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Her homes change boys’ lives

JULY 2012

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY BARBARA RUBEN

By Barbara Ruben One day in 1994, while an assistant superintendant at Baltimore City Public Schools and director of a program for unruly students, Hattie Washington was sent a boy who had been kicked out of his foster home and suspended from school. “He was slouched down in his chair. I told him to sit up, and he did. He wore his pants low, and I said ‘pull your pants up,’ and he did. Then I said ‘take your hat off.’ When he did all three, I thought, ‘this kid can’t be all that bad,’” Washington recalled. When she learned that he was carrying all his belongings in a garbage bag and had no idea where he’d spend that coming night, Washington decided to take him home with her. Little did she know at the time that he would become her first foster son and ultimately change both their lives.

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Paying it forward Washington thought she’d be taking the boy home for a few nights at most, recalling that a teacher had done the same thing for her as a child growing up in Norfolk, Va. “My mother died when I was 2,” Washington said. Her father then married a woman with six children and they proceeded to have more together. So she grew up in a chaotic household of 15 kids, some of whom were her step- and half-siblings, and she would get lost in the shuffle. “My teacher used to take me home occasionally, clean me up, wash my clothes, make me feel brand new.” Those nights with a caring teacher made all the difference, Washington now says. So, over the last 15 years, she has more than paid that kindness forward by opening three group homes for troubled teenage foster boys in Baltimore and Montgomery County. Each home, dubbed Aunt Hattie’s Place, provides structure and nurture to six to 12 boys. Washington, 65, lives next door to her newest group home in Sandy Spring, Md. She also teaches graduate students in the education department of Coppin State University in Baltimore. Back in 1994, though, Washington thought she was just helping one boy for one night. But Social Services never came to collect him, and over the following year

LEISURE & TRAVEL While an assistant superintendent of Baltimore City Public Schools, Hattie Washington became a foster parent to a handful of troubled teenage boys. She eventually decided to establish a group home and now runs three Aunt Hattie’s Place homes for boys. Here she is pictured at the newest facility, in Sandy Spring, Md., which is home to eight teens.

Washington found herself taking in several other boys she found slouching on street corners in inner city Baltimore when they should have been attending school. She eventually housed at her Baltimore home six boys who were slipping through the cracks of the foster care system, taking a 12-hour course to become a licensed foster care provider. However, with a demanding job, Washington felt she couldn’t give the boys the attention they needed. One night she arrived home close to midnight from a contentious school board meeting to find all six of them waiting up for her. “They said, ‘Can we talk to you?’ One said, ‘Do you think when my daddy gets

out of jail he will come looking for me, he’ll want me back?’ Another wanted to know, ‘Why do you think my mother gave me up to Social Services but kept my brother? Do you think my mother will ever get off drugs and take me back? Do you think she’d love me?’” But Washington had no easy answers. “I was bone tired, and I knew then these kids needed more than a meal and a place to sleep. They needed some psychological counseling, therapy. That’s when I started thinking if I had a group home, I could provide all of that. But as a foster parent, I just didn’t have the resources.” See FOSTER HOMES, page 10

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Self-interest redefined Supposedly, we human beings are pro- interrupt her generally peaceful retiregrammed for self-preservation. The prob- ment to tackle one of the most difficult lem is, we don’t always know challenges there is, so the what is really in our own best granddaughter has taken the interest. painful step of leaving her For example, sometimes parents, boyfriend and school being self-less is a better way friends behind to start a new to ensure our own future life halfway across the counthan being self-ish. try. I imagine we’ve all had exIn some sense, this situaperiences that helped teach tion blurs the line between us this counterintuitive truth, selfish and selfless, for while but I’ve also read several arti- FROM THE each woman is denying hercles lately that reinforced this PUBLISHER self the easier choice — to conclusion for me, and I’d By Stuart P. Rosenthal continue living as they have like to share them with you. been — they are both also One of them is the column Bob Levey acting in their self interest to some degree. wrote for us this month, which appears in They want to preserve their own life or this issue on page 28. He writes of a friend that of a close family member. of his who has taken into her home one of A second, somewhat different, example her granddaughters (her son’s 16-year-old of this lesson can be found in this month’s daughter) because the girl’s parents are in cover story. If you haven’t read yet about and out of jail and often stoned, and she is Hattie Washington, a school administrator showing signs of following in their foot- with a big heart, I won’t be spoiling the steps. surprise too much if I tell you that one day, The grandmother could see how her she brought home with her an otherwise granddaughter’s future was being compro- homeless young student who had ended mised by her environment, and intervened up at her office carrying all his worldly because she couldn’t let herself watch possessions in a garbage bag. what was happening and not attempt to Now I can understand taking home a stop it. needy child for a night. But that child Just as the grandmother has chosen to spent the rest of his childhood and adoles-

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

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cence with her (she adopted him). And during that first year, Washington added another six foster boys to her household. Today, she operates three group homes for such lads, helping them find self-confidence and dignity after childhoods of neglect, abuse and worse. A number of them have made it to and through college, and credit Washington with changing their life’s trajectory from a downward spiral to one with honor and potential. Yet Washington says she thanks them for giving her a greater sense of purpose in life and for allowing her to return a similar favor she received as a young child from one of her teachers. She also says she feels she is helping herself, because these boys will be among those “who are going to be taking care of me when I’m a senior citizen.” Both of these stories show older women who have gone well out of their way to see that troubled youth turn out psychologically sound and prepared to assume the responsibilities of adulthood. They have done so because they see that kind of transformation ultimately to be in their own best interest as seniors and as citizens. I find this so striking because of a recent, powerful essay written by William H. Frey, a well-known Brookings Institution demographer, appearing in the June 10 issue of the Washington Post. Frey reported that surveys indicate many older adults and baby boomers see the growing immigrant population as a threat. They also tend to look less favorably on government programs (other than

Social Security) than they did when younger. He goes so far as to say boomers show “more than a little antipathy toward today’s diverse, younger Americans.” Yet, he also points out, “it is this diverse youth population that the largely white baby boomers will rely upon in their retirement years to keep paying into Social Security and Medicare.” Given the recent demographic trends of a declining under-18 population and the retirement of the boomer generation, there won’t be enough adults in the workforce to keep Social Security afloat without a large influx of immigrants, Frey said. Without investments to help minority children gain a quality education and practical work skills, he asserts, they will not be able to fill the jobs our society needs them to do. The result will be economic stagnation and an inability to retain social programs for seniors as well. The studies Frey references seem to characterize older adults and baby boomers as so focused on their selfish needs that they can’t understand how the younger and older generations are interdependent. In stark contrast, our cover story and Bob Levey column this month independently (and without any premeditation on our part) illustrates a strong selfless streak in older adults who care deeply about the young and their futures.

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: I have concerns with the inaccuracy of some of the information in your May 2012 article, “Finding caregivers to lend a hand at home,” from the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. The article gave a broad picture of what registries look like, but each state has different laws and regulations that registries need to follow. The article states that registries are “usually not licensed or regulated by government.” That is not the case in Maryland, where a Nursing Referral Services Agency license is required and must be renewed every three years. Further, registries are regulated on an ongoing basis by Maryland’s Department of Health. The article also inaccurately states that “Registries are not required to screen or check the background of their caregivers.” In Maryland, the law requires registries to develop and implement a detailed screening process.

Finally, the article states “although not legally required to, some registries offer procedures for patients to file complaints.” In Maryland, registries are required to institute and carry out an internal client complaint investigation process and provide notice to clients of the Health Department’s complaint hotline number. Neal Kursban, President Family & Nursing Care Silver Spring, Md. [Editor’s note: Thank you for providing this important information about Maryland, which our article lacked. We should add that in Virginia and the District of Columbia, nurse registries and homemaker/ companion services do not require licensure.] Dear Editor: In reply to your publisher’s editorial regarding the dilemma of “living every day as if it were your last,” I think the message See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 36

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Silent Auction Raises $8,000 for GROWS Gourmet gift baskets, weekend getaways and fine dining opportunities were among more than 75 items purchased by senior service professionals attending the June 7 Silent Auction and Networking Breakfast benefiting the Grass Roots Organization for the Well-being of Seniors (GROWS). Raising $8,000 for the cause, the outdoor event was hosted by Brooke Grove Retirement Village (BGRV) in the beautiful gardens of Sharon Courtyard at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. GROWS is a nonprofit coalition dedicated to securing the well-being of Montgomery County seniors through the shared strength of diverse organizations and individuals. The funds raised at the silent auction will benefit GROWS’ leadership, education and advocacy initiatives that positively impact Montgomery County’s frail and at-risk seniors as well as family caregivers and caring professionals. The success of the auction was the result of the partnership of GROWS and BGRV, the generosity of

auction item donors, and the hard work of GROWS and BGRV staff and volunteers. This was the eighth year in which the auction has been hosted by BGRV, which also supports GROWS as a “gold benefactor.” “We really appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with GROWS Executive Director Robin Walker to host the auction on our campus again this year,” noted BGRV Director of Social worker Steve Wechsler makes a bid on a silent auction item. Marketing Toni Rockville; Visiting Angels; King Farm; Morgan-Keller Davis. “We spent many hours and Whiteford, Taylor & Construction; The Beacon planning and organizing the Preston, LLP. Newspapers; The Village at event, and it was so rewarding to watch it all come together. We consider it an honor to be an integral part of this fundraising effort.” Donors contributing $200 or more in goods and services to the auction include BGRV; ❒ I would like to know more about Brooke Grove Independent Living Capital City Nurses; Sue Cottages. Dollins; Hunter Cleaning ❒ I would like to know more about Brooke Grove’s Memory Support Program. Services; Infinity Business and ❒ I would like to know more about Brooke Grove’s Assisted Living, Concierge Services; Ingleside at

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Will we one day ‘print’ drugs at home? By Katherine Sanderson Technology is being developed that could one day allow anyone with a 3D printer and an Internet connection to set up a homebased pharmacy. (A 3D printer builds solid objects by depositing repeated layers of a substance in much the same way an ink-jet printer deposits ink on a page. A digital file instructs the printer exactly what to do.) A team of researchers led by chemist Lee Cronin at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, has made a selection of chemicals using a digital blueprint and a 3D printer costing $2,000. The printer essentially builds the necessary lab equipment and then squirts the ingredients into the right places to make the desired compounds. Though the most immediate application is to existing chemists by providing new ways to discover compounds, it has practical implications for the masses as well. “It’s a way of democratizing chemistry, bringing chemistry to the masses,” Cronin suggested. For example, people in farflung regions could make their own

headache pills or detergent, he said. The technique might also allow people to print and share recipes for niche substances that chemical or pharmaceutical companies don’t make because there aren’t enough customers — or because they simply haven’t dreamed up those ideas. Of course, such freedoms will bring challenges, too, including ensuring that drugs are made safely, and dealing with black markets that might offer prescription-only or illegal drugs.

How does the process work? With the potential to allow anyone to build almost anything, 3D printing is no stranger to controversy, but how do you make chemistry printable? Cronin and his colleagues turned to a version of the $2,000 3D printer used in the Fab@Home project, a collaboration aiming to bring self-fabrication into the home. They discovered that they could use a common bathroom sealant as the primary material for printing chemical reaction

chambers of all shapes and sizes, as well as connection tubes of varying lengths. After the material had hardened, the printer’s nozzles squirted in the reactants, or “chemical inks.” In principle, the dimensions of the equipment and chemical ingredients required to produce a particular product can all be predesigned and embedded in the same software blueprint. All a user needs to do is download the software and send the commands to a printer. The researchers envisage an online store where you download an app for a particular drug to your 3D printer and order a standard set of chemical inks. Potential health dangers from allowing people to print their own legal or illegal drugs would be minimized, Cronin said, as his team would only write software for specific end products that would be difficult to modify into making other reactions. “We would have pre-evaluated the reactions in the lab so no one would be allowed to hack.” That’s a way off, though. So far, Cronin

has printed a simple block containing two chambers connected to a central mixing compartment. That was enough to carry out simple inorganic and organic reactions, and produce totally new compounds. This was done as a proof of principle; the resulting compounds don’t have specific applications. The researchers also carried out a wellknown reaction requiring a catalyst. They printed the catalyst into one of the chamber walls and produced the expected product, showing that this method works. To provide a heat source, equivalent to a Bunsen burner or hotplate, he suggests printing metallic elements into the flasks at certain spots, which would heat up when placed in a microwave oven. It should also be possible to print a window into the reaction vessel. That way, the camera on your smartphone and an app could examine the mixture to tell you how a reaction is progressing. See PRINTING DRUGS, page 5

Antibiotic linked with rare but deadly risk By Lindsey Tanner An antibiotic widely used for bronchitis and other common infections seems to increase chances for sudden deadly heart problems — a rare but surprising risk found in a 14-year study. Zithromax, or azithromycin, is more expensive than other antibiotics, but it’s popular because it often can be taken for fewer days. But the results suggest doctors should prescribe other options for people already prone to heart problems, the researchers and other experts said. Vanderbilt University researchers analyzed health records and data on millions of prescriptions for several antibiotics given to about 540,000 Tennessee Medicaid patients from 1992 to 2006. There were 29 heart-related deaths among those who took Zithromax during five days of treatment. Their risk of death while taking the drug was more than double that of patients on another antibiotic, amoxicillin or those who took none.

Highest risk for heart patients To compare risks, the researchers cal-

culated that the number of deaths per 1 million courses of antibiotics would be about 85 among Zithromax patients versus 32 among amoxicillin patients and 30 among those on no antibiotics. The highest risks were in Zithromax patients with existing heart problems. Patients in each group started out with comparable risks for heart trouble, the researchers said. The results suggest there would be 47 extra heart-related deaths per 1 million courses of treatment with Zithromax, compared with amoxicillin. A usual treatment course for Zithromax is about five days, versus about 10 days for amoxicillin and other antibiotics. Zithromax is at least twice as expensive as generic amoxicillin; online prescription drug sellers charge a few dollars per pill for Zithromax. “People need to recognize that the overall risk is low,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a Yale University health outcomes specialist who was not involved in the study. More research is needed to confirm the findings, but still, he said patients with heart dis-

ease “should probably be steered away” from Zithromax for now. The study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute helped pay for the research.

One of the most popular antibiotics Zithromax, marketed by Pfizer Inc., has been available in the United States for two decades. It’s often used to treat bronchitis, sinus infections and pneumonia. Wayne Ray, a Vanderbilt professor of medicine, decided to study the drug’s risks because of evidence linking it with potential heart rhythm problems. Also, antibiotics in the same class as Zithromax have been linked with sudden cardiac death. Zithromax is among the top-selling antibiotics. U.S. sales last year totaled $464 million, according to IMS Health, a healthcare information and services company. Pfizer issued a statement saying it would thoroughly review the study. “Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Pfizer, and we continuously monitor the

safety and efficacy of our products to ensure that the benefits and risks are accurately described,” the company said. Patients studied were age 50 on average and not hospitalized. Most had common ailments, including sinus infections and bronchitis. Those on Zithromax were about as healthy as those on other antibiotics, making it unlikely that an underlying condition might explain the increased death risk. Medicaid patients generally have more disability and lower incomes than other patients, so whether the same results would be found in the general population is uncertain, Ray said. Dr. Bruce Psaty, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, said doctors and patients need to know about the potential risks. He said the results also raise concerns about long-term use of Zithromax, which other research suggests could benefit people with severe lung disease. Additional research is needed to determine if that kind of use could be dangerous, he said. — AP

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The team is currently working on a kit to print ibuprofen. “In countries where there’s little access to even the most basic drugs and cleaning products, most people still have access to mobile phones,” Cronin noted, which would allow them to download the software. But how will such people get a 3D printer and the chemical ingredients? There are projects to distribute 3D printers in the developing world to enable things like bi-

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There are bound to be some limits, though. Cronin admits he’s had to deal with a few fires in trying to print reactions that can be explosive in the presence of oxygen. He hopes that by changing the flask material from bathroom sealant to something like Teflon, such air-sensitive reactions will become easier.

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From page 4

cycle parts to be made, and Cronin points out that most drugs and detergents are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which are also the components of readily available substances such as corn syrup, glycerol and paraffin. There is also the possibility that nonchemists in the developed world will use the technology to buy and share recipes directly from chemists, perhaps for substances that a company hasn’t thought up or commercialized. Chemist Fraser Stoddart, at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., calls the work “a conceptual breakthrough of refreshing proportions.” Another chemist, Oren Scherman, at the University of Cambridge, is reserving judgment until Cronin proves he can perform otherwise expensive and difficult reactions. Cronin’s ambition is unabated. “I imagine years from now, people will make drugs in their 3D printer at home,” he said. —New Scientist Magazine

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Drugs in studies fight advanced cancer By Marilynn Marchione Doctors have successfully dropped the first “smart bomb” on breast cancer, using a drug to deliver a toxic payload to tumor cells while leaving healthy ones alone. And a hormone-blocking pill approved last year for some men with advanced prostate cancer now also seems to help a wider group of men who were given it earlier in the course of treating their disease. These were two of the advances in cancer treatment discussed in June at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

Target: advanced breast cancer In a key test involving nearly 1,000

women with very advanced breast cancer, an experimental treatment extended by several months the time women lived without their cancer getting worse. More importantly, the treatment seems likely to improve survival, though it will take more time to know for sure. After two years, 65 percent of women who received it were still alive versus 47 percent of those in a comparison group given two standard cancer drugs. That margin fell just short of the very strict criteria researchers set for stopping the study and declaring the new treatment a winner, and they hope the benefit becomes more clear with time. In fact, so many women on the new treatment are

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still alive that researchers cannot yet determine average survival for the group. “The absolute difference is greater than one year in how long these people live,” said the study’s leader, Dr. Kimberly Blackwell of Duke University. “This is a major step forward.” The treatment builds on Herceptin, the first gene-targeted therapy for breast cancer. It is used for about 20 percent of patients whose tumors overproduce a certain protein. Researchers combined Herceptin with a chemotherapy so toxic that it can’t be given by itself, plus a chemical to keep the two linked until they reach a cancer cell where the poison can be released to kill it. This double weapon, called T-DM1, is known as a “smart bomb” because it binds to breast cancer cells once it encounters them.

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Men also have reason to find hope in recent cancer studies. In a study of nearly 1,100 men with prostate cancer, Johnson & Johnson’s drug Zytiga doubled the time patients lived without their cancer getting worse. The drug also seems to be improving survival, but it will take longer follow-up to know for sure. Independent monitors stopped the study once it was clear the drug was helping, and let men who had been getting dummy pills to switch to Zytiga. At that point — after a median treatment

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time of two years — 34 percent of men on dummy pills had died versus 27 percent of those taking Zytiga. “Our hope is that this can become a new option” for up to 30,000 men each year in the United States, said study leader Dr. Charles Ryan of the University of California, San Francisco. Once prostate cancer spreads, it often is treated with drugs that curb testosterone. They block about 90 percent of the hormone, “but that remaining 10 percent can still stimulate the cancer and cause death from the disease,” Ryan said. Zytiga blocks virtually all of it — “it’s really complete chemical castration,” said another study leader, Duke University’s Dr. Daniel George. The drug won federal approval last year for men with advanced prostate cancer whose disease had worsened despite treatment with standard hormones and chemotherapy. The new study tested it earlier in the course of illness — in men with advanced prostate cancer who have not yet received chemotherapy. Johnson & Johnson plans to seek approval later this year to sell the drug to men like those in the new study. The breast cancer drug T-DM1 is also still experimental. Its backers hope it can reach the market within a year. — AP

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

Variety of exercises can improve balance riously and addressed. Poor balance can make walking and other routine daily activities, such as putting on your shoes or going up and down stairs, difficult. It also greatly increases a person’s risk of falling and, especially in the elderly, breaking a bone or suffering another type of serious injury. That’s significant because research has shown that if an individual older than 65 falls and breaks a bone, that injury has the potential to substantially lower their life expectancy.

Quick and simple exercises Exercises to help improve balance are usually simple and don’t take much time. For example, one easy exercise is moving from sitting to standing and back again in and out of a chair, first with your eyes open and then with your eyes closed. (Have someone else there to help when you close your eyes.) Another is standing on one foot, first using a chair or countertop to steady you if need be, then progressing to standing without assistance. Although these exercises are not complicated, if you do them consistently every day, they can be very effective in retraining your brain to help improve balance. As you become more confident and your balance improves, you can move on to ex-

ercises that are more complex, if you like. In addition to basic balance exercises, other activities have been associated with better balance and walking ability in older adults, including tai chi and yoga. Exercises designed to improve strength and increase muscle mass can also help balance because stronger muscles improve mobility and reduce the risk of falls. Exercises to help improve balance are critical for older adults who feel they’re losing their ability to balance well. But these exercises are also important for people of all ages and ability levels. There’s no need to wait until you have balance problems to start practicing these exercises. Everyone should make them

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part of an overall exercise program that includes aerobic exercise, as well as activities to maintain or improve strength and flexibility. Before beginning any new exercises, particularly when you are dealing with other health concerns, talk to your doctor. The doctor can help you determine the reasons for your imbalance and decide what’s best for your situation. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist who can work with you to develop a comprehensive exercise program, as well as monitor your progress See BALANCE, page 8

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By Dr. Carmen Terzic Dear Mayo Clinic: I’m 83 years old and have osteoarthritis affecting several joints, as well as peripheral neuropathy. I’ve been in exercise programs for the past four years, but my balance seems to be getting worse. It’s difficult to stand in one spot without holding onto something. Is there any exercise that addresses such balance problems? Answer: Yes, a variety of exercises can help improve your balance. Most are simple and take no more than about 10 minutes a day. These exercises can increase your stability, help prevent falls, and enhance your overall fitness. With aging, balance tends to decline for a number of reasons, including deteriorating eyesight and loss of muscle mass. As in your situation, complications from other health conditions, such as osteoarthritis and peripheral neuropathy, can make good balance a challenge, too. Hearing problems or another disorder that affects your inner ears can also lead to balance problems because the inner ear plays a key role in your body’s ability to keep its balance. Balance problems are common in many older adults, and they need to be taken se-

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We are committed to keeping you informed should an outage occur. Call 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662) to report outages and downed wires. Please request a call back so we can verify if individual or small groups of outages still exist.

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

Palliative care offers comfort, extends life Hippocrates, the father of medicine, called on physicians to “cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.” With the limited tools available to the doctors of ancient Greece, it’s no surprise that doctors of the time succeeded in providing comfort more often than cure. Little changed during most of the 2,400 years that have elapsed since the Greek era. But as medicine developed powerful new ways to diagnose and treat disease over the past century, cure has become the main goal of treatment. It’s great progress, and the improvements are bound to accelerate in our age of modern molecular medicine. As doctors and patients focus on cure,

however, both groups risk losing sight of comfort, sometimes even assuming that cure and comfort are antithetical. In some cases, the result is needless suffering, which may be compounded by aggressive treatments that have little prospect of success. It doesn’t have to be that way — and a recent study from a Harvard teaching hospital shows that palliative care may provide substantial benefits in addition to comfort.

What is palliative care? While curative care focuses on the disease, palliative care focuses on the patient, striving to relieve physical and emotional suffering and to enhance the quality of life

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for patients and their families. Contrary to popular belief, palliative care is not the same as hospice care. It can go hand-in-hand with curative care and lifeextending therapies. It’s a team effort. In addition to palliative care physicians, a palliative care team typically includes nurses and social workers, with additional support from nutritionists, physical therapists, psychiatrists, pharmacists and chaplains. Pain relief is an important goal of palliative care, but the team is also equipped to help with a wide range of problems, including respiratory symptoms (coughing, shortness of breath), intestinal symptoms (loss of appetite, hiccups, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea), weakness and impaired mobility, skin conditions, and mental changes (depression, anxiety, confusion, delirium). Palliative care teams can also assist pa-

Balance From page 7 and deal with any questions or setbacks along the way. Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

tients and their families in deciding what tests and treatments are most appropriate and what goals are realistic and attainable. In theory, everyone with a serious illness might benefit from some aspect of palliative care. In fact, palliative care is offered by more than 80 percent of the large hospitals where most Americans receive treatment for complex and advanced illnesses.

The earlier, the better But even at these referral centers, palliative care teams are typically deployed late in the course of terminal illnesses, often in conjunction with hospice care. Palliative care is appropriate and important in these circumstances, but the recent Harvard study reminds us that it is also beneficial early in serious illnesses, even See PALLIATIVE CARE, page 9

Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, email: medicaledge@mayo.edu, or write to: Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic, c/o TMS, 2010 Westridge Dr., Irving, TX 75038. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com.

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

Palliative care

offered palliative care to few, if any, of these high-functioning individuals.

From page 8 when patients are managing well at home. The new study was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard teaching hospital that cares for many patients with complex illnesses. The investigation focused on lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Between 2006 and 2009, 151 patients newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease, enrolled in the trial. Since their cancers had metastasized (spread from the lungs to other organs), none of the patients were candidates for curative lung surgery. Half the patients were randomly assigned to receive palliative care plus standard cancer care, while the others received standard cancer care alone. The researchers used detailed questionnaires to evaluate the patients’ mood and health-related quality of life when they entered the study and again 12 weeks later. Members of the palliative care and standard care groups had similar results on their initial tests. But after 12 weeks, the patients who received early palliative care reported both a better quality of life and less depression than the patients who received standard cancer care. It’s not surprising that palliative care helped patients feel and function better. The study also found that members of the palliative care group were more likely to specify their wishes for end-of-life care and were less likely to receive aggressive treatment near life’s end. No surprises there, either. But the study also added two important new observations. First, early palliative care was beneficial. About a third of the patients had no cancer-related symptoms when they first received palliative care and 94 percent were fully ambulatory. In ordinary clinical practice, doctors would have

Less treatment, yet longer life The second new finding was even more impressive: Although the palliative care patients received less aggressive end-oflife care than the standard care patients, they lived an average of 2.7 months longer. The Harvard study reminds us that vigorous cancer therapy — which includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both — can go hand-in-hand with palliative care. It also shows that palliative care can help patients with serious disease, even if it is initiated before symptoms develop. And the trial also found that palliative care can significantly improve survival even if it results in less aggressive end-oflife care. More research is needed to confirm the survival benefit of early palliative care. Still, while this finding may be surprising, it is not unreasonable. Patients who feel better have an increased will to live. They have less stress and depression and are likely to eat better, be more active, and spend more time with friends and family — and social supports, good spirits, balanced nutrition and prudent exercise are all good medicine. Care and cure are not mutually exclusive. It’s true that palliative care can help dying patients by reducing suffering, promoting dignity and peacefulness, and contributing to appropriate and realistic choices. But it’s also true that early palliative care can improve the quality of life in patients who are getting all-out therapy, and it may even improve survival in these circumstances. Comfort or care? Many people view it as a choice, but that’s a false proposition. The answer is not one or the other, but both. — Harvard Men’s Health Watch © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Foster homes

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

ally rising to become the first female vice president of Coppin State University.

From page 1

Opening her newest home

In opening her first group home (a much more arduous task than becoming a certified foster parent), Washington amassed enough paperwork to fill a four-inch binder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It took me two years to get my PhD, but took me 3Â˝ years to write up the proposal for the group home and get it approved,â&#x20AC;? she recalled. Washington cashed in her retirement savings to fund the first house. She gets reimbursed by the state of Maryland for each boy cared for, but payment can lag behind for months. During this time, she moved from one demanding job to another, eventu-

But nothing prepared her for the struggle to open her third home, in a house bequeathed to her by a longtime friend in Sandy Spring, Md., north of Silver Spring and east of Olney. Washington wanted to demolish the sprawling houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five-car garage and ballroom to make way for a wing that could be home for eight boys. But some community members balked, worried that the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residents would be out of control, bring crime to the community, and bring down property values. They

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didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay attention when Washington talked about how the residents are handpicked and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have criminal records or serious psychological problems. Washington found some of her biggest allies to be residents of the Friends House Retirement Community just down the street. Friends House is affiliated with the Quaker church, and Sandy Spring itself was founded by Quakers. They â&#x20AC;&#x153;came by the busload to the hearing. They said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a Quaker community, a caring community. This is what we do in this community to take care of people.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; They came full force,â&#x20AC;? Washington said. Fortunately, after Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place opened in 2010, some of the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest naysayers became her most loyal volunteers, finding they had nothing to fear once they visited the house, with its pristine, oversize kitchen, recreation area with exercise machines and large screen TV, library and five bedrooms. The backyard includes a basketball court and small swimming pool.

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Washington calls living at Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place a leadership training program. The boys all help with chores, from laundry to cleaning bathrooms. They also must learn a musical instrument, learn a foreign language, and play a sport. Over the summer, they each must read 10 books. Washington makes surprise visits to their school to ensure the boys are in class. They have bed checks every hour during the night to keep them from sneaking out. They earn points for good behavior, which they can trade in for outings to movies, allowance and other perks. To encourage a family atmosphere, the boys call all staff by their first names, preceded by â&#x20AC;&#x153;auntâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;uncle.â&#x20AC;? Each home has several staff members who cook, take the boys on appointments and watch over them. Washington works hard to keep the boys on the straight and narrow, a kind but firm grandmotherly presence, as reflected by this exchange during a recent visit to the Sandy Spring home, where the boys were friendly and polite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything going good?â&#x20AC;? Washington asked one boy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mmm, yeah,â&#x20AC;? he responded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Excuse me?â&#x20AC;? said Washington, raising an eyebrow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;am,â&#x20AC;? he revised his response with a grin. Washington and her staff also work to instill a sense of self-esteem in the boys, near-

ly all of whom come from backgrounds where they were abused and neglected. A sign above the full length mirror at the front door contains such affirmations as â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am smartâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am kind,â&#x20AC;? which the boys are supposed to recite each time they look at themselves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember one boy would say â&#x20AC;&#x153;if I grow up,â&#x20AC;? not â&#x20AC;&#x153;when I grow up,â&#x20AC;? Washington said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a kid to come in with that pessimistic, fatalistic, self-destructive notion, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a societal ill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to feed them every day, clothe them, try to get through that psychological crust to tell them that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be somebody.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;What helps me [prove that] are kids who are already in college or have finished because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been where [the boys] are right now,â&#x20AC;? Washington said. One of those young men is Devin Collins, who came to Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place as a 10-year-old. Collins, whose mother was a drug addict, spent time homeless and bouncing from foster home to foster home for several years before he ended up at Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place in Baltimore City. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By 9 or 10, I sold drugs, had been homeless, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about school or anything else, really,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. But moving into Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place turned his life around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aunt Hattie just made you know somebody loves you. Someone actually cares about the decisions that you make,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From that point on I chose that I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be one of those statistics where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dead or in jail. Aunt Hattie got behind me and everything I wanted to do. I knew Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have someone to support me.â&#x20AC;? Collins lived at Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place until he was 18, winning scholarships both for Calvert Hall, a Catholic boys prep school in Towson, and Norfolk State University. Now 26, Collins is working at both Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place and Johns Hopkins. He has one more year of college left and hopes to finish at Coppin State. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m living proof that you can come out of the foster system and not be a statistic, that you can be a productive citizen. I tell the boys that being at Aunt Hattieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place is probably the best head start that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Helping Aunt Hattie Doing all this good work takes helpers and money. Volunteers, along with monetary donations, are needed at all three of

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Nuts improve thinking, memory, diabetes By Julie Bodenmann Tree nuts are among the earliest known foods. Archaeological evidence suggests that they were a major part of the human diet 780,000 years ago. Several varieties of nuts, along with the stone tools necessary to crack them open, have been found buried deep in bogs in the Middle East. Rich in energy and loaded with nutrients, nuts, and particularly their cargo of omega-3 fatty acids, are thought to have been essential to the evolution of the large, complex human brain. Researchers have long linked consump-

tion of tree nuts, despite their significant fat content, to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, even Parkinson’s disease.

Foster homes

vice president of Coppin State when construction began on the Sandy Spring house. She now works full time as a professor at the university, and said she will continue to do so for the foreseeable future to help pay the mortgage on the house. Washington said she’s had interest in her starting Aunt Hattie’s Places in Norfolk and even the Virgin Islands. But she has her hands full in Maryland, she said. Despite her 18-hour days, Washington says she can’t imagine a different life, and that she is as grateful to have the boys in her life as they are to be there. “I say this is my way of giving back. Somebody helped me one day, so I say thank you [to the boys] for taking advantage of the opportunity, thank you for wanting to be somebody so my time and resources aren’t wasted,” she said. “You are thanking me, but I’m also thanking you because you are part of the future, part of the people who are going to be taking care of me when I’m a senior citizen.”

From page 10 the Aunt Hattie’s Place homes. “We’re in need of everything: people who can cook and clean up. I need typists, I need database people. I need to have someone help me do clerical-type stuff, the whole gamut. It’s just like running any other business, except it’s a home,” she said. Washington would also like the boys to have older adults as surrogate grandparents. “When [older] people come in to help, the boys cling to them. They’re looking for grandparents. They’re looking for older people because they don’t have that part of their family,” she said. Washington herself is a grandparent. One daughter, who is a doctor, lives in Florida with Washington’s two granddaughters. Her other daughter, a lawyer in Maryland, served as executive director of Aunt Hattie’s Place for six years. Washington, who divorced when her daughters were young, stepped down as

Brain boosters Now comes evidence that they also improve cognition in general and specific ways. Most have high concentrations of vitamin E, the B vitamins (including folate), antioxidants, minerals like magnesium, as well as omega-3 fats, all of which support myriad functions of the nervous system. Crack open some walnuts and improve

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your ability to think critically. Researchers find that eating a high concentration of walnuts (half a cup a day) boosts inferential verbal reasoning, especially the ability to distinguish true from false. An array of compounds in walnuts, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin and varied antioxidative polyphenols, protect the central nervous system and speed synaptic transmission. The significant supply of alpha-linolenic acid is essential for stability of neuronal membranes, through which all neuronal actions transpire. Although almonds are not strictly tree

nuts — they are the seed of a fruit related to plums — they may help save your memory. Mice rendered temporarily amnesiac were more apt to remember their way around a maze 24 hours later if they first consumed an almond paste. The evidence suggests that almonds slow the decline in cognitive abilities linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators attribute the memory effects to the presence of the essential amino acid phenylalanine and L-carnitine, believed to See HEALTHY NUTS, page 13

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Health Studies Page

J U L 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

Acupuncture can help chronic back pain By Barbara Ruben Chronic low back pain affects millions of Americans, making simple tasks — such as taking the dog for a walk, reaching for a dish in the cupboard or even sitting for long stretches — a painful ordeal. Studies have shown that acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which thin needles are used to stimulate specific points in the body, can help relieve the pain. The National Center for Complementa-

ry and Alternative Medicine, a part of the National Institutes of Health, is now seeking volunteers to help researchers learn exactly how acupuncture affects low back pain. The study will look at blood samples for changes in different chemicals related to inflammation and pain.

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Do you have Type II Diabetes? A research study is currently underway in your area to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication for Type II Diabetes. In order to qualify, you must: r Be 18 years or older r Be diagnosed with Type II Diabetes r Be experiencing difficulty managing blood sugar levels

r Study-related medical care r Study medication Health insurance is not needed to participate. Burke Internal Medicine & Research

Call 1-877-607-3877 now or log onto www.ProgramForDiabetes.com for more information and to see if you qualify.

This study requires eight visits over two to three weeks. Each visit will take 1½ to 2 hours. At the first study visit, participants will give a medical history and complete two questionnaires about their low back pain. They will also spend 30 minutes lying down on a bed, relaxing quietly.

July 21

Research Study

Qualified participants will receive:

Real and fake acupuncture

The next visits will occur every two to three days for two weeks. All participants will receive 30 minutes of either sham or standard acupuncture at each visit. Sham acupuncture will mimic the standard procedure, but no needles will be used. The standard procedure will be performed in the same location. A licensed, experienced acupuncturist will insert small disposable needles into acupuncture sites on the back, arms and legs. Participants in the study will not know whether they are receiving the sham or the standard acupuncture procedure. At some visits, participants will provide blood samples for testing. At every visit, participants will complete the questionnaires about low back pain. For more information, contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office at 1800-411-1222 or email prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov.

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Type II Diabetes

with diet and regular exercise alone

between three and 12 months prior to enrollment in the study and have pain of at least a level 3 on a 10-point scale. Those who have had back surgery, or have had acupuncture for any medical condition, may not participate. In addition, patients who have used such analgesics as opiates or tramadol within 30 days cannot take part. They also cannot have received corticosteroid treatment within 12 months of enrollment.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONFERENCE

Find out how to enrich your health and wellness at the Women’s Health and Wellness Conference presented by AARP DC and the National Council of Negro Women. Workshop topics will include maintaining a healthy lifestyle through food and physical activity, options in the community, HIV prevention and preparing for long-term care. The conference takes place on Saturday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus, 1901 Mississippi Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. Lunch is provided. To register, go to http://www.aarp.org/ states/dc/stateeventdetails.eventId=NA&stateCode=DC/, or call (202) 434-7700.

July 16+

CANCER SUPPORT WORKSHOPS

Hope Connections for Cancer Support has events planned all summer, beginning with a lesson with nutritionist Suman Tohan, who will share health-enhancing information and culinary suggestions Monday, July 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Next is a workshop in which an oncology nurse explains how a patient navigator can provide support. This takes place on Wednesday, July 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. RSVP via email at info@hopeconnectionsforcancer.org or by calling (301) 493-5002. These free programs take place at 5430 Grosvenor Ln., Suite 100, Bethesda, Md. More events and information can be found at Hope’s website, www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.

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

Healthy nuts From page 11 boost neurotransmitters essential to memory.

Body benefits, too Pecans may slow down the rate of age-related motor degeneration. University of Massachusetts scientists fed two versions of a nut-rich diet to rats specifically bred to develop motor-neuron decline. All pecan-fed animals outperformed control animals on subsequent tests of activity, and those fed the highest percentage of nuts outran them all. The researchers believe the high concentration of antioxidant vitamin E shields neurons from degenerative conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrigâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease. A hefty handful of Brazil nuts can spare the obese the vascular damage associated with adiposity. An excess of fat tissue stimulates low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can lead to cardiovascular disease. With high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and bioactive substances that combat inflammation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; selenium, phenolic compounds, folate, magnesium among them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Brazil nuts improved microcirculation, low-

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ered cholesterol levels, and normalized blood lipid profiles without causing weight gain in 17 obese female adolescents. For the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 20 million diabetics, almonds may improve blood-sugar control while decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In a randomized controlled study, a team of Chinese and American researchers found that four weeks of an almond-augmented diet improved blood lipid levels, abolished a postprandial rise in glucose levels, and reduced body fat in 20 patients with type 2 diabetes. The magnesium, fiber, monounsaturated fat and polyphenols in the nuts all contribute to the improvements in glycemic control. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Psychology Today Magazine ÂŠ 2012 Sussex Publishers. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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July 14+

FIRST AID CLASSES AT HOLY CROSS

Learn basic first aid techniques and get some hands-on practice at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. Participants will receive a card from the American Heart Association. The class takes place at the Holy Cross Resource Center, 1500 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring, Md., on Saturday, July 14, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Another class is available on Saturday, Sept. 15. The fee is $45. Register online at http://holycross.drsreferralservice.com/p-313 first-aid.aspx, or call (301) 754-8800.

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The benefits of aquatic exercise, melons Q: Does exercising in water provide special benefits? A: Exercising in water, known as aquatic exercise, offers something for everyone. Its supportive properties especially benefit people with arthritis, pregnancy or sports injuries. The buoyancy of water decreases painful spinal compression (a condition that may be caused by injury or other disorder) because it can reduce how much weight our body puts on the spine by 50 percent in waist-deep water and 75 percent in chest-deep water. For people with osteoporosis, water provides a place to exercise and improve balance with less fear of injury from falls. Experts disagree about whether aquatic exer-

cise provides enough weight bearing to strengthen bones, but it does at least help maintain bone mass. Water’s resistance means running in deep water will give even more of an aerobic workout without adding impact on your joints. You can increase the muscleand heart-training effects even further by adding more resistance with fitness equipment such as webbed gloves, foam dumbbells and noodles. Water’s pressure on the body reduces leg swelling, decreases heart rate and improves circulation. People with lung disease need to be cautious, however, since the increased aerobic workout in deep water may make breathing more difficult for them.

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Warmer water is best for arthritis, fiRefrigerate cut melon in a tightly covbromyalgia or Parkinson’s disease. Cooler ered container and use within five days. Viwater minimizes multiple scletamin C and carotenoid conrosis symptoms and overheattent will drop only a little if at ing in vigorous exercise, but all during that time, so don’t may cause muscle cramps. hesitate to buy a whole melon Popular aquatic classes inrather than partial pieces to clude circuit training, dance keep your grocery bill lower. exercise, and yoga for relaxQ: Is there a difference ation and flexibility. Check for between seltzer, club soda classes at your local YMCA or and tonic? through the Arthritis FoundaA: All three drinks are tion which offers aquatic proclear and fizzy, but there are grams listed at www.arthri- NUTRITION differences. WISE tis.org. Tonic water is the clear By Karen Collins, Q: How do melons like standout because it is the only cantaloupe and watermel- MS, RD, CDM one with calories. Despite the on rate for nutrition? slight bitter taste from added A: All melons, especially cantaloupe, are quinine, it is a sugar-sweetened drink with excellent sources of vitamin C. A little less almost as many calories as regular cola. than a cup of cantaloupe provides an adult Diet tonic is available with zero-calories with half to two-thirds of current recom- because of artificial sweeteners. mended amounts of vitamin C for the day. Seltzer is a zero-calorie drink because it Cantaloupe and watermelon are also is simply water fizzed up with carbon dioxrich in beta-carotene. In laboratory stud- ide. Sodium content is essentially zero. ies, beta-carotene seems to reduce inflamClub soda is similar to seltzer, except for mation, improve immune function, protect various “salts” added to enhance flavor. In DNA and help control cell growth in ways this case, “salts” does not refer only to that may reduce cancer risk. sodium chloride (table salt), but to a variIn addition, cantaloupe is a good source ety of different mineral mixtures, that may of potassium, which seems to help control be sodium-, potassium- or magnesiumblood pressure, and watermelon is an ex- based. cellent source of lycopene, a powerful anTherefore, sodium content of club soda tioxidant. All this with no cooking on a hot varies among brands. An eight-ounce glass summer day! may contain as little as 10 milligrams of To maximize health benefits, if the sodium, which is negligible, or as much as melon is uncut, keep it at room tempera- 80 mg. Even the latter isn’t a lot out of a ture for up to a week or until fully ripe, daily maximum of 1500 or 2300 mg. (dethen refrigerate for up to five days. Not pending on your age and health), but if you only will the melon get better tasting, re- drink it frequently, it can add up. search on uncut watermelon shows that lyThe American Institute for Cancer Recopene and beta-carotene content may inSee NUTRITION WISE, page 15 crease during room temperature storage.

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

No-mayonnaise country-style potato salad Americans like to enjoy the great outdoors in fine fashion — Fourth of July fireworks, picnics and dinner in the backyard or on the deck. And the must-have food at every summer picnic is potato salad. Here is a mayo-free version with a rustic look and fresh, country taste. Potatoes are a uniquely American crop, found in ancient ruins in Peru and Chile dating back to 500 BCE. The Incas not only grew and ate potatoes, they also worshipped them and buried them with the dead. They had many varieties, some quite colorful, including purple, blue and yellow. Take advantage of colorful red potatoes and leave the skin on for this salad. You get to enjoy the color and earthy flavor, as well as benefit from the skin’s fiber and higher levels of vitamin C, iron and potassium. Our surprise ingredient — chopped pickle — and the vinegar energize the salad with a nice tangy bite. The herbs’ freshness, from the mild bitterness of parsley to the subtle sweetness of basil, balance that bite. Cooks use both the dill plant’s seed-like fruit and its leafy growth (dill weed) as flavorful additions to many foods. Part of the same plant family as anise, fennel, cilantro and cumin, dill has long been valued as a flavor enhancer and for a number of me-

Nutrition wise From page 14 search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and

dicinal uses, including aiding digestion. This summertime recipe is easy to make and truly captures the season. You can create a great meal by serving it with turkey burgers and a leafy green side salad. Then make the perfect, colorful ending with chilled fresh watermelon wedges along with grape clusters.

Country Potato Salad 4 large red potatoes (2 lbs.), washed and unpeeled 1 dill pickle, chopped 2 scallions, chopped, including stems 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried) 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried) 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried) 1 Tbsp. apple cider or red wine vinegar 1 tsp. dried dill 1/2 tsp. paprika Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Paprika (for garnish) In large pot cover unpeeled potatoes with water. Cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to mediumlow, keep covered, and simmer until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and drain water. Refill pot with cold water to allow potatoes to cool. Once cool, cut potatoes into cubes. Place cubed potatoes in large bowl and toss gently with pickle, scallions, celery, herbs, vinegar, dill, paprika, salt and pepper.

Whisk dressing ingredients together in small mixing bowl. Pour over potato mixture and gently toss again to coat well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle paprika over top to garnish and serve. Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 127 calories, 7 g. total fat (<1 g. saturated fat), 15 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 130 mg. sodium. — The American Institute for Cancer Research

Dressing 1/4 cup virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. apple cider or red wine vinegar 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

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

Do I have a new condition or a side effect? Dear Pharmacist: I’ve recently developed minor numbness and tingling in my hands. Could it be a side effect my medications? I’m scared of what else could cause this. — S.L. Dear S.L.: Oh boy, l love talking about side effects. Obviously, consult your doctor to rule out other causes, but the simple answer is “Yes!” Most practitioners today are not aware that side effects are often the result of drug nutrient depletions, which I call the “drug mugging” effect. Numerous drugs can cause deficiencies of necessary nutrients. The most popular

offenders are diabetes drugs, estrogencontaining hormones, antacids/acid blockers and steroids. Nutrient deficiencies caused by such drugs may cause numbness and tingling in your extremities, and a host of other plaguing disorders. I’m happy to say this concept has gained traction in the medical community, partly because I’ve been hammering it in the media for 13 years and also because I published a book on it called Drug Muggers, now available worldwide in several languages. If you experience uncomfortable side effects at any time, make a phone call to your physician and pharmacist. That’s what we’re here for. There’s another layer to consider. We all

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have unique genetic SNPs (pronounced velop immediately. For example, the lowsnips, standing for single-nucleotide poly- ered thyroid hormone that women typicalmorphisms) in our DNA code ly experience from oral conthat cause us to process medtraceptives could take up to a ications, foods and nutrients a year to show up as they belittle differently from one ancome increasingly fatigued, other. overweight, cold, uninterestFor example, most autistic ed in sex, depressed or anxchildren and 20 percent of the ious. That’s because the medgeneral population are poor icine gradually depletes es“methylators” and thus need a sential nutrients that support nutritional helping hand, usuhealthy mood, metabolism ally folic acid. Vitamin B6, B12 and libido. (methylcobalamin), and SAMe DEAR If you don’t know to exPHARMACIST are useful, too. plore drug mugging side efYour particular SNPs or By Suzy Cohen fects as the cause, before you sluggish enzymatic pathways know it you’re on three other explain varied individual reactions among medications for what is just a nutrient defipeople. The picture includes delayed me- ciency. tabolism, chronic nutrient deficiencies, or My point is that side effects are mistakhypersensitivity to medicines. enly diagnosed as new major illnesses. In I was reminded of this when a friend re- my world, these “diseases” are side effects quired emergency treatment from a rela- until proven otherwise. tively innocuous antibiotic, but did perfectYour side effect solutions are in my ly fine on a strong steroid that knocks book Drug Muggers (sold online and at most people for a loop. book sellers nationwide). Also, I routinely For your safety, read the medication post free information at my website leaflet that comes with your receipt at the (www.dearpharmacist.com) and on Facepharmacy. Ask your doctor and especially book as a public service. your pharmacist about potential side efThis information is opinion only. It is not fects before you take the first dose. intended to treat, cure or diagnose your conYou need to educate yourself, because dition. Consult with your doctor before using drugs are tested in relatively healthy indi- any new drug, herb or supplement. viduals, not in average folks who usually Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist takes multiple meds and deal with several and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist major health concerns. and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To Also note: side effects don’t always de- contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

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Getting along with old and new friends Dear Solutions: lose the gains I’ve made. An old friend of mine recently moved I don’t want to insult her, but I don’t into my community. I’ve know how to tell her. She been trying to include her in moved in recently, and she activities with other people doesn’t know many people. here, but it’s hard and a litHow do I handle this? tle embarrassing because — Meg she talks too much. Dear Meg: Whatever subject comes In other words, how do you up, she starts talking about walk away from this without her experiences and goes stepping on her ego? Well, on and on. I don’t want to you can walk around this by shut her out, but how can I stepping lightly but honestly. deal with this before no one SOLUTIONS Tell her that, although you wants to be in her company? By Helen Oxenberg, would love her company, you — Irene MSW, ACSW consider your walk as part of Dear Irene: You don’t have to shut her out in order to shut her up. When she starts to tell a story, try to cut in from time to time mentioning that, oh, that happened to you also. Then turn to the group and ask if any of them have ever had that experience. That way you will give others a chance to talk about themselves and their experiences. They may actually come to like her for bringing up things they’ve experienced in the past and would enjoy discussing. When you meet with her alone, try to give her a chance to talk about things — like silence, perhaps — that make her feel nervous and that she may need to explore with a therapist. Her need to talk there can really help her. Dear Solutions: After a lot of slow practice, I now go for a brisk walk every morning. I’ve really built it up to a definite speed, which helps to start my day. Now my neighbor, who has never done walks, has asked if she could join me. I’m in a bind. I like her, but I know she will slow me down and I’ll

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her you really admire her wish to start a walking routine and you’ll be happy to give her some tips to help her get started. Should she eventually hit your stride, you can walk together then.

© Helen Oxenberg, 2012. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE ON AGING

Spotlight On Aging VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 7

A newsletter for D.C. Seniors

July 2012

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE By Dr. John M. Thompson The theme of the past two issues of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spotlight on Agingâ&#x20AC;? was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Too Old to...â&#x20AC;? I believe that you get the point that we can complete this phrase with any verb. There are no limitations to what seniors can do as they continue to age in the community. In this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue, the theme is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Too Old to Exercise.â&#x20AC;? In this issue, I will highlight an exercise program coordinated by the four-time gold medalist Senior Olympian Bernard Gibson, as well as two of several programs that operate in our Senior Wellness Centers that help seniors build physical strength and endurance while keeping them socially active. For nine years, Mr. Gibson, who will celebrate his 77th birthday on July 18, has volunteered his time two days a week facilitating a strength training class for seniors at the Veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Home. Four years ago, he incorporated a twoday strength training class for the seniors in his Ft. Lincoln community in Ward 5. His youngest exercise participant is approximately 40 years old and has a disability, and his oldest participants are 100 years of age! He has two centenarians in his exercise program! You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find weights, strength training bands or exercise machines in Mr. Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classes. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even find an exercise mat, but you will find plenty of water bottles. It sounds like common sense to have water bottles, as you want seniors and persons with disabilities to remain hydrated during their exercises. However, the water bottles are more than just for hydration purposes; the water bottles are the weights! Mr. Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seniors use the 16.9 fluid ounce water bottles for building strength in their hands, arms and back. The other piece of â&#x20AC;&#x153;equipmentâ&#x20AC;? that you will find in Mr. Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class is chairs. Chairs are used to perform strength training exercises that isolate the legs, abdomen and back. For those in wheelchairs, Mr. Gibson

gives them balance exercises as a first step to regain the ability to walk. He even provides massages to improve blood circulation. Did I mention that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need your towel, as you will sweat when you strength train with Mr. Senior Olympian! Beyond Mr. Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program, I would like to inform you that the D.C. Office on Aging has six Senior Wellness Centers throughout the District of Columbia, with the sixth one opening its doors by August 1 in Ward 6. Membership at our wellness centers is free, and seniors can take advantage of a number of strength training and cardio programs and, as a bonus, enjoy the fellowship of other seniors who are interested in living vibrant and productive lives in the community. While weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re discussing our Senior Wellness Centers, I would like to highlight some of our programs. At the Ward 7 Washington Seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wellness Center, seniors can take advantage of evening workout programs two days a week. At the Ward 5 Model Cities Senior Wellness Center, senior women can participate with the Model Cities Steppers or the M.C. Steppers. The M.C. Steppers practice dance routines, which keep them fit, and perform across the District of Columbia at different DC Office on Aging-sponsored events. Seniors, as you can see from the examples in this message, you are â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Too Old to Exercise.â&#x20AC;? Exercise can help you prevent or manage a variety of health problems such as stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls. Please contact our office at 202-7245622 to get more information on any of our six DC Office on Agingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior Wellness Centers. However, please check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns. I look forward to meeting you at one of our Senior Wellness Centers!

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an open billiard room. Members can also socialize and play board games and cards if they choose. The center is located at 3531 Georgia Ave NW. For more information, call the center at 202-727-0338.

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

D.C. OFFICE

AGING NEWSLETTER

The District Selects Elegant Lady Ms. Senior D.C. will represent her peers in the upcoming Ms. Senior America Pageant The District recently crowned the new Ms. Senior District of Columbia, Mary L. McCoy, age 61. McCoy, a resident of Ward 8, competed against seven of her peers and was awarded “Best Talent” for her Zumba/Folk Dance to “Let Your Mind Go Back” by Sheba Potts Wright. The retired federal employee recited her philosophy of life and presented in the evening gown competition in a coral one-shoulder gown with a left leg, front split. She was escorted by her son Eric during the evening gown competition. McCoy also was awarded “Best Salesperson” for her ad and ticket sales for the event. McCoy was crowned by Ms. Senior D.C. Emma P. Ward and received her sash from Ms. Senior America Debbie Carroll-Boyce from Texas. Carroll-

First Runner-up and Best Interview, Nancy A. Berry

Boyce greeted the audience and performed her talent during the event. Carroll-Boyce, a retired educator and current top-selling Realtor in Texas, has been traveling across the country sharing her story with others. Among other things, she shared that her boss is a cen-

Ms. Senior D.C. pageant contestants and guests, pictured from left to right, are: Brenda Woodland; Thomasena Allen, Ms. Congeniality; Kaye D. Henson; Earnestine Wiggins, Second Runner-Up and Best Evening Gown; Ms. Senior America Debbie Boyce-Carroll; Ms. Senior D.C. Mary L. McCoy; Ms. Senior D.C. 2011 Emma P. Ward; First Runner-Up Nancy A. Berry; Janie M. Connor; and Sharon H. Burch. Behind the contestants are the gentlemen who escorted them through the evening gown segment of the contest.

Her winning gown was an ivory-colored tenarian and still active in his business. Nancy A. Berry, a 64-year-old retired floor length gown decorated with cryseducator, was awarded First Runner-up tals and a mermaid hem. Ms. Congeniality was awarded to and “Best Interview.” During the competiThomasena Allen, who tion she portrayed played “The Ritual Fire Dorothy and danced Dance” by Manuel De Falla to “Ease on Down the on the piano during the talRoad” from The Wiz. ent segment. Each of the She also wore coral in contestants voted for the the evening gown person they felt should recompetition in a gown ceive the award. with a fitted bodice The theme for this year’s adorned on the front and back with pageant was “Taking It to sparkling stones. As The Streets.” The MC Steppart of the interview pers, a senior dance group, process, the judges performed during the ask a series of quesopening with the contesttions so that the conants, as Ward danced and testants may share portrayed Michael Jackson. their life experiences The dancers acted out and examples of comthe West Side Story theme to Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” munity service. depicting some of the vioWard 4 resident lence of today’s streets and Earnestine Wiggins captur ed Second Best Talent winner, Mary L. McCoy the crime involving some of our youth. The opening Runner-Up and “Best Evening Gown.” Wiggins sang ended with Janet Jackson’s “Control,” with emotion, wearing a wedding gown, which is what many believe is neces“All I Could Do Is Cry,” by Etta James. sary in order to end some of the nega-

Know Your Options Campaign The D.C. Office on Aging recently launched the “Know Your Options, Decide Your Future” campaign through the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro). As part of the campaign, the "Know Your Options" ads can be seen throughout the Metro bus and rail system. The campaign is funded by an Options Counseling grant through the U.S. Administration on Aging. The grant primarily focuses on diverting seniors from nursing homes through awareness of services that are available to help them remain in their homes. Successful counseling may limit the number of new nursing admissions, saving the District of Columbia a minimum of $1 million in one year through Medicaid reimbursement. For more information or to find out about services available to assist seniors, call 202-724-5626.

tive behavior that is occurring across the country. The D.C. Seniors Cameo Club presented two Roosevelt High School students, Aaron Johnson and Miguel Parada, with monetary scholarships to assist them with their education costs. For the past several years, the club has worked with the D.C. Public Schools system to identify youth for consideration. This is the first year that two recipients received funds, and the first year that a male was chosen. The Ms. Senior D.C. Pageant is held to select the person who will represent the District of Columbia in the Ms. Senior America Pageant and compete among women from across the country for the title. The national pageant will be held October 7-12 in Atlantic City, NJ. Each contestant is judged on her elegance, inner beauty and poise as she is interviewed by the judges, recites her philosophy of life, and presents her tal-

Best Evening Gown winner, Earnestine Wiggins

ent and evening gown. The pageant is presented by the D.C. Seniors Cameo Club, Family Matters of Greater Washington and the D.C. Office on Aging.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS DECIDE YOUR FUTURE

DC O OFFICE FFICE ON AGING AGING Aging A ging and Dis Disability ability R Resource esource Center Center Government off the Dis District off C Columbia olumbia Go vernment o trict o Vincent Gray, Mayor V incent C. Gr ay, Ma yor

2 202-724-5626 02-724-5626 • adrc.dc.gov adrc.dc.gov

J U L 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 July events

Home Care Partners, as well as members of AARP’s ombudsman program. The workshop will be held at the Tenleytown Library, 4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW. For more information, call 202-895-9425.

3rd • 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join Barney Neighborhood House for a Ward 4 Independence Day celebration at the Lamond Recreation Center, 20 Tuckerman St. NE. For more information, contact James Thompson, activities coordinator, at 202-939-9031.

presentation at the Bernice Elizabeth Fonteneau Wellness Center, 3531 Georgia Ave. NW. Call the center at 202-727-0338 for more information.

27th • 4 to 5:30 p.m. 11th • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Take an AARP driver safety class at the Washington Seniors Wellness Center. Bring a lunch. The class costs $5. The center is located at 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-581-9355.

Sandra Y. Johnson and her sextet will play jazz, blues and oldies at the Washington Seniors Wellness Center, 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-581-9355.

10th • 11:30 a.m. Attend a program titled “Medical Identity Information Seminar” at the Green Valley Senior Nutrition Center, 2412 Franklin St. NE. For more information, call Vivian Grayton at 202-529-8701.

10th • 2 to 3:30 p.m. Learn about community-based long-term healthcare in a workshop presented by Iona Senior Services. Speakers include Judy Levey, a long-term care advocate, and Marla Lahat, executive director of

19th • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Washington Seniors Wellness Center, in partnership with the D.C. Office on Aging and the Dept. of Energy, will offer a “Going Green” workshop. The center is located at 3001 Alabama Ave. SE. For more information, call 202-581-9355.

25th • 1 to 2:30 p.m. The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking will conduct a financial fraud awareness

Stay Cool During Summer Heat Tips to prevent heat exposure: • Drink plenty of fluids (not hot) • Avoid hot, heavy meals • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities • If outdoors, stay in the shade, use an umbrella, wear a hat and loose-fitting clothing • Avoid alcoholic beverages • Spend the hottest part of the day (i.e., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) in an air conditioned area if you can

The following are warning signs of overexposure to heat: • High body temperature • Rapid breathing • Dry, hot skin or heavy sweating • Headache • Weakness or fatigue • Dizziness or periods of faintness • Anxiety and listlessness • Severe muscle pain in the arms and legs • Unconsciousness

Should these symptoms occur, the following steps should be taken: • Stay calm

• Call a doctor, ambulance or 911 • Lay victim on his/her back • Loosen or remove as much clothing as possible • Offer victim sips of water • Fan the victim slowly To avoid the summer heat and sun, participate in a senior program in your area. Make sure you leave before the sun reaches it’s hottest. Before 10 a.m. is a great time to conduct business on days weather forecasters say the air quality is in the unhealthful range (or Code Red). Location of public cooling centers: Call 311 Office on Aging for Senior cooling sites: 202-724-5626 Seniors needing fans and energy cost assistance: 202-673-6750 Hyperthermia Hotline for homeless and persons at risk: 202-399-7093 For more information, call the Office on Aging at 202-724-5626.

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 per-

ceived: 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.

Early August event 1st • 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking will be conducting a Financial Fraud Awareness presentation at Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center, 324 Kennedy St. NW. Call the center at 202-291-6170 for more information.

Metro Fare Hikes Beginning this month, Metro fares and parking fees have increased. In addition, the surcharge for using a paper fare card instead of a SmarTrip card increased by $1 per trip on MetroRail. For more information, visit wmata.com or call 202-637-7000 (TTY 202638-3780) or 202-638-3780. For SmarTrip customer service, call 1-888-762-7874.

Here is a summary of fare changes: Metrorail Fares • Off peak fares: $1.70 - $3.50 (Senior/Disabled: $1.05 - $2.85) • Peak fare: $2.10 - $5.75 (Senior/Disabled: $1.05 - $2.85) • The peak-of-the-peak surcharge (20¢ per trip) has been eliminated. • A $1 surcharge will be applied to each trip taken using a paper farecard (Senior/Disabled: 50¢ surcharge). To avoid this surcharge, customers are encouraged to use a SmarTrip card. • New SmarTrip dispensers have been installed at the following stations: Rosslyn, Dupont Circle, Farragut West, Foggy Bottom, Reagan National Airport, Vienna, Gallery Place, Smithsonian and Union Station.

Passes • 1-day Metrorail Pass (valid at any time) available on SmarTrip or paper farecard: $14 • 7-day Metrorail Fast Pass available on SmarTrip only: $57.50 • 28-day Metrorail Fast Pass available on SmarTrip only: $230 • 7-Day Metrorail Short Trip Pass available on paper farecard only: $35

Other Metrorail Fares • Transit Link Card on MARC/VRE: $108

• Transit Link Card on MTA: $166

Metrobus Fares • Regular routes with SmarTrip: $1.60, with cash: $1.80 • Express Routes with SmarTrip: $3.65 , with cash: $4 • Airport Routes: $6 • 7-Day Regional Pass: $16 • Senior/Disabled bus fares/passes are half of the above prices. DC Student Fares For students, there will be no change in the costs of DC student passes and tokens. (Note: While the actual costs of these products are increasing, the District of Columbia has elected to pay the difference in price so students pay the same rate as they do today.)

Transfers There is no change to the transfer policy. You receive a 50 cent discount when transferring from rail to bus or bus to rail within two hours of your first trip. You may transfer from a regular bus to another regular bus for free. The transfer discounts to other bus service providers varies. You must use a SmarTrip card to receive the transfer discount. When using a pass or paying with cash, transfer discounts are not given.

MetroAccess MetroAccess fares are 2 times the fare for the fastest bus or rail trip at the time a customer travels. MetroAccess fares will continue to be capped at $7.

Parking New fees range from $3.50 to $5, depending on the jurisdiction. Monthly reserved parking fees range from $45 to $65.

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

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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

‘Villages’ help neighbors stay neighbors By Ben Nuckols Weaver Shepperson has been blind for nearly 50 years. He’s lived alone since his wife died in 1999 and needs transportation several times a month to visit his doctors. Yet he doesn’t plan to move out of the row house in Washington’s historic Capitol Hill neighborhood where he’s lived since 1955. The 80-year-old is part of a burgeoning movement among older adults determined to stay in their homes as long as possible. With the help of nonprofit groups known as “villages,” they’re enjoying many of the perks that residents of retirement or assisted-living communities receive, at a fraction of the cost. Shepperson pays $530 annually for membership in Capitol Hill Village. It enables him to receive a ride to the doctor’s office from the village’s network of volunteers. The village also takes care of his grocery shopping. Without it, he says he might

have had to move into assisted living. “After the village became available, I stopped thinking about what my other alternatives would be,” he said. Capitol Hill Village is one of the oldest and most robust of the roughly 65 active villages nationwide. It’s been around four years and has more than 350 members. While the village movement is gaining momentum, it’s not yet an option available to the vast majority of older Americans. There also are questions about the longterm viability of the organizations.

Aging in place is popular The desire of Americans to live at home instead of moving into retirement or assisted-living communities — known as “aging in place” — has always been strong. AARP surveys consistently show that nearly 90 percent of people 65 and older want to stay in their homes as long as possible.

But what if you have to stop driving? Or can’t change light bulbs, maintain the yard, or get into the attic? For most people, there are few options beyond relying on relatives or neighbors. This was the dilemma that led a group of friends in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood to create the village concept. Beacon Hill Village began accepting members in 2002; Capitol Hill Village was one of the first to duplicate the model successfully. In addition to rides and other favors that volunteers can provide, most villages offer what they call a “concierge service” — a connection to a list of pre-screened vendors who can provide discounted services such as plumbing or home repair. About half of the nation’s villages are concentrated in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Between 10,000 and 13,000 people are members, according to the Village-toVillage Network, which tracks and coordi-

Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

Designed and managed for today’s seniors at these locations: ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY "#$%&'(!)$&%'*!410-761-4150 ! "#$%&'( +(,($%&!-&$.!410-544-3411 ! +(,($%& )/0123456!7218 )/0123456 ! /9*:&%;!1($$&'(!410-276-6440 ! 7<:;9=$>%?!410-542-4400 )/0123456!74@A18 ! 7&B<%9,>::(!410-719-9464 ! C#%;&:.!410-288-5483 ! "#::($B<%!410-663-0665 ! 3>$&D&$!0&%;>%?!410-391-8375 ! 5&%;&::9B<E%!410-655-5673 ! 5<9(;&:(!410-866-1886 ! 1<E9<%!F1>D<B*G!H<#9(I!410-828-7185 ! 1&G:<$!410-663-0363 ! J<<;:&E%!410-281-1120

6/+165A!+H456 ! 6&9B<%!410-770-3070 H/5"45C!74@A18 ! )<K!H>::!410-515-6115 ! )(:!/>$!410-893-0064 H4J/5C!74@A18 ! 7<:<%>&:!0&%;>%?!410-796-4399 ! 7<:#DL>&!410-381-1118 ! +%<E;(%!5>,($!410-290-0384 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BG!410-203-9501 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BG!22!410-203-2096 ! 6D($9<%!301-483-3322 -52A76!M645M6N+!74@A18 NOW! O! ):&;(%9L#$?!301-699-9785 *55 or Better ! 0&#$(:!301-490-1526 ! 0&#$(:!22!301-490-9730

EEEP-&$.Q>(E+(%><$0>,>%?P'<D Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email seniorliving@sheltergrp.com. Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

nates villages around the country. The Washington area is a hotspot for villages, with 17 up and running and another 10 under development. (See box on page B-3.)

Cost concerns Whether in Washington or elsewhere in the U.S., most villages are located in densely populated, relatively affluent urban or suburban communities. More than 90 percent of their members are white, according to a survey last year by the University of California, Berkeley. Despite their members’ deep pockets, no village has managed to fund itself through membership fees alone. All rely on donations, grants or, in some cases, the willingness of directors to run them for free. Andrew Scharlach, a Berkeley gerontologist who’s conducted the most extensive academic research on villages, said the village movement remains a boutique phenomenon. But he believes there’s potential for growth, and he doesn’t think memberships — which tend to average between $500 and $700 a year — are cost-prohibitive in most cases. “Two dollars, a dollar and a half a day is conceivably affordable,” Scharlach said. “I think one might conclude that the price of admission, the membership fee by itself, is not going to be an overwhelming barrier [even] for people of modest means.” Scharlach and other experts note that as baby boomers age, the demand for traditional services for the elderly will only increase, making villages a more attractive option. Maureen Cavaiola, the executive director of At Home Chesapeake, a village in Severna Park, Md., said the village model appeals to independent-minded boomers who don’t want to think of themselves as old. See VILLAGES, page B-3

156,434

PATIENTS CAN’T BE WRONG.

Heartland of Hyattsville Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation 6500 Riggs Road • Hyattsville, Maryland 20783

301-559-0300 *Number of patients admitted for post acute care in the last 12 months.

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

Villages From page B-2 Many villages have subsidized memberships for those who can’t afford the full price of a membership. Beacon Hill, for example, charges $640 for an individual membership and $925 for a household, but low-income members pay $110 for an individual or $160 for a household. About a quarter of Beacon Hill’s members are in the subsidized program, and there’s a small waiting list for inclusion, executive director Judy Willet said. Established villages like Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill have sophisticated fundraising operations, but even Beacon Hill lost members during the recession. Others are on much shakier ground.

Enticing residents, partners Cavaiola volunteers her time to lead At Home Chesapeake, another small village with 35 members. She’s exploring partnerships with companies that want to reach her member base, but unless she can dra-

matically increase membership, her village faces a bleak future. “It’s not sustainable, no, absolutely not. But I’m willing to push it through, probably another two years,” Cavaiola said. “I feel we’re on the cusp.” Other villages have tried to entice members with much-lower prices. The One Call Club in Knoxville, Tenn., was launched with the help of a grant and charges just $50 for a membership. But the grant runs out in July, program manager Kathy Sergeant said, and it needs 2,700 members to be sustainable. It has 500 now. The University of Tennessee evaluates One Call Club members and has found that emergency room visits have declined among people who join the village. Members have also reported that their overall health has either held steady or improved since joining. Some villages are open to middle-aged people or to people of all ages. Casey Chandler, 65, has been a member of Capitol Hill Village since it launched, and so far she’s volunteered to help others more than she’s used the services. But she still says

Villages in Greater Washington The following villages are currently open in the Washington area:

District of Columbia • Capitol Hill Village, www.capitolhillvillage.org • Dupont Circle Village, www.dupontcirclevillage.org • Georgetown Village, www.georgetown-village.org • Glover Park Village, www.gloverparkvillage.org • Northwest Neighbors Village, www.nwnv.org • Palisades Village, www.palisadesvillage.org In addition, villages are under development in Cleveland Park, West End and Foggy Bottom in the District, along with a village project by the D.C. Office on Aging.

Maryland • Aging in Place – Hyattsville, lwalker510@earthlink.net • Bannockburn Neighbors Assisting Neighbors, bannockburncommunity.org • Burning Tree Village, www.burningtreevillage.org • Chevy Chase at Home, www.chevychaseathome.org • Olney Home for Life, mikegreenhut@gmail.com In Maryland, villages in Cheverly, downtown Silver Spring, Garrett Park and Glen Echo Heights are planned.

Virginia • At Home in Alexandria, www.athomeinalexandria.org • Mosby Woods Village, mosbywoodsvillage@gmail.com • Mount Vernon at Home, www.mountvernonathome.org • Reston for a Lifetime, www.restonforalifetime.org • Vertical Village at Wildwood,erivas@voa.org In Virginia, villages in Arlington, Lake Barcroft and McLean are planned.

COUNCIL HOUSE 

Providing Independent Living for Seniors 62 & older or handicapped. No Smoking Building. Now accepting applications for our Waiting List. Limited income rules apply. 3940 Bexley Place, Suitland, Maryland 20747

(301) 423-0228

she’s getting her money’s worth. Those who rely on villages can’t imagine living any other way. Irving Lindenblad, 82, joined Palisades Village in northwest Washington a few years ago along with his wife, who died last year. Lindenblad had kidney cancer, and would have moved into assisted living if it weren’t for the village. Lindenblad died shortly after this interview.

B-3

“If you already have your own house, this opens up a whole new field for you….Every one of the volunteers I’ve had has been very high-quality, educated and so on,” Lindenblad said. “What surprised me pleasantly is how much of a spirit of generosity there is in the community.” — AP, with additional reporting by Barbara Ruben

BEACON BITS

July 12+

LUNCH AND LECTURES

Hear from a variety of lecturers while enjoying a lunch hosted by Seniors Organized for Change on Thursdays this July, from 10:4511:45 a.m. at the Ring House, 1801 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, Md. Dr. Kristaps Paddock will give a lecture called “The Healing Powers of Nature” on July 12, Piotr Gajewski of the National Philharmonic on July 19, and Mark Kirkorian about current immigration issues on July 26. The cost is $5, and reservations are required. Call Debbie Sokobin at (301) 348-3760.

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

Advice on how to hire home care providers Excerpted from “Receiving Care at Home” by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. Q. How do I choose a home care agency? A. Given the number of agencies available in the area, you may want to compare one to another. Ask for referrals from friends who may have used an agency. Check for quality of services and possible infractions. You can also check with the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau, which will have a record of any specific complaint lodged against an agency. You may find some of these questions helpful in narrowing down your choices: • Depending on your needs, does the agency provide both nursing and non-medical/personal care? • What are the qualifications and training of the workers?

• Are the workers supervised, and if so, by whom? • Are there a minimum number of hours required? • Is there a written description of services and fees? Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a home care agency? A. The home health agency provides you with a number of advantages. The agency will create and implement a comprehensive care plan and coordinate this with you and the physician, and manage the administrative details, such as payroll (including state, federal, unemployment, Social Security, disability taxes, workers’ compensation, and paperwork like the I-9 employment eligibility form), screening and supervisory oversight. Another advantage of hiring through an

agency is that they can provide you with a variety of caregivers for back-up coverage so that, in most instances, you will not be without care should one caregiver be unavailable. A commonly cited disadvantage is the cost. The home care agency is usually more expensive than hiring a person privately. Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring privately? A. When you hire a person privately, you become the employer and take on the administrative and supervisory roles as additional responsibilities. However, because the nature of the work is very personal, and the relationship is key, some people prefer to search for an individual whose temperament will be most compatible with their own. The other reasons that you may choose to hire privately include:

• You have more control over the duties and responsibilities. • The cost is typically lower than that of an agency. • You will determine the scheduling. If you decide to hire an independent caregiver you should be prepared to: • Locate potential caregivers, • Screen applicants, • Conduct interviews, • Run background checks, and • Administer payroll, including Social Security and other taxes. Q. How do I find an independent caregiver? A. Getting referrals from people you trust will be your first step. People in your community, church, synagogue, mosque or spiritual affiliation may be able to assist See HOME CARE, page B-5

BEACON BITS CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

July 26+

UNDERSTANDING REVERSE MORTGAGES

Free presentations on the pros and cons of reverse mortgages explore the ways this financial vehicle can tap the equity in your home for extra cash. The presentations will be held on Thursday, July 26, 1:30 p.m. at Langston-Brown Senior Center, 2121 N. Culpeper St., Arlington, Va., and on Monday, July 30, 1:30 p.m. at Aurora Hills Senior Center, 735 S. 18th St., Arlington, Va. To register, call (703) 228-6300 for Langston-Brown, or (703) 2285722 for Aurora Hills.

Riderwood 301-495-5700 3140 Graceﬁeld Road Silver Spring, MD 20904 Ideally located in Silver Spring, Riderwood offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle―all in a beautiful, private community. Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Riderwood’s many clubs and interest groups. Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

ASSISTED LIVING

Ongoing

FREE HOME REPAIR IF YOU QUALIFY

Fairfax County’s Home Repair for the Elderly program provides minor home repairs to eligible low- and moderate-income homeowners who are over 62, disabled or have disabled family members. The county will provide up to one week’s labor and up to $500 in materials. Complete information is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/rha/seniorhousing/hrep.htm. To request an application or for more information, call (703) 246-5154 or send a text message to (703) 385-3578.

Ongoing

NEW CAREGIVING WEBSITE

A new website, PGCaregiving.com, recently launched to connect Prince George’s County, Md. residents who are providing care for aging, ill or disabled loved ones with professional resources that are available to help them. The online guide to caregiving resources can be accessed at www.pgcaregiving.com.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

The Solana Olney (301) 570-2611

Covenant Village (301) 540-1162

2611 Olney Sandy Spring Road Olney, MD 20832 www.brookdaleliving.com/solana-olney.aspx

18889 Waring Station Road Germantown, MD 20874 www.qpmgmt.com

The Solana® Olney, now under construction in Olney, Maryland, provides Personalized Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care options for seniors. Our community will open this Fall, offering residents an intellectually stimulating, physically invigorating and emotionally fulfilling life. Those who desire to retain their independence but do not require the skilled nursing care provided in nursing homes will appreciate our friendly staff’s assistance with activities of daily living. We also provide specially-designed programs and care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia-related illnesses. At The Solana Olney you and your loved one will enjoy a stylish, comfortable and inviting community environment to share with neighbors and friends, along with all the features and amenities needed to enhance your personal lifestyle. We invite you to call to learn more.

• Spacious 2 bedroom plans with washer/dryer in each apt. • Covenant Village shuttle bus for shopping and local trips • Fitness room, billiard room, game/crafts room, movie theatre • On-site beauty salon, garden plots It’s all about our residents, says Kathy, the Property Manager. The staff ensures that the residents always have interesting and exciting activities going on. Some of the fun includes movie nights, new resident meet and greet, holiday parties, fashion shows, and community dinners. Attendance at the wine and cheese and ice cream socials is close to 100%. Covenant Village was recently awarded a trophy by the Property Management Association for being Maryland’s Best Affordable Community in their category! Please call today to make an appointment for a tour.

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Home care From page B-4 you in your search for a caregiver. Your primary care physician may have recommendations for caregivers. Disease-specific organizations such as the ALS Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, American Parkinson Disease Association, American Heart Association and others may know of independent caregivers who are looking for work. They may also be able to provide recommendations from families who have used them in the past. Check with your local senior center or senior clubs as they may have a list of individual caregivers. Word of mouth can often be your best route for finding the right person. [You can also check classified ads, but be sure to ask for three references and speak to all of them.] Q. Are there professionals who can assist with this process? A. If you are having difficulty finding a caregiver to meet your needs, you might want to consider using a Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) to assist you. This is usually a nurse or a social worker who can assist with evaluation and overseeing a care plan. A care manager would be able to assist you in the hiring and interviewing process, as well as ongoing monitoring once you have a caregiver in place. This is especially helpful if you are a family member of someone who needs care and you live a distance from your family member. Some care managers work independently and others may work through an agency. In either instance, the amount the care manager would charge for services and costs would vary based on the type and amount of service you require. Prior to enlisting the services of a GCM, you should ask for a fee schedule for his or her services. Q. What questions would I need to ask a potential caregiver? A. Once you have candidates for the position, you will need to conduct interviews. You can narrow the field by first conducting a telephone interview. During the conversation confirm: • Number of days per week and hours per day you will expect them to work • Caregiving duties and expectations • Salary and benefits

• That they have a valid driver’s license • Smoking policy After successfully screening applicants over the phone, you will want to meet them for a more in-depth interview. Each caregiving situation is unique, so your questions should reflect your needs and preferences and the requirements related to the work. Having another person with you at the time of the inter view will help you compare observations and notes once the meeting is over. Here are some examples of questions you may want to include in the discussion: • What has been your prior work experience? • What are your qualifications? • Have you worked with people with similar impairments? • How did you decide to work in this field? • Do you have a resume and/or references that can be contacted? • Do you have any health restrictions that would limit your ability to do the job? • Do you own a car and have a valid driver’s license? • Are you able to prepare meals? (if that’s something you want) • Can you commit to the days and hours required? When the meeting comes to an end, you will want to let the individual know that you will need to conduct a background check and that you will call them as soon as it is complete. While you may feel uncomfortable asking for this, it may be useful to know that this is a routine process used by home health agencies and nursing homes. Confirm a telephone number and address where the individual can be reached for follow up. Q. How can I do a background check? A. It is always advisable to conduct a background check to verify past employment, check references, and verify credentials that they say they have. Call past employers that the candidates listed as references. Ask: • How long was the person employed? • Why were their services terminated? • Were they dependable? • Would you rehire them? If you have Internet access, you may be

able to locate a company that will perform a background check online for you for a minimal fee. Examples of such companies are: • www.knowx.com • www.backgroundcheckgateway.com Additional information beyond the basic search is sometimes offered at an additional cost. If the candidate states they are a certified nurse’s aide (CNA), confirm in which state they hold the certificate. Obtain the certificate number and Social Security number of the candidate and call the state’s Department of Health to confirm certification. *Note: You will need a signed release from potential employees stating that they agree to a background check. There should also be a place for their Social Security number on the release. Q. How do I ensure that the caregiv-

er understands and agrees to the responsibilities? A. Once you have reviewed all of the interview material, completed background checks and contacted references, you can make your decision. Call the person as soon as possible to confirm the job position. You should make an appointment to meet with him or her to review the job responsibilities. You may want to have your caregiver sign a written contract. Prepare two copies of the contract so you each retain a signed original. In this written contract, be sure to clearly explain the following items: • Starting date of position, • The hours and days of employment, • Time off/vacation policy, • Pay scale, benefits, and pay periods, and • The person responsible for supervision and job performance monitoring.

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

Hiring a contractor? Follow these steps By David Pitt Anyone who has ever wanted to remodel a kitchen or a bathroom knows how such projects tend to linger. When times are tight, homeowners often put off renovations as they cut back on anything but necessities. All told, spending on remodeling and repairs fell from $326 billion at the 2007 peak to an estimated $280 billion last year, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard. And a languishing housing market will mean a slow recovery. “There’s a huge labor pool out there of

people who may be qualified in their particular area, but not qualified to manage or run an entire remodeling project,” said Dean Herriges, president-elect of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). “The market is flooded with people who may think they’re capable of doing remodeling projects, but they’re not.” The economy has been hard on contractors who saw work dry up. That has created a lot of eager carpenters, plumbers, drywall installers and others looking for work. So if you’re looking to a contractor

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you may be able to find an attractive price, but choose carefully. Here are five key steps to follow in the hiring process. 1. Obtain referrals There are several ways to find potential contractors. Usually the easiest is to begin by seeking recommendations from family members and friends. Tap into social networking sites, such as Facebook, to expand your reach. Keep in mind though that anyone making a personal referral may not have had the same type of work done or a similar budget. Another option is to join the consumer-reviews website Angie’s List at http://www.angieslist.com and research contractors there. Joining requires a monthly fee, often around $5, although it’s cheaper if you sign up for a year or more. Suggestions could also come from local professionals who do business with reliable contractors, including your city’s building inspector or a lumber supply store. 2. Interview candidates Armed with a list, make some calls to get a sense for how comfortable you’ll be with them working in and around your home. NARI suggests a list of questions to ask a potential contractor at http://www.nari.org. They include: • How long have you been in business? • Who will be assigned as project supervisor for the job, and will workers be employees or subcontractors? • Does your company carry workers compensation and liability insurance? • How many projects like mine have you completed in the past year? • May I have a list of references from those projects and a list of business referrals or suppliers? • Do you belong to any professional associations? 3. Avoid red flags During your search it’s helpful to know a few sure signs of trouble. For example, a contractor offering an extremely low bid signals he’s likely cutting costs with cheap material or on labor. Poor quality materials, or a contractor rushing to get a project done cheaply, will end in disaster. “You’re shopping for a final finished product. That doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest price,” said Herriges, who is also a contractor in Mukwonago, Wis. “You’re shopping for value.” Here are a few other red flags from a potential contractor: • There’s a request for significant money up front, say more than a third. It’s a sign there may be cash flow issues. • There’s a demand to be paid in cash only.

• The contractor doesn’t have a physical business address, just a post office box number. • The contractor sought you out saying he was in the area and wanted to give you a discount. 4. Narrow the field From the calls, winnow your choices down to three. Double check references to make sure past projects were done on time, at the expected price, and that the quality and cleanup was satisfactory. State consumer affairs or consumer protection agencies often register contractors and keep records of complaints. To check whether a contractor is licensed in Maryland, use the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) search engine, http://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq, and for a more in-depth background check, past complaints can be researched by calling the DLLR (410) 230-6309. The Virginia website, http://www.dpor. state.va.us/regulantlookup, is another resource for background checks, with a listing of complaint history. To check whether a contractor is licensed in D.C., use the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs website, http://cpms.dcra.dc.gov/BBLV/default.a spx. Maryland, D.C. and Virginia all require proof of licensing before a contractor can apply for necessary permits. The Better Business Bureau also is a resource for checking on past complaints. After all of the background checks, set up face-to-face meetings with those who pass your initial screen to discuss your project and get written estimates. Make sure to ask for an estimate that breaks down material and labor costs so you’ll be able to make specific service comparisons. 5. Finalize the deal Get an agreement in writing. A formal contract will provide protection in case something goes wrong. For instance, problems may arise if the contractor doesn’t pay his suppliers. If he still owes money on the material or labor used in your project, you’ll want to have a lien waiver in place. This prevents a lumber company or subcontractor from placing a lien on your home for the contractor’s unpaid bills. Also ask for a certificate of insurance proving the contractor has liability and workman’s compensation insurance in case there’s an accident. The contract also should include details including a beginning date, a completion date, and how payments will be made. It’s typical to pay a third up front, a third when the project is half done, and the final third once the job is done and meets your expectations. —AP

Pull out this section and keep.

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

Communities for life By Roberta Schultz Benor A continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also called a life care community, is one where both your current requirements and your future medical needs are met. Its contract provides for lifelong housing of independent living, assisted living, medical care services, and long-term care, including skilled nursing services. An inviting aspect of this kind of housing is that you can move in while you are able to live independently and still remain at the facility should you get sick or become unable to care for yourself. Many of these facilities emphasize preventative healthcare. The services include meals, housekeeping, transportation, personal care assistance and activities. Most CCRCs have restrictions on age, assets, income, health and mobility. You may or may not have to move to different sections in the same facility depending on the level of care you need. There are two parts to your financial obligation. You are responsible for an entrance fee, which in many contracts becomes part of your estate when you die, and for the monthly payments, whether you own or rent the unit. There are several types of contracts: extensive (provides unlimited long-term care without much increase in the monthly fees), modified (designates a specific

amount of care beyond which you pay additional fees), or fee-for-service (requires you to pay for health services at daily nursing care rates). It’s important to read all the fine print, and a good idea to contact an attorney to advise you on specifics for that facility. There is a national Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC), which sets standards and conducts evaluations of many facilities. When you visit a facility, ask if they have such an evaluation and review it. Be sure to tour all the areas that provide the different levels of care to help you decide if this kind of senior housing is right for you. The good points of this kind of housing: You may remain in the same facility, or at least on the same campus, from when you move in until you die. This continuity relieves the anxiety about having to move to another setting. The bad points of this kind of housing: You may have to pay a large entrance fee. Your neighbors will be at various points along the health spectrum, and when you move in as a healthy person, you may not want to be around those who are ailing. However, you’ll know that should you someday become ill, it is still your home. Excerpted from The Keys to Senior Housing: A Guide for Two Generations, available at www.amazon.com or from Publish America by calling (240) 529-1031.

Big & small ways to save on energy costs By Patricia Mertz Esswein You can’t do much about how much energy costs, but you can control how much of it you use. One place to start is with a home energy audit. Do-it-yourselfers can try Energy Star’s Home Energy Yardstick (www.energystar.gov) or, for a more in-depth look, the Home Energy Saver, developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (http://hes.lbl.gov/consumer). For a more rigorous evaluation, you could hire an energy auditor. The auditor will size up your home inside and out —basement to attic — and run tests to measure the efficiency of your heating equipment and the leakiness of your home’s exterior. A typical audit takes three to four hours and costs $250 to $600. Local utilities can offer discounted audits. Pepco offers a free one-hour home examination. Customers can call 1-866-353-5798 or go to http://homeenergysavings.pepco.com/quic k-home-energy-check-up-program. Pepco also offers a more comprehensive audit for $100. Dominion Power’s Home Energy Improvement program offers a free energy audit for income-qualifying customers. Call 1-888-366-8280 for more information or go to http://dom.com/dominion-virginiapower/customer-service/energy-conservation/home-energy-improvement.jsp.

The Department of Energy estimates that the average U.S. household pays a hefty $1,900 annually in utility bills. The biggest slices are likely to be heating and cooling (about 40 percent), and water heating and lighting (each about 10 percent). With a few no-sweat moves, you can reduce your annual costs by $250 to $300.

Turning down costs Start attacking your heating and cooling bills by using a programmable thermostat. Set the temperature as high as you can tolerate it in the summer and as low as possible in winter, and program the thermostat for greater energy savings when you’re sleeping or away from the house. In summer, for example, every degree you set your air conditioning above 72 degrees will save you 3 to 5 percent on your energy bill. You’ll make an even bigger dent if you reduce “solar gain” from sundrenched windows by closing curtains or shades during the day. If you haven’t replaced incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, target your home’s five most-used or hardest-to-reach fixtures — say, in your kitchen or family room.

Appliance and hot water tips Use your dishwasher’s air-dry option, or See ENERGY COSTS, page B-8

B-7

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Gardens of Traville 301-762-5224 14431 Traville Garden Circle Rockville, MD 20850 www.pinnacleams.com/gardensoftraville Welcome to a new and unique apartment community created exclusively for seniors featuring spacious one and two bedroom apartment homes. The Gardens of Traville, for adults age 62 and better, combines the conveniences of premier independent living with the advantages of a rental community. Apartment homes feature fully equipped kitchens, upgraded bathrooms and emergency response systems. The community offers a hair salon, computer center, wellness center and game room, as well as large community lounges to host special events and activities. We are conveniently located in a tranquil area of Rockville adjacent to Traville Shopping Center. Lease today and learn why our residents love to call us home!

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bgf.org Situated amid the natural beauty of a 220-acre campus just down the road from historic Sandy Spring, Maryland, Brooke Grove Village has been an innovator in continuing care for seniors for more than 60 years. With the ongoing growth of our independent living community, The Cottages, Brooke Grove Retirement Village adds to decades of expertise in assisted living, nursing and rehabilitation, respite care, and specialized support for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss. Call for a personalized tour or visit us on the Web at www.bgf.org.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

The Village at Rockville 301-424-9560 9701 Veirs Drive Rockville, MD 20850-3462 www.thevillageatrockville.org The Village at Rockville excels in short-stay rehabilitative, respite and hospice care, as well as longer-term 24-hour skilled nursing services. For residents with higher care needs, we also offer dementia/ Alzheimer’s care, post-surgical wound care, and TPN. For over 120 years we have been the flagship quality senior care community in Maryland, attested to by the 98% of residents and families who would recommend us to others. Residential living cottages are also available on our campus. Open to people of all faiths, we accept Medicare/Medicaid, private pay and private insurances. Stop by or visit our website at www.thevillageatrockville.org.

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Housing Notes By Barbara Ruben

D.C. seniors and rent control Seniors who live in rent-controlled apartments in Washington, D.C. are eligible for special rent-increase limits â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but they must apply each year for the benefit. Surprisingly, many older adults do not even know that their apartments are rentcontrolled. For residents of rent-controlled apartments who are age 62 or older or who are disabled, rent cannot be increased more than the lower of 5 percent or the amount that the

Consumer Price Index rose over the past year. From June 2011 through May 2012, the Consumer Price Index rose 1.7 percent. For those under age 62, rate increases are limited to the Consumer Price Index plus 2 percent. The maximum increase is capped at 10 percent. Rent controls generally apply to apartments that were built before 1975, arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t federally subsidized, and are owned by someone who owns more than four units. To take advantage of the controlled rent, tenants must fill out a form each year and provide proof of age and address. The application form is available online at http://bit.ly/seniorsrentcontrol or call (202) 719-6560. To learn whether a particular apartment is rent-controlled, call the D.C. Rental Accommodations Office at (202) 442-9505.

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

New book on independent living In Independent for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods for an Aging America, former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and a team of experts address the need for better ways to keep older adults living independently in their homes (known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;aging in placeâ&#x20AC;?) and the substantial changes in ways of thinking and building communities it will require. The book, published by University of Texas Press in March, covers a wide range of solutions, including remodeling current housing and building new homes for accessibility and safety, retrofitting existing neighborhoods to better provide needed services

Energy costs From page B-7 turn it off and crack the door after the final rinse. To save on hot water, keep your showers short, and switch from the hot wash/warm rinse setting on your washing machine to warm/cold or cold/cold. If you need to replace or add an appliance, big or small, buy an Energy Star model. One-fourth of all American homes have an energy-sucking second refrigerator, usually retired from the kitchen to the

A lot more than you thought. For a lot less than you think. Welcome to the Village at Rockville, the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest value in Independent Senior Living.

and amenities, and planning new communities that work well for people of all ages. Case studies show how the proposals can be implemented. The authors offer action plans for working with policy makers at local, state and national levels to address the larger issues of aging in place â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including family financial security, real estate markets, and the limitations of public support. Lists of resources, including a detailed â&#x20AC;&#x153;to doâ&#x20AC;? list of aging-in-place priorities and an individual home assessment, are also included. The book, which is available for $24.95 in paperback, can be purchased online at www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/cisind.html and at other online retailers, such as Amazon. See HOUSING NOTES, page B-10

garage or basement. And stop the drain of â&#x20AC;&#x153;vampireâ&#x20AC;? appliances and electronics that use energy even when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re turned off. For a listing of financial incentives to save energy, visit http://www.dsireusa.org. Patricia Mertz Esswein is an associate editor at Kiplingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. ÂŠ Kiplingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personal Finance

FREE UPGRADES Customize your new cottage at The Village at Rockville to match your personal style: a $15,000 Value! Call for details. s &LEXIBLE lNANCIAL PLANS s ,IMITED MONTH TO MONTH RENTALS AVAILABLE s 0ETS WELCOME s #ONVENIENT TO SHOPS AND DINING

9OU PROBABLY DIDN T REALIZE THAT 4HE Village at Rockville included a friendly NEIGHBORHOOD OF ONE AND TWO BEDROOM COTTAGE HOMES WITHIN A BEAUTIFUL ACRE ENCLAVE 9OU GET ALL THE BENElTS OF HOME OWNERSHIP WITHOUT THE BURDEN OF UPKEEP

and maintenanceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we take care of all of that for you, inside and out. An ADDITIONAL BENElT 9OU HAVE ACCESS TO OUR !SSISTED ,IVING OPENING $ECEMBER 2012, as well as Short and Long Term Care.

What else donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you know about The Village at Rockville? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you owe it to yourself to learn more? Call 877-405-1590 to schedule your personal tour of a Cottage Home.

877-405-1590

9701 Veirs Drive s Rockville, MD 20850 s 877-405-1590 s www.thevillageatrockville.org The Village at Rockville is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

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

FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION For free information from advertisers in this special section, check those that interest you and mail the entire page to the Beacon. Please do not request info if you are not interested. All replies will have an equal chance to win.

D.C HOUSING: ❑ Friendship Terrace . . . . . . .B-13 ❑ St. Mary’s Court . . . . . . . . .B-11

MARYLAND HOUSING: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Asbury Village . . . .B-10 & B-11 Brooke Grove . . . . . .B-7 & B-16 Council House . . . . . . . . . . .B-3 Covenant Village . .B-4 and B-15 Emerson House . .B-12 and B-15 Gardens of Traville . . .B-5 & B-7 Park View at Bladensburg . .B-2 Park View at Columbia . . . . .B-2

❑ Park View at Ellicott City . . .B-2 ❑ Park View at Laurel . . . . . . . B-2 ❑ Quantum Affordable Md. Communities . . . . . . . . . . .B-15 ❑ Riderwood . . . . . . .B-4 & B-11 ❑ Solana of Olney . . .B-4 & B-13 ❑ Springvale Terrace . . . . . . .B-6 ❑ Village at Rockville . .B-7 & B-8

VIRGINIA HOUSING: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Arleigh Burke Pavilion . . . . .B-3 Ashby Ponds . . . . .B-11 & B-12 Chancellor’s Village .B-5 & B-10 Chesterbrook . . . . . . . . . . . .B-6

❑ The Fairmont . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5 ❑ Greenspring . . . . . .B-10 & B-11 ❑ Quantum Affordable Va. Communities . . . . . . . . . . .B-15 ❑ Sommerset . . . . . .B-11 & B-12

IN-HOME CARE: ❑ Elder Options . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8 ❑ Joyful Living . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

MISCELLANEOUS: ❑ Heartlands of Hyattsville . . .B-2 ❑ Keller Williams Realty/ Lisa Langlais . . . . . . . . . . .B-15

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this entire coupon to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227. You may also include the housing info coupon on page 5. One entry per household please. Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________ Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ WB 7/12

Please provide your telephone number or e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

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CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Greenspring 703-913-1200 7410 Spring Village Drive Springﬁeld, VA 22150 Situated in beautiful Springfield, Greenspring is retirement living at its best. Every apartment home in this 108-acre gated community is 100% maintenance-free. So rather than worrying about the house and the yard, you can spend more time pursuing your passions. Travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Greenspring’s many clubs and interest groups. Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Asbury Methodist Village 301-637-0344 201 Russell Avenue Gaithersburg, MD 20877 www.AsburyMethodistVillage.org Ever dreamed of having your own wildlife preserve? Becoming a television reporter? Entertaining guests from all over the world? Seeing your work displayed in a gallery? Maybe it’s just living without worries and with a secure plan for the future? At Asbury Methodist Village, your only limit is your imagination. Explore our 130-acre campus in the heart of Montgomery County, and you’ll see how easy it is to live life the way you want. With eight different neighborhoods, including the brand-new Courtyard Homes, there’s something for every taste and budget. Learn more by scheduling a tour any day of the week, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Saturday, or Sunday by appointment.

INDEPENDENT & ASSISTED LIVING

Chancellor’s Village 540-786-5000 12100 Chancellor’s Village Lane Fredericksburg, Virginia 22407 www.seniorlifestyle.com Chancellor’s Village is Virginia’s only Senior Lifestyle Community with both independent and assisted living. Spacious apartments are available in many floor plans and each residence also includes a porch or patio. Nestled on 10 acres between Washington, DC and Richmond, VA. Our amenities package is strong on service and personal care, and is included in the monthly fee! The amenities at Chancellor’s Village include individual laundry and linen service, three chef-inspired meals each day, abundant recreational, cultural and entertainment choices, a wellness center with an on-staff personal trainer, complimentary transportation as you need it and much more. To schedule your visit, call (540) 786-5000.

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

What hoarding is and what to do about it It’s good to keep essentials on hand for the future. But some people take this to an extreme, acquiring and accumulating objects of dubious value (such as old newspapers, mail, lists, etc.) in such large and disorderly quantities that their living space is filled and normal use of the home becomes dangerous or impossible. The problem is known as compulsive hoarding. In the past, this problem often remained out of sight, partly because compulsive hoarders tend to avoid having visitors and rarely seek help. More recently, television shows such as “Hoarders” and “Hoarding: Buried Alive” have increased public awareness by presenting a vivid picture of hoarding to millions of viewers. Mental health professionals are also taking a fresh look at the problem and have proposed making “hoarding disorder” a distinct category in the diagnostic manual used by psychiatrists. What’s behind hoarding? It’s unclear where compulsive hoarding comes from; research has shown that it isn’t correlated with material or emotional deprivation earlier in life. Psychologists have identified a pattern of cognitive and emotional difficulties that underlie hoarding symptoms. These are as follows: Indecisiveness and fear of making mistakes. By never choosing to throw anything out and constantly accumulating things “just in case,” the hoarder tries to avoid making wrong decisions or having regrets. Difficulty categorizing. A person who has a hard time sorting objects into categories can find it difficult to decide which

drawer something belongs in. For a person who has difficulty distinguishing between valuable and worthless items, keeping old supermarket flyers may seem as sensible as keeping last year’s tax return. Concerns about memory. A hoarder may have unjustified doubts about the reliability of her memory and therefore avoid putting things away for fear of not being able to find them again. Dresser drawers remain empty while clothes pile up on furniture and the floor. Old newspapers and magazines are saved for fear the information in them will be forgotten if they’re not kept on hand. Emotional attachment to objects. A hoarder often comes to see beauty and value in clutter and develops a sentimental attachment to it. This heightens her enthusiasm for acquiring things and reluctance to discard them. Need for control. The hoarder usually doesn’t want anyone else to make decisions about her possessions, so it can be difficult for the family to help. Over the years, compulsive hoarding takes an increasing emotional, financial and sometimes physical toll. The home becomes unsafe. The stove may be piled with junk and the hallways blocked. Accumulated dust and mold may trigger asthma and other allergic reactions. Guests may be forbidden. “Family members are much more likely to seek help than the hoarder. Hoarders are reluctant to change,” said Dr. Michael Jenike, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and founder of the hoarding clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital. Family interventions don’t always help.

Housing notes

healthy, active and engaged in their communities for as long as possible. The network is affiliated with WHO’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, an international effort to get cities and towns prepared for two significant ongoing trends: rapid population aging and increasing urbanization. “As communities become more agefriendly, people of all ages will find them more appealing,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “Not only older people, but mothers with strollers and exjoggers with knee problems will welcome crosswalks with countdown clocks and mid-crossing safe havens. You shouldn’t have to be a former Olympic sprinter to get across the street before the light changes.” Portland, Ore., was named America’s first Age-Friendly City by the WHO in 2008. New York followed in 2010. With that distinction they joined more than 50 cities around the world that have implemented user-friendly changes based on ideas and suggestions raised in discussions with older adults about their daily lives. For more information, see http:// bitly.com/agefriendlycommunities.

From page B-8

Communities becoming “age-friendly” AARP, in affiliation with the World Health Organization (WHO), recently launched the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities across the United States. The goal of this program is to provide a system to educate, encourage, promote and recognize improvements that make cities and towns more user-friendly not only for their older residents but for residents of all ages. This year, AARP will pilot the network in seven states and the District of Columbia. AARP expects to expand the network to other states in the future. The pilot states in AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities will identify and support communities that want to improve the physical and social environments of the city or town’s elders and help them remain

See HOARDING, page B-11

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

Hoarding

Treating hoarding

From page B-10 The hoarder may resist efforts to get her to hire a professional cleaner. Extra storage units may simply be filled up. Relatives or friends may try to strong-arm a hoarder into getting rid of her stuff, but that tactic often ends disastrously, causing lifelong resentments. “You need someone to negotiate for you,” said Jenike. “In some cases, a person isn’t going to deal with this until the Board of Health gets involved.”

What to do? A lot depends on whether the hoarder wants to change. A motivated person with relatively mild symptoms may be able to use a self-help program or work with a professional organizer. But most hoarders need professional therapeutic help. Treatment can be difficult and lengthy and may require several approaches. First, it’s important to find a good physician, mental health professional or neurologist who can determine whether the hoarder has any underlying or contribut-

How to help a hoarder 1. Listen. Let the person tell his/her story. Respect the person’s perspective and attachment to the possessions. Don’t tease or criticize. 2. Go slow. There’s no need to rush changes unless the person’s living situation is unsafe or she needs to move to smaller quarters or a nursing facility. 3. Engage. Involve the hoarder in decisions about where to put things and what to throw out. 4. Notice other changes. If there are signs of other cognitive or emotional problems, arrange for a professional evaluation. For example, hiding belongings or spending a lot of time rummaging

through stuff can be a sign of dementia. 5. Provide structure and emotional support. During the de-cluttering process, keep the person company and help her stay focused on one area at a time. 6. Lift and tote. An elderly hoarder may need family, friends or professional cleaners or movers to help with handling the clutter. 7. Work with others. More than 75 communities have hoarding task forces that address psychiatric, legal, geriatric and housing concerns. One possible source of information is your local office on aging. — Harvard Women’s Health Watch

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ing conditions that can be treated along with the hoarding itself, such as attention deficit disorder, depression, schizophrenia, dementia, eating disorders, head injuries, and certain personality disorders. There are no specific anti-hoarding medications. Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) hasn’t worked well either, often because patients are reluctant to participate. Therapists have been getting better results with specially designed behavioral therapy programs. The therapy helps hoarders identify and confront distorted thinking or beliefs, bolster their organizational and decision-making skills, and cope

B-11

with (and lessen) their anxiety about discarding or organizing possessions. TV shows — particularly those that emphasize cleanup services rather than therapy — can present a distorted picture of the serious work involved. Cleanup alone is almost never a long-term solution. To find a therapist with experience in the treatment of hoarding, check the treatment provider listing in the hoarding section of the International OCD Foundation Web site. — Harvard Women’s Health Watch © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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

Getting the best care at a nursing home By Linda A. Johnson Finding the right nursing home for an elderly loved one is a daunting task. And it’s one most of us will face, as two-thirds of people over 65 will need nursing home care, at least temporarily, according to AARP. It’s best if you can research facilities in advance, but that’s not always possible. A sudden illness or injury may force you to confront these concerns sooner than you expect. Either way, here are several key considerations:

Stay close The biggest influence on the quality of care nursing home patients receive is often the frequency of visits by friends and family. Make sure you’ll be allowed to visit when you want — from early morning to late evening — to fit your schedule and enable you to monitor care at different times.

Once your loved one is in a nursing home, drop by frequently, sometimes without notice. In the afternoon, see whether residents are enjoying interesting activities together or watching TV alone. At meal times, note how much your mom or dad eats. Stay late sometimes. After your loved one has fallen asleep, remain until he or she wakes up to go to the bathroom. If no one responds quickly to a ring for assistance, that’s a serious problem, said Amy Goyer, AARP’s caregiving expert and blogger. Residents forced to get up and go by themselves risk serious injury.

Get references There are several sources for referrals. Your local Area Agency on Aging or hospital discharge planners can provide listings of See NURSING CARE, page B-13

Ratings don’t tell the whole story The government’s Nursing Home Compare website (www.Medicare.gov/ NHCompare) provides, among other information, “five star quality ratings” for each home indicating “much below average” to “much above average” for health inspections, staffing and quality measures. Later this year, the ratings are expected to start incorporating new quality measures based on nursing home resident assessments. The analysis below is based on the ratings as they have been done up to this point. According to a 2011 study, the scoring system government agencies use to rate nursing home quality does not provide an adequate evaluation because it does not take into account the degree of cognitive impairment of their patient populations and whether facilities include a specialized dementia unit. Focusing on statistics from Minnesota, researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute reported on the inadequacy of quality of care indicators for nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological systems related to dementia in the study published in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. “Measuring quality of care is complicated, but we really need to do a better job,” said Dr. Arif Nazir, assistant professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and the study’s author. “We are a society that looks to scores for everything from cars to hotels, but for nursing homes, scorecards aren’t the endgame.”

Poor ratings may cause facilities with the most experience with dementia to be overlooked or rejected by those seeking placement for a family member who needs these services. A low score is given, for example, for worsening of behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with cognitive impairment. However, this decline may be due to the natural progression of the disease, and not necessarily because quality of care is poor, according to the study. “A facility with a large number of cognitively impaired residents and with staff members who are trained to help them will receive a lower score than a facility with fewer cognitively impaired residents,” Nazir said. “The scoring system for nursing homes doesn’t accurately evaluate the quality of care provided to individuals with dementia, and it needs to be changed.” He strongly counsels against using only the one-to-five-star ratings on the federal and state websites to make a placement decision. In addition to looking at scorecards, he suggests families also investigate the patient-to-staff ratio; whether prompt quality medical care is available to residents when needed; cleanliness of the facility; and proximity to family members who may visit. He also recommends consulting the checklist on the Nursing Home Compare website for other considerations before making a nursing home placement decision. — Indiana University School of Medicine

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

B-13

Builders cite rise in ‘mother-in-law suites’ By John Byrd and Monica Rhor After retiring, Dean and Carolyn Baird investigated several housing options before ultimately deciding to use the proceeds from the sale of their home to finance a spacious “in-law” wing to their daughter’s residence 25 miles away in Fairfax Station, Va. With little over half an acre, the “children’s” property offered ample room for an addition. The question was whether the stately Colonial could be revised in a way

Nursing care From page B-12 nearby nursing homes. Medicare caseworkers, at 1-800-MEDICARE, also can help. Stick to facilities certified by Medicare. They’re inspected every year, and any complaints are investigated. Read recent inspection reports, usually available through the state health department. One patient accident isn’t a big deal, but frequent reports of patient falls, bed sores and the like are a red flag, said Edward Mortimore, director of nursing home evaluations at CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The CMS website provides a tool to help users compare nursing homes. The site includes links to its five-star ratings system,* complaints against nursing homes, links to local ombudsmen and other health advocates, a detailed guide to choosing a nursing home and much more; visit www.medicare.gov/NHCompare. [*Note: don’t make a decision solely based on the five-star ratings. See “Ratings don’t tell the whole story,” on page B12.]

Check on staffing No matter how dedicated individual employees are, if there aren’t enough, care suffers. Check the ratio of aides to patients. CMS requires each patient have a daily minimum of 2.8 hours of nursing aide time and 1.3 hours with an RN or licensed practical nurse. Ask specific questions about care. Can your mom keep her current doctor? Who decides whether to change your dad’s medicine and will you be notified first? What’s the policy on handling patients who get agitated or aggressive, as can happen with Alzheimer’s patients? Also be sure to ask about how the staff will deal with the unexpected: a power loss, natural disaster or other situation that would require an evacuation. Some nursing homes aren’t fully prepared.

Scope it out Visit each nursing home you’re considering and take notes. Snoop around — and beware any place that objects. Check resident rooms for cheerfulness and safety. Use the bathroom to see if there’s enough hot water. Inspect the kitchen for cleanliness. Note the atmosphere. Are patients smiling? Is it peaceful? Does it smell pleasant and homey?

that would retain its classic proportionality while accommodating the Baird’s needs. “We weren’t sure what the zoning regulations allow,” son in-law Kevin McDermott admits. “We envisioned a new wing, but I wanted to preserve the look of the existing house.” They ended up converting the existing front-facing 14 by 18-foot library into a “transitional” family room that opens directly into a 720 sq. ft. L-shaped addition that wraps around one side of the house. There’s a microwave, a pair of compact Stay for a meal with residents, usually for a nominal cost. Is the food appetizing? Are residents enjoying the meal? Ask how kitchen staff handles dietary restrictions and whether they will cut up food for those with difficulty swallowing. Once you’ve narrowed your choice down to two or three facilities, bring along your loved one if he or she is physically and mentally up to it. If not, show them pictures and discuss why you favor a particular home. Allow the person to feel they have some control so they’ll “buy in.”

refrigerators and even a sizeable floor-toceiling pantry recessed behind double doors. But there’s no full-scale cooking range or ovens, no full-sized refrigerator. “The [building] code is specific on this point,” said Dave Guy, an architect with Virginia-based Foster Remodeling Solutions. “This is not a second kitchen; it’s a convenience — like a wet bar.” But that’s OK with the Bairds. “We have everything we could want,” Carolyn Baird said. “This is a wonderful new phase of life for the whole family.”

Gaining popularity Although it isn’t for everyone, adding on a suite to accommodate aging parents is a choice many families are making. This arrangement can offer independence and privacy — as well as a sense of security — for both generations. Home builders across the country say they are getting an increasing number of requests for such additions, known as mother-in-law suites, granny flats or accesSee IN-LAW SUITES, page B-15

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Consider costs For most families, cost is a key factor. Last year, a semi-private room ranged from an average $46,355 in Texas up to $222,285 in Alaska. In Maryland, the average annual cost is $82,855, while it is $69,715 in Virginia and $102,930 in the District of Coumbia, the sixth most expensive location in the nation. To control costs, determine if it’s possible to keep your loved one at home longer through a combination of family help, health aides and adult day care. If a move is years away, consider getting long-term care insurance. Medicare will pay for a stay of up to 90 days; Medicaid covers costs for the poor. Many people must use up most of their assets to reach the point where Medicaid takes over ongoing costs. Check with your state’s Medicaid program and this site about paying for care: www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving/info-10-2009/women_planning_retirement.html. AARP’s new site for caregivers offers a cost calculator for different types of care, a checklist of questions and tips: www.aarp. org/home-family/caregiving/info-05-2012/ caregiving-resource-center-asking-rightquestions.2.html.

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Sweat the details Ask about anything that could affect whether your loved one will be happy and well treated. Will special needs be accommodated? Are there organized outings or visits by young people and pets? What activities are listed on the bulletin board, and is there a full-time coordinator? Do they have a library, Internet access, exercise classes and other stimulating offerings? “There’s almost nothing in the care of your loved one that shouldn’t be checked on,” Goyer said. “And don’t hesitate to move your loved one if they are not receiving the care they need and deserve.” — AP

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

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

In-law suites From page B-13 sory dwellings. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 62 percent of builders surveyed were working on a home modification related to aging in 2010. About one in five builders added an entry-level bedroom. About 3.5 million American households last year included adult children and their parents — a number expected to rise as the country ages and baby boomers move into retirement, according to AARP.

Make it a family affair “There’s both a physical component and a sensitivity side to these projects. The family needs to take that into account,” said Todd Jackson, CEO of San Diego’s Jackson Design and Remodeling, which handles such additions. Jackson noted that aging parents may be reluctant to move into their children’s homes, and may worry about losing their independence. “The transition will go over a lot better if you bring the parent into the conversation,” said Jackson. “Ask them: ‘What do you need?’ ‘What color do you want?” That’s what Betsy McCann and her husband, Jim Forbes, did when they decided to build an addition in 2008 for Forbes’ mother Lois Brokus, now 93. Jackson helped them add a 400 sq. ft. bedroom and bathroom to their home in Escondido, Calif. “We didn’t want her to feel like a guest intruding on our house,” said McCann. “She kept telling all her friends about how she was involved in the design process, and that the paint colors were her choice.” Brokus now proudly calls the addition — which includes a bedroom, wet bar and wheelchair-accessible doorways and bathroom — “her apartment,” said McCann. Every month, she writes a rent check covering the cost of utilities, an act that adds

to her sense of independence. The arrangement has given the family more time together and greater peace of mind, and may have averted a tragedy last July when Brokus suffered a heart attack. Had she been alone, McCann said, she might not have called 911. As it was, she just had to walk a few feet for help. The addition, which was part of a major renovation to other parts of the house, cost $250,000. The average price for a bedroom addition can run from $100,000 to $400,000, depending on size and amenities, according to builders. McCann cautions that this may not work for every family. For one thing, her mother-in-law is self-sufficient and does not need daily medical care. Also, the two got along well before moving in together. “If you can’t stand one week or one weekend together, this won’t work,” said McCann. “You need to have realistic expectations about the impact on your life.”

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Tips for a smooth transition Nancy Thompson, of AARP, offered other tips for families considering building a mother-in-law suite for an aging parent: • Decide what your expectations are well in advance and make sure everyone agrees. Involve the elderly parent in the process. • Make sure the addition is built following universal design guidelines. Are counters, bathrooms and doorways wheelchair accessible? Is there a walk-in shower with grab bars? Opt for entry-level additions to eliminate stairs. Look for a contractor or builder with experience in universal design or aging in place. • Check municipal building codes to make sure that accessory dwellings are allowed. For tips and guidelines on remodeling homes so they can accommodate aging in place, see the website of the National Association of Home Builders, at www.nahb.org/ reference_list.aspx?sectionID=717. John Byrd is a freelance writer, and Monica Rhor writes for the Associated Press.

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

“The grounds are beautiful [and] the meadows and trees please us through the seasons. We make our own nature walks. Brooke Grove is a photographer’s delight, and the birds are happy to pose.” — Arnold, independent living resident

Enrich Your Life at the Cottages at Brooke Grove.

Imagine living on 220 acres of rural woodland beauty where you can explore—or relax and recharge in our casually elegant cottages in suburban Maryland. At Brooke Grove we offer an impressive list of amenities, opportunities and convenient services. There’s always something going on. Celebrate the seasons or come along to the theater, Washington DC or Baltimore. Or simply enjoy the transforming power of nature…right in your backyard. Natural surroundings…carefree living.

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Money Law &

TIME TO SELL T-BONDS When interest rates rise, you risk your principal in Treasury bonds. To preserve gains and lower risk, switch to short-term funds like Ginnie Mae INVESTING IN INDIA Its fast-growing economy has attracted investors to India-focused mutual funds. Potential is high, but so are costs, and the market is volatile

You can learn to use coupons like a pro By Joseph Pisani Armed with a stack of coupons, Amanda Ostrowski paid just $51.67 for $1,175.33 worth of groceries on TLC’s reality show “Extreme Couponing.” I remember watching that episode and wondering if I could do that. Ostrowski admits that that kind of savings is hard to copy for the average person. “Searching for all the deals is time-consuming,” she said. It took Ostrowski nearly two days of planning and six hours in the store, according to the episode. She walked out with nine shopping carts, including 218 boxes of pasta. I don’t have that kind of time. And I will never eat that much ziti. But I wanted to see if I could at least cut my grocery bills. So I called up Ostrowski and a few other coupon experts to pick their brains. I planned to test out their tips at my local Target store. When I told Ostrowski I didn’t want to spend too much time finding coupons and didn’t want to stray too far from my typical grocery list, she gave me a sarcastic response: “Good luck with that!” Still, here are some tips from the experts that will help you save money even if you don’t want to build your life around couponing. Put together a grocery list. This will allow you to search out coupons and see if

your store has sales on the products before you go shopping. My list was pretty short: I wanted frozen meals that I can bring to work, diet soda, Wholly Guacamole 100-calorie snack packs, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce, Fiber One cereal and Seventh Generation laundry detergent. Don’t be picky. To get the biggest savings, you need to be flexible with the brands you buy. “I love French’s mustard, but if the store brand is on sale, I suck it up and deal with it,” Ostrowski said. But that’s not always realistic. I wanted the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce because it has less sugar than other brands (and I think it tastes better), and I have to use Seventh Generation detergent because other ones irritate my skin. I kept them on my grocery list even though Cathy Yoder and Monica Knight, who run coupon and savings website FabulesslyFrugal.com, suggested I make my own detergent. (I will not be doing that, but the recipe is on the homepage of their website if you’re more adventurous.) Find coupons online. Although you should look through your Sunday newspaper insert, most coupons can be found online. Ostrowski recommends Coupons.com, RedPlum.com, SmartSource.com and CouponNetwork.com. Over the last six months, manufacturers

have been putting more coupons on their Facebook pages, according to Joanie Demer, who runs TheKrazyCouponLady.com and was also on the TLC show (she paid $2.64 for $638.64 in groceries during her episode). To print those coupons, you’ll need to “like” the brands on Facebook. Through Facebook, I found a 75-cent coupon for Fiber One cereal and a $1 coupon for Wholly Guacamole. There are also several websites that list coupons and deals at certain stores and link to coupons that you can print. I recommend the websites of the people I interviewed (FabulesslyFrugal.com, TheKrazyCouponLady.com and MoneySavingAmanda.com), but also check out ExtremeSavingsWithDivaDesirae.com and MoneySavingMom.com I found a $3 coupon for 10 Smart Ones frozen meals and a $1.50 coupon for the Seventh Generation detergent through TheKrazyCouponLady.com. Check store rules, coupons and weekly ads. FabulesslyFrugal.com has pages dedicated to most major grocery stores, from Walmart to Kroger to Whole Foods. On the Target page, it recommends using the store’s debit card to save 5 percent on each transaction (I already have one). Target will also give you 5 cents for each reusable bag you bring (I brought

five with me!). And I also learned that Target lets you use coupons that the store issues along with coupons that the manufacturer issued during the same transaction. I found a $3 coupon on Target’s website that I planned to pair with the $3 coupon I found through TheKrazyCouponLady.com. I also looked through Target’s weekly ad and saw that it was offering a $5 Target gift card if you buy 10 Smart Ones frozen meals. So I figured I would buy 20 Smart Ones frozen meals, and get $10 in gift cards. I also printed out two copies of the Smart Ones coupons I had found. Organize your checkout. Demer said I should break up my purchase into three transactions. Buy the 10 Smart Ones meals first, use the $6 in coupons and get the $5 Target gift card. Then do a separate transaction for the next 10 Smart Ones. Then use the $10 worth of gift cards on the rest of my items. How I did. I had two setbacks. The Seventh Generation $1.50 coupon was for a different type of detergent that I couldn’t use, so I had to pay full price for the one I wanted: $14.19. When I went to the register and separated my items into three different transactions, I accidentally put 11 boxes of Smart See COUPONING, page 22

Should you cash in capital gains in 2012? By Susannah Snider Lynne Spichiger, 65, believes she has a clever tax trick up her sleeve. She plans to sell some winning stocks sometime during 2012 to cash in on the expiring 0-percent tax rate on long-term capital gains. But she wants to go on investing in her favorites, so she intends to buy back those shares. “This way, when I sell the stocks in the future, I’ll have restarted at a higher cost basis and won’t be hit as hard with taxes,” said Lynne. Zero taxes and stock market profits are rarely in the same conversation, but Lynne, a self-employed grant writer and instructional designer, is eligible for this benefit for two reasons. First, she expects her 2012 income to

qualify for the 0-percent capital gains provision, which phases out for single filers at a taxable income of $35,350 (the limit is $70,700 for joint returns). Second, she’s held her winners, which include McDonald’s (symbol MCD) and Caterpillar (CAT), for more than one year.

Steering clear of tax traps “It’s a brilliant tax maneuver,” said Sheryl Garrett, founder of the Garrett Planning Network. As long as Lynne avoids a couple of traps, she’s off to the races. The first pitfall would be allowing the gains to push her over the income limit. Lynne said she wouldn’t mind overshooting the 0-percent income limit — and owing 15-percent tax on the slice of the

profits that exceeds it — because she wants to take the profits before she begins collecting Social Security in 2013. From that point on, if her taxable income (plus half her benefits) tops $25,000, the government will tax up to half of her Social Security payments; if it exceeds $34,000, then up to 85 percent is taxable. Anyone on the verge of claiming Social Security should investigate whether it pays to grab capital gains early.

Review records for accuracy Trap number two would result from sloppy math or poor record keeping. Capital gains are calculated by subtracting what you paid for an asset (plus fees and commissions) from the sale price. But what happens if you’ve reinvested

dividends? That ratchets up your cost basis and reduces the capital gains or conceivably triggers a loss. Review your statements or check with your brokerage firm to make sure you report the proper gains. Generally, it is unwise to let tax strategy dictate investment moves. But Lynne’s case is an exception because she has access to an unusual tax break. “Lynne is working the tax system legally and effectively,” Garrett said. You can’t ask for more. Susannah Snider is a staff writer at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. For more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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

Treasury bond yields plunge; what to do By Jeffrey R. Kosnett The 30-year rally in the Treasury bond market is ending. The economy seems robust enough to predict that the bond market is moving closer to its next extended interest rate cycle. When that cycle gets under way, the direction of rates will surely be up because the cost of borrowing is far below the historical levels that are normal in anything but a deep recession. Moreover, with the 10-year government bond yielding a measly 1.63 percent in late

June, the risk of losing principal due to rising interest rates dwarfs any further reward you may get from owning Treasury bonds (bond prices move in the opposite direction of yields).

lose 25 to 30 percent. I don’t like those odds, and neither should you. If you have a lot of savings in T-bonds — or in a long-term government or high-grade diversified bond fund with a duration of 8 years or more — you ought to sell some or all of your holdings and preserve the gains you’ve accumulated over the years. You don’t have to react instantly. Lefurgey expects yields for long-term bonds to rise gradually rather than explode. My colleagues at the Kiplinger Letter see the 10-year Treasury yielding 2.5 percent by the end of 2012. Richard Saperstein, of Treasury Partners, a New York City investment firm, said we’re in a “sleepwalking bond market.” By that he means bond yields (and prices) are meandering in a narrow range. He thinks Treasury yields will eventually get so high that it will pay to buy them — but not this year.

Time to sell Paul Lefurgey, bond boss at Madison Investment Advisors, in Madison, Wis., says that at best, you have little or nothing more to gain now from holding long-term Treasuries, either individually or in a fund. But under the worst assumptions, you could

Some alternatives For now, Saperstein prefers to stash

Couponing From page 21

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my 75-cent coupon. In all, I paid $53.06 for $82.25 worth of groceries. I saved $29.19, or 35 percent. That includes the $10 in gift cards, the 25 cents for bringing reusable bags, $2.19 for using my Target debit card and $16.75 in coupons. It took me about 45 minutes to do the research and print the coupons, and I think it was worth it. Couponing should get easier and take less time for the next supermarket trip, Demer said. “The learning curve with couponing is steep, but short,” said Demer. “Once you master a few basic principles, the time you spend planning your shopping trips will drop significantly and you’ll be getting a good return on the time you do invest.” — AP

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fixed-income money in bonds that have short maturities and could benefit from a better economy. In that regard, I like Ginnie Mae funds. Their durations are typically about 4 years, compared with 15 for long-term Treasury bond funds, yet Ginnie Mae funds pay nearly as much despite dramatically lower price risk. One of my favorites is Vanguard GNMA (symbol VFIIX), which charges only 0.23 percent in annual fees and yields 2.8 percent. I also like funds that invest in high-yield debt with short maturities. Funds of this sort own junk bonds that are due to mature in five years or less, so you get excellent yield but less sensitivity to rising interest rates than with a regular junk fund. One standout is Wells Fargo Advantage Short-Term High-Yield Bond (STHBX). It yields 3.1 percent, and its average duration is 1.6 years. Jeffrey Kosnett is a senior editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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Mutual fund investors look toward India By Mark Jewell Investors who see opportunity in Asia’s growth typically think of China first. That’s one reason why there’s no shortage of options for U.S. investors looking to buy a stock mutual fund that focuses on China. But venture southward to another Asian giant, India, and there are just 10 specialized funds to choose from — less than onethird of the number focusing on China. That’s despite the fact that India is projected to overtake China as the world’s most populous nation around 2030. India also has an economy that’s growing nearly as fast as China’s. The modest number of India funds is a result of the relatively small value of India’s stocks in the global markets. Mutual funds tracking a broad index of foreign markets typically devote just 1.5 percent of their portfolios to stocks from India. Narrow the focus to funds investing in fast-growing emerging markets, and the

weighting in India is 6 percent — that’s one-third as much as they typically hold in Chinese stocks. Yet India’s profile is rising. Half of the India stock funds have launched within the past year and a half. And there are 10 exchange-traded funds focusing on India, most less than two years old. All focus on a mature stock market with more than 5,000 listed companies, including such names as Infosys Technologies, outsourcing company Wipro, automaker Tata Motors, and drug maker Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.

Be prepared for risk The growth in options for investing in India led Morningstar to create a new fund category for the group in May. Previously, they were part of a broader category that invested across much of Asia and the Pacific. But anyone considering a fund focusing

on a single foreign market should know the risks can be much higher than investing in a diversified U.S. stock fund. For starters, there will be sharp ups and downs. Consider that India funds have posted an average annualized return of 8.7 percent over the past 3 years. Yet over one month in the spring, these funds lost nearly 12 percent as worries mounted about a host of economic challenges in India, from inflation risks to slowing industrial production. Also consider whether you already have enough money invested in emerging markets across your portfolio. “If you’ve already built a balanced international portfolio, investing in a singlecountry emerging markets fund is like making an extra bet on top of that,” said Bill Rocco, a Morningstar fund analyst. “Think of it like owning a single company’s stock, in terms of the risks and rewards.” And investors who prefer funds with es-

tablished records have little to choose from. Just three of the 10 India funds have 5-year records.

High expenses Costs are also an issue. The majority charge expense ratios of 1.90 percent or higher. That’s about double the expenses that a typical investor pays on average at international funds of all types Matthews India (MINDX) is the largest India fund in terms of assets, $673 million, with the category’s top 5-year record and lowest expense ratio. Sharat Shroff manages the 4 star-rated fund with Sunil Asnani. Shroff, who earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA attending schools in India, discussed his outlook in an interview. Here are excerpts: Q: What’s the chief obstacle for See INDIA, page 24

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India From page 23 India’s economy? A: The lack of clear and forceful leadership within the ranks of the central government is choking the flow of investments. It’s a significant deterrent for businesses to invest in the country. The aspirations of the people translate into growing demand for goods and services, and it would be a pity if this demand remains unmet because of the intransigence of policymakers. Q: Do you think India can get back on track, given recent problems such as growing inflation, coupled with an economic slowdown? A: Many of the problems are self-inflicted. The lack of strong leadership within

the government has stalled decision-making, which is delaying the passage of economic reforms that are necessary for investment-led growth. Q: So why consider investing in India? A: The underlying fundamentals of the Indian economy remain strong, led by growing household income, a high saving rate that can be channeled into productive investments, and good quality companies that can take advantage of these trends. In recent years, there has been a noticeable pick-up in economic activity in rural areas. That has provided some cushion to the overall economy. Also, two-thirds of India’s economy is led by domestic consumption, which helps to reduce volatility in corporate earnings. However, India’s capital markets are en-

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

twined with global capital markets. As such, volatility remains a constant companion, and the importance of a longer investment time horizon cannot be overstated. Q: Is there anything else U.S. investors might be unaware of about India? A: The reason to get excited is not so much the macroeconomics, but the microeconomic prospects of individual companies. Many are world-class already. These sorts of companies span a wide gamut of sectors like services, pharmaceuticals, telecommunication and financials. Information technology services tend to grab the headlines, but the sector accounts for only 5 percent of gross domestic product and 1 percent of total employment.

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

Style Arts &

A documentary about life in a retirement community wins film award. See story on p. 29.

AIDS drama still searing after 30 years terrifyingly slow to recognize and grapple with the epidemic. Despite the passage of decades, the angry indictment at the heart of this work has not mellowed. The rich emotional currents of the play still run very deep and mighty. Most intriguingly, The Normal Heart remains both relevant and revelatory even as AIDS has receded from much of mainstream consciousness. Yet it’s still here, still spreading its ugly tentacles to one in 20 Washington adults. And there is still no cure on the horizon. That, then, is the backdrop for the production, directed by George C. Wolfe, who directed the Broadway production. Along with Wolfe are some of the Broadway cast members. As polemic, The Normal Heart bangs home its points again and again. As drama, it is riveting, intense and provokes a powerful wallop.

Portrait of an AIDS activist The play is a fascinating character study of anti-AIDS activist Larry Kramer, portrayed through the role of writer and crusader Ned Weeks (Patrick Breen).

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By Michael Toscano It’s part of the American experience that, just as society’s outliers often end up in the mainstream, what initially is viewed as polemic propaganda can sometimes make its way into establishment firmament. That’s the birthright of a revolutionary nation, I guess, and so it is that outlier extraordinaire Larry Kramer and his confrontational early look at the AIDS epidemic have become respectable. Respectable enough that Kramer’s 1985 docu-drama The Normal Heart — a theatrical cry of rage against a society and a political establishment that refused to deal with AIDS in the early 1980s — is now considered an honored stage masterwork. Back again on Broadway last year, the play sold out its run and captured several Tony Awards, including Best Revival. And now Arena Stage has brought that Broadway production to Washington. Astoundingly enough, it’s the first time that the play has been given a professional production in Washington — a city with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the country, not to mention the home of the governmental institutions that were

Patricia Wettig plays Dr. Emma Brookner, and Patrick Breen is writer and AIDS activist Ned Weeks in Arena Stage’s revival of the passionate play about the early days of AIDS, The Normal Heart.

Director Wolfe has not sanded down Kramer’s unrelentingly fierce edges. But he has guided his cast to give the characters nuance and humanity, fleshing out the lineup of characters Kramer created to show 1985-era audiences that gay men were not monolithic. There’s the macho war hero, the closeted city bureaucrat, the twinky Southerner with the barbed sense of humor, and the tender and patient reporter who becomes Weeks’ lover and then breaks our hearts (Luke MacFarlane in a textured performance). It’s much like those 1940s war movies, which featured soldiers with at least one

surname from every major ethnic group to demonstrate America’s diversity and common purpose. This production is satisfying, if unsettling. Arena certainly has provided a worthy counterweight to the frothy The Music Man, the musical that’s most definitely from another time and place, which is also playing at its Southwest Washington facility this month. The public face of the real-life Larry Kramer is caustic, impatient, somewhat neurotic and obnoxious. So, too, is writer See AIDS DRAMA, page 27

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From page 26 Ned Weeks, as brought to life in a compelling performance by Breen, who had a different role in the Broadway production. Weeks/Kramer is alarmed to realize in 1981 that gay men — just a few dozen at first — are coming down with, and then dying from, an unidentified sickness. He becomes possessed by the need to warn gay men and to prod a reluctant Mayor Ed Koch, a disinclined President Reagan, a blind media and a confused medical establishment to take action. He builds a formidable movement, but alienates everyone he knows. Many gay men are put off by his message that lifestyle must be changed if they are to stay alive. After all, they have just been starting to win the freedom to openly be themselves, and a message that promiscuous sex could kill them was most unwelcome in some quarters. Breen transcends the limitations of Kramer’s dialogue, which is heavy with exposition. What was written as illumination has now become a history lesson. But Breen exudes nervous energy and passion, showing us a man who comes into his own even as he is overwhelmed by frustration. Breen broadens Weeks/Kramer’s passion so that we see not just a zealot, but every person who has had to fight against powerful tides for their ideals. As we see the toll it takes on the man, Breen’s dynamic performance allows us many smaller, yet illuminating, moments. Unfortunately, he is not joined in that by his counterpart, Patricia Wettig, playing a wheelchair-bound physician who is as messianic as Kramer/Weeks. As Dr. Emma Brookner, a stage version of Dr. Linda Laubenstein, Wettig — who had meaty roles in TV’s “thirtysomething” and “Brothers and Sisters” — rarely is

more than shrill as she declaims and orates, but never actually talks. In her scenes with Breen, it is as though they are offering side-by-side essays, rather than relating as people fighting together with their backs against the wall. A sense of comradeship does otherwise pervade the production, however, as the gay men of Weeks/Kramer’s world face a horrifying but nameless enemy. They annoy and provoke each other as their differing lifestyles and status (whether in or out of the closet) cause friction. However, the sense that they are bound on a common journey builds until it binds them together. And that’s no easy task when these characters are often burdened with introducing 1985-era audiences to the nuances of gay life through dialogue heavily laced with description and explanation. Kramer must have assumed that these men were the first dimensional gay characters many audience members had met, so he takes every opportunity to show their diversity.

AIDS, it is all too clear, is still with us, and treatment often remains a muddled affair. The Normal Heart reaches out to all of us with our common humanity, which will endure as an integral part of Kramer’s legacy. The Normal Heart continues through July 29 at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater, part of the Mead Center for American Theater, located at 1101 6th St. SW, Washington, D.C. Showtimes: Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Special weekday matinees are scheduled for Wednesdays July 3, 11 and 18 at noon. There will be open-captioned performances Wednesday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, July 12 at 8 p.m. An audio-described performance (you must request a headset or earpiece) is scheduled for Saturday, July 7 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $40 to $94. While there are no discounts for seniors, a limited number of half-price tickets, called HOTTIX, go on sale 30 minutes before the curtain. These tickets may not be available for all performances. Tickets may be purchased online at www.arenastage.org, by telephone at (202) 488-3300, or at the theater’s sales office. Ask about various discounts and postshow events available at the performance you wish to attend. Limited handicapped parking is available in the Mead Center garage by reservation 24-hours before each performance. Accessible seating is available, and there are accessible entrances to the building. For more information, visit www.arenastage.org or call 202-488-3300. Michael Toscano is the Beacon’s theater critic.

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Moving set design David Rockwell’s scenic design utilizes a stark, box-like set with walls showing barely readable words associated with AIDS media coverage, especially in the days before the term AIDS was coined. We strain our eyes to read the words, until the lighting gradually helps us as the years pass. That mirrors the way AIDS slowly came into national focus. In early scenes, the names of the first 41 men with the disease are projected onto the walls. As time passes and the disease progresses, more names are projected. By the time we reach the climax, which combines old-fashioned but intense melodrama with eerie, edgy fear, the walls of the Kreeger are drenched with the names of the dead and much of the audience is visibly and audibly shaken.

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Saving a granddaughter from her parents She’s on the edge of turning 70. Her country — from rural Oregon to the subhealth isn’t the greatest, and her bank bal- urbs of New York City. She isn’t eager to ance doesn’t exactly lead the make the jump, because she’ll league, either. leave behind her friends, her In the best of all possible school and her favorite haunts. worlds, she’d be closing off Ashley will also leave bedistractions and commitments hind her parents. Which is exand focusing on the woman actly the way Grandma Pat she sees in the mirror. Makwants it. ing each day “me time.” She Pat’s son is Ashley’s father. has earned the right. As Pat puts it, “the only quesBut my friend Pat, a grandtion in this child’s life is mother six times over, is whether my son is the worst HOW I SEE IT about to welcome her 16-yearinfluence on her, or whether By Bob Levey old granddaughter, Ashley, her mother is.” into her home. We’re talking drugs here. And alcohol. Permanently. And regular screaming matches. And mulAshley will move all the way across the tiple stretches in prison for each parent.

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Not to mention massive financial irresponsibility — loans never repaid, windfalls blown on weekends in Las Vegas, an $800,000 home bought at the peak of the market that is now (no surprise) in foreclosure. Through it all, however, this dysfunctional crew has somehow hung together. Ashley went to school regularly. She avoided the bad crowd. Her grades her OK. But then Pat went out to visit over Easter. As she loves to say, “the eyes never lie.” Ashley had sprouted tattoos all over her arms and shoulders. She was smoking cigarettes and using foul language. She was hanging around a young man who looked as if he hadn’t had a bath or a square meal in a month. “It didn’t take a genius to see what was coming next,” Pat told me. “Pregnancy. A car accident. An arrest. Maybe all of the above.” So Pat decided to stage an intervention. Not a kidnapping. An appeal — to Ashley’s better nature. “I told her, ‘You’re heading for a bad place,’” Pat said. “I didn’t ask her parents for permission to move her. I asked Ashley. “It took her a while, but she finally said yes.” The parents tried to block it. They played the card that parents always play — we’re the people who created her, so we’re the people who should raise her. But Pat wasn’t having any. “I don’t know how much longer I have,” she said. “But I’m not going to bed every night thinking that I could have done more to save Ashley, and didn’t.” There was a titanic telephone argument one night between mother and son. Very harsh judgments were laid on the table — most of them by Pat. She had the displeasure of telling her son that he was irresponsible and unfit to be a father. He hung up on her. But the next morning, Ashley called to say that she was coming to grandmother’s house. Neither the son nor his wife tried to stop it. I’ve recounted the Pat-Ashley story to several grandparents — all in the same age range, most with the same financial and health issues that Pat has. Every single one said they’d have done what Pat did. “You can’t let a kid drift into big trouble,” said one grandfather, who is 75 and whose grandchildren are “merciful-

ly doing fine.” “This is your flesh and blood,” said a grandmother, about 70, who has helped raise an autistic grandchild from birth. “How could hobbies and cruises be more important?” I couldn’t agree more. We’re talking about a potential emergency here, not about a fairy-tale family. If Pat and her son have now exploded their relationship, well, that might have been coming anyway. However, as one grandmother said to me, sometimes the situation isn’t as clear as it is in Ashley’s case. What if your adult children allow the grandkids to play with their smartphones at the dinner table? What if the grandchildren don’t send thank-you notes for birthday gifts? What if the adult children undermine Grandma and Grandpa when they try to talk about the old days in the old neighborhood? Are these enough cause for a grandparent to say, “Let me intervene with my grandchildren because I know better than you, even though you’re my child?” Or worse, “I’m done with all of you?” Pat and I discussed this on the phone the other day. Ashley arrives in a few days. Pat says she has no intention of being her granddaughter’s parent. I have to confess that I scoffed at that. “You’ve in effect declared that she doesn’t have parents,” I told her. “Who’s going to lay down the law about curfews and studying and hygiene if you don’t?” The good news about Pat is that she still has her acid sense of humor. “Well,” she said, “I did such a fabulous job with my son that I can hardly wait to try again.” But then she added a note that every grandparent should appreciate. “I think Ashley will know that I’m coming from a different place,” she said. “I just love her, that’s all. And I care. I’m expecting her to run with that.” I’m merely hoping, not expecting. Meanwhile, to Pat, I send a bouquet of virtual roses. It would be great if her 70th birthday could be like something out of a coffeetable magazine. But life has dealt her a different hand, and this wise, wonderful woman is eager to play it. Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist.

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Retirement community film wins top prize A documentary film that tells the story of six seniors living in a retirement community won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short at the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival

in Silver Spring, Md. last month. Now in its tenth year, the festival was attended by more than 27,000 filmgoers from around the world and included 114 films. Kings Point was honored for “its bittersweet exploration of the universal needs and challenges of creating human connections — even within a seemingly close-knit community of peers,” according the AFI members who selected the film. In the film, director Sari Gilman includes interviews with men and women, mainly from New York, who came to the Kings Point retirement community near W. Palm Beach, Fla. decades ago with their spouses by their sides and their health intact. They now find themselves grappling with love, loss and the changing nature of relationships. Filmmakers describe the documentary as a “look at our national obsession with selfreliance. Kings Point explores the dynamic tension between living and aging — between

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our desire for independence and our need for community –– and underscores our powerful ambivalence toward growing old.” While there are no upcoming screenings of Kings Point planned in the Wash-

ington area in the next few months, a trailer for the film can be viewed at http://silverdocs.bside.com/2012/films/kingspoint_sarigilman_silverdocs2012. — Barbara Ruben

BEACON BITS

July 15

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concert and reception on Sunday, July 15 at 3 p.m. Piano works by Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin and Ravel are followed by a reception. No charge; freewill offering. The concert will be at Calvary Lutheran Church, 9545 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md. For more information, call (301) 793-1863 or go online to www.pianosocietyofgreaterwashington.org.

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Travel Leisure &

Living large at the Mall of America. See story on p. 32.

High-tech gambling at Maryland’s casinos

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARYLAND LIVE!

opened: Hollywood Casino in Perryville (Cecil County), Ocean Downs in Berlin (near Ocean City), and most recently, Maryland Live! in Hanover, next to Arundel Mills Mall. The state lottery agency is working with developers of two more yet to come: one at Rocky Gap State Park in Allegany County, which has just been awarded its license and is slated to open late next year with 850 slot machines, and a much larger one in Baltimore City, currently at the proposal stage, expected to have 3,750 slot machines and a 4,000-car garage. A sixth gambling site — in Prince George’s County, at National Harbor on the Potomac — remains under consideration, with Governor O’Malley still calling for a special legislative session this summer to get the proposal on the November ballot. Gambling appeals to the state because of the high tax revenues the casinos bring in. During May alone (before Maryland Live! opened), Hollywood Casino and Ocean Downs raked in $14 million, half of which went to the Maryland Education Trust Fund. Maryland Live! is expected to bring Maryland $400 million in tax revenue each year.

Patrons try their luck at some of Maryland Live!’s 3,200 slot machines. By October, the casino, located at Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Md., will grow to the size of three football fields with 4,750 machines, making it one of the largest casinos in the country.

Maryland Live! Maryland Live!, the area’s newest casino, is located at Arundel Mills Mall just south of Baltimore-Washington International Airport. It seeks to “give customers a ‘wow’ experience every time they visit,” said Joseph Weinberg, managing partner of its developer, the Cordish Companies, at the grand opening on June 6. More than 10,000 people flooded through the doors for the 10 p.m.(!) opening, many having sweated through clogged traffic for miles. Managers boast that Maryland Live! is one of

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLLYWOOD CASINO

By Glenda C. Booth The flashing lights of the cavernous compounds lure you in, then the promise of instant riches, jackpots, bonanzas and sweepstakes captures your imagination, as a dizzying array of sparkly numbers and images flash across row upon row of slot machines. And that’s the whole point of a casino, isn’t it? To engulf you, engage all your senses, and entice you to take a chance with your money. Without the reality checks of windows or clocks — and amid a steady din of throbbing music and bleeping machines, where it’s too loud to hear your cell phone — you can easily lose track of the day, time and, perhaps, your worries as thousands of slot machines roll, clang and flash, feeding your fantasies of hitting the perfect getrich-quick combination. Since Maryland voters passed a ballot initiative in 2008 to allow up to five casinos with slot machines in the state, three have

Perryville, Md.’s Hollywood Casino, about 40 miles north of Baltimore, boasts 1,500 slot machines and a décor focused on silver screen stars of the 1950s and ‘60s.

the largest casinos in the country, and that there are 1,400 hotel rooms within a mile. Sprawling across 160,000 square feet to serve up to 12,000 gamblers, the casino currently has 3,200 Las Vegas-style slot machines plus electronic table games, like Blackjack, roulette, mini-baccarat and Pai Gow poker. Slot machines are emblazoned with names like “Stinkin’ Rich,” “Queen of the Wild,” “Instant Riches” and “Three Alarm Fire.” By October, when Maryland Live! is fully open, the casino will stretch to the size of three football fields with 4,750 machines, more than almost any other gambling palace in the country. Even in its current configuration, it’s hard to see an outside wall. The slot machines seem to go on forever. Casino-goers can chomp a burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace (by celebrity chef Bobby Flay), grab takeout at Phillips Seafood, or have a more relaxed dining break from the one-armed (actually, pushbutton) bandits and clatter of casino central at the Live! Market Buffet. The buffet bulges with seafood, pasta, salads, Asian cuisine, rich desserts and more, much of it purchased fresh locally. The Prime Rib restaurant is coming, and the 500-seat Rams Head Center Stage will

open soon for live nightly entertainment. From the mammoth dangly chandelier of color-changing LED lights, at the entrance, to the interactive R Bar (R for round) where you can bet while you sip, Maryland Live! is an electronic gambling extravaganza. Officials like to point out the automated roulette wheel and video blackjack (with no dealer) as modern advances in gaming. Slots players who get nostalgic can opt for electronic Monopoly or Wheel of Fortune, as tunes like “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” boom across the gambling floor. At Maryland Live! you can place bets from one cent to $100. What are people winning? Officials closely guard statistics on what is ventured and what is gained, but Carmen Gonzales, director of communications, said that “there have been several $10,000 jackpots lately and at least one $50,000 jackpot.” Maryland Live! also has what owners say is the gaming industry’s first play-forfun online casino at www.Myliveonlinecasino.com, a free website for playing slots and table games and winning “virtual credits.” “Maryland Live! provides visitors with a total entertainment experience filled with See CASINOS, page 31

Casinos From page 30 shopping, dining, gaming and nightlife,” tout the casino’s press releases. Hence the omnipresent exclamation point. At Maryland Live! a devoted bettor from Bethesda said she was there because “I don’t have to think. You can come for a few hours and forget your problems,” as she headed to the “Instant Riches” machine. Non-gambling companions can shop in more than 200 stores at the Arundel Mills Mall right next door.

Hollywood Casino Hollywood Casino in Perryville, Md., just off Interstate 95, has a 75,000-squarefoot gaming floor and 1,500 flickering, coinless slot machines bearing names like “Wild Shootout,” “Sabertooth,” “Arctic Spirit,” “Dragon’s Temple” and “Wild Stampede.” Hollywood Casino, a Penn National Gaming facility 40 miles north of Baltimore, transports you to Tinseltown to have fun with the stars. The décor showcases stars and starlets, with considerable emphasis on 1950s and 1960s beauties like Marilyn Monroe and Kathryn Hepburn. Some slot machines have images of popular vintage television shows such as “I Love Lucy,” “Rawhide,” “Hee Haw,” “Tarzan” and “Gunsmoke.” The video poker game draws you into a semi-circular table wrapped around a video screen from which a slim, gentlysmiling young woman, cleavage amply displayed, leans over to “deal” the cards. She’s just a pretend, “virtual” card dealer, but she makes coquettish eye contact from her video screen with the real players, as her hands disappear downward and virtual poker cards appear for the players. Welcome to electronic poker. A major highlight of this casino is the centerpiece in the main restaurant — a ceiling-high glass case displaying replicas from the movie Titanic, with a jumble of plates, lamps, wine glasses and the blue diamond necklace dropped into the sea. But any sinking feeling is counteracted by the ever-present promise of riches. “Every machine has a different payback,”

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

said Amy Young, advertising manager. “Some pay back 95 cents on the dollar, some more, some less.” On some days, Hollywood awards big prizes like trucks, a new Mustang, or cash up to $75,000. One day this spring, the casino gave away 2,000 camping chairs. When I asked a woman walking into the casino around 6:30 p.m. on a recent Friday night why she had come to the casino, she said without hesitation, “It’s mindless.” After a long work week, she drove to Perryville from Baltimore for what her friend called “a release.” Every Saturday night local musicians entertain. If you don’t want to gamble, you can check out the gift shop or eat. The Epic Buffet teems with many choices of seafood, vegetables and desserts (even sugarless ones). One lady’s dinner was a pile of clams and New Zealand mussels. The Extra Grill has food to go, like sandwiches, wraps and fries. The gift shop sells jewelry, knickknacks and some locally-made items like Belle’s Acres goat milk lotion with a baby powder aroma. The Perryville Outlet Center, with 20 stores nearby, can provide a break from the slots.

Md., www.marylandlivecasino.com. Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has buses that run to Arundel Mills Mall and service the casino. Visit http://mta.maryland.gov/ride-mta-maryland-live. You can also take a bus or taxi from the BWI airport’s Amtrak station. Hollywood Casino is located at 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, Md., www.hollywoodcasinoperryville.com. It is open Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday and Sat-

It’s Showtime

“Fiddler on the Roof”

at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Sunday, August 12

The Tradition Lives! Fiddler on the Roof is one of the great American musicals. It tells the story of Tevye, a Jewish milkman in 1905 Tsarist Russia, who struggles to live by the traditions of his faith in an ever-changing world. It features such songs as If I Were A Rich Man; Sunrise, Sunset; Matchmaker; and Tradition. This is a new production of Fiddler that opens at Dutch Apple before leaving on a yearlong national tour. Before the show you’ll enjoy Dutch Apple’s delicious luncheon buffet. $129 per person

More gaming details Slots are the main attraction at both casinos. (Las Vegas-style table games with live dealers are prohibited by Maryland law at the moment, though allowing all of Maryland’s slot locations to offer table games is being considered in conjunction with the efforts to allow a sixth casino at National Harbor.) Casino-goers get “loyalty” rewards cards allowing them to earn points as they play. Points can be used for dining or playing more. At Maryland Live!, 3,000 points translates into $5. Both also have promotions and hotel partners that offer some discounts. In a distinct contrast with Las Vegas, the main floor at both casinos has a no smoking policy. Maryland Live! has a balcony smoking deck; Hollywood a smoking room. And of course, both have convenient ATMs. Maryland Live! is located at Arundel Mills Mall, 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover,

urday, 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. During the week, visitors can take the MARC train to Perryville, a two-hour ride on the Penn Line, and then ride the blue LINK bus or take a taxi two to three miles. The last train leaves Perryville at 6:25 p.m. This is a commuter train, so there is no weekend train service. Some Harford Transit LINK bus and Cecil Transit buses stop at the casino. Visit http://www.hollywoodcasinoperryville.com/~/media/Perryville/Documents/harfordtealroute.ashx. Glenda C. Booth is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.

“The Book of Mormon” Broadway and Atlantic City Tuesday-Wednesday, August 28-29

Winner of nine 2011 Tony Awards including Best Musical, The Book of Mormon is a satirical musical that tells the story of two young Mormon missionaries sent to a remote village in northern Uganda, where their missionary work clashes with the harsh realities of life in sub-Saharan Africa. This trip includes an excursion to Atlantic City. $399 pp, dbl. occ. Free parking convenient to Beltway (I-495) and ICC (MD 200) Call us for details about these and our other fun-filled trips.

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Live large in Minnesota, from mall to lake By Barbara Ruben From intrepidly trekking past all 520 stores in the behemoth Mall of America to hiking a solitary trail along the cliffs overlooking Lake Superior’s frigid waters, I like to think of my vacation trip as a tale of two Minnesotas. First, get your fill of the country’s largest shopping mall — an attraction located in the suburbs of Minneapolis and visited by more than 40 million shoppers each year. Then head three hours north to the small towns beyond Duluth, where quiet and wildlife reign. Located in Bloomington, just a few miles from the Minneapolis International Airport, the mall is a monument to conspicuous consumption. It’s also filled with myri-

ad activities even for those who have no interest in shopping till they drop. Among the ticketed attractions are Nickelodeon Universe — one of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, with three roller coasters — and the SeaLife Minnesota aquarium, where more than 10,000 sea creatures swim through the mall’s lower level. A full 18-hole miniature golf course is located on the third floor near one of the mall’s three food courts, while a 14-screen movie theater is on the mall’s top (fourth) floor. The mall’s sheer size is astounding: More than 250 Statues of Liberty could lie inside the mall. Walk past all the stores in the mall and you’ll log 4.3 miles on your pedometer. Eight acres of skylights bring in natural light.

Getting your bearings Given the Mall of America’s outsize dimensions, it’s surprisingly easy to navigate. The four floors form a rectangle around Nickelodeon Universe, and each side of the rectangle is logically labeled, north, south, east or west. Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Sears anchor each of the mall’s corners. Armed with a mall map, it’s relatively simple to look up, say, Coldwater Creek women’s clothing store and see it’s at S166, meaning it’s on the first floor’s southfacing corridor of stores. If you want to go to Victoria’s Secret or Kay Jewelers, it can get a little tricky because there are two locations for each store, perhaps because some visitors pick a sector of the mall to tackle rather than wander the whole thing. If you crave something from Caribou Coffee, you’ll have four locations to choose from on three floors. There are even two Mall of America gift stores, featuring everything from T-shirts to magnets emblazoned with the mall’s logo. From this sampling, it’s clear that the mall is overwhelmingly populated by chain stores, many of which you can find right at home. But there are some stores carrying local crafts and tastes, including Minnesota Bound, Minnesot-ah! and Mystic Lake Casino Store. A couple nostalgia stores are also fun to browse. Bettie Page carries new, vintagelook, 1950s-style clothing, with a lot of slim-belted dresses with circle skirts, offthe-shoulder peasant blouses and crinolines. There are only five other locations of the store around the country. A Simpler Time has vintage art, décor and gifts. This is a place to find a tin sign advertising Aunt Bee’s kitchen from the Andy Griffith show, or a replica of the original Candyland game from the 1950s. And you won’t go hungry here. More than 50 restaurants ring the mall. Again, they’re mostly chains, such as Ruby Tuesday, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Rainforest Cafe. But a few locals have sneaked in, including Twin City Grill, which focuses on steaks, seafood and hickory barbecue. While the orange and blue-hued Nickelodeon theme park is a big hit with kids, the Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium has its own allure. Located in the lower level of the mall, the aquarium is home to sharks, sea turtles, rays, jellyfish, seahorses and more.

Thanks to a unique 300-foot-long glass tunnel, visitors can walk literally through the aquarium, getting a nearly 360-degree view as giant sea turtles, sharks and thousands of fish swim above and on both sides of their two-legged visitors.

A really great lake Once you’ve had your fill of the biggest mall in America, it’s time to visit the largest of the five Great Lakes. Beyond the urban sprawl of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the 165-mile drive to Duluth at the southwestern edge of Lake Superior is fairly traffic-free. We didn’t stop in Duluth, but if you’re a Bob Dylan fan, you might want to. Dylan was born in Duluth in 1941 and spent the first six years of his life there. The city capitalizes on that claim to fame with a “path” that guides visitors to important sites from the singer’s earliest years, including his first home. See http://visitduluth.com/email/pics/BobDylansDuluthTour2011.pdf. Then take Highway 61 (of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” fame) north out of town toward the small towns along the shores of Lake Superior. Be sure to get on the scenic Old Highway 61 just north of Duluth to travel along the Lake Superior shoreline, rather than the quicker, but far more prosaic, regular Highway 61. At some points, the lake splashes up to rocky beaches; at others, it lies 50 feet or more down steep cliffs. We stopped at a stony beach, where children jumped into the water and right back out over and over, reveling in the contrast between the bone-chilling water that persists even in August and the 80-degree air temperature. The average surface temperature of Lake Superior is 55 degrees in the summer, and the record surface temperature was set in 2010 at 68.3 degrees. So swimming in the lake is only for the hardy. Even wading can be painful, between the cold water and often sharp stones at the bottom. But even though Lake Superior’s waters may be inhospitable for all but the bravest, it offers gorgeous views: vistas of pristine blue water surrounded by rocky outcroppings, with massive ships chugging to the industrial harbors and lighthouses perched on cliffs far above the water. We stayed in the small town of Two HarSee MINNESOTA, page 33

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Minnesota From page 32 bors, about 30 miles north of Duluth, and explored the nearby areas. Settled in the mid-1800s, Two Harbors began shipping iron ore from local mines on gigantic lakers (freight ships) in 1884. Thousand-foot-long ships still sail into Agate Bay to be loaded. The Two Harbors Lighthouse is the oldest operating light station in Minnesota — and part of it serves as a bed and breakfast operated by the Light County Historical Society. Visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse for a good view of the harbors.

Lighthouses and waterfalls Lighthouse buffs will also want to visit Split Rock Light House State Park in Beaver Bay, 18 miles north of Two Harbors. The century-old lighthouse sits on the top of a 130-foot cliff. Hike down the shore of Lake Superior for a very photogenic view of the lighthouse from below. Visitors can tour the lighthouse and PHOTO BY BARBARA RUBEN

keeper’s house and learn about the wreck of the freighter, the Edmund Fitzgerald, which faced a ferocious winter storm with hurricane-strength winds in 1975 after sailing out of Duluth on its way to Detroit. All 29 crew members perished. A Gordon Lightfoot song about the tragedy climbed to the top of the music charts in 1976. Four miles south of Split Rock Light House State Park, Gooseberry Falls State Park offers a mini Niagara with rushing falls that are easily accessible from a paved path. On our trip there last year, the falls were picturesque, but nothing like the mighty torrent after record rains fell in late June this year, with the Gooseberry River rushing over footbridges and rising above the steps we had walked down to visit the falls. Continue hiking for a mile beyond the falls to a secluded cove on Lake Superior. On the way, you’ll pass picnic tables and outbuildings constructed by the Public Works Administration during the Depression. A paved bike trail will eventually cover the 88 miles from Two Harbors north to Grand Marais. About 25 miles of the GitchiGami Trail is already complete and another five miles will be finished this summer. The trail takes its name from the Ojibwa name for Lake Superior, meaning “big water.” In the Two Harbors area, the trail runs for several miles along the cliffs above Lake Superior and picks up again for 14 miles near the state parks. From big water to big mall, a visit to Minnesota’s two behemoths offers something for everyone.

The Split Rock Lighthouse perches on a 130-foot-high cliff above the rocky shores of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota. Visitors can climb to the top of the 103-year-old lighthouse and hike to the lakeshore below.

If you go To learn more, check the website of the Two Harbors Chamber of Commerce at www.twoharborschamber.com and click on the visitors bureau tab or call (218) 834-6200. We stayed at the Superior Shores Resort and Conference Center, a sprawling woodsided complex overlooking Lake Superior just north of Two Harbors. The resort has a variety of motel rooms, suites with kitchens and fireplaces, and fully equipped homes for rent. Summer rates range from $99 to $299 per night, depending on the size of the accommodations. For more information, see www.superiorshores.com or call 1-800-242-1988. The Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast features four rooms in the Two Harbors Light Station, built in 1892. Rates of $109 to $179 per night include full breakfast and help fund the lighthouse’s preservation. For more information: www.lighthousebb.org

or 1-888-832-5606. Get more information about the Mall of America and all its attractions, including the aquarium and Nickelodeon theme park and ticket prices, at www.mallofamerica.com or call (952) 883-8800. Numerous chain motels can be found within a mile of the mall. Most offer shuttle bus service, which comes in handy on the way back after walking around the mall all day. But be sure to check the schedule because some motel buses run infrequently. We stayed in the Comfort Inn for $99 a night, which includes breakfast. An Outback Steakhouse is attached to the hotel. For more information, see www.comfortinn.com or call (952) 854-3400. Currently, the lowest mid-July roundtrip airfare to Minneapolis from the Washington area is from BWI Marshall Airport on US Airways for $380.

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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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New airline rules are mostly in your favor By Susannah Snider The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued new rules for air travel. Here are some of the most important changes that affect travelers: 1. Look for more truth in advertising. Advertised fares must include all mandatory taxes and fees. That means airfares will seem even higher this year, on top of fare hikes and fuel surcharges. Spot attractive deals by registering for alerts through Airfarewatchdog.com, FareCompare.com or your favorite airline. Fee-inclusive advertising will also be reflected in vacation package deals. 2. Pesky baggage fees aren’t covered. It’s up to you to factor in baggage fees and other add-on charges, such as for extra legroom and priority boarding. But the new protections do give you a leg up. Now when you book online, you’ll see a link to a list of baggage charges. And optional fees are printed on your e-ticket confirmation. 3. Take advantage of an amazing grace period. If you see a fabulous fare on a Tuesday night, click “buy” and clear the vacation time with your boss in the morning. Under the new rules, you have 24 hours to cancel the ticket without penalty. Most airlines and many ticketing sites already offered such a grace period, but now it’s required. 4. Expect cancellations. The DOT levies fines on domestic airlines that allow planes to sit on the tarmac longer than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights. Now the rules have expanded to include overseas carriers that let planes sit on U.S. runways.

If a summer storm comes roaring through, airlines may cancel flights preemptively to avoid costly tarmac delays, said Anne Banas, of SmarterTravel.com. 5. Bumped? You might not hit the jackpot. If you’re booted from your seat, rules entitle you to up to $650 (or twice the ticket value) if the next flight leaves in less than two hours and up to $1,300 (or four times the ticket price) for longer delays. The time limits double for international flights. That sounds generous, but be aware that your compensation is based not on your round-trip fare but on the value of the one-way flight, so you would have to hold an expensive ticket to reap the highest reward. If you elect to give up your seat for a flight voucher or other payout, the DOT doesn’t set compensation. You’ll need to hash it out with the airline.

6. Especially for seniors. If you’re 75 or older, the Transportation Security Administration has introduced a practice at several airports, including select security lanes at busy O’Hare in Chicago and Denver International, allowing you to wear

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ONE BIG HAPPY By Rick Detorie

a t! es gif k a t M rea g

Letters to editor

Beacon The

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NEWS & FEATURES • LAW & MONEY • FITNESS & HEALTH LEISURE & TRAVEL • ARTS & STYLE • VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS We are pleased to offer both First-Class and Third-Class subscriptions:

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is to go about our daily routines without any pessimism or anxiety about the future, since the future is a mystery characterized by the unexpected. Mitchell E. Davis, M.D. Washington, D.C. Dear Editor: In connection with your recent articles on downsizing, I would like to share my recommendations for what I call “rightsizing.” The place to start is to categorize your belongings. Set aside a convenient space in your house and divide it into five areas. The first category will be for items you

want to keep or take with you when you move. This will include family heirlooms, favorite books and movies, etc. The second area will be for items you want to pass on to family members: this can include everything from old baby clothes to family jewelry. Devote the third category to objects of value that you can sell. Be sure not to confuse sentimental value for intrinsic value. The fourth area will hold belongings that might not get a good price but that could still be used by someone else. Donate these items. The fifth and final category is perhaps the most important: trash. Be bold and dispose of the stuff that is weighing you down. Eric Stewart, SRES PointingYouHome.com Dear Editor: I enjoyed Fiona Morrissey’s article on clutter in your June issue. She has a way of getting to the heart of the issue — what attracts people to clutter and why it is so difficult for them to let go of almost anything. I am definitely a minimalist and have never understood the allure of “things.” Much of her advice has not worked on my older sister (who has a predisposition for items of many different stripes), but I have much more empathy for those who are trying to help. Sylvia Fubini Chevy Chase, Md. Dear Editor: Just a note to say I quite enjoyed the clutter article I read in your special pullout section. It was funny, too, and made me laugh. Since my wife died, there is a lot of clutter in my house, and Fiona Morrissey’s article will inspire me to do something about it now. Maurice Goodwin Silver Spring, Md. Dear Editor: I always read letters to the Beacon and was especially interested in the letter to Solutions from “Not Their Grandma” in the June issue [in which she complained about step-grandchildren calling her Grandma]. I have 18 biological grandchildren and one step-grandson, who has called me Grandpa since he learned to talk. I also have 17 biological great-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren, one of whom has called me Great Grandpa since shortly after my son married her grandmother, and the other since he was born. I accept the names these children call me as expressions of their love for me and their happiness to be a part of, and accepted by, my family Gordon F. Brown Bethesda, Md.

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FREE MOVIES AND SAFETY INFORMATION

Join the Montgomery County Police Department for a morning of safety information, door prizes and a free movie at the Movies at Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, Md. Moneyball will be shown at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11 and War Horse at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1. Questions about the program can be directed to Officer Stroman at (240) 876-1277.

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

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the bottom of this page. 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. A national trade association we belong to has placed some of the classifieds below. Determining the value of an advertised service or product is advised by this publication. Some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or provide your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business & 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.

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Caregivers

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Volunteer Opportunities

CHEVY CHASE HOME CARE – reliable certified caregivers at time of illness, infirmity, loneliness. Personal assistance, ALL AGES, 4- to 24hour shifts, homes, hospitals, nursing homes. MD, DC, No. VA. Tel.: 202-374-1240. www.ChChHomecare.com.

LEISURE WORLD® - $254,900. 2BR + DEN, 2FB “S” model in the “Fairways” on top floor with skyline views, built-ins in den, closet stretchers, Garage Parking. 1480 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

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.

SENIOR QUALITY ASSISTED LIVING Longterm care, respite (vacation) care, activates, individual care plans. Medication staff and RN. Amenities included. Call for information or appointment. 240-464-4512 or 301-899-8778. SEEKING PART-TIME CAREGIVER for elderly couple in Montgomery County, MD. Must have car. References required. Call 703-7988132. ELDER CARE, errands, transportation service, shopping for groceries, elder sitting, odd jobs. Call for specific needs. Elder care services 888-998-9980.

Computer Services

LEISURE WORLD® - RENTAL - $1600. 3BR 2FB ground level “Capri” villa with updated kitchen, and carport. 1415 Sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463. COMING SOON - 2BR 1FB “Carlisle” garden apt with new paint and carpet, 1035 sq ft. 2BR 2FB “C” model in “Villa Cortese” with garage space, 1150 sq ft. 3BR 2FB “L” model in the ”Greens”, 1610 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463. NORTHWEST IN PRIVATE HOME. Bedroom and living room, share kitchen and bath. In Petworth area. Near Petworth and Fort Totten Station. References and security required. 202-8296358.

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

Entertainment 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 30s, 40s and 50s, from Cole Porter, Gershwin, et al. Great music, great food, no cover charge! http://nightanddaymusic.com/clubpage.html. 10/11/2012 - 8:30AM - 8:30PM - Experience Sight & Sound Theatre’s production of “Jonah,” Lancaster County, PA $125. Includes roundtrip deluxe motor coach, show, dinner buffet (Shady Maple Smorgasbord Restaurant), snacks and shopping (Rockvale Shopping Outlet), 301-404-2688 / 301-980-0288.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

GHA/HH AIDE AVAILABLE NOW Live-in or out day or night. With excellent references. Very reliable and punctual. Own transportation. Please call 240-550-2584.

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 24. Contact me: 301-580-5556, SueHeyman@aol.com, www.SueHeyman.com, Weichert, Realtors.

UCARE AGENCY - A LICENSED HOME HEALTH CARE AGENCY Providing certified and qualified caregivers: home health aides, homemakers, personal care attendants, companions. 4 to 24 hour shifts. Call 240-632-9420.

LEISURE WORLD® - $299,990. 3BR 21/2BA “M” in “Fairways.” Golf course view, enclosed balcony, updated kitchen, close to the elevator, garage AND golf cart parking. 1480 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors, 301-928-3463.

DIVINE TOUCH CARE Care for your loved ones, care you can trust with excellent care givers. Hours: 4–24 hour live-in or live-out. 301332-8636 (office). 240-475-0824.

LEISURE WORLD® - $114,500. 2 BR 2FB 1HB BERKELEY townhouse. Updated kitchen, main level laundry. 1600 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors 301-928-3463.

CERTIFIED GERIATRIC NURSING ASSISTANT Licensed by Board of Nursing, CPR certified. Seeking to work Monday through Friday, Days or Nights. Excellent references from top agencies. 8 years experience. Call 240-304-0448.

LEISURE WORLD® - $195,000 . Spacious 1BR 1-1/2BA “A”: in “The Overlook.” Rarely available, table space kitchen, enclosed balcony separate dining room. Golf Course View. 930 sq ft. Stan Moffson, Weichert Realtors 301-928-3463.

Caregivers

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD G A R D A S H O S H O W H V I S A E D I T S E C T A K E R I N T O G U E S U R N A S S N E E A D D

From page 38.

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2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653. CEMETERY LOT in Mount Comfort Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria. Mount Eagle Section, Lot 799, Site 1, $2245 for 1 burial or $3955 for 2 burials. Market value for 2 burials is $5241. Call 703-680-2273 or 703-309-2772. ACORN STAIR LIFT (14 step set with a hinged rail at the bottom) 14 foot long and left side install. Boxed and ready to install. Best price. Call Vicky 301-657-8322.

Personal Services WILL TYPE YOUR MEMOIRS, manuscripts, etc. For info and rates, call 703-671-1854. VAN MAN – For your driving needs. Shopping, appointments, pick-up and deliver – airport van. Call Mike 301-565-4051. VETS AT WORK TELECOM technicians provide high quality Telephone, Data, and video wiring services. Flat Screen TV Installation, Cellular and Wi-Fi reception enhancements. All available at reasonable prices. Licensed, bonded and Insured. Email vetsatwork@gmail.com or call for free estimates. 703-232-5233. AFFORDABLE THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE in your home. Please call for more information 301-956-7567. MEMOIR INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR learn the various methods and cost of preserving Your Life Story for generations to come. FREE. Memoir-yourlifestory.com 571-275-6711.

Personals 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. LOOKING TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, both men and women, who are between the ages of 60 and 75 and who reside in Maryland. I enjoy eating out, movies, concerts, and art shows. What do you enjoy? Call Carol at (301) 754- 1289.

Vacation Opportunities SENIORS: Trips to Eastern Shore, Bethany Beach, DEL. Overnight weekends. Accommodations. Call for details, 301-565-4051. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. Sept 3-7, 2012. $550 per person, double occupancy hotel, daily tours, evening shows, all meals and MUCH MORE!! Information and reservations, Thelma @ 301977-5055.

Wanted 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. CASH FOR ESTATES, Gold, Silver, Coins, Costume Jewelry, Antiques/Collectibles, Etc. Will travel 301-520-0755. 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 301-2798834. Thank you.

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

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

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

49 53

3. Greek letter that looks like a “P” 4. “___ you can, with what you have, where you are”: Teddy Roosevelt 5. “... ___ saw Elba” 6. Soft ball 7. Banned bug spray 8. He said “Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” 9. Permit 10. Title character who sang Put the Blame on Mame in a 1946 film 11. DiMaggio record 12. Birthday party prop 13. Indifference 18. “The boat rocked ___ side” 23. Bullet stopper 24. Inventor’s requirement 25. Under the weather 27. Result of a hung jury, sometimes 28. Blessing 30. Cluster of hair 33. Track in an LP 34. Ingredient in Total Cinnamon Crunch 35. Competed in a triathlon 37. Son of Aphrodite 38. Mourn 39. The ___ Lady (Thatcher nickname) 40. Military vehicle 41. Quiche-like 45. Vegetarian lizard 46. Drank slowly 47. Became high-strung 48. Select graduate of the Naval Academy 49. The Treasure of the ___ Madre (Bogart film) 51. Schleps 52. Group of scouts or soldiers (but not actors) 57. Urban endings 58. Astonish 61. Beatles inspiration, some say Down 62. “Oh no; a mouse!” 1. Word sung 16 times in Jumpin’ Jack Flash 63. Homophone for 62 Down (barely) 2. Fireplace residue 64. In the dumps

Across

JUMBLE ANSWERS

28 31

Scrabble answers on p. 37.

18 20

1. Kale locale 7. Bummer, man 11. Rejuvenation location 14. Beached 15. Sandwich shop 16. Capsize 17. Delay in cleansing 19. Genetic letters 20. Sound standard, circa the 60’s 21. Olympic figure 22. Try the pie 23. AmEx alternative 26. Prepare an illustration for this puzzle 29. Chop down a treatise 30. New driver, typically 31. Give a thumbs-up 32. Min. fraction 33. Jeff ’s partner for 75 years 34. Mom and Dad’s other son 36. Shown new counter samples 42. Go bad 43. Founding member of OPEC 44. Piano piece 45. Fascinated by 48. Common street name 49. Cheap price 50. The story of how they got here 53. Like a printer’s hands 54. Coffee holder 55. Three-time hockey MVP 56. Workbench attachment 59. Ignoramus 60. What bidets grow from 65. Jackie Kennedy, ___ Bouvier 66. Geologic periods 67. State motto of California 68. Put in the secret ingredient 69. Earned a ticket 70. Curved back and forth

Answers on page 37.

Answer: What the flies passed on the movie set -- THE "SCREEN" TEST Jumbles: MUSTY RAVEN SOCKET DEVICE

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

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Wanted

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.

CASH FOR RECORDS & CDs. BEST PRICE GUARANTEED. Free appraisals. All types of music, 33, 45, 78 & CDs. Call Steve 301-6465403. Will make House Calls.

ALWAYS BUYING STERLING SILVERWARE, flatware, holloware, jewelry (including old costume), old baseball-football cards, magazines (pre-1970), other old items. Call Richard today: 571-426-5363. DC/Balt. Area. HIGHEST PRICE PAID FOR ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES! Compare my estimate before you sell... Antique and quality modern furniture, paintings, pottery, rugs, clocks, gold, silver, costume jewelry, silver flatware, watches, military items, guns, swords, daggers, helmets, fishing, toys, sports memorabilia, American tools. One piece or an entire collection. I AM an established dealer with 25 years experience, with 2 locations, Silver Spring [Hillandale] & Bowie. Please call Chris KELLER for prompt professional service. 301-343-2705 & 301-262-1299. Thank You. WANTED: OLDER VIOLINS, GUITARS, BANJOS, MANDOLINS, ETC. Musician/collector will pay cash for older string instruments. Jack (301) 279-2158. 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, 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. STERLING SILVER. Will pay top dollar for your silver marked “Sterling”, “925”, “800”. Please no silver plate. Want flatware, bowls, plates, candlesticks, etc. Richard, 301-646-0101.

Thanks for reading!

Make money selling ads for the Beacon!

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Compete in one or more of over 40 events, ranging from track and field to Scrabble, in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics Sept. 15 through 26. Participants must live in Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington or Alexandria and be 50 years old by Dec. 30, 2012. To sign up, call (703) 2284721, go online to www.nvso.us, or pick up a registration form at a senior center, community center or senior housing center. Registration fee is $12, with additional fees for bowling and golf.

July

HELP WITH THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT

The NAMES Project Foundation, custodian of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, is calling for volunteers and donations as it brings 48,000 panels back to Washington, D.C. for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival July 4-8, as well as more than 50 venues in Maryland, DC and Virginia that will display parts of the quilt July 21-25 for its 25th anniversary. Each panel is hand sewn by friends and families commemorating those who have lost their lives to AIDS. Go to www.Quilt2012.org to volunteer to set up, clean up, monitor displays, help with check in, work at the merchandise store and other tasks.

Ongoing

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

Hollywood Ballroom Dance Center, located at 2126 Industrial Pkwy., Silver Spring, Md., has dances every Friday at 9 p.m., Saturday at 9 p.m., Sunday at 8 p.m. and Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. A complimentary group dance lesson is included an hour before general dancing begins. Admission is $15. Tea dances are held on Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. For further information and directions, call (301) 326-1181 or see www.HollywoodBallroomDC.com.

Ongoing

DRIVING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN N.VA.

Fairfax County is seeking volunteers to provide medical transportation to older adults in Falls Church, Va., and to deliver Meals on Wheels in Fairfax County. For these and other opportunities, contact Volunteer Solutions at (703) 324-5406, TTY (703) 449-1186, email volunteersolutions@fairfaxcounty.gov or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices and click on “Volunteer Solutions.”

Word of the Month

This full-time, inside sales position pays a base salary plus commissions and benefits. We’re looking for a hard-working, detail-oriented people person. Must be outgoing, love selling, be comfortable with computers, e-mail and contact management software (such as ACT!), and be willing to follow direction, complete required paperwork, and work from our office in Kensington, MD. Inside sales or telemarketing experience a plus. If you love the Beacon — and would be excited to call potential advertisers — send your resume and cover letter to Alan Spiegel, Director of Sales, at: alan@theBeaconNewspapers.com.

The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. • 3720 Farragut Ave., #105 • Kensington, MD 20895

Dear Word of the Month: I sometimes see a copy of The Beacon and enjoy your column. I’ve wondered about the word “wack.” What is wack? I know wacky means irrational. But what is “out of wack”? I use it to mean something is not right. Should I strive to be “in wack”? Thanks, A. Burke Dear A. Burke: Given the definition of out of wack, it would make sense to be “in wack.” On the other hand, wack — sometimes spelled wHack — seems like something you’d want to avoid: In the underworld, to wack is to kill. In the drug world, to be wacked is to be under the influence of a powerful substance. However, in British slang, a wacker is a friend, for sharing is to wack. Wack doesn’t seem to have derived from any other word(s). It is among those words that is onomatopoeiac, i.e, the word sounds like its definition — in this case, the noise that is made when something is struck sharply. But don’t think about this too much. Might United We Rock! make you wacky! Thanks for your comments. Hope you continue to enjoy our column and The Beacon. JPO 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.

www.originalrock.org DJs available for your senior centers

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