More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore VOL.13, NO.6 IN FOCUS FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 JUNE 2016 INSIDE… FREE By Danielle Rexrode Before Rose Wolford even moved the first piece of furniture into her new apartment at Charlestown retirement community, she was getting her hands dirty in her new garden. “I actually obtained my garden before I moved in,” said Wolford. “I brought over a few plants from my house, including some annuals and two low-growing woody plants.” Wolford and other residents of apart- ment-style retirement communities are discovering that, although they may have left their yards behind when they moved, they can still find a place to plant beautiful blooms and healthy greens. Raised in Pennsylvania, Wolford found she had a green thumb when she was just four years old. “We grew our own food, more out of necessity than pleasure,” said Wolford. “My mother would always let me have a row in the garden where I could plant flowers, and I really loved it.” Wolford later built a career as a land- scape designer. This spring, as soon as the threat of frost subsided, Wolford was eager to get her garden going. “Once it’s fit to be out- side, I’m out there,” she said. “I have always loved growing flowers, so I planted an ornamental flower garden. I chose colors that would complement my apartment so that I can cut bouquets and bring them inside.” Exercise and camaraderie In a garden plot near Wolford’s, fellow resident Patricia (Pat) Kasuda grows tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, onions and zucchini. “I enjoy being out- doors,” she said. “I go to my garden daily, and either weed, pick or groom my plants. “Gardening is great exercise, and I like meeting fellow gardeners, listening to their experiences, and learning new ways to do things in the garden and in the way of preparation, such as canning and freezing.” A graduate of the Master Gardener pro- gram through the University of Maryland Extension, Kasuda, along with fellow gar- dener David Pollitt, oversees Charlestown’s community gardens. The square spaces are available to residents on a first-come, first- served basis. A retired Presbyterian minister, Pollitt moved to Charlestown from a small farm- house in Harford County where he grew his own fruits and vegetables. “We had about 9,000 square feet of gar- dens,” said Pollitt. “I grew everything you can think of, from asparagus, green beans and lettuce, to strawberries, peaches and apples. We ate our share, and distributed the rest to friends and family. We also made strawberry preserves and applesauce.” In spring 2012, just a few months after moving to Charlestown, Pollitt planted his first crop of strawberries, lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, and a va- riety of other vegetables. Since then, he has acquired two additional gardens. “One is completely dedicated to straw- berries,” said Pollitt. “The other two have all the vegetables. Last year, we froze some of our green beans and peppers and enjoyed cooking with them throughout the fall and winter.” This year, he already has many of the same plants in the ground. Many gardeners at Charlestown grow more than they can eat, and are happy to share their bounty. Extra fruits and vegeta- bles are left for the taking on a table located near the gardens, but they don’t last long. In late summer, the gardeners hold a pic- nic prepared with the fruits of their labor. “It’s an opportunity to get together and grill hot dogs and have a fun-filled afternoon sharing the goods (and the not-so-goods!) of the growing season,” said Kasuda. Pat Kasuda covers plants in her garden on the grounds of Charlestown retirement community. Charlestown is one of many communities for older adults that provide gardening space for residents. Studies show that gardening is good exercise, improv- ing bone mass and helping people recover more quickly from surgery and illnesses. See GARDENING, page 28 PHOTO BY MEL TANSILL A fruitful hobby blossoms TECHNOLOGY 4 k The latest tech scams k The lure of virtual reality FITNESS & HEALTH 8 k Benefits of worrying k Fight Rx denials LAW & MONEY 18 k Tax-free muni bonds k Post-retirement employment ADVERTISER DIRECTORY 31 PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE LEISURE & TRAVEL A visit to magnificent Prague (and beyond) in the Czech Republic; plus, get your fill of cowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City page 23 ARTS & STYLE Dancers will perform tap, mod- ern, jazz, belly dance and more at Ageless Grace concert; plus, exhibit explores contributions to medicine by Jews page 26
Transcript
More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater BaltimoreVOL.13, NO.6
I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0JUNE 2016
I N S I D E …
F R E E
By Danielle RexrodeBefore Rose Wolford even moved the first
piece of furniture into her new apartment atCharlestown retirement community, she wasgetting her hands dirty in her new garden.
“I actually obtained my garden before Imoved in,” said Wolford. “I brought over afew plants from my house, including someannuals and two low-growing woody plants.”
Wolford and other residents of apart-ment-style retirement communities arediscovering that, although they may haveleft their yards behind when they moved,they can still find a place to plant beautifulblooms and healthy greens.
Raised in Pennsylvania, Wolford foundshe had a green thumb when she was justfour years old. “We grew our own food,more out of necessity than pleasure,” saidWolford. “My mother would always let mehave a row in the garden where I couldplant flowers, and I really loved it.”
Wolford later built a career as a land-scape designer.
This spring, as soon as the threat offrost subsided, Wolford was eager to gether garden going. “Once it’s fit to be out-side, I’m out there,” she said.
“I have always loved growing flowers, soI planted an ornamental flower garden. Ichose colors that would complement myapartment so that I can cut bouquets andbring them inside.”
Exercise and camaraderieIn a garden plot near Wolford’s, fellow
resident Patricia (Pat) Kasuda growstomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers,onions and zucchini. “I enjoy being out-doors,” she said. “I go to my garden daily,and either weed, pick or groom my plants.
“Gardening is great exercise, and I likemeeting fellow gardeners, listening to theirexperiences, and learning new ways to dothings in the garden and in the way ofpreparation, such as canning and freezing.”
A graduate of the Master Gardener pro-gram through the University of MarylandExtension, Kasuda, along with fellow gar-dener David Pollitt, oversees Charlestown’scommunity gardens. The square spaces areavailable to residents on a first-come, first-served basis.
A retired Presbyterian minister, Pollitt
moved to Charlestown from a small farm-house in Harford County where he grewhis own fruits and vegetables.
“We had about 9,000 square feet of gar-dens,” said Pollitt. “I grew everything youcan think of, from asparagus, green beansand lettuce, to strawberries, peaches andapples. We ate our share, and distributedthe rest to friends and family. We also madestrawberry preserves and applesauce.”
In spring 2012, just a few months aftermoving to Charlestown, Pollitt planted hisfirst crop of strawberries, lettuce, spinach,carrots, cucumbers, green beans, and a va-riety of other vegetables. Since then, hehas acquired two additional gardens.
“One is completely dedicated to straw-berries,” said Pollitt. “The other two have
all the vegetables. Last year, we frozesome of our green beans and peppers andenjoyed cooking with them throughoutthe fall and winter.” This year, he alreadyhas many of the same plants in the ground.
Many gardeners at Charlestown growmore than they can eat, and are happy toshare their bounty. Extra fruits and vegeta-bles are left for the taking on a table locatednear the gardens, but they don’t last long.
In late summer, the gardeners hold a pic-nic prepared with the fruits of their labor.“It’s an opportunity to get together and grillhot dogs and have a fun-filled afternoonsharing the goods (and the not-so-goods!)of the growing season,” said Kasuda.
Pat Kasuda covers plants in her garden on the grounds of Charlestown retirementcommunity. Charlestown is one of many communities for older adults that providegardening space for residents. Studies show that gardening is good exercise, improv-ing bone mass and helping people recover more quickly from surgery and illnesses.
See GARDENING, page 28
PH
OTO
BY
ME
L TA
NS
ILL
A fruitful hobby blossoms
TECHNOLOGY 4k The latest tech scamsk The lure of virtual reality
FITNESS & HEALTH 8k Benefits of worryingk Fight Rx denials
LAW & MONEY 18k Tax-free muni bondsk Post-retirement employment
ADVERTISER DIRECTORY 31
PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACONBITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE
LEISURE & TRAVELA visit to magnificent Prague(and beyond) in the Czech Republic; plus, get your fill ofcowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City
page 23
ARTS & STYLEDancers will perform tap, mod-ern, jazz, belly dance and moreat Ageless Grace concert; plus,exhibit explores contributionsto medicine by Jews
page 26
2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Every year, it seems, I meet more peoplewho suffer from migraines, as I do. But evenif you’re not one of the 29 mil-lion or so Americans who ex-perience these enormouslypainful headaches, please keepreading, as I hope you’ll learnsomething that might provehelpful to you all the same.
I experienced my first mi-graines 36 years ago, shortlyafter I moved to Washington,D.C. I associated them withthe area’s renowned pollencount, and called them “sinusheadaches” — which is whatmy father had always calledthe severe headaches he used to get.
But when I went to a doctor for help, heimmediately diagnosed me with migraines(and said my dad’s headaches were mostlikely the same: they’re often inherited).
Unfortunately, at the time, there wasn’tmuch more than aspirin and Tylenol totake for the head-crushing pain, and Iwould stumble to my bed, hands pressingon my temples, and have to sleep it off,often writhing in agony.
A few years later, researchers developedImitrex (sumatriptan), the first of many“triptans” — prescription medicines that,
for many of us, could stop a migraine in itstracks in minutes.
I remember the day my doc-tor told me of the new medi-cine and offered to call in a pre-scription for me. For some rea-son I no longer recall, I wasn’table to pick it up before thepharmacy closed that day.
But then I started to get aterrible migraine that night,and my wife rushed to a 24-hour location of the same phar-macy chain to beg them to fill it.
After speaking with mydoctor, they agreed to sellher one pill — at a price of
$60. I remember thinking how outrageousa price that was for a single pill. (Soundsdownright quaint now.)
When we picked up the rest of the pre-scription the next day, paying a muchmore reasonable co-pay, I saw that my in-surance company had paid more than $500towards the nine pills, a month’s supply.But the medicine worked like magic, andgave me back days of my life.
Today, decades later, there are genericversions of Imitrex and many other triptans,as well as numerous inexpensive older medsthat, while developed for other conditions,
have been found to reduce the incidence ofmigraines in many sufferers, including my-self. I have generally found my co-pays onthese drugs cover their entire cost.
So imagine my amazement when, earlierthis month, I read a first-person account inthe Washington Post of a writer with mi-graines whose doctor prescribed “a newpain-relief pill” that “set my insurance com-pany back about $900 for eight tablets.”While the medicine stopped her migraines,it caused her terrible nausea and stomachpain, making her reluctant to take them.
So, did she complain to her doctor(about both the price and the side effects)and ask for another medication? Did shediscover in the many Internet searches shedescribed that there are numerous inex-pensive generics for migraines that work indifferent ways and thus might bring on lesssevere (or even no) side effects?
Apparently not, according to the article.Instead, she went on a lengthy search fordifferent doctors and different approaches,trying Botox injections, yoga, acetamino-phen with codeine (obtained from a Canadi-an friend), and ultimately acupuncture, thelast of which she feels basically cured her.
I’m glad she found a solution, and a non-medicinal one that that. But I don’t under-stand why such an intelligent person, whospent hours researching her condition,had not discovered or even asked aboutother medications or generics.
Some doctors, it seems, start out pre-scribing the latest pill to their patients, per-haps believing the manufacturer’s assur-ance that newer is somehow better, andmost likely without awareness of its cost topatients and insurance companies.
For this reason, I think all of us need to be
proactive medical care consumers, and askup front whether there is a cheaper or more-tested medication that we can try first. Or if,upon trying a new medicine, we experienceserious side effects, we should certainly goback to the doctor and ask for something else.
One more point. I, too, tried variousnon-prescription alternatives, includingmassage, acupressure and Botox. Also, Iparticipated in a number of clinical studiesof new products over the years.
It was through one such study that I metmy current neurologist, who now appearsto have truly solved my migraine problemthrough something as simple as stretchesand exercise.
In our first conversation, the doctorasked me extensively about the locationand progression of my migraines. Based onmy particular symptoms, she prescribed acouple of months of physical therapy focus-ing on my shoulders and upper back.
The PTs helped me develop a daily 20-minute exercise regimen that seems to haveall but ended my decades of migraines. Fur-thermore, when I still occasionally get one, Ihave learned the stretches I can do to makeit go away, usually without resorting to med-ication.
So, in the end, I think the other writerand I did find our respective solutions inthe same way: through dogged researchand continued experimentation.
I know not all health problems are suscep-tible to these types of simple solutions, but Icertainly now believe they are worth seeking.
If you have found a simple or alternativesolution to a medical problem, please let ushear from you. Email our managing editor,[email protected], or writeto us.
Healthcare headache
FROM THEPUBLISHERBy Stuart P. Rosenthal
BeaconThe
I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0
The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915(410) 248-9101 • Email: [email protected]: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of themonth preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the monthof publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.
The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedi cated to inform, serve, and en ter tain the citi zens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is pri vate ly owned. Other editionsserve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington DC andGreater Palm Springs, Calif.Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12),
pre paid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent forsales tax. Send sub scrip tion order to the office listed below.
Publication of advertising contained herein doesnot necessarily con sti tute en dorse ment. Signed col -umns represent the opinions of the writers, and notnecessarily the opinion of the publisher.
• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal
• Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal
..............................................Jill Joseph, Paul Whipple• Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell
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 [email protected]. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.
Dear Editor:Your May editorial, “A healthy mind,” is
right on the mark about the necessity offinding methods, paths and solutions toaddress the issue of mental health, and therelevant education that is needed to under-stand this societal problem.
One divergent thought is related to anongoing health industry trend to lump to-gether in a single euphemism all causesand factors that contribute to mentalhealth issues [through use of terms suchas] “behavioral mental health.”
While this effort addresses much need-ed public awareness to this behavior, andmay also serve to assuage the mind ofthose who willingly have placed their men-tal health at risk, it also serves to mask thislatter reality, and contributes little to bring-ing to the forefront a public understandingof avoidable, self-inflicted health problems.
A case in point would be [the condition
known as] COPD [chronic obstructive pul-monary disease]. While many COPD pa-tients suffer from this pathology involun-tarily — due to genetics, allergies, militaryservice, working with asbestos, etc. — weshould labor to distinguish the formerfrom [those who developed COPD bychoosing to smoke], who now are also bun-dled in the all-inclusive COPD moniker.
Many other societal pathologies arebeing swept under the rug by the misdi-rection of marketing’s focused lexicon.
Let us stop sugar-coating citizen misbe-havior and its invariably noxious conse-quences. By understanding the causes ofpathology, be it mental or physical, we canhelp disseminate the fundamental and in-dispensable democratic tenet that “rightsand privileges are always conjoined withresponsibilities.”
JL Puchol-SalvaEllicott City, Md.
Letters to the editor
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon 3
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By Bob NiedtGoogle Alerts are designed to keep you
up-to-date on the latest online chatter sur-rounding your chosen areas of interest. It’ssimple to sign up, pick any topic, and re-ceive alerts by email as Google finds rele-
vant new results.But hidden dangers can lurk in the links
that land in your inbox on a weekly, dailyor even real-time basis.
Always evolving scammers are succeed-ing in getting their links to show up in
Google Alerts results seemingly by insert-ing popular keywords in the titles andpages of their fraudulent sites.
So a Google Alerts user who wants tosee, say, anything new on the Web relatedto “Kiplinger” might receive, in addition to
legitimate links to Kiplinger.com and tonews about Kiplinger, links to spammy oreven malicious sites that are making sur-reptitious use of the name to attract poten-tial victims.
Google, which didn’t respond to a re-quest for comment, certainly strives toidentify and block bogus sites, but there’sevidence that some scammers are gettingaround its defenses.
Watch out for malwareSpam disguised in this manner is a new
trick, said Gary Davis, chief consumer se-curity evangelist at McAfee. “This is thefirst I’ve heard of it,” he said. Davis exam-ined some of the suspicious linksKiplinger discovered in Google Alerts anddetermined that they led to potentiallyharmful malware that could infect a com-puter “instantaneously.”
One popular scam making the rounds isa “Blue Screen of Death” pop-up windowthat tells a PC user that their machine hasbeen hacked — and to call a certain phonenumber for “tech support.”
According to Web security site Malware-Bytes.org — which maintains a rollingblacklist of rogue Web sites and companiesoffering phony tech support — calling thenumber only worsens the problem. Be-yond shaking you down for “repair money”(really a ransom for restoring your comput-er), the “technician” on the other end of theline may use the opportunity to load yourcomputer with spyware to steal valuablepersonal and financial information.
How to prevent problemsWhat can you do to protect yourself
from deceptive links in Google Alerts? Forstarters, before you click a link in theemail, hover over it with your cursor to seeif the Web address (URL) points to a legiti-mate site. If the Google Alerts result pur-ports to be a news story from CNN, butthe URL has no connection to CNN, thenit’s very likely a scam.
Also, be sure to report the issue. Go toGoogle.com/alerts, scroll to the bottom ofthe page and click on “feedback” to file acomplaint. You can report the allegedspammer to the Federal Trade Commis-sion too.
4 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Gatherings at Quarry Place from the $270s 601 Quicksilver Court, Reisterstown, MD 21136 (intersection of Franklin Blvd. and Nicodemus Road)
55-and-better condominium homes overlooking a beautiful 30-acre quarry lake.
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• Large, private one-car garages included with each condominium. In addition, a limited number of storage spaces are available for purchase in each building.
• Resort-like community amenities including a clubhouse with fitness center and swimming pool, dog park, community garden, and more
• Shopping, dining and modern conveniences planned minutes from your front door
• One-mile walking path around the 30-acre quarry lake
Visit or contact us today: 410-630-1371
SAVE MORE THAN $60,000 ON A MOVE-IN READY HOME. Plus, get up to $10,000 in closing cost assistance.*
Scams can lurk in your Google Alerts
See SCAMS IN GOOGLE, page 7
By Barbara RubenA recently released device can read aloud
text on everything from restaurant menusto road signs — and even recognizes faces— to help those with visual impairmentsnavigate everyday life. Users simply point totext, objects or faces, and the device tellsthem what it says or who it is.
Called the OrCam, the device is a small,light and discreet smart camera that ismounted on the frame of the user’s eye-glasses. It is connected by a thin cable to abase unit about the size of a glasses casethat can be placed in a shirt pocket.
The OrCam has the ability to read al-most any printed text — including newspa-pers, books, signs, labels on consumerproducts, and text on a computer screen orsmartphone. New faces can be added to itsfacial recognition library by the user.
When the user points a finger at the textor item that they want to identify, the de-vice relays the relevant information to thewearer via a small personal speaker mount-ed on the glasses near the ear. It generallycannot be heard by other nearby people.
In a recent independent study at the WillsEye Hospital in Philadelphia, legally blind
test subjects were provided with OrCam de-vices in order to measure its effect on theirquality of life. The majority said their qualityof life had increased because they couldread independently. One patient describedthe use of the device as “liberating.”
OrCam costs $3,500, and may be cov-ered by some insurance plans. The cost in-cludes a one-on-one training session forthe device.
For more information about the OrCam,see www.orcam.com or call 1-800-713-3741.
B A L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations 5
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MAIL OR FAX FORFREE INFORMATIONFor free materials on housing communities and health studies, just
complete and clip this coupon and mail or fax it to the Beacon.
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Housing Communities� Briarwood (see ad on page 28)� Buckingham’s Choice (see ad on page 27)� Charlestown (see ad on page 17)� Christ Church Harbor Apts. (see ad on page 24)� Ednor Apts. (see ad on page 22)� Evergreen (see ad on page 7)� Fairhaven (see ad on page 27)� Gatherings at Quarry Place (see ad on page 4)� The Greens (see ad on page 7)� Linden Park Apts. (see ad on page 27)� Oak Crest (see ad on page 17)� Park Heights Place (see ad on page 27)� Park View Catonsville (see ad on page 20)� Park View Dundalk (see ad on page 20)� Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 20)� Park View Taylor (see ad on page 20)� Shangri-La Assisted Living (see ad on page 25)� St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 29)
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brochure. Register online on Encore’s website at http://encorecreativity.org.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
By Frazier MooreIt doesn’t take a high-tech headset to
see that virtual reality (VR) is the rage. It’sbeing touted as the future for all thingssensory — from games to film and televi-sion, from storytelling to visual art.
My response as a television critic — andas a dyed-in-the-wool TV viewer — is toask what this all means to me.
I am not typically an early adopter. Mybeat as a journalist isn’t newfangled gad-getry. I’m a TV-centric content guy, scram-bling to keep up with the torrent of pro-grams that, however more plentiful andvaried their providers, still contain them-selves in two dimensions.
Even so, VR seems a force to be reck-oned with. So I grabbed a Samsung GearVR headset for a maiden voyage.
‘Walk’ into movie scenesVirtual reality is the link to an alternate
reality, and instantly I’m all in! For exam-ple, I find that a wooded, birds-twitteringforest on a sunny day is a far more agree-able environment than my stuffy apart-ment. And that’s even before Reese With-erspoon appears over a rise and, puffingwith her backpack, rests herself on a near-by rock.
In character from her 2014 film Wild,she is bedraggled but radiant, and seemsclose enough and real enough to botherfor a sip of her water. Alas, all too quicklyWitherspoon resumes her solitary trek,vanishing through trees in the opposite di-rection, too absorbed in her odyssey tohave paid me any notice.
But a dinosaur does. With “JurassicWorld: Apatosaurus,” I am in a differentkind of forest, stationed a few yards from acolossal dozing reptile sprawled on the for-est floor. Then, during this two-minute in-terlude, it blinks awake, clambers to its
feet, spots me and, staring me right in theface, takes a curious sniff.
Join the circusThese adventures pale in wonder to
Cirque du Soleil’s “Kurios: Cabinet of Cu-riosities,” which sweeps me into a won-drous spectacle. Beautiful and dazzlinglyweird, the dozen-and-a-half performers ca-vort on a stage where they accept me as aspellbound intruder. They put on quite ashow.
Or, maybe more accurately, manyshows. As I share their 360-degree space,where and what I look at is up to me. I amfree to bob and swivel my head to fix mygaze on anyone or anything. I literally getto call the shots. And after a half-dozenviewings, with my attention leap-froggingfrom one direction to another, I still can’ttake in all the revelry.
If joining a famed entertainment troupe
is remarkable, an even bigger blast is gain-ing entry to a painting by Vincent VanGogh.
Thanks to a VR reimagining of VanGogh’s 1888 “The Night Cafe,” I can takemy place within the brushstrokes of theCafé de la Gare, whereupon its scatteringof tables and chairs, billiard table and lonepatron come to life.
But there’s more to explore than the sin-gle room the painting has immortalized.Through a doorway in the corner, I canstray into a never-before-seen side room,where a pianist plays a melancholy tuneand — lo and behold — Vincent himselfsits listening while meditatively smokinghis pipe.
Unlike VR video captured with station-ary 360-degree cameras, this Van Goghtribute is more like a video game, letting
6 Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
How do you �nd relief from high summer energy bills?
What’s on your SummerReady checklist? Warm weather means your air conditioning system needs to work harder to make your home cool—and your energy bill may show it. What can you do now to make a difference?
4 Seal leaks in your air conditioning ductwork to prevent cool air from escaping before it reaches your living areas.
4 Use fans to circulate the air. They can make your home feel up to !ve degrees cooler.
4 Add insulation to make your home more energy ef!cient throughout the year.
Visit BGE.COM/SummerReady, where you’ll !nd the tools and resources you need to handle the summer heat. Now that’s smart energy.
Here’s what “virtual reality” is really like
See VIRTUAL REALITY, page 7
VETERANS WRITING
WORKSHOPThe Cockeysville branch of the
Baltimore County Public Library will
host a series of writing workshops
for veterans throughout June, July
and August. The program is open to
veterans and serving members of the
armed forces, active or reserve.
Registration is required. Visit the
Cockeysville Branch, 9833 Greenside
Dr, Cockeysville, or call (410) 887-
7750 for more information.
ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS The Baltimore County
Restoring Elder Safety Today coalition
will host its annual World Elder Abuse
Awareness Day forum for community
members, professionals and concerned
citizens on Wednesday, June 15, from
9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sollers Point
Multi-Purpose Center in Dundalk, 323
Sollers Point Rd. Hear from experts
about the red flags of elder abuse,
forms of prevention, and means of
prosecution. Information about com-
munity resources will be available.
AARP will sponsor free shredding of
documents after the forum from 1:30
p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The forum is open to
the public, free of charge. To register
for the shredding event, call (877)
926-8300 or visit
www.aarp.cvent.com.WEAADShred16.
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If you want to reduce the chances ofspam showing up in your Google Alerts,Davis suggests narrowing your search pa-rameters. Let’s say you’re an investor whois interested in the latest news about divi-dend stocks. When you first set up youralert, put “dividend stocks” in quotes to in-dicate that you’re only interested in re-turning results in which the terms appeartogether.
You can also limit the sources of yourresults to “news” and “blogs,” whichwould exclude broader “web” results.Also, set your Google Alerts to “Only thebest results” as opposed to “All results.”
Finally, unless you’re specifically look-ing for results from sites outside the U.S.,limit the region to “United States.” Theshady links we found in Google Alertspointed to sites in Germany and France,as indicated by the “.de” and “.fr” URL suf-fixes, rather than the familiar “.com” suf-fix.
me interact more authentically with mysurroundings. I can step up to a table or aperson, but no farther, as if these objectswere really in my way.
And unlike many VR experiences, thisone is open-ended. I am free to linger inthis otherworldly, painterly realm to myheart’s content. At this cafe, there is nolast call. And I am in no hurry to leave.
Why would I? Despite the possibleonset of a headache or queasiness (noth-ing comes without a price, including thistechnology in its infant stage), VR is ahabitat of countless possibilities, an exhila-rating refuge that yanks me from the side-lines and thrusts me into the action.
Could VR ever become the default modefor its audience? I can imagine a time whenimmersion in VR might be as normal astate of self-imposed isolation as earbudspiping music from an iPod is now.
But more pertinent to me, a televisionguy, is this question: As VR evolves astechnology and art, what will be its impacton the act of vegging out with old-fash-ioned TV?
Television has long reigned as theprovince of the couch potato, viewing pas-sively while free to do other things: an-swer email, fix a snack, or just nurse abeer. But lost in VR’s altered state, I couldeasily miss my mouth when trying to takea sip. VR demands full commitment.
Could be, as VR comes of age, televisionwill become not quite old hat, but instead,what radio became with TV’s birth: an at-mospheric add-on, just one part of theeveryday sensory mosaic.
Similarly, TV, with its grip on publicconsciousness downgraded, might be re-cast as an omnipresent supplement to reallife.
Not supplementing, but supplantingreal life: That’s what VR aims to do.
— AP
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations 7
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Virtual reality headsets put viewers in the middle of the action.
By Matthew PerroneThe same strategy that Martin Shkreli
used to get away with a 5,000-percent priceincrease on an old drug is used by manyother drugmakers to maintain sky-highprices on billions of dollars’ worth of med-ications.
Before the price hike that made him in-famous, the former CEO of Turing Phar-maceuticals had to ensure that no competi-tor would be able to launch a cheaper ver-sion of Daraprim, the 60-year-old anti-in-fection pill that is no longer under patent.
Shkreli had the perfect weapon: A tight-ly-controlled distribution system thatwould make it virtually impossible for acompetitor to obtain enough Daraprim todevelop their own version.
Shkreli, who resigned in December, didnot invent the closed distribution technique.And his former company, Turing, notes thatDaraprim was already distributed undersuch a system when it acquired the drug.
Blocking access Many larger drugmakers have also
turned drug distribution into a powerfultool against competition. The strategy
takes advantage of a simple fact: If genericdrugmakers can’t get their hands on theoriginal product, they cannot perform thetests needed to develop a generic version.
Typically generic drugmakers purchasedrugs in bulk from third-party suppliers.But when the original drugmaker controlsthe drug’s distribution, they can simply re-fuse to sell.
The effect on patients is higher pricesfor drugs that would otherwise be avail-able as low-cost generics. Doctors saythese tactics “continue to stand in the wayof patients’ access.”
“The most effective way to improve ac-cess and lower prices is to ensure that gener-ic drugs get to market as quickly as possi-ble,” said Dr. Ameet Sarpatwari, of HarvardMedical School, who has studied the issue.
At least 40 drugs worth an estimated $5.4billion are sheltered from competition bydistribution hurdles, according to a studycommissioned by the Generic Pharmaceu-tical Association, an industry trade group.
The Food and Drug Administration isaware of the misuse of distribution pro-grams. The agency said in a statement it hasreceived 100 letters from companies that
say they have been blocked from obtainingdrugs for testing purposes. The agency’sown regulations prohibit drugmakers fromusing certain types of distribution plans toblock generic access, but the agency doesnot penalize companies for the practice.
The trend began in 2007, when the FDAbegan requiring risk-management plansfor certain drugs. The plans often featurevarious restrictions to make sure drugsare used safely, including limits on whocan distribute them.
But drugmakers realized these meas-ures could also be used to keep theirdrugs away from competitors. And evendrugs that didn’t require risk-managementcould utilize the strategy.
Huge price increase Daraprim is an example of a drug that
has no major safety risks and was previ-ously available through various whole-salers and distributors. But last June —three months before its sale to Turing —Daraprim was moved into a closed distri-bution program, allowing the manufactur-er to refuse sales to competitors.
The effect for patients was jarring. The
drug — which treats an infection mainlyfound in people with HIV and cancer — hadpreviously been available through local phar-macies. Now it is distributed through a spe-cialty division of a single pharmacy chain,which sells the drug at Turing’s list price of$750 per pill. In the months after the pricehike, some patients faced co-pays as high as$16,000 when trying to fill a prescription.
“Mr. Shkreli set up a very complicatedsystem to ensure profits, and patients havereally suffered,” said Sean Dickson, of theNational Alliance of State and TerritorialAIDS Directors.
Turing says it has improved access toDaraprim, including making it availablethrough a patient assistance program forthose who can’t afford it.
Drugmakers argue that closed distribu-tion simply protects their interests, mak-ing sure drugs are shipped and handledappropriately.
Undermining generics But generic drugmakers say the tactics
threaten their business model. “It under-
8 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
WHAT, ME WORRY?Worrying is actually a self-protectionmechanism for some people
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Drug distribution can block competition
See DRUG PRICES, page 11
By Eleanor LaiseYou make a routine trip to the pharmacy
to fill a prescription. But the pharmacist tellsyou your Medicare drug plan won’t coverthe drug. You walk away with no medication— and no clear explanation about why youwere denied coverage.
More and more seniors are finding them-selves in this confusing and potentially dan-gerous situation, patient advocates say.
Questions about pharmacy-counter denials— and what to do next — are among the mostcommon issues raised by callers to theMedicare Rights Center’s national helpline,said Joe Baker, the center’s president.
“The problem of pharmacy denials andpeople being confused by Part D prescrip-tion-drug coverage is a growing trend,” hesaid.
It pays to appealSeniors who are denied coverage at the
pharmacy may pay out of pocket for in-creasingly unaffordable drugs — or, evenworse, go without needed medication.
They may need to make several calls totheir drug plan to find out the exact reasoncoverage was denied, and then navigate acomplex appeals process to seek a reversal.
But persistence often pays off: In 2013,nearly 80 percent of denials that were ap-pealed were subsequently approved, ac-cording to the U.S. Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services.
Drug denials are rising in part becauseMedicare drug plans aiming to controlcosts are imposing “utilization managementrestrictions” on a growing number ofdrugs.
These restrictions include step therapy,which requires you to try a cheaper alterna-tive before a pricier drug; limits on the quan-tity of a drug that your plan will cover in acertain time period; and prior authorization,which means your plan must give approvalbefore the prescription is filled. Such restric-tions were applied to 39% of drugs onMedicare drug plans’ formularies in 2015,up from 18% in 2007, according to the KaiserFamily Foundation.
In other cases, coverage is denied be-cause the drug is not on your plan’s formula-ry. Each fall, review your plan’s annual noticeof change, which explains how coverage andcosts are changing in the coming year.
Also call the plan to make sure specificdrugs you take are still on the formularyand not subject to any new coverage restric-tions. You can switch drug plans duringMedicare open enrollment, which runsfrom October 15 to December 7 each year.
If a drug you’re taking is dropped fromyour plan’s formulary, or you change to aplan that doesn’t cover the drug, you areentitled to a one-time “transition refill” —typically a 30-day supply of the drug.
How to appealDon’t take the pharmacist’s “no” as your
final answer. Take note of the drug name anddosage that you were prescribed, the name
of the pharmacy, and the date when you triedto fill the prescription. Then call your planand ask for a “coverage determination” — awritten explanation of the coverage decision.
The plan generally has 72 hours to re-spond. But you can ask for an expedited de-cision, which requires the plan to respondwithin 24 hours, said Diane Omdahl, presi-dent of 65 Incorporated, a Mequon, Wis.,firm that helps seniors navigate Medicare.
If the plan tells you that the drug is not onthe formulary or that it’s subject to a restric-tion, you can ask for a coverage “exception.”In this case, your doctor must write a sup-porting statement. “It has to really explainwhy this drug and no other is what the pa-tient needs,” said Jocelyne Watrous, an ad-vocate at the Center for Medicare Advocacy.The 72-hour clock won’t start ticking untilthe plan gets the doctor’s statement.
If the coverage determination is not in
your favor, you have 60 days to ask for a “re-determination,” the first level of appeal. If sig-nificant dollars are at stake, you can pursueseveral more levels of appeal — and ultimate-ly have your case heard in federal court.
ington Editors, Inc. Distributed by TribuneContent Agency, LLC.
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 9
You can fight back when drugs are denied
By Srini PillayEveryone worries, but some people worry
more than others. When worry is excessive,people may develop generalized anxiety dis-order (GAD). In fact, close to a quarter ofpeople who go to their primary care physi-cians with anxiety suffer from the condition.
In general, stressful events in childhoodand adulthood, having strained economicresources, being divorced, and being fe-male all put you at risk for GAD.
But what do all of these different high-risk groups have in common psychologi-cally? Why do they worry so much? Andwhat can they do about it?
A recent study explained why peoplewith GAD worry so much — and the find-ings may surprise you.
Worry as self-protection While many people think they are just
worriers, they do not realize that they actu-ally worry for a reason. Their worry is anattempt to protect themselves!
If you’re wondering how such a nag-ging, persistent, annoying and sometimesdistressing psychological state can behelpful, you’re probably not alone. But thefindings do in fact make some sense.
It turns out that worrying about some-thing puts your mind into a negative state,but this helps, because when something neg-ative does happen, you don’t feel that muchworse. You’ve already been feeling bad.
For people with GAD, it’s better to feelbad most of the time so that a negativeevent — someone being ill, sudden finan-
cial challenges, or rejection from a lovedone — doesn’t have the power to create amassive emotional swing.
It’s the sudden shift from a neutral orpositive mood to a negative one that is ofmost concern to worriers. They will doanything to avoid this, include preparing tobe miserable. They really hate the contrastof a situation unexpectedly going south.
To people who aren’t worriers, this wouldsound counterintuitive, but they don’t havethe same sensitivity to sudden emotionalshifts. In fact, for them, worry is undesir-able, whereas worriers find worry helpful.
This poses a dilemma for treatment,then. If someone has GAD, just askingthem to lose the worry will not work. Andif you have GAD, expecting your brain tosimply stop worrying on command is a tallorder.
Another study has helped us under-stand that people who are prone to worry-ing are soft-wired to pay attention tothreatening news, thereby building up a li-brary of evidence in their brains that wor-rying is necessary.
Think about it. On any given day, thereare so many threatening things happeningin the world — anything from new viruses,terrorist attacks or political conflicts to ahostile email or upcoming storm are allreal events.
Yet, if you only pay attention to thethreats, you have no space left in yourbrain to process anything else. Threat be-comes your reality, and worry becomesyour justifiable response. Anyone tellingyou to give up your worry will sound out oftouch, to say the least.
Getting worry under controlAs challenging as this sounds, there are
things that you can do to retrain your brainto stop worrying. Cognitive behavioraltherapy, a type of talk therapy where yousimply revisit your assumptions in an at-tempt to reframe your thoughts, works ac-cording to some studies but not others.
It’s important to remember that you canbenefit from other forms of talk therapy,though, and that you can benefit frommedications as well.
But if you want to try changing the wayyou think right now, prior to therapy orwhile you’re waiting, you might considerthe following approach.
Rather than challenging yourself orsomeone else about worry, you can actual-ly accept that the worry is serving a pur-pose — to avoid a sudden negative swing.Then, start to delve deeper so you can dis-cover that the negative swing you most
10 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Surprising benefits of worrying (for some)
See WORRYING, page 11
mines the whole generic drug approvalprocess,” said Steve Giuli, an executivewith generics firm Apotex Corp.
Apotex has repeatedly tried to purchasetwo specialty cancer drugs sold by drug-maker Celgene. Together the drugs,Thalomid and Revlimid, account for $5.2billion in sales — more than two-thirds ofCelgene’s revenue for 2014.
That’s despite the fact that Thalomid is a1950s-era drug whose key ingredient is nolonger under patent. Because the drug cancause severe birth defects, it is subject to arigorous distribution program controlledby Celgene.
“They will never freely sell you the prod-uct, even if you negotiate with them forweeks, months, and perhaps years to satis-fy all of their onerous concerns,” saidOmar Jabri, another Apotex executive.
A Celgene spokesman did not returncalls and emails seeking comment on therisk-management program.
In one case, New Jersey-based Celgenewent on the offensive, suing Barr Labora-tories for attempting to introduce a genericversion of Thalomid. Celgene said Barr’seffort would infringe on its intellectualproperty, since it had patented Thalomid’srisk-management plan.
When generic drugmaker Lannett suedCelgene in 2012, alleging that the compa-ny’s tactics illegally blocked competition,the companies reached an out-of-court set-tlement. Details of the agreement were notdisclosed, but Thalomid remains unavail-able as a generic.
Meanwhile, the FDA has remained onthe sidelines. “The FDA is hesitant to makea call on whether a manufacture is actuallyintending to delay generic competition,”said pharmaceutical attorney Kurt Karst.
With no apparent solution from the
courts or the FDA, generic drugmakersand their allies are seeking a fix from Con-gress. A bill introduced in the Housewould direct the FDA to impose stiff fineson drugmakers that refuse to sell theirproducts to generic drugmakers.
Introduced last summer, the legislationhas made little headway on Capitol Hill,
but Dr. Sarpatwari hopes recent concernsabout drug prices will attract more atten-tion to the proposal.
“You’re getting Congress to amend thesystem to require that drug samples beshared under the penalty of actual sanc-tions,” he said. “That’s ultimately wherewe need to get to.” — AP
fear is probably less negative than youthink.
Giving up the struggle and control withworry, and accepting that it has not beenhelpful, is the next step. You can then re-examine your library of negative “proof”and swap out threatening realities for posi-
tive ones. In fact, this kind of deliberate op-timism can protect you from GAD.
Worry in GAD can be debilitating, butthere is an increasing amount of data thatshows you can address this effectively.Srini Pillay, M.D., is a contributor to
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FIND ALZHEIMER’S STUDIESThe Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch is a clinical studiesmatching service that connects individuals with current studies.
Recruiting and retaining trial participants is now the greatest obstacle, otherthan funding, to developing treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. TrialMatch isopen to people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, their caregivers,family members and physicians. Using this Web-based service, TrialMatch userscreate and manage a personal profile that includes information about their diag-nosis, location and other preferences. This profile is then matched with a continu-ously updated database of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia clinical trials. Toaccess the database, go to alz.org/TrialMatch.
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Ongoing
By Nicci MiccoSo you’re trying to lose weight. Join the
club! Wouldn’t it be great if you could just
turn a knob and rev up your metabolism —your calorie burn — just like that? Well, weall hear about diet and exercise strategiesthat supposedly do just that.
But do they work? Yes — and no. Here’s
what we know about the subject:1. Spice things up. Studies suggest that
capsaicin, an antioxidant in chile peppers(and also what makes them hot), increasesthe body’s metabolic rate — slightly.
Is it recommended? Sure! While themetabolic boost you get by adding chilesto your diet isn’t likely to melt awaypounds, some research also suggests that
capsaicin may stimulate brain chemicals ina way that helps you feel satisfied. Andwhen you make your foods delicious withspices — instead of huge amounts of but-ter or cream — you save calories.2. Eat more often. By having several
mini meals each day instead of fewer, larg-er ones, you can shift your metabolisminto a higher gear more often — and burnmore calories. Our metabolisms rev upslightly each time we eat, as our bodiesprocess what we’ve consumed.
Is it recommended? Sure, if it helpskeep your hunger in check so that youdon’t overeat when you finally sit down to ameal. (And if you’re not having a bunch ofsnacks that are actually the calorie-equiva-lent of big meals.)3. Add coconut oil to your diet.There is
some preliminary research to suggest thatusing coconut oil in place of butter, olive oil orcanola oil might help people lose weight byboosting their calorie burn. The fatty acids incoconut oil (called medium-chain triglyc-erides, or MCT) are shorter and more water-soluble than those in other oils, such as oliveor canola, so they’re routed directly to theliver where they’re readily burned for fuel.
There’s no scientific evidence to show thatsimply consuming coconut oil helps people
lose weight. But research suggests thatusing an MCT oil in place of olive oil might.
Is it recommended? Not really. Even if co-conut oil does indeed help people loseweight, few nutrition experts recommend it,since coconut oil is loaded with saturatedfat: 12 grams in 1 tablespoon versus 7 gramsin a tablespoon of butter. It also has 120 calo-ries per tablespoon, like all other oils.4. Exercise. As we age, muscle metabo-
lism decreases — by 1 to 2 percent eachdecade after age 30. So even if you maintainthe same level of exercise and calorie in-take as you age, you will tend to accumu-late fat over time. Regular exercise (and/orcalorie reduction) can help offset reducedmuscle metabolism and help you stay lean.
Is it recommended? Absolutely! Exer-cise not only boosts your resting metabo-lism so that you’re burning more calorieswhen you’re at rest, heart-thumping activi-ty blasts away calories while you’re doingit and makes you feel great. If you’re justgetting started with an exercise program,check with your doctor first.EatingWell is a magazine and website de-
12 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
What foods help boost your metabolism?
DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPYThe Baltimore County Department of Aging is offering a series ofworkshops on adjusting to the changes of aging. For more infor-
mation on dates and locations, call (410) 887-2040 or visit www.baltimorecoun-tymd.gov/agencies/aging/health education.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
MARYLAND TOWN HALL FOR AGING PLAN The Maryland Department of Aging is holding a town hall meetingto provide an opportunity for members of the public to offer public
comments on the draft State Plan on Aging covering October 2016 throughSeptember 2020. The town hall takes place Wednesday, June 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.at Bykota Senior Center, 611 Central Ave., Towson, Md. Also, through June 1 youcan provide input by completing a quick survey online at:www.surveymonkey.com/r/MDoAStatePlanSurvey. For more information, contact(410) 767-1100 or [email protected].
BEACON BITS
June 1
WATCh reAL PATieNT TeSTiMoNiALS oN heLPForYourFeeT.CoM
Stuart Goldman, DPM410-235-234520 Crossroads Dr, Suite 15Owings Mills, MD 21117
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Treating DifficultyStanding, Walking, Sitting, and Sleepingattributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis,
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 bothfeet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain.– Alvin, Baltimore As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, Ihave always focused on non-surgical treatment offoot and leg pain. I find that most people with footor leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramp-ing or difficulty walking) , even those who have hadother treatments, including surgery of the foot (orback), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits.
— Dr. Stuart Goldman
By Carol SorgenNearly 19,000 new cases of chronic lym-
phocytic leukemia (CLL) will be reportedthis year in the U.S., according to Ameri-can Cancer Society statistics.
CLL affects mainly older adults, and theaverage age at the time of diagnosis is 71.It is rarely seen in people under 40, and isextremely rare in children. Yet CLL ac-counts for one quarter of all diagnosedcases of leukemia.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a typeof cancer that starts from cells in the bonemarrow. At some point, leukemia cellsleave the bone marrow and spill into thebloodstream. Once in the blood, leukemiacells can spread to other organs. They alsooften cause an increase in the number of aperson’s white blood cells.
Chronic leukemias can take a long timebefore they produce symptoms, and mostpeople can live with the condition for manyyears. But chronic leukemias are generallyharder to cure than acute leukemias. Con-tinued research is needed to find improve-ments in the treatment of CLL.
Testing new drugsSinai Hospital and Northwest Hospital,
members of LifeBridge Health, are partici-pating in two nationwide clinical trials spon-sored by TG Therapeutics aimed at improv-ing treatment options for people with CLL.TG Therapeutics is a biopharmaceuticalcompany currently developing therapiesthat target cancers that begin in the cells ofblood-forming tissue (bone marrow).
Both studies are Phase 3 trials, meaningthe drugs being studied have already been
through two previous phases of testing.One trial is called the Genuine Trial. It has
two arms: The first is the experimental arm,which will assess the efficacy and safety ofthe drug Ublituximab, a monoclonal anti-body that is not yet approved for use by theFDA, in combination with the drug Ibrutinib,which is approved. In the other arm, partici-pants will take Ibrutinib alone.
This study is aimed at participants whohave been previously treated for CLL, andhave the presence of high-risk features asidentified by cellular abnormalities.
Patients taking both drugs will receivethree separate intravenous infusions ofUblituximab followed by maintenance in-fusions and an oral daily dose of Ibrutinib.Patients in the second arm will receive anoral daily dose of Ibrutinib.
The other trial, called the Unity Trial, willassess the efficacy and safety of Ublituximabused in combination with another drug forwhich approval is being sought — TGR-1202. A second arm of this study comparesthat combination to the use of the drug Obin-utuzumab in combination with Chlorambu-cil. Both of these drugs are already approvedand in use for treatment of CLL.
The Unity Trial is for CLL patients with-out high-risk features, and who either havenot had treatment before or need recur-rent treatment.
Patients in the first arm of this trial will re-ceive three separate intravenous infusions ofUblituximab, followed by maintenance infu-sions and an oral daily dose of TGR-1202. Pa-tients in the second arm will receive eight in-travenous infusions of Obinutuzumab andscheduled oral doses of Chlorambucil.
Open-ended studyTreatments will take place at either
Northwest Hospital or Sinai Hospital. Par-ticipants do not have to be currentLifeBridge Health patients.
Participants will continue in the trialuntil the doctor no longer feels they are re-ceiving any benefit from it. There is no fi-nancial compensation for participation.
Researchers intend to assess the sur-
vival rate of patients treated in both trialsover the course of three years. The Gen-uine Trial is recruiting 330 participants;the Unity Trial, 450.
To learn more about these studies, or tosee if you qualify to participate, visit Clinical-Trials.gov and search for the following trialnumbers: NCT02301156 and NCT02612311.You may also call the Oncology ResearchOffice at Sinai Hospital at (410) 601-6120.
B A L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 13
Health Studies PageTHE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS
New treatments for leukemia are studied
Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!
By Howard LeWineQ: I recently saw my doctor for uri-
nary symptoms. He said that I have an
enlarged prostate. We decided to waitto start treatment. But now I wonder if I should take
Cialis since the TV ads say it helpswith symptoms from an enlargedprostate as well as erectile dysfunc-tion. Any suggestions?A: Difficulties with urination become
more and more common in men over age50. Often the cause is the noncancerousenlargement of the prostate gland — be-nign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.
As the prostate puts pressure on the uri-nary plumbing, men experience symp-toms such as difficulty starting urination,straining to empty the bladder, and havingto get up frequently at night to urinate.Some men try to live with it, but at somepoint they may feel the need to exploremedical solutions.
BPH’s frequent fellow traveler is erec-tile dysfunction (ED). A fair number ofmen develop both ED and symptoms ofBPH. And it sounds appealing to take onepill that might help with both.
Since you and your doctor decided towait before starting medication for theBPH symptoms, perhaps the more impor-tant issue for you is ED. If that is the case,I would suggest contacting your doctor tofocus on this issue.
Daily tadalafil (Cialis) is the only drugcurrently FDA-approved for use in menwith both ED and BPH.
If you did desire medication for ED, youmay not need or want to take a pill every
day. Most often men use an ED drug on as-needed basis. Examples include a strongerdose of tadalafil and several similar drugs,such as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Lev-itra) and avanafil (Stendra).
If later you decide it’s time for medica-tion to help with BPH symptoms, there aretwo types of drugs that doctors prescribe.Alpha blockers — such as alfuzosin (Urox-atral), doxazosin (Cardura), silodosin (Ra-paflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin(Hytrin) — relax the smooth muscles inthe bladder neck and prostate. This im-proves urine flow and leads to less fre-quent need to urinate.
If the prostate is enlarged, the doctormay add a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor,such as dutasteride (Avodart) or finas-teride (Proscar). These drugs can help toshrink the swollen gland and take pres-sure off the bladder neck.
For men with ED and mild to moderateBPH symptoms who are willing to take apill every day, tadalafil for daily use is cer-tainly an option.Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at
vard College. All Rights Reserved. Distrib-uted by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Treatments for ED and prostate problems14 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
HELP REPAIR HOMESDuring the week of July 17, the 33rd annual Baltimore CountyChristian Workcamp, a volunteer and ecumenical consortium of
individuals and churches, will be doing home repair and assistance for the needythroughout Baltimore County. For more information or to volunteer, seewww.bcchristianworkcamp.org or email [email protected].
BEACON BITS
July 17+
For Information, please call the Baltimore VA/Universityof Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Phone Line
410-605-7179Mention code: LIFT
*You must be at least 65 years old and in good health*Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of
Maryland School of Medicine for approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours of time per visit
Seeking Men and WomenThe University of Maryland & Veterans Affairs of Baltimore
are conducting a research study to better understand balance & prevent falls as we age.
With your participation you will receive:•Health evaluation
•Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises•Compensation for your time
Q: Does a lactose-free diet play arole in reducing cancer risk?A: For people who can’t di-
gest lactose, a naturally occur-ring sugar in milk, eating ordrinking milk and other dairyproducts can lead to uncomfort-able cramping and diarrhea.
Overall, research shows noreduction in cancer risk byavoiding foods with lactose(dairy products). In fact, thelatest report from the Ameri-can Institute for Cancer Re-search (AICR) analyzing theevidence links milk and calci-um intake with lower risk ofcolorectal cancer.
There is some research linking con-sumption of dairy products with increasedrisk of prostate cancer, but the evidencehere is not strong.
A few studies have also linked high con-sumption of lactose with greater risk of ovar-ian cancer, but overall research does notshow any clear link between lactose or dairyconsumption and ovarian or other cancer.Limited animal research even shows possi-ble protective effects of lactose for the colon.
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Ameri-cans recommend two to three servings ofdairy per day as part of an overall healthyeating plan. One serving equals 1 cup milkor yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese.Q: How do lentils compare nutrition-
ally to dried beans like kidney beans,black beans and chickpeas?A: Like all pulses (a term that includes
dried beans, dried peas and lentils), lentilsare a great source of fiber. Just a half-cup ofcooked lentils provides nearly as much fiberas two cups of cooked oatmeal, and much ofit is the type of fiber that helps lower blood
cholesterol. Iron and the B vitamin folatethat is so important for maintaining healthy
DNA are high in all pulses. As do other pulses, lentils
provide both protein andhealth-protective phytochemi-cals like flavonoids. Their easypreparation requires no soak-ing like other dried beans, soyou can go from pantry totable in about 20 minutes.
Pulses are similar in nutri-tion, but you can enjoy explor-ing the many types for a vari-ety of flavors.
Cook brown lentils until ten-der but not mushy, holdingsalt and any acid ingredients
(such as lemon or tomatoes) until the endto avoid toughening the lentils and in-creasing cooking time.
Brown lentils are part of renowned dish-es all around the world. They can serve asa meat replacement or extender in your fa-vorite stew, soup, chili, or rice- or veg-etable-based mixed entrée.
The little red lentils and yellow lentilsdissolve into sort of a purée, so they’regreat for thickening soups and stews,or mashed as in some Indian dal recipes.
You may also see French lentils, whichare smaller than more common types, butthese take longer to cook. French lentilsretain their shape and firmness and add apeppery flavor, making them a greatchoice for salads.
Whatever your choice, enjoy lentils as aquick and easy way to work more legumesinto your eating habits.The American Institute for Cancer Re-
search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800-843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday. This free service allows you
to ask questions about diet, nutrition andcancer. A registered dietitian will returnyour call, usually within three business days.Courtesy of the American Institute for
Cancer Research. Questions for this columnmay be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St.NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannotrespond to questions personally.
Is there a link between dairy and cancer?
NUTRITIONWISEBy Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDM
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 15
HELP YOUR HEARTHeart disease is the #1 killer of Americans. Find out how to pre-vent heart disease from a representative of the American Heart
Association at a seminar on Thursday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the CatonsvilleSenior Center. The center is located at 501 N. Rolling Rd., Catonsville. Call (410)887-0900 for more information.
BEACON BITS
May 26
As spring rolls around, allergies and hayfever cause problems, and so do lingeringstrains of colds and flu. Maybe you are one ofthe 40 million people in America who are experiencing uncomfortable symptomsfrom chronic sinusitis? It translates to alot of Kleenex, Flonase and Sudafed!
Are you experiencing some of these issues:Sinus pressure, headaches, cheek pain, eye-ball pain or pressure behind the eyes, puffyeyes, nasal dryness, or a stuffed up nose?Do you have moving headaches or shocks in
your scalp, dental pain, or a foul odor that noone else can smell?
Today I’m reviewing some popular de-vices that can help with chronic sinusi-tis:Neti Pots — These are small plastic or
porcelain containers from which a salinesolution is poured into the nostrils. I rec-ommend the porcelain kind. Neti pots andother such devices discussed below arebetter than oral decongestants like pseu-doephedrine (Sudafed) because they don’t
raise your blood pressure or cause spaci-ness or insomnia.
But they work superficially,addressing nasal and maxillarysinus problems (around yourcheekbones), not those of theethmoid sinuses (near thebridge of your nose) or sphe-noid sinuses (behind youreyes). Luckily those conditionsare rare, and you’ll need a CTscan of your sinuses to uncoverethmoid or sphenoid sinusproblems. Pro — It’s affordable and
readily accessible at healthfood stores and pharmacies. Con — You have to tilt your head in an
awkward position to use, and this is prob-lematic if you have neck or back pain. Also,you need to buy distilled water. Please don’tskimp and use tap water, because your si-nuses are not equipped to defend againstpathogens very well. People have died froma brain-eating amoeba found in tap water, sobe sure to use distilled.NeilMed RinsePro — This squeeze bottle devise flush-
es you out really well, and is more efficientthan a neti pot. Many people claim ithelped them after years of congestion. Itcomes with individual packets of salt withbaking soda, which is instantly alkaliniz-
ing. You control the pressure or “flush” bysqueezing the bottle yourself.
Con— You may get a sinusheadache afterwards. Somepeople say it causes a sensa-tion similar to the feeling youget when you jump into a pooland water gets up your nose,but this goes away. Navage Nasal Irrigation
Getting used to this device —which sends water up onenostril and literally suctions itout the other — takes a try ortwo. It has a “pulling” effectrather than a pushing effectlike other devices. Once you
get used to the sensation, you can reap thebenefits. Pros — It doesn’t require awkward
head positions. Cons — You have to buy their propri-
etary brand of salt pods, and the sensationof suction can feel bizarre. You also can’tcontrol or adjust the flow. This information is opinion only. It is not
intended to treat, cure or diagnose your con-dition. Consult with your doctor before usingany new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist
and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacistand Real Solutions from Head to Toe. Tocontact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.
16 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
DEAR PHARMACISTBy Suzy Cohen
Nasal rinses for chronic sinus problems
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUPA free support group for those with Parkinson’s, their families andcaregivers, meets the second Tuesday of each month at the
Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd. in Baltimore from 2 to 3 p.m. Walk-ins arewelcome. For more information, call (410) 843-7352 or visit jcsbaltimore.org/parkinsons.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
Dear Solutions: My husband (we’re separated) has
been diagnosed as bi-polar. He is not taking hismedication, and is so de-pressed he cannot func-tion. He’s not going to work,
or bathing, or cleaning hisapartment, which is filthynow with mice. He will notgo to the psychiatrist hewas seeing. How can I persuade him
to see a psychiatrist andtake his medication? Hewill not say how I can help. I’m afraid he will lose his apartment
and his job, and become homeless. Ido not want to forcibly get him to theemergency room. What can I do?Please help.
— AnonymousDear Anonymous:
You must seek the help of the doctor hehad been seeing. That doctor will probablyneed to have your husband committed to apsychiatric facility on the basis that he maybe of danger to himself or others.
Of course, it’s hurtful to do this, but thissounds like a necessity for his own safety, aspeople in this state are often suicide risks.
Also — very important — have some-one look through his apartment and make
sure there are no guns orother weapons there.
Please speak to a doctorand follow through for every-one’s sake and safety.Dear Solutions: My daughter’s husband
left her over a year ago,and they’re still in themidst of conflict over a set-tlement. I’m furious athim.I always have my whole
family, including my daugh-ter and her children (my
grandchildren) over for dinner onevery holiday. So that’s when he callsmy house, in the middle of dinner,and insists on talking to his childrenno matter what I say. My daughter doesn’t want me to
say anything or to use the answeringmachine, because she doesn’t want toantagonize him, and he knows we’reall here. I get very upset. I don’t want to make things harder
for my daughter, but my stomachchurns every time I hear his voice.How do you think I should handle this?
— Maimie
Dear Maimie: Put the blame on Mame – I mean Mom.
I know you want to help your daughter, butallowing this boor to bully you won’t helpher. If your daughter thinks it’s necessaryto appease him, then she can do it in herspace, not yours.
Remember who you are. This is yourhome, your dinner and your telephone.Tell him quietly and firmly that no one is
considered for this column may be sent to:The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring,MD 20915. You may also email the authorat [email protected]. To inquire aboutreprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.
SOLUTIONSBy Helen Oxenberg,MSW, ACSW
Hard to help loved one with mental illnessBA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 17
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Mary came to ManorCare Health Service – Woodbridge Valley debilitated from an infection. Mary couldn’t even get out of bed!
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Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”
By Stan ChoeThe municipal-bond market looks to be
regaining its reputation for delivering reli-able if unsexy returns, following severalbig swings since the financial crisis.
It’s remained sturdy in recent months,even as stocks and other types of bondshave jerked up and down. That has in-vestors, mostly high income earners, onceagain pouring in dollars in search of safety.
Municipal bonds are issued by statesand local governments to raise money tobuild the school down the street or expandthe local sewer system.
In exchange for funding projects meantto be good for the community, investorsgenerally do not have to pay federal in-come taxes on the interest payments theyreceive. In some cases, they’re also ex-empt from state and local taxes.
The largest municipal bond fund returned2.9 percent last year, more than the largeststock fund’s 0.3 percent. More importantlyfor twitchy investors, Vanguard’s Intermedi-ate-Term Tax-Exempt fund is on pace for its10th straight month without a loss.
Demand has been strong enough thatroughly $16.5 billion has flowed into mu-
nicipal-bond mutual funds over the lastyear, according to the Investment Compa-ny Institute.
Contrast that with the $73.6 billion that lefttaxable bond mutual funds, in large part be-cause investors were fleeing high-yieldfunds on worries about their riskiness. Stockfunds had even faster rates of withdrawals.
Low, but tax-free, returnsJust remember that the reason for muni
bonds’ recent popularity is precisely be-cause they’re boring. Don’t come in withexpectations of getting rich quickly. Yieldsare low, which cap future returns, andtheir strong performance last year and sofar in 2016 has pushed yields even lower.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of downside, butthe upside is limited too,” said Guy Davidson,director of municipal bond management atAllianceBernstein. “Muni funds can offer sta-bility and income in a volatile world, but Idon’t think you should be preaching for ex-citement given these yields at the moment.”
Yields are low for muni bonds relative totheir history, and they can also be lowerthan taxable bonds with a similar maturityand credit rating. That’s traditionally been
the case because muni bonds’ income isfree of taxes.
Top income earners have a federal taxrate of nearly 40 percent, which means ataxable bond yielding 3 percent would gen-erate the same spending power after taxesas a muni bond yielding just 1.8 percent.Many websites have online calculatorsthat help investors figure out the “tax-equivalent” yield of their bond funds.
That’s also why investors hold munibonds in taxable accounts. If they were in a401(k) or another tax-deferred account,their tax advantage would be wasted.
The muni bond market has historicallybeen relatively sleepy. Then the financialcrisis hit.
Municipal bond funds held up better thanmost investments, but the largest categoryof them still lost an average of 2.3 percent in2008. Returns rocketed higher the nextyear, but another shock came in late 2010and early 2011. That’s when a high-profileprediction for a wave of municipal defaultssent investors running for the exits.
The default wave never materialized,but panic set in again in 2013, when wor-ries spiked that interest rates could rise
faster than expected. Since then, the munibond market has dealt with more scares,like the recent debt crisis in Puerto Rico.
Some trouble spots and risksIt’s not just Puerto Rico that has raised
concerns. Investors are worried aboutChicago and areas that have big pensionobligations.
Governments heavily reliant on revenuefrom the oil industry are also under pres-sure, following the collapse in the price ofcrude. The fear is that if local tax revenuecraters, it will be difficult for the municipal-ity to pay back investors.
But fund managers say the market seesthese as isolated trouble spots. In the restof the country, tax revenue is on the up-swing due to the stronger economy. Andmany local governments slashed their ex-penses and held off on issuing debt follow-ing the financial crisis.
“Throwing out Chicago and PuertoRico, muni credit is kind of as good as it’sever been,” said Nick Venditti, portfoliomanager at Thornburg Investment man-
Tax-free muni bonds: not sexy, but steady
18 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
A BRIDGE TO RETIREMENTMore are trying part-time, flexible jobs asthey transition to retirement. But someare remaining in these supposedly “bridgejobs” because they need the income
ENCORE GIGSDo you dream about a new career in re-tirement? Look into teaching Englishoverseas, or becoming a city tour guide orpatient advocate
MoneyMoneyLaw &
See TAX-FREE MUNIS, page 19
FATHER’S DAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND BAKE SALE Celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday June 19, from 9 a.m. to 12p.m., at a pancake breakfast and bake sale sponsored by
American Legion Post 130, 8666 Silver Lake Dr. in Perry Hall. For $7 per person,you get pancakes, scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, sausage links, stewedapples, orange juice, coffee and tea. Bloody Marys and mimosas will be availableto purchase. All proceeds from the bake sale will be donated to a local veteransorganization. For more information, call the American Legion Post 130 at (410)870-0625.
SUMMER SCHOOL AT PIKESVILLE SENIOR CENTERPikesville Senior Center will hold a summer school from July 7 toAugust 11 with such classes as adult ballet, improvisational act-
ing, reverse glass painting, wine tasting 101 and more. Classes will be held from6:15 to 7 p.m. and 7:15 to 8 p.m. A dinner option is available from 5 to 6 p.m. Ahappy hour class review and registration will be held on Thursday, June 2, from5:30 to 7 p.m. For more information, call (410) 887-1245.
BREW AT THE ZOOSample more than 80 local and national beers, and listen to localmusic at the annual Brew at the Zoo on May 28-29, 1876
Mansion House Dr., from 1 to 7 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $69. For moreinformation, call (443) 552-5276 or visit www.marylandzoo.org.
BEACON BITS
June 19
July 7+
May 28+
agement. “It’s very easy for a muni bondbuyer to come into the market and avoidthe Chicagos and Puerto Ricos and findmore fundamentally strong credits.”
Like any bond fund, a municipal-bondfund will fall in price as interest rates rise.So far, rates have remained low, but mostexpect them to eventually rise. If it hap-pens slowly enough, the bigger incomepayments that higher rates would bringcould offset price drops.
When assessing the market, muni fundmanagers also look at how much supplyand demand exists for tax-free bonds. Sup-ply hasn’t grown as much as in the past,because local governments have been
slow to borrow since the financial crisis. Managers see the strength of demand
as the bigger potential threat to future re-turns. The municipal-bond market is dom-inated by individual investors, rather thanbig institutional investors or hedge funds,and they have shown in the past that theycan be quick to sell.
For now, muni bonds’ steady returnsmean demand has remained consistentand strong. Managers say they see fewreasons for that to change, at least in thenear term.
“I am expecting more of the same,” saidRegina Shafer, who runs municipal bondfunds at USAA. “I think investors appreci-ate the stable market that municipalsbring. We’re steady as she goes.”
— AP
By Stan ChoeWhile the rest of the world scrambles to
get out of the crumbling Chinese stockmarket, a trickle of investors is headingstraight into the wreckage.
Managers of Chinese stock mutual fundshave seen huge drops many times before,and they even find things to like about them.Instead of taking cover, and preserving cashin their portfolios, this time these managerssay they are buying stocks of companies setto take advantage of how the Chinese gov-ernment is reshaping the economy.
This most-recent plummet has beeneven swifter and sharper than past ones,but managers of Chinese stock funds sayit’s also brought down share pricesenough that they’ve been buying compa-nies that they thought were too expensivejust a few months ago.
“With a volatile market like China, buy itwhen the world hates it, and sell when noone’s worried,” said Jim Oberweis, who runs
the Oberweis China Opportunities fund.“That’s worked pretty well over the last 20years in China, and now sure seems to melike a period where everyone hates it.”
A downward trend for yearsOnly time will tell if he and other Chi-
nese stock fund managers are right. Theycould have made the same argument aftereach of the Chinese market’s many sell-offs the last five years, and it wouldn’t havenetted them much, if anything.
The MSCI China index has had sevendeclines of at least 10 percent over the lastfive years, including the 19 percent tumblesince late October, which itself followed a34 percent plunge from April into Septem-ber by just weeks.
After all those ups and downs, the MSCIChina index has lost 12 percent over thelast five years, and is close to its lowestlevel since the summer of 2009.
That’s why fund managers say an invest-
ment in Chinese stocks will require lots ofpatience, maybe even a decade.
Oberweis’ fund, for example, has lost 15.9percent over the last year, even though it’sbeen one of the top performers in its catego-ry. But over the past 10 years, it’s returnedan annualized 8.9 percent, better than theS&P 500’s 6.1 percent annual return.
China’s economy grew last year at its slow-est pace in a quarter century, and economistsexpect it to slow even more this year.
Part of that is by design. The Chinesegovernment is steering the economy to-ward consumer spending and away fromexports and investments in infrastructure.It hopes that will yield a more sustainable,though slower, rate of growth.
The government is also pushing anti-corruption measures and efforts to makethe country’s huge state-owned banks andtelecom communications companies moreefficient.
The goal is to try to slow growth withoutstopping it. The worry is that the govern-ment will lose control of the slowdown,and the economy will fall hard.
“It’s painful at the moment, and therecould be some more pain to come,” saidJasmine Huang, manager of the ColumbiaGreater China fund. “Eventually it will begood for the economy.”
Some say: to “buy low,” invest in ChinaBA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 19
To receive any advertised product, you must become a member of PenFed Credit Union.* Account is a variable rate account. Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is valid as of last dividend declaration date of May 1, 2016. Earn dividends with direct deposit of $1,000 or more AND on daily balance up to $50,000 per statement cycle. Once the account qualifi es to earn dividends, daily balances up to $19,999.99 earn 0.50% APY and daily balances of $20,000 or more, up to $50,000 earn 1.01% APY. APY and tiers are subject to change at any time. Fees may reduce earnings on account. Minimum deposit of $25 required to open account. When an account is terminated prior to the end of a statement cycle, dividends will be paid if the aggregate direct deposit requirement is met on the date of account termination.
Visit PenFed.org/GreatRates or call 866-367-0231.No military service required.
AT PENFED, WE MAKE IT EASY TO APPLY AND GET THE GREAT RATES YOU DESERVE.
By Adam AllingtonThe transition from employment to re-
tirement used to be marked by a date on acalendar, along with some sheet cake, and amaybe a gold watch. Those days are longgone for most workers in the United States.
Today, the journey toward completewithdrawal from the labor force can lastmany years. Economists refer to the transi-tion period as “bridge employment.” Asmore and more Americans either choose,or are forced, into bridge employment, theexpectation of what retirement actuallymeans is rapidly changing.
“We shouldn’t even use the word ‘retire-ment’ any more. It obscures more than itenlightens,” said Boston College econo-mist Joseph Quinn.
Quinn’s research has shown that, formany seniors today, retirement is not aone-time event but rather a process. He at-
tributes it to a changing economic picturethat encourages more seniors to choosework over leisure.
Flexible, part-time jobs Bridge jobs, Quinn said, “tend to be
lower pay and less likely to have pensionand health benefits. But since many peopleare taking these jobs voluntarily, they obvi-ously provide some advantages — mostlikely flexible hours, since more than halfof the bridge jobs are part-time.”
According to data from the University ofMichigan’s Health and Retirement Study,roughly 6 out of 10 men and women of re-tirement age don’t plan to leave the laborforce when they leave their full-time careerjobs.
Factors leading to the appeal of bridgejobs include longer life expectancies andless physically demanding work, accord-
ing to Quinn. His data also suggest the propensity to
seek out bridge employment is highest atboth ends of the wage spectrum — withblue-collar workers acting out of financialnecessity, while wealthier workers think ofit more as a lifestyle choice.
Laura Thompson drove a bus for 25years in Detroit before retiring 16 yearsago. “For a while I was completely retired,”said Thompson. “But eventually, I just feltlike I still had it in me to do something, plusthe extra income is nice too.”
These days Thompson keeps busy byworking part time as a chef at a localhomeless shelter. She said the decisionwas less about necessity and more about adesire to help out.
Still, she said it isn’t uncommon for re-tired bus drivers to keep working. “Ourpensions have already been cut by the
city,” Thompson said, “I mean, I couldprobably scrape by without working, but Idon’t want to do that, not if I can help it.”
Lower retirement securityA somewhat open question is whether
bridge jobs are truly bridges to retirementor just another job change, perhaps one ofmany, in a seemingly unending workingcareer.
“I don’t want to be too Pollyannaishabout bridge jobs, because part of this islikely a reaction to the erosion of retire-ment security in the U.S.,” said MoniqueMorrissey, an economist with EconomicPolicy Institute, a Washington-based thinktank with ties to organized labor.
Morrissey said older Americans are fac-ing a gradual erosion of retirement bene-fits. Specifically, she points to the transi-
20 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
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Bridge jobs that transition to retirement
Areas primed for growthHuang is avoiding companies from
what’s known as “Old China,” and ownsno raw-material producers and few compa-nies in the industrial and energy sectors.
But instead of hiding out in cash, she hasbeen investing in “New China.” She hasbeen focusing on e-commerce companies,where she expects revenue to grow even ifthe overall economy stumbles, becausemore Chinese shoppers are going online.
She also sees big growth for healthcarecompanies. They make up only about 2percent of the MSCI China index, and shesaid they could grow to become the 10 or20 percent of the market that healthcarerepresents in developed markets.
Andrew Mattock, lead manager at theMatthews China fund, understands if in-vestors are feeling gun-shy about Chinesestocks. “For five years now, if you’ve mademoney, it’s been hard to get, and you’velost it quickly in these sell-offs,” he said.
But the most recent drops for Chinesestocks have brought them close to theircheapest level since the financial crisis,relative to their earnings. The MSCIChina index was recently trading at about8.5 times its expected earnings per shareover the next 12 months. That’s downfrom a price-earnings ratio of nearly 10 atthe start of the year.
Mattock, like Huang, has steered his fundtoward stocks that he sees profiting fromChina’s shift toward consumer spending.His top holdings at the start of the year in-cluded Tencent, which operates the popularWeChat social media service, and JD.com,one of China’s largest e-commerce sites.
“This time, I think, is different becausethere’s actually change going on now,”Mattock said of the economic reforms un-derway in China. “There are doubts aboutwhether they can do it, but what they’retrying to do is positive.” — AP
Chinese stocksFrom page 19
See BRIDGE JOBS, page 21
By Jane Bennett ClarkMaybe you’ve always fantasized about
racing down the sidelines as a soccer ref,or expounding to tourists on the charms ofyour city. Once you retire from your careerjob, you’ll have time to make that fantasyhappen, but you’ll have to get up to speedon the skills involved.
Here’s a rundown of the basic require-ments for six dream retirement gigs.
English-language teacher overseasYou don’t need teaching experience for
this gig, but you do need certification inTESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages) or TEFL (TeachingEnglish as a Foreign Language), a compa-rable credential more common in the Unit-ed Kingdom.
The American TESOL Institute offersan online-only program ($295) and onethat combines online study with in-classtraining ($995 to $1,620).
Salaries depend on the country and cost of living. For more information, seewww.tefl-tesol.net.
You may be able to teach English as aSecond Language in U.S. public schoolswith TESOL certification, but many statesset additional requirements. Check with
your state’s education department.
City tour guidePrerequisites for this job range from
nothing at all, to passing a test adminis-tered by your local jurisdiction, to getting alicense (or both), depending on where youplan to operate.
To find out the specifics in your area, goto the National Federation of Tourist GuideAssociations and click on “Our Members.”Then contact the association closest to you.In addition to keeping track of local re-quirements, these associations offer train-ing programs, continuing education, job-
networking opportunities and certification. Expect to make about $40 an hour, said
Ellen Malasky, vice-president of the NationalFederation of Tourist Guide Associations.
Patient advocateBeing a private patient advocate can in-
volve anything from sorting out billingsnafus to helping families navigate thehealthcare system.
No state requires a license for patientadvocacy, and there is currently no nation-ally recognized certification, although one
Some interesting encore gigs for retirees
tion to 401(k)s over defined-benefit pen-sions, as well as the eventual increase inthe retirement age up to 67, a move shesaid amounts to an “across-the-board cutin benefits.”
The fact that bridge jobs occupy an in-creasing portion of the labor force sug-gests that wage income is an increasinglyimportant part of retirement planning formany seniors.
The traditional model of a retirement in-come is a “three-legged stool,” composedof Social Security, pensions and savings.However an analysis of census data by theSocial Security Administration found thatsince the mid-1980s, employment earn-ings as a percentage of income has morethan doubled and is still rising (for people65 and older).
Gloria Adamson, 81, said she neverplanned to be working this late in life. “Isimply have to work,” she said. “Retire-ment isn’t even in the picture, to tell youthe truth.”
To cover her bills, Adamson startedworking as an adjunct professor in the Col-orado community college system 13 yearsago. According to a 2014 congressional re-port, most adjuncts receive no benefits,and often earn a fraction of what tenure-track faculty make. Therefore, Adamsonsaid she was never able to build up muchsavings, or make adequate contributionsto her pension.
For the past year, she has worked full-time teaching writing and rhetoric tofreshmen at the University of Colorado inBoulder — a job with better pay and bene-fits than what she got at the communitycollege. She teaches three classes, in addi-tion to spending 10 hours a week tutoringstudents at the campus writing center.
Still, Adamson said doesn’t feel cheatedout of her retirement. “I learned a tricksome time ago — that if I make my workimportant enough to me, I won’t have a lotof time to do other things,” she said, with aslight smile.
“I figure by the time I’m 100, I will be inbetter shape financially. I might thinkabout retiring then.” — AP
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 21
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is in the works through the Patient Advo-cate Certification Board.
Your own experience with, say, an ailingparent or a health crisis can be a startingpoint. To add to your qualifications, reviewthe list of competencies and best practices atthe patient advocate certification site, then goto Health Advocate Resources to see whicheducational programs can fill in any gaps.
A private practice is like any small busi-ness, said Trisha Torrey, founder and direc-tor of the Alliance of Professional Health Ad-
vocates. But for this profession, liability insur-ance is a must. You can generally charge feesof $100 to $250 an hour, depending on yourbackground, services and location.
National Parks employeeFor a seasonal gig at a national park (or
at a guest lodge, summer camp or ski re-sort), check out Cool Works, which listspostings from employers in spectacular set-tings around the country. Listings includeopenings for cooks, reservation clerks andgift shop employees, as well as for, say, ahovercraft captain or trolley driver.
Employees who can work the full season
(as opposed to decamping for college in Au-gust) are in demand, making retirees a hotcommodity. You’ll be paid minimum wage ora little more for entry-level jobs. Employerstypically provide low-cost and sometimesfree housing, ranging from private rooms todormitories, or hookups for RVs. Some em-ployers offer accommodations for couples,too.
Most retirees take these jobs for the funand the chance to meet new people, notthe compensation, said Patty Ceglio, direc-tor of operations at Cool Works. You’ll findjob listings geared to retirees on the“Older and Bolder” section on the CoolWorks site” coolworks.com.
Youth-sports officialIf giving back and having fun are more
important than a paycheck, this gig isworth checking out. At minimum, you’llhave to be physically fit enough to tacklethe demands of the sport.
To get started, register with the area gov-erning association (your local high schoolor recreation department can tell you whichone to contact). You’ll probably have to pay afee of, say, $10 to $50. Registration gives youaccess to lectures, exercises, demonstra-tions and rulebooks on the mechanics of thesport. Experienced refs or umpires may alsobe willing to mentor you.
Expect to buy your own equipment — in-cluding shoes, the appropriate shirt andpants, and any protective gear — and to workyour way up the ladder from youth leagues tohigh school varsity games. Fees range fromzero to $35 or so for youth games, up to $65for high school varsity games.
Professional organizerLet your neat-freak flag fly by helping
clients declutter, organize paperwork orphotos, straighten up their closets,garages, junk drawers or home offices —even the way they structure their time.
As with any business start-up, you’llneed to decide on your business model,get insurance, and file the appropriate pa-perwork with local and state agencies.
For training, business tips and networkingopportunities, join the National Associationof Professional Organizers (NAPO). You canadd to your clean cred by becoming certifiedby NAPO. Certification — which requirescompleting 1,500 hours of paid client workand passing a proctored exam — costs $450,with a $100 annual maintenance fee.
Hourly fees for professional organizersrun from $25 to $100, with the most com-mon fees in the $50 to $75 range.
22 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
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BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon 23
TravelLeisure &TravelLeisure &
By Victor Block Many people who travel to the Czech Re-
public confine their stay to its capital,Prague, and with good reason. Known as“the city of a hundred spires” — although it’sactually decorated by nearly a thousand tow-ers and steeples — it ranks among the mostmagnificent capitals of Europe and tells astory that stretches back over a millennium.
The setting overwhelms visitors with itsarchitecture, which provides a feast for theeyes, then envelopes them in an aura of liv-ing history. Just when you think you’veseen the most majestic building possible,you turn a corner and come upon anothergem that surpasses it in grandeur.
Even so, those who fail to explore thecountless treasures that abound throughoutthe rest of the country miss a lot. A perfectitinerary combines the attractions of boththe capital Praha and the countryside.
Medieval masterpiecesPrague’s entire center is a designated
UNESCO heritage site. Its buildings, un-like those in many other European cities,survived World War II remarkably intact.The 13th century “Old Town” (StareMesto) consists of a labyrinth of winding al-leys and picturesque squares, as does thenot-quite-so-old “New Town” (Nove Mesto),which dates back to 1348.
Little wonder that the city was rankedsixth in the TripAdvisor 2016 list of best des-tinations throughout the world. Among rea-
sons for that claim to fame are its extensivecollection of museums and theaters, alongwith hundreds of concert halls, galleriesand other arts and entertainment venues.
It’s rare to find an architectural treas-ure-trove as rich and varied in such a com-pact area. The profusion of ancientpalaces, castles and cathedrals creates arich mosaic of outstanding masterpieces.Romanesque chapels stand in the shadowof soaring Gothic cathedrals. Baroquepalaces are neighbors to late 19th-centuryArt Nouveau buildings and examples ofthe early 20th-century Cubist style.
A famous landmark in the Old Town’scentral square is an imposing tower thathas looked out over the setting for nearlyseven centuries. A crowd gathers eachhour from dawn to dark to watch the 15thcentury astronomical clock put on itseclectic show. A small door opens and aminiature statue of Christ marches out fol-lowed by his disciples, as the skeleton ofdeath tolls the hour on the clock’s bell.
The Lesser Town (Mala Strana), alsoknown as the Little Quarter, is clusteredaround the foothills on which the PragueCastle is perched. That neighborhood wasborn in the 8th century as a market settle-ment. Its cobbled streets are lined by smallshops, traditional restaurants and pubs,and restored ancient buildings.
Castles and bridges The sprawling Prague Castle, the largest
medieval castle complex in the world, datesback to 880 C.E. and overlooks the cityfrom a steep hill. It served as the seat ofpower for a parade of kings and emperors,and today is the official residence of thecountry’s president.
The buildings and courtyards sprawl overan area of 18 acres. They include four palacesand other residences, cathedrals and church-es, defensive towers and several museums.
A ditch that encircles the castle, dug cen-turies ago to provide added protection, isstill called the Deer Moat, named for the an-imals that early rulers kept confined there.Adding color to the setting are six terracedgardens, including the impressive Renais-sance Garden, which was laid out in 1534.
Another must-see in Prague is the grace-ful Charles Bridge, which well deserves itsreputation as one of the most beautiful stonebridges anywhere. It has spanned the VltavaRiver since the 14th century, and today is oneof more than 30 within the city. A line of stat-ues that were placed along its balustrades inthe 17th and early 18th centuries depictssaints who were venerated at that time.
It has been a pedestrian-only bridge since1978. Throughout the day, the bridge ispacked with throngs of people who traipseacross it, pausing to check out souvenirs,jewelry and other goods for sale in stalls, tolisten to the sounds of musicians playing to
earn tips, and simply to enjoy the beautifulview of Prague Castle in the distance.
Charming Czech townsAfter taking in the architectural riches
and vibrant setting of the Czech Republic’scapital, the treasures that abound through-out the rest of the country provide a sharp,and welcome, contrast.
For starters, the varied landscape isstrewn with shimmering lakes and criss-crossed by sparkling rivers. Rolling farmfields and orchards lead to forested high-lands that are overlooked by mountainranges that virtually surround the country,which is about three times the size ofMaryland.
Even with its magnificent examples ofMother Nature’s handiworks, the greatestassets outside of Prague are man-made.Many of the charming towns that are scat-tered throughout the Czech Republic arebuilt around an inviting central square sur-rounded by narrow winding streets. At thesame time, each community has its uniquecharms.
The tiny village of Telc could have beenlifted from the pages of a Hans ChristianAndersen story. Its fairytale main squareis lined by the decorative facades of ar-
Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Canal islined with warehouses converted torestaurants, shops and clubs. See storyon page 25.
Prague’s 14th century Charles Bridge spans the Vltava River and is accessible onlyto pedestrians. Prague is famed for its nearly 1,000 towers and steeples, and rankssixth on TripAdvisor’s best destinations in the world.
The Czech Republic brews some of the best beers in the world, and in the town of Os-trava, visitors can even take a beer bath or have a beer massage. The country has theworld’s highest per capita consumption of beer, about 40 gallons per person a year.
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Prague and beyond in the Czech Republic
See CZECH REPUBLIC, page 24
cade-fronted Renaissance townhousespainted a variety of pastel hues and set offby ornate gables, intricate designs anddecorations.
Visitors to the Czech Republic seekingto explore its Jewish heritage often headfor Trebic. Among many vestiges of theJewish aspects of the country’s history,that small city stands out.
The presence of Jewish people in pres-ent-day Trebic was first documented in1338, but it wasn’t until the early 18th cen-
tury that a ghetto was established. Today,it’s one of the best preserved ghettos inEurope and the only Jewish monumentoutside of Israel which is included on theUNESCO World Heritage List. The neigh-borhood encompasses 123 historic build-ings, including two synagogues, a rabbi’shouse, hospital and two schools.
“Taking the waters” at mineral springspas has been a part of life for people livingin this region for centuries. Close to twodozen spa towns attract visitors in search ofhealing for various ailments or simply a re-laxing experience. Among the most famousspas are Marianske Lazne, which is sur-
rounded by nearly 100 natural springs, andLuhacovice Spa, which has been providinghealing and hedonism for nearly 350 years.
It’s hard to beat the excitement and en-joyment of taking in the major attractionsof Prague, as well as strolling through itshidden back streets and off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods. Visiting other histo-ry-rich towns throughout the Czech Re-public that share similarities, yet havetheir own stories to tell, adds much to avisit to that enticing nation.
If you goDining — and drinking — play an im-
portant role in the lifestyle and culture ofpeople in the Czech Republic, and provideenjoyable opportunities for visitors toshare in those experiences.
There are reasons why beer is known as“liquid bread.” The beverage has beenbrewed here for centuries, and Czech beeris recognized as among the best in theworld. It’s not surprising that the countryhas the world’s highest per capita con-sumption — about 40 gallons a year perperson.
In addition to famous national brands,including Pilsner, which was created in thetown of Plzen in 1842, most towns have atleast one brewery, and there are hundredsof local and regional brands.
When it comes to dining, I agreed with aCzech friend with whom I was sharing arestaurant meal who admitted to me, in an
understatement, “Our food is not veryhealthy.” Local specialties include thicksoups, roast pork and duck, cabbage anddumplings. He pointed to the children’smenu, which featured pork filet and friedcheese.
Residents of Prague seeking traditionalfavorites often head for Milynare (“At themillers”). Favorites on the lengthy menuinclude beef goulash ($10) and the bounti-ful “Miller’s plate,” which is piled high withduck, pork sausage, cabbage, dumplingsand potatoes ($35). For more informationlog onto www.restauraceumlynare.cz.
A good place to enjoy typical fare in Os-trava is Moravska Chalupa (“Moravian cot-tage”). It is located on Stodolni Street — athoroughfare lined by restaurants, barsand night clubs — which locals rightly call“the street that never sleeps.” Roast duckwith cabbage ($15) and pork filet andbacon encased in an oversize potato pan-cake ($21) are among the very fillingchoices. For more information, log ontomoravskachalupa.cz.
The Hotel Pyramida in Prague offersvalue-priced accommodations. Amenitiesincluding a pool and sauna, not to mentiona convenient location within walking dis-tance of the castle and city center. Ratesbegin at $57. For more information, logonto http://www.hotelpyramida.cz/en/.
For more information about visiting theCzech Republic, log onto www.czechtourism.com.
24 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Czech RepublicFrom page 23
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By Beth J. HarpazWhat might be Oklahoma City’s best-
known attraction is also a reminder of oneof its darkest days: the Oklahoma NationalMemorial & Museum. The site honors the168 people who died, and hundreds morewho were injured, when the Alfred P. Mur-rah Building was bombed in 1995.
Once you’ve paid your respects, take adeep breath and spend some time explor-ing other things this friendly city has tooffer — from cowboy culture, to pro bas-ketball, to a famous steakhouse.
What’s newThe big news in Oklahoma City this
spring is a $45 million whitewater rafting fa-cility called Riversports Rapids, due to openin the city’s Boathouse District in May. Themanmade course will accommodate 2,000people rafting and kayaking each day.
Also opening in May: the Criterion, a4,000-seat concert venue on the east end ofBricktown — named for the area’s historicbrick warehouses, which have been con-verted to restaurants, shops and clubs.
This summer, a new hotel in the 21c Mu-seum Hotel chain (that features art galleriesin each lobby and has eight locations), isscheduled to open in a 100-year-old historicbuilding downtown that once served as anassembly plant for Model T cars. The hotelwill have 135 rooms and a contemporary artmuseum onsite with rotating exhibitions.
Spend a few quiet moments contemplatingthe 168 empty chairs — including 19 smallchairs that symbolize the children who per-ished — that are the primary feature of theOklahoma National Memorial & Museum.
Then take a short walk to the nearbyMyriad Botanical Gardens. The outdoorgrounds are free to stroll, with landscapedpaths that offer a quiet, green respite from
the busy downtown. Admission to the on-site Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory,which has a wet zone and a dry zone, is $8.
Understanding America’s WestAllow yourself a few hours to explore the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Muse-um. There’s a lot more here than you mightexpect — not just the history of cowboys, buta context for visitors to contemplate what theAmerican West means to them.
There are exhibits on Native Americans,how cowboys lived from the time the Westwas settled to now, and the impact of cow-boy culture on pop and mainstream culture— movies, TV and more. Everything fromrodeos to boots and hats is explored withthe passion of an anthropologist.
Outside you’ll find a striking sculptureof four cowboys on horseback, wavingwhips and guns in the air. Also on thegrounds are burial sites for horses thatwere famed on the rodeo circuit.
New temporary exhibitions openingthis season at the museum include one onbolo ties and another called “The CowboyReturns: Photographs by Bank and JohnLangmore,” which offers photos by a fa-ther and son about the daily, gritty lives ofcowboys over two generations.
In June, the Oklahoma City Museum ofArt will host “Matisse in His Time: Master-works of Modernism from the CentrePompidou, Paris.” It’s the only venue forthat show outside of Europe.
An early evening stroll in Bricktown onthe paths lining the Bricktown Canal is a lotof fun. You can also take a tour by watertaxi. Restaurants along the waterfront aremostly chains, but you’ll find more interest-ing places to eat elsewhere around the city.
The Red Earth Festival attracts thou-sands of Native American artists and
dancers each year. This year’s event isscheduled for June 10-12 at the Cox Conven-tion Center, and includes a parade throughdowntown and a dance competition.
Basketball fans will want to catch a gamefeaturing Oklahoma’s only major leaguesports team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Take a walk on the Oklahoma City Sky-Dance Bridge, a pedestrian bridge on Har-vey Avenue spanning Interstate 40 nearRobinson Avenue south of downtown.
The Paseo Arts District offers art gal-
leries, a few boutiques and gift shops. AFirst Friday gallery walk is held eachmonth. Nearby, check out Cheever’s Cafe,2409 N. Hudson St. (try the shaved brus-sels sprout and kale salad, and the roastedpecan ice cream ball for dessert).
And do not miss Cattlemen’s Steakhouse,1309 S. Agnew, where you’ll get one of thebest steak dinners you’ve ever had. A horse-and-buggy offers a free ride from the parkinglot to the restaurant, steps away.
— AP
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel 25
Cowboys, art and steak in Oklahoma City
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By Carol SorgenIn a discipline filled with young, flexible
dancers, it isn’t often that seniors have theopportunity to take to the stage and offertheir own expressions through movement.
Their leg extensions may not be as high asthey used to be, nor their lunges as deep. Butolder dancers bring deep emotion and vastexperience to their performances, accordingto Cheryl Goodman, director of Dance Balti-more, now in its 13th year. [Editor’s Note:Dance Baltimore should not be confused withDance & Bmore, another nonprofit we wroteabout in the April Beacon.]
Dance Baltimore will once again pres-ent its annual concert, “Ageless Grace,”featuring both former professionaldancers as well as recreational dancersranging in age from their 40s throughtheir 70s. The concert will be staged at theCreative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134Eastern Ave., on Sunday, May 29, at 4 p.m.
Senior companies will perform solo,duet and ensemble pieces, featuring tap,modern, belly dance, African, Polynesian,jazz and other types of dance.
“The annual Ageless Grace concert hasbecome one of the most inspiring produc-
tions we offer,” said Goodman. “The dancersonstage are older, but our audience for thisevent is always mixed in age, with everyonetouched by seeing life so passionately andcontinuously expressed. At 58, I love watch-ing the show; I love dancing in the show.”
Performing soloists and ensembles will in-clude: Antonia (belly dance), Branch Morgan(modern), Hot Hula Fitness (Polynesian),Tapsicore (tap), Leslie Ebert (modern),Cedric Teamer & Sheena Black (Casino deRueda Baltimore/Afro Caribbean Salsa), Itin-erant Dance Theatre (comedic dance,Delaware) and two selections featuringDance Baltimore students from its BroadwayJazz and Intermediate Modern classes.
From ballet to steppingShowcasing her “Hot Hula Fitness” will
be Kirsten Ledford, a former professionaldancer who has been teaching dance fit-ness since 1990.
Ledford has been involved in dance for44 of her 48 years. She studied ballet untilcollege and then switched to modern be-fore finding “stepping,” which is based ona long tradition in African communities.
Ledford’s work as a dancer, choreogra-
pher and artistic director began withStep Afrika (a D.C.-based percus-sive/African dance company), whichtook her around the world on danceexchange projects.
After having her daughter, she re-turned to her profession as a specialeducator, but finally “got my grooveback” when she got her license toteach Zumba — a dance fitness formthat explores Latin and world danceand music.
Polynesian dance has also always in-trigued her, and Ledford visited “ha-laus” (hula schools) and avidly watcheddancers on YouTube for years.
“Then, in walks Hot Hula Fitnessinto my life,” said Ledford, referringto a new dance workout inspired bythe dances of the Pacific Islands. Led-ford now teaches a variety of danceworkout classes, and also performsat parties.
Myriad benefitsDance offers a number of benefits, ac-
cording to Ledford. “What other habit hasside effects as positive as dance?” sheasked. “From improved strength, to flexi-bility, sense of belonging, cognitive func-tion, balance, stress relief…I could go on!”
For Ledford, the dance floor is a place“to express joy, to create, to share fellow-ship, to mourn…to live!”
Dance Baltimore is an arts service organi-zation with a mission to enhance the role of
dance in the Baltimore metropolitan area.The nonprofit organization regularly offersfree and discount adult dance classes, per-formances and dance-inspired activities to en-courage new audiences for dance. Dance Bal-timore is a membership organization that hasbeen in existence in the area since 2003.
Tickets for Ageless Grace can be pur-chased online at www.creativealliance.org.General admission seating is $15 in ad-vance; $18 at the door. For more informa-tion about Dance Baltimore and all upcom-ing concerts, visit www.dancebaltimore.orgor call (410) 370-8994.
26 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Arts &Style Learn more about the contributionslocal doctors have made to medicine atan exhibit at the Jewish Museum. Seestory on facing page.
Older dancers show amazing gracefulness
Antonia will perform a belly dance as part ofDance Baltimore’s “Ageless Grace” concert,featuring dancers from their 40s to 70s, onMay 29.
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Radio Flea Market
Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliancesEverything and anything is sold on
Heard every Sunday, 7-8:00 a.m. on 680 WCBM
By Carol SorgenBaltimore is known around the world as
a leader in healthcare, in part due to itsrenowned medical institutions, such asJohns Hopkins Hospital and the Universityof Maryland Medical Center.
The Jewish Museum of Maryland ex-plores the city’s prominence in the medicalarena, and the role of Jewish doctors, in itscurrent exhibition, “Beyond ChickenSoup: Jews & Medicine in America,” nowon view through Jan. 16.
More than 400 artifacts are on display,along with hands-on activities, multimediaeffects, documents and images. The exhib-it, which received funding from the Na-tional Endowment of the Humanities andthe Institute for Museum and Library Sci-ence, is made up not only from the JewishMuseum’s collection, but also from institu-tions such as the Israel Museum inJerusalem and Harvard University’sPeabody Museum of Archaeology and Eth-nology.
It explores the sociology of the medicalprofession, in part. “Medicine has not onlybeen about health, but has also served as avehicle for discrimination, acculturationand strengthening ethnic identity,” saidExhibition Curator Karen Falk.
“Though the exhibit looks at these is-sues through a Jewish lens, its themes willresonate with people of diverse religious,racial and ethnic backgrounds, many ofwhom have similar experiences today.”
The exhibit is divided into seven “envi-ronments” related to health; namely, amedical library, medical school, doctor’soffice, hospital, pharmacy, laboratory andgymnasium. Each section explores an as-pect of the American Jewish experiencewith medicine, as well as the broader rela-tionships between medicine and identity.
Rare antique textsA highlight of the exhibit is the collection
of Baltimore ophthalmologist Harry Frieden-wald. Now housed in the National Library ofIsrael, these rare texts date from the sixth to18th centuries, and are returning for their firstappearance in the United States since 1943.
The exhibit begins with the recreation ofFriedenwald’s medical library. Friedenwaldhoped that by collecting manuscripts that de-scribed the practice of medicine by Jewsthroughout the centuries, he could help dis-pel the notion that newly-arrived Jewish im-migrants would spread disease and place aburden on American society. Friedenwaldhoped that his efforts would counter the ris-ing anti-Semitism of the early 20th century.
Anti-Semitism was displayed first in thecontext of medical education, with thenumber of Jews (as well as members ofother ethnic and racial groups) acceptedinto medical school being limited.
Among the documents in this sectionare letters from a local rabbi and the presi-dent of the Baltimore Jewish Council sentto numerous universities requesting infor-mation on the admission of Jewish stu-dents. Their assumptions that Jews werebeing denied admission to medical schoolswere, in many instances, borne out.
Among the other topics explored aredoctor-patient relationships and the au-thority of the “white coat”; the rise and fallof the “science” of eugenics; the develop-ment of genetic medicine; and how evolv-ing medical standards have changed oureveryday lives, including the way we eat.
“Beyond Chicken Soup” also features atouch-screen interactive station that allowsvisitors to explore the ethical issues asso-ciated with modern genetic screening, amulti-media sampling of Jewish doctors inpopular culture, birthing instruments and
a “test your strength” fitness activity. In addition to the instructive aspects of
the exhibit, there are more personal arti-facts. These include the tiny red plastic en-gagement ring made by struggling dentalstudent Edmund Kahn from materials hefound in the students’ laboratory at the Uni-versity of Maryland.
Instead of a diamond, the ring contains atooth (albeit a fake one). Fortunately, hisbeloved, a Baltimore girl named GertrudeFried, was won over, and the ring has been
passed down through the family for gener-ations.
The exhibit also explores the rise of Bal-timore’s world-famous hospitals, and hon-ors such medical pioneers as Jonas Salk,who developed the polio vaccine.
“Beyond Chicken Soup: Jews and Medi-cine in America” runs through Jan. 16,2017, at the Jewish Museum of Maryland,15 Lloyd St. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8for those 65+. Call (410) 732-6400 or visitwww.jewishmuseummd.org.
B A L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 27
As for Wolford, fresh flowers aren’t theonly thing she’s growing. Working in hergarden has also allowed her to cultivatenew friendships.
“I’ve met quite a few fellow gardeners,”said Wolford. “It’s been a great way to getto know people, especially since I’m rela-tively new.”
Therapeutic benefits As the residents of Charlestown have
discovered, gardening has many benefitsboth physical and emotional. The NationalDiabetes Education Program, for example,recommends gardening as one way forolder adults to be more physically active.
Gardening has been found, for instance,to improve bone mass and density, which
many people tend to lose as they get older,according to a study from the University ofArkansas.
The Alzheimer’s Research Center notesthat therapeutic gardens help people remainconnected with nature, recover more quicklyfrom surgery and illnesses, and provide ameans to continue enjoying outdoor activitiesthey have done throughout their lives.
And one of the greatest benefits of gar-dening is the effect it can have on managingand reducing stress. A Dutch study, for ex-ample, found that gardening after a stressfultask yielded a better, more relaxed mood,and lower levels of the stress hormone corti-sol than similar relaxing leisure activities.
At the Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Cen-ter and Hospital, residents may not onlytake part in structured gardening activities,but can also enjoy a sensory garden thatwas donated by the Levindale Auxiliary.
Located at the entrance of the Levindalecampus, the garden gives residents the op-portunity to enjoy plants and flowers thatchange with the season, as well as tranquil
waterfalls, soothing music and colorfullights. The garden is based on similar
28 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
GardeningFrom page 1
Not everyone has a plot of land, even atiny one, to call her own. For such folks,joining a community garden offers an op-portunity to beautify their neighbor-hood, stock their fridge with fresh veg-gies, and connect with their neighbors.
These gardens are created on plots ofland usually owned by cities or commu-nity groups, and are tended to by indi-viduals who are responsible for theirown plant beds.
In some ways, community gardensare the natural progression of the “Victo-ry Gardens” that became prevalent dur-ing both World Wars. These were fruit,vegetable and herb gardens planted inprivate residences and public parks thatwere meant to bolster the public foodsupply and boost morale at home.
For Miriam Avins, executive director ofBaltimore Green Space — an organizationthat works with city residents to developand preserve open spaces like communitygardens — these modern-day gardens arealigned with that spirit of civic pride.
“Community gardening in Baltimoreis a response to having vacant land,” shesaid. “There are enormous benefits,such as prettier neighborhoods. That‘cared-for’ look can be transformative fora community.”
The personal factor — the chance toforge new friendships — is also transfor-mative. When Avins first moved to Balti-
more in 2003, she joined some of herneighbors in starting a community gar-den, and this experience helped her tofeel more at home.
When a developer wanted to buy theland on which the community gardensat, Avins worked with city officials toprotect the space, which led her to es-tablish Baltimore Green Space.
“People love to get their hands in thedirt,” said Avins. “It can be therapeutic.”
Getting involved in community garden-ing is also an opportunity for retirees whohave the time and energy to dedicate notonly to gardening itself, but also to takingon leadership roles within the community.
The first step for any aspiring garden-er is to learn which plants fare best ineach particular season. Peak gardeningtimes are typically between March andOctober. Avins said that there is a spe-cial need for people to tend plots duringthe summer months.
For more information on communitygardens in the area, visit the followingwebsites:
models in the United States and Israel.“Many of the residents had homes where
they had their own gardens,” said Eve Vo-gelstein, a member of the auxiliary and anenthusiastic gardener herself. “It was hardfor them to leave their own gardens, andthis gives them a sense of home.”
Like Levindale, Sunrise Senior Living ofPikesville also involves its residents in gar-dening. There is a garden on the thirdfloor balcony where residents in the Remi-niscence (memory-care) neighborhoodcan participate in gardening activities. Andon the first floor level there are flowers andpots that are used in gardening activities
once the weather warms up.
Different gardening rolesFor Roland Park Place resident Jean Sil-
ber, gardens hold a sense of the past. Be-fore moving to Roland Park, Silber and herlate husband, Sidney, developed a well-known garden over the course of 55 years.
In 1956, she, her husband and anothercouple purchased 40 acres of woodland inLutherville. While her husband was the avidgardener at first, Silber caught the bug oncetheir children were grown. The couple tookclasses at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylva-nia, and toured gardens all over the world.
Hundreds of people from all over thecountry have visited the Silbers’ garden,and in 2005 it was included in the Smith-
sonian’s archives of American gardens.Now living at Roland Park Place, Silber
doesn’t have the opportunity to garden asshe once did, though she serves on thecommunity’s grounds committee and“clips and fixes” what she can. Residentshave also helped choose the landscapingon the community’s campus, and planted agarden on one of the roof spaces.
What Silber loves about gardening is its“instant gratification.” “You can do onesmall thing, and you can change the wholescene right before your eyes,” she said.
Silber’s neighbor, Sally Freedman, isalso an enthusiastic gardener and tends
two small garden plots from among thoseavailable for Roland Park Place residents.
Friedman, a former resident of Brook-lyn, N.Y., was an avid gardener and formervolunteer at the renowned BrooklynBotanic Garden. Now close to 90, she ad-mits that gardening is “harder work” thanit once was, but she still keeps at it.
“I like to see nature,” she said, adding thatshe looks forward every Memorial Day tothe blooming of her Oriental poppy. “Whenmy neighbors come by to admire it, my chestgoes out like a proud mother,” she said.With additional reporting by Carol Sorgen
and Laura Bogart.
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 29
A M C S A W S L O N GS O H O T R A P R I V A LA H A B A R I A A B A T EB A R B E R O F S E V I L L EA I L F R Y N E DT R E A T Y O F S T L O U I S
S D S L A R S N O TO P T S S H Y L Y T I N YW H O S P U N A N TN I N E T E E N T H S T A T E
J A R O O H R E DJ A M E S M O N R O E W I N SA B A C I P E R K B A N EV E N T S E R I E A N I LA L E S C O D Y S S S
ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE
ANSWERS TO CROSSWORDFROM PAGE 30
GardeningFrom page 28
SENIOR BOX OFFICE MEMBERSHIP RENEWALSSenior Box Office offers complimentary and discounted tickets tomembers (age 60 and older) for cultural, educational, entertain-
ment and travel opportunities. One-year subscriptions start October 1. Annualdues are $30 per household with brochures delivered by email; $38 per house-hold with mailed printed brochures. For more information, or an application, visitwww.seniorboxoffice.org, call (410) 887-5399 or email [email protected].
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30 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON
Scrabble answers on p. 29.
PUZZLE PAGE
BB6/16
Crossword PuzzleDaily crosswords can be found on our website:
www.TheBeaconNewspapers.comClick on Puzzles Plus
Answers on page 29.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15
16 17 18
19 20 21
22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
32 33 34
35 36 37 38 39
40 41 42
43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51
52 53 54 55 56 57
58 59 60
61 62 63
64 65 66
4. Like a cloudless night5. Seasonal desert stream6. Dickens character7. Mineral springs8. Sex drive9. Sometime soapdish shape10. In brief, the N in NCAA or NAACP11. Musical series that ended in 201513. LOBBY center15. Becomes tangled20. Newt growth: eggs ... tadpoles ... ___ ...
adults21. Admittance26. Handbills and billboards27. His highest grossing movie was 1938’s
The Adventures of Robin Hood28. Folk song mule; in some versions she
works for “15 years”29. Non-trinity Christians30. What evolution and religion have in
common31. Pigpen35. Complete the layaway plan36. Greek letter that looks like an “O” and
an “I” combined37. Unlike an egg, it could contain an
X or a Y38. It’s not black or white39. Trinitrotoluene, imploded to three
letters41. Period of inactivity42. His first Grand Slam win was in 196844. Leaves James Bond’s Aston Martin
quickly45. Hot and heavy46. Day off play, for Ferris Bueller47. Sport where love is worth nothing48. Famous Ford failures52. The number 4 synonym on Coffee.org53. The first human to die54. Lion’s main feature55. Grp. of 13 non-European countries,
with HQ in Vienna, Austria56. Emperor after Claudius57. Oldest of the four boxing
sanctioning orgs.
Bicentennial Now By Stephen Sherr
Across1. Auto co. formed in 1954 by the (then)
largest merger in US history4. Woodshop tools8. Perlman partner, on early Cheers12. New York region, “South of
Houston Street”14. Mouse catcher15. Arch enemy16. Whale hunter17. Opera highlight18. Curb one’s enthusiasm19. He took his first cuts on 2/20/181622. Visit the school nurse23. Make hush puppies24. Springfield widower25. It was actually signed in Portage des
Sioux, Missouri on 12/30/181632. Radical 1960’s grp.33. Nordic name34. “Too much is ___ enough”35. Picks paper or plastic37. With averted eyes39. Miniature40. ___ let the dogs out?41. Got out of control42. “Aunt” homophone, to some43. Indianan milestone, on 12/11/181649. Pickle protector50. “La-la” lead-in51. Apple option52. Political result of 181658. Early calculators59. Frequent flyer reward60. Ruination61. Lets off steam62. Folk song canal; in some versions it
goes for “15 miles”63. Plant that produces a blue dye64. Pub licks65. Wyoming city, named for Buffalo Bill66. Man-tracking org.Down1. Blind ___2. Knitter’s material3. Flapper dance
BA L T IMORE B E A CON — J UNE 2 0 1 6 Say you saw it in the Beacon 31
OFFICE HELP WANTED – Part-time helpneeded for Pimlico area property managementcompany. Must be computer literate, and finan-cial or legal experience would be helpful. Acheerful demeanor is a must. Email resume [email protected].
ELDERLY CARE – FEMALE care provider,English speaking, with car. I cook, clean andtake to all appointments. I’m experienced incaring for people with MS, Alzheimer’s andother health problems. Excellent references.301-275-7283.
AMAZING CAREGIVING F/T & P/T homecare and transportation for daily living. Pam,410-977-2040.
ACCOUNTING, TAXES, AND BOOKKEEP-ING, eldercare. CPA 38 years, reasonable rates.Call 410-653-3363.
MOVING SALE – Everything must go. Bedroom,living room, and small dining table and chairs. Call410-465-6414 to make appointment to view items.
PHILLIPS SLEEP APNEA MACHINE –Fairly new, valued at $1,500, selling for $400.Call Joy, 410-661-4940.
CEMETERY LOT, DULANEY VALLEYGARDENS, Timonium, MD 21093. Holy Cross,Section 7260. $1,500 or best offer. Contact Ray,410-744-5219.
2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints fromDante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed.Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures ifdesired. Call Steve, 410-913-1653.
MOBILE EYE EXAMS – Comprehensive and/orlow vision eye exams provided to Baltimore seniorswith limited mobility. Visit www.HomeEyeOD.comor call 443-802-9920 for more information.
SANFORD & SON JUNK REMOVAL. Trash+ Junk removal, house & estate cleanouts,garage+ basement cleanouts. Demolition –Shed, deck fence + pool removal. Licensed + in-sured. Free estimates over the phone. Call 7days a week, 7 am to 7 pm. 410-746-5090.
BALTIMORE’S BEST JUNK REMOVAL –Clean Outs: Whole House, Emergency,Attics/Basements. Furniture and Junk Re-moval, Yard Waste Removal, General Hauling,Construction Debris Removal. Free estimates.10% Senior Discount. Licensed, Bonded and In-sured. Call Jesse, 443-379-HAUL (4285).www.baltimoresbestjunkremoval.com.
CALL TODAY FOR FREE Cell Phone Serviceon the nationwide 4G LTE network. No contract,no credit check, and you can bring your own phoneif needed. Call 410-528-7977 for more information.
SWF AGE 60 EDUCATED, seeks Christianmale, ages 58-72, with good interpersonal com-munication skills for friendship or dating. Call443-851-0726.
SINGLE WHITE MALE, 57 YEAR OLD, for-mer marine. 5ft, 9in. Clean cut, dark browneyes/hair. Looking for white female with com-mon interest, dating and more. Serious in-quiries. Call Joseph, 410-661-4940. Call or textme anytime.
WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER JEWELRY.Costume too. Gold and silver coins, papermoney, military, crocks, old bottles and jars, etc.Call Greg, 717-658-7954.
WE BUY STERLING SILVER FLATWARE,tea sets, single pieces of silver, large pieces ofsilver plate. Attic, basement, garage. You havesomething to SELL, we like to BUY. Call Greg,717-658-7954.
CASH BUYER FOR OLD COSTUME JEW-ELRY – wrist and pocket wrist watches (anycondition). Also buying watchmaker tools andparts, coins, quilts, old toys, postcards, trains,guns, pocket and hunting knives, linens, fishingequipment and tackle boxes, fountain pens,Christmas garden items, crocks and jugs, lampsand lanterns, pottery, military items, sportsmemorabilia, advertising signs, paintings andcontents of attics, basements and garages. Pro-fessional, no pressure individual with over fortyyears of experience. Lloyd D. Baker. 410-409-4965. 717-969-8114, office.
CAMERAS AND LENSES, CASH ORBARTER – Hobbyist seeks DSLR, digital SLR,and 35mm cameras. Cash or Barter lawncut-ting, yardwork, hedges, light hauling. 443-935-9024.
VINTAGE ELECTRIC SLOTCARS and ac-cessories (all scales) from the 1960s through1970s including Aurora, Atlas, Tyco, Cox, K&B,Revell, Monogram, etc. Call Bill at 410-615-7043.
BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm &Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s,Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted.Please call John, 301-596-6201.
FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUAL-ITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by aserious capable buyer. I am very well educated[law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years inthe antique business] and have the finances andwherewithal to handle virtually any situation. Ifyou have a special item, collection or importantestate I would like to hear from you. I pay greatprices for great things in all categories from ori-ental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks tofirearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If itis wonderful, I am interested. No phony promis-es or messy consignments. References gladlyfurnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.
COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS:Helmets, weapons, rifles, shot guns, knives,swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from allwars and countries. Large quantities are okay.Will pay top prices for my personal collection.Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783.
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under the fol low ing headings: Business &Employment Opportunities; Caregivers;Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale;For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health;Home/ Handy man Services; Miscellaneous;Personals; Per son al Services; Va ca tion Oppor-tunities; and Want ed. For sub mis sion guide -lines and dead lines, see the box on the right.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!The Beacon does not know ing ly ac cept ob -
scene, of fen sive, harmful, or fraudulent ad-vertising. How ev er, we do not in ves ti gate anyad ver tis ers or their prod ucts and can not ac -cept re spon si bil i ty for the in teg ri ty of either.Re spon dents to clas si fied ad ver tis ing shouldal ways use cau tion and their best judg ment.
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Home Health CareDAR Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Independent Home Care . . . . . . .29One Day At A Time Personal Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N
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