May 2012 Baltimore Beacon Edition by The Beacon Newspapers

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Lifetime of passion for music

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCERT ARTISTS OF BALTIMORE

By Carol Sorgen Ed Polochick considers himself one of the luckiest guys in the world. “I get to do what I love,” said the soon-to-be 60-yearold conductor of Concert Artists of Baltimore. “No one can be more passionate about their profession than I am.” It’s that passion that inspired Polochick to found the Baltimore Symphony Chamber Singers in 1981 in order to give area singers more professional experience, and then to ask himself, “What would they sound like with a small orchestra?” The result was Concert Artists of Baltimore, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, highlighted by an end-of-season performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” on Saturday, May 5, at 8 p.m., at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric.

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A child prodigy Polochick, born near Scranton, Pa., came to Baltimore in 1976 to study piano with renowned pianist Leon Fleisher, whom he credits not only with giving him a solid foundation as a pianist but making him a true musician as well. “I wanted to get my act together as a pianist,” said Polochick. “I was a born conductor, but piano was my first love,” he said. He had begun lessons at the age of 4, when his mother found a teacher who recognized that the young boy who was pestering for lessons actually had perfect pitch. By the time he was 5, Polochick had given his first full-length recital, at 8 played Carnegie Hall, and at 12 was touring the country with his teacher, Anna Vanko-Liva, with whom he studied until he left for college. He received his B.A. from Swarthmore, and master’s degrees in both piano and conducting from Peabody Conservatory. “I always knew I was going to be a musician,” said Polochick, though he had a passion for marine biology as well. His talent and accomplishments have earned Polochick the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Award, the Peggy and Yale Gordon Achievement Award, and the JHU Distinguished Alumni Award. In addition to leading Concert Artists of Baltimore, Polochick serves as music director for the Lincoln (Nebraska) Sympho-

Ed Polochick conducts the Concert Artists of Baltimore, an orchestral and choral group he founded 25 years ago. Polochick also serves as a guest conductor of orchestras around the world. He will be conducting 350 performers on stage at the Lyric in May for the group’s 25th anniversary concert.

ny Orchestra, and makes guest conducting appearances throughout the U.S. and around the world. He is also a frequent guest lecturer and radio commentator, and teaches conducting at Peabody. Despite his personal accomplishments, bringing Concert Artists of Baltimore into being and nurturing the company’s growth for the past quarter-century has been one of the great joys of his life (“though not all daisies and roses,” he added with a chuckle).

A vision for Baltimore Polochick hadn’t been in Baltimore all that long when he began thinking there

was no reason his adopted city couldn’t have a chamber orchestra and chorale of the caliber of the London-based Choir of St. Martin-in-the-Fields or the (now defunct) Robert Shaw Chorale, two of the most renowned choirs in the world. “Let’s lead the way,” Polochick said to himself, who was serving as musical director of the BSO Chorus at the time. The name Concert Artists of Baltimore was chosen specifically to give equal weight to the value of both the professional singers and instrumental musicians in the company. See CONDUCTOR, page 20

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

No patience for politics It’s been a few years since I attended the She could have chosen to address some national convention of the American Socie- of the most pressing financial, health or soty on Aging, one of the major cial needs of older Americans associations for professionals today. She could have talked of all types who work in the about the effects the retirefield of aging. ment of the baby boom genThis year’s event took eration will be having on our place in this area, so I went to society and the challenges the opening session to hear that presents. She could have the featured speakers. The talked about how our political hotel ballroom was set up for process impedes realistic so3,000 convention attendees, lutions to practical problems, with huge screens through- FROM THE such as how to adjust Social out the cavernous room for PUBLISHER Security and Medicare to reeasy visibility of the person at By Stuart P. Rosenthal store them to a solid financial the dais. footing well into the future. The keynote address was to be from So imagine my feelings when, instead, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D- she gave a harsh, ten-minute tirade against Calif.). Sadly, she was called away for a the previous day’s congressional vote on family funeral, and was unable to attend. the budget, denied there was any legitiBut she filmed some brief remarks for the mate concern for the future of Social Secuevent that were aired on the screens. rity and Medicare and ruled out any Given the opportunity to address thou- changes to those programs, and delivered sands of the most active and influential ac- a partisan defense of healthcare reform, ademics, social workers, community lead- claiming it was 100 percent beneficial to ers and aging professionals in the country, seniors. Pelosi could have taken several possible It was a purely political speech, blaming tacks, I thought. Republicans for every problem facing sen-

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County and Greater Washington and Palm Springs, CA. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), repaid with order. MD residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King

iors today, and casting President Obama, herself and the Democratic party as the only bulwarks protecting seniors and their “true” advocates from the predatory Republicans who have it in for older adults and are out to destroy Social Security and Medicare for purely political reasons in her view. She concluded by asking us to support only Democrats in this fall’s election. Then she wished us a productive convention and signed off. A few minutes later, after a more substantive, policy-focused talk from the Assistant Secretary for Aging, a live member of Congress took the stage for another “welcoming” address. Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), who had missed the Pelosi presentation, proceeded to say pretty much the same thing in pretty much the same way. She railed against the Republican-sponsored budget, defended healthcare reform, portrayed Republicans as enemies of seniors and asked us all to vote Democratic, all without addressing a single substantive issue in a serious way. Now, I understand why convention organizers, especially for conferences taking place in Washington, DC, like to invite administration members and important and/or local members of Congress to speak. It ostensibly pleases the crowd and shows the importance of the organization, and it can provide an opportunity to hear

important or relevant pronouncements on occasion. But I was highly distressed to think this was the best these politicians and their staffs could come up with. Did they really think a national gathering of this prominence was the appropriate occasion for purely political spiels? Did they think we don’t understand that such simplistic arguments basically obfuscate real problems and make us feel they don’t take us seriously as thoughtful voters? Do they not understand that such rants make them look as ignorant and one-sided and venal as they paint the “other side” to be? The vast majority of American voters have a low opinion of Congress. Disapproval ratings now exceed 80 percent in a number of different national polls. We see its bickering and partisanship as the main reason for its failure to solve otherwise solvable issues. You might think that members of Congress who wanted to improve their standing with voters would take an opportunity like this to show their statesmanship and integrity by stepping away from partisanship and proposing solutions, rather than wading neck-deep into the muck.

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: A brief note to tell you how very much I enjoy the Beacon when it arrives monthly in my mailbox at the end of the driveway. I enjoyed it when I lived one and a half years ago in my little apartment at Aigburth Vale, a community of independent seniors. We all scurried down to the mailroom to collect our copies of the Beacon when they arrived each month. I am still a faithful reader, even though I now pay for the mailing of it. It is very inexpensive in comparison to its pleasure for me.

I am an 88-year-old lady, formerly of Baltimore County, now still trying to adjust to living with my 69-year-old elder daughter in this Republican county of Harford. I read five to six hours daily, current non-fiction or fiction written prior to the ‘60s, when they were good stories. And I will vote Democrat on April 3 here in Harford County. Thought you might like to know what one of your readers is like out here in this area. Marie A. Collins Aberdeen, Md.

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

Health Fitness &

A LIFETIME FLU VACCINE? One-time flu shots that provide a lifetime of protection are under study FOODS THAT FOSTER SLEEP Try fish, jasmine rice, yogurt and whole grains to help you sleep better YOGA FOR FIBROMYALGIA Twice-weekly yoga can reduce pain from fibromyalgia, as can meditation STAY STRONG AFTER CANCER Breast cancer survivors can sign up for free strength training classes

Implanted device dispenses daily drugs By Lauran Neergaard Medication via remote-control instead of a shot? Scientists implanted microchips in seven women that did just that, oozing out the right dose of a bone-strengthening drug once a day without them even noticing. Implanted medicine is a hot field, aiming to help patients better stick to their medications and to deliver those drugs straight to the body part that needs them. But the recent study is believed to be the first attempt at using a wirelessly controlled drug chip in people. If this earlystage testing eventually pans out, the idea is that doctors one day might program dose changes from afar with the push of a button, or time them for when the patient is sleeping to minimize side effects.

Could help many conditions The implant initially is being studied to treat severe bone-thinning osteoporosis. But it could be filled with other types of medication, said co-inventor Robert Langer of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s like `Star Trek,’” said Langer, refer-

ring to the science fiction television series. He co-authored the study appearing in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “Just send a signal over a special radio wave, and out comes the drug.” Today’s medication implants continuously emit their drugs until they run dry. One example is a dime-sized wafer that oozes chemotherapy directly onto the site of a surgically removed brain tumor, targeting any remaining cancer cells. Another is a contraceptive rod that is implanted in the arm and releases hormones to prevent pregnancy. A next step would be more sophisticated implants that release one dose at a time, programmable to skip or add a dose as needed, said biomedical engineer Ellis Meng of the University of Southern California. Meng was not involved with the MIT study but also is developing this kind of technology, and called the report “an important milestone.” Women with severe osteoporosis sometimes are prescribed daily injections of the bone-building drug teriparatide, known by

the brand Forteo. But many quit taking it because of the hassle of the shots.

How it works In the study, the microchip held doses of Forteo inside tiny wells that are sealed shut with a nano-thin layer of gold. Sending a wireless signal causes the gold on an individual well to dissolve, allowing that dose to diffuse into the bloodstream, Langer explained. In a doctor’s-office procedure in Denmark, the microchip was implanted just below the waistline into eight women with osteoporosis. Testing found one microchip wasn’t responding to the signals. The other seven women had their implants programmed to automatically emit a once-aday dose beginning eight weeks later. The chips could have begun working right away, said Robert Farra, chief executive of MicroCHIPS Inc., a Massachusetts company that has licensed the device and funded the study. But animal research showed a scar tissue-like membrane forms around the pacemaker-sized implant. So he waited until

that blockage formed to signal the first of 20 once-a-day doses to begin, to see if the drug could get through. Blood testing showed the implant delivered the drug as effectively as the women’s usual daily injections, and the device appeared to be safe, the researchers reported. It will take large-scale studies to prove the implant works as well as the long-used shots, cautioned osteoporosis specialist Dr. Ethel Siris of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University. “They’re a long way from proving that this mode of administration is going to work,” she said. But it’s an intriguing idea because “it’s daunting to have to take a daily shot.” Farra said his company hopes to begin a larger-scale test, using a chip that can hold 365 doses, in 2014. While doses of this osteoporosis medicine typically are not adjusted, he said, the eventual goal is for patients to carry a cell phone-sized device that would provide wireless feedback to the doctor who programs their implants. — AP

Doctors aren’t always truthful. Is that OK? By Lauran Neergaard Trust your doctor? A survey finds that some doctors aren’t always completely honest with their patients. More than half admitted describing someone’s prognosis in a way they knew was too rosy. Nearly 20 percent said they hadn’t fully disclosed a medical mistake for fear of being sued. And 1 in 10 of those surveyed said they’d told a patient something that wasn’t true in the past year. The survey, by Massachusetts researchers and published in Health Affairs, doesn’t explain why, or what wasn’t true. “I don’t think that physicians set out to be dishonest,” said lead researcher Dr. Lisa Iezzoni, a Harvard Medical School professor and director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Mongan Institute for Health Policy. She said the untruths could have been to give people hope.

Communicate with your doctor But it takes open communication for patients to make fully informed decisions

about their healthcare, as opposed to the “doctor-knows-best” paternalism of medicine’s past, Iezzoni added. The survey offers “a reason for patients to be vigilant and to be very clear with their physician about how much they do want to know,” she said. The findings come from a 2009 survey of more than 1,800 physicians nationwide to see if they agree with and follow certain standards medical professionalism issued in 2002. Among the voluntary standards are that doctors should be open and honest about all aspects of patient care, and promptly disclose any mistakes. A third of those surveyed didn’t completely agree that doctors should ‘fess up about mistakes. That’s even though a growing number of medical centers are adopting policies that tell doctors to say “I’m sorry” up front, in part because studies have found patients less likely to sue when that happens. Not revealing a mistake is “just inexcusable,” said Dr. Arthur Caplan, a prominent

medical ethicist at the University of Pennsylvania. Beyond decency, “your care now has to be different because of what happened.” The vast majority of those surveyed agreed that physicians should fully inform patients of the risks, not just the benefits, of treatment options and never tell a patient something that isn’t true — even though some admitted they hadn’t followed that advice, at least on rare occasions, in the past year.

What about hearing bad news? Perhaps least surprising is that doctors give overly positive prognoses. It’s hard to deliver bad news, especially when a patient has run out of options, and until recently doctors have had little training in how to do so. But Iezzoni said patients with the worst outlook especially deserve to know, so they can get their affairs in order. Patient studies have found most patients want to know. What else might doctors not tell? There are shades of gray, said Caplan, the ethicist. For example, he’s heard doctors ago-

nize over what to tell parents about a very premature baby’s chances, knowing the odds are really bad but also knowing they’ve seen miracles. Doctors prescribe placebos sometimes, and telling the patient that fact could negate chances of the fake treatment helping, he noted. Sometimes they exaggerate a health finding to shock the patient into shaping up. And sometimes it’s a matter of dribbling out a hard truth to give patients a chance to adjust, Caplan said. For example, one might say, “OK, this looks serious but we’re going to order some more tests,” when the doctor already knows just how grim things are. Withholding the full story is getting harder, though, Iezzoni said. Not only do more patients Google their conditions so they know what to ask, but some doctors who have embraced electronic medical records allow patients to log in and check their own test results. — AP

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Universal, lifetime flu vaccine on the way By Jason Koebler Annual flu shots might soon become a thing of the past — and threats such as avian and swine flu might disappear with them — as a vaccine touted as the “holy grail” of flu treatment could be ready for human trials next year. That’s earlier than the National Institutes of Health estimated in 2010, when they said a universal vaccine could be five years off. By targeting the parts of the virus that rarely mutate, researchers believe they can develop a vaccine similar to the mumps or measles shot. People would be vaccinated as children and then receive boosters later.

A new approach to immunity That differs from the current ‘60s-era technology, according to Joseph Kim, head of Inovio Pharmaceuticals, which is working on the universal vaccine. Each year, the seasonal flu vaccine targets three or four strains that researchers believe will be the most common that year. Previous seasons’ vaccines have no effect on future strains of the virus, because it mutates quickly. The seasonal vaccine also offers no protection against outbreaks such as 2009’s H1N1 swine flu. In contrast, a universal vaccine would offer protection against all forms of the virus. “It’s like putting up a tent over your immune system that protects against rap-

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the potential negative consequences” that publishing their research could cause. Some news outlets have called the new strain “engineered doomsday” and wondered whether terrorist organizations could create and distribute a similar virus. Kim said not to worry. “I am very certain our vaccine can already neutralize that newly made virus,” he said. “We’re trying to get our hands on it.” Inovio is working on vaccines that will protect against other strains, such as H3N2, which is seen in a newly-emerged swine flu virus. Those vaccines will be combined with the already-developed H1N1 and H5N1 vaccines to be delivered in one shot by the 2013 flu season. Researchers are taking a similar approach to HIV vaccine development, but working on the flu might be easier. “Unlike other diseases, we have 50 plus years of diagnostics on the flu,” Kim said. “There are lots of toolkits that let us know if our approach will work or not. ... Our goal is to have a vaccine strategy that can protect us from all mutations.” © 2012 U.S. News and World Report

idly mutating viruses,” Kim said. At least two other companies are working on a similar vaccine. In late 2010, Inovio earned a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to work on the vaccine. “It’s a completely different paradigm than how [vaccines] are made seasonably every year,” Kim said.

Bird and swine flu protection Kim said early research has been promising. Flu strains fall into different “buckets,” he said. All H1N1 strains share similar characteristics, as do all H5N1 strains — including the Asian bird flu strain that has killed more than 60 percent of the 500 or so people it has infected over the past decade. Kim said Inovio has already made and completed successful human tests for vaccines that protect against all H1N1 and H5N1 flu strains. In late 2011, two research groups created a strain of H5N1 bird flu that could be passed from human to human, leading the World Health Organization to issue a statement that said they were “deeply concerned about

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2. Jasmine rice. When healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if the meal included high-glycemic-index (GI) jasmine rice rather than lower-GI long-grain rice, in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While the authors aren’t sure how it happened, they speculated that the greater amounts of insulin triggered by the highGI meals increased the ratio of sleep-inducing tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood, allowing proportionately more to get into the brain. 3. Tart cherry juice. In a small study, melatonin-rich tart cherry juice was shown to aid sleep. When adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day, they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia. 4. Yogurt. Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of calcium, and there’s research that suggests being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep. Other calcium-rich foods to try: leafy

Getting you back to your life.

F R E E

By Brierley Wright Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can’t stay asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life “off” and tucking into bed at a reasonable hour. Whatever the reason, more than 50 million Americans don’t get enough shut-eye. Yet the health benefits of a good night’s rest are legion. Sleep helps keep you happy, your brain sharp, your immune system strong, your waistline trim, your skin looking youthful, and lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Here’s the good news: Adding certain foods to your diet may help increase your odds of successful slumber, as reported in EatingWell Magazine. Here are some things you can eat for a better night’s sleep: 1. Fish. Most fish, especially salmon, halibut and tuna, boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Other B6-rich foods include chickpeas, bananas and fortified cereals.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Health Shorts Yoga reduces fibromyalgia pain Fibromyalgia is as elusive as diseases come. Characterized by constant bodywide pain with no identifiable cause, its existence is still held in contention by doctors. But for the 12 million mostly female Americans to whom the pain is very real, yoga therapy may bring relief. Two months of twice-weekly yoga sessions reduced pain in women with fibromyalgia, according to new research from York University in Toronto, Canada. Participants reported less pain and help-

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

lessness at the end of the study, as well as a boost in cortisol levels. In healthy individuals, cortisol levels fluctuate regularly, but in fibromyalgia patients, symptoms are associated with consistently low levels, reflecting dysregulation of the body’s stress-management center. Without a regulated amount of cortisol, the body cannot adequately respond to or recover from stress. “For fibromyalgia sufferers, it’s actually positive when the body begins producing more cortisol,” said researcher Kathryn Curtis. Patients also came away from the intervention with greater mindfulness, which research shows is helpful in regulating the body’s natural stress response. The benefit is likely a result of Hatha yoga’s emphasis on breathing, meditation

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and inner reflection. Mindfulness, Curtis notes, may also prevent patients from focusing on their own pain, and in doing so, keep them from amplifying it. Here are a few ways to increase your mindfulness: Meditation: For five minutes, concentrate on the sensation of your breath traveling in and out of your lungs. Gently refocus when your mind wanders. “Meditation allows you to calmly experience your pain and your reactions to it — something we normally try to avoid,” Curtis said. Physical activity: Exercise takes your mind off anxieties and improves mood. Fibromyalgia patients should start slowly to avoid pain flare-ups. Conscious eating: For one meal, focus entirely on the experience of eating. Notice the appearance, texture, smell and taste of the food. It’s easiest to eat mindfully, Curtis said, if you block out time and pick a quiet environment. — Psychology Today

Over 65? Get a whooping cough shot A federal advisory panel wants all U.S. adults to get vaccinated against whooping cough. The panel voted to expand its recommendation to include all those 65 and older who haven’t gotten a whooping cough shot as an adult.

Five foods From page 5

I am a patient who had severe foot pain for 2 years, with no relief in sight....by the end of the 4 days I was 85% pain free in both feet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain. – Alvin, Baltimore

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

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

green vegetables like kale and collards. 5. Whole grains. Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rich in magnesium, and consuming too little magnesium may

Children have been vaccinated against whooping cough since the 1940s, but a vaccine for adolescents and adults was not licensed until 2005. Since then, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has gradually added groups of adults to its recommendations, including 2010 advice that it be given to older adults who spend a lot of time around infants. The recommendation means now all adults should get at least one dose. “They’ve been moving up to this in baby steps,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccines expert. Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial disease that in rare cases can be fatal. It leads to severe coughing that causes children to make a distinctive whooping sound as they gasp for breath. Recommendations from the panel are usually adopted by the government, which sends the guidance out to doctors. Contributing to the push to vaccinate more adults was a California whooping cough epidemic in 2010 that infected 9,000. Ten babies died after exposure to infected adults or older children. There’s little data on how many people 65 and over have gotten the vaccine. Only about 8 percent of adults under 65 have been vaccinated, but about 70 percent of adolescents have. Health officials believe whooping cough See HEALTH SHORTS, page 8

make it harder to stay asleep, reported the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. From EatingWell, a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. See www.eatingwell.com. © 2012 EatingWell, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Does coconut oil really prevent dementia? Q: Is it true that coconut oil can help properties, but results are mixed and more prevent dementia such as Alzheimer’s studies are needed. disease? Meanwhile, a wide range of A: It’s too early to know foods and eating patterns are whether coconut oil plays a linked more consistently in role in preventing dementia. studies with reduced risk for You can easily find articles dementia and other health promoting coconut oil to prebenefits than is coconut oil. A vent or battle dementia, as study that followed mid-life well as diabetes, heart disease adults for 14 years found that and other chronic diseases. those with highest scores for Although individual stories an overall healthy diet were can generate a lot of hope, ac86 to 90 percent less likely to cording to the Natural Medi- NUTRITION develop dementia in later cines Comprehensive Database WISE adult life. — one of the “gold standard” By Karen Collins, That came down to the references for foods and supple- MS, RD, CDM same choices that reduce risk ments like this — we simply do of cancer and heart disease not have enough evidence to evaluate the po- and promote a healthy weight: eating plenty tential effectiveness of this oil for dementia. of vegetables, fruit and fish; cooking with Coconut oil is high in saturated fat. Re- unsaturated oils; avoiding candy and sugarsearch is far less clear about the cholesterol- sweetened drinks and limiting added sugar; raising effects of saturated fat than it once keeping alcohol to moderate use (one or seemed, but the particular saturated fatty two drinks per week in women and one to acids in coconut oil seem to pose heart health five in men in this study); and limiting risk. Studies are conflicting on whether co- sausage and saturated fat. conut oil raises HDL (good) cholesterol. Keep mindful of emerging research, but Some coconut oil fans favor it as an anti- for now, the safer bets for reducing demeninflammatory food. Preliminary research tia are a Mediterranean or other eating suggests that virgin coconut oil, which is pattern that focuses on whole plant foods, oil not treated with chemicals or heat pro- along with regular exercise. cessing, could have anti-inflammatory Q: Foods that fight inflammation are

supposed to be so healthy. But what exactly is inflammation? A: The redness you see when you hit your thumb with a hammer or get a splinter is a sign of inflammation, the body’s normal response to injury or infection. Increased blood flow to the area brings white blood cells and proteins to attack or damage intruding bacteria. The inflammation that signals a health issue, however, is chronic, low-grade inflammation, which seems to damage body tissues in ways that promote development of chronic disease. For example, inflammatory cells have been found in the fatty plaque that builds up in blood vessels and leads to heart disease.

And inflammation seems to cause cell changes that result in our body’s inability to respond to insulin appropriately, increasing risk of type 2 diabetes. Inflammation may also promote cancer development by damaging our genes, increasing cell turnover, and increasing development of blood vessels that allow cancer cells to grow and spread. The good news is that many of the same basic lifestyle choices that we already know promote overall health seem to decrease development of chronic inflammation. Excess body fat releases proteins that travel throughout the body promoting inSee NUTRITION WISE, page 9

ADVERTORIAL

Baltimore Eye Doctor Helps Legally Blind to See Again Diplomat in Low Vision Care trains Dr. Thomas Azman to help those with age-related macular degeneration with reading and driving. By Elena Lombardi Freelance Writer

Donald Paquette, 72, a former assessor from Anaheim, California, thought that his driving days were over. “I could not read the street signs soon enough and I couldn’t pass the vision test at the DMV office.” Gonzalo Garcia, 74, Albuquerque, New Mexico, wanted to be able to read and write more easily. He wanted to see the nails and screws when he tried to use them in home repairs. He wanted see his grandchildren singing in the church choir. But he thought those days were over when he was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. California optometrist, Dr. Richard J. Shuldiner and Baltimore optometrist Dr. Thomas Azman are using miniaturized binoculars or telescopes to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration or other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider us

Hank Frese wearing Bioptic Telescope Driving Glasses

the last stop for people who have vision loss.” said Dr. Azman, a low vision optometrist who has just completed training with Dr. Shuldiner in California. “Amazing!” says Donald. “I can read the street signs twice as far as I did before and even see the television better!” Macular degeneration is the most common eye disease among the senior population. As many as 25% of those over 65 have some degree of degeneration. The macula is one small part of the entire retina, but it is the most sensitive and gives us sharp images. When it degenerates, macular degeneration leaves a blind spot right

in the center of vision, which makes it impossible to recognize faces, read a book, or pass the drivers vision test. The experts do not know what causes macular degeneration. But major factors include UV light from the sun, smoking, aging, and improper nutrition. Vitamins can help. The results of two studies, AREDS and LAST demonstrated a lowered risk of progression by about 25% when treated with a high-dose combination of vitamins. Dr. Azman advises patients on the best nutritional supplements during the low vision evaluation. Nine out of ten people who have macular degeneration have the dry type. There is no medical treatment except for vitamins. The wet type involves the leakage of fluid or blood from the blood vessels behind the macula. Injections of Leucentis or Avastin are very effective in preventing the vessels from leaking. “Our job is to figure out anything and everything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Azman. “Whether it’s driving, reading, watching television, seeing faces, playing bridge… we work with whatever is on the persons “wish list.”

Even if it’s driving. Maryland and California are two of many states that allow the use of telescopic glasses for safer driving. Hank Frese, 69, a former High School Principal from La Palma, California saw Dr. Shuldiner last August. “I could not read the street signs soon enough when driving, and I could not read my morning paper.” Bioptic Telescopic glasses were prescribed to read signs and see traffic lights farther away. As Hank puts it, “These telescope glasses not only allow me to read signs from a farther distance, but makes driving much easier. I’ve also used them to watch television so I don’t have to sit so close. I don’t know why I waited two years to do this; I should have come sooner” “Telescopic glasses start at around $1500”, says Dr. Azman, “and low vision prismatic reading glasses start at $500. A small price to pay for better vision and increased independence.” If you or someone you care about is struggling with vision loss, call Dr. Thomas Azman for a free telephone interview. You can reach Dr. Azman by dialing (410) 561-8050.

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Health Studies Page

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Strength training for breast cancer survivors By Carol Sorgen Years following breast cancer diagnosis, breast cancer survivors may struggle with a variety of problems, including insomnia, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Breast cancer survivors also appear to have greater amounts of weight gain, weakness and functional limitations than women without a history of cancer. Researchers have found that adding strength training to a treatment plan may aid recovery and promote long-term health. The University of Maryland/Baltimore VA Medical Center is now conducting a

study find out how exercise helps. According to principal investigator Monica Serra, strength training in breast cancer survivors appears to be well tolerated and may improve many quality of liferelated symptoms, as well as muscle mass, strength, cardiovascular fitness, balance and physical function, in addition to preventing bone mineral density loss.

Lymphedema concerns In the past, the recommendation to perform strength training was not encouraged in cancer survivors prone to lym-

Diabetes Research Study 50-80 year old men & women with Type 2 Diabetes are needed to participate in an exercise research study at the University of Maryland/Baltimore VA Medical Center. Call 410-605-7179. Mention code: EPC-DM.

Learn how to make Every time you use the phone. If any disability makes it difficult for you to use the telephone, you may qualify for FREE assistive telephone equipment through the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications program.

Even though you may be able to carry on a conversation with someone in person, you may have difficulty communicating by standard telephone. The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program, a service of Maryland Relay, provides assistive telecommunications equipment — free of charge — to people who qualify. Training on how to use the equipment is available. To learn more about the free equipment, including hands-free phones, amplified phones, voice activated phones and more, simply call Maryland Relay Customer Service at 1-800-552-7724. You may also visit our website, www.mdrelay.org. Click on Free Equipment for more information on how to apply

phedema (swelling that generally occurs in an arm or leg) — a condition that may affect as many as 70 percent of women who have had breast cancer surgery, Serra said. However, new research suggests that strength training may actually reduce symptoms and the number of exacerbations associated with lymphedema. In addition to 150 minutes a week of moderate cardiovascular training (which may include walking, biking or swimming), general strength training is recommended two or three days a week. This should include performing at least one set of eight to 10 different exercises that target the major muscle groups. Such exercises might include a bicep curl or leg raise.

Health shorts From page 6 is underreported in older adults, perhaps because in older people the illness can be hard to distinguish from other coughing ailments. A goal of the recommendation is to prevent teens and adults from spreading the disease to infants, although there’s not good evidence this “herd immunity” approach has worked so far. Vaccination for children is included in a series of shots, beginning at 2 months. The adult vaccine combines protection against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. One version of the vaccine, made by GlaxoSmithKline, was licensed for use in older adults last year. The committee said another version, made by Sanofi Pasteur, can also be given. Both cost about $35 a dose. The shot is as safe as a regular tetanus booster. Estimates range widely for how effective the vaccine is at preventing whooping cough in older adults, or how much its protection wanes years afterward. — AP

Each set should include eight to 12 repetitions of the exercise to the point where you cannot lift the weight one more time while maintaining proper lifting technique. Breast cancer survivors should begin a strength training program slowly and advance the program gradually, according to Serra. If prone to lymphedema, they should wear a compression sleeve and glove. Additionally, before beginning a strength training program, it is recommended that cancer survivors consult with a healthcare professional, who may be able to recommend an exercise program that will cater to their specific health needs and concerns. They See STRENGTH TRAINING, page 9

Statin drugs can cause memory loss Federal health officials are adding new safety warnings about risks of memory loss and elevated blood sugar to statins, a widely prescribed group of cholesterollowering medications. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced several labeling changes to medicines like Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor. Labeling on all such drugs will warn of memory loss and confusion reported among certain patients taking statins. The problems were generally not serious and went away after patients stopped taking the drugs, according to the FDA. The updated labels will also mention elevated levels of blood sugar reported in some patients taking statins. Statins are mainly prescribed to prevent heart attacks in people with clogged arteries and work by dramatically lowering LDL or “bad cholesterol.” They were the third bestselling drug class in the U.S. for 2010. — AP

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly? Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study at the University of Maryland &Veterans Aﬀairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the prevention of falls in aging individuals. You will receive:

• Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or ﬂexibility exercises • Compensation for your time If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT at Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

CALL TODAY!

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Strength training From page 8 should also have a certified fitness professional teach them proper exercise technique.

Taking part in the study The study is now recruiting 40 postmenopausal women between the ages of 45 and 80 who finished cancer treatment at least three months ago to participate in a research study on the benefits and guidelines for strength training in breast cancer survivors. Participants will go through two screening visits to determine eligibility, and then four visits for baseline testing. After this, they will strength train at the VA Medical

Nutrition wise From page 7 flammation, so reaching and maintaining a healthy weight shows major effects on reducing inflammation. Avoid tobacco; be physically active in some way every day; and eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. Including fish (especially fatty fish like salmon) and walnuts for omega-3 fat is helpful. In the past, there was some thought that polyunsaturated rich vegetable oils (corn, safflower, soybean and sunflower) worked against the inflammation-fighting effects

Center three times a week for four months before repeating the same four tests they did as baseline testing. There is no financial compensation paid for participating in this study. However, parking and use of the exercise facility are free, and participants will receive a complete medical evaluation — including physical fitness, body composition, glucose tolerance and cardiovascular health, in addition to an exercise trainer for the study duration. For more information or to volunteer, call the University of Maryland/Baltimore VA Medical Center at (410) 605-7179 and refer to the breast cancer study. The center is located at 10 N. Greene St. in downtown Baltimore.

of omega-3 fats, but that has been disproven. Monounsaturated rich vegetable oils such as olive oil and canola oil are both excellent choices. The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days. Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., NW, Washington, DC 20009.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 21

LEGS FOR LIFE SCREENING

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a hardening of the arteries in the legs and arms that can be effectively treated, and save a life if diagnosed early. The national Legs for Life screening program is designed to detect peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a common vascular condition that causes leg pain, swelling, poor wound healing, and that can put you at risk for heart attack. Attend this free screening, sponsored by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, on Saturday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Towson Town Center Mall, 825 Dulaney Valley Rd.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 23

CAN HYPNOSIS HELP YOU?

Learn what hypnosis is and how it can improve your life during “Understanding Hypnosis” on Monday, April 22, at 10 a.m., at the Pascal Senior Activity Center, 25 Dorsey Rd. Elizabeth Lasner, a registered nurse and board certified hypnotherapist, will answer questions and explain how hypnosis can be used to stop smoking, help reduce stress, change eating patterns, and improve memory. Call (410) 222-6680 for information.

Apr. 24

TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES

The Baltimore-Washington Eye Center of Glen Burnie will conduct a free vision screening at the Pasadena Senior Activity Center on Tuesday, April 24 from 2 to 4 p.m. The center is located at 4103 Mountain Rd. For registration and information, call (410) 222-0030.

Do you have more trouble than usual remembering things? People 50 and older with memory problems are needed for a research study to ﬁnd out if mentally stimulating activities can improve memory. You may participate at: Johns Hopkins Bayview or Mays Chapel Ridge Participation involves 1 screening visit, 4 visits lasting 5 hours, and 17 visits lasting 1 hour. You will be paid $620 for the study.

For more information, please call Christina at (410) 550-2688. Principal Investigator: Miriam Z. Mintzer, Ph.D. Protocol #: NA_00039100

Trouble Sleeping?

Approved December 23, 2011

Volunteer for a Sleep & Sensory Tes ng Study Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine are looking for volunteers to par!cipate in a research study examining the associa!on between sleep and sensory abili!es.

STUDIES ON ANEMIA Are you 65 years or older? Have you been recently diagnosed with anemia? OR Have you had anemia in the past? en you may be interested in: “THE JOHNS HOPKINS registry of older adults with anemia” • Several new research studies are being designed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University speciﬁcally for older adults with anemia. • By volunteering to join our anemia registry, you will be kept up to date on anemia research studies that match your situation.

Call us at 410-550-2113 to join the Anemia Registry today! We can conduct the study in your home. No travel is required. If you choose to come to Bayview to participate, your parking will be paid.

We look forward to hearing from you! Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeremy Walston, MD. IRB application No: NA_00035307

➢ To par cipate in this study, you must be: • 50 Years of age or older • Have Trouble Staying Asleep • Be otherwise Healthy

➢ Compensa on up to $330.00

➢ This study involves: • 1 Sleep study conducted in your home • Sensory and Physical tes!ng @ Johns Hopkins • 1 Blood draw • Parking and Tests provided at no cost

Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Principal Inves!gator Protocol: NA_00011802 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Approved 04/5/2010

For informa on, please call (410) 550-7906

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Money Law &

Tips for getting the best deal on a new car and for trade-ins. See story on page 12.

Pre-owned annuities: low risk, high return Most readers are looking for safe invest- for the duration of the annuity. So, in order to structure a reasonable offer, ments with a high rate of return. One investone needs to consider the balment that can meet these obance of the future payments, the jectives is a pre-owned annuity. established interest rate associMany people own the rights ated with the annuity, and the to annuities that guarantee number of payments remainmonthly income, sometimes for ing. These help determine the terms of up to 50 years. Some of present value of the annuity, these owners are willing to sell the legal right to their strucwhich can then be priced for tured monthly payments, at a purchase. discount, for a lump-sum payIn the end, the original ment. owner receives his lump-sum THE SAVINGS There are companies that GAME payment, the intermediary respecialize in this field and act By Elliot Raphaelson ceives a fee, and the new owner as intermediaries, for a fee, arreceives an attractive rate of reranging to sell these annuities to individuals turn (in comparison to other options availwho are willing to buy them for a fixed price able today) for the remaining term of the anin order to obtain a guaranteed monthly in- nuity. come for the remaining term of the annuity. A typical seller is somebody who was in- Rate of return can be high jured in an accident and received an annuity One of the major advantages of purchassettlement from an insurance company. That ing a pre-owned annuity is that the disperson may prefer to have a large lump sum count can be significant. These annuities are paid by major insurinstead of a stream of annuity income for, say, 30 years. To get that lump sum, they must be ance companies and other organizations willing to give a discount to the buyer. with excellent credit ratings. For long-term Each of the original annuity terms — the annuities, such as 30 years or longer, the curinterest rate, the scheduled payment date rent rate of return is more than 6 percent. and the payment amount — remains fixed You can see a sample of these offerings at

TotalReturnAnnuities.com (1-866-866-1999). Some of these offerings are for as long as 50 years, and some are as short as two or three years. Generally speaking, the longer the duration, the higher the rate of return. For example, checking one day in December, I found these offerings (listed are the duration of the annuity, the rate of return, and the paying company): • 50 years, 6.75 percent, MetLife • 40 years, 6.5 percent, Continental Life • 30 years, 6.5 percent, Prudential Only a limited number of offers are made each week, and attractive offerings do not stay on the market very long. If you are interested in a specific offering, you will be asked to make a down payment, which generally is 5 or 10 percent of the total amount due. Once your offer has been approved (it may take a week or so for approval), you will be asked for the remainder of the total payment.

Some shortcomings What are the disadvantages associated with this product? In my opinion, the major one is that this kind of annuity is not a liquid investment. You cannot assume that you will be able to sell it. There may be exceptions, but you should assume that you

will have to keep it for the rest of the life of the annuity. A second disadvantage is that interest rates may increase in the future. You will not be able to renegotiate the interest rate of your annuity. Assume that whatever payment you receive is the payment you will receive for the length of the annuity. If you decide to purchase this type of annuity, you should discuss with your attorney the desired form of ownership. It is advisable to establish ownership in a way so that it will not be probate property. In that way, income from the annuity will be continuous for your beneficiaries after your death. Overall, pre-owned annuities are an attractive alternative for investors willing to make a long-term or intermediate-term investment. They are low-risk investments with a high rate of return. Settlement Asset Management, which is an intermediary offering these annuities, has an excellent webpage (www.samesi.com/investors-and-attorneys.php) that discusses this product in detail. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Up-and-coming stocks costing $12 or less By Jennifer Schonberger Look at a list of any day’s top performers and you’ll see that low-priced stocks almost always dominate. Of course, the lists of the biggest losers are also often filled with low-priced stocks. These stocks are risky because the underlying companies are either small or troubled. Still, the hunt for the next big thing tantalizes. In that spirit, we’ve identified three stocks that have the potential to shine over the next few years. (Note: share prices shown are as of April 10, 2012.) Kodiak Oil & Gas Symbol KOG; recent price, $9.04 Investors are going gaga over shale. Huge new discoveries and improvements in technology for extracting oil and natural gas from rock formations are putting the U.S. back on the road to energy independence.

Denver-based Kodiak has a strong foothold in the Bakken oil-shale formation, a 200,000-square-mile swath of land that contains the largest known reserve of light sweet crude oil in North America. Kodiak produced the equivalent of 17,000 barrels of oil per day last year, analysts estimate, and they project that production will hit 30,000 barrels per day by the end of 2012. Analysts forecast that sales will leap 360 percent this year, to $637 million, with earnings nearly quadrupling. Points International PCOM; $10.52 Just about every major consumer business tries to lure customers with some sort of rewards program. Points International helps companies administer their loyalty programs. It counts among its clients various airlines, Amtrak, Best Buy and Starbucks.

The Toronto company also operates Points.com, the only website at which consumers can register their rewards programs, redeem and buy points, and trade points with other people. Points’ profits are growing briskly. Analysts estimate that earnings will more than double in 2012. Velti VELT; $11.34 When Bose, the consumer-electronics company, wanted to promote a new headphone model, it turned to Velti, which placed ads on a smartphone song-recognition app. Users who clicked on the ad were taken to a mobile website. On the ad’s first day, 70 percent of users who visited the site clicked the “buy now” button. Such is the appeal of Velti, an Irish company that also manages mobile ad cam-

paigns for such companies as Intel and Johnson & Johnson. Velti, which went public in January 2011 at $15 per share, coasted to nearly $20 before crashing to its current price over concerns about the company’s exposure to weak European economies and a disappointing earnings report. But the mobile-ad market is exploding: Sales were estimated at $13 billion in 2011 and are expected to hit $29 billion by 2014. Velti is well positioned to benefit from that growth. Analysts see earnings soaring 89 percent in 2012. Jennifer Schonberger is a staff writer at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

You can trade in old electronics for cash By Jeff Bertolucci How many dusty gizmos and gadgets do you have languishing at home? It’s easy to convert those old cellphones, computers, iPods, video games and movie DVDs into quick cash. A number of big-name shopping sites — including Amazon, Best Buy, eBay and Gazelle — will offer cash or store credit for your gear. The process is quick and painless, and you won’t have to pay shipping costs, even if the buyer rejects your hardware and returns it. Each marketplace is different, but you’ll usually get top dollar for trading in highdemand items, such as Apple desktop and laptop computers.

your device, decides the product is worth less than its original offer? You have the option of automatically accepting a reduced price or having the product returned to you at no charge. Amazon offered $63.25 for my Apple iPod nano, which was a few years old but still in excellent condition. I accepted the offer and printed Amazon’s free UPS mailing label, which popped up in a browser window. Next, I boxed up the iPod, drove to my nearest UPS Store, and dropped it off. Painless. Within a couple of weeks, Amazon notified me via email that it had examined and accepted my iPod. It immediately credited my gift-card balance.

Amazon Trade-In Store

eBay Instant Sale

As you might expect from the world’s top e-tailer, Amazon has an extremely user-friendly interface. The site accepts trade-ins — for store credit — in four categories: books, video games, movies & TV DVDs, and electronics. To submit an item, you enter the product’s name in a search window, and then answer a few quick questions about its condition. If Amazon is interested, you’ll receive an offer on the spot. But what if Amazon, upon receiving

EBay’s service works pretty much the same way that Amazon’s Trade-In Store does, albeit with two notable differences. Before returning a product to you, eBay first asks if you’ll accept a reduced price. And unlike Amazon, eBay pays cash, not store credit. The fastest way to get paid is to open an account with eBay’s PayPal service (if you haven’t already) and transfer the funds to your checking account. Other sites besides eBay offer cash, in-

cluding Gazelle (www.gazelle.com), which also operates trade-in services for bigname retailers such as Costco and Walmart. If you’d rather not pack up your gear, go to a participating Best Buy or Radio Shack store, where someone will appraise and

buy your products on the spot. Many trade-in services will offer to recycle your device free if they don’t want to buy it. Jeff Bertolucci is a freelance writer for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

May 11

LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP BCASCO, the Baltimore County Association of Senior Citizens Organizations, will present a “Senior Legislative Roundup” on Friday,

May 11 from 9:45 a.m. to noon at the Towson United Methodist Church, intersection of Dulaney Valley Rd. and Hampton Lane, Beltway Exit 27B. For more information, contact Beth Wiseman, (410) 484-6866.

Westminster House Apartments • Affordable housing for Seniors • In the heart of Mount Vernon • Only steps from the theater, library, churches, shopping and restaurants • Next door to The Walters Art Gallery

410-837-0180 www.westminsterhouseapts.org 524 North Charles Street (utilities included, underground parking available)

BEACON BITS

May 1

FREE COUNSELING ON ADVANCED DIRECTIVES

In recognition of Law Day 2012, the Elder Law Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association will offer free preparation of living wills, advance directives and healthcare powers of attorney in Baltimore County Senior Centers on Tuesday, May 1. Local attorneys will assist in preparing these legal documents at no charge for those 60 and over. Appointments required. Contact your local senior center in advance for details or call (410) 887-2040.

ELDER LAW, ESTATE AND SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING

Medical Assistance Planning Asset Protection Guardianship

Powers of Attorney Advance Medical Directives/ Living Wills

Trusts/ Estate Planning Administration Disability Planning/ Special Needs Trusts

Let us help you with life’s changes. Susquehanna Trust & Investment Company can help you with: • Estate and gift concerns • Investment management • Tax strategies • Financial recordkeeping • Bill payments from your account • Sale of a home as an account service To learn more, call Ken Hoefer, Senior Vice President, at 410.316.0240, or email him at Kenneth.Hoefer@susquehanna.net.

JASON FRANK,ESQ.

KANDACE SCHERR, ESQ.

NOT PICTURED LAURIE S. FRANK

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410-337-8900 · 1-888-338-0400 www.frankelderlaw.com

Doing what counts. |

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Tips for getting the best deal on a new car By Jessica Anderson You probably love getting new wheels, but hate the feeling that you and the dealer are playing a game you can’t win. Knowing how the game works, however, can help you sidestep potential pitfalls, command better treatment and get a fair price. Before you step into a dealership, find out what the car cost the dealer and what other buyers are paying. You can find invoice prices, cash incentives, financing deals and average transaction prices at www.truecar.com.

Call several dealers in advance and ask for an Internet salesperson or manager to negotiate prices over the phone and get firm offers via email. When you go to the showroom, take printouts of the pricing details, especially if dealerships are touting special offers. Not up for haggling, period? Try a car buying service, such as CarBargains or TrueCar. The best time to shop is at the end of the month, when dealers try to meet sales goals and qualify for month-end bonuses.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 21

LEGS FOR LIFE SCREENING

Ongoing

SCREENINGS FOR UNINSURED WOMEN

The Baltimore County Department of Health and the Women’s Cancer Protection Program provide free mammograms, clinical breast exams and PAP tests for income-eligible women between 40 and 64 who do not have insurance. A cancer treatment program is also available. For more information, call (410) 887-3432, or visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/cancerprogram.

Senior Apartments LIVE WELL FOR LESS Roland View Towers

Trade-in tips

Ask for discounts

Got a trade-in? Used cars are in short supply, so you’re in a great position. You’ll get the highest price if you sell your old car yourself. Check prices on AutoTrader.com to gauge the market, and stop by CarMax to get a quote. When you hit the lot, wear your poker face so you don’t tip your hand that you really, really want a particular car. A dealership will often gang up on a customer by sending two salespeople or a salesperson and a manager to make the deal, so it can help to have someone with you who’s got your back. If a salesperson asks you what your target monthly payment is, don’t take the bait. There are many ways to lower the monthly payment that will cost more over the long haul — extending the loan term or switching to a lease, for example. Keep the discussions focused on the total price.

Be sure to ask for a “loyalty” discount if you’re buying another vehicle of the same brand as your last. If you’re new to the brand, ask for the “conquest” discount. Both of these come from the manufacturer and range from $500 to $2,000. And don’t be fooled when the salesperson steps into another room to “get approval from the manager” for the price you’ve offered. Stay firm on a fair price and be ready to walk. A good chunk of dealer profit comes from the finance-and-insurance office, so bring financing from your bank or credit union to compare with whatever you’re offered. And don’t forget to mention the customer satisfaction survey — every buyer gets one, and high scores mean bonuses for dealers. Jessica Anderson is an associate editor at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance4

BEACON BITS

May 8

FUNDAMENTALS OF HEALTH

Learn what causes disease and how many of today’s chronic diseases may be underlying causes of cognitive dysfunction at this workshop sponsored by the Edward A. Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd. on Tuesday, May 8 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (410) 358-6856.

SERVING

THOSE WHO

SERVED AND THEIR ELIGIBLE NON-VET SPOUSES

• One- and Two-Bedroom as well as Efficiencies • Rents from $443-$744* Utilities Included! • 24/7 on-site Maintenance and Reception Desk • Beauty/Barber Shop on premises • Rooftop Restaurant • Bus Trips and Social Events and many more amenities!

Mention the Beacon for First Month’s Rent FREE! For your personal tour contact Arthur or Laura Ruby at

800-522-VETS www.charhall.org

410-889-8255 St Mary’s Roland View Towers 3838/3939 Roland Ave • Baltimore MD 21211

www.smrvt.com *All residents must meet specific income guidelines.

skilled nursing // assisted living // rehabilitation // alzheimer's care // respite care

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; M AY 2 0 1 2

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

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Friendship Retirement Community Lobby Roanoke, VA

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

The retirement community of the future By Sarah Bruyn Jones With retirees increasingly worrying about outliving their savings, Friendship Retirement Community is looking to address the concern with the assistance of architecture students. The Roanoke retirement community that currently is home to nearly 900 people is in the early stages of developing a research partnership with two of Virginia’s leading architecture schools. The aim is to define and design the retirement community of the future. The vision includes a walkable community, or at least one that doesn’t rely on cars, plus a community market, recreational amenities, and homes that can be adapted with technology as a person’s needs change with age. The assignment proposed by Friendship is for students studying architecture at Virginia Tech and the University of Vir-

ginia to create a retirement community that can maintain a reasonable price with little or no rate increases, while adapting to the physical needs of aging residents. This isn’t just an academic exercise but one that Friendship will use as it plans to expand its campus beginning with construction of new residences this year. “The most desirable and cost-efficient method of aging — aging in place — is difficult, even under the most ideal conditions,” said Friendship CEO Russ Barksdale. “Research from both universities shows the correlation between health and housing concerns of elderly individuals, and yet most retirement facilities designed and built even within the last five years are not optimal for our nation’s growing elder population.” Few homes, whether institutional or not, address both the health and housing needs of people as they grow older, Barks-

dale said. He wants Friendship to be part of a solution that changes that.

Rising retirement costs Last year, the national rates at nursing homes and assisted living facilities nationally increased 4.4 percent and 5.6 percent respectively, according to the 2011 MetLife Mature Market Institute national market survey of long-term care costs. On average, Virginians pay a monthly base rate of $3,811 for assisted living, according to the MetLife report. Costs in Baltimore are comparable, though Maryland overall has a higher average cost of $4,441. At the same time, individual retirement accounts are shrinking as retirees face a volatile stock market and ailing economy. People have seen the equity in their homes fade, and there was no Social Security cost of living raise in 2010 and 2011.

Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

Designed and managed for today· s seniors at these locations: AN ARUNDEL COUNTY ANNE ‡ Furnace Branch 410-761-4150 ‡ Severna Park 410-544-3411 BALTIMORE CITY BA ‡ Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440 ‡ Coldspring 410-542-4400 BALTIMORE COUNTY ‡ Catonsville 410-719-9464 ‡ Dundalk 410-288-5483 ‡ Fullerton 410-663-0665 ‡ Miramar Landing 410-391-8375 ‡ Randallstown 410-655-5673 ‡ Rosedale 410-866-1886 ‡ Timothy House (Towson) 410-828-7185 ‡ Taylor 410-663-0363 ‡ Woodlawn 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE ‡ Easton 410-770-3070 HARFORD COUNTY ‡ Box Hill 410-515-6115 ‡ Bel Air 410-893-0064 HOWARD COUNTY ‡ Colonial Landing 410-796-4399 ‡ Columbia 410-381-1118 ‡ Snowden River 410-290-0384 ‡ Ellicott City 410-203-9501 ‡ Ellicott City II 410-203-2096 ‡ Emerson 301-483-3322 PRINCE GEORGE· S COUNTY NOW! * Bladensburg 301-699-9785 *55 or Better ‡ Laurel 301-490-1526 ‡ Laurel II 301-490-9730

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

Plus, Barksdale said, often seniors are not living in an ideal environment. Some are spending too much money for care they don’t require, while others can’t afford the care they need. “Too often in our industry, seniors are moved quickly into assisted living and then skilled nursing,” Barksdale said. “Each level is more costly and requires them to give up more and more independence.”

Longer lives On top of the financial strains, Barksdale said the average time retirees live in a community like Friendship has risen. That means that seniors are entering when they are younger, when they are more active. “We are seeing residents join Friendship Retirement Community in their 70s and living here 15 to 20 years,” he said. With the impending surge of retiring baby boomers, who are expected to live longer, Barksdale said a new option for retirees is needed. “Already, we’re seeing 95 percent occupancy in our independent living apartments and our healthcare center is full, with a bit of room left in assisted living,” he said. “We see the need for more capacity. So future residents will be older, they may require more assistance in their home, and there’s a likelihood that they’ll have less money to bring into retirement.” Still he added, “They also want more amenities than generations before them — whether it’s a community center, pool, workout room, activities, travel and modern kitchens.” Figuring out how to rein in costs while providing more amenities is among the seemingly incompatible tasks that Friendship wants the architecture students to tackle. “This project is about sustainability — financially for residents, clinically for the right care, and philosophically,” Barksdale said.

Architecture students step in For the students, the question posed by Friendship, which is Virginia’s largest retirement community, provides a platform for conducting research in the growing field of how environmental design influences the health and well-being of citizens. Inaki Alday, chairman of the department of architecture at UVa, said the relationship with Friendship is a promising research opportunity in an area that could have a larger effect on society and the aging population. “We are demanding new things, new ways of having relationships with the environment,” Alday said. “I guess Friendship is interested in being on the cutting edge of what society is demanding.” Alday said students will have to ask questions such as where to locate a vegSee RETIREMENT, page B-4

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New technology enables aging in place By Laurie Orlov and Barbara Ruben From wireless monitoring systems to devices that call for emergency response, technology that helps older adults live at home is growing by leaps and bounds. Below are five devices that have recently gone on the market. They not only allow people to live at home longer, but let them communicate with family members quickly and easily. The GrandCare System connects via Internet and communicates with wireless sensors throughout a home to help caregivers communicate with and monitor a loved one from afar. The device monitors door openings, blood pressure, weight, medications, eating, wake up times and other activities. The system also coordinates schedules online with family and caregivers. Family can send pictures, messages, emails, reminders and more to a dedicated and customized TV channel for the loved one to see. For an additional charge, the interactive GrandCare System includes a touch-screen monitor for these communication elements. Users can play games, listen to favorite music, watch old film clips, view news and weather reports and more from the system. The company says no computer experience is needed to use the device. For more information, contact Grand-

Care Systems LLC, (262) 338-6147, www.grandcare.com. The GreatCall Responder is a wireless, mobile device that enables you to call for assistance from wherever you are. Weighing 1.8 ounces, the GPS-enabled device can be attached to a keychain or carried in a purse or backpack. By pressing the button on the GreatCall Responder, users (who must also subscribe to the 5Star Urgent Response Service) are immediately connected to trained, certified agents who will identify them and their location, conference in family or friends, dispatch 911 emergency services, access a nurse, or provide any additional assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Consumers can also use the device to contact 911 directly. For more information, contact GreatCall, 1-800-733-6632, www.greatcall.com. The TabSafe medication management system not only reminds people to take their prescriptions, it dispenses the drugs as well. It also alerts caregivers (that the medication has been retrieved, or not, as the case may be) and posts information on compliance, inventory and other health information that is accessible from any Internet capable device. The medication to be dispensed must be inserted by the pharmacy, homeowner or caregiver into a cartridge in a base unit.

The design allows for one type of medication per cartridge or multiple medications using an optional multidose cartridge. The design allows one tablet, or a dose of more than one, to be released at a time. A memory chip embedded in each TabSafe cartridge allows the pharmacist to enter each customer’s medication information at the same time that a label is generated. Users also have access to a personal website that includes a database of information about the medication supplied to

the unit, detailed prescription data and compliance records. The device also coordinates ordering refills from the pharmacy. For more information, contact TabSafe Medical Services, Inc.: 1-877-700-8600, www.tabsafe.com. Telikin bills itself as a simple and easyto-use computer that combines video chat, photo sharing, Web browsing, e-mail and other popular features into a touchscreen See NEW TECHNOLOGY, page B-5

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ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Retirement From page B-2

Weinberg Village Campus 410-581-7878 3430 Associated Way Owings Mills, MD 21117 www.weinbergvillage.net This lovely campus of five buildings offers you the opportunity to maintain your healthy and active lifestyle. While living in one of the spacious apartments, you will have access to many amenities that include a convenience store, hair salon, and community rooms that are supplied with computers, games, televisions and books. In addition, residents take part in daily activities planned by resident volunteers and staff members. Located in a quiet corner of Owings Mills, you will have easy access to many shopping, dining and entertainment businesses. Weinberg Village has a community shuttle bus that makes regular trips to many local attractions.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Glen Forest Senior Apartments 410-969-2000 7975 Crain Hwy Glen Burnie MD 21061 www.ﬁrstcentrum.com Glen Forest is centrally located to the numerous conveniences of the region, including BaltimoreWashington International Airport, the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail and North Arundel Hospital. This independent living community for persons 62 years of age or better is also convenient to local and dining that can be found throughout the Glen Burnie and Baltimore area. A shopping mall is located right across from the property, which includes grocery, clothing and other stores, banks and restaurants. While living at Glen Forest you will enjoy many activities hosted by the resident association, a senior center nutrition site that serves a hot lunch Monday through Friday for a nominal fee and carefree 24-hour emergency maintenance service. Come visit and see why our residents love it here at Glen Forest.

SKILLED NURSING AND REHABILITATION

White Oak Health Care 410-979-4822 921 E Fort Avenue Baltimore MD 21230 White Oak Health Care is a premier nursing and rehabilitation center consulting company. The company manages seven facilities in Maryland and West Virginia. Blue Point, Northwest, and Holly Hill are conveniently located in the Baltimore region. These facilities specialize in short-term nursing care after hip, knee, and other joint surgeries. They can also assist in rehabilitation after a stroke or accident. These centers pride themselves on the great therapy and nursing care given to their patients. If you are considering a joint surgery, or find that it becomes necessary, call the admissions department for more information on scheduling a tour, selecting your room, and meeting the therapy staff prior to your surgery. For a rapid response, please call Julianna Lau at 410-979-4822.

etable garden and how to design a community that doesn’t rely on cars for transportation. Friendship already has identified both land and money to create this new environment and has plans to break ground on a new development on its Roanoke campus next year. On the table is a $5.5 million budget to construct 34 new apartments that will incorporate the best of the designs and ideas from the students. That will be the first stage of the larger project. Last November, Jim Jones and five students from Tech’s College of Architecture and Urban Studies stood with Barksdale looking out at 14 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the existing Friendship community. Jones and Barksdale discussed the location and the vision. “It’s nice because it’s open to the south,” said Jones, who is the director of the Center for High Performance Learning Environments at Tech. “That provides nice natural light.” For Jones, the relationship with Friendship also delves into a larger architectural challenge of designing buildings and the surrounding landscape to create energyefficient and sustainable spaces. Taking advantage of the natural light that he immediately noticed when visiting the site means purposefully including skylights, windows, doors and outdoor spaces

in the overall design, Jones said. “We want to get into the mind of the people who will inhabit these spaces and figure out what works and what doesn’t work,” he said. The immediate design will likely rely on existing ideas that have already been proven through research. Friendship is not alone in embracing those concepts. Last September, the state of Virginia granted permission for Richfield Retirement Community to renovate and expand its nursing home in a $35.5 million project that moves away from the long hallways of traditional medical institutions and instead relies on a “neighborhood” setting where activities and care can be tailored to patients’ needs. [A similarly innovative longterm care community opening soon in Baltimore will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Beacon.] Besides looking at the 14-acre open field, Barksdale took Jones on a tour of the existing buildings at Friendship. There, too, Jones pointed out changes to the design that would offer a more suitable environment for residents, such as doing away with some of the dark hallways and segregated rooms that confine people to one space and block any connection to the outdoor environment. “This offers us a chance to design something new, but also test what exists,” Jones said. “We can look at what works and doesn’t and use that to inform [the design]. It’s a continuum of research.” — The Roanoke Times via AP

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

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More choose not to move when retiring By Chris Farrell The popular vision of the “good life” in retirement — packing up to move hundreds (if not thousands) of miles to a new abode where it’s always sunny and warm — became commonplace in the 1950s and ‘60s. Many older Americans had achieved financial independence and migrated from Snowbelt cities to Sunbelt communities, where they expected a leisurely life of golf in the morning and cocktails on the patio in the evening. “In the past, such an experience of retirement was limited to the wealthy few,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Dora Costa wrote in 1998 in The Evolution of Retirement. “Now, it is an option available to the majority of workers.”

Yet more are staying put

New technology

For more information, contact Telikin, 1-800-230-3881, www.telikin.com. The telyHD by telylabs delivers highdefinition (HD) Skype video calls directly to a TV. By plugging telyHD into the HMDI port on a TV, the user can make HD video calls to any Skype user, on any device, anywhere in the world. The all-in-one unit does not require a computer, nor is there any software to install. Designed for the living room, telyHD

From page B-3 device. It also features a built-in CD/DVD player, games and Microsoft-compatible word processing. Telikin is available with an 18- or 20-inch monitor. Telikin comes with its software fully installed and ready to go out of the box. It offers 60 days of free U.S.-based telephone support, as well as built-in video tutorials

But is it really a widely available option anymore? Following the steep decline in home values after the housing bubble burst in 2006, Americans of all ages are relocating less often. A mere 11.6 percent of U.S. residents moved between 2010 and 2011, the lowest rate since 1948. The number of older Americans continues to grow, but they are increasingly aging in place. Scholars at the Brookings Institution predict, for example, that Georgia’s senior population — those age 65 and older — will swell by 44 percent between 2010 and 2020. But less than 10 percent of the increase will be due to in-migration of older citizens. The shift toward staying put runs even deeper than the depression in home values. The leading edge of the massive babyboom generation has reached the tradi-

tional retirement age of 65. But most boomers’ savings have fallen short. That savings dearth is the impetus for the standard retirement advice these days: Work well into your traditional retirement years. And guess what? Working longer influences where you retire. For most people, it makes sense to stay where they are because they can more easily find jobs by tapping networks of nearby friends, family members and acquaintances. For example, having such a network makes it far easier for a soon-to-be-retiree to get a part-time consulting contract or an opportunity to use hard-earned know-how at a local business. Relocating means creating new networks, and that takes time.

Financial benefits

two major ways. First, nurturing the various networks in your community is truly a critical investment — the way stocks, bonds and other types of financial savings are important to a secure old age. Second, you have a good vantage point for researching ways to improve your current home, rather than looking into possible digs in far-away climes Do your bathrooms need remodeling for safety as you age? How about the kitchen? Or would it be smarter to downsize to a nearby condo? Chris Farrell is a contributing columnist to Kiplinger.com. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. And for more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Staying local benefits you financially in

features a high-definition camera with wide-angle lens and a microphone. The unit also allows users to share photos from a flash drive or SD card and to send and receive video mail. TelyHD is powered by Google’s Android operating system for continued de-

livery of new applications. No monthly fees are required. For more information, contact telylabs: (650) 318-3549, www.tely.com. Laurie Orlov is an industry analyst for the website Aging in Place Technology Watch, www.ageinplacetech.com.

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Call 443-402-0503 for your personal tour Open Daily 11a.m. - 5 p.m.

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INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Bay Forest Senior Apartments 410-295-7557 930 Bay Forest Ct. Annapolis, MD 21403 www.ﬁrstcentrum.com Love to be close to the water? Then you will love it at Bay Forest Senior Apartments. An affordable independent community for persons 62 years of age or better! A beautifully landscaped country setting with plenty of parking for you and your visitors. Only 10 minutes from Annapolis Historic City Dock, which offers a variety of stores, restaurants, banks and the Watermark Cruises boat tours. Just a few minutes’ drive from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and walking distance to the Quiet Waters Park. You’ll love the 24-hour emergency maintenance service, many activities hosted by the resident association and the convenience of joining fellow residents at the nutrition site located in the community room for a hot lunch Monday through Friday. Come visit Bay Forest soon, we’re waiting for you!!

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Broadmead 410-527-1900 13801 York Road Cockeysville, MD 21030 www.broadmead.org Nestled amid 94 acres in the picturesque Hunt Valley countryside, Broadmead offers garden style courtyard homes with a variety of floor plans, including private patios or patio enclosures and personal gardens. Broadmead offers exceptional dining venues, a vibrant lifestyle and community amenities, including a fitness and aquatic center, trips and transportation, entertainment, activities and more. We offer an all-inclusive healthcare program, including an onsite medical center with physicians available 24-hours-a-day, pharmacy services and continuum of care for the ultimate peace of mind.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY/CCRC

Charlestown 410-737-8830 715 Maiden Choice Lane Catonsville, MD 21228 www.ericksonliving.com Charlestown in Catonsville is the ideal choice for active seniors who want to live a vibrant lifestyle in a setting that’s safe and beautiful. Every maintenance-free apartment home on our private campus is a short indoor stroll to a clubhouse full of exciting amenities, services, clubs and classes. Here, you’ll enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and the convenience of on-site health and wellness services with our full continuum of care. Schedule your personal campus tour today.

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Tools for a do-it-yourself home inventory By David Pitt Everyone should keep an up-to-date list of their belongings. It’s essential to be prepared in case of theft, loss by fire, or other cause of serious damage. Yet the insurance industry estimates that only about 1 in 5 homeowners have such an inventory. The old fashioned way of going room to room with a notepad and pencil is one way to accomplish this task, but new tools including software and an iPhone app make it much easier. The latest is new free offering released by the Insurance Information Institute (III), an industry trade group. It’s available on www.knowyourstuff.org or by using the III Inventory app, which is available on Apple’s iTunes store. You can enter a list of your belongings through either the website or the app. You do not need to have a smartphone with apps to take advantage of the website, but if you do, what you enter through the app and website will be synchronized. All of the information is stored in a personal, password-protected account on an Amazon secure server. It can then be accessed anywhere, anytime, which is an important benefit should you have to evacu-

ate your home in an emergency. The software will guide you through the process of creating and updating your home inventory. As a starting point, there are lists of rooms and item types to make things easier. Photographs, scanned receipts and appraisal forms can be uploaded. What’s more, the software can generate several types of insurance reports, which is helpful if a claim needs to be filed. A home inventory enables homeowners and renters to determine if they have sufficient insurance coverage. After a loss, it also helps substantiate the amount of the loss for tax purposes or when applying for financial assistance. While III’s software is a recent launch, other inventory programs are available. Check out the one offered by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners at www.insureuonline.org . The application, called MyHome Scr.APP.book, is available for both iPhone and Android devices. For those without a smartphone, the association offers a downloadable home inventory checklist and tips for effectively cataloguing your possessions. — AP

Ten ways to save money when moving By Brian Ruberry For those planning to downsize in the coming years, the cost of moving is often one of the most worrisome factors. Moving costs range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, so with the right planning the cost savings can be significant. “Movers typically charge by the hour, so you need a good plan in place to avoid wasting money,” said Susan Danick, founder of Transitional Assistance & Design, a senior move management company in the Washington D.C. area. “A plan helps the move be better organized, more efficient and more cost effective.” “Moving into a retirement community is very different than moving into a house,” she emphasized. “You won’t have room for storage, so you need to think as much about purging as you do about packing.” Danick offered the following cost-saving tips for those planning to downsize: 1. Choose a mover that fits your needs. For a move involving many large and delicate items, make sure the moving company includes packing and crating in their estimate, along with insurance.

2. Move during off-peak days/times. If possible, hold your move until midmonth, or anytime between October and April, to secure lower rates. 3. Request written estimates from several movers. Moving estimates should be based on an inspection of your home furnishings, not a phone conversation. 4. De-clutter before the move for significant savings. Remember, the more items you discard before the move, the less your moving bill will be. 5. Choose best quality over best price. If you hire a mover based solely on the cheapest price, you may be sacrificing other things that are actually more important, such as getting your possessions moved and delivered on time and delivered all in one piece. 6. Protection is key. Regardless of the mover, keep your most precious items with you, like prescription medications, jewelry and important financial documents. 7. Read the fine print before signing on the dotted line. Unfortunately, some See TEN WAYS TO SAVE, page B-8

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

B-7

Finding caregivers to lend a hand at home “Homecare” is a simple phrase that encompasses a wide range of health and social services. These services are delivered at home to recovering, disabled, chronically or terminally ill persons in need of medical, nursing, social or therapeutic treatment and/or assistance with the essential activities of daily living. Generally, homecare is appropriate whenever a person prefers to stay at home but needs ongoing care that cannot easily or effectively be provided solely by family and friends. More and more older people, electing to live independent, non-institutionalized lives, are receiving homecare services as their physical capabilities diminish. Home care organizations include home health agencies; homemaker and homecare aide (HCA) agencies; staffing and private-duty agencies. Home care services generally are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Depending on the patient’s needs, these services may be provided by an individual or a team of specialists on a part-time, intermittent, hourly or shift basis. Here are descriptions of the various types of homecare providers and explanations of how they differ: Home health agencies The term home health agency often indicates that a homecare provider is Medicare certified. A Medicare-certified agency has met federal minimum requirements for patient care and management and therefore can provide Medicare and Medicaid reimbursable home health services. Individuals requiring skilled homecare services usually receive their care from a home health agency. Due to regulatory requirements, services provided by these agencies are highly supervised and controlled. Some agencies deliver a variety of home-

care services through physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, homemakers and HCAs, durable medical equipment and supply dealers, and volunteers. Other home health agencies limit their services to nursing and one or two other specialties. Home health agencies recruit and supervise their personnel. As a result, they assume liability for all care. Homemaker and homecare aide agencies Homemaker and HCA agencies employ homemakers or chore workers, HCAs and companions who support individuals through meal preparation, bathing, dressing and housekeeping. Personnel are assigned according to the needs and wishes of each client. Some states, including Maryland, require these agencies to be licensed and meet minimum standards established by the state. Most homemaker and HCA agencies recruit, train and supervise their personnel and thus are responsible for the care rendered. Staffing and private-duty agencies Staffing and private-duty agencies generally are nursing agencies that provide individuals with nursing, homemaker, HCA and companion services. Most states do not require these agencies to be licensed or meet regulatory requirements. Some staffing and private-duty agencies assign nurses to assess their clients’ needs to ensure that personnel are properly assigned and provide ongoing supervision. These agencies recruit their own personnel. Again, responsibility for patient care rests with each agency. Registries Registries serve as employment agencies for homecare nurses and aides by matching these providers with clients and collecting finder’s fees. These organizations usually are

IN-HOME SENIOR CARE SERVICES

not licensed or regulated by government. Registries are not required to screen or check the background of their caregivers, but some do undertake these tasks routinely. In addition, although not legally required to, some registries offer procedures for patients to file complaints. Clients select and supervise the work of a registry-referred provider. They also pay the individual provider or providers directly and must comply with all applicable state and federal labor, health and safety laws and regulations, including payroll tax and Social Security withholding requirements. Independent providers Independent providers are nurses, therapists, aides, homemakers, chore workers and companions who are privately employed

by individuals who need such services. Aides, homemakers, chore workers and companions are not required to be licensed or to meet government standards except in cases where they receive state funding. In this arrangement, the responsibility for recruiting, hiring and supervising the provider rests with the client. Finding back-up care in the event that the provider fails to report to work or fulfill job requirements is the client’s responsibility. Clients also pay the provider directly and must comply with all applicable state and federal labor, health and safety requirements. Excerpted from the website of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. For more information, see www.nahc.org or call (202) 547-7424.

Adults 62+ – Make Your Move!

The Meadows of Reistertown offers the maintenance-free, independent lifestyle you’ve been looking for in a retirement community. • Social, Educational and Recreational Events • Patios or Balconies • Individual Climate Control • Convenient to Shoppings, Banking and Restaurants

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He’s Always Been An Individual. Why Should His Home Care Be Any Different? We help to keep his independent spirit strong. Comfort Keepers® provides compassionate in-home care that helps seniors live happy, fulfilling lives in the comfort of their own homes.

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B-8

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Inexpensive ways to spruce up your home By Patricia Mertz Esswein For $1,000 or less, you can enjoy your home more if you’re staying put, or add curb appeal if you’re planning to sell. Consider these options:

Remake an entrance, $250 If your home’s front entrance presents a sad face to the world, brighten it up by painting the front door with an accent color. Benjamin Moore’s Aura Exterior, about $20 per quart, is a good choice; it hides imperfections, is easy to apply, dries quickly and resists fading and weathering. Finish the door with new hardware. At

www.handlesets.com you’ll find a good selection at discounted prices, often almost half off suggested retail. (Installation is an easy job, but if you lack the time, a handyman will charge $30 to $100.) Add kick plates (screw-on or magnetic, $25 to $112) and door knockers ($10 to $226) from the huge selection at www.signaturehardware.com. Replace a beaten-up mailbox with one from www.seattleluxe.com, which carries almost 1,200 boxes, wall- and post-mounted, that run from $29 all the way up to $3,960. Add pizzazz or character with house numbers from www.housenumberconnection.com. You’ll

See useful links and resources at www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com

find styles from Craftsman to the Age of Aquarius in copper, brass, aluminum, steel and tile ($11 to $47 apiece).

Update your lighting, $500 Are you living with light fixtures that aren’t yet fashionably retro? Switch out one or more, especially in a prominent place, such as over your dining-room table. To get a feel for styles, visit www.lampsplus.com or the Web sites of home-furnishings retailers, such as www.westelm.com. Lithonia Lighting (www.lightahome.com) makes several styles of energy-efficient chandeliers. A five-light chandelier goes for $199 in antique bronze and $258 in brushed nickel. Installation costs $60 to $100.

Make over cabinets, $1,000 Give your dowdy kitchen cabinetry a lift with paint and new hardware. Proper preparation — cleaning, sanding and prim-

Ten ways to save

Bathroom and Kitchen Makeovers

From page B-6

Spruce up your home to enjoy or to sell. Resurface with genuine granite — fast and easy! Beautiful and durable shower walls, countertops, backsplashes, and more. No messy demolition, never needs sealing and comes with a lifetime warranty.

After

Before

Before “You truly transformed our kitchen.” R. Levine

Showers with no grout lines. Tubs - New or Liners. Vanities, Floors and Half Walls, Tub to Shower Conversions. Easy Access Bathrooms.

ing —is key to a good-looking, long-lasting result. Using a paint sprayer helps, too (rent one from a paint or home-improvement store). Pros charge an average of $547 to do the job with one coat of paint on 150 square feet of base and wall-hung wood cabinets, according to the website Do It Yourself or Not (www.diyornot.com). You can cut the cost of painting to about $200, regardless of size, if you do it yourself. For inspiration, visit websites such as Better Homes and Gardens (www.bhg.com; see “30 Low-Cost Cabinet Makeovers”) and www.houzz.com. Hardware — knobs and handles — is the jewelry of cabinetry, and the Internet provides endless options. You can spend from a few dollars to $50 or much more per knob or handle. Find a fine discounted selection at www.knobsforless.com. © Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Cabinets - New or Refacing. Countertops, Backsplashes, Sinks, Faucets, Floors & more. Easy Access Kitchens.

movers will tack on hidden fees, such as the cost of packing supplies or boxes, in the fine print. 8. Base the move on a floor plan of your new space. Movers can work much more efficiently using a floor plan, with the added assurance that each piece of furniture will fit in the new space. 9. Do a background check. Make sure your mover has insurance and a mover’s license by checking out the Better Business Bureau. 10. Don’t attempt the move in just one day. Moving in one day makes for a long, exhausting day, so choose a mover who will help with the pack/load on day one, and the unpack/unload on day two.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 29

The Maryland SPCA will hold its 17th annual March for the Animals on Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Go to www.marchfortheanimals.kintera.org for more information or call (410) 2358826, ext. 138.

Apr. 26+ “Goes right over tile – no demolition!”

“Goes right over your countertops!”

Up to $985.00 Off!

FREE In-Home Estimate

Bathroom or Kitchen Remodel Based on 10% off price. Must be used at time of estimate. Not valid with any other offers. Offer expires 5/31/12.

410-969-8600 www.granitetransformations.com

MARCH FOR THE ANIMALS

FLEA MARKET FINDS

There are great bargains at the 2012 flea market to be held Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pasadena Activity Senior Center, 4103 Mountain Rd. There will be door prizes, a bake sale table and a hot dog lunch. Vendor space is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with table prices ranging from $7 to $12 for both days. Get an application at the center’s desk. To donate an item for the bake sale table, call (410) 222-0030. All proceeds benefit programs for members at the senior center.

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Housing Options

B-9

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.

HOUSING COMMUNITIES: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Atrium Village . . .B-3 and B-11 Bay Forest . . . . . . . .B-6 and B-7 Bently Ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5 Broadmead . . . . .B-6 and B-10 Charlestown . . . . .B-6 and B-13 Ednor Apartments . . . . . . .B-16 Ginger Cove . . . . .B-5 and B-11 Glen Forest . . . . . . .B-4 and B-7 John Maney House . . . . . . .B-16 Meadows at Reisterstown . . . .B-7 and B-12 ❑ Oak Crest . . . . .B-12 and B-13

❑ Pikeswood Park Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4 ❑ Tudor Heights . . . . . . . . . .B-10 ❑ Weinberg Gardens . . . . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg House . . . . . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Manhattan Park .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Manor East . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Manor West . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Park Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Place . . . . . . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Terrace . . . . . . . .B-16 ❑ Weinberg Village . .B-4 and B-16 ❑ Weinberg Woods . . . . . . . .B-16

IN-HOME CARE OR SKILLED CARE: ❑ Comfort Keepers . B-7 and B-12 ❑ Holly Hill Nursing & Rehab . . . . . . B-11 and B-13 ❑ White Oak Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4 ❑ Blue Point Nursing & Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13 ❑ Northwest Nursing & Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-13

MISCELLANEOUS: ❑ Granite Transformations . . . B-8 ❑ Senior Transitions . . . . . . . .B-3

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 and the reader survey of the Beacon. One entry per household please. Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________ Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ Please provide your telephone number or e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

BB 5/12

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Costs and benefits of reverse mortgages By Elliot Raphaelson More and more these days, seniors who have substantial equity in their homes, but who are nonetheless cash-poor, are turning to reverse mortgages to supplement their retirement savings. A reverse mortgage may provide a lump sum payment to the homeowner/borrower, or it may make periodic payments or set up a line of credit — or a combination of the three. A downside compared with ordinary mortgages is that the loan balance increases with interest and periodic payments over time, causing negative amortization (an increase in the outstanding balance of the loan). On the other hand, the loan is secured by real property (your home), is repaid solely from proceeds from its future sale, and is often federally insured (see below), so the borrower is generally not personally liable for repayment.

long as there is equity in the home. The lender determines the size of a loan based on equity, the borrower’s age (and that of a co-owner, if applicable), current interest rates, and the type of program selected. As long as the borrower maintains the home and pays the property taxes and insurance premiums, he or she retains ownership and may remain in the home for life. Furthermore, the loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the homeowner dies, sells the property or lives elsewhere for 12 months. When the home is sold, the borrower (or estate) pays off the loan plus interest. Any equity left after paying off the loan goes to the owner or heirs. As long as the property is sold at a fair market price — even if it is less than the loan balance — the lender cannot claim more than the sale amount received.

Some basic information

A few caveats

To qualify for a reverse mortgage, a homeowner must be 62 years old or older and must have home equity, and the home must meet minimum property standards set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eligibility is not dependent on a borrower’s credit rating as

Borrowers can select either a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage. With a fixedrate mortgage, the borrower must take all the money in a lump sum, and interest accrues immediately. You should consider this type of mortgage only if you need access to all the equity immediately.

Some lenders waive or reduce initial costs such as loan origination and/or servicing fees for this type of loan. Therefore, it pays to comparison shop. With adjustable-rate mortgages, the interest rate may change ever y month. Rates will vary over the life of the loan, and can rise substantially. So it is important to review the history of the underlying index. The advantage of this option is that a borrower can request multiple lump sums, regular monthly payments, or a credit line to use at his or her convenience. The major disadvantage is that future interest costs are not known, so increases in rates can jeopardize the borrower’s access to additional funds later on. These may be needed to maintain the property and continue to pay real estate taxes and insurance. The Department of Housing and Urban Development reported in 2010 that more than 7,500 reverse mortgages were in default for failure to keep up with taxes and insurance. When borrowers are in default, they must pay up or face foreclosure. So to avoid this risk of possibly losing your home to foreclosure, do not enter a reverse mortgage agreement unless you are certain you will be able to maintain your home and pay your real estate taxes

and homeowner insurance. While reverse mortgages can be beneficial in many situations, most experts agree that other options — such as downsizing, or selling your home and renting — should be considered first.

What are the costs? If you are considering a reverse mortgage, you need to understand some of the options and all of the initial and recurring costs associated with them. Most reverse mortgages are offered through (and insured by) the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. I would urge you to consider a reverse mortgage only if it is under this program’s auspices. I will be discussing the estimated costs associated with the two HECM offerings: the HECM Standard and the HECM Saver, introduced in 2010. (For more informat i o n , v i s i t w w w. h u d . g o v / b u y i n g /rvrsmort.cfm.) Aside from interest, there are three basic costs associated with a reverse mortgage: the origination fee, mortgage insurance costs and closing costs. The entire amount of these fees may be financed as See REVERSE MORTGAGES, page B-11

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Livinglife at Tudor Heights. SPRING into your wonderful new lifestyle. Come for a personal tour of our beautiful community and ask about our spring offer of free months!

Call 866-618-3244

June has a passion for healthy living, that’s why she chose Broadmead. With a wealth of exercise amenities, rich social life and beautiful surroundings, Broadmead nurtures her body, mind and soul. Energizing, engaging, enlightening... these are the traits that describe the Broadmead community and its residents... people like June, people like you.

Call 443.578.8008 for a personal tour | www.Broadmead.org Comprehensive health care system | Beautiful, garden-style courtyard homes nestled amid 94 acres in Hunt Valley | Three exceptional dining venues Fitness and aquatic centers | Wellness programs

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Reserve your seat at our next complimentary Luncheon and Seminar Series. Call 443.578.8008. 13801 York Rd. Cockeysville, MD 21030 TTY/Voice - Maryland Relay Service 1.800.201.7165

Assisted Living | Memory Care 7218 Park Heights Ave. | Baltimore, MD 21208 866-618-3244 | www.seniorlifestyle.com

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

Reverse mortgages From page B-10 part of the mortgage. The origination fee is 2 percent of the loan amount up to $200,000, plus 1 percent of the loan amount above that level. The fee cannot be less than $2,500 or more than $6,000. HUD guidelines require that all HECM mortgages be insured. For a standard HECM mortgage, the initial mortgage insurance premium cost is 2 percent of the appraised home value (with a cap of $625,000) plus an annual premium of 1.25 percent of the loan balance. This requirement penalizes mortgage-holders who take out a loan much lower than the home value. For an HECM Saver mortgage, the mortgage insurance cost is only 0.01 percent of the appraised home value or of the principal lending limit, whichever is less. However, the annual premium is the same: 1.25 percent of the loan balance. For a $200,000 mortgage, for example, you would save $3,980 with the HECM Saver program over the standard program. Here’s the catch to Saver mortgages: Borrowers may be limited to a loan amount up to 18 percent less than a standard HECM mortgage loan. The third type of expense consists of closing costs. These include appraisals, title search, inspections, surveys and so forth. These costs may vary, so you should compare costs among lenders.

What the experts are saying Many experts discourage borrowers from taking out reverse mortgages, especially the HECM Standard loan, because of the high up-front fees, the uncertainty regarding interest (for ARMs), and the loans’ inflexibility. Also, experts have tended to say that reverse mortgages make more sense for borrowers in their 70s or older, rather than in their 60s, since the amount you can borrow goes down the younger you are. Yet, a new study from the MetLife Ma-

ture Market Institute shows that the age of those seeking reverse mortgages has plummeted in the four years since the collapse of the housing market in the U.S. It also reports that these mortgages have evolved into a way to help many older baby boomers manage urgent financial needs. Boomers age 62-64 currently represent one in five prospective borrowers of the product, which was once associated with a much older age group. “Consumer attitudes about reverse mortgages are changing because the recession has eroded confidence about retirement security. Americans will [come to] rely more and more on these measures,” said Sandra Timmermann, director of the Institute. “As reverse mortgages do not have income requirements and since other forms of credit have become less accessible, these loans will become more attractive,” she added. Barbara Stucki, Ph.D., vice president for home equity initiatives for the National Council on Aging, said that going forward there is a good chance utilizing home equity [through techniques such as reverse mortgages and home equity loans] will evolve from being an emergency measure to one that is part of a strategic retirement plan. “While the economic downturn may be a major reason borrowers have begun to use this financial option for debt management, in the future it is likely that tapping home equity will be viewed as part of the entire retirement planning process. “It is likely the reverse mortgage option will be considered alongside some of the more traditional methods of saving and investment,” Stucki said. An excellent source for more information about reverse mortgages is The Complete Guide to Reverse Mortgages by Tammy and Tyler Kraemer (Adams Media, 2007). Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

B-11

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

Atrium Village 410-363-0330 4730 Atrium Ct Owings Mills, MD 21117 Atrium Village, now celebrating 10 years of exceptional service to Baltimore seniors and their families, is conveniently located in Owings Mills and just minutes from Pikesville, Reisterstown and Randallstown. Caring staff will cater to your needs in our Independent, Assisted Living or Memory Care community. Enjoy our studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments in an intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and socially vibrant environment. Amenities include delicious dining prepared by our executive chef, exciting programming and entertainment, transportation to appointments and trips. Unique Quiet Care and emergency response system to keep you healthy and safe. Housekeeping services provided to all residents. We are LIVING LIFE at Atrium Village.

SKILLED NURSING AND REHABILITATION

Holly Hill 410-979-4822 531 Stevenson Lane Towson, Maryland 21286 www.hollyhillnursing.com Holly Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation in Towson, Maryland is an elite 75 bed short term rehabilitation center. The BRAND NEW building has private rooms, television, cable, and wireless internet for all patients. There is a grand dining room with buffet service available, as well as the opportunity to dine in-room. The views are spectacular and may be enjoyed from the multiple common areas complete with sofas and television, in case the family wants to stop in. The therapy team works with their patients to build strength and gain confidence after orthopedic surgeries. If you are considering having knee, hip, or any joint surgery call Holly Hill today to schedule a tour of the facility, select your room, and meet your therapy team in advance!

CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Costs for a $250,000 loan Here is an example of typical start-up costs for either a fixed or adjustable-rate HECM mortgage. The home in this example is appraised at $250,000; the amounts borrowed are $125,000 for the standard mortgage, or $105,000 for the Saver; borrower age is 73. Origination Fee: $2,500 (HECM Standard) / $2,100 (HECM Saver) Mortgage insurance premium: $5,000 (HECM Standard) / $25 (HECM Saver) Closing fees (estimate): $3,000

(HECM Standard) / $3,000 (HECM Saver) Total fees: $10,500 (HECM Standard) / $5,125 (HECM Saver) Proceeds after fees: $114,500 (HECM Standard) / $99,875 (HECM Saver) As you can see, there is a significant advantage to the HECM Saver program, especially when there is a high appraised value. The Saver program is preferable, except when you cannot borrow enough through it for your needs. — Elliot Raphaelson

Ginger Cove 1-800-299-2683 4000 River Crescent Drive Annapolis, MD 21401 Nestled along the shores of Gingerville Creek, Ginger Cove is Annapolis’ premier life-care retirement community. Here, you’ll find unlimited ways to spend today with peace of mind about tomorrow. You’ll find everything from beautiful and spacious independent living apartments to private assisted living and nursing care suites, if ever needed. This vibrant, resident-centered community embraces wellness and life-long learning as a way of life, with countless ways to nurture your passions, interests and hobbies. And, this CARF-CCAC accredited community’s financial plan refunds 90% of your entrance fee to help preserve your estate. Call today for a no-obligation tour with Joan Williams, Director of Marketing, to learn more about Ginger Cove.

B-12

Housing Options | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Oak Crest 410-665-2222 8820 Walther Boulevard Parkville, MD 21234 www.ericksonliving.com Ideally located in Parkville, Oak Crest 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 Oak Crest’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.

ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY

Meadows of Reisterstown Senior Apartments 410-526-3380 300 Cantata Court Reisterstown, Maryland 21136 www.ﬁrstcentrum.com Enjoy carefree leisure living at The Meadows—an affordable apartment community for seniors 62+. Each spacious one- and two-bedroom apartment features a fully equipped kitchen, roomy closets and a balcony or patio. You can exercise the mind in the library and media room or the body in our fitness area. Keypad entry and the emergency response system provide peace of mind. The atomosphere is filled with gracious living. Here, you will appreciate not having to worry about maintenance chores. At the same time, you can take advantage of nearby shops, library, banks, postal services, grocery store and convenience to I-695. We invite you to tour The Meadows of Reisterstown.

IN--HOME CARE SERVICES

Comfort Keepers - Towson 410-339-7056 1055 Taylor Ave., Suite 302 Towson, MD 21286 www.comfortkeepers.com/oﬃce-667 When you or someone you love needs assistance to stay in the comfort of their own home, Comfort Keepers of Towson can provide high quality, compassionate care on a temporary or long-term basis. Our commitment to safeguarding and enhancing the lives of seniors is the underpinning of everything we do. We hire Comfort Keepers (certified nursing assistants and companions) who love working with seniors! And it's their Interactive Caregiving® that sets us apart from other agencies. We empower the client to make decisions and participate in activities so they can control their environment as much as possible. Owners Caroline Cowdrey and Anita Read are happy to talk to you about your situation and to develop an individual RN-supervised Care Plan to meet your needs.

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

How to sell your home in today’s market By Dave Carpenter The home next door is in foreclosure. The neighbors down the street just put their house up for sale at a ridiculous discount. Although the housing market has brightened a bit over the last year, it’s still far tougher to sell today than five years ago. The up side of selling a home in a down market is you get to seek your own bargain if you’re going to buy after you’re done. Closing a sale, however, can be teeth-grindingly slow if you don’t do everything right — and maybe even if you do. While sales of previously occupied homes continue to sag after hitting a 13year low in 2010, the market is inching back. Nationally, sales increased 11.5 percent between February 2011 and February 2012. And in Baltimore, sales of nonforeclosed and short-sale homes rose by 25 percent in March from a year earlier. Still, a house that’s in a good location, fully updated and seems perfectly priced might sit on the market without a nibble. Even real estate professionals can be flummoxed by this market. “Realtors sometimes shake our heads at the perceived randomness of it all,” said Katie Severance, a broker for ReMax in Upper Montclair, N.J.

Hitting the Internet Meredith Gray is leaving nothing to chance in selling her four-bedroom colonial in Norwalk, Conn. A freelance fashion stylist and writer, Gray, 53, has taken every action she could think of to get an offer for the house she and her ex-husband bought 17 years ago. She researched and interviewed four brokers before hiring one, made a YouTube video showcasing the house, and created a hardcover book of comments and photos of the house in all four seasons to display for open house visitors. Gray used Facebook and word of mouth to advertise, and marketed on close to a dozen websites. And she priced her house competitively with the broker’s guidance after studying the comps herself. The initial listing of $683,000 was far less than the $850,000 she had sought in a failed attempt to sell near the height of the market in 2004. “If you really want to move your house in this kind of a market, you have to do everything,” she said. “It’s a lot of effort, but people shouldn’t leave it all in the hands of their broker.” Unfortunately, all that work still doesn’t guarantee a sale, particularly when many buyers feel little urgency to act and believe they might get a better deal by waiting. Lowering the price can be a home sell-

er’s most painful move. It was for Gray, who reluctantly dropped her asking price by 5 percent to $649,230 after eight weeks. “Selling is really emotional for me because I’ve put a lot into this house. It’s now exactly as I like it,” she said. “I don’t want to give it away at a huge discount. It’s kind of my nest egg.”

Timely tips Such is the dilemma facing sellers across the country. But the best tips for selling underscore how the market has changed: 1. Price aggressively Even if you’re fully aware that prices have plummeted, it can come as a shock when a real estate agent advises you to slap a low-low price on your home. But otherwise, a house can take a long time to sell. Days on the market can be a helpful statistic. Available through most multiple listing services, it shows the average time it takes to sell a home. The specific sales data can provide valuable insight. In Baltimore City, for example, the average house takes 98 days to sell, up 14 percent from a year ago. When reviewing comparable homes that have recently sold, it will become clear which list prices led to fast sales and which were set too high and prolonged the sale. But don’t focus on the overall average for a specific location. This can be misleading because it accounts only for homes that sold, not those that languished. Also, homes that were pulled off the market and relisted start the clock back at zero. Sellers often like to look at the ratio of list price to sales price. Your local ratio gives an idea of the latest price trend and indicates how much a typical seller came down from the list price. 2. Stage like a pro You may not be able to compete with the price of homes in foreclosure, or with short sales — those in which a lender is allowing the seller to list for less than is owed on the mortgage. But you can outshine them when it comes to the condition and appearance of your house. “Staging is no longer optional,” Severance said. “It’s like a boot camp that the seller and listing agent go through together.” It can be an intense period of planting flowers, painting and depersonalizing the house so buyers can envision themselves living there. Getting rid of clutter and rearranging rooms to highlight the best features also are essential. What’s new this year is that many sellSee SELLING, page B-13

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

Selling From page B-12 ers are willing to go beyond the basics of staging to make physical upgrades. “They’ll do whatever it takes to look better than the house down the street now,” Severance said. One of her clients this year hired a contractor to turn a three-bedroom, one-bathroom home into a four-bedroom, two-bath. The month-long, $15,000 renovation paid big dividends: The house sold for at least $50,000 more than it was expected to otherwise. After learning a valuable lesson about today’s persnickety buyer, Michael Ayalon went the extra mile in renovating the kitchen of his house in East Meadow, N.Y. Recognizing that their ‘70s-era kitchen looked dated, he and his wife, Jennifer, first spent $2,000 on stainless steel appliances before putting the three-bedroom home on the market for $399,000. After 15 showings, he said, they realized that “nobody could get past the fact that a project was waiting for them in the kitchen.” So it was do-it-yourself time for Michael, 35, a website designer. They pulled the house off the market for two weeks while he installed a new floor, ceiling, cabinets and granite countertops. Then they put it back on the market at the same price. They hope to justify the additional $10,000 investment with a quick sale. 3. Go all-out online Sellers used to post photos of their homes online only sparingly to entice buyers to visit. No longer. With about 90 percent of buyers starting their search online, according to the National Association of Realtors, you can’t just tease and hope. “That whole strategy is thrown out the window, because all listings are online and there are so many that you have to compete for people’s attention,” said Amy

Bohutinsky, chief marketing officer of Zillow. Agents recommend putting lots of highresolution photos and as much information as possible online, including citing upgrades and what you love about living in the home. If you don’t show a photo of a key area — kitchen, bathrooms, backyard — prospective buyers may assume there’s something wrong and move on. It’s important to remember that buyers are going mobile, too. The use of smartphones and apps to review listings has exploded. Nearly 1.8 million homes are viewed daily on Zillow’s apps alone, and the service said 30 percent of its weekend traffic and 20 percent overall come from mobile devices. So, make sure your listing agent markets your home in as many places as possible — from AOL Real Estate to Zillow — with a special emphasis on sites that work well for mobile access. 4. Be flexible with buyers The single biggest change in the real estate market since the Great Recession is tighter financing, according to John Vogel Jr., real estate professor at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Banks once freely dispensed loans for 95 percent of a home’s value, but a requirement of 20 percent down is becoming the new normal in many cases. And any perceived imperfection in a credit record can spell denial. “As a seller, you have to be very conscious of how hard it is now to qualify for loans,” Vogel said. If you’re about to accept an offer, make sure you inquire about the down payment and are informed about the buyer’s financing status. Consider accepting an all-cash offer, even if it’s not your highest. If your buyer is hitting a roadblock, consider talking with the lender to help structure a deal. Don’t be afraid to speak directly to the

prospective buyers. If they say they’re leery about committing to a home in this environment, you can help make the case. Be ready to show them any recent local statistics indicating that owning is better financially than renting, as is the case in many areas. And if you don’t accept an initial offer, share information to encourage a counteroffer and be ready to bridge the gap to close the sale. 5. Don’t rush to rent The fallback for many homeowners who can’t sell is to rent the property. That’s the case with Gray, who wants to move soon. But it’s a strategy that carries risk. With

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so many foreclosed and underwater houses on the market, Vogel said there’s at least a 50-50 chance that any given house will be worth less in a year than it is now. Not only that, you may be planning to move out of town, so renting would entail being a long-distance landlord. Vogel said homeowners may need to take a deep breath and treat their house as a sunk cost — money that has been spent and cannot be recovered. “The house today is worth what it’s worth,” he said. Accepting that advice may bring perspective and help you sell in the worst market in years. — AP

BEACON BITS

May 17

SENIOR SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE

The 2012 Senior Solutions Conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 17 at the Hunt Valley Marriott, 245 Shawan Rd., Hunt Valley and will focus on “Transitions: Choices, Perspectives and Tools for Change.” Attendees will discover key insights into a variety of subjects affecting older adults today. Space is limited, so register now. The cost is $65. For further information or to register, contact the Program and Resource Development Division of the Baltimore County Department of Aging at (410) 887-4562.

May 10+

THREE-DAY CARNIVAL

St. John Catholic Church, 13305 Long Green Pike, invites you to its Spring Fling Carnival, May 10-11 from 5 to 10 p.m. and May 12 from noon to 10 p.m. Rides, a silent auction, raffles, food, flowers, games and a white elephant sale are part of the fun. Free Friday fireworks. Call (410) 592-6206 or email www.sjehydes.org for more information.

Looking for a Skilled Nursing/Rehab Facility? Here is just some of what we offer. Orthopedic Surgery Rehab • Cardiac Surgery Rehab Dialysis and TPN therapies for Long term care • Therapy Gym Mental health wing for younger people • New Renovations New Fine Dining Program • Family Reception Areas TV, cable, wireless internet • Private bathrooms Social events Locked dementia and Alzheimer's care • Buffet style dining Private bathrooms • Private and 2 person-only rooms Call Julie today to schedule your personal tour today 410-979-4822.

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410-823-5310

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Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances accepted.

Our beautiful apartment homes always sell fast and continue to have long waiting lists. Currently, only a small number of available apartments at both Charlestown and Oak Crest remain! When you experience the lifestyle that Charlestown and Oak Crest offer, you’ll soon see why they’re the most popular destinations for healthy and active senior living. Don’t miss out on this engaging lifestyle that offers the security and peace of mind you deserve.

Call 1-800-647-0317 for a free brochure and get the latest information on the very last of our available homes.

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Getting care for loved ones with dementia By Lauran Neergaard Alexis McKenzie’s mother had mild dementia, but things sounded OK when she phoned home: Dad was with her, finishing his wife’s sentences as they talked about puttering through the day and a drive to the store. Then their phone service was cut off. “I mailed that check,” McKenzie’s father insisted. No, he’d mailed the phone company a bank deposit slip instead. McKenzie visited and discovered spoiling food. Dad the caregiver was in trouble, too. Dementia can sneak up on families. Its sufferers are pretty adept at covering lapses early on, and spouses are sometimes there to compensate. Doctors too frequently are fooled as well. Now specialists are pushing for the first National Alzheimer’s Plan to help overcome this barrier to early detection, urging what’s called dementia-capable primary care, more screenings for warning signs, and regular checks of caregivers’ own physical and mental health.

Doctors need larger role For a doctor to ask someone with brewing dementia, “How are you?” isn’t enough, said Dr. Laurel Coleman, a geriatric physician at Maine Medical Center who is part of a federal advisory council tackling the issue.

“So often I hear, ‘The doctor only asks my mom how she is. She said fine and it’s over,’” said Coleman. “That’s not dementiacapable, or dementia-aware, primary care.” Family input should be mandatory, she told a recent council meeting. It’s the only way to know if the person really is eating and taking her medicines as she claims, and not forgetting to turn off the stove. The question is how to square that input with patient confidentiality, especially if the person never filed the legal forms clearing family members to intervene, as happened with McKenzie. Plus, regularly seeking that input takes more time than the typical 15-minute visit and is poorly reimbursed, noted Coleman. But she said more primary-care physicians are starting to be trained in dementia’s challenges. More than 5 million Americans are estimated to have Alzheimer’s or similar forms of dementia, although as many as half may not be formally diagnosed. With the rapidly aging population, the toll is projected to reach up to 16 million by 2050. The Obama administration is drafting a national strategy to try to slow that coming avalanche — with research aiming for some effective treatments by 2025 — plus find ways for struggling families to better cope today.

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Step 1 is earlier detection. McKenzie directs Forest Side, an Alzheimer’s assistedliving facility in Washington, D.C., so she knows about dementia. Still, it took some sleuthing to determine how much her 82year-old parents, living a few hours away in Maryland, were deteriorating. She said her father refused any assistance in caring for her mother, and together the couple put up such a good front that even their regular physician hadn’t realized their shared answers to standard check-up questions — How are you eating? Has anything changed? — simply weren’t true. “It’s almost as if they’re sharing a brain. That’s how they get through a day,” McKenzie said. Sure, dementia patients’ stories can be believable. “It happens in doctors’ offices all the time,” said Beth Kallmyer, vice president of constituent services at the Alzheimer’s Association. That’s why it’s crucial that family members are part of the screening process. The diseased brain may not be able to pull up a recent memory, but longer-term memories remain, she explained. So an intricate description of, say, cooking last night’s dinner may ring true because it was a real dinner — just not last night’s. And a long-married couple in a familiar routine and surroundings can appear far more normal than they really are until something upsets that balancing act, like the caregiving spouse getting sick, added Dr. Gary Kennedy, geriatric psychiatry chief at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center.

Some solutions How to get around the hidden-dementia conundrum? • Medicare’s new annual wellness visit pays for cognitive screening, simple tests that signal who should be referred for more extensive brain exams. “Even if pri-

This full-time, outside 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 participate in weekly training and sales meetings at our office. If you love the Beacon — and would be excited to call and meet with potential advertisers throughout the Greater Baltimore and Howard County areas — send your resume and cover letter to Alan Spiegel, Director of Sales, at: alan@theBeaconNewspapers.com.

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mary-care physicians don’t consider themselves experts at evaluating for Alzheimer’s disease, or don’t feel comfortable, they can screen,” Kallmyer said. • The government’s Alzheimer’s advisers want doctors to steer families toward advanced-care planning, including designating a healthcare power of attorney, as soon as dementia is diagnosed. Montefiore’s Kennedy said early diagnosis gives patients a say in how they want to be cared for while they’re still capable of making those decisions. • A healthcare proxy won’t be used until the person is quite sick. So Kallmyer advised also signing what’s called a “release of information” allowing the doctor to discuss the person’s care right away with whomever is named. Such steps are important, Kennedy said, because advancing dementia leaves people so unaware of their deficits that they can take family or doctor input “as an affront.” He always asks new patients if he can fill in their loved ones, or invite them in from the waiting room, as a way of starting that conversation. • Doctors can violate patient confidentiality if they believe the person’s decisions or behavior has become a danger, Kennedy noted. McKenzie said her father would never discuss naming a healthcare proxy, and her parents were furious that she’d voiced concerns to their physician. She had to think up non-confrontational ways to get invited back into their doctor visits: “I’ll drive you, and then why don’t I take notes in case you have any questions later?” It turned out that McKenzie’s father had a non-cancerous brain tumor causing his own gradual dementia symptoms, which started becoming apparent with the phone mix-up, unrefrigerated food and eventually delusions. Finally, she had to go to court to get her parents the care they needed in an assisted living facility near their hometown.

Early warning signs for dementia Detecting early warning signs of dementia can be difficult, but there are several types of cognitive screenings — quick, simple tests of memory and thinking skills — that can help a doctor decide if it’s time to recommend a more in-depth exam. One example: Tell someone three random words. Then time how quickly the person can draw a clock face, with the hands pointing at 11:10. Then ask how many of those original words he or she still remembers after the distraction of the clock task. The Alzheimer’s Association is working with experts around the country to identify which kinds of screening tools

work best in the hands of primary-care physicians, said association vice president Beth Kallmyer. Screenings aside, Kallmyer said one of the most important things a doctor can ask is whether anything in your daily life has changed recently. That’s something that an affected person might or might not have noticed, or might be afraid to answer truthfully — but that consulting a family member might elicit. “The reality is, this is tricky,” she said. “When you have a doctor’s appointment that’s less than half an hour and may be as short as 15 minutes, these things are really challenging.” — AP

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M AY 2 0 1 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

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Weinberg Manor West 3615 Fords Lane Baltimore, MD 21215 410-358-9393 Weinberg Park Assisted Living* 5833 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD 21215 410-664-0100 Weinberg Place* 2500 West Belvedere Baltimore, MD 21215 410-542-4111 Weinberg Terrace 1450 Bedford Ave. Pikesville, MD 21208 410-602-3950 Weinberg Woods 3211 Clarks Lane Baltimore, MD 21215 410-318-6625

ENJOY THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE in one of our communities designed just for you. Weinberg Senior Living provides quality, affordable apartments for seniors and younger residents with disabilities*. Our residents will make you feel at home, and the friendly staff will be there to answer any questions that you might have. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll enjoy getting to know your neighbors and making new friends. In addition, you will find residents who take active interest in their community and meet regularly to discuss ways to improve their campus, inside and out. They work together to keep Weinberg Senior Living beautiful and accommodating to your lifestyle. You owe it to yourself to see how good the best years of your life can be. Weinberg Senior Living apartments are owned by CHAI, a local non-profit organization. CHAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to develop and support thriving stable communities in Northwest Baltimore. In addition to constructing new housing and renovating existing housing, CHAI promotes many programs and services that help seniors to continue to live independently.

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

You’re invited to the

Capital Region’s premier showcase on aging A first-of-its-kind regional conference on aging issues — aimed at older adults, baby boomers, caregivers of all ages, and professionals in the field of aging — will take place from May 3 to 5 at the Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. This event, called Innovations in Aging 2012, will be for professional and consumer audiences, and represents a collaborative effort by the departments on aging of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Training sessions offering CEUs (continuing education units) for professionals will be offered on Thursday and Friday, May 3 and 4. There is a fee for the professional training program. A free Job Fair open to the public will also be held on Thursday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your resume and be prepared to speak with potential employers. The main events for the general public will be on Saturday, May 5. A 2K walk to raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. Then an Expo featuring exhibits, the latest technology designed to make life easier, interactive health and wellness activities, cooking demonstrations, exercise classes and more will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The goal of Innovations in Aging 2012 is to showcase programs and services that promote healthy community living for a lifetime as well as new directions for aging policy. Highlights will include new technologies and innovative approaches to planning for the future and preparing to age well in the community. “There is no such thing as a spare American, no matter our age,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. “Maryland’s senior community is vital to the progress of our state. This expo will help us educate and bring to light the issues and needs of our seniors so they can lead healthy lives and enjoy a better quality of life.” “Longevity is the greatest phenomenon of our time,” according to Gloria Lawlah, Secretary of the Maryland De-

partment of Aging. “Every day, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65. This will continue for 20 years.” Innovations in Aging 2012 is being co-convened by the Virginia Department for the Aging, the District of Columbia Office on Aging, and the Maryland Department of Aging (MDoA), which is acting as this year’s host agency. This is the first large-scale regional collaboration centered on aging issues. Media partners for the Expo include W*USA 9 television and the Beacon. Planning partners include AARP and the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD). The charitable partner is the Community Foundation of the National Capital Region. A website — www.InnovationsinAging2012.com — and Facebook page (Innovations in Aging 2012) have been created to provide information for anyone interested in participating. The Expo is free. While advance registration is not required, it is highly suggested. To register, call Janice Brown at (301) 686-1136 or email her at jbrown3397@students.pgcc.edu. For additional information, call the Maryland Department of Aging at (410) 767-1100. The Gaylord National Convention Center is located at 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, MD 20745. It’s in Prince George’s County, just across the Potomac from Alexandria, Va., not far from where 495 and 295 intersect. Free bus service will be provided to residents of Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel counties (space is limited). In Baltimore County, buses leave senior centers at 9 a.m., and all buses will leave the hotel to return at 1:45 p.m. Seating is limited, and you must RSVP through the center you want to depart from. Sign up at the center in person, or call or email. Ateaze Senior Center 7401 Holabird Avenue, Baltimore 21222 410-887-7233 ateazesc@baltimorecountymd.gov

At the Expo Saturday, May 5 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the MAIN STAGE, enjoy entertainment and cooking demonstrations from around the world, including: Latin Dancers, African Drummers and Dancers, the Encore Chorale, “Feast Your Eyes On This” cooking demonstration, open mike poetry hosted by Ladi Di and Brenardo, live bands, Chinese dancers, Prince George’s County’s 2011 Senior Idol Winner, surprise entertainment and more! On the FLOOR STAGE, “Bustin’

Loose!” will feature interactive movement and exercise classes, including Line Dancing, T’ai Chi / Qigong, Latin / Salsa, Body Resistance Training, Zumba Gold Fitness®, a Line Dance demonstration by the Harmony Hall Line Dancers and more! Card tables will be arranged in the exhibition hall where visitors can take in a hand or two of Bridge, Bid Whist, Mah Jong, Pinochle and more while enjoying the music and entertainment on the Main Stage.

Bykota Senior Center 611 Central Avenue, Baltimore 21204 410-887-3094 bykotasc@baltimorecountymd.gov Catonsville Senior Center 501 N. Rolling Road, Baltimore 21228 410-887-0900 catonsvillesc@baltimorecountymd.gov Cockeysville Senior Center 10535 York Road, Cockeysville 21030 410-887-7694 cockeysvillesc@baltimorecountymd.gov Essex Senior Center 600 Dorsey Avenue, Baltimore 21221 410-887-0267 essexsc@baltimorecountymd.gov Liberty Senior Center 3525 Resource Drive, Randallstown 21133 410-887-0780 libertysc@baltimorecountymd.gov Parkville Senior Center 8601 Harford Road, Baltimore 21234 410-887-5338 parkvillesc@baltimorecountymd.gov Pikesville Senior Center 1301 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore 21208 410-887-1245 pikesvillesc@baltimorecountymd.gov From Howard County, buses will leave from the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, Md., 21044, on May 5 at 9 a.m., returning by 3 p.m. Call (410) 313-7213 to request a seat. The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities will provide free transportation to the expo for those who register in advance. Pickup and return will be at several Anne Arundel County senior centers. To reserve a space on a van, call (410) 222-4464, ext. 3027, by April 27.

Free Consumer Education Workshops Saturday, May 5 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (topics subject to change; seating first-come, first-served) • Advice for Older Job Seekers • Why Wait? The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Assisting Parents with End of Life Decisions • Get the Right Information, Right Now! • Reserve Maryland: A Winning Match for Civic Engagement • You’ve Earned a Say (YEAS) • Communications Solutions through Maryland Relay • Be Part of the Solution: Starting a Mental Health Discussion Group • Medicare Fraud: What Everyone

Should Know • Decide, Create, Share: Planning for Long Term Care • When Alzheimer’s Touches Your Life: Where to Turn • Helping Seniors Take Control of Energy Costs • Using Assistive Technology to Support Aging in Place • Medicare Preventive Services under the Affordable Care Act • Ten Common Nutrition Mistakes that Sabotage Healthy Aging • Aging and Disability Resource Centers

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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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Travel

Leisure &

Nature can teach you when to plant what. See story on page 17.

Eclectic Montreal offers international flair Limited In size by the island it occupies, located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, Montreal is easy to explore by foot. Most of it is flat, and it has an excellent bus and subway system. Before embarking on our excursions, Fyllis and I pored over a city map to plan the most efficient use of our time, and save on shoe leather and energy. Because Montreal’s neighborhoods merge gently into each other, often with several blocks of overlap, it was not difficult to follow routes that introduced us to the areas we wished to cover.

By Victor Block Following a bountiful breakfast of dim sum, my wife Fyllis and I strolled along lanes lined by shops selling merchandise both familiar and unknown to us. Some store windows displayed unrecognizable animal body parts, others a variety of herbal remedies said to heal a hospital full of ills. Lunch meant a steaming bowl of pasta accompanied by a glass of Chianti wine, and a pause to watch a group of men good-naturedly competing in a lively game of bocce. The day ended by sampling the European charm of art galleries, chic boutiques and cafes overlooking cobblestone streets that were packed with passers-by walking and riding in horse-drawn carriages. This whirlwind ‘round-the-world tour didn’t require traveling by plane, train or automobile. A comfy pair of walking shoes was all that we needed to explore the intriguing neighborhoods that combine to make Montreal a kaleidoscope of cultures and customs. The city has a well-deserved reputation for its French flair and joie-de-vivre. That influence came alive for us as we sampled outstanding Continental cuisine, sipped French wines and admired architectural gems that would be at home in Paris. What’s surprising is how many other nationalities share the scene. Several neighborhoods are enclaves of specific ethnic groups that have imported their traditions from the old country. Others are identified by lifestyles or the activities that are centered there.

Old Montreal During our first day, we concentrated on Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal) and the Old Port (Vieux-Port), and neighborhoods within a short stroll. The cafes and shops of the city’s original section lend it a distinct Parisian air. The first European settlers arrived in 1642, and some buildings that still stand trace their history back to the 17th century. Today the sidewalks attract crowds of visitors and street performers playing music, juggling and doing whatever it takes to separate members of their audience from a few coins. Vieux-Montreal spills into the Vieux-Port, once working docks where shipping operations have been replaced by a menu of both outdoor and indoor activities. River cruises and al fresco exhibitions vie for the attention of visitors with the opportunity to challenge © TOURISME MONTRÉAL

Montreal’s vast multilevel network of underground shops, theaters and walkways — the largest such mall in the world — protects visitors and tourists from the elements during the Quebec city’s long winters.

Place Jacques-Cartier, one of the most popular spots in Old Montreal, makes one think of Paris. In the summer, the square is filled with street artists and kiosks.

their minds at the Montreal Science Center. In keeping with the center’s location in a former maritime shed, one exhibit recalls the surprisingly interesting story of operation of a major harbor. Others amaze and amuse with displays ranging from a multimedia representation of the human brain to props from Indiana Jones movies. Very different settings lie but a short walk away. Large arches spanning a narrow street and rooftop pagodas announce that you’ve entered Chinatown, whose history may be traced back to the 1860s when Chinese workers came to Canada to toil in mines and on the railroads. Today some of their descendants run restaurants and shops, patronize fortune tellers seated at small outside tables, and take part in traditional exercises in any open space large enough to accommodate them. Trendy rather than traditional is the order of the day in the Village (Le Village) neighborhood, which epitomizes Canada’s reputation as an open, accepting society. It is one of the largest gay enclaves in the world, seemingly alive at all hours of day and night. While some restaurants, bars and shops cater to members of the local community, many serve a general clientele that makes the Village more an entertainment and tourism center than just a gay quarter.

Food and fun Food, arts and entertainment characterize three neighborhoods that Fyllis and I combined into a disparate day of sightseeing. Not surprisingly, dining is a focus of much that occurs in Little Italy, where one of Montreal’s largest cultural groups arrived and set up shop in the late 19th century. It’s not easy to ignore mouth-watering aromas of pasta, pizza and tiramisu wafting out of trattorias and cafés. Italian is just one of countless languages heard at the Jean-Talon Market, where shoppers have gathered for more than 70 years to browse and buy meat, cheese, produce and pastries. Since the 1960s and 70s, the arts in a variety of forms have been a trademark of the neighborhood called the Plateau. That’s when it became a magnet for writers, artists, musicians and singers — a role it continues to fulfill. With a packed calendar of events and activities, it’s where young professionals and other members of the “In” crowd gather to socialize.

Highs and lows During our last day of sightseeing, Fyllis and I combined a dramatic overlook of See MONTREAL, page 16

Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Montreal From page 15 the city with a journey beneath it. First we walked to the top of Mont Royal, which holds a place dear in the hearts of many residents. That’s true in part because the city’s name was derived from the original spelling, Mont Real. The 764-foot-tall mountain, in reality more a high hill, is blanketed by deep woods. A network of hiking trails provides opportunities to spot some of the 140 or so species of birds that dwell there, and lead to dramatic viewing points over the city below. A spacious chalet displays paintings that trace the history of French Canada and Montreal. Very different from the heights of Mont Royal — in both altitude and attitude — is another favorite haunt of both locals and tourists. Imagine an 18-mile network of walkways connecting some 2,000 shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and other attractions, where it never rains or snows, the temperature is always perfect, and pedestrians don’t have to deal with traffic or crossing streets. Furthermore, this vast subterranean space, the largest underground complex in the world, provides indoor access to department stores, hotels, museums, theatres and cinemas along the streets overhead. Montreal’s Underground City is a virtual neighborhood where, as I quipped to Fyllis, but

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

only half in jest, one could almost live. Unfortunately, Fyllis and I didn’t have time to explore in depth other neighborhoods that comprise Montreal. Little India, Little Greece and Little Portugal, while modest in size, feature some shops that sell traditional items and restaurants serving traditional food from those countries. As its name implies, the Quartier des Spectacles is the cultural heart of the city. Within less than a square mile, visitors may take in movies and plays, enjoy concerts and dance performances, view art exhibitions and enjoy a good laugh at a comedy show. A tiny area of the Plateau borough called Mile End is perhaps the most diverse neighborhood of all. Artists and filmmakers, hipsters and Hassidic Jews, along with a virtual United Nations of immigrants call it home. Among people I passed on the street there were a red-wigged Lady Gaga wannabe wearing what appeared to be pajamas, and both men and women displaying elaborate tattoos on most of their exposed skin. It is scenes like these that lend Montreal a distinctive air. The visitor’s first impression may be of a large, modern, bustling city, albeit with an overlay of French language and culture. Beneath that surface lies a potpourri of neighborhoods that combine to provide a

THE EDWARD A. MYERBERG CENTER ANNUAL SPRING FUNDRAISER SPY-NOVELIST AND NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF 14 BOOKS

Daniel

rich and varied lifestyle for residents and an inviting experience for visitors.

If you go In addition to its diverse neighborhoods, Montreal is a city of outstanding museums. Consider purchasing the threeday Montreal Museums Pass, which covers one-time admission to 38 museums as well as unlimited bus and subway rides ($65). If you’re in a mood to splurge on accommodations, check out the luxurious Hotel Nelligan. Nestled in the heart of Old Montreal, it provides a good location for daily treks around town. The 105 rooms and suites combine European elegance and charm. Rates during spring begin at about $200 a night. For more information call 1877-788-2040 or log onto www.hotelnelligan.com. A slightly less costly but no less appealing alternative is Le Petit Hotel, a new 24room boutique property that is chic and contemporary. It’s housed in a 19th-century building also in the historic district. Rates start at $179 a night. For more information, call 1-877-530-0360 or log onto www.petithotelmontreal.com. It’s not surprising that a city with a strong overlay of French culture is a true culinary Mecca. What’s less well-known is that many of the more than 5,000 restaurants in Montreal serve over 80 kinds of international cuisine. Within one short

block, I passed eateries serving Japanese, Indian, Mexican, Greek and Italian food. Among local specialties that I sampled were poutine, a fast food snack that combines French fries and chunks of cheese curd covered with gravy or a sauce; Montreal bagels, a thinner, sweeter version of the U.S. favorite that is boiled in honeywater then baked in a wood-burning stove, and pastrami-like smoked meat. The best place to enjoy the latter, I was assured, is Schwartz’s, which since 1928 has been attracting crowds that stretch out the front door and down the block. A giant-size sandwich ($5.90) was adequate for Fyllis and me to share, washed down by the traditional dark cherry soda ($1.80). It’s located at 3895 Blvd. St. Laurent, phone (514) 842-4813, website www.schwartzsdeli.com. Among restaurants where we enjoyed more familiar fare was Modavie at #I Rue St. Paul West. It’s a casual, lively bistro that serves a variety of pastas ($19-$24), tasty chicken with tarragon sauce ($22), and excellent grilled salmon ($24), both accompanied by rice pilaf and vegetables. For more information, call (514) 287-9582 or log onto www.modavie.com. The least expensive roundtrip ticket to Montreal from BWI in mid-May $588 on Air Canada. For information about visiting Montreal, call 1-877-266-5687 or log onto www.tourisme-montreal.org.

Saturday, May 12, 2012 2 performances:

3 pm and 7:30 pm at

Silva

Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Baltimore

IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMIE GANGEL NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT FOR THE TODAY SHOW

SHIRLEY ALSTON REEVES: “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”

HONORING: JANE

JAY SIEGEL’S TOKENS:

K. SCHAPIRO

“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”

LOU CHRISTIE:

“Lightning Strikes”

THE CHANTELS:

Tuesday, May 15, 2012—7pm

THE VOGUES: KATHY YOUNG:

“Maybe”

“You’re the One” “A Thousand Stars”

CLEVELAND STILL AND THE DUBS:

BETH EL CONGREGATION 8101 PARK HEIGHTS AVENUE (PARK HEIGHTS AVENUE & THE 695 BALTIMORE BELTWAY)

All proceeds to benefit the Edward A. Myerberg Center, a 501c3 non-profit organization

General Admission $40

“Could This Be Magic”

Patron $125 Includes reserved seating & dessert reception with Daniel Silva

Reservations and Information: 410-358-6856 www.myerbergseniorcenter.org

FOR TICKETS & INFO: 1-800-222-1292 www.mpt.org/events www.ticketmaster.com Proceeds benefit Maryland Public Television

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N â&#x20AC;&#x201D; M AY 2 0 1 2

Read natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cues for a better garden By Dean Fosdick Phenology is the science of appearances, or knowing which plants can tell you when to start weeding, planting, fighting insects or tackling any other gardening priority. Once the forsythia begins to bloom, for instance, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to renew your war against crabgrass. When to fertilize the lawn? Think apple blossoms falling. Time to set out tomatoes? Yes, if dogwood trees are in flower. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phenology makes us more aware of our environment,â&#x20AC;? said Robert Polomski, a horticulturist and arborist at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Associating gardening tasks with flowering times is a neat way to look at how nature really functions.â&#x20AC;?

Polomski said. Phenology blends science with legend. It charts plant and animal development, and how those are influenced by climate change over long periods of time. It also includes the observations of people who have worked the ground for generations. Scientists know, for instance, that soil temperatures must reach at least 35 degrees before onion and lettuce seeds will germinate. But Felder Rushing, a former extension horticulturist, 10th generation American gardener and folklorist from Jackson, Miss., puts it in a more homespun and equally correct way: â&#x20AC;&#x153;When fishermen are sitting on the riverbank instead of on their bait buckets, the soil is warm enough to plant.â&#x20AC;?

Forecasting by forsythia

More floral forecasters

Forsythia grows most everywhere in Zones 5-8, which includes this area. Its yellow blossoms are among the most recognizable signs of early spring, making this member of the olive family one of the best seasonal indicators for gardeners. Turf grass specialists often use the bloom time of forsythia as a bellwether for scattering pre-emergent herbicides on crabgrass-prone lawns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A garden weed preventer or pre-emergent kills the seeds before they can grow into seedlings,â&#x20AC;?

Some other reliable natural markers compiled by University of Wisconsin-Extension: â&#x20AC;˘ Plant potatoes as the first dandelions bloom, and peas when the daffodils flower. â&#x20AC;˘ Transplant eggplant, melons and peppers when the irises bloom. â&#x20AC;˘ Start looking for trouble from squash vine borers when chicory flowers open. â&#x20AC;˘ Put seed corn in the ground when oak leaves are about the size of a squirrelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear. â&#x20AC;˘ The time is right for planting toma-

toes when lily-of-the-valley is in full bloom. â&#x20AC;˘ Seed morning glories as soon as the maple trees leaf out. â&#x20AC;˘ Grasshopper eggs hatch roughly at the same time that lilacs bloom. â&#x20AC;˘ Prune roses when crocuses begin to flower. Gardeners arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only ones who read signs of the seasons for practical reasons. Bird watchers use them for timing migrations, fly fishermen for signaling the insect hatch, and farmers as clues in weather forecasting. Phenologists monitor one species as a reliable way to track changes in another. Birds head north, for instance, just as the insects begin to appear in their summer breeding grounds. Insect populations build

when their host plants produce leaves. Native tribes in British Columbia used the arrival of buds and blooms from certain berry-producing shrubs to signal when it was time to fish for halibut or spawning salmon. That gave them a competitive leg up over other animals consuming the same, often limited, resource. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People good at observing things can often predict when the purple martins start arriving,â&#x20AC;? Rushing said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It becomes part of the local lore.â&#x20AC;? For more about phenology as an aid to garden planning, see this University of Wisconsin-Extension fact sheet: http:// pddc.wisc.edu/factsheets/Low%20Color% 20PDF%20Format/Phenology.pdf. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;AP

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BEACON BITS

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

We want to be your Family’s Pharmacy That’s why we give you more. Our pharmacists are at the heart of everything we do. They can counsel you on your medications, side effects, drug interactions... even vitamins. We give you more than your medications; we’ll give you the advice you need. Plus a series of pharmacy benefits like no other drugstore.

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

Style

Arts &

View this Kota Ezawa print and others at the BMA print fair

Contemporary print fair returns to the BMA

Baltimore company featured Among the vendors participating in this year’s event is Baltimore’s own Goya Contemporary & Goya-Girl Press, the only vendor from Charm City. “As one of the only museum-housed print fairs focused on contemporary art, the BMA does an appreciable job assembling a fresh and relevant group of dealers from around the country who are the trendsetters of print media,” said Goya Executive Director and Curator Amy Eva Raehse. “I’ve always relished the intimate,

inviting atmosphere of the BMA print fair.” Goya was founded in the mid-1990s, originally to engage in a dialogue with artists through printmaking. After several expansions over the years, Goya has matured into a nationally recognized exhibition space, designed to promote “the art and culture of our time” through print publishing, artist representation, private and public collection facilitation, appraisals and work at auction. “We are dedicated to bringing the top artists of our time to Baltimore, as well as [promoting] the top Baltimore artists outside the borders of our city,” said Raehse. “We have a vibrant and talented community, and if we could find a way to expand on the longevity of community support, i.e., support not just of the most emerging, or the most established artists, but of all who fall in between, then we would be better able to write the story of Baltimore’s relevance and role in the larger art world.” While the print fair focuses on contemporary art, Raehse is quick to dispel the notion that “contemporary” suggests a certain genre of art, or that it appeals to a certain (i.e., younger) audience. “Contemporary art is art produced since World War II,” she explained. “It is a huge injustice to suggest that contemporary art is art that is just produced or enjoyed by young people. In fact, the most basic definition of contemporary art would simply be ‘the art of our time.’”

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

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM

Starting a print collection To get the most from the experience, Raehse advises visitors to take the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions about the work. “Printmaking affords many people their first entry into collecting,” she said, “with prices that tend to be on the lower spectrum of an artist’s market.” When working with See PRINT FAIR, page 21

A print of Jim Dine’s “New Mexican Aloe” will be available during the Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair at the Baltimore Museum of Art. The fair offers neophyte and experienced collectors alike the opportunity to buy prints and learn about printmaking.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BMA

By Carol Sorgen You can take a closer look at prints by leading contemporary artists and innovators in printmaking when the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) brings together 20 presses, printers and galleries from around the country for the Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair on April 28 and 29. This biennial event provides new and established collectors the opportunity to peruse and purchase limited editions, single prints, portfolios, photographs and drawings by artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Faith Ringgold, Richard Serra and Kiki Smith. The weekend also offers visitors an opportunity to take advantage of the museum’s intimate and informal setting to talk with artists, curators and printers to learn more about contemporary art and printmaking techniques.

Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Conductor From page 1 On the plus side, the name gives neither group partiality, The downside, Polochick admits, is that it doesn’t clearly identify what the group is all about. “Unfortunately, that’s still true to some extent today,” he said. From the beginning, Polochick had high aspirations for the company, planning to extend its reach beyond Baltimore to a national and international reputation. It hasn’t been easy. “Those who know us, love us,” he said, noting that the company has been reviewed on a national level, but adding, “After 25 years, it’s time to break out of our shell. “I thought that all I needed to do was build a great product and ‘they would come,’” he continued. “But people didn’t know about us.” One of the problems facing not only

Concert Artists of Baltimore but almost every arts organization in town, Polochick observed, is that Baltimore has long had a stigma that it’s more a sports-loving rather than arts-appreciative town. “I’ll ask people (sometimes standing in line at the grocery store) if they like classical music, and they’ll say they don’t understand it,” Polochick said. “But I tell everyone, ‘You don’t have to understand it. You just have to experience it live.’” On occasion, Polochick will offer these doubters free tickets, just to give them the opportunity to hear a live performance, something that even in this day and age not everyone has had a chance to do. For a variety of reasons — ranging from technology, to lack of exposure, to lack of funding for the arts in schools — “We’ve lost generations [of concert goers],” Polochick said. But he’s particularly gratified when some of these same people who have told him they don’t like classical music will come backstage after a per-

M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

formance with tears in their eyes, saying, ‘I had no idea this was what it was like.’”

What Baltimore needs While there are certainly plenty of folks in Baltimore who support the arts, what has been lacking — especially in recent years — is the ongoing financial support of both corporate sponsors and individual donors, said Polochick. Despite the fiscal challenges, Polochick is especially proud of the fact that the members of Concert Artists are all professional musicians (meaning they receive a paycheck for performing), and that the company has been in the black ever since it was founded, thanks in part to its original and ongoing donors, such as the Peggy and Yale Gordon Trust. . “Baltimore suffers from an inferiority complex,” said Polochick, though without good reason, he added. He pointed out, for example, that the BSO was founded in 1916 as the country’s first municipal orchestra.

More currently, according to a recent American Style magazine reader poll, Baltimore ranks ninth among top U.S. arts destinations in the big city category, and was also voted one of the top ten places in the country for independent filmmakers to live and work by MovieMaker magazine. What Baltimore needs is “charismatic” leadership to promote the arts, Polochick believes. “We need to connect to the people.” Polochick himself is working to make that happen, as he enthusiastically pursues collaborative efforts with other performing arts organizations in the city. “I didn’t form Concert Artists as a rival to other groups,” Polochick said, “but as a complement to what else goes on in Baltimore.” To that end, Concert Artists appears with the BSO in its annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, has played at the performance of the Nutcracker, and will be playing for Lyric Opera Baltimore on Friday, April 20, and Sunday, April 22, in its new production of Faust.

25th anniversary concert

2012

KIDNEY

WALK MAY 6

THE MARYLAND ZOO BALTIMORE, MD CHECK-IN: 8:00 A.M., WALK: 9:00 A.M. 410.494.8545 | cvera@kidneymd.org

Polochick calls the May 5 concert “the cherry on top of the season,” as Concert Artists will perform with the Peabody Concert Orchestra and a chorus of hundreds, including Peabody-Hopkins Chorus, Peabody Singers and Peabody Children’s Chorus, with featured appearances by soprano Jennifer Holbrook, countertenor Peter Lee, and baritone Kevin Wetzel. “We’re the only group that pulls together these collaborative efforts to this extent,” said Polochick. “I’m good at this stuff,” he added with a laugh. Though his career has him globetrotting around the world, Polochick is always happy to return to Baltimore. “I love it here,” he said. He has poured that affection into his historic Butchers Hill home, one of the summer residences of Betsy Patterson and Jerome Bonaparte (Napoleon’s younger brother). His other passions include fishing and art. But even with his crowded schedule, Polochick has more plans for the future, though he can’t talk about them all just yet. “Something is cooking all the time,” he said. Tickets for the May 5 concert range from $35 to $50 and are on sale through Ticketmaster, (410) 547-SEAT, or www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, call (410) 900-1150 or visit wwwcabalto.org.

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 2 0 1 2

Print fair From page 19 clients interested in building or expanding a collection, Raehse always suggests that they begin by gravitating toward work that moves them in some way, and then expand on their knowledge from there. “More than anything, however,” she advised, “one should not look at art just as an investment, but also as something that provides an elevated level of fulfillment.

Living with art is transformative!” The print fair will be held on Saturday, April 28 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 29 from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person for one day or $15 per person for both days, and free for BMA Members. Proceeds from the fair are used to acquire contemporary works on paper for the BMA’s collection. Tickets are available in person at the BMA box office, online at www.artbma.org, or by phone at 1-800-919-6272. Service

charges apply to phone and online orders. Several special events are being held in conjunction with the print fair. At 7 p.m. on April 26 artist Trenton Doyle Hancock, one of the youngest artists ever to be selected for the prestigious Whitney Biennial, talks with a curator. The event is free.

At 11 a.m. on April 29, hear from the founders of the website Printeresting.org about the myriad ways printmaking impacts your life. That event is also free. The BMA is located at 10 Art Museum Dr. For more information, call (443) 5731789 or visit www.artbma.org.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

REDEFINING STYLE

N A A C P

Discover a new definition of “swag,” with images of black men who fuse African aesthetics and European fashion to create the contemporary black dandy style in “Dandy Lion: Articulating a Re(de)fined Black Masculine Identity,” at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum through May 13. Museum admission is $8 for adults and $6 for seniors. The museum is located at the corner of Pratt and President Streets. For more information, call (443) 263-1800 or visit the museum’s website at www.AfricanAmericanCulture.org.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 19+

MORGAN PRESENTS MEDEA

Morgan State University presents the Greek classic, Medea, beginning Thursday, April 19, with a pay-what-you-can preview, followed by performances April 20-22 and April 27-29. Senior admission is $10. Tickets are available through the Murphy Fine Arts Center ticket office, (443) 885-5500, www.ticketmaster.com, or (410) 547-SEAT. The Turpin-Lamb Theater is located at 2201 Argonne Dr.

Apr. 22

BEETHOVEN SONATAS

The Towson University Department of Music presents the ninth concert of the 32 Beethoven Sonatas Concert Series, which benefits the Reynaldo Reyes Scholarship Foundation. The concert will be held on the Towson University Center for the Arts Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, on Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m. Tickets: $20 general admission, $10 seniors and $5 students. For more information, visit www.towson.edu.

Ongoing

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD S N A P

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

M A C E

I N E R T E T I R O A R M O C A R O F L A I L N R I O N N S

P O S E

R O S E

G E T W I E S N C D S A R I T C E E D E U N P E

R E A D T O D O O R B I T

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

From page 22.

CARL ORFF

CARMINA BURANA LEONARD BERNSTEIN

CHICHESTER PSALMS Edward Polochick, Conductor

Saturday, May 5 - 8 p.m. The Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave. | Baltimore, MD 21201 ...outstanding, historic collaboration with three of Baltimore’s best...

Concert Artists of Baltimore Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University Lyric Opera House

PARIS WATERCOLORS

Highly detailed and original, Léon Bonvin’s watercolors of flowers, landscapes and moonlit scenes represent a distinctive contribution to the realist movement in mid-19th century France. Bonvin’s paintings reflect the humble surroundings accessible to the artist, an innkeeper on the outskirts of Paris. See this exhibit at the Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., through May 20. Admission to the museum is free. For more information, visit www.thewalters.org.

For information call: 410-900-1150 Contact Ticketmaster at 410-547-SEAT www.ticketmaster.com

G A R G A N T U A N

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S N I T

E S S E

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus No Taste for Accounting by Stephen Sherr 1

21 24

43 48

41 46

42 47

56 63

2. Smile at the birdy 3. February gift 1. Vegetable bit 4. Lethargy 6. M*A*S*H character 5. Acquire 11. Poseidon, perhaps 6. Educate (a toddler) 14. Loser in an uncontested election 7. Airport shuttle bus sign 15. Best Musical, 1980 8. Meaning of “˜” in math 16. “I just solved the crime” 9. Attended a luncheon 17. One who rejects assistance 10. Hardest to find 19. Edge of a cup or canyon 11. Huge 20. Equal 12. State featured in 63 Down 21. Security guard’s shout 13. Curse 22. Incite 18. Cheese headquarters (abbrev.) 24. ___ pattern 23. Disco brothers, briefly 26. Between ports 25. Proverbial candle burning spots 28. Poor free-throw shooting skills 26. Altar location 34. One thing a line on a map could 27. Receptions represent 28. Civil rights org. HQ’ed in Baltimore 35. Big house insider 29. Dropped fly 36. Phaser setting 30. Gin-based drink 37. Provide with weapons 31. ___ the match (MVP) 38. The blahs 32. Linear ... square ... ___ 42. Added letters that could turn a 33. ___ nous (between us) DO into a don’t 39. Laugh-In first name 43. ___-Cola 40. Way out 45. Hundred Acre Wood denizen 46. “The replay showed he was safe by ___” 41. Toll House Cookie ingredient 44. “I’m not ___ of facts ... facts can 48. Extreme stability change, but my opinion will never 52. Sneaker, not slipper, generally change”: Stephen Colbert 53. High prefix 47. More like Esau than Jacob 54. Hundred Acre Wood designer 49. Acted like a car window 56. Best man candidate, briefly in February 57. Respond to leavening 50. Trade 61. The Diamondbacks, in boxscores 51. Baseball family name 62. Leftist organizations 54. Knight’s weapon 66. Jailbird 55. Composition of 54 Down, often 67. Join forces 56. Make use of a bullet 68. Abominable snowman (with wife and kids) 58. Smidgen 69. Nanna has a lot of them 59. Foul mood 70. Pumpkin or pepper enthusiast 60. To be, to Romans 71. Fruit container 63. Dir. from Dayton to Columbus 64. Drilling tool Down 65. Queens and four more (abbrev.) 1. Keep the beat, cheaply

Across

JUMBLE ANSWERS

35 39

Scrabble answers on p. 21.

Answer: What the reporter got from the editor -- MORE WORK Jumbles: COWER BUXOM ANYONE BICKER

Answers on page 21.

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B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M AY 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. A National Trade Association we belong to has placed some of the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with 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 give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business & Employment Opportunities DOORMAN/LOBBY REGISTRAR for Established Pikesville Office Building. Ideal for retiree, retired firefighter, retired officer. Responsible on-call substitute position evenings & Saturdays. To apply: 410-484-4162. AIRLINE CAREERS begin here - Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualified - Housing available. Job placement assistance. Call AIM (866)453-6204. DRIVERS! CDLTrainingnow.com accepting applications 16 day Company sponsored CDL training. No experience needed. 1-800-991-7531 www.CDLtrainingnow.com. MYSTERY SHOPPERS! Earn up to $150 daily. Get paid to shop pt/ft. Call now 1-888750-0193.

Caregivers

Health

Wanted

SKILLED NURSING/PERSONAL CARE SERVICE AT HOME Clearview Medical Services is committed to providing compassionate skilled nursing & personal care services. We have a pool of experienced health professionals (RN, LPN, CNA, GNA, Companions & Sitters) with a track record of excellence. Call us today, for all your nursing & companion needs on 410-7799162 or email @ clearviewmservices@gmail.com.

RUB IT ON – Pain is gone fast! Arthritis, back, knees, hands, fibromyalgia – all pain. Trying is believing. Relief in minutes. Smells great. 1888-414-4161 – www.painisgone.info.

CASH BUYER SEEKING WATCH MAKER’S TOOLS & PARTS, wrist & pocket watches (any condition), costume jewelry and antiques, coins. 410-655-0412.

CANADA DRUG CENTER is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call Today 888-734-1530 for $25.00 off your first prescription and free shipping.

BUYING NUMISMATIC COINS and most gold or silver items including coins, sterling, jewelry, etc. Will come to you with best cash offer. Call Paul: 410-756-1906.

Financial Services SMALL BUSINESS Credit Guaranteed! $7,000 Credit Line to Fund or Grow Your Business. Call Today for Approval 877-648-7079 Between 9-6EST.

TAKE VIAGRA? SAVE $500! 100mg,/Cialis 20mg. 40+4 FREE, PILLS. Only $99.00 Discreet. 1-888-797-9024.

Home/Handyman Services

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. WIN or Pay Nothing! Start Your Application In Under 60 Seconds. Call Today! Contact Disability Group, Inc. Licensed Attorneys & BBB Accredited. Call 888-606-4790.

WE LOVE OUR SENIORS M.T. Rupard Painting, Handyman Services. 30 years experience. Free estimates. Fully licensed, bonded & insured. MHIC#97309. Call 301-674-1383. Many references.

For Sale/Rent: Real Estate

Miscellaneous

GARDENVILLE – Large, clean bedroom, on 2nd floor of private home, with microwave and refrigerator. Private bath. Reasonable - 410485-1702.

ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice, *Hospitality. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 800494-3586 www.CenturaOnline.com.

AVAILABLE NOW!!! 2-4 Bedroom homes Take Over Payments No Money Down/No Credit Check Call 1-888-269-9192. GEORGIA LAND Beautiful 1acre-20acres. Amazing weather, Augusta Area. Financing w/Low down, from $149/month. Owner 706364-4200. STOP RENTING. Lease option buy. Rent to own. No money down. No credit check. 1-877395-0321.

For Sale 4 – 20 INCH CHROME RIMS. 5 luges. Mounted on tires. $1,200/ or best offer. Call: 410-227-3157, Home: 410-323-8994. LP’s, 45’s, 78’s, $11.95/EACH. Baseball cards $2-$45. Clothes $1-$35. Radios $5. Bowling balls $15, treadle sewing machines $70. Stereo $65, record player $35. Magazines $1.25/each. 410-654-6917. Prices are Negotiable. BEDROOM SET – Sleigh bed, double dresser, night table, Mahogany. Dining table & 6 chairs, Walnut. – 7 years old, Mays Chapel/New – Negotiable/Best Offer. 443-560-6679 or 410-5690017. AT&T U-VERSE for just $29.99/mo! SAVE when you bundle Internet+Phone+TV and get up to $300 BACK! (select plans). Limited Time CALL NOW! 800-307-5308. BUNDLE & SAVE on your CABLE, INTERNET PHONE, AND MORE. High Speed Internet starting at less than$20/mo. CALL NOW! 800-375-1270. DISH NETWORK lowest nationwide price $19.99 a month. FREE HBO/Cinemax/Starz FREE Blockbuster FREE HD-DVR and install. Next day install 1-800-401-3045.

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

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

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

FINISH HIGH SCHOOL at home in a few weeks. First Coast Academy, 1-800-6581180x130. www.fcahighschool.org.

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.

Personal Services

WANTED LARGE BIRD CAGE in excess of 18” x 24”. Call Robert at 410-233-5832.

E-BAY AND CRAIGSLIST LISTING SERVICE AND CLEARING. We also clean-out homes that are cluttered, vacant, from estates, and for people who are downsizing. We also clean-out sheds, barns, basements, attics, garages, and out buildings. Call Dave 443-514-8583. EXPERIENCED NATIONALLY CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST. Specializes in relief of: back, neck and joint pain. Practices Swedish, deep tissue, orthopedic and hot stone massage. References available. Does in-house clientele visits. Please call, Andrey Gayevskiy 443-600-6026. LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

Personal SINGLE BLACK MALE, 49 years old, 5’7”, 140lbs, black hair, brown eyes, good looking, honest, intelligent. Looking for single female 30-50, nice, honest, kind, caring, loving, down to earth, well educated. Friendship/More. Write: P.O. BOX 33471, Baltimore, MD 21218.

a es ift! k Ma at g e gr

WANTED TO BUY – Lionel & American Flyer electric trains. Any age or condition. Stan 410363-4873. STAMPS! US ONLY. Small collector buying singles, sets or collections. Fair price paid. Southwest Stamp Club meets Friday May 18th, 2012. 1-2:30PM. 410-247-4169. CA$H PAID- up to $26/Box for unexpired, sealed DIABETIC TEST STRIPS. Hablamos Espanol. 1-800-371-1136. CASH FOR CARS, Any Make or Model! Free Towing. Sell it TODAY. Instant offer: 1-800-8645784. TOP CASH FOR CARS, Any Car/Truck, Running or Not. Call for INSTANT offer: 1-800-454-6951. WANTED UNEXPIRED DIABETIC TEST STRIPS UP TO $26/BOX. PAID SHIPPING LABELS. HABLAMOS ESPANOL! 1-800-2679895 www.selldiabeticstrips.com. WANTS TO PURCHASE MINERALS and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201. YEARBOOKS “Up to $15 paid for high school yearbooks1900-1988. yearbookusa@yahoo.com or 972-768-1338.”

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WE BUY MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, Musical Instruments, recreational Items, Motorcycles and Minibikes, Collections, Memorabilia, Vintage Items, Electronics, Toys, Cars, Jewelry, Tools, and More. Call Dave 443-514-8583.

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M AY 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

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