page 30 based on demographic information such as household size (those who live alone are more at risk of skipping their medications). Owning a car, by contrast, is a positive indicator for healthcare providers, as is being neither very young nor very old. And as it turns out, FICO said men are more likely to take their medications than women. Other information thrown into the formula include the rate of bankruptcies in a patient’s region and purchase histories culled from the same databases retailers use to target households for catalogs. FICO, which notes that the scores can’t be used for insurance underwriting purposes, declined to say whether the score is being used by any clients yet. But the company has estimated that 2 to 3 million Americans would be scored by this year, with that number set to rise to around 10 million by the end of next summer.

Income scores Asking a person how much he or she earns for a living is off limits in most circles.

But credit card issuers and other companies can get a good idea of how much you make through an outside source. Experian, one of the three national credit reporting agencies, introduced a product last March that predicts an individual’s annual wages rounded to the nearest thousand dollars. The Income Insight W2 is based on the borrower’s credit report. “The intuitive explanation is that if you can maintain a mortgage or credit card payment at a certain level each month, you’re earning a minimum amount,” said Brannan Johnston, vice president of income and assets at Experian. The W2 is a variation of an income forecaster the company rolled out in 2009, which predicted total household income, including investment income and spousal income. The singling out of the individual’s wages was a response to new credit card regulations last year that require card issuers to assess card applicants’ ability to afford their credit lines. Although credit card issuers are the most common users of the Income Insight W2, Johnston notes that many other companies — including debt collectors — also use it to

gauge how much individuals are earning.

Shopping scores The items you put in your shopping cart aren’t free from scrutiny either. FICO said it has helped a third of the top 100 largest U.S. retailers target their marketing based on customer buying patterns. FICO declined to detail its roster of retail clients. But the warehouse discount club Sam’s Club said it worked with the company to develop its eValues program introduced about two years ago that offers premium members personalized discounts. Sam’s Club uses its vast database of member transactions to determine “propensity scores,” which gauge the likelihood that a customer would act on a particular discount. The scores even factor in the best time to offer that discount. For example, a cus-

tomer who just bought three boxes of bulk cereal wouldn’t be offered a discount on the same items right away. So far, the program seems to be working. The company said that premium membership — which costs $100 a year, compared with $40 a year for standard membership — has more than doubled since eValues was launched. Customers who redeem an eValue discount also make more than twice as many trips to the store and tend to buy far more items during each visit, according to the company Although the scores aren’t available to members, the company noted that shoppers are clearly benefiting from them. “It’s kind of like the eHarmony of couponing — we find the very best offers for the customer,” said Catherine Corley, vice president of member program development at the company. — AP

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Did you know? You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents. 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. Rates as stated here are effective as of September 1, 2011. But, the rates and other terms are subject to change in the future.

Link-Up America Link-Up America Link-Up America is for District residents who are eligible for social service assistance. New customers or customers who move to a new address may qualify for a 50 percent reduction in service connection charges.

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money

Vanguard founder: expect modest returns By Mark Jewell The prospect of doubling your money is always alluring. Doing it in only seven years is even better. That’s what draws investors to the stock market. It has proved to be the most reliable place to build up savings over the long run. The math seems to be there, at least. Invest $10,000 at an annual growth rate of 10 percent, and with compounding, it swells to $19,487 over seven years. After eight years it totals more than $21,000. Of course, there’s the caveat that there aren’t any guarantees in investing. Witness the past decade, when a $10,000 investment was reduced to $9,000, including dividend income, by the end of 2009. Yet that lost decade was an anomaly. The notion of stock investments doubling in about seven years is based on historic average annual total returns of 9 to 10 percent. With the required caveats, that amount is frequently cited in investment company literature, based on data going back several decades for the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index. The total return reflects appreciation in stock prices, as well as regular dividend payments.

Expect to net just 1 to 2% But investors planning for retirement would be foolish to expect their stock portfolios to grow by as much as 10 percent a year over the long run, said John C. Bogle. The 82-year-old founder of the Vanguard Group and index mutual fund pioneer said most investors should expect just 1 or 2 percent a year from their stock investments. That’s because the 10 percent that many investors anticipate doesn’t factor in various costs that cut into their actual portfolio returns.

“People ought to be very conscious of the mathematics of investing,” said Bogle, who now runs Vanguard’s Bogle Financial Markets Research Center, in a recent interview. “But they so often ignore it.” He acknowledges that his 1 to 2 percent return calculation isn’t a hard rule, because it’s based on many of the variables affecting market performance. But it’s instructive for understanding why an investor’s net returns pale in comparison to market returns. Here’s a look at Bogle’s math: Stocks have averaged 9 to 10 percent gains, but Bogle figures 7 percent is more realistic over the next several years. He cites the current muted forecast for economic growth, as the nation slowly recovers from the recession and struggles to get government deficits under control. Subtract at least 2 percent for inflation, and the annual gain shrinks to 5 percent. Historically, inflation has averaged 2 to 3 percent. That’s in line with current inflation. (The rate fell to zero during the recession.)

Fees also eat up returns Bogle said most investors should subtract an additional 2 percent, to cover expenses for professionals who manage money, advise investors, and handle trades. The investor’s return is then shaved to 3 percent. Even if you’re not an active stock investor, consider that the average expense ratio charged by managed stock mutual funds last year was 1.45 percent, according to Morningstar. That’s the amount investors pay each year, expressed as a percentage of a fund’s assets. Expenses charged by index mutual funds were about half as much, averaging 0.73 percent. Index funds seek to match the market rather than beat it, and charge lower expenses because they don’t rely on

professionals to pick stocks. In addition to ongoing expenses, many mutual fund investors also pay one-time charges called loads — commissions paid to invest in a fund. Investors can also ultimately bear additional costs when fund managers trade stocks. The remaining 3 percent return can shrink further if investments are held in a taxable account, rather than a retirement account like an IRA or 401(k). When fund managers sell investments that appreciated in value, they pass on the capital gains to investors each year. These gains are taxed unless held in a tax-sheltered account. Bogle figures investors with taxable accounts can expect to shave off another 1 percent from their return, leaving just 2 percent. What’s more, many investors cancel out that small return, or end up with losses, by making rash decisions. Studies show most investors have poor timing. A common scenario: An investor buys a

mutual fund based on its recently strong returns. The market shifts, the fund’s manager is late to respond, and the investor’s return reflects the subpar performance, rather than the prior market-beating numbers. Bogle advises that investors pay special attention to limiting the costs they can control by choosing a low-cost index fund and holding it for the long haul. “Costs, and minimizing them, are the driving forces in any investing equation,” Bogle said. His calculations aren’t meant to imply that investors should abandon stocks. Despite their volatility, stocks are the best means to ensure that savings outpace the rise of inflation. Still, Karen Dolan, Morningstar’s director of fund analysis, said it’s hard to overstate Bogle’s central point that investors shouldn’t expect returns in their portfolios to match market performance. — AP

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

Careers Volunteers &

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

Volunteers offer services to Alexandrians

Delivering meals Tom Irvin, 82, has delivered meals for Senior Services of Alexandria two to three times a week since he retired from the U.S. Dept. of Education in 2007. He says he enjoys meeting the people he helps as much as they are grateful for

the food. “Some are severely disabled and some just have trouble getting around. In all of the cases, everyone is very appreciative to get the meals. “It’s just a pleasure to go in say, ‘Hi, how are you doing? Meals on Wheels here. Nice to see you. Hope you have a nice day today’ and so on. I think they appreciate that. And it makes me feel good,” Irvin said. Sometimes Irvin delivers the meals by himself, while other days he pairs up with another volunteer. One serves as a driver and one as a “runner,” taking the meals into home. On a typical day, Irvin delivers between six and 14 meals. “Doing that keeps my energy going. It’s really a very worthwhile endeavor,” he said. Fellow volunteer Sarah Fewell agrees. She has been delivering meals since 1995, starting with one day a month. She now delivers meals at least once a week, sometimes working in tandem with her niece, who is a college student. “When I deliver meals I receive a blessing because I see people less fortunate

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than I am. I feel the least I can do is give them some of my time,” Fewell, 72, said. About 20 volunteers are needed each day to deliver meals. Deliveries take two to three hours, and volunteers can help out as little as once a month, Barnett said. A background check is required.

Other volunteer opportunities

PHOTO COURTESY OF SENIOR SERVICES OF ALEXANDRIA

By Barbara Ruben Need help detangling Medicare’s bureaucracy? A volunteer with Senior Services of Alexandria’s resource center may be able to point you in the right direction. Want someone to come to your home for friendly conversation? A volunteer with a new program of the 44-year-old nonprofit organization can help with that, too. And the group has a cadre of more than 200 volunteers who deliver Meals on Wheels six days a week. With all those services, though, the group is continuously reaching out to members of the community to help out. “We want to do all these things, but we can’t do them as well as we’d like [without more volunteers],” said Janet Barnett, the organization’s executive director.

She said the group is also looking for volunteers to help the part-time director of their resource center answer calls from seniors, adult children and caregivers. The organization is starting a new “friendly visitor” program for which it is now recruiting volunteers. These volunteers would be Tom Irvin, a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels Program of matched with frail or Senior Services of Alexandria, talks with the organization’s homebound Alexan- president, Barbara Anderson, before delivering meals on dria residents and visit Thanksgiving. them on a regular basis to both provide social interaction and as a The event takes place at 10 a.m. at the Old way to make sure the residents are doing Presbyterian Meeting House, 323 S. Fairfax St., Alexandria, Va. well. For more information on volunteering The organization also sponsors lectures on a variety of topics. The subject of its with Senior Services of Alexandria, call Feb. 14 talk is “Employment and Volunteer (703) 836-4414 or see www.seniorserviceOpportunities for Alexandria’s Seniors.” salex.org.

Works

Contact MC311 for Montgomery County Government Information and Services

3 Visit: mc311.com

4 Done: Check it off your list

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

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Volunteers & Careers

Avoid pitfalls when starting a business Many Americans dream of starting a vestment, both in manpower and inventosmall business. For some, it’s a way of doing ry. They had completely overestimated something they love while their projected sales and now being their own boss. For othwere running out of capital. ers, it’s an idea they turn to They needed to borrow after losing a job or retiring. money to stay in business. What every aspiring small I had to inform him that it business owner needs to was highly unlikely that they know is that starting an enterwould get a loan because the prise takes a lot of work and business did not have a histoinvestment, and the chances ry of profitability. of failure are high. Most small businesses fail Get advice early THE SAVINGS in the first few years, for many It’s a shame this individual GAME sought advice only after the reasons. Many fail because By Elliot Raphaelson family business got into trouthe owner has little or no exble. With prior counseling from perience. It is difficult to succeed, even with experience, and I would experienced business owners, he might discourage anybody from starting a busi- have done things differently — or not started the business in the first place. ness in a field they are not familiar with. If you’re starting a business, the advice Another big mistake new business owners make is not adequately managing their of experienced business people in that investment capital. For example, I recently field is invaluable. However, not everyspoke to a struggling small business owner body has a personal relationship with such in my capacity as a counselor at SCORE, a mentors. nationwide nonprofit organization that adThat’s where an organization like SCORE vises people who have started a new busi- can help. Most SCORE chapters have volunness or are contemplating doing so. teers with a wide variety of backgrounds. The man and his family had started a When a fledgling entrepreneur comes business and had made a significant in- for counseling, he or she is matched with

counselors with practical experience in the business they are considering. The counseling is free. (Similar counseling can often be found through local government agencies, chambers of commerce and universities.) Recently, an individual with some experience in the jewelry business approached my chapter of SCORE about plans he had to open a retail store, and I arranged a counseling session with a volunteer who had owned a very successful jewelry business for many years. Whether that counseling will make the difference between success and failure is hard to say at this point. But counseling is much more effective if it comes before a person starts his or her business.

SCORE encourages first-time entrepreneurs to take a seminar called “Starting Your New Business.” (This costs $50 for two individuals from the same business.) The seminar discourages individuals who shouldn’t start a business and highlights the most important factors for success. It stresses the need for a sound business plan, and for hiring competent professionals such as attorneys, accountants and insurance representatives.

Insure your business Even if you succeed in establishing a business, unexpected things can go wrong that may sink the enterprise. See SMALL BUSINESS, page 36

BEACON BITS

Feb. 7

MAKE BLANKETS FOR CHILDREN

Volunteers are needed to knit, crochet or quilt blankets for sick and needy children. Yarn and fabric are provided. Stop in any time from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Extension Office, 18410 Muncaster Rd., Derwood, Md. Also, donations of acrylic yarn are being accepted. Call Pat at (301) 460-5451 for more information or for directions.

Mar. 4+

HELP AT A HOSPICE

JSSA (Jewish Social Service Agency), a non-sectarian community agency, is seeking volunteers to help enhance the quality of life of individuals and families facing life-threatening or terminal illness. Russian speakers and massage therapists are especially needed. The next training course is scheduled for Sunday to Tuesday, March 4 to 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at 6123 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. Applications and interviews are required for those interested in the volunteer training. For more information and to sign up for the course, contact Amy Kaufman Goott at (301) 816-2650, agoott@jssa.org, no later than five days prior to the start of the course.

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

BEACON BITS

Small business

Apr. 3+

SERVE AS AN ELECTION JUDGE

From page 35

Montgomery County’s Board of Elections is seeking individuals to

Another mistake many small business owners make is to underinsure. It is especially important for anyone starting a home business to have adequate business insurance. An excellent, comprehensive book on the subject is Insurance for Dummies by Jack Hungelmann (Wiley). Hungelmann points out that homeowner’s policies, even with optional business coverage, falls far short of covering the needs of most homebased businesses. Most home-based business owners, he writes, are not aware of many risks associated with their businesses, and homeowner’s policies don’t cover many of the common risks. Hungelmann explains the various types of property risks and emphasizes the importance of liability insurance. A wise course is to discuss your liability

serve as election judges at polling places for the presidential elections to be held on April 3 and Nov. 6, 2012. Judges must be registered to vote in the state of Maryland. To apply, or for more information, visit www.777vote.org and select the Election Judge Program link. You may also call (240) 777-8533.

Ongoing

ADVOCATE FOR LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS Help residents of nursing and assisted living facilities in Northern Virginia advocate for their rights, resolve conflicts and improve

their quality of life. The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program needs volunteers to commit four hours a week for one year. Volunteers set their own schedules and receive training and support. Visits usually occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Apply now for the spring 2012 training. Call (703) 324-5861 or e-mail lisa.callahan@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Fifth Annual Governor’s Leadership ✃ in Aging Awards For Excellence and Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Aging and Quality of Life for Seniors Categories Trailblazer: An individual, community group, business or organization that has demonstrated leadership in advocacy or developed an innovative program, research or training for seniors. Visual or Performing Arts: An individual 60 or older, or a group (members must be 55 or older) who has demonstrated excellence in the visual or performing arts. Health and Vitality: An individual, 60 or older, who demonstrates a commitment to healthy living, and who serves as a role model to others.

Nomination Information Select a category. Submit a nomination form (below) and a 500-word-or-less description or recommendation (why the nominee meets the criteria). Visual Arts nominations must be accompanied by photos, slides or a CD of artwork. Performing Arts nominations must be accompanied by a DVD or web link to a video sharing site (e.g., YouTube). Nominations that do not require supporting materials may be faxed to (410) 333-7943. Download additional nomination forms at www.mdoa.state.md.us. For more information, call (410) 767-2075 or 1-800-243-3425.

Nomination Form Person or Group Nominated: Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________ Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________ Category of nomination: ____________________________________________________________ Nominator Information: ❒ Self Nomination (check box if you are nominating yourself) Name:___________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________ Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________ E-mail form with your recommendation and supporting materials to: wwood@ooa.state.md.us

Or mail to: Mr. Wesley Wood Maryland Department of Aging Governor’s Leadership in Aging Awards 301 W. Preston St., #1007 Baltimore, MD 21201

NOMINATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED OR E-MAILED BY MARCH 30, 2012

risks with an insurance agent. Most lawsuits cost $40,000 to $100,000 to defend, and judgments or jury awards can exceed that. Being uninsured for any potential business liability risks more than you can afford to lose. Moreover, if you haven’t set up and run your business as a corporation, it can place your personal property at risk. Too many people decide to go into business without doing their homework. Lack of initial planning is one of the most likely reasons that a business fails. Your chances of success greatly increase if you take advantage of available resources, obtain advice from an experienced business attorney and insurance agent, and develop a comprehensive business plan before making the final decision to start your business. For information about local and online workshops offered by SCORE, visit www.score.org. To contact the Washington, D.C. chapter for an appointment with a mentor or more information, call (202) 272-0390. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

FAIRFAX TAX RELIEF

Older adults and people with disabilities may qualify for Fairfax County real estate and car tax relief. Residents must file an application for relief between Jan. 1 and April 1, 2012 if they have filed before. New applicants have until December 31, 2012 to file. To receive tax relief, applicants must be 65 or older and have an income of no more than $72,000. Find out more at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta/taxrelief_home.ht m or by calling (703) 222-8234.

Ongoing

UNEMPLOYED AND FACING FORECLOSURE?

The D.C. government, through the Homesaver Program, now offers forgivable loans to homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgages because of unemployment. If you own a home in D.C., are receiving or have received unemployment benefits at any time during the last six months, and are behind on your mortgage because you were laid off, you may be eligible for a loan to help bring your mortgage current. Call (202) 6677006 or attend a free foreclosure clinic on Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15 or 22 at noon at Housing Counseling Services, 2410 17th St., N.W., Suite #100, Washington, D.C.

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

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 2

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

February 2012

Washington Seniors Wellness Center

By Dr. John M. Thompson In this issue of “Spotlight on Aging” we will focus on “staying connected.” This is fitting because of several events this month that will help our residents maintain a strong connection with the District of Columbia government. Additionally, I would like to introduce a new resource on our agency website and close with a reflection on our roundtable meetings across the District. Mayor Vincent C. Gray will host the “One City Summit” on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. This is an excellent opportunity for seniors, persons with disabilities and family caregivers to attend a forum for frank and open conversation about what needs to be done to actualize the "One City" slogan in Washington, DC. Mayor Gray defines One City as “the recognition that all District residents, no matter their differences, are bound together by a common destiny and a shared desire to make the city even better for the people who live here.” The Mayor, his cabinet and other top District government officials will be present all day to hear from you. It is important that your neighbors and others at the table include your thoughts about affordable housing, transportation, aging in place, and living with dignity as persons with disabilities or independent citizens of this great city we call home. This is your chance to discuss these issues and others that matter most to you. To register, visit www.onecitysummit@dc.gov or call us at 202-724-5626. On Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA), we will host the first ever Ambassador Program Training Workshop. The purpose of the DCOA Ambassador Program is to empower residents interested in identifying more seniors, persons with disabilities, and family caregivers in the District of Columbia in need of service. Our goal is to ensure that no one “falls through the cracks” because of a lack of knowledge. Therefore, through our training workshop, we will educate participants about the programs and services offered through DCOA and encourage them to direct constituents, who may benefit from our services, to our office. If you are interested in being an ambassador, please contact us today at 202-724-5622 to enroll in the workshop. In addition, we are introducing a new valuable resource on our website, www.dcoa.dc.gov. In last month’s edition of “Spotlight on Aging,” I mentioned that we all have a role to play in crime prevention in our neighborhoods. To help all of us, we have worked closely with Assistant Chief Diane Groomes of the Metropolitan Police Department and her team to introduce a new section on our website entitled, “Safety and Crime Prevention.” Topics featured on our website include consumer protection, and information on the latest schemes and swindles by con artists. We will also begin posting information about crimes against seniors and “Be on the Look Out” alerts so that we can help to make our community a safer place for all of us. I believe that this new resource will ensure that you are connected with the most current information in our effort to “take a bite out of crime.” In closing, I would like to thank the executives and staff at DCOA, the Senior Service Network, the Department of General Services, Metropolitan Police Department, and the Department of Parks and Recreation for working collaboratively with me as we connected with our seniors and other stakeholders at the roundtable meetings with the Executive Director. As a result of our meetings, we have improved food quality at our senior nutrition sites, enhanced public safety at one senior wellness center, programming at another senior wellness center, and enhanced transportation service for our seniors. To schedule a roundtable meeting at your site, please contact the Office on Aging by calling 202-724-5622.

Commissioner on Aging Elfrida Foy, D.C. Office on Aging Executive Director John Thompson, Ph.D., Ms. Senior D.C. 1992 Doris Thomas, and Washington Seniors Wellness Center Ward 7 Director Elise T. Nicholls are pictured at a holiday event for the wellness center. Washington Seniors Wellness Center is the oldest wellness center for seniors in the District.

Model Cities Wellness Center

Model Cities Senior Wellness Center recently celebrated the 100th birthday of one of its oldest participants, Flora Mitchell. Happy Birthday, Ms. Mitchell! We hope that you will participate in the activities at the wellness center for many more years. If you know of someone who is 100 years of age or older, please contact the Office on Aging so that they may be honored by Mayor Vincent C. Gray at the annual celebration. Call 202-724-5626 to register.

District Issues Notice of Funding Availability Funds are available to operate a newly constructed senior facility in Ward 6 The Office on Aging has released a notice of funding availability (NOFA) for nonprofit and for profit entities to apply for grant funds to operate a newly constructed senior wellness center for residents age 60 and older in the District of Columbia. Senior wellness centers promote healthy lifestyles, sound nutrition, exercise and general wellness among the aging population in the District. This grant seeks an organization to operate

the new Hayes Senior Wellness Center in Ward 6. For fiscal year 2012, there is a total of $170,555 contingently available for the senior wellness center grant. Funds have been provided to the Office on Aging through federal and District appropriated funding. The Senior Wellness Center NOFA is available for review on the DCOA website at www.dcoa.dc.gov. The grant application deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. For more information or to receive an invitation for the webinar, email DCOA at executive@dc.gov.

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

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Community Calendar February events

14th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

7th • 11 a.m. Attend Low Vision Awareness Day events at Ward 5 nutrition sites. For locations and more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

10th • 5 to 8 p.m. Meet Iona’s Winter 2012 artist in residence, printmaker and painter George Smith-Shomari, and special guest artists Varda Avnisan and Jill Tanenbaum, both glass artisans, all of whom have artworks on exhibit in the Iona Gallery through May 7. The event is free and features live music and refreshments sponsored by the Washington Home and Community Hospices. The reception will take place at Iona, one block from the Tenleytown Metro, at 4125 Albemarle St., N.W. For more information, call Patricia Dubroof, gallery director, at 202-895-9407.

Keen Seniors Program presents a Valentine’s Day luncheon and dance at Hughes Memorial United Methodist Church, 53rd and Ames Streets, N.E. Music by DJ Ron V. To register for this free event, sign up with your site manager or contact Robin Gantt, recreational activity outreach coordinator, by Feb. 9 at 202-534-4880, ext. 110.

17th • 7 to 11 p.m. The Downtown Cluster’s Geriatric Day Care Center presents a pre-Mardi Gras celebration at the Xi Omega Center, 4411 14th St., N.W. The $30 contribution includes a light meal and beverages. There will be line and hand dancing. Call 202-347-7527 for tickets and reservations.

22nd • 11 a.m.

14th • noon Join Seabury Resources for Aging’s Lunch & Learn series for Healthy Heart Day on Valentine’s Day at Ward 5 nutrition sites. For locations and more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

Attend a free physician-led educational seminar about post-shingles nerve pain at YMCA National Capital, 1711 Rhode Island Ave., N.W. Refreshments will be served following the seminar. To enroll, call Sandi Hunter at 202-862-9622, ext. 3109 or go to www.PostShinglesNervePainSeminar.com.

16th • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attend Barney Neighborhood House’s black history celebration at Lamond Recreation Center, 20 Tuckerman St., N.E. The event will include a skit titled “A Seat at the Table.” For more information, call 202-939-9031.

23rd • 11 a.m. Get your blood pressure checked at the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired at Israel Baptist Church, 1251 Saratoga Ave., N.E. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

Heart Disease Prevention after 60 The prevention prescription in your 60s is the same as it's always been — healthy diet and exercise. But with all of the information that is flooding the media, it's hard to know exactly what to do to stay healthy. The answer may be simpler than you thought. Listen to your body and talk to your doctor. The more risk factors you can keep under control, the less likely you are to have a future heart attack. A great place to start is establishing a baseline of your current heart health. What are the chances that you will develop heart disease in the next ten years? Get your estimated risk now with the Go

Red Heart CheckUp at www.GoRedForWomen.org.

Track Your Numbers Heart360 is a convenient and secure location for you to track and manage your heart health online. Learn more at www.heart360.org.

Know your Numbers Knowing the numbers that impact your heart is an important step toward healthy living. Get a quick overview of the numbers you need to know and your goals using the chart below. Be sure to talk to your doctor to see how your current numbers measure up.

Don't smoke Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S. It can put you at risk for heart disease, stroke and several other diseases. If you smoke, stop. If you don't, don't start. It isn't worth it.

Drink in Moderation Before you drink, think about the effects it can have on your health. Alcohol can add calories to your diet and make you gain weight. And if you drink too much alcohol, your blood pressure can go up and in some cases cause heart failure and lead to a stroke. Keep in mind that, for women, moderate drinking is no more than one drink per day.

One drink is defined as: 1-1/2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of 80-proof spirits (such as bourbon, scotch, vodka, gin, etc.), 1 fl oz of 100-proof spirits, 4 fl oz of wine, 12 fl oz of beer. For more information, visit www.heart.org for tools to help you determine your risk, manage your lifestyle changes, and obtain valuable information. Begin taking steps toward a healthier, more active lifestyle by joining a senior wellness center near you. No costly contracts or memberships. Consult your doctor and give them a call.

Options Counseling

Ward One

Options Counseling provides individuals, family members and/or significant others with support in their decisions to determine appropriate choices. During this process, a written plan for receiving community resources is developed based on an individual’s needs, preferences, values, and circumstances. This services is available regardless of income or financial assets. The ADRC Options Counselor also provides clients with:

Factor

Goal

Total Cholesterol

LDL cholesterol goals vary

LDL (“Bad”) Cholesterol

Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal 100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/Above Optimal 130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High

A “live” voice that listens and understands the client’s needs

160 to 189 mg/dL High

Respectful and truthful guidance Thoughtful client follow-up, including a consumer satisfaction survey

500 K Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 724-5626 ● www.adrc.dc.gov

Ward Four Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center 324 Kennedy St., N.W. 202-291-6170

Ward Five Model Cities Senior Wellness Center 1901 Evarts St., N.E. 202-635-1900

Ward Six 190 mg/dL and above Very High

Knowledgeable & responsive staff

Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center 3531 Georgia Ave., N.W. 202-727-3390

Hayes Senior Wellness Center 500 K St., N.E. Coming Soon!

HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol

50 mg/dL or higher

Triglycerides

Less than 150 mg/dL

Blood Pressure

Less than 120/80 mmHg

Fasting Glucose

Less than 100 mg/dL

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Less than 25 Kg/m2

Ward Eight

Waist Circumference

Less than 35 inches

Exercise

Minimum of 30 minutes most days, if not all days, of the week

Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center 2500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. 202-563-7225

Ward Seven Washington Seniors Wellness Center 3001 Alabama Ave., S.E. 202-581-9355

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

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

Program Helps People Leave Nursing Homes Who said you have to live in a nursing home until you leave this earth? Thanks to the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, former facility resident Woodrow Wilson Jackson, Sr. has a new lease on life in his own apartment. "This program... I am at a loss for words. I think it is very good," said Jackson, who is 94. Jackson became a resident of a Southeast Washington nursing home after a knee replacement left him unable to walk. That was nearly 10 years ago, and Jackson had wanted to leave the facility, which had rules he found hard to follow, almost as long. He missed his community and his church, and he wasn't able to use a heating pad for his rheumatoid arthritis. These and a few other reasons made nursing home living difficult for Jackson. Jacqueline Gould, Money Follows the Person transition coordinator for the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), began working on his case. The staff at the nursing home alerted her to Jackson, a good candidate for transitioning back into the community. "This is a person-centered program, and the client wanted to leave the nursing home and live in the community. The client had the right to direct his Medicaid dollars to home care services versus living in the nursing home," Gould said. Jackson had lived on his own for many years after his wife died. The retired carpenter and veteran was unable to

climb ladders as he once did. His ability to live on his own and his connection to VA services helped in the decision to transition him. His children live in the South and he has a niece and nephew in the area, but Personal Care Aid services help him remain in the community. "This gentleman asks his aid to make sure they lay out a shirt and tie every day. He is very conscientious about his appearance, even at 94, and I find that is amazing," Gould exclaimed. Gould completed the necessary housing application through the D.C. Housing Authority, and the MFP program helped expedite the process according to Gould. The MFP program and the wait for placement, "helped me realize more [reasons] to keep scuffling around,” said Jackson, who has seen some improvement in his attempts at learning how to walk again. Jackson spent Christmas in his own home for the first time in many years. In addition, the first Sunday he was back home he was able to return to his church. He receives weekly visits by Gould as she continues to manage his care, and both are happy to see each other. Nursing home care is very expensive and often takes seniors away from the community they love. The MFP program just might make the difference in the lives of seniors placed prematurely in nursing homes. Jackson's advice to seniors about nursing homes:

Woodrow Wilson Jackson, Sr. looks very festive at the recent 14th Annual Mayor's Senior Holiday Celebration. "Wish I was able to get out there on the floor to dance. I recognized quite a bit of the music," Jackson said. Jackson said that even though he couldn’t dance, he still had a great time at the celebration.

"Don't go in one unless you have to." Community services and resources like in-home support, homebound meals and transportation to life-sustaining medical appointments are available to District residents age 60 and older and may help delay permanent nursing home admission. To find out more about the Money Follows the Person program and other resources and services that are available, call 202-724-5626.

Beware of Lottery Scams Targeting Older Residents A new scam going around has taken millions of dollars from the elderly across the country. Here in the District, a local resident loss thousands trying to recoup millions promised in a Jamaican lottery scam. Scammers request that the “winners” send money in order to gain their winnings. A word to the wise, if you win something, you should not have to pay anything in order to collect your prize. Be aware of these types of scams; many people have lost their life savings trying to collect their winnings. If you or someone you know is a victim of such a scam, contact: Identity Theft and Fraud Reporting Procedures Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit 300 Indiana Ave., N.W., Room 3019 Washington, DC 20001 Call the Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit at 202-727-4159 or email mpd.fraud-

unit@dc.gov to schedule an appointment to meet with a detective and discuss your case. In addition to reporting the scam to the Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit, you can report the theft by calling 311 or by visiting your District police station to file the report. The Metropolitan Police Department is committed to providing the best customer service possible. The Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit has established a list of guidelines for reporting identity theft and fraud crimes, which are investigated by the unit. Being prepared when you report the scam helps reduce the stress and confusion that may arise after the theft. It will also help provide a clear direction for members of the department who are trying to assist you with your case. Remember to bring all pertinent documentation related to the report you wish to file and have it with you when you arrive for the meeting.

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 Dr. John M. Thompson, Executive Director Darlene Nowlin, Editor Adrian R. Reed, 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.

Ms. Senior D.C. 2011 Emma P. Ward

Ms. Ms. Senior Senior D.C. D.C. 2011 2011 Emma P. Ward Emma P. Ward

We're looking for Senior Ms. Senior D.C. 2012. We're looking for Ms. D.C. 2012. Maybe you know her...her... Maybe you know t

She is a woman 60 years of age or older who lives in the

She is of a woman District Columbia 60 years of age or older who lives in the District of Columbia She inspires others with her enthusiasm

others and witharticulate her enthusiasm She She isinspires poised, charming

Her positive philosophy of life and reflects her inner beauty is poised, charming articulate She

Her positive philosophy of life reflects her inner beauty

Blessed with a special talent, she defies the myths of aging

She is an active, vital member of her community

If you know her, make sure she is entered as a contestant in the 2012 Ms D.C. Pageant. She may represent our city in the Ms. Senior America Pa Blessed withSenior a special sheCommittee defies theChairperson, myths of aging Contact the Ms. D.C.talent, Planning Gwen C at 202-289-1510 x 1170/1171 to make sure she receives an application. If you know her, make sure she is entered as a contestant in the 2012 Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant. She may represent our city in the Ms. Senior America Pageant. Contact the Ms. Senior D.C. Planning Committee Chairperson, Gwen Coleman at 202-289-1510 x 1170/1171 to make sure she receives an application. Government of the District of Columbia Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

Government of the District of Columbia Vincent C. Gray, Mayor

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

Travel Leisure &

Setting sail with silver screen stars. See story on page 42.

Las Vegas through the eyes of a first-timer the-clock party scene in casinos, bars and spas, and over-the-top architectural re-creations of modern and historic wonders, it doesn’t get more fantastic than Las Vegas.

Giving in to temptation

More than 35 million people have visited Las Vegas every year for the past 10 years, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LCVA), but until last summer, I was a Vegas virgin — intrigued, yet worried I’d feel awkward and uncomfortable. I decided it was time to give in to the temptations of Sin City when Derk, my husband, registered for a conference there. For help with planning, I turned to some trusty sources, who not only are upstanding citizens, spouses and parents, but also are highly experienced, shall we say, in Vegas ways. They helped me shape a getaway that made my first time so special, I’m eager to do it again. Las Vegas is “wild, wacky and sometimes bizarre,” said my friend Bob, a retired military officer and engineer who works for a large defense contractor in Northern Virginia, and who has visited Vegas at least 10 times for his job or to see family. “You will see all types there. But it’s also clean and friendly, and you will have a blast.” Here are some tips for planning your own trip.

The four-mile-long Las Vegas Strip is home to more than 67,000 hotel rooms, as well as half-scale replicas of the Eiffel Tower and other icons from Paris and New York.

Lay of the land “The Strip” refers to a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard more than four miles long that is dotted with a couple dozen hotel-casino properties and the relatively new mixed-use development called CityCenter, among other amenities. Mandalay Bay anchors the south end of the Strip. The Sahara, which operated for almost 60 years before shutting down in mid-2011, anchors the north end. Generally, the properties toward the north end are older and less opulent, and thus room rates are cheaper.

By Laura Stassi Jeffrey It feels like I’ve walked out of an icebox and into an oven as I exit the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, but I won’t let the summertime heat derail my exploration of the Las Vegas Strip on foot. Adjacent to the golden-hued Mandalay Bay is the dark, imposing, pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel and casino, and beyond that stands the multi-turreted, castle-like property called Excalibur. I haven’t even reached the halfway mark of my stroll before scoring my first Elvis sighting — a slightly built impersonator standing on the walkway that connects the Excalibur with the Big Apple-themed property named New York-New York, counting a wad of bills he’s pulled from the pocket of his white jumpsuit. For me, February is fantasy month — the time to daydream about a vacation getaway and perhaps even put some plans into motion. With live entertainment that ranges from bawdy to spectacularly breathtaking, lush exterior as well as interior landscaping that defies the desert locale, a ‘round-

At Las Vegas’ Bellagio hotel and casino, built for a reported $1.6 billion, dancing fountains offer a show several times an hour, using synchronized light and music.

Each hotel-casino property has its own personality and theme, and room rates can fluctuate widely. When mulling over the options, think about your budget as well as your tolerance for a high-energy atmosphere. Keep in mind that anyone 21 years or older is welcome inside any Strip property for gambling, shopping, eating, attending a show or even limited wandering around. However, pools and other features may be available only for registered hotel guests. Sidewalks and elevated walkways enable strolling along the Strip. Monorail and tram service are also available among some properties, or you can hop on a bus or hail a taxi. For our stay, we booked a room at the impressive Four Seasons, which comprises the top five floors of the 39-story Mandalay Bay tower. This was the conference host site, so the rate discount was decent, but we also were mindful that the setting was blissfully removed from most of the hubbub. While the Four Seasons rooms are in the $200 to $300 range, rooms in the rest of Mandalay Bay start at a more reasonable $90. Bob, a methodical trip planner, grouped his hotel recommendations into three tiers before he gave them to me, and Mandalay Bay was in his top tier.

But the Bellagio is Bob’s first choice. This massive and elegant structure, modeled after the Lake Como resort in Italy, rose from the rubble of the Dunes hotel and casino. Outside the Bellagio is a manmade lake — the water-fountain show, set to lights and music, is a must-see — and the interior features include a lush botanical garden, art galleries, and a candy shop complete with chocolate fountains. Hotel rooms are well worth the splurge, according to Bob. Rates range from $159 to $349 in February. My cousin Sam, technical director for a global marketing agency headquartered outside of Chicago, wholeheartedly agrees. Sam has visited Vegas about a dozen times for work or pleasure. He stays at the Bellagio whenever he can and has even planned getaways during off-times, to take advantage of drastically slashed rates. “If you can take the heat, summer is the best bargain,” he said. Off the Strip, Sam has stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn and utilized the free shuttle to and from the Strip’s south end. Two off-Strip properties Bob offers as word-of-mouth recommendations are the Rio — which Sam confirms has a terrific See LAS VEGAS, page 41

Las Vegas From page 40 wine cellar and tasting room — and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Gambling for food, dollars When I told Claire, my booking agent and a Vegas aficionado, about my upcoming trip, she was emphatic. “You must eat at a buffet,” she said. I hesitated to follow her advice. Derk and I have long said that the day we found ourselves standing in line for an all-youcan-eat buffet was the day we officially became old. But after enjoying a huge breakfast buffet spread solo one day at Cravings in the Mirage (cost: $16.95), I talked Derk into joining me at the Bellagio buffet for the next day’s lunch. Derk grumbled a bit as we — yep — stood in a long line, but he later agreed the wait had been worthwhile for the huge spread including Italian, Japanese, Chinese and American food, seafood and an incredible desert assortment. If you time it right, the lunch buffet ($19.95) can suffice as your meal for the day. Buffet prices vary by season, but discount coupons are sometimes available, and room packages often include a meal or two at the hotel where you’re staying. Craps, blackjack, poker, roulette — as first-timers, we were too intimidated to even try. We happily settled for feeding coins into a slot machine, and reveled in a $25 profit on our $5 investment. Derk and I have already decided that on our return trip we’d like to be joined by

companions who know their way around the tables and can guide us. Spending a lot of money? You might want to join a “players club,” offered by one of the casinos you’ll be frequenting. You don’t have to be a high roller, and you’ll accumulate points toward promotions, including free meals and hotel rooms. You can do this once you’re in a casino. Follow the signs pointing you to the players club or ask a casino employee where to go to apply for the card. You’ll be issued one on the spot. Sam also usually sticks to spending money primarily at one property, and he charges everything to his room. “I don’t gamble a lot, but I do spend a lot of money in the restaurants, bars, shops and shows,” he said. “I am pretty sure the hotels track that info when sending offers.”

show from there. For more faux-European fun, take a gondola ride at the Venetian. If the artificiality of the Strip starts to wear on you, rent a car and head about 20 miles west to Red Rock Canyon to hike or jog amid the rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert. Hoover Dam, a National Historic Landmark, is about 25 miles southeast of Vegas. Check out the hotel-casino property websites or go to www.LasVegas.com for a full list of promotional packages and discounts on hotel rooms, show tickets and other offerings. Don’t buy a package deal unless you’ve vetted all the different parts of it to ensure it really is a good deal.

You also may want to cross-reference rates with results from www.hotwire.com, which offers a compilation of the lowest published rates for airfare, hotel and ticket packages on discount travel sites such as Expedia and Orbitz. The best roundtrip airfare deal to Las Vegas in mid-February starts at $288 on Frontier Airlines from Regan National, with one stop. Non-stop flights are considerably pricier. But check the travel websites that include airfare and hotel for potentially better deals. Laura Stassi Jeffrey is a freelance writer living in Chantilly, Va.

Upcoming Trips for 2012

Dinner Theater Trips:

Beyond gambling The live entertainment choices seem endless — concerts, comedy acts, stage plays, even a burlesque show featuring former Hugh Hefner girlfriend Holly Madison. Bob gave high recommendations to ‘”Mystere,” the Cirque de Soleil show at Treasure Island. But we emboldened ourselves and bought tickets to the adultthemed “Zumanity.” The cabaret-style show is billed as the sensual side of Cirque de Soleil, and the acrobatics were incredible. Don’t take a front seat, though, unless you’re game to be included in some risqué antics with cast members. You can also buy a ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower replica at the Paris property and watch the Bellagio’s water-fountain

BEACON BITS

Mar. 5

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

PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW

March 4 March 31 June 3 September 22 October 21 November 10

“Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Dutch Apple) “9 to 5” (Dutch Apple) “Nunsense” (Allenberry) “American Icons” (American Music Theatre) “The Color Purple” (Toby’s–Columbia) “The 39 Steps” (Allenberry)

Multi-Day Trips: April 29–May 1 Historic Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown May 20–22 The Gardens of the Brandywine Valley (Longwood Gardens, Winterthur, “Wyeth Museum”) June 23–29 Northern Michigan (Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie, Frankenmuth) July 22–28 Montreal and Quebec August 28–29 “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway September 8–15 Canadian Maritimes Cruise–Princess October 11–13 Blackwater Falls and Trains of WV

… and other day trips and multi-day tours

Take a day trip with the McLean Community Center to the Philadelphia Flower show on Monday, March 5, leaving at 6:45 a.m. and returning at 8 p.m. This year’s flower show theme is “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha.” The cost of the trip is $132, which includes motor coach transportation, tickets to the flower show, morning snack and a driver’s tip. The trip leaves from the center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean, Va. Call (703) 790-0123 or see www.mcleancenter.org

Call us for details about these and our other fun-filled trips planned for 2012

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

Taking a cruise with Hollywood legends cated band of travelers. It was the onboard events and list of eminent guests. While celebrity cruises are nothing new, this one truly was a classic: the inaugural Classic Cruise hosted by the cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which brought film fans together with their favorite Hollywood legends on the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship. Celebrity shipmates included Ernest Borgnine, Eva Marie Saint, Tippi Hedren and director Norman Jewison, as well as TCM hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz. With the average age of the four special guests being around 87, this was a vacation that appealed to seniors, and many

passengers recalled attending film premieres by the stars in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Star power

demonstrating safety procedures was forced to compete for the crowd’s attention when Ernest Borgnine appeared and was mobbed by well-wishers trying to shake

After boarding, there was the compulsory lifeboat drill. At the time, the crew

See MOVIE CRUISE, page 43

PHOTO BY DEBBIE THOMAS

By Nick Thomas The tragic Jan. 13 capsizing of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the Tuscan island of Giglio in Italy probably has some potential passengers thinking twice about embarking on a future cruise. But these floating luxury “hotels” make thousands of trips each year without incident, and the cruise ship industry has an excellent safety record. This is one of the reasons why some 2,000 people from across the U.S., Canada and Europe made their way to Miami on Dec. 8 in order to take a four-day, roundtrip cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. But it wasn’t the golden beaches or sparkling blue waters that united this dedi-

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Actor Ernest Borgnine greets passengers aboard a cruise hosted by Turner Classic Movies, which included several other screen stars who mingled with the passengers. Borgnine celebrated his 95th birthday in January.

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

Movie cruise From page 42 his hand. (In the wake of the Concordia incident, I imagine people will be listening more closely to safety instructions going forward.) Borgnine himself was overwhelmed by the response of the passengers. “Oh my goodness, I couldn’t have been treated better by the TCM folks or fans,” said a humble 95-year-old Borgnine, when I spoke with him later during the cruise. “I don’t know why, because I certainly don’t deserve it. “It’s one thing to like an actor, but the kind of love people have shown me is amazing. I just want to be one of the gang on the ship,” said Borgnine, an Academy Award-winning movie actor who is perhaps most widely known for the TV series McHale’s Navy. (By the way, he knows his way around a ship, having served for 10 years in the Navy prior to taking up acting.) Borgnine was typical of the celebrities on board. Far from retiring to their cabins and emerging only to fulfill their obligations, they regularly roamed the decks — mingling with the passengers, eating at the buffet, chatting and posing for photographs. In addition to snagging a much sought after celebrity snapshot, serious film enthusiasts were able to enjoy a selection of scheduled events that TCM had planned: movie screenings, often preceded by introductions from the stars who were in the films, Q & A sessions with the stars, and panel discussions with Osborne and Mankiewicz. Surprise guests included veteran game show host Wink Martindale, who hosted movie trivia contests, and Chelsie Hightower and Louis Van Amstel from “Dancing with the Stars.” OK, so they weren’t Fred and Ginger, but they did put on a dazzling dance display. And when Ernie and Eva Marie came out on stage for a whirl around the dance floor with the youngsters, the crowd went wild.

Behind the scenes stories Although the ship docked at Key West and Cozumel for passengers to go ashore and see the standard tourist attractions, these were merely an added bonus. Probably the most anticipated events were the celebrity presentations prior to film screenings. Eva Marie Saint talked about the making of North by Northwest. Ernest Borgnine discussed The Poseidon Adventure (an odd film to show on a cruise ship, yes). Tippi Hedren spoke about The Birds, and Norman Jewison featured his film The Thomas Crown Affair. While some of their stories had been told before in autobiographies or previous interviews, it hardly mattered to the devoted throngs of admirers who hung on every word and were thrilled just to be seated a few feet from some of their favorite film personalities.

A much-anticipated event was the appearance of both Saint, 89, and Hedren, 83, as the “Hitchcock blondes” in a discussion with Osborne. Saint was in good form, as evident by her playful sense of humor. “If you look at the Hitchcock catalog,” Osborne began, “Ingrid Bergman was not a blonde, Teresa Wright [Shadow of a Doubt] was not a blonde, Tallulah Bankhead was not a blonde.” “So why are we here?” quipped Saint to the laughter of the audience. Appreciating the humor, Osborne wondered if the general belief that Hitchcock favored blondes was just a myth. Saint wasn’t sure, but Hedren suggested that blondes have both an innocence and a sense of mystery about them, which she thought might have appealed to Hitchcock. Saint’s sense of humor was also apparent when I interviewed her and she talked about Osborne, 79, who has been primetime host and anchor since TCM made its on-air debut in 1994. “I call him the rock star of the classic movie world. I love my husband of 60 years, then Robert Osborne!” For his part, Osborne said, “I’ve only been on one other cruise in my life, and that was years ago to Acapulco, so I’m really enjoying this trip and being around so many film fans.” Osborne added that TCM is seriously looking at having another movie star cruise later this year. Cabins (which went for around $800 to $2,500 per person) sold out within about two months for the inaugural cruise. Announcements of any future cruises will be made on its website, www.tcm.com. Nick Thomas is author of the recently released book, Raised by the Stars: Interviews with 29 Children of Hollywood Actors, and can be reached through his website, www.raisedbythestars.com.

Join MCC on a and

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2012 Philadelphia Flower Show Hawaii: Islands of Aloha Monday, March 5, 6:45 a.m.-8 p.m. $132 per person includes deluxe motor coach transportation, tickets to the flower show, morning snack and a driver’s tip.

The National Gallery of Art Colorful Realm of Living Beings Scrolls from the Imperial Collection of Japan Thursday, March 29, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $30 per person includes transportation

Spring Gardens in Richmond Louis Ginter Botanical Garden Tuesday, April 17, 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m. $135 per person, includes transportation, admissions and buffet lunch. McLean Community Center 1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean VA 22101 703-790-0123/TTY: 711 www.mcleancenter.org

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

How to get into the lives of grandchildren With apologies to Charles Dickens, I present The Tale of Two Grandmothers. You might say that one granny has the best of times, and one the worst. Granny One confided in me cheerfully the other day as we stood in line to buy something. She said her grandchildren are the lights of her life. The reason: She becomes a live-in grandparent each year for each of her three children. That gives her a chance to escape the label of Occasional Visitor and

to engage the grandchildren on their terms. Each of her three kids is happily married. Each has two kids of his own. Each lives within three miles of Granny One. So Granny One sees all six grandchildren regularly. In addition, she springs the parents for one week per year by moving into the house and taking over everything — meals, cleaning, car pools, kissing boo-boos, helping with homework, listening to boyfriend/girlfriend problems, whatever. Meanwhile, the parents

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disappear on a second/third/fourth honey- the affection and attention of grandchilmoon. dren with lavish displays of dollars. They Yes, her children are raisare not demanding that rouing their children in ways that tines and habits change Granny One doesn’t adore. whenever they’re around. There’s far too much videoThey never call attention to gaming and television for her their own problems — and taste. And bathrooms overrun each of these Grandmas cerwith both dust and dirty towtainly has them, from recent els are not a joy. widowhood, to health conBut whenever she walks cerns, to a looming squeeze through any of those three on their incomes. doors, none of that really matBut Grandma Two needs to HOW I SEE IT ters. take a lesson from Grandma By Bob Levey “My grandchildren are in One. As her grandchildren my life and I’m in theirs,” she told me. She age, she needs to establish a relationship is even thinking of doubling down on her without Those Mutual Enemies around: One Week A Year Of Freedom From Kids. the kids’ parents. Now let’s meet Granny Two. Have you ever talked to a grandparent Her two children live in California, thou- who took a grandchild on a trip — just the sands of miles away. Both are divorced. two of them? I know one such Granny, and Each has two young children. she and her granddaughter (now 35) are Granny Two tries to visit as regularly as still talking about how cool it was, more she can, schedules and dollars permitting. than 20 years later. But she says she isn’t close to a deep relaAnd have you ever talked to a grandpartionship with any of her grandchildren. ent who helped a grandchild get a summer “They don’t know me and I don’t know job? Yes, this is fraught with the possibility them,” she told me. “They either see me as of meddling or overmanaging. a present-buying machine or as a relic But what if your grandchild has a huge from the Middle Ages.” yen and a huge talent for science and you The grandchildren never seek her ad- know a guy who runs a lab at the National vice or her views. They never ask her what Institutes of Health? life was like when she was a little girl. And One Grandpa I know didn’t hesitate. they never invite her to attend concerts, That grandson is now finishing his Ph.D. soccer games or events at school. He thanks his grandfather regularly for “It’s as if I’m a perpetual spectator in the the leg up. guest bedroom down the hall,” she said. Bottom Line: What’s bothering GrandShe has asked her two children to try to ma Two is that she can never penetrate the mediate a deeper, closer relationship. But dailiness of her grandchildren’s lives. “they’re both struggling with the afterSo she should opt for temporary surgery. maths of their divorces. They just don’t When ages and schedules are right, take have time or patience for the Old Bat.” the kid on a road trip — just fire up the car Could Granny Two visit more often? for five days and see where you end up. She says she might. But the one step that Or take the kid on a college-visiting tour. would really defrost relations, she knows, Or on a swing around major-league baseball would be if she moved down the street parks. Or to a week’s worth of national parks. from one or the other of her children. Grandma One has figured out one way “I’m reluctant to do that,” she told me, “be- to have a No-Distractions relationship with cause that would mean I have no life outside her grandchildren. Travel would provide that child and that child’s children. The truth Grandma Two with another. is otherwise. I’m only 68, and I still have all The common thread is getting the my marbles and a strong base where I now grandkids’ undivided attention. That way live. To become a fulltime Grandma would, in lies the chance for a granny to say, one a way, be admitting defeat.” cold winter night: “Hey, have I ever told Both of these Grandmas are doing many you about the time…” things right. They are not trying to be a Bob Levey is a national award-winning third parent. They are not trying to buy columnist.

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

Contemplating a trip by train? Don’t delay Congressional budget-cutters are not ing some of the same lines, daytime in being kind to Amtrak right now, and the both directions. outlook is pretty grim. What• The Cardinal between ever your view on the relative Chicago and Washington, benefits of spending cuts and D.C., with the best daytime Aptax increases, you can expect palachian scenery westbound the Amtrak system to face Washington to Cincinnati. budget paring that will almost • The Pennsylvanian becertainly degrade performtween Philadelphia and Pittsance. burgh, also offering some That means if you’ve ever good Appalachian scenery in wanted to enjoy an extended both directions and passing “land cruise” on one of Amthrough the famous (to rail TRAVEL TIPS trak’s long-distance trains, do buffs) Horseshoe Curve. By Ed Perkins it soon. • The California Zephyr between Chicago and Emeryville (for San The scenic route Francisco), with top all-day segments For most people, the main reason to westbound through the Rockies from Denride a long-haul Amtrak train is to enjoy ver to Salt Lake City and in both directions the scenery. Rail buffs around the country between Emeryville and Reno over the ingenerally agree that the following are Am- famous Donner Pass. trak’s most scenic all-daytime trips (listed • The Sunset Limited between Los AnEast to West): geles and New Orleans, with a daytime • The Lake Shore Limited, between segment passing through some nice West Boston and Chicago, with good daytime Texas country eastbound between El Paso segments in both directions through the and San Antonio. Berkshires between Albany and Boston. • The Empire Builder between Chicago • The Adirondack between New York and Seattle/Portland, with daytime segand Montreal, with great all-day Hudson ments in both directions between Minot, River and Lake Champlain viewing in both N.D., and Whitefish, Mt., passing close to directions. Also, the Ethan Allen Express Glacier National Park (but getting to eibetween New York and Rutland, Vt., cover- ther endpoint isn’t easy) and through the

Columbia River Gorge eastbound from Portland to Spokane. • The Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Seattle, with a southbound daytime segment from Emeryville or San Jose to Los Angeles along the coastal route of the famed Daylight. If you’d like to re-create the glory days of long-haul railroading (sort of), your best bet is the Southwest Chief between Chicago and Los Angeles, which replicates the route and approximates the schedule of the fabled Super Chief, even if it’s a bit short of the glamour. You spend two nights on the train and the single daytime segment includes some good scenery between Flagstaff,

Ariz., and La Junta, Colo. The trip is relatively inexpensive in coach (about $150 each way), but the real deal is to spring for a roomette ($952 for a couple, including rail fare and meals). Other overnight alternatives include the Lake Shore Limited between Chicago and New York — a dim reminder of the 20th Century Limited — and two-night trips on the full routes of the Empire Builder and the California Zephyr. I don’t think Amtrak is going to disappear, but service is likely to deteriorate over the coming years if Congress doesn’t decide it is worth saving. So the sooner you go, the more likely you’ll have a good trip. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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

PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

Style Arts &

Teen lovers sing to each in timeless, though updated, Shakespeare comedy. See story below.

Shakespeare’s contemporary comedy

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giving the requisite two sets of lovers a decidedly young attitude and sensibility. The result is a delightful, energetic tale that should appeal to audiences of all ages.

Through a teen’s eyes Here’s how the director explains his approach: “One thing I learned long ago is that teenagers always assume they hold the reins in their lives. It comes as a sudden and devastating shock when they discover they are powerless: powerless to control another person’s actions, powerless to make someone love them.” He adds, “Shakespeare’s language expresses all the broiling emotions and driving passions in this play, so I wanted to live in that world as fully as possible. However, I couldn’t help seeing today in this play…when…teenagers are left to their own devices.” He is aided immeasurably by a design team — Walt Spangler, sets; Paul Spadone, costumes; Howell Binkley, lights; Fabian Obispo, composer/sound — that has created a hybrid world combining Elizabethan themes with current motifs and even fantasy elements. Together with Pa-

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PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

By Michael Toscano One of the problems with taking the work of William Shakespeare ever so seriously, even with his comedies, is that we can forget just how youthful some of his lovers actually are. But director PJ Paparelli has not forgotten, and he makes sure we don’t either, with his production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, now onstage at the Lansburgh Theatre of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. In Romeo and Juliet, of course, everyone knows that the lovers are teenagers, even if we usually see them played by actors in their 20s. But we tend to overlook the fact that, in Shakespeare’s time, most lovers were in their teens. When the Bard was writing, it was a pretty short trip from adolescence to oblivion because live spans were so stunted. Centuries later, his lovers are usually seen as generically youthful, but past the angst and uncertainty of adolescence, regardless of the playwright’s intentions. Paparelli has taken Two Gentlemen of Verona, which is thought to be one of Shakespeare’s earliest works, back to what may have been its original sensibility by

Clownish servants Launce (Euan Morton) and Speed (Adam Green), pictured with Launce’s dog Crab, add an extra layer of levity to the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of the Bard’s comedy, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

parelli, they meet the challenge, allowing the play to exist in its period while “releasing the energy and echoes” of today. The two gentlemen of the play are Valentine (Andrew Veenstra) and Proteus (Nick Dillenburg), a couple of boyhood friends in Verona whose brotherly bonds are strained when both fall in love with lovely Sylvia (Natalie Mitchell), daughter of the Duke of Milan (Brent Harris). Shakespeare puts this test of friendship vs. love under additional scrutiny and, at

times, mockery, via Launce (Euan Morton) and Speed (Adam Green), servants and foils for Proteus and Valentine. Sometimes they undercut the angst the feuding male lovers express in their oratory by showcasing a less grand view of love. Morton, in particular, adds unique perspective in scenes where he is alone on stage with Crab, his stoic canine companion. The dog, by the way, deserves his own See TWO GENTLEMEN, page 49

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

IN THE GAME OF LOVE, ALL BETS ARE OFF.

“INTENSELY FELT AS WELL AS FUNNY IN DETAIL” —The Guardian

“UTTERLY BRILLIANT...AN EVENING OF PURE JOY” Production from Seattle Opera. Photo © The Royal Opera House 2010, by Richard H. Smith

—The Daily Express

The school for lovers is now in session. In Mozart’s game of love and seduction, tempting fate may lead to heartbreak. This acclaimed production set in of Washington with a stunning all-star ensemble. Part of The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

COSI FAN TUTTE

In Italian with English supertitles

February 25–March 15, 2012 Kennedy Center Opera House Tickets at the Box Office or charge by phone (202) 467-4600 Order online at kennedy-center.org/wno TTY (202) 416-8524 Groups (202) 416-8400 David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO. The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. International festivals at the Kennedy Center are generously supported by the HRH Foundation. Additional support for The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna is provided by Michael and Noémi Neidorff and The Honorable Nancy G. Brinker. International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

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Shooting stars From page 1 descriptive images went out over the wire to appear in newspapers all over the country. Kobrin enjoyed several years with AP, but in 1950, when he was dispatched to Korea to cover the war, he said he reached a critical career impasse. “I was there for about a year and said, ‘That’s it — war is not for me.’” Leaving the assignment meant having to leave AP, yet by this time, he said, “I knew I didn’t want to be a newspaper man all my life, but I knew I wanted to be a photographer.” Returning to New York, he landed a position with Look magazine, a photo-heavy direct competitor of Life that, he explained, differentiated itself with in-depth show business coverage. “That was my first introduction to

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

celebrity photography,” he said. It also allowed him to make contacts in the entertainment field that would build throughout the next decades. He drew on those contacts when he relocated to Los Angeles in 1958. He now describes the period as ideal for celebrity photojournalism due to the popularity of such magazines as Modern Screen and Photoplay, and Hollywood’s dependence on the publications for promoting the film and TV industries. Between a heavy load of freelance and staff assignments, “I was in the entertainment business at that point,” he said. “I was still in the news business, but a very specialized type of news.” Due to his growing reputation, CBS snagged Kobrin in 1965 to be its director of photography. Then ABC hired him away in 1975 for 10 more years in the same role.

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He also continued building his roster of independent clients.

The Marilyn Monroe shoot But it was a single assignment many years before — in 1954 — that has come to be considered Kobrin’s best known career moment. Ironically, for him “it was very frustrating. There was nothing interesting about it,” he says now. As the official East Coast photographer and publicist for 20th Century Fox, he was assigned to a street scene in New York where stills of Marilyn Monroe and co-star Tom Ewell were to be shot to promote a new movie, The Seven Year Itch. The logistics for the shoot were endlessly complex, Kobrin said, and made all the more uncomfortable by the muggy heat of the mid-September night. Staging for the scene began at 11 p.m., with Monroe standing atop a subway tunnel air shaft and Kobrin and the rest of the crew waiting for a train to pass below and elevate the skirt on the actress’s dress for an “accidental” glimpse at her underwear. Two hours passed without enough underground traffic or resulting breeze for the desired effect, and a crowd of curious spectators began to gather, eventually numbering more than a thousand. Meanwhile, Kobrin added, film director Billy Wilder was growing agitated with the setbacks. Finally a resourceful grip on the set rigged a blower beneath the subway grate, powered by a remote control, and the shoot resumed. But Monroe “was not a one-take actress,” Kobrin said. In fact, the scene required 35 separate takes “between

her and her acting and the dress blowing to Billy Wilder’s satisfaction and getting the light right.” Kobrin admitted that he was growing weary from being up all night for an overly complicated assignment that also required shooting from numerous angles, including up and down on ladders. Adding to the overall tension, Monroe’s husband at the time, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, was present and growing increasingly angry with the glorification of his wife’s sexuality and the enthusiastic gathering of onlookers. “Marilyn was ecstatic at the crowd’s reaction,” Kobrin said. But “DiMaggio was furious.” Before the shoot was over, the couple engaged in an enormous public argument that lead to divorce papers being filed the next day. By the time the shoot was finally over at 5 a.m., “On the part of everybody, tempers were short,” Kobrin said. “When they heard ‘wrap,’ everybody ran like hell.” For his part in the overnight spectacle, Kobrin received $75 in staff pay, but that was not unusual. Regardless of how many significant celebrity images Kobrin has taken over the years, he receives no royalties from any, he said, because in every case, “I was a paid employee.”

Knowing the well-known Along with his up-close-and-personal camera work came the opportunity for Kobrin to get a glimpse into the personalities and characters of his popular subjects. Now, at the age of 90, he has also lived See SHOOTING STARS, page 50

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“To be a successful celebrity photojournalist you have to be part psychiatrist, part psychologist, part philosopher, and above all you have to be charming and likeable,” Kobrin said. “Now that’s easy for some celebrities and photographers, but it is not easy for some.” It’s also a tall order on a daily basis, he acknowledged, but getting off on the right foot with his big-name subjects was criti- Celebrity photojournalist Bill Kobrin is shown with published book, Bill cal when his livelihood Kobrin’s Stars and Celebrities his well-used Nikon and recently was based on phohe shot over six decades. , featuring photos of tographing men and women the famous The book is open to protective of best-known an image taken the photo — of Marilyn same night as his their images who did Monroe standing over not like being grate. a breezy New York subway caught unaware by a photo shoot. “You’ve got 30 seconds to make an im- Grant to Grace Kelly, from Eartha pression,” he explained. Kitt to “So when you had Though he hadn’t been George Michael. hired as a lensan assignment that was the case of ‘Surman, he was asked one “This is no boast,” Kobrin said, night to cover a prise, surprise, I’m here,’ “but I massive race riot then you’ve got a would in Harlem because the imagine — being involved problem. But sometimes with AP, staff photographers when you hit it Look, had CBS other assignments. and ABC — that every off right and both parties major get along and star At the time, Kobrin said, or celebrity that ever existed kind of dig each other, then “Harlem was a between tinderbox and it’s alright.” 1941 kind and of scary,” 1990 I have photographed in Kobrin, who has since but he was one game to prove his retired to the way worth to AP. So he heador another.” Palm Springs area, excelled at getting the ed out to the neighborhood needed cooperation, as by subway at can be seen from 3:30 a.m., snapped shots The road to Hollywood of riot victims at a his favorite photos, which have been comlocal hospital, and then The Brooklyn-born Kobrin ventured out into piled in a book, Bill Kobrin’s took up the streets at Stars and photography daybreak to capture images Celebrities. From candid in his teens, scoring a studio images to small-scale few of looting and fires. freelance jobs before landing formal headshots, the book features the The riot lasted two or three a position in the darkroom most popular television, days, he reat New York’s called, motion picture Associated and made national headlines. Press office in 1942 when and music stars of their His era, from Cary was he 20. See SHOOTING STARS , page 48

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The Harmony Heritage Singers, a 40-member men’s barbershop chorus, will present a concert of patriotic music along with popular songs from days gone by. Bix Doughty, 98 years old, is scheduled to sing an audience favorite, “Old Bones.” There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering will be taken to benefit United Community Ministries. The Sunday, Feb. 19 concert starts at 3 p.m. at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, Va. For more information, call (703) 765-4779.

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

Modern set and music The Two Gentlemen of Verona opens with a blast of light and sound as we experience fragments of nighttime debauchery. When our senses settle down and the lighting relaxes, we find ourselves in what seems to be a desolate McDonald’s parking lot. It’s 5:08 a.m., as sardonic text flashed at the top of the set informs us. Ah, youth, able to party all night, endure an early morning after, and still have Shakespeare’s sweet words fall trippingly from their tongues. We seem to be in some post-industrial time, all exposed girders and sheet metal. The dress is Snow White meets Star Trek, with a layer of whimsy. Still, the laptop is Apple and the phones we briefly see are cellular, so we get the feeling these young people are real and as easily identifiable as our own children or grandchildren. Paparelli and Obispo give us brief shots of contemporary music to underscore mood and emotion, including snatches of Maroon Five and Bono. OK, if you’re older, you’ll enjoy some mighty Motown. In fact, Paparelli has mixed some Holland-Dozier-Holland lyrics with Shakespeare in an early scene of casual discourse. It works quite nicely, but who would have thought the Supremes’ “Baby Love” had such clarity? But all this is not just a stunt to attract folks who might otherwise fear the Bard. It actually underscores a sense of irony. And aren’t teenagers just steeped in irony, especially these days, that is a sharp counterpoint to sappy love? The lovers sing several songs, as is customary for Shakespeare comedies. But their all-too-obvious vocal limitations thankfully confine them to safe, softer ballads. Singing flaws aside, the cast is energetic and all turn in strong performances. Veenstra and Dillenburg seem rather interchangeable as the gentlemen of the title, but it matters little. More successful are Green and Morton, offering more nuanced and comically layered work as the servants. Miriam Silverman finds some grit along with the comedy as lovelorn Julia, who becomes part of the main love story. That role may be the first appearance of a Shakespearean female who finds herself disguised as a man and wandering a forest. Natalie Mitchell is appropriately lovely and gentle as the adored Sylvia, even while swigging beer, er, ale, from a bottle. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of the least performed of Shakespeare’s plays. It’s often derided as weak. True, the poetry we associate with Shakespeare is not as vivid here as it will later become. But we can certainly see the early formulation of many of his touchstones here, with cross-dressing disguise, two sets of lovers whose stories collide, jealousy and

p.m., and a sign-interpreted performance will be held Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. TTY: (202) 638-3863. Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theater critic.

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The Kennedy Center welcomes patrons with disabilities.

Bring Your Group to the Kennedy Center for Entertainment on a Grand Scale! COSÌ FAN TUTTE PHOTOS © THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE 2010 BY RICHARD H. SMITH

The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna

New York City Ballet

February 25–March 29, the Kennedy Center presents a multidisciplinary, month-long festival highlighting the rich heritage of three European cities renowned for their cultural contributions.

Così fan tutte

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In Mozart’s game of love and seduction, two young men wager that their fiancées will remain faithful, even when tempted. To prove it, they decide to do the tempting themselves. Acclaimed director Jonathan Miller’s modern-dress production captures the essence of Washington, DC, and features a stunning ensemble including Elizabeth Futral, Renata Pokupic, Joel Prieto, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, William Shimell, and Christine Brandes. WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin conducts Mozart’s score. Part of The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna.

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NSO Music Director Christoph Eschenbach continues The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna with NSO performances of Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, in concert with singers and chorus. Thu., Mar. 15 performance followed by a free AfterWords discussion

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NYCB performs two mixed repertory programs. The first showcases works by American artists. The second program focuses on works created in the 21st Century. All American (Apr. 3, 5, 6 eves. & 7 mat.): Who Cares? (Balanchine/Gershwin, arr. Kay), Fearful Symmetries (Martins/Adams), West Side Story Suite (Robbins/Bernstein). 21st Century (Apr. 4 & 7 eves. & 8 mat.): Hallelujah Junction (Martins/Adams), Russian Seasons (Ratmansky/Desyatnikov); New Wheeldon work (Wheeldon/Bizet).

Apr. 3–8 ✽ Opera House The Kennedy Center Ballet Season is sponsored by Altria Group.

Additional support is provided by Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian. The New York City Ballet’s engagements are presented with the support of the State Plaza Hotel.

CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH

Feb. 25–March 15 ✽ Opera House

Eschenbach Conducts Beethoven’s Fidelio

PHOTO: MARGOT SCHULMAN

Helen Hayes Award for comedic acting. His deadpan reactions to Speed’s love and nurture get some of the biggest laughs of the show.

chair-accessible seating and restrooms, audio enhancement, and Braille and large print programs. An audio-described performance is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:30

From page 46

friendship under stress, and the emergence of strong female characters and underscoring from servants. Paparelli gives us a story with clarity and sensitivity that highlight the Bard’s budding genius. You will enjoy meeting not only this pair of gentlemen, but also the other people and, yes, a dog who inhabit their world. The Two Gentlemen of Verona continues through March 4 at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre, located at 450 7th St., N.W. in Washington. Show times are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $90, with a 10 percent discount for those 60 and over, except Friday and Saturday evenings. Call the box office at (202) 547-1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org for tickets and information. The Lansburgh Theatre is accessible to persons with disabilities, offering wheel-

STERLING HYLTIN AND ROBERT FAIRCHILD IN WHO CARES?

March 15 & 17 ✽ Concert Hall David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO and the NSO. The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger and Vicki Sant.

First You Dream: The Music of Kander and Ebb

GROU P SAVE S UP TO 15%!

Directed by Eric Schaeffer, First You Dream premiered at Signature Theatre in 2009 and features a 22-piece orchestra and a cast of six. The musical revue celebrates the songwriting team who brought us Cabaret, Chicago, The Kiss of the Spider Woman, and And the World Goes ‘Round. Each musical in John Kander and Fred Ebb’s legendary five-decade partnership is included. (Casting will be announced at a later date.)

June 8–July 1 ✽ Eisenhower Theater

Two Gentlemen

International festivals at the Kennedy Center are generously supported by the HRH Foundation. Additional support for The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna is provided by Michael and Noémi Neidorff and The Honorable Nancy G. Brinker. International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Adrienne Arsht Musical Theater Fund.

TILER PECK AND TAYLOR STANLEY IN FEARFUL SYMMETRIES

Contact the Group Sales Office

(202) 416-8400

Toll free (800) 444-1324, TTY (202) 416-8410 Visit our Web site at kennedy-center.org/groupsales

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Shooting stars From page 48 long enough to process the deaths of many of the celebrities with whom he was acquainted. On each loss, he shared, “You kind of reminisce a little and have kind of a tug of the heart.” Some of his noted subjects left specific impressions on him. James Dean, Kobrin explained, did not like having his picture taken, so a sort of “cat and mouse” game was necessary to get shots of him. “I think Sophia Loren is the sexiest woman alive — elegant, stylish,” he said. Catherine Deneuve is “beautiful” and Cary Grant was “the handsomest.” Frank Sinatra was difficult to work with, however — “I didn’t get along with him; didn’t like him,” Kobrin admitted. Of Monroe, Kobrin said that upon hear-

ing of her death his first thought was, “I didn’t know it would happen, and I didn’t know when, but all the components were there” for her to die young.” He added that she couldn’t work under pressure and “the remedy that she chose for that period…for her relaxation, of pills and champagne, played a very prominent part of her life.” At a book-signing and birthday party for Kobrin last November, he was visited by Christian Larson, who had been a photography assistant for MGM in the late 1940s. Larson had applied body make-up to Monroe for some of her nude shots, and was often dispatched to pick her up from her Fairfax apartment and drive her to the studio. Larson came to meet Kobrin, noting “there’s not many of us left” from those days, and they spoke at length, sharing tales of the industry and impressions of

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

Monroe, whom they agreed was terribly insecure. Larson recounted that Monroe would memorize passages from classic literature, feeling that would help her better fit in to intellectual society, and she would practice reciting them to him in the car. The primary focus of Kobrin’s life these days is promoting his book, which was developed in memory of his late wife Ginger, who passed away in 2003. During the last 10 years of her life, Kobrin said, his wife “kept saying ‘do a book, do a book,’ and like every dutiful husband, I said, ‘I will, I will,’ and never did and then she died.” He decided that the best way to honor her was to have the book published, and found that it has also kept his life active and social through setting up book-signing appointments and meeting people such as Larson at the various events.

High endurance, low-tech Reflecting on what he is proudest of about his career, Kobrin noted not the glamour or

prestige of his work, nor his famous Monroe shot, nor any of his other images. Instead, he picked the “endurance and patience” that allowed him to make it through several decades of work that he described as exhausting and unpredictable. The constant travel, lugging of equipment, work-related conversation and cajoling, being on-call all the time — “It’s not only the physicality of the job, it’s the inside of you,” he explained. “There’s no way to predict or plan. Every day is different.” But in addition, he said, “The one thing I’m happiest about is that during my career, we didn’t have, one, cell phones; two, computers; three, Internet.” Back then, he said, “Even if you’re in Poughkeepsie, they’re going to have to find you, and we never missed a deadline.” For more information or to obtain a copy of Bill Kobrin’s Stars and Celebrities, contact the photographer at (760) 772-0097. The clothbound books are $45 each.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 9

JEWISH CULTURE IN POLAND

B’nai Israel Congregation presents an afternoon at the movies with a documentary about Jewish culture in Poland, followed by a concert by two cantors on Thursday, Feb. 9. The meeting starts at noon and the program at 12:30 p.m. Bring a dairy lunch; refreshments will be served. The free program takes place at 6301 Montrose Rd., Rockville, Md. For more information, call Jo at (301) 881 6550.

Feb. 1-12

SNOWY DAY WORLD PREMIER MUSICAL

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the children’s book The Snowy Day, the first picture book to feature an African-American child as the main character, the Adventure Theatre will perform a world-premier musical with music and lyrics by Howard University’s Darius Smith. The show will be performed through Feb. 12 at 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. Tickets are $18 each and can be purchased through the box office by calling (301) 6342270 or online at www.adventuretheatre.org.

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

You’re on top of your medications. But we make a good back up. You know it’s important to stay on your medications exactly as prescribed. However, if you miss a dose, want a lower-cost alternative, or experience any side effects, we can answer any questions. Speak to your local CVS Pharmacist to learn more. Find a store near you at www.cvs.com

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

Letters to editor

ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

From page 2 and more helpful than the Better Business Bureau. Arthur J. Corazzini Via email Dear Editor: Congratulations for the honors bestowed upon you by the 50+ media associations — they are well deserved. I, of course, would have given you first place in everything. In all seriousness, the Beacon Newspapers provide a forum and an outlet for issues near and dear to young seniors, middle aged seniors and senior seniors. It wouldn’t hurt the under 50 crowd to read them as well. Here’s to many more years of success. Judy T. Massabny Office of Senior Adult Programs Arlington, Va.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 28

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Learn more about the planned aging in place village for residents of the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods in D.C. at a meeting of the Foggy Bottom Association on Tuesday, Feb. 28. A social will be at 7 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7:30 at St. Stephen Martyr Church Parish Hall, 25th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. For more information, contact Jackie Lemire at (202) 337-2167 or jglemire@aol.com.

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BEACON BITS

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NEWS & FEATURES • LAW & MONEY • FITNESS & HEALTH LEISURE & TRAVEL • ARTS & STYLE • VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS

BERMUDA AND BOSTON

Take Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore to both Boston and Bermuda on this Fun and Fitness Cruise from May 3 to 11. Ballroom dance, water aerobics, tai chi and yoga classes are offered on the cruise. Prices start at $799 each for double occupancy. For more information, see www.fun-fitness.com/cruises/boston-bermuda-2012.html or call 1-800-955-9942.

We are pleased to offer both First-Class and Third-Class subscriptions:

$36/year via First Class Mail* $12/year via Third Class Mail* Please send my subscription to:

Feb. 12+

Name:____________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________ City: _____________________State:_____Zip: ___________ WB 2/12

❐ ONE YEAR First-Class rate ($36 in VA and out of the area; $38.16 in D.C.; $38.16 in MD)

❐ ONE YEAR Third-Class rate ($12 in VA and out of the area; $12.72 in D.C.; $12.72 in MD) ❐ Check here if this is a gift subscription. A gift card will be sent in your name: _________________ Return form with check made payable to The Beacon, to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 *D.C. residents: add 6% for sales tax; Maryland residents: add 6% for sales tax.

LEARN ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING

Jane Austen and George Washington did English country dancing and so can you. A new series of lessons on this 16th century dance form is light-hearted and fun, and specifically geared toward new dancers and dancers of other dance forms, such as contra or swing. Michael Barraclough, who has danced and called in England for 40 years, will teach and call the dances the second Sunday of the month from 2.30 to 5.30 p.m. in the Spanish Ballroom Annex at Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, Md. Admission is $10. For more information, call (703) 992-0752 or see www.michaelbarraclough.com/ECD4FUN.

Feb. 18

INDOOR FLEA MARKET

Find that special treasure at the 6th annual flea market hosted by the Young at Heart Seniors of the City of Fairfax Senior Center. The indoor flea market will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City of Fairfax Senior Center, Green Acres Center Cafeteria, 4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax, Va. For more information or questions about space rental, call (703) 359-2487.

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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 below. 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.

Business & Employment Opportunities SENIORS! SELL YOUR UNWANTED LIFE INSURANCE! State licensed. Call Toll Free: 877-282-4360 or visit www.AtAge60.com for a FREE evaluation.

Caregivers CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE – reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness. Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24-hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes. MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.ChChHomecare.com. HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES Home staffing 24 hours a day for skilled nursing, assisted living, companionship, light housekeeping, errands and shopping. Quality care. Licensed & insured. Satebi Health Care, INC. (SHC) 301-503-9771. CAREGIVER – Companion/sitter will shop, run errands, doctor’s visits, light housekeeping, prepare meals. Experienced, references furnished. 301-760-7474. NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE THE ELDERLY? Call Cheryl 954-608-7376 or 202329-1145. Comes highly recommended with 10 years experience. GERIATRIC CARE MANAGER / COURT APPOINTED GUARDIAN 33 years helping families improve life quality so your loved ones can stay home in a caring managed environment or we will assist with every step to assisted living! Home & Estate Management Services Elizabeth Jessup 202-965-4369.

Computer Services COMPUTER LESSONS – Personal Computer training at your home. Email, Internet, general computer use, and more. Learn at your own pace with gentle and patient tutor. We also fix computers, setup your new computer and troubleshoot. Working with Seniors since 1996. Ask about your Senior discount. Call David, 301762-2570, COMPUTERTUTOR. PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NETWORK? Computer Systems Engineer will come to you with help. Call: D. Guisset at 301-642-4526.

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Entertainment

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Home/Handyman Services

PUT THE MUSIC YOU LOVE BACK IN YOUR LIFE! Enjoy live jazz and swing on the first Friday of the month at Hollywood East Café, Westfield Wheaton Shopping Mall, 7 to 10 p.m. Listen to the Night & Day Combo perform the classic standard songs of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, from Cole Porter, Gershwin, et al. Great music, great food, no cover charge! http://nightanddaymusic.com/clubpage.html.

LEISURE WORLD ® - $79,500. 1BR 1-½BA “Elizabeth” model. Recently renovated, New Appliances, custom window treatments, view of trees. 1308 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors 301-928-3463.

REMODELING – Roofing, Windows, Siding, Doors, Guttering, Bathroom and Kitchen remodeling, Attic Insulation. MD, VA, DC. Call INTEGRITY at 410-721-9577 or 301-499-1076. www.Integrityhomepro.com. MHIC#121945 / VA#93028.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

LEISURE WORLD® - $309,000. 3BR 2-½BA “M” in “Fairways”. Upgraded kitchen with Corian counters and extra pantry, separate dining room. Enclosed balcony, garage parking. 1530 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors 301-9283463.

REAL ESTATE WANTED Sell your house ‘as is’ for a fair price on the date of your choice! WE buy houses! Call for 24 hour recorded info 1-800858-8753 box 3933 or www.reihouse.com or direct 1-800-998-9317. 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 30. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert, Realtors. LEISURE WORLD® - $139,000. 2BR 2FB “H” in “Greens” with 3 exposures. Table space kitchen with granite counters, large pantry closet, separate dining room, and view of trees. 1225 sq ft, Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $139,500. 3BR 2FB “Ellicott” with updated table space kitchen, separate dining room, ground level with enclosed patio backing to green space. 1340 sq ft. Stan Moffson 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $159,000. 3BR 2FB “Capri” villa. Updated kitchen, open balcony, huge space. 1415 sq. ft. Stan Moffson, 301-9283463. LEISURE WORLD® - $194,900. 2BR 2FB. RARE “Q” model in “Turnberry Courts. Golf course views from table space kitchen and enclosed balcony, close to elevator, garage parking + golf cart space. 1111 sq ft. Stan Moffson 301928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $259,000. 2BR+ Den 2FB “G” in Turnberry Courts. Table space kitchen and separate dining room, enclosed balcony and golf course view. 1446 Sq ft. Stan Moffson 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $275,000. 3BR 2FB modified “Cabot” with 1 car garage. All New Kitchen conversion, expanded dining and living room, 1530 sq. ft, Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $299,000. 3BR 2FB “L” in “Vantage Point”. Corner unit with 3 exposures, table space kitchen with window, enclosed balcony. One of the largest models in LW. 1720 sq ft. Stan Moffson 301-928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $349,900. 3BR 2FB “Barstow” model patio home with 2-car garage, separate dining room and table space kitchen, Sunroom addition. 1320 sq ft. Stan Moffson 301928-3463. LEISURE WORLD® - $379,000. 3BR 2FB “J” Model in Turnberry with expanded table space kitchen, wood floors in living area, golf course view, Garage space. 1496 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

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FURNISHED ROOM FOR RENT quiet environment, safe area, near Metro, female nonsmoker, light cooking, seniors welcome. 301-7730691, cell 202-258-7249. LEISURE WORLD – RENTAL 2BR / 2BA 1350 sq. ft. Penthouse apartment at Vantage Point East. Indoor parking and storage. Beautiful condo. $1,600 per month. $1,950 Furnished. $2,500 6month furnished. Long-term lease preferred. View at http://www.postlets.com/rtpb/6885033. Call Steve Loew 202-255-9487. Will co-op 50%. ALEXANDRIA, VA RENTAL – Immediately available 2 bedroom 2 full bath condominium with fenced patio. Newly renovated. Updated appliances including washer dryer in unit. Walk to Metro, banks, medical facilities and shopping centers. Quiet safe community. Assigned parking space. Contact Mrs. Williams @202-7056775.

For Sale MOUNT COMFORT CEMETERY, Old Kings Highway, Alexandria, Virginia. Double depth lawn crypt site with two vaults Garden of Devotion site 823. Private shaded back right side of cemetery. Current valued $6,250 asking only $4,000. 703-998-9237. FAIRFAX MEMORIAL PARK, Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA. Beautiful memory Garden Family Estate with space for 6 burials. Personalized granite bench, lovely setting and landscaping. Call Betty Olson, 703-9784613. CEMETERY LOT in beautiful Mt. Eagle section, Mt. Comfort Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria. Price $2,770. Call 703-680-2273 or 703309-2772.

Health THE NUTRITIONAL PRODUCT OF THE FUTURE IS HERE! The World’s First Stem Cell Vitamin. It’s Tested, It’s Patented, It Works! Go to www.Tinyurl.com/dcStemCell, www.Tinyurl.com/decpsv1, 804-301-8798.

Home/Handyman Services MICHAELS HAULING Clean-outs, scrap & debris removal yard waste, etc. Mulch, dirt & stone delivery, lite dump truck, 20’ trailer & bobcat. Fully insured. 240-388-1898.

NEED CLEANING SERVICES? Weekly, biweekly, once a month, or one time. Call for a free estimate: Fulvia 240-644-4289.

Personal Services FOR ALL OF YOUR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. Dialysis Center, Non-Emergency Hospital Trips, Hospital Discharge, Doctor Appointments, Rehabilitation & More. We have 4x4 SUVs for Winter Trips. Med Choice Transportation. 703-839-9999. www.MedChoiceTransportation.com. PIANO LESSONS Learn to play all your favorite songs on the piano from a friendly patient professional. 202-439-0016. www.dudleybsharp.com. “CABINET BROUSSOUL” is a business office devoted to helping French speakers getting documents – advice – business license & much more. Call 240-476-1180 / 240-481-3762 Bonne Chance. PARALEGAL: Experienced in trust, estates and will preparation and other letters and paperwork. Call 301-565-2917. WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. WOW! GREAT HAIRCUT at a great price! Professional family hair salon conveniently located in Bethesda, MD. State board certified. Call 240-432-7211. VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van. Call Mike 301-565-4051. MOTHER WILL DRIVE YOU to your appointments, do your shopping, clean your house, cooking, personal assistant. Do you need to plan an event? Also does Elder Care. Honest, reasonable rate, and references provided. 240-595-7467.

Personals MWF – ISO BILL N., miss you and wish to talk about the message you left pertaining to moving, etc. You know my number? Sorry – lost your number again. MEN’S BRIDGE CLUB looking for players, intermediate or better, for Tuesday afternoon play at Potomac Community Center. Contact Marvin 703-392-6756 or jmmoldowan@gmail.com for details. OLD FASHIONED WHITE MALE 64 years old, 5’10”, 250 lbs. Looking for old fashioned female 65 to 100 for fun times, movies, walks, TV, cuddling. 703-751-1037.

Classifieds cont. on p. 55.

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.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD S T O L E N

LEISURE WORLD® - $94,000. 2BR 2FB “Riviera” model. 2nd floor apt with updated kitchen, enclosed balcony and covered carport. 1412 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert, Realtors, 301-928-3463.

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P E T S

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

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

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.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one commercial ad.

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.

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Puzzle Page

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1 — 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 This Puzzle Lacks Nothing 1

by Stephen Sherr 9

21 24

44 48

50 56

61 65

3. Concern about an 11 Down 4. Fred and Adele Astaire 1. Prince William, to Prince Charles 5. The end of the world (briefly) 4. eHarmony customers 6. Ingredient in a Kauai kitchen 10. Half blue; half green 7. Words of the betrayed 14. Excessively 15. Rhett’s eventual feeling toward Scarlett 8. Beach Boys’ helper 9. How sentences are built 16. Should, to the extreme 10. Chant of agreement 17. “Excellent job, torero” 11. Morass 18. Kramden’s neighbor 12. ___ Enterprise 19. Simplicity 13. Sampled the salmon 20. SEC concern 21. Pac-10 school (not on the Pacific) 23. “Fur ___” (Beethoven dedication) 22. Mosque leader 24. Make a lake 26. Dollar alternative 25. Pirate’s instructions 27. Caresses 28. Persimmon, per some 29. Priest’s robe 33. ___ Gin Fizz 30. “They’re not booing; they’re chanting 34. Seniority alternative ___” 35. Whacks, Sopranos-style 39. Place for Wile E. Coyote’s contraptions 31. Relent 32. No. in a Rolodex 42. The end of hope and heart 35. Stare at 43. Be a bad winner 36. Pledge recipient 45. Official language of Pakistan 37. Pretty (but poisonous) plant 47. NCAA Memorial Day event 38. Cul-de-___ 54. “...the chicken or the ___?” 40. One less than tetra 55. Logical beginning 41. Old name for Tokyo 56. Cruise ship embarkation location 44. “___ Shoot Horses...” (Fonda flick) 57. West coast waits 46. Alone 62. Perched over 48. Squirrel’s stash 64. Deal with a complaining diner 49. “___; nothing to see here” 65. ___ Friday’s 50. Be a benchwarmer 66. Second off the ark 51. Put a stop to 67. What a dead man might tell 52. Put on the screen 68. Shoebox designation 53. Sprites 69. Is underwater 58. Imitates 70. Captured 59. This, in Tijuana 71. License to drill 60. Like James Stewart’s window Down 61. Peddler’s goal 1. Purloined 62. Commotion 2. “That’s so fancy” 63. Haul

Across

JUMBLE ANSWERS

Scrabble answers on p. 53.

34 39

33 35

Answer: "Robes" all mixed up can be -- SOBER Jumbles: FOYER BLOOM EXPEND SOOTHE

Answers on page 53.

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

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Personals

Wanted

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY (February 13) and Valentine’s Day (February 14) and I want to enjoy myself. Looking for some fun escorts to celebrate – I like to celebrate the entire month and do all the usual dating things. You need not be rich but reasonably generous. ME: Ex-model and professional (55+), early retired, young widow, extremely attractive – you will not be disappointed. YOU: well groomed, good conversationalist, single, non-smoker, and listener, fun, age unimportant. Bobbie 301-439-0833

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES, ESTATES. FREE evaluations and house calls. We pay the most for your valuable treasures because we get the most money on eBay – the worldwide Internet. Serving entire metro area – Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia. Buying the following items – furniture, art, paintings, silver, gold, old coins, jewelry, vintage wristwatches, military items, including guns, rifles, swords, daggers, knives, musical instruments, guitars, violins, banjos, old toys, dolls, trains, old golf clubs, baseball, football, tennis equipment and memorabilia, old fishing, tools, books, photographs, comic books. I am a resident of Silver Spring. 20 years experience. Please call Tom 240-476-3441. Thank you.

Volunteer Opportunities COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND, a nonprofit organization serving people of all ages in the Washington metropolitan area who are blind and visually impaired, is recruiting adult volunteers to serve as Readers and Friendly Visitors. Participants in the Readers & Friendly Visitors program are adult volunteers who are matched one-on-one with blind or visually impaired adults. Volunteers arrange weekly meetings with clients at their homes to assist with activities, such as reading mail, grocery shopping or running errands. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Jocelyn Hunter at 202-454-6422 or jhunter@clb.org to attend an upcoming orientation.

Wanted MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan (202) 841-3062. FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from Oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan 301-279-8834. Thank you. STAMP COLLECTIONS, AUTOGRAPHS purchased/appraised – U.S., worldwide, covers, paper memorabilia. Stamps are my specialty – highest price paid! Appraisals. Phone Alex, 301309-6637. Stampex1@gmail.com. VINYL RECORDS WANTED from the 20s through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections preferred. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

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. HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES. Compare my price before you sell! Serving entire metro area. Call for a free consultation, and professional service. I will purchase one piece or your entire estate. Including Furniture, Artwork, Glassware, Jewelry, Rugs, Costume, Gold and Silver, Watches, Sterling Items, Flatware, Lladro & Hummel Figurines, All Military Items, Guns, Swords, Helmets, Bayonets, Medals, Scout Items, Clocks, Music Boxes, Toys, Baseball Memorabilia, Trains, All String Instruments, Including Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, Fishing Rods and Reels, Lures, Historical Items, American tools, Posters, Outside Iron Furniture. I am a very reputable dealer with two locations in Silver Spring and Bowie, MD. Please call Christopher Keller 301-408-4751 or 301-262-1299. Thank you. WANTED: ELECTRONICS, radio tubes, ham radios, huge old loud speakers, tube HiFi, stereo amps, earliest computers ever made, vinyl records, professional musical instruments, scientific curiosities, early electronic books, magazines, engineers, physicists, scientist, accumulations. 202-527-9501, vcvdc@msn.com. 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. WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, ETC. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack (301) 279-2158. ESTATE BUY-OUTS, ESTATE CLEANOUTS – one item, or whole estate. Jewelry, sterling silver items, watches, coins, furniture, rugs, tribal, ancient, orientalia, etc. Any collection. Licensed, Bonded, Insured. CASH 301-520-0755. STERLING SILVER, Will pay top dollar for your silver marked “Sterling”, “925”, “800”. Please, lover silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Richard, 301-646-0101.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 23

THE STARS OVER GREENBELT

The Greenbelt Astronomy Club invites you to join them on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. as several speakers give information about astronomy and its discoveries in 1937. The event occurs at the Howard B. Owens Science Center, 9601 Greenbelt Rd., Lanham, Md. For more information, contact Doug Love at dlove@douglove.info.

Feb. 25

AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE

Celebrate African American culture at the 20th annual Feel the Heritage Festival, Sat., Feb. 25, noon to 5 p.m. at the LangstonBrown Senior Center, 2121 N. Culpeper St., Arlington, Va. The event will feature music and dance performances, food, dozens of vendors and more. Free admission. For more information, call (703) 228-3329 or visit www.arlingtonva.us/prcr.

Feb. 22

AUTHOR TALK

Hear Kenneth T. Walsh speak about his book, Family of Freedom: Presidents and African-Americans in the White House, at the Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, Va. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. For more information, call (703) 746-1753.

Word of the month Our Lively Language & Curious Customs

Valentine’s Day, February 14 Valentine’s Day appears to derive from two events: the death of St. Valentine, a Roman Christian who was martyred, and an older Roman tradition of match making. Valentine was killed for refusing to give up Christianity and for performing marriages in defiance of the emperor, Claudius the Cruel. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine." He died on February 14, 269 A.D., during the three-day pagan festival of Lupercalia, which featured the custom of love lotteries. Young men would draw the name of a young woman from a jar, and the two became partners for the duration of the festival. Some of these pairings led to marriages. When Pope Gelasius I abolished Lupercalia, he appointed St. Valentine the patron saint of lovers and established St. Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. Prepared for The Beacon Newspapers by Wizard Communications©. All rights reserved. Want to have a word/phrase or ritual/custom researched? Contact jpozga@verizon.net.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 22+

CIVIL RIGHTS BUS TOUR

The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights is hosting a sixday bus tour that retraces the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights heroes. The bus tour will travel to Greensboro, N.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma and Tuskegee, Ala. and other locations, leaving Rockville, Md. on April 2 and returning on April 7. The cost starts at $445 per person including hotel, transportation, some meals and snacks, and all museum/tour fees. A pre-tour meeting will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Human Rights Conference and Mediation Center, Suite 330, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Individuals and groups may email Beverly.marshall@montgomerycountymd.gov for more information, or go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/humanrights.

Feb. 25

GEORGE MARSHALL HOME TOUR

Visit the home of George and Katherine Marshall in Leesburg, Va., and see how the military hero and statesman lived. View exhibits highlighting his pre- and post-WWII military planning and diplomacy on this tour on Saturday, Feb. 25 with Arlington Recreation’s 55+ program. The trip leaves at 9 a.m. and returns at 4 p.m. and costs $18 for Arlington residents and $22 for non-residents. For more information, see www.arlingtonva.us/prcr or call (703) 228-4748.

Ongoing

CURBING MEDICARE FRAUD

The Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging has introduced a website that aims to curb Medicare errors, fraud and abuse. The Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol Program website provides information and education to older Virginians and caregivers, including how to prevent, identify and report health care fraud and abuse. The website’s address is www.virginiasmp.org.

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